《Infinite Mana in the Apocalypse》 Chapter 243 - <> I Chapter 243 - <> I In the grandly floating Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, a dungeon in the form of a large black monolith was forming in front of all the beasts¡¯ eyes. At the center of the black monolith, the hazy figures of multiple Demon Rulers could be seen. These were the holders of the remaining Seven Deadly Sins skill. The {Sin of L.u.s.t} that had fallen in the form of a skill book into the Imperial Phoenix¡¯s hands was currently with Noah, with the Phoenix giving it the moment Noah asked without even asking for the reason why. The other four remaining skills were still being held by four Demon Rulers that were now going into dungeon bosses for the purpose of extracting their Ultimate Skills without killing them entirely. "There can only be a single holder of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities anyways, but there exists a new uncharted territory once we succeed on this current endeavor." The voice of the will of the Demon World rang out in Noah¡¯s mind as he watched the completion of the large dungeon which held the origins of four Demon Rulers. He observed the still charging [Sheath Regalia] below the Spiritual Land as he asked, "The end result will allow for all of them to be combined into a single source?" A silence arrived briefly before a confident voice rang out deep within the Demon World. "This was the ultimate form of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities I envisioned. With the help of the other three cores, it should not be a problem to achieve something I only thought would be possible after hundreds of years!" Noah nodded at this as his figure moved forward and disappeared into the newly made dungeon as he pursued his first goal of a rapid rise in strength after his return to the past. The process was not hard at all as the Rulers were either in the Phantasmal or Mythical Rank, and with the fact that they were not even resisting, Noah was able to destroy their cores very quickly. Not even a few minutes after he entered, his figure appeared back on top of the Spiritual Land as the dungeon that was just erected began to break apart and disappear. It faded away to reveal the sorry figures of four Demon Rulers who had their origins injured after being defeated in the dungeon, and they also came to the realization that they had lost the Ultimate Skills they knew all too well for the past hundreds of years. Noah waved his hands as in front of his sight five red and golden-colored books appeared, four from the Demon Rulers and 1 that he took from the hands of the Imperial Phoenix. The Ultimate Skills that signified the Sins of L.u.s.t, Greed, Sloth, Envy, and Wrath floated peacefully around him before they turned into red streams of lights that entered his body. He watched the addition of five new Ultimate Skills in his stat panel as the moment they settled, they began seething a deep red color. Noah¡¯s figure quickly disappeared from the Spiritual Land as he reappeared deep at the center of the Demon World, just a few meters away from its core.v3l.Bin. "Let¡¯s do it!" The will of the Demon World was watching with rapt expectations as immense energy that only it could provide poured towards Noah. It would finally have the chance to watch the ultimate ability that it had only dreamed of come to fruition! The cheat of escaping death could not easily be given to Noah, but the combination of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities she created could definitely be done to singularly become the epitome of what she imagined as the strongest warrior for the world! Essence from Noah¡¯s homeworld came into play as the feature of [Skill Combination] that would normally only work for two compatible skills was shining a deep hue of blue, contributing to the combination of the completed Seven Deadly Sins abilities. OOONG! Noah floated near the core of the Demon World as red light ruptured out of his body, the ultimate skills gradually being fused into something else as his skin began to turn a shade of red, and magnificent golden horns began to appear on either side of his head. The transformation seemed to show the progression of the combination of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities as glorious black wings also erupted from his back, his figure becoming bulkier and larger as it let off a feeling of oppressive strength that Noah had only seen in a few beings. Runic golden circles began to be etched into the new body as they formed into an exquisite set of lines throughout his body. The moment they all connected, a resplendent golden-red light erupted out as it signified the arrival of something grand. "Haha, success!" The resonant voice of the will of the world erupted out as Noah closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of strength he currently felt. His eyes opened as they let out a deadly red light, his gaze landing on his stat panel as a new set of words appeared below the list of Ultimate Skills. <> A skill given to the holder of all the "Seven Deadly Sins" skills. The user is considered to be the Absolute Sin, empowering every sin type skill they hold. It gives access to the skills: [Sin Empowerment], [Harbinger of Sin], [Sin Manipulation], [Sin Syphoning], and [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] [Emperor of Greed] The user can steal the ownership of any item they see or sense. [Loot the Body] - The user can steal the abilities and stats of dead beings they touch, but can¡¯t steal from beings above their rank. [Not Enough] A voracious greed that can never be fulfilled dwells within. One can never have too much power, wealth, or treasures. The more treasure the user owns, the more their power is boosted. {Ultimate Skill ¨C Sin of Sloth} Sin of Sloth grants access to the skills: [Awaken Sleep], [Strengthened Sleep Training], [Rest Master], and [Sleep Evolution] [Awaken Sleep] - The user is aware of everything going on around them, while they¡¯re asleep. [Strengthened Sleep Training] ¨C If the user is dedicated enough, then they can become stronger by sleeping. By having even the tiniest desire to improve or learn something, the user will rapidly learn and improve in that aspect while sleeping. [Rest Master] - The user can fall asleep in a single second, and a single hour of rest is everything they need to get back to full power, but more sleep won¡¯t hurt anyone. [Sleep Evolution] - When the user breaks into a new stage, they¡¯ll fall asleep, and their body will evolve in a favorable way. {Ultimate Skill ¨C Sin of L.u.s.t} Sin of L.u.s.t grants access to the skills: [S.e.x Demon Transformation], [Love Enslavement], [Life Energy Drain], and [L.u.s.t Inducement] [S.e.x Demon Transformation] - The user¡¯s body becomes more attractive in its normal state, but when the skill is activated. The user will turn into a s.e.x demon, and they¡¯ll take on a few of their traits. This will increase the strength of all the other sub-skills by a magnitude of one. A s.e.x demon can change between the form of an incubus and a succubus. [Love Enslavement] - By having s.e.x with another being, the user may be able to take control over the being they had s.e.x with. [Life Energy Drain] - When the user has s.e.x with another being, they can steal 1% of said being¡¯s stats. It also has a 10% chance to steal a skill. [L.u.s.t Inducement] - The user can increase the l.u.s.t other beings feel. This will make it easier for the user to manipulate said being. {Seven Deadly Sins- Pride} One of the seven deadly sins unique to the demon world. Abilities include: [Pride Manipulation], [Pride Embodiment], [White Dwarf Throw], and [Aura of Pride]. [Pride Manipulation ]-The user can induce extremely high or low levels of pride in others, causing them to lose contact with reality or overestimate their own abilities. Cannot be applied to oneself. [Pride Embodiment]- When meeting foes holding a higher level of strength, the user gains the power of hubris itself. This power can be used to strengthen attacks or defenses. The level of enhancement is dependent on the true pride lying deep in the user¡¯s heart, which could be nurtured to grow so large that nothing is allowed to overshadow it! [White Dwarf Throw] ¨C Those who dare to stand against the user will be punished by a white dwarf star, while allies will be healed and energized by it. [Aura of Pride] This allows the user to exclude an aura of pure pride, it takes any and all pride in the air and puts it under the user¡¯s control. Any allies within range of the skill will have their powers increased based on the amount of pride, the same happens for enemies but they¡¯ll be weakened instead. The user¡¯s own power will also increase. {Seven Deadly Sins- Gluttony} One of the seven deadly sins unique to the demon world. Abilities include: [Devouring], [Large Stomach], [Library], and [Gluttony Manifestation]. [Devouring] - Filled with endless hunger and thirst, the user can devour their enemies and other entities fully. The user can absorb the full power, complete memory, all skills and abilities, and the full potential of the devoured. The user can also burn the absorbed for healing or a short burst of power equal to the absorbed¡¯s power throughout their past, present, and future. The mana requirement varies depending on what the target is. [Large Stomach] :: An enormous amount of space is made available through the use of this ability, allowing the user to store anything they can devour. [Library] :: Devoured entities are analyzed and stored, their life history and skills laid bare for the user to pick and choose. A maximum of two skills can be extracted from devoured entities. [Gluttony Manifestation]:: The user can apply the effect of [Devouring] anywhere within 5 meters of them, there¡¯s no need to actively eat them. Chapter 244 - <> II Chapter 244 - <> II A level of power that was not accessible to Noah before could be felt coursing throughout his body as he reveled in the form provided by the [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] ability of the <> skill. He had only ever felt power of this level from the Grand Elder Amos and the Black Serpent that he had yet to meet in this current time! Power above the Transcendent level; he was actually letting out strength at the Saint rank through his own power when his attributes and skills were only at the Transcendent level! This was the insane boost provided by the complementing skills of the Seven Deadly Sins that made way for the creation of Absolute Sin. It granted him an ability that allowed him to achieve power of the next stage, something marvelous that he never thought to be possible. Noah spent some time familiarizing himself with the many new descriptions that came with the addition of five more seven deadly sins on top of <> as his eyes landed on a particular ability that shone the most. [Harbinger of Sin] :: As the Original and Absolute Sin, the user can appoint each sin to a person, making that person a harbinger of that sin, giving them access to the standard version of that ultimate skill. If the harbinger is killed, the ultimate skill will return as a charge to this skill, allowing for a new harbinger to be picked. The user can at any time take back a sin given out. The abilities of the Seven Deadly Sins that he held were the strongest forms possible, and he had the right to assign each of the Ultimate Skills to those he chose through the use of this [Harbinger of Sin]! His gaze sharpened as he sent out multiple messages to seven specific beings, his mind already wondering who would be most fit to receive which sin. The abilities were extremely powerful, and would give a huge boost to the strength of anyone that held them.v3l.Bin. Among the people that passed through his mind, Barbatos, Kazuhiko, and Mikhail were among the top, with his thoughts also wondering about the Ice Queen he had not seen in a while as he decided against it. He did not want others to be fighting fights they did not need to. Aside from the first three, the remaining Mythical beasts from the Beast World were also excellent candidates to nurture with the gift of a Seven Deadly Sins skill. Noah¡¯s figure disappeared from the center of the Demon World away from the celebrating planetary core as he reappeared in the grandly floating Spiritual Land above the Demon Capital. He was still in the Arch Demon Lord form, his arrival causing a heavy pressure to descend to the beings around him as those that were already gathered above the Spiritual Land felt their bodies trembling from the immense power Noah portrayed. The others noticed the change as they looked forward with rapt attention, and Noah continued. "The universe has been here before us for an untold number of years, with so many powerful beings so many levels above us that we cannot even be considered along the same lines." His gaze landed towards the Kraken as he sent another command, the Sin of Wrath being sent forth and appointed to the Calamity of the Sea! "There are old monsters and powerful schemers all around us, and we¡¯re only just beginning to grow." From then on, he moved even faster as he sent multiple commands, the Sin of Greed being sent to Kazuhiko, the Sin of Sloth appointed to Steel Mikhail, the Sin of Envy being appointed to Agares, and the Sin of L.u.s.t being appointed to the Imperial Phoenix! Lastly, his gaze turned towards the mischievously smiling Barbatos as he sent the command for the last Sin of Gluttony to be appointed to her. Gorgeous red lights continued to shine all around as the figures of the beings around Noah were elevated, runic markings appearing on each of their heads as Seven new holders of the Seven Deadly Sins were decided. Noah nodded as he continued, his body erupting with strength as he activated the Arch Demon Lord Transformation, a fearsome body of a regal demon appearing in the Spiritual Land. "We are in no hurry, so we will carefully advance forward as we increase our strength. In time, we will build our power and be able to stand with status in this chaotic universe, where we will not be randomly bullied or put under the rule of ruthless beings!" He was saying these words more as a message to the holders of the Seven Deadly Sins in front of him, but they acted more as reminders for himself as he planned for his next movements. He had time on his side, he had to be careful! He could not rush forward randomly, and he needed to build his power as much as possible before he moved. "We can do all of this, together." An air of mystery spread out from the center of the Spiritual Land as Noah stood at the center, surrounded by seven beings looking up at him. The beasts throughout the Spiritual Land felt this environment of power as they let out powerful howls, instinctively feeling winds of change they had not observed before. Chapter 286 - <> Chapter 286 - <> Many of the close calls that Noah faced in the past were because someone proficient in spatial techniques would simply lay down a spatial lock and that would close off all exits. The first time he felt this feeling was during the True Apocalypse of the Lost World where the power of the Celestials blocked off spatial transmission for an entire planet. The only reason he kept his life during that time was because of the mysterious Karmic Sect Leader that had faded away in front of his eyes some time ago. The other time was during the first exploration of the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler, where running away was once again made to be impossible. Noah didn¡¯t like this feeling, so he strove to get his hands on a skill that would render this problem obsolete. That was where the Absolute Space Technique of the Profound Astral Sect, a major power of a Prime World, came in. His eyes shimmered as he observed the brand new skill appearing in shining blue lights on his stat panel. <> :: Your connection to the stars is unique, being able to assert an influence that bends the laws of space to your will. A proficient Connector is able to freely traverse through space, even to locations they have never been to before. Abilities include Marker, Connector, Astral Traveler, Expansive Space, and Star Seeker [Marker] :: Multiple locations that the user can teleport to at a moment¡¯s notice can be marked. The user is able to teleport to previously marked locations or any locations observable within their field of vision. The uniqueness of the Astral Connector will allow the user to be able to move to the desired location regardless of any established spatial restrictions. The [Expansive Space] was a simple and yet extremely useful ability that made his storage rings or bags obsolete as it contained an extremely wide area of space that seemed endless, providing him with an intuitive feature that was helpful in many ways. It was different from the ability provided by the [Amorphous Space Beast] skill tree, the [Miniature Space] ability that allowed him to pull his own body and the bodies of his enemies into a small isolated space. It was the last ability that made him do a double take though, the only offensive ability of the <>, the skill known as <>! It was an extremely shocking skill, as was described in the skill panel, where many of the previous users of this Absolute Technique in the Profound Astral sect were only ever proficient at the first level of this ability, being able to destabilize wide regions that they targeted and cause tremors and quakes that could cause a tremendous amount of damage. But they never had enough energy and prowess to be able to destabilize an entire planet, nonetheless bring about its destruction as the skill name suggested. Noah wondered whether he himself would have the ability to do something as stupendous, and already had an idea in mind that he confirmed as he sent his thoughts towards the Planetary Systems he was connected to. [It should be used to the fullest extent on Minor Worlds or even possibly Middle Worlds.] [Yes. Though it might also work against a Large World, we won¡¯t be too sure unless our three worlds continue to increase in Rank and start stepping into the level of a Prime World.] His thoughts were confirmed as he conversed with the Planetary Systems, the subject of upgrading the level of the Worlds he was connected to reminding him of the thing he wanted to do next as he finished reveling in the successful accomplishment of the goal he had set for the World of Cultivation while spending more time on the descriptions of the new abilities he had collected for himself. He had achieved his goals for this world, and was already looking forward to something he had put in motion behind the scenes. He was thinking about the freezing world that he had sent his Harbingers of Sin and a particularly arrogant penguin into.v3l.B11n. Chapter 315 - A Connection, <> Chapter 315 - A Connection, <> In the Ancient Blood World, Noah was already deep beneath this hidden World¡¯s inner core layer as he came face to face with a Planetary Core much larger than any that he had come across before. This was the planetary core of a world that had downgraded from the stellar status of a Realm and had become a Prime World! It rotated strongly in the underground space, an air of ancientness permeating as a voice very similar to the Guardian of Blood rang out. [I had an agreement with the first Progenitor, and that agreement carries on through the years. What is it that you wish for?] Noah¡¯s gaze that was wandering all over the mystical aurora of lights surrounding this crimson core focused as he spoke out calmly, moving his hands towards the core as he did it. "I only wish for you to accept this connection." His right palm landed on the brilliant core as a unique light released from his body and bathed it serenely, the process of forming yet another line of connection, but this time with a Prime World occurring! [...] The Ancient Blood World quietly released its protective barriers, letting the energy freely permeate through its origin as it let this new Progenitor do what he wished! [Blood Sea] :: Your body is able to turn into an expansive sea of blood, granting you a unique form that allows you to only ever take half of all physical damage while in this form. [A Drop of Blood] :: From a drop of blood, you can begin anew. A part of your origin can be left behind as a drop of blood, allowing you to never truly die as a part of you can be safely hidden away. If used, the ability will require a period of 81 days before a new blood drop can be created. ...! Noah had to come to a stop as he was reading the descriptions of the abilities of the Absolute Skill! When he looked over [Unique Origin], he was happily surprised as it exactly fit what he wanted to obtain from the trip to the Underworld. His one worry when he would enter into the domain of the Celestials was whether the skills he held would be able to bypass their mysterious means if they took a deep look at him. He didn¡¯t know exactly what the abilities of the truly powerful Celestial Grandmasters were, but he expected there to be a thorough examination for any of those joining the ranks of Celestials. This ability made it so that all of his worries were now wiped away, but the stupendous surprises of this trip did not stop there. The [World Veil] and [Blood Sea] were great enough as he continued to read on, but the ability that allowed him to leave a part of his origin behind in a drop of blood was shocking! The ability brought him a tremendous sense of assurance, but also a reminder that he never wanted to put himself in a position that would force him into having to use the stupendous effects of this ability. He gazed at the remaining three abilities he had yet to observe as he saw the effects of [Telepathy] allowed him to send and receive thoughts to those he was thinking of over any distance, [Vampyrism] bringing with it the ability to turn others into Vampyres, or even choose a lesser evolution and make them into brute Vampyric Beasts! Lastly, [Panacea] was an ability that allowed him to release his blood as a supreme medicine, allowing even those on the brink of death to regain their full health and vigor. He could effectively become a machine that pumped out health potions if he wished! These...were just the Absolute Skills that the System had taken and classified from the many memories Noah received after the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline had fused with him. He had not even gone through the other abilities that were laid out in the form of a Skill Tree, making them abilities that he could upgrade and strengthen into an unknown stage far into the future! It felt like he was receiving an overwhelming amount of skills and abilities all at once as his eyes moved on to the Skill Tree that was at Void Rank, with multiple abilities shining below it as it read- [Blood Lord]. Chapter 392 - Fire Origin Core, <> Chapter 392 - Fire Origin Core, <> The small Flame Origin Core continued to spin as it absorbed mana and released a unique energy that continued to release an intense energy drenched in the Law of Fire, this essence continuing to delve throughout Noah¡¯s body as he began to feel a constant feeling of increased strength. His clone that was simply an extension of his limbs also had this energy wrap around him, the body of the clone actually having a more intense reaction in the underground cavern of the volcanic mountain as it brought Noah to the confirmation that he would be able to progress even faster in the environment filled with extreme temperatures and flames. He continued to test whether there would be a limit to how much essence he could feed the Flame Origin Core as it continued to strengthen his body using the Law of Fire, his gaze turning to his stat panel as he noticed the addition of another law! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(41%)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 23,486] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-1] [Vitality: VOID] [Focus: - ]N??v€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter. In the span of a few minutes, he had ridiculously raised his comprehension of a law from nothing until it reached 10%! He was expectact to continue, but this was when the worries he had were affirmed as similar to when he first gathered Fate Lines, something stopped him from completely breaking the rules and just piercing through the stages! The large amount of essence from the atmosphere and from the reserves of the many planets he was connected to simply stopped going into the now Stage 2 Fire Origin Core as began rotating peacefully, not even paying attention to the bountiful energy trying to get into it as it now slowly underwent a cycle of releasing the unique energies it was released before, and then slowly absorbing the essence around it at a rate that would be considered a turtle¡¯s pace. Similar to Fate Lines, he was stopped from rapidly shooting through the ranks of the Law of Fire, his thoughts now focusing on to what extent the effect of this new restriction was, and whether his thoughts of these restrictions being lesser than the supreme Law of Fate would be confirmed. Noah sighed with a light smile as he finally hit the wall he was testing for, shaking his head as he observed the changes to his body. He felt a fiery and explosive strength in every single part of him, knowing that if he went hunting for Ice Behemoths in the future, he had the perfect skills and body to take them down with a much easier time than other behemoths. When he thought about the skills that came with the inheritance, his gaze landed on the shining absolute skill called <>, reading its descriptions as he tried to understand exactly what abilities it held. <> A technique coming from the inheritance of the Disciple of Fire that strives for the aspect of extreme in the Law of Fire. Abilities include Incarnation of Fire, Rejuvenating Flames, Elemental Soul Reinforcement, and Armageddon [Incarnation of Fire] :: You continuously release flames from your body, dealing Fire Damage to all enemies in the proximity as any Fire Element skills are enhanced. The released flames can be manipulated to form varying shapes depending on the comprehension of the user. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the enhanced damage. Current Enhancement- +200% [Rejuvenating Flames] :: Flames of rebirth and healing wrap around your body, granting you increased health and mana regeneration. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the enhanced regeneration. Current Regeneration- +200% [Elemental Soul Reinforcement] :: A unique shield of flames rich in the elemental law of fire wraps around the soul of the user, granting increased protection from any sources of Soul Damage. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the enhanced reinforcement. Current Reinforcement- +200% [Armageddon] :: The area within five miles of the user becomes a Consecrated Flame Ground that calls forth meteors from the skies, destroying all enemies standing on this Consecrated Flame Ground. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the damage. Current Damage- +200% A beautiful set of words appeared in front of eyes, the descriptions of multiple new abilities that fell under a different system than the ones he usually came across opening itself up in front of him. Most terrifying of all was the name of the last ability that fell under <>, and that was the ability coining the name [Armageddon]! Chaptet 1583 Chaptet 1583 "Even after you make the concept, you have to then utilize it for years to fully complete it, or you can once more utilize the Essence of Reality or if you have plundered the origins of your enemies- you can utilize Cosmic Resource Points to elevate your concepts to completion." Noah said these words slowly as Amelia and the others watched the Runic symbol that represented the Insuperable Nomological Edict of Anima sink into his body, a few hundred Cosmic Resource Points surging into this concept as its Flames instantly bloomed and Noah learned of its Ultimate Skills! ! This word had a close relation to the Soul as Noah built this Edict for nothing other than causing a distinction of his soul with the many different bodies he had. Because he was bound to enter dangerous situations as anything could change with his True Sanguine Clones, he wanted to form a concept that made sure that even though his Clones were his, they would be recognized as if they were their own different entities. He wanted to make it so that the gains of the Clones could be taken into them as if they were the main body, but if the Clones ever perished...he would only lose the portion of soul contained in it and it would not harm him any other way! He basically wanted all the benefits without the harm as the uses of this Edict were simple. {INSUPERABLE :: A Nomological Edict is a form of undeniable truth and authority that is birthed from the combination of laws and Daos, and it cannot be circumvented or stopped by anything, with the only possibility of deniability lying with another Edict. The Nomological Edict of the Anima is further elevated by the inclusion of the concepts within the Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil and the Primeval Tree of Death Skill Trees and the Bloodlines of the Sanguine Emperor, Primordial, and Primal Titans among many other concepts as it has been elevated to the INSUPERABLE level, touching on an ancient and undeniable authority privy to select beings. The Edict is birthed from the combination of the Daos of Primordial, Ruination, Conquest, Illusion, Subterfuge, Destiny, Vastness, Royalty, Vitality, Willpower, Runes, Blueprint, Chronos, Doppelganger, and Fortification, along with laws of Life, Death, Karma, Fate, Life, and Chaos. With the inclusion of so many differing concepts seamlessly, the Edict has further been elevated to become an Evolvable Edict as long as certain conditions are met. The user is granted the title of The Distinguished Soul as the Ultra Rare Bloodline of the Spirit Race begins to bloom within him...} {...At the level of INSUPERABLE, the Nomological Edict of the Anima grants its architect 100,000,000,000% to All Parameters, Nullification to All Laws and Daos, Nullification to the essence of all Minor and Greater Nomological Edicts, a natural suppression of Quasi-Insuperable Edicts as everything below the INSUPERABLE level is only 10% effective against it, and the granting of the abilities of , , , and . When one achieves completion of this Edict, they will be granted the Flames of the Anima that among its many uses, it will grant the Ultimate Abilities of , and . Along with this, any Nomological Edict grants its user a smoother pathway towards Reality, granting them an increase in the speed of their Realm Progression by +10,000,000,000%, an increase of +10,000,000,000% to All Parameters, and increases the chances of Fusions of other Laws and Daos by 10,000% for the production of other Nomological Edicts. Current fusion of the laws and Daos for the Nomological Edict of the Anima: 100%} And the ability of was one that allowed Noah to bring together all of his True Sanguine Clones and any other bodies holding his soul and fuse them into a single being, a shocking effect reminiscent to the True Form one obtained when they fused with their Ascendancy Halos being achieved as it was another method to grant Noah a truly powerful form if he ever needed it for a terrifying battle! This...was the Nomological Edict he forged while teaching his family right before him. "Bringing together Daos and Laws to form Edicts can actually be methodical and easy as after some time, it comes naturally." Noah gave a light smile as he encouraged his mother and all those around him, his eyes picking up the swirling essence around Little Henry as he focused on his baby boy that had closed its dazzling eyes with concentration. "Watch Little Henry. The multiple different types of Essence surging around his body will make it possible for a Quasi-Insuperable Nomological Edict..." Noah spoke freely as his son truly was forging a Quasi-Insuperable after he had forged an Insuperable one, his smile only getting bigger as he couldn''t help but laugh when he saw the looks of shock and disbelief from Kazuhiko and the Emperor penguin among many others in the far back. None of them had yet to even forge a Quasi-Insuperable Nomological Edict, and yet a boy of only a few days old was doing so with ease after his father did something even more ridiculous! The illusory crowns above the head of father and son spun with an austere light of rulership as a shocking Lineage was waking up in this hidden Infinite Reality! ¡ª :: Mock sketch of Noah for an upcoming illustration- fits nicely for the scene of him forging Edicts while surrounded by swirls of essence! 1 Awaken I was looking at a glistening book on the table, a [Skill Book], albeit a very low ranked one at that. [Fireball], an F ranked spell that only the most unfortunate beginners start with. But this skill book took a majority of my remaining inheritance, and all of my savings. I was known to be a fairly smart guy before everything went to shit, so I planned ahead before spending most of my money In the worst-case scenario, I still have enough funds to last me at least a few months. In the best-case scenario, as planned, I would consume this skill book and hope for a semi-decent talent when I awaken. Getting this skill book was not easy, but it was the only way to awaken if you did not awaken naturally. The rich had no problem awakening themselves, their children, and their children''s children I look at the skill book again before steeling my resolve and picking it up. Bringing it close to my chest, I close my eyes. A few seconds pass before I see a flash of light, even though my eyes are closed. Opening them, the book in my hands had disappeared, and at the corner of my eyes something else had appeared [Noah] [Vitality: 10] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 10] [Skill(s): Fireball] Shining with blue light, the words brought confusion more than relief to me. Where the hell were the numbers for focus? From the released knowledge, ever since the apocalyptic event that killed more than a billion people occurred, a new magical world took its place. People that are termed as Awakened appeared and others could also become awakened through learning [Skill book] that can be dropped from killed monsters Yes, monsters. Magical beings that most commonly reside in dungeons, and occasionally come out whenever a dungeon break occurs. Since more than a year has passed, it became common knowledge that those who are awakened are able to use skills, whether inherently gained or from skill books, to perform amazing feats and vanquish monsters These awakened beings can increase their strength by killing more monsters and absorbing the [Life Cores] they drop, which add to the three attributes: [Vitality][Focus] and [Strength] Sigh. So why the fuck is my [Focus] empty? I try not to become depressed as I feel my body change somewhat after I awakened. I seem to have become slightly stronger, and can instinctively cast the skill I just learned The problem is, can I even cast skills if I don''t have any Focus? Why the hell is there no number though? My exhilaration of awakening was slowly fading away as I couldn''t figure out the numbers, or lack of thereof, on the blue screen in front of me Looking back, nothing like this seems to come to mind from the news and everything I have been paying close attention to. Sigh, I''ll have to figure it out as I go, [Vitality] and [Strength] are average, and [Focus], what is required to cast skills and increase the damage you do, is black¡­ Can I even cast [Fireball] if I don''t even know how much [Focus] I have? Usually, most average awakanees can cast F tier skills 5 times before they completely deplete the energy in their body. The larger your [Focus], the higher tier the skills you can cast and the more times you can cast them Since Awakened Mages are extremely powerful, [Focus Cores] are much more in demand than [Vitality Cores] and [Strength Cores] Awakened Mages can shoot their skills at a long distance and not even give the monsters a chance to retaliate, while Awakened Berserkers and Awakened Knights have to get up close to fight I was hoping to awaken to become a Mage¡­ Sigh, without wallowing in melancholic thoughts anymore, I try the last hail mary I can, actually casting the skill I just learned [Fireball], a common F rank skill that many F ranked Awakened have. I step out of my small apartment and head to an empty barren field behind the apartment complex Rent had become increasingly more expensive nowadays, as buildings that had high security where you won''t suddenly lose your life were high priced. I had to move quite a distance to get to the barren field before I could begin testing my first skill, and possibly my last Hyping myself up, I raise my hand in front of me and call out, [Fireball] A small ball of flames came to light in front of me, much to my shock and disbelief Along with the shock came exhilaration. I can still cast skills even though my [Focus] bar doesn''t show anything?! Putting my shock aside, I command the fireball to move forward before it exploded a few meters from me Wanting to test to see if I can at least cast the average 5 fireballs that normal F ranked Awakened can cast, I keep ongoing [Fireball]...[Fireball]...[Fireball].... Three more fireballs were shot and exploded in front of me, increasing the shock and happiness in my heart. At Least I have average skills, even if it doesn''t show on the stat panel! Weirdly enough, I did not feel any less energy in my body...Well, my [Focus] was blank, to begin with, so I didn''t really feel much. I focus once more as I cast what is probably my last fireball until I rest for a while before I can cast again [Fireball] The fifth fireball flew out and exploded just like the ones before With a smile on my face, I wiped the perspiration on my forehead while feeling relieved. Being average is not bad, at least with this, I can count myself among the top of many people in the world today I was still confused on the fact that no numbers were showing on my [Focus] though, which meant I couldn''t get a gauge on just how much energy I had and how many times I could cast my skill I hesitantly raised my hand again to see just how many times I could cast [Fireball] ¡­[Fireball]...[Fireball]...[Fireball]... The more times I cast the skill and more fireballs flew and exploded in front of me, the more shocked I became ¡­[Fireball]... The shock soon turned into incredulousness, as I had counted more than 50 fireballs flying from me and exploding This¡­ 10 times the normal amount of energy an average F rank has?! I try to breathe to calm myself down. 10 times. That means my energy nears rank D Awakened. That was extremely rare, as long-distance awakened with skills like fireballs can easily take down an F rank monster, and 3 to 4 fireballs or equivalent skills can take care of E ranked monsters. D ranked Awakened individuals also triumph over D ranked monsters fairly easily with good usage of their skills Am I actually one of the talented awakanees? I try to push down the pride that began rising before calling out another [Fireball], because I still didn''t feel like I was out of energy This both scared me and made me extremely hopeful in the future. When I kept casting the skill, I didn''t really feel any energy leaving, nor did I feel exhausted When I reached 100 casts, my shock increased. When it reached 300, my head was pounding from this unknown situation When it reached 500 casts, My whole body shook. I breathed heavily before looking around me, I was fairly deep into the barren field and had the cover of trees behind me Glancing around and making sure there was nobody around me, I rushed back to my apartment to try and calm my nearly exploding heart 500 times I had cast an F ranked skill, and I didn''t feel any exhaustion, what exactly was going on? 2 Hunter License As soon as I was back in my apartment, I took deep breaths and analyzed everything that had happened so far. No numbers were showing for my [Focus], something I have never heard about before. Yet, I could still cast skills that require focus. I did not feel any exhaustion while casting F ranked skill over 500 times. My goodness. Taking another deep breath, I continued thinking The most important question now is, Do I just have an abnormal amount of Focus that surpasses most people, or something else? This was the biggest thing on my mind, as even the strongest B ranked Awakened individuals cannot cast skills that many times without exhausting themselves Alright¡­with that in mind, I need to test just how many times I can continue to cast skills before I can''t anymore. Which also means I need to get my hands on higher-ranked skills that consume more energy With that in mind, a smile bloomed on my face Just the fact that I could cast an F ranked skill more than 500 times meant amazing things. As long as I am not braindead, I can easily clear an F and E ranked dungeons, even if I''m alone D ranked dungeons might be a stretch, as the strength of monsters increase and I would need higher ranked skills besides fireball to take them down But there''s no problem taking things slow. I pull out my phone and look at the remaining balance in my bank account $5,867 Enough money for rent and food for a few months, and the remainder of my savings. I convinced myself to buy the F ranked skill book, [Fireball], for $20,000. After this, most of my inheritance money was now gone A year ago, when the apocalypse began, my parents were not so lucky to survive. I was stuck in the basement of my old house asleep and escaped the onslaught of monsters that were taken care of by the government and newly awakened people after a few days As time passed, more information was released to the public. Monsters had appeared. Most of them congregated in Dungeons. If they were left alone, they would increase and something called dungeon break would occur. This caused monsters to leave the dungeon and indiscriminately attack everything on site But never fear, Awakened people are here. Able to use powerful skills and great strength to protect everyone else¡­ And now, I was among those people too The first order of business? Obtain an Awakened License that will allow me to enter dungeons. Without a license, you cannot bypass the security that allows the Awakened to clear dungeons You can get a license fairly easily, as you just have to be examined and exhibit skills. I was itching to get started as soon as possible, so I grabbed my backpack and rushed downtown. With the advent of monsters and heroes, many of the populations were condensed onto a few protected cities. Almost everything was close to each other, so the Awaken Center was not too far away A few minutes and I was already there. On the way, I saw the usual people with sullen faces and occasional awakened individuals rushing about. The Awakened Center was vibrating with life, as long lines of people visiting shops could be seen, with even more carefully selling monster [Cores] to the authorities Many people chose to first consume the [Cores] and get stronger themselves, but many more also sold them to the government and other markets as they went for high prices [Vitality Core]s and [Strength Core]s went for around a $1000, while [Focus] cores were almost double that price because of their demand I moved my eyes to another section of the Center, which was dealing in the selling of Skill Books ranging from F to C. Obtaining a C ranked skill book was a dream for many people, as they were extremely rare and went for more than half a million dollars Looking at the skill books that I greatly desired, I shook my head and moved towards the Registration Hall. The receptionist was very welcoming, asking for my name, date of birth, address, and bank account information As soon as she had everything down, I was told to head toward a certain door where my ability would be observed. There were 3 people standing behind thick glass and an open area with testing dummies. After hearing the directions, I stood a few meters from the dummies and cast [Fireball] consecutively 8 times, making sure to look like I was struggling to get the last few out "Wow.." (Judge 1) "A peak F rank huh¡­" (Judge 2) Drawing a few surprises from the observers behind the thick glass, everything was completed successfully and I received my license. It was a golden card similar to a credit card with my name, age, and rank. The surprise from the observers was most likely due to the fact that high ranked awakened are extremely rare, with there being only one B ranked awakened in this city that is known publicly There a few tens of C ranked awakened, a few hundred D ranks, and thousands of E and F ranks. Most of the hunters were F ranked, so being at the peak of this rank at the starting point was a good thing by itself One can slowly raise their rank by absorbing [Core]s, but unless you were in the army where they were provided for you by the government or in a rich household that could buy them in mass, you would rise very slowly There were some slight changes to the panel on the corner of my eyes as I walked out of the Awakened Center and received my license. [Noah] [Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 10] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 10] [Skill(s): (Fireball-8)] A new occupation had appeared, marking me as an official awakened Hunter, and...Oh? I was surprised because I didn''t see it before, but the proficiency of the [Fireball] skill had quickly risen to 8. The was an extremely fast process when it took people weeks to raise their proficiency with their skill I guess it is understandable as I was able to cast the skill more than 500 times, and most people have to use their skills over a period of weeks to reach that number My next course of action after getting my license was the nearest beginner dungeon in this city, [Ape''s Paradise] Boasting 10 floors, each floor held 10-20 monsters, with the last floor housing a huge black Ape 3 meters in size. This dungeon was regularly cleared by parties of F and E ranked Hunters, who could take on the monsters and the boss without fear of casualties if everyone was doing their jobs Parties consisting of 2 Knights who put their focus on their [Vitality], 2 berserkers with their focus on [Strength], and 2 mages with their focus on [Focus] were the most common for this dungeon The Knights act as tanks to ward off coming monsters, Berserkers use their high strength to strike down and protect the mages that are the brunt of the firepower to kill everything on site Equipment from dungeons was extremely rare, so most people had to make do with newly designed machetes or metal pipes and iron shields as their first equipment. Only the boss of the dungeon had a chance to drop [Skill Book]s and [Items]. Any item dropped from a dungeon was highly sought after, with their prices not being too different from the [Skill Book]s My goal today was to enter [Ape''s Paradise]... and alone at that. My heart was pounding at this crazy idea. When the thought was forming in my head, I had to ask myself multiple times if I had gone insane But it will not be that dangerous. Seeing how I can cast my Skills so many times without feeling any fatigue, the rank of my [Focus], even though I cant fucking see it for some reason, should be nearing B if not A And any rank B hunter can easily clear Rank F and E dungeons, though they don''t care to, and put their focus on higher-ranked dungeons Now, with me being the only F ranked Hunter entering and clearing this dungeon...My heart was pounding from the possible rewards Usually, rewards are split between the many members of the Party, But I would keep all the [Core]s and possible [Skill Book]s and [Item]s that drop. Just the thought of it made my heart excited I steeled my resolve and heading towards [Ape''s Paradise] 3 Apes Paradise A huge monolith structure was surrounded by high walls. There was security at the entrance and heavily armed soldiers on the walls. Even though this was only an F ranked dungeon, it made up for millions of dollars of revenue every day with a large number of people entering, clearing the monsters, and selling the resources they receive inside This monolith had a blue color, indicating it was a normal dungeon with little danger of a dungeon break. If the color changed to orange and then to red, it meant a dungeon break was imminent Regularly clearing the dungeon kept the color at blue, turning it into a treasure trove with capable people farming it You always had casualties every now and then from Hunters that were either too full of themselves, bad teammates, or just plain unlucky Now, I sincerely hope I don''t make myself on the category of being too full of myself Gathering my wits, I show the guards at the metal entrance of the enclosure my hunter ID before heading in. Inside the walls, there were a few hunter teams getting their gear in order or just talking A few people were standing around looking to either form parties or invite others to their party. At the center of the blue monolith, there was a square, door-like structure. This door like structure was how you entered the dungeon Those in a group would have to touch the door with a few second differences, but under a minute, to be transferred to the first floor of the dungeon together There was a party prepared to go into the dungeon in front of me already, so I reigned in my curiosity about the other hunters around me and stood a few feet away from the in-going party It didn''t take long before a few hunters noticed a lone man waiting by himself "Oy, is that kid thinking of going in alone?" Hunter A "Bro, another one with a death wish" Hunter B "Just ignore him, who knows, maybe he''s one of those prodigies that can solo an F rank dungeon? Haha" Hunter C Ignoring the laughs around me, I wait patiently as the entire party in front of me disappeared in a flash, and waited the required minute before going forward and placing my hand on the square door In an instant, I was transported into a large cavern, where I had just caught the attention of two 1 meter tall black apes I brought myself to full attention and observed both the apes and my surrounding before I began my first dungeon hunt [Fireball] A single fireball, and then a second, and a third, and a forth quickly flew towards the two apes When the ball of fire exploded on their faces, they were already incapacitated and letting out dying screeches. They would not survive after that, and a second fireball hit them at the same location, quickly finishing them off I breathed heavily as I felt the adrenaline course through my body. 2 F rank monsters, easily taken care of by me. Haha, this was a feeling I could get used to! Usually, F rank hunters would use their skills sparingly, making sure to cast them all either on the BOSS or on emergencies. I did not have such reservations I went towards where the apes fell and grabbed a glistening [Strength Core] that dropped. It was small in size, smaller than a pigeon''s egg, and yet they went for a thousand dollars on the market I placed the [Core] into my backpack and ventured farther in. I didn''t have to walk far, as 3 apes were quickly rushing towards me screeching after hearing the death screams of their brethren With a thought, [Fireball] was cast one after another, each not missing its targets that were rushing forward. Another [Strength Core] dropped from these three. [Core]s were not guaranteed to drop every time a monster died, and getting 2 from 5 monsters was already fairly average Placing the newly acquired [Core]s in the bag, I rushed down the path of the Cavern, meeting another set of 5 apes that I quickly burned I had to force myself to calm down as I so easily and quickly took down the monsters and collected [Core]s. I never imagined myself being able to do something like this and had to pinch myself a few times just to make sure it wasn''t a dream Forcing myself to remain calmer, I cleared the first floor quickly and headed down the winding steps to the 2nd floor. The apes came in batches of 3-5, and just ran towards me when I neared. I didn''t let them get any closer than 4 meters from me, hurling balls of fire towards them as soon as they were in my sight And just like that, an incredulous sight occurred in the F ranked Dungeon [Ape''s Paradise]. Without a moment of rest, an F ranked hunter cleared the 2nd floor, and the 3rd...and the 5th...all the way to the end of the 9th floor with ease "WAAH!" I lost control of my emotions as I let out a triumphant shout before the boss room. I had never imagined something like this to be possible! Without a single issue, I had effectively taken down groups of Apes, collected multiple [Core]s, and reached the BOSS room all by myself I reeled my emotions in as I let out a confident smile...and went further down to the BOSS room A huge ape awaits me in the circular cave that is the last room. "ROAR!!!" The cave lightly shakes from the scream. My smile does not leave my face as five fireballs fly towards the ape that is now charging towards me. The first hit its chest, stopping it on its tracks. The second and third smash its shoulders, knocking it backward. The fourth and fifth explode on either side of its head, effectively finishing it off. As soon as the ape crashed down, a blinding light flashed in the last floor and a green crystal rose in the middle. Touching this crystal will allow you to leave the room and appear at a random location near the entrance of the dungeon I slowly revel in my first ever completed dungeon hunt, a solo one at that. I then go towards the now dead ape to see any possible drops. By its side, a few F rank [Core]s are present...along with a [Skill Book] I grab the [Core]s and put them inside the bag, before reaching out for the skill book. [Minor Heal] was now in my hands, giving me quite a shock. It wasn''t the rarest of F rank skill books, but it was one of the more expensive ones as it easily took care of any cuts and minor injuries. I also placed the skill inside the bag and proceeded to sit down and think while staring at the green crystal in front of me. The problem at hand is how I should handle myself from now on An F rank newly awakened hunter clearing an F ranked Dungeon in under 30 minutes was unbelievable. It would have to be someone who was B ranked or above to be able to carry out the same thing I made sure not to show too much of what I could do when I took the licensing exam because currently, all I have going for me is the fact that I seem to have a large pool of energy to cast skills. This does not mean I am powerful, nor do I hold the power of someone rank B or higher Even a rank D or C could easily sneak behind me and take me out as long as they''re faster than me. So my plan was to stay low key until I could buy more skills, preferably higher ranking ones that would match my large energy reserves Sigh, and that required money. Another plan was forming in my head though. Looking over at the gains just from clearing [Ape''s Paradise] once, I had in total 1 F Rank [Skill Book] and 40+ [Core]s from the more than 160 apes I had killed from the 9 floors before This alone made me bolder to make some accelerated plans¡­ Just from one Dungeon run alone, I can make more than $60,000...In under 30 minutes. This alone gave me a great shock. Normal parties would have to split the loot, and it would take them more than 2 hours of intensely fighting monsters in close combat, which brought them exhaustion and made many parties recuperate for a few hours after each dungeon run. Most parties would go into the dungeon once or twice a day. With each person making around $10,000, the life of a hunter can be considered very luxurious So, assuming the BOSS drops either a skill book or possibly an item, I can make around 60 grand each run...this made many ideas dance around in my head wildly. I''ve already spent many months observing hunters and researching every knowledge available to the public about them. I''ve researched even more into all the known [Skill Book]s and [Item]s that can be dropped from BOSS rooms For someone with a large energy pool like me, I already had a few books in mind that would work very well. Of course, I also have to keep on testing just how much [Focus] I really have A wild thought keeps appearing in my head that I do not want to entertain as it is too grand...the possibility that because my [Focus] appears blank, and I can repeatedly continue to cast skills with no feeling of exhaustion...could mean that I can simply keep on casting skills as much as I want¡­ BOOM It felt like something had exploded in my head as this idea came and my mind entertained it more and more. My heart was also beating fast that this could even be a possibility But...why not? From what I''ve seen so far, there is no value for my [Focus] attribute. Is it more logical to think that it is just a really high number that I somehow cannot see, or that because it is blank and I can still cast skills, I can simply continue to cast skills without any problem of depleting something? I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before I came to terms with a new plan. It was somewhat risky, but it will be fast and reduce any possible future problems, whether it be from monsters or hunters. The world after the apocalypse was vastly different, but still the same. Now even more filled with dangers and deaths. A hunter could easily be killed by monsters, robbed by other hunters, or killed by the government if they do not fall inline To secure my safety while rising up, I will need a highly defensive and offensive skill, and well as a speed supporting skill. Something of C rank or above would be highly effective, and yet the cheapest C rank skills start off at $500,000 So...How do I go about this? 4 Is that a rookie...or? An idea solidly formed in my head and took root. I knew what I had to do. I didn''t wanna cause too huge of a commotion, so even though I will have to go in a roundabout way, I can still keep on diving into dungeons today. The plan was to head to another dungeon after leaving [Ape''s Paradise]. As much as I wanted to enter the dungeon again, I know I would easily be recognized the moment I head towards the entrance again. I won''t repeatedly dive into dungeons with such a fast clear speed until I have some measure of confidence to be able to protect myself from most threats. The goal for now is...power close to or equivalent to Rank B. There was a single B Rank Hunter in this city, and he was a known celebrity. The strength he showed made many people fearful, as even bullets and snipers were ineffective against someone of rank B The city I''m in though, Outer Bank X , was only a small-sized city with a few dungeons, the highest rank being C. Other cities that are further inland have way more powerful hunters with even greater level dungeons My next stop will be at the rank E dungeon, [Frozen Wasteland], which many hunters did not frequent. With the extremely cold characteristics, this dungeon held 20 floors, with various beasts of cold attributes appearing. It should be even easier to clear with my constant casting of [Fireball] Before I head to the [Frozen Wasteland] though, I do want to continue testing just how many more times I can cast my sole skill at the moment, [Fireball]. From the previous 500 times, I''ve cast it 200+ times while clearing this dungeon Wrapping my thoughts up, I moved a distance away from the green crystal and began my experimentation of whether I could endlessly cast skills or If I just had an abnormal amount of [Focus] that I could not see Thus, a weird scene unfolded on the last floor of [Ape''s Paradise], with a man all by himself continuously casting fireballs. They exploded a few meters from him, and more followed right after 20 minutes passed. I was still casting [Fireball] without stopping, causing my wildly beating heart to be leaning towards that insane idea. Approximately over a thousand casts in the last 20 minutes..let''s continue some more 40 minutes later, I had gone past the excitement, ran over fear, got over the whole ridiculous idea...and taken it as a fact. This was something out of my wildest dreams, and I did not even understand how it could be possible In the last hour, I had cast an F rank skill, [Fireball], over 3000 times¡­not even someone of Rank A, or the highest known ranking Hunter, Steel Mikhail, would be able to do something like this. This both scared me and gave me a wild hope to someday stand up not far from them Over the span of the time, the balls of fire that came out gradually became more condensed, and their explosions more pronounced as well as traveling much faster. In the last 10 minutes, instead of usually casting 1 fireball every second, 2 rushed out per second They were apparently becoming smaller, faster, and more explosive as I continued to cast them. This should be my proficiency rising at a stupid crazy rate because of how many times I am casting the skill. My current panel looked like this [Noah][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 10] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 10] [Skill(s): (Fireball-59)] The proficiency for the skill [Fireball] had amazingly risen all the way to 59, a crazy figure to wrap my head around. As far as I knew, there were very few people who had their proficiency higher than 30, as Hunters continuously improved themselves and got higher ranking skills with the passing of time An F Rank Hunter using [Fireball] as their first skill would move on to using an E ranking skill as soon as they gained the funds to buy one. No one spent that much time using one of the lowest ranking skills for an extended period of time Looking at the high proficiency, it made me excited about what would happen if I continue to cast and raise it even more. The power of the [Fireball] skill should currently surpass any other skills of the next rank in the damage and speed that it flies at, it''s most likely nearing rank D in its offensive ability I was itching to continue my test of endless casting but brought myself to stop and move on to the plans on my agenda. I moved towards the still glowing green crystal in the middle of the room and placed my hand on it, which instantly teleported me outside the monolith. I appeared not too far from the entrance, with a few people glancing my way with surprised expressions "Did his entire team wipe, or do we have a ranker here?" Hunter F "Hah! A Ranker? Have you ever seen them dressed like that with a flimsy backpack on them? My apologies kid, I hope they weren''t your closest friends!" Hunter G A few people noticed the abnormalities as someone finished the dungeon and was transported out alone. My current attire really did not match anyone of Rank C or higher, as many people quickly noticed Most of the people that were there an hour and a half ago when I went in the dungeon were either gone or not paying attention, as the surrounding compound of the dungeon was a fairly large space I ignored the pitying gazes of Hunters who thought the rest of my team was gone and headed towards the gate. Funny enough, I was becoming more and more used of ignoring other people''s gazes as this day went on Outside the gate, there were a few stalls and people rushing about. I went towards another section where there were a few cars lined up and planned to use the Hunter Ride system There were many people making their living driving hunters from dungeons to the Awakened Center or to their lodging. It was a very dangerous job as you can always have an unstable customer, but this time they''re superpowered people who could either blow you up or snap your neck with a twist of their hands One man quickly came up to me with a smiling expression and asked if I needed a ride. I nodded and quickly got on the parked Dodge Charger in front of me, our destination, the [Frozen Wasteland] In the 25 minute trip towards the next dungeon, I kept on thinking of any things that I missed and went over my plans for the next few days. Time quickly passed and we neared another huge monolith, this one with a slight tinge of orange. Many hunters did not like clearing this dungeon because of the extreme cold, resulting in mandatory clean up by the government routinely I would take my time in this dungeon though, as there were significantly fewer hunters, and even a single run would probably net me more than double the money I made in [Ape''s Paradise] I paid the high fare and got out of the car, flashing my hunter license to the guards at the door, who didn''t bother with me after giving me a second look and shaking their heads Hey, I promise you I''m not just a hunter on a suicide mission alright? I look around the enclosure of this dungeon and head towards the entrance. There wasn''t even a team on standby to be entering. With a few hunters clustered on some stalls and shops selling food and equipment Nothing held me back as I quickly went to the entrance and placed my hand on one of the square doors, which quickly transported me to the first floor of the rank E dungeon, [Frozen Wasteland] I was quickly besieged by the cold that drove many hunters away, and quickly cast 2 fireballs that did not fly away from me this time but circled around me. Doing this usually required Hunters to continuously provide more energy, but nothing like that could be felt from me As soon as I commanded the fireballs to circle a few feet away from me, the cold was majorly offset and nowhere near where it was before There wasn''t a pause to be given though, as I soon heard the growling of animals that quickly showed themselves. Clear white wolves were rushing towards me, their glistening white teeth flashing menacingly in the white wasteland There wasn''t a single hint of fear in me though, as I moved forward confidently. Condensed [Fireball]s were quickly rushing from me at high speeds, exploding on the wolves'' bodies and blowing masses of meat away The group was quickly taken care of in the first volley of fireballs, and all that was left for me was to pick up the [Core] that dropped I looked forward to the misty cold path in front of me as I rushed down this 20 Floor dungeon that would be the beginning of my journey. 5 How many fireballs to take down a huge polar bear? In the first 5 floors of the [Frozen Wasteland], packs of white wolves appeared. With the fast velocity of the ever so damaging fireballs, they were mowed down quickly. Aside from casting the skill towards the enemies that appeared, I had a few of them rotating around me, and randomly cast the skill even more as I moved forward, even if there were no enemies near me. I wanted to increase the proficiency of [Fireball] as fast as possible I could only imagine what these monsters felt, as they would hear sounds of an explosion that quickly pulled them toward me before they met a grisly fate. Killing all of these monsters did not have that much of an effect on me. I was looking at them like the mere monsters that they were, they would not hesitate a second to rip my head off if I gave them the chance. Not to mention the hatred that everyone has against monsters for all the massacres on the early stage of the apocalypse¡­ The first 5 floors were quickly cleared, and from the 6th floor, monsters with a similar shape to foxes began appearing. These ones much bigger than the wolves before them. Their size surprisingly did not make them any slower and they were rushing towards me while ferociously growling The further condensed [Fireballs] were shooting out from me without stopping. I was doing my best to adjust to the ever so increasing speed while aiming for their heads and limbs. As soon as there was an impact, an explosion followed and chunks of meat flew. The arctic foxes were then taken down just as easily as the wolves. This continued until the 15th floor, where huge Musk Ox began appearing. They looked like huge bisons, but with a lot more fur I stopped aiming at their limbs, as it seemed their thick coating provided some protection for them and focused on throwing the fireballs only at their heads. At the speed they were rushing towards me, I actually had to move back to avoid being rammed into whenever I ran into a group of 4 or 5 Musk Ox They required more fireballs to be taken down, and if there were many of them then at least one would be able to get within a few meters. This pushed down my ever so increasing confidence a bit, making me slow down and stop my incessant casting that caused explosive sounds that alerted the monsters when I neared As soon as I met another group, I cast as many [Fireball]s as I could and kept them around me without losing my focus, before bombarding the group when I neared. Just like that, I smoothly cleared all the way until the 20th floor, which held crystal glass stairs heading downwards. I took a deep breath and prepared myself, casting the maximum fireballs I could keep circling me before I lost control and they exploded, which was about 10. Any more than that and I would lose concentration of a few that would fly away and explode I went down the stairs and was met with a wide cave that had cold winds rushing about. At the center was a huge slumbering mass of a beast. As soon as I stepped in, two bright shining eyes opened, giving me a shock This was the first-ever monster that actually made me feel somewhat suffocated, mostly due to its size. I didn''t waste any more time before commanding the fireballs around me to rush towards the huge beast, which was now standing on its hind-legs? Damn All 10 fireballs rushed towards it, with a few more appearing around me a few seconds after. The beast that seemed like a huge polar bear crossed its thick arms around its face as the fireballs came and a huge explosion occurred BOOM! Dust filled the room, but I didn''t even bother waiting and checking if it was still alive or not before I threw the next 10 fireballs in the same direction WOOSH I let out a scream as I quickly moved back, the bear was not dead and had rushed a few meters closed to me, its arms mangled and burnt, but its huge jaws with pristine white teeth wide open. The last 10 fireballs I had haphazardly thrown out saved my life, as they quickly exploded on the opened jaws of the bear and blasted its head off Damn. Damn. DAMN! I was breathing heavily while calming myself down. That was close. If I had waited a single second¡­ If I was just a tad bit more overconfident I would have had my head chewed right off. Dammit. Throwing those last fireballs without checking for anything just saved my life. I stumbled down and reeled my emotions in as the dust cleared and the room returned to serenity I closed my eyes as the events in the last few minutes played in my head. I was rushing things. I only had one F rank skill, and I alone attacked an E ranked dungeon. Stupid. It doesn''t matter that I can cast it repeatedly if it cannot quickly take down huge bosses like this. Even with the increased proficiency of [Fireball], it wasn''t enough for me to comfortably take down a rank E BOSS I also did not absorb any of the [Core]s I had collected so far because I planned on selling all of them to quickly buy a higher tier skill book. Also stupid. If I absorbed some [Strength Core]s, my muscles would be reinforced and I would be stronger and quicker. If I absorbed more [Vitality Core]s, my defenses and health would be further increased so that a single attack won''t kill me I took a deep breath as these ideas flowed in. Okay. No need to rush. Plan ahead carefully first. My original plan was to dive into these dungeons repeatedly today until I gained enough money to purchase a C rank skill, but that might not be the smartest of ideas. I would need to repeat [Frozen Wasteland] at least 3 or 4 times alone if I wanted to collect funds nearing half a million [Ape''s Paradise] alone had given me materials worth around $60,000, and I had gained close to a double that amount in here, with 100 [Core]s in the last 20 floors of this dungeon. A new plan quickly formed and I stood up to check what the BOSS had dropped 1 [Skill Book] and a few rank E [Core]s that were slightly bigger than a pigeons egg. The skill book I picked up was called [Arctic Armor]. Happiness quickly came to my face as this was one of the categories of skills I was planning to buy. Skills like these greatly complement the current me, as some armor skills are timed, and some stay as long as you provide the energy Tanks usually cast this skill when fighting against BOSSes, granting them another layer of increased protection. If the tank doesn''t have a high enough [Focus] though, he might run out of energy for the armor and quickly be taken out, so his team members had to act fast to kill the BOSS [Arctic Armor] would stay active as long as you provided the energy for the skill. I wasted no time learning it and quickly activating it. A thin crystal layer of ice quickly formed all over my body, giving me a cooling feeling. Almost all of the cold winds that were rushing about in the cave seemed like a breeze to me Wow. I was already in love with this new skill. As usual, I didn''t feel like I was using any energy or depleting anything from my body as the skill was actively on. A confident smile quickly came back to my face as I collected the rest of the [Core]s and placed in my now heavy backpack I turned to the green crystal that rose after the huge bear''s death, deactivated [Arctic Armor], and touched the crystal. It was already night outside, the cold air emanating from the [Frozen Wasteland] monolith increasing some more. I passed by the few people that were there and went towards the roads where many cars were parked. Someone quickly approached me and I got in the car, my destination now being the popular Hunter Lodging at the center of Outer Bank X city Many hunters did not have a permanent resident they stayed at as they moved around a lot, so luxurious hotel businesses were started that were specifically for hunters. Most paid to stay there by the day, as the cost was nowhere near what most hunters made from killing monsters day in and day out Almost getting my head bitten off woke me up somewhat, even though I thought I was thinking very clearly when I was planning everything. I was calling it a day for now. I''ll sort through the [Core]s that dropped and see how much money I can make by selling them, and how many I should absorb myself We quickly arrived at the hunter lodging called Pristine Residency. I paid the fare and went towards the entrance of the hotel. I would go back to my little apartment some other day to grab my valuables, now I just needed some rest The Pristine Residency had a luxurious look with shining lights all around it. Being a hunter lodging, there were many services for hunters that were offered. Beside the extravagant dining with specially cooked monster meat, small shops that sold and bought [Skill Book]s, [Item]s, and [Core]s were also here, although they wouldn''t be anywhere near as extensive as the shops in the Awakened Centers Selling your items at Awakened Centers would usually get you more profit and you would be able to find rarer skills there. Places like the Pristine Residency were more of a business while Awakened Centers were under the government''s wing. And the government never stopped buying all the items dropping from monsters in bulk I went to the reception area where a crazily dolled up woman was flashing the sweetest smile and presented my hunter license. The smile never left her face as she quickly processed a room for me and gave me the key-card. I didn''t bother checking any of the shops in the huge building and went straight to the room which was on the 10 floor. All I wanted to do right now was lie down on a soft bed 6 Choosing new skills The room of the Pristine Residency was fairly huge. Hunters preferred resting in these specially made lodgings because of the safety that was guaranteed. Nobody wanted to be the rich and renowned hunter that was killed in their sleep. There was a platter of fresh fruits on the side and a thick bed in the middle of the room. I sat down on the bed and emptied the [Core]s in my backpack to get a grasp of just how much funds I could get tomorrow. There were 38 [Focus], 54 [Strength], and 48 [Vitality] cores, mixtures of F \u0026 E rank. This many cores were only possible if you were a very high ranker soloing lower dungeons or from partying with others of the same caliber to attack high ranking dungeons Just the cores alone would probably net me a grand total of $180,000 were I to sell all of them. I wouldn''t be able to even come close to purchasing a Rank C skill, But I could probably get 1 Rank D skill or 2 Rank E skills If I choose to sell the [Minor Heal] I got from the BOSS of [Ape''s Paradise], that''s another $20-30 k. But I was keener on learning that skill myself after the fight with that bear I was absent-minded as I looked at the [Core]s in front of me. Doing something like this was always a wish of mine, but never in my wildest dreams had I thought it would ever become a reality My mind quickly went back to the period of confusion, when monsters were first introduced to the world. The last thing I remember saying to my parents was "You guys have fun!" They were going to their anniversary date, finally some time away from their son who hadn''t yet left the house. Those were the last words. Tears unconsciously fell from my eyes as my mind went back to that time. I remember the rage I felt. The powerlessness as I hid in the basement. Away from the screams and growls that were clearly heard as if they were next to me. All I did was clutch my phone and watch the news updates as it went from monsters had appeared, to advice for the people to hide in their homes, to super-powered humans and the military stepping in. I hid in that basement for 2 straight days before I even had the courage to go upstairs and eat something. The weeks that followed were just confirmation of many people that did not have their loved ones return to them. I was scared and ashamed at that time. My parents, who had done everything for me, were massacred by monsters while I cowered in fear Time after that seemed to pass by in a blur. With the money my parents left behind, I was able to live off of it comfortably. It took months before I began to direct the rage and helplessness towards the things that did this, but I still wasn''t able to do anything about it The months after that I spent learning every little thing I could about monsters, dungeons, awakened hunters, and the reality of our new world. Only today did I learn a skill book and awaken myself I wiped the tears off my face as a resolute expression came back. I couldn''t do anything then, but I can change what I do now. I set aside some F rank [Vitality] and [Strength] cores for me to absorb and grabbed the phone near the bed to order room service. I then learned the [Minor Heal] skill and tried the skill for the first time A green light washed over my body, reducing some of the fatigue I felt. I also made [Arctic Armor] to be active at the same time, as its proficiency would increase the longer it was used, and its defensive properties would further increase. I then began absorbing some of the [Core]s I set aside My food arrived not too long after, two plates of prime ribs with some water. I paused everything when I grabbed the food from the door and ate the steaks waiting for me. I turned on the T.V while eating to check if there was anything newsworthy that happened today. There was a bearded anchor in a suit talking to a celebrity hunter "Mr. Doyle, you''ve just come back overseas from doing hero work over in Country Z of the United Federation, just how differently do the hunters live there compared to our great Blessed Empire?" News Anchor "Haha, the work was fun, but it was definitely a new environment. Things are done very differently there. Dungeon diving is very strictly regulated, with Hunters having to mandatorily hand over more than half of their earnings over to the government. It was truly eye-opening to see." Celebrity Hunter "My goodness! How can hunters live under such oppression? I would rebel! It is nothing like our great Empire, where Hunters are given the freedom to grow and prosper. It''s why we have such amazing heroes rising up over the years. God bless this great nation of ours!" News Anchor "Well¡­" Celebrity Hunter I quickly turned the T.V back off while shaking my head. Nothing noteworthy seems to be going on, just the usual propaganda being hurled at the common news watcher. The Blessed Empire...are we truly blessed? Compared to the United Federation, hunters here have a much higher death rate. The occasional dungeon breaks also cause mass casualties as response times were usually slow. Though I''m definitely lucky to be where I am, over the years I''ve to be skeptical of many of the things I hear. Hunters from the United Federation lead vastly different lives, but from what I''ve seen in online forums they''re happy with the way things work. Of course, there are still many issues, but nowhere near as horrid as all our news networks make it out to be. Even the good things you see online could also be a false depiction though. So I guess I''d have to visit there myself to see how things are in the future As soon as I finished eating my food and absorbing about 40 [Vitality] and [Strength] cores, I went towards the bed to get some rest. Before sleeping, I made sure to activate [Arctic Armor] [Noah][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 30] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 30] [Skill(s): (Fireball-81)(Heal-1)(Arctic Armor- 5)] --- Morning came. It was around 6 am when I woke up. The bed had an outline of frost from where I was sleeping. I checked my panel to see that [Arctic Armor] had its proficiency rise to 61. It became slightly thicker and now looked like there was almost an armor of ice all over my body. I felt extremely comfortable sleeping with the skill activated, my body feeling a cooling sensation throughout I grabbed a quick shower and cleaned up, and then went to grab some breakfast in the dining area. After finishing the food, I checked around the hunter shops in the hotel just to see if the skills I had in mind would be there, but I wasn''t so lucky. There were a variety of Rank C-F skills, but none that fully fit the guidelines I had in mind I went out and hailed another driver to bring me to the largest Awakened Center in Outer Bank X. This center was as large as a stadium, with many hunters and normal humans rushing about. It was already packed early morning, with many things being sold or traded. I first went to trade in the [Core]s I did not absorb in one of the shops, and my account soon had an extra $155,000. Even after I absorbed more than 40 [Core]s, the remaining was still enough to bring me this much from just diving into 2 dungeons. This money brought a smile to my face, even though I knew it would soon be gone Ignoring everything else, I went to the shop that had a huge sign of [Skill Books] There were hundreds of skill books laid behind thick glass with their descriptions written out. On either side of the entrance were two hunters who seemed to be Rank D or above I went into the shop and sure enough, there were a few books that fit my criteria. The first skill that fit exactly what I wanted was the rank D skill, [Flames of Torment]. The skill allowed you to cast a pillar of flames at a maximum distance of 10 meters and would last as long as energy is applied. The skill neared rank C in power but was neglected by many hunters because of its high energy usage characteristic. It fit perfectly with me. With its high damage, the pillar of flames would continue to be concentrated into a line of fire that burns anything in front of me The next skill that matched what I was looking for and I actually had enough money to buy was another Rank D skill called [Safeguard]. This was a very peculiar skill that caused headaches for many tanks. Casting this skill greatly boosted your defense, and even fully absorbed all damage from lower-ranking skills. The only downside was its high energy requirement and the fact that you could not move while this skill was active BOSSES regularly move and attack anything that damages them, if they see their attacks aren''t getting through a tank that is standing still, they will simply move to attack other party members that are causing it harm. Tanks who first used this skill caused the death of many spell casters, as they were too late catching up to the monster after being able to move again. You also never want to be a mage with your flimsy defense to cast this skill and standstill, as soon as your mana runs out you will be surrounded and¡­ Because of all this, a D rank skill book that normally goes for around $100 k, I was able to buy for $60 k. With the [Flames of Torment] being $90 k, I had effectively used almost all the money I made the day prior. Now, it was time to go back to the [Frozen Wasteland] 7 Too easy I called for a ride as soon as I was done and I was driven to the [Frozen Wasteland] dungeon in 20 minutes. I still had that same backpack with me as it should be more than enough to carry [Core]s that drop even if I dive multiple times I placed my hand on one of the squares of the monolith, and I was back onto the cold floor with rushing wolves once more. Rank E dungeon, 20 floors, just how fast would it take for me to clear you now that I have Rank D skills? I quickly activated [Arctic Armor] and [Safeguard], as I wanted to ascertain just how useful the skills were going to be. I immediately felt like my entire body was rooted to the ground as I couldn''t move a single muscle A transparent layer of energy quickly formed on top of the [Arctic Armor], and the rushing wolves arrived. The nearest one took a swipe with its huge claws, but I didn''t even feel an impact as the wolf was bounced back The rank D [Safeguard] provided almost absolute defense against lower-ranking monsters and skills, this held true. With both defense skills on, I watched as the wolves rushed at me and tried clawing, biting, and anything else they could think of, but they didn''t even touch my clothes With my confidence slowly coming back, I then cast a skill I was very much looking forward to, [Flames of Torment] A blinding ray of flames quickly sprouted in front of me, piercing two of the wolves that were standing opposite me. The flames literally incinerated the area where they touched the monsters, leaving holes in their bodies The 2 remaining wolves beside me let out frightened yelps, but I didn''t give them any time and had two condensed fireballs quickly explode on their heads. I deactivated [Flames of Torment] \u0026 [Safeguard] and could move again, and I went to check out the wolves pierced by the pillar of flames upfront A burnt smell was in the air, as the wolves had almost half of their bodies burnt away. The blood remaining on the other half of their bodies was even bubbling and sizzling Damn. I kept my amazement inside as I rushed forward, wanting to see more of just how this deadly new skill was. I only kept [Arctic Armor] active and continued indiscriminately throwing fireballs in front of me so that I could increase its proficiency Now that I was becoming more familiar with skills, it seems that the closer the proficiency nears 100, the closer the skill becomes able to deal just as much damage as a skill of the next rank. As the F rank [Fireball] neared 100 in proficiency, its speed and damage was almost the same as an E rank offensive skill I didn''t want to completely abandon [Fireball] now that I had the rank D skill, [Flames of Torment], as it was still very effective when used well. On the next floor, as soon as the wolves began appearing I initiated [Flames of Torment]. I made the pillar of fire move horizontally instead of just shooting straight, causing it to literally melt the beasts in half. All 5 rushing wolves. Dead from one attack. Haha! I was already falling in love with this skill! Feeling the rush of easily overpowering these monsters, I rushed down the floors even faster. No matter if it was the wolves, the foxes, or the Musk Ox, [Flames of Torment] did not discriminate and easily burned holes through the beasts with its extremely high heat The feeling of adrenaline slowly faded as I stood by the stairs to the BOSS once more. I was decent enough to leave in one piece yesterday, but I was gonna be sure to take it out even more thoroughly today I went down the stairs and watched the slumbering mass of a beast get up once more, Its bright red eyes trying to pierce through me. Without wasting a beat, a pillar of flames sprouted in front of me like a blooming red flower. The rising bear raised its huge paws to protect its body once more, but this time there was no rest from the flames GRAAAA!!! A mournful howl was released as the beast''s limbs did not last even a second, blasting them apart in an explosion of flesh and bones, continuing onto the body of the bear! A sizzling hole was quickly apparent at the center of the beast''s chest, stopping its howls short, and causing it to plummet back down to the cold hard ground BOOM! Controlling my breath, I looked down at the huge mass that was now burning in front of me. Something that gave me fear the day before, did not even manage to come a few meters near me now I closed my eyes as I relished this feeling, and then went forward to grab the [Core]s and...oh? It wasn''t a skill book this time around, but...an [Item]. I was quickly able to identify the equipment beside the huge bear, [Swift Boots: Increase the speed of the wearer]. The item brought a smile to my face, as they rarely dropped and could fetch a high price. The best thing about items is that you can use, reuse, and then sell them without them ever losing their value I put the boots on, feeling my body get noticeably lighter. I dashed around and confirmed that I could more easily move around. Swiftly clearing the Rank E dungeon [Frozen Wasteland], a sense of accomplishment rose as I went towards the green crystal. Before going out though, I took out a few of the [Vitality] and [Strength] cores that I had collected in this run and began absorbing them Rank F [Core]s allowed a hunter to be strengthened up to 50 attribute points, Rank E [Core]s up to 100, Rank D up to 150, and on and on. The hunters standing atop the world currently had their attribute points nearing 300. It didn''t matter how many F ranked [Core]s you consumed, if you wanted to go past 50 on your attribute, you had to absorb rank E cores, with the process repeating for higher ranks. Absorbing rank E [Core]s while my stats were still under 50 only made them rise a bit faster I stopped absorbing once [Vitality] and [Strength] both reached 50, and as usual, [Focus] was blank so all those cores were saved up in the bag. I wrapped everything up and approached the crystal to leave the dungeon. As I touched the crystal and I was transported outside the monolith, I debated whether I should repeat this dungeon, or go towards one of the few Rank D dungeons in Outer Bank X I currently held 2 rank D skills, one of which was shredding the monsters in this Rank E dungeon as if they were paper, the other, once activated anyways, would make me almost impermeable to any damage below Rank D, and provide huge defense when facing monsters of equivalent rank For time efficiency, it makes a lot more sense to head to a higher-ranked dungeon, which will mean more floors, more monsters, and better drops. This time around though, I couldn''t be reckless. Since I was already at [Frozen Wasteland] though, and it took me less than 20 minutes to clear everything, it shouldn''t be an issue to repeat this dungeon once or twice. There will be no surprises and my safety is guaranteed...as well as the fact that there are so few people here I made up my mind and approached one of the squares of the monolith again, placing my hand and disappearing right after. The 2nd run of [Frozen Wasteland] today brought me more [Core]s, with the addition of [Blade Strike: With a swing of your sword, unleash a deadly strike upon your enemies]. This skill wasn''t that useful for me, so I threw in the backpack and went in again for the third time today The 3rd run of [Frozen Wasteland] gave me a similar amount of [Core]s, this time with a fairly rare skill, [Summon Golem: Summons a single partner to fight on your behalf]. Many hunters would buy this skill as soon as it hits the shelf, as it allows casters to effectively have another tank, or the Knights and Berserkers to have a partner to take the damage for a few seconds. It doesn''t really go with my style though, as it will be a slow-moving golem, and I rush through these monsters fairly fast. All that it meant for me was being able to receive more money for a skill Fourth run, only [Core]s, not a single skill book or item. This run bummed me out. Fifth run, more cores, and 1 item: [Kenshin''s Sword]. As simple as that, it was a sword. I wasn''t planning on getting near any monsters, so this would be getting sold too. My backpack was nearly overflowing though, so I will be heading to an Awakened Center to sell the things I''ve collected so far. I was looking forward to this, as my profits now would easily pass half a million, meaning I can finally grab myself a Rank C skill¡­ [Noah][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 50] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 50] [Skill(s): (F-Fireball-96)(F-Heal-10)(E-Arctic Armor- 79)(D-Flames of Torment-31)(D-Safeguard-8)] [Equipment: (E-Swift Boots)] 8 Offense is the best defense? In an unknown mansion somewhere in Outer Bank X¡­ "Sir, we noticed an abnormality in one of the dungeons today." (Butler) "Oh? And what happened?" The butler observed the disinterested look on the man in front of him and continued. "The E rank dungeon, [Frozen Wasteland], has suddenly gone from a risky assessment of moderate to low" "Oh, so someone is doing my job for me while I''m busy with the C rank dungeon?" "Yes sir...but the problem is, this change occurred in the span of 2 hours" As soon as the butler finished these words, the eyes of the man he was talking to flashed. "Who was it? A team or a Ranker that just appeared?" "We don''t know Sir, we''re currently checking." Butler "Good, let me know as soon as you find out. Are the girls ready?" The man''s attention quickly moved to the floor above him where he could feel some movements. "Yes Sir" "All newly awakened?" "Yes Sir¡­" "Good, don''t bother me for the next hour." The butler in a clad black suit watched as the man climbed the stairs. His major worry right now was the fact that a dungeon had moved from a moderate risk level to low in a period of two hours. This required a dungeon to be cleared by a team of highly skilled hunters, or one very skilled Ranker, multiple times in those 2 hours There was currently only one hunter in Outer Bank X who would be able to bring a specialized team to clear a dungeon at such high speeds, and he was looking at him now heading to perform some...activities The butler bowed towards his benefactor and then turned around to find out just which new hunters had appeared in their city. --- I was back in the central Awakened Center of Outer Bank X, currently selling the items I didn''t need along with the [Core]s I didn''t absorb. Before coming down here I made sure to absorb the E rank cores until I hit 70 attribute points for [Vitality] and [Strength]. I slowly adapted to the newfound power my body felt as I moved around, exhilarated at my fast progress The remaining cores, items, and skill books were all sold and I soon had an extra $674,000 deposited in my account. This was something unbelievable unless you were a high ranking Hunter The receptionist handling my order was shocked as the number of things I was bringing in did not match the rank on my license in any way. I had the plan to be tested and increase my rank today anyways. A jump from F to D wouldn''t be too out of this world, right? This was something I was hesitating on as it had only been 2 days since I was registered as an F rank hunter. Heads will definitely be turned my way if I jump ranks this quickly. I still didn''t feel comfortable enough to parade myself as someone strong when my highest skills currently were rank D and I was just about get a rank C skill. Increasing my rank can wait for now, there''s no rush I was heading towards the [Skill Book] Shop to buy a skill I had already seen yesterday, but I couldn''t buy. Rank C skill, [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection: Arcane energies protect the caster from all harm, but at a great cost] There were very few rank C skills for sale, as the highest C rank dungeon was regularly being cleared by the only B rank hunter in Outer Bank X with his own team. Over the last few months, many of the C rank skills came from them [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] provided absolute defense to any attacks of the same rank thrown your way along with a high defense against skills of a higher rank, did not have any movement effect like [Safeguard], but required a large amount of energy to be kept active My heart was about to leap out of my chest as I bought this killer skill. I''ve heard the proverb that offense is the best defense, but right now looking at this skill, defense was definitely the best defense. There were other spectacular C rank offensive skills on display that I wanted to buy, but they would have to wait after I dive into dungeons a few more times and raise my funds once more The offensive skills would definitely decimate everything on sight if I were to spam them, but they won''t guarantee my life. So defense first, offense later. On Top of the defensive rank C skill, I also bought rank D [Danger Sense], which quite literally let you sense anything that might take your life a few seconds before it happened. It was an invaluable skill that also had high energy usage to be kept active all the time. [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] cost me $550,000, with [Danger Sense] taking away another $100 k. I gave a look at the rank C offensive skills that I couldn''t yet buy and left the Awakened Center to head towards my apartment this time. I was planning on spending the night there and grab my laptop along with other essentials After giving directions to the driver, I relaxed in the back of the car and learned [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] and [Danger Sense]. I immediately activated [Danger Sense], but nothing felt any different. I''m assuming I would feel something if my life was ever in danger We arrived at the dilapidated apartment complex in half an hour. I gave the place a glance before heading towards the room I''ve been living in for the past months Opening the door, I was shocked to find out there was someone in my apartment. The moment that person turned, A loud ringing sound went off in my head. This...was dangerous The man was decked in clothes that let off a blue light, which means they were all [Item]s. He spoke as soon as his eyes landed on my face "Noah Osmont. Parents deceased, living alone, has been a registered hunter for about 2 days" The man was flipping through some papers while speaking. I had recognized his face, he was a celebrity in Outer Bank X My face quickly became stern and I activated [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] He looked up and gave a surprised look before continuing. "Dungeon diving history includes [Ape''s Paradise] and [Frozen Wasteland]. Has been observed to enter both dungeons alone and clear them with some of the fastest clear speeds. Now, why would a man like you be hiding your power?" He wrapped up the papers and gave me a piercing look My entire body felt like it was on pins and needles. I took a quick breath and calmed myself down while remembering I had a C rank defensive skill activated right now and said. "I didn''t want any trouble the first few days after awakening." "Trouble huh? Well, it always manages to find us" He stared around my apartment before continuing. "I won''t be here long, I''m a very busy man. I came to offer an olive branch" He walked around my apartment and continued talking in that arrogant tone "The highest dungeon in this beautiful city of ours requires me and a team of others to regularly clear so that a dungeon break does not occur. Looking at your past 2 days history, and the fact that you can comfortably keep that defensive skill active after all this time...means your power should be upper-Rank C, even possibly nearing B" He gave a smile as he said that last part. This man was the top ranker in Outer Bank X. B rank hunter, Cohen Anderson. "We need more talents like you to keep the safety of this city and its...citizens. We have casualties every now and then and are in need of another powerful hunter in the team. The next dungeon dive is 3 days from now. We gather at [Solael''s Castle] at 10 am, be sure not to miss it." He finished the last few words, looked around some more, and walked out the door without giving me another look. I felt anger quickly boiling up inside me before I squashed it down. How the hell did they find me so fast?! I closed the door of the apartment and went towards a chair with a horrible expression on my face. Cohen Anderson. The most powerful hunter in this city, and the one at the forefront of the defense against the C rank dungeon, [Solael''s Castle] The dungeon monolith always showed a deep orange hue, showing that it could shine red at any moment and cause a dungeon break. Cohen forms a party to clear this dungeon twice a week. The hunters that form this party always change though, as there are casualties in almost every dive That was how hard a C rank dungeon was. Even with a B rank hunter leading the team, there were still casualties. This information was commonplace in the local hunter platforms. New hunters were regularly recruited to help in the defense of the city, but there would be a Memoriam at least once a week for a fallen Rank C hunter on the team I wanted to increase my strength slowly before doing what I can to help without the risk of death, but I guess that''s out of the window. My anger was kept in check as I recalled his tone that felt more like a command. Arrogance, that was all that I felt from him. Sigh. This was what power could do to you. Cohen was widely known to be arrogant, but he was the strongest hunter in the city and could be relied on to prevent a dungeon break from [Solael''s Castle] It looks like I will be visiting a C rank dungeon faster than I thought, but there was one thing he was wrong about. My power was definitely not upper-rank C or nearing B. As soon as I learned the appropriate skill book, with my endless casts nothing will stand in my way. A ferocious expression rose in my face as old plans were thrown out and new ones formed. [Noah][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 70] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 70] [Skill(s): (F-Fireball-96)(F-Heal-10)(E-Arctic Armor- 79)(D-Flames of Torment-31)(D-Safeguard-8)(D-Danger Sense-5)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-2)] [Equipment: (E-Swift Boots)] 9 Reflection and planning I reviewed everything I had been doing so far and looked for what I could change. I was going to keep farming [Frozen Wasteland] tomorrow, but I would also be heading towards one of the rank D dungeons in the city, [Goblin King''s Abode], for at least a few rounds I just learned a C rank defensive skill that most hunters can''t even use because of its high energy requirement. There shouldn''t be any surprises that might pop up to endanger my life. Along with the rank D [Flames of Torment], I should be able to clear the 30-floor dungeon without an issue Another thing was the usage of my skills. If I really can cast endlessly, then I need to use this to my advantage even more. [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] and [Danger Senese] were still active. I sat on my old bed then closed my eyes, activating both [Safeguard] and [Arctic Armor] too A few minutes passed and I calmed down some more and realized what I might have missed. [Frozen Wasteland] wasn''t as actively cleared as other E ranked dungeons and had a tint of orange. What would happen when it was cleared multiple times in one day? A change would be very noticeable. Sigh. I looked to my ceiling as I realized how full of mistakes I still am. Today I''ll rest, tomorrow I''ll start moving for real. --- The man adorned with rank C [Item]s sat in the back of a luxurious car heading back to his manor. He had a distasteful expression on his face as if he had just swallowed a bug. There were very few people he hated in this world as he stood above the masses. Noah, the newly awakened hunter he just visited, landed near the top of the list of the most irksome people. It wasn''t whether he was strong or weak, it was his attitude. He looked down on people with such a pathetic attitude. Wanting to lay low and evade danger after awakening to a powerful ability? Distasteful. You should use your God-given talents to help the other pathetic masses to live in this world a little longer. The strong ruled the weak in this era, and I do not want a weakling in my city. Either he falls in line or... A phone quickly connected in the car and Cohen spoke. "Revise his danger level, make it B. He was able to use a defensive skill that would have taken me a few attacks to destroy, and it remained active the whole time I was talking to him. Find out which skill matches the description and gauge his power. He is most likely a naturally awakened individual with an [Inherent Skill] that adds a large amount of [Focus], allowing him to jump over rankings" There was silence on the other end of the line before a reply came. "Yes Sir" He was the only B Rank Hunter in Outer Bank X. He held the city''s life in his hands. He could do whatever he wanted with nobody batting an eye. The local government could not control him. Nobody else in this city could contend with him. And that is how things will stay --- As soon as I got up in the morning, I compiled everything I knew about Cohen Anderson. Besides his unstable attitude, he was the only one in Outer Bank X holding a rank B skill. A few months back, when his team that was made up of rank C Hunters took down the BOSS of [Solael''s Castle] with half the team wiping, he was lucky enough to receive a rank B skill book from the BOSS BOSSes rarely drop any skill books or items that are a higher tier then they are, but this chance increases when it is bosses from high ranking dungeons. A rank C dungeon is filled with hundreds of beasts of that level, along with a huge BOSS that earns the title of a Titan. These huge bosses are extremely powerful and have the chance of dropping something that is of higher rank than the dungeon itself. Anderson was that lucky. He joined the ranks of B tiered Hunters and took his position at the top of this city. His team never remained the same over the months, with rank C hunters having a high mortality rate from the dangers of [Solael''s Castle]. I would soon be joining them a few days from now I thought over everything and began moving, hailing a ride and heading down to [Frozen Wasteland] for the last time. Since they already know I cleared this, I''ll clear it a few more times to raise the fund for a skill I didn''t think I would need I spent around 20 minutes for each run yesterday, and it took me less than two hours to clear it multiple times and bring in more than half a million. I''ll only need $400 k to get the skill that I have in mind though This time around I was even more efficient. I entered the dungeon and immolated the huge bear another 3 times, giving me a multitude of [Core]s, and two skill books that were only worth selling In less than an hour, I had finished with [Frozen Wasteland] and went down to the central Awakened Center to fully start my next phase of plans. The [Core]s and [Skill Book]s sold for $447,000, and I went towards the Skill Shop to buy the skill that will allow me to let loose with no reservations The skill was still behind the thick glass, which I quickly called the person at the front desk and bought. Rank C skill, [Camouflage]. The skill allowed you to blend into your surroundings and had to be kept active to keep you from being seen. Besides extremely rich perverts, not many people used this skill I would be relying on it to keep my movements hidden while I do things that go against the norm for many people even now. I wasted no time learning the skill and went out of the Awakened Center. I still had my F rank license, and it would allow me to get past any gates no matter the rank. The gates and guards placed around the dungeon monoliths were to make sure normal people do not pass through and get themselves killed while trying their luck in the dungeon. Hunters could pass through the gate no matter the rank they held as long as they had a license, as many of the hunters congregating around dungeons wasn''t just for the purpose of diving I called a ride and gave directions to head towards [Goblin King''s Abode]. Dungeons get progressively harder as the ranks increase, as can be seen how a rank C dungeon was barely being handled by a B rank hunter surrounded by rank C hunters. The difficulty from E to D was also a huge gulf to cross for many, with D rank hunters opting to dive in groups of 10, or C rank hunters forming smaller groups to receive more profit. Rank D dungeons are very profitable, but when you have to split the loot between 10 people, the returns are minimal when looking at the dangers you face. I had the driver stop while we were at the center of downtown, where you could take many paths to get to a lot of dungeons. I found the nearest alley and activated [Camouflage] along with [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] and [Arctic Armor]. [Danger Sense] was still kept active all this time. The rank C [Camouflage] could hide a hunter from anyone of that same rank, with powerful rank B hunters being able to notice you fairly easily. If someone were to be keeping tabs on me right now, I am 100% sure it would not be a B rank hunter, so my movements from now on would be hidden I stepped out into the middle of the street with cars blazing down and people rushing about, not a single person was able to see anything, with a few bumping into me and tilting their heads to see exactly what hit them As soon I confirmed the usefulness of the skill I rushed towards the direction of [Goblin King''s Abode] and arrived there in 20 minutes. This time around, I didn''t bother showing my license and just passed through the man-made gates, the rank D guards on the side being none the wiser. None of the hunters clustered inside even looked my way either, increasing my confidence for the new plans from now on. I then looked up at the huge monolith that shone with a blue hue. This dungeon was regularly cleared by rank C and D hunters, being one of the more profitable dungeons because of the special drop that occasionally comes out, [King''s Valor]. This item was a full body armor that increased your defense by a wide margin while not hindering your speed. As rank C [Item]s were extremely rare, and mostly hoarded by those diving into the only rank C dungeon, this item was one of the hottest pieces of equipment for hunters I stopped reminiscing and went towards one of the square doors of the monolith, placing my hand and instantly being transported to [Goblin King''s Abode]. [Noah][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 70] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 70] [Skill(s): (F-Fireball-98)(F-Heal-21)(E-Arctic Armor- 95)(D-Flames of Torment-49)(D-Safeguard-15)(D-Danger Sense-33)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-25)(C-Camouflage-3)] [Equipment: (E-Swift Boots)] 10 Goblin King鈥檚 Abode The layouts of high ranking dungeons gradually became more extravagant. In [Goblin King''s Abode], the first floor you were transported into had overgrowths and trees all around. Goblins traveled in groups of 5 and paroled the entire floor. The moment you attacked one, they would alert others with a loud signal and have them all rush to where you were Parties created to dive into this dungeon had to make sure they had enough damage dealers to take care of at least one of the groups before the other two groups rushed in. If your party ever found themselves surrounded by 3 groups of goblins, you had to say your prayers I looked to the group of goblins that was just alerted in front of me. The goblins had a layer of green scales on them, with their heights reaching up to 3 meters. Four of them held clubs and maces with one holding a wooden staff I began by testing the effectiveness of the rank F [Fireball] that had its proficiency almost reach a hundred, making it on par with E rank skills. The swirling fireball that was even further condensed rushed towards one of the goblins and exploded The goblin was pushed back a few feet but quickly got back up like nothing was wrong. Its green scales were only slightly dented. Damn, here I was thinking [Fireball] might still have some uses in the future. Its fast casting and moving speed would actually be good if I was ever going against things that didn''t have such high defenses like monsters, but that wasn''t something I was looking forward to The dashing goblins were almost here though, so I initiated my most offensive skill on hand, [Flames of Torment]. A line of fire quickly appeared in front of me, moving forward to hit the foremost goblin. There was a second of pause after the impact before a scream rang out as the line of fire pierced from the front to its back I made a grasping motion to the pillar of flames and moved my hand to the right. The skill followed my command, acting like a thick rope that moved horizontally and bisected the heads of the two goblins on the right The remaining two goblins were immediately frightened to see such quick deaths of their friends and they began dashing back. I wouldn''t give them a chance though, so I moved forward and kept the distance, quickly commanding the skill to coil around the two goblins, burning them to a crisp Haha! This was a method I had begun using after becoming familiar with this skill. I didn''t have to just allow the skill to shoot flames in front of me, as my proficiency rose I could more easily control the pillar of flames to not just move forward, diagonally, or horizontally. With enough concentration, I could command the skill to act as agile as a rope to suffocate my enemies in flames As soon as I finished them off, rustling sounds could be heard as another 5 goblins dashed in. I didn''t sit still this time around, giving them a cold grin and running towards them, a pillar of flames eerily squirming in front of me. I practiced controlling and moving [Flames of Torment] as I liked, resulting in dying screams from the goblins. Soon enough, there were another 5 burnt monsters on their ground, their bodies still bubbling from the extreme heat I had already taken two groups, there should be one more remaining. I didn''t wait for them to come and went towards the screams and sounds to the side, taking the last 5 down just as easy as their previous friends. From then on, it was just me rushing down the floors, increasing the proficiency of my now favorite skill. On a few of the floors, I tested the effectiveness of [Camouflage] against monsters and the results were spectacular. I could sneak in a few meters around them without them noticing a single thing, but If I stayed at that location for just a few seconds or went in any closer to them then eyes would shift to where I was at. I wasn''t sure if it was just sharper senses or a stronger nose that alerted them as you neared, but it was fun running around without being seen From the 10th floor onward, more goblin archers and mages began appearing, shooting arrows, fireballs, lightning, and frost bolts towards me. I had [Arctic Armor] and [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] always active though, causing the arrows to be bounced away from my body and the spells to simply disappear the moment they came in contact with the transparent sphere around me All they could see was a small being deflecting and absorbing their attacks while he lashed out with a thick pillar of fire that either tightened their bodies to death or blasted their heads apart. Surprising the goblin mages and archers with [Camouflage] was even deadlier, as they can''t even cast a single spell before they become lifeless Adrenaline was coursing through me as I watched these D rank 3-meter tall monsters easily fall, but I reminded myself this wasn''t what I was aiming for. They were D rank, they were weak, just like me. I cannot think too highly of myself. Any random millionaire could buy skills just as strong and enough [Core]s to easily make someone just as powerful. The change I wanted to make inside of me was to not feel that feeling of cowardice, that feeling of helplessness that I wallowed in for so long. Whatever stood in my way, whether it be human or monster, whether it be the largest Titans I will eventually be facing, I wanted to face it head-on without fear I reigned in my emotions and rushed down the floors even faster. Within an hour and a half, I had rushed down all 29 floors of the dungeon and stood near the last steps of stairs that would take me to the BOSS room. I realized the pain of normal hunters and why most of them only dived into dungeons once or twice at most a day. Me rushing down while mowing enemies left and right still required me to spend a few minutes on each floor. There being so many floors and monsters, the hunters in a party had to put their lives on the line to kill monsters on each floor while resting to recover their energy and heal up right after Just going through one dungeon could take them 5 hours or more. Me being able to endlessly cast my skills was such a huge thing that even now I found myself questioning if it was still real. I went down the steps while making sure all defensive skills and even [Camouflage] was active, and I was soon in a huge clearing with a small mountain in the middle. Scratch that, not a mountain, just a very savage looking goblin that was about 6 meters in size. Its skin was shining a dark black that made it very prominent in this clearing. Holy shit. It held no weapons on its hands, and yet its hands alone seemed enough to smash anything coming near it This BOSS was the killer of many Hunters, its large size and strength quickly weeding out inexperienced hunters from knowledgeable ones. At Least 2 rank D Knights or 1 rank C with the heaviest of armors were required in order to withstand even one of its strikes. You also better hope your team''s Mages and Berserkers were saving up their energy to unleash multiple spells and attacks on this beast to take it down in as little time as possible, or deaths would follow I was a distance away from it, so I thought I wouldn''t be found out with [Camouflage] active, but it''s huge eyes honed in on me the instant I arrived in the clearing. So blending into your surroundings is not enough to evade the senses of this type of monster? And I wasn''t sure if this rank D boss could be classified as a Titan yet, but its size made me feel like an ant as I had to raise my head just to meet its gaze I felt my blood pumping as I found myself in this staredown against something more than 3 times my size. I was not scared. I looked at this huge beast and I saw my goals. I saw my future! I slowly began walking, and my walk gradually changed into a run. The beast stood still, not making a single sound. A smile broke out on my face as unrestrained laughter could be heard. A few meters long thick line of flames quickly appeared beside me as I charged towards this humongous beast As soon as I got near it, a huge black fist covered the entirety of my sight. My laughter didn''t stop as the line of flames also shot out and wrapped around that fist. Then...a huge impact was felt BOOM!!! The fist felt like the whole world was dropped on me. I had seen it smash into the sphere that was protecting me, and instantly felt myself fly back at a speed I''ve never been exposed to before BAM! I was smashed into the wall behind me a second later, a spherical dent created as I dropped down to my feet. Not a single hair on my body was harmed, the rank C skill, [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection], was not for show! The beast in front of me didn''t stay silent anymore as a mournful howl rang throughout the huge clearing. Its right fist had fallen to the ground, forever removed from its arms. The calmness in its eyes was completely gone as its feet smacked the ground and jumped towards me One of its remaining good hands reached out towards me as if trying to snuff out a candle. I commanded the cable of flames to twist and form into a circular shape while watching this palm crushing down on me. The circular line of flames then began spinning at high speeds when the palm landed ZZIING! A horrible sound could be heard as flesh and bones were cut apart. The Goblin''s King''s remaining arm was grotesquely bisected in the middle, dark red blood gushing out. We were only a meter apart, and I stared at its furious face as I commanded the spinning line of flames to rush at this giant''s neck ZING! A second passed, and then the head of the 6-meter tall monster crashed to the ground. 11 The right skills to buy I let out a laugh as I relished on the feeling of taking down such a humongous beast. I was even happier from learning how to better use your skills as your proficiency rose. [Flames of Torment] shot out a line of flames in front of me when I first casted it, but as I gradually kept on using it, new ways to manipulate it came to light. From being able to move the line of flames in the direction I wanted to twisting the thick flames like a rope, to now connecting their ends and adding a spin to it, making them even deadlier This made me look forward to learning and improving higher ranking skills as time passed. I continued thinking while observing the headless giant before I gathered the things that dropped. Aside from the [Core]s, there was also a rank D skill book, [Ice Shards: Drops sharp shards of ice at a specific location] This skill book was in fairly high demand and could be sold for a decent amount of money. It didn''t fit with the current me and I wouldn''t be learning it as my goal now is to focus on obtaining an offensive rank C skill. Along with that, I wanted to buy other skills like [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection], [Arctic Armor], and [Danger Sense] that could be activated, and on my case, become passive skills that only end after I command it This was my next phase of plans, skills that I could turn on and keep on without them requiring anymore thought from me. If I can collect a multitude of support and defensive skills that provide a variety of effects and layer them on top of each other...just the thought of it kept my blood pumping. The next skill will be a killer rank C skill that will be of use when I dive into [Solael''s Castle] in a few days, and the other skills I had in mind will follow after [Flames of Torment] had a very high proficiency currently with its power most likely nearing rank C skills, but a genuine rank C offensive skill is nothing to laugh at with their large scale of damage I sat down besides the fallen giant and began absorbing the [Vitality] and [Strength] [Core]s it dropped. I had collected tons from the smaller goblins across the 29 floors, and planned to bring my [Vitality] and [Strength] attributes higher than 100. As soon as I finished, I reached out towards the green crystal that rose when the goblin king was defeated and was transported outside. My [Camouflage] was already activated, and not a single one of the many hunters clustered in groups or selling items and skills around the encampment of the monolith noticed me The areas around safe dungeons usually turned into small markets of their own, with hunters trading skills, cores, or items without going through official channels like Awakened Centers. The selling of these things around the dungeons gave much less profit though, so unless a hunter was willing to pay a high price for a specific skill or item they wanted, most people sell their loot to the Awakened Centers. The government controlling these centers gobbled up everything they could, paying top prices for materials to strengthen their soldiers. The funny thing about it though was how many of these soldiers would be stationed in high end cities where the rich were clustered together. That''s just how this world was. I ignored the hustle and bustle of the environment and neared one of the square doors of the monolith, being transported back into [Goblin King''s Abode] for another run. I was planning to dive into dungeons like a madman for the days to come and accumulate as much as I could before being fully prepared for any situations when diving in to [Solael''s Castle] and dealing with that arrogant prick. --- "Sir, we lost him a few hours ago after he got off a car downtown" Butler "What? How do you lose someone when we have eyes all over the city?" Cohen asked the burly man that was dressed in a tuxedo over the phone. "It was our mistake Sir, we''ll be sure to find him as soon as possible. If I may, I would like to share my thoughts about this subject though" The butler hung his head low as he talked to his master. This was the man that had saved his life when monsters were about to snuff it out, and he had been indebted to him from then on He was an official holding a high position in a major firm, but he left everything behind and followed his master willingly over the past months, managing his financials and turning a blind eye to the many tastes his master had. After all, nobody was perfect. "What is it?" "There are many inconsistencies about him that we are unsure of, and have not yet grasped exactly how high his level of power is. My apprehension increased today as he was able to escape under the watch of many of our people. Might I suggest that we approach him in a different manner?" He carefully spoke out every word, making sure his words would not be the cause of anger There was silence on the other end of the phone before Cohen spoke. "Do you doubt me?" The butler quickly frowned and hung his head even lower before he replied "I would never. I am only speaking from an abundance of caution of this man who has suddenly awakened to a power nearing rank B in just a few days" A pause followed thereafter, before a reply came with the call being ended a moment later. "I''ll keep that in mind." The butler wiped off the perspiration and looked out of the mansion. He did not succeed, his master had still become angry. --- My second run of [Goblin King''s Abode] was fruitful, as the BOSS had been kind enough to drop the sought after armor [King''s Valor] The 6 meter goblin had horrible burns all over its body, as I took my time with it to get more practice facing something that much bigger than me. This was all in preparation to go against much bigger BOSSes that fully earned the title of TITANS from rank C and above One of the things I learned was that if you didn''t have a strong enough defensive skill, it didn''t matter how knowledgeable you were about its moves, as a single punch would be able to stain your body all over the wall I equipped [King''s Valor] and felt a new layer of clothes wrap around me. The armor had a light blue metal sheen to it with a slight protrusion at the chest, covering a majority of my body besides my extremities and head. The greatest thing about this armor was the fact it did not feel awkward to move around in, as if the metallic attribute was malleable. I could move and stretch my body even better than normal with no issues The third run of the dungeon gave me more than enough cores that my backpack was almost overflowing now, along with the rank D skill [Triple Shot] that was commonly used by ranged Berserkers that used bows I had taken more than half of the day diving into this dungeon, and it was already night outside. Tightening my overflowing bag on my back, I left [Goblin King''s Abode] encampment and went towards the downtown, with my [Camouflage] active as usual. Once I was in the middle of the city, I turned the skill off and called for a ride that dropped me off the central Awakened Center 20 minutes after. It was rush hour around this time with many people running about downtown. Many drowning their troubles and fear with alcohol and many more going towards the unsavory places deep in the city I went inside the Awakened Center and had to be taken to a private room because of the volume of things I was trying to sell. A fat looking middle aged man replaced the gorgeous woman that was talking to me and quickly handled the transaction, taking all my remaining cores and skills from [Goblin King''s Abode] and offering to deposit $1.6 million into my account I looked at these numbers as if they were imaginary, and they might as well be as they would be gone a few minutes from now when I purchase the rank C skills. I became a high profile client in the man''s eyes as he asked me if there was anything else I needed before completing the transaction, and I told him the names of the skills I wanted A few minutes later, 3 rank C skill books were situated at the table next to us, and only $100 k was deposited in my bank account. 12 Just the beginning The new Rank C skills I had bought were [Explosive Rune- Upon physical contact with your enemy, brand them with a chaotic rune that will explode on your command], [Aura of Haste- An aura that increases movement speed, attack speed and cast speed envelops you], and [Life Essence- Gain increased vitality(+30) and regeneration at a great cost] These skills correctly fit with the direction I was going towards. Multiple skills that can remain active for me at all times along with my first offensive rank C skill. [Explosive Rune] was a BOSS killer that mages wanted in their arsenal because of its significant damage. The only problem is that it drained the entirety of a rank C''s energy, and they had to come in contact with the boss to initiate it. The Mage hunters had to make sure that they had full energy before the BOSS fight and that there was a competent enough Knight distracting the BOSS, otherwise the moment they get near themselves they''ll get squashed Once the rune was placed on the BOSS, half of the fight was done, as it dealt such a significant amount of damage that it could even outright kill a rank D BOSS if the rune was placed in a critical location or maim a rank C BOSS. The problem was, no mage ever dared get near a rank C BOSS unless they were wishing for death With my overlapping defensive skills and the ever so increasing active skills, I should have no problem using [Explosive Rune] to its full potential. After the sale was finished, the joyful man''s face jiggled as he said "Here is my card. Give me a call or text whenever you''re coming down and I''ll be sure to receive you to the best of my abilities!" I nodded to the man that had a full smile on his face and left the awakened center. As soon as I was out I blended into the rushing people and activated [Camouflage] once more The nearest Hunter Lodging was not too far away from the Awakened Center, and I got there in under 10 minutes. I quickly received the keys to one of their luxurious rooms and found myself in a room similar to the one I stayed in before I placed my bag down on the bed and eagerly began looking at my new skills. [Explosive Rune] would have to wait to be tested later, but as soon as I activated [Aura of Haste] and [Life Essence], a red and green color began appearing on my body. The colors would come and fade a moment later, being fairly transparent and only visible if you were to really focus I felt my body become visibly lighter and saw a +30 appear on my [Vitality] attribute Haha! As long as I found skills like these and layered them on my body, would I have anything to worry about? I shook myself out of my reverie and ordered room service, this time getting 2 plates of a very huge lobster. I went over my day and thought about what I would be doing tomorrow while enjoying the supple texture of the crustaceans. This was a habit I was planning on developing regularly, to think back to what I did today along with any mistakes I made, and how to improve in the future. I went to sleep soon after as I was dead tired. --- Anderson was holding a drink as he overlooked the city atop his mansion. The thing on his mind was the newly awakened hunter he couldn''t seem to keep a track of. He knew all of the hunters that were C rank or near it in the city, and he made sure to introduce himself whenever new ones appeared They were quickly reigned in and called upon whenever his team lost a member while diving in [Solael''s Castle]. None of them could deny his words. So why was it that this new one pissed him off so much? Anderson thought back to that pathetic apartment and realized it was his eyes. Eyes that seemed unyielding, that seemed to say he wasn''t afraid Hah! How could he not be afraid? Whatever [Inherent Skill] he awakened, does he really think he could look at me with an expression like that? I held the paramount skill [Giant''s Strength], which allowed me to stand toe to toe against a C rank TITAN. Who are you compared to a BOSS I killed every week? The one person he usually listened to in this city had also told him to be cautious because of the many unknowns, but it only furthered his distaste towards the hunter. No matter. I will see exactly what gave someone like you the confidence to look at me with such a gaze [Cohen Anderson][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 188] [Focus: 163] [Strength: 195] [Equipment(s): (C-Igneous Sword)(C-Igneous Armor)(C-Ring of Storage)(C-Fiery Boots) --- Early morning the next day, I was already up and heading towards [Goblin King''s Abode]. Tomorrow would be the day when I would head down to [Solael''s Castle] with some of the highest rankers in the city, so I had to use my time as efficiently as possible today. The first task was to rush through the dungeon in under an hour and a half as I was aiming to dive in at least 5 times. With this in mind, I bought a specialized hunter bag that was woven with materials meant to stretch. The bag had straps that tightly hugged your body so that a strong hunter could move without any issues. This was a poor hunter''s item, as the truly rich ones had purchased equipment that allowed them to store whatever they wanted in a large space. I put this item off for now as it would have taken a majority of my funds, and my goal was obtaining more skills currently I repeated the same process as yesterday and arrived at the monolith at 7 am. It was a fairly cloudy morning and still early, so there were significantly fewer hunters around. Some had already set up shop with their skill books and cores, others meeting up and forming parties while getting to know one another Still activating [Camouflage], I entered the dungeon and appeared on the clearing filled with trees once more. This time though, besides the skills I originally had, I had added [Aura of Haste] and [Life Essence]. I ran towards the first group of goblins that I could see and rushed up to them while I was still hidden They were alerted the moment I came near them, but that didn''t stop me from reaching my hand out and placing it on each of them while they were still disorganized. With my increased speed from [Aura of Haste], I could do this much without an issue. I then pulled back a few feet away and watched as black tattooish circles spread to cover ? of their bodies I observed them as they turned my way, none the wise about the runes that had sprouted on their bodies. I gave the command and the rank C skill [Explosive Rune] was fully utilized BANG! The portion of the goblins'' body that was covered in the runes exploded with a huge force, throwing chunks of flesh and bones everywhere as 5 goblins were soon lying in their own pool of blood. The damage was just as expected for a rank C skill, powerful! I speedily cleared the floors like this. With all the defensive and support skills kept active, I pressed down the floors with [Camouflage] hiding me and giving me enough time to come in contact with the monsters that exploded a second after. Some floors I still used [Flames and Torment] and kept on experimenting with it as it''s proficiency continued to rise. More than an hour quickly passed and I was through all 29 floors and headed to the BOSS once more The 6-meter tall Goblin King looked as ruthless as always, and noticed me as soon as I came down even though I was hidden. I walked towards it slowly until I stood a meter away, where it stared me down. This one was one of the peculiar traits of this BOSS that interested me. When the fight began it was always so calm as if it was measuring me up. During the fight though, it would go completely berserk It was still a monster though and threw a fist down at me a second later. I raised my small hand to match this fist as my palm was opened to receive it PAH! A sound like that of the loudest slap resounded as [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] absorbed all the damage and the ground beneath me cracked. The arm of the Goblin King rapidly had a runic tattoo spreading on it, and the boss quickly felt something wrong as it grabbed its skin and tried to rip it off BOOM! A deafening explosion rang out as it''s entire arm blew apart and it let out a thundering howl. The enraged king reacted fast, throwing another fist with its remaining arm...only for the same thing to repeat I was standing at the same location, the ground around me full of cracks as if an earthquake occurred. I had sunk a few inches into the ground as I calmly looked up at the Goblin King that was missing both of its arms RAAAA! It let out an angry shout as if it would not give up and kicked its right leg downwards. PAH! BOOM! The same scene repeated and now its right leg was gone. The large beast could not support its weight as it fell backwards with a loud thunk. Loud breathing could be heard as it''s entire face was twisted in pain. I climbed out of the small hole I had been repeatedly kicked in and jumped up on top of the body of the beast, landing on its square abdominal muscles and traveling forward to its face I looked down at it as it could not move or do much of anything else. Besides the heavy breathing and a pained look, I could see another expression on the Goblin King''s face after more than half of its body was blown away. It was extremely distinct while I looked at its huge eyes. I had seen this expression before. I had felt it before. It was fear. I reached my hand out and let my palm touch it''s forehead, leaving it there as I commanded [Explosive Rune] to combust BOOM! Another deafening explosion rang out in the clearing before silence ensued. [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] and [Arctic Armor] didn''t allow even a single stone or meat to land on my body, negating the force of the explosion as if it was nothing. 13 Preparations done The feeling of dominating such a huge being from the beginning to the end was exhilarating, to say the least, and a testament of just how far and fast I can grow. The first run of [Goblin King''s Abode] gave out an abundant amount of [Core]s and an [Item] called [Goblin''s Sword]. I did not need the sword, so this would be one of the items that I would be selling later. I continued on and dived into the dungeon once more The second run gave me even more cores, along with the skill book called [Flame Bolt] The third, fourth and fifth run collectively gave me one item and two more skill books: [D-Bow of the Veteran], [D-Swipe], and [D- Restrain] All of them were rank D materials that I would not be needing and would also be getting sold. Throughout the dungeon runs, I made sure to use [Flames of torment] along with my main skill of [Explosive Runes] that beautifully took down the monsters. This process took me an entire day and I was able to bring a few of my skills to the proficiency of 100. The skills that reached a milestone of 100 jumped up explosively in power. [Fireball], which was a rank F skill, now had power greater than a skill 1 rank above it. The balls of fire summoned now had a high propelling force that made them rush out even faster. [Arctic Armor] even more comfortably hugged my body when it reached 100, an extra layer of ice appearing that further increased my defense, and also making me look like some knight you would find roaming the coldest arctic wastelands This marked the end of my dive for the day as I had been diving for the past 10 hours and it was already in the evening. I left the dungeon, [Camouflaged] as usual, and went downtown where I once again called for a ride and went all the way down to the Awakened Center. In the awakened center. I had given a text to the fat salesman beforehand and he was able to meet me and bring me to the private room the minute that I arrived. I entered the room and emptied my huge bag that held many cores, skill books, and items. After counting everything the total came out to 2.8 million. I once again gave a list of the things that I was looking for and they were quickly brought to me, reducing the money I would have taken all the way down to $ 500 K. I would have loved to spend the rest of it, but I couldn''t find anymore applicable defensive or support skills that fit the criteria I set for myself in the Awakened Center. I would soon have to branch out to find more fitting skills I had bought three more skills and one item, all of them being rank C. The first was a movement type skill that I had been looking forward to called [Whirlwind]. The second was another support type skill that was called [Increased penetration]. The third skill was a life-preserving skill called [Regeneration] The item that I bought last was a simple [Ring of Storage] which many high ranking hunters found themselves buying. It took away the hassle of caring around the skill books and items and cores that were collected over the course of the day. As soon as I finished my business. I gave my thanks to the salesman and left the awakened center, blending in and using [Camouflage] as soon as I was out and headed towards the Hunter Lounge. The process was quick as usual, and I grabbed the room fairly quickly. I was finally able to relax and absorb the [Core]s that I kept behind. The plan was to reach the maximum that I could while using rank D cores. I then learned the skills and placed the storage ring on my hands, using my energy to feel the wide space inside of it. It was a large enough space for two people to be squeezed in The [Increased Penetration] skill allowed me to deal more damage and further ignore the defenses from my enemies when I had it active. It was a much-used skill by Mages and Berserkers to deal finishing blows on BOSSes And the [Regeneration] skill was as simple as that. If I ever somehow took a large amount of damage then I could easily cast the regeneration skill to begin healing without losing too much of my health The movement type skill that was called [Whirlwind] would allow me to dash forward and close the distance to my enemies at a very fast speed. This would be good for surprise attacks or evading very dangerous shots. [Regeneration and [Whirlwind] could not be activated and tested at this time. But I quickly activated [Increased Penetration] along with the rest of the defensive and support type skills that were in my arsenal to keep their proficiency rising I ordered room service as usual, and this time around I grabbed 3 platters of shrimp. My appetite seemed to gradually be getting larger and larger as time passed. I enjoyed the food when it came and took some time to think once or more over what happened today. I went over my run in the dungeon, the skills are used, and how to better use them or further improve I felt like I had fully prepared for what was to happen tomorrow. With all of these skills that most hunters would be able to activate momentarily for a life-saving moment, I had them activated at all times. Even knowing how huge the gap was in strength between rank D and C dungeons, seeing how easily I had been taking down the 6-meter goblin of [Goblin King''s Abode] gave me confidence for the officially titled TITAN of [Solael''s Castle] Early morning the next day I woke up, grabbed a shower, and had some breakfast at the diner area of the hotel. It was already eight am when I left the lodge to head towards [Solael''s Castle] This dungeon was renowned as the hardest dungeon in our city. It was a dungeon that many people died in until a specialized team was born to clear it. The dungeon always bordered in the high-risk zone. There was no encampment around the dungeon as usual. With many people setting up their shops and stalls quite a distance away. In the case of any dungeon break happening, people wanted the chance to at least be able to run away from the onslaught of beasts The huge monolith was colored in a dark shade of orange, pulsating at a few seconds. The only road leading to it was blocked by military trucks and cars making sure the civilians never neared this area I didn''t bother even showing my license and just passed through the guard point using my [Camouflage] skill. I soon arrived at the bottom of the monolith and I looked up at the huge structure I closed my eyes and sat down near it, making sure I was still hidden while activating all my defensive and supportive skills, watching the proficiency rising in real-time. I felt extremely confident in anything that I would face today as the previous day I had also absorbed many of the [Core]s that I didn''t sell, with my [Vitality] and [Strength] attributes capping at 150 Along with the many skills that supported me. I highly doubt it given a B rank hunter could endanger me. Not too long after a few people began appearing. I stayed hidden as I observed them. The first two were huge dudes in their 30s. They both held huge shields that seemed to cover their entire bodies. On their other hands were maces with spikes that shone red. Besides the armor they had on them, they didn''t seem anything special. But these were genuine C ranked hunters The next to arrive were women that both held staffs on their hands with magician''s robes wrapping around them. They had a look of apprehension as they looked at the huge monolith. The four of them seemed familiar with each other as they began discussing some things soon after. The next one to arrive was a girl who seemed fairly young, in her twenties at most. This one had a blue sword on her waist. With her body covered with what I would only assume to be [King''s Valor] that t I also wore. Surprisingly. this girl did not go towards and talk to me first four. But she actually held a confident look on her face as she looked towards the huge monolith, making me surprised, as any rank C hunter could find themselves dead in this dungeon so many held apprehensions Anderson arrived soon after. His arrival stopped the discussions among everyone as they stared towards him. His eyes glazed over the five people and then soon turned into piercing eyes that came to my location. I calmly deactivated the defensive and support skills and then turned off [Camouflage] Surprise gasps came out of the rank C hunters as none of them were able to notice me. I wanted to test it just to be sure if Anderson would be able to pierce through the C rank skill''s effect even if its proficiency was increased. Maybe I had to wait until it neared 100 for it to have a complete effect on rank B hunters While Anderson''s piercing gaze did not leave my sight, he walked over and said. "You really have such an excessive amount of energy? That you would waste it on hiding this early this morning?" His tone sounded very calm, but his words dripped with disdain. I replied back. "Nothing to worry about, I was only testing the strength of the people I would be leaving my life to today" I seemed to have a knack of making him angry, his face became sour and he turned away from me and addressed everyone. "I want the dungeon dive today to be a very clean one. We have two new hunters joining us, this one goes by Rachel and this one is Noah. One is a berserker and the other is a mage." He pointed to me and the girl that held a confident look on her face as he continued "For you two, this will be your first run so follow all directions and do not lag behind. This dungeon is different from the ones that you are commonly used to" These words were directed to Rachel and I. "There is only a single floor in this dungeon, and it takes us almost half the day just to clear it. Do not be surprised by what you see. Protect yourself and cover each other''s backs and we should all come out of this alive. When the boss appears, leave it to me and follow everything I say" He articulated the next words very slowly "In the case any problems occur and you see it coming towards you do not stand idle. Run, or you will die." I listened to his somewhat inspiring speech as we all prepared to dive into the dungeon I had done my research previously about [Solael''s Castle] and his words were not false. The dungeon only had one singular floor, but this one floor took the lives of many many hunters. As the speech was quickly wrapped up, he went towards the other four party members to discuss something, and I noticed uncomfortable look pop up on their faces. Jeez, did this guy actually have bad relationships with everyone? The girl that was apparently new just like me came towards me and said with a puzzled expression. "Why does it seem like there''s friction between you and the strongest hunter in the city?" I smiled at her and replied. "I''m not sure either. I have no problem with the guy. But he seemed to not like me the moment so he saw me." She cocked her head in confusion as if she did not understand and I said once more. "Don''t worry about it, there should not be a problem." As soon as we finished talking, the rest of the group came towards us and we went towards one of the square doors of the huge monolith. Once all of us were near, Anderson reached his hand out first and the rest of us followed, quickly being transferred to the first floor of [Solael''s Castle] [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 150] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 150] [Skill(s): (F-Fireball-100)(F-Heal-43)(E-Arctic Armor- 100)(D-Flames of Torment-97)(D-Safeguard-31)(D-Danger Sense-95)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-93)(C-Camouflage-67)(C-Aura of Haste-23)(C-Explosive Rune-33)(C-Life Essence-22)(C-Increased Penetration-13)(C-Regeneration-1)(C-Whirlwind-1)] [Equipment: (E-Swift Boots)(D-King''s Valor)(C-Ring of Storage)] 14 Solaels Castle It was not correct to even call this a floor of a dungeon, as it seemed like a world by itself. There was a huge expanse of trees all around us and on the horizon, a humongous castle was apparent, this was [Solael''s Castle] The castle was built in a medieval style and had a grand look that imposed itself on all that looked towards it. This castle housed more than a hundred C ranked monsters and a humongous titan that we would soon be facing. Anderson began talking as we made our way towards the castle "When that door opens, we will be facing 10 C rank monsters. They are made up of extremely tough stone-like materials that need a very damaging skill to break. We will have to break through multiple rooms that hold these statue-like monsters in order to reach the boss in the main hall of the castle. I''ll be covering Dina and Stacy" He pointed to the two women that were covered in robes. "And the two of you," He said pointing to the two hunters holding the huge shields, "Will cover Rachel and...Noah. I do not want any mistakes, be confident in your skills and attack to kill" The rest of the group nodded in understanding and we were soon near the castle which opened its doors to show a large room where ten statues were standing still. The moment that we entered, the statues that were three meters tall and had a golden shine opened their blank eyes and came towards us. The ten C ranked monsters spread out all over the room and rushed in with a semi-circular formation. Anderson dashed in first with the two mages following not far behind him heading towards the right, already casting their spells. The two tanks nodded at me and Rachel and went towards the other side, quickly colliding with the huge statues. Everyone here was fairly knowledgeable, so skills quickly went off and flew towards the statues in sparkling shades of colors. I cast [Flames of Torment] and formed it into a circular disk that I threw at one of the statues. Instantly smashing the head Rachel, the berserker that was standing by my side Instantly disappeared and drew the sword she had on her waist, which was now showing a dark red color that instantly went to split apart another statue. On Anderson''s side, I don''t know exactly how he did it but three of the statues were already broken and lying on the ground as shattered stones. The Mages behind him had both cast a spell that quickly formed a dark thundercloud that spewed down light which struck down on the heads of the remaining two statues and took them down as well. On our side, we had three statues still alive as the tanks were holding them off, knocking them back with their Shields as they neared. Rachel stood at a distance and then slashed her sword horizontally. The sword let out a blinding light that struck and destroyed two statues, quickly giving more breathing room for the two tanks. I controlled [Flames of Torment] and quickly smashed the head of the remaining statue. It was just the beginning, but the teamwork seemed to be fairly solid. This was only the first room that we had to pass in this castle before we even came close to the huge Titan that would be facing. After the room was cleared, everyone besides Anderson sat down and closed their eyes, most likely recovering their energy. I followed their lead and acted as if I had also spent a significant amount of energy to cast [Flames of Torment] repeatedly. During this time, I activated skills that did not show on my body as I was pretty sure a significant amount of time in this dungeon would be the recovery time between the castle rooms. I activated [Aura of Haste] along with [Life essence], which shone two colors on my body that soon faded. I also cast regeneration even though I had no injuries just to test its effects. A feeling like I had just received the best massage flowed over me as the tension in my body was quickly released This was probably the last possible use anyone thought this high ranked skill that required a high cost of energy would be used for. I was surprised at its effect as I had never been injured and didn''t plan to be anytime in the future. Safety first. After about 10 minutes, most of the group had gotten up and we were ready to move on to the next room. This one held an extra statue, bringing the numbers up to 11. The same strategy repeated. I observed Anderson using a skill this time around, as he swung his sword and an arc of lightning flew out, smashing onto and destroying three statues right away. His rank was not for show. The mages by his side cast the same skill that blasted down lightning, quickly taking other statues down as well. The teamwork was becoming even smoother for our group. As the two tanks in front of us stopped any statues from getting near us while Rachel moved in and out with her sword, occasionally throwing a curved blade of light that smashed onto the statues. I kept the [Flames of Torment] versatile, as it shifted from a rapidly spinning disc of flames to a tight cable that wrapped around the statue''s head until it exploded The tanks occasionally had lights shining on them or transparent shields appearing whenever they were taking hits from the statues, always making sure to stand their ground and not be pushed back. After we cleared about five rooms and we were resting again, Rachel approached me and spoke. "Your handling of skills seems to be very precise, but I''ve never heard of you since I came to Outer Bank X, did you also recently move into the city?" I gave a smile as I replied. "No. I have been here all this time, I just awakened recently." This was information that anyone could easily dig up on me if they put the time in, so I wasn''t worried about sharing it. She seemed surprised and asked. "Really? Then you must have awakened a fairly powerful inherent skill" I gave a smile and I didn''t reply. A few hours slowly passed like this. We were clearing many of the rooms in the castle to move forward, with the numbers of the statues increasing by a one after each room In our tenth room. We''re facing 19 statues which made things much harder. A few of the statues broke away from the defense of the two tanks with a huge shield and ran towards me. I acted quickly to cast flames of torment and swung the line of flames as if it was a huge baseball bat to push them away. Rachel dashed back a few seconds later to finish them off. There were a few injuries, but no casualties. On Anderson''s side, he protected the Mages fairly well while moving in and out and pushing back any statues who were trying to breakthrough The rooms after this kept a constant number of 20 of these stone statues, taking a significant amount of time to clear while trying to prevent injuries as much as possible for the coming BOSS fight After we cleared the 19th room, serious expressions arose on Anderson and his original party members'' faces. The path out of this room led to a large hallway that had a golden door at the end of it. We would now be facing the BOSS of [Solael''s Castle]. This BOSS was somewhat special though, as he would not be alone. He had 10 of these statues standing guards around him This was the point in time where many people failed if there wasn''t a powerful enough person to hold the BOSS back as other members quickly took down the guards and then joined in to help the top hunter quickly finish off the boss. Anderson called everyone together and gave me a piercing look as usual. I had been getting that look every time he observed the fights throughout the past few hours. I''ve been hiding literally almost all of my skills, only using [Flames of Torment] to destroy the statues that came our way, so I shouldn''t have given anything away He seemed to become less angry at me as time went, and just adopted the disdainful expression more and more. I didn''t bother with it as it was always good to be underestimated and not be on guard against He began speaking when we came close "I will be holding the boss back and make sure that it doesn''t break free. The rest of you need to take down its 10 guards as soon as possible and then reinforce me." He turned to the 2 tanks and continued. "You guys need to do your best to protect the mages and Rachel. Make sure that nobody gets heavily injured as we all need to be in our prime to take down the boss." The tanks nodded their heads while the rest of us prepared for the fight. I was looking forward to meeting this Titan of a boss that had taken down many hunters As soon as everyone had their energy recovered, we went towards the huge door and stepped into the BOSS room. 15 Solaels Castle II Anderson observed the people behind him before he opened the door towards the boss room. Almost all of them had faces that showed their dependence on him because they knew their lives were in his hands the moment that they entered this room. But as usual, there was one person, one face that seemed to be overly calm with nothing to worry about. Anderson let out a vicious smile before opening the door and heading inside the BOSS room He would show them all today. What strength really is. What power really is. In the face of strength, everything else has to bow down. The inside of the gigantic room held a huge statue that was reaching almost 10 meters tall. They seemed like ants compared to something this huge, but Anderson had a confident expression on his face. He had done this multiple times in the span of a few months. Not a single time had he died. A few others had died, of course. But that was out of their negligence. You had to be strong in order to avoid death. Surrounding a huge titan were it''s ten guards who seemed just as imposing but only four meters tall, and they were still double the size of the hunters that were about to face them. Anderson pulled out his sword as he began walking towards the huge statue that did not in any way take him into account. Halfway there his body shone with an imposing red glow. [Giants Strength] was activated. The only B rank skill floating around Outer Bank X, and the skill that allowed him to go toe-to-toe with this huge titan. He grabbed his sword and he swung it towards the TITAN A red crescent blade that was two meters tall struck out and hit the chest of the statue, instantly calling to attention it''s ten guards and disrupting the peace in the hall. Anderson ignored the ten guards as he rushed forward to continue attacking the giant statue The two tanks that were equipped with extremely large shields, along with the two mages Dina and Stacy, and Rachel had all begun to cast their spells. The tanks reinforced themselves as the guard statues came and attacked them. The two Mages had already cast their spells as huge clouds that began releasing lightning as if it was endless. Rachel''s sword was pulsating in a red light as multiple red blades were released from it, going forward to attack then coming statues. As for Noah, He had cast the same skill that allowed him to move a huge cable of flames forward. The cable of flames quickly formed into a disc and shifted back and forth as it moved from one statue to another either taking their legs or their hands or completely smashing their heads. Cohen was observing all of this as he continued to fight with the boss. He had observed all of his team members over the past weeks and he had been observing the new team members today. The new girl was fairly strong but nothing to worry about. The only one he couldn''t peg was Noah. He couldn''t exactly see all the way through him. He wanted to believe that he was as weak as he showed himself to be but something very simple was giving him away. The fact that this entire time while going down this dungeon, going to each room and taking down huge statues of monsters, not a single time was he flustered or worried. He showed no fear. No apprehension. To Cohen, this meant that this person is hiding more power, but he was not showing it. He wanted to see the extent of this guy''s power. The ten guards had lost their jobs as they were quickly taken down and transformed into rubble. The rest of the team soon came to reinforce Cohen in his fight against the ten-meter monster. As soon as the tanks came in, Cohen moved back to get a breather. The two tanks worked together to deflect the punches that were barreling down as the mages cast their specialty spell and more dark clouds formed overhead with lightning striking down, chipping at the huge body of the TITAN Blade edges were coming out of Rachel''s sword as she continued to release the red crescent blinding lights. Noah''s skill was more straightforward where his rapidly spinning disk of flames had been borrowing itself onto the knees of the huge beast trying to quickly cut off its legs and make it lose mobility. He would not succeed though. As the TITAN was quickly enraged by the continuing damage that it was taking, and the fact that none of the ants that were dealing it damage were taken care of. OOOOH!!! A loud roar resounded from the Titan as Cohen yelled "Take cover!" The mages ran behind the tanks who lifted their shields up while the TITAN was roaring. Cohen went towards Rachel and Noah and stood in front of them as the whole place seemed to shake as huge boulders then began falling from the ceiling. This was the Titans skill. A type of skill that only began appearing on rank C BOSSes and above. At the moment it was dealt a certain amount of damage, the skill was activated and boulders would begin raining from the sky. If you were slow in responding for even a second. You would find yourself squashed on the ground. The stones began falling down and heavily hitting the ground. The 2 tanks had their shields lifted up slanted at an angle. Whenever the stones hit the skills on their body shined and they grunted, but they survived. The two mages beneath them were still safe and sound. As for Anderson, he was even more straightforward, keeping his eyes on the ceiling and using his blade to strike down any incoming stones. If he missed any of the boulders fallen from the ceiling, Rachel would quickly move in and release another one of her plate lights, striking the huge stones and veering them away from their location. Noah as a mage should be taking cover with his weaker defenses, and could only have his skill ready to be fired in the case any stone were to come his way. As the huge stones fell down with everyone focusing on keeping their lives, Anderson turned towards Noah as there was something we wanted to confirm. He wanted to know the extent of this guy''s power and what exactly he was hiding. The TITAN''s skill was about to finish, and three more boulders that were heading their way. Anderson put on a fierce expression as his sword struck out towards the incoming stones. Rachel took care of the second stone and Noah cast his spinning line of flames towards the third stone that was nearing his side At this instant, though, an...accident occurred. The stone that Cohen was taking care of did not break and veered off-track. He made a sound as if he had slipped and his blade just quickly grazed over the boulder that was coming down. The boulder that was now coincidentally heading towards the mage beside him Noah returned his face up in the direction of the boulder with a surprised face as it quickly struck him. PAH! The sound caused the party members'' faces to turn ashen. The two tanks and two mages off by the side quickly turning around to look at Cohen with an unbelievable expression Rachel had an expression of disbelief on her face as well as she stared at Anderson and looked over the rubble where Noah was supposed to be. A brief second passed before a movement was heard and a person came out of the rubble. The sight they feared to see did not actually happen, as the hands there were reaching out to push the rubble of the stones aside were clear. His face was clear. There wasn''t a single spec of damage on the man''s body. The four party members quickly let out a relieved sigh and returned their sight towards the boss, as they couldn''t spare a single other second with their eyes off the huge monster Cohen spared Noah a glance before he quickly turned around and dashed towards the boss. The disbelieving expression did not leave Rachel''s face as she was very close and saw exactly what happened. There had been no accident, and that was all intentional. So, she was shocked and didn''t understand. Just what sort of irreconcilable problem had occurred between these two hunters that would cause something like this? Noah was coming out of the rubble with a surprisingly calm expression and dusted himself off as he looked at Anderson that was rushing towards the boss. How was he taking this so naturally? Did he not almost die? Rachel had a complex expression on her face as she shook her head and focused on the fight at hand. The two tanks were quickly blown away and Anderson filled in their spots to hold the boss at bay. The Thunderclouds from the mages were above them again, constant streaks of lightning striking down on the body of the TITAN Rachel held her Blade behind her as a blinding light was becoming more and more apparent on her sword. This continued on for 10 seconds before she released the blade of light, that was not more than 2 meters long towards the leg of the BOSS. Noah was not far behind, quickly throwing his signature disk of flames towards the same location he was attacking before. With this teamwork, it didn''t take long for one of the legs of the huge statue to start cracking before it could not support its entire weight. Its left leg had shattered from the constant damage that was being dealt Its upper body had huge dents and scratches from the lightning that was falling down and the blade attacks that Anderson kept sending its way. The huge TITAN quickly fell on its knees, Its hands smacking on the ground and sending a shock wave that disoriented the party members. The two mages were quickly knocked back from the blast as the tanks were not there in time to prevent the blast from reaching them. Rachel and Anderson seemed fairly okay and surprisingly, so was Noah. The TITAN guided its right hand that had fallen down, formed a huge fist, and swiped towards the puny ants around it. This attack would take out all the party members if it was not stopped. Cohen had his face in a twisted expression as he began to feed more anger to bubble inside of him. This was good. This was what he wanted. The angrier he was, the stronger he became. That was the inherent skill that he awakened. Wrathful. It fed on his anger. The angrier he got, the more energy he had, the more power he had, and the more destructive he became. He wanted to show these people just what true strength was. He reactivated his highest skill that took most of his energy as his anger kept on rising. [Giant''s Strength] was activated once more. A dark, baleful energy was permeating from his body as he grabbed his sword and rushed towards the incoming fist. BOOM! A resounding sound was heard as the fist was stopped on its tracks, causing the titan to scream once more. Anderson kept the momentum going, using his increased anger as a source of fuel and propelled himself towards the face of the ten-meter monster that was now crouching down. The red energy released from his body mixed with the lightning that began appearing on his blade. [Blade of Lightning] was activated, its color quickly becoming tinged red and forcefully smacking on the head of the kneeling TITAN BOOOM!!! After the sound that almost ruptured the hunter''s eardrums disappeared, half the head of the BOSS went with it. The TITAN breathed its last as it''s huge body crumbled to the ground, the force holding it together thoroughly gone. Cohen Anderson stood atop the rubble releasing a pulsating red light. He looked down at the hunters staring at him as his blade released the last sparks of lightning. This was strength. This was the power that allowed him to do whatever he wanted. This was what he wanted these hunters to have ingrained in their minds. 16 Deterioration Anderson was standing majestically, atop the rubble as his skills effects finished. A green crystal was rising up as the boss had been killed and he walked down to observe the expressions that he had wanted to see so badly. The expressions of fear and reverence from the people below him He saw these usual expressions on his old party members, and turned his gaze towards the two new ones. As soon as he looked over though, a piercing voice rang throughout the destroyed hall. "What the hell were you doing? Why did you play around and almost kill your teammate?" Rachel, the berserker that was shooting blade lights all this time had a questioning look on her face as she directly asked this question. Anderson seemed to be surprised as if he did not expect this type of reaction at all. He looked over at Rachel in a skeptical tone and asked her. "Oh? What''s giving you the balls to talk to me like that? Were you watching the same scene as everyone else?" Rachel defiantly replied with "Why the hell does that matter? I''m asking you, the leader of this party, why you would purposefully act negligent and try to harm your party member when you were in the position to protect them. How can they feel comfortable to hunt with you again? You''ve lost all trust, starting with me" An incredulous expression arose on Anderson''s face as something seemed to have clicked in his mind. He gave a loud laugh as he spoke. "My goodness. I am so sorry. I seem to have not gotten my point through. If it wasn''t extremely clear from my actions and from my words, I don''t give a damn." Anderson finished with these words in a condescending tone. Rachel didn''t stand down as she continued. "So what? Because you have a higher rank skill and are more powerful than us, that means you can choose to do whatever you want? You would endanger your party members just to get your point across? For what?" Anderson was startled once again and said. "For what? For what? How dense are you for the message to not be coming across? Party members? Trust? Haha!" He looked towards the four Hunter''s that had been clearing the dungeon with him these past weeks "Do you see them? They have families here. They have friends here. This is their city, and they have nowhere else to go. Do you think anyone cares about this city? Do you think the big wigs care what happens to a trashy city around the perimeter of the Empire?" His words were becoming louder and more piercing as he kept on talking while walking towards Rachel. He continued with a cold tone" It''s me. I am the only one keeping this city afloat. I am the only one that gives a damn and stays here. I prevent the dungeon break of this dungeon that you can never clear without me. It is my strength. And because of this, I can do what I want. I can call them" He pointed at his party members once more "I can call them fools right now, and they will be back with me right in this same place in a few days giving their lives to clear this dungeon. You may have only been in this city for a week, but you should learn now than later about how things really work. You should know how to talk to people that stand above you." As he finished these words, he had reached Rachel, who still staring at him with a defiant expression A large hand mark laid across her face. She touched her cheek in a dazed expression as if this was the last thing she ever expected to happen. She looked at the four that were recuperating the side, and all of them turned their heads away Anderson walked up to her, clasping her clear neck in his hands and asked. "Do you realize it now? When I say I can do whatever I want? You cannot do anything to stop it" He said as he lifted her up by her neck. "They cannot do anything to stop it." He continued while pointing at his old party members. "And he...certainly cannot do anything to stop it" His hand moved once more as he pointed towards Noah The person in question being pointed at had a surprised expression as he let out a soft sigh and said. "Let the girl go dude. What the hell is wrong with you?" He had been watching the scene in front of him play out being ever so surprised as the events unfolded. He didn''t care when Anderson supposedly had his ''accidental'' slip up that he easily brushed off by activating [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection]. He didn''t care when he was talked on upon. What he didn''t like were the arrogant words coming from him, and worst of all the beating he had given someone who stood up to him He was happy at the thought that the first party hunt he was in just finished successfully and he could use his experiences here to dive into this dungeon in the future. But this guy just had to go and ruin it. So he repeated himself again and said "Let the girl go." Another loud laughter was heard in the clearing as Anderson pushed the girl aside. And looked towards Noah. He looked him up and down and said "This entire time I''ve been trying to figure out exactly where the level of your power stands. I was not thinking correctly just keeping tabs on you and feeling you out little by little. I should have done what I''m about to do now a long time ago. Do you have an inkling of what I''m about to do right now?" Noah looked at the man that was gradually getting red color on his body back again and calmly replied "No. I don''t know. What exactly are you about to do?" Anderson had a cold smirk as he said, "I am about to teach you the rankings of the city. I am about to let you know that I am on top and you are on the bottom. I''m going to teach you what strength really is. Because apparently, watching me take down a ten meter tall giant was not intimidating enough." As Noah listened to the enraged mad man''s speech. He turned his head towards his team members. There were two fully grown men that were the Knights on the party and the two women that were the mages. He looked over to them and asked "Are you guys going to do or say anything about this?" The four of them gave him a blank stare before they shook their heads in a depressing manner and turned their faces away. Noah shook his head as he saw this and he looked back towards Anderson who was speaking with a fully furious expression. "Haha. I have been talking too much. Words were never my forte. I always let my strength do the talking. After my strength was registered, everybody fell in line. Now, be prepared, because you...are about to fall in line." A hazy red smoke was coming off Anderson''s body as he finished, tightened his muscles, and sprung forth I looked at the man that was flying towards me and sighed at the complete breakdown of everything. I then casted [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection], [Aura of Haste], [Life Essence], [Increased Penetration], [Arctic Armor] and¡­[Whirlwind]. My body shone iridescent colors as multiple defense and support skills were activated. I looked at Anderson and I was surprisingly calm facing him. I didn''t feel angry at him or hate him in any sort of way, I just...pitied him. Maybe this was what happened after facing the pressures of this new world and not coping well. I did not want to become someone like him in the future. My gaze seemed to have made the charging bull even more furious though, as his power seemed to increase further. But...none of it would be of any use against the current me. With a sad sigh, gales of wind surrounded my body as [Whirlwind] was fully activated and I made my move. 17 Fight! A thunderous impact resounded soon after as gales of wind rushed about in the clearing. Anderson was surprised at the speed that Noah rushed to him, observing that he had already cast multiple skills on his body, his exterior surrounded by a transparent bubble and body covered in an icy armor He couldn''t help but ask "Just how much energy do you have in your body to be casting this many skills as if it''s nothing?" As Anderson was talking, the impact pushed both of them back. The red energy kept on enveloping Anderson''s body as his rank C skill [Blast] was used. His fist carried the momentum with it as he flew towards Noah. The fist met the first layer of protection, quickly causing a shock wave that pushed each of them away once more. Anderson kept his eyes on Noah as he saw the man was not ever remotely hurt. He smiled as he dashed in again and began talking "Do you know why I adopted my principles on strength? I used to be poor. I had nothing, no job, no family, no friends. I used to look up at those that were rich above me with their extravagant amount of money and the clothes and food they bought." His words carried traces of anger as his body continued clashing with Noah''s defensive skills. The thing that puzzled him the most was how Noah chose to use his hands or palm to hit back when the transparent shield he cast on himself protected him fully, and did not even cast the signature pillar of flames he had seen him using throughout the day He brought his focus back on the fight at hand and stopped overthinking things. "I looked up to these people. Those rich assholes. I wanted to be like them. I kept on saying to myself, If I just had that money, If I just had that power, oh the things I could do!" Anderson continued smacking into the defensive skill and saw that his attacks with his bare hands weren''t working. So he increased the pressure and pulled out his sword. He wanted to see just how long this guy could keep all of these skills active before running out of energy. Lightning began to crackle around his sword as he dashed towards Noah and continued talking. "Do you know what happened next? Something incredible occurred and I actually did get the power. The whole world went to shit and it was me who received the power. ME!" The longer he talked, the more his anger and power seemed to increase. His sword was already pulled down, swiping towards the pest in front of him. An ark of red lightning was released towards the man that kept on standing calmly in the face of all these attacks ZING! Once the red lightning struck a figure flew backwards at a high speed and kicked up some dust. And yet, he soon stood up without a single hair damaged on his body. Anderson watched as his smile grew wider. It was the right choice to knock this guy down a notch now, If I had actually given him time to grow, he might have threatened me in the future. Playing around with his thoughts, he moved forward again as he continued talking "So, I received the power. And do you know the funny thing? Those people I looked up to, those rich assholes that I aspired to be, many of them were dead within a few days and many more were now looking up at me." Seeing that his strike hadn''t worked, he held his blade once more as lightning began to build upon it and continued "I used the new power that I had gained to kill monsters and get stronger. My power allowed me to become the richest man in the city. The best hunter in the city. It gave me strength that you could not imagine!" Anderson was moving at high speeds as he spoke. His sword that was covered in lightning kept on striking at the bubble of protection that surrounded Noah "It is this strength that''s going to destroy that thin bubble that you have around you. I''m going to keep on striking and watch as you gradually lose that annoying expression on your face and you start begging for your life underneath my feet" Noah wasn''t standing still, moving in and out as his defensive skills completely deflected the strikes of the blade and the lightning that came out of it. He wanted to test the extent of [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] as its proficiency was literally a point shy of 100, and it seemed to completely protect him from C rank skills, its power also deflecting most of the damage from rank B skills If any damage actually managed to pass through, the [Arctic Armor] would absorb it. If anything else passed that, he would just quickly use [Regeneration]. Anderson''s voice rang out as he charged forward once more "You cannot imagine the things you can do when you have the strength. Those rich big wigs that survived, the ones that spent the remaining amount of their money to buy skills, items, and cores to get stronger themselves? They work under me now. They do me favors, and they send their own fucking daughters to my bedroom just to get on my good side. That is power, that is strength!" Noah seemed to be getting ticked off as he was listening to this madman''s ramblings so he began replying and cut short his experimentation time. "That is not what strength is, dude. I was just like you a few days ago. I didn''t have any of this. When I did become slightly stronger though, all I felt was a sense of liberation." His words seemed to carry power with him as a huge pillar of flames appeared beside him, making Anderson even more surprised as he was expecting him to run out of energy any time with his extremely bad efficiency in using it. The pillars of flames acted like a rope, wrapping itself around the entirety of Anderson''s body and squeezed down. Anderson let out a pained expression as he began roaring. RAA!!! Rank B skill, [Giant''s Strength] was activated. The red aura coming out of him condensed even more as his power rose by another level, the sword clad in lightning struck out once more. But it did nothing. His body bulged out as let out a howl and the pillar of flames surrounding him was dispersed and he once more seriously attacked the man in front of him. His attacks continued as Noah deflected or absorbed them and continued talking "Strength does not mean you can look down and others. Strength does not mean you can do whatever you want. You can even look at it as a responsibility. It''s the reason I came along to this high-risk dungeon that can explode any day." The calmness seemed to fade from Noah''s face as he finished his words and condensed dark balls of fire around him. More than 20 quickly surrounded him, spinning furiously as they rushed towards Anderson''s body and exploded on contact. Anderson could be heard laughing in the midst of the explosion. "Haha, Responsibility? Sophistry! Utter bullshit!" An expression of someone that had given up appeared on Noah''s face as he shook his head calmly and looked at the imposing Anderson and gave a command BOOM! A screeching scream resounded as Anderson was inadvertently blasted back. He had a shocked face as he looked at the left hand on his body. It was missing. It was gone. Anderson looked back in a pained expression towards Noah as he exclaimed "What the hell did you do?!" He seemed dumbfounded by the sudden attack that he didn''t see coming from anywhere. They were standing apart at the time, and yet an unseen attack came that took his entire arm clean off. A calm voice rang out of the clearing. "Stand down." Noah was staring at him with a cold expression. He did not want things to go down this road. He did not want it to get this bad, but this guy would not stop. So he repeated himself once more. "Stand down" The man that was clad in a red haze in front of him stood up with an even more furious expression as he roared out and held his sword and his remaining good arm, rushing forward once more. BOOM! Another exclusion rang out the moment Anderson began rushing out, being thrown back once more and his face adopting and even more pained expression. His chest armor had exploded out and blood was gushing from his chest. He breathed heavily as he looked towards Noah. He didn''t understand how he was taking damage when the guy wasn''t even near him. What was going on? What kind of skill was he using?! Noah sternly stared at the man before he repeated himself once again. "Stand...down" 18 Resolution Noah looked at the man in front of him as he continued speaking. "You could have stopped all of this a while ago you know" He looked towards the man that was missing a hand and had a bloody chest. The entire time they were fighting, he had plastered a ton of [Explosive Rune]s on the man''s body. The tattoos spread all over him without notice, and he had detonated two of them just now. A burst of hysterical laughter came out from Anderson. "Stop? Stop? Haha! Do you really think I could stop? Power was all I had, and now someone like you, someone that has awakened barely a few days can already stand above me? Bullshit!" As the man stood and raised his one good remaining hand arcs of red lightning began to pulsate from his sword. Noah turned his face from this and looked towards the five party members that had been watching this entire fight. He saw a rueful and expectant expression on the faces of Anderson''s original party members. Rachel was staring at both of them in a distasteful manner while wiping the dust and rubble from her body He then turned back towards the rushing Anderson and watched him come forward as if he was looking at a flickering flame in the wind. "Strength isn''t having the power to look down on others." As soon as Noah''s words finished, another loud explosion rang out as Anderson''s body was inexplicably blown away. A crazed laugh could be heard as the explosion cleared "Haha. I am being lectured by a child. I am being lectured by someone who doesn''t understand how the world works. Do you know what I''ve done with my power? The monsters I destroyed? The pathetic people I''ve killed? The women I''ve taken? Do you know?!" The right leg on Anderson was the next limb to be missing as he lay tattered on the ground. He turned his head to observe his leg, and then at his left arm, that was also missing. He then stared at the man that kept looking at him with the same calm expression on his face. He felt like he was being looked down upon. He had to bring his eyes up to meet the gaze of this man and he laughed even more. "Haha. What are you gonna do? Are you gonna kill the strongest hunter in the city? Are you going to damn the lives of hundreds of thousands of people?" Noah was slowly walking towards the destroyed man as he began talking. "The strongest hunter in the city huh. Do you really believe that you still hold that title?" His words were slow, but rang out as if they were a clap of lightning in Anderson''s ears. Noah gave the man in front of him a look of pity as his hands wrapped around Anderson''s neck. He looked at the man that was about to perish from this changed world forever and shook his head in disappointment. BOOM! A thundering explosion rang out on the clearing once more, and the infamous rank B hunter of Outer Bank X was lying down without a head. Noah let out a deep sigh as he looked at the body of the so-called strongest hunter in front of him and felt relief. He didn''t want to be like this man one day. Shouting his ideals on someone stronger only to die soon after He deactivated the many defensive and support skills on his body as he shifted his face onto the items that Anderson wore. They were C rank equipment, and even though they were currently damaged because of [Explosive Rune], they had a self-repairing property and they would be as good as normal in a few days. Near Anderson there laid a thick blue book. This was why hunters were regularly hunted down by other hunters if they were jealous enough and had the balls to do it. Killing any hunter had a definite chance of dropping the highest-ranked skill that they were using. Unscrupulous lower-ranked hunters sometimes worked in groups that target those one rank higher than them, either ambushing them in their sleep through other unsavory means. And this was also why the Hunter Lodgings were very popular because they guaranteed a level of safety for the hunters staying there. There were hunter guards around the clock documenting everyone that came in, where they were going and what their purpose was. The skill book made my heartbeat increase as I thought of the huge windfall that all of these unfortunate events brought. This skill took the pedestal as the top prize today. This was the Rank B skill [Giant''s Strength- Imbue your body with immense strength that blows away anything daring to stand against you(+50 Strength)]. Information about the skill''s effects quickly appeared in front of me as my mood turned sour There wasn''t any information about this skill as Anderson was the only one who held it, but I didn''t expect it to simply add 50 strength once activated. Of course, 50 strength was something huge, as that amounted to an advancement of an entire rank, but it did not match the many focus based skills I had been collecting so far. Skills that are geared towards close combat fighters would just reduce my attention from the powerful mage skills that I should be spamming. My mood went down as I held the skill before another thought flashed through my mind and I had to ask myself if I was the dumbest person on the face of this planet. Yes, Anderson was a close combat fighter and this skill complimented him perfectly. But, even though I was a Mage, it did not mean it wouldn''t be tremendously helpful to me too. I was limiting my thoughts to what I commonly knew about Mages, Berserkers, and Knights. A skill like this would normally be great for a Knight or a Berserker. But I would literally lose nothing if I learned and activated this skill, and would instead gain an entire rank''s worth of [Strength] attributes, and all times at that. Even though I wouldn''t be using the extra power that the added strength provided, the extra speed that came with it would be more than worth it. Damn, just when I was feeling myself and thinking I was all that, to think I was about to disregard a rank B skill just because it did not conventionally match my class. Alright, learn and try to be better. This train of thought opened up my mind to many paths and skills I had not thought about before. There were many skills specifically for Knights and Berserkers that I didn''t even look at as the only thing in my head was to just spam Mage skills to blow away everything. But if I searched for and learned those skills meant for close combat fighters that will reinforce my defense, health, speed, and power¡­ It was like a light was shining down on me opening up a very obvious path that my dumb ass hadn''t thought about before. The cost of skills didn''t matter to me, so why did it matter if they were not geared for my class as long as they provided constant benefits on other aspects? I did not waste any more time and I learned the skill, watching the book fade away in particles of light I activated the skill as soon as it was learned so it could start earning proficiency. My body soon felt like I had an extra layer of strength added on, increasing my striking power and speed as well as giving me an imposing aura. I mentally patted myself on the back while I placed the [Item]s that Anderson was wearing in my storage ring, and carried his [Ring of Storage] with me, leaving a mangled body on the ground as I walked towards his team members. The two tanks and mages had relieved expressions on their faces while Rachel looked at him in a peculiar way. Death wasn''t something rare for hunters, they had seen plenty of their team members die and most were glad when they didn''t perish themselves. He went forward and asked the girl that got a beating a few minutes ago "Are you okay?" Rachel clicked her lips in an annoyed expression that also seemed somewhat afraid and looked back at the 4 party members behind her without answering my question. She looked at them and chided in a disappointed tone as she said "You four are by far the most spineless cowards and such a poor excuse of hunters that I had ever seen in my life" The 4 hunters listened to this and shook their heads as if they would not engage. Did Anderson break them this much? They looked towards me and gave a nod before one of the tanks carefully came towards me and introduced him as Dan. He couldn''t look me in the eyes as he gave me his card and mentioned that he and the rest of the party members would be back here in 3 days to clear the dungeon, and that I should let him know what time I''ll be free to lead them I unconsciously nodded as I had prepared to accept this role when everything fell apart with Anderson. Although I will only do this as a play for the next week. I didn''t plan to be limited by tying myself to hunting in a party when my progress is explosive as I move alone and clear dungeons without anyone holding me back. My solo hunting of this dungeon would be much more fruitful Rachel watched this exchange as we swapped contact information and watched the hunters go towards the green crystal to leave the dungeon. They instinctively looked towards the loot that was shining in a pile beside the TITAN that was now dead but looked away just as fast, not entertaining any thoughts They didn''t mention a single word about Anderson in the entire exchange or acknowledge what had happened. Just leaving with happier faces and expressions like a huge weight had just been lifted off their chest Rachel came opposite me as I was thinking this and put on a brave expression as she said "So what the heck was up with you? You were stronger than this guy all along and were playing around just to be the knight in shining armor after?" I was taken back when she said this as my mind was only observing the situation and acting only when I needed to. I replied to her with a smile "I became stronger than this guy just yesterday if you can believe it, and didn''t exactly know how much stronger so I was testing the waters" She clicked her tongue as she stared me down and then turned away towards the green crystal. "Thank you for stepping in any way, you''re not too bad." She said as her figure flashed away, leaving me as the last hunter remaining for the this raid I let out a relaxing sigh as I took in everything around me. Pushing the dead hunter in the room out of my mind, I went towards the shining pile of [Core]s and what seemed like a [Skill Book] besides the gigantic BOSS. 19 Changes The dungeon didn''t end exactly how I expected, but I was content with the way things worked. As all the hunters had left the boss room, I actually enjoyed the fact that there were fewer people around me, maybe I was just a natural loner. I shook my head as I reached down towards the rank C cores lying down as boss. We had been splitting the cores into equal amounts as we killed the statues in the rooms until we arrived at the BOSS room, with Anderson taking most of the cores as he dealt with most of the statues. All of the cores that he grabbed though, along with everything else he owned was now situated in my ring of storage. I didn''t feel particularly bad from taking everything from the dead man as my thoughts quickly moved forward to what I''ll be doing next. I reached my hand out to identify the skill book that this C ranked TITAN dropped. Much to my surprise, it was a skill called [Smite- Pass down your ruling in the form of 10 swords of light!] This skill gave me quite a shock as it wasn''t among the many rank C skills that I have researched. I actually hadn''t heard of this one before and the skill seemed to go very well with the guidelines I set for myself for the new skills I''ll be learning. So I quickly learned the skill as I was impatient to see its effects, even if it would just be for show right now as there were no monsters to test it out. And for the first time, I cast [Smite] A marking quickly appeared on top of my head with a symbol that very closely matched that of a star. A golden light was then being released in the sky as 10 literal swords of light quickly took shape and pointed down imposingly. My eyes were shining as I watched them hover in the sky just waiting for a command to strike I was very excited to see exactly how amazing the effects of this skill work out to be and I wanted to quickly rush into the dungeon again to test it out right away. But I knew I had to call it a day for now. It had been a long day, and I was finally not feeling pressed against time. I burned the sight of the dead TITAN and the dead hunter in my brain, and then I reached towards the green crystal, vanishing from the hall. --- A man wearing a well-tailored suit was watching the news with his arms trembling. Something shocking was being announced as breaking news. About an hour ago in Outer Bank X, the highest-ranked hero, Cohen Anderson, had perished in the dungeon [Solael''s Castle] In an effort to save the rest of his party members, he had given his life to take down the terrifying BOSS, making sure nobody else was injured. The man listened to the news and stood there dazed, as this was something out of his wildest nightmares. Never something that he ever felt was possible. His benefactor, the person who saved him was now dead. And as for the things they were saying? He had given up his life to save others? Haha! He knew his master, and knew even more his personality. The butler shook his head in sadness as the face of a man who had been in his mind these past few days popped up. He thought of this man and asked himself. Could he have had anything to do with this? As he was lost in thought, the newscaster continued "As this highest-ranking hero passed, he passed on the torch to someone else just as powerful. Someone who will continue to keep the citizens of the city safe. The message received from the Outer Bank X City''s Elite Hunter Squad is that their new leader goes by the name Noah Osmont" The sudden announcement brought back the butler''s attention to the TV, his eyes turning into cold slits as his theories were verified. So it was you all along. Anger and sadness were bubbling in the butler''s heart but he quickly pushed it down until all that was left was sadness. He recalled warning his master about this man because of the many things he did not know, but he failed his job. He didn''t get the point across well enough and his master paid dearly for it. He wasn''t making the same mistake. The butler walked towards the huge doors at the mansion that he had kept open, waiting for his master. But he knew that he was not coming back. And yet he still stood in the middle of the open doors, waiting for no one, waiting for nothing. --- Noah carried his tired body over to the nearest Hunter Lodging as soon as he left [Solael''s Dungeon] He wasn''t really tired physically, he just felt mentally drained. Many events had occurred today, and as calm as he was there were still things that he did for the first time. Besides the abnormally more numerous than average looks he was receiving as he walked through the luxurious hotel, nothing else seemed out of place. He did his usual ritual of grabbing a room and ordering food. As he was eating, he turned on the TV and almost choked on his food when he saw what was being reported. It was a local channel breaking the news for Outer Bank X A glowing red title was saying that the highest-ranking hero in the city was now dead. The things Noah heard baffled him to say least. Cohen Anderson had sacrificed himself, he had boldly taken on the boss that was endangering his teammates'' lives and used all of his power until his last breath before he passed on the torch to...Noah Osmont. Oh, come on! Noah, let out an exasperated sigh as he saw his name and picture paraded in front of the TV. He reigned in the rest of his thoughts as he continued to watch the news before agreeing with the way that Anderson''s party members finished things. It was much better to let the public know this version of the story than telling them that one of the hunters just killed the other. The officials had kept the information short and precise, one hunter was dead and another one just as powerful, if not more, took his place. There was nothing to worry about. No problems would occur. Everything is just as it was before. A smile formed on Noah''s lips as he thought of this. No. Everything was not how it used to be. Because that rank C dungeon that had given hunters so much trouble...he was about to turn it into his playground. He was planning on clearing it by himself multiple times for the next few days as most of his reservations were reduced when he confirmed his own power against Anderson. Of course, he wouldn''t suddenly make stupid decisions that could endanger his life, but he definitely had more legroom to take risks. Bigger risks gave bigger rewards. The risk he had to take these next few days is going to be watching the monolith of [Solael''s Dungeon] turn from orange to blue as he cleared the dungeon multiple times, and what reactions that would receive from the powerful figures in the city, but even more so for the actual powerful figures hiding in larger cities He wanted to take down the ten-meter giant TITAN all by himself. He wanted his strength to continue rising and his range of skills to continue expanding. He wouldn''t limit himself as much anymore. [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 150+30] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 150+50] [Skill(s): (F-Fireball-100)(F-Heal-53)(E-Arctic Armor- 100)(D-Flames of Torment-99)(D-Safeguard-38)(D-Danger Sense-99)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-99)(C-Camouflage-77)(C-Aura of Haste-54)(C-Explosive Rune-61)(C-Life Essence-51)(C-Increased Penetration-44) (C-Regeneration-11) (C-Whirlwind-13) (C-Smite-1) (B-Giant''s Strength-8)] [Equipment: (E-Swift Boots)(D-King''s Valor)(C-Ring of Storage)] 20 Movements I was up fairly early the next morning as I was too excited to try out a multitude of things today. There were so many ideas flowing in mind that I didn''t know what to start with. I looked at the dark-haired man in the mirror as my thoughts were inexplicably taken back a few years into the prime of my 20s. The man in the mirror definitely looked like me a few years back, a head full of messy hair, the same fair complexion, and eyes full of hopes and dreams that weren''t completely destroyed. I shook myself out of the trance as I started the day I began by checking the [Ring of Storage] that I had taken of Anderson''s hands. In it were a multitude of [Core]s, [Item]s, and 2 [Skill Book]s. I was extremely content with the finding as a majority of the cores were rank C, with 8 rank D items and 2 items that were rank C, [Lightning Boots], and [Fiery Helm]. The two skill books were also both rank C, being [Resilience: Defense and healing effects are increased by 50%] and [Supercharged- Energy rumbles through you, increasing casting speed by 50%] The [Supercharged] skill would have definitely fit the criteria I had set a few days ago, but [Resilience] would also be a great addition that goes along with my current plan of even learning skills geared towards other jobs besides Mage The rank D items would all be getting sold, along with a few rank C pieces that I wouldn''t be wearing as I waited for the [Item]s that I took off Anderson''s body to self-repair. I damaged them pretty heavily with [Explosive Rune], but they should be fully repaired by tomorrow As for the [Core]s, anything below rank C found in the ring would be sold, and I began absorbing the rank C [Vitality] and [Strength] cores. I had both the ones that went as my share plus Anderson''s, so it was a sizable amount, but I was only able to bring [Strength] to 167 and [Vitality] to 170. With these preliminary things completed, I checked out of the room and shot a text to that lovable fat salesman I never bothered to remember the name of as I went to the central Awakened Center. My face had been shown around heavily throughout the night so many people recognized me and snapped pictures, but I ignored everything and arrived at the Awakened Center in a few minutes The fat salesman seemed to have been promoted, as he had two assistants with him when he saw me walk in. He threw out that usual shrewd smile and brought me to a more luxurious room in the back compared to last time I took everything in a stride as the moment my name was released last night, I knew something like this would be happening. The first thing the salesman did was open a suitcase and hand me a shining blue card that held my name and picture, along with a title of Rank B Hunter I grabbed it and gave my thanks as it saved me the hassle of looking for the advancement area and wasting time there. I then took out all the cores and items that I wanted to sell while I asked him for a registry of all Knight and Berserker skills they had in stock He was puzzled at this but did as he was asked and I was browsing through all the skill books soon after. I had done a significant amount of research on Mages and their skills as that was the path I wanted to walk on when I awakened, but I wasn''t too well versed on the skills that Knights and Berserkers commonly used Keeping my explosive progress in mind, I looked at rank C skills mostly as well as some exceptional rank D skills that wouldn''t be left far behind in their effects in a matter of weeks. A few fit my requirements, and I pointed them out to the salesman who brought them into the room in a few minutes. The new skills I had bought and learned were [D-Rough Skin: Resistance to elemental skills are increased], [D-Fleeting: Slightly increases movement speed], [C-Gracefulness: An aura that grants you increased evasion descends], [C-Precision: Your accuracy is increased and your attacks rarely miss your target], and [Adamant: Your defense is increased as you passively heal from minor injuries] These were the only skills that fit my new guidelines that were in the Awakened Center. The remaining skills actively required you to be using some sort of close combat or ranged weapon to activate like [Blade Light],[Shield Charge], or [Duplicate Arrows]. It made me think of whether I should also buy a weapon to add these skills to my arsenal too without it spreading my focus over too many things. I was content with the new addition of skills and thanked the salesman that gave his usual bright smile. I had much fewer reservations about being seen or discovered so I activated the new skills I just learned on top of all the old ones that were still active while I left the Awakened Center. I felt the increased strength of my body as my path was confirmed to be heading in the right direction I was itching to dive into the dungeon right away as I hailed a ride towards [Solael''s Castle] --- A man with a sharp face was finishing some paperwork when his assistant walked through his office doors with an even bigger stack of papers and folders. A grimace formed on the man''s face as his rough voice came out. "How is the production and recruiting of rank B hunters proceeding?" The assistant gave him a sweet smile as she replied "Very well boss. We have new ones come in every day and we are able to produce at least 1 rank B hunter a day from the resources they bring back from the dungeon" The man nodded his head as he continued "Good, the plan is going in the right direction, but it needs to be accelerated. Reach out for even more hunters across the cities and entice as many as you can. We want this dungeon to continue to be cleared every day with even more hunting squads" His assistant nodded her head as she put the folder in her hands on the table and then bowed with a smile "Here are the preliminary names we have gathered today that are waiting for your approval. For the Blessed Empire" "For the Blessed Empire" The man replied with an impassive expression. He looked at the folder in front of him as he thought about the movements they had been seeing, and how unprepared they were for what was coming. There was a huge threat looming over them, and people still moved about in complete ignorance He was in charge of managing the rank B Dungeon in Star City and wanted to exceed the quota set by the Admirals for its production. He wanted hunters to be entering it day and night, bringing out as many [Item]s, [Skill]s, and [Core]s that they could He planned to write an official letter to the higher-ups and some colleagues to suggest they increase the urgency of this matter and actively move the empire''s pieces for the days to come. The production of rank B hunters was coming along nicely but they would not be enough, the needed even more A rank hunters moving about in the empire The face of Steel Mikhail passed through his mind as he considered all the new rising rank A hunters. He shook his head that was filled with worries as he looked at the figure of the assistant still waiting to be dismissed before him He nodded at her and said while getting up and unbuttoning his shirt "Close the door. I''ve been cooped up in here for too long and need to release some stress" The assistant smiled sweetly once more as she followed the command. At the bottom of the folder that she had laid down, a name was written among many. Noah Osmont was clearly apparent at the bottom of the many stacks of paper. 21 Adrenaline I was camouflaged as I looked up to the peak of the huge orange monolith that was [Solael''s Castle]. I was planning on diving into this dungeon multiple times today, knowing that this orange hue will quickly change to blue and cause some unwanted attention to shift over here But I wasn''t worried too much currently. My strength could be considered great, and I didn''t see another case like Anderson crazily appearing to bring me any issues. I stopped thinking so much and looked forward to seeing how long I would clear this dungeon that took an ''Elite Hunter Squad'' of this city more than half a day to go through. A dungeon with 1 floor holding a huge castle that had 20 extremely large rooms and 1 BOSS hall...I was looking forward to it! I placed my hand on one of the squares of the monolith with bubbling enthusiasm as I was transferred to the plains that showed a castle on the horizon. All the active skills were activated, making my body shine with an inordinate amount of colors. I also activated [Whirlwind] as gales of wind also began appearing around me, making me disappear from the spot I was standing just as I put some force on my feet Haha! I was propelled upwards for more than 10 meters as my figure breezed towards the castle. I couldn''t help but let a laugh escape my lips as I fell towards the ground and rebounded only to be thrown forward even faster. I had to adapt to this crazy level of strength and speed that the skills and my increased attributes were giving me as I moved forward. I couldn''t control my descent from my last jump and managed to smash into the huge door of the castle, disrupting its serene peace and waking up the first 10 statues in the first room I dashed towards them as if I was possessed and finally cast [Smite]! 10 golden swords of light appeared above me even faster than when I cast it the first time, hanging imposingly as they waited for my command "Strike down!" I couldn''t help myself as I said these words out loud and the 2-meter long golden sword barreled down towards the oncoming statues BOOM! A blinding light exploded out as the golden sword struck down the incoming statues, causing dust and rubble to fly about as I breathed heavily and watched the scene clear. Only stones were left shattered on the ground Haha...Haha! I couldn''t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it. In less than a second, all the rank C monsters were dead! I was even more confident while thinking about all the skills that enhanced my damage, cast and attack speed, as well as [Increased Penetration] that let me further ignore the defenses of monsters. I felt the rush and adrenaline coursing through me as the room was completed in under a minute and pushed off from where I stood to head towards the large door to the next room. I blasted in and saw the now 11 statues move about as another 10 golden blades appeared above me. They targeted the nearest 10 as I moved at high speeds and quickly appeared in front of the 11th, moving my hand around speedily as I plastered multiple [Explosive Rune]s on its body and commanded them to explode right in front of me I loved watching the huge explosions occur when I was near and observed the huge impact blasting out the statue''s body. The entire force was negated by the now 100 proficiency skill [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] that wasn''t really a sphere anymore and hugged my body as if it was another layer of skin The room was once again cleared in a few seconds my breathing increased and I rushed into the 3rd room. 10 statues were quickly obliterated by another cast of [Smite] and I moved close to the remaining 2 statues and cast [Flames of Torment]. The long pillar of flames had a darker color after reaching 100, its flames coagulated together tightly as if they were a thick viscous material. It was rotating the moment I cast it in its long linear form, causing hot suffocating winds to fly out. I threw the thick cable of flames forward and they literally melted the statues the moment they came in contact I stopped for a second to catch my breath as I just cleared 3 rooms out the 20 in under 5 minutes. A childish smile wouldn''t leave my face as I continued on forward to the fourth. The next rooms were cleared in a similar fashion, starting out with [Smite] and following with either [Explosive Rune] or [Flames of Torment]. Starting from the 10th room, I just cast another [Smite] the moment the first 10 statues were shattered by the first cast, finishing them in record time I was now standing in front of the huge door that led to the BOSS room and I tried collecting myself as I impatiently went in. The TITAN was as humongous as usual, frighteningly boasting its 10-meter size. The 10 guards standing by its side couldn''t even respond as 10 golden swords smashed into them the moment I entered The huge beast opened its blank eyes the moment the guards were destroyed and began coming towards me, its huge steps causing the ground tremble. I watched the BOSS menacingly come towards me as 10 swords of light appear, then another 10, and another 10 as [Smite] was repeatedly cast three times I commanded the first 10 to shoot towards the BOSS in a tight-nit circular formation. They smashed onto his chest, stopping his advance and pushing him back. The next 10 flew up one after another to repeatedly strike the same area I was focusing on the TITAN''s head, blasting onto him and pushing him back even further. The last 10 flew in and surrounded the neck around a few meters away and rushed forward while it was still disoriented Before it could even roar or do anything else, the 10 golden swords closed in on its neck from all directions ZING! The TITAN wobbled for a few seconds before a pillar of thick flames wrapped around the nearly destroyed neck and squeezed in, melting everything it came in contact with. Another second passed before a loud crash was heard in the huge hall. The TITAN''s head now lay on the ground. Not even a minute had passed. I watched this unbelievable scene in front of me as if it wasn''t something that I had just done. The huge BOSS that needed an entire party to hunt had taken me less than a minute to take down "AAAAH!!!" I let out an embarrassingly loud triumphant howl after accepting the scene in front of me and reveled in it once more. Around 20 minutes total had passed and the castle was completely cleared. A green crystal rose as a shining pile of loot appeared beside the boss From then on, I kept on repeating [Solael''s Castle] like a madman. 8 hours later, I had impossibly cleared the dungeon more than 24 times, my clearing averaging 3 times in one hour. At the end, I held in my storage rings a ton of rank C [Core]s, 15 rank C skills, 1 rank B skill, and 5 new [Item]s 22 Explosive Growth I was in love with this rank C dungeon. Only a single floor that held all the monsters in one place. Someone in my positions couldn''t have asked for a better setting to quickly take everything down in record time and rake in an unimaginable amount of profit I never thought a day would come where I would be able to collect this many rank C skills, and even lucky enough have a rank B skill drop along with a few items. Hunter''s had been clearing [Solael''s Dungeon] twice a week, so over the span of the last few months they might have cleared it around the same time as I cleared it in one day. Just the thought of it made me amazed My 2 storage rings had nearly filled up to the brim with the influx of [Core]s, [Skill]s, and [Item]s. I was currently in the BOSS room of the dungeon where a broken TITAN lay dead while browsing through the rank C items first. There were two pairs of [Igneous Armor]s, one [Igneous Sword], [Fiery Helm], and [Fiery Boots] All of them exactly the same as the equipment that Anderson wore, but I wouldn''t have to wait before equipping these ones. The ones I had obtained from him were still repairing from the heavy explosions done by [Explosive Rune] I changed from [Swift Boots] to [Fiery Boots] and equipped one of the armors and helm. The armor had a similar characteristic of being unnaturally flexible even though it seemed like it was made up of extremely strong stone materials. The helm on my head also made me look like some sort of gladiator, so I took it off for now and only planned to equip it when I was faced with enemies The [Item]s vastly improved my defense and acted as another layer of resistance besides the many skills already active. Next up were the abundant amount of skills, something I never thought I would be holding is such large quantities. These would cost millions if I were to sell them, but money wasn''t the main thing I was after. I looked through the skills trying to find which ones were actually effective for me to learn and narrowed it down to 8 The rest were skills that either required bows or another specific weapon to activate or they were offensive skills with similar power to the ones I was currently using. I would learn as many supportive and defensive skills, but I would choose my main attacking skills with close scrutiny as those are the only ones I have to actively cast and use. If I held too many offensive skills and switched from to another when using, I would just have many skills in a similar level of power and not a few skills with high proficiency that have even more power The 8 that I absorbed and learned were [Sharpen: Your attacks and skills deal more damage to your enemies], [War Cry: Motivate yourself and your allies, increasing attributes by 5%], [Retaliation: Reflect back some of the damage from your enemies], [King''s Rage: The rage of a king flows through you, granting a boost in damage], [Military Tactics: The qualities of a fortified soldier are activated, increasing all attributes by 10], [Unpredictable: Attack and Casting speed increased by 10%], [Elemental Damage: Any attacks using the elements deal destructive damage], and [Stealth: Move undetected as all the energies you emit are absorbed] Learning and activating the skills gave me another sense of exhilaration. [Military Tactics] that increased each of my attributes by 10 added the specified amount to [Vitality] and [Strength] while [Focus] remained as blank as usual The rank B skill book that had been lucky enough to drop was [Stealth], which was such a great skill that it trumped everything else I gained today because of its high utility. Any colors or imposing airs released by the activated skills were all reigned in and I seemed like a normal human being without an ounce of strength. I could also choose to blend into my surroundings to a similar effect like [Camouflage]. Adding these two skills together would just be a killer combination. I would keep [Stealth] active at all times and only activate [Camouflage] or use the blending in effect of [Stealth] when I really needed to I didn''t grasp the full strength of a full-fledged rank B hunter that held multiple rank B skills and items, but I felt like my strength was at the peak of B if not higher. I would make no conclusions before meeting hunters that I can test against though My next move was to absorb the multitude of [Core]s filling up the two storage rings, there being more than enough to bring my attribute points to 200 after an hour of extensive absorbing Feeling the packed strength of my body that had been increasing way too fast, I took a second to reminisce how it was barely just a week since I awakened. My body felt like it could explode with tremendous power any time I wished, giving me even more confidence on the path I was walking on I rose up and touched the green crystal to leave the dungeon, looking back and seeing the dungeon monolith now having a color of light blue. [Solael''s Castle] was now a low-risk dungeon that had no chance of a dungeon break occurring any time soon Hunters that were stationed a distance away in shops and stalls quickly noticed the change a few hours ago and began discussing amongst themselves as to which peak hunter had come across their city I didn''t want to completely break their common sense with them seeing me enter the dungeon every 20 minutes, so I took off [Camouflage], while still keeping [Stealth] active and hiding the assortment of colors and armors around me from the skill effects every 2 hours for them to see a figure be transported out of the dungeon and diving back in right after I was already renowned and didn''t need to hide, but that didn''t mean I shouldn''t hide this unexplainable level of strength I held for the time being. I did want to build a reputation for myself from now on for future plans, but I would only show them a surface of what I could do In the case another crazy hunter appeared in front of me, I had the confidence to completely take care of them if they were only expecting the level of strength I was showing This was the last time I was leaving the dungeon today so I didn''t use [Camouflage]. There were reporters and cameramen at a far distance carefully documenting the changes and pointing their cameras towards me I tried not to react to any of it and took a ride from a nervous driver that was driving carefully at the speed limit while constantly looking back at me. I chuckled at this as we went towards the Pristine Residency lodging I would visit the Awakened Center tomorrow morning to see if there was anything of value, but seeing as I was the person clearing the highest-ranked dungeon currently and holding onto all the loot, I doubted there would be anything fruitful My next phase of plans was to...relax. It was only in the evening but I wanted to stop thinking for a bit, eat a whole lot of food and just sleep. I recalled the platters of shrimp and steaks that I had been eating the past few days and placed an order for 4 plates when I grabbed my room keys at Pristine Residency. Tonight would be a relaxing night. --- In Star City. A man was looking at the profile of a hunter they had just received more news of a few hours ago. He was Vice Admiral Magnar. A decorated officer that stood at the front lines when monsters were running rampant and killing people left and right. He had risen to this rank because of his continuing hard work and planning while fighting for his country His country that he was trying to save once more, he just needed people to stop shoving their heads up their asses and listen. His work and stress had been piling up recently as he was recruiting talent to dive into the rank B dungeon, [Mangrove Swamp] They needed more production of [Core]s, [Skill]s, and [Item]s more badly than most people thought. He thought back to the report that described the huge threat that was congregating in one location not far from the empire and then focused once more on hunter in front of him Noah Osmont. Active for around a week and already making waves. These were the types of people he needed. He quickly made a phone call to the contacts stationed in Outer Bank X and gave a message for them to deliver [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 200+40] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 200+60] [Skill(s): (F-Fireball-100)(F-Heal-53)(E-Arctic Armor- 100)(D-Flames of Torment-100)(D-Safeguard-38)(D-Danger Sense-100)(D-Rough Skin-23)(D-Fleeting-24)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-100) (C-Camouflage-83) (C-Aura of Haste-72)(C-Explosive Rune-81)(C-Life Essence-73)(C-Increased Penetration-58) (C-Regeneration-21) (C-Whirlwind-33) (C-Smite-28) (C-Gracefulness-21) (C-Precision-21) (C-Adamant-21)(C-Sharpen-4)*(C-War Cry-4)* (C-Retaliation-4)*(C-Kings Rage-4)*(C-Military Tactics-4)* (C-Unpredictable-4)* (C-Elemental Damage-4)*(B-Giant''s Strength-27)(B-Stealth-3)*] [Equipment:(2x C-Ring of Storage)(C-Fiery Boots)*(C-Igneous Armor)*(C-Fiery Helm)*] [*=New] 23 An Invitation The night passed by spectacularly as I binged on food and familiarized myself with my fast-expanding array of skills. There were many and I was increasing them at a very fast rate that doesn''t seem like it would reduce any time soon I went over every single one of the support skills to try and gain a better understanding of just how much they were increasing my damage output with my skills. I would get the chance to possibly observe this change more noticeably today after I use my offensive skills for the first time after adding 8 more new support skills in a day I left the Pristine Residency while activating the full extent of [Stealth] so that I could avoid any unwanted attention as I made my way towards the awakened center. I browsed over the skills once more and as expected, nothing of value was there I held many rank C skills currently that would make a ton of money if sold, but I was planning on holding onto them for now until I began making my way over to some of the inner cities of the Empire where it was possible to buy rank B skills. The knowledge spread over on hunting platforms mentioned that their prices ranged upwards of 10 million because of their high demands and very little supply They were my next goal, as I could only obtain a rank B skill book at a very low chance with the rank c Dungeon I was currently clearing. Seeing nothing else catching my eye at the awakened center, I left for [Solael''s Castle] right away When I arrived at the huge monolith though, there was someone obviously out of place standing near it. It was a curvaceous woman in a tight business suit checking her watch as she waited for something No hunters were clustered around [Solael''s Castle] as normal rank C hunting squads didn''t dare dive into the dungeon, so the only person she could be waiting for here was...me I removed my stealth and appeared a few feet away, startling her from my sudden appearance. A bright smile bloomed on her face as if she had found the huge treasure she was looking for "Hello Mr. Osmont, my name is Amelia Ross and I''m here on behalf of Vice Admiral Magnar of Star City" Her words started off very normal but the end was explosive. I was immediately intrigued as Star City was one of the core defense cities in the Empire, with the government spreading its clutches in almost all industries and activities. Also, I had never come across any high titles such as Vice Admiral before I replied back with a smile "What can I do for you?" She nodded with a relieved expression and continued "I won''t waste too much of your time Sir Hunter, so I will give the message I was instructed to for you to read at your leisure" A thin folder with papers appeared on her hands and she handed it to me, finishing her last words as she left hurriedly "Oh, Mr. Osmont, many of the files in there are confidential, so we are counting on your discretion" I nodded at these words and watched her get in a black sedan that quickly pulled away. A confidential file huh, what exactly do you contain? The first paper was an introduction from the one known as Vice Admiral Magnar, and he kept things very much on point. He was hiring rank B hunters or higher to work with the government to raid the rank B dungeon, [Mangrove Swamp]. Half the loot would go towards the government as they provided you with money or anything else you wished for that they could provide If you were patriotic enough and enlisted in the Empire''s army, you would be in the first row of hunters who can select skills and items useful to them in their vast armory while also receiving the full benefits of the military There were very few papers in the file, and the last one was the even more eye-catching one, with the entire paper only holding two sentences that made me very concerned "This is highly confidential information that only the top hunters have available currently, please exercise great control. Enemies are heading towards the Blessed Empire that could cause the deaths of billions if we continue to be complacent." Only 2 sentences, but they made me attach a much greater importance to this file. An enemy coming to attack the Empire? My mind''s gears were turning as I wrapped my head around this new information and what I should do next. Who could it be? Was it beasts¡­or was a war approaching? I was thinking for quite a while but nothing came to mind. I had too little information currently and needed to learn much more. I made some quick calculations and change of plans and shot a text towards the people I had dived into [Solael''s Castle] with 2 days ago. The original plan was to dive with them once more before I began looking at ways to make them stronger and then make my way towards the inner cities of the Empire, but that would have to be accelerated. When I finished that I placed the file with very troubling information that also held a contact number I would be calling by the end of the day in one of my storage rings and then went into the dungeon I didn''t forget to test the increased effectiveness of my offensive spells after the addition of [Sharpen], [War Cry], [Retaliation], [King''s Rage], [Military Tactics], [Unpredictable], and [Elemental Damage] The damage of all skills was boosted by quite a bit, with some of the qualities of the skills also improving. [Flames of Torment] now seemed like it was a coagulation of extremely long and thick heavy flames, the width of it becoming slightly larger. A single [Explosive Rune] was now effective to completely cover the huge head of the TITAN and cause it to explode right away. As for [Smite], the 10 golden blades of light became even larger, their handles even more distinct and edges even sharper I continued my testing and experimentation of skills for the next 8 hours, clearing the dungeon more than 26 times and coming out around the time I texted the 5 people. It was already evening outside when I left the dungeon with my storage rings full. I was lucky enough to receive another rank B skill, meaning there around a 4% chance for it drop from the rank C TITAN of this dungeon as it was very similar to yesterday More than 17 rank C skills came out this time around, with 6 items. It was two pairs of [Igneous Sword]s, [Igneous Armor], and [Fiery Boot]s. Of course, there were also a ton of cores after all the runs The 5 that I texted were situated outside the monolith as I instructed, with Anderson''s old party members reverentially looking towards me and Rachel standing there with the same confident expression. They''re some of the top hunters of this city, so when they heard that I was clearing the dungeon alone on the news they must have had an even better idea of what my level of power was then common hunters. I was already spent from running around the past 8 hours and wanted to make it quick. "It doesn''t seem like I''m going to be in Outer Bank X for much longer" I paused as I watched their expressions change to shock and concern before continuing "So I''ll be making sure that there is still a team that is able to clear this dungeon when I leave" Relieved expressions returned but they still seemed concerned. I didn''t bother explaining and took out the pairs of [Igneous Swords]s, [Igneous Armor], [Lightning Boots], and [Fiery Boot]s along with 22 rank C skill after putting aside 2 that I wanted to absorb later. I had received 2 igneous armors and 1 sword yesterday, and then two more of each today. Removing the one I was wearing myself, there were 4 once you added the one that was taken from Anderson. I lied and said that I found most of the skill books and items in Anderson''s storage ring The two Knights and Rachel looked at me to make sure I wasn''t joking before they went forward and grabbed an armor and sword each. The items weren''t of much value to me, and I wanted to leave the city without any bad after-taste so I had to do this. This was just one of the consequences for taking down the previous rank B hunter of the city I had Rachel take the [Fiery Boots] and Dan grab the [Lightning Boots], feeling bad for one of Mages that wast getting anything as there were only 4 armors, but they wouldn''t be on the front lines for now. I then laid out the skills for them to choose any that fit them. Everyone was able to gain something this time around, and 15 rank C skills remained after they picked and absorbed the skills in front of me Once this was done I took out the rank B skill that dropped today. [Enlightened Fervor: Build up the strength inside you and release it with a swing of your weapon] I was thinking how I would set up a system where [Solael''s Castle] could be cleared once I was gone, and the easiest answer would be to have a rank B hunter lead the team to clear it. One of the faster ways to do this was to have a hunter with stats nearing the peak of rank C and have them learn a rank B skill I was struggling with myself this entire day while I was farming the dungeon on whether I would be able to let go of a rank B skill if it was something that fit well with my guidelines currently. Luckily, or unluckily, it was a skill on the far spectrum of Berserker skills that also required a weapon, so it made the decision much easier I also understood that it would become even easier for me to gain rank B skills, whether that was by staying here and diving into [Solael''s Castle] daily to get 1 a day or move towards an area that had a rank B dungeon for me to gain them even faster. So today, I''ll be making someone a rank B hunter and have them dive into the dungeon 24 An end, and a beginning Of course, the person I was choosing to be the next rank B hunter in Outer Bank X was Rachel, the only person that ever showed a backbone among the hunters I met. She also unflinchingly questioned when she saw something wrong happening, and this was a type of naivety I could trust She was shocked to receive the skill book and even more shocked when I told her that we''d be entering the dungeon as soon as they finished absorbing some rank C [Core]s. I had so many of these piled up in the last 2 days that a few 10s of millions could be made if I chose to sell them, and they should be more than enough to raise the attributes of these hunters to the peak of rank C I took a few of the piles of [Core]s out of my storage and had the hunters absorb them. They jumped at them after I gave the go-ahead and soon brought their attributes to 200. I watched the sun go lower and lower while waiting for them to finish When they were done, I let them know that we would be diving into the dungeon right now for me to just confirm Rachel''s capabilities against the BOSS of the dungeon. They could easily take care of the statues appearing in the rooms of the castle with the equipment and new skills they just obtained, only the BOSS remained a mystery The entire group was soon transferred into the familiar landscape that I had appeared in multiple times today. I led the way into the castle and told them all to conserve their energy for the BOSS fight and let me do all the work on the preliminary monsters After the 10th room, I could already tune out the sounds of amazement as these hunters watched me take down monsters that they would spend a few minutes on in a matter of seconds. I briefly stopped here for 20 minutes with the excuse of recovering my energy as I didn''t want to surprise them too much. I kept using [Smite] all the way through because of it''s multiple enemy targeting attribute that took care of the increasing number of statues quickly. I wasn''t worried about them seeing me cast the rank C skill repeatedly, as higher-ranking hunters had enough reserves of energy to cast lower-ranking skills multiple times, and at most they would attribute it to some sort of inherent skill that increases my [Focus]. Before we opened the door into the hall where the BOSS lay, I wasted another 20 minutes with the excuse of recovering my energy just in case something went wrong, and then we entered the BOSS room Rachel and the rest of them had been talking up strategies on the way here as they had nothing better to do, and already had a plan that used their new skills the best. The recently buffed up Knights went forward with their huge shield as they blocked the 10 guards that the 2 Mages then sniped with colorful lightning Rachel went forward and stood against the boss, activating [Enlightened Fervor] and releasing powerful blasts with every swing of her sword that kept the BOSS at bay. She was soon reinforced by the hunters that had taken down the guards, as the Knights focused on blocking the BOSS while Rachel and the two mages continued to damage it. It very quickly roared and boulders began falling from the ceiling, and the mages were quickly covered by the Knights while Rachel actually weaved through the falling stones and built up her power using [Enlightened Fervor], releasing a strike that blasted the already damaged head of the TITAN away I was standing on the side watching everything, not even bothered when the boulders were falling as the moment they got in contact with my skin they were repelled away because of the defensive skills that were always activated I clapped my hands as the team was cheering amongst each other and gave the new rank B hunter a thumbs up. She rushed over and gave me a tight hug, thanking me for all my help and wishing me well for where I was going. I pushed the rest of them away when they continued giving their heartfelt thanks and felt a load lifted off my chest. The city I had been living in all this time would continue to be well even after I left it. I wasn''t overly attached or anything like that, I just didn''t want the place I had grown familiar with to be wiped off by a dungeon break that could have easily been taken care of. With that out of the way, I parted ways with the hunters and I texted the contact number that was included in the file that I would be ready to head out for Star City tomorrow morning. A reply quickly came "That''s great! We''ll have a ride ready for you at 10 am. Thank you for your service!" With this, I was at the end of my road for Outer Bank X City. I was feeling nostalgic as I walked through the busy streets of downtown while watching the throngs of people move about. Some hunters were celebrating successful dungeon dives by getting drinks, others were mourning the losses of their friends. Those that were unawakened had the same hopeful eyes as I did Either they were too poor to buy a skill book to awaken, or they were working to save up enough money to do so. You also had the people that were waking up every day hoping to naturally awaken, and they would repeat this process for months. I reached the old dilapidated apartment complex that I was living in and grabbed anything else of value that remained in one of my storage rings. I bought another one because of their high utility and now wore 3 rings on my right hand. I looked at the dilapidated apartment as my emotions rose and I decided to sleep here for the first time in a while. I didn''t have any worries about my life as I always had my defensive skills active, and I doubt anyone in the city would be reckless enough to try something like that. It was a split-second decision made from emotions, but I felt like it was a good one I went into the kitchen, placed some water in a pot, and put it on high heat as I watched it boil. I then opened one of the creaking cabinets and pulled out a cup of ramen noodles. Mixing the two together, I soon had that familiar smell of food I haven''t tried in quite a while wafting in my nose. I didn''t wait for it to cool as I took a forkful in my mouth, not feeling the usual scalding pain when I ate it too quickly and only feeling a trace of warmth. I thought back to every event this past week and the extreme change that had occurred from it. I still didn''t know why I could do the things I do, but I would solve the mystery in time. The world had become a foreign place the moment dungeons, monsters, and hunters began appearing. Nobody thought such a thing would be possible in the past, neither did I think what happened to me to be remotely possible then We adapted and survived. I looked out of my apartment into the dark streets outside as I swore to myself that I would continue to grow, and most definitely survive. [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 200+40] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 200+60] [Skill(s): (F-Fireball-100)(F-Heal-53)(E-Arctic Armor- 100)(D-Flames of Torment-100)(D-Safeguard-38)(D-Danger Sense-100)(D-Rough Skin-44)(D-Fleeting-45)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-100) (C-Camouflage-91) (C-Aura of Haste-88)(C-Explosive Rune-95)(C-Life Essence-89)(C-Increased Penetration-85) (C-Regeneration-38) (C-Whirlwind-54) (C-Smite-68) (C-Gracefulness-42) (C-Precision-42) (C-Adamant-42)(C-Sharpen-19)(C-War Cry-19) (C-Retaliation-19)(C-Kings Rage-19)(C-Military Tactics-19)(C-Unpredictable-19) (C-Elemental Damage-19)(B-Giant''s Strength-43)(B-Stealth-17)] [Equipment: (3x C-Ring of Storage)(C-Fiery Boots)(C-Igneous Armor)(C-Fiery Helm)] END OF VOLUME 1 25 Star City Morning of the next day, I was in the back of a black sedan watching cars rush by as we went down a long road. When we left the roads of Outer Bank X city, we had to pass the only checkpoint for those leaving the city. The checkpoint was near the entrance to an old bridge that was the only road leading towards inner cities. To the left and right of the checkpoint was an expanding wall that circled around the entire city It was mostly hunters or highly influential people that were able to move around in the empire. The two titles were actually interchangeable as no influential person chose to not awaken The driver pulled out sparkling military credentials to the Hunter Guards standing by and we were soon driving away from the city. We went across the bridge when I looked back for the last time to see the city surrounded by a wall, not knowing if I would ever return The scenery around us quickly changed to destroyed buildings and architectures as we saw guard posts every 10s of miles down the road. I couldn''t imagine the job of these people that stood in The Barrens for days, only switching their shifts when someone else came to relieve them The Barrens were the empty and destroyed lands that nobody was living in. You would only find roaches or rats, or mutated animals that were hungry enough to attack anything there. The only people who took the post as guards along these long roads leading from cities were people that had nothing in life and were offered an olive branch from the government They were contracted to work for them after they were given the resources to awaken and had to follow the contract for a specified time. I felt sad thinking of the people that had no option but to resort to these kinds of work We drove through The Barrens with no complication, passing other cities surrounded by walls throughout the day. The road got cleaner and cleaner as we went further inland and we saw guard posts more frequently, eventually leaving behind the dystopian Barrens and becoming exposed to a few green trees The greenery kept on increasing as the hours passed and we were soon nearing a huge walled-off city in the distance. This city had a slightly taller wall surrounding it with huge convoys of military trucks moving in and out It was definitely much more bustling than the cities I''ve seen on the way here. We were able to get inside after the driver flashed his papers on the guard''s face in an annoyed tone as the process was much more thorough this time around The inside of the city...was filled with lights. It had taken the entire day to get here, and after the time it took for us to bypass the gates night had already arrived. I was able to see the city come to life with countless lights shining into the night. We had arrived at Star City. The streets were so clean with huge buildings pointing to the sky all around us. It was a stark contrast to the destroyed lands we had passed by this morning as if we were in a completely different world. Masses of people that definitely had happier faces than those I have been used to move around busily I watched the beauty of the city as if I was back to a time when no dungeons had appeared as if I had traveled in time to the bustling metropolis I used to know. The scenery constantly changed as we moved further in. I had counted multiple blue monoliths so far, seeing a few rank F, E, and d dungeons based on their size. I was able to see blue monoliths similar in size to [Solael''s Caslte] after we passed another checkpoint to go further into the city, counting more than 5 as time passed The large city continued on as we passed through roads with hunters dressed in military outfits patrolling, arriving at a huge compound that had a sizable monolith with a light orange hue shimmering around it This monolith was almost twice as big as a rank C monolith, its pressure coming down on me and taking my breath away. I got out of the car and breathed in the air of the city, feeling it to be much fresher than what I''ve been used to The driver led the way as we entered the huge compound that was teeming with movement with a scan of his ID. The military compound had a variety of eye-catching buildings all around, with a ton of armored vehicles going in or out. We arrived at the tallest building and went inside I found myself waiting for a few minutes while seated onto a very comfortable sofa before an imposing man came out. He had a long scar on his jawline with his tanned face glistening in the bright room. A powerful voice broke out from his smiling face "Mr. Osmont, I was very glad you could make it." The rough voice rang out clearly as I observed the man in front of me, noticing him to be very different from the people I''ve come in contact with. I smiled back and said "It''s only right I come for something as important as this" The discussion went well after this as the man introduced himself. He was Vice Admiral Magnar, earning my goodwill as the first thing he mentioned after his name was how he wanted to personally come to meet me as soon as I arrived "Now, I know you must be tired from the trip, so formalities can wait until tomorrow. Commander Kyle will lead you to your resting area, where food and...entertainment will be provided" The Vice Admiral finished his introduction and left as I began thinking about the words he had said. Entertainment? Commander Kyle led me away and we walked to the living quarters while I thought about how I planned to live in this city. The first thing on my mind was finding out exactly what major threat was quickly approaching, and the second was my capabilities to solo that huge dungeon monolith near this compound I''m already assuming that the first time I''ll dive in it I''ll be accompanied by a team, which is a safe way to play it as I currently have no idea about the increase in difficulty from rank C to B. After we finish the first dive, I''ll make my decision then We passed a few serious faces and I was given a smooth blue ID card that only had a golden letter B on it. Kyle mentioned that this card allowed access for a majority of the facilities in here, and also had access to the room in front of us. I thanked him for taking me around and he saluted and left I scanned the key card and opened the door, expectant to see the living quarters of rank B hunters that the government provided. The room was slightly bigger than the large rooms in the Pristine Residency, boasting even more luxurious looks all around it. On the table were a wide array of foods and next to it was a huge bed...where a woman with a statuesque figure was flashing the brightest smile. Oh? 26 The looming threa So, last night was different to say the least, as I found myself getting some sleep later than usual. The food and...everything else hit the spot, taking my mind off the many thoughts constantly clashing in my head. A hunter''s stamina was nothing to laugh at I went out of the room early in the morning to walk around the living quarters and observe the compound a bit more. Even though it was this early, there was already bustling activities with people and trucks moving about I enjoyed the cool morning air and looked towards the huge monolith a distance away, itching to go towards it and give it a go, but I calmed myself down and walked back to the living quarters. Someone quickly called out my name, it was Commander Kyle saying that the Vice Admiral was looking for me. I nodded at him to lead the way and found myself led into an office room that had an abundant amount of folders and papers lying around "I apologize for the mess, please have a seat" The imposing Vice Admiral has his usual air of confidence as I sat down opposite him I didn''t waste any time as I asked the thing that was heavily weighing on my mind. Magnar paused for a second before pulling out a red folder and laying out multiple photos across the table "These are aerial pictures of The Barrens quite a distance away from the Empire. They were taken over a span of a few weeks" The pictures showed a terrifying sight of small dark dots that were uncountable, and large mass that could clearly be seen in the middle of it all. The large mass had a patterned obsidian shell that covered its entirety, only having a large head with pointed horns come out in the front The pictures gave me a shock because these things were probably even bigger than they appeared on there. The rest of the pictures showed a similar scene, making me prompt the general to continue as I didn''t grasp everything yet "These pictures were taken at a different location each time. They are moving" The Vice Admiral had a cold expression as he looked at the pictures and said this. My mind was moving to keep up as I took all of this in and asked him "How long do we have?" Magnar looked at me with a difficult expression before sighing "That''s the problem, we don''t know. It could be in a few weeks or a month, but we cannot correctly track them because of their unpredictability." A few weeks? Possibly a month? Phew, I let out a relieved sigh as I heard and laughed out loud, startling the man before me. I looked towards him and said "If it is a few weeks, then we have more than enough time to prepare" I knew myself, and it was why I said this. Barely a week after I awakened and I was already standing in a position to hear information that many people had no idea about. If I was given another week or two? I was confident in getting much stronger than where I am right now. The question is, what strength will be enough to contend with the huge beast and the things it was bringing this way? I asked the Vice Admiral whether they were confident in pushing these monsters back and his reply was less than favorable, adopting a dark expression that contained a trace of anger. He spent the next two minutes ranting about how they were not fully prepared, but the people at the top were still hesitant to institute measures to prepare for what was coming The cities in the outer periphery of the Empire had to start the process of migrating soon, or the military needed to increase and institute its main defenses past those cities and prepare for the fight that was coming. Otherwise, a tremendous amount of people would be sacrificed for nothing I listen to this as my mind went back to all the cities I passed when coming here, and one of the cities at the outermost of the Empire, Outer Bank X. My gaze turned cold when I looked back at the Vice Admiral. He saw my eyes and then said "I''ve already rallied the relevant people though. Even though there is still some push back, we have already begun the process of moving supplies and equipment to the front lines of defense in the outer perimeters" He continued when he saw my gaze calming down "While this will be an ongoing process to fortify our defenses on the border, we also need Hunters to lend their help in diving into dungeons and bringing out as many resources as possible. [Core]s, [Item]s, [Skill Book]s, they will all go towards the awakened soldiers that will be giving up their lives to fight on the front line" He finished with a sad expression as he mentioned the people that would be the first line of contact between us and monsters. I thought about all this and asked how they were doing things currently "We have 3 teams of 6 rank B Hunters alternating like clockwork to clear the rank B dungeon, [Mangrove Swamp]. The three teams are able to clear the dungeon 3 times a day and have a rest period in between, with other similar teams acting the same manner in nearby cities, but we don''t know if it''ll be enough." He looked at me as he said the next words "That''s where people like you come in. I haven''t met any rank B hunters that have been able to dive alone into a rank C dungeon repeatedly, so your power should be among the highest. I would love your cooperation to hasten this process with one of the teams we have clearing [Mangrove Swamp]" He said these words carefully while watching my face I thought over everything and the amount of time we possibly had before nodding my head. "When is the next team diving?" A relieved expression appeared on his face as he told me the next team was going in within an hour. We then discussed how the resources were split up between the hunter teams diving in [Mangrove Swamp]. The military would pay handsomely for all the [Core]s, [Item]s, and [Skill]s they received while providing for all their needs. If you became a hunter enlisted in the military, you would be given a rank with even more benefits I thought about everything and decided to go with the plan of seeing the [Mangrove Swamp] while diving with a team. I would decide how to move forward from there. The talk with the Vice Admiral finished on a happy note, with him leading me to personally meet the rank B hunting squad I would be joining today Half the group had already gotten together and I got the chance to meet the first genuine rank B hunters. Their mannerisms were a notch above other hunters and their bodies seemed packed with power than could explode at any moment. These were rank B Hunters that could bring their attributes all the way to 250. When paired up with corresponding skills, it was a deadly force to behold The first 3 that I met were 2 Berserkers, one holding a broad sword that was just as tall as him and the other holding long blades on either side of him. The third one was a short woman that was about 4''1 in height, and she was surprisingly the Knight of the team. The power emanating from her in no way matched her stature as a huge tower shield larger than her was strapped to her back I got acquainted with the three while the rest of the team came in. They were all relatively polite with a mild interest in their eyes when we were talking, with the only one different being the short woman who went by the name Lana Stone. She was staring at me with eyes that blazed with fire as she showed much more interest than the others The remaining team members were 2 mages, a man and a woman dressed in long purple robes with long staffs sparkling with ice elements. The last one was another Knight, this one with a round golden shield covering half of his body and a flail on his other hand More introductions followed and the 6 usual rank B hunters that were about to dive into the [Mangrove Swamp] were joined by me. 27 Mangrove Swamp I didn''t like the [Mangrove Swamp] the instant we were transferred in. We appeared in the middle of muddy ground where I could feel my feet sink in a couple of inches. All around us were huge mangrove trees that shot to the sky. The smell was horrendous From the information the hunters gave me before we came, this land where we were transferred to was the innermost small patch of land surrounded by a muddy swamp. Our enemies would be coming all around us from the innermost ring of the swamp The swamp was special as it had multiple rings. The first wave of enemies we would be facing would all be from the first ring, and the moment all those enemies were killed, a barrier between the innermost ring and the second wider ring would dissipate. The moment that barrier dissipated, all the monsters from the second ring would rush towards you. There were 5 rings in the entire swamp, with the fifth ring releasing the BOSS. This really was a killer dungeon. I didn''t like the sticky and hard to move in environment, but my mind couldn''t help but think of the possibilities of this dungeon with my abilities To prevent the complete wipeout of the hunting squads, the hunters designated one of the monsters they faced with the title of [Princess]. They could kill all other monsters besides this [Princess], she had to be protected at all cost. Otherwise, the moment she dies, the 2nd barrier will break and more enemies will rush in before they could catch their breath I understood their entire system and soon began to feel the earth trembling beneath my feet. Humongous monsters were coming. The first one entering my eyes was a 4-meter large alligator, its huge jaws wide open as it lunged at our group. I instantly cast [Flames of Torment] and flung the thick pillar of flames forward as if it were a spearheading directly into the open jaws SSSS! Sounds of meat being burnt rang out, with a burnt smell right after as the inside of the alligator was destroyed by the rotating pillar of flames. I was thankful that this rank D skill had reached 100 proficiency and continued to be enhanced by support skills that allowed it to take down rank B monsters "Haha, good work newbie!" The short tank, Lana Stone, was holding the tower shield twice her size shouted as she and the rest of the group members moved to block and attack the other incoming alligators "I''ll hold on to the [Princess]!" The other tank with a flail and golden shield said as his body glowed blue and withstood the charges of other alligators. The berserker with the broadsword held his sword now enveloped with flames and swiped at the neck of another one, making a clear clean-cut as if there was no resistance from their scaly armor The other berserker with two swords struck out and unleashed a huge cross-shaped sword light that went forward to butcher another set of alligators. The two mages weren''t lagging behind as they had already cast their spells. The area in front of them quickly became icy and froze all the incoming alligators, which is when the berserkers came in and shattered them with a swing of their swords. The mages then pulled back behind Lana before continuing to cast other spells I liked their teamwork and began moving seriously myself. 10 golden swords appeared in the air and rushed down to each of the remaining alligators besides the [Princess], piercing their hard dry scales and nailing them to the ground I did this repeatedly a few times, taking down tens of alligators before the hunting squad looked at me in surprise after witnessing the enhanced power of [Smite] and shouted words of encouragement soon after as they went to reinforce the Knight with the golden shield on holding off the [Princess]. "Newbie, I knew I felt something special from you. Don''t hold back!" Lana said as she went to help hold off the one remaining alligator, her small body powerfully moving the large tower shield as if it was weightless The two Knights rotated on holding off the [Princess] until 10 minutes passed when everybody had regained most of their energy, a sword bathed in flames ended its life. A sound was heard as if a bubble had popped, before even more tremors could be heard as more alligators rushed in The squad members always stayed in a tight-knit formation throughout, with the mages and I in the middle, the Knights and Berserkers on the outside. Even while being swarmed by tens of alligators, they held them off successfully I was casting [Smite] after about every minute thereafter, cleaning off a majority of the alligators without completely overpowering everything and making the short tank throw me even more fiery gazes The chosen [Princess] of this round was kept alive for 20 minutes before everyone was good to go once more. We repeated this process until the third and fourth barrier was released, the thrill getting to me as I watched these powerful rank B hunters throw out skills in similar power to mine The release of the fourth barrier was only done after a [Princess] had been held down for half an hour, the hunter squad regaining their strength at their peak before all of their gazes focused on the male mage. They seemed to come to an understanding as they nodded their heads and told me to not go away from them under any circumstances while we began clearing this next wave I nodded curiously as I waited to see what surprise they were going to pull off as I watched more than a hundred huge alligators desperately clawing their way towards us. The mage held his staff forward as he was protected in a circle and aimed it toward the incoming monsters. Thirty seconds passed with nothing happening, and then the heat began to rapidly rise all around us I was shocked as I looked up and saw balls of thick magma raining from the sky and barreling down to the large groups of alligators making their way here. BOOOM!!! Sounds like bombs were constantly going off could be heard whenever the large balls of magma fell down and burned everything around it, turning any that were near into mincemeat. More than half of the alligators were wiped out with this one attack My eyes shined as I looked at the heavily panting mage that had fallen to the ground. That type of skill...I wanted one! My heart was pounding as I replayed the scene of the raining magma balls from before. This skill, I really did want one badly. If I could grab a skill like this, with my abilities...I was imagining how I could easily clear out large groups of monsters in seconds I was daydreaming too much as someone had to scream to get my attention back to the monsters. "Come on newbie, don''t lay there gaping and let''s take care of the remaining beasts!" The miniature tank was laughing crazily as she went forward to block the remaining wave that had reached us. I clicked my tongue while bringing back my focus and cast [Smite] once more. I shaved off a majority of the remaining crocodiles by casting the 10 golden blades every 30 seconds. With the 2 berserkers butchering with their swords, only a [Princess] soon remained. The moment this remaining alligator was killed, An unimaginably large TITAN would be coming for us I was curious to see how they usually handled this BOSS if their mage chose to cast such a powerful skill just before to avoid being surrounded by hundreds of alligators. Which hunter would come out with another surprise now? 28 Mangrove Swamp II I was expectantly waiting for another surprise from these genuine rank B hunters. One showed an extremely powerful skill that took out tens of rank B monsters in a blink, although it seemed to be at the cost of her entire mana reserves The Knights continued to solidly defend even when they had tens of monsters surrounding them, never letting a single one pass through to their squad members. I wouldn''t be waiting long to see the BOSS as half an hour quickly passed and the last [Princess] was killed. I waited to hear the furious tremors of a huge TITAN rushing through the swamp but instead just felt the entire swamp shake once with everything going silent after. It then shook once more a few seconds after These were...just its steps? I was shocked while feeling the tremors that traveled through the murky waters. The TITAN was slowly making its way towards us in unhurried steps. This was something that would instill fear into the hearts of hunters, but looking at these veterans that had dived into this dungeon multiple times before, they had determined expressions while waiting for the boss The berserker holding the huge broadsword spoke to me. "Continue casting your golden blades to disrupt it''s attention when the fight starts. If you can aim them at its eyes, it''ll reduce its combat power even if it can still sense us" I nodded and prepared to face off against the huge beast on the horizon. It felt like a big mountain was gradually coming closer as the beast neared, its scales shining a dark green color, with its eyes shining a terrifying light. It looked at us a distance away as it''s humongous jaws opened and an unnatural sound came out OOOOOO!!! The sound was grating to the ears as the huge alligator''s mouth now showed rows and rows of glistening sharp teeth. Its upper jaw was much wider than the lower one, causing its teeth to be completely hidden when its jaws were snapped shut. But now that it was open...the sight was horrible to behold. The man with the flaming sword continued with his directions "Spread out! Knights, keep it busy, and don''t get eaten!" The two Knights nodded as this wasn''t the first time, and they took their positions to the left and right of the alligator. The flames on the sword the berserker was holding began to dance wildly before they exploded and went to...cover the entire body of the hunter I was startled at this type of skill as the man in front of me had his body wreathed in flames. A howl escaped from him as he rushed forward to meet the TITAN head-on. There was a blinding expanse of light as the berserker was flung back right away, looking like a huge fireball. 10 golden blades had quickly appeared and half of them went towards each eye in a straight line. A pained sound rang out as the eyes of the humongous alligator were ruptured with puss leaking out The berserker with dual blades took this chance to release two large sword lights that smacked onto the right side of the alligator, heavily injuring it. It didn''t sit still as it turned to the side and the next thing we knew, a scaly tail twice our size was shining in green light as it whizzed its way towards us The two Knights shouted as their bodies glowed and transparent shields of light appeared in front both of them when the tail struck BOOM! The land shook from the impact, but Knights stood their ground and the strike was stopped. Continuing with the momentum, a flaming berserker rushed in once more, spinning in the air as he constantly released fire blades that struck down on the head of the alligator I cast [Smite] once again and had the 10 blades aim towards its open jaws when it was howling in pain, rupturing the softer skin inside. The remaining mage that was silent all this time finally acted, her glimmering staff pointed forward as an icicle the size of a car came down and pierced the already mangled head of the TITAN, cutting short its screams as blood and brain matter splattered all around My blood was boiling as I watched all of these fantastical skills and couldn''t wait to start amassing higher ranked skills of my own. I looked at the corpse of the disfigured TITAN and promised myself to run this dungeon at least tens of times in the coming days to see what rank B skills would pop out, and of course, the rare chance of a rank A skill dropping The hunting squad members were cheering at the finished raid as a green crystal appeared. Lana came towards me and said "Not bad newbie! Those blades of yours allowed us to finish our raid in record time, our profits are about to increase!" The rest of the members laughed as they gathered together and checked to see if anybody was injured. The mage that had cast the amazing looking skill where magma balls fell from the sky was up on his feet again as they collected the loot and prepared to leave the dungeon I looked around me at the multitude of alligator corpses, and the even larger one by the side. I knew I could clear this dungeon if I came in alone, but it would take me a lot of time to take down hundreds of alligators and this huge beast, and I loved clearing dungeons as quickly as possible My highest ranking offensive skill was C, and I felt like I needed a high damage rank B skill similar to these hunters for an even smoother BOSS run. The face of a chiseled man popped in my head as I thought about what to do next After the [Core]s and an [Item] that dropped were collected, we placed our hands on the green crystal and were transferred to the outside world once more. Officers that were standing guard near the monolith were surprised and checked their watches when we came out. The dungeon was completed in under 3 hours this time around because of my addition I took down the contact information of the rank B hunters as they invited me to go with them to celebrate. I thought about it as I recalled I hadn''t really associated myself in any social settings for a quite a while, maybe this would be something good to do. The dungeon wasn''t going anywhere, and a few hours of new places wouldn''t hurt. I told them I''d catch up with them as I already planned to do something else at the moment and went towards the office of the Vice Admiral Bypassing the many security points, I came back to the office filled with stacks of paper once again. Magnar looked at an antique clock on the wall before smiling at me and saying "Everything went well I presume?" "Very, and I would love to continue to help, but I''m going to need a favor from you first" The man''s eyes perked up as he listened to my words. This time around, I wanted to look through the offensive rank B skills in the hands of the military that I could learn to make my run of the dungeon even smoother. Even if I was good enough to beat it now, being even more prepared was not an issue I could''ve jumped into the dungeon and spent some time clearing it for rank B skills, but the drops were random so I would never know how long I''d be diving before a skill that I actually wanted to use drops The lower-ranking skills were also quickly losing their effectiveness, as the rank F [Fireball] would not dent the scales of rank B monsters and wasn''t used even once the entire dungeon dive. "Just a single rank B skill? I can make something like that happen, let me call someone in" I nodded at him and waited by the side. A minute later, a woman dressed in business wear came into the room and greeted the Vice Admiral "Boss, here''s the document you wanted." Magnar nodded at her as he grabbed the thick book and handed it to me. "This is the inventory of all rank B skills that haven''t been distributed yet. Let us know which one fits your taste and we''ll take it out of storage for you" Magnar looked at the hunter in front of him that was intently looking through the inventory of skill books and smiled at the achievement of recruiting another excellent hunter. Seeing how he almost halved the dungeon run, his help would continue to bring in even more resources in the weeks to come. He just hoped this hunter''s addition along with everything else they were trying to do would bolster their strength enough to stand against what was coming. What they really needed were more of the peak rank A hunters, but they couldn''t be cultivated as quickly He was also looking favorably at the hunter in front of him as another candidate, as his power had skyrocketed just in the past week, maybe there were still more surprises from him 29 The Coliseum The book held a list of many more skills than I expected, making me spend some time deciding my first rank B offensive skill. A disastrous skill caught my eye with its high damage potential and the fact that it would match extremely well with the [Mangrove Swamp]''s huge clusters of alligators that would swarm towards me once I went in alone I let the Vice Admiral know of my selection and spent a few minutes talking while the assistant went out, coming back ten minutes later with a suitcase that held a thick book I received the suitcase and absorbed the skill [Miniature Tornado: For 10 seconds, unleash a rotating column of sharp winds that follow your commands] The skill appeared in my panel without an issue, and I was looking forward to spamming as much of it as I could when hundreds of alligators swarmed me from all sides I gave my thanks to the Vice Admiral and stepped out of the office. The short tank, Lana Stone, had already sent an address on my phone of where I should be joining them. I''ll indulge myself in this bit of socializing before going back to my lone ways of decimating dungeons I got out of the military sector and got a ride towards the location. The streets of Star City were packed with energy and people, making you rethink whether half the land had really been turned into a desolate wasteland and people were still fighting for their lives This being one of the core defense cities of the Empire, there were very few incidents of monsters causing deaths and destruction once things stabilized. The unawakened people thus looked up to the hunters that were diving into dungeons to protect them every day and aspired to be like them The car neared a grand structure that could be seen from anywhere in the city. It took my breath away as I remembered seeing videos of structures like these that were in multiple inner cities across the Empire. The excited faces of people rushing in through the huge double doors and the shouts and screams could already be heard from here. This was the place where hunters fought and competed for fun. This, was The Coliseum. I shot a text to Lana that I was here, and someone approached me a few minutes after to lead me past the lines of people. Booming sounds of boos and cheers were already resounding throughout the huge building as we went in and neared spaces with fewer people. The Coliseum was built similar to those in ancient cultures, a huge oval amphitheater with thousands of seats The Hunting Squad had a huge space all to themselves close to the arena floor in the middle where there were already hunters fighting. I joined them and watched the ongoing match which seemed to be between two rank C hunters The fights were brutal, as the bloodier they were the more cheers the crowd gave. Drinks and food were already brought in and we began talking when the short tank turned to me and screamed in my ears over the loud cheering "We might be lucky enough to see an amazing show in a few minutes, apparently Lightning Hand is bored enough once again and is announcing a competition soon!" I listened to her words as I recalled who Lightning Hand was. This was one of the few known rank A hunters of the Empire, I didn''t realize he was in Star City. What was someone strong like him about to do? The fight between the two rank C hunters was gradually coming to a close as the mage ran out of mana and was now being beaten to a pulp by the berserker. The crowd was screaming like they were possessed as a ringing sound was heard and the fight was finished The cheers reached an even higher pitch when the match was done and a burly man with his body crackling with lightning appeared on the four huge screens in the middle of the coliseum He was standing in a section close to us surrounded by pretty women when he grabbed a mic and his booming voice could be heard throughout "HELLO CITIZENS OF STAR CITY!" The strong voice rang out like a clap of lightning and the cheers from the spectators reached a fevered pitch "We''re in for a great show today, as I will be putting forth a prize that no hunter can say no to..." Lightning Hand rose his hand in the air as a thick book appeared between his fingers. "This, my dear citizens, is the rank A skill book, [Flight]!" The crowd went silent for a second before even louder cheers resounded. My mind received a shock as I looked up at the man on the screen and the glistening skill book he was holding The hunting squad members got up from their seats as serious expressions rose on their faces The man whose body had tendrils of lightning dancing on it continued "For today only, in the next 30 minutes, the winner of a Free for All fight will get to take this bad boy home!!!" The loud screams continued to increase as hunters from all over the stadiums rose up with greedy faces. This was a rank A skill, something that rarely dropped in rank B dungeons, and only ever came out from the dungeons that very few hunters could delve in. This was the dream of many hunters Even I was expectant to get my hands on something like this. [Flight], something that literally allowed you to...well, fly "Now, for all the hunters that want to participate, jump into the ring!" The moment his words finished, multiple hunters began jumping from their seats onto the huge circular arena at the center of the coliseum. Hunters were greedy for skills but were smart enough not to lose their lives. Most of the ones that jumped in were rank C hunters and a few rank Bs The members of the hunting squad look at each other before the short tank said "Haha, lets put our restrictions aside and see which person is lucky enough to get this pie falling from the sky" The rest of them nodded at this and also jumped down to join the hunters on the ground. I looked at the outpouring of hunters that were filling the arena and rose up myself It was already half-filled with dense numbers of hunters that were putting their lives on the line. I looked at this and jumped down myself with a sigh. I really couldn''t sit out on something like this Rank A skills were so rare that getting another skill like this would be near impossible unless you farmed the high ranking dungeon tens or hundreds of times. Even now I was questioning why this Rank A hunter was giving it away on a whim He continued talking as the hunters continued to fill into the arena "The rules for the Free for All are simple, the last man standing...WINS" The crowd had gone crazy as the build-up to the fight continued, with people standing up hysterically shouting as if they were the ones getting the prize A few minutes passed by with no other hunters jumping into the ring. Lightning Hand looked around the densely packed arena and raised his arm. Quietness ensued in the huge coliseum before he brought it down and shouted "START!" 30 Free for All The arena was filled with screams as soon as the fight started, with explosions of skills bouncing from all around. The rank C hunters were taking each other out without a question, their eyes filled with greed. The lower-ranked hunters here were those whose greed had surpassed their common sense, as the sane ones stayed on their seats to keep on watching the moment they realized the people competing for this would mostly be rank B I watched the scene of chaos unfolding in front of me as I smiled and activated both [Stealth] and [Camouflage]. I disappeared from the sights of all the hunters and watched the scene while fully protected with multiple defensive skills that brushed off any spell that accidentally came my way The audience was screaming in a frenzy as they watched the bloody fight below, calling for more blood anytime someone fell. Rank B hunters gradually began to move in full force, devastating skills beginning to fly out The squad I had dived into [Mangrove Swamp] with were all far apart fighting their own battles, but one of the mages was already knocked out cold. At the center of attention was a hunter holding two round shields with his body bathed in golden light. This Knight pushed back all attacks and hunters that neared him with explosive blasts of white light the moment they neared Multiple hunters were falling just from him alone. Opposite on the other side was a woman holding a bow that was shooting flaming arrows and heavily wounding the hunters that were struck I watched all of this while evading any hunters rushing about and absorbing the stray attacks without the notice from any hunters. The bloody fight continued until most of the rank C hunters were knocked out, leaving 9 rank B hunters on the floor of the arena intently staring at each other AAAHH!!! One of them couldn''t hold on any longer and let out a battle cry while rushing to another hunter nearest to him. Another brawl ensued, with the hunter holding the two round shields continuing to push away any skills and attack with explosive blasts of white light From the hunting squad I knew, only the berserker with the flaming sword continued, his entire body wreathed in flames once more as he took on two other hunters by himself. The rest of the team members were knocked out cold or sitting out injured I found a relatively far place in the arena away from the fight that had a ton of rank C hunters either knocked out or struggling painfully and sat down while continuing to observe the fight. My aim was to do very little work and defeat the last hunter standing that should be exhausted to obtain this rank A skill easily The hard fight continued as it came down to two hunters facing off in the Arena, the hunter bathed in a golden light that was holding two shields and the hunter with a bow that shot scalding hot flames. Their standoff was building up the anticipation among the audience as the cheers continued I was looking forward to doing very little work and win when I felt the air change. Instead of heading towards each other, two hunters turned towards my location at the same time. Well shit I stood up and got ready for the fight early as it seemed the hunters saw through my [Stealth] and [Camouflage]. Did they have a skill that helped in detection or something else? Oh well, it doesn''t matter anyway. A bright smile bloomed on my face as I watched the woman draw her bow and shoot multiple flaming arrows towards me and the shining Knight rushed forward I would at least get a chance to test the destructive force of the newly gained skill against two rank B hunters that seem to be standing at the peak of this rank. [Miniature Tornado] was cast for the first time A swirling mass of sharp winds appeared in front of me that dispersed the flame arrows that were rushing towards me and pushed back the glowing Knight. I felt the winds move my dark hair around as I commanded the skill to go towards the nearest hunter The body of the glowing Knight...expanded? Wow, his body actually expanded as the blinding light shooting out of him increased, withstanding the heavy and sharp winds until the skill faded a few seconds after as it had a 10-second duration His body came back to normal size while he was roughly breathing, seeming proud of being able to withstand the attack. I gave a light laugh as I shook my head and cast another [Miniature Tornado] The Knight''s face turned ashen as he saw another coming right at him and used the two shields to try and withstand the rotating winds to no avail, being blown away with cuts all over his body a second after The remaining hunter on the field that was shooting arrows had moved a further distance away from me while continuing to shoot. I wouldn''t let her have her way as I used [Whirlwind] to close the distance and cast another [Miniature Tornado] at her position. The rapidly rotating winds swiped the hunter off her feet, inflicting heavy damage on the armor and skin beneath it, the force ultimately blasting her onto the walls of the arena Silence followed after as I stood in a field of hunters that were either knocked out or crying painfully, with a few missing some limbs "WAAAA!!!" The crowd''s cries reached another decibel higher as they saw the end of the fight, and the booming voice of the rank A Hunter could be heard "Haha, good, good, good!" The man repeated the same words three times before he leaped up from the area he was in and fell down towards the arena like a strike of lightning. He looked me up and down and laughed once more before pulling out a glistening book from his storage ring "Calm yet careful, smart, and also powerful. Haha, this skill book isn''t wasted on you. It was supposed to go to the rank B hunter with the highest achievements in the city, but I''m impulsive and I believe in opportunity and luck. This, is your fortune!" The skill book was carried by a thin layer of sparkling electricity and drifted towards me. I was marveling at the skills of a rank A hunter while looking at this monster of a man in front of me. His body seemed like a volcano ready to erupt and smash anything standing on its way I knew I wasn''t ready to face someone like this yet. My attributes had only just broke through to rank B because of some support skills, and I needed to put in a lot more work if I wanted to catch up to people at this stage before everything crumbled "Thank you for the opportunity" I grabbed the skill book, absorbing it right then and there without wasting a single second as I thanked the man surrounded by lightning. "Use it wisely and try to reach for higher places" He nodded as his body lifted off the ground effortlessly, leaving behind a few words before shooting up to skies and being gone in a flash of light I could barely follow the speed of that lightning as it went away, making me even more excited to go back to my lone ways of dungeon diving and quickly gain that level of strength. 31 Gradually moving forward I watched the flash of lightning disappear on the horizon and went around the arena to look for the hunting squad members. Some were knocked out cold but they all had only minor injuries. With the strength of a rank B hunter, wounds like that would heal after a long night sleep or a few healing spells The crowd was calming down as the defeated hunters got up and left the arena. I said my goodbyes to the hunters that were already up and moving and left, all my attention on getting stronger by farming dungeons until the strength of rank A wasn''t far away from me I passed by the overcrowded exit with people rushing about and walked out of the coliseum, making my way back to the military complex. After passing through all the checkpoints, I didn''t go back to the living quarters and went straight toward the [Mangrove Swamp] Strength was respected in this city, I didn''t plan on hiding in the shadows for too long. I''ll show them a glimpse of what I can do while still hiding a major part of my strength to account for any unknowns. Because of the incoming threats of beasts though, there would be no use hiding my strength as it would gradually be shown in time I thought about turning on [Stealth] and disappearing from everyone''s eyes when I first entered the dungeon alone, but decided otherwise. Unless a peak rank B hunters similar to the ones I found in the coliseum coincidentally happened to pass by when I activated the skill, I should be able to control the information of how frequently I enter this dungeon by choosing when to turn [Stealth] on and off to be purposefully seen I will go in the first time without hiding, and turn on [Stealth] when I inevitably beat the dungeon in record time. I''ll keep myself hidden during these times so that my impossible clear time will be kept under wraps I showed my ID to the confused guards patrolling around the dungeon as they watched me with increasingly shocked expressions go towards the dungeon and disappear from their sight --- "What?! He went in by himself?" Magnar abruptly stood up while listening to the report that just came in. The gears in his mind were turning as he asked himself if he had struck gold with this hunter while seeing this show of confidence, or if he had miscalculated entirely and wasted some resources. His impassive look came back to his face as he thought, "Only time will tell" --- At another location in one of the luxurious hotels in Star City. A man was fuming from a phone call he just received. He was a veteran rank B hunter that was halfway through becoming rank A. He was already holding two rank A skills, and needed just one more to fully be considered a legitimate A ranker that could dive into the highest dungeons known A book that had dropped recently and was in the possession of Lightning Hand was supposed to go to the next rank B hunter on a list. His name was at the top of that list. Yet Lightning Hand had played around with the book and gifted it to some random rank B by making up a competition in the middle of the day He couldn''t even look at the direction of the rank A hunter that recklessly gave the skill away, but he could definitely go after that rank B hunter who received it. He thought of this as he pulled out his phone to dial another number. In the unfortunate event that the hunter dies...He will still get his hands on that rank A skill --- I appeared on that same patch of land surrounded by murky green waters all around me. The rushing of alligators could already be felt the moment I entered. This time around, there would not be any games of keeping one alive to rest or relax. I let out a cheeky smile as I prepared to get started. This will be a constant and relentless fight all the way through without a second wasted. The first order of business...was checking out [Flight] My body slowly began lifting off the ground when the skill was activated, following my thoughts while slowly rising. If I thought about moving up, I moved up. Any direction I wanted and I could do it in a heartbeat. I hovered a few meters in the air and enjoyed the feeling when the alligators reached the small patch of land and jumped up with their wide jaws open I looked at these fumbling alligators below me and decided to get started. This time around, I won''t be stopping. I''ll bulldoze through everything with as much power as I can without worrying too much I didn''t even start off like usual by casting the skills gradually while watching these monsters die. A [Miniature Tornado] appeared at the center of the alligators, and then another two appeared to their left and right, and they kept on increasing The rotating forces of the [Miniature Tornado] shredded the hard scales of the alligators as if they were paper and turned them to mincemeat, very quickly turning the scene below into a mixture of blood and gore The first barrier was released and more alligators were rushing where I was, but I would not wait for them. I commanded my body to fly forward, testing the speed of the skill for the first time. The result? Fast. How fast I didn''t know as I didn''t even know how to measure myself, but I was able to get to the point where the first barrier disappeared in a few seconds just as the new alligators were rushing in. If I could put it into words then just as fast as a car speeding down a highway, if not faster [Miniature Tornado] was cast once again, as multiple swirling vortexes appeared and shredded everything on site. The next minutes passed like this, with me flying around the [Mangrove Swamp] casting [Miniature Tornado] on every beast that I saw. It wasn''t long before the last barrier was broken and the huge slumbering TITAN rose up. What met it were constantly replenishing [Miniature Tornado], where a new one would appear the moment one disappeared ROAR!!! The large rank B beast that required multiple rank B hunters to hunt it could put up no defenses or cast any skills on the face of multiple and never-ending disastrous tornadoes, quickly letting out a roar before dying. ...I breathed out loudly as I controlled my breathing to calm down. This was how I would start to do things from now on. I won''t care too much about the thoughts of others and their reactions, not if I continue with such rapid progress. This whole dungeon took me what, 30 minutes or slightly more? I wouldn''t let it go this time around I had already been collecting the rank B [Core]s as the monsters fell, and I did the same when the huge TITAN was shredded and dropped more of them and a rank B skill book. I recalled how [Solael''s Castle] had a chance to drop a higher rank skill even though it was a rank C dungeon, and wondered how many times I had to repeat the rank B dungeon [Mangrove Swamp] before a rank A skill book dropped My eyes shined with excitement as I looked forward to this while I stayed in the air and absorbed the rank B cores right away. The skill book dropped this time around was [Curse of Slowness], a curse type skill I haven''t come across before that majorly slowed down the speed of the enemy it hit. I didn''t know when I would use this but I absorbed it anyway. I would take in all that I can and think later. As soon as the [Core]s dropped in the dungeon were absorbed, I reached out to the green crystal that had risen and was transferred outside the monolith with [Stealth] still active. The [Core]s from one dungeon run were nowhere enough to have me reach the peak of rank B [Vitality] and [Strength] attribute without diving a few times even if I was doing it solo The higher you rose, the more cores of equivalent rank you needed to raise your attributes. The [Focus] cores that weren''t useful to me would all be sold later I went towards one of the square doors of the monolith as I disappeared inside once again. This time, I will continue to dive into this dungeon even after the sun sets 32 A Challenge My dungeon diving that was filled with vigor continued for the next few hours. On the 10th dungeon run, I had maxed out my [Vitality] and [Strength] attributes by absorbing all of the cores that dropped, bringing me to the peak of rank B I only dived 3 more times after that before calling it a night. I was lucky enough to receive an [Item] or [Skill Book] on every single one of those 13 runs, with all of them being rank B. Even though everything randomly dropped, I was able to pick up one defensive skill similar to [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] that was called [Golden Halo], which when cast would form a halo of light around my body that rejected any attacks directed at it One was an offensive Mage skill called [Doom Bolt], which called forth a dark red lightning bolt that had even higher damage than [Miniature Tornado] as it could stun the TITAN of [Mangrove Swamp] with one hit. The only downside was that it was a single target skill There were 3 skills that required specific weapons to be cast so they would be left out to be exchanged later, and the remaining 5 skills were support skills that buffed me in all sorts of ways. [Light Foot] and [Windrider] both collectively increased my speed by 100%, increasing how quickly I moved and flew to an insane degree. [Rigorous] increased the effects of all defensive skills by 50% and [Shadow Veil] was another skill similar to [Stealth] and [Camouflage] that I was confident once I had this activated, only rank A hunters would have a chance of noticing me. The last skill that came out in these first 13 runs, [Wild Heart] was my favorite as it increased the damage all my skills dealt by 50%, continuing to make the damage of my skills even deadlier and causing rank D skills to still be somewhat usable even at this point Not a single rank A skill was in sight even after these 13 dives, disappointing me but also making me even more expectant for when one actually drops. There were 3 [Item]s that dropped along with the skills, 2 of them being [Scale Armor] and a [Fanged Sword]. [Scale Armor] was a rank B item that had vastly better defenses than the rank C [Igneous Armor], so I changed those right away [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 250+40] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 250+60] [Skill(s): [F][E](D-Flames of Torment-100)(D-Safeguard-57)(D-Danger Sense-100)(D-Rough Skin-100)(D-Fleeting-100)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-100) (C-Camouflage-100) (C-Aura of Haste-100)(C-Explosive Rune-100)(C-Life Essence-100)(C-Increased Penetration-100) (C-Regeneration-88) (C-Whirlwind-89) (C-Smite-95) (C-Gracefulness-100) (C-Precision-100) (C-Adamant-100) (C-Sharpen-100)(C-War Cry-100) (C-Retaliation-100)(C-Kings Rage-100)(C-Military Tactics-100) (C-Unpredictable-100) (C-Elemental Damage-100)(B-Giant''s Strength-75) (B-Stealth-67) (B-Miniature Tornado-23)*(B-Golden Halo-13)*(B-Doom Bolt-7)*(B-Lightfoot-12)*(B-Windrider-12)*(B-Rigorous-11)*(B-Shadow Veil-11)*(B-Wild Heart-10)*(A-Flight-5)*] [Equipment: (3x C-Ring of Storage)(C-Fiery Boots)(C-Fiery Helm)(B-Scale Armor)*] My panel looked vastly different from a few days ago, and something I hadn''t focused on caught my eye. Without my knowledge, my [Strength] attribute had already exceeded the common standard of rank A. The [Core]s dropping from rank A dungeons could bring your attributes all the way to 300. Because I always kept a few skills that added attributes active, I gained a bonus that most people have temporarily and made it permanent Because of this, my [Vitality] attribute already neared the 300 cap and [Strength] already passed it with 310 even before I absorbed any rank A [Core]s. Just the thought of this was thrilling, as I was already catching up to the rank A hunters, even if I barely had any rank A skills and items The disappointment of not gaining any rank A skills from the first day of rushing through the dungeon lifted as I felt the increased force and strength of my body. I transferred out of the dungeon for the third time today while not hidden, and received a standing ovation from soldiers that had begun gathering the moment I cleared it alone and ''came out'' 2 hours later. It was a big deal to the army as these were things only those standing as rank A hunters could attempt, and they had just effectively sided with such a person. Vice Admiral Magnar came out from the throngs of soldiers and look at me with a hard to read expression and then said "I underestimated you, I apologize" I laughed off the Vice Admiral''s apology and pulled out the extra [Scale Armor] and [Fanged Sword], along with one of the rank B skill books I didn''t use that dropped in the dungeon "I was unlucky enough to receive loot that didn''t fit me at all in these three dungeon runs" I kept the lie going and was planning on selling these to the military, or better yet exchange them for skills that I wanted from their inventory The Vice Admiral looked at the items and skill with a thankful expression before his face turned dark "I''m thankful that you came to our city and are already contributing to the cause as much as you can, but it seems we might have just brought trouble to you." I was surprised at the Vice Admiral''s words and asked "What happened?" He looked at me briefly before sighing and continuing "A Death Match has been issued and confirmed between you and Hunter Andrei Nikolaev. Tomorrow is the set date for the match." What?! This was a complete surprise, as this was something I had never thought to find myself associated with. Death Matches were set up between high ranked hunters that had irreconcilable differences. The Empire didn''t want it to be a habit for its peak hunters to kill one another, so deathmatches were instituted if two hunters found themselves at a point where the only way to solve their issues was to fight The matter was to be taken seriously though, so before the match could be issued both the hunters had to agree to put their lives on the line. Only then would the match be confirmed. So why the hell was a match involving me that I had no idea about confirmed? Seeing my angry expression, the Vice Admiral seemed to have confirmed something. "I heard what happened at The Coliseum today, the issue seems to have arisen from there. Andrei, the son of The Blessed Empire''s Admiral Chekhov, was next in line to be receiving the rank A skill that Lightning Hand was transferring" Things quickly began clicking after hearing all of this. I was still irked and asked, "So because he''s the son of an Admiral, he can target someone else entirely, call for a match, and just get to bypass the rules of Death Matches?" The general looked down with an apologetic tone as he continued "They cannot touch Lightning Hand for his actions unless they want to cause a fight between the peak powers of the Empire, so targeting you was the easiest thing for them. This is why I have to apologize to you, me bringing you to Star City indirectly put you in the middle of this" I thought about this new situation and then asked "So what happens if I attend that deathmatch tomorrow and the other guy ends up dead?" I was fairly confident in my strength and didn''t plan on losing to someone who should have yet to be rank A, what I was worried about were the repercussions from it. There was a difficult expression on the Vice Admiral''s face as he said nothing I looked at this and at the soldiers around me that were listening in and saw the anger and resignation on their faces. To them, I was a strong hunter that just began clearing [Mangrove Swamp] by himself multiple times a day. This meant there would be more resources flowing into their department Yet, this hunter was now about to be taken away. Nobody had to say what would happen if the son of the Admiral of the Empire were to be killed in broad daylight, even if it was in an arena match. None of them saw a way for me to come out of this. The Vice Admiral''s voice rang out again, "I''ve made multiple calls to friends and higher-ups, but nothing worked. Admiral Chekhov has many people among the higher-ups and his pull is strong. The match cannot be rescinded. The one who doesn''t show up will also be blacklisted" I nodded at this and laughed to ease the tension, "Haha, there''s no need for all that gloominess. We still don''t know who will still be alive tomorrow. Tell me about this Andrei Nikolaev" --- Attributes: Vitality 250 +30 from Life Essence,+10 from Military Tactics=290. Strength 250, +50 from Giant''s Strength, + 10 from Military Tactics = 250+50+10=310 33 An Approaching Disaster The Vice Admiral dispersed the gathering of soldiers and took me back to his office to continue discussing the matter. Andrei Nikolaev was the son of one of The Empire''s Admirals. He was following his father''s footsteps and neared rank A in power, having 2 rank A skills and needing just one more to be qualified and listed as rank A So the ticket he was expecting to receive to become one of the peak powers of the world was given to someone else and now he was using his connections to get it back. I had no qualms fighting and even taking the guy out, as this would even mean I get to receive one of his rank A skills when he goes down, but I couldn''t stop thinking of the consequences thereafter. I looked to the frowning general that seemed to be using every last brain cell to think and asked "What are the possible fallouts in the case that Andrei Nikolaev dies tomorrow" His head shot up as he heard this question from me and said "The full rage of Admiral Chekhov who has thousands of soldiers under him, and he himself is a rank A Hunter" I listened to this and asked again "Or?" "As we need to be conserving our strength and increase our battle power with the threat of beasts coming down on us, the strength of rank A hunters is important and there cannot be a confrontation between them" I nodded my head as I heard this and replied with a smile "Then it isn''t a problem, as long as I have power rivaling rank A, I can take care of anything that comes my way" I looked to the Vice Admiral in front of me as his eyes glowed when he heard this. He seemed to think before replying "If that''s the case, then there''s another call I can make that can handle the fall out happening tomorrow" With the discussion being over, I left the office holding a folder that held more information on Andrei Nikolaev as I made my way to the living quarters. There was only food for me to enjoy this time around as I had to focus on understanding the skills I just gained today and prepare for something momentous tomorrow I wasn''t fearful of what would happen when the son of an Admiral died. This thought passed in my mind, making me realize just how far I had grown in such a short span of time. Admirals were at the top of the food chain in the Empire, and now I was in a position where I could be facing one sometime soon I was eating the exemplary food on the table as I ran simulations in my head for the battle to come. Because of keeping skills that drained a huge amount of energy but gave a great momentary boost in power active all the time, my attributes already met those in the A rank category That wasn''t to mention all the skills that increased my overall defense, speed, casting and attack speed, evasion, and overall damage by huge percentages. These skills layered on top of active defense skills like [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] and the recently acquired [Golden Halo] made me realize just how strong I currently was Even though nothing was tested, I doubt a single rank B could get through my defenses, and maybe I would be injured from the attacks of a rank A hunter. The classification of having three rank A skills before being coined a genuine rank A hunter was to satisfy the high pedestal that rank signified Only those that were truly strong could be considered in that rank, and having the versatility of using 3 rank A skills affirmed that. Possible plans continued forming in my head as to how this whole thing would end and soon I felt confident enough to face whatever came at me these next few days. I wouldn''t sacrifice my sleep because of it though and wrapped myself up in the silk bed sheets and fell asleep --- In the skies above the Empire. A dashing woman with golden hair was comfortably lying on top of a huge flying beast. She held a bewitching smile on her face as words dripping with honey left her lips. "Little Magnar is redeeming his one favor for a rising hunter...just who could you be to catch the eyes of one of the few sane men in the Empire?" She was a veteran rank A hunter that was just below the renowned Steel Mikhail. Her flowing golden hair and the huge beast she flew on would cause mischief anywhere she went. She was now heading to Star City --- Morning of the next day. News had spread all over Star City of a main event Death Match that would be occurring in The Coliseum during the day. The two hunters participating each held rank A skills, making them on the cusp of breaking through to the exclusive position of a rank A hunter The one coming out of it alive would most likely be the newly born rank A hunter to appear in Star City The excitement was palpitating as all the seats had already been reserved and taken in a few hours, packing the Coliseum to its limits. Those who couldn''t watch were left with turning on their TVs and watching the commentators describe the two figures that would be fighting as the main event One was a known hunter in the Empire, the son of one of its Admirals and a peak hunter that was bound to be given the rank A title in no time, Andrei Nikolaev. The other was a rising rookie with an empty track record, becoming known just recently by winning a free for all match against other rank B hunters, Noah Osmont. New information came in that this character is able to dive and complete rank B dungeons alone, but this news was not yet verified There were a few friends watching the live feed of the packed arena and listening to the commentators when one spoke with a bored expression "Why are you guys even looking at this match as something exciting? This is obviously just another show of power from those assholes at the top, bullying that rising hunter to get what they want" (Friend #1) "Hey! You didn''t get to see the free for all match yesterday, that new guy blew away the Golden Tank and the Flaming Witch as if it was nothing!" (Friend #2) "Haha, no way a random nobody will even touch a hair on Andrei, we''re just gonna watch another bloody fight today. I just hope he lasts long enough and the match isn''t cut short!" (Friend #3) The bored friend listened to this as he shook his head despondently while thinking, ''Nothing has changed at all since the advent of the apocalypse'' The fight was set to be happening in a few hours. Figures were alerted around the Empire of this impending match. Some didn''t care, others were angry at the loss of a potential rank A hunter that would be happening for no reason. Others were just carefully waiting to see what new waves would be made from this fight 34 A Show of Strength Morning of the next day, Vice Admiral Magnar had put up an entire regiment together to escort me to the Coliseum. It wasn''t as much for protection as a show of support as we rode from the military sector towards the grandiose amphitheater I was touched with the support Magnar was showing, whether it was purely coming from him as a person or because he knew I would give back to them even more after this ordeal was passed. The streets were busier than usual, and military trucks rolling through them didn''t help it. We arrived at the Coliseum that seemed to be impossibly even louder than the day before, with people screaming to get in and hunters almost becoming overwhelmed Most of the members of the regiment were stationed outside while me, a few key figures and Magnar went through another door to an expansive room that overlooked the arena below There was a fight going on currently where two rank C hunters were working as a team against a rank B opponent, the fight going fairly well with the use of their teamwork Drinks and food were quickly brought in as many of the people packing the arena today were waiting for the preliminary matches to finish and for the main event to begin. Magnar and I were discussing the hunter I was going to face today in detail. From the known information, he held 2 rank A skills. One of them was a defensive skill that made him nearly impenetrable to damage when it was activated, but only lasted for a minute and he had to wait for 10 more before initiating the skill again The other was a rank A skill that there wasn''t a lot of knowledge on, but it was known to be an area of attack skill with a high mana cost that dealt significant damage. Even after knowing these things, I wasn''t too worried. I will definitely be careful and watch what he does, but I was that confident in the multiple skills I was layering on myself and the fact that my attributes most likely surpass his because of some of my skills The only thing I was remotely worried about was the casting of the rank A skill, as none of these skills are a joke. With my percentage boosted defenses and skills, I was predicting the most the rank A offensive skill would do is injure me. I would have the [Regeneration] skill ready to cast in case I took damage from the skill head on The hour was quickly approaching as the crowd cheered when one match ended and another began as we enjoyed the food in the reserved space. Magnar continued to have a worried look on his face as he seemed to be looking to the sky every now and then, as if waiting for something The cheers of the crowd reached its peak when an announcer''s voice rang out in the Coliseum "PEOPLE OF STAR CITY! ARE YOU READY FOR THE BIGGEST MATCH OF YOUR LIVES?!" The announcer''s voice was drowned out as soon as his word finished as the crowd screamed YEAAAH! The announcer continued with a calmer tone "Then without further ado, I give you the contestants of this Death Match...Andrei Nikolaev¡­and Noah Osmont!" The cheers continued as a burly man jumped down from another location in the coliseum. The man had a cold expression on his face. His body was wrapped with a purple robe and he held a frozen staff with his right hand. This was Andrei Nikolaev He was the first hugely built mage I had seen, standing there with an imposing gaze that looked ahead. I rose from my seat and slowly drifted down towards the arena, levitating slightly above 2 meters from the arena floor as I looked down towards Andrei. His imposing gaze become fierce as he saw this and I laughed while flying towards the podium where the announcer was at The crowd was already screaming at their peak as they saw this. My voice rang out loud and clear towards the announcer "I just want to confirm something with everyone as witnesses, what is the outcome of a Death Match?" The announcer heard this and fervently replied, his voice ringing out through the Coliseum once more. "The match ends in DEATH! With death, the feud is over, and the possessions of the other party are all yours!" YEAAH!!! The crowd continued screaming as the announcer said this. I nodded my head and landed on the arena floor, watching the enraged mage standing opposite to me who couldn''t wait to rip my face off "Match, START!" The fight began with cheers as Andrei moved first, pointing his staff towards me and casting a skill that formed 5 spinning dark orbs that flew towards me. I used [Flight] to evade the balls coming after me, my speed being fast enough to watch them as they whizzed by me and smashed onto the high walls, exploding into a mass of darkness I wanted to test the guy out as I cast my newly gained [Doom Bolt]. A large streak of red lightning quickly formed and crashed down towards Andrei, his expression quickly changing as his body was enveloped with wind elements and he rapidly disappeared from his location. BOOM! The lightning bolt was abnormally powerful as it blasted apart the grounds of the arena. This was a rank B skill boosted by many active support skills, its power becoming more terrifying. Andrei appeared at another location in the arena, his face turning abnormally serious as he looked towards me. I returned the stare back and said "Don''t get scared now, I''m just getting started" I wanted to enrage this man as much as I could. The angrier he got, the more mistakes he would make, and the easier I can take him down. The main challenge was what would be happening after he fell His serious face became red as he seemed to have made up his mind. I smiled at this and cast a [Miniature Tornado] towards him while also casting [Doom Bolt] to descend on him once again He watched these deadly skills coming towards him as his body began shining in a golden light, his skin rapidly adopting a color and sheen similar to a statue Rank A skill [Regal Armament] was cast. The golden skin shone in the light as the [Doom Bolt] struck down and the sharp winds of [Miniature Tornado] neared Cheers rang out in the arena as these iridescent colors appeared on the arena floor BOOM! Another loud explosion resounded in the arena, and when the dust cleared, a golden man was still standing there, matchless I looked at this and prepared all my attention. If he has already cast his defensive skill that only lasts a minute, he should then be planning to let out the deadliest attacks in this one minute I didn''t seem to be wrong as his staff began glowing hazy white, and the [Danger Sense] that hasn''t activated in a while dimly began ringing 35 A Show of Strength II Andrei looked at the confident face of the man in front of him as a swirling mass of winds were coming and another red lightning bolt was crushing down. He wanted this man who had taken something that should have been his to die as quickly as possible, but his power seemed to be greater than anticipated. He wouldn''t back down though, as his father was watching this fight. He had to prove to himself and to his father that he deserved the title of rank A. He deserved to join those standing at the peak, he just needed to take the skill back from this man! The rage inside him calmed a bit when he thought back to the lessons from his past and acted, casting [Regal Armament] right away. The skills struck him, and he only felt a stinging pain on his skin as they disappeared. This was the power of rank A skills, something no normal hunter would be able to get their hands on. Andrei came out unharmed and moved quickly before the timer of the skill ran out He barely had half of his mana remaining, which might be enough to cast the next rank A skill that would obliterate the confident hunter in front of him into nothing once or twice. He raised his staff, and [Frigid Impermanence] was aimed towards the area with the hunter at its center BOOM!!! An explosion of ice erupted out from the location where Noah was, utterly destroying one-fourth of the arena floor and sending nearby spectators screaming from the impact and shock waves thereafter. This was the terror of rank A skills, their damage was unmatched. Andrei breathed heavily as he looked at the epicenter of the explosion where the hunter was nowhere to be seen. Had he done it? Had he finally grabbed the chance to reach the peak? He looked for the hunter''s body before he sensed danger and looked up, seeing the man floating in the air. There was some blood gushing out from his right thigh that was rapidly closing up at high speed Seeing the man was still alive, Andrei moved to cast the rank A skill one last time before Noah recollected his wits. He only had a few seconds remaining with [Regal Armament], and already felt another two red lightning bolts smash into his skin seconds after he saw Noah floating in the air ''Just how many of these can you cast?!'' BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Andrei was trying to get the position of the man that was rapidly moving in the air as more lightning bolts crashed down on him, not giving him a moment of rest as the stinging pain gradually became unbearable Feeling that he had only a few seconds left before the skill''s time ran out, he cast [Wind Escape] once more, moving his body to another location where he got the chance to aim at Noah again and cast the skill once more using all his remaining mana [Frigid Impermanence]! BOOM! Another resounding explosion filled with ice elements rang out causing the screams of those who were near and the cheers of those that were far. The blast this time occurred in the air, sending shock waves that damaged the eardrums of hundreds of people in the audience Andrei rapidly moved his eyes while roughly breathing and holding onto his staff as support. Was he finally dead?! Despair slowly filled his face as he saw the same man back down in the arena floor. His armor tattered, and it seemed like he received minor cuts that were already healing. ''How? How?! I''m sure the skill hit you head on!'' He was rapidly thinking about what to do now that all his energy reserves were gone and the golden skin he had on was rapidly fading. He looked to the man with the same confident face that was now flying towards him as he finally became scared for his life and unwillingly looked towards a certain area in the audience stands "Father!" His voice rang out loud and clear, as if it was his last resort. A booming voice then rang out that drowned the cheers of the audience "Spare him." The voice was calm, and yet resounded in the ears of every single person in the Coliseum. A red streak of lightning had already formed and was heading down towards Andrei when it stopped. He breathed out a sigh of relief as he saw Noah come to a stop and look towards where his father was He sighed in relief and disappointment at not being able to take this hunter down, but at least his father was here to make sure he won''t lose his life. He wanted to get up and go, but still felt the bolt of lightning not too far from him still hanging in the air The voice from the stands rang out again. "The match is over." A heavily built man with a low fade had risen up from the stadium, staring down at Noah who was holding his hand in the air, as if that was the only thing keeping the red lightning from striking down Andrei regained his calm as he saw the figure of his dad coming out and rose up, he would be...WHAT! A deep sense of dread and fear arose in him as he felt his scalp tingling and then began burning. The red streak of lightning had struck down! BOOM! ... Silence. There was a shock to all the people that were watching the match, whether it be in the arena or those watching a home. Because they knew the figure of the man that had risen up. That was Admiral Chekhov. Why was he in Star City? What just happened? The hunter Noah finished the Death Match, but what made him so bold to defy the words of an Admiral? What...would happen now? The silence remained as the body of Vice Admiral Magnar began shining and he began to move. Noah looked towards the location where a pile of burnt flesh lay and flew in, reaching for the glowing skill book that appeared and the staff that was in the hands of the dead Andrei Nikolaev A bubbling power was rising in the stands that made people begin to scream and rush out of their seats for the exit. Those watching at home were shocked at the turn of events and appearance of an Admiral that should not be in Star City. He was normally stationed in the capital of the Empire, and rarely came back to visit his home town. The powerhouses that were coincidentally watching quickly began making calls to people that were near the city. A catastrophe was about to break out. Vice Admiral Magnar was still looking towards the clear sky as he looked for something that wasn''t yet there and shook his head, preparing to see if talking would work. He wasn''t able to get near the arena before a pained scream rang out as mad power exploded from the stands "YOU BEAST!!!'' 36 Collision Vice Admiral Magnar watched the next events unfold in shocking fashion as Admiral Chekhov seemed to have forgotten everything around him as he erupted with power that launched him towards Noah as if he was a missile The body of Admiral Chekhov was leaking purple light as his fist reached Noah, the impact smashing him down into the arena floor. The more surprising thing was seeing Noah fly out a second after, his equipment tattered but his body seeming perfectly fine The purple light surrounding the Admiral formed into a purple disc that he stood in the air with. Feeling the strength of that blow and the power emanating in the field, Magnar stopped going forward as he knew he would only lose his life if he came by. He only had rank B strength after all What he didn''t understand was how much he had underestimated Noah. How was he able to stand against the strikes of multiple rank A skills and still be able to stand against an A Ranker? The surprises this man kept bringing out were too numerous But if he had already reached this level, it was a great thing for the future of the Empire. This fight had to be stopped. He was about to look at the masses of people scrambling to get away from the Coliseum when Chekhov moved once again, this time the purple light forming into a spiked fist that rushed toward Noah Vice Admiral Magnar looked at this as he wished the person he called to get here as soon as possible. WHIZZ! The huge spiked purple fist rushed through the air with a grating sound as three red lightning bolts smashed into it, dissipating its form. Noah didn''t seem to be done as three more rapidly rotating tornadoes rushed where the Admiral was Chekhov looked at the incoming mini-tornadoes and waved his hand, a purple blade forming which split the rotating winds apart as if they were paper. The field calmed down after this trading of attacks, Chekhov was still bubbling with anger and grief but was gradually calming down. More purple swords were forming beside him as he spoke "Yes he was in the wrong, but he didn''t deserve death." His rage seemed to have been reignited as he finished his words and the purple swords around him began to vibrate Noah watched and then pulled out the new skill book he had obtained before the purple fist came crashing down on him. The glistening book was on his hand for only a second, before he brought it near his body and it was dissolved in colorful lights that went inside Admiral Chekhov looked at this happening and became even angrier, screaming out while commanding his large vibrating swords to rush forward "If you had shown your level of power, none of this would have happened! My son would not have called for a Death Match, we would have simply waited another week for the next skill book and moved on. This is your fault!" His rage was palpitating as his purple sword neared Noah''s position BOOM! A resounding explosion rang out after, the purple swords being destroyed by the explosion, leaving behind a wide area where ice elements were still fluctuating. [Frigid Impermanence] was cast once again, but this time from the hands of someone else. Magnar looked at this site with incredulousness, questioning the mana reserves of the man that kept on throwing spells left and right. Calmness seemed to have returned on Admiral Chekov''s face as his mind seemed to be made up, numerous purple spiked fists and sword beginning to appear around him. At this time though, a sultry voice rang out in the destroyed Coliseum. "Haha, Chekhov, you''re actually planning on going all out in the middle of a city?" Unknown to everyone, a huge black eagle that was boasting more than 5 meters in size was suspended in the sky. A woman with flowing golden hair sat atop this eagle Magnar soon felt elated at this person''s arrival that signified the end to the mess today. He saw Admiral Chekhov''s expression change to that of annoyance in the midst of anger and pain as he spoke, "Why are you here?" The woman laughed mischievously as her eagle neared the floating Noah in the sky. She looked at this foreign hunter before speaking "Now where has someone like you been hiding all this time?" The woman atop the eagle pulled her eyes from Noah and observed the destroyed arena while continuing, now with a stern tone "I came to resolve any issues from the peak powerhouses of the empire that should not be fighting amongst themselves during this time of crisis" Chekhov didn''t seem to mind as the woman ignored him and he looked towards the man that stood calmly in the air. He knew that he would not be getting anything resolved. The man before him had risen to a position no lower than him, and seemed like he was only getting started. The thing that caused him even more pain was the utter stupidity of the entire affair. None of the things that occurred were necessary. If only his son had just swallowed his anger and waited. If only he knew about the person he set up a match with. If only... He was a smart man and knew not to go down the path of destruction. There were many more people depending on him. This conflict will end here. The damage done now was already too much and he didn''t want it to continue further. He gave a tired sigh as the purple disc below his legs moved towards the destroyed arena. He tenderly looked at the remains of his son and bent down to pick up what remained, and quietly flew away. --- I observed the woman in the air with great interest as she stood on the menacing black eagle. I had recognized that huge eagle from clips I had seen in the past. My heart was still pounding from the battles that had just finished while watching the sad figure of Admiral Chekhov move away I wasn''t remotely sorry for the death of Andrei. He came after me, knowing full well the Death Match would result in death. He was okay with this, his people were okay with this, and those that cleared and issued the deathmatch were okay with this. They just got wrong which person would be dying. The thrill of withstanding the destructive damage of [Frigid Impermanence-Unstable and destructive ice elements erupt in a specified 5-meter area] and then gaining the skill myself was hard to describe. The fact that this skill dropped and not the one that turned his body golden meant it was at a higher level than the usual rank A skills Back then, I was even skeptical of being able to withstand the power of the Admiral that had decided to come to the city to watch his son. Did he really think I would stop in the middle of the match just because he said so? If it was me from a few days back who still held a few rank C skills, maybe I would have stood down. But I knew my power would near if not rival a rank A with all the boosts I was receiving from skills and had also received many rank B skills that emboldened me to make the gamble of obtaining another rank A skill by taking out Andrei, and it worked. The Admiral''s attacks were ferocious and damaged the [Scale Armor], and after bypassing [Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection] and [Golden Halo], they could barely just leave cuts and bruises on my body, similar to the devastating damage of [Frigid Impermanence] I was curious about the skill that allowed the Admiral to form those spiked fists and swords, but that would have to wait as I watched the woman turn her attention to me. She spoke in that melodious voice of hers that demanded attention "I''ll be the first to congratulate the newest rank A hunter of The Blessed Empire, Mr. Noah Osmont. I''m known as Elizabeth, but you can call me Liz" I tried not to get taken in by her cadence as I smiled and said, "Thanks for stepping in, I wasn''t sure I could hold on any longer" Her figure shook as she let out another laugh and said "Really? You seemed inexhaustible, like you could go on for an entire day" I shook my head at these words and looked at the coming Vice Admiral that was shouting directions to members of the regiment to help those who were injured and calm the chaos around the arena "Oh, you have little Magnar to thank for my appearance here today, he called in a favor from long ago and used it for you" She said as she watched him come over I looked towards Magnar. I was actually very thankful for the continued help from this Vice Admiral, and was planning on doing my best to bolster his forces in the coming days. I flew down as the huge eagle also descended to meet the Vice Admiral that was looking towards us with a delighted expression 37 Calmness Magnar was happy that he had gained someone with rank A battle power as his ally, and couldn''t hide it as he talked to me and the rank A hunter with the huge beast that had stepped in to end the fight If the fight had continued, I was pretty confident of coming out on top, but it would have taken quite some time. I could keep on casting my newly gained rank A skill until the Admiral was tired out, but the chance was gone. I also wasn''t planning on going around and making it a habit taking down famous hunters everywhere I go I knew there was a grudge between me and the Admiral now, but I wouldn''t go out of my way to kill him for it. He was a peak powerhouse of the Empire, and would be needed for the battles of the future with these unknown enemies. Unless I could become strong enough to be able to do everything by myself, I won''t go around snuffing out others with similar power to me. If he ever comes for me again though, that is a whole different matter The rank A hunter Elizabeth left after we spoke for a few minutes, saying she now had to go deal with other matters that popped up because of this, and that she would come by when she was free. My gaze lingered on her slightly as she flew away on the black eagle It was now nearing the evening, and more soldiers and hunter medics were on the scene helping those that were injured from the aftermath of the battle. I wasn''t sure when the Coliseum would be open for business after this After giving out orders and leaving someone else in charge, I left with Magnar in tow back to the military sector. I was planning on spending the remaining hours of the day diving in [Mangrove Swamp], feeling more pressed to clear the dungeon and luckily obtain other rank A skills Going to the highest-ranked Dungeon at the empire''s capital, Blessed City, wasn''t an option as a team of A rankers led by Steel Mikhail was clearing it. Unless I rapidly increased my power to be able to rival multiple rank A hunters, I wouldn''t touch that dungeon alone as of now Farming rank B dungeons for the possibility of a rank A skill dropping was the safest and most efficient way, as I would also pay back Magnar by giving him the items and skills I wouldn''t need while grabbing some from their inventory. This was also what some of the rank A hunters spent their day doing, clearing rank B dungeons repeatedly in the Empire''s capital and other core defense cities. Every now and then a rank A skill would drop, and this was the case for the [Flight] skill that Lightning Hand was holding on to. Why he did what he did by giving it away still eluded me, but I would find out in time now that my power was matching his. Whether it was with malicious intent or out of the goodness of his heart didn''t matter now that it allowed me to get another one so fast with the rapid progression of events. The events these past few days played in my head as I asked myself if there was actually a conspiracy, or just unintended effects from one man''s actions The Vice Admiral went to handle communications for the incident today and I went into [Mangrove Swamp] once again. My speed at clearing the dungeon had increased even more with the advent of [Frigid Impermanence] as it cleared droves of alligators the moment it was cast. This area of effect skill exploded with a destructive blast of ice elements that completely destroyed anything in their range. Something that was noteworthy of mentioning was the [Adept Staff] that I took from Andrei, as it slightly boosted the damage of skills when it was equipped After using [Frigid Impermanence] for a while, my mind was filled with ideas on how to improve its damage even more after I recalled some rank B skill books I had seen in the military inventory that I read through before The idea floating in my mind was to find support skills that were providing boosts specific to the skill type to further increase the damage. An example was a [Lightning Penetration] skill I had seen before that amplified damage dealt by lightning type skills. If I could absorb and keep active cold type support skills, it wouldn''t be too far of a dream for the [Frigid Impermanence] skill''s power to exceed rank A. As for the rank beyond A...well nobody knew of this as of right now I was able to clear the dungeon rapidly, making the number of times I''ve dived into it 18 times in the last 6 hours. It was nearing midnight so I was planning on calling it a night. The rate at which I was clearing the dungeon was still kept hidden as I only turned off [Shadow Veil], [Stealth], and [Camouflage] after every hour, making it seem as if I had cleared the dungeon only 6 times This was still an unbelievable clear rate that every time I visibly transferred in and out, the soldiers standing guard would cheer. I gained a variety of [Skill]s, [Item]s, and a ton of [Core]s, but I wasn''t lucky enough to get anything of higher rank from the dungeon. The useful skills I could learn reduced, as many were either weapon-specific for Knights or Berserkers. Some support skills like [Giant Strength] and [Windrider] had even dropped again, giving me duplicate skills that I couldn''t absorb Only two usable rank B support skills came out of these 18 runs, one being [Emboldened Ferocity- An imposing presence emanates from you, granting increased damage to affected foes] and [Eagle Eyes-Focus your eyes to view as far a mile around you]. The remaining were rank B [Item]s that fully upgraded me from the lower-ranked items I had been wearing. [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 250+40] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 250+60] [Skill(s): [F][E](D-Flames of Torment-100)(D-Safeguard-57)(D-Danger Sense-100)(D-Rough Skin-100)(D-Fleeting-100)(C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-100) (C-Camouflage-100) (C-Aura of Haste-100)(C-Explosive Rune-100)(C-Life Essence-100) (C-Increased Penetration-100) (C-Regeneration-100) (C-Whirlwind-95) (C-Smite-98) (C-Gracefulness-100) (C-Precision-100) (C-Adamant-100) (C-Sharpen-100)(C-War Cry-100) (C-Retaliation-100)(C-Kings Rage-100)(C-Military Tactics-100) (C-Unpredictable-100) (C-Elemental Damage-100)(B-Giant''s Strength-88) (B-Stealth-77) (B-Miniature Tornado-45)(B-Golden Halo-33)(B-Doom Bolt-37) (B-Lightfoot-23)(B-Windrider-23)(B-Rigorous-22)(B-Shadow Veil-22)(B-Wild Heart-21)(B-Emboldened Ferocity-3)*(B-Eagle Eyes-3)*(A-Flight-11)(A-Frigid Impermanence-5)*] [Equipment: (3x C-Ring of Storage)(B-Scale Armor)(B-Adept Staff)*(B-Dual Coated Boots)*(B-Striking Cap)*] The addition of items besides the staff was a helm that was in the form of a baseball cap and heavy boots that shone a dark green color. Both provided increased defenses and protection I carried the rest of the [Core]s, [Item]s and [Skill Book]s in my storage rings and went to the Vice Admiral''s castle. I thought about everything he had done for me before deciding to trust him a little bit more about my strength When the door of the office was locked and it was just me and him, I took out more than 20 things that were filling up the space in my rings along with a glistening pile of stones. These were a collection of items, cores, and skills from today''s dives and yesterday''s. The Vice Admiral looked at the items in shock as he gave me a questioning look "I clear the dungeon much faster than what I am currently showing. I continue to want to keep the extent of my strength a secret though, so I will be counting on your discretion as we go forward. This is also my way of thanking you and giving back for what you''ve been doing for me recently" Magnar looked at me with an unreadable expression before he got up and bowed his head towards me. I reached out to stop him as he began talking "You are somebody that has already surpassed someone of my rank, thank you for treating me the same way even now" He kept his head down as he continued "Just the resources you have taken out right now surpass what our department usually gets in a week. This may not seem like much to you, but it is a tremendous help to us and will enable us to raise multiple rank B hunters. Confidentiality is a must, so you can be sure that nothing about this will come to light, and everything will be distributed discreetly" I listened to the older man that was bowing in front of me before I pulled him up. I smiled and said to the Vice Admiral, "We''re all in this together. We''ll face the approaching enemies together and make sure lives are not senselessly lost like when all of this began" I was saying this more to myself as I was reminded of the deaths of my parents and many more people at the hands of these beasts. I reminded myself once more that I was doing all this to never experience the feeling of cowardice and powerlessness again. If continuing to grow my strength was the way to do that, then I will continue rising until I reach an unshakable position Magnar gave me a light smile as his sight turned to the many things I had taken out, shaking his head in an amazed expression as he laughed and said, "It''s been a tiring day for you, go ahead and relax. I''ll order for even more food and...other delicacies for you to enjoy back in your quarters." I shook my head with a smile as I heard this and said "I''ll also need your help acquiring specific skills that may still be in your inventory" I let him know of the skills I saw before that I wanted to grab now, and also told him to keep a lookout for any other cold type support skills that other hunters brought in. He nodded boisterously that he would have everything for me tomorrow morning and for me to go take a break for now I left the Vice Admiral''s office and went to relax after a very long day. 38 Irreversible changes The night was a hazy blur and passed by in a blink. I woke up the next morning feeling invigorated as I saw the sight in front of me while feeling the colors and boosts of multiple activated skills that seemed to fill my body with inexhaustible power. If I didn''t have [Stealth] and [Shadow Veil] activated at all times, people would just see a mass of colors and defensive layers surrounding me at all times I freshened up and left the living quarters to start this day early, planning to be holed up in the [Mangrove Swamp] for the remainder of the day to see exactly how many times I could clear it before a rank A skill would show itself I flew through the clear skies and arrived at the huge monolith, which seemed to have turned to a shade of light blue after I cleared it so many times. That day, I spent my entire time diving and I was able to clear the dungeon more than 40 times. Forty. That number did not seem realistic, and something like this had never occurred in the past. Nobody had the unending stamina to do what I did repeatedly for an entire day One good thing came out of it, as I was finally able to receive a rank A skill from this dungeon. My next rank A skill was [Guardian Light-A light that cures injuries, ailments, and diseases descends down]. It wasn''t a defensive or movement skill that I was thinking about, but it was an amazing skill nonetheless. Its usefulness would be even more apparent whenever the time comes where I get injured again Also, besides my original three rank C [Ring of Storage], I was able to get an additional drop of these rare rings, this one even being rank B and holding a much larger space that was now holding a ton of [Item]s, [Core]s, and [Skill Book]s from the past 40 dungeon runs I was leaving the dungeon for the last time today to sift through the useful skill books and those that I would be giving away. Most of the items that dropped were duplicates of [Scale Armor] or the other items that dropped in this dungeon before I placed my hand on the green crystal and transferred to the outside world once more. I nodded to the guards and was about to head towards the Vice Admiral''s office when I felt the ground start shaking The tremors were emanating behind me and I turned back to see the huge dungeon monolith that was now a light fade of blue... had cracks spreading out from the middle. Oh shit The cracks expanded as the tremors got even stronger, and the huge monolith began trembling before an explosion ran out BOOM! A huge blast was sent out as I was flung away and any hunter soldiers that were near were heavily injured. I had watched the huge monolith of the [Mangrove Swamp] expand with cracks and then implode. When the dust cleared, there was an empty space where the monolith used to be, only a small shimmering crystal lying at the center I looked at this with my mouth wide open. What the hell did I do now?! I was trying to calm my emotions as I went forward to observe the shimmering crystal that remained from the monolith when I was suddenly met with a searing headache AAH! I screamed out loud as I clutched my head and felt this pain that threatened to make my head explode. In my agony, a few faint words rose up in my mind that I could barely make out [...Move...Faster¡­] --- An hour after. Tumultuous waves were spreading throughout the empire. News had just been transmitted to all the leaders and governments of various cities of an incident where a dungeon...had completely disappeared This was the first-ever change to occur since they first began appearing. New dungeons could appear at any time, but there was never a case of them ever disappearing unless a dungeon break occurred. The more shocking news that was coming out was that...a hunter was involved in causing this! Leaders from all over were scrambling to find the authenticity of these news. If any of this was true. If any of this could be replicated...Higher-ups who understood the current world were trembling in anticipation for the possible future --- In a grand palace at the center of Blessed City. There was a large hall lined with guards wearing golden armors. At the forefront was a striking throne that shone with a purple light. A person was sitting on this throne looking at the Admirals kneeling down below the steps A feminine voice rang out in the large hall "I want a thorough report about all the events surrounding that dungeon. By the end of the day, I expect to be briefed with all the information about that hunter as well." The voice paused after this was heard before continuing "Treat the hunter very carefully, he might just be what we have been waiting for" On the throne was a figure fully covered from head to toe. A royal mask was hiding the face and an exquisitely defined crown lay atop their head. --- A man whose body was crackling with lightning was just transferring out of a rank B dungeon when his phone began blowing up. He pulled the phone out in annoyance as he read to see just who would dare to bother him so much There were multiple texts and missed calls from people he didn''t wanna talk to all, but the things he was reading were giving him a shock. "Get back to base soon" (Admiral X) "What is your connection to the rising hunter of Star City?" (Amiral XX) "Call me back. Now." (Admiral XXX) Nothing he was reading from the texts was making sense. A name kept popping up that he didn''t recognize, Noah Osmont. He was busy clearing dungeons and didn''t even get the news of the deathmatch he inadvertently caused this same day. After reading some more and seeing a lot of the questions were revolving about the event a few days ago where he handed the winner of an impromptu match a rank A skill, the name and person came together The lightning was sparking out in an unstable manner the more he read on about what had just occurred. He was in shock as he thought "My impulsiveness actually led to something good?" --- An incident had occurred that caused shock waves to spread not just throughout the Empire, but to the many allied countries in the United Federation. The news leaked out the moment it began spreading, other countries soon learning of this momentous affair Delegates were assembled and tensions rose. The excitement was palpitating. Everyone could feel it. A change was coming. 39 What are you? I was looking at a glowing crystal after finishing the talk with an excited Vice Admiral over what had just occurred. After the implosion of the dungeon monolith, there were many hunter soldiers that were badly injured, and I was able to see the versatility of my recently learned skill, [Guardian''s Light] When I directed this skill to the injured soldiers, whether it was a light scratch or deep wounds, they all began to heal in a few seconds before becoming as good as new. A few guards that were near death were also stabilized and brought back to health in a few seconds A plane crystal...what are you and how can you be used? I had tried putting in energy, crushing it, absorbing it, nothing had changed. Something even more pressing along with this was the episode where I had an excruciating headache, and whether I was hallucinating or not, I clearly saw the words "Move Faster" I gave some thought to these new developments as I realized I might be in the middle of something much greater than what I knew. When I spent the hour discussing with Vice Admiral Magnar about everything that had occurred, this was the only thing on my mind. I told Magnar I needed some time to think, and here I was staring at this crystal while thinking about those words Among the many possible hypotheses I had, one of the more likely ones was that there was a correlation between what I have become able to do, the blank [Focus], and now all of that was somehow weaved into whatever sent me that message while my head was splitting apart the moment I caused a dungeon to disappear When the cracks spread throughout, it wasn''t the normal dungeon break where monsters broke out, the entire monolith was just completely gone. My mind had already ascertained that it was around 40 times I had cleared the dungeon before the light blue color became thinner and thinner, eventually exploding after This meant as long as dungeons were cleared a specific number of times under a very short duration, there was a possibility of breaking them. I knew something like this was huge, as it would put me in the middle of this taking a leading role for the time to come. Nobody could clear dungeons as many times as me without tiring out. Unless many hunters formed tens of teams to target one dungeon, they wouldn''t be able to match my rate I was questioning why lower-ranked dungeons had not disappeared like this before, and came to the conclusion that different ranks of dungeons would require to be cleared a different number of times rapidly before the monolith would implode. There were three rank B dungeons in Star City, and they were being cleared maybe 3 or 4 times a day by teams of hunters. Lower ranked dungeons in core defense cities like this one would be cleared in faster rates, with rank C being approximately 10-20 times, rank D 30+ times, rank E 40+, and rank F more than 50 times each day as there were more and more hunters each level down These numbers were only normal for core defense cities, and would be even lower for the cities in the outer perimeter of the empire that had very few dungeons. An example was how Outer Bank X City only had its rank C dungeon cleared once every few days But none of these lower-ranked dungeons had disappeared, meaning they required to be cleared even more times in a day before a case similar to [Mangrove Swamp] could repeat itself. This was only a theory and had to be tested. I had cleared this rank B dungeon so rapidly that it could not keep standing Many questions came after that which made my head buzz. I took a deep breath as I stopped thinking for a bit. I would understand everything in time. What I needed to focus on now was simply what the words in my head said. Move faster. I already thought my rapid progress was monstrous, but I had to move at a much faster rate. I was planning how to start testing some of my thoughts when a light knock was heard Sigh, didn''t I tell them not to bother me for now? I stayed quiet and kept on thinking, but I soon heard the door clicking open and footsteps coming inside. You all really couldn''t wait? I was about to berate the figure that was intruding in my living quarters but was stunned when I saw who it was. A sweet voice rang out mischievously as a woman wearing a red dress with a head full of golden hair came in "You really are full of surprises aren''t you?" Elizabeth was trotting in like she owned the place, which might not be too far off as whatever access she had allowed her to enter my room with no problems. I looked at her calmly and replied "I don''t even know what happened myself" These words weren''t completely false as there was a lot I didn''t know. The hunter that seemed to be in her late 20s or early 30s smiled and looked around the room as she said, "I would love to get a better idea about what happened. May I...accompany you for a discussion tonight?" I looked at the woman whose every word she spoke seemed to have multiple meanings. I looked at the tight red dress she was wearing and the head full of golden hair. I continued to be alert so that I wouldn''t be taken in by her pace and smiled. Sure. I''ll bite --- Magnar was not able to get a wink of sleep the entire night. He had spent a majority of it deflecting powerhouses from getting near a certain man and being grilled with questions. He wasn''t fully successful though as someone had still slid through. He thought of a certain hunter as he shook his head and thought about all the collection of hunters that were staying in his base He had been excited just like everyone else at the new development and was waiting to see how things would play out from here. Dungeons could be permanently erased. This was naturally good news, but it prompted another question that he didn''t want to think about. Should they all be permanently erased? Should only some be erased and a manageable few left behind? Magnar was thinking of all the resources that came out of dungeons as these ideas clashed in his mind Things got even more hectic as people from Blessed City appeared, making him feel like he was walking on eggshells. He tried putting all of this aside as he neared the quarters of a now-famous man and knocked A moment passed before the door opened and a half-dressed man looked out. His upper body seemed packed with muscles as the abdominal muscles were so pronounced that it almost seemed they were fake. In the room, slender long legs of someone could be made out draped over the bed Magnar looked at this and gave a smile, choosing his next words carefully. "...Sir, we''ll be holding a forum with representatives from major cities to discuss the new developments and how to move forward from here" He couldn''t bring himself to talk to the man the same way he had been doing before. He was doing too many inconceivable things. The man seemed to shake his head before he spoke, "I''ll be out in a moment" 40 How to destroy a dungeon I was standing at the front of a room where a long oval table was situated, with many new faces sitting and expectantly waiting. Nobody in the room spoke when I walked in, and even now more people were taking their seats in a hushed manner The Vice Admiral led me to a chair to the front of the room and stood behind me. I could see some familiar faces in the crowd that I recognized, one of them being the man that inadvertently propelled the sequence of actions these past few days, Lightning Hand. When he met my gaze, he gave me that same boisterous smile and laughed. The moment it seemed like everyone was there, buzzing voices rang out as the discussions began. The whole process took an entire hour and was filled with many boring arguments and discussions, but the core things to take out were the same. Much of the discussion revolved around the repeatability of erasing a dungeon, and whether we should be actively erasing them at all. Sparks began to fly when these comments rose, as for some it was common sense to destroy the dungeons that could release monsters anytime if they weren''t regularly cleared. I didn''t speak fully about my power, but people could make inferences about it after knowing the process that was required to completely destroy the rank B dungeon I recalled the words that were urging me to move faster before I rose up from my seat, quieting the many voices in the room. I looked around me as I said, "I''ll be moving to confirm everything with another rank B dungeon. Once the process is clear, we will know how to proceed from here on out" I wanted to take a more active role in the world around me after seeing everything that was happening. My first step in doing that was to replicate what I did yesterday. There was still an army of monsters approaching from The Barrens, and who knows what else is lurking out there. I didn''t know how much time I had before I was thrown into something else, so I was going to move fast. I left the conference room to start acting on my plans as soon as everything wrapped up. Elizabeth was already up and moving, making it clear she wanted to come along. Having this rank A hunter with me would not be a bad idea, as it would provide another cover for how expansive my strength that allowed me to clear a rank B dungeon more than 40 times in a day was The next target was one of the two remaining rank B dungeons in Star City, [Lion''s Den]. Magnar and other officials moved to watch the development outside the monolith as we dived. Lightning Hand and other rank A hunters that had arrived in Star City were going to test the same thing by forming multiple teams to clear the third dungeon in the City, [Bullish Arena] Multiple rank A hunters formed more than 10 teams that were filled with rank B''s in the city and the groups moved in on the dungeons. The ones heading to [Lion''s Den] would be me, Elizabeth, and a few other teams while the rest would go towards [Bullish Arena] The goal was to meet the number of times I cleared the now extinct [Mangrove Swamp] and see if it was applicable to the rest of rank B dungeons. After this was understood, the tests would be expanded for the other ranks of dungeons I was able to see the power of another rank A Hunter firsthand as Liz summoned the humongous eagle the moment we were transferred into [Lion''s Den]. The eagle had flawlessly shining dark feathers that were as sharp as knives and piercing claws that brought fear onto the monsters that began appearing We were located in a bleak grassland environment where multiple large lions were circling us. The eagle''s imposing air was holding some of them back as the woman atop the eagle laughed in that alluring tone and commanded the eagle to move forward, its outspread wings acting as sharp blades that decimated everything in sight I wasn''t going to be left behind as my figure flew to the other groups of lions that were soon blasted away with an even stronger [Frigid Impermanence] that was now boosted by two new cold specific support skills I obtained from the military inventory. [Greater Cold Penetration- Ignore the enemy''s resistance as cold skills deal increased damage] and [Cold Fire- Cold type skills attach freezing flames onto the enemy] made the already damaging skill even more destructive as any beast in its range of attack would be turned into meat and bones, with the cold spreading into the surroundings and attaching onto nearby beasts Blue flames could be seen spreading to any beasts that were in the blast area as they screamed out painfully before their bodies were frozen cold. [Lion''s Den] was an expansive space of shrubs and grassland with dens on lions here and there. We had to fly around for more than 30 minutes blasting away hordes of lions before we were faced with the impossibly large TITAN that had a glorious lions mane flowing in the wind Liz looked at me as her lips twisted up in a mischievous smile and said, "He''s all yours, let''s see how fast you can take it down" She seemed to be enjoying herself as she gave me a thumbs up while lying on her stomach atop the flying eagle to watch the show. I looked at this figure as I recalled memories from last night before I quickly shook myself out of it and focus on the matter at hand The lion instinctively felt the danger when I neared and moved back, barely evading the epicenter of the casted [Frigid Impermanence] as the freezing flames in the periphery jumped on its body. It stopped to let of a roar of pain, but it would be the last time the huge jaws opened as another [Frigid Impermanence] bloomed explosively from its head, cutting short the roar and blasting chunks of meat and brain matter into the ground I ignored the cheerful sounds of clapping behind me as I picked up the [Core]s and [Item] that dropped from the boss. We repeated this dungeon multiple times until a few hours later, on our 28th dungeon run something occurred. Throughout the runs, Liz had done nothing but summon the huge eagle that did all the work in dismembering the monsters that I began looking favorably to getting a powerful summoning skill of my own in the future so I could just sit back and watch someone else do the work for me Her eagle would have been out of commission after the first few dungeon runs as its body was littered with injuries. If it wasn''t for me casting [Guardian''s Light] after every dive thereafter, the huge eagle would have had to be de-summoned and summoned again to be back in top shape. That summoning process took more than half of all energy reserves Elizabeth had, so she would usually dive into rank B dungeons a few times a day before calling it quits She stopped being surprised at my constant casting of spells after the first few dungeon runs as her cheerful expression became more complicated. I wasn''t too worried at showing some level of my power as I was confident in myself to withstand many of the things that could come at me, and I had to stop hiding if I wanted to move further into the future The change that was occurring currently on our 28th dungeon run was our surroundings literally cracking as if they were glass. The lions in the den in front of us were disappearing as if they were dust as a green light spread out to cover the eagle and us as we disappeared from the dungeon halfway through. We were transferred to the outside world where we could see the imposing monolith with cracks all over Anyone that was remotely close to the monolith moved back as many people got the chance to witness the destruction of another dungeon for the first time in history. It looks like the other teams were doing well enough to clear the dungeon more than 12 times after my team was on our 28th run. The team that finished the dungeon for the 40th time was the trigger that caused the instability where any remaining teams in the dungeon were ejected out and the eventual destruction we just witnessed This was working proof that the theory was correct. Dungeons could be destroyed. I listened to the triumphant sounds around me as I turned my head to the woman beside me. We were both standing on top of her black eagle as the monolith exploded. I was surprised to find tears dropping from her crystal clear eyes as she watched the sight. She turned to me and talked in a serious expression for the first time since I met her "You didn''t expect to see me cry so soon?" She was wiping away the tears that kept on falling as she continued, "I don''t know if you understand the full significance of what we are doing, but for many of us, it is liberation" She looked forward at the sight of hunters hugging one another and said, "I have watched countless people die before me as I was forced to keep on going into these dungeons day in and day out. I felt like I would go crazy if I had to keep on doing this for the years to come. The only way I could cope without breaking down was to put on a happy face and keep on going" She looked back at me as she said the next words. "So thank you for making something like this happen. Thank you, and please do not stop" I watched the sight of the sorrowful girl in front of me as she tried to form a smile on her sad face before I let out a sigh and brought her head to my chest, making sure to remove the rough [Scale Armor] and place it into one of the storage rings beforehand. I didn''t particularly have strong feelings of attachment towards this person as I had only met her for a few days now Even the one night we spent together, I attributed it to just a fling from the growing interest around me. She was much more alluring than many of the women I had come across recently, but I always felt like she was putting up a face so I kept my emotions out of it. Her words repeated in my head as she sobbed. Liberation? I already made up my mind long ago for what I was doing. There were too many things I didn''t know, and much more that I didn''t understand. Even without her reminder, I would not be stopping any time soon 41 Entering a new phase With the destruction of [Lion''s Den], a new chapter was opening for humans and hunters that had been playing a game of catch up with constantly increasing dungeons. Magnar and a few of the officials that watched the implosion of the dungeon firsthand were broadcasting what they were watching to someplace and others were making phone calls After Elizabeth had collected herself, I went to the center of the destroyed monolith and picked up another crystal that looked exactly the same as the one I already had, even to the unreadable mess of words In the 27 successful times we dived in [Lion''s Den] we received many rank B [Item]s and [Skill]s, but there was no luck in anything rank A dropping. I was able to find another useful skill to add to my collection while busily running around that was called [Critical Strike-When active, skills cast thereafter have a chance to deal double the damage]. I didn''t know the percentage chance of a critical strike occurring while this was active, but I was looking forward to seeing just how much I could continue to increase my damage output. I was going to look through the rest of the skills when we had some time later and choose the ones to exchange with the military After completely destroying another rank B dungeon, there was only one more left in Star City. We went toward this last dungeon called [Bullish Arena] where even more squads led by rank A hunters were repeatedly diving in. When we arrived we were met with another empty space where a monolith used to stand, with hunters cheering in the clearing. My mind grew calm at this site. It seemed like we were finally heading in the right direction. Things would get better from here. --- In an unknown location A being draped in black was overlooking multiple transparent screens that showed complex data. The being had a sharp horn protruding from the center of its head, giving its humanoid appearance an imposing look It noticed a change on one of the screens that quickly grabbed its attention, making a motion to the underling sitting right behind the screen using a glistening three-point tipped weapon. "What happened there?" The aide behind the screen shot to attention and replied, "We began losing some of the major connections that were already established on Planet 90X in close succession" The sharp horned being looked at the screen as his eyes flashed with a piercing light as he read the data on this target and asked the aide "How many pieces do we have on standby?" There was a ruffling of some documents before a reply came, "We currently have the optimum volume ready for the descent on the next planned target" A second passed as the sharp horned man seemed to think, before a decisive command came out, "Divert the entire volume towards Planet 90X" A shocked expression rose on the aide''s face when it heard this, and asked to make sure. "Sir, is that necessary? We will be extremely restricted in our actions towards that target should anything change in the future, and redirecting this much traffic would use a lot of essence" There was a momentary silence as the screens of data in the room fluctuated, before the commanding voice came out once again, "It is abnormal to start losing connections at this stage, and in rapid succession at that. Abnormalities have to be fully eliminated. I do not want any possibility of hope for those backward natives. Do it while also accelerating the release process." A serious nod came from the aide as they adjusted parameters and redirected the coordinates. Directions were soon passed down as pieces moved into their respective positions. At another location not too far from them, there was a huge field that held beasts of all shapes and sizes as far as the eyes could see. There was an eerie quietness at the sight of these countless beasts as multiple small crystals in the field began emanating light barriers that sectioned them off into multiple groups In a short period of time, everything was assembled and ready to go. With a nod from the aide, the sharp horned man crossed his legs and sat down while closing his eyes, seemingly putting in all his focus for what was about to happen. --- I was watching the cheerful hunters when I suddenly felt a change. Even though I was still high in the sky, it felt as if the earth was vibrating. The vibrations only increased as seconds passed and everyone caught on and looked around them The earth was shaking, the air was shaking, and a strange energy filled the surroundings. An old memory resurfaced in my mind as my face began to drain of all color. This...this was what happened a year ago. Extreme unease began settling in as I recalled what I felt back then and what I was feeling now. It felt much stronger The faces of hunters soon turned into despair as they saw a familiar light cover the entirety of their sight, and explosions followed right after BOOM! BOOOM! BOOM! As if nails were being hammered onto a board, multiple monoliths smashed into the ground and took root. Noises and screams began to be heard as multiple impacts were felt around the city, with a huge one very near to where we are I opened my eyes in shock to find another dungeon monolith more than two times bigger than the ones I had been clearing smash down onto the area of the dungeon that the hunter squads just destroyed. Some hunters that were still standing nearby were crushed, not even getting a second to let out dying screams The impact blasted away those that were near as the new dungeon monolith stood erect and proud. Shocks soon turned into despair when hunters got their bearings and saw the bloody site in front of them, as well as the continuous screams that began resounding from the city The most terrifying thing of all was the fact that the huge monolith that had just struck down was blinking red. Elizabeth had slumped down on top of the black eagle, her eyes showing pits of despair as she looked at the monolith ahead of us My heart was about to lurch out of my chest as I looked at this monolith and observed the area around me. I was flying high up and had a good view of the city, but I couldn''t believe what I saw. Monoliths that seemed to represent rank B dungeons had increased by more than 6, and besides this much larger monolith that appeared near us, there was another one just like it on the periphery of the city Thoughts began to churn in my head as I didn''t even know where to move to. The blinking red monolith near us began vibrating, not even giving a second of rest. I snapped out of my stupor and rushed towards the monolith with my right hand outstretched, hoping to make it in time before what was about to happen My speed increased as I passed the hunters that were despondently looking forward on the ground as my arms neared the monolith¡­ BOOM! I was knocked back by a huge impact while I watched with shock as the monolith in front of me began to bloom like a flower. Terrifying beasts soon began to fill the surroundings as one even larger grew out ROAAAR!!! A gruttal roar resounded out as a beast shining in white fur popped out. It had the general outline of a gorilla, yet its size defied normal conventions. It''s piercing eyes opened and looked around as its mouth curled upwards and sharp teeth could be seen. There were hundreds of beasts all around that looked toward this white gorilla that held a devilish smile on its face. Its smart eyes darted around as it looked at the hunters surrounded by beasts and roared out once more. This roar acted like a signal as the beasts jumped to the nearest hunter they could find. My eyes felt like they were seeing blood as I found my body to already be rushing towards the huge TITAN. It''s dark eyes met mine, and it''s figure soon disappeared from the ground. [Danger Sense] began ringing as I turned my direction to the sky, only to be met with the newly appeared TITAN smashing its huge palm towards me PAH!!! ... 42 Death and Destruction It felt like I couldn''t breathe as my figure was forced down to the ground like a missile. BOOM! The impact stole the air from my lungs as I felt multiple parts of my body ache in excruciating pain. I had no time to think as I saw the gorilla now diving down with a fist outstretched. My body was covered in a golden glow as I cast [Guardian''s Light] and pulled away from the deep pit, the fist smashing down missing me by a second I wasted no time as I retaliated, casting [Frigid Impermanence] multiple times towards the huge beast. It seemed to instinctively evade the 5 meter cold blasts as the first two hit air, with only the third catching it while it was dodging and making contact ROAR! It called out with a furious expression as its left hand had deep red gashes with a blue freezing flame dancing on it. Fury took control of me as I kept on hearing the screams around me as more and more [Frigid Imparmanance] was cast towards the huge gorilla. It was able to evade less and less after the first hit, the cold flames permeating in its bones as more of the skills smashed onto its body The fur and skin that seemed to provide it tremendous defense were tattered and bleeding, it''s smiling expression completely gone as it looked at me in fear. My only response was more freezing blasts that smashed its body further down into the ground. I only watched as its body become more and more mangled, and soon enough there was no sound coming from the beast The area around it was still decimated from the cold explosions, but as it cleared I saw a shining [Skill Book] and glistening [Core]s on the ground. I dived down to grab what I saw as I began turning my attention to the hunters fighting the slightly smaller beasts in the background I checked the information on the skill book as I began casting [Doom Bolt] multiple times towards the monsters clashing with the hunters. It was a rank A skill called [Instant Transfer- Move to any location you can see in an instant]. It was a very straight forward skill that I learned right away while furiously flying across the skies and continuing to shoot down red lighting to any monsters I saw I couldn''t cast [Frigid Impermanence] as they would destroy the surrounding hunters too, and could only strike down with the highest damage single target skill I held. Elizabeth was already on the move along with other rank A hunters that had been clearing the rank B dungeon. They had been taking down the monsters while saving as many lower level hunters and soldiers they could I saw a hunter about to be eaten at a far off distance where I definitely wouldn''t make it there by flying. [Instant Transfer] was used for the first time as my body disappeared and reappeared next to the man about to have his head devoured. My defense skills knocked the monster back as another red streak of lightning struck its chest and blew it away The hunter thanked me while roughly breathing and I disappeared once more for another location, moving across the battlefield and taking down as many of the beasts as I could. There were mixtures of gorillas, apes, and orangutans that were 3 meters in size running around the field. Their numbers quickly dwindled as they were taken down by rank A hunters, with rank B hunters putting up a fight as well The area was soon coming to a standstill as mostly hunters remained, many injured and dead as they looked around them in fear and anguish. Friends they were talking to just a moment ago laid dead in their surroundings. After blasting remaining monsters with [Doom Bolt] I flew around casting [Guardian''s Light] to all the hunters that were badly injured and still breathing. All reservations were out the window. I cast as many skills as I could, minimizing much of the damage. I already saw the looks of hope and wonder from the gazes of high ranked hunters as I finished healing the people in the surrounding I took a second to stop in the air as I looked into the city where smoke could be seen and explosions continued to resound. The battle was still going on there, and even more casualties were occurring. I looked at the hunters below me that were either almost out of energy or looking towards the city in anger. I was already flying towards the center of the city as my voice rang out powerfully while using [War Cry], "Snap out of it and stick together, save as many as you can!" My words trailed behind me as I rushed towards the city even faster, with my brain quickly churning and giving me the idea to use [Eagle Eye] in conjunction with [Instant Transfer]. My eyes focused and moved to a position a bit over a mile away in the city where hunters were about to be overwhelmed by monsters, and my figure quickly disappeared from my current position as [Instant Transfer] was used --- Magnar was looking at the sight in front of him with fear and trepidation. Just minutes after they watched the complete breakdown of the monolith that used to be [Lion''s Den], the world began shaking...and it happened again The same as before, dungeons appeared. The newly appeared dungeons quickly flashed red and a dungeon break occurred. Monsters rushed out and he was now fighting on the front lines while trying to mitigate the damage as much as possible "PULL BACK!" He was screaming commands towards his soldiers as he saw them being overwhelmed. A large number of rank B monsters were running amok, with a huge TITAN upfront being held back by a rank A hunter that stayed behind Apprehension continued to grow in his heart as he saw more and more soldiers fall. His own power wasn''t enough to protect those he cared for. Screams continued to ring out as blood and gore followed from the claws or teeth of the beasts His breathing got rougher as he felt the low energy that remained in his body. He spent the majority of his time in the office, never exerting himself this much before. He looked at the despondent faces of his soldiers that were pushed far back, trying their best to hold on. No, he wouldn''t let it end like this "Find a chance to break through!" He screamed out another command as he moved to the front of the defense line and his body blazed in a colorful light. He absorbed the blows of two monsters as he grabbed a soldier and threw them to the back. He would save as many as he could with the strength he had left THUCK! He then felt a deep impact as something heavy pierced the armor wrapping his chest, and a metallic taste filled his lips. His soldiers screamed and tried to move in, but could come no closer as his body was surrounded by monsters, the defense line pushed further back. Magnar looked at the distorted face of the beast that had its arm in his chest as memories of a different time flashed through his mind. He felt his body slump onto the ground as the beast pulled out the hand piercing his chest and formed it into a fist before smashing down again Memories and expectations of hope for the powerful hunter that had gone towards the other side of the city some time back were repeating in his head as his clear eyes began closing. The fist rushing down was abruptly stopped as golden swords, red lightning, and a golden light began descending from the skies His eyes that were about to shut opened a bit more for the last time as he saw the hazy figure of a man materializing above them. Relief passed through him as he hoped this wasn''t an illusion, and his eyes snapped shut. The lightning and swords struck down to meet the monsters, and the light went towards him The golden light began descending on his body, but his eyes stayed shut. A second. A third. A forth light descended down, but his eyes remained closed. The destructive lightning and golden swords had reached their target on time, but the golden light did not A frenzied howl rang out in the surrounding as more golden swords and lightning flew at the bounteous groups of monsters that still surrounded the hunters 43 Dissolution In the capital of the Blessed Empire A fast-paced battle was taking place between a burly man holding a sharp spear and a large armadillo-like beast that moved at a speed not matching its body size. Around them lay shattered buildings in flames, with a huge mansion standing majestically in the background Beasts of all shapes and sizes were abundant in the surroundings as they fought with hunters to their last breath. The ferocity of the fights around the burly hunter and armadillo was at another level The sharp spear in the man''s hand shone a white light as it expanded to five meters and struck down on the hard armor of the beast. CRACK! A horrid sound was heard as the hard shell broke and meat flew out. The attacks weren''t over as the man rose up before bringing his shining spear down once more, nailing the armadillo to the ground. An instant later, an exquisite battle armor along with [Core]s appeared beside the huge beast. The man bent down and grabbed the battle armor, fitting it on his body as if it were meant for him. He stood proud with an impassive expression as he looked at the battles happening around him. The grand building behind him had been protected, and would stay that way until his last breath. There were too many important people bunkered down in that place His figure vibrated as the muscles wrapping all over his body like steel cables constricted. Only a flash could be seen as he moved and cut down any monsters that neared. He was the most famous hunter known around the world. He was Steel Mikhail --- In one of the allied countries of the United Federation. A man with glistening dark hair had his katana stabbed into the skull of a beast. All around him was a bloody mess of bodies and bones. The hunters that survived the dungeon breaks were looking at this man fearfully as he yawned and pulled the katana up He looked to the distance and saw another TITAN that was rampaging. A dark light shone from his body as he suddenly began to grow larger, until reaching 5 meters in height. He pushed on the ground with a disinterested expression as he flew towards the TITAN with the katana in hand. His large figure was wrapped in the dark light as it streaked across the sky. This was the most powerful rank A hunter in all the countries of the United Federation, The Dark Sword, Kazuhiko. --- Rage was bubbling throughout every inch of my body as [Doom Bolt]s and [Smite]s continued to be repeatedly cast. Light upon light of my greatest rank A healing skill went down towards the body of a person I had grown familiar with these past few days, and yet nothing changed I looked at the relieved expression apparent on Magnar''s face as I shook my head in sadness and disappointment. Just a second longer and¡­ I rose up with complex feelings as the soldiers that were freed from the beasts'' relentless attacks circled Magnar''s body. There was sorrow in the air as people collected themselves, but I didn''t have the time to stay. I tried to put the matter behind me for now and keep on moving. Even seconds were precious, and I couldn''t waste them wallowing. There were many more scenes in the city repeating just like this My body disappeared from this location and I continued scouring throughout the city, helping other hunters that were about to be overwhelmed and saving as many normal humans as I could. With the advent of explosions and destruction, most people had stayed in their buildings or gone underground to fearfully hide, hoping all the monsters would be gone when they came out. Some were lucky, others were killed as buildings collapsed from the beasts. Because many of the monoliths that appeared and had dungeon breaks were rank B, their bosses weren''t too much of a hassle for me to take down. In a few minutes, I was transferring in and out all over the city, following explosions and screams as I took down the BOSSes and smaller beasts, giving hunters defending the city some breathing room All they saw was a figure flash by, red lightning and golden swords descending, as well as a golden light that healed those badly injured. A moment later that figure was gone. This process carried on for another half an hour, with hunters more effectively working together to move people away from the battlefield while protecting themselves from beasts. With a majority of the rank B BOSSes taken down, I rose high above the city to check what was happening and which areas needed the most support On the south side of the City, the huge wall erected to protect it was broken down and I could see droves of beasts rushing out, with a huge TITAN standing beside the path where the monsters were leaving from. [Danger Sense] was letting me know that this beast was of the same caliber as the huge white gorilla. I defeated one, and I can definitely defeat another. My mind was still blazing with anger as I continued to use [Instant Transfer] with [Eagle Eyes] and moved closer and closer to where the monsters were leaving the city Sharp eyes seemed to have noticed me as the TITAN looked up and their body grew to become even larger. It had the shape of something that had long gone extinct and could only be learned about in history. It had large strong legs and tiny arms that were still multiple times bigger than me, while boasting a gargantuan head that held rows of sharp teeth. It seemed to resemble very closely the archaic Tyrannosaurus Rex An intelligent light flashed through its eyes as its large legs acted like a spring, pushing it off the ground and its opened jaws nearing me in an instant. [Instant Transfer] was quickly cast as I escaped before the jaws could snap down. I reappeared where its body used to be as I began spamming [Frigid Impermanence] The large body wasn''t able to dodge in the air, and two blasts hit it before it reached the ground. ROAAR!! It moved at extreme speeds as it ignored the freezing flames on its body and zigzagged towards me, evading the skills as if it knew where they would land before they were cast. The moment it neared me again I disappeared into the sky, its terrifying teeth biting nothing but air. It let out another frustrated roar as it didn''t jump this time around, it''s large jaws opening as a red light began to condense and palpitate in the center of its mouth Oh, fuck you. I didn''t let it complete it''s skill as another cold blast smashed onto its face, interrupting whatever it was trying to do and causing a huge explosion. The beasts that continued to leave through the broken wall in the city were not looking back, as if they were possessed or heeding a command. The huge Tyrannosaurus Rex had its gigantic head mangled, a few of its teeth shattered on the ground. It would get no respite from me as [Doom Bolt]s and [Frigid Impermanence] smashed onto its injured body. Each strike of red lighting left deep gashes and each explosive cold blast left freezing flames with entire areas of its body missing Its tremendous life force could not continue supporting it as it slumped down and was finally killed. [Core]s and another rank A [Skill Book] dropped, the skill being [Infernal Purge- Searing flames descend from the skies in an area of 5 meters]. I learned the skill without a thought and looked to the monsters completely ignoring me and rushing out of the city. There was much less noise and explosions as hunters continued to bring order to the city with the deaths of the TITANs, the only beasts roaming free being stranglers left behind I tested [Infernal Purge] for the first time towards the tens of monsters still rushing out the city. Dark red flames manifested in the skies and rushed down, melting anything they came in contact with. I didn''t care who was commanding the monsters to leave the city, I would just kill as many as I could. 44 Reverence I floated in the middle of the broken wall leading to the desolate Barrens that the monsters continued to rush to. [Infernal Purge] and [Frigid Impermanence] continued to fall onto them, but not a single one turned around to face me as they escaped with all their might Things began settling down until only one or two could be observed running here and there, with most of them already deep in the Barrens. I couldn''t leave the city now as I didn''t know what else would occur, and there were still rank B dungeons that were red and nearing another dungeon break Movements could be heard behind me as hunters began appearing, the first one being Elizabeth. She stood on her injured eagle that was licking the wounds all over its body as she looked at me with a complicated expression. Elizabeth approached from behind as she said, "The city is gradually being stabilized, with some teams already clearing the dungeons in the high-risk category that haven''t had a dungeon break." She was looking at me differently and speaking in a much more reserved tone than usual. I nodded as she continued, "We''re trying to get in contact with other cities of the empire, but we don''t have an estimate of deaths and which cities are still standing." She held back the pain as she said this, and I thought about her new tone towards me and the looks I had been receiving Ever since I had begun moving around the city destroying the monsters relentlessly, people began looking at me differently. This was even more so for the rank A hunters and higher-ups that saw my power first hand when I handled the TITAN and its minions from the rank A dungeon break I took the change with a calm mind as there were too many things to think about for me to worry about what other people were thinking. We waited at the portion of the destroyed wall until more hunters came and were stationed to rebuild and protect the hole leading out into the Barrens, and we went back into the city In the military sector, there was significant damage done to many areas, but there was still functionality as people in their respective positions got things going again. I knew nothing besides being a hunter, so I continued to fly over the city while using [Eagle Eyes] to catch anything I missed Four rank B dungeon monoliths were now in the city, with two in the high-risk category shining red, and two shining orange. There were already teams set up and clearing the two that were high risk, but they were still red. I thought for a bit and chose to quickly clear them a few times so that another dungeon break doesn''t occur if the clear rate was too slow In the next two hours, I dived into each of the two high-risk category dungeons three times before their color changed to light orange, gaining more [Core]s and [Skill]s. Nothing disastrous had happened while I was going in and out of the dungeon Once there were no dungeons that would have any immediate dungeon breaks, I went back to the military sector where there would be a debriefing. I ignored the thankful and reverent looks from the soldiers and hunters that I had either healed or saved and went into a huge conference room, finding the only open seat at the front center of the room, with everyone else waiting I sighed and sat down as the debriefing began. The discussion was somber this time around. We had lost much of the connections with surrounding cities and were not able to get in touch even with Blessed City. The consensus was that this occurred throughout the world, and we didn''t know the extent of the damage yet. But one thing was clear, there were now many more monsters roaming the desolate Barrens. It would be much more dangerous to pass through from one city to another, with not much hope for the people stationed on guard posts along the roads leading to and from the cities The next step was what we would do from here. When we got to this point, the room quieted and many people turned in my direction. This was what I was thinking about how to deal with before coming here. In the cities, those who held the most power would be the ones in high positions and have a large influence on the direction and lives of all the people living in it. Currently, they had seen with their own eyes that I was the strongest, and by a large gap at that, so more influence was pushed onto me. I knew my strengths and weaknesses though, and leading people was not something I was confident in. I thought for a bit and said, "All I can do is hunt down the beasts, so I will rely on the help and ideas from everyone else on matters I am not knowledgeable on." The hunters in the conference room nodded as they waited for my opinion about what we would do from now on. I continued, "The first thing is information. We need to find out which cities are still with us, and which cities still need a helping hand that haven''t already been overwhelmed." The officials in the room nodded as they began moving around busily, The issues after that were logistics about the city, its people, food and water, and many more things I didn''t know or have an ounce of knowledge on that I left to the relevant departments to take care of. After the direction was decided and the officials began to act, I went towards the melancholic Elizabeth who was standing in the corner of the conference room. I looked at the sight of this person that I didn''t know how to feel about and said, "Are you doing alright?" She looked at me and put a smile on her face as she replied, "Yeah. I just thought we were close to being done, but it looks like things are just beginning" I looked at the tired woman that seemed to be trying her best. She had lost another friend today, someone she knew much longer than I did. Magnar''s face flashed in my thoughts as I observed the sad expression on her face and replied, "Get some rest, it''ll be a new day tomorrow." She nodded her head as she looked around the room and went towards the living quarters. No other thoughts passed through my mind as I went out of the building and flew to the skies of the city once more. I looked to the destroyed buildings and people that were moving about and mourning for the losses of those they knew. My thoughts moved to something I didn''t want to imagine right now, which was the people of Outer Bank X. With the highest ranker there being rank B...I shuddered as I thought at the possible number of deaths that had occurred there and in other similar cities I continued to fly higher and higher up until the buildings seemed tiny and the outline of the city could be viewed fully by me. I would wait for the information to come out after what remains of the military acts to move their drones and other things to obtain intel, but I could still move myself and be ready for whatever might occur The immediate surrounding of the city''s walls were clear, and I couldn''t see much else in the darkness this high up even with [Eagle Eyes]. But I instinctively felt that there was something in that darkness. I stayed in the air, watching and waiting for dawn to break to see what was waiting for us in this darkness 45 Raining Flames I floated in the night sky as thoughts continued to churn in my mind. Hours went by as nothing out of the ordinary happened. When the light began to appear on the horizon, I had made a monumental decision for my actions from here on out The cover of the night was pulled away as the walled city and desolate Barrens revealed themselves to me. Far from the city, there were many moving dots that made for a terrifying sight. At the forefront of these dots were three large TITANS that moved around menacingly. More and more beasts were coming from all around to join this larger crowd as the dots kept on increasing The scene reminded me of the pictures of the horde of beasts with the large turtle in the middle that were also making its way towards the Empire, albeit the sight in front was at a smaller scale. The monumental decision I had made while I was floating in the night sky this past night was to start moving independently. As great as it was to mix around with others, it was also limiting me. I was planning on going all over the Empire to clear out the dungeons and beasts that have popped out, before going ahead and facing the incoming horde of enemies after This was me moving faster. I would start with the collection of beasts amassing themselves around this city first. My eyes were on the three moving TITANs whose figures became even clearer with the sun breaking through the horizon. One was a large bear with claws drenched in black, another was an arctic fox with white flowing fur, and the last was a white panda hoisting a sizable tree trunk on its back. I began acting while staying in the skies, starting off with multiple casts of [Infernal Purge]. The dark red flames that were terrifyingly hot rushed down towards the gathering of beasts below. --- Elizabeth was watching an alarming image of collections of monsters outside the city. What alarmed her the most was the droves of flames that were now falling down and burning everything on site She had not been able to get a wink of sleep last night, and she doubted anyone would have. They had received signals about the gathering of beasts outside the city a few hours ago and were already moving the tired hunters to fight as soon as dawn broke She came to the forefront at the destroyed portion of the wall, only for the sight in front of her to present itself. The dark flames were the first thing she saw, when she looked to where they were coming from, she saw the hazy figure of a man she soon recognized in the sky Her mind was much calmer as she saw this, and she thought about the incomprehensible power that Noah seemed to have. She had thought he was a better than average rank A and chose to let loose with him for a night just to forget about the grimness she had been dealing with all this while. It was a great time, but she felt like she really couldn''t approach this man that same way again. He just seemed too strong and intimidating currently, becoming a different person overnight She also knew herself and she didn''t think she was the type of woman that deserved someone like him. Looking at the destruction he was bringing down on beasts that they would have to spend hours fighting, she knew someone like him wouldn''t stay in one place for too long. A person of his caliber deserved somebody that wasn''t damaged, and was meant for much greater things. A sad expression passed by her face as she depreciatingly thought about this She thought of the attack yesterday as she watched the monsters outside the city howl as flames kept on falling onto them and melting their ranks clean through. That attack had occurred the moment they began destroying dungeons. Anger rose in her as she thought about this. That attack was deliberate. Their enemy was much stronger than they were, and they knew nothing about them She looked to the skies once more as she hoped. She just hoped they now had someone just as strong that would stand by their side. She was planning on staying in Star City for quite a while to take care of things that might fall apart because of the absence of a great friend of hers. He had saved her once in the past and owed a great deal to him, and yet she wasn''t even there when he died. Her wrathful heart was getting some relief as she watched three TITANs angrily rushing around the other beasts avoiding flames. They had tried jumping to reach the target in the sky, but this resulted in even more gruesome injuries as patches of their body were melted from the continued rushing flames Elizabeth looked at this ridiculous sight of three rank A BOSSes that effectively could not do a single thing to the man in the skies and thought maybe, just maybe, they would be alright. The monsters began dispersing as they couldn''t deal with the attacks coming down, and this was when another attack was introduced. Circular explosive blasts of cold elements wrecked the area where the monsters were in, blowing them to smithereens and only leaving behind blue flames With the combination of flames and these cold blasts, a majority of the beasts were destroyed or sent running. The three TITANs did not make it out alive as their bodies lay burnt and frozen in the chaotic Barrens She, along with the other hunters placed on the broken walls looked up to the figure in the sky in reverence and fear. He hadn''t come down even once, but the horde of beasts lay dead around him. --- After watching the unbelievable show of the decimation of beasts, hope rose in the hearts of many as they looked to the future. Communications were properly established and they were able to get a better grasp of the situation around them. The Empire''s capital was damaged, but still standing because of the strength of Steel Mikhail. Other cities that had rank A hunters and a multitude of rank B''s were able to bring things under control, but the deaths were in the millions for many cities, with others completely destroyed News from the United Federation was just as grim, with some countries destroyed and others turning lawless. People from all sides were living in fear as this scene from some time ago repeated itself. Something even more disastrous was a new threat that had just appeared. Besides the large horde of beasts coming towards the Empire, another had formed and was targeting the United Federation. This horde had something that made many people tremble in fear, it was a mythical beast they hadn''t seen before, a dragon. News from those that saw this beast and were still alive said it had come out of a monolith larger than any of the currently documented ones, and that it spelled destruction for the entire world When the images were first seen, the officials did not want to believe it. The dragon was not carrying out indiscriminate destruction, but occupied a few countries and declared himself King. Any hunters that dared to defy him would be killed without question. Something even more startling was that this was the first beast that was able to communicate with the humans, making commands and reformations that the occupied countries had to follow This threat was something they did not know how they could possibly deal with. Leaders were panicking with no options in sight as at this sudden development. Were their lands about to be taken over by foreign invaders? Amidst all of this, a new hero was rising above the destruction to bring a semblance of hope towards the people. Because of him, one particular city in the Empire faced the lowest number of casualties. He was a versatile mage that fought in the front lines tirelessly casting skill after skill with boundless energy. He was the peak rank A Hunter known as Noah Osmont. 46 Unshackled I observed the burning lands beneath me as the screams of beasts rang out. Whatever plans the three TITANs had to besiege the city were out of the window as every beast in their ranks fell, and eventually they themselves met their end. My defenses were a notch below these rank A BOSSes, as can be seen by how the first one I took down yesterday broke a few bones with a slap. My offensive skills could not be matched though, as the damage of rank A skills that were further boosted by support skills ravaged their defenses after just one attack. I floated down to the burning ground to pick up the [Core]s. Similar to yesterday, many of them were rank A cores as the beasts came from a rank A dungeon break. I left lower level cores aside when I was flying through the city yesterday, only grabbing and absorbing the higher-ranked ones when I stood guard in the sky the last few hours. With the death of many beasts here, as well as the large piles of cores I could see besides the three dead TITANs, I should be able to absorb enough until I reach the cap of 300 for my attributes. With the skills that provided additional attributes, mine had already broken through to the next rank after A. What was this rank? Maybe I''d be the pioneer to find out Besides the cores, I found two rank A skills and an item from the three BOSSes, the two skills being [Spear of Destiny- Dark energy manifests in the form of a spear that aims at the hearts of your enemies] and [Ultra Regeneration- As long as your heart beats and your brain is still functioning, you will not meet death]. The item was a purple armor that looked extremely sturdy called [Armament of the Commander]. I learned the skills and equipped the armor, enjoying the new feeling of safety after the hard material covered the entirety of my body. I went back towards the city after that and met many hunters that were prepared for a fight that was finished. I nodded at Elizabeth and went back with her into the military sector to listen to the updates they had received so far. The news was grim, with many deaths and some cities that couldn''t be reached. A monster that exceeded rank A had taken over countries in the United Federation, and the threat of the horde of beasts with the terrifyingly large turtle that was most likely of the same rank as the one appearing in the United Federation had its horde increased in size and was accelerating towards the Empire. I listened to all of these pieces of information and knew what I would be doing from now on. There was no time to waste, so I used my newly formed influence in the city to get many things in order. The first thing was to procure more storage rings, and I was able to find two more rank B and 3 rank C rings from the military inventory, bringing my total collection of storage rings to 5 rank c, and 3 rank B. Half of these rings would be filled with food and daily necessities as I was planning to leave the city, roam the Barrens, and give aid to any other existing cities while going towards the monster horde heading towards us. Specialized hunters from the Empire would be doing this within the next few days, but I would move out first. This responsibility did not feel that heavy on me, as the strength I had more than made up for it. I knew that my [Focus] was blank for a reason, and it wasn''t to waste it away just clearing dungeons in cities and being entertained. I made this clear to the rankers that were standing atop this city, and their expressions turned somber as they heard. Elizabeth looked at me and spoke, "We will reinforce and meet you at the outer perimeters of the Empire as things are being settled. The information shows that the horde will reach the outer perimeters in around a week" She spoke with conviction, looking straight into my eyes for the first time in a while. I nodded at her and moved along to secure other matters before I began moving. I knew the remaining hunters wouldn''t sit still as their Empire faced this enemy, but I also didn''t want to see more deaths. They would make their own choices though, and I couldn''t change that. They would focus on stabilizing the surrounding cities and making sure no more dungeon breaks occur. The consensus seemed to be that destroying dungeons completely was good, but it was to be regulated. They were horrific designs that brought them much death and pain, but they also allowed for more people to grow stronger when they were repeatedly cleared. Some would be destroyed, while others that can be comfortably cleared would be left behind. It took an entire 3 hours after this until I was ready to leave. During that time I had chosen more rank B skills from the military inventory and the ones that had dropped that I hadn''t learned yet. The newly gained skills mostly augmented my damage and defense further. They were [Greater Flame Penetration],[Burning Soul], and [Elementalist] that respectively reduced the flame resistance of enemies, seared their core with flames and caused more damage when using element-based skills. [Hard Body], [Diamond Skin], and [Elemental Mirror] all boosted my defenses even further, making my body seem out of this world with the colors and textures if I had not been keeping active skills like [Stealth] and [Shadow Veil] that hid all the iridescent colors and effects The remaining time was spent stuffing the storage rings with all sorts of meals that I had prepared, from the steaks I liked to nonperishable foods that could last me more than two weeks. After that was the somber military burial for the death of many soldiers and Vice Admirals across the city that put their lives on the line. One particular soldier being honored was Vice Admiral Magnar, his death causing a large gap that would not be filled any time soon. Once all of this was done and I was ready to go, I was met with a row of soldiers and hunters sending me off. I would meet them all again soon enough when they begin moving towards the beast horde, and didn''t know who would be lucky to come out alive from that fight Elizabeth stood at the forefront while I flew away, only telling me to be safe and wait for them before facing off against the enemy. I couldn''t begin to understand what she was thinking, and I myself didn''t have the luxury of getting emotionally sidetracked right now. Who knows, maybe after everything was over I would put in the time. I flew away from Star City and went towards the desolate Barrens where monsters roamed free. Dungeons didn''t only appear in cities, and they would be all over the land. The ones appearing outside of cities would have dungeon breaks and allow monsters to roam free. There were specialized hunter squads made to regularly hunt down monsters in the Barrens before they made their way to the walled-off cities. I would be acting as a one-man squad this time around and take down anything I come across The ultimate goal at the end of this journey was the death and loot from the ridiculously huge turtle in the middle of hundreds of thousands of beasts. All I had with me were rank A skills that were boosted multiple times with support skills being kept active at all times. Would they be enough to take down something a level higher? 47 A terrible beas Hunters all over the Empire were bracing themselves for a fight that determined their future. A horde of beasts was on their way, and Admirals scrambled to get their regiments in order after the latest attack that left many dead and injured. Enough hunters had to be moved to face the oncoming threat while also leaving enough behind to clear the newly appeared dungeons around the cities There were enemies all around, with not enough people on hand. Higher-ups of the Empire had slightly less despondent thoughts as intel regarding a particularly powerful hunter made its way to the top. The hunter had faced crowds of monsters that were about to besiege Star City and took them all down single-handedly. With the addition of top hunters like Steel Mikhail, they felt like they could still come out of this predicament in one piece Commands were quickly given as pieces began being moved. They were tired and fearful, but they would not give in. They would fight until their last breath if they had to. Cities gradually became stabilized as hunters began moving to the periphery of the Empire to meet the coming enemy --- The United Federation was in a dire state after the recent attacks. Three of its countries had already fallen into the hands of a powerful black dragon that killed anyone that defied it. The terror of this dragon was just beginning as it began making movements. It had many underlings beneath it that looked like a mixture of humans and lizards, as well as smaller reptiles that looked similar to it but had no wings. The Black Dragon''s first movement made many despair, as it commanded the human hunters that heeled under its strength to form into a force that attacked the surrounding countries. It had many beasts under its command to use, but it was mostly using humans to fight other humans for its dominion. Scenes of hunters facing each other in battles had already started, causing a sense of defeat from any parties that came out alive in these battles Both were fighting to defend the lives of the people in their countries, with one side trying to protect the millions that were already subjugated under the Black Dragon''s forces. Any dissent from them could cause the death of millions of people with just a word from the terrible beast. Leaders in the Blessed Empire were observing this situation while providing support to the United Federation for the first time in a while. Resources were spread thin as hunters had to be sent towards an impending horde to the south, others to remain to protect the Empire itself, and some to be sent towards the United Federation. If the countries there all fell under the command of the Black Dragon, the Empire would be next. --- The Dark Sword, Kazuhiko, was feeling a different emotion for the first time in a while. It wasn''t the usual apathy and disinterest that he felt even after the apocalypse occurred. He had naturally awakened and risen to become the most powerful hunter of the United Federation as time passed He had cleared dungeons, faced rank A TITANs, and done everything his teenage mind had ever dreamed of. But he was quickly bored again. Even after dungeons appeared en masse again, the rank A BOSSes from the dungeon breaks quickly fell under his sword But now, something different was occurring. His blood boiled as he saw the images of the huge Black Dragon that was making its way to the center of the United Federation. He felt like this huge beast would be a sufficient opponent for him, but he also knew his limitations. Even though he was a battle junkie, he still wanted to keep his life. The beast they were going against was a rank above his, with thousands of beasts surrounding it. This was why he was leading the hunters of the federation that would be standing against the Black Dragon and his forces He looked down on the humans that submitted to the beast''s power. Where was their pride for them to stand down so easily? A man should fight to their last breath! Even if the entire team he was leading was to be overpowered, he would not submit under the rule of beasts. He didn''t want that possibility though, as he wanted to live longer and fight many more grand battles, so he was waiting. He waited for the hunters around the nation to gather and band together. He waited for the reinforcements from the neighboring Empire. He waited for all the pieces to be moved in place before he faced off against the huge beast and its army. His heart was pounding as he stared at the image of the dragon. He couldn''t wait for the battle to start! --- Steel Mikhail laid his trusted spear down as he absorbed the information he was receiving. Their Blessed Empire had borne another powerful hunter called Noah Osmont. The information put him on top of the charts just from the exploits he had done so far. He thought about the described scene where this hunter stood against droves of beasts and took down three rank A BOSSes all by himself. Would he be able to do something similar? He required the help of other hunters stationed in the capital to take down the rank A BOSSes that had appeared because of multiple dungeon breaks. He had mages healing him and other hunters contributing to keep them busy while he dealt killing blows. Yet Noah seemed to be doing the work of multiple hunters all by himself. He withstood the attacks of a TITAN and came out alive, used highly offensive spells to take it down while also healing injured hunters he came across. He was truly powerful Mikhail wasn''t feeling any form of jealousy or envy from his title as the strongest hunter of the Empire going to someone else. He loved the land he was in and would do anything for it. Having stronger hunters was naturally a good thing. They had already received news that Noah was making his way towards the monster horde south of the Empire. This showed the man''s confidence in his strength. The Empire was also continuing to send its forces and resources to the outer perimeters to meet the beasts and reinforce this hunter. A majority of the high ranking hunters would either be going in the same direction as Noah or towards the United Federation to help with the newly risen threat that would point itself towards the Empire the moment it was left to run rampant. He would stay in the capital as its protector. He and a few other hunters would clear the rank A dungeon here, and the newly appeared ones in surrounding cities so that no dungeon breaks would continue occurring. He would be the last line of defense for the millions of people living in the Empire. That was his role. He was the protector. 48 Destroyed cities Scenes of something you wished were only in your nightmares were making themselves prevalent as I flew across the skies of the desolate Barrens. A semblance of society lay destroyed on the ground, with patches of monsters roaming free. Many of these monsters were either being led by a TITAN, or you could occasionally find a few traveling alone. Many of them were cleared after the appearance of dungeons the first time, with the occasional teams being sent whenever a dungeon appeared and a dungeon break occurred in the Barren lands After the stabilization of the cities, more hunting squads that handled these monsters would have to be sent out so that they don''t form into larger groups and begin targeting the walled-off cities. I had passed by two cities so far, cities that I had seen while driving to Star City not too long ago. Their serene atmosphere was broken as you could see destroyed buildings and smoke, but they were still standing. There were significantly more casualties in other cities that were not lucky enough to have strong hunters stationed I was forcing myself to not prioritize a city that I couldn''t keep out of my mind, as there were more cities near me where I could save more people in time. I would move at the fastest pace towards the place I awakened in, Outer Bank X The two cities I passed were still trying to clear any monsters running around inside, with a few patches of monsters slowly getting together outside the city walls. I began with the inside of the cities and sniped the monsters with [Doom Bolt]. Hunters would be chasing the beasts only to see of a flash of lightning and a charred corpse right after, looking to the skies to see my figure flashing away with [Instant Transfer] to my next target When I was met with any TITANs grouping monsters together, I cast [Spear of Destiny] towards them. A dark palpitating spear more than twice my size would form and strike down towards these large beasts, nailing them to the ground. Rank B BOSSes required two or three hits of this spear that always aimed at their chest before a bloody hole appeared, where their hearts used to be ruptured. Rank A BOSSes required well over multiple casts of [Spear of Destiny], as they instinctively felt the deadly spears headings towards them and either tried to evade or block. After their arms became a mess of flesh and bones and their mobility was reduced, the dark spears dug through the tight chest muscles until they reached their hearts. I only came across two other rank A BOSSes, adding to my collection another rank A skill and item. The skill was [Arc Lightning- A terrifying lightning that chains onto other nearby enemies strikes down] and the item was [Fairy''s Wings]. This was the first item I found that wasn''t a generic armor or weapon, but it''s effectiveness was low when it came to me. When equipped, it looked like white glowing wings of light spread out from my back. The wings allowed you to float as long as mana was supplied, and having them on increased your maneuverability and speed in the air. I didn''t need the floating function because of [Flight], but I would have them on for the boost they provide while I was flying. My speed became even faster, allowing me to reach the third city today before night fell This city was even more desolate than the last two, with a majority of it in ruins and hunters still holding off monsters. I tried [Arc Lightning] for the first time here and watched a streak of blue lightning pierce into one monster, and then it continued flying and chaining towards multiple others. In larger groups of monsters, the skill was able to chain more than 8 times to take down multiple beasts I flew around this city and cast [Guardian''s Light] towards the injured. My figure that was flying through the skies releasing golden lights while having glowing wings outstretched behind only made me stand out even more. The city and its surrounding area was cleared of monsters in no time, and I chose to spend the night here as I realized I couldn''t hunt effectively at night with the low visibility. When I took the journey to Star City last time, it had taken us the entire day from Outer Bank X to get there. Yet now, I was only halfway through to Outer Bank X as I worked to take down groups of monsters and aid the struggling cities I came across. At the same time I was clearing any dungeons that were high risk so that another dungeon break didn''t occur. After seeing the state of most hunters in the city, I also gave out the many rank B skill books, items, and cores I didn''t have need of to raise multiple rank B hunters in the past three cities that could effectively handle the new dungeons that arose I would reach Outer Bank X tomorrow, but my head was aching from what I might see when I get there. More than a day had passed since dungeons appeared en masse again, if a city was faced with strong monsters, its outcome would already be decided by now. I hoped for the best, but I prepared myself for the more than likely scenario of destruction that I might see tomorrow. I wanted to keep to myself tonight, so after flying around this third city and healing any that were badly injured, I found a destroyed building to get into to sleep for the night. I went into a high rise building that was badly damaged and found an enclosed room to stay in where I took out some of the food in my storage rings and finally ate something today while thinking about the future --- Early in the morning when dawn broke, I rose from the destroyed building and continued my way towards Outer Bank X. There was a long-distance with only the Barrens to look at before I reached the next city. The clusters of monsters were becoming more frequent as I went further out of the Empire, leaving me with a heavy heart as more of my conjectures were turning out to be true. The groups of beasts in the Barrens were only met with death as dark flames, explosive cold blasts, or chaining lightning decimated their ranks. I was releasing all of my anger onto them, but it seemed to be ever so increasing. I passed through another city that I recalled was right before Outer Bank X, and the sight did not bode well for what I would be seeing from now on. All around me was carnage, with beasts running rampant and very few survivors in sight. I looked at the city below me in anger and sadness as the bloody sight laid itself bare Lightning rained down as it chained from beast to beast, destroying anything it came across as my rage continued to build up. I was angry at the beasts, but I was also angry at myself and many others in the empire. The most powerful hunters were stationed and concentrated in the cities further inland. It seemed only natural as they held higher-ranked dungeons and they were required to clear them. Even I left Outer Bank X to go to a core defense city that held higher ranking dungeons. But this natural thing meant there were very few powerful hunters in the outer cities of the empire Nobody had ever expected dungeons to appear en masse again, but they did. With these cities having a few rank B hunters and many more lower-ranking ones, how could they handle it if a rank A dungeon appeared and a dungeon break occurred? Unless they were lucky enough for more powerful hunters to naturally awaken and take the lead in defending them, some cities faced complete destruction. Similar to the first advent of the apocalypse, many deaths will occur throughout the world until those truly powerful begin to fully mobilize. The only sliver of hope was people hiding in underground bunkers as the monsters roamed above them, only left to wait for a chance of survival. I looked at the destroyed city while taking down the beasts in the most excruciating ways possible, hoping many people were able to hide themselves and bunker down in some of the purposefully created shelters. 49 Rage against an unknown enemy The process didn''t take too long as extremely terrifying rank A skills rained down on the beasts until all that was left was charred or mangled bodies. I repeatedly used [War Cry] while flying across the skies to see if there were any people lucky enough to evade the rampage of the beasts I already observed some underground structures broken through and the people huddled inside killed, but expected some to be luckier in such a large city. A few hunters and people began rising out minutes after I began using [War Cry], fear and despair on their faces as they looked at the city they used to know The city was very large and widespread with collections of people far apart, so I gave them all a singular message. The path towards the inner cities of the empire was cleared, and they should start making their way there. I continued to increase the number of [Core]s, [Skill Book]s, and [Item]s from the many BOSSes I had been taking down on the way here, so I used my gut and chose people and hunters that seemed to hold another emotion besides fear for the beasts that did this to them. I looked for any people with rage on their faces and handed out many of the cores, skills, and items that were useless to me. This would strengthen them and make them strive to do even more I spent a few hours in this city, trying to quickly wrap up the rescue and strengthen process so I could head towards Outer Bank X. I flew with apprehension towards the old city I used to live in as I knew I would be subjected to a similar scene I reached the broken walls of Outer Bank X after another hour of killing groups of beasts roaming the Barrens, and even though I was prepared for the scenes of destruction, I still felt a pain in my chest. Similar to the city before, monsters roamed free with many people brutally dead across the city My heart felt the growing rage that I had nowhere to aim to besides the mindless beasts that continued their destruction. I wanted to find those responsible for this. I wanted to find the enemy that continued to play with us and the lives of billions. But they were nowhere to be found, only mindless beasts continuing their destruction I repeated what I did in the previous city with a heavy heart as the monsters fell to a variety of my destructive skills as I looked for any survivors in the city. The process repeated itself similarly, with thousands of people being lucky enough to hide in underground bunkers all over the city and not be found by the pursuing beasts None of the hunters I knew in this city were anywhere to be found. The confident face of the female hunter that spoke without regard passed through my mind. She was nowhere to be found. I flew around the city as I located the destroyed structure of the dilapidated apartment I used to live in. The building was half destroyed with no signs of life. Where my lodging used to be was now just air, with rubble on the ground being all that was was left of it. Emptiness that I didn''t think I could feel pervaded my body as I took my time and watched this scene I had watched so many of these scenes of death and misery that I thought I couldn''t get anymore enraged, but I was wrong. I reigned in my emotions as I passed out skill books, items, and cores to the many people remaining alive in the city while telling a similar message as before, for them to head towards the standing cities of the Empire I rose to the skies and looked at the destroyed Outer Bank X for the last time as I moved even faster, making it my goal to comb through the periphery of the Empire and destroy as many groups of beasts as I could. Another day passed and I was able to pass by a few hunter groups led by rank A hunters that were carrying out a similar mission to mine. It took a few days for the hunters to stabilize their cities and start sending out more squads to purge the beasts populating the Barrens and give aid to other cities. I could also see regiments of soldiers in huge lines of trucks carrying supplies heading straight to the defense line where the collision with the horde of monsters would soon occur I helped any hunters and people that required aid while giving out skill books to awaken even more hunters that still had the will to fight. I was killing so many monsters of lower ranks that the many rings I had were nearly filling up, making me very generous in giving away the resources I held. I would give more than half away whenever I came across regiments of soldiers led by Vice Admirals or Admirals. They would be putting their lives on the line soon enough, strengthening their ranks before this fight would still be beneficial The Blessed Empire was large, with many cities populating it, but I wasn''t moving alone in the Empire. The cities and people that could be saved were saved in the next few days, with more and more hunters congregating to the last defense line getting ready for the brutal fight I was able to take down five more rank A BOSSes while moving these past few days, providing me with an abundance of cores that brought my attributes all the way to 300 for [Vitality] and [Strength] even without putting the attributes from the support skills into account. The rank A [Focus] attributes were given to the military as I still had no use for them, the blank attribute not changing the slightest no matter how many I absorbed Three skills and two items also dropped from these rank A BOSSes, the skills being [Void Slash- Cut the area in front of you with a swing of your sword], [Expansion- Burn your energy to expand your body to its limits], and [Pain Resistance- The perception of pain in your body is dulled]. I learned the [Expansion] and [Pain Resistance] in a blink and put away [Void Slash] that I wouldn''t be using for now. I could use both of the items, one being a rank A storage ring and the other was [Emperor''s Boots], granting me a boost in speed that further enhanced my already fast [Flight] The time was quickly approaching as the horde neared the Empire, and I went towards the defense line to meet the coming enemies head-on while trying to minimize the deaths of hunters as much as possible. They had erected a wall and trenches that stretched for miles left and right where many hunter soldiers were stationed. The Empire was preparing for this horde for a while now, and the sudden appearance of new dungeons and beasts had only damaged parts of the defense line that were repaired as soon as the hunters took back control. I placed the colorful [Fairy''s Wings] into my ring as I flew towards one of the command centers. My figure put the already tense hunters on high alert, but ecstatic expressions rose on their faces as soon as they saw it was me. I had been moving across the Empire rapidly these past few days, becoming widely known as more and more of the hunters I saved moved around. I had also met with the military regiments multiple times and provided them with the loot that was filling my rings, making many of the hunters in the military excited when I neared I landed on top of the wall lined up with soldiers as I looked out to the wide expanse of Barrens before us. A horde of hundreds of thousands of beast would soon be upon us from this quiet stretch of land 50 Collision between opposing forces As hunters prepared to face the monsters with the moving landmass of a turtle at the lead in the Blessed Empire, other hunters were banding together to stand against the tyranny of the black dragon in the United Federation. With the continued aid from the Empire, a coalition of forces was created consisting of hunters from each of the nearby countries and the Empire. The person leading this coalition of hunters was the Dark Sword, Kazuhiko. His power was renowned in the United Federation and he was among the strongest hunters to take the lead against the terror of the dragon. The Black Dragon continued to propagate its forces, increasing its influence towards the surrounding countries in the span of the week. The hunters from the overtaken countries had no choice but to listen to the commands of the beast that held the lives of their loved ones in its hands. The beast would not act a majority of the time, staying behind the ranks of its crowds of monsters and only stepping in whenever a powerful hunter was making a stand. Its power was destructive and nobody could stand against it. The combination of The Dark Sword, along with other peak rank A hunters was what the forces were hoping to stand against the power of the dragon. Only time will tell, as the two forces neared one another. A collision between the coalition of hunters and beasts was imminent. --- On the defense line at the outer periphery of the empire. A hunter was holding a long staff as he looked at the scene around him. To his left and right were rows of hunters holding mage staffs similar to his and even more holding exquisite bows in their hands. Below him were even more hunters holding a variety of shields, swords, and other close combat weapons. They were ready to put their lives on the line for the beasts that were coming. His hand that was holding the staff was trembling as he began to feel the ground beneath him to do the same. Dust was quickly rising on the horizon, signaling the coming of the monsters. The trembling hunter turned his head towards one of the command centers where he could see the powerful hunters of the empire congregating. Standing on the lead of these hunters was a man with dark hair and a radiant fair complexion. His body donned an ethereal purple armor that vaunted strength. He stood at the forefront, overlooking the walls and the people with an expression that seemed to give off conviction. The trembling weapon in the hunter''s hands settled just a little at this scene. He knew this hunter that assured the fears of many of the people here. His regiment was about to be overtaken by a pack of beasts led by a rank A TITAN on their way here, and this man appeared out of nowhere with powerful skills that took care of the beasts that were about to take their lives as if it was nothing. It was this strength that gave many hunters hope of seeing the next day in one piece The dust on the horizon continued to grow larger as more small dots could be seen with the naked eye. As time passed, the small dots could be seen getting larger and larger at every step. The hunters were prepared, those with long-ranged weapons and spells protected on top of the makeshift walls, with hunters hoisting large shields and broadswords moving forward to meet the incoming enemy. The horde of beasts was becoming clear in the eyes of the hunters as a conglomeration of all types of beasts became apparent. From apes to lions, all the way to extremely oversized poisonous toads, they were all rushing towards them with eyes filled with bloodlust. Their hearts became firm as they prepared to clash with the waves of monsters. Noah Osmont, the hunter that many people were placing their hopes on, rose in the air as the beasts neared. Other hunters with flying summons also filled the skies as a huge black eagle could be seen not too far away, a famous hunter was also seen with their signature white pegasus, and even more hunters with bats or other winged beasts appeared Skills were prepared as everybody felt their energy bubbling at full capacity. Much of the horde was now visible, and to the far back was a hideously misshapen turtle that had green pulsating spikes poking out of its hard shell. Its size seemed larger than 20 meters as it took world-shaking steps towards the crowd of humans in front of it, each of its steps shaking the land Noah acted first as a cry rang out from him, invigorating the hunters all around and easing their fears. His hand rose to the skies as a long staff appeared pointing forward. Multiple five-meter circles came to light in the air, dark red flames spurting out towards the incoming beasts as [Infernal Purge] was cast. The circles increased exponentially as time passed, making the skies above the beasts look hellish as the flames flew down towards them Hunters saw this destructive power coming from their side and cheered, their spirits lifted as they prepared skills of their own. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Chaos had begun as the flames reached down and burnt everything they touched. At the same time, blue streaks of lightning were shooting down, traveling through ranks of monsters as if they were connected by a rope. [Arc Lightning] was also being continuously cast towards the coming beasts as they began falling in droves from the skills of just one hunter ROAAAR! A thundering sound was heard as the TITAN of a turtle spread its wide jaws open...and a green pillar of energy shot out towards the hunter causing such destruction. ZOOM! The green pillar of energy hit the air as hunters scrambled to move aside, Noah''s figure disappearing from where it was and appearing even closer to the horde of beasts as other skills were cast. Immense dark spears began to form around him as [Spear of Destiny] was also used, when a drastic change occurred! An alarmed expression rose from Noah''s face as people began to feel another source of power that wasn''t coming from the turtle come to light. Something shot through the skies at extreme speeds towards the figure of Noah, smashing into him in less than a second. BOOM! It felt like the skies had cracked as multiple defense skills were destroyed. Noah''s body was knocked quite a distance back as it came to stabilize in the air. A grisly wound was on his body as only a mass of wriggling flesh could be seen protruding from his right shoulder. His entire right arm was gone! A pained expression rose from him as multiple golden lights began to descend and [Ultra Regeneration] was cast multiple times. The beast that had appeared in front of Noah had a humanoid appearance, but with wings and a stinger that shone in a piercing light coming from its body. It seemed like a grotesque mixture of a humanoid mosquito as it raised its sharp stinger upwards in an unnatural manner and licked the blood and flesh coming off of it. It was only two meters in size, but its power felt no less than the turtle moving on the ground 51 Not one, but two! I felt such an intense level of pain that I would have blacked out if I didn''t have [Pain Resistance] activated. While I was targeting the enormous moving landmass of a beast below, something else that was moving in the dark almost took my life. Were it not for the many defense skills like [Diamond Skin], [Hard Body], [Golden Halo], and many more that layered my body at all times, it might not be only an arm I was missing The pain was increasing as [Ultra Regeneration] and [Guardian''s Light] continued to fall onto my body and regenerate my arm at a quick pace. The formation of bones and muscle was excruciating, and I could only focus on flying and using [Instant Transfer] against the beast that began moving towards me again The hunters with flying beasts on our side had met with their opponents in the skies, and there was nobody else to lend a hand as everyone had their hands full. I kept my eyes on this grotesque mosquito that moved at quick speeds, dodging the stinger coming towards me by a hair''s breadth each time as I waited to move my focus from the regenerating arm and retaliate with my own skills BOOM! BOOM! I was under huge pressure as green beams of light continued to come out of the wide jaws of the turtle and decimate the area around me. It had focused its attacks on me and continued throwing them out as the stinger of the mosquito continued to try and pierce me once more. [Frigid Impermanence] was not hitting the target in front of me as it moved too fast, the moment the skill was casted it would be at another position. My arm finally finished regenerating as I felt the movements of my fingers again, and my full focus was placed on the fast moving enemy while evading the poisonous green blasts coming from below. Multiple dark spears surrounded me as I casted [Spear of Destiny] multiple times and [Miniature Tornado]es appeared all around me to reduce the movements of this beast. The rough winds affected its flight as it relentlessly tried to get near me, and the game of cat mouse while dodging poisonous lasers resumed in the skies --- Lightning Hand was putting his entire focus onto the enemies around him as he faced two rank B TITANs. He was swinging a large war hammer that danced with lightning, each swing causing tendrils of blue electricity to smash onto nearby enemies and push them back He swung his hammer onto the head of one of the two TITANs as his face looked to the skies where a deadly battle was taking place. The forces of the beast horde on the ground was in all out war with hunters, with Admirals and those in high positions screaming out commands for the hunters every second Large groups of hunters holding tower shields were holding back the onslaught of beasts while powerful skills were casted towards them. Balls of fire, sharp wind blades, and flaming rocks flew towards the ranks of monsters trying to break through the defenses The rank A hunters were in charge of holding back any TITANs that appeared so the defense line does not get broken through. Their job was crucial as even one position that was lost would cause tons of casualties. He swung his war hammer to the remaining TITAN near him as its head burst in the shock of lightning and he moved towards an even bigger BOSS that was making its way to the defense line A huge black eagle got to this large beast first, its sharp talons shredding the defenses of the beast as it used its feathers as sharp swords to wound it. A roar came out of Lightning Hand''s mouth as [Herald of Lightning] was casted, his hammer emanating wild power as balls of lightning flew forward with his swing, smashing onto the chest of the TITAN and knocking it back. The black eagle swooped in with its wide wings and dealt the killing blow, decapitating the head of the injured beast Lightning Hand breathed roughly as he nodded at the figure of the golden haired woman on this eagle as they both moved towards other locations on the battlefield, their eyes occasionally looking up to the terrifying sight of tornadoes, beams of green light, and dark spears that were being thrown around in the skies. Their fights were dangerous, but nothing as brutal as what the man in the center of attacks of two beasts higher than rank A was facing --- Steel Mikhail was about to enter a bright orange monolith that represented a rank A dungeon in a neighboring city near the Empire''s capital. His team was waiting for him when he turned around and looked to the south. There were only clear blue skies, but he felt that something of great significance had begun over there. His heart began pounding when he thought of the beast surpassing rank A that hunters might now be facing. He wanted to be at the center himself, but his strength was better suited to prevent dungeon breaks across the Empire. This dungeon was already their third one today that they were called to. If they weren''t here, then they didn''t have to wait for the beasts to come from the outside to reap the lives of their people. He reaffirmed his belief as he wished the best of the fight occuring in the south as he and his team placed their hands on the glowing monolith and disappeared. --- The game of chase continued in the air as the grotesque mosquito continued to dodge the rushing spears and explosive blasts of cold elements as it maneuvered around the rapidly rotating winds of [Miniature Tornado] I had to evade and dodge the strikes of the enemy in the air while also avoiding the poisonous blasts from the TITAN of a beast on the ground. My energy was still just as boundless though, my spells continuing to be thrown out while the speed the grotesque mosquito was slowing down %@#\u0026#!!! It let out a grating howl as its frustration reached the peak and its body began glowing in a green light. My skills continued to rain down on the beast to prevent whatever it was trying to do. The green light surrounding its body became denser as it became faster and came at me with much more vigor. I thought about how I could get an attack to hit this beast as I watched it speed towards me The only time it stopped moving even for an instant was when it attacked my body for the first time. My heart raced as a wild idea spread and I recklessly implemented it as I saw the stinger come towards me again. Time seemed to slow down as I shifted my body sideways but did not dodge completely, the stinger piercing through the right side of my stomach as my hands reached out to grab a hold of the beast which had its needle-like appendage lodged in my body briefly. Three dark pulsating spears penetrated the body of the insect in front of me as a destructive blast of ice elements bloomed between us and blew both of us apart BOOM! I was prepared for the shock, [Guardian''s Light] and [Ultra Regeneration] already being casted multiple times as I looked at the injured insect that leaked green puss all over its body. It was wobbling in the air as it began to pull itself down towards the humongous spiked turtle below, which seemed to have become enraged as more then three blasts of poisonous green beams were shot towards me 52 The Sword Master Yet, he saw the faces of terrified hunters that were putting their lives on the line and hesitated. These were the hunters whose countries fell under the tyranny of the Black Dragon and were forced to fight on the front lines of the war that continued to be waged He looked down on the weak wills of these hunters and wanted to go back to the simpler times when he would cut down monsters without batting an eye. But it was human beings standing opposite him this time, making his blade hesitate. He didn''t like this feeling. He understood their reasons, but that still wouldn''t stop him from looking down on them. He was frustrated as he thought about what he should do while he watched the messy fight playing out, and the reptiles standing on two feet in the far back of the battle field. They looked like a mixture of humans and lizards, having the humanoid figure with scaly skin and a thick tail coming out from behind. They held jagged blades on their hands as they struck down deserters and any hunters standing against them The excited smile returned to Kazuhiko''s face as he looked at these monsters that looked strong, especially the larger dragon-man hybrid commanding them in the back. His katana was pulsating, ready to go, and he made his choice. He would strike down anything that stood against him, but he''ll be softer on the enemies from the same species as him. He would try his best not to make critical strikes that would take their lives, and at most incapacitate them. But as for those beasts...his mouth curved up delightfully as his blade vibrated and he disappeared A nearby hunter was knocked out cold and fell down with a thump, and a lizard man''s head flew off as [Blade Dance] was activated. This was a rank A skill he had come across months back, and was one that he loved using the most. His figure moved across the battlefield as he carried out a dance between a man and a sword. He felt the rush as his body moved in an elegant fashion while serrating the necks of his enemies. Everywhere he passed, blood flowed The lizardmen only saw a flash before their heads left their bodies and the hunters felt a deep impact that knocked them out cold. In the chaotic battlefield, a surprising scene unfolded where an entire field of more than 10 meters went silent, blood was gushing in the air as only a single man stood in the middle, rejoicing as the [Blade Dance] finished The unexpected emptiness caught the eyes of one of the beasts'' commander, a huge lizard that looked closer to a komodo dragon as it moved across. A long forked tongue slid out of its mouth as it sensed everything around it, it''s blazing eyes honing in on the only human smiling joyfully where his brethren lay dead. Someone dared to stand against them?! Its thick legs smacked the ground as the jaws that could tear the skies snapped towards Kazuhiko. Kazuhiko looked at this large figure barreling down on him as his blood pumped. ''Yes! Yes! Yes!!!" This was what he wanted! This was a fight! Dark light enveloped him as his body expanded more than twice his size, the katana he was holding now looking more like a knife. With a wicked smile, [Dominator''s Sword Wave] was casted as his katana became enveloped in a dark light and he collided with the large beast SWISH! An uncomfortable sound reverberated throughout the battlefield as Kazuhiko appeared behind the sizable beast and his figure began reducing to normal. The beast wasn''t making a sound as its body was separated cleanly in half, all that it left behind being a corpse, clusters of sparkling cores, and a skill book The ecstatic hunter put the loot away as he found himself the center of attention in the huge battle field where forces of the United Federation were going against the army of the Black Dragon and its subjugated hunters. With the reinforcement of forces from the Blessed Empire, they pushed back the opposing hunters and made the beasts, their true enemies, join the fight. The consensus among the hunters in the battle field was to target the beasts and not each other, as they were all fighting for the same thing. One side didn''t want the deaths of their countrymen that were under the rule of the Black Dragon, the others wanted to save their people from the terror of the same beast. Yet, there were no good options! Uness the Black Dragon was killed, they had to fight. But who can take down such a terrifying beast? Kazuhiko wasn''t phased by the attention, and wanted more of it in fact from the upper ranks of these beasts. He looked to the infuriated lizards that were rushing towards him as he thought, ''Just how many of your kin do I have to kill before you come out?'' He wanted to face off against the beast that hunters found themselves hopeless against. He wanted a fight with that winged lizard that kept on flaunting its authority. He might meet his death, but so what? A man has to live a thrilling life! The reckless Kazuhiko continued his onslaught of the beasts, only wishing for the main event to come sooner... --- The war continued on multiple fronts. In the chaotic battlefield with the horde of beasts led by not just one, but two monsters surpassing rank A, a deadly fight continued. A retreating and heavily injured beast was rushing from the skies and heading to a lower altitude while trying to evade the onslaught of dark spears and lightning. It''s wings had taken injuries that affected its speed, causing more attacks to land on its body. The problem was, these attacks were endless! The oversized mosquito looked at the terrifying man above it as it grew enraged at the state it was in. She was a queen that had many subjects bowing their heads to. She was someone that held tremendous power and ruled over millions. Now she was forced to come down to some unknown world and be thrashed around like this?! She had no time to think as she continued evading the damaging attacks and focused on regaining her mobility. She went down towards the stupid Mephitic Turtle to gain some respite from the enemy''s attacks, but she didn''t know if she would make it there in time. She hated the situation she was in, she hated those bastards that were forcing her to do this. As for this human, just how could someone this powerful exist in such a small world? Her fear reached an all time high as she saw the enemy continue to evade the venomous blasts and rush towards her with endlessly dangerous attacks. She gritted her maxillae as her innate power activated once again and she rushed towards the coming enemy. It will either be my death, or yours. 53 Interminable Energy The air around me trembled from the amount of skills that continued to rush down towards the retreating beast. Dark spears filled the air and arcs of lightning were dancing about, just waiting to jump on the figure of the grotesque mosquito the moment it faltered It''s injuries increased as more and more attacks were able to land, and it screamed indignantly before stopping its retreat and coming towards me, its body emanating a dangerous light. Good, come! I accounted for many possibilities as I continued to cast [Spear of Destiny] and [Arc Lightning] towards the beast. The moment the impact was about to occur, I activated [Instant Transfer] and disappeared from its sight, materializing right behind it where I released multiple [Frigid Impermanence] casts BOOM! BOOM! The impact rocked the skies as I continued to cast more skills towards the insect. Not a second was given though, as I felt the full impact of the poisonous green light smash into me, dying my entire body a dark shade of green as blisters began to form on my skin. The turtle had aimed for the moment I let out killer blows against the insect to throw its poisonous attacks My rapidly decaying skin started to become normal again as [Guardian''s Light] and [Ultra Regeneration] were activated multiple times. I continued to dodge the remaining incoming pillars of poison as I looked at the body of the insect. Only a thin exoskeleton was left, but it was still hanging on! I let out a furious howl at this immense vitality of the beast and rained more dark spears down on it. The spears rushed into the emaciated figure and stabbed in every possible position, turning the insect into a porcupine. I finished it all off with a [Frigid Impermanence] that blasted apart any muscle or bones still holding its body together, causing an explosion of [Core]s and a golden glowing [Skill Book] to appear in the skies. The cores quickly disappeared into one of my storage rings as I grabbed the skill book and brought it to my chest. The attacks from below had increased in frequency and took all of my attention in order not to get blasted again. The skill book whose name I couldn''t even get a chance to read transformed into particles of light that flew inside my body, something new appearing among the skills in the panel ROAAR!!! The huge beast below was fully enraged after seeing the death of its compatriot and let out a thundering roar that stopped the movements of the many beasts in the battle field. The beasts, whether grounded or on the skies, all turned their eyes in my location with heavy bloodlust apparent. The flying beasts abandoned any hunters they were fighting against and swooped towards me in the skies Some hunters got a brief respite and looked at my figure worryingly, but could not even get near me unless they wanted to be blasted to death by the neverending pillars of green light still flying toward me. I could see an injured black eagle heading towards my direction that I sternly shook my head to. I had countless spells I could continue casting and was nowhere close to being done. The addition of a few hundred beasts around me would only delay the death of this remaining TITAN I looked to the enormous green turtle in the distance while evading the attacks it sent my way and used [Instant Transfer] to a position right above it. The transfer gave me a few seconds where I checked my panel to see what the new skill entailed [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 300+30] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 300+40] [Skill(s): [F][E][D](C-Arcanist''s Sphere of Protection-100) (C-Camouflage-100) (C-Aura of Haste-100)(C-Explosive Rune-100)(C-Life Essence-100) (C-Increased Penetration-100) (C-Regeneration-100) (C-Whirlwind-95) (C-Smite-100) (C-Gracefulness-100) (C-Precision-100) (C-Adamant-100) (C-Sharpen-100)(C-War Cry-100) (C-Retaliation-100)(C-Kings Rage-100)(C-Military Tactics-100) (C-Unpredictable-100) (C-Elemental Damage-100)(B-Giant''s Strength-100) (B-Stealth-100) (B-Miniature Tornado-100)(B-Golden Halo-100)(B-Doom Bolt-100) (B-Lightfoot-88)(B-Windrider-88)(B-Rigorous-88)(B-Shadow Veil-87)(B-Wild Heart-87)(B-Emboldened Ferocity-68)(B-Eagle Eyes-56)(B-Greater Cold Penetration-55)(B-Cold Fire-55)(B-Greater Flame Penetration-34)(B-Burning Soul-34)(B-Elementalist-34)(B-HardBody-34) (B-Diamond Skin-34)(B-Elemental Mirror-34)(A-Flight-71)(A-Frigid Impermanence-88)(A-Instant Transfer-55)(A-Infernal Purge-64)(A-Ultra Regeneration-29)(A-Spear of Destiny-37)(A-Arc Lightning-23) (A-Expansion-3)(A-Pain Resistance-11)(S-Volcanic Eruption-1)] [Equipment: (6x C-Ring of Storage)(3x B-Ring of Storage) (B-Adept Staff)(B-Dual Coated Boots)(B-Striking Cap)(A-Fairy''s Wings)(A-Armament of the Commander)(A-Emperor''s Boots)(A-Ring of Storage)] [Volcanic Eruption], S rank...I looked at the details of the terrifying skill as my heart palpitated at the thought of it. My figure evaded the venomous blasts that had found my position once more as I looked at the beast below me. Its large figure soon absconded my sight as crowds of flying beasts neared me. I looked to the darkening skies of the beasts as a devilish smile couldn''t help but appear on my face, you all are fucked. --- A worrying scene was carrying itself out in the eyes of Elizabeth. A single man was moving through the skies dodging dangerous blasts of green light while thousands of beasts flocked towards him White wings of light were outstretched from his back as he stood in the air, the picture imprinting itself on the minds of all the people here for years to come. An eccentric painter could spend a lifetime making a piece of art that wouldn''t be able to describe what they were seeing The picture of the converging beasts in the air and the noxious turtle blasting attacks from the ground was coming to a stand still as the man rose his hands and winds of erratic energy began to leak out The whole world seemed like it was shaking as a gruttal voice rang out of the battlefield "VOLCANIC ERUPTION!!!" It felt like the skies had shattered, and a thundering sound boomed out as a transparent outline of a large mountain appeared in the skies. The peak of the mountain that should have been pointing up was facing down towards the beasts below, thick smoke coming out of it as it began to rumble and shake the air around it Childish laughter rang out from Noah as the rumbling heightened, and a wondrous eruption occurred! BOOOOM! As if the end of the world was here, the translucent mountain in the sky spit out volleys of apocalyptic magma and flames. The rupture lets out molten masses of earth that spread out to cover all the beasts surrounding Noah. If the magma did not melt them away, hot gasses and ferocious flames jumped out to grab their lives Elizabeth stood atop her eagle with her mouth wide open as she watched this scene. All the winged beasts that were anywhere near Noah when he casted the skill below him were decimated. The overflowing magma spiraled down from the sky and washed over the beasts on the ground below, wails and shrieks ringing out as if a scene from hell was playing itself out The humongous turtle''s shell shined a dense green light as the molten rocks and extremely scorching gasses and flames reached it. Its large head and limbs quickly retracted into its body as the attack thundered down BOOM! The green blinding light pervaded the surroundings as the beast withstood the skill with its extreme defenses, but great damage could be seen on its bubbling hard shell as the scene calmed down. It roared indignantly in the air as its limbs and head flailed out, having taken a pink color after being subjugated to the thermogenic earth and flames The area around it was completely laid to waste with no other beast but it left standing. The hunters that were fighting for their lives looked at this scene in stupefaction. The beasts they were fighting against trembled in fear as they saw droves of others like them wiped out in a blink. No words could be said as silence reigned supreme in the battle field 54 Stupefied Amidst all the chaos and war occurring all over the world, there was a small piece of land in a dense forest not too far from the Empire and the United Federation. In this piece of land existed a small village of less than one hundred people The village seemed full of life as plots of lands were glowing a vibrant green and a few animals could be seen being herded into a farm. A clear spring was flowing through the village providing clean water for the happily playing children A game of tag was currently happening, and the giggles in the area came to a stop when one of the children fell down and scraped their knee. The boy had small tears forming in his eyes as he bit his lips and tried keeping his mouth closed A sweet laughter rang out as a young woman walked from the distance and bent down towards the boy, her hands releasing a white light as they neared the scraped knee. In a few seconds, the scrape disappeared and the boy rose up full of energy once more, completely forgetting what just happened as he went running again "Thank you, Sister Sophia!" The boy left his thanks as he went back to his groups of friends, leaving the young woman to pick up her bucket of water and continue heading to the clear stream. The woman was in her late teen years, showing a head full of white hair that flowed down to her back. She had white and tender skin with crystal blue eyes that seemed to smile to anyone who looked at them She had reached the stream and was putting in some water when there was a change in the air. Her blue eyes underwent a transformation and became blank white as a bland voice different from her own escaped her lips [...A pivotal moment is approaching¡­preparations are nearly complete...] The change didn''t last too long, and the girl''s eyes turned blue again as she continued with her task. A bewildered look had appeared on her face before it quickly changed to understanding as she placed the bucket above her head, dirtying her clear white hair as she moved towards one of the plots of farms. The small isolated village had a transparent blue screen covering the area all around it. It was common knowledge that nothing could come into the village, and the villagers themselves could not venture out. It seemed like a small self sustainable paradise that would not be tainted by the horrors of the world --- One man above, a colossal turtle below. The turtle was roaring in fury to the skies as it looked at the small human that had a calm expression on his face. Destruction of this scale was only possible when a being used the entirety of their energy and potential. This fight was over. The human would stand no chance after this It had observed the extravagant amount of energy and attacks the human had thrown out. Even if he were of the same rank as he was, he should be running out of energy. Especially after that horrendous attack that nearly tore through his hard shell The Mephitic Turtle would not let the human recover as it decided to use its full primessence to release the deadliest attack and obliterate the figure above it. It had already used up more than half of its essence trying to snipe this enemy away all this time, but most of his attacks missed, or even if they hit they weren''t too effective as the human quickly healed himself. This human was the only threat in this battlefield. The rest of the ants struggling in front of it were nothing in his eyes, and just his body would be enough to crush them. After he was finished with them, he would meet with that fearsome guy that he could already sense the aura of and finish their assignment here. Maybe after all of this was over they would be given some freedom. It shook itself out of its reverie and focused on finishing the task at hand It''s limbs sunk into the earth as it absorbed any energy around it, its head facing up and unnaturally opening its jaws so wide that it seemed his head was split in half. At the center of his opened jaws, a dark green ball of light began to condense and grew bigger by the second Its power was unnerving as the Mephitic Turtle tried to balance the destructive energies while accumulating even more. It looked at this fearsome human that had put up such a strenuous fight and took down the Insect Queen. It would remember that calm fac- CRACK!...CRACK!...CRACK! Its eyes drained of all color as sounds as if the sky was breaking rang out again. In the air, three rumbling mountains similar to the one from before had appeared. The temperature rose to extreme degrees at the appearance of these transparent mountains, as people who thought they couldn''t be any more shocked became astounded at the incredulous sight in the sky The Mephitic Turtle trembled as it saw the three rumbling mountains cover its eyesight. H-how was this possible? How was this possible?! Nobody should have this level of energy! Unless...unless¡­! It looked at the figure in the sky in fear The blast it was preparing in its wide opened jaws dissipated as a croaking voice left its jaws "...Wait..!" BOOOOOM!!! The skies cried and the earth rumbled. Molten rocks and gaseous winds ravaged the field as any living thing remotely close was turned to ash. The hunters that were very far from the center of the beast horde were pushed back by the hot winds as the beasts they were engaging ran around disorderly The destruction continued for the next few seconds as volcanic ash covered the sight of everything around it --- Noah looked at the devastation below him and saw the glistening piles of [Core]s and a golden [Skill Book] in the field of flowing molten earth besides the mangled body of the turtle. The cores and skill book floated atop the lava unharmed. He laughed at the sight of destruction he had caused and used [Instant Transfer] to go down and grab the loot. He was thinking about just how far he had grown after he took down these beasts. He could feel his mindset changing ever since he witnessed the destruction they caused at a large scale, and the confidence he felt now after taking down two of the most powerful beasts he had come across. He reminded himself that confidence was good, but to be careful not to get in over his head. He neared the loot on the ground when a piercing pain suddenly struck his head similarly to some time before It wasn''t as bad this time as he stabilized himself and placed the cores and book in his storage ring as he rose into the air again. The headache subsided and he opened his eyes, only to see it wasn''t the scene of destruction he was in a moment before. He was in a blank white room, where a single blue hexagonal prism was slowly spinning in the center. His eyes moved around him as he realized he could see, but couldn''t find any part of his body in this place. There were three distinct smaller white rooms attached to the main one he was in where blurry figures of light could be made out. One of the rooms held a figure of a burly man weakly shining with a golden light, another held a thin figure who only had a wild smile visible, and the last room had a small figure with long white hair that seemed to emanate extreme warmth A voice rang out as he looked around confused [Hello] 55 A succinct introduction I looked at the rotating hexagonal prism in the blank room as I could feel my heart that wasn''t physically in this space start pounding. I heard the bland voice that called out the greeting in my head as I looked away from the smaller three rooms and replied, "What, err, who are you and where am I?" [I am...well, that is not consequential at the moment. You are in an isolated space where we can converse for the next minute. There is still a matter you have to finish before we can start the next phase of plans] I absorbed the words ringing out as I thought and asked, "What matter do I have to take care of first?" [The being plaguing the lands you call the United Federation. Its death would spell the dissolution of the enemy''s plans, the regaining of control, and the beginning of our retaliation] Enemies? Retaliation? My non existent heart was beating rapidly as I thought about all of this and asked one more thing before the scene in front of me disappeared. "Why did you pull me into this space?" The voice was quiet for a second before the static reply came out, [Besides telling you of the next direction you need to hurry to, it is to prepare you for the addition to the system of power that will occur with the death of the last major beast. You hold the most essence currently, so you will be the most affected. The next point to keep in mind is that the real fight will not be fought here, do not become complacent because of the level of strength of your current enemies.] The words rang out clearly, and I could even feel a semblance of emotion from the static tone near the end. I was about to speak once more but the scene began fading from my sight. The voice rang out for the last time [Be sure to save the reckless child] --- I opened my eyes once more, this time finding myself on the skies of the battlefield. The ground beneath me was still filled with thick smoke and burning rocks, with much of the beast horde decimated I placed my hand on my chest to feel my actual body as I recalled the sensation of not having any limbs or body in the blank space a moment ago. I had to wrap up and hurry to the United Federation to take down another one of these beasts, and after that...I should be able to get more answers Retaliation...my blood felt like it was boiling as I thought of the possibility of getting back against the enemies that tormented us so much. To get there though, there was still another beast to take care of! Before finishing the battle and cleaning up the thousands of beasts that were now without a leader, I pulled out the skill book I placed in my ring and read the description The skill was [Summon Virulent Abomination- A horrid monstrosity that only leaves destruction at its wake stands by your side] The skill was one of the very few summon skills I had come across, and I was excited to see just what type of beast would come out of a rank S skill. I looked to the thousands of panicking beasts below me as I watched the golden skill book become absorbed into my body and I casted [Summon Virulent Abomination] for the first time A large malachite runic circle appeared and began expanding in the sky, releasing a flash of blinding green light as a terrible beast appeared. It had a thick layer of visible muscles wrapping all over its large body. Dark green wings that looked similarly to a bat ruptured out of its back as pus leaked out. It looked like a very muscly, fat, and bloated humanoid that was more than five meters large. It stood imposingly in the air, the large and grotesque wings keeping it afloat as it howled out ROAR! The thundering shout that seemed to scream an arrival blasted throughout the battlefield. I looked at this piece of work as I let out a command in my thoughts, and the beast disappeared from my sight It had reached the groups of beasts on the ground in an instant, its large wings leaving gusts of wind and rotten smell. BOOM! It landed with a tremendous impact that bloodied all the beast nearby as it continued moving at a speed even faster than my current speed while using [Flight]. It jumped into the middle of the next group of thousands of beasts as its body contracted...before an eruption of toxic green gas pervedaded outwards for an area of more than ten meters, melting away anything standing into puddles of pus no matter what rank they were The grotesque summon continued to move across the battlefield unhindered as it ripped apart any groups of monsters standing in its way. It was so fast and efficient that the clear rate I had when taking down beasts before then could not even compare It didn''t matter if the beasts were rank C or A, when its noxious gas spread out from its body or it spun around using its wings as blades, everything fell down I looked at this horrible beast as it spread its terror across the battlefield and...I wanted another one. I was shocked at the power and strength of these two rank S skills I had just gained. The first one caused a literal fucking volcanic eruption that decimated anything within an area of twenty five meters, and this lovable poisonous summon continued to rip apart any monsters it came across as if they were paper I could only summon one, but my heart was palpitating at the idea of summoning things just as terrifying and just watching them do all the work I shook myself out of my dreams as I flew down towards the defense line where the hunters were still taking care of the remaining beasts and lent my aid. When I was close enough to the ground I could hear the shouts of cheering and happiness as skills continued to fly in the air A woman on a black eagle had the brightest smile on her face as the beast she stood on flew down to help the hunters below. A man whose body coiled with lightning was swinging around a large hammer as boisterous laughs came out from him I looked at all of this as I rained down more skills to take care of any remaining stragglers near the defense line as I let my newly gained summon continue its rampage behind us on the beasts that were currently running away It was decimating them with such ease that I wondered how it would fare if we fought against another one of these rank S beasts right now. I didn''t have too much time on hand, so after I saw the crowds of monsters thinning out and the hunters below breathing easy, I went towards Elizabeth to relay a message. I couldn''t afford to revel in the victory right now, and had to begin rushing to the United Federation in an instant I was wondering about this reckless hunter that gained the recognition of whoever that being was and whether they had anything closely similar to my power. 56 Pressed for time There weren''t too many losses of hunters and soldiers on the battlefield because of the continuous support of high ranking hunters, and the fact that I took the focus and attention of the two most powerful beasts the entire time Healing mages were tending to the injured and government squads specialized for resource retrieval were going around the field collecting cores, skill books, and items. The poisonous summon had finished decimating the ranks of beasts after a while, and the only thing left on the other half of the battlefield were areas of molten rocks that were still bubbling with heat and corpses of corroded beasts I told Elizabeth that I was going to rush towards the United Federation, and was met with shock as she asked me, "Are you not exhausted?!" I laughed at this very normal question and chose not to answer as I gave my acknowledgement to Lightning Hand and the other officials at the command center. Before leaving, I asked for the country where the battle against the Black Dragon was currently taking place, and the intelligence officials gave me the coordinates of the country that was called King''s Harbor. I knew the general direction to fly to so that I could get there the quickest time possible, but having the actual coordinates on my phone tremendously helped. I looked at the blue dotted location and how far I was as I itched to begin my journey right away. Even flying at my top speed, I didn''t know how many hours it would take for me to get there. Would I make it on time before thousands continued to lose their lives? I told Elizabeth to relay my words as I flew off from the command center and landed on the large neck of the poisonous summon. The rolling muscles on its neck felt like stones as I sat down on it, commanding to see if it can stop emitting the noxious fumes coming off its body as I could already see my skin turning an unhealthy shade of green The beast complied and its imposing air reduced while I casted [Guardian''s Light] multiple times to remove the negative effects and completely heal my body. I saw that this rank S summon was much faster that my [Flight] skill, so it would be my mode of transportation towards the United Federation Its extended bat wings vibrated as we disappeared in the air, quickly speeding towards a whole other battle field --- Kazuhiko had pulled back from the battlefield while letting out rough breaths. He had gone on a rampage and taken down many rank A and B BOSSes, but the beast he wanted to fight had yet to appear He was running low on mana after rushing about these past few hours that he forced himself to come out of the battlefield and recuperate his energy. He wanted to live freely and fight all day long, but his body betrayed him He had to get stronger. Much stronger until he could fight day and night without feeling exhausted When he finished killing another beast and felt the state of his body though, he called another rank A hero to take over his position as he moved to the back. He didn''t want to face the Black Dragon like this and die a meaningless death with no thrill of battle His katana laid on his lap as he stroked it and closed his eyes. He would regain his fighting power first, before going for another bout that would surely call forth the terrible beast --- An enormous beast was slumbering in the middle of a huge forest surrounded by large trees that seemed like small twigs compared to its body. The beast had a voluminous layer of dark scales spreading throughout its body, with beautiful wings what were tucked in and a long spiked tail moving about behind it A thrumming sound could be heard as the beast showed a painful expression on its face, before dark smoke covered its body as it began to reduce in size. Rumblings rang out as the dark smoke proliferated the area, and soon enough a new figure was standing in the forest It now had an appearance of a human male, seemingly in his 50s. He had tanned dark skin, and a pulsating scar could be seen on his chest. This was the Black Dragon that currently had his forces waging war on the countries of the United Federation. He had willingly chosen to descend to this lower world after making a deal for the independence of his Dukedom. As long as he was successful in this endeavor, his people would be free from persecution He felt bad for the natives of this planet, as he was doing the same thing that was done to them not too far back. But he had to do this. His people continued to suffer every day, and he wanted some relief for them. He will bear the burden for the deaths of these other beings, but he had to complete his end of the deal, and hope that they do the same. Someone of his level coming down to this lower world had its drawbacks, especially because those assholes chose not to provide the essence required to descend and he had to use his own. This caused an injury that was taking some time to recover from. It was why he wasn''t able to move as freely after his descent, and had to depend on his subordinates and other demi-humans to increase his influence He had changed to this human form to more easily control the energies in his body with the advent of this injury. It would only take a few more days to heal, and he should be back to his peak rank S strength. When that time comes, he would steel his powerful heart and make them all submit, or face death. Emotions had to be kept out of the picture. He was doing this for his people, his daughter, for himself. He would pity what was about to happen to these natives, but that was it. More than half a day had passed since he received updates that a powerful human was standing against them and had caused the deaths of many of his subordinates, but he didn''t want to move again until more of his injuries were healed. He was about to check in on the progress of his forces when an aura of someone he had felt after he descended dissappeared. Not too long after, another aura seemed to also fade away in a blink. He became perplexed as he closed his eyes and spread out his energy, but still couldn''t feel the auras What had happened? It was much easier to sense those of the same level as you on planets like these, so he was aware of the two familiar auras that were also here. But now, both of them were gone His perplexity turned to somberness as he could not understand why, but an impossible idea had rooted itself in his head as black smoke roiled out and he went back to his dragon form. His healing would have to be pushed back, he needed to see what was going on 57 Faster The Black Dragon flew through the skies and neared the large battlefield where many beings were dying every minute. His arrival spread fear to many of the hunters below as the large figure''s shadow passed above their heads He circled the skies of the battlefield and checked on the progress of the fight and saw his forces gradually being pushed back. He snorted as he flew back and landed near one of his generals, asking for the updates The war was at a stalemate until one human began rampaging and taking out the leaders of his quadrants. They could only surround this human in groups and tire him out, but many deaths occured because of him He had not been seen in the field for a few hours, when he popped up a few hours later, went on another killing spree, and then disappeared again. This was why their forces were being pushed back currently Hmph, just one human thinks they can change the course of things right now? The dragon thought disdainfully as he recalled the remaining kingdom where humans were still widespread back in his world The kingdom was one of the few still resisting, but just like everyone else who submitted, they would fall in time. The only reason they were still standing was because of their geographic location that allowed for prolonged battles But the humans on this planet? They were far too weak The dragon rose in the air once more as he shouted commands and made his way into the field of battle once again. Pity for the lower natives was placed aside as he saw the deaths that continued to occur on both sides If he kills them and breaks their wills in totality, he would reduce many more future deaths that will occur because of prolonged battles. He would put aside his injury and go all out, showing them a taste of true strength so this fight can end faster for both sides. --- Kazuhiko had just gotten the word that the Black Dragon had circled around the battlefield a few minutes back. He got up from the location he was recuperating in as he excitedly stood up and rushed out The beast had come at a perfect time when he was almost finished recovering his mana. This meant he would get to fight this monster with his full strength! His excited body moved to the front of the battlefield as his katana was pulled out. He listened to the woes and screams of the battles as his blood pumped and he looked to the skies They were clear and blue, with the light dimming as dusk was setting in. His blade cut down any beasts he neared as he kept his focus in the sky, waiting expectantly for the figure of the large beast to show itself He didn''t wait too long as a majestic beast appeared in the skies, its wide wings outstretched as a roar escaped its dangerous jaws. The ground below it became hectic as its forces were bolstered and fought back harder Kazuhiko became excited at this sight and his body began ballooning twice his normal size. He put strength in his legs and like a string, shot up into the sky towards the large flying reptile [Dominator''s Sword Wave] was casted as his katana began to glow and released a destructive wave towards the right wing of the dragon. The instant he neared, the dragon seemed to have sensed him in the air and shifted its body at a great speed, the large wings that were parallel to the ground suddenly shifted upwards, and [Dominator''s Sword Wave] was evaded The world slowed down as the dragon''s piercing eyes looked at this human that had a wild look in his eyes as he fell down towards the ground. Kazuhiko''s body that had lost its momentum smashed into the ground, his face still turned up to the skies as he was falling down. The dragon that had evaded its strike turned its head down and was now diving towards him He let out a laugh as his katana began glowing again, ready to release another attack as soon as the dragon neared. But, the dragon''s dive was stopped prematurely as its wings spread out and it floated in their air, its wide jaws opening instead [Dragon''s Breath] made its appearance for the first time in this world VROOM!!! The field rumbled as roiling flames spread out from the wide jaws of the dragon like a fan and struck the ground. Any beast or hunter that was remotely near the breath disintegrated Kazuhiko''s figure couldn''t be seen on the ground. The dragon used its sharp senses and felt another sword wave coming from the sky. The hunter striking down had a devilish expression as he forced every ounce of strength from his body The moment he had felt the heat emanating from the dragon''s jaws, he had sprung up in the air even faster than the first time, the breath barely missing him as he rose in the air and unleashed his attacks when he was going down [Dominator''s Sword Wave] finally landed on the back of the hard scales of the dragon. DING! Like metal striking on metal, an unpleasant sound came out as only a white scratch could be seen on the dragon''s back. Kazuhiko was shocked at this level of defense as his face turned serious and he landed on the back of the dragon A furious roar came out from the beast as it felt the puny human stepping on its body, and it began rolling in the air as its wide wings provided a rotational force Kazuhiko held on to the hard scales as the dragon rolled in the air, swinging his katana and trying to damage the beast''s body as much as possible. [Blade Dance] was casted as he let go of the scale he was holding on and moved beautifully in the direction the dragon was rotating in. Countless white scratches appeared on the dragon''s body as his dance propelled him to use the force the dragon was making into his own use His adrenaline rushed as he laughed in the air, for he was doing something that made him truly thrilled. He was dancing in the air with a dragon! The white scratches started to become dents with every swing of his sword, and he felt like he would soon see the blood spill out of this dragon''s body if he kept going Seeing the human still holding on and even sullying his powerful body, the dragon stopped rolling in the air as black smoke covered it entirely. A second later, the large body completely disappeared as a human figure stood in the air "Impetuous!" A loud shout came out of the dragon in human form as it casted [Esoteric Energy Manipulation], forming a transparent fly swatter in the air that smashed into the body of the shocked Kazuhiko SLAP! Like a speeding bullet, the hunter''s figure smashed into the ground in less than a second. The impact was gruesome, taking away the hopes of many hunters that were watching The Dark Sword battle the dragon The beast in human form stood majestically in the sky at it used its ability again, this time forming a wide transparent spear with a sharp edge that rushed down to where the unbridled hunter was Kazuhiko laid on the ground, feeling a few bones broken as he saw the enormous spear covering his entire view. So, he actually wasn''t strong enough to stand against this beast! A devilish smile came back on his face as his bloodied mouth let out painful laughs. It was a good fight. If he was weak and meant to die, he would face it head on The bloodied laugh rang out as the immense transparent spear came down. A rushing rank A hunter and those ranked lower filled in to the burnt surroundings and performed their skills, aiming them towards this spear to slow its descent as the smell of despair spread out in the surroundings There was a flash of green light as the spear thundered down and drowned the laughs of the man about to face his death 58 Inundation I The scene in front of me was so messy I couldn''t even begin to describe it. The battlefield coming to my view was ten times as deadlier as the one I just rushed from. An entire half a day was spent with me speeding through the skies atop my first summon The summon was truly great, as it didn''t tire at all these past 12 hours. Thats right, 12 hours I had been riding the beast across the skies. Every part of my body felt tired and cramped. I passed through the entirety of the empire and entered the border between the two countries more than four hours ago After that I passed by the new lands in the United Federation. They were only blurry lines that I passed by, so I didn''t get to enjoy any new sights or see how the people here were living I only pulled out my phone after every hour to check how much closer I was to the coordinates I had gained another level of confidence after learning these two new rank S skills, especially this summon that I didn''t fully know the bounds of its strength yet. With its rapid flying speed, we reached the battlefield where forces of the united federation were battling with thousands of beasts The first scene that I saw was a humungous transparent spear rushing down towards a figure on the ground that was actually laughing at the incoming strike. His body seemed heavily injured and he couldn''t move, but I still felt amazed at the man''s attitude as death neared him I recalled the words of the mysterious being that pulled me into that space while feeling the strength of the humanoid figure that was standing in the air. It was the most powerful thing I could sense in this field, so it made me wonder if it was the target I was looking for I would put all that aside and act first though, as I moved to save the man that was actually laughing at the face of death. He seemed to fit the description of reckless that the mysterious being mentioned I detached myself from the body of my summon as I commanded it to block the spear with its full strength while I casted [Guardian''s Light] towards the injured figure on the ground BOOM! A loud impact resounded as we fully appeared in the battlefield, grabbing the attention of most of the stronger forces as the five meter abomination came into view Its steeled green muscles were shining in the light as it completely dispersed the heavy spear that was rushing down. The hunter on the ground let his laughs out easier as he stopped bleeding from the advent of [Guardian''s Light] and looked at my summon and I with great interest I looked back at his figure that was standing up and asked just to be sure, "Is that thing up there the Black Dragon?" There was a pause as he seemed shocked at my nonchalant tone, before he answered and said, "Yeah, that''s him" I nodded as I placed my full attention towards the humanoid figure in the skies that was letting out ferocious power without even moving My summon had come back to my side in case I was to meet another beast that was too fast for me to notice. I was becoming confident, but I didn''t want to be hit with deadly attacks that I could prevent The figure in the sky looked to me as it spoke "More and more of you just come out like cockroaches" It had a furious expression as it said this, and I wondered just what had the man below done to anger the beast this much "Yeah sorry about that, I had an aim to save somebody and stop the rampage of a dragon, and it seems like I''ve completed one and now I have to move on to the other" Silence prevailed as my words seemed to have hit a nerve. The humanoid figure didn''t reply as it used a skill and multiple transparent weapons began appearing in the air. The weapons ranged from spears, swords, hammers, and even...fly swatters? They continued forming until they blocked the sky I was amazed at this type of skill as I sent a command to my summon and used [War Cry] towards the surrounding hunters "Move away from this area immediately, or you might lose your life!" My voice thundered throughout the area as hunters scrambled away at the sight of the numerous sizable weapons that appeared in the sky My Virulent Abomination spread its wings out wide as it disappeared and flew towards the dragon. A noxious blast erupted from it the moment it neared, dying the transparent weapons green. The weapons still in the air began to crack and disappear at a speed visible to the naked eye as the dragon was pushed back from the blast and looked over at my summon in shock I was expectantly watching as I waited to see the power of this rank S summon, and how it fared against a genuine rank S monster. ROAR! A loud howl resounded from the figure as black smoke roiled out and it quickly changed into the form of a huge Black Dragon. I looked at this figure in awe as the spiked hand of the Virulent Abomination neared and smashed into it, pushing the figure towards the ground. It really was a beast that was at another level, as it fell down briefly before rough winds flew out and it rushed in the skies towards the summon Its wide jaws opened as a jet of flames colored the sky crimson, the fast strike directly impacting the Virulent Abomination. When the flames ended, the summon in the sky had its wings torn but still as lively as ever Without the support of wings, it began falling until it smashed into the ground, releasing a howl towards the dragon in the air as noxious gas erupted all around it Watching the summon withstand the extreme heat of a rank S beast''s attack, a smile bloomed on my face. I watched its ruptured wings and raised my hands towards it, causing it to explode in a puddle of venomous blast as everything around it melted The hunters had long since disappeared from the nearby area, only the stupidly courageous hunter that was laughing on the face of death being visible not to far off He was holding tight a sharp katana in his hands as his eyes watched the ongoing battle with rapt attention The moment the Virulent Abomination on the ground exploded, a malachite runic circle appeared in the skies as I casted [Summon Virulent Abomination] once more A second passed as a brand new beast appeared from the runic circle, its wide bat wings and large green body as good as new. This confirmed the conjecture that only one could be summoned at a time, and I found another useful method of attacking as I recalled the dangerous blast the old abomination released as it exploded when I summoned another one The dragon looked at our two figures with a deadly glare as it spoke "I''ve played around with you fools long enough." 59 Inundation II I looked to the newly appeared human and the winged creature it was commanding. These natives actually had someone of this level of strength, surprising me even more. The human that had dirtied my scales was about to die, only for this one to swoop in and save him in the last minute. The issue was that this new one actually posed a threat to me. Well, his beast did anyways I had brought myself to the point of empathizing with the creatures of this world because of the similarity of events they were going through, but that was the wrong choice. If I wanted to be successful in my goal in this small world, I had to be ruthless. I have my own people to worry about. With that being said, I would take care of this threat in front of me first My injury should not flare up as long as I do not completely go all out, so I started by casting my ability, Draconic Summoning. The usual ferocious winged half dragons filled the air, their numbers growing to 100 in a blink. These would be used to keep the vile summoned creature at bay while I take down its master. That was the fastest solution after all I commanded the half dragons to attack, and the winged creature went towards them at high speed. It was powerful enough that a single strike from it melted through the body of my summons, and it released a poisonous gas that spread out and melted more than 20 of the half dragons in a blink I became even more serious seeing this, and I realized I only had a few seconds to make my move against the human. If he dies, the creature dies with him. My wings vibrated as I converged the wind elements around me and my body disappeared from my location, shooting towards the human in the distance I passed the position in the sky where the poisonous creature was fighting against my summons, and knew victory was in sight as the creature would never catch up to me before I can take down its master It was truly vile, as it had nearly taken down almost all the half dragons, but the few seconds it bought me was enough. My chest rumbled as I let out another one of my fiery breaths towards the figure of the human VOOM! I felt an impact and left no room for mistake as I formed multiple pillars of purple lightning that also crashed wide at the location of the figure When the explosion cleared, a surprising sight presented itself. What?! The green creature was the one that could be seen at the point of impact. I was nearing its position so that I could finish off its master, but I met it instead. I tried pulling back as its poison was very powerful, but didn''t succeed in time as the creature exploded BOOM! Ugh. Green smoke covered my body as I was pushed back. The creature had self destructed and left me some breathing room, but it didn''t last for long as another one exactly like it appeared in the air once more Fucking come on! I was becoming furious at the large pool of mana the human seemed to have as my senses tracked him to a position far behind me. He must have escaped my breath and summoned the creature where he was so he could have it self destruct and wound me. If I didn''t watch myself in this fight, I might actually come out on the losing end. I wasn''t too worried though as my strong life essence had already pushed out the poison that was attached to my body. Also, with the reckless way this human was using his energy to summon and unsummon his creature, he would run out soon enough and become my prey. To handle the newly appeared creature that was coming towards me, I reinforced my body with multiple mana barriers. This was a dragon''s strength that many beings dreaded Dragons had nearly boundless mana pools and an expert use of the mana around them, making it nearly impossible for someone of the same level to take them on. It would be the same against this human Do you really think your mana reserves would match mine? The barriers stacked all over my body as my claws felt the impact against the winged abomination. Every one of its strikes destroyed some of the barriers protecting me, but I supplied the mana and restored them right after The creature could actually match my speed as its strikes became more ferocious in the sky. Every few seconds, it would release a noxious blast of gas that almost teared apart all the barriers I had The human watched the battle with rapt attention in the sky, meaning the summoning of this beast should be his most powerful skill. But how many more times can you summon it after I destroy this one? My body increased its size as my strengthened tail whipped out and smashed into the poisonous creature. The sharp spikes pierced through its hard muscles, and the creature clutched onto me as it exploded BOOM! Significant damage was taken from this blast, but I would heal from it in a few minutes. I looked up to the human to see if he had the reserves to summon another one of those creatures, but he stood still with a calm expression and rose his right hand towards me Brilliant light covered my body as I healed the injuries and pushed out the poison at a fast pace as I prepared for the human''s last ditch attack. No matter how calm he looked, I knew he was only putting up a brave front Come on. Bring your last attack. Let me withstand it and show you the terror of a genuine Black Dragon right after Rumbling ensued in our surroundings as I felt a surge of energy from all corners around me. Energy that was in no way lower to my conflagrant breath condensed above and below me, and to my left and right Transparent outlines of shifting mountains appeared as they rumbled and the heat increased to an alarming degree with me at the center "Okay what-" BOOM!!! Suffocation. That was all I felt as I continued to cast multiple energy barriers that continued to be shredded the moment they were created. Thick magma was assaulting me from both sides, the high temperatures searing my scales the moment I didn''t replace the barriers fast enough I felt extreme pain as the injury in my chest flared up and made the situation even worse. Huff. Huff. Huff. I released bated breaths as the decimation around me cleared. Half of my body was charred as I looked to the human above me in fear. I could help but let out a scream "What the hell are you?!" This thing, this being, he definitely wasn''t human! "Now that, is just insulting" His same nonchalant reply came out, making the gears in my mind spin faster as I thought of options out of this "Don''t start thinking too much, here''s some more" He disregarded me as his arm stayed in the air, multiple rumblings resounding as transparent volcanoes formed around me once more and a green circle that brought to light the poisonous beast shined out I looked at the sight in front of me in trepidation as I wondered, just what the hell had I gotten myself into?! 60 Mercy? Hunters and beasts overlooking the battlefield had moved away from each other as they watched the apocalyptic scene A majestic dragon was being cornered and showered with an abundance of unbelievably destructive spells. At the same time, a grotesque beast was pouncing on the dragon and shredding the scales on its body to a bleeding mess as its poison spread The dragon crushed to the ground as one of its wings had been torn. Spurts of flames blew out of its mouth as the energy around it bubbled. The grotesque beast ignored all of this as it continued to rain attacks on the body of the dragon, its body releasing noxious blasts of gas every now and then. The strong body of the dragon gradually could not endure and a voice was heard "Please¡­" --- My voice was low, but it was aimed at a specific person in the skies. My energy reserves were at the lowest as this horrendous creature continued its relentless attacks. The wound I incurred as I desced down had flared up and was causing me to not be able to focus. I repeated again "Please, stop." We were of the same positions. Our lands were invaded and taken over, our people forced to submit and pioneer other worlds. I just wanted to make things a bit better for my people. The man looked down at me coldly. His summon had stopped ravaging me for this instant. "Do you know how many people you and your forces have killed?" I turned somber as I heard this question "I know, but our hands were forced." We really were backed into a corner. I couldn''t even bear the treatment that the royal family was receiving, how much worse would it be for the commoners? "No. Your actions are your own responsibility" The man shook his head as if I were wasting his time. I had to try harder if I wanted to come of this alive. My brain was working overtime as I tried to find a way out of this "The beings that sent me here, they will send more once they know of my failure. I can work with you to fight off the ones that come in the future." Right. Any sane person would want help for droves of coming enemies. Even if I had to heel under somebody''s else''s boots, I could at least survive for the time being. I waited with ragged breaths as I looked to the human in the skies Only two words rang out. "No thanks." Two words that spelled my end. My emotions churned as I saw the poisonous creature lunge towards me again. Anger. Frustration. Despair. That was all I felt. Why?! Why did things have to go this way for us? Enslaved or killed, we couldn''t change our fates! My defenses could no longer withstand the creature''s strikes. I couldn''t form anymore mana barriers around me. My reserves were depleted. In a few seconds, my right wing was torn off. The excruciating pain actually dulled as I fell down deeper into despair. I''m sorry everyone. I wasn''t able to do it. I looked to the forces of half dragons and dragonoid creatures behind me that were madly screaming and leaving behind any reservations to try and save me, but it would all be for naught My left wing was then torn off. I could only use my tail and claws to block the strikes of the poisonous creature, but it''s poison had already spread throughout my body, dwindling my strength even further Bated breaths came out as my life force neared its end. I looked at the unexplainable human in the sky as a few thoughts passed before the darkness came. Would he be able to lead his people to a different path? I would never be able to know the answer, as the world that had been going in slow motion resumed, and the relentless beast continued pounding me My vision blurred, and my eyes closed to meet the eternal darkness. --- I looked to the screeching beasts that watched their boss be torn to pieces by the Virulent Abomination. A moment after the dragon''s death, the world had began shaking I recalled the mysterious being''s words as I commanded my summon to focus its rampage on the thousands of beasts rushing about in the battlefield An uncomfortable feeling like a wound that was healing had begun spreading throughout my body as the world started shaking. I went to the ground to grab the cores and what seemed like a skill book that dropped while I observed the changes around me. The world''s energy seemed to be bubbling and I heard the mysterious voice once more, this time more clearly, without any headaches [The hardest part is done, leave the rest to me. Do not resist the addition to the system of power that is occuring. When it is complete, you will have a multitude of options for your direction of strength] I nodded my head towards this mysterious voice as it mentioned things I didn''t completely understand. I was expectantly waiting for the revenge the voice mentioned after this. The enemies behind this, if they sent their forces here, it meant that I would be going to where they were to have a possibility of revenge. So, where were they hiding? Vengeful emotions rose from my calmness as I recalled the pain I wanted those enemies to feel. I didn''t spare the dragon, no matter what words he was saying, and I wouldn''t spare any of them either. The changes around us increased as the Virulent Abomination continued to decimate the forces of the beasts around the battlefield The small uncomfortable feeling I felt gradually intensified, and I stayed in the air as I waited for the changes to finish, and the surprises that would come thereafter --- Kazuhiko was baffled at the level of strength that the newly appeared hunter displayed as he battled the dragon. He had thought his own strength was great, but he was completely wrong His eyes shined as he looked towards this strong figure. If his memory did not fail him, this was the fast rising hunter called Noah Osmont from the Blessed Empire. The hunter had thrashed the terrible dragon like it was nothing, casting skills he never thought were possible. That was the strength he wanted, that was the goal he had to reach! --- In an unknown space, a mysterious hexagonal prism was spinning rapidly. It seemed to be working overtime as it controlled the energies of everything around it to bend down to its wishes. It felt violated when foreign invaders came and woke it from its slumber. It watched powerlessly as masses of its people were massacred. But it was young, and it learnt fast. It began by making drastic decisions that beings like it would normally never do It chose a few champions to stand against the invaders, and one of these champions was given a privilege that most knowledgeable beings in the universe would be shocked to hear But this mysterious being felt like it still wasn''t enough. So it was defying expectations and bending the rules once more to create a function that would make it''s champions even stronger Essence was furiously being absorbed and used as a plain blue box that was showing blank attributes, skills, and equipment was getting a new addition right below it. Most of this essence came from this being''s own reserves, with the rest coming from deaths of the many beasts that continued to meet their grisly ends even now. The death of the final S rank beast gave enough essence to accelerate this process This new addition flickered in and out of existence, almost as if there was a restriction preventing it from coming to life. It felt as if it was something that should not be allowed to appear The addition gradually became more and more stable as it could clearly be made out. Blue words shined brightly at the bottom of the base of the panel. They read, [Skill Combination] 61 An upgrade The world retained its calmness. I didn''t know how much time had passed, but I came to with my body feeling somewhat lighter than it was before. I wondered what had changed as I looked around me and saw hunters looking around in a confused manner while my summon continued its rampage. I observed the blue boxed panel in the corner of my eye to see if there were any changes there. Nearly everything seemed the same, with exactly one simple change that was shining blue at the bottom of the panel [Skill Combination- Combine skills of the same rank to bring out unknown power. Compatibility is the key. Limited to skills at 100 proficiency.] I blanked out for a second after reading the description of this newly appearing function. I then looked at the multitude of skills in my panel that had all reached 100 as I began to feel excited I thought I had grown powerful enough, but with this, I can go even further. I had been rushing about the entire time this past week and currently felt mentally exhausted, and I was planning to relax the next few days I didn''t get another message or voice after defeating the dragon, making me assume that the system addition of [Skill Combination] which the mysterious voice was talking about had taken a toll on it, and it would take some time before it approached me again I was planning on slowly learning about this new function, which skills were compatible to combine, and what they become after the combination. Ideas were already mixing in my head that I couldn''t wait to try I left my Virulent Abomination to continue clearing the thousands of beasts that had yet to run away as I moved from my position in the air to heal the many injured hunters around the battlefield I could feel the eyes of the hunter I saved watching me very closely as I moved, but I ignored it for now. I was curious about him too as he was deemed important enough by the mysterious voice to be saved, and I was even more sure of it being him after recalling one of the figures I saw in the three smaller rooms. That smirk on his face very closely resembled what I saw Clearing the battlefield took a significant amount of time as two hours quickly passed. Hunters that were standing on opposing sides helped one another as squads were made to go clear the remaining countries that the dragon had occupied With its death, the powerful rank A hunters could easily work together to take down the lower ranked beasts and save their people The hunter that was watching me closely approached me as I was healing an injured soldier on the ground "Noah Osmont, right? Thank you for saving my life." I turned to look at the man with dark hair that had a confident smile on his face. "Not a problem, it was something I felt obligated to do. You are?" I was replying as I healed the hunters around us. After a certain point, they just brought more and more injured people where I was, which I found to be easier than running around looking for them myself "Kazuhiko, or most commonly known as the Dark Sword." The person and the face clicked as I remembered the famous hunter that stood atop everyone else in the United Federation "The most powerful hunter in the United Federation huh? Thanks for holding down the beast until I made it in time" He scoffed as he heard this "Hah, what most powerful hunter. If I took that title, then what are you supposed to be?" I smiled when he mentioned this, and Kazuhiko continued "I admire your strength. I only heard very few things about you, but didn''t think you were so overpowered to such an extent. Is it your inherent skill, or is there another secret to your strength?" He really couldn''t hide his aims as he asked this so blatantly, and I replied by telling him it was my inherent skill. His shoulders slumped for a moment before quickly coming up again as he talked to himself "That''s okay, it just means there is someone stronger than me that I can look forward to surpassing!" The katana by his side seemed to vibrate as he said this, and I just listened while I finished healing the last hunter. After this, Kazuhiko pulled me aside while boisterously saying that after a hard fought battle, we had to go enjoy ourselves. I was feeling exhausted and hungry after all this time and chose to go along The Virulent Abomination had finished chasing down all nearby beasts and ripping them apart, so I unsummoned it far in the distance and watched it explode while releasing noxious gas for the last time. I wondered if I would find any compatible S rank skills in the future to combine and make this beast even stronger High ranking hunters and officials took the lead to clear everything around the battlefield as Kazuhiko took me further inland. We bypassed the walled defenses and arrived to a large military compound not too far off from where the fighting was occuring Kazuhiko walked in as if he owned the place and said a few things to the soldiers there, and we were soon seated in a dining area with drinks and foods being brought in every minute An entire half a day of flying on the back of my poisonous summon and the constant fights these past weeks had exhausted me more than I thought as I enjoyed the ever so increasing feast in front of me Foods that I''ve never tried before made their way into my mouth. There was a platter of something called Yakitori that I couldn''t get enough of. Another one that I truly enjoyed was something that Kazuhiko called Sukiyaki, it was an enormous pot that had the softest stew of beef and vegetables I enjoyed the food and company to say the least, listening to the boisterous hunter talk about his journey to the peak of rank A. My main focus was the food as I half heartedly listened to the stories Kazuhiko seemed like a good guy. From the way he talked, he looked like that friend that always seemed to have a screw loose but was holding it in and staying sane. He always took the initiative to talk and ask me questions, making it his goal to try and understand everything about me Talking to him gave me a reminder of just how drastically my life had changed from just a few weeks ago When a plate of food called Takoyaki came, my entire attention was stolen away as I found myself devouring the round balls filled with octupus and I don''t know what else in a blink and calling out to the soldier delivering the plates to bring out even more of them The day passed like this as I enjoyed food I hadn''t had before. 62 Relaxation After the many meals came and empty plates left, the food that unceasingly went into my stomach came to a stop. I was lying on my back staring at the ceiling as I thought about this peace I could really only achieve after having an amazing meal. Worries of the future faded away. The constant anger cooled down, and it felt like a much needed rest period had come It didn''t last long as Kazuhiko shattered this peace in an instant by loudly flinging the door open. He had left a couple of minutes back to I don''t even know where, and now he came back as noisy as ever "We''ve had the food, now we ought to have some fun!" The hunter loudly barged in while bringing more than ten barely dressed women inside the room. I groaned at this sight as I really just wanted to sleep after eating so much today. How did he even get these women in this war zone so quickly anyways? I rose up and watched the figures pouring into the room. Well, as much as I wanted to rest, I would be a good guest and follow the lead of the host. --- Night passed and dawn came. I had woken up and walked out to a small courtyard that had a brightly shining pond with a few fish. I sat down in the courtyard as I enjoyed this environment of calmness. Early that morning, I was able to get in contact with the people back in the Blessed Empire. Elizabeth was the point of contact, and for some odd reason I felt guilty when I read the huge text update she had sent. Much of the beasts had been taken care of back in the Empire, with many of the people quickly adapting to the new function they saw on their attribute panels Kazuhiko had spent an entire hour on this yesterday questioning me if I had anything to do with this, as the change had occurred the moment the dragon fell. I denied everything for the time being and waited to hear again from the mysterious being that was taking its time The main takeaway for the new [Skill Combination] function was that it was extremely useful for veteran hunters. Your proficiency had to first reach 100 for any of the skills you wanted to combine, and they had to have compatibility. Very few hunters were able to even match the first requirement, not to mention finding two skills compatible with each other. So even after half a day passed since this new function was founded, they still didn''t have much information on it I thought about the many skills I had that had already reached 100 proficiency as I wanted to start trying for myself, with the lower ranked skills as the first test I finished reading the huge bubble of a text, with the major thing I had to take note of being the request of my presence back in the empire to be awarded an influential position and many more things I didn''t become overly excited at this, as I had undergone way too many things these past few weeks that made me have a different outlook on the world. Life was extremely fleeting. I had watched many people die, and saved countless more, but I still felt that something was missing. Even the anger I felt towards enemies I have yet to ascertain or the revenge the mysterious being had promised didn''t fill whatever was missing Since there was nothing pressing occuring in the Empire, with the dungeons being taken care of by the high ranking hunters and things on the path to being stabilized, I would stay and tour the places in the United Federation for a bit I was waiting for the next time I would be back in that blank room with the hexagonal prism, where I would no doubt be getting many answers. Before jumping into the new function, I pulled out the golden skill book that the dragon had dropped. It was [Rage of the Thunder Monarch- Area of effect skill. Extremely condensed lightning decimates an area of 15 meters] The skill seemed to be even more destructive power than [Volcanic Eruption] because of its lower effect area, but I would still have to test it to be sure. The book turned into particles of light as it flew to my body and the skill appeared in my panel I looked through the panel to start assessing possible skills to combine. To start testing the [Skill Combination] function, I wanted to begin with the rank F skills, but I realized that I only learnt 2 after all this time. I had grown so rapidly that I jumped from F to mostly rank D and C skills This wouldn''t be an issue though, as I had been running around taking down many rank of bosses this past week and collected many skill books in my storage rings. Even after I gave away a vast majority to the destroyed cities I visited and to the military regiments I came across, I still had many to play with. I let out the collections of skill books in my storage rings and learnt many skills of lower ranks for the purpose of testing. I had to learn them now and spend some time using them and having them active for their proficiency to rise to 100 before I could begin combining Then for now, the focus would be placed on the rank D and C skills I already had many of that were at 100 proficiency. None of the rank A skills had reached 100 so far, so I''ll leave those for now. To start it off, I opened the [Skill Combination] function and added two obviously non compatible rank D skills [Rough Skin + Flames of Torment] When the two skills were placed on the two slots, there was a red color shining out. The combination was not successful. So red showed bad compatibility that would not work Next up I tried what I thought to be compatible skills, which was [Safeguard + Rough Skin] The two slots shined a light green, and the green light expanded as the two skills disappeared, a brand new one appearing on my panel [Armored Skin] The skill had a brand new color, in contrast to the skills written in white with the blue background of the panel. It had a purple color, with its rank now upgraded to D+ and its proficiency showing I activated this new skill in wonder and found that the defense provided by it was more than triple what [Safeguard] and [Rough Skin] provided. It was still a lower ranking skill though, so it didn''t drastically change my defenses Since combining the two of them changed its rank from D to D+, I wondered if combining two D+ skills would give rise to a brand new rank C skill. I didn''t have all that many rank D skills that had already risen to 100 though, so I would have to wait for the new ones I just learnt to reach there I was about to continue my testing by moving on to rank C skills when an annoying voice broke the peace established in courtyard "Noah! Let''s grab some breakfast and then go dungeon diving!" The guy had become overly friendly over this past day had come out early morning with energy that I could in no way match. It seemed that his excitement stemmed from the fact that he was able to combine two of his rank A skills and produce a powerful rank A+ skill. Veteran hunters like him who had been dungeon diving for the past months had collected a multitude of skills that fit their class, so they had many options of compatible skills that had reached the required proficiency for combination Well, when I start combining my own, I should have even more to work with. And I was currently the only hunter holding the most powerful rank S skills. Kazuhiko had been able to combine two of his skills called [Blade Dance] and [Dominator''s Sword Wave] to bring the result of [Dominator''s Dance of Death] I was curious about this rank A+ skill and wanted to test my newly gained skills too, so a dungeon would be perfect right now. Food came first as I was treated to brand new dishes once again today, with us heading out an hour later. 63 Experimentation The country we were in was called King''s Harbor. After moving away from the military sector and heading inwards, I was able to see groups of people and hunters celebrating their newly found freedom from the threat of beasts that were heading here previously Kazuhiko was walking besides me while talking about the power structure of countries in the United Federation and their dungeon diving system here. I recalled a news show I had watched back in Outer Bank X weeks ago that mentioned a similar topic about how hunters were restricted in the United Federation and had to turn half of their loot over to the government It turns out that this system was placed to raise many peak hunters who were obligated to work for the government and defend the lower ranking hunters that contributed their loot This was why hunters in the United Federation had much less mortality rates, as a stronger hunter who used up more of the resources was assigned to each of the teams diving in the dungeon. This built up a system where many strong hunters dived into dungeons with weaker ones. Kazuhiko routinely had to dive into rank B dungeons with rank B hunters while occasionally clearing rank A dungeons with a government created fully rank A team It was a good system that I applauded, as it produced many strong hunters and a level of responsibility that caused there to be less deaths in the United Federation when Apocalypse 2.0 occurred a week ago. There were many strong hunters spread out all over the countries unlike the cramming of powerful hunters into a few specific cities back in the Empire Right now, we were heading to a rank A dungeon called [Babadook''s Layer], which was a dungeon filled with strange dark furred monsters that had powerful offensive skills Kazuhiko was very confident in my strength after he watched me take down the Black Dragon, so we dived into the dungeon by ourselves The first floor was an expansive dark space that contained many of those dark furred monsters, and Kazuhiko moved first, trying his [Dominator''s Dance of Death] for the first time His figure flickered in and out on the surroundings, his sword releasing a multitude of dark sword waves that smashed into the dark furred figures and tore through their defenses There were more than 30 rank A monsters in front of us, but they all received the powerful attacks from this one rank A+ skill and tumbled down like dominoes Kazuhiko was smiling like a child as he sheathed his sword and watched the destruction he had caused. On the next floor after that, I tried out the rank S skill, [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] on the next group of the dark furred beasts. BOOM! On top of their heads, a wide expanse of purple lightning roiled out and then struck down. They seemed like thick pillars of snakes that caused destruction everywhere they touched. The rank A beasts didn''t stand a chance as their bodies were literally blown apart. Kazuhiko didn''t want to be outdone and went to the lower floor with even more vigor. I used [Summon Virulent Abomination] as we moved further in, summoning the grotesque but lovable beast that tore through the rank A enemies as if they were nothing. I realized that rank A dungeons would not pose a single threat to me as I watched the beast tear through the defenses of monsters I let the summon and Kazuhiko do all the work going forwards as I focused on possible skill combinations with the skills that currently met the requirements and were compatible I was able to combine the rank C skills [Whirlwind] and [Aura of Haste] to produce [C+ Fevered Rush] When activated, my speed sharply rose for an instant as I traveled forward and almost smacked into a wall. The speed still couldn''t beat rank A [Flight] though Further experimentation allowed me to combine the rank B skills, [Shadow Veil] and [Stealth] to bring out [B+ Dark Assassin] This new skill most definitely matched rank A skills, if not surpassing some of them, as my body disappeared and melded into the surroundings as I wished. I could keep it active at all times to still cover up the colorful skill effects of the many other active skills I had on all the time, while choosing when to become fully hidden that even the powerful rank A peak hunter Kazuhiko had trouble finding me My experimentations came to an end as we reached the BOSS room, and I watched the hunter and summon shred apart the rank A TITAN as if it was nothing, leaving it as a poisoned mess of bones and flesh after The hunter was looking indignantly at the summoned creature he didn''t seem to be able to fully match yet, and I laughed at this sight. Since we finished this rank A dungeon so quickly, in less than half an hour at that, we dived back in right after. I had the goal of obtaining more rank A skills to play around with [Skill Combination] even more The process would take time though, as I had to learn the skills and bring them all the way to 100 proficiency before I could combine them We dived into the rank A dungeon more than 10 times after that, only coming out some time in the afternoon. I was able to pocket five rank A skills for myself, leaving all the cores, three items, and 2 skill books that matched Kazuhiko behind I had already reached the peak that rank A cores could bring me long ago, and was now absorbing the rank S cores from the three powerful beasts I defeated I also recalled some time back before I took down the rank S turtle and humanoid mosquito, I had gained a rank A skill book called [Void Slash] that I just tossed in my storage ring and forgot about. I looked at Kazuhiko and his katana, pulling out the skill right after and handing it to him He looked at the skill description and turned all serious, giving me a heartfelt thanks for the gift. I shook off the gratitude and turned my attention to the horrendous looking Virulent Abomination to the side, as it had made the dungeon runs as effortless as they could be, and I could almost feel myself sinking into laziness as I watched the beast do all the work We were heading in further into King''s Harbor at the behest of Kazuhiko, it seemed the allied countries of the United Federation were planning an event to honor the great hunter that brought down the dragon I wasn''t into festivities though, and planned to not attend when something occured that gave me the perfect reason not to. The mysterious voice had returned yet again. Kazuhiko saw my serious expression and stopped, and I told him that something came up, disappearing from his sight with [Dark Assassin] and flying into the skies I floated high in the air as I felt my vision sinking and I found myself in that same blank room once more. Three figures were still visible in smaller rooms surrounding this one, with the hexagonal prism slowly rotating in this main room The voice rang out once more as I closely listened. It was time for answers. 64 The mystery behind dungeons The explanations began slowly, and soon became huge dumps of information that I had to sift through To start it off, the being I have been talking to this entire time called itself the Planetary Core. When I first heard this I blanked out a little, I had been talking to the core of this world this entire time? It went further to further clarify that it was a system of laws congregated together to keep this world alive, so I could also call it this world''s Planetary System. I cut it down to System for short just to make it easier when I was addressing it The System had gained consciousness when dungeons first began appearing on this this planet, and could only begin to act a step behind the enemies and play catch up as they began their invasion Essence of our young world was used to awaken the first groups of hunters, paying an expensive price to grant them inherent skills that enabled them to stand against the onslaught of beasts This wouldn''t be enough to stand against the droves of enemies though, so the System performed its first drastic measure since it gained consciousness When the beasts died, their essence was lost in the environment and could be re-absorbed by the surrounding world inefficiently The System took the drastic action of using more than half of its essence to form a system of power that was compatible to the beings in its planet that knew nothing about the new fantastical and magical things they were experiencing The awakened would now be able to quantify and observe their strength with the advent of an attribute panel, and most of all, the key factor of being able to get stronger by snatching the essence from the beasts they kill. The System used more than half of its essence to implement this new system of power where the essence of dying beasts would be extracted, and the skills \u0026 abilities that were buried deep in the beast''s essence would be turned to the source of strength for the hunters. Thus, came the advent of skill books, items, and cores Some beasts that later came to be called TITANs and BOSSes had a denser collection of essence that allowed for skills and items to be extracted from them, while for other beasts, only cores that reinforced the strength, vitality, and focus of the awakened individuals could be drawn out This new system of power allowed this world and its inhabitants a unique ability that most likely was not existent anywhere else in the universe that allowed for the extraction and absorbance of the power of your enemies. The System had to regain the tremendous amount of essence it lost through this , so half of all extracted energy would go towards the planet''s core. The awakened were thus able to make their stand and slowly take back their lands, but much of the world was already decimated by beasts, only giving rise to a collection of countries that later became known as the United Federation and a connection of Cities protected under the banner of an Empire The System went into a period of hibernation after this to recover its essence, its hunters slowly contributing by clearing the beasts and the dungeons that they came from This brought us to the subject of dungeons. The dungeons were lines of connections that our enemy sent down. These lines of connections carried with them the origin of many inhabitants from another world. They were sent down and settled on the planet as monoliths that required time to allow for the physical entry of the beings in the connection line. Depending on how much essence was used on the dungeons, the rate of release could be accelerated. But if people came in contact with the monolith and were able to defeat the origins of the beings in it, essence of the monolith would be used up and the release would be delayed. The enemy that sent these dungeons down would then have to keep providing essence towards these dungeons to replenish the origin of the beings in it. This process repeated back and forth in the months that followed the advent of the apocalypse Hunters would repeatedly enter dungeons and clear them, using up more and more essence and taking it for themselves. The other side would continue to send down essence to reinforce and maintain the origins of beings that slowly lost their minds and rationality from being broken and rebuilt so many times Then came the reason that I was wondering about all this time. If a dungeon was cleared rapidly enough, the in flow of essence from the invading force couldn''t keep up with how much essence was being absorbed, and the connection line would be broken, with the beings inside dying completely This, was the destruction of the monolith that I had caused. I looked up to the rotating prism when it got to this point and asked. "Then, the [Plane Crystal] that I received once the monolith imploded is¡­" [It is a direct line of connection that we can use to ascertain the coordinates of their world and send our own forces down.] ¡­ I was speechless for the first time in a while. I thought about what this implied and then asked something I couldn''t bring myself to ask before "How do I...fit in all of this" The System took a pause when we go to this point [When I regained enough essence to become active again, I saw that the situation was not heading in the right direction and that I had to act once more. I felt a level of frustration as I had enough essence and power to even bend some natural laws, but I couldn''t make use of it to plainly erase the invaders because much stronger universal laws are in place to prevent such direct intervention] I felt my mind start pounding as I listen very closely to the next words [So I calculated countless possibilities, and came to the one with the highest chance of success, while it also posed the greatest danger. But, this path would allow for a truly strong person to rise and protect the planet, so I attempted it.] I listened with rapt attention while waiting for the voice to continue [I created a backdoor from the planet''s core and connected it to a single human that had the least restrictions, someone who wasn''t yet even awakened. This channel would allow the possibility of things that are normally impossible.] My thoughts were moving rapidly as I heard this...this was why I felt that I had infinite mana to cast whatever skills I wanted without restriction. This was why my [Focus] was blank. All of that energy...it wasn''t just coming from nowhere. This made me recall something I had read about in school years back, that energy couldn''t be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one form to another It felt like lessons finally kicked in when I thought about my mana, and how the skill books and cores came to be. But, could the common laws I knew about even be applicable at this stage we were at now? As for just how much energy an entire planet contained...could the tremendous essence even be quantified? My thoughts were interrupted as the System continued [But...this came at a huge cost and introduced a vulnerability that was not there before. You are connected to the planetary core, and the planetary core is connected to you. If you ever faced destruction...the entire planet will follow.] ¡­!!! 65 Infinite Mana in the Apocalypse At a certain point in many people''s lives, they come to a moment where they ask themselves, why me? Why did this tragedy happen to me? Why does everything always go wrong for me? Why do some people make millions a day while I barely make 50? Why me? I wasn''t even sure if there was a clear answer to this, but I still found myself asking the same question to the rotating hexagonal prism After getting over the bombshell that my little life actually held much more importance than I initially imagined, I found this question swimming at the forefront of my mind "Why me?" This was one of the biggest things I wanted to know. There were many other things like how did the System know if I would awaken as a hunter if the channel was set up long before. How could it be sure I wouldn''t be just another human casualty and cause everything to collapse. There were many questions I wanted to ask first, but the first and foremost that came out of my mouth was...why me. A silence followed after as only the rapid rotations of the hexagonal prism could be felt [You...were chosen randomly. It just so happened that among the many humans who had yet to awaken, you were chosen by chance.] The reply came unexpectedly, and it might have not been the thing I wanted to hear, but I actually felt relief from it. I wasn''t some chosen one who was born to do great things. I just recieved a monumental gift. A gift...that I would use to the best of my abilities from now on "Don''t tell me that you also didn''t know whether I would awaken or not, or even live another day in the case something like a dungeon break occurred and wiped out an entire city?" [There was no certainty of that either. I mentioned that I undertook this plan because it provided the highest percent chance of survival for us all, but that percentage was still very low. I could only make a shot in the dark, because if I hadn''t, we would have faced complete destruction in the future. Something like this is normally impossible, with a near zero percent chance of working out. It is a completely unique situation.] There was a pause as it let these words sink in before it continued [All that remains is that it worked, and because it worked, we now stand a chance to go against the enemies plotting against us. The next phase of our actions is for you to head to the world our enemies reside in and disrupt the structure there. If you are able to completely place the inhabitants of that world under your rule, it opens up even more wondrous possibilities that you cannot begin to imagine] I listened as the System continued to dump a whole lot more information onto me. From the many beasts that died and had their essence absorbed by the planet, memories of the world they came from and their aims were slowly collected and pieced together. Especially the rank S beasts, their essence held much more crucial information The first thing to keep in mind was that this invasion of beasts was simply a use of pawns to achieve their aim of domination for young planets. The near infinite reserves of energy that the planet held is what they were after Just like how countries made up wars to obtain oil, war was now being waged for the countless supplies of energy on a much grander scale. If they achieved their aims and dominated the inhabitants of the world, they would be able to use them as disposable pawns to invade other worlds first and the mining of the planet''s essence using specialized dungeons Entire worlds that had their people dominated could only watch as their world was turned into a mine for the years to come as it cycled through absorbing essence from the outside world and having it stolen right after. At this stage, the world no longer grew. Inhabitants in such a world could not dream of obtaining more power and getting stronger. An example is the race of beasts that became stronger with years of accumulating and growing their essence and learning how to cast complex skills and abilities. If the essence of their world was to be taken over by others and exploited for their own uses, their powers would become stagnant [That, is where you come in. You are a weapon, and a very powerful one at that. If you descend onto their world and become its ruler, besides stopping any future forces from being sent here, we will have the option of annexing an entire world for our own uses] The words of the System continued to be bombshells every time, but I could feel excitement from them. We first get back at the true culprits who caused so much pain for us, and then obtain an entire¡­ [From the collection of memories of those beasts, the world they reside in is a large world under the control of mythical races of beasts. It is a flourishing world that suddenly faced an invasion, and even with the tremendous strength of its inhabitants, parts of it have already fallen under the rule of invading enemies. It is those beings that are now continuing their conquest in that world while using its subjugated inhabitants as pawns to also invade smaller worlds.] More and more information kept on coming. I committed everything to memory the moment the other world began being mentioned [Our goal is the same thing. To disrupt their plans and take that world for ourselves. We will not be so weak as to be bullied after that. If we have to, we won''t even stop just at that world, and extend our reach to the far corners of the universe. Only with sufficient power can we be confident. With you in the lead, the goal has a large chance of success. For you are someone who is able to tap into a power that is normally constrained by universal laws.] It felt as if I was getting the biggest pep talk of my life as I listened to the dominating words coming out of the System [You are someone able to access the unquantifiable reserves of an entire planet. Something sacred that is used to set the order of life, you have it under your fingertips. You can call it endless. You can call it infinite. Never in your lifetime will you feel like you do not have enough energy no matter how high you continue climbing. When you suceed in your conquest and bring the apocalypse that you faced unto other worlds, obtaining their sources of power too, you can factually state...that you have Infinite Mana in this era of apocalypse.] 66 Preparation Silence. Utter and complete silence. I could feel the beating of my heart and the blood rushing through my body as I finished listening and said "When do we start?" --- A horned being was reading complex data in an unknown location with a furious expression. Something unexplainable had occurred on the same planet that had shown abnormalities some time back The signals placed on the pathetic beasts that held a level of power had all but disappeared. This gesticulated a message of failure. They wouldn''t be able to start any operations on this planet for the time being. Having diverted many pieces into this one planet so frequently caused them to be restricted towards it. They could not forcefully send more pieces for at least a few months as these restrictions loosened The being''s anger quickly reduced as he changed his mindset. His role was only to pioneer and establish connections to otherworlds in preparation for takeovers in the future. Many of his peers still had their focus on finishing the conquest of the major world they were in now The only pockets of resistance remaining were the kingdoms where lineages of mythical beasts were ruling, as well as the Frozen Kingdom where the last of the human race on this planet was thriving A devilish smile appeared on the horned being''s face as he thought about his contribution that led to the downfall of the most powerful kingdom in this world and allowed for them to take root fully The remaining places would all fall in due time, no matter how long it took. He could already see it happening in front of his eyes. For he is the personification of lies and evil, the Prince of Darkness. Ranked 68, he was commonly known as Demon King Belial... --- Places all over the world were becoming stabilized as hunters performed their roles and quelled the onslaught of beasts. Cities in the Blessed Empire and the various countries of the United Federation were discussing the regulation of dungeons across the world. New knowledge was coming out everyday that ascertained how frequently dungeons had to be cleared in a day in order to completely destroy them. The number of times differed depending on the ranks, with lower level dungeons requiring to be cleared many more times until their monoliths were destroyed. The conclusion wasn''t fully ascertained by the hunters, but the actual cause was that lower ranked dungeons required less supply of essence to be kept active, and thus could more easily be replenished as they were cleared. High ranking dungeons required significantly more essence in order to replenish the origins of the beasts inside it, thus required a less number of times to be cleared before the outflowing of essence surpassed the inflow and cause the destruction of the dungeon The discussion taking place was which number of dungeons should safely be left for hunters to regularly clear and become stronger, while putting the effort in clusters where many dungeons appeared and it would be better to destroy them before a dungeon break occurred The discussion and regulation of this was ongoing, with the different countries and cities deciding for themselves what was best I had spent a significant amount of time talking to the System in that blank room and learned many more things. I was currently flying back to the Star City of the Blessed Empire to receive awards and recognition. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn''t that important to me right now as my mind was fully filled with dangerous information and I was only thinking about the expansive world I would be descending in soon enough I left King''s Harbor after sharing a few words with Kazuhiko and apologizing for not being able to stay any longer. The System had mentioned that we wouldn''t be getting any mass descents of dungeons like what just occurred any time soon, as it could feel tight restrictions against beings descending down that were covering the planet after the most recent attack. But we didn''t know exactly how long this would be Maybe a few months, or half a year, or the same time span that passed from the first invasion we faced to this second one, we were not completely sure. So I was moving with the goal of wrapping everything up, before heading to a location specified by the System to start my next journey The mystery of Kazuhiko and the other figure I saw in the smaller rooms attached to the blank room was not too explosive. The other figure that shone with a golden light was most likely the strongest hunter of the Empire, Steel Mikhail Both him and Kazuhiko had received more attention and essence from the System when they first awakened, granting them powerful Inherent Skills that allowed them to lead the hunters forward and save many more lives when the apocalypse first began With the advent of [Skill Combination], their lead from other hunters will continue to get wider as they start combining many of their skills to produce higher ranked ones. The reality of them combining several rank A skills to become A+, and then spend a few weeks to raise those skills up to the required proficiency in order to produce a rank S skill wasn''t too far off. I wasn''t sure whether hunters holding multiple rank A+ skill could fully match someone with 1 or two rank S skills, but time would tell as things progress This was something I confirmed with the system, the combination of two "+" skills would almost always give you a powerful skill of the next rank These two powerful hunters would continue growing their strength here and prepare for any descents that occur in the future. Their power, as well as many of the veteran hunters all over the world, would surely rise to rank S in the months to come and give them the ability to withstand many of the things coming They would be leading reformations for both powers to make sure lives are not needlessly lost if anything like the mass dungeon descents occur again in the future. As for the white haired figure on the remaining room, the System mentioned that I would meet her soon enough. I flew through the skies using [Flight] and observed the many dots of people congregating in the countries I passed. None of them had any idea of the larger forces in play, or where they would be a few months from now They all felt the momentary peace and calmness that was settling right now while mourning for the many that lost their lives. After I passed a few countries and continued my reflections, I casted [Summon Virulent Abomination] and got on top of the terrifying beast that was much faster than me. A green streak passed across the the clear skies, crossing the border between the two nations 67 Maybes I made it back to the Empire after another six hours of flying at high speeds atop the Virulent Abomination. On the way here, I had learned the 5 rank A skill books I gained from [Babadook''s Layer]. The five of them were [Earth Armor], [Recorder], [Permafrost], [Combusting Spears], and [Language Comprehension]. Out of all of these, the one I found most interesting was [Recorder], which allowed me to replay anything I saw with my eyes while activated. I could of course keep it active at all times, which meant I could rewatch everything like a film if I chose to do so. I was still finding ways that I could use this skill effectively I also combined more skills that had high compatability, putting togather the rank B skills [Cold Fire] and [Greater Cold Penetration] to bring out [B+ Boreal Penetration]. The fire element rank B skills [Greater Flame Penetration] and [Burning Soul] also combined to bring out [B+ Blazing Penetration]. A few of my rank A skills were nearing 100 proficiency, so I couldn''t try fusing any of them yet. I already had a few ideas in mind for when they met the requirements. My thoughts came to a stop as I flew towards Star City''s military sector, where I was met with rows of soldiers and hunters giving me praise. Communications had long since spread from the United Federation, with the allied countries there praising the Empire for the aid and sending forth their top hunter to help Relations between the two forces were turning for the better after they realized just how deadly their common enemy can be, as well as the strength I showed. There would be more cooperation between the two nations moving forward, and less of the political attacks and spread of propaganda that many of us had been accustomed to Peace in the world was in no way achieved, but steps were being taken to try and build it. Humans always found new ways to be selfish and stupid, so who knows where we''ll be a few months from now I tried to disburse the regiment of hunters who definitely had better things to be doing as I was led into an old office that gave me nostalgia. It wasn''t the rugged man with an impassive expression in it, but a woman with a military uniform going through stacks of papers The person in front of me was naturally Elizabeth, who was trying to honor the memory of her friend and manage the logistics of Star City while still acting as an active hunter. Much of her time was now stretched between office work and dungeon diving, giving no time for anything else She wore large round glasses that she pushed up when I walked in and a huge smile bloomed from her face. The next few minutes were spent talking about the events in the United Federation and all intricacies that went with it. She also let me know how my presence was requested at the Empire''s capital so that I could be properly rewarded When we got to this point, I thought about the stage I currently stood at and realized there wasn''t really anything that I wanted or needed that the hunters here could provide. My only goal currently was to let them know that I would be disappearing, with only a few selected higher ups knowing that I was heading into the enemy''s den I had already told this to Kazuhiko before leaving, and I left the decision of who he would tell in the United Federation in his hands. My secrets were too grand to share with everyone else, so I used the same excuse I told Kazuhiko to Elizabeth- I had found a way to use the [Plane Crystal] that comes out from destroyed dungeons to go where they came from That I had grown powerful enough to try and disrupt the enemy''s plans on their own turf. When I first told Kazuhiko this, he had stared at me silently for more than five minutes before he nodded with an unreadable expression The hunters of this world were no doubt about to become explosively more powerful, but they weren''t at the level of withstanding the enemies I would be facing. The System wanted to conduct a covert take over, where I would rise to power in that world as a native, and not as an invader A similar difficult to read expression appeared on Elizabeth''s face after I finished talking, and she looked at me hesitantly, as if she wanted to bring herself to say something but couldn''t I looked at this woman that I hadn''t spent too much time with to really get to know her and thought about things that could have been if events were playing out differently. Maybe there was a possibility of something to grow and be nurtured under different circumstances...but not now I quickly changed the subject before that hesitation of hers turned into something else, and we wistfully moved on to other matters Over the next few days, many things occurred as I travelled around the Empire and lent a hand where it was needed. If dungeons needed to be destroyed, I would be there to do it much quicker than the groups of hunters that were required to do it. Something of interest to note was me finally getting a rank A skill that was a bit stronger in its usefulness when compared to [Dark Assassin]. It was a rank A skill called [Obscure] that covered my body with a dark smoke which quickly turned me transparent. I actively looked for more covert skills of rank A and even B so that I would be able to produce compatible skills to quickly bring out a powerful rank S hiding skill. When the time was ripe, I visited the capital of the Empire where I was received by a hunter that I had only seen on TV a couple of times. Steel Mikhail was standing like a sharp spear in the large hall I was brought into "You are really going to jump into the enemy''s den?" These were the first words I heard from the man that seemed to give off a strong sense of strength and righteousness. He was among the few higher ups that would know that I would be disappearing soon. He was one of the defenders of the world that the System chose. With his vast amount of time active as a rank A hunter, I wouldn''t be surprised if he already held multiple rank A skills that had reached 100 proficiency and had high compatibility that were already fused, boosting his power by a large amount When I nodded to his question, he spent a few seconds looking at me before he spoke again. "We will be placing our hopes on you for the future then. I want to thank you in advance." The future, huh. I thought about the things to come as I spent some time talking with Mikhail. The guy was very straightforward, asking me what information I had on the enemies we were facing.The extent of my strength was known, with my power supressing beasts that hunters at this stage had trouble dealing with, so he didn''t question my confidence when I discussed my goal of disrupting the enemy''s power in the world they were in I gave out the basic information without delving too deep to even get near my secrets, spending a significant time talking to him before he was content. I didn''t want to frolic around with too many people in the Empire as there were much bigger things I had to think about, so I disregarded most of the other requests of officials who wanted to meet me and prepared to move out to the location specified by the System. The time was quickly approaching. 68 Entrance In that serene village of less than a hundred people, the white haired girl with glistening blue eyes was doing her daily routine. Currently, she was combining a white flour mix and milk in preparation of a cake for one the kids'' birthdays She was humming a tune as she moved back and forth, her hair sparkling in the bright sunlight that passed through the windows. She was absorbed in her work as she abruptly looked up and felt something, standing up and cleaning herself up before she moved out of the small house She smiled at the kids that were already running about early in the morning and the old ladies that were rocking on their chairs. She made her way from the collection of houses in the small village and neared the blue transparent barrier that was surrounding it With a movement of her hand, the blue barrier opened up a wide area, and a dark haired man with a calm expression could be seen standing outside. --- I finished all my preparations and goodbyes in the Empire, and I soon arrived at the specified coordinates given by the System. It wasn''t like I was leaving this place forever, so I didn''t feel a huge sense of loss as I knew I would be coming back As for why I came to this specific location, it was because this was one of the most important places on this planet with a congregation of essence where a transfer to another world could be done most efficiently I twirled the [Plane Crystal]s I had in hand as I flew down towards an empty clearing that only seemed to hold trees. There was a specific way these crystals could be used, so no matter how hunters played around with them, they wouldn''t find any results From the words of the System, specific regulation of essence was required to send anything across worlds, and the people on this planet were nowhere close to having that level of control to allow them to do this without the help of something else Beings that were born in larger worlds that had more experience with mana had much better ways to utilize it, with them requiring only a large amount of essence to be expanded before they sent down hundreds of thousands of beasts across worlds I reached the ground of the forest clearing and waited a few seconds before a wondrous sight opened itself in front of me. A few feet away, I saw the appearance and dissolution of a transparent dome as a small pathway opened up, showing the figure of one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen Glowing white hair and striking blue eyes, the figure sweetly smiled at me and said "Come in!" I shook myself and walked through the pathways as the dome began to close, following behind the figure that was skipping towards the center of what seemed like a village. Small houses that you would see in olden times were widespread, with plots of land growing a multitude of crops and a few barns present here and there My entrance was garnering attention from the people in this village, but the moment they saw the girl walking with me, their apprehensions seemed to have faded and they went back to their work I followed the figure of the girl while looking curiously around this new place that seemed like a mini paradise that would forever remain untainted. We arrived at a small house that we went into, and passed the simple rooms while heading out to a small courtyard behind the house The place seemed to emanate peace as the girl sat herself down on the green grass in the courtyard and looked towards me. "Big brother, do you have everything prepared?" I nodded at this girl as I thought about all the foods and essentials I had packed into my rings after I reduced the number of skill books in it. I had learned so many skills that my panel was a pain to look at. I only chose to learn lower ranking skills that I could keep active at all times to build up the proficiency, as too much time would have to be put in to bring them up The goal was to combine these many lower ranking skills and slowly advance them to higher grades until I had many high ranking skills that were compatible to work with. A few of my rank A skills were only a few points from reaching 100 as it took a longer period of time for higher ranking skills to rise in proficiency. I was excited to combine some of them when the time came I pulled out one of the [Plane Crystal]s I held and transferred it to the girl while asking "Who are you?" She smiled sweetly as she twirled with the crystal in her hands and replied "You can call me Sophia. I am...a sort of a Guide I guess?" Laughter came out of her fair lips as she hesitatingly said this. She was one of the figures I saw in the attached rooms that were present when I talked to the planetary core. She had her own part to play in this, the same as Mikhail and Kazuhiko. I had my own, much important part that would start right now. I nodded to the girl as the crystal in her hands shone a blinding blue light. I couldn''t activate it no matter how much I tried before, but a simple touch from her had done something to it. "Big brother, are you ready?" I rose up while looking at the surroundings of the courtyard and the blue skies all around us. I enjoyed the surroundings around me as I could feel my heartbeat increasing as the time neared. I nodded at the girl whose body began shining blue just like the crystal in her hands The blue light expanded and became a square box as it covered the area I was standing on and became brighter. I could feel transparent lines of energy wrapping around me as the light became more and more condensed. After it wrapped all around me, a blue beam that seemed to reach the ends of the sky shot out, and I...disappeared. --- The white haired girl watched the energy settling down as a wide sqaure crystal materialized near her at a high speed. She grabbed the crystal the moment it finished forming and took it with her into the small house She placed it on top of the table as she looked at the complex lines of data that began showing. Her crystal blue eyes changed to become blank for a few seconds as a blank voice escaped her lips [Just like they brought the apocalypse to us, rain down decimation and destruction upon them.] There was no one to reply or hear this voice, and the girl''s eyes quickly changed to become clear blue again. She kept her attention on the square crystal as she washed her hands and continued to mix the milk into the floury mix, a sweet smile settling back on her face as she hummed back and forth 69 A dungeon appears on a snowy field I couldn''t really describe the weird feeling I was currently experiencing as I travelled with dense blue energy all around me. My vision was fully obscured as this process continued I didn''t know how much time had passed before I felt a change, and then an impact occurred. BOOM! It felt as if I had made a landing as my vision cleared and I found myself on a grassy clearing with walls all around me. Information came into my head as an image built itself in my mind and I realized where I was I was on the only floor of a rank S dungeon that had appeared on a snowy plain. My eye sight stretched out as I saw the hazy appearance of a dungeon monolith that was shining a bright red, showing an imminent dungeon break would be occurring at any moment A significant amount of energy was used for my descent that would allow for me to break out of the dungeon with the quickest time possible without allowing any possible intrusions from others In the dungeon floor, It felt like I was looking down at the figure that seemed to be my body, but at the same time it wasn''t. This was my origin, and if people actually neared and entered the dungeon, it would be what they fought against. If my origin lost, a significant amount of essence would be lost with it and energy would be used to reconstruct it. If it faced destruction multiple times in short time span, the in flow of energy would not be able to keep up and my origin would face complete destruction, along with me None of that would be happening though, as the blinking red light of the monolith intensified, and a dungeon break occurred. I had finally arrived in the Beast World. BOOM! The dungeon break caused an entirely new feeling to appear as I felt my vision returning to normal and I began to feel the slight cold winds around me. I opened my eyes to a vast plain of white snow, with very few vegetation around me. Only large white trees could be seen around me as I felt the air of this world for the first time The first noticeable change that I noticed was the abundance of essence that could be felt in the air. The energy seemed palpable as I stretched my hands out and felt everything around me The air on this cold and windy night felt like the most refreshing breeze I had ever had the chance of taking in, making me enjoy the feeling for a few seconds. I reveled in this feeling as I casted [Flight] and rose into the air The winds became more furious the higher I went as I began to observe the fantastical sight around me. In the skies not too far away, something I never thought I would be seeing in my lifetime could be seen. A huge landmass was somehow floating in the sky, the size of it no less than the cities I had become used to seeing while flying over the skies of the Blessed Empire. I didn''t know how the landmass remained so securely in the skies as it towered above the ground magnificently. I activated all of my stealth skills and used [Eagle Eyes] to further check these unbelievable sights I was seeing. Flying closer and closer to the landmass, I had to come to a stop far from it as the close the I neared, I began to feel dangerous auras on the landmass that were in no way less powerful than the strongest beings I had faced so far Staying more than a mile away and using [Eagle Eyes], I was able to see the outline of the huge landmass that took my breath away. I could only see a tiny bit of the land, which held white trees larger than me by more than ten times, and droves of white furred beasts running around without any reservations I observed the piece of land in front of me for a few more minutes before I moved away and flew even higher to get a better look of everything around me. The higher I flew, the more dangerous and cold the winds became, nearly making me feel the cold even with the many defensive skills and attributes that have already reached rank S Once I rose at a high enough distance, I looked beneath me as I saw even more of those landmassed that seemed to be floating in the skies. Far off in the distance, there was a large collection of these land masses near one another, with lines of connections apparent among them On these land masses could be seen twinklings of light, as the land that was actually on the ground beneath them held grand buildings that were surrounded by an expansive walled fortress. The fortress was a work of art as it snaked around the huge mountain these buildings were in. Three large mountain peaks surrounded the large kingdom on the ground as more than four expansive land masses floated in the periphery around it The sheer size of the place took my breath away as I could only observe a portion of it. This was the location that the System said I would begin my journey on. This was the only place where humans held supremacy in this world, this was the Frozen Kingdom. I moved across the snowy skies filled with sharp winds as I continued to fly even lower and neared one of the doors of the huge walled entrances of the fortified kingdom I didn''t come too close before I could feel movement from the top of the wall. Multiple white winged beasts rose up and met me in the skies. On top of them, figures wearing glistening white armors stood with sharp weapons pointing towards me "HOLD!" There were multiple figures on each of the winged beasts, with many of them letting out power similar to rank A or lower, and I could feel at least three that seemed to be rank S. I did as they asked stopped abruptly in the air as I expected this type of welcome I had spent too much time lectured by the System on the few sparse memories it obtained from the absorbed beasts, and knew how to act when I approached any of the kingdoms in this world I remained quiet as we all floated in the skies, the humans on the winged beasts checking me out closely as the seconds passed. A thorough evaluation followed in the next few minutes with a few lights landing on my body. Once they confirmed my figure and used specific skills that most likely checked to see if I had any semblance of an aura of a dangerous demon or beast, they lowered the sharp spears they were pointing towards me. A snort was heard from the lead guard "Mercenaries these days think they can come and go as they please because of their increasing demand." The leader was speaking with a disdainful expression as he looked towards me, motioning for the rest of the guards on the winged beasts to fly down. This was the environment I was betting on. Due to increased tensions and conflicts, powerful beings acting as mercenaries were more active then ever in this world. Kingdoms continued to look for powerful forces to reinforce their safety. I remained quiet and the guard spoke once more "Haven''t seen you pass by here before so I''m assuming you''re a new recruit. Use this badge to confirm your identity when you leave in and out again." A red badge which had the face of a stern man appeared on the guard''s hands and flew towards me. "Be sure to not cause any trouble, or we won''t hesitate to take you down." His spear was sheathed as I nodded at his words, and at his signal, followed the winged beast he was on to fly over the huge fortress, and step into the Frozen Kingdom for the first time 70 Covert Beginnings Passing over the tall walls, we went down towards the road that led to the buildings that shined with lights further in. The guards warned me once again before telling me not to break even more rules like flying over the lands. Only people given specific recognition could do this and go from one place to another If you didn''t have that recognition, then even if you were allowed permission to enter the four land masses floating in the sky that people in higher positions resided in, you would have to walk on the long bridges leading towards them I watched the environment around me as I walked further in, noticing many guards patrolling at every point. My power that only seemed to give off the vibes of rank S did not raise any eyebrows, as there were many guards at rank A and the captains leading them seemed to be rank S I soon reached the buildings where even this late at night, there was a bustle of activities going on. The buildings were built in a medieval style, looking like grand ancient architecture that shone with the balls of light that were lined up across the streets I could see various pubs and restaurants, with a few larger buildings that seemed like hotels apparent at every corner. The people walking around looked no different than the humans I have known all my life. Some had fair complexions and others had dark complexions. Hair colors of all sorts were abundant though, as I had seen a few people sporting radiant red hair, some blue, and others extremely dark shining hair. There were even a few mixtures of humans and beasts, where some people were walking around with tails or others had ears or other facial characteristics of beasts. I marveled at the sight of all these new faces Many of the people I met seemed to be rank F or E awakened individuals as they let off weak levels of power while the large percentage remained as normal humans. But the number of people that would be considered awakened definitely exceeded the numbers you would commonly see in the Empire or United Federation I continued walking around and taking in the new sights as I went further in. At the center of this entrance town was a building standing out amongst the many that surrounded it. It had a striking set of words plastered at the front, it was [Mercenary''s Hideout] It seemed like I had found the place to begin my journey in this world as I opened the wide doors into the boisterously loud building. It was a busy scene as people moved in and out There were seats and tables in one section where people were eating and conversing, and there was another section that looked like a place where official business took place with workers standing behind a counter The conversations were fairly interesting as I listened in while observing everything around me "Hey hey hey, how can you drink so comfortably when demons are building their forces to come kill all of us huh?!" "Bah you worry too much! The Frozen Kingdom has never fallen in the millenium of its creation, you think some ugly mugs would swoop down and do it in a few years?" "Ugly mugs? You obviously haven''t fought against them before, they''re relentless and fight with everything they have. Trash like you wouldn''t stand a chance!" A few drunks were trading insults back and forth at the state of affairs, talking about heavy topic with a light hearted tone. From the information I received from the System, the demons they mentioned were the same ones that targeted my world. They were able to set a foothold in the Beast World and are now expanding their forces to conquer every corner of the world The Frozen Kingdom was one of the remaining kingdoms that stood strong against them. I had found out the identity of the enemies that caused a tremendous amount of pain and death, and I was ready to begin rising up in this world by taking everything I could So how would I go about it? Nearly infinite mana to play with, but currently only at rank S, and only holding a few rank S skills at that. I haven''t even been able to max my attributes while absorbing rank S cores. From the possible pathways discussed with the System, becoming a mercenary in this world was the fastest way to do this. Mercenaries commissioned by the kingdoms took the role of defending it in the front lines whenever rogue beasts or demons threatened them, and were routinely tasked with forming groups and reducing the size of the beasts populating Nests. An example of a Nest was one the large landmasses floating in the air that I had seen while flying over here. Nests were a place where large amounts of essence congregated, giving birth to a multitude of beasts continuously Were these nests left alone, mindless beasts would overflow and eventually a large amount can rise up to threaten the safety of the surrounding Kingdoms. From piecing together the memories of the three fairly knowledgable rank S beasts that I took down which the System absorbed half of their essence, the Frozen Kingdom currently had three Nests in its nearby surroundings that were monitored and routinely cleared if needed. I could only imagine the beasts congregating in those nest, as even while observing one more than a mile away, I could already feel powerful presences that I hadn''t come across before They posed high levels of danger, but to me, they were also huge opportunities to rapidly gain more rank A and S skillbooks, as well as skills of the next rank. They were one of the main ways I would be increasing my power rapidly before I found a way to grow my influence and work to limit the expansion of the demon forces until I can move on to the next stage But currently, I was in a different world that had an entirely different way of living, with no money for anything. I looked through the many cores I had farmed the few days that I spent in the Blessed Empire before coming over here. The cores that condensed from the beasts that hunters killed under the system of strength that the planetary core instituted were a broken down collection of essences that were more easily absorbable by the newly awakening hunters Beasts normally had their own essence cores in their bodies, but when killed by the hunters with the system these essence cores would be extracted and changed to smaller cores if they were normal beasts, or into either cores and skill books or items if they were powerful beasts considered as a BOSS or TITAN The inhibitants of this world were all born differently, with some like the dragons receiving innate skills and energy from its powerful bloodline, or humans training for years taking in the essence of the world while also killing and absorbing the cores of beasts and honing their usage of essence to create deadly and destructive ways of using their energy. People and beastfolk like these usually took the role of mercenaries, adventures, or as soldiers that defended their respective kingdoms. But the fact that cores were widespread and used universally meant that I had the currency of this world, albeit it was broken down into small portions. I approached one of the desks that held a stern woman with a business demeanor and pulled out a few cores to exchange for the common currency as the gears in my mind continued to churn while absorbing and learning everything about this new world. 71 Lodging and skill combinations The woman at the front desk had a stern attitude as she handled all the mercenaries coming in and out. I went forward and laid out a pile of rank B cores to start it off so I could gauge the level of wealth I held Fifty rank B cores rolled on the table, the woman taking her time to count them all carefully. Her cold voice rang out "50 decontructed rank B cores, amounting to ten full cores. They can be exchanged for 100 gold coins." I listened to this conversion from cores to the common currency of gold coins and nodded my agreement towards the front desk. 100 glistening gold coins appeared on the table the next instant and I took them into one of my storage rings Before I turned and left, the woman spoke again in the same cold tone "Will you be joining the extermination task force heading to the Skypeak Nest tomorrow? Your power matches the requirements." A task force that was heading towards one of the nests? My eyes gleamed as I heard about this and I asked for more information "The task force is made up of mostly rank A and a few rank S Mercenaries that are leaving at 9 am sharp. If you plan to join, here is an identification medal that will keep track of all the mercenaries on this mission. Don''t be late." I grabbed the outstretched medal from the woman and thanked her for the information as I turned away. The medal was very light on the hands and had the symbol of two crossing swords. I placed some energy into it and felt thin lines of connection to a few points in [Mercenary''s Hideout] as well as points that extended all over the town I got used to all of these new things as I became glad at being able to visit a Nest where monsters congregated so soon. There were terrifying presences on just the one floating landmass that I saw on the way here, and I didn''t want to risk my life by going there alone while I still haven''t accumulated all that many rank S and rank A skills. Aside from the collection of rank A or lower mercenaries, a sparse amount of rank S could be seen as I exited the hideout and walked outside. My next destination was a beautifully designed inn that had various women standing outside of it. The few that I passed by called out to me "Hey handsome, do you need any company tonight?" "Big boy, are you up for some fun?" Women of varying ages and sizes were spread out and talking to many of the people that were going in and out of this large lodging. It seemed completely normal as some could be seen heading inside with someone they just began talking to while others left the lodging with exhausted faces I ignored the calls and comments from the many people around me as I went inside the building, and went in even faster after I saw a guy with a face full of makeup heading my way The inside of the building was much quiter, with the noise stopping the moment you passed through the double doors. I went towards the counter where a red haired girl was acting as the receptionist and asked for a single room "A single room for the night will be 2 gold coins sir. We also have the special offer of reserving a room for an entire week, all for the small price of 10 gold coins!" I nodded towards the girl throwing out the sales pitch as I picked up a sheet that wrote down the different options and their rates. The sheet also had a section below that described the foods they offered in their dining area "Just the single room works, and let me have the Fiery Soup and Rhino''s Special for now" "Yes sir! It all comes out to a total of 3 gold coins." The girl cheerfully gave me a bronze key and led to a table in the dining area where I didn''t wait too long for the food to be brought out. The dish that was called Fiery Soup was an extremely spicy broth that came in large wooden bowl which had bountiful diced up meats that tasted better than anything I''ve had before The spice lingered in your mouth and got hotter the more that you ate, with meat being extremely soft. The Rhino''s special was a platter of what seemed like prime ribs, but much larger and much more appetizing I spent the next 30 minutes enjoying what was arguably the best of the many meals I would be having from now on before I went towards room number 34 that the key took the shape of. I climbed the sturdy wooden stairs of the hotel and walked through a narrow hallway before finding the room and entering. A simple bed filled with feathers was in the middle of the room, with a door leading to a wide bathtub looking structure and a toilet off to the side. There was a ladle that was likely used for bathing attached to a large bucket that had steaming water in it I curiously went to check out the bathroom and found the water in the bucket to continue replenishing to a specific level after I scooped some out. It remained the same temperature of warmth at the same time too. The bucket holding the water was attached to the ground with a pipe at the bottom of it I got used to all these new things I was seeing for the first time as I reflected on every wondrous sight I saw today and then moved on to combine more of my skills. Tomorrow would be the first beginning of my rise from this place, and I wanted to be at my peak. The only way for my strength to jump crazily was to gain a skill of higher rank, and there were two ways of doing this for me. I could combine multiple compatible S rank skills until they broke through to the next rank, or start off even lower with rank B skills to rank A, and then rank A to S. The other way was to simply hunt and kill multiple beasts and collect the skills the old fashioned way. I would proactively use both ways, as using multiple skills and keeping them active was not a problem for me. There were multiple rank B skills that I learned more than a week ago as I was leaving the United Federation that had long since reached 100 proficiency. There were also two rank A skills that were compatible that I would be combining. The rest of the rank A skills would also be ready for combination soon, giving me even more things to look forward to None of the rank S skills were anywhere near a 100 though, as it became progressively harder to raise the proficiency of higher ranked skills. I used the [Skill Combination] function and was able to produce a few rank B+ skills, as well as a new rank A+ skill by combing the rank A [Frigid Impermanence] and [Permafrost] to bring out [A+ Arctic Zone- Freeze and destabilize an entire area of 10 meters, shattering everything in it]. I learned [Permafrost] as I was leaving the United Federation, so I made the goal to spam this skill a whole lot while I was doing cleanup around the Empire before I left so I could raise the proficiency the fastest. It was a skill that had obvious compatability with the [Frigid Impermanance] The new [Arctic Zone] skill made me excited to combine another rank A+ compatible skill and put them together to watch for what rank S skill would come out of it. The rank B+ skills I was able to synthesize were: [Hardened Body Armor], [Strengthened Strikes], [Mirror of Repulsion], and [Emerald Skin]. The moment they appeared on the attribute panel, I activated them and waited for their proficiency to rise once more before I combined them too. It would be a long process, but my power would continue to spike the more skills I combined. I laid down on the feathered mattress as I waited for the next day to arrive, where my adventure would fully begin 72 Wonder I slept more comfortably than I imagined, the denser concentration of energy in this world made it feel like you were in the best possible location anywhere you went. I went down the wooden stairs to see people already actively moving in and out of the inn. The receptionist with the red hair was already up at the counter. I went towards her and ordered another Fiery Soup to have for breakfast before I went out. Thus, the morning began on a happy note I moved outside into the town and saw the world during daytime for the first time. A blanket of snow covered the buildings and the paths, making for a beautiful sight as the rays of the sun shone through I looked up to see the huge mountains surrounding us far in the distance as well as the four grand land masses that were stably positioned in the air without a single movement. I still couldn''t even begin to understand how such a thing was possible A few people could be seen every now and then ascending the long brides attached further inland from this town. I looked away from the majestic sight of floating islands and went towards the [Mercenary''s Hideout], where a collection of colorful rugged men and women were clustered Putting energy into the medal I received the day before, most of the thin lines of people were grouped up in one location that allowed me to find them all very easily. There was a large space behind the grand building that had white winged beasts moving around. Someone was holding a large basin that he pulled out large chunks of meat from to feed the beasts The people in the extermination task force were clustered in a group on the side talking amongst themselves as they all waited for the appointed time. The minutes passed by quickly as a large man whose entire body emanated power came out to the clearing. "Alright boys and girls, gather around!" At these words, the mercenaries that were mostly rank A with a few rank S ones in the group all looked towards this figure with full attention. "The mission this time is plain and simple. The Skypeak Nest is showing signs of rapid movements again, which means the beasts are increasing and getting more restless. We''re not gonna spend too much time there, just clear out a few leaders and their groups before we return. I am Captain Ryner, and I''ll be leading this excursion to make sure there are no deaths!" The large man spoke out with a powerful voice that seemed to rouse the spirits of everyone here. "After we successfully return, each person in attendance will receive 5,000 gold coins and keep any cores from the beasts they manage to take down." At the mention of rewards, the mercenaries shouted out as we began moving towards the large groups of winged beasts. Each beast could take on more than five people, and I found myself soaring through the skies with three rank A mercenaries and one rank S. I would follow the lead of others for now as I learn more about these Nests and choose how to move from there The winged beasts we were riding on had heads that looked similar to an eagle''s, but their wide bodies that allowed more than 5 people to stand on showed they were something else. I found out they were called Whitewing Beasts, a type of beast that could easily be tamed as long as it was fed daily We flew on these beasts and passed the huge wall of a fortress where guards with similar beasts were stationed. Mercenaries assigned to specific missions had the pass to fly over the town if they were using these beasts We left the entry town of the Frozen Kingdom and went towards the huge floating landmass I had seen on the way here. I listened to the conversations of two of the mercenaries that seemed to be familiar with each other who were talking about this Nest "Oy, remember to follow the lead of that Captain. I''ve heard some inflated nobodies ignored commands and went further into the beast nest only to never come out." "Tsk, how many times do you have to give pointers eh? I know we''ll definitely be staying in the outer ring of the nest this time around. There should be very few S rank beasts out there" The two seemed to be arguing and giving each other tips to stay alive all at once. But their words indicated that there were powerful beasts congregated in this floating island. I wasn''t sure how far into the Nest the beasts higher than rank S would start to appear I kept my mouth shut just in case, as I didn''t want there to be any possibility of me giving something about my identity away. I would learn as things progress and find some time to locate a library after this to spend some time there and see what more I can learn about this world. The collection of memories that the System put together after absorbing the essence of many beasts was just that, mostly memories from low ranking beasts. I would have to do my own research to fully grasp the workings of a place like this kingdom where humans had control We neared the floating landmass after twenty minutes, where the outline of the island became visible. Using [Eagle Eyes], I watched as I saw groups of beasts walking around near the edge of the landmass. Dense and extremely tall trees blanketed in snow began rising as my sight looked further in, where barely anything but a white outline of trees could be seen The Whitewing Beasts landed on the edge of the land mass as they drew the attention of surrounding beasts that rushed over here. Beasts ranging from C and all the way to A were running about Captain Ryner took the lead, jumping off the winged beast like a valiant warrior as his body seemed to be bubbling with energy. There was a large red broadsword that appeared in his arms, which he swung towards the coming beasts. A parabolic line of flames was drawn out, going forward and bisecting all the incoming beasts "Alright lads, the battle begins now. When you see the ugly faces of rank S beasts appear, especially the larger Leaders, be on high alert!" The leaders he was mentioning were what I considered BOSSes or TITANs back then, with them holding a denser collection of essence that allowed for skills and items to be farmed from. Many were large to correspond to their large amounts of energy, but the truly powerful ones could be small, as they held enough control over their energy to remain that size and use it to their advantage. The mercenaries spread out as those of the S rank took the lead, with me following closely behind the captain as we went further into the Skypeak Nest. 73 EPIC! I was able to see the power of the humans of this world first hand as I observed the leading peak rank S captain hold his own against a rank S BOSS. We didn''t have to move too far in to come in contact with them After passing through the large trees that were covered by snow, ferocious looking white beasts began appearing. They had disproportionately large hands and feet with smaller bodies that didn''t seem to match. This size was even more exaggerated when it came to the rank S Leader that neared 10 meters Sharp icicles would form at the wave of these beast''s hands as the mercenaries worked together to bring them down. The leading S rank, Captain Ryner, was holding his own while standing against a Leader, his large broadsword roiling with fire elements as each clash left wounds on the beast I worked with the group I came with as I continued observing everything first, using the rank A [Infernal Purge] every few seconds after watching some of the fire power of the few rank S mercenaries in the group The blazing flames that came crashing down were extremely deadly to the normal beasts, setting their entire bodies aflame if a single one touched them. As for the looting of cores, the mercenaries cut open the heads of the beasts they killed to pull out cores much larger than what I had been used to seeing. These were the full cores of beasts that weren''t broken down into smaller portions by the system that hunters back in my world worked with When it came to the monsters I took down myself, I recalled the words of the System. I would be in a different world, but still holding that same power. The only change was that it would only be triggered when I came in contact with the beings that I took down To make things even more seamless, the extracted essence in the form of skill books, items, or cores would directly be placed in one of my storage rings when I would normally ''harvest cores'' like other inhabitants of this world With this in mind, the extermination groups moved forward while staying close together and taking down the beasts that came rushing out. I was amazed at the strength of the humans here, as even the rank A mercenaries utilized their strength and essence better than the hunters I had always observed Only after the hunters begin to fully utilize [Skill Combination] do I see them catching up and eventually exceeding this level of strength. The S rank hunters came out with colorfully destructive spells that mowed down the normal rank A beasts and would only be blocked by rank S leaders One red haired mercenary raised her magic staff forward and a blazing phoenix appeared in the next moment, rushing towards a group of beasts where it exploded and engulfed them in flames in an instant I observed all of this as I continued to use [Infernal Purge] to take down normal rank A and S beasts, along with a few rank A leaders so that I could increase my collection of rank A skills. Today wasn''t the day for me to go all out and massacre everything on sight, I would watch and learn as much as I could, before I find the time to come out here myself and go all out I was filled with expectations as I thought about running around this huge Nest with all the beasts in it. I would have confirm the highest power of beasts that laid deeper in the nest first though, as I couldn''t play around with my life The power I was showing matched the rank S mercenaries, as even though the damage was somewhat lower than rank S skills, I could put up the act that [Infernal Purge] could be casted more frequently because of its low damage My role in the task force became handling the large groups of normal rank A and S beasts, while the other rank S mercenaries clashed against the leaders. Low key. I had to start off by being low key for now. Captain Ryner began looking towards me favorably as I made the work easier by clearing many of the beasts with the area of attack skills. My attention wasn''t all placed onto this one thing though, as during the hunt I had always been checking and combining the active defense and support skills that continued to rise in proficiency. Through the combinations, I was able to produce a few compatible rank B+ skills that weren''t worth a mention as they were right now, but would be useful when I received rank A skills through them. It would take a few more days, but those few days meant more than four rank A skills would come to light from the combination of multiple rank B+ skills I smiled at this thought, as rising skills this way meant I could continue to build up compatible skills that will be able to combine to rank S with no problems. Defense and support skills that boosted me by a large margin would not be a game of chance anymore The extermination task force was performing extremely well with the decent leadership from the captain and my addition that made the work all the easier. An entire half a day passed as we moved across the fringes of the Skypeak Nest, never daring to go too far in land. After we cleared many of the disproportionately sized beasts, we came across other varieties as we went further in After we finished clearing a few more beast groups, the mercenaries came to a halt at the command of Captain Ryner. His hand was in the air as he looked forward with deep concentration. We were in a position that was further inland than any other time as the beasts had begun to thin out in the periphery. His large voice rang out "We will stop here today. If we move any further in we will intrude in an EPIC ranked beast''s territory." At the mention of this, the mercenaries adopted solemn faces as they began to move back. My heart palpitated as I confirmed the next rank above S. EPIC rank. Many ideas passed in my head before I quickly knocked them down. I wouldn''t be so rash as to have a head on collision of something that high of a rank before I collect many defensive rank S skills I would rather be overly prepared and protected then suddenly lose my life with rash decisions. I breathed out calmly as I followed the rest of the group to move out of the huge land floating in the sky. A voice rang out I was lost in my thoughts "Rookie, exemplary work out there today, it cut our time by more than an hour. Where has someone like you with a large mana pool been hiding all this time?" I came out of my head and smiled at the Captain that appeared besides me "I was honing my skills privately until I was confident enough to take on these beasts." "Haha, honing your skills until you reach such a high rank? You''re too cautious! If you had trained with other mercenaries, that flame skill of yours might have already reached S rank!" He paused as he looked me up and down before continuing "Come back with a few of my people so you can get to know the mercenaries you''ll be working with from now on, we can''t let a talent like you go to waste." "Haha, sure." I listened to the large man''s words and agreed to go along. I had to become known in this Frozen Kingdom little by little. I wouldn''t start off with an explosive show of power that would raise heads, but become known slowly as my power increased in the shadows. 74 A chance encounter We flew away from the floating Nest on the Whitewing beasts, passing through the cold winds that now also had the addition of heavy snow as dark clouds hung overhead. My sight was locked onto this Skypeak Nest that I would most definitely visit for myself in the future I was lost in my thoughts as we passed through the falling snow and became entranced with the scene playing out. The land floating in the sky receded from view as we approached the outline of the Frozen Kingdom. The minutes passed by in the skies as I introduced myself to the mercenaries I worked with today We passed over the huge fortress wall and landed in the back of the [Mercenary''s Hideout] in a few minutes, where 5000 gold was given to every participating mercenary as a surprised receptionist came out and saw us returning much earlier than expected I was looking forward to learning the rank A skill books now sitting in one of my storage rings as I followed Captain Ryner''s group. It was him and four other S rank hunters. After the extermination task was confirmed and the rewards handed out, we went further into the kingdom past the entrance town The buildings became larger and grander the further in we went, and the beginning of one of the grandiose bridges that snaked towards the sky to one of the floating lands above us appeared. The bridge was wide and long, with rank two S guards decked in an exquisite white metal armor standing guard. Anyone that wanted to pass the checkpoint had to have proper authorization, or they would face the cold blades of the two guards if they tried anything funny The boisterous attitude of Captain Ryner came to a stop as we neared the bridge and saw an escort taking place. An exquisite carriage waited besides the bridge a veiled woman that became surrounded by peak rank S guards got off and was walked towards the bridge Captain Ryner''s entire demeanor changed as his voice lowered before he respectfully called out to the figures in front of us in a tone I was hearing for the first time today "Princess, it''s my extreme pleasure being graced with your sight today" His voice was low but clear, ringing out clearly in the ears of the figures up front. The guards standing besides the veiled woman showed annoyed expression as they turned to look at Ryner, seemingly this not being the first time they''ve come across something like this The veiled woman turned to this direction and nodded towards Ryner, which made him breakout the largest smile as if he had won the lottery. I looked at this scene in fascination as it seemed this captain was completely stricken with the woman up front, but could only look from afar The figures turned and began climbing towards the bridge, but not before I felt a gaze linger on me for a few seconds. I turned to the escort of people that were leaving and wondered if I had just thought wrong Ryner moved with much more vigor after this as we entered into a much more expensive looking tavern than the ones I''ve seen on the way here. The tavern was much more high class, with private rooms that gave it an air of calmness There were no boisterous noises from mercenaries as it seemed a noise canceling function was activated the moment the doors to the private rooms closed. We soon grabbed a private room of our own and sat on a thick soft furred carpet around a circular table Ryner was animatedly moving around as the best dishes were ordered and the mercenaries began talking "Hey hey hey, Captain Ryner seems to be completely taken in by the terrifying Ice Princess eh?" "Bah, what do you know? I heard her highness''s main guard would be retiring soon, and I just signed up for the possibility of being chosen when the selection happens" Ryner had began biting down on the huge chunks of meat as he talked back to the jeering mercenary "Oh, you actually think you stand a chance from all those geniuses that are fighting for the position?" The burly captain gave a hard look to the voice that spoke as he snorted and replied "My power is peak rank S, if I don''t stand a chance, nobody does!" The mercenaries continued their back and forth as I listened in and enjoyed the food. The Ice Princess was apparently one of the royalties residing and controlling the Snowy Peak that was floating not too far from us. The subject of the people currently in power who controlled the forces of the Frozen Kingdom made me think about my own plans to increase my influence in the future. The easiest path was to rise to Epic rank or higher, obtaining a level of strength that would allow me to carry out many plans. But how do I go about it without causing bloodshed and strife on these people that were not the enemies I came here for? Rising through the ranks in times of war would be the best possible outcome, but the Frozen Kingdom was surrounded by mountains and had tight defenses. The forces of demons that were spreading out might target this kingdom soon, but I didn''t know when. For now, I would prepare as much as I could before events explode --- There were many titles under my name. The Ice Princess by the commoners. The Doted Princess by the nobles. The Frigid Bitch by my enemies. But none of that mattered to me. Because I was living on borrowed time. I had no energy to spare to those that fawned over me or those that criticized me Be smart, she screamed. Be strong, she said. Use the power that I am passing down to the fullest, as a terrible calamity is coming towards us all. She said all of this to a frightened girl that was losing her mother, and then passed away I imprinted those last words into my brain from that day forward, using the skill handed down to me to get through many of the political messes in one piece. The skill showed a dark light whenever my older brother, the Crown Prince, looked at me. So I avoided him and anything to do with him like a plague. It showed a green light whenever my naive younger brother played with me, so I kept him close and made him rely on me It showed a light blue light with my father, so I acted as the most perfect daughter and gained his affection, making me cruise through to my unshakable position that I have currently. Those that crossed me often met with misfortune or death, making those cowards utter the name of Frigid Bitch whenever they gossiped among themselves I used my means to establish an extensive information agency that saw all the happenings of the kingdom and its surroundings, with more than half of its departments focused on my older brother who shone in a dangerous black light But all of this wasn''t enough. My own fate was still murky. My unique skill showed me that undoubtedly, all that I had done had changed nothing, and that death was still approaching. A calamity was still coming. No amount of information I collected was enough. This fostered something that was my only weakness to this day, the fear of the approaching death. Even the strongest powerhouses of this kingdom did not deter the skill from sending me the same message. I worried about the demons that were constantly increasing their influence across the lands as I thought about the impending calamity I exhausted all my resources. I surrounded myself with the best of guards from the kingdom that my escorts were no less powerful that those protecting the Crown Prince, the bastard that would most likely take control of the kingdom once my father passed I could feel the malice he had towards me even though my position did not come close to threatening him right now. I could recently feel his malice towards our father, which made me even more cautious to the point that I began putting plans into place that would put my own life on the line I didn''t bring myself to act yet, as I continued calculating all the possible scenarios. Would it be regicide, corruption, or betrayal that I had to stop? No answers presented themselves over the years, as my fate continued to become darker and darker That is, until today. 75 The Library The change occured when I was making my way back to Snowy Peak. After my attention was called to one of the many people that looked at me with fervent eyes, I witnessed a blinding golden light that completely took me by surprise If I didn''t have the veil on my face today, they would have all seen my shocked expression at the sight of one man brilliantly shining with a golden light. I moved my sight the instant I could see him begin turning and resumed climbing the bridge My lips moved silently as a message that could only be heard by the ears of one of my most trusted aides came out. The aide hiding in the shadows was surprised, but quickly moved as she pulled back from her position and stayed with the carriage below She was an expert in her own right, and would not be caught monitoring the group that was still gazing towards me. My shock was due to the fact that I had never seen a golden light on a single being my entire life. The unique skill [Golden Rule] had activated to its peak of the color gold as it let me know I had found the thing I was searching for all this time The color gold was the highest it could show, and even that golden light was shining so bright that it almost blinded my eyes. This unknown figure would be the one to save me from death. He would be the one that stands between me and a calamity My heart fluttered as I tried to calm myself. This feeling was not one that many people could come across. The feeling of finally having something you have been searching for so long in arms length. I would not let it get away. Whatever I had to do, even if I had to give up my soul, I would find a way to hold on to this opportunity. This person would have to be treated with utmost care. I thought for a bit before my lips moved once more, sending another message to the already shocked aid who didn''t think her shock could increase even more today. Now, I just had to wait. --- The meal with the mercenaries ended on a good note, with me hearing tidbits of information that made me all the more curious to find a library in this town and see what things I can glean from it I broke off from the loud mercenaries that continued to discuss the same princess and other nobles they took fancy to as I walked around different parts of this large kingdom. Figures of mostly humans and a few demi humans packed the streets as everything ranging from taverns, inns, and stores selling a variety of things were present Some stores held weapons and armor made from different materials and beasts, others were selling small but colorful beasts as pets in shops that many people congregated in. I walked past all of these sights for the next few minutes as I soon came upon a large building with the sign of a book upfront I opened the large doors and came into a scene of peace, with people quietly moving around as books floated on and off shelves. I went towards the librarian that turned out to be a middle aged man with a goatee and asked for some books on the kingdom''s history He looked my figure up and down in a perplexed manner as he grabbed the staff near him and tapped it down four times, which led four thick books to fly out and land on the counter Only people of higher status chose to spend their time reading books, so there was a fee to use the reading space in the library. I gave the librarian 1 gold and carried the books towards a corner of the building with enthusiasm. I hadn''t read books in quite a while, and looked forward to learning about the large world I was in The last half of the day passed like this, with me doing something I never pictured myself doing when I first became a hunter. Flipping through the many pages and reading was not too bad, as almost everything was new information I was learning about for the first time Also, through the use of [Recorder], I was able to quickly bring up information on something that I had seen before by just recalling a few words about it, whereby like a film, the moment that I read about it would replay in front of me I was looking forward to getting more skills like these that don''t necessarily have any offensive and defensive power, but were useful as they were. The information I learned was expansive. Starting with the Frozen Kingdom and its four peaks, the kingdom was under the rule of a powerful individual whose strength was a rank above EPIC. The ruler of this kingdom is called the Illustrious Ruler, King Roark Belmont. He had led this human kingdom that remained the only one of its kind in the Beast World to prosperity for the past 100 years. Under his rule, humans faced no persecution and he welcomed demihumans to come live in the kingdom in search of better lives. His peaceful policies allowed for the continued growth of his kingdom and the goodwill of the mythical kingdoms of beasts Rulers of the beast kingdoms did not bother with the rising kingdom in the North, where it was plagued by the cold environment and tough terrain that previous rulers could not fully overcome. King Roark made his legacy by elevating the kingdom to greater heights during his reign, until it stood toe to toe with the most powerful of kingdoms in the world Surrounded by mountains, the Frozen Kingdom was easy to defend, with enemies only able to trek from one direction. The kingdom held four great land masses above them that were called Snowy Peak, Frozen Paradise, Summit Peak, and King''s Crown. The kingdom thrived on vegetation and animals that grew specialized for the cold, with a wide array of plants that allowed for a booming economy. There was such a wide array of history with this kingdom that I was almost overwhelmed with the task of rising to become one of its influential figures in the near future. But the tremendous power I held affirmed my resolution. I would follow the plan of taking down beasts in these surrounding Nests around this Kingdom and slowly grow. I will clash with EPIC ranked beasts the moment I was fully confident and equipped with a wide array of rank S skills. Surely, even if it takes some time, my goals would be achieved 76 Going Solo I left the library behind as I processed tons of information about the world I was in. After spending a few hours reading, I felt like I deserved a break. I found the same inn I stayed in the night before and enjoyed the different types of meals before going up the wooden steps to a room upstairs I enjoyed the ancient looking aesthetics as I fell on the bed and relaxed my body. Many thoughts came and went as I looked up to the ceiling and tried to fall asleep. This would be denied of me however, as I heard light knocks from the door right after. I became alert as there shouldn''t really be anyone that would need to do this right now, and hoped it was somebody working for the inn. It couldn''t be any of the mercenaries I worked with today either. I went forward with caution and opened the door, to be faced with the figure of a woman all dressed in black bowing down "My deepest apologies Sir. I was tasked with delivering a message from my Lady, would you be so kind as to let me in for a few seconds?" The person in front of me was fully covered top to bottom in a black material, and let out a rank S level of power. I thought about her words and wondered just what had occurred to cause somebody''s attention to turn to me. I had been very careful, to the level of only using a rank A skill and showing power equivalent to a normal rank S Maybe I was overthinking things and this would not be a major deal. I looked around the dark hallway of the in as I nodded to the woman and closed the door. The moment we were enclosed in the room, dark magical power emanated from the woman as a thin barrier went to cover the entirety of the room "My Lady demands complete secrecy, so I thank you for entertaining me." I calmly looked at the thin barrier that seemed to prevent any sounds coming out from the room and looked towards this person and said "Alright, be straightforward and tell me what you''re talking about." "You can call me Night. My Lady wanted to meet you for a discussion whenever you were available, preferably sooner rather than later. Her status is a bit...complicated, and she is committed to doing everything in secrecy" The woman calling herself Night pulled out a golden plaque that had ''Snowy Peak'' written on it, stretching it out towards me. "Please visit Snowy Peak''s famous White Courtyard whenever you can, we promise not to waste too much of your time." As soon as I received the plaque and looked piercingly at the woman in front of me, her figure began blending into the night. She gave another quick bow towards me before she completely disappeared, and the thin barrier around the room also faded away I looked at the golden plaque in my hands as my mind began to churn. There were a few things to note from this meeting. First, this person that I had somehow gained the interest of is very powerful, so powerful that someone as experienced as that dark clothed woman followed her commands Everytime the woman called Night spoke, she referred to that ''Lady'' with the highest respect. This made me question if it was someone in an extremely high position, or someone with a rank higher than S, or both. The fact they they lived on one of the kingdom''s four floating peaks meant she could be a noble or someone with immense wealth The second thing to note was the goodwill they were sending my way. That very important person wanted a meeting, but she sent someone to relay her wishes and allowed me to choose when I would go to this meeting or whether I would even go at all. This was the most perplexing of things, why was this person offering me such respect too? She obviously has enough power to compel a powerful rank S, so what made me stand out in her eyes that I received such treatmeant? I continued to mull over the entire interaction, even using [Recorder] to go back and watch the scene that just played out multiple times to see if I missed anything. I couldn''t glean anything else from it, just the fact that even though I had garnered the attention of someone powerful, with the way they were acting it shouldn''t be malicious in any way. I still had to be careful though, so I would advance my plans a bit and take a risk tomorrow. I would increase my power by farming the Skypeak Nest before I do anything else. The night that should have been a relaxing one became restless as my rapidly moving thoughts pushed the sleep I wanted further and further away --- Early in the morning, I went out of the inn and into the bustling streets of the fascinating kingdom as I made my way towards the huge fortress wall that led outside. A thinner layer of snow covered the ground today, with clear blue skies hanging overhead The large metal gates of one of the entrances of the walled fortress was halfway opened as carriages and people moved in and out, with mercenary parties being seen moving about here and there Besides the Nests that beasts congregated in, there were dungeons that were naturally formed and maintained from this world''s essence that many adventures and parties ventured in. These dungeons differed in ranks, with the highest ones near this kingdom being EPIC rank A lot of this knowledge came from the time I spent in the library. These dungeons spread out all over the world were different from the dangerous ones I had been normally used to, and they seemed like this world''s way to raise the strength of its inhabitants. The System in my world had gone a completely different direction and created a system of power that more easily extracted essence and made its inhibitants rapidly grow in strength from dungeons created by invading forces. After these dungeons were taken care of in the future, I wouldn''t be surprised if I find properly created dungeons meant only to raise the strength of hunters A dungeon break would not occur with these types of dungeons as they were most likely properly maintained with this world''s core, with more essence being placed into them to replenish the origins of the beings in it. From the information I read, the higher ranking the dungeon was, the more massive it would be. Some adventure parties found themselves spending a few days inside to completely clear an EPIC ranked dungeon These dungeons would be another way for me to speedily increase my power, but I would start with the Nests where many beasts congregated first. There were many Leaders for me to take down and gain skills, and I should be safe as long I do not go too far in. These extremely massive dungeons would be my next step after I collect more information I passed by the busy doors of the large fortress and made my way around the throngs of mostly humans and a few demihumans, activating all of my concealing skills before I used [Flight] once I strayed far enough I flew through the skies, heading towards the huge land mass that beasts congregated in. This time I would be going all out and targeting as many rank S beasts as I could. The goal was to get at least a few defensive rank S skills that would bring me more confidence if I ever came across a deadly situation of facing something of higher rank. 77 Skypeak Nes The white lands passed beneath me as I flew at high speeds towards the Skypeak Nest. It remained magnificently in the air, and I flew around it to land on the opposite direction that the extermination task force cleared out last time The beasts in that area had already begun propagating again, but I went around to an area where I could see even more beasts congregated. I could feel the auras of a few rank S leaders as I neared, and I started by casting [Summon Virulent Abomination] The lovable but disgusting beast made its appearance again, this time in another world. It roared out while it sensed the thicker essence surrounding us, seemingly filled with energy and ready to begin. I smiled at this figure as we smashed down onto the periphery of the nest, alerting the nearby rank A and lower beasts I gave the summon the command to focus on the left side while I focused on the right. I wanted to see my destructiveness with all of the rank S skills I held currently. The summon moved as soon as it received the command, its figure plunging into the group of rushing beasts as I focused on the ones coming for me and casted [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] BOOM! The area of 15 meters ahead of me was filled with thick electrical snakes and purple lightning that struck and decimated anything it touched. The loud impact brought to attention even more beasts as droves came out of the insanely tall trees covered in snow Haha, let''s go! I felt the excitement of using immensely powerful skills to take down beasts again as two transparent mountains appeared in front of me and spat out molten lava and flames. The quick destruction prompting an S rank Leader to finally rush towards me It evaded the extreme heat of the [Volcanic Eruption] I casted and went around, coming at me from behind. The moment the beast neared, I used the rank A+ skill [Arctic Zone] for the first time The entire area of 10 meters that the beast was in quickly froze over, stopping it in its tracks as its white fur trembled. It was heavily slowed down while the affected area continued to be destabilized by the chaotic cold elements. It wasn''t heavily injured as it''s attribute was also cold, but it gave me confirmation that rank A+ skills were not too far off of rank S in power. While the rank S beast was slowed down, heavy purple lightning rained down at its location The white furred beast with a disproportionate body used its long limbs to defend from the killer attacks, each roiling strike of lightning destroying chucks of its flesh. I spammed another [Arctic Zone], further slowing down its movements and then casted another [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] to finally overwhelm its tight defense The repeated casts of the rank A+ and S skill finally brought down the beast. I went towards its nearly destroyed body and placed my hand on it, feeling the movement of essence as an item and some cores appeared in one of my storage rings The item was an extremely long blue sword called [Blue Terror], disappointing me a bit as I wanted more defensive or support skills right now. But the day was only beginning. There were many more beasts to take down. The Virulent Abomination was putting in work, now clashing against another rank S Leader as its body continuously released noxious blasts of air. The white furred beast it was fighting against became increasingly overwhelmed as the fight continued, with the abomination fighting and taking damage but not reacting one bit I neared the area and gave a command, the Abomination exploding in a storm of poisoned flesh and bones that cemented themselves into the body of the beast, bringing it to its knees as it wheezed for dear life A large malachite runic circle appeared near me as the Virulent Abomination came out as good as new, rejoining the fight and finishing it with another release of a noxious blast. This beast dropped a skill book this time around, it was [All Element Resistance] that I quickly learnt. It was an active skill that increased your defenses against elemental attacks once activated, but as always I would have it active all the time The fight was gradually drawing to a close as we took down most of the beasts in this area. I could see my cold breath coming out as I collected the cores from the other beasts on the ground and looked towards the thickets of large trees in front of us The trees taller than me by multiple times stood as strong as ever, their cover giving a menacing feeling for those that dared to enter its depth. I recalled how far in we came last time with the lead of Captain Ryner and carefully made my way in Curious beasts that had heard the vibrations of the fight that just occurred were already nearing the area, with us meeting more just a few minutes after the Abomination and I walked into the mass of trees The combination of [Arctic Zone] to slow down powerful Leaders and also deal killer blows to normal beasts as their bodies were frozen and shattered, as well as the use of [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] right after became my new favorite spammed skills with their efficiency. I also brought myself to repeatedly use the offensive rank A skills that weren''t as efficient against the higher ranked beast, but I wanted to increase their proficiency for [Skill Combination]. I was now leaning towards more support and defensive skills that I could keep active all the time without worry as they would quickly rise in proficiency and be perfect for combination If we met a collection of larger groups of beasts, [Volcanic Eruption] was perfect for it, but it caused such intense damage to the surroundings that the thick white trees caught fire for a few minutes and called in even more droves of beasts towards us. The naturally cold elements that congregated in the air reduced the fire and distinguished it in the next few minutes and no beast higher than rank S had come out so far, so it wasn''t too much of a problem We were able to take down a few rank A Leaders and two more rank S. The rank S loot worthy of mentioning was the rank S item [Storage Pouch], that held a much larger space than the lower ranked storage rings I had been using, and attached itself to my waist when equipped. The other one was a skill called [Protection of the Wounded: Injuries cause you no fear as your defense is increased by 200% while the skill is active] A smile bloomed on my face as I finally got a high ranked support skill, and a defensive one at that. 78 Caution The new rank S skill was quickly learned, along with a few rank A skills that were not worthy of mentioning currently that would be used for [Skill Combination] once their proficiency rises I looked in the messy attribute panel at the skills that continued to show their effectiveness that I regularly used Skill(s): (B-Eagle Eyes-100)(B+ Dark Assassin-100)(A-Flight-100)(A-Instant Transfer-98)(A-Infernal Purge-100)(A-Ultra Regeneration-94)(A-Spear of Destiny-95)(A-Pain Resistance-100) (A-Recorder-43)(A-Combusting Spears-69)(A-Language Comprehension-42)(A-Earth Armor-77) (Obscure-78)(A+ Arctic Zone-53) (S-Volcanic Eruption-79)(S-Summon Virulent Abomination-89)(S-Rage of the Thunder Monarch-77) (S-All Element Resistance-5) (S-Protection of the Wounded-2) The rank S skills were rising slowly, with some more than half way through to max proficiency. On the messy side of the many lower ranked skills on the panel, some B+ defense and support skills were nearing 100. I should be able to gain some new rank A skills from [Skill Combination] by the end of the day I moved my eyes expectantly from the panel to the cold and snowy surroundings around me as the Virulent Abomination finished off any beasts that neared. We were only on the outer ring of this large floating landmass, but we neared the distance when the one leading the previous extermination task force had us stop. I didn''t want to go too far in to come in contact with an EPIC ranked beast so fast, so I would proceed with caution and see if I can get another rank S skill before calling it a day and preparing for that possibly impactful randevu in the magnificently floating Snowy Peak of the Frozen Kingdom We slowly moved further in, making sure to proceed carefully. I spread my attention through the barely visible trees around us while using [Eagle Eyes] to check for the incoming beasts. My attention was fully on reconnaissance as the Virulent Abomination took the brunts of the fight, our progress becoming slower as we moved in Powerful beasts were present the deeper we went, and we soon came across three rank S leaders commanding a large group of beasts towards us. I looked excitedly towards these ugly looking monsters as they already seemed like the perfect loot in my eyes We waited for the large groups of beasts to come to us and moved back as we fought, putting a safe distance for the fight not to take place any closer inland. The Virulent Abomination clashed with the groups led by the two rank S BOSSes, its body quickly becoming shredded when two of the Leaders attacked it in conjunction The other leader was making its way towards me, its large body moving at fast speeds and evading the cold blasts of [Arctic Zone] as it neared. The beasts that were ravaging the summon thought they had won as they tore through its wings and tough muscles, but were dismayed soon after when the abomination exploded in front of them BOOM! The impact took out many of the normal surrounding beasts and heavily wounded the two leaders that were ganging up on it. Not a moment after, a large malachite rune bore out a completely brand new Abomination that jumped back into the fight. The leader targeting me was finally caught by one of the [Arctic Zone]s as its attention was pulled away, its figure slowing down and allowing me to cast even more of the skill where it stood. Its body let out uncomfortable sounds as the destructive cold elements that appeared tried to break down its defenses unsuccessfully. [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] and [Volcanic Eruption] would be its only respite as its large figure took multiple strikes of the roiling purple lightning and molten flames, letting out screeching howls before it fell to the continued casts of the skills I continued to keep looking out to our surroundings as I neared the body of the dead rank S BOSS and received a golden skill book and cores. The third rank S skill addition of the day would be [Saint''s Phantom- A mirage of a saint from long ago appears for 10 seconds, using its powerful magic to heal all wounds and dispel any major negative effects] I learned the skill right away and looked ahead to the summon that had ripped apart one of the beasts it was facing and was now clashing with the final one. At this point in time though, I saw a drastic change to the area ahead of us that I had been continuously watching with [Eagle Eyes] A powerful figure was rushing towards us like a speeding bullet train, its body ignoring the extremely sturdy trees shooting up to the skies as it knocked onto them and blasted through in a straight line Damn. I quickly used [Instant Transfer] to the body of one of the dead Leaders and obtained another skill book and cores, before I turned my head at full speed and used [Eagle Eyes] with [Instant Transfer] again to appear more than a mile away from the location BOOM! I heard the impact the moment I disappeared as the large beast that was coming towards us smashed onto the Virulent Abomination and wrecked the summon through the trees around it I only briefly watched as glistening white claws shredded into the chest of my summon before it exploded into the blast of flesh and bones that slightly pushed the figure back. The beast showed slight injuries as some its fur became tinted green, but they soon turned spotlessly white as its piercing eyes found my figure more than a mile away Another Virulent Abomination appeared in my location as I used [Instant Transfer] to appear at a distance another mile away, sending the summon to hold back the beast. Yea. Fuck that. I used [Instant Transfer] multiple times until I neared the periphery of the Nest again, not looking behind as I continued flashing away. When I was more than a few miles away and could see the floating landmass in the distance, a resounding roar of anger that could be heard from here broke out I steadied my breathing as I continued to fly away from the Nest, remembering the information I read that powerful beasts did not rush out of the Nest they were in unless a truly powerful one had united many of the beasts congregated together to attack the lands surrounding them This hadn''t occurred for the past years in this area as the number of beasts was regularly reduced, with powerful adventures and mercenaries forming parties to take down Leaders that rose past rank S every few years The roars of the angered beasts continued, and became distant as I continued to fly away. My heart was beating at a fast pace as I thought about the EPIC ranked beast that I almost clashed with. Not yet. Not yet. I had to play it safe until the skills I collected rose in proficiency and I stood no chance of losing my life while fighting against such a beast. My life was too important for me to play around without having full confidence. Once the proficiency of the rank S skills rose, I would be back to take down this powerful beast. It was highly dangerous, but would also be extremely profitable Other people could not gain power exceeding rank S just by defeating an EPIC ranked BOSS. But I could, and I was looking forward to it! 79 Meeting I moved away from the floating Skypeak Nest and flew back towards the large fortress walls in the distance. I took out the skill book that I managed to grab before the appearance of the powerful EPIC ranked beast, it was [Profane Eruption- Affect the bodies of slain enemies to violently burst, releasing poisonous blight in an area of five meters]. I recalled the multitude of dead bodies that piled up whenever I fought and looked forward to using this the next time The cold winds in the skies as well as the voluminous snow that always fell in the Frozen Kingdom became comforting and cooled the tension I felt in my body. I flew down once I neared the fortress wall, with the crowds that came in and out thinning as night neared With the increasing fear and tension of demons plaquing the lands, most of the merchants that made their business travelling between kingdoms and selling their goods had to put their lives on the line. The roles of adventures and mercenaries further increased to protect merchants and key figures that travel around. They had to have someone powerful in case they came across a squadron of demons moving across the lands I passed the heavily protected gates with no issue and found myself back in the beautiful entrance town that seemed to be coming to life with the advent of the night sky. I recalled the invitation I had received as well as the golden plaque I held in my storage ring. This person that had taken an interest in me and called for a meeting out of the blue might be an extremely important step during my time in the Frozen Kingdom, and I couldn''t take it lightly I had added four more rank S skills in my arsenal, and felt all the more safer, but I still had to move with caution. I would take this risk with the meeting now and see what results come from it. I found myself moving past the rows of businesses that began their work as well as the barely dressed women that seemed to literally be materializing from the dark corners of inns My destination this time was the long bridge that snaked all the way up to the floating Snowy Peak high up in the distance. Two guards still stood side by side and carefully inspected everyone going up, only letting known people with a high status pass through without checking I took out the golden plaque I received from the woman that called herself Night as I made my way to the bridge. The guards on either sides looked at me briefly before their gazes went away. The first step I took on the bridge felt like a starting point for something entirely new The bridge was built with complex artistry and looked like the most expensive stairs ever created with the blue glowing gems that lined the opposite sides and its extreme width. It stood in the sky with very little movement as I climbed up. I had counted more than 300 steps before I came across two extravagantly dressed women making their way down that gave me curious looks Another few minutes passed as I stopped enjoying the scenes high in the air while looking down at the twinkling lights below, and I ascended the entire bridge into a brand new region that seemed entirely different than what I''ve been seeing. There were normal sized trees with white leaves lined up from the bridge and heading into the Snowy Peak, the smooth road paved beautifully as this place seemed twice as exquisite as the land below us. The path forked as I went further in, and the end of the path held a figure of someone that seemed larger than 3 meters. The figure had a wild aura that definitely exceeded rank S as they stood guard on the path right off the bridge entering Snowy peak. The being had their body encased in a similar white armor that I had seen many of the guards wear, with only their head remaining uncovered. It was the head that surprised me, as it glowed with a fiery light and had a full mane all around it. The figure had the striking head that closely matched that of the fiercest lion, this was a powerful beastfolk that was not to be trifled with. I calmed my beating heart after meeting this guard that was most likely of EPIC rank as I considered what path to choose They had given me the message to come to a place called the White Courtyard, but I had no idea where that was. I was planning on speaking to the guard when a dark clothed figure flashed into being on the right path. It looked to be the same one that I had met yesterday as they bowed towards me and indicated for me to follow them Grand buildings came to light as we walked further in, and I started seeing throngs of people carrying themselves with a level of arrogance walk in and out of luxurious looking stores and restaurants. The dark clothed woman I was following took us behind a certain building and knocked on it rapidly, causing a release mechanism as a hidden door appeared on the ground leading to a dimly lit pathway. I jumped in with her as she spoke for the first time today "The Lady wanted to take even more extreme measures to stop any outside intervention or peering eyes. We will arrive at the White Courtyard shortly." I nodded at her words as we followed the hidden path snaking its way underground, eventually following it up to a small courtyard. We unearthed ourselves into an all white room that gave out a calming feeling as the hidden door closed behind us. Night led the way through a few more doors and I soon found myself face to face with a veiled figure similar to someone I had seen not too long ago I tried not to show the shock on my face as it dawned on me that the figure I took the interest of wore the same clothed veil of a high profile person that even the powerful rank S captain just wanted to be in the presence of Night quickly bowed and receded from the room, closing the door with a click as multiple magical barriers began enclosing the room we were in. The veiled figure stood up and took a small curtsy while lifting up her dress and pushing her head down a little The dark veil that covered her in entirety disappeared right after as the most stunning face I had ever seen revealed itself to my eyes. The face had a detached and cold expression with dark eyes that piercingly shone in the night. A bountiful head full of dazzling blue hair came into light as the figure fully revealed itself to me. A clearly expectant voice that seemed to betray the icy expression rang out "Esteemed Sir, thank you for taking the time to meet me." Every word that came out of the white lips of this person seemed to be dripping with elegance as I shook myself out of my reverie and calmly spoke "It''s no problem. If I can be forward, who do I have the pleasure of meeting today?" The figure rose their cold face up high as the clear voice that I can definitely confirm showed more excitement compared to the frozen face rang out "I am the second child of King Roark Belmont of the Frozen Kingdom. The Ice Princess that holds control of the Snowy Peak we stand on. My name is Adelaide Belmont, and it is my deepest pleasure to welcome you here." 80 Building Trus I was trying to control my emotions to the best of my abilities as I met with the person I had longed to meet. My unique skill continued to show his body shining with a golden light to such an extent that the murky grey light that surrounded me started to recede. This was the person that would prevent my death and the incoming calamity. I had to find a way to gain his favor, no matter what. My mind that was always scheming was drawing a blank when it came to this person, as I really knew very little about him and had no information to work with. He had appeared randomly not too long ago, showing an average power of rank S with an ability that granted him slightly more mana than average. The only time the calm expression left his face was when he ate, where it seemed he was enjoying the food so much that a smile always bloomed. From the mercenaries that were with him, I found this esteemed person''s name to be Noah Osmont. All of these were things I found out in a matter of a day after using the full force of my information agency to follow the movements of this person since the day he appeared. But I still had nothing to work with, making me very frustrated. The nobles that stood against me were met with swift destruction because of the many secrets I was able to dip my hands into, but I had nothing to build on for the current person. My mind cleared as I chose the most simplest approach for now, honesty. I squinted at the face that continued to shine blindingly as I spoke. "I am the second child of King Roark Belmont of the Frozen Kingdom. The Ice Princess that holds control of the Snowy Peak we stand on. My name is Adelaide Belmont, and it is my deepest pleasure to welcome you here." Honesty. This was something that many people overlooked, but could always be trusted when used properly. I continued, trying to keep my voice as stable as possible. "Sir Osmont, I only have the purest of intentions for calling you here, but I do not know how to proceed given the subject of the matter." Yes. How do I tell someone that I just met about a huge calamity approaching us, and that he would be the one to save me from my untimely death without sounding just a tad bit crazy? How can I build trust with this person without seeming too eager or with a hostile motive? I would see if blatant honesty with no sophistry would do the trick. His gaze that motioned for me to continue felt like a tremendous weight pressing down. "I...have a peculiar unique skill that tells me who I should associate with, and who I shouldn''t. You, are the first person I met that the skill is calling for the strongest association with." --- The dazzling woman, Princess Adelaide, continued to surprise me with every sentence she spoke. When I heard her last words, I had to take a few seconds and replay them with [Recorder] too see if I heard correctly. This was the princess of the Frozen Kingdom, someone who controlled one of the peaks and the favored daughter of the current king. From her words, associating with me will be something extremely beneficial to her? I quickly thought about my own position and the goals I had when I descended into this world. I was someone unique, with nearly unlimited power. I planned to quickly raise my power and influence and disrupt the invasion of demons in this world, ultimately taking it for myself. The things she was saying about a unique skill that informed her of which people to surround herself with did not seem that far fetched. So lets say she really is telling the truth. My heart increased its beatings as I was fully realizing the new possibilities if the words of this person were true. I had planned to rise to the top of this kingdom in strength and take the lead of creating huge achievements while fighting the demonic forces that would surely come. Only making grand moves after that. But with this person, I could see another, much accelerated path forming. I looked at the blue haired woman who still had the same cold expression and said, "You really believe that someone of my level of strength will have an impact on someone of your standing?" "Yes. I wholly believe in my unique skill. It has never once been wrong. With that being said, I would love to work closely with you for the future. Whatever you need, let me know. I will provide you all the power I hold, while providing you with the most critical of information" I listened to words that seemed too good to be true. The princess of this kingdom would give me her full support in whatever I wanted to do because her skill told her so? Very well. This is an opportunity too big to pass up. I would use it to potentially take over this land in a much shorter time span then I thought possible. A possible period of a year or more could possibly be cut down to months. Alright, I''ll play. "As a measure of good will to start off our relationship, I will share the biggest secret about the intrusion of Demon Kings that are currently building their forces in the center of the continent . This is a secret that only the royalty of the remaining kingdoms have access to, and something that would definitely be of benefit to you." With a wave of hand, an exquisite table appeared between us with two seats on opposite sides. Sparkling trays of food began to appear one after another as one of the golden rings on her slender fingers continued to shine. The table was soon filled to the brim with the most ethereal food I had ever come across as she motioned for me to sit "Let me take some of your time to describe the huge secret of the conspiracy that brought down the most powerful kingdom of this world into the hands of demons." 81 The Fall of a Hegemony The Draconic Kingdom that was situated at the center of the Beast World was the kingdom that commanded the most power. With the mythical race of dragons at the forefront, the kingdom prospered and took the lead in erecting a stronghold that withstood the test of time for multiple millenia. In the kingdom, there were multiple floating cities where powerful dragons resided, ruling over the masses of the common beasts below them. Their power boasted such unshakable belief, that the day they fell became the most shocking thing for the beings of the Beast World to hear. The invasion of demons began abruptly, with multiple Demon Kings descending down in areas not too far from the Draconic Kingdom. They were somehow equipped with all the knowledge of the Beast World as they began waging war right away, causing the battalions of Black Dragons that protected the kingdom to move against them. The Demon Kings that led hordes of demonic forces had terrible power, using Abyss Magic and Unique Skills that stood toe to toe against the strength of dragons. The war was brutal, causing the other mythical kingdoms of beasts to activate their forces and prepare to reinforce the Draconic Kingdom. This was when a huge change occured. The daughter of the Dragon King that was fighting in the front lines was defeated and captured. This humiliation caused the Dragon King to go mad as he prepared for a war of mutual destruction with the demons. But the demons began pulling their forces out of the kingdom at this instant, calling for a momentary truce. They called upon the Dragon King to stop the war that was causing both sides to lose many of their forces and leveraged the life of his daughter to call for an assembly of discussion of how both sides could coexist. The Dragon King naturally knew this wasn''t possible, but his dear daughter''s life obscured his judgment. His love for her was so deep that he ignored all the wisdom and logic he had and called upon his forces to attend this assembly. Even with love blinding him, he still didn''t act rashly and moved together with the powerful regiments of black dragons as his protection. The Assembly was set on on a grassy plain where the two forces faced one another and the leaders moved to discuss. Of course, the only thing they faced was betrayal. But this was the wickedness of the demons. As the Dragon King was approaching the tent placed in the middle of the opposing forces, he was presented with the sight of his daughter being humiliated, and then watched as she was beheaded right after. The Demon King doing this was one that hadn''t appeared in the battles previously. He had newly descended down into the ranks of Demon Kings that were present in the Beast World. He was ranked 32nd, the Demon of Lust, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Demon King Asmodeus. With an Ultimate Skill that granted him glimpses of the future, he fought against the maddened Dragon King...and brought him down. The ruthlessness of demons was seen firsthand as they played with emotions and sought destruction. After the fall of the Dragon King, the rest of the forces went down like dominoes, and the demon forces claimed the Draconic Kingdom. There was one thing that remained a secret from the outcome of this war though. Whether through means of illusion or Abyss Magic, nobles from other kingdoms were able to see the daughter of the Dragon King alive and well. Spies observed a figure that looked just like her standing besides Asmodeus as he led his forces to take over the Draconic Kingdom. The figure held the same face of the Dragon Princess, but it was dressed lasciviously with two horns growing a top its head. The forces believed that a betrayal had taken place and was the ultimate cause of the downfall of the Draconic Kingdom. This increased the Mythical Beasts'' apprehension of the terrible magic that the demons wielded, and they chose to prepare on all fronts for the war that would undoubtedly break out after the demon forces power consolidated around the Draconic Kingdom. They didn''t want the same mind games that the demons played before to occur. They didn''t want to see their loved ones humiliated or turned to betrayers. Forces began to be bolstered by powerful mercenaries that moved across the kingdoms in these uncertain times, as the demons waited to start an all out war. "The true terror of the Demons isn''t their hordes of demonic soldiers that fight relentlessly. It is the mysterious Unique and Ultimate skills that they possess. Skills that show extreme effectiveness even when matched by the most powerful beings in this world." Princess Adelaide took a sip of a red drink as she finished her story. More than hour had passed as the drinks and food on the table were emptied, with the man standing opposite her listening with rapt attention while devouring the meals around him. His eyes seemed to be blazing with fire as a few words escaped his lips. "Unique and Ultimate skills¡­" There was a sense of excitement on Noah''s face as he pondered what he just heard. He focused on Princess Adelaide and said, "What are the movements of demons against the Frozen Kingdom currently?" "The demons are moving their forces and dividing them across all kingdoms, slowing down their advances quite a bit. From the information I have collected so far, only a single Demon King has been leading his forces towards this kingdom." Hesitation appeared on the princess'' face as she continued with her next words. "I am also keeping watch of suspicious movements in the kingdom. This isn''t based on any conclusive information, but from the use of my skill that tells me who to look out for." A silence pervaded the room as both people were absorbed in their own thoughts. A clear voice rang out from Noah''s side. "Okay. Let''s say we have this cooperation between the two of us. You believe I hold the key to your successful future, and I...well, I have my own aims. What will be the first move of this mutual cooperation?" A small smile came on as opposed to the normally icy expression on Princess Adelaide''s face as a relieved reply came, "We have to give you a starting position to stand on that would allow you to be next to me with no questions. How do you feel about taking the command position of my Royal Guards?" --- It was the calm before the storm as many beings moved their forces around and prepared for the incoming collisions. On the neglected kingdom that had a single Demon King making its way towards it, a single event had occurred that would have tremendous consequences. Schemes continued to be created as battles of wits and of strength continued to be carried out. But in the face of ultimate power, who would come out on top? 82 Wanting to move in the shadows "No." It was a simple small word that carried a lot of meaning. I observed the surprise of the princess in front of me as her lips formed a round o and I further clarified. "I''ve learnt a few things these past weeks that made me realize being on the spot light isn''t necessarily a good thing. Our cooperation can definitely be established, but I''ll be supporting you behind the shadows." Calmness returned on her face as she heard this, and I thought about all the things we discussed today. There were many ways I could go about this new development. "Well, you may be right. I was going to see if you would join the competition that decides who will be replacing a retiring guard, but to create an identity for you covertly would be even easier." I recalled the veiled in black woman that called herself Night as the ideas I had came into place. I asked her about the positions of all her different forces and found out that she had a secret division of people protecting her called Shadow Guards. Instead of publicly joining her and becoming her guard captain, I chose to act as one of the figures of her hidden department. I heard her cold voice that held a tinge of allure in it ring out after deciding this. "Working as one of the Shadow Guards would mean you would be staying very close to me in the castle, perhaps just separated by a thin wall for you to act whenever the need arises" My eyes shrunk into thin slits as I heard this, and the discussion continued. One of her golden rings shone again as a black material appeared on the table. I ended up receiving a black suit that tightly hugged my body, visibly showing the steeled muscles all over once I wore it. The black suit was a rank S item that had the innate trait of blending into the shadows, being great for assassinations and the like. As soon as you filled it with energy, your figure would quickly disappear. With the addition of the few hiding skills I could activate at all times, I was skeptical whether someone of EPIC rank would be able to notice me if I didn''t want them to. For the latter half of the Night, I told the Princess that I had to think about everything as she excused herself into another room of the White Courtyard, telling me to call out if I needed anything. After talking in the presence of this person for so long, I let out a relaxing breath while going over the entire meeting. I was just met with one of the best possible scenarios by quickly getting in contact with someone of high standard, and it was an extremely high standard as things stood right now. All she wanted and expected of me was my presence, that I would be the person to protect her against threats she is confident are approaching through the use of her unique skill. When I thought about the idea of Unique Skills and the demon''s Ultimate Skills she had mentioned, I couldn''t help but feel excited at the possibility of getting them for myself. I would take it slow though, and focus on the immediate goals I have currently. Firstly, it was matching and taking down the EPIC ranked beast I ran from at the Skypeak Nest. To do this, I had to continue raising the proficiency of rank S skills, as well as carry out combinations of skills that have met the requirements. On top of the few rank S skills I was able to obtain from my recent trip, I was able to take down even more rank A BOSSes that gave me many rank A items and skills. Putting together the rank A skills I received before leaving the Empire, I had a few additions that were already being used: [Healing Light],[Lion''s Roar],[Water Barrier],[Pierce],[Executor''s Speed],[Sense Heat Source], and [Silent Communication]. All the ones I learnt were active skills that would become passive through the use of my nearly endless mana. For the offensive skills, I was putting more focus in raising the ones that were currently at rank S, while still bringing up the remaining offensive rank A skills that neared 100 proficiency. It felt like I was already spreading my focus on too many things, and I had to be sure I was going in the right direction as time passed. As for skills rank B or lower, there were too many to count, and I would only choose a few that I saw were compatible with rank B skills like [Eagle Eyes] and a few others that I still actively used so that I could raise their ranks later. I was setting my sights on higher places as my rank S skills continued to increase and deserved even more attention with how destructive they were. Currently, I was sitting alone in the room absorbing the rank S cores so that I could max my attributes to 350. With how many cores I currently had in hand, reaching it should not be a problem. Testing [Skill Combination], I was able to produce a few more rank B+ skills that didn''t need mentioning the way they currently were, and would only show some effectiveness after I combine them later to produce some decent rank A hiding, defensive, and support skills. This process would only repeat itself and produce bulks of rank A+ skills that I will be able to make into rank S as time passed. Since I had some time and didn''t want to play with death testing the EPIC ranked beast that I wasn''t sure if it had gone back to the inner parts of Skypeak Nest or still patrolling in the perimeter, I can use the time I have waiting for the skill proficiency to rise while getting to know this Frozen Kingdom I had plans for. I''ll start with the Princess whose face always seemed cold, but the voice betrayed the expectation and excitement when she talked to me. The night passed with me monitoring the many skills I was activating, while also spamming skills like [Saint''s Phantom] that didn''t shine with outragous effects to continuously increase proficiency. It would be a sleepless night, but my body that continued to grow stronger through absorbing essence and the multitude of skills would not be burdened in any way. When morning came, the princess showed herself in a new veil that was light blue. The black clothed Night was besides her as she told me today would be the day of the competition amongst a few rank S mercenaries and adventures to decide who would be joining as one of her new guards. We stepped out of the building called the White Courtyard as the figures of Night and I became transparent. Night was one of the few Shadow Guards that would keep close proximity with the Princess, with a few other ones similar to her stationed all over the Snowy Peak ready to reinforce the guards that escorted her around if anything were to happen. I wasn''t sure if this could be considered paranoia on the Princess''s side as she was being this careful even on her own peak that she controlled, but maybe I could learn a thing or two about going to extremes to stay safe. I would observe the ways of this kingdom and its people before I cement myself into an unshakable position to lead them against the demons that were on their way. 83 The Crown Prince A grand occasion was taking place on the Snowy Peak of the Frozen Kingdom. A new Royal Guard was about to be appointed, and the selection would take place in the form of combat! All of those that deemed themselves worthy and had sufficent status climbed the long bridge into the luxurious world atop the Snowy Peak. Grandiose establishments were left behind as many nobles, adventures, and mercenaries found themselves congregating in a large square field that had tiered seats in their surroundings At the forefront, an elevated seating was present where the Ice Princess herself would be observing the match. Lower seating was present on the sides for merchants, adventures, mercenaries, and anyone else with sufficient status to attend. Nobles would be seated on the opposite side of the Princess observing the matches as well An occasion like this would not normally draw such huge crowds, but it was the presence of the Princess that forever wore a cold expression that people were waiting to see. When the new Royal Guard would be sworn in, there was a tradition of the veil that covered the entirety of Princess Adelaide''s face to be gone for an instant. Many came just to be graced by this sight --- I could see many figures congregating as I remained hidden in the far corners of the high seats that the princess was looking down from. My figure was fully transparent with the rank S equipment I recently received as well as the many hiding skills that nearly erased my existence from people''s eyes I could see the figure of Captain Ryner standing valiantly on the side of the people that would be competing, with his face showing an expression of confidence. Various types of foods and refreshments were being passed around by a collection of expertly dressed maids I turned my attention from the sights of people into the surroundings as I enjoyed the peacefully rustling white colored trees that symmetrically lined up this entire venue. One of the things that continued to surprise me in this kingdom was the different types of beauty you could see with their architecture and simple layouts of the various snowy and colorful trees. It continued to remind me just how different the world I was currently living in. Figures continued to fill in as discussions rose to their peak, before Princess Adelaide rose with her hand glistening in the air, bringing an abrupt silence. I had half of my attention placed on watching the skills that continued to rise in proficiency and combining the ones I could, with the other half of my attention on the events playing out in front of me The rising of her hand signalled the beginning of the affair, as the people coordinating the event moved around to start the first match. At this point in time though, rough winds blew out as something majestically appeared in the skies The beast that just appeared perfectly fit the description of a Gryphon, with large outspread wings and a sharp beak that glistened in the light. Atop this mighty looking beast was a dashingly handsome man accompanied by a woman that was letting out a crazy level of power My focus fully shifted onto them as I felt the feeling of an EPIC ranked individual once again. "My dear sister, you would hold such an event without inviting your loving brother?" In a playfully berating tone, the voice rang out from the figure as the Gryphon slowly landed near the elevated seats where we sat. Looking at the figure drifting up to the princess and matching it with the information I held, this would be the powerful Crown Prince that was currently set to become the next ruler of the Frozen Kingdom He truly did have the strength to prance around as he did, with the only guard he brought along being EPIC ranked. The terrifying guard''s eyes observed everything in the surrounding, the gaze landing on Princess Adelaide''s rank S aides that stood around her. The seemingly loving brother ascended the platform and came face to face with the Princess, his arrival bringing with it a level of tension in the recently calm surroundings. His hand moved out and landed on the shoulders of the veiled princess with a light pat, and I observed a slight tremble occur on her figure "That is no way to welcome your older brother. Come on, let''s see if we can get a few words out of you today. How about ''Brother, it''s nice to see you!''? Hmm, no? Haha, oh well!" The Crown Prince talked this way as the veiled princess remaining still, her covered face only blankly staring back at him. He smiled brightly at this response as if he had won something and turned aorund to the mass of people around us "Today is an auspicious day where our favorite Princess will add another guard to her collection. Let us enjoy ourselves, and watch the great matches unfold!" Exclamations rose out as people matched the Crown Prince''s enthusiasm, and two figures stepped into the square arena to start the first match. The dangerous EPIC ranked woman stood behind a chair that was right beside the Princess, where her old brother took his seat when the match started Not a single word was traded between the siblings after this, as the platform we were standing on became filled with an uncomfortable air. I looked at this newly appeared Crown Prince and recalled the things Princess Adelaide mentioned the night before. Among the many things she brought up after we agreed on a mutual cooperation, the name of her older brother occupied much of the discussion Crown Prince Aeneas, the royalty that controlled Summit Peak, as well as the Frozen Paradise that the youngest Prince Theodred occupied. The biggest thing she told me to keep in mind was to be careful of the rapidly changing face of this Crown Prince. The berating persona of an older brother was not in any way how the person was in the dark. He was a shrewd individual who had taken control of two Peaks, with the Princess losing the battle against him when it came to the Frozen Paradise that their younger brother occupied. The Crown Prince''s hands had dug down deep and now controlled a majority of the businesses and commerce there, elevating his status even further and giving him increased wealth. She told me that if there was anyone to cause us trouble in the future, it would be him. She was much more guarded against him than even the demons that would eventually wage war on these lands His figure let out peak rank S strength, similar to the Princess, but the main worry was his EPIC ranked woman that was guarding him with a fierce expression. My body remained veiled in the dark as I watched this Crown Prince and the ongoing matches below. 84 A wolf in sheeps clothing The hunger that was rising deep within me was quickly pushed down as I sat near my little sister. My dear little Adelaide. How much longer do you think you will scurry around from my grasp? My face couldn''t help but change when I recalled the cute fight you put up for the control of Frozen Paradise You thought you had control over our little brother and could rope him to stand with you against me? Haha, naive, naive, naive! The exhilaration I felt while looking at that face that was normally frozen be filled with anger that day kept me up at night! Yes. That face. I want to see that same fucking face again. Furious emotions erupted out and occupied my mind. My fondness of this bitch was quickly replaced with hatred. She was the only one standing against me. Did she not know the things I was doing to keep the people of this kingdom safe? What gave her the courage to put up defenses against me? Even someone as powerful as an EPIC ranked adventure heeled under me. I looked to the dark haired woman that was releasing a powerful aura as the anger receded within me. The matches happening below us were inconsequential to me as my eyes kept trying to pierce the veiled figure of my pitiful little sister. No matter how many guards you add. No matter how smart you think you are. Under absolute power, what can you do but falter? Just like this EPIC ranked adventurer behind me. Just like the many that have kneeled before me. So will you. When that time comes...I will see just how much longer that frozen expression can remain on your face. I retained my calm as I thought about the brand new strength I would be gaining with the possible deals being made in closed doors. People feared the advent of demons in this world, but I see it as an opportunity. There were too many fools with rigid thinking running around, and this would cause the death of all of us. Things that were never possible could now be seen before me. Grand aspirations of domination would not just be fleeting dreams. As for those that stood in the way of my dreams? Hmph. I sensed the uncomfortable figure besides me as a smile returned on my face. Keep on squirming, little lamb. For I will have you in my grasp soon enough. --- The fights were spectacular to look at, but it wasn''t the thing that grabbed most of my attention. It was the demeanor of the prince that stood near the princess. The facial movements were imperceptible, but I continued to see him shift from glee, to happiness, to anger all in a span of a few minutes My guard was fully up against this new figure as I continued to observe the matches. The strength of the combatants going head to head was great to look at, and it made me admire the way adventurers and mercenaries rose their strength in this world The adventurers of this world began at rank F like many of the hunters in my world, and gradually increased their strength overtime. You had adventurers who were blessed with powerful and unique skills early on, with some that would most likely rise to become exceptional adventurers that could even earn the title of Hero. The strength of the beings in this world rose at a much slower rate than the awakened in my world, but they honed their strength through constant accumulation and experience. A low ranking hunter would start their adventuring in small dungeons and spend months in there obtaining cores and increasing their strength The skills they had would grow with them as they spent years using and learning them. The damage of an adventurer''s C ranked skill could be trained to be powerful enough to the level above if they continued to get stronger. This wasn''t even mentioning the beasts that were the majority of beings in this world. There were many different bloodlines of beasts, and depending on your birth, you could quickly become strong or remain weak. An example was the race of Mythical Dragons that had control of and used to reside in the center of the continent. A newly born dragon had much more mana than many other beings, and as they aged they received innate skills of their species while also learning how to utilize essence to form other destructive skills. They were geniuses when it came to mana, and exceeded many other species in strength. This was also why their downfall shocked so many lesser races and made them treat the threat of demons as a possible world ending calamity. But the dragons weren''t the only mythical races in this world. Another source of their strength was the dungeons that lay all over the world. They were established for a long time with some new ones rarely appearing over time. One of the amazing things I found out about the dungeons in this world is that they granted a random skill to those that cleared it for the first time. So adventurers spent their lives travelling all over the world to amass more strength by clearing different types of dungeons to gain more skills on top of the ones they innately have and train themselves Higher ranked dungeons rarely granted skills of the same rank though, where a very low percentage existed of a party clearing an EPIC ranked dungeon to actually get an EPIC ranked skill. The established norm after hundreds of years was that the more people you delved into a dungeon with, it caused the reward to be split across everyone. So powerful Heroes who could take on dungeons alone would be the ones to find themselves getting powerful skills of the same rank of dungeons they were clearing But how could someone of rank S clear an equivalent dungeon alone? Even the most powerful EPIC ranked figures could rarely pull off taking down an EPIC ranked dungeon by themselves, and those that tried spent days to barely make it out with their lives. Thus, figures that could do this were very rare in history. A few matches went by as the people around the elevated platforms ate and drank, with the platform where the two siblings were sitting continuing to be an uncomfortable area of palpable tension and silence I watched as Captain Ryner advanced forward valiantly, defeating two opponents without breaking a sweat. He wasn''t joking when he said he was a peak rank S power house. I was probably looking at the future guard that would be following the princess around in the future I continued to combine skills while the matches were going, gaining new additions of rank A skills, and could even foresee the appearence of the first rank S+ skill. After spamming [Saint''s Phantom] consecutively every single second for the entire past night, the skill neared 100 proficiency, and I wanted to combine it with [All Element Resistance] that had also been repetitively spammed and nearly reached 100 proficiency, both turning out to be compatible. These skills were relatively easy to raise as they didn''t come with world shattering effects when casted. Aside from this possible rank S+ skill, covert skills of lower rank like [Dark Assassin] were combined together to produce 3 new covert rank A skills, [Shadow Escape], [Illusory], and [Chameleon''s Skin]. These skills were also quickly activated, giving me increased confidence of even those at the EPIC rank not noticing me. The process of combination was only becoming faster and faster as I chose more skills that I could passively activate which were compatible with one another. My dream of overlapping myself with multiple powerful defensive skills was slowly coming to fruition as multiple rank B+ skills were combined. This provided me with new rank A defensive and support skills that were [Steeled Muscles],[Hardened Bones],[Wind Armor], [Metal Scales], [Tanzanite Skin], [Yeti''s Fur], and finally [Frigid Armament] Almost all of the rank B skills I collected the week that I spent in the Empire before coming here and ones gained from the Skypeak Nest were spent to produce this many compatible defense and support skills. There were so many that even I had trouble keeping track of all of them, and just continued to keep them active so that I could continue creating combinations of the next rank. Obtaining an EPIC ranked skill through [Skill Combination] might happen faster than I thought with how efficient I was when I put my nearly endless mana to full use with constant activation of skills. The only other skills that didn''t really fit into a category but I had plans for nonetheless were [Regal Archer''s Eyes] which rose from [Eagle Eyes] and a previously learnt rank B skill called [Enhanced Acuity]. I was enhancing my skills in such a systematic way that it almost seemed foreign to me, with this type of progress even giving me an excited scare. I wanted to grind my active offensive skills similar to the defense, covert, and support skills that I will just refer to as passive skills from now on since they act that way with my nearly endless mana. The memory of me grinding [Fireball] in a dungeon as I watched the proficiency numbers go up passed through my mind, and I shifted the plans to visit the dungeons of this world as my next plan of action. I could see an EPIC ranked skill being born in this pathway in at most two weeks, and it would be much less dangerous than battling an EPIC ranked beast while not fully prepared. 85 Dungeon diving in another world The matches were quickly wrapped up as we were given a show of exciting battles between peak rank S powers. At the end of all of it, the valiant mercenary I knew as Captain Ryner took the title. He stood on the empty arena as cheers erupted all around for the new guard of Princess Adelaide. The Crown Prince rose up with a smiling face as he clapped, and turned towards his sister, as if he couldn''t wait for the final part of the event to go underway. Two guards led the about to be initiated Ryner over to the elevated platform as he went to his knees and bowed down right before Princess Adelaide. A golden sword appeared on the hands of the Princess as she rose up and her veil disappeared, her stunningly frozen face becoming visible for everyone to see. It was tradition to give at least this much respect to a newly initiated Royal Guard. The disappearing of the veil caused the awes of many of the people clustered in this exquisite square field, with lustful eyes being extremely clear on the faces of the nobles sitting opposite to us that I watched using [Regal Archer''s Eyes]. But none of their eyes had as much emotion as I observed on Crown Prince Aeneas''s eyes. They shone with a dangerous glint as he looked towards his sister. The golden sword in the hands of the Princess lightly tapped the shoulders of Ryner, and he then lifted his hands up to accept the sword. Thus, a new Royal Guard had appeared. Cheers broke out as a veil covered the Princess once more, and a fervent expression appeared on the new Royal Guard as he rose. "Haha! Yet another pet in your collection little sister. I can''t wait to see how you make use of all of them." The Crown Prince made these his last words as his figure disappeared and reappeared atop his Gryphon, his EPIC ranked guard following right after. Throughout the entire exchange and the few hours that passed during this guard selection, not even once had any words come out of Princess Adelaide''s mouth. She looked to the retreating figure in the sky as I felt heavy emotions of rage almost spill out of her veiled figure. With the finishing of the event, we didn''t stay with the celebrating mercenaries and nobles, the princess making her way to the carriage that was surrounded by many Royal Guards as we made our way to another location I heard the familiar voice of the princess ring in my ears as I followed the procession in the skies. "We''ll visit the castle where I can show you around for a bit." Her voice was much colder than the one I had been hearing all this time. I placed the Crown Prince high on my caution list after this as we moved to the center of Snowy Peak, where a luxurious castle manor laid itself out. Past the wide gates of the castle was a small garden of flowers and a water fountain in the center. It was a peacefully colorful sight as chirps of birds could be heard as they flew about. The carriage stopped in front of the manor entrance as the princess stepped out. The Royal Guards spread out to the surroundings as they took their positions around the manor, with one guard walking and talking closely with the newly initiated Captain Ryner that was looking enviously at the two guards that had access to enter the manor as their doors closed. With the covert rank S item and many hiding skills I had, I passed through the doors the same as the princess without any issues. The view inside the castle was even grander, with an enormous chandelier hanging in the ceiling as two sets of stairs snaked to the second floor. The two guards that entered stayed at the bottom of each staircase as the princess made her way up, passing through a door that led to a large hallway. The door closed with a thud and Night revealed herself standing near the princess, with me deactivating some of the hiding skills and the veiled suit I had on With a nod from the princess, Night moved forward and left the two of us walking across the hall. "I know it may not seem like it, but my skill has confirmed it multiple times. My biggest enemy is my own older brother." I thought of the EPIC ranked guard that was with him as I listened to this and asked "I saw the powerful guard that stood at the entrance of Snowy Peak, is the guard he came with the one protecting Summit Peak?" "Sadly no, and this is a point where I fell behind. There is an EPIC ranked guard protecting each of the four peaks. The guard he was bringing around was an adventure he found himself some time ago. His power continued to exceed mine after the addition of this one person" We walked through the halls of the manor as the princess told me more information about the four peaks of the Frozen Kingdom and the surrounding lands, not questioning for a second why I seemed to ask so many questions. I wanted to put my plans into place as I waited for my skills to continue rising in proficiency, as well as quickly rise the proficiency of my offensive rank S skills by delving into dungeons where secrecy would not be an issue "I want to go visit some of the dungeons in the surrounding areas to raise my strength a bit more after seeing the people you''re up against." The princess turned to me with that same beautiful frozen face as I said this, and a barely visible smile appeared as she said. "Dungeons are a great way to go, and with how confident I am in my unique skill, I''m sure you aren''t showing us your full power now. How about this, it''s stifling to stay cooped up in this peak all this time, and I can''t even recall the last time I went out of the kingdom. I don''t know which part of the continent you hail from, but let me show you around the surrounding lands as you become more familiar with the dungeons and the people around here. With your strength, we shouldn''t have anything to worry about." The girl continued to place complete confidence in her skill that apparently told her nothing would go wrong with me around. I thought about the idea and went along with it, thinking it would be nice to learn more about this world while getting to know the person who wanted my corporation so much My ''passive'' skills continued to accumulate proficiency even now, so passing the time with a gorgeous lady while getting stronger by combining skills as the requirements were met was also not bad. I would also get the chance to enter the dungeons where I can spam the offensive rank S skills multiple times to raise their proficiency too, and for this I would go into the dungeon alone. "Give me a few hours to send out some messages and put a few things together. We can leave early tomorrow morning while I gather the intelligence on the traits of surrounding dungeons you can go to." I nodded as the princess continued to show me around her castle manor. She seemed to gradually be getting back that cheerful voice that still didn''t match her face that didn''t show much emotion the more she talked as the memory of the older brother from today faded. The rest of the day was spent walking around the manor and being introduced to where I''d be staying. She didn''t lie with her words from before, she really did show me a grand room right next to an even larger one where she''d be staying, where Night seemed to have prepared everything after she separated from us earlier. The first ever S+ ranked skill also showed itself at this time with the addition of [Saint''s Phantom] and [All Element Resistance] that reached the requirements. The new rank S+ skill was [Saint''s Return- A long forgotten saint''s shadow stands behind you and your allies, constantly healing and providing heavy resistance against your enemies]. The appearence of the first ever S+ skill made me feel a great achievement, while also reminding me of my rate of progress. The scary rate of progress confirmed that I would definitely be able to combine an EPIC ranked skill some time soon. It was a much safer and possibly faster way to strengthen myself, making me think [Skill Combination] was just an extremely killer addition to my nearly endless mana that continued to make my speed even faster as time passed. The day ended like this, it was one of those peaceful days I hadn''t had in a while as I enjoyed the company of new people and became stronger through combining skills. 86 Dungeon diving in another world II The next morning, I found myself in a wide carriage that had the most comfortable seats that the cars in my world could not even compare. The princess was sitting opposite me in her veil as she looked out to the procession outside of the carriage. The carriage had a see through function where the people inside could see the outside as it was a clear window, but those outside only saw the luxuriously made materials of the ride that was now attached to a magnificent horse. We were just a few steps away from the bottom of the bridge leading to the Snowy Peak as the carriage we were in was followed by many others like it, heading towards the large fortress wall in the distance The Princess seemed to have planned for many things as I could see various merchants and mercenaries coming along with us, as well as the Royal Guards that were valiantly defending from threats atop their horses. I could see the figure of Ryner that made me chuckle, as he seemed to have transformed into the most perfect Princess Knight that continued to gaze at the carriage we were in frequently. "There are a few counties and dukedoms in our surroundings that face harsher winters with less food, but each of them have their own specialties that we can trade with. I can already see that you plan to go delve into the dungeons alone, so I''ll be keeping myself busy while you do that." I felt like I could see a smile behind that veil as the princess spoke without worry, the barriers surrounding this carriage making it so that no sounds came out. She wore a thick white dress with glistening fur on her shoulders, clothing that was commonly seen on the people in this kingdom that always lived in cold winters. I liked how the girl quickly caught on as we began the journey outside the Frozen Kingdom. The procession of carriages quickly made their way out of the large gates as they paved their way across snowy roads. I was comfortably sitting in the carriage with the Princess that continued to describe the things we were seeing even without me asking --- "What? My little sister is making a trading trip?" A surprising move had occured from the little rat that continued to evade my traps. Making a trip to surrounding counties at this time? Don''t you know that dangerous things can happen in the outside world where many bad people move around? A gleeful smile broke out of my face as I thought of this opportunity that would never have presented itself before. What had happened to cause you to do something this reckless huh? Did the number of pitiful rank S guards around you really make you think you were fully protected? Lets see what is giving you this newfound courage to prance around without worry! --- The first place the procession of carriages stopped at was a place called Valen County. It took a few hours to get to this place as I learned more about the surrounding places near the Frozen Kingdom Valen County was famous for its textiles and exquisite clothing, so the merchants in this procession would start doing business here first. The county had a few dungeons in its surroundings, with the highest one being the rank A dungeon, [Floating Pentagons]. The Princess was planning to provide assistance and talk with the leader of this county as she tried to expand her influence. I would dive into this brand new dungeon for the first time and see just how different they were compared to the ones I have been used to. Before I left the carriage, Princess Adelaide handed me a small twinkling piece of metal. "This works as a way to communicate if something ever pops up. If it blinks orange, then something serious that could endanger us might be occurring. If it glows red...well hopefully it never comes to red." I accepted the piece of metal and told her not to worry too much, I would only spend a few hours in the dungeon. I could most likely clear it in under 20 minutes if it was anywhere near the dungeons I have been used to, but the goal was to enter this secret area where I would be alone to spam and raise my offensive rank S skills, so spending a few hours would be required I let the princess leave the carriage first and activated my many hiding skills and added mana to activate the rank S veiled suit before stepping out myself. She was received by a plump man who began talking to her fervently while I went toward the dungeon she mentioned. The monolith of this dungeon was much bigger than the rank A ones I knew. There were dark doorways instead of squares to place your hands on, and I walked into one of these dark doorwars, entering the first dungeon in this world. [Floating Pentagons] was just as its name suggested. I was transported into a wide pentagon that was floating in the skies with complete darkness all around me. The only other points of light were four other pentagons similar to this one floating not too far away. Monsters began materializing on all the four pentagons but the one I was on, where four humanoid rhinos came to life and went towards the center of the pentagon that held a runic circle. The moment they stepped on this runic circle, they disappeared from their pentagon and all four monsters appeared in the middle of the pentagon I was in. I smiled at this new environment as I began by summoning my Virulent Abomination and started casting multiple offensive rank S skills Thunder and molten flames roiled about, as well as flaming spears and blasts of cold that froze everything. The goal was to nonsensically spam every single skill continuously for the time to come until they reached 100 proficiency. I made sure to keep the bodies of monsters that continued to materialize from the four other pentagons and were transferred to the one I was standing in so that I could raise up and use [Profane Eruption] too. From the first four humanoid rhinos, there came 8 more in a few minutes, then 16 more after that, and then 32. They kept on doubling as time passed, until 64 monsters kept on appearing every 10 minutes. If your hunting party couldn''t handle the old ones fast enough, you would soon be overwhelmed and find yourself dead. I cleared them way before the new ones even came and continued to spam my skills as I watched the proficiency numbers rise in real time. [Profane Eruption] was truly deadly, as the bodies of dead monsters exploded in a shower of poisonous gore that blasted anything near, creating even more corpses. I made sure to target the skill to activate on a single corpse each time and not explode all the corpses at once so that I could activate it multiple times. I had completely gone into an insane mode of constant spamming that I lost track of time, completely not realizing when a huge 10 meter tall colorful humanoid Rhino that was most likely the BOSS become blasted as soon as it appeared by the surrounding skills A large green crystal rose in the floating pentagon I was in while I felt a flow of information enter my brain. This was...the random skill adventures received after clearing a dungeon for the first time in this world? The information entered my mind and instructed me on how to manipulate essence into an applicable form to cast the skill [Cook- As long as it is activated, any dish you make will turn out delectable]. I felt a ringing as this new skill appeared on my attribute panel as a rank A skill, but it was such a different skill from what I was usually used to that I laughed. But the purpose of me entering this dungeon wasn''t for the clear skill I would receive for the first clear. Although the skill did seem interesting, and I would try it when the chance came. For now, I would spend the next few hours in this dungeon raising proficiencies and combining skills. 87 Dungeon diving in another world III As destructive skills continued to be cast all around me, new ones that met requirements were combined. The addition of [Spear of Destiny] and [Combusting Spears] gave the A+ ranked [Relegator''s Spear]. [Pain Resistance] and [Ultra Regeneration] produced the A+ ranked [Immutable Regeneration] that provided even faster regeneration while boosting my tolerance to pain. The new skill made me excited to try out. I also wanted to see just how great the healing effects of the S+ ranked [Saint''s Return] was when applied to summons like the Virulent Abomination that always continued to be injured. If the resistance buff and healing was high enough, the summon might even be able to withstand attacks of that EPIC ranked beast while dealing its poisonous damage before being completely destroyed. I watched as the numbers rose for many of the skills, as well as another two particular S rank offensive skills that were just a few digits away from being combined. Another skill that was rising slowly while active was [Summon Virulent Abomination], but I made sure to make full use of the deadly explosion that occurred when I casted it while it was already on the field to also raise the skill even faster with continuous casting. It seemed like it would be compatible with [Profane Eruption], so that was one thing I was also actively rising. A few hours passed like this, until I felt mentally drained from continuing to multitask and repeat this process so much. I looked around the messy floating pentagons as well the blank darkness below in this dungeon that would be terrifying for anyone who didn''t have the ability to fly. Hundreds of monsters had died, but not even their bodies remained with the constant use of [Profane Eruption]. I went out of the dungeon to find the procession of wagons fully ready to go, with Princess Adelaide being kept company by the same plump man that received her. I used [Silent Communication] to let her know I was done, and she said a few words to the plump Count who nodded with vigor, with her heading towards the carriage right after. While remaining fully hidden from prying eyes, I was back in the carriage with the princess that seemed to have become exhausted after moving around these past four hours. "You took your time, Sir Osmont. Are you sure you''re good to go to the next location right now?" From what she told me earlier, the next location would be the Shadow Dukedom with an S rank dungeon nearby. It would take a few hours to get there, so I told her we were good to start the journey now. It neared evening, and I was able to serenely relax in the comfortable carriage after spending the last few hours incessantly casting skills. As we left behind the Valen County, we were surrounded by a scene of white as snow fell down even harder along the unpaved road. The white horses that were a tad bigger than ones I was normally used to did not seem bothered by the cold even one bit as they pulled the wagons and carriages forward. The Royal Guards occasionally became statues of snow as they continued to surround our carriage, with a few more protecting the wagons in the back We hadn''t come across anything so far, but the Princess exercised great caution as usual. I was curious about her unique skill she mentioned before and asked her about it. "The Unique Skill I hold is a special skill that can be passed down to those of your blood. My mother used the skill to become a powerful woman that commanded a great number of forces. Half the reason that my father was so successful as a king was due to her. She passed the unique skill down to me before she passed away years ago." A semblance of sorrow could be felt from her voice when she mentioned this. It seemed the possibility of skills being passed down occured very rarely with strict conditions. She talked about the effects of the skill, and how she made many of her plans based on it. . I praised this girl''s ability to get where she was at now depending on this one skill. I also didn''t want to overinflate my ego, but it also allowed her to find someone like me. If her skill is to continue to be trusted, it means I will be making big moves in the future. To protect her from someone that was meant to become the next ruler of the Frozen Kingdom as well as the calamity of demons she continues to mention. If her skill gave her confidence in passing through these events by keeping me close, then...I smiled at the thought of the people I would be facing and the impact that would come from defeating them. I had to take things as they came though, and not play too much when I have yet to obtain an EPIC ranked skill. I found the pressure of the possibility of my death weighing heavily on my shoulders the moment I thought about its impacts. This was why I had searched for and learned so many defensive skills, as keeping my life was the first and foremost important goal. The many rank A defensive skills were rising very well, and I would most likely be able to make them A+ in another few days. The tone in the carriage was light as the Princess talked about the areas we were passing and the places surrounding the kingdom. The Valen County that we just passed was one of them, and we were heading towards the Shadow Dukedom right now. These places depended on the protection of the Kingdom''s forces, and there was much tension right now as the forces of demons neared the cold lands. People from Valen County and the Shadow Dukedom that were worried enough even made their way towards the Frozen Kingdom with all of their life savings to settle down there. "In this dukedom, they have a specialty of different types of food that are unique to their location. I think you''ll find it fun to spend the night there." The Princess seemed to have caught on to how much I enjoyed the food here, and made it so that we would spend the night enjoying the delicacies of this new location. We arrived half an hour later to the dukedom that was lined by huge walls. The procession of carriages and wagons were welcomed with enthusiasm as they saw the banner on the carriage we were in. I could already see a huge monolith rising up in the Dukedom with [Regal Archer''s Eyes], and it was more than twice as huge as the rank A dungeons I had normally seen. This was the rank S dungeon, [Waterworks] that I would dive into tomorrow. Both this one and the rank A [Floating Pentagons] had the same black color on their monoliths, not adopting any of the usual blue, orange, or red I''ve been used to It was a hectic night as the merchants and guards moved around to unload a few things, and the princess was led to a manor where she would spend the night. We came to an enclosed area in the Dukedom where a small castle stood. After the introductions with a valiant knight that had a red mohawk who was the Duke of this place, among the few words that the Princess let out, food was one of them. The Duke was surprised when he heard the request of the princess to provide her with even more different types of delicacies than the ones they had prepared, and he agreed nonetheless. He knew the Princess preferred to spend her time alone so he didn''t intrude too much, leaving after sucking up to her as much as he could. Guards were placed where they were needed as the doors to the small manor closed, and I finally lifted the effects of a few skills as well as the rank S veiled suit. "Please help yourself, I know you must be tired from delving into the dungeon and listening to me talk the entire day." The Princess said this as Night flashed by not too far away and took her position outside the door of the room we were in. I was courteous and allowed the Princess to sit down on the extravagant seats first before we enjoyed the delicacies of the Shadow Dukedom. It would be a nice ending to this eventful day as I waited to combine a large number of skills tomorrow. 88 Schemes My morning began with abrupt knocks waking me up from the comfortable bed I was in. I didn''t necessarily need sleep with my maxed rank S attributes and many skills that now became passive, but I always felt rejuvenated whenever I had a decent sleep. I groggily said come in while rising up from the bed where the silk sheets drifted down. The door opened to a blue haired girl who seemed to have a semblance of worry on her eyes. She came to a stop as she saw my naked upper half on the bed and turned away as I became surprised at this type of reaction I never would have expected from someone like her. I equipped my body armor and asked, "What happened?" There shouldn''t have been anything that went wrong with just a few hours passing. I was even patiently waiting to combine more skills this morning before diving in the dungeon here. "Something that I didn''t completely expect has occurred." She turned back and spoke in a serious tone as she faced me once more. "Before we left, I made a few Shadow Guards stay behind to monitor the forces of the Crown Prince in the case of any suspicious movements. I thought there was a possibility he might try something fishy once news of me traveling to the surrounding counties and dukedoms reached him, but I never expected him to make such a bold move." I was up with full attention as she said this and I asked her, "What exactly did you find out?" "The Shadow Guards followed a collection of mercenaries working under the Crown Prince as they left the Kingdom. Only the two of them followed to see if this would lead to something while others remained in the kingdom to continue monitoring. The two Shadow Guards that followed those mercenaries closely found them heading in the same direction we are." This doesn''t seem too bad? I waited for her to continue as it seemed she liked holding the best things for last. "Among the mercenaries they observed was the figure of the woman that was with the Crown Prince a few days ago." Now, with these words I finally became serious. An EPIC ranked individual was involved? "What''s their plan here? Surely your own brother isn''t sending people to take your life." "Hah" A light laugh escaped from her lips for the first time since I met her, and she said, "It''s not my life that he wants. I''ve seen the way he''s looked at me my entire life while I grew up. He''s got a twisted mind, and I don''t know what plans he''s created from it." I thought about this possible new threat and my own level of power currently. Between beasts and humans, beasts of the same rank were always more powerful. Would this be applicable to the adventure that supposedly was heading towards us? I then looked through the many skills I had brought up recently, as well as the ones ready for combination after this past night, and a smile broke out in my face. "They won''t be making a move while we''re in this dukedom will they?" "No, they will most likely put up an ambush in the snowy roads with low visibility when we leave this place." The plan in my mind fully formed as this was confirmed. "Great. We''ll head out in a few days to clash with these people. For now, let''s continue to enjoy the time in this dukedom." A few days would be enough for me to get much stronger through combinations and loot. After all of this was completed, I even had a chance to gain another EPIC ranked skill from someone that wished me harm? Haha, I couldn''t wait! The calm returned on the face of the Princess as she saw my own face that had no worry, and nodded her affirmation. "You plan to head to the dungeon now?" "As soon as we grab some food, it''s going to be a grueling few days of grinding for me." "Grinding?" The term threw her off and I told her not to worry as we stepped out. The plan would be simple for the next few days. Constantly grind and combine skills while gaining new ones from this rank S dungeon, [Waterworks]. This would actually be the first S rank dungeon I dive in, as all the ones I came across previously had dungeon breaks right after. After grabbing some food, I covertly made my way over to the dark monolith. The hazy doorways were striking, the blackness inviting and drawing you in. Without wasting a minute, I entered my first rank S dungeon in this world. [Waterworks] was a particularly interesting dungeon, as the first floor I appeared in had a few patches of land, with water surrounding the floor for more than 2 times. My [Regal Archer''s Eyes] that could see triple the distance that [Eagle''s Eye] could observed many movements on the water below. ZOOM! Without a second passing, monsters flew out of the water with sparkling sharp teeth spread wide open to take a bite out of my figure standing on the small path of land. The beasts looked completely the same as sharks, just four meters large, but with the addition of wide wings on its sides. These were the famous monsters in this dungeon called [Winged Shark]. They could stay in the water as well as the air, and terrorized any adventures that were not prepared. I had the goal of focusing on raising my rank S offensive skills as well as the rank of my one and only summon currently, so I began with those skills. With the shining of the circular rune, the ugly Abomination came out with a loud scream as always. The [Winged Shark]s in the air found their small wings ripped apart as something much larger than them began to move. [Saint''s Return] was casted next as the figure of a golden saint with white hair appeared behind me. The hazy figure had a stern look on his face as white rays of light shot down towards me and the Virulent Abomination. The light brought about an invigorating feeling to my body as I felt energized and like nothing could possibly hurt me. The summon that had begun battling with the flying sharks found many parts of its body that were injured closing up quickly as it moved even faster. The next skills I began casting were [Volcanic Eruption] and [Rage of the Thunder Monarch], I was excited to cast these even more as they would be reaching 100 proficiency in an hour or so. The first floor of this dungeon was cleared like this. The sharks were very aggressive and always dashed out of the water to attack. Even if they didn''t though, the constant thunder that rained down in the water as well as the molten flames and gaseous heat made it easy to take all of them down. The moment any of them died, [Profane Eruption] came to play to cause even more mayhem. The [Waterworks] dungeon had 50 total floors, with the first 25 holding countless variations of [Winged Shark]s and the latter 25 holding the last boss room as well as another species of monsters. The fact that there were so many floors that provided a ton of monsters made the usage of [Profane Eruption] shoot through the roof and cause the proficiency to visibly rise over time. Hours passed by like this as I enjoyed the rising of numbers and combining of skills while terrorizing new species of monsters. 89 Fast paced power ups Halfway through the 10th floor of [Waterworks], [Volcanic Eruption] and [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] finally hit 100, and I was able to put the two skills in the [Skill Combination] tab that shone blue. The product of these two was the rank S+ skill, [Devastation- The sky cracks as destructive lightning and flames from the depths of an unknown dimension search for your enemies.] The first trial of this skill was particularly eye opening. The moment it was casted, it seemed like the sky was unzipped as roiling thick ropes of purple lightning and red flames spread out to every single [Winged Shark] in the air, as well as the ones hidden below in the water. The destructive combination of lightning and heavy flames seemed as if they had their own consciousness as they searched for and blasted apart any beast they pierced into. 10 seconds, that was how long the skill lasted, but also the amount of time that cleared out the entirety of [Winged Shark]s in our surroundings, leaving the Virulent Summon standing blankly in the air looking for more enemies. The advent of [Devastation] made my attacks overcome the efficiency of the fast moving summon for the first time since it appeared, increasing the rate we progressed through the dungeon. On the 25th floor, the rank A skills that had been active all this time finally reached the requirements and were combined. [Steeled Muscles] and [Hardened Bones] went together to provide [Man of Steel]. [Wind Armor] and [Frigid Armament] produced the colorful [Dual Element Armor]. [Metal Scales] and [Yeti''s Fur] produced [Beastial Hide]. [Tanzanite Skin] and [Earth Armor] went ahead to produce [Protection of the Earth]. This gave me four new rank A+ defensive skills that had their power nearing rank S, giving me even more confidence of having a sturdy enough defense to withstand attacks of someone of the EPIC rank. I would still continue to over prepare though, as nothing wrong would come out from that. After passing through the 25th floor, we came across another type of monster in this dungeon. This time they were the terrifying combination of a humanoid fish, the famous [Siren]s. They had naked upper bodies where voluptuous masses of flesh were flinging around as their lower bodies were made of hard green scales. They had powerful attacks shooting out from their mouths as deadly soundwaves and poison continued to flyout as they moved across the water. Well, they still didn''t stand a chance against the Virulent Abomination that ripped them apart without reservation, as well as [Devastation] that searched out for them even when they dived underwater. [Profane Eruption] caused them even more problems as the bodies of their friends exploded and left poisonous zones in the water that spread out. As they could not fly into their skies, they became even more pitiful than the [Winged Shark]s from earlier floors. I continued to bulldoze through the dungeon in this manner, a multiple array of skills continuing to be casted as their proficiencies rose. [Summon Virulent Abomination] had already reached 100 as my fingers itched to combine it with the poisonous and powerful [Profane Eruption] the moment more bodies of dead monsters continued to appear. I had already profaned more than a few thousand bodies just in this dungeon alone as more than 2 hours had passed while I went down [Waterworks]. The dungeons floors were extremely vast and wide, providing a vast array of monsters that made me very happy. With a few thousand more bodies to explode until I reached floor 50, I might be able to carry out the combination of the two skills in this dungeon run. Another two hours passed as I took out the screaming [Siren]s, and I found myself on the 50th floor where the BOSS resided. The floor was a wide expanse of water, without even a patch of land to stand on now. Adventures usually came into this dungeon equipped with information and items that either allowed them to breathe underwater or walk on it, being fully prepared for many different situations before they came in. I went about it a whole different way by remaining in the air with the [Flight] skill that continued to show extreme usefulness even now. I watched in the air as the ugliest beast I had seen in a while showed itself. I thought my abomination was ugly to look at, but the monstrosity rising up was something else. The BOSS of this rank S dungeon that was called [Fish Monstrosity] made its appearance. It was as its name suggested, a monstrosity made up from multiple fish that seemed to still be alive and screaming as wails came out of various parts of its body. It''s face was contorted in anger as it howled towards me, multiple water spears forming and making their way over. This beast was one that many adventures had trouble with when looking at its hard defenses and powerful water element abilities. The maxed abomination that was at the height of its power swooped down to smash into the monstrosity as their deadly battle began. I let the water spears hone in on my position and strike my body, seeing just how effective the attacks of a peak rank S beast that needed multiple rank S adventures to take it down would stand against my many defensive skills as well as [Saint''s Return] that continued to heal me and provide me resistance boosts consistently. The water spears seemed to have struck into a muddy wall as they didn''t even get near enough to dent my armor, the many defensive skills that were either layered on top of my skin or in the form of colorful barriers stopping them right in their tracks, where they then dissolved into nothingness. I nodded in satisfaction while watching this, realizing that even if an EPIC rank were to land their attacks on me, they would at most injure me. But, let''s continue accumulating more defenses! I eagerly looked to the battle between the two ugly beasts as the Virulent Abomination seemed to have the upper hand with the constant healing and buffs from [Saint''s Return]. Every single injury it suffered closed in but an instant as the [Fish Monstrosity] continued to be injured with the noxious blasts it was releasing as well as its sharp claws. I finished the battle as I casted [Devastation] and watched the roiling thunder and flames rush out from the rift in the sky and pierce the body of the beast. Painful screams rung out as the beast withstood extreme heat and lightning, watching its body slowly become burned and destroyed. When the 10 seconds passed, only a mess of flesh was left behind as the monstrosity screamed pitifully. The summon ended the fight by digging into its body and releasing multiple noxious blasts from within A similar scene to when I cleared the [Floating Pentagons] for the first time occurred, where a flow of information in the form a skill was placed in my mind, it was quickly absorbed and transformed into a skill that appeared on my panel. This time it was a rank S skill called [Budding Farmer- You can become the best farmer in your region. In exchange for a large amount of mana, the skill allows you to change the essence in a surrounding field to promote the extreme growth of all plants.] ...All the skills that I was receiving by clearing a dungeon for the first time in this world were non combat skills that seemed to have their own special uses. I wasn''t complaining as they seemed to be very interesting skills, so I would give the first one I received, [Cook], and this one a try soon. From the knowledge I collected so far, the perk of gaining a skill when clearing a dungeon for the first time in this world was completely random. It was a completely different system from the dungeons that the demons used to descend to my world. I would see what type of skills I would continue receiving when I clear more dungeons of this world in the future. I went near the beast to get its loot similar to how I had been doing these past 49 floors as I collected more cores and a skill book into my [Storage Pouch]. I then rose higher and casted [Profane Eruption], watching the large body of the beast cause a heavy explosion and give the last point from 99 to 100 for the skill. I excitedly looked at the two skills that were ready for combination as the summon was canceled and I placed [Summon Virulent Abomination] and [Profane Eruption] into the [Skill Combination] tab The tab shone in a blue light as the process took even longer than when I combined the skills to receive [Saint''s Return]. It finished in a few seconds, and the new rank S+ skill produced from this deadly combination was [Summon Plague Bearer- An abomination of extreme evil that causes deadly plagues wherever it goes. The skills Poisonous Breath and Defiler are among its tools.] My eyes shone with this combination as I itched to restart this dungeon and see just how deadly the summon had become. 90 A Journal Entry Hello. This will be Night''s #786 entry. A perplexing event has occurred recently that deserves to be recorded. My gracious Lady gave me a command that allowed her to connect to a man we just recently observed. It was a peculiar man based on the details we collected. He seemed to have popped out from nowhere and landed in our kingdom, showing an average level of power, and yet catching the eye of the Princess. We were still matching his characteristics with those of beings across the continent. As for why he caught the eyes of the Princess, I have yet to find out. It is the continued behavior of the Princess towards this man that continued to make me observe them even more though. Not to even mention how close she seems to be getting to him and allowing him to be that frank with her, lets just take a look at the past few days we spent in the Shadow Dukedom. After another one of my sisters informed her of another plot hatched by the Royal Wanker, the first thing she did was head to inform that man. She didn''t discuss with us or with the Royal Guards on our plan of action. The plot currently afoot could be potentially dangerous for all of us, so I expected the Princess to come up with one of her grand plans that would allow us to outwit the enemies and arrive back to our castle unharmed. But no such thing occurred. She simply went to discuss it with that man and came out, informing us to continue monitoring from a distance and to be sure that they do not catch on, that we will continue to spend our time in this place for a few days. This wholly surprised me and made me question the power of that man that made the Princess disregard the power of an EPIC ranked individual. It also made me somewhat down. Did the Lady not need us anymore? The morning after we found out about the news of the impending attack that was waiting for us as soon as we left this Dukedom, the man disappeared from my detection and didn''t appear until the end of the day. I was happy to be back to spending time alone with the Lady as she went about her work here, but was also curious about this man who could escape the perception of someone like me that was trained in this art. When he reappeared in the evening, he seemed to be in a good mood, and even went as far as to ask the Princess to bring him some ingredients for food he wanted to cook. This was something I never expected, but I acted as instructed and brought in a variety of raw meats and vegetables to work with. He began cooking while seeming like a complete beginner, but the results were something completely unexpected. There was an appetizing smell in the air stemming from the food he made that I''ve never come across before. I couldn''t help but overstep my boundaries when I saw the Lady enjoy the delicacies, and shamefully accepted the offered food. The conclusion? Maybe this man wasn''t too bad after all. A significant amount of time was still spent with the Lady and the Sir talking. I never knew what the two of them spent so much time discussing, as the Lady had already asked me not to snoop in when she was alone with him. I still had many questions, but I knew the princess was careful in who she confided in, so I will wait until she can come to me again. On our second and third day in the Shadow Dukedom, the same pattern continued to repeat where he disappeared and reappeared, each time he came back seeming much more calm and confident. I wasn''t dumb, and inferred a posible activity that this man was doing everyday was most likely going down the famous [Waterworks] dungeon by himself. I was shocked when I came to this conclusion, as the only people powerful enough to delve into S ranked dungeons alone were either powerful Heroes with Unique Skills or powerful adventures of the next rank But maybe this would explain some of the many mysteries surrounding him, as well as the unexplainable savory food he has routinely been making. It was now the evening of the third day, and I can already smell that same aroma from before. I''ll see if I can continue to overstep my boundaries and receive some more of those delicacies. Until then. --- A few days had passed while I continued to dive into my now favorite dungeon, [Waterworks]. The abundant amount of monsters and many floors allowed me to go all out testing the new skills that were already rising nicely. Both the newly combined rank S+ skills had reached the 30s in proficiency, and were taking their time even after I constantly spammed them these past 3 days. Maybe getting an EPIC ranked skill in a few days was too far fetched, and I might need another week or two as higher ranked skills took their time to rise. The one thing that I found to be helpful to my psyche after the constant grind of skills and killing monsters for so many hours was the new hobby I found myself doing. I count it as a blessing that I began doing this, as I felt like the only words passing through my mind was just this skill or that skill and which ones were next to combine. This new hobby was me using the skill [Cook] to put a few things together. I wasn''t doing anything special, only using my barely passable cooking that I had to learn when I was on my own. Yet the results were exceptional. Well, it was basically the skill doing what it described. I could confidently say that the things I made while [Cook] was active was one of the best foods I had ever eaten. It beat the food I had when I first arrived in this world by a mile. This made me curious to try out the [Budding Farmer] skill too, as it probably holds even greater surprises. Aside from finding myself respite from the monotonous grinding so that I don''t go crazy, I made new additions with [Skill Combination] and received another 6 rank S skills as well as 3 items after continuously clearing the [Waterworks] dungeon. The new rank S skills were [Flash- High speed movement that allows you body to automatically evade enemy attacks], [Phoenix Arrow- Your bow momentarily releases inflamed arrows that carry the aura of a phoenix], [Enfeeble- A terrible curse strikes your enemy, reducing their speed, damage, defense, and resistance], [Aura of Belligerence- An aura of war surrounds you and your allies. +200% damage], [Shield Slam- Your shield comes to life, targeting any enemies around you in a flurry of attacks], [Obfuscation- Your presence continues to thin out until the best detection skills cannot observe you] It was a great addition of powerful skills, where even ones that I doubted I would use like [Shield Slam] and [Phoenix Arrow], I still learnt them anyways. The newly obtained rank S items were [Viridian Boots], [Legion Armor], and [Dulled Trident]. Besides the trident, I could wear everything else. The new [Legion Armor] went on top of the rank S Veiled Suit with no issues, and the [Viridian Boots] vastly increased my speed. All of these new additions and skills made me confident to stand against the power of an EPIC ranked skill without my life being snuffed in the next second. I would give myself another day before going out to clash with the mercenaries still waiting in ambush outside the snowy roads. 91 EPIC I It was now the morning of the fourth day in the Shadow Dukedom. Even with most of my time cooped up in the [Waterworks] dungeon, I was still able to spend some time watching the mundane and sometimes extraordinary lives of the people living here. They weren''t too different from the masses that I was used to in the Frozen Kingdom, only looking slightly more impoverished as they had access to less food. I was standing next to a frozen field in one of the designated plots of land that were usually heavily protected. They treated the source of their food with this much importance. Princess Adelaide had mentioned that the vegetables growing in these fields were called [White Radishes]. They were a strong plant that grew in the extremely cold conditions very well. But the soil of this Dukedom and a few others around the Frozen Kingdom had been seeing reduced crop yield on lands that were normally fertile. I wanted to test the usefulness of [Budding Farmer] after the surprise that [Cook] brought me, so I would try the skill before I head out to clash with the strong attackers waiting for us. A lone Princess was standing far behind me in another light blue dress, the cold winds not bothering her one bit. I could also feel the presence of Night that I had recently felt like she was watching me just a tad bit too much. I raised my hand towards the small field that had a few hundred [White Radishes] growing and casted [Budding Farmer]. Rough winds roiled about as the essence around the field condensed and visibly changed to a tinge of green that landed on the field. The green color shone for just a few seconds as changes on the plants began occurring. The somewhat dried [White Radishes] had their white leaves begin to extend and grow, with them sprouting from the ground so quickly that half of the body of the radishes could now be seen bunched together fighting for space. In the next minute, the field I casted the skill on had undergone a complete change, becoming vastly different from the surrounding fields. Sparkling and robust [White Radishes] now valiantly stood in the fields. The Princess that couldn''t contain her shocked expression even with her cold face went forward to pick one up as she continued to be surprised. It turns out the new vegetable that rapidly grew under the effect of [Budding Farmer] was twice as large as normal ones. Gears were turning in the mind of the Princess as she began walking back and forth rapidly. This skill, just like the previous [Cook], had shown extravagant effects. Especially the amazing economic use that [Budding Farmer] had. The Princess had already started to look at me with her shining dark eyes as she realised the possible impact of something like this in these frozen lands. I casted the skill on a few more fields before leaving, with the Princess letting me know she would come up with an excuse of being blessed with a unique skill that raised the land''s fertility and increased the growth rate of produce. She would use this opportunity to expand her influence even further in this Dukedom. This aligned with my current thoughts of remaining in the shadows while moving around, and the fact that whatever influence the Princess continued to amass in the future would also become mine. I confirmed this as I continued to spend my time with her, affirming her claims of her providing me with whatever I wanted. The time for me to take what I really wanted would come soon enough. With the testing of the non standard skills I received from the first clears of this world''s dungeon done, I moved on to the next phase that I was excited about. A collection of mercenaries with an EPIC ranked powerhouse in their midst had been patiently waiting for us in snowy lands. I didn''t want them to wait much longer as the last combination of skills met the standards I set for myself before. These past 4 days, after the constant activation of the skills, I was able to combine the rank A+ defensive skills of [Man of Steel] and [Protection of the Earth] to bring out the S ranked [Rune of Defense- An archaic rune spreads throughout your body. +200% Defense]. [Dual Element Armor] and [Beastial Hide] produced [Dragon Scales- Your body is surrounded by defenses that are meant for the highest beings]. In addition to the defensive skills, the covert rank A skills were also able to become A+, with [Obscure] and [Shadow Escape] becoming [Abstruse Cover]. [Illusory] and [Chameleon''s Skin] came together to produce [Barrier of Illusion]. With the increased confidence of these new skills, I would move out today to see the power of someone of the next level once again. The previous time I was matched against two beings of a higher level, with me becoming gravely injured where even a limb was lost. I was going to be careful enough that even with confidence in the many skills I had active, such a scene would not make its appearance again. The information we continued to receive from the Shadow Guards keeping track of the mercenaries set to ambush us was that they were camped near the only pathway leading out of the Shadow Dukedom. They wanted to corner the caravan the Princess was leading on the only path that could be taken. This also meant that I knew where they were, and they had no idea I would be coming. A smile crept on to my lips as I observed the procession of carriages and wagons ready to move out of the dukedom. I would be making the move first, and meeting the attackers before this procession even reached that position. The Princess was staring in the air with an expectant expression on her frozen face as she waited for me to return. I flew out of the dukedom with vigor, looking forward to the clash that would undoubtedly provide me with an amazing skill of the next rank. --- In a cold and blistering environment with heavy snow falling, a group of people were angrily fanning the flames in a small makeshift hideout they created. Their bodies were extremely powerful, with most of them at rank S and one even being EPIC ranked. But after constantly facing the cold these past few days with their targets not appearing, their defenses continued to wane. A group was clustered together as they talked in hushed tones while looking towards a figure that stood in the stormy cold outside with heavy armor plastered over her body. The cold didn''t seem to bother her in the least as her body emanated a level of power that kept the ice elements at bay "Hey, do you think we can at least tear the veil off after we capture her?" "Hah, only if you wanna spend the rest of life being tortured. Keep to the assignment details, our task is to handle the guards and destroy the wagons. We leave the main target to the Commander." "Aaah, I know I know. It''s just hard not to think about it after you''ve seen her face once you know?" "Tsk, focus on the mission. Visit a brothel after this if you need to, but don''t let your stupidity cause your death. We act as soon as we see that woman''s caravan." Flames crackled as the snow fell. Not too far from this group, a flying figure was meeting with someone that was keeping watch of these rowdy mercenaries without their knowledge. The figure''s eyes honed in at the location of the collection of mercenaries, his presence so thin that even the falling snow passed through him. A hunter had found its prey. [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 370] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 380] [Skill(s): [F][E][D][C][B][A: Flight-100, Guardian''s Light-100, Instant Transfer-100, Infernal Purge-100, Arc Lightning-100, Area Expansion-22, Pain Resistance-100, Recorder-100, Language Comprehension-100,Healing Light-100, Lion''s Roar-23,Water Barrier-100, Pierce-100, Executor''s Speed-100, Sense Heat Source-100, Silent Communication-55, Regal Archer''s Eyes-66, Cook-33] [A+: Arctic Zone-100, Relegator''s Spear-23, Immutable Regeneration-100, Abstruse Cover-2, Barrier of Illusion-2] [S: Protection of the Wounded-100, Flash-11, Aura of Belligerence-23, Enfeeble-11, Phoenix Arrow-1, Shield Slam-1, Obfuscation-33, Rune of Defense-2, Dragon Scales-2, Budding Farmer-8] [S+: Saint''s Return-41, Devastation-45, Plague Bearer-39] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(S-Veiled Suit)(S-Legion Armor)(S-Viridian Boots)] 92 EPIC II I enjoyed the winter storm that further obscured the view as my figure silently stood in the air. I looked down towards an individual who was blatantly releasing their dangerous aura without care. A few tents were clustered under the shade of trees, with this figure standing alone outside and staring blankly towards the path leading to the Shadow Dukedom. I focused as I prepared to move against this power of the next rank. I put everything aside as I looked to these people I would be embroiled in a battle with. I didn''t know them, and they didn''t know me. But they wanted to harm someone I had plans for, so I would steel my heart and fight. My figure was fully hidden with multiple skills as well as the Veiled Suit, making sure nobody could see me coming. Even though I was confident in the defensive skills, it didn''t mean I would have to be reckless. I would attack while still hidden in the dark. I counted one EPIC ranked mercenary and 9 S ranks. My focus would mostly be placed on the most powerful one. I breathed out as I prepared for the on coming battle. I started off with a small welcome of multiple casts of [Devastation]. Rifts in space opened up as wriggling destructive pillars of lightning and molten flames snaked their way towards the enemy. Barely a second passed before the mercenary reacted and took up a stance. A wild look appeared on the mercenary''s face the moment she saw the rifts opening up as her body began to shine golden. "YAAAA!" With a shout, a golden bell formed the moment the skills snaked towards her. BOOM! Pandemonium ensued as the attacks connected, the golden light shining strongly and holding on as the nearby rank S mercenaries were blown away. The EPIC ranked mercenary looked around the ensuing destruction to find her attacker, but she was met with a dark aura plaguing her body as [Enfeeble] was casted. The spell ignored her defenses as it struck her and weakened the golden bell she had erected, causing the attacks from [Devastation] to connect. OOONG! I began feeling the exhilaration of conducting the battle in the dark as the essence around the mercenary roiled. A spectacular skill was being casted from her. The damage from [Devastation] was pushed away as a transparent figure began forming around the mercenary. The rank S that were flung back were about to jump to block the incoming attacks when they stood back stupefied at the sight of their leader. The transparent figure of the skill she had casted held a long sword, its body boasting an incredible size of more than 8 meters. VOOM! The essence around us roiled as the being was fully formed. The figure of the EPIC ranked mercenary could now be seen in the transparent belly of the incarnation she had casted, each of her movements being duplicated to perfection as sharp winds came out from the large transparent thing holding a long sword. The roiling snakes of flames and lightning were all blocked as the figure stood imposingly to meet my next attack as I remained in the dark. So this was an EPIC ranked individual. The power it let off was definitely higher than my S+ summon or the [Devastation] skill. But since I could cast them multiple times without reservation, I would make up for the lack of power in quantity! This wasn''t to mention powerful support skills like [Aura of Belligerence] that further increased my damage, making me confident if my skills weren''t already packing firepower equal to EPIC, they were nearing. As the mercenaries waited for the next attack, what met their eyes was a grotesque beast that was even larger now that it was S+ ranked. The Virulent Abomination that had become a Plague Bearer appeared with wide green wings outstretched. Poison was constantly falling off its body in blobs of green that smashed into the ground As soon as the expanded mercenary saw the monstrosity, the large body moved with a speed that it shouldn''t have as its sword struck down with a beautiful circular swing. My summon did not evade the incoming sword, its belly rumbling as its mouth unnaturally opened more than a meter wide. [Poisonous Breath], a skill unique to the Plague Bearer was casted. The air trembled as this skill made its appearance. Green and murky, with an unbearable stench, the noxious collection of liquid and fumes came out to cover the entirety of the rushing figure. BOOM! The large sword of the expanded mercenary smashed into my summon, knocking it down and nearly splitting it in half. But, like a sticky material, its two sides were slowly joining back together as [Saint''s Return] was already active and healing its injured body while continuing to provide buffs. Using [Regal Archer''s Eyes], I could see the figure of the woman in the enclosed transparent incarnation move in pain. Her left arm had turned a deadly shade of green as the figure she commanded did the same. She could not completely evade the [Poisonous Breath]. I tried to remain as emotionless as possible, and casted more [Devastation], as well as giving another command to the upgraded and healed summon. Its other newly gained skill, [Defiler] could not be put to full use as there were not many corpses nearby. 2 rank S mercenaries had already met their end from being too close when the [Poisonous Breath] landed, with the rest of them going further in the distance as they tried to jump into the fight with panic To them, only a single enemy had appeared, and even after taking a strike from the most powerful person there, it just closed itself up like it was nothing. OOOH! The Plague Bearer howled as its wings flapped, rushing towards the 8 meter incarnation once more. The roiling snakes of flames and lightning that completely ignored it and smashed into the enemy gave a fantastic picture of this grand battle. The EPIC ranked mercenary wasn''t for show, as the incarnation holding a sword she had casted was becoming more and more solid as time passed. Its blade became faster as it rushed towards the summon. The sight in front of me was hard to describe. The 8 meter tall figure that enveloped the EPIC mercenary was moving as if it was the lightest thing in the world, the long blade in its hands spinning beautifully in the air as the summon continued to evade the strikes. One of them finally connected. THUCK! The blade wedged itself deep into the body of the Plague Bearer that was now over 6 meters. It pierced from the front to the back completely, and without reservation, the summon continued forward. Its wings flapped behind it as it ignored all the damage and came close to the belly of the incarnation where the mercenary was hiding in. Green smoke roiled out as two green bodies unnaturally appeared, flinging themselves towards the figure of the large incarnation as well. These were the two dead rank S mercenaries that fell from [Poisonous Breath]. Their arms flailed as they seemed like the fastest zombies alive, reaching and sticking to the EPIC ranked mercenary''s large figure in an instant This was the second skill that the upgraded summon could now use, [Defiler]. When I first watched this skill in action, too many grand ideas popped up as I saw the summon controlling the bodies of dead beasts and flinging them around like poisonous bombs. A cruel smile seemed to appear on the Plague Bearer''s wretched face as it reached the position it wanted. The 2 dead beings it controlled through the skill began expanding dangerously while stuck to the transparent figure as both them and the body of the Plague Bearer...exploded. BOOM! The impact shook the surrounding 15 meters as green muscle, pus, and bones flew out, knocking the large bladed figure backwards as screams rang out. 93 EPIC III There was a sense of desolation in the air. The rank S mercenaries were moving around avoiding deadly patches of green that were spread throughout the battlefield. One stayed near a patch of bubbling pus for a few seconds, only to feel his limbs start losing strength as he became poisoned. "Find the attacker!" "Reinforce the commander!" Occasional shouts could be heard as the figures moved around the poisonous battlefield. They had what could be considered great strength, and yet they had to evade the poison this beast released with the best of their abilities just to stay alive. More and more of them fell as they tried to reinforce their Commander that continued to be swamped with constant and deadly attacks. A rank S seasoned warrior was moving through the snowy field frightfully as he tried to evade the thick lines of flames and lightning that snaked their way in the surroundings. He could feel desperation as he couldn''t shake any of them off, with even the slightest lapse in concentration causing him to be poisoned by the air that was turning a shade of green. His vision began darkening as he moved, and soon slumped down. The EPIC ranked Commander was staring at the skies as she found her figure thrown back from the explosion. She could feel a searing pain running through her body that continued to be poisoned all this time. The recent explosion where that horrendous monstrosity as well as the dead it controlled attacked her had sealed the deal. She wanted this pain to stop. Someone of her caliber had never been subjected to this, and she was feeling extreme anger. Who? Just who had the power to hide from her sight and attack her like a coward? She closed the eyes that were staring through the transparent figure of [Sword Saint''s Incarnation], the skill that allowed her to get where she was today. She needed more energy to keep the skill active and bring it to life. The more energy she provided, the more solid the incarnation became. The pain from the poison was taking a lot of energy from her to keep it at bay, so she was stuck in an impasse. BOOM! Her figure landed on the ground as she made up her mind. She didn''t want to use it as there was no turning back, but she had no choice. A jewel shining in a menacing red light appeared in her hands. She did not hesitate as she brought it to her mouth, and swallowed right away. ZING~ An uncomfortable sound spread out through the snowy field as the red light permeated her body, and the larger transparent figure that surrounded her as well. She seemed to be undergoing a transformation as a horn began appearing on her forehead. Her opponent would not leave her be though. In the middle of this transformation, the hideous looking figure that leaked poisonous pus had reappeared and was already releasing another one of its vile breaths. Rifts continued to open up in the sky as flames and lightning struck down, not giving this powerful figure any respite during her transformation. ARGH! The interruption caused the energies to go berserk as the change was only half completed, and the large transparent figure now tinged in red became more visible. The moment the sword in its hands slashed towards the monstrosity vomiting poisonous material, it stopped the belching and dashed towards her body, exploding again in the next moment. The mercenary was full of wrath as this occurred again and pushed her back, the poison reapplying itself with even more vigor after the second explosion. Her incarnation was getting back up again when she saw the same monstrosity appear¡­ and explode again for the second time. BOOM! A third time. BOOM! A fourth time. She was breathing heavily as she felt the incarnation fading away after using up all her mana. Fear of the unknown person that continued to send suicidal attacks with their monstrous beast had etched itself deep inside. Rough breathing was coming out as she saw the green monstrosity appear above her again as good as new. "Haha, Hahaha, Hahaha!" She found herself letting out gory laughs as the poison permeated through her at this ridiculous sight. Even swallowing that jewel for its forbidden power did not do a single thing about this attacker that didn''t even bother to show himself. She had many many decisions in her life and never regretted any, but it seemed she stood on the wrong side this time. She wanted to at least see the person capable of taking her down like this. What sort of great person are you? Why do you stand with the Princess of a small kingdom in the north? Her thoughts soon came back to the current situation as she saw the monstrous green beast in the skies. She was baffled at the ridiculous repetition of explosions that continued to wear down her now 8 meter large body. The incarnation was slowly fading away as the monstrosity continued to explode and reappear in the next instant. "At least give me the honor of seeing the person who would take my life!" She found the strength to speak as her body worked to push out the poison and try to maintain the incarnation at the same time. Silence was all she received as she found the same beast appearing from a huge runic circle once again. "Bah, pathetic! Not even enough balls to show yourself!" The large incarnation used this time to vault the huge sword it was holding into the air where the monstrocity had appeared. SWISH! The beast curved the rushing blade without difficulty as it only slashed air, and looked below at the transparent figure, and the mercenary still floating in it. A wicked expression could be seen as its large mouth began transforming. The EPIC ranked mercenary looked at this and realized her journey would be ending here today. Unexplainable terror rose out as this idea spread throughout her being. Her sight was occupied by the beast''s head that had it''s jaws opened unnaturally as it belched out poisonous atrocities towards her. A green light covered the eyes of this mercenary. In a moment, this green light turned into darkness. --- I breathed out in relief as I prevented the crazy power up from continuing in front of me. Did she really think I would give her the time to transform into an even more powerful version of herself before acting? The dark menacing light she swallowed before her failed transformation began gave out an oppressive feeling, but I stopped whatever its purpose was meant to be. The power it let out was almost twice what I felt from the EPIC ranked mercenary, and it had an evil feeling emanating. This appearance of this red light gave me a certain feeling of apprehension, and made me form some new assumptions that would be deadly if they were true. I had to move faster. During the many explosions that occured from the Plague Bearer carrying out its killer suicide attacks, the remaining rank S mercenaries had fallen from the constant blasts of poisons and the targeting attacks of [Devastation] I would be blessed with another set of S rank skills, as well as something even more wondrous from the body of the EPIC mercenary that was bubbling with pus currently. I sent a command and watched as the summoned Plague Bearer absorb the poisonous fumes and liquids around us. I targeted the bodies of dead mercenaries as I started with the most powerful one first. The body glowed in a purple light when I neared it, a large skill book, an item, and multiple glistening cores appearing in my storage pouch right after. I was surprised as this was the first time that both an item and a skill book had come out from a singular enemy The item was [Kingslayer- A sword worthy of killing the highest echelons. Has a constantly sharpening blade edge and weighs as much as a feather]. It was a glistening golden sword that was the same size as myself. It was such an exquisite sword that I couldn''t help but grab and swing it a few times. I shook myself out of this new feeling as I looked at the skill book next. [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation- The body and memories of a genius sword saint descend for as long as mana is provided. Requires caster to equip a sword to activate. When active: +300% Physical Damage, +300% Speed, +200% Defense.+Dark Slayer Sword Style.] ...I looked at the numbers shown on the skill description in shock at this new type of skill. It wasn''t my usual type of skill that I learned but...I wanted to try it out so damn badly! I couldn''t hold my excitement as I watched the particles of the EPIC ranked [Skill Book] fade into my body. Now, what surprises will you bring? 94 Ambition and a Demon King [Adelaide] --- I''ve been feeling a rare semblance of peace these past few days. If I could put it into words, it would go like this. You had a constantly sharpening blade hanging above your neck, and it could drop down any minute. This blade was so sharp and deadly that it built up a fear of the approaching death and continued to fill you with anxiety and dread. You then spend the next few years just constantly trying to avoid that blade, but it still hangs over you. Then one day, out of nowhere, you find a person that would lift this blade off your back, and make sure it never approaches you again. The blade hanging and waiting to strike down on me was lifted by Sir Osmont. The stress and anxiety I had been feeling all this time, gone. Even now, I don''t think this esteemed person knows just how much influence he has over me. I couldn''t even begin to recount the amazing feats he continued to do. I expected his power to be very high for the unique skill to confirm that he would be the one to prevent the coming calamity, but I didn''t know to what extent. An adventurer taking down a rank A dungeon by himself was rare, but not mind-bending. Doing the same thing for rank S dungeons? That was a whole other level. Putting his battle power aside, something even more magical was his power that allowed him to turn a barren land fertile and cause the almost instantaneous growth and ripening of plants. This was the thing that completely cemented my trust in him and made him all the more special. I was able to put this dukedom''s leader completely under my influence with the sudden abundance of foods that ''I'' provided. And now, I was waiting beside the carriage as he went to face a deadly EPIC ranked powerhouse with a smile. "Haaaa". I patiently waited as I held full trust in him, and soon saw a gold light fly in from the distance. This was one of the secrets I held, the ability to see his light whenever he was near due to my unique skill. He seemed to have an even more amazing skill that allowed him to become completely hidden to anyone near him along with the addition of the purposefully made veiled suit. But my skill always reacted when he was near. I smiled at his expected successful return and opened the doors to the wide carriage, overlooking the long line of wagons behind us as I gave the signal to prepare to move out. The esteemed sir silently got in the ride, with me going in last and closing the door, multiple barriers encircling the carriage soon after. He had the same calm face as he reappeared in front of my eyes, with a hint of worry as he seemed to be lost in thought. The significance of the event that just occurred seemed to be minor in his eyes, but it was something tremendous. EPIC ranked powerhouses were a nation''s deterrence, and he had just defeated one. He had successfully taken down those that wished us harm, and the effects would be large. I would be using this event to my advantage and seek an audience with Father as soon as we get back to the kingdom. He seemed to have made up his mind after a while and spoke, "You asked me before what I wanted?" Yes. What exactly did someone like this want? I had an inkling but wanted to hear it from him first. If it was what I had in mind, I would wholly give it to you. He looked at me seriously as the golden light on his body shined even more. "If I told you that I wanted to take this whole world into the palm of my hands, what would you say?" I could feel my heartbeat increasing when he said this. It was better than my wildest dreams. I replied as I could feel a smile slowly form on my face. "For someone with your power, it would only be natural." Did he finally decide on his ambitions? For him to prevent the coming calamities, he had to lead us through them. My peace-loving father would not be able to do it. My scheming older brother would fail even more. My unique skill told me this was the person to stick to in order to pass through the coming times. If not just me, but the entire world that attaches itself to him, then naturally the whole continent will find itself with less anxiety just like me. I trusted my skill that much. My mind had long ago been made up as I rose in the wide carriage... and bowed towards this man once again. The cold voice that I wished had more emotion rang out. My heart was pounding as the words left my mouth. "I formally greet and show respect to Esteemed Sir. As I have said before, whatever you need, I will provide. For the prosperity of myself and many more that are suffering, I will follow the direction you lead us to." --- [Somewhere in the frozen lands] A Demon King was surrounded by scantily clad figures in a compound that seemed recently erected. Ranked 56, he was Demon King Gremory. Two horns could be seen growing on the sides of his temple, with a face that seems to be a better fit if it were placed on a woman. He was not fond of the cold, and yet he was the one assigned to the weak kingdom in the north. He was currently moving one of the Demon Legions towards this place slowly, as the cold and the mountains surrounding this kingdom were the only thing slowing their destruction. That didn''t stop him from sending a few forces ahead to do what demons do best, sowing discord. Of course, someone had taken the bait. They had been hesitant at first but soon came to willingness after realizing the number of forces the Demons had on their side, as well as...other factors in the mix. Since that time, they had slowly moved forward, taking over a few counties and duchies, their advance not slowing down. Yet, something out of his expectations had occurred a few hours ago. One of the few Power Jewels he had procured had been used, only for its user to die a few seconds later. The protector he had sent forward to placate one of his pieces had fallen. This meant some problems had occurred. For them to be forced to use the Power Jewel and still die meant they had come across a powerful enemy. He was already waiting for his messengers to return after establishing a line of communication, but the event made him begin taking his mission seriously. Losing a Power Jewel, as well as its user was a very big loss, and he did not enjoy taking losses. He called forth his lieutenants as he gave the order for the Demon Legion to start moving once more, increasing their speed towards the lone kingdom in the north. 95 The feeling of an EPIC skill We arrived back to the Frozen Kingdom after half a day. The ride back in the carriage was interesting, to say the least, as the Princess continued to exceed my expectations of just how much trust she placed on me because of her unique skill. She said she would do anything, and I believed her. With such a person in place, the issues dealing with the kingdom would be taken care of with ease. The procession of carriages and wagons went inside as citizens welcomed back their Ice Princess with vigor. I talked with Adelaide about the events after this, and she was confident that nothing even remotely dangerous would happen now that she set foot back here. Even the person scheming in the back would be crippled for a while after they lost such a big piece. She would be meeting the King after I left, a powerhouse that I was interested in seeing sometime soon. But I was itching to test out my new skills on powerful opponents, so after escorting the Princess to the Snowy Peak and seeing all the guards surrounding the manor, I flew out and made my way over to the Skypeak Nest. It was time for me to have fun with that EPIC beast I ran away from more than a week back. My speed with [Flight] continued to increase as I learned and activated more support skills, but I was using it for its function of keeping me in the air as I used [ Regal Archer''s Eyes] and [Instant Transfer] in conjunction to disappear and appear a few miles away. Using flight at its maximum speed would get me across the same distance, but not as fast as the instantaneous movement. I thought back to the other rank S skills I received from the dead mercenaries earlier today as I flashed towards the beast''s Nest. The ones that I didn''t see myself actively using but I still learned nonetheless were [Ricocheting Shield], [Bear''s Fighting Style], and [Archer''s Gamble]. The more useful ones were two support skills, [Lion''s Heart], and [Speedster] that increased my speed and damage even further The remaining four were two offensive skills and two standard ones that I liked. The offensive ones were [Smouldering Sword Strike] and [Earthen Spears], with the ones I called standard being [Thought Acceleration- The speed of your thought processing is raised significantly] and [Crisis Avoidance- A few extra seconds are given to you as you sense incoming danger]. The last two skills were great, especially [Thought Acceleration] that seemed like one of the best rank S skills I''ve received so far. I knew it wasn''t all-powerful, as the person who had it previously fell under my attacks, but it was still a great supplement. Many decisions and thoughts could be made rapidly in a short time span with this skill, allowing me to assess many things quickly before moving forward. I soon arrived near the towering Skypeak Nest and looked to the prowling beasts below. The goal today was to fully enjoy the usage of the new EPIC skill that I gained. With the excitement that I couldn''t contain, I landed on the floating landmass, equipped the EPIC ranked [Kingslayer] sword, and cast [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation]. --- A powerful beast was slumbering not too far from the outer fringes of the Skypeak Nest. Ever since it felt the frequent killings of its brethren a few days ago, it had remained in the periphery of the nest waiting for those cowards that only dared to bully those weaker than them. Days had passed with no intrusion as it thought about heading back inland where the concentration of essence was much denser. It looked like it wouldn''t leave in disappointment as its red eyes opened because of the new vibrations it could feel on the earth. An expression of glee appeared on its ferocious body as it rose up to be larger than six meters, its disproportionate limbs flinging around its sides. It went forward to see if it was the same intruder that ran away from it last time. It slowly inched forward so as to not scare the coward away again, and came to a surprising sight of a larger figure swinging around a dark red sword at extreme speeds. The figure was more than seven meters large, with a face that had a dark red horn pointing to the skies and a body fully covered in armor. It let out ripples of power as the sword that should have been heavy in his hands moved around like a feather, smashing into the surrounding beings and causing them to explode in a mass of flesh and gore. The EPIC beast watching this was angered as it let out a howl and went forward at full speed to clash with this intruder. BOOM! As if he knew it was coming, a sword met its outstretched claws as a thundering voice came out from the large swordsman. "Haha, you''re finally here again. Let''s go!" The battle started off rapidly as the two figures clashed. [Enfeeble] was casted right away as the snowy beast felt its power weaken. The beast that was proud of the speed and defenses it had trained all these years found its strikes being met with the sword every time, its claws feeling pain and cracks after every clash. The being in front of it seemed to be letting out purely physical attacks, with shockwaves exploding after every point of contact. The large figure was moving gracefully with the sword, meeting every single attack the beast threw with extreme precision, so it casted its innate ability, [Iceberg], to end the fight as soon as possible. VOOM! A resounding horn that seemed to signal an arrival could be heard as a tremendous landmass filled with a deadly collection of ice elements appeared above them. The iceberg was more than 30 meters long and covered the entirety of their sight as the beast wrapped its large body around the large swordsman and held him down. BOOM! A tremendous impact that shook the entire Skypeak Nest occurred as the iceberg smashed into the ground. "Haha!" A laugh could be heard as the beast felt the body it was holding down slip away the moment before its attack hit, making it furious. He clawed out of the jagged spears of ice from the fallen iceberg and found the figure mockingly laughing above it, safe and sound. The 8-meter long incarnation remained suspended in the air, defying the laws of gravity as the body became more and more solid as the red light spread throughout the skies before deadly words could be heard from it. "Alright, that''s enough playing around for now." The beast''s body was shining as it prepared to go all out against the intruder, and it seemed like its opponent was doing the same. A green runic circle appeared as another powerful presence came out of it, and multiple cracks that let out deadly power of flames and lightning formed in the skies. Neither was backing down as a brand new [Iceberg] appeared high in the skies. The corrupted incarnation looked up to the falling landmass and pointed its large blade up, the body becoming enveloped in red light as the Dark Slayer Sword Style was activated. While a dark red light spread out in the skies above, a menacing green was spreading throughout the ground as the Plague Bearer triggered [Defiler] onto the surrounding bodies of beasts. The bodies unnaturally began rising as they turned a deadly shade of green, all turning into furious runs towards the EPIC beast. The humongous incarnation shining in a red light jumped from the ground, leaving behind a crater as it rotated in a spectacular dance, spinning rapidly in the air as the figure smashed into the falling Iceberg. BOOM! Chunks of solid ice flew out as the large iceberg was clearly cut in half, its two portions falling on the ground below where a battle continued with a monstrosity belching out poisonous breaths towards the EPIC beast. It tried maneuvering from the snaking lines of flames and lightning as well as the poisonous beast and was becoming slowly overwhelmed. It howled defiantly as it looked up to see its attack sliced apart, and could only see the figure of the large swordsman rushing towards it, the sword in hand already pointing towards its chest. BOOM! The impact of the large body smashing into the ground resounded, as the pained howl of a beast rang out. The red sword had pierced all the way through to the back of his chest, going even further to pierce into the ground. Strength began leaving its body as it could feel deadly power from the sword ravaging all his being. It didn''t help at all that the poisonous beast was commanding the bodies of its dead brethren to continue exploding and cause more virulent poison to pierce into its hardened skin armor and leave its deadly attacks on it too. HOWL! It struggled at the sword that nailed it to the ground and tried to move out, but it was unsuccessful. The struggles gradually became less and less as ragged breaths came out. It watched the large figure of the solid swordsman with the horn rising from his head continue to pull its fists up and smash them into its body. The tremendous strength of the strikes was purely physical damage that was causing searing pain wherever they landed. The combination of a giant figure with a sword, roiling snakes of flames and lightning, as well as a poisonous monstrosity slowly dwindled the life force of the EPIC ranked beast until it could no longer move. Silence prevailed as the body of Noah surrounded by the sword saint''s incarnation looked further into the Skypeak Nest. Multiple powerful auras in no way less than the beast he just took down had become active at the center of the Nest and were making their way here. The large incarnation could be seen devilishly smiling as it reached out to the body of the dead beast, and then flashed away into nothingness. Three tremendously powerful auras arrived not too long after, but the only thing that met them was a poisonous battlefield with the mangled body of their brethren. 96 The King in the North King Roark Belmont. The powerful figure that led the Frozen Kingdom into prosperity. Or so many people thought. Roark was overlooking the lands beneath him as he stood in the highest castle of the King''s Crown peak. He thought of the memory of his dear wife as his aged eyes moved with longing. ''Annalise...do you know how much I want to be with you right now? So many things are happening, and I don''t know how to pass through them. Where is your wisdom when I need it the most?'' A sigh could be heard as the powerful bearded man stretched. He was getting old, but still had the same power of LEGENDARY rank. The thing that caused him the most stress was overseeing every single department to make sure things continued to go smoothly in the kingdom. But resources continued to dwindle with every passing day as the war raged on. What tired him even more were the soldiers he was taking away from their families, with many of them never able to see their loved ones again. ''When does it all stop Annalise?" The grand man seemed lost as he continued to gaze below. He thought about the only person that seemed to be lifting some of the weight and helping with the stabilization of the kingdom. It was at this moment that he heard the sound of footsteps that were very familiar ''Speak of the devil.'' The father smiled as he turned around and found his daughter entering the terrace. He looked fondly at this girl that didn''t always show emotion on her face, but he knew how much she cared. "Your trip was a success?" "Relatively, Father. Although not without extreme complications." Roark''s face changed as he heard this. She was back here safe and sound with no commotion being caused. What could have happened? His face became cloudy as he asked, "What went wrong?" "On the way back here, there was an ambush waiting for me that consisted of an EPIC ranked powerhouse and a collection of rank S. Here is a memory stone that was able to capture the faces of these ambushers." King Roark''s face had become dark as he caught the Memory Stone that could record and replay a scene when a certain amount of mana was put in. "A Shadow Guard that was lucky enough not to be noticed took this at the risk of their lives. Can you recognize the people on there?" Her voice seemed to be getting colder and colder as she spoke, bordering on the line of disrespect that nobody should cross with their father. But King Roark was sullen as he saw the recording of a woman under the command of a special someone. He looked at the blank face of his daughter and was glad she was safe and sound as he asked, "How did you make it out? And...what happened to the attackers?" "If I told you a prince in shining armor appeared to save the life of the princess and kill those that wished her harm, would you believe me?" The exchange between father and daughter stalled after this, with the daughter proceeding forward. "When I was 11 years old, I came to you and told you that I didn''t feel comfortable with how my own brother stared at me. You brushed it off as the ramblings of a child and told me to be more approachable." Adelaide walked as she stood near her father, overlooking the buildings below them as she continued. "When I was 15 years old, I began hiring even more guards to escort me after I was almost kidnapped. You allowed this and gave me more power as you didn''t want that to ever happen again. I told you who the mastermind that orchestrated this whole act was, yet you did not believe me." Her gaze turned from the buildings back to her father, the same voice ringing out. "The years after that, I continued to protect myself and rarely left the kingdom, and here we are today. I am telling you once again. My own older brother, your son, orchestrated all of this to get his hands on me. I wonder what you will choose to do now, Father." Silence pervaded the area as those that stood at the peak echelons of the Frozen Kingdom stood next to each other. A sense of anger and betrayal could be felt from the icy face of Adelaide as she laid out her grievances to someone who should have been her biggest protector. King Roark was looking down in sadness, his eyes not being able to meet the person next to him. "He is my son." The words were difficult to start, but he began anyway. "My firstborn son, and I thought he would change in time. I promised him the kingdom in the hopes of it. I also did my best to give you everything you wanted." He gave a tired look to his daughter as he said this. "Under the veil of a thriving kingdom, the house that leads it is fractured with stupidity and unneeded conflicts. When was the last time you went to see your younger brother?" Adelaide turned away after hearing this question. She recalled the face of someone she had hoped would stand with her at one point. "He was the biggest loss I have ever taken. Someone that I thought would be worth helping, and he too let me down." "A horrible son, a calculating daughter, and another son that could never choose what he wanted to be." A difficult decision seemed to have been made in the mind of the King, as he raised his chest up and commanded with a powerful voice. "Very well, convene a Grand Assembly." The tone was powerful, one that could not be questioned. The girl by his side bowed after she heard this. "Yes, Father." --- A commotion was occurring in the four floating peaks as the relevant people got word that a Grand Assembly was convening in a few days. Nobles panicked as they began preparing the moment they received notice, fearfully questioning what had prompted such an abrupt call for an assembly. In a large manor at the center of Summit Peak, an extravagant prince was fuming with a face full of anger. He had made a bet and lost terribly. He thought the chance was too sweet to pass up, that his opponent would never make such a mistake like this in the first place. But it was actually a trap? She had played him? "Haha, Hahaha!" Rueful laughs came out as his head was raised up furiously. "Who? Who exactly did you whore yourself out to? Which powerful helper did you find for yourself, little lamb?" He wondered about the defeat he had faced as his face regained its calm and he pondered. A setback was a setback, he would get over it. What he did from now would define how his plans continue to unfold. He could feel the communication medallion he received from a few special beings that had been ringing for a while. He moved around the room as he shifted from moods of pondering to rage. The area was filled with anger and malice as the man paced back and forth. He felt as if a knife was closing in on his neck, and he did not know where it was coming from. She and everyone else in this kingdom had no idea of the things he was doing to keep them safe. They didn''t understand now, but they would all come to be grateful in the future. As for this knife pressing down? Hmph, let''s see just how sharp you are. 97 A storm in the making I was still relishing the excitement of moving in an 8-meter tall body as I floated a few miles away from Skypeak Nest. The three powerful presences were most likely some of the powerful EPIC ranked beasts that almost always stayed in the center of the nest. I was told that a possible reason the beasts continue to stay in the nest was due to the deterrent of the powerful individual that was the king of the Frozen Kingdom. The common knowledge currently was that only after more EPIC ranked beasts were born in the nest or the momentous rise of one of a higher rank beast occurred would they grow courageous enough to lead their packs out of the nest again. Even though I was pretty confident of coming out in one piece even while taking on all three beasts, I would still over prepare if I can. I looked through the loot from taking down the disproportionately sized white-furred beast. I found EPIC ranked cores to start absorbing as well as two skill books. One of the skill books was the spectacular [Iceberg] that the beast was casting. It manifested a freezing and nearly solid mass of ice that was more than 30 meters. Such a skill was already tremendously powerful in the hands of the beast, but to me who could cast it multiple times? I couldn''t wait to use this as soon as possible as I looked towards the next skill. It was [Absolute Zero- The heat near you is sapped away as ice elements reinforce your body and attacks. When active: All attacks carry the Freezing Touch effect. +100% Ice Element Resistance] I had a wide grin as I viewed the two skill books disappear into particles of light. With even more editions of EPIC skills, I wanted to badly go back and have a go at the 3 new EPIC beasts that popped out, but there were still too many unknowns. I would find out more about just how many beasts of high rank were in each nest before finding myself surrounded. I had already taken down one of them, they wouldn''t make it that easy for me to continue taking down more. Another point was that I received the first EPIC skill that I could activate at all times and would continue to grow stronger as time passed, or so I thought. The moment I activated [Absolute Zero], the surroundings of 5 meters became deathly cold with ice being condensed all around visible to the naked eye. Soon enough, a storm of ice elements could be seen rotating around me as just the outward effects of this skill were this powerful. I stopped myself from rushing back into the nest and went back to the Frozen Kingdom. I had to find out the new developments that occurred, as well as prepare for big moves soon. I deactivated [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation] and [Absolute Zero] as I neared the kingdom, and looked at the grim looks of guards that had vastly increased on the large fortress wall as well as the closed doors. Things seemed to be moving along as I passed the fortress wall and thought about the first EPIC skill I received. The ''corrupted'' in the skill name made me think quite a while as I replayed the scene of the mercenary swallowing that menacing red jewel, but I would solve the mystery in due time. My figure covertly passed through many buildings below, passing by the moving humans and beastmen as I went towards Snowy Peak. Even the EPIC ranked beastman standing guard at the entrance of Snowy Peak was not able to catch a glimpse of my aura with the many covert skills I had active. It didn''t take too long until I came across the huge manor at the center of the floating landmass and I found the Princess giving out commands to a few Shadow Guards. I smiled at the fact that even with many skills that made it so that an EPIC individual wouldn''t notice me, she was still able to see me the moment I came in through the use of her unique skill. This made me look forward to when I met the individuals who held such skills and they stood against me. The Shadow Guards were quickly sent away with my appearance, and I got the chance to hear about the developments after she went to meet with the king. One of the major takeaways was how King Roark finally seemed to be acting against his crappy son after all this time. Being given clear proof didn''t allow him to use the excuse of fatherly love anymore, and he had to bring to account everything else. The other takeaway was the Grand Assembly that would be convened in a soon. The princess had an inkling of what things would be mentioned as she talked about her aging father, and the toll the war was taking on him. My mind was filled with curiosity as I thought of this man who was a rank above anything I have met so far. LEGENDARY. That was the rank that many of the top powers had in this large continent. The type of strength that they held made me extremely hopeful and excited to reach it myself. The only issue that presented itself was the Demon Kings that were running rampant across the continent of the Beast World currently. Their powers were most likely LEGENDARY, or even worse, along with their strength being boosted by their Unique and sometimes Ultimate Skills for those that are of higher rank. I was looking forward to possibly matching their strength with my continued stacking of many skills that have worked well to allow me to defeat people of the next rank so far. Would it be the same when they are of the next rank and also holding powerful categories of skills and magic? This brought us to the other takeaway today, a Demon Legion that was slowly making its way towards the kingdom was now advancing at full force. This was why fear was in the air, with the battalions of the kingdom being put on standby, soon set to be sent to the defensive positions across the cold mountains to hold back the advancing demons. I had to continue to move faster with this new information, and amass as many EPIC skills as I could before the clash. I thought about how I might not be the most powerful figure taking the role in this fight as the King himself would be moving, but only time would tell. My blessing of nearly endless energy to work with made it so I could skip ranks, but I didn''t know how wide the gaps were as I continued to rise higher and higher. So, while people are preparing for war by convening assemblies and troops, I would prepare by obtaining more loot from EPIC beasts. The talks and discussions about possible ways everything could go continued as I found myself roasting a few types of meat to enjoy at the same time. The day finished like this, fairly fun and eventful. The skills combined today were: Guardian''s Light + Healing Light ~ A+ Paladin''s Blessing Infernal Purge + Arc Lightning ~ A+ Pursuing Infernal Lightning [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 375] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 388] [Skill(s): [F][E][D][C][B][A: Flight-100, Instant Transfer-100, Area Expansion-22, Pain Resistance-100, Recorder-100, Language Comprehension-100, Lion''s Roar-23,Water Barrier-100, Pierce-100, Executor''s Speed-100, Sense Heat Source-100, Silent Communication-55, Regal Archer''s Eyes-66, Cook-33] [A+: Arctic Zone-100, Relegator''s Spear-23, Immutable Regeneration-100, Abstruse Cover-23, Barrier of Illusion-23, Paladin''s Blessing-1, Pursuing Infernal Lightning-1] [S: Protection of the Wounded-100, Flash-18, Aura of Belligerence-31, Enfeeble-22, Phoenix Arrow-1, Shield Slam-1, Obfuscation-45, Rune of Defense-11, Dragon Scales-11, Budding Farmer-8, Ricocheting Shield-1, Bear''s Fighting Style-1, Archer''s Gamble-1, Lion''s Heart-8, Speedster-8, Smouldering Sword Strike-, Earthen Spears-1, Thought Acceleration-8, Crisis Avoidance-8] [S+: Saint''s Return-69, Devastation-51, Plague Bearer-65] [EPIC: Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation-8, Iceberg-1, Absolute Zero-3] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(S-Veiled Suit)(S-Legion Armor)(S-Viridian Boots)(EPIC-Kingslayer] 98 A line of communication Calm had returned to Aeneas''s face as he sat down on a luxurious couch and took out the medal that had been blinking all this time. He had a sufficient period to think and prepare before having this very dangerous conversation. Mana flowed into the medal and it shone briefly, a strong voice coming out not too long after. "What happened?" Hearing this voice, Aeneas''s eyes turned into thin slits as the next words rolled out of him calmly. "I underestimated someone I thought I had full information of. None of the plans we previously discussed have been disrupted." "...Your underestimation was the cause of the death of an EPIC ranked powerhouse?" Slight anger could be felt in the voice, causing a similar reaction to the listening Aeneas. "Is it my fault that you sent me such a weak powerhouse? You boasted that as long as she wasn''t besieged by multiple EPIC individuals, she would be a pillar I could rely on." "Tsk. She was a powerful mercenary, and even used a treasure I provided her before she died. She should have been at her most powerful when she fell, so I need to know which enemy you made that has so many individuals who likely besieged her to take her life." At these words, Aeneas stalled as a dangerous light shone in his eyes. "The enemy is not one you have to worry about. You just have to keep your side of the bargain. I do not want any deaths for the common people in this kingdom, and my father...as well as my siblings will be left untouched." Yes. He had struck a deal with the devil for the preservation of his home. Months back, he had received a memory stone that showed terrifying things. Multiple Demon Legions under the commands of powerful Demon Kings that had powerful and unknown magic. The Mythical Beast Kingdoms were the ones receiving the brunt of the attention of these Demon Kings as they held many powerhouses. But what about the small kingdom in the north? The safe haven that housed humans without persecution only had a single LEGENDARY individual in the lead. How could they stand against a force that took down the strongest Draconic Kingdom in the span of a few months? Under such immense strength, would it not be better to swallow their pride and just wipe their chins? His father knew they would fall as time passed, yet he did nothing. He fought a losing war, with soldiers continuing to die as time passed. He was a staunch man who considered honor and honesty, and they would all die because of it. Honor. Would such a thing give them the sudden strength to withstand a rampaging Demon King or the many horrors that will come before it? This was why he both hated and loved his father. He was a powerful man that created a beautiful place for all people to live in, but he was a ''good man''. Good men never win. It is not good men that conquer kingdoms and build legacies. It is merciless people that wage war and kill millions before they etch their name for the dynasties to come. With them in the rule, history is theirs to write. The genocides they caused to obtain the lands and their resources? Erased and forgotten. The natives they conquered to enslave them to work under them for hundreds of years? Just backward people who needed to be led to the prospering direction. This was how history always went. History was written by the victors, and it did not matter how cruel they were as long as they obtained victory and made the world what they wanted. That was why he shook hands with the devil. To preserve the lives of his family and the many people that would face death at the hands of these demons. He would not be one of the droves of good men that valiantly die upholding some stupid beliefs. He would not watch as the kingdom his father has created these past decades goes up in flames. Even if a few people had to die to achieve his goals, history won''t remember that. During all this, if he can also get his hands on someone he''s wanted all this time...well that was a thought for later. The voice of the stern Demon King rang out once more. "The terms we agreed on will certainly be adhered to. You just need to make sure that you continue administering the poison so that...unexpected casualties do not occur." At the mention of this, a difficult expression showed on the Crown Prince''s face. Feelings of shame and sadness could be seen on his face as he thought about his actions. He was weakening his own father. This was something he found hard to do in the beginning, but as he continued to hear about the demon''s continuing victories as they tore down more defenses of the beast kingdoms, he affirmed his beliefs. ''I will apologize to you later, but at least we will both live to see another few decades after this.'' He fought back against the feelings of shame and weakness as he replied to the waiting Demon King with a strong voice. "I will keep my end of the deal, period. When will your forces be arriving?" A few seconds of silence passed before a reply came, "A week at most, a few days at least." The Crown Prince nodded as he confirmed this, rising up from his seat and preparing for the oncoming assembly as he cut off the communication medal. --- Demon King Gremory had a wicked smile on his face as he finished conversing with a pitiful prince. He created a play by showing a prince of this kingdom the deadly power that was coming for them, and making them fold into weakening their own forces on the promise that they would all not be killed or enslaved, leaving him to rule in the end. The memory stone the prince received was tampered with long ago by a powerful Demon King who was a master of illusions and emotions. While the prince thought he was just watching the scenes of powerful Demon Legions, his mental defenses were torn down as he became completely susceptible to the communications after that. A measly prince that was ranked S, how hard was it to put one under your influence? All that he did after was place a guard to watch him, but this guard had unexpectedly fallen. There was still a question that many people would have asked this Demon King who went through all of this trouble when he had the power to easily take down the target. Was any of this necessary? The answer was...No! Gremory gleefully thought of the faces he would see at the end of this play. The encroached prince could only believe in a promise as they would face destruction anyways,and the lives of his people depended on it. Gremory couldn''t wait to see their faces at the end of all of this! He imagined the face of the king. Would he be saddened and depressed by his son''s betrayal after the poison in his body is activated and he finds his power reducing? Would the prince be filled with despair when he finds all the promises made being broken? Even better, what expression would he have when he sees his family humiliated? Ah! The Demon King had to cool himself down as he was getting too heated thinking about the conclusion of his play. The only thing he had to keep in mind was the possible disruption from an enemy that the prince chose not to mention. After that, he could just sit back and watch the drama he created to play out. No, he didn''t have to do any of it. No, it would not affect the eventual end result. Yet, he did it anyway. Why? Because it was fun! 99 A Tremendous Opportunity I I kept in mind the Grand Assembly that would be taking place sometime later today as I made plans to go back to the Skypeak Nest. The full information I received let me know that the last time a LEGENDARY beast arose in the nest and led an insurrection was decades ago when the kingdom was in its early beginnings. It took the strength of the powerful king along with the help of the EPIC Battalion Commanders to quell the beast''s insurrection and slay the most powerful one, pushing the beasts back onto their floating landmass. The only beasts currently propagating the dungeons were EPIC ranked, their numbers most likely not that high. The other two nests that were located further away from the kingdom were between frozen mountains that had a similar level of beasts, but were worried less about because of their locations. Occasional checks were still made to be sure that no powerful beasts were rising and consolidating forces. Since I had already taken down one of the powerful beasts in this nearby nest, it would be easier to take down more of them, so this would continue to be my target. I would get as many EPIC skills as I could before all hell broke loose. As for the assembly that I would most likely be missing, I could make better use of my time getting stronger than listening in. I''ll know all about what was discussed when I got back anyways. Amassing more strength before the battle fully starts was crucial. Now, my full focus was placed on how to utilize the EPIC ranked skills I had to efficiently and safely hunt down the beasts that I could sense yesterday. I had already absorbed the EPIC cores that the beast dropped, giving me a significant boost in my attributes. The skills I liked the most currently were [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation] and [Absolute Zero]. This was simply because their combination was killer. My body received a huge buff and became exceedingly huge after calling down the incarnation, and I couldn''t even begin to explain the thrill of moving around in it. As for why the skill had the corrupted tag in front of it, this was likely due to the powerful jewel the mercenary absorbed before she was about to transform. I was not at all hesitant to use the skill when I saw the red light and long horn pointing out from the head, as strength was strength, no matter which forms it came in. Now, with the addition of [Absolute Zero], a piercing layer of ice elements danced on the surface of the large body, with even more of them collected on the edge of the outstretched long blade. [Iceberg] was another killer skill with a tremendous amount of damage, and would work best to clear large droves of enemies. With this in mind, I neared the Skypeak Nest with full concentration. The death of even a single EPIC beast should have put all the other ones on the island on the edge. Sure enough, [Crisis Avoidance] showed me that there were multiple powerful figures waiting to strike not too far inland of the Nest. Well, the threat was not showing to be too high, just that it would take a significant amount of work. I could feel a smile forming on my face with this thought, this little bit of work was nothing to grab more EPIC skills! Before even landing on the floating Nest, the poisonous Plague Bearer was summoned, and [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation] was cast as my body began to be enveloped all around. I could feel the tremendous boost of power rushing in as the Incarnation fully formed, making me enjoy this feeling just a tad bit too much. [Absolute Zero] was cast next as the air around me began forming cold crystals and my body gained a white layer on top of the red one. Hexagonal columns of icy white crystals spread all around me, snaking their way to the outstretched sword as well. A storm of ice elements then formed around me as the skill fully formed. My figure was striking as I floated grandly in the air. I was fully prepared and began the fight by sending my summon over. The instant it landed on the Nest and attracted the attention of a few beasts, the dangerous auras I had been feeling all this time moved. The three BOSSes that appeared varied in shape. The one standing at the forefront was a 6 meter tall [Emperor Penguin]. It had sleek black feathers on its head and back with a white-yellowish belly that shone in the light. A ferocious expression was on its face as it looked towards the Plague Bearer, and then to my figure hidden in the skies. To the right of the [Emperor Penguin] was a large white wolf of exactly the same size. It seemed like an [Arctic Wolf] with its dangerously glowing yellow eyes and bared sharp teeth. To the left of these two was something even larger than them, a nearly 10-meter tall beast that seemed very similar to a walrus. It had powerful tusks pointing down from its mouth with an extremely ugly face that was looking at me angrily. Among all of these three, the fat [Walrus] seemed to be letting out the most dangerous vibes. I felt the extended EPIC sword in my hands as I breathed out dense cold air, and my figure blurred down towards the beast. I tried to keep my excitement in check as I found myself fighting against beings as powerful as these in equal standing. I didn''t forget where I came from, and just how weak I was just a few weeks ago. From the dilapidated apartment in Outer Bank X, to the quick rise from rank F and above. There had been many changes and progress, and they all brought me here today. In a completely different world where beings of all powers were present, and I was closing in on those same levels. My reminiscing came to a stop as the blade on my hands struck the thick skin of the dark walrus. THUCK! Like it met a layer of fat, the sword sank in just a bit, the Freezing Touch effect from [Absolute Zero] activating and causing a blooming flower of ice to bloom from the struck location, but its damage was reduced with the tough body of the beast that had the cold as its home. The walrus retaliated with a quick swing of its hairless flippers that condensed cold spears as they smacked into my large body. Even with [Flash] still activated and my large body maneuvering in the air, the speed was too fast to evade. BOOM! The impact sent me to the side, where the large white wolf was waiting with its jaws spread wide open. Terrible energy was being collected in its mouth as a blue beam shot out towards me. [Instant Transfer] was quickly activated as I faded away and appeared in the air, looking to the three beasts below. The Emperor Penguin that should have been kept busy with the Plague bearer had formed a hazy gray light on its flippers and smacked them into the body of my summon, and I watched with a surprised expression as the Plague Bearer disappeared from sight, the connection I had with it informing me it was now a few miles into the nest. [Saint''s Return] was already healing the damage my large figure received from the walrus and the blue beam of destructive energy that barely grazed me as I cast [Summon Plague Bearer] to call back the summon, when the Emperor Penguin on the ground shouted with a stern expression...and disappeared from my sight. An alarm rang out as I felt [Flash] automatically activate to move my body out of harm''s way as the large penguin appeared in the air. A hazy gray light was already covering its entire flipper as my body couldn''t avoid it in time. The light just barely grazed me, but it was more than enough as I felt my body disappear, and it wasn''t due to [Instant Transfer] this time. When I reappeared again, I found myself in an extremely large and dark environment with barely any light. Ancient frozen and broken structures were all around me, but that wasn''t the point that gave me the biggest surprise. The biggest surprise was in this large environment I was transferred into with that attack from the [Emperor Penguin], I was not alone. Multiple auras that were in no way less powerful than ones I had just been fighting honed in at my position. 100 A Tremendous Opportunity II My mind moved rapidly as I counted the auras I could feel in the surroundings. My eyes shifted with [Regal Archer''s Eyes] active as I tried to look into every nook and cranny of the dangerous locations. More than twelve powerful auras were in the large clearing, their bodies emitting stupid levels of power as they began to circle around me. I calmed my breathing at this unexpected and possibly perilous situation as my large incarnation grasped the long blade tighter, my skills ready to move at the slightest movement. [Instant Transfer] could be used to move me to another location I could see, but the entire area was enclosed with no exits in sight. There were dense foliage and frozen surfaces all around as I could make out the varying sizes of beasts circling me. Their menacing eyes honed in as I felt movement once more, this time I watched the beasts I had been fighting with appearing one after another. The extremely fat [Walrus] materialized first, with the [Arctic Wolf] after, and finally, the [Emperor Penguin] that had the skill that allowed for all of this to happen. The air was palpitating with roiling essence as I prepared to fight for my life and find a chance to slip through this encirclement. The penguin looked towards me with its head raised disdainfully when a clear voice suddenly rang out in the surroundings. "You are a peculiarity." My eyes searched to see where the voice was coming from as my thoughts rapidly moved, but I could not find the source of the voice. "When you first appeared on this Land, you were very weak and surrounded by others just like you. Yet, every time you returned after that you had grown significantly stronger, strong enough to even take out one of the contenders here. What exactly are you?" The voice was sonorous and strong, being seemingly feminine. I didn''t reply and only continued to keep my focus at the many surrounding beasts. If I saw the slightest signs, I would summon the Plague Bearer and turn this entire area into a land of poison and try to make an escape for now. I didn''t know what other powerful skills these beasts had in their arsenal, the skill that teleported me here making me extremely cautious. The voice rang out once again. "Oh well, it doesn''t really matter. You taking down one of the contenders with your own power qualifies you for the trial currently taking place." At these words, my tension slightly calmed as I wondered just exactly what I had gotten into. I probingly asked, "A trial of what?" The beasts around me reigned in their wild auras as a disdainful voice came from the [Emperor Penguin] this time. "You humans do not know of the secrets and intricacies of the special locations of the Beast World. These Spiritual Lands you call nests and routinely come to bully those weaker than you are trial grounds meant to give birth to the toughest beasts." What? My mind absorbed this brand new information as I continued to listen. I was finally able to find the source of the first voice as it rang out once again, this time from a transparent red figure materializing in the air. "Yes, this is one of the Spiritual Lands where the most powerful beasts appear from. I underwent the strenuous task of upgrading this Tier 1 Spiritual Land into Tier 2 by using quite a bit of treasures for the possibility of creating another powerhouse in this era of war with the Demons." The transparent figure had a fiery red color with the most exaggerated curves, taking the appearance of a human. She didn''t seem to let out any aura of power, but she gave off the feeling of extreme danger. I continued to listen as I watched her move closer, her figure becoming extremely clear with every passing second. "I have found no success so far, with talented individuals not being borne in these past few decades, and that did not change even with the coming of demons. Yet you...dear human, you hold promise." The red figure floated in front of me with an air of elegance, and I could barely make out its exquisite facial features that seemed to be screaming nobility. Her next words became increasingly stern and cold as [Crisis Avoidance] sent me the loudest signals for the first time ever. "Especially seeing this ability of yours that seems to stem from a source similar to the Abyss Magic of demons. I''m going to need you to explain very clearly how you came about this, or the next few minutes will be your last. Oh, and if you say any words other than the truth, I will know right away." My body that was enclosed in the large figure of the corrupted sword saint could feel the piercing gaze that broke past the outer cover and came to land on me. The corrupted tag of this skill that was most likely due to the jewel that woman ingested was actually going to give me trouble now? I calmed myself down and carefully thought things through. The words left my mouth slowly as [Thought Acceleration] worked at full speed to put everything into account. "I gained this skill after...defeating and ingesting the essence of a mercenary that was intending to harm the Princess of the Frozen Kingdom I was escorting. The only thing I could note that might have any relation to demons was a jewel that the mercenary ingested during the fight. I myself, have no ties with demons and am working against them." An eerie silence pervaded after my words rang out, both the beasts and the figure of the red woman not saying a thing. The next moment though, I was surprised to hear the stern voice speak out with a tinge of excitement. "Haha, no lies in your words! Wow. A human was actually blessed with a Devour Class unique skill? Good! This explains your fast progress and power. Alright, this might not be a wasted trip after all." Rumbling began to occur around us as the transparent red woman raised her hands. I watched with rapt attention while repeating the words she said and wrapping my head around them. Behind us, an area of a few miles was lit up as the uneven frozen ground was made visible. A powerful force was compressing the earth as the jagged rocks evened out and the miles around us became flat surfaces. The clear voice that was now tinged with excitement rang out once again. "I have a kingdom to focus on, so we will make this quick. An opportunity lies in front of you. In this Spiritual Land, you can undergo the Trial of Supremacy. If you are talented enough, rewards you cannot even imagine will be yours." I tried to keep my breathing under control as I passed this ordeal and it seemed like my life was not under a threat for the time being. My thoughts moved rapidly as I asked, "This trial that is normally meant for beasts, what rewards can you gain from it?" "Oh? Well for starters, this Tier 2 Spiritual Land will guarantee the champion of the Trial of Supremacy a safe advancement to the LEGENDARY rank." ¡­! 101 The Grand Assembly A busy sight could be seen across the four peaks of the Frozen Kingdom as nobilities moved around rapidly, convening towards the huge hall at the center of King''s Crown for a Grand Assembly. Many were apprehensive as they could see the signs of the full preparation of an all-out war, with battalions of mercenaries and adventurers being grouped with soldiers ready to move out. The throngs of humans and beastmen usually packing the streets below the four peaks were oddly silent as the air seemed to become stifling and oppressive. The demons that everyone was talking about were arriving. How many of them would be able to survive through this? The King''s voice would address the entire kingdom. Magical devices that passed the soundwaves from the floating King''s Crown all the way to the smallest niches of the Frozen Kingdom would get to hear the words of their ruler. The soldier, the mercenaries, adventures, and the common people would all be getting addressed. In the large hall of King''s Crown, Roark was majestically sitting down on an extravagant white chair. Besides him were smaller but way less extravagant seats where two princes and a princess were sitting. They were the only ones sitting in the hall, as the rest of the nobles and powerful figures were standing upright on the left and right sides, leaving a clear path in the middle. There were golden stairs leading down from where the Ruler of the Kingdom was sitting, where many guards could be seen spread out. Among these guards were eight Battalion Commanders that let out the powerful aura of EPIC rank, standing on either side of the King with their weapons ready to be drawn at an instant. King Roark looked at these collections of people and recalled the reports he continued to receive about the advancement of the Demon Legion as well their defense line that continued to be pushed back. His powerful voice rang out in the large hall, and also throughout the kingdom. "The first thing I will discuss is the issue of succession, where the Ministers of Affairs will note down my words to be inviolable from this moment on." Surprised looks were passed between the people at the mention of the succession of leadership. Wasn''t it already decided that Crown Prince Aeneas would be taking the crown after his father retired? King Roark looked towards his oldest son, and well as his daughter before he continued speaking. "Strike out the name of Aeneas Belmont as the next ruler of the Frozen Kingdom." BOOM Silence. Shock. Dumbfoundedness. The ministers scrambled to pull out an old document as the nobles moved around in shock. Nobles looked towards the face of Crown Prince Aeneas, who had a calm look despite the huge bombshell that directly involved him. The question on their minds was, what had occurred with the prince to cause this, and how was he not phased by it currently?! "My son has failed to show the proper judgment of a future ruler these past few years, and has lost his right because of it. The one to succeed me in the event of my retirement...or death, shall be Adelaide Belmont." The nobles that did not think they could be more surprised received another shock, as one successor was named right after another was taken down. The king would not let them revel in their shock for long as one name was taken down by the ministers and another added in, where he continued speaking. "Battalion Commanders! Swear fealty to the future ruler of the Frozen Kingdom!" His powerful voice was addressed to the EPIC individuals that held the military power of the kingdom. They had risen together with the king, and were extremely loyal with bonds being closer to that of brothers. The eight EPIC individuals present nodded with impassive faces as they kneeled towards the icy face of Princess Adelaide. BOOM! Wild power flew out as the Battalion Commanders spoke imposingly. "We greet the future Queen!" The scene would be etched down in history as the magnificent and powerful individuals swore their fealty to the future ruler. Power was everything in this world. Even if the LEGENDARY Roark Belmont were to disappear from the face of this world tomorrow, as long as these EPIC Battalion Commanders were behind the new ruler, they would face no opposition. The face of Adelaide remained as icy as ever as she nodded, while the face of the one formerly known as Crown Prince still retained its calmness, forcing many people to wonder what was holding the face of this prince together. As for their younger brother who sat beside them, he was the only one showing emotions of shock among the four royalties present in the seats as he looked back and forth between his family members. "With that matter being settled, we will move on to the next." The strong voice of the King rang out once again. The voice commanded the attention of all people as waves of LEGENDARY power emanated outwards, almost bringing the weaker individuals in the hall to their knees. "In the coming days, we will be fighting for the livelihood of our kingdom." "We are a peaceful kingdom, with no wars waged over the last decades. We want to continue developing and live in happiness, living behind all the misery that many humans faced. This world is rich with life, but we are only a minor part of it. Now, a force threatens to destroy all that we have built." Somber faces were apparent all around as the speech of the King continued. The shock of the change in succession was slowly put in the back of their minds as their attentions were brought back to the imminent threat they faced. "We will fight to make sure that the misery they are trying to bring to our kingdom never reaches the fortress walls. The hate and war that these demons bring, we will shut it out!" The strength of his voice seemed to be getting stronger as he continued, leading people and leaving them in a trance as they listened. "My people! Soldiers, Mercenaries, and Adventurers!" "I promise you now that we will fight with all our power to ensure victory against the demons!" "Our strength lies in our resiliency, our unity, and our humanity!" OOOH! The buzzing of power could be felt as the powerful individuals in the large assembly hall and the common people listening throughout the kingdom felt their spirits and power being raised. "Defenders of the Frozen Kingdom! The demons who despise you, want to enslave you, and take all of the work you have built over the years. Do not give in to them!" "You are the last bastion of humanity in this world of beasts. It is not an option for you to be taken down! So Fight!" "Fight for the liberation of our people!" "Fight for the free land that we have created!" "Fight...for Humanity!" OOOOOOH!!!! The spirits and vigor of all the people listening rose to an all-time high as the King''s Speech finished. The King gave the command, and Battalion Commanders began moving out with their soldiers, mercenaries, and adventures as they prepared for the coming clash against the demons. 102 Trial of Supremacy I It seemed much of the knowledge that humans had of the floating land masses they called Nests were in the wrong. The landmasses were called Spiritual Lands by the knowledgeable ranks of beasts, with the dense essence that continued to birth monsters being a constant trial of power. It was a brutal trial where those that were defeated were used as the fuel for the victors to continue rising. After a significant time period has passed where higher ranking beasts appear, the Trial of Supremacy will take place. This trial differed depending on what tier the Spiritual Land was, with Tier 1 blessed lands having trials most fit for those just entering the EPIC level. Only those at that level or lower could possibly participate in the trial, with anybody above it being qualified. The trial for a Tier 2 Spiritual Land was even more rigorous, where similar levels of power as Tier one were required, but the trials were much harder. I haven''t yet found out the specifics for Tier 3 Spiritual lands, but they were most likely a battlefield of LEGENDARY individuals. The current Skypeak Nest I was in was a newly upgraded Tier 2 Spiritual Land, with 15 powerful EPIC beasts meeting the requirements to participate in the trial. Ever since the upgrade though, even though the chances of success had increased, it had become much harder and none of the beasts had been successful. This was where I came in. The transparent figure that I still do not know the name of had been monitoring the Spiritual Land she had upgraded, waiting for the rise of a LEGENDARY beast to bolster the defenses against demons. The ones who had opted to take the trial could not make it past the 2nd stage. When I took down the white-furred beast who was a participant of the trial, it granted me the right to take his seat. The time after that, they just waited for me to come back, before the [Emperor Penguin] acted to transport me to this location. This was deep underground, at the center of the Spiritual Land. It was a wide expanse of frozen land that stretched out for miles and enclosed all around. I looked towards the evened out surface around us, and then at the EPIC beasts in the surroundings. I then asked the transparent red figure still floating in the skies. "What is the first stage of the trial?" "The first stage is to simply defeat an opponent of the same level during the trial. The trials after that...will have increased levels of difficulty. If you agree to take on the first stage and onward, you are staking your life and you cannot back out. Even if you are defeated you will have to remain and continue trying for years to come as your power grows. If it happens that you die...well, that''s that." My thoughts quickly moved at this new information and I replied before long, bringing the cold blade in my hands close to me as I spoke. "When do we start?" "Haha, I like that confidence! All the beasts here have tried and failed to pass the second level. It is simply too rare for a being with a powerful unique skill to be borne, so I have high hopes on you making my work here a success.." At the wave of her hands, another rumbling ensued around us as a large golden door rose from the ground. "This door will transfer you to the pocket in space where the trial will take place." I looked to the golden door, and then to the menacing beasts that were giving me contemptuous looks all around. This was especially so for the cold Emperor Penguin that had its head raised high and looking down arrogantly. Its eyes turned into cold slits as its voice rang out beside my ear. "A human has never before qualified for this trial, and there won''t be one that passes it. Pray that among your opponents...you do not meet me." The beasts backed away at the motioning of the transparent figure that I turned to and asked, "What might be the identity of the one I''ve been speaking to all this time?" The figure in the air stalled a bit as an elegant smile bloomed. "My identity? You''ll be worthy of finding out if you pass the trial successfully. Good luck, human." The transparent red figure remained still in the air as I looked towards the golden door and moved forward. She held no aura, but I could still feel bells ringing in my head whenever she made a threat earlier. But this trial...I was looking forward to the surprise it would bring once I''ve cleared it successfully. Guaranteed advancement to the LEGENDARY rank? Haha, let''s see what gifts you will be putting on my lap! I moved without hesitation and placed my large incarnation''s hand on the golden door, my figure disappearing soon after. --- The transparent woman floating in the skies looked at the disappearing human that was transferred to a different space as her lips perked into a smile. She only had a small amount of her consciousness sent to these frozen lands to observe the invading demons as well as bolster the strength of the beings here. She thought it would be a pity if the small kingdom that the humans had created was wiped away so easily, so she was magnanimous enough to try and provide them reinforcements through the Trials of Supremacy. Who knew that the humans would shoot themselves in the foot and continue to reduce the number of beasts in the nearby Spiritual Lands that could have participated in the trials over these last decades, making her task of finding a talented one that could pass the trial extremely hard. By spending some of her treasures, she successfully elevated the tier of this Spiritual Land as well as the other 2 that have yet to find an owner in these northern lands. She was able to watch the production of a few powerful EPIC beasts in these three Lands, but they still were not powerful enough. She was about to give up and see if any of the forces would have a powerful hero to spare amidst this war to send them to the north. That was her thought process until this human made his appearance. From a weakling to someone of significant strength, this very quick process was observed by her personally whenever he landed on the Spiritual Land. The fact that the world had blessed this human with a unique Devor Class ability made him very special. She hadn''t seen a minor species favored with such a talent in the hundreds of years she has lived. If it appeared within the ranks of the Mythical Beast clans, that would be in the norm and she wouldn''t bat an eye. But this was a human...so how would he fair against this trial normally meant for the most powerful of beasts? What made him all the more interesting was the fact that his mind was not encroached and consumed after he absorbed the essence of a being that had already consumed one of the demons'' horrendous products of Abyss Magic, the Power Jewel. Her fair face turned stern as she recalled the terrible power the demons continued to show as the war continued. She would give them no leeway and completely decimate their forces as time passed. Not another inch of the Beast World will they continue to lay a claim to. All of those invaders had to die! 103 Trial of Supremacy II I was transported into an environment of extreme heat as I found myself in the air, surrounded by molten flowing earth below me. The air was extremely stifling as gaseous vapors were released continuously, making this seem like the closest decision of hell that I had come across. I was still comfortably enclosed in the [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation] as I floated in the air looking for the opponent of the first stage of this trial. A blinding light shined in the air as a large winged creature spanning more than ten meters appeared. This was one of the more terrifying looking creatures that I had seen among the beasts that were encircling me. It was something out of a human''s wildest nightmare, a [Winged Spider]. Four large wings proudly erupted from its back as more than 10 legs powerfully wiggled back and forth. It''s ferocious face released a piercing scream as poisonous saliva spluttered all around. I began by summoning the Plague Bearer and activating Saint''s Return, watching both the monstrosity of a beast come to being as well as a golden phantom appearing behind me releasing buffs and continuous heals. The spider moved first, releasing a spray of white from below its abdomen that formed into multiple long and sticky threads. The summon howled out as its wide wings flapped towards the enemy. My eight-meter tall incarnation vanished from the spot and appeared in the air above the spider, the long blade tinged with icy coldness from [Absolute Zero] striking down. --- The transparent red figure was observing the human and the origin of the beast that had been transferred into the first stage of the trial through a circular mirror that played the battle at high speeds. The rest of the powerful beasts were obediently sitting behind the woman like well-behaved children as they also looked on. The battle was not going in the favor of the [Winged Spider] as it was besieged by powerful physical attacks from one side, and a poisonous beast belching out poison on the other. It had been retaliating this entire time with its many sharp legs and poison, as well as a destructive skill that formed multiple five-meter long bone spears to hone in on their target. The spears were all struck down by a swing of a sword or smashed into the body of the incarnation, causing damage that was seen to be healing rapidly after. Only a few minutes passed as they watched, and they observed the sharp legs of the spider being cut up as it also lost one of its wings. In the fiery environment that the two of them were in, a storm of cold was constantly spinning around the large figure of the human. With a stroke of his long blade, layers of ice would be left on the spider''s body as the battle was drawing to a close. Its body continued to slow down and eventually, the long blade pierced it from its abdomen as it let out a long screech, dying from the strike that spread out destructive cold elements all over its body. The woman looked at all this carefully as her eyes shined with colorful lights. ''This human gives no regard to the usage of energy and constantly erupts with destructive attacks that take down his enemy. But, what is your strategy when you move on to the next stage? If you do not conserve your energy, how will you proceed from now on?'' She was curious about this human that continued to bring her surprises. Someone of her stature would not normally pay attention to an up and coming EPIC individual or watch them this closely, but she just had a hunch that this human could grow up to be a powerful piece. Her choice to send this consciousness to these frozen lands was only a whim, with the excuse of it being a loss if the lands and their inhabitants were given over to demons. The thought just passed through her mind, so she did it. Now it seemed like her hunch had brought her something unbelievable to play with once again. Wild energies revolved as a beast was transported back to their surroundings. It was the [Winged Spider] that was now severely weakened, with its origin severely damaged from the death that just occurred in the trial ground. The trial ground acted similarly to a dungeon that only appeared when someone was challenging for ownership of a Spiritual Land. The opponents that were contending for the same thing would have their origins sent to fight the other challenger. In the event of their death, their origins would be severely weakened, and if it repeated again in a short time span, they would face true death. The trial for this Spiritual Land was fairly straightforward as many were, just a test of strength. A few minutes passed before the woman motioned forward as three new beasts neared the golden door obediently and they disappeared. She had been directing the trial of this Land ever since she caused its upgrade, as it would normally be automated by the Spiritual Land itself. Not many people could do the actions she was doing, as they would have had to pay a large price that wasn''t worth the rewards of a Tier 2 Spiritual Land. Even after they did this, they couldn''t obtain the Spiritual Land for themselves as the trial for ownership was strictly set with its own requirements. This was why the other two Spiritual Lands in the North still had no owners, even if all the powerhouses of the Beast World knew about them. The beasts that were naturally born in these Lands would constantly fight to see if they can obtain ownership themselves. Figures from Mythical Kingdoms usually sent their promising up and coming powerhouses of EPIC or LEGENDARY rank to see if they were qualified enough at the same level to pass the trials of some of the Spiritual Lands spread across the Beast World. They weren''t things that could just be snatched away if you had enough power, you also had to meet the base requirements they set. Someone of her caliber would only be able to compete for a naturally formed Spiritual Land of a much higher tier. But with her power, something like this small upgrade was manageable. Now, she was curious how the human would face three beasts besieging him from all sides after he just finished a battle with one. The environment in the crystal mirror in front of her changed as the challenger and his opponents appeared in a grassland environment. Greenery was spread all around as the figures of the newly transported beasts became clear. The ones to face him in the second stage of this trial that many of these beasts had previously failed in were the fat [Walrus], an extremely well built [Polar Bear], and a sharp-toothed [Naked Molerat]. The beasts circled the figure of the human and his summon menacingly as they recalled how he had taken care of the [Winged Spider]. They had watched how he fought, but would it be of any use against this human? The woman watched interestingly as the scene began to play out. Would this human really be able to pass the trial of a Spiritual Land for the first time in history? Their species had always been weak, and would never stand out as the most powerful at any stage. There have been instances in history where they came across trials of Spiritual Lands, but none had survived to tell the tale. The treasures and wonders of Spiritual Lands were only ever enjoyed by beasts as it was where many of them first came to consciousness and fought with all their strength, creating powerful legends of beasts over the years who created their own Kingdoms. It would be interesting to see how the first human to own a Spiritual Land would build it. But all of that was fantasy unless this one did the impossible. So, how would you face beasts that normally have tougher bodies and more mana than the normal human of the same level? The battle began with the three beasts circling and throwing attacks on all sides while staying a distance from the human. The [Naked Molerat] was throwing out deadly water spears that rotated at high speeds while the [Polar Bear] threw out attacks that detached its sharp claws towards the human. Loud clangs could be heard as the human knocked off these attacks with a swing of his sword, freezing the water spears and extending claws while defending from the only beast that was fighting it out with him at close distance, the [Walrus]. The poisonous summon was seen belching out a venomous breath that disrupted the tempo the beasts had created as the battle raged on. It was a deadly stage that even the most powerful beasts born in this Spiritual Land had not been able to pass as they were eventually drained of energy while facing so many opponents. Would this human hold even more surprises? Maybe the devour class unique skill he held would allow him to continue getting stronger with every defeat of his enemies, but would they give him the time to absorb and ingest the essence he devoured? The woman''s thoughts were interrupted as the scene rapidly changed in the mirror. Tens of minutes had passed as the three beasts found their tempo and pushed the human back. They all suffered varying degrees of injuries as their bodies were filled with bloody and frozen gashes, but they were still standing. The change that had occurred rapidly shifted the state of the battle as an extremely large [Iceberg] was rapidly falling from the skies towards the beasts, with what seemed like a rain of [Bone Spears] targeted at one of the beasts with the goal of taking its life. On top of all of this, multiple rifts had opened in the skies as destructive lightning and flames snaked out towards the beasts. All of these attacks had a tinge of icy blue unstable energies surrounding them as they all honed in on their targets. The figure of the woman was surprised at this sight. The other two attacks aside, it was the spears of bones she had seen not too long ago used by a beast that surprised her. The human''s unique skill was able to absorb the essence of and replicate the core skills of his enemies this quickly?! 104 Movement of forces The surprise from the transparent figure did not last long as she focused on the impact of the sudden change in the battle that would have grand consequences. The [Iceberg] filled with extremely hard and jagged surfaces smashed down into the grassland, heavily damaging the beasts. BOOM! The bone spears that were aimed at the [Naked Molerat] had completely skewered the body of the beast as the scene cleared. It let out horrible screeches as the pain registered itself, and a cold blade was all that it met as the incarnation of the human flashed at its position and took its life. The remaining two beasts came out of the changed land that was now filled with cold glaciers as they howled maddeningly at the human, resuming their attacks with increased vigor. The beasts and the woman watching the clear mirror showed different reactions at this development, as the arrogant [Emperor Penguin] had a cold light shining in its eyes as it watched the battle continue. The woman was more surprised at the fact that the human was able to replicate the skill of the [Winged Spider] this quickly after defeating it not too long ago. She had watched as the collection of essence moved from the body of the dead spider in the trial and moved towards the human as it quickly disappeared in his body. She took this as his devour class unique skill, where normally a significant amount of time would be required before the core essence of a being would be absorbed and the intricacies of its skills would reveal itself. Yet, this human had done this entire process while continuing to battle. Her interest in this human grew more and more as she watched the ensuing fight. --- Two forces were moving closer and closer to one another, with a battle becoming more and more imminent as time passed. The LEGENDARY King Roark Belmont had begun moving his forces to be stationed between the snowy mountains of Valen County and Shadow Dukedom, where the Legion of Demons was bound to pass as they neared the Frozen Kingdom. The Battalion Commanders of EPIC rank had taken up multiple defensive positions as they waited for the arrival of their enemies on the cold battlefield. Back in the Frozen Kingdom, the recently initiated Royal Guard that was formerly called Captain Ryner was on cloud nine as he circled the manor of the former Princess Adelaide that was now the Crown Princess. He had never thought in his wildest dreams as a mercenary that he would come to guard such a noble person. Since the word of the King, the guards surrounding the Snowy Peak vastly increased as much of the forces of the kingdom were moved out to meet the coming enemies. Ryner could see the veiled face of the princess on the terrace of the Manor that seemed to be staring at a direction outside the kingdom. He wondered, ''What thoughts would the princess be deeply thinking right now? Would it be of her family that was setting out to battle, or the people she would be in charge of in the future?'' The Royal Guard was wildly imagining many things that could have been passing through the mind of his revered Princess, but he could never imagine that all of his guesses were completely off. --- Adelaide was repeating the last message that had come across the communication medallion that was connected to another person miles from here. The last message she received informed her that something unexpected had occurred, but it was something good that would boost their power against the demons even further. The Sir mentioned that he would try to finish it in as little time as possible, and then come to reinforce the battalions of the Frozen Kingdom against the demons. She had never once lost confidence in him, his actions continuing to show just how expansive his strength was. She even wondered if he was just over preparing for the coming fight. The many things that had occurred were all due to the chance meeting they had some weeks back. Since then, a dangerous threat had been taken care of and she was given an even higher position. She smiled in wonder at her unique skill and the man that made it possible. Everything she gained would all be given to him, as she wouldn''t have any of it without him. He was the person that had saved her from certain doom. Even now, the battle that many people were despairing at, she was not too worried about it. She didn''t worry about the fate of her father, nor of her younger brother that was acting as a commander. She could care even less for the worm of an older brother that was taken along as well. Her grey and murky fate had slowly been changing over the past days, and so would the fate of the kingdom. She was even thinking further ahead past this battle as she sent commands to her people to start preparing a few things that would be instituted and used after the end of this battle. Her unwavering trust in one person was something impossible to find unless someone was uniquely in her position. --- Roark looked to his first son that was riding on a horse beside him with a calm expression. He knew his son very well, and forced himself not to show any affection after the reprimanding actions he took. Stripping him of his right to rule was more than enough for now. "You will follow me closely and learn how I command the forces. Your position in the future will be a Battalion Commander as soon as we get the resources to increase your rank." There was a brief silence as the King''s voice rang out in Aeneas''s ears before his reply came. "Yes, Father." The eyes of King Roark turned into slits as he carefully looked at his son that seemed to have lost all emotions. "Take this opportunity to learn and leave your mistakes behind. All I am doing is for the good of us all. This, you will understand in the future." The conversation finished as the King kicked his horse and moved forward, checking on the movement of his forces. Prince Aeneas followed close behind, a barely discernible whisper leaving his lips. "I''ll be doing what is best for all of us too, father." --- The human army moved to their positions as the Demon Legion continued to pass through the cold mountains. At the forefront were red beasts that carried many figures of demons. The five-meter beasts had thick black fur and seemed like bulls, these were the [Demon Ox] that were commonly used as the mode of transportation for demons. Droves of them stepped on the icy ground as a low thrumming hum could be heard from the mouths of demons. GHUUUUUM! Some were riding on the [Demon Ox], those of lower tiers were walking on the icy ground with an impassive expression, and others were high in the sky bracing the cold winds with no problem. Other beasts such as large [Komodo Dragons] and [Mephitic Turtles] were dangerously carrying even more demons as they moved forward. GHUUUUUM! With every step they took, the thrumming hum rang out again, scaring any nearby beasts and leaving behind an imposing air as the army advanced. The average height of these demons was two meters, with some exceptional ones slightly taller and bulkier. Most had fair faces with variations of horns pointing out from their heads. Their bodies were covered in dense red armor as they carried heavy weapons or unstable staffs in their hands. Among their forces, bulky Orc Commanders and Goblin Kings could be seen, with a variety of other powerful species standing by their side. Demon King Gremory was seated on an exquisite chair atop an even larger reptilian beast as he enjoyed being fed delicacies. The closer he neared the lands of the Frozen Kingdom, the more excited he became. He had to relieve his hunger multiple times because of it. He really was too excited as he looked forward to the show about to play. A malevolent smile appeared on his face as he thought of faces these humans would make as this play reached its peak. Haha, this battle couldn''t arrive soon enough! 105 Making History I Powerful figures were watching the ending of a perilous battle with rapt attention. In the scene being shown on the wide glass mirror at the depths of one of the Spiritual Lands in the North, a large [Walrus] was seen rolling with its last breath. In the destroyed grassland, the bodies of a [Naked Molerat] and [Polar Bear] could be seen alongside poisonous puddles of pus and molten ground. The thick skin of the walrus was finally pierced as even with its resistance to the cold, frozen gashes were present all over its body as it vehemently moved even to its last essence. An excessively large incarnation holding a sword was shooting down like a star, the blade aiming true and bringing an end to the second stage of the Trial of Supremacy. The weakened bodies of the three beasts that were participating in the trial flashed out soon after as they breathed heavily, still recalling the feeling of the cold blade, poisonous breaths, powerful falling icebergs, and chasing lines of thunder and lightning. This was not to even mention the feeling of despair as they watched their enemy constantly heal from the wounds they inflicted as if it was nothing. Their origins were severely weakened as a part of themselves was taken with their deaths. This was something they could not control, and had to act as the defenders the moment they chose to contend for the seat of the champion. The transparent woman overlooking this particular trial was looking closely at the dissipating incarnation as the human grandly appeared in the trial space. His face looked somewhat weary, and yet seemed excited at the same time. She smiled at this sight and sent out a command. "The final stage will start in an hour. You, you, and you¡­" Her hands pointed to multiple figures of the beasts that were watching the matches so far as they rose up somberly. If this human were to really pass the Trial of Supremacy, the consequences for them would be huge. They would not allow this to happen. --- I was holding down my ever so increasing excitement as the fight between three EPIC beasts finally finished. I had gained two more EPIC skills that were in no way less powerful than the ones I continued to receive from this floating land that was actually a Spiritual Land. The beasts this time dropped a skill or an item each on top of the cores, making me assume the area I was transferred in was similar to a dungeon as the repetition of getting 2 skill books or items from EPIC individuals did not repeat itself. This would be fine though, as there should be a ton of surprises I don''t currently know, and would find out as soon as the next stage is finished. No new contenders or a change of scenery occurred as it seemed like I would be given a breather. I''ve been making sure to hold back and not show all of my cards as I wasn''t sure if the powerful woman controlling things or the beasts could observe everything in here. [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation] was turned off as I observed the new skills and items while absorbing the EPIC cores to max my attributes. From these last three beasts, as well as the first [Winged Spider] I faced, I was able to gain two items and skills on top of a few cores. [Bone Spears] :: Your knowledge of death is increased as the bones of the dead form at your command. Soul Burn effect is applied to those struck. [Bear Emperor''s Fur] :: The luminous fur of the Bear Emperor surrounds you and grants you protection. +300% Defense. All Body Covering is applied. The items were even more exquisite. [Rat King''s Mask] :: Has the effect of completely concealing your aura and changing your face. [Primatic Guardian] :: Forged from the extremely tough skin of a mammal, it never breaks from attacks of the same level. My excitement couldn''t be kept down because of these new spectacular skills and items. I patiently waited for the final stage to arrive as I was expectant of how many beasts I would face before passing this trial. Something like this could only be passed by the toughest beasts that dominated the EPIC stage with their defense and offense, and I was bulldozing my way through because I had just that and even more. I would be careful not to show too much to this powerful figure that attributed my quick rise of power to a unique skill. Even more of my attention was placed on this idea of a Spiritual Land. If the least of the rewards was something that helped beasts advance to the next rank, what other rewards were there? I didn''t wait too long as a bit over an hour later, the scenery around me changed once again. This time, a snowstorm was active all around as I appeared atop a frozen mountain. I looked forward to the next opponents as I activated my old and new EPIC skills together for the first time. The incarnation of the corrupted sword saint descended as my body fully gained control of the massive 8-meter figure. [Bear Emperor''s Fur] was cast next, the incarnation undergoing a change once again. This time, sleek white fur sprouted out, fully covering the entirety of the large body, even the horn on top of the head seeming like a furry white bump. The fur glistened in the light as [Absolute Zero ] was also activated, increasing the glorious white sheen even more. I equipped the [Prismatic Guardian] shield and watched as it expanded to five meters, becoming the same size as the blade I held. I looked like a glowing white-furred beast as my large figure towered in the snowy surroundings while holding a long blade and a large shield. The environment even further improved the roiling storm of destructive ice elements caused by [Absolute Zero] to go wild. I was fully ready as five figures flashed into the frozen mountains nearby. The [Emperor Penguin] was at the forefront as it looked at me with extreme caution, its eyes that normally shone with arrogance fully alert. The other four were the [Arctic Wolf], a [White Mamba] that was larger than 10 meters with the most vicious yellow eyes I''ve come across, a [Snow Leopard] with glistening white fur, and a dangerous [Wood Frog] that shone multiple bright colors of light. The fight began rapidly, with the beasts not even getting near me and separating far from each other, circling me on the frozen mountain peak. The [Emperor Penguin] at the lead had his body shining in a dense silver light as its large flippers shone menacingly, its voice ringing out. "I won''t be the cause for the incident of the first human owning a Spiritual Land. Prepare yourself, as we will be going all out." The cold voice was heard clearly from this sleek beast as the moment it finished, its large figure disappeared. I smiled at the encirclement of beasts as I felt all the skills wrapped around me. The large blade in my right hand glistened as I also disappeared through [Instant Transfer], my first target being the poisonous [Wood Frog]. 106 Making History II [Enfeeble] was the first skill that landed on the poisonous [Wood Frog], unexpectedly slowing it down and causing it to lag, allowing the swing of my sword to pierce into its body and leave a gash. Each swing of my sword carried with it an S rank skill I didn''t think I would be using, [Smouldering Sword Strike], that added another layer of damage to the already destructive sword. I flashed away in an instant as attacks from the other four beasts landed in the location I was just in, [Crisis Avoidance] working in full force letting me know where they were all coming from. [Instant Transfer] was used repeatedly as I flashed to the [Arctic Wolf] next, stopping the deadly ice beam it was about to shoot out once again. I used another skill I never thought I would have the chance to use to smash into the face of the wolf with the full force of my boosted physical damage by using the rank S [Shield Slam] I received and never used a while back. BOOM! The strike reverberated out as the wolf''s mouth lost a few teeth and became bloody. [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation]''s physical damage and speed boosts were nothing to laugh at. I was watching the entire battlefield with constantly shifting [Regal Archer''s Eyes] as I saw attacks honing in my location again, this time the [Emperor Penguin] flashed right above me letting out a deadly strike with its wide flippers. The other three beasts neared the location to land their attacks as I smiled and transferred away once more. Their attacks only met air, but not for long as a humongous [Iceberg] smashed into the location that I just left. BOOM! The impact caused the beasts to become disoriented and lose their momentum as jagged glacial spears pierced onto some of them, and they were about to rise when the shadow of the 30 meter [Iceberg] appeared again. RAAAAA! A screech came out of the [Emperor Penguin] as a hazy silver light emanated outward from his body and covered the nearby beasts, transporting them far away in an instant. BOOM! The iceberg smashed down to one unlucky [White Mamba] that wasn''t close enough to the penguin. Without letting them have any time to recoup, the large white snake only felt pressure as above the broken glacial chunks, a [Poisonous Breath] barreled down towards it from the mouth of the Plague Bearer. The battle was fast-paced as I acted to be sure that no time was given while I flashed around all over the snowy plain. [Thought Acceleration] was churning at full capacity as my white-furred figure flashed at the poisoned and injured [White Mamba], and the blade layered with destructive ice elements pierced its disoriented head from top to bottom. SQUELCH! A horrid sound came out as the blade jaggedly tore apart the head of the beast, the Freezing Touch spreading throughout the muscle and brain matter, finishing it instantly. I pulled out the large blade and stood upright, looking at the four remaining beasts at a distance. A dense essence of light had already flown in my storage pouch. That was one down. My next target was the [Snow Leopard] that had been shooting what seemed to be a combination of wind and ice blades to every point I appeared. They appeared as jagged crescent blades that exploded on impact. I instantly flashed to its location as my sword deflected the icy blades that appeared right in front of it. The Plague Bearer was getting ripped apart as it held off the three other beasts behind me, soon exploding in a shower of poison that showered everything nearby. It was fully summoned again in the next second as I continued to slash even faster at the leopard in front of me. All of its evading was for naught as the storm of destructive ice elements slowed it down, with every strike that landed wounding it even more. When it seemed to be making its last-ditch attempt and a green light surrounded it, [Enfeeble] was cast and the momentary delay would be all I needed. [Bone Spears] was casted as more than ten extremely large spears letting out pulsating dark energy rushed towards the beast. Multiple rifts had also appeared behind it as flames and lightning pierced it from the back, with my sword coming down from the front. BOOM! A whining sound was the only thing that was then heard as the second beast fell, essence filling up my storage pouch once again. The [Emperor Penguin] appeared a moment later as its flippers struck out again, the deadly light collected on it being able to slightly injure my large body that was layered with a ton of skills. I observed the other two beasts to be tangling with my Plague Bearer, so I simply sent another [Iceberg] their way to keep them busy. Both my summon and beasts were smashed down, with the summon exploding right after to just increase the pain before it reappeared brand new in a few seconds. My frozen sword met the strikes of the penguin as we moved around at high speed. Each strike was deadly enough to shave off the surrounding landscape and leave behind restructured frozen landscapes as the penguin disappeared and reappeared multiple times around me. Any strikes of his that landed would quickly be closed up by the constantly active [Saint''s Return]. The battle continued like this as the two other remaining beasts, the [Arctic Wolf] and [Wood Frog], blasted out of the frozen glaciers. The sight that met them only caused them to despair as the Plague Bearer was right on top preparing another poisonous breath, while near them were the two bodies of dead EPIC beasts that were moving again, their eyes blank and bodies a deadly shade of green. RAAAA! The [Emperor Penguin] screamed again as it looked at this losing battle and the strikes that were not very effective, its entire body shining a silver light that formed into the shape of a blooming flower which exploded between us. BOOM! The impact occurred around the same time as the moving corpses of the first two killed beasts wrapped themselves around the [Arctic Wolf] and [Wood Frog], the explosion of the EPIC beasts taking the already injured ones to their deaths. The snowy battlefield was silent as the [Emperor Penguin] appeared above the skies where the poisonous explosion occurred. It was the only one left. Various injuries snaked across its body as my large incarnation floated in the skies towards it. My incarnation that was filled with fur and looked like some sort of ferocious beast was leaving behind a trail of cold air as it moved. There was no place for the [Emperor Penguin] to go to as it looked to my coming figure unwillingly. Its body glowed with that silvery light as it dashed towards me at full speed. The destructive storm of ice around me raged as I unequipped the shield and held the long blade with both of my hands. The [Dark Slayer Sword Style] that came with the incarnation was active as I held the blade in a beautiful drawing stance. The poisonous summon appeared beside me as well as multiple rifts opening up behind me. The spears of bones filled with malevolent energies also appeared in mass, fully prepared for the silvery figure of the rushing [Emperor Penguin]. It was but an instant, but the impact let out a blinding light all around. BOOM! 107 Something Phenomenal! Silence pervaded the surroundings as calm returned. The battle of one versus five came to a stop with the death of the [Emperor Penguin]. Wild energies flew about as rumblings ensued, golden light beginning to manifest in front of me as something began forming. Besides this golden light, I began feeling a connection forming between me and something that I didn''t yet understand. When the connection was on the process of being established, an extravagant amount of information was squeezed into my mind as a scene similar to when I cleared a dungeon for the first time in this world repeated itself. Too many things were happening all at once as the connection I felt intensified, the essence around me that was flaring up gradually settling itself down. When everything finished, I found myself breathing hard as I realized the identity of the connection. I could...feel a pulse of something spectacular resonating with me. This was...the Spiritual Land?! My shock only continued to increase as the golden light that was shining in front of me finished forming into an ancient-looking golden stone. It had a few crevices and cracks, but it floated imposingly in the air. This was the largest core I had ever seen, and my heart rate increased as I confirmed its identity [Aged LEGENDARY Core] I wasted no time as I quickly grabbed onto this huge core, watching the blinding light flow into my storage pouch and transform into a golden skill book, and a few smaller cores. Besides these cores and golden skill book, there were a few other skill books and items that I received from the deaths of the five beasts. I was planning on taking a look at them right then and there when I received a signal that I would be getting transported from this trial space in the next few seconds. The scene changed again as I appeared back into the flat frozen landscape where the transparent woman and the EPIC beasts were in. I observed the golden door I had previously touched to start the trial gradually fade away, as snowy white plants began to sprout out of our surroundings, the landscape changing yet again. The only difference this time is that I knew why it was happening. A sonorous voice rang out right then and there. "Haha! The first human to ever own a Spiritual Land has appeared through my hands. Good!" Her words confirmed the things happening were real as I thought to the connection I felt between myself and this floating landmass. It seemed like I had a tremendous amount of influence on everything on here, making me entirely shaken and surprised. I looked towards the many EPIC beasts in the surroundings, the [Emperor Penguin] and others appearing once again, although their faces were ashen and showing extreme weakness. The trial space really was something similar to a dungeon, with our origins being the ones sent in. So these beasts did not face true death when they died there. I smiled at this as many thoughts sprung around in my head. The beasts, seeing my gaze towards them, slumped down to their knees unwillingly as they bowed, their dense voices rushing out. "We greet the Spiritual Land Master!" I had a bright smile on my face as I continued to wrap my head around this fantastic situation. I placed my attention to the figure of the woman and said, "Thank you for all the help." "It was all you really. You passed the trial that many of the beasts in this generation couldn''t and showed how you excelled for people of the same stage. I''m curious to see how you will fare when you fully step into the LEGENDARY rank. As for this Spiritual Land, it is very complex and should take you a few weeks to get a handle on how to properly manage it. I''ll tell you now that if you use it correctly, the benefits you will have will be boundless." The figure of the woman was gradually fading as her words rang out. "If you successfully pass the battle with the Demon King moving in the North, head towards the Mythical Phoenix Kingdom. We could use a powerhouse of that level against the war with the demon forces there." As soon as her words finished, her figure popped away into nothingness, but not before I heard one last thing. "Oh, and treat these beasts kindly. They are one of the keys to upgrading your Spiritual Land." Her presence was fully gone as I looked around the changing surroundings where the colorful white grass had spread all around as light began to illuminate the center of the Spiritual Land we were in. I was excited to check the skills I gained from the death of the EPIC beasts and the LEGENDARY core, but the skill that took most of my attention after the figure that never told me their identity disappeared was the skill about managing the Spiritual Land. I looked for the skill that seemed to hold the most surprises this time, as a large panel appeared right when I focused on it. [Frozen Plateau-2] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-19,430, C-6943, B-2876, A-341, S-68, EPIC-15 Plants- Whitefall Trees. Available for planting(Snow Vine, Sacred Rye¡­) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Locked), Architecture(Locked), Frozen Barrier(Locked), Offensive Maneuvers(Locked), @#$@%(Locked), Time Dilation(Locked), !@##$(Locked)... Upgrade- Conditions not met. @%%^#$ This...I didn''t even know where to begin as I looked through this skill. It was actually classified as a Unique Skill, but that wasn''t the biggest surprise. I was looking through all the functions below the skill that seemed too amazing to even fathom. I confirmed the name of this tier 2 Spiritual Land to be the Frozen Plateau, and the things I saw below it made my heart go wild. A multitude of beasts were shown in large numbers, as well as many other functions I would have to spend some time to get used to. The powerful woman that just left had mentioned that managing the Spiritual Land would be a strenuous task, but as I looked towards the things I could do with this newly gained unique skill...the possibilities and things I had yet to learn about endlessly opened up in front of me. But, they would have to wait as I had to hurry to a battlefield that would decide the fate of the Frozen Kingdom. --- A stream of consciousness was rapidly tearing through the skies, returning to its main body thousands of miles away. It pierced through the clouds and neared a fantastical floating land that seemed like a paradise. The stream of consciousness was quickly absorbed into the main body of an enormous individual that floated in an expanse of red clouds. A magnificent golden beak shone dangerously as the yellow eyes of the beast flew open. Long and slender fiery wings were stretched outright powerfully as the beast rose. The body seemed to wreath with sparkling golden flames as a majestic [Imperial Phoenix] made its appearance. It looked to the North where something interesting had just occurred before its attention soon moved away to other matters. It had done all that was needed, and now everything was left to their own devices. The large body disappeared in a blink as it dove down from the paradisical floating Spiritual Land towards another much lager floating landmass below it, where exquisite architecture became visible to the naked eye. The mind of the powerful [Imperial Phoenix] was now occupied with the messages of the movements of multiple Demon Legions in the surroundings of the Mythical Phoenix Kingdom. The only thought that now passed in this hegemony''s mind was, ''A holder of an Ultimate Skill of the Seven Deadly Sins in the lead? Hmph. Let''s see how you will fare against my neverending flames.'' Time continued to move, with many pieces moving with it. Multiple hegemonies were fighting their own wars that stretched across the lands. The radiance of their battles, tragic struggles, and bountiful victories continued as something none of them expected was rising in the dark. 108 Sigil of Hegemony I forcefully turned my attention from the newly appeared unique skill and looked through the loot of the recent battle, especially the reward of clearing the trial that also granted me ownership of a Spiritual Land. The first thing looked at were the EPIC skills and items that dropped at the last stage of the trial, adding to my collection 3 new skills and 2 items. The items were a resplendent armor called [Unshattered Charity] and exquisitely inlaid boots called [Tigereye''s Roots]. The skills were even more spectacular. [Teleport] :: Space begins opening up to your control. Can set up 3 Teleport Points (0/3). Can teleport yourself or others to any visible location or previously set up Teleport Point. This skill came from the source of the [Emperor Penguin], and it was a skill that I knew would be my all-time favorite from how I had been moving around so much. The other two were just as amazing. [Life Steal] :: Your health is restored based on a portion of the damage dealt to your enemies. [Arctic Breath] :: Chilled bodies are left in the wake of the icy breath that freezes all that it touches. All of the newly gained EPIC skills were so fantastic looking that I could not wait to test them in the field. Especially [Teleport] and [Arctic Breath], it looked like I would have a tremendous amount of fun with these two. Next up was one of the main treasures of this whole event, the huge core that broke down into a legendary skill book and a few cores. I looked through the description of the skill, and it left me dumbfounded. [Sigil of Hegemony] :: A highly protective sigil establishes itself as far as 30 meters around you, empowering you and your allies while hindering your foes for 30 seconds. Another 30 seconds are required before the runic forces can be activated again. Absorbs half of all damage dealt while active. +200% Casting and Attack Speed. +200% damage to enemies in sigil. +200% Speed. -50% Enemy Elemental Resistances. -50% Enemy Speed. This¡­ I reread the skill description a couple of times as I learned the skill in stupefaction. This was a LEGENDARY skill that provided heavy damage boosts, absorbed more than half of all dealt damage, and even acted to weaken the enemy at the same time. It was such a killer skill that it made me want to test it on the weakened beasts still kneeling in front of me. The only thing that was a slight downside seemed to be that it couldn''t be kept active all the time. After the pleasant shock from the skill passed, I looked through the connection with the Spiritual Land and how I would move from now on. There was a dense amount of information for me to sort through just to understand a percentage of everything to do with this treasure, but one of the few things I could make out was the obedience that the beasts in here would show to the Master who gained control of the Spirit Land they were born in. [Frozen Plateau-2] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-19,430, C-6943, B-2876, A-341, S-68, EPIC-15 Plants- Whitefall Trees. Available for planting(Snow Vine, Sacred Rye¡­) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Locked), Architecture(Locked), Frozen Barrier(Locked), Offensive Maneuvers(Locked), @#$@%(Locked), Time Dilation(Locked), !@##$(Locked)... Upgrade- Conditions not met. @%%^#$ It showed all the large numbers of beasts currently on the Spiritual Land that was called the Frozen Plateau, as well the tall white trees I continued to observe on the surface of this land. I honed in on the section of [Features] [Size Regulation(Unlocked)] :: The size of the Spiritual Land can change as long as a large cost is paid. [Movement(Unlocked)] :: Defy common laws and allow for the movement of the Spiritual Land to your desired location. [Anchor(Unlocked)] :: The spiritual land will hold firm wherever you decide to put it. The three features that were currently unlocked were crazy enough, and I couldn''t wait to see how I could unlock the next ones after that. I looked at the kneeling EPIC beasts as my figure equipped all the new EPIC items on my body. The used to be arrogant [Emperor Penguin] was still kneeling unwillingly on the forefront as I asked, "How much power can you all currently exhibit?" "For the ones that participated in the trial, we have less than half of our power remaining. We will need at least a few weeks before we can return to our peak." If I so chose, it looks like I have gained a constant supply of skills that I can select from. The other side was that I had gained a powerful force of many beasts that I could grow and cultivate. More EPIC beasts could continue to be born in this Spiritual Land, as well as possibilities of upgrading the current beasts to LEGENDARY rank or even further beyond in the future once I learn more about the tiers of Spiritual Lands and how to upgrade them. My figure disappeared from the underground space where the strongest beasts were in as I appeared in the skies of the outside world, with the Frozen Plateau floating grandly below me. The many grand [Whitefall Trees] were visible all around as the lower ranking beasts on the land looked up to my figure in the skies. AWOOOO! Sounds of many beasts rang out as they felt the new owner of the Spiritual Land appear in the air. I looked at the grand sight of the glimmering snowy land beneath me as I concentrated and used [Size Regulation] for the first time. The floating landmass trembled as a blue light spread out to cover it, and I watched as it visibly shrank down from its large size and became smaller and smaller. I could feel a tremendous amount of essence multiple times than what I usually used to cast EPIC skills constantly going towards the activated feature of [Size Regulation]. The reserves of energy that continued to condense towards the center continued to be used for the maintenance and growth of the Spiritual Land, with me providing the required mana to use the features listed under the unique skill to affect it. While watching it shrink, I also activated the function of [Movement] and watched as the land continued to shrink, until it eventually fit in the palm of my hands. The Spiritual Land that was larger than an entire City...fit in the palm of my hand. I continued to be astounded by the fantastical things I never would have thought to be possible. What else would this amazing Beast World have in store for me? 109 Unexpected Combination After being amazed at the small floating landmass that I held in my hands, I used the third function that was also unlocked. [Anchor] was used as I sent a command again, spending an exorbitant amount of mana and watched as the Spiritual Land attached itself to the right side of my EPIC armor. I moved around in the skies and watched as no movements or issues occurred to the Spiritual Land. I even went as far as using [Teleport] for the first time, watching as a silvery light quickly spread all around me, my figure disappearing and appearing a few miles away right after. Still, no problems had occurred. I laughed at this amazing sight as I carried the shrunken Spiritual Land with me towards the Frozen Kingdom while testing out [Teleport]. The forces of the kingdom should have already moved out, and I didn''t know if they had clashed with the Demon Legion or not. I flashed across the frozen plains at high speed until the heavily armed fortress walls of the kingdoms appeared in front of me. Not too long after, I arrived on the snowy peak with my usual covert skills activated, as well as the [Rat King''s Mask] that provided another function of hiding my aura and figure. There were significantly more guards on the Snowy Peak as mostly humans and a few beastmen moved around. I found the princess on the terrace of the same Manor, and she somehow also found out that I had arrived as her veiled face turned towards the skies I was at. I could feel the smile from the veil as the princess went towards closed doors with me following close behind. The updates I heard when she began talking to me privately were huge, to say the least. The discussion was occurring as I also took the time to finish absorbing the EPIC cores and start on the LEGENDARY ones that I recently gained. The forces of the Frozen Kingdom would be clashing sometime soon if they hadn''t already, and I had to move fast to join them before too many casualties occurred. The other thing that caused me to be pleasantly surprised was the fact that this Princess was now the future Queen. A slight smile came to my face as I thought of the implications of this. I didn''t want to spend too much time here while others could be battling this instant, so after knowing about the location of the forces being clustered between Valen County and Shadow Dukedom, I ended the discussion early while enjoying the icy look on Adelaide''s face that seemed to portray calmness, but I could see worry at the same time. I couldn''t help but reach out towards the delicate face and pushed aside the blue hair, bringing the crystal face fully into my view. "Don''t worry, I''ll be sure to bring your family back safe and sound." The girl seemed dazed as my hand brushed past her face, and I flashed away with [Teleport] towards the direction of the battle. I already set the Frozen Kingdom as one of the three Teleport Points I could come back to no matter how far I was. My direction was the battlefield as I prepared myself for the oncoming clash against demons. I looked through my constantly changing attribute panel at this time and was met with an unexpected surprise. [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 410] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 418] [Skill(s) :: [F][E][D][C][B][A: Flight-100, Instant Transfer-100, Pain Resistance-100, Recorder-100, Language Comprehension-100, Lion''s Roar-23,Water Barrier-100, Pierce-100, Executor''s Speed-100, Sense Heat Source-100, Silent Communication-75, Regal Archer''s Eyes-100, Cook-38] [A+:: Arctic Zone-100, Relegator''s Spear-23, Immutable Regeneration-100, Abstruse Cover-100, Barrier of Illusion-100, Paladin''s Blessing-11, Pursuing Infernal Lightning-1] [S :: Protection of the Wounded-100, Flash-79, Aura of Belligerence-88, Enfeeble-89, Phoenix Arrow-1, Shield Slam-8, Obfuscation-88, Rune of Defense-88, Dragon Scales-88, Budding Farmer-8, Ricocheting Shield-1, Bear''s Fighting Style-1, Archer''s Gamble-1, Lion''s Heart-76, Speedster-76, Smouldering Sword Strike-25, Earthen Spears-1, Thought Acceleration-76, Crisis Avoidance-76] [S+:: Saint''s Return-100, Devastation-95, Plague Bearer-100] [EPIC :: Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation-38, Iceberg-25, Absolute Zero-35, Bone Spears-9, Bear Emperor''s Fur-14, Life Steal-1, Teleport-5, Arctic Breath-1] [LEGENDARY :: Sigil of Hegemony-1] [UNIQUE :: Spiritual Land Management] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(S-Veiled Suit)(EPIC-Kingslayer)(EPIC-Rat King''s Mask)(EPIC-Prismatic Guardian) (EPIC-Unshattered Charity) (EPIC-Tigereye''s Roots] Skills that I had been actively using so frequently and a few that were always activated had long reached the required proficiency for combination. [Abstruse Cover] and [Barrier of Illusion] were quickly combined to give the rank S [Illusory Cover]. The biggest surprise that occurred next was me putting the seemingly incompatible skills of [Summon Plague Bearer] and [Saint''s Return] that should have been polar opposites, and yet the [Skill Combination] shone a blinding blue light, an unexpected product coming out right after. [Summon Holy Blight] :: A being that should not exist. Releases an aura that surrounds itself and the summoner, providing constant healing while releasing destructive and poisonous plagues on its foes. Among its tools are Noxious Breath, Zombie Master, and Two-Faced. The skill made me stop my constant teleportations towards the direction of Valen County and Shadow Dukedom as I gave it an even closer look. I couldn''t help but summon the beast right away to see just how insane it had become now that it was EPIC. A malachite runic circle twice as big as it was previously came to life, this time colors of gold were inlaid with the abundant green. The formation of this new summon was grand, as when the light died down, an even larger monstrosity that now neared 10 meters came to be. It now seemed like a humongous green humanoid with runic tattoos of gold all over its body. The wings on its back were now bright gold, filled with thick muscles that dangerously flapped in the air. OOOOOH! It let out a deadly shockwave as it was released for the first time since its upgrade, the waves of power it released were much higher than even the [Emperor Penguin] at its peak. I didn''t think my excitement could increase even more, but I was curious about its additional skill besides the ones that had a name change but still held similar functions with many more additions. I sent the command for it to use [Two-faced], and watched as an amazing sight opened up before me. The nearly 10-meter tall green-gold monstrosity shrank down to two meters with a blinding light, and the result was as if I was looking in a mirror. A figure with long black hair and golden wings of light that held a face that was 99% similar to mine made its appearance. My face, or really its face, seemed to hold the most compassionate gaze as the whole body was letting out a sheen of golden light. This was the poisonous abomination? Haha! I laughed at the unexpected usage of the [Two-faced] skill that this upgraded Holy Blight could use, and rushed towards where the battle was occurring with even more vigor as many ways to use my new skills played out in front of my eyes. As I continued to teleport across the frozen plains, I found that I was self-reflecting on the things I was currently doing. I began this journey because I felt weak and cowardly, and I wanted to change that. I moved with even more conviction when I received the information on the enemies that had caused all of the death and destruction that took away the lives of my family and many more people. Now, even though all of those reasons were still what carried me forward, I also found myself looking forward to even more of these fantastic things I continued to experience. The ability to cast the amazing skills that I continued to gain, magical environments like Spiritual Lands which held their own secrets for me to unravel, the foods and cultures I come across, and the many people I met along the way. Even with the goal of getting back against my enemies, I also enjoyed and looked forward to experiencing all of these great things while I moved along in this journey. I was just touching the rank that was LEGENDARY at this point in time, which rank would I reach months or years from now? There were too many things for me to look forward to and unravel, and I couldn''t wait! 110 The Illustrious King, Roark Belmon Sometime before, in the cold mountains between the Valen County and Shadow Dukedom. --- Lines of soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries were filling up a wide path between two large mountains. This path was the only way to pass through to even get near the counties and dukedoms surrounding the Frozen Kingdom, unless you wanted to trek through the dangerous mountains. Horses and other magical beasts were standing on the side of humans, patiently watching for the forces of Demons to arrive. King Roark was in an enclosed tent talking with a few Battalion Commanders when a blaring horn rang out through. Everyone inside the tent stood up imposingly as they looked at each other, knowing the battle was about to begin. King Roark took the lead as his body began thrumming with wild energy, heading to the front lines and instilling a sense of power to any people he passed. A few miles away from them, large groups of beasts could be seen as a terrifying sound also began to echo. GHUUUUUM! The sounds of their heavy steps were not the first thing that reached them, but the extremely clear droning sound that continued to come out every few seconds. GHUUUUM! The defenders of the Frozen Kingdom were fully battle-ready as they saw their enemies come to full view, hearing one last droning sound before everything came to a standstill. The forces of the Demon Legion had stopped. They stood cleanly in their lines, multiple different ranks of C through S mixed in together. Large reptilian beasts and [Demon Ox] could be seen carrying many of the demons that had more power. A few [Mephitic Turtles] stood imposingly as EPIC Demon Commanders could be seen on top of their hard shells that were fastened with luxurious seats. There were multiple Demon Commanders, many of them holding dangerously red glowing weapons. The largest beast on the Demon Legion''s side was a [Komodo Dragon] nearing ten meters. On its back could be seen an expertly made tent where a gorgeous figure was now coming out of. Demon King Gremory, of the 56th rank, had made his appearance. He had a sly smile on his face as he pushed the scantily clad figures of [Succubi] back into the tent on top of the beast as he stepped outside. His appearance was met with horror as he released a pressure that seemed to press down on the wills of all those standing against him. [Demon King''s Haki] was fully activated as Gremory made his debut. He had an imposing air that made him seem like the most powerful in the world, the waves of LEGENDARY power making themselves extremely clear. Fear. Silence. As these two forces stared at one another, not a single force moved. Only the cold winds of winter that ravaged the mountains could be heard whistling by. King Roark Belmont was at the forefront of the forces as his body began to burn up and began to expand. He released a blast of light that passed through the snowy fields and offset some of the terror released from the Demon King. His vigorous voice rang out right after. "My people!" HUT! The soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries lined up behind him shouted strongly as they smashed their feet or weapons into the ground, making for an imposing air. "A battle that decides our fate is here!" HUT! The impact of their weapons or feet hitting the ground was getting stronger as the whole mountain range trembled when it occurred. "Fight for your lives!" HUT! "Fight for Honor!" HUT! "For the families back home!" HUT! "For Humanity!!!" OOOOOH!!! The forces were screaming and moving at full speed as they felt their bodies strengthened to unbelievable degrees, reaching levels of power they had never crossed before. This was one of the skills of the great King Roark Belmont. His body had finally finished expanding, and he stood closest to the Demon Legion as they saw the ruler they would be clashing with today. Roark''s body stood more than five meters tall. A thin layer of stretched armor tightly hugged his body as it shone a golden light. He seemed like the personification of a man made of gold as multiple protrusions of his steeled muscles imposingly stood out. No weapons were in his hands as his fists shone dangerously, seemingly more dangerous than any sharpened blade. This was the LEGENDARY skill that all those who stood against him feared. [Gold Man] :: Overcome the limits of your body as it is strengthened to its utmost potential. +300% Physical Damage, +300% Speed, +300% Armor, +300% Healing Effects. The illusive power of gold follows all of your attacks. His gold figure let out swirls of wild power as his eyes found their target, and he disappeared from his location. The battle had begun! BOOM! The scene was too fast to catch, but the Illustrious King has already reached the center of the Demon Legion, his fist directly clashing against the LEGENDARY Demon King Gremory. The Demon King had a wicked smile on his face as his palm met the glistening gold punch. The entire tent behind him was ripped to shreds as a gold force traveled all around the area. The weak [Succubi] that were still in the tent atop the beast found their bodies becoming shredded as they turned into messy pulps of blood and gore. Demon King Gremory looked at the gold human in front of him with a curious smile, not caring the least about the deaths of all the playthings he brought with him. The Demon Commanders on their own beasts saw this clash, but they had full confidence in their leader and focused their rush to meet the Battalion Commanders of the human forces. YAAAH! Clashes began to occur between the two armies as all sorts of elemental attacks roiled out. Arcs of lightning could be seen in one location while huge waves of water smashed down and drowned the demon forces. Walls of earth constantly rose and fell as bubbling magma burned soldiers and adventurers. At the center of the Demon Legion, Gremory pulled his palm that had stopped the much larger fist back as he stretched his body, treating what was about to come as a light exercise. This was arrogance of an extreme degree. This was arrogance born out of trust in one''s own dominating strength. The body of the Demon King lost its upper layer of clothing as his red chest and abdominal muscles made themselves prominent. The horn shooting from his head shone in a dangerous red light as he laughed. "The King in the North! Entertain me with all your best, for I have been truly bored so far!" The Illustrious King was not one to be told what to do, as even before the words finished, the tight golden body moved dangerously and a ferocious axe kick smashed into the head of the Demon King. BOOM! 111 Pain Blasts of gold and red could be seen appearing in and out of the huge battlefield as the strongest powers of LEGENDARY rank clashed against one another. The King of the Frozen Kingdom looked like a sculpted figure of gold as he displayed a graceful fighting style that used his skill, [Gold Man], to the fullest. A vigorous fighting style was being used as all sorts of punches and kicks were thrown out heavily, blasting into the body of the Demon King. Roark was dishing out purely physical attacks with extreme speeds that the smiling Gremory had to bring all his attention to blocking the strikes with his fair palms. BOOM! Their figures clashed once again as Roark looked at the battlefield around him. The EPIC Commanders were furiously clashing against their counterparts while trying their best to protect their regiments, but many deaths were occurring. The [Komodo Dragons] would throw out blazing flames as an area of attack that burnt tens of soldiers, while the [Mephitic Turtles] were throwing out poisonous beams of light that decimated the human forces. OOOH! Roark let out a roar as his body moved faster, keeping an eye on the Demon King as his figure quickly went to reinforce a struggling Battalion Commander. The commander was being overwhelmed by two EPIC Ogres that were using their powerful maces to corner him. If he didn''t get help soon, he would only face death. Roark saw that the Demon King stood still at the position he left him in as he neared the Battalion Commander, glad he could save at least one of his friends in this battle. He just missed the imperceptible smile on the Demon King''s face. The two ogres were near his attack range as he prepared to intercept them, when a drastic change occurred as he felt a large impact. BOOM! Seemingly out of nowhere, even with his eyes still kept on the Demon King behind him, something of similar strength had smashed into him and pushed him back. His golden figure looked up in shock as he was met with a beast shining in blue color. It had the striking head of a lion, a pulsating red venomous tail, and wide outstretched wings. He could hear the laughs of the Demon King as he confirmed the identity of a LEGENDARY ranked beast in front of him, his face changing all color. The [Blue Manticore] roared furiously as another one exactly the same size as it with terrifying power also appeared. A demon king in the back, two LEGENDARY beasts in the front. The King was cornered. OOH! A battle cry escaped his lips as his body flared up even more, pushing [Gold Man] to its fullest as he disappeared from the location and began to fight the two beasts. The Battalion Commander he had wanted to save? Only a pile of flesh remained as the two ogres finished him off. Pain. Weakness. That was all Roark felt. He looked around the battlefield at the many dying soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers. All they left behind were dying screams. Blasts of gold continued to clash with the two LEGENDARY beasts, Roark was actually moving speedily in the air and avoiding the sharp stingers the [Blue Manticores] were waving back and forth. The Demon King had a red cloud supporting him as he rose in the air, his voice ringing out. "Haha, you actually had the strength to hold out against the attacks of two primal beasts? Good, good! Look around you though, look to your people that are dying by the thousands!" Gremory''s mocking voice rang out as the King kept his focus on trying to tear down the defenses of the LEGENDARY beasts before their owner decided to participate too, but the words shook him as he observed the despairing state of the battle. His EPIC commanders were being pushed back, some of them dead. His two sons were far in the back commanding the forces and preventing more deaths, but nothing was changing the state of the battle. He didn''t want this. He couldn''t watch this. His body raged as essence was used up without reservation, his stature becoming even bigger and the gold energy inlaid in his attacks became all the more destructive. He could do it. He would take down these beasts first, and then he would sav- GUH! An unexpected situation had occurred where Roark was about to go all out, when he felt a searing pain spread throughout his body. The momentary lapse gave an opening as one of the stingers of the [Blue Manticore] struck his arm. BOOM! His golden figure smashed into the ground as he rolled out and breathed heavily. He didn''t understand what had just happened as the searing pain he felt in his body became even more intense. What was happening at such a crucial juncture?! The floating Gremory in the air was laughing wickedly as he neared the position of the fallen king. "Do you feel pain spreading throughout your whole body? You can''t as easily move your essence? Hmm?" His voice rang out in a mocking tone towards Roark. There were dead bodies of demons and humans on the position they were at as Gremory looked down at the golden man who was glaring at him ferociously. "What the hell did you do?! I''m sure my defenses were not broken through!" Gremory looked at this valiant figure as the wicked smile on his face became even bigger. "Oh but that is where you are wrong, little human. Your defenses were broken through long ago, haha!" Roark tried to move his strength as he listened to the demon''s mocking tone, but all he felt was more pain. His face turned ashen as he realized he couldn''t put in any more power. He still did not understand, and could only watch in rage as the two primal beasts and Gremory came close and surrounded him. "Yes! That''s the expression I wanted to see! The King of a kingdom kneeling on the floor in despair, not even knowing what happened. Are you not curious, little human?" The stingers of the two manticores acted like flexible joints as they wrapped around Roark''s golden arms and raised him up. His right arm that was stung before had turned a deadly shade of purple as it pulsed horribly. The forces of the Frozen Kingdom had noticed this development and were trying to break through the ranks of demons to get to this position, but the many large beasts, goblins, ogres, and orcs gave them no respite. The princes in the far back of the defense line had horrible looks, as the older one pulled out a communication medallion hurriedly. Gremory was about to continue berating the king in his mocking tone so he could see more of the despair in his eyes when he felt the buzzing of the medallion. His face warped even more as his twisted mind worked and he took the medallion out, looking at the raised figure of Roark in front of him. "Now yes, I could just easily kill you now and do the same for your forces, and then go on to enslave your people. Before that though, why don''t we listen to something interesting?" He neared Roark with the medallion on hand as he placed some mana into it, the message sent across coming out. "Hey! You promised me my father''s life, what are you doing?!" The voice seemed desperate, but was easily recognizable. Roark''s face drained of all color as he heard this message and painfully turned his head over to where his two sons were being protected while commanding the soldiers. He felt the searing pain in his body that did not allow him to do anything as he heard the voice of his son coming out from the medallion of the demon. He wanted it to be a lie, an illusion from the magic of this demon, but his sharp eyes could see his desperate son in the distance holding a red medallion. This fucking fool. What had he done?! UGH! The pain in his body increased as the poison from the stung arm continued to spread, with the two manticores to his left and right twisting their grips even faster. Gremory seemed to have a flushed red face as he looked at the changing emotions on the King as well as the desperate voice that continued to come from the medallion. His mocking voice came out as he brought his palm to cover his flushed face. "Ah, I understand your plight. You gave your best and fought with all that you had, only for everything to fall apart as you realized a betrayal had taken place." The golden figure of Roark was raised up as Gremory looked at him. "You may be asking yourself now, ''Is this it? Is this really how everything I have built up crumbles down?'' Ah!" Gremory seemed to be in euphoria as he looked around at the bloody battlefield and the despairing faces as his face became malicious. "I''m here to tell you yes. All that you have built will crumble down, and nobody can do anything abou-" BOOM!!! ¡­ "What the fuck?!" 112 Debut! In the snowy lands between two mountains filled with death, a drastic change occurred. In the skies above the two fighting armies, a fair man dressed in white robes had appeared. Wings of feathery golden color were outspread behind him as he mercifully looked down to the despairing soldiers of the Frozen Kingdom. But this wasn''t the figure that gave people the most shock. It was the appearance of something much grander that made the EPIC commanders on both sides of the army stop in shock. Nearing ten meters tall, a large beast had instantaneously appeared and knocked away the powerful Demon King. The two primal beasts that had their long stingers wrapped around a golden man found empty air as a silvery light passed and the man disappeared from their grasps. The beast held a powerful longsword as a storm of destructive cold elements swirled around him. A glorious blue sigil was spreading out from him as its power shook the people to their hearts. Glorious white fur covered him from top to bottom as a shining white horn at the center of its head pointed to the skies. The figure looked around powerfully as the demons reacted in a frenzy, Gremory recovering from the attack without a wound as the air cleared. "What the fuck?!" He was surprised at the sudden intrusion that had stopped his fun as he looked towards the new participant. He found the large beast that let out somewhat threatening levels of power, and he was confused. Had one of the Mythical Kingdoms sent a powerhouse to protect the Frozen Kingdom? Gremory''s face hardened as he thought of this and carefully observed this figure that could knock him away at a speed where he did not notice him. The beast seemed more interested in the [Mephitic Turtles] and droves of demons in the ranks of the Demon Legion, as a nostalgic expression actually came onto its face. A silvery light occurred and the beast disappeared, showing itself once again high in the skies. The primal spirits that Gremory had summoned were already on his tail as they observed the beast in the skies pointing his cold blade downwards. VOOOOOOM A droning sound could be heard as the sky darkened. Like the veil of the night had appeared, the dark snowy lands found themselves even darker as humongous glacial lands appeared in the skies. [Iceberg] had been cast multiple times. The extremely tough glacial land masses droned down towards the many forces of demons as complete fear and trepidation covered their faces. Gremory looked at this extremely unbelievable area of attack ability that would cause a tremendous amount of damage to the Demon Legion if not stopped. His body glowed red as he appeared on the lands beneath where the icebergs would fall. [Blazing Hellflames]! Like the blooming of a flower, densely packed red flames sprouted out with the Demon King as the origin, going to envelope the glacial landmasses in the surroundings. Only a portion of them covered the numerous falling glaciers. BOOM! A devastating impact occurred as thousands of casualties occurred for the Demon Legion. White steam spread out with the impact of extremely hot flames and frozen glaciers, obscuring the sight of many. Gremory recalled his two primal spirits as his eyes pierced the veil of smoke to find the figure of the newcomer. The other arrival that was floating in the skies with golden wings on his back pointed their hands down as a rain of golden light landed on the injured and fighting soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers of the Frozen kingdom. The light invigorated and healed those it touched as they began to fight back with increased vigor. On the places where the most death was occurring, where the EPIC commanders between the two forces were battling, new intruders also appeared. Multiple EPIC beasts had fallen down from the darkening skies, heavily landing on the ground and causing a stop to the battle as the commanders got a chance to see if it was friend or foe. A sleek [Emperor Penguin] could be seen at the forefront, the yellow-white and black texture of its skin extremely clear in the snowy lands. A terrifyingly long snake that was the [White Mamba] and many more EPIC beasts landed on the ground and quickly targeted the Demon Commanders. OOOOH! The battle seemed to be taking a completely different turn as unknown reinforcements arrived and eased the hard battle that would have resulted in a massacre of the kingdom''s forces. Things did not seem to be done though, as movements could also be felt from the dead bodies that spread across the battlefield. A cloud of green had permeated the ground from an unknown location that quickly entered the bodies of the fallen humans, beastmen, and demons. Everywhere the smoke passed, the bodies began trembling, before they rose up in a terrifying fashion. The skin of these moving corpses was blistering green as their blank eyes moved and landed on the forces of the Demon Legion. The [Defiled Corpses] moved unnaturally and with extreme speed and precision as they threw themselves on the bodies of demons. Some clawed or bit their opponents, spreading to them virulent poison and plagues that made their bodies shake and begin foaming before they died painfully, and then rose up with even more terrifying force a few seconds after. Others threw themselves in the midst of packs of the reptilian beasts and [Mephitic Turtles] before their bodies exploded in a gore of poisonous green, causing even more mayhem. A large turtle that was shooting out poisonous beams of light had at one point been swarmed by the terrifying [Defiled Corpses] and not given a single second of rest as they continued sticking to its body and bursting open to release the noxious poison and plague. The turtles that had poison as their element found themselves feeling pain and their hard shells dissolving in the face of these attacks, giving them an unrecognized sense of terror. Eerie scenes like this began spreading throughout the battlefield, causing many to take a step back and ask, just who the hell were these newcomers that just appeared?! Gremory was looking towards the large creature that carried a dangerous sword in the skies as his mind worked to identify it at high speeds. It didn''t match any of the information he had on the beasts from the Mythical Kingdom, so he didn''t know where this reinforcement came from. He looked at the two LEGENDARY primal beasts beside him as he breathed out cold air, adopting his usual twisted demeanor once again. It did not matter who this disruptor was, he would take them down regardless. Their body did not show the power of LEGENDARY rank, yet the strike earlier had been able to cause him significant damage. But there was only one of him. How would he fare against a Demon King and his two Primal Spirits?! 113 Malevolen There were too many unknowns with this new intruder, so Gremory activated multiple skills as he focused on the beast. [Sweet Talker] and [Unveiler] were activated as his magnetic voice rang out. "Now who might our new friend b-" !!! BOOM! Not even a second was given for his words to finish as the primal spirits felt a threat and pushed themselves in front of their master to stop a frighteningly cold sword. The destructive cold energies wrecked the area as the white-furred beast was pushed back. Gremory was now full of anger as this newcomer showed such blatant disrespect. "You fumbling beast, you don''t even have basic manners?!" Gremory was fully enraged as a beautiful play had been ruined. He had set it up for so long, and now it was all up in flames because of some beast. The faces of despair had already begun appearing, and he wanted to bring the father and son close to one another and watch what they would say. Would the father show hatred and disappointment to the son he loved for the downfall of their kingdom? Would the son be apologetic as he realized he had been tricked into poisoning his own father for nothing? All of these things he wanted to see, but now they were all gone. ''Ah, things can never go the way I want!'' As he watched the other newcomers, especially the man with golden wings that was healing countless beings from the kingdom''s forces as if it was nothing, he knew he had to finish off this beast quickly. As he was thinking, the beast was already clashing with one of the primal spirits. He was actually holding his own against a LEGENDARY spirit as the storm of ice elements caused freezing cold to accumulate on the body of the [Blue Manticore] while its stinger parried the freezing blade. ''Hmph, you think one puny beast can stand against a Demon King?'' The enraged Gremory sent the command for the other primal spirit to join the fight as he placed his hand on his left chest. ''Since you ruined such a perfect play, I''ll use you for my entertainment and see if I can observe those same faces of despair'' Multiple runic circles had appeared on Gremory''s chest as he saw the white beast gradually be pushed back against the force of two legendary beasts. It seemed that just the primal beasts would be enough to take the white-furred sword-wielding beast down, but he still wanted to make this newcomer despair some more. The hand on his chest sunk in as he felt his own beating heart, and a guttural scream came out from his mouth as one of the demon''s unique abilities, Abyss Magic, was used. "LIMIT...BREAK!" OOOOONG! A pillar of red shining light shot through the skies and then blindingly spread throughout the surroundings. When this light died down, the beings fighting could see that high in the skies, the Demon King had transformed! Gorgeous black wings erupted from his back as two powerful horns extended from both sides of his head. A slithering long tail erupted behind him as his body also continued to expand, quickly becoming more than five meters. His body let out crazy levels of power as the red light died down. A stifling pressure was pressing down on everyone in the surroundings as if the whole world was falling on them. This was the pressure from [Demon King''s Haki]! The terrible power shown above made many people afraid, but the nearly 10-meter tall sword-wielding beast looked at this scene...as his eyes seemed to shine a dangerous light. The [Sigil of Hegemony] he had cast as soon as he arrived had already run out and he was waiting to cast it again, yet his defenses were still firm as he pushed off the enemies in the skies. The primal spirits that were constantly damaging his [Bear Emperor''s Hide] and smashing into the sword saint incarnation were not able to notice the dangerous light that shone in his eyes as the man hidden at the center of the large incarnation looked longingly to the Demon King, as if he wanted to consume the entire demon whole. --- Noah had finally met the demons that were the true culprits behind much of the destruction that occurred in his homeworld. The first thing he did after recognizing the [Mephitic Turtles] he had fought before in the Blessed Empire was to send numerous [Icebergs] their way. The next thing after that was him sending a command to the fifteen EPIC beasts at the central area of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, and then releasing them to the outside world. Many of them were still weakened with their origins eaten up, but they were still EPIC beasts holding powerful strength. They were the easiest to send commands to with their high ranks, so only these 15 beasts were let out of the Spiritual Land. They would help to reinforce the Frozen Kingdom''s forces against the demons while the Holy Blight that had taken the appearance of a graceful holy saint through the use of [Two Faced] worked to heal and covertly caused even more chaos in the battlefield through the use of [Zombie Master]. Seeing the ferocious green zombies running below him rampantly gave way to many ideas and possibilities. After attacking the Demon King with extreme speed, two summoned beasts began pursuing him in the skies. The [Blue Manticores] he continued to clash against were genuine LEGENDARY beasts, every single one of their strikes with the deadly stingers pushing him back and dealing heavy damage that he quickly worked to heal. The connection with [Summon Holy Blight] was extremely strong, and he continued to receive constant heals and buffs as his large incarnation became damaged. When [Sigil of Hegemony] became inactive, he wanted to test how he fared against genuine LEGENDARY with the usage of his EPIC skills, but it seemed just that alone was not enough to bridge the gap. He was ready to activate the LEGENDARY skill as soon as the cooldown ended and start fighting back with heavy attacks once more when the situation changed, and the Demon King underwent a rapid transformation. The creature to appear at the end of it was a ferocious winged demon that nearly reached his incarnation''s size. The thick red arms of the demons were raised high as pulsating pillars of flames appeared on his palms roaring to the skies, a malevolent smile came on the demon''s face as a powerful voice rang out. "I''m gonna skin you alive and use your fur as a fucking rag." 114 Demon King Gremory I Calmness. I tried to bring my mind to an exceptionally peaceful place and calm my emotions as I looked at the transformed Demon King in the skies. Hellish red flames erupted beautifully from his hands and rose into the skies, putting a different contrast on the lands that were filled with white snow. The temperature was visibly rising in the surroundings as the wide pillars of flames in his hands continued to dance in the air. My body was surrounded by a layer of skills, with [Bear Emperor''s Hide] fully covering and spreading throughout the [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation], giving me an appearance of a ferocious beast. The swirling storm of destructive cold elements around me from the activated [Absolute Zero] went to further cement this look of a beast that came from the depths of frozen lands. It didn''t matter what the demon thought my identity was as long as I took him down. The one thing I was extremely looking forward to was the possibilities of amazing skills from such a strong figure. I looked at the Demon King and the beasts he commanded as I realized I would be fighting against three LEGENDARY ranked opponents. If I still had only EPIC skills, the results of this battle would be disastrous to think about. I was now just waiting to once more initiate the spectacular skill I received as one of the prizes for clearing the Trial of Supremacy for the Spiritual Land as I moved across the skies. [Sigil of Hegemony] :: A highly protective sigil establishes itself as far as 30 meters around you, empowering you and your allies while hindering your foes for 30 seconds. Another 30 seconds are required before it can be activated again. Absorbs half of all damage dealt while active. +200% Casting and Attack Speed. +200% damage to enemies in sigil. +200% Speed. -50% Enemy Elemental Resistances. -50% Enemy Speed. The skill had the craziest buff and debuffs I had ever come across, but also had something I haven''t had with many of the skills I used so far, a cooldown. The Demon King, followed by his two [Blue Manticores] floated dangerously in the air as the hellish flames that were shooting to the skies aimed themselves towards me. I could feel my heart already pumping excitedly as [Teleport] was cast, and I appeared behind the transformed demon. My long sword was already stretched outright as I cast [Sigil of Hegemony]. WAAAAH! A beautiful sound as if something was long released from its confines erupted out as a blue circle began to spread with me in the center. Runic formations I could in no way understand were layered on top of this expanding circle, going to cover more than 10 meters around me quickly, and still expanding. The moment [Sigil of Hegemony] was cast, I felt the strength and speed of my body become multiple times greater, accelerating the speed of my cold sword even faster to the three targets in front of me. I could see the arrogant face of the Demon King undergo a change as a thin protective covering erupted in front of him. BOOM! --- [Demon King Gremory] What?! The Sword Beast in front of me continued to bring more and more surprises as it teleported behind me and used the same spectacular skill. A sigil of unknown origins spread out, the moment it passed through me I felt my defenses and speed weakening significantly. I had battled for hundreds of years, and never thought I would be faced with something new after all this time. My bloodthirst began rising as the beast that I thought would die easily could actually put up a fight. BOOM! The beast''s cold sword met the protective layer of [Blood Barrier] and actually broke through it, my two primal spirits using their stingers to stop it from piercing into my body. As I felt the chill of the blade near me, I found myself smiling towards this beast. "You actually have the strength to back you up, good!" Now, let''s see how you fare against my attacks. Even though my defenses and speed were reduced, it didn''t mean I couldn''t dish out my killer attacks. [Rending Flames] was cast as claws of dense flames went to strike on the body of the white-furred beast. I looked forward to the scalding reaction but...I watched as more than half of the skill''s power disappeared the moment it neared the body of the beast, the other half quickly dissipated from the thick fur surrounding it. Haha, now what sort of skill is this hmm? I was a collector of many things unique and weird, and this beast with his constantly changing skills would be a great addition to that collection. Now, let''s see how many more attacks you can withstand! --- An intense fight was occurring in the skies above the two fighting forces as a Demon King with two Primal Spirits battled a powerful beast swinging a deadly sword. Bone spears with deathly cold energy could be seen exploding in the skies, as the sword clad in unstable ice elements clashed with the tough stingers of the two spirits. In the fights below, an [Emperor Penguin] was looking at the beautiful sigil that had spread more than 30 meters in the air longingly. This was the stage it wanted to reach, the stage to be considered truly powerful! Its longing was replaced with ferociousness as the focus came back to the huge Ogre Commander it was trading blows with, while gazing at the fight above every now and then. Many scenes like this were playing out in the snowy lands between two mountains as newly appearing beasts reinforced the Frozen Kingdom''s forces. Someone that was putting in even more contribution was the white robbed man shining in gold that continued to send down lights that healed any that were injured. Many of the soldiers and mercenaries were sending reverent and thankful looks towards this Saint, but they could have never imagined that this same saint was the one causing the most mayhem in the battlefield with the use of [Zombie Master]. Bodies that should have remained dead across the snowy fields were constantly rising and spreading dangerous poisonous fumes. Many of them remained in the ranks of the Demon Legion''s forces where they fought against them until they exploded into clouds of poison. It was a terrifying sight where the numbers of green moving corpses were not decreasing overtime as they constantly exploded, but were actually increasing as more and more corpses were created. This created a tough fight for those in the Demon Legion as they found themselves increasingly cornered with more and more defiled corpses moving against them. 115 Demon King Gremory II A game of cat and mouse was currently happening in the skies between two snowy mountain peaks in the Northern Continent of the Beast World. Who the cat or the mouse was could not be clearly identified at this time, as the roles seemed to change over time. More than 30 minutes had passed since this chase began. It was two ferocious-looking beings flying through the skies, a silvery light appearing every now and then as one teleported a few miles away, only for the one chasing to catch up a few seconds later. The reason this chase was occurring was because a powerful sigil that was spread for more than 30 meters had caused a tremendous amount of damage for a winged demon and his Primal Spirits, and that sigil had disappeared after thirty seconds. This scene repeated itself multiple times in the past half hour. The disappearance of the sigil drastically reduced the power the white-furred incarnation was releasing, causing the current scene. The Demon King that had caught up to the white-furred incarnation that was Noah struck out with his strong arms as hellish red flames erupted out. Two Primal Spirits were not far behind as poisonous stingers appeared from behind looking for an opening on their target. SHLUCK! One of the stingers from the [Blue Manticores] was able to pierce through, leaving a large gash on the shoulder of the incarnation which quickly closed up. This rate of healing so rapidly from an attack of a LEGENDARY beast could not be explained normally, as many skills came into play to cause it. First and foremost was [Life Steal]. Every single attack from Noah had the trait of absorbing health based on a portion of the damage dealt. The ferocious ice storm that continued to surround him, the cold blade that continued to smash into the bodies of the Primal Spirits and the Demon King, even the attacks made by the summon that was called forth by him, all of these were his attacks, and he gained a portion of health from the damage they dealt. The battlefield was also largely populated by green defiled corpses at this instant that were ferociously decimating the Demon Legion. Just those attacks alone made it so that [Life Steal] was constantly working to heal and regenerate any damage. This wasn''t to mention the constant buffs and heals that came directly from the Holy Blight. As Noah waited for the cooldown of the powerful LEGENDARY skill to finish, he rapidly moved across the skies, taking many hits that could rupture apart the [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation] that was even protected by [Bear Emperor''s Fur]. The only thing that kept it apart were the constant heals that covered up all the damage in the blink of an eye. Amidst teleporting, deathly spears made of bones would appear and rush towards the chasing Demon King who was knocking them away with a swing of his arms that released hellish flames. The injuries on his body continued to accumulate but he seemed to disregard them completely. A wicked smile was on his face as the red-winged demon spoke. "You do not seem to be familiar with Demon Kings, so let me enlighten you." BOOM! An expanse of red sprouted out as the outline of a large spear formed out of hellish flames. The spear chased Noah''s figure and exploded vigorously. "First, we hold massive reserves of mana. Whatever game you think you are playing by running around like this, the longer it goes, the more you guarantee your death. No being has ever competed and won against the mana pool of a Demon King." Gremory''s words seemed to be hitting air as Noah''s beast incarnation came out of the explosion safe and sound. An expression of excitement appeared on the incarnation''s large face as a powerful runic sigil was activated yet again. The manticores surrounding the Demon King returned to his side as they guarded menacingly, watching out for the figure of Noah that had begun moving at extreme speeds once again with the activation of [Sigil of Hegemony]. "Second, our bodies were born from the primeval essence of the Demon World, granting us extreme resistance to all forms of damage. Surprisingly, this skill of yours can momentarily cause a drop in my defenses, which makes you a very interesting little beast to study." VOOOOM! A sound as if the arrival of the most terrible disaster appeared as Noah finally showed himself, appearing on an opening between the Demon King that was surrounded by two LEGENDARY primal spirits as his incarnation''s mouth opened unnaturally and a destructive breath roiled out. [Arctic Breath] was cast for the first time. Pah! Pah! Pah! Sounds as if popcorn was being popped rang out as the freezing breath surrounded the Demon King and his summons. But this was a Demon King. One of the ranked beings that was especially born from a large world. [Despondency of Spirit]! A powerful yell came from the Demon King as one of the spirits covered in ice exploded out, forming into a thin line of light that attached itself to Noah''s figure. BOOM! A resounding explosion rang out as the figure of the white-furred incarnation shot towards the ground like a ballistic missile. One-third of the incarnation''s body could be seen decimated, as even with the absorption of half of all damage from the now active [Sigil of Hegemony] could not stop the devastating damage from an explosion of a Primal Spirit. Noah''s body was roughly breathing inside as the impact had spread across all the way to him, the EPIC items and layers of lower skills he had on reducing the rest of the damage as he suffered minimally. Only a few seconds were left to the recently casted [Sigil of Hegemony] as his incarnation fully healed and he teleported to the skies. The voice of the arrogant and injured Demon King rang out once again. "Lastly, our Unique Skills...are fucking unique!" A burst of raucous laughter rang out as a new Primal Spirit formed as good as new, the dangerously shining poisonous stinger and ferocious power of LEGENDARY rank that just exploded coming back as good as new. Demon King Gremory stood grandly in the air, surrounded by two [Blue Manticores] letting out overwhelming power as his laugh resounded. Yet the curious thing that could not be explained remained, why was he so nonchalant about his heavy injuries? Gremory came out of his stupor as he felt the movement of essence roiling above him, giving an interesting smile as to what the puny beast was doing now. Up above, multiple sizable [Icebergs] had appeared once more, along with tens of five-meter large bone spears pulsating dangerously, and an [Arctic Breath] that roiled out while [Sigil of Hegemony] was still active. The horned incarnation that covered Noah''s body stood firm in the air with a blade in hand as his voice rang out for the first time. "You talk too much." 116 Catastrophic Consequences I BOOM! Attacks that were reinforced by a LEGENDARY skill exploded in the skies above the snowy mountains, painting a devastating scene of power. When the skies cleared, the winged Demon King and his primal spirits had sustained significant injuries. A deep gash lay on his chest as the muscles wiggled around eerily to heal themselves, but the deathly energy from the [Bone Spears] vastly reduced the speed of healing. A significant amount of time had passed since the battle began, and the Demon King was finally becoming worn out. I looked at this scene as I moved faster to end this fight that had been going on for far too long. I had a few more seconds before I could cast [Sigil of Hegemony] again. My mind moved quickly as I sent a command, and the golden saint that had been going around healing injured forces from the Frozen Kingdom silently disappeared. In a few seconds, something entirely new appeared in the air above me as a wicked form of a 10-meter tall green-gold abomination stood by me. I ignored the primal spirits around the Demon King and focused only on him, now joined by my upgraded EPIC summon. "Haha!" The Demon King that was being besieged from all sides was actually laughing, even when injuries continued to accumulate on his body as I threw more [Bone Spears] and struck down with my freezing sword. "You exceeded my expectations, I''ll give you that!" I continued to ignore his words as I focused on counting down the seconds until a specific skill could be cast. I would try my best to end it on this next one. A greyed-out skill became blue again as I cast it right away and watched the runic sigil spread out all around me. My incarnation and summon received tremendous boosts while the enemies we were facing reduced in speed and defense. I wanted to use the next 30 seconds to the fullest as [Arctic Breath] was already leaving my mouth and [Bone Spears] were thrown out again and again. The skills that were only of EPIC rank showed extreme effectiveness when boosted by [Sigil of Hegemony], and it looked like the defences of the Demon King were finally wearing down after he was hit for so long. The summoned Holy Blight entering the fray caused the battle to be even more balanced as Noxious Breath was also continuously released onto the enemies. BOOM! I kept the primal spirits at bay as I watched my summon use its large body to smash the Demon King into the ground. Whatever attacks were thrown at the Holy Blight, they quickly healed as even more virulent poison was released from him. The Demon King...neared his end. The one surprising thing was his nonchalant expression as his body continued to be poisoned and injured. Even when the Holy Blight, with its huge stature exploded its body while clutching onto the Demon King and causing a tremendous amount of damage, he continued to laugh. "This is definitely interesting. To be defeated by a beast I have never heard about, I''ll have to thoroughly investigate this in the future!" I continued to rain attacks on the body that had turned a deathly shade of green red as the fight went on and replied to the dying demon. "You still think you''re coming out of this alive?" A wicked smile was on his face as he looked at me once more, the hellish flames he usually released from his palms fizzling out as his primal spirits were kept at bay. The two summons of his were hard to kill, and caused heavy explosions when they died, only to appear a few seconds later. They were trying to break through the encirclement of my incarnation and summon, but we defended and absorbed their attacks, healing from them quickly while trying to end the life of this powerful opponent quickly. His twisted face spoke yet again. "Here''s the last thing about Demon Kings that I can tell you now, you gained the right to learn that much. Demon Kings...never really die! Haha! Even if you kill me here and now, I will be resurrected by the Demon World in a few months. That is a right that is rare across many worlds, only given especially to the ranked rulers of the Demon World. Now, when that happens...you better hope you''re not in this same location, or the Demon Legions I will bring with me next time...Haha!" The demon was maddeningly raving as I threw down more [Bone Spears], being one of the skills that dealt a lot of damage as he couldn''t heal from them easily. As for his claims, let''s put them to the test. My large body glowed magnificently as another [Sigil of Hegemony] spread out, and I used the boost of speed and power to bypass the barriers the Demon King had set up around his body, my cold blade piercing through his chest. The primal spirits behind me trying to claw their way past the Holy Blight that continued to explode and push them away screamed out as they exploded too. The cold blade that passed through the chest of the Demon King vibrated as the destructive cold elements spread out with it as the center. The Demon King still had the same mocking expression on his face as he could feel the freezing feeling spread across his chest and completely overlap his heart. "I''ll see you in a few months, puny beas-" AAARGH! A painful wail rang out to the Demon King about to die as a red light exploded outwards, his face adopting a despairing expression as something seemed to have gone wholly wrong for him. "What- you, what are y-" ARGH! One last scream erupted out as the red light exploded outwards even more, giving me a surprise as the red light exploded to become gold bundles of books, items, cores, and something else I had never seen before. I breathed out heavily as I looked at this scene that had never occurred before. The essence of the beasts I defeated usually gets pulled into one of my storage items where I would find the loot there. This time, an explosion of loot had occurred outside as the demon completely perished. The primal spirits that exploded before him were also nowhere to be found. We had moved away from the battlefield for quite a distance as we fought and flew, and I found myself near a peak of a snowy mountain as the yells and screams of the battle a few miles away continued. I sent the changed Holy Blight that was now adopting my face with his saintly aura caused by [Two Faced] towards the battle to continue saving more lives as everything wrapped up, and I looked towards the explosion of loot in front of me. What kinds of rewards would fall out from a Demon King? 117 Catastrophic Consequences! II While the battle was concluding in the snowy mountains between a Demon Legion and the forces of the Frozen Kingdom, a world shocking notice passed through the minds of every Demon King in existence! Whether they were the highest-ranked Demon Lords carrying out conquest in large worlds, or the Demon Kings currently invading the beast world, a singular message passed through their minds. Something that rarely occurred and has not come to pass in the last hundreds of years, had now taken place. A Demon King had faced True Death! Shock! Disbelief! Apprehension! Lines of communication that went across the worlds were sent out as the Demon Kings looked for answers. Who had died? Which world were they in? And the most important thing, which powerhouse had they offended that they faced True Death?! To understand the shock of these Demon Kings, one would have to first know just how hard it was to actually kill one. For the Demon Kings invading the Beast World, over the course of the months more than three Demon Kings had fallen. But neither of them faced true death! Every time a Demon King was killed, their origin, no matter how injured, would be sent back to the Demon World. The origin would act as a seedling and absorb the primeval essence of the Demon World to eventually be born again after a long period of time passed. This was one of the core reasons why the Demon World was able to wage war and dominate many other worlds, their main forces seemed inexhaustible as time passed. It was a World that continued to rise through the ranks, and almost neared the upper echelons of Prime Worlds. Their strength was also their only weakness, where the 72 Demon Kings and the upper ranked Demon Lords were very careful when they waged war across worlds. Many things would be considered. What level was the world they were invading? Were there any beings there that could truly threaten their lives? This was the crucial question that was always looked at first before any Demon Kings or Demon Lords descended onto other worlds. Over the past hundreds of years, a complete list of Worlds not to get in conflict with had all been documented from past events where a Demon King had faced True Death. Worlds that focused on and were proficient in Soul Systems were left alone. Worlds where inhabitants increased their strength by unlocking the secrets of the universal laws, were left alone. Only recently growing worlds that had not yet established their place in the universe were targeted . This allowed the Demon World to roam free and rampant, and prevent the True Deaths of their strongest forces. From the time when their conquest began until now, only two Demon Kings had faced true death. Now, there was a third! There used to be 72 rulers of the Demon World in total, and now only 69 remained. Where had the Demon King fallen? Which grand world had one of them stepped into that caused such a huge incident?! Communications were sent back and forth across worlds as the rulers of the Demon World confirmed their positions. In a matter of a few minutes, all of the remaining 69 checked in. The only one that was missing...was rank 56, Demon King Gremory! Even more shock came from the realization of this, because Gremory was in a world that was neither weak nor powerful, but it definitely did not have powerhouses or such powerful systems of strength that would allow for its inhabitants to cause a Demon King to face True Death. The Demon Kings currently in the Beast World were the ones that felt even more apprehension because they knew the situation of Gremory very well. He was a powerful Demon King of LEGENDARY rank, with many skills at his disposal. He was the one in charge of occupying the kingdom in the Northern Lands of the Beast World where the weakest Kingdom resided. Yet...he had actually faced true death there?! Communications continued as the Demon Kings and higher ranked Demon Lords quickly moved the information around. An impossibly cold voice rang out through the channel of communication that was established across worlds. This was one of the highest-ranked rulers of the Demon World, someone ranked in the top 10 speaking! "The ones remaining in the Beast World, focus your forces in the region where this incident occurred. A few more Demon Kings that are in nearby worlds will come to reinforce you soon enough. Move carefully. This could be a serious threat that is just now budding in this world, or something entirely different. Information is key, find out everything behind this incident first. Then we will see how to move forward." A momentary silence passed as another Demon Lord of high rank chimed in. "Once the information is known, strengthen the attacks on all the forces in that world and take over everything as soon as possible. Treat this threat with extreme caution." More words were passed around as the Demon Kings grasped the situation of the Beast World and planned. A terrible threat had possibly appeared that could shake the core foundations of the Demon World, it had to be nipped as soon as possible! A Demon Lord that had remained silent through all of this also had their voice ring out, making a few of the high ranked Rulers surprised. The one that talked was a Demon Lord that kept to themselves in a dominated world where they alone ruled. This ruler caused many of the lower-ranked Demon Kings to feel fear from the cruelty of their actions and power. "Well, I doubt someone of my rank would be needed to crush this possible threat, but why don''t I go down myself?" Silence. There was complete silence in the communication channel as the first cold voice that gave out the orders replied. "That won''t be necessary. The Beast World is not highly developed and still has strict universal laws protecting it from the descent of high tiered beings. Even trying it would deplete treasures and essences we''ve collected over the past thousand years. It is not worth it." "Hmph, so be it. Don''t regret this in the future. Orias, you go and do reconnaissance where this incident occurred first, your skills are a perfect fit for this." There was a period of silence as the rulers of the Demon World felt the connection have one less being on the other end. This was a Demon Lord that caused fear to permeate through the bones of lower-ranked Demon Kings. It was a Demon Lord that took over a world and completely massacred its inhabitants just to build up an army. This was the Necromancer of Chaos, the one who gained the title of Destroyer. Rank 8 Demon Lord, Barbatos. 118 Rapid Changes In the next week that followed certain events, movements could be seen across the Beast World that made many powerful figures apprehensive. There were a variety of Demon Legions that were spreading out from the former Draconic Kingdom and waging war to the remaining three Mythical Kingdoms. Multiple Demon Kings were leading their forces against these powerful kingdoms that held powerhouses of LEGENDARY rank, and some MYTHICAL ranks at their forefront. These powerhouses found the forces of demons shifting around with extreme urgency these few days, causing them to tighten their own defenses and wonder what they were planning now. The Demon Kings had their own headaches as they had to soon move pieces towards the Northern Lands while keeping their positions and defending from the attacks of beasts. Another factor that became a problem to consider was that who would be the one to head out to the location where one of them faced a True Death? None of the Demon Kings were cowards, but the reality that a being with the power to truly kill them existed gave them great feelings of apprehension. It was a feeling they were not used to before. Talks and arguments took place as specific Demon Kings were chosen to lead their Legions towards the Northern Lands in the coming weeks. They would begin marching out the moment more information was gathered and their forces were reassembled as they returned even more firepower on the fronts where they were waging war against the Mythical Kingdoms. Demon King Orias would be the one to head towards the Northern Lands first, her unique skill making her ideal for carrying out reconnaissance. Information would be key for them as they moved forward. Deep in the center of the taken over Draconic Kingdom, the Sin of Lust, the 32nd ranked Demon King Asmodeus was calmly sitting on a throne of a grandiose castle. The throne was open to a large hall where lines of [Minotaurs], [Ogres], and enslaved [Dragons] were present. Asmodeus had his eyes closed as he furiously used the Ultimate Skill that granted him glimpses of the future as he tried to predict the best possible ways to move from now on. On the face of his Ultimate Skill, who could possibly stand against him? Outside of the castle was a terrifying presence standing guard like a dutiful dog. The being standing guard was a humongous [Bone Dragon]. Many people wouldn''t recognize this figure if they tried, but those close could see glimpses of who the being used to be. Although he was now mostly bones, his power seemed to be just as domineering. This was the being that used to be the ruler of the Draconic Kingdom, now standing guard dutifully for the invaders that took his life and enslaved his people. The terror of demons had yet to truly reach the minds of the beings in the Beast World, as they now began to move seriously. --- A few days had passed since the terrible battle between two snowy mountains that took the lives of thousands. At some point during the battle, the Illustrious King had disappeared from the clutches of the enemy in a silvery light and appeared behind the defense lines where his soldiers swarmed to protect him. He, along with many of the injured individuals fighting on the Frozen Kingdom''s side had all received healing from the Saint that appeared in the skies during the battle. Thousands of lives had been saved through his hands, and yet, nobody knew where he was. As the powerful beast continued to clash with the Demon King some distance from the battlefield, the Saint had disappeared from everyone''s eyes. This wasn''t the only one to disappear, as the EPIC beasts that reinforced the Battalion Commanders were also gone as soon as the battle was finished. The horrifying corpses that were moving in the battlefield to decimate the Demon Legion also rushed to the mountains soon after, leaving behind a field of blood and gore, but not a single corpse in sight. No matter if they were human, beast or demon, not a single corpse remained on the battlefield. This sort of power caused much apprehension and reverence on the forces of the Frozen Kingdom as many questions plagued their minds. What was the identity of the Saint that saved so many lives? Where did the Sword Beast that clashed against the Demon King come from? There were many questions with no answers as the process of healing was taking place in the Frozen Kingdom. The Illustrious King was heavily injured in the battle, the result causing him to lose his right arm even after the constant healing lights fell from the Saint. What many people didn''t know was that the biggest loss he received from the battle...was the loss of his first son. The older prince was jailed in a secret location under the orders of the King as soon as the battle finished. The trusted Battalion Commanders did not raise any questions as they did what they were told. The powerful king has lost a limb, and also lost much more, as the shock of stupidity and betrayal from his own blood made him despondent. Was he such a bad father that his own son would plot to take down everything they had built? No! There had to be something else¡­ The king was searching and grasping for straws as time passed, trying to understand the sequence of events as much as possible. This was the terror of Demon Kings, where even though they had won the battle, it still felt like they lost something much more. A shattered family where a son acted against his own father, who else can enact such a scene? As problems were solved, new ones arose. The damage the demons had caused on the counties and dukedoms before they reached Valen County and Shadow Dukedom were plentiful, destroying many of the farms, warehouses, and homes of common people. There was also the death of thousands of the Kingdom''s elite forces, which caused a reduction of much of the workforce to clear dungeons for their resources and reduced adventurers of high skill that were required to cultivate the freezing lands of the Frozen Kingdom. Many people found money and food becoming tight as more and more refugees from surrounding counties and dukedoms rushed into the kingdom. People wanted protection from the onslaught of demons, and they wanted food that was quickly becoming scarce as the Kingdom worked to provide during these times of war. If nothing changed, hundreds of thousands of people could die from the hunger and cold. Against all of these depressing events, it was the Queen Elect that had been moving rapidly across the kingdom that made many nobles turn their eyes. Even before the huge battle between the demons had taken place, Princess Adelaide had begun commissioning for new plots of farms to be prepared and seeds to be sown. Many were wondering why the Princess was doing this, as anything planted right now would take weeks if not months to cultivate and be ready for harvest. This was especially so for the lands in the frigid environment they were in. Many of the nobles were calling for the Kingdom to reach out for help towards the Mythical Beast Kingdoms they hadn''t had many relations with. They pointed out the powerful beast that had come to their rescue as the sentiment that during these times of war, the Beast Kingdoms were becoming more accepting of working together with humans to survive against the invaders of their world. Uncertainty was in the air as the people in the Kingdom were in a period of mourning these past few days, while also gaining hope from the powerful strength of the beings that saved them. The Illustrious King and many of the people of the Frozen Kingdom wondered. Where were they now? 119 Loot! I was in the center of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land as I looked over the bountiful things that had come out from the death of the Demon King. As soon as the red light faded and piles of loot were beside the large body of the Demon King, I transferred everything into the central area of the Spiritual Land so I could check them all out without interruptions. The battle had finished, with the Holy Blight I sent out being able to handle much of the cleanup. The few hours after that were spent with me looking over the rewards of the very long battle. There were a great many things that brought a lot of surprises, but first and foremost were the skills. [Demon King''s Haki] :: Your strength displays itself outward, placing tremendous pressure on those you are facing. [Memory Plunderer] :: Dip into the abstract and plunder the memories of your enemies and certain objects. Two brand new LEGENDARY skills and a unique dropped from a single Demon King. The unique skill aside, just the two LEGENDARY ones made me want to go hunting for more Demon Kings right away. Two of them were very straightforward, but [Memory Plunderer] was one that made me do a double-take as it was one of the skills that weren''t the usual offensive or defensive, but something entirely different. Skills like these usually gave me the biggest surprises. Next up were new things that I hadn''t come across before. [Power Jewel]x2 :: A condensed form of powerful Abyss Magic. Can be used to increase the firepower of skills by corrupting them with this terrible magic. [Ruler''s Medal- 56] :: Grants you the highest authority in the 56th region of the Demon World. These two items made me ponder for quite a while as I observed them. The [Ruler''s Medal] was a star-shaped medallion that was extremely heavy on my hands, and I found it shocking to come across something like this from defeating a single Demon King. The [Power Jewel] was something I could more easily understand, as I had come across them before with the EPIC mercenary I fought. The "Corrupted" tag on the Sword Saint Incarnation finally clicked as I saw the description of the jewel. I opened my huge panel to see which skills would be great to boost in damage. If they could come close to the usefulness of [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation], I would have much more power in my arsenal. I hadn''t yet begun absorbing the cores I gained from the Demon King, so my attributes were still the same as of right now. [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 410] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 418] [Skill(s) :: [F][E][D][C][B][A: Flight-100, Instant Transfer-100, Recorder-100, Language Comprehension-100, Lion''s Roar-23,Water Barrier-100, Pierce-100, Executor''s Speed-100, Sense Heat Source-100, Silent Communication-75, Regal Archer''s Eyes-100, Cook-38] [A+:: Arctic Zone-100, Relegator''s Spear-23, Immutable Regeneration-100, Abstruse Cover-100, Barrier of Illusion-100, Paladin''s Blessing-11, Pursuing Infernal Lightning-1] [S :: Protection of the Wounded-100, Flash-100, Aura of Belligerence-100, Enfeeble-100, Phoenix Arrow-1, Shield Slam-8, Obfuscation-100, Rune of Defense-100, Dragon Scales-100, Budding Farmer-8, Ricocheting Shield-1, Bear''s Fighting Style-1, Archer''s Gamble-1, Lion''s Heart-100, Speedster-100, Smouldering Sword Strike-56, Earthen Spears-1, Thought Acceleration-100, Crisis Avoidance-100] [S+:: Devastation-100] [EPIC :: Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation-49, Iceberg-38, Absolute Zero-35, Bone Spears-27, Bear Emperor''s Fur-28, Life Steal-16, Teleport-25, Arctic Breath-16] [LEGENDARY :: Sigil of Hegemony-12, Demon King''s Haki-1, Memory Plunderer-1 ] [UNIQUE :: Spiritual Land Management, Primal Conjurer] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(S-Veiled Suit)(EPIC-Kingslayer)(EPIC-Rat King''s Mask)(EPIC-Prismatic Guardian) (EPIC-Unshattered Charity) (EPIC-Tigereye''s Roots)] There were many skills that had reached 100 proficiency that were prime for combination, and that was the next thing I would be doing as soon as I learned about the new things I''ve obtained first. I placed a small amount of mana into the [Power Jewel] while looking at my panel, seeing 2 skills become greyed out and many more starting to shine bright red. Unique Skills were greyed out, and it seemed the [Power Jewel] couldn''t be applied to them. Every other skill was blinking red as if asking to be selected. I looked to my most powerful skills aside from unique and selected [Sigil of Hegemony]. A flash of red occurred as the [Power Jewel] melted in my hands and flew into my body. I felt a rumbling of essence as I watched the flickering of the LEGENDARY skill until it soon changed. [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] :: A highly protective sigil establishes itself as far as 30 meters around you, empowering you and your allies while hindering your foes for 30 seconds. Another 30 seconds are required before the runic forces can be activated again. Absorbs half of all damage dealt while active. +300% Casting and Attack Speed. +300% damage to enemies in sigil. +300% Speed. -75% Enemy Elemental Resistances. -75% Enemy Speed. Restrict Movement is applied. This¡­ The skill now had even more boosts to damage, speed, and much more. Something even more spectacular called [Restrict Movement] was also added on top of it. I quickly thought about the powerful enemies I continued to face as my power continued to grow like this. I had just boosted a LEGENDARY skill with the powerful jewel that the Demon King left behind. Its rank hadn''t gone above, but its power was now even greater. With my constant use of the skills that increased their proficiency before I combined them, it meant my power would continue to get closer and closer to the next rank with all of these factors put into place. I left the other [Power Jewel] behind for now as I felt the movement of the Holy Blight and EPIC beasts near the snowy mountain where I finished off the Demon King. Rushing along with them were hordes of terrifying green corpses that moved erratically. I transferred all of the beasts and [Defiled Corpses] into the Frozen Plateau Spiritual land. There were many things for me to do, and I had to go through them slowly to make sure there were no mistakes. With the end of the battle outside, there should be a period of peace as everyone recovered from this battle, although I didn''t know how long that peace would be. I knew that killing a Demon King would have huge after effects, I just didn''t know how extreme the retaliation would be. The Frozen Kingdom might even be faced with even more Demon Legions after this. The Holy Blight was like a sheepherder as it stood in the skies and commanded the [Defiled Corpses] to stand in neat rows in between the [Whitefall Trees]. The sight was terrifying as the count of the [Defiled Corpses] reached a few thousands. I remained underground in the center of the Spiritual Land below as these things continued above me, sending out a command to my summon and the EPIC beasts to just be on standby as I wanted to figure out my new skills and look a bit closer at the Spiritual Land and its functions before I head back to the Frozen Kingdom to see the aftermath of this battle. The first thing that had been itching in my mind was [Memory Plunderer]. The description mentioned that memories of enemies and certain objects could be read. I thought for a bit as I reached out to the remaining [Power Jewel] and activated the skill. A red light flashed...but nothing occurred. I didn''t give up and reached out to the large body of the Demon King I kept with me as I activated [Memory Plunderer] once again. The same red light flashed...and it continued to become brighter. 120 Memories It was as if a film was playing out, and yet I was in the film at the same time. I felt extremely nauseous as it continued to go at an extremely fast pace, putting a ton of information that wasn''t mine in my head. The memories were many, but they were sparse. I felt a stinging pain in my head as the memories continued to play out, and the pain intensified until my sight turned black. --- I woke up feeling extremely groggy, not sure how much time had passed since I blacked out. For the first time in quite a while, I actually didn''t feel well. My body was almost always surrounded by many support and defense skills, which on top of my strengthened body, made me feel in top shape all the time. Yet now, the nauseousness had not gone away as my head continued to thump. Memories that were not mine continued to play out as I adopted a somber expression as they were registering. My somber expression soon turned to apprehension, and that apprehension soon turned to fear. Fuck. Shit. Damn! I tried taking deep breaths to calm myself down. I was feeling deep emotions that the memories carried, and had to remind myself that they were not mine. The life of the 56th ranked Demon King Gremory had sparsely laid itself out in front of my eyes. Only bits of memories from the hundreds of years he had lived played out, seemingly to be the most important ones that held significance to remember. But over the course of hundreds of years, these sparse memories were a lot. It was the things contained in these memories that brought me apprehension that soon turned into fear. Memories of Demon Kings and Demon Lords. Of powerful beings and grand worlds. Of the carnage and mayhem that the Demons carried out. Of secrets, many, many secrets that only someone in the position of Gremory''s caliber had access to. ... Breathe. I had to breathe. There was a ton of information, and facing all of it for the first time threw me off. The skill [Memory Plunderer] was incredibly powerful, and it became even crazier when the memories were of someone like this. Not many beings in the universe had the chance to kill a Demon King and also have a skill that allowed them to take away their memories. Gremory had used this skill on his defeated enemies to obtain and use an extravagant amount of information over the years. Much of this information was now passing through my head. A few minutes passed as I felt all the colorfully shining activated skills as the nauseousness died down and I felt like myself again. The fear I had been feeling slowly reduced as my expression became somber. The enemies I faced...were truly powerful. I didn''t even want to think of those that gained the title of Demon Lords as of right now, as my power in no way reached where they were at. Just the Demon Kings on the Beast World currently were enough for me to worry about. Memories of different worlds were placed aside as my focus narrow down to the most important things I had to keep in mind. I calmed myself as I forced my memory to recall that it had barely been 2 months since I awakened. Barely two months, and I was already at the position I was at right now. It didn''t matter how powerful my enemies were, if I continued growing at this rate, or became even faster with the gaining of new skills, I had nothing to worry about. I realized the period of peace I thought we would have might not even last two weeks as some memories clicked with recent events. The biggest thing on hand was the death of Gremory. The consequences from it were much grander than I thought. Recalling the expression and fear he felt before he died, I connected it to one of the mysterious powers of the Demon World, the fact that its Demon Kings and Demon Lords were resurrected when they died. Power from the Demon World recalled their origins the moment they were killed, and only time would be required before they return as good as new. Very few powers in the many worlds could cause the 72 Rulers of the Demon World to actually die, and it seemed like the system of power instituted from my world...could do it as well. Damn. This was purely a conjunction from the new memories I held and the sudden change of reaction from Gremory who was confident about the resurrection that would take place after. Those were his only thoughts I could grasp from the last few minutes of his life, everything closer to his death remaining a blank darkness. This conjecture was most likely true, which meant things were about to get very dangerous. Another ruler of the Demon World had faced True Death, and in the hands of someone unknown in a developing world in some corner of the universe. [Thought Acceleration] was working to the fullest as I compiled everything from the memories that would have the most immediate impact. The first was the Demon Kings spread out in the Draconic Kingdom, as well as the ones targeting the surrounding Mythical Kingdoms. I was finally able to learn more about the Beast World with the memories from Gremory, coming to understand the other three Mythical Kingdoms standing strongly right now. The demons had actually not made any more progress after the victory with the Draconic Kingdom, the other kingdoms having formed alliances as powerhouses were sent back and forth to stop the advancement of demons. Neither the demons nor the Mythical Kingdoms placed too much attention on the small Frozen Kingdom in the frigid North, leaving the brunt of the fights away from here. The advent of Gremory and the help from the transparent red figure that came to the Northern Lands to strengthen the forces here was only a cause and effect from the continuing war. But now that a Demon King had died because of this recent battle, the North would become the center of attention. I continued to keep myself calm as I organized all my thoughts. The Mythical Phoenix Kingdom in the west. The Mythical White Tiger Kingdom in the east, and the Mythical Tortoise Kingdom in the south. Small bits of information about the powerhouses there were in Gremory''s memories, as well the Demon Kings they faced. I also got the information...of the Demon King that was put in charge of sending the enslaved forces of beasts to recently found small worlds. The name Belial floated in my head as I had found the direct culprit that sent down destruction to my homeworld. But, all of this had to be put behind for now. The most pressing matter was the swift reaction these powerful rulers of the Demon World would take towards something as monumental as the True Death of someone in their ranks. I had to be completely prepared. The enemies I faced were truly terrifying to think about, but so was my speed of progression. My emotions were fully reigned in under control as my mind was made up. It didn''t matter if entire worlds were my enemies, I would move past them. As for something that could quickly raise my strength...well there were many ways to go about it. With such an abundant amount of information in my head, I didn''t even need to wait for my enemies to come to me. I knew many of their secrets that I am sure they would have no idea I would be able to get my hands on. Memories of the Unique and Ultimate Skills of Demon Kings and Demon Lords passed through my mind as the next thing I looked to was the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land. What were you really, and how can I best use you? 121 Spiritual Lands I Gremory himself had very little knowledge of these Spiritual Lands, as the demons classified them as the Beast World''s Unique Treasure that promoted the strength of its inhabitants. Some major worlds had exceptional Unique Treasures that made them powerful and stand out in the universe, one of the examples being the system of 72 Rulers of the Demon World that were near impossible to truly kill. The Beast World had Spiritual Lands as its Unique Treasure, or so the demons thought. Spiritual Lands were one of the things that stopped their advances into the Mythical Kingdoms from continuing as the powerhouses defended themselves with hordes of beasts as well as many other features from higher tiered Spiritual Lands. The Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land I had obtained was currently still very small in size, hidden amongst piles of snow as I, the beasts, and thousands of [Defiled Corpses] were safely staying inside as if it was our own small world. Since [Memory Plunderer] worked on the body of the Demon King, I wanted to give a try to another object. Nothing occurred when I activated it with the [Power Jewel], so let''s see if this object that was a Spiritual Land would be any different. I prepared myself for another potentially headache-inducing experience after just coming out of the first one. I placed my hand on the clear ground of the Frozen Plateau as I felt the strong connection intensify, and I activated [Memory Plunderer] once again. A red light shined again, and became even brighter as this Spiritual Land became the first object that I could obtain memories from. This was a very abstract concept as I pondered on objects that could be considered to have memories. It was much hazier than the memories of the Demon King, and they came in small amounts as I saw some of the history of the Frozen Plateau. Many things about its formation, plants, beasts, and the continued condensing of essence that made a lot of fantastical things possible passed through my mind. Soon enough, the scene of the transparent red woman came out as I watched how she underwent the process of upgrading it from tier 1 to tier 2. [Frozen Plateau-2] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-23,620, C-8753, B-4876, A-411, S-79, EPIC-19 Plants- Whitefall Trees. Available for planting(Snow Vine, Sacred Rye¡­) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Locked), Architecture(Locked), Frozen Barrier(Locked), Offensive Maneuvers(Locked), @#$@%(Locked), Time Dilation(Locked), !@##$(Locked)... Upgrade- Conditions not met. @%%^#$ The numbers of beasts had increased as the [Defiled Corpses] that the Holy Blight controlled were placed into the ranks of beasts, no matter if they used to be demon, beast, or human. After going through some of the memories, I started with the Plants, as they were actually one of the important factors. [Plants] Whitefall Trees :: Fond of the cold nature, they leave behind a beauty that many creatures enjoy. Time until maturity- 5 months. Snow Vine :: Plants that thrive in the cold. A collection of Snow Vines growing together is conducive for the growth of all ice attribute beings. The fruits they yield help cultivate the power of beasts born in the Spiritual Land, the effects are heavily reduced for anyone else. Time until maturity- 8 months. Sacred Rye :: A grain that very few get the chance to enjoy. Slightly strengthens the body, boosts mana sensitivity momentarily, and relieves negative effects. Time until maturity- 1 month. The plants that could be cultivated in Spiritual Lands were one of the main ways to raise the power of the beasts that were born from the condensing of essence in this land. Once the ranks of the beasts were raised, as well as another factor being met, the tier of the spiritual land would be upgraded and more functions would become available. I started off slowly and selected [Snow Vine] first, as it was the one that directly boosted the beasts'' power. A spectacular scene played out after where fields of empty snowy lands on top of the Spiritual Land were presented in a blue holographic outline in front of me. [Snow Vine] :: Time until maturity- 8 months. This fantastical and game-like sight made me sigh in amazement as I wanted to try out even more things. The first thing though would have to be the non-standard skill I gained from the rank S dungeon some time back though. I sent a command and my figure was transferred into the snowy field where the [Snow Vine] were just planted. The seeds were spread out wide on a large acre of land as it seemed the plants would be similar in size to the [Whitefall Trees] that populated the Spiritual Land currently. I looked at the clear field of land as I cast [Budding Farmer] on this Frozen Plateau for the first time. A blinding blue light flashed as essence condensed in the location and the skill finished, and I watched in wonder as the seeds that were just planted in the ground trembled before they sprung up. A tremendous amount of essence roiled about as all of this occurred. Saplings could be seen growing at a visible speed as the formation of beautiful collections of vines began to make themselves apparent. The vines were white in color, holding small pointy ends that shone dangerously in the light. Small blue fruits could be seen growing sparsely on the many vines that sprung up in the acre of snowy land. I checked the panel for the plants yet again. [Snow Vine] :: Time until maturity- 4 months. I had to shake myself out of my stupor as I saw the period of maturation for the plants go from 8 months to 4 months. Now the question was, if I continued casting [Budding Farmer], just how much further can I bring down that time? [Budding Farmer] was cast multiple times after that, where I found the skill to be taking an exorbitant amount of mana that even the LEGENDARY [Sigil of Hegemony] had less energy usage than the skill that propagated the growth of plants. This was my first time coming across a lower-ranking skill that took more energy than another skill 2 ranks above it. I visibly observed the continued growth of the [Snow Vines] in front of me as the blue fruits growing out sparsely shined more and more, becoming even larger. This process continued until I was presented with the sight of five-meter tall white vines with large blue fruits standing gloriously in the formerly blank snowy field. I checked the Plants section yet again. [Snow Vine] :: Time until maturity- 2 weeks. 2 weeks. From a period of 8 months that the fantastical plant needed, it was brought down all the way to 2 weeks. No matter how many more times I cast [Budding Farmer] on the now populated acre of land, I couldn''t reduce this number anymore. It seemed some time still had to pass before such treasures could be ripened. 122 Spiritual Lands II The next thing to look at was the other plant I could cultivate currently. Sacred Rye :: A grain that very few get the chance to enjoy. Slightly strengthens the body, boosts mana sensitivity momentarily, and relieves negative effects. Time until maturity- 1 month. Seeing this plant reminded me of the project that Adelaide had begun with, and the fact that I still haven''t gotten back to the Frozen Kingdom after the battle ended. I didn''t know how much time had passed when I blacked out from the extensive hundreds of years of broken memories from the Demon King, so I had to move quickly and take care of the important things in the Spiritual Land before moving out. There were still many empty snowy lands that could be cultivated as the beasts in the Spiritual Land could be moved around. Even the wide expanse of tall [Whitefall Trees] could be cleared out as they disappeared into particles of essence and drifted back into the Frozen Plateau. I was looking at multiple acres like this where I selected [Snow Vine] and [Sacred Rye] to be cultivated en masse. The fantastic formation of seeds that formed in the skies and then shot down like a bullet into the ground could never get old. The seeds for [Sacred Rye] were much smaller that the [Snow Vine], with the required time for maturity also being lesser. I used [Budding Farmer] on all of these new acres of fields and watched the magical sights of the plants that quickly grew all around me. The [Sacred Rye] seemed mystical with its colors of blue and gold on the plants that grew around a meter. Similar to the [Snow Vine], I could not continue to reduce the days for maturity completely, even though the maturity for the rye was significantly less. [Snow Vine] :: Time until maturity- 2 weeks. [Sacred Rye] :: Time until maturity- 2 days. The time for maturity was significantly reduced from 1 month to two days for the [Sacred Rye], still showing just how astonishing the capabilities of [Budding Farmer] were. The first time I used this skill in the outside world was when we visited the Shadow Dukedom. The plant there had taken a single cast of the skill to cause it to mature and ripen. The only limitation to appear were these extravagant plants in this Spiritual Land. The last thing I wanted to finish up before heading to the outside world was the absorption of the LEGENDARY cores the Demon King had dropped. There was a significant amount, showing just how thick the essence Gremory had collected over the years was. The process took me another hour as I felt the continued strengthening of my body. The attributes I had currently matched those of someone legitimately in the LEGENDARY rank. Even the support skills that were rank A and S did not make me feel as great as the increase in this power felt. The boosted [Vitality] and [Strength] made me feel like I had endless strength and could take on any hits. Although I always preferred to protect myself with even more defensive skills and barriers so that no hits even came near my body. Defense was the top priority for this life of mine that was connected to something huge. I looked around the Spiritual Land where I wanted to stay and do even more things, but I forced myself to go out and check the situation of the Frozen Kingdom first. I had to prepare for the movements that the demons would take after the True Death of Gremory was registered and they began to move. I already had an idea of what would come as I continued to sift through the memories of the dead Demon King. The Spiritual Land would be of huge importance to me, not just with its magical features, plants, or beast, but because it provided a space where I could do whatever I wanted without prying eyes. This Spiritual Land effectively meant I had a place to spam my many destructive skills and do whatever I wanted without worrying about prying eyes from the outside world. I left my Holy Blight summoned as he waited dangerously in front of rows of green zombies in another section of the Spiritual Land. The zombies ranged from ferocious demons, all the way to valiant humans that had faced their death in the recent battle. This wasn''t to mention the large disfigured bodies of a variety of [Komodo Dragons] and [Mephitic Turtles], the Holy Blight had gone out of its way to collect many interesting things. This wasn''t to mention the many beasts that could be raised in this Land, and the possibilities of me doing the cruel thing of taking their skills through instituting a dungeon-like scenario similar to the Trial of Supremacy that took place before I gained ownership. All of these functions were capable through the Spiritual Land, and I was looking forward to seeing how many more surprises there were after its tier rose from 2. The sleek [Emperor Penguin] was giving me a less unyielding look after the show of my power against the Demon King, its beak slightly lower than it was some time ago. I chuckled at the arrogance of this penguin as I looked favorably on the [Teleport] skills that it provided for me. Its beak pointed even lower after it and the many beasts that congregated around the Spiritual Lands felt the usage of large amounts of mana and then observed the fantastic growth of [Snow Vine] and [Sacred Rye]. Almost all of the EPIC beasts that were weakened and had some of their origin eaten up by me in the Trial of Supremacy clustered around the still maturing [Snow Vines] as they looked towards the white blue fruits vibrantly growing amidst the sharp vines. Even though they could only cluster and enjoy the vibrant air the plants gave, none of them would be able to enjoy the resplendent fruits without my permission. As most of the things seemed to be settled in the Frozen Plateau for now, I began to move out. I flashed out of the miniaturized Spiritual Land and took it in my palms, using [Anchor] to stably attach it to myself. I looked around the few miles around me using [Regal Archer''s Eyes] as the scenes of the deadly battle played themselves out. Soldiers could still be seen in the surroundings of the snowy mountains. My figure was hidden with the many covert skills that I had active, at this moment looking like my normal self and not the beastial figure of a huge beast carrying around a large sword. I gazed around the snowy mountains a bit longer and then used [Teleport], disappearing and then appearing in a grand room in the Manor at the center of Snowy Peak. 123 A Heros Return The Snowy Peak was much different than it used to be as I could feel the presence of many powerful figures moving around. There were even more Royal Guards surrounding the large manor, many of them being rank S and a few rank As. My hidden figure walked around the manor, the guards passing by not being able to even spare me a glace as I went towards a large hall in the manor where most people were condensed at. The hall was full of nobles and ministers that busily moved around. A sense of frustration was in the air as some could be seen sending accusatory and unsavory words to others, with a few having a sense of calm trying to bring everything down. "The commoners will soon begin rioting if nothing is changed. Hmph, they never were a thankful bunch." "Tsk, stop with that attitude. You''re still holed up in your castle with reserves of grain and food that could last you weeks, you would never understand the feeling of not knowing if you will have something to put in your belly the next day." Nobles could be seen trading words back and forth as the talks continued. "What of the heroes that took down the Demon King? If we could just get in contact with them..." "Hah, those powerful figures were most likely from one of the Mythical Kingdoms, do you really think after doing all that they would still hang around to help your pompous ass?" It seemed to be more arguments that anything effective actually being done, and frustration was in the air. At the center of all of this was a Princess surrounded by even larger groups of nobles as it looked they were pleading with her to do something. As I was walking in, the face of the Princess that was impassive with a hint of tiredness lit up. She tried keeping her emotions under control as her clear voice rang out above everyone else in the room. "Everyone, clear out for a moment." The voice was low, but resounded all around as it hushed the squabbling nobles who looked at her in a confused manner. When they saw she was being serious, the figures of people quickly scrambled out of the large hall, only taking a few minutes before the huge doors were closed. I felt multiple Shadow Guards silently appear behind the closed door as a barrier that prevented any prying eyes erected itself around the hall. I found the impassive face of the princess to be showing more emotions than usual as an expression of distress moved to relief when my figure became visible to her. "You...you!" The princess seemed to almost be huffing as she stopped talking and breathed in and out, calming herself down before she talked again. "Esteemed Sir, I...am glad you''re back safe and sound, but do you know how many days had passed without a word from you? I was...I was.." The girl seemed to have a trace of anxiousness as she spoke, and I tried to calm her down by replying with a smile. I had taken a look at the communication medallion on the way here and found some messages from her, so I expected this. "Something big happened after I took down the pest aiming its fangs towards the kingdom. How many days have passed?" She looked to be surprised as her expression fully calmed down as if she understood. She seemed to have become her old safe as she said, "As long as something occurred and there was a reason, then all is well. It has been more than two days since the Kingdom''s forces came back from the war against the demon forces. When you weren''t with them nor answering through the communication medallion, even with the word that victory was ours I couldn''t help but worry." I looked at the girl that seemed to have gone through a flurry of emotions she would normally never go through and felt apologetic. "Don''t worry, it was my fault. I''ll make sure to keep you up to date whenever something like this arises again. I''m curious to know the state of things at the moment though." Adelaide had fully calmed down as a slight happy expression came on her face, and I found her doing a curtsy once again. "Let me first thank you for going out of your way to save my father and the people of this kingdom who have yet to know the hero that slew the Demon King. We owe you our lives." I scratched my nose at the sight of this beautiful girl bowing to me once again as brushed off the thanks and asked to fill me on the current state of affairs. I had to know if any movements were made, even though I was confident that my enemies would not move this fast. Besides the mourning that was taking place for all those that fell in the war, many were looking for the heroes that appeared to save the day. The gallant Saint that rained down blessings which healed all wounds, The Sword Beast that pulled away the Demon King, and many others who disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared that day. The Saint they were praising was an unholy poisonous abomination that was now standing guard over a small army of corpses in a Spiritual Land with the other beasts that also made their appearance. As for the large white-furred beast flinging around a cold blade while dishing out spectacular skills, maybe they would see it again soon enough. A small issue over the appearance of these ''Heroes'' arose from the actions of the Holy Blight of raising all the corpses on the battlefield. Adventurers, mercenaries, and other soldiers had people they knew that fell in battle, and they couldn''t even reclaim their corpses. This raised some negative sentiments amongst others, but it was quickly quelled down by the majority positive opinions of the heroes who had saved the Kingdom. This issue made me think a bit about the actions I allowed the Holy Blight to take as I wondered if I should have limited it just a bit. The other issue besides this was the fact that the Kingdom was experiencing an inflow of many refugees from the surrounding lands as the perpetual winters of the North had become even harder to live in with the invasion of demons. Famine was on the horizon for many people if something wasn''t done. At the mention of this, both the princess and I smiled. It seemed she had already made the plans as we both recalled my actions that caused the instant maturity of the crops on an entire acre of land in an instant some time back. "I''ve already put plans into progress to move forward. Whenever you are available and with your permission, I would love to start putting them into action." The girl had already had people clear out and cultivate many acres and fields of barren lands where produce would normally take quite a while to grow or not grow at all. Modes of transportation, farmers to harvest the products, and many more things that overlooked the entire process of farming and distributing the produce were all ready to be put into place. I gave Adelaide much deserved recognition for setting everything up so quickly and planning things this early. I even had my own surprise of the [Sacred Rye] that was an extremely fantastical plant that would be ready in just two days. "No, things like this are the least I can do while you continue to fight for us. After some time, I will go have another talk with my father to see if I can achieve something earlier and be able to move many more pieces. He hasn''t been the same since he returned." A slightly sad expression appeared on her face as she talked about her family. Even with the powerful heals from my Holy Blight, the king that I saved from the clutches of two [Blue Manticores] and a Demon King was still heavily injured. The cause was of course the son that had fallen under the Demon''s grasp. I had the sparse memories of Gremory, so I knew a bit more about the story behind all of this. A betrayed father and a stupid son, how would this play out? 124 Adelaides Ambitions I didn''t have any pity for the older brother that colluded with Demon King though, as he was rotten long before he fell under the influence of the demon''s illusory magic. He was now jailed, with nothing to his name as his fate hung in the air. Adelaide had a cold expression as she talked about him, seemingly not caring the least bit if he lived or died. "There were too many incompetent people in positions of power. With the miracles you continue to bring out, there are countless possibilities of moving forward." Adelaide was becoming more and more straightforward as time passed, and she continued to talk about the huge project she wanted to undertake. "Agriculture moves the world. No matter if it is powerful adventurers or the common people, food is the number one thing. They spend their days risking their lives or working odd jobs just to be able to have the next meal. Now, if we correctly play things with the Esteemed Sir in the lead, I...I¡­" She seemed to be careful with the next words she wanted to say, as if she couldn''t pull them back once they were out. I found Adelaide doing something surprising again as lifted her dress, her knees touching the ground as the future Queen of the Frozen Kingdom bowed her head once again. "I...can promise to not just deliver you a kingdom, but create for you an Empire." The words were calm and clear as they left the red lips of the Princess. I looked towards this girl and continued to be surprised by her actions and plans, it wasn''t bad to have someone like this helping me out. I quickly moved to pull her body up as I just had not gotten used to someone this grand looking doing something as kneeling. "All in due time, my Princess. Let me show you something first before we move out to the fields you''ve prepared." The next thing I did after watching the light of ambition swirling in the eyes of this icy princess was to show her just how much bigger the possibilities were. Both of our figures flashed away as the appeared on the snowy earth of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land. Adelaide was shocked as she looked around, her shock becoming even greater as she recognized the [Whitefall Trees] that were unique to the ''Skypeak Nest'' that the Frozen Kingdom had come to know. "This...This is¡­" She marveled for a few minutes as she walked around the snowy fields, coming across the acres where I planted [Snow Vine] and [Sacred Rye]. "The Skypeak Nest that floated quite a distance from the kingdom." I affirmed her thoughts as I went on to give some pieces of information about the Spiritual Lands that they called Nests. About how the Mythical Kingdoms on the other parts of the continent fully utilized the blessings of the Spiritual Land to rise to where they were today and remain strong in the face of the demons. Dangerous words that I liked to hear came out of Adelaide''s mouth as she looked around in stupefaction. "With your ability and a treasure like this...Hah, the world really isn''t far from being in your grasp." More and more emotions that I never observed before on the face of this icy princess were coming out as she continued to be surprised at the information about Spiritual Lands, the plants, and the beasts that now followed my commands. "The things outside can still be carried out as planned, but my present to you is this [Sacred Rye] you see growing bountifully in these fields. It''s leagues above any of the common plants you know, with capabilities of boosting mana sensitivity, strengthening the body, and removing negative effects." The more my words came out, the wider the cute mouth of hers continued to expand in shock as her hands passed through the white gold rye growing all around. She spent the next few minutes eccentrically looking through the fields until she neared the [Snow Vines] too. Surrounding the nearby vines were the EPIC beasts congregating together as they longingly looked towards the white blue fruits glistening off the [Snow Vines]. Adelaide went close to the powerful beasts with no fear. She trusted my words too much that she only interestingly observed the beasts I told her would follow my commands. She was still rank S, so it was surprising to see her watching collections of EPIC beasts so curiously as she checked on the grandiose growth of the [Snow Vines] too. My commands were already sent to all the beasts in the Frozen Plateau about not harming a single hair on anyone that I brought in. The sleek [Emperor Penguin] that still had a trace of arrogance in his bones looked with interested eyes at Adelaide''s intrusion. There was a lot of information for her to process as even grander ideas formed in her head about how to best use the [Sacred Rye] she just learned about. She was walking back and forth as she mumbled. "Merchants and nobles would go crazy for something like this...If it is produced on a mass scale...can even start establishing trade routes with Mythical Kingdoms...ah, so much to do¡­" The girl was completely in her own head as we continued to explore the Spiritual Land. I was glad to have someone like her taking care of many things in the background, as my knowledge so far was still that of a drop out college student. The many memories I obtained from Gremory made me much more knowledgable, letting me see many paths that I could take in the future as time passed. I would be falsely boasting if I said I knew anything about running a country, not to mention a kingdom or an empire. So while I experienced many things and learned more about the intricacies of power and worlds all around me, I would put some trust in this Princess I found in the Northern Lands of the Beast World. My strengths lay in the spectacular cheat that was my nearly endless mana, as well as all the powerful things I continued to obtain and use to elevated levels because of it. The Spiritual Lands were just one of the treasures that was unique to the Beast World, and I still only had mine at Tier 2. There were many more tiers and mysteries for me to explore as time passed. There were also many other unique treasures in the many worlds out there, and I felt the excitement just thinking what sorts of mystical things they held. I was thinking too far ahead though, as I was still just a LEGENDARY ranked individual in a small corner of the Beast World. I would progress rapidly but surely, and be sure to learn about even more secrets and mysteries of the fantastical things all around me. Because of the memories of Gremory, I could already see the path ahead. While I was about to prepare to solve some of the crisis of food plaguing the Frozen Kingdom, I was also looking a few days or weeks into the future where I saw a huge incident occurring. From the memories, I was now somewhat familiar with the mindsets of Demon Kings and Demon Lords. The demons would not sit still after a true death had just occurred, but they would also move carefully to try and understand why. So I didn''t expect to be swarmed with hordes of Demon Kings just yet. The information I held told me that I would most likely be faced with another Demon King a few days or weeks from now, and I already had an inkling to which one it might be. A dangerous smile formed on my face as I walked through the spiritual land with the Princess while browsing through the memories of the identities of the Rulers of the Demon World and their unique and ultimate skills. 125 Cheat Farming The tour of the Spiritual Land finished soon enough as the excitement of the Princess was palpable, completely unlike her usual self. Our figures flashed back into the large hall of the manor as I used [Anchor] to place the Spiritual Land onto my body once more. My figure became hidden as the princess had her veil cover her face. The barrier around the room disappeared a few seconds later as the large doors opened, many of the nobles that were waiting outside looking in with cramped faces. A significant amount of time had passed while they were kept waiting after all. Adelaide ignored all of this as a command left her mouth. "Prepare the carriages, there are many things that need to be done." People moved around as various tasks were relegated. Workers and guards were quickly assembled all around as new commands continued to be given. I had my own task as I teleported out of the manor towards the locations of farmland Adelaide had mentioned to me beforehand. Not too far from the Manor, there were large empty fields where many seeds had been sown. I could sense multiple guards around the perimeter of the farmland, with some shadow guards here and there. The first field I flew down to was a field that held [White Radishes], as I was able to observe the rapid growth of the plant after I cast [Budding Farmer]. An expanse of blinding essence was all that occurred before the guards in the surroundings saw a fantastical sight of instantaneous and bountiful growth of seeds they never expected to sprout in the cold unfertile lands. I moved past the first field with quick speed as I flew around the Snowy Peak after this, going following the lines of acres of farmland as I used [Budding Farmer] to repeatedly cause the growth and ripening of various fruits and vegetables. --- A hectic sight was taking place on the Snowy Peak where the Princess had commanded for many workers and farmers to be assembled, along with a variety of storage and transport tools to be taken towards the lands they had sown seeds. The people had complete trust in their Princess, but they couldn''t help but wonder the logic of preparing to harvest goods that didn''t even have a chance of sprouting in the barren lands. The progression of workers filled huge lines as they went forward to a particular spot on the Snowy Peak first. They found guards and other people that were there to see the flash of light some time back where they got the chance to watch the fantastical show of instant plant grown. Many had to rub their eyes as they looked at the vibrant field full of greenery and glistening fruits and vegetables. "This¡­" "It is a blessing from above!" "We have not been forsaken!" Many people were shocked to their core when they came across what used to be barren fields that were now glistening with vibrant growth. The actual farmers rushed to the fields in shock as they checked the produce, their hands trembling as they slowly brushed against the leaves and fruits of the plants. "Such a thing is impossible¡­" Yes, it was a realm of impossibility! Those knowledgeable understood how something like this could not just happen, and after the initial shock, they soon found themselves turning around to look at the person that sent the command for them to move out. She...knew that this would be happening. The workers upfront and the nobles that followed in the back were looking fearfully at Adelaide''s cold figure as she nonchalantly began giving commands. Unlike the produce in the Spiritual Land, the normal plants in the outside world could reach optimum growth with a single cast of [Budding Farmer]. The fields in front of them were fully grown trees with fruits and vibrant produce that made the inhabitants of the north rub their eyes as they began to collect everything. Adelaide stood in the front lines as she conducted the movements of many people, spreading them out in this field and then once things seemed to be moving, she moved the groups of people to the other fields where a similar miraculous growth had taken place. --- The next few hours of the day were spent spamming [Budding Farmer] as I moved across many fields in the Snowy Peak. The peak was as large as a city, and it made it seem small in my eyes as I could move around so rapidly with my speed and teleport. While I was undertaking this role as a farmer for today, many thoughts were passing through my head as the maxed [Thought Acceleration] worked at high speed to think of all the different possibilities that could play out in the coming days. After spending a significant amount of time thinking and going through all the skills and tools I had at my disposal, I found myself becoming calmer even after knowing the monstrous enemies that I faced. After finishing the many acres of fields in the Snowy Peak, I paced myself and called it a night as I wanted to finally sit down and get to combine my skills. I used the communication medallion to check with Adelaide, and it seemed like she would continue to be busy until late into the night while overseeing the proper storage and movements of all the produce that was magically brought to full growth. I grabbed a few [White Radishes] and [Frozen Apples] for myself as I transferred into the miniaturized Spiritual Land and appeared deep underground. The beautiful small and snowy grass waved majestically all around me as I looked at the huge expanse of space that I was transferred into not too long ago to undergo a trial. I pulled up my panel as I enjoyed these feelings of safety, activating many skills that I couldn''t keep active before because of my environment. I activated [Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation], [Absolute Zero], and many other skills that would cause a tremendous amount of damage to the surroundings just from being used. This was another way the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land would be of benefit to me, I can spam my skills without worry and continue to rapidly increase my proficiency, and most likely even faster than before at that. I watched my body become elevated as the incarnation fully took shape. [Bear Emperor''s Fur] was also activated as the incarnation became beastial, the long sword in its hands releasing a deadly blow as boosts from all skills were fully applied. It would be a rigorous period of training up skills for the time to come as I prepared for the oncoming powerful enemies. The LEGENDARY skills were also used, with [Demon King''s Haki] being able to be kept active at all times. When activated, I could see the grass around me trembling, but I didn''t feel anything since I was the one casting it. I would have to wait and use it against new enemies to see just how powerful it was. [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] was also cast every now and then, as the blue runic circle that erupted out had layers of red after the usage of the [Power Jewel] I summoned the [Troll] next, and watched the previous spirits disappear as a brown monstrous figure came to life. The trolls neared 8 meters, being summoned with powerful clubs in hand as they stood menacingly awaiting orders. Lastly was [Dullahan], where the two summoned creatures were terrifying skeletal horses with an obsidian headless metal armor sitting atop it releasing green smoke. The smoke wrapped around the entire body of the [Dullahan] as if it was the only thing holding the armored headless knight above tightly to the skeletal horse. I was marveling at the sight of these spectacular skills that I could now use. I was actually experiencing the amazing feeling where the stronger I grew, my speed of rising up did not seem to slow down, but actually sped up. It was a crazy thing to think about. The only negative aspect out of all this was the fact that I would have very little sleep from now on. It wasn''t crucial for someone of my caliber, but the refreshing feeling of a decent night''s sleep could not be beaten. I stopped my grumbling and began combining the skills that had long since reached 100 proficiency while activating offensive skills I would normally not have a chance to spam outside of battles. Today''s combined skills were: Water Barrier + Pain Resistance :: A+ Water King''s Skin Rune of Defense + Dragon Scales :: S+ Draconic Armor Lion''s Heart + Speedster :: S+ Windbourne Aura of Belligerence + Protection of the Wounded :: S+ Aura of the Demented Obfuscation + Flash :: S+ Hidden Endevour [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 425] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 429] [Skill(s) :: [F][E][D][C][B][A: Flight-100, Instant Transfer-100, Recorder-100, Language Comprehension-100, Lion''s Roar-23, Pierce-100, Executor''s Speed-100, Sense Heat Source-100, Silent Communication-75, Regal Archer''s Eyes-100, Cook-38] [A+:: Arctic Zone-100, Relegator''s Spear-23, Immutable Regeneration-100, Paladin''s Blessing-11, Pursuing Infernal Lightning-1, Water King''s Skin-1] [S :: Enfeeble-100, Phoenix Arrow-1, Shield Slam-8, Budding Farmer-38, Ricocheting Shield-1, Bear''s Fighting Style-1, Archer''s Gamble-1, Smouldering Sword Strike-56, Earthen Spears-1, Thought Acceleration-100, Crisis Avoidance-100, Illusory Cover-33] [S+:: Devastation-100, Draconic Armor-1, Windbourne-1, Aura of the Demented-1, Hidden Endeavor-1, ] [EPIC :: Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation-54, Iceberg-41, Absolute Zero-39, Bone Spears-29, Bear Emperor''s Fur-31, Life Steal-19, Teleport-28, Arctic Breath-16, Summon Holy Blight-23] [LEGENDARY :: Sigil of Hegemony-14, Demon King''s Haki-1, Memory Plunderer-3 ] [UNIQUE :: Spiritual Land Management, Primal Conjurer] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(S-Veiled Suit)(EPIC-Kingslayer)(EPIC-Rat King''s Mask)(EPIC-Prismatic Guardian) (EPIC-Unshattered Charity) (EPIC-Tigereye''s Roots)] 126 A Demon in Disguise News of a victorious battle had slowly disseminated from the lands in the North. Surprised sounds came from the knowledgeable people standing at the top ranks of Mythical Kingdoms as they looked for the connection between the battle and the recent movements of demons. They had taken a huge loss with the defeat of the Demon King that was advancing in the North, and it seemed worse enough that he didn''t even come out alive. The surprising contenders of the battle that caused this change were placed on the spotlight as many tried to find who they were. An [Imperial Phoenix] was surrounded by resplendent red clouds on a high tier Spiritual Land floating far in the skies as flames flared in and out of their nostrils. She listened to this news interestingly as she continued to observe the movements of demons that seemed to be acting much more prudently these past days. ''Just what exactly did you do to ruffle their feathers this much, human?'' This [Imperial Phoenix] was the only Mythical Beast among the three kingdoms who somewhat knew of the identity and sequence of events that occurred in the North, becoming even more curious of the human who became the first of his species to own a Spiritual Land. The fact that he was able to defeat a demon king and not even allow them to escape put them on a huge pedestal that even the Mythical Kingdoms had to respect. She stopped herself from sending a piece of consciousness out towards the North once more and just sent down messages for communications to be established with the lone kingdom in the North. The [Imperial Phoenix] was not the only one doing this, as other powerful Mythical Beasts also saw the disruption of balance as another powerhouse appeared on the stage. They also sent their people to the North for clarity of the situation and to establish communications. --- A little girl was following a procession of many carriages of merchants that were making a trip towards the north for the first time in a while. Messengers had arrived to all parts of the continent carrying a singular message, that there was a tremendous opportunity for profit in the North. A sequence of positive events had continued to occur after the victory against demons, where the agricultural industry of the Frozen Kingdom had exploded. When its citizens were facing the prospects of famine and refugees continued to fill up the streets, the Queen Elect of the Frozen Kingdom caused a miracle to say the least. The air of despair and mourning that was plaguing the north was quickly replaced by hope as people found the abundant verdant fields of green that seemingly erupted over night. These merchants were rushing to this kingdom to have a piece of this pie, as anything to do with agriculture that was this big meant a tremendous amount of profits. They were taking with them multiple products from the surrounding Mythical Kingdoms for exchange as they trekked this perilous journey to the north. There were still demons moving around, yet many processions of merchants could be seen moving. Mercenaries and adventurers were abundant as they worked to protect their employers from any enemies. In one of these merchant processions, there was a little girl sitting atop a carriage with her legs swinging back and forth. She had a sweet little smile as she hummed while bobbing her head side to side, looking curiously at the landscape that passed around them. She had a dark ponytail with a frilly dress and a long heart shaped staff that she waved around in the air. They were gradually passing the lands filled with greenery from the borders of the Mythical Phoenix Kingdom and stepping into a land filled with snow. When news of the victory and sudden agricultural boom were spread, the phoenix kingdom was the first one to send its people and merchants to the north, a command apparently coming from the top. The beastman merchants following this particular procession all thought this girl was the daughter of one of them. She had a small furry tail coming out from behind as she cutely observed everything around her. Amidst her playful swings of the heart shaped staff and hums, a dangerous light could be seen passing through her eyes. What these merchants thought to be the daughter of someone just playing around, was actually something much more dangerous. The girl happily taking a ride in the merchants that were heading for the Frozen Kingdom was a terrible figure that could massacre all of the people around her without batting an eye. On the concept of caution, the demons were moving around carefully to find out exactly what had happened in the north. Their first piece to play was this little girl. She was the singular individual that had such perfect skills for reconnaissance and spying that even the strongest assassins would be ashamed in front of her. Her battle power was not the highest, but she was the one to give the most trouble and often caused the downfall of many kingdoms and empires across the worlds that the demons conquered. Her power laid in the two unique skills that she held, making her one of the more terrifying Demon Kings to hold something like this. But the universe was always fair, and not everything would be given to one being. Even though she held 2 unique skills, none of them were geared towards fighting. Her skills made her uniquely capable of moving around rapidly over large distances while also being able to become someone completely different. Through the usage of [Shapeshifter], her entire aura and being would be changed to the form she wanted without any mistakes or give-aways. If she wanted to be a little girl, she would completely be a little girl. If she wanted to be a gallant knight in shining armor, nobody would be able to tell the wiser. This Demon King was actually one of the direct keys that caused the downfall of the Draconic Kingdom. She had disguised herself as a powerful adventurer that gained many military exploits when the war against demons began, winning over the good favor and love of a Princess Knight that was fighting in the front lines. To a Demon King that had lived for hundreds of years, how easy was it to play with the heart of a girl that was hundreds of years younger? It was a very thorough process that took some time, but she was able to bring the Princess Knight to her side and eventually use Abyss Magic from the hands of Belial, the master of illusions, to hatch a plot that took down the most powerful MYTHICAL beast of the Draconic Kingdom. Now, this same girl was going towards the north, with the Frozen Kingdom as her goal. A twisted smile could occasionally be seen as she hummed and bobbed her head side to side. She knew the news of the unbelievable boom in agriculture that should in no way be possible, and the only thought in her mind was which character to play in order to gain the trust of the highest echelons and learn about all of their secrets. Who was the being that had actually taken down Gremory, and did they have any hand in the huge moves the Frozen Kingdom was making right now? Her lips curved into the cutest smile as she thought of the mayhem she would cause in this kingdom. 127 Days of Peace The past few days have been a scarce period of calmness that I rarely came across since the moment I awakened. I hadn''t been getting an ounce of sleep as I trained my skills and moved around using [Budding Farmer] to cause explosive growths of the agricultural sector that would now be the biggest thing for the Frozen Kingdom. I was surprised yet again by the fact that Adelaide had already begun sending words through merchant channels across the continent to begin for the sale and trading of the many products that continued to abundantly flood the kingdom. They were all taken care of with the highest scrutiny as everything was calculated and stored, either to be sold in the Kingdom or for the oncoming caravans of merchants that could smell money in the air. The citizens found themselves gaining a semblance of hope after the misery as the streets of Frozen Kingdom became lively once again. I remained in the Spiritual Land most of the time as I continued to increase the proficiency of my skills, while at the same time thinking about doing something that would be somewhat cruel. I had the mindset to just start picking some rank A and S beasts in the Spiritual Land and using my authority as the owner of the Frozen Plateau to create a dungeon that would allow for me to farm skills for combinations later. But after reflecting and looking at all the benefits the beasts would bring in the long run, it outweighed the small boost in power I would have after collecting and combining a few rank A and S skills. A majority of the EPIC beasts were weakened after I absorbed their origins during the trial of supremacy, and beasts at their level were one of the keys to upgrading the dungeon, so I wasn''t planning on continuing to weaken them by stealing their origins. If I began weakening the strength of the lower leveled beasts too, it would lead the overall same result and I would shoot myself in the foot as I need more beasts to rise through the ranks in order to upgrade the tier of the Spiritual Land. The benefits that would come from upgrading the Spiritual Land heavily outweighed gaining a few rank A or S skills when I''ve already begun getting legendary ones. So the past few days were essentially a grinding session that never ended, constantly spamming my skills and learning more information about the Spiritual Land. The proficiency of my EPIC and LEGENDARY skills also continued to rise steadily. It was so tiring that I was actually looking forward to a very interesting enemy that should be approaching the kingdom very soon. From the memories of Gremory on how the Rulers of the Demon World moved and thought, this event where one of them died would be taken very seriously, and someone they all had high trust in would be tasked with the important job of learning everything about the situation by coming here first. I had a sense of slight excitement as I thought about the ways I could use these significant memories of the 56th ranked Demon King to plan so many things. It was hundreds of years of habits, likes, dislikes, and many secrets shared between high ranked demons. If I use them well enough, even with the terror of the power that the demons displayed, I stood a chance of gaining huge benefits. Aside from the training of skills, I was able to witness the first harvest of produce in the Spiritual Land as the [Sacred Rye] was fully ready yesterday. The rye became an even brighter shade of blue and gold as they waved around proudly in the snowy fields. The spiritual land had a gorgeous transferring function that harvested all the ripened plants and placed the produce into neat rows in the underground layer that was freezing cold. The process was long, so I left all of it to the people that the Princess delegated as I transported a significant amount of the [Sacred Rye] towards heavily protected storage rooms that she specified. She had plans of using this grain that could only be planted in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land to make specialty products of bread and fermented drinks that would be a huge sensation and bring in a significant amount of money and cores into the kingdom. Everything seemed to be on track for extreme growth, but I knew of the huge threats lurking in the dark that could bring everything down in an instant. I recalled the trap I had thoroughly concocted after spending a significant amount of time analyzing the memories from Gremory about one particular Demon King. This was a particularly eccentric one, ranked 59th, Demon King Orias. She was a peculiar Demon King that enjoyed taking the identity of many different personas through the usage of her unique skill. Her usefulness was so high that the unprepared powerful beasts of the Draconic Kingdom fell with her help. If the demons were to make any moves, she would be the first one. I smiled as I thought about this possibility, and I was more than 90% sure about it playing out this way. Based on all the memories I looked over, it would be even more alarming if something other than that was to occur. I was actually in a war of information with some extremely scary and powerful individuals. They had no information about me or my abilities, while I had the memories of someone in their ranks that carried huge significance. I knew about their unique skills and even more importantly, their personalities. Orias enjoyed playing many different personas, but she had the one important trait, and that is she always took the same form of these personas. Whether it was a gallant knight, a sickly old lady, or an innocent girl, she always changed into the same faces. It would usually not be something that would be considered a weakness as anyone that ended up being around her was already dancing on her palm and would be dead soon enough, but it became a weakness if an enemy knew about it. Besides her skill that allowed her to shapeshift, there was another particularly strong and peculiar one that made her extremely fearful. But it just so turned out that I had something that could completely take away the advantage of her powerful unique skill when the time came. I had a daring smile as I continued to train my skills and prepare. If you do end up coming, which shape will you be taking, oh Demon King Orias? 128 Father and daughter The Illustrious King of the Frozen Kingdom was looking at an outstretched field of green in front of him. Many things seemed to be happening that he did not understand these past few days, with them bordering on the corner of miracles. He was filled with regrets of not moving fast enough to quell the fears of his people after the battle finished, having used most of his time occupying himself with his son and mulling over the decision of just what to do with him. These days, he found himself questioning if he still even had the qualifications to rule. AS these thoughts passed through his mind, the guards that were around him shifted as they felt movements, and they say the figure of the Ice Princess making her way over. They quickly moved aside and put a distance between them and the two royalty, spreading across the field to watch at all vantage points. They were currently of King''s Crown, which also had a few acres of fields set aside that were now glowing a vibrant green. A father and a daughter stood amidst the peacefully waving produce in front of them as the daughter spoke first. "How are you feeling?" It was a fairly simple question that many people hear every day, but always carried a different connotation depending on who was asking it. The question from Adelaide seemed like a very simple one where it could be referring to the health or emotions that the aged king was feeling, but at the same time it seemed to be asking about even more important things. "I feel...tired my daughter." The king said this with as a sigh as he looked away at the miraculous sight of produce that rose overnight these past few days and looked at his daughter. He felt tired. Tired from the constant struggle of trying to stand out exceptionally in a world where they were a minor species that held less power. Tired because they were in a time of war, and he was always advocating for peace. He felt a piece of himself breaking every time a soldier died that day. He felt tired when he came back home and saw the result of mourning and loss that he expected, but he could do nothing about it. Yet, he still had to hold strong. Because if it wasn''t him, who had the power to take the lead when the stronger enemies came once again? When he got to this point he looked at his little girl who seemed to be growing up too fast. The shock her actions had caused did not just stump nobles and the common people these past few days, but they had shocked him even more. How had his daughter been able to do it? "I know you''re tired, Father. You''ve been working tirelessly for tens of years to bring all of us where we are now, and it was almost all undone in the span of a few days." Adelaide walked across the field and stroked the [White Radishes] that were growing vibrantly and yet to be harvested. "I know you''re tired, Father, so I came to ask you to rest." Roark looked lovingly at his daughter as a laugh escaped from his lips. "Haha, are you that eager? You know that plans and calculations aren''t the only things needed to get us back on track. Power is also one of them. If a single LEGENDARY or MYTHICAL being came, no plans would work in the face of that power." A period of silence passed as the two family members thought before Adelaide released some shocking words. "How do you think we were able to pass the trial of the LEGENDARY Demon King just last week?" Shock ran through Roark as he heard this, his body trembling as he looked at his daughter incredulously. "You''re connected to them?! Who are they?" Multiple questions came out as the daughter gave a calming smile to her father, a smile that wanted to do its best to reassure the increasing tension. "They''re people that are willing to help, but they do enjoy their privacy so I can''t really say much about them." "Haha, the world has not forsaken my kingdom just yet, good!" The king seemed riled up as a semblance of his LEGENDARY power shot out, startling the nearby guards who couldn''t hear a single thing about what the father and daughter were talking about in the fields. "Hmm, they had a hand in the miraculous events with these fields too...but which Mythical Kingdom are they from...Have they finally decided to come down their high pedestals and offer a hand?" The king was vigorously talking as he walked back and forth, his head fully trying to wrap his min around the new information before he sternly came to look to his daughter. "You trust them?" Roark looked questioningly at his daughter as he turned serious at this question. He didn''t want to be duped into causing a colossal mess just because some individuals lent their power. "I trust one of them, and he has control over all the others so there in nothing to worry about. To reassure you even more about how I was able to get in contact with them first, I''ll let you in on something that even Mother chose to keep to herself." What?! The king was dumbfounded at the mention of his deceased wife, Annalise, and probingly looked for his daughter to continue. "The reason my mother was of such help to you in the past, the reason this kingdom was able to be so smoothly established in its beginnings, was because of a unique skill my mother held." Secrets that were only known between two people were now being shared. Adelaide turned from the [White Radishes] she was stroking as she looked strongly at her father. Even when she was growing up, this secret had stayed with her. Now, it was being released because there was a need for it. It''s usefulness had shown itself, and now it was needed to convince this very careful man. "I have found the solution to that impending calamity through this skill. It has never before lied to mom, and it has never lied to me. That is why I am so confident when I ask that you to rest and leave everything else to me, Father. I want you to sit back and enjoy your time...as you watch the spectacular show about to play out in the future." Roark felt the shock from all of these bombshells increasing as he looked at the woman in front of him. She wasn''t his little girl anymore. He thought of his dear wife and recalled everything he had done well because of her words. If he had known his daughter had the same gift as her mother, would he have bothered even going to ask for advice from his ministers? He fondly looked at his daughter as he stroked her head. "Silly child, why didn''t you say so earlier. Kingship is it? I''ve been holding onto it for too long anyway. Come, let''s get the preparations underway." 129 A little girl arrives in the North A large number of carriages and people were standing in long lines behind the large fortress walls of the Frozen Kingdom. Merchants had brightly shining faces as their eyes settled on the kingdom that had boundless opportunities. Nobody in their right mind could explain the agricultural boom that had occurred, but as long as there were products, there would be people to buy and sell them. Among the merchants, there was still the usual flow of refugees coming into the kingdom. Every single person was being checked thoroughly before entering, the guards being on the highest alert. A little girl was swinging her legs happily as she rode on top of a carriage and looked upon the fortress walls with shining eyes. Demon King Orias had finally arrived in the northern kingdom. The carriage she was on passed through the checkpoints with no problems, and soon the sights of a bustling town with people rapidly moving about made itself clear. Orias was observing everything around her with rapt attention as she listened to the conversations she heard. "The King is retiring so soon huh? I''m excited to see the coronation of the queen in the days to come!" "Bah, you''re still going on about that? That''s the wrong thing to focus on man, it''s all about the new foods being distributed and sold right now. I wonder how the princess was able to do what she did." "Haha, its a blessing from the world, simple as that! Come on, let''s go buy some more and stock up for the future!" The people in the kingdom seemed to be relatively happy, not the types that knew they were in the middle of the war with invaders breathing down their necks. Orias absorbed these sights as a small red pen and black notebook appeared in her hands as she began writing notes. -Morale is high in the kingdom. Change in leadership is imminent.- The carriage she was on came to a stop at a certain shop as the merchants began to batter and unload their products, looking longingly at the shining produce that could be seen in many of the shops around them. There were signs of construction going on across the town and in most other places you looked at as more inns and houses were being built to accommodate the continued refugees that fled into the kingdom. Orias continued to scribble in her book. -Unlike how most other kingdoms in this world are currently, the kingdom in the north seems to be actively expanding.- She was recording the littlest of things as she tried to be very thorough. Even if they didn''t seem important, when she went over them later she might find something that could point her in the right direction. She moved around carefully as she continued to observe the kingdom, most of her information coming from the conversations that continued to occur around her. "Sir adventurer, I heard you were in the battle and watched first hand how the hero defeated the demon king, can you describe what you saw?!" A small conversation quickly made her ears perk up as she neared the location where a bunch of mercenaries and adventurers were clustered. "Haha you wanna hear about how the demon king fell? Very well, listen closely! The hero flew valiantly in the skies with wings of light blinding the demon king. Hell flames were summoned all around as the hero raised his hands to the sky...and called down a golden sword of light that vanquished the demon king where he stood! Haha¡­" The notes Orias was writing in her book stopped as she looked at this drunkard that definitely did not see how that crucial battle went, but she continued to collect any information about the newcomers that appeared that day. They were the individuals she needed information about the most. She continued to walk around the first town of the kingdom as she looked towards the four floating peaks in the skies. Her eyes turned into slits as they shined red and focused, her figure disappearing from the crowds of people as she silently teleported to one of the peaks in the skies. Her unique skill, [Spatial Travel] had been used. Orias''s daring figure appeared on Snowy Peak, the floating landmass where most of the talk about the soon to be enthroned queen was taking place. If there was anywhere with abundant information, it would be here. The figure of the little girl inconspicuously moved across the crowds of merchants and adventurers on Snowy Peak as she continued to collect information in the next few hours. -A significant amount of time has been spent observing so far, nothing out of the ordinary. Except a distinct feeling where I received looks longer than I should have, but that could just be from my cautiousness.- She finished her last note as she prepared to find a hideout to stay in before she carefully continued tomorrow, with another body and face at that too. It was at this moment a dark-haired man that seemed like the most overly dressed noble opened the door to his carriage that was passing by the road. "Ah! Such a sweet little child, where are your parents?" The man seemed very caring as he looked at the figure of Orias, his eyes showing a disgusting expression as they snaked up and down. The demon king''s attention was quickly picked up as she smiled cutely. "Haha, I was lost, and I''m looking for them right now. Would you help me find them, mister?" The man holding the carriage door open looked around the environment, as if checking to see if anyone was paying attention before replying, "Yes, yes, I''ll help you find them! Come into the carriage and you can tell me where you lost them." He seemed to hurry her along as if he didn''t want to be seen. Orias looked at this bumbling man as her eyes shined dangerously. This was one of the reasons she preferred this small form so much. It seemed so defenseless and easy to bully, that disgusting people like this would always appear to throw themselves at her. She enjoyed killing these disgusting creatures in the most vilest of ways. The moment they thought they were a predator about to prey on an innocent girl, they found themselves headless with their lives turning into complete darkness. Orias smiled innocently as she stepped into the carriage which closed its doors. It looked like she had found her hideout for the day, as the location this carriage was heading to would only find itself bathed in blood today. She looked at the disgusting expression on the man''s face that seemed to say he couldn''t wait as his slimy hands reached out towards her and landed on her shoulders. A dangerous light passed in her eyes as she prepared to innocently ask what the man was doing when a drastic change occurred! A flash of silver light erupted from the man as his expression wholly changed to become one of utter focus as killing intent erupted. After the silver light passed, the carriage became empty. In the short span of time that was one minute, the area around the carriage had been completely cleared as preparations put into place and luck met all at once, causing this astounding scene to occur. The 59th ranked Demon King as well as the dark-haired man that baited her...had disappeared! 130 30 Seconds! A plan can be made perfectly, but then many things can go wrong after. One of the only ways to make a plan successful is to be the one holding the most information and account for all the possibilities. The possibility that a lone Demon King that was proficient in spying and quick movements would come to collect information about the place where a momentous event occurred was high. The question after was how would you know who this Demon King was, and even possibly get your hands on them. The memories from a close-knit individual from their ranks gave all the answers, and brought about the outcome occurring now. Multiple posters had been passed out over the last few days showing the very clear face of a little girl, a gallant man, and a poor old lady that were in Gremory''s memories over the many soldiers and guards around the kingdom. The moment they were to see any of these figures, they had to quietly report right away. Shadow Guards were placed on the front lines with their covert abilities and had been working overtime these past few days. Among the many forms she took, Demon King Orias''s favorite form was that of a defenseless girl that any disgusting pervert would try to get their hands on. Orias''s favorite hobby was flaying these perverts slowly as soon as they showed themselves to her. This was the form I placed a high chance of seeing. So all I had to do was to first find her as soon as she appeared in this form, confirm I made no mistakes with Adelaide''s eyes, and put on a play of something she had been used to seeing. The moment the communication came through that a girl matching the description had been found, I felt the adrenaline rush through me as the plan seemed to be perfectly falling into place. I silently moved Adelaide out of the Spiritual Land and watched as her face drained of color when her eyes landed on the figure of a little girl moving around Snowy Peak. After getting this confirmation, everything was ready to move on to the next phase. The battle had to take place at a completely different location, as too many lives would be lost if I attacked her right in the throngs of moving people. I changed into the most extravagant clothes I prepared and rushed out with a carriage towards the location she was moving in. Shadow Guards were on stand by as they got ready to clear the area out at the slightest signs of any issues. Putting my emotions in check, I opened the carriage doors and acted the part of the vilest human in existence, and I was able to get my hands on her before I cast [Teleport] on the both of us. The next part of the plan lies here. This demon king was one of the few that held two powerful unique skills, one for quickly moving anywhere she wanted, and another for changing into her many forms. She didn''t have high battle power, but could simply use her unique skill that was leagues above [Teleport] to simply leave as soon she felt a threat to her life. This was the next thing that I had to counter. Amazingly enough for me, after using the demon''s [Power Jewel] on my LEGENDARY skill and creating [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony], a beautiful new feature that perfectly countered the powerful spatial skill of the demon king was there. [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] :: A highly protective sigil establishes itself as far as 30 meters around you, empowering you and your allies while hindering your foes for 30 seconds. Another 30 seconds are required before the runic forces can be activated again. Absorbs half of all damage dealt while active. +300% Casting and Attack Speed. +300% damage to enemies in sigil. +300% Speed. -75% Enemy Elemental Resistances. -75% Enemy Speed. Restrict Movement is applied. Restrict Movement. This newly added function after being enhanced by the [Power Jewel] allowed the skill to heavily restrict any movements while enemies were in the range of the skill, and this also applied to spatial movement. This meant that the Demon King''s unique skill that allowed her to teleport anywhere she wished would be of no use for 30 seconds. It was in these 30 seconds, that I had to kill her! If these seconds passed and she was still alive, she would run away in the next instant and they would finally have information about me. In these next 30 seconds, I couldn''t even allow her to think. RAAAA! The [Emperor Penguin] and other beasts were already waiting on standby in the underground area of the Spiritual Land. They threw out their most powerful attacks where the figures of me and the Demon King just appeared as a blue runic sigil inlaid with red was already spreading out to cover all of us. [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] was initiated. 30 seconds! OOONG! Orias quickly adapted as she found herself in this perilous situation, her body quickly transforming to become blood red as her figure exploded in size. Hellish flames began to swirl around her as they formed into multiple layers of shields. Not a single inch of breathing room was given to the Demon King as attacks continued to rain left and right. 20 seconds! My body was moving backwards from the center of this explosive mess as the incarnation of a corrupted sword saint wrapped all around me, [Bear Emperor''s Fur] wrapping it up right after and [Demon King''s Haki] activating and making the entire area around me tremble, pushing Orias''s figure into the ground as freezing storms of ice elements surrounded me from [Absolute Zero]. OOOONG! A red light was blooming from the Demon King''s body as she tried to retaliate the swarming of two LEGENDARY [Trolls], EPIC beasts, and the Holy Blight''s attacks. All that met her was an [Arctic Breath] that was thrown out from me next, freezing everything in a storm of destruction that was dissipating right after. WAAAH! Her figure let out a wail as the hazy outline of a terrifying banshee formed around her, elevating her injured body while trying to heal the heavy wounds she was dealt. 10 seconds! My now large figure spun rapidly in midair with a humongous blade in hand, gaining speed as I shot myself down like a missile with the sword stretched outright. [Bone Spear] was cast as multiple deathly pulsating spears appeared en masse and went down with me towards the struggling body of the Demon King. The hazy outline of a red banshee was broken through and scattered as the blade pierced down towards the frozen earth. BOOM! The blade broke through the freezing ice and the figure of the Demon King that was held in place, meeting the forehead of the demon and nailing it to the ground. I breathed heavily from the adrenaline as I watched the destructive cold elements split apart muscle and bone, a red light shining thereafter as the 59th ranked Demon King...met her end. 0 seconds. 131 An Astounding Retrea Shock and horror passed through the minds of every single ruler of the Demon World as they felt the death of yet another one of their peers, and in such a short instance at that! Yet another channel of communication was opened as the Rulers congregated, and found the one to be missing was the one they all had immense trust in for the ability to keep themselves hidden and safe as they could disappear to the ends of the world at the slightest sign of trouble. There was only silence in the communication channel as an inviolable calm voice that was filled with wrath at the same time rang out. "Pull out all forces from the Beast World." There was another period of silence after the Rulers heard this command. Nobody could raise an objection to it, its will seemingly descending down across the vast worlds they were in. The voice rang out once again. "Blacklist this world and add it to the list. It is not worth the losses to continue a battle with an enemy we do not know." The voice paused for a short moment before continuing, this time directed at a specific person that was also listening closely and seemingly about to erupt. "I don''t want to hear anything from you, Barbatos. You''ve defied me long enough. Prepare your forces and be ready to descend to the Lost World of Atlantis. The supreme treasure, the Trident of Neptune, might be in our grasp in the coming months. Make haste." "Hmph!" An arrogant huff filled with anger that seemed to be screaming ''I told you so'' was the only reply to come on the other end as the rest of the Rulers remained quiet. The reality of losing two of their peers in this Middle World in the corner of the universe gave them a shock, but a reminder at the same time. No matter how confident they were, there were always unexplained beings and mysteries that could take the lives of individuals as powerful as them. They didn''t know which terrifying expert they had provoked, but it made no sense to continue sending their forces in a location where even more of them could face true death. The demons were arrogant, deceitful, and strong, but they knew when to pull back when they hit a tough wall. Not a single Ruler in the communication channel defied the voice that spoke as they swallowed their anger and talked about how they would move thereafter. The voice that demanded the attention of all of the rulers that neither of them could go against was coming from the Ruler that was ranked first in the Demon World, the Oppressive Tyrant, Baal. --- Barbatos sat on a throne made of bones in the center of a destroyed world. A dark miasmic air was floating around as she stood up and looked at her legions of undead that stretched for miles. Ferocious looking skeletons holding jagged swords, deadly liches that could summon droves of zombies, and bone dragons were just among the many undead that she controlled. A dark light escaped from her hands, forming into a black pearl that shone its light towards the legions of undead around her. As if escaping in a black hole, all the powerful figures were sucked into this pearl as Barbatos continued to move. She was furious at the old fool that always called the shots, but she couldn''t defy him. Even with her terrible level of power, Baal still wasn''t someone she could go against. She would have chosen to descend down into that Beast World no matter how many treasures they had to use to bypass the laws that protected the middle world. As long as the world was lower level, universal laws would not allow powerful individuals vastly surpassing the level of power that is the peak for that world to descend. Otherwise, every single world would be taken over by the Prime Worlds by now. Yet, for huge worlds, it did not matter what level you were, as the laws were loose when it came to worlds where powerful figures roamed. This made it much easier to use weak pieces to travel across worlds. For someone like her to descend in a world that only had MYTHICAL beings at the peak, the cost was simply too much. So she would take this loss on this Beast World that reduced the number of Rulers of the Demon World to 68...but she would definitely not leave it alone. ''Hmph, expert huh? What need would there be for you to scurry around if you were such a high being?'' She wasn''t convinced, so she would definitely move to act later. For now though, she would comply with the commands of the Tyrant. ''The Lost World of Atlantis...I haven''t been to the sea in quite a while. Huhuhu, alright my darlings, let''s go have some fun!'' Barbatos waved her hands as the throes of undead disappeared into the black pearls in her hands. Anger and madness could be felt from her laughter, as the Necromancer of Chaos moved. --- Things were rapidly changing as huge movements began to occur with the demons at the center of the Beast World. The demons that had been advancing this entire time began taking defensive positions and pulled back towards the center of the Draconic Kingdom. The unwilling Demon Kings looked at the world that they would have in doubt taken down in time as the command of retreat rang throughout their minds. There were just too many things they didn''t know, with the enemy holding a power that directly countered them. It would mean senselessly throwing themselves to get killed if they continued to poke around in the North trying to find out just who held the power to cause a True Death. Their losses were huge, so they would take them and try to recuperate for the time being. A congregation of essence was abundant around the Draconic Kingdom as red lights shined out, the forces of demons constantly reducing as they were transferred back to the Demon World. The powerful Demon King Asmodeus oversaw the retreat as he stood atop the head of the old ruler of the Draconic Kingdom and wildly released his power. The retreat was very quick and unexpected that even the Mythical Kingdom''s forces had no time to move as they watched cautiously. When the day turned into night, only Asmodeus and a bone dragon were left standing at the center of Draconic Kingdom. Asmodeus looked around the lands he already had under his control, and thought about the ones he missed just because of this one incident. His heart was ablaze in flames just like all the other Rulers about the death of two Demon Kings, but it seemed he was still too weak to do anything about it. A red light began to shine out from him that covered the entirety of his body and the bony figure of the Mythical undead dragon as the most powerful Demon King in the Beast World...disappeared. 132 Baffling An unexplainable sight had occurred as those watching the movements of forces around the continent found the demons making a hasty retreat towards the Draconic Kingdom. None of the Mythical Kingdoms moved their forces to attack as they followed cautiously, having learned their lesson of how wicked the demons could be. Yet, it didn''t seem to be a plot as the moment dawn broke, golden light shone through the skies into the occupied Draconic Kingdom, showing an empty sight with no demons to be seen. The beasts that had been enslaved in the surrounding lands found themselves waking up to find the people torturing them every day gone. Those that saw the retreat were even more baffled as they watched it happen. In the skies of the Draconic Kingdom, three powerful beings floated as they looked down at the destruction the demons left behind. It was a gloriously glowing blue turtle that had a wizened expression, a fiery red phoenix whose fire blazed across the skies, and a white tiger that had white shining fur letting out a blinding light. They looked at the destruction the demons left behind as they moved their forces to multiple positions across the fallen kingdom. All they found left behind were destroyed Spiritual Lands and enslaved people that had already been broken. A process of long recovery would be needed, but their first actions would be to prevent something like this again. For an invasion like this to occur, a significant amount of time was needed for the powerful demons to establish the connection and break out of it. They would be manning every position they could see around the continent from now on, and at the slightest sign of a connection being made, erupt out. Their hearts were full of wrath against their enemies, but they were nowhere to be seen. --- I breathed heavily as I felt the excitement of taking down another Demon King, this time it wasn''t just from brute force, but something that took days to plan and many pieces to be in place before it occurred successfully. As the red light signifying the death of the demon shined out, I moved the explosion of items, cores, and what seemed like two powerfully glowing skill books into my storage pouch. RAAA! The EPIC beasts were looking around excitedly as they saw the fall of yet another powerful LEGENDARY being, their excitement still not coming as close as when they neared the [Snow Vines] where the fruits crucial to their advancements were about to ripen. I moved out of the crater of toxic pools and frozen ice as the mangled body of a red horned Demon King made itself visible to me. Its head was perfectly nailed to the ground as it still had the expression of shock frozen on the face. I sent the beasts away from this location as there were many things that would occur after my actions, and I had to move fast. First and foremost, I instantly took out and absorbed the new skills appearing from the Demon King. It was only two skills this time around, but my smile grew wider as they were the things I wanted to get my hands on the most. The descriptions were concise and simple, and yet these skills were the thing I was aiming for that would allow me to make significant movements from now on. If I was a ferocious tiger prowling powerfully around with my nearly endless mana before, now I was actually given wings that would make me even more terrifying. Taking down Orias would be one of the most crucial events that would propel many of the things moving forward. The demons would no doubt take a step back after this, having taken such tremendous losses they could have never expected from their invasion into one middle world. The powerful Rulers that had their ranks in the top 10 of the Demon World were terrifying to think about, but I wouldn''t be meeting them anytime soon. What I would be doing though...is continue to completely disrupt their plans, and eventually bring about their own destruction. The Beast World wasn''t my enemy, the demons that pulled the strings and used the beasts here to massacre beings in another world would be the ones I would continue chasing until the ends of the universe. As for my actions towards the Beast World from now on? I smiled at this thought as I looked at a blue crystal lying carefully in my storage pouch. I still had some time. Besides the two skills and cores, I was also able to get my hands on another [Ruler''s Medal] for the region in the Demon World that Orias controlled, and another two [Power Jewels], bringing my total to three and giving me many options to choose from which of my skills to enhance next. I put all of these aside for now as I sent a message to Adelaide that I might not be able to be reached for a day or two as I approached the body of the dead Demon King and activated [Memory Plunderer]. Orias was a particularly interesting figure whose life should hold even more expansive memories than Gremory because of her unique skills. Her memories should be on the same level of rewards as the skills I gained from her. I prepared my head for the potential pain to come as the red light shined out, and a long film played out before me. This time around, the pain was not as excruciating as I watched the life of this Demon King without blacking out. The memories were spectacular to say the least, as each Demon King led their own life even though they had similar goals. This was especially so for Orias, as I watched her do the vilest things in the most spectacular ways. Even more secrets opened themselves up to me as I continued to receive more of the memories. I could feel my excitement bubbling again as they continued to play, already seeing how I could use them to cause extreme mayhem and pandemonium for the demons. The process lasted a few hours as I gained something even more crucial than the powerful skills I had, and this was not exaggerating. I had to calm myself down as the memories of another being swirled around my head yet again, taking me another two hours before everything settled itself down and I found myself calm again. A smile bloomed on my face after this as I realized the many different paths I could take, but for now, I would do the one thing that will allow me to move forward. I knew that after the death of Orias, the demons would be backed into a corner by their unknown enemy, with the only smart choice left for them being...retreat. They would not stupidly rush headfirst into an environment where two of their people fell. This meant that my goal to disrupt the movements of demons in the Beast World had effectively succeeded just by taking out two of them while playing a game that kept them in the dark. My objective for the Beast World was actually achieved this way, propelled forward by many months and arduous battles from the use of the stolen memories, as well as the uniqueness of the System that allowed for the True Death of demons that fell through my hands. I pulled out a glowing [Plane Crystal] from my storage pouch and added mana into it, watching it float in front of me. These crystals were a unique material that allowed for the smooth transition between worlds and were not necessarily needed to travel across. But simplicity was always good to work with, as much more essence would be required to form a channel otherwise. Not that this was a worry to me. The crystal expanded and struck down into the ground of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, soon forming into a monolith similar to a dungeon. The monolith was blue in color, and continued to pulsate in a blue light that seemed to signal the arrival of something big. I moved back from this location as I prepared to move to another chapter of my journey, something inexplicably even more exciting than everything I had been experiencing as I watched the monolith grandly shine out before it exploded. When the light cleared, the air around me trembled as I looked at the new arrival. It was a girl with striking blue eyes and hair as white as snow that appeared. 133 An Anomaly The instant the white-haired girl arrived into the Spiritual Land, the air continued to tremble and did not seem to stop. Her fair hands moved as if grasping something in the air, her blue eyes turning a blank shade of white as the trembling came to a stop, and a voice I had not come across before rang out in my head. [My little knight in shining armor, why did you bring your master here so soon?] The voice brought a surprise to me as I didn''t expect to hear this tone from another entity so soon. The tone was similar to when I talked with the planetary core from my world, but holding a bit more emotions in its words. Before I could reply, the figure of Sophia, the person who had first sent me to the Beast World, spoke. [The discussion can stay between me and you. I have a proposition.] The words came out of her mouth in a bland tone as they rang out, the white in her eyes gradually fading and becoming blue again as she came towards me with a smile. "Hi Big Brother, you moved fast!" I smiled at this figure of an innocent looking girl as the words of the two planetary cores faded away from my head. That''s right, with the intrusion of Sophia into this world, I had effectively brought about the consciousness of another world into the Beast World. Of the things that the planetary core shared with me, the fact that Sophia could stand as the representative first shook me, but I accepted it as a fact after seeing all the other fantastical things around me. My entrance into the Beast World was to look for possible ways to disrupt the demon''s plans, and causing the True Death of two of their Rulers did exactly just that. This unexpected development that came about after colliding with Gremory caused a vast acceleration and disrupted the ranks of demons heavily. As soon as this goal was accomplished, I expected the retreat of the demons who would not want the possibilities of even more losses. I could now move on to the next task that would not be too hard to handle once the first one was completed successfully. Every world had a consciousness, and the Beast World knew of my intrusion and the intrusion of demons the same as how my own world''s planetary core felt the intrusion of beasts that woke it from its slumber. They had influence in the way their world operated but were still restricted by universal laws where they couldn''t directly intervene in many cases. The planetary core of my world though...seemed to be bent on twisting and breaking as many laws as possible. I had never heard the voice of the Beast World''s core even while I was actively moving against beings she considered her enemies. The only time there was ever a semblance of a possible communication was the abnormal skills I continued to receive when I cleared a dungeon or obtained a Spiritual Land for the first time. Yet, the moment Sophia arrived in this world, I heard another world''s voice right after. There were many things I still didn''t understand, but I knew what the ultimate goal that the consciousness residing in Sophia''s head had in mind. The world had taken a risk and successfully formed a connection with one of its inhabitants, granting it more leeway on just how much influence it had. Yet, it wanted a whole lot more than that. I felt my own weakness and took steps to get stronger so that I would never be put in that position again, and my homeworld was doing the same thing, but even more drastically. I didn''t know how long the discussion between the two entities would take, so I smiled at Sophia and replied, "Let me show you around one of the unique treasures of this world while we wait." --- The world cores took their time, the entire process taking a few hours as I walked around the spiritual land with Sophia and showed her the abundant beasts and acres of bountiful magical produce. The [Snow Vines] were almost ready to harvest, which meant I could possibly stand a chance to upgrade the tier of the spiritual land soon. It all depended on whether the beasts that would consume them had the talent to break through to the next rank. I planted many fields of [Snow Vines] so that the chances of success stood by more than 90%, but we would still have to see how things go. I was talking with Sophia when I felt the change, as the blue in her eyes faded and whiteness replaced them, a bland voice coming out right after. [The talks were successful. We were able to rope in another contender that should boost our power by another level as soon as the process is successfully completed.] I already had an inkling of what the planetary core was talking about, but I asked just to be sure, and the replies were as crazy as usual. [Similarly to how the risk of forming a connection between the world and an individual was successful, why stop there?] Dangerous words that would shock anybody that heard them came out, and they weren''t done as even more continued. [There are many worlds spanning this universe, and from the memories you''ve been obtaining, we''ve seen that lower worlds continue to be bullied and taken over.] Yes. From Gremory and the recently deceased Orias''s memories, the many worlds they had been on and all of their experiences played out. The invasion that my world and the Beast World faced would normally end badly for the natives and the world, which the invaders claiming victory and using the world and its people for their own uses a lot of the time. There were many worlds out there that were invaded by higher beings which sent powerhouses at the peak of the level of power in that world, the natives who were just learning what strength was eventually being defeated as time passed. This changed with the anomaly that was me. The gamble that my homeworld''s core took to connect me to the world allowed for a reversal that would not have been possible in the position we were in. It allowed for the vast power of a world that could not be moved because of the many restrictions surrounding it to be accessible to a single individual. [The lower worlds cannot fight back. It is not logical. It is not fair. The universe seems to be bent on rules and restrictions, and yet this unfairness is still present. Which means we have to find new ways for us to fight back, even if the risks are high.] More and more emotions seemed to come out of the bland voice as the monologue continued, grand words that would be the beginning of something world-changing continuing to ring out. [At the center of all of this, is you. The next step that should be less risky if sufficient time is placed, is to form another channel with this current world. If it fails, it will cause a destabilizing effect on both worlds, and we could see the deaths of the beings in each world by the billions. If it succeeds, it sets us up on a path on no return, where the only option is destruction, or coming out as victors that would never again be bullied by higher worlds.] Yes. This was the ultimate goal of the planetary core when I was sent to the Beast World. If I could use my power to successfully push out invaders that were massacring the world''s inhabitants and showed the world just what possibilities lay in my power, there would never be a fear of invaders appearing and causing mayhem in the world again. The planetary core had succeeded in convincing the Beast World to undertake the risky plan, and now even crazier things were about to occur. [I have calculated the countless possibilities, and the chance of success is high as long as a significant enough time is given to this task. When it does succeed though, it will not be just one world you have access to the mana reserves of. You will be the sword that countless small worlds will depend on as we fight back, for we have been bullied for too long.] ¡­!!! 134 Home Words filled with conviction and strength continued to come out of the mouth of the System as the planetary core talked with me for the first time in a while. Much of the topic this time around revolved around the memories that allowed us to see the grander picture all around us, and the different ways to move forward from now. I still had a few events to finish in the Frozen Kingdom before I began moving to another phase of this adventure. There were two paths for me to take after this, and I was pondering on just which one to take. "The memories from the hundreds of years old Demon Kings were actually the biggest prize to receive so far, and they''re showing two very clear ways to move forward, but I can''t decide on the path to choose." I was weighing the risks and rewards, and maybe I just needed a push from someone else before taking the leap. [Yes. The two best possibilities are heading to the Demon World, or to the Lost World of Atlantis where powerful demons and other beings are congregating to look for a supreme treasure. Atlantis will be much riskier, as the levels of power are extremely high, but the rewards are that much higher.] From the memories of the Demon Kings, I knew many of the hidden secrets, especially the recently plundered Orias who had even more spectacular ones. One of the main objectives of the Rulers of the Demon World currently was to obtain the Supreme Treasure in the Lost World of Atlantis, the Trident of Neptune. This meant many powerful Demon Kings and Demon Lords would be running rampant in that large world, and their power levels were nothing to scoff at. It would be much riskier, but as long as I clashed with the demons and killed them, I would continue to obtain the [Ruler''s Medals] from them that gave me direct authority over the Demon World even without having gone there. As long as I continue collecting these medals, along with the possibility of obtaining something even more spectacular in this large world, Atlantis was the better path to take for now. The Lost World of Atlantis...a dangerous light passed through my eyes as I pondered the time when I would descend in that world and disrupt the plans of demons yet again. Some time passed as ideas were thrown back and forth, and I asked about how the world I left behind some time ago was doing. Hunters from all over the Blessed Empire and United Federation were doing their best to advance through the ranks by combining their skills. Kazuhiko and Steel Mikhail had already obtained their first EPIC skill from combination allowing them to lead the world forward in strength once more. Other hunters were closing in as time passed, but there was a slight delay as a few days back, many dungeons the hunters had been diving in became permanently destroyed as the demons stopped providing any more essence to replenish the origins of the beasts in the dungeons. This caused the slow process across the world where the dungeons that were always shining orange or red gradually became light blue until they exploded. A new set of system to increase the hunter''s strength needed to be introduced. [The hunter''s rise in power will only get faster, as I will be instituting dungeons similarly to the ones in the Beast World. I have absorbed enough essence from beasts and demons that you''ve killed to recreate versions of them into these new dungeons. The beings in the Beast World would also benefit from the same system of skills that you''ve been used to after the new connection is established successfully.] There were many things being looked at ahead of time as the planetary core continued to strategize and introduce new ways to bolster the strength of everything it was connected to. I thought about going back myself just to see some of the faces I had been around briefly when I began this adventure, but shook my head with a smile as I looked forward to moving in the next direction. The most powerful hunters in my homeworld were already at EPIC rank, and I was only touching the bounds of LEGENDARY. We still had a long way to go before we could be considered somewhat strong in this wide universe. I would go back and look at everyone else after I''ve accomplished something even more spectacular. The day after all of these events finished spectacularly, having taken down another Demon King and even starting with grander plans that involved multiple worlds. Tomorrow would be another eventful day where the coronation of a certain princess was occurring. I had already begun leaving my footprint behind in the Frozen Kingdom, and still wanted to see just how far the calculating princess could go in expanding the kingdom. Someone of her caliber wasn''t too bad to have at the helm as one of the people leading the masses of people in the future. My homeworld and the Beast World still needed competent leaders, and acting as the individual to choose them was an exciting role, to say the least. --- As things continued to occur in the background, the morning of the next day was celebratory as masses of people gathered around the kingdom and especially so around the Snowy Peak, where a grand coronation was taking place. The coronation came with the news of the retreat of demons, confirming the actions I thought would occur after the true death of yet another Ruler of the Demon World. There were too many things they didn''t know, and could not continue to risk the lives of more of their people to an enemy they had no information about. I smiled as I found the success of my plans while I watched the ceremony taking place. Adelaide chose to stay in the peak she had been occupying, leaving her father to remain on the King''s Crown. All she wanted was authority, and now she was receiving it. After this, one can only imagine how rapidly the Frozen Kingdom can develop. Important figures were standing in a large hall in the manor located in the middle of Snowy Peak as they watched King Roark pass down a symbolic crown on Adelaide''s head. The moment the crown touched her head, a boisterous voice from one of the EPIC commanders rang out. "RESPECTS TO THE QUEEN!" "Respects to the Queen!" WOOOO! Cheers and exclamations rose out from all beings in the Frozen Kingdom as they watched their old king move to the back and prop up the new Queen. Even with the old king not making it an option for the people, almost everyone unanimously went along with the anointment, as the person being made ruler was the one to rescue them miraculously from a famine, cutting it off before it could even spread. With power like this, they saw their lands only heading in the right direction thereafter. The nobles and knights found themselves kneeling down towards the new ruler, as a new chapter began for the Frozen Kingdom. The new Queen looked at her father with thankfulness as she looked at the people below her. Humans and beastmen were kneeling on the ground submitting themselves to her, and yet she didn''t feel any exhilaration. There was just one person she wanted to see and enjoy the company of right now, as her intuition was giving her a foreboding feeling. She had just given her aid in detecting a Demon King and contributing to her downfall, with the continent receiving the news of a retreat soon after that. She was smart and knew there should have been a link to these two rapid events, realizing the Esteemed Sir had most likely done something even more incredible that she had no idea about. With the retreat of demons, as well as the plans for the expansion of the kingdom with the bountiful explosion of the agricultural sector, she should be feeling great and looking forward into the future. So then, why was she experiencing a feeling as if she was about to lose something? 135 A king in the shadows There were still many things to be done, and I was looking forward to something spectacular tomorrow, where I would get the chance to see the next tier of a Spiritual Land. The [Snow Vines] had fully matured and ripened yesterday, and there was an abundant amount that many of the beasts could consume because of the effects of [Budding Farmer]. The fruits were specially made to raise the ranks of the beasts on the Spiritual Land, and their effects were apparent. Just on the past day when their consumption and absorption began, the [Emperor Penguin] was the first to successfully advance to LEGENDARY after consuming multiple fruits from the [Snow Vines]. His figure became slightly larger and more compact with the advancement, the sleek fur on his body becoming even glossier as the arrogant air returned. His origin was injured beforehand, and yet he was still the one to advance towards the next rank first. His attitude aside, I was happy about this as the more talented beasts like him appeared, the faster I could upgrade the Spiritual Land after meeting the requirements. One of the requirements that was about to be met was the advancement of beasts born in the Spiritual Land to become LEGENDARY. Five beasts had to undergo this transformation before the first condition was met. As for the second condition...I smiled as I thought about it and heard movement from the large hall that was boisterous with celebration. It was now a few hours after the coronation that I watched in the dark while I was veiled. The celebration would continue throughout the night, but the new Queen rose from the throngs of Nobles and stepped out from the hall while being led by an EPIC guard. Adelaide''s own rank should be raised soon enough as I''d already given her access to an abundant amount of EPIC cores, [Sacred Rye] and even the fruits from the [Snow Vine] that were much less effective on beings not born in the Spiritual Land. The Queen''s face had slight delight showing as I heard her voice ring out silently beside my ear. "Esteemed Sir, if you would please follow me." The guards were left behind as the Queen entered her grandiose room with the excuse of resting. The Shadow Guards took their hidden positions as the newly instituted EPIC guard stood in front of the closed doors. My figure flashed into the grandiose room, being met with the sight of the icy queen who seemed to have a complicated expression on her face. "I feel like I''ve achieved something, and yet at the same time I''m feeling something else I cannot explain." She seemed to be thinking about many things as she spoke, her gaze landing on my calm figure and becoming even troubled. She seemed to have made up her mind as she moved with a brave face and...kneeled down towards me. "I can''t shake this feeling, but there is still something that I can do." I was about to tell her to rise up for what seemed like the third or fourth time as she had done this before, when her next actions threw me a curveball. Her white hands reached behind her and unclasped the grandiose white dress she wore. It slid down her body as she looked up at me with conviction in her eyes. "My King." --- In the Spiritual Land, A powerful [Emperor Penguin] with his beak raised high was overseeing the advancement of his brothers. The long [White Mamba] was coiling around itself as its body pulsed a white light, its breakthrough imminent after absorbing so many of the blue gold fruits from the [Snow Vines]. These fruits were multiple times better to these beasts born in this Spiritual Land than even cores of the next level. Normally, they would be extremely rare for them to obtain, as close to 8 months were needed before they matured and ripened. Even when they did, their output was extremely low. Yet, [Budding Farmer] had thrown all of this logic down the drain. There was an abundance of the fruits now growing and glistening blue and gold all over Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, where the EPIC beasts had their pick with the permission of their master, and even the Leaders that were rank S received their own share. The sleek penguin observed this unbelievable growth that should have never been possible, even with all the possibilities of the Spiritual Land. He looked at the [White Mamba], [Winged Spider], and many other beasts that were trying their best to put their experience to use and breakthrough to the next rank after absorbing treasures specifically catered to them. Maybe his master wasn''t too bad after all? --- A scene that would shock many was playing itself out in a grand room where barriers preventing peering eyes were erected. A young woman was laying her head on the chest of a man and tracing the protruding lines from the chest to the abdominal muscles as her crystal eyes seemed clouded. "You''re not staying, are you?" Instinctively, Adelaide had seemed to understand what the foreboding feeling she continued to have was. Everything seemed to be on the right track, with the invaders retreating and their kingdom headed for extreme growth and expansion. Yet, when thinking about the man whose hands made all of this possible, where did he fit in all of this right now? Would he stay, enjoy, and revel on the rewards of the things he had accomplished? Adelaide had been around him for many days these past few weeks, and somewhat understood his mindset, even if it was just a bit. The man in question heard the words as his eyes stared into the ceiling, not knowing exactly what to say. "I''ll still come by. There are just too many things to be done, and even those that retreated from the fight right now did just that, only a retreat. The threat still exists." There was a period of silence as the girl just continued to trace the lines of muscle. "You could always just stay. Relax and kickback. Watch as the thing you''ve just begun creating bloom into something beautiful. I haven''t even given you the Empire I promised, much less the world." Noah gave a mysterious smile at these words as he replied, "I''m relaxing now, and that''s enough for me. I''ll see if I can relax like this every now and then when I find the time." The night was long, with many people spending it thinking about the future while not fully living in the present. --- Early morning of the next day, something magical was happening in the skies of the Frozen Kingdom. In the middle of the four peaks floating in the sky, a fifth one had appeared! Those knowledgeable would be able to recognize this peak as the Skypeak Nest that had disappeared mysteriously some time ago, while others just watched in shock at the appearance of it. It seemed to be glowing in shades of white and blue as boundless essence began congregating in the skies. In the center of the Spiritual Land, Noah was looking at the fifth beast that was successfully promoted to the LEGENDARY tiers by consuming and absorbing the inordinate amount of fruits from the [Snow Vines]. The process had only taken the span of a few days, but they achieved the stupendous results of the rise of 5 LEGENDARY powerhouses. This number was shocking, as there were still 10 other EPIC beasts on the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land that had consumed the same treasures and might have the talent to break through soon enough, not to mention the rank S Leaders that were trying their best to achieve the same result. If you took into account the strength of someone like Demon King Gremory who was ranked 56 among the rulers of the Demon World, and held the power equivalent to three LEGENDARY beings with his unique skill, you would become even more astounded by the treasure that was the Spiritual Land. It could give rise to powerhouses like this, but it was normally never as explosive. The unfair skill that was [Budding Farmer] made it possible for this event that defied the norms and created 5 LEGENDARY beings in a few days. Yes, these were the beasts that had the top talent in their level and just needed the stimulus and energy to breakthrough. Yes, maybe there won''t be others as talented that would rise as fast as they did. But, that was still the genuine advancement of five LEGENDARY beasts, it would still give a shock at the speed in which it was achieved. Beside the suave [Emperor Penguin] and deadly [White Mamba], the [Winged Spider], [Snow Leopard], and a winged [Golden Eagle] that was among the EPIC beasts to not participate in the Trial of Supremacy, all stood proudly as they looked around the Spiritual Land that seemed to be trembling in excitement. The first requirement in order to upgrade to the next tier of the Spiritual Land was now met, 5 beasts born from the land itself had risen to the LEGENDARY rank. Now came the second requirement. This requirement was one that evaded many beasts and caused their Spiritual Lands to be stuck at the second level for many years. It was a requirement dependent on the master of the Spiritual Land, as it was not only the beasts born in it that should be strong, but also its master. Simply, the second requirement needed the owner of the Spiritual Land to be powerful enough and have a large reserve of mana that many in the LEGENDARY stage struggled to have in order to catalyze the transformation of the next tier. A light laugh escaped Noah''s mouth as he couldn''t help but raise his hands into the air and watch the explosion of essence around him. The figure of Sophia could be seen standing serenely by his side as she watched the show in fascination. Noah looked around him excitedly as he waited to see what surprises this unique treasure of the Beast World would provide for him in the future. It gave him an unscratchable itch of wanting to look for even more unique treasures across the many worlds out there. He thought of his tremendously risky destination that was The Lost World of Atlantis where he would go to next. It was a world where many powerhouses from multiple origins descended in as they all looked for this Large World''s supreme treasure, the Trident of Neptune. From the memories of the two Demon Kings he had plundered, the one that stood atop all the demons in the Demon World was also in this world searching and bolstering his forces. At the thought of an oppressively powerful being that was his enemy, Noah''s heart palpitated in excitement, many thoughts and ideas passing through his mind as he watched the birth of a third-tier Spiritual Land, and the new functions it would unlock. 136 Tier 3 Spiritual Land The congregation of essence in the skies of the Frozen Kingdom was palpitating as the old king and many others looked at the appearance of this large floating landmass with caution. The sight of the Queen standing calmly surrounded by her EPIC guard on Snowy Peak calmed many as a message came across soon after for none of them to worry. The scene in front of them was spectacular, to say the least, as they looked at this floating landmass that was pulsating with light as if it wanted to expand. The mixtures of blue and white roiled around the Spiritual Land as the transformation continued. RAAAA! The beasts in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land were moving excitedly as they watched the upgrade of the next tier occur, the congregation of mana allowing for the birth of new beasts to be visible to the naked eye. Essence continued to congregate as the panel under the unique skill changed, and soon enough on the section that listed the tier of the Spiritual Land, the number 3 appeared. A blinding blue and while light resplendently shone all-around at the completion of the process, as a brand new Spiritual Land stood in the skies. The size was only slightly larger, but it seemed to give a sense of pressure as it towered over the heads of the beings below it. RAAA! The beasts cheered as their home gained an upgrade, which meant they would have even more chances to increase their strength in the future with the passage of time. [Frozen Plateau-3] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-24,650, C-9432, B-5436, A-465, S-85, EPIC-15, LEGENDARY-5 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye. Available for planting(Ice-fire Persimmon, Pigmy Melon¡­) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Locked), @#$@%(Locked), Time Dilation(Locked), !@##$(Locked)... Upgrade- Conditions not met. @%%^#$ Three new features had been unlocked with the upgrade of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land. Noah looked at the one he had been eyeing when he chose to let the upgrade happen in the center of the Frozen Kingdom. It was a feature that seemed straightforward, simply being [Boost Surroundings]. So what effect did it have on the surroundings? A tremendous amount of mana coursed through Noah''s body as he clicked on the feature in the panel, his figure flashing away from the inner parts of the Spiritual Land and appearing higher in the skies to watch the transformation. The blue and white light that had just died down began shining brightly again, this time going around to encompass the four peaks around it, as well as a portion of the Frozen Kingdom below. The blue and white light went around every nook and corner of affected lands, leaving a new environment as it receded back into the Spiritual Land soon after. The people felt the land they were in begin to feel much different as the air became easier to breathe in and they could feel a denser collection of essence surrounding them. On the many acres of land spread out around the Kingdom, the produce yet to be harvested shined ever so brighter as even the land seemed to be affected by [Boost Surroundings]. Noah watched the results of the wide buff that seemed to cover thousands of miles as he became shocked at the effects of a Spiritual Land once more. This feature that increased the concentration of essence around its surroundings would remain active over time, only reducing in its effectiveness after around two months. Adelaide was surrounded by guards that were looking around them dumbfoundedly. She had thought she couldn''t be any more surprised, but it seemed she continued to be wrong. Beside the amazement and wonder that she felt, there was still a tinge of sadness as this seemed to be a goodbye gift, even if the goodbye would be short and he would be back sometime soon. In the skies, Noah''s figure flashed away and reappeared in the inner parts of the Spiritual Land after observing the effects of [Boost Surroundings]. The next feature he was itching to try was [Architecture]. Another plain name, but he would undoubtedly be surprised at what it did. Skyscrapers, houses, and other modern buildings that were definitely not from the Beast World were also possible as options to choose from, giving a wide array of choices on what to do. Besides these were also Classical and Gothic Architecture he had only seen in his homeworld in the past. There were many possibilities, but he started with a simple one first, and selected a modern home that you would only find the extremely rich be able to afford and play with. The selection of the hologram caused essence to roil in the air as on the snowy land of the Spiritual Land, a structure was being erected. The soil, trees, and everything around it seemed to be used as they faded into particles of light, and something new that was visible to the naked eye was forming. Noah watched in amazement as an elegant and sophisticated modern home built itself in front of his eyes. The house had 3 levels and seemed to be made of mostly reinforced glass and concrete. The land around it became leveled as small [Whitefall Trees] seemingly rearranged and surrounded the house elegantly. It felt like he had returned back into an old time as he flashed near the door of the house and went in. There was a cool air flowing in the house as a symmetrical formation of luxury fluffy leather couches were in the living room. A rectangular structure was elevated as it had blue flames waving beautifully atop it, giving the room a serene look. There was a simple styled kitchen shining smoothly in another section of the house, showing a large fridge and other structures you would normally not see in a world like this. On the second level, there were multiple rooms with large beds that seemed to scream softness, each room having its own private balcony with reinforced glass surrounding it. On the third level was a wider expanse of rooms, as a glass pool was presently covering more than half of this topmost floor. The pool had steam and bubbles dancing off of the clear water as it invited people to come and enjoy. Noah looked at this astounding sight around him as he realized he had yet to understand just how ridiculous the management skill and this Spiritual Land he held could be. 137 Advancing There were still many things yet to be checked out as the ones that were looked at continued to bring more and more surprises. There were new plants that would undoubtedly have even more spectacular effects to look at, as well as the third feature that was unlocked, the [Frozen Barrier]. It seemed like a significant amount of time would have to be given just to play around with [Architecture], but that could wait for later. Noah wanted to check one last feature before he began moving towards the next steps laid out in his mind. He clicked on the last feature, [Frozen Barrier], as he felt the congregation of essence erupt yet again. This time around, it formed into runic sigils that appeared in a circular formation around the Spiritual Land. The blue sigils shone and had complex lines connecting and running around, coming all together to form a huge net that covered the entirety of the Spiritual Land that was larger than a city. When every single runic sigil connected, a transparent blue shield formed over the Spiritual Land. It shone a light blue light all around as it made the floating landmass look even more magnificent. This [Frozen Barrier] was a feature of the Spiritual Land that allowed a protective barrier that defended against most attacks from those at the LEGENDARY stage. If you were to hide like a turtle in a shell in your Spiritual Land, the barrier would only be broken through when attacks continued to rain down until the reserves of energy being used to maintain it rang out. Noah watched the strong barrier surrounding him, and then observed after 1 minute as it began to fade. It was a barrier that was powerful enough to block attacks from LEGENDARY beings as long as mana was provided, it would not come without its restrictions. The [Frozen Barrier] could only be activated once every 24 hours, and it provided ultimate defense against the Spiritual Land''s invaders for an entire minute before the runic sigils faded away for another use 24 hours later. Noah smiled at this stupendous defense as his eyes moved to the LEGENDARY beasts around the Spiritual Land. They were at their happiest now and moved around with vigor. He would put them to work as soon as he began moving. He would check out the other new things later as his hands reached towards the Spiritual Land once again, this time using [Size Regulation] as the grandiose floating landmass became small with speed visible to the naked eye. The landmass shrunk down until it could be placed on the palm of his hands, as the hidden Noah who was only visible as a blinding light towards a certain Queen used [Anchor] to attach the Spiritual Land to himself. The unique thing about the skill was that it allowed you to transfer to a place that you had seen. As long as you had been to any place and seen it, you could go back to it as you wished. The further the distance you wanted to travel, the more mana you needed before the skill could be activated to bring you to the position you had in your head. The skill made it possible for Orias to do many crazy things, with one of them being traveling across the worlds she had been to as she wished. She bypassed the making and using of [Plane Crystals] to go across worlds and simply used her skill to get there, and now, Noah would be doing the same. Just as it had appeared, the floating landmass disappeared from the skies of the Frozen Kingdom. The only thing it left behind was the boosted environment that had a higher concentration of essence, as well as the amazement and dumbfoundedness of those that saw it. The four peaks and the land that was affected by the buff shone brilliantly. The old king looked towards his kingdom as he felt a semblance of peace, while the newly anointed Queen looked into the skies with a sad expression. Noah had talked about all of these events and how he would start moving soon, after that he would be able to come back routinely to check how things were going. There would not be any approaching enemies any time soon, and in the case there was any he promised to come back in a blink of an eye. But if there wasn''t any danger to save them from, when would he actually take the time to come back? Would it be a week, month, or even more? She recalled the many EPIC cores and a few LEGENDARY cores he had left for her to do as she saw fit. The expression of the new Queen had a tinge of sadness as these thoughts passed through her. The Shadow Guard, Night, was observing her Lady with a complicated expression as she found the one she served to be showing more and more emotions she had never seen before. Especially today, what had happened to give her an air that made her seem like a brand new woman? Her questions wouldn''t be answered, as the truth was something that wasn''t even an option in her head. She knew very little of the movements of the Esteemed Sir, but the miraculous event that just happened now was definitely through his hands. Now, when would they see him again? At the same time as these thoughts passed through the mind of this Shadow Guard, a fiery red light was crossing the skies towards the Frozen Kingdom from another location in the continent. The [Imperial Phoenix] that Noah had come across and provided the help that allowed him to obtain the Spiritual Land was coming to check just how this human had progressed, as well as understand his clash with the Demon King and how it was connected with the retreat of demons from their world. There were many questions passing through her head, but they would not be getting answers any time soon as the person she was looking for had just disappeared from the Beast World. --- A flash of red light, and Noah''s first spatial travel across two worlds from the use of a skill had occurred. He appeared in the skies of the small village that was surrounded by a light barrier that protected them from many things in the outside world. Landing on the ground, Sophia''s figure flashed out from the Spiritual Land as she looked at her home with a smile. "Big Brother, how much time will you spend here?" Here. The here she was talking about wasn''t just the mountain and village they were on, but the world they stood on. "Not too long. There are still many things to do, and I can''t waste it needlessly." There were a few people he actually wanted to see. The confident Kazuhiko that was now EPIC ranked, the woman that was taking charge of a small city where he came to prominence, and the stout man with a spear that stood as the protector of the Empire. "I''ll give a few people a visit some other time. Before the journey to the Lost World starts, I will just give a little help to their lands." The spectacular sight of him traveling across worlds with a skill had just finished, and he was about to move with the Spiritual Land to boost the environments of the places where most humans congregated to increase their power. 138 A landmass appears above skyscrapers It was a bustling day as usual in the Blessed Empire, and today it was bustling even more as a momentous event occurred. After days where almost all the dungeons in the world began breaking down permanently, in the last 24 hours, new ones had begun appearing! Hunters and governments had been gravely worried that the rate at which they increased their strength would drastically reduce without the constant supply of cores, skills, and items, but their worries did not last too long. A few days after the initial panic, huge monoliths began appearing around the world once more. The monoliths were different than the ones they had been used to, as they appeared black and did not have a change in color over time. They never would have thought that they would be happy at the sight of dungeons, but people moved eagerly after these new ones appeared. They worked differently compared to the old ones, and the hunters would learn more about their secrets as time went on. The bustling day today was interrupted by the appearance of something nobody could have guessed in their wildest dreams. Above the skies of the small city in the periphery of the Blessed Empire, a floating landmass that entirely blocked the skies appeared! The landmass caused surprise and panic on many hunters as they thought an unexpected attack had arrived yet again, and they were preparing themselves as they watched a blue light expanding from the landmass. The light went on to cover every nook and cranny of the small city, lasting for a few seconds as the people in it began feeling the air around them change. A dense collection of essence was swirling around the city, and amazing scenes could be seen playing out. In one location, a child that was on a swing set found himself thrown in the air as he used too much force, and surprisingly landed on the ground unharmed as he began to feel unknown strength coursing through him. A status panel appeared on his eyes soon after, as he stupendously realized he had somehow awakened. Those that had some talent and luck found themselves with a status panel appearing in front of their eyes as many people underwent their awakening to become hunters all over the city, the converging essence being a catalyst for such a surprising event. The veteran hunters found themselves being able to move faster and easier as if they were constantly receiving a buff from the air around them. They moved ecstatically as they stared at the landmass blocking the sky. A top hunter and Admiral in Star City who held multiple S+ skills and was now a peak rank S, Elizabeth, was looking stupidly at the floating landmass as the air around her continued to change. She watched with surprise as just as it had appeared, the landmass began shrinking rapidly before it disappeared in the blink of an eye. She thought that she felt a gaze land on her in an instant from the disappearing landmass as she shook her head in confusion. Clear skies returned as things returned to normal, but the city itself had experienced a huge change. This scene repeated itself many times over the areas of the Blessed Empire where most people were congregated, as a magically floating Spiritual Land appeared and disappeared, leaving behind a changed environment where the essence had become increasingly dense. This process was already happening naturally as the world continued to grow, and the levels of essence in the air would sooner or later reach a similar level as that of the Beast World. But just like how the lands in the Frozen Kingdom benefitted from [Boost Environment], the cities around the empire that experienced the same thing benefitted even more. When the Spiritual Land appeared in the skies of the capital, Steel Mikhail stood proudly in the air, two spears rotating around him as the air crackled with power. He felt the changing of the air as the newly appeared landmass continued to release a blue light that covered everything. His mind shifted to a certain man that had left not too long ago, was it even just over a month? Had he obtained something this spectacular so quickly? Mikhail thought of hs own power as he looked up to see the floating landmass disappearing. He was somewhat glad that the person inside of it did not come down. He felt ashamed as he thought he was strong enough when he combined his skills to gain the power of EPIC rank, but it seemed he was still far behind that man who was chasing their enemies who knew where. Steel Mikhail felt the air around him that seemed to open up his pores and fill him with strength as his sight turned to the large monolith which appeared at the center of the empire a few days ago. The monolith was ranked to be an EPIC ranked dungeon, and even now it was not fully explored. He would prepare his team and dive down into this dungeon over the coming weeks, training his skills as much as he could and increasing his strength. He could not lag behind someone that was fighting for all them too much. He knew his role as the protector, but was slightly envious of the things outside this word he hadn''t yet gotten a chance to see. When would the chance come in the future for him to explore the unknown places out there? --- Many countries in the United Federation found themselves experiencing a similar occurrence with the floating landmass. The event would later be termed simply as a Worldwide Buff as many places experienced elevated levels of essence that caused the awakening and strengthening of many individuals. With the advent of new dungeons that were not undergoing dungeon breaks if they weren''t constantly cleared, along with this new occurrence, the hopes of the humans were extremely high. A surprising sight had played itself out in the United Federation when the floating landmass first appeared, where its top hunter, Kazuhiko, bolted into the skies trying to reach it. "Hey hey hey!" His screams rang out in the skies as he stood on a katana surrounded by darkness which was propelling him further into the skies. He didn''t care for the dense essence filling the air as he bolted towards the landmass at even faster speeds. He found it to be shrinking as he neared it, seemingly about to escape his grasp. "HEY!" His figure flew even faster as he tried to reach it before it disappeared, but it flashed away, and so did his figure. This was the first case that people noticed and talked about later, where a hunter had reached and gone inside the floating landmass. It continued to appear and disappear all over the countries that held a significant amount of people in the next hour, where the figure of Kazuhiko also flashed out as the last country was covered by the blue light. Hunters and governments would call and ask Kazuhiko exactly what he saw in the floating landmass when he reappeared, but the reckless hunter didn''t give any answers. People only found him to be diving into the newly appeared dungeons with even more and more vigor, occasionally screaming out how he wanted to see demihumans and own his own land. 139 The Lost World The Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land appeared in the skies of the hidden village once again, where Noah was sighing exasperatedly at the guy that chased after the Spiritual Land. He saw the amazing things on it and asked about the place Noah had gone to, his eyes flaring as he wanted to go there himself. This was something that would be easily possible with time, so he was told to wait some more as he got stronger. Power at the EPIC rank would not be too big a deal in places that had MYTHICAL monsters. The advancement of his and Steel Mikhail''s strength would be under the eyes of Sophia from now, as they were about to come in contact with their benefactor sometime in the future. Noah breathed out in relaxation after having spent the inordinate amount of time teleporting across the two superpowers as he used the [Boost Environment] feature of the Spiritual Land. This allowed for the increased rate of strengthening for the hunters in his homeworld. His eyes were now looking at a whole other location as he finished talking with Sophia in the hidden village. Many plans and possibilities were discussed with the System, also known as the planetary core, as the next location was decided. Something wondrous was about to occur, as another usage of the memories obtained from the Demon Kings was going to happen. The unique skill obtained from Orias allowed the user to travel to any location they had seen before. This was the description of the skill, plain and simple. So then what about places and locations you have seen from the plundered memories of your enemies? Memories usually remained with the person that experienced them. They could talk about them or explain them to others, but they were theirs to keep. The skill, [Memory Plunderer] allowed Noah to take the memories of his enemies and experience them as if they were his own. This naturally meant that through the memories from Gremory and Orias, he had seen many locations and places. This coincided with the spectacular unique skill that allowed for spatial travel to any location you had seen before, as the combination brought about something that would normally never be possible. Noah smiled as he looked at the particular memories of the Lost World of Atlantis that Orias had descended in before. This was a large world, one level higher than the Beast World, and had the besieging of many beings from multiple origins. The reason the Atlantis has the words "Lost World" attached to it was because of its uniqueness. The inhabitants of Atlantis were so technologically and magically advanced that they created something from the combination of technology and magic which allowed them to shield and hide their world from being located. This was something that would rarely be found across the universe, thus the large world gained the title of "Lost". Over the years though, beings that wanted the technology and treasures in Atlantis did not give up, and used their own mystical means to locate and find the appetizing world. The Demon World was among those that succeeded in getting the coordinates of the Lost World of Atlantis. With the unique skill that Orias held, they were never able to lose sight of it again, as whenever the Atlanteans activated their terrifying technology that moved their world and hid to a different location, Orias could still use her Unique Skill to go back into the world she had already been to and seen. Their coordinates were thus always in the hands of the demons. In this world, there were many things that Noah would come across, but there were a few things he was paying attention to. First and foremost was the demons running around in the world, the unique treasures and even possibly the Supreme Treasure that everyone was searching for, as well as the beings from other worlds besides the Demons that would undoubtedly be looking for the same things in Atlantis. Everything seemed to be in order as the Spiritual Land was safely anchored to Noah''s body, the preparations fully complete for this next stage of the journey. Sophia stood outside the hidden village as her eyes flashed shades of white and blue, becoming a face filled with conviction that would soon return to an innocent one as the seconds passed. Left with her were some LEGENDARY focus cores and various EPIC cores that she could use any way she wanted. Whether to be given to the protectors of this world or used to first strengthen the body where two consciousness resided was up to her. His figure disappeared in a flash of red light, heading to unknown lands where many things awaited. --- Today''s combined skills: Pierce + Executor''s Speed :: A+ Piercing Speed Flight + Instant Transfer :: A+ Warp Flight Regal Archer''s Eyes + Sense Heat Source :: A+ Searching Thermal Sight Immutable Regeneration + Paladin''s Blessing :: S Blessed Regeneration Arctic Zone + Pursuing Infernal Lightning :: S Pursuing Spirit of Ice and Flames Devastation + Aura of the Demented :: EPIC Hellish Descent Windbourne + Hidden Endeavor :: EPIC Auraless [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 431] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 437] [Skill(s) :: [F][E][D][C][B][A: Recorder-100, Language Comprehension-100, Lion''s Roar-100, Silent Communication-100, Cook-59] [A+:: Relegator''s Spear-100, Water King''s Skin-100, Piercing Speed-1, Warp Flight-1, Searching Thermal Sight-1] [S :: Enfeeble-100, Phoenix Arrow-1, Shield Slam-8, Budding Farmer-71, Ricocheting Shield-1, Bear''s Fighting Style-1, Archer''s Gamble-1, Smouldering Sword Strike-100, Earthen Spears-100, Thought Acceleration-100, Crisis Avoidance-100, Illusory Cover-100, Blessed Regeneration-1, Pursuing Spirit of Ice and Flames-1] [S+:: Draconic Armor-99] [EPIC :: Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation-91, Iceberg-89, Absolute Zero-92, Bone Spears-88, Bear Emperor''s Fur-91, Life Steal-89, Teleport-95, Arctic Breath-87, Summon Holy Blight-98, Hellish Descent-1, Auraless-1] [LEGENDARY :: Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony-68, Demon King''s Haki-55, Memory Plunderer-5 ] [UNIQUE :: Spiritual Land Management, Primal Conjurer, Spatial Travel, Shapeshift] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(S-Veiled Suit)(EPIC-Kingslayer)(EPIC-Rat King''s Mask)(EPIC-Prismatic Guardian) (EPIC-Unshattered Charity) (EPIC-Tigereye''s Roots)] 140 Atlantean A flash of red light, brief darkness, and then a shining blue light stretching itself across the horizon. He opened his eyes to a clear blue sky, and even clearer blue colors below him as the sea moved by. Every single corner of the skies that he turned to all showed a vast array of the body of water stretching across the horizon. The painful sound of bones and the human structure being changed rang out as the body he had always been used to rapidly began changing. The process was quick, which cut the pain short and allowed for a rapid transformation to occur. His body changed and soon became the depiction of something he had seen among the many memories, one of the native species of this Lost World that was known as the Atlantean. They were an interesting species, having a body similar to that of humans, but with extra features that adapt under the heavy pressure of the sea and the amphibious characteristics that allowed them to breathe underwater. Of course, someone of the LEGENDARY rank would not have trouble surviving underwater due to the lack of oxygen with the power they held, but this change to become an Atlantean was not for the purpose of just adapting to the sea. Noah felt his new body that seemed to match everything he had seen in the memories, from the general outlook to their soft and moist skin all over his body. Not too much had changed with his body, the only thing vastly different was the golden hair that replaced the dark one he had been born with. He felt the actual physiological changes when his body began sinking into the sea. A feeling of likeness entered his mind the moment he touched the water, as he sunk completely into the sea and opened his eyes to a brand new world. He was looking at the wrong places when he stared in the skies as he arrived, and now, he was beginning to see the fantastical sight of the world teeming with life. All sorts of organisms he hadn''t seen before were visible as Noah used the recently combined [Searching Thermal Sight] to quickly locate many of the beings around him. The cold-blooded organisms that took the temperatures of their surroundings were still clearly visible to him with the use of this skill. With a single thought, the skill allowed his eyes to hone in on the direction and being he was thinking of. On this surface layer where he was in, he could only see many organisms with the characteristics of fish swimming around. Their bodies glimmered as their colorful scales whizzed by, their speed being something you don''t normally see. If he wanted to get the chance to see more important things, he had to go much deeper into the sea. A smile appeared on Noah''s face as he felt the comfortableness of being underwater with the body of an Atlantean. Under the water, he opened his mouth to hear words and sounds coming out with no problems, the vibrations of his voice traveling in the water as if he was in the air. Even if his voice could not be heard, he still had [Silent Communication] to imitate one of the traits of Atlanteans that he would no doubt come across soon. The Atlantean species was loved by the sea, and they received boosts in their power whenever they fought in their natural habitat. Noah had no problem adapting to the new body as he began moving around using [Warp Flight]. With this combined skill, he could fly while at the same time transferring around nearby locations as he chose, the speed even faster than before. Having gotten used to the new feeling and seeing breathing come to him even easier than when he was in the air, Noah''s figure barrelled down deeper into the sea, very keen to meet the inhabitants and fully start his journey. He used his skills to actively sense for and look as he dived deeper and deeper, the first location already laid out in his mind. --- In the vast sea, a few nautical miles away from a city that was known as Liquinia, a brutal scene was playing itself out. Three Atlanteans were surrounding another species that was native to the Lost World, known as the Merfolk. There was a clear distinction between Atlanteans and Merfolk, with the latter having the lower half of a fish most of the time. This time, a particular Merman was injured and continued to take heavy hits from the Atlanteans around him, a gruff voice ringing out from the leader. "You should not have followed us Sud. Our employer is very thorough, and does not allow any mistakes. I am sorry." The Atlantean with golden hair seemed sorry as his apathetic voice rang out, the green trident in his hands shining with a black light as it went towards the chest of the Merman. THUCK! It sank in with little resistance as Sud, the merman, looked at his friend in shock. "Santus! We grew up...together¡­why collude with...GUH!" Painful words came out as bright green neon blood dyed the sea, with a dying sound from the merman coming out in the end as the one that he considered a friend twisted the trident in his chest and took his life. The cruel look remained on the Atlantean''s face as he pulled out the trident and swung it to the side. He was about to tell the two beside him to take care of the body when another voice rang out before his. "Wow, I chance upon murder as the first thing I see?" The voice seemed to contain calm and curiousness, turning the face of the Atlantean grim as without even giving a single second to understand who just appeared, a command left his mind and entered the minds of the two beside him. ''ATTACK!'' The command rang out in their heads, and in the next second, there were three Atlanteans hoisting green tridents as their figures bolted where the voice was coming from. Water rapidly rotated around them as their speed increased, nearing the position of the voice in an instant. The tridents glowed green as they waited to hear the sound of flesh being pierced. A sound did come, but not the one they expected. SWOOSH! A terrifying feeling overcame the three Atlanteans as they felt their Tridents hit nothing, and a second after began seeing green blood flowing out of them as it quickly froze over. The area around them had become enclosed in ice as a long blade passed through each of their bodies and took their lives. [Absolute Zero] had a killer effect in the sea as it stopped the movement of anything in its range while the long blade being wielded sliced apart the rank S Atlanteans as if they were nothing. The curious voice that had come upon the scene of murder rang out once again. "Now, what stories will your memories tell?" 141 Liquinia Liquinia. One of the cities that was in the euphotic zone where sunlight could still reach. The city was teeming with all sorts of life around it, as at its center was a large bubble that repelled any water from coming in. This was a city where Atlanteans held control. In their history, it was mentioned that Atlanteans were originally those from the human race, but after spending a significant amount of time in the sea, they adapted to living there. The curious thing was that for a majority of the cities they controlled, there were many areas where they used their technology to create pockets of air where many of the old human activities were carried out. Their counterpart, Merfolk, preferred the sea in its entirety. Their cities were fully wrapped around in the water as this was their natural home. Noah gazed at the City of Liquinia and curiously observed the new things around him. He saw a futuristic city full of lights, with multiple vehicles that looked like the most terrifyingly weaponized submarines docked around the city. The buildings were a mixture of gothic architecture and the most futuristic additions you could imagine, with some tall skyscrapers created spectacularly that it seemed like Jenga blocks were just stacked together. Atlanteans and Merfolk floated around the perimeters with glistening tridents in their hands as they went in and out. This was the city where the three Atlanteans he had just taken down were from. From the memories he obtained, they were under the employment of the same beings he was chasing, where they were in contact with a subdivision of a legion under a Demon King. The demons were already actively moving around the Lost World of Atlantis and forming connections with the locals, turning those with weaker hearts against their own people already. When the three traitors who had just killed their friend without batting an eye died, they also provided a few more things besides the memories. [Low-level Telepathy] :: You can send your thoughts to those near you. The distance is limited. [Aquatic Adaptation] :: The sea is your home, your speed and maneuverability are increased whenever in the water. [Footman''s Trident] :: A trident that those with slight distinguishment use for battle. The gifts were two skills and the tridents that the three rank S Atlanteans were using. The telepathy skill was one that many beings living in the sea had and used, while [Aquatic Adaptation] just went to further increase the ease of moving around in the water. Using the skill, it felt even easier while swimming across, as Noah arrived near the underwater city that had large tubes that made their way in and out of the pockets of the city that were filled with air. Memories of the city and its happenings swirled around his head as he found the first step to take. There was already a general idea of how he should move in this world, and the Atlantean''s memories provided an in-depth path that would allow Noah to follow the path laid out in advance while also being able to join the ranks of beings that held actual power in this world. To do this, an identity had to be obtained, and it couldn''t be of the rank S Atlanteans he had just taken down. That power would not be able to put any dents in the larger picture. Yet, an easy way to obtain an identity presented itself, as currently, a test was being held in the City of Liquinia to choose which champions to send to the center of the Lost World, the city lying in the deepest parts of the sea, Atlantis. As the city that held the name of the entire world, it was the grandiose location that was the center of control for this world. Getting there though, was a headache for many. This was because the deeper you went under the sea, you would be faced with powerful deep-sea creatures that swarmed and killed Atlanteans and Merfolk for lunch. The sea was wide and large, covering a majority of the world. It bore many species of powerful creatures that hunted in its waters, and there were a tremendous amount of them. The only pockets of protection were the ones provided by the world itself, where cities like Liquinia and Atlantis were surrounded by the Sea''s Blessing. The Sea''s Blessing was an area of protection that surrounded many underwater cities for quite a distance, giving them a safe environment to move in. The moment you left the area of protection though, you might just become food for the many monstrous deep-sea creatures prowling the deeper waters. The City of Atlantis that was the central location of this world was in the deepest parts where the most powerful of creatures ran amok, and yet it was where Atlanteans and Merfok prospered the most. The futuristic look present in the City of Liquinia seemed advanced, but it could not compare with the things to be found in Atlantis. To get in this city, an identity was needed, and the one of a Champion was the best possible one. Noah moved past the gorgeous looking submarines and Atlanteans wielding sharp tridents as his figure swam towards a seabed where many figures were gathered. A mock fight was already occurring as powerful shock waves were transmitted through the water. Two Atlanteans were practicing gleefully as their figures twisted and turned. Overseeing the mock fight was a Merman holding a shining green trident, along with a Neon armor that wrapped all over his body. Even without sensing his power, any knowledgable being living in this wide sea would know the identity of someone who wore this type of armor. In the order of power, they were Blue, Neon, and then Gold. The armors were pieces of Atlantean technology that were given only to the most powerful, providing further boosts in their fighting power. They corresponded with EPIC, LEGENDARY, and MYTHICAL for the beings that wore them. The Merman floating stably over the seabed was letting out a powerful aura of LEGENDARY rank, the Neon armor extenuating it even more. Noah knew the customs from all the obtained memories, so he neared the powerful Merman and stopped a few meters before him, bringing the trident in his hands towards his chest and voicing out loudly. "Neon Commander! I would like to take the Trial of Champions!" The voice powerfully reverberated out, catching the attention of the onlookers as they began whistling. "Haha, we have another critter who wants to descend the heavens in one step!" "Hey hey hey, look at that shining confidence in his eyes, maybe he''s a future Champion that''s about to trek through the dangerous waters towards Atlantis!" Many shouts and murmurings erupted out as the Neon Commander stared at Noah, a telepathic method being sent out right after. "Your life could be in jeopardy during the trial, as I will not be holding back" The LEGENDARY commander was smart, first starting the communication with telepathy, an ability that was only common with Atlanteans and Merfolk. In the case Noah was something else, he would be found out right away. A light smile appeared on his lips as [Low-level Telepathy] was used, answering the question of the Neon Commander. "I would expect no less to earn the title of Champion." Light twinkled in the eyes of the LEGENDARY Merman as the message registered, and frighteningly white sharp teeth spread out as his mouth curved into a brutal smile. "Good, come!" 142 Champion In the city of Liquinia, on an artificial seabed beside the bustling underwater ships and exquisite buildings, a battle was taking place to decide if an Atlantean was worthy of the title of Champion. Those who gained this title earned the right to trek the dangerous journey to the sea''s depths to Atlantis, where an even grander stage would be waiting for them. The Neon Commander was taking the test seriously, using all his power as the water around him vibrated and became hotter. The shining trident in his hands lit up even more as green rays shot out and went towards Noah. There were a variety of skills to counter the deadly green rays from the trident of this powerful LEGENDARY Merman, and [Demon King''s Haki] was activated first. The sea around the entire area trembled as those around felt themselves sinking lower, the Merman feeling the brunt of the force as he felt a crushing weight falling on to him, turning his face serious. [Demon King''s Haki] was followed by a skill that heavily boosted Noah''s speed and damage, while strictly tying up the enemy''s movement and defenses. The blue runic sigil that was inlaid with red lines spread out to cover both the LEGENDARY beings, the merfolk on the other end feeling even more pressure. Next up was a skill that directly countered the deadly green rays rushing forward and the bubbling heat that continued to emanate from the Neon Commander, it was [Arctic Breath]. Noah''s mouth opened as destructive ice elements condensed, forming into a wide ray of ice shooting outwards. VOOM! The breath let out a droning sound as it smashed into the green rays and dissipated them, reaching the body of the Neon Commander as everything around them became frozen. "Haha!" A laugh rang out from the Merman encased in ice, as his surroundings began to shatter and become hot once again. He moved even more vigorously towards Noah, the fun seemingly just beginning. "Hammerhead''s Delight!" A spectacular skill was cast as the Merman pointed his trident forward and shouted, the water around him solidifying and beginning to form into a dangerous creature only seen in some of the deepest waters of the sea. The outline of a powerful Hammerhead Shark encased the Merman as he rushed forward like a missile towards Noah''s position. Noah smiled brilliantly at the new types of skills he was experiencing as he used his first combined EPIC skill. After being boosted by a legendary skill that was even further enhanced by the demon''s [Power Jewel], the EPIC skill neared if not fully had the damage of a LEGENDARY ranked one. [Hellish Descent] was cast as a red light began to spread out around his body. The light expanded rapidly and broke apart, forming into multiple dense circles that pulsated and let out vibrations in the water. The figure of the transparent hammerhead shark neared as the dark red circles shined, before they let out blistering rays of molten flames and lightning. They looked like the most destructive lasers as more and more dark red origins formed which continued to let out damaging rays of flames and lightning, affecting the entire area as arcs of electricity spread out and the water rose far past the boiling point. SHLUCK! The rays of lightning and flames pierced into the encased figure of the Hammerhead Shark, leaving multiple simmering holes that destabilized the illusory figure and caused it to break apart. BOOM! An impact that pushed the two individuals back resounded, the Merfolk and Atlanteans in the surroundings hoisting their tridents and cheering at this spectacular battle. WOOO! The Neon Commander had blistering hot spots on his shining armor as he looked at Noah with expectant eyes, waving the trident forward and calming down the sea. "Good! You have the qualifications of a Champion." His words showed goodwill as they had found yet another powerful Atlantean to reinforce their power against the swarming enemies. A small green gem with the shape of a trident appeared in his hands and floated towards Noah. "This is the Champion''s Trident that will be recognized the moment you near Atlantis, it will act as a guide and allow you safe passage, as well as the opportunity to participate in something extremely rewarding." The sharp teeth on the Merman expanded out with a smile as his hands reached up and grasped, a pulling force coming out that sucked an Anglerfish that was swimming more than a nautical mile away into his hands. His sharp teeth shone in the clear waters as he bit down and took away huge chunks from the fish''s body, a bloody sight spreading out. "All you have to do now is take the journey to the depths of the sea, pass through regions of blistering lava and flames, escape from Killer Whales and Vampire Squids, and hope you never come face to face with the slumbering...Kraken." ¡­ Haha! Boisterous laughter resounded from the Merfolk brutally bitting into the flesh and bones of the anglerfish, as all others around him laughed and enjoyed the sight of a new champion being appointed. Noah looked at the new culture and behavior he was observing as his eyes shined at the mention of the powerful deep-sea creatures. Just what type of skills would they drop? He grabbed the small green trident shaped gem and put it away, nodding respectfully towards the Neon Commander he had just gone up against and moved away. A few Atlanteans and Merfolk were already swimming over to mingle, but he acted the part of the loner and neared one of the many tubes that made their way into the City of Liquinia. There were doors on both sides of the areas where a bubble covered a few miles. Atlanteans could be seen walking around these pockets of air as if they were normal humans, only the golden hair on each of their heads being distinct. The entire City of Liquinia was proportioned half and half into areas that were fully covered in the sea, with other areas surrounded by bubbles that kept out the water and allowed the powerful Atlanteans to walk through. Noah looked at the futuristic city, at the connecting tubes that snaked across the area and the weaponized ships and submarines around him as he entered one of the tubes and came inside one of the protected bubbles. The archaic and yet futuristic buildings made themselves clear as he left the water and tasted air again. There was a sense of wonder at how the inhabitants of this world so seamlessly mixed technology and magic, as he could see levitating square rides that Atlanteans got on and off of. It was something to do with the concept of magnetism and mana, with the Atlanteans working to combine theories of sciences and the use of essence to make levitating rides as well as modify the ships and submarines he had seen outside into the weaponized forms they had. A new world filled with different sights opened itself up to Noah''s eyes. 143 Relaxing amidst turmoil Noah used an hour to walk around the City of Liquinia to enjoy the sights of Atlanteans and technologies he had only seen in the stolen memories. Rides that were levitating off the ground, colorfully designed buildings, and most interestingly of all, the advanced weaponry. The Guards in the City of Liquinia could be seen walking around with guns that pulsed with a blue light. These were laser guns that were deadly to anything below rank S, and could injure those in the EPIC rank if they weren''t careful enough. There were many things that Noah could do to explore one of the first underwater cities, but he had achieved his goal of obtaining the identity that would allow him entry into Atlantis. Now, he could do something that he was looking forward to doing for the past few hours. A smile appeared on his face as he thought about the memories from the dead Atlanteans he obtained not too long ago. They showcased the location where they met with the subdivision of a demon legion, where an EPIC Commander was taking the lead. It would be a nice end to the first day if he could take out a portion of the first demon legion he had come across in this world. As for the Demon King that stood at the top of this one was, he would find out in time. The location was outside a large underwater cave that was expertly hidden. No movements could be seen on the outside, but the [Searching Thermal Eyes] showed multiple beings moving in the air-filled underwater cave. The location wasn''t too deep, and the demons had made this one of their hideouts as they began communicating with Atlanteans and Merfolk. The strongest demon in this group was EPIC rank, so Noah didn''t waste any time with tricks and would go forward with brute force. With enough speed and precision, the demons wouldn''t even know what hit them before they fell. He liked doing things in a grandiose fashing though, so he began with a cast of [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] to heavily boost his power, with the addition of [Absolute Zero] that quickly encased the sea around him in ice. In the next instant, [Hellish Descent] was cast repeatedly as vibrating circles that would shoot out molten flame and lightning lasers spread around the underwater cave in its entirety. A passive look was on Noah''s face as he continued to cast the skill, not initiating the shooting of the molten flames and lightning just yet as more and more of the dark balls were lined around the entire cave. [Searching Thermal Eyes] kept track of all the demons walking around the cave as the command was finally given, and hell descended. ZZ-ZZ-ZZZOOOM! Multiple sharp sounds of concentrated lasers of fire and lightning shot out and pierced through the cave walls, piercing into the hundreds of demons clustered in the cave without mercy. A thin layer of ice covered these lasers of flames and lightning as they struck. AHH! Screams could be heard as they felt this unexpected attack which took their lives in the next instant. It didn''t matter if they were rank A or S, as even the most powerful EPIC commander died at the lasers that skewered the cave and the beings in it from all locations. ¡­ A few seconds passed, and not a single being remained alive in the cave. A division of a Demon Legion in the Lost World had thus fallen like this, unexpectedly and without mercy. The impassive look remained on Noah''s face as he went into the destroyed cave to do what he enjoyed doing the most nowadays, obtain some memories. A traitorous Atlantean led him to a division of a demon legion, where would the EPIC Commander''s memory of this division lead him to? The process of collecting the loot and memories from the dead didn''t take too long, and Noah was done with it in a few minutes. He didn''t go back to the City of Liquinia, and transferred himself into the Spiritual Land that was anchored to his equipment all this time to go through the new gains. The miniaturized Spiritual Land acted like its own little world, nothing affecting its working even when he had been moving underwater. He transferred himself into the modern house he practiced with building first as his facial structure and body changed to that of his old self. He had moved around the Lost World of Atlantis today and learned a great deal of things not found in Gremory or Orias''s memory, and he had to digest the many gains he received before he began heading towards the city at the center of this world. The goal there could only be achieved with the entrance of using the title of Champion, and the rewards would be something spectacular. His body returned to normal as he opened the glass door of the only house in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land and went inside. He was met with a surprising scene as on the soft couches beside the elevated rectangular fireplace where blue flames were flickering, a miniaturized sleek penguin had its feet up as its body sank into the couch, its face one of contentment. The [Emperor Penguin] now had the power of LEGENDARY rank, and could easily perform something as changing the size of its body. But, what made it so bold as to do what it was doing currently? It seemed to have sensed Noah''s entrance as its eyes switched from laziness to full alert, rising up from the couch, it''s beady eyes stared blankly at him as if it was caught doing something that should have never been seen. Noah shook his head at this peculiar penguin and left it be as he was in a good mood currently. The sleek penguin looked at the figure of Noah that moved up the stairs, craning to see as soon as he was gone and sinking back on the luxurious couch with its beak raised high. Noah went to the topmost floor of the expensive-looking house and took off his clothes, putting himself in water again as he relaxed in the bubbling hot and steaming pool on the third floor. He began going through the gains of the demons eradicated today, as he found an EPIC skill from the commander that was worthy of mentioning. [Chains of Lightning] :: Binds any beings on the same rank as the skill with fearful lightning for as long as the energy is provided. It was a binding type skill that seemed extremely suited to him, as his eyes lit up at the description. He had many skills that he had to continue rising the proficiency of and combine. The Spiritual Land provided the perfect space for that. He enjoyed the bubbling and steaming pool a bit longer before he would force himself to go to the underground area of the Spiritual Land to practice his skills. This time around, it would be even more fun as he would have partners to go against him. A smile lit up on Noah''s face as he thought of the arrogant LEGENDARY penguin that decided to laze around today, as well as the other four beasts of the same rank. They would make great opponents to test out against and become even more familiar with his new skills as he also increased their proficiency. 144 Journeying to the Depths AARRGH! Painful screams were ringing out at an unknown location beneath the sea. There was darkness all around, except for wisps of green light that seemed to be spread out by the hundreds of thousands for miles. The one screaming out painfully was a robust Atlantean that had multiple bone spears nailing him to the sea bed. He was stretched like a starfish as some bone spears pierced his palms and others passed through his ankles. A golden armor lay carefully beside the Atlantean. This was an Atlantean with a Golden Armor, meaning he was a MYTHICAL ranked being. Yet, screams continued to resound from him as a small figure moved around beside him. "I''ve cut off any ability for you to move, leaving behind only the sensation of pain" Her words rang out calmly as if talking about the most casual thing. "Pain..is actually a very interesting thing that allows us to get to the core of the truth." She finished her words as she bent down, a sharp bone spear dripping with blood in her hands as it moved towards the face of the MYTHIC Atlantean. It stood an inch away from their right eye, shining menacingly as the being lying down could not even move a muscle to prevent its descent. SPLUCH! A sound of a pop could be heard as dark energies spread out from the sharp bone spear and burst apart the soft right eye. ARGH! Brutal screams continued to resound, as an apologetic tone rang out from the small figure doing all this. "Woops, I was supposed to ask a question before doing that. Oh well, you still have another eye." The bone spear in her hands moved from the destroyed eye where pus had begun leaking as it went to the other side. "Where is the Trident of Neptune located?" ¡­ Silence. The painful screams from the Atlantean stopped just for a second as this question was heard, and the remaining eye that could barely make any movement focused on the woman voicing it out. It actually seemed like a teenager dressed in gothic black dress, yet the voice that came out was that of a woman. The Atlantean looked at the apathetic eyes that seemed like bottomless holes as an unnatural laugh began to leave his barely moving lips. The laughs were filled with pain, but seemed to carry a mocking tone at the woman holding the sharp bone spear above his remaining eye. "Ah, you have a sense of loyalty huh? Very well." The one with the voice of a grown woman but the body of a teenager rose up, the dark bone spear disappearing as the black light around her intensified. "I must tell you, I''ve dabbled a little in life and death, and can easily regenerate your lost limbs and organs. Whenever you feel like you''re on the edge of death, I''ll pull you back to life." The dark light around her intensified as the green wisps that were surrounding them on the seabed floor for miles shined brighter. The wisps of glowing lights began moving up and down, making a thrumming sound as their master prepared a painful game. The wisps of light were the eyes of hundreds of thousands of undead, their power spreading out across the waters unhindered. The soft hands of Barbatos, the Necromancer of Chaos, glowed with the dark light as they neared the body of the Atlantean yet again. "If it so happens that you cannot hang on to life anymore, well, then there is a glorious death with years of service waiting for you on the other side." A wicked smile gleefully spread out on her face as the screams resumed even louder. --- RAAA! A high-speed battle was taking place as five LEGENDARY beasts were surrounding and throwing attacks at a huge demonic incarnation that swung around a sharp sword with endless vigor. Dense circles that shot out concentrated flames and lightning would occasionally appear, as even larger Icebergs fell from above every now and then. The powerful attacks caused mayhem and pandemonium as Noah practiced against five LEGENDARY beasts all at once. Attacks continued to land on him as he was pushed back. When the fight began, he could only defend and stop the five beasts from tearing apart the incarnation. As the fight carried on for longer and his attacks began to land on the five beasts, [Life Steal] effectively dispelled all the damage as it healed the instant it was dealt. The EPIC Holy Blight remained summoned and stood by the side, not joining the battle with its thousands of [Defiled Corpses] it controlled as Noah took on the beasts alone. It was great practice to be matched against five LEGENDARY beasts, going a long way to hone his fighting skills while also allowing him to spam all his skills to increase their proficiency. Whenever [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] finished its cooldown, the five beasts would find themselves taking a beating for the next 30 seconds before retaliated the time after that. A sleek [Emperor Penguin] seemed to be filled with vigor as its flippers shining with a silver light struck out. Its body would appear and disappear randomly on all sides as very dangerous attacks flew out of its flippers. They seemed like silvery blades of light, and yet their damage was greater than the skills similar to the other beasts mostly using the ice element. RAA! RAA! RAA! The fight continued for a few hours, the eventual winner being Noah. After being pummeled to the ground by the beasts for hours, they finally lost their juice near the end while he could still continue to cast skills at the same rate with no issues. A sulking penguin could be seen becoming smaller in size as his beak pointed down and his body flashed away. Noah breathed out slowly as he could feel his tiredness spreading out through him. The beasts were not a joke, and he was glad that even more of them were on there way. Among the remaining EPIC beasts that had begun consuming the fruits from the [Snow Vine], a few more were almost near the point of breakthrough and it would just take some more time. This finally made him get around to checking the new plants available after the Spiritual Land became tier 3. Today''s combined skills: Corrupted Sword Saint''s Incarnation + Bear Emperor''s Fur :: EPIC+ Fiendish Sword Beast Transformation Arctic Breath + Bone Spears :: EPIC+ A Storm of Ice and Bones 145 Journeying to the Depths II On the side of designing, when he checked the panel of the unique skill under the feature of [Architecture] he was surprised to find that the advanced futuristic designs he saw in the City of Liquinia were now added amongst the things he could choose. Now he had designs that were common in three worlds he could play around with. He felt like he went back in time when he was playing computer games that allowed you to build cities and kingdoms, the one good thing was that he didn''t have to wait long periods of time for the buildings in the Spiritual Land to finish. On the snowy location outside where he built the advanced modern house with luxury amenities, he began building new things around it. Taverns and inns commonly seen in the Beast World had popped up, their designs instantly showing the large contrast against the modern house in the center. When the large buildings he saw in the City of Liquinia also appeared, the mismatch became even greater as a complex air began to emanate from the very different architecture. He was just having fun with the things he could do, so he continued to play around with it. On the other side was the planting of fantastical things that would go towards boosting the strength of the beasts born in the Spiritual Land and bring about a possibility for the next upgrade of this Unique Treasure of the Beast World. Ice-Fire Persimmon :: A treasure that rarely grows and ripens, needing a specialized environment and care. A perfect fusion of two elements is contained within, allowing for the beings that consume them an easy path of breakthrough to the next rank. Effects severy reduced for beings not born in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land. Time until maturity: 1 year. Pigmy Melon :: Good for the body and soul. Heals injuries and reduces stress. Even the best healing potions lose when it comes to their effectiveness. Time until maturity: 2 months The additions of new things to plant was a welcome one, as it provided new avenues for increasing the strength of the beasts in the Spiritual Land even more. The beasts were still consuming large amounts of the fruits from the [Snow Vines] and the [Sacred Rye], which had been causing an explosion of advancements as more ran S became EPIC, and a new LEGENDARY beast could appear any day now. The main factor in all of this is if they had the talent for it. After spamming [Budding Farmer] on the newly planted acres, there was a change to the maturation of the new plants similar to the old ones. [Ice-Fire Persimmon] :: Time until maturity- 3 weeks [Pigmy Melons] :: Time until maturity- 4 days The skill continued to be one of the biggest rule breakers so far, continuing the trend of reducing more than a year that was required for magical fruits to grow and ripen to just under 3 weeks. Noah''s finished designing the new buildings and planting the many empty plots of land in the Frozen Plateau, heavily changing how the Spiritual Land looked from before. As time passed, the change would become more and more prominent, and he didn''t even know how it would look a few weeks from now. One this was finished, his journey to the City of Atlantis could begin. After receiving the Champion''s Trident, he had effectively received a key, and didn''t have to remain in the City of Liquinia. The key acted as a GPS, pointing him towards the direction to the grand city below. Many Atlanteans or Merfolk with the title of Champion ventured out to the dark waters when they were ready. Some would fall to the unexpectedly powerful creatures they come across, others would be lucky and powerful enough to get past the deep and reach the magical city at the bottom. Even though Atlantis laid at the deepest parts of the sea, their expansive strength and technology allowed them to move around unhindered even after they came out of the area where the Sea''s Blessing was applied. Noah reappeared in the cave where he massacred a squadron of demons. He knew that nobody would be alerted anytime soon about their deaths. The burnt and destroyed bodies lying around didn''t make him flinch as he moved out. He had obtained even more memories, and the hideout of multiple Demon Squadrons, as well as the location of the Demon Lord moving around in the nearby waters. A ruler of the 29th rank, Demon Lord Astaroth. This was was particularly powerful, even stronger than Asmodeus who was leading the charge against the Beast World. He had strength nearing the peak of MYTHICAL rank, and his power was terrible to think about. Noah wouldn''t be going near him or other Rulers anytime soon though. The reason was that the moment they clashed, it would either be their deaths or his. If True Deaths began to occur once again this early, the demons would group up and go in hiding, becoming even harder to kill. A vicious smile was on Noah''s face as a plan to corner and kill Demon Kings and Demon Lords en masse had already formed. He had many memories that allowed him to know the identity and locations of many LEGENDARY ranked Demon Kings he could ambush and kill. But he didn''t just want a small piece of a pie, he wanted the whole damn cake. If he acted with the power he had now, he might be able to kill one or two more rulers before they become completely spooked and swarmed together in the Demon World. If he waited and acted later when his power was much higher, he could move even faster and take down even more. But, there was nothing stopping him from taking down their minions that did not have the same ability to resurrect like them. They would face disruptions and be left to grind their teeth in anger searching for the identity of the one moving against them and taking down their forces, but they would find no respite or answers. As things stood now, his power didn''t even reach someone of the 29th rank who stood powerfully in the MYTHICAL rank. Now, the way to increase his own power rapidly? This was one of the goals for coming to the Lost World of Atlantis. Besides possibly getting his hands on the Supreme Treasure of this world, which required him to be much more powerful than he was now to even contend for it, the other main goal was the many deep-sea creatures roaming the seas. Orias''s exploration memories of the Lost World showed her dying multiple times to MYTHICAL ranked creatures when she went too deep into the sea. She would come back as good as new in a few months to continue her exploration and be met with even more different levels of creatures. The plan was to go slowly and catch multiple LEGENDARY creatures on the way to Atlantis, before possibly matching against a MYTHICAL ranked one with the help of all of his forces. This was another boost the Spiritual Land provided, and he couldn''t wait to use the beasts in it to gang up on something of the next. His body physiology soon became that of the golden-haired Atlantean as the journey to the depth of the sea began. 146 A group from another world! With the direction set, the adventure began as an Atlantean fearlessly charged to the deeper waters of the sea. Everything around him was dark and gloomy, with the occasional oversized fish swimming by without a worry. Noah met a variety of sea creatures as he continued to dive deeper and deeper into the endless waters of the Lost World while following the signal of the Champion''s Trident. Among the fish he came across, their strengths varied from large groups of fish that were letting out power that was seemingly rank F-C, with the groups becoming smaller as they individually increased in power. After going down for a few hours and meeting a few creatures that would be considered BOSSes or Leaders that drop skill books, he came across his first LEGENDARY opponent. The creature was hostile as soon as it saw him, jets of water propelling it forward at extreme speeds. Its figure matched that of a [Black Dragonfish], but it was much larger with even sharper teeth. It took the appearance of a long eel that was more than 10 meters long, with sharp spikes coming out from its body. It was an ugly thing to look at. Noah observed the new attacker with enthusiasm as it rushed through the water at high speeds, starting off by putting extreme pressure on it with [Demon King''s Haki]. The straight line the Dragonfish was rushing in faltered as the pressure descended, causing its wide jaws packed with sharp teeth to swing below Noah''s Atlantean body. WAAA! A droning sound was let out as green spears appeared in the hands of the two headless knights and struck down into the body of the LEGENDARY dragonfish. The scales were dented as it began to bleed, and Noah wasn''t far behind as he activated [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] and then cast one of his first EPIC+ skills from Skill Combination. Any "+" skills and those gained from combination were skills not normally seen, and they had spectacular effects as usual. An example was the Holy Blight that controlled bodies of the dead at EPIC rank. If it continued to be raised up through combinations, who knew just how crazy it would become. The skill cast after the runic sigil became active was the combination of [Arctic Breath] and [Bone Spears], [A Storm of Ice and Bones] VOOOM! A terrifying sound rang out as the water around them trembled. The Dragonfish held down against the two Dullahans felt a threat of death appear as the environment quickly began to freeze over, and a destructive storm began brewing in the water. VOOM! Hundreds of deathly spears encased in destructive and unstable ice elements appeared while spinning rapidly. The spears caused ice to form around the water as they went to strike down towards the body of the Dragonfish. Before they even arrived, rays of cold light shot out from them to pierce their target first, and then the cold bone spears arrived themselves to skewer the enemy. SPULCH! Deathly throws could be heard as the storm of icy bone spears that shot out cold rays of light pierced in and out of the body of the Dragonfish. Noah was casting it multiple times as he watched a glacier forming in the water, the [Storm of Ice and Bones] continuing to rain down destruction as deathly green spears also landed on the poor fish from the Dullahans. The LEGENDARY rank deep-sea creature that he came across in the Lost World fell down like this. It had no time to breathe as it was swarmed by two LEGENDARY primal spirits, as well as someone even more frightening. Multiple cores, a skill book, and an item appeared in Noah''s storage pouch as he went to check them out enthusiastically. [Whirlpool] :: Draw in your enemies in a rapidly rotating storm of water that will shred the weak to flesh and bones. [Deep Sea Armor] :: A heavy scale armor capable of alleviating all pressures under the sea while completely protecting its wearer. The skill was spectacular by itself as Noah learned it right away while putting on his first LEGENDARY piece of armor. A sleek black armor that seemed to suck in the water around it appeared on his body, making him look more and more like a dweller of the sea. He moved the large dead body of the Dragonfish into the Spiritual Land, with the plan of cutting it up and making something for himself later. He hadn''t had a chance to enjoy his own cooking for a while. He continued down the sea with even more vigor as he looked forward to another appearance of a similar beast that would add on to his LEGENDARY skill collection. More than an hour passed as the journey down continued, and vibrations could be felt emanating upfront, signifying a battle was occurring. The power of the vibration was nothing to scoff at, making Noah adopt a serious face as his body became fully wrapped in covert skills. He went forward and used [Searching Thermal Eyes] as a sight a few nautical miles away from him opened itself. It was another large underwater city similar to Liquinia, and if the memories he had been stealing were correct, the position of this city at this depth would make it one of the larger cities right before the entrance of the Bathypelagic Zone where Atlantis could be found. This was a city where Merfolk prospered, and it stood grandly in shining lights as a blue shield was currently covering the entire city. A few damaged futuristic buildings could be observed as a battle was currently taking place. Atlanteans and Merfolk were using advanced [Plasma Guns] that shot out blue lasers towards their enemies, while others fought in close quarters hoisting tridents and controlling the powerful submarines around them to blast off the enemies. To Noah''s surprise, the enemies were actually...humans? He looked closer and became even more surprised as he found the identity of the attackers. He knew the clothing they wore and the colorful skills they were using from the memories of the Demon Kings he had killed. This was one of the groups of beings from another world that was currently moving in the Lost World for their own purposes. They were prolific powerhouses that held a level of power across a few worlds as their system of strength focused on the fundamentals of the world. Words that drew the annoyance of anyone who heard them rang out as Noah made out the figures leading the attack against this underwater city. "Haha, I, Disciple Bob, won''t be hindered by a group of fish!" Arrogant words came out from a figure dressed in purple robes. A force seemed to emanate from his body that pushed away the surrounding water with ease. His arms were crossed behind his back as he stared down at the city in complete contempt. Around him were two others with purple robes just like him that were looking down coldly. Behind them were tens of other human figures dressed in light blue robes, all of them surrounded by a sort of field that pushed away the surrounding water. Above all these figures was someone sitting grandly in a purple chair that let out a mystical cloud of light beneath it. The man let out waves of power that were definitely above LEGENDARY as he overlooked the process of the attack. From their robes, the way they spoke, and the extreme arrogance in their words, this was the other group that was running rampant in the Lost World, the Cultivators. 147 Knowledge of even more worlds From the memories of the Demon Kings, there were a few groups actively moving in the Lost World beside them. Beings from the World of Cultivation were one of the more powerful ones that matched the forces of demons. They wouldn''t normally be attacking underwater cities like this as Atlanteans and Merfolk were a power to fear on their own, so the sight playing out in front of me was something interesting to see. The city under siege should be the underwater City of Aquicadis. At the forefront of their defense, multiple Neon Commanders who signified LEGENDARY rank could be seen, as well as a Gold Commander who was a rank higher. The fight seemed to be at a standstill as the two MYTHICAL figures of both sides let out wild pressure that clashed against each other, the LEGENDENDARY figures and below being the ones moving actively. There were three purple robbed cultivators that let out power of LEGENDARY rank, and one of them was actively attacking as his arrogant voice continued to ring out. "Our request was simple. We just wanted to come and converse with the locals about the history of your world, yet you treat us with such disrespect?" "Martial Uncle, let''s raze this city to the ground. We can act now and ask questions later. These backward locals don''t deserve being enlightened." The purple-robed figure that called himself Disciple Bob actively moving around voiced their words to the leader sitting atop the mystical chair. They waited for a reply with bloodthirst that was ready to explode, just waiting for the word. The cultivators had their own ranking of power, but the strongest one here letting out the power of MYTHICAL rank looked coldly at the City of Aquicadis. His strong voice thundered out and covered all surroundings. "Will you take us as guests and share your knowledge of the Trident of Neptune, or will you face destruction?" The question was aimed at the Merman who was a Golden Commander, the waves of power he let out no less powerful than the white robbed cultivator. "We do not welcome nor entertain invaders." Sparks seemed to fly as the small pause in the battle was about to start again, as the powerful voice of the cultivator gave out the command that would cause mayhem to ensue. "Very well. Disciples of the Mountain Sea Sect, show these natives what actual power is." OOOOH! --- The command once again began the disastrous battle as all sorts of color began to appear around Aquicadis. Atlanteans and Merfolk decked in armors and hoisting tridents stood at guard, with even more of them carrying blue pulsating [Plasma Guns] that began shooting out lasers once more. On the side of the cultivators, I began observing new skills and abilities for the first time. "Buddha''s Golden Palm!" "Illusory Sword Strike!" Large golden palms cascading with power rushed down as hazy outlines of dark swords formed and clashed with the attacks from the natives of the Lost World. The battle was continuing and seemed to be in a standstill, unless the two figures letting out MYTHICAL airs of power began moving themselves. I looked at these new groups of people as I felt my excitement rising. The abilities and skills they were using looked extremely grand and powerful, and I wanted to see just what exactly they would drop if they were to fall in my hands. My figure that was still hidden covertly moved across the waters as it neared one of the cultivators in the outer fringes. I wanted to see just what types of loot would come out of them before moving in earnest. The figure I was targeting was a roughly built man wearing blue robes. He had the water around him changing into 2-meter long swords of water that rushed towards the Atlanteans and Merfolk constantly as a derisive smile spread on his face. I remained hidden without letting out any aura, approaching the figure slowly before a silvery light went to cover his body as the both of us silently disappeared from the battlefield. We reappeared a few nautical miles away from the City of Aquicadis as the cultivator looked around him in shock, with the only answer he received being a [Storm of Ice and Bones]. The EPIC+ skill quickly shredded into the body of the cultivator, taking his life without so much as a fight as I watched a blue light erupt from his body. This was the first time I took down someone from the origin of a world that had as much influence if not more than the Demon World. I was expecting something interesting from them as their system of strength differed so much from what I was normally used to. The blue light that came out from the death of the cultivator changed into one skill book and a small blue gem. [Mountain Sea Sect''s First Style- Water Sword] :: The water around you conforms to your will. The higher your achievements in the L@#%#%^% #$ !@##, the greater its power. [!@#!#$] :: !@#$@%%@#$@#@#$ My eyes shined at the appearance of new things as I checked out the skill. A few things were unreadable, similar to when I picked up a [Plane Crytal] for the first time. It was something new that I or my homeworld had never come across before I learned the skill and then observed the blue gem that was still a mess of unreadable words before I closed my eyes and went looking for the solution after also plundering the memories of the dead cultivator. I had to be fast as the battle between the two powers was still ongoing, but I had to find the usage of this new loot before moving forward first. A few seconds passed as I felt blackness, before a light came once again and I found myself on the small mountain that had a hidden village on it. I had done something ridiculous and traveled across worlds yet again, but it would be worth it as anything that was still unreadable in my eyes meant it was something new for the planetary core. I didn''t even have to initiate as the blank voice of the System I had been used to rang out in my head. [You''ve come across something interesting] Essence congregated in the air as Sophia appeared from the bubble that surrounded the hidden village, her eyes a blank white as she spoke while coming towards me. I looked expectantly at her and asked, "What is it?" [It is...an accumulation of something. Give me a few seconds to put in terms that can be easily understood.] The voice of the System rang out as essence continued to roil around us, before it quickly calmed down and a surprise came out of my mouth as the unreadable portion of the new skill and the blue gem that dropped from the cultivator finally became readable. [Mountain Sea Sect''s First Style- Water Sword] :: The water around you conforms to your will. The higher your achievements in the Law of Water, the greater its power. [Low-level Water Crystal] :: A crystal containing the accumulations of the Law of Water. An insignificant portion is contained. The voice of the planetary core continued to ring out as I observed the new loot with shining eyes. [These beings from the World of Cultivation seem to be playing with a higher system of power. It would be a huge boost to your skills and power if you can take down even more of them. There should be an addition to your panel that quantifies your new gains.] I nodded at these words as I went to check out the new addition while I watched the [Low-level Water Crystal] disappear into my body as particles of blue light. [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: 437] [Focus: - ] [Strength: 448] [Skill(s) :: [F][E][D][C][B][A: Recorder-100, Language Comprehension-100, Lion''s Roar-100, Silent Communication-100, Cook-65] [A+:: Relegator''s Spear-100, Water King''s Skin-100, Piercing Speed-68, Warp Flight-67, Searching Thermal Sight-69] [S :: Enfeeble-100, Phoenix Arrow-1, Shield Slam-8, Budding Farmer-82, Ricocheting Shield-1, Bear''s Fighting Style-1, Archer''s Gamble-1, Smouldering Sword Strike-100, Earthen Spears-100, Thought Acceleration-100, Crisis Avoidance-100, Blessed Regeneration-77, Pursuing Spirit of Ice and Flames-86, Lower-level Telepathy-55, Aquatic Adaptation-79] [S+:: Draconic Armor-100] [EPIC :: Iceberg-92, Absolute Zero-99, Life Steal-100, Teleport-100, Summon Holy Blight-100, Hellish Descent-78, Auraless-90, Chains of Lightning-13, Mountain Sea Sect''s First Style- Water Sword-1] [EPIC+ :: Fiendish Sword Beast Transformation-11, Storm of Ice and Bones-13 [LEGENDARY :: Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony-83, Demon King''s Haki-86, Memory Plunderer-15, Whirlpool-1 ] [UNIQUE :: Spiritual Land Management, Primal Conjurer, Spatial Travel, Shapeshift] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(S-Veiled Suit)(Footman''s Trident)(EPIC-Kingslayer)(EPIC-Rat King''s Mask)(EPIC-Prismatic Guardian) (EPIC-Tigereye''s Roots)(LEGENDARY-Deep Sea Armor)] [Laws :: Law of Water- .1%] A new section had appeared right below equipment in the stat panel. This time, it was something called [Laws]. I zoomed in on the newly appeared law that had a very low percentage in front of it. [Law of Water .1%] :: All water-based abilities and skills are boosted by 10% This was the years of experience and accumulation that a cultivator at EPIC rank dropped. From the memories I plundered from him, I knew there was a different system of naming that they used for their strength, as well as memories of a brand new world I never even thought about in my wildest dreams. The memories of the EPIC ranked cultivator who was also called a cultivator at the Nascent Realm from his memories expanded my knowledge even more as I learnt of so many different and fantastic things from the World of Cultivation. Treasures were abundant, with things like secret realms similar to Spiritual Lands holding their own surprises for cultivators to explore. Things I''ve never even thought to be possible opened themselves in front of my eyes as I looked at what the System quantified as the power of Laws which I could now increase by taking down Cultivators and matched it with the memories of arduous years spent to reach that experience and accumulation that I just stole as loot. My eyes shined at the number shown in front of the law that increased the damage of any water element skills. If I could continue to obtain even more loot like this from cultivators, how long would it take before I start seeing huge passive percentages not just for water element skills, but for all the other ones too? I began feeling the bubbling of excitement again as I wanted to get back to the Lost World even more quickly. There was a powerful enemy that was a rank higher than my current self, but I wasn''t alone, and I still had my ridiculous source of strength that would not lose against the endurance of anyone else. I was curious and expectant after going through the memories of the dead cultivator and wondered just what things the most powerful one there could gift me! 148 Fiendish beasts appear in the stormy seas Martial Uncle Softsword glared imposingly at the figure of a mixture of human and fish. The being let out wild power that was at the same level as his Rebirth Realm, making him ponder just how these natives cultivated to reach such a stage that he spent years to reach. Their powers were rough yet powerful, they didn''t seem to understand laws or the dao of the world they were in, and yet they were supported by it at the same time. For this trip, he bought many disciples of the Mountain Sea Sect to look for the Supreme Treasure in this world that would act to boost his sect to the top position in the World of Cultivation. The Supreme Treasure, Trident of Neptune, had high affinity and unknown spectacular abilities for anything to do with water. For those that focused on pondering the Law of Water, it was a paramount treasure. The disciples he brought included the three purple-robed disciples at the Violet Core level, as well as tens of disciples at the Gold Core realm, and hundreds of disciples at the Nascent Core realm. Such a team was more than capable of taking down smaller sects, and yet it seemed the battle in front of him would bring some trouble. Besides the unrefined power the natives let out, they had weird weapons and ships that let out powerful blasts that could pierce the defenses of those at the nascent realm as if it were nothing. Martial Uncle Softsword was now faced with a choice as he watched the ensuing battle. If he participated and went all in, it would be a point of no return, and the casualties might be heavy. His face hardened as he recalled the divination about the Supreme Treasure, and the rise their Mountain Sea Sect would have if they got their hands on it. ''Hmph, what is there to worry about natives that have no understanding of the dao. Today I shall grant them some enlightenment!'' AOOOO!! A droning sound rang out as wild energies moved, the seawater around the MYTHICAL ranked, or Rebirth Realm Cultivator, seemed to tremble and shake as this being began moving. --- The Golden Commander on the other end, the MYTHICAL ranked Merman hoisting a trident fully black in color stood imposingly as he watched the oncoming invader. The air of arrogance was so palpable around him that he wanted to knock the cultivator off the high chair he put himself in. The trident in his hand pointed forward as the water churned, quickly solidifying and forming into a solid wall that completely withstood the impact of the attack from the cultivator. Both of them used the sea around them for their attacks, meaning that this battle would be a long one unless something drastically changed. Blue Lasers continued to shoot out from the [Plasma Guns] in the hands of Atlanteans as the Merfolk piloted the deadly submarines to veer around the water and blow up anything that neared. A signal for reinforcements had already been sent out to nearby cities, and help should be arriving within the hour. But how much damage would be done by then? The trident in his hands was rotating powerfully and causing the water around him to form into a shield that sucked in all the attacks. He was about to give commands to bring out even more advanced weaponry from the city when a change occurred in the battle. RAA! RAA! Essence roiled as powerful new auras could be seen appearing in the battlefield and attacking any nearby cultivators. Vibrations of a battle cry were spreading far as multiple beasts of LEGENDARY rank appeared and caused blood to flow into the deep waters. RAA! A sleek penguin that teleported across the battlefield continued to cause chaos, taking down any EPIC cultivators he came across. There was a large white mamba snaking across the waters as it swallowed whole and constricted anything it caught to death. Many of these sorts of beasts appeared and caused chaos, but the most dangerous of all was a white-furred beast hoisting a deadly sword. The beast had two horns growing from its head, being more than 8 meters large and looking like a mixture between a human and bear. The instant the beast appeared, one of the purple-robbed cultivators that was at the LEGENDARY rank felt a cold sword pierce through their body, the destructive energies disabling any of his defenses as his muscles and bones were shredded. Disciple Bob had fallen. The [Fiendish Sword Beast Transformation] had made its appearance in front of both Merfolk and Cultivators. This wasn''t simply an incarnation that wrapped around the body of the user, this was a full transformation that changed the user''s body. Powerful strength emanated from the Fiendish Best as the sea around it solidified to chunks of ice. Its blade was pointed towards cultivators as it floated imposingly in the sea. Martial Uncle Softsword saw the death of the Violet Core Realm disciple and howled out. "Beast, you dare intrude and take the life of a disciple from the Mountain Sea Sect?!" The full power of the MYTHICAL ranked, or Rebirth Realm cultivator, exploded out as a huge loss occurred on their side. The cultivators evaded the newly appeared beasts and tried congregating together with the Martial Uncle in the lead. "Disciples of the Mountain Sea Sect, do not falter at the enemy''s ambush and fight back! Lend me your energies, get into the formation and help me activate the Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form!" HUUUM There was a dense collection of essence as the cultivators grouped up against the newly appearing enemies. Lasers continued to shoot out from the Atlanteans using plasma guns while even more Merfolk were shooting out beams of light from their tridents. The Golden Commander went towards Noah''s figure of the Fiendish Beast as he breathed out in relief. "I can sense the Champion''s Trident on you brother, thank you for coming to our aid." The MYTHICAL commander was careful as he saw this power that he had never seen any Atlantean or Merfolk display before, but the familiarity of the token of Champion could not be misplaced, so he sent a telepathic message to probe. His face became even calmer after receiving one back. "It is something minor. We must stand together against invaders. Come on, let''s work together to take down these cultivators!" A telepathic message shot out from the body of the Fiendish Sword Beast as the cultivator''s formation came to full view. [Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form], was fully activated. VOOM! The water around the cultivators warped and condensed, using the many cultivators as nodes, multiple points of blue light forming and coming into the shape of a majestic dragon. The MYTHICAL ranked cultivator was letting out powerful energies as he stood at the head of this transparent Water Dragon, the blue light around him outshining every other cultivator in the formation. The dragon became fully formed as shining blue scales covered its entire body. A resplendent Blue Dragon had appeared in the deep seas. RAA! Merfolk and Atlanteans on one side, a deadly formation of cultivators on the other, the two sides clashed! 149 Against MYTHICAL! A resplendent Blue Dragon stood magnificently in the depths of the sea facing off against a group of beasts, Atlanteans, and Merfolk. The Blue Dragon was made up from the formation of [Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form]. Hundreds of disciples came together to provide the energy to maintain this form, as the Rebirth Realm cultivator letting out wild strength of the MYTHICAL rank stood at the forefront of the Blue Dragon. Lasers continued to be shot from the [Plasma Guns] that Atlanteans carried while rays of light shot out from the Tridents that the Merfolk were swinging. The Golden Commander stood beside the Fiendish Sword Beast that was actually Noah, telepathically sending messages as they faced the coming Blue Dragon. "I''ll flank it on the right side and try to break up the connection between the beings keeping this terrible formation in place. If you and your friends can disrupt its attention, we can take it down!" The Merman stood grandly with his Trident spinning in front of him, the waters around seemingly listening to his command as they solidified to form multiple shields around them. The transformed Noah gave a nod as the other LEGENDARY beasts clustered around him, one particular sleek penguin looking at the incoming Blue Dragon arrogantly with its head raised high. As the impact neared, a resplendent blue sigil inlaid with red spread out from the Fiendish Sword Beast at the center, wrapping around every being around him. Those he designated as enemies in the Blue Dragon felt weakness and heavy pressure descending on them as [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] was compounded with [Demon King''s Haki], while the Atlanteans, Merfolk, and the LEGENDARY beasts felt their power bubble in excitement. Noah looked at the incoming figure of the Blue Dragon as light words escaped his lips. [Absolute Zero] [Whirlpool] [Stom of Ice and Bones] VOOOM A trembling occurred in the seas at the consecutive casting of LEGENDARY and EPIC skills. Jagged spears of ice began spinning around the [White Mamba], a silvery light that pulsed with power began building up on the [Emperor Penguin], and the other beasts also pulsed with powerful strength as their individual skills were cast. An unbelievable process started to occur in the sea where the body of water surrounding the rushing Blue Dragon began to solidify and become encased in ice. A suffocating scene of the water freezing over while chunks of ice and bones began to rotate and grind upon the body of the Blue Dragon occurred. The combination of the overlay of multiple skills was deadly as Noah did not play around against the MYTHICAL ranked powerhouse coming from the World of Cultivation. "Disciples of the Mountain Sea Sect, burn your cores and lend me your power!" A rough voice resounded out as the Blue Dragon roared, a wave of blue light dispelling the whirlpool of sharp ice and bones. The blue light spread out powerfully as the sea encased in ice raised in temperature and became normal again. Power thundered through the formation of the Blue Dragon that multiple cultivators powered up as a deadly blow came. [Dragon''s Breath]! VOOM! A droning sound rang out, the head of the Blue Dragon opening and letting out terrifying vibrations as the water around it formed into an even larger whirlpool that smashed towards the forces standing in front of Aquicadis City. The Merman Golden Commander had a serious face as he watched the lasers and advanced weapons being shot out not stop the incoming attack. The black trident in his hands trembled as he went forward powerfully and cast a skill. "Born and nurtured in you, your children once again seek your protection. [Sea''s Rage]!" RUMBLE! Words spread out from the MYTHICAL Merman that made Noah''s head turn as he focused on casting his own skills to block the coming destructive attack. He felt a cry in the water around him as feelings of anger exploded out, forming into huge blue hands in front of them. His transformed beast form opened its mouth in stupefaction as he watched huge blue hands forming from the water around them and...clasp onto the oncoming destructive breath from the Blue Dragon. The arms clutched onto the whirlpool of a breath as if it was something physical, holding it in place before an explosive sound occurred. BOOM! Waves and vibrations spread out from the center as everyone was pushed back, the water calming after a few seconds. A stern expression was on the MYTHICAL Merman''s face as he looked to the sparkling Blue Dragon that was pushed back, and yet still stood powerfully. "Haha, you think you can break the formation of multiple disciples at the Nascent, Gold, and Violet Core stages, as well as someone at the Rebirth Realm leading them?! Your only chance of living would have been if you stopped this formation before it was formed. Now, you can only face death!" The cultivator at the MYTHICAL rank that called himself someone at the Rebirth Realm stood at the head of the Blue Dragon and stared imposingly at the MYTHICAL ranked Merman. He felt like this was the only figure that could threaten it, because as long as he kept receiving the energies of everyone in the [Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form], even someone at the same level as him would need to take some time before breaking through. At the mention of his arrogant words though, the transformed face of Noah shined a peculiar light as he looked at the figures of multiple cultivators in the Blue Dragon. Only two remained that were in the LEGENDARY rank, one having fallen to his blade, and the MYTHICAL cultivator at the forefront. All the other ones though, were EPIC rank. His eyes shined as a plan bloomed and he quickly reread the description of a certain skill he received not too long ago that he had yet to use. [Chains of Lightning] :: Binds any beings on the same rank as the skill with fearful lightning for as long as the energy is provided. His shining eyes looked at the many cultivators acting as nodes to make up the huge Blue Dragon that was roaring its way towards them again. The skill was only EPIC rank, so only those at that rank or lower would be affected, but that would be more than enough. Noah''s beastial transformed face let out a wicked smile as he targeted the many EPIC ranked cultivators who were also known as Gold Core Cultivators and those below them in rank as he cast [Chains of Lightning]. ZZAP! Colors of a lighter shade of blue bloomed out inside the rushing Blue Dragon as screams resounded, and the powerful formation that created an unstoppable dragon that was rushing towards Atlanteans and Merfolk...came to a standstill. 150 Against Mythical! II Martial Uncle Softsword watched in stupefaction as the [Dragon Form] formation that was famously known by many sects suddenly come to a halt. The formation was very powerful, as it used the energies of multiple cultivators to keep the form active and bring destruction to Mountain Sea Sect''s enemies. Yet at this moment in time, in a body of water where the abilities of the [Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form] should have been even further boosted, it had come to a complete stop as the disciples at the Gold and Nascent Core became wrapped in arcs of blue lightning. The blue lightning wrapped through all of them indiscriminately and began causing shock damage while holding the disciples in place. Martial Uncle Softsword''s face became hard as he found even when he sent his Rebirth Realm energy to disrupt the lightning that wrapped around many of the disciples in the Blue Dragon, it wasn''t doing anything. Shock! His mind moved as he wondered just which expert he had overlooked could perform such a peculiar skill that even he couldn''t break. The question was why did it only target those at the Gold and Nascent Core, and leave the remaining disciples at the Violet Core as well as him untouched? His mind worked at high speeds as he tried to find a solution, sweat trickling down his face amongst the sea of water as the Blue Dragon Form he controlled came to a standstill. RAA! The pain on the disciple''s faces increased over time as the ones they were attacking also began to retaliate, the one letting out strength similar to him moving actively with his pulsating trident to land attacks on the Blue Dragon. A few seconds later, the disciples at the Nascent Core began letting out dying screams as the lightning binding them had caused too much damage, and their figures were burnt to a crisp! Martial Uncle Softsword''s face became livid at this as he screamed. "Why is someone strong like you targeting weak disciples huh?! Come out and face me!" AAH! His screams were only met with more attacks from the Atlanteans and Merfolk as they found something to be wrong with the enemy''s side and threw down even more attacks. Submarines carrying lasers and explosive weaponry neared the Blue Dragon that seemed to be held in place as colorful lightning resounded inside it, with sounds of "POP" ringing out every now and then as more and more disciples faced death. "Do you think the Mountain Sea Sect would take this lying down?! We will find you!" Martial Uncle Softsword was livid as he could do nothing to break the chains of lightning wrapping and taking the lives of his sect''s disciples. His wrathful face looked at the remaining two Violet Core disciples as he sent a message towards them. "Disciple Darren, Disciple Lana, you all must escape and get word to the other sects that descended to this world with us. We from the World of Cultivation are not so easily bullied like this!" His face was impassive as he let out these commands silently, trying his best not to falter from the screams he continued to hear. He cared a lot for his disciples as he watched them grow and taught them all they needed to know in order to reach the stage they were at now. Even if he couldn''t save all of them, he would save a few and let even more experts know about this humiliation. "Martial Uncle!" "Martial Uncle, let us fight to the death with you!" The two Violet Core disciples were unwilling as they let out the messages, not bearing to see the sight in front of them where the chains of lightning continued to reap the lives of disciples they had known since they entered the sect. "No! There is that fish letting out power similar to me, and the devil taking the lives of our disciples that should be someone of the same power. I will stay behind and hold them back, but I do not know if I will make it back alive." His voice was somber as he watched deadlier attacks come, ice forming around them as spears of ice and bones formed to shred the resplendent scales of the Blue Dragon. A whirlpool of lesser strength than the [Dragon''s Breath] of the formation he controlled also appeared to cause the chaotic rotation of the sharp spears around them even deadlier as chips began to appear on the scales of the Blue Dragon. The disciples in the tail section and claws of the formation were either already killed by the chains of lightning, or now became shredded at the appearance of these new attacks. "Martial Uncle!" "Martial Uncle!" He ignored the shouts of the Violet Core disciples as he sent his Rebirth Realm energies towards them, transporting them out of the [Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form] formation. The two disciples had unwilling faces as their figures appeared outside the Blue Dragon and they began rushing out into the depth of the sea. They would not waste their Martial Uncle''s sacrifice. Atlanteans and Merfolk saw these two figures running away as multiple submarines went to chase towards them. On the other side where fiendish beasts were letting out constant attacks on the halted Blue Dragon, a silvery light flashed as one of them disappeared, a battle cry resounding soon after. RAA! Martial Uncle Softsword looked around him with bloodshot eyes as more and more disciples continued to fall from the lightning that bound them or the powerful attacks that tore apart the Blue Dragon. "My disciples, I am sorry." Painful words came out of his mouth as he looked at the disciples he had no way of saving...and released control of the formation of [Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form]. AHH! Even more screams rang out as the protection from the formation faltered and was ripped apart. Fast-moving enemies that had the faces of lions with wide wings and stingers were moving around the sea effortlessly and reaping the lives of the chained and separated disciples as the other beasts and Atlanteans around them let out even more ferocious attacks. Martial Uncle Softsword''s heart felt pain as he looked with bloodshot eyes to the enemies that caused all of this. His anger reached the peak as he stopped hearing any more screams and felt the enemies aim their pulsating weapons and tridents towards him. He was the only one remaining. He hoped the Disciple Darren and Disciple Lana would be able to get the word out to other sects so that they could stop playing around in the sidelines and move earnestly to attack these unenlightened fish. His body let out vibrations of power as the mystical seat he had been sitting on earlier showed itself again and he sat down in it. He looked grand and magnificent as he was surrounded by enemies. The Merman letting out Rebirth Realm waves of power pointed its sharp fork towards him as the fiendish beasts that had appeared and caused the destabilization pulsed with their attacks ready. "I have lived hundreds of years learning about the laws of the world. My achievements were not little, and I became renowned in the World of Cultivation. I will not be falling to some fools who have not even touched a sliver of the dao." His eyes blazed with anger as the power in his body thrummed. "Mountain Sea Sect''s Fifth Style- The Descent of the Emperor!" VOOM A blue pulse released from him at the center as a transparent outline of a powerful monarch surrounded his body. A transparent blue crown appeared on his head as regal robes were donned upon him. His body thrummed with power as he looked to the enemies all around him. "Come!" 151 Utter Destruction Disciple Darren and Disciple Lana rushed through the deep waters with fear and resentment in their eyes as they left behind their Martial Uncle. The attack of chains of lightning that had caused everything to fall apart appeared in their minds as they moved through the seas even faster. Their only respite was that the attack did not target them. But their younger disciples were all gone. Tears were falling out of the eyes of Disciple Lana as they moved forward. "Disciple Lana, don''t worry about Martial Uncle. He has mastered the Fifth Form of our Mountain Sea Sect''s Secret Technique, and won''t be taken down easily by people that haven''t even begun studying the laws." Disciple Darren looked at the jade beauty with fair skin that was crying and felt his heart soften. At least he and this fair disciple had made it out alive. They would reach the base of the other Cultivators and inform them of this injustice, before coming back with multiple people at the Violet Core and Rebirth Realms to take down these enemies. The fair beauty that was called Disciple Lana nodded at these words and moved with even more conviction. They had outrun the powerful underwater ships long ago, and were now moving up to leave the deep depths and find the islands full of cultivators above the sea. Disciple Darren''s mind wandered as he stared at the face of his female disciple filled with conviction. It made him slightly glad as he survived this ordeal with her, their relationship would undoubtedly deepen in the future, and he might even be able to perform Dual Cultivation with this jade beau- RAA! His thoughts were rapidly shifted as a weird scream they had heard before rang out around them, a silvery figure appearing right above their rapidly ascending figures. The scream shook them out of their stupor as they prepared for battle. Someone had caught up to them! An [Emperor Penguin] stood tall, his beak raised up too high as its beady eyes struggled to look down at the cultivators beneath it. Its flippers shinned with a silvery light as he raised them up and swung down, a destructive blade of silver light forming and heading towards the two LEGENDARY ranked cultivators. The blade of silver light didn''t move in a straight line, disappearing and reappearing multiple times as it seemed to descend from all directions towards the two disciples. "Mountain Sea Sect''s Fourth Style- Wings of the Sea!" The figures of the two cultivators shined as grandiose blue wings appeared behind them. Their speeds and power becoming another level higher as they faced this arrogant enemy. RAA! --- Heavy impacts and vibrations could be felt in the sea as one particular Martial Uncle withstood the attacks from multiple forces. Atlanteans carrying [Plasma Guns] and Merfolk swinging tridents that shot out powerful blasts, as well as a collection of LEGENDARY beasts that made the battle even more chaotic. OONG The cultivator at the Rebirth Realm had activated a spectacular ability, a form just below the powerful one that got stopped prematurely, it was [Mountain Sea Sect''s Fifth Style- The Descent of the Emperor]. A transparent outline of the most majestic person surrounded the cultivator, a shining blue crown stably sitting atop his head. Two swords letting out powerful vibrations that split apart the surrounding water were present in each hand as Martial Uncle Softsword valiantly faced his enemies. --- Noah looked at the powerful cultivator letting out the thrumming power of the MYTHICAL rank as he couldn''t keep a smile from forming on his face. This was a being that was called someone at the Rebirth Realm in the World of Cultivation! He had various treasures and knowledge that would in no doubt elevate the cards Noah could play with in the future. Multiple skills continued to be cast as he worked with the Golden Commander Merman that was fighting in close quarters with the boosted cultivator. Noah knew this was a secret technique of the Mountain Sea Sect, with those reaching the Rebirth, or really MYTHICAL rank, being able to learn and use the fifth and sixth forms. He had already gotten his hands on the first form of these secret techniques, and once this battle finishes successfully he should have even more. His adrenaline peaked as he thought about the hazy figure of the Blue Dragon the cultivators had to get in a formation just to have enough energy to activate it. This Martial Uncle in front of him could use the fifth form right below the Blue Dragon with ease as he traversed the waters and clashed against attacks from all sides. BOOM! Noah had been spamming his EPIC and LEGENDARY skills every few seconds, continuing to put pressure on the cultivator as he was pushed back more and more. The majesty of the secret technique he cast was slowly reducing as more of his energies were used up. "I may fall today, but know that all of you will follow after me." The strong voice came from the Martial Uncle as he realized he was fighting a losing battle. He was fighting a terrifying Merman that relentlessly used the water around them to block all attacks, while fiendish beasts continued to pester and throw out damaging skills that wore him down more and more. "My heart is strong, and I do not fear death. As for you bumbling fools that don''t even have the slightest idea about the Laws of the World, just wait for the other sects to learn of this and avenge me." The words seemed to be those of a despairing man when something drastic occurred. The transparent form of a majestic emperor he had been donning that was quickly fading away began to shine brightly again. Noah saw this as his face hardened and he activated the [Corrputed Sigil of Hegemony] skill that he was saving for drastic situations. The Martial Uncle was burning his core to let out resplendent strength before his death. He couldn''t have that happen, as it meant the loot would be reduced if this cultivator continued to burn the origin that contained many treasures and secrets! "ATTACK!" He screamed out with vigor as he sent the command to the beasts and the forces from Aquicadis city. The sigil that buffed him and his forces while weakening his enemies spread out, the attacks becoming even deadlier as more and more landed on the resplendently shining figure of the MYTHICAL cultivator. The transformed Noah rushed in close quarters as his primal spirits also surrounded him, multiple colorful skills shining out and striking down towards the Martial Uncle. BOOM! It required the cooperation of multiple LEGENDARY beasts and primal spirits, as well as a Golden Commander that was at the MYTHICAL rank, but the cultivator at the Rebirth Realm had fallen in the Lost World. 152 Something beautiful What was the most beautiful thing in the world? Was it wealth? Power? Freedom? Or the company of a beautiful man or woman? Many people had differing opinions on what they considered beautiful, but Noah felt like the sight in front of him was the most beautiful thing he was seeing since his birth. The resplendently shining skill books, cores, items, and sparkling crystals piled up to a mountain really was too beautiful to look at. He had pushed himself and spammed as many skills as he could in the last moments when the MYTHICAL cultivator began burning his core for a last-minute gamble. Terrible skills that tore apart the surrounding seas were targetted towards the valiant cultivator. He had fallen completely after his body became shredded by the many attacks that surrounded him, and Noah was near to take his body and loot into his storage pouch. This wasn''t the first body he collected, as any previous cultivators he killed were taken into his storage pouch or Spiritual Land. The [Emperor Penguin] had the job of moving around the battlefield and transporting all defeated enemies into the spiritual land with his unique powers of teleportation. When the battle here was finished, he was capable enough as he even brought back the bodies of the LEGENDARY Disciples that were running away. Noah found himself thinking how this arrogant penguin wasn''t too bad after all. He wouldn''t kick it off of the fluffy couches when he saw it lazing around next time. When the battle was done, his [Fiendish Sword Beast Transformation] was released as he appeared in the golden haired body of the Atlantean next to the Golden Commander that had his powerful trident raised high in the air, shouting for victory. The inhabitants of Aquicadis city had effectively stopped and taken down the invaders with minimal casualties. The Golden Commander looked over at Noah and expressed his goodwill as soon as he saw the body that was fully Atlantean. "Brother, you''ve found yourself some very good allies and a peculiar set of skills" The Merman said this as he looked towards the long [White Mamba], [Emperor Penguin], and the other beasts congregating together. A skill that allowed you to fully transform into another creature was rare in the sea, especially when that creature was not sea-based, but it wasn''t something that never appeared. "Yes. I was lucky enough to form some close bonds after I explored some islands a while back." Noah had been feeling really happy, so he replied with a smile as his eyes wandered at the pile of defeated cultivators and loot in his storage pouch that he couldn''t wait to get through. "At least allow me to host you in my City before you head towards Atlantis, you''ll need a full belly, as well as some information that should help you avoid the dangerous parts." The Merman continued to show goodwill after the battle, and Noah was on the tip of his toes with impatience to go through all the loot, but he breathed out to calm himself down while chanting ''Patience'' in his mind. It wouldn''t be too bad to collect more information about the dangers of crossing to lower zones of the sea, and information from a MYTHICAL Merman was not something to laugh at. He put the piles of shining loot out of his mind for now as he and the five LEGENDARY beasts went towards the City of Aquicadis with the cheering groups of Atlanteans and Merfolk. The LEGENDARY beasts had no problems being under the water, and could even create bubbles of air similar to the cultivators if they wished. They looked curiously around them as it was the first time being out of the Spiritual Land in a while. Merfolk swarmed curiously around the body of a certain sleek penguin as they found its arrogant beak that always seemed to point to the skies to be very interesting. RAA! A celebratory night was spent in the underwater City of Aquicadis as Noah and the beasts got a chance to enjoy the delicacies of a new world. It was a very weird sight to see as they watched fish go on to eat other fish, but they didn''t complain. The Merfolk ate anything they caught raw, while the Atlanteans preferred to cook their meals in their areas that were surrounded by protective bubbles where they roamed like humans inside. Reinforcements from a nearby city came later, and only got the chance to enjoy the festivities and not the battle. Hours passed like this as Noah talked to the Golden Commander while enjoying the food, learning about a few more things that weren''t in the memories of the weak Atlanteans he had taken down some time back. After the festivities died down a bit, Noah said his goodbyes to the Golden Commander as he prepared to set off again, this time wanting to take the shortest route to reach Atlantis. The meeting of powerful humans from the World of Cultivators had roused his sense of adventure, and he wanted to start on the plans for those as soon as his current goals were achieved. Demons, Atlanteans, Cultivators. There were many groups he had met so far, but the goals remained the same. The one he was going after now lied in the city at the center of the Lost World, Atlantis. The Golden Commander nodded as he saw he couldn''t keep Noah behind any longer, saying his last appreciative words. "The title of Champion is special, and only those at the Neon Commander stage can fight for it. If you are successful among the many powerful champions, a prize that is the peak combination of sorcery and biomedical engineering awaits for you, so work hard!" The Merman let out powerful words that caused a shining light to cross Noah''s eyes as he nodded, thinking about the many treasures he could obtain from Atlantis. This civilization that combined technology and magic, he really wanted to get his hands on their creations! His blood pumped as he left behind the City of Aquicadis with the beasts and continued to make his path downwards, finding a time to stop after a few minutes to go into the Spiritual Land to count his rewards first. The cultivators were not stingy at all, giving him a resplendent pile of rewards that he began going through. First and foremost were the secret techniques that the cultivators of the Mountain Sea Sect were using. EPIC :: [Mountain Sea Sect''s Second Style- Blue Fortress] LEGENDARY :: [Mountain Sea Sect''s Third Style- Healing Water] LEGENDARY :: [Mountain Sea Sect''s Fourth Style- Wings of the Sea] MYTHICAL :: [Mountain Sea Sect''s Fifth Style- Descent of the Emperor] MYTHICAL :: [Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form] The cultivators...were truly giving. Disciple Bob and the other two known to be in Violet Core dropped the LEGENDARY skills that were the third and fourth secret techniques of the Mountain Sea Sect. The Rebirth Realm cultivator gifted the first skills of MYTHICAL rank that Noah got his hands on, and they were spectacular, to say the least. He already received the first form from the EPIC disciple he had covertly taken before he joined the battle, and now he hed the second form too, which granted him all the 6 forms he had seen the cultivators use in this battle. He was itching to try the most powerful style of the secret techniques, but held off and looked at the crystals that thrummed with an enticing power. [Low-level Water Crystal] :: A crystal containing the accumulations of the Law of Water. An insignificant portion is contained. [Mid-level Water Crystal] :: A crystal containing the accumulations of the Law of Water. A small portion is contained. [High-level Water Crysta] :: A crystal containing the accumulations of the Law of Water. A significant portion is contained. There were multiple of these gorgeously shining crystals that were one of the three most prized loot to be received from the cultivators. The secret techniques that turned into skills was the first, these crystal containing accumulations of a certain law were the second, and the third was of course...the memories. 153 Coquilles The World of Cultivation was something spectacular to see. Wide valleys and mountains with floating lands hidden in the clouds similar to the Beast World. Arrogant cultivators studying the Laws of the World ran rampant as they looked down on anyone beneath them. Noah smiled at the many memories and secrets he had obtained from the Martial Uncle of the Mountain Sea Sect and the many disciples he brought to the Lost World of Atlantis. He knew more about the Mountain Sea Sect than most other disciples and Martial Uncles at this point. He wasn''t even phased by the memories of powerful cultivators that surpassed the LEGENDARY and MYTHICAL rank, as he himself had traversed and touched upon MYTHICAL in the span just over two or three months? [Thought Acceleration] worked in full force as his mind collected the abundant new information and he looked at ways of using it best, coming up with a few drastic ideas that could only be implemented in the future. The beasts enjoyed the colorful blue fruits from the [Snow Vines] as they entered the futuristic modern houses that they requested more of to be built. Another great thing happened this night, as the EPIC [Arctic Wolf] also finally joined the ranks of beasts that broke through to the LEGENDARY rank after consuming many of the fruits from the [Snow Vines] The numbers of beasts continued to change under the panel that Noah looked forward to the possibility of fulfilling the requirements for upgrading the Spiritual Land to the Fourth tier in a few weeks or months. He looked at the many grandiose buildings that now populated the Spiritual Land as he went towards the first luxurious modern house he had built. He was now making a habit of cooking and roasting things in this house and relaxing in the bubbling hot pool on the third floor while thinking. He moved across the house while twirling the many [Water Crystals] that dropped from the cultivators. He would absorb them slowly and watch as the percentages for anything water element related rose to crazy levels. While nearing the blue fireplace to absorb the gains in peace, he saw the miniaturized figure of the [Emperor Penguin] wrapping itself in a white towel as it climbed the steps towards the bubbling jacuzzi upstairs, an expression of arrogance and contentment in its face. Was he giving this penguin too much leeway nowadays? Its usefulness only seemed to increase, and it was one of the more talented beasts in the Spiritual Land and continued to be the highest in power. The special trait that allowed it to easily send out spatial attacks and teleport around with ease was the envy of many other beasts. This penguin was the only one brave enough to enter and use this house I normally used, with all the other ones enjoying the many other ones I built around the Spiritual Land. I turned my attention from this peculiar beast and focused on absorbing the [Water Crystals], wanting to see just how big the percentage increase would be for taking down so many cultivators. Plans and hopes continued to bud and grow all around as Noah continued to move in the Lost World, continuing to increase in power as he met more and more beings from the vast universe. --- One particular Demon Lord was visiting another, even more terrifying one. He had an apprehensive face as he looked towards the teenager surrounded by hundreds of thousands of green eyes all around. "Empress, something unsolvable happened to one of the squadrons working under me." His voice rang out respectfully as he watched the teenager eating something...unsavory. She was holding on to a large fried piece of meat that she bit into with enthusiasm, her abyssal eyes shifting to the lower-ranked Ruler. "They should have been at EPIC rank at most? Why worry so much about it?" She asked nonchalantly as she continued to eat her meal. Beside her in the underwater cave was a brightly glowing fire that she used to continue roasting the meat in her hands. "They disappeared silently, without even being able to send a word. Our enemies could be grouping up and targeting us in this world. The other Rulers and I will be shifting our forces around and move even faster to locate the Supreme Treasure before the waters become any muddier with more enemies." "Haha, don''t worry about it too much. Even if it''s a MYTHICAL rank moving around actively, look at what I did to this one." Her eyes shifted to the side where an Atlantean lay, barely letting out bated breaths as his right leg was missing in its entirety. "Haha, isn''t it funny? He looked at me in horror when I sawed his thigh and began roasting it, like it was the most unbelievable thing. Doesn''t he realize he does the same thing to the poor little fishes? To me, he''s just another poor little fish that I caught in my net. Haha!" The apprehension in the lower-ranked Demon Lord only rose as the conversation continued. The being that was getting roasted was something at the same rank as him, the fear he felt towards this Necromancer of Chaos only increasing. "...Emperor Baal mentioned you would actively help us when you descended here" A sharp light passed through Barbatos''s eyes as a heavy pressure descended on the Demon Lord of the 29th rank. "You think you can push me just by uttering his name?" The voice was cold and emotionless, none of the playfulness and laughter that was there just a moment ago showing itself. The pressure Astaroth felt only increased as he let more words escape his lips. "I meant no disrespect, Empress. There are just powerful enemies in the zones we''re currently searching in, and it would be of huge help if we had your presence in the Abyssal Zone while we move around." The pressure and cold light did not leave the teenager''s face as she looked coldly at the Demon Lord. Her bottomless eyes locked on to the eyes of the kneeling Astaroth. It felt as if the eyes saw through all of his thoughts and secrets, making Astaroth feel extremely vulnerable under the gaze. Barbatos spat out the meat she had been chewing on and tossed aside the large thigh she was holding in her hands. "What are the coordinates of this Abyssal Zone?" Her cold voice made the Demon Lord sink even lower as he replied in a small voice. Barbatos looked at this kneeling figure and nodded, the green circles of light around them that spread out for miles began actively moving yet again. A half-eaten Atlantean lay broken and barely breathing as the Necromancer of Chaos began moving towards the Abyssal Zone. The kneeling Demon Lord looked at this figure of the same rank as him pitifully, a blazing flame leaving his hands to put it out of its misery as he looked fearfully towards the leaving Barbatos. The effect that this small sequence of events would have on many powerful beings was yet to occur. 154 Absurd After spending the entire night thinking and absorbing the [Water Crystals] that the cultivators ranging from MYTHICAL to rank S, a new percentage had appeared under the section of [Laws] in the stat panel. Everything seemed to go well, yet the problem was the absurdity of numbers that Noah was seeing. [Law of Water 5%] :: All water-based abilities and skills are boosted by 500% ¡­ It was a ludicrous set of numbers to see how much just five percent of understanding of the Law of Water translated to any water element skills being boosted by more than five times. Too ridiculous. Noah''s mind was pounding as he imagined reaching just the halfway point of 50% in the Law of Water, which would translate to fifty times the boost to any water element skill. It was crazy to even imagine, but at the same time, how easy would it be to reach there? He had taken down three cultivators at the LEGENDARY rank, one at the MYTHICAL rank, tens of the EPIC rank, and even more at rank S. The percentage has risen to 5% from all of those cultivators, so he had to work hard to continue bringing it higher. When he moved out of the Spiritual Land into the water once again, he felt as if he was in a whole different world. The .1% he received the first time didn''t give changes that were too noticeable, but the 5% increase in the Law of Water caused a significant change that he noticed right away. He felt as if the sea around him was cradling and supporting him, and he could easily put the nearby water under his command. The feeling was new and fantastic to feel, making him look forward to obtaining even more [Water Crystals], as well as crystals of other elements in the future. He didn''t know when, but the World of Cultivation would be on his list of goals sometime in the future. This concept of laws was too fantastic to pass up, especially when they augmented his skills and the rest of his strength so well. A system of power that took the skills of those he defeated from his homeworld, a unique treasure that had boundless potential with crazy features to unlock as he goes forward, and now, easily grasping something as abstruse as laws just by defeating cultivators that worked tens to hundreds of years just to grasp the tiniest bit of them. There were many worlds in the universe, with many more treasures he had yet to get his hands on. In the Lost World was the Supreme Treasure, Trident of Neptune. If he could also get his hands on something like that, and continue collecting other powers and skills unique to different worlds, he soon realized that the concept of levels would become meaningless to him. Could he really be considered a being of a specific rank when he so seamlessly held and combined powers and skills from multiple worlds? Only time would tell, which meant he needed to fight opponents without becoming too arrogant and losing his life. There were many options to choose from as he neared Atlantis, and he knew just where to test out these spectacular boosts in water element skills, as well as the actual new skills gifted to him by the cultivators. --- There was a deep-sea creature that many reckless Atlanteans and Merlfok lost their lives to over the years. It stayed in a specific region that was always known to be one of the danger zones to steer away from, as passing through it would almost always guarantee your death. It roamed in a zone that wasn''t too far off from the City of Atlantis, it was the terrifying creature of the MYTHICAL rank, the Anglerfish. There were very few of this specie of fish found all over the Lost World, yet any that were found always neared the top in strength. They lived in murky environments when sunlight could not reach, and enjoyed the bleak darkness around them as they had the one source of light that always lured their prey. It had a long fleshy growth atop its head that pointed out a distance from it, where at the end of this fleshy growth was a circular portion that could shine brightly in the dark waters. Any creature that was lured by this beautiful white-blue light would only find death at the next instant as this terrible beast moved fast to swallow them whole. In the bleak darkness below the sea, a powerfully large body was roaming around. An enticing flash of light would shine every now and then, seemingly pulling at the attention of anything nearby. The large creature roamed its territory as usual, and not a single bit of its aura could be discernable as it moved across the waters. A few minutes passed, and a change occurred as it senses some movements. Had it finally found a prey? The creature reigned in the deadly bloodlust it was feeling as its body neared the signal it senses, the enticing blue light atop its head shining even more enticingly. The feeling of shock and horror when it illuminated the target that had swam to it was something it could never get tired of. Enough light was released to show a glowing circle of light, and not much more as the two figures neared one another. Only a circle of light was visible as they both closed in just a few meters near each other, and the creature shined out its light grandly as the entire surroundings were illuminated. How terrified would the creature it caught about to be? A wide smile revealed jaggedly sharp teeth as a tremendous force erupted from the Anglerfish as the light expanded, and its prey was laid bare. An Atlantean man with golden hair stood calmly in front of this MYTHICAL creature, a light smile that shocked the Anglerfish appearing on his face. "Hey big guy, I''ve spent a few days looking for you in this vast sea." It was a light tone like that of one friend talking to another as Noah finally find the powerful beast the Golden Commander at the City of Aquicadis warned him to avoid. A puzzling expression came onto the Anglerfish''s face before it returned malevolent, its ugly face stretched as it moved at a fast speed to swallow the creature in front of it whole. "Haha, good! I haven''t gotten a chance to practice this on something truly strong, so don''t disappoint me!" A voice filled with enthusiasm erupted as multiple skills were cast. From the first to the fifth form of Mountain Sea Sect''s six secret techniques, all were cast as a grandiose power sent out a shockwave that pushed back the rushing Anglerfish. The first style, Water Sword. The second, Blue Fortress. The third, Healing Water. The fourth, Wings of the Sea. The fifth, Descent of the Emperor. Skills from the Epic to Mythical rank were all cast at once as they came together to form something spectacular. A resplendent blue light was shining out as an air of majesty spread across the waters, illuminating every single spot for more than a mile. Noah stood firm in front of the Mythical sea creature that was thrumming with power, its body vibrating powerfully as it felt a threat coming from the being it thought to be a prey. Noah''s body was encased in a regal form of a long past emperor that had an impassive face as a blue crown imposingly appeared above his head. His body that was originally 2 meters long became encased as he now appeared twice as large. Brilliantly shining blue wings spread out from behind him as they made the [Descent of the Emperor] feel even more seamless. Two vibrating blue swords that seemed to be calling for blood were in both of his hands as a walled piece of armor seemed to form around the already powerful body, making [Descent of the Emperor] become even more solid as the resplendent light increased. To top it all off, there was a distinct layer of water constantly moving across the shining body, covering any gaps as it made the Fifth form of Mountain Sea Sect''s Six Styles come even more alive. Apprehension filled the Anglerfish''s cold heart at this prey that turned out to be a predator, deciding whether to run or fight. It felt the two vibrating blue blades pointing towards it as a deadly voice entered its ear. "The water around us is actually leaking a smell of fear. That couldn''t be coming from something as powerful as you, right?" The voice seemed to be taunting it, making the eyes of the Mythical beast turn blood red as its apprehensions were let loose. OOONG! Wrathful energies spread out as beside the Anglerfish, multiple creatures just as ferocious as it began being summoned out. 155 Atlantis I "Haha, come on!" A thrilling battle was playing out in some of the deepest waters of the Lost World as Noah''s figure enshrouded in the majesty of a powerful emperor seamlessly moved in the water. He was evading sharp teeth from sinking into his figure as the vibrating blue blades in his hands struck down the summoned creatures just slightly less powerful than the Anglerfish that were swarming around him. SHLUCK! Whenever his blade struck, flesh would wildly be ripped open as the vibrating blades split apart muscle and bone like it was nothing. Every single creature that the Anglerfish summoned was being torn apart with ease as Noah moved closer to the powerful beast, his blue blades thrumming excitedly. The shining wings on his back made his speed swift in the water, and when any attacks landed on him, only a dent could be heard as he was wrapped around in the blue form of Mountain Sea Sect''s first five styles. The form of [Healing Water] wasn''t even given a chance to shine as not a single attack got through the outline of the blue armor. OONG The Mythical Anglerfish let out wild power as it felt the threat of death approaching, the fleshy protrusion shining with a blinding light that began boiling the area around them as the intense battle continued. The water around them began boiling as the light continued to get brighter and brighter, and yet Noah continued to move as if nothing was wrong, his blades continuing to land of the slippery body of the ugly fish. It would continue to struggle as it summoned out more and more creatures, but its current opponent was too much of an anomaly as all of its efforts were in vain. It was a powerful beast of Mythical rank that many Atlanteans and Merfolk steered away from, and yet it continued to be pushed back by Noah''s relentless attacks until the vibrating blades began causing heavy damage to it. SHLUCK! A dense mass of muscle began being cut up as the wings on Noah''s back shined, his figure becoming close to a blue streak of light as he seemed to have stopped playing and moved around the large body of the Mythical beast while tearing it apart with the vibrating blades. It was a desolate sight as the beast struggled, its usual routine of going around its territory looking for prey going sideways this day as for the first time in its life, it experienced the feeling of something that was being preyed upon. OONG! A blast of blue light exploded out in the dark sea as the Mythical beast was shredded into a mass of flesh and bones. The power Noah was showing was overwhelming for those on the same level as too many things elevated his power to a whole new stage. Only a blue light emanating from the majestic form of [Descent of the Emperor] remained in the depths where a powerful creature used to prowl as Noah collected cores, a Mythical skill book, and a blue glowing item. [Summon Creatures of the Deep] :: You''ve traversed the deep waters and become familiar with the terrifying creatures in it. Summons a maximum of two creatures. [Pearl of Sea] :: An expansive space for the storage of all things lies within. A smile appeared on Noah''s calm face as he collected his new gains. His eyes were already looking below the dark waters to a location calling out to him far below. --- The city at the center of the Lost World. It couldn''t even be called a city as it stood grandly at some of the deepest depths of the sea, acting like a beacon of light that stretched out for miles. Noah stood a few miles away from the City of Atlantis as he just observed it first. It felt like he was looking at the most technologically advanced magical city as resplendent blue and white lights could be seen everywhere he turned Just in the surroundings of the city, there were growths of gorgeous looking plants that pulsed in pink and purple light. There were crowds of Merfolk and Atlanteans going around as he came across a sight he had only seen in other beings'' memories. He saw an expansive set of what looked like illuminated roads that were stacked on multiple levels, all leading towards a large 20-meter triangular gate that was the entrance to Atlantis. Masses of exquisitely built ships and submarines were effortlessly moving around as even more floating vehicles that put the automotive industry in his homeworld to shame went back and forth on the illuminating roads separated by multiple levels. This wasn''t the most stunning sight though, as groups of deep-sea fish that can be considered behemoths had reins and large saddles fastened on their backs. All sorts of fish could be seen being used as rides, ranging from huge whales to great white sharks, to stingrays that let out arcs of lightning. Near the blue glowing triangular gate, there were huge golden statues on either side standing grandly. One was a Merfolk hoisting a golden trident, his face powerfully overlooking all those that entered. The other statue was an Atlantean decked in a powerful armor with the largest [Plasma Gun] pointing out to the dark sea. Just the statues themselves let out an oppressive feeling of power for those seeing it for the first time. Noah calmed his beating heart as he watched this magnificent sight that was the center of a large world. He could only see outlines of shining buildings and skyscrapers spreads out for miles behind a thin film of light that covered the entirety of Atlantis. His figure moved closer towards the throngs of Atlanteans and Merfolk as he felt the Champion''s Trident in his storage item begin to vibrate. He looked at the powerful inhabitants of Atlantis that ranged from rank S to Epic, and even the two Legendary guards standing beneath the two statues of their respective races. There were even more Commanders at Epic and S rank patrolling the entire area as the movements in and out of Atlantis looked to be heavily regulated. He began to take a closer look round the triangular gate as the expansive wall that was behind the statues made itself clear. There were things that seemed to be cannons lining up the wall all around. A blue light continued to circle through their exquisite exterior as they aimed their deadly ends to any intruders that would dare to cause troubles. Noah felt like he would only continue to be astounded by Atlantis as he neared the triangular gate, the vibrations of the Champion''s Trident becoming stronger and stronger. A Neon Commander that was near the large gate seemed to have sensed something as she looked towards Noah''s figure, taking the trident in her hands thereafter and smacking it towards the blue illuminated road below them. A shining blue light erupted out in a cylindrical fashion from her and a thin line stretched out to connect to Noah. Surprised and expectant gazes occurred over the throngs of Atlanteans and Merfolk as the woman causing the scene voiced out in a chirpy voice. "Another Champion has arrived!" WOO! Cheers rang out as the inhabitants of Atlantis in the small area Noah was in congregated and looked around him enthusiastically. The light identifying him died down as the Mermaid that caused it came up to him and said cheerfully. "Champion! Welcome to the city that never sleeps, the center of technology and magic, the City of Atlantis!" 156 Atlantis II The triangular gate that was more than 20 meters tall had a thin blue line that everyone had to pass through. If you didn''t have something that identified you as an inhabitant of Atlantis, you wouldn''t be able to get in. Noah followed the Mermaid that had caused a commotion outside by grandly pronouncing his arrival as they crossed the thin film of light. It felt as if multiple unknown things were scanning him up and down, the Champion''s Trident he had taken out blinking twice in his hands as he passed through with no problems. The mermaid looked back at him as behind her, the full grandiosity of Atlantis spread out before Noah''s eyes. He thought there were a lot of golden ships and submarines outside, but he was hugely mistaken. The inside of the underwater city was even more spectacular as architecture of all sorts of styles and sizes could be seen. Pulsating lines of light that seemed to connect everything were spread throughout, making Atlantis seem very lively. "Haha, the city always gives a shock to newcomers. Come this way, I''ll show you the exciting place where you''ll be spending some time in a few days!" The mermaid was very bubbly and chirpy, making someone question the aura she held at Legendary rank as she moved around. Her name was Ula, and she was the Neon Commander in charge of bringing in the new Champions and preparing them for the things to come. They swam around the huge city that could be considered an empire by itself as she pointed out everything around her as if she was seeing it for the first time herself. The city seemed to be mostly underwater, with a few places having barriers that provided pockets of air where Atlanteans gathered. "This is the Gem of Knowledge." She pointed to the extravagant building that seemed to be carved out of a large blue gem, where it had the outline of shining pages at its center. "It holds all the knowledge about our world, the mysteries and unsolved phenomena, as well as...the terrifying creatures prowling in the deepest waters. Give it a visit sometime to expand your knowledge!" She pulled Noah to the next places she wanted to show as he followed along with an exasperated expression, finding the pace of this mermaid much too fast as he enjoyed the illuminated surroundings of Atlantis. It was the scene of innovation and life vibrantly budding as he was taken around for a tour that lasted more than an hour, and even then he had barely seen a percentage of Atlantis. The mermaid, Ula, knew how to read the mood as she smiled and pulled Noah along to one last place. It was a less congregated place where a few guards patrolled, and they were granted access with Ula in the lead. She brought him next to what seemed to be another blue road that extended for miles, though this one had what seemed to be train tracks running alongside it. They waited just for a moment as something zoomed near them, a beautifully sculpted tube that sprouted mechanical wings on each side opening its doors towards them. "Haha, I''m sure you haven''t used one of these before. Come in, our next place is the one you''ll want to know about the most!" Ula''s chirpy voice enthusiastically rang out as she pulled Noah into the tube that blazed down the shining blue road at extreme speeds. Noah looked at the passing blurs of buildings, Atlanteans, and Merfolk as the tube snaked across the connected roads of Atlantis and brought them further inwards at an alarming pace. He couldn''t help but ask. "These roads run throughout all of Atlantis?" He asked while he sat down on the seats of the futuristic little train as the mermaid beside him continued talking. "Everything in this city is connected, and the roads with these mini High-Speed Hydro Trains are just one way of that. As long as you know where to go, it won''t take you too long to get there. We''re going to the Aqua Tower that lies near the center of Atlantis, that''s where new Champions gather every week to see if they have what it takes to become the Seekers of Atlantis." Her eyes shined powerfully as she mentioned the word seekers. This was the title that those who were considered Champions could achieve in order to gain the knowledge and secrets that those in the upper echelons of Atlantis held on the Supreme Treasure that everyone was searching for. The treasure that the first ruler of Atlantis held, allowing him tremendous power that allowed him to establish dominion in some of the deepest parts of the sea and establish the city of magic and innovation that''s existed until now. Yet, when the late king went missing some time back, so did the Supreme Treasure. Since then, there had only been a period of incessant searching, but nothing has been found. The blurs of light around them passed as the Hydro Train with mechanical wings came to a stop in a clear environment with very little noise. There were a few powerful auras congregated around the area as they surrounded a large golden tower that rose above the seas. The tower was meticulously built with an archaic design that seemed to be modified for the modern Atlantis as it stood grandly in front of them. Ula raised her trident as she stood proudly in front of Noah. "This is the Aqua Tower, a treasure built by the first King of Atlantis." She turned towards Noah and looked him straight in the eyes, her trident pointing towards the Aqua Tower that was drawing in his eyes. "In a few days, the selection to see just which Champions can become Seekers of Atlantis will take place once again. What you see currently is just the outer look of the tower, and your goal...lies below." Noah''s eyesight moved towards the ground that the mermaid was pointing at, as he could see a thin outline of the same tower that seemed to be much larger going down into the ground. "Those who wish to become Seekers have to descend at least to the 70th floor in order to obtain a treasure that will initiate them into their new role. Many Neon Commanders have tried, with very few that stood at the peak of that level passing the 70th floor. It''s mostly Golden Commanders that usually make it through and obtain the most rewards." The neon and golden commanders she was mentioning were naturally Legendary and Mythical ranked individuals. Noah''s power had already risen to the Mythical level, and he wondered just how far down he could go in this tower where treasures lay waiting for him. This was one of his goals in coming to Atlantis. Past the 70th floor of the Aqua Tower was a treasure created from technology and magic, something that everybody holding the title of Champion wanted to get their hands on. "If you are strong enough to reach that level, the expertly synthesized Golden Serum will land in your hand. It was the pride and joy that granted such incredible strength to King Neptune. You must have heard of its effects to be standing where you are now, so the one advice I can give you is, go as deep as you can." The mermaid that was always speaking a chirpy enthusiastic voice turned serious as she said this. "The deeper you go, the more concentrated the Serum becomes, and the more power you will gain after taking it." Noah nodded at these words as many thoughts passed through his mind and she continued, this time getting back to her cheerful self. "The new selection will start in a few days, so you have some time to enjoy Atlantis as it should be enjoyed. I''ll lead you to the lodging where you''ll be staying." Noah followed closely behind the mermaid as he took in the expansive Aqua Tower one last time, his gaze lingering on a shining blue square on the right side of the tower that held multiple numbers with names in front of them. At the number one spot which shone in a golden light stood a name that would bring awe to any that looked. It was written- King Neptune. 157 World Connection Noah spent the next hour after that being shown around even more places, even visiting one of her apparently favorite restaurants before the mermaid Ula dropped him off in an exquisite lodging for Atlanteans. The futuristic house was surrounded by a bubble of air, and inside it were multiple Atlanteans dressed in servant clothing that attended around the house. Noah gave his farewell to the mermaid that was extremely welcoming as he toured the lodging, looking forward to most likely finding all of the blueprints of these buildings and architecture he observed here appearing in his Spiritual Land. He let the attendants that were moving around the lodging know he wouldn''t be needing them, and he finally let out a breath as he found himself alone once more. He looked around the house for a few more minutes before going into one of the rooms that held large soft bedding, where he closed the door and his figure disappeared. He had received a message some time back that something that needed some time to successfully occur would finally be happening. He had a few days before the next round of selection to see who was capable of becoming a Seeker of Atlantis occurred, so before that he planned to go back to a place he had promised to go back to frequently. It had already been over a week since then, and he wondered how things were going. --- A dazzling woman dressed in a light blue dress lined with fur was staring out from the terrace of a large manor atop a floating peak in the sky. It was a scene that would be a young man''s dream as the fair woman looked with forlorn and a bit of frustration, her mind seemingly thinking of many things. It was late at night, so she let out a sigh as she turned around to head back into her room when something dazzling occurred. Her eyesight that was only looking at the darkness and a few lights leading further into the manor found the world in front of her turning a bright shade of gold. Her frustrated expression was instantly wiped away as the figure of the man she was thinking about appeared in front of her. She wanted to say many things, but before she even had the chance she found their two figures shifting locations and appearing in a unique place she hadn''t been to in a while. They appeared inside the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land as Noah moved in advance to escape prying ears. A light smile was on his face as he adopted an apologetic expression on his face. "Hey-" Pah! A light impact resounded beside the location just outside the futuristic modern house in the Spiritual Land. Adelaide had jumped onto Noah''s body, tightly grabbing him and not letting go as her worries eased. "Haha, sorry I didn''t come back even sooner. How''s everything?" Noah pulled her from his chest as he wanted to check how things were developing so far, before preparing her for a big surprise that would be happening sometime soon. The Queen of the Frozen Kingdom looked up as she observed Noah and the exquisite architectures around them. She didn''t reply as she grabbed his hand and led him into the futuristic manor in front of them, her face that of someone on a mission. --- The Frozen Kingdom had continued its rapid period of development with the boom in the agricultural sector that allowed them to establish trade with the Mythical Kingdoms of the Beast World. There were a variety of products they exported, but their most profitable ones were the products made by the [Sacred Rye] that was planted in the Spiritual Land. With no forces placing them at war, it was a period where everyone strengthened themselves while working harder to prepare for any similar scenarios in the future. The Frozen Kingdom traded for specialty products of other kingdoms as well as gaining an abundant inflow of cores that continued to strengthen their people. Expansion of the kingdom continued as more and more humans and beastmen came to establish themselves in the Frozen Kingdom, the policies of the old king of accepting people of all races still increasing the workforce of the kingdom. Adelaide was sitting on a fluffy couch with a thick book in her hands as she looked to be in a happier mood with all her frustrations gone. She had on light blue bloomers and a tank top as her abundant blue hair messily rolled down to below her shoulders. She was talking while looking over the many things written in the thick book, Noah''s head resting on her thighs with his eyes peacefully closed as he listened. It was a calming scene to look at as the pitter-patter of little feet could be heard, and an arrogant miniaturized penguin appeared with a large tray of already matured and cut up [Pigmy Melons] and the ice-blue fruits from the [Snow Vines]. Adelaide''s fair hand reached out to grab some fruits as she continued to talk, the sleek penguin retreating to the side as it stared at the figure of Noah blissfully lying on the Queen''s lap with contempt. It seemed like the higher-ups of the Mythical Kingdom had already made contact with Adelaide, especially the powerhouse of the Mythical Phoenix Kingdom that had visited to look for Noah. The expansion and advancement of the Frozen Kingdom was overall continuing to do well as the days passed, and it would only go faster from here. Noah''s resting eyes snapped open as he received a message and then began feeling the area around him begin trembling. The project that two worlds were undertaking these past few days was finally coming to fruition. A significant amount of time was put in this time around to reduce risks as much as possible, and the final touches were being put in place now as the process finished. At that instant, a blinding white light briefly covered the Beast World, as well as Noah''s homeworld. When the white light passed, surprising changes began to occur, even more so in the younger world that initiated the connection. The changes in the Beast World would be just as surprising though, because when things settled down, the inhabitants of the Beast World began seeing new things in their line of sight. Noah observed the settling of essence around them as he turned to the surprised Adelaide and said, "Do you see something in the corner of your eyes?" The Queen thought she couldn''t be anymore surprised, but found her mouth opening blankly as she saw a status panel for the first time in her life. Her newly risen strength of Epic rank was clearly shown with all of the skills she had been using, and even more new things as her eyes passed through the spectacular panel and she read things like [Skill Combination]. The connection between the two worlds was successfully established, and the system of power that the inhabitants of Noah''s blue planet enjoyed had now appeared in the Beast World as well. The ways that the inhabitants of the Beast World raised their strengths would also become accessible to the humans in Noah''s world, and the spectacular feature of traveling across the two worlds would soon be established to become the norm sometime in the future. The two worlds were rapidly changing as a new age was being ushered in. 158 Advancing The inhabitants of the two worlds felt that something had changed on a certain day. The differences were more obvious for the Beast World as something completely different from what they knew was introduced to them. The strength of the powerhouses at the peak of power could quantify their strength and even do fantastical things like combining the skills that they had been proficiently using over the years. A period of tremendous change would occur over the coming weeks. As for the effect this would cause on a grander scale, many had yet to realize or find out. --- Noah''s next few days were a period of relaxing by viewing the sights of Atlantis by day and spending the nights in the Beast World and his homeworld while watching how others were adapting to the new changes around them. Spending the time in the Frozen kingdom with the icy Queen was fun while the time spent on the hidden village in his homeworld was very peaceful. It was a stark contrast for both of them when he got back to Atlantis that was filled with wonder and lights all around. Noah had many cores, items, and skill books that he didn''t have any uses of. In his hands were many skill books of the different styles of Mountain Sea Sect that the disciples he took down gifted. Many were given to Sophia as she handled distributing them to the chosen protectors that continued to rise in strength, their speed becoming even higher as many Epic and Legendary cores would soon start landing in their hands. A few of the loot he hadn''t had any use for were left to Adelaide as her strength now neared the peak of Epic rank, her body becoming used to consuming many of the icy blue fruits from the [Snow Vines] as well as the cores Noah provided. In the spiritual land, three more beasts had fully advanced to the Legendary rank after consuming many of the same fruits that were specially cultivated for them, and Noah was looking forward to the ripening of the [Ice-Fire Persimmon] in less than two weeks to see just how much more rapidly the ranks of the beasts could be increased. His skills were continuing to grow as fast as usual, and he wasn''t spending all of his time just slacking off, making sure to continue spamming and training with the beasts to rapidly increase his skills'' proficiency. This brought about some new [Skill Combinations] Hellish Descent + Absolute Zero :: EPIC+ Destructive Domain Summon Holy Blight + Life Steal :: EPIC+ Summon Saint of Death The description under the newly synthesized [Summon Saint of Death] was particularly interesting, making one think how much this Virulent Abomination from long ago could continue to grow. [Summon Saint of Death] :: Having already had the capability of moving the dead to its whims, now it can steal away the lifeforce of those it comes into contact with for its own amusement. Among its tools are Defiler, Devouring Breath, Two-Faced, and Life Drain. Noah continued to look forward to the development of his first summon while also checking out the Mythical summoning skill he received from the Anglerfish a few days back. Two Mythical creatures came out with the use of the skill, their shapes similar to the disgusting Anglerfish as they looked around menacingly. Their powers were amplified and stronger in the sea, but they were just as terrifying on land as they used their dense essence to float dangerously in the air, the lack of water not bothering them one bit. There were two new additions of available spirits, the Red Dragon out of the two of them seeming very enticing. Noah felt that his strength continued to break through more and more boundaries as he finished sorting everything out and neared the time where he would be descending the Aqua Tower for the treasures and information lying beneath it. The Golden Serum was something only the most powerful Atlanteans and Merfolk had the luxury to receive, and he wanted to be among them. He finished moving rapidly across the three worlds and settled back in Atlantis once again, leaving the inhabitants of both the newly connected worlds to adapt to the new changes. His homeworld was undergoing the process where the essence in the surroundings continued to increase every hour as the feedback between the Beast World stabilized more and more. With the connection of two worlds, it was something spectacular for Noah as he now had the reserves of two planets to use. He didn''t feel any sort of boundless strength from it though, similarly to how when he first awakened he felt nothing with his focus remaining blank. All he did was access the abundant reserves to cast skills as much as he wished. There wasn''t any feeling of using too much when he was connected to one world, and now that it was two he didn''t think he would ever come across that feeling. The future looked grand as he made his way from the lodging and into the bright world of Atlantis. Today was particularly bustling as many Atlanteans and Merfolk were headed towards the surroundings of Aqua Tower to watch the possible rise of new Seekers of Atlantis. Noah found himself a Hydro Train and he soon arrived at the location that used to be quiet and serene, now being fully packed with colorful figures of mermaids and other interesting individuals. The Aqua Tower stood grandly as it was now surrounded on all sides by figures floating in the sea. The information on how the event would be going down was already given to Noah beforehand as he found other Champions letting out waves of fearsome power standing in front of the doors of the tower. He swam across the masses and soon joined the group waiting below, drawing in their attention as their eyes briefly turned to look at the new arrival that would be competing with them. There were two Atlanteans boasting the same golden hair as he was, both decked in colorful pulsating suits that made them stand out. There were also two Mermaids and a Merman holding onto piercing tridents as they floated grandly near the entrance. Today, six champions would be descending the Aqua Tower, and new Seekers would possibly be chosen. Merfolk and Atlanteans gathered as they looked at the six figures letting out waves of power at the center of all the attention. "I see Juda is trying the challenge once again, but he can never seem to pass the 61st floor in the past year!" "Haha you think it''s that easy? This is a challenge where Golden Commanders shine, and he has yet to promote his strength to that level." Various discussions were occurring as Ula appeared in front of the six of them, the event about to begin. "Who''s that handsome lad on the side though? I don''t think I''ve ever seen him before." "Oh, that guy? I saw him arriving in the city a while back. It''s fresh fish that might either surprise us or become another repeater for the months to come before he gives up." "Don''t count him out, it could be the dark horse of this race to the depths of the Aqua Tower." Noah''s figure that wasn''t seen before was drawing some attention from the floating Merfolk and Atlanteans as the discussions and collections of more and more of them packed the surroundings of the tower. The challenge to become Seekers of Atlantis, gaining the Golden Serum that gave huge advancements to the strength of the body, as well as the knowledge of the last remaining clues that would locate the treasure of the first king, would soon begin. 159 Overwhelming Pressure The tower in front of them was massive, but the inside of it was even more spectacular. The six Champions were entered through the wide doors of the tower as soon as the set time reached. Noah felt the changes around him as he felt slight pressure after he entered the first floor, with no other changes besides that. The first floor was an expansive room of brightly glowing fauna, giving the tower a calming look as the six champions looked among one another and then descended onto the wide black space at the center of the room that transferred them to the next floor. Outside of the Aqua Tower where Atlanteans and Merfolk were congregated, a bright blue screen had appeared beside the large tower that showed six names. Three were neon in color and three were golden, signifying three Legendary and three Mythical individuals taking this challenge today. The inhabitants of Atlantis watched the movement of names on the screen with rapt attention while discussing their movements. In a few minutes, all six names were on the twentieth floor as they passed through them with ease, their powerful bodies withstanding the pressure as if it was nothing. Noah continued to feel the increasing pressure around him, but every time he entered another floor and increased pressure descended, his body would adapt and the pressure would be reduced. He wasn''t forced to use any skills to take the pressure head-on so far. Another tens of minutes passed and the names in a golden shade that signified Mythical individuals on the screen were leading ahead and had reached the fiftieth floor, with the ones at Legendary stage still passing through the floors in the forties. "Its exciting so far, not a single dud that has suddenly dropped out has appeared below the 50th floor so far." "Ah, I''m jealous just imagining what the one to reach the furthest floor today will receive. Can you imagine the enhancement that comes with a Golden Serum that is highly concentrated? Someone might even be able to gain the Golden Sea Body that we''ve only heard about from history." "Haha that myth? There were very few in history that were able to reach the 100th floor. It''s unlikely you''ll see history write itself today" There were many discussions and arguments going around as the inhabitants of Atlantis watched the names continuing to descend down the Aqua Tower. Ula was closely watching the names, even more at the golden shining name of Noah. He was the Atlantean from the City of Liquinia that just arrived in Atlantis and was trying this for the first time, yet he followed the others with ease as his name remained in the top 3 of those descending down. The floors of the Aqua Tower were all similar in their designs, having resplendently glowing faunas growing amongst the pristine floors with pulsing blue lines running on the walls. The arduous journey down the tower continued as the Atlanteans and Merfolk finally noticed a change. One name had pulled away from the others! "Who is leading?!" Their sharp eyes saw the glowing name that read Noah, as he stepped on the 65th floor faster than the other 5 Champions. The moment his feet landed onto the floor, he felt a crumbling pressure that he couldn''t withstand with his body alone. His face hardened as he quickly activated the fifth style of Mountain Sea Sect, [Descent of the Emperor]. ZOOM! A shining light resounded out as the regal aura and outline of an emperor wrapped around Noah, a shining blue crown appearing above his head as his shoulders that were slumped raised again. He let out a deep breath as his body was raised, the pressure still palpitating but bearable. He glanced around the floor that didn''t seem to have any sophisticated machines or items that continued to cause this increasing pressure, and even going down to a similar sea level on the outside shouldn''t change the pressure by this much. Noah knew why he was here though, so he persevered. His advance was unhindered as he continued, his goal being the most concentrated serum at the lowest floor of the Aqua Tower, as well as the information he would gain from reaching the lowest floor. Surprised gasps and discussions continued outside as an unknown name took the lead for the challenge to select more Seekers of Atlantis. In a location not too far from the Aqua Tower, an Atlantean with the usual golden hair stood atop a ferocious [War Shark] as he observed the happenings of the tower below him. The rapidly moving name that continued to descend through the floors caught his eyes as his figure came closer to the Aqua Tower. The appearance of the [War Shark] that moved closer to the Aqua Tower caught the attention of the surrounding Atlanteans and Merfolk as the discussion quieted down somewhat, the person appearing was undoubtedly someone of high importance. He stood grandly atop the [War Shark] as the masses parted, coming near the entrance of the tower where Ula, the mermaid that had been taking care of Noah, bowed down towards him. "Prince." The man referred to as the prince nodded towards Ula as he asked. "What do we know about him?" "He''s an Atlantean that appeared in the City of Liquinia a while back. He passed through the trial of becoming a champion with ease, and now seems to be doing the same." The Prince nodded as he continued. "That''s all we know?" "Yes, Prince." A sharp light passed through his eyes as he heard this and looked at the name that continued to rise higher in the ranks as it continued to descend. The 70th floor was soon reached as the watchers outside floated with bated breaths. Would a Seeker be crowned just like this? They didn''t have to wait long as a blue light was released from the tower, expanding outwards as cheers were released from the floating Atlanteans and Merfolk. The release of blue light signified that the 71st floor was reached! OOOH! The sharp light in the Prince''s eyes increased as a light smile appeared on his face. Finally, yet another Seeker would join them. He was thinking of a way to give them a grand welcome, when his thoughts stopped as the light that was on the 71st floor...quickly entered 72. Silence came to the surroundings as the people realized what had occurred. The contestant Noah, had not taken the prize at the 71st floor, and continued further down. Excitement began to course through the bodies of those watching as a thought appeared in all of their minds. Were they about to witness something incredible? A few minutes back before Noah went further down the tower, a mechanical voice had resounded on the 71st floor as soon as he stepped in. [Successfully cleared 70 floors, Grade 3 Golden Serum is available as a reward. The modification that will be carried out will grant you a body that will be as tough as Neon Battle Suits. Will you claim the reward or continue?] An elevated clear glass table magically rose from the ground as mechanical attachments with long needles appeared in the room. The tubes had golden liquid flowing through them as they waited for Noah''s reply. He looked around at the astounding sight as his face remained firm and he replied. "I will continue!" 160 A Blue Dragon Adorned with a Crown "I will continue!" The tone was steady and carried no doubts, the mechanical voice replying a second after. [Good Luck.] The many mechanical arms holding golden liquid inside them and the long vacant table retracted as the expansive black space to the lower floors appeared. Noah did not take any chances for the lower floors as before he descended. He cast the first five forms of Mountain Sea Sect''s Six Styles as he felt his body continue to come under increasing pressure. The skills seamlessly mixed together as he felt the strain disappear. The [Blue Fortress] skill caused the outline of the Emperor to become even more solid as the [Wings of the Sea] and [Healing Water] continued to give support as his steps became easier and any fractures that formed were immediately covered. The Aqua Tower was a trial only those born in the depth of the seas could complete, with only the most talented of Atlanteans and Merfolk having powerful bodies and abilities to withstand increased pressure to begin with. It weeded out those that were weak and only let the strong pass through to obtain the reward. Someone at the Neon Commander level, or really legendary rank, would have to be at the top of this rank to withstand and make it to the 71st floor where a Grade 3 Golden Serum would be administered for them to gain a boost that would make their bodies as tough as the Battle Armor they wore. If anybody had the skills to descend down more floors and obtain a serum of an even higher grade though¡­ Noah disregarded the thoughts of the Grade 3 Serum as his figure quickly went down the wide black space that would transfer him to the next floor, going down further below as he looked forward to discovering just how strong this pressure could become. The pressure only continued to increase on the next floor, and Noah''s figure was transferred to the next floor instantly as he felt the pressure crushing down on him once more. His body encased in the [Descent of the Emperor] and surrounded by the other four styles of techniques remained strong. A blue light shined out as his body adapted, and he continued to move forward. The heavy pressure seemed to cause cracks to form on the blue form that he was encased in. The style of [Healing Water] continued working at maximum capacity to repair and heal any cracks that formed. The Atlanteans and Merfolk outside continued to watch with bated breaths as they saw the name shining in gold continue down from the 71st floor to the 75th floor in but an instant, and the name continue to go down unhindered. The person who Ula referred to as the prince had taken out a mechanical device and pressed a few buttons on it, a message being sent to a few people of high importance. Something spectacular would be happening in Atlantis today. He played within the mechanical device for only a few seconds, but when he looked back up again the golden name indicating Noah was already on the 79th floor. The other 5 contestants that were still descending seemed to be all but forgotten as all the attention was turned to one person. On the 79th floor, Noah really felt the strain on his already cast skill and body, as the pressure seemed to come on all sides. Even though he didn''t want to do it yet, he was forced to cast the sixth style of the Mountain Sea Sect''s Secret Techniques, the [Dragon Form] ZOOM! A tremendous blast of power erupted outwards as Noah was elevated and his body appeared 10 meters higher in the air. A blue outline of a ferocious regal dragon began to form all around him, his body placed at the forefront and the center of its head The blue dragon that required a Mythical cultivator, as well as multiple Legendary and Epic cultivators to power up, was cast in the hands of the lone Noah. OONG The skill finished being cast as a blue dragon resplendently came to light. The pressure that was weighing down on Noah became completely ignored at the advent of this skill. This wasn''t just the Blue Dragon by itself, it was the blue dragon that was cast while the rest of the five styles of the Mountain Sea Sect were also cast. The outline of the Blue Dragon had an arrogant expression on its face as a blue crown laid on top of it. Besides the two resplendent blue wings on its back, even shinier white ones had appeared on it, giving the picture of a dragon that had four wings powerfully attached on its back. Its scales and figure that were somewhat transparent when it was cast by the cultivators was now much more solid, making the figure of the dragon look extremely real and indistinguishable from the referral one. ROAR! A roar of power escaped the jaws of the resplendent blue dragon as the crown on its head shined. The pressure was offset by a huge amount as the outline of the dragon went towards the black space that led towards the lower floors, its large claw just swiping downwards before it''s body was transported down to the 80th floor, and then quickly to the 81st. The moment that this was passed, what appeared on the 71st floor occurred once more, a mechanical voice ringing out. [Successfully descended 80 floors. Grade 2 Golden Serum is available as the reward. Will you take the reward or continue?] A stentorian voice resounded from the head of the blue dragon as Noah replied. "I will continue!" The empty table and mechanical arms that had called the liquids positing through them had briefly appeared and disappeared once again as another black space appeared on the ground of the 81st floor. With no period of waiting, Noah went down once again. 85th. 86th. 87th. 88th. 89th. 90th. 91st. The same scene and the same repetition occurred on the 91st floor. [Successfully descended 90 floors. Grade 1 Golden Serum available for the reward. Will you take the reward or continue?] The mechanical voice rang out as Noah stood protected inside the form of the blue dragon. He had already come this far, and if he stopped here and took the reward, he would be disqualified from proceeding forward. He felt confident to continue until he received the ultimate prize. The pressure that continued to increase had not been able to do a single thing to the powerful [Dragon Form] that required to be powered up by many, many beings. Noah didn''t even know the extent of its power as he continued his descent down the tower which he knew should have increased pressure that would bring the most average Mythical individuals to their knees. He replied with the same determined voice. [I will continue.] His actions didn''t mean too much to him because he already planned to go all the way down until he got the most concentrated form of the Golden Serum and the most specific information on the whereabouts of the Supreme Treasure, the Trident of Neptune. But his actions were causing shocking waves on the surrounding waters outside of the Aqua Tower. Be it Merfolk or Atlantean, they were all staring in stupefaction as they watched the name Noah Osmont climb higher and higher on the board observing the six champions. People soon noticed something on the separate leaderboard that was attached to the Aqua Tower different from the electronic screen that was showing these six contestants today. Another name had appeared as it climbed through the ranks that were established for a long time. The golden leaderboard that was attached to the Aqua Tower and holding the name King Neptune as the first to have reached the lowest floor of the tower. Everyone below that was either an astounding commander or the most powerful figures in Atlantis who held their positions either on the 90th floor, the 94th, or the 99th. There were only 50 names on this leaderboard, and Noah had gotten on it as his ranking continued to shoot up. Ula was glancing over in shock at this Atlantean that she brought around, not realizing they would produce this many surprises. A commotion was occurring throughout all of Atlantis as a powerful new Seeker continued to descend down the tower. 161 Golden Sea Body Noah''s mind was all focused on continuing downwards. Ignoring the reward of the 91st floor where the mechanical voice that mentioned a Grade 1 Golden Serum would be given as the reward. This was the first grade that only the strongest of the Mythical ranked Atlanteans and Merfolk could get a chance to enjoy. Those that had special abilities or skills to go against the overwhelming pressure of the Aqua Tower at these floors stood at the peak of the Mythical rank and could make it this far. Noah''s figure was unhindered as he continued. 95th. 96th. 97th. 98th. 99th. The splendid Blue Dragon let out a powerful roar as soon as it arrived on the 99th floor. The pressure being overwhelmingly high and coming from all sides as it tried to tear down the powerful form. But there seemed to be a strong resonance between all the cast six forms of the Mountain Sea Sect''s Secret Techniques. As the [Blue Fortress] form kept the scales of the dragon and the form solid, the [Healing Water] continued to heal any cracks that appeared as everything remained standing strong. The [Wings of the Sea] vibrated in the tower as they allowed the large body to move with more ease. The addition of the two light wings that went on to create the form of a dragon with four wings gave him a fearsome look. The first style, [Water Sword], sharpened the claws of the Blue Dragon and made them into the sharpest edges. Behind him was a sharp tail that had multiple spikes that resembled swords as they glistened powerfully in the light. The form was so strong and powerful that he couldn''t wait to test it on more powerful enemies. The 99th floor that hadn''t been passed in quite a while was cleared by a being that was activating multiple skills that would have required tens of people to burn their cores in order to generate enough energy just to keep active for a few seconds. Noah reached the 100th floor. When this floor was reached, a blue light shot out from the aqua tower and reached high into the seas above. The blue light acted as a notification, as a reminder to all beings that Atlantis remained strong, and it had gained yet another Seeker. Powerful figures from all around were notified and alarmed as more attention congregated on the Aqua Tower. The 100th floor had no pressure. It was serene and beautiful, with fauna and flowers that you''ve never seen in the outside world being abundant. At the center of the floor, it was cleared out with a golden clear bed appearing. From the ceiling, long mechanical tubes and arms with extremely sharp and pointed needles were present. Inside of the tubes was a thick flowing golden liquid that had rays of shining purple light within them. This was not the third grade nor the first grade Golden Serum. The mechanical voice that he had heard on the 71st 81st and 91st floor rang out once again. [You have successfully cleared all the floors of the aqua tower, gaining access to the Supreme Grade Golden Serum. Will you start the infusion process?] A light smile appeared on Noah''s face as he deactivated the six forms of the Mountain Sea Sect''s Secret Techniques, and his Atlantean body appeared on the serene floor. "I will start the process." The moment his voice gave the assertion, his body felt a strong force as it was pulled forward towards the pristine bed right below the long tubes with pointed needles. He quickly found himself attached to the bed at the center of the 100th floor. The bed changed to an outline of an Atlantean as it matched his body and he was situated even more comfortably. He took off his armor and remained only with briefs as the process became even smoother, with straps coming in next to sternly attach him onto the bed as the many long tubes with the pointed needles began nearing his body. The mechanical voice rang out once again. [Some time is required before the modification can be completed. Please persevere as it continues.] Noah looked at the many needles coming towards his body, as well as the golden liquid with traces of purple that filled them. Even his fearsome demeanor somewhat faltered, as the many tubes and needles neared him and pierced the layers of his skin. ARGH! A piercing pain was felt throughout all of his body as needles sunk into many sections of his body. One shot at the center of his chest, multiple of them shot in his hands and legs, and his head was elevated as another entered behind his neck. He let out a ragged breath as he felt a pulse come out of the long tubes and hot liquid began flowing into his body. The feeling brought about excruciating pain to say the least. The golden liquid felt like the hottest substance as it entered his body, seemingly burning him from inside out. This was the highest grade of the Golden Serum that only individuals at the mythical rank or above who had extreme abilities that boosted the strengths of their body would be able to reach the 100th floor and be rewarded with this treasure. They could handle its concentration as their bodies were already strong enough to pass through the floors to get here. Noah had used the form of the blue dragon to pass through the floors, his own body nowhere near as strong as the peak mythical ranked individuals. The pain he was experiencing was horrendous. It felt like lava was flowing all over his body as the Golden Serum entered and moved around without reservation. This was the creation of technology and magic that stood at the peak of Atlantis. The peak creation of genetic engineering that entered and fused into the cells themselves. The serum worked at a microscopic level as it attached itself to the cells of the person''s body and strengthened them to extreme degrees. If you brought this concept to the world of modern science before the apocalypse in Noah''s homeworld, you would be laughed at. Such an idea would be impossible and even laughable, but in this world of technology, fantasy and magic, what was not possible? Noah''s mind was fully occupied with keeping himself awake in the midst of all of this excruciating pain as he soon began feeling a warm calming sensation spread throughout his body. He watched as the serum in the tubes continued to be pumped into his body, not knowing how all of it continued to be entered without his body bursting. A tingling sensation gradually replaced the painful feeling. His body felt some minute changes as the golden hair common to all Atlanteans was shining and experiencing growth, growing long enough to nearly reach his shoulders. He thought the process was over when one last tube appeared. This one had a liquid that was completely purple and shining majestically as it neared his body. The needle on this one wasn''t too large, but it was prominent. It came towards him and quickly entered at the center of his forehead, the most dangerous location that no other needles had come close to piercing. AHHH! Another scream resounded as a few more minutes passed, before all the tubes were retracted into the ceiling of the last floor of the Aqua Tower, and the only thing that remained was the golden bed that Noah was lying on. He was letting out exhausted breaths as he looked at his body. It looked as it did normally, the pronounced abs and steeled muscles just seeming to have gained a shine of gold. A layer of gold specks of light was slowly moving across his skin. He felt an overabundance of physical strength that he could not wait to try out. 162 King Neptune! Noah''s body didn''t feel too strange, but the moment he put pressure on his legs, his figure shot up through the water like a blasted missile. BOOM He found himself knocking into the ceiling of the current floor, his body still seeming foreign to him. He looked at his body while trying to adjust to his strength. He gave a simple command for his body to move in the water, and he once again shot out at high speed towards the direction he was thinking of. BOOM The golden sheen never left his body and felt as if he had particles of gold light moving above his skin. It was very interesting to observe as he tried to test his new limits. He had tried and failed twice at controlling his body, and as he tried moving once more, the mechanical voice he had been hearing rang out again. [Congratulations, Noah Osmont for obtaining the Golden Sea Body. It is something that very few will have the chance to obtain in Atlantis.] A golden light shone down as the mechanical voice finished and disappeared, something else beginning to form in the center of the room. Noah stopped trying to adjust to his body for now as the golden light at the center of the floor formed into the shape of a Merman that he had only seen in the memories. The merman had a powerful presence as he fully appeared in a transparent form at the center of the 100th floor of the Aqua Tower. The figure that seemed to be a hologram looked towards Noah, a slight smile appearing on its face. "I see we have gained yet another strong fighter for the City of Atlantis." Noah looked at the appearance of this hologram as the memories in his head and the many statues he had seen of this Merman matched in his mind and he voiced out. "King Neptune." His body bent slightly as he recalled the culture of Atlantis and paid his respects to the late King. "Ah, none of that. I am but a relic of the past, long gone. This form that you see, this is the strand of consciousness that I left before I set out on my journey. It continued to be preserved by the Aqua Tower over the years." The translucent form of King Neptune looked over at Noah and seemed to be scanning him up and down. "You are an Atlantean through and through, and now you have gained the Golden Sea Body from the most concentrated form of the Golden Serum. Your body should be even stronger than the Golden Battle Suits, with the commanders at that level having to put in quite some work just to injure you. The serum was one of my most innovative products." He looked forlorn as he continued talking. "This was a product that I was able to work on with my many colleagues. I could produce stronger fighters from those who were already capable, but there was a very limited amount of this Golden Serum of this concentration. You were actually lucky enough to be infused with the last one." Noah listened with rapt attention at the ramblings of the old king as he waited for the other reward he had been looking forward to on this trip to Atlantis. The normal proceedings would be to receive the reward from the high ranking individuals from Atlantis after passing the 71st floor and becoming a Seeker, allowing you to learn the information about the Trident of Neptune that every powerhouse in the Lost World was currently looking for. But his clearing all the way until the 100th floor was monumental and had triggered the appearance of the strand of consciousness of King Neptune. This meant he would be receiving the highest level of information from the source itself. "Ah, those are times of the past though, and we should be looking into the future. The future...does indeed look grim." The blue form of King Neptune became grim as light exploded outwards, forming into blurry figures of three people. Two were completely unfamiliar to Noah, but their clothing resembled those of the cultivators he had come across before. One of them was an image that once gave him cold shivers when he viewed memories of it, it was the one that stood at the peak of the Demon World, the Oppressive Tyrant, Baal. "Let me tell you about my death, and how those like you can move quickly enough to reclaim my most prized creation, The Trident of the Sea." The Trident of the Sea. Also commonly known as the Supreme Treasure, the Trident of Neptune. Noah''s body settled down as he listened closely to the information coming out from the legendary King Neptune himself. "Before Atlantis began the game of cat and mouse, we were prospering and on our way to inventing things that would normally remain only farfetched dreams and hopes. We had created a powerful weapon that could command the sea, and had a breakthrough in genetic engineering to learn how to improve the strength of our bodies." The voice of Neptune thundered throughout the last floor of the Aqua Tower, as information only those at the highest echelons of Atlantis were privy to was being given without hesitation to the recently advanced Seeker. "But things never go that smoothly. The era of innovation was halted with the invasion from two worlds, those from the World of Cultivation and the Demon World setting their sights on the many treasures of Atlantis." "We were truly strong though, and defended against the advances of both forces, later on even managing to kick them out as I undertook the project that was my highest achievement, the creation of a World Engine." BOOM! It felt like thunder had echoed in Noah''s brain as a brand new piece of information he had not come across before appeared now. He put forth the various information he held together as a piece of the puzzle connected. The Lost World of Atlantis had gained the title of "Lost" over the years because the geniuses of Atlantis had created something that allowed them to move their world and mask its location from those that sought them harm. The location would be found out in time as their enemies had many means, with the example of the unique skill that Orias used to have that allowed her to simply locate the coordinates of the world by teleporting into it for the demon''s side, while the cultivators had their own mysterious means to discover the world again. Noah only knew this, and never knew just what treasure the City of Atlantis had created to be able to do something like this. Now, he was hearing about it for the first time, and from the being that spearheaded the project too. Something called a World Engine. What exactly was this innovation, and how could he take it for himself? 163 The Location of the Triden Atlanteans and Merfolk outside the Aqua Tower had gathered in solemnity as they watched the blue light shooting out of the tower signifying something spectacular. More [War Sharks] and other powerful creatures of the sea that had important figures riding on their backs arrived near the tower to receive the Seeker that had reached the 100th floor. The other 5 champions still struggling in the tower were all but forgotten, with the watchers not even paying attention when one of the Atlanteans at Mythical rank descending the tower reached the 71st floor. He was happy with the Grade 3 Golden Serum as he didn''t trust himself to be strong enough to reach further below, and chose to take the rewards as his mind wondered about the grand welcome and applause he would receive after leaving the tower with the title of Seeker. This champion was bound to be disappointed as all the attention was already stolen by someone else. The mermaid Ula was swarmed with important figures that continued to question her about the Atlantean she had received, wanting to know as much as they could about Noah before he came out of the tower. This was someone that would support their goals of locating the Supreme Treasure that would guarantee their victory against the pesky vultures circling above the seas. What type of being was he? --- Meanwhile, on the last floor of the Aqua Tower, a story continued to be told from an ancient Merman to an Atlantean whose body shone with gold light. "The World Engine was something that took the entirety of the resources of all the regions of the sea we commanded. But we were successful in creating it, and we gained the capability to affect the whole world." The transparent strand of consciousness that was King Neptune continued with a serious tone as he divulged secrets very few were privy to. "Through communicating with the will of the world, we gained its cooperation as our creation that was the World Engine was powered up by the World itself to allow for the displacement and masking." "This only gave us a momentary period of peace though, as our enemies always followed us where we went. Their forces were not powerful enough to penetrate the defenses of my city, so they were always pushed back. But this was when they resorted to schemes, and I...faced my doom because of it." "The forces of the Demon World and the World of Cultivation that always worked against each other joined forces, launching pronged attacks that would have decimated many underwater cities and cause casualties in the millions. This was how they drew me out." "I left Atlantis to go fight for the defense of those that could not defend themselves, and I paid dearly for it. The leaders of the two forces were waiting for me in ambush, with this coward in the lead." King Neptune pointed towards the blurry image of Baal as he called this powerful ruler a coward. "I had the trident and the sea by my side, so even with the ambush, I was able to push them back against all odds, but I was heavily injured and could not keep my life. The Ruler of Demons held terrible strength while the Cultivators used mysterious powers I hadn''t come across before." The pronged attacks from the two forces were all just to bring out the King of Atlantis, and they had succeeded. The battle didn''t end in their favor though, and even though Neptune retreated with threatening injuries that would later take his life, Baal and the forces from the World of Cultivation received heavy injuries that caused them to retreat as well. This spoke about the power this old king held when he moved fearlessly in the seas. "The battle was fought quite a distance away from Atlantis, and I would have never been able to make it back before I succumbed to my injuries. My only option was to find a safe haven near me that would be hard for my enemies to move around." "I could not make it back to my home to entrust the Trident of the Sea to my successor, so I could only try to hide it in a location that would later be found by my own people. Thus...the last memories I have before everything became dark and foggy, was my main body moving with the goal of hiding in a nearby danger zone that very few will know how to survive in. From the little memories this strand of consciousness could piece together, my deathbed was most likely in the Abyssal Zone." BOOM! It felt as if a strike of lightning passed through Noah''s mind as the old king finally mentioned a possible location of the Supreme Treasure. The Abyssal Zone. One of the most dangerous zones in the wide seas that had terribly powerful creatures roaming freely. The Lost World had vast bodies of water, with many dangerous locations of extreme environments and powerful creatures being present. The Abyssal Zone was one of the more terrifying ones. "This strand of consciousness only has fragmented memories of darkness as soon as the battle finished, so even I am not sure if I achieved my goal in the end. If you want to reclaim the Trident of the Sea and be able to fight back against the forces of Demons and Cultivators that have no doubt healed and returned once more, start with the Abyssal Zone." "The defenses of Atlantis are extremely tight and should hold strong against any invasion, but if the enemies get their hands on a weapon that can control the sea, the rest of my people might just face destruction." The strand of consciousness of the old king that remained in the Aqua Tower looked over at Noah''s powerfully shining gold body as he finished his long story. "This is information that those in the highest echelons if Atlantis should have figured out by now, but here is something else that only those that have reached the 100th floor of the Aqua Tower will be privy to." "My main body had traveled across the many dangerous zones of the seas and saw all the dangers there. The one thing I am certain I would have done before possibly succumbing to the injuries in the Abyssal Zone, is to find an old friend to entrust the Supreme Treasure to." Noah continued to listen to these words as his thoughts wandered. An old friend that had the Abyssal Zone as its home? His heart was pounding as he realized getting his hands on the Trident of the Sea might not be that easy. So what was it? Who knew of the final location of the Supreme Treasure in the Abyssal Zone? What being did he have to face in the future for the possibility of obtaining this treasure? "The one you should be paying attention to while conducting your search is someone that matched me in my prime and gained my respect. One of the calamities of the sea, The Kraken." ¡­! 164 Sea King Fuck. Expletives were thrown out of Noah''s mouth as he watched the mirage of King Neptune disappear as soon as the story was finished, a white door appearing on the bottom of the floor that would lead to the outside world. The new information he gained couldn''t help but make him curse as he realized just how arduous it would be to get his hands on the Supreme Treasure that King Neptune left behind. The Kraken. This was a legend that young Atlanteans and Merfolk were told to scare them into submission. One of the calamities that roamed the seas. A creature of destructive power that could swallow cities whole if it wished. He had to come face to face with such a beast just to see if it held the Trident of the Sea that the dying king left behind? Noah breathed out as he calmed his mind and thought about his next moves. [Thought Accelaration] worked in the background as he focused on the main problem at hand first, getting used to his body that continued to let out a golden sheen. In the next 10 minutes, explosive sounds continued to resound in the last floor of the Aqua Tower as Noah exerted his strength slowly and tried to reign in the large boost of power under his control. The smallest contractions and flexions of his muscles would send him shooting out with high speed, and it took him a few minutes to get it under control. After some time, he felt his body vibrating as he observed the gold light being drawn in under his skin, things seeming to finally be settling down. He looked at his achieved goal that granted him a powerful body as he checked off one of the aims in his checklist. His naked body became draped with the [Deep Sea Armor] as he prepared to head towards the white space that would take him out of the Aqua Tower and put him into the outside world where his commotion should have drawn in a few key figures. His body passed through the white space as he flashed out, appearing on the same clearing beside the tower. The illuminated sea around him had the same quietness that he felt when he came to the Aqua Tower with Ula for the first time. This was a huge mismatch as the area was surrounded by even more figures than when he first entered the tower. Magnificent [War Sharks] and [Killer Whales] with exquisite saddles and reigns on their backs floated in the sea carrying powerful auras that looked towards him. Noah found the Atlanteans and Merfolk floating in the surrounding waters bow towards him as a thrumming wave resonated outwards with their voices. "Sea King!" "Sea King!" "Sea King!" WOOO! Sea King. This was a title granted only to those that stood at the peak of power in Atlantis. Someone who had made their way to the lowest floor of the Aqua Tower was naturally granted this title, as they were put in the category of some of the strongest worriers Atlantis had to offer. On the leaderboard attached to the tower, the name Noah Osmont had reached the 5th position, meaning only four other beings had reached the 100th floor of the Aqua Tower along with King Neptune. This didn''t mean that Noah was more powerful than the beings that ranked in the top 10 of this leaderboard. Many of them had their names etched into the rankings when they were younger, and left with the rewards of differing grades of the Golden Serum before rising in strength over the years. Since they had already gone down the tower and achieved the infusion of the serum, they would not descend again in the future as there was nothing to gain for those who had already received a reward. Noah looked around him and felt the vibrations explode out as he received a welcome unlike any other as soon as he came out of the Aqua Tower. Merfolk raised their tridents up as they began to glow in colorful lights while Atlanteans raised their [Plasma Guns] that glowed bright blue as the cheers continued. "Alright, alright, order!" A strong voice reverberated outwards, originating from a humungous golden whale that looked to be carrying the most luxurious seats around. The cheering Atlanteans and Merfolk heard this voice and were shocked, turning around to find a figure that they rarely saw. "Ocean Master!" Shocked voices resounded out as the identity of an Atlantean in a purple armor was ascertained. This was the current ruler of Atlantis, a being holding immense power that continued to push back against the invading enemies and taking the title of Ocean Master, King Zaonn. The Ocean Master sat atop the golden whale letting out waves of Mythical power as he looked interestingly at Noah''s figure. He gave a slight nod to his son in the distance while his deep blue eyes shone brightly as they scanned Noah up and down before a bright smile appeared on his face. "Young hero, come with me." --- While huge events were occurring in the Lost World, even more monumentous ones were taking place between two worlds far away. It had only been a few days since expansive changes began to occur on both worlds as the concentration of essence in the surrounding environments were elevated to high degrees. For the Beast World, something foreign appeared in front of their eyes as their strengths were quantified into observable numbers and they gained the power to strengthen themselves even more from the many possibilities the new system provided. Skills that would take them years to learn and master could be obtained with ease from enemies they defeated, and they could combine skills they had been using all these years to elevate them to a higher level. The day after this change began, the leaders of the remaining kingdoms in the Beast World as well as the leaders in Noah''s blue planet received similar messages from the wills of their worlds, and that was to prepare for an even larger change where gateways would appear between their worlds. -- The Dark Sword, Kazuhiko, was floating valiantly on a sharp sword as he felt the congregation of essence in the air, his heart thumping as he waited for the door that would lead to a world he had only heard about from an envious guy. He, as well as that boring mountain of a man from the Blessed Empire had both met with Sophia some time ago, learning of a few of the mysteries surrounding them and the reason they led in power in their world. They had received messages for them to go to a hidden village where this meeting occurred. Besides the abundant amount of information and how they would be moving from now on, they were also granted with many skill books and cores that allowed for their strengths to increase rapidly, both of them nearing the peak of Epic rank currently. There were many things to plan for and observe as the planetary cores of the two Worlds set the stage for a peaceful and mutual cooperation between the two sides while the construction of the gateways continued. 165 Gates appear between two worlds Far from the United Federation, the man who considered himself the protector stood proudly at the center of the Blessed Empire as he observed the changes as well. He knew a bit more about Noah''s arduous journey that made way for them to get where they were now, and could not wait to take center stage as well. After spending a significant amount of time talking to the innocent-looking Sophia, he set his personal goal for the Beast World about to open its doors to be the treasures called Spiritual Lands. The image of a floating landmass appearing above the empire was still burned into his mind as his own sense of adventure had begun wildly burning one more. This was his own personal goal, and the Blessed Empire, as well as the United Federation as a whole, would have their own goals. Just like finding a route to a new land that held tons of riches, both worlds were now being connected, leading to a potential trade of goods, skills, and many more things at a much grander scale. Proper people were already notified of the impending establishment of gateways as plans went underway to prepare for something rarely seen in the universe, the creation of a budding economy between two worlds. --- The remaining Mythical Beasts in the Beast World watched the formation of large white gates that settled on easy to access locations near their Mythical Kingdoms. The [Imperial Phoenix] was puzzled to hear the will of the world that rarely made its appearance over the years come with a message and a huge surprise thereafter. She looked over the stat panel that showed all her spectacular skills in a unique fashion as she shook her head incredulously, still not fully believing it. She had discussed with the Blue Tortoise and White Tiger as they put their heads together, combining their skills and watching the results with fiery eyes. They knew the implications of being able to strengthen their power like this. Reaching the rank above Mythical would not be an issue for them, and all they would need would be time. OONG The phoenix watched as the large white gate near her kingdom stabilized, a resonation of essence ringing out as it now stood grandly. A hazy white light covered it as the [Imperial Phoenix] wanted to be the first to test it out. Her powerful figure drifted across the skies as it passed through the layer of light that surrounded the gate. A brief period of darkness, and then she observed a whole new world in front of her. Her senses spread out as she observed throngs of human figures near the gate, a collection of many weirdly shaped carriages and goods that were lined up for miles already in place. Further from here, she could see structures and buildings much different than she was used to as she felt a movement close to the gate she just came through. Her powerful gaze landed on a stout human that carried a spear, his power only at Epic rank, but the conviction in his eyes was clear. She recalled the message from the will of the Beast World as she nodded towards this human. "You''re the representative of this land?" The human she addressed, Steel Mikhail, withstood the waves of power as he forced his knees to stand straight and replied. "Yes, let''s talk." Scenes like this were playing out all over the world as multiple gates that appeared with individuals already set in place for the welcome and discussion of the people from both sides. Noah had spent the three days before the descent into the Aqua Tower moving across the two worlds and setting things in place, with the planetary cores doing more of the work as they relayed messages of peace to their inhabitants. The two worlds were now inexplicably connected, and proper figure heads were set up to make sure the mixing of the two worlds would be that of peace and benefit. Two gates appeared in the Blessed Empire that connected to the Mythical Phoenix Kingdom and the Mythical White Tiger Kingdom. Another two gates appeared in the United Federation that connected to the Mythical Blue Tortoise Kingdom and to the Frozen Kingdom. The Dark Sword, Kazuhiko, had already gone past the gate in front of him as he appeared in the snowy lands of the Frozen Kingdom, his eyes shining at the people also waiting on the other side. He saw a beautifully composed blue-haired woman with an icy expression surrounded by many figures. Among these figures he could see both the humans he had always known, as well as the beastmen he had only heard about from Noah. His heart felt excitement as he wanted to get over the diplomatic talks and start adventuring in this world with his own party of cute demihumans, but the boring talks and technicalities always came first. He looked towards the woman that had an aura screaming out that she was royalty as he slightly bowed towards her. "Hello, I''m one of the representatives of the United Federation. I look forward to working with you." The icy woman nodded as a figure stepped up to talk to him. "This is the Miraculous Queen Adelaide Belmont, the ruler of the Frozen Kingdom." A person shrouded in a black garb from head to toe replied to his welcome. The voice that replied was very precise and strong, making Kazuhiko look favorably towards this person in front of him. It looked like the talks of technicalities would end fast. He beckoned the government officials that entered the gate after him as the process of the two worlds getting to know each other went underway. --- The dynamics of power were very different, with those in the Beast World being much stronger than those in the Blessed Empire or the United Federation. It would be a period of learning and adjusting for both sides as the singular purpose of growing was what the wills of their worlds had expressed to the leaders set in place. The two worlds had an abundance of differences in strength and culture, but they were united by a singular goal through all of this. Beings had invaded their world, killed millions of their people, and then simply left. Their hearts were burning with anger, and it looked like they had a chance to get back to those that left behind those terrible scars and fantastical things were now occurring. The Four Mythical Beasts of the Beast World were now reduced to three, and nothing could be done to bring back their fallen friend. The blue planet was reduced to a collection of cities and countries as they lost millions of loved ones with the advent of the apocalypse. These two unlikely worlds were now connected, their common goal being revenge and destruction of a singular enemy. They would learn about the differences and similarities of their worlds as they shared their knowledge and sources of power. They would increase their strength as they aimed their swords towards the enemy that caused them tremendous pain. The wrath of two worlds was budding as they prepared to return the favor to the Demon World. 166 The Ocean Master Noah was seated in the back of a large golden killer whale that serenely swam towards an extravagant castle that shone with lights in the distance. The one that had been referred to as Ocean Master sat in front of him, surrounded by two Atlanteans letting out waves of power at the Mythical rank. This was the current ruler of Atlantis, an Atlantean one rank higher than the beings Noah had come across with before. The Ocean Master in front of him let out a wide smile as comfortably sat and let out waves of power at the PHANTASMAL rank. This was the level of power that Noah set as a goal before he finished his journey in the Lost World. He still didn''t have even the slightest idea of just how hard it would be to achieve it though. "You must have met the late King Neptune when you finished your procedure on the last floor, so I''m assuming you''ve heard the secrets that even many higher-ups in Atlantis aren''t yet aware of." Noah nodded as he continued the conversation with King Zaonn. The King talked in a fairly light tone that reduced any tension in the sea and made everyone feel comfortable. The large whale they were on came to a stop close to the grandiose underwater castle as they got off and swam towards it. A tremendous amount of guards and advanced weaponry surrounded the luxurious castle on all sides. "I know you must have your own goals and aspirations, and I just wanted to get to know you before understanding how you will move from now on." King Zaonn kept a smile on his face the entire time as he pried more information. Noah thought for a bit before replying. "I came across a group of Cultivators in the City of Aquicadis some time back who were prepared to murder everybody in sight with no remorse." His body turned around from the castle they were going into as he looked at the many buildings of light below him before continuing. "I want to make sure that groups like that do not stand a chance to bully us even more. I want to make sure they can never even come close to the Trident of the Sea." His words were those of conviction as he finished and looked back at the Ocean Master that had shining light shooting out of his eyes. "Haha good, good! Those elected as Seekers always make their way to the dangerous locations where King Neptune''s Trident might be hidden as soon as they undergo the infusion of the Golden Serum. Before you go, let me give you more information and things that would be of benefit to you, and ultimately to Atlantis if you are successful." The Ocean Master was very laid back as he led Noah into a neat room inside the castle. The room had a bubble that blocked any water from going in surrounding it, the inside filled with documents and what looked like blue screens as the King brought him in and closed the door behind them. "Come, let enjoy ourselves first and get to know each other a little bit more. I''ll fill you in on the current state of affairs later, and the positions of the main enemies to look out for before you head out." He clapped his hands twice as Atlanteans dressed in suits brought in a wide variety of food while he began debriefing Noah. The forces of Demons had spread out wide, their legions concentrated in the danger zones around the sea as they searched for the Trident of the Sea. Squadrons would occasionally come across underwater cities and cause conflict, but unless both sides wanted to face heavy damages, they would not start an all-out battle. When the ruler of demons, Baal, schemed to corner King Neptune with the aid of cultivators, they were all heavily injured and had to retreat to heal for years because of it. Now that they have returned, they only played the game of looking for the treasure as they spread their forces outwards from where the battle with King Neptune took place. A few months back, two underwater cities had been completely destroyed just for Baal to get the confirmation that the Trident was not in the hands of Atlantis. This lead to a period of extreme tension and anger as Atlantis increased their progress of finding Seekers powerful enough to survive the dangers of the sea while looking for the old King''s Trident. "Many Seekers have been crowned until now. A few made it back alive with no positive results in their search, but even more faced destruction and were never heard from again." The Ocean Master gulped down the red drink in his cup as he said this. "Our cities are protected by the Sea''s Blessing, and the creatures of the deep do not ever come near us to attack. Even the demons and cultivators will think twice before launching an all-out attack on Atlantis, our defense systems here being highly developed. But out there, in the dark waters, we lose that protection." He finished his drink as he looked at Noah closely. "You are one of the finest Seekers I have seen, being able to descend all the way down to the last floor of the Aqua Tower. I hope you find success and regain our honor, bringing the treasure of the sea back to the rightful hands of the Children of Atlantis." Noah nodded with a serious expression, even though he had plans of his own. The Ocean Master stood up and went towards a stack of thick files as he looked through them. "Will you be starting with the most dangerous zone first?" "Yes, the information makes it likely that I will find even more clues in the Abyssal Zone. It should have been one of the last regions that King Neptune could have gone to." The Abyssal Zone. Lying in the depths of the sea and filled with atrocious creatures. What exactly waited for him in this location? "Be careful. Here is the map that those who have gone there and back have been able to put together, it should prove useful. And before you go, let''s have you visit the armory. We have the latest versions of Plasma Guns and Golden Battle Suits for you to choose from." --- The world continued to move, with many beings moving towards their own goals. In one of the darkest zones of the sea where many would be terrified to be alone, a girl that didn''t look to be older than 18 was floating in the dark sea while humming. She had on a dark gothic dress as she swam along the dangerous waters without care. She floated like this for a few minutes before movement could be felt near her, causing her to open her eyes while yawning and look for the source of the movement. A few meters away from her, a humongous figure of Megalodon had appeared. Rows of sharp teeth that seemed to form into a smile broke out of The Meg that was releasing an oppressive air of power. This was a beast that struck terror onto many Atlanteans and Merfolk that ever visited waters of these depths, a fearsome creature that loved to torture its prey before ultimately swallowing them whole. The girl in the gothic dress looked at the appearance of this Megalodon that was tens of times her size as her eyes shone with fascination. "Well hello, little fish." Her eyes that were darker than the waters around her smiled, as hundreds of thousands of shining green lights appeared and began to eclipse the waters all around them, the terrifying smile of the Megaladon''s face becoming wiped off entirely. 167 The Abyssal Zone Noah spent the next day in Atlantis as he toured even more exclusive locations after gaining his new title. Before he finished his meeting with the Ocean Master, he was taken to the Armory where shining piles of weapons and armors were beautifully placed. He found himself a powerful [Plasma Gun] that could convert the water around him to shoot out blasts of plasma, its damage powerful enough to even injure someone at the Legendary rank were they to take it head-on. The other thing that was of use that he received was the Golden Battle Suit that Atlanteans and Merfolk in the Mythical rank usually wore. It had golden runic lines traveling all over the battle suit, making it release a pulse of gold every few seconds. The suit was even better than the [Deep Sea Armor] that dropped as loot from the Anglerfish as it provided a more robust defense. He wanted to use his newly found authority to tour some of the facilities where the even more important things like the World Engine were protected, but he couldn''t easily do that even now. He would plan to obtain more information and find out exactly how the City of Atlantis was able to create something like this later. The Ocean Master went all out with festivities after the trip to the Armory, and Noah found himself spending the rest of the night eating and drinking as he associated with the King and a few high profile Atlanteans and Merfolk. His journey to the Abyssal Zone would begin tomorrow. --- The sea of the Lost World was wide and vast, with many beings holding differing goals spread throughout. In some of the deepest waters that led to one of the danger zones of the sea, Noah was situated on top of a [War Shark] that menacingly swam forward. He left the grandiose City of Atlantis as he began his job as its Seeker, heading out to search for the missing Supreme Treasure that many wanted to get their hands on. The Ocean Master had given him many gifts, this [War Shark] at Legendary rank just being one of them. He was carefully looking at the map of the Abyssal Zone that he was given, making sure to note which locations to be even more careful in as he moved forward. There were terrible creatures of Mythical rank and even more powerful ones like the Kraken that he still hadn''t formulated a full plan on how to deal with it. Would something as simple as mentioning its old friend, King Neptune, do the trick or would it be a scene of carnage he had to overcome? Currently, one path was to continue defeating and farming Mythical creatures, amassing enough strength before going deeper into the Abyssal Zone to see if he could repeat the scene of overcoming something of higher rank with his constant spam of extremely powerful skills just a rank below. He would have to over-prepare for this route though, as the creature he would clash with is one of the calamities of the sea. He let out an excited sigh as even with the apprehension the idea of the Kraken brought, there was still a sense of thrill as he looked forward to matching such a beast in the future. He would take it slow as usual, farm on the outer fringes of the Abyssal Zone before getting deeper and deeper after he amasses more skills of Legendary and Mythical rank. There were many things happening around him, and he was only a moving portion as time went forward. By this time, gates connecting two worlds should have stabilized as an exchange of information and goods began to take place. His homeworld had collected many skill books and items over the time since the first awakened, while the Beast World had beings at even higher levels of power that they could obtain even more skill books and cores for their quick rise in strength. The end goal for connecting the inhabitants of the two worlds together was to promote the rapid rise in strength for both sides before the anger simmering in their hearts could be let out on one particular world that targeted them. They would need a large boost in strength before they could even begin to entertain this idea though, so time was needed. The remaining Rulers of the Demon World were powerful, their levels of power being Legendary at the lowest. Some time and effort was required before the two connected worlds could make huge movements. Noah kept this in the back of his mind as he swam deeper into the dark waters, killing any creatures he found as he added new skills and collected even more loot into his collection. The lowest level creatures he came across as he entered the outer fringes of the Abyssal Zone were of Epic rank, and he had come across two Legendary deep-sea creatures in just a few hours. This time around, he tried battling using just the physical force of his body, and he found himself ripping apart the slippery fish with his bare hands. The strength of his body had legitimately reached an extremely high level that neared the peak of Mythical rank with the infusion of the Supreme Grade Golden Serum. He looked through the skills he''d obtained so far from farming the creatures in the Abyssal Zone these past few hours. EPIC [Water Blast] :: A powerful blast of pressurized water hones in on your enemies. EPIC [Bombastic] :: Highly pressurized pockets of water will form and explode on command. LEGENDARY [Hydrothermokinesis] :: Chosen areas can be superheated to extreme levels. LEGENDARY [Hydrocyrokinesis] :: Chosen areas can be frozen below absolute zero. Noah was enjoying the new additions as he looked forward to delving deeper into the Abyssal Zone. He ushered the [War Shark] he was riding on to go forward when something disastrous happened. RIING! ... Fuck. The skill did not activate as Noah felt the sea constrict around him, any movements or skills that allowed for teleportation or spatial movements all blocked. "Now this is curious, you tried running so fast that you almost slipped by me. Let''s have a look at you." A playful voice rang out as Noah found the figure of a girl that seemed slightly younger than he was, yet floating in the waters of the Abyssal Zone without any level of care. His eyes grew wide with apprehension as he recognized the girl he was looking at from certain memories he had plundered before. "Well hello there, little fish~" 168 An Unstoppable Force The moment Noah recognized the face of the Ruler of the Demon World innocently coming towards him, blinding blue light erupted from his body as he activated his skills rapidly. [Thought Acceleration] worked in overdrive as a sense of fear struggled to erupt from Noah''s mind. He had accidentally met a terrible enemy much too early! "Woow what''s this? You can actually struggle from a spatial lock that I set up?" The girl oozing out maddening levels of power was still coming towards him nonchalantly as hundreds of thousands of green lights began appearing. The scene in front of Noah was one of the worst possible things happening as he watched the Legion of Undead that was controlled by the Necromancer of Chaos, Barbatos. Damn. Too early, much too early! OOOOOH! He howled out as all the six forms of Mountain Sea Sect''s Six Secret Techniques were activated, a humongous dragon with a shining blue crown beginning to form as it lit up the dark sea now surrounded by hundreds of thousands of burning green eyes. If he couldn''t quickly escape, he would fight back as he used the few seconds he bought himself to think of a way out of this! The primal spirits summoned out were Red Dragons that instantly elevated the cold temperatures around them, their eyes staring menacingly at the enemies around them. In but an instant, four Mythical summons were at Noah''s side! The Legendary skills, [Whirlpool] and [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] were cast next as the sea around them became destabilized by a forming whirlpool. The blue runic circle that would only last 30 seconds spread out with Noah at the center as he gave the command to the four Mythical summons beside him. ATTACK! His body encased in the Blue Dragon form roared out as a signature move of all dragons erupted out from his jaws, a deadly blast of blue light shooting out from the dragon with the blue crown. The Anglerfish summoned from the [Summon Creatures of the Deep] rushed forward with their deadly fanged teeth as they bit down towards the figure of the girl. The Red Dragons followed Noah''s lead as roiling breaths of flames appeared under the sea against all odds heading towards the being that locked the entire area around them. The response as this girl faced all of these attacks? "Haha, now you, are the most interesting Atlantean I have ever come across. Let''s see if you can keep up!" "Death''s Domain." Light words escaped her lips as dark light erupted from her and went to cover every nook and cranny of the sea for miles. The light covered Noah and all of his summons as they felt a sluggish feeling, their skin beginning to tingle as a burning sensation appeared. Noah roared out as he cast more attacks, every single attack skill from Epic to Mythical being cast and flying out as roiling flames, lightning, and storms of ice and bones wildly flew towards Barbatos. [Healing Water] went to full drive as any injuries and cracks that the Blue Dragon form suffered were quickly healed. Even though his summons were heavily injured and bleeding from the area of effect attack from Barbatos, he himself had healed up in the next second as he moved with even more attacks. "You know, I have little pets too? Why don''t you try a few of them~" Barbatos let out light words as a few of the shining green lights surrounding them came forward with powerful auras. Noah''s eyes moved rapidly as he ascertained the auras of multiple Mythical ranked beasts surrounding him and his summons. Preposterous looking creatures of horrid sizes neared as their shapes became clear. A deathly aura surrounded them as they ranged from deep-sea creatures to huge skeletons wielding bone swords. Most ridiculous of all was a massive creature that Noah could only connect to a famous creature of the deep, a Megalodon. OONG! The Undead Creatures attacked in their own ways as rays of dark lights rushed towards them, with a huge Skeleton Warrior smashing down their bone swords that split apart the waters of the sea. Noah looked at these coming enemies as a ray of light seemed to appear in his mind and split apart every speck of darkness. Yes, he had met an insanely powerful enemy much too early, but he could still somewhat withstand her for the time being as she wasn''t acting too seriously. But most amazing of all, the enemy commanded forces of beasts at Mythical rank to swarm him. This was dangerous, but also provided a tremendous opportunity. If he could take down these creatures and take their loot for himself before their terrible master decides to finally become serious, he might just find a way out of this. Noah moved decisively as he summoned yet another beast from his skills, this time one that was more special to him, and one that could possibly play a huge hand in this fight. [Summon Saint of Death] was cast as a deathly aura erupted from Noah, a mass of flesh and bones coming together to form into the figure of a man with a similar face to his. The Saint of Death was only an Epic+ skill, but it had many skills that were geared towards the undead. It looked at the many moving corpses surrounding it as the fair white hands rose out and snapped. PAH Only a light snap that released low vibrations, but the moving Undead Mythical Creatures came to a halt halfway through their attacks. Noah''s eyes shined as he read the thoughts of the summon, realizing that because of its lower rank, it could not control these powerful creatures under the command of another master, and could only hold them in place for a few seconds. But these few seconds...would be enough for Noah. His large blue figure of the dragon moved out as it aimed for the Mythical creatures that had their movements still halted, ignoring the face of the chuckling Barbatos that looked at the scene of her frozen undead in amazement and nothing else. His heart sank just a bit as he continued to observe the nonchalant expression of this Ruler that made it seem whatever plan he had would have no way of working. But he still had to try any possible avenues to preserve his life. He couldn''t die. It wasn''t even an option. "Now you''ve definitely captured my attention, little fish." 169 An Immovable Objec The figure of the large Blue Dragon shining resplendently in the dark waters moved like a blur of light as its sharp claws that were enhanced by the [Water Sword] style glistened dangerously. The target was a large Megalodon that was rushing towards them with spears of darkness around it. BOOM! These were attacks from five Mythical beings, with Noah being boosted by a large number of skills at the same time. The seconds were passing down as the hands of the Saint of Death began trembling with cracks spreading throughout. Even keeping the undead still for a few seconds took a huge toll. The targeted Megaladon had its remaining bones and muscle torn apart as attacks from multiple Mythical figures landed on it, with Noah finishing it off by blasting another destructive Dragon''s Breath. VOOM In a few seconds, one of the Mythical Undead Creatures was dead as two skill books appeared in Noah''s largest storage item, the [Sea Pearl]. Noah used another skill on the undead figure''s corpse as he grasped for straws, it was [Memory Plunderer]. He kept Barbatos''s amused glance in his sight as he moved towards the nearest undead creature while learning and absorbing the two skill books that appeared and keeping another portion of his attention for the memories of Barbatos'' undead creature.. [Gigantification] :: You can increase the size of your body up to three times. Physical Damage, Defense, and Elemental Resistances are increased by 500%. [Hydrokinesis] :: You touch upon a high domain of water, bring able to exert a tremendous amount of control over it. The skills appeared in his stat panel as he activated them right away while heading towards an undead Skeleton Warrior who had already broken out of the momentary control from the Saint of Death. He cast the new skills he gained right away while using [Hydrothermokinesis] and [Hydrocyrokinesis] to rapidly heat up and cool the sea around his target, watching the tough bones break apart by the rapid cooling and heating. The newly gained [Hydrokinesis] allowed him to exert even more control over the sea around him as he felt the restrictions placed by Barbatos begin loosening the moment it was activated. He was able to breathe easier as [Gigantification] finished casting, a stupendous change occurring to his Blue Dragon form. The resplendently shining dragon wearing a striking crown was now three times as large as before, the figure approaching more than 30 meters. This was such a ridiculous size that vortexes of water began forming as Noah''s figure moved across, eclipsing everything around him. The figure of the small Barbatos had her mouth spread wide open as she looked forward with surprise. Noah reached the Mythical Skeleton Warrior hoisting a large blade that was now less than half his own size as he used his tremendously sharp claws to grasp the head of the undead...and squeezed down. SQUELCH Sounds of bones breaking rang out as the stupendously large Blue Dragon used its claws to rapidly tear apart the Mythical Undead in a few seconds, two more skill books appearing in his Sea Pearl as [Memory Plunderer] was used on this Skeleton Warrior too. His eyes that were always watching Barbatos found this dangerous Ruler clicking her lips and snapping her fingers as yet another one of her pets fell to Noah. "Now it''s no fun if you keep on taking down my little babies. Since you seem so fond of bullying others, lets see how you like it." Noah began to feel a tremendous force rush out of the figure that was barely 2 meters, the area around them constricting even more as his Mythical Summons began to feel their bodies crack under the pressure. The Saint of Death was long ago ground into dust as the skill Barbatos cast, Death''s Domain, remained in effect. The pressure surrounding Barbatos increased as she pointed her fair hands in the air, and a force erupted out from the space in front of her. Noah watched as a blazing ball of golden mass began forming and expanding rapidly, soon reaching 10 meters as its size continued to increase. Noah watched in surprise as he saw a sun forming in the sea. The water was bubbling and being evaporated rapidly as the entire sea churned, the golden mass of heat and flames becoming larger and larger until it soon surpassed Noah in size. "Here''s a little something for you to enjoy, little fish." VOOM The tremendously hot mass of golden flames began moving towards Noah and his summons locations as the sea around them constricted even more, his [Hydrokinesis] skill barely alleviating the pressure that this peak PHANTASMAL Demon Ruler was letting out. He found himself unable to move as an encompassing sun went towards his way. The Spiritual Land covered him and his summons as they escaped the sea and found themselves in the skies of the Frozen Plateau, the many Legendary beasts residing in the Spiritual Land looking in the air as a tremendous source of energy rushed towards them. An [Emperor Penguin] had crackles of silver light around its body as it itched to go out and fight itself. Noah didn''t even think of letting the Legendary ranked beasts that now neared more than 15 out, as they would be killed the moment the attacks of Barbatos or her minion landed on them. His mind worked fast as he used a feature of the Spiritual Land that hadn''t had much usage before, [Frozen Barrier]. Runic sigils quickly erupted around the Spiritual Land as they connected and formed into a huge net, soon wrapping the entire land in its entirety as a blue shield covered the floating landmass that just expanded below the sea. The Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land stood grandly in the dark waters, the freezing blue shield encompassing it seeming stronger than anything in the world. The attack that was a literal blazing sun neared the protected Spiritual Land, and an impact occurred. BOOM! 170 Barbatos The feature of [Frozen Barrier] that came with the Spiritual Land being upgraded to the third tier provided absolute defense for any attacks of the Legendary rank and below. It didn''t matter if it was a single Legendary individual or hundreds attacking the Spiritual Land, as long as the one minute of defense did not run out, no attacks would bypass into the Spiritual Land. This was because the energy the Spiritual Land could provide to keep up this barrier exceeded any damage that Legendary ranked individuals could inflict, thus it could be called an absolute defense. But in the case a being at the Mythical or Phantasmal rank was raining down attacks on the [Frozen Barrier], what would happen? The energy that the Spiritual Land could provide would not be able to keep up with the damage being dealt, and naturally, not even a minute would need to pass before the [Frozen Barrier] would be broken through. But then came an anomaly. What if the concept of energy was trivial to the master of the Spiritual Land? What if enough energy could continue to be provided to the [Frozen Barrier] as it continued to defend against the attacks of a Phantasmal ranked monster? Noah''s draconic figure shone resplendently as the blue crown atop its head released airs of majesty. His figure was anchored to the ground of the Spiritual Land as he used his authority as its master to reinforce its energy reserves that it was using to keep the [Frozen Barrier] active. More than half of the essence that would normally be allocated to casting and maintaining [Frozen Barrier] for the 1 minute was gone the instant the blazing sun landed on the Spiritual Land. Noah was like an endless spring though, as this energy was soon filled up again a second later, with the [Frozen Barrier] holding strong. Yes. This was Noah''s biggest gain that he had not needed to explore or use before. A barrier that provided Absolute defense when faced with anything in the Legendary rank, but the energy reserves to keep it active for its full one minute would be drained if attacks from higher-ranked beings came. With the problem being mana, Noah was the perfect solution. This meant that with the usage of [Frozen Barrier], a feature of the Spiritual Land that could be used once every 24 hours and only lasted 1 minute, it was 1 minute where absolutely no attacks would come through into the Spiritual Land. The only possibility for it to be broken through was if an insanely powerful attack of multiple higher ranks came which instantly shattered the barrier, unlike Barbatos''s attack that drained more than half of the allocated energy. But this weakness would also be fixed as the Spiritual Land was upgraded into the next tier. If its container continued to increase, it would be able to better handle attacks that drained even more energy. Noah looked at the blazing ball of fire that had exploded out and formed into snakes of fire that surrounded the Spiritual Land. Mana was leaving from his body and into the Spiritual Land like water flowing down a waterfall, the [Frozen Barrier] continuing to be kept reinforced as the 1 minute was now 50 seconds. 50 seconds, and he had to figure out how to escape this ordeal within this time. He didn''t know if Barbatos would get serious and rain down attacks that could break through his defense the moment that the 50 seconds ended. Even now, he could pick up her playful voice that seemed to have found the most curious thing in the world. "Woah, you have your own isolated space treasure? Those are rare~" Her voice was nonchalant, but her attacks weren''t, another blazing sun appearing in the quickly boiling and evaporating seawater as it went towards the Spiritual Land once more. Noah kept the seconds counting down in the back of his mind as he thought of ways to get past this. The memories he had plundered from the Megalodon and the other Mythical undead Skeleton Warrior he took down flowed in his mind rapidly as he focused all his attention on putting [Though Acceleration] on overdrive. He already knew Barbatos from Orias and Gremory''s memories, understanding a little bit about her and her powers. He knew her unique and ultimate skills, which made him even more apprehensive towards her as he tried to keep fear from bursting through. Space continued to be locked down, and he still could not teleport away. 30 seconds remained as another blazing sun exploded and a new one took its place. "Wow, How much longer can you hide in there little fishy? I''m sure your energy should be close to empty by now. Or will you surprise me some more?" It was a playful voice that didn''t seem to have a care in the world, like it feared nothing and nobody. It feared nothing and nobody¡­ A blinding light seemed to explode in Noah''s brain as this thought came, and he breathed heavily while looking towards the small figure of Barbatos outside. No, that wasn''t right. There was somebody that this powerful Ruler feared. Somebody she hated in her bones, and yet she couldn''t go against. Noah went back to his memories as he looked at the interactions of the Rulers of the Demon World and Barbatos. Among the many hundreds of years of memory from the two Demon Kings, the ones involving Barbatos were many. The other Rulers feared her, and there was only one person that she feared. The Oppressive Tyrant, Baal. Barbatos was a character that craved destruction and mayhem, earning her the title of World Destroyer. She was unruly and wild, but she was reigned in after a significant battle a few hundred years ago. The one known as the Necromancer of Chaos was beaten down into submission by the most powerful Ruler of the Demon World, Baal. Ever since then, she could only grit her teeth and follow the commands of Baal like every other Ruler. And from the memories of her Mythical Skeleton Warrior that had been with her for years, Noah knew even more of her thoughts and habits. He knew exactly what this powerful Demon Empress felt about the Ruler standing above her. He had obtained the memories of the only beings Barbatos surrounded herself with, and putting together these memories as well as the previous ones from the two Demon Kings caused a plan to form in Noah''s mind. It was a plan that he would never pursue if it wasn''t the last possible way. He had gone through many things and perused through hundreds of years of memories from multiple beings. The one thing he was confident of was that every single person wanted something. He now possibly had an idea of what Barbatos wanted, and if he could successfully use it to his advantage, this terrible meeting today might not just end with him keeping his life, but with a possibility of something much greater. 10 seconds remained in the activated [Frozen Barrier] as Noah looked at Barbatos who was creating another blazing sun with a surprised expression, as if it was unbelievable that Noah could still keep up his defense against her attacks. With just a few seconds remaining, Noah spoke towards Barbatos for the first time as he grasped at yet another straw to keep his life after [Frozen Barrier] ended. It was a straw that went directly against his goal of the destruction of demons, while at the same time going towards accomplishing this goal by allowing him to keep his life and even possibly set himself up in a better position. "Are you still planning to heel under the great Baal''s feet, oh Barbatos?" He spoke in a mystifying manner as his voice resounded out calm and collected, and as it reached Barbatos, he found her smiling expression becoming completely wiped away as her face scrunched up like she had just swallowed the worst food. 171 Scheming using stolen memories! Her playful tone completely changed as beside the blazing sun already in place, another one began to erupt right after, a deadly cold voice coming out of her fair mouth. "You just had to go and fucking ruin my day while I was having fun. I''m gonna rip your limbs and cook them in front of your dying face, little fish." Her voice was now laced with poison as the blinking green lights around the sea surrounded the Spiritual Land. Her figure carrying two golden suns neared as a terrible aura spread out, the 7th Ruler of the Demon World had now gotten serious. "I didn''t mean any disrespect, and just wondered why you still choose to be under his heel with a power of this level." Barbatos''s figure stopped at these words as the barrier that covered the Spiritual Land began fading away. Noah looked at this as his heart palpitated, and he used [Size Regulation] to return the Spiritual Land to a miniature size while using [Anchor] to attach it on his body yet again. His large draconic figure appeared in the open waters again as he stared at the now wrathful Barbatos that was carrying two suns. He kept his apprehension inside as he spoke again. "I can understand your compliance after he thoroughly thrashed you 437 years ago. Yet I don''t recall you challenging him ever again after that. The Necromancer of Chaos that I know should have definitely fought for her freedom after all these years. So I was wondering why you would be on his treasure hunt in the Lost World and not relaxing back in the World of the Dead you''ve been creating." Noah calmly weaved information that not a single soul besides the Rulers and Barbatos herself should know as he became more and more convinced about the possible success of his plan. He continued to look through the memories of the Demon Kings as he grasped for any more information he could weave into the bullshit he was spouting out, as well as a way to make the things he said valid. Barbatos heard his words as her power erupted out even more powerfully, the two suns she had summoned that were boiling and evaporating all the seawater around them disappearing as her aura became more condensed. "Who the fuck are you?" Noah looked at this as his heart pounded. He observed the violent expression on Barbatos''s face as he replied. "My identity is somewhat special, but it wouldn''t matter to the subject at hand. I''ll speak more clearly so we can communicate better. What do you think about the idea of taking down the Oppressive Tyrant who has had you underneath his feet for the past 437 years?" Silence. The oppressive air that Barbatos released stopped as her face became impassive again. "You''re either batshit crazy or just plain insane to be saying the words you''re saying after you''ve barely survived against my attacks. You think someone like you can even talk to me about that bastard Baal?" Noah''s adrenaline was spiking as it seemed to be going in the direction he wanted. [Thought Acceleration] continued to churn as he grabbed details from more and more memories, especially memories of Barbatos who always spoke to her undead creatures over the years. They were the only beings that she honestly talked to, and Noah gained the biggest boon from the Mythical Skeleton Warrior that had been with her for years. He hadn''t even gotten the chance to look over and learn the two Mythical Skill Books that dropped from the Skeleton Warrior as he rapidly shifted through the many memories. "I''m sure you''ve gathered that I am only at the Mythical rank. How do you think it is possible for someone of my level to be standing against you right now?" "Standing? You will barely be on your feet if I get serious. I''ll ask one last time, who the fuck are you? What world...no, what power do you belong to?" Barbatos replied quickly as it seemed her patience was running thin, making Noah''s mind race as he thought of what bullshit identity he should give out that would give him some standing while using the memories that only her and Rulers of the Demon World were privy to, and put them to his advantage. His mind perused through the many memories as he looked at the larger worlds and powers of the universe, and his eyes shone as he found a perfect one. "I am but a small disciple of The Celestials." BOOM The words themselves seemed to carry power as Barbatos showed a surprised and unbelievable expression. "The Celestials?" This was something at the corner of Orias and Gremory''s memories, a secretive power in the Universe that was the fear of many worlds. Every single one of their members was a powerhouse that struck terror to the hearts of many World Leaders, and their powers were too terrible to battle against. Very little was known about them or their aims, which was why Noah claimed this identity. Barbatos continued to stare at him unbelievably as he continued speaking. "Yes. I barely qualify as a member, and was sent out on a mission that would have granted me even higher access, as well as a huge boost in power were I to succeed." Barbatos heard this as she snorted and said, "Oh really? And what mission, pray tell, did you receive to be here right now?" Noah looked at this figure that seemed to be disregarding him, but he became even more convinced his plan was working as she hadn''t tried killing him again. "Oh, my mission is simple. While the Lost World of Atlantis has beings like Baal and multiple Sects from the World of Cultivation running rampant looking for a treasure, I have to steal it right under their eyes and present it as proof for my mission to be complete. Its a fairly normal test to meet the qualification of The Celestials, don''t you think?" Silence. Barbatos was looking at him closely as he uttered these words. The things he was saying were crazy, and could be something that only the secretive force that was The Celestials would do. Send in a Mythical ranked being to fight for a treasure in a world where even someone like her who was at the Phantasmal level could not confidently call herself the top powerhouse. Who else but the mysteriously powerful Celestials would give such a mission to their new members? Barbatos still wasn''t fully convinced as she eyed Noah with caution and suspicion. There was only silence as two people looked at one another. One was claiming boastful things with a few circumstantial evidence to back up his claims, the other was carefully listening as she was led around. Which turn would the results take though? Barbatos thought carefully as she took a bite. "What could an Atlantean of Mythical rank claiming to be a member of one of the most secretive forces in the universe possibly do against Baal?" Barbatos looked towards the figure of the Blue Dragon that encased an Atlantean that should in no way have the information that he held. She still treated his words like nothing, but what if there was an ounce of truth in them? What if her dream...actually had a way to be achieved? Her sharp eyes looked at this interesting enemy as she waited to see just how they would reply. Noah smiled brightly at this as he felt he could almost see the end of the shining path he was building just from talking. The pressure around Noah increased as Barbatos''s voice came out even colder, "You even know about my abilities?" Noah''s body encased in the large blue dragon still continued to feel the stifling pressure that threatened to break the form into pieces as he calmly replied his last hook that should tie this Demon Empress and give credibility to his words. Shock. Barbatos was shocked as she heard this now mysterious figure describe and talk about things he had no business knowing. The only plausible explanation was his identity as a member of The Celestials, the beings that always held too much power and information. Was there actually truthfulness in his words? She thought carefully as she made up her mind and said, "Since you seem to be so knowledgeable, what makes you think you could possibly say that would turn one ruler of the Demon World against another?" Noah''s figure that was hidden at the head of the Blue Dragon smiled wildly as he finished his pitch. "Nothing big, just making your dream of getting out of Baal''s shadow a reality, with the promise of Baal''s death in less than..two months." ¡­ Grand and unbelievable words resounded throughout the dark sea as two figures stared intently at one another. Noah went through the years of memories from Barbatos''s own undead and the experiences from Orias and Gremory as he was confident of one thing, the quality of hatred and cruelty that was ingrained in Barbatos by the Oppressive Tyrant would be his lifeboat today. 172 Unknown Consequences Barbatos was known as the Necromancer of Chaos, but that wasn''t all there was to her. Noah looked through the memories of the Undead Skeleton Warrior as he watched the habits that Barbatos kept for years. When she was angry, playful, or even hopeful, she only had her undead to talk to. She expressed to their lifeless company her inner thoughts, and Noah was going through them right now as he began getting a better understanding of Barbatos. He was certain of one thing as he watched her crazy life, and that was her hatred towards the one person that she could not defy. He was confident in using this against her, and possibly getting out of this predicament with many more victories than just a few Mythical skills. The period of silence was broken as a light laugh escaped Barbatos''s lips. "You''ve been saying a great deal of many things, Atlantean. Do you truly know the power Baal wields for you to speak such words?" The Blue Dragon encasing Noah began disappearing as he deactivated the skills, his Atlantean body with a slight gold sheen appearing magnificently in the dark waters again as he stared at Barbatos calmly. He would act instantly if he saw any changes to defend himself, but he could already see the finish line. "Naturally. I know the Unique and Ultimate Skills he holds as well as how to counter them. If I add you to the mix, my mission will become even easier. I have many more secrets I can share with you if you want to come to an agreement first." An impassive look remained on the cold face of Barbatos as she pondering looked toward this Atlantean. The next words he voiced out sealed the nail of her now indecisive mindset. "Oh, and if you''re worried about the fact that if you kill him he would just be revived by the Will of the Demon World in a few months, you can comfortably leave that to me. I have many tools that would make it so he never has the chance to revive." The eyes of the Demon Empress widened at these words as a sense of apprehension and caution grew. The being in front of her knew too much information to be a nobody, and even the biggest secrets that pertained to the powers of Rulers of the Demon World were known to him. His words that she looked at unbelievably before were gaining a sense of credibility in her mind. She thought about the command from Baal that she couldn''t defy to come to the Lost World and help him on this search for a treasure he would pocket himself. She thought of her dream of freedom as she created her World of the Dead that was always cut short because commands like these as she took a leap of faith. "Alright, little fish. How do you want to start?" A brilliant smile spread across Noah''s face as he tried to keep his emotions down and replied. "I know a lot about you, and I know you still don''t fully trust me. So how about you use Abyss Magic to bind us both to a contract for the duration of our cooperation?" "Hoo. Little fish, you really do know too much." Barbatos''s body began shining red as a golden page and a blood-red pen appeared in the water. Her powerful essence entered the pen as it moved on the surface of the page and carved out a few words. The process finished fairly quickly as the page and pen flew toward Noah''s position. He looked at the page that Barbatos wrote on and became surprised at the demands she listed on the contract that was created using Abyss Magic. This was one of the abilities that Rulers ranked 10 and below could use, a contract ritual that bound two beings. The two parties would choose their terms and restrictions before the contract could be established. There was only one condition and restriction that Barbatos wrote of the golden page. [The little fish will erase Baal''s life in two months.] [If the condition isn''t met, he forfeits his life.] The condition was fine, but the restriction was not. Noah''s face became cloudly as he used his essence to push the golden page and pen back. "The restriction involving my life is too big. I won''t ask for your life, you do not ask for mine." A cold aura spread out as it looked like Barbatos would soon explode with power yet again, but Noah remained firm. She looked at him coldly while putting more essence into the pen and rewriting the restriction. The golden page came back as Noah read it once more. [The little fish will erase Baal''s life in two months.] [If the condition isn''t met, he will lose his manhood and never again be able to copulate.] The restriction wasn''t as extreme as the first one, but it was terrifying to think about. Noah nodded his head as he put his own mana into the pen and wrote his own conditions and restrictions. [Barbatos will aid Noah Osmont the two months before Baal''s True Death. Barbatos will not lay claim to or destroy Noah Osmont''s belongings.] [If the condition isn''t met, she will release the souls of all the undead she has collected.] Her face scrunched up as she red the restriction and looked dangerously at Noah, but she folded the golden page nonetheless and then performed the final portion of the Abyss Magic to finalize the contract. A golden light shone out as the folded page broke into two pieces, one staying with Barbatos and the other going towards Noah. He caught the half-page in his hands as he brought it close to his mouth and observed Barbatos doing the same. The both of them then swallowed the pages as a red light covered both of their bodies briefly, and the contract was complete. "Wow, I really didn''t think you would do it. This means you aren''t actually full of shit and can actually take down that monster? " Noah let out a breath of relief as soon as the contract was finished, finally coming to the conclusion that his life was not in any more danger. For the duration of this contract, until he achieved his original goal of taking down Baal as he already planned, he would also have the peak Phantasmal ranked Barbatos to help him. This was one of the traits of demons that he loathed, the fact that they would betray their own people the moment it was to their benefit and granted them what they wanted. He calmly looked at the figure of Barbatos that neared him and floated just a few inches away, her abyssal eyes looking at every part of his body. "Alright, I don''t give a shit if you really are a member of the Celestials or not, or how you know so much information. Now that you''ve signed that contract, either Baal dies, or you lose your dick. If Baal doesn''t die, you''ll still lose your dick, but I''ll just kill you right after as well. If everything goes wrong then he will just kill me for my betrayal once or twice before he believes I''m reigned in again, so I won''t really lose much, ya know?" Her voice had become playful again as the cold and disastrous power she let out had all but disappeared. The blinking green lights of hundreds of thousands of undead were still surrounding all the miles of the sea around them as two completely opposite beings entered into a contract that would have colossal consequences across worlds. Noah looked at this dangerous individual that would have caused his death if he hadn''t found a solution as he did, and began planning how to move with her in the picture. How do you best put to use a Phantasmal ranked individual who surrounded herself with the undead as her only company and was a little crazy and messed up in the head? "Well, little fish, I will aid you up until we put your shitty words to the test in a few weeks. What do you want to do first?" 173 A Demon Empress in Tow An Atlantean and a Demon were floating through the dark waters. The Atlantean had a calm face while the Demon continued to swim around him constantly talking. "We''re going deeper and deeper into this Abyssal Zone, is that little trident over here?" "What''s your true form really, little fish? Since you said this world is just your mission, you should be a rare species I haven''t come across before." "Oh yeah, what was that isolated treasure you used to defend against my full attacks? Let me see it again." "Hmm, are you already worried about your manhood and aren''t as talkative anymore?" After the contract had been made and Noah guaranteed his life against this powerful Demon Empress, he had gone back to his loner ways and kept the conversation to a minimum, but Barbatos with her warped mind could not stop talking. She only ever had undead for companionship over the years as she continued to build up her World of the Dead, and they were the only ones she would crazily talk to aside from the other Rulers of the Demon World. Noah looked with annoyance at this Phantasmal ranked being that had to aid him now as he said. "All you need to do is aid me, and I''ll keep my end of the deal in two months. For now, we''ll explore the Abyssal Zone while I take down some of the Deep Sea creatures here." A light passed through the dark eyes of Barbatos as she replied. "Yes yes, you seem very interested in killing things, and I''ve noticed their origins quickly being drawn to you when they die. Is this an ability of yours? Hmm?" The hundreds of years old demon continued to pry secrets from Noah as time passed, wanting to know more about this interesting being. Noah thought for a moment as he knew his movements and skills would be under a lot of scrutiny for the next few days and planned accordingly to make sure Barbatos didn''t learn too much about him. "I''m actually a connoisseur of sorts, and enjoy trying new things for the worlds I visit. I''ve found the meat of the sea creatures to be delectable, and that''s why I''m collecting them." Barbatos swam near him as she nodded her head rapidly, the air of the terrible Ruler of the Demon World all but gone as she seemed like an innocent 18 or 19-year-old, though she didn''t believe any of the things Noah was saying. It was this rapid change of personality that many people fell to as they had no idea of the destruction they would face when the personality suddenly changed to a cruel one. "Wow, you enjoy eating as well? Me too! I just had a little fish a while ago, it made a lot of sounds, and the dinner was interrupted in the end, but I see what you mean." Noah felt cold sweat trickling down as he recalled the memories of the Skeleton Warrior that showed Barbatos eating a Mythical Atlantean that was most likely a Seeker of Atlantis whole. She had tortured and then ate a Mythical being while he was still alive. It was actions like these that made Noah act all the more carefully around this Demon Empress. He focused on the task at hand as he kept her rapid questions in the back of his mind, delving deeper into the Abyssal Zone to farm for more higher-ranked skills. He had gained two more Mythical Skills from the death of Barbatos''s Skeleton Warrior that he now learned. [Aura of Death] :: When active, all attacks gain the death attribute. Damage will be heavily increased as defenses are ignored and the origin of enemies is targeted. [An Undead''s Stamina] :: The dead do not tire as easily. When active, exhaustion is completely removed as the body can work for days without feeling the strain. The skills had fairly simple explanations, but the fact that they were Mythical Skills made their effects ridiculous. Noah''s attacks held a thin layer of black smoke that caused terrible damage to those he attacked, while his body now felt as if he had just woken up and was full of energy 100% of the time. He always enjoyed sleeping because it kept him refreshed, but with this skill, he could go on for days without worrying about feeling exhausted. He moved across the Abyssal Zone with a Demon Empress in tow as he took down yet another Mythical Sea Creature, this one being a terrifying [Killer Whale]. The Legendary Whale he had received from the King of Atlantis as a gift had died the moment Barbatos appeared earlier, and Noah found himself taking down another one of its species not too long after. His body that was now boosted by many Mythical ranked skills easily tore apart the hard muscles of the [Killer Whale] as he only used the secret techniques of the Mountain Sea Sect to the fifth form, [Descent of the Emperor], along with using [Hydrokinesis] to heavily restrict the enemy in its home turf. His figure was that of a hazy outline of a regal emperor as he had wings sprouting from his back and two vibrating swords on both his hands, his damage becoming further boosted as he kept active [Aura of Death] and caused the defeat of the Mythical [Killer Whale] in just a minute. Barbatos was looking at the large body of the whale that disappeared in front of Noah as she said, "You''re collecting them to eat them right? So let''s eat." Her words carried a playful tone while also being serious, making Noah look towards this Demon Empress that he couldn''t ignore for too long lest she changed to her other terrible personality yet again. He thought for a bit and nodded his head towards her, the conditions in the contract they were both under not allowing her to do many things against him. "Don''t resist, I''ll bring you to the isolated treasure you''re so curious about." A light twinkled in Barbatos''s eyes as she nodded, and their figures disappeared from the dark sea and appeared in the skies of the Spiritual Land. Barbatos looked around the Frozen Plateau and found the few Legendary beasts looking up to their figures with caution as she let out a sound. "Wow, look at how cute your little pets are! Can we see how tasty they are too?" Dangerous words came out of the Demon Empress as soon as they arrived in the Spiritual Land, making the [Emperor Penguin] fearlessly come forward as his body crackled with silver light. Noah''s face remained impassive as he said. "Remember the contract. You don''t want to lose all the undead you''ve collected over the years right?" "Hmph." The mention of the contract reigned in the fearsome Ruler as they moved down towards the first modern house that Noah had built. The large body of the [Killer Whale] appeared outside as a set of knives appeared in Noah''s hands. The Golden Battle Suit he wore came off his body as a small apron appeared, and he began cutting up the large body of the whale while keeping watch on the wandering Barbatos that was moving around the surrounding area. He was about to cook for this powerful monster at the peak of Phantasmal rank as he continued to plan and ponder how to move from here. He would keep her entertained long enough until he amassed enough skills to be confident to stand against the being that even she couldn''t defeat. The Oppressive Tyrant, Baal. His rank was also peak Phantasmal, but it was his unique and Ultimate Skills that made him nearly unbeatable. The thought of this brought about new apprehensions to Noah as he thought of ways to increase his strength even more rapidly while using his contract with Barbatos to the fullest. 174 The Ruler of the Demon World A large humanoid figure that looked to be the size of a giant stood serenely atop an island that was blazing with flames. His skin had a tinge of red as three golden horns powerfully stretched out on his head. A red robe was all that covered him as he seemed to be pondering, a light passing through his eyes every now and then. Behind him were multiple Rulers of the Demon World that commanded their own Demon Legions as they moved across one of the dangerous zones of the lost world, the Volcanic Islands, in search of the Trident of Neptune. The land around them was in flames as from a distance, volcanic eruptions were occurring. They weren''t simple eruptions, as it seemed something else besides the molten flames was rising from the deep. OOONG Essence wildly congregated amongst the flowing lava as the head of the humongous figure began rising from the opening of the largest erupting mountain. The head alone was more than five meters as blazing red eyes opened to the world. Wings that dripped with lava erupted outwards as more of its body became visible, its terrifying face looking like a mixture of a dragon and dinosaur from the Triassic period. This was one of the calamities of the sea, the Kaiju, Molten Razor! ROAAR! It let out a wild roar as it looked menacingly towards Baal and his forces, letting out maddening levels of power at the PHANTASMAL rank. Baal looked at the appearance of this terrifying creature as he spoke lightly, his voice thundering out to be heard by the Demon Kings and Demon Lords behind him. "Pull back while I match this beast. There is no need for casualties to occur during this trip." The forces of the Demon World were spread throughout the Lost World, but they had not yet come across the Calamities of the Sea. Baal''s words were obeyed as the legions of demons stopped moving, getting into defensive formations while slowly pulling back. There was only one being left to face the Kaiju that was coming out of the blazing volcano. The robe on his body flattered around and had wisps of flames appear on it every now and then as lava and molten flames were flowing beneath his feet. Not an ounce of discomfort was felt as Baal stood calmly and faced the coming Kaiju. "I suppose if I ask you whether an extremely powerful trident is in your possession, you would only howl at me in anger?" ROOAR! "Alright, then let''s see just how tough the so-called Calamities of the Lost World are." A simple exchange had started a significant battle between two powerhouses of the PHANTASMAL level. One was a Calamity from a dangerous zone in the Lost World, the other was the first ranked Ruler of the Demon World holding powerful Unique and Ultimate Skills. The Kaiju attacked first as simmering balls of molten flames rained down from the skies towards Baal''s location. OONG The Kaiju''s body flew into the air, spirals of lava being thrown all over the ground as its figure lunged towards Baal. The air was palpitating with extreme heat as the impact was imminent. BOOM! During the impact, a portion of space had cracked as if a mirror was being broken. The claw of the Kaiju that was near the area found its muscle and bones shattered. A red light erupted out as flames appeared on the mangled claw, and a few seconds later it became as good as new. The Kaiju looked carefully towards the floating figure that injured it first as it began fighting even more ferociously. The battle between the two PHANTASMAL ranked beings would continue for another hour before a clear victor could be decided. Lands quaked and lava flowed, the battle continued as those watching from the distance apprehensively looked forward. Sometime later, the area had become horrendously destroyed as one figure still floated in the air with his hands behind his back. His regal robe had rips throughout as patches of his skin seemed burnt against all odds. His enemy was in a worse stage as it breathed heavily, its head barely being able to lift off the ground. Its body was filled with dark flames that did not seem to be letting up. They continued to burn endlessly as they gnawed more of its life force. This was a Calamity of the Sea that was raised in the depths of volcanoes, and yet its body was succumbing to perilous flames that could not be put out. A deep sense of terror was ingrained in its bones as a weak voice came out of its mouth. "You will not succeed in your quest, Demon." Baal looked at this dying calamity calmly, the wounds inflicted on his body slowly healing as he neared its large body. "Maybe, maybe not. You are not the one to decide." He came close to the flaming mouth of the Kaiju as he placed his hands on the creature''s head. "You should be one of the protectors designated by this World, and even influenced by it as you rose to this level of power." A dark aura began to erupt out of Baal''s hands as the terror the Kaiju felt only intensified. "So before you die, transmit these last messages to this Lost World, and the City of Atlantis that it so desperately wants to protect. I have grown impatient of searching for what I want by moving across its wide seas. I will now be heading directly to the heart of its prized City." "Let the World know that salvation still remains for it, all it has to do is to deliver me the Trident of the Sea before I utterly destroy its people. My forces will face heavy casualties, but it will be nothing compared to what I will do to the inhabitants of this world. A decision has to be made before I reach Atlantis, or you will have an all-out war." The words were coming out in a calm manner as the Kaiju felt a terrifying feeling from the dark smoke that covered the entirety of its body. "The death of one of your protectors now is only a taste for what is to come." OONG A few seconds later, there was only silence as nothing remained of the large body of the Kaiju. The area in front of Baal was empty as he let out a light burp and patted his stomach. He turned around from the area of erupting flames and looked back towards the Rulers and the legions of Demons behind him, his clear voice ringing out and reaching them the miles away from where they were. "Contact those arrogant cultivators. We make way for the City of Atlantis." 175 Adomania I While momentous events were occurring in different corners of the world, in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, a scene that would surprise any knowledgeable beings was taking place. The terrifying Demon Empress that seemed to have multiple personalities was sitting on a table salivating at the dishes placed in front of her. It was a sauteed Mythical [Killer Whale] that Noah himself cooked while activating the skill that always guaranteed the best tasting meals. The powerful Ruler dug in the moment the plates landed on the table as she devoured bountiful meat from a Mythical ranked creature in large bites. "Little fish, what the hell did you do to make it taste like this?!" Amidst her mouthfuls, she was letting out compliments to the chef freely as she enjoyed herself. Noah looked at this figure that was threatening to kill him not too long ago but was now nonchalantly eating without a care in the world as even he found this contrast a bit difficult to accept. He was lost in thought when he found his hand being pulled down, and saw a miniaturized [Emperor Penguin] that was tugging on his sleeve while looking suspiciously at Barbatos. The penguin''s eyes shifted from Barbatos onto the many plates of cut-up [Killer Whale] as he looked at Noah with his beady silvery eyes. Noah sighed and nodded as he watched multiple plates disappear from the table with a silvery light as the [Emperor Penguin] grabbed some for himself and the other beasts of the Spiritual Land. This was the meat of a Mythical ranked being, the essence collected in its meat and bones being extremely thick and would be a great source of strength. Barbatos noticed a few plates of the [Killer Whale] disappearing when she lifted her face up, and a stifling pressure erupted out as her gaze landed on the [Emperor Penguin]. "Little bird, the fuck are you doing?" The [Emperor Penguin] was pushed to its knees at the stifling pressure Barbatos released as Noah jumped in between them and looked sternly at her. "There''s tons of meat just from just that one whale, I''ll continue to make some more so don''t do things like that. If you accidentally kill any of my forces, the deal will be off." The pressure was lifted as the terrifying Demon Empress only heard that there would be more of the glistening meat she was eating and she went back to enjoying herself. The penguin she had pressured down rose up with an arrogant expression as it stared fearlessly at this PHANTASMAL ranked individual and used its ability to take a few more plates before its body flashed away. They were in the futuristic house that held a wide kitchen for Noah to work with as he spent the next few hours cooking and enjoying the meat of a Mythical ranked being. When Barbatos was on her 20-something plate, her face of bliss and contentment stopped as it quickly turned wrathful and sour. Noah wondered what had caused her to change now as shocking words came out of her still chewing mouth. "Baal has grown impatient and is collecting all forces towards the City of Atlantis. He''ll be striking up another deal with the Cultivators once more to besiege Atlantis." The Demon Empress released horrendous information as she went back to eating the glistening meat while her face looked towards Noah impassively. Noah''s eyes turned into piercing slits as he heard this new information and asked the nonchalant Demon Empress in front of him. "How long till their forces group up and arrive?" "Hmm? Well, he''s coming from some dangerous zone in some corner of this world while the Cultivators are spread throughout. I give the little fishes of Atlantis 2 weeks before the full force of two Large Worlds knocks at their door." She was licking her fingers and grabbing yet another plate as she talked, treating the food in front of her more important than the disastrous information she was letting out. "Oh, since you aren''t even a native here, do you care what happens to the fishes in Atlantis? You seem to have many unique tools and skills, which makes me believe that your promise of taking down that asshole Baal in 2 months might be a possibility, but I doubt you will be anywhere close to matching him when he attacks Atlantis and grabs that trident for himself." The mouthful Barbatos made Noah think some more as plans rapidly shifted in his mind. He still had plans for Atlantis, and couldn''t have Baal raze it to the ground so soon. ''Well, I guess I will be depending on you now.'' He thought this as he looked down towards the Spiritual Land. The numbers of Legendary beasts passed more than 15, and he was already bolstering the strength of talented beasts like the [Emperor Penguin] and a few others that had reached the realm first as he prepared to upgrade the Spiritual Land to the next rank. [Frozen Plateau-3] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-45,342, C-14,322, B-8,323, A-1,234, S-499, EPIC-125, LEGENDARY-17 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye. Available for planting(Ice-fire Persimmon, Pigmy Melon¡­) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Locked), Time Dilation(Locked), @#$@%(Locked), !@##$(Locked)... Upgrade- Conditions not met. @%%^#$ The fourth tier...had many things that Noah looked forward to. Most of all were the features of [Offensive Maneuvers] and [Time Dilation]. He wanted to see just what surprises these two features held. The [Ice-Fire Persimonn] that had been growing abundantly in many fields across the Spiritual Land would be maturing by the next day at the latest, and these were the resources specifically cultivated to help the beasts born in the Spiritual Land advance through the ranks. For the talented ones like the [Emperor Penguin], they should breakthrough without a hitch. For the others, they just needed a little push. Noah had been making this process even faster by leaving behind Legendary cores and skills for the beasts to learn and propel them to the peak of that rank, where only a slight force would be needed for them to breakthrough. As of now though, he had many Mythical cores, as well as two skill books from the Mythical [Killer Whale] he was roasting that he had not yet used. If he gave these, as well as the consumption of [Ice-Fire Persimonns], he should have five Mythical beasts in no time. After that, the upgrade to a fourth tier Spiritual Land would be a breeze. He would then find out just what spectacular things he could accomplish with the new features, especially [Time Dilation]. The one thing he needed was time, so what if he actually had a lot of it to spare? A confident smile crept up Noah''s face as a Demon Empress stuffed her face with a Mythical whale while looking at him quizzically. 176 Adomania II A few paths were laid out in Noah''s mind as he turned to look at the powerful Barbatos. The City of Atlantis would be alerted as soon as large movements of forces begin to move in the sea, so he didn''t have anything to worry about there. What he would focus on now is the Spiritual Land upgrade while heading towards the Calamity possibly holding the Trident of the Sea in this Abyssal Zone. "We''ll make our movements too. Why don''t we start with a little aid from you?" The apron he had on disappeared as a Golden Battle Suit covered his body once again, looking to Barbatos for a reply. She looked up at him between her mouthfuls and said, "What do you want, little fish?" "You have hundreds of thousands of undead moving across the depths, I want you to move seriously for a bit and use them to look for and capture at least two Mythical creatures." Noah was preparing to boost the strength of five beasts to the Mythical rank, and having them absorb cores as well as learn the skills of the Mythical rank will do just that. While he prepared to move around the Spiritual Land for the maturing of the [Ice-Fire Persimonn], he could have Barbatos go out to collect even more cores for him to use. "Hmm? What''s in it for me?" The Demon Empress looked down towards Noah impassively as she licked her fingers clean, making him rub his temples as he looked towards her. "Besides it being on the contract, I''ll cook any of the deep sea creatures you manage to bring. They might taste even better than this [Killer Whale] if they are rarer and more exotic." These words caused a light to shine on the cruel face of the Demon Empress as her small figure stood up. "I''ll be back!" Noah calmly watched a red light erupt out from Barbatos as her figure began to fade away into nothingness. He let out a breath as he appeared on top of the Spiritual Land and sent a command to the Legendary beasts that were either eating or training. The message was very clear, the time for their advancement had come. RAA! Beasts clamored in the Spiritual Land as they congregated together for this event, looking forward to seeing who among them would lead the way once more. One particularly arrogant penguin didn''t have any worries as it watched Noah bring out Mythical cores and Skill Books. In a few hours, the [Ice-Fire Persimonn] specifically cultivated for the advancement of beasts in the Spiritual Land would be matured, and then a world defying process of mass advancement would occur. --- Barbatos was moving across the dark seas as hundreds of thousands of green lights were surrounding her. She had a face devoid of emotions as she sent commands for her pets to spread out and look for any signatures of life as she actively looked for Mythical sea creatures. Her endeavor with the Atlantean was simply one of curiosity and for the possible possibility, but it was turning out better than expected. She was still only 50% sure of the Atlantean''s words based on the abundant amount of information and unique tools he held, but she was sure of Baal''s strength even more that even now she expected this endeavor to fail. ''Well, I will at least enjoy myself before then.'' If it failed, Baal would definitely extend his wrath towards her and even possibly kill her one or two times, but so what? It was nothing new. This was done before multiple times when she didn''t want to be compliant. The only thing she would remotely care about would be her pets, as they would lose the energy anchoring them down when she died. She hated recalling how many times she had to build up her Army of the Dead from scratch after reviving in the Demon World. The Oppressive Tyrant did not get his name for nothing. If things did not go his way, he would take them by force, and he had the strength to do it. ''If the little fish''s words are true though¡­'' Her eyes twinkled at the possibility of freedom that she never believed she would come across, before they soon became deep circles of Abyss. Her gaze turned to the side a few nautical miles from her as a small smile crept up. The undead that she had spread to cover a wide net had caught something big. Barbatos moved in large strides as her figure appeared and disappeared, moving yet again to another target. --- An [Emperor Penguin] looked towards the brothers he had known all his life as he prepared for a breakthrough yet again. The master that had taken over the Spiritual Land wasn''t bad at all, and had helped them immensely while introducing surprising new things. Never in his wildest dreams did the penguin expect the treasures used for the catalyst of their strength be grown at such unbelievable speeds. It shocked many of the beasts when they first saw it with their own two eyes, but now it seemed like the norm. He was currently watching a few of his brothers consume Mythical cores for the chance to breakthrough from the Legendary rank and advance forward. His talent was much higher, and should be able to break through as soon as he consumed a few [Ice-Fire Persimonn], so he told the Spiritual Land Master to start with the advancement of his brothers and sisters first. The shining flippers on his body tighten as he yearned for more strength, never wanting to be pushed down again. His thoughts moved towards the arrogant figure of a demoness that had made him kneel just with a glare as silver light erupted from his eyes. He would show them all just why there was such arrogance ingrained in the bones of the [Emperor Penguin]. The first beast to be born in the Spiritual Land, as well as its strongest, looked forward into the future. 177 Upgrade the Spiritual Land! Noah was overseeing the advancing of multiple Legendary beasts in the Spiritual Land as he provided cores of the Mythical rank for the advancement. He was saving and stockpiling more cores and skill books to boost the strength of Steel Mikhail and Kazuhiko, but he could always obtain more later. The powerful Barbatos should even come back with two or three Mythical creatures that would add even more to his collection. It had been a few hours since she left and the process started, some of the fields holding an abundant amount of [Ice-Fire Persimmon] shining a blue and red light as the fruits fully matured. There was a resplendence of light as it seemed two opposing forces were trying to occupy the same thing, but they melded together to form into glistening blue red fruit handing off large trees. The surrounding beasts were roused by the allure of the fruits as they looked towards Noah, where he nodded to the [Emperor Penguin] as he took the lead in absorbing them, with the beasts absorbing the cores already having their auras changing to become Mythical. RAA! The beasts were full of enthusiasm as the process went on in full swing, with Noah monitoring any changes as more and more fields where [Ice-Fire Persimmon] was growing became resplendently covered in mystical lights as they matured. During this process, a hazy red light formed into the figure of Barbatos as she returned into the Spiritual Land that Noah had anchored into the area of the sea they were fighting in before. "Haha!" Her appearance came with a mischievous laugh as her dangerous aura ran about unbounded, around her appearing two creatures that were covered in transparent dark chains with barely any signs of life remaining. Noah''s eyes turned up at the appearance of two Mythical deep-sea creatures that were near death as he affirmed the abundant usefulness Barbatos would have from now on. She could spread her army for miles to look for enemies, leaving and finding these two creatures after just two hours. It was another [Megaladon] and a golden shining [Sting Ray] that were tied up in the deathly chains as they continued to struggle. "Here are two fishes for you to make something good later. Now, what more surprises am I gonna be seeing from you, little fish?" Barbatos''s eyes were wandering around as she looked at the figures of the [Emperor Penguin] and other beasts absorbing essence from the [Ice-Fire Persimmon] fruits. The resplendently shining fields of produce that felt enticing even to her made her give surprised every few seconds. Light passed through her eyes as she tried to pry the secrets of this figure that claimed to be from a powerful organization. Noah felt her piercing gaze as he activated the first five forms of Mountain Sea Sect''s Secret Techniques and went towards the bound Mythical beasts beside her, the two vibrating blue blades in his hands carrying the deathly glow of [Aura of Death] as they struck down towards the nonmoving targets. He wasn''t worried about Barbatos looking at the process about to occur as he understood her personality after looking over the plundered memories. She was a cruel being who had very few interests, with the recent things he introduced to her being new and foreign peeking her attention. But to her, they would just be that, interesting things. As long as she didn''t stand to benefit from him or her trust wavered, he would find himself faced with the cruel Demon Empress that ate a Mythical Atlantean while he was still alive without batting an eye, because to her, he was just another one of the little fishes she saw in the sea. His mind wandered off from Barbatos as he felt more Mythical ranked skill books and cores appear in the [Sea Pearl] and he nodded towards Barbatos, keeping the bodies of the creatures in his storage space as well. His attention was focused on the rapid breakthroughs taking place, where he could feel two auras at the Mythical rank spread out from two beasts, the [Winged Spider] and [Arctic Fox]. The arrogant penguin wasn''t far behind as his body began shining with a radiant silver light, the essence of the Spiritual Land seemingly congregating around him as he continued to absorb many [Ice-Fire Persimmon] fruits. Barbatos looked at this sight in stupefaction, as she felt like she was watching this Atlantean growth Mythical ranked beings as if it was nothing. Her surprise only increased as a third aura that pulsed at the Mythical rank spread out, with a fourth and a fifth one soon after. This didn''t stop as Noah had inadvertently appeared next to a few more legendary beasts and had them absorb more Mythical Cores on top of the [Ice-Fire Persimonn] fruits. He could feel his blood boiling as something exciting was in front of him yet again. RAA! An arrogant howl could be heard where a penguin glowing in silver could be seen floating in the skies, its body letting out crackles of power at the Mythical rank. A glossier sheen had appeared on its sleek fur as its beak could be seen pointing towards the skies. A bright smile spread out as a blue glow released from Noah, spreading out to cover the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land as he began pumping mana to push forward the process of upgrading to the fourth tier! Barbatos was looking at this sight with a serious expression as her gaze landed on the brilliantly shining Noah. He looked like the center point that was causing a huge change as the isolated space treasure they were in began shaking. The beasts around them were howling as if calling forth the advent of something new. The land around them was vibrating, seemingly resonating with the mana that Noah released as a change began to occur. The water around the Spiritual Land in the Abyssal Zone was churning as the upgrade caused a significant disturbance, releasing waves of power that spread out for miles. Powerful creatures of the deep quite a distance away felt this tremendous surge of energy as their attention was captured in a certain location. 178 Time Resplendent lights were shining in the Spiritual Land and outside it, as a hazy shield that was isolating everything in the floating landmass became more and more distinct. OOOH! An excited howl erupted from Noah''s mouth as he poured out more and more mana without reservation, feeling the amount required for the master of the Spiritual Land to provide reaching the maximum capacity in a few minutes as the process was about to finish. A blinding light erupted out with the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land at the center and spread out in the dark waters of the Abyss, almost as if signifying the birth of something wondrous. There were all sorts of colors still shining inside the Spiritual Land as the beasts howled excitedly, feeling the changes as dense essence congregated around and was raised to even higher levels around them. [Frozen Plateau-4] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-47,342, C-15,322, B-9,453, A-1634, S-540, EPIC-150, LEGENDARY-15, MYTHICAL-7 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon. Available for planting(Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Locked), @$%#%(Locked)... Upgrade- Conditions not met. @%%^#$ His mind was fully locked into the singular feature that he was looking forward to the most. [Time Dilation] :: The abstract concept of time can be manipulated in a small area. 1:5 Ratio (Unlocked), 1:10 Ratio (Locked), 1:20 Ratio (Locked)... There were amazing words listed under the description of [Time Dilation] that made Noah''s heart palpitate. New information was sent to his mind from the Spiritual Land about the new changes, and the one that dealt with [Time Dilation] was the rise of runic monoliths in the underground area of the Spiritual Land. The many runic monoliths surrounded an area of two acres, forming into what looked like a circular enclosure. Thin blue lines spread out from each of the monoliths as they connected to one another. This was the area where [Time Dilation] could be applied. This was the newly created [Time Space] An area of more than 2 acres where whoever entered and stayed in, 5 hours in that area would be equivalent to 1 hours outside of it. Noah''s eyes shined with excitement as he couldn''t wait to begin his training regiment in this location. He could spend a bit over a month in the [Time Space] to raise the proficiency and spam skills as much as he wished, combining them continuously with ease thereafter. This was a plan he had in the back of his mind, but never expected to be implementing it so soon. The main way he rapidly increased his strength was to kill enemies of the next rank and absorb their cores and skills to attain their rank. He always lagged behind in his combinations as he had to spend a significant amount of time to raise the proficiency of his skills before he could combine them. His highest combined skill was currently EPIC+ while he has amassed many more skills at the MYTHICAL rank through defeating enemies. But, with the use of this [Time Space]...he might be able to rise up even faster with [Skill Combination], achieving a PHANTASMAL ranked skill that would put him far ahead. Since awakening from rank F, he had only been active for a little over two months to achieve Mythical rank. If he spent 1 month in the [Time Space], which would be equivalent to less than a week in the outside world, that would be more than one-third of all the time he spent since awakening. The rapid rise in strength during that time...his eyes shined as he thought of the ridiculous things he was about to do. He wanted to quickly get started with his training before he went searching for the [Kraken], when he felt a few oppressive auras gathering outside the Spiritual Land. "Hey little fish, while you were there spacing out, a few more fishes surrounded your isolated space treasure~" The nonchalant voice of Barbatos rang out from the fantastic modern house Noah had built first as the Demon Empress had her feet up while relaxing at the same fluffy couches that a certain arrogant beast enjoyed as well. Noah turned his attention to the outside world where he found three large deep-sea creatures surrounding the Spiritual Land menacingly as they were attracted by the abundant explosion of energy during the upgrade. His eyes shined as he turned towards the other unlocked feature after the upgrade, wanting to try it out on these newly appearing Mythical deep-sea creatures. [Offensive Maneuvers] :: The Spiritual Land becomes a tool for destruction. Features include Beast Armament and Falling Meteor. The feature was straightforward, giving two possibilities of attack. Noah looked at the newly advanced Mythical beasts as his eyes shined, he would try the [Beast Armament] first! On the body of the arrogant penguin began to appear a snowy blue suit of armor. The material of the armor couldn''t be discerned, only looking extremely resplendent and powerful as it went to fit his body like it was made for him. The [Winged Spider] also had its own specialized armor wrapping around its body, its many legs gaining jagged blades that shone with a red light. This scene repeated for all of the Mythical Beasts as powerful pieces of armor that let out maddening pressure appeared on their bodies. RAA! Excited howls were let out from the beasts as Noah gave the command to attack. The arrogant penguin led the charge as its body flashed with silver light and appeared outside the bubble of the Spiritual Land. Its flippers were now modified to have long serrated blades as they struck towards one of the Mythical Deep Sea Creatures. RAA! RAA! RAA! A terrifying [Winged Spider] with fitted metal wings and sharp legs, a gloriously armored [Arctic Fox], and all the other beasts rushed outside the Spiritual Land and pounced on the surrounding Deep Sea Creatures as the beasts were finally let out of the Frozen Plateau to battle their Master''s enemies. 179 Skill Combination at its best I Barbatos kept her awareness on the figures of 7 Mythical ranked beasties that had just advanced to that rank through the hands of this increasingly mysterious Atlantean. Her interest only continued to be piqued as she wandered around the exquisite houses seen all over the isolated treasure and all the luxuries they held. She didn''t know how, but she continued to be surprised by the things the little fish continued to pull out. The battle in the water was particularly disastrous for the three Deep Sea Creatures that had neared the isolated space treasure, with the newly advanced beasties that the Atlantean sent out actually having power at the peak of the Mythical rank with the appearance of the new armor. The little bird shining with silver light was the most eye-catching one as it teleported across the waters and shredded the bodies of the large sea creatures with surprise attacks. Never would it be in one position for longer than 1 second as the battle was nearing its end just as it had begun. OONG The sea creature facing the penguin let out a deathly howl as it fell under the oppressive strength, while the other two Mythical creatures that were swarmed by three other armored beasts found themselves in the same situation. Just as it had begun, the battle quickly ended. Barbatos looked at these now powerful beasts that could barely withstand her aura before but were now seemingly fully established in the Mythical rank. Her expectations for the Atlantean were further increased by every second she continued to watch him. Just what else did he have up his sleeves? --- The use of [Beast Armament] was particularly powerful, giving the beasts power at the peak of Mythical rank as Noah provided the mana to keep the transformation of the beasts active. This was just one of the ways to use the [Offensive Maneuvers] of the Spiritual Land, there was one more he could still use now, and even more to be unlocked in the future. He stopped providing energy as the grandiose pieces of armor began to fade from the bodies of the beasts as they carried the dead sea creatures back into the Spiritual Land. The arrogant penguin flashed by Noah''s side with the bodies of the dead fish, making it 5 Mythical creatures that came into Noah''s possession just in the past few hours. Multiple skill books, cores, and items were brought by the [Emperor Penguin] as Noah came to now hold six more skill books as well four items of the Mythical rank. He placed them in the [Sea Pearl] as soon as the penguin teleported them in front of him, looking forward to observing their details in a few minutes as he got started with using the two acre long [Time Space]. The beasts and this unique treasure were originally from the Beast World, and they now held the same system of power from Noah''s homeworld. This combination, as well as the uniqueness of the Spiritual Land would allow for something rarely seen across worlds. They could upgrade their strength with cores and skill books just like Noah, and as long as their strength rose to the next level, he could upgrade the Spiritual Land once again. This made Noah excited and apprehensive at the same time, as he felt like he was breaking a tremendous amount of rules with the things he was about to do. It was unnatural and scary even as his mind mixed together the possibilities of the quick rise in the beast''s strength, the usage of [Skill Combination] and [Time Dilation], and the many other features of the Spiritual Land. His heart palpitated just at the thought of it. His gaze landed towards Barbatos that was nonchalantly going through the section of the Spiritual Land where he built Atlantean style houses after going past the modern and ancient architecture he had been experimenting with during his down time. His voice traveled towards her as he continued to observe her piqued interest. "I''ll be improving my strength a little in the next few days. I can trust you to not destroy and kill anything if you become bored?" Her ears twitched as she turned towards him from quite a distance below, before a nonchalant reply came. "I don''t think I''ll be bored for quite a while, little fish. Just provide me with some of that amazing food you made before every day until we get to the time limit of the contract and I''ll be your best friend you know?" Noah listened to these words and he believed them, as they lined up with the personality he had watched in the many stolen memories. He nodded towards her and prepared to move to the underground section of the Spiritual Land while giving directions to the [Emperor Penguin] and other beasts to follow him. The beasts had more of a connection to the Spiritual Land and had a sense of what Noah was now trying to do as they moved excitedly. The figures flashed in a silver light that spread from the [Emperor Penguin] as they all appeared outside the area of many erected monoliths that were connected to each other with thin blue lines. The monoliths encircled an area of two acres as they stood imposingly, a source of power that they hadn''t come across before being felt. The two acres was a huge section of land where the manipulation of time would occur. Noah nodded his head with enthusiasm as his figure flashed into the middle of the large acres. The mana of the Spiritual Land Master was required to activate and keep active the [Time Dilation] in this space, so Noah''s nigh-infinite mana broke the rules once again by allowing him to keep it active at all times. The beasts entered the large field of the Time Space as Noah closed his eyes and activated the long-awaited [Time Dilation]. A burst of blue light released from him as the thin lines connecting the many risen monoliths around the two circular acres of land equivalent to 871,00 square feet lit up. The area larger than two football fields was briefly covered with a blinding silver light as those in it felt something change, but they couldn''t grasp what. Noah''s mind that was connected to the Spiritual Land felt the distinct differences as it felt everything outside of the field they were in was going at five times slower speed. Five hours here would be just an hour outside. His smile became wider as he confirmed this time difference, realizing he was about to do something world breaking once more. 180 Skill Combination at its best II For someone that had been able to rapidly increase in strength every few days, time was the only enemy in becoming even stronger. Now, if time was something that they had plenty of, the results would be astounding. Noah continued to be a special case in this new environment as he could continue to spam and raise the proficiency of his skills at an insane degree. The beasts that were raising their skill proficiencies in the [Time Space] just as him would never be able to match his speed. In the [Time Space], an entire week had passed as Noah raised the proficiencies and combined multiple skills. He used a variety of ways to escape boredom as his own body was filled with energy while also having [An Undead''s Stamina] that made the idea of tiredness even further away from him. He first battled with the newly advanced Mythical beasts until they were spent. The beasts found themselves not being able to match Noah even after they advanced to the same rank as him, the arrogant [Emperor Penguin] hanging its head just a little lower as none of its surprise attacks went through. After they were about to run dry of energy, Noah activated the [Beast Armament] feature as the powers of the beasts instantly became boosted with terrifyingly fitted armor appearing on their bodies. When they fought with their armored forms, Noah had to activate all the six styles of the Mountain Sea Sect''s Secret Techniques just to keep up with the ferocious attacks of the beasts. But the results were spectacular. His skills continued to increase at a rapid rate while he gained more combat experience with them. There was also no sense of boredom as he battled the enthusiastic beasts who were raising their proficiencies just like him. The beasts were becoming more and more used to the boost provided by the [Beast Armament] feature of the Spiritual Land as they began to work in conjunction to deliver deadly blows. As for Noah, the Skill Combinations he was looking at were abundant, and his strength had begun its first phase of skyrocketing like never before. It was about to get plain ridiculous. First off were the 6 Mythical Skills that he learned for himself from the deaths of the Mythical Sea Creatures that were lured by the burst of energy from the upgrade of the Spiritual Land as well as the ones Barbatos brought in. The six skills that were already learned and had risen past 60 in proficiency in the past 7 days were [Admantine Skin], [Titan''s Regeneration], [Metamorphosis], [Thunder Distortion], [Megaladon Transformation]. Aside from the new skills that had already been risen past 60, his old Mythical skills had already reached the required 100 proficiency, with a few of them already becoming combined. Mountain Sea Sect''s Fifth Style- Descent of the Emperor + Mountain Sea Sect''s Sixth Style- Dragon Form :: MYTHICAL+ [Descent of the Dragon Emperor] Summon Creatures of the Deep + Gigantification :: MYTHICAL+ [Summon Destructive Titans] Aside from the rapid and spectacular appearance of these new Mythical+ skills, there were also many Legendary+ combinations. Mountain Sea Sect''s Third Style- Healing Water + Mountain Sea Sect''s Fourth Style- Wings of the Sea :: LEGENDARY+ [Healing Wings] Whirlpool + Hydrocyrokinesis :: LEGENDARY+ [Whirling Frozen Death] Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony + Demon King''s Haki :: LEGENDARY+ [Demon King''s Banner] There were also the skills that graduated from EPIC+ to become Legendary, as the spectacular efficiency of [Skill Combination] added to [Time Dilation] continued to exceed all expectations. Fiendish Sword Beast Transformation + Summon Saint of Death :: LEGENDARY [Summon Death Reaper] Destructive Domain + Storm of Ice and Bones :: LEGENDARY [Devastation] This was just in one continuous week of training and spamming of skills. This one week was only equivalent to a day and a half in the outside world. One of the things he did run into for the first time was not having equivalent skills to combine for the lower-ranked skills. There were many skills ranked Epic and lower that would be considered null in any helpfulness towards Noah''s level, but there were a few that he still used and continued to be crucial. Examples of these were the rank A [Language Comprehension], [Recorder], [Cook], as well as the rank S [Thought Acceleration] and [Crisis Avoidance]. They were skills that were not combat related, but boosted his power and or had their own usefulness. Noah continued to spend the days in the Time Space as the proficiencies of skills continued to spike at a fast rate, coming out for an hour or two a day to entertain Barbatos as he felt the thrill of visibly growing in power every day once more. In the first week he spent in the space affected by [Time Dilation], which was equivalent to a day and a half in the outside world, he had gained two Mythical+ skills and three Legendary+ through combinations. The week after that, the 6 Mythical skills that were more than halfway maxed during the first week had reached 100 and were also combined, producing another 3 Mythical+ skills. Noah stopped spreading his focus to lower-ranked skills as he focused on achieving a PHANTASMAL ranked skill as soon as possible. Only Legendary skills and higher continued to receive his attention and combination as during the third week, after 21 days, he had multiple Mythical+ ranked skills that were maxed in proficiency. 21 days. This was equivalent to four days in the outside world, and he had achieved the conditions to obtain a PHANTASMAL ranked skill through skill combinations. For Noah, it did not matter if he had the strength of Phantasmal rank, as long as he had a skill of that rank that required mana, he would dominate any average being in that rank. The beasts practicing with him in the Time Space had only been able to raise 1 or two skills to Mythical+ rank, and weren''t anywhere near ready to combine skills to reach the Phantasmal rank. They could not replicate his horrendous cheat of spamming skills continuously and simply watch as the proficiency rose every hour, and they were about to be left behind in rank once again. Noah looked at the additions of Mythical+ skills that were now already maxed in proficiency as he chose carefully what his first PHANTASMAL skill should be. Megaladon Transformation + Metamorphosis :: MYTHICAL+ Deep Sea Terror Admantine Skin + Titan''s Regeneration :: MYTHICAL+ Titanium Body Thunder Distortion + Aura of Death :: MYTHICAL+ A Rain of Death and Lightning Besides these three, he already held [Descent of the Dragon Emperor], and [Summon Destructive Titan]. Between these, which ones were compatible and would come together to form his first PHANTASMAL skill? 181 PHANTASMAL! A terrifying sight was occurring in the underground area of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land as powerful Mythical beasts found their bodies sinking lower into the ground at the pressure that their Master released. The arrogant penguin that normally had its beak raised high was looking towards the ground with clouded silvery eyes as it felt a hit to its confidence once more. Its beady eyes peered at the sight in front of it once more as the oppressive feeling was enforced. In the large space where [Time Dilation] was kept active, a ferocious kaiju was swiftly moving its three heads around the area as it acclimated to its new form. The body of the Kaiju shone with a black metallic sheen as it looked extremely real, its power pressing down on everything around it. This was the PHANTASMAL ranked skill combined from [Descent of the Dragon Emperor] and [Deep Sea Terror]. The first PHANTASMAL skill that Noah grasped was called, [The Dictatorial Kaiju-Hydra] :: The form of a pinnacle Three-headed Dragon is activated. The first head releases toxic poison that melts all it touches, the second head releases destructive lightning that shreds apart enemies, and the third head is blessed with the pinnacle control of the water element. The cast skill allowed Noah to feel a tremendous amount of power in the body of an enormous Kaiju that felt like his own flesh and blood. It wasn''t just a hazy outline of a dragon while he remained in his Atlantean form inside the body, but a completely transformational change when the skill was cast. It was extremely painful the first few seconds as his body expanded and changed forms, but after the transformation was complete, the power he felt could not be denied. He had to get used to the feeling of three heads as each of them had their own vision and could move independently, the skill [Thought Acceleration] granting him a huge help that allowed him to quickly adjust. He was about to continue testing the powers this new skill held when he felt a movement with his expanded senses that caused him to look in a certain direction. In the ceiling of the underground area of the Spiritual Land, a hazy red light had appeared as something looked to be drilling through the frozen ground. The figure of Barbatos appeared grandly as her eyes piercingly looked for the tremendous pressure she felt when she was relaxing in a bubbling jacuzzi. Her eyes expanded to become even bigger as she saw the huge formation of monoliths surrounding a large area that pulsed with a mysterious power. She felt her heart beat faster as she recognized the type of power she was feeling in the area on top of the powerful aura of a three-headed dragon. Her mind worked quickly as she came to multiple conclusions. "Fucking hell, are you really some big shot member of the Celestials? You were playing with the power of time down here this entire time? You jumped to PHANTASMAL in the span of a few days, and that''s actually the least surprising thing. Just who the hell are you, little fish?" Her figure was floating confidently in the air without a single thread of clothing as she showed off her full figure without any reservations. She didn''t even bother placing anything on her body after coming out of the jacuzzi, her powerful body drilling through the layers of the Spiritual Land to reach the underground portion. Noah''s tremendously large body that was the Dictatorial Kaiju-Hydra, looked at this questionable figure he had entertained these past few days as his voice thundered out from his three draconic heads, the vibrations sending out waves of power that caused the sky to tremble. "My identity remains the same as I told you, whether you believed me then or now doesn''t matter. At this moment in time though, it means we can continue to move forward with the next phase of plans." His three heads were focused on different parts of the Demon Empress''s body as he watched a gothic dress drape over her as she moved closer to the field where Noah had deactivated [Time Dilation], her eyes shining with interest as she looked over his body that was larger than twenty meters. "...This is genuine PHANTASMAL power, and extremely powerful at that. With this type of ability, your words might actually not be bullshit, little fish." She floated across the skies as she went around Noah and observed the pulsating monoliths around the large field. "Hey hey, why don''t we battle again so I can see just how powerful you''ve gotten? You could stand against me before, but if you can defeat me now, I''ll even allow you to have a taste of the body of a Demon Empress your eyes feasted on just now. What do you say little fish, why don''t we have another bout?" Barbatos''s body was crackling with death energy as a red light expanded, her power bubbling and ready to go. Noah''s ears perked up at her ridiculous words as his power pulsed out just as powerfully, her provocation riling up his own interest to test the power of his first PHANTASMAL skill. "We can test things again in the sea, after we''re done we will head towards the location of the Trident of the Sea right away." Noah''s thundering voice reverberated again as a silver light covered his large body, teleporting himself out of the Spiritual Land and into the dark waters of the Abyssal Zone. The battle intent from Barbatos was high as she stopped being surprised by the things this Atlantean did and focused more on the contract that seemed to have more and more credibility as she observed more of this interesting being''s strength. "Haha, come on little fish, let''s see just how much more of my interest you''ll capture!" Blazing red suns began appearing around her as destruction and mayhem began around them. Deathly energy was in the air as transparent figures began forming around her as well. These were the [Dread Spirits] that Barbatos could summon and control under the usage of her ultimate skill. Their power was palpitating as Noah faced these attacks without fear this time. His body that was that of a Kaiju roared with its three heads as a green poisonous light came from one head, purple lightning began to roar out from another, while a blue light shone powerfully in the other. Waves of destruction spread out in the dark waters as two powers of PHANTASMAL rank clashed. 182 Kraken I "Damn, little fish, what kind of messed up stamina is that? Sheesh" Words that the 7th Ruler of the Demon World never expected to say to another being of the same rank as her came out of her mouth. The problem was that this wasn''t the first time these words were said in the past few hours. The first time these words were uttered from Barbatos''s mouth was after an entire hour of deadly skills clashing against one another in the dark waters of the Abyssal Zone as Noah adapted to his terrific new PHANTASMAL skill. The body of the Kaiju had extreme defenses while its heads let out terrible attacks. Noah was able to withstand the blazing suns that Barbatos threw as well as the dreadful spirits she continued to summon. This continued until a sense of exhaustion filled the body of the Demon Empress and she was looking towards Noah with a frightening light in her eyes. He did not seem to have any sense of tiredness as the large three heads looked down at her menacingly. After this came the second battle where the Demon Empress acted on her earlier words of letting the Atlantean have a taste of something he had been feasting his eyes on earlier that day. This battle took even longer than the first one. This battle too, she had lost. Noah looked at the exhausted figure of Barbatos lying on the bed as he moved out once again. He breathed out as he felt better after cooping himself in the Time Space for the past 21 days of constant training. He had never entertained the idea of Barbatos before, and just went along with the flow after he tested his PHANTAMSAL strength for the first time. Even now he didn''t feel any sense of attachment, just slight guilt as he thought about a certain Queen that was leading a kingdom and a portion of the smooth establishment of relations with his homeworld. He shook his head as his figure began to disappear in a silver light, his voice coming across before he disappeared from the Spiritual Land. "I''ll move first. I''ll call you out if your aid is needed." "Yea yea, I''m more interested to play around in this isolated space treasure than go searching for ugly fish in the bottom of the sea anyways~" Noah fully disappeared as he heard the reply and found himself in the dark waters of the Abyssal Zone once more. His mind continued to think about the future as he considered which of the other maxed Mythical+ skills could be combined to make another extremely powerful PHANTASMAL skill. The Spiritual Land was shrunk down and anchored to him once more as he moved deeper into the Abyssal Zone, this time confident of his chances if he met the terrible beast that most likely knew the whereabouts of the Trident of the Sea. --- The oceans were vast and wild, with many species running rampant in the deeper waters. The figure of an Atlantean Noah was currently facing a large swarm of fearsome-looking [Dark Piranhas] that always moved in large groups. He had been moving across the waters of the Abyssal Zone for the past few days, coming across various deep-sea creatures that only went further to add more skill books, items, and cores into his collection. He was saving many of them for a few figures that popped into his mind, and he planned to do something big after he got his hands on the Trident of the Sea. Only a week remained before the forces that were led by the first ranked Ruler of the Demon World, Baal, would reach Atlantis. This was a force comprised of demons and their arrogant allies, the Cultivators. Noah''s mind moved fast, thinking about all of these things as he cut down the LEGENDARY ranked Piranhas around him using Mythical+ skills and his new additions of Mythical skills over the past few days. He had come across two Mythical beasts that provided him with an additional three skills, cores, and some items. The additional skills were great to look at. [Defiance] :: A ring full of baleful energy surrounds you. Your defenses cannot be penetrated as long as the ring is active. [Resplendent Speed] :: A streak of light is all that can be observed by the untrained eye as your movements chase after the most supreme speed possible. [Phasing] :: Damage from physical attacks are reduced by 90% while the phase state is active. The skills only served to make him want to seclude himself into the Time Space so he could max their proficiencies and combine once more, but he focused on continuing to search for the beast at the bottom of the Abyssal Zone. He was now entering a depth where he found fewer and fewer creatures, indicating that he was going in the right direction. Those weaker would steer clear of the home of one of the Calamities of the Sea. The further down he went, the more careful he became as his [Crisis Avoidance] had already become active with a slight ringing. The ringing was very light and never increased, which put him in an alert state as he felt something would soon occur. He stopped in the depth of the sea as the dark waters moved around him, a slight blue sheen making his Atlantean body visible in the darkness. The Kraken was something that the old King Neptune had befriended, if Noah did not have to fight such a beast, he wouldn''t actively look for a fight. But his skills were ready at a seconds notice if anything dangerous were to occur. The waters around him were slightly vibrating as they seemed to signal the arrival of something. No, not the arrival, just the appearance. Because it was already there. A sharp light flashed through Noah''s eyes as he began seeing the form of something huge make itself visible all around him. His [Crisis Avoidence] was still only letting out a faint signal, meaning no heavy malicious intent was being thrown towards him, but the appearance of dark shining skin almost seemed to say otherwise. Like a never-ending wall was blooming in front of his eyes, the shining skin of a tremendous behemoth that was melded with the environment was becoming visible. The body covered the entire region in front of Noah as behind him appeared tremendously long arms that could only be tentacles. They appeared and seemed to wriggle endlessly as they looked both slippery and sharp, waving along the waters as they covered the entire area. What looked to be a wall in front of Noah suddenly had two maddeningly powerful red eyes snap wide open as an oppressive force finally spread out in the dark waters. It was a terrifying sight in the depths of the Abyssal Zone as one of the Calamities of the Sea, the Kraken, appeared. It wasn''t just powerful, it could also completely erase its entire aura and become invisible at a moment''s notice. A booming voice roiled out in the dark waters as the red eyes shone with a dangerous light. "What kind of worthless Seeker has to be sought out?" ... 183 Kraken II "What kind of worthless Seeker has to be sought out?" The voice was strong and seemed to cover everything around the dark waters, the vibrations causing the sea to tremble as the power of one of the Calamities of the Sea registered. Noah actually felt relieved inside at these words as they affirmed a connection between Atlantis and this beast. Only a second passed before he replied. "Per the will of King Neptune, I''ve been searching the entirety of the Abyssal Zone for the friend he mentioned." A moment passed as Noah''s words rang out. The booming voice came out right after. "A friend? Hmph, that dumbass wouldn''t know a friend from an enemy. But it matters not right now. Enemies are circling in all directions, and the favored Children of the Sea are dumb and weak enough to not be able to defend their own homes." There was a trace of wrath and disappointment in the Calamity''s voice as the many tentacles wriggled powerfully around them. "So weak and helpless that I had to leave my dwelling where I should have been waiting for a worthy Seeker to start moving out myself, such a fucking joke. What does the world see in such weak creatures? You could all die for all I care." Noah felt a slight trembling around him as the red eyes of the calamity became slightly cloudy, sensing another tremendous energy appear just for an instant. "Hmph, whatever." The Kraken''s eyes focused on Noah as they looked through every corner, seemingly trying to pierce through all the secrets. "Alright, Atlantean, prove your worthiness." The words boomed out in the dark waters as Noah felt his blood pumping. The attitude of the disgruntled Calamity that seemed to be acting under the will of the world showed many possibilities as Noah moved, casting the second PHANTASMAL skill he combined while he was moving across the Abyssal Zone these past few days. Through the combination of the Mythical+ skills [Summon Destructive Titan] and [A Rain of Death and Lightning], a new terrifying skill was born. [Summon Titans of the Abyss] :: A calamity filled with death is accompanied by another filled with wrathful lightning. Those that stand in their master''s path will only face death and destruction. The sea trembled as Noah provided the obscene amount of energy required to activate this skill, allowing for the appearance of two tremendously large behemoths that pushed away the swirling tentacles of the Calamity of the Sea. The dark waters roiled and became murky as dark energy pulsed out from one, while thunderous purple lightning spread out into the waters from the other. Their appearance was that of Triassic monstrosities that were just slightly smaller than those considered Kaijus in this world. The one filled with lightning had three purple glowing tails stretching out sharply, with a square head that had piercing horns stretching from both ends. The Abyss Titan filled with death energy looked even more terrifying, exhibiting a face that systematically opened like a blooming flower after every second, inside of it resting poisonous blue eyes that appeared and disappeared. "Oh?" A nonchalant voice thundered out from the Kraken as Noah summoned out two PHANTASMAL ranked Abyss Titans that were only half its size. Noah wasn''t done though, as his own body began bubbling, something seemingly wanting to break out. OONG [The Dictatorial Kaiju-Hydra], was initiated as the dark waters churned, the tight tentacles surrounding the area being pushed back even further as the three-headed dragon larger than 20 meters made its appearance. The three heads cracked with power as what seemed to be three tremendously powerful beasts appeared in the deep in the Abyssal Zone. The wriggling tentacles came to a standstill as the huge Kraken that was still a few meters larger than Noah''s Hydra form and even the maddeningly powerful figures of the two summoned Abyss Titans stood against them. It seemed like a tremendously powerful battle was imminent as the waters in the dark sea trembled, various colorful destructive lights appearing in each of the three heads that Noah sported when a snort rang out from the Calamity of the Sea. "Hmph, that''s enough, little Atlantean." Noah, who was about to pounce, was startled at these words as the attacks he was preparing were stopped. "You can summon pets that seem to hold one-third of my power while your ability to change into this form gives you even greater strength than them, that''s good enough for me." Noah was surprised at the turn of events as a blue light spread out from the Kraken and lit up the surrounding area. "What, did you actually want to fight?" The abyssal eyes of the Kraken shone with a deathly light at Noah''s surprised faces as an overwhelming pressure crushed down around the sea once again. Noah felt a slight tingle from this as he replied. "No, I just never thought the requirements set up by King Neptune would be so easy." There was a period of silence as the pressure from the Calamity of the Sea faded and the dangerous light died down, a less thundering voice coming out. "Hmph, he was a fool in life and the same in death. At his deathbed, all he requested was for another Child of the Sea who could handle the power of the trident. Now, the requirements are even lesser as all of you are about to die anyways. Haa, alright, come here." A completely different image of the powerful beast dwelling in the sea was broken in Noah''s mind as he found the attitude of the Kraken to be pessimistic and tired. He released his transformation and unsummoned the Abyss Titans as another startling sight played itself in front of him. OONG The dark waters trembled as the Calamity of the Sea in front of Noah began shining in a dark light, its body beginning to shrink down until it reached less than two meters. It was a surprising sight as it now looked like a normal squid with eight arms and two tentacles that were much longer floating around. The two longer tentacles came together as a blue light began shining, forming into the shape of a door that stood radiantly in the dark waters. The thunderous voice of the Kraken had changed into a squeaky one as it ushered Noah toward the newly created door. "Hurry up, we have to go save your little city as soon as you finish inheriting that shining fork." Noah followed the now miniaturized Calamity of the Sea into the glowing blue door as the task of finding the Trident of the Sea managed to be much easier than he expected. 184 Trident of the Sea The scene changed as the moment the figures of Noah and the miniature Kraken passed through the door, they appeared in a sparkling underwater cave that shone with resplendent light. "Don''t touch a single thing and just follow me." The Kraken continued in a gruff but squeaky voice from its smaller body as they floated through what looked to be many treasures below them towards the peak, where a blinding blue and gold light sat majestically. It seemed like they were ascending a gold mountain as Noah found luxurious gems, exquisite armors, and golden glowing items spread across all around the underwater cave. At the peak of this cave was a golden trident that shone in a blinding light, making one only able to see its outline but not its shape in its entirety. The miniature Kraken that now looked like a dark large squid stopped near the trident as it turned towards Noah. "The little fork is supposed to have many mysteries, where I''m supposed to tell you a story about how only those that are worthy will be able to lay their hands on it and use its power, but it''s all bullshit." Flat words continued to come out of the Kraken''s mouth as it utterly disregarded the Trident of the Sea letting out tremendous waves of power in front of them. "It had nothing to do with being worthy, it just needs someone with an abundant amount of energy as its master in order to exhibit its powers to the fullest. Go on now, lets see if you have the minimum required energy to wield it." The tentacles pushed Noah forward as he squinted his eyes and carefully looked at the golden shining trident floating in front of him. A sense of adrenaline was coursing through him as he was able to get his hands on something this powerful so easily. He steadied his heart as his hand reached out towards the gorgeously floating trident. When his hands wrapped around it, a change occurred. A blinding circular light spread out as he felt mana draining from his body into the trident his hand clasped. An absurd amount of mana that reminded him when he was continuously activating and replenishing the [Time Dilation] feature of the Spiritual Land was going into the trident endlessly. Only after an entire few seconds passed did the trident stop releasing the golden light as it began pulsing with a blue hue. The Kraken floating behind Noah looked at this with sharp eyes as its now squeaky voice rang out again. "Is it broken? I expected it to drain you to your knees before it accep-" OOONG Before the words could even finish, the pulsating blue hue mixed with gold and went on to cover the entire treasure cave they were in as the Trident of the Sea accepted a new master. It did not have any large requirements, only for its user to have enough energy to be able to use it. Noah opened his eyes to feel the golden trident that felt weightless in his hands as a set of words began to appear in his field of vision. [Trident of the Sea] :: A pinnacle treasure in the sea that allows its user to remain unrivaled against all enemies. Attack and Defensive capabilities are quintupled while equipped. Usable abilities include Heart Piercer, Plasma Beam, Command of the Sea, Loved by Water, and Spatial Lock. [Heart Piercer] :: The trident moves like a flash of light, targeting the origin of the enemy. [Plasma Beam] :: A highly conductive and concentrated beam of plasma that only leaves destruction in its wake. [Command of the Sea] :: The water surrounding you can be influenced by a huge extent. [Loved by Water] :: The veil of secrecy between the master of the trident and the element of water becomes thin. [Spatial Lock] :: Space becomes hindered and locked as no enemies can escape your grasp. A sense of exhilaration filled Noah as he read through the features of the treasure that many people were chasing. He swung it around him "Practice with that for the next few days before we set off for Atlantis. If they manage to be destroyed before we get there, they deserve it for being so damn weak." The Kraken voiced out as it watched Noah swinging the powerful trident around. Waves of gold and blue were spreading out as Noah became more and more used to swinging the Trident of the Sea around the water. --- In another location, a group of powerful people letting out maddening auras of power moved silently. One group was from the Mountain Sea Sect with the Martial Uncle Dylan in the lead. His robes were fluttering in the water as he looked towards the second group of cultivators he was traveling with. This group of cultivators was a shadowy force that didn''t make themselves visible to the outside world for too long. Martial Uncle Dylan had been pondering these past weeks why they made this trip to the lost world of Atlantis, but did not come up with any leads. A huge battle was about to occur, so he became straightforward and simply brought himself to ask the one leading the second group of Cultivators in the Lost World, Sect Master Inuit. "Your sect does not in any way use the techniques related to the Law of Water. Why exactly did you come to the Lost World of Atlantis? Because I am sure the Supreme Treasure is not your goal." They were quite a distance away, but his voice traveled from his lips into the ears of Sect Master Inuit in a matter of seconds. The Sect Master that he was addressing, was a middle-aged man with a calm expression and an otherworldly aura. He seemed to not have a single worry in his life as he moved with the group of cultivators behind him who adopted similar expressions of calmness and strength. A delightful smile covered his face as this Sect Master Inuit replied, "You are right, my friend, it is not the supreme treasure that I''m here for. I am here for something else, or rather someone else." This reply made Marshall Uncle Dylan close his eyes and squint towards this Sect Master. His words did not make anything clear and just added another layer of mystery. Sect Master Inuit was the leader of one of the most powerful and hidden sets in the World of Cultivation. It was a sect that focused on and pondered the Laws of Karma. Cultivators that mysteriously searched for cause and effect. What exactly had they found out? What had their techniques told them that made them come to search the Lost World of Atlantis not for the Supreme Treasure, but instead look for a being? Who exactly was this sect master of the Karmic Sect looking for? There were many questions that were swimming in Martial Uncle Dylan''s mind, but Sect Master Inuit didn''t offer any more guidance as the two forces from the World of Cultivation moved forward to meet the forces of the Demon World. Their aims were the same, and they might even become enemies after the location of the treasure was found, but for now, they moved with a singular purpose, to rain down destruction on the city at the center of the Lost World. 185 Meeting As Noah was adapting to the Trident of the Sea, he turned towards the miniaturized Kraken and said, "I actually have a treasure that will give us some more time to prepare before we head out for Atlantis, as well as a way to get us to the city whenever we wish." The Kraken put on a surprise expression as it replied. "Oh, you actually have more that I haven''t seen, little Atlantean?" Noah smiled while he removed the Spiritual Land from his body and anchored it onto the top of the hill where many treasures lay in the underground cave. "It is an isolated space treasure that I came upon when I was traveling. It holds all sorts of marvels, but I have yet to fully figure all of them out. I''ll bring you in now, don''t resist." There was a flash of light passing through the red eyes of the Kraken as a silver light covered both his body and Noah''s, and they both disappeared from the underground treasure cave and into the Spiritual Land. They appeared in the skies of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land as a weird image played out where a two-meter tall squid was floating in the air with no problems. It looked around the respondent lights and the fields of white. The many cries of beasts that could be heard in the distance, as well as the powerful auras that could be felt around the Spiritual Land. Before the beast could continue observing the spiritual land any further, Noah''s voice came out once again. "I also wanted to introduce to you one of my trump cards against invaders that are heading for Atlantis. Don''t be too surprised or act irrationally when you meet them." Noah was planning many things in his mind, and for the success of the battle to come, he would make sure there were no uncertainties and all the usable pieces were known beforehand. But his voice didn''t even finish registering before the red figure of Barbatos appeared in the skies. "Wow wow, little fish. Did you bring yet another meal for you to cook and enjoy?" The playfulness was apparent in Barbatos''s tone as she looked interestingly at the Kraken and licked her lips. Instantly, a maddeningly powerful pressure descended onto the spiritual land as the Kraken looked carefully towards the newly appeared figure and then turned towards Noah. "You have a wench with a similar scent as the invaders in your so-called isolated space treasure. You better explain yourself, and it will have to be very quick. Otherwise, I''ll be killing the next successor of the Trident of the Sea just a few minutes after he inherits it." Noah remained with a calm expression as he looked between the Kraken and Barbatos as their auras clashed against one another, their power palpitating. The mocking voice of Barbatos came out first. "Oh, this little squid is actually talking about me. Does it really think it has what it takes to stand on the same level as me?" Noah didn''t let any more exchange of words continue as he voiced out, "Yes, I was able to come to an agreement with this invader as a tool for us to take down the Leaders of Demons that are leading the charge against Atlantis. She had important information and skill sets that will go a long way for the coming battle. I have her under an unbreakable contract, which means I also have her under control." He said these words towards the Kraken while he sent another set of words towards Barbatos. "Be good. If you do well enough then I''ll make you more food today. Otherwise, I''m never going to cook for you again." A shocked face appeared on Barbatos as this silent communication reached her ears. Her playful face soon changed to that of pouting as she seemed to struggle in her mind. Her face turned serious right after and she nodded her head. She looked towards the Kraken as she bowed and said with an impassive face. "Nice to meet you, dear squid. I am the seventh ruler of the Demon World, the Necromancer of Chaos. The one kept under the rule of Baal for hundreds of years, the one that is seeking freedom and going to the great lengths of betrayal to obtain it. A wretch, perfidious, and a rotten woman. I am Barbatos." A shining light passed through the Kraken''s eyes as its power searched through Barbatos''s words and then turned to look at Noah with an unusual expression. A period of silence passed as the oppressive pressure was lifted and the squeaky voice of the Kraken rang out. "I don''t give a damn as long as those aiming their sword at Atlantis dies. It matters not to me how it is done or who is involved in their downfall, all I need to do is accomplish my mission of making sure you worthless Children of the Sea that apparently have enough time to be forming relations with invaders do not die wretched deaths." He turned to Noah as he continued. "Now, you mentioned you had something that would give us more time and an instant path towards Atlantis, what exactly were you talking about?" Noah smiled at the de-escalating of the situation as a silver light spread out, covering the three of them as they all disappeared and then appeared in the middle of the large field surrounded by many many monoliths. "This is one of the most unique things I''ve come across in this isolated space treasure. There is this location that actually allows me to manipulate time to a certain extent. I can train with the trident as well as boost any of my powers here, and during this time you can tell us more about your purpose and what you planned for the defense of Atlantis before we head out." Noah looked at the faces of the two beings that were looking around the field of Time Space as he thought of his own ambitions. He continued to voice out his thoughts as he observed the figures of two peak PHANTASMAL ranked beings. "We can understand each other''s strengths and share the knowledge we have about the enemies so we are prepared for the coming battle. We have a singular goal beside the defense of Atlantis, and that is the complete and utter downfall of the one calling himself the Oppressive Tyrant, the Ruler of the Demon World, Baal." A nod came from the head of the Kraken as it observed the surroundings with interest, while Barbatos was floating in the skies with a bored expression as she looked far in the distance towards the white layer that covered this underground portion of the isolated space treasure, her mind on the comfortable jacuzzi in the upper layer that she regretted leaving. The squeaky voice of the Kraken came out as three PHANTASMAL ranked individuals held a meeting that would decide the fate of Atlantis. "First off are the other Calamities of the Sea beside me that will be making their way to that shiny city of yours..." Movements, meetings, and plans were underway as multiple forces prepared to clash against each other. Neither side had yet to know just how catastrophic the result of everything would be. 186 A Coming War! The establishment of relations between two worlds was going at an accelerated pace as individuals from the Beast World and Noah''s homeworld worked in conjunction to increase their knowledge and power. There was a smooth transition as the governments and ruling parties of the two worlds put aside their differences to work together for a greater goal. Of course, it was not all smooth sailing and there were still a few hiccups here and there, but the majority of things remained in a positive direction. It was much easier to keep people in line when you had a few specific people much more powerful than them to use force if needed. Power was the only thing that was respected at this moment in time, as it was what was required in order for everyone to continue living in peace. There were still many crooked and nasty people in the two worlds, but they did not find themselves in the highest positions of power in this new advancing era. Thus, the two worlds continued their sharing of knowledge and trading of skill books, items, and cores as they advanced their power. Things became even more hectic a few days ago as the wills of the worlds relayed the message that they would soon be actively moving. This came as a shock to even the highest echelons of strength in the Beast World as the three remaining mythical beasts found a hard task placed on their shoulders. They knew the strength their enemies held, but they trusted the world they were born in even more. Even though there was some slight hesitation, they followed the directions while knowing their own homes would not lead them to destruction. In the Frozen Kingdom, the Dark Sword, Kazuhiko was moving busily as he tried to form a party of powerful beast girls unsuccessfully. He was only able to find one fox eared girl who worked as a mercenary, with the rest of the people who offered to help him being burly human mercenaries or beastmen that wanted to serve their new Queen as best as they could. The main goal in his mind was still clear though, and it was the acquisitions of a Spiritual Land. He learned of the secrets and intricacies from Noah, and his goal of obtaining a Spiritual Land for himself was achieved a week after his arrival in the frozen kingdom. There were still two ''Nests'' in the surroundings of the Frozen Kingdom that were actually Spiritual Lands without owners. Kazuhiko targeted one of these Nests as he used the knowledge Noah gave him to quickly take down an epic ranked beast and become a contender for the Trial of Supremacy of the Spiritual Land. The process thereafter was not too complicated as all he had to do was to face a similar battle as Noah where he had to fight multiple beasts and show that he was unrivaled in the epic rank. Kazuhiko was one of the human beings that received special attention from the Planetary Core in Noah''s homeworld, and he had his own boosted strength that allowed him to exhibit strength much higher than average when in the same rank. In a bit over a week, it marked the second human being in history to receive ownership of a Spiritual Sand. A unique skill similar to the one that Noah received had appeared under Kazuhiko''s attribute panel, although he would not be able to use it as effectively as Noah. He had a huge headache as he looked at the number of energy that was required just to do the simplest of things. As for the way to upgrade the rank of the spiritual land, well he would call upon Noah when the time comes to get some help. Many more events were occurring all over the beast world as the incoming humans and beasts worked together to increase their strength. Steel Mikhail was advancing in the Mythical Kingdoms with the help of the [Imperial Phoenix]. He was able to achieve ownership of his own Spiritual Land in a similar time frame as Kazuhiko. With the advent of these gifts, their strength that remained stagnant in the Epic rank was able to be propelled forward at a quick pace after the acquisition of their Spiritual Lands, breaking through into the Legendary rank in no time. As for the three remaining Mythical Beasts, they continued to increase their knowledge of the new system of power that allowed their strength to shoot up explosively by combining the many skills that they had been using over the years. An even more interesting sight opened itself in the Beast World as its inhabitants normally formed their own skills after years of learning how to manipulate mana in specific ways. This made it so that those who were extremely talented were able to see a new skill appear in their attribute panel out of their own making. Manipulating mana in complex ways to create a skill was easy to do for lower-ranked skills, but became exponentially harder when trying to create anything Legendary or above. Many beings in the Beast World shook their heads in exasperation after they found the ease of gaining skills simply by absorbing a [Skill Book] without going through days or months of hard work just to create a single skill, but those at the peak of power thought much differently. The three remaining Mythical Beasts looked at the ease of this new system of power while also looking back to how they created skills of their own at the stage they were at. If they were to use their skill of manipulating mana to create extremely compatible skills to use in conjunction with [Skill Combination]...a scary thought came when looking at the possibilities of this endeavor. They had achieved multiple Mythical+ ranked skills and were trying their hardest to raise the proficiency of these skills in order to combine them for the possibility of attaining the Phantasmal rank. They wanted to raise their strength quickly because the message that their worlds had released to them was very clear. Within the next few weeks, another gate that connected to a foreign world would be created. But this gateway would not lead to a friendly world, this gateway would lead to the enemy they held huge hatred of, this gateway would lead to the Demon World. Just as the inhabitants of the Demon World were able to establish a connection with the Beast World to send down its Rulers, it served to also build a connection that allowed the Planetary Core of the Beast World to know the location of the Demon World. Through the use of a tremendous amount of essence, recreating the channel that would lead to the Demon World could be done with ease. To prepare for this possible future, many events were occurring in the background, with a large number of moving pieces. The Planetary Cores of the Beast World and Noah''s Homeworld were receiving all the knowledge that Noah came across as he moved in the Lost World of Atlantis. The possible sequence of future events was planned from here. At this moment in time, one of the more crucial events that was being looked at was the result of the clash between Baal and Atlantis. There was a tremendous amount of confidence that the two worlds had when it came to Noah and the incoming battle between him and the Ruler of the Demon World. The results of this battle could provide a huge disruption that would give a prime opportunity to attack the Demon World. They would be getting ready to move as soon as the results of the battle were clear, and Noah would lead the way for a glorious charge towards the home of their enemies. Schemes and plans were put in place as pieces were moved here and there, but would things really go as planned? 187 Opposing forces near In the dark waters of the Lost World. The Oppressive Tyrant, Baal, had met with the forces of the Cultivators as they made their way towards the city of technology and magic. It was an oppressive force that was spreading throughout the sea as they came across empty underwater cities with the Merfolk and the Atlanteans already evacuated. Anything of value like weaponry or any advanced technology was already taken along with the evacuated inhabitants. The Demon Legions left nothing in their wake as they destroyed anything they came across and searched the cities in the entirety. Their goal remained the same as they looked like a sharp spear that was aimed towards Atlantis. With their movements getting closer, those facing their assault in Atlantis were moving even faster. The Ocean Master was sending out many commands and looking at the defensive lines around the city. Many more Hydro Cannons were implanted in the walls as military warships and submarines were positioned and ready. At the entrance of the city were tremendously large golden statues that protected the glowing road that led through the heavily fortified triangular gate that pulsed with an energy barrier. The statues had not moved an inch for years, with only a few older Atlanteans and Merfolk knowing a few secrets about them. One was a green Merfolk that stood strongly looking forward with a golden trident in hand that was eerily similar to a treasure that many people had been looking for. The other was an Atlantean equipped with a battle armor shining purple and gold as he held the largest Plasma Gun pointing out into the sea. These were the same statues that Noah had seen when he first arrived in Atlantis, but there was a slight change in these statues today. A pulse of light seemed to be appearing and disappearing in their blank eyes as they continued to stand motionlessly beside the gate. Past the gates, legions of Atlanteans and Merfolk riding golden [Killer Whales] menacing [Great White Sharks] were prepared as Atlanteans and Merfolk got ready for the fight of their lives. The Ocean Master''s mind drifted to one exceptional Atlantean that had recently become a Seeker. Would he be able to succeed in the quest of bringing back the Trident of the Sea into the hands of its children? The body of the Ocean Master crackled with Phantasmal power as he showed no ounce of weakness, his figure floating grandly atop the underwater palace as he oversaw the moving figures of the city and the many advanced weaponry they were carrying. The incoming flow of Atlanteans and Merfolk from surrounding cities was occurring in a calm and collected manner as they went through an orderly process to obtain temporary lodgings in Atlantis. Everything seemed to be taken care of as they waited for the arrival of their enemies. OONG! A rumbling sound could be heard at this instant as the Ocean Master''s face turned hard and he looked towards one direction. Above the city of Atlantis, a tremendously large figure of a Kaiju had appeared. This one had a weird shape, looking more like a mixture of an eel and an iguana. Its body sparkled with blue lightning as it looked down towards Atlantis and let out a snort. Nothing thereafter was said as it took its position in a corner of the large glowing City of Atlantis, looking in one direction at the enemy that will be coming soon. Not long after, another Kaiju appeared and nodded towards the one that had just arrived, taking a position in another corner of the City after the acknowledgment. This was the terrifying [Cassiterite Shark] that put the [Megalodon] to shame as its body was more than 30 meters with teeth that were the same size as some buildings. Its body sparkled with crystalline armor as it swam majestically around Atlantis. These were the Calamities of the Sea that the Will of the Lost World had called upon for help after one of their brothers was killed by the Demon Emperor that was leading his forces here. The words of Baal had been relayed to all of them as they learned of the being''s ruthlessness firsthand. They would make their stand against the invaders aiming for Atlantis so that the threat of this enemy could be taken care of for good. The arrival of two Calamities of the Sea that many Atlanteans and Merfolk had heard about as a child put the Ocean Master on edge, before he calmed down as he saw their movements were for the protection of Atlantis. He recalled the old legends of these calamities being the defenders of the world. He had never realized just how true these legends were. After the two, more Calamities of the Sea continue to arrive after a few hours, and even more after a day. On the day when it was the most tense as the force of Demons and Cultivators neared, five calamities had arrived. In the surroundings of the city of Atlantis, the one singular feature of the five powerful beings of PHANTASMAL rank they had across the board was their extremely enormous sizes. One of the Calamities was a large stingray that had the longest tail, seeming even bigger than the length of his entire body as it wrapped around the surrounding sea as a net. Another Calamity had lava bubbling out of its body as the seawater around it became heated just from its appearance. The fifth one was something rarely seen for its size, something that was enormous but at the same time seemed very harmless. It was a being covered in gold and blue colors, it was a commonly seen [Goldfish]. It had streaks of blue and gold running across its body as it floated majestically in the waters. Its body was more than 25 meters large, giving a grandiose look of a shining beacon of gold and blue light that moved above the city of Atlantis. Five Calamities of the Sea had arrived to make the final stand against the incoming invaders. One of their brothers was killed by the terrible Ruler of the Demon world that only left destruction in his wake. The other Calamity that was yet to be seen was the one that took the title of the oldest calamity, that was the Kraken. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 188 Demon and Cultivators at the Gates! There was a sense of apprehension and uncertainty in the waters as five Calamities of the Sea swam in the waters above the shining city of magic and technology that was Atlantis. The Ocean Master was at the forefront with legions of Atlanteans and Merfolk commanders riding [Killer Whales] and [Battle Sharks], as well as many other deep-sea creatures. Gloriously shining Hydro Cannons lined the entirety of the walls of the city of Atlantis with many Atlanteans carrying Plasma Guns spread throughout. OONG An oppressive feeling had begun to appear from a distance not too far away as the people wishing them harm neared. The area surrounding Atlantis that was normally lit up by a gorgeous blue color from the advanced weapons and barriers that surrounded the entire city was gradually being pervaded by a shade of red as powerful figures drew closer and closer to the city. The first one to become visible to the inhabitants of Atlantis was a powerful demon wearing an exquisite suit of armor. It let out a glorious red light that seemed to be pushing away the normal blue colors of the sea. Not a single weapon was in his hands as he stood grandly in the sea overlooking the five Phantasmal ranked beings floating above the waters of Atlantis. His eyes seemed to show great interest towards the five calamities, as a devouring light passed through his eyes. More and more figures began to appear around him as his eyes wandered over his target today. Rulers of the Demon World of various ranks started to line up behind him with their Demon Legions filled with orcs, goblins, trolls, and many other ferocious-looking creatures. The pervading red light from the forces of demons continued to intrude the area as the dark sea seemed to be clashing with two opposing forces. Some of the Demon Legions were riding on creatures commonly known in the Demon World, it was the fearsome [Behemoths] that were larger than 10 meters. [Behemoths] were capable of flight and were normally the perfect beasts to ride into battle. Their bodies were shining red and looking extremely disfigured and bloated, but the flat surface on their back was being occupied by many powerful demons. Aside from Baal, there were other Rulers at the Phantasmal rank that were in the Lost World with him. There was the fearsome-looking giant that was the [Orc Emperor] and ranked 3rd, it was Prince Vassago. Riding on another Behemoth was the Ruler at the 9th rank that was known as Empress Paimon. She had a tremendously bountiful figure that would cause the envy of many women as she stood on a chair made of bones. Baal had pulled all the stops as besides them, two more Rulers of the PHANTASMAL rank had recently left their missions on other worlds to descend into the lost world of Atlantis. Ranked 4th and 12th, it was respectively the Cruel Monarch, Samigina, and the Seductress, Sitri. The line up of the Rulers of the Demon World was unexpectedly five PHANTASMAL ranked individuals, with many other Rulers in the Mythical and Legendary ranks filling up the ranks of their army. More than half of the power of one World was congregated in the Lost World for Baal''s purposes. It did not take long before hundreds of thousands of figures different from the demons also began to appear in the dark waters. The other group of invaders were the ones that studied the laws of the world at a very young age and had arrogance ingrained in their bones, it was the Cultivators. Martial Uncle Dylan and Sect Master Inuit had also arrived at the scene. From the Mountain Sea Sect, Martial Uncle Dylan brought two other Martial Uncles at the Golden Transformation Realm that was equivalent to the PHANTASMAL rank. Although their mysterious use of laws made them much more formidable opponents of the same level. There were also lower-ranked Martial Uncles at the Rebirth Realm(Mythical) and their disciples that were surrounded by colorful bubbles of air that pushed out the dark waters. The other group of cultivators were more mysterious, having calm expressions as they looked over the many beings congregating here today. This was the group of Cultivators from the Karmic Sect. Their bodies had thin barriers of transparent light that made them stand out even more in the dark waters as they stood orderly behind their Sect Master. Sect Master Inuit had a calm smile on his face as his eyes wandered across the many beings in front of him. A white light occasionally passed through his eyes as he seemed to be using a mysterious skill to look for something, or someone. After a few seconds, he shook his head in slight frustration and regained his usual calm as he went back to his normal expression. He had not found what he was looking for. Something interesting to understand was the title of the two leaders of cultivators in the Lost World. From the Mountain Sea Sect, there was a prominent Martial Uncle leading divisions of the sect, while from the Karmic Sect, someone with the title of Sect Master was leading their forces. A being with the title of Sect Master in the World of Cultivation was never one to look down on, and yet his forces remained the quietest in this incoming battle as they reigned in their auras and continued looking forward calmly. This was a force that many people were overlooking at this moment in time. Baal had overlooked them as just another set of arrogant Cultivators he could use and work with before their relationship eventually fell apart after they found the location of the trident. Martial Uncle Dylan had a sense of apprehension as he knew a bit more about the mysteriousness of the Karmic Sect in the World of Cultivation, but even he did not give this Sect Master the proper attention. This single mysterious Sect Master would be a huge factor in the events to unfold, and yet almost nobody knew anything about him. At this moment in time though, another commotion arose as within the ranks of Demon Legions, pairs of green lights began to appear en masse as they indicated the arrival of something terrible. A harrumph came out of Baal''s mouth as he looked back and saw tens of thousands of undead stand with the forces of other demons closely. The dense amounts of green eyes continued to swim closer as more than a hundred thousand undead appeared among the ranks of demons, making the eyes of the defenders of Atlantis turn sour. The Calamities of the Sea looked at all this closely as their bodies pulsed with power, indicating they would move at any moment. A moment passed as the movements of the undead finished, and a red light began to bloom near Baal''s position as a gorgeous figure of someone who could barely be 19 or 20 years of age appeared. A red dress was draped over her body as the Necromancer of Chaos, Barbatos, appeared. "Haha, the main event has appeared, so why don''t we get this show on the road?" She had a playful expression as she appeared in the dark waters packed with multiple PHANTASMAL ranked beings. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 189 The Last Calamity Appears The Ruler of the Demon World, Baal, looked over at the problematic Barbatos as an oppressive aura erupted out from him. His face was impassive as he looked over at the Demon Empress who turned to look at him with a pouting expression as the pressure descended. She went quiet as the pressure increased and sighed, going ahead and standing behind Baal as she grumbled something underneath her breath. This seemed to be the norm as the other Rulers shook their heads ruefully and focused their attention on the battle ahead once more. The Seductress, Sitri, looked at the figure of Barbatos in annoyance as the pink light she exuded outwards intensified, her shapely figure somehow increasing in proportion once more. A snort could be heard from the first ranked Ruler as he stopped any more interruptions. Baal turned his attention towards the forces of Atlantis in front of him as his eyes looked at the dangerously shining cannons and weapons. His lips parted as a calm voice that could be heard by everything for miles rang out. "Pain is something that can be easily avoided. It is something that I understand." The voice was calm and steady, startling a few people as they didn''t expect a monologue before the beginning of a huge fight. "I am going to tell you now that there is a way to avoid the pain that will soon come for all of us. There is a way to avoid death and mayhem as we can all come to an understanding." His voice reverberated in the ears of the Ocean Master and the powerful Calamities of the Sea. No reply came from them as their bodies bubbled with power that would soon erupt. The Ruler of the Demon World looked at all of this as he spoke once more. "There should be no feeling of cowardice in your hearts if you give up one simple treasure for the lives of all of your people. Because I can promise you now, inhabitants of Atlantis, the alternative path where I don''t get what I want is going to be much much more painful." The tension seemed to be at the breaking point with these words as a roar came from one of the Calamities of the Sea. The [Cassiterite Shark] was releasing waves of power as its body prepared to pounce on the ruler of the demon world. The many Submarines and Warships pulsed with lights as their weapons were pointed towards the invaders. At the same time, colorful lights began lighting up on the bodies of cultivators as Martial Uncle Dylan looked coldly at the glowing City in front of them and he spoke out. "Why bother offering an olive branch to these lesser beings? They only understand brute force, and that is exactly what they will get." The body of the Martial Uncle was crackling with dense blue arcs of power as the water near him seemed to be adhering to his control, his power at the PHANTASMAL level giving off an oppressive feeling. Baal''s cold face remained the same as his forces had their attacks ready, awaiting his command. The command to start the fight had yet to be given when in the next instant, something changed. A silver light began spreading out in the middle of the two forces. It caused a blinding light as the appearance of multiple large figures could barely be discerned. One was a figure that many Atlanteans and Merfolk had heard about in their legends, it was the humungous figure of a terrifying Kraken. Its body had dark sheen as it swung its eight arms around it, two much longer tentacles powerfully roiling about in the sea. Besides this Kraken was a figure that let out maddening levels of strength as multiple eyes with their own unique colors pierced through the water and landed on the forces of Demons and Cultivators. [The Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra] had made its appearance in front of many beings in the World of Atlantis as levels of strength only seen at the peak of the world emanated from it. The three large draconic heads moved menacingly as one focused on Baal, another looked at the leading Martial Uncle Dylan, and the last one glanced at the calm looking Sect Master Inuit that had a gradually changing face since their appearance. RAA! RAA! RAA! A piercing battle cry could be heard vibrating out at the same location where the fearsome Hydra and Kraken appeared, this time an arrogant penguin with its beak raised extremely high had appeared. It was surrounded by a variety of other beasts that let out powerful auras that stood at the peak of Mythical rank as their bodies were equipped with fearsome personalized battle armor. A variety of reactions appeared on the beings present on this tense stage as the Ocean Master had an improved complexion at the arrival of the oldest Calamity of the Sea who seemed to have brought another being of similar power. Baal and Martial Uncle Dylan only gave a glance to these new arrivals as they didn''t look at them any differently than the other PHANTASMAL ranked beings already protecting Atlantis. Only a single being had an extreme change in mood at a figure that most overlooked as an extra when comparing to the grandeur of the Kraken that it arrived with together. From the Karmic Sect, the Sect Master''s eyes flashed a brilliant white light as a clear smile began to form on his face as his eyes rested on the powerful figure of the three-headed dragon. His lips began moving to release words that would not be heard by anyone unless they were standing right beside him. "Found you." One of the arriving figures taking the spotlight, the Kraken, looked arrogantly at the figures of demons and cultivators in front of them as it''s humungous body pulsed with unknown power. Its cold voice thundered outwards as vibrations traveled for miles. "You motherfuckers are about to die." Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 190 Resplendence! Baal had an interesting smile on his face as he looked at the tight defenses of Atlantis and the many PHANTASMAL figures taking a stand against their forces. "As always, the most illogical and stupidest course of action is taken by struggling ants that do not know real power." OONG! His body that was draped in a tight-fitting armor began to pulse with a red light as a power mightier than what any PHANTASMAL ranked beings portrayed before was released from him. "Start the bloodbath." Simple, short words. These were all it took as maddening levels of power began to be released from the Rulers behind him. The Demon Legions standing atop tens of thousands of [Behemoths] howled out as the beasts they rode on began to move. Wrathful looking Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins howled out as they rushed towards their enemies with fervor. Colorful blue lights began to shine from the bodies of the Cultivators from the Mountain Sea Sect as resplendent blue dragons began to appear where hundreds of disciples once stood. OONG A space was created around Martial Uncle Dylan as his body pulsed with blue light, the seventh style of the secret techniques of Mountain Sea Sect being exhibited by him as [Mountain Sea Sect''s Seventh Style- Scylla''s Empowerment] was used. A glorious blue light shined out as a powerful presence erupted from him, forming into a transparent figure of a fearsome beast that held six heads, a robust upper body covered by scales, and a lower body that was populated with an uncountable number of transparent tentacles. Not too far from the Mountain Sea Sect was the large groups of Cultivators from the Karmic Sect. Their bodies became covered by a white light as fearsome power bubbled, but they didn''t seem to be making any huge movements after that. The Warships and Submarines surrounding Atlantis were glowing with a pulsating blue light as their engines activated with their weapons at the ready. The Ocean Master rode on a golden [Killer Whale] as he moved with squadrons of Commanders carrying pulsating tridents as they moved to clash with their enemies. OOOOH! It was a scene of resplendent deep-sea creatures acting as battle mounts with powerful Atlanteans and Merfolk riding on top of them. The [Plasma Guns] and [Hydro Cannons] had already begun going off as beautiful colors of destructive light rushed forward the forces of Demons and Cultivators. VOOM! VOOM! VOOM! Every single second, a terrifying blast of power that could obliterate a Legendary individual whole would be released from the powerful [Hydro Cannons] situated atop the walls of Atlantis. An all-out war had begun. RAA! A piercing scream resounded throughout the battlefield as a silvery light flashed from the side of Atlantis and bloomed near the enemy lines where thousands of [Behemoths] were carrying legions of demons. The [Emperor Penguin] was moving with excitement after being released from the Spiritual Land as he left behind his brothers and rushed to the lines of enemies by teleporting in and out rapidly. Silver blades of light flew out of his body as they ruptured any being they landed on, his rampage continuing as he moved around the battlefield too frequently to be tied down. RAA! The Calamities of the Sea were next on the move as the humongous [Goldfish] opened its mouth and released a ray of dangerous rainbow-colored light towards the cultivators of the Mountain Sea Sect. The large [Sting Ray] with a tail longer than its entire body lit up as it formed into a white wall and stopped a blue beam of light shooting out from the transparent body of [Scylla''s Empowerment] that Martial Uncle Dylan had thrown out. Its body shone with arcs of lightning as its eyes focused on the Martial Uncle and his disciples The PHANTASMAL Rulers of the Demon World were met with their own opponents as the [Cassiterite Shark] and the Kaiju whose body seemed to be a mixture of an eel and an Iguana unleashed their attacks towards Baal. The 3rd ranked Prince Vassago had his body shining with a dark light as his figure of an Orc became even larger, his hands carrying a piercing Greatsword that pulsed with darkness as it matched against the [Cassiterite Shark]. BOOM! The Seductress Sitri had her alluring figure release a blooming flower of red light as Succubi with gorgeous figures were summoned all around her, their bodies moving to form a wall of blood towards the Eel Kaiju. The power of the Calamities was overwhelming for anyone but Baal as the fourth-ranked Ruler, the Cruel Monarch Samigina, joined Sitri to hold off against the Kaiju. Empress Paimon was overlooking the rushing figures in her seat made of bones as her eyes landed on the struggling Vassago that was matched against the terrifying [Cassiterite Shark]. Her eyes flashed with darkness as bones erupted from her endlessly and began forming into huge shapes of monstrosities, their target was the shark that put a [Megalodon] to shame as it rained attacks on Vassago. In another location of the battlefield, the Calamity with lava bubbling out of its body targeted the Cultivators from the Karmic Sect as the waters around it were heated to an insane degree. Sect Master Inuit had a calm look as he observed this, raising his hands and moving his fingers as if he was pulling on invisible lines. It looked like a work of art as thin white lines became visible and wrapped around the Lava Kaiju, its advance being stopped as if it fell in a large quagmire as it roared out with power. As for the most powerful Ruler, Baal''s body was pulsing with dominating strength as he calmly looked at the Kraken who focused his entire aura on him. The Three-headed Hydra also looked closely at Baal as the differing lights in each of the three heads became more and more pronounced as the essence continued to be condensed in the three heads, preparing for a deadly attack. VOOM! Baal''s body was prepared to move when a drastic change occurred on the battlefield. This would be the first event out of many being''s expectations that would contribute towards an outcome that very few expected. The Necromancer of Chaos that had yet to move behind Baal had finally made her move, and it was something completely opposite to what anybody expected. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 191 Wretch The waters were tinged with a hue of blood-red just a few minutes since attacks started to be thrown from both sides. The battle looked to be in a stalemate as the fearsome Kraken had its aura and eyes focused on the body of Baal who continued to pulsate with maddening levels of power. The Dictatorial Kaiju-Hydra, had its heads focusing in the moving battles as it watched the figure of one particular Demon Empress closely. A signal was sent. A sigh was released from an Empress as there seemed to be some remaining feelings of fear and apprehension. But the face hardened even faster as all of these feelings were wiped away and a wrathful expression replaced them. The Necromancer of Chaos released the slight apprehension in her heart as she moved. The instant her movements began, other beings that were watching closely also began moving. OONG! A dark light covered the body of the Kraken as it made a beeline towards the first ranked Ruler of the Demon World. Baal had a confident expression on his face as he prepared to receive the attacks of the Calamity when a drastic change occurred. It was the sight of blooming suns as condensed balls of treacherous fire erupted very close to him from the hands of Barbatos. The balls of fire were further condensed to an extremely small size to cause even more damage as more than three were quickly cast and exploded on the left side of his chest where his heart lay. BOOM! What?! "Emperor!" A shocking explosion resounded throughout the dark waters. An unexpected sneak attack had been launched from the eighth-ranked ruler of the demon world to the first ranked one. It was an attack that nobody saw coming, an attack that would greatly change the tides of battle. The blooming suns did not seem to stop as more and more condensed and continued to explode near Baal''s body, creating gaping holes on his chest as spasmodic muscles and bones could be seen, the heart that usually powered the body being ruptured and disfigured. The hole continued to get larger and larger as the suns continued to explode more and more. Barbatos had a crazed expression on her face as her energy continued to leak out at an intense rate to release even more destructive attacks. Her breathing became hard as she felt the aura of the person she had attacked and heavily injured the origin of to be rising even higher, even though he was missing his heart. "Emperor!" The nearest Ruler that was close to Baal and Barbatos was the Seductress, Sitri. She had a maddening expression on her face as she stared at the crazed Barbatos and she screamed out while rushing towards her. But it was not just Barbatos who knew and was prepared about this sneak attack. There were two PHANTASMAL figures of great power that knew beforehand as the Kraken that had been moving forward finally reached the extremely injured Baal. It''s two extremely large tentacles formed into dark javelins as they rushed down towards his pulsating body. BOOM! As for the Seductress Sitri who was aiming for Barbatos, yet another figure had suddenly appeared in front of her as the Three-headed Hydra surrounded her entire body with the dangerously glowing heads. The humongous figure of the Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra, was moving so fast that the three heads surrounded the body of Sitri in an instant. A deadly green light was coming out of one head as thunderous purple light was coming out of the other. A cold blue light that controlled the water around them also exploded with power as the energies that Noah had been building up for the past minutes in each of the three heads were released as terrifying attacks that rained on the body of the 12th ranked Ruler. At the moment of a surprise attack that nobody expected Noah aimed for a Phantasmal ranked Ruler who could be considered the weakest and one that would be the easiest to kill in a short period of time. Her strength was ranked 12th and could be considered average in the Phantasmal rank while Noah had the powerful combined skill of the Dictatorial Kaiju-Hydra, along with many other skills and even a percentage in the Law of Water boosting him. This wasn''t even to mention the supreme treasure he hadn''t yet shown that quintupled his strength. BOOM! Innate elemental abilities of the three heads of the Hydra were unleashed on the defenseless body of the shocked Sitri as parts of her body were destroyed from arcs of purple lightning, another part was melted by poisonous liquids, and the third part was in a constant cycle of being frozen and shattering. Noah didn''t stop here as the three heads exhibited their sharp teeth and took powerful bites onto the ravaged body of the 12th ranked Ruler, tearing apart whatever remained and causing the true death of yet another ruler of the demon world as a red light exploded out. This time though, it was a Phantasmal ranked Ruler that fell in such a quick manner. The shock factor only increased with these actions as the other rulers that were fighting their own battles with the Calamities looked at the scene of carnage near Baal as everyone had happened in just a few seconds. Their eyes only found him heavily injured and fighting back against the power of the fearsome Kraken as yet another change was occurring. What made it even worse was the fact that they felt the True Death of Sitri who was just in front of them! OONG "Emperor!" They screamed out as they tried to reach Baal''s position, but the calamities would not give them such a chance as their attacks rained down harder. Confusion and chaos was present among the force of the cultivators as they fended off the heavy fire coming from the Warships and Submarines that the Atlanteans and Merfolk were riding on. The hydro cannons continued to shoot out dangerous blue plasma beams that struck into the ranks of Cultivators and Demon Legions as the dark sees continued to be stained red. "ARGH!" A resounding howl came from the injured Bal as a red beam of light shot out from him and soared into the skies. The beam of red light pushed out the hardened javelin looking tentacles that the Kraken had sunk into his body as his wrathful voice came from within. "You ungrateful wretch!" It looked like something was erupting out of his body as gloriously red wings erupted from his back and horns that pointed to the skies erupted from his head. The shape of his body was changing and expanding as the true form of the Demon Emperor, the one that was ranked number one in a Large World had appeared. Not too much time had passed since Barbatos acted and the Kraken rained down relentless attacks. Using the shock of these sequence of events, Noah had targeted and took down a PHANTASMAL ranked being within seconds. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 192 Disastrous Noah''s large body was rumbling with power as he moved even faster. The skill [Resplendent Speed] showed off its amazing power as his large body moved like a streak of light. He had torn apart the body of the Seductress Sitri and gained two skill books in his Sea Pearl, as well as cores and an item. These were the loot from a single PHANTASMAL ranked being. OONG! Baal''s transformation continued to release wrathful power as his form expanded and changed into that of a fearsome wicked demon. On the left side of his chest, a hole still lay where his heart should be. Noah knew that the Ruler''s origin was injured and that the power that he was exhibiting now could not be kept up for too long. All he had to do was continue to drain the fuel from this enemy until he ran dry. The successful sneak attack from Barbatos would ensure the death of this first ranked Ruler today. But before that occurred, Baal would still erupt with power in his most powerful state. As his power continued to rise even higher than it was just a few seconds ago, the Kraken that was pushed off shone with a dark light as it''s many arms and tentacles tried to penetrate through the blinding red light released from Baal once again. But this would not be successful as this space around this demon emperor began to crack. The terrifying skill, [Space Destruction], was actively being used by the Demon Emperor. Bloody gashes began to form on the tentacles of the Kraken as they passed through the area where the space was shattered, causing significant injuries on it. ROAR! As the Kraken tried to break through the transforming Baal''s defenses, Noah was moving once again as he switched his target to yet another Phantasmal ranked Ruler of the Demon World. The next planned target after the Seductress was the voluptuous Paimon. She was fighting with another Calamity of the Sea as a wrathful expression was on her face when she looked at the site of the transformed Baal. "Barbatos!" She screamed with extreme anger as she tried to break through the attacks of the Calamity and join the besieged Baal as the destructive suns from a betrayer continued to form and explode. The undead that were within the ranks of the Demon Legions had retreated at one point, going back into the sea as Barbatos could only bring herself to attack the one person that had a leash on her freedom. The one person she could never run away from. She did not senselessly send a command for her undead to attack the other demons. This was one thing she would do out of misplaced kindness in her own heart. She knew that she could not go back after this, that she couldn''t change her position. From now on, either they would succeed, or she would become a traitor of the Demon World that would be killed multiple times until a more stringent leash was placed on her. Paimon was casting her Ultimate Skill as she looked at Baal''s current state with a wrathful expression. More bones bloomed around her, forming into shapes of Dragons, Behemoths and other monstrous beasts as she focused on fending off the attacks of the calamity so she could reinforce Baal. She would not succeed though, as yet another calamity was nearing her. This one had three gloriously shining heads as a rainbow-colored light coursed through his large body. Paimon was more powerful than the 12th ranked Sitri that Noah was able to take down. His goal was to reap the life of another PHANTASMAL ranked being before carrying out a long battle against the much more powerful Baal. The skills and rewards gained from killing two Phantasmal ranked Rulers would grant him another boost of power and allow him to move even better. Baal had currently completed his transformation as his wrathful gaze turned towards Barbatos. "Do you know what you''ve done?!" A voice was leaving his mouth, but he was already acting as he fended off the attacks of the Kraken with a wall of hellish flames, his thick arms thundering down towards Barbatos''s position. BOOM! Like a hammer hitting a nail, Barbatos was knocked down as the strike from Baal caused the space around her to crack. "Ugh!" Skin and muscle split apart as the body of the Demon Empress was heavily injured. She had released almost all her energy to land the successful sneak attack that injured the origin of Baal and her defenses could not easily hold up. Baal was relentless as he moved faster and faster towards Barbatos with his voice continuing to ring out. "Do you know what you''ve done?!" Space continued to break around him as even the Kraken could not get near, the first ranked ruler making use of the offensive [Space Destruction] as a defensive ability as well, holding off successfully against two PHANTASMAL beings. BOOM! His figure continued to rain down destructive attacks that broke the space around the body of Barbatos as his wrathful voice rang out. Noah''s mind was acting fast as he observed this in the corner of his eye, but he still rushed towards Paimon who was trying to fend off a Calamity. He knew what he had to do to finish this Phantasmal Ruler who held her own unique and Ultimate skills. He knew how to finish her off fast. WAAAH! A piercing cry that seemed to signify the arrival of something grand that shocked all the powerful beings in the battlefield rang out as something resplendent appeared in front of the Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra. At this moment though, it was only a streak of light as the feature [Heart Piercer] from the Trident of the Sea was activated. This was an ability of a supreme treasure that required an immense amount of mana to activate, and Noah cast it without a second thought as he observed the destructive attacks of Baal towards the Kraken and Barbatos. Instantaneous! Less than a second! BOOM! The powerful and destructive Trident of the Sea appeared out of nowhere in front of Noah as it sped down and struck into the body of Paimon in the blink of an eye. "Urgh!" A shocked scream came out of the Ruler''s mouth as she felt her origin heavily injured and her life force rapidly disappearing. This was just one of the skills of the Trident of the Sea, the Supreme Treasure that allowed for one to bring down the true death of any beings. Paimon desperately looked at the life force leaving her body as Noah did something crazy yet again. The Trident''s ability, [Heart Piercer], required a tremendous amount of energy to power up. But for Noah, this was simplicity. [Heart Piercer] was used yet again as an insane amount of energy was placed into the trident and it moved at a speed barely visible to many of the beings on the battlefield as it struck onto the crumbling body of Paimon for the second time. BOOM! The explosion resounded out as the body of Paimon ruptured into a mass of flesh and gore. A blinding red light exploded out as yet another Phantasmal ranked Ruler of the Demon World had fallen in a brief period of time. Noah reached his goal as he neared the mass of flesh and took in multiple phantasmal ranked skills and cores in his Sea Pearl. The trident he had used to kill this Ruler so quickly was now floating in front of him with a gorgeous golden glow. It was a grandiose picture as both sides that were fighting looked in shock at the treasure everyone else was searching for. They looked at the treasure that had appeared in front of the menacing Three-headed Hydra that had just killed two Phantasmal ranked beings. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 193 Unique and Ultimate Skills Noah did not sit still as he moved with the intensely shining Trident. With the fall of Paimon, he could see yet another gain of two PHANTASMAL ranked skill books as well as what seemed to be Unique or Ultimate Skill Books that shone with gorgeous light. His many eyes were now focusing on Baal as he began learning the new skills to boost up his power in the middle of this battle. The first one was a Unique Skill from the Seductress Sitri. The skill was learned quickly as Noah continued to move forward while learning a few more. The next one was a PHANTASMAL skill that also dropped from Sitri, and this one was just as amazing as the Unique Skill. [Radiation Queen''s Sword] :: A sharp blade created from a collection of noxious radiated particles that disintegrates the essence of the enemy as it nears, tearing down even the hardest of defenses. An immense amount of mana is required to cast even a single one. The size can be regulated depending on the user. The skill made Noah''s many eyes shine a dangerous light as he quickly moved on to the next one with his few seconds he had left. The skill he learnt next was one that dropped from Paimon, and this one was an Ultimate Skill at that. [Bone Avatar] :: Using magic power, the user can encase their body in a highly reinforced Bone Avatar. The shape and size of the avatar depends on the mana used, and the intent when creating it. [Bone Burgeon] :: A giant mass of sharp bones blooms and pierces everything on site. [Shatterment] :: Allows for the breakage and atrophy of the enemy''s bones when the user''s weapons or body are within an inch of distance from the bones of the enemy. The single Ultimate Skill had multiple abilities to look through that made Noah''s heart palpitate. He wanted to continue forward to learning the remaining two books that looked to be Phantasmal ranked skills when he saw the situation Barbatos was in deteriorating even further. A silver light flashed as his large figure disappeared from its location and appeared right beside Baal who stopped landing the attacks that split space apart on the body of the mutilated Barbatos and looked at the Trident that was floating in the midst of the three heads of the powerful Hydra. The trident shone glorious colors of blue and gold as the ability of [Spatial Lock] was used and the space for miles around them became stabilized. Baal''s wrathful face was looking at the newly appearing trident with flames of fury and greed as he saw someone else with their hands on it. Noah moved fast as he neared the body of the mutilated Barbatos and grabbed her, a silver light flashing as she disappeared into the Spiritual Land anchored to him. As the master of the Trident, he could bypass the spatial restrictions he had laid down himself. In his Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra state, he looked at the transformed Demon Emperor who had chunks of meat and flesh and his entire heart missing from his chest. He seemed even stronger though as hellish flames were somehow blazing from him furiously in the dark waters The appearance of the Trident of the Sea had caused much fervent to erupt from the battling figures as the Ocean Master was looking forward in a dumbfounded expression. Martial Uncle Dylan and Sect Master Inuit were fending off the attacks from the inhabitants of Atlantis with fervor in their eyes as well. Martial Uncle Dylan''s fervor came from the fact that the treasure that would help him immensely in the studying of the laws of water had appeared right in front of him. The fervor in the eyes of Sect Master Inuit was not caused by the appearance of the Supreme Treasure, and his eyes were set on the figure controlling the trident. ''You are the one!'' With space being locked, Noah input yet another enormous amount of energy into the trident as Command of the Sea was used. The water around him adhered to his thoughts as it became slow as a quagmire and began constricting the sea around Baal. The Ruler felt a heavily restricting force erupting all around him and pushing his body into extremes as the tentacles of the injured Kraken returned yet again to rain down attacks on him side by side with the three-headed Hydra. The first ranked Ruler of the Demon World was not even given a second of rest as his body had first been heavily injured by attacks from his own people, and now he was facing the attacks of two Phantasmal ranked beings at the peak of that level. Noah breathed out as he controlled the features of [Command of the Sea] and [Spatial Lock] while he began to activate the skills he had just learnt a few seconds ago. CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! A tremendous amount of essence converged as pristine white bones were formed and connected throughout his large body, forming into a resplendently shining suit of armor that wrapped around his entire body. What looked like a terrifying skull of a draconic emperor formed on each of his three heads, giving him an even more menacing look. Deathly bone claws covered his two powerful legs as a segmented formation of bones went on to wrap throughout his long tail. The grandiosity of the Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra, had increased even more as a spectacular suit of Bone Armor wrapped around it fully, increasing the fearsome aura it released by a large degree. Noah was not done yet, as he cast a Phantasmal skill that he had obtained from the Seductress, Sitri. OONG! [Radiation Queen''s Sword] was cast as Noah poured out an immense amount of mana. A terrifyingly poisonous green blade with a golden shining handle appeared in the dark waters of the sea and floated above the three heads of the Hydra. CLANG The head shining with a poisonous light clutched onto the golden handle of the [Radiation Queen''s Sword] as something even more ridiculous occurred. Even more exorbitant mana was poured out as yet another noxious radiated sword appeared, with a third one also coming into being a second later. The other two remaining heads also clutched onto the golden handles of the terrifying blades as a maddening sight unveiled itself in the deep waters. A three-headed Hydra floated powerfully in the sea, its body wrapped up in a striking [Bone Avatar] while it held multiple [Radiated Queen''s Sword]s with its three heads. Its menacing stare was directed to the powerful Ruler of the Demon World whose aura continued to climb up senselessly. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 194 Unknown Threa A sense of thrill was traveling through Noah''s large body as he continued to focus on the figure of the ruler in front of him. The other Rulers were being kept at bay by the calamities of the sea and all the cultivators were being pushed back by the attacks of Atlanteans with Plasma Guns and beams of light that continued to shoot out from the Hydro Cannons. At the moment it looked like Martial Uncle Dylan in his transparent form of the technique of the Mountain Sea Sect, [Scylla''s Empowerment], would break out, another drastic change occurred as the two large statues that were guarding the gates of Atlantis actually moved. As if the Legions of Demons and Cultivators were not being dealt enough injuries, humongous statues appeared to add on to the current chaotic situation. One carried a golden trident that looked eerily similar to the one that was situated atop Noah''s middle head as a crown while the statue of the Atlantean carried a tremendously large Plasma Gun that shone in a beautiful blue light. This was the powerful force of Atlantis that made Baal think twice before attacking. This was the force that was now moving in full swing to push back its enemies. Large beams of Plasma shot out from the gun being hoisted by the Atlantean statue while even more terrifying attacks were being released from the golden trident the Merfolk statue was swinging as Martial Uncle Dylan was pushed back from his advance toward the location where Noah, the Kraken, and Baal stood. The chaotic battle was not looking good for the demons and cultivators as the appearance of the one using the Trident of the Sea was too strong. It struck down and killed two Phantasmal ranked beings in a short time span, and now the Ruler of the Demon World was being besieged both by the Hydra and another Calamity. Victory seemed to fully be in the hands of Atlantis since the sneak attack that threw the whole battlefield into chaos. It was at this moment in time though, that a shock ran through the mind of Noah as he received a silent communication from a person he did not know. "Noah Osmont, the being that received the favor of two worlds. You do not know me, while I only know some of you. I wish you no harm, and I actually came to save you." His three heads carrying the noxious [Radiation Queen''s Sword]s that were slashing down towards the transformed body of the Demon Emperor vibrated and went even faster as this alarming message entered his mind. The first sentence after his name was what made him most apprehensive as his large body rained down attacks on Baal even faster. " A catastrophe is approaching, and your death nears." ...!!! Shock was the only thing in Noah''s heart as he tried to pinpoint the origin of the voice that knew about his origins and mentioned how he received the favor of two worlds. The low ranking [Thought Acceleration] continued to be used as he spread out his aura and traced the source where the silent communication was coming from. To his surprise, he found his attention landing on the calm figure of a Cultivator. From his memories of the Martial Uncle of the Mountain Sea Sect, this was the Sect Master of the Karmic Sect, Inuit. Memories of the World of Cultivation and their mysterious techniques floated in his mind as his mood became grave. The Sect Master was currently holding back a Calamity that seemed to be in a quagmire of invisible lines and wasn''t able to move even a few inches closer to his body. The many disciples behind him formed protective walls using similar thin lines that blocked the attacks from Atlanteans and Merfolk as they seemed to be in a passive state of defense. "There is no time for us to actually talk as the threat nears even faster. If you wish to take the life of that Demon Ruler, you have to hurry and you have to do it fast, because the true threat that would cause your death will be here at any moment." Noah continued to hear shocking words that did not seem to have any validity, but seemed to hold truth at the same time. His mind moved as he recalled any information he held about the Karmic Sect and their techniques. They were a terrifying force in the World of Cultivation that proliferated very quickly by using unknown techniques that allowed them to always be in the most opportune location to gain treasures or always be gone before a great calamity arrived in chaotic times. Their techniques were very secretive where most cultivators chose to steer away from conflict with them. His eyes focused on the besieged Baal who was roaring with power as his mind moved faster. It did not matter if the words were false or true, he would focus on taking down Baal first! Yet another set of words entered his ears as some of the mysteries were cleared up, with the situation really seeming to take a grim turn as it was something he had not considered before. "It is not some supreme treasure that this World holds which everyone should be fighting for. It is the technology that they created that allowed them to do unseen and unobservable things before in the universe. It is this technology that has caught the eyes of some truly powerful beings who will not let it continue to grow." The shock in Noah''s heart continued to grow as he recalled the one thing from Atlantis he still had his gaze on but hadn''t been able to grasp yet. "It is the World Engine that is the true treasure created in this world. It is the thing that will bring about this World''s destruction." ¡­!!! Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 195 It shouldnt be like this! The World Engine! The tool that allowed the Lost World of Atlantis to change its position in the Universe and even mask its location from prodding eyes. It was a terrifying piece of technology that changed the known coordinates of a world and put a veil that allowed them peace for years while Demons and Cultivators were chasing after them. But it seemed to have been the most overlooked thing for the invading enemies as they kept their sight on the Supreme Treasure that was the Trident of the Sea and nothing else. It felt like his mind was swirling with questions as the words from Sect Master Inuit registered into Noah''s mind, gaining a traction of truth as he felt like it was a very real possibility. ROAR! He let out a roar as he sent word into the mind of the Kraken about the Calamity and inhabitants of Atlantis facing the forces of the Karmic Sect. Their attacks reduced a second later as the two sides hesitatingly pulled back after getting word from the powerful PHANTASMAL calamity. They still had their weapons raised as they looked at the eerie figures of cultivators that were only putting up defensive maneuvers all this time as they stopped. Sect Master Inuit had a wide smile on his face as he nodded, and his body began to shine an even more dazzling white light as he looked over the location where a battle between a ferocious Demon Emperor, a calamity, and the person he had to save was taking place. --- Noah felt a feeling of apprehension as he moved even faster against the maddening power of Baal. The Ruler continued to blaze with hellish flames as one of his powerful skills, [Space Destruction], was stopped by the ability of the Trident of the Sea. His outspread Demon Wings were collecting and using the essence around them to form flaming lances of hellfire that continued to shoot towards Noah and the Kraken relentlessly as he withstood both of their attacks and fought back. The deadly [Radiation Queen''s Sword]s that Noah wielded in each of his three heads had left behind gory injuries as skin and muscle would split apart the moment they neared. The skill allowed him to absorb the origins of those he defeated to either boost his strength rapidly or save their origins for situations like these, allowing him to have many lives as he constantly healed from death-causing injuries without batting an eye. The hellish flames that burned under the sea spread out wildly from him as he continued to hold strong against two of the most powerful PHANTASMAL ranked beings he had come across. The flames could normally not be extinguished from the enemy''s body until he wished, yet he found them to be doused by the appearance of the Trident of the Sea he wanted to get his hands as it seamlessly made them disappear on the body of the Hydra and Kraken. The strikes of the Hydra became an onslaught as they appeared at an even faster pace, and yet another skill that Baal knew of was cast from his enemy. A terrifying field of bones bloomed from beneath his feet as [Bone Burgeon] was used. Like a rapidly spreading fire, the bones bloomed out and formed into jagged piercing edges that encircled Baal''s body and covered all of his vision. BOOM! The terrifying Hydra did not let up, as during this time when Baal''s vision went blank just by a second, the ability of [Heart Piercer] from the Trident of the Sea was used as an enormous amount of mana went in without regard. ZING! "GAAAH!" A piercing scream came out from Baal as he was recovering from the dangerously blooming field of bones below him when he felt his origin shaken and heavily injured. "AAAH!" He was truly maddened as he found himself in this position! He was the Ruler of the Demon World, someone extremely powerful. In this battle, even against two or three PHANTASMAL ranked beings, he would have been able to stand against them and win. He had an Ultimate Skill that allowed him to fight endlessly, never-ending flames that would burn his enemies to their death, and he could tear apart space itself to corner anybody who stood against him. He was truly powerful, and should have been able to show his overwhelming power in this battle! But too many things occurred. A sneak attack by someone from his own forces had heavily injured his origin, and everything that happened thereafter that went forward to restrict him even more. The terribly powerful Hydra whose strength was heavily boosted by the Trident of the Sea and the humongous Kraken that relentlessly used its tentacles to restrict and attack cornered him so much that he could barely exhibit the stupendous strength he was known for. He was unwilling. He was furious. He would not accept this! "Burn, burn, burn!!!" His hoarse voice resounded out as the never-ending flames erupted from him and spread outwards, pushing back the blooming fields of bones as he watched the Trident of the Sea return to rest on the middle head of the Hydra. His form was covered in flames as the space around him began to vibrate, using his essence fully to try and break apart the heavy restrictions created in the waters around him. The Trident atop the Hydra''s head did not rest as its three sharp pointed ends began to glow. Hazy blue light began converging on the pointed ends as another ability of the Trident of the Sea, [Plasma Beam], was activated. OONG! A tremendous amount of mana continued to enter the Trident to keep this ability active as a shining beam of light erupted from the pointed ends and rushed towards Baal. BOOM! The light split apart the swirling flames and struck onto his chest, blowing yet another hole clean through. Baal''s thick arms reached out to clasp onto this piercing plasma beam as his skin became shredded and soon began tearing apart. His Ultimate Skill continued to work as it healed him constantly, but the origins of his enemies he had absorbed and kept aside for situations like these were nearly finished. He looked forward unwillingly as this really was not how things were supposed to go down. He was the first ranked Ruler of the Demon World. He was actually very, very powerful. He would have needed entire days and nights just to be brought down to this state he was brought in, in barely a few minutes. His gaze wasn''t even on the Kraken any more as he allowed the black tentacles shaped like javelins to bypass his defenses and strike his body. He was focused on the three-headed Hydra that threw out relentless attacks that drained him so much, and so fast. The relentless poisonous blades that tore apart his defenses like nothing. The Trident of the Sea that boosted the enemy''s strength by such a large extent. There were too many things that this enemy carried! Baal was unwilling and unruly until the end as his belief remained the same. He knew his own power and how this battle should have gone down. So while his body continued to disintegrate from the extremely destructive Plasma Beam that was somehow still shooting from the Trident like it was nothing, his belief remained the same. It really should not be like this. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 196 Change A terrifying beam of plasma was disintegrating the body of the most powerful Ruler of the Demon world as the remaining Rulers burned their essence to try and reach his position. The inhabitants of Atlantis were moving with vigor and happiness as victory was in their hands with the defeat of the powerful being that led the charge here. The statues that had come to life continued to cause carnage among the ranks of cultivators as the Martial Uncle Dylan was fending off both their attacks and the attacks from a Calamity "OOOH!" His body that was covered by the monstrous figure of a Scylla screamed out as he tried to penetrate their defenses to go towards the gorgeously floating Trident of the Sea that he wanted so badly, but he couldn''t breakthrough. His eyes didn''t even notice the weird situation where members of the Karmic Sect had entered a passive position and no attacks were being exchanged between them and the inhabitants of Atlantis. On the side where the powerful trident was releasing a destructive beam of light, Noah continued to relentlessly pour out an enormous amount of mana to keep the Plasma Beam active. His heart was pounding as he thought of the possible threat from the words of the mysterious Cultivator while he watched Baal''s body disintegrate and be recreated every second. The life force of this Ruler was too much, but he had to finish this fast. He couldn''t afford a long drawn out battle with the biggest villain until he was fully drained, so he acted once again to release yet another destructive attack while keeping Plasma Beam active. This attack was one he hadn''t used before, but one he looked forward to using the most when he received it. He breathed out as the Spiritual Land that was anchored to his large body detached and began moving away from him at a rapid speed. It was the feature that he had not yet tested under the [Offensive Maneuvers] of the Spiritual Land. It was [Falling Meteor]. VOOOM A droning sound resounded out as the Spiritual Land that flew up appeared more than a few miles above the struggling Baal who was using his Ultimate Skill to continue regenerating senselessly. A blue light began converging as mana leaked from Noah and into the Spiritual Land endlessly as it briefly appeared in the sea with its small size. As soon as a second passed though, it expanded in size as yet another surprising sight occurred in the dark waters. In a matter of seconds, a landmass larger than a city had appeared in the dark waters and cast a shadow on everything below it. The waters began trembling as this landmass ridiculously ignored the heavy resistance around it and began free-falling as if it was in the air. Below this landmass, a converging mass of essence had taken a pointed form that was directly above the head of Baal. This needle end below the Spiritual Land was the actual attack of [Falling Meteor]. It was where the converging mana focused the entire weight of the falling landmass into a single destructive attack. A Spiritual Land with a size larger than most cities was barreling down the waters of the sea ridiculously, defying many known laws as its center of origin where it collected all of the destructive force of the weight of the landmass was pointing towards Baal. "AAAAH!" Baal screamed out as he felt the ridiculous force of who knew how many tonnes that was aimed towards him as he found any nearby beings running from their location in panic. His eyes looked to the continued Plasma Beam that broke apart his body, and now the sharp converging essence below a huge landmass that was aimed above his head. He was really unwilling. BOOOOOM! Space shattered. A vortex was created between the impact of the needlelike end below the falling Spiritual Land and Baal''s body. Waves of tremendous power pushed out anybody that was near as the remaining Rulers of the Demon World felt a deafening cry in their hearts. They could only look forward in shock as they found to their dismay that they had felt yet another True Death. This one was from a being that they expected to die last even if all of them were to somehow fall. Somehow, the most powerful of them was the one to fall first. The True Death of the first ranked Ruler of the Demon World had occurred in the Lost World. The Spiritual Land rapidly reduced in size as the vortex created from the impact was rapidly filled in with water. Where the body of Baal used to be, gorgeously shining cores, skill books, and items lay as a few people looked at this and rubbed their eyes to check if they were seeing correctly. Noah''s large figure flashed at the position and quickly swiped away the loot from the most powerful Ruler of the Demon World as his gaze now traveled to Sect Master Inuit. The Sect Master had a stern expression on his face as a few words came out. "They are here. We have to move fast." As if waiting for a cue, as soon as these words finished a stifling pressure descended on every being on the battlefield. No, it wasn''t every being on the battlefield, but on every single living creature in the Lost World of Atlantis as something disastrous had arrived. Noah felt this stifling pressure as his gaze turned stern and he began moving rapidly, calling back the [Emperor Penguin] and other beasts that were still ripping apart cultivators from the Mountain Sea Sect and obtaining more [Law Crystals]. The Calamities of the Sea looked up with horrid expressions as they felt a foreboding feeling deep in their hearts. The inhabitants of Atlantis that had just experienced the beginning of a victory looked out in shock at this unexpected pressure that seemed to be pushing them down to kneel. The Ocean Master felt his heart palpitate as even he was affected the same as everyone else. Above the waters of the Lost World, above the skies, and above the world itself, something huge had appeared. What looked like an interstellar warship, something that nobody in the Lost World had come across, was now in the space above them. The ship was extremely large in size as it pulsed with a golden light. It was this golden light that had somehow gone to cover the entirety of the Lost World like a cage. The ship was only in the space above the planet, but those with powerful eyes could still discern its shape if they were looking from the skies. This expressed just how tremendous in size it was. At the forefront of the ship where the golden light covering the entire planet of the Lost World was being released, what looked like the barrels of exquisitely created cannons began to pulse with a menacing red light. In the dark waters of the sea, Sect Master Inuit closed his eyes as the thing he foresaw was now occurring, sending yet another message to the one he had to save today as his body and the body of the many disciples behind him began to shine in resplendent white light. "Quickly save those you can and come to my side, those who remain in this world will only face destruction." ¡­!!! Noah had already begun moving as he bore the stifling pressure, the beasts all recalled into the Spiritual Land as he turned towards the Kraken and other calamities who seemed to have lost all color. Things were occurring exactly as the Sect Master mentioned, so Noah put aside his reservations and began actively moving. If what he said was truly to come, something horrendous would be occurring today! Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 197 A True Apocalypse! I In the newly appearing ship above the space of the Lost World of Atlantis. The exquisitely built ship actually only had a few figures piloting it. It was a tool used for mass destruction by a group that many worlds feared across the Universe. At the helm, there were only three figures taking command, with the one at the forefront tampering with a command panel that was causing the changes that the inhabitants of the world below them were feeling. "The verdict for this ''Lost World'' has been discussed and cleared, Athena. Why do you hesitate?" A figure to the right, who wore golden robes and had the image of an important being with arrogance ingrained in their bones asked the dark-skinned Athena that was taking command today. "I was trying to see what the beings of this word would think if they knew what they brought down to themselves and their world, but I guess it doesn''t matter." The woman, Athena, who couldn''t be any older than 25, answered with a nonchalant expression as she continued on with the command panel and activated the World Cannons. "No, it does not matter. They tampered with forces outside of their boundaries and caused an increase in Chaos. It is simply our job to correct that, to bring back the balance caused by their disruption" Another reply came from the figure left of Athena, this one looking like an aged old man that was wearing resplendent purple robes. Athena nodded at this as she typed the commands to activate the weapons after covering the world with a restrictive barrier that would prevent any being from leaving. "We do the things that many cannot, in order to serve the greater purpose. We work in the shadows to maintain order and rule in the Universe. We may destroy billions here, but we will save a trillion more over the course of time." The aged voice of the old man continued to ring out as destructive red beams of light began to shoot out from the interstellar warship. Athena felt something she didn''t yet understand as she watched the destructive red rays of light land on the blue planet and she nodded towards the old man. "Yes, Grandmaster." The three beings then watched a process they were familiar with as an oppressive feeling of strength came from each of them. Their ranks of power were not close to PHANTASMAL, but far above it. They were beings that Noah had inadvertently mentioned from the many stolen memories when he first met Barbatos. They were the Celestials, and they brought law and order across the Universe. --- It was a scene of chaos and confusion. Nobody knew what exactly was going on as they felt a stifling pressure and a foreboding feeling. Noah ignored the figures of despairing Rulers that had a few PHANTASMAL ranks left with them as his figure moved across the waters because he found to his dismay that he could not teleport anymore. He was sending messages to the Kraken and rushing down towards the location where the Ocean Master was surrounded by Atlanteans and Merfolk. They looked towards the striking figure of the Hydra holding the Trident with confusion and fear in their eyes as his booming voice came. "There is no time, Ocean Master. Don''t resist and come into my space treasure." Noah could feel his heart sinking as he saw the Ocean Master had on a fearful expression. This was a PHANTASMAL ranked being who was at the peak of power in the Lost World, and yet similar to the Calamities, his face was fully drained of color. The reason for this was the saddening cry he and the other PHANTASMAL beings in the Lost World continued to hear. It was a saddening cry that could only be heard by them first, but was gradually getting louder and would soon be heard by every being on the Lost World. From the ship that had appeared in the space above the Lost World, never before seen destructive rays of red light had begun shooting out, heading down and piercing the layers of water as they descended down further and further. RUMBLE! Land and sea around the Lost World began to shake and tremble as an attack was released from this foreign ship with no word. Noah felt the red beams of light that were not even near them, but he could feel their horrendous power even at the location he was standing in. His heart continued to drop as he let out another shout towards the ashen Ocean Master, who looked at him in despair. He shook his head as the trident floating on around him flew out at a blazing speed and smacked onto the head on the distraught Ocean Master, knocking him out as Noah transferred him into the Spiritual Land. He couldn''t teleport around since the advent of the stifling pressure that pressed down on them, but he could still use the function of transferring beings in and out of his Spiritual Land. "The rest of you, quickly, don''t resist. I''m trying to save you!" He moved rapidly as he transferred the many Atlanteans and Merfolk that were looking around in confusion and fear as he continued to move. He didn''t even look at the figures of Rulers that would have given him more loot as he now rushed towards the direction of Atlantis. The Kraken seemed to have finally come out of its stupor as its red eyes had streaks of dark tears appearing, but its large body still moved quickly as the reality none of them had expected finally registered in their minds. A terrifying enemy none of them knew had appeared above their planet. From the pressure that even made the PHANTASMAL ranked beings feel stifled, from the cries they continued to hear from the strong voice of the world they were used to, they finally registered and terrifyingly accepted a possible reality none of them wanted. They could not stand against the newly arriving enemy, and something horrendous would be occurring to their home. It was a scene of chaos and confusion as many still did not know what was happening. Even Noah barely had an idea as he passed on the words of the Sect Master to the Kraken. He continued to move rapidly around the City of Atlantis as he transferred any beings he came across into his Spiritual Land. The cries that could only be heard by the PHANTASMAL beings with this world as their home were now getting into Noah''s ears as he felt emotions he had never had in a long time appear. The cries seemed to induce sadness as he unconsciously felt tears release from even him. It was the cries of a world. The cries of a world that knew it was coming to an end. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 198 A True Apocalypse! II Mayhem! Pandemonium! The earth and the seas were trembling as an entire world was placed under lockdown while destructive rays of light thundered down. The inhabitants of the world did not know what was happening, all they felt was a fearful feeling none of them could fully describe. The invading Cultivators and remaining Rulers of the Demon World were in the same situation as they looked around in a panic, realizing they could not form any transfer channels back to their world and could not use any spatial based skills. The Demons were in an even more disastrous situation as three of their Rulers had faced True Death. Worst of all, one of them was the most powerful Ruler of the Demon World. The figure of oppression and strength they looked up to had fallen! Those in the Lost World that had despairingly watched it happen with their own eyes still could not believe it, not to mention the Rulers on missions elsewhere as they tried to form a communication channel with the Rulers in the Lost World unsuccessfully. It was just confusion and chaos all around as no information was coming in or out. Among the only people not panicking were the Sect Master and Disciples of the Karmic Sect as they stood calmly in the tumultuous dark waters. They were the only ones not looking around in panic as mayhem descended down. The disciples had shining white lights covering their eyes as Sect Master Inuit stood in front of them and nodded, the destruction around them seemingly not bothering him one bit. He waited a couple more seconds before he acted again, sending out a message to the person he came to this Lost World for. "It is time. You have saved all that you could for now, any longer delay and we will all perish." --- Noah heard these despairing words in his ear as he was moving speedily across Atlantis and transferring any Atlanteans and Merfolk he came across. But the City of Atlantis was too large and the beings were too numerous! He had barely transferred a few tens of thousands of beings aside from the Ocean Master before the same words from the Sect Master of the Karmic Sect came down. He looked across the many more inhabitants of Atlantis that were looking around in fear and panic as the waters around them trembled, their eyes already meeting the wide destructive rays of red light that were splitting apart the waters of the sea far in the distance. Noah shook his head in frustration as his figure moved away towards the location of Sect Master Inuit at a high speed. He had his own apprehensions as he found he couldn''t teleport, but it looked like the person that had come to warn him would have a way out of this. He didn''t like to put his life in other''s hands, but the moment he felt the restrictive force and the words of the mysterious Sect Master Inuit, he knew he might have to rely on someone else today. He sent a message to the shock filled Kraken who floated with the other 5 calamities as a distraught sight could be seen. The powerful PHANTASMAL ranked Calamities were screaming out in anger and frustration. There was even more despair as they looked at the descending red beams of light from the distinct ship much higher above them. "Why?! WHY?!" The Eel Kaiju screamed out in anger as it felt the pain of the world it was so familiar with. It couldn''t understand why their world was targeted like this! "We have lived in peace and kept to ourselves, why must we be bullied like this? Why is the universe so unfair?!" The Eel Kaiju voiced out the frustrations and despair that all the other Calamities were feeling as they looked powerlessly towards the destructive beam of light none of them could withstand. "No, no, NO!" VOOM The Eel Kaiju did not stand still as its body flashed, rushing towards the red beams of light and floating upwards to their source. "Stop!" In distraught, the other Calamities noticed a second later as they rushed up behind their friend. The Kraken was looking forward with blank eyes as it received messages from the world it could not protect. He felt broken as he thought about his home that he was still too weak to protect. ''It is ok my child. Some things are written and cannot be changed.'' Messages of comfort were coming out from the entity that was getting its origins destroyed every second that passed towards the beings it had watched grow up. Death and destruction were coming to it, and yet in its last moments, it was comforting its inhabitants as certain death came for all of them! ''The new friend you made might have a possibility to save you and your siblings, go with him.'' Sadness and unwillingness were in the voice as the words broke the Kraken out of his stupor, noticing the Other Calamities that were swimming up towards the source of the destructive red rays of light. "You fools!" He called out in fear and anger as he watched the body of the Eel Kaiju near the red ray of light, its body shining a green and blue hue as it let out attacks towards it. BOOM! The attacks landed on the destructive red rays as nothing changed, but in the next instant, a singular red ray deviated and flew towards the body of the Eel Kaiju. ZING! "No!" Instantaneous. It passed by in less than a second as the Eel Kaiju realized its eyes were getting further apart from each other, and then watched what looked to be half of its body drift away, before darkness overcame its consciousness. Dead! "No!" The distraught Calamities stopped themselves as they pulled back from the destructive rays of light, the pain and fear in their hearts only increasing. "Come with me, and hurry!" The Kraken voiced out towards its remaining siblings unwillingly as it watched one them get sliced in two pieces in an instant. Its beady eyes looked up far in the distance where a distinct interstellar warship floated in space as it burned the sight into its memories, and then began rushing towards Noah''s position. BOOM! Tremendous heat and lava had begun bursting from the deepest layers of the sea as the destructive rays had begun attacking the Planetary Core of the Lost World. RUMBLE! The earth and seas trembled and cowered in the face of this destruction as Noah came face to face with Sect Master Inuit who was looking at him calmly, with a slight excitement in his eyes. "There will be time for explanations and revenge later. For now, we have to run." Noah looked at this Sect Master as he was trying his own skills to see if anything could work, but nothing came to mind. In this horrendous situation, he had to trust the new figure to come out of this apocalyptic situation alive. "What do you need?" "I will create a small opportunity, just a few seconds that will allow you to teleport us out of here. If that window is missed, we are all doomed." The Sect Master calmly replied as he looked towards Noah and the newly arriving figures of Calamities that were looking at them with blazing eyes of anger, their identity still being that of invaders in their eyes. Noah nodded as he watched the white light already apparent on the bodies of the Sect Master and the Disciples of the Karmic Sect shine even brighter, the voice of the Sect Master ringing out once again. "A few seconds to decide our fates, and the fates of many more worlds in this universe." The white light surrounding the Sect Master increased rapidly as Noah observed the level of power break past what he knew of the PHANTASMAL rank and go above it. The process of aging rapidly increased as the power bubbled even higher, giving Noah a glimpse of the aura of the next stage as he observed the resplendent power of the TRANSCENDENT rank. Transcendent! A level of power that Noah had not come across before, but he was getting a glimpse of it as he watched streaks of white light shoot out from the many disciples of the Karmic Sect and be absorbed by the glowing Sect Master Inuit. He was shocked at the sight but continued to be ready to act as soon as the signal was given. The stage was already set, with events unfolding rapidly in unknown directions. Amongst all these various events, a small group of beings huddled together as a white light expanded in a world experiencing a true apocalypse. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 199 End of the Rope Noah watched with clear eyes as the white light on the bodies of the beings from the Karmic Sect shone even brighter. There were hundreds of disciples behind Sect Master Inuit, and Noah began watching as one by one, they began shriveling up into aged figures that turned to dust soon after. He looked towards the Sect Master who was calmly continuing as if nothing was wrong while his disciples were falling and turning into dust deep in the sea. "They have sown their seeds of Karma, and are now repaying the favor I bestowed upon their lives long ago." The explanation seemed sufficient for the Sect Master as his disciples became aged and turned to dust, each time a white light coming towards him as his body shone even brighter and the power at TRANSCENDENT rank consolidated even further. "A few seconds, be ready." The white light became brighter and brighter as it acted like a beacon in the chaotic dark waters. Martial Uncle Dylan was looking around in panic as he could not communicate with his sect in the World of Cultivation nor could he form a channel to get back, the situation looking dark for him and his disciples. He looked around to find the area of white light he could discern a few figures as his eyes opened wide and began moving towards them. He wasn''t the only one as the remaining Rulers of the Demon World also found the area of calm and began moving forward, looking at it like their salvation. Noah continued to transfer the unwilling Calamities of the Sea into the Spiritual Land as the Kraken was the last one to remain in the outside world with him along with the disciples of the Karmic Sect that continued to turn into dust. The Kraken had extremely black lines of tears coming out of its red eyes as it continued to hear the voice of his home. ''I know you are angry and saddened my child, but be patient before you act from now on. This will be my last piece of advice for you now. Patience will be a bitter pill to swallow, but the fruits of it will blossom to make you even stronger in the future. Take care of your siblin- GAAAAAAH!'' A piercing cry resounded throughout every single location in the Lost World as the red rays of destructive light had reached a crucial origin of the world and began disintegrating everything around it. The cry brought out emotions of sadness and unwillingness from everything that heard it as the few islands in the Lost World began to crumble as magma overflowed deep underwater. "A few seconds!" Sect Master Inuit''s cry came as more than half of the Disciples he was with had become husks of their former selves and turned to dust. Only the more powerful ones remained as they had aged bodies and came to cluster near their Sect Master and Noah who was still in his powerful Hydra form that allowed him to move even faster. "NOW!" SAAA! A flash of light. That was all that happened, and the figures of Noah and the Cultivators from the Karmic Sect were all but gone from the Lost World of Atlantis. Only a few particles of dust remained where they were as Martial Uncle Dylan and the Rulers of the Demon World arrived at the location as well. "No!" Despairing cries rang out as they found their salvation disappear in front of their eyes, the destruction around them continuing. Many areas around the Lost World had become deadly and suffocating as land and sea quaked, the destructive rays released from the ship floating in space reaching and piercing through the Planetary Core. Some areas became dangerous and unlivable as living beings began dying en masse. The heavily protected and technological Atlantis had many buildings laying in waste as quakes continued to spread out. Panic and fear was apparent on the faces of millions of Atlanteans and Merfolk who were still spread out over the vast area of Atlantis, but they could do nothing to change their fates. The painful and saddening cry of the World continued as it could only watch unwillingly as millions of the beings on it began to die, and it would follow soon after. Its large consciousness was directed at the floating interstellar ship that stood grandly in space as it let out calm but wrathful words towards it. "Just as you have brought death to me and billions of innocent creatures, there will come a time for you as well." The words were wrathful but filled with strength as the entity at the center of the Lost World continued to see it''s living beings die one after another. It was painful! Wretched! Unfair! Yet nothing could be done. Its voice had become weak as the control it had to hold everything together was disrupted and began losing strength, its core beginning to crumble. "Death is the one universal thing we will all face, I''m only saddened I won''t be able to watch your wretched deaths!" ZIING Destruction had begun on a large scale as apocalyptic scenes were present across the Lost World of Atlantis. Death throes could be heard from the remaining Cultivators and Demons that were dying in droves. The fear of Rulers of the Demon World only increased after a Legendary ranked Ruler met his death from an explosion of deadly magma from the depths of the sea, and yet they felt his True Death! His soul did not return to the Demon World. This caused fear in their hearts as they couldn''t explain why someone like them would face true death through seemingly normal means, but what they didn''t understand was the restrictive power the interstellar ship released did much more than just isolate communication and spatial transmission of the Lost World, it was something completely out of their knowledge! Fear and terror overwhelmed the hearts of every thinking being in the Lost World as they found themselves watching their ends come to them. The Cultivators feared. The Demons despaired. The Atlanteans and Merfolk were sorrowful as they watched the deaths and destruction occurring en masse. Yet nothing could be done. There was nobody to save them. The beings left in the Lost World experienced terror rarely felt across the universe, the terror of an unstoppable death with no way out. BOOM! Were one to be looking far from space towards the large blue planet that was the Lost World, they would notice a red streak of light shooting down from a huge ship while even more red streaks and cracks were forming across the entire planet. Those with perceptive eyes would even notice the thin golden barrier the ship had somehow released to cover the entirety of the blue planet. The red rays of destructive light that were shooting out of the ship stopped as this thin film of golden barrier seemingly became more reinforced. The ship did not need to continue sending down their destructive weapon as the planet had reached an irreversible position with its core ruptured and damaged, the only thing left was for it to completely shatter. Extreme heat was blazing across the largely water-based world as its core contracted and heated up, the continued reaction causing the heat to expand outwards, but it was knocked down and held inside the perimeters of the planet as the golden barrier released from the ship let nothing out. This caused an extremely cruel situation where the heat returned into the world as there was no way out, and the reaction only became worse as land and sea were both bubbling with fire. Whatever beings remained alive, no matter their rank, would be burned alive by the heat released from a dying planet. This heat was further concentrated as it wasn''t even allowed to be released outwards. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Tremendously powerful explosions resounded out as the Lost World exploded in a Supernova! The golden barrier around it stretched from the force of the supernova, but it stayed active, keeping to its objective of making sure nothing would come out of this planet alive. ¡­ Minutes passed, and then hours as this process continued until the golden barrier was released, allowing what remained of the debris of the Lost World to explode and spread outwards. That was all that remained of a large word that raised beings up to the PHANTASMAL rank. Debris. Not a single being that was left in the Lost World of Atlantis had survived. No matter if it was Atlantean, Merfolk, Demon, or Cultivator, everything burned in a fiery death that continued for hours. The Lost World with its expansive technology was no more. Nothing remained of it, only memories and hopes of a certain group of beings that had somehow managed to escape. Yet, under such an immense power that allowed for the death of this large world, what could they do? Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 200 Order Clear skies and a blue sea stretched out for miles in all directions as a humongous figure appeared to disrupt this serenity. In his Spiritual Land, he had a wide variety of beings collected, many of whom he could not bring himself to look at at this moment in time. He observed the large body of the Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra, as he felt its tremendous strength that made him feel like he was at the top of the world. Yet at this moment in time, he felt weak. He felt weak as he thought of the enemies he did not even have knowledge of that forced him to run. He felt weak as he closed his eyes and recalled the images of despairing faces all over Atlantis as they felt their world break down. This feeling of weakness...it had been a long time since he last felt it. Maybe his mind was still affected by the saddening cries of the Lost World when its core was being ripped apart, maybe he was just exhausted mentally after running around the Lost World of Atlantis for so long, only to run as it was destroyed by foreign enemies. He let out a sigh as he deactivated his many skills, feeling his large body change as a tingling sensation spread throughout and he became a two-meter tall Atlantean with shining golden hair. He floated in the skies above the sea that was between the United Federation and the Blessed Empire as he thought about how to even face the beings who had their home entirely destroyed. He was in his thoughts when a small white light shot out from the Spiritual Land anchored on his body, and the figure of Sect Master Inuit appeared in the skies with him. Beings usually needed his authorization to enter or leave the Spiritual Land, but this mysterious Sect Master continued to do surprising things. His gaze looked older and wizened as he looked around the new world they were in and spoke out. "Try not to despair too much over the fallen. For many beings, the time of their deaths is already written, and they cannot do anything to change it." His gaze traveled around Noah''s homeworld as he seemed to know a great deal of things. Noah listened to this as he asked a question he was pondering in his mind. "What about my death? You mentioned you foresaw it." The eyes of the Sect Master sparkled at this question as he looked at Noah with a smile. "Yes, my techniques showed me of your end, and yet here you are, very much alive. That is one of the things about death, too mysterious for even someone like me to give you any more understanding. Maybe your time was actually today in that destroyed world and my interventions stopped it, maybe it wasn''t really your time and events flowed as they should have. It''s too complicated to wrap our minds around this idea for beings of our level, so we can put them aside for now and focus on what to do next." Cryptic words that didn''t add anything useful to his knowledge were all that came out from the Sect Master''s mouth as Noah stared into his white eyes and nodded. "Before we get to your goals, tell me more about the force that took down the Lost World as if it was nothing." The whiteness in the eyes of the Sect Master flashed as a frown appeared on his face. "Ah, yes. The Celestials. Beings from many different worlds that banded together to supposedly maintain the order of the Universe. There are very few forces that would even dare to stand against them." Incredulousness was all that was on Noah''s mind as he heard of the identity of beings he had falsely played as some time back. "The World Engine that Atlantis created was a piece of technology that defied the norms, allowing the Lost World to actually change and mask its position in the Universe with but a thought from the World Core. After finding out about this, The Celestials sat on their high chairs and decided to wipe out the world that was playing around with such dangerous technology under the name of restoring and maintaining the order of the universe." The wizened Sect Master swept his eyes across the vast blue sea in Noah''s homeworld as he continued. "It was all under the name of maintaining the rule of the universal laws. Worlds should not be able to do what the Lost World was doing, so they stopped it. It was as simple as that. They didn''t have any malicious feelings towards the beings in that world, and they didn''t hate or despise any of them. They were just...doing what they believed to be the correct course of action, it didn''t matter that an entire world would have to burn for it." Noah felt his hands slightly trembling in anger as he heard a bit about the ideology of the superpower he had only briefly learned about in his memories. The cries of the dying Lost World reappeared in his mind as it seemed the effects of it which caused tears to unconsciously fall from his eyes still lingered. Even more saddening were the cries he could hear in his Spiritual Land where the remaining Calamities of the Sea and a few tens of thousands of Atlanteans and Merfolk resided. He still couldn''t bring himself to face them as he only knew a portion of what they could be feeling right now. He knew only a little about the despair and anger they were feeling as he had gone through an event where he lost those dear to him as well, but it was never at this stage. It was never this big. He let out a sigh as he asked the Sect Master, "Knowing all of this, why exactly did you travel to the Lost World to find someone like me?" A brilliant smile erupted from the face of the wizened old man standing in front of Noah as a grand story was weaved out. The World of Cultivation. It was a Prime World, a powerful world where some of the recognizable powers in the universe played in. What did a being that earned the title of Sect Master in this world want with a budding individual in a far corner of the Universe? Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 201 Pain A grand tale was being weaved out of the mouth of the Sect Master of the Karmic Sect as his wizened old face displayed a resplendent light. The World of Cultivation was a special Prime World where its inhabitants were actively studying and interpreting the laws that made up the world and the larger universe. It was a group of extremely powerful beings that could be considered to have a footing in the vast space filled with many stars. It was a world set on a different stage, as it was the norm to have beings from other worlds to congregate in the World of Cultivation for the abundant resources and treasures there. Mystical secrets and Treasure Abodes from powerful cultivators were spread throughout the world, where one only needed strength and luck to obtain heaven-defying techniques and items. "It is a world you will definitely enjoy visiting, and it is one of the worlds where you will have a hand to play in the tumultuous future ahead." Sect Master Inuit finished his words as he observed the calm expression on Noah''s face. "You asked me what exactly I had in mind to sacrifice so many of my disciples and even my own longevity while saving you. It was simply to sow karma between me and you." His hands moved through the air as a few invisible lines appeared. He made a plucking motion as above Noah''s head, a significantly large line became visible. The line snaked through and made its path towards the Sect Master as he continued. "Karma is something that very few can grasp, but it can show us wondrous things and give us the ability to traverse the tumultuous future relatively unscathed. Through it, I was able to know about a being worlds away who would one day come to prevent my death, and the deaths of many more beings that are connected to the World of Cultivation." His hands came down as the white lines disappeared into nothingness once more. "I have not yet found out what threat is coming to cause such a catastrophe, but I have completed the immediate goal of saving you, and now I can let events continue to unfold as I watch with ease." The Sect Master had a soft smile on his face as a brilliant white light flashed out, the figures of his many disciples with blank faces appearing around him as all of them inexplicably left Noah''s Spiritual Land. Noah observed all of this closely, surprised at the foreboding words about the future as he asked. "That''s it?" The smile on the Sect Master''s face became wider as he raised his hands, forming a large hazy white door of light above them that his disciples began rushing into. His other hand stretched out as a luxuriously shining necklace inlaid with gems appeared and floated towards Noah. The gems lit up the entire area as Noah felt the many negative emotions and feelings of exhaustion slowly lift away from his body as this gem continued to float towards him. "That''s it. Here is one of the few unique treasures of the World of Cultivation. I''ve attached some inscriptions that will let me know whenever you begin your journey there. I see a cloudy but clear path that you plan to follow, and I cannot interfere with it too much, lest I cause things to backfire. We will meet again in time, and I look forward to seeing the things I''ve only glimpsed become reality." His words finished as cryptic as ever, his figure following the disciples that had already passed through the hazy white door in the sky as his voice rang out for the last time. "Oh yeah, don''t get too sucked in with that fiery demoness of yours. I know heartbreak can be a deadly thing." With these words, the mysterious Sect Master of the Karmic Sect was gone, leaving behind a pondering Noah that received another surprise with the last words he mentioned. He had too many things to do so he put aside the mysterious looking treasure aside for now, planning on looking at it along with the skill books he gained from the death of Baal later. His mind wandered to Barbatos at the mention of the fiery demoness as he shook his head and breathed out. His gaze landed on the Spiritual Land as he prepared to go see the beings that were facing unimaginable pain from losing something extremely precious to them. He disappeared from the skies and reappeared on a snowy area in the Spiritual Land where a few thousands of Atlanteans, Merfolk, and the Calamities of the Sea were collected together. It was a weird sight to see as these beings that would normally be seen underwater were slumped on the snowy ground of the Spiritual Land letting out mournful howls and saddening cries. They were going through a tremendous amount of loss that Noah could not begin to imagine. Some had lost friends, others their entire families, but all of them shared the biggest loss of their home. The Ocean Master was blankly staring at the sight of a few thousand Atlanteans and Merfolk as extreme despair was apparent on his face. His emotions were overwhelmed by guilt and sadness as he was the leader that was supposed to keep everyone safe. Yet he could do nothing, and he had felt what used to be his home perish! Feelings of failure and shame were not only on the mind of the Ocean Master, as the Calamities of the Sea that had the roles as the actual protectors of their world felt a much heavier burden as they felt the link disappear. There was no Lost World for them to return to anymore. There was nothing. It was an extremely depressing sight as Noah made his way over to the Kraken, the one Calamity he had spent a significant amount of time with through the space affected by Time Dilation before they arrived for the defense of Atlantis. The Kraken had a face full of wrath and sadness as its red eyes turned to look at Noah''s Atlantean figure. It''s deep voice resounded out painfully. "Where are we?" Noah looked at the maddened eyes of the Kraken as he replied, "A world I found a long time ago that I am able to hold some influence in. The inhabitants are not too strong, and will not be hostile so we can spend some time here collecting ourselves." The reddened eyes of the Kraken blinked as its gaze remained on Noah and spoke out once again. "The enemies that did this?" "Far too strong for us to even think about facing them right now." Yes. If they were even bold enough to make the beings that easily shattered an entire planet their enemy, they were nowhere near close to even matching a tenth of their power! Due to this, Noah felt like he was under a stifling pressure. He still had a plan that he planned to follow in his mind as he had to get closure from a certain world, but he had to plan carefully on how to move forward from there. He had to evaluate why he was doing the things he was doing, and it could not all just be based on hatred and revenge. He was connected to the lifelines of two worlds with billions of beings tied to him. After watching the destruction of a world that was much more powerful than the ones he was connected to, he gained a better understanding of the brevity of the situation he was in. His eyes turned back towards the Kraken as he continued to have an internal struggle over his next movements. The Kraken had an unwilling look, seemingly wanting to go fight right then and there no matter the results. "The enemies are too strong, but they do not know about us. This gives us time to become stronger. It gives us time to learn more about them. After we achieve a certain level of power, we can choose to fight a battle that won''t result in the Lost World of Atlantis being forgotten in the dredges of time." Noah''s eyes held conviction as he tried to calm and console the pained Kraken, spending some time with the rest of the Calamities that now only totaled up to 5. When some time passed, he left them and went to see yet another being that was heavily affected by the events in the Lost World. ''A fiery demoness, huh?'' Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 202 Freedom The Spiritual Land was vast, with many snowy fields apart from the central point where luxurious buildings that Noah had built stood. His body teleported to a particular snowy field in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land as he found the figure of a certain Demon Empress that was blankly looking out across the peaceful area. Barbatos sat on a field of snow as her bare white legs sank down into the ground, the freezing cold not bothering her one bit. Her body that was greatly injured from Baal''s attacks had outwardly fully healed, with her skin as clear as it was before. Noah had a complex expression as he thought about how he would be moving from now on when he spoke out. "How are you feeling?" Barbatos was dressed in her gothic dress as she looked across the snowy plains of the Spiritual Land. She didn''t even turn around to look at Noah when she replied. "I''m fucking peachy, little fish." A variety of emotions were going through her mind as she felt the True Death of Baal and felt heavy chains being lifted off of her body. Her emotions became even more tumultuous when she spread out her awareness from the isolated space treasure and saw the apocalypse occurring in the Lost World. She saw the panic and fear in the remaining Rulers'' eyes as she stayed still in the isolated space treasure and continued to heal her injuries. Sometime after, she began to feel the true deaths of Rulers of the Demon World one by one, as every living being in the Lost World perished. She had her own goals and hopes, and she had a hand in killing the strongest being of her race for it. As she felt the onslaught of True Deaths occurring she found her will wavering and questioning itself. Was it all worth it? Was her freedom worth the death of the strongest Ruler of the Demon World and all those that followed? Freedom. Her eyes lit up as this word flashed through her mind, her expression that was sad and melancholic disappearing as a vicious expression replaced it. Yes, it was all for her freedom, and she was now grasping it in her hands. It was selfish. It was cruel. It came at a great price. But so what? The only person she cared for was herself, why did it matter who had to die in order for her to get what she wanted? The vicious expression slowly blew away any feelings of melancholy as the Necromancer of Chaos rapidly shifted her mood yet again. Noah''s voice rang out once again. "You got what you wanted, what exactly do you plan to do now Barbatos?" "Hmph, why does it matter to you? Don''t think I didn''t notice the hatred in your eyes when you were targeting Sitri and Paimon. You expect me to give you respect and talk when you continue to bullshit me? What do you have against the Demon Race?" Noah looked over at Barbatos who seemed to be shifting from opposite moods very quickly as a cloud of craziness followed her. He thought about the recent experience he had as he watched an entire world and its people be destroyed and he thought about his hatred for the invaders that caused the death of his parents and many more in his homeworld. He recalled the memories of Demons and Cultivators he had killed as he learned of the larger worlds out there and how many beings were in a similar situation his homeworld and the Beast World was in not too long ago. He couldn''t save the beings in the Lost World of Atlantis, nor did he have the power to save the many worlds experiencing a similar level of pain and unfairness in this vast Universe. But there was still something he could do against those that directly caused him and his world harm. His gaze hardened as he affirmed his beliefs, recalled the many Rulers he had knowledge of through stolen memories, and then he replied to Barbatos. "Belial, Asmodeus, Dantalion, Furcas, Malphas, Andras, Valac, Naberius, Marax, Phenex, Orobas, Haures, and Gaap. All of these are Rulers that either directly or indirectly caused the deaths of many beings in this world you are currently in. Most were active in the middle world you might remember, the Beast World. Putting aside those that already faced True Death in the Lost World of Atlantis, I will be going for the heads of these Rulers sometime soon." Those who had a hand in the pain that the beings in his homeworld and those in the Beast World faced, they would all have to die. But Noah did not want to be similar to the beings he just watched destroy an entire Large World because of their beliefs. He did not want to wrathfully descend down to the Demon World and senselessly massacre everything on sight in the name of revenge. He would kill those involved in causing the harm to the two worlds he was connected to, and reserve his judgment for the rest of them for now. Barbatos''s mouth formed a huge o shape as she blurted out. "You''re the asshole who killed Gremory and Orias in that little Beast World. Haha, I even told them to let me descend down so I could kill the growing threat quickly or they would regret it!" Barbatos was clutching her stomach laughing as she continued. "That Baal that was so big and tough actually did die to you, haha! If they had listened to me, I would have met you sooner, little fish. Maybe I would have already fried you up into fried fish eh? Alas, everyone is just too fucking dumb." Her voice finished flat as she looked towards Noah and rose up, wiping the snow sticking to her body. "I''ve already betrayed my entire race for my own selfish goals, I don''t care about your little revenge dream or who you want to kill as long as I get to do what I want, little fish. At this moment in time, I''m still finding you very interesting so I''ll be hanging around you and continue to enjoy the luxurious things in this isolated space treasure and the food you''ll definitely be making for me." She beckoned towards Noah as the snow around them ruffled. "But, it looks like these stupid feelings of guilt don''t wanna go away fast enough and I need something to take my mind off of them, so a good fuck would do. Come on, little fish." Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 203 Assimilation and Loo The next few days were a busy period of time as Noah moved back and forth between multiple locations to start preparations and smoothly transition the displaced inhabitants of the Lost World of Atlantis. A day after their arrival in Noah''s homeworld, they were able to have an introduction to the humans that were busily moving around. Noah sent forth communications to Steel Mikhail and Kazuhiko as they arranged for the appropriate people from the Blessed Empire and the United Federation to receive the Atlanteans and Merfolk. The Ocean Master took the lead to talk to the humans who were much weaker than him with respect as hours and hours of talks ensued. At the end of all of these talks that Noah had to sit through, the result was an agreement being made for the inhabitants of Atlantis to reside in a certain location scouted for in the sea as the two forces planned for peaceful mutual cooperation. The process took a few days, but at the end of all of it, Noah was able to watch construction begin deep under the sea of his homeworld as Atlanteans and Merfolk with hardened faces worked to create a new home. He was standing besides the Ocean Master who had long since collected himself as he asked. "The World Engine...do we still have the capability to build it?" A pained expression passed through the Ocean Master''s face as he heard of the creation that was the apparent cause of their world''s destruction. "We can. I have multiple unfinished prototypes with me that would require a few weeks work to complete. But...would we not be inviting the same destruction here were we to do that?" His body pulsed with power as he said this. Noah knew of the strong feelings each of them held as he shook his head and replied. "No, word of the World Engine was spread through the mouths of Demon and Cultivators, and we will not have that repeat itself again. What we need now is to strengthen ourselves in hiding, the features of the World Engine will provide that for us. After a sufficient time has passed...we could maybe stand up to those that harmed us." His words were strong as they shook the Ocean Master out of his stupor. The Ruler of Atlantis nodded as his eyes turned towards the Calamities. Noah spoke again as he noticed this. "They feel a tremendous amount of guilt for what occurred, and I''ll be moving with them as we explore new worlds and find more ways to increase our strength." The Calamities were powerful beings that had limitless potential to grow, he would be sure to strengthen them as time goes as he knew he couldn''t do everything by himself. This tedious process of communications across humans, beasts, and the inhabitants of Atlantis would continue for the foreseeable future as the powerful figures at the top continued to move forward the plans. Noah found himself with a tremendous amount of cores, skill books, and Law Crystals that the Emperor penguin and other beasts from his Spiritual Land had collected when they fought against the forces of Mountain Sea Sect. This wasn''t to even mention the loot he had obtained himself. After finding some time a few days after their escape from the dying Lost World, he was finally able to take a look at everything he collected from his journey. First off was the loot he didn''t finish checking from the Phantasmal ranked Paimon, two skill books were leftover besides the Ultimate Skill he already obtained from her. The first was a unique skill that seemed fairly simple, but would have its own amazing uses, with the second being a Phantasmal ranked skill. [Persuasion] :: Your words carry an undeniable truth, making it easier to influence the beings around you. Simple and direct. A smile was on Noah''s face as he learned these skills and moved on to the skills dropped from the next Ruler he killed, Baal himself. He began with the grandiosely shining Ultimate Skill first. [Devouring] :: Filled with endless hunger and thirst, the user can devour their enemies and other entities fully. Devoured entities can be broken down and used to permanently increase the attributes of the user or as fuel for healing and a momentary boost in power. The mana requirement varies depending on what the target is. [Large Stomach] :: An enormous amount of space is made available through the use of this ability, allowing the user to store anything they can devour. [Library] :: Devoured entities are analyzed and stored, their life history and skills laid bare for the user to pick and choose. A maximum of two skills can be extracted from devoured entities. The Ultimate Skill that the strongest Ruler held was no joke, and it was the reason why he grew so powerful in the first place. Noah''s eyes shined as he looked forward to utilizing the skill to the fullest. His only regret was that Baal''s body was completely destroyed with nothing left. He let bygones be bygones as he looked at the next three skill books, these ones being two PHANTASMAL skills and a unique skill. [Sundering Hellfire] :: Hellish flames blaze out to cover anything your eyes can see. The flames do not extinguish until you give the command. [Space Destruction] :: Your strikes gain the capability to affect space. The effect varies depending on what realm you are in. Skills that he had observed the Oppressive Tyrant use to fight against multiple Phantasmal beings were now in his hands as he felt a feeling of accomplishment to have come so far. There was a new feeling in his heart after all the recent negative experiences and emotions. With his strength growing like this, there was a large possibility for him to grow to the same level as those he had to run away from. His beliefs were reinforced as he looked at his stat panel with shining eyes. He could do it! [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: Phantasmal] [Focus: - ] [Strength: Phantasmal] [Skill(s) :: [F][E][D][C][B][A][S][EPIC] [LEGENDARY :: Memory Plunderer, Hydrothermokinesis, Devastation, Summon Death Reaper] [LEGENDARY+ :: Whirling Frozen Death, Healing Wings, Demon King''s Banner] [MYTHICAL :: Hydrokinesis, An Undead''s Stamina, Defiance, Resplendent Speed, Phasing ] [MYTHICAL+ :: Titanium Body] [PHANTASMAL :: The Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra, Summon Titans of the Abyss, Radiation Queen''s Sword, Persuasion, Sundering Hellfire, Space Destruction] [UNIQUE :: Spiritual Land Management, Primal Conjurer, Spatial Travel, Shapeshift, Witch Slaves, Lie Detection, Parallel Thought] [ULTIMATE :: Bone Master, Seven Deadly Sins- Gluttony] [Equipment: (3x B-Ring of Storage)(A-Ring of Storage)(S-Storage Pouch)(Mythical- Pearl of the Sea)] [Laws :: Law of Water- 5%] Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 204 Preparations Beings from Noah''s homeworld and the Beast World were rapidly moving around as preparations were underway for them to do something grandiose. The Rulers of the Demon World were heavily weakened at this moment in time with more than half of all their forces meeting True Death in the Lost World of Atlantis. There was fear and uncertainty in all of their hearts, and Noah chose this time to strike and take out those involved in causing the deaths of many beings across the two worlds. He did not want to consider himself a senseless killer, but there had to be reckoning for those who caused senseless harm to many weaker beings based on their own motives. For the preparations, he had a tremendous amount of cores at the Legendary and Mythical rank, as well as many skill books and items that he and the beasts from the Spiritual Land had collected from their journey in the Lost World. Much of this loot was distributed to Kazuhiko and Steel Mikhail, allowing for these powerful individuals to be power leveled to the Mythical rank in a few days. The remainder of the loot was handed to the remaining three Mythical Beasts that might soon lose their titles as they neared breaking through to the Phantasmal rank. The Imperial Phoenix that had helped Noah when he was still at EPIC rank not too long ago only looked in shock at Noah''s appearance after she had looked for him all this time. The being she had looked at as having a lot of promise had actually overtaken her in strength, and in such a major way at that. When she found out that the Spiritual Land that was extremely hard to upgrade and take care of was also a rank higher than her own, she blanked out. As much as Noah enjoyed looking at the reactions of this fiery Imperial Phoenix, he continued to move fast as he spent some time with the Queen of the Frozen Kingdom in the Beast World. It didn''t take long for him to travel across worlds with [Spatial Travel], and he routinely came back to spend some quality time with the Icy Queen while boosting her strength and the strength of the people in the Kingdom through the continued use of [Budding Farmer]. He did the same for the agricultural sector in his homeworld as both the United Federation and the Blessed Empire experienced a boom that allowed for no mouth to go unfed these past weeks. Days passed like this as many things occurred, with the core destination being the same. A sense of apprehension and excitement was in the air for the powerful humans and beasts that held strong emotions against the Demons that invaded them. Noah continued to look over all of these things as he moved behind the scenes to upgrade his own strength as he used the Time Space to boost up his skill proficiencies as well as take a look at the treasure that Sect Master Inuit had left behind. [Soul Finder] :: The pendant acts as a compass to point to the nearest Soul Jade of a type it does not have yet. If the pendant has every type of Soul Jade, it will point towards the type it had least of. [Soul Absorption] :: The pendant can absorb every type of Soul Jade and improve its effectiveness [Law Nourisher] :: The Soul Jades contained in the pendant will allow for the increase of speed of mastery and the power of laws. [Essence Amplification] :: A convergence of essence will occur with the Lawful Nourishment at the center. The amount of essence amplification will depend on the number of Soul Jades in the pendant. It was truly a unique treasure of the World of Cultivation as it showed spectacular possibilities. Inside of the circular pendant of the necklace called Lawful Nourishment, a glistening blue piece of what seemed to be the thing called Soul Jade was lying peacefully. It was an extremely small piece that you barely noticed it in a corner of the pendant, and this was the only thing that was present in it. Yet, the effect it had was something wondrous to observe. Noah looked around him as he equipped Lawful Nourishment and watched the essence around him tremble as it began swirling around the area. He observed the changes for a few minutes and found it to be more than twice as concentrated as it was before, allowing him to feel like his body was floating through the clouds. He spent some time manipulating the necklace and found that he could expand this area of essence convergence as well as reduce it, its effects becoming less and less the further out it was spread. The biggest boon was the fact that when he brought out the [Law Crystals] to absorb, he found that he was receiving a larger percentage than usual, making him look forward to finding more Soul Jades of different elements to add into this necklace and watch its effects become even more ridiculous. Besides the spectacular unique treasure from the mysterious Karmic Sect Master, Noah observed the newest skills from the result of [Skill Combination] as he prepared for the grandiose invasion of the Demon World. The rising of proficiency was made even faster in the Time Space because of the unique skill, [Parallel Thought], as Noah found himself focusing on multiple skills to raise at once. He had an unlimited amount of energy to use, and now it felt like he had two different minds to use it. His efficiency shot through the roof as his rate of combining skills that was already crazy enough before became even more ridiculous. Lower ranked skills that he just combined were combined yet again just a day or two later in the Time Space as he continued to break common norms. The skills combined these past few days were, Devastation + Summon Death Reaper :: LEGENDARY+ [Summon Devastating Reaper] Summon Devastating Reaper + Whirling Frozen Death :: MYTHICAL Summon Death Lord Healing Wings + Demon King''s Banner :: MYTHICAL [Ruler''s Might] Defiance + Phasing :: MYTHICAL+ [Emperor''s Defensive Maneuvers] His strength continued to rise exponentially as preparations for their advance into the Demon World were nearly complete. There wasn''t a shred of worry as he had multiple PHANTASMAL ranked beings by his side, as well as himself, who was a different monster altogether. What was left in the Demon World were a few Rulers that were not present in the Lost World, what could they do against him after he had taken down their most powerful Ruler? 205 The Tactician In a dark and gloomy castle at the center of the Demon World. Light steps were ringing out across the large hall of the castle where a single figure walked. The figure had reddish-black wings erupting from his back as his body was wrapped in a sleek black suit. Large glasses covered his piercing blood red eyes as he looked forward emotionlessly. He was the current highest ranked Ruler of the Demon World, the Tactician, Agares. His power was not the strongest amongst the top ten Rulers, but he still took the second position after Baal because of his Ultimate Skill, Tactician. Many beings feared the power he carried with it, and they feared more so when he was paired up with Baal on any ventures, as the combination of the two was deadly. But, in the most recent catastrophic venture, Baal had gone and taken many other Rulers on a hunt for a Supreme Treasure while the Tactician had stayed behind to manage things in the Demon World. Now, this same Tactician was faced with a tumultuous situation where a large number of Rulers had suddenly faced True Death, and worst of all, their strongest ranked Ruler was among them. Terror was in the hearts of many Demons as they wondered, exactly what enemy had they come across that completely wiped out Baal and so many others? The most terrifying of all was the fact that there was no news from any of the Rulers before their deaths. There were too many unknowns, which caused many of the remaining Rulers to panic. These past days, many of them were cooped up in the regions they ruled in the Demon Capital as they surrounded themselves with their Legions. They hid in their tightly defended castles as hundreds of thousands of demonkin surrounded them from all sides, hiding until they received some answers from those with the most power at the top. The Tactician, Agares, had used his authority as the second-ranked Ruler to keep things to a level of calm in the Demon World as he reminded everyone of their power. Even with Baal gone, they still had beings in the top ten who held PHANTASMAL rank power. They still had Rulers with spectacular Unique and Ultimate Skills that they could use best in their home turf. The other Rulers were calmed and tamed, but Agares himself was thinking completely different thoughts. He knew that something monumental was coming, and he knew that the destruction that Baal had faced would follow them. He walked along the large hall of the castle at the center of the Demon World as he thought of all of this. Agares sighed as he entered into a veranda that overlooked the gloriously shining Demon Capital that was normally boisterous, but currently quiet as many had closed their doors fearfully. He knew something was coming, and his Ultimate Skill had already shown that he had a possibility of living through it. This was something that brought slight fear in his heart. His Ultimate SKill showed that he had the possibility of getting through whatever calamity was coming alive, but it showed that many more would be dying. ''Have Baal''s aggressive methods of expansions finally caused the destruction I foresaw?'' Many thoughts and what ifs passed through the Ruler''s head, but the past was the past, and time continued to move. What mattered was what would happen now. His eyes suddenly turned up as his skills informed him of something, and he looked into the skies of the Demon World to find a shining silver light erupting out. The light reduced and the figure of a golden-haired man with a suit of armor appeared in the clear skies. A gloriously shining golden trident was floating in his hands as his face swept around the Demon Capital. An expression that seemed to show familiarity was apparent as his gaze traveled around, ultimately landing on the powerful aura of Agares who was looking up from the grandiose castle at the center of the capital. Another light shined out as beside the golden-haired man, an enormous beast with tremendously long tentacles appeared, creating a large shadow that caused a commotion in the recently quiet capital. This wasn''t the end though, as four more PHANTASMAL ranked beings with fearsome power just like it appeared above the skies, their pressure descending down and causing panic to those below. The figures of more than 20-meter tall Goldfish, Sting Ray, Cassiterite Shark, and the Lava Kaiju appeared in the skies as their eyes looked below them menacingly. The Demon Capital was large, with the Rulers spread out in many directions, but this appearance of powerful unknown anemones brought them to full attention. Yet another figure appeared on the already maddeningly powerful stage, but this figure was one that was the most familiar with the Demon World among the recent group of arrivals. It was a voluptuous figure of someone that was barely twenty, wrapped up in a tight black gothic dress as she carried what looked to be an umbrella above her to block the rays of light. Agares finally had a huge change in expression at the appearance of Barbatos amidst beings that were most definitely their enemies. The Necromancer of Chaos located Agares the moment she arrived as a sweet smile appeared on her face. "Big Brother Agares, it has been a while." The words were light and playful, completely not matching the heavy atmosphere as the Legions around the Demon Capital were actively moving, with the remaining Rulers congregated in the Demon World taking the charge as they prepared for a glorious battle. "You- Wha-?" Agares was tongue stricken at the appearance of Barbatos amongst enemy lines as even he couldn''t have predicted this. She had always been slightly crazy, but had she gone off the deep end completely? His thoughts were interrupted as the being at hand floated away from the group she came with, leaving behind a few words as she completely ignored the atmosphere and went at her own pace. "I''m gonna go back to my region for a bit to collect my pets, I lost too many of them in that Lost World. Make sure to finish up your things fast, I''m more curious about the next trip after all this is over." With these words, her figure flashed away and made a beeline towards a distant area far from the Demon Capital, leaving behind an irritated expression on Noah''s face, a dumbfounded expression on Agares''s face, and leaving behind a weird atmosphere as some of the forces the Demons had invaded made their way to their World for the first time. 206 Unruly! Agares worked hard to reign in his mind as he carefully looked at the appearance of the powerful figures of the same level as him without making any moves. Just the six of them at the PHANTASMAL level meant they held more power than those at the same level in the Demon World at this point in time. If they were brutal enemies with the mindset to kill, not many of them would be escaping death today. Agares began tasting the waters carefully while sending messages to all the Rulers in the Demon World to not make the first move as the results would be catastrophic for them. He was sending even more messages to Barbatos as she would have the most answers, but he was getting nothing in return. Frustration was in his heart as he began carefully. "I welcome Esteemed Guests to the Demon World. May this old man know how he can be of help?" His wings were spread out as his powerful voice resounded out from the capital. The Demons that heard it felt shame while Noah just looked down impassively, his mind working on many things as he recalled all the locations of the many names of the Rulers he had in mind. Multiple skills began to activate, but [Persuasion] was at the forefront as he began speaking. "Some of the forces of your world have been very active in plundering and causing pain across a few worlds, and I am here today to rectify that." Dangerous words spread out without fear from Noah as they reached the ears of every Ruler in the Demon Capital. Expressions of rage and apprehension were abundant as many of the Rulers continued to hear Agares''s commanding voice to calm through the communication channel. They used to be extremely powerful, and would never stand for arrogant words like these to be said to them! But, their most powerful Ruler was dead! Many more of their leaders followed him as they faced True Death with which they had no answers to. Now, enemies they did not know came down upon them, and their power was nothing to laugh at. Many of the remaining Rulers were wrathful, but they were apprehensive even more. Agares followed the lead of his Ultimate Skill, Tactician, as he saw a path appearing in front of him. It did not lie when it showed him that many Rulers would die today, but the path which showed his survival, and the survival of the Demon World, was gradually becoming clear. He kept his mouth shut as he continued to listen, as this was the best course of action that Tactician pointed out. The golden-haired man in the air was surprised at their level of control as he continued speaking. "Belial, Asmodeus, Dantalion, Furcas, Malphas, Andras, Valac, Naberius, Marax, Phenex, Orobas, Haures, and Gaap. All of these Rulers...will die." BOOM! The words struck out as if they carried immense weight and damage, shock appearing on all the Rulers, but even more so on those whose names were mentioned. "Outrageous!" A deadly shout rang out from a corner of the Demon Capital as one of the remaining PHANTASMAL ranked Rulers erupted out. His figure was that of a giant, having the blood of the Golden Titans coursing through him. He was ranked fifth, the President, Marbas. He carried a powerful cane as his voice erupted out and his figure floated into the skies, ignoring the commands of Agares who continued to watch the situation closely while using his Ultimate Skill, Tactician, at its fullest. The decision that Marbas was taking to confront the invaders at this moment...his skill told him that it was extremely deadly! "You cannot trounce on the dignity of Rulers of the Demon World by bringing some measly beasts that carry the same rank as me and think you can shout some arrogant commands without consequence." His body floated in the air as the cane in his arms wiggled out and expanded into a gloriously shining suit of armor that wrapped around his large body. His already large size erupted out even larger as he neared the same size as the Calamities floating in the skies around Noah, his power seemingly boundless as his eyes bore towards Noah with pride. "WAAAAH!" Cheers came from some of the Legions surrounding the Demon Capital as this show of power finally came out from their side. This was the one that earned the title of President, the one holding yet another Ultimate Skill, the Seven Deadly Sins- Pride. The series of Seven Deadly Sins were not just reserved for those ranked high in the Demon World, but were held by the beings that fit their characteristics the most! An example was the 32nd ranked Asmodeus, the Ruler that appeared in the Draconic Kingdom of the Beast World and tore apart the strongest Mythical Beast by using the Ultimate Skill, the Sin of Lust. Marbas was the one Ruler that signified Pride at its fullest, his ever so expanding body towering higher and higher until it passed the size of the largest Calamity in the skies. His large horned head rose up arrogantly as he spoke towards the beings in front of it. "What gave you the courage to descend to the Demon World and demean its Rulers while the holder of the Sin of Pride is right in front of you, boy?" Arrogance! The words carried with them extreme pride as Marbas fully believed in his power in the face of beings at the same level as himself! The golden-haired man that was the target of these words did not reply, only looking up at this figure with a calm expression. He breathed out lightly and stretched his neck as the golden trident floating in front of him shined out. [Spatial Lock] was used as the entire surrounding space became hard to move in. OOONG! An eruption of essence occurred next as Noah''s body rapidly changed, the form of a terrifying Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra making its appearance. The Hydra was welcomed by blooming flowers of bones as the abilities of the Ultimate Skill, Bone Master, were activated. A maddeningly powerful exoskeleton wrapped around the humungous body of the Hydra as an unending flow of bones erupted out to surround the large body of Marbas in less than a second. "OOOH!" A large scream came out from the encircled Marbas as his large fist struck out and created a small opening in the encirclement of bones, but they quickly closed in again as yet another skill was activated from Noah. [Sundering Hellflames] were activated as a tremendous amount of mana was used without reservation, every single section of the field of bones and on the body of Marbas erupting out with dark red flames that continued to burn endlessly. Noah wasn''t done as on top of all of this, its large body disappeared from its location to appear right above the head of the maddened Marbas whose body was surrounded by bones and flames, [Space Destruction] being cast amidst all of this as the space where the upper body of the giant resided was cracked. "ARGH!" A piercing scream rang out from Marbas as he took horrendous damage and felt his skull and muscle become deformed, but the attacks were not done! The shining trident appeared yet again as [Heart Piercer] was cast in conjunction with [Plasma Beam] as a beam of light erupted out, descending down toward the already mangled head of Marbas! BOOM! A shocking amount of essence was used in a few seconds as the people watching felt an overwhelming power erupt out, and when just a few seconds passed, they opened their eyes to see more than 75% of the head of Ruler of the Sin of Pride missing. OONG POP! The moment the black light wrapped around Marbas''s body in its entirety, an eerie sound occurred as the large body disappeared, nowhere to be seen as only a single powerful three-headed hydra remained in the area. The sea of bones and blazing flames surrounded this powerful being as its booming voice quaked across the Demon Capital. "Who dares to still stand in my way?!" 207 Subjugating a World I Unruly! The voice was powerful as it registered the shock that a PHANTASMAL ranked being who stood as the fifth Ruler of the Demon World was killed in just a few seconds! Not just killed, as they felt his True Death right after! The apprehension that many demons were feeling soon turned into fear at the reality currently occurring above them. This was especially so for the Rulers whose names were mentioned from the mouth of this terrifying existence earlier. Many of them were in the Legendary or Mythical rank, but they just watched the being that had laid down a death sentence for them kill a PHANTASMAL ranked Ruler in just a few seconds! Despair crept in their hearts as at this moment, the skies and earth of the Demon World trembled, the Will of the World making its presence clear as it just watched one of its most powerful remaining forces face True Death. But it was bound by Universal Laws, and could not do much. Agares was looking at all of this wistfully as his Ultimate Skill continued to give him different pathways of survival, his head shaking as the pathway Marbas had taken really did lead to his destruction. He continued to hear the unruly voice of the Demon World in his mind as he found himself not being able to do anything besides meet the commands of this terrifying being or face death. "Belial, Asmodeus, Dantalion, Furcas, Malphas, Andras, Valac, Naberius, Marax, Phenex, Orobas, Haures, and Gaap. These thirteen beings will be meeting their True Deaths today, anyone standing in the way will face the same fate as them." The voice seemed inviolable as it thundered out and reiterated once more. The words thundered out even louder as during this time, the Trident of the Sea floating atop the middle of Noah''s head accepted even more mana, the feature of [Spatial Lock] being expanded out widely to cover everything his eyes could see as he disabled the abilities of spatial movements for his enemies. The monoliths that had struck down throughout the Demon Capital intensified their power as the normal process of creating a channel to another world was propelled rapidly, causing Dungeon Breaks to already be occurring for some of the monoliths. The figures coming out of these Dungeon Breaks varied from humans to beasts, but they were led by beings letting out fearsome power at the MYTHICAL rank. One dungeon break showed the arrival of the forces of the Imperial Phoenix as beasts of colourful azure red took to the skies. The aura of powerful Phoenixes spread out grandly as they made their appearance in the Demon World. The other two Mythical Beast forces made their appearance soon after as a large number of muscular White Tigers and humongous Turtles roared out to signify their arrival. All the forces were gathering together and reigning in their powers carefully as they waited for a single command to attack. Dangerous lights were in their eyes as old painful memories came out when they associated the beings they were seeing in front of them with the losses they took some time back. Many of them knew though, that even after they did what they were about to do, nothing would change. Their loved ones would not come back. Those they lost would not return. But their hearts were stifled. Even while knowing that, they still could not sit still, they still had to return some of what they tasted to those responsible! "I know it may seem unfair for beings you do not know to come and invade your home with the goal of killing those closest to you. It is even more unfair that I am telling you to not do anything to defend them." Noah''s voice continued to resound throughout the Demon Capital as movements began to occur for many of the Legions spread out, a few Rulers grouping up together as the situation seemed to be turning for the worse. "I have seen events like these too many times, and am frankly tired of watching them repeat over and over again. The names of the Rulers I mentioned were involved in similar invasions, and that is what they have to die. But they are the only ones that have to. If you don''t shield them, you will be safe. But if you choose the other option...even though I''ve recently come to dislike senseless killings, I can still carry them out." His words travelled to the minds of every single Ruler as discord and confusion were spread even more through the use of the PHANTASMAL ranked [Persuasion]. A battle of pride and sense of livelihood was occurring in the minds of many Rulers as this new reality set in for them. But was pride more important than one''s life? The strongest beings would still tremble in unwillingness and fear when their lives were at stake, so what about beings who never had to fear death, but death suddenly became a very real thing for them? The Rulers whose names were not listed had wretched looks on their faces as they began to distance their forces from the named Rulers. "Cowards!" "Vile Creatures!" Curses were being thrown around as they watched their own compatriots they had moved with for years move away from them because of the fear of death. It was a fear that they were not normally faced with, which was why this situation was so foreign and intense for them. Agares had a difficult expression as he followed the pathway shown by his Ultimate Skill and sent a message to all the Rulers that the powerful Hydra had not mentioned, telling them to either stand down or face death. Far from them was a certain Necromancer of Chaos that was watching the events occurring in the Capital from a far location. There weren''t any undead that she had left behind in the Demon World for her to collect, and it was just an excuse for her to leave the events in the Capital to unfold as they would. She knew that she could not go back to the way things were the moment Baal faced his true death, and was committed to following through her selfish goals without worry. Yet, she still felt some attachment to the beings and the world she was born in. She couldn''t bring herself to be there and watch as some of them faced True Death. She looked across the deathly quiet region she held the rule of as the vibrations of power continued to ring out from the Demon Capital. Her gaze continued to shift from impassive coldness to occasional guilt, but the coldness seemed to always win out in the end. She had spent countless years shackled down, she would not stop now after coming so far. The being that had captured her interest now seemed to be one of the few lights that were brightening up her always bleak surroundings that were only full of the undead. There was a sense of deep interest and curiosity that she did not want to let go yet. So she would follow the path she set herself on all the way, no matter what happened after. As always, coldness replaced all other emotions in the eyes of the Necromancer of Chaos as her eyes gazed at a far distance. The Demon Capital was hectic as many citizens locked themselves behind closed doors trembling in fear at this unforeseen situation. Legions of Demons moved across the Capital as gradually, two camps began forming in the largest Capital of a Large World. All of the remaining Rulers had gathered their forces together in this Capital after the sudden true deaths of so many of their peers, which gave an unbelievable opportunity for Noah''s goals. A never before seen division was occurring because of it, whether it was due to the oppressive power the forces he came with brought, or the fear of death that many Rulers had not come across their entire lives, a division was occurring nonetheless in the Demon World. 208 Subjugating a World II Feelings of shame and fear were abundant, but the Rulers could do nothing about it as they had just watched an example of one of their strongest do what they wanted to do in their hearts, but he had faced death within seconds! The Demons felt angry and stifled as questions many beings had asked in the past when they were moving freely began to pop in their minds as well. Why was it all so unfair? What did they do to deserve this?! Unfairness! In this world, in the universe, what brought in fairness to all the trillions and trillions of struggling beings? Those who could not defend themselves or stand up for what was considered right and they died meaningless deaths, did their grievances do something or were their lives worthless? Some said that those who hold power and bully those who are weaker and poorer never really face their consequences. That they live freely and enjoy their lives while many more continue to suffer. At one point, the Demon World held powerful forces and was spread out across many worlds as they carried out grand ambitions of expansion. They had travelled to many worlds and caused the deaths of billions for their own goals. The worlds they targeted looked at their situation and cried at how unfair it was. Now, the inhabitants of the Demon World were feeling the same emotions. They felt the unfairness as a ridiculously powerful being towered over their capital and called for the deaths of many of their powerful figures. Because this time, they did not have the power to stop it. They were actually on the other side where many beings found themselves in the universe, they were now considered weaker than those they were facing. It was truly unfair for a large percentage of the beings in the Demon World, as many of them had never even set foot into the outside words. It would be even more unfair if they realized that a single Ruler, the being that was a master of lies, Belial, brought about this entire reckoning today. Noah''s large draconic figure flashed as it appeared above a certain Demon Legion in the capital where a particular Ruler looked up with an ashen face. He was only at the LEGENDARY rank, the same level he was at when he controlled some of the forces of the subjugated Beast World and sent them down to a small Blue Planet. The face of Belial only turned whiter as he found his body rising through the air towards the terrifying figure of the three-headed Hydra. The soldiers around him trembled as they could barely look up with the terrifying pressure descending from above them. Noah used [Hydrokinesis] as he manipulated the water molecules inside the body of Belial and forcefully dragged him into the skies. His three heads shone with light as his eyes landed on the fearful face that was looking at him pleadingly. This was only a being of Legendary rank, and yet he was the one that had caused such tremendous pain in his world. The being in front of him seemed so weak, weak enough that he would be able to give him true death in the blink of an eye. It seemed unbelievable that someone of his calibre was responsible for such egregious actions. Noah didn''t feel any sort of contentment or happiness from looking at the face of this being that was the root cause of the apocalypse in his world. He only found himself thinking of the past that could not be changed no matter what he did now. But, even though the past could not be changed, he could make sure that something like it never happens again! His gaze turned stern as Belial felt his body constrict to the point where his bones almost broke. OONG New arrivals neared the position where they were at as Kazuhiko, Steel Mikhail, and other humans from Noah''s world raised their weapons at the Demon Legion that Belial commanded. Information had been disseminated long ago on who their targets would be, and the first one they wanted was the one responsible for the death and destruction in their world. Steel Mikhail had a dark face as his body was lifted into the air by a golden shining shield as he arrived in the skies where Belial was struggling. His thick voice resounded out. "Please leave him to us." The voice was firm and strong, filled with extreme anger as Mikhail looked at the weak figure responsible for so much pain. Noah gave a nod as the body of the Demon King fell towards Mikhail who clutched the demon at the neck and floated down towards the throngs of humans. Noah observed this as well as the movements of the three Mythical Beasts as they targetted Asmodeus who had taken down the Draconic Kingdom, as well as the other Rulers that were present in the Beast World. The Calamities were acting as support as they took charge to make sure there were no casualties on the Humans'' and Beasts'' side, their strength being powerful enough to wipe out all the Rulers with the verdict of death if they wished to. Noah''s gaze travelled to one of the very few remaining PHANTASMAL ranked Rulers of the Demon World who was watching all of these events with a pained expression, but did not make a single action against it. He thought about the Ultimate Skill that this being called the Tactician carried as he nodded his head and transferred himself above the castle Agares was on. This being would be a key figure to the plans he had for the Demon World. "I won''t talk to you about unfairness or revenge, only what will happen after this." His voice only entered Agares''s ears as the mentally defeated Ruler continued to use his Ultimate Skill to see the paths of survival in front of him. He was watching beings he had worked with for years be killed in front of his eyes, and he did not have the power to do anything about it. He did not act before, and he would not act now as he saw only one path to survival, their subjugation. This was something completely foreign to him, a concept he would have never thought his world would ever fall to. Baal had gone across to conquer a few worlds and instil his forces there to obtain a continued source of resources and manpower. Now, their world would be falling under the same predicament. A sigh of defeat escaped Agares as he worked to prevent the obliteration of the entire species of the Demon Race as he replied to the words of the fearsome Hydra. "How can this old man be of service?" Large black wings erupted out as the PHANTASMAL ranked Ruler of the Demon World bowed down towards the figure in the skies. This astonishing sight from one of the powerful remaining beings in the Demon World made the beings that Noah uttered the names of despair as every other Ruler looked on with pained expressions. They understood that they could not stand against the powerful beings invading them, that to defy them would mean the true deaths of many, if not all them. They felt the same feelings many other worlds had felt when their forces were rampantly spread for the purposes of expansion. They felt the unfairness as they could not even defend themselves. They were observing first hand the process of a Large World being subjugated under the rule of an Invader. Noah looked to the bowing Agares as his voice travelled through the air yet again. "Let''s talk about the Demon World''s Power Jewels." ¡­ While many events were occurring throughout the large Universe, in a small little corner, a momentous event had occurred. An entire Large World was brought to its knees. 209 A Threat That Makes a World Tremble! In the span of a few hours, every single Ruler that had directly or indirectly moved against the Beast World and Noah''s homeworld had faced True Death at the hands of the very same beings they had targetted some time ago. The remaining Rulers underwent a painful experience of watching those they knew and lived with for years call them cowards as they could not even lift a finger to help them, all for the sake of preserving their own livelihood. There were many times where some Rulers were ready to disregard logic and fight along with the targetted Rulers, but Agares''s voice would come right after to command them to stand down. When the dust settled, blood ran through the streets of the Demon Capital. Anger seemed to be seething from the surroundings as the will of the Demon World was making its boundless rage apparent at the treatment of its powerful forces. Noah came to a stop as he was about to begin discussing the issue of Power Jewels with Agares when he felt the extreme strength of a world that could do nothing but watch the events unfold. There was a possibility of something huge that he wanted to try out after gaining a particular new skill, and he might have a chance to test it now. "Hold on." He looked past Agares and left the forces of the Humans, Beasts, and Calamities as he sent a message, and then his large body dove down towards the ground next to the huge castle. Multiple [Radiation Queen''s Swords] appeared and rotated around him rapidly as they aimed towards the ground below. Yet another skill was cast as Noah layered blazing flames that never extinguished on the already poisonous swords by casting [Sundering Hellfire], his figure increasing in speed as he dove down even faster. BOOM! An explosive sound resounded as his large body began drilling through the earth of the Demon World. RUMBLE It was a shocking turn of events as many had thought events were coming to a close. Noah''s figure was moving through the ground at an ever so increasing pace as he had a single goal in mind, the deepest layer of the Demon World where the Planetary Core resided! This was where the will of the Demon World continued to let out threatening power that it could not use, the centermost location of a world that even its inhabitants never came close to! VOOM His pace continued even faster as more and more mana was placed into the rapidly rotating [Radiation Queen''s Swords] that were wrapped in destructive PHANTASMAL ranked flames. Minutes seemed to pass as he could feel the seething rage intensify, and he even began to hear the whispers of the wrathful will of the Demon World itself. It was a process that took some time as he continued to thunder down even faster, but he eventually broke through from the layer that was the Outer Core and entered the Inner Core of the Demon World! OONG! Resplendent light was all that was in front of him as the rotating blades were met with a suffocating air of extreme heat, but no more earth. Noah had broken into the Inner Core Layer of the Demon World that was actually not a solid collection of dense metal and stone. Unknown forces were present in the air as extreme heat was coming off from the centermost location of the Inner Core. It was the most beautiful sight that Noah had ever come across as he laid his eyes on the bare form of one of the more unique and powerful forms of life in the Universe. "You mongrel!" A piercing voice thundered out from every direction as it bore down towards Noah, who only felt a tiny bit of pressure that he shook off as the World''s Will could not have too much direct effect on him. The voice was coming from the resplendent lights of various colors that formed into a circular formation of something that gave off a terrifying feeling. It looked to be like a constantly pulsating source of energy that continued to let out peculiar forces Noah had not come across before, the only thing close to it being the hexagonal spinning cube he was faced with when his consciousness was brought into an unfamiliar location in his homeworld. The circular form had tendrils of red light that shone in different intensities as they came off. Noah counted 72 of them in total, and found many of them to be dim or filled with cracks, with a few remaining ones that still shone an intense red color. His eyes shone as he peered into the secrets of the Demon World as he was greedy to know even more. His body went forward and neared the Planetary Core of the Demon World as the entire area around him continued to tremble from unknown forces and a tremendous amount of essence that felt suffocating. The body of the Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra shone a menacing red light as Noah activated a particular skill to see if he could keep this Demon World in line. [Devouring] :: Filled with endless hunger and thirst, the user can devour their enemies and other entities fully. Devoured entities can be broken down and used to permanently increase the attributes of the user or as fuel for healing and a momentary boost in power. The mana requirement varies depending on what the target is. Noah always loved to go over the wording of the skills multiple times, as they almost always surprised at him with their ingenuity and all the different ways they could be used. The [Devouring] ability mentioned that enemies and other entities could be devoured, with the mana requirement varying depending on what the target was. So, how much mana would be required to use this ability on something as stupendous as the Planetary Core that now stood in front of him? His many eyes shined a brilliant light as he knew he would not be able to do something that outrageous yet, but his goal today was to show this entity a future possibility that could befall it were it to not fall in line. The Ultimate Skill of Gluttony was fully activated as the menacing red light continued to erupt from Noah''s huge body, its target being the resplendent centerpiece of the Demon World. 210 A Threat That Makes the World Tremble! II A maddening aura was spreading out in the innermost layer of the Demon World as the Planetary Core observed the being in front of it with shock. A familiar aura, a familiar concept that she had designed herself was actually being presented in its best possible form in front of her! Emotions that she had never felt before sprung out as a particular one pervaded throughout, it was fear. Fear and immense confusion sprung out as nothing she was seeing made sense. How was such a thing possible?! The ability she created at its pinnacle form would be able to do something like this, but a tremendous amount of energy would be required in order for this being to do what it was doing right now. So how was it possible? A foreboding feeling could now be felt as the Planetary Core screamed out. "Stop!" --- Noah felt a tremendously large flow of mana that he had never felt before as more and more energy went into the ability of [Devouring], an expansive film of light going on to wrap around the resplendent planetary core in front of him. The film of light became denser and denser as the seconds passed, but so was the tremendous amount of mana that just continued to gush out endlessly. He ignored the shocked screams that were booming all around him as he wanted to see how far he could go. He wanted to know what the actual possibility of doing something like this was. RUMBLE The entire Demon World was shaking as something occurred in the deepest core of the Large World. The Rulers turned ashen as they heard fearful screams from an entity that they would never expect it from. In the inner core where a red light continued to expand around the resplendent planetary core, Noah''s body that continued to endlessly pour out mana felt a slight tremble as a message quickly entered his head. [That is the limit, quickly stop.] The voice shook him out of the reverie of an emotional state that the Ultimate Skill had brought him in as the process of [Devouring] quickly came to a stop. He was surprised as he seemed to have lost himself there for a second. The voice that entered his head was the Planetary Core of his homeworld that was always observing things through Noah''s eyes. It told Noah to stop because for the first time ever, the theory he was testing required a tremendous amount of mana that put a strain on the enormous reserves of two planets! [We barely count as Middle Worlds as of now, there is not sufficient energy to successfully devour a Large World through you, but I see a way to quickly use this to our advantage.] The fearful screams from the will of the Demon World stopped as it felt the threatening film of light wrapping around it slowly retreat, the figure of the three-headed hydra in front of her speaking out in a booming voice. "That was a threat, if it wasn''t clear enough." "What...do you want? "I could simply devour you whole and destroy your very being, or I can give you a chance for something bigger." But it wouldn''t all have to be for naught, as there existed another pathway where they could still garner great benefits through using the situation that Noah had just made the Will of the Demon World feel! "The first process that you just saw now, you could not resist against. What I''m about to do next, you can resist against if you wish. If you don''t want the option to be devoured, simply don''t resist." His words boomed out as he neared the core of the Demon World closely, and a gorgeous channel of light erupted out from the large chest of the Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra. The channel of blue and white light erupted from his chest and struck onto the resplendent Planetary Core as yet another process began to occur. The core of the Demon World was shocked as it heard the threatening words and then felt this change. The being in front of it was trying to¡­ "You...What- What are you?!" It was astounded at the process it felt, not thinking that something like it was even a possibility. "It''s either this or your destruction, do not resist." Only a cold impassive voice replied as the will of the Demon World hesitated. It felt like the process happening now still had its own levels of danger, but recalling the devouring film of light just moments ago brought back a foreboding fear that steered the core in another direction. The hesitation was slowly lifted as it slowly opened its deepest self and let the channel of blue and white light enter its very center. OOONG! The connection of the channel was unstable the moment it struck, but gradually began to settle down as Noah''s large body magnificently floated in the air with the planetary core right in front of it. He was actually facilitating the connection of yet another world, something that the will of his Homeworld had only done with the Beast World some time ago. He was directly connected to both worlds, and now he acted as an Anchor to try and establish yet another connection, and this time it was with a Large World! 211 The Ruler of Demons I The world rumbled as a powerful force filled the surroundings, showing the arrival of a grandiose event. The endless channel of white light that Noah was facilitating gradually stabilized as a burst of colors erupted out from the resplendent Planetary Core of the Demon World. A shocked voice erupted right after as the core felt the changes, and the new connection that was just established with it. "You- You crazy bastards!" Tremendous shock was all the will of the Demon World felt as it fully realized what this connection signified. It felt the connection towards two worlds a vast distance away, but even more so was the connection with the being that was just threatening it. Over the vast distances of the Universe, Noah''s Homeworld and the Beast World were undergoing yet another change as the abundant amount of essence from the much larger world began flowing towards them. The density of essence in the atmosphere began to rapidly increase as any beings that could sense the energy felt the conditions around them improve significantly. The Demon World had stopped trembling and stabilized as a few changes occurred in it as well, they just were not noticeable to the general public. "You''re betting the lives of billions of creatures on the shoulders of one being?! No, even before that, how were you even able to achieve such a rule shattering feat?!" A bombardment of questions was all that came out from the will of the Demon World as it gained an understanding of just what had occurred. A cheated feeling came out as it realized the being in front of it, Noah, was not able to devour anything at this level with the power he currently held. The connection that was established was also not one where it held the reigns of control, even though the core of the Demon World held much more reserves of essence that matched the large world. As the one under threat who did not resist the establishment of the connection, it was actually in a lesser position even while being more powerful than both the two Worlds it was connected to. It was cheated and now connected to a bunch of crazed entities who actually undertook such crazy risks! "We''re all tied together now, and I am actually curious about the ability you created for the Rulers that allowed them to escape True Death from normal means so that the issue of billions of lives doesn''t weigh too heavily on me." Noah released the form of the Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra, as he appeared in his still Atlantean form with shining golden hair. He felt a burst of pride from being able to achieve a smooth connection to a Large World, effectively advancing their power by a whole other level. He was hopeful, but a part of him knew it might not even be a possibility. There was a period of silence as the will of the Demon World continued to receive feedback of information from the new connection that just formed, gaining further understanding and calming down. After spending a few minutes absorbing all the new information, an intense feeling of power and greed slowly began to fill the core of the Demon World as it finally understood the significance of the actions those two worlds had taken with the being they were connected to. The resplendent core turned all of its attention towards Noah as many thoughts bloomed. ''With this being...with this absurd disregard of universal laws...haha!'' Euphoria erupted as the will of the Demon Word put the pieces together and saw all the grand possibilities. The euphoria slowly died down as it answered the question asked just before. "Granting you anything close to that will be nearly impossible." Along with the ridiculous boost that this one being could access, there also came the downside that the fall of any one of them, but more specifically the human in front of it, would be catastrophic for all of them. If it was possible to give the privilege that the Rulers of the Demons World enjoyed to him¡­ But alas, laws existed that would prevent such a ridiculous situation from being born! "You already succeeded in breaking universal laws when you established the first channel, trying to break even more laws to erase the restriction placed after the breaking of the first law will be even harder." Yes! The fact that Noah''s death meant the death of the world he was connected to was the huge price, the huge demerit to pay for the creation of a channel that allowed him to tap into the endless reserves of an entire planet. "These 72 lines you see are my own attempt to bypass the many universal restrictions, and many of them are dim and broken as you have been busy killing off the beings I raised with them" The impassive tone Noah had been used to from the wills of Worlds came out as the core of the Demon World reigned in its emotions. "The restriction I faced was that I could not create any more than 72, and I could not reestablish them if any of the beings actually faced True Death. So in your case, it would not be possible either. But¡­" Shocking words came out of the now stabilized core of the Demon World as it continued. "But, if you can break such major laws already, what''s breaking a few more?" Noah''s eyes shined with light as he thought of this possibility. He reveled in the new reality as he realized the huge enemy that was the Demon World had been brought under his heel and was now even connected to him as yet another endless reserve of mana to tap into, this one especially huge as it was a Large World. There also existed a possibility of gaining the perk that all Rulers had¡­ "I don''t know how long it will take as this will be something completely different, with you being especially unique in this regard. Don''t have any high hopes and continue to be vigilant though, as your death would now affect three Worlds." The invisible pressure that was always pressing down was made more apparent as the words from the enemy core turned into an ally continued. "About that, you should head back up and stabilize things on the surface. Those...responsible for past mistakes have already faced true death. Any more destruction now and you would actually be reducing your own forces that you can use in the future." A reminder came from the Demon World as Noah was still relishing the new changes. Yet another one was occurring now as something unique was occurring with the successful establishment of the connection with the Demon World. "Something that I can easily do now is this, allowing you a level of command over the remaining Rulers." A brilliant red light erupted from Noah''s chest as something was being etched deep into his skin. Like an ink wrapping around his chest, it pervaded throughout as a menacingly gorgeous tattoo was etched onto his body. OONG! When it was complete, a red light pulsed out as the coronation of a being that could not be considered a Ruler yet held the power over them began. 212 The Ruler of Demons II A few minutes passed as Noah rushed out from the deepest layer of the Demon World and made his way up. The instant his body broke out of the earth, his aura spread out as it returned with something new. A sense of grandeur that was not there before presented itself, especially so to the Demons as they felt something they had only felt when looking at Baal, and yet it seemed different. Noah''s gaze took in everything that was happening as he looked towards the castle where Agares still stood. The second-ranked Ruler was looking at him stupidly after he rose up, his senses informing him much more what the significance of the aura that had erupted in front of them was. OONG His rise into the skies was accompanied by a rumbling of the world itself as the blood-red tattoo on his chest shined out. The Calamities, Humans, and Beast forces that had taken down the targetted Rulers watched on as these same enemies were shaken while looking towards Noah. Soon, they began to kneel down one by one as a single mental message replayed itself in their minds. It was a shocking message telling them to kneel as they looked at the figure in the skies! The PHANTASMAL ranked Agares nodded like he finally understood and also kneeled down, followed by every other Ruler as they looked forward stupidly. "Dude, what the fuck did you do?" Words that could only be heard by Noah traveled to his ears as he found the figure of Barbatos appearing in the distance, looking at him in shock. "I can kneel for you when doing other activities, but I don''t like getting a constantly repeating mental message telling me to do that now." The Necromancer of Chaos had a troubling expression as she found a familiar aura she didn''t like on Noah''s body as he floated and was cradled in the skies like some important being. Noah saw this and sent a command to the tattoo inscription on his chest as a change was immediately felt by Barbatos. The feeling of wanting to pay respects that was on the minds of every other Demon disappeared in her mind right away. "Relax, I don''t plan to put anyone on a leash, especially someone as cr- err, especially someone like you, I know how much you value your freedom." "Hmph" A harrumph was all he heard back as the Necromancer of Chaos looked towards him displeasingly, while every other Demon kneeled down and paid their respects to him. It was a spectacular sight for anyone watching as the invader they should have been spiteful at was the same being they were paying their respects to now. Under the observation of every single being present in the Demon World, a new Ruler that did not share the biggest perk that other Rulers enjoyed but had a level of command over them was crowned. The inhabitants of the Demon World were listening to the commands of their world and paying respects to their new Ruler. --- Noah''s goals were clear in his mind as he continued exchanging messages with the 2nd ranked Ruler, Agares. The plans for the Demon World would not just end here, but he would take the victor''s role and reap the rewards that came with subjugating a world and its inhabitants. For the Demon World, the Power Jewels created from Abyss Magic were the things that would become a major resource that Noah would extract to strengthen the inhabitants of the worlds he was connected to. The Power Jewels could be used to enhance the skills of anyone using them, giving a boost in power that only increased when the ''Corrupted'' skills were later combined. It would serve as another resource to rapidly propel the strength of the beings that used the unique system that the will of Noah''s World instituted. This wasn''t to mention the deep troves of treasures that the Demon World had collected for the hundreds of years from the many worlds that its Rulers had been actively moving to and looting. Days passed as the same things that had occurred when Noah''s homeworld and the Beast World had established their connection were happening yet again, with the only difference being a sense of animosity remaning in the air when it came to the Demon World. With Noah in place, not a single being stepped out of line, they began moving forward together. There were now three worlds connected to him, and they would all be moving towards the same goal of survival from here on out. He took some time aside for himself as he checked the newest loot from taking down the PHANTASMAL ranked Ruler that held yet another one of the Seven Deadly Sins skills. The [Imperial Phoenix] from the Beast World had aimed for and ripped apart Asmodeus who was responsible for the destruction of the Draconic Kingdom, in turn gaining a skill from the Seven Deadly Sins series herself, obtaining the Sin of Lust. Noah was curious about the continued use of these spectacular skills as he observed the one he obtained himself. [Pride Manipulation ] The user can induce extremely high or low levels of pride in others, causing them to lose contact with reality or overestimate their own abilities. Cannot be applied to oneself. [Pride Embodiment] :: When meeting foes holding a higher level of strength, the user gains the power of hubris itself. This power can be used to strengthen attacks or defenses. The level of enhancement is dependent on the true pride lying deep in the user''s heart, which could be nurtured to grow so large that nothing is allowed to overshadow it! [Sun Throw] Those that dare to stand against the holder of the Sin of Pride can only be punished by a blazing star. His aims were completed with the Demon World and he would now continue to move forward as he strove to improve his strength even more while exploring the vast universe that held many spectacular creatures, treasures, and also unknown dangers. He held a level of confidence as he continued to gain strength while also learning to be even more careful. His gaze was already looking ahead towards the World of Cultivation as he pondered the best way to begin his adventure there. What awaited him in this Prime World which was filled with powerful beings and unknown wonders? 213 Movements in the Dark In the vast expanse of space, there lay a certain star that was distinctly unique from the many stars in the galaxy. It held a slight golden sheen as it stood stably in space, but this wasn''t what would draw the most attention. What would draw the most attention were the many maddeningly powerful auras that were moving all over the star. It signified a type of power that many Worlds would not dare to cross in their lifetimes. Deep in this star was a simple styled monastery where an aged figure was looking at the young man bowing in front of him. The monastery had a simple house surrounded by an abundant amount of exotic plants that would make many powerful figures stare in shock. The plants bore a variety of fruits and vegetables that shone with various colors of light, an extremely thick amount of essence condensed within that would make many fight for a taste of even one. The aged figure held a watering can that released a rainbow colored liquid as he moved across and watered the many plants. The figure held an air of authority and wisdom as the very air around him trembled in fear and anticipation. "You are ready for your first mission." A voice reverberated throughout the monastery as the aged figure continued to look forward without even opening his mouth to speak. "Yes, Grandmaster." The disciple replied curtly as his bow became even deeper, seemingly holding too much reverence for the figure in front of him. The disciple was a man in his late twenties at most, exhibiting a powerful stature with the only unique thing being the streaks of blue hair mixed with the abundant black on his head. "Good. There is a particular Cursed Item in the World of Cultivation that was lost in history over the dredges of time." The Grandmaster continued to move across the monastery and chanced upon a particular fruit that was shining a brilliant red. He raised an eyebrow as an invisible force moved and plucked the fruit, bringing it towards him. "The Cursed Item is about to make its appearance once more, as the Treasure Abode of a long-gone Void Fimmerment Cultivator that was hiding it is about to come to light." The fruit floated towards his face as he took a powerful bite, a light shining out as a burst of essence erupted out. A calm nod was released from the Grandmaster as he nodded his head while tasting the fruit before he continued. "This will hold a level of danger to you as the Realm the Abode is in will be filled with dangers that can kill even the most powerful Rank 3 Celestial. With your level being just halfway in the 3rd rank, you need to be extremely cautious." The Grandmaster continued to water the rare plants around the monastery as the disciple that was still bowing nodded. The disciple did not let out any air of dissatisfaction with the task he was given as this was actually the norm for those of his level. "Yes, Grandmaster." The Disciple gave his affirmation as the Grandmaster looked back fondly, snapping his fingers as a portal formed a golden armored humanoid creature stepped out of it. Besides the golden armored creature, a blue-colored stone also appeared in the air and floated towards the respectful disciple. "As it is your first mission, one Punisher at the peak of Rank 3 will be provided. It will only come to your aid if your life is in immediate danger. This Information Stone also holds the information we collected for this Cursed Item, and the Void Fimmerment Cultivator that had the item in possession before." "Thank you for everything, Grandmaster." The wizened grandmaster nodded as he got back to water his plants as spoke once more. "For Order and Balance." The Disciple shot up and stood straight as he placed his right hand in the form of a fist onto the left side of his chest as he bellowed out in a fervent voice, "For Order and Balance!" --- In another location across the vast space lay an extremely large star that was famous for the strength and ruthlessness of its inhabitants. Beings called it many names, but it was known officially as the world which bore the most ruthless magic, it was the Magus World. In a distant corner of this world, there was a hidden underground lab that very few had access to. In a certain large area of this underground lab, brilliantly shining apparatus lay neatly together as the area was filled with powerful items and Magi. More than five differently-colored portals were present in multiple areas of the wide room as a few Magi letting out wild levels of power were discussing in low voices. "Are we sure we want to go ahead with this plan?" The voice of an enchanting woman who held golden eyes rang out as the discussions came to a pause. "We have been allies with the World of Cultivation for centuries, why jeopardize that for something that might not succeed?" "We have run the tests, the chances of success are more than 80%." The gruff voice of a robust man replied as differently colored runes swirled all around him. "The only reason that number is so high is because our targets are the Cultivators themselves, no other beings were as susceptible to our tests. It has to be them!" Another voice replied as the discussions resumed, with a final voice resounding out and shutting up any that were talking. "We have remained a Prime World for too long. We cannot advance if our world does not, so we will move forward." It was another voluptuous woman, but this one with even more astounding looks as every single proportion of her body oozed power and regality. She had a head full of dark hair that draped over her shoulders with red eyes that drew the gazes of everything that turned in her direction. "We will start slowly and covertly, only ramping up the production as we are nearing our goal. By the end of all this, we shall be the victors once more." Her body swayed as she moved and looked towards a particular direction in the room where a humanoid figure was elevated on a wide metal bed. The figure was constantly twitching as something wriggled beneath its skin, but its face remained unconscious and impassive. What was surprising was that this unconscious figure was letting out a maddening aura of power at the TRANSCENDENT level. The metal bed the figure was on was just one of the many that were propped up in this underground room. There were hundreds of such beds spread out all over the area, with tens of them already occupied with similar unconscious humanoid figures. A shining light blazed out of the red eyes of the voluptuous Magi as she looked forward at this sight, observing a future that very few could imagine! 214 Training In the Time Space of the Spiritual Land, Noah was actively moving as days quickly passed in the area he was in while only a few hours passed in the outside world. The rapid combination of many skills was occurring as he continuously spammed and raised their proficiencies before combining. Other beings also joined him in the wide area as they trained skills of their own. In another section of the wide Time Space, Noah had installed a relaxation zone which consisted of fragrant steaming hot springs that a few beings were currently using. Not too far from the hot spring was a gigantic version of a spinning grill that held a crackling flame around it, continuing to cook more portions of the many sea beasts that Noah had collected over his time in the Lost World. In the hot springs, Barbatos''s voluptuous figure was dipped in halfway as a particularly arrogant Emperor Penguin was behind her using its flippers to give a shoulder massage. Its arrogant face showed unwillingness and shame as it turned to look at Noah and the other beasts training in the distance. It was the most powerful beast in the Spiritual Land, holding unlimited potential to advance! Yet it was currently being forced by this crazy woman to attend to her like a servant, giving massages or bringing food at the snap of her fingers. It didn''t want to do it because its pride as the most powerful beast in the Spiritual Land prevented it, but it could not take it anymore. It would do it. It was going to complain to the Spiritual Land Master! Near where Noah was training were two figures of young women. One of the Frozen Queen that was using her relaxation time from her busy schedule, with the other being the Shadow Guard, Night. Queen Adelaide was sitting down holding a tray of refreshments and fresh white towels as she looked in Noah''s direction with a smiling expression barely breaking through her icy exterior. Night was standing up with her piercing gaze looking in a certain direction where a demoness was relaxing in steaming waters. Not too far from where the arrogant Emperor Penguin and Barbatos were, there lay a field of gorgeously shining trees that were dangling completely ripe [Ice Phoenix Fruits] and [Spirit of the Arctic] that Noah had planted in the Spiritual Land some time ago. He had specifically planted them in the Time Space so they could mature even faster, using the boundless mana to continue to keep the [Time Dilation] active in the space. Even with this cheating format, their time for ripening was around the same as the previously unlocked tier of plants, being just slightly shorter. But this still meant that the newest tier of Plants in the Spiritual Land had already matured and bore the fruits that were extremely conducive to the rise of strength of the beasts born in it. The fruits shown they were most effective for the beasts born in the Spiritual Land, but they still collected a tremendous amount of essence in them and were exceptional to enjoy for anyone. The process of breaking through from the Mythical to Phantasmal rank was even longer for the beasts this time around though, as they had been eating and absorbing the energies of the [Ice Phoenix Fruits] and [Spirit of the Arctic] this past day, and they were still consolidating and increasing their power at the Mythical rank. Noah expected the Emperor Penguin to be the first to breakthrough as usual, and he wasn''t worried if it would take a few days or even a week. There were miniaturized forms of the other Calamities of the Sea furiously going head to head as they fought against one another to increase their strength in another portion of the large Time Space. After residing in Noah''s homeworld and being considered as one of its inhabitants, they were able to access the system that quantified their strength as well as their skills with the permission from the will of the world. The demons were experiencing a similar situation after the establishment of the connection, with the top echelons observing the use of Power Jewels closely to corrupt their skills and make them even more powerful. There were any different ways to upgrade their strength, and everyone was continuing to work hard, not wanting to be left behind. Kazuhiko and Steel Mikhail had obtained their own unique and ultimate skills from the Rulers they had taken down, boosting their power by a large amount as they spent more time diving in the dungeons that were newly created throughout the three worlds. The remaining three Mythical Beasts of the Beast World were also actively moving in a similar direction, with the addition of their research into creating skills through mana manipulation on top of dungeon diving. There was a tremendous amount of essence that could be used by the worlds, and creating dungeons that were filled with constantly replenishing origins of Legendary and Mythical beasts was not too hard. Noah was especially helpful with this through the use of his summoning abilities. [Summon Titans of the Abyss] brought in two PHANTASMAL ranked BOSS monsters that were placed as the masters in the newly created dungeon in Noah''s homeworld, [Titan''s Abode]. Three Witch Slaves of the PHANTASMAL rank could be summoned, or nine at the MYTHICAL rank, or 27 at the LEGENDARY rank, and so on. It required an exorbitant amount of mana to keep active, but it was nothing with the reserves of essence for even a single world. Many origins of BOSS monsters to use in dungeons were obtained from this skill as ingenious ways to strengthen the forces of the three worlds continued to be created. The only negative thing was that the origins of these beasts were being used and constantly replenished anytime they were defeated in the dungeon space, Noah couldn''t use them for his own purposes. It wasn''t too big of an issue as he wasn''t too active in using the summons in battles with his skills being so overpowering that the battle was finished even before anyone else could join. This also wasn''t to mention a side project that Barbatos was working on to fill a dungeon with her undead and an abundant amount of traps as she had the goal of creating the hardest possible dungeon. Scenes like this constantly played out across the three worlds as their inhabitants worked to unceasingly improve themselves. --- Skills combined today: An Undead''s Stamina + Ruler''s Might :: MYTHICAL+ Emperor''s Authority Titanium Body + Emperor''s Defensive Maneuvers :: PHANTASMAL Unbreakable Golden Body 215 Setting Off The time neared with Noah finishing the preparation to set off for the World of Cultivation as he was concluding with his skill combination and the addition of new skills. There were actually more than five skills to choose from, and Noah looked for the ones that would have the greatest utility or ones that could be easily combined with the current skills he held. The additional skills chosen from the [Devouring] of Marbas, the Sin of Pride were simple or had great uses for a possible combination in the future. [Lava Giant] :: The body''s composition changes to that of the Ancient Giants long forgotten in history. His collection of powerful skills continued to grow as a few days passed in the Time Space, allowing for some of his PHANTASMAL skills to finally reach a maximum proficiency. The only problem was that none of them were compatible for skill combination. He was looking at maxing the proficiency of [Unbreakable Golden Body] and [Lava Giant] next to see what possible combination will be made available with these two newest additions in the picture. His stat panel continued to show the ever-increasing growth as the [Law of Water] was boosted by another 4% [Noah Osmont][Occupation: Hunter] [Vitality: Phantasmal] [Focus: - ] [Strength: Phantasmal] [Skill(s) :: [F][E][D][C][B][A][S][EPIC] [LEGENDARY :: Memory Plunderer, Hydrothermokinesis] [MYTHICAL :: Hydrokinesis, Resplendent Speed, Summon Death Lord ] [MYTHICAL+ :: Emperor''s Authority] [PHANTASMAL :: The Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra, Summon Titans of the Abyss, Radiation Queen''s Sword, Persuasion, Sundering Hellfire, Space Destruction, Lava Giant, Unbreakable Golden Body] [UNIQUE :: Spiritual Land Management, Primal Conjurer, Spatial Travel, Shapeshift, Witch Slaves, Lie Detection, Parallel Thought, Hasten Mind, Observant] [ULTIMATE :: Bone Master, Seven Deadly Sins- Gluttony, Seven Deadly Sins- Pride] [Laws :: Law of Water- 9%] The Emperor Penguin and other beasts were able to wreak havoc and take down many cultivators from the Mountain Sea Sect in the battle in the Lost World, gaining a significant amount of [High-level Water Crystal]s. [High-level Water Crystals] :: A crystal containing the accumulation of the Law of Water. A significant portion is contained within. Noah didn''t steal all the Crystals from the beasts, obtaining a small portion for himself. But even this small portion was able to boost his [Law of Water] by another 4%. This was through the use of the treasure that Sect Master Inuit had left behind, [Lawful Nourishment]. The percentage was now 9%, meaning any ability or skill related to water would be boosted by 900%. That was an insane number to think about, making it possible to deal or defend against horrendous amounts of damage if he was using water-based skills. Noah was already making it his goal to obtain as many [Law Crystals] as he could, and do it without rampantly killing anybody he wished. Something horrible that he had learned in the many worlds he had been in though, was that there was no short supply of horrible beings that would rush themselves at him on a platter. There were always those who were extremely vile or those that would attack him for their own purposes, so he wasn''t worried about finding enemies that would continue to boost his strength. This was the type of world, the type of universe that he now found himself in. Those with abhorring levels of power were many. Unfairness, pain, and death was the norm. There were many worlds and people constantly being enslaved, with millions of innocent beings facing death because those stronger than them willed it. He would be there to take action against these people. It was not because he considered himself some saint that was destined to save every living being that was in pain. It was not for some sense of justice with him wanting to uproot all evil. It was for his own selfish reasons to grow stronger. He needed to be stronger so that the worlds and the billions of beings he was connected to would not face destruction. He needed to be stronger so that he could not sit and watch helplessly if an event similar to what happened to the Lost World were to repeat itself once more. So he would simply do just that, it didn''t matter to him if it was considered selfish. The way for him to continue getting stronger at a quick pace was clear, and he enjoyed himself a whole lot while following this road. The many mysteries and spectacular things he could do with the unique treasure of the Beast World, the Spiritual Land. Powerful items like the Trident of the Sea from the Lost World and Lawful Nourishment from the World of Cultivation that he still has not utilized even close to their best potential. All the unique worlds with different types of treasures, foods, and culture he had yet to experience, there were just too many things to look forward to! The Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land that was holding the many beasts, as well as the Calamities of the Sea, was anchored to his body. The fiery Barbatos was floating by his side as her gaze twinkled with anticipation like that of someone going on a field trip. A flash of silver silver light erupted out with them at the center, and they soon disappeared. 216 The World of Cultivation It was a bustling scene in the wide roads of Rainbow Spirit Mountain. It was the peak of activity atop the powerful mountain that was under the control of the Time Immemorial Sect. Under their watchful gaze, not a single being went out of line as they oversaw one of the richest Mountains in the World of Cultivation. Near the bottom of Rainbow Spirit Mountain was an area full of colorful lights as all sorts of portals were spread out cleanly in a circular formation. These portals allowed for the transfer of beings from the subordinate worlds that the World of Cultivation had their reach in, as well as other powerful worlds they were on friendly terms with. Beings of all sorts of species came and went from this Transfer Zone as they spread out all over the Rainbow Spirit Mountain to conduct their business. Cultivators dressed in a variety of colorful robes from differing sects were strolling through in a grandiose manner as the elemental particles in the air followed them happily. Disciples of various sects were moving in groups and cheerfully discussing current events, while other more powerful beings considered to be Formation Masters and Pill Masters had extravagant buildings where they conducted their business. Along with the cultivators, Magi with powerful runes surrounding them were occupying some of the smaller shops near the bottom of the mountain selling their alchemical creations and weapons that were unique to the Magus World. These were the ruthless beings from the Magus World known for their powerful magic and unique creations as they strived to find the truth of the universe. In a particular portal that let out a reddish hue, creatures of the night that were rarely seen in other worlds were constantly transferring in and out of the gateway to either sell or buy their own products. Their bodies were renowned for their extensive strength, making them horrible enemies to fight in close quarters. These were the beings of immense strength that drew their power from powerful Bloodlines, the beings from the Underworld. A variety of species ranging from powerful Lycans with robust bodies of humanoid wolves to the race of the masters of blood that was the Vampyres, all were moving peacefully among other beings in the Rainbow Spirit Mountain. This was just one of the locations in the World of Cultivation that held a hub of diversity and collection of strong beings trading and sharing information with one another. Different sources of strengths were discussed as every single being tried to become increasingly stronger through any means possible, while unknown things still continued to occur in the dark. All of this was made possible by the power that the many Sects of the World of Cultivation carried. There had been very few incidences as nobody dared to cause issues with powerful beings that held a level of control over universal laws. The higher up the mountain one went, the more exotic and expensive the services would become. One would even be able to set their eyes on a Supreme Weapon whenever the extravagant auctions held by the Time Immemorial Sect appeared. Everything sold in this mountain was under the scrutiny of this sect, with taxes being imposed on everything. This allowed for extreme wealth and power to be condensed in the hands of any Sect that held control of a Mountain similar to the Rainbow Spirit Mountain. This made the Time Immemorial Sect a hegemony over the areas surrounding the mountains Near the bottom of the Rainbow Spirit Mountain was a small stall that could barely be considered a legible place of business. An old man wearing ragged robes with soot covering half of his face was holding a cane and standing beside this stall selling his wares. His eyes seemed grey and cloudy as a hoarse voice periodically came out of his scratchy throat to advertise the things he was selling. Many beings continued to pass by this dilapidated stall without sparing a glance as time passed. "Oh, Senior Brother Carl, isn''t that the Martial Uncle of the scheming disciple you put in place not too long ago? He''s apparently selling a Legacy Treasure that was passed down through his family." Not too far from the stall, a group of Cultivators wearing wine-colored robes were passing by and chatting happily. The group was surrounding a certain Senior Brother and pampering him up in any way possible as one of them made a mistake and pointed out the dilapidated stall at the bottom of the mountain. The disciple who had spoken out felt mocking gazes land on him as the mood turned sour, their Senior Brother''s face losing its smile and turning towards the stall. His face turned sour as he shook his head mockingly and went towards the stall. "Old man, why are you still on this mountain? After your daughter''s schemes of betrayal were found out by me and she was punished accordingly, I thought you would have run off to some backwards country by now." The tone of Senior Brother Carl was confident and proud as he spoke disrespectful words to someone more powerful than him without regard. The eyes of the old man shined a tinge of red at the mention of his daughter, as an oppressive aura at the TRANSCENDENT level erupted out from him. Senior Disciple Brother Carl sneered at this as he threw his head back and laughed lightly. "If you so much as touch me, you know that you and your daughter will lose your lives. So why don''t you pack up these fake treasures and stop souring the mood of this Rainbow Spirit Mountain?" The words acted like a reminder as the aura of the old man deflated and his eyes became cloudy again, pulling back to his little stall and calling out once more with his hoarse voice to advertise his wears. "A powerful Legacy Treasure, Cloudsprite weapons and armor, a Runic Armament¡­" After being ignored, the expression on Senior Brother Carl turned sour as he was about to continue berating the old man when two figures began approaching the dilapidated stall. It was a dark-haired man that was still in his 20s with a sharp jaw and robust body that could not be hidden beneath the simple blue robes he wore. He was followed by a young woman with a vivacious figure wearing a similar blue robe as she was looking at everything with a fiery gaze. The dark-haired man went towards the dilapidated stall where the old man was as his eyes bore carefully at the many items being sold. His eyes shined a sharp light that nobody caught as he turned towards the man and said with a light smile. "I would love to take a look at some of your items, Martial Uncle." The words were confident and strong, making the aged old man surprised while making the mood of Senior Brother Carl sourer. The blatant disregard for his high standing as this newcomer just passed by him to talk to the person he was berating made his face hot as he thought he could feel the gazes of the disciples he brought with him boring into his back. Senior Brother Carl puffed up his chest as he made his voice deeper and shouted out. "You dare?!" 217 Picking up treasures by the roadside I "You dare?!" Boisterous words came out from behind Noah as he continued to marvel at the sights in front of him. Using the memories from the many Cultivators he had taken down from the Mountain Sea Sect, he had a portion of the locations of the World of Cultivation mapped out. Since he could travel to any location he had seen before through the use of memories, he chose to appear in one of the central-most locations where beings of other worlds also entered the World of Cultivation. Both he and Barbatos had appeared mystically among the throngs of moving cultivators as they began to make their way through the Rainbow Spirit Mountain and take in the marvels around them. In just a matter of minutes, the current state of affairs, the atmosphere of the Rainbow Spirit Mountain, as well as any major upcoming events that beings continued to talk about were all captured in his mind. Many spectacular looking items, treasures, and pills that shone gorgeous colors were all under his observation as he walked around and took in the sights. But the reaction was caused by something completely unexpected, something that was coming from the Spiritual Land that was hiddenly anchored to his body! He was always supplying mana to keep the Time Space active for the beasts that wanted to continue practicing as well as the continuation of the fast-paced growth of the plants. He actually felt a reaction that could only be described as a briefly appearing line of connection from the Time Space to a particular item in a dilapidated stall at the bottom of Rainbow Spirit Mountain. His gaze sharpened as he briskly went forward to check it out, pulling the curious Barbatos behind him as they approached an old man being berated by a young master. Noah kept his attention on the item in the stall as he looked towards the old man and said lightly. "I would love to take a look at some of your items, Martial Uncle." His words were a surprise to passerbys as nobody was paying attention to this dilapidated stall, but even more attention was drawn in by the arrogant voice of a certain Senior Brother. "You dare?!" Senior Brother Carl had a dark look on his face as he looked towards Noah in a questioning fashion. There were very few beings who would dare to disregard the authority of someone like him while on Rainbow Spirit Mountain. Noah did not even turn around as he remained focused on the aged old man in front of him who had begun picking up some of the things in the stall for him to observe. His eyes wandered over the items as they ranged from weapons and armor, along with the apparent legacy treasure that he felt a slight reaction from. "Most of these are wears I forged myself during my prime, with...this particular treasure being one that was passed down through my family." "Spirit Stones or rare herbs are acceptable methods of payment." Spirit stones were what cores were referred to in the World of Cultivation after they had undergone a process of refining. The many cores that Noah currently held with him from the enemies he had taken down would be considered to be unrefined Spirit Stones that would be of lesser value. Noah pondered this as he thought of the latter words the old man had mentioned, the rare herbs. His thoughts were interrupted as the ignored Senior Brother Carl spoke angrily yet again. "Ignoring me like this? Good! Good!" The disciple of Time Immemorial Sect had taken offense from the newcomer who didn''t seem to care about his status in this mountain. His body crackled with a slight hue of purple as it seemed he was about to make a move when Barbatos tugged on Noah''s robe and spoke impassively towards Noah. "Hey, I think this limp-dick kid over here is talking to you." CLANG! Some traders dropped the weapons they were selling as horrendous and unbelievable words came out of the mouth of the fair girl dressed in clear blue robes. Young Master Carl''s face turned ashen as he turned to look at Barbatos. Noah''s smiling face had a hint of irritation as he looked towards the mischievously smiling Barbatos and then turned his attention back to the old man and his stall. The fuming young master behind them was about to erupt when Noah''s voice finally replied while he was still looking through the items in the dilapidated stall. "This is Rainbow Spirit Mountain, the biggest perk of this mountain is that no violence is allowed no matter who you are. Even an inner disciple of the Time Immemorial Sect falls under the same category. You''re wasting your time if all you''re going to throw around will be words." Noah''s words finished as an expression of epiphany appeared on his face, waving his hands as blue and white-colored fruits appeared on the palm of his hands. "Martial Uncle, would you accept something like this as a form of payment?" The fruits appeared in his palm as it let out a burst of essence and hazy blue color, these were the [Ice Phoenix Fruits] and [Spirit of the Arctic] that were being devoured by the beasts in the Spiritual Land for their breakthrough from the Mythical into the Phantasmal rank. Even the calamities continued to eat them as well for the dense essence that was collected within. There were gasps and shock from the surrounding people that were still watching as the fruits appeared. "Such dense Medicinal Fruits!" "Those...should at least be at the fourth tier, right?" Medicinal herbs and fruits in the World of Cultivation were ranked, with those closer to rank 1 being common fruits and herbs used by beginner Pill Masters, and any higher ranks being rare herbs that many looked for. "I see, so he''s actually a Pill Master. It explains why he disregarded an inner disciple of the Time Immemorial Sect." "Pill Master, I also have treasures that you might like over here!" "Grandmaster, I have a collection of earrings that allow you to¡­" Traders around the bottom of the mountain began to call out as the resplendent fruits from the Spiritual Land appeared. The old man''s cloudy eyes had a flash of color as some excitement appeared on his face. "Y-yes, the Medicinal Fruits work!" His cloudy eyes were brightening up as this was the major thing he needed to help his daughter. His eyes landed on Noah as he thought about who this mysterious individual might be to have gotten hold of such potent Medicinal Fruits. Individuals holding something like this were almost always powerful Pill Masters who were very much sought after across the World of Cultivation. It was these pill and elixir makers who concocted spectacular creations that many cultivators used for their breakthroughs. The neglected Senior Brother Carl that was fuming by the side calmed himself down at the possible identity of the man in front of him. The words he said were true, where even he would be disciplined if he broke the rules of Rainbow Spirit Mountain and attacked someone. He reigned in his anger as he snapped his fingers and began leaving, but not before having the last word. "This isn''t over. I''ll remember your faces, newcomers!" His group began leaving embarrassingly as traders began to crowd Noah''s position, but his eyes continued to stay on the stall of the old man towards the one particular treasure that somehow had a reaction with the Time Space in his Spiritual Land. 218 Picking up treasures by the roadside II To keep his goal vague, he bought a few weapons along with the item the Martial Uncle considered to be a Legacy Treasure by exchanging for a few [Ice Phoenix Fruits] and [Spirit of the Arctic]. Barbatos was shooing away the gathering traders with an impassive expression, clearly showing they were not interested in anything else. The Martial Uncle''s cloudy eyes were becoming slightly brighter as he collected the Medicinal Fruits and began to pack up his stall as he spoke out. "Thank you for this, Pill Master. I have a very...sick daughter who will finally be able to get some peace with these medicinal herbs in the picture." Noah nodded at this as he looked forward to finding out what treasure he had picked up in his first hour in the World of Cultivation as he replied, "Is there anything else I can do to help?" "No, this is more than enough." The Martial Uncle had a forlorn look as he stared at a particular location of Rainbow Spirit Mountain where a grand building for the Time Immemorial Sect stood strong. "My family was one of the first servants that took care of the founder of Time Immemorial Sect, and the treasure you just obtained was something that my father received as a gift for his loyalty." The Martial Uncle finished packing his stall as continued to talk. "It has been passed down through generation over the years, with nobody seeing anything special about it, gradually becoming sentimental in value. Now, it is in your hands. Thank you again, stranger, and I wish you the best." The Martial Uncle gave a bow as he hurriedly left, wanting to get to his daughter''s side as soon as possible to use the Medicinal Fruits he just received. Noah simply observed all of this as he nodded to Barbatos, and they began walking around Rainbow Spirit Mountain once more. It looked like the most mystical market place as beings continued to barter back and forth, selling rare and abstruse things that could only be found in unknown corners of the universe. They walked around and continued to observe the different beings spread throughout for another hour before Noah could not delay it any longer. He pulled Barbatos''s hands as they veered off the main roads of Rainbow Spirit Mountain and their figures disappeared in a silver flash of light. Their bodies reappeared in the underground layer of the Spiritual Land as Barbatos stretched her body and said, "When are we gonna get to do the exciting things?" Noah was already moving towards the Time Space while pulling out the item he just bought as he replied. "As soon as I figure out what I just picked up, hold on." [Sheath Regalia] An old sheath that has not been used in a long time. It functions as a battery to a treasure lost through time. Very few are able to meet the requirements to recharge it. Current energy capacity (0/100) Noah was observing this treasure carefully as he entered the Time Space and watched a spectacular change start to occur. There was only a slight purple light that began to pulse as he brought it closer, but the moment he entered the Time Space a burst of light erupted as the Sheath in his hands began to growl like a hungry beast and began to absorb the mysterious power of time that was being given off by the many monoliths surrounding the Time Space. The process did not seem to be stopping anytime soon as Noah observed that more of his mana was being taken that was used to keep the Time Space active as soon as he entered with this [Sheath Regalia]. He wanted to obtain more information about the item in his hands, so naturally, he used the skill that had made many things possible in his journey. [Memory Plunder] was used once more after a while, and this time the target was an item. Another light shined out as the sheath in Noah''s hands continued to glow with a brighter purple light, the information about its origins gradually forming in Noah''s mind as [Memory Plunder] got to work. Only a few brief seconds passed as Noah''s impassive face became surprised and then gradually began to fill with shock. ''This¡­!'' --- In a place not too far away, at the top of Rainbow Spirit Mountain. Martial Uncles and Martial Deacons of the Time Immemorial Sect were gathered in a grandiose room that shone with hues of light as they discussed in hushed tones. "Alright quite down!" A strong voice thundered out as the many cultivators looked forward to the middle-aged man who let out a wild aura of power from his body. "Division Master!" He was given the respect he deserved as he took the title of Division Master, controlling all the affairs of Rainbow Spirit Mountain for the Time Immemorial Sect. The Division Master nodded as he continued. "We have obtained the coordinates of where the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler is located!" Gasps rang throughout the room as fervent gazes began to appear on some of the cultivators. "The Abode is in a dangerous realm where even I could face dangers, but the rewards we would be getting our hands on are the treasures that allowed the Devilish Time Unveiler to run rampant in this world hundreds of years ago!" Excitement was bubbling as news of the terrifying cultivator from centuries ago appeared once again, but this time it was for the grave he created for himself before his death. Many recalled the power of the Devilish Time Unveiler as they wanted the treasures he left behind for themselves. This cultivator was someone that fearlessly traveled the world doing as he wished because he could more efficiently manipulate the power of time more effectively than anyone else in the World of Cultivation. He was levels ahead of everyone else when it came to the Law of Time, and his power was feared because of the many mysterious events he was involved in. At one point, he had appeared while a crucial meeting was occurring between two major forces and disrupted everything by unveiling the secret intentions of one side that nobody but them should have known, causing a war to break out right then and there. At another point, he appeared in a mortal village which had many beings that had yet to begin their journey in Cultivation as he targeted one farmer and left behind famous words. "You will become a thorn in my side in the future, so I will just kill you now!" When others schemed against him, they always found themselves to be a step behind. Either their plans were always known by him in advance or they were all killed one by one before they could even assemble their teams. This was the terrifying power that the Devilish Time Unveiler held. He could do what many still could not achieve in the World of Cultivation to this day, and that was traveling through time! Yet, even someone as mysterious and powerful like this still met his death. A being at the Void Fimmerment cultivation realm who played with the power of time still died in the end, with many not knowing who was powerful enough to bring such a cultivator to his knees. Now, his Treasure Abode was about to come to light. The secrets he held, the cultivation techniques and treasures he used that were lost through time, many wanted to get their hands on them! 219 A Storm on the Horizon In a location not too far away from the Rainbow Spirit Mountain, there was a small sect that went by the name of Purple Flame Sect. It was a reclusive sect that did not have too many followers, but they were known for their powerful disciples. The sect was located on a mountain peak where hazy clouds passed by, and they were particularly busy as they were hosting a guest of incredible importance in their Main Hall. "Young Master Drax, we have found an approximate location from the information you provided us. This Abode should be located in an unstable Realm not too far from Rainbow Spirit Mountain. We do not know when it will open and provide us a chance to enter, so we will continue to monitor the location." A subservient Sect Master of one the powerful sects in the World of Cultivation had his hand placed on his chest as he bowed and spoke respectfully to a dark-haired young man that had streaks of prominent blue on his head. His face held a calm expression as he had the disposition of a being who held everything under control. The disciple of the Celestials had arrived in the World of Cultivation for his mission! In a corner of the room was his protector, a Punisher at the peak of Rank 3 in the terms of the Celestials was standing expressionlessly. The Celestials were a powerful group and held their own unique naming of their levels of strength. A being that was halfway through the level of a Rank 3 Celestial, similar to Young Master Drax, would be considered at the TRANSCENDENT realm. A being that stood at the peak as a Rank 3 Celestial, like the Punisher letting out wild waves of power, was considered a being at the peak of the rank that was above Transcendent. This was the strength of the Celestials, where a single level to them was multiple levels to others! Young Master Drax nodded at the words of the Sect Master that was paying respects to him as he asked. "How many know about this?" "This is one of the weird things, Young Master. For such a powerful and mysterious Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler, many surrounding sects were actually able to get their hands on this information and are preparing to move out themselves." A smile appeared on Young Master Drax as he thought carefully before he replied. "There is something afoot with the opening of this Realm. Prepare your forces and continue to monitor the rift where the entrance will appear. See if you can find out who spread the information." The Sect Master of the Purple Flame sect nodded respectfully as the hand he placed on his chest became even firmer as he called out. "For Order and Balance!" --- Every single being was watching with rapt attention as information even began to flow to the hands of otherworlders that were not native to the World of Cultivation. Unknown forces were moving through the dark, with even more actively moving fearlessly in the light. Noah was organizing the information he received from the [Sheath Regalia] as he found his heart was actually beating at a fast pace. He did not think he would find a direction of how to move around in the World of Cultivation so quickly, and it was such a spectacular direction at that! The item that was considered a legacy treasure passed down from a long time ago was actually more than just that. It was a piece to a powerful item that not many beings knew about. The [Sheath Regalia] was a treasure that was overlooked by those passing it down as they found no uses for it as it didn''t react to energy or anything else tried before. It was passed down mostly as an item of sentimental value, until it ended up being sold in a small stall by a Martial Uncle that was in great need of money to take care of his schemed daughter. The item was unreactive to the many sources of energy it was exposed to because it needed a particular source that very few beings in the World of Cultivation could provide. It required the power of time from a very proficient cultivator, or something as unique as the Time Space in the Spiritual Land! If the treasure was not passed down in the hands of servants of the Time Immemorial Sect and instead to its powerful practitioners or even the Sect Master, maybe its true uses would have been found out in time. Yet now, it was in the hands of a being from another world. Noah''s eyes sparkled as he observed the [Sheath Regalia] that was now constantly pulsing with a deep purple light. [Sheath Regalia] An old sheath that has not been used in a long time. It functions as a battery to a treasure lost through time. Very few are able to meet the requirements to recharge it. Current energy capacity (10/100) The numbers of its energy capacity had changed as it continued to remain in the Time Space where a tremendous amount of mana was now being eaten up to sustain the faster flow of time as well as the energy being sucked in by the item that was considered a battery. As for the main piece that this battery charged? It was a truly wondrous item that Noah briefly saw the history of before it was separated from the [Sheath Regalia]. He also saw the man that was carrying that treasure, it was a being known at the Void Fimmerment level in the World of Cultivation that went by the title of Devilish Time Unveiler! Noah''s heart was palpitating as he thought about the identity of the being, as well as the sparse memories of the events that lead to the powerful weapon he carried to be split apart. He focused more on the cultivation level of this being as he thought of how to move forward. In the Lost World, he had obtained memories that told him of how the Cultivators named their levels of power. The Mythical level corresponded to the Rebirth Realm, and above the rebirth realm was the Profound Realm that was at the same level as Phantasmal. Above the Profound Realm was the Transcendent Realm, and any cultivator that was powerful enough to break through the Transcendent Realm was known as a Saint. The Devilish Time Unveiler was a being above the level of Saint at the Void Fimmerment Realm! A whole three levels above where Noah currently stood! With the sparse memories gained from the [Sheath Regalia], he understood a bit of information about the terrifying power a being at this level held. Even with the many other memories he obtained telling him that this being was now long dead and his treasures were waiting for him to find somewhere, he still held great apprehension for how he should move forward. He knew he definitely wanted to get his hands on the counterpart that could be used with the [Sheath Regalia] as it was a truly powerful weapon of insane proportions, but he also could not put his life in such risk when such huge names like Void Fimmerment were involved. His mind wandered as he thought at a rapid pace before the image of one mysterious Sect Master popped in his head. A smile appeared on Noah''s face as he thought of the being from the Karmic Sect that seemed to know secrets about a great deal of things. 220 Karmic Sec Thoughts came and went in Noah''s mind as he left the [Sheath Regalia] to continue charging in the Time Space and he prepared to move out. "Exactly what did you get your hands on, little fish?" The voluptuous Barbatos was carefully staring at the object as she floated in the air and asked. The heat in Noah''s hand shone in a colorful light that would draw in the eyes of any that were near. Noah replied as he calmed down from the excitement at the thought of the powerful treasure. "Just a direction of what we''re doing next, come on." He was surprised to find that not too far from where they were hidden amongst the trees, two cultivators with blank eyes and white robes that were staring straight at them. They held powerful strength at the Phantasmal level as their gazes focused on them and they began to walk over. Barbatos huffed as she felt their purposeful gazes, her body beginning to crackle with a pulse of red light when Noah placed his hands on her shoulder and stopped her. The two Cultivators that had somehow been waiting for them walked forward as they bowed towards Noah. "Master Osmont, our Sect Master sent us to get you the moment he felt your arrival." Noah was spectacularly surprised at the beings he wanted to get in touch with to contact him right away as he recalled the words of Sect Master Inuit when he gifted him with the item on his neck, [Lawful Nourishment]. The Sect Master had mentioned that he had attached inscriptions that will let him know whenever he begins his journey in the World of Cultivation. He nodded towards the disciples from the Karmic Sect as he reigned in Barbatos. "Lead the way." Rainbow Spirit Mountain was large with many snaking paths as powerful beings moved back and forth. They followed the lead of the two disciples of the Karmic Sect as they descended down further until they were out of the boundaries of the mountain. Noah was observing the sights around them with great interest as he took in the mystical air of the World of Cultivation that seemed to have expansive essence and color all around. Their figures moved at a high speed until they were a significant distance from Rainbow Spirit Mountain when one of the disciples from the Karmic Sect stopped and pulled out a sparkling crystal of light, crushing it between his fingers and stepping back as the light from the crystal expanded to form the outline of a door. OONG The hazy door grew larger until it was wide enough for them to go through, and Noah followed their lead as they all stepped in. The moment their figures passed through the door, only a second passed before it became unstable and disappeared as if it was never there. --- Each of the peaks had misty clouds surrounding them as occasional yells could be heard on the peak they were on. In a wide field nearby, cultivators could be seen practicing against one another, causing loud sounds like that of metal colliding to ring out. "We''re currently on the Main Peak where the Sect Master and the Elders reside. The other peaks you see around you are known as Pill Mountain, Armament Hall, Martial Hall, and the Bestiary." Noah nodded with interest as they walked up the central peak towards a grandiose building that exuded tranquility and peace. They passed through the wide doors and into a large hall that was surrounded by stone statues on all sides. The statues looked particularly lifelike as Noah observed them, showing exquisite detail he hadn''t come across before. Soon after they entered into a wide room that was the picture of serenity. Thin white lines were freely flowing in the room as a being sat at the very center with his eyes closed. Lines of white light would occasionally erupt from him as they flew out to regions unknown. The instant they entered, the eyes of Sect Master Inuit flew open as the mysterious lines of light died down around them. "You''ve made it, Noah Osmont, and with a guest at that." A sagely voice rang out as Sect Master Inuit came forward and spoke. The two disciples that brought them in bowed as they left, leaving behind Noah and Barbatos in the wide room. Hearing the words, Noah let out a small smile as he looked towards Barbatos and sent a mental message. The demoness looked towards Sect Master Inuit in discontentment as she disappeared in a flash of silver light, sent back into the Spiritual Land. "I came across something interesting just hours at my arrival here." Noah sat down as the Sect Master beckoned for him to sit. He waved his hands as an ancient tea set appeared between them, an aroma of something wondrous spreading out as two cups were poured. Sect Master Inuit nodded his head as spoke. "My intuition tells me it should be the issue of a certain Time Path Cultivator." Inuit sipped the tea with contentment as he spoke words that surprised Noah once more. He knew he might be able to find more information on how to locate the counterpart of the treasure he held from this mysterious Sect Master, he didn''t think it would be so easy. "What do you know about this Devilish Time Unveiler?" Noah asked in anticipation as a wondrous story flowed out of Sect Master Inuit''s mouth. He was shocked to find out that the being he only obtained brief memories of had actually fallen from that event which caused the weapon he carried to split apart, and that the location of his death was about to come to light once more. He recalled the Treasure Abodes that resided in dangerous Realms hidden throughout the World of Cultivation as he continued to listen to the Sect Master in front of him. "I''ve seen that you will take on this venture, but I have to tell you now that it will be extremely perilous for you, especially with the current level of strength you hold. I could barely approximate when the coordinates of the Treasure Abode would appear, and you still have some time. I would love to see your rapid rise in strength before you head out, and have a hand to play in it as well." The Sect Master smiled as he waved his hands, a small table holding a single thick book appearing in front of them. Noah''s gaze landed on this book as he thought about his current level of power. A rapid rise in strength? That was the one thing that he excelled in! 221 Pills? The thick book lying on the table before them was filled with a hue of silver that glistened in the light. Sect Master Inuit had a profound look on his face as he spoke out. "This was the one I found to have compatibility with you at this point in time, it should prove to have some uses if I am correct." Noah gazed at the first book that explored the techniques of the World of Cultivation, but would it work the same as the skill books he so easily learned because of his world''s system? All skills were just different ways of manipulating essence to achieve something at a whole other level, with the beings in the Beast World spending many of their years learning how to manipulate essence to create and improve their skills. The silver book on the table in front of him contained the knowledge of how to manipulate mana to perform a particular technique, so he reached out and placed his hands on it to see exactly what would happen. A flash of silver light that was soon overcome with a hue of blue shined out, making a smile break out on Noah''s face as blue words bloomed out in front of his eyes. The description was that of a unique skill, with the book in front of him disappearing in a flash of light that was absorbed into the back of his hand, forming a tattoo of a glimmering but faint silver cauldron. A face of understanding and wonder appeared on Sect Master''s Inuit''s face as he clapped. "Wondrous indeed. I''m curious to see the surprises you will continue to produce. We''ll talk more after you have adjusted to the new technique and finished your preparations." The wizened Sect Master stood up as he spread his hands out and continued, "For now, consider this little Karmic Sect of mine your home. Let me know if you need anything else." Noah nodded as he gave his thanks to this mysterious figure that continued to help him under the excuse of something that was bound to happen in the future. He did not fully know what this Cultivator had seen, but Inuit was the reason why he was able to leave the Lost World and keep his life. He still held some reservations, but he would cautiously trust this much-needed helper for now. This wasn''t to mention the spectacular treasures and this new skill he had just received from him. A silver flame erupted out within the cauldron as the [Ice Phoenix Fruit] became bathed in a silver light and began spinning speedily. Essence trembled and converged around the cauldron as a sizzling sound spread out, along with a strong aroma of medicine that Noah had not come across before. The process continued for just a few more minutes before hazy clouds of silver light spread out and the rapid spinning in the transparent cauldron stopped. What remained was the sparkling shapes of slowly spinning pills that shone in a hue of silver and blue. The gorgeously shining pills floated happily in front of him as the transparent cauldron disappeared back into the tattoo on his hand. Noah had an amazed expression as he grabbed one of them and popped them in his mouth. BOOM! It felt an explosion of essence that spread throughout his entire body, granting him a tremendous source of strength that felt similar to when he was absorbing Phantasmal cores. He marveled at the increased effectiveness of the fruits he cultivated in the Spiritual Land as his thoughts moved towards the beings that the fruits showed the most effectiveness with. The beasts born from the Spiritual Land had been absorbing the [Ice Phoenix Fruits] and [Spirit of the Arctic] recently, but many were still stuck in the Mythical rank with their breakthroughs imminent. This was especially so for the arrogant Emperor Penguin. If they had the refined versions of the fruits they were eating¡­ A smile spread out from Noah''s face as he realized the next upgrade of the Spiritual Land would not be too far off. He stretched his neck as he disappeared from the large room that Sect Master Inuit left him alone in and appeared in the underground layer of the Spiritual Land. Barbatos could be seen in a region of the Time Space as she seemed to be battling with the practicing Calamities, deathly spirits being summoned around her as she laughed maniacally. Noah entered the Time Space himself as he went towards the large plants holding the gorgeously shining [Ice Phoenix Fruits] and [Spirit of the Arctic], setting his body not too far away as the many fruits hanging from the plants were plucked out and came towards him. The transparent outline of a silver cauldron erupted from the back of his hand and absorbed the rushing fruits within as Noah did something that would make the eyes of Cultivators pop out in shock and horror. The most rapid refinement and formation of pills was occurring in an isolated space that was the size of a grain of sand on the main peak of the Karmic Sect. The silver light from the constantly refining cauldron as well the tremendously powerful aroma that came from it soon caught the attention of the practicing calamities and beasts as their practicing stopped and their gazes turned towards Noah''s position, the expression of avarice present in their eyes as they stared at the formation of rapidly rotating pills holding immense essence within. 222 Upgrades In a particular area of the Time Space, a wide collection of resplendent blue pills was swirling around Noah''s position as he constantly pulled in the many medicinal fruits from the wide fields and into the silver cauldron where they were quickly refined into multiple pills. He found himself getting a profound feeling as he did the simple thing of providing a ridiculous amount of mana to keep the [Forge of Silver Flame] active and continuing this process. The beasts that had begun to near his position with shining eyes grabbed his attention as he sent a command for them to prepare for yet another breakthrough, some of the recently made pills floating around him going towards them in droves. Their effectiveness was more than quadrupled, meaning that it would not be an issue for the beasts that had already been absorbing the [Ice Phoenix Fruits] and [Spirit of the Arctic] to experience their breakthroughs after this. The Emperor Penguin was ecstatic as it grabbed the glowing pill with its flippers and looked at it carefully before popping it into its mouth. A similar scene replayed with all the other beasts as you could see a flying spider, an arctic fox, a polar bear, and many others swallow the glowing pills. It was followed by a burst of blue light as essence began to converge all around them, their advance into the next rank imminent. He monitored the progress of the beasts as he got ready to start upgrades of his own, wanting to push his strength even further before he went on the dangerous journey in the grave of an extremely powerful cultivator. He had many Phantasmal ranked skills that had reached max proficiency and were ready for a combination, but he found they were not compatible. There were two more Phantasmal skills that he had been raising which had compatibility that would allow him to obtain a skill of the Phantasmal+ level that he could then combine to obtain an even more powerful one at the TRANSCENDENT level, granting him more than enough confidence as he moved forward to the next stage. He began with the combination of his first Phantasmal ranked skill that he used to dominate the opponents in the Lost World, the combination of [The Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra] and [Unbreakable Golden Body]. A spectacular creation was produced as his first Phantasmal+ ranked skill. [The Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra] + [Unbreakable Golden Body ] :: [Kaiju of the Deep- A terrible beast that devoured its enemies whole. It held unparalleled defense with golden scales that reflected the damage dealt towards it, while also holding maddening offensive skills from the three heads that controlled different elements.] [Lava Giant] + [Sundering Flames] :: [Ancient Hellfire Titan- A giant long forgotten through the dredges of time. It controls hellish flames that only extinguish from its own commands, allowing it to burn its enemies until they turned to ash.] The combination of two spectacular skills that he carefully chose so that he would be able to combine their products once more in the near future was complete. Rumbling resounded out as he continued to move, making his training targets the Calamities of the Sea and Barbatos who had already begun collecting the pills he made and popping them in her mouth like candy. Noah would now put his focus on training these new skills until they could be combined once more, trying to achieve his goal of a TRANSCENDENT skill in the span of a few days, or a week at most. This training continued in the time space for days, with Noah sensing the beasts in the Spiritual Land advancing to the Phantasmal rank every now and then throughout. The first one to do this was of course the Emperor Penguin that had arrogance ingrained into its bones. RAA! A piercing cry rang out from it when it broke through, an aura of light erupting from it as it floated magnificently in the air "Oh, you''ve become more powerful little penguin? Come take my place as I go relax a bit." Its grandeur was cut short as the moment it finished its breakthrough, it was pulled into the fray of fighting against Noah who continued to endlessly throw out powerful attacks against the Calamities of the Sea and Barbatos. He was using the newly advanced [Ancient Hellfire Titan] and [Kaiju of the Deep] against them, his body changing into that of a flaming giant one day and a tremendously powerful Hydra with golden scales the next day. He actually matched the attacks of the Kraken and the other four Calamities without being pummeled to oblivion as he continued to use his endless pool of mana to heal and regenerate within seconds whenever his extremely tight defenses were breached. The damage that the Calamities and Barbatos took continued to accumulate over time though, giving Noah an upper hand as more time passed. This was where the recently advancing beasts from the Spiritual Land came in as they jumped into the fray the moment they completed their breakthrough into the Phantasmal rank. Multiple days passed in the Time Space that Noah continued to supply mana to, which allowed an equivalent of one day to pass in the outside world. This rigorous training regiment continued until more than five beasts had passed through the Mythical rank and made their way to the PHANTASMAL rank, making it possible for the upgrade of the Spiritual Land yet again. Noah also finished his training as he was able to achieve maxing the proficiency of the recently combined [Kaiju of the Deep] and [Ancient Hellfire Titan] after more than a week of nonstop usage in the Time Space. It was arduous and somewhat boring at times, but it allowed him to look forward to the combination of a TRANSCENDENT ranked skill at the same time as the upgrade of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land to the 5th rank! 223 Power "Start!" He sent a command in his mind as the process began, with the Spiritual Land beginning to tremble as it underwent yet another change. The treasure was something unique from the Beast World, having its own uses that were very rarely seen. Noah was reaching unknown levels of this treasure as he continued to upgrade it with no problems. He was looking forward to the new unlocks and next tier of medicinal fruits that would be available to use, as well as the all round improvements of the features already existing. He was particularly looking forward to the improvement of the Time Space feature, as only the first ratio of 1:5 had been unlocked and many more were waiting. The rumbling in the Spiritual Land further continued as mana continued to senselessly leave his body and bathe the glittering frozen land, a blinding blue light continuing to build up and ready to seemingly erupt. OONG! All the beings in the Spiritual Land could feel the grandiose change as the Kraken leading the Calamities of the Sea looked forward in stupefaction. Barbatos was feeling the essence''s convergence around them and looked towards the central figure where all of this was occurring as she shook her head in surprise at the things that continued to happen around this one being. The crescendo of noises and build up reached the peak as the blinding light erupted out, bringing with it the completion of advancement to the next rank for the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land. [Frozen Plateau-5] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-134,325, C-33,653, B-21,426, A-3,735, S-1539, EPIC-496, LEGENDARY-42, MYTHICAL-14, PHANTASMAL-6 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic. Available for planting(Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora ) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Locked)...#$%@#%(Locked) Upgrade- Conditions not met. Noah stared at the gorgeous lines of blue words as he went through the newest feature, as well as the upgrade of the one he looked forward to the most. [Time Dilation] :: The abstract concept of time can be manipulated in a small area. 1:5 Ratio (Unlocked), 1:10 Ratio (Unlocked), 1:20 Ratio (Locked)... [Treasure Hunter] Unique wonders exist all around, rarely observed with the untrained eye. The master of the Spiritual Land gains the ability that allows them to more easily locate Unique Treasures in the land they are in. Next up was the newest addition, a feature called [Treasure Hunter]. It didn''t seem like anything special, but Noah knew not to underestimate anything appearing from the upgrades of the Spiritual Land, with this feature most likely being something even more spectacular that would bring him amazing things in the future. All the other features like [Boost Surroundings], [Frozen Barrier], and [Offensive Maneuvers] received their own upgrades, making them much stronger and increasing their effectiveness even more. Noah observed the celebrating beasts, especially the Emperor Penguin that was the first to break through to the Phantasmal rank as he looked at his own panel toward Skill Combination. The upgrade for the Spiritual Land was complete, and now he would observe exactly what power the combination of the two Phantasmal+ ranked skills would bring once they produced a TRANSCENDENT skill of the next rank. He left the celebrating beasts behind as his body disappeared and reappeared in the underground section of the Spiritual Land once again. He took a deep breath as he observed his panel and placed the two skills, [Kaiju of the Deep] and [Ancient Hellfire Titan], into the two slots of skill combination. [Kaiju of the Deep] + [Ancient Hellfire Titan] :: TRANSCENDENT [The Calamitous Leviathan- A terrible creature that rains down destruction and fear upon its enemies. It holds the bloodlines of ancient giants and dragons, granting it the form of a calamitous dragon only heard of in history, The Nine-Headed Hydra.] Noah breathed out heavily as he saw the appearance of his first Transcendent skill, not giving it a second thought before he activated it right away. He wanted to know exactly what level of power this new addition brought him. OOONG! Essence rumbled and the skies cracked as [The Calamitous Leviathan] was cast for the first time, Noah''s body erupting out as a maddening power appeared in the underground layer of the Spiritual Land. Every single being in the unique treasure could feel the appearance of this maddening aura that seemed to bring anything lower than it to its knees. It spread out from the Spiritual Land placed in the wide room on the building which was located on the main peak of the Karmic Sect as it spread out even further, grabbing the attention of practicing disciples as their gazes hardened. This wasn''t just a normal aura of the TRANSCENDENT rank they felt, but something that felt much more maddening! In the underground layer of the Spiritual Land, essence continued to clash and erupt out as a being with palpitating power appeared from the small humanoid form of Noah. Boasting nine tremendously large heads and four resplendently shining wings that each held their own color, the Nine-Headed Hydra, The Calamitous Leviathan, had made its first appearance in the World of Cultivation. 224 Surrounded A sense of calm passed through Noah''s mind as he experienced the level of strength at the TRANSCENDENT level. Belief in his own power was reinforced as he left the Spiritual Land to give thanks to Sect Master Inuit and start preparing to move after some time planning on how he should approach the dangers of the Treasure Abode of the fallen cultivator. There were a few ways, and one of them lied with the sect that was obviously tied to them in name and would be doing everything possible in their power to obtain the treasures of the powerful Devilish Time Unveiler. This was the Time Immemorial Sect situated in Rainbow Spirit Mountain. Noah had a smile as he thought about the arrogant young master he had somehow offended a day back when not putting in the days that passed in the Time Space as his figure flashed away, he wanted to see if this little enmity was something that would make the young master do something stupid! --- In Rainbow Spirit Mountain, even though no conflict was permitted from any parties, those from Time Immemorial Sect still had many eyes spread throughout the mountain to surveil the beings going in and out. This particular day, a disgruntled Young Master Carl had taken the shift of a fellow Inner Disciple to monitor a portion of Rainbow Spirit Mountain as he spread out their eyes to look for two particular individuals that made his face turn red just by thinking about them. ''Pill Masters? Hmph, so what. We have many cultivators that can create pills in our sect!'' His mind continued to fume as he watched for the appearance of the two figures, and his patience finally paid off when a few hours later, the other disciples brought him news about a particular dark-haired that was strolling through the many buildings throughout Rainbow Spirit Mountain. "Haha good, follow him! If he steps foot outside this Rainbow Spirit Mountain of mine¡­" Senior Brother Carl had a wrathful expression on his face as he took out a Soul Jade from his storage ring and took a deep breath before sending a message to a Martial Uncle that was one of the very few connections his father held in the sect. There were very few favors he could ask of this Martial Uncle, and teaching a lesson to some arrogant outsider was one of them. "Martial Uncle Dan, there''s a small issue that I would love your help on¡­" The message travelled across space as a signal rang out in the Soul Jade that Martial Uncle Dan held while he was finishing a meeting. He heard the message as he shook his head wearily before replying. "What is it now, boy? Things are about to get really busy around here, with a lot of us leaving very soon." Senior Brother Carl was ecstatic at the reply as he continued. "It shouldn''t take too long Martial Uncle. You see, an Otherworlder had¡­" "Alright alright, I get it. Where is he now?" An ecstatic smile erupted from Senoir Brother Carl''s face as he heard these words, rapidly replying back. "The disciples watching him are currently following him down the mountain, he actually seems to be descending out of the boundaries soon!" Senior Brother Carl was ecstatic as he found the arrogant Otherworlder to actually make things perfect for him. They couldn''t cause too much trouble of Rainbow Spirit Mountain, but outside of it? His smile was wide as he sent the coordinates to his Martial Uncle and began moving down the mountain himself. He would teach this arrogant Otherworlder what it meant to look down on others today! --- He browsed the items on other shops as he continued to descend down the mountain, continuing to watch the peculiarity of the new sights opening themselves up in front of him. After some time, he had gone down until he left the boundaries of Rainbow Spirit Mountain, watching the figures of beings become more and more sparse as he went further down. He followed one of the paths where carriages were leaving the mountain, and he did not wait too long before he felt his surroundings change as the scenery of a long road with trees around him disappeared, a new sight opening itself up in front of him. He was now in a field of grassland as they swiftly moved for miles around him. ''This is...a formation?" He was surprised at the ingenuity of cultivators as he was placed in something he only had memories of, a powerful formation that only the most proficient Formation Masters of the cultivation world could set up. Multiple figures began appearing in the skies of the formation as he recalled the face of a particular Senior Brother and smiled. A voice thundered out from all around him at this moment. "You have the calm to smile after you are surrounded by my Earthly Revolving Formation that no Transcendent Realm cultivator can break out of without my permission?" The voice was confident and strong, coming from someone much more powerful than the Senior Brother that Noah had hoped would take the bait. His smile became even wider as he replied. "I wonder what I have done to deserve the attention of someone so powerful?" The reply was steady and filled with curiosity, not the tone that Martial Uncle Dan wanted to hear. "Hmph, good, we shall see how much longer you continue to remain calm. No sound or aura will be released from this formation, with your livelihood being under my control." OONG! An overwhelming pressure descended from all around as lines of energy were activated in the formation, forming into an oppressive force that crushed down at Noah''s position. Senior Brother Carl and his posse floated behind their Martial Uncle in the bounds of the formation as they looked forward with arrogant faces. Their demeanor showed that this was not something new that the cultivators of the Time Immemorial Sect would do as the Martial Uncle Spoke again. "You have offended an Inner Disciple of my sect. You will kneel, apologize, and give all the treasures and pills you have in your belongings." The pressure descended all around Noah as it made the area around him tremble, his body that was still only strengthened up to the peak of Phantasmal level with many skills activated straining under the powerful pressure of the Transcendent Realm Formation Master. He grit his teeth as an imperceptible smile appeared on his face and he replied. "Or what?" There was a period of silence from the cultivators as they looked at this Otherworlder who was struggling to bear just the pressure of the formation yet acting so confidently. The arrogance deep in their bones was tested as Senior Brother Carl was the first to speak out. "Or you will face death!" His face was showing anger as he observed the smile on the face of the trembling being becoming wider and wider. The moment his words thundered out, he felt a change as the smile from the Otherworlder broke out into a laugh as he seemed to have ascertained something, and the rumbling of essence began to erupt with him at the center. 225 Prideful! Arrogant! Wild energies roiled out in the formation that was activated by the Martial Uncle of the Time Immemorial Sect as the shackles of pressure that were holding down one particular individual were broken through. Martial Uncle Dan held an impassive face at this show of strength as he knew full well the power of his Earthly Revolving Formation, this aura of someone at the peak of Transcendent Realm would not be something he would worry about. His body erupted out with purple light as he called out. "A glimmering darkness that never ages. Rise and turn the earth asunder, Earthly Revival!" His gaze looked down towards the Otherworlder''s position as the energies of the formation caused a grand change, brilliantly shining bronze swords erupting out from below as they bloomed into hundreds of weapons that aimed their tips towards the newly appearing beastial creature "ROAR!" A tremendously powerful howl escaped out from Noah''s changed form of The Calamitous Leviathan as a Nine-Headed Hydra fully made its appearance known. Its appearance was welcomed with an astounding change in the environment, where the surroundings near the large body were filled with streaks of baleful fire and lightning that rained down all around it. Each of its heads held powerful energies from multiple elements as they rolled through the air menacingly and snapped at the incoming earthen swords. His heads spat out a variety of blasts of energy as colorful lights erupted out on top of the freely flowing lightning and flames around his body as the swords were kept at bay. Martial Uncle Dan saw the attack being withstood as he nodded apathetically, turning his gaze towards his nephew that brought about this trouble. Senior Brother Carl saw this gaze as he turned away wearily, but still not worried about their victory as they held one of the powerful Martial Uncles of the Time Immemorial Sect on their side. The moment that the Otherworlder fell in the Earthly Revolving Formation, their victory was assured. "Otherworlder! Since you''re so adamant to stand against us and not kneel, I will show you the power that many around this Rainbow Spirit Mountain of mine fear, the power that beings like you could only stare at from afar!" A thunderous voice erupted out from Martial Uncle Dan as his head was raised high in the air, his condescending eyes continuing to stare down the tremendously large figure of the Nine-Headed Hydra that was pushing back the first stage attack from his Violet Immemorial Techniques. His body rumbled as energies left wildly, getting ready to cast an attack of a whole other level. "Shimmering earth filled with sinless grains of time. Suffocating dreams asphyxiate thy own will. Obey, revile, and overwhelm! Sands of Time!" OOONG! Noah used the tremendously powerful body with multiple heads to throw out elemental attacks, but he found his attacks actually missing their targets as the dangerous sands filling the area were never in the same position they were in just a second before! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The surroundings of his body where deadly fires and lightning automatically thundered down destroyed a majority of the incoming sands, but he could not defend or push the attacks back as they always seemed to find him wherever he went, the abstruse power of time finally being used against him! "Haha!" The besieged Noah actually found himself laughing as this spectacular skill was actually tearing through the extremely tough defenses of the Calamitous Leviathan, the tinge of golden skin actually having scratches that could distinctly show some of the muscles beneath. After feeling the strength of these attacks though, he finally ascertained their strength as he began moving seriously! "I''ll have to thank you in advance for all the spectacular things you''re about to give me!" VOOM! Essence erupted out as all of a sudden, A gorgeously shining trident appeared and revolved in the air above the many heads of the Calamitous Leviathan. WAAH! The skies cracked under the pressure as the formation cast by Martial Uncle Dan destabilized under the appearance of multiple blazing suns hanging over the heads of the Cultivators. The suns shone in a dangerous shade of orange and red as they rumbled down, the defenses and skins of the cultivators at a lower cultivation level than Martial Uncle Dan already being torn apart. Their bodies had begun turning a shade of red as their skin boiled and bubbled, but the cultivators actually did not seem to feel this maddening level of attack as they still looked down arrogantly towards the golden body of the Nine-Headed Hydra that had appeared near them. This was not because of their ingrained arrogance and pride from their years of running rampant in their sect, but because they had already fallen under one of Noah''s skills long before attacks began to be thrown around! [Pride Manipulation ] :: The user can induce extremely high or low levels of pride in others, causing them to lose contact with reality or overestimate their own abilities. Cannot be applied to oneself. The moment the cultivators had appeared, Noah applied the skill of [Pride Manipulation] as he affected the minds of the Cultivators and elevated their extreme levels of arrogance and pride even further, making them feel like they were invincible under all odds! Even as the tremendously powerful energies from the fiery suns rumbled down, they still felt like it was nothing towards them, that they could take it! This extreme arrogance caused them to look on impassively as only a single Cultivator had finally felt something wrong as he felt the deadly energies in the form of golden suns rushing down towards them. Martial Uncle Dan seemed to have come out of a stupor as the expression of horror finally dawned on his face, his gaze watching some of the disciples they brought with them already melting from head to toe. "AAAAHH!" His body reacted even if slightly late as he used the power of the formation to form powerful barriers of sand around all of them, but they would not form in time. BOOM! A sobering sound erupted out as many disciples of the Time Immemorial Sect Faced death, with very few managing to survive as they were wrapped under the protective layers of sand. But it was not over, the moment this attack finished, the remaining figures of cultivators found themselves staring into the many different colored eyes of the Nine-Headed Hydra as the terror they never felt before finally dawned on them, [Pride Manipulation] finally losing its effectiveness. But it was too late. "[Devouring]." Calm. Steady. Powerful. 226 A New Identity [Devouring]! A vile energy that caused seeps of darkness to roil around the area erupted out, acting like a voracious mouth that went forward to swallow the remaining figures of cultivators in the skies. Senior Brother Carl was the last of the cultivators beneath the Transcendent Realm to be swallowed as his Martial Uncle frantically fought off the voracious darkness trying to swallow him whole. "Otherworlder, you cannot kill us! Our people will find out and chase you to the ends of the world!" The moment that Martial Uncle Dan felt the restrictions of the mental skill that made him neglect and disregard this deadly enemy lifted and his mind return to normal, he tried various methods to teleport out of the formation that he himself created, but nothing was working! He could not even destabilize and turn off the formation to allow the outside world to peek into the events occurring in this isolated space as everything seemed to be locked in place. The many eyes of the Nine-Headed Dragon voraciously looked at the Martial Uncle, and one could even observe the expression of avarice as they looked at the Transcendent Realm cultivator with a gaze that had already determined the fate of the being in front of it. A thundering voice erupted out from all directions as the jaws of the many heads opened and shot out tremendously fast blasts of energy that looked like beams of plasma of a variety of colors. BOOM! "AHH!" The entire life of the Martial Uncle, the Senior Brother that had called him here as well as the posse that he walked around with all the time, all of their lives were playing out in the form of memories that were rapidly integrated and memorized in Noah''s mind. VOOM! His large form of the Calamitous Leviathan disappeared as he returned to his human form, but even that did not last long enough as his facial muscles began to change and bones could be heard reshaping, his body gradually changing to that of a particularly confident Martial Uncle of the Time Immemorial Sect. POP! The moment that the formation became destabilized enough and was wiped away, a brand new and improved Martial Uncle Dan made an appearance to the outside world. He was in the skies not too far away from the road he took away from the Rainbow Spirit Mountain. None of the commotions from the formation or what happened in it leaked out as the area returned to normal. But something monumental had occurred. Noah was reveling in the memories of Martial Uncle Dan as this cultivator was a high ranking member of the Time Immemorial Sect, and Noah received the memories of how they were already moving for the same goal he held, the tomb of the Devilish Time Unveiler! Not a single soul in the World of Cultivation knew when the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler would open, they could only glimpse the possibility of its appearance and location, and just this was making many nearby sects go crazy to get their hands on the treasures of a being from the Void Fimmerment Realm. The many memories continued to play throughout his head as he affirmed how to move from now on with his new identity as the Martial Uncle of the Time Immemorial Sect, as well as how to handle the disappearance of Senior Brother Carl and his posse. All of these things could be put in the back of his mind currently though, as the spectacular attacks that Martial Uncle Dan, the face of the cultivator he was currently wearing, had truly gifted him with a tremendous set of skills. The first one was a Phantasmal skill that the cultivator had used the moment he pulled Noah into the formation, the skill called [Earthly Revival] [Violet Immemorial First Stage- Earthly Revival] :: The very earth you look down upon becomes a source of strength that can be transferred into a plain attack or used to reinforce your defenses. An incantation is required- "A glimmering darkness that never ages. Rise and turn the earth asunder, Earthly Revival!" It was a powerful skill that matched some of the highest damage dealing Phantasmal skills that Noah currently held, but the skill he obtained next was one that made him even happier. It was a skill at the TRANSCENDENT rank, making it his second-ever skill of this rank. [Violet Immemorial Second Stage- Sands of Time ] :: Aged and forgotten, the history of the sands in the surroundings come under your command as they corner your enemy. Unless one is proficient in the power of time, the attacks cannot be evaded. An incantation is required to initiate the skill- "Shimmering earth filled with sinless grains of time. Suffocating dreams asphyxiate thy own will. Obey, revile, and overwhelm! Sands of Time!" A feature repeated itself similar to the first stage of these skills from the Violet Immemorial set where one had to call out a specific incantation to cast them, but their power spoke for itself. Among the skills he could choose from the devoured origin of Martial Uncle Dan was a skill that was the first of its kind, a skill holding the tag of TRANSCENDENT+. This came as a huge surprise as he always had to combine his current skills before he reached the mid-rank between one level to another, yet one of the skills he could obtain right now was already halfway there. His eyes shined as he peered through the appearance of this new skill! TRANSCENDENT+ [Violet Immemorial Third Stage- Cage of Time] :: A cage filled with the darkness of time sunders upon a single target. Only those with great strength or proficiency in the Law of Time can break out of this terrible cage filled with nothingness. An incantation is required to initiate the skill- "The ebb of corpses flows and flutters, yet a single prison stalls in the river of time. Simmer in the sea of turbidity, reflect the embers of age, and extinguish all hopes of victory, Cage of Time!" ¡­! 227 Martial Uncle Dan Noah was lost in thought for a few minutes as he looked through the spectacular skills of the cultivators sitting at the top of the Time Immemorial Sect. Their techniques dealt with time as their name suggested, and they held such unique uses that Noah could not wait to test them for himself. But first, he would have to fully play the part of the Martial Uncle of the Time Immemorial Sect that he had taken down. So who was Martial Uncle Dan? He was a prideful, confident, and an outspoken cultivator at the Transcendent Realm who held one of the seats as an Elder of the Time Immemorial Sect. This job came with many perks and responsibilities, and one of the biggest ones currently was the privilege of getting all the information on the subject that was making many sects scramble, the tomb of the Devilish Time Unveiler. As Noah was about to start heading towards the central location of the Time Immemorial Sect on the Rainbow Spirit Mountain, he felt a glistening jade medallion holding the tiniest amounts of Soul Jades ring out from the items he had obtained from the dead Martial Uncle. He now held the memories and knew everything there was to know about this cultivator, so playing his part would not be a problem. "What is it?" He placed mana into the Jade Medallion as he worked to perfectly modulate the voice, mannerisms, and behavior of Martial Uncle Dan. "Elder, our scouts have observed a destabilization of space to the south, some of the Elders are already gathering to move out!" At the other end came an excited voice of a Legacy Disciple that held a higher level of authority and power than a normal Inner Disciple of the Time Immemorial Sect. These disciples were those with the highest potential and were being nurtured closely by the Elders of the sect. Noah''s eyes shone with a powerful light at the fast pacing of events, being glad he didn''t have to waste too much time playing the part of an Elder of Time Immemorial Sect as they had likely found a clue on the location of the tomb of the Devilish Time Unveiler! "Haha good! I''m on the way!" He sent out a boisterous reply that fit with the demeanor of the dead Martial Uncle as he changed directions and went south from the Rainbow Spirit Mountain. His changed body fluttered in the air with the violet robes streaked with purple outlines that only the Elders of the Time Immemorial Sect wore as he digested many memories and secrets only those in the higher echelons of the sect held. He flew for some distance before he found the gathering of elders that were itching to move out at the first instance, but were still waiting for all the forces to gather as they knew how dangerous this venture would be. It was a group of powerful being clustered together on what looked like a corporeal cloud stably supporting them in the skies. "Little Dan, we can get started now with your arrival." Noah looked at this aged elder that held the longest white beard he had come across as he nodded with a wide smile. "Haha, don''t worry Old Man. I''m sure we''ll find the treasures to return you to your youth again." The demeanor of Elder Dan seamlessly flowed out as he joked with the wizened elder that was only second in command beneath the Sect Master of Time Immemorial Sect. The smiling old man in front of him was a powerhouse above the Transcendent Realm of cultivators, sitting comfortably at the Realm of a Saint. His aged body exuded an unyielding power that very few could stand against. This was the Grand Elder of Time Immemorial Sect, Amos. This Grand Elder looked particularly favorably towards Dan as he held great potential to break through the ranks of the Transcendent Realm and enter the level of Saints. It was just too bad that Elder Dan had targetted someone he shouldn''t have, and all that power and potential was taken by someone else. Noah kept his thoughts to himself as he looked at the smiling Grand Elder and the other Elders laughing around him. They all held a demeanor of strength as their levels ranged from the equivalent of Phantasmal to Transcendent rank, or in the terms of cultivators the Profound Realm and Transcendent Realm, with the Grand Elder being the only one achieving the level of Saint that was just a level below the level of the Void Fimmerment Cultivator they were targeting the remains of. The figures of cultivators settled down in a few minutes as the corporeal cloud they were on began moving forward at a high speed that very few in the Transcendent Realm would be able to match. This was the ability of a unique travel type treasure that Grand Elder Amos owned, The Cloudchaser! The Grand Elder looked at the faces of the other elders that came with him, as well as the Legacy Disciples that would experience their first dangerous trip to a Treasure Abode that posed extremely high levels of danger. He spoke with a powerful voice. "The Sect Master has put great trust in you all to do your best and succeed in obtaining as many treasures as you can from this Treasure Abode." The faces of some of the Elders and Legacy Disciples turned fervent at the mention of treasures as the Grand Elder continued. "The target this time is the Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler himself! A being that was extremely proficient in the Law of Time. If we were to get our hands on his techniques and combine them with our own¡­" The cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect had fervent faces as they thought about this possibility. Their techniques were specialized in the time aspect, but they still didn''t reign as one of the Top Sects in the World of Cultivation because the power of their techniques still was not on par with some of the more mysterious powers in this world! But...all of this would change if they were able to get their hands on the techniques that allowed a single being to run around unchecked in the World of Cultivation more than a thousand years ago. "Work together, and watch each other''s backs as anything can happen in dangerous Realms like the one we''re heading in." Grand Elder Amos finished his words in a somber tone as he turned and gazed towards Noah. To the Grand Elder, this Elder Dan was one of the Elders with the highest potential that he could place his trust on! Noah received this gaze with a laugh as he spoke out confidently. "We are the cultivators of the one and only Time Immemorial Sect. In time, success will be ours!" "In Time!" "In Time!" His words brought about a rousing atmosphere from the somber tone as the cultivators of the Time Immemorial Sect were filled with confidence towards their journey. They had a powerful being like the Grand Elder leading them, not to mention Elder Dan in front of them who filled them with strength. With their power, Time Immemorial Sect will come out of the dangers of this tomb as the sole winners! 228 Different parties gather! In a particular location in the World of Cultivation, a pulsating dark rift had appeared in the sky! The rift looked like a tear in space as it let out wild energies, seemingly trying to form into something the more it stabilized in space. One could distinctly catch a glimpse of a completely different environment if they were to peer through this pulsating rift, an environment that made many of the nearby individuals monitoring the rift let out bated breaths. In the barely stabilized rift gate that led to a Treasure Abode, they could already feel the tremendous coagulation of essence leaking out, as well as observe glistening medicinal herbs and rare materials, and this was just the immediate inside of this rift in space! One of the watchers hiding themselves in the distance as to not be observed by others was another Elder of Time Immemorial Sect. He continued to send updates every few seconds as he felt the auras of more and more individuals arrive in the immediate surroundings. "In addition to a few familiar auras from the nearby sects, Otherworlders have also begun to appear. Make haste!" His voice was filled with hurry as it traveled from the Soul Jade Medallion he held onto a receiver that was on the unique movement item, the corporeal cloud named Cloudchaser where the Grand Elder of Time Immemorial Sect was bringing along many powerhouses for this venture into the tomb of a Void Fimmerment cultivator. The Elder watching the rift continued to watch with bated breaths as the rift in the skies became wider and wider, the dangerous energy of space destabilization gradually settling down and making the beings in the surroundings even more excited. Not too far away from the Elder of the Time Immemorial Sect, beings from another world were also keeping watch on the continuing folding and expanding of space in the skies. It was the cruel Magi from the Magus World, each of them pulsing with immense power as runic circles continued to circle their bodies ceaselessly, continuing to protect and strengthen them at all times. Leading this group of Magi was a being that was known by the title of The Black Serpent, a powerful Magus that was successful in transplanting the bloodlines of a deadly serpent and gaining its strength. His body let out wild levels of power that were similar to the Grand Elder Amos, power of the realm of a Saint! Around him were many other magi covered in runic circles or holding forms similar to the powerful bloodlines they transplanted on themselves as they stood behind him, their power obviously a level lower. The voice of Black Serpent rang out in each of their ears covertly as they watched the continued expansion of the rift in the skies. A chilling smile wrapped around Black Serpent''s face as he voiced out the words slowly. "Our targets are the cultivators, we have to collect as many bodies as possible!" Horrendous words came out of his mouth as the temperature surrounding them chilled. "While they are running around greedily looking for treasures, follow them closely. We are on a hunt! If you find a cultivator straggling or moving alone, that is your target. Attack fast and swiftly, and do not leave behind any traces!" Maddening words came out of the mouth of the powerful Magus as the beings surrounding him nodded with glistening eyes. While many more set their sights on the wondrous treasures and techniques they would be able to obtain in the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler, the beings from the Magus World were moving with completely different goals! Time continued to pass as beings of different origins continued to gather around the pulsating rift. At one point, two individuals appeared silently in the skies as they didn''t even bother hiding their aura. It was a robust young man with dark hair that was filled with streaks of blue. He held a calm and confident expression as beside him stood a golden armored individual with dark blank eyes. The Rank 3 Celestial assigned a mission of obtaining a Cursed Item had appeared. He watched the stabilizing of the rift in front of him curiously as more and more auras gathered around the area. The region surrounding Rainbow Spirit Mountain was filled with a great many sects, with the majority of them being slightly lower in power than the Time Immemorial Sect. There only a few major sects in their surrounding areas of influence that were also aiming for the techniques of the Devilish Time Unveiler when the risks of the extremely dangerous Realm were considered. CRACK! A loud sound like that of the sky tearing apart rang out as the rift in the sky became even wider, many beings now clearly seeing the wondrous land visible inside. Just a cursory look made many people start coming forward as they prepared to rush in at the moment the rift stabilized. WAA! At this moment, a droning sound rang out as a corporeal cloud appeared on the horizon, getting closer and closer to the position of the rift as they neared within a few seconds. The Cloudchaser that the main group from the Time Immemorial Sect was riding on had arrived on the scene. A powerful aura of a Saint erupted out as the beings from Time Immemorial Sect made their intentions clear. The show of strength made the Rank 3 Celestial turn to look towards this new group that arrived with such vigor as the violet-colored robes of multiple Elders and Grand Elder Amos disembarked the moment the movement type treasure appeared in the sky. The Elders also turned to look at the two calm individuals that floated openly in the skies of this dangerous location with no worry as they didn''t even bother to put them in their eyes. It was only a glance, but they were able to observe each other. The Rank 3 Celestial observed what he considered to be a simple group of cultivators that meant less than nothing in his eyes. From the group of the Time Immemorial Sect cultivators, a particular Elder Dan who was the disguised Noah also passed his eyes over the two figures of Celestial accompanied by the armored Punisher. Neither of them knew each other, and each had their own histories. At this moment in time, their gazes briefly collided, and that was it. Neither of them knew that when the time came where they would actually clash, it would be the start of a tremendous sequence of events that will leave a mark in history. 229 Devilish Abode I The Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler had been found! This news made its way across to the sects near Rainbow Spirit Mountain as even more forces began to rush towards this mystical and yet dangerous Realm in order to test their luck to obtain extravagant treasures. Near the gradually stabilizing rift which led the way into the Treasure Abode, a group of powerful cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect were blatantly standing close and waiting for the stabilization of the doorway. Grand Elder Amos was watching the situation closely as he used his immense power to sense the surrounding space. Someone of his level could expand his senses wide and observe the minuscule changes at a depth unknown to most beings. His eyes flashed as he sent a message to the Elders and Legacy Disciples surrounding him, having discovered that the time was ripe. "It is stable, lets go!" This command propelled a burst of essence from the group of cultivators from Time Immemorial Sect as they became streaks of violet and white lights, faithfully listening to their Grand Elder as they rushed into the rift in space. The other beings watching from the surroundings were shocked as they still felt that the rift wasn''t fully stable yet, but this singular movement propelled even more rapid movements from the nearby Cultivators and beings of other Worlds, their target being the glistening world they could already see from the ever so expanding rift! WAP! The group from Time Immemorial Sect passed through the rift with ease, not a single problem occurring. This caused those who were still hesitant to start a mad dash as every single being in the surroundings pooled in towards the entrance of the Devilish Abode. Noah, who was currently disguised as Elder Dan, felt a tremendous pressure descend the moment the group he was with passed through the wide rift in space and into the Realm inside. The pressure felt like something undeniable as their entire group barreled towards the ground at the heavy pressure descending down! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Like meteors hitting the earth, the Elders and Legacy Disciples of the Time Immemorial Sect crashed into the ground without a say from the overwhelming pressure. The only one able to slow down his descent with a shout full of vigor was the Grand Elder that was letting out powerful waves of power at the level of a Saint. To the dismay of the cultivators, they found this all encompassing pressure not letting up as they used their abundant essence to form a thin energy shield around themselves, easing the strain they felt as they could finally move again. One thing was clear though, it would be extremely hard for any of them to fly or move easily in this Realm! Grand Elder Amos spat out the words as milky white energy surrounded him, his body still slightly hovering in the air while everybody else could barely raise themselves up from the ground as they used more and more of their essence to adapt to the heavy environment. "Moving fast will be the key, this Realm will continue to drain your energy the more you stay as you have to resist this heavy gravitational pressure as you move. Lets go!" The atmosphere was somber and felt heavy, but the hearts of the cultivators were jumping from excitement because even with the rough conditions they found themselves in just after entering the Treasure Abode, every area that their eyes could see was filled with resplendently glowing Medicinal Herbs and Fruits. Even though Grand Elder Amos was giving a warning, his face was wrapped up in a smile as he used the boisterous milky white energy surrounding him to move towards the abundant treasures in front of them. Noah and the rest weren''t far behind as they spread out and began placing the many Medicinal Herbs that let out elegant aromas filled with abundant essence into their bags of holding. The group from Time Immemorial Sect were not alone though, as soon after the smashing of bodies into the ground could be heard from the newly entering cultivators and Otherworlders, the gravitational pull affecting them just as much as the powerful Elders standing at Transcendent Realm , with those holding lower cultivation levels being affected to the point where they could barely move a step. "Haha, that''s the Ephemeral Silver Grass!" "The Fruit of Ice and Flames!" Boisterous laughs and gleeful calls could be heard from all around as more and more people entered and set their sights on the abundant Medicinal Herbs in front of them that seemed to be swaying and waiting for them to take. The ones struggling on the ground and barely being able to move towards the treasures in front of their eyes were shocked to find two beings floating with ease in the air. This was especially out of place as besides the powerful Saint Realm Grand Elder of Time Immemorial Sect, there was nobody else that was able to float in the air the moment they entered this Realm! They would find the energy in their bodies quickly wrung dry the moment they tried to fight the pressure and rise in the air, but now there were two other competitors in this Treasure Abode that could move just as easily as the Saint Realm cultivator they could see ahead. One was the being wearing golden armor, who was only given the command to escort the Celestial with him on his mission. Those watching were able to understand and accept watching this being float in the air as he let out a similar milky white energy that the Saint Realm Grand Elder of Time Immemorial Sect was giving off, but the one he seemed to be protecting was the one that puzzled them all. The waves of power he let out only showed he was at the peak of Transcendent Realm, and yet he was able to float in the air with ease the same as the few Saint individuals that had entered this Realm! The individual didn''t seem to be using any tools, but his body let off a mysterious power that seemed to oppose the heavy gravity pulling him down and making it seem like nothing. Many were shocked as they wondered, just who were these powerful competitors that had entered into this dangerous Treasure Abode? 230 Devilish Abode II As others were fighting with all of their strength to move rapidly on the ground towards the glistening Medicinal Herbs and Fruits all around, the group from Time Immemorial Sect continued to move forward unhindered as they collected the Medicinal Herbs around them while continuing further into the Treasure Abode. Noah felt the changes around him as he continued to move with ease, surprised initially at the heavy pressure that smashed him into the ground, but his strong body that was strengthened and even held the title of a Golden Sea Body from the modification in the Lost World regained its movements soon after. He had to use energy to resist the pressure after that, finding that even though a significant amount of energy was required to move or fly, it wasn''t something that was an issue to him. He tested it by lifting off the ground briefly, finding the ease of it even with the increased energy expenditure before he came down again and put on a show as he panted with large breaths. "Don''t tire yourself out early Elder Dan, we''ll depend on you to get the most important treasures of this Abode!" The Legacy Disciples following behind him called out as they continued to move further in, making the ''Elder Dan'' in front of them give a nod as he bore the face of responsibility for his sect members. Noah hid his calm smile as he collected more and more of the resplendent Medicinal Herbs while their group continued advancing, taking the lead amongst many of those entering the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler. The area in front of them was gradually becoming elevated; it formed into a huge mountain that only increased in size the closer they came. Hazy clouds surrounded the top of the mountain as one could see many holes and snaking paths that led inside the mountain as they neared. Their eyes glistened with greed as this new environment showed, using their energies to move even faster as they wanted to penetrate into tho large mountain and search for the tremendous treasures within! The area within the Treasure Abode seemed to be constantly changing, with the burrows leading into the glistening mountain ahead of them appearing and disappearing every few seconds. This showed that there were many paths for them to take, and nobody knew where they would arrive after they entered through the appearing and disappearing holes on the mountain. Grand Elder Amos thought briefly as they continued to move forward, his strong voice ringing out after. "Little Dan, take a few other Elders and Legacy disciples with you while I go with the other half, we can cover more ground this way even though the level of danger increases!" His voice was firm, but nobody denied it as they understood this was the best way to increase their chances to get the actually important treasures. Noah gave back a determined reply as a few of the Legacy Disciples and Elders grouped around him. Determined gazes covered all of their faces as they began to move, with only a single last command being given from the Grand Elder. "Don''t die!" The sect members of Time Immemorial Sect split up left and right as they eyed the many appearing and disappearing paths into the mountain. Before they were completely separated from each other, Noah heard one last message from the Grand Elder that only he could hear. "If you ever come across a regal purple dagger inlaid with streaks of gold, make it your ultimate goal to obtain it, as that is the most important treasure in this tomb!" Noah''s eyes flashed as he heard this message and nodded his head towards the disappearing figures of the Grand Elder and others, his heart beating faster as the dagger that was just described was his own target for the venture, the other part of the treasure that he collected when he stepped foot into the World of Cultivation, the treasure that was still charging in the Time Space of his Spiritual Land. "Stay close!" He voiced out to the members of Time Immemorial Sect following him as they entered one of the burrows on the mountain, and their figures were quickly teleported elsewhere. The moment they passed through the darkness of the pathway, they found themselves in a completely new area that was filled with stifling heat. They were standing in an isolated small area that was surrounded by fuming lava all around them, with footholds placed at a distance one could only reach by jumping. The situation made the group from Time Immemorial Sect turn grim as they looked ahead to where the small elevated footholds led towards. At the highest point of the cavern they were in floated a profoundly glowing purple book that read with the shining words: Auraless Nine Swords Style. The eyes of the cultivators opened in shock, as even Noah stared with widened eyes at the appearance of this technique in the first area of the mountain they arrived in. "T-this is the Ultimate Technique that was lost hundreds of years ago, the one that the Devilish Time Unveiler used to kill his enemies before they could even react, the Auraless Nine Swords Style!" One Legacy Disciple couldn''t help but scream as they stared at the enticingly floating book, but they couldn''t help but have their moods turn sour the moment they saw the momentous tasks ahead of them. The area around them was filled with blistering hot lava that was not normal in any way, showing them that they would not be able to protect themselves for long with their energy before they were burned to a crisp if they fell down into it. A particular Elder that held a long sword on his back looked at this matchless technique with reverence as his face hardened and he looked at the next foothold that made a path towards the glowing treasure in the distance. He steeled his heart as he wrapped himself up in his tremendous energy and jumped! "Elder Broadsword!" Shocked yells came out as the Elder went for the treasure without hesitation. His body glided through the air as he used more and more energy to keep himself afloat with the tremendous gravitational pull still trying to smash him into the ground as he barely made it to the next foothold by reaching out with his hands. He was panting as he hoisted himself up and looked towards the bubbling ground in fear before turning back to Noah and the others. "My life has only been with the sword, with this technique in my sight, I have to try my best to get close in order to become an Ultimate Swordsman! Don''t worry, I won''t lose my life so easily!" Elder Broadsword gave a confident smile to his worried sect members as he breathed out and recovered some energy before he looked forward to the next foothold that was a further distance away than the first one, and even higher. The Legacy Disciples and other Elders with Noah watched in suspense as Elder Broadsword readied himself for the next foothold leading towards the Ultimate Sword Technique, and then he jumped. "OOOH!" His energy burst through the air as he resisted the gravitational pull and flew forward to the next foothold. His face held an ecstatic smile as he neared, finding himself much closer to the glistening floating book that was only another two footholds away. His hand reached out once more to clutch onto the foothold as his body fought to stay afloat, but he found his fingers only hitting air! Surprise and shock erupted in him as he imperceptibly noticed the foothold he was about to grab onto...had actually moved forward enough to slip by his fingers! None of the other cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect were able to see this as they were watching from a distance, and all they were able to see was Elder Broadsword about to reach the next foothold, but he slipped right before he could hang on, and his figure began tumbling down towards the bubbling ground that pulsed with gaseous heat! "Elder Broadsword!" "Elder!" Shocked screams rang out as the Legacy Disciples and remaining Elders watched in shock. PLOP! The figure of Elder Broadsword smashed into the flowing lava with tremendous force as a shout rang out from beneath, the elder obviously fighting for his life. They watched in horror as they saw his body actually rise from the bubbling lava as it became surrounded by hazy violet colored energy, but only his head was able to pierce through the lava before the hazy energy became thinner until it was gone. His energy reserves were empty! "AAHH!" The moment he couldn''t protect himself from the descending gravitational pressure and the blazing hot lava surrounding him, his body began to redden and crack as it began to be destroyed at a high speed. The head that was able to come out briefly from beneath sunk back down even faster as rolls of flowing lava shot into every orifice of the powerful Transcendental Realm Elder that could no longer protect himself. The Elders and Legacy Disciples from Time Immemorial Sect watched on in shock as the first casualty of the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler occurred in front of them! 231 Elder Dan Sacrifices Himself! There was a sense of shock as the cultivators from Time Immemorial Sect watched the powerful Elder at Transcendent Realm got pulled down by the heavy gravitational pressure and drowned in extremely baleful lava as his energy ran out and he could no longer protect himself. Grief was in their hearts as they looked towards Elder Dan who had a dark face. Noah ignored the looks as he morphed his face into that of great pain, speaking out in a hard tone. "My power is only slightly higher than Elder Broadsword, it''s going to be extremely hard for me to reach the end of these platforms towards this treasure, so we will move on and try our fortune in the next location!" There was a stupendous treasure lying in front of them, but they couldn''t grasp it! A great Elder from their sect had also lost his life trying to get it, so they became extremely careful. They nodded unwillingly to the words of Elder Dan as they focused the power in their bodies to make short jumps towards the platforms on the same levels of elevation that led towards a dark door on the opposite side of the cavern they were in. These jumps were manageable as they weren''t required to expend more energy to jump even higher towards the profoundly floating book at the highest point of the lava filled cavern. The Elders were not having any issues getting across with their levels in the Transcendent Realm, but some of the Legacy Disciples still in the Profound Realm(Phantasmal Rank) had to rest after every jump to recover their energies before going again for the next one. Soon enough, most of them were on the last platform that led the way towards the exit of the cavern as they awaited the remaining Legacy Disciples to perform the last jump and make their journey out the hellish cavern filled with lava. A particular Legacy Disciple with a fair face and green flowing hair gathered her wits and energy as she launched for the last jump when something horrendous occurred. The Elders and the other Legacy Disciples watched with wide eyes as the platform they were on moved just slightly backwards, and this slight movement was enough for this Legacy Disciple to not make it across as her hands only met air! "Senior Sister!" Shock returned to their faces as they began watching the disciple use all her energy to stay afloat against the descending gravitational pressure, but her body began sinking rapidly, her strength not being enough to hold on! Noah''s eyes glistened as he watched this occur, his skills improving the speed of his thoughts and perception working at high speeds as he let out a brave shout and jumped towards the falling Legacy Disciple. "I won''t let anyone else die on my watch!" OONG! Dense essence erupted out as he stopped his descent after catching the fair green haired disciple in a princess carry as he resisted the descending pressure and actually began rising higher! The Elders and other Legacy Disciples watched on with teary and powerful eyes as they looked towards the Valiant Elder Dan that was resisting with all his energy and actually rising through the air, something that even the powerful Elder Broadsword was not able to do. ''This is the Elder Dan of our Time Immemorial Sect!'' "OOOH!" Many held grand thoughts as they looked towards the valiant voice coming out of Elder Dan who continued to rise up with the disciple in tow. They neared the platform where everyone was located when yet another change occurred, and the cultivators noticed the vibrant essence that was covering Elder Dan began to flicker. Worries overcame their hearts as they shouted forth. "You''re almost there, Elder Dan!" The shouts seemed to encourage their Elder as he rose up faster and placed more energy towards his hands, using it to forcefully fling the disciple he was holding forwards into the outstretched hands of the sect members. It was at this moment though, that they observed the vibrant essence on Elder Dan''s body flicker and fade away, and his body began descending down. "Elder Dan!" Mournful shouts rang out as another disciple tried to jump towards the descending Elder Dan without thinking before he was stopped by an elder. They couldn''t believe what they were watching, the powerful Elder they looked up to had actually used all of his energy to fly in the air that held horrid gravitational pressure and save a disciple, but he himself was about to fall into the scorching lava with his energy drained out! They looked down to see Elder Dan''s descending face form into a sad smile as he shouted out. "Haha, I''m glad my last actions were for the sect! Don''t you worry about me, go forth and obtain as much treasure as you can out of this deadly Abode, but be much more careful!" A valiant hero''s smile was plastered on his face as he continued to descend down with his body still flickering with diminished energy. Mournful cries were the only thing escaping the mouths of members of the Time Immemorial Sect as they watched Elder Dan continue to be pushed down...until his legs began sinking into the lava and his smile was replaced with a grimace of pain. Through this pain, they still heard his last bold words. "Go forth, and promise me that nobody else will die needless deaths in this place. If fate wills it, I will meet everyone once more in this life or the next. Believe in Time!" Powerful last words came out as the entire body of Elder Dan sunk into the lava, never to be seen again. The mournful Elders and Disciples in the high platform above looked at this in sorry as they called out. "In Time!" "In Time!" Below them, the valiant Elder Dan they were crying for used his extravagant and never ending essence to protect himself again as he let out a calm smile in the surroundings bubbling with lava. His body was barely singed when he got in, and had already begun healing the moment he used his nearly endless energy to float in the blazing lava and stop the descent. He gazed through the bubbling lava as his eyes watched the mourning disciples, and then turned towards the floating purple book far in the highest elevated platform as he waited with a grand smile, trying his best not to chuckle too much beneath the flowing river of lava. The cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect had finished their use the moment they helped him locate the Devilish Abode, and would only slow him down if he continued with them. He didn''t have any reason to kill them, so he would let them go on their own as they faced the dangers of this Treasure Abode by themselves from here on out. The physique and musculature of Elder Dan soon began to fade away as he returned to his normal human form and waited patiently for the cultivators of the Time Immemorial Sect to move on to the next location before he took the Ultimate Treasure floating in the air for himself! 232 An Ultimate Skill Noah stayed at the bottom of the bubbling flow of lava as a constant release of essence protected his body on all sides. He was thinking of the recent events in this Treasure Abode, specifically the way that the cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect had faced their deaths. This was the Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler, and it looked like he didn''t plan on letting other beings walk off with his treasures for free even in death. Noah waited as he continued to spread his senses out until the cultivators of the Time Immemorial Sect passed through the only doorway leading out of the mountainous lava-filled cavern they were in. His vibrant energy that came from the reserves of planets themselves rumbled as he used even more to supply to his skills, and his body began to lift through the air even with the heavy gravitational pressure that continued to come down. His speed still wasn''t as fast as the Grand Elder Amos in the Saint Realm, but he was able to use his nonsensical amount of energy to keep all skills active and defend himself without worry as he ignored the footholds and simply continued rising in the air towards the floating technique at the peak. From his memories, this was one of the Ultimate Techniques known throughout the World of Cultivation, one that the top hegemonies like the Devilish Time Unveiler had the opportunity to learn and perfect over time. It was a skill unlike anything he had come across before. His body shone with a vibrant light as he neared the most elevated platform that even the Elders at Transcendent Realm didn''t have hopes of getting to before they used up all of their essence. In front of him floated the pulsating purple book that read: Auraless Nine Swords Style! His heart beat slightly faster as he reached out, causing an eruption of gorgeous lights as a scene similar to when he received the technique of pill cultivation from Sect Master Inuit played out. Soon enough, he was able to see a new skill appearing in the stat panel, along with its wondrous descriptions that gave him a shock. [First Sword- Blade Edge] :: Traversing the skies and arriving in a blink, the blade edge always draws the first blood. [Second Sword- Blade Phantom] :: The user''s aura forms into unseen swords that the enemy cannot see coming. A maximum of 100 Blade Phantoms can be cast at once. [Third Sword- Nine-colored Blade Form] :: The user begins connecting with the Styles of the Auraless Nine Swords, their own body gaining the sharpness of the most powerful of weapons capable of cutting down one''s enemies. [Fourth¡­] ¡­[Fifth¡­]....[Sixth...] He looked stupendously as he obtained yet another Ultimate Skill, and this one was from the World of Cultivation! It was created in such a unique way that he could only use the first three forms at this moment in time as the skill could only be initiated by the aura of a being starting at Transcendent Rank. Noah''s mind wandered to the other Ultimate Skills he held, as well as the ones he knew of still back in the Demon World. They were the types of skills that could be used at any level he climbed to, and they held ever so increasing effectiveness. New ideas erupted in his mind as the remaining skills of the Seven Deadly Sins he hadn''t really made plans for appeared in his mind. This would be something for later though, as he wanted to see just what other treasures this tomb of a Void Fimmerment Cultivator held, as well as the dangers that seemed to be especially created! --- In the different spaces of the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler, many beings were finding themselves facing death in a variety of means as the search for treasures began turning deadly. More and more casualties were amassing in all groups as they ignored their surroundings for the rush of treasures they continued to obtain. After the abundant amount of Medicinal Herbs spread around the tremendously large mountain of the Devilish Abode, the inside of it held even more spectacular things! A group of cultivators were able to obtain unique movement type treasures in one of the caverns of the mountain, another group obtained cultivation techniques at the Saint realm, with others obtaining Profound Armament which could withstand the strikes of anything below Saint Realm! An abundance of treasures was dangling on their faces as even with the many casualties they continued to observe that many put in the back of their minds as they continued further and further into the doorways present at the end of each of the perilous caverns filled with different environments. In one particular cavern, a group of Magi from the Magus World found themselves at the end of the rope. They had targeted a small group of cultivators and followed them through the same doorway a second after they entered, and mercilessly did what they planned to do; kill and obtain the bodies of the cultivators! There were many more of them, and the unsuspecting cultivators weren''t able to save themselves after being surrounded. But this was when the problems began to occur. The environment they appeared in was a grassland that had pockets of unstable space constantly appear. One would only have a second of evading as they observed the formation of the unstable space when they had to move, or they would find their bodies crushed if they were caught in the vortex of shattering space. These unstable vortexes were not appearing too fast or frequently at first, but the moment they killed the cultivators and pocketed their bodies, it felt like the cavern they were in roared in anger, and the unstable vortexes began to appear even faster! They began dodging throughout the grassland in shock as they observed with horror that the only doorway that had been visible all this time actually faded away, and they could not find any other way out from this perilous cavern that had already taken the lives of 2 Magi in their group. The leader of the Magus group, the Black Serpent, looked on coldly as many thoughts passed through his mind. He was not a thinker, but he knew one thing for sure. ''This was a trap!'' Something fishy was going on in this tomb of the Devilish Time Unveiler, and it seemed like they were embroiled in the middle of it. He dodged yet another newly appearing vortex in a split second when his wide senses from the bloodline of the powerful Black Serpent felt yet another change in space, but this time it was the appearance of another being into the cavern they were in. A powerful dark-haired human holding a shining trident and vibrating with wild power appeared in the cavern that was closed on all sides and was full of dangers. 233 A Stunning Developmen Noah found himself transported into a dangerous new location the moment he passed through the door leading out of the lava-filled cavern where he obtained the Auraless Nine Swords. The new area he arrived in was filled with expanding pockets of unstable space that appeared and disappeared randomly. Beings he had observed only from afar were the ones struggling in this cavern, the Magi from the Magus world! His attention focused on the particularly powerful looking Magus that held a distinct phantom of a Black Serpent swirling around him as he moved around to dodge the fast appearing and disappearing unstable vortices. [Spatial Lock]! OONG Vibrations spread out with Noah at the center point as the trembling of space and the constantly appearing and disappearing vortexes came to a stop, giving the Magi a breather as they looked towards Noah carefully. Their sight only lingered on him for a moment before they seemed to have ascertained something as their faces became friendly. The most powerful one that was letting out powerful waves similar to the Grand Elder Amos of the Time Immemorial Sect nodded towards Noah with a smile. "Thank you, friend. I was unsure of how to break out of this predicament in one piece, but you held the treasure to perfectly counteract against it. May I know the identity of the one I''m extending my goodwill to?" Noah observed the empty grassland cavern that reverted to peace as he spoke with a light smile towards the powerful Magus a level above him. "I go by Noah. It seems like this Abode of opportunity is actually filled with even more dangers." A vicious light imperceptibly passed by Black Serpent''s eyes as he heard these words and laughed. "Haha yes, I''m afra-" OONG! Any words were cut short as the cavern they were in trembled heavily, at the corner of it appearing a gateway similar to the ones that were in every cavern. A doorway finally appeared the moment the perilous situation was resolved by Noah, and the beings in the cavern looked at each other carefully as they chose how to proceed. There treasure that many of the top powers in this Treasure Abode were aiming for was something so spectacular that even he chose early on to brave the dangers of this Realm where even beings at the level above his would have some trouble. But, even with all of this, he would still run the moment the danger became grave. "Yet another gateway for us to go into that will either lead to amazing treasures or perilous dangers." The strong voice of the Magus surrounded by the phantom of a Black Serpent rang out as some of his people already began going towards the recently appearing doorway to get out of this cavern before the spatial lock that Noah had set up lost its effectiveness. "I wish you the best, my friend." His eyes twinkled with wild power as he passed through the doorway and disappeared. Noah observed the now empty surroundings as the essence in his body rumbled, he would cast his skills in advance to prepare for whatever was waiting through that door. His goal was the insane treasure he had only caught glimpses of from reading the memories of the counterpart that was passed down among the servant family tracing back to the beginning of Time Immemorial Sect until it had fallen in his hands. It was this same treasure that Grand Elder Amos had whispered for him to keep a lookout for before they separated. This was Noah''s only goal, and he would leave this Treasure Abode the moment he got his hands on it. OONG! Essence erupted out as he cast [The Calamitous Leviathan], his body exploding to become the deadly Nine-Headed Dragon that let out wild waves of power. The extremely large body reduced in size as it turned into a streak of light that went towards the pulsating doorway. For a second, there was only darkness, and then he found himself in another location. This one was extremely wide and large, and it was filled with many auras of individuals! Noah spread out his senses to find the vibrant aura of Grand Elder Amos shining with a milky white as his eyes gazed in front of them. There was a spectacular temple in the middle of the huge cavern they were in, and this temple was surrounded by many beings fighting for their lives. Bodies could be seen on the ground as blood was freely flowing. The group with Grand Elder Amos had reduced significantly, and Noah couldn''t even find the Elders and Legacy Disciples he had left early on. Besides the Grand Elder, there was another being standing on the same level as him, a man with shining black and blue hair that was accompanied by a guard that did not make any moves, but showed the power of a Saint similar to the Grand Elder. There were even more bodies surrounding this figure as he fought his way towards the temple valiantly. Any being that dared to climb towards the Temple would be facing the power of this figure, or the Saint Realm Grand Elder! Besides them, the group of Magi that had recently appeared were also making their way towards the temple with shining eyes. There was only a single thing that had caused so much death and casualties, with people still ignoring everything as they tried to reach what they could see. At the top of the temple that everyone was ascending, a black coffin was stably laid. At the top of this black coffin was the one item making everyone lose their minds. It was a small dagger that was slowly rotating in the air releasing purple and gold lights. It wasn''t that huge, but everyone in this cavern knew what it was. An Ultimate Weapon! A weapon that had been with the Devilish Time Unveiler since the very beginning, something that many of them did not even understand what its power was. All they knew was that they would hold tremendous power with this item in their hands. Noah felt his heart beat faster as he laid his many eyes on the rotating dagger that belonged to the sheath he held with him. This was the treasure he had seen in his memories, the one thing he came into this Realm to obtain! He gazed towards the powerful figures fighting for the treasure in this space as the road in front of him looked arduous. On one side was the radiant Saint Realm Grand Elder of the Time Immemorial Sect that knew exactly how tremendous this treasure was. Another side held the mysterious figure that was accompanied by an armored being holding no less power than a Saint, with he himself letting out a Transcendent aura but still seeming overly powerful at that level. The last side was the Magus that had just entered, the phantom form of the Black Serpent around him becoming more and more physical as it seemed like he would turn into the terrible beast himself soon. There were many contenders and enemies on all sides, so how would he go about getting his hands on this spectacular item? 234 A Three-Way Battle! Grand Elder Amos was observing the unruly wretched targeting the precious treasure that was meant for only the people of Time Immemorial Sect as his power rumbled out. ''None of you can have it!'' OONG His thoughts moved rapidly as he sent attacks towards any cultivators that neared the temple and tried to ascend it, but even more of his attention was spread to the confident Otherworlder who brought with him a Saint Realm Guard. Grand Elder Amos was wondering just which person with status would be able to do something like this, but he could have never guessed that this being was a Celestial on a simple mission to obtain the same treasure he wanted to get his hands on. The Celestial breathed out calmly as the area around the temple became less rowdy, the ones around finally realizing they would only face death if they fought with those trying to lay claim to this treasure. He gazed towards the Grand Elder, as well as the group from the Magus World which held a powerful being now carrying a physical form of a humungous Black Serpent. These were his opponents that stood between him and his mission, thus they had to die! OONG! Essence rumbled as his Transcendent Rank energy erupted out...and the Celestial closed his eyes. A second passed when a spectacular sight occurred, and a golden eye appeared at the center of his forehead! This golden eye shone in resplendent light as it released a heavy pressure that seemed to be in no way less powerful than the Saint Realm Grand Elder Amos or the powerful bloodline warlock, Black Serpent. This was the third eye that could only be cultivated by those who were proficient in the Law of Fate! One of the Supreme Laws that very few beings could get their hands on, yet this Rank 3 Celestial Disciple had already cultivated it to the extent that he could bring out the Eye of Fate. Those facing this eye could do nothing but tremble beneath its power. The Celestial that very few knew by the name of Drax opened his third eye as he boldly made the first attack against the two Saint Realm contenders. The Punisher by his side stood back, as this trial was only for him to pass. Only if he was about to face imminent death would the punisher move to save him. Grand Elder Amos shook off the surprise of this Transcendent Realm being actually matching his power as he erupted out, sending attacks towards both him and the rushing Black Serpent. "The ebb of time flows and flutters, yet a singe prison stalls in the river of time. Simmer in the sea of turbidity, reflect the embers of age, and extinguish all hopes of victory!" The third stage of the top-ranked Violet Immemorial Technique, [Cage of Time], was cast! OONG "Haha!" The figure of the tremendous Black Serpent that was the vicious Magus kept his eyes on the sweetly rotating dagger atop the temple as its large body expanded even more, a sonorous voice ringing out from him. "Descend, Serpent Ancestor!" Runic circles erupted out all over the huge body of the Black Serpent as essence of ridiculous proportions erupted out, his large body of a snake gaining features of a dragon that let out beams of red lights towards the descending attacks from the Grand Elder of Time Immemorial Sect and the Celestial, Drax. BOOM! Terrible waves of power spread out at the point of contact as anyone near was blown back, and a battle of crazy levels of power began. While this fight was occurring, something that nobody had caught was occurring in the dark. If one were to be paying close enough attention, they would notice the overflowing levels of blood that was caused by the deaths of many beings surrounding the Temple begin to be absorbed on the ground as they disappeared to unknown locations. Something even more minuscule to notice was the vibrant lifeforce of those already dead on the ground being slowly drained as they turned into even worse looking lifeless husks overtime. But the beings around the area were not paying attention to this! Their attention was on the horrendous fight that blew out waves of power that would hurt them if they were near, as well as the stupendous rotating treasure that they knew they could not get their hands on. But this meant that even he was not aware of the change of draining blood and life that was occurring all around as everybody kept their attention on either the treasure or the ongoing fight. Beneath the Temple that powerful figures were fighting on ran runic red lines that pulsed with fearsome life force. The runic lines were spread throughout the temple located in this cavern, as well as spreading out even further to other caverns of the mountain located in the Treasure abode. All of these runic lines were hiddenly converging in this temple as they flowed upwards like veins towards the very top of the Temple where a black coffin silently lay. Above this black coffin was the slowly rotating purple and gold dagger that caused the powerful beings currently fighting to enter this Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler. They had a goal, but something else obviously had a goal of its own. 235 Surprise! Waves of power spread out as three figures valiantly fought with one another with complete disregard for all those around them. Drax, the Celestial Disciple on a mission, was holding his own against two Saint Ranked individuals with power at the Transcendent level, the cause being the usage of the Law of Fate that was at an extremely high level. The third eye piercing from the center of his head arrogantly looked down on any being it targetted as it released waves of power that crushed all the attacks directed towards it. This type of power was one that could be considered to only come from the most exceptional geniuses as they were able to skip levels and fight with equal footing with those above them, but the Celestial took this to a whole new level as he dominated the fight against the two Saint Ranked individuals. While this fight was going on, Noah was slowly edging higher and higher on the temple towards the rotating purple and gold dagger as its gorgeous light could already be reflected in his eyes. He kept his emotions in check as a single release of aura would alert the powerful experts currently fighting, and he didn''t know whether he would be fast enough to act the moment they found him. His miniaturized figure continued to move up slowly as the Treasure became only a few meters away from him, his excitement reaching higher levels as he got the counterpart of the weapon hidden deep inside his body to use the instant he got his hands on the resplendent dagger. The three key figures fighting in the distance had no idea that another being was so close to getting the treasure they were fighting for as they continued to throw out powerful attacks. Noah inched ever closer towards the black coffin that had the treasure slowly flowing on top of it, and he was just within an arm''s reach when a change occurred in the atmosphere. OONG! "Now, that would be no fun at all." Powerful waves of power spread out from the center of the Temple as a black aura began to leak out of the coffin. Those fighting around the temple and other beings watching from a distance in the cavern all looked up in shock towards the centermost point of the temple where a coffin lay. They found to their disbelief that the lid of the coffin...had slowly lifted itself off. Shock. Horror. The possible reality of what could be playing out next was understood by some much faster than others, with Noah and the Celestial being the first beings to instantly activate their spatial skills to immediately leave the location. They activated their spatial skills only a second later, but that second was already too long. To their dismay, their spatial skills did not work. "With my achievements in the Law of Space, do any of you think you will be making it out of this tomb?" The guttural voice that had rang out a second ago was heard once again as everyone''s fears were realized. Noah''s heart beat faster as a dangerous premonition arose while the Celestial was soon standing behind the Punisher given to protect him. Grand Elder Amos had a crazed look in his eyes as he observed the slowly moving lid of the coffin with the abundant dark light leaking out of it, as well as the gutteral voice that was ringing on every corner of the cavern they were in. Black Serpent held a tinge of fear in his eyes as even Otherworlders knew of the famous being they were now coming to face with. None of them were scared to enter this dangerous Treasure Abode because they knew even with any dangers it could pose, the one who created it had long been dead for hundreds of years, and only his belongings would be there for the taking. But to their surprise, the being that was feared in the World of Cultivation and even had his legend known across the surrounding worlds...was actually not dead. Fear crept up in their hearts as the aura coming out of the coffin became stronger and stronger, until a lone decrepit skeletal head with degraded muscles slowly rose from it. Eyes that were filled with darkness immediately turned down the coffin towards the position of the minituarized Noah as they glinted with a dark light. "Well hello, little rat." POP! The words were accompanied by a dark blast of power that erupted out and smashed into Noah, reducing his hiding skills to nothing as his form of a Nine-Headed Dragon was thrown backwards like a ragdoll, smashing onto the ground and leaving a crater not befitting the miniaturized size. Excruciating pain rang out from all over his body as he found lacerations and broken bones all around, his immense mana moving as restorative skills were quickly used to mend up the damage while his miniaturized figure became larger in size. Others didn''t even put into account that his appearance was extremely close to obtaining the treasure, and all their attention was placed on the terrible figure that had fully risen from the coffin. Atrophied muscles hugged decrepit bones as the figure that looked to be more like a skeleton stood powerfully, letting out waves that seemed to be at the Saint Realm, but also quickly ascending above to another realm before they settled down again a second after. A cruel smile appeared on the skeleton as it looked around the cavern where many cultivators and otherworlders were looking forward in shock as it actually licked its decayed teeth with a cracked thin tongue, looking at the beings around it with a level of disregard never before seen. It''s crackling voice rang out sonorously once again. "Well, hello." 236 Fear A moment comes in one''s life where they realize that events would sometimes unfold in the worst possible ways, and they had no way to overcome them. They would feel a sense of helplessness as they shook their heads depreciatingly, wondering why their luck was always this bad. They would feel chains wrapping around them as they were dragged further and further down, continuing to sink until only darkness remained for them. The many beings in the centermost cavern of the Treasure Abode where the Devilish Time Unveiler lay were just beginning to feel this familiar feeling. They physically began to feel space constricting around them first as the being rising from the black coffin used some inexplicable technique to restrict any and all spatial movements. They then emotionally began to feel this same feeling as they began to understand just who the deformed skeleton with atrophied muscles was. "I thought I would catch many more fish in my net with how widely I spread the news, you know?" CRACK! The decrepit skeleton was nonchalantly talking as it stretched in bones that had not been moved in hundreds of years, the blackened muscle covering it slowly pulsing as it was seemingly being filled with more and more energy with time. None of the individuals in the cavern replied at the words of the skeleton, because all the beings that chose to come into this Treasure Abode knew the one that should have been buried dead and long gone in history. They knew the history of the being that should be dead, the being that was now actually standing in front of them. They knew of the cruelty of the Devilish Time Unveiler! Somehow, inexplicably, the being that should have been dead hundreds of years ago had just risen from his grave! The Cultivators, Magi, and other beings in the wide cavern at the center of the Treasure Abode did not reply to the nonchalant voice because they knew words meant less than nothing to this being. His name was achieved after years of strength and terror that caused everyone to know him by the title of the Devilish Time Unveiler. A cunning old cultivator who had the best schemes and plans, his power made even worse because he was adept in the Law of Space and the Law of Time. Many of those that were not knowledgeable didn''t know this, but the Devilish Time Unveiler was studying one of the Ultimate Laws, the Law of Spacetime! He schemed against his enemies days and months in advance, appearing before them even when they had not began to think of going against him. Many of his enemies would die without even knowing why, with the last words they hear always being- "You should not have planned to act against me!" Those with more knowledge developed even stronger fear because they already knew it to be an impossibility to get out of the grasp of a master of the Law of Space and Time. Some developed crazed looks as they were unwilling, a single being breaking the silence as they shouted maddeningly. "I- I am the son of Sect Master Charlie of the Grand Dominion Sect! He''s a peak Saint Realm cultivator who will give you whatever you want if you let me out ali-" POP! The oozing skeletal finger taped slightly in the air as an attack traveled through space and arrived at the position of the talking cutlivator in less than a second, smashing into him and flinging him back as a mass of bleeding flesh. The origin and essence of the cultivator then quickly drained into the ground as pulsating veins could barely be made visible at this moment in time. These pulsating veins on the ground all led towards the temple, converging on the black coffin where a decrepit skeleton continued to stand on. The atrophied muscles on his body became just a few millimeters bigger after the death of this cultivator and the absorption of their origin. "Ah, I''ll have to apologize to all of you today. But I am just too ravenous, and I have been stuck in here for too long." The voice rang out nonchalantly again as the raised skeletal hand did not go back down, but stayed in the air as it continued to tap several times. POP! POP! POP! Powerful individuals that could be considered experts in the outside world were struck inexplicably by these attacks that traveled through space, and those with weak defenses found themselves exploding into bloody mass of gore instantly as their origin and essence was quickly absorbed, lines of arteries and veins beginning to prominently appear on the body of the skeleton as it killed more and more people. Grand Elder Amos and the Black Serpent let out maddening shouts as they used the tremendous strength in their bodies...and started sending attacks towards the skeleton standing atop the black coffin. The Celestial, Drax, opened the third eye on his forehead even wider as it began to bleed, letting out attacks of his own as he spoke clearly to all the beings remaining in the cavern. "Focus all your attacks on him now, don''t let him kill any more of us, or we will all die!" The Punisher at the peak of Rank 3 Celestial, or Saint Realm, finally began moving as the life of the Celestial he was commanded to protect was in great danger. A crackle of a laugh was the only thing heard resounding through the cavern as the schemer from hundreds of years ago moved his fingers yet again to meet the oncoming attacks. 237 Unwilling! A single bony finger streaked across the sky, a dark outline of the same shape forming in the air as it met the attacks of the cultivators and otherworlders. VOOM! Essence rumbled as the attacks that were thrown were sucked into the surrounding space like nothing. A chuckle was escaping the newly risen Devilish Time Unveiler as he prepared to kill even more when a brand new attack streaked across the sky. This attack was different, as the Devilish Time Unveiler briefly felt the space become locked, and a beam of light surrounded by 10 blazing balls of fiery suns rushed towards him. "The ebb of time flows and flutters, yet a single prison stalls in the river of time. Simmer in the sea of turbidity, reflect the embers of age, and extinguish all hopes of victory!" Words that seemed to resonate with the surrounding essence were ringing out continuously as Grand Elder Amos looked back towards the origin of the voice in shock, watching a being using the secret techniques of the Time Immemorial Sect with astounding proficiency as cages filled with swirling purple darkness descended down along with the flaming suns and a glimmering golden trident that could barely be made out. Noah threw out these attacks without reservation as he knew exactly what the other powerful beings in the cavern of this underground Treasure Abode knew, if this being in front of them continued to kill and absorb their origins, he would only grow stronger until they could not stand against him! One has to know, this being was a peak Void Fimmerment Realm Cultivator, an entire stage above the Saint Rank! They did not know what level of power he held now, but if Noah could withstand a single attack of the Devilish Time Unveiler and still survive, they knew he wasn''t at the peak of his power. [Spatial Lock] was the first thing he used before he commanded his boundless mana to go into the many skills he held, using the most powerful Transcendent+ skill, [Cage of Time], along with many more of his skills as he rained down destruction unceasingly towards the aged skeleton. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! His attacks were not the only ones as Grand Elder Amos was shaken out of his stupor and continued to throw his own attacks, followed by the Black Serpent and the cold faced Celestial Drax. "Haha!" A burst of resounding laughter erupted out as a response to the extravagant attacks, the scene clearing as they observed the skeleton, which now held much more vibrant muscles, was stopping a golden trident with just a tip of his finger. The trident was vibrating rapidly as it shot out dangerous lights that just left streaks of white on the rapidly reforming muscles of the skeleton. "Cultivators, Otherworlders, and even a little disciple of the Celestials huh? You brought with you one of the modified elves I see." "Mmm, your bodies should hold the most abundant energies, ah, the whiff of the Supreme Law of Fate as well!" The Devilish Time Unveiler seemed to be getting energized the more he focused his attention on them, a streak of light passing through the space as it struck the golden helmet of the Punisher squarely, throwing it off and revealing the sharp ears of an Elven creature with golden flowing hair. This sight made his forming pupils shine with light as he licked his lips and tapped his fingers vigorously in the air multiple times once more. "Elves hold extremely strong essence you know? One of the High Tiered Races, and you brought one to me as a gift!" He dissolved the attacks others were throwing his way through unknown techniques under the use of the Law of Spacetime as he focused on the Celestial and Punisher that were struggling to hold on under his tremendous pressure of attacks. Cracks were forming on the golden armor of the Punisher as the Eye of Fate on the Head of the Celestial continued to bleed profusely. "OOOOH!" They let out screams of battle as they were reinforced by Grand Elder Amos and the Black Serpent, as well as the figure of the Nine-headed Dragon, The Calamitous Leviathan, who held a different look as he stared at the struggling Celestial. They had to reinforce him and make sure he and the modified ''Elf'' weren''t taken down, as they were one of the few powerful beings on their side. Noah felt a wave of thoughts as he encountered a Celestial for the first time, with those in his Spiritual Land feeling even stronger emotions as they let out their voices for Noah to let them out into the Battlefield, but now was not the time. The focus currently was on surviving against this terrible schemer, other things would come later! The beings in his Spiritual Land could feel the changes of the outside World, especially Barbatos and the Calamities of the Sea that held high levels of power. They had seen the incredibly dangerous predicament that Noah was in and had shouted for him to let them join the fight multiple times, but Noah denied them. The moment their Phantasmal levels of power came to the outside world, they would quickly be used as fuel for the Devilish Time Unveiler. The moment the scene cleared as they prepared to face more attacks from the Devilish Time Unveiler, they were surprised to find that he wasn''t even gazing at them, his attention turned towards the weaker cultivators and otherworlders still scrambling in the surroundings as his attacks were already flying towards them! Bloody explosions of gore occurred in the next few seconds as they saw the schemer take down almost every being beside them, their abundant origins quickly sinking into the ground as they traveled up the temple. "Haha!" Pearls of raucous laughter were the only thing ringing out as skin began to appear on the rapidly forming muscles on the body of the Devilish Time Unveiler. 238 Despair I He had made them group together to protect the Celestial so the strongest of them could preserve their power, but the Devilish Time Unveiler''s actual targets were the much weaker beings surrounding the temple! Their bodies exploded into a mass of gore as they became fuel that sunk into the earth and was dragged along the pulsating lines towards the black coffin that the being who could not be considered a skeleton anymore stood on. Beside the black coffin, the Ultimate Treasure that they had entered this Treasure Abode for still rotated slowly in a gorgeous gold and purple hue. The Devilish Time Unveiler''s confident laughter rang out as he turned his head back to stare at the five beings looking towards him with powerful gazes. The ones remaining in the cavern at the center of the mountain of the Treasure Abode were the Black Serpent, Grand Elder Amos, Noah, the Punisher, and the Celestial Drax. They saw the continuing of the absorption of origins along the pulsating lines going towards the Temple as their figures moved rapidly in the air, the heavy pull of gravity being offset with their abundant use of essence as they went all out. "Get him off that coffin!" Noah shouted out as their figures whizzed through the air letting out colorful attacks towards the enemy that continued to grow stronger every minute. "Well, if you had moved faster or done something different just a minute ago, maybe you would have had a chance." A nonchalant sonorous voice rang out from the fully formed vocal cords of the Void Fimmerment Cultivator as his body erupted out with waves of purple and black power, pushing all their attacks back and blowing their rushing figures away! An aura that was most definitely not of the Saint Realm erupted out from the body of the being in front of them, its levels of power inching ever higher as the Celestial Drax and the others stopped the force throwing them back and retaliated with even more attacks as they could not stop, otherwise it would spell their death! "But now, at this point in time, it is simply too late." As if to stay true to the words he was saying out, the gorgeous facial muscles forming on the face of the Devilish Time Unveiler let out a bright smile, his hands forming into a claw as it pulled in, foming a powerful sucking force that dragged the large body of the Bloodline Magus, the Black Serpent, towards him! "AAH!" The Saint Ranked being found he could not evade the pulling force as his figure that was rushing toward the Devilish Time Unveiler rushed down even faster. He struggled meaninglessly as he saw the clawed hand of the terrible being nearing his chest. SPLUCHK! An eerie sound erupted out as the clawed hand entered the wide chest of the Black Serpent, terror shooting up in its heart as it was now clasped in the hands of the Devilish Time Unveiler. "Disintegrate." ¡­ Dead. The Devilish Time Unveiler nonchalantly smiled as the large body of the Black Serpent fell towards the ground, where it was rapidly turning into a grey husk as a vibrant shade of red entered the pulsating lines leading into the Black Coffin he was standing on. Desperation covered the faces of the beings remaining, including Noah, who pulled out his Spiritual Treasure as they activated their powerful attacks. "Together!" They shouted out as the Eye of Fate on Drax bled even more while letting out a blinding light, the Punisher moving as swirling rainbow-colored blades formed rapidly and struck down, and Grand Elder Amos threw down blackened Cages of Time towards the Devilish Time Unveiler as they saw their situation getting bleaker and bleaker! Noah threw the Spiritual Land into the air as it rapidly expanded in size, using its feature of attack, [Offensive Maneuvers]! "OOOOH!!!" [Falling Meteor] was cast as the moment the Spiritual Land reached the highest point in the area they were in. A converging essence that collected the entire weight of the floating landmass formed into needle-point that was aimed towards the Devilish Time Unveiler, its power causing an expression of surprise to appear on the freshly formed face. This was the first time that [Offensive Maneuvers] of the highest-ranked Spiritual Land, the unique treasure from the Beast World, had ever been used! "An isolated space treasure of this level? My oh my¡­" A simple chuckle escaped the lips of the Devilish Time Unveiler as he let out a deep breath. "...I guess I''ll get serious for a bit!" His power that had shot above the Saint rank after absorbing the origins of so many powerful beings erupted out as he cast a simple spell. "Black Hole." RUMBLE! The land they were in quaked and shattered as above the figure of the Devilish Time Unveiler, a region of space with tremendously thick gravity that did not even allow light to force its way out formed. It was extremely minute and small, seemingly taking an immense amount of energy to form even a single black hole the size of a fingernail, but it was this attack that went to meet the converging essence of the weight of an entire floating landmass. BOOOOOOM! "AAAAH!" Noah felt something inside him shatter as the moment the two attacks connected, an explosion of darkness erupted that blinded everyone in the cavern. The moment this darkness receded, Noah saw a tremendously wide crack forming from the bottom of the Spiritual Land as it continued to spread rapidly, snowy landmasses beginning to fly out as an even more horrid sight occurred next, the small Black Hole still active as it imploded into a supernova. CRACK! Astounding levels of power spread out as the droning cry of something that was not alive and yet had a sense of consciousness was destroyed. The feeling of something breaking inside Noah became even greater as the sight that revealed itself was that of a floating landmass split into two pieces! 239 Despair II Two pieces. A huge landmass had been broken into two separate pieces as it barely floated in the air. Chunks of snowy landmass were falling on the ground, along with the bloodied mess of bodies of thousands of beasts that were in the Spiritual Land who were nearest at the point of contact with the attack from the Devilish Time Unveiler. BOOM! The large body of a resplendent Goldfish held jagged cuts and looked mangled as it fell down and smashed into the ground, its abundant life force soon being absorbed into the ground as the Devilish Time Unveiler laughed raucously as if he had just gotten the best surprise. One of the Calamities of the Sea had been unlucky enough to be on the direct and closest path of the attack, his life being ended from the impact! "You held so many life forces in this isolated space treasure? My oh my!" He gazed at the thousands of falling bodies of beasts from the split landmass as his wide aura spread out to find the large bodies of the Kraken and other Calamities of the Sea, as well as the Emperor Penguin and other Spiritual Land Beasts who were standing alongside a grimacing Barbatos. "Fucking hell little fish, why the fuck did you come here?" Her usual voice erupted out as it held a tinge of something else in it that Noah had never heard from her before, but had seen it many more times from other beings. It was fear! His mind worked rapidly at high speeds to find a way out of this perilous situation as he stared at the Spiritual Land he was slowly losing connection with. It stood broken in the air with chunks of snowy land continuing to rapidly fall. VOOM! Around Barbatos, thousands of undead began to appear and surround the beasts and Calamities of the Sea as they prepared to face the terrible being much more powerful than then by many ranks, but they had no choice! Noah''s rapidly thinking mind grasped at all the possibilities, and his gaze continued to return to the slowly rotating purple and gold dagger that was situated on the side of the Black Coffin that the Devilish Time Unveiler was standing on. There was no further time to think as they began moving rapidly yet again, giving no more leeway for the terrible being in front of them to continue recovering. Noah sent a silent communication into the ears of Grand Elder Amos and the Celestial who was surrounded by colorful shields cast by the Punisher protecting him. ''Make a pathway for the Ultimate Treasure, if we can have it in our grasp, we still have a chance to get out of this!'' BOOM! The attacks from Noah and the others arrived as the Devilish TIme Unveiler used one hand to manipulate the space behind him to absorb the attacks while using his other hand to pull forward as the space folded, and the bodies of the Kraken and Emperor Penguin found themselves being pulled in rapidly. "RAAA!!!" The Emperor Penguin let out a loud bellow as a gorgeous silver light erupted from it, its figure using all of its power to momentarily come to a halt against the pulling force of a Void Fimmerment cultivator multiple levels above it before its descent continued yet again. Noah''s heart continued to sink as he looked at this, boundlessly pouring in all his mana into his skills as he disregarded everything. "Don''t let him kill anyone else!" He yelled out to the others as Grand Elder Amos''s body shone a brilliant white light, his figure turning into a streak of light as it stood between the Devilish Time Unveiler and the bodies of the Emperor Penguin and Kraken that were being pulled down. Numerous undead also began rushing down as Barbatos moved her hand as if playing a symphony, the aura of death spreading out as the skeletons rushed towards the nearly fully fleshed out body of the Devilish Time Unveiler. "It''s great that you all just continue to give me more and more gifts!" The strong voice of the schemer erupted out as he became surrounded on all sides, his lips letting out simple words as he cast another skill. "Spatial Rupture." RIIP! A rip in space. Like a jagged line, it spread forward until it pierced right where the head of Grand Elder Amos was situated, the others watching in horror as his head split apart the next instant, brain matter flying out as the milky white light on his body dwindled and he began falling from the skies of the Temple. Other jagged rips in space continued forward as one directly bisected the Punisher that had summoned hundreds of golden shields that were all torn through like paper. Two Saint Realm individuals were killed just like that! Their abundant essence went on to be absorbed into the many pulsating lines of the Temple as the Black Coffin beneath the feet of the Devilish Time Unveiler glowed a resplendent black, even more power coursing through him as he laughed maniacally. This was the worst development that would spell death for all of them, so they moved even faster as the Celestial Drax used both of his two hands to peel the skin on his forehead, revealing much more of the bulging Eye of Fate that was now pulsating gold and red as he called out. "Displacement of Fate!" VOOM! Essence rumbled as a golden light shined out, a change occurring that looked to give them a possible chance as in the next instant, the powerful figure of the Devilish Time Unveiler appeared at the position where Drax used to be, while the Celestial himself appeared atop the coffin. Time seemed to come to a stop as the Devilish Time Unveiler adopted the expression of annoyance, but Drax moved rapidly and reached out to grab the slowly rotating Ultimate Treasure! BOOM! As if it was specially initiated by his movement, the moment his finger touched the rotating dagger, a resounding explosion rang out that shredded the body of the Celestial and blew him away, the dagger flying in the opposite direction as it streaked towards the position that Barbatos was standing while surrounded by her undead. "Did you think it would be that easy?" The Devilish Time Unveiler was laughing as his gaze turned towards the heavily injured Celestial while also keeping watch of the path of the Ultimate Treasure making a beeline towards one voluptuous woman. Barbatos was letting out curses and expletives as she reached out and clasped the now dimming dagger in her hand, quickly turning and rushing towards Noah as she tucked the dagger behind her back while a group of undead surrounded her on all sides. They now held a chance! Noah just needed to get his hands on this Ultimate Treasure that he held another piece of, and they would have a chance of getting out of this perilous situation alive! Noah''s large figure of the Nine-headed Dragon turned into a streak of light as he went towards Barbatos''s figure, the two of them getting nearer to each other as the milliseconds passed! 240 Death A figure of large Calamitous Leviathan and the voluptuous Barbatos surrounded by undead rushed towards one another, each holding a piece of an Ultimate Treasure that could be the solution to the horrible situation they were in. Victory was in sight, but alas, it was not for them! "Space Repulsion." VOOM! Calm words rang out as the vibrant figure of the Devilish Time Unveiler teleported between them, his mastery of the Law of Spacetime allowing him to ignore the restriction he set up himself. He looked arrogantly towards the large figure of Noah as he uttered the words, their effect causing a tremendous force to explode outward, knocking the huge body of the Nine-headed Dragon back as his other hand formed into the shape of claw and closed in on Barbatos''s position. CLASP! Barbatos''s figure was pulled towards the Devilish Time Unveiler at high speeds as her neck was quickly wrapped around the palm of the powerful being. "You motherfu-??? Her short legs kicked as the Devilish Time Unveiler nonchalantly began tightening his hand on her throat and shattered her vocal cords instantly. Blazing suns began to appear around her as her undead came to her aid, but they were all repulsed back by an explosive force as if they were nothing. Noah recovered from the large impact and rapidly worked to heal his heavily injured body as he looked at this sight in despair and...fear. Yes, fear. They were close. They were extremely close! If he could just get his hands on that dagger, he would be able to turn the tides! He held the other part of this weapon that even the Devilish Time Unveielr himself did not know. As long as he got his hands on this Ultimate Treasure, they would have had a chance to leave this place alive. But he watched these last embers of hope be dashed as the powerful figure of the Void Fimmerment cultivator smashed him back towards the ground while his hands wrapped tightly around Barbatos''s neck. The Emperor Penguin, the Kraken, and other remaining beasts rushed towards Barbatos''s position as their Phantasmal level power did nothing to pierce the layers of spatial defenses set up by the Devilish Time Unveiler. "Spatial Rupture." RIIIP! The being called out the words simply again as ruptures in space spread out, covering the bodies of the Kraken and Emperor Penguin as a bloody mess of gore erupted out. "RAA!" Tentacles were cut off as a rupture diagonally spread across the body of the Kraken, its dark eyes losing their light as its head exploded in a shower of blood. An arrogant light was still present on its beady eyes as one focused on the figure it fearlessly went to fight against, while the other half of its bisected head looked towards Noah with an apologetic expression. It could not protect the friend of its Master, nor any of its brothers from the Spiritual Land. The arrogant and apologetic light in its beady eyes slowly dwindled as it completely lost consciousness. This was the cause of the fear that Noah had begun to feel for the first time. This powerful being that seemed to be playing with all them in the palm of his hands, where no matter what they did he always came out on top! They were so close. Noah felt the exploding aura of the Devilish Time Unveiler as it stably held not a single milky white of the Saint Realm, fully recovering its power as it let out a wild purple aura of regal strength. A purple robe with golden inscriptions appeared on the body of the Devilish Time Unveiler as he continued to clasp tightly onto Barbatos''s neck, his gaze alternating towards the despairing Noah and the strong light in the eyes of the struggling Barbatos. "It is not the first time I have torn apart lovers, for that I apologize." His gaze was calm as his free hand reached out and grabbed onto the right hand of the struggling Barbatos and he pulled down, tearing apart the arm as blood rained down. The heavily injured Drax joined Noah on the ground as they looked despairingly at the position in the sky where the Devilish Time Unveiler was ripping apart Barbatos. She held the Ultimate Treasure with her, and the terrible being held her in his hands. The Celestial was heavily injured and barely hanging on to life after he fell for the trap laid upon the dagger when he first touched it, while Noah moved even though he knew his Transcendent power would not be able to do anything against a being two levels above him. OOOOH! His large form looked dazedly towards the scene in the sky as his body shot up once more, trying his best to reach their position again as the Trident of the Sea, Cages of Time, and glistening golden suns all ruthlessly rushed out from him, but they were all met with a simple set of words. "Spatial Rupture." RIIP! Space was torn and folded as the ruptures reached Noah, blood flying out as five of his heads lost their light and became messy stumps of bones and gore. BOOM! He breathed heavily as he looked up the sky in fear. Was this actually it? A terrifying thought passed through his mind as he thought of the billions of lives he held on his shoulders. The Planetary Core of his home planet, as well as the other two planets he was connected to, could see all the events occurring as they looked on in silence. Noah''s eyes trembled at this reality as many thoughts passed through his head, the Devilish Time Unveiler above them taking his time as he ripped the limbs of Barbatos until she couldn''t struggle anymore. "Now that wasn''t too hard, was it? Let me take back my partner now." He spoke out nonchalantly as he turned the stump that was Barbatos to reach out behind her where he saw her place the dagger...and he found nothing. The dagger that he had seen this woman attach to her back was actually not there! A surprised expression appeared on his face as he turned her around and found her laughing, blood leaking out of her mouth from her crushed neck as she mouthed out. "Fuck yo-" SHLUCK! He gave no respite as his hands crushed down and Barbatos''s head separated from her body. Noah slumped onto the ground as he saw this scene, his gaze unfocused as he did not know how to proceed. The Celestial beside him shook his head as he sighed, his heavily injured body that could barely move also slumping down on the ground. Close to Noah, the figure of a simple skeleton that was among the many that were surrounding Barbatos appeared, its body slowly fading away as the life of its master was taken. Noah felt this change as he turned to the side, a golden light nearly shining out of his eyes as from the bony hands of the fading skeleton, a gold and purple dagger lay. Its name appeared in front of his eyes in shining blue colors as he grasped it. [Dagger of Time]. ¡­!!! 241 Turning back time! The Dagger of Time! The Ultimate Treasure that the Devilish Time Unveiler used to be able to traverse the World of Cultivation free and unbound of worries! Noah grasped it in his hands as the details of the dagger and its abilities came to full view. All of its abilities were greyed out as this was only the major part of the treasure, and it still needed its battery to be operated. Nobody else knew this, but he actually held the other piece of the treasure, the [Sheath Regalia] that had been fully charged! The Devilish TIme Unveiler felt the change as he looked down with a light smile. He snapped his fingers as the blood and gore around him dissolved into nothing, his gaze turning towards the last two remaining beings in the space he had set up. "This is the part I actually like the most. When the little pieces on my boardgame start to think they might have victory within their grasp, and I still dash all of their hopes a second later...it is an experience very few get a chance to experience in their lifetimes." He was arrogantly talking as he descended down. Noah observed this as he finally saw the effects of [Pride Manipulation] come into full effect, the arrogance of this being shooting through the roof as he pridefully looked down at them, knowing full well he could kill them whenever he wanted as they would not be able to use the treasure they got their hands on anyways. But this would be the cause of his first loss after his resurrection! "So now that you have your hands on my treasure, how do you think you''re getting out of this- Oh?" Noah only needed a second, and the pride of the Devilish Time Unveiler provided this as he made a move, and it was a move that was not within any of the expectations of the other two beings left in the cavernous space. Noah turned towards the heavily injured Celestial beside him whose eyes had regained a semblance of hope as they had gotten their hands on the treasure, but he was shocked at the next turn of events as saw a devouring darkness cover his eyesight. "Haha! Now, what is that going to accomplish? I''ve already recovered a major part of my power, preventing me from enjoying the gorgeous flesh of that little Celestial isn''t going to change it." His strong and prideful words came out as Noah did not waste another second, making sure what needed to stay hidden would stay hidden until the last second as he moved the essence to initiate one of the abilities of the [Dagger of Time] as soon as two pieces connected. "I want to thank you for this very painful lesson." He felt laughter welling up inside him as he watched with his head held high, when his expression adopted a complete change as something ridiculous played out in front of him. Things seemed to be playing out in slow motion as the Devilish Time Unveiler saw two sets of events happen consecutively, with barely a millisecond delay in between. The being below him placed his energy into the dagger, and in the next instant, a purple glowing sheath he knew all too well appeared out of nowhere and swiftly covered the dagger, the two connecting seamlessly together as a brilliant white light erupted out. Shock, confusion, and horror finally appeared on the face of the Devilish Time Unveiler for the first time as he collected all his power of Spacetime to finally act towards this now terrible enemy! "NOO-" PAH A sound as if something had closed rang out, the figure of the Devilish Time Unveiler that was erupting with gorgeous light coming to a stop, the light slowly receding into his body as his movements followed the same exact sequence they had taken prior, but in the opposite direction of time. An ability of the [Dagger of Time], [Reversal], had been successfully initiated for the first time in the hands of Noah Osmont. [Dagger of Time](Incomplete) :: A treasure unknown in history, with some calling it cursed for its world breaking abilities. It seems complete, but it has yet to reach the pinnacle of its power. The one fated to use it is bound to leave a mark in history. The activation of its wondrous abilities requires the use of the Sheath Regalia. Abilities include [Reversal], [Stop], [Insight]. [Reversal] :: The fabric of time is unwound as the wielder of the Dagger of Time is sent back through time. The amount of time is dependent on how much Time Essence the Sheath Regalia holds. This same ability cannot be used again within the same time period. On this historic moment that very few will remember, the Dagger of Time had exchanged hands once again, this time being possessed by a budding individual from an unknown planet. Noah''s heart beat wildly as the ride of emotions he had experienced for the first time today calmed down, gradually being replaced by the usual calmness, with the addition of other emotions he had not yet entertained in his life. A gorgeous array of purple and gold colors wrapped around his body as he was the only observer that was watching and remembering as all the events that had occurred in the cavern they were in were rewound. His gaze was shaken as he saw Barbatos''s head and limbs reattach onto her body, as the Emperor Penguin and Kraken fused back to the way they should be, as everything turned back to how it was. The Spiritual Land that was split in two quickly reformed back together as the reversal of time seemed to get faster and faster. Noah watched all this as he continued to send the command of the [Reversal] ability to continue, closely watching as the blinding purple light on the sheath that was now covering the Dagger of Time was rapidly reducing at a speed visible to the naked eye. The reversal of time became even faster as Noah felt a phantom of his body rapidly travel back, from him entering the Treasure Abode, to him killing the Elder of Time Immemorial Sect, to his Pill Making in the Karmic Sect, to his encounter with the Sheath Regalia, and past his first entrance into the World of Cultivation. The profoundly glowing purple energy continued to be depleted as Noah observed its final vestiges of energy being dried up, his out of body phantom gradually coming to a stop as it rushed down towards his body that was in a different time. In the Demon World, not even a few hours after he had received the fealty of all the Demon Rulers, a figure of Noah that was about to begin training shook as a purple and gold light erupted out. The light caused an eruption of essence around him as he regained his bearings and opened his eyes. He spent a few seconds adjusting as he looked down at his hands to observe the distinctly shining Dagger that was covered with a sheath. His eyes shone with a dangerous light as a turbulence of emotions fought to break out, but a cold light won in the end as his gaze turned cold and emotionless. He had succeeded. 242 Careful beyond bounds! Noah''s mind recalled the emotion of fear that he had not felt in a long time. This feeling came when he believed he was about to lose everything. It came at his lowest point as he realized that he would be single-handedly responsible for the deaths of three worlds. He hated this feeling of fear, and he hated even more that he had not fully given his life the utter importance that it really deserved! It was not an option for him to die, and he had still acted recklessly and entered a place he was not fully knowledgeable of. This place had taught him a painful lesson as he watched a great deal of the things he cared about be literally torn apart in front of him. It was a painful experience, but one that he thanked the Devilish Time Unveiler for in the end because he needed it! From this day forth, he had to be careful beyond bounds! He had to plan in advance every move he would do, understand which players he might come in contact with, and whether he will smoothly move and not endanger his life in the process. He hated the feeling of fear, the feeling of falling to the deepest depths as his life came under the control of his enemy. His calm aura changed as a dangerous glint of light passed through his eyes as he recalled the ruthlessness he had been exposed to in this trip in the World of Cultivation. The ruthlessness of schemers that were hundreds of years old, ones that should have even been dead! The ruthlessness of Grand Elders as even with the death of all their Sect Disciples, they still kept their eyes on the treasure they wanted to get their hands on. The ruthlessness of a specific Devilish Time Unveiler had almost allowed him to have complete revival from the dead before his plans were ruined because of too much pride and something he could have never expected! This was one of the biggest lessons replaying in Noah''s mind, the fact that even after all the planning the Devilish Time Unveiler had put even, even with his stupendous power at the Void Fimmerment Realm, all his plans were still ruined in the end. Anything and everything could happen, so he had to be extremely careful, and in order to increase his chances of success, he also had to be ruthless! He could not only be reacting to what others did to him. He would not wait for someone to attack him for him to justify it to himself and kill them. He would not wait for unknown beings to destroy his people for him to get the drive to stand against them. He would not only be reacting from now on! Many emotions swirled in his mind as he pushed everything else aside and put calmness, carefulness, and ruthlessness at the forefront. If it was time, he now held an abundant amount of it. This was not even to mention the Time Space in the Spiritual Land, but the acquiring of the Dagger of Time signified something obscenely huge. [Insight] :: Time can move in a myriad of ways, with no single being able to predict certainties among its chaos. Insight will show the wielder of the Dagger of Time possibilities of what could be. Requires Time Essence from the Regal Sheath in order to be used. Another ability of the Dagger of Time would allow him to simulate possibilities of what could happen in the future! This was such a stupendous ability that beside [Reversal], Noah knew it would be the one that he would use the most. In the Spiritual Land, the beasts had felt the powerful burst of unknown energy they had not felt before as the Emperor Penguin and the Calamities of the Sea rushed to see what had occurred. Their gazes became confused as they just found Noah on the ground. Barbatos''s figure also flashed in as she looked down quizzically . "What just happened, little fish?" Noah''s calm and steady gaze faltered a bit as he looked around at the beasts and Calamities around him. His eyes landed on the voluptuous Barbatos who was looking down questioningly as his figure disappeared and reappeared right next to her, swooping her in his arms before the silver light of teleportation covered them again. They reappeared inside one of the luxurious houses of the Spiritual Land as a ravenous light flashed through Noah''s eyes. "What are you- Ah..." A barrier of silence enveloped the house as the beasts still in the underground layer looked around them awkwardly and scratched their heads before they each moved about to continue their training. --- Time was a problem for many beings, but it was gradually being put under control for Noah as he found himself with more and more tools that could grant him an abundant amount of time. The first thing was that he had returned back to a period of more than a week, and he knew the specific events that would occur during this time. The idea that it had barely been more than a week since he arrived in the World of Cultivation, learned the pill forging technique in the Karmic Sect, and then set off for the Devilish Abode felt weird toimagine as the events themselves seemed so numerous, but he knew how to make the most of these future events. He began moving rapidly the moment he made his decision, adhering to new rules of extreme caution and carefulness where even if he had to make multiple plans based on the possibilities he foresaw with the use of the [Insight] ability in the Dagger of Time. Not too long after the subjugation of the Demon World, a command was sent to a few specific Rulers as the magnificent Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land appeared above the Demon Capital. Noah wore a simple blue robe as he conversed with the will of the Demon World about his first venture after his return through time- the obtainment of the Seven Deadly Sins that he had been making so much use of recently. He had his hands on the Sin of Gluttony and the Sin of Pride, and he had seen the great uses for both. Now, he set his sight on all of them, and the possibilities that might open because of it. A cold light flashed through his eyes as the will of the Demon World proposed something stupendous. 243 > I In the grandly floating Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, a dungeon in the form of a large black monolith was forming in front of all the beasts'' eyes. The other four remaining skills were still being held by four Demon Rulers that were now going into dungeon bosses for the purpose of extracting their Ultimate Skills without killing them entirely. "There can only be a single holder of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities anyways, but there exists a new uncharted territory once we succeed on this current endeavor." The voice of the will of the Demon World rang out in Noah''s mind as he watched the completion of the large dungeon which held the origins of four Demon Rulers. He observed the still charging [Sheath Regalia] below the Spiritual Land as he asked, "The end result will allow for all of them to be combined into a single source?" A silence arrived briefly before a confident voice rang out deep within the Demon World. "This was the ultimate form of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities I envisioned. With the help of the other three cores, it should not be a problem to achieve something I only thought would be possible after hundreds of years!" Noah nodded at this as his figure moved forward and disappeared into the newly made dungeon as he pursued his first goal of a rapid rise in strength after his return to the past. The process was not hard at all as the Rulers were either in the Phantasmal or Mythical Rank, and with the fact that they were not even resisting, Noah was able to destroy their cores very quickly. Not even a few minutes after he entered, his figure appeared back on top of the Spiritual Land as the dungeon that was just erected began to break apart and disappear. It faded away to reveal the sorry figures of four Demon Rulers who had their origins injured after being defeated in the dungeon, and they also came to the realization that they had lost the Ultimate Skills they knew all too well for the past hundreds of years. Noah waved his hands as in front of his sight five red and golden-colored books appeared, four from the Demon Rulers and 1 that he took from the hands of the Imperial Phoenix. The Ultimate Skills that signified the Sins of Lust, Greed, Sloth, Envy, and Wrath floated peacefully around him before they turned into red streams of lights that entered his body. He watched the addition of five new Ultimate Skills in his stat panel as the moment they settled, they began seething a deep red color. Noah''s figure quickly disappeared from the Spiritual Land as he reappeared deep at the center of the Demon World, just a few meters away from its core. "Let''s do it!" The will of the Demon World was watching with rapt expectations as immense energy that only it could provide poured towards Noah. It would finally have the chance to watch the ultimate ability that it had only dreamed of come to fruition! Essence from Noah''s homeworld came into play as the feature of [Skill Combination] that would normally only work for two compatible skills was shining a deep hue of blue, contributing to the combination of the completed Seven Deadly Sins abilities. OOONG! Noah floated near the core of the Demon World as red light ruptured out of his body, the ultimate skills gradually being fused into something else as his skin began to turn a shade of red, and magnificent golden horns began to appear on either side of his head. The transformation seemed to show the progression of the combination of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities as glorious black wings also erupted from his back, his figure becoming bulkier and larger as it let off a feeling of oppressive strength that Noah had only seen in a few beings. Runic golden circles began to be etched into the new body as they formed into an exquisite set of lines throughout his body. The moment they all connected, a resplendent golden-red light erupted out as it signified the arrival of something grand. "Haha, success!" The resonant voice of the will of the world erupted out as Noah closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of strength he currently felt. His eyes opened as they let out a deadly red light, his gaze landing on his stat panel as a new set of words appeared below the list of Ultimate Skills. \u003c\u003cAbsolute Skill :: Absolute Sin\u003e\u003e A skill given to the holder of all the "Seven Deadly Sins" skills. The user is considered to be the Absolute Sin, empowering every sin type skill they hold. It gives access to the skills: [Sin Empowerment], [Harbinger of Sin], [Sin Manipulation], [Sin Syphoning], and [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] A skill of an entirely different level opened itself in front of his eyes as his gaze focused on the singular abilities of the \u003c\u003cAbsolute Sin\u003e\u003e skill. [Sin Empowerment] :: Any Sin type skill will have strength and cost efficiency increase by one order of magnitude. Each ultimate Sin skill will have one power strengthened even more as well. [Harbinger of Sin] :: As the Original and Absolute Sin, the user can appoint each sin to a person, making that person a harbinger of that sin, giving them access to the standard version of that ultimate skill. If the harbinger is killed, the ultimate skill will return as a charge to this skill, allowing for a new harbinger to be picked. The user can at any time take back a sin given out. [Sin Manipulation] :: The user can manipulate the urge of any person, depending on their resistance to such effect, to indulge in any sin or a specific sin. [Sin Syphoning] :: By indulging in any sin or being within 100 meters of sin being committed, the user''s power will temporarily increase. The more varied the sins recently committed, the stronger the boost is. [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] :: The user can turn into the Arch Demon Lord; this will quadruple the strength and cost efficiency of all Sin and Demon skills. It will also double the efficiency and strength of all other skills used by the user during the transformation. ¡­ Power! He felt a tremendous amount of power roll through his body as he understood what this \u003c\u003cAbsolute Sin\u003e\u003e entailed! All of the Seven Deadly Sins skills could be seen as subsets of skills under the \u003c\u003cAbsolute Sin\u003e\u003e, holding a few new sets of descriptions as they were made even better. This wasn''t to mention the fact that he could use [Harbinger of Sin] to appoint these same Ultimate Skills to 7 people that he chose! His gaze shone with a resplendent light as he looked forward to testing the power of this new ability, while his mind continued to rapidly figure out possibilities on how to best use his future knowledge to get the most benefits from the next few days. --- \u003c\u003cDescriptions of the new Seven Deadly Sins\u003e\u003e The Sin of Anger grants access to the skills: [Rage Empowerment], [Fury Channeling], [Anger Avatar], and [Wrath Absorption] [Rage Empowerment] - The angrier the user is, the stronger they become. This skill can increase every stat by one stage when fully enraged. [Fury Channeling] - The user can channel their fury into an attack, and increase it by a maximum of one stage. [Anger Avatar] - The user can manifest their anger into a full-body or partial avatar, the size and strength of the avatar is decided by the user''s anger. [Wrath Absorption] - The user can absorb the anger of beings around them to further strengthen themselves. Sin of Envy grants access to the skills: [Envy the Mighty], [Strength of the Weak], [That''s not fair], and [I''m the Absolute best]. [Envy the Mighty] - When fighting someone stronger than themselves, the user can lower the abilities and stats of the enemy by one stage. [Strength of the Weak] - Throughout a fight against someone stronger, the user is able to temporarily grow stronger. [That''s not fair] - When the user observes someone stronger than them in certain aspects, they easily become envious of those abilities, and will strive to get better than the original person. They''ll also have the training speed reduced to a tenth of what they''d otherwise need. [I''m the Absolute Best] - Opponents are not allowed to use skills known by the user, when fighting the user. Any Unique, Ultimate, or Absolute Skills holding a lower level of power than \u003c\u003cOriginal Absolute Sin\u003e\u003e are negated and unable to activate. Sin of Greed grants access to the skills: [Greedy Ruler], [Loot the Body], and [Not Enough] [Emperor of Greed] The user can steal the ownership of any item they see or sense. [Loot the Body] - The user can steal the abilities and stats of dead beings they touch, but can''t steal from beings above their rank. [Not Enough] A voracious greed that can never be fulfilled dwells within. One can never have too much power, wealth, or treasures. The more treasure the user owns, the more their power is boosted. Sin of Sloth grants access to the skills: [Awaken Sleep], [Strengthened Sleep Training], [Rest Master], and [Sleep Evolution] [Awaken Sleep] - The user is aware of everything going on around them, while they''re asleep. [Strengthened Sleep Training] ¨C If the user is dedicated enough, then they can become stronger by sleeping. By having even the tiniest desire to improve or learn something, the user will rapidly learn and improve in that aspect while sleeping. [Rest Master] - The user can fall asleep in a single second, and a single hour of rest is everything they need to get back to full power, but more sleep won''t hurt anyone. [Sleep Evolution] - When the user breaks into a new stage, they''ll fall asleep, and their body will evolve in a favorable way. Sin of Lust grants access to the skills: [Sex Demon Transformation], [Love Enslavement], [Life Energy Drain], and [Lust Inducement] [Sex Demon Transformation] - The user''s body becomes more attractive in its normal state, but when the skill is activated. The user will turn into a sex demon, and they''ll take on a few of their traits. This will increase the strength of all the other sub-skills by a magnitude of one. A sex demon can change between the form of an incubus and a succubus. [Love Enslavement] - By having sex with another being, the user may be able to take control over the being they had sex with. [Life Energy Drain] - When the user has sex with another being, they can steal 1% of said being''s stats. It also has a 10% chance to steal a skill. [Lust Inducement] - The user can increase the lust other beings feel. This will make it easier for the user to manipulate said being. One of the seven deadly sins unique to the demon world. Abilities include: [Pride Manipulation], [Pride Embodiment], [White Dwarf Throw], and [Aura of Pride]. [Pride Manipulation ]-The user can induce extremely high or low levels of pride in others, causing them to lose contact with reality or overestimate their own abilities. Cannot be applied to oneself. [Pride Embodiment]- When meeting foes holding a higher level of strength, the user gains the power of hubris itself. This power can be used to strengthen attacks or defenses. The level of enhancement is dependent on the true pride lying deep in the user''s heart, which could be nurtured to grow so large that nothing is allowed to overshadow it! [White Dwarf Throw] ¨C Those who dare to stand against the user will be punished by a white dwarf star, while allies will be healed and energized by it. [Aura of Pride] This allows the user to exclude an aura of pure pride, it takes any and all pride in the air and puts it under the user''s control. Any allies within range of the skill will have their powers increased based on the amount of pride, the same happens for enemies but they''ll be weakened instead. The user''s own power will also increase. One of the seven deadly sins unique to the demon world. Abilities include: [Devouring], [Large Stomach], [Library], and [Gluttony Manifestation]. [Devouring] - Filled with endless hunger and thirst, the user can devour their enemies and other entities fully. The user can absorb the full power, complete memory, all skills and abilities, and the full potential of the devoured. The user can also burn the absorbed for healing or a short burst of power equal to the absorbed''s power throughout their past, present, and future. The mana requirement varies depending on what the target is. [Large Stomach] :: An enormous amount of space is made available through the use of this ability, allowing the user to store anything they can devour. [Library] :: Devoured entities are analyzed and stored, their life history and skills laid bare for the user to pick and choose. A maximum of two skills can be extracted from devoured entities. [Gluttony Manifestation]:: The user can apply the effect of [Devouring] anywhere within 5 meters of them, there''s no need to actively eat them. 244 > II A level of power that was not accessible to Noah before could be felt coursing throughout his body as he reveled in the form provided by the [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] ability of the \u003c\u003cAbsolute Sin\u003e\u003e skill. He had only ever felt power of this level from the Grand Elder Amos and the Black Serpent that he had yet to meet in this current time! Power above the Transcendent level; he was actually letting out strength at the Saint rank through his own power when his attributes and skills were only at the Transcendent level! This was the insane boost provided by the complementing skills of the Seven Deadly Sins that made way for the creation of Absolute Sin. It granted him an ability that allowed him to achieve power of the next stage, something marvelous that he never thought to be possible. Noah spent some time familiarizing himself with the many new descriptions that came with the addition of five more seven deadly sins on top of \u003c\u003cAbsolute Sin\u003e\u003e as his eyes landed on a particular ability that shone the most. [Harbinger of Sin] :: As the Original and Absolute Sin, the user can appoint each sin to a person, making that person a harbinger of that sin, giving them access to the standard version of that ultimate skill. If the harbinger is killed, the ultimate skill will return as a charge to this skill, allowing for a new harbinger to be picked. The user can at any time take back a sin given out. The abilities of the Seven Deadly Sins that he held were the strongest forms possible, and he had the right to assign each of the Ultimate Skills to those he chose through the use of this [Harbinger of Sin]! His gaze sharpened as he sent out multiple messages to seven specific beings, his mind already wondering who would be most fit to receive which sin. The abilities were extremely powerful, and would give a huge boost to the strength of anyone that held them. Among the people that passed through his mind, Barbatos, Kazuhiko, and Mikhail were among the top, with his thoughts also wondering about the Ice Queen he had not seen in a while as he decided against it. He did not want others to be fighting fights they did not need to. Aside from the first three, the remaining Mythical beasts from the Beast World were also excellent candidates to nurture with the gift of a Seven Deadly Sins skill. Noah''s figure disappeared from the center of the Demon World away from the celebrating planetary core as he reappeared in the grandly floating Spiritual Land above the Demon Capital. He was still in the Arch Demon Lord form, his arrival causing a heavy pressure to descend to the beings around him as those that were already gathered above the Spiritual Land felt their bodies trembling from the immense power Noah portrayed. Kazuhiko was the only one comfortable enough aside from Barbatos as he came towards Noah with a refreshing smile. "How far behind are you planning to leave all of us before you share something eh?" The confident Kazuhiko was itching with enthusiasm after his contribution to the defeat of the demons, his gaze excitedly watching the Spiritual Land they were on as his mind was already imagining growing his own Spiritual Land to this level. Noah looked at the dark-haired Kazuhiko who was moving around while still clutching his treasured Katana, his gaze somewhat softening after seeing all these people that he felt like he had not seen in ages, even though it had only been more than a week. Barbatos, the Kraken, the Emperor Penguin, Steel Mikhail, the Imperial Phoenix, and the 2nd ranked Demon Ruler Agares were the other 6 figures looking towards Noah with a variety of gazes. Some were respectful, others were fearful, and one was mischievously smiling. He looked at their faces closely as he spoke. "The universe is vast and filled with many dangerous things." Their gazes hardened as they were addressed, even Kazuhiko''s enthusiasm turned serious as they paid attention. "Don''t ever think you are anywhere near the strongest, as there are almost always others much stronger than you. Even now, I can only give the few of you a small boost in strength." He moved as he spoke, his gaze landing on the Emperor Penguin as he activated [Harbinger of Sin], sending a command for the Sin of Pride to be given to the first Beast of his Spiritual Land. OONG! A wild burst of essence erupted as the arrogant penguin felt its body elevated, gradually being filled with strength as a transparent runic marking appeared on top of his head. "RAA! RAA! RAA!" The Emperor Penguin let out loud cries as it noticed the appearance of an Ultimate Skill in its stat panel, its gaze towards Noah softening as it thought that its Master wasn''t so bad after all. The others noticed the change as they looked forward with rapt attention, and Noah continued. "The universe has been here before us for an untold number of years, with so many powerful beings so many levels above us that we cannot even be considered along the same lines." His gaze landed towards the Kraken as he sent another command, the Sin of Wrath being sent forth and appointed to the Calamity of the Sea! "There are old monsters and powerful schemers all around us, and we''re only just beginning to grow." From then on, he moved even faster as he sent multiple commands, the Sin of Greed being sent to Kazuhiko, the Sin of Sloth appointed to Steel Mikhail, the Sin of Envy being appointed to Agares, and the Sin of Lust being appointed to the Imperial Phoenix! Lastly, his gaze turned towards the mischievously smiling Barbatos as he sent the command for the last Sin of Gluttony to be appointed to her. Gorgeous red lights continued to shine all around as the figures of the beings around Noah were elevated, runic markings appearing on each of their heads as Seven new holders of the Seven Deadly Sins were decided. Noah nodded as he continued, his body erupting with strength as he activated the Arch Demon Lord Transformation, a fearsome body of a regal demon appearing in the Spiritual Land. "We are in no hurry, so we will carefully advance forward as we increase our strength. In time, we will build our power and be able to stand with status in this chaotic universe, where we will not be randomly bullied or put under the rule of ruthless beings!" He was saying these words more as a message to the holders of the Seven Deadly Sins in front of him, but they acted more as reminders for himself as he planned for his next movements. He had time on his side, he had to be careful! He could not rush forward randomly, and he needed to build his power as much as possible before he moved. "We can do all of this, together." An air of mystery spread out from the center of the Spiritual Land as Noah stood at the center, surrounded by seven beings looking up at him. The beasts throughout the Spiritual Land felt this environment of power as they let out powerful howls, instinctively feeling winds of change they had not observed before. 245 Acceleration After assigning the abilities of the Seven Deadly Sins to the chosen few, Noah moved forward with the next phase of his plans, the upgrade of the Spiritual Land that would have occurred days from now! The beasts of the Spiritual Land were excitedly looking at this scene, the smell alone that was drifting from the pills already making them send voracious looks. Noah flicked his fingers as the pills flew towards the beasts the moment they finished being made, wanting to get the upgrade of the Spiritual Land as soon as possible for the upgrade of the Time Space from the 1:5 ratio of time and into the 1 to 10 ratio that only appeared after the upgrade into the Fifth Tier. The process was smooth, exactly the same as what had occurred before as the Emperor Penguin was the first to break through and reach the Phantasmal Rank once more, with its brothers and sisters following soon after. The pills were extremely effective for the beasts of the Spiritual Land, but they still provided spectacular boosts in strength similar to cores for other beings. The holders of the Seven Deadly Sins that were still on the Spiritual Land shockingly watching Noah perform this brand new technique as the resplendent pills flew towards them as well, with the Calamities of the Sea not being far behind. The process of breakthroughs into the Phantasmal Rank did not take too long for the beasts of the Spiritual Land, soon meeting the requirement as Noah began putting the required mana into the Spiritual Land that had sensed the requirements for the next stage to be met. Vibrations and a gorgeous show of lights followed thereafter as soon enough, a gloriously improved Spiritual Land that let out a much grander light than before shining brightly above the Demon Capital. The achievement of the Rank 5 Spiritual Land was thus achieved just a few hours after his return, with many more days left before the horrendous events took place in the World of Cultivation. With this goal being met, Noah appeared in the extravagantly large Time Space that he could now spend 10 days in with only a single day passing outside. He would be spending the majority of his time from now on in this space as he trained himself to become even stronger! He had an abundant amount of skills, with a few new ones to peruse through when he thought about the bloodied Celestial that he devoured. His goal was to max the proficiencies of his current skills, and then combine them until he felt confident enough to move forward. It might be boring and strenuous, but it did not matter! Carefulness and much planning was exactly what he required from now on, as something like what had occurred in the Devilish Abode could never be allowed to happen again. Something even more frightening was that for some of the memories where the Celestial Drax was subserviently talking to other beings, these others beings were vortexes of darkness that Noah could actually not observe from the memories! He was shocked to find that a sort of power that could even block others from perusing stolen memories existed, as many of the memories of the young Celestial Disciple were actually blank voids of darkness whenever they involved higher-ups, or his Master! This was yet another wake-up call for the many mysterious powers he was not knowledgable of, but he was still able to significantly expand his network of information with the memories that entailed the life of this young Celestial. For example, he now knew the Planet where one of the many powers of the Celestials was stationed! He knew the identities of which beings were connected to the Celestials from the vast worlds across the Universe, and even more importantly, he knew which Cultivators from the World of Cultivation were connected to the Celestials! This was extremely important information that he could use to his advantage, but there were also many things he could not do. Firstly, unless he wanted to die within a few seconds, he could not even step foot on the planet where he saw the young Celestial Drax talking to the darkness that was his master. The planet was monitored so closely that not even a fly could slip in. But there were many more things he could do with the memories, especially things that aligned with his goals in the Word of Cultivation. He continued to peruse through the memories as he planned, at the same time checking out the skills he could choose from the Devoured celestial. Two extravagantly shining skills appeared in front of him, one unique and one Ultimate, the Celestial truly living up to their names of being powerful. A spectacular set of skills appeared in front of his eyes as he began the long process of understanding his newly gained skills, the uses of \u003c\u003cAbsolute Sin\u003e\u003e, and the practice and constant combinations of the skills that were capable of being combined. It would be long and arduous, but it was required. 30 days passed like this in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land. Only 3 days had passed in the outside world! 246 Roles The passage of time could be very different depending on where one was. In the Demon World, only 3 days had passed since a grandiose new Ruler had risen, yet more than 30 days had passed in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land as Noah finally made huge improvements in his skill combinations and future planning. In the Time Space of the Spiritual Land, the [Sheath Regalia] that required to be recharged in order for the Dagger of Time to be used had been constantly refilled to full charge and used, the ability of [Insight] being used by Noah multiple times over the span of the last 30 days to think about different possibilities he could pursue. [Insight] :: Time can move in a myriad of ways, with no single being able to predict certainties among its chaos. Insight will show the wielder of the Dagger of Time possibilities of what could be. Requires Time Essence from the Regal Sheath in order to be used. The ability was so insanely powerful that it showed possibilities of the future based on what Noah was currently thinking of doing. Following his train of thought while using [Insight], he was able to calculate a few pathways for the future that would be most ideal! This was such a crazy idea to process if he was told he would be doing this just a few weeks ago, but he was already at this stage where something as exemplary as this was becoming the norm. Of course, [Insight] only showed the possibilities of what could happen, it did not foretell of the full future. Any changes could occur as time continues to move that might have not been foreseen through Insight, and that was why the ability only showed the wielder of the Dagger of Time ''possibilities of what could be'', not exactly what would happen. But for Noah, taking into account this stupendous ability added to his many abundant memories, it was more than enough! Events should have already been underway in the outside world, so he would begin to move as well. A meeting was called for the upper echelons of beings from the Beast World, Demon World, and Noah''s Homeworld just a few days after they were made harbingers of one of the Seven Deadly Sins abilities. Noah spent a few hours transferring to the Frozen Kingdom of the Beast World as he went to personally bring the Ice Queen who was still ruling the Frozen Kingdom into prosperity. He had chosen not to make her a harbinger of one the Sins because she was not a fighter, but a ruler. As a ruler though, she could attend meetings like the one they were about to have. Barbatos had her legs resting sideways as she spun around the seat she was in with a bored expression while the Ice Queen regally sat on Noah''s left side with a cold smile. Kazuhiko was looking at this with an envious gaze as Steel Mikhail kept his stone-faced expression. The Ocean Master of Atlantis still constructing his new land in Noah''s Homeworld as well as the miniaturized Calamities of the Sea were also situated in their own seats, a weird scene of a vibrant Goldfish and a vicious Kraken floating above sleek black seats playing itself out. The 2nd ranked Agares was respectfully standing by the side as he tucked his powerful devilish wings behind him, his gaze towards the central figure at the end of the oval table showing slight fear and reverence. The three remaining Mythical Beasts from the Beast World that were led by the Imperial Phoenix were also sitting in their own seats as they adopted human forms. Even closer to Noah was an arrogant miniaturized Penguin that held so much confidence that one could feel it, with its attention occupied as it passed its flippers across its sleek runic marking on its head as it nodded at its reflection on the glass windows surrounding the huge room they were in. A meeting of the highest levels of power across three planets were all collected into a single conference room as a discussion that concerned their future began! The progress of the World Engine from the inhabitants of Atlantis, the most efficient way to improve the strength of awakened beings and the procurement of skills, as well as the creation of dungeons across the three worlds. Noah spent a few hours in this conference room as he grasped to understand all the things he was connected to, before a few final messages were laid out at the end of the meeting. Besides the already ongoing projects, another one was established as Noah put forth the plan for a possible future he had calculated. This was the expansion of their power and influence into more Worlds! They had to act behind the scenes and be sure that they did not catch the attention of anything too powerful, and Noah found the perfect target from the many memories he had obtained these past days. This place was a Large World similar to the Demon World, with the highest level of power being individuals at the Phantasmal level. The one upside is that it was a warring world with many factions, thus a diverse number of Phantasmal beings populated the world. It had no ties to higher worlds or organizations, and was only something that Baal had come across sometime in the past. After cross-referencing with the abundant memories from the Celestial and other beings he had devoured, the Icebound World would serve as their first targetted world that they held no connections to! There were many factions in the Icebound World, with what could be considered forces of evil and good fighting on opposing sides. There were thousands of what could be considered innocents dying every day while the tyrannical powerful continued to roam free. Noah didn''t care too much about this, and was only treating this world as a place that he could send a few of his Harbingers to train and upgrade their power, with the ultimate goal of forming yet another World Connection once his people reigned in supreme power. The one chosen to lead this expedition to the Icebound World was the first beast of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, the Emperor Penguin! His beak rose into the skies after this was decided as coming along with him were the Imperial Phoenix, Kazuhiko, and the Kraken. Steel Mikhail wished to stay true to his role as the protector of the Blue Planet, staying behind to clear the dungeons as he continued to oversee the smooth operations of the Blessed Empire and the United Federation. Agares would occupy his role to keep watch and strengthen the forces of the Demon World while the White Tiger and Black Tortoise would work together with the Ice Queen to strengthen the forces of the Frozen Kingdom and the Mythical Kingdoms of the Beast World. Everybody had their roles, and now it was just to allow the passage of time as they steadily rose their power. The rise of something obscure and unknown was slowly occurring in a small corner of the universe. It was an unknown force that would take the center stage amongst the oncoming chaos. 247 A Confused Devilish Unveiler In a barren mountain filled with heavy snow, a figure silently teleported amidst the freezing winds. His senses spread out as he observed the world around him for miles, nodding his head as he waved his hands and let out multiple figures onto the snowy ground. The sleek and shining fur of the Emperor Penguin glistened in the light as he appeared, surrounded by multiple other beasts from the Spiritual Land. Kazuhiko appeared next, accompanied by two beast girls; one holding a fiery tail of a phoenix and another innocently looking around with feline features. Kazuhiko had vehemently voiced out that one could not have fun on an adventure without a balanced party like his. The Imperial Phoenix also appeared next, surrounded by her generals and protectors. The fearsome Kraken and other Calamities of the Sea were already floating in the air, and the only figure that was missing was the voluptuous Barbatos. She didn''t want to be bothered with what she termed laborious tasks, and opted to train in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land whenever she wasn''t enjoying the luxuries built by Noah all around. The ones that had the mission of the Icebound World were observing their surroundings closely as they looked forward to beginning their journey in this world. "Side with those being unfairly treated, and kill those you see are blatantly causing death and mayhem while you increase your influence. Don''t target those blindly following orders, but the generals and upper ranks that push their agenda onto them. But most of all, grow stronger as you increase your skills and raise your powers." Noah reminded them of things they already discussed as a brilliant light bounced off the sleek fur of the Emperor Penguin, his flippers pounding his chest as he told his Master that he could be counted on! Noah observed this with a light smile as he grasped the Dagger of Time, confirming his thoughts as he unleashed a force of multiple Phantasmal ranked beings on an unsuspecting world. His forces had arrived in the warring Icebound World. --- Confusion was gradually setting into the mind of the Devilish Time Unveiler as he spread out his senses deep within the coffin he was confined in to confirm that the Dagger of Time that was floating above the coffin was inexplicably gone. He did not feel it disappear, nor watch as someone took it. It just felt...gone, like he never had it! His confusion grew into anger as the thoughts fell into place, and he realized just what exactly might have happened in order for the Dagger of Time to not be with him currently. Someone had stolen his partner, and they inexplicably had the sheath that he lost before he went into slumber, and they used it to activate the Dagger of Time with them! His barely waking mind raged as he pieced the things together, his anger rising to levels never before felt as he chose to quickly change his plans. Essence spread out as he used his last wisps of remaining energy to open the Realm in advance, word quickly spreading to the surrounding Sects as watchers were spread throughout the area and observed the changes. Information traveled quickly as Cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect and other surrounding sects quickly gathered and entered the Dangerous Realm, accompanied by otherworlders like the Black Serpent from the Magus World as they greedily went in to look for the treasures of the Devilish Time Unveiler! Unknown to them, the skeletal body of the being they thought to be dead was already pulsing with life as some beings from Phantasmal and Transcendent rank began to face their deaths in the specially designed spaces of the Devilish Abode, a dangerous light passing through the blank darkness where the eyes of the Devilish Time Unveiler used to be as he began to laugh and cackle in his black coffin. ''Haha, whoever you are, I''ll be sure to pay you back one hundredfold for stealing my treasure!'' He was ecstatic as he began to focus on devouring the oncoming origins, not noticing that in the same cavernous space that he had not allowed any beings to enter yet, a single being had inexplicably appeared far in the distance of the trembling temple that housed his coffin! The focus of the Devilish Time Unveiler was fully placed into absorbing the oncoming origins as much as possible. He needed to regain much of his power before this unknown enemy that now held in his hands the Dagger of Time could even get the chance to reap his life while he wasn''t fully recovered. ''The Dagger of Time required the use of a tremendous amount of Time Essence! Even someone at the Void Fimmerment Realm would not be able to produce enough Time Essence to fill the Sheath Regalia in such a short period of time, so the Dagger will be unusable if the enemy chose to come back now!'' Yes! From his knowledge, he had some time before his unknown enemy would ever get the idea of coming, and thus he needed to move his plans forward differently from what he would have done before, changing any possible future that his enemy would have seen! "Haha, Haha!" Crackles of laughter resounded throughout as the Devilish Time Unveiler felt things coming into place, the origins he had absorbed being enough to allow his cultivation stage to start breaking through the Saint Realm once more! He felt this overpowering feeling of strength as essence converged towards his core, feeling ecstatic as he would be one rank away the moment he stabilized his cultivation in the Saint Realm! This was his power, it laid in his deep planning and schemes that allowed him to revive hundreds of years after he should have been dead. Even if he had lost his treasure to a wicked enemy in a previous time, he would get it back and pay them back a hundredfold. He began stabilizing his cultivation at the Saint Realm as grandiose thoughts floated through his head. It was at this moment though, that he suddenly felt resounded alarm bells as he spread his senses outwards, feeling speedily approaching attacks that caused cracks to spread throughout the temple and the sky around the cavernous space to tremble! What! To his horror, in the middle of his breakthrough to the Saint Realm, at this extremely crucial juncture, someone that had been hiding from his senses attacked him! "WHO DARES!!!" 248 Too Much! "WHO DARES!!!" Rumbling ensued as he felt a strain in his core, stopping his advancement halfway as he directed his half Saint Realm essence to form an extremely minuscule Black Hole! Different from a timeline that the Devilish Time Unveiler had yet to experience, this Black Hole did not have even half the strength it would have had when he used it against a descending Spiritual Land. He frantically placed more essence to stabilize the protective Black Hole that flew towards the numerous and heavy attacks that were raining from the skies! A large amount of extremely condensed white dwarf stars that carried a tremendous amount of weight were crashing down towards his coffin nonsensically. As if this was not enough, accompanying these many stars was a brilliantly shining golden trident that shone with an outline of a menacing red light. Coursing on the empty spaces of these stars and gloriously shining weapons were jagged spikes of bones that painted a picture never before seen. The sky over the cavernous space shimmered with beautiful white light from the wide expanse on deadly bones, white dwarf stars, and a piercing golden Trident of the Sea that thundered down to meet the center of the coffin! BOOOM! A vigorous tremor spread out as the coffin housing a skeletal figure exploded out, the temple it was housed on top of crumbling to the ground! "HMPH!" An arrogant snort rang out as the emaciated skeleton was filled with confidence even after this sneak attack at a critical juncture, but it was just him not being aware that he had already fallen under the effects of multiple debuffing and weakening skills, while his pride was already getting boosted rapidly to extremely high degrees. Half of his chest bones were missing as he was dealt a heavy blow as a golden trident was solidly wedged within, but he still stood strong. The Devilish Time Unveiler looked at the highest point of the cavernous space as he found the outline of a fiendish demon with an aura that screamed regality. His emaciated body moved quickly as he moved to eliminate the deadly intruder, using the half Saint Realm essence that he could not finish consolidating as he started off with the strongest attack he could muster to end this quickly! "Spatial Rupture!" Ruptures spread out in space as they snaked through the skies, trying to lock on to an abstruse target in the skies. The Devilish Time Unveiler looked on expectantly when a foreboding feeling erupted as he heard a single word! "Stop." ¡­ OOOM [Stop] :: Time can be brought to a halt in a specified area. This ability goes against natural laws and will require a tremendous amount of Time Essence every time it is active. 24 hours are required before this ability can be used again. In the cavernous space around them, time had come to a stop. The Devilish Time Unveielr watched with endless horror as an ability he was very much familiar with was used against him. Terror began creeping in as this old schemer saw the fast movements of the only being that could move in this stopped time, the initiator of the ability of the Dagger of Time, the one who had taken it from him! Noah saw the trembling light in the eyes of this fearsome schemer as he moved rapidly, the Time Essence he had fully recharged in the [Sheath Regalia] reducing at high speeds as he kept the ability to stop time active. He only had a few seconds. His figure moved in a circular manner around the skeletal figure that was frozen in space, its hands reaching towards the skies as he cast a tremendous amount of skills all around. [Sin Empowerment], [Rage Empowerment], [Fury Channeling], [Aura of Pride]...there were actually too many skills one could spend hours singularly looking at them and their exuberant effects, but the core of their purpose remained the same. They heavily boosted his attributes and damage he could deal while heavily weakening his enemies, simple as that! The Time Essence in the [Sheath Regalia] was rapidly being used up as the Devilish Time Unveiler watched on with horror as one layer of domineering white dwarf stars surrounded by bones with menacing lights that covered his eyesight. He had faced an attack of this level just before, and it had nearly destroyed his upper right chest. Now, another one was coming the moment time began to move again, and he could not defend himself! He prepared for the worst, but soon came to realize that he did not fully imagine what the ''worst'' could be. One could still see gaps among the numerous stars and bones that surrounded him in a circular manner, but that soon changed as he observed another set of stars and bones form a second layer. The area where he was surrounded in gradually became dark as all the gaps were filled with even more attacks. Terror was fully unbound within the Devilish schemer''s heart as he did not understand how his enemy could produce such a large number of attacks in this instant. Even him during his prime would have run out of energy by now, so he wondered how his enemy had layered so many attacks in a matter of seconds! His achievements in the Law of Spacetime allowed him to barely use his senses in this stopped time as he despairingly felt another layer of white dwarf stars and bones appear. A fourth layer. A fifth layer. By the sixth layer, the darkness of his skeletal eyes completely dimmed as only sparse thoughts passed through his mind. ''Wasn''t this too much?'' ''Wasn''t this unfair?'' A single thought, and it was the last thought of a thousand-year-old schemer as the force of hundreds of white dwarf stars surrounded by piercing bones that caused space to tremble came tumbling down the moment time could move forward again. CRACK! 249 Annoyance with Spatial Locks A tremor shook the entire Devilish Abode, the beings inside it feeling a destabilizing of space as something akin to the most horrendous bomb had exploded. In a particular cavernous space, space was trembling as it weaved back together, the power concentrated at one location having been too tremendous for the spatial laws of this world and causing it to fold. In the space where a large temple and a black coffin used to stand, sandy white particles of bones were all that remained as Noah let out calm breaths. He saw the burst of skill books and cores erupt from the grounded skeleton that was the Devilish Time Unveiler as he confirmed the schemer''s death! Through [Insight], he had seen that one of the fastest ways he could have taken down the thousand-year-old cultivator quickly and without waiting for any unforeseeable events was to attack while he was trying to stabilize his cultivation at the Saint Realm. Begin with a single attack that would weaken and reduce his defenses without his knowledge, and then use the killer combination of actually stopping time, however briefly, to unleash a concentrated attack from all sides! The result was the death of an old schemer who still did not fully know what was going on. In his regal Arch Demon Lord form, Noah went forward and collected the loot as he used [Devouring] on the remaining crushed up bones as he quickly perused the memories of the Devilish Time Unveiler. He made it his goal to take this being down not just as a payback, but also because it was a cultivator that was proficient in the Law of Spacetime. He wanted to peek at the memories and skills, as well as possibilities to the problem that he always faced when he was in the most danger- not being able to teleport because someone more powerful had locked space! His mind moved quickly as his body automatically disappeared into the Time Space of the Spiritual Land, knowing that combing through the memories of a thousand-year-old schemer would take some time, and there were still other beings in this Devilish Abode. --- The Magus leading the expedition into the Devilish Abode, Black Serpent, was warily sensing the surrounding space that had begun to tremble and destabilize as he chased down a group of cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect. His target was actually the group led by Elder Dan, the actual Elder Dan of the Time Immemorial Sect that had not been taken down by Noah this time! The other Elders and Legacy Disciples with them were frantically throwing out attacks as they defended themselves against the power of the Saint Ranked Black Serpent, the image of a corporeal death serpent becoming rapidly solid as it bore its powerful jaws towards them. "Otherworlder, the Time Immemorial Sect will hunt you down like the dog that you are!" Would this really be where the great Elder Dan faced his death? A terrifying thought passed through the Elder''s mind as he looked at the other Transcendent Realm Elder and the disciples they protected. Their power could not stand against a Saint Realm individual, and thus it was very likely that they would face death in the hands of these unscrupulous otherworlders! Elder Dan was unreconciled as his body shone brightly, ready to give it his all as he valiantly turned around to face the enemies while he gave the others a chance to escape. "Elder Dan!" "Elder!" Heartfelt shouts rang out as the valiant Elder dashed towards the group of Magi, seeing Black Serpent''s huge form chuckling as it opened its jaws wide to swallow him up. ''Sigh, forgive me Grand Elder.'' He let out a valiant shout as he prepared for death, but death would not be coming for him today. OONG! Space trembled as a small black dot appeared between the forces of Magi and Elder Dan, and from this small black dot, numerous Dragonoid heads erupted out. It was a scene of horror as the terrifying heads were mixed with all sorts of colors, the only issue is that there were too many of them! They stretched out from the black dot endlessly in long lines as their poisonous jaws weaved in the space towards the terrified Magi who found out they could not move! Around them, transparent cages were locking them in space, making them completely unable to move as the numerous Dragonoid heads attached to continuously strengthening necks neared them and snapped their jaws shut, forever swallowing their bodies. "OOOOH!" Black Serpent let out a wild shout as he tried to summon the Serpent Ancestor, but found to his horror that he could not activate his abilities. Without his knowledge, something else besides the tens of Dragonoid heads that had stretched out from the small black dot in space, rapidly constricting his large body as he felt himself losing control every second. "Wai-" CRUNCH! Numerous bones cracked in throughout his body as the last thing he saw was enveloping darkness from numerous poisonous jaws. Elder Dan''s heart trembled as he viewed the monstrosity in front of him, not being able to move as he observed the tens of ferocious heads that were attached to powerful and even more numerous tentacles. An absurd monstrosity that only released these features from a single black dot in space had completely devoured the party of multiple Magi who held a Saint Realm Magus in the lead! Elder Dan did not know what to do as he tried to calm his fear, seeing the many long heads eerily turn their eyes towards him as the tens of tentacles rapidly receded into the small black dot. "Th-thank you, Esteemed Sir!" Elder Dan stuttered out a reply as he felt the auras of the other Elders of the Time Immemorial Sect, quickly going to join them as they tried to get out this monstrosity''s side as soon as possible. The monstrosity, or really Noah, looked forth curiously as he wondered why the Magi he had saved before were hunting down cultivators. Seeing their voracious gazes as they hunted down those weaker than them, he simply moved and wiped them out as he tested one of his first Saint Ranked skills he synthesized during his month-long training. From the combination of the Transcendent rank [The Calamitous Leviathan] and [Violet Immemorial Second Stage- Sands of Time], and later with the combination of the Transcendent+ [Violet Immemorial Third Stage-Cage of Time], he had been able to produce a skill that was proficient in controlling space while dealing a tremendous amount of damage from an obscene amount of heads and tentacles. SAINT [Aberrant Saint] :: From a single point in space, the terror of a calamitous monstrosity blooms. Capable of growing up to 100 heads and tentacles that strangle and hold the user''s enemies in powerful Spatial Locks the moment they are discovered as targets. It was a powerful skill, one that he would soon be able to combine into a Saint+ skill the moment he made the time to train in the Time Space some more. His gaze was on the ability of Spatial Locks as he smiled first at the abundant amount of information he had found from the memories of the Devilish Time Unveiler. Secrets about the powers of the World of Cultivation that very few beings knew, as well as a possible solution that would lead him to obtain the power that would allow him to break free of a space being locked down, something that had occurred twice to him now and nearly cost him his life. He perused the memories of the beings from the Magus world first as he already looked ahead to future plans. They would involve one of the three Supreme Sects of the World of Cultivation, the sect where the Devilish Time Unveiler originated, and the place which would provide Noah with the power he was looking for! 250 Who are you, really? Celestial Drax was moving through the trembling Devilish Abode with confusion and doubt. From the fluctuations of space, he could observe that this Devilish Abode did not have too long before it folded in itself and collapsed! But this did not make sense, as it would make his mission unachievable. His master would never hand him a mission he could not accomplish, so there was a swirl of confusing thoughts as he wagered whether to teleport out of this space and abandon his mission of looking for the Cursed Item. The Punisher by his side stood strong as his power was ready to burst out at any moment. Drax was about to give the command to continue searching the abode a bit longer, when another command traveled through space and struck his head as fast as lightning. OONG "Come back!" Golden fluctuations erupted as a thin light of light descended down the young Celestial''s head and he received his head. He was shocked to hear his master''s voice ring out with such sternness, and did not waste a single second a golden light wrapped both him and the punisher, their figures turning into golden particles of light as they disappeared. They both appeared on a location known by very few not too far from the World of Cultivation where a vibrant blue gateway was standing vibrantly. The young Celestial Drax pulled out a medallion that activated the mechanism, allowing both him and the Punisher to be sent to the location they called home. In the peacefully rotating star that was one of the core bases of the Celestials, the young Celestial Disciple appeared before his master again as he sank to his kneed right away. "I have failed my task, Grandmaster!" He kept his head low as he atoned for not achieving what he was assigned to do, while the Grandmaster in front of him looked forward with a mysterious expression. "Someone has interfered with the workings of fate." Shocking words were the only thing the young Celestial heard as what he heard shook him to his core! An interference with the workings of fate? That was something that very few could do! He held skills like the Eye of Fate that could somewhat influence fate for a brief period of time, but he could never hope to interfere with the workings of fate with his level of power. So what exactly did his master mean? "The things I foresaw were changed entirely, to the point where even you lost your life." The Grandmaster continued to speak slowly as his aged body that let out maddening levels of power stood up to water the colorful Medicinal Plants all around the mystical monastery they were on. His aged voice turned serious as he continued. "The one responsible for the interference is extremely adept, as they are causing the unraveling of Order from very small but important changes. I have only just begun using the Celestial Eye to observe the possible future changes and¡­" BOOM! It felt like an explosion occurred in the mind of the young Celestial as he stood up and looked forward in shock, the words coming out of the Grandmaster being so shocking that even someone of his level was terrified. An Infernal Lord?! "This cannot be allowed to happen. I will begin sending messages soon to assemble our forces, with our first action being the recruitment of more powerhouses and moving up the Infernal Hunt a hundred years earlier than planned." The aged Grandmaster said the words slowly as his attention fully turned towards the shocked disciple. "This unraveling occurred in the World of Cultivation, and the traces of the one being used to alter fate might still be there. When things are in place, you will be accompanied by your fellow disciples back into this World, where you all will participate in the Infernal Hunt through our proxy there." The young Celestial Drax felt his heart shake as he faced the gaze of his master, quickly rising up as he placed his right hand above his left chest and affirmed the words he just heard. "Yes, Grandmaster. For Order and Balance!" The words of his master continued to pass through his mind as his heart trembled at the thought of their significance. A rise of a new Infernal Lord! This was a terrifying thought, as even the current ones that were active in the Realms of Hell were tyrannical beings that only brought destruction to anything they set their eyes to. To prevent the rise of any new Infernal Lords, there was a commitment among many of the major powers in the Universe to routinely conduct a dangerous Infernal Hunt in the First Realm of Hell where almost all the current Infernal Lords had their beginnings. He had never gotten the chance to go to one before, but this chance had been moved up by a whole century because of the alteration of fate. His mind thought back to the World of Cultivation that he had just left, as he looked forward more than ever to get back to it. Chaotic undercurrents were beginning to flow slowly, and he would be one of those at the very center of it! Celestial Drax''s gaze was strong and confident as he took his leave from the monastery to prepare. The Grandmaster looked at this disciple as his dangerous eyes flashed with golden light, his gaze turning to the skies as he pierced through the layers of space and observed a world quite a distance away. ''Which imbecile would interfere with fate at such a crucial juncture?'' Many thoughts and possibilities passed through the mind of the Grandmaster as he thought of the Cursed Item that would have served to bring even more order in the Universe, and this item being lost in the wind once more. ''Hmph, no matter what schemes are concocted in the dark, what are they but mere distractions when it comes to our power?'' A golden light of confidence shone throughout the monastery as the Grandmaster thought this simple thought, the surroundings releasing a burst of essence and glowing gold as if agreeing to his thoughts! Confidence! Utter and absolute confidence! This was a sort of confidence that only came to those who believe in the surety of their power as the existence of the stars in the stellar space. ''Any who try to destroy Order will fall, this time will not be any different.'' The Grandmaster took his radiant Watering Can that released a rainbow-colored liquid filled with an overabundance of essence as he went back to watering the numerous Medicinal Plants peacefully, a scene of peace playing out on one of the Celestial Stars. 251 Who are you, really? II Back in the World of Cultivation, a multitude of thoughts bloomed in Noah''s mind as he delved into the memories of the beings from the Magus World, his eyes being opened up once more to the many things he did not know of in this universe. There was an abundant amount of information, but the one holding most importance was the reason why the Saint Ranked Black Serpent was leading a force of Magi to kill and obtain the bodies of Cultivators Black Serpent belonged to one of the central powers of the Magus World. Shockingly, this central power actually held grand designs of power that involved the use of the bodies of cultivators! Noah connected the things he continued to peruse through his memories with a being he had recently come in contact with, the Celestial who was given the mission to obtain the Dagger of Time that he had taken for himself. The Celestial had come with a protector that was known as a Punisher, and those like the Devilish Time Unveiler knew more information, like the fact that the Punishers were all beings of the Elven Race turned under the command of the Celestials with no will of their own. Shockingly, one of the powers of the Magus World was trying to build up a force similar to the Punishers, with their research allowing them to use the bodies of Cultivators as the base for their new creations! It was a grand scheme that was already underway, with many Transcendent Rank puppets in the hundreds already being made successfully, and those of higher rank slowly increasing. Noah pondered these new set of events as they did not take center stage of his attention even now, his mind already set on getting his hands on the powerful skill that would allow him to always escape whenever he wished, even with spatial locks in place. This was one of the first steps he was taking as he gradually, and carefully, increased his power. This would require him to spend some time in one the most powerful sects on the World of Cultivation, the Profound Astral Sect. This Sect was the origin of the Devilish Time Unveiler, and also the place that held a skill which even the Devilish Unveiler did not get his hands on before he left the sect. Coming to the subject of the old schemer, Noah gave another look at the many Saint Ranked cores and skills that burst out of him. Even though the schemer used to be at the rank above Saint in his prime, he was only at the Saint Rank when Noah killed him, and the rewards reflected that. If he had waited for the Devilish Time Unveiler to achieve his wishes and obtain his cultivation at the Void Fimmerment Realm, only a repeat of horrendous events would occur again. Many of the skill books were the skills he had seen the Devilish Unveiler use himself, and they would only serve as great addition of skills he could use to combine with his [Abberant Saint] as they were of the space attribute. Many of the things he had planned for were falling in place, with the addition of even more that he hadn''t thought about before. He remained careful as his figure teleported from the Devilish Abode, having roamed in it as long as he could but still not being able to find the other target he was looking for, the Celestial Disciple. He appeared above a large mountain that was surrounded by multiple peaks, the location of the Main Peak of the Karmic Sect that he had been led to when he first arrived in the World of Cultivation. He had already used [Insight] to test the possibilities of events when it came to the mysterious Sect Master Inuit who had always been his helper, and yet he still did not understand enough information about him. The results from [Insight] were a huge surprise to him, as they portrayed what he was watching now in an eerie fashion. In the Karmic Sect he had seen before that was filled with thousands of disciples training and moving about on each of the peaks surrounding the main peak, there was only silence and quietness. The peaks surrounding the mountain he was standing on looked deserted, as if nobody had been there to begin with. Even the main peak he stood on only held a single elevated platform that stood out, everything else surrounded by trees and vegetation. The Karmic Sect that he had seen with his own eyes, as well as many of its disciples, was nowhere to be found! In the only elevated platform that stood out, a single aged old man with a calm smile was sitting down in deep meditation. Noah''s entrance seemed to have caused a change as the wizened Sect Master Inuit opened his blank eyes towards Noah. Having seen some of the possibilities through [Insight], Noah was not too worried, as this was also the same being who had saved him from certain death in the Lost World of Atlantis. He just wanted to understand his motives. He gazed at the serene face of the being he knew as ''Sect Master Inuit'' as he asked. "Who are you, really?" A bright smile bloomed on the face of the old man in front of Noah as his blank eyes focused on him. "I am only an old thing, a nobody that is still trying to follow some principles." Noah nodded at the usual obscure answer as he also sat down and asked. "You knew of what would happen in the Devilish Abode?" A nod came as the ''Sect Master Inuit'' waved his hands and allowed a teapot with two steaming cups of tea to appear between the two of them. "Yes. It was something you had to go through yourself without any help. You were able to do it successfully, and thus we have been able to initiate a change that will only perforate into something grander as time passes. I could not force my influence in it too much, as that would have been a cause for an entirely different set of results." Noah sipped on the fragrant tea in front of him as the old man continued. "There are no save points or take-backs from now on though, and it all lays on your shoulders. The tools you have should be more than enough for you to proceed with a certain degree of certainty and success though, otherwise I would not have bothered." As they were talking, Noah noticed the figure of the old man gradually becoming more and more transparent, as if he would fade away at any moment. He looked at this as he asked. "You won''t even tell me who you are or what exactly you want?" Slight surprise appeared on the gradually transparent face as it replied. "My identity will be of no use to you right now, and you will eventually see me again if you follow the path you are on now. As for my purpose¡­" His disappearing figure gazed around the trees surrounding them as he continued. "...well, as hypocritical as it is, peace is one of my goals. Along with the simple destruction of cowards that continue to bring us closer to ruin because of their prideful ideals. But none of this will be of any use to you now. I have interfered as much as I can, and things will now play out depending on your future choices. Trust in yourself and those around you, and I''m sure I''ll be seeing you again before you know it." A smile that seemed to contain a variety of emotions remained on the fading Sect Master Inuit as his blank eyes continued to gaze at Noah, until he disappeared from his sight. The particles that made up his being disappeared in a blink as they crossed through space, shooting off faster than the speed of light to a faraway distance, only to arrive and covertly disappear into a particular star. The particles of light made a swift beeline for a location deep in the center of this star, going towards a dark space near the core where there was a simple styled golden cage that was holding a single being. The cage was simple in its style, but unlike anything seen before as it held countless spikes that pierced the being held at the very center. The spikes were golden and went forward to pierce the body of this being thoroughly, entering one side of his body and leaving through another. Countless bloody gashes were apparent as golden-red blood continued to leak from the body of this being, the blood following a created path on the floor as it was drained into some unknown location. A strong beating heart could be seen among the gashes on the impaled body, drawing an interesting contrast. The particles of light entered this impaled being, causing a wheeze to come out as sickly coughs were released, even more droplets of golden-red blood leaking out. After this fit of coughing, a calm smile appeared on the face of the being that was impaled on all sides. Aside from the many spikes impaling him throughout, a level of strength that many beings would never come across their entire lives was vibrantly showing even while a tremendous amount of blood continued to leave the body of this being. The head that was impaled along with almost all other parts of the body rose as blank white eyes looked up from the dark space they were in, peering across the prison and overlooking many of the locations on the star they were on. Among the many things the blank eyes saw, one of them was the scene of a wizened old man holding a vibrant Watering Can as he tended to treasured Medicinal Plants in a simple styled monastery. A golden light bounced from his body and into his surroundings as he had no idea he was being observed, continuing with his routine as usual. The impaled being observed this and many more things occurring on this star that held more powerhouses than many would see in their lifetimes as a calm smile spread across their disfigured face. ''The cards have been set, and all the pieces are in place. Now, we only wait for time to pass and see where fate leads us.'' In the silence on this enclosed space holding a golden cage, a being closed their blank white eyes as they observed and waited. 252 Serenity Noah looked around the peak he was on as many thoughts passed through his mind, realizing he did not really get any solid answers, but knowing that there was an unknown being somewhere who could be considered to be on his side. None of the memories he held were of any help as he gazed at the peaceful vegetation and trees surrounding him, his thoughts wandering from his next goals, and what he wanted for himself. He thought of the beings around him, those that depended on him, and those that he stood above. He thought of the two women he still did not fully open up himself to, as well as the woman taking care of a small Star City he had nearly forgotten about. He could be considered strong and powerful to an extreme degree when others looked at him, but there was always a place where one would be weak at. After the loss of his parents, he did not open himself up to anyone fully, not wanting there to even be a possibility of feeling the same pain he felt back then. Without his conscious knowledge, he had gotten extremely close to some of the women around him, that when he witnessed one of them ripped apart right in front of him, he was reminded of a pain he never thought he would feel again. Even when he reversed everything and events returned to a better past, he still held those memories, and they weighed heavily on his mind. This was why he was not against it when Barbatos said she wanted to remain in the Spiritual Land and do her training there. This was why he continued to let the Ice Queen manage the Frozen Kingdom as a Ruler, and not someone he wanted to fight on the front lines. Gradually, he was realizing that he was slowly opening himself up again to these people around him. This provided a conduit that could cause him great pain, something he had experienced before and never wanted to come across again. He gazed at the serene trees on the mountaintop he stood on as he continued to be lost in his thoughts. Was it truly worth to open himself up to others like this? To open up the possibility to feel a tremendous amount of pain again? Many thoughts appeared and disappeared in his mind as he was not able to find an answer. He stared at the leaves of trees swaying peacefully on the mountain he stood on as he closed his eyes and felt the abundant essence that could be felt everywhere in the World of Cultivation. He felt the bubbling power in his body that was constantly boosted by Ultimate Skills from the Seven Deadly Sins, by Transcendent and Saint Ranked skills, as well as the naturally powerful Golden Sea Body he gained from the Lost World. He absorbed the Saint Ranked [Core]s from his loot as his body gradually entered a serene state, and he fell asleep. [Sleep Evolution] - When the user breaks into a new stage, they''ll fall asleep, and their body will evolve in a favorable way. [Awaken Sleep] - The user is aware of everything going on around them, while they''re asleep. The abundant amount of origin he was absorbing from the Saint Ranked [Core]s were rapidly absorbed as a milky white color began to surround him. The [Sleep Evolution] ability came into full effect as it caused this milky white aura to explosively increase, his entire body being covered as he felt his bones and musculature be improved in ways he did not think could be further improved. His dark hair flowed and became more abundant, obtaining a glossy sheen as it neared his shoulders as if he had not given himself a haircut for the longest time. The already compact musculature all over his body became more pronounced and refined as the milky white color exploded out, revealing a body that he recognized, yet it looked much more beautified. His gaze lingered on himself for a few brief seconds before he shook his head wearily, not wanting to obtain the traits of a certain arrogant penguin as he stood up from the mountain and took into account the remaining Transcendent and Saint Cores he held with him. Because of [Sleep Evolution], he saw that his attributes at the Saint Rank were already more than halfway maxed, the supposed ''favorable'' evolution from this Ultimate Skill not being a joke. This brought about new uses for the cores that he did not really need. A few more points in his [Vitality] or [Strength] would not really do anything for his power, and they could be put to better use if given to those around him. Many of the beings around him were at the Phantasmal Rank at this moment, and he would divide the remainder of the Transcendent and Saint Ranked [Core]s he did not need to have them upgrade their attributes to enter the next ranks. Even if they didn''t have skills of the equivalent rank, their power would still be boosted as they held Ultimate and Unique skills that only grew stronger depending on what rank the user was. There was also the abundant [Law Crystals] from the cultivators he had taken down recently, vastly improving any of his skills that could be placed in the category of Water, Time, or Space attribute. He continued to peruse through all of these gains as his body lifted off the mountain peak, looking around him for the last time and then flying away. Plans about the distribution of loots and his future moves were outlined in his mind as his figure began moving towards the direction of one the three Supreme Sects in the World of Cultivation, the Profound Astral Sect. In this sect, he had plans of infiltration that would allow him to gain access to one of the prized Treasures that was only given to the Core Disciples of the sect that showed the most promise, potential, and strength. In the Profound Astral Sect, Elders at the Saint Rank were not rare, with the most talented Core Disciples that could be called geniuses actually having similar cultivation as the Elders of the Sect. Multiple powerhouses at the Void Fimmerment Cultivation Realm were also situated in this powerful Sect, with many mysteries surrounding the Sect Leader of this Profound Astral Sect. Yet, Noah had extremely clear memories from a certain Devilish Unveiler that detailed much of the secrecy and mystery surrounding this powerful sect, giving him a very clear picture of how he should start. His memories were a few hundred years behind, but the players remained the same, just slightly more powerful. His goal was to first observe and collect information on the current Core Disciples of the Profound Astral Sect before making a move and obtaining an identity as one. After that, it was simply careful planning and scheming as he made his way closer and closer to something that even the Devilish Time Unveiler was denied. His mind cleared up from the reverie of thoughts as his figure became enveloped in a dark light, the [Aberrant Saint] that was proficient in space being activated as a single minuscule ball of darkness flew even faster in the air. In this small piece of darkness, numerous vicious Dragonoid heads and suffocating tentacles that nobody could see were contained, just waiting to be unleashed at a moment''s notice. 253 The Genius Wastrel of the Profound Astral Sec Among magnificent mountain peaks and landscapes, one of the three Supreme Sects in the World of Cultivation proudly stood with shining grandeur and regality. Many of the major sects made it a habit to find large and famous mountains to build their Sects on, and the founders of this Supreme Sect occupied the natural wonder that was the Steller Sky Mountains! The surrounding lands near the abundant mountain peaks were all under the control of this powerful sect that held stupendous techniques geared towards the spatial attributes. Geniuses all over the world flocked over to this sect in order to learn their numerous intuitive ways of manipulating essence to bring wondrous effects in the space surrounding them. A sect filled with competitiveness and spirit, where the Disciples were encouraged to be free and unbound, staying true to their hearts as they followed their path of cultivation with only a single final goal- to become the strongest! This was the sect that held sway over ? of all the lands in the World of Cultivation, the birthplace and congregation of geniuses, the Profound Astral Sect! In the many mountain peaks of the Stellar Sky Mountains, there was a particularly busy one where cultivators left their lonely abodes to come down and revel in the many enjoyments provided from the wealthy peaks around Profound Astral Sect. This peak was actually termed Sunset Paradise, with the famous lines that once the sun set, paradise with all of its wonders would open up. In a particular establishment in Sunset Paradise, a rare confrontation was occurring between two disciples of the Profound Astral Sect. This could be considered an extremely rare occurrence as this confrontation was not between some outer or even inner disciples of the sect, this was a confrontation between two Core Disciples of the Profound Astral Sect! Any disciple that gained the title of a Core Disciple was known to be an unmatched powerhouse, with some of them even nearing the power of some of the Elders of their sect. This was the case for one of the Core Disciples that was involved in this confrontation, vigorous power leaking out of his body which made the observers in the establishment almost turn their eyes away from the sight. Some observers were whispering in hushed voices as they watched the unfolding show in an isolated space barrier that was erected between the two Core Disciples. "Is the Shining Son of the Profound Astral Sect back here to pick up the dredge of waste again?" Words that would be considered extremely disrespectful towards one holding the status of a Core Disciple were thrown out without worry from a bystander as another replied. "Ay, the wastrel of Profound Astral Sect came down to drink and cause trouble again. How many prostitutes do you think he ended the lives of today?" "Haha, then why don''t you stand up to him and give the wastrel a beating?" One friend dared another to openly act against a Core Disciple of the Profound Astral Sect as a silence came briefly, before the entire establishment broke out in a burst of raucous laughter. "Haha, touch the wastrel? Not unless you want to lose your life!" "He''s the worst, but still the Core Disciple of the Profound Astral Sect. He''s untouchable!" Even though insults were being thrown around at this particular disciple of one the three Supreme Sects, all the beings here knew that they could only watch as he did what he wished, but could never act against him. The bystanders were careful to only throw words of disdain towards the one known as wastrel of the Profound Astral Sect, but they were very careful to only sing praises when it came to the other Core Disciple confronting him, the Shining Son whose name resounded across the Steller Sky Mountains, the one known as William! This was a known reality- that one could throw disdain and make fun of only a single core disciple of the Profound Astral Sect, and that was the wastrel that held the name of Crixus. A powerful name, a waste of a person! That was the only way to describe Crixus. The Shining Son spoke calmly to the drinking Crixus as his eyes could not hide the disdain. "Do you hear that? The sound of nobodies are actually laughing right in front of your face with no fear. They are ridiculing you as if you are nothing. Does this not fill you with a sense of shame to actually stop doing the things you''ve been doing, my dear Junior Brother?" It was a common message that a caring Elder Disciple would give to another, and William had even cast an isolation barrier and caused no words coming out between them to leak out. This seemed like a courtesy, but whenever he spoke, his lips moved, and this meant everyone in the establishment knew what words were said between them. Of course, this was something that William knew, and had even planned this way! Seeing no reply from the Crixus that just continued to drink, a dangerous light passed through William''s eyes as he turned and began moving away, dissolving the barrier of space as he knew nothing else would get across the drunken brain today. "Even though you are a waste of space, you are still Profound Astral Sect''s waste of space. Any ridicule directed towards you is also aimed at your sect." His vibrant power at the Saint Realm erupted out as a heavy pressure descended, his words carrying with them an insult to Crixus and a warning to the surrounding bystanders who quickly turned away and went back to their food and drinks. The Shining Son left the establishment with light steps as his body disappeared from everyone''s sights in a blink of an eye, but his disdain for his junior disciple still very much apparent! There was a long history between the two that caused this disdain and conflict that many people did not know, and it was this conflict that caused William to descend from his Cultivation Abode every time he heard the news of the wastrel going wild in Sunset Paradise again. The simple conflict that was only known among a few cultivators in the Profound Astral Sect was the fact that very early on during their cultivation journeys, William had his eyes on a particular Senior Sister, and so did Crixus! Crixus was the son of a famous Elder in the Profound Astral Sect, while William was a normal genius disciple just beginning his cultivation. To William''s dismay, he found out just a few months into his journey in the Profound Astral Sect that Crixus had used his identity to force himself on this Senior Sister, ruining her face and making her ashamed to even be seen around the sect. This beautiful senior sister finally could not take it, and with the help of a certain Elder that did not want things to garner too much attention, she ended up leaving the sect to start anew elsewhere, her history with the Profound Astral Sect forever ending. This event had caused a tremendous wedge to grow between William and Crixus, with William using this rage and directing it towards his cultivation, his genius comprehension being put to full use as he grew to a powerful genius of the Profound Astral Sect and gained the title of the Shining Son! With his new title, even with the fact that Crixus had a father for an Elder, William could now look down and even act against him as he wished to some extent. This was also one of the reasons why Crixus was drinking and ruining the lives of poor women frequently nowadays, his cultivation had not been able to advance from the Transcendent Realm all these years, and the cause was none other than William. A duel had been called forth by the Shining Son some years ago, and William used this duel to deal heavy injuries that Crixus carried to this day. Until now, with William holding a cultivation level in the Saint Realm, Crixus was still left behind at Transcendent Realm! Crixus became despondent and acted more and more like a wastrel as the years passed, eventually gaining the title of Wastrel of the Profound Astral Sect that he held now. He finished his last drink as rage and jealousy filled his head, looking at the direction that William left in as he left the establishment himself. Crixus did not even gaze at the bystanders who were bashing him as his drunken mind filled with rage moved out of the establishment, and his eyes landed on the red light district once again as he went forward to find a place to quell his anger. Among the many bystanders that he was not paying attention to, a single one had a thoughtful expression on his face as he left the establishment along with Crixus, following closely behind him as their two figures disappeared among the masses on the Sunset Paradise. 254 A Perfect Identity Crixus weaved around the mass of beings around him with ease as he made his way over to the red light district. His body was at the Transcendent Realm, being such a genius that he almost entered the same cultivation realm as his father, an Elder of the Profound Astral Sect that had yet to break through the Saint Realm and into the Void Fimmerment Realm. With how rapid he was used to breaking through cultivation ranks, the blow of this speed being halted at the Transcendent Realm was too heavy for his mental mind to take. He was weaving through the masses when a tingling voice that seemed to be coming from his head whispered how annoying the beings around him were, making him want to go through the darker alleys where there were fewer people as he made his way towards the red light district. It was only a small voice at first, but it became gradually louder over time as he shook his head in a drunken stupor and turned away from the bright streets of Sunset Paradise and began weaving through the dark alleys. His figure only made it another block before something completely unexpected occurred. POP! A bizarre dark circle appeared out of nowhere, and in the span of less than a second, a Dragonoid head erupted out, swallowed the figure of Crixus, and then quickly returned into this small dark spot. Less than a second! Silence reigned among the small alleyways of the buildings hidden by darkness as a few minutes passed with not a single being in sight. A few minutes later, the figure of a young genius wastrel reappeared in the dark alley of Sunset Peak. His eyes held a different light, where one could distinctly see sparks of ingenuity and confidence briefly before they went back to looking disorganized and drunken as the Core Disciple of Profound Astral Sect changed directions from the red light district he was going to, and began heading towards a particular peak of the Profound Astral Sect. In the span of a few minutes, a core disciple of the Profound Astral Sect had disappeared, and an entirely new being took his place, with nobody else being the wiser! The figure of the wastrel made its way towards the Pill Pavillion Mountain of the Profound Astral Sect, the location where Elder Baldwin, his father, acted as the Mountain Master. Elder Baldwin occupied a unique position in the sect, his power as an Elder being average at the peak of the Saint Realm, but it was his skills in pill concoction that etched his status in stone. Even after the Core Disciple William had gained the Sect Title of Shining Son, he still could not do too much against Crixus, the duel that injured his mental state and kept his cultivation base at Transcendent Rank being the most he could do currently without causing an eruption of rage against two parties that were both favored by the sect. His body let out vigorous essence at the Transcendent Rank as a unique energy signature released from him and opened the large door to his Cultivation Abode, a wide cave that was expertly architectured into the Pill Pavillion Mountain. "Our little mountain master seems to have been humiliated by the Shining Son yet again. He looks fed up with it, but how long do you give him before he gets frustrated from his cultivation and goes out to drink again?" "Hah, how long? I give him a day at most before he rushes back to Sunset Paradise." "A day?! You''re looking too highly at him, I think a few hours is more like it!" Hushed voices talked among themselves as they talked behind the one they called ''Little Mountain Master'', the title of the son of Elder Baldwin, the Pill Pavillion Mountain Master. All the disciples then continued about their business after witnessing Crixus fumingly rush back to his cultivation abode, with some even taking bets on how long the wastrel could last while cultivating. In the grandiose Cultivation Abode that Crixus entered, a convergence of essence that was more than three times what could be felt outside permeated the luxurious cave, a large golden bed by the side, as well as a naturally formed spring that was flowing with clear blue water into the crevices of the mountain. ''Crixus'' entered this Cultivation Abode as he immediately sobered up and stood straight, his gaze overlooking the area around him as he waved his fingers...and a rotating miniaturized Spiritual Land appeared in front of him. Only a second passed before the Spiritual Land was set down among the granules of sands around the Abode, and his figure swiftly disappeared. Unbeknownst to anyone, an otherworlder had infiltrated one of the three Supreme Sects in the World of Cultivation and began hatching a scheme that nobody would know the grand effects of in the future! --- In the outside world, disciples were shocked to find out that an entire 2 days passed since the little mountain master entered seclusion in his Cultivation Abode after being bullied by the Shining Son once more. Shock spread throughout as some disciples lost their Spirit Stones from losing bets, with others putting up even more bets on how long Crixus would continue staying in his Abode for this time around. Three more days passed, and the little mountain master still had not left the mountain! Even more disciples lost their money as word began to spread around the Pill Pavillion Mountain, gradually making its way to Elder Baldwin and even the Core Disciple William not too long after. Elder Baldwin was floating next to a huge cauldron forming spectacularly colored pills as he got this new information. "Has this unfilial son finally come to his senses after all these years?" Not just the Elder, but many were wondering- what exactly had happened to the wastrel Crixus?! Not a single being knew, but when the days he locked himself up in the Cultivation Abode reached 8, disciples could not help but crowd around the entrance of the Abode to see just what would happen. "He...couldn''t have ended his life in there right?" "Don''t say useless things, the son of the amazing Elder Baldwin wouldn''t be that much of a wastrel." "But...could he really be cultivating all this time?" Questions continued to spread with no answers, until this day, even the Master of the Pill Pavillion Mountain himself could not take it! Elder Baldwin came out of his dwelling as the powerful aura came in front of the entrance of Crixus''s Cultivation Abode, his appearance bringing reverent faces among many of the disciples as they bowed with greetings. Elder Baldwin ignored all of this as he called out. "Unfilial Son, come out!" His words rumbled as a strong essence at the peak of Saint Realm activated the hidden mechanisms of the Cultivation Abode. RUMBLE! The cave door was opened forcefully as the father went forward to see if his son was actually cultivating, or if the stupid words of the disciples in the surroundings were actually true. The sight that opened up to him was stunning to see though, as it was the figure of Crixus meditating peacefully on the ground as his body elevated up and down, the unstable milky white aura of a Saint being clearly visible! Seeing the milky white aura, an expression of elation appeared on Elder Baldwin''s face as he saw this. "My son! You have finally destroyed your inner heart demons and advanced! Haha, that''s my son!" Prideful laughter came out of the entrance of the Cultivation Abode as the surrounding disciples peered in with shock on their faces. The wastrel of the Profound Astral Sect had actually advanced in rank?! 255 A Hunt? News spread out across the Pill Pavillion Mountain about how the wastrel of the sect had actually broken through to the Saint Realm! This came as a shock to many, as they had watched this fallen genius waste his life for the past few years. Many disciples then recalled the tension between the Shining Son of the Profound Astral Sect and Crixus, and they wondered how things would play out from here on out. Back in the Pill Pavilion Mountain, Elder Baldwin waved his hand as the cultivation abode they were in closed and granted them privacy, his face going up and down as he looked proudly at his son. "Good, good, good!" Words full of pride came out as he saw the milky white light gradually stabilize, Crixus opening his eyes and showing elation on his face. "Father!" The two beings gazed at each other as different thoughts passed through their heads. The proud father looked at his son as old dreams and hopes reappeared, already looking forward to the changes in the future of Pill Pavillion Mountain as at this moment, both father and son were at the Saint Realm! Elder Baldwin knew the genius of his son, and thus was the one that was most disappointed when his cultivation was affected so heavily after one roadblock. Yet now, his son was back. These thoughts were only true to his head though, as the being standing in front of him was someone completely different from the son that he knew! Their brief gaze seemed to portray all of their powerful emotions as Crixus cleared his throat and looked over to his father with a firm expression. "Father, I want to try and get my hands on the Absolute Space Technique of our sect once more." ¡­! A gasp came out of Elder Baldwin''s mouth as he heard extremely bold words as the first thing after Crixus''s advancement. His gaze turned serious as he seemed thoughtful. "Historically, only the Shining Son of the sect would be given the favor of entering the Resplendent Abode to try their luck on learning this treasured skill¡­" His thoughtful gaze looked carefully at Crixus as he saw a determined expression, hearing powerful words come out of his son''s mouth. "If need be, I will duel with William again for the title of Shining Son!" The words were full of conviction as they stated a longing wish that seemed to have been welling up in Crixus for ages. Elder Baldwin saw this and sighed as he weighed the possibilities. ''Crixus'' was looking at his father''s face with a careful expression that hid the true thoughts floating in his mind as he became thoughtful at this hesitation from Elder Baldwin. A sigh came out of the Elder as he sat down in front of his son and began slowly. "There might be another way for you to get your hands on that technique without clashing with William¡­" The hesitation of Elder Baldwin''s face was gradually wiped away as he continued to speak. "...Only the Elders know of this as of right now, but we have received word from the Sect Master that the Infernal Hunt will be initiated a century earlier than usual, and that we will soon be sending disciples to one of the Infernal Realms, the First Hell!" Shocking words came out of the Elder''s mouth as Crixus held a surprise expression that was not false, he was actually hearing a new piece of information he had not expected. "I wasn''t even planning on letting you go, thinking you were unfit and would simply lose your life. But now¡­" He gazed towards his son with powerful emotions as he made up his mind and continued. "...I see that you have come back to your old self, and have a chance in redeeming your reputation, as well as obtaining great rewards through this Infernal Hunt!" An Infernal Hunt! Something that Noah had only briefly seen and ignored in the many pieces of his stolen memories had popped up. He listened carefully as his knowledge was expanded, pulling out as much information as he could from this Elder Baldwin. The Infernal Hunt that many powerful worlds at the level of Prime World and above were under a treaty to act on would actually occur a hundred years earlier than expected. After many Infernal Hunts, the norm had been established that Powers would send their disciples and beings they were nurturing as a way to empower them and also reduce the Infernals that continued to propagate throughout the First Hell. Over the years, The Infernal Hunts became more of a competition, and especially so in worlds like the World of Cultivation, where scores were kept and disciples of the three Supreme Sects were ranked based on how well they did in the Infernal Hunt. Once they entered the First Hell, they would be faced with droves of powerful Infernals that they would have to take down, with those being able to face and take down powerful infernals gaining more recognition. "Infernals are diametrically opposite to us, with their very origins being extremely vile and evil, only seeking destruction on anything they come across. They have a unique source of essence that when killed will be absorbed into one''s body, giving them cultivation comprehension and a boost to their power!" Powerful words continued to come out of Elder Baldwin as he explained more of the history and undercurrents of the Infernal Hunts. "But it is the same with us, where if the infernals kill any of us, they also gain power much faster, and explosively increase in rank." Thus, it had been crucial to make sure that Infernals were not given a chance to grow with their forces throwing themselves in the Infernal Realms and dying, while at the same time reducing the number of infernals as time passed. This was the Infernal Hunt came to be! Noah''s mind soaked in all this new information as behind his carefully listening exterior, his mind began working rapidly as excitement was blooming from the many possibilities. 256 An Event for the Ages "Our Profound Astral Sect will be among the many sects participating in this coming Infernal Hunt. The Sect Master expects an outstanding performance from our disciples this time around, so the rewards will be reflecting that!" The Mysterious Sect Master of Profound Astral Sect had informed the Elders and told them of the coming Infernal Hunt, with this information soon being released to everyone as soon as the preparations were complete. "Among the top rewards for the disciples that outshine and outperform...is the Absolute Space Technique of our sect!" Noah''s eyes shone at this new piece of information as his mind worked at high speeds, the face of the being he was portraying showed an interested look that expressed his enthusiasm. "I will show them my power in this Infernal Hunt, Father! I will take down a higher number of Infernals than anyone else!" His face was that of a young man with his blood boiling in excitement as he looked at the proud gaze of his father. ''Crixus'' sharply turned his shining eyes towards elder Baldwin as he spoke carefully. "When it comes to stabilizing my cultivation though, I used up all of my Spirit Stones while breaking through, and have completely run out as of right now though¡­" Haha, don''t sit on the ceremony with your father. Spirit Stones, Pills, and even the Saint Realm techniques you haven''t looked at yet, I''ll bring them all here and prepare you for the Infernal Hunt to come." An expression of appreciation was plastered on Noah''s face as he nodded, his vibrant power at the Saint Realm still showing signs of instability as Elder Baldwin moved out of the Cultivation Abode and went out to grab some of the less restricted techniques of Profound Astral Sect, as well as an abundant amount of refined [Core]s, also known as Spirit Stones, for his ''son''. His face was full of pride as his figure disappeared in the skies. Noah rose up as he observed silence in the Cultivation Abode once more, his gaze turning calm as he thought about his great use of time this past week. He was also able to raise the proficiency of many of the Saint Rank skills he held, the ones he obtained from the Devilish Time Unveiler and Black Serpent already being maxed as he was able to effectively use the time period of more than 2 months in the Time Space to his advantage. New possible combinations for the space and draconic based attributed skills from the Devilish Unveiler and Black Serpent which would optimally combine with the [Aberrant Saint] to bring about a terrifying skill of the next rank were already swimming in his mind as he continued to move forward. He spread out his powerful senses as he pulled out the purple-gold Dagger of Time, using [Insight] once more as many possible plans formulated through his mind with the addition of this interesting event, the Infernal Hunt. --- His body held enough strength to battle on par with those in the Saint Realm when he was just Transcendent, and even though he had just stepped into this new rank, he expected his battle power to be even more astounding. He meditated peacefully as he stabilized his strength when he soon received a message from his master. "The time is here. Come down to meet the ones that will be going with you into the Infernal Realm through the World of Cultivation." Drax''s eyes snapped wide open as his figure disappeared, quickly appearing near the monastery where his master was as he saw four new figures of beings letting out levels of power no less than himself. They all held unique aspects, with one having similarities to the Elven Race, and another was a being looking very close to a human, yet they had gloriously shining white wings erupting from their back. Drax looked curiously at this rare being of the Faerie Race as he observed the last two to be humans. Shock appeared on his face as he laid his eyes on one of the humans, a dark-skinned girl with a head full of glossy hair tied in a ponytail and a prominent figure that was still visible even with the red robes that she wore. The red robe that this woman wore signified that she was not just any normal Celestial Disciple, but one that was about to take on the full title of a Celestial with the completion of just a few more missions! Drax knew the identity of this famous disciples as she was known with the title of The War Princess, Athena. She was only a mere human mortal with not an ounce of strength less than one hundred years ago, and a Celestial had chanced upon her when they were traveling across the stars and observing the planets and stars that needed to be saved or destroyed. She was in a world on the verge of ruin as her people continued to wage wars amongst each other, eventually depleting the resources of their planet as their only path left became destruction. The Celestial was observing this ruined world when they noticed her unique body disposition that was perfectly inclined towards techniques related to Fate. This Celestial took her in as a disciple right away, finding in her a monstrous ability to advance through ranks unlike anything seen before. Among the many rising Celestial Disciples, Athena was at the forefront of all them with her power and wit, even being granted the rare chance to work with other Celestials as they brought balance throughout the stars. One particularly recent mission that Drax recalled was one where Athena was accompanied by a Golden Robed Grandmaster on one of the Interstellar Warships that very few disciples would have a chance to come close to. These were the warships that held powerful weapons capable of destroying lower-ranked planets with ease. She was in charge of releasing this power down to a particular planet that continued to interfere with the Order of the universe with the creation of cursed items known as World Engines that naturally defied Order with each usage. In this mission, her will was tested as she excelled in the lesson that many of the Celestial Disciples were still learning- the death of a few can be ignored in order to bring a more perfect balance in the universe, that taking away the lives of billions to return things to their natural order will only save a trillion more beings over the vicissitudes of time. Athena had an extremely strong will as she was able to complete this mission with ease, gaining even more recognition from the upper ranked Celestials. This was the War Princess, Athena! Drax calmed his beating heart as he chanted incantations in his mind, his gaze going towards his master that had begun talking. "You all will meet with our representative at the little sect known as Profound Astral Sect, and be given special identities among their disciples. Your participation in this Infernal Hunt counts as a mission, with those of you being the most successful reaping the most rewards." The Grandmaster spoke slowly as the five beings looked at each other, his gaze focusing on Drax and Athena. "Be especially on the lookout for any irregularities as you investigate to see whether the ones tampering with fate are still moving around the World of Cultivation." "Yes, Grandmaster!" Drax and the others placed their palms over their hearts as they received the commands, calling out in unison words they had been trained to say for many years. "For Order and Balance!" "For Order and Balance!" Bursts of power resonated around the five of them as they turned away from the monastery and made their way towards the abundant Teleportation Portals on the Celestial Star they were on. 257 A Penguin at War! In another part of the starry space, a particular world that held a frozen outer layer was feeling the tides of change for the first time in many years. The inhabitants of the Icebound World found themselves at the precipice of something new as the Frost Race gained a new protector that they took as their leader! Not too long ago, a group of beings had appeared on the battlefield where yet another war was brought to the doors of the Frost Race by the tyranny of the Ice Giants. Being a race of giants with impeccable strength, the Ice Giants sought for more land and resources as they targeted the weaker Frost Race located in the northern region of the Icebound World first, their eyes set on the Humans populating the east soon after. The Ice Giants were a powerful race of beings that were naturally strong since their birth, becoming even stronger as they grew in the extremely cold conditions of the Icebound World and became very proficient in Ice Attributed abilities. Their robust bodies required an enormous amount of resources, making them extremely greedy for more lands where they could procure what they wanted. During a crucial fight where the Frost Race continued to see colossal losses from the obscene strength that the Ice Giants portrayed, they felt blessings shine down from above as powerful figures appeared on the battlefield to lend a hand and push the Ice Giants back! "RAA! RAA! RAA!" Calling out stupendous battle-cries, a group of powerful beings appeared to aid them at the last moment! At the forefront was a gloriously sleek Emperor Penguin that let out deadly attacks of the spatial attribute, and accompanying him was a fiery phoenix, a much too talkative human with a party of beast girls, and a collection of powerful Calamities of the Sea accompanied by many more other beasts that followed behind the sleek Penguin. Their power was unlike anything the beings of the Icebound World had seen before, showing stupendous strength that stopped the invaders on their tracks and began a campaign of their own. There was the powerful Swordsman known as Kazuhiko, who valiantly fought on the front lines with his treasured Katana while taking care of his balanced party of beast girls. The large number of beasts and Calamities of the Sea also made for a surprising addition as the terrifying Kraken was seeing strangling Ice Giants with its many arms and tentacles. Their power had produced a grand effect as they pushed the Ice Giants back and finally stopped their advance towards the North, gaining the favor of the Frost Race as they were treated with the highest respect. The beings of the Icebound World gradually came to know these powerful saviors, preparing themselves for a better world as they felt the tides of change occurring right in front of their eyes. They were a race that loved nature and peace, with the Frost King being the one most in tune with nature and abhorring war. When the opportunity came to side with these powerful new individuals that fought on their behalf, the Frost King quickly jumped at the opportunity and made them his generals, giving them all the power they wanted as long as his people were kept safe. A week passed as grand battles were fought, the Emperor Penguin and his forces gaining more and more status and power, becoming indispensable from the forces of the Frost Race and the cowering humans in the East. After seeing the very close similarities of the leader of their saviors and a particular race of beings in the northern lands, the Frost King even allowed another species of the Frost Race, the coldbourne Chinstrap Penguins, to be the official helpers that took care of all the needs of their saviors. The arctic penguins took this role with the highest dignity as they looked up to the grandiose figure of the Emperor Penguin, feeling extreme reverence as they observed the glossy layer of feathers they only imagined in their dreams. In a particularly large ice fortress near the border of the North and South of the Icebound World, the sleek Emperor Penguin was no longer miniaturized as he was proudly displaying his form with a size of more than five meters. He sat upon a huge magnificently built throne made of resplendent ice as a shining icy crown was added atop its smooth head. The Icy Crown shone with a gorgeous color, being a unique treasure of the Icebound World that the Frost King had given to the Emperor Penguin. Its gaze was full of pride and power as it looked around the room, watching Kazuhiko trying to flirt with the Imperial Phoenix while the other beasts were being catered to by the rapidly moving arctic penguins that a wore small tuxedos with shining blow ties that made them very prominent in the room. The Emperor Penguin had asked his master for cool clothing he could give to his distinguished followers, and had his expectations exceeded when Noah quickly teleported in and left behind these clothes he came to know were called tuxedos. They made his followers look so distinguished that he almost wanted to change back to his miniaturized size and wear one himself. The arrogant penguin found himself thinking yet again- his master was actually not too bad! DONG At this moment, a sound could be heard in the distance that signified a call to arms, with some well-dressed penguins quickly entering the wide room in the fortress and looking towards the Emperor Penguin. "Sir Ice Spirit! the King of Giants, Larruk, is gathering all of his forces for an all out attack!" Panic was all over the faces of the beings of the Frost Race as they heard the terrible name of the King of the Ice Giants. OONG! Essence was released with the Emperor Penguin at the center as his body lifted up and his beady eyes looked around. "Hmph, a mere giant king is nothing to worry about. Let''s go!" Waves of power were released as the beings that followed behind the Emperor Penguin shook their heads deprecatingly at this aquatic bird that held an overabundance of pride and confidence as their figures moved out. They assembled the forces of the Frost Race as they went forward to meet the Ruler of the Ice Giants that were the main cause of war and death in the Icebound World! 258 Convergence of Forces As some forces waged war in frozen worlds, others continued to elevate the power of their Worlds as dungeon diving became widespread in one small Blue Planet, the Beast World, and the Demon World. There were still an enormous amount of beings that could not be considered ''Awakened'' and did not fit into any category, but more and more were joining their ranks naturally as the essence of their Worlds continued to be elevated, with some finding themselves stepping into the F Rank in their sleep as their bodies continued to be cradled with the abundant amount of essence. This allowed for a large number of beings to actively dive in the many created dungeons that were catered to making them stronger, with very few beings facing death from carelessness and stupidity every now and then. In the Blessed Empire and United Federation, abundant trade had bloomed as they gained access to unique items, treasures, and produce from the two words they were connected to. The Blessed Empire received more influence from the Beast World as there was a Main Gateway connecting the Beast World to the Blue Planet near its borders, while the United Federation had more influence from the Demon World as they began the widespread trading and production of [Power Jewels] that were unique to the demon world. These [Power Jewels], a product of Abyss Magic that the demons specialized in, were among the hottest commodities being traded nowadays because they acted as huge damage amplifiers to their skills, having a unique function of ''Corrupting'' their abilities and making them almost twice as powerful. It was more frequently being called a Modifier by the newly awakened hunters that still observed everything like it was a game. The Beast World continued its focus on produce and weapons, especially from the Frozen Kingdom that Noah visited the most frequently, making it the one that received more attention with the use of [Budding Farmer] that continued to explode the agricultural sector with plants that could be termed Medicinal Herbs already with their current effectiveness. The system of power that all three worlds currently enjoyed, being able to quantify their strength and visibly see their skills, as well as combine complementary skills, made for a competitive environment where many beings were trying their best to advance through the ranks of Awakened/Hunters and become well known while gaining enormous amounts of wealth. The Atlanteans and Merfolk were also quietly rebuilding their own version of Atlantis in the seas of the Blue Planet, causing an explosive growth of species in the sea while using their technological advancements to build towering structures that caused the envy of many. The Ocean Master observed all of this as he continued to work behind the scenes for the recreation of multiple World Engines, moving with extreme care after the words of a certain savior of theirs came down yet again for increased secrecy of the project, with very few beings having knowledge of it. The worlds were vast, with many beings moving around them. Each had their own goals and ideals as they moved forward, collectively continuing to create a powerful group of beings that were rapidly growing and expanding their knowledge and power. Across the stars, many different powers received the news that the Infernal Hunt would be occurring a hundred years earlier than planned, and they all prepared for this momentous event as trainees and disciples from various worlds were moving with excitement. The excitement this time around was even more glorious as they heard of the increased rewards for those that do exceedingly well, with the disciples of the Three Supreme Sects of the World of Cultivation being even more driven as their Sects'' powerful Absolute Techniques were the topmost rewards they could get their hands on! This was something that was only in the wildest of dreams from even the Core Disciples of these sects, as very few were granted the clearance from the Council of Elders to observe these powerful techniques and try to learn them. In the Profound Astral Sect, it was even busier as besides the shocking news that the Wastrel of the Sect could not be called that name anymore, the arrival of old disciples that were the trump cards that the sect was raising in secret in the outside world were returning to join in this excursion! They were Core Disciples that very few knew of, but they increased the excitement of the disciples of the sect as they knew with their addition, they would be even safer while traversing the Infernal Realm that was the First Hell. This was because the returning disciples were no less powerful than the Shining Son and even the newly advanced Crixus, with some of them being even more powerful! Their arrival caused a tumultuous movement in the shock as many disciples gathered on the main peak with the preparations to set off for the First Hell being underway. They watched the Teleportation Portal shine as five figures made their presence clear before their eyes, aweing them to their very cores as they sensed their levels of strength. From what they could see, even the weakest of the five newly arrived disciples was at the Saint Realm, with them not being able to see the realms of others! This left them roiling in shock and awe as they asked themselves- in front of such geniuses, weren''t they just trash?! Among the many disciples congregating on the Main Peak of the Steller Sky Mountains, the Shining Son, William, was looking closely at the appearance of these unheard of disciples as someone not too far from him was giving these beings an even closer look. The figure of ''Crixus'' had a brief change in expression as he observed the faces of two particular beings among the newly returning core disciples, as he knew these faces very well! One was the Celestial Disciple Drax that he had already come in contact with before, while another held a prominent figure that he recognized from the memories of Drax, the being that acted on the orders of the Celestials and directly caused the destruction of the Lost World of Atlantis! In the recesses of Drax''s memories, Noah had found the collections of missions of many of the Celestial Disciples, with many of the memories occupying the renowned War Princess, Athena. The Celestial Disciple at the forefront of power, the one that many Celestials looked at with favor as someone who would soon join their ranks. The ever so powerful and beautiful Athena, as well as a party of other Celestial Disciples, had all arrived to take part in the Infernal Hunt with the disciples of the Profound Astral Sect. 259 A Journey Through the Stars I Powerful forces were gathering from all around, each one holding their own goals and ideals as they all focused towards a particular location. It was an area across the vast space that was filled with ruthless beings that only sought death and destruction, it was the Infernal Realms! In these wide Infernal Realms, the focus for many of the powerful worlds currently was on the First Hell, the Infernal Realm that was closest to them, the first realm that could very easily open its gateways into this universe. As always, the trainees and disciples of the powerful powers were prepared as the Infernal Hunt was about to begin. Over the thousands of years, the powerful forces under the direction of even more terrifying forces behind the scenes had created this Infernal Hunt to become more of a competition than the widespread massacre of the destructive beings in the Realms of Hell. This competitive spirit was even more apparent in the World of Cultivation as its three Supreme Sects were always fighting for power, trying their best to garner more resources from the higher powers based on how they perform on events such as this. It was not just disciples that were given incentives and rewards to do well in the Infernal Hunt, the leaders of the different sects and powers were also incentivized by the powerful force of the Celestials behind them. The powers that made the most contributions would garner the favor of one of the few powerful and secretive forces of the Universe, while also gaining abundant rewards in the form of stupendous techniques and treasures for them to add to their collections. Thus, the powerhouses in the Profound Astral Sect were most pleased when they saw the ''returning disciples'' that would be fighting for them, the joy of those who knew the actual secrets behind the scenes being even higher, as they knew these beings were disciples of the Celestials themselves. This was the favor that the Profound Astral Sect of the World of Cultivation received after connecting themselves with the powerful force that was the Celestials! The other two Supreme Sects only had suspicions and unconfirmed theories as they gradually watched the power of the Profound Astral Sect continue to rise higher and higher over the years, with very few having the knowledge of their association with the Celestials. The newly arriving Celestial Disciples looked at the numerous disciples around the main peak of the Profound Astral Sect as they serenely made their way to the section where Core Disciples were situated. Powerful auras felt each other out as the new figures observed the auras of the Saint Realm William and Crixus, along with other disciples that were at the peak of the Transcendent Realm. "Quiet Down!" OOONG A powerful sound reverberated throughout the main peak as a single bearded Elder of the Profound Astral Sect spoke. Surrounding him were a few more Elders that let out levels of power no less than his, being vigorously powerful, they were releasing a purple milky aura of the Void Fimerment Realm! Their show of power awed the disciples as the Elder up front, the one known as Elder Spacewarp, waved his aged hands to cause a powerful ripple to appear in the skies above them. A few seconds later, the sky darkened as a tremendously large ship floated in the skies above the Steller Sky Mountains. The large vessel could only be described as a ship as it took the general outline, with various runic markings and spreading throughout its black exterior, and powerful weapons that let out an oppressive light. Elder Spacewarp''s eyes let out a sharp light as he laid them on the Interstellar Warship above him yet again. He very rarely got the Sect Master''s permission to use this amazing piece of ingenuity, but today was a special day with the arrival of the beings that gave them this Interstellar Warship in the first place! His gaze briefly stayed on the figure of Athena who was standing at the forefront of the Celestial Disciples as he continued. "The journey to the First Realm of Hell of the Infernal Realms will begin now. The disciples who wish to participate can now board the ship!" VOOM A wide section of the Interstellar Warship opened as it revealed wide doors and an exquisitely built interior. A ship like this only held a single purpose, and that was to traverse through space! This was one of the many unique things about the place known as the Infernal Realms, They existed in locations where the powerful forces could not establish teleportation portals, and they had to travel to these locations through powerful ships like these. The many disciples looked at this sight with blazing eyes, but they held themselves back and remained still! They knew how things worked, and their eyes gazed upon the location of the Core Disciples. The Shining Son, William, moved first as he nodded the five Celestial Disciples, leading the way as he flew up serenely towards the ship. The Celestial Disciples also moved next as behind them, the being with the figure of ''Crixus'' moved with a mixed expression that any watching disciples and Elders interpreted as a look of determination and slight fear. Elder Baldwin watched his son fly towards the spaceship as he nodded his head. ''Be strong, my child. Show me that you have truly regained your genius and wit!'' Elder Baldwin held strong beliefs about his son, providing him with almost all of his reserves of Spiritual Stones he had collected over the years, even wagering many of his pill making hours to other Elders of the Sect to borrow more Spirit Stones and Medicinal Herbs for his son''s use to consolidate his cultivation. After a few days, his aura at the Saint Realm had consolidated, and Elder Baldwin had provided him with an abundant amount of Saint Techniques from the Elder''s Vault of the Profound Astral Sect for him to peruse as he journeyed across the stars towards the Infernal Realm. ''Crixus'' looked back towards his father briefly as he nodded, before he entered the tremendously large Interstellar Warship where powerful Celestial Disciples were calmly walking through, along with the slightly surprised William that was looking at everything with wonder. Behind them, the time came for the less powerful Core Disciples and Inner Disciples of the Profound Astral Sect to begin boarding the huge ship, the many figures on the Main Peak of the Stellar Sky Mountains moving busily, the disciples choosing to test their lives in the Infernal Realm all boarding with enthusiasm. Elder Spacewarp watched the process with calm eyes, and after a significant amount of time had passed, nodded his head as he observed a significant amount of disciples board the ship. He turned to the ones remaining on the mountains as he spoke out. "Cultivate hard, and years from now you will be among the ones fighting in the front lines against Infernals, gaining power and glory like your fellow disciples that you will be looking up to!" OOOH! Excited yells were released from the disciples as they bade farewell to their heroic brothers and sisters that would brave the dangers of the Infernal Realm. The figures of Elder Spaceward and a few other Elders disappeared in the Interstellar Warship soon after, a rumbling ensuing across the Stellar Sky Mountains as the tremendously large piece of weaponry released abundant energy as it began moving higher and higher towards the sky. Those within could only distinctly start seeing the world below them become smaller and smaller as they observed the environment outside of the Interstellar Warship, some still amazed at this simple feature that allowed those inside the ship to see the things outside as if there were no barriers between them. On a more elevated area of the Interstellar Warship, the group of Celestial Disciples were situated in one of the extravagant wide spaces calmly, with the powerful Athena in the lead looking at the environment of the ship around her with reminiscence. She wasn''t the only one in deep thought as not too far away from her, Noah, in the form of Crixus, was calmly sitting down and gazing at the gradual appearance of stars with their rapid ascension, many thoughts crossing in his mind as a dangerous smile could not help but spread across his lips! He had prepared, and prepared extensively for the journey ahead. More than 3 months of time he had spent in the Spiritual Land under accelerated time. He had combined a tremendous amount of skills and learned new ones, looked at countless possibilities, and made plans on top of even more back up plans. Yet, he had not foreseen the appearance of a being he never thought he would meet so fast, the extremely powerful Athena, nor the reappearance of Celestial Disciple, Drax! The [Insight] ability of the Dagger of Time had not given clues about these beings before they appeared, and their appearance could have any number of effects on the many possibilities he calculated. Yet, he still could not help but smile. The wide smile he could not help but release was from the fact that the events which will take place in this journey were just too...interesting! 260 A Journey Through the Stars II Across the vast emptiness of space, a colossal Interstellar Warship was traversing through at high speeds. The Inhabitants of this particular Warship had left behind the World of Cultivation, gradually watching as it became a tiny blip in the periphery of their visions as the expansive and shining space opened itself up before them. The Interstellar Warship was being piloted by the Void Fimerment Realm Elders, with the powerful Elder Spacewarp in the lead as they released their unique auras that were attuned with the void to travel through space. This was what the realm above Saint signified, a breakthrough where one became stupendously powerful enough to be able to traverse through space, the length only being dependent on how abundant their energies were. Many different powers throughout the universe held their own names and terms to signify the levels of strength, but they all gradually converged and became more similar as the ranks went higher. The Cultivators called the rank above Saint to be the Void Fimerment Realm, while Noah already had the knowledge of the next rank above Saint would simply be called the Void Rank by his own System. The Celestials had an even simpler way to break apart the levels of power, with a Rank 3 Celestial encapsulating the ranks of Transcendent and Saint, while a Rank 4 Celestial encompassed the Void Rank, and the rank above it once one reached the peak of Rank 4 Celestial. The Celestial Disciple Drax was currently at the peak of Rank 3, having vigorous strength at the Saint Rank, but the woman with a serene expression and calculating eyes that was Athena...she was most definitely not a Rank 3 Celestial. This meant that at the least, the War Princess Athena was an Initial Stage Rank 4 Celestial, making her stably standing in the Void Rank! This was the true genius that the disciples spread out around the Interstellar Warship could only stare at from afar as they talked to one another. Noah continued to scour through the many memories dealing with this deadly figure, trying his best to understand why she was given the title of War Princess by an organization as powerful as the Celestials themselves. His thoughts were interrupted as William slowly neared his position and spoke coldly. "I''m glad my junior brother was finally able to break past his restrictions and enter the Saint Realm, but are you sure you are competent enough to not embarrass yourself and the sect in front of the eyes of many major powers?" His voice was neither too loud nor too quiet, those that were near being able to hear it as Noah turned his head and looked at this young genius of the Profound Astral Sect. His voice languidly came out as he spoke calmly. "I know I did some horrible things in the past, causing many of the things that happened between us, but I am prepared to leave all of these behind." "My father agreed with this line of thought and even asked me to be the first one to reach out to you, so I will do so now. Let us put behind us our bad history as we move forward." His words were roughly something a changed Crixus that had broken through and regained his genius would say, but they more so came from Noah himself as he didn''t want this genius of the Profound Astral Sect to continue butting heads with him, nor possibly do something stupid like come for his life. The Crixus that he had problems with was long dead, being given a much-deserved rest after living such horrendous years of crimes that he did not have to be taken accountable for. He knew the character of William, and thus wanted to spare the being an early death in case he decided to move against the body that he was currently wearing. The Shining Son listened to these words in shock as he did not even know what to say, his gaze changing to confusion as he moved away and went towards the party of five Celestial Disciples. Noah continued to observe the starry space around the Interstellar Warship as they traversed through the stars at high speeds, his awareness spread out as he observed every single movement that the Celestial Disciples were making while even more of his thoughts were on the First Hell of the Infernal Realms that he was about to delve into. His preparations were abundant and he was not worried, but it would not hurt to make even more back up plans while taking into account the new arrivals. He continued to calculate in his mind as the hours passed, the ship they were on continuing to shoot through the gorgeous scenes of stars all around them. Soon enough, they began to observe movements aside from their ship as more and more vessels moving through space began to appear, heading towards the same direction that they were heading in. These were the ships from various powers of Prime Worlds and higher worlds that sent their disciples and trainees towards this Infernal Hunt. A sense of pride welled up within the disciples of the Profound Astral Sect as they found to their surprise that their ship was among the largest ones they could see. Awe and amazement continued to bloom as a grandiose scene of Interstellar Warships traversed through space towards a singular location- the doorway that led to the First Realm of Hell. Another few hours passed as they continued, and soon enough they began to see a shining red light begin to encompass their entire field of vision as they neared a stupendous and unimaginable sight. The multitude of ships carrying powerful beings all continued to congregate towards this shining red light as the scene gradually became clear to the eyes. In front of them, the outline of a ridiculously large door looking structure stood alone in space! The outline of the door was surrounded by searing red flames, its entire existence looking completely out of the norm as it blazed powerfully in space. It was so humongous in size that many of the large Interstellar Ships congregating towards it could not even compare in size, only being 1/10 the size of the flaming gateway in front of them. This was the doorway leading to the First Realm of Hell! 261 The Door that Leads to Hell The door that led to the First Realm of Hell showed itself grandiosely to the many crowding beings seeing it for the first time. The beings in the ships that were getting closer to the gateway were able to see many interstellar ships already stationed a few miles around the flaming door, and these ships carried a special significance. These were not ships that had just arrived like most of them, but they were already stationed here for the past hundreds of years as they acted as the first line of defense to monitor this gateway which could bring them into the First Realm of Hell, but it could also take terrible beings out of this realm as well. These were various beings from world powers under the agreement to battle against the Infernals, some being stationed here for years as they carried out their jobs as guards and protectors! The many ships coming in stopped at sufficient distance as they came to a standstill, waiting for the start of a grandiose event. Elder Spacewarp''s vibrant essence erupted out in the Interstellar Warship as he took the center of attention, the many awed disciples turning their gazes towards his as he began to speak. "What lies before us is the Gateway to the First Realm of Hell, a terrible world that is the birthplace of many of the Infernals you have to come to learn about." His voice reverberated throughout the ship as he continued. "Once you pass through this Gateway, you will be transported to a random location in the First Realm of Hell, this being something that none of us can control." The Elder waved his hands as he was speaking, bringing to their eyes an assortment of colorful medallions in the thousands that began shooting out from him and towards the many disciples all around. "What we can control though, is your exit. These Infernal Medallions are creations from the resources we have gained in the Realms of Hell over the years, and they allow for the immediate teleportation of anyone that activates it. For now, attach them to your identity medals and mark them with your name, and the name of our sect. Only use these precious medallions if you find yourselves in dire situations where you might lose your life." His strong words resounded as the disciples took hold of these medallions as if they were another lifeline, using essence to inscribe their names and ''Profound Astral Sect'' before putting them in their bags of holdings as they continued to listen. "The medallions will react to your unique signature and also act as a scorekeeper for the fun aspect of this hunt, allowing us to distinguish which of you is performing the best in the Infernal Hunt." These red lines from a multitude of ships all came together as they converged on one particularly exquisite interstellar ship that was near the center, causing a blinding light to shimmer as the collection of red lines were all put together, and then projected above the ship as an extremely clear image of hundreds of thousands of names of beings from various powers were displayed. Elder Spacewarp continued to speak inside the ship. "These Infernal Medallions make it so that every single power here will know exactly which disciples are excelling the most in this hunt, so make your sect proud as you take down the most powerful and most numerous Infernals that you can come across!" OOOOH!!! The disciples shouted with vigor as they heard the motivating words, the Elder floating in the ship as he spoke once more. "Aside from the abundant rewards from the Profound Astral Sect itself, with the top one being the discernment of the Absolute Space Technique with the help of any Elder proficient in it, you will find that the recognition received by the powerful figures watching this Infernal Hunt to be even more useful for your future cultivation!" OOOOH! "Furthermore, the Infernals themselves have unique origins that when defeated, their essence will be absorbed into your bodies as they directly increase your comprehension and cultivation realm, so use this to your advantage and take down as many as possible. But¡­" The voice of Elder Spaceward turned serious as he captured the attention of every disciple around him. "...the dangers are just as rampant. In this First Realm of Hell, no beings above the Void Fimerment realm are allowed to enter, with the Realm rejecting anyone that tries no matter their power. But this means...that you might find Void Fimerment Realm Infernals in this First Realm of Hell, so do not hesitate to use your medallion and save your life if ever you come across them. The rewards can only be enjoyed by you all if you keep your lives, so make that your first and foremost priority!" OOOH! The disciples roared their assertions as a burst of energy erupted from a few central ships surrounding the gateway, the energy coalescing in the form of a resplendently colored road that went to directly come in contact with the flaming door in space. A thin transparent dome formed around this roadway as other smaller roads began to shoot from the surrounding Interstellar Warships and come in contact with it, forming numerous amount of paths where the disciples of the Profound Astral Sect could already see beings move across. "Go forth, and make the Sect proud." Elder Spacewarp released his own power in conjunction with the other Elders at the Void Fimerment Realm as another roadway formed from the ship they were on and connected to the main one that came into contact with the gateway that led towards the First Realm of Hell. The disciples began going through the mystical roadway across space as they did not feel the suffocating pressure of the void around them, the power of Void Rank beings being so colossally powerful that something like forming an isolated path in space not being an issue when many of them worked together. The disciples from the numerous connection roads soon found themselves on the main rainbow-colored roadway that led toward the flaming door as their eyes looked forth in excitement. Many of them turned to stare at the huge projection above them with showed tens of thousands of names, all currently showing 0 points next to them as they wondered, just who would come out on top on this exciting Infernal Hunt? Would it be the powerful disciples of their sect, or would it be someone else entirely? Around them, beings of various races congregated towards the same path as many of them could see extremely different phenotypes all around. Beings made of flesh and bones, others made of stones and steel, others made of shining light with even more covered in darkness. All of these beings from a wide variety of races came together as their gaze was only towards one thing. Fear, trepidation, and excitement all mixed in a wide assortment of feelings as the disciples and trainees of powerful forces amassed and went towards the flaming door that led towards the First Realm of Hell. 262 The Harbingers Rain Down Destruction In a world covered with the vicissitudes of ice, a world-shaking battle was taking place, and it was a battle that would decide the fate of the Large World that was known as the Icebound World! The three forces occupying the lands of Icebound World had all converged to meet in this single battle, with the cowering humans in the East finally making their stand and choosing to join with the Frost Race that had recently gained powerful helpers in order to bring the tyrannous Ice Giants'' war path to an end. Freezing cold winds and snowy weather covered the terrain of this final battle, where two powerful auras were looking towards each other with extreme battle spirit on the wide terrains where hundreds of thousands of beings gathered. Billowing snow that obscured one''s vision continued to come down heavily, but it did not deter any of the two opposing forces. On one side, the King of the Ice Giants, Larruk, held a tremendously large mace made of extremely hard crystals that shone in the light, giving the menacing weapon a beautiful sheen before it could be seen dripping with blood as it crushed countless beings. The King of Giants was more than twenty meters tall, being five meters taller than the average Ice Gaint as he stood out prominently in the crowd. Expertly made blue battle armor covered the entirety of his body as he looked like a moving fortress that was ready to crush everything on sight. Surrounding him were a variety of other powerful Ice Giants that could be called his generals, each one holding their own humungously sized weapons as they waited for the command to move against their enemies. They held varying levels of power, with many of them being in the Mythical Rank, and a few standing stably in the Phantasmal Rank. On the other side, The forces of the Frost Race and Human Race had gathered together as they looked forth with trepidation, the large sizes of the giants continuing to etch fear into their hearts. The arctic penguins had changed from their casual tuxedos as they wore tight-fitting battle armor, their flipping giving off a dangerous sharp light as they looked ready to cut apart all they came near. The beings of the Frost and Human Race turned their gaze to the beings who could face off against the cold hard gaze of the powerful giants at the front lines as their fears eased just a little. The sleek Emperor Penguin was in the front as his body floated serenely in the rough winds, rising in the air until his eyes were on the same level as the King of Giants. The runic marking in the middle of its forehead that showed off its title as the holder of the Sin of Pride seemed to become slightly more golden as the penguin''s eyes looked at its enemies with extreme arrogance. Its beak then proceeded to point towards the sky as it began the battle by showing disdain to its enemies! It was truly an assortment of powerful beings as a battle call resounded throughout the frozen landscape, signifying the start of the fight! RAA! RAA! RAAAAA! A prideful cry reverberated throughout the skies as the body of the Emperor Penguin shone in a gorgeous silver light, its flippers raised high in the air as its face adopted a condescending look towards its enemies. The atmosphere trembled as a blazing golden sun appeared in the skies above the Ice Giants, its extreme heat and weight descending down towards the giants as the flipper of the Emperor Penguin came down. OOOOH! The descending sun put immense pressure on the King of Ice Giants as he roared, a variety of abilities coalescing on his body as his crystalline weapon shone with immense blue light, getting ready to meet this attack at any moment. "Haha!" Raucous laughter released from him as he focused on moving around the battlefield, his party of beast girls not too far behind him as they let out colorful lights of their own. Kazuhiko would occasionally look at the visibly rising number in his stat panel as he continued to slash any giants he came across while stealing their attribute points and abilities for himself. The Imperial Phoenix was not too far back, her body revealing its curvaceous figure as she changed from an astounding phoenix wielding blue flames and into a demonic form of a succubus! [Sex Demon Transformation] was activated as her body was granted even more power, a gaze of dangerous proportions coming off her face as she put her hands on her lips and...blew. OOONG! A terrifying blue miasma spread out from her as it went on to cover thousands of Giants around the battlefield. The Ice Giants found strength leaving their bodies as they looked towards the Imperial Phoenix with loving gazes they had never given even to their mothers as they heard a sweet command from her, their minds imagining the amazing ways they would spend their nights together the moment they completed the command from this being they loved the most. They brought whichever weapon they were holding in their hands as they turned them towards themselves! Those which huge blades serrated their own necks, those with cudgels and hammers smashed their own heads until they became unresponsive, but their gaze was still that of profound love as they looked towards a sweetly smiling Imperial Phoenix with the enhanced form of a succubus! It was an eerie and dangerous sight to see as even someone who was not affected, Kazuhiko, briefly looked at this sight as his eyes shone towards this curvaceous form. He was reminded of his unsuccessful attempts at flirting with the Imperial Phoenix these past few days, wondering whether he should go to Noah to ask him exactly how he was able to charm the Frozen Queen and Barbatos so he could apply the same principles to this cold Imperial Phoenix. His thoughts were quickly interrupted as he felt a hammer twice the size of his body descending down from a giant, cutting his thoughts short as he put more mana to his next attacks to make his enemy feel even more pain for the interruption. The immense levels of anger it held deep inside its heart, the helplessness it felt when it saw the world it was born in shatter into pieces...this anger grew more and more as it manifested itself gloriously with [Anger Avatar]! The humongous body of the Kraken found a reddened battle-armor forming around its many arms and tentacles, the ends of each of them gaining shining red spikes that seeped with blood as his aura momentarily overtook the whole battlefield. A variety of emotions clouded its mind as it recalled its destroyed homeworld, the billions of beings that lost their lives, as well as the origin of something very close to him! AAAAA! A deadly scream erupted from the Kraken as a bloody light was released, its huge body spreading out like a fan over the battlefield and spinning rapidly as powerful Ice Giants in the thousands were turned into a mass of flesh and bones. Those that were watching could feel a tremble deep in their hearts as they unconsciously felt an unknown anger dredge up from the depths of their hearts. HMPH! The sleek penguin in the skies observed these stupendous scenes around it as it did not like the fact that it wasn''t the center of attention, a snort ringing out as [Pride Embodiment] activated and caused a shining golden light to gloriously erupt from it. His facial expression seemed to become nobler as the sleek feathers covering it became golden, the body becoming an embodiment of pride as a power that was not at the Phantasmal level was released. "Burn, little ice giants, burn!" An arrogant voice that seemed more like a command rang out from its beak as the Ice Giants felt themselves being brought to their feet in a kneeling position, their gazes turning towards the skies as they observed two more blazing suns appearing explosively in the skies as they barreled down towards them. This made it three suns that were now descending down at their position, and at the centermost of all this was a gloriously glowing golden penguin that seemed to be looking at them with eyes that only saw them as something less than bugs. The King of the Ice Giants, Larruk, looked at this sight in dumbfoundedness as he felt the powerful strength he had always known leave his body as he thought a few last words. ''What the fuck was this?!'' BOOOOM! ¡­ Silence reigned in the battlefield after the explosion of three suns, the Frost Race looking towards where the King of Ice Giants stood only to find a scarred landscape with burning flames, the only thing left behind being burnt masses of bones. The large crystalline weapon that the King of Ice Giants carried was the only thing intact as all around the area, only death reigned. Immense shock and slight fear entered their hearts as they turned to look towards their powerful helpers in the sky. The others were looking at the penguin and shaking their heads because they felt a change in its aura at the last moment, realizing this penguin had released the limiter they decided to place on themselves and revealed its power at the Transcendent Rank! Nearly all of them were in the Phantasmal level, with a few being in the Transcendent level after Noah gifted them with an abundant amount of Transcendent and Saint ranked [Cores] that they began absorbing instantly, causing their strength to skyrocket in this short period of time. Since the world they were in only had at maximum beings of the Phantasmal levels, they had agreed to use the opportunity to train their skills through battle and not overpower everything through force! Alas, the Emperor Penguin could not help itself as released not just a single sun, but three and directly killed the leader of the enemy forces in the first few minutes of the battle. It only scratched its head in embarrassment briefly before its arrogant eyes turned golden and it moved towards the enemies once more. RAA! RAA! RAA! The remaining Ice Giants trembled as they heard the terrifying battle cry again, feeling their knees grow weak as fear occupied their hearts. The beings of the Frost Race and the Human Race looked at this as immense thrill came to their faces as they moved forward with vigor and power to claim their victory. OOOOOOH! The battle for the Icebound World that had started not too long ago, had actually found an untimely ending. 263 The First Realm of Hell As battles concluded in some worlds, new ones began in others. Noah watched the numerous figures of beings from other worlds as they traversed through the roadway constructed in space and entered the flaming gateway in front of them. His gaze only lingered briefly on the party of Celestial Disciples as he moved forward himself with great expectations. They would all be thrown in different locations after they passed through the gateway, so only the future would show exactly who he will be lucky enough to come across. He observed the humongous gateway, as well the numerous number of ships all around it before he let out a deep breath and disappeared into the doorway leading to the First Realm of Hell. FLASH! Only slight disorientation and adjustment occurred before he found himself in an entirely new area. Looking around, the entire space held a hue of orange shade as all around him, wisps of flames continuously burned. Below him was reddened rocks that expressed the one major thing about this world- it was extremely hot! There were dense orange-red clouds far above in the horizon that obscured one''s view to look any further, as the tongues of flames all around seemed to be dancing and trying to land on anybody that was near. The landscape was jagged and uneven, and he could even see the outlines of wide mountains and valleys in the distance, along with something else he was coming across for the first time. GRRRR All around him, numerous growls could be heard as in the few seconds that he had entered into the First Realm of Hell, he was already surrounded by numerous Infernals. He looked curiously at the outlines of these new beings as he used one particular summoning skill that he had longingly upgraded all the way from Mythical ever since he turned back time three weeks ago. The Infernals in front of him had an outline similar to reptilians, but their bodies stood on two legs which had flaming hoofs at the end of each of them. Serrated tails that controlled the flames in the surroundings were even more prominent as they moved closer to him, his eyes clearly making out their sharpened clawed hands and jagged teeth that were dripping with bloodlust. Their heads were surprisingly similar to that of dragons, with crimson horns erupting from either side of their foreheads as they circled around Noah, seemingly testing his power before they voraciously jumped towards him. The numbers simply surrounding him had reached thousands as each of their bodies let out levels of power no less than Mythical, with an abundant amount of Phantasmal and a few Transcendent Infernals standing further back. The skill that Noah had cast finally came to life as golden-green runic circles released a terrifying being that let out powerful waves of power, causing a few of the infernals to pull back. Its aura powerfully made itself apparent as it was used by its master for the first time in what felt like forever. From its beginnings as a Rank S [Summon Virulent Abomination], all the way to the Mythical [Summon Death Lord], and now standing stably at SAINT+ after more than three months altogether in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land, the first-ever summon was now under the name of [Lich Lord of Abomination] [Lich Lord of Abomination] :: A skill that is unique in the universe, with its synthesis being something that only a single being can duplicate. It summons a Lich holding immense essence in its bones, a Lich that is proficient in poisons, healing, and summoning deadly forces of death. Its current abilities include Summon Poison Totem, Summon Undead, Noxious Outburst, and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord. He knew the effectiveness of a summoning skill in the past, and knew its power would be just as immense when it reached the same rank he was in now! One of his projects with the time spent in the Spiritual Land was the maxing of proficiency of many skills that were complementary to [Summon Death Lord] as he raised the rank of his first summon all the way to SAINT+. Its skeletal structure towered in size, being more than five meters as it raised the golden-green staff towards the rushing Infernals who could not hold back their bloodlust anymore. [Summon Poison Totem] OONG! Essence rumbled as from the skies, a huge green-gold structure of a prominently large totem holding inscriptions of laughing and baleful skeletons struck into the ground, destroying those nearby as it stably took root. SHAA! SHAA! SHAA! An eerie sound that was similar to that of rapid waves of the ocean rang out and all around the Totem, waves of cloudy milky green lights erupted out as far as 10 meters, fully covering all the Infernals nearby as a horrendous sight occurred. Any infernals covered by this poisonous cloud released from the Poison Totem found their bodies melting right away, with those who were powerful enough to withstand it with their lives barely hanging on despairing when yet another wave of poisonous cloud released from the Poison Totem, SHAA! SHAA! SHAA! The waves of poisonous clouds continued to be released from the totem as in its surrounding 10 meters, everything had melted down to a mess of bloodied goo as it continued to release its waves of poison nonetheless. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Poison Totems similar to this were summoned by the Lich Lord of Abomination as they struck down in multiple areas where clouds of infernals were present, causing a terrifying sight to replay as everything melted from clouds of poisons. OOOOH! The more powerful Infernals watching from the back roared in anger as they moved in, maneuvering around the Poison Totems still continuously releasing poisonous waves as they made a beeline for the large hooded green-gold skeleton and Noah. Multiple Transcendent Rank Infernals, as well as two Saint Ranked Infernals, had appeared in the surroundings. The Lich''s eyes shone a green light as the skeleton atop its staff shone a golden light, its immense energies casting yet another skill as Noah watched the abilities play out with a wide smile on his face. [Summon Undead] was cast as shining green lights began to appear in droves all around them. The green lights seemed to be multiplying at a rapid pace, increasing exponentially as an aura of death began to spread out all around them. OOOH! Encompassing screams resounded as in the vicinity of Noah and the Lich Lord of Abomination, thousands of powerful Undead had appeared. Numerous Skeleton Warriors wielding poisonous jagged blades, Dullahans releasing poisonous smoke, immensely large Ghouls and Zombies, as well as...a humongous sized Bone Dragon that whipped its skeletal head towards the oncoming Infernals...and let out a poisonous Dragon''s Breath. VOOM A gory scene of melted Transcendent Rank Infernals played out as a fiery light erupted from the Saint Ranked Infernals, a barrier of flames surrounding them that fully protected them from the poisonous breath. They pulled back briefly as they pulled in their bloodlust and observed the beings in front of them yet again. Around the human and Lich, droves of powerful Undead were screeching at the Infernals as the Bone Dragon began the charge, and thousands of the undead spreading out towards the Infernals swarming around them. RUMBLE! "Haha!" Noah could not help but laugh at this sight, recalling how he loved summons so much with the ease they brought. Watching a pet that he called out move across the battle field as they reaped havoc and chaos had always had its own charm, and he was reminded of it yet again right now. He was about to move forward and put in some work himself when he felt a reddish form of energy come from the dead Infernals all around him and enter his body. "Hmm?" ¡­ [Error.] [Oh?] [Now what is this?] He stopped as he heard the messages from the Planetary Core of his homeworld, with the core of the Beast World and Demon World chiming in soon after as they came across something new! Memories about the Infernals reappeared in his mind as he recalled the words of Elder Baldwin and Elder Spacewarp about how these beings were diametrically opposed to them, with their bodies releasing unique energy which directly helped improve the cultivation and comprehension speed of those that defeated them. The same applied to the Infernals, where anytime they defeated any of them, their ranks and power would climb that much faster! So why exactly had this unique form of essence caught the attention of the Planetary Systems? 264 Exploring a Shocking New Feature! [A new form of energy is directly interfering with skills and abilities.] [Contained. Isolated. Analyzing] [This..!] His home world''s core continued to speak in its monotone voice as the cores of the other two worlds continued to speak with more emotions, all three rapidly analyzing this new form of energy given off by the defeat of the Infernals in this First Realm of Hell. The Infernals existed in the Seven Realms of Hell, with the first one having the lowest levels of Infernals, the place where most of them are newly born. When the various powers first faced the Infernals, they found to their surprise that the defeat of these beings would grant them boosts in their power, with beings that studied the Laws of different elements finding themselves gaining increased comprehension speed as they progressed much faster. This same energy that many powerful powers in the universe had come across, Noah was finally coming in contact with it for the first time. [Isolation and Analysis successful. New form of energy has been broken down and quantified, and will be displayed in the form of numbers under a new feature- Infernal Skill Point(s)] What?! Noah phased his mind out from the Infernals surrounding him that the Lich Lord of Abomination was taking care of as he focused more on the words of the planetary system, trying to fully understand exactly what they had come across. [While increasing comprehension speed and power in others, it can be better utilized if it is directed and focused onto a few specific abilities and skills of the user. Hold on while a sufficient explanation is prepared.] ¡­ A few brief seconds passed as Noah activated his numerous mind-enhancing abilities, and he didn''t wait long before a new blue screen appeared in front of his eyes. \u003c\u003cInfernal Skill Point(s)\u003e\u003e A unique essence found only in the Realms of Hell. The user is able to open up multiple paths of evolution for their skills and abilities through using Skill Points, and while working in conjunction with [Skill Combination], achieve a smooth enhancement of all abilities through sacrificing skills of equivalent level. Skill Trees of multiple abilities can be viewed and activated through the use of the Skill Points, and they can also be used to increase the proficiency of skills and abilities. Current number of Skill Points- 1.3 Noah''s eyes read over the new feature multiple times as he could feel his heart pounding, his mind trying to understand this new concept more as he opened his panel and tested this one the skill he used most recently. In front of the skill, a new counter that read 0/15 had appeared! Noah focused as he sent a command while watching the Infernal Skill Points that continued to increase in a decimal pace as the Lich Lord continued to kill the Infernals around them. The counter next to the \u003c\u003cInfernal Skill Point(s)\u003e\u003e went to 0 as he put everything in the [Lich Lord of Abomination] skill. SAINT+ [Lich Lord of Abomination] (1.6/15)- Two Skill Trees for evolution are possible once sufficient points and a base requirement of two equivalent level sacrificial skills are reached: \u003e\u003eMiasmatic Poison Lord- Leads the summon towards the path of a master of poison, additional abilities include Necrotic Touch, Venomguard, and Decaying Earth. \u003e\u003eAbhorred Lich Emperor- Leads the summon towards a path of a master of death, additional abilities include Undead Legion, Will of the Undead Emperor, and Delay Death ¡­! Noah''s mind became extremely active as he thought through this new feature that allowed for unbelievable actions! To put it in simpler terms, these Infernal Skill Points could be used to enhance the level of power for each of his skills, and once they reached the highest required number, which in the case of SAINT+ skills is 15, he can choose to proceed with the evolution of the skill and by sacrificing two SAINT+ skills and open up the Skill Trees of two possible paths while also allowing the skill to reach the Void Rank. This was different from the usual Skill Combination that took two complementary skills of the same level and simply increased their rank. In the case of the [Lich Lord of Abomination] skill, after it reached 15/15 Skill Points and he chose two Saint+ skills to sacrifice as the base, it would upgrade the skill and open up two possible directions- one which focused on strengthening the poison aspect, while another direction focused on improving the death aspect of the Lich Lord''s abilities! Each pathway provided additional abilities that could be unlocked by the Skill Points, and even strengthened to even more powerful levels depending on how many points he placed in one particular ability. For example, if there was a [Raise Skeleton] ability that allowed one to raise 1 small weak skeleton after placing 1 Skill Point in it, placing another skill point would increase the power and allow you to summon 2 skeletons. Placing another Skill Point would allow you to summon 4 skeletons that would be much stronger than before...and this process just continued until the ability reached the cap of exactly how many Skill Points could be assigned to it. The more that Noah put this new feature into simpler terms, the more he felt his heartbeat increasing as he came across too many stupendous ways to strengthen himself and his skills to insane degrees through using these Infernal Skill Points. His attention went towards the Lich Lord of Abomination as he observed it to have grown a few inches bigger, its aura becoming slightly more powerful. This was the result of him placing the 1.6 Skill Points into the skill, the power of the lich becoming even stronger. The number of \u003c\u003cInfernal Skill Point(s)\u003e\u003e continued to increase in his stat panel as the Lich rained down poisonous death through his Summon Poisonous Totem and even more pain through the undead that were spreading out. Noah felt a brilliant smile forming in his face as he so quickly wanted to obtain even more Skill Points from these Infernals so he could test the immense boost they would provide when they were focused in one particular direction. OONG! His body shone a reddish hue as he activated his Arch Demon Transformation and pulled out the medallion that was connected to the outside world and showed how many Infernals each person had killed. He cut off the signature of ''Crixus'' as he put the medallion in the isolated Spiritual Land, not wanting to scare the watchers outside on how many Infernals he was about to kill. He would reconnect the signature every now and then as time passed so that he could keep his achievements high enough to be able to obtain his goal of the Absolute Space Technique once the events in the First Realm of Hell were over. His gaze turned voracious as he looked for the two Saint Ranked Infernals that were throwing powerful attacks towards the Lich Lord of Abomination that was standing above the Bone Dragon''s head as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, his targets locked on! 265 The Stupendous Skill Points Outside the flaming gateway of the Door of Hell, various powers stood in their ships as they observed the projection of various names the moment they entered the First Realm of Hell. It fluctuated rapidly in the beginning, with some names quickly jumping up and only to be replaced a second later as yet another name gained more points. A minute in though, they were able to see a clear name take hold of the number one spot briefly, and even hold on to it for an entire minute. That name was Crixus, of the Profound Astral Sect! Elder Baldwin showed extreme elation as he observed his son''s name actually occupy the top position among the many geniuses of the surrounding powers, while Elder Spacewarp was just happy that someone from their Sect had been the first to garner the attention of everyone else. But the name Crixus only remained on top for a minute, before its exponential rise slowed down, and it was soon caught up by powerful and famous names that were well known among the major powers. William''s name soon came into the picture as Crixus only continued to be pushed further and further down, with the names of powerful disciples of the Magus World, Underworld, and even the elusive group of Pureblood Vampires that had sent in their True Prince were among the powerful names that quickly took and retained the spotlight. The name Crixus gradually continued to fall until it moved out of the top 50, with much less attention paid to it now as the beings focused on the changing top 50 ranks as they brought out foods and entertainment around their ships and watched the continuing Infernal Hunt with great interest. Names rose and fell on the huge projection in space, but neither of them were privy to the massacre of unknown proportions taking place by the same being who had exponentially risen in points just a few minutes prior. Noah was moving with extreme enthusiasm that he had only felt when he first received the Skill Combination feature. The enthusiasm stemmed from the continuously rising Infernal Skill Points as he killed more and more Infernals. He was able to increase the slow decimal point additions even faster the moment he fully utilized the abilities of the \u003c\u003cAbsolute Sin\u003e\u003e on top of the powerful Lich Lord of Abomination. What made him amazed was the maddening increase of power in the Lich as he continued to add more Skill Points to the [Lich Lord of Abomination], the counter next to the skill now reading 13/15! All the other Undead that the Lich Lord summoned were increased in numbers and the power they released until they reached a climax when Noah placed the last Infernal Skill Point that made the skill [Lich Lord of Abomination] reach 15/15! OOONG A resonance of essence erupted out as a golden light shone briefly from the Lich and all the undead it was connected to, with Noah observing a second later that every single undead that the Lich had summoned now held powerfully glowing golden weapons on their hands. The Bone Dragon''s claws and sharp teeth had a golden sheen as the serrated blades that the Skeleton Warrior and Dullahans carried became beautiful to look at. It was an enormous change that when Noah actually took a step back to measure the level of power that the still Saint+ Lich released from its body, he found it to be infinitely close in power to the next rank, even though he had yet to perform the final advancement! He took a deep breath as he looked at the remaining number of Infernal Skill Points being no more than 3 as he pulled back and focused on the stat panel, wanting to observe for himself the first opening and activation of a skill tree that only went to further amplify the strength of the selected skill. SAINT+ [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15)- Skill Point requirement met. 0/2 SAINT+ Skills are needed for advancement to either the Miasmatic Poison Lord OR the Abhorred Lich Emperor. Time seemed to slow down as he increasingly felt the beating of his heart, his mind moving rapidly as it sent a command to use two Saint+ skills that were among the limited few he had raised in his months of time spent in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land The requirements were all met as Noah felt a resonance of essence, and a magnificent light erupted out as in front of his eyes, he synthesized his first ever skill of the Void Rank while also opening up a Skill Tree for the first time. Under the [Lich Lord of Abomination], connecting arrows had appeared as the blue panel expanded, showing the skill at the bottom of the screen with a blue arrow pointing towards a brightly shining [Abhorred Lich Emperor] above it! That''s right! He had chosen the skill tree that was geared towards increasing the death aspect of Lich, wanting to see exactly how crazy he could make the summoned undead of this skill. [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(0/5), Summon Undead(0/5), Noxious Outburst(0/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(0/5) \u003e\u003e [Abhorred Lich Emperor](0/30) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(0/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(0/5), and Delay Death(0/5) [Undead Legion](Passive) (0/5) :: The summon''s skill set is expanded as they are able to call upon even more variations of undead, and they become able to store the summoned creatures in an isolated space where they can be released in less than a millisecond. Possible Unlocks: Undead Blue Phoenix, Bone Qilin, Wraith, Specter [Will of the Undead Emperor](Passive) (0/5) :: +50% to all damage. +50% Death Damage. +50% Poison Damage. +50% Death and Poison Resistance. +1 Summon Limit to all High Level Undead. -15% Skill Energy Cost. [Delay Death] (Active)(0/5) :: As long as it is within 10 seconds, the call of death can be delayed. As long as the target is healed of life threatening injuries during this time, they can live on. A glorious selection of additional abilities that only went on to further increase the power of the summon appeared before Noah''s eyes as he quickly honed in on the passive of [Will of the Undead Emperor] to test the stupendous effects of the Skill Points on a skill that provided damage and other types of modifiers. He added a single Skill Point to begin with as he observed the modifiers changing with his own eyes. [Will of the Undead Emperor](Passive) (1/5) :: +100% to all damage. +100% Death Damage. +100% Poison Damage. +100% Death and Poison Resistance. +2 Summon Limit to all High Level Undead. -30% Skill Energy Cost. ¡­ Every single modifier had effectively doubled with the addition of a single Skill Point! Noah''s eyes shone as he added the rest of the remaining skill points and watched the results yet again. [Will of the Undead Emperor](Passive) (3/5) :: +200% to all damage. +200% Death Damage. +200% Poison Damage. +200% Death and Poison Resistance. +4 Summon Limit to all High Level Undead. -60% Skill Energy Cost. A beautiful view of numbers passed through his eyes as he turned his attention to the outside world to observe the stupendous changes of his summon and the crazy rise of power each of its undead received with the [Will of the Undead Emperor]. The sight...left his jaws wide open! 266 An Undead Legion Traverses the First Hell, A Vampyre Makes a Move In a certain location of the First Realm of Hell, a sight of unimaginable proportions was playing out as for the first time in the history of this world, an area of a few miles was filled with beings that were not Infernals. For miles around, one could see shining golden flames vigorously burning from the eyes of numerous Undead beings as they moved like a single organism, the direction they went towards acting as a grinder that cut down everything they came in contact with. Noah watched his first ever Void Rank skill in action as the [Lich Lord of Abomination] gained the additional abilities of the [Abhorred Lich Emperor], heavily boosting the aura that it released itself, and the even more prominent effect being the large numbers of Undead that continued to increase as he observed the Lich to be moving its now golden bony jaws in laughter as it waved its Skull Staff around maddeningly. KA KA KA! The powerful jaws of the Lich snapped open and shut in wild emotional laughter as abundant essence released from its body, summoning as many undead as it could with its expanded abilities! The Lich was no longer five meters tall with a green exterior. Now, his skeleton had adopted a more golden green coloration as its size was actually reduced, being slightly less than three meters but its aura being multiple levels more overwhelming than when the Lich was more than five meters large. The Skull Staff it was waving around with wild emotions had numerous runic inscriptions and golden flames burning out of its eye sockets as they resonated with the fiery but empty eyes of every single undead on the burning plains of the First Realm of Hell! Far in the distance, Noah could see not two, but six humungous Bone Dragons in total flying through the skies as they rained deadly Dragon''s Breath filled with a poisonous green-gold hue towards the scrambling Infernals. This was due to more Skill Points being added to the [Will of the Undead Emperor], allowing the Lich to summon an additional Four High Level Undead on top of the current limit of two! Aside from the Bone Dragons, Ghouls reaching five meters maneuvered through the burning plains as they were accompanied by fast-moving Zombies, Skeleton Knights, Dullahans, and even more Undead. Noah recalled the other additional skill unlocked by the Abhorred Lich Emperor skill tree, the [Undead Legion] that allowed for even more types of Undead like the Blue Phoenix, Specters, and even Wraiths to be summoned as he checked the number of Skill Points he had amassed in the last few minutes. The number was still in the decimals, dampening his excitement briefly before his eyes voraciously looked at the bloodthirsty Infernals that now held an uncertain look in their eyes as they looked at the eerily laughing Lich Emperor while more and more Undead continued to fill the burning plains of the First Realm of Hell. Only a minute passed when a brand new being appeared where the figure of a dark-haired Crixus used to be, now being replaced by a bony Skeleton Knight wielding a large serrated golden blade. In this inconspicuous Skeleton Knight form, Noah disappeared from his high position atop the head of the Bone Dragon where he and Lich Emperor were standing on as he blended in with the thousands of other Skeleton Knights that were clashing with droves of Infernals, leaving the maddeningly joyful Lich atop the head of the Bone Dragon as he continued to wave the golden Skull Staff and orchestrate the movements of a stupendous never before seen Undead Legion in the First Realm of Hell. --- The beings watching the projection of names on the screen near the gateway to the First Realm of Hell were continuing to discuss with enthusiasm as they watched names rise and fall. More than half of all the disciples and trainees that had entered through the gateway had already returned, where even though most made it in time to use their medallions and be teleported away, there were still hundreds of beings from different powers that faced their death. Some were simply unlucky and were teleported in an area where numerous amounts of Saint Rank Infernals were congregated and they were forced to end their journey early, while those who were even more unlucky to meet the very rare Void Rank Infernals met an early death as they did not even have enough time to use their medallions to be teleported out. As for the names that currently occupied the Top 10 on the leaderboard of the Infernal Hunt, it was actually the Pureblood Vampyre, Price Cassius, taking the number one spot! Next to his name, a glaring golden number that read 342,912 pulled in the eyes of all those that were watching. The Pureblood Vampyres were a powerful ruling race in the Underworld, holding unknown power and potential in their bodies as they were the descendants of the powerful Vampyre Progenitor Vladimir whose name once resounded throughout the Prime Worlds. They would normally hold high ranking in the Infernal Hunts, but never so staunchly hold on to the first ranking position this tightly, and for this long. "Have the Vampyres raised yet another monster to dominate the Underworld in the coming years?" "Dominate? Hmph, maybe if they weren''t as arrogant and worked with others, they would already have the entire Underworld beneath their fingertips." A variety of powers were discussing the beings shifting position on the leaderboard, with a few focusing on the names of unknown disciples from a power called the Profound Astral Sect that had more than six beings in the top 50! The ones most worthy of note was the name William that was ranked 44th and holding 135,237 points, Crixus who was ranked 47th and holding 126,365, and the one called Athena who was holding 327,476 points, and was actually ranked 2nd! Many powers knew the movements behind the scenes, and were wondering the true identity of this being that they had never before seen participate in the Infernal Hunt. Just who was able to keep up with one of the High Races of the Universe, the Vampyres, and only be one rank below a powerful Pureblood Vampyre Prince? The question circled in the minds of many as back inside the First Realm of Hell, the beings being talked about outside the gateway to hell were also looking at their medallions that counted how many Infernals and what level of power Infernals they killed. Just like how those outside could see their ranks, the ones holding the medallions could see their own ranks as they either became excited to work harder or realized they weren''t the geniuses they thought they were. Among the flaming landscapes of the First Realm of Hell, a being dressed in a tight-fitting business suit was floating on what looked to be a large drop of blood. On his back, pristine looking red-blood wings that closely resemble those of a bat stretched out as they propelled him forward even faster. His head was full of shining silver hair as his eyes had a dangerous color of bloody red. His gaze was languid and calm as from his fingers, small drops of blood dripped out and fell towards the ground below where numerous Infernals were flocking around, those that were even more powerful flying towards him ferociously like a swarm. The moment these small droplets of blood touched the ground or came in contact with any Infernal, they expanded to cover areas of more than twenty meters as everything they encompassed thereafter...was shredded into a mess of blood and gore. The being, a particular Vampyre Prince that many were paying attention to, suddenly shifted his gaze as he sensed a group of beings on the horizon that were not giving off the signature of Infernals. It was a being from the Faerie Race that was accompanied by two humans as they fended out attacks of ten Saint Rank Infernals that were leading droves of lesser ranked Infernals with them. The Vampyre Prince''s languid gaze quickly turned into focus as his red eyes honed in on the being of the Faerie Race, his eyes noticing something that very few would be able to across the Universe. Those with an abundance of knowledge and know-how on a specific organization would be able to use unique methods that would have allowed them to know that this being of the Faerie Race was a disciple of the Celestials. The calm gaze returned to the Pureblood Vampyre Prince as he used an ability and spread his senses for the surrounding miles, checking to see if any other beings were in sight. Within a few seconds of confirmation, the Vampyre Prince bent his knees under the teardrop of blood beneath him like a spring, his wings became tout and vibrated as the muscles became coiled, and then he released himself like a loaded missile towards the location of a Celestial Disciple accompanied by two humans. BOOM! ... 267 An Enemy, or an Ally? Like an uncoiled spring, the powerful body of the Vampyre Price broke the sound barrier as he neared the Celestial Disciple of the Faerie Race in the blink of an eye! His hands had formed into the shape of a bloody claw as he aimed towards the heart of the being in front of him without a second thought. Although taken back and given less than a millisecond to react, the being of the Faerie Race was not holding the title of a Celestial Disciple for nothing. "Fate''s Protection!" A resonant howl escaped from her as her hazel blue wings shone, gaining a golden hue as a protective bell formed around her to meet the bloody claw. BOOM! An eruption rocked the skies of the First Hell as the bloody claw met the golden bell, the two beings that clashed being safe and sound as the Celestial Disciple had blood dripping from her mouth. The two humans that were moving with her were ripped to shreds from the impact as the Vampyre Prince looked languidly at the enemy in front of him, not sparing a second more as he had already felt the movement of numerous beings headed their way. "Blood World." OOONG! Essence rumbled and roiled as the simple words triggered ancient magic that went to envelop the area half a mile from the Vampyre Prince at the center. An expression of confusion and slight fear entered the mind of the Faerie as she recalled her teachings on Fate, never having foreseen something like this happening to her today. The fear overtook her pride as she took out her medallion and placed essence into it without a second delay, knowing her power could not stand against the enemy targeting her. ¡­ Yet to her dismay, nothing occurred no matter how much energy she placed onto the medallion! "In my Blood World, not even an ant can find respite. What makes you think you can escape?" More and more confusion clouded by fear sprung into the mind of the Celestial Disciple as she looked towards the Vampyre bubbling with essence as she calmly called out. "Do you know who you are targeting? My death will bring you untold trouble, and most likely your death if you were to know exactly who was behind me." The Faerie wiped away the blood still leaking from her mouth as she looked calmly at the silver-haired Vampyre whose eyes had turned even redder at her bleeding body, and sharp teeth that glistened gold could already be seen in his wide jaws. "Little Celestial, your identity is the sole reason why I targeted you to begin with." Shock! Fear! The calm expression that was always kept by all Celestials wiped away from the Faerie''s face as she moved her essence in a last minute dash the moment she realized this madman targeted her even while knowing who she was. "Constrain." SHAA! Her eyes were barely wide open as she noticed the silver-haired Vampyre right on her, his bloody eyes glistening with hunger as his jaws went for her tender white neck, two extremely sharp golden canines leading the way. ¡­ The Blood World that had covered the distance of the surrounding half a mile disappeared a few minutes after, a gorgeous Vampyre Prince becoming visible again as he licked the last bit of blood from his lips. There was an ashen husk of a being in his arms that was gradually turning into ash as he turned his attention to his surroundings. Not too far from him in the flaming skies, numerous flying Undead had surrounded the area just a few meters where his Blood World used to be. He could observe fearsome auras leaking from Bone Dragons and deadly Blue Phoenixes, not to mention the tens of thousands of undead that had inexplicably populated the molten ground. All of them had golden fires shining in their boney eyes as they looked up solely at him. The Vampyre Prince looked coldly at this, watching the Undead leaking the most fearsome aura at the Void Rank, a golden green skeleton that was standing on top of a Blue Phoenix that blazed with flames. The commander of these undead seemed to be tilting its head in confusion as it looked at him. A few thoughts passed through his mind as he began to float away, not wanting to engage with this new being after expending so much of his energy, while also not worrying about whether they knew the identity of the being he had just killed. There were very few people across the vast worlds who would be able to ascertain the identity of a Celestial, especially one that was on the throngs of death. His slightly reckless actions here today would not be known by anyone other than himself. The droplet of blood beneath his feet began to move away from the eyes of the many undead as he prepared to break the sound barrier and leave this area, but his plans came to a complete halt as his calm expression became stern the moment he heard a few words. "Now why would a Prince of the Vampyre Race be hunting down Disciples of the Celestials?" ¡­ The Vampyre Prince was brought to a halt at the mention of these words, his gaze turning increasingly serious as he tried to find their source among the droves of undead circling the skies and the ground below him, finding nothing but shining eyes with burning flames. OONG! He acted without a delay as he knew the importance of what he just did a few minutes ago, and how such an event could never meet the light of day. Should it be known that the Prince of the Vampyre Race had killed a Celestial Disciple, the consequences would be catastrophic. He placed his hand near his chest as a bloody key formed out of nowhere, entering his chest as he turned it swiftly, unlocking something he never thought he would use in the First Realm of Hell. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! A resounding sound of a beating heart erupted as the Vampyre Prince shone with a red light, a circle of blood erupting with him at the very center as it went on to cover the surrounding two miles! SHAA! He wasted no time as in this expanded Blood World that covered four times the distance of the normal ones, his first target was the Lich holding a golden Skull Staff as ropes of bloody lines turned into sharp spears around the Blood World, piercing any Undead they came across as even more spears targeted the Lich standing above the Blue Phoenix. "Constrain. Pierce. Absorb!" Powerful words left his mouth as stupendous destruction began to occur in the Blood World, many of the lesser ranked Undead turning to nothing in a few seconds as only a few Bone Dragons and Blue Phoenixes were left, some being ground down to bones while the remaining few had each of their bodies holding serious injuries, but not yet dead. The Vampyre Prince sighed at this as he placed his hand near his chest again, knowing he would have to go all out if he wanted the events in this place to never be known by anyone. "The more curious thing is that the Underworld should be aligned with the Celestials, thus your participation in this Infernal Hunt. Which makes these set of events so interesting, don''t you say?" The Vampyre Prince''s face turned ugly for the first time as he heard this voice again, and it was not anywhere in the two miles where he had expanded his Blood World, but somewhere outside of it. His impossibly gorgeous face twisted slightly before it regained its composure, and he breathed out slowly as he pulled his hands down and recalled the Blood World. The silver hairs on his head looked slightly dimmer as he turned towards the injured undead in the skies, and the many more Undead outside the two miles of his previously cast Blood World as he voiced out with a devilishly dangerous smile appearing on his face. "Who are you, and what do you want?" ¡­ A simple meeting was taking place between two completely different beings in the First Realm of Hell. At the same time, a Celestial Disciple had faced an untimely death. 268 The Pureblood Vampyre, Prince Cassius In a Celestial Star quite a distance away from the First Realm of Hell, an old man was sitting down in the middle of a monastery as he enjoyed a cup of tea while looking at five golden glowing pieces of circular stones floating on top of a white board. Some pieces were bigger than the others, with one being particularly large than the rest floating at the forefront. The Celestial continued to drink from his cup as a few hours passed, when he finally observed a change as one of the golden pieces floating on the board...became dim and crumbled. "Oh?" His gaze seemed to contain interest and a hint of wrath as his fingers moved and collected the remains of the golden stone that were now grey. The remains became absorbed in his hands as he closed his eyes briefly and activated a particular skill, but he was soon disappointed as the results came to be nothing. "Hmph." The Celestial Grandmaster was annoyed that his tracing had not worked, his annoyance coming more from the fact that he had lost a piece, and yet he gained nothing from it. A being had taken the life of one of the Celestial Disciples that he had sent, and this being was careful enough to first isolate the disciple in a different space before they killed them. Thus, the Celestial Grandmaster had lost one of his pieces that he sent forward to try and catch the worms trying to wiggle out of the Order and Balance that they had worked so hard to create. His gaze became calm again as he looked at the remaining four golden stones floating on the board, quickly bringing the tea cup back in his mind as he fully turned his attention to these four stones, and simply observed once more. It was only a matter of time before the fly was caught in his net. --- A devilishly calm Vampyre floated in the azure skies of the First Realm of Hell as he was surrounded by droves of undead all around. He watched as a single small Skeleton Knight moved out from the groups of undead as its empty sockets filled with golden flames looked up towards him. The Skeleton Knight opened its pristine jaws as it began speaking. "I-" BOOM. Before a single second passed, the Vampyre Prince waved his hand as droplets of blood instantly appeared where the Skeleton Knight was, exploding the entire area as it cleared to reveal only broken bones. Prince Cassius watched for a response from the surrounding undead as nothing happened, making him sigh as he turned his sight to another location and watched an identical Skeleton Knight move forward from the horde. The golden flames dancing around the skeletons eye sockets seemed to be having fun as a voice rang out once again. "As I was saying, I''m just a lowly passerby who happened to see something I wasn''t supposed to see, and now I''m just curious as to the meaning behind it." "Is it a personal vendetta? Or have I stumbled upon something entirely different?" Prince Cassius could see the skeleton more clearly as he adopted a serene expression and thought of ways to contain this situation. He spoke languidly as he sorted the facts in his mind and replied. "You mention the Celestials with disdain, and your first reaction to seeing one of them killed is not to leave instantly and report the killer to the Celestials to gain their favor, but to try and understand what happened." An eerie devilish charm continued to be released from the Vampyre Prince as he snapped his fingers, the droplet of blood he was standing on quickly changing as it expanded and formed into a regal chair made of glistening blood. Prince Cassius sat down domineeringly as he looked towards the skeleton and continued. "This means that you are either a being from the long-forgotten Ancient Races that still holds a grudge against Celestials, or a little disciple from the Alliance, which means this is as much fun as you''re going to have. So once more, what do you want?." Calm, collected, and domineering. Prince Cassius said these words imposingly, purposefully revealing some information that served as bait and to answer this being in front of him, yet wasn''t too revealing of his own position. His red eyes gazed calmly towards the skeleton that held dancing golden flames in its eye sockets, the only thing giving away its emotion being the happily dancing flames that seemed to have found something interesting to play with. The skeleton in front of the Vampyre Prince''s eyes was just a random Skeleton Knight chosen by Noah, with him transferring his voice as he was safely hidden miles away within the Undead Legion. His location was not even in the outside world, but in a luxurious house in the miniaturized Spiritual Land that was the size of a grain of sand as he relaxed on a fluffy couch next to a snuggling Barbatos. The curvaceous woman had eaten too much and now rested her head in Noah''s thigh as she let out cute breaths while napping. She had been training hard in the Time Space as her skills continued to increase in proficiency, and her rank was already at Transcendent as she enjoyed [Core]s from Noah first hand. All she had left to do was bring her skills to the same rank, a task that was much more time consuming for anyone that wasn''t Noah. His mind stopped focusing on Barbatos''s cute face as he concentrated on his connection with the Abhorred Lich Emperor, sending commands on what to make the Skeleton say on his behalf. He was happy as he got a chance to witness something stupendous on top of his already ecstatic mood as he farmed Infernal Skill Points and simply watched the power of the Lich he continued to dump the points into climb to insane degrees. He had come across the first ever being that seemed to belong to a force that actually stood against the Celestials, and this being was expertly hidden in the Underworld, a world known to be an ally of the Celestials. His smile continued to deepen as he wanted to find out more information, the moment he heard about Ancient Races and the ''Alliance'', his ears perked up even more as his mind worked rapidly. The memories of the Celestial Disciple Drax were abundant, but they did not have all the knowledge and intricacies of the enemies that stood against the Celestials. From Drax, Noah was only able to know that there were other powers in the Universe that were not aligned with the Celestials, with some of them even being their enemies, but he did not know who these hidden powers were. Yet now, he seemed to have stumbled upon a being that most likely came from one of these powers, and this...brought about a few possibilities. He looked at the Vampyre that had his body leaking an oppressive aura. This was a being at the Void Rank, and a powerful one at that. He did not have to move against them, and could perhaps make use of them if he played things correctly. "We actually seem to have aligned goals, which creates new possibilities. Why don''t we talk for a bit and share some information with each other?" A skeleton with dancing golden flames observed a regal Pureblood Vampyre Prince seated on a throne of blood as a conversation that would flip the Infernal Hunt into untold chaos began. 269 The Pureblood Vampyre, Prince Cassius II A skeleton with blazing golden flames in its eye sockets and a devilishly handsome Vampyre stared at each other for a long time before the Vampyre spoke again. "Even more Celestial Disciples are in this Infernal Hunt?" Noah nodded as he thought back to the vigorous back and forth conversation he had been on with this Prince, finally making way after he mentioned his knowledge of the Celestial Disciples that came in through Profound Astral Sect. "And you won''t tell me which organization you come from?" Noah shook his head as he replied. "No, I don''t see a need for that right now. Though I do have gaps of knowledge on the Celestials that I would love for you to fill in. How did you attack and kill one so confidently without any worry that your identity would not be known with the Celestial''s mysterious means?" Yes! This was one of the reasons why Noah wanted to talk with this being belonging from a power standing against the Celestials. Because not too long ago, while he was watching for the many possible routes his new path would lead, he found himself coming face to face with Celestial Disciples, and he successfully killed them! Yet, the moment he did, a golden light descended from the skies the moment the disciples lost their life and bound itself to him, a circular golden marking appearing above his head that he would have no way of removing. This golden circle made him believe that it acted as some sort of a marking that was forced onto him the moment the Celestial Disciple faced her death. He could only make the assumption that the arrival of this many Celestial Disciples into the Infernal Hunt had many underlying reasons, and that unlike the time when he killed Drax, there was somebody scheming behind the scenes. Either they were planning something else and he would unwittingly fall in their plot, or they were more terrifying than he thought and had somehow already begun aiming for him personally. Thus, he needed more information about the Celestials that even a disciple like Drax would not be privy to. Unless he got his hands on a high ranking Celestial, which was only a pipe dream as they were all insanely powerful, he had to make do with other means. And who else would know more about the Celestials if not their enemies? The Vampyre Prince looked at Noah briefly before he replied. "For you to ask me that, you must know the information that Celestials are capable of tracking who they are connected to through fate. My technique, ''Blood World'', breaks those types of connections for all that are in it, and I can do whatever I wish without peering eyes. Though it is not as useful if someone is physically near and snooping around." He nodded his head as the skeleton facing the Vampyre Prince opened its skeletal jaws. Prince Cassius looked at this skeleton standing atop a humongous bone dragon as his silver hair regained most of its shine. "What do I have to gain? It doesn''t look like you are providing anything for me." The Prince replied while closely watching this eerie skeleton in front of him. The skeleton tilted its head as it replied. "Oh did I not mention it? I have seen glimpses of the future, and they do not end so well for you." What! A tremor passed through Prince Cassius as he listened to the explosive words, he was about to refute them as he knew of his own power when the skeleton continued speaking. "You are lucky enough, or in this case unlucky enough to actually run into the most powerful Celestial Disciple in this Infernal Hunt, someone that you might know as Athena." ¡­! Prince Cassius''s eyes squinted as he stood up from his regal chair made of blood. "The War Princess is here?!" "Not just here, you die from her hands as well." Noah replied curtly as his eyes bore into the devilishly handsome face of the Vampyre Prince. His last words were actually all bullshit, with him having no knowledge of whether the Vampyre Prince would meet Athena or not. The [Insight] ability was powerful, but it did not show him the possibilities of others that he had not even met yet, with most of its focus placed on himself. Through it, he had been able to see the positions of the Celestial Disciple, as well as the position of Athena. But the terrifying thing was that when it came to Athena, besides her general location, everything involving her was a huge engulfing darkness of nothingness. This made him extremely careful as he moved with even more scrutiny across the First Realm of Hell, removing himself completely from even the undead legion as he went into the Spiritual Land and later miniaturized it to the size of a grain of sand that an inconspicuous undead was carrying. He had been sending commands and watching his summon continue to rip apart Infernals as he gained more and more Skill Points that he went on to add to the [Abhorred Lich Emperor] Skill Tree, continuing to reinforce the strength of the Lich as its Undead Legion became more and more powerful, with more variations as now even Undead Blue Phoenixes could be summoned. He had been moving like this for the past hour, using the Dagger of Time to make more plans for the future when he coincidentally came across the Vampyre Prince who was now looking at him with an interested gaze. "The War Princess¡­" Prince Cassius said the name with an indiscernible meaning as his eyes gained an even bloodier shade, his devilishly handsome face turning towards the skeleton representing Noah as he reached out his pale hands. "Very few techniques exist that can foretell the future, and even less organizations are privy to them. You have my attention, Little Skeleton. I''ll move with you for a bit." The Skeleton Knight with golden flames in its eye sockets reached out as a handshake was exchanged, confirming the agreement between these two beings as they began to move out. Noah exchanged more words with the Vampyre Prince as they began moving forward in a particular direction, officially beginning a hunt that was not just aimed at the Infernals. 270 Unceasing Growth, An Aberration In the safety of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, Noah was only expanding his mental energies as he followed the onslaught of the forces of his summoned Lich that continued forward tirelessly. The creatures in the Undead legion had continued to grow even stronger as the Lich Lord received more and more boosts from the [Abhorrent Lich Emperor] Skill Tree, where Noah had now added even more Skill Points to the abilities that improved their power the most. [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(0/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(0/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(3/5) \u003e\u003e [Abhorred Lich Emperor](11/30) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(2/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(2/5) The one that he made sure to max first with skill points was the ability that added huge percentage modifiers to damage and resistances, as well as how many high ranking undead that the Lich could summon. It was the ability called [Will of the Undead Emperor] that brought a significant change into the Undead Legion the moment it was maxed. [Will of the Undead Emperor](Passive) (5/5) :: +300% to all damage. +300% Death Damage. +300% Poison Damage. +300% Death and Poison Resistance. +6 Summon Limit to all High Level Undead. -90% Skill Energy Cost. When this skill, along with [Summon Undead], reached the cap of 5/5, a huge change occurred within the undead legion as on the powerful exterior of the summoned undead, terribly powerful armor and weapons had appeared. The tails of the Bone Dragons held golden spikes that oozed a fiery aura, while the flames of the Undead Blue Phoenix spread out to form the beautiful outline of shining blue wings that blinded those looking directly at them. The rest of the Undead Legion gained striking similarities as thousands of undead adorned in golden armor traversed through the First Realm of Hell and rained destruction on the maddened Infernals. At the forefront of the army, a Lich holding a flaming Skull Staff rode on an Undead Blue Phoenix as it seemed to breathe in the flames to rejuvenate itself, its gaze voracious and hungry as it sought for more things to kill. Hidden amongst this Undead Legion, a small circle of blood was situated in the jaws of an Undead Bone Dragon as it sat next to a Skeleton Knight. One could see the appearance of the devilishly handsome Prince Cassius in this circle of blood as his nose wrinkled to the side, his voice coming out soon after. "Your little pets have an uncomfortable stench." ¡­ "I can''t change that." A short reply came from the skeleton that Noah sent his words through as the Prince''s gaze focused on it. "When do you plan to reveal your real body?" "You seem to be trigger happy with your blood bombs, so maybe later." "Then I guess you must be one of those weak summoners who only rely on their powerful pets for power." The words were intended to bring about a reaction, the bickering between the two continuing as they moved forward while mowing down the rushing Infernals. Noah replied curtly, "No." Prince Cassius put on an expression that seemed to have finally figured it out as he spoke while extenuating his sharp jawline. "Ah, it must be because you''ve become ashamed of yourself after seeing my devilishly handsome appearance. Don''t feel too down about that, we Vampyres are some of the very few naturally beautiful species in the Universe." "..." Noah didn''t even know what to reply to the powerful Vampyre Prince as he kept half of his mental focus conversing with him while he continued to plan in the Spiritual Land. He held a glowing purple Dagger of Time in his hand, his sights set on something that had yet to even occur. --- In the centermost location in the First Realm of Hell, a region which was hotter and more blazing than any of the locations in this Infernal Realm existed. It was populated by some of the most powerful Infernals present in the First Hell, with the occasional appearance of Void Rank Infernals being a norm. Deep in the blazing earth at this centermost location, a unique Infernal was breathing with steady breaths, releasing a billowing stream of air that seemed to be fanning its own flames in this underground space. It held a more humanoid appearance compared to the other infernals, with the major distinguishing features being the fiery horns blazing with flames growing on either side of its face, huge expansive wings shooting out from his back, and a long serrated tail still waving behind him. It seemed to be consolidating its strength and power, something that many Infernals would never do as they would simply let their aura run free, using it to feed their bloodlust as they searched for more things to destroy. This particular Infernal had long since reigned in its destructive thoughts as it entered a critical juncture in its realm that would allow it to break through the shackles at the Void Rank as it entered something much greater, allowing for its smooth ascension to the Second Realm of Hell. Only beings at the Void Rank or lower could remain in the First Realm of Hell, with those being in higher ranks rejected outright from entering, or in the case of Infernals, achieving ascension to the next Realm of Hell the moment they crossed that threshold. One of the most powerful Infernals in the First Realm of Hell had stopped its ascension before it even neared as it billowed out hot breaths and released some of its power. It had sensed the many intruders that entered the Realm and began murdering its brethren, and it did not want to ascend before it killed as many of them as possible. Its rank would only be propelled further upwards when it killed those beings, but it would use that inflow of strength only to reinforce its power before it ascended into the Second Realm of Hell. What this Infernal did not know though, was that this technique was the same one that the most powerful Infernals that arose from the First Realm of Hell used! The powerful Generals and Infernal Scions that served under the Infernal Lords, and even some of the recently risen Infernal Lords themselves, this was the pathway they had taken before they rose to the great lengths and power that they did in the future. Unwittingly, an Infernal at the Peak of Void Rank had embarked on a similar path as it was provided a conduit that coincidentally came the moment it was ready for its ascension, the entrance of many beings that held origins completely opposite to it, and would only serve as fuel to make it reach unbelievable heights in the future. Its billowing breaths stabilized as it spread its wings wide open, expanding its senses in the blazing Realm of Hell as it located numerous amounts of beings using colorful techniques to destroy its brethren. The orange flames in the surroundings seemed to be getting sucked into its body as its figure moved like a streak of light, moving so fast that its body disappeared and reappeared miles later, soon reaching an unsuspecting Saint Realm disciple that was fighting against a group of Transcendent Infernals as its flaming clawed hands smoothly entered the chest of the disciple as softly as dipping one''s knife through butter. THUMP A single last heartbeat, and that was all as the claw tightened and shattered the heart like a grape, a stream of blue energy leaking from the body of the disciple as it went into the body of the Infernal. The blue energy circulated amongst the reddish skin of the Infernal as it was prevented from taking many of the normal paths, eventually settling in the horns of the Infernal as a small blue runic marking appeared on the right flaming horn. The aura of the Infernal became slightly stronger than it already was as it moved again, faster than the eyes could observe as only wisps of flames could be seen, its gaze already landing on other targets. An Aberration had risen in the First Realm of Hell through coincidental circumstances, or one could even call it fate, as it moved rapidly towards unsuspecting trainees and disciples! 271 A Deadly Team In the hellish atmosphere of the First Realm of Hell, two figures had grouped together as they moved against a horde of Infernals with ease on their faces. They were powerful beings at the peak of Saint Rank, their identities being even more special as they occupied a position as disciples of the Celestials. There were powerful rotating golden spears that let out a holy aura around one of them, each of these spears being more than five meters large as they went forward to crush the heads of all the Infernals they neared. The other Celestial Disciple was controlling holy chains that sought their own enemies, wrapping around them tightly before the life was squeezed out of their bodies. Every time that these Celestial Disciples killed the infernals a red light would be released from their dead bodies as it entered into the bodies of the disciples, bolstering their strengths little by little. The two celestials had happened to teleport near each other when they first entered into the First Hell, and they grouped up as they began hunting down the infernals at high speeds. They continued to traverse the first realm of hell as they soon came upon a new group of beings that they had not expected to find in this realm. The celestial disciple hoisting the golden spears in the air noticed them first, their gazes turning and watching as a group of what seemed to be undead beings traversed through the blazing atmosphere of the first hell, with their weapons cutting down any infernals that rushed towards them. From what they could see, there were a handful of undead that reached the Saint Realm, with the majority of the ones moving being transcendent or lower. They didn''t feel threatened by the appearance of the group as they simply wondered about this peculiarity. If it was something peculiar, it meant it was something that the disciples of celestials would check out. They exchanged glances as the two disciples went towards the group of undead. They were sent into this infernal hunt not just to reduce the number of infernals, but also to monitor any changes or unexpected events that occurred. The appearance of thousands of undead in the realm of hell was not the norm, as Necromancers were not a group that was among the allies of the Celestials. The celestial disciple controlling the golden spears commanded one to descend as she first wanted to test whether these new undead individuals were beings made from the first hell or if they were creatures that were being controlled by something else. The spear thundered down towards the undead group as the celestial disciples watched expectantly when something drastic occurred! VOOM At a speed invisible to the naked eye, a bubble of red blood had spread out to cover everything in their surroundings! "Blood World." They had not sensed any enemies nearby, nor had they expected one to appear that made it impossible to perform spatial movements and heavily restricted their physical movements. The two celestial disciples covered each other''s backs as they glanced upon their newly appearing enemy. Their gaze was met with a devilishly handsome silver-haired Vampyre Prince that looked at them coldly while the blood world continued to expand around them. Along with the expansion of the bloody world, undead similar to the ones they had seen before had began to appear en masse, although these ones were much more powerful than the ones who observed for. OONG Essence rumbled and roiled as multiple huge Bone Dragons and undead Blue Phoenixes appeared in the bloody air. This did not stop until six fully formed bone dragons and six fully formed blue phoenixes valiantly appeared, their bodies letting out terrifying levels of strength that seemed to be at the peak of the saint rank. As if this was not enough, a new species of undead that very few would come across nowadays made their appearance for the first time. Their size was not as impressive as the dragons or the blue phoenixes, but it was their eerie aura that they released which made one feel a shiver down their spine. It was the undead known as Specters! Becoming available for the Abhorred Lich Emperor to summon after Noah placed more points into the [Undead Legion] ability, these Specters were beings that weren''t formed from physical matter, but spiritual. They were a rare species of undead to come across as those who did not specialize in spiritual attacks normally found themselves at wits ends when they faced such enemies. The specters had an appearance white in color, their bodies holding a teardrop shape as a ghastly skeletal figure could be seen, two blank dark eyes and a wide crooked mouth being the only other things that appeared on their faces. The crooked mouth released a ghastly air the moment it opened, six of these Specters appearing as they surrounded the Celestial Disciples along with multiple other High Tier Undead. The Celestial Disciples felt a foreboding feeling as multiple more golden spears appeared in their roundings, along with numerous golden chains being cast as they released even more abilities. "Fate''s Eye!" "Fate''s Eye!" Golden light spread out as both of the disciples gained a golden third eye on their foreheads, their bodies releasing a domineering aura as an inviolable Law of Fate, something that very few could influence, surrounded their bodies. One of them spoke. "Friends, I do not know your purpose here, but are you sure you want to go through with this?" The devilishly handsome Vampyre Prince listened to this, a cold smile covering his face as he replied. "Oh, I most definitely want to go through with this." Prince Cassius waved his hands in the wide Blood World as lines of blood began to move, sharp teeth growing visibly larger in his mouth as he licked his bloody lips and acted like a being conducting a grand symphony of blood. He had his own reasons for taking down Celestials, but he would be lying if he said he didn''t enjoy the delectable blood that ran through their veins. He did not know if it was because the blood was drenched in the law of fate, or if the celestial disciples were uniquely chosen with high qualities. All he knew was that he would be draining every single bit of blood until their bodies faded away into nothingness. Alongside him, eerie Undead Spectors released spiritual attacks as Bone Dragons and Phoenixes sent out devilish attacks towards the powerfully glowing Celestial Disciples surrounded by a golden aura of fate! 272 A Grandmaster Makes a Move "Constrain." OONG! Multiple bloody lines began to chase the celestial disciples in the bloody world as the undead also made their move. Vigorously poisonous draconic breaths left the jaws of the Bone Dragons while blazing blue fire was released from the undead phoenixes. Most terrifying of all were the Specters, which released an engulfing eerie ghastly light that went on to attach onto the bodies of the celestial disciples. Their mobility was heavily impaired by the lines of blood chasing them down, and now to their horror, they found their bodies attached in what felt like a sticky substance that continued to sap the life out of their bodies. This was the eerie ghastly light that the Abhorred Lich Emperor''s Specters released, the Lich itself standing on top of one undead phoenix as it continued to wave its Skull Staff and directed the forces around them. The golden spears, nor the golden chains could block these spiritual attacks from the Specters, the celestial disciples finding themselves cornered in just a matter of seconds. "Fates protection!" "Fates protection!" They powerfully spoke as a golden light went on to cover their bodies, the ghastly light from the Specters momentarily breaking contact, but the golden light did not last long enough as it was quickly broken through, and the sticky feeling of life being sapped out of their bodies returned. Even the Vampyre Prince was looking at these newly appeared Specters with slight apprehension as even he himself was not confident in fully dealing with spiritual beings. He would have to unleash some of his ultimate abilities just to survive or injure them. His mind changed even more when he thought about the being behind this legion of undead that he had been traveling with. His strong confidence in his own power still reigned supreme as he observed the faces of the Celestial Disciples visibly aging as their life force continued to be drained helplessly, his gaze turning sour as he felt the strong smell of blood coming off of them reducing as time passed. He turned towards the undead Skeleton Knight near him as he spoke. "Hey, your little pets are draining all of their life force." "...Isn''t that the goal?" Noah, who was safely hidden a distance away in the Spiritual Land replied quizzically to the Vampyre Prince as he heard the voice ringing out once more. "Leave one for me to take care of." The Skeleton Knight which Noah was looking through looked at the Vampyre that was licking his lips as if he was looking at the most perfect meal ever made as he shook his head and sent a command for his undead to focus their attacks on only one celestial disciple. Nothing in their teachings of fate had allowed them to foresee this catastrophic event occurring to them. The bloody world they were in continued to constrict them tighter and tighter as the attacks from bone dragons and the undead Phoenixes rained down. For one of the Celestial Disciples, their lifeforce continued to be sapped away by the terrifying Specters that they could not defend against. It was a terrifying and hopeless sight as in only a matter of minutes the golden light that the disciples were releasing had all but faded away, their body looking aged and ancient as gray hairs could be seen on their head. The disciple looked like they had aged more than a hundred years in a matter of minutes as immense fear crept in. The other disciple felt even more suffocated as countless bloody lines tied up their limbs, making them immobile as a devilishly handsome Vampyre neared. His cold hands touched the neck of the immobile celestial disciple as he felt the fearfully pumping blood through the major veins and arteries, his eyes being clouded by a layer of bloody light as he opened his jaws widely and sank his teeth in. Noah observed the wildy joyful expression on the Vampyre Prince''s face as he felt goosebumps in the Spiritual Land, with his attention quickly being taken away as he noticed something above the blood world. Invisible to the naked eye, a golden aura had descended into the First Realm of Hell as it looked to be searching for something. It stayed in the air above the blood world briefly as it began fading soon after, having not found what it was looking for and not being able to remain there any longer. Unsuccessfully the golden light could only fade away once more. At the same time, another 2 celestial disciples had fallen in the First Hell. Far in the distance across multiple planets, in a Celestial Star where a powerful Grandmaster was watching golden circles floating on a board, an expression of great disappointment and slight fury had appeared in his face as he had lost two more pieces. Two pieces were lost, and yet he wasn''t any closer to finding out exactly who was responsible for the recent events. His gaze was one of pondering as he raised his powerful hands and made a few calculations, standing from the calm monastery he was in as he gazed far off into the distance. The Grandmaster was an old schemer and monster, having gone through a great deal of things and being very experienced. He was thinking of the best way to quickly nip a problem in the bud as he thought of the being trying to unravel fate. He was still indecisive as the choice he made now would actively go towards the plot of this being. The Celestial continued to ponder when he felt a slight tremble from one the two golden circles still floating on the board, and he watched expressionlessly as his own disciple, Drax, met his death. His expression did not remain bland for long though, as finally, with the death of this disciple, a new signal was sent back! The grandmaster''s aura captured this signal as he finally glanced upon the being that reaped the life of his own disciple, his expression changing as he came across the blurry image of a ferocious Infernal. The image gradually cleared as the Grandmaster used various abilities to lock on to the target which should have been caught by a technique the moment he killed his disciple, and his expression turned grim as he used his expansive experience when looking at the image of the Infernal in front of him. His experience was wide and vast, quickly coming to an understanding that an Aberrant had risen in the First Hell! Aberrants were powerful Infernals that later on went on to become Generals or Scions of the Infernal Lords, with the most powerful Aberrants actually gaining the title of Infernal Lord itself if they grew powerful enough. A dangerous light passed through the Grandmaster''s eyes as he wondered. ''Was this the plot of the one interfering with fate? Allowing this Aberrant to rise into an Infernal Lord in the future?" A few thoughts passed through the Grandmaster''s mind as he stared at a single golden circle, the largest one that represented the most powerful Athena, that continued to shine brilliantly. The rapid set of events nailed the decision the Celestial did not want to carry out as his aura blazed outwards from the Monastery. OONG "I''ll be going out briefly." A few words spread out from him and into an unknown location in the Celestial Star as his body shot out of the monastery surrounded by resplendent medicinal herbs, and he tore through the atmosphere of the star before he quickly appeared above in space. He gave a brief glance to the shining star below him as his aura grew even larger, his gaze one of calmness as a golden aura wrapped around him, and he streaked across space in an unbelievable speed towards one location- The First Realm of Hell! This was something extremely shocking as Celestials such as himself never moved personally when it came to issues, using their mysterious skills and abilities to manipulate the workings of fate behind the scenes, occasionally sending out their Celestial Disciples to act on their behalf. Even if they had to personally accompany them, like in the case of a Grandmaster accompanying Athena to closely watch her mission that concerned a certain destroyed world, they would not personally act! This was because they were very proficient in the Law of Fate, and knew the immense effects that came with every action that beings like them took. For the sake of maintaining Order, they enjoyed using proxies as they could keep their hands free of karma and continue to conduct things behind the scene. The action of this Grandmaster to move out personally was heavily considered in his mind as he knew it could have unintended consequences for the future, but he still made the decision to go. He had expected one or two of the disciples he sent out to possibly face their deaths, but never four of them, and never had the thought that he would not even be able to find out the identity of the killer until only a single disciple remained alive. This killer...was actually an Aberration in the First Hell, a being that held the qualifications of becoming an Infernal Lord in the future! He could not let this Aberration continue to grow, and even more so, he could not let the vibrant Athena face death in its hands. Others could be sacrificed. Others could die. But not her. To achieve the goal of destroying this Aberration early while also ensuring Athena''s life, he would have to personally move this time. His gaze was determined as his vigorous power that was multiple levels above the Void Rank streaked across space at speeds much faster than even light itself. 273 A Prelude The festive aura that had colored the atmosphere of the various powers that were gathered in ships around the door of the First Hell slowly began to dwindle as more and more powers knew of the deaths of their disciples or trainees. Many of these powers had various ways to keep track of the status of their disciple, the number of those facing death quickly becoming known as murmurs began to spread throughout. They could all feel it- something was different about the Infernal Hunt currently taking place! "Too many of our disciples are losing their lives, and too quickly at that!" "Something is wrong, our Core Disciples would never be taken down this easily. We need to send others in to investigate." Various interstellar ships were sending communications back and forth as disorder continued to increase, with no answers in sight as the being responsible, the Infernal Aberration, reaped the lives of trainees and disciples so fast that not a single one had been able to come out alive from the encounter. This was true, until just recently! A distraught disciple from a Sect in the World of Cultivation was teleported back to their ship, and they returned with great fear in their faces, their body being greatly injured. After they were healed, terrifying words came out of their mouths that allowed for the observers around to finally get a grasp of what changes had occurred in the First Realm of Hell. "A-...An Infernal with power much higher than the Void Fimmerment realm is in the First Hell!" "What!" "Impossible!" Unbelievable shouts were released from those that heard the words from the distraught disciple, as they directly violated the one rule all of them understood about the Infernal Hell- the fact that any being higher than the Void Fimmerment rank would be rejected from the First Realm of Hell. The Saint Realm disciple shook their head despondently as they released defeated words. "I- I watched my fellow disciple ripped apart in less than a second, the only reason it did not get to me too was because I cowardly activated my medallion the moment Senior Sister Judy died in front of me." The Void Realm Elders of this organization listened to the account of their disciple as their gazes hardened, sharing this information with the other powers surrounding them as they quickly began to move. Though it seemed unbelievable and against established knowledge they knew, they quickly acted as the organizations that could contact their disciples through unique ways sent messages for them to use their teleportation tools to quickly return. Those that did not have ways could only look on anxiously as they felt the lives of more and more disciples quickly snuffed out. Unease began to spread amongst the various powers gathered around the door of the First Hell as they did not know exactly what to do! The various powers turned to a particular direction as they felt the aura of a ridiculous level of power they normally never came across rush towards them. Only a second passed before this aura became visible to the naked eye, arriving with grandiose fashion it shimmered gold. It felt like a blazing being had torn through space and arrived near the door leading to the First Hell as they stood valiantly in space, their aura wildly pulsating out and making many of those nearby feel and oppressive force pushing down on them. The light slightly dimmed as those watching finally saw the image of a wizened old man serenely standing in space. The gaze of the old man glanced at the door of hell briefly before it turned towards the Interstellar Ships around it, peering through all the layers as it honed in on the figureheads of the powerful forces lying within. Soon after, multiple figures at the Void Rank could be seen coming from their ships as they gathered around this powerful old man. Their gazes were those of tension and slight fear as they came closer and closer to him, hearing a resounding voice traveling through space and into their ears. "An Aberration has appeared in this Infernal Realm, one that the disciples will not be able to handle." The tense gazes of the Void Rank finally gained some understanding as they connected the dots with the words of the frightened disciples, with one of the Void Rank figures, Elder Spacewarp of the Profound Astral Sect, taking the initiative to ask. "What can we do?" The gaze of the powerful Celestial Grandmaster landed on him as he craned back, hearing a reply soon after. "The Aberration cannot be left alive, while the disciples still in the First Hell need to be saved. You all¡­" His gaze pointed towards each of the Void Rank figureheads as he continued. "...will be going in personally to help take down this Aberration." The expressions of the powerful beings became tenser as they heard this, one of them voicing out with a low tone, "Esteemed Sir, we would sadly just be fuel for this Aberration to grow stronger. Our power isn''t-" "Hush." A simple word caused utter silence in the surroundings as the Celestial Grandmaster raised his hands, multiple golden lights releasing from his fingers as they descended into the bodies of the Void Rank Elders and Leaders of various powers. OOOM A holy golden light descended onto the bodies of the figureheads as golden runes became etched into their bodies, feeling an overflowing abundance of strength overflowing through them as they looked at their own bodies in shock. "You are now acting as my Incarnations, capable of descending into the First Realm of Hell because of your levels of power, yet being able to use much more with your temporary status." The figureheads at the Void Realm felt tremendous strength flowing through them as they looked towards the Celestial Grandmaster with shaking hearts. "Quickly go in and meet up with Athena. She will guide you all as you face the Aberration. Failure will not be an option." The figureheads of multiple powers nodded their heads as they became accustomed to this new feeling of strength, their figures turning into streaks of light as the golden light covering them pulled them towards a certain direction. A slight wrinkle appeared on the Celestial Grandmaster after he used a tremendous amount of essence to descend some of his will and power to create the Incarnations, but this wrinkle was quickly wiped away as his body returned to its vigorous power in less than a second. His gaze now went back towards the doorway leading to the First Hell as it peered through the various layers and tried to discern what was happening inside. --- In the Infernal Realm that was the First Hell, Noah had his eyes closed in the Spiritual Land as he was actively using [Insight] once again. Working in conjunction with the Vampyre Prince, they had successfully taken down another two Celestial Disciples, which would only leave two more, Athena and Drax. He wanted to see if he could decipher their location by observing multiple possible pathways when he came across a particular pathway that made him open his eyes in shock. The Skeleton Knight that was conversing with the Vampyre Prince about their next direction adopted a difficult expression as the golden flames danced in its eye sockets, the undead surrounding it coming to a halt as Prince Cassius peeked out of his blood bubble and asked. "What''s wrong?" His question was only met with a rapid movement of essence as he spread out his senses to discover the Undead Legion around him slowly fading away as the Abhorred Lich Emperor waved its golden Skull Staff and sucked them into an unseen space. Noah''s voice contained a tone of somberness as it rang out again while this process was occurring. "Huge change of plans. Multiple Void Realm beings are soon entering the First Hell, and each of their bodies holds a sort of power that resembles a technique of Celestials." "What?!" Prince Cassius asked with surprise as the Undead around him all but disappeared as if they never existed, with the Lich turning into a streak of light and disappearing soon after, only the bloody bubble that he was in remaining in the air. His senses perked up as in the next instant, the figure of a being that was somewhat famous in the World of Cultivation, the well known wastrel of the Profound Astral Sect, Crixus, appeared in the air next to him. "You?" ... 274 Skill Trees and Resets The Vampyre Prince looked at Crixus with unfamiliarity as stern words came out of the newly appearing figure. "Come on, we have to move fast." "What have you found out exactly?" Many thoughts and calculations were passing through Noah''s mind as he began shooting towards a particular direction, the Vampyre Prince easily keeping up with him. Noah looked at his stat panel as he replied. "I am not completely sure, but because of our actions and something else in this Infernal Realm, an actual bonafide Celestial is most likely pulling the strings and watching what is happening in here." Their figures streaked through the fiery skies at high speeds as they ignored the maddened infernals below them, Noah continuing. "We now have to keep in mind our identities, and how we should be acting if something had gone wrong in this Infernal Hunt that forced multiple Void Realm beings carrying the stench of Celestials to enter." A gaze of understanding passed through Prince Cassius as he was about to speak, when both he and Noah felt the aura of a tremendously powerful being exploding out quite a distance away from them, but towards the direction that they were heading into. Their gazes slightly changed as they looked at one another. The more knowledgeable Prince Cassius voiced out. "That aura can only be from an extremely powerful Infernal, one that should have already ascended to the Second Realm of Hell, but somehow it is still here. That should be the reason for the Celestial''s intrusion." Noah nodded his head as he pieced everything together while recalling the golden aura that appeared above the Blood World that Cassius had cast when they had killed two Celestial Disciples. He watched how this aura had descended the moment the two disciples faced their death, and yet it wasn''t able to locate them because of the unique feature of the Vampyre Prince''s skill, it faded soon after. The only two Celestial Disciples that he and the Prince had not come across were Athena and Drax, and it was highly likely that the latter, Drax, had faced death in the hands of this powerful Infernal whose aura they could feel from a tremendous distance away. Following this thought process, it meant that the Celestial who was intruding currently had this Infernal as the target, and they thought that this single Infernal was the culprit for the deaths of all the other disciples that had occurred in this Infernal Hunt! Noah continued to ponder, his mind focused on the mentality of Celestials as he asked the Prince, "From what you know about Athena, how likely is she to survive the encounter with this powerful Infernal?" Prince Cassius looked at Noah closely as his expression became somber. His silver hair shone as he gazed towards the direction they were flying in and continued to speak. "If she were to be matched with the powerful aura of the Infernal that we are sensing all the way out here, then I would give her chances of survival...at least 50%" Noah listened with a thoughtful expression as he replied. "Well, it seems the intruding Celestial doesn''t even like those fifty-fifty odds, and will be sending in multiple powerhouses whose powers feel like the peak of Void Realm towards that same direction." "...Her life would then pretty much be guaranteed." Noah nodded as he continued to think before he replied. "Let''s go see how the situation develops. With the arrival of all of these forces though, it seems we will only be acting in the capacity of helpful disciples from other powers at this rate." Noah was explaining his thoughts to Prince Cassius as they continued to shoot forth in a particular direction, with more than half of his attention placed on the next Saint+ skill he had been preserving some of the Infernal Skill Points for. He was currently Crixus, a disciple of the Profound Astral Sect, and he could not be seen using Necromancy by the multiple powerful Elders and Sect Masters that would be entering the First Realm of Hell under the watch of an Unkown Celestial. He held the skills of the dead Crixus and could imitate him fully, but even better yet was the one space related ability he had raised from Saint to Saint+ with the combination of [Aberrant Saint] and a skill he gained from the Magus called Black Serpent, the [Progenitor Transformation]. The product of these two skills was something that he had already maxed the proficiency of during his 8-day ''cultivation'' period when he acted as Crixus in the Profound Astral Sect, where he was actually in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land raising the power and proficiencies of many of the skills he collected for more than two months. The product was a skill that had come a long way. From the bases of [Dictatorial Kaiju- Hydra], to the [Calamitous Leviathan], to the [Aberrant Saint], the more offensive space related ability he wanted to play with next using the Skill Points was called [Amorphous Space Beast]. SAINT+ [Amorphous Space Beast] (0/15):: A unique creature in the Universe that was synthesized from a variety of abilities. Because of its characteristic, it sometimes appears as a calamitous dragon, and other times as a leviathan with an uncountable number of tentacles. Abilities include Spatial Cage, Destabilize, Shattered Star, and Miniature Space. The skill was spectacular, with the Spatial Cage ability allowing him to create individual cages that held his enemies in place, the Destabilize ability allowing him to influence a wide area and not allow spatial movements, the Shattered Star ability allowing him to throw his enemies the force of an exploding star, and the Miniature Space being the extremely small black hole he could pull his large body as well as his enemies into. Yet he held a troubled expression as he realized the number of Skill Points would be enough to upgrade it to Void Rank, but he wouldn''t be left with any points to spread across the stupendous abilities of whatever skill tree he chose in the future. He wanted to first see what the possible pathways would be as he added 15 points until the advancement was possible. SAINT+ [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15)- Skill Point requirement met. 0/2 SAINT+ Skills are needed for advancement to two possible Skill Trees: \u003e\u003e Void Walker- A path geared towards greater proficiency in the Law of Space. Additional abilities include Fracture, Supernova, and Space Mirror. \u003e\u003e Lesser Cthulhu- A profoundly rare creature to come across in the wide expanse of space. Additional Abilities include Morph, Child of Space, Portals of Terror, and Sever. A truly spectacular selection appeared in front of his eyes as he almost came to a stop, his mind rapidly moving as he was tempted to briefly stop and farm just a few more Skill Points from the Infernals. He looked at the Skill Tree of the [Abhorred Lich Emperor] as an idea struck his mind, seemingly nonsensical but at the same time, he couldn''t stop himself from asking if it was a possibility. He focused on his connection to the Planetary System of his homeworld as he asked. "The Infernal Skill Points that are already added to certain abilities, is it possible to...redistribute them?" The idea seemed far-fetched, but too many unbelievable and fantastical things continued to occur around him and he couldn''t help but ask. The reply came less than a millisecond later. [Of course, the Skill Points are a form of a unique quantifiable essence that reside within you. You can easily move them around from one ability to another if you wish. The only downside is the temporary deactivation of a Skill Tree if you completely remove the points associated with it, but you can just as easily redistribute the points as you wish thereafter.] ¡­ The monotone voice of the Planetary System replied as Noah could feel his heart pumping even faster. He didn''t think the idea of Skill Reset would actually be something that was possible. He thought he had discovered everything there was to the Skill Points that could only be gained from the Infernals in the Realms of Hell, but it seemed there was still much to discover as time went on! He gazed at the number of Skill Points he could play with in the Abhorred Lich Emperor skill tree while also thinking of what Skill Tree to choose for the evolution of the [Amorphous Space Beast] [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(2/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(3/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(5/5) \u003e\u003e [Abhorred Lich Emperor](22/30) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(5/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(5/5) His time had been used wisely and efficiently as he moved with the Vampyre Prince, making great strides with the Skill Tree of the Lich as he distributed the points as the Infernals fell. His eyes shone a dangerous light as he simply sent a command while watching the number of points in each of the parentheses of the skills, the light shining even brighter as he watched the numbers reduce and go down to zero, while the counter for free Infernal Skill Points he could use rapidly filled up. This...was simply too fantastic! His gaze turned to the two possible paths of evolution for the [Amorphous Space Beast] skill that he could now distribute a large number of skill points into, being able to bring out the strongest forms of the new abilities the moment he chose the Skill Tree. Now, which would it be? The [Void Walker], or the [Lesser Cthulhu]? 275 The War Princess, Athena In the blazing fires of the first hell, a lone woman was flying through the skies under the protection of two golden glowing elementals carrying huge hammers. The elementals were unique beings that could be summoned as protectors by knowledgeable Celestials, and came from an ability called [Empyrean Guards] [Empyrean Guards] was a skill that was only used by the most proficient of the Celestial Disciples, as it was one that was commonly used by Celestials themselves. The initial stages could summon one Empyrean Guard that let out a holy fate aura, and it acted on their summoner''s behalf to bring justice to all those that stood against them. There were two Empyrean Guards flying next to the dark skinned Athena, their bodies letting out impeccable strength at the Void Rank. The Empyrean Guards carried golden hammers in each of their hands, and these hammers would release resplendent rays of light that went on to strike and obliterate all the infernals that they came across. It was through these summoned guards that Athena continued to rack at points that she now neared the top position that the Vampyre Prince was holding on to. She was continuing her duty of wiping out the infernals when her beautiful expression changed as she looked in a particular direction. Her gaze that was calm and cool changed slightly, as she felt a tremendously powerful force coming. The force was barreling towards her at extremely high speeds and would most likely be there in only a matter of seconds. She had already ascertained this rushing enemy to be an Infernal as it let out an unbearable stench. She also felt the power that seemed to be in the Void Realm, and yet it wasn''t in that realm at the same time. But even with this wild level of power, this infernal had somehow managed to remain in the First Realm of Hell. Athena''s gaze hardened as in the midst of all this, wisps of understanding were coming out as she began analyzing the significance of this Infernal. Her expression became stern as unlike what many others would do when faced with a power of crazy levels coming towards them, she did not leave. She did not teleport away nor use her medallion as a life-saving tool. No, she chose to meet this coming enemy head-on. Essence erupted from her as she prepared to match the powerful enemy that was coming, a holy golden light releasing from her. The extension of bringing out the holy aspect from the Law of Fate was something that very few Celestials could manage to do. Those that were learning how to manipulate fate or influence it could very rarely dip their hands into the pool that pulled out this tremendously powerful holy aura. This special power added a domineering effect to one''s attacks, making those facing them feel an oppressive feeling from the depths of their souls. The four guards each stood in front of Athena as they prepared to clash with the coming infernal. She did not have to wait long as the Infernal was rushing towards her unique signature at rapid speeds, its body tearing through space as it arrived in a grandiose fashion. BOOM! A tremendously powerful sound reverberated throughout as the only greeting the Aberration gave to the enemies that it met was a powerful attack that almost always reaped their lives. Athena took a look at the appearing Infernal in front of her, observing his unique features and the blue runic inscriptions that covered its horns. Many things came into place as she used her abundant knowledge to put all the information together. She looked at this infernal that had not ascended to the Second Realm of Hell even though its power very clearly did not match the maximum allowed level at the First Hell. She observed the blue runic inscriptions to be the origins of the diametrically opposed beings that this Infernal had killed. It had consolidated its power, reinforcing its strength more and more as it rose to higher levels and yet still remained in this realm. Her gaze became even more stern as she fully decided to fight this terrible foe no matter what it took. From her abundant knowledge, she was able to come to a conclusion that this was an Aberration, and she knew that Aberrations could eventually become the Generals or Scions of the Infernal Lords, and in some rare cases, those that were talented enough could rise to become actual Infernal Lords in the future. She could not let this happen! Too many deaths would be caused by the rise of a new Infernal Lord, even if this Aberration in front of her only carried a possibility. She would be there to prevent the possibility, even if she had to lay down her life. This was a promise she made to herself a long time ago, before she even joined the ranks of Celestials. She grew up with war and death all around her, watching her family, friends, and anything she was close to die as the years passed. While watching all the senseless deaths from years of war, she told herself that if she had the power to bring a stop to all of it, she would do it without a second thought! Thoughts and wishes did not make the Universe flow in a perfect order though, strength did. She had no strength and could only watch her world gradually turn to ruin, her life saved by a single Celestial as fate still had something in store for her. Over the years she spent being trained by the Celestials and learning the ideology that allowed them to look at the larger picture of Order and Balance, she had always continued to ask herself, what exactly did fate want from her? This singular pondering on fate allowed her to exceed all expectations when learning the techniques that relied on the Law of Fate, giving her the special position she held today, but she was still searching. She traversed many stars over the last few years as she intervened and stopped the destruction of worlds, and at the same time took the lives of many that would only sow discord and more chaos in the universe. She always continued to ponder on the teachings of the Celestials all these years while searching. She was taught to train her will to become as strong as possible, because she would be forced to take actions that very few had the wills to carry out. Very few could see the larger goal when it came to taking the lives of a few to save an insurmountable number of others. Yet, she continued to ask herself, was this the path that fate wanted her on? She had never found an answer, but she continued to live by her ideals as she chose to stand against this Infernal. She knew her power might not be a match against this terrible beast in front of her, but she would do it nonetheless as this beast could be a cause for a tremendous amount of chaos in the future. She couldn''t have that, as she stood to maintain order. She would stand against this beast because that was who she was. She was the disciple that was most proficient in her understanding of fate that she brought shock to the higher echelons of Celestials. She was the War Princess, the one who stood for order and balance! YAAH! She let out a valiant scream as she summoned long golden hammers into her hands as well, joining her four Empyrean Guards as they flanked and attacked the Infernal letting out powerful waves of power. The Aberration looked at this being it could not kill with its first attack as it sensed the abundant amount of essence clustered within this one being, its eyes turning greedy as it wanted to devour her right away. The wide expansive wings on its back let out fumes of flames as it swiped its powerful claw forward, multiple tendrils of flames appearing as they formed into larger spinning flames, eventually becoming terrible tornadoes of hellish flames that multiplied all around him. With a wave of its hands, more and more hellish rotating flames appeared and rushed towards the beings glowing in golden energy and holding huge hammers in their hands, along with the resplendent Athena valiantly rushing forth towards it! BOOM! A momentous battle had begun in the First Realm of Hell. At the same time, multiple figures at the Void Rank entered, their bodies covered in a golden aura. These were the incarnations that the Celestial Grandmaster had sent forth, powerful beings of the Void Realm that were now reinforced with the power of a Celestial. Their bodies let out wild vibrations of strength as the golden aura around them continued to pull them forward towards one single location, towards the only Celestial Disciple remaining in the First Realm of Hell. Chapter 276 - A Skill Tree of Ultimate Proportions The choice to make between [Void Walker] and [Lesser Cthulhu] was actually simple. From looking at the fact that [Lesser Cthulhu] provided more abilities, as well as the description of the abilities coming from a ''profoundly rare creature'' across the universe, Noah chose this skill tree right away. After using two of the few remaining SAINT+ skills he had worked hard to raise and combine in his last session in the Time Space, he felt the resonance of essence rumble within him once again as he synthesized yet another Void Rank Skill. He felt the explosion of something unknown inside of his origin as this upgrade brought about an even more profound sensation than when he advanced the skill tree of the Lich Emperor. Dwelling in the sensation for a bit, he opened the Skill Tree of the [Lesser Cthulhu] and observed the new additions. VOID [Amorphous Space Beast] (0/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(0/5), Destabilize(0/5), Shattered Star(0/5), and Miniature Space(0/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu] Additional Abilities- Morph(0/5), Child of Space(0/5), Portals of Terror(0/5), and Sever(0/5). Morph(Active) (0/5) :: As a beast of mystical origins, you can briefly call upon your bloodline as you take the form of a terrible entity. While this form is active, +5% Complete Damage Absorption, +50% Physical Damage, +50% Elemental Damage, +50% Elemental Resistance, +50% Attack, Casting, and Movement Speed Child of Space(Passive) (0/5) :: You feel the love from the space surrounding you. No energy is required to withstand the void of space. All space-related abilities are boosted by 50%. Portals of Terror(Active)(0/5):: Portals leading to the most destabilized and destructive regions of the universe are summoned as they release their catastrophic energies at their summoned location. Maximum number of portals: 3 Sever(Active)(0/5) :: An ability geared towards an element that very few beings are able to tap into. Allows the user to access the elusive Aether Element as a ray of Aether that severs all it comes into contact with, even space itself, is cast. Can only be active for 1 second. A spectacular set of skills that almost brought him to a complete halt appeared before his eyes. The skills were crazy powerful, to say the least, with the thing drawing most of his attention being the [Sever] ability that introduced a new element he hadn''t heard of all that much, Aether! An element that was extremely hard to find being used even by the most powerful beings, being one of the sources of power that very few could tap into. Yet this advancement to [Lesser Cthulhu]...actually gave him a gift as stupendous as that. The [Sever] skill drew his eyes in because of the new element, but the other abilities were just as crazy, with the [Portals of Terror] being something unique that he had never even thought about, and was itching to see just what apocalyptic power would be released from portals that connected to uninhabitable destabilized regions of the Universe. Just those two would have been enough to make one extremely powerful at the Void Rank, but the other two abilities were on the same stage, if not even higher! [Child of Space] directly boosted all space-related abilities, and the even more important thing about it was the statement under the skill description that said that no energy would be required to withstand the void of space. This was something so profound that Noah felt he was running out of words to portray this type of power. Take the example of the Void Realm cultivators who could steer the Interstellar Warsh.i.p.s and traverse the void of space with their own bodies. Whether it was using the sh.i.p.s or just traversing the void themselves, they had to continuously be using their Void Realm essence to survive the void of space. Those that were more powerful in the Void Rank could travel across stars with no issues, while the newly advanced Void Rank beings could only be able to spend a few hours at most before their essence ran out and they found themselves suffocating in space. Yet this single ability from this skill tree advancement would allow Noah to withstand the void of space with no energy. This was how crazy [Child of Space] actually was! His mind continued to become shocked as he thought more and more deeply about this, asking himself just exactly what he had stumbled upon. The advancement of [Lesser Cthulhu] seemed to not just be a skill in name, and he wondered just what mysteries stood behind the entity that this skill included in its name. He even wondered about the future advancement after this- would he be able to find one that wiped away the term ''Lesser'', or something even crazier? His question would go unanswered as he observed the other skill that made his heart shiver. The boosts in elemental and physical damages, resistances, and speeds of his movements and skills he was used to. But it was the new boost that tugged at his heartstrings the most. This wasn''t even the terrific picture of the form he would be able to take upon activating [Morph] and taking the form of this [Lesser Cthulhu], a form of a terrible beast that was rarely seen across the universe. No, this was because of one of the features that was described once he took the form of this [Lesser Cthulhu]. Complete Damage Absorption. It felt like his mind was exploding as he read these words, gradually becoming calmer as he saw the percentage of 5% next to it. But this 5% was before he added skill points to this ability. As for Skill Points...he now had an abundant amount of them! This ability was simply one that would absorb the percentage of the damage shown, no matter who it was from, and it would completely absorb 5% of it. How high would this percentage be raised once he maxed this ability with the skill points? He once more thanked the spectacular feature of being able to simply move his Skill Points around as he wished, as the skill points from the [Abhorred Lich Emperor] skill tree were now all free points he could use on the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree abilities. This meant...that he could add points until he maxed all of the skills without a second of waiting! It wasn''t something that he thought he would be able to do before, and he had already made plans to return to the First Hell whenever this Infernal Hunt ended to farm day and night for more skill points. Currently though, this feature came in as the best possible save. It was a truly exhilarating feeling as he watched the numbers for the four abilities go from 0/5 to 5/5 in the blink of an eye. He felt even power bubbling in his body as one of the skills was Passive, where it would always provide the boosts that it showed. Just from the passive boosts of [Child of Space] alone, he felt as if he could tear through the space around him with ease as his body felt weightless. Unknowingly, his body began to smoothly advance faster and faster, the Vampyre Prince that was easily keeping up with Noah''s still Saint Rank attributes glancing towards his disappearing figure in shock as it suddenly left behind a sonic boom and began disappearing from his sight. The genuine Void Rank Vampyre Prince looked at this sight with his sharpened jaws falling down as this was speed that was even faster than his! Noah came to his senses a second later as his body came to a halt, and he waited a few seconds before Prince Cassius caught up and looked him up and down like a freak. Noah couldn''t help but let a burst of joyful laughter out as they resumed their path towards the battle taking place far ahead, the clashes of power which they could already feel from this wide distance. He looked at the newly updated and fully maxed abilities of the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree as he enjoyed the feeling of being as light as a feather as he streaked across the blazing skies of the First Realm of Hell. Morph(Active) (5/5) :: As a beast of mystical origins, you can briefly call upon your bloodline as you take the form of a terrible entity. While this form is active, +30% Complete Damage Absorption, +300% Physical Damage, +300% Elemental Damage, +300% Elemental Resistance, +300% Attack, Casting, and Movement Speed Child of Space(Passive) (5/5) :: You feel the love from the space surrounding you. No energy is required to withstand the void of space. All space-related abilities are boosted by 300%. Portals of Terror(Active)(5/5):: Portals leading to the most destabilized and destructive regions of the universe are summoned as they release their catastrophic energies at their summoned location. Maximum number of portals: 8 Sever(Active)(5/5) :: An ability geared towards an element that very few beings are able to tap into. Allows the user to access the elusive Aether Element as a ray of Aether that severs all it comes into contact with, even space itself, is cast. Can only be active for 6 seconds. Descriptions that made his heart feel crazy levels of power appeared before his eyes, the thing taking the most attention being the 30% Complete Damage absorption that he would have whenever he took the form of the [Lesser Cthulhu]. This wasn''t a normal modifier, and it actually meant that he would only ever take 70% damage from whatever was attacking him for as long as he kept that one ability active. It was a truly eye-opening ability that he wanted to observe the effects of as soon as he could, but his attention was pulled away as he sensed the powers of multiple figures converging at the same location they were going to. [Child of Space] had expanded his senses to wild degrees, as it felt like he had eyes that could hone into every nook and cranny of space for tens of miles around him. His senses brought into focus the gloriously shining form of Athena facing off against a terrible Aberration with abhorring levels of strength. Coming into this scene at the same time as them were multiple Elders and Sect Masters from neighboring powers that were now drenched in the golden light of Celestials. The Incarnations that the Celestial Grandmaster had sent forth had arrived to lend their aid to the prized Celestial Disciple. Chapter 277 - A Grand Battle I The newly arriving Incarnations looked forth at the sight of Athena valiantly holding off against the Infernal Aberration as they quickly moved to reinforce her. The battlefield they were delving into was a terrifying one, with constantly rotating hell storms that would raze anyone that was not paying attention to the ground. OOOH! Vigorous yells resounded as the powerful Elders and Leaders of Various powers arrived on the battlefield and reinforced the one being fighting against a tyrannical beast. Their eyes shook at the level of power that this simple girl let out, being even higher than the four golden Empyrean Guards she was smoothly alternating with as she defended and let out attacks methodically. A few Elders were lost in the rhythm of battle when they came close, being astonished at the movements of Athena and the summons that she controlled as she weaved across the dangerous tornadoes of hellfire, defended against a constantly appearing and disappearing Infernal, as well as throw out rays of golden light from the huge hammers she wielded to land perfect strikes on the body of said infernal. It felt like a beautiful dance that they could get lost in watching! They quickly shook themselves out of their reverie as they moved to join the battle, one particular Elder turning his attention to another direction as he found two figures arriving at the same time as them, and he knew one of them very closely. "Crixus!" Elder Spacewarp looked at the Wastrel of the Profound Astral Sect in shock as he thought this son of Elder Baldwin would be the last person to rush towards danger and lend aid to fellow disciples. This was especially so because the other top disciple of the Profound Astral Sect, William, had long since used his life-saving tool to return to the ship. Elder Spacewarp looked at Crixus and the powerful being he recognized to be the Prince of the powerful Pureblood Vampyres of the Underworld as he sent a message that only Crixus could hear. "Leave this place quickly boy! We have this handled, but I won''t be able to protect you if this beast turns its attention on you!" --- Noah had arrived at the spectacular battlefield where one particularly powerful enemy of his was valiantly facing off against a powerful Infernal that let out levels of power which had already passed what could be considered the Void Rank. He was shocked at the beautiful dance that seemed to be occurring as Athena controlled the pace of the battle against this maddened Infernal with ease, weaving in and out of the powerful hellish flames and deadly attacks as she defended and counterattacked with no issues. Her body let out a holy fate''s aura that he wasn''t fully confident in being able to pierce right now, the only possibility of him injuring her being if he used the abilities of the [Lesser Cthulhu] and activated its spectacular skills. Now, with the addition of multiple Elders and Leaders from various powers that were reinforced with the strength of an observing Celestial, he could not make a single move against Athena! His mind rapidly moved as it seemed he would have to go along the path he had talked about with Prince Cassius earlier- and that was to act as helpful disciples as they continued to monitor the situation. If this immensely powerful Infernal in front of them happened to be even more terrifying than they imagined, maybe there would still be a possibility. But from watching how the battle seemed to be in a stalemate with the exquisite control that the War Princess held over the battlefield, the joining multiple other Void Rank beings reinforced by a Celestial''s power only meant that things had turned bad for this Infernal. Putting on the expression of a righteous disciple, Noah sent back a message to the concerned Elder Spacewarp as he and Prince Cassius moved closer to the battlefield. "I''ll be fine, Elder! I will stay in the periphery and try to help, and will use my medallion at the instant sign of danger!" His gaze looked firm and resolute as Elder Spacewarp turned to look at his expression with shaking eyes. ''Had the wastrel disciple of his sect actually grown this much?'' The Elder was occupied with the wrong thoughts as Noah observed the tides of the shifting battle, looking for any changes that would allow him to obtain the most rewards out of this situation. The one reward he wanted the most was an important one- the death of this extremely powerful woman that let out levels of power that made him frown even now! But this seemed like an impossibility at this point in time, and he might have to settle for the reward of increasing his status within the Profound Astral Sect as he achieves the goal of obtaining their Absolute Space Technique, and the possibility of even gaining the trust of the Celestial that was observing things from the outside of the First Realm of Hell, as well as the powerful disciple in question herself, Athena. Whatever path opened itself up in front of Noah, he would take it! The Void Rank Prince Cassius was a bonafide expert himself, moving to act naturally as the Prince of the Pureblood Vampyres and led aid to their allies. Multiple drops of blood that acted as homing missiles rushed towards the Infernal as a rain of blood exploded on the battlefield. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! This brought a brief respite to the constantly maneuvering Athena as she glanced at the beings that came to reinforce her, nodding her head as she observed the golden celestial aura covering them with a happy smile. One of the Elders came close to her and proclaimed. "We came under the guidance of the Grandmaster to aid you. He mentioned for us to...follow your lead." The leader of a powerful organization scratched their heads warily as they revealed the intentions of the observing Celestial Grandmaster outside of the First Hell. A shining light erupted from Athena''s eyes as she heard this, her smile becoming even more brilliant as she nodded. "Good. Listen to my commands, and we shall destroy this Aberration before it can grow any further!" She was smiling widely because she found out that even at this juncture, the Grandmaster was still using it as a chance to train her, this time letting her work with multiple Void Realm beings as she had the task to eliminate this Infernal in front of them. Her brilliant eyes gazed upon the Aberration as she began letting out multiple commands to the newly arrived Elders and Sect Leaders, her hands coming together in front of her chest as she chanted a few words. "Empyrean Armament!" OOONG Brilliant golden essence erupted out as the four [Empyrean Guards] surrounding her became streaks of light that shot towards her body, a holy aura that many were seeing for the first time descending around them as they felt oppression deep to their very cores. Noah was observing this development closely as his gaze became more and more somber while he continued to gain just a bit more understanding of this powerful enemy of his. Chapter 278 - A Grand Battle II [Empyrean Armament!] The words were the prelude to a confounding brilliance that made even the hellish Infernal pause briefly, a blooming golden flower becoming apparent in the eyes of all those watching the battlefield. Four powerful [Empyrean Guards] became streaks of light as they entered into Athena''s body, making her seem like a glowing mass of light as the first thing that became visible was exquisitely shining white wings that let out oppressive vibrations in the blazing skies of the First Hell. The light gradually died down as it revealed the being connected to the gloriously glowing wings. The figure of Athena was fully covered from head to toe with a golden armor that screamed of power! Two spiked swords trembling with a white destructive light that was just asking to be released to her enemies were on her hands, numerous golden runic markings inlaying her golden armor that went on to even cover her head completely. Only two brilliantly glowing eyes could be seen between the gaps as the sword in her right hand pointed towards the fiery skies, and the sword in her left hand pointed towards the Infernal Aberration that was looking at her with extreme passion. This passion in the Infernal''s eyes continued to grow as it greedily wanted to devour this being glowing all in gold, as her essence smelled the sweetest out of everyone here, and would improve his own strength the most when he devoured her. OOOH! The Infernal let out a battle cry as the fiery skies became even redder, storms of hellish flames continuing to form as they obscured everything, its gaze voraciously going towards the woman pointing a golden sword towards it and ignoring all the attacks from the surrounding Void Realm beings. Athena held her gaze steady, one sword pointing towards the sky and one pointing towards the rushing Aberration as her essence rumbled, and she cast yet another skill. "[Smite of Liberation]." OOOONG! Wild levels of mana leaked out from the direction where she pointed her golden sword, the tip of an even larger outline of an immensely large corporeal blade began to form. The reddish skies of the First Hell began gaining a hue of gold as with every passing millisecond, the shape of this stupendously powerful blade become larger and larger as it pierced through the fiery sky and descended towards the Aberration at crazy speeds! The Infernal Aberration felt this tremendously powerful blade descending down as its gaze hardened, looking up with slight care as its body streaked across space and moved to a different location. What happened next left those in the battlefield with slacked jaws as the insanely large corporeal golden blade descending from the skies changed directions and streaked across the skies towards the Infernal even faster than before, its might burning with righteous golden light as it smashed onto the Aberration. BOOM! SMASH! A flash of light. A brilliance of unknown proportions. "GAAH!" The Infernal let out a scream of pain for the first time ever as a large rupture spread out from its chest all the way to its head. Eerie muscles wriggled to reform as a holy power prevented them from coming together, its gaze turning bloody as it glanced towards the woman responsible who was already giving more commands towards the mute Void Realm beings in the surroundings. "Move! You, flank its left. You¡­" Various commands were quickly released as the Void Realm beings moved according to Athena''s words and let out attacks from different positions that made it extremely difficult for the injured Infernal to defend. "WAAAH!" The Aberration let out a guttural howl as the blue runic markings on its horns glowed brighter, pillars of defensive hell flames forming all around him as it moved to defend and attack the swarming enemies around it. Noah observed this continuing battle with stupefaction as the image of the golden armored woman carrying deadly swords and gloriously shining white wings continued to release just crazy levels of attacks and skills while commanding an aura of a veteran of a battlefield as she moved herself and the Void Realm beings like pieces on a chessboard. The being that was even closer to the battle, Prince Cassius, was glancing at the nearby Athena with blood-red eyes as he controlled his hunger and followed her directions to let out even more attacks towards a certain direction. The Infernal Aberration began to feel suffocated as it realized every direction it tried to move, an attack would already be there waiting to meet it, causing it to be contained in one area as it couldn''t move freely! It felt cornered as every move it tried to make, there would always be someone to counter it. The one responsible for this was looking through the slits of her golden armor as she continued to let out powerful attacks while reading the flow of the battle. Unbeknownst to all the beings here, she could observe invisible white lines coming off from the body of the Infernal, and these lines told her exactly what move the Infernal would be making even before it made the move! This was a skill that was unique to her, one that allowed her to lead and direct the flow of battle as if it was a grand symphony. This was why she had gained the title of the War Princess, and this was just another one of the features that made her unique! One of her hands pointed to the fiery skies of hell once more as another one aimed the sword it was holding on to towards the Infernal Aberration that continued to be increasingly cornered. OONG! Yet another corporeal golden sword of momentous size began descending from the skies as one could hear the screams of the surrounded Infernal that continued to receive the full attacks of multiple Void Realm beings. This Aberration would have no chance to become a General or a Scion of an Infernal Lord in the future, much less hold the title of an actual Infernal Lord. Its fate was sealed the moment it met the War Princess born from countless battles. Chapter 279 - Valiant! Powerful!Terrifying! A stupendous sight was playing itself out in the First Realm of Hell as an immensely large golden sword pierced through the skies and struck the cornered body of the Infernal Aberration once more. BOOM! World shaking rumblings ensued as yet another grave injury was dealt to the Aberration, its mind registering waves of pain as it looked at the beings surrounding it in immense fury. Even more attacks rained down from the bodies of the Void Rank Leaders from various powers that were currently serving as incarnations of a Celestial, injuring its body even more as the will of the Infernal began wavering. It felt such a large amount of pain that even its strong body could no longer continue to withstand it, and its thoughts unwillingly went to a phase of planning it did not want to carry out yet as its eyes were still lingering on the body of the brilliantly glowing being with white wings. It breathed calmly as something clicked inside its body, essence being moved to the correct places as like a door being unlocked by a key, its realm went above the Void Rank so that it could escape from this hellish situation through ascending to the Second Realm of Hell! "What!" "Stop it!" Vigorous words were heard from the surrounding as they felt the changes and tried to move rapidly, not wanting to let this Infernal Aberration slip out of their fingers like this. They were dismayed as none of their attacks would be fast enough to disrupt the essence of a being that was making a breakthrough. This breakthrough would be finished in less than a millisecond, and the moment it did this Infernal would begin the process of ascension and escape from its certain guaranteed death! Even Athena looked forth in anger as her wings and essence vibrated rapidly, but even she knew she wouldn''t be fast enough to land an attack that would disrupt a breakthrough of a being such as this. It was at this moment though, with everyone feeling cheated as the Infernal Aberration was right about to slip from their grasp, a multicolored aurora of light that was even faster than the speed of light pierced the chest of the Infernal and directly disrupted the path of essence that was needed for its breakthrough! [Sever.] A barely inaudible whisper just happened to reach the ears of those listening really closely at this moment. ¡­! Immense shock and pain entered the mind of the Infernal as it felt the energies of its body suddenly run amok as they exploded in disorder, its eyes, along with the eyes of Athena and all the Void Rank beings in the surroundings turning towards the direction where the multicolored aurora of light came from. Many wore shocked expressions, with a particular Elder Spacewarp wearing an ecstatic expression as a wild laughter erupted from him. "Haha! Genius! Genius! You were no wastrel at all!" The powerful beings quickly processed their shock as they moved to take this opportunity to land attacks on the Infernal that was about to escape but failed, its breakthrough stopped midway as one of the very few things that could stop a being''s breakthrough to the next rank actually struck it! To bring to a stop someone''s breakthrough, they either had to be hit with an extremely powerful attack that took their attention and disrupted the order of the breakthrough, or the even rare case where the energies of the one performing the breakthrough were brought to a complete disorder through the use of a special attack. The reason for their shock was that this exact special attack had been the one that brought the essence of the Infernal into disorder, and because they knew the identity of that multicolored aurora of light that pierced through the skies faster than the speed of light to land on the body of the Infernal. It was power that stemmed from an extremely elusive element that very few would have the genius or capability of tapping into, the extremely mysterious element of Aether! Ranked among the highest sources of energies in the Universe, attacks created from this element were extremely fast and deadly, most of them exceeding the speed of light. Another factor that made the Aether element so deadly was the fact that it brought with it destructive energies that would immediately cause a disorder of essence dwelling within the bodies of its targets. In the most opportune time, the attack exceeding the speed of light had erupted from a disciple that was closely watching the battle from the sidelines- it was none other than Crixus! This was the reason for the shocked looks from the Void Rank beings all around, even the jaw of the Vampyre Prince dropping to the ground as they looked towards Noah as if looking at some sort of incredible genius. But this was the only way that beings who were able to tap into the power of Aether were known as- monstrous geniuses with such amazing comprehension that would only allow them to grow into powerful figures in the future. This was why Elder Spacewarp had been ecstatic while he landed even more attacks on the disordered Infernal. It was because his sect now had a monstrous genius that was rarely found across the Prime Worlds! The body of ''Crixus'' looked dilapidated of energy as he seemed to be breathing heavily, indicating that the single second where he released that aurora of multicolored Aether had taken all of his mana. The brilliantly glowing Athena had her eyes shine with a mysterious light as she looked at the struggling infernal still hanging on while deadly attacks rained down from all around. She wanted to finally put a stop to it before it regained order of its essence and tried breaking through again. The Infernal Aberration was heavily injured enough that her last attack would be able to completely seal its fate and end this whole ordeal. "Scatter." She sent a command to the surrounding Void Rank beings as instantly, the fiery red skies of the First Realm of Hell gained a brilliantly glowing golden hue. The Leader and Elders of powerful organizations quickly pulled back from the vicinity of the Infernal as they felt a tremendous amount of power coagulating in the area! [Judgement] OONG A simple word escaped Athena''s armored lips as the golden hue that had spread all around quickly materialized into the sharpest rods of spears. A deadly gleam escaped her eyes as she waved her hand down, the numerous spears circling the Infernal raining down and piercing it from every single possible direction. THUCK! THUCK! THUCK!.... Numerous horrendous sounds continued to resound in the region as for the next few seconds, countless spears skewered the body of the Infernal Aberration until one could not even distinguish one of its body parts from another. Multiple spears pierced it thoroughly as it was nailed to the ground, with the scene clearing to show a mass of flesh still clinging to life, but this life would soon be wiped away as Athena clenched her fist tightly, causing the numerous spears piercing the body of the Infernal Aberration to shine dangerously as the attack that came from a simple skill called [Judgment] was fully carried out. BOOM! A field of golden energies ruptured out with the struggling mass of flesh of the Infernal at the center, blinding people''s eyes as they spread out their senses to see a scene of shattered void that was rapidly reforming. The Infernal Aberration that had power exceeding the Void Realm, a being that held the qualifications to possibly become a future Infernal Lord, had faced his death in the hands of multiple Void Realm beings, as well as the timely help of a Saint Realm disciple that made the last attacks possible. But, even more of the attention was taken in by the most brilliant fighter in the battle today, the powerful Athena! The eyes of many of the Void Realm beings turned towards the War Princes as gulps could be heard from a few of them, this witness of powerful attacks shaking them to their core. First was a disciple from the Profound Astral Sect showing his genius as he stopped the escape of the Infernal, then it was this Athena that continued to shock all of them with her immensely powerful attacks that they did not want to be at the ends of. A few words erupted in their minds as they looked at the region where the attack had landed, a region of space itself had shattered and was only now reforming. Valiant! Powerful! Terrifying! Those were the only words to describe what they were seeing, but their attention was quickly pulled away by a raucous Elder Spacewarp who went towards Crixus with a wide smile on his face. "Boy, you should have exposed your genius sooner. You''re going to make your father the biggest braggart once he learns of you comprehending the element of Aether." The face of Crixus looked tired and proud as he looked at the Elder of his sect with a weakened smile, the eyes of Athena and the remaining beings all turning to look at him as well. Chapter 280 - Averted Fate Noah''s face was that of smiles and enthusiasm as he accepted the gazes of the powerful Void Rank beings, but his heart was cold as a variety of thoughts continued to rise and fall. If he couldn''t achieve his objective of taking down this crazy powerful Athena currently, he would go the other path and start scheming! She was extremely powerful right now that even with the insane abilities of the [Lesser Cthulhu], he wasn''t too confident in being able to kill her quickly and without leaving a trace for an uber powerful Celestial to come looking for him. He needed to first get his hands on the Absolute Skill that would allow him to look past the shackles of a Spatial Lock if his enemies were ever to lay one on him, as well as even more skills similar to what the Vampyre Prince held that allowed for him to escape the detection of the Celestials! So if he could not make any grand moves at this moment in time, he would scheme for now, and even get on their good side as he awaited for an opportunity to arise. ... Unbeknownst to Noah, an opportunity outside of his wildest dreams would arrive soon enough. --- Outside of the First Realm of Hell, the Celestial Grandmaster replayed the scenes of the battle that led to the ultimate death of the Aberration as mysterious golden lights coursed through his eyes. His expectations for Athena were exceeded once again as she showed tremendous control and battle power over all the aspects of the fight. This was truly the lead disciple over the past few years, with very few holding a candle to her brilliance in the various Celestial Stars where they trained new disciples. When his thoughts arrived at disciples, he briefly recalled his own disciple, Drax, that had fallen under the hands of the dead Infernal Aberration, as well as the other three disciples that died even earlier than him. He only felt that it was a slight loss, but looking at the grander scheme of things, the disciples'' deaths were put to good use in this ordeal. Because of their sacrifices, they had successfully been able to stop the future advancement of an Infernal Aberration that held the qualifications to become an Infernal Lord in the future. This was a high achievement that would go on to prevent countless deaths and disorder that another rising Infernal Lord could have caused. A few lives lost for the maintenance of order and livelihood of countless worlds was worth it in the Celestials'' eyes. The Grandmaster still couldn''t solve the mystery as to why the first three deaths did not show him the Infernal, but he put this aside for now as he focused on the singular issue that the Celestial Star he was on had lost a significant number of disciples in this one mission, and it would not hurt to bring in suitable candidates to quickly fill up the gaps. His peering gaze went back to the image of the courageous Saint Realm disciple that had stood in the dangerous battlefield where attacks at the peak of Void Realm were being thrown around. In this dangerous battlefield, this disciple had played a crucial role in the death of the Infernal Aberration as he displayed a genius sense of timing and showed the even more monstrous ability of being able to tap into the power of Aether. At Saint Realm, he was able to release an attack that injured and threw the essence of a being that was breaking the shackles of the Void Realm, a rank above his, into disarray successfully. These were the types of talents that the Celestials favored, these were the beings they would put their resources into training as they watched the working of fate to see if they would have a grand path laid out for them in the future. The Celestial Grandmaster also observed the Vampyre Prince at the Void Realm that let out powerful attacks that could injure the Infernal Aberration, but this Vampyre Prince seemed subpar! The Celestials looked for the talents that could skip levels and be able to stand toe to toe with those more powerful than them, a being that was simply outstanding in the same realm like this Vampyre Prince was not worthy of raising in the Celestial Grandmaster''s eyes! So he continued to look at the disciple under the name of Crixus. A genius disciple that had comprehended the rare element of Aether and possessed astute battle sense. Who knew what levels of comprehension he would be able to achieve under the guidance of Celestials? The Grandmaster made up his mind as he sent a message to the Incarnations he had sent in the First Hell, as well as the leaders of the powers still waiting outside the doorway in their Interstellar Sh.i.p.s. The message was one confirming the end of the Infernal Hunt as a major threat had been taken down in the First Realm of Hell! His thoughts went in another direction after he sent this message as he moved his fingers in the air and watched the appearance of multiple strings of fate. These strings were something only he could observe and understand as he calculated what the events that transpired today brought to the overall order and balance of the surrounding lands. His expression rapidly changed as he observed the probable chaos to have increased even more! Various thoughts passed through his mind as his expression became clouded, not understanding why the defeat of an Aberration that would have brought untold chaos did not actually reduce the unraveling of fate that had been initiated by an unknown being some time ago, and it had even further enhanced it. ''Was my appearance here the cause?'' The Grandmaster pondered the consequences of his own hand that he played as he could not find an answer at the current time, and he actually found himself back to a place even further than square one as the unraveling of fate had now worsened even more, still portraying a future where chaos would increase. His gaze became somber as he observed the gradual return of the beings he had added his power to go aid Athena, watching as the impromptu Infernal Hunt came to a close with the death of a powerful Infernal Aberration. They were returning as conquerors that had vanquished a terrible evil that would have caused countless chaos in the future, but the Celestial Grandmaster had different thoughts coursing through his mind. Had they truly averted that fate? Chapter 281 - A New Genius In the fiery skies of the First Hell, Noah was among the last few leaving as he exchanged some words with the Vampyre Prince while Elder Spacewarp floated in the air with an expression that told him to hurry. The Elder was too excited to return to the ship and celebrate the newfound genius of the disciple of their sect. The moment they had witnessed the power of Athena and the defeat of the Infernal Aberration, the Elders and Leaders of various powers gave their acknowledgement as they began to leave, making the last few remaining beings in the First Hell to be Noah, the Vampyre Prince, Athena, and Elder Spacewarp. The resplendent armor on Athena''s body faded away in particles of light as her gaze landed on Noah, who stopped talking to Prince Cassius briefly as he returned a gaze of his own that only contained acknowledgement. Athena looked deeply at Noah before she gave a simple head nod, and then disappeared into particles of light herself as she returned to the Interstellar Ship they arrived in. Noah and Prince Cassius exchanged another glance at this as the Vampyre Prince waved his hand and pulled out a blood red crystal. "This Void Crystal has the directions and location to the region under the control of Pureblood Vampyres in the Underworld. You should come by whenever the commotions die down so we can swap pointers once again." An agreeable gaze appeared on Noah''s face as he replied back with a mysterious smile. "You might see me there sooner than you expect." "Good!" Prince Cassius gave a devilishly dazzling smile as he nodded to the elder and disappeared in blink as well, teleporting to his own ship. Elder Spacewarp placed his hands on Noah who was still wearing the figure of Crixus as he couldn''t wait any longer to return to their own ship, their figures also disappearing from the fiery skies of the First Realm of Hell as weak Infernals that had been pushed back by the fearful auras began to propagate the areas once more. --- The commotion around the wide array of Interstellar sh.i.p.s cl.u.s.tered around the doorway leading to the first hell began to increase as the event drew to a close, the many forces paying attention to the rankings projected clearly in front of them as some cheered, while others looked on with frustration as the colossal losses of disciples without gaining anything. The Infernal Hunt was a tradition started by the Celestials, with the incentive to surrounding powers being treasures and the backing of this powerful organization for the ones that performed exceedingly well. The rewards this time seemed to be getting hogged by one particular force as two of their disciples finished in the top 10. One name was already in these top rankings very early on, taking the second spot, but this name quickly shot to become number one and even gained a large amount of points all once in the last few minutes. This was a name that shone with brilliance, from the Profound Astral Sect, it was Athena! The other name was a disciple also from this same sect, who had appeared in the top rankings briefly before he settled in the top 50s over the last few hours. But this disciple, Crixus, had gradually stacked up points as the time passed and stably took the position among the top 10, being ranked number 9! Every other name around him were famously known disciples and trainees that were in the Void Realm, and many of the powers had to ask around until they found the information that this Crixus was actually a disciple that was called a Wastrel from the Profound Astral Sect. A Wastrel! "Hah, if this is a wastrel, that every single disciple here doesn''t deserve to raise their heads anymore." "This is a dragon among men! Lying hidden to only show his power when it is required!" "A Genius!" ... Many forces had their own worries and opinions as they continued to observe the rankings and what rewards they should be expecting to be given to their forces after this, with a particular being smiling coldly in an Interstellar Ship that had a red exterior and shone with strength among the many sh.i.p.s present near the door to the First Hell. Dazzling silver hair fell below the being''s shoulders as his eyes glowed with the color of blood, the large canines in his mouth barely being hidden as he turned his face to the side of the ship and watched a teleportation occur. In the direction he was looking in, the devilishly handsome figure of Prince Cassius materialized as the man seated on the centermost chair on the ship controlled by the Pureblood Vampyres of the Underworld gave a welcoming grin to this returning champion. His number one rank had been taken by the monster that was known as Athena, but he retained the number 2 position as the Pureblood Vampyre clan showed off their power once more. This ranking also meant that they would be among the very few receiving many treasures and resources from the Celestials, and there was an irony in this situation for those who were really knowledgeable about secretive things. "Did you have fun, O Great Prince?" The gruff voice of an old Vampyre resounded as Prince Cassius returned back a calm look towards this monster at the peak of the Void Realm as beautiful attendants holding gracious curves led him towards a grandiose chair meant only for the Prince. "Yes, I was even able to meet someone very interesting. Father would be most interested in talking with him." A glint of surprise passed through the aged Vampyre as he asked in surprise. "Oh?" Prince Cassius nodded as he waved his hands and said. "Let''s get going for now, there are many things to discuss." The attendants nodded as the aged Vampyre gave a look at the Prince once more before he moved the abundant essence in his body to steer the ship back where it came from, back to the Underworld. Chapter 282 - A Heart Shaking Opportunity In the large Interstellar Warship that the disciples and Elders of the Profound Astral Sect arrived in, a joyous atmosphere was spreading out as a celebration had started even before they returned to their sect. Barring the few poor disciples that lost their lives, there was much more good news that lifted the masses from their mournful ponderings as they looked towards an even brighter future. The future looked very bright, as the Shining Son, William, had been able to finish in the top 50 of all the beings that participated in the Infernal Hunt, showing his grandeur once more as he put their sect in the spotlight. But even more shocking was the one they had looked down upon and called a Wastrel all this time, surprising every single being observing the progress of the Infernal Hunt as he actually clutched a position in the top 10! This was an extremely shocking revelation, as the higher rankings would always be filled with Void Realm individuals that were among the best of the best. The euphoria of seeing a name of a disciple of their sect in the top 10 rankings from all the surrounding powers reached its peak when they saw the disciple himself in question, Crixus, teleport back into the ship with a vibrant Elder Spacewarp in tow. "OOOH!" Triumphant howls resounded across the ship as they welcomed Crixus with the enthusiasm of a close friend, completely forgetting that this was the same being they were bad-mouthing just a few weeks ago. William was watching this procession of joy in the distance as a confused expression covered his face, still trying to wrap his head around the enormous change in opinions that occurred in just a few days. Noah glanced at all of these changes in expressions and the joy from the fellow disciples when his observations landed on the sole remaining Celestial Disciple that teleported back into the ship just a few moments before him. Athena stood in one of the central positions of the ship, her vibrant dark hair tied in a ponytail as she talked respectfully with an old man that held a wizened expression that showed the experience of hundreds of years. Athena seemed to be reporting something as she nodded her head, her gaze leading the gaze of the old man as she turned out and looked directly at Noah. The eyes of the wizened old man, the Celestial Grandmaster, landed on Noah up close for the first time as a shocking aura locked in onto his body. THUMP! He could feel his heart momentarily miss a beat as the eyes of the old man felt like bottomless holes that were drawing him in, where he would sink and never be able to come out for an eternity! This feeling only came and passed momentarily as he found himself breathing heavily thereafter, Elder Spacewarp coming to support him from behind as he looked with perplexity and slight caution at the Celestial Grandmaster that had entered into their ship. This event brought silence into the ship as everyone on it began feeling the oppressive aura of the newly appearing being that shook them to their very cores. The Grandmaster''s eyes shone with a gold light as he waved his hands, a golden light shooting out towards the position where Noah and Elder Spacewarp stood, another golden light covering his body and the body of Athena as all four disappeared from the Interstellar Warship. ¡­ The disciples watched on in shock as the other Elders shook their heads wyrily, waiting to see how this event would play out with the Esteemed Sir that had graced them with his presence and then left just as quickly. In the Void of Space a few miles from the doorway leading to the First Hell where many sh.i.p.s were still anchored, a golden light bloomed as it formed into a protective circle that covered four beings. The Celestial Grandmaster and Athena were looking calmly at Noah and the careful Elder Spacewarp who spoke first. "How can we be of assistance, Esteemed Sir?" The Grandmaster acknowledged Elder Spacewarp without replying as his gaze landed on ''Crixus'', his face adopting a radiant golden light as he released a question that brought a tremendous amount of shock to both Noah and Elder Spacewarp. "Young man. How do you feel about joining a cause for something greater than your wildest dreams?" ¡­! --- Fate. It was a tricky thing that many beings tried to grasp and failed. Yet there were those who felt like they had brought fate under their control and had gotten increasingly proficient at it. They spent their days predicting the working of fate and trying to bend it to their own wills to serve their proposed purpose. Fate continued to be studied even now as many still felt that they had not yet uncovered everything there was about it. In a particular Celestial Star where a certain Grandmaster had recently left, deep beneath it near a hidden location, a being chained down in a golden cage with numerous golden rods piercing through his body was laughing wildly. "Ha! Haha! Hahaha!" Raucous laughter was coming from this being whose body was badly mutilated as numerous golden spear rods pierced almost every single position through his body and nailed him in the middle of the shimmering golden cage. If a being that was just involved in the battle against the Infernal Aberration looked closely enough, they would be able to notice that the spear rods that nailed this laughing being from every single direction were eerily similar to the spears that a particularly powerful Celestial Disciple had used to end the life of the Aberration. The only difference was that the spears nailing down this being in a golden cage had been skewering this prisoner for the past hundred years, and yet his life force continued to thrum strongly. Even as blood leaked from his body constantly and was drained through a small hole at the bottom of the golden cage, he continued to show an abundant life force that did not seem anywhere close to ending. "Hmm! You fools really think you can play with fate as you wish?" The laughter from the skewered being died down as he asked a question to no one, and received no answer. His imprisonment had finally brought him some entertainment, as his power was able to confirm that events were unfolding in a manner he never would have even predicted, but they were unfolding too beautifully! They unfolded in such a stupendous manner that the imprisoned being withstood the pain constantly being inflicted from the spears and could not help but start laughing. "The thing that you are trying to push away. The thing that you are trying to prevent with the best of your abilities. You will find that it only accelerates its path towards you faster." THUMP!... The skewered being felt his heart beating stronger even after all these years as he smiled once again, having already been used to the pain of these golden rods a long time ago. "Now we just wait for the passage of time." In the solitary golden cage, calm returned once again as an imprisoned being settled down and continued to slowly bleed once more. Chapter 283 - For the Greater Good Noah glanced at the figure of the powerful being he confirmed to be the genuine Celestial that should have been the one pulling the strings behind the past recent events as his heart shook from the words he heard. He had chosen to scheme and follow the route of a helpful disciple to maybe gain even more trust among the beings in the Profound Astral Sect that held close connections with Celestials, but he never imagined his actions would provide an opportunity as tremendous as this! Yes! This was a tremendous opportunity! His biggest headache had been how to exactly go about facing such an immensely powerful organization that was proficient in mysterious techniques and held an enormous amount of power and influence over many worlds. There were uber-powerful beings spread out all over that were a part of this organization, and he didn''t come even close to matching their power. He saw very few possible paths to tackle this problem, but he never expected the most dangerous one, and the one filled with the most opportunity and chances of success, would actually land on his lap after his single action in the First Realm of Hell. He gazed at the Celestial and the striking Athena beside him as he calmed his beating heart and replied slowly. "What exactly is Sir proposing?" The Celestial nodded his head as he waved his hands, causing a circular projection of light to appear between them as numerous details became apparent. The protection was littered with many stars as the Celestial pointed to the regions that held numerous blinking stars. "The Universe is wide and vast, and can be looked at as an extremely wide area that holds billions of stars." He pinched his fingers as the circular projection zoomed in until yet another region littered with golden glowing stars appeared. "In this particular area, the Light Expanse of our Novus Galaxy stands stably and peacefully these past thousands of years due to the guidance that we, the Celestials, have continued to provide." History and understanding of the stars they were around in that Noah only had a glimpse of knowledge of from the many memories he had devoured over these past weeks were easily released from the Celestial''s mouth as he continued, this time pointing to a region below the section he called the Light Expanse of the Novus Galaxy. "Down here lies the Dark Expanse, a place filled with lawlessness as a collection of stars under the banner of an unstable Alliance reside." Noah''s heart beat even faster as he heard the mention of the Alliance once again, something that the Vampyre Prince had mentioned briefly during their first encounter when he spoke about those that stood against the Celestials. "And this..." The Celestial''s face became grim as he pointed to the last section in the projection of the Novus Galaxy. "...Is the Letalis Expanse that is filled with danger and death, a region occupied by dredges of the past calling themselves the Ancient Races- beings of terrible power that continue to slumber towards their own deaths." The last words released from the Celestial''s mouth held a tinge of wrath as he waved his hands and caused the projection to fade away. "The Celestials maintain Order and Balance in the Light Expanse, and work to protect against any threats that point their fangs in our direction." His gaze landed on Noah once again as he looked at him with an unshakable gaze that seemed to only be waiting for a single answer. "Will you join the organization that only exists for the greater good of our Novus Galaxy, for the greater good of the Universe?" Elder Spacewarp had been looking at this exchange with stupefaction as he turned towards ''Crixus'' and slapped him on the back to reign in his focus. Noah used this chance as he changed his expression to that of determination and spoke out. "Yes!" A nod was released from the Celestial as he waved his hands and caused the appearance of a large black crystal. "This Void Crystal holds the directions and coordinates towards the 7th Celestial Star. You will be given a variety of missions in the near future, with your first one being your successful arrival to the 7th Celestial Star after you finish your duties in the Profound Astral Sect. You can use any means at your disposal to complete this mission. I look forward to observing and nurturing your talent closely in the future." A golden light shone in the Celestial Grandmaster''s eyes as it went on to cover his body and the body of Athena, their figures beginning to glow as they were about to disappear. Athena turned her striking gaze towards Noah as she said a few last words. "Thank you for your aid earlier. See you soon." BLINK! A millisecond later, their figures were gone as only Elder Spacewarp and Noah were left behind in the void of space. Elder Spacewarp watched the dwindling golden circle that the Celestial Grandmaster had cast before as he quickly placed his hands on Noah''s body, a purple protective circle with much less grandeur wrapping around them as he began to laugh raucously once again. "Haha! A disciple of ours will be joining the ranks of Celestials soon enough, this trip held too many surprises!" The Elder was extremely jovial as he seemed to already be imagining the wealth of resources and knowledge that their sect would be receiving from the Celestials as they would now have their own Disciple among them. Noah, on the other hand, had thoughts that were too many to count as he absorbed the recent events as well as the clearance of information about the major players around him. The Light Expanse that they were in. The Dark Expanse that was under the control of an organization called the Alliance. The Letalis Expanse where the Ancient Races resided. All of this contained in the Novus Galaxy located on who knew where in the Universe. In the midst of all of this, he, a being from a small blue planet located in an insignificant location in the Light Expanse- he was holding grand plans and designs for the future! Chapter 284 - A Prized Technique The next events felt like a blur to Noah, with his mind continuing to have clashing thoughts of how to move in the near future as he was led by the boisterous Elder Spacewarp back into the Interstellar Ship as it began its journey back to the World of Cultivation. The Elder took his state as that of shock and surprise as he conversed with the other Elders and Crixus''s father on the events that just occurred, causing the entire upper echelons of Elders that came on this trip to tremble with enthusiasm. This was especially so for Elder Baldwin, who had tears falling across his face as he grasped his apparently shaken son and celebrated with him. In the cl.u.s.ter of stars they were in, in this Light Expanse, receiving the favor of the Celestials guaranteed safety and wealth for hundreds of years. The many Prime Worlds similar to the World of Cultivation knew this, and that was why they actively participated in the activities called upon by the Celestials like the Infernal Hunt in order to remain in good standing. Having a disciple of their Profound Astral Sect be taken into the ranks of the Celestials was the greatest blessing that an organization of any Prime World could receive. A celebratory mood was in the air as the Interstellar Ship traversed through the void of space and headed back to the World of Cultivation, the Elders and Disciples fully focused on the results of the Infernal Hunt and how their name would be spread across the Prime Worlds. Very few were thinking of the fact that along with the brilliant Athena that had left with the mysterious old man, there were four other beings that came in her group. Yet when the events concluded, these four beings were gone and seemed all but forgotten by those who saw them before. Their appearance came and went, not leaving behind anything of distinction as they were quickly forgotten. The Interstellar Ship traversed through the skies for a few hours, and sure enough they could see the glimmering star that represented the World of Cultivation soon after. The Ship tore through the stratosphere and descended down towards the Stellar Sky Mountains of the Profound Astral sect as a grand procession was already waiting for them. Elder Spacewarp had sent word to the sect master a long time ago about the momentous event that occurred with the Celestial Grandmaster, causing the secretive Leader of the Profound Astral Sect to leave his abode as he stood at the forefront of a few Elders to receive the returning champions. "OOOOH!" Resonant cries resounded as the Shining Son, William, returned with the Wastrel that could never be called that name again as he had shown his true genius during this trip and returned as a Core Disciple that they could only look up to. "Crixus! Crixus!...Crixus!" Chantings rang throughout the main peak of the Profound Astral Sect as a huge celebration that would go on for days began the moment the Interstellar Warship landed. The main attraction for the celebration was the Core Disciple that ranked in the top 10 of the recently finished Infernal Hunt, as well as the Shining Son, William, that continued to perform exceptionally well over all these years. The celebration had begun and would continue for days, but the main culprit for it was in a completely different location the moment they arrived back to the main peak of the Profound Astral Sect. Elder Spacewarp led Noah away from the initiated celebration as he followed the turning Sect Master who had acknowledged the returning disciples and went towards a location deep in the mountain peak along with other Elders. There were many secretive and important things to discuss, and they could not be pushed back to waste time celebrating! Elder Baldwin joined his son as he went along with Elder Spacewarp into an ancient door situated on the side of the main peak where the Sect Leader and other Elders were going into. They were going into the Ancestral Hall of the Profound Astral Sect where the Sect Leader and other important Elders normally resided, but this Ancestral Hall also had another meaning. It was known that the most important treasures and techniques of the sect were placed in this Ancestral Hall, and if one ever saw a disciple invited to enter, it was because they were receiving a great treasure or technique from the sect! Yet Noah was being led by an entire procession of Elders and the Sect Leader himself as he passed through the ancient door and felt it close behind him, his gaze turning to the bright Ancestral Hall where multiple exquisitely erected pillars divided the area into multiple sections. Some areas led to huge libraries, others led to areas glowing with resplendent weaponries, others to living quarters for the upper echelons of the Profound Astral Sect that held Spirit Lakes vibrant in essence and mana that made the entire area feel like a paradise filled with knowledge and treasures. Noah turned his attention to the Sect Master of the Profound Astral Sect, who along with all the other Elders letting out powerful auras at the Void Rank, with very few letting out auras as the Saint Rank similar to Elder Baldwin, glanced towards him. The Sect Master was a middle-aged man that did not seem to be more than a man in his 40s, his eyebrows sharp as an unstable fiendish purple aura danced all around his body. This unstable purple aura signified that this man was halfway through to a breakthrough of the rank above the Void Firmament Realm, and was on his way to the Soul Forging Realm! Cultivators called it the Soul Forging Realm, while Noah would only come to know this level as the Soul Rank in the simplified levels given by his home planet''s Planetary System. A being breaking through the crucial Void Rank stage and going past it was extremely rare, and that was why even this Sect Leader of one of the three most powerful organizations in a Prime World such as the World of Cultivation was only halfway through breaking the limits of the Void Rank and Entering the Soul Rank. The Soul Forging Realm was a level where the being would stop focusing on the physical aspect of their strength, and begin working on the very tight rope of strengthening their very souls. It was a dangerous realm where those that were too proficient could cripple themselves or be left with dangerous wounds in their origins that would take a tremendous amount of time to heal. Noah watched as this being halfway through into the Soul Rank spoke. "You performed extremely well in this Infernal Hunt, and even grabbed the attention of the Celestials that have invited you to join their ranks." The Sect Leader motioned with his hands as an Elder came from behind carrying a pristine looking book and a shining storage ring atop a silver square plate. "Your rewards are plentiful, and you would normally receive them after the celebrations have finished. But you hold an entirely different identity now, and your time has to be spent wisely as you prepare to head off to the Celestial Star." The Sect Leader that held a serious expression this entire time revealed a slight smile as this Elder carrying the tray came forward and brought it up to Noah, his voice resounding in the Ancestral Hall once more. "The ring holds an abundant amount of Medicinal Herbs and Spirit Stones that will be useful as you consolidate your power at the Saint Realm, and this¡­" He pointed to the pristine-looking book lying beside the ring on the silver tray. "...is a copy of the Absolute Space Technique of our Profound Astral Sect for you to take and study. This is the technique found by our ancestor thousands of years ago during his perilous journey in the Letalis Expanse, the technique called the >." ¡­! Chapter 285 - A Plan of Action Noah looked at the sight of the Sect Master of the Profound Astral Sect showing extreme goodwill towards the disciple that would soon be leaving their sect to traverse the stars to join a cause for something greater. Noah''s heart remained calm as his face showed extreme emotions, his voice ringing out dramatically in the Ancestral Hall. "This disciple will always remember the favors of the Profound Astral Sect!" The words were the key to open the floodgates of happiness as this was the only thing that the Elders and Sect Leader were looking for, an acknowledgment that this disciple would provide them backing once he obtained a place in the Celestials'' ranks! "Haha good! Now go and prepare. We will modify one of our small vessels to protect you as you traverse through space." Noah nodded his head as he recalled the first mission he was given by the Celestial Grandmaster- to arrive at the Celestial Star safely and by any means necessary! He was only a ''cultivator'' at the Saint Realm, and shouldn''t have been able to easily travel through the void of space without quickly suffocating, yet his first mission was to get past this issue and successfully arrive for him to be considered a full-fledged disciple. He could complete this mission a couple of ways, and one of the easiest would be to use a small vessel that was powered by the essence of a Void Realm being in the form of Spirit Stones that his Profound Astral Sect would even provide for him! Of course, with the sub-abilities in the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree, even at Saint Rank, traversing through space was not a problem for him, and he would not even need to expend energy while he did it. But he would be playing along with the normal and ingenious means that a cultivator would use in order to safely arrive at the extremely dangerous location that was the Celestial Star. Noah had been thinking very deeply about this invitation to become a Celestial Disciple, which provided the amazing opportunity of allowing him to infiltrate these extremely dangerous enemies as one of their own. He held many ideas on how he could possibly match the Celestials, but what better way was there to do it than taking down your enemies from the inside? It would be extremely perilous though, and he would be walking on a very tight rope. He had to prepare extensively before he even stepped foot into that dangerous star. The first phase of these preparations was this Absolute Space Technique of the Profound Astral Sect that was just handed to him on a literal platter, along with an abundant amount of refined [Cores]that ranged from Phantasmal to Saint which the cultivators called Spirit Stones. He made the technique that would allow him to escape any situation where space was locked down and no teleportation was permitted his goal when he returned to the World of Cultivation, and he had successfully achieved it. But this would only be used in the worst-case scenarios, when everything had broken down and he could do nothing but escape. When it came to this new path that led to the den of the Celestials, he had to obtain covert techniques that could counteract the mysterious techniques of the Celestials! He had to be absolutely sure that when his body landed on that Celestial Star, the terrifying powerhouses situated all over would only see him as nothing more than a genius cultivator with a lot of potential. When his thoughts came towards this road, only a single image popped in his mind. The Pureblood Vampyre, Prince Cassius! Cassius had been able to evade the detection of the powerful observing Celestial Grandmaster while he killed his disciples through the use of a mysterious skill that Noah would only be able to find in the Vampyre''s homeworld, the Underworld. So before he even went near the Celestial Star, he would first pay a visit to the Prime World that held beings which were situated in the Light Expanse where Celestials controlled, and yet they were hidden enemies of the Celestials. He would go there to obtain more information about the Celestials and the powers that opposed them, as well as use the chance to learn the stupendous skills of the Vampyres that allowed them to escape the detection of Celestials right under their nose. Many plans flowed in Noah''s mind as there were also a few other things he had to do before he set off on a brand new adventure. He turned to his smiling ''father'', Elder Baldwin, who was shaking emotionally, and left the Ancestral Hall with him as the Elders and Sect Leaders began to buzz with discussions for the future. It was a bright atmosphere as at this moment in time, the future of the Profound Astral Sect looked extremely bright! The emotional Elder Baldwin continued to look at the ''Crixus'' in front of him as he saw the young man turn and speak to him as they flew back to their Pill Pavillion Mountain. "Father, I want to undergo closed cultivation for at least a few weeks as I prepare. I want to be at my best before I begin traversing through space to go towards the Celestial Star." The proud father looked at his son as he nodded emotionally and said, "I''ll make sure not a single being bothers you in your cultivation abode. Take as much time as you need, and only come out when you are ready! I''ll make sure the Sect Leader prepares for you the best Interstellar Ship to guarantee your safety." Father and son looked at one another with tears in their eyes as they came to an understanding, with Noah ignoring the buzzing disciples on the Pill Pavillion Mountain as he went inside his Cultivation Abode and watched the ancient cavern door close behind him. The emotional and proud face instantly wiped away as it turned calm and calculating, letting out light breaths as he finally got a break from being surrounded by powerful beings on all sides. The stupendous set of events that led to a Celestial Grandmaster sending him an invitation that at the same time didn''t feel like an invitation played in his mind as he breathed out once again and calmed himself. He was already making plans on top of plans on how he could handle the many possibilities that could come out of this as he sat down. He would take things step by step, and do what he could do for now. The thing that he could do now...was to enjoy the success of obtaining the Absolute Technique that even the Devilish Time Unveiler was not given access to when he was still a member of the Profound Astral Sect. There were many secrets and behind the scenes movements when it came to the Devilish Time Unveiler and the Profound Astral Sect, but none of this mattered for now as he had already obtained what he wanted. He wouldn''t delve into the politics of how the being he had seen in the devoured memories who had hunted down and heavily injured the Devilish Unveiler until the schemer faked his death was actually the current Sect Master of the Profound Astral Sect. There was no time or luxury to dwell on all this information at this point in time, as a whole new path had already opened itself up for him. The words of the Sect Master indicated that these exquisite treasures were obtained from the Letalis Expanse where the powerful Ancient Races resided, but that was also a subject and an adventure for a whole other time as at this current moment, Noah focused on the pristine book situated on top of the silver plate as he placed his hands on it and watched it disappear into particles of light. Chapter 286 - <> Many of the close calls that Noah faced in the past were because someone proficient in spatial techniques would simply lay down a spatial lock and that would close off all exits. The first time he felt this feeling was during the True Apocalypse of the Lost World where the power of the Celestials blocked off spatial transmission for an entire planet. The only reason he kept his life during that time was because of the mysterious Karmic Sect Leader that had faded away in front of his eyes some time ago. The other time was during the first exploration of the Treasure Abode of the Devilish Time Unveiler, where running away was once again made to be impossible. Noah didn''t like this feeling, so he strove to get his hands on a skill that would render this problem obsolete. That was where the Absolute Space Technique of the Profound Astral Sect, a major power of a Prime World, came in. His eyes shimmered as he observed the brand new skill appearing in shining blue lights on his stat panel. > :: Your connection to the stars is unique, being able to assert an influence that bends the laws of space to your will. A proficient Connector is able to freely traverse through space, even to locations they have never been to before. Abilities include Marker, Connector, Astral Traveler, Expansive Space, and Star Seeker [Marker] :: Multiple locations that the user can teleport to at a moment''s notice can be marked. The user is able to teleport to previously marked locations or any locations observable within their field of vision. The uniqueness of the Astral Connector will allow the user to be able to move to the desired location regardless of any established spatial restrictions. [Connector] :: A special title gained by the beings proficient in the Law of Space. Grants +300% to all abilities affected by the Law of Space. [Astral Traveler] :: Countless stars litter the unexplored Universe, with many unique locations just waiting to be explored. The Astral Connector will be transported to a random unique location across the stars, the only thing limiting their travel being how much mana they can use while activating Astral Traveler. [Expansive Space] :: A wide area of space that the user can use as their own storage area. Its size is only limited by the energy the user can provide. [Star Destroyer] :: An ability rarely used by the Astral Connectors because of its heavy requirements in mana, and because of its ruthlessness. The effects of Star Destroyer can range from a tremor being caused on a wide area of a star, to the destabilization of the core of a star, and ultimately to the destruction of a star. Most Astral Connectors will only ever be able to cause tremors on wide regions of a star as too much energy is required to achieve the full effects. Noah''s heart trembled as he slowly read through all the abilities contained under the >. This Absolute Skill was quite different from the > that was synthesized in the Demon World, where if someone was not looking at the skills close enough, they would assume it held lesser abilities. Depending on who was using this skill, that might be correct. But in the case of Noah, almost every limiter placed on this skill was not a problem for him. He was happy when he read the abilities of [Marker], which would allow him to mark any coordinates in space and be able to return to that position whenever he wished, even if a spatial lock was placed on the location he was currently on. This was the main thing he was looking for, but he never expected the abundant surprises that came with the other abilities of >. The [Connector] title that added even more boosts to his space related abilities was something he had seen before, but the rest of the abilities under this Absolute Skill were something to marvel at. One of the unique ones that Noah would definitely try later on in the future was the [Astral Traveler]. The ability was unique as it would teleport him to an unknown location that he had never even been to, but this location was termed unique in the description of the skill, making Noah curious to check this skill out fully in the future as to what these unique locations might be. The [Expansive Space] was a simple and yet extremely useful ability that made his storage rings or bags obsolete as it contained an extremely wide area of space that seemed endless, providing him with an intuitive feature that was helpful in many ways. It was different from the ability provided by the [Amorphous Space Beast] skill tree, the [Miniature Space] ability that allowed him to pull his own body and the bodies of his enemies into a small isolated space. It was the last ability that made him do a double take though, the only offensive ability of the >, the skill known as >! It was an extremely shocking skill, as was described in the skill panel, where many of the previous users of this Absolute Technique in the Profound Astral sect were only ever proficient at the first level of this ability, being able to destabilize wide regions that they targeted and cause tremors and quakes that could cause a tremendous amount of damage. But they never had enough energy and prowess to be able to destabilize an entire planet, nonetheless bring about its destruction as the skill name suggested. Noah wondered whether he himself would have the ability to do something as stupendous, and already had an idea in mind that he confirmed as he sent his thoughts towards the Planetary Systems he was connected to. [It should be used to the fullest extent on Minor Worlds or even possibly Middle Worlds.] [Yes. Though it might also work against a Large World, we won''t be too sure unless our three worlds continue to increase in Rank and start stepping into the level of a Prime World.] His thoughts were confirmed as he conversed with the Planetary Systems, the subject of upgrading the level of the Worlds he was connected to reminding him of the thing he wanted to do next as he finished reveling in the successful accomplishment of the goal he had set for the World of Cultivation while spending more time on the descriptions of the new abilities he had collected for himself. He had achieved his goals for this world, and was already looking forward to something he had put in motion behind the scenes. He was thinking about the freezing world that he had sent his Harbingers of Sin and a particularly arrogant penguin into. Chapter 287 - The Icebound World Noah glanced at the abilities of the > once again as a light smile couldn''t help but appear on his face, taking just a few moments to enjoy this feeling of achievement. He always felt like he was constantly moving and planning without relaxing as much as he used to do, not realizing that he had unconsciously been feeling a sense of pressure as he somehow found himself a new task or enemy the moment he finished with one or even before. His thoughts went back to his life these past few months as he counted a few times which he could say he was just relaxing, but these times seemed to be getting fewer and fewer as he mixed himself with the surrounding powers of this Light Expanse region he found himself in. In the Cultivation Abode on a peak of the Profound Astral Sect of the World of Cultivation, Noah stood up as he breathed deeply and tried to pull himself out of his reflections. His thoughts still lingered on the fact that the worlds, the stars, were numerous and vast. The small blue planet he came in was from a small corner in this region called the Light Expanse where the influence of Celestials was extremely heavy. There was still the region called the Dark Expanse that he continued to be curious about, with his curiosity peaking even more so when he thought of the region called the Letalis Expanse where Ancient Races resided. He wanted to freely explore and adventure in these unknown regions as he discovered new places and individuals, but his plate was full of plans and to do''s at this moment in time that he didn''t even know when a time like that would come. He let out a deep breath once again as he regained his bearings and stopped his inner thoughts, his body fading away as he teleported from the Cultivation Abode that no one will be bothering with for a few weeks. Just in case, he used his unique skill, {Primal Conjurer}, to reassign one of the primal spirits that should have been serving as a dungeon boss in one of the three worlds he was connected to and placed it in the Abode. The Primal Spirit would be able to alert him of any changes and he would quickly come back if needed. --- In the ever so freezing landscapes of the Icebound World, celebrations continued after the defeat of the terrible Ice Giants. The moment they saw their leader wiped out by three blazing suns and the fearsome aura that a particularly prideful penguin released, the remaining forces of the Ice Giants surrendered as the battle was brought to a close. Celebration erupted from the surrounding Humans and beings of the Frost Race as this years-long conflict was brought to an end, and in such a short period of time as well. The Ruler of the Frost Race later proclaimed the powerful beings that came to their aid as Guardians, a weird dynamic coming into place where even though he was the ruler of one of the two remaining dominant forces of the Icebound World, he felt like the tides had completely changed and these Guardians that came to their aid would have plans that even he was unaware of at this time. But the Ruler of the Frost Race was wise and did not worry about this much, because he believed if these beings truly wished harm to the people of the Icebound World, they would have long ago done it with the fearsome power they portrayed. So the Ruler threw all reservations out of the window as he fully threw in his support with the extremely prideful Emperor Penguin and the forces that he came with. At this moment in time, in a region of heavy snow of the Icebound World, Noah''s extremely well built figure appeared. He was dressed in light King''s clothes that he received as a gift from the Frozen Queen of the Beast World, changing his attire completely the moment he left the World of Cultivation. His amazing figure was discernible in the snowy winds that caused his light clothes to ruffle, the freezing air not bothering him one bit as he took a freeing breath of the new world that wasn''t under any threats nor have any strong powerhouses he had to hide from. A smile appeared on his lips as he replayed the communications that the Emperor Penguin had sent to him these past few days. He was glad that everyone was enjoying themselves as they trained, wishing he had more of this luxury himself as he made up his mind to enjoy the little time he had in the next few weeks before he threw himself in the lion''s den. His gaze turned towards the the mountain beneath him as his body glowed the milky white aura of a being in the Saint Realm, and he shot towards the mountain at breakneck speed as he finally freely used the [Child of Space] ability under the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree. He had gained many spectacular sets of skills in the Infernal Realm, but had never been able to fully enjoy them as was always under watch or the instances just did not permit it. He still hadn''t gotten to employ the terrifying form of the [Lesser Cthulhu] that he could take under the [Morph] ability, and this was another thing on his bucket list as he continued to check more and more things off. The next one he was checking off was yet another connection to a Large World! --- A change was made to the sub skill [Portals of Terror], with the maximum number brought to 18 to match the scaling to be the same as other abilities. Portals of Terror(Active)(5/5):: Portals leading to the most destabilized and destructive regions of the universe are summoned as they release their catastrophic energies at their summoned location. Maximum number of portals: 18 Chapter 288 - The Strong Devour the Weak Noah''s body pierced through the mountain as if it was butter, his speed increasing ever so slightly as the passive ability of the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree boosted his speed to insane degrees. The [Child of Space] ability was even more profound, causing him to feel as if the mass of earth he was drilling through was as soft as paper, his descent down not deterred one bit as he shot towards the core of this Icebound World in a similar manner as the Demon World some time back. The layers of freezing earth around him only became colder and harder the further down he went. This process continued for quite some time until he broke through the last layer and arrived at the innermost core layer of the Icebound World. The area he broke into was a mystical white world of ice that held a different type of beauty. At the center of it, an extremely frigid core that let out an otherworldly essence roasted slowly, wisps of white occasionally leaving it and going to the space above. Even Noah''s extremely strong body shivered as he adapted to the extremely cold conditions in the inner core of this Icebound World. He was about to address the Planetary Core in front of him when a cold voice reached his ears first. [During your first intrusion, you left behind your underlings as they went on to wreak havoc and break the natural order of my world.] The voice of the Planetary System of the Icebound World felt extremely frigid as is continued. [Now, you return once more and do the blasphemous action of intruding in a space that no beings like you should be intruding in. Who- No, What are you?] It was an extremely monotone voice that held a hint of coldness, being very much alike with the world it was overlooking as Noah replied with a light smile. "It doesn''t really matter who I am. What I am curious about is why you allowed the Ice Giants to wage wars and slaughter so many of the species that reside on you. If I hadn''t moved, millions would have eventually fallen into the hands of the Ice Giants." Noah asked the question he always wondered about when he first chose to send the Emperor Penguin and others into the Icebound World. It was a world undergoing constant war because of the Ice Giants, where they had gained so much power that the other races were on the race of being wiped out. The Planetary Systems of the Beast World, Demon World, and even his own home world held a level of influence over the beings residing in them, where they would occasionally choose the most powerful beings in the world as the representatives that maintained balance and order. Yet, this Planetary System of the Icebound World wasn''t facing any threats or extinction from outside forces, but because of its own races hunting one another. [The strong are naturally devoured by the weak. The Ice Giants were born with stronger bodies and more power, thus it was within their right to seek for domination as they increased their strength.] Noah was startled at this cold reply that matched the environment of this world as the Planetary System continued. [Things were following their natural order all this time, and I would have been able to raise the strongest champions that had devoured weakened beings that could not defend themselves. I would have raised an army of battle driven Giants that would defend this world against all outside forces.] The voice tapered off near the end as Noah felt the distinct universal laws that prevented the Planetary Cores from acting become denser around him as the will of the Icebound World focused on him. [But then you came along, and brought in a stronger force that took down the beings I was raising. I hold no resentment, as it is according to the Universal Laws. The strong will devour the weak. So, now that you have conquered my world, are you planning to devour it?] The cold voice remained strong and monotone throughout, the rigidness not leaving it even once as it asked a question pertaining to the survival of billions of the beings living in the Icebound World like nothing. Its choice of words was extremely ironic when looking at what was about to happen! A bright smile filled Noah''s face as he replayed the words of the Planetary System and replied, vigorous essence beginning to bloom from him as a devilish aura began to permeate throughout. "In a sense, yes." His body turned a shade of red and began bulging up as he used this instance to activate a skill he very much wanted to observe since he got his hands on it. The [Morph] ability under his recently upgraded skill tree of the [Amorphous Space Beast] which allowed him to take the form of the [Lesser Cthulhu] was activated! OOONG! Tremendous levels of energy erupted with Noah at the center, his body ballooning up immensely as his size began to skyrocket unlike any form he had taken before. He kept his distinctly humanoid appearance, but even halfway through his transformation, his size had already reached 10 meters as vigorous layers of rubbery muscles continued to erupt, break, and form all around him. Devilish wings palpitating with the mysterious energy of Aether erupted from his back as they spread out to become wider and wider. The most terrifying thing was his face, which was beginning to adopt the outline of an octopus-like head with numerous feelers and tentacles pulsing with terrible energy erupting out on the lower half of his head! His eyes began glowing with a bloody shade of red as his transformation finished. He floated proudly in the frigid inner layer of the Icebound World as his form went past twenty meters, humanoid in appearance but taking on the shape of something much more terrifying above his chest. SHAAA! A terrible purple-blue aura released from his body as it welcomed the advent of the form of a being filled with tremendous power. This was the [Lesser Cthulhu]! Gargantuan! Enormous! Monstrous! This was the only thing that could be used to describe the body still maintaining a humanoid shape but trembling with energies of the mystical Aether element all over this body. His humongous arms were filled with extremely strong muscle fibers that palpated with power, bony claws that trembled with the power of Aether dangerously shining. His entire figure then gained a hue of blue-purple light as his blood-red eyes looked down at the rotating Planetary Core once more. A voice that was his yet not his was released from him, a sense of authority never before heard being carried in it! "Sadly, you are right. The strong do devour the weak in this expansive Universe." He raised his humongous hands palpitating with power as he cast yet another skill, this time being a skill from the series of abilities from the >. [Devouring], a sub skill of the Ultimate Sin of Gluttony was cast as Noah repeated something extremely similar to what he had done to the planetary core of the Demon World! "Though I am slightly different, so I''ll give you a choice on whether you will be among the strong, or be yet another casualty under these established Universal Laws." Chapter 289 - Oculus! A giant. A being of tremendous power whose eyes alone would bring terror to those observing had his hands spread out wide, a devilishly black aura erupting from him as it went to latch on to the mystically spinning frozen core of the Icebound World. RUMBLE! The terrible form of the titanous [Lesser Cthulhu] that was more than 20 meters in size and held feelers and tentacles constantly trembling with baleful Aether energy on the lower half of its face waited for a response from the cold Plantar System. [...] An impassive cruel energy covered the red glowing eyes of the [Lesser Cthulhu] as boundless energy erupted forth and fed into the [Devouring] ability of the Ultimate Sin of Gluttony. The ability could devour any entities as long as enough energy was provided, and this process was being felt closely by the apathetic Planetary System of the Lost World! [...Spectacular.] The same impassive cold voice rang out from the Planetary System as a curious look passed over Noah''s head. [Threats are not necessary. You actually have a power capable of threatening an entity outside of your scope. It is completely out of my current understanding, but¡­] Essence rumbled as Noah stopped putting in the immense amount of mana into the Devouring ability, the Planetary Core of the Icebound World continuing. [...You are strong, so it is your right. What do you want?] A bright smile that looked extremely terrifying erupted off Noah''s face as the feelers and tentacles dancing on the lower half of his face continued to pulsate with purple-blue energies of Aether. His towering body neared the Planetary Core as he placed his hands directly on it, feeling the immense amount of energy of this star. His homeworld received the signal as the formation of yet another line of connection was initiated with a Large World! OOONG! The rumbling voice that contained a tinge of otherworldliness from Noah rang out once more as the process began. "Do not resist, accept the connection trying to be formed." The Icebound World felt a peculiar line of connection it never thought to be possible bathe its core, its apathetic voice gaining a semblance of emotions. [..This!] RUMBLE! Enormous amounts of mana gathered with Noah''s humungous body at the center, minutes continuing to pass as essence roiled, gathered, and dispersed until yet another connection between multiple worlds with Noah at the center was formed. [You crazy¡­!] Reacting very similar to the Demon World, the Icebound World was flooded with information the moment the connection was established, its knowledge expanded and a brand new scope of understanding was added to its already expansive depth. [This is against the natural Universal Laws¡­!] Its apathetic voice had a tinge of shock as it continued to be flooded with the good and bad that came with the connections spread out across four worlds now, much of the mystery around the being in front of it, Noah, clearing up with the constant input of new information. Noah''s immensely huge hands came back to his sides as cold winds roiled from this simple movement, his terrifying smile wider than before as he sent a thought of communication towards the new core he could feel a connection with. "You must have learned about many things by now, especially the actions we are taking with each of the connected stars." His tone had returned to normal as he had successfully formed a connection with the Icebound World, and this connection signified something big as he successfully tapped into yet another star''s reserves of mana! "Many of the connected worlds have their own unique treasures or techniques, what exactly does the Icebound World have that can be considered unique?" A brief silence followed as an uncountable number of thoughts passed through the Planetary Core of the Icebound World before it replied. [Nothing as unique and extensive as the...Beast World''s Spiritual Lands, nor the Demon World''s Power Jewels, and nothing as ridiculous as the system of your Homeworld. The Icebound World is an extremely favored location for studying the cold aspect of the Law of Water though, with those spending more time in the deeper depths of the world advancing much faster in power while training.] The will of the Icebound World continued to speak as similar to how it received numerous information the moment it felt the connection with the three other stars, it began sending huge amounts of information towards Noah that dealt with everything to do with the Icebound World. [Nothing as stupendous as Spiritual Lands can be found here, but this land is perfect to set up extremely fearsome dungeons attuned to the Law of Water that would allow anyone training here to advance their power twice, if not three times faster than normal.] A fearsome light passed through Noah''s monstrously red glowing eyes as he overused [Parallel Thought] and [Hasten Mind] to quickly organize thousands of thoughts and begin planning for possible operations that could be undertaken in the Icebound World. In this wide expanse of space known as the Light Expanse of the Novus Galaxy, yet another star had bound its energies and life to a small lifeform. This brought the count to four, with this number seeming very minuscule when looking at the millions of stars floating in space, but the meaning it carried with it was stupendous to think about! --- Across the vastness of space of the Novus Galaxy, in a location that a few powerful forces knew as the Letalis Expanse where Ancient Races slumbered, a glimpse of a fearsome aura awakened slightly as it felt something that could not be a reality. In a region covered in deadly energies of Aether and other unknown elements, two stars began shining a deep red hue that caused the surrounding Aether to move chaotically as something briefly awakened. RUMBLE! This ''Thing'' had felt the awakening of its bloodline a moment ago, with this feeling disappearing seconds after like it never existed before. This brought confusion to the awakened being as it knew it was the only one of its kind in this wide Galaxy. As the feeling only came and went momentarily, the being felt that it might have just wrongly felt something as it went back to its slumber. The shining stars that were slowly brightening up to the bloody red shade gradually became dark as the chaotic energies reduced and things returned to normal. If there were any knowledgeable beings nearby, they would be trembling in fear at the meaning of these stars brightening up and dimming at just the slight waking of this terribly powerful being! They would be able to understand that the extremely large brightening and gradually dimming stars...were actually just the eyes of this slumbering being! Just the eyes were the size of a star, their brief opening causing the dangerous Aether permeating throughout the region to be thrown to disorder! As for the being connected to these eyes? Its size could not even be ascertained in this void darkness of space! Chapter 290 - Immensity Yet another goal had been successfully completed as Noah spent more time in the inner layer of the Icebound World discussing with the convening Planetary Systems on the best courses of action. Numerous plans were made for the unique environment of the extremely hazardous Icebound World as the Planetary Systems had already begun the process of establishing the Gateways between the connected worlds while they sent messages to those left high in power between each worlds for the continuing changes. Noah left the inner area as this process began, enjoying the immense feeling of power he felt in the [Lesser Cthulhu] form that had a stupidly large stature while keeping a humanoid appearance. It felt different than when he changed to a large form of a Three-headed Hydra as a unique feeling permeated through him while feeling the appearance of the mystical Aether element coursing over the abundant fibers of muscles over his body. He moved his thoughts and commanded his body to move upwards as he shot forth and became a streak of light, his large body not becoming a factor that slowed him down, but increasing his speed by multiple times as he left sonic booms in the cold layers of earth he was penetrating! The feeling was something he did not come across frequently, and he chose to revel in it than to just use teleportation to get where he wanted as he broke out of the mountainous layer in only one fourth the time it took him to go down before. WAAA! The cold atmosphere of the Icebound World trembled as he broke out of the mountain, his aura permeating into the surroundings and causing the surrounding elements to tremble. A wide smile covered his face as he deactivated the [Morph] ability and returned to his small human form, feeling the auras of the Emperor Penguin and others near his position. "Master!" The arrogant penguin called out meekly as his sleek body arrived first, his gaze towards Noah being just slightly more subservient as he received more and more treasures and resources from this Spiritual Land Master. The subservience only lasted briefly before the pride in its blood made it rise its beak towards the sky as Kazuhiko, the Kraken, Imperial Phoenix, and the other beasts appeared in the surroundings as they looked towards Noah in shock. They had only briefly felt a world shocking aura in the position where he was, feeling an oppressive feeling even before they neared as they wondered exactly where his power had reached now. Kazuhiko was the only one that ignored this immense feeling of pressure as he approached Noah and placed his hands around his neck and whispered with a serious face. "Dude, you have to stop shooting up in ranks while the rest of us are so far behind. Where the hell do you even go? What cheat or crazy inherent skill do you have eh?" The Sword Master was whispering his grievances to the constantly advancing Noah as his own rank was that of a Transcendent, having received many [Cores] from Noah over the last few weeks along with everyone else. Kazuhiko continued talking as his party and the beasts gathered around the two of them. "It''s crazy to think about man. For all I know, you might just do something insane like jump another rank after just a few weeks or upgrade your Spiritual Land to the 6th tier soon while the rest of us can barely bring our own Spiritual Lands to the 4th tier." Noah couldn''t help but laugh as he heard this, glancing at the {Spiritual Land Management} under his stat panel as he called out to the arrogant penguin who was looking mockingly at Kazuhiko. "Everyone is ready?" The Emperor Penguin was looking mockingly at Kazuhiko as it knew the requirements for the next upgrade of the Spiritual Land was already met when he and the other beasts advanced from Phantasmal and into the Transcendent Rank. This human simply didn''t know the immensity of his Master to even think that he would be this slow before he upgraded their Spiritual Land to a higher level! "...You''re kidding, right?" The Imperial Phoenix was even more shocked than Kazuhiko as she was a native of the Beast World and knew exactly how unique and stupendous the Spiritual Lands were, as well as the exuberant amount of energy required to upgrade even if the rank requirement was met for the beasts born in the Spiritual Land. Noah let his actions speak for himself as he flicked his hand out to the skies, a brilliant blue light shining out as the miniaturized Spiritual Land enlarged and floated stably in the cold air of the Icebound World. This Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land matched very well with the aesthetics of the frozen world, the shimmers of snow constantly falling in it matching nicely with the cold winds all over the Icebound World. In the Spiritual Land, raucous noises started as the numerous beasts sensed their Spiritual Land Master and the task he was about to undertake, their excitement increasing as the rank of their home was about to increase yet again, granting them a world filled with even more coagulating essence and fantastical medicinal fruits and herbs. "Shut up!" A resonant scream came from one of the futuristic high rise buildings built through the [Architecture] feature of the Spiritual Land as a sleeping Barbatos dressed in satin pajamas was awoken. Silence instantly reigned in the Spiritual Land as her wild aura at the Saint Realm permeated from her voice. Yes, Barbatos had been the first one after Noah to enter the rank of Saint! She was the one that stuck to him closest, remaining in the Spiritual Land and training in the Time Space as she also was the first to receive the refined cores that were called [Spirit Stones] from the World of Cultivation. A milky white aura covered her body as she spread out her senses and saw the cl.u.s.tering group of beings all around the Spiritual Land, her cute eyes blinking rapidly as she saw the stern face of Noah. She reached her hands to the switch on the reinforced glass material that made the entire luxurious building she was in as the switch activated to close the blinds in the wide room she was in, her curvaceous figure disappearing from the observations of others as she grabbed even more pillows and jumped up on the bed that would put even the most expensive memory foam mattresses to shame. Kazuhiko was shaking his head despondently as this scene played out, with Noah patting him on the back in consolation as he confirmed the number requirements for the beasts were met before his aura began to bubble forth, initiating one of the next goals he had to check off before heading out to the Underworld where the Pureblood Vampyres resided! Chapter 291 - Tier 6 Spiritual Land!!! The upgrade conditions were met the moment the Emperor Penguin and more than four other beasts born in the Spiritual Land reached the Transcendent Rank. The upgrades between ranks became easier as Noah first got his hands on an abundant amount of Transcendent and Saint [Core]s during the second run-through of the Devilish Abode, and then received even more condensed cores that had undergone refinement, the Spirit Stones from the Profound Astral Sect. This, on top of the Medicinal Fruits he unlocked when the Spiritual Land was upgraded to the fifth tier, made for a very quick rise of strength in the beasts. He planted the herbs called [Frozen Angelica] and used the rainbow-colored fruits from the [Regal Flora] in the Time Space while also using one of the very few low ranking skills, the rank S [Budding Farmer], that still held great utility. When this was paired up with the {Forge of the Silver Flame}, the unique skill he gained from the mysterious Sect Master Inuit, the results became stupendous to look at. He was able to refine a large number of pills from the Medicinal Herbs and Fruits that quickly matured in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land. The Medicinal Plants showed optimum strength when devoured by the beasts born in the Spiritual Land, so Noah was able to rapidly increase the ranks for the beasts, causing an explosion of high powered beasts populating the Spiritual Land. An example was how when he upgraded the Spiritual Land to Tier 5 a few weeks ago, the number of Mythical Beasts was 14, while the number of Phantasmal Beasts was only 6. Yet currently, the number of Mythical Beasts in the Spiritual Land was around 300, while the Phantasmal Ranked Beasts were in the 60s! This was a world-shattering concept to think about, something that should have never been made possible, but it was made a reality became of the combined factors of extremely potent Medicinal Plants that was the key to quickly upgrading the beasts'' strength, the Time Space, the skills [Budding Farmer] and the {Forge of Silver Flame}. All of these factors added by the cheat that should not be possible, the immense amount of mana that Noah could utilize, made for a nonsensical rapid increase in the ranks of multiple beings in this Unique Treasure that was the Spiritual Land in an extremely short period of time. There were many factors, but they all came together to give something beautiful! Noah stopped his reminiscence as he placed a tremendous amount of mana into the Spiritual Land, initiating yet another upgrade in rank as essence converged upon the floating landmass in the skies of the Icebound World. RUMBLE! The Harbingers of Sin in the skies were watching with disbelieving faces as they knew the hardsh.i.p.s of raising the levels of Spiritual Lands themselves, while the natives of the Icebound World located all over began to feel the appearance of a majestic aura spread throughout. The upgrade of the Spiritual Land to the 6th Tier could be considered very special, as the next ability to be unlocked was the one titled [Interstellar Travel]! Across the stars, it was a widely known fact that beings had to be in the Void Rank to be able to freely travel across the vast space, but this upgrade of the Spiritual Land would allow its master to traverse space as long they could provide enough mana! Noah was looking forward to this new feature, as well as the increased functionality of the Time Space. The current ratio was 1:10, meaning that this upgrade would push this ratio to 1:20. This would heavily increase Noah''s efficiency when it came to his training as he would need even less time in the outside world to rapidly increase his power. It was a ridiculous concept to wrap one''s head around as just a single day in the outside world would equate to 20 days in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land! Cold winds ravaged the skies of the Icebound World as a single mystical landmass floating in space was glowing a spectacular shade of blue and white. SHAA! This blue and white coagulated and bloomed into a cacophony of resplendence as a grandiose Frozen Plateau that seemed the same as before, but at the same time felt entirely different than before appeared! Bated breaths were taken by the beings around Noah, especially those with higher power levels who could feel the abundant essence pulsating on the Spiritual Land. If the outside world could be given the numerical value of 1 for the essence in the atmosphere, the Spiritual Land could be given a value of 10! That was how dense the continuously converging essence around and inside the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land was. Noah glanced at this treasure that continued to bring him immense surprises, looking at the {Spiritual Land Management} in his stat panel observe the quantifiable changes. --- {Spiritual Land Management} [Frozen Plateau-6] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-XXX, C-XXX, B-XXX, A-XXX, S-15,286, EPIC-5,138, LEGENDARY-1,254, MYTHICAL-328, PHANTASMAL-69, TRANSCENDENT-12 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic, Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora. Available for planting(Qilin''s Cold Stone, Resonant Okra) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Unlocked)...Law Space(Locked)[email protected]#%#$%(Locked) Upgrade- Conditions not met. The numbers of powerful beasts had exploded exponentially as beasts that would put the average Large Worlds to shame appeared. When observing the Demon World or Icebound World, they only had a select number of Phantasmal beings that stood at the peak of power, and they could be counted on one hand most of the time. Yet this single Spiritual Land now contained the tremendous force of 69 Phantasmal Beasts, and that wasn''t even mentioning the 12 Transcendent Rank Beasts that made it possible for this current upgrade to occur! This high number of forces that exceeded most large worlds contained in a single floating landmass made Noah continue to reevaluate just how tremendously unique a treasure like this Spiritual Land was. There continued to be newer and more explosive features that made mystical things a reality, that it now felt normal and explainable to see the exuberant amount of powerful beasts contained within. Noah went through the upgraded features of Size Regulation, Boost Surroundings, Offensive Maneuvers, and even the Treasure Hunter that he had not gotten a chance to truly put to use as marveled at the increased usefulness of each. He could expand and miniaturize the Spiritual Land to an even more extreme state with the Upgraded Size Regulation, give tremendously powerful boosts to the surrounding environment with Boost Surroundings, and the power of Offensive Maneuvers continued to be reinforced and increased that he was sure its power would be able to threaten even a Void Rank being. But all of these things were placed aside as he looked at the feature he utilized the most, as well as the newest feature that was made possible by the upgrade to the 6th Tier. [Time Dilation] :: The abstract concept of time can be manipulated in a small area. 1:5 Ratio (Unlocked), 1:10 Ratio (Unlocked), 1:20 Ratio (Unlocked), 1:40(Locked) [Interstellar Travel] :: Exploration of the wide expanse of space is something that falls under the responsibilities of the Spiritual Land Master. This feature allows the user to input a specific amount of mana that allows travel across the void of space for a particular amount of time. Noah''s eyes shone as he first read over the increased ratio of the Time Space that would allow for even more time for training, and he felt his blood pumping as he thought of the simple idea that he could now fly this mystical piece of a floating landmass that was the Spiritual Land into space! It was wild, crazy, and ridiculous to even think such a thing was possible when he first became the master of this Spiritual Land in the Frozen Kingdom of the Beast World. Never in his wildest dreams would it have occurred to him that one day he would be able to actually leave a star and enter the vastness of space with this same Spiritual Land. But it was possible, and so he would do just that! Chapter 292 - Realizing ones own insignificance Noah turned to the Harbingers of Sin around him as he spoke out with enthusiasm. "You guys wanna go for a ride?" "A ride?" They looked at him dumbfoundedly after just witnessing the immense show of power that was required to upgrade the Spiritual Land, their minds still reeling from that shock. "Haha, yes. A ride! Get on the Spiritual Land. I''ll be right back." His figure flashed as he teleported away from the Icebound World and appeared at another freezing location, this one being in the Frozen Kingdom of the Beast World. His senses spread out to cover the entire kingdom as he honed in on the Frozen Queen and her Shadow Guard, Night, his figure materializing in front of them as they glanced towards him happily. "I have something to show you." Noah said this towards the Frozen Queen who was ever so slowly showing off a brighter and brighter smile from her cold exterior, his hands wrapping around her and Night as they all disappeared from the Beast World and reappeared on top of the Spiritual Land in the Icebound World. The room that Adelaide was just in turned silent as the Ill.u.s.trious King Roark, Adelaide''s father, glanced at the nobles and ministers awkwardly as the current Queen was just swiped away by the powerful Sir they knew to be pulling the strings behind the scene. "Get back to work!" The old King Roark roared out these words as the ministers scrambled out of the Queen''s Hall and returned to their normal duties, a slight smile appearing on the father''s face as he felt proud for one of his children finding such a grand path. --- In the Spiritual Land, Noah reappeared with Adelaide and her Shadow Guard, Night, as everyone was gathered in the central location of the Spiritual Land where he cl.u.s.tered most of the buildings that he made through the use of [Architecture]. The Harbingers of Sin were shaking their heads at the overflowing essence they could feel in the Spiritual Land, Kazuhiko once again speaking out to the reappearing Noah as he let out more grievances. "We don''t even need to go anywhere else to train, this place is a haven with mana this dense all around us." Noah laughed as he nodded towards this Sword Master and replied while watching Barbatos join them, still in her satin pink pajamas as she yawned. "All in due time. For now, buckle up!" Noah initiated the feature of the Upgraded Spiritual Land, [Interstellar Travel], as he chose to not notice the sparks flying off as Barbatos''s eyes landed on the newly appearing Adelaide, with her Shadow Guard even pulling out a knife as this stare off was initiated. OONG! Immense mana wrapped around the Spiritual Land as it trembled slightly, and seconds after it began to rise in the air as it pierced through the cold winds and cloud, climbing higher and higher by the second. Shock spread throughout the beings cl.u.s.tered around the Spiritual Land as the Emperor Penguin looked at his Master in shock, its body quickly flashing to the edge of the Spiritual Land as it observed the rapidly reducing mountains they could visibly see. "No f.u.c.k.i.n.g way!" "What!" Disbelief and wonder spread throughout everyone''s faces, even the cold and angry Calamity of the Sea, Kraken, looking out with its large eyes above them as the speed of the floating landmass they were on only continued to go faster and higher. Noah was observing all the changes around him as he noticed the transparent blue barrier thinly cover the Spiritual Land in its entirety, the entire land mass gaining a blue hue as it shot through the skies at increasingly faster speeds. The mischievous Barbatos neared Noah''s side as her cute eyes blinked quickly towards the enlarging small stars above them while the world they were on began getting increasingly smaller. The icy Adelaide grasped onto Noah''s right hand a moment after as she was even more surprised by this whole venture, with much of her time spent dealing with affairs of the kingdom and not being near such fantastical sights. She received an abundant amount of cores from Noah, with her strength now being at the Transcendent Realm as she broke through with brute force and power leveling, with almost all of her skills still being lower ranked and only her attributes reaching the Transcendent Rank. She came closer to Noah as this brand new experience unfolded in front of them. They quickly broke through the stratosphere of the Icebound World as the beasts and all other beings in the Spiritual Land experienced something out of their wildest dreams. The cold blue world below them that had covered the entirety of their sights just moments before became smaller and smaller in their eyes, the sparkling expanse of space around them coming into focus. Noah spread out his aura as he observed this immense accomplishment, slowing down the speed of the ascending Spiritual Land as his gaze landed on the small Icebound World. This world was a Large World that was even larger than his own Homeworld, and yet at this moment in time, it felt extremely small. Looking at this ever so small star, he felt his heart unconsciously tightening as a variety of thoughts erupted in his mind. These thoughts entered and left his mind as he continued to stare at the ever so decreasing size of the incredibly large planet he was just on, his mind unexpectedly entering a sort of trance as he was lost in the beauty and profoundness of it all. He was just a single small being from a world even smaller than this one below him, a small world that was located in an insignificant corner of a Galaxy in an expansive universe. THUMP! He could distinctly feel his heartbeat increase as these types of thoughts continued to come, the experience of personally controlling a vessel and really giving the time to observe the void of space and the smallness of stars and those who lived in them hitting him at full force, different then when he travelled in the ship with the cultivators of the Profound Astral Sect and simply focused on maintaining his identity while surrounded by enemies. This feeling of smallness and insignificance increased in Noah''s heart as he observed the extremely large Icebound World getting smaller and smaller, his hand reaching out in front of him as he felt like he could snatch this wide planet in the palm of his hands. THUMP! ''A mere human from an insignificant planet that is even smaller than the one in front of me...from a small star, a rock floating in space that is surrounded by millions of more rocks...millions more of these stars that hold even more insignificant beings just like me¡­!'' A suffocating feeling began to cloud Noah''s heart as almost all others around him looked at the small shining blue Icebound World they were just on with wonder while their gazes observed the unbelievable sight of the starry space all around them. Yet Noah continued to feel his heart beat increasing as questions and thoughts about himself continued to swirl around as this flight into space brought him into an unexpected mental state. Different feelings were spreading amongst different people observing the same scene as a mystical landmass moved across the starry beauty and the terrifying void of space. ... Chapter 293 - Depuration The unexpected mental state that Noah found himself in only further clouded his heart and thoughts as his eyes began to feel hazy and cloudy, his thoughts going towards his parents and billions of other humans that had already died and become lost in the dredges of time in just a single small planet floating in space. They appeared briefly on a small star, stayed for an insignificant number of years, and disappeared back into the earth of that star as they were gone! Forgotten! They had ideals, they had goals and dreams! With the grand goals and ideals he had created for himself now, would he be just like them? His life just shining slightly brighter before it was snuffed out and he was forgotten with the passage of time? His shaking heart ignored the immense power he had quickly attained over the span of a few months as a moment of introspection he never expected to find himself smacked him right in the face! [Noah.] He heard the voice of his Planetary System of his Homeworld, while a warm hand grasped his right hand tighter, the Frozen Queen looking towards his cloudy eyes with great concern. The nonchalant Barbatos felt the change as she stood beside Noah and grabbed hold of his other hand, her gaze following the immensity of the starry space all around them. A deep breath released from Noah as he observed the people around him. He saw the ones he was always asking himself if he should let them closer to his heart, and saw their care and support as the barriers that allowed him to not really get too close to anyone slowly cracked. Yes, the star he was from was small and insignificant. This also made him who was just a single miniscule being on it even more insignificant. But! He was born in that small star! He came to being, and he came to be who he was in that small rock orbiting in space. That was an amazing thing by itself, as he was glad he was able to come to be and experience the things he experienced over these years! His being, his existence, his connection to that small star- he didn''t know how to explain it, nor did he understand it, but he would continue searching. He did not even know what exactly he was searching for, and he did not know if he would just be another small being from a simple star that would briefly shine before he was buried and forgotten somewhere. But what mattered was how he lived. What mattered most was what he did with his time, no matter how brief or long it was! RUMBLE! Essence began to palpitate around Noah''s body as he was lost in his own thoughts once again. In this short life of his, he already had goals and aspirations he wanted to carry out. He couldn''t foresee how they would all turn out, and whether they would go in the direction he wanted them to, but he would still follow the path and the guidelines he set for himself. WAAA! Something unique was occurring in his body as essence continued to rumble, his gaze turning towards the people supporting him as he decided it would not be too bad to let them in. The fear of getting hurt from losing others was great, but closing himself in and not allowing those who cared for him to come near was even more painful. His body began to lift from the Spiritual Land that had stopped in space, the body palpitating with wild essence rising in the air, getting near the thin blue film of a barrier protecting those inside it as the others looked on in surprise. "Noah!" "Master!" The beings staring at the wonder of space finally saw Noah as they shot towards him in the skies, but stopped the moment they neared the thin barrier protecting them as their bodies and essence instantly let them know they would not be able to survive if they left this protective barrier of the Spiritual Land. They looked on in shock as Noah''s body smoothly passed the blue barrier of light and stepped into the terrifying void of space by itself, the fears unfounded as somehow, he continued to be completely fine! His body continued to tremble with a weird power as unbeknownst to him, his connection established with his Homeworld became even more stable and stronger, his origin feeling the immense power he had been connected to that was only accessible through the stars. His closed eyes opened in the void of space as he was perfectly fine, the passive ability of the [Lesser Cthulhu] allowing him to traverse the void of space for as long as he wanted without any issues! The moment his eyes opened in the void of space, an intense blue light erupted from them as arcs of mana erupted out, but this occurred for barely a millisecond before Noah came to, his eyes gazing at the feeling of the void of space around him. He felt the unexplainable feeling only beings capable of traversing through space could feel, and he even felt a more attuned version of that feeling as his body did not have any protective layers of essence to protect him from the void of space. The [Child of Space] that the lesser Cthulhu provided made him feel like he was in the most comfortable location possible, his emotions stabilizing as he came to himself and glanced in the distance where numerous stars lay. Yes, he knew his own position in this wide Universe. He may be small and insignificant now, coming from a star that was also insignificant, but that did not mean it would remain that way! RUMBLE! He would continue searching for that unexplainable feeling he could not even name. He would continue moving with his own goals and ideals as he did whatever he felt like doing.This was because he was Noah Osmont! A nobody from a small planet, but also the central figure connected to the survival of multiple planets with billions of beings. His power rumbled as he completely shook himself out of his stupor, throwing behind any feelings of smallness as a trace of anger entered his mind for dwelling on such thoughts. He directly activated the [Morph] ability as he wanted to move on to the next goal he had in mind, and also observe any changes that would occur from taking the form of the terrifying being in its natural habitat. OONG! Waves of power spread across the void of space as his body enlarged rapidly, the fearsome form of the [Lesser Cthulhu] covered in deadly energies of Aether being even more striking in the starry space. OOOOH! He stretched his arms out wide as he let out a roar of strength, a roar of defiance towards any feelings of weakness as he felt the rumbling strength coursing through his body. Those in the Spiritual Land were watching this scene with stupefaction, only one extremely arrogant Emperor Penguin raising his head high as he nodded and thought- this was my Master! Noah''s now humongous hand in the humanoid form of the domineering [Lesser Cthulhu] reached out towards the Spiritual Land in the form of a claw as he pinched down, sending a command to the [Size Regulation] feature as the landmass floating in space became smaller and smaller, eventually fitting in the palm of his hands as he used the [Anchor] feature and placed it on his body. He glanced around the sparking void of space filled with multicolored stars and aurora of light as he disappeared towards the next location he had to check off before he earnestly began moving - The First Realm of Hell! It was a simple experience he had taken his people with when they ascended to the starry space, but he unknowingly came out of it mentally and in other unknown ways, stronger! Far across the stars where his Homeplanet was, the Planetary System was observing the expanded and strengthened connection that led towards Noah as millions of thoughts came and went, a mystery in itself on exactly what this core had found out. Chapter 294 - Return to the Infernal Realm! A location that was called Hell by the denizens of stars all around it, the Infernal Realm known as the first hell was filled with droves of maddened Infernals that only sought for destruction and death. The occasional Infernal Hunt created to reduce the ever so growing numbers of Infernals would only be conducted for a short period of time as thousands of disciples enter and massacre millions of Infernals before the hunt was concluded. In this dreary and fiery environment known as the First Realm of Hell, the gigantus figure of the [Lesser Cthulhu] appeared, his aura instantly making the Infernals in the surroundings buckle as they felt an oppressive force smash down which shook them to their very cores. The Lesser Cthulhu waved his hands forth as a colorful floating landmass appeared in the skies, the beings cl.u.s.tered in it looking around this new environment filled with powerful auras at their ranks and even more auras that were ranks higher than theirs. There were numerous Transcendent Rank Infernals that could be considered widespread throughout this Infernal Realm, with a few commanding Saint Rank Infernals leading the cl.u.s.tered hordes, and the even more powerful Void Rank Infernals that remained near the very center of the First Realm of Hell. Coming directly into this hellish region was shocking for Kazuhiko and the others, as they could discern thousands of beings letting out the same level of power as them, with Barbatos being the only one slightly calm as she was the leading character besides Noah at the Saint Rank. Noah''s resounding voice reverberated in the Spiritual Land as his gigantic form became smaller, having fully returned back to himself even better than before. "This, is the location where you can improve your power the fastest." His body entered the protective barrier of the Spiritual Land as the beasts looked at him with wonder, while Kazuhiko and the others looked at him in shock after witnessing his tremendous oppressive pressure in the Lesser Cthulhu form. Noah smiled lightly as he evaded the questions Kazuhiko had begun throwing about his skills, beginning to explain about the First Realm of Hell, Infernal Realms, and the uniqueness of the Skill Points that could be obtained from defeating the Infernals. "Haha Skill Points? Skill Trees?!" Kazuhiko was already jumping in excitement as he stopped looking at the Infernals like powerful enemies who could rip him apart to bundles of gifts just waiting for him to open. Battle spirit overtook the Harbingers in the Spiritual Land, especially the monstrous Kraken that carried immense anger in its heart. It''s eyes turned red as it was ready to jump down to the blazing earth of the First Hell to start taking down these Infernals right away. Noah smiled at the enthusiasm as he focused on his own panel and the skill points remaining as he planned to do something which would both help the people around him get stronger, while also protecting them and increasing his own power as well. His eyes instantly turned to the [Abhorred Lich Emperor] skill tree that would allow him to summon a powerful Void Rank Lich who could summon tens of thousands of Undead to fight on his behalf. Much of his skill points were placed in the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree, but he had been able to collect more than 10 Skill Points after maxing every single skill of the Lesser Cthulhu, and he could place these points to reactivate and strengthen the stupid levels of strength contained in the skill tree of the [Abhorred Lich Emperor]. [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(0/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(0/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(0/5) >> [Abhorred Lich Emperor](5/30) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(5/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(0/5) He even shaved off some Skill Points from some abilities that he wouldn''t be using too much from the Lesser Cthulhu skill tree as he made sure to max the [Summon Undead], [Undead Legion], and [Will of the Undead Emperor] in order to maximize the strength of the Lich with its high number of summoned undead. These three skills allowed the lich to summon a variety of high level undead and also provided damage modifiers and elemental resistances to the Lich and his summoned undead. "Are you all ready?" The battle spirit was palpitating in the air of the Spiritual Land as the Harbingers and Beasts wanted to get started right away. RAA! RAA! RAA! Battlecries were already resounding from the arrogant Emperor Penguin as the commotion only got stronger! The Icy Queen, Adelaide, stood firmly with her Shadow Guard as she would only observe the spectacular fight about to occur, choosing not to participate herself as she had never placed herself in a battlefield before, and did not wish for it. Noah ascertained everything was in order as he summoned the gold-green Lich with a terrifying deathly aura. Runic circles widened on the ground of the Spiritual Land as the Abhorred Lich Emperor grandly appeared, Barbatos giving a look at this being as she whistled with wonder. KA KA KA! The Lich cackled as it raised its Skull Staff high, golden flames appearing on its eye sockets as essence rumbled all through them, numerous Bone Dragons, Blue Phoenixes, Sepecters,and Skeleton Knights beginning to appear in the Spiritual Land! Noah sent a command to the Lich that its foremost responsibility would be to protect the Harbingers of Sin and the Beasts of the Spiritual Land while moving across the First Realm of Hell. For now, they would not go near the center of this Infernal Realm, planning to remain in the periphery as they did not want to be surrounded by multiple Void Rank Infernals at this point in time. The Lich would be able to easily handle two or three Infernals at the Void Rank with its own power and the power of its summons, but Noah did not want any accidents to occur with his people while they trained and increased their power. OOOH! The Lich screamed in affirmation and thousands of undead began to jump off the mystically floating Spiritual Land and smash onto the ground below them, already running towards the quivering nearby Infernals. Barbatos''s eyes were sparkling as she looked at this Undead Army, her lips smiling sweetly as she cast her own Ultimate Skill, {A Dance of Life and Death}, and caused the eruption of even more undead all around them. These undead were different from the ones Noah summoned, their exterior being dreary as a fiendish black aura covered their grey skeletons, green flames burning in the sockets of the most powerful undead. WAA! Barbatos released a cute battle cry as she descended into the blazing earth of the First Hell riding on one of her giant Skeleton Knights, the rest of the Harbingers following the lead as they quickly joined the fray of this stupendous land filled with opportunity. If one was looking from a distance, they would be able to notice an apocalyptic scene of thousands of undead released like a tide from a floating landmass, with large beings accompanying them as they began to rain down destruction towards any nearby Infernals! Chapter 295 - Farming Skill Points Noah observed the pace of the battle first as he was finally content at being able to release the thousands of Beasts in the Spiritual Land that had just been training and having their strength upgraded through the Medicinal Herbs and unique environment that pervaded through the Spiritual Land. The Beasts followed closely with the forces of the Undead Legion as they received help and protection when required, the Lich working overtime to conduct all the Undead forces'' movements and raining down destruction on the surrounding Infernals. Noah observed the unfolding battle as he affirmed it''s ongoing smoothness, and began floating from the Spiritual Land as he wanted to let loose and fight properly himself without any worry about super powerful beings watching him. "I''ll be right back!" He said this to the relaxing Adelaide and her Shadow Guard, Night, who were enjoying some of the resplendent fruits that could be seen all over the Spiritual Land as he shot into the skies. He went past the figures of the terrifying Undead Legion that was continuing to advance forward and raze down the rushing forces of maddened Infernals, already seeing multiple huge groups of Infernals led by those in the Saint Rank forming. He moved past this scene as he went deeper into the First Realm of Hell, towards its center most position where the temperature palpitated and became even more scathing, the region where an abundant amount of Void Rank Infernals resided! OOONG! Mana moved through his body as he took the form of the [Lesser Cthulhu] once again and became a purple streak that tore through the fiery skies, his body appearing and disappearing every now and then as he smoothly traversed through with the boost from [Child of Space] and naturally powerful body of the form he took. WAAA! He came to a stop after a few minutes, his body materializing as he glanced down. The area around him had become a mountainous range where flames sputtered in and out, Infernals filling every inch of it as deep within each mountain, he could sense the power of a Void Rank Infernal. His gaze met the upturned eyes of multiple roaming Saint Rank Infernals that looked up towards him and screeched, wings erupting from their backs as they flew towards him at breakneck speed! A wide smile appeared over Noah''s terrifying tentacle filled face as he cracked his fists, thoroughly about to enjoy this upcoming thrashing while getting used to the tremendous power of this [Lesser Cthulhu]. THUNK! THUNK! His thick arms caught two of the flying Saint Rank Infernals as he grasped their tough bodies in his enclosed palms, the bodies struggling as dense hellish flames erupted from them and went on to cover his hands. The other Infernals in the skies also let off hellish flames of abhorring temperature as they created hell storms of rapidly rotating flames that went on to cover the entirety of his more than 20 meters large humanoid body! Noah''s smile only got brighter as within these burning flames that would have turned any normal Void Rank being into cinders, he didn''t even feel a thing! "Haha!" A wild laugh released from him as the energies of his body trembled, the wild Aether he couldnt control around his body dancing as it went on to cover the two Saint Rank Infernals he was holding in his hands, sending their inner essence into chaos as the hands holding onto them closed down! SPLUCH! Blood and gore erupted from the terrible hands of the Lesser Cthulu as Noah got the show under way, starting off by using a skill he was very curious about the extent of damage that it could cause, the [Portals of Terror]! Mana coursed through his body swiftly as the skill was activated, his thoughts sending a command a single ovular portal appeared amidst the masses of Infernals that had begun swarming towards him in the distance. The summoned portal held a purple hue as it trembled, seemingly not being able to contain what was on the other side as Noah observed stupendously powerful destructive energies begin to leave this portal in a circular fashion. RUMBLE! It felt like the blazing earth had quaked when the summoned portal released its first blast of destructive energies that were a mix of purple and blue, their power so destructive that any Infernal that was near this single portal found their bodies exploding as if they were overblown balloons! "Fuuck." Noah watched on in shock as this single portal released continuous destructive energies more than 30 meters around it as the entire landscape was changed, one hellish mountain being completely wiped off as a heavily injured Void Rank Infernal limped out from the bottom of this mountain, but its protective essence couldn''t keep up as the destructive energies that still left the Portal of Terror grinded down its defenses until it exploded into a puddle of nothingness. "..." An eerie silence pervaded the normally maddened Infernals as they observed thousands of their kind wiped off in a few seconds, especially a powerful Infernal at the Void Rank that could not even last a few seconds under the unstable energies released from the newly appearing portal. "Crazy!" Even Noah was blown away by the overpowering and completely overwhelming power released from this one portal, which had effectively created a dead zone that no being could pass as long as he left it active. It was extremely overpowered, but this was what he liked! His thirst for more Skill Points increased as he watched the numbers rapidly fill up in his stat panel from the deaths of so many high ranked Infernals, his mind turning cold as he cast [Portals of Terror] multiple times, numerous different colored portals appearing all around this innermost region of the First Realm of Hell! One portal was bloody red in color and released what looked to be energy of the fire element, but it was so completely unstable that it burnt to ashes all it touched! Another portal was blue in color, releasing waves of energy that froze and shattered everything they touched in less than a second. Another was completely black, releasing an overwhelmingly powerful blast that pulled any beings it touched back towards the portal before they were ground to gory meat and bones! A variety of portals continued to appear across the fiery regions of the First Realm of Hell, and this continued until their number reached 18. Because of their extreme destructive energies, tens of thousands of nearby Infernals were wiped out in a blink of an eye, the remaining Infernals watching and the training Void Rank Infernals coming out from deep beneath the fiery earth feeling a sense of unknown fear as a hellish torment began for the beings in the First Realm of hell! Chapter 296 - Havoc Tides of change could be felt by the destructive beings in the First Hell of the Infernal Realms as in its outer fringes, a Legion of Undead accompanied by powerful Harbingers of Sin were sweeping across the droves of Infernals while in the innermost location, a dreadfully enthusiastic [Lesser Cthulhu] was testing out the wide range of abilities available to him on the maddened droves of even more powerful Infernals. The [Abhorred Lich Emperor] was situated above a grandly floating Bone Dragon as the golden flames in its eye sockets danced, feeling its power growing ever stronger as its master returned more and more Skill Points into its Skill Tree. Deathly forces of powerful undead continued to rush forward and clash with the Infernal, the moment a single undead died, another one taking its place. The Lich Emperor continued to wave its Skull Staff as more and more Undead continued to be summoned! The eerie Specters, Bone Dragons, Blue Phoenixes and other powerful high level undead were accompanying the Harbingers of Sin whose majority were still at the Transcendent Realm, their power being able to match the lowest level Infernals of which there were thousands of. Soon after the battle began though, their skills became more dreadful as they began using the Skill Points they gained from defeating the Infernals, many of them wonderfully tweaking and choosing which of their skills to enhance as they exploded in strength! Yet, not a single one of them could even compare to the rate at which one particular being gathered Skill Points. The more that the forces of the Abhorred Lich Emperor struck down the rushing Infernals, its master would gain the Skill Points as they steadily rose with the constant movement of forces. But if there was a graph that showed the increase of Skill Points, they would at this moment show a constantly increasing parabolic line that continued to shoot up rapidly when Noah himself began casting the tremendously monstrous abilities of the Lesser Cthulhu! RUMBLE! Moving scenes and going to the innermost location of the First Realm of Hell, a Lesser Cthulhu was wreaking havoc as the stupendously large body moved like a streak of light, appearing in one location that held huge cl.u.s.ters of Infernals and leaving a deadly Portal of Terror there, before he flashed away to another location and cast yet another Portal of Terror that went on to decimate any Infernals standing or floating nearby! The number of points under the [Infernal Skill Points] were rapidly changing as small decimal increments continued to come in rapidly, this indiscriminate hunt for the Infernals taking on the form of something never done before as they died at such fast rates, that even the Infernal Hunts that many worlds participated in could not compare. As long as Noah continued to rampantly run around like this for just another few hours, the number of Infernals that he alone would kill would be higher than the number of all the Infernals killed in the recent Infernal Hunt! This tremendous feeling of strength that one could get drunk on continued to permeate through Noah as unconsciously, the unstable Aether that was distinctly covering his body seemed to slowly increase and acc.u.mulate the more he killed the Infernals. The destructive Aether energies unknowingly contuinued to coalesce around his large body, their unusual power palpitating as Noah continued to use brute force and the [Portals of Terror] to wreck havoc on any nearby Infernals. He moved around numerous regions as he only left behind unrecognizable landscapes and blood and gore behind him. After a few hours, many of the powerful Infernals across the wide inner regions of the First Hell realised this immense commotion and the killing of their brethren as multiple Void Rank Infernals grouped up and went towards Noah''s position! He was casting yet another portal of terror when he felt the bubbling power of four Void Rank Infernals rush towards him from all sides. His battle intent surged at this sight, as these maddened beings would only serve to provide him more skill points, a howl leaving his mouth as the tentacles and feelers covering the lower half of his face trembled with baleful Aether. OOOH! After killing so many Infernals, the Aether around Noah''s large body had built up to such an extent as it seemed even more unstable, his roar of power acting like an unknown switch as the destabilized Aether element all over his body erupted outwards with him at the center! BOOM! The four rushing Void Rank Infernals were stopped in their tracks as this circular blast of Aether filled with destructive energies ripped through their bodies, their powerful defenses torn apart as heavy injuries were instantly inflicted upon their bodies. Noah observed this powerful blast of energy that released from him in surprise as he was too engrossed in enjoying the immense power of the [Lesser Cthulhu] form that he was not paying attention to the constant build up of Aether which had just erupted from him at this moment in time. This came as a surprise as this wasn''t an ability listed among the skills of this terribly powerful form, but this made Noah all the more curious to find out all he could about this [Lesser Cthulhu]! He looked at the heavily injured Void Rank Infernals that had been trying to get near him, their advance stopped short by this unexpected blast as he honed in on each of their locations and cast a skill that was even more destructive than the [Portals of Terror]. The skill [Sever] was activated, as in the direction his hand was pointing, the chest of one of the Void Rank Infernals was pierced through instantaneously, with the Infernal only feeling the pain a millisecond after! It was only then that the remaining Infernals noticed this destructive ray of Aether coming from Noah''s hand, but at this point, Noah spun around in a circular motion as this deadly ray of Aether covered the entire 360 degrees around him. SHAA! Space trembled as a distinct thin line of severed space began to heal and close back up, everything that was around Noah experiencing a terrible nightmare as the bodies of the remaining Void Rank Infernals surrounding him were shredded into two clean pieces, any nearby Infernals experiencing the same fate! THRUM! Noah took in this amazing feeling of strength as he saw the red streaks of light that represented the unquantified form of the Skill Points releasing from the powerful bodies of the Infernals and enter his own, watching the jump of 4 points all at once as he took down many powerful high ranking Infernals in this one attack. He marveled at this sight as he was about to continue this ecstatic battle, when he found himself rooted to the fiery skies he was floating on. "Hmm?!" Surprise left his terrifying mouth as he felt something unknown lock onto him and completely stop his movements. Below him from the blazing earth, and above him from the fiery skies of the First Realm of Hell, a domineering red light ascended from below and descended from above to lock onto his figure, freezing his figure and actually stopping all movements from him! ¡­! Chapter 297 - A Qualification! Noah used his observation skill as he found out that he couldn''t even move his eyes, the skill showing him the area around him as this mystical red light that erupted from the blazing earth of the First Hell and descended from the skies held tight to his body, the Infernals around him cowering at the appearance of this light. He could not figure out what was happening when yet another change occurred, this time with him actually beginning to feel something he had not felt in quite a while- pain! "Ugh!" [...Analyzing¡­] Indescribable pain erupted from his body as he could distinctly feel the voice of the Planetary System of his homeworld, this pain seemingly coming from deep within his body as the red light that held him in place flooded into his body ceaselessly. It was centered around his wide chest as the more that the red light flooded into him, etchings began to appear on his chest as they began forming peculiar runic lines. "AARGH!" This process continued until Noah forcefully let out a guttural howl, feeling the pain slowly receding as the dense amount of light rushing into him had etched out a particular shape clearly on his chest. The whole process wasn''t done, as on top of this mystical shape, the remainder of the red energy shot towards his head as a momentary sharp pain could be felt, this time only lasting for a millisecond as pieces of information began to enter Noah''s head. [Analyzing¡­] The Planetary System of his homeworld was still trying to use its authority to see what exactly had occurred just now, this situation being similar to when Noah first came in contact with the energies that Infernals released after they were destroyed, but on a much grander scale! Yet, at this moment in time, Noah did not need the System to tell him exactly what was going on, as the remainder of the red light that had shot into his head actually contained an abundant amount of information. As for this information? He was left in awe the moment he began organizing everything and looked down towards his chest, his movements coming back to him fully as the red light completely receded, the cowering Infernals still looking from a distance as they were unsure what had just occurred. On his chest, a glistening runic star that shone with a shimmering red light was clearly etched out, his mind remembering the pain as he realized this brand was not just etched onto his body, but onto his very origin! This was the reason he felt such a tremendous feeling of pain as the process occurred. [You have gained a...qualification?] Both Noah and the Planetary Systems were trying to piece together the foreign information coming from this new source of energy, but Noah did not need to wait for the Systems to analyze and quantify this information as it was being fed to him as clear as day from the remainder of the energy that rushed to his head. The first piece of information that he received was a memory about the Infernal Realms of Hell. In this Novus Galaxy, all across the regions of the Light Expanse, Dark Expanse, and Letalis Expanse- there were a total of five gateways that led to different realms of hell. These realms ranged from the First Realm of Hell where many of the Infernals had their beginnings, all the way to the Fifth Realm of Hell where the most powerful Infernal Lords resided! The first piece of information that Noah received was an overview of these realms and where each of their gates were located. The second piece of information pertained to the Infernal Lords themselves, and the empty seat that had been left dusting away for hundreds of years as these Infernal Lords awaited for something exactly like what occurred to Noah to happen. In this Novus Galaxy, there were exactly 8 Infernal Lords currently moving around, with the information making it clear that there were only 9 possible Infernal Lord that could take that title at any point in time, with there being an empty seat these past hundreds of years after the downfall of a particular Infernal Lord sometime in the past. This was where the third piece of information came in- the one that talked about this last empty seat, and how that was connected to the surprising event that had just taken place with him right in the middle of it! [Indeed, a Qualification.] Much of the information was pieced together as Noah agreed while feeling the receding pain, turning to his stat panel as he observed what the Planetary System had done yet again- simplify things in the easiest way possible as the information flowing in his mind was placed onto the blue stat panel. [Title] :: Infernal Lord- 1% ( In Progress) [Infernal Lord] :: !$$%^&$* $%^$%&^*&(&WQ $%#$^*^&*(#%#^&*(*(*&^ [email protected]@$% $^$%&%^@# $%&**%((@# ^&$^&^&%^*%^ !$%#%^&(^&*$%[email protected]#%^&*&^^#$^%& In clear and crisp words, much of the information in Noah''s mind was laid down in simple words that described exactly what had occurred, barring the many ununderstandable jibberish beneath the meaning of the Infernal Lord title itself. As the Planetary System mentioned, the red light that rooted Noah to the skies and etched a brand to his very origin was a qualification. This qualification...was one that gave him the right to take the title of an Infernal Lord in the future! This was a shocking turn of events that went completely against the prior knowledge that Noah had about Infernals and Infernal Lords, with much of his knowledge towards these beings that were diametrically opposed to any others but them, was the fact that they only existed for wanton slaughter and destruction. This was why they were in the Realms of Hell, and would rush to kill anything that did not have an energy signature that did not match theirs. The Infernals were beings of destruction, pure and simple, and even the new knowledge that Noah gained after he gained the qualification to take the remaining single seat of an Infernal Lord did not change that. Yet, he, a being that was the complete opposite of Infernals, had actually been given the possibility to take the title of an actual Infernal Lord in the future! It was a mind-bending reality that could only be explained to have occurred by the possible convergence of multiple factors. If all it took to gain the qualification to become an Infernal Lord was to kill and obtain the unique energies that would be released from the bodies of Infernals, then numerous possible Infernal Lords would have arisen among the forces of many powerful worlds that regularly sent their people to wipe out and battle Infernals. Yet, all they received from it as a benefit was the rapid increase in comprehension and power. So the one thing that set Noah apart from all of these beings was the fact that when he first came in contact with these unique energies, the Planetary System isolated and quantified it into the form of Skill Points that were cl.u.s.tered together in Noah''s origin, with him distributing them freely to the skills only he could use and taking them away as he wished. Yet, just this single factor was not enough, as he had killed an abundant amount of Infernals in the past, and yet nothing like what had just occurred now happened during that time. One could make the case and say it was because he had killed an even larger amount now, but the number would not matter as the last point would make it impossible for the last step to occur. There was also the part where he just let loose multiple beings into the Infernal Realm who used the same System as him, and nothing like this had occurred with them! This was simply that Noah and all the others were beings that were the complete polar opposite of the Infernals, and would not have a possibility of obtaining something that was only meant for the Infernals. This brought into question the only other change that was unique to Noah, the grandiose form he had taken while he defeated hundreds of thousands of Infernals and obtained an even larger amount of their unique energy signatures in the form of skill points, the form of the Lesser Cthulhu. This was the only possibility he foresaw as the factor that brought multiple coincidences together and allowed for what happened today to occur, which prompted him to ask the question nobody around him could answer- just what was this form of the [Lesser Cthulhu], and how was it connected to the Infernals? This was the biggest mystery that he did not know the answer to, and would not know for quite some time! But this convergence of factors- of him taking the form of the Lesser Cthulhu, of the Planetary System isolating and breaking down the unique signatures of Infernals into quantifiable points kept deep within his origin, of the numerous Infernals that he killed, especially the four Void Rank Infernals that were at the peak of power in this First Realm of Hell. All of these factors came together as he was granted what an Infernal that was called an Aberration not too long ago had a chance of obtaining. This was the same Aberration that the Celestial Grandmaster had made sure would die, as it held qualifications to become a General or a Scion of an Infernal Lord in the future, if not for the horrendous possibility of it rising as an Infernal Lord itself. The Grandmaster had wondered whether they really averted fate with the death of that Aberration, and his wondering was answered at this moment as a brand new Aberration, this one actually gaining the qualification of becoming an Infernal Lord much earlier, had appeared in the First Realm of Hell! Chapter 298 - The Title of an Infernal Lord In the vastness of the Novus Galaxy, at a particularly obscure location in the Letalis Expanse, there was a small asteroid floating in space. This asteroid was only a couple of miles in diameter, and would normally be orbiting around a star. Yet at this moment, it seemed to be stationed in space as it simply floated. The cause of this was the only two beings situated upon this rock who were extremely focused on a board game in front of them. In this void of space, a being with a humanoid appearance, but having multiple horns erupting out of its head in the form of a crown was scrunching his face in annoyance. The being sitting opposite him was clad in a dark robe and a uniquely shimmering pointed hat, this one actually being a human and holding a wizened old jovial expression as he was winning the game that was being played. "Haha, you''ll have to relinquish two worlds after you lose this game!" The voice of the aged human in a pointed hat boomed out in the vastness of space as he taunted the being in front of him, who looked up in annoyance as the crown formed from his own horns shimmered. "Hmph, the loss of two worlds is nothing to worry about. Why don''t we-" The crowned being came to a stop unexpectedly as he placed his hand on his chest briefly, before a wide smile erupted from his face as all the annoyance from the loss he just took went away. The old man in a pointed hat observed this as he spoke with a questioning tone. "What exactly made you so happy, Voldred?" The crowned being stood up as he patted his clothes with a smile, the board he was just playing on disappearing as he replied. "It seems like fate is really due for a correction in the near future. I''ve received two signals in the past days of a possible qualifier taking the last remaining seat. It seems that the ally that will break this stalemate will join us sooner than expected!" "What?!" Rumbling erupted on the stationary asteroid as the old man in a conical hat stood up abruptly, his gaze becoming stern as his old body palpitated with power. "The eight of you aren''t enough that an extra one has to be thrown into the midst?" The old man spoke in a semi threatening voice as the one called Voldred laughed and shrugged off a reply. "The one to take this seat will be the last. Why even act like that? You should be very clear by now about the reason for our existence." "Hmph." The game ended abruptly as the two beings stood up and looked at each other closely, Voldred speaking out again. "You''ve bested me yet again, young Edrusim. You can have the World of Eradell and the 4th Twilight Realm for my loss today. I have to get back to my little abode and prepare for the coming war." Dangerous words were said with a light smile as one being simply gave another the ownership of two worlds, and mentioned something as foreboding as a war to finish it off! The old being with a wizened expression that was just called a young man, Edrusim, scoffed as his body began to be littered with auroras of lights. "A Realm that you''ve already milked dry and a world with extremely weak creatures. You''re as cheap as always, O Great Infernal Lord." Edrusim finished his words mockingly as he watched the Infernal Lord in front of him laugh, his devilish figure disappearing in a blinding red light as only Edrusim was left on the stationary asteroid! A cold and impassive look passed over Edrusim as the colorful aurora of lights around his body intensified, his figure disappearing soon after from the asteroid as it began to move through the void of space yet again. Both of these two beings appeared briefly on this small rock and played a game, leaving thereafter as a shocking piece of information would soon begin to spread amongst the knowledgeable forces in the Letalis Expanse and the Dark Expanse of the Novus Galaxy. This information was contained among the higher ups, never meeting the light of day for any beings that other than the extremely powerful. It was a simple piece of information that held shocking meaning. The information was none other than- The rise of a new Infernal Lord was on the horizon! This shocking piece of information would spread in the Letalis and the Dark Expanse, with the Light Expanse receiving this information much quicker than most as in the 7th Celestial Star where a brand new Celestial Disciple would soon descend into, a particular Celestial Grandmaster stood up from his resplendent monastery as his face became grim. Multiple lines of fate were rushing into his eyes as he used an unknown technique, his face becoming darker by the second as he stood up and left the monastery, going towards a deeper location in the Celestial Star where other Celestial Grandmasters were cl.u.s.tered, busy with their own jobs and stations. The wizened Celestial Grandmaster shot towards a central location as he spoke softly, his voice traveling to a unique golden medallion he held in his hand. "I hereby call forth an emergency meeting of all the Grandmasters on the 7th Celestial Star. The voice was calm yet filled with grimness as it called forth, numerous auras of ridiculous powerhouses erupting out from the 7th Celestial Star. --- Back to the First Realm of Hell where a majestic Lesser Cthulhu floated in the fiery skies, Noah continued to observe the title of Infernal Lord whose description could not be read, but a single 1% was visible next to it. The qualification he had gained was one percent complete, and he would have to bring this percentage all the way to 100 if he wanted to actually obtain this title of an Infernal Lord. As for the way to do it? His lips curved into a smile as he organized the information that came with this qualification and glanced towards the quivering Infernals in the distance. The same way he had gained the qualification to begin with, he had to build up the unique energy signature of the Infernals, the unique essence that was termed Skill Points by the Planetary System, to extreme amounts before this qualification could turn into a full-fledged title! There was a tremendous amount of mysteries surrounding the Infernals that he needed to solve, along with finding out how a being like the Lesser Cthulhu came into the picture of all of this, or if there were any other things that allowed for this qualification to be made possible to a being like him. There were many unanswered questions, but he knew what he had to do in order to get the answers he needed. He would follow the path that was opening in front of his eyes to completion until he reached the finish line! Chapter 299 - Preparations Complete! The massacre of the Infernals continued for another few hours as Noah continued to endlessly throw out tremendously powerful Portals of Terror and cut apart everything around him with Sever, his excitement continuing to build up as he saw the Skill Points continuing to flow in, only slightly dampened when he noticed the percentage under the title of Infernal Lord had only risen by another 1% to become 2%. He looked at the area around him that had turned into a wasteland for miles as his body shot off into the distance, going towards the outer fringes where the Lich Emperor and others were wreaking havoc as he chose to continue on to the next phase of plans. Increasing the percentage in front of the Infernal Lord title would be something that would take a long time, and he already mapped out how he would be completing it on the side while he moved to the Underworld and then to the 7th Celestial Star in the future. As he moved towards the location of the others, he released the form of the Lesser Cthulhu, staring at his chest to find the runic marking of a star still visible beneath his skin, but fading away the moment he gave a simple mental command. He nodded at the simplicity of this as he arrived to meet the ravaging forces of the Undead Legion that the Abhorred Lich Emperor commanded. Kazuhiko and company were moving enthusiastically as they released assortments of colorful and deadly skills that were definitely not correlated with their levels, the power that the Transcendent Rank Kazuhiko released being able to injure a normal being in the Saint Rank as he had chosen a Skill Tree to focus his Skill Points in and became even stronger. The Kraken and other beasts were in the same boat as their bodies trembled with power, some reinforcing elemental skills as they released extremely freezing attacks or scorching flames that burned the highly resistant Infernals. Noah ascertained this huge level of progress as he returned to the Spiritual Land and found the Frozen Queen who was playing with the weaker beasts that did not leave the Spiritual Land, her hands holding multiple Medicinal Fruits that she was passing out to the beasts. Night was standing by her side as usual as Noah came towards them and told them a bit about his future movements, the Frozen Queen nodding with a sad but determined face as Noah teleported with her and Night back to the Frozen Kingdom of the Beast World. Many of the preparations were complete on Noah''s side, as he had completed the things he placed the most importance on before he followed the coordinates of the Void Crystal towards the Underworld. He returned to the First Realm of Hell as he conversed with the Harbingers of Sin on what they planned to do, with many of them seeing their extreme rise in strength and usefulness of the Skill Points as they chose to remain in the First Realm of Hell to increase their power. The Skill Points rapidly increased the power of their skills and focused them in a particular direction, while they could also be used to increase the proficiency of skills. Although the Skill Points used to increase proficiency would forever be lost, while those added to skill trees could freely be distributed. This made it so that unless they wanted to see the number of points they could use reducing rapidly, they had to increase the proficiency of their skills by using them and constant practice. When it came to Noah though, his speed of gathering Skill Points could not even be looked at on the same level as everyone else, and he had the option to waste some Skill Points if he chose to in order to quickly raise the proficiencies of a certain skill for combination. Noah agreed with the thoughts of the Harbingers of Sin as he planned to leave the Spiritual Land in the skies of this Infernal Realm, seeing no possible issues arising as he would be leaving behind the monstrously powerful Abhorred Lich Emperor that could withstand multiple Void Rank Infernals with its expanded power as Noah readded all of the Skill Points he had taken away previously, and even mostly maxed the Skill Tree of the Lich as its power continued to climb up senselessly. [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(5/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(5/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(5/5) >> [Abhorred Lich Emperor](25/30) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(5/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(5/5) The Lich was geared towards death, with a few poison abilities still playing a role as it used both a fearsome Undead Legion and tremendously powerful poisonous attacks on the hordes of Infernals. The skill itself was currently at 25/30, just a few more points being required before the pathway towards the next rank could be shown. But before this pathway could even be opened, Noah would need to have two Void+ Ranked skills to sacrifice. This put a limiter to how fast his strength could rise as even at this moment, he only held two Void Rank Skills, and would need to either spend many skill points to quickly increase the proficiencies of Saint Rank skills to make more Void and then Void+ through Skill Combination, or use the smarter path and conserve the highly important Skill Points that did not just go towards his Skill Tress, but also towards the percentage of the Infernal Lord title, and max the proficiency of the skill he chose for combination the normal way that would take some time. With the advent of the upgraded Time Space that held a ratio of 1:40, this would not be an issue for Noah. He couldn''t help but form a smile at the many means he had at his disposal as he sent some final commands to the Abhorred Lich Emperor for him to continue amassing Skill Points and protect the people he was leaving behind first and foremost. In the case anything drastic or unexpected occurred, like the rise of an Aberration that was extremely unlikely to happen again, the Lich held the stupendous skill [Delay Death] that would give Noah a chance to teleport back in a millisecond in case an accident occurred. The preparations seemed to be all but done as Noah went around to leave multiple [Markers] with the use of the Absolute Skill, >, as he marked multiple locations across the now four worlds he was connected to. In case he ever ran into a situation where a spatial lock was placed down by his enemies, it would never become a worry for him as he would be able to run regardless. His body disappeared from the First Realm of Hell as he reappeared miles away from where the doorway that led to it stood, at the same location that the Celestial Grandmaster had teleported him and Elder Spacewarp to give him the invitation of joining the Celestials. Noah''s figure rapidly folded in upon itself as he activated an ability of the [Amorphous Space Beast] skill that led to the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree, using the ability of [Miniature Space] as his body fully disappeared and a small black dot that was barely discernible in the dark void space appeared. Inside the small Miniature Space where his body was contained in, Noah pulled out the Void Crystal that held the coordinates towards the Underworld as the small black dot began to tear through the void of space with extreme speeds. The next location was set. Now, it was only waiting to see what exactly waited for him as he learned more about the beings that stood against the Celestials. Chapter 300 - Traversing Space, The Underworld In the vastness of space, a single black dot shot forth at extreme speeds. The starry space was filled with stars, making some regions shimmer with brilliant lights while other regions were completely filled with darkness. Noah, contained in the [Miniature Space] ability of the Amorphous Space Beast, traversed the vastness of space for an entire day and night. There wasn''t a rising or setting sun to show the passage of time, making him feel an unusual feeling as he counted the hours while staring at the worders around him. He came across vibrant stars that seemed to be filled with life, and also chanced upon planets that held violent elemental storms within as not a single life form could be felt. The most extreme case in this journey was when he came across a star that was shockingly split apart into two pieces. He had only observed the circular form that seemed to have a line cutting through it when he was far away in the distance, and he changed his direction briefly as he went to observe this phenomenon. The closer he came, the larger the star became as he shockingly saw numerous asteroids floating around this star that was split into two pieces. His size was extremely minuscule compared to the large shattered star he was looking at, his attention only hanging around this shocking scene briefly as he viewed the broken planet to see what could have caused such a thing. No answers could be ascertained as he looked at this as a sort of reminder for what fate could befall the numerous stars and continued on his journey. It was an extremely boring and eye-opening trip as he expanded his horizons and crossed multiple Small and Large Worlds, even chancing upon a Prime World that he didn''t even get near of lest he be sensed by some monstrous powers. He continued forward for another day before he neared the coordinates that the Void Crystal which the Vampyre Prince had given him to foretold. In his expanding sight, the view of a mystically shining planet gradually enlarged and came to view. The planet in front of him was different from the ones he came across, being even bigger than the World of Cultivation, and having something that Noah had not yet come across with his own eyes. He stared curiously at the enlarging planet that had...a shimmering grey barrier all around it. The barrier seemed extremely thin, like it could be broken at any moment, but Noah knew this wasn''t the case as just from the single location he was observing from, he could sense life forms not too far from the barrier that were most likely stationed there as guards. This was the first star that he had come across which held something as unique as a barrier, making him even more interested in understanding just what type of forces were dwelling in it. The Void Crystal that should have been leading him to the location where the Pureblood Vampyres resided in the Underworld shone a black light as it seemed to have sensed something and sent a signal forth, with Noah only waiting a few minutes as he shockingly noticed a wide octagonal shape opening up in the shimmering barrier, a black interstellar warship shooting out a few seconds later as it neared his position. The ship held a sleek design, being much smaller than the ones that he previously saw around the doorway that led to the First Realm of Hell. It came close to him as it stopped a few meters away, a grandiose door opening as beside it stood a dashingly handsome Vampyre Prince. He was looking at the black dot stationed in space as he observed it bloom, the form of a calm dark-haired young man in his 20s appearing magnificently as a sharp light passed through the Prince''s eyes. "You seem to always have another face when I see you." Prince Cassius gave a light greeting as Noah seamlessly floated towards the ship with his original human body, a light smile appearing on his face as he expected this prince to at least be surprised at seeing a Saint Realm individual like him float in space with no issues, but it seemed he had left too strong of an impression when he left this Prince the last time. "This is my actual form, not the Crixus of the World of Cultivation. The name is Noah, Noah Osmont." Prince Cassius nodded, his imposing sight checking Noah up and down as he entered into the ship that shot back to the octagonal space still open in the barrier. Noah wasn''t bothered with the probing gaze of the Vampyre Prince as he had prepared sufficiently while he was traveling over here, using the Dagger of Time multiple times to check for the different possibilities that could play out for this trip to the Pureblood Vampyre''s abode. In almost all of the possible scenarios, no harm would befall him, and he only stood to benefit as he learned more about this covert force that was sleeping right under the Celestials'' nose. He observed the octagonal shape quickly closing behind them the moment the ship passed through, the voice of Prince Cassius ringing out again as they entered the main room of the small ship they were on. "Your story has raised quite a few heads, with my Father looking forward to meeting someone that is as bold as I am." The high echelons of the Pureblood Vampyres were wondering who the being that was bold enough to take the life of Celestial Disciples could be, and more so what unknown force this being represented! Noah smiled at this as he observed the new world unfolding itself in front of him. The Vampyre Prince''s people seemed to have questions about him, and he had even more questions about them as he would come to understand exactly what kind of force they were. The ship they were on broke through the clouds as the grandiose sight of one of the lands of the Underworld made itself apparent in Noah''s eyes. One couldn''t see the dreary atmosphere that they would come to imagine when the thought of ''Underworld'' entered their minds. What Noah saw was a magnificent sight of a shining metropolis that was filled with grandiose ancient castles that screamed regality. The largest of these ancient castles were cl.u.s.tered at the center of the wide lands that expanded to the horizon. Noah could not find a location that looked barren as everything around him shone with uniqueness. The ship they were on neared the centermost region of this wide country, these wide lands that were under the control of the Pureblood Vampyres as Noah made his entrance into the Underworld. Chapter 301 - The Pureblood Vampyres The Underworld was a unique Prime World that stood above many Prime Worlds in terms of power. This was why even though many powers were surprised when they saw the name of a Vampyre Prince shine brightly on the leaderboard for the Infernal Hunt, they understood it as a fact when they connected this Prince to the Pureblood Vampyres of the Underworld. It was a powerful world that was filled with unique monsters and powerhouses, ranging from the Vampyres, to Werewolves, all the way to the race of Cyclops and other unique creatures. Out of all the organizations that were distributed across the wide Underworld though, the Vampyres were the most powerful, and the most secretive. They mostly kept to themselves as they continued to expand their lands and power, eventually becoming the known dominant force of the Underworld. Noah observed the ancient castles all around him that made him feel like he was looking at an upgraded medieval era with monsters and magic as the ship that he and the Vampyre Prince were on landed squarely on a wide area behind one of the biggest castles in the huge metropolis they entered. The doors opened to a shimmering red carpet that led all the way to wide-open golden doors that led towards the castle, with the right and left sides of the red carpet filled with neatly dressed men and women that all had the look of butlers and maids. "Welcome back, O Great Prince." It was an amazing sight to come across as this prince who had most likely just left this castle for a few minutes came back and received a welcome as if he had left for years. The heads of all these beings that Noah felt to all be Vampyres were turned down respectfully as they spoke with reverent voices. Noah turned to the impassive face of Prince Cassius who had already begun walking across the red carpet as he followed along, the prince pointing to the large castle in front of them and speaking out. "This castle in front of you is the Royal Castle where many Vampyre Nobles reside." The large castle was filled with a dense aura of blood and regality as Noah ascertained that much, not spreading his aura out too much lest he catch the attention of some powerful character that could put a damper on his plans. They entered through the wide doors as even more neatly dressed butlers and maids gestured towards a door while bowing, speaking with reverential uniform voices that would make one feel a sense of awe and fear. "The food has been prepared, O Great Prince." Prince Cassius nodded as he led Noah further into the castle, bringing him to a wide hall that held a long regal rectangular table. On this table, gorgeously shining meats of rare beasts and animals were abundant, with golden inlaid cups and jugs holding a deep red liquid that glistened in the light. Noah''s attention was grabbed by the resplendent assortment of foods, his nose wrinkling as he smelled the strong metallic scent of blood that permeated the wide room. The Prince''s face turned grim as he turned to the nearby maids, his voice becoming hard and ringing out in the hall. "I told you all to prepare a meal for a guest." The voice was chilling as the maids that were just preparing the food felt their legs buckle, a unique aura erupting from Prince Cassius that forced them to their knees as they apologized with ashen faces. "We- we apologize O Great Prince. We didn''t know the guest would be...we shall change it right away!" They scrambled towards the long table as they waved their hands, the abundant amount of cups and uniquely golden jugs holding the reddish liquids reducing quickly as the prince waved his hands and set out another command. "Leave us quickly. I expect no interruptions." Quick nods were given as butlers and maids ran out as if their lives depended on it, Prince Cassius offering Noah a seat while he himself sat right opposite him as he looked at Noah with peering eyes. "Alright, I still can''t figure you out, so you''ll have to be willing to share slightly more things about yourself today." Noah smiled at the peering words, about to reply when the recently closed door was flung open again, causing a vein to appear above the irascible Prince Cassius as he spoke without even turning around. "Did I not say there would be no interruptions?" "Now, I would never dare to interrupt your special time O Great Prince, it is just that your father has called for you...and your guest." A calm and jovial voice came out as the one to come in was an aged old man that held a vibrant aura, the large canines coming out of him glistening dangerously as he spoke out. The Prince''s tone changed as he turned to look at this powerhouse at the peak of the Void Realm as he asked quizzically. "Father should still be in the meeting with the Council. I was going to have him meet my guest when he was finished." "It appears quite a few heads were turned because of your guest, some in the Vampyre Council showing great interest as well." The aged Vampyre replied with a respectful smile, saying words that turned the expression of the Prince sour as he replied his misgivings. "That is not the way I wanted this to play out." ¡­ A brief pause came as the bowing Vampyre straightened up and looked at the two figures sitting on the wide dining table filled with an overabundance of food as he now replied coldly, yet still respectfully. "It is what your father wanted." Prince Cassius turned passive as he heard this, a confused expression appearing on his face as many thoughts passed through his head, eventually turning towards Noah with an apologetic expression. "I apologize for this, it seems I cannot be a good host, and we must meet some old fogeys first." Noah''s eyes shone at the rapid progression of events, nodding as he stood up along with the Vampyre Prince, their gazes landing on the smiling Vampyre that began leading them out of the wide dining hall and deeper into the castle where powerful auras were abundant. They passed through multiple halls and corners, and even ascended a few floors as the Butlers and Maids that they passed became more and more powerful, with multiple Transcendent Realm Vampyre maids dressed in voluptuous clothing standing outside wide doors that led to an expansive room. The old Vampyre bowed as his right hand pointed towards the room while speaking out once again, this time his words directed to Noah. "Please, enter into the Council Hall." The invitation was crisp as the door opened, Prince Cassius entering with a slightly angered expression while Noah entered the room calmly, the door closing behind them with a clang as the room opened up in front of their eyes. In this expansive room termed as the Council Hall, numerous auras honed in at Noah''s position as his eyes stared straight to the far corner of the room where an exquisitely large bejeweled throne that screamed regality stood. On this throne, a being with blood-red eyes and a tight-fitting suit was looking directly at Noah, his expression of great interest as oppressive auras began to permeate the entire room. In less than an hour after his entrance into the Underworld, Noah was already meeting with the being that stood at the forefront of power for the strongest force established in this world! Chapter 302 - The Vampyre Council The Vampyre on the throne held a light smile as his gaze focused on the appearing figures of Noah and Prince Cassius. Around this wide and expansive Council Hall, there were multiple figures situated to the elevated platforms on the left and right sides that led towards the throne. Each of these figures were letting out levels of power no less than the Void Rank, with a few even surpassing it! "So this is the conundrum that even the little genius Cassius cannot solve?" The Vampyre on the throne spoke in a playful tone as he gazed towards his son. This Vampyre could not be called old, and actually had the figure of a man in the prime of his life, seemingly in his early 40s at most. This appearance would fool many beings as the actual age of this one being ranged in the hundreds of years. Prince Cassius moved forward, about to reply, when an immense aura suddenly shot forth from one of the elevated platforms and descended on Noah, a unique skill being cast that locked down space entirely! This change of events was rapid as a booming voice of power erupted from the right side of the elevated platform. "This issue can be solved right now. This unknown being observed our prince kill Celestial Disciples, and that is a dangerous knowledge that we cannot leave wandering outside this world. We should simply...kill!" OOONG Vibrations erupted out at the mention of these explosive words, Prince Cassius moving towards Noah as he looked up at the being speaking and replied with a grave tone. "Count Shytus, anymore disrespect towards my guest and you will earn my displeasure!" The Vampyre Prince''s words were not filled with as much power as the being that targeted Noah, but his body shone with a red glow as it forcefully caused the body of the one called Count Shytus to pull back, seemingly dominated by something else that was not just power! Noah observed this as many thoughts about the Vampyres passed through his mind, the subject of extremely unique bloodlines that could pressure beings no matter their rank of power coming up. Count Shytus pulled back his aura as he turned to the Vampyre on the throne and spoke out languidly. "O Great King, we know the power of Celestials. Should we really be placing our lives and the lives of our people on a being we don''t even know the origins of, when we can just nip this in the bud right now?" The words were filled with strength, gaining the agreement of a few other beings situated on the elevated platforms of the wide hall. Quietness permeated the hall as everyone looked towards the Vampyre on the throne, the playful expression never leaving this being''s face as he spoke towards Noah. "So, human with unknown origins. Why don''t you tell us of your origins, and what exactly you wish to accomplish?" Complete silence reigned the moment this question was asked, all the powerful auras focusing on the next set of words coming out from this newly appearing being''s mouth as it would decide where they stood on this very unpredictable issue. The problem at hand for the Vampyres was that their prince had acted and killed the Celestial Disciples, and he was observed by an unknown being while doing this! The Prince had mentioned the events thereafter when he and this being joined forces and even took down two more Celestial Disciples, which put a few old fogeys in a speculative mood, while others were still convinced and saw this as a grave threat. Because the moment that even the possibility of suspicion was thrown to the Pureblood Vampyres of the Underworld being enemies of the Celestials, it would be the complete eradication of all of them. So when it came to the option of complete eradication of all of their forces, or simply killing the being holding extremely important information, it wasn''t even a question for a few of the powerful figures in this Vampyre Council! They honed their gazes towards Noah as they awaited to find out exactly who this being was and what he wanted. All the while Prince Cassius was looking at his father with a questioning and confused expression, as this was not what they had discussed when he first relaid information about the being he met in the First Realm of Hell. Noah''s heart was at ease as he felt the auras of multiple beings focus on him, knowing his preparations were more than enough for this venture he was about to take. He spoke out cautiously. "I am Noah Osmont, and I come from a world that was impacted by the Celestials in the past, and I have been personally moving against them all this time. When I found that another force covertly existed in the dark that was moving against them as well, I had to come." The words were neither overbearing nor servile, but it didn''t seem to have satiated the hungry Vampyres as the being on the throne spoke once more while nodding. "What exactly do you hope to accomplish? Going through the information I could find about you- you are acting as a little genius of a sect in the World of Cultivation, with your power at the Saint Realm. A genius, sure, but extremely young. What do you want, and what could our side benefit from someone like you?" The smiling expression remained on the face of the Vampyre King as he asked this dangerous question. Noah turned towards Prince Cassius as he replied. "I observed the unique skills displayed by the Prince that were extremely effective in dealing with the Celestial''s probing gazes, and I am in great need of such skills in the coming future." "HMPH!" A snort rang out as Count Shytus spoke out once again. "You think a nobody would be given access to the forbidden skills of the Pureblood Vampyres?" His tone was domineering and strong as he seemed offended by even the thought of this assertion! Noah moved his eyes towards the Vampyre on the Throne as he did not even look in another direction, knowing this being would be the key for his plans here today. "This still does not answer the other half of my question- what can we gain from you?" Quietness reigned in the Council Hall once more as a bright smile erupted from Noah. "Your people must have seen the appearance of the Celestial Grandmaster near the end of the Infernal Hunt." OONG! Intense pressure from the seating Council members descended at the mention of the powerful figure, the Vampyre King still comfortably sitting on his throne as he nodded for Noah to continue. "That Celestial Grandmaster saw great potential in the being that contributed greatly to the death of the Infernal Aberration, and has invited me...to join the ranks of Celestials." A bright smile covered Noah''s face as he released information that only the Elders of the Profound Astral Sect knew at this moment! RUMBLE! The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed as the smile was wiped away from the playful Vampyre King, a destructive aura at the peak of Soul Forging Realm erupting out as a maddening pressure permeated and covered the entire Council Hall, extending to the entire Royal Castle soon after as a bloody world was instantly enacted and covered everything in its entirety! Chapter 303 - Domineering Immense pressure was unbound in the Vampyre Council Hall as from the right and left of the hall where many Vampyre Counts and powerful figures were situated, many of them had blood red eyes and dangerous batwings erupting from their backs as they were frozen in place. Their hands were outstretched in form of sharp claws as their wide jaws showed long canines ruptured and ready to bite off the being they were all jumping towards, the single human present in the Council Hall! RUMBLE! The bodies of all of these powerful Vampyres that were already in motion to descend towards Noah and rip him apart the moment he finished saying the single last explosive sentence were all frozen in place from the domineering aura of none other than the Vampyre King himself that had lost his playful smile and stood up grimly from his throne. The eruption of his power was not to attack or pressure Noah, but to hold back these voracious Vampyres that had acted the instant his words finished to jump for this human''s life. The body of the Vampyre King pulsed with a red light as a regal aura of the densest Pureblood Bloodline brought tremendous pressure to all surrounding Vampyres and stopped them on their tracks no matter if they were at the Void or Soul Rank. This was the power that the being holding the purest bloodline of the Vampyres, this was the man known as the Vampyre King! Prince Cassius was looking at Noah with a shocked expression as even he had not found out this information that he released just now, watching as Noah''s expression remained calm while monstrous auras that were ready to pounce towards him surrounded him from all directions. The grim expression on the Vampyre King''s face was soon wiped away as numerous thoughts seemed to pass through his experienced eyes. He knew exactly how his forces would react the moment this human let loose the shocking words, and acted instantly to prevent any unfortunate events from occurring. His gaze now remained on Noah as silence reigned in the Council Hall. The Vampyre King waved his fingers swiftly as the monstrous powerhouse that were already pouncing towards Noah found their bodies unwillingly return to the seats they were in, their fangs and wings retracted as they were given a reminder of the fearsome power of the being that stood on the throne of the Pureblood Vampyres. "You all seem to have forgotten, but it is I that makes the rules and is in command of every single creature in these lands. This applies to the rats, the elite vampyres, and even the little pureblood vampyres in this room." Domineering words resounded across the wide Council Hall as powerful Vampyres of the Void and Soul Rank found themselves situated back into their seats like obedient children. They held no control of their bodies as the one holding the purest bloodline activated his authority and turned them as weak as normal unawakened beings! "If something like this ever happens again, you all will be the first to lose your heads." "¡­" Powerful! Domineering! Resplendent! The words of the Vampyre King reverberated as he turned his focus towards Noah and Prince Cassius. "You two, let''s talk." He waved his fingers again as Prince Cassius''s body floated towards him, another power wrapping around Noah and bringing him further into the Council Hall where the throne of the Vampyre King stood. Their bodies arrived right beside the stone steps leading to the throne as another smaller world of blood began to convalesce around them, the voice of the Vampyre King ringing out towards the still trembling Vampyres on both sides of the hall. "The rest of you, reflect on your actions for now." OOOM! The smaller blood world completely covered their three figures as only silence remained in the wide hall. Every single Vampyre in the room continued to be situated with not a single movement, only their eyes being able to show the fear they had forgotten deep in their hearts. When looking at the Royal Castle where the ruling force of the Pureblood Vampyres resided, many beings could see a shimmering red blood world encircling it endlessly as they wondered exactly what had occurred. --- More than an hour passed as a bloody world revolved around the Royal Castle, and an even smaller bloody world revolved around three beings in the Vampyre Council Hall. The Vampyres to the left and right of the hall were still seated without a single ounce of movement when they felt a change sometime later, the bloody world in the room dissolving as the three beings came out with different expressions. The Vampyre King had returned to his usual smile, the Prince seemed to be lost in thought, while the human was calm with slight excitement visible on his face. The Vampyre King sat back on his throne as he waved his hands, the Vampyres on the sides of the hall finding movement returning to their bodies as they breathed out and remained still, turning to look towards their king with reestablished fear as he spoke out. "Our little friend here presents a unique opportunity that our Dark Expanse has never been able to come across in the last hundreds of years." His voice was firm as it resounded in the hall, revealing shocking information about the origin of the Pureblood Vampyres as the King continued. "We have always clashed with Celestials, but never have we garnered an opportunity to get inside of their Celestial Stars, or even have someone on our side among them. This little friend right here¡­" The Vampyre King pointed towards Noah as he continued. "...will be taking the extremely dangerous task of infiltrating a Celestial Star, and would require our forbidden skills in order to not be found out and captured during his infiltration. Does anyone object to this decision?" A question was asked, yet many knew it wasn''t a question, but simply the statement of a fact! Count Shytus was the first to reply as he bowed his head. "No, O Great King. You are wise beyond the years to see ahead to the usefulness this human can bring." "No, Sire!" "No objections!" Numerous voices perked up as their eyes could not even meet the being that controlled their bodies with a simple movement of his fingers, showing their agreement as every single Vampyre in the Council Hall unanimously agreed with the words said by the Vampyre King. The smiling King nodded as he turned his gaze towards Noah and spoke. "Now, I somewhat trust you somewhat after our discussion, and understand your need for information. So¡­" He then pointed with his index finger towards the center of the wide hall as a runic circle appeared in the air, drawing the shocked gazes of the Vampyre Council as they felt the initiation of Ancient Blood Magic. "...as a way to prove yourself to me and the pureblood vampyres here, you can enter the Ancient Blood World of our Progenitor." BOOM! The shocked gazes only continued as many Vampyres abruptly stood up, about to open their mouths when they recalled what just happened an hour prior as they quickly sat back down while affirming the reality of the Ancient Magic they felt being cast. The runic inscription finished being inlaid as it shone brightly, a bloody red portal appearing in the middle of the hall as a desolate aura released from it. "This Ancient Blood World is located near the border of the Light and Dark Expanse, hidden far among the dredged of dead stars. It has the inheritance of our Progenitor, and will have the techniques you seek, as well as allow you to gain more of our trust because¡­" The Vampyre King held a wide smile as he spoke out the conditions he had discussed with Noah during their hour-long discussion. "...only a Vampyre can leave this Ancient Blood World alive." ¡­! Chapter 304 - An Inheritance of Blood An air of ancientness and turbidity was released from the bloody portal floating in the middle of the Council Hall as the Vampyre King finished his words. Some nods of understanding could be seen from a few older Vampyres, seeing the forethought put into the plans of their king as they realized what the results of it would be. Some still held shocked expressions because they could not believe that a human, not even a vampyre, was being given permission to seek the inheritance of the Progenitor! One should know that this was an opportunity that very few of even the highest echelons of Pureblood Vampyres received, being something that was given as a prize to the exceedingly genius growing disciples. Many of them wanted to speak up, but recalling what had just occurred over an hour ago, they sat back in their seats and simply watched the progression of events. Noah''s eyes were stuck to this glowing red portal as he went over the hour long talk between him and the enigmatic being that seemed to always be smiling, yet it also felt like he was hiding a sharpened blade that could cut down at any second. The Vampyre King had asked for every single detail of the encounter between him and Prince Cassius in the First Realm of Hell, exactly how they took down the disciples, what they observed, and the final fight between them and the Aberration! Even more details that he wanted was the conversation that Noah and Elder Spacewarp had with the Celestial Grandmaster word for word when he pulled them from their interstellar ship and offered the invitation of becoming a Celestial Disciple towards Noah. A cold light passed through the Vampyre King''s eyes when he heard the Celestial refer to the Dark Expanse as lawless place, his eyes scrutinizing every detail thereafter as he observed Noah without blinking an eye until he seemed satisfied with the information. Before the small blood world wrapping around them was released, the Vampyre King had mentioned that he would give Noah the possibility of gaining the techniques that could escape the mysterious ways of the Celestials, but this came with a few conditions! The first condition that he mentioned was the obtaining of the skills lying solely in Noah''s hands as he would be given the opportunity to enter the land of their Ancestor, the Ancient Blood World that held the inheritance of many of the techniques he had observed Prince Cassius using, and more. Only after this was done would they move on to the next stage, the actual discussions of who this force of Pureblood Vampyres really were, and what they were planning against the Celestials. Noah glanced at the Prince Cassius that seemed to be lost in thought as he gave a light smile and began walking towards the portal letting out desolate energies. He held slight excitement about the techniques of the Vampyres that could evade the eyes of the Celestials, but he more so wanted to experience just exactly what these unique areas and skills he had never come across held in store for him. The statement about only Vampyres being able to leave this Ancient Blood World did not bother him as his sights went past such things, and he only longed for more strength! His gaze became firm as he went towards the glowing red portal without looking black, disappearing in a flash as the room returned to quietness. This only lasted briefly as a joyful voice rang out. "Haha cheer up. We may have gained an extremely useful ally, but I know not to place everything we have in front of him. This portal will only lead him to the normal inheritance given to Elite Vampyres, not the actual Abode where our Progenitor''s remains rest." The words brought down the sinking feeling that many Vampyres in the Council hall were having as they did not want to raise a word against their king, but felt it extremely blasphemous if the human had really been sent to the Supreme Blood Inheritance that was only meant for Vampyre Royalty. "Now, it should take him a few hours or days depending on his talent. We need to discuss how to best use this infiltration into a Celestial Star to our advantage. I''ll also send word back home, as this is truly something huge." The Vampyre Council agreed as their voices slowly began to perk up for discussions, the Pureblood Prince Cassius on the side still lost in thought as he looked at his father. He was thinking heavily about the recent set of events as what his father had done confused him, and he even more so knew that his father was lying! Noah was not sent to the Inheritance Grounds for Elite Vampyres in the Ancient Blood World, but to the Inheritance Abode of their Progenitor that only he, a Prince of the Vampyre Race, had gone into in the last hundred years! His thoughts were clouded as he wondered, what exactly was his father up to? --- It felt like only a blink of an eye as Noah passed through the bloody portal in the Council Hall and came into a brand new area filled to the brim with an aura of ancientness and desolation. He appeared in the middle of what appeared to be a ridiculously large coliseum shaped structure that could be called ridiculous because it stretched for miles in diameter all around. He had to use [Observation] just to see the huge walls surrounding this humongous coliseum that was enclosed in a dome shape. All around this miles long Coliseum, numerous lakes were distributed throughout as a metallic smell hung in the air. Near the wall, statues of terrifying creatures were spread throughout, many showing exquisite bat wings and fangs as they held different assortments of expression. They were situated all around the circular coliseum, their gazes intersecting at something at the very center. At this center most position located a few miles where he stood, Noah could see an ancient shrine that screamed of old age, with an enormous lake of blood around it as the moment he entered, this lake of blood trembled as essence began to converge. RUMBLE! Noah focused all of his attention on this movement as he watched with stupefaction at the gradual formation of a being from the viscous lake of blood around this shrine. The lake was simply too wide, the outline of the being forming rapidly becoming larger and larger as Noah soon found himself staring at something that towered above 30 meters. It held a humanoid shape, but had the grandiosity of a mountain as it floated grandly in the air, its bloody color shining in the desolate and ancient air as two even redder eyes opened and honed themselves on Noah. OOOM! The being began speaking, but the opening of its mouth only let out waves of destructive energies as nothing discernable came out, the thing that made Noah the most interested about this being''s appearance was the simple fact that...he could not sense any aura at all from it! So what exactly was this Inheritance of the Pureblood Vampyres, and what would be the terms to obtain it? Chapter 305 - The Guardian of Blood, Challenging the Inheritance! Waves of non discernible power rolled off the gigantic bloody being as a wine colored robe went on to dr.a.p.e over its body, a humongously long spear appearing on its right hand, its body coming down and smashing into the ground and causing a quake. It spoke once more, this time being much clearer. "Are you prepared to stake your life to fight for the Inheritance of the Blood Progenitor, O...human?" A voice of majesty had begun with resoundingly powerful words, but they finished in a questioning tone as the peering gaze focused on Noah. A brief silence came to be before the giant being made of what now looked like shining crystallized blood straightened up and continued. "This inheritance is meant for the most powerful beings of the Vampyre Race, are you sure you are willing to stake your life on it, human?" Its rumbling voice echoed from all over the miles long coliseum as Noah shouted back without a pause. "I am willing!" It was a voice full of confidence for whatever this Inheritance would throw at him, this confidence coming from the fact that he was holding on to the Dagger of Time very closely and using [Insight], also ready to take any drastic action if it was required of him to do so. "...Good. The test to determine your worthiness will be as such." The giant waved his hands as a red light descended towards Noah, a red runic marking being inlaid on his forehead as a signal came off of his body and was sent towards the bloody giant. "The test will be a measure of your intellect, skill, and battle prowess as you face increasingly difficult opponents." At these words, one of many pools of blood in the extremely wide coliseum began trembling as figures began rising from it, Noah observing the shapes of exactly one hundred humanoid bats with razor sharp claws and teeth, with wide wings erupting from their backs. "Since you are at the Saint Realm, the first level will start with you battling 100 beings at the same rank." "..." Noah squinted his eyes at the 100 figures letting out power at the peak of the Saint Realm, turning his head towards the bloody giant in a questioning tone as these did not seem to be fair rules in any way for a being at the Saint Realm. The giant let out a slight cough as it continued. "Per Master''s wishes, if a being other than a Vampyre was to be let into the Inheritance Grounds, the difficulty would be increased by a factor of 10. Master was fair to all races, but he reserved the tremendous Inheritance in these Grounds to be received by the future progeny of his children. Him even allowing the possibility of other races to fight for the inheritance is a show of his great character." Noah shook his head at the praise of this unknown Ancestor that set up these Inheritance Grounds, his thoughts being affirmed as no normal Saint Realm being would be given the task of fighting 100 beings of the same rank as them, no matter how great their power was. This meant that the first level of this Inheritance normally required a Vampyre to battle only 10 other beings of the same rank! Noah still had a few questions as he looked towards the bloody giant and asked. "How many levels are there, and what are the techniques awarded for passing them?" When he discussed with the Vampyre King prior to entering the bloody portal that led to this Ancient Blood World, he was told that the techniques he was seeking would be found in the Inheritance located here, and that it would be up to his strength exactly how many techniques he would be able to get his hands on! The giant made of blood turned his head to the side at the calm expression of this human about to face a powerful force of 100 beings at the same rank as it replied. "There are six levels in total, with very few being able to pass even the third level in the last 1000 years. For a human such as you, the reward of passing the first level is gaining the bloodline of a normal Vampyre, with the techniques that go along with it. Passing the second level grants you the bloodline of an Elite Vampyre. Passing the Third level will give you the refined bloodline of a Pureblood Vampyre, along with the powerful techniques that come with it." Noah''s eyes shone at the mention of these rewards, hearing the talk of Bloodlines and techniques that made him itching to get started, even if the task ahead of him seemed improbable for any other beings to complete. The major thought that occupied his brain right now was that if the Bloodline of a Pureblood Vampyres was the reward for the third level of this inheritance, just what tremendous rewards were waiting at the fourth, fifth, or even the spectacular 6th level? These thoughts propelled him forward as he yelled out. "Good, let''s start!" The huge giant that this Inheritance Ground knew as the Guardian of Blood looked closely at this human as the huge weapon it was holding in one hand raised before smashing towards the ground, acting as the initiation of the battle and letting loose 100 Saint Realm Blood Beasts towards Noah. RUMBLE! The force was astonishing to say the least, with the auras of these Blood Beasts actually roaring at the peak of the Saint Realm as they spread out and began surrounding Noah. He let out a dazzling smile at the rushing of these monsters, multiple defensive skills layering his body as he wanted to test out the skills he held that were extremely powerful, but he didn''t use too frequently as he continued to get more and more ridiculous skills. Spears, swords, and many other forms of weapons made up of blood began to be thrown in his direction from the encircled force of 100 Blood Beasts as he dodged them with ease. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! They struck the areas behind him as the tremendous speed provided by [Child of Space] and other speed enhancing abilities made the enemies rushing towards him feel like they were in slow motion. SCREECH! Uncomfortable screeches were let out by the Blood Beasts as none of their attacks hit, choosing to go in with brute force as they rushed towards Noah with outstretched claws. Noah stood in place as his smile only became wider, waiting for more of these monsters to get close to him as he weaved in and out of their attacks. The moment he observed that the 100 monsters were all in a circular formation around him, he finally cast a skill as he used [Gluttony Manifestation], a subset ability of the enhanced Sin of Gluttony after the creation of the >. [Gluttony Manifestation]:: The user can apply the effect of [Devouring] anywhere within 5 meters of them, there''s no need to actively eat them. VOOM! Complete darkness erupted from him in a circular formation as it covered more than 20 Blood Beasts, the darkness being recalled a second after as the area it was just in was left eerily empty! ".." The Guardian of Blood watched with surprised eyes as more than 20 Beasts at the Saint Realm were gone in an instant! FLASH! Noah wasn''t done as he teleported in and out of the mass of Blood Beasts around him, covering an area of 5 meters each time to maximize the range of [Gluttony Manifestation] as he repeatedly cast the skill 4 more times. Quick. Fast. Easy. Noah came to a stop in the air as he saw half cut up bodies, legs or wings that were outside of the range of [Gluttony Manifestation] fall to the ground, not a single Blood Beast remaining around him as he stood victoriously in the bloody skies! The only thoughts passing through Noah''s mind was the reminder of the extreme usefulness of many of his unused skills as the Guardian of Blood looked forth with a face of stupor. Chapter 307 - Leave while you still have your life! The Guardian of Blood looked forth at the stalemate between the human and the coagulations of blood that reached the Void Realm. It wanted to closely observe this human to see just exactly what ability allowed it to throw out such tremendous attacks. When faced with 10 beings that were a rank higher than him, how would he handle it? A glorious red light shone as it signified the beginning of the 4th level, the Guardian of Blood watching closely how this fight would unfold so it could learn more about this new being that might be adding a major power to the ranks of Vampyres soon. The Guardian of Blood was prepared to watch a lengthy fight that would show more of this human''s wit and intelligence when it came to facing multiple enemies at a higher level, as he would not be able to rely on the spectacular firepower of his skills to break through the defenses of being a realm above him. ''So, how exactly will you handle a force of-" ZIIING! A stupendous burst of destructive essence erupted as the Guardian of Blood watched with blank eyes as an aurora of resplendent lights erupted from the human and cut across the cl.u.s.tered Void Realm Blood Beasts, heaving injuring all of them and even directly killing two as their heads burst open from the tremendously destructive energies of...Aether? Yes! It was Aether! The Guardian of Blood confirmed his thoughts as he was finally somewhat convinced why this human held such battle power. He had actually comprehended the power of one of the abstruse elements, Aether! The Guardian observed the remaining injured Blood Beasts as he thought to himself. ''Aether is extremely energy-consuming, with that one blast most likely taking the remainder of his energy reserves as he did not even rest while passing through the first three levels. Do you now plan to use your speed to run as your energy recov-" ZIING! ZING! ZING! "..." Ridiculousness unfolded as the Guardian of Blood blinked his eyes to make sure that he had just seen another three extremely destructive Aether Rays erupt from the body of the small human like nothing and shred apart whatever remaining defenses the Void Realm Blood Beasts held. The Guardian was stupefied, but one must know that when Noah first used the ability of [Sever], it was against an Aberration that was on the verge of ascending to the Second Realm of Hell, with its realm already about to enter the Soul Forging stage, and even it was injured with its breakthrough being brought to a stop as it ultimately faced death at the hands of the War Princess, Athena! It was an unbelievable sight to look at, but a grand light shined out from the wide Coliseum that signified the passing of the fourth level! This meant that this human, if he so chose, could receive the Bloodline of a Royal Vampye, something that only the extremely pure ruling beings that stood at the upper echelons of Vampyres had! But would this human do such a thing? The question in the Guardian of Blood''s mind answered itself as an enthusiastic voice rang out. "Continue!" The eyes of the Guardian narrowed as the human once again passed a level in a way he never thought was possible, not even taking a second to think about taking the obtained rewards as he directly charged ahead. He had called forth the challenge of the 5th level, which if passed would grant one the techniques of the Blood Progenitor himself! ''Is he actually a human? Could he be a genius of the Ancient Races that has come to play?'' The Guardian of Blood remained silent as many thoughts moved across his mind, acting and moving the long weapon he was holding to smash towards the ground once more, initiating the start of the 5th level as 20 powerful auras of Void Realm Blood Beasts rose from the surrounding Blood Lakes. He chose not to have any thoughts of underestimation for this human that was somehow filled with an enormous amount of energy and was actually proficient in using Aether, simply watching on passively as he watched for any more surprises. The Void Rank Blood Beasts spread out the moment they appeared, as if by memory, not wanting to be cl.u.s.tered together as they weaved close to the floating human. A more astute description of what occurred though would be that they tried to spread out, but this action was swiftly stopped at the Guardian of Blood heard a whisper of a voice call out. [Portals of Terror]. OONG! In the midst of the moving Blood Beasts, a dark portal letting out a dangerous atmosphere appeared as it released unique energies that spread out in a circular motion, going on to cover each of the Void Realm Blood Beasts that were trying to spread out...and simply yanked them back toward the portal as if tight ropes had bound them! [Portals of Terror] [Portals of Terror] [Portals of Terror] The Guardian of Blood thought he was ready for any ridiculous sight, but he still found himself shocked as he heard the whispers three more times, observing as a red, blue, and green portals appeared around the now tightly grouped up and struggling Blood Beasts as they exploded forth with destructive energies unique to the colors they held. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Chilling destructive energies that froze the defenses of the beasts reached them first, destructive poisonous energies that shredded away their remaining defenses hitting them after, as fiery red destructive energies were released from the red portal that completely disintegrated their bodies into nothingness thereafter. Silence reigned in the Inheritance Grounds of the Blood Progenitor as a brilliant red light shone on the single human left on the wide Coliseum, signifying the successful passing of a level that had not been passed for the last hundreds of years. "Wait." The rumbling voice of the Guardian of Blood was released as he watched the lips of the human about to move and call out ''Continue'' once again, but it could not let him do so as a warning had to be released before something drastic occurred. Noah turned towards the gigantic crystallization of blood that was more than 30 meters as it spoke out once again. "I applaud your stupendous battle strength and a once in a thousand years talent in energy and prowess. You would make a great addition to the forces of Vampyres in the future with the rewards you have already obtained." The Guardian of Blood waved his hands a brilliant red light erupted out, revealing a resplendently glowing outline of numerous venous and arterial lines that connected to a blood red beating heart, showing a shining color of red sprinkled with gold. "This is the Bloodline of a Royal Vampyre, something that very few beings have in this wide Novus Galaxy." He waved his hands once again as this time, multiple sparkling red jewels appeared beside the humanoid outline of veins and arteries as he continued. "And these are the Inheritance Stones that contain the techniques only privy to Royal Vampyres, and even the Absolute Technique of the Progenitor himself." His gaze then focused on Noah as he spoke out the next words carefully. "Please, take these rewards and become a strong force for the Vampyres of this age. Do not needlessly continue on to the last level. Because I can assure you, even with the stupendous battle prowess you have shown, you will not be able to pass it." ¡­! "I implore you, take the rewards and leave. Leave while you still have your life." A giant made of blood looked forth at the human floating in the air, a single smile that didn''t seem to have an ounce of shame being the only thing meeting his imploring gaze! Chapter 308 - See it to the End! Noah heard the resounding words of the Guardian of Blood as he looked at the shining outline of numerous coagulating veins and arteries connected to a shimmering red heart that signified the Bloodline of the Royal Vampyres, something that the Vampyre King himself held alone in the Underworld! The rewards of the 5th level gave one this Bloodline, and numerous techniques that were in these newly appearing Inheritance Stones. These alone were the rewards for clearing this last level! Noah''s heart was now asking for, no- longing for, the rewards of the last level of this Inheritance of the Blood Progenitor! It was not just greed for more, but simply because he needed strength and unique powers that he had never thought of before just to be able to stand against the force he wanted to go against. He needed strength that could be domineering to his enemies, similar to how he had dominated the numerous Blood Beasts on the past 5 levels just now. He needed to be even more overpowered than he was right now! "I will see this trial to the end!" His strong voice reverberated through the expansive Coliseum as the Guardian of Blood looked at him silently, its voice ringing out only a moment later. "It is impossible for you to clear the 6th level." There was a firmness in its tone that seemed to be inviolable, it was a tone that was that of someone simply stating the truth! "Human, you have continued to surprise me and you now even have the chance to take away the stupendous rewards of the Bloodline of a Vampyre Royalty, along with the Absolute Techniques of the Progenitor. You have earned my respect and wholeheartedly deserve the rewards for your amazing battle power, but I will once more advise you heavily against relinquishing your rewards and trying the last level." The tone was firm, but had actually obtained a small ounce of pleading for this small genius in front of the Guardian of Blood that should not die after coming this far. "I have nothing against you, and believe you will become a great character in the future with the abilities you have and the rewards you have gained from here. You joining the ranks of Vampyres makes you one of us, so I implore you once more...do not attempt the 6th level." An impasse was reached as a Guardian did not want to see a genius about to join the forces of Vampyres waste his life away, while the genius believed in himself so much so that nothing would stand in his way to obtain the ultimate prize! Noah took a calm break in the skies of the expansive Coliseum as he turned his eyes away from the shining and pulsating Bloodline being advertised in front of him, the even more seductive inheritance stones holding unknown techniques fading from his sight as he focused on the Guardian of Blood and stated once more. "I will see this trial to the end." It was a voice of calm and conviction, one that knew exactly what it wanted! OOOOM! Essence reverberated as the Guardian of Blood adopted an impassive face, standing up straight as its imposing 30 meters came to be even more pronounced. It smashed down the long spear in its hands once more as the numerous lakes of blood around the Inheritance Grounds trembled, the blood contained within the lakes shooting out as they all went towards one direction- towards the tremendously large giant! WAA! Majestic waves of power erupted as the numerous lines of blood wrapped around the Guardian of Blood, coming together to exquisitely create a glistening suit of armor inlaid with ancient runes. The spear in its hands trembled as it became even wider, the spear end becoming even sharper as it shone with a bloodthirsty hue. "The Inheritance Grounds that Master left behind are not just a place for young Vampyres to upgrade their Bloodline purity and gain more techniques." Waves of power released from the body that was now fully covered with armor all around, a transformation complete as the Guardian of Blood that had no aura all this time...had actually gained one! "Ultimately, it was Master''s goal to find a once in a lifetime genius who fit his conditions, obtaining everything he left behind as he would task them with the task of returning the splendor of Vampyres to the center stage once more." SHAA! The Guardian of Blood waved its tremendously long spear forward as waves that left ruptures in space spread out, its spear pointing directly towards Noah! "If you were a Vampyre to begin with, if the rules of this Inheritance Ground allowed me to use loopholes, you might have been that genius who would have taken Master''s mantle. But...the difficulty is multiplied for you, thus for the final stage...you shall face me." WAAA! Majesty spread out as the Guardian of Blood took a unique stance, the spear in its hand gleaming and calling for blood as it seemed ready to pierce everything in front of it in an instant! Noah floated in the skies as bloody winds billowed around him, his gaze fully taking in this newly armored Guardian of Blood as the immense aura it was letting out was one at the Soul Forging Realm! Not Saint, not Void, but at the Soul Rank! Noah had come across a few Soul Rank beings in the past few days since leaving the First Realm of Hell, but none of them came even close to the feeling of immensity he was feeling as he observed this Guardian in front of him. Yet, even with this exceedingly dangerous development, even with the knowledge of he was standing against him and stupendous rewards out of his wildest dreams...a wide smile covered his face! This was because he knew that the things he worked hardest to obtain, would be the ones that have immense value. From the words of the Guardian of Blood, the rewards for clearing this last stage...would be truly immense. But the question still remained, how would a being at the Saint Rank fare against someone two levels higher, someone that was now furious at not being listened to and was using their full permitted power in the battle? "Hooo¡­" Noah breathed out calmly in the face of this terrifying aura at the Soul Forging Realm that did not scare him one bit. The only thing on his mind was a few thoughts that were shocking to imagine. ''I guess this is as good a time as any to test that out.'' A grand expression covered Noah''s face as essence began to erupt all around him, beginning a transformation himself as his gaze focused on the Guardian of Blood that would erupt at any time! Chapter 309 - Shocking! Outrageous! Obscene! Two gazes locked onto one another on the Inheritance Grounds of the Blood Progenitor. One was emotionless as they waited for the small being in the skies to get ready, the other was filled with calm and unknown confidence! RUMBLE! Essence converged and exploded as Noah activated the [Morph] ability of the Lesser Cthulhu, his body rapidly expanding as the humongous form of the terrible entity began to erupt out of nowhere. Eyes that released stupendous red lights soon came into being as his body''s musculature was rapidly changed, glorious wings palpating with Aether erupting from his back, his body becoming more than 20 meters tall as he gained the terrifying appearance of the Lesser Cthulhu! The Guardian of Blood looked at this form with a slight surprise, but his gaze remained impassive as he knew that even this would not be enough to stand against him. He shook his head sorrowfully at the thought of killing such a tremendous genius who could even tap into the power of something even he did not understand. The tentacles and feelers on the lower half of the Lesser Cthulhu''s face palpated with energy as Noah wasn''t done, enacting what he had termed in his mind as the first trump card he could play in unforeseen situations! OOOM! Reddish clouds began to gather in the bloody atmosphere as they seemed to have sensed the appearance of something, Noah''s now strong body reverberating as his voice chanted softly, [Arch Demon Lord Transformation]. [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] :: The user can turn into the Arch Demon Lord; this will quadruple the strength and cost efficiency of all Sin and Demon skills. It will also double the efficiency and strength of all other skills used by the user during the transformation. The words were distinct, barely a whisper, but their result was tremendous as something outrageous unfolded because of them. RUMBLE! Space quaked at the arrival of something never heard of nor seen before as Noah''s body that had transformed into the Lesser Cthulhu...transformed yet again as two transformation skills were cast at the same time. Yes! This was the trump card that Noah was testing the efficacy of for the first time! If he were to combine the transformations of the ability of the > that granted him the epic form of an Arch Demon Lord along with the tremendous form of the Lesser Cthulhu, what would be the product?! The two skills were from completely different origins, and could not be even combined under skill combination, but he could activate the both of them at the same time! RUMBLE! Essence moved chaotically as the body of the Lesser Cthulhu became even larger, tendrils of red energy beginning to mix with the blue-purple Aether as something unstable and unknown was created. RIIP! From his back, enormous red wings no lesser than the first two erupted as the grandiose sight of four extremely expansive wings unfolded on his back. Destructive energies erupted out as just below the stout arms of the Lesser Cthulhu, two red arms filled with devilish runic inscriptions erupted out while the body continued to become ever larger. The size now towered over 30 meters as an engulfing roar erupted out from this new being, destructive energies being released as chaotic elemental storms began raging! "OOOOOOOOOOH!" A bestial roar of power and defiance rocked the Inheritance Ground of the Blood Progenitor as a newly appearing beast announced itself. The face was even more terrifying than before, four pairs of eyes actually appearing on it as two pairs shining red and blue were in the front, and another two pairs shining a glorious dark purple were on the side of the face as they moved in a grotesque manner! Atop this face, two devilish horns had erupted out as they raised to the skies, screaming in defiance as the size of these horns finally made this new form that Noah had taken...actually pass the Guardian of Blood in size, with the both of them just over 30 meters. The waves of destructive power gradually settled down as the two beings looked at one another, the Guardian of Blood looking closely at his opponent as a barely discernable whisper released from him. ''Maybe¡­'' A whisper, and that was it as he finally moved, his fearsome body erupting with power as it defied common sense and turned into a streak of red light towards the transformed monstrosity in front of it! The monstrosity, Noah, actually closed his many eyes as he relished the feeling of tremendous power that only seemed to increase with every passing second. ''This...Ahh!'' A feeling of elation as if he was going in the right direction passed through his mind as even without opening his eyes, he could see the streak of light that was the Guardian of Blood slowly near his position. This streak of light was coming insanely fast, and yet from his many closed eyes and chaotic energies around him, he was actually watching and following it! He folded his four hands into fists as dense destructive energies permeated through him, moving as he directly aimed to strike at the sharpest point of the coming streak that was the Guardian of Blood. Baleful energies of Aether rumbled as they followed commands, wrapping around Noah''s arms as they went on to meet the dreadful streak of light. BOOOOOOOOOM!!! A spark, an explosion of ultimate proportions was ignited as space shattered and collapsed the moment the two forces met! Boom! Boom! Two separate mini-explosions resounded as the Guardian of Blood and Noah smashed into the complete opposite ends of the Inheritance Grounds that were miles wide. The Guardian of Blood felt strong vibrations carry from his spear and into his body as he felt chaotic energies run through him, while Noah''s four hands were shredded as bony and fleshy protrusions that were healing at a speed visible to the n.a.k.e.d eye could be seen. The locations they landed in exploded out as they moved towards each other once more. "Haha!" Joyful booming laughter was released from the monstrous form that Noah took as he valiantly rose into the skies and changed positions with a simple flap of his four wings. Energies of baleful Aether continued to gather and disperse around the wings and all over his body as he continued to move. He was only moving speedily, but he felt like he was teleporting as a single flap would fold the space around him and he would instantly appear at the next location! BOOM! Another collision occurred in the wide Inheritance Grounds of the Blood Progenitor as a battle of ridiculous proportions unfolded. Chapter 310 - Breathtaking Clashes that shattered space continued to occur as two aurora colored streaks of light clashed against one another! The Guardian of Blood continued to receive huge shocks as destructive energies spread out to cover his body with every clash, destabilizing the crystallized blood acting as a valiant armor. Noah''s body always came out mangled and injured as he tested the brute strength and healing capabilities of this monstrous body that was the combination of a Lesser Cthulhu and an Arch Demon Lord. He shook his arms as he watched mangled muscles and bones fall off and new ones take their place, nodding his head as he was finally appeased, this time stretching one of his arms out as he called forth a weapon that would provide even more ridiculous boosts. [Trident of the Sea] :: A pinnacle treasure in the sea that allows its user to remain unrivaled against all enemies. Attack and Defensive capabilities are quintupled while equipped. Usable abilities include Heart Piercer, Plasma Beam, Command of the Sea, Loved by Water, and Spatial Lock. The Trident of The Sea appeared between his outstretched hand, being the size of a toothpick compared to the gigantic 30 meters that his monstrous body was. Yet, one had to know that this was a Supreme Treasure! RUMBLE! Essence flowed into the Trident of the Sea endlessly as it began to expand and increase in size, growing more and more expansive until it fit in Noah''s large hand. He grasped the trident tightly as the surrounding particles of blood trembled, a smile appearing on his face as he recalled his high school lessons about blood, and how a large percentage of blood plasma was water. The weapon he now held in his hand ruled anything to do with the water element, and the opponent in front of him...this being made of blood from every nook and cranny...was just asking for a beating! The Lakes of Blood in the Inheritance Grounds trembled at the appearance of the enormous Trident of the Sea, the Guardian of Blood feeling an oppressive feeling as it felt constrictions begin to appear in the surroundings. RUMBLE! A radiant red light that seemed to defy anything that stood against the Guardian of Blood erupted from its body as it broke past the newly set up inscriptions, numerous runic markings freely rotating around its valiant red armor as it streaked across the skies once more. Noah''s monstrous body angled the Trident of the Sea forward, releasing his grasp on the now large weapon as destructive energies of Aether wrapped around it. The trident slowly began to rotate between his grasp, getting faster and faster as it seemed to call forth all the destructive energies around Noah''s body the more that it spun! The three pointed end of the terrible Supreme Treasure began to tremble with destructive energies and red and purple mixed in, collecting an obscene amount of essence as Noah moved forth with the Trident of the Sea to clash against the fearsome Guardian of Blood. ZIING! Their two figures seemed to pass through one another as Noah''s large body came to halt in mid-air, his entire figure trembling as unstable energies seemed to be running amok all across his body, the unique energies of the Lesser Cthulhu and Arch Demon Lord clashing as numerous injuries began to appear. The Guardian of Blood halted in midair a moment later, turning around to observe the monstrosity in front of it as its entire left arm beginning from the shoulder was cleanly cut through, falling towards the ground with an eruption of blood! BOOM! The wide arm shook the bloody earth as the Guardian of Blood looked at Noah, a small smile replacing its past expression of anger as it spoke slowly while lifting the heavy weapon it held with its remaining hand. "You...are truly an outrageous creature." The words were filled with strength as the Guardian of Blood looked at this being, numerous thoughts overtaking it as grand possibilities of the future unfolded. ''Would the master''s legacy actually be rekindled once more?'' Hopes and dreams sputtered forth from the giant made of blood as the runic sigils continued to revolve speedily all over its body, preparing for a last attack as the spear it was holding on to vibrated with power. Noah looked at the giant building up power as he breathed out slowly, placing even more mana into the two transformation skills he had cast as the instabilities caused by the class dwindled, destructive energies surrounding him once again as he pointed the dangerous trident towards its target. In another hand, a glorious purple light erupted as a sharp dagger was connected to an exquisitely made sheath! ¡­[Stop]. !!! The lakes of blood on the ground below him and the droplets of blood thrown into the air from the collisions all came to a halt at this moment, as if speechlessly witnessing something tremendous which they could not disturb! The Guardian of Blood found his body being put in a terrifying mode of stasis where he could not move, his body being frozen in time! ¡­[Portals of Terror]. In the direction of the Guardian of Blood building up his power, a single portal ready to release horrid energies of destruction appeared. A millisecond later, another one appeared. And Another. And Another! They continued to appear until 18 portals ready to unleash tremendous destructive energies surrounded the impassive Guardian of Blood. As if this was not enough, yet another whisper could be heard in the wind as Noah cast another skill, another one that directly interfered with the Guardian of Blood. ¡­[Envy the Mighty]. [Envy the Mighty] - When fighting someone stronger than themselves, the user can lower the abilities and stats of the enemy by one stage. An ability from the Sin of Envy, the counterpart of the [Strength of the Weak] ability that had been giving him constant buffs because he was fighting against someone levels higher than him- was cast at this moment as the Guardian of Blood felt the vibrant essence that he could use reduced by a wide margin! RUMBLE! It looked towards this creature that was not just able to interfere with time, it even held abilities to weaken his enemies as he sensed the destructive power surrounding him from the many portals as a smile was actually plastered on its gigantic face. It only heard one last whisper before everything crumbled down with the brilliant aurora of destructive lights that had been freed from the portals they were held in. [Sever]! ZIIING! A ray of destructive aurora of colors erupted forth as it acted as the trigger, destructive energies exploding out magnificently as the defenses of a Soul Rank being that had been weakened to the utmost limit were shredded to pieces. BOOOM!!! A resounding tremor shook the wide Coliseum of the Inheritance Grounds as an explosion of stupendous proportions rocked the surrounding space. A wide void was created as the force had shattered and folden space within itself on impact, shards of crystallized blood being seen shooting out in multiple directions as the giant of tremendous proportion, the Guardian of Blood who towered more than 30 meters...met an unspeakably cruel end! Chapter 311 - A Drop of Blood! Noah glanced with a pounding heart towards the shattered pieces of the Guardian of Blood as he released the Arch Demon Lord Transformation. His body came down in size as destructive mixtures of energies still coiled around him, gradually fading away as he released the Lesser Cthulhu form as well. He breathed out slowly as he felt an ache deep within him, feeling a numbing sensation of pain that wasn''t going away even as the destructive energies of the two forms he had taken went away. Noah glanced at his body that felt fine, yet he still felt an uncomfortable feeling inside as he heard the words of his home planet''s core. [The combination of distinct powers put a strain on your still Saint Rank Origin. It should heal naturally soon, but it seems this power will be easier to use once your attributes reach the higher ranks.] Noah nodded as he put aside the feeling of an injury he could not even see, turning his attention towards the shattered pieces of the Guardian of Blood that had stopped in the skies and began trembling as lines of blood began to weave from the many lakes covering the Inheritance Grounds. A gorgeous red light shined as the body was stitched up together seamlessly, although this time much smaller as it stood the same height as Noah. The instant the face of the Guardian of Blood formed, one could see an expression of a being that was about to tear up from too many emotions. The Guardian turned towards Noah''s direction as he bowed, this bow initiating the start of something wondrous as a brilliant red light went on to cover the expansive Coliseum! This brilliant light had Noah at the center, his body actually feeling a pull from the ancient shrine looking structure that had remained in peace throughout their battle at the center of the Coliseum, the same structure where the Guardian of Blood had emerged from. Various mechanisms were initiating as this Ancient Shrine that looked small and dilapidated began to rise from the lake of blood it was in as it became larger and larger. The moment Noah''s body was pulled near it, he could see a golden door in the middle of this risen shrine that snapped open. The voice of the Guardian of Blood that was still bowing erupted in Noah''s ears at this moment. "When Master felt his life running out more than a thousand years ago, he left behind this Inheritance Ground where he placed all the techniques he had passed down over the years, as well as many bloodlines for future generations that might have been born in a lower status but had the strength to achieve great things." The golden door on the red shrine opened wide as Noah let the light that hung onto him pull him in, coming face to face with a crimson interior that was styled simply. There was a single book shelf in the corner with a few books that seemed like they could turn into dust at any moment, as well as a small table and chair for one to sit on. The thing that grabbed the eyes of any who entered the room though, were the abundant rings and pouches that populated the table. They shone with a magnificent hue that let one know that only the finest treasures resided in these storage pouches and rings. "The last thing that Master did...was end his life early as he enacted a possibility for the future. He knew that with his death, the Vampyres would fall in status and grow weaker over time, and he wanted to pass down something even more treasured to him to a being that was as talented as he was, if not more. This was so that a strong protector could rise into heights even greater than his to oversee and protect the Vampyres." These words brought Noah''s gaze to the only other thing in the crimson shrine, a simple styled coffin that had now been elevated from the ground, and was slowly opening in front of Noah''s eyes. "This was the reason he set up these Inheritance Grounds in this Ancient Blood World, and created a harsh test for a future Vampyre genius who was capable enough to take his mantle. Sadly, no such being appeared in the last 1000 years. That is...until your arrival." The coffin in the shrine opened up to reveal a shocking light and an aura of ancientness something brilliant seemed to be contained within. Noah had to blink several times as the outline of the extremely brilliant object appeared in front of him, and it shocked him with the oppressive air and domineering presence it was letting out! This was because what had floated from the simple styled coffin...was a golden-red drop of blood! "The talented Vampyres that clear the first level until the fifth level will receive an assortment of different quality Bloodlines depending on which level they clear, but the one to pass Master''s requirements and be able to pass the last stage...shall receive on their shoulders the full legacy that he left behind." The shimmering golden-red drop of blood began to flow towards Noah as the Guardian of Blood continued to release shocking words! "The first of the rewards that comes with this Legacy is the Origin Blood of the Progenitor himself, granting the one that accepts it the reviving Bloodline of the Progenitor himself! Accepting this Origin Blood though...also means you accept the wishes that master left behind, and for you to bear all the responsibilities for the future of the Vampyre Race!" Resounding words rang out in Noah''s ears as the shimmering drop of blood flowed in front of him, seemingly waiting for his reply as floated majestically. Noah''s face hardened as he looked at this unforeseen chance in front of him, nodding his head as he let out words of affirmation! "I accept!" RUMBLE! The moment his words were released, the drop of blood flew into him as it pierced through his chest and struck his heart a millisecond later, seemingly impatient to get started. THUMP! Noah clutched his chest as the essence within his body suddenly became disordered, his figure dropping as he fell to the floor of the shrine in extreme pain! THUMP! "AAAAHH!" This pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, his body undergoing enormous changes as his now bulging eyes observed his muscles spasming as his bones creaked, veins and arteries enlarging at a visible rate as the first stage of fusing with this tremendous drop of Origin Blood was...destruction! SPLAT! ... Chapter 312 - Bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor RUMBLE! Across the vastness of space, four separate planets connected to each other in a unique way trembled as powerful quakes traveled from their cores until they affected their surface! Even though the Planetary Cores did their best to maintain the powerful tremors, a small force still passed through as various lands across the four Worlds experienced microseisms that disrupted normal activity. OOONG! Immense amounts of essence were soon employed by the Planetary Cores as they acted within their defined limits as they focused on one particular blue planet, and this blue planet focused on its connection with a particular being experiencing something much grander than they anticipated. The reason where a tremor had passed through each of the stars was because the being that they were connected to had come close to the very thing that would cause their death, but this close state of death was required for the metamorphosis about to occur! Across the vastness of space, in the middle of the Light Expanse and Dark Expanse where the Ancient Blood World was located, deep in the covertly hidden Inheritance Grounds, a being was convulsing painfully on the floor of an aged shrine. Viscous large amounts of blood, organs, and bones littered the floor in a gory mess as painful screams that could only be brought by if a serrated blade was constantly cutting through someone''s throat continued to be released. The Guardian of Blood looked at this sight with a hardened gaze as he spoke out, not sure if his words could even be heard or understood by the convulsing mass of flesh that had all of its auditory, visual, and all other systems ruptured and were only now being slowly recreated. "The process of fusing with a bloodline is a particularly painful one, and even more so when it comes to something potent as the Origin Blood of the Progenitor. It does not just signify a bloodline, but something much grander. Push through the pain, and something beautiful will await you on the other side." The words were soft and soothing, but were only met with gurgles of screams as Noah continued to experience pain unlike anything he had ever come across before! If his eyes were still there, he would be weeping helplessly as he begged for this pain to end. The moment the drop of blood had entered and smashed into his heart, this grueling process had began as he found himself in unbearable pain that even halfway through, his broken hands had tried piercing into his chest to pull out the drop of blood that had entered. The pain was this excruciating, making someone lose their own rationality as they only wanted it to come to an end! His barely reformed mass of muscles on his hands reached for his chest as they trembled, Noah using an unknown force of willpower to stop himself as he continued to tremble and spasm. The process that was occurring was happening rapidly, and it was occurring on a cellular level as everything had undergone a process of destruction and reformation. The pain was most intense from his heart as it pumped a new quality of blood and life and let forth an outline of resplendent veins and arteries that were still visible even now. The ruptures bones were just as painful, with Noah feeling the formation of new cells from his bone marrows as he clutched his nonexistent teeth and repeated to himself a single thought in his mind. Endure! This was the only thing repeating on his mind as he painfully went through this excruciating process, feeling everything painfully clear as new bones and muscles smoothly connected with the brand new venous and arterial systems of his body. THUMP! The heart that was smashed with the drop of blood had become crimson in color as it beat strongly, muscle, fascia, and fair skin all beginning to reappear as a distinct red hue caused his body to begin floating in the air. THUMP! A wave of brilliant red was now being released from his body every time his heart contracted and relaxed, the process occurring and leaving a few seconds in between before it occurred once more. THUMP! Noah''s head that now held even more brilliant overflowing dark air looked even more handsome, gaining a devilish quality unique to Vampyres as streaks of silver were visible on the mass of darkness overflowing from his head! RUMBLE! His eyes opened as they released an oppressive force outwards, his pupils filled with mysterious runic sigils that slowly dwindled as they took the form of a beastial emperor, etchings of a red star slowly receding from his eyes as they focused. His n.a.k.e.d figure began coming back towards the ground as his fair legs touched the cold floor of the shrine, his attention being pulled to his hands as he brought them up to observe the utter paleness they now showed. "I welcome you to the World, my new Master." The Guardian of Blood was kneeling right outside the shrine as he looked down with utter respect towards the n.a.k.e.d being in front of it, wild emotions barely hidden on its powerful face. THUMP! Noah closed his eyes briefly as he sensed the tremendous power which seemed to tell him it was not even at its full completion as he noticed a purple aura fairly visible on his body that was letting out a glorious crimson red from the overpowering Bloodline, prompting him to realize that his attributes had crossed from the Saint Rank and into the Void Rank the moment he obtained the transformation and obtained this Bloodline. This Bloodline...he closed his eyes as he looked at a brief section of his stat panel and observed some new changes. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(4%)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Vitality: VOID] [Focus: - ] [Strength: VOID] He only observed the changed attributes and addition of a section that listed the Bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor as he looked on impassively, much of his thoughts still recalling the immense pain he just went through as numerous memories that seemed to stem from this bloodline itself began to permeate through his mind. The memories...were in the form of numerous abilities and skills that only the Vampyre Progenitor had access to! They abundantly flowed into Noah''s mind as they were quickly isolated and shown on the stat panel, Noah continuing to stare blankly as his n.a.k.e.d figure magnificently stood on the shrine of the Ancient Blood World, still absorbing the tremendously unbelievable rewards that he had just received! Chapter 313 - All Mine! The first thing that Noah focused on was the memories of the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline, his mental state still jumbled as many memories flowed into his brain, his stat panel clarifying everything he was seeing in a much simpler fashion. His gaze focused on the description of the only thing present under Bloodline(s) as he clearly red a set of shocking words. [Vampyre Progenitor](Awakening) :: The Bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor has fused with your origin, slowly continuing to awaken to its full potential as time progresses. Bloodline boosts include: Ancient Being, Vampyre Ruler, Supernatural Beauty, Decelerated Aging,Blood Controller, Bloodline Affinity, Bloodline Bestowal, World Portal, All Element Resistance, Natural Blood Armor, Enhanced Charisma, Unnatural Healing, Unnatural Speed, Unnatural Strength, and Blood Gourmet "..." There were truly too many boosts associated with the Vampyre Progenitor as Noah only looked through the descriptions of a few while continuing to stabilize the memories flowing in. [Ancient Being] :: From unknown origins, the Vampyre Progenitor is known as an Ancient, this in itself granting them a unique status. An Ancient is able to withstand the dredges of time far longer than most, being able to live for a few thousand years naturally. [Vampyre Ruler] :: Holding the blood of the Progenitor, you can command the forces of Vampyres as if they are your own limbs. [Blood Controller] :: The control of blood will never be as refined as in the hands of the Progenitor. You are able to control blood in a variety of ways, and will only know to what limits as time passes. [Blood Gourmet] :: You become able to sense different qualities of blood and the wondrous unique taste they will bring to your palate, the only choice thereafter is whether you will devour. All abilities will be enhanced by half momentarily as you devour blood. Noah picked out three that he was curious about their full effects, his mind shook at the description of [Ancient Being] as more and more memories rolled into his brain. His now starry eyes landed on the bowing Guardian of Blood as he chose to slowly assimilate the memories rushing in while stepping out of the Ancient Shrine. His thoughts moved as he activated [Blood Controller], the nearby blood and mass of flesh that was sprawled on the floor shooting up and wrapping around him as it formed into a shining red cloak that covered his n.a.k.e.d body. He spoke to the bowing Guardian as his gaze looked across the wide Coliseum they stood in. "What exactly is this land we are in?" "Master, this Inheritance Grounds is located deep beneath the Ancient Blood World, a world that the first Progenitor resided in when he was rising in power. It was at one point reaching the level of a Realm, but over the years it has fallen to the level of a Prime World." Noah nodded his head as his figure elevated from the ground, going out of the shrine and shooting into the skies as the Guardian of Blood followed happily beside him. He shot high into the air until he broke through a certain layer, leaving the Inheritance Ground behind as he observed a whole new scene surrounding him. All around, an air of desolation and ancientness flowed as he observed expansive landscapes filled with a reddish hue. Everywhere he looked, he could see numerous shining crystallites shining a brilliant red covering nearly everything, leaving only a few empty areas of barren landscapes where one could see vigorously powerful Vampyric Beasts scurrying around. "Over the millennia, the natural abundant essence of the world has given birth to varying levels of Vampyric Beasts that have populated all lands of this word, the only other thing coming out of it being these Blood Crystals that are filled with dense essence that makes it very easy for Vampyres to break through ranks. Noah''s eyes shined as he looked at the expansive crystallite stones that covered almost every surface of the wide world he was looking at, his gaze also staying on the numerous Vampyric Beasts scurrying around as he ascended even higher. His body that already felt weightless when moving because of [Child of Space] had been boosted to extreme levels with the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline. He felt such abundant strength and speed that his body turned into a streak of red light as it soon crossed the stratosphere and shot even higher, breaking past a glimmering red barrier as he came to the vastness of space that was between the Light Expanse where he had been at all this time, and the Dark Expanse where he had a tremendous amount of questions about. He looked around the starry space as he observed the remains of numerous shattered stars all around, the entire area seeming like a dead zone of planets as everywhere his gaze landed was just more asteroids and large landmasses stationed in space. He looked below the Ancient Blood World he had just left as he was actually faced with a sight that only seemed to show more wreckage of dead planets, and not the world he just came from! He smiled as his eyes shone a dense red color, the Ancient Blood World becoming visible to him again as he marveled at this feature it had of hiding itself from prying eyes. "The barrier that master used the last of his strength to erect still stands today, maintained by the world itself as it had been safely hidden from many powers that wish to obtain it." Noah nodded his head as he was finishing the process of receiving the abundant memories, many things becoming extremely clear about the Vampyres as he looked at the Guardian of Blood that was respectfully standing behind him. This was a being at the Soul Forging Realm, holding tremendous power that Noah had only been able to bring down by combining the use of many skills. A set of memories about this being were flowing through his mind as he spoke. "You are...connected to this world." "Yes, Master. Through the Progenitor''s wondrous genius and the willingness of the Ancient Blood World, I, an Automaton Creation was made to oversee the undertaking of the Inheritance Grounds, as well as the easier use of the World''s power that is heavily restricted by the Universal Laws." ¡­! Shocking words were confirmed by the Guardian of Blood as Noah''s gaze peered through him deeply, his thoughts actually going to the white-haired girl called Sophia that he knew to be connected to some sort of unique was to his Homeworld''s core. This was the same girl that the voice of the Planetary System came out of, the one that had opened the portal to the Beast World from a small isolated village, and the one still working behind the scenes now in his Homeworld as she managed things very few could imagine. This Guardian of Blood in front of him was somewhat similar to Sophia, but much more unique as he was a powerhouse at the Soul Forging Realm. But to Noah, this was not all it signified. This creature was an Automaton Creation that was connected to the Ancient Blood World. This same creature was subservient to Noah, which meant that this entire hidden world that had downgraded to a Prime World from an even higher stage...would now be subservient to him! A red light erupted from Noah''s eyes as he realized that the rewards for this venture were far more than what he imagined, this Bloodline he had looked at only being a portion of it. Among the other rewards were a number of Skills that the System was slowly connecting and classifying into those fitting into a skill tree or those that were in their own category, as well as the reward of a Prime World just waiting for him to form yet another connection to. There were too many things to look forward to as he shot back down towards the Ancient Blood World, keen on starting multiple things right away! Chapter 314 - Schemes, Aspirations Across the vast space, on the 7th Celestial Star, an emergency meeting was underway as powerful figures gathered around a golden hall overflowing with splendor. The figures were shockingly known as Celestial Grandmasters, beings of a ridiculous level of power that even a single one would hold a tremendous sway wherever they appeared. They were seated on extravagant seats as they surrounded a slowly revolving illusory circle that seemed to portray a great deal of information only to them, their eyes occasionally shining with streaks of gold as they nodded their heads every now and then. After a while, one of the Celestial Grandmasters spoke, addressing everyone in the golden hall. "As you all can see, even while moving to the greatest possible extent, the progression of events is still set, with the rise of this new Infernal Lord that will disrupt the balance we have worked hard to create on the horizon." The words were calm and yet somber, many of the Celestial Grandmaster''s turning to observe him as one of them nodded and spoke. "Even though you took care of the Aberration in the First Hell, the cowards moving behind the scene could have brought about a new Aberration in any of the other Hells, allowing for things to move in this direction. But...it matters not." Words filled with confidence erupted in the hall as the many figures dressed in a variety of different colored robes nodded. This was because they knew their own power, and how they were able to obtain the position they held now. They had tremendous confidence that even with enemies moving behind the scene...they would not be able to do anything major to them, and they will all be crushed utterly and completely, just like what they had done in the past. "But...we have become too entrenched in fate over this last millennium, making it extremely difficult for us to actively steer it lately." A Grandmaster with an exemplary goatee spoke as he turned to look at the Grandmaster that Noah had come across not too long ago. "What do you propose, Vredral?" The gazes of the powerful figures in the golden hall turned towards the Grandmaster known as Vredral as he opened his mouth while in deep thought. "Just as a new Infernal Lord shall rise, we must foster the rise of our own champion that is not yet too affected by fate to make sure our edge over this coming war remains." OOONG! The Illusory Golden Circle rotating slowly in the golden hall they were in trembled at these words, smiling looks appearing on the faces of the Grandmasters as the one with the exemplary goatee spoke once more. "It seems like Fate is not too keen on that idea. So...we shall go through with it! How is the progress with our little War Princess going?" A Disciple from the 7th Celestial Star was mentioned as Vredral replied. "She is increasingly building up more Fate Lines, being able to withstand against an Aberration that was ready to break through into the peak of rank 4(Soul Forging Realm/Soul Rank) while she still holds Middle Rank 4(Void Realm) strength." The Grandmasters were reminded of the shocking events that had taken place in the Realm of the First Hell recently, where a valiant Athena had stood against a being that was building up power that went past the Void Realm, but she withstood it and with the help of Incarnations and one well timed strike by a being that would soon join them as a disciple, and the Aberration was taken down! "Good, but it is not fast enough. We must accelerate her progression and allow her to take in even more Fate Lines rapidly, she will be one of our weapons for the coming war." "Yes. There are a few other Disciples across the other Celestial Stars who come close to her talent, but she is leading the pack for now." Nods of agreement spread out as Vredral spoke once more. "We can prepare to open up the Celestial Realm once more for this generation of disciples. Athena should be able to advance speedily with the treasures contained within." "Right. It will take some time to get everything ready, but it shouldn''t be a problem. Vredral, we will leave her guidance to you for now. Keep us updated on her progress." The Celestial Grandmaster, Vredral, nodded once more as the golden hall soon erupted into other discussions about a multitude of issues at hand! Some dealt with intricate problems in the Light Expanse where they held control of, other issues were dealing with the Dark Expanse that they continued to struggle with to this day. It soon became a cacophony of strong auras as the discussions continued, the tide of fate still flowing as the rotating golden circle in the room continued to move steadily. --- In the First Realm of Hell, the overpopulating Infernals continued to be reduced at an unbelievable rate as numerous powerful figures paved their way across the First Hell. At the forefront was a terrible Lich Emperor who released deathly energies and commanded an Undead Legion with numerous High Tiered Undead that razed any enemies they found to exhaustion. The numerous powerful undead were protecting an assortment of humans, demons, and beasts as they went on to rapidly increase their power over the last few days. Noah had left the Spiritual Land floating in the skies of this Infernal Realm, Kazuhiko and company being able to return into this resplendent floating landmass that was overflowing with essence to recuperate from the constant rushing droves of Infernals, while also enjoying colorful Medicinal Herbs and Fruits sprawled out all over the Spiritual Land. At the central area of this huge paradisiacal landmass, enormous intricately built houses and skyscr.a.p.ers were abundant, taking the styles of Noah''s Homeworld, Beast World, and even the futuristic wonders of the Lost World that brought back some melancholic memories from the Calamities of the Sea. But it was in this area where an abundant amount of Medicinal Fruits, Herbs, and Cores were contained as it acted as the base for these rapidly rising beings. Some spent too much time in the billowing hot springs and beds that seemed to be entirely made of soft feathers, but they all continued a cycle of training and resting as they continued non stop over the past few days. Floating above the Spiritual Land at this moment was a particularly arrogant Emperor Penguin that moved its flippers towards the sleek black feathers above its head, its gaze watching the numerous Undead that continued to move day and night in this Infernal Realm. The penguin was watching his own stat panel that showed how many Skill Points it had left after distributing many of them in a skill tree that heavily boosted his spatial abilities as he wondered just how many Skill Points his master was racking up with these Undead that were killing on his behalf. He was looking at the efficacy of his Master as he was freely moving around doing dangerous things in a location far away from here, while still continuing to grow his power at an insane pace even faster than all of them. He wanted to grow and increase his strength even faster! Even though he knew he would never be able to match his Master, he was still the first beast born in the Spiritual Land, still the one leading at the forefront! RUMBLE! A milky white aura covered his body as a golden light went on to cover it, the [Pride Embodiment] that went on to allow him to show great strength against the Infernals and push his power even higher being activated yet again as the penguin that had just entered the Saint Rank shot out like a missile from the Spiritual Land and went to join the Legion of Undead to take down even more Infernals. Feelings of obtaining strength at a rapid speed were not only unique to this arrogant penguin as many of the Harbingers continued to struggle behind the scenes to at least keep up with the ever-expanding strength of a single person they looked up to! Chapter 315 - A Connection, <> In the Ancient Blood World, Noah was already deep beneath this hidden World''s inner core layer as he came face to face with a Planetary Core much larger than any that he had come across before. This was the planetary core of a world that had downgraded from the stellar status of a Realm and had become a Prime World! It rotated strongly in the underground space, an air of ancientness permeating as a voice very similar to the Guardian of Blood rang out. [I had an agreement with the first Progenitor, and that agreement carries on through the years. What is it that you wish for?] Noah''s gaze that was wandering all over the mystical aurora of lights surrounding this crimson core focused as he spoke out calmly, moving his hands towards the core as he did it. "I only wish for you to accept this connection." His right palm landed on the brilliant core as a unique light released from his body and bathed it serenely, the process of forming yet another line of connection, but this time with a Prime World occurring! [...] The Ancient Blood World quietly released its protective barriers, letting the energy freely permeate through its origin as it let this new Progenitor do what he wished! The Guardian of Blood standing far behind Noah at this time was an extension of this world, an Automaton Creation that moved according to a predetermined set of rules. It was a unique creature that allowed the Ancient Blood World to bypass the many Universal Laws laid down upon the planets, so when the light that Noah released intensified and the core of the ancient world began to realize the meaning of what this new Progenitor wanted to do, the process finished even faster as they connection was established in a much smoother fashion! RUMBLE! The overflowing and dense essence of the Prime World that was in no way inferior to the World of Cultivation or the Underworld began to permeate through the established connection between multiple worlds as its overbearing energy rushed down to the 4 worlds that were a level or two lower. Noah''s Homeworld that had recently undergone a change from a Small World into a Middle World began experiencing changes once again as enormous essence rushed into in the form of feedback loops between the many High Tiered Worlds it was connected to, receiving an enormous amount of essence as its atmosphere began to change yet again! Upgrades continued to occur left and right as in a short time span, yet another World had been attached to a connection that even those involved did not fully grasp yet. --- Noah listened to the many thoughts of the Planetary Cores of multiple worlds as he understood the addition of this Prime World was something major. The benefits to the other Worlds would be immense, while his own benefits for coming into this Ancient Blood World''s Inheritance Grounds were far from over. He had just looked at a few of the boosts given by this new bloodline that always made him feel like he was at the top of the world, but he still had the spectacular skills in the form of memories that the System had classified into categories to look into. He moved away from the Planetary Core of the Ancient Blood World that had begun communicating with the many entities it was now connected to as he returned to the Inheritance Grounds, his gaze peering in his panel over the first set of skills that came with the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline, and it was an Absolute Skill to observe first! > Your very core holds a unique relationship to blood, granting you wondrous ways of utilizing it that many can only aspire to. Abilities Include Unique Origin, World Veil, Blood Sea, A Drop of Blood, Telepathy, Vampyrism, and Panacea. [Unique Origin] :: Your extreme proficiency in blood has developed into a higher stage, allowing you to mimic the origin, shape, and aura of any being you have previously come across completely. Unless someone more proficient in blood comes across you, your origin will always be what you portray. [World Veil] :: A great undertaking that is at the level of affecting an entire star. A veil is cast around a world that prevents the detection from any and all beings. Strict requirements must be met before a veil can be cast on any world. [Blood Sea] :: Your body is able to turn into an expansive sea of blood, granting you a unique form that allows you to only ever take half of all physical damage while in this form. [A Drop of Blood] :: From a drop of blood, you can begin anew. A part of your origin can be left behind as a drop of blood, allowing you to never truly die as a part of you can be safely hidden away. If used, the ability will require a period of 81 days before a new blood drop can be created. ¡­! Noah had to come to a stop as he was reading the descriptions of the abilities of the Absolute Skill! When he looked over [Unique Origin], he was happily surprised as it exactly fit what he wanted to obtain from the trip to the Underworld. His one worry when he would enter into the domain of the Celestials was whether the skills he held would be able to bypass their mysterious means if they took a deep look at him. He didn''t know exactly what the abilities of the truly powerful Celestial Grandmasters were, but he expected there to be a thorough examination for any of those joining the ranks of Celestials. This ability made it so that all of his worries were now wiped away, but the stupendous surprises of this trip did not stop there. The [World Veil] and [Blood Sea] were great enough as he continued to read on, but the ability that allowed him to leave a part of his origin behind in a drop of blood was shocking! The ability brought him a tremendous sense of assurance, but also a reminder that he never wanted to put himself in a position that would force him into having to use the stupendous effects of this ability. He gazed at the remaining three abilities he had yet to observe as he saw the effects of [Telepathy] allowed him to send and receive thoughts to those he was thinking of over any distance, [Vampyrism] bringing with it the ability to turn others into Vampyres, or even choose a lesser evolution and make them into brute Vampyric Beasts! Lastly, [Panacea] was an ability that allowed him to release his blood as a supreme medicine, allowing even those on the brink of death to regain their full health and vigor. He could effectively become a machine that pumped out health potions if he wished! These...were just the Absolute Skills that the System had taken and classified from the many memories Noah received after the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline had fused with him. He had not even gone through the other abilities that were laid out in the form of a Skill Tree, making them abilities that he could upgrade and strengthen into an unknown stage far into the future! It felt like he was receiving an overwhelming amount of skills and abilities all at once as his eyes moved on to the Skill Tree that was at Void Rank, with multiple abilities shining below it as it read- [Blood Lord]. Chapter 316 - [Blood Lord], Harvesting Gains! Noah felt like he was being given gifts on top of gifts as he looked at the skills and abilities that came with obtaining the inheritance of the Vampyre Progenitor. He wanted to finish by looking at the skills that were placed in the form of a skill tree by the System before he began to move out, as there were simply too many things he had to do, as well as wanting to obtain even more information from the Vampyre King back in the Underworld. His gaze landed on the spectacularly shining set of words on the blue stat panel that began with [Blood Lord]! [Blood Lord] (0/30):: A technique that only those with the purest forms of blood can use. It is Ancient Blood Magic that includes the abilities Dawn of the Blood Lord(0/5), Blood World(0/5), Drain Life(0/5), and Nightmarish Descent(0/5). [Dawn of the Blood Lord](Active) :: A descent of a terrible red moon accompanies the Blood Lord, empowering them and their allies as long as they stand under its maddening crimson light. +50% to All Damage, +50% to All Element Resistance, +50% Attack, Casting, and Movement Speed, +50% Increased Area of Effect, +50% to Defense, -50% to All Enemy Elemental Resistance, and the Fear Effect is applied to all enemies. [Blood World](Active) :: An isolated space that prevents peering gazes erupts around you, the actions taking place in this space are between you and the beings remaining in it. [Drain Life](Passive):: Blood is closely connected to a being''s life force. A proficient manipulator of blood is able to layer all of their attacks with an attribute that will drain the life force of their enemies. +5% Lifesteal at all times. [Nightmarish Descent](Active) :: Creatures of unholy origins are summoned at your call, latching onto your enemies as they activate blood magic and encase them in deadly coffins that skewer any poor souls contained inside. Yet another set of powerful skills showed themselves to him as he felt like a collector who just continued to eat up way too many abilities. The Blood World was a skill he had already seen before from the hands of Prince Cassius, while the skills [Dawn of the Blood Lord], [Drain Life], and [Nightmarish Descent] were completely new to him with their wondrous abilities. He would have to make time to test them later, as he was currently impatient to get started with the next set of steps after obtaining the huge boon that was the Ancient Blood World, and also go back to the Underworld for more information. The memories he had obtained from the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline were about the strengths and techniques it pertained, there was still much mystery surrounding this figure that had passed away and what exactly occurred more than a thousand years ago to cause the death of a being that held a Bloodline such as this, which even held abilities similar to that of having a rebirth. Noah looked at the subservient Guardian of Blood as he asked just to be sure before he began moving. "The memories that the first Progenitor gave you only pertained to the Inheritance Grounds and the Ancient Blood World?" "Much of them yes, Master. Though I was given basic knowledge of the regions of the Universe and the beings that dwell in them." Noah nodded as he waved his now pale hands in front of him, initiating one of his new skills, [World Portal], as he replied to the Guardian of Blood. "The enemy that caused his death?" "No knowledge on that either, Master. The only warning that the first Progenitor left behind was...to be wary of the terrifying rising force calling themselves Celestials." The rising force calling themselves Celestials? Noah thought about these words that would have been said more than a thousand years ago as he pondered. ''They''re not just a rising force anymore, are they?'' The skill he was casting completed as he was lost in his thoughts, an extravagantly wide red portal appearing in the Inheritance Grounds of the Ancient Blood World. As for the other location this portal connected to? It was Noah''s homeworld! Through the ability given from his new Bloodline, [World Portal], he could do what the Planetary Systems had been doing every time a connection was established with other worlds- he could choose to establish a permanent gateway that required immense mana to initiate, and they would continue to be kept active by the essence they absorbed in the atmosphere! ''The boosts and skills are so ridiculous that I''ll have to spend quite some time just to understand how to best use them all.'' Noah continued to ponder as he moved through the wide red portal, the Guardian of Blood following close behind as this Soul Forging Realm individual entered a blue planet. The constantly improving metropolis of the Blessed Empire appeared in front of their eyes as not too far away, Noah already felt the presence of Steel Mikhail, and the person he had sent a message to the moment the connection with the Ancient Blood World was finished. The stunning girl with a head full of white hair and blue eyes smiled at Noah as the convoy of humans she brought with her had excited faces. They only knew of the being in front of them from whispers and stories, never imagining they would meet the Number 1 Hunter from their world that had made so many things possible. Steel Mikhail nodded at Noah, his gaze looking at him up and down as he wondered whether he was looking at the same person, while the white-haired Sophia smiled cutely and spoke, her gaze landing on the Guardian of Blood behind him as a white light briefly passed through her eyes. "It hasn''t even been all that long, Big Brother, and you''re already gifting us with another World." Noah nodded with a smile at this unique being that was connected to the Planetary System in a different way than he was, being extremely similar to the Guardian of Blood as they almost felt like an extension of the World''s wills! The group that came with Sophia and Steel Mikhail were some of the most powerful Hunters remaining in this world who continued to strengthen their power through dungeon diving. They had come here today and with such a fast response simply because they were called by the upper echelons of their world, with the word they would be meeting the special being they knew as the highest-ranked Hunter, Noah! A meeting with this being always proceeded with huge boosts of strength for all those involved as they were excited to find out exactly what stupendous gifts they would be receiving today. The words mentioned by the Guide thereafter only made them more excited as they looked towards this figure who was most definitely more handsome than what they were told. Noah had gathered these powerful Hunters here, along with many more that were on their way to this location for the singular purpose of harvesting the great gains that were sprawled out all over the Ancient Blood World. In that wide Prime World, numerous Blood Crystals that literally covered the lands were just waiting to be harvested, as well as the numerous Vampyric Beasts waiting to be taken down. Although, much of these resources could only be fully utilized by Vampyres, so Noah''s gaze turned to these excited humans as he prepared to test a few of his abilities as the Vampyre Progenitor! Chapter 317 - New Vampyres, A Messenger from the Dark Expanse "Although it is going to be somewhat painful, I will give you guys a boost in power before you descend into a world with numerous resources just waiting to be harvested." Noah looked at the force of hundreds of humans gathered in front of him as he spoke. "Are you all ready?" The replies he received were that of excited yells and enthusiasm as the Hunters could not wait to get started. He nodded as he cast [Vampyrism] on these humans who did not fully understand exactly what they had just enthusiastically agreed to! From Noah''s fair right hand, numerous red lines erupted as they went on to pierce onto the bodies of the Hunters instantly, their faces rapidly changing as they buckled down to the ground and began convulsing. Noah and Sophia were looking at this sight with interested eyes as Noah wanted to fully observe the effects of a Vampyre Progenitor turning beings into Vampyres, while Sophia was simply another entity entirely and was not even thinking along the same lines. Only the gruff Steel Mikhail was standing by the side with his usual unreadable expression as he watched the evolving situation. If one were to watch from the side, they would observe Noah''s expression to be impassive as he observed the Hunters wriggling in pain on the ground, only a calculating look overtaking his face as he observed the continuing changes. Unknowingly, another effect of the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline went to alter his mentality, although the changes were too little for one to notice at this time! RUMBLE! A red light permeated throughout the surroundings as the hunters underwent unbearable pain, but nothing like what Noah had gone through as he found their bodies were only going through changes that granted them the bloodline of Elite Vampyres. This meant that anyone he chose to use [Vampyrism] on would skip the ranks of Normal Vampyres and become an Elite Vampyre right away! He nodded his head after confirming this test, his aura already locked on the beings from the Beast World and Demon World that had also neared the location where he opened the portal connecting to the Ancient Blood World. The Hunters in front of Noah began getting up after a few minutes, some still terrified of the pain they went through as they moved their bodies and began to feel the abundant strength overflowing within. Most had directly broken through ranks the moment their change finished, finding a sense of power they never thought to be possible permeating through their body. They looked towards the Strongest Hunter with a feeling of apprehension and familiarity as they felt like he had become someone they could never even think to go against, the aura that Noah released currently putting him at an unreachable position in their eyes! What followed thereafter was something ridiculous as Noah used an abundant amount of mana and cast [Vampyrism] multiple times on the beings from the Beast and Demon World who had managed to get here in time, before the many newly turned Vampyres were introduced to the Ancient Blood World. When it came to those in higher positions of power like Steel Mikhail, Noah added another ability on top of it as he also used [Bloodline Bestowal], another ability directly from the Bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor, to bestow the bloodline of a Pureblood Vampyre. From the Ancient Shrine where he found numerous storage rings and pouches, an abundant amount of refined Blood Crystals and numerous Bloodlines that the Guardian of Blood had been left with to continue conducting the trials of the Inheritance Grounds were all in his possession. He was now the Vampyre Progenitor, making there be no need for an Inheritance Ground as he could personally turn beings into Vampyres and bestow Bloodlines as he wished! The process took slightly more time for anything higher than the Elite Tier, but a brand new Steel Mikhail became the first Harbinger to obtain the Bloodline of a Pureblood Vampyre as his large figure became even more refined and he gained a devilish handsomeness! Noah continued to play around with the newly found abilities of the Vampyre Progenitor as he initiated the process of using the abundant resources on the Ancient Blood World. In the coming days, more and more forces from the Beast World and Demon World would join in, along with the newly included beings of the Icebound World that had not even fully begun communicating with the other four worlds. The Guardian of Blood would act in Noah''s place for the newcomers as many of the treasures and bloodlines left behind in the Inheritance Grounds would be freely used up in the coming months. There were many moving parts and numerous figures involved in this process that would take quite some time, but while Noah was supposed to be undergoing a trial to prove himself to the Vampyres of the Underworld, he entered the Inheritance Grounds and took for himself the ultimate inheritance left behind by the Vampyre Progenitor. He then began using the expansive abilities of this fearsome bloodline as he covertly began to create a force of new Vampyres in a distant world, moving with extreme efficiency as he already began the process of using the resources of an entire world that he had gained while he was simply supposed to be undergoing a trial! It would be out of the wildest dreams for the Vampyres of the Underworld to imagine, as they were about to have their hands full from the return of shocking commands. The Vampyre King had sent word to their forces in the Dark Expanse the moment that Noah entered the portal that led to the Ancient Blood World, letting them know of the recent events and asking for guidance on how to move forward. What came out as a result was something they did not expect as within the grand Vampyre Council Hall where many powerful figures were still discussing, a dark portal began to form that took the attention of all those in the hall. The Vampyre King looked on in shock as he quickly enacted a wide Blood World that fully covered the Council Hall, looking towards this expanding dark portal where a stunning figure began to materialize out of with a glimmer of red light. The eyes of the Vampyre King focused as the usual smile he had was wiped away, letting out a calm voice as if he was talking to someone of the same level, or even possibly higher! "You know it is risky for someone who is drenched with the aura of the Dark Expanse to enter into the Light Expanse right away. Are you trying to reveal our position this quickly, my dear Elena?" His voice was directed to the woman that had just materialized from a disappearing portal, a woman that held a figure so curvaceous and deadly that it would make many men drool! Gorgeous silver hair fell down to her shoulders as she looked at the Vampyre King with a light smile that caused the Vampyres in the Council Hall to look down to their feet in respect. They knew the identity of this being that had just appeared, a being they considered to be even more fearsome than the Vampyre King they were serving under all this time! "Little brother, you sent such a shocking message that the Alliance couldn''t just send back simple words. If it wasn''t required of me to be here, I would not have come." Shocking words were released as the woman holding a similar status to the Vampyre King that Noah had talked to appeared, and she was a being that had just arrived from the Dark Expanse! The Vampyre King that was ruling the forces of the Pureblood Vampyres in the Underworld looked at his big sister thoughtfully as he clapped his hands, sending a signal for the many Vampyre Elders to clear the room as he spoke. "Are they ready to enact a big move against the Celestials?" A wide smile which could be the downfall of entire countries appeared on the Royal Vampyre Elena as she strolled towards the Vampyre King. "Oh little brother, you don''t know just how important the news of this human that has a straight path into the 7th Celestial Star is." An interested smile appeared on her face as she looked around the wide Council Hall, only noticing a single red portal, her nephew that was looking towards her with a shocked expression, and the Vampyre King she continued to refer to as little brother. "Where is the important being in question, little Adrian?" An eerie silence filled the room as the Vampyre King, Adrian, let out a slight cough as he gazed at the red portal, causing the expression of Elena to change as her face turned dark. "You sent such an important figure into the Inheritance Grounds?" "...It was to tie him directly to our side as we awaited for word from home. If you had been sharing all the important information with me, maybe I would have known his importance was even greater than what I anticipated. Do enlighten me though, why did those old fogeys send you?" Elena turned to her brother with a pitying expression as she spoke. "Even I didn''t know this information before I was sent here, it was something that those schemers at the top classified as top secret. You better hope that human comes back in one piece, otherwise the people that are much too tired of this unwinnable war will fry you for losing such an important piece." She walked towards Prince Cassius as her soft hands ruffled his silver hair. "My little nephew, you did well with your recent venture. You should come back home soon, all those little princesses you left behind continue waiting for you to return." The Vampyre Prince adopted a docile expression that was nothing like the regal air he had always shown, only being able to nod his head at this bountifully blessed aunt in front of him. Elena strolled towards the bedazzled throne that the Vampyre King Adrian had been sitting on as she placed her curvaceous body down and crossed her legs, her gaze locking towards the red portal that led to the Inheritance Grounds as she awaited for this being that would play a major part in the ongoing war! Chapter 318 - Casting a Veil, The Return Noah knew that normally, the trial in the Inheritance Grounds would take Vampyres hours, if not days as they would choose to rest and recover their energies before beginning the next stage. He had finished his run at the trial in less than an hour, and this was while clearing all 6 levels of the Inheritance, so he knew he had a lot of time before he needed to return to the Council Hall in the Underworld. He oversaw the gradual introduction of his forces into the Ancient Blood World as the Guardian of Blood acted to protect the newly turned Vampyres if they came into contact with Vampyric Beasts that were too powerful. Sophia continued her role as a Guide, leaving behind the protected village where she had sent Noah to the Beast World from months ago as she now acted as the representative of the Planetary Core to relay directions to the many forces at their disposal. There was a wide array of beings from the multiple worlds, and Noah would not be able to look at and interpret all the intricacies of the connections and movements of the worlds he was connected to while also worrying about his own movements against the forces he was putting himself up against. Sophia acted as the center point as she relayed the intentions of the Planetary System and allowed for a smooth transition of tasks and roles as the many pieces continued to move in order to create a well-oiled machine that would continue to produce powerhouses. Many projects were initiated to begin in the newly connected Icebound World and Ancient Blood World, while another project that was in Noah''s Homeworld was seeing progress as the Atlanteans finished the construction of the first World Engine! This was a grand achievement as they had been able to recreate a treasure which the Celestials deemed as something that went against the natural order and balance. The completion of this World Engine would allow for the displacement of a star, a drastic measure that would be used if their enemies ever tracked their coordinates and wished them harm. The smooth progress of the project to create more World Engines reminded Noah of the supernatural Veil that was covering the Ancient Blood World, allowing it to hide amongst dead stars and escaping the sight of powerful beings for the past 1000 years. The one who had enacted that Veil onto the Ancient Blood World was the Vampyre Progenitor¡­ and he now held that same power as he recalled the description of one of the abilities he had just obtained. [World Veil] :: A great undertaking that is at the level of affecting an entire star. A veil is cast around a world that prevents the detection from any and all beings. Strict requirements must be met before a veil can be cast on any world. From the Absolute Skill >, the spectacular ability shone with a brilliant hue on the stat panel as now planned to enact it. He teleported to the inner core of his Homeworld for the first time in a while as he observed the slowly rotating hexagonal prism that had become even larger, an enormous amount of essence now circulating through it as the world continued to upgrade to higher levels. The description of the [World Veil] ability mentioned that strict requirement had to be met before this ability could be cast on an entire world. Those requirements were a being with enough essence to actually enact such a wide-ranging skill, with the second requirement being the willingness of the particular star they wanted to perform this ability on! Noah met both of these requirements, but this also made him ponder what exactly was the level of power of the Vampyre Progenitor that would allow him to wield such immense mana, unlike him who had access to the reserves of actual planets. His impassive gaze put these thoughts aside as he communicated with the Planetary System and cast the skill requiring an immense amount of mana, [World Veil]. RUMBLE! A large amount of essence collected around Noah, before it began exploding outwards as it began to move in a circular direction with him at the center. What was expanding from him was a thin film that would not be noticeable by any of the figures currently on this world, as it rapidly spread across the deeper layers and broke through to the atmosphere, continuing upwards as it spent some time to wrap around the entire world. If one were to be looking at the blue planet from a vantage point in the vastness of space, they would notice a barely distinct red and black film of light rapidly engulf the entire planet before it quickly faded away, the signs of abundant life it gave off nowhere to be seen as at this moment, one could only observe a collection of dead asteroids floating together around a much larger dead star. The transformation was seamless and fast as an enormous veil was cast around an entire world, reducing the chances of anyone finding or targeting it through various means! In the next few hours, Noah continued his extremely efficient movements as he moved across the Beast World, Demon World, and Icebound World while repeating similar things, the mana at his disposal allowing for a ridiculous level of actions. He would go into the First Realm of Hell where the rest of the Harbingers were still training later, leaving them to continue enjoying the farming of Skill Points before he gave them the option of accepting the strength of the Vampyre Bloodlines! Seeing that everything had begun moving in the right direction for their incursion into the Ancient Blood World, Noah returned to the Inheritance Grounds where any new Vampyres trying to undertake the trial by the forces of the Pureblood Vampyres in the Underworld would be sent, and neared the still floating red portal that had brought him into this world in the first place. Beings like the Vampyre King were able to use skill passed down over time to create portals that only lead the Inheritance Grounds, so if such an action happened again in the future, whoever intruded into the Ancient Blood World would only enter into the Inheritance Grounds for their trial. The Guardian of Blood was instructed by Noah to continue this job for now as he did not want to alert the larger forces of Vampyres in the Underworld, and most likely an even bigger force that should be where they came from in the Dark Expanse. To these Vampyres, nothing had changed with the Inheritance Grounds or Ancient Blood World. But behind the scenes, numerous beings had already begun moving across the wide Prime World as they began to harvest its abundant resources. Noah stopped briefly as he cast another newly obtained ability, the [Unique Origin] that was under the > Absolute Skill. A red light covered him as his aura mimicked a Pureblood Vampyre, the immense aura of the Vampyre Progenitor being hidden away as he wanted to observe the state of the Vampyres currently before deciding on whether to reveal himself. Seeing that he missed nothing, Noah entered through the portal as brief darkness clouded his gaze, before brightness soon took over as he returned to the wide Vampyre Council Hall. His observations were met with a new scene as in the wide hall, only three beings were left behind, none of the powerful Vampyre Elders anywhere in sight. There was Prince Cassius that was standing with his father, the Vampyre King, along with the long legs of a curvaceous woman who looked to be in her prime sitting on the only bedazzled throne in the hall. They noticed Noah''s return right away as Prince Cassius looked at Noah and noticed the changes in his demeanor, as well as the silver streaks permeated through his dark head of hair and the distinct devilish handsomeness that he only saw in himself. They also felt a strong resonance of blood that indicated Noah had become one of them, and a being that was a Pureblood Vampyre at that! Prince Cassius nodded with an expression that seemed to say ''as expected'', with his father looking at Noah with a deep gaze and then nodding as well, apparently not let down. To them, it looked like Noah had made huge gains in the Inheritance Grounds, being able to obtain the bloodline of a Pureblood Vampyre as they sensed the abundant aura of blood that could barely be discernable in the eyes of the Vampyres. Yet, the other person in the room, the Royal Vampyre Elena, had a drastic change in expression as her gaze went from a welcoming smile and into one of absolute shock! Noah''s sharp gaze observed this minute difference of change on this new being he hadn''t seen before as he quickly processed something, a red light shining in his eyes as they landed on this woman who had somehow seen something that the other two beings in this wide hall did not notice. He had gloriously returned to the Royal Castle of the Vampyres in the Underworld, an unexpected scene greeting him as he walked out of the red portal leading to the Ancient Blood World! Chapter 319 - Welcoming the New Progenitor! Unpercebtable to Prince Cassius and Vampyre King Adrian, a red light erupted from Noah''s eyes, and this single red light went on to bring an enormous sense of pressure on the powerful Royal Vampyre currently sitting on the throne! A telepathic message was sent forward as Elena quickly changed her expression and tried to adopt a normal one, being the first to voice out her normal voice that held a slight trembling within. "Little brother, take the young prince and yourself out for a second while I talk with our...important guest." "Elena, you know that is not proper. You are in my domain now, I will at least be involved in the talks, no matter how important you make them out to-" The Vampyre King Adrian was voicing out with slight dissatisfaction when he turned towards his sister and saw an unexpected imploring gaze on her face. "Please, Brother. Just for a little while." Brief silence permeated the room as the Vampyre King questioned just what exactly were the contents of the message from the Alliance as he sighed and snapped his fingers, Prince Cassius coming to and following him close behind as they left the Council Hall. The Vampyre Prince turned towards Noah with an apologetic expression once more, sending a telepathic message towards him as they left. "I didn''t think everything would go towards such a direction. I''ll try to be a good host after these talks finish and get you accustomed to the body of a noble Vampyre that you just obtained." Noah smiled and nodded towards the young prince as the doors closed behind him, only a single other person being left behind in this wide Council Hall as the smile was quickly wiped away from his face, his gaze landing on the Soul Forging Realm Royal Vampyre that had gone back to a trembling gaze the moment Noah focused on her! RUMBLE! Noah moved his essence as he cast forth a [Blood World], the entire Council Hall instantaneously being surrounded by a protective and secretive layer that nobody on the outside could peer through. Noah''s gaze became impassive as he looked at the Vampyre that had inadvertently realized something. "How did you notice?" A cold voice came out from Noah as he addressed this Soul Rank being calmly while moving forward, the body of the curvaceous Vampyre shaking as she couldn''t find the words. There was a huge reason why this powerful being changed her expression the moment she looked closely at Noah, as she had noticed something that Prince Cassius and even her Brother had not been able to notice- and that was the complete and utter domination of blood that the being in front of her let out! This was a shocking finding as it could only mean one thing, but it was such an outrageous and unbelievable idea that Elena did not fully believe it until a distinct red light passed through the being''s eyes as she felt her entire body locked in place, a message arriving in her mind telling her to send the other two beings away from this room. This confirmed her shocking finding, as she quickly stood up from the bedazzled throne and kneeled towards the figure of Noah while voicing out with a meek voice. "This undeserving child greets Progenitor, and hopes you will forgive her insolence for not realizing and acting right away!" Yes! The Royal Vampyre from the Dark Expanse had come to the realization right away that somehow, unbelievably, the being in front of her had the aura of someone that she only knew from her bloodline memories and stories passed down in her clan. This being had the overpowering aura of the Progenitor! Noah looked at the sight of this gorgeous woman kneeling towards him with an impassive gaze as he continued walking forward, the bloodline of the Progenitor affecting him more than he knew as he was slowly adopting the traits of a being that stood at the absolute peak of a race and had full control over them! The traits of the Ruler of Vampyres that were inlaid in the bloodline he had absorbed were slowly but surely coming out on the surface without him realizing it, a regal air accompanying him as he asked once more. "How did you know?" "I- I am the first born of our generation in the Acheron lineage, being blessed with one of the purest Royal Bloodlines currently. The purerer our bloodlines, the closer we are to the Progenitor. This foolish child, Elena Acheron, seeks Progenitor''s forgiveness for almost revealing your identity." A few memories were dredged up from Noah''s mind as he nodded, the words of the powerful Soul Forging Realm being in front of him not holding an ounce of lies as he confirmed she had only been able to see through his disguised state because of something unique about her. This was because he had used the ability [Unique Origin] to take on the aura and look of a Pureblood Vampyre that even the Vampyre King who held a Royal Bloodline did not notice. The kneeling Elena looked up slowly as she continued. "Besides my purerer bloodline, the only other reason is because your awakening happened just recently, and your immense aura has not fully settled, making those slightly more sensitive like me to notice the greatness of the Progenitor. Please¡­" The curvaceous Elena pointed towards the throne in the wide hall while still kneeling, continuing to speak with a respectful tone towards this unbelievable being in front of her! "...please take a seat and relax Progenitor, put this undeserving child at ease." Noah reached the position where the silver haired Vampyre with shocking features was kneeling as he used his right hand to lift her face upwards, turning her still shaking eyes towards him as he then released her chin and proceeded to comfortably sit on the huge throne that the Vampyre King had just been sitting on not too long ago. "You are someone from the Dark Expanse?" Noah asked calmly as he noticed besides the aura of a Royal Vampyre on this being called Elena, she held a distinct aura that he had never seen on anyone else before, and paired with the Vampyres who were connected to a force in the Dark Expanse, he quickly made this connection. It seemed like beings from the different regions held a distinct aura that could be easily discernible! "Yes, Progenitor. The Acheron Clan that manages the Vampyres in this Underworld sent me forth with commands for how the one who is about to have access to the 7th Celestial Star should move. Of course, your wishes and plans rise above all others, and I will faithfully follow whatever commands you have for me." Elena replied as her silver hair danced below her shoulders, still kneeling as her gaze brought itself to stare upon the impassive face of her Progenitor. Noah pondered in silence as he observed this figure in front of him, getting to the most important thing first, and that was information! "Rise. For now, let''s start with information. The Vampyres in this world...this Acheron Clan in the Dark Expanse...the Alliance...the Celestials, tell me everything." Elena''s slender legs rose as her heart beat wildly, her immense strength at the Soul Forging Realm meaning nothing in front of this being that was the Progenitor of Vampyres. She calmed her beating heart as she began to reveal secrets very few had access to as fast as she could towards the Ruler that was now seated on a throne! Chapter 320 - Unfolding Secrets Beginning with the forces surrounding the Vampyres located in the Underworld- they were a force that those in the Dark Expanse had managed to squeeze through the eyes of the Celestials in the period of the last 1000 years as they grew themselves in name and power in the Light Expanse. The Vampyres held a special relationship with a few powerful figures in the Dark Expanse through the powerful being that held the entire race on her shoulder, the Vampyre Progenitor. With her death being one of the many results coming out from the war more than one thousand years ago, the Vampyres were more than willing to act as spies in enemy territory, becoming a stable force over the past hundred years as they came to prominence in the Underworld. The Vampyres also fit this task perfectly as they held abilities that allowed for complete secrecy, the covert qualities of their techniques making them move unhindered for the past hundreds of years. They had been able to smoothly monitor the grand moves that Celestials continued to make, and even occasionally take down Celestials as was recently done by the rash Prince Cassius! They continued to be a force that relayed information to the forces of the Dark Expanse for all these years, until the recent developments caused by Prince Cassius grabbed the attention of the higher echelons of the Archeon Clan where the Pureblood Vampyres in the Underworld were from, which also meant they had grabbed the attention of a few figures in the Alliance that oversaw the Dark Expanse. The Archeon Clan was the top most lineage of Vampyres descending down from one of the first children of the Vampyre Progenitor, with a few other clans taking different names existing, but the Archeon Clan always remained at the top in power and bloodlines. They held significant power in the Dark Expanse and oversaw a few core operations for the war that continued to occur behind the scenes. "So what exactly did the Archeon Clan send you to do?" Noah stopped the Vampyre that held a fervent light in her eyes as she continued to speak, the silver-haired Vampyre still not being able to fully contain herself as she realized what the return of this figure in front of her truly meant. Elena''s immaculate face tried its best to remain calm as she reached into her ample bosom and pulled out a small cylindrical container. It looked like a small ancient bottle with a wooden stopper that contained contents that would draw anyone''s eyes instantly! In this small bottle, a sparkling black liquid that seemed to be moving by itself was present, a mystical light running through it as Noah observed it closely. "The Archeon Clan sent me here to provide the one becoming a Celestial Disciple with this treasure. It is¡­a unique poison obtained from the Letalis Expanse." Noah observed the mysterious liquid as he couldn''t help but ask. "A poison? You all wanted to send me on an assassination mission?" "No such thing, O Progenitor. This is a unique treasure that is aimed at something specifically on the 7th Celestial Star, but it is not for assassination." Elena quickly clarified as she brought the bottle forward, leaving it on Noah''s hands as she continued. "Another result from the last full scale war that occurred over a thousand years ago were some very powerful beings imprisoned on the many Celestial Stars. This unique treasure that was sent with me for you to carry into the 7th Celestial Star...is something designed to release the shackles binding a particularly powerful figure imprisoned in that Celestial Star." ¡­! Noah looked closely at the viscous starry liquid moving within the small bottle that only seemed ancient, but did not let out any other aura. Even his Planetary System did not know anything about it as no information could be found out. "A prison break?" He spoke to himself as he evaluated his own goals when he eventually stepped into the 7th Celestial Stars, and how exactly the movements of these beings from the Dark Expanse could come into play. "The message they told me to pass along was for you to simply pop the stopper on that bottle and release the liquid flowing within into the soil of the Celestial Star, and this treasure would do the rest." Elena spoke respectfully as she observed the thoughtful expression on the Progenitor''s face, feeling her heartbeat increasing as his gaze landed on her again. The fearsome Progenitor in front of her put the small ancient bottle away with a wave of his hands as he continued. "Alright, this never ending war you continue to mention. The Alliance in the Dark Expanse and the Celestials in the Light Expanse. What exactly is the history behind this? A Celestial Grandmaster told me the Celestials have reigned over the last thousands of years bringing prosperity and peace over the Light Expanse, while also calling the Alliance overlooking the Dark Expanse to be an unstable collection of stars that sow chaos and disorder. What version of the story will you tell me?" Noah asked this Soul Rank being in front of him languidly as he called for more information on the Celestials, and for the exact reason of the apparently ongoing war and conflicts that continued to occur between the Light Expanse and the Dark Expanse. The only history he had with the Celestials was them almost killing him while they wiped out an entire world because of what they believed in, and he aimed his sword towards them because of this reason. He did not know of their real history or what they really stood for, the memories he obtained from the Celestial Disciple Drax only showing him more of their fearsome power as he continued to go down the path against them. Elena''s fervent expression actually turned serious at the mention of the Celestials, her gaze becoming somber as she spoke. "The Celestials...were an organization that slowly rose up a few thousand years ago. They began expanding their forces across a few worlds at first, preaching a doctrine of Order and Balance as they garnered more forces and support through all means possible." Her shimmering silver hair danced as her voice became stronger. "Their rise was paved and built on countless wars and bloodshed under the name of their doctrine, destroying anything and anyone that stood against them as they were labeled heretics and beings that sought to cause chaos and disorder. What made the Celestials even more fearsome was their unbelievable proficiency in the Law of Fate, a Supreme Law that has allowed them to remain unrivaled until now!" A grand and shocking story weaved itself out from the red lips of the curvaceous Royal Vampyre as the secrecy covering the Celestials was slowly torn through. "The number of beings that have died under the hands of the Celestials over the years, the number of stars that have been destroyed by their deadly weapons...is uncountable." Noah''s entire attention was focused on this silver-haired Vampyre as a picture was slowly being built about the beings that always shone with an ill.u.s.trious golden light, the beings that stood for Order and Balance- the Celestials! Chapter 321 - The Celestials, The War of the Righteous! The Celestials were beings of immense strength who quickly rose to power by relying on the mysterious Supreme Law of Fate. It was an extremely abstruse law that very few beings could master, and yet the Celestials held numerous techniques that could manipulate the Law of Fate as if it was their own two limbs. Through the fearsome power given by their domination of the Law of Fate, they rapidly expanded their influence across multiple worlds in the Light Expanse, continuing to dominate many forces over the years until it all led to the culmination of a huge war more than one thousand years ago! This long war was later known as The War of the Righteous, where two sides with their own strong beliefs clashed in large scale combat that colored the stars red and created thousands of dead planets. It occurred over decades as the death toll rose to the billions just for those involved in the war. The Celestials that were close to fully expanding their power over the Light Expanse fully clashed against the newly allied forces in the Dark Expanse that called themselves the Alliance. The Alliance saw the numerous atrocities that the Celestials continued to commit under the banner of Order and Balance as a few powerful figures chose not to stand on the sidelines and finally act, coming together and joining hands against this mysterious force. They banded together as they could already foresee that this force wanted to completely wrap everything in their palm of their hands, and they were destroying anything that stood in their way in order to achieve it! The Vampyre Progenitor was among these powerful beings that chose to stand against the Celestials and participated in the War of the Righteous, her power matching even the most powerful Celestial Grandmasters as the battle came to a brief impasse with her intrusion. Alas, it was too late. The power that the Celestials wielded had grown too much, utterly dominating the battlefield with their unique uses of the Law of Fate as they besieged hidden locations of the Alliance with precision and seemed to always know the movements of their enemies even before they acted. The Alliance was utterly and completely outclassed as the Celestials went on a crusade of Order and Balance, continuing until their forces completely dominated the entirety of the Light Expanse, pushing many opposing forces into the Dark Expanse as they retreated from their own homes. The War of the Righteous raged on for tens of years, multiple figures eventually meeting their True Deaths as even the Vampyre Progenitor was among them! Some of her scattered forces of Vampyres surrendered to the Celestials, choosing to occupy a small land in the Underworld as they recuperated from their defeat and losing their Progenitor while living under the rule of the ones that contributed to her death. The other scattered Vampyre Clans ended up running into the Dark Expanse as they rebuilt their homes and licked their wounds. Other powerful beings at the level of the Vampyre Progenitor were taken prisoners or killed as the conquest of the Celestials continued to rage on. After the Celestials had taken over much of the forces in the Light Expanse, they stabilized their power as they now turned their attention towards the Dark Expanse with hungry eyes! But this action...would be the one that finally stopped the Celestials on their tracks. They raised a huge force as they prepared to finish off the forces of the Alliance for good and spread their power across the Dark Expanse as well, but it was at this moment that a horrendous power coming from a region they had not even eyed yet came forward! From the Letalis Expanse, a terrible being that was only later termed as a Terror, a being at the pinnacle of the Ancient Races that dwelled in the Letalis Expanse came forward and called for an end to the unbelievably destructive war. The Alliance that was weary with a tremendous number of losses agreed to stand down, but the Celestial Grandmasters that held full belief of their power under the Law of Fate moved forward with their aims, proposing to crush any that would choose to stand on their path. It was this action...that went on to cause the first colossal losses for the Celestials, and eventually brought an end to the long War of the Righteous. The moment they chose to continue on this path, aside from the Terror, horrible creatures that would later become known as the Infernals appeared en masse from Realms of Hell that were never before seen as they rained down destruction! The being from the Letalis Expanse that they ignored the words of- this single being was enraged at the continuation of the unneeded war and acted against the huge army of the Celestials with the terrible creatures known as Infernals, utterly decimating the forces of the Celestials. This Ancient Being held power never before seen as just the size of its body made those that were near look like ants, carrying out attacks that decimated all that stood against it. Shock! Awe! Fear! This single battle was the reason that this colossal being was given the name of a Terror, as what they brought to the battlefield was nothing but that! This was also the first time many beings came to know the power of the creatures known as the Infernals, especially the cruel Infernal Lords that absorbed the bodies of the defeated to strengthen themselves even more. The Celestials faced losses they could have never foreseen in this battle as numerous Grandmasters fell along with hundreds of their powerful Interstellar Warsh.i.p.s. The Infernals faced their own casualties as they receded into the hellish doorways they came from, while the Celestials looked forth as the Terror from the Letalis Expanse left their decimated forces with but a single message. [Do not overstep your boundaries.] The message applied to the Celestials that now held control over the Light Expanse, as well as the Allied forces that looked on in shock from the Dark Expanse! This single being of the Ancient Race from the Letalis Expanse and the forces of the Infernals had brought an end to the War of the Righteous as the forces of Celestials pulled back and recuperated their losses. Noah raised his head as the curvaceous Elena stopped briefly as she told the story, his mind going to the words of the Celestial Grandmaster who had called the Ancient Races cowards that only slumbered towards their destruction. He did not understand the reason for that tone then, but he understood now! A single being had decimated the forces of the Celestial until they could not advance any further! ''Ancient Races and a Terror, huh?'' He wondered about the [Ancient Being] title that he now held as the Vampyre Progenitor as Elena continued on. "The Celestials pulled back and consolidated their forces, but they did not stop pushing their aims these last one thousand years. They have continued to grow even stronger as their mastery over the Law of Fate increased. The Ancient Races in the Letalis Expanse have gone silent, while only the Infernals continue to hinder the movements of the Celestials. Constant skirmishes and battles have been held over these last one thousand years in the locations where gates of Hell reside as well as the border between the Light Expanse and Dark Expanse." In the past one thousand years, the power of the Celestials had just continued to grow as wars at a much smaller scale continued to occur, the tide of victory once again beginning to shift to the side of the Celestials as they developed more fearsome strength with the advancements they continued to make with the Supreme Law of Fate. Many thoughts were passing through Noah''s mind as he heard this story, his thoughts also going to the Infernals that had appeared alongside the Terror from the Letalis Expanse. There were still clouds of mysteries about the Celestials, Infernals, and these beings from the Ancient Races that he had to slowly figure out as he continued to advance in power...and eventually become able to stand side by side with them in the future. A smile appeared on Noah''s face that wasn''t the usual calm and enthusiastic smile for the future. The enraptured Elena that was observing the Vampyre Progenitor all this time saw a cold smile that seemed to be hungry for power, a smile of a being filled with confidence even after hearing about the ridiculous levels of strength that his enemies and those around them held! Chapter 322 - A Taste of Blood! The curvaceous Elena that had just finished relaying numerous secrets about powerful figures became enchanted with the cold smile of the Vampyre Progenitor, the blood within her coursing even faster as they observed the being that stood at the peak of all Vampyres. This was just one of the huge effects for those that knew about their Progenitor, just the knowledge that the being holding the purest Vampyre Bloodline being in front of them making them feel extreme respect and reverence! Elena found her red lips unexpectedly moving by themselves as she continued to be lost in thoughts, deviating from her story after she found the state of her Progenitor in thought. "This undeserving child wondered if you''ve had the chance to feed yet, O Progenitor. I know you just returned from the Inheritance Grounds now, and I don''t wish to be an even worse servant that hasn''t offered anything to you." "Oh?" Noah returned to the present as he heard the melodious words of the Royal Vampyre whose head shimmered with silver hair. He observed her long hands pull the many strands of her hair to one side as she showed her neck and leaned her head to the right, voicing out with a slightly shaking voice that seemed to hold a tinge of excitement for something that she considered the biggest honor! "This undeserving servant offers up her blood for the Progenitor to feed for the first time since Awakening¡­" THUMP! Noah felt his new heart beat strongly as something that was a trait at the core of its being was presented in front of him. He found his body disappearing into red mist as he instantaneously reappeared in front of the fair woman with her neck turned to the side. He had just been thinking about the mysteries of Celestials, Infernals, and the beings from the Letalis Expanse when just a few words from this Royal Vampyre had prompted such a strong reaction from the innate nature of the Vampyre Progenitor! [Blood Gourmet] unconsciously activated as found a sweet smell wafting off the docile curvaceous figure in front of him. [Blood Gourmet] :: You become able to sense different qualities of blood and the wondrous unique taste they will bring to your palate, the only choice thereafter is whether you will devour. All abilities will be enhanced by half momentarily as you devour blood. The smell told his senses that the blood he could obtain from the figure in front of his eyes was of extreme quality, something that would be his first taste as a Vampyre that he would not be able to forget! Noah felt his mouth open as shining fangs glimmered in the area fully covered by a [Blood World], his right hand holding on to the neck where he could now see numerous veins and arteries pumping, his left hand bringing the plump body of this Royal Vampyre closer as he felt his teeth sinking into her soft neck, the taste of something he would have never before imagined bursting in his mouth in a cacophony of wondrous taste! "Ahh¡­!" It was the scene of a devilishly handsome Vampyre sinking his teeth into a damsel, a scene that many would be shocked to see as it would forever remain a secret for the only two beings in the revolving Blood World! ''Blood...tastes this good?'' A terrifying thought was coursing through Noah''s mind as he bit further down, causing the powerful figure at the Soul Forging Realm to tremble as she felt like she was floating on cloud nine. --- The Vampyre King Adrian and his Son were sitting in another location as they talked, their auras still locked in on the Council Hall not too far away from them where they couldn''t observe a single thing. "Father, from my experiences with Noah, he stands firmly against the Celestials and will be a great ally to have on our side. If you can...please make sure aunt doesn''t do anything bad to him." Adrian looked at his son thoughtfully as he nodded. He knew the strength of his sister was even greater than his own, standing stably at the peak of Soul Forging Realm. If she wished to do anything to the newly advanced Pureblood Vampyre that was Noah, he would be helpless to fight back. "No need to worry. Her being here means the Archeon Clan treats this matter with great importance. They would not want to get on his bad side. You did well bringing such a character to us this time around." The Vampyre King gave his son a proud gaze as he nodded, their talk continuing for another hour before they felt a portion of the Blood World opening, meaning they were being invited into the Council Room once more! They passed through the small entrance made as it quickly closed behind them, their gazes landing on a calm Noah that was standing by the side, and the amorous Elena looking towards them in a commanding expression while not being able to hide her ecstatic smile. "Alright, the details of the mission have been discussed, with our important guest agreeing to go through with it. We''ll have to be good hosts in the next few days as we welcome him to our family and culture. Little Cassius, you can handle this job?" Elena turned towards the Prince who was already standing next to Noah and checking if he had been bullied or charmed in any way, nodding his head as he gestured for Noah to follow him. The Vampyre King Adrian looked at his sister thoughtfully as he noticed her much bubblier expression, speaking towards her in a questioning tone. "Elena, you need to fill me in on the exact details of what is happening. I cannot lead an organization if I am kept in the dark about the important things occurring at this time." His serious gaze was interrupted by the curvaceous Elena waving her hands dismissively as her gaze remained on the figures of Noah and Prince Cassius who were leaving the slowly dissolving Blood World. She snapped her fingers as a thin layer of bloody mist surrounded her, covering up the distinct aura of a being from the Dark Expanse as her brother watched her figure become blurry as it went out towards the same direction as Noah and his son. "I''ll fill you in telepathically. I have to...observe our guest some more and make sure the mission is carried out with no issues." The silver-haired beauty disappeared from the Council Hall, leaving behind only a befuddled Vampyre King who had noticed something else was occurring besides the surface layer that his sister was letting on. A lone Vampyre King was left in the wide hall as a Prince led Noah outside of the castle, a Soul Forging Realm expert that knew the tremendous identity of this being following close behind in the shadows as her slender arms stroked her healed neck where powerful fangs that made electricity course through her body had just pierced. Chapter 323 - Preparing to enter enemy territory The rest of the day in the territory of the Pureblood Vampyres in the Underworld was spent with the young Prince Cassius who introduced the culture of Vampyres and the delicacies that they enjoyed. At a certain point, they returned to the wide dining hall where numerous sparklings foods were laid out, this time the chalices and adorned cups holding viscous red liquids being returned as Cassius offered Noah a drink. "This will be your first taste of something that you would only understand the wonders of as a Vampyre, go on." The Prince was observing closely as he thought he was undertaking the job of feeding an important new addition to the clan for the first time, not knowing a gorgeous silver-haired beauty had already offered up blood of even greater quality not too long ago. Noah sipped the blood rolling in the chalice as he compared the taste, observing the much lower quality as he unconsciously wanted the first one he had again. "Hmm good! Let''s continue." Prince Cassius continued to act as a good host as the day went on, numerous things occurring behind the scenes as the Vampyre King Adrian made preparations while a being at the peak of Soul Rank was hidden in the shadows closely looking over her Progenitor that only she knew the identity of at this instant. When Noah had finished feeding for the first time, Elena had collected herself as she lookedd to the shimmering red eyes that told her at the current time, it was to remain a secret that the blood of the Progenitor had awakened once more. If a being such as this had faced destruction in the past, Noah wanted to continue playing in the shadows without knowledge of it spreading out too widely. Elena could only give a nod of affirmation as she collected herself and then passed the commands to the entering Vampyre King and Prince Cassius thereafter. Time passed like this as Noah spent a few days in the Underworld, familiarizing himself with the many abilities that came with the Vampyre Progenitor as he learned more about the workings of the Celestials and the Alliance during the day, and conducted some more tests when night time came. The first night, he received a telepathic message from the Royal Vampyre Elena that went along the lines of- ''Can this undeserving servant be of any use to the Progenitor?'' Noah did not pass up the opportunity to become more familiar with the body of the Blood Progenitor, surprising the Royal Vampyre who had expected other things to occur when he began asking her to conduct secret field battle tests which allowed Noah to come to some spectacular conclusions after the numerous tests throughout the next few days. The first conclusions were regarding the boosts of Unnatural Strength, Speed, and Healing that came innately with the bloodline itself. Noah surprisingly found his strength and speed almost entering the realm of the Soul Rank while his body still held Void Rank attributes, the boosts from the bloodline as well as the passive trees from the Lesser Cthulhu and other abilities continuing to boost his power in ridiculous ways. The other conclusions were regarding his healing, where he commanded Elena to let out a strong enough attack that was able to pierce his body that now held a [Natural Blood Armor] that provided enormous defenses, observing emotionlessly as his right hand fell to the floor, and then numerous lines of blood shot out from his shoulder as they reconnected the lost limb without a scratch in a matter of seconds! There were too many wonders that came with his new body as he had only gotten more monstrous. He gradually wrapped up his preparations on the third day as he made it known that he would soon be moving out, going through another round of discussions with the Vampyre King and a few knowledgeable Elders about the 7th Celestial Star he would soon enter, and go through even more thorough discussions with the completely subservient Elena at other times regarding the secretive information that very few could obtain in the Dark or Light Expanse. He gradually expanded his horizons until the time came to leave with his tremendous gains on this trip to the Underworld, finding himself in the wide Council Hall once more as Elena gave numerous commands to the surrounding Vampyres. "Be more active with the spy networks and collect even the most unimportant information that deals with the Celestials. We need to know any possible moves they might be making in these next few weeks as our new brethren risks their life to enter one of their homes." Confirmations rang throughout as the Vampyre King stood to the side shaking his head as his authority was ever so slightly pulled away by his sister. Elena turned to Prince Cassius as she spoke once more. "Little Nephew, you will be heading back to the Dark Expanse to lie low after killing those Celestial Disciples. You need to upgrade your strength and purify your blood even further, and there are also too many awaiting your return back home." Prince Cassius nodded with a devilishly cold expression as he only cared about increasing his strength, and watching as Noah was about to jump into the jaws of enemy territory only made him seek faster growth of his own power. "Be careful not to be swept in by the Celestial''s doctrines, we don''t want you changing sides just a few months in." The young prince let out some ominous words towards Noah as he left to prepare. Noah only smiled at these words as he spoke out to the Vampyre King and Elena. "I''ll be taking my role as Crixus and begin to head towards the 7th Celestial Star. I''ll be sure to make contact if anything drastic occurs." The two Royal Vampyres nodded with heavy expressions as they watched Noah disappear into particles of light, knowing that the Alliance had given him a dangerous mission that would result in the release of a powerful being held prisoner on the 7th Celestial Star! The Vampyre King only wished success for the new brethren that had joined their ranks, while the Royal Vampyre Elena held a fervent light in her eyes as she watched the being only she knew as the Progenitor take on the most dangerous task. She turned to her little brother as she sent a telepathic message, knowing they would also be getting busy for the days to come. Many thoughts and ideals were spreading across multiple beings as Noah''s intrusion in the Underworld came to an end, leaving while taking with him enormous rewards that very few even knew about! Chapter 324 - Gifting Bloodlines, Transformations When Noah disappeared from the territory of the Pureblood Vampyres in the Underworld, he rematerialized in the fiery skies of the First Hell just above the mystical Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land. He spread his senses out as he observed a few people resting and recovering in the Spiritual Land, while others were in the heat of a fearsome battle far in the surroundings where the Spiritual Land was located. The Undead legion had formed a circular defense line that blocked enemies from all sides, the tireless undead holding the fort against the constant rush of Infernals as every single death caused by them went on to give Noah more Skill Points. He could observe the Emperor Penguin in the front lines flashing in and out as a silver light appeared and reappeared to reap the lives of numerous Infernals. Noah thought back to the history he had just found out about the Infernals, where he did not fully know of their origins, just that they had fully come into the spotlight over a thousand years ago during the War of the Righteous. There were numerous mysteries to unravel with their appearance and the special existences in the Letalis Expanse known as Terrors, but he put this in the back of his mind as he focused on the next set of things he had to do. His devilish figure sent a telepathic message to all the Harbingers of Sin, calling them back to the Spiritual Land briefly as he wanted to share the gains of the Ancient Blood World with them as well. The Abhorred Lich Emperor controlling numerous High Tiered Bone Dragons, Blue Phoenixes, and Specters ascertained its Master''s overpowering presence as it roared out, becoming even more fervent with its command of the battle as the Saint and Transcendent Rank Harbingers pulled back briefly. Everyone was collected in a small clearing on the Spiritual Land that held swaying white grass covered in snow, numerous farmlands holding resplendently glowing Medicinal Plants all around them as they observed Noah in shock once again. Barbatos floated in the snowy skies as she used her hands to turn Noah''s face in multiple directions, playing with the silver streaks of hair on his head as she voiced out while shaking her head. "How are you going to beat me in looks as well, little fish?" Many of the beings in the Spiritual Land were shocked to find the man that looked to have undergone a makeover, his skin getting a slightly pale complexion as his eyes shone with a l.u.s.trously dense red light, the silver streaks of hair on his head extenuating the [Supernatural Beauty] even more as people could stare wide-eyed for hours. "Bloodlines?" Kazuhiko looked forward with shining eyes as he placed his hand on the right side of his face, gazing upwards as he laughed with excitement, turning towards Noah thereafter as an imploring gaze replaced it. Noah laughed as he waved his hands, multiple l.u.s.trous beating hearts connected to numerous veins and arteries appearing in front of him. These were some of the many bloodlines still left behind in the storage rings and pouches located on the Ancient Shrine of the Inheritance Grounds of the Ancient Blood World, with Noah freely helping himself to them as numerous Pureblood Vampyre Bloodlines were displayed in front of him! He could choose to use [Vampyrism] and simply turn any beings into Elite Vampyres, or simply use [Bloodline Bestowal] to grant them the level of bloodline he wished. His own Origin Blood would be used up in the future if he chose to synthesize more bloodlines, but there were currently more than enough left behind by the old Progenitor that he would not have to do this anytime soon. The Harbingers of Sin looked at the shimmering treasures in front of them as they wondered exactly how much their power would be boosted, while Noah was looking forward to the new forms they would take after they withstood the tremendous pain that came with the bloodline fusion. When he used [Vampyrism] on humans, they simply gained the strengths and qualities of the Vampyres, but when the same process was applied to Beasts and Demons, some adopted fearsome transformations as they gained abilities unique to them. An example was how the first Pureblood Vampyre in Noah''s forces, Steel Mikhail, had simply become a more gorgeous and stronger version of himself as he now held the bloodline of a Pureblood Vampyre, but the beasts from the Beast World underwent transformations that made them even more fearsome. Noah looked forward to the transformations of the Calamities of the Sea and the beasts of the Spiritual Land as he flicked his fingers and sent forth the many bloodlines floating in front of him towards them. "Endure the pain and enjoy the rewards thereafter." RUMBLE! A large among of essence began to converge as he reminded them to endure the immense pain they were about to face, beginning to observe the minute changes occurring on every single one of them himself. The demonic figure of Barbatos floated into the skies as a misty red light surrounded her body, her already curvaceous and deadly proportions being extenuated even more as bloody wings erupted from her back! The miniaturized figure of the Kraken trembled as numerous red tattoos went on to cover its body, the runic sigils forming fearsome shapes as its long arms and tentacles gained fanged edges. The Imperial Phoenix had transformed into a glorious bird of red and blues flames that were mixing smoothly to create an interesting contrast of energies that would burn anything to cinders. "RAA! RAA! RAA!" Battle cries were already resounding from the Emperor Penguin as numerous sigils spread across its body as well, its figure becoming slimmer. Its flat flippers shone with a cold light as they became knife-edge, the sleek black and white color over the body of the penguin becoming even more vibrant as numerous sigils went on to cover portions of his body. Many of the beasts and demons had their own unique transformations depending on their initial compositions, with the Humans like Kazuhiko only gaining similar strands of silver hair like Noah, their bodies gaining tremendous strength while keeping much of their physiology the same. Among the Harbingers, a Bloodthirsty Kraken had arisen! A fearsome Vampyric Phoenix floated in the skies with blue and red flames painting both sides of her body, as an Emperor Penguin became even more arrogant as it felt the numerous tattoos all over its body. Barbatos''s demonic figure gained unreal proportions as beautiful shining red wings held her in the air like a demonic queen! An air of regality and nobleness spread out as Kazuhiko and the rest of them rose, shimmering eyes filled with power looking at Noah as they sensed an even deeper connection with him, their strengths heavily boosted once more as their bodies were honed even more for battle! Chapter 325 - A Mission, Crixus Returns! Noah affirmed the spectacular changes of the many beings around the snowy landscape of the Spiritual Land, every single one of them having gained something unique to them as their bodies pulsed with power. Similar to how his bloodline came with memories about the innate skills of Vampyres, they would also receive memories about their innate abilities, albeit they would be of much lesser quality than the Absolute and Void Ranked Skills that Noah received from the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline. "I''ll be stepping into the den of the Celestials soon, where things can go a multitude of ways depending on what fate has in store." He spoke to the upgraded Harbingers in a serious tone as they gradually adapted to their new bodies. They looked towards him with complicated looks as they each carried the same set of emotions. To them, it felt like Noah would always pierce into the front lines and brave the most dangerous fights while they just enjoyed themselves and received rewards that he had worked hard to obtain later. They felt stifled, and hated feeling like things just continued to be handed to them without them doing anything for it! They also wanted to do their part! They also wanted to go on dangerous missions where they could bring back unexpected and glorious loot to share with others! The Emperor Penguin could not hold it in any longer as he voiced out. "Master, what can we do? What other worlds can we conquer?!" They knew they were weak, and that training in an area like this First Realm of Hell was something that would greatly boost their strength over time, but they also wanted to contribute! Noah held a wide smile as he looked at the imploring gazes that wanted to do more than train day and night. A few thoughts crossed his mind as he thought of a certain peak Prime World he just left. A world filled with supernatural monsters all the way up to the Soul Forging Realm. A world with Pureblood Vampyres, Werewolves, Cyclops, and numerous more ridiculous creatures. "There is a world filled with monstrous creatures that scale up to the Soul Rank. Many of you are still at the Transcendent Rank with only a few at the Saint Rank, so this world would be dangerous but filled with opportunities for you all to advance." Numerous red lights shone as they heard dangers of beings up to the Soul Rank, though smarter ones like Barbatos were looking at Noah with an apprehensive expression that seemed to say- ''Won''t we just die if we jump into that world?!'' Noah laughed as he squashed any fears down with his next set of words that also smacked them into shock once again. "You guys should be fine, there is a Soul Rank Royal Vampyre under my command who will take the lead and look after you all." The Harbingers looked at him as they shook their heads depreciating, Noah himself using [Telepathy] as he sent a message to Elena that held shocking contents. Besides the current mission of covertly observing and doc.u.menting all the movements of the Celestials in the areas where the Pureblood Vampyres had their eyes into, yet another task had been laid on her lap. That task...was the expansion of the forces of the Pureblood Vampyres in the Underworld! The Royal Vampyre who had begun looking at stacks of paper and using her essence to read over an abundant amount of information in shining floating crystals accompanied by the Vampyre King received this message as her body shook, a radiant light coursing through her eyes as a smile appeared on her lips. Her Progenitor had tasked her with a mission, and she would be receiving beings he held close to him for her to take care of and raise their strength while this mission was underway. Her long legs stood up straight as her shimmering silver hair danced wildly, boldly speaking out towards the Vampyre King looking up at her like she had a few nuts loose. "A mission has just been passed down. Our forces are to start the process of expanding our power over the Underworld soon. Send me the divisions that aren''t spread out across worlds as we prepare legions for battle here!" Elena''s strong voice filled with enthusiasm that wanted to please a being it respected greatly rang out, her little brother looking at her and shaking his head as he simply did not even know what was going on anymore. "Won''t this draw attention to us?" "Every Prime World knows how the Pureblood Vampyres keep to themselves even though their power is greater than many of the forces in the Underworld. This will simply be seen as the rise of our force that had been lying in wait all this time, even going forward to remove any suspicions about us. Move little brother, we mustn''t delay." "..." Tides of change had begun once more, this time on a Prime World populated with beings at the Void and Soul Rank as Noah made plans to let newly upgraded Harbingers loose on the Underworld! Even though he sent a message to Elena and told the Harbingers to still adhere to a set of principles not to hurt the innocent during this expansion, Noah inadvertently did not notice that his past mentality would have gone through many round about ways to justify his actions or find a specific group that could be considered evil for his forces to target. He could have simply put the Underworld''s forces under the banner of the Celestials in the Light Expanse and used that as a justification! But his significantly changed body and mind that was being constantly affected by the awakening Blood Progenitor Bloodline did not even go through this roundabout way of thinking! He simply knew he and his forces needed to quickly increase their strength, and the conditions of the Underworld were perfect for it. Even though his forces would target those they considered to be evil or causing harm, Noah had still inadvertently begun a battle for conquest on a Prime World that was relatively balanced with only a few clashes over the years. Thus...chaos was slowly beginning to propagate in some of the higher powers in the Light Expanse ever so slowly. This chaos would only continue as Noah''s body that was now completely changed to the form of Crixus reappeared in the Cultivation Abode of the Profound Astral Sect he had left days ago. His form this time was changed through the use of [Unique Origin], where his physical aspects and his own origin all portrayed that he was Crixus, the core disciple of the Profound Astral Sect, and that was all he was! Nobody would be able to look past this ability stemming from the Absolute Skill of the Vampyre Progenitor as his aura had now fully settled with everything being contained. The eyes of ''Crixus'' opened as he came out of what was supposed to be his last cultivation session to stabilize his Saint Realm before he set off, sending a message to his father as he relayed a singular sentence- I am ready! Chapter 326 - Towards the 7th Celestial Star A bustle of activities was underway at the Profound Astral Sect as the Elders and Sect Master prepared to send off one of their Core Disciples to join the forces of Celestials! The powerful figures of the Profound Astral Sect knew their sway over the World of Cultivation would only increase the more connected they were to the Celestials, making this a grand occasion to look forward to. The Shining Son of the Sect, William, found out about this news from an Elder a few days back as he felt a myriad of emotions when looking at the Crixus he knew and the one that had gradually changed as he made a breakthrough to the Saint Realm. A sense of defeat almost overcame him, but he reminded himself of his own genius as his heart grew firmer, promising himself to continue his cultivation journey no matter what was happening around him! Crixus''s father, Elder Baldwin, was accompanied by Elder Spacewarp and the Sect Master as they used their aura to observe the exquisitely made interstellar ship that would be powered by numerous Void Realm Spirit Stones until their disciple made his way to the 7th Celestial Star. "The Spirit Stones will be enough to last the entire journey?" Elder Baldwin asked with a bit of concern as Elder Spacewarp laughed and replied. "Relax old man, Crixus will be fine. We almost emptied our vaults just getting this many Spirit Stones for the entire trip." The surrounding Elders that were slowly gathering along with the Sect Master smiled as they looked far into the future, their gazes turning in one direction as they saw a determined face finally leave the cultivation abode and near the interstellar ship. "Sect Leader, Father, Elder Spacewarp." Noah nodded to the frontmost figures as he showed off an expression of a man ready to take anything that would be thrown at him, spending the next few minutes receiving the goodwill of the surrounding Elders and more advice from his Father and Sect Master as the doors of the small Interstellar Ship opened for him. "Show off your genius in the Celestial Star and make the name of the Profound Astral Sect even more renowned!" The Sect Master palpating with power said a few last words as Noah nodded, the door of the ship closing behind him as the mechanisms in place initiated. He pulled out the Void Crystal that the Celestial Grandmaster left him with as the coordinates of the 7th Celestial Star were placed into the ship, numerous Spirit Stones beginning to burn as it lifted off the ground and began shooting off into the skies. Hopeful gazes were left on the ground as a single disciple from the Profound Astral Sect went off, the effects of his journey towards the Celestial Star still unknown at this moment! --- A small interstellar ship cruised across the vastness of space as the figure inside it sat down serenely in a meditative pose. Void Realm energy was constantly released from his body as he powered up the ship, taking a majority of the Void Rank Spirit Stones that the Profound Astral Sect had prepared as fuel as they knew their disciple to still be in the Saint Realm. He had begun absorbing the Void Rank Spirit Stones that were just refined [Core]s with enormous amounts of essence, powering up his own realm as more than 2 days had passed since he had begun traversing through space towards the Celestial Star. The purple Dagger of Time was slowly rotating in front of him as he used [Insight] to try and peer through any possibilities in this upcoming journey, but it felt like he was trying to see in an extremely dark tunnel that only occasionally had spurts of light. When it came to anything surrounding the Celestials, he couldn''t freely observe them! This was especially so as the place he was entering this time was a planet that was filled with monstrous beings that were extremely proficient in the Supreme Law of Fate. One of the biggest things he wanted to obtain out of this venture was to gain more understanding of this abstruse law that seemed to evade everyone but the Celestials. As for what else would occur after his entrance into the Celestial Star? All of this was left in the air as only a few possible paths were visible in his mind. His joining of the Celestials had to be significant, where he wouldn''t just be any other Celestial Disciple like Drax who had most likely died in the Infernal Realm. In this venture he was undertaking right now...he had to rise through the ranks of these Celestials as he gained more and more access to their secrets! He saw this as one of the few ways he could continue to stand against them, with the smallest of possibilities to dismantle them from the inside! A sharp red light pierced through his eyes as he continued to pass numerous stars, finding more and more vibrant stars with powerful lifeforms filling up in the direction he was going in. This single Celestial Star seemed to be a center point of activity as the closer he got towards it, the more planets filled with abundant life he could see as the ship he was on continued forward speedily. He confirmed that [Unique Origin] was working perfectly, stopping the usage of his own energy as he let the ship use the Void Rank Spirit Stones for fuel once again, observing the aura surrounding his body to be nothing more than a cultivator at the Saint Realm as he neared the 7th Celestial Star. The first thing that he observed was a brilliant light! This brilliant light expanded to cover his surroundings as he gradually became used to it, being able to see and sense an immensely large planet that was bigger than any he had previously come across continue to expand in front of him. One could observe a layer of golden light wrapping around the entirety of the planet, a few vessels floating around this layer of light as some lights could be seen leaving and coming in. One could distinctly observe these lights to be vessels, while others were the figures of experts that shot out with speeds just as fast. It looked like a resplendent hubbub of activity that also seemed quiet at the same time, a level of calmness spreading out from this star that seemed to portray absolute strength and confidence! The Void Crystal he received began to shine with a golden light as it sensed the coordinates of the intended location, a brilliant planet full of splendor opening itself in front of Noah as he arrived at the 7th Celestial Star! Chapter 327 - White Robed Celestial Disciple As Noah observed the behemoth of a planet in front of him, he unexpectedly did not find his heartbeat increasing nor did he feel any sense of nervousness. He looked at his fingers to see if he could find even a semblance of trembling, but he was extremely stable! This was confidence! Utter and complete confidence in the abilities he had prepared in advance, and utter confidence in himself to be able to make the best out of this huge opportunity! He rose as he came to full attention, nearing the 7th Celestial Star as the Void Crystal he held blinked even more rapidly, a reaction occurring from the shimmering star in front of him a ray of golden light shot out and struck the vessel he was on. RUMBLE! The numerous vessels surrounding the Celestial Star only stared at this newly appearing ship briefly before they returned to their own posts, only observing as the golden light that attached itself to this small ship pulled it towards the planet slowly until it smoothly passed the golden barrier that covered its entirety. Noah continued to expand his senses as he observed everything around him, not being able to explain this golden light that attached itself to his small ship and was pulling him towards an unknown location on this star! He pierced through the stratosphere and accelerated down even faster, soon piercing through the veil of clouds as a resplendent scene opened itself up in front of his eyes. Beyond the layer of clouds, he could see expansive and mystical landscapes that screamed power and serenity as he observed numerous mountains and valleys palpating with dense essence. The overabundance of essence was not the only thing that one could feel, as the more time he spent in this Celestial Star, the more he could feel a convergence of another force he had come in contact with a few times before- fate! It gave one an oppressive feeling that seemed to say whatever power you held, fate would always be above it! Noah continued to let his aura explore the new world around him as on the mystical landscapes that held their own unique environments, he could see numerous unique structures that could be considered shrines and monasteries, along with expansive dome-shaped buildings that were spread out all around. The golden light was pulling him ever so closer to an expansive rectangular building that held an expansive clearance where the ship he was on soon came to a stop, the golden light that was pulling him forward disappearing. The clearance he had landed in was filled with happily swaying grass as a scene of peace and serenity showed itself, Noah expanding what should be his Saint Realm aura to observe the massive energy signatures of multiple beings in the paradisical clearing, as well the huge rectangular monastery that was at the center of this expansive clearing between tall mountains. There was a wide rushing river not too far away from the position he was at, the waters extremely clear to observe as colorful fish could be seen floating within. The door of his ship opened as Noah stepped out, letting his eyes land on this paradisiacal scene of majesty as he waved his hands and stored the ship into a separate space. His wandering gaze met the auras he had sensed on this wide clearing, finding himself facing numerous figures dressed in white robes that were accompanied by a few powerful figures dressed in black robes. Many of the beings clad in white robes held auras that showed their strength at the Transcendent Realm, with a few standing stably at the Saint Realm! The few dressed in black robes were all at the Void Realm, and Noah observed the figures of 2 beings encased in red robes that held a vibrant aura at the Soul Forging Realm! Above all of these beings was a single old man that he had met once before, the same Celestial Grandmaster that had invited him to join the ranks of the Celestials not too long ago! This Celestial Grandmaster was adorned in a golden robe as he was surrounded by the numerous white robed disciples, a few black robed disciples, and 2 that wore shining red robes all paying close attention to him. His gaze turned to the appearing Noah as he gave a light smile and spoke. "As foretold by fate, the last one to join us has arrived. Not too early, not too late. Just in time, and we can begin with the introductions." His voice was clear as it resounded across the wide clearing they were in, many new faces turning to look at Noah as he came closer and bowed. "Grandmaster!" He called out as he judged the situation around him, seeing the faces of the numerous white robed disciples that were most likely in the same position as him look towards him with complacent gazes. SNAP! He saw the fingers of the old man snap as a white robe appeared in front of his eyes, along with a shining storage ring that held numerous things as he used his essence to bind the ring and wrap the robe around his body. The Celestial Grandmaster nodded as this action was complete, continuing. "The others have gotten here some time earlier and have thus become slightly more familiarized, but the core teachings will start now as you join us." Noah nodded as he came forward, glancing at the other white robbed disciples that ranged from various races, with many of them mostly humans. He ignored the looks he was receiving for now as he moved closer and joined their ranks, the Celestial Grandmaster speaking once more. "For the basic introductions, all of the newly appearing Celestial Disciples will be distinguished by the white robes they wear, with those who distinguished themselves and rose in power being able to receive the black robes, and once you become full fledged Celestials, obtain the red robes." "As you have all noticed, the robes do not hold any sort of special defenses or power, and are simply there for distinction as you pave your way towards higher levels of power." The Grandmaster spoke to the faces around him, many of them already knowing this information, with Noah being the only one receiving it now. The Grandmaster looked at the white robed disciples as he continued. "Many of you have been recruited across the vast stars because of the unique talents and skills you have shown, with some of you even personally chosen by me." A few happy faces could be seen as this was mentioned, the speaker paying no heed as more information was divulged. "What I can tell you now is that we are honest and straightforward here, rewarding those that excel, while those that lag behind will gradually being forgotten in the dredges of time. We create champions that are able to stand for Order and Balance, but all of these champions begin at the same place you are all in, so have faith!" Many of the white robed disciples remained with their strong expressions as they heard these words, believing utmost in their genius that had managed to catch the eyes of the Celestials and have them invited to be here in the first place. "In this Celestial Star, you will learn a source of power that reigns the strongest, and you will learn how to properly utilize this power as even the genius feats you made before will all be left in the dust." Vibrant gold light shone from the Grandmaster as he finished these words, waving his hands as the entire scenery around them changed, a brand new atmosphere appearing around them as they saw numerous golden rivers moving past them, with sparkling stars occupying their sights as it felt like they weren''t just standing on a mountainous clearance just now! It was a magnificent scene of a fantastical environment where one could observe numerous rivers of gold passing around them with numerous stars hanging all around to complete the picture. The Celestial Grandmaster clenched his fist as they observed a small golden river pulled towards him, his eyes sparkling with a grand light as his voice resounded once more. "We must start you off with a strong base and knowledge, so we shall start with something that is extremely simple, yet also the most complex. We will start by talking about Fate." ¡­! A shimmering scene of wonder began playing itself out in front of Noah as he intruded on the 7th Celestial Star, receiving lessons the moment he arrived as it seemed they were just waiting for him! Chapter 328 - Fate 101 Many would find themselves pondering, what exactly was fate? Some call it destiny- a predetermined set of events that were bound to happen, but was that all it was? "This golden river in my hands, or the free-flowing river you were all observing before I changed the surroundings, they all have a predetermined reality that they have to follow." The mythical river that the Celestial Grandmaster had plucked was struggling in his hands as it wanted to quickly find a way out. "But...what if it was possible to manipulate that reality? What if it was possible to manipulate fate?" Thin lines of light released from his body as they covered the struggling river, gradually causing it to come down as it became as docile as possible. No more struggles occurred as the river became a circular lake, standing still as the Grandmaster raised his hands up. "When one becomes proficient enough, manipulating and influencing these predetermined sets of realities becomes possible." As he was speaking, his hands plucked out multiple golden flowing rivers around him as he turned them into docile lakes that serenely floated around him. It was at this moment though, that one could see the first river he had turned into a lake begin to tremble as it reformed back into a river. "But this brings us to the next point that all of you have to ingrain into your origins. Things will always go back to the natural state they were in, a natural state that is filled with randomness and disorder. From a calm lake into a surging river, the thing to be understood is that at the core of all of it- randomness, or disorder, will always increase." The lake had reformed into a raging golden river that flowed around the Celestial, disrupting the nearby lakes as they soon began to tremble. The point that the Grandmaster seemed to be making was that once things returned to this state of disorder, they would go even further as they made the surrounding entities also fall into a similar state! "That is where the Celestials come in. We are students of Fate, and our goal is to make sure that the things which have been influenced and manipulated remain in that state of balance, that they remain ordered. This can be very hard to achieve for those who are not proficient in the Law of Fate." He waved his hands again as numerous golden lines fell onto the trembling lakes that were about to return into rivers, their forms being stabilized once more as they remained still. But the single raging river fought against the thin golden lines as it remained wild, the raging waves around it actually increasing! "Though sometimes you will have a force that will simply not adhere to this influence of fate, and continues to fall into more and more randomness, bringing about even greater disorder. When you reach this stage¡­" The golden lines releasing from him turned a shade of red as they wrapped around the golden surging river, tightly binding it as destructive lights were released, the Celestial Disciples watching on in shock as the river was slowly strangled until it exploded into a steam of nothingness! "...you will learn to simply snuff this force out, and observe as everything around it more easily and permanently maintains Order." Noah watched on with wide eyes at this principle as the numerous rivers which had been turned into lakes floated serenely around the Celestial Grandmaster, not a single one of them even showing a sign of changing back as even the slightest trembling could not be seen! "This world we are in, this galaxy, this universe- they are all in a constant state of randomness and disorder that only increases as time passes. Whatever is born will eventually die, no matter if it is a human, a fairie, demon, or even a star." The voice of the Celestial Grandmaster was gradually becoming elevated as it seemed he was releasing a profound lecture that they would never come across again in their entire lifetimes. "We, the Celestials, have chosen to be the pioneers of fate that work every second to bring Order and Balance in this environment of constant and ever so increasing disorder!" His voice boomed out as it shook the origins of every listening disciple, even the ones that had already heard this speech before! "With our continued understanding and proficiency in the Supreme Law of Fate, we have been able to bring an order never before seen in this Light Expanse, a level of Order that has prevented the deaths of trillions of beings and millions of stars." "I know many of you come from different worlds where you may have heard different rumors and ideas about us on what we really stand for. Some of you may have a picture of us as simple tyrants who force our wills onto others. Some of you may look at our actions and call them vile or detestable, while some of you may think of us as merciful saints who have saved neighboring worlds and beings you know!" The gaze of the Celestial Grandmaster was moving across every single white robbed disciple as his voice reached a pitch that seemed to resonate with the mystical flowing atmosphere he had transferred all of them in. "Some of you may have lived in worlds where our name brought fear and silence, while some of you may have lived in stars where you looked up and were proud just to hear the name of Celestials be mentioned. You may think a great deal of things about Celestials, but you will only truly understand who we are and what we do after you have truly stepped onto the path to becoming a Celestial yourself!" His gaze landed on Noah as he felt a sense of gravity unlike anything he had come across before, the gaze of the Celestial Grandmaster shifting to a being next to him as he became able to breathe easy once more. "Once you become a true student of fate and you start asking yourself- what does fate have in store for me, and how can I influence it to bring about the most order in the lands around me- only then will you be able to understand just how paramount the task we Celestials have out in front of ourselves is." A shimmering look occupied the aged face of the Grandmaster as he continued. "We are going against the natural flow of events, bringing and maintaining order in worlds that seek to constantly be more random! It is a task that you will only realize the immensity of in time¡­" "So, our new recruits, pay attention as you begin to explore the workings of fate, and pay even closer attention to your own actions and the result they bring. To start you off on your journey, we shall start with the simple techniques that will allow you to condense the abstruse Law of Fate into your own bodies." The Grandmaster waved his hands as numerous shining crystals appeared in front of every single White Robed Disciple. "This is the primary technique that will allow you condense Lines of Fate into your body, these Lines being your most supreme foundation as you will realize that ranks and levels become meaningless in your eyes, that if you have the talent in the Law of Fate and hold an insurmountable number of Fate Lines- not a single thing will be able to stand against you!" A shocking impact was left on the hearts of many of the new disciples as they reached out towards the sparkling Inheritance Stones, Noah reaching out for the one in front of him as numerous information entered his mind and a new skill became available to him. Under the tab of unique skills, a golden shining skill by the name of {Fate''s Disciple} was showing itself in a spectacular fashion as he received the first lesson from the Celestials! Chapter 329 - Fate 101 (II) "The first technique that we shall start with is the basis of all Celestials. It is the technique that allows us to condense lines of fate into our origins, and we can then use these Fate Lines to provide us abundant strength." The Grandmaster continued to speak as numerous bouts of information was received by the White Robed Disciples from the floating Inheritance Stones. Noah already had this information simplified in front of him as he observed the details of the unique skill! {Fate''s Disciple} :: A technique geared towards cultivating the Supreme Law of Fate. Grants the user the ability to inscribe the unique energy of fate into their origin in the form of Fate Lines. The description was fairly simple, but Noah did not even think of activating it as he looked forward to the Celestial Grandmaster. "Many of you were chosen because of your own unique genius, and you will have a chance to prove yourselves in the next few days as you get to learn whether you are a true genius, or simply a star that shone slightly brighter than others." "I will remind you now that we reward those who exceed, while those who do not show talent almost always get left behind!" The gaze of the Celestial Grandmaster was impassive as he said this, waving his hands as multiple outlines of humanoid bodies appeared in front of them. "What do I mean when I say talent? Talent for the law of fate varies across beings, but the first prerequisite for a high talent in being able to comprehend this law is the utter and absolute mindset of high aspirations for yourself and the things you are connected to. You will come to find that most geniuses of fate are the ones that have numerous connections, their livelihood influencing the fates of many beings that they are connected to." The three outlines of humanoid bodies in front of them glowed different shades of color. One was dark, another had a slight golden light, and the third was shining bright gold! "Take this first being for an example." The Grandmaster pointed to the dark humanoid outline as he continued. "There is no talent in fate, while the next one has slight talent, and the third one has tremendous talent. But¡­!" RUMBLE! Essence erupted as the outlines rapidly changed, showing a gradual passage of time as the outline that was dark became brighter and brighter, the second outline that held a slight gold light remained the same, while the third outline that shone brightly before became dimmer and dimmer. "...you will realize as time passes that those who are talented can become nothing, others simply remain the same, while those with no talent can rise to unimaginable heights. All of this will depend on a being''s aspiration, and what they do to actually act on their aspirations and influence the fates of numerous beings around them." "We, the Celestials, have grand aspirations! Aspirations that cover numerous planets, and we have actively acted on our aspirations over the years, granting us unbelievable power under the Law of Fate as we influence things at a scale never before imagined." The Grandmaster waved his hands as the images of the humanoid outlines disappeared, his gaze landing on the many White Robed Disciples enraptured with his presentation. "Over the next few days, you will find out whether you already hold tremendous talent with numerous lines of fate converging towards you the moment you begin cultivating {Fate''s Disciple}, or if you will be a late bloomer who will struggle before exploding...or if you will simply be left behind." POP! They heard the sound of a bubble popping as the illusory world that the Grandmaster had summoned them to disappeared, finding themselves back on the paradisiacal clearing with numerous vegetations all around, the large building in the distance standing strong. "If you find yourselves stumbling, ask the Black Robed and Red Robed Celestials for help. I will be observing your progress closely." The Celestial Grandmaster finished his words as he began disappearing into particles of light, the two Red Robed Celestials that let out an oppressive aura at the peak of Soul Forging Realm nodding their heads to the disciples and standing up as a cacophony of discussion erupted from all around. Noah was rereading the description of the unique skill, {Fate''s Disciple}, as the many White Robed Disciples around him had split off into groups or had begun talking with the higher-ranked Black Robed Disciples. One of the Red Robed Celestials observe Noah standing blankly by himself as he waved his hands, a golden plaque appearing in front of his eyes that described everything there was to know about the being called Crixus, his eyebrows lifting as he read about the ability this genius had to use Aether! He nodded in satisfaction as he approached Noah and asked. "Young disciple, what can I clarify for you?" Noah glanced at this being that was smiling in a helpful manner as he replied. "These Fate Lines you mentioned, how exactly does one use them after they are condensed into their bodies?" Noah asked a random question as he wondered how he should play his cards for this very important beginning of this new journey, a brilliant reply coming as the body of the red-robed Celestial began to shine with numerous lines. "I''ve made my own Fate Lines visible as an example. Using {Fate''s Disciple} uses up your own essence in exchange for assimilating a line or a few lines of fate depending on your talent and reserves of energy. You sometimes find people who have a grand fate laid out for them to be able to assimilate numerous Fate Lines very quickly, only to be hindered by the small amount of energy they have as they advance slowly thereafter." "You also find those with high realms and abundant energy not being able to condense any Fate Lines as they have no talent for it. All you have to do is move your essence according to {Fate''s Disciple} and observe what talent you truly have. You do not need to actively use your Fate Lines for now, as they augment your strength passively!" The Red Robed Disciple spoke with a fervent expression as his body gave off an oppressive feeling, the numerous golden lines on his body bringing a horrible feeling of oppression to anyone that was near. "You will realize the uses of Fate Lines more as you receive more techniques in the future, but I can tell you a huge secret now about Fate Lines." Noah listened closely as the light gradually died down on the being in front of him. "If you are proficient in condensing fate lines and acc.u.mulate a tremendous amount of them, you will find yourself easily matching those in higher realms simply because of the force that Fate Lines provide your strength. A Saint Realm being defeating a Void or Soul Forging Realm expert is within the realm of possibility!" Grand words came out of this Red Robed Celestial''s mouth as it sparked the spirits of the numerous listening White Robed Disciples as they began to cultivate {Fate Disciple}. Noah nodded to the being in front of him as he took a meditative position himself, being very careful but very much looking forward to seeing how this would all turn out! Chapter 330 - Talent? Noah''s ears were picking up a few discussions from his expanded senses as he gradually came to realize the reason why he had received some looks when he first came here. Beside him, many of the selected Celestial Disciples that wore the white robes currently were tremendous geniuses from powerful Prime Worlds, or were beings that already lived in this Celestial Star and were just now beginning their journey on the Law of Fate as official Celestial Disciples. Some of them already had Fate Lines condensed in their bodies, as they now sat serenely while their bodies glowed a tinge of red, small golden colors appearing above them that went to enter their bodies. It was these beings who were surrounded by other disciples as they were asked more about their experiences, while Noah found himself alone as the single Red Robed Celestial came to check on him as the first day as a Celestial Disciple progressed. To put it simply, these powerful geniuses and natives of the Celestial Star that held huge beliefs in themselves didn''t look at Noah as anything much, only the Red Robed Celestial that held their information placing some slight interest on him! Noah smiled at this atmosphere as he watched one of the White Robed Disciples begin the process of condensing lines of fate, using the {Fate''s Disciple} technique for the first time. OOONG! A wave of golden light released from his body, calling the attention of numerous practicing disciples and the Celestials as they closely watched this disciple who seemed to have some talent in the law of fate. One..two..four...eight...numerous golden lines rapidly formed above his head as they went to descend to his body, a vibrant feeling of strength releasing from him as words of acknowledgment rang out from the Red Robed Celestial. "Being able to condense 10 Fate Lines the moment you step onto the Law of Fate is good, and it means you have good possibilities for the future!" The young genius nodded with a passionate face as he closed his eyes and returned to meditation, much of his energy spent to condense these 10 Fate Lines as he slowly retrieved before he began the process of slowly collecting more Fate Lines. "I can tell you all the number of Fate Lines now for you to have a goal in mind. 1-100 Fate Lines make you eligible to be a full-fledged White Robed Celestial Disciple, going past 100 and nearing 10,000 Fate Lines puts you at the peak of Black Robed Celestial Disciples, going past 10,000 and nearing the limit of 100,000 Fate Lines relinquishes your role as a Disciple and makes you a Celestial, putting you above even me, who only holds 37,145 Fate Lines currently!" The Red Robed Celestial resonantly spoke as Noah learned more about the terms of the Celestials, committing them to memory as he observed a few other scenes occurring throughout the next few minutes. A white robed disciple activated {Fate''s Disciple} next as he shockingly was able to condense 25 Fate Lines instantly! Another disciple began the process as they condensed 15. Another condensed 5 right away, with a fourth one causing a resonance of essence as they condensed more than 40 Fate Lines in but an instant! "Good, it seems like we have many good seeds this time around." The Red Robed Celestial nodded with a proud expression as the training continued, only a few disciples like Noah remaining who had not begun the process of condensing their first Fate Lines. The gazes of the other geniuses who were recuperating their energies turned towards those who had not yet begun condensing their lines of fate as the remaining disciples were put on the spotlight. A disciple from the Stone Race rattled as he received the gazes of numerous disciples and the two Celestials, closing his eyes as he initiated {Fate''s Disciple}, a golden light shining down that slowly began fizzling before it reached him. The proud light on the Red Robed Celestial''s face was wiped away as he sighed and pityingly spoke. "No talent as of now. Work hard in the future." The words were impassive as their gazes moved on to the next disciple, this time a being of the human race whose face was holding a determined expression after seeing the failure of the last disciple. They initiated {Fate''s Disciple} as they watched to their dismay...only 2 Fate Lines descending down! "Subpar talent." The impassive words of the Red Robed Celestial rang out as the gazes of disciples and Celestials alike continued to move on to more beings, a competitive atmosphere occupying the surroundings as some shone in the spot light while others sputtered out in shame. 15 Fate Lines. "Good!" 5 Fate Lines. "Subpar." 20 Fate Lines. "A Talent!" Noah observed this process continuing with a smile, the numbers of disciples who had not yet condensed their Fate Lines reducing until only he was left among the joining White Robed Disciples who had yet to use {Fate''s Disciple} for the first time. The gazes of the proud disciples that were called talents or geniuses landed on him, the probing gazes of the two Red Robed Celestials arriving soon after as they watched to see what this being who had arrived last among the party of disciples had to offer. His heart was calm as he took in the gaze of the many beings without any sense of nervousness, his mind replaying the words of the Grandmaster who talked about fate. ''Fate favors those with high aspirations who also happen to act on their aspirations and influence the beings around them huh?'' The words of the Grandmaster rang in his ears as he thought about himself. He thought of his own aspirations, the things he had already done, the things he planned to do, and the influence he already had on the numerous planets and beings connected to him. If all of this was put into the picture¡­ A confident smile appeared on his face as he thought about this, realizing where some of the strength of the Celestials came from as he thought of all the stars in the Light Expanse that they held sway over. No wonder that those in the Dark Expanse lost to them! No wonder their strength seemed to completely overpower everything else! Just from the first hour of his entrance into their Celestial Star, he had learned one of the core things behind their source of strength- which was the more entities one influenced the fates of, the stronger the power of the Law of Fate they could display. As for himself? When it came to aspirations, there were many, and they were huge! When it came to connections, he had literal connections of worlds attached to him! When it came to the most crucial aspect of embarking on the path of the Supreme Law of Fate, actually taking the steps towards one''s own grand aspirations...he had always continued to do this, and at an extremely rapid rate at that! So when it came to his talent to amass these so-called lines of fate? A dangerous smile appeared on Noah''s face as he prepared to do something huge. He had arrived in the 7th Celestial Star and was already impressed just in the first hour. He had learned a small bit of their ideology as numerous thoughts passed through his mind, comparing them to his own experiences and the things he heard from Elena. He wanted to peer more into the secrets of the Celestials, and understand even more the core of their power! To do this...he would make a shocking first impression on his first day here as he gave them a show they would never be able to forget! OOOONG! Essence began to tremble around him as the gazes of the many unconvinced disciples and probing Red Robed Celestials watched on, the color of the sky changing as Noah initiated {Fate''s Disciple} for the first time. Chapter 331 - This is Talent! RUMBLE! A tremor spread out as the Celestial Grandmaster who had just left the training disciples and teleported into his small monastery surrounded by extravagant medicinal plants opened his eyes and looked towards the location he just left. The Grandmaster, Vredral, found his aged eyes opening wide as his body flashed towards the training grounds once more, his eyes landing on a single being at the training grounds who was shining a brilliant golden light! Numerous Fate Lines were converging in the skies, turning the entire area golden as an unforeseen event occurred in the midst of the training grounds. The face of the Grandmaster underwent a change of expressions as he observed the stupendous sight playing out in front of him. From all directions in the skies, numerous lines of fate that turned the entire sky a shade of gold had appeared, and they were all heading towards a single being meditating stably on the clear paradisiacal grassland. His dark hair whipped wildly around him as one could distinctly observe a smile of utter confidence and control! --- OOONG! Noah felt like he could hear the melodic sounds of something that felt foreign yet at the same time was always with him. The moment he initiated the {Fate''s Disciple} skill, he became rooted in the spot he was in as he felt a tremendous force appear in the skies. He could feel just a portion of this massive force, and he observed the usage of {Fate''s Disciple} as it gave him the ability to directly pull a minuscule amount of this tremendous source of strength towards his body! WAAA! A cacophony of sounds rang out as it felt like a wave of golden light washed over him, his body feeling the descent of numerous brilliant lines that went on to tightly wrap around his Origin. He felt as if he was being elevated to a position he never before knew existed as a profound sense of strength overcame him. RUMBLE! Line after line descended from the skies as they clutched onto his body as speedily as they could! It was a ridiculous sight for those observing as the Red Robed Celestial had bulging eyes, the cause being that he counted more than 100 Fate Lines descending down in the last few seconds, and it didn''t seem like they were stopping! The unconvinced White Robed Disciples held disheveled looks as they were blown black by the domineering air being let out by the constantly converging mass of golden lines as they looked forward in shock. Those who were proud of the words of praise for being able to condense 20 or 30 Fate Lines at once felt a sense of shame as the words of the Celestial Grandmaster repeated in their minds. They thought they were geniuses, they thought they were talented! But when it came to this being in front of them, what was talent? This was talent! The Celestial Grandmaster watching from the skies held an indiscernible expression as his vigorous essence in his body moved, summoning a few skills unknowingly as the colors of his eyes became liquid gold. Time seemed to have slowed down for him as he gazed in the skies where the numerous Fate Lines were slowly converging, following them as they descended onto the body of one disciple as he tried to discern a few things. He was trying to figure out where all these lines of fate were coming from, trying to peer through and understand just what type of fate this disciple in front of him had invited! To his surprise, he couldn''t follow the origin of the lines as they seemed to condense and rush down to the ground indiscriminately, their source unknown. A pondering look came unto Grandmaster Vredral as he continued to observe, sensing the auras of new arrivals as similarly dressed celestials like him appeared in the skies he floated upon. A Celestial that held the unique feature of an exemplary goatee squinted his eyes from the brilliance as he voiced out. "What do we have here, Vredral?" Their gazes were all locked onto the singular being that continued to absorb Fate Lines rapidly, the number having long surpassed a thousand as it didn''t seem like it would stop any time soon! "Another disciple with a Noble Fate, and this one seeming much more monstrous than we have seen before." A profound reply was released from Vredral as they continued to watch the unfolding events, the celestial with the goatee nodding as he spoke once more, a knowing smile appearing on his face. "This is a great boon, but could also be a source for danger." "No worries, all that needs to be done is to make sure we properly mold him, and when have we ever failed at that?" Grandmaster Vredral quickly replied as the intense golden light in the skies gradually calmed down, the brilliance of colors fading away as a few hundred more fate lines wrapped onto the body of a now floating figure. It was a majestic sight to see as numerous Fate Lines were swirling visibly around Noah''s body, one of the Red Robed Celestials deploying a technique as a white last passed through his eyes, releasing a sound of shock thereafter as he was able to count exactly how many lines of fate had descended down and locked on to this disciple''s body! "9,999 Fate Lines all at once!" ¡­!!! Alarm spread throughout the paradisiacal clearing as this number was mentioned, the pondering looks on the three floating Celestial Grandmasters in the air becoming even deeper. The Grandmaster with the goatee spoke to the aged Vredral once more as they observed the stupendous process finishing. "That is two beings that hold a Noble Fate on your hands. You are sure you can handle this?" An imperceptible smile floated from Grandmaster Vredral''s face as he replied with confidence. "With extreme confidence. It is even better since both of them can receive tutelage in a similar environment. There is nothing to worry about, Grandmaster Ramiel." The Celestial with a pronounced goatee, Grandmaster Ramiel, nodded as his body and the bodies of the other Grandmasters that had come to observe faded away, leaving behind only Grandmaster Vredral as his body slowly floated towards the ground! Noah felt his own body that was elevated in the air palpate with a tremendous sense of strength, the numerous glowing lines slowly receding to the deepest portions of his origin. His eyes opened as a glimmer of shimmering light faded, feigning an expression of exhaustion with his gaze landing on his stat panel that showed a new addition. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(5%)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 9,999] [Vitality: VOID] [Focus: - ] [Strength: VOID] Beneath the portion that showed his bloodline, the number of Fate Lines was displayed as a curious light passed through his eyes, this curiosity being cut short as he felt the aura of a Celestial Grandmaster that had left not too long ago. Noah''s body instinctively lit up with numerous Fate Lines as the probing gaze of the Grandmaster landed on his body, a shocking thought actually passing through his mind as he realized something stupendous. The domineering strength that could make one feel overwhelmed that this Celestial Grandmaster always released...it felt more bearable at this moment as Noah felt like a few shackles became unbound! "Genius!" Resounding words shattered the atmosphere of stupor as the newly arriving talented disciples were able to see exactly what a true genius was! Chapter 332 - Ones with a Noble Fate Noah''s gaze stayed on the Celestial Grandmaster as he reveled in the feeling of abundance of strength, his thoughts communicating with the Planetary System as he tried to get a better understanding of just what these Fate Lines were. [It is a source of power that is hard to quantify. Besides knowing how many Fate Lines you currently have and that they augment your strength, we cannot quantify exactly in what way.] Numerous thoughts passed through Noah''s mind as he heard this, being pulled out of his thoughts as the Grandmaster came near him with an acknowledging expression. "I chose you because of your talent in Aether, but not once did I expect for you to have the talent to be a being blessed with a Noble Fate." A foreign set of words were released as Noah quickly caught on and asked quizzically. "Noble Fate?" "Yes, Noble Fate. It is an indication that a being is meant to have a huge hand to play in the future, affecting the fates of many of those around them. Of course, this is only an indication and is not set in stone. There have been a few beings with Noble Fates in the past who never got to fulfill them, dying early or wasting their lives away. But...those that have managed to use their Noble Fate to the fullest have left behind unforgotten marks in history." Noah''s eyes shone as these words reached his ears, realizing instinctively that the explosive entrance he wanted to create in this 7th Celestial Star was more than enough! The Grandmaster neared his position as his aged eyes stared at him up and down, shimmering lights passing through them as he nodded and turned to the other talented disciples. "This is the type of talent you should all aspire to have. Do not let this young genius''s talent shadow your own, and continue working hard." The Grandmaster nodded at the Red Robed Celestials that were still looking at Noah as if he was a monster, realization hitting them that if Noah had condensed just a few more Fate Lines, he would have directly skipped the White and Black Robes distinctions and entered the same distinction as them! They watched on as the Grandmaster placed his hands on Noah and disappeared, turning to the disciples who still held blank eyes as they spoke. "Ahem. Let''s continue. After the condensation of fate lines¡­" A discussion continued for the White Robed Disciples in the now peaceful grassland as Noah found himself disappearing and reappearing in a small monastery in an atmosphere that held an even denser concentration of Medicinal Plants than his own Spiritual Land. The monastery was located at the peak of a mountain, a few clouds being visible in the distance as a scene of peace and serenity showed itself. "A talent like yours needs strict direction, so I will directly be acting as your teacher from now on." The Grandmaster was walking ahead in front of him as he spoke out, an expression of remembrance on his face as he thought of another disciple that fate had pointed to as someone unique, but they had faced their death not too long ago in the First Realm of Hell. Fate was unpredictable in this manner. But, this new disciple he was directly taking in was one that held a Noble Fate, something that only one other being had shown an indication of in this 7th Celestial Star! His aged figure walked forward as Noah followed close behind, his eyes continuing to gaze over the Medicinal Plants that held an abundant amount of essence as the Grandmaster continued, his perception noticing Noah''s looks. "Whatever resources you need will be provided to you as you embark on your path on the Supreme Law of Fate. You have just now condensed Fate Lines for the first time, and have not been taught the most proficient way of using them." Noah followed the Grandmaster into the Monastery as he passed through the small doors, finding his vision expanding as he actually came to see the inside was somehow much more expansive than what the outside of the monastery showed. In this large room of the monastery, the Celestial Grandmaster turned towards Noah as he spoke with a serious voice. "I am the 9th Ranked Grandmaster of the 7th Celestial Star, Vredral. Do you take me as your master?" Noah looked at this aged figure whose power in no way went together with the old age he showed, his gaze becoming firm as he bowed and spoke out. "I do!" His affirmation received the smile of Vredral as he spoke out once more, bringing his right hand to his chest as he did so. "Rise. In the lands of the Celestials, the greeting and signs of affirmation are done by placing your right palm to your chest, just beside your beating heart as a sign of commitment and truthfulness." Noah''s eyes shone as he saw this, nodding as he placed his palm on his left chest while looking forward. The Grandmaster nodded as he waved his hands, about to bring to light numerous Inheritance Crystals that held a multitude of skills! "You have just learned how to condense Fate Lines, and have actually condensed more than enough to proficiently use the techniques that we have honed over the years to begin your journey on the law of fate. These techni- Oh?" The continuing Grandmaster stopped abruptly as Noah was just about to receive numerous new skills freely, a presence nearing the monastery as a smile appeared on his face. "It seems we must stop briefly as you get the chance to meet the only other being on this Celestial Star that holds a Noble Fate similar to you, and you''ve actually met them before on your journey that ultimately brought you here. It''s mysterious how fate works, isn''t it?" The presence of a domineering figure could be felt as a valiant aura burst forth, a being with exemplary beauty and valor appearing in the monastery that Noah and Grandmaster Vredral were in as she placed her right hand on her full chest and paid respects, her gaze landing on Noah thereafter as a surprised expression appeared on her face. RUMBLE! The Grandmaster looked up and pierced through the veils of the ceiling of the monastery as his gaze landed on the skies, noticing the convergence of numerous lines of fate as he smiled, many thoughts passing through his head as two beings that had met once before with completely different statuses met once again, this time holding a similar title! Chapter 333 - [Fates Guardian], A Spar Noah''s gaze landed on the figure of the valiant Athena as he processed the words of the Grandmaster. She was also someone given the title of a being with a Noble Fate, a concept he was just introduced to and did not fully know exactly what it entailed. "Grandmaster, is this the same Crixus of the Profound Astral Sect? He holds a Noble Fate?" Athena walked in as her gaze landed on Noah, asking respectfully as a jolly laugh wiggled the facial muscles of Vredral. "Yes. This is why fate is always something we must continue deciphering and learning, as even I didn''t think the being we met briefly could have a talent like yours." The Grandmaster replied as Athena adopted a look of responsibility, going towards Noah as she spoke towards him in a friendly manner. "Nice to see you again, and under much greater circ.u.mstances at that." Noah smiled as numerous thoughts crossed his mind, still evaluating everything about the Celestials and comparing it with the information he was given by the beings from the Dark Expanse as he spoke towards this valiant figure. "Likewise. I look forward to learning alongside you." Athena nodded as she turned towards the Grandmaster. "Has he had any combat training yet? I will gladly fulfill my role as the Senior Disciple to make sure he learns the techniques of fate well." Grandmaster Vredral smiled as he continued his motion of waving his hands, bringing to light numerous Inheritance Crystals that floated towards Noah serenely. "He just finished condensing his first few thousand Fate Lines, so it will be a perfect opportunity for him to learn our techniques and test them in combat right after." Athena nodded towards the Grandmaster as a valiant light bounced off her body, her gaze firm and full of righteousness as she replied. "Leave it to me, Grandmaster!" Noah''s eyes were already locked onto the multiple Inheritance Crystals floating in front of his eyes as he grabbed them without reservations, a tremendous amount of information on how to fully utilize the mysterious lines of fate that were fully bound to his origin entering his mind! This mass of information was taken in strides by the System as it carefully took everything and categorized it, Noah observing in real-time as he watched the formation of a brilliant skill tree which unlike the previous ones, shone with a l.u.s.ter of gold! His eyes shone with light as he gazed upon yet another Void Ranked Skill, and this one was called [Fate''s Guardian]! [Fate''s Guardian](0/30) :: As a beginner just learning the workings of fate, the role of a guardian that protects the weak and eviscerates evil is given to you. Abilities include Empyrean Guards(0/5), Empyrean Armament(0/5), Smite of Liberation(0/5), and Judgment(0/5). [Empyrean Guards](0/5) :: A guardian is called forth to defend you and stand against your enemies. The Empyrean Guards are capable of healing and offensive magic, their strength only increasing depending on how many Fate Lines the user has. Current Summon Limit: 1 [Empyrean Armament](0/5) :: The user is covered with the brilliance of the summoned Empyrean Guards as every point in their body gains extreme boosts. +5% Soul Damage, Physical Damage, Speed, and Defense for every Empyrean Guard absorbed. [Smite of Liberation](0/5) :: Cleanse the souls of those that stand against you as you smite them with a Blade of Liberation. The blade is corporeal and yet physical at the same time, granting +50% Physical and +50% Soul Damage. [Judgement](0/5) :: A declaration of death for all those that stand against you is called forth. Those that cannot defend themselves will have their bodies destroyed and their souls shattered as they become lost in the river of fate. His eyes quickly ran through the numerous shining descriptions as the skills he received were extremely familiar to the abilities that he had seen Athena use in the battle against the Aberration in the First Realm of hell! Much of his thoughts were on just exactly how strong he could make them once he added the Skill Points he continued to passively collect from the Legion of Undead that was still razing Infernals to the ground even as he stood on this Celestial Star. "The abilities that are coursing through your mind right now are fairly high leveled, where they are normally utilized best by those in the Void Realm. But this...is where the first use of Fate Lines comes in." RUMBLE! The body of Grandmaster Vredral pulsed with power as an uncountable number of golden lines appeared on his body. They were all extremely thin and condensed, being so imperceptible that it looked like a sea of gold instead of extremely thin lines! "Fate Lines will directly reduce the energy required when casting abilities that influence fate, and this is just in addition to their offensive feature where they can boost your power to unimaginable levels. This is where you will have an incident like the one you observed in the First Realm of Hell, where Athena was able to take down a being stepping into the Soul Forging Realm with her realm still being of the Void." The resonant voice of the Grandmaster rang out as the brilliance he portrayed died down, Athena moving further into the monastery as Noah continued to marvel at the expanding space inside this building that seemed extremely small from the outside. "The best way to learn how to utilize Fate Lines well is to test them in direct combat. Junior Brother, come. Let me show you how wondrous the abilities of [Fate''s Guardian] really are." A wide smile appeared on Noah''s face as he showed a grin of determination, his body lighting up as numerous lines of fate could be seen as he spoke out. "Yes, Senior Sister!" RUMBLE! Essence converged from the surroundings as space was manipulated, the space in the monastery they were in gradually continuing to get larger and larger as it completely defied the reality of the size of the monastery when looking from the outside. "Since you have condensed...close to 10,000 Fate Lines currently, I will only be utilizing that amount when sparring with you. We will start gradually as we get you used to the techniques, and then ramp up the difficulty thereafter." A valiant look accentuated itself even more from Athena as her dark hair automatically tied itself into a ponytail, her voice tinged with surprise as she confirmed Noah had really condensed 9,999 lines of fate in this short time period. Her energy moved as essence erupted from her body, a single Empyrean Guard appearing beside her with a resonation of power! Noah looked on with a gaze full of interest, numerous unknown thoughts coursing through his mind as he tuned everything out. At this instant, he just simply wanted to see just what benefits he could wring out from this coming spar, and exactly how many more skills he could continue to receive from the Celestials as he continued. He did not forget his mission. He did not come here to mingle nor make friends. He came for the singular purpose of power and position among the beings in this incredible organization, and he would not stop until he achieved it at the highest levels! [Empyrean Guards]. A whisper left his mouth as the lines of fate in his body pulsed, a being clad in golden armor carrying a long hammer appearing in front of him, its eyes blazing forth with a golden light as it looked at the opposing summoned Empyrean Guard that looked exactly like it in the distance. "Good. [Empyrean Armament]!" Before the Empyrean Guard standing next to Athena could even move, it became a streak of liquid light as it latched onto her body, her valiant figure gaining a golden chest armor along with a dangerously shining gold hammer that she swiftly waved it in her hands towards Noah. [Empyrean Armament]. Noah whispered the name of the same skill as he observed the wondrous feeling of the powerful summon in front of him turning into a gold liquid light that went on to cover him, feeling his capabilities boosted as a chest armor and a golden hammer appeared on his hands as well. OONG! Two distinctly different pressures released from the golden lines on each of their bodies clashed in the air between them as the Grandmaster moved at a far away distance and observed with a smile, Athena making the first move as she initiated the beginning of the spar! "Yaa!" Her body left behind a mirage of light as it quickly appeared above Noah''s position, the heavy hammer in her hands swinging down dangerously as Noah smiled and clasped tightly onto his own hammer, swinging it up as a burst of gold light erupted out. CLANG! Noah felt the ground beneath him breaking as a tremendous sense of pressure rushed down, his body feeling light soon after as brilliance erupted from the numerous lines of fate around his body as he laughed, his eyes landing on the War Princess as he charged forward! A simple spar had begun in a small monastery in the 7th Celestial Star, the winner of which was still unknown at this moment in time! Chapter 334 - Athena teaches her Junior! Athena''s POV --- I let out a deep breath after the brief first impact between me and this mysterious being that I had met once before in the First Realm of Hell. This being, Crixus, was an anomaly through and through, but the only thing that mattered to me was that we had gained yet another combatant to help bring about more order in this chaotic landscape. I took the words of the Grandmaster in stride as this Crixus apparently held the same Noble Fate like me, this development being one of the things that sparked my interest as for too long I had been asking myself- what exactly did fate want from me? What Noble Fate was waiting for me at the end of all of this? This being in front of me having a similar fate...I wanted to know more about him, and exactly what the influence he would have for the future! "Yaa!" My body moved across fluidly as I found myself closing my eyes, using my senses to more clearly observe the flow of mana, and the numerous lines of fate pulsating in my own body, and the body of this being in front of me. CLANG! Brilliance exploded out as the two hammers clashed again, making me realize this Crixus could freely match the pace of the battle as he seemed to be adapting to the first and second stages of the abilities of Fate''s Guardian fairly easily. This means...we can increase the difficulty! Empyrean Guard! Empyrean Armament! RUMBLE! I cast the skills multiple times as two more celestial guardians wielding hammers full of strength appeared, only to turn into streams of light soon after as they attached onto my body, completing the lower half of my armor as the usual cooling helmet covered my head. I made sure that the strength was still only being taken from 9,999 Fate Lines as I observed the reaction of this junior disciple. Would he be able to keep up? My expanded senses observed a smile of confidence as Crixus waved his hands, two Empyrean Guards appearing as they quickly became streams of light that attached to his body, granting him a similar set of armor as mine. You can still keep up? Good! I felt a small smile appearing on my own lips as my love for battle was slowly bubbling forth, trying my best to contain it so that I wouldn''t accidentally destroy this junior disciple in front of me. He moved first this time as he seemed to be enjoying the feeling of strength that Empyrean Armament provided, my body evading to the side as the oppressive hammer smashed onto the area I was just standing on. Good! Good! My body moved automatically as clashes of light began to resound throughout the expanded room we were in, Crixus surprisingly keeping up with my movements as time passed. CLANG! CLANG! BOOM! A few craters were left behind as I could only see dark eyes locking onto my figure from the slits of the golden helmet that covered his head, his body moving towards me yet again as his movements gained a similar fluidity I had worked so hard to achieve over the years with ease. His use of the innate strength of Fate Lines was seamless as with every clash, I could feel the strength he let off increase more and more! I could feel essence palpating on my body as his attacks increased in speed, my eyes watching in slow motion as I bent back and watched the merciless swing of golden hammer barely pass through the tip of my helmet. ''Ahh Junior Brother, you shouldn''t have done that!'' My closed eyes opened as a burst of golden light released from me and pushed back the being that was sticking around me tightly while throwing out attacks, a slight trembling running through my body as I realized I could no longer withhold the need for battle that had been brought forth by his stupendous attacks. ''Forgive me, Junior Brother, but I''ll have to enjoy myself for a bit!'' RUMBLE! Essence converged as yet another Empyrean Guard was summoned and quickly turned into a stream of liquid light that attached onto my body, the feeling of having gloriously fluttering wings appearing once more as my speed was increased yet again. My eyes that were filled with a thirst for battle locked on to the figure that still seemed to be in top shape, a small smile appearing on my lips as I observed with stupefaction as yet another Empyrean Guard appeared next to him, turning into a stream of light as this Crixus gained a resonantly shining set of wings similar to mine! ''Junior Brother...aren''t you adapting to these techniques too fast?'' The thought did not match my actions as my body was already moving by itself, turning into a streak of light towards the being that seemed to have no problem pulling out the power of abilities he was just introduced to with precision and grandeur I had not come across before. BOOM! The golden hammers clashed yet again as the impact smashed the figure of Crixus back, his armored body hitting the wall on the opposite side as I stopped briefly, wondering if I had gone overboard. My expectations were defied yet again as the only thing I observed was a streak of light shooting towards me, a peal of childish laughter ringing out. ''Haha, good!'' RUMBLE! All reservations were let loose as it seemed this Crixus was capable enough to withstand my attacks, even if they were limited to only 9,999 Fate Lines. My body began to feel the joy of battle as my figure shot through the skies to meet this mysterious being that could match my pace of battle with ease. Was he truly like me? Is this really a being with a Noble Fate waiting for him in the future? BOOM! The last clash actually pushed the both of us back as my questions weren''t answered, but I knew I had found an interesting being to play with as essence coursed through my body and was released in a splendor of colors once more. "Come, Junior Brother!" A cry left my mouth as the thrilling battle continued, my focus tightly wrapped onto this rapidly adapting Crixus as I wanted to peer through his defenses and everything that surrounded him! Chapter 335 - Never Before Seen! Noah''s eyes moved rapidly as he easily kept up with the streak of light letting out valiant cries in front of him. The streak of light seemed to be fluid at times and extremely rapid a second later, causing the state of a battle that was filled with unpredictability. When the battle began, the thought it would be a simple spar that would allow a junior disciple to learn the ropes of the abilities, but he found the pace becoming faster and faster as this Athena seemed to be enjoying herself after a while! His own body was rapidly adapting to the feeling of strength that the close to 10,000 Fate Lines provided, going with the flow as he gradually added Skill Points into [Empyrean Guard] and [Empyrean Armament] to match the pace of the battle. After placing three Skill Points into [Empyrean Guards], the summon limit was increased to 4 as he then cast [Empyrean Armament] to take on the form of resplendent being covered head to toe with a golden armor and wings of golden light that he had only seen on Athena! He could feel his body buzzing with power as he sensed a unique form of strength being released from the numerous Fate Lines now surrounding his body, confirming that the energy required to cast the skills under the [Fate''s Guardian] skill tree were extremely minimal, with their power being higher than any skills at the same level! He finally understood why the Celestial Disciple Drax at the Transcendent Rank could match those in the Saint Realm, and how Athena so effortlessly matched an Infernal Aberration that was stepping into the Soul Forging Realm. Their techniques that utilized fate were simply that powerful, with much less energy being required for use while their damage was great, only increasing the more Fate Lines one held. BOOM! A clash occurred yet again as Noah found himself slowly on the losing ground, this woman in front of him long forgetting this was supposed to be a spar as he could see her figure expertly predicting his next moves with ease, dodging fluidly as she then counterattacked aggressively! ''Alright then.'' An imperceptible smile appeared on Noah''s lips as he looked at the many Skill Points he had with, adding full points into [Empyrean Guards] and [Empyrean Armament] as the two skills were maxed! [Empyrean Guards](5/5) :: A guardian is called forth to defend you and stand against your enemies. The Empyrean Guards are capable of healing and offensive magic, their strength only increasing depending on how many Fate Lines the user has. Current Summon Limit: 6 [Empyrean Armament](5/5) :: The user is covered with the brilliance of the summoned Empyrean Guards as every point in their body gains extreme boosts. +30% Soul Damage, Physical Damage, Speed, and Defense for every Empyrean Guard absorbed. His body dodged the oppressive attacks of Athena as he looked at the expanded boosts of the two skills after their Skill Points were maxed, feeling his body trembling with power as he already had +120% Soul Damage, Physical Damage, Speed, and Defense for the four Empyrean Guards he had already absorbed through [Empyrean Armament]. Now, he could summon two more, something that he hadn''t even seen Athena do while battling with the Aberration. His smile only became wider as he knew he was about to do something that would most likely surprise the watching Grandmaster and the valiant Athena. But since he had planned to show off a talent unlike any other in the eyes of the Celestials, he would go all the way and show exactly what genius was! RUMBLE! His essence moved as he summoned two more Empyrean Guards in the skies, his senses observing the Grandmaster standing up with his calm gaze changing as Athena''s eyes bulged out from the thin slits of her golden helmet. They observed the summoning of 2 more Empyrean Guards, something that they knew to not be possible as even the most proficient users of [Fate''s Guardian] could only summon 4 Empyrean Guards, no matter their level! They watched as these extra two Empyrean Guards turned into streaks of light and attach onto Crixus''s body, a transform they had not come across before occurring as it went past the simple full body armor and golden wings. From Crixus''s back, the wings of golden light became more physical as they began to observe with stupor the appearance of brilliant white-feathered wings that expanded magnificently! The metal looking battle armor covering his body dissolved as what replaced it was a regal golden robe that dr.a.p.ed over him comfortably, a shining golden sword with a sharpened edge and a brilliant golden shield filled with numerous runic inscriptions appearing on his two hands as he floated grandiosely in the skies. His image shone with l.u.s.ter as when one looked at him, they would find themselves saying- ''This was what a true Fate''s Guardian looked like! Noah had pulled the abilities of [Fate''s Guardian] to the extremities with the use of Skill Points, bringing about a transformation that those who handed him this technique did not even think to be possible. Grandmaster Vredral''s face gradually returned to calmness as a peering gaze stayed on Noah, his aged heart that was always calm feeling ripples as this new recruit he took in simply had too many surprises. Athena looked on with shining eyes towards Noah''s transformation as her gaze was one of brilliance, wanting to try this new technique with her own body as she fearlessly rushed forward with her hammer in hand! Noah felt the abundant strength flowing through him as the shield to his left hand made him feel like he would never be harmed, the sword on his right hand making him feel like he could bring judgment and cut down all those he wished. His languid gaze landed on the rushing Athena as he swung the sharp sword from right where he was floating in the skies, not even moving an inch. But the result was stupendous as the rushing Athena foresaw an attack smashing into her a millisecond later, an attack that even though she knew was coming, she could not evade it! BOOM! PAH! An explosion resounded first, with the sound of a body smashing to the ground hitting later as Noah stood stably in the skies, the figure of Athena smashing into the ground and causing a crater to form. "..." Silence reigned briefly as the scene cleared, Noah''s gaze piercing through the dust and seeing the figure of Athena standing stably at the center of the crater. RUMBLE! Her helmet was split apart as it broke in two and began to dissolve into particles of light, her hair that was tied up in a ponytail swinging wildly as tens of thousands of Fate Lines became visible on her body. A domineering aura erupted forth as a smile that could shatter the hearts of men appeared on her now bronze figure, the color of the sky gaining a hue of gold! "Stop." A resonant voice of a happy Grandmaster resonated out as a man with a grand celestial appearance of a guardian of fate looked down from the skies, the War Princess looking from below as her gaze longed for another battle! Chapter 336 - What do you want? Athena reigned in her wild aura as Noah''s brilliantly shining white wings began to disappear into particles of light, his body gradually descending down. "It''s my loss, Junior Brother. You seem to be more capable than we have imagined." Athena''s face regained calmness as the War Princess with a thirst for battle disappeared, her eyes only shining with a strong competitive light as she looked towards Noah. "How exactly were you able to summon more Empyrean Guards and obtain that transformation though?" A curious question was thrown out as it wasn''t Noah, but the Grandmaster was the one that replied as he laughed joyfully. "Those that are really loved by fate can sometimes find new ways to use techniques or go past what we normally believed was the limit. Crixus has just shown us that [Fate''s Guardian] has many areas to improve on. It is the skill of someone who is naturally talented in the Law of Fate!" The interest in Athena''s eyes only increased as she heard this, watching as the Grandmaster came close to Noah and glanced at his body up and down. "Marvelous. The Fate Lines you recently condensed have all but fully assimilated in your origin. Do you know why you were only able to condense 9,999 the first time you tried?" Noah shook his head as a profound look appeared on the Grandmaster, replied as his eyes continued to gaze deeply towards him. "Passing the 10,000 Fate Lines is a mark that makes you a Red Robed Celestial, but it is also a point of distinction for a being that is only stumbling in the light of fate, to a being that can actually influence it and use techniques to even probe it. No matter how high your talent is in the law of fate, your body still has to take some time assimilating this new source of power, and you will come to find that even condensing tens of Fate Lines in a day becomes harder as time passes." Noah listened carefully as the Grandmaster continued on. "Over the next few weeks as you assimilate more Fate Lines and get used to the abilities of Fate''s Guardian, I will provide you with even more skills that will be hard to comprehend, where even with your monstrous talent it would take you quite some time." Noah nodded as the gaze of the Grandmaster finally moved off of him, going towards the valiant Athena on the side. "Athena, show Crixus to his living quarters for now. Let him absorb the experiences of the spar today and all of the new abilities. I''ll be inquiring your help to conduct more sparring sessions with your junior brother in the future." The War Princess''s eyes shone as she heard this, nodding respectfully as she beckoned towards Noah, their figures leaving the expansive area of the monastery that was filled with broken walls and craters. Noah followed along as numerous thoughts passed through his mind, his body lifting to the skies as the figure of Athena flew off the mountain into a lower elevation where an expansive clearing with three dome-shaped buildings stood. He was about to speak when Athena broke the silence first, and it was with a question he didn''t expect as their figures landed on the clearing next to the large dome shaped buildings. "What do you want?" Noah turned his head to the side as he replied in a confused manner. "Pardon me?" Athena turned towards him with her eyes clear, her gaze impassive as the figure of a being relishing battle was all but gone, only piercing eyes gazing towards Noah. "What is it that you seek? What is your goal?" The question was very straightforward, taking the calculating Noah by surprise as he adopted a pondering face on what exactly to reply. Athena continued on as she looked around at the expansive clearing. "My goal is to pierce through the mysteries of fate and understand exactly why a Celestial saved me from a dying world and brought me to where I am today. It is to understand this apparent Noble Fate that I hold, and what exactly it wants from me in the future." Noah''s outward gaze continued to be one of pondering as his mind was impassive. There were many thoughts running through at this moment, but in his mind, this War Princess in front of him was marked for death long ago! He was just beginning to delve into the ideologies and secrets of the Celestials, understanding very briefly about their motivations and how they tied in to the Law of Fate, but that still did not change the actions that this woman in front of him had carried out. One could say it was a mission given by the Celestials. One could say she was indoctrinated to believe that what she did was correct, that she wholly believed in what fate foretold, that taking the lives of billions of beings of the Lost World in the name of reducing a tremendous amount of chaos in the future because of what they foresaw from the use of the Celestials'' mysterious skills. It was these same skills that Noah was patiently waiting to get his hands on, skills pertaining to fate that would allow him to see exactly why the celestials would give missions to destroy entire stars. "I want to understand why a clueless girl was saved and elevated to the position she is in today, all the while doing my best to reduce the chaos constantly spreading across many worlds. So, what exactly do you want?" Her gaze landed on him again as her calm eyes locked with his, each one thinking their own thoughts as Noah replied with a smile. "I want...certainty, plain and simple. Over the years, I have seen that strength and power are the only things that guarantee a level of certainty in life. They are the only things that grant me the ability to keep my life, and the lives of those around me, without something unexpected coming and taking everything away." Noah''s eyes became firm and more determined as he gazed upon this being he still held the same mindset about. "I want strength that allows me to live free of worries, for me to enjoy my life and do whatever I want without worrying about an exceedingly powerful force that could disrupt everything I have out of nowhere. Fate...is just something that I will grasp along the way towards that level of strength." Athena''s eyes shook as she heard this, her ability confirming that not a single lie could be found in those words! This being that held a tremendous talent in the law of fate...wanted to simply use it to amass even more strength to himself! A light smile appeared on Athena''s lips as she heard this, nodding her head as she felt like she understood the being in front of her some more. She had always been asking herself what fate wanted from her. As she looked at this being who apparently held a Noble Fate similar to her she now wondered- what exactly did fate have in store for him? Chapter 337 - Chaos Across Worlds! Athena''s intense gaze stayed on Noah for a few seconds before she turned around and waved to one of the spectacularly designed dome-shaped buildings in the area they landed. "This will be your dwelling for the near future. It is located on this Inquiring Mountain that is under the watch of Grandmaster Vredral. It will contain a dwelling as well as an expansive training field, medicinal garden, and a dining area where servants will bring food whenever you wish." Noah followed her gaze as he looked at the unique architecture that held reminded him of ancient cathedrals with a hint of something new. He nodded towards Athena as she began to move towards the adjacent building next to it, saying a few last words before she disappeared from Noah''s senses. "The Grandmaster will continue to train you based on your talent, so expect an even harder training regiment and...much longer sparring battles as you increase your understanding of fate and the spectacular abilities you can use with it." The War Princess disappeared with these words, leaving a calm Noah looking at the expansive building in front of him that would be his new abode for who knew how long. He went inside to familiarize himself and think over the many things that had happened today, his heart still hungry for even more information, and the abilities of Celestials that continued to show wondrous uses. Over the next few days, Noah''s life would take on an interesting schedule as he spent a majority of the time in his dome-shaped dwelling as he amassed more Fate Lines, the rest of his time being divided into lessons from Grandmaster Vredral who would go on to talk about Fate, or the occasional sparring session with a woman that seemed to live for battle. He kept contact with his forces that were moving between the First Realm of Hell to farm Skill Points and the Underworld to hone their skills as he made sure things were going in the right direction, but much of his attention was now focused on Fate Lines and the law of fate! His findings with {Fate''s Disciple} were especially noteworthy, as he was able to break through from 9,999 Fate Lines on the second day as he went on to understand the rate at which he could normally condense this mysterious force of fate. Passing the 10,000 point was the distinction of one becoming a Red Robed Celestial, something that was completely out of reach for the other White Robed Disciples that were still hanging at the level of less than 100 Fate Lines after one day. Noah''s monstrous rate of collection of 9,999 in a single day completely went against the norms and caused a huge blow to some of the geniuses watching on that day. But he found that the rate of progression after that...was extremely slow! This was because the words of the Grandmaster actually came to be true, where in a day, he could at most condense 100 Fate Lines. This was still completely out of the Grandmaster''s expectations as he looked at Noah with even more attention, as he had predicted even condensing a few tens of Fate Lines a day would be the limit. To others, this would be an unbelievable rate of growth, but it was extremely slow for him who had pulled in a few thousand in a single day. This fast rate of condensing Fate Lines that he did not make a secret caused numerous ripples on the 7th Celestial Star that he still was not aware of. But this level of genius caused the favors of the Celestials to descend down like pouring rain on a stormy night. This caused Noah to begin receiving the high-level techniques of Celestials every week, the techniques that could be considered mysterious as they worked to directly influence fate, or pierce the veils of secrecy surrounding it! By the end of a single month of his stay in the 7th Celestial Star, he had amassed enough skills for the System to classify them in form of an Absolute Skill, and this one was from the hands of the Celestials themselves! --- As Noah spent his days in the 7th Celestial Star continuing to learn about the Supreme Law of Fate and the abundant secrets of the Celestials, time continued to pass as numerous figures in a wide array of worlds moved with their own goals. A month was neither a long nor a short time, but it was enough for huge movements to occur behind the scenes. In the Prime World that was the Underworld, sparks had begun to fly between the border of the Pureblood Vampyres and the Lineage of the Royal Silverbourne Werewolves, the surrounding forces preparing for war as they noticed this change early. Many people had begun discussing in knowledgeable tones as they held a similar view across the board- The Pureblood Vampyres had finished consolidating their power as made a power grab for the entirety of the Underworld! Small scale battles had already begun here and there as rumors of monstrous combatants that looked even more fearsome than those in the Lineage of the Silverbourne Werewolves appeared on the side of the Pureblood Vampyres. Rumors of a new ruler had also spread out as those watching in the dark began to frequently see the curvaceous figure of a gorgeous silver-haired beauty that could topple kingdoms give commands to the forces of Vampyres. On the hands of this gorgeous figure, one could always see the outline of a miniaturized penguin being carried around like a fluffy plushy toy, many people not trusting their senses as they were feeling an extreme aura of arrogance coming off of this small penguin. War was on the horizon, but not just for the Underworld as across the vastness of space, a shocking truth had come to light that directly put two Prime Worlds against each other! The forces of the Time Immemorial Sect, a sect in the lands controlled by the Profound Astral Sect of the World of Cultivation- had uncovered a heinous scheme by the forces from the Magus World after their encounter some time ago! Grand Elder Amos has begun investigating the reports that Elder Dan returned from the Devilish Abode with, following the trail of exactly why the Magi from the Magus World were targeting the people of his sect. After Elder Dan was saved by the mysterious entity that held numerous draconic heads and tentacles, he moved rapidly to report this and chase down any leads as to why the Magi were targeting them in the Devilish Abode. Grand Elder Amos had thought it was a grudge that he didn''t know about or an old offense that was just uncovered, but as he followed the trail, he came to realize that many forces all over the World of Cultivation were being targeted by Magi from the Magus World! He quickly brought this information to the attention of the Profound Astral Sect as a thorough investigation was carried out. This investigation revealed a shocking horror as the powerhouses of the Profound Astral Sect were able to catch and imprison a magi in the act, and the things this Magi revealed made a chill run down the spines of all those listening! A shocking truth was revealed on that day, with the grand designs of the major organization of the Magus World specifically targeting the beings in the World of Cultivation to obtain their bodies for experimentation and the creation of abominations that moved without souls! This shocking truth enraged the entirety of the World of Cultivation as all travel was closed off, the portals connecting it to the Magus World being the first to be destroyed as everything single remaining Magi on the World of Cultivation was purged that day. Blood and mayhem ran through the mountains and clouds, this single action heavily offending the forces of the Magus World as they denied any wrongdoings and called the actions of the World of Cultivation baseless murder, sparking a chain of conflicts as the two Prime Worlds now stood at the cusp of a War! It was not just these two powerful Prime Worlds that were on the precipice of war and conflict as ever so slowly, chaos spread across the worlds as many other powers faced their own rising issues and conflicts, many thinking they were isolated incidents, but only those commanding higher levels of power being able to look at and realize that restlessness and chaos was spreading across the stars. Chapter 338 - Discerning Fate In the Inquiring Mountain that was under the control of Grandmaster Vredral, Noah was sitting on the lush greenery outside of his expansive dome-shaped dwelling that felt too much like a cathedral. His eyes were closed as he had {Fate''s Disciple} activated, his body gaining a l.u.s.ter of gold as wisps of light converged above him and ever so slowly descended onto his body in an orderly fashion. He felt like he was some wizened being pondering on life as numerous Fate Lines descended within the next few hours, his face that of calmness and peace as the environment around him was really too conducive for this sort of mental state. He was actively condensing Fate Lines while expanding his senses to cover the well-ordered plants that held an array of colors surrounding the location where he and Athena stayed on this Inquiring Mountain, many of these plants creating snaking paths that went up or down the mountain as simple roads were visible. The mountain was thick with essence everywhere you turned, causing one''s body to bubble in excitement just by being there. He remained in this state as he thought back to the events of the past few days, being interrupted when he heard the familiar voice of a particular War Princess. Noah''s sharp eyes opened as he received a message from his ''Senior Sister'' Athena who was staying alongside him in a similar expansive dwelling on the same mountain. "Master is calling for us." The message was curt and simple, Noah cutting off the mana he was supplying to {Fate''s Disciple} as he got up with a calm expression and began heading out. It had been over a month since his intrusion into this 7th Celestial Star, the gains being nothing short of stupendous as he was able to get his hands on a myriad of skills and abilities. This was especially so in the last month as after he passed the point of 10,000 Fate Lines, he began receiving techniques of even higher tier every few days as he advanced forward and collected more Fate Lines. The one thing he didn''t like was the fact that no matter how many times he tried, condensing a maximum of around 100 Fate Lines was always the limit everyday, no matter how much longer he chose to active {Fate''s Disciple} with his expansive energy. This had only allowed him to amass a bit over 3000 Fate Lines this past month. While this seemed like a small number to him, it was actually a monstrous rate to anyone who heard it as it had exceeded any metric set before! In the 7th Celestial Star, a rumor had begun to spread about a genius under the tutelage of Grandmaster Vredral that shone even brighter than the War Princess. Noah thought about this War Princess that he had regularly sparred with this past month, one of the few things he came to learn about her being her love for battle. She never went past the relationship of a Senior Disciple teaching her Junior, and always kept their talks short as all that seemed to be on her mind was learning about fate and battle! Even this was something unique as while Grandmaster Vredral watched their interactions, he mentioned to Noah how Athena had never given this level of treatment to any past disciples before. There was a level of interest and importance she placed on Noah as the both of them carried the title of those with a Noble Fate! None of this mattered to Noah though, keeping his mind on the prize as he kept being spoiled with techniques and Spirit Stones freely. Under the guise of his monstrous talent and the numerous treasures they handed him, he had publicly shown Grandmaster Vredral that he had a breakthrough into the Void Realm a few days ago! The Grandmaster nodded deprecatingly at this level of genius as he advised Noah to take a slower pace and consolidate his foundation, having no need to rush through the ranks in this manner. At this point in time though, Noah could be considered a full-fledged Red Robed Celestial, his Fate Lines being a bit over 13,000 at this moment! His thoughts gradually came to a close as he neared the monastery at the peak of this Inquiring Mountain that was under the control of Grandmaster Vredral, coming face to face with the aged figure and a Red Robed Athena standing respectfully by the side. The Grandmaster donned his usual golden robe that dr.a.p.ed over his body, hiding an aged figure that palpated with power. One could see the numerous wrinkles that covered his face, along with the abundant white hair and a long beard that shone with l.u.s.ter and vitality, making one think of both age and power. "You have surpassed all my expectations so far, and now have the chance to join in on an extraordinary mission that would have fallen solely onto the shoulders of Athena. Yet, this is also a mission that involves something special to you, thus granting you possible participation." Grandmaster Vredral''s aged face shone with splendor as he spoke, Noah putting his right hand on his chest to respectfully greet him as he continued to listen. The Grandmaster waved his hands as a projection of two worlds appeared in front of them, Noah observing closely as he recognized a few features from one of the worlds! "We will test your proficiency in the Absolute Techniques of Fate that you have been studying to see whether you will qualify for this mission. In front of us lies your home, the World of Cultivation, and the Magus World. We have noticed a particularly significant level of disorder between these two worlds that could propel into something even more chaotic. Use [Fate Discernment] and tell us of your findings." Noah''s eyes latched on to the projection of two Prime Worlds as they slowly rotated in front of him, his mind thinking to the skill that the Grandmaster mentioned, as well as the Absolute Technique it was connected to! [Fate Discernment] was a singular ability from the biggest boon he had received from the Celestials so far, an Absolute Skill that actually allowed him to get even closer to the truth of this abstruse Supreme Law of Fate, containing abilities that finally opened his eyes to understand why Celestials held their monstrous level of power. > :: A technique of unknown origins that holds tremendous power. The mysteries of the Law of Fate can slowly be understood while this technique is in use, allowing for the user to gain knowledge of possibilities and the constant movements of the River of Fate. Abilities include Fate Discernment, Fate Traverser, Fate Concealment, and Fate Harvester. [Fate Discernment] :: The clouded and abstruse fates of different entities or beings became easier to see. Strict conditions must be met for any usable information to be discerned. [Fate Traverser] :: As one that is proficient in the workings of fate, you have more of a leeway over your own fate. This ability allows you to traverse to the most favorable outcome of your fate. [Fate Concealment] :: The user''s own fate or the fates of their targets can be made hard to decipher, where others will not be able to find exactly where fate will take them. [Fate Harverstor] :: An ill-advised ability given to the Herald of Fate that allows them to pluck away the good fate of others while steering away from a bad fate. It is an ability that requires enormous forethought, as it can lead the Herald of Fate into areas they should not peer into. Over the past 30 days, he received four abilities in total that made the Absolute Skill, >! This was the first Absolute Ability that Noah obtained which held the low amount of 4 abilities, but each one was shocking in itself as he received a first-hand look at how the Celestials operated and used their power. The Grandmaster in front of him had asked him to use [Fate Discernment] on two planets, a tremendous task that would require an enormous source of essence and extreme use of Fate Lines to be able to perform well! Yet, this was his first barrier for this mission that was already on Athena''s shoulders. He thought of the possibilities of what could have occurred between the World of Cultivation and the Magus World as a few ideas came to mind, but he focused on the task at hand as he prepared to use [Fate Discernment] on these two worlds. Athena and Grandmaster Vredral were watching closely as they personally knew how hard it was to manipulate the Law of Fate and be able to discern the fates of entire planets. Yet to Noah, this was the simplest thing as he did not even know how to manipulate mana, much less being able to manipulate the law of fate! He did what was always made available to him- the act of simply casting the skills he held in his stat panel as the System he held did the rest, his thoughts simply watching as [Fate Discernment] moved the lines of fate in his body in unique ways as it began searching for something. The ability mentioned that strict requirements had to be met for fate to be discerned, and the biggest requirement was that the caster had to know exactly what being or entity they were casting the skill for, as well as what they wanted to know from it! Noah''s thoughts focused on the illusory images of the World of Cultivation and the Magus world as his eyes closed, a layer of golden light wrapping around him as he soon began to receive images and wisps of information that he never knew existed. Grandmaster Vredral watched from the side while shaking his head in amazement, Athena looking forward as a sharp light passed through her eyes. Even to these monstrous beings, they had to admit that this disciple in front of them was too monstrous! Being able to so seamlessly cast [Fate Discernement] and even be able to get it right on his first try, just exactly how much of a monster was he?! Chapter 339 - A Mission of Destruction! Bountiful information entered Noah''s mind as he focused on the images of the World of Cultivation and the Magus World. Golden light continued to converge and disperse from his body as [Fate Discernement] worked to show Noah something he never knew before. This process continued for a whole 30 minutes before Noah finally came to the end of it, the end which caused him to feel a chill run down his back as eyes snapped open! RUMBLE! The Fate Lines within his body trembled from the unexpected impact as the Grandmaster reached out and clasped onto Noah''s body to stabilize his energies. His gaze was one of wonder as he looked at Noah like he was some prized possession. "What did you see?" Noah breathed heavily as he was not even acting, the things he had seen while using [Fate Discernment] being that shocking. His eyes calmed down as he replied. "I saw...the utter and complete annihilation of the World of Cultivation and the Magus World." Yes! Noah''s first use of this stupendous ability allowed him to see that in the near future, both of these two worlds would actually face destruction! This thought drove him to cold sweats as these were two Prime Worlds, what exactly could bring worlds at this level to be destroyed? What exactly was coming in the future? [Fate Discernement] had only shown him that at this moment in time, the flow of fate was going towards both of these worlds being destroyed. It did not tell him when, nor did he know how- he just held the simple knowledge that both of them would be destroyed. He looked over to the Grandmaster who had begun speaking in a serious tone. "In the past months, the major force of the Magus World has been harvesting the bodies of the cultivators from the World of Cultivation for their own uses." The Grandmaster began, but Noah''s mind received a bolt as he recalled the Magi he had come across the moment he finished taking down the Devilish Time Unveiler in the World of Cultivation. He had chanced upon the one called Black Serpent who was hunting the cultivators from the Time Immemorial Sect, choosing to save them as he devoured the Magi and actually obtained memories of their plans in the World of Cultivation! Their memories told him that the Magi were holding grand designs to build up a force similar to the Punishers that the Celestials held. From the Celestial''s side, the Punishers were beings from the Elven Race that had lost their will, giving rise to a force that dutifully followed the orders of the Celestials with strong bodies to aid them. The main powers of the Magus World sought to create a similar fighting force, and they found their experiments to be working the best while using the bodies of the cultivators from the World of Cultivation. Thus they had begun targeting them as they conducted a project to build creations that fully followed their orders while holding tremendous power! Noah found out and knew about this plot more than two months ago, but he had simply put it out of his mind as he simply did not want to add another thing on his plate, focusing on infiltrating the Profound Astral Sect as he put this information about the Magus World in the back of his mind. Yet now...he was receiving this same information again, and this time it was linked to the cause of the possible destruction of two Prime Worlds! "They hunted down and massacred countless cultivators before their doings were found out, creating a situation where both stars are now on the brink of war. We saw this increasing chaos and discerned fate just like you did just now but at an even higher level, coming to know that the result of this conflict between these two worlds would result in the destruction of both of them." Noah was listening with rapt attention as numerous thoughts swirled in his head, still shocked at the fact that he knew [Fate Discernement] did not lie to him, and that these two worlds really were facing destruction. "But the chaos does not just end there. Both of these worlds have their own allies and enemies, where their conflict will embroil numerous Large World and Prime Worlds, contributing to a rapid increase in disorder that will only exacerbate across the surrounding stars." The Grandmaster waved his hand as a golden plaque appeared on it, his aged eyes reading it as he revealed the contents of the mission that would shock many! "Thus, we have to act in accordance with our beliefs and bring about Order and Balance, preventing this chain of chaos that will begin with these two worlds at the center. This brought about the mission that would have fallen on Athena''s shoulders, and now it had fallen upon yours as well so that you can gain more experience on the workings of fate as you observe the changes to occur with the completion of this mission." "To prevent the chain of chaos and disorder, we have discerned fate and looked at numerous possibilities, the verdict coming down to a singular path that would allow for the most Order and Balance. The mission you two will carry out is to oversee the destruction of the Magus World before this conflict can continue any further." ¡­! Noah couldn''t help but look towards this Grandmaster in shock as he continued with an impassive face. "The Magi have played with forces beyond their control while in a quest for power, their actions culminating to the eve of a war between two Prime Worlds that would go on to cause tens of billions of deaths over the next few weeks as many surrounding powers get pulled in. To prevent this fate and bring about Order and Balance, you two will use a Prime Warship to act out the Verdict of Celestials and bring an end to the instigators of this war." THUMP! Noah could feel his heart beat increasing as he continued to listen to the words of the Grandmaster, a shocking mission landing on his lap, and this mission required for the destruction of an entire planet! Chapter 340 - Chaos Reduction, Fear! Silence reigned in the area of the monastery that Noah, Athena, and the Grandmaster were in as the two were looking closely at Noah. The words of the Grandmaster repeated in his mind as even more came. "I realize the concept of a destruction of a world is very foreign to you, even more so when you have to act to personally cause it, but the fact that doing this would save the world that you came from should act as a buffer and cause you to come out of this with even more experience." The Grandmaster held a passive look as he casually mentioned the destruction of an entire star along the lines of training. Noah''s mind went back to the Lost World that had received a similar verdict of destruction months ago, where Athena had been the one to initiate the destruction under the watch of a Celestial. He was trying to think what exactly the Celestials had observed while using [Fate Discernment] that made them pass a verdict of a destruction of a world similar to what they were doing to the Magus World now. Noah took a deep breath as he looked at the Grandmaster while wrapping up his thoughts, speaking in a thankful but difficult tone thereafter. "I''ll have to thank you first Grandmaster, for keeping in mind the World of Cultivation amidst this chaos. I will gladly do anything to prevent the destruction of the world I was born in, but¡­" He looked at the impassive Athena by the side who was watching him with a piercing expression and the impassive Grandmaster as he continued. "The destruction of the entirety of the Magus World...is it really the only way to stop this possible chaos that would come from this conflict?" ".." Silence reigned in the room as for the first time since his entrance into the 7th Celestial Star, a look of disappointment appeared on the face of the Grandmaster as he observed Noah. This look only came briefly before it changed to one of pondering, looking towards Noah is an understanding tone as if the powerful figure had realized something. "Your talent has been so bright that I had forgotten you have only been here for a month, and haven''t been given the supplementary teachings on the best ways to reduce chaos." The Grandmaster pointed to the illusory figures of the rotating World of Cultivation and the Magus World as he continued. "Over the thousands of years that we have been influencing fate and honing our techniques, we have come to create the best course of actions that we follow strictly. Such actions range from the destruction of worlds to the saving of numerous more. IT is these actions have guaranteed a high level of success in reducing chaos and instituting order." "When it comes to a case like these two planets whose conflict will only expand to the surrounding stars, the routine course of action is the destruction of the star and the beings responsible for instigating such chaos." ¡­! Noah''s eyes gazed upon this Grandmaster as he controlled his thoughts and put on a quizzical expression while asking. "Grandmaster, what about those that had nothing to do with the course of events that the major force of the Magus World undertook against the World of Cultivation? What about the families of poor unknown beings that had no hand to play in this war? Why should they also face death along with those responsible?" The Grandmaster looked at him with an impassive face as he replied. "You are not the first disciple to have questioned the destruction of an entire star as the most suitable method to reign in the caused chaos and reinstitute order. I will tell you now that besides the complete destruction of all those responsible, there is another factor that weighs in heavily to correct the chaos and establish order. That factor is...the fear that creeps into the hearts of all the neighboring stars and any that would hold similar designs like those who were just utterly destroyed." ¡­! That''s right! This was the way the Celestials had found to be the most useful in reducing the chaos instigated by a particular planet while also bringing about an era of peace and order that was achieved through the fear of those that would know of the results of actions that caused death and chaos! The destruction of those involved in their entirety would stop any future possibilities of them rising up again and continuing a cycle of chaos, while their actions acted as a message to all those withholding similar grand designs for power and made them never even put such ideas to light. "We work to bring order, and look at our actions to make sure that we save the most lives in any given situation. This current situation where the erupting war between these two planets will cause deaths in the tens of billions across multiple stars...the verdict took the course of action that would save tens of billions of lives by taking away a few billion from the origin of this instigated chaos." "If we do not act, tens of billions will die. With our action to destroy the Magus World that is responsible, only a few billion beings die while an era of peace and order can be established on the surrounding stars as those who consider themselves powerful are reminded yet again of the result of causing chaos. With all of this in the picture, why would we not act? Why would we not move to save tens of billions of beings?" The impassive gaze of the Celestial Grandmaster and the piercing Athena closed in on Noah as they observed him closely. His hand was placed on his chin as he seemed to be pondering, no words coming out from him as a reply! He was thinking about the reasoning of the Celestials and the results achieved from their actions, even if they seemed vile and horrendous. Just what exactly was the right course of action? Chapter 341 - Other means to achieve the same goal? With the intervening of the Celestials, tens of billions of lives would be saved. All that it cost was the death of those involved, along with the destruction of their star as they also served to send a message that would discontinue any more thoughts of chaos and disorder! So why should they not move to save so many beings? Should they let tens of billions die? Noah actually did not find an answer to the Grandmaster''s question, his mind going towards the Lost World yet again as he wondered- what exactly did the Celestials foresee with this world and its World Engines that they passed the verdict for its destruction? It was only a Large World that was not that well known, so it didn''t serve to send a message to anyone important. He was also moving in this world, which made him wonder if the fate they discerned had something to do with him as well! Because of the actions of the mysterious Karmic Sect Master Inuit, Noah had survived from the planet that was Spatially Locked as Athena pushed the switch to blast it to pieces- which meant that their purpose of destroying everything had failed, and whatever they were trying to prevent from what they had foreseen would still come to pass. The thought of this mystery made Noah question many things as his ideals were still the same. As of this moment, he had not turned into some mad man who would agree with the destruction of an entire star and all those in it, even if they had nothing to do with the chaos being caused. This was the same reason he stood against the Celestials-because of their rampant destruction of the Lost World without a care for who was in it and whether they deserved that verdict! He had obtained [Fate Discernment] himself now and understood more of the reasoning of the Celestials for their actions, where he would pierce through the veils of mystery to find out exactly what they feared from the Lost World that made them call for its destruction. But at this moment, for the Magus World that was at hand, numerous ideas floated in Noah''s mind as he finally lifted his head and met the impassive gaze of the Grandmaster. "This disciple is slightly eccentric, and I have only gotten where I am today by looking at things from multiple different angles. I have absolutely no issue carrying out the mission of the destruction of the world responsible for the future chaos that would allow for the destruction of the world I was born in and tens of billions of beings. But what if...there was another way to achieve this same level of reduction of chaos, the saving of lives, and the instillment of fear to prevent future disorder?" "..." The Grandmaster and Athena looked closely at him as they remained the same, indicating for Noah to continue as his gaze moved between them. "You mentioned the destruction of the star achieves all the goals- wiping out those responsible while also sending a message. What if...we can send that message at the same level, if not more, and cause an even bigger reduction of chaos?" Athena''s eyes opened widely at these bold claims as the Grandmaster looked on while a sharp light passed through his eyes. He looked at Noah as he spoke. "Let me guess, you want us to simply send our interstellar warsh.i.p.s and Celestial Grandmasters to reap the lives of the powerful leading organization of the Magus World and let that stand as a message? It will not be effective, nor as efficient as simply using a Prime Warship to simply destroy the Star." The words were laced with a reprimanding tone of an Elder teaching a Junior, Noah shaking his head as he replied with a determined expression. "No. Do not send in any battlesh.i.p.s or Grandmasters. To achieve the goal of punishing those responsible for this chaos while sending a message that will bring about order across the stars...send me- a single Celestial Disciple at the Void Realm to take the heads of those responsible." ¡­! The Grandmaster''s eyes narrowed as he looked closely at Noah, a wide smile appearing on his face as he spoke out. "You realize that the most powerful beings in the Magus World are at the peak of Soul Forging Realm? I would not even be surprised if they had a being half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm for them to be so bold as to think they could get away with such actions under our eyes." The power of the Celestial Grandmaster came out in waves as he said this, his words revealing the next rank above Soul Forging, which was Domain Expansion! This was the same realm that this single Grandmaster Vredral, who was just a single Grandmaster among the many on the 7th Celestial Star, held! From Noah''s and Athena''s Void Rank, this being surpassed Soul and stood at the peak of the Domain Rank! With his abilities as a Celestial, one would dread when they realized the power that allowed them to even fight those above their levels as his presence became all the more terrifying! Noah stopped thinking about the realm of this being for a moment before he continued. "That is precisely why, Grandmaster. Send in a single Void FRealm Celestial Disciple to utterly destroy the forces of those responsible. We will achieve the goal of destroying this force and stopping the war, while sending an even stronger message about the power of Celestials who could raise a single Disciple to have the power to wipe out the major force of a Prime World." "..." Noah looked at the gaze of the Grandmaster that was still unconvinced as he squeezed his mind for more ideas and continued. "Let them know that Celestials do not just rely on their powerful Warsh.i.p.s to destroy those causing chaos. Let them know that even a single disciple at a lowly Void Realm will be enough to rectify chaos caused at the planetary level. This message can be instilled even more clearly by broadcasting this entire event to the surrounding powers that are involved in this issue!" The eyes of the Grandmaster shone at Noah''s last set of words, his gaze being more profound as he seemed to be pondering. He looked at Noah briefly later as he said a set of words that held the tone of not being able to be denied. "You are a tremendously unique genius, so I will give you this chance as a lesson to show you that the things we have established and done for centuries are the most efficient. I will use [Fate Discernment] when your actions are done to see whether they were effective in reducing chaos as it would have been if we simply destroyed the Magus World, and you can even check this yourself as soon as you finish." Noah''s figure stood up as he placed his right hand on his chest as a sign of respect for being allowed this chance, the Grandmaster continuing with a smile as he watched this. "Since we can''t have a genius like you accidentally dying, Athena will still accompany you on this mission. There would be many beings above your levels in this world after all, and this could serve as a great method of training." Noah''s eyes shone as he heard this and looked at this still impassive Athena who simply just nodded while looking at his with an unreadable expression. "Broadcast your actions to the surrounding powers huh?" The Grandmaster muttered under his breath as he found himself thinking this idea of his disciple was at least interesting, even if it might not work! But for the sake of a lesson for this incredible genius, they would put it to the test. Would his proposed idea be enough to achieve the same level of reduction of chaos and the instillment of fear into the surrounding powers while saving the same amount of lives, or would something entirely different occur? A wide smile appeared on the face of the being at the peak of Domain Expansion Realm as he looked at the bowing disciple and the valiant Athena by the side, his mind already working and sending multiple messages for a change of plans and new preparation to be put underway for a particular mission! Chapter 342 - An Inevitable Conflict Across the dark and shining vastness of space, the Magus World floated serenely, its position surrounded by numerous stars, with some being tens of thousands of miles away and others being more than a couple hundred thousand miles away. It was a Prime World that was known for its power and unique use of Rune Magic and Bloodlines by the many Magi populating it. At this moment in time though, a heavy atmosphere surrounded the Magus World as in the central location of the Order of the Black Serpent, the organization that stood at the peak of power in the Magus World- a meeting was taking place as a few being were running back and forth busily. In an enormous castle several levels high, a dark-haired Magus with shining red eyes sat at the centermost seat as surrounding her were an assortment of different colored Magi, each palpating with their own levels of strength. She was listening to the hectic discussion of her people as her gaze was cold, a trace of anger being visible on her face. "Quiet." Her single word sent the busy and bustling room into silence as they all looked towards her. She glanced at each of their faces that she could observe a trace of fear from, and this fear was not caused by her. "This is an issue between us and another world, the Celestials would not intervene for something like this. As for the World of Cultivation, just my power alone can stand against all the three Sect Masters that are still fighting for control of that world, so this war will undoubtedly end in our favor." Her words were crisp and clear, clearing up some of the gazes of the Magi in the room while some remained unconvinced. "...there have been some rumors that a disciple of the Profound Astral Sect joined the ranks of the Celestials. What if this causes their intrusion?" The dark-haired woman with sharp red eyes who was the leader of the Order of the Black Serpent that ruled the Magus World, the Snake Queen Caara- looked at the powerful Magus at the Soul Forging Realm who had spoked up. This was one of the few beings standing at a similar level as her and would still have the guts to speak up their minds. She replied as her body wiggled amorously in the central seat. "You all fear the Celestials too much. They care for their reputation too much to make a move on a Prime World right now, and the Dark Expanse is keeping them plenty busy as I can already smell the signs of a coming war. We have no need for worrying. What we are doing is not too far off from what the Celestials did with the Elven Race to create Punishers. The surrounding powers will only realize their hypocrisy if they move against us with that reasoning." "We will continue building up our forces with the bodies of Cultivators we have obtained so far, and we will obtain even more bodies in the war that should fully begin in the next few days." An invisible red aura permeated from her as it went on to ease the fear of the beings in the surrounding, her gaze that of extreme hunger for power as she repeated to the room full of Magi. "Our world and power has been stuck at the level of a Prime World for too long, this war is exactly what we needed to advance to the next stage, so we will use this chance to the fullest!" OOOOOH! A resonation of essence erupted as the amorous Magus Leader shook the fear from those in her organization, her curvaceous body standing up as her red eyes adopted dangerous vertical slits that one would only find in the most vile of snakes. "Prepare our own Punishers. When the war begins, we shall have the cultivators taste death from people of their own world as we amass even more bodies. We shall let the name of the Order of the Black Serpent resound across the Prime World, we shall let them know of our Ancestor''s Bloodline and our fearsome Magic!" OOOOH! A rallying speech continued for another few minutes in the major force controlling the Magus World as they prepared for War, their leaders not fully knowing exactly what fate their actions lead down to. In the opposing world that they were facing off against, the leaders of the three most powerful sects in the World of Cultivation were meeting as they discussed with heavy tones on what to do for the coming future. Two of them were half a step into the Soul Forging Realm, with only a single one actively stepping into the Soul Realm as their power paled in comparison to the enemies that stood against them. "Sect Master Rudolf, why do seem even calmer than all of us even though your power is only second amongst us?" The Sect Master of the Sword Sky Sect held sharp eyes that were filled with worry for the future as he questioned the Sect Master of the Profound Astral Sect who smiled mysteriously. "I know you have all heard some rumors since our Elders have been somewhat irresponsible, but the word of one of our Core Disciples joining the Celestials are not false." ¡­! "What?!" "Truly?!" The figures of the two Sect Masters stood up and let out exhaustive exclamations as their faces changed to that of happiness as if it was their own sect disciples that had joined the Celestials. But they knew what this signified! If...just if they had this sort of connection to the powerful force that was overseeing the Light Expanse, maybe this unwinnable war against a world that held multiple powerhouses stronger than them would actually not be so hopeless. "Have you sent word to your disciple?" The Sect Master of the Sword Sky Sect asked hurriedly, Sect Master Rudolf returning a smile as he spoke mysteriously. "I have, and gentlemen...the path in front of us is bright and filled with the light of the Celestials." ¡­! The forces of one world felt relief and ecstatic as they looked upon the force overseeing the Light Expanse as a force filled with righteousness and mercy as they hoped for those murdering their people to be brought to justice, while one world held slight worry for this same force as they called them hypocrites who would not dare move with everyone watching. What they didn''t know was that for the coming conflict...every single being would be made to watch something that would be etched onto the recesses of their memories for as long as they lived! Chapter 343 - Setting Off! In the expansive Inquiring Mountain that was under the control of Grandmaster Vredral, a golden ship that was much different than normally seen warsh.i.p.s was lifting off into the skies. One could observe an array of dangerous cannons made out of unknown materials, the runic markings inlaid all around them contributing to an ancient feel that only showed a glimpse of their power. The entire vessel was larger than 2 kilometers, its contrasting colors of red and gold plastered on its smooth rectangular appearance making it eye-catching as it passed through the protective layer of the 7th Celestial Star and shot off into the vastness of space. On this specialized Interstellar Ship that was called a Prime Warship, Noah was standing beside a girl with a brilliant aura that was only enhanced by her bronze skin that did not seem to hold a single blemish. She held smooth dark hair that was tied up in a simple ponytail, adding to this simple look even more as she only adorned a red robe. Behind them in the room that held the central command of the Prime Warship, Grandmaster Vredral could be seen using wisps of his expansive energy to propel the ship forward as it became a streak of light in the vastness of space. His pondering gaze was on the back of the stupendous Genius that had turned the heads of many on the 7th Celestial Star, his potential quickly making those in the upper ranks compare him to Athena and the plans they had for her. Similar to the War Princes, they had discerned that Crixus was a being that held a Noble Fate, a position that very few would hold in the centuries that pass. Those with a Noble Fate held very distinct positions as it was extremely hard to discern their future, making it critical to raise them well in the eyes of the Celestial. Vredral had only given this young Celestial the chance to try his new method of reducing chaos in the upcoming conflict for this reason, as he knew of the unpredictability that those with a Noble Fate could bring. It would serve as a lesson should he fail, and on the off chance that his method reduced the level of chaos and deaths as much as what they originally planned with the complete destruction of the Magus World? A smile appeared on the Grandmaster''s face at this thought as he observed Crixus turning and talking towards Athena. --- Noah''s now calm aura of a Celestial bounced off his body as the abundant Fate Lines brought forth a unique air, his face turning towards Athena as he fished for more information. "Have you done a mission similar to what this one was originally supposed to be? Have you overseen the destruction of an entire world?" An indiscernible light crossed Athena''s eyes as she heard this, staring towards the constantly changing vastness of space as she replied calmly. "Once before. On a Large World that went under the name of the Lost World." "Oh? What did their forces do?" An interested look appeared on Noah''s face as he listened closely to finally get the history for the reason of the destruction of the Lost World. "The world was first brought to our attention because of the beings of a few other Worlds that they held skirmishes with, coming to our knowledge that they were creating Cursed Items which directly went against the Universal Laws. Usually, this alone isn''t enough to warrant the verdict of destruction, but when a Grandmaster used [Fate Discernement] on this world, they came to find a terrible fate that would arise from this world." "They foresaw that a being would rise to usher in a new rule above this Lost World, going on to use the Cursed Items created from this world to usher in an era of chaos across the Light Expanse." ¡­! Noah''s mind shook briefly as he heard these words, many thoughts coursing through his mind as he continued to listen. "The Verdict for the world''s destruction was made soon after, the mission of overseeing it falling on my shoulders. We were successful in reducing chaos with its destruction, with no more information being able to be ascertained after its destruction." Noah outwardly nodded outside while an array of thoughts rapidly came and went in his mind. Athena''s words possibly held a shocking meaning as they repeated in his mind, a big question appearing as even though he didn''t want to think too highly of himself, he was most likely the being that the Celestials foresaw to take the reigns of the Lost World after he defeated Baal, using their World Engines as he was already planning to right at this moment! This thought felt ludicrous, but it was also the most straightforward one! Through [Fate Discernment], the Celestials had foreseen him coming to power, and they had almost succeeded in killing him in the Lost World...were it not for one particular Sect Master Inuit. "..." Noah adopted a thoughtful look as he stared out into the changing vastness of space as the Prime Warship they were on got ever closer to the Magus World, a variety of feelings coursing through his mind as he realized even though it was not his fault, the reason that the Celestials destroyed an entire World with billions of beings was because of him! This thought lingered in his mind as he tried to get past it and look forward to the future. He could not change what occurred then, but he was trying to look at the possibilities of changing things now. There was another world in the near future that was marked for death, and this one also had a singular force that was the target for the Celestials. For the sake of tying off all loose ends, permanently cutting off the cycle of chaos, and sending a message of fear to the surrounding powers to reduce any further disorder- the Celestials would accept the loss of a few billion lives. They justified this because were they not to act at all, the chaos that would unravel would cause tens of billions of lives. Noah knew they weren''t wrong, as he himself had confirmed this with [Fate Discernment]! But...he just didn''t want those that were completely innocent finding their world placed under a spatial lock as they watched destruction close in. He did not want a repeat of the Lost World where he saved the Ocean Master and tens of thousands of others in Atlantis, but left behind billions more. In this brief moment in time, his humanity pushed back the ever so expanding bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor that gradually made him colder and more calculating as he was now focused on achieving the same goal as the Celestials, but through different means that did not require the destruction of an entire star and all those in it. But this possible path...would be much bloodier, and much more cruel for the instigators who would have just faced quick deaths. A gaze of determination overcame his face as he looked forward, the reality of the past and future much clearer in his mind. Chapter 344 - A Show for All to See The Prime Warship was much faster than the vessels Noah had been in before, where in just a few hours they were nearing the location of the Magus World. The outline of this Prime World was slightly bigger than the World of Cultivation, a thin barrier enveloping it that looked ready to break at any time. It was less for protection and more of a message that they held the power and strength to erect any kind of barrier over their world. The Prime Warship that was capable of laying waste to entire stars appeared near the Magus World silently, its enormous size of more than 2 kilometers paling in comparison to the grandness of an entire planet, but the weapons it held still as terrifying! The instant it appeared, Grandmaster Vredral calmly tapped a few things on a red crystal connected to the Prime Warship, its many weapons locked and loaded as a few specialized ones released a film of golden light to rapidly begin wrapping around the entirety of the Magus World. --- The Snake Queen Caara who was overseeing the continuing operations in the Magus world was the first the feel the changes as her awareness was much more sensitive than others, realizing a second late that a spatial lock was rapidly spreading throughout the Magus World! Her face turned ashen as her gaze shot to the skies, piercing through the layers as the snake eyes located an enormous ship with runic markings and weapons that would cause fear to creep into any knowledgeable being''s soul. The vessel that towered over the Magus World paled in comparison to the world''s size, but its significance caused the Snake Queen to see an image as if this single ship was bigger than the entire Planet! This was because this Prime Warship was known and feared among the knowledgeable powers of the Light Expanse. It was the only piece of technology that was unique to the Celestials, its power being unmatched as when piloted by the powerful Grandmasters that made up the ranks of Celestials, this vessel could lay waste to entire worlds! This Prime Warship could only be piloted by a being in the Domain Expansion realm, the level of energy required being immense for anyone lower. Along with this requirement of energy, the unique essence of Celestials was required before one could ever get close to this spectacular weapon of mass destruction. Its appearance above the Magus World only meant one thing, and the Snake Queen who stood at the top of the Order of the Black Serpent understood this as her ashen face became enraged. "Hypocrites!" She screamed out towards nothingness as the other powerhouses on the Magus World quickly noticed the situation, their gazes turning to those of despair as they understood what was about to happen. "No!" "They can''t!" Fearful feelings of terror began to creep into the hearts of many powerful beings all over the Magus World as they expected a horrendous scene to occur in the next moment, but minutes passed as nothing else but the solid spatial lock that covered the entire planet appeared thereafter. Some breathed easier as they tried to send communications out to their allies to see if any would be capable of stopping the hands of the Celestials that had appeared above the Magus World, but no communications were coming in or out of this locked world as they watched on helplessly. The horrendous activation of weapons they had come to fear over the years did not activate as the beating heart of the Snake Queen still held a furious expression as she looked towards the skies. Her expression remained one of rage as it didn''t seem like she feared death one bit if it came for her! Many of the powerhouses of the Magus World looked on to see what their fate would be among the despairing atmosphere as they observed an enormous illusory screen begin to materialize right above the Magus World. This screen was humongous in size, even passing the size of the Prime Warship as any beings at the Void Rank or above would be able to observe things with clarity as long as they focused on the skies. The image in the huge illusory screen became clearer within a few seconds as they observed it to be the point of view of two red-robed figures. One was a dark haired man who held a calm expression, the other was a dark-skinned woman that had a tight ponytail waving valiantly behind her as her eyes shimmer with light as they looked forward to what the screen was showing- which was simply the view of these two beings as they stared at the Magus World from the ship they were on! This mystical illusory screen did not just appear in front of the eyes of the powerful forces of the Magus World, another one just like it appeared above the World of Cultivation. Another one appeared on the Underworld, another one appeared on the Automaton World...the illusory screen showing the point of view of two Red Robed Celestials was being portrayed across many of the surrounding Prime Worlds that held connections in any way to the Magus World and the World of Cultivation, even adding along other Prime Worlds that simply held many powerhouses. The Lone Moon, The Infantile Globe, The Storm Territories, The Burning Archipelago, The Flameborn World...numerous Prime Worlds were introduced to this humongous illusory screen that showed two beings looking at the expansive Magus World. The knowledgeable powerhouses of these worlds felt an eerie atmosphere as they recognized what the red robes signified, their assumption confirmed the moment this ridiculous capability of allowing an illusory screen like this that portray an entirely different environment hundreds of miles away above their worlds confirming all of their thoughts as they wondered just who had earned the wrath of the Celestials! What they didn''t know was that to make this a possibility, Grandmaster Vredral had instructed numerous Celestials to direct Interstellar Warsh.i.p.s besides the Prime Warship he was in with Crixus and Athena to move out to the numerous Prime Worlds in the surrounding quadrant that the Magus World was in. This amounted to tens of Interstellar Warsh.i.p.s being spread out to cover the distances of over a hundred Prime Worlds that either had connections to or knew of the Magus World and the World of Cultivation, as well as the war that was brewing with these two powers at the center. These numerous sh.i.p.s held the technology similar to what Noah had observed them do outside the doors of the First Realm of Hell, the technology to portray an illusory screen for many to see. This same technology was being used now as numerous sh.i.p.s traversed near numerous Prime World to portray an illusory screen that showed a video with extreme clarity. The Grandmaster held slight interest when Noah further explained how he wanted to enact his different path that wasn''t the destruction of the entire planet, and that was to put on a show. To prevent the destruction of an entire world while only taking down those responsible, and at the same time achieving the Celestial''s goal of using fear to reduce the compounding chaos...Noah would put on a show for all to see! Chapter 345 - Merciful Saints, Cruel Tyrants Many of the beings seeing the screen above the skies of their worlds recognized the image of the War Princess that was already widely known, the one that became even more renowned recently as she took the number one spot in the recent Infernal Hunt. A few recognized the image of Crixus, being mostly those in the World of Cultivation as they looked on with shining eyes as this disciple appeared grandly on the screen. In the Underworld, the curvaceous Elena was surrounded by forces of Pureblood Vampyres as they looked on with faces of solemnity, her infatuated gaze landing on the dark haired male as intense lights shone from her eyes. There was a small miniaturized penguin sitting on her shoulders as its beak rose high, its beady eyes trying to focus on the screen above as its Saint Realm essence could not see the image as clearly. The monstrous figures of the other Harbingers that held different transformations after absorbing the bloodlines of Vampyres were also observing the screen above them, with a few missing it as they were in the Infernal Realm along with the Abhorred Lich Emperor continuing to farm Skill Points! Their eyes gazed at this stupendous illusory screen as something finally changed. "The Magus World has sown an enormous amount of chaos and had received the Verdict of destruction long ago. But¡­" A resounding voice began to echo from the illusory screen, spreading through the targeted worlds that Grandmaster Vredral wanted to spread the message across as he continued to speak. "...my new disciple wanted to try things a different way, and bring justice using a brand new path. That is what you are about to watch- justice for those responsible for sowing chaos, and the return of Order and Balance from it." His words finished as the faces of many powerful beings turned somber, their gazes fully locking onto the events that had begun on the screen as a sense of unease spread throughout. "The disciples to enact this Verdict will be Athena and Crixus, disciples at the Void Realm who will descend into the Magus World to bring to justice the forces responsible for this chaos." ¡­ The influential and powerful figures turned quizzical for the first time as they thought they had misheard something. They knew that the force that controlled the Magus World was the Order of the Black Serpent, a powerful organization that held numerous Void Realm powerhouses, and even a few beings at the Soul Forging Realm standing at the top. To carry out this verdict of the Celestials, only two Void Realm disciples were being sent out to combat all of these forces? Skeptical looks began to appear among the faces of many beings across the stars as they wondered exactly what type of message the Celestials were trying to send with this action. In the humongous Prime Warship that Noah and Athena stood on, a small door opened in front of them as their bodies became enveloped in the aura of the Void Realm, their figures floating out serenely as they began flying towards the Magus World. This image caused the eyes of many to skip a beat as they realized the Celestials were truly serious about sending in two talented disciples at the Void Realm to stand against powerhouses that reached the Soul Forging Realm! They watched on with rapt attention as the illusory screen closely followed the viewpoint of Noah and Athena, the features of the Magus World becoming more and more clear as their figures descended down and passed through the golden film of light that was now covering the entirety of the world. This barrier of golden light did not just prevent spatial movements, any being that tried to break past it without the permission of the Domain Expansion expert that was piloting the Prime Warship would find their actions being all for naught as the barrier locked everything in completely. The instant the figures of Noah pierced through the stratosphere of the Magus World, they began descending down in a particular direction as both Noah and Athena were using [Fate Discernement] to see where they aura of chaos originated from the most. Their findings were leading them directly to the central lands of the Magus World where the Order of the Black Serpent was located! RUMBLE! Their bodies trembled with essence as they shot force speedily, soon arriving at the skies above grand buildings of a now tense capital. At the forefront of these forces, the Snake Queen looked towards Noah and Athena with a looked of furious unwillingness as her overflowing aura began to rise from her body in a maddening fashion. "This is how you hypocrites wish to humiliate us?! Sending weak disciples to send the message of your strength?" Her voice was laced with poison as she was not even speaking directly towards Noah and Athena, simply speaking in their direction as her words were aimed at the Celestials and all those that she knew would most likely be watching a similar illusory screen like the one they were seeing. "Don''t you all see? These hypocritical celestials have no moral compass! They will kill whoever they wish under the name of justice and order. In this Light Expanse, they are simply tyrants! It may be my world targeted today, but what''s to stop them from doing the same thing to your worlds next? What''s to stop them from proclaiming a verdict of destruction on the Flameborn World or the Underworld in a few days?!" Her unwillingness was portrayed in her voice as her figure became flanked by two beings of similar rank to her. One was a middle-aged man with furrowed brows that held a tall stature, the other was a scantily dressed woman in her prime that held a similar venomous look on her face. The many worlds being shown the events occurring in the Magus World reflected as they heard the words of the leader of the Order of the Black Serpent, the one to reply being Athena as around her, numerous Empyrean Guards had begun to appear en masse. "We, the Celestials, care not whether you see us as saints or abominable tyrants." RUMBLE! A golden hue covered the skies above them as tens of thousands of Fate Lines could barely be discernible by those proficient in fate, others simply seeing the aura that Athena carried increase boundlessly as the numerous golden figures she summoned turned into streaks of light that fused into her body. "What we care about is the Order and Balance of this Light Expanse, the balance of this increasingly chaotic universe." A brilliant golden light shone out as the golden lights finished fusing into her, the appearance of a resplendent figure covered head to toe with a golden armor, expansive shining light wings, and a pulsating golden hammer making its appearance at it aimed itself towards the three figures that fate pointed the most chaos towards, these same figures that were quickly being surrounded by numerous beings at the Void and Saint Realm to protect them on all sides from the attackers in the skies. "You all...have sown discord and chaos in the surrounding stars, and your verdict is...death!" RUMBLE! A brilliant light shone out as she finished these words, Noah glancing at the thousands of beings he could sense above this single central building where the Snake Queen stood at the forefront of, tens of thousands more moving around this central base of the Magi who all held an aura of chaos on their bodies. Accompanying their ranks were the lifeless bodies of numerous cultivators that wore robes hiding their features, many of them mixing into the ranks of the Magi as they followed their given commands lifelessly! Noah observed all of this as he sighed and began summoning numerous Empyrean Guards himself, committing to fully saving this Magus World from complete destruction. But for him to be able to do that, he had to dye its central lands red from the blood of all those responsible for initiating this chaos to begin with! Chapter 346 - Devouring Winged Serpent The Snake Queen Caara that stood at the top of the Magus World stared at the golden figures shimmering with light as the ideology of the Celestials reached her heart with extreme precision. They cared not how they were perceived, as long as beings feared and obeyed them, as long as they knew of their terrible power- this was all that mattered! Her furious expression softened as it soon became devoid of emotions, her senses catching the many Magi that were grouped all over the central base cl.u.s.ter around her as they prepared to fight against the two invading Celestials. Looking at this scene, something seemed to have clicked in the mind of the Snake Queen as words devoid of emotions left her red lips as her body began to bubble forth with power. "So be it. [Devouring Winged Serpent]." RUMBLE! A red light shot to the skies as a skill was cast, an immense aura overflowing with power at the Soul Forging Realm was released maddeningly! This aura held a significance that could be felt by every being around, as those standing at the Soul Forging Realm had stably begun strengthening their souls, the aura of power they released causing a coagulating pressure to descend down upon those that stood against them. This was the power of the soul, an abstruse force that very few could grasp! But the beings that the snake queen was up against held even more fearsome techniques that allowed them to use the Supreme Law of Fate, the numerous Fate Lines that they condensed on their bodies giving them the capability to inflict Soul Damage, as well as granting them a level of protection that nobody else had! The aura of the Snake Queen continued to overflow as Noah observed her body begin to expand rapidly, numerous dark red scales that were meters thick enlarging at an alarming speed as this being began the transformation into a monstrous creature. On either side of her expanding figure, two Magi floated in the skies as they looked at the Snake Queen''s transformation, their expressions those of unwillingness as they turned towards the shimmering figures of Noah and Athena, and even further above to the horrible Warship that could disintegrate them and their entire planet. They did not fear the two Void Realm beings in the skies as they were confident in their own power at the Soul Forging Realm, but what they feared was the actions these celestials would ultimately take once they killed the two disciples in the air! They felt like an aura of death was approaching them as their gazes focused on the humongous ship that was barely discernible in space, but their gazes were in the wrong direction as this would most definitely not be the cause of their deaths. The two Magi activated their own Bloodline abilities as their bodies also expanded and began to change, numerous scales spreading as one held a fully black aura, with another shining with a red light as their sizes quickly exploded to tens of meters. The numerous powerful beings watching across worlds wore grim faces at this show of power, the illusory screens above their stars showing the majestic form that the leader of the Magus World had transformed into- and it was the terrible form of an expansive Nine-Headed Winged Serpent! ROAAAR! The air trembled at the resounding roars of its numerous heads as the [Devouring Winged Serpent] floated magnificently in the air, its nine heads waving menacingly as each one shone with its own color that symbolized expert control of multiple elements. Many watched this overwhelming power at the Soul Forging Realm as they affirmed that the opponents the Celestials sent were extremely mismatched. They knew the power of the being called the Snake Queen from rumors and the spies, but they never witnessed it close hand as her grandeur was clearly portrayed in the illusory screens above the numerous stars. This was affirmed even more as her resounding voice that was laced with fearsome power rang out as if she was standing right in front of them. "If that hypocritical grandmaster above doesn''t come down to face me himself, then he can simply come to collect the bodies of his disciples along with mine!" Yes! The Devouring Winged Serpent floating in the skies knew that with the intrusion of the Celestials, she, along with all of her forces, would be facing their death today! But still, amidst this terrifying feeling of unfairness and despair at a greater power coming out of nowhere spouting what seemed like bullshit in their ears, they could not do anything to stop it and had to simply accept it. So they would accept it...but they would also take down others as well, especially the disciples of the ones responsible. The numerous eyes of the Devouring Winged Serpent focused on the shimmering golden figures of two beings standing less than a mile away from her, her tremendous body nearing 40 meters in size trembling with power as it was joined side by side by two slightly less fearsome Winged Serpents. The two Soul Forging Realm Magi that were standing beside her had transformed into a Dark Winged Serpent and a Flame Winged Serpent as they each adopted their own spectacular forms that were just a few meters smaller in size than her own. The Dark Winged Serpent had tendrils of darkness rolling through its scales as its body pulsed with menacing power, while the Flame Winged Serpent had molten flames spurting out all around its body, rapidly increasing the temperature of the surroundings. An overwhelming feeling of strength released from them as slowly, the gaps in the skies began to be filled with numerous different forms and colors of snakes and basilisks that held fearsome expressions! The forces of the Order of the Black Serpent had fully withdrawn their fear as they used the power of their bloodlines to transform into a frightening army of an assortment of fearsome serpents. The skies soon became blotted with dots of beings from the central base of power of the Magus World, their numbers nearing tens of thousands as they ranged from Legendary and all the way to Void Realm. Among their ranks, the dead cultivators devoid of souls that were turned into beings similar to the Celestial''s punishers were filling the gaps of these ferocious Magi. These were only the members of the Order of the Black Serpent that held power above Legendary Rank, with millions more that held lower power levels spread out across the central lands of the Magus World as they watched the unfolding events with uncertainty and fear. Leading the gathered forces in the sky, at the forefront was a Devouring Winged Serpent at the peak of the Soul Forging Realm, her power seemingly being able to overflow into the next realm at any moment. Flanking her two sides was a Dark Winged Serpent and a Flame Winged Serpent that trembled with elemental energies of their respective bloodlines! The most powerful beings of the Prime World that was known as the Magus World, the Bloodline Magi of the Order of the Black Serpent that all knew in their hearts death was coming for them in the hands of the Celestials- they had all fully prepared and transformed as their angered and despairing gazes turned towards the two beings calmly floating opposite to them. In front of this ever so expanding army, the brilliantly shining golden figures of Athena and Noah raised their weapons forward, their eyes shining with confidence as they didn''t seem to think this tremendous force was anything much! Chapter 347 - Shining Blades Pierce the Skies The numerous forces of multiple Prime Worlds watching this scene portrayed in the point of view of Noah and Athena found it breathtaking to watch as they could so clearly observe the converging of essence from the army of the many serpents standing opposite to these two beings. In their hearts, they knew they never wanted to be in this situation in their lifetimes! Yet the two beings facing this terrible army held calm eyes as one was shining a resplendent gold, her body covered in full golden armor and shining golden wings where only her unshaking eyes could be seen. The other held an even more unique look as a golden robe dr.a.p.ed over him regally, from his back the appearance of grandiose white-gold feathered wings erupting out in a glorious array of colors as his face was that of calmness! The two Celestials were completely unfazed by this tremendous scene of an entire army in front of them. In the Prime Warship floating above the space of the Magus World, the Grand Master was looking at this scene closely, his power ready to jump in at any instant if something went wrong. Even though it seemed like his actions of allowing Athena and Crixus to go into the Magus world were easy to arrange, he had to send messages to various Grandmasters before he got his way. He affirmed that this experiment would only be for the training purposes of these two exemplary disciples, and that no harm would come to them under his watch. Thus he was watching with even more interested eyes than the numerous forces that were watching the illusory screens above their planets. "Death it is!" The furious Devouring Winged Serpent voiced out loud as her words acted as the trigger for the start of the battle. OOOOH! Immense waves of energy erupted out as Noah observed with calm eyes the rushing of numerous serpents towards them. It was a scene of terror as those watching from a distance of multiple planets far away felt their hairs rise at the scene of this humongous force rushing towards the two beings floating in the skies. As a response to this rushing force, Noah turned towards Athena and asked this valiant looking figure. "Shall I make the first move or will you?" His mind continued to be that of slight interest towards this impassive and noncommunicating senior disciple that he had sparred with multiple times over the span of the last month. Every time they fought he always held an edge over the battle as she limited herself to the same number of fate lines that he held. But his skills that were fully enhanced with skill points and the numerous passive boosts that he received from multiple other abilities made it so that she could never get a winning edge over him. Yet after the end of each battle, he only felt that the fight was becoming harder and harder for him. This monstrous Athena was adapting extremely fast at his power, even while limiting herself to a specific number of fate lines. At the last few sparring matches, even with his enhanced abilities, the matches were actually coming out as a draw! This was the shocking talent of this being that was apparently also holding a Noble Fate! He could already see the shining light within her eyes, the fact that she loved battle being the only thing that he understood about her. Athena''s eyes were locked onto the singularly most powerful Devouring Winged Serpent that was rushing towards them at a fast speed as she replied. "Junior Brother, since this is a mission that you proposed, why don''t you start us off and show me the skills that you could not show me before?" Feeling the enormous source of strength from the golden robe that dr.a.p.ed over his body as well as the glorious wings from his back that came from [Empyrean Armament], Noah couldn''t help but shake his head at the insane boosts of the skills he obtained from the Celestials. After putting the maximum skill points in the two abilities, [Empyrean Guards] allowed him to summon 6 beings made of immense light as [Empyrean Armament] granted him a boost of 30% to Soul Damage, Physical Damage, Speed, and Defense for every Empyrean Guard that he absorbed! This granted him a shocking boost of 180% to all the aforementioned features in the form of the golden robe that dr.a.p.ed over him, granting him tremendous defense and making his body feel even lighter than he thought possible as he put into account the [Lesser Cthulhu]''s Child of Space ability. The golden sword and shield he held on either of his hands also made him feel like he could defend and attack against anything that came towards him, this confidence only being shot higher as he felt his Fate Lines resonating within his body. He still did not fully understand and could not quantify the boosts of these spectacular Fate Lines that allowed Celestials to fight beings of higher levels than them, but he would gradually come to know, with this battle today granting him a chance to learn many things. As for the words of Athena, during their sparring matches he had only ever used [Empyrean Guards] and [Empyrean Armament] as both Athena and he knew very well the next two skills were ones that could deal Soul Damage when cast, that they were not skills to be used in a spar and thus Noah or Athena had never cast these skills before. Noah''s thoughts moved fast as he looked at the first one he wanted to try, confirming the changes of the skill when he placed the maximum number of allowed skill points onto it. [Smite of Liberation](5/5) :: Cleanse the souls of those that stand against you as you smite them with a Blade of Liberation. The blade is incorporeal and yet physical at the same time, granting +300% Physical and +300% Soul Damage. Limit of 5 Blades of Liberation per cast. Noah gazed at the spectacular numbers of the skill and the added description of the number of blades as the numerous figures of deadly serpents that were rushing towards him, the three at the forefront being the most dangerous. An impassive look appeared on his face as he breathed out and steeled himself, ready to test whether he could defeat those of the next level with ease while using the abilities of the Celestials, his mind fully prepared and ready to carry out a bloodbath. It would be the bloodbath that would go on to save this planet, only taking down those responsible for sowing the abundant chaos that was going to spread across the stars. He knew he was walking on an extremely tight rope here as he had joined the ranks of Celestials and was even carrying out missions similar to them, yet he did not want himself to completely be against them as he did not agree with the way they did things! It was a very thin line to walk on, and this test, this bloodbath on the Magus World, would be the first step to seeing whether he could do things differently than them. His gaze met the ferocious charging army of serpents as light words escaped his lips. [Smite of liberation]. RUMBLE! A golden hue spread across the skies as a droning sound could be heard by all those in the surroundings. The color of gold was slowly replaced as sharp points of blades began to appear from the skies, the blades being enormous in size as one could very clearly make out their physical features being tens of meters wide. They observed the sharp ends of multiple blades as they pierced through the layer of clouds and began descending down at a ferocious speed! VOOM The blades pierced through the layer of clouds as they became more and more pronounced, those watching being able to see sharp white blades that were attached to golden hilts. These five blades carried with them a golden aura of righteousness that seemed to be smashing straight into the army of the Order of the Black Serpent. Noah''s own body was trembling as his fate lines had become barely discernible, their presence going on to augment the strength of [Smite of Liberation] even more as besides the increased Physical and Soul damage, the blades rushed down to their targets even faster. The Devouring Winged Serpent turned her eyes upwards in shock as she felt this stupendous attack that in no way should have come from someone in the void realm. This took her by complete surprise as her numerous heads faced the skies and opened their wide terrifying mouths, letting out enormous colorful blasts of elemental energies that rushed to oppose the descending blades. BOOM! Just the simple size of the Blades of Liberation made it so that the terrifying attacks from a being that was at the Soul Forging Realm to only strike the tip of the blade points as they seemed to be cut apart, the blades themselves continuing to descend down as a sheen of gold light covered them, the Supreme Law of Fate backing them not being able to be withstood by the attacks of the Devouring Winged Serpent as they went on to smash into the ranks of the numerous serpents coiling in the skies. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!! The color of gold erupted out and it was soon followed by a bloody red hue as many watched with rapt and unbelievable faces at the bloodbath that had begun in the Magus World! Chapter 348 - Unmatched Judgment! Everywhere that these tremendously large Blades of Liberation passed, numerous beings no matter their power levels were sliced through, the blades sliding down as if they were cutting through butter. Only the tremendously powerful bodies of the Soul Forging Realms experts felt their scales being ripped apart as they suffered heavy injuries, just the sizes of these blades going on to inflict a horrendous amount of damage that they never thought would have been possible at the beginning of this battle! As the numerous forces that were watching from the multiple Prime Worlds watched on, their jaws were slacked wide open, nearly reaching the floor as they observed the being with golden-white wings and the shimmering golden sword and shield cast a single skill that went on to disrupt an entire army. In the underworld, the arrogant Emperor Penguin stood on the shoulders of Elena as its flippers rose victoriously in the air, its eyes full of pride as it nodded vigorously. Elena''s eyes showed even more infatuation as she watched her Vampyre Progenitor go on to cast skills she never thought to be possible for someone like him to cast so seamlessly. This simple casting of Smite of Liberation was just the beginning of a very, very bloody battle as Athena''s eyes shone at the destructive extent of the damage caused by this simple casting of the skill which allowed five Blades of Liberation to descend down compared to the one blade she could summon with a single cast. Even more questions erupted in her head as she wanted to drill into the secrets of the exemplary being next to her, but her thirst for battle won her over as she looked at that disordered army of terrible serpents and instead rushed forth towards them! "YAA!" Her resounding scream acted as a reminder as the shocked Devouring Winged Serpent lit up with numerous abilities, it''s expert use of the many elements granted to it by its numerous heads coming forth as enormous balls of fire appeared in the skies. They were followed up by a sharp formation of ice spears that threatened to pierce any that stood to oppose them. The leader of the Order of the Black Serpent continued to cast numerous innate skills as she felt an unbelievable feeling while looking towards the shimmering figure with white wings. She affirmed his power was at the Void Realm, but the ability he cast was enough to even injure someone in the Soul Forging Realm. This unbelievable reality caused a sliver of fear to appear in her cold heart as this simply did not make sense! She continued casting abilities as enormous boulders of earth also began rushing down, while destructive bombs of darkness and blades of wind and numerous more elemental attacks appeared in the skies with ease The Devouring Winged Serpent was enraged and no longer underestimated the two beings in front of her, seeing the horrible color of red spreading out all around her as hundreds of beings faced death from just that one attack. OOOOH! A battle roar rang out as the numerous elemental attacks cast by her flew towards the figures of Noah and Athena. The two of them were fearlessly rushing in as the shield in Noah''s left hand shone as a shimmering golden barrier appeared to wrap around his body. Athena''s own body was fully protected by a golden metal armor as she weaved in and out of the dangerous molten balls of fire, boulders of earth, and ice spears, the hammer she wielded in her hands smashing into any attacks that neared her as spectacularly, her body pulsed with tens of thousands of fate lines! It was an image that struck itself into the minds of all those watching as they observed two winged figures weaving into a destructive storm of elemental attacks cast by a Soul Forging Realm Bloodline Magus, their bodies effortlessly weaving in and out in a beautiful fashion. The Grandmaster watching from above had his expression shining with pride as he observed the thrumming of tens of thousands of Fate Lines on Athena''s body, his aged heart looking forward into the future as he waited for a similar number of fate lines to appear on the monstrous genius fighting alongside Athena who had shown them yet again how different their own techniques could be used. When it came to Athena, she only held the power of the Void Realm, and at the peak of it at that, but her power was augmented into insane levels because of the tens of thousands of Fate Lines that she held in her body. Even Noah himself currently only held a bit over thirteen thousand Fate Lines, but even he felt an enormous sense of power from them, not to mention the strength Athena could draw out given how many lines she had already condensed in her origin. The Grandmaster continued to ponder how this genius was bringing out even more exemplary effects from the techniques of [Fate''s Guardian] as he watched the resplendent Blades of Liberation disappear in the bloodied army of serpents, wondering exactly how monstrous the perception of Crixus was! The War Princess weaved in and out of the numerous attacks thrown by the Devouring Winged Serpent as she placed more energy onto the golden hammer that she carried in her hands to strike down towards one of the heads of the huge serpent as she targeted the strongest beings in the opposing army! BOOM! The descent of her fierce hammer was actually also a prelude as from the skies, a bright Blade of Liberation with features different from the ones Noah had cast descending downwards rapidly, its target the many necks of the weaving Devouring Winged Serpent. The battle continued explosively as the two Soul Forging Dark Winged Serpent and the Flame Winged Serpents turned their red eyes towards Noah, their bodies already moving as numerous destructive skills were cast towards him. This was accompanied by the attacks of tens of thousands of other Bloodline Magi as runic inscriptions beautifully colored the skies, the product of these runes being deadly elemental spells that rushed towards his position. Noah''s gaze was impassive as he pointed his blade forward and cast the second skill that he had yet to cast after placing the maximum number of allowed Skill Points into it. [Judgement](5/5) :: A declaration of death for all those that stand against you is called forth. Those that cannot defend themselves will have their bodies destroyed and their souls shattered as they become lost in the river of fate. The ability has been enhanced further, becoming an area of attack ability that affects targeted beings in an area of 100 meters. The description of the skill was nothing to scoff at, with the possibilities of who could be affected when the skill was cast nearly endless as the last added description was ridiculous to even think about. The skill stated that it was a declaration of death for all those that stood against him, so Noah wielded the golden blade of light in his right hand as he pointed forward at the numerous magi snaking towards him and simply cast the skill, his gaze landing on the centermost location where the two Soul Forging Magi were moving along with all the beings surrounding them. [Judgment]. RUMBLE! He felt an enormous amount of mana leak from his body, an amount that was greater than any of the other Celestial abilities he had ever used before as he instinctively realized he would be going overboard and moved to stop supplying mana to the skill a second later, but his enormous reserves had already given a significant amount of mana as a ridiculous area of attack ability that used to be for a single target, an extremely high damage dealing skill that even brought death to an aberration in the Infernal Realm- came to life in the most stupendous way possible! ''Ah, whoops.'' A single thought coursed through his mind as the very skies screeched and trembled at the appearance of this attack! The numerous powerful forces watching from the illusory screens above the prime worlds, the ones who believed they couldn''t be shocked anymore found themselves questioning their eyesight as an ability of ridiculous proportions presented itself in front of their eyes, numerous golden spears appearing en masse in the skies as they descended down to skewer everything in sight with a righteous light of judgment! Chapter 349 - Golden Robes Stained with Blood From the illusory screens that stood above the many Prime Worlds that were connected to the Magus World, an unbelievable site was playing itself out in front of the eyes of many observing forces. RUMBLE! They watched in a trance as the winged celestial pointed his sword forward, bringing about unbelievable judgment onto those that stood against him as in the next instant, numerous golden spears began to appear as if they were needles in the vast skies of the Magus World! Their numbers were too many to count as they appeared in an area of 100 meters, their extremely sharp tips pointing themselves forward as they went on to skewer everything in the area of 100 meters! SPULCH! A bloody mist spread out a moment later as silence reigned over the battlefield. "..." A moment of silence came as not a single being could speak while observing the incredible level of power. Many were asking themselves in their minds- Were their eyes playing tricks on them or was this really the power of a Void Realm being?! The powers spread out over the many Prime Worlds weren''t the only ones shocked at the development. The Grandmaster that was watching the fight with the rapt attention in the Prime Warship that was floating above the Magus World was watching with wide eyes as he observed yet another skill that he had been using for hundreds of years be used in the hands of this new genius disciple. This same skill was portrayed vastly differently to the extent that he had to ask himself- Was this the same skill? Was this the same technique that he knew all this time? The air of the battlefield had changed with this single attack as even while Athena weaved in and out of the destructive elemental skills that were raging all around, her attention went to the skewered beings in an area of 100 meters that had turned bloody! The only remaining beings were the Dark Winged Serpent and the Flame Winged Serpent who had sustained heavy injuries on their bodies, most of them from the soul damage aspect coming from Noah''s attack that they did not have too many defenses of. Athena''s eyes shone with a grand light as she wanted to take a close look at her junior brother who had managed to surprise her even more than she thought was possible. But her attention focused on the immensely powerful peak Soul Forging Realm expert that was the Devouring Winged Serpent. Her unique ability foretold of every single possible attack that her enemy might make before they made it. This allowed her to escape and move through the battle with ease as she began conducting a symphony of blood. Her attacks reigned down on the Devouring Winged Serpent as she evaded everything thrown towards her! The air of the battlefield had changed to that of oppression and powerlessness as the forces of the Magus world actually found themselves on the losing end when fighting two Void Realm Disciples, each of them coming out with spectacular attacks and reaping many of their comrade''s lives while not a single speck of damage could be seen on their golden figures! The beings watching across the stars were struck frozen as a somber atmosphere overcame them, not completely understanding how these two Void Disciples were decimating forces with such a vast difference in power. In the area of 100 meters where the color of the sky was changed to a bloody red, the area of death was eerily silent except for the two Soul Forging Realm beings that had happened to survive. Their gazes were that of fear as they gazed towards Noah. This fear came from the fact that besides the physical damage they felt when numerous sharp spears produced by [Judgement] pierced their bodies, the even worse damage came directly to their souls as a type of damage that they had no way to prevent struck their origins! They glanced towards the Devouring Winged Serpent who seemed to be falling into the pace of a beautifully moving Athena as they looked for possibilities and exactly what to do. They would not be given the time though as Noah''s eyes scanned the entire battlefield, steeling his heart as he wanted to wrap up and end this bloodbath. He had to control his emotions even more as he saw the overflowing blood rushing out from the bodies of his enemies, his [Blood Gourmet] ability telling him the quality of blood for these Soul Forging Realm experts would be of great quality. He breathed out as he calmed his mind and instead continued casting [Fate Discernment] to see all the beings that needed to have their lives taken today before the chaos that threatened to take over multiple planets was completely reduced. To reduce the same amount of chaos that destroying the entire world would have caused, they had to erase this Order of the Black Serpent out of existence! The shimmering golden sword in his hand vibrated as his body turned into a streak of light, choosing to put the close combat skills he had learned over the past month while sparring with the War Princess to the test and going down towards the two Soul Forging beings who could not decide what they wanted to do. This would also be training to make sure he would control himself in the battlefield filled with blood, as he was only playing the role of a Celestial Disciple right now. OOOH! Unwilling roars released from them as they went on to clash with Noah''s winged figure, not being able to do anything as they saw from his speed that they could not even run! BOOM! A shower of blood erupted out as Noah swung the golden sword down, the immense physical and soul damage boosts that he carried with him being deadly with every strike. A single sword slash landed on the chest of the Dark Winged Serpent as it felt horrendous damage course through its origin. Its body lit up with essence as spears of darkness exploded out at Noah''s position, the explosions only making apparent the shimmering golden barrier covering his body from the shield he carried in his left hand. His Fate Lines looked to be pulsing in his body as he effortlessly withstood the attacks of the Dark Winged Serpent, using the shining sword in his right hand to land even more deadly attacks! At the same time, the Flame Winged Serpent had blazing fires raging around Its body, using this chance where Noah was preoccupied to try and bite down on his golden shimmering figure. Its many heads let out molten breaths of fire as the extreme heat pushed away any nearing beings. Noah did not even turn his gaze as he continued to focus the attacks of his deadly sword onto the Dark Winged Serpent, his left hand that held the shield turning towards the attacking Flame Winged Serpent as he called out slowly. [Sever]. ZING! The baleful and destructive energies of Aether could be felt for a single second as a ray of destructive light erupted from Noah''s hands and diagonally cut through the space where the Flame Winged Serpent was attacking him! RUMBLE! A shocking sight where numerous heads of the Flame Winged Serpent were cut off with a ray of Aether going on to bisect the entire left side of the unsuspecting enemy displayed itself, with Noah revealing his true target and letting out this extremely quick surprise attack that actually brought death to a Soul Forging being, its body bisected in two as spurts of blood erupted out! Shock! Incredulity! Fear! "..." Silence reigned as the Dark Winged Serpent fending off Noah''s attacks trembled with fear, Its body turning the other direction as it quickly wanted to run from this terrible enemy! Seeing how its long time friend at the same realm as it had not even managed to hold off the destructive ray that this celestial shot out, she did not want to stay behind any longer as she could feel the cloud of death pull towards her ever so closely! Noah was relentless, not letting up as he turned into a streak of light and followed behind closely as a destructive Aether ray was called out once again. [Sever]. ZING! Numerous heads flew out once more as the running Soul Rank expert felt his body split apart, terrifying darkness clouding his vision as the hands of death wrapped around him. The abundant essence in its body, as well as the strong soul that had received horrendous damage from the Blades of Liberation and countless spears that came from [Judgement], could not hold on any longer as its origin became even more destabilized with the destructive ray of Aether. In the span of a few seconds, Noah''s introduction of the ability of the [Lesser Cthulhu] skill tree that the Celestials had seen him use before in the First Realm of Hell was pulled out as he used it in conjunction with the enhanced abilities of [Fate''s Guardian] to quickly reap the lives of two early Soul Rank experts! His gaze remained impassive as he continued to use [Fate Discernement], locating tens of thousands of Magi running away or the millions hiding tens of miles in numerous locations of the central lands of the Magus World as the golden blade in his hands vibrated. He would save this world from destruction, but many of those responsible would have to die in order for this to occur. This included all of the beings in this Order of the Black Serpent! He remained impassive after defeating two Soul Rank beings, his figure turning his attention on the running Magi as he turned into a streak of light and flew towards them. The number of beings he would have to personally kill would be many today, but even more would have been killed were this entire planet to be destroyed completely by the hands of the Celestials. As these thoughts crossed his mind, he continued to remind himself to be very clear on the thin line he was walking on, as it seemed he was thinking more and more along similar thought processes as those he did not agree with! He put these thoughts in the back of his mind as pandemonium ensued everywhere his figure went, the numerous powers watching from the Prime Worlds felt a feeling of oppression while observing the easy deaths of two Soul Forging beings. Their hearts felt tight as on the illusory screens they were watching, they could see the shimmering golden robe of this celestial gain a red hue as he chased down and reaped the lives of many Magi, the blood of those he struck down coiling around him tightly! It was a dark contrast as even the white-feathered wings erupting behind him were now stained with blood, the air of holy brilliance increasing the feeling of somberness and oppression from all those watching. As they watched the ensuing bloodbath in the Magus World, they were shown the faces of tens of thousands of beings that would be considered powerhouses. They would be considered respected and holding high achievements because of the realm they achieved, but under the hands of this single Void Realm Celestials, they were cut down as if they were nothing. It was a horrible scene of carnage that many would not come across in their lifetimes, but the beings in the numerous Prime Worlds were made to watch with rapt attention as they were reminded once again of the organization that stood at the top of the Light Expanse. In the Prime Warship above the Magus World, the Grandmaster was discerning fate while he watched this exemplary disciple emotionlessly chase down all those responsible, his aged heart actually trembling as his discernment told him...the aspect of fear that the Celestials wanted to show to the surrounding powers was being etched into the minds of all those watching, and in a much more memorable way at that! It seemed like this pathway that this genius disciple was trying...might actually be able to achieve the goals of the Celestials without taking billions of lives from an entire planet! Chapter 350 - Fear Yet another eerie silence took over the battlefield as many beings could be seen deserting it, while a single shimmering figure smoothly crossed the lands and skies while swinging down a golden blade of light. Flames of furious anger erupted from the Devouring Winged Serpent who was being cornered by Athena, its aura bubbling forth as it found its forces were decimated and those that were remaining were running away in fear. It''s gaze looked at the figure of Noah who''s golden robe now held a bloody sheen, the rivers of blood erupting from the bodies of the numerous serpents that he had just cut up wrapping around him and diminishing the shine of his regal robe. It was a terrible contrast to see- Gold tinged with red while the gaze of this terrible being continued to chase down the disordered and broken forces of the Order of the Black Serpent while also striking down the bodies of Cultivators devoid of souls that they had obtained over their months-long project in the World of Cultivation. The reality that he had just simply killed two Soul Rank beings not even seem to register in the mind of the winged Crixus as he wielded his blade and continued the bloodbath. One could occasionally see the appearance of resplendent Blades of Liberation pierce through the skies as they went on to smash onto the ranks of the Order of the Black Serpent and cause even more destruction! The devouring black serpent looked at all of this with unbelievable hopelessness as her numerous heads roared forth in anger while her voice resounded out yet again "Hypocrisy! Unfairness!" BOOM! Its roars were only met with one of its heads falling, Being severed from one of Athena''s attacks as a blade of liberation had descended down and cleanly cut through one of the heads! An exciting look was on Athena''s face as she continued to attack this being an entire realm above her. The trembling tens of thousands of fate lines in her body continuing to thrum strongly as they reduced the energy she required to cast all her skills while at the same time providing horrendous boosts to her speed and damage. In the corner for eyes. She simply observed the figure of Crixus continuing to move across a battlefield as a river of blood began forming in the ground from the numerous serpents that continued to have their lives diminished. It had now turned into a simple scene of a massacre as even those watching from the numerous Prime Worlds looked on with fearful and somber eyes! The image of this winged being dr.a.p.ed in a golden robe that shone with the brilliant terrifying color of blood was etching itself into the recesses of their memories. "Hypocrisy!!!" The shouts of the Devouring Winged Serpent rang out again, but nobody paid any attention to them. The only things running through their minds as they watched this unbelievable scene of beings at a much lower realm decimate tens of thousands of beings and even those that stood above them playing out clearly were- So what? What if it was hypocrisy? What if it was unfair? In the face of beings like this, in the face of a single Void Realm Celestial being able to decimate two Soul Forging experts while continuing to rain down destruction endlessly, what could they do? The many beings watching from the numerous Prime Worlds were reminded once again about those they knew to be looking over the Light Expanse. They were reminded once again of the terrible power of beings that studied the Supreme Law of Fate! As they watched Noah''s figure weave in and out of tens of thousands of magi in the Magus World, they were reminded once again of the power of Celestials! Those hiding in the dark and those who considered themselves powerful or had simply forgotten the sway of the Celestials etched this lesson into their hearts as it looked like the massacre in the Magus World was ending, the peak Soul Forging Devouring Winged Serpent bellowing forth as her aura began shooting up unstably. Noah was chasing down running Magi a few miles away when he felt this change, his impassive gaze looking towards Athena''s direction as he disappeared and quickly reappeared near their location. "Yaa!" The valiant War Princess did not even spare a glance to him as her figure continued to land horrendous attacks to the rapidly changing and convulsing body of the Devouring Winged Serpent, its bellowing screams not landing in here ears one bit as she dodged attacks with a hair''s breadth and continued to damage the origin of this being an entire realm above her with attacks that dealt heavy Soul Damage. "Since my death is coming anyways, I''ll be sure to bring you all down with me! Oh, Great World Devouring Serpent Ancestor! Descend! Wreak havoc! Eradicate these hypocrites in front of m-" RUMBLE! Noah watched as this Devouring Winged Serpent was trying to undergo yet another transformation and call down a very powerful force by the meaning of the words she spoke, so he didn''t bother letting her finish her words nor her transformation as he cast the singular skill capable of immense damage while also disrupting the essence of a being to the point of destruction. [Sever]. ZIING! "GAH!" A ray of destructive Aether pierced through the chest of the Devouring Winged Serpent as its aura was about to bubble forth half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm, whatever technique it was calling forth failing from Noah''s intrusion as Athena moved forward Valiantly. [Smite of Liberation]! [Judgment]! A combination of skills was called forth by her as the unstable converging essence around the body of the Devouring Winged Serpent was bathed with gold, numerous spears coming into existence as they dug into her body, a Blade of Liberation descending down as it even further dealt horrid injuries. SPULCH! Noah''s mind rapidly moved as he joined in the last moment when he saw the Devouring Winged Serpent was still hanging on with signs of life, joining Athena in her last attacks as he wanted to kill steal this powerful being and gain a few more Soul Rank [Skill Book]s. BOOM! Resplendent skills smashed onto the convulsing body of this powerful being as she was ganged up on, not given any respite as her calls for unfairness and hypocrisy were only met with a single verdict- Death! Her body exploded in a shower of blood as Athena''s figure breathed heavily, having withstood the power of the peak Soul Forging Devouring Winged Serpent the longest as she didn''t hold even a single scratch of damage, her golden armor and wings bathed with blood. It was a terrifying and yet an enticing scene to watch this resplendent figure, Noah turning his gaze as he used [Fate Discernment] yet again after the death of the head of the Order of the Black Serpent. He found that his goal was actually nearing completion, with the war against the World of Cultivation completely evaded and an enormous amount of chaos reduced, but it still was not enough! It did not achieve the same level of effect as the destruction of the entire Magus World would have yet, so his body turned into a streak of light once more as he moved to track and kill all those remaining in the central lands of the Magus World that held the auras of chaos. The heads of the leaders were cut off, and now he had to take down all those that followed in their actions as he continued to achieve the factor of Fear to all those watching. They all had ingrained in their minds that what they were observing now could happen to any of them, and that the only way to prevent this was to not do actions similar to this Magus World! What Noah didn''t know was that fear had already completely crept into the hearts of those watching the ridiculous strength of two Void Realm disciples decimate an entire army of a Prime World. [Fate Discernment] didn''t show this yet as time simply had to be given in order for this fear to spread and reduce chaos even more as many forces would turn careful with their future actions! Chapter 351 - Crixus the Destroyer! The numerous somber beings across the Prime Worlds who were already reminded and had etched the experience into their hearts were made to continue watching the conclusion of this bloodbath as Noah''s figure continued to track down all those involved as he swung the shimmering bloody golden blade down. The gazes of those watching hardened as they saw the illusory screens above their planets portraying a scene of destruction and chaos, a title of this bloody Celestial forming in their minds that would later go on to spread across the Light Expanse. Among the many things coming out from this event, the name of a particular Celestial would spread like wildfire to the many quadrants of the Light Expanse as the rampage was concluding in the Magus World. --- The gaze of Grandmaster Vredral was bright as he looked at the scene of carnage continuing from the viewpoint of Crixus and Athena. After the defeat of the powerful Soul Forging experts of the Order of the Black Serpent, many had deserted the battlefield and spread across the lands of the Magus World in fear, with the two Celestials going on to track them down through [Fate Discernement]. Any that held an air of chaos from the results of the actions of killing and abducting the cultivators from the World of Cultivation were all cut down where they stood as the process continued for another hour! In the illusory screens, the forces of the many Prime Worlds watching could see the impassive and emotionless expressions of Crixus and Athena as one used his shining sword to split apart the bodies of their enemies, while another used a hammer shining with a glorious light to shatter their bodies apart. They felt their bodies turn cold at the continuing carnage as they watched on, the illusory screens continuing to broadcast everything is spectacular detail. Every now and then, tremendously large Blades of Liberation could be seen descending down and destroying entire bases where the forces of the Order of the Black Serpent were hiding in, the barriers erected not being able to stop the advancements of the blades even briefly. All of this carnage and destruction was attributed to the two Celestials still moving in the Magus World, but many already knew of the War Princess Athena who had recently won the first rank of the Infernal Hunt. Many more were unfamiliar with the name Crixus, so while watching the carnage and destruction occurring in the Magus World, the name that would gradually spread among the mouths of many was Crixus. This was the title that carried with it fear and brilliance. It was a title that many would say when they discussed the power of the Celestials and their forces. Many would remember the War Princess Athena, as well as the newly introduced Crixus, the Destroyer! Crixus the Destroyer! A bold title given to the Celestial that rained down righteous Blades of Liberations and called for Judgement that skewered and destroyed all those that stood against him! In the central lands of the Magus World, an eerie silence reigned as shockingly, not a single being remained alive across the vast expanse of a normally bustling center of a Prime World! Noah''s shimmering figure floated in the air as a golden aura roasted around him, confirming with [Fate Discernment] for the last time that his goal had indeed been achieved. The aura of another being neared his side as he turned to his right to look at a valiant Athena who had her golden armor fading away one particle of light at a time. The War Princess had a brilliant smile as her eyes locked onto Noah''s figure, her expression that of interest as it did not match the atmosphere of someone that had just participated in the bloodbath of millions of beings. "You are an anomaly, Junior Brother." The tight ponytail waved behind her as she turned her head to the side and looked over Noah, seemingly trying to figure out what secrets he held in his body. Noah glanced back to the bloodied central lands of the Magus World as he voiced out. "You''ve observed the changes with [Fate Discernment]?" "Mmm, yes. This time through reaping the lives of millions while broadcasting it, we have saved tens of billions. Don''t you feel a sense of satisfaction after reducing this much chaos and steering fate to a direction you want?" Athena seemed much more talkative and jovial after the blood pumping battle, her expression not the usual impassive one as Noah could observe an eerie level of happiness as she did not think much of their actions just now. He pondered her question as he nodded and replied while their figures began to shoot towards the Prime Warship in the distance, leaving behind an empty and bloodied capital that used to house the strongest powers of the Magus World. "It feels good knowing there are other ways to reduce chaos that don''t directly jump to the destruction of planets." He said these words nonchalantly as Athena''s eyes squinted towards him, a brilliant smile erupting from her as Noah heard her laugh for the first time. "Haha. You might have been right this time Junior Brother, but don''t get too c.o.c.ky. Now that I know your talent is even more spectacular than we imagined, I won''t be matching the same number of fate lines while sparring anymore. We won''t even need to worry about the abilities with Soul Damage when sparring if your skills are this advanced." Dangerous words were released from her as the thrill of the battle had fully gotten into her system, recalling Crixus''s exemplary [Smite of Liberation] that allowed for multiple Blades of Liberation to descend down. She was interested in this dangerous attack that could damage one''s soul, wondering exactly how this Junior Brother of hers had managed to enhance it so much! Noah only nodded at the changed pace of Athena as they neared the humongous Prime Warship and went inside, going through multiple doors before they returned to one of the huge central command rooms where Grandmaster Vredral stood. The gaze of the Grandmaster was that of joyful vigor as his eyes locked on Noah''s and Athena''s figures, waving his hands in front of them as he did not even wait for them to report. With the wave of his hands, numerous illusory screens appeared in front of them. These illusory screens reflected the many Prime Worlds that had been watching the bloodbath they carried out in the Magus World as their somber reactions were portrayed. Many shocked and fearful reactions could be seen, with many more that of pondering as numerous powerful forces were put in deep thought as they were visually reminded of the power of Celestials. Noah gazed upon many of these screens as numerous voices compounded upon one another, but he could clearly make out the most repeated words out of the numerous illusory screens in front of him "...The War Princess.." "Athena¡­" "...Celestials¡­" "...the Destroyer.." "...Supreme Law¡­" "Crixus...the Destroyer!" RUMBLE! Numerous things seemed to be mentioned throughout the numerous Prime Worlds he was watching, but the one he came across most was the name of the being he was taking the shape of, his body actually feeling a change as he received another lesson on the law of fate while watching the effects of his actions! The room of the ship they were in turned a shade of gold as numerous Fate Lines rushed down into Noah''s body, although he wasn''t alone as Athena''s face shone with brilliance as hundreds more Fate Lines were added to the already terrifying amount that she held. Because of his influence of fate that had averted tens of billions of lives, Noah had realized that the condensing of Fate Lines had become even easier and faster, counting a few hundred descending in a matter of seconds as he gained more knowledge on fate, and just exactly what he needed to do in order to move even further along this Supreme Law of Fate! Chapter 352 - A Grandmaster Has an Epiphany THRUM! The bodies of the two Celestials thrummed with power as the golden light gradually died down, Noah adding another five thousand Fate Lines onto his body and bringing up his total to slightly above 18,000, while Athena added around two thousand fate lines to her already abundant amount that Noah could not completely discern. The air gradually settled as the commotion brought because of the descent of thousands of fate died down, the wizened expression of a Grandmaster stroking his beard making itself apparent in the eyes of the two disciples. "The more you influence fate, the more you will naturally increase in the power and understanding of the law of fate." The Grandmaster beamed out loud as he looked at them like some prized possessions. Athena stared at the added lines of fate in her body as she nodded naturally, this instance not being something completely foreign to her. Her eyes languidly gazed upon her Junior Brother though, who had somehow managed to have more than twice the Fate Lines descend onto his body even though they participated in the same event. Noah looked at the abundant Fate Lines running through his body as he gained knowledge of the way to rapidly increase them- which was to simply continue influencing the fates of many beings! This would cause for the abrupt increase in the number of Fate Lines he held, and most likely the increase on how many he could then condense each day as time passed. The Grandmaster''s gaze focused on Noah as he nodded towards him happily and spoke once more. "Your plan succeeded very well, with the amount of chaos reduced even slightly exceeding the result of simply destroying the entirety of the Magus World. You are a genius unlike anything I have ever seen!" Noah only smiled as he placed his hand on his chest and asked respectfully. "Thank you for giving me the chance, Grandmaster. I am curious though- since we have completely destroyed the power structure of this world and taken its most powerful leaders out, how will it move from here when looking at the effects of our actions?" The Grandmaster waved his hands dismissively at this question, replying while rubbing his exemplary white beard. "You don''t need to worry yourself about that. The World of Cultivation that was hurt the most by the Magus World will soon be informed to descend down and take the reigns, as well as numerous missions being created that will be given to our disciples to descend to the Magus World and influence the fates of the beings there for training." "Not everyone jumps through ranks like you, going on to directly influence the fates of numerous Worlds. Other disciples have to start on a much smaller scale, and influencing the fates of beings in a special position like those in this Magus World fits our criteria. But...that is not what I want to discuss the most right now!" Grandmaster Vredral''s face became bright as he began walking towards them, his presence began to erupt with golden vigor. "You have reminded me of something that I should have never forgotten during this venture. It is the reminder that even worse than me, the beings in this Light Expanse are naturally forgetful." He walked towards them as with every increasing step, his face seemed to glow more and more as if he had an epiphany! "After the end of the war 1000 years ago, many have forgotten our power, only hearing about it occasionally when we move to punish those that need to be punished and during the Infernal Hunts. This momentous event you just called forth, Young Crixus, is a reminder that the beings in this Light Expanse need to be shown exactly why Celestials have the power that they have." "Just like they observed your genius battle prowess, they need to be shown the brilliance of the Celestials yet again in order to reduce this ever-increasing chaos! Not just this small quadrant that we showed off your battle to, but all the quadrants of the Light Expanse!" The voice of the Grandmaster was trembling with aged excitement near the end as Noah''s heart tightened, not knowing exactly what would come forth from this unexpected development! --- In the Magus World that Noah and Athena had just left, the illusory screen faded as the fearfully hiding inhabitants of the world came out en masse, the powerful Magi that were not in the Order of the Black Serpent feeling the spatial restrictions lifting off as a large Prime Warship began moving away from their worlds. Their hearts were full of grief and pain as they replayed the events which had just occurred, especially the demonic figure of a brilliantly shining winged Celestial that rained down horrendous blades from the skies and struck down many of the powerful beings they knew. When they looked at the figures of Noah and Athena, they only held memories of fear and hate as they recalled their fearsome power that had caused the downfall of the ruling force of their world, but they also felt a sliver of thankfulness! This was a very interesting sight to come across, as the inhabitants of the Magus World heard the words of the Celestial Grandmaster before the bloodbath began. His voice had resounded across the world as it told them that the verdict for their world had been destruction! The only reason this verdict had changed was because of the thoughts of a single disciple- the same being that had come down to carry out the massacre. So they were thankful to this disciple, and at the same time they were increasingly fearful of him and the force he represented! In this Magus World that was soon about to be divided up by the forces that the Celestials would send down to stabilize and rule the world, a new era of fearful submission would begin for its inhabitants as only a single motivation would come to rule this world...and it was fear! Chapter 353 - Celestial Realm? A grand Prime Warship was coursing through the vastness of space as numerous communications were being sent all around because of the recent actions. The scenes of the illusory screens that appeared on many Prime Worlds had long since been recorded by others through their own means, with their events being disseminated to many as the days passed. This would go on to achieve the goal of fear that the Celestials had as many watched the battle prowess of two Void Realm disciples go on to decimate powerful beings at the Soul Forging Realm. If this was the power of the Celestials at the Void Realm, just how terrifying were they when they were at a higher level?! This was the question that would spread among the hearts of many that would come across the bloodbath of the Magus World, a question that would go on to influence the actions of numerous forces as they would always think back to this event when they planned their actions for the future. In the Prime Warship, numerous thoughts passed through Noah''s mind as he thought back to the words of the Grandmaster. The old man''s white beard was brilliantly shining as his face became brighter while he talked about the reminder that Noah had given him about the forgetful nature of beings, and how they could move from now on while putting into account this nature! When Noah had asked exactly what the Grandmaster was intending to do, he had only received a single answer. "The Celestial Realm!" Athena''s eyes had shone intense lights at these words, with the Grandmaster''s face turning to that of pondering excitement as he rambled out a few more words. "...Well, this would require the permission and compliance of numerous Grandmasters and Celestial Stars...but I am sure an agreement can be reached after they see and evaluate the influencing of fate today." Grandmaster Vredral''s domineering aura erupted out as he finished his words, his white beard waving majestically as his eyes shone with light! "I see a way to rapidly expand our influence as we prepare for the coming war...Haha, yes!" It seemed like the ramblings of an old man, but there was an enormous power behind it as his figure disappeared from Noah''s and Athena''s eyes, their auras sensing him reappearing in the central command area of the ship as he sat down in a meditative pose and closed his eyes, most likely working to send numerous telepathic messages out! Noah replayed this scene in his mind as he thought about his own actions and the effects they had, as well as achieving his goal of successfully stopping the destruction of an entire world. With the Magus World, he realized that the destructive ways of the Celestials could definitely be avoided if only they did things differently than looking at the numbers of lives in such a nonchalant manner. To them, if they could save the lives of tens of billions and the cost was a few billion, it was worth it and they would have no qualms about it. But if there was a possibility to reduce the number of deaths even more, why not do it? He actually found himself agreeing with the Celestial''s use of the law of fate to discern coming chaos, but completely disagreed with them when it came to how they carried it out! These recent experiences did not change his viewpoint of them too much, only making him more vigilant about their true aims as this powerful organization gave such little regard to the lives of those they reigned over. He now wanted to move forward while continuing to learn more about the workings of the Celestials, especially this Celestial Realm that Grandmaster Vredral had mentioned. His mind moved fast as he used [Fate Traverser], the absolute ability that came with the >! [Fate Traverser] :: As one that is proficient in the workings of fate, you have more of a leeway over your own fate. This ability allows you to traverse to the most favorable outcome of your fate. In the expansive room of the Prime Warship that he was in alone, a golden sheen appeared to cover his body as he peered into the most favorable possibilities for his own future. The skill was extremely mysterious to grasp, not exactly showing him the course of events to follow, but simply bringing to his mind a few images and thoughts that if he were to follow, he would be able to achieve the most favorable outcome for his future! His eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as in his mind, the words ''Celestial Realm'' coursed through multiple times, while a drop of blood shone brighter as a unique energy went into it. The Last thing he saw while under the influence of [Fate Traverser] was the brief image of a shimmering floating landmass. His eyes snapped wide open as he breathed out, collecting his thoughts as he garnered more information on how he should move in the near future. They would deal with the Celestial Realm, his Spiritual Land, and something to do with the Vampyre Progenitor! He deciphered the things he saw while under the influence of [Fate Traverser] as he focused on the one thing he could effectively change right now, and this was the scene where a unique energy was going into a drop of blood. He applied this to himself and the abilities he had as this made him believe that for his next course of actions, they would play out most favorably for him if he focused on using the unique energy that was the Skill Points to further along the skill tree he gained in the Ancient Blood World. Not the stupendous Celestial Skill Tree that was the [Fate''s Guardian], not the terrifying skill tree of the [Lesser Cthulhu], nor the [Abhorred Lich Emperor] that continued to amass Skill Points in the Infernal World for him even now! [Fate Traverser] was showing him to first put his focus on [Blood Lord], the skill tree under the Vampyre Progenitor, as the thing that would help him the most in the near future. His eyes shone as he looked at the number of Skill Points he had amassed now, and began pondering exactly how he should go about upgrading this skill tree from the Void and into the Soul Rank. The major thought in his mind as he did this was- What exactly came in the next rank of this skill tree that would cause his journey to go in an even smoother direction? Chapter 354 - Steering Towards the Optimal Fate The Prime Warship continued to smoothly traverse through the vastness of space as it was returning to the 7th Celestial Star at a much more relaxed pace than when it departed. Noah was meditating in a wide room on top of a uniquely designed bed as he pondered on his next moves. There were numerous things occurring at this moment as a result of his actions in the Magus World, but he had already wiped his hands as he looked forward into the future, watching the results of his actions continue to come as time passed. The thing he was placing his focus on currently was the upgrade of a particular Skill Tree that [Fate Traverser] hinted to be one of the things that would lead him towards his optimum fate. His gaze turned towards the Skill Points that the Abhorred Lich Emperor had continued to farm on his behalf, the unique energy smoothly being passed from his summon and unto him as the number rose drastically over the last month. The current number of skill points caused Noah''s eyes to shine a brilliant light! [Infernal Skill Point(s)] :: 601 Currently, he held more than 601 Skill Points as the Lich Emperor worked hard to take down Infernals as well as keep watch over the training Harbingers! This large number allowed for many possibilities, but also directly affected another thing he was very much looking forward to. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(20%)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Fate Line(s): 18100] [Vitality: VOID] [Focus: - ] [Strength: VOID] With the increase of Skill Points, it also meant he was collecting the unique energy of the Infernals at a rapid rate, increasing the unique energy he required before he could fully gain and embody the title of an Infernal Lord! This was also a momentous event by itself that he had to be very careful about as an Infernal Lord directly stood against the Celestials, and even though he had learned a few of their abilities and had become able to actively conceal his fate, there were still many things he had to be careful of. He placed the title of an Infernal Lord aside for now as he looked at the Void Realm [Blood Lord.] He had not been able to raise the proficiency of the skill at a rapid rate as usual because he was contained in the 7th Celestial Star, much of his time spent condensing Fate Lines, learning from the Grandmaster, and sparring with Athena. Under the watch of the powerful beings that were the celestials, he did not even bring the Spiritual Land with him as he left it in the First Realm of Hell for the Harbingers to use as a base as they moved. Thus, he also could not lock himself in the Time Space to quickly raise the proficiency of skills! This meant that in order for him to successfully upgrade this skill tree currently, he had to reduce his progress in collecting Skill Points and actually use a few of them to raise the proficiency level of [Blood Lord]. For a Void Rank Skill, 5 skill points had to be permanently used up in order to max the proficiency of the skill, and this would then allow him to produce a (+) level skill through combinations, allowing him to then open up the next stage of this skill tree. Usage of the Skill Points in this manner was not something that he wanted to do, but he currently had no way of leaving the Celestial Star, and the use of [Fate Traverser] and his own intuition told him that he would most likely find an answer to this problem in the abilities of the Blood Progenitor! He sighed as he steeled his heart and commanded 5 skill points to go into maxing the proficiency of [Blood Lord], his eyes then turning to the numerous skills he had gained from the many Magi that he had just defeated. Every time he struck down the Bloodline Magi in the Magus World, their origin energy would smoothly be absorbed by the System as it was turned into the usual Skill Books and cores that would have normally gone directly into his storage pouch or rings, but since he did not have need of them since the advent of the ability contained in the absolute skill >, all the [Core]s and [Skill Book]s went directly into the [Expansive Space] of this absolute skill. In this wide space that acted like an inventory that only he had access to, numerous [Core]s and [Skill Book]s that came from beings ranging from Legendary all the way to Soul Forging were laid out majestically! This was one of the few good things to come out of the bloody venture, actually allowing Noah to be able to farm new skills and cores from these powerful beings, the most important thing being the fact that he got his hands on Soul Rank cores and skills that would boost his power even more. Of those worthy to note, from the deaths of the Dark Winged Serpent and the Flame Winged Serpent, a total of four Soul Rank skills landed on his lap! From the kill steal of the most powerful Magus of the Order of the Black Serpent, the Devouring Winged Serpent, Noah actually gained a Soul+ Rank skill that would allow him to take on the form of the Devouring Winged Serpent itself. But his focus currently wasn''t on these Soul Rank skills that he could not freely use in his current environment, but on the Void and Void+ Rank skills he had gained from the Void Realm beings that he had taken down along with the leaders of the Order of the Black Serpent! It was these skills that he needed to use in order to upgrade his Skill Trees to the next level. There were a large amount of Void Realm Magi in the bloody battle that just occurred, giving him tens of Void Rank [Skill Book]s and a total of 9 Void+ skills that came from the most powerful combatants on the battle field. The collection of all of these skills made it possible for him to use another 5 Skill Points on one of the newly obtained Void Rank skills, maxing its proficiency as he went on to sacrifice this skill in order to take [Blood Lord] into the Void+ level! He watched the stat panel with rapt attention as the classification of [Blood Lord] went from Void to Void+ without even a name change, the only thing changing being the number of skill points required for him to open up the next pathway of the skill tree after he met the requirements. VOID+ [Blood Lord] (30/45):: A technique that only those with the purest forms of blood can use. Two Skill Trees for evolution are possible once sufficient points and a base requirement of two equivalent level sacrificial skills are reached: >>Elder Vampyre- Leads the Blood Lord towards the path of a Ruler, gaining abilities geared towards leading the race of Vampyres. >>Kin of the Ancients- Leads the Blood Lord towards the path of Ancients, awakening the qualities only found in the strongest of the Ancient Races. Noah''s eyes shone in the quietly moving Prime Warship as he observed the details of the next pathways of the [Blood Lord] skill tree. Elder Vampyre or Kin of the Ancients, what would it be? He smiled as he already knew his choice right away while he read the description, his thoughts already moving as he sent the command to add in the needed Skill Points and ready 2 of the newly obtained Void+ skills to be sacrificed, his eyes looking forward to what the grand future would bring! Chapter 355 - As if one wasnt enough! Of course, the choice was simple when considering Noah had the bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor himself, the need for abilities that would help with leading the race of Vampyres not being useful to him at all as he had ultimate power over them just with his bloodline. What he went for...was the pathway that talked about the Ancient Races! His eyes shone as he made sure to activate [Fate Concealment] and continue using [Unique Origin] to ensure that nothing suspicious was found out by the Celestials in the Prime Warship. He watched with anticipation as two of the newly obtained Void+ skills from the numerous Void Rank Magi he had taken down disappeared, while a brand new extension appeared on the spectacularly designed skill tree that was the [Blood Lord]. SOUL [Blood Lord] (45/45):: A technique that only those with the purest forms of blood can use. It is Ancient Blood Magic that includes the abilities Dawn of the Blood Lord(5/5), Blood World(5/5), Drain Life(5/5), and Nightmarish Descent(5/5). >> [Kin of the Ancients] (0/60) :: Ancient Blood Scion(0/5), Ancient Blood Clone(0/5), Summon the Ancients(0/5), Blood Rage(0/5) [Ancient Blood Scion] :: Take on the form of the scion of blood and rain down destruction on those that oppose you. This form allows you to heal 5% of all damage dealt and received, increase Physical and Elemental Damage by 30%, as well as enhance all the abilities of [Blood Lord] by 5%. [Ancient Blood Clone] :: The user can create a clone through using Origin Blood. This clone will be connected to the user as if it is an extension of their own limbs. The clone can only exhibit 10% of the original''s abilities. [Summon the Ancients] :: Your call travels through space and time as you call forth the Ancients that are bound by blood. Limit: 1 Ancient [Blood Rage] :: A destructive storm of blood begins to rotate with you at the center, raging with the capabilities of disintegrating all enemies caught within. Affected Area- 50 meters. Noah glanced at the stupendous additions to the Blood Lord skill tree which further enhanced the previous abilities and also added new skills that he was looking at with joy! Putting the transformation ability that was the [Ancient Blood Scion] aside, he had gained yet another summoning ability- and this one allowed him to summon the beings called Ancients! The current limit of this was 1, but this number would undoubtedly rise when he began to pump skill points into it. The other skill worthy of note was [Blood Rage] as it seemed to be an extremely powerful area of attack skill, and he couldn''t wait to watch the skill at work with his own eyes whenever he got the chance to try it. But the ability that made him the happiest was the [Ancient Blood Clone] ability! The use of a skill like a clone might seem mediocre to others, especially when this clone would only be able to exhibit a percentage of the original''s abilities. But for Noah, this was the most important ability to come out of this upgrade, one that he could already see huge implications of! His gaze became one of pondering as his thoughts rapidly moved, many possibilities on how to utilize these newly gained skills and how they went in line with the hints he received from [Fate Traverser]. In a few seconds, numerous plans laid out in his mind as he then went on to focus on the shining words of [Ancient Blood Clone] on the stat panel. He moved his thoughts as 5 Skill Points were quickly added into the ability, the number on the description changing drastically as a result. [Ancient Blood Clone] :: The user can create a clone through using Origin Blood. This clone will be connected to the user as if it is an extension of their own limbs. The clone can only portray 60% of the original''s abilities. He glanced at the ability as currently, it could create an Ancient Blood Close that would be able to exhibit over half of his power! When he thought about this limitation while putting his so-called skills into account though...Noah could not help but smile as he knew for him, it wouldn''t be anything to worry about! His gaze hardened in the next moment as he prepared to do something bold, his attention placed on the [Fate Concealment] ability as well as the [Unique Origin] of the Vampyre Progenitor, making sure both of their auras of concealment covered his surroundings as he cast [Ancient Blood Clone]. The movement of mana that only he could feel erupted out as he felt a minuscule piece of himself detaching from him, shooting out of his body speedily as it came out as an extremely dark red drop of blood! The dense drop of blood shone with a unique l.u.s.ter as it came from his own origin, his gaze only being able to observe it briefly before it began expanding and ballooning up rapidly. He watched with care and fascination as this single drop of blood gradually transformed into a n.a.k.e.d red figure that gradually seemed to gained bones, muscles, and skin as soon enough, an extremely dashing image of himself was seated in front of him. It was a weird and eerie feeling as he felt his consciousness within both bodies, feeling both of his eyes stare back at himself as he performed some simple movements. The mind enhancing skills like [Parallel Thought] soon came into play to smoothly allow him to think with clarity while he controlled his now two bodies. The clone had the image of his original body as Noah, not the image of Crixus as he was currently portrayed. He looked over it briefly as he nodded his head at this devilishly handsome being in front of his eyes as he couldn''t help but let out a laugh. Accomplishment was apparent on his two faces as the clone''s waved his hands, a red robe draping its body as in the next second, it disappeared into particles of light! He reduced the mana he was continuously placing into [Fate Concealment] and [Unique Origin] as in the room he was in, the same calmness continued. While in a far away region across the vastness of space, the figure of Noah had appeared above a grand Spiritual Land that was stably floating in the skies of a fiery hell. One being was on a Prime Warship heading back into the lands of the Celestials, another being had just teleported into the First Realm of Hell. As if one of him wasn''t already ridiculously overpowered enough, Noah would now have two of him moving across the Novus Galaxy as he planned to move with monstrous efficiency! If his enemies had found out about this advancement, they would weep as they cried unfairness, as the future was bound to be even more tumultuous! Chapter 356 - Progress, Shocking Plans As his consciousness continued to familiarize itself with the feeling of controlling two bodies, his original one continued its way on the Prime Warship towards the 7th Celestial Star, while the Ancient Blood Clone teleported into the First Realm of Hell. His original body would still have to be the main one he was moving with when associating with the Celestials because as the [Ancient Blood Clone] ability described, the clone was was an extension of himself akin to a limb! He could observe his stat panel and all of his skills through the clone''s eyes, as well as do anything else that his original body could do. It only held a portion of his origin that was able to use his strength, though he would have to test exactly to what extent he could utilize this clone as there were a few things to make sure of. He had to first confirm the abilities of the clone when it came to its strength and capabilities, as well as usefulness in helping him increase the proficiency of his skills. He was thinking all of these things as his clone began by spreading his awareness towards the Spiritual Land and the eerily calm blazing earth that was normally surrounded by Infernals but was currently filled with numerous undead that orderly kept watch. His intrusion above the skies of the Spiritual Land was first noticed by Barbatos, only to be later followed by the Abhorred Lich Emperor that was tens of miles away, its senses only picking up the distinct aura of its master as it left behind a high tiered Bone Dragon and Undead Phoenix to patrol the skies that the Spiritual Land was floating on. Barbatos held the highest strength amongst those that followed him, her senses picking him up around the same time as Noah found her to be relaxing on a snowy planting field that was packed with numerous Medicinal Fruits and Herbs along with the Imperial Phoenix. The two of them were both in their humanoid forms, simple thin dresses draping over them as they walked around the plot of resplendently glowing plants that held bright fruits, reaching out and plucking them to enjoy as they wished. When paired with the abundant essence in the Spiritual Land, it was a paradisiacal scene of enjoyment that very few would have the chance to come across. Barbatos senses his aura first as she looked up and shot into the air, the Imperial Phoenix following close behind as these were some of the few Harbingers to remain in the First Realm of Hell while others were in the Underworld. Barbatos looked up at him with a mischievous smile as she called out. "Little fish, I thought you''d be stuck with the Celestials for months. They already gave you a break?" Noah smiled as he saw the Imperial Phoenix also near and nod towards him, descending down into the Spiritual Land with them as he told them the shocking truth that the body they were currently seeing was just a clone! Barbatos only shook her head while saying deprecatingly, "Haaa of course it is, as if you weren''t already crazy enough." While the Imperial Phoenix only looked towards Noah with shining eyes. He enjoyed the company of the people that weren''t Celestials as he descended into the Spiritual Land and got up to speed with everyone''s progress, which was shocking to say the least! For those that stayed on the Spiritual Land and used the ridiculously amazing Time Space, they were able to practice their skills and raise their proficiencies rapidly in this span of 30 days that was actually more than a few months depending on how much time they were in the Time Space. They didn''t have Noah''s nearly unlimited mana, so of course they weren''t training day and night. But they worked arduously as they spent months in the Time Space raising their skills'' proficiencies, fully utilizing the ratio of 1:20 as they made huge gains even when considering their abilities. Noah was the only outlier that could abuse the Time Space to the fullest, but his Harbingers were able to utilize it along with the use of Skill Points to smoothly have many of their ranks and skill trees at the peak of SAINT! To normal beings, this was a rapid rate of progress, although it might seem like a turtle''s pace when putting Noah''s speed into account, and how rapidly he would have grown if he had been spending an entire month in the Time Space that now had the ratio of 1:20. For now, the harbingers only required a few more combinations before they could stably push their skills from Saint and into the Void Rank. But...this was where Noah would come in to cause an explosive boost in their strength as after a recent bout with hundreds of thousands of Magi, he had obtained for himself numerous [Core]s that would be able to bring many of them from their Transcendent or Saint Ranks and allow them to stably step into the Void Realm. This held an even bigger significance to Noah when it came to the beasts of the Spiritual Land, as their jump from Saint and into the Void would have a stupendous meaning by itself. When he left to head into the 7th Celestial Star a month ago, the Emperor Penguin was the only beast to have stepped into the Saint Rank, where many other beasts needed to reach the same rank before the qualifications of upgrading the Spiritual Land to the next tier was met. In the span of the last month, many more of these beasts had stepped into the Saint Realm, fulfilling the requirement to upgrade to the next tier! But Noah would not just stop there, as the many [Core]s and gifts he had obtained from the Magus World would be focused towards these beasts as he planned to directly pump the tier of the Spiritual Land by 2 all at once! He would push these beasts into the Void Rank forcefully as he wanted to see why [Fate Traverser] held the Spiritual Land as one of the three things he could currently use to push him towards his most optimum fate. The [Blood Lord] skill tree had made it possible for him to create a clone, which would have its own stupendous uses as time passed. Now, he wanted to pierce through the veil of the continued usefulness of the Spiritual Land as he planned to domineeringly push its rank by two tiers all at once. It was defying common sense, and it wasn''t something that anyone else could do. But he wanted to and he had the capability to do it, so he would! Chapter 357 - Power Leveling! Noah sent a telepathic message towards the Emperor Penguin and the other Harbingers that were still in the underworld. They were confused at this message but followed it nonetheless as they left behind the things they were doing and soon began appearing in the underground layer of the Spiritual Land where a red portal stably stood. The figure of the Emperor Penguin became ecstatic as it sensed the familiar energy signature of the master of the Spiritual Land, his figure teleporting to the location where Noah stood with Barbatos and the Imperial Phoenix as his beak snapped open in stupefaction. "Master!" The arrogant penguin was shocked because he had just been observing his master rain down destruction in a Prime World not long ago, and knew he should be surrounded by the powerful forces of Celestials at all times! Noah nodded towards the penguin with a smile as the others gradually came in, those that were training in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land and those that were taking down Infernals in the far distance all returning as he repeated his circ.u.mstances yet again. "Successfully infiltrated a crazy powerful force while picking up skills that even allow you to make a clone. We have to celebrate!" The boisterous Kazuhiko returned as he gave Noah a bear hug and called for a celebration before anything else, Noah pondering for a bit before agreeing as he would relax his mind a bit before carrying out the stupendous upgrades. "Little fish, can you prepare something for us? It''s been a while since I tasted something remotely as good as the food you whip up." Barbatos looked at him with shining eyes as she called out, causing a smile to form on Noah''s face as he looked back to the Rank A [Cook] he had not put to use in a while. He acquiesced to their requests as his figure teleported into the seas of his homeworld to quickly grab some delicacies in the form of deep-sea fish. He quickly popped into the Beast World as well, grabbing the Frozen Queen and the Shadow Guard that was always with her thereafter! The process didn''t take him longer than 5 minutes as he returned to the Spiritual Land, numerous deep sea fish in his [Expansive Space], and the fl.u.s.tered face of Queen Adelaide accompanying him. A fire was soon set ablaze as Noah looked at the [Cook] skill, putting 5 Skill Points into the Rank A ability just for fun before he began, a blazing fire erupting thereafter as the aroma of food that would make Rulers jealous spread throughout the Spiritual Land. In under half an hour, numerous well roasted meats were ready for devouring, even the Calamities of the Sea feeling no guilt as they smelled the fragrant aroma seeping out of the glistening deep sea fish rotating above the simmering fire. "Dig in!" Noah called out as he used [Architecture] to create a simple styled outdoor dining area where he laid out the numerous delectable dishes, the many beings around him digging in thereafter as the next few hours were spent in bliss enjoying dishes cooked by a Rank A skill that was enhanced with Skill Points. It was a surreal experience for Noah as his original body was nearing the 7th Celestial Star, returning to the abode of the Celestials as another piece of him was somewhere else doing something he did not expect to be doing a few hours ago! He smiled at the crazy possibilities that the skill trees could bring to life as he enjoyed himself for the next few hours, the taste buds of the clone being no less than the original as he relished on his own creations. He wrapped up this brief relaxation period in a few hours as his gaze shone while looking at the numerous beasts lined up in front of him. The Emperor Penguin was at the peak of the Saint Rank, his brothers and sisters already entering the same rank in the past month as more than enough beasts had already met the requirement of upgrading to the 7th Tier Spiritual Land. But...he wouldn''t stop there! He waved his hands towards the beasts as numerous Saint and Void Rank [Core]s appeared before their eyes, one of the few positive things coming out of the Magus World showing itself into the eyes of everyone around him as they looked on in shock. Others were simply shaking their heads deprecatingly as what they knew to be the norm continued to be destroyed by this single being in front of them. The beasts wasted no time as they followed the commands of the Spiritual Land Master, beginning to consume the cores right away as the dense essence of the Spiritual Land continued to converge around them. RUMBLE! Noah watched on from the sides with careful eyes as he observed every minuscule change. In under an hour, the Emperor Penguin was the first to finish consuming numerous Void Cores as his rank was finally pushed from Saint and into the Void! The process continued on for another half a day as one by one, the beasts gradually rose to the peak of the Saint Realm and then consumed more and more of the provided cores until they broke through into the Void Rank. This number continued until it passed 10, where Noah was confident it would be more than enough for the requirements of the upgrade as he nodded his head with an accomplished gaze. The requirements to upgrade the Spiritual Land into the 7th Tier was to have more than 5 beasts step into the Saint Realm, and he was sure the upgrade into the 8th Tier would be similar, if not the number being slightly higher. Looking at the unstable realms of the beasts that just broke through, and the many more still continuing the process of absorbing Cores and pushing their ranks up unceasingly, Noah''s face hardened as he breathed out, feeling the connection with the main body and the immense mana it was connected to, his close simply acting as another limb as it called forth this bubbling mana while he initiated the upgrade of the Spiritual Land into the next tier. This time, he would not just stop at one upgrade, but would also continue with the next one soon after! His gaze looked ahead into the far future as he pondered the results of these upgrades. He knew the 7th Tier would unlock the [Law Space], something he had yet to wrap his mind around on exactly how crazy it would be. But, what would be the prize for upgrading all the way to the 8th Tier? Chapter 358 - Upgrade of Multiple Tiers On the 7th Celestial Star, the party that had set off towards the Magus World had returned with refreshed faces as they successfully achieved the mission. Athena held a light smile as they returned to the Inquiring Mountain that Grandmaster Vredral had the control of, the Grandmaster himself letting them know that he would be meeting with the other Grandmasters that were overseeing their own disciples and jobs on the 7th Celestial Star. His face was that of profound enthusiasm as it seemed the task he was going to be talking about with the other Grandmasters was one of great importance! This sense of atmosphere only made Noah more inquisitive about the Celestial Realm that the Grandmaster mentioned, waiting patiently to find out from this Grandmaster what this location would entail. When it came to others like Vredral, each of the Grandmasters on the 7th Celestial Star had their own divisions that they handled, paving way for a very well oiled organization that Noah was only beginning to get a grasp of. He had only been staying in the Inquiring Mountain for the past month, and his thoughts were leading him towards exploring this star some more in the coming days as he got more of a grasp on the domain of the Celestials. Noah was taken out of his thoughts as the still vibrant Athena spoke towards him melodiously, her gaze that of shining brilliance. "Junior Brother, why don''t we reflect on our recent battle with a spar while we wait for the Grandmaster? I would love to experience the power of those wondrous Blades of Liberation myself if you don''t mind." The War Princess that lived for battle called out with shining eyes as Noah turned towards her, hiding his thoughts as he replied with a smile. "Of course, let''s go!" He followed her lead towards a peaceful area on the wide Inquiring Mountain as he humored her thirst for battle, knowing his own skills would be increased as he continued to fight with someone holding such a grand title as the War Princess. While his main body had begun a spar on the 7th Celestial Star, his clone was using even more mana across the stars on the First Realm of Hell as he oversaw a stupendous upgrade! In the fiery skies of the First Hell, an aurora of colors was spreading out as the expansive Spiritual Land was exploding with numerous mystical lights. The essence converging within this floating island was becoming so thick that one almost felt like they could grasp it. On the side, the [Abhorred Lich] emperor had pulled back many of the forces of the Undead Legion as they patrolled the blazing lands and the fiery skies of the First Hell, stopping any rushing Infernals on the outer perimeters as they didn''t want any disturbances to come to their master. Numerous Bone Dragons, Undead Phoenixes, and Specters were floating across the skies around the Spiritual Land as an aurora of colors continued, until they reached a crescendo that exploded outwards! RUMBLE! The skies trembled as Noah confirmed the Spiritual Land had successfully been upgraded to the 7th Tier, checking the requirements of the upgrade for the next tier as he saw it was having 10 Beasts born in the Spiritual Land to have reached the rank of Void. He smiled as his preparations were correct, the essence he could access with the clone body rumbling once more as he used {Spiritual Land Management} to initiate another upgrade of tiers seconds after one just finished. WAA! The essence of the First Realm of Hell that was gradually calming became wild once more as ridiculously, even more converged towards the Spiritual Land, a denser convergence occurring this time around something stupendous repeated once more. The Harbingers watching this process on the side actually did not find themselves overly shocked anymore, the things they watched Noah do so frequently becoming less and less of the crazy actions they seemed as they now became the norm. The process of convergence of essence into the Spiritual Land repeated once more as both the mana in the surroundings and Noah''s own mana continued to be sucked into the floating landmass, the result this time even more significant as when it finished, a blue circular ring of light shot forth from the Spiritual Land as it announced the arrival of something grand! The owner of this magnificent Spiritual Land was the one looking forward to seeing the results of this upgrade the most as he quickly pulled up the stat panel and looked under {Spiritual Land Management}. {Spiritual Land Management} [Frozen Plateau-8] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-XXX, C-XXX, B-XXX, A-XXX, S-XXX, EPIC-15,285, LEGENDARY-3,286, MYTHICAL-1432, PHANTASMAL-345, TRANSCENDENT-99, Saint- 14, Void- 13 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic, Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora, Qilin''s Cold Stone, Resonant Okra. Available for planting(Arctic Flora, King''s Collard, Athramire, Phantom Mulberry) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Unlocked), Law Space(Unlocked), Blacksmith''s Forge(Unlocked), Division(Locked)[email protected]#%#$%(Locked) Upgrade Conditions: 10+ Spiritual Land Beasts at the Soul Rank, A Small World Core The new additions gained from the upgrade of the Spiritual Land to the 8th Tier were clearly laid out in front of his eyes, with the features labeled as Law Space and the new feature called the Blacksmith''s Forge that was obtained from the 8th Tier Upgrade making his eyes burst with excitement! Something even more ridiculous that he saw at the end of {Spiritual Land Management} was the upgrade condition for the 9th Tier of the Spiritual Land...it stated that aside from the usual condition of beasts achieving the next rank, a Core of a Small World was required! The implications of this requirement were so grand that even Noah''s wildest imagination could not fantasize about what exactly would come out of an upgrade that required a Core of a world. The significance of the actions he would have to do if he wanted to carry out this future upgrade only dawned on him a second later. But...he put these thoughts aside for now as he looked back at the new features that were respectively labeled Law Space, and the even more domineering one called the Blacksmith''s Forge! Chapter 359 - Law Space, Blacksmiths Forge! The first thing Noah observed was the details of the Law Space under the tab of {Spiritual Land Management}. [Law Space] :: Fields containing a higher concentration of particular laws can be created, granting increased comprehension speed to all that cultivate within. Currently unlocked spaces: Water, Fire, Earth, Air. Locked spaces: Time, Space, Light, Dark, Fate, Chaos... His eyes shone as he read the simplistic details of the features called Law Space, seeing its stupendous uses in the future, but his heart aching for the fact that it did not yet have the space that dealt with Supreme Laws like the Law of Fate unlocked! He looked forward into the future as he would do whatever it took to raise the tiers of the Spiritual Land until the most unbelievable boosts were unlocked. He placed his attention next to the feature called [Blacksmith''s Forge] as he became even more surprised. [Blacksmith''s Forge] :: A unique forge created for the purpose of smelting the most refined Items. The level of the Item created will be reflected on what materials were provided. A singular Item or an Item Set can be created. An immense output of energy is required to use the forge. Currently craftable Item Ranks: ...Saint, Void, Supreme Treasure. Locked: !#[email protected][email protected]$ Treasure... A tremor passed through Noah''s heart as he read over the descriptions of the newly added features of the Spiritual Land, the Blacksmith''s Forge being the most unique one that he could not wait to try out! He currently wasn''t cultivating any of the laws that would be boosted by the available Law Spaces, and he would utilize this feature to the fullest extent when the higher ranked Law Spaces were finally unlocked. He had some percentages in the Law of Water and the Law of Space, but many of his skills weren''t geared towards them currently, and he didn''t have something as profound as [Fate''s Disciple] that allowed him to draw in the unique Fate Lines. When it came to Items, besides the Supreme Treasures like the Trident of the Sea that he rarely used on big fights, their use had gradually diminished for him as his body would almost always have more than enough defenses that an armor would be rendered null. In some cases, even his own skills like the abilities in [Fate''s Guardian] provide their own weapons and armor that are capable of dealing tremendous damage while protecting him from harm. Thus, he knew that items of the Saint or Void Rank would be fairly useless for him, but this didn''t mean they wouldn''t be extremely useful to his forces. Not everyone had the capabilities to passively keep defensive skills active at all times with their unlimited mana, so Items would still show extreme usefulness to them. As for Noah himself, only something like a Supreme Treasure could boost his abilities further, as they almost always held sub-abilities that heavily enhanced his battle power. He breathed out as he realized he had many things to do, his senses sweeping over the wide Spiritual Land to observe the numerous changes as the essence coming off of the floating landmass was palpable. It seemed like a haven for increasing one''s power as he was sure any normal being would awaken instantly the moment they stepped on this Spiritual Land. He put his thoughts aside as he outlined what he had to do as his main body continued moving in the 7th Celestial Star. He had to check out the newly available plants and begin spreading them out over numerous fields, he had to observe the workings of the Law Space, the Blacksmith''s Forge, and then finally begin the task of training the proficiencies of his skill trees in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land. There were numerous things to take care of, but he felt full of energy as he descended down towards the Spiritual Land, the Harbingers following his lead as they explored this paradisiacal floating landmass anew once more! --- "Haaa." In the 7th Celestial Star, a heavily breathing Noah and Athena were taking a break beside the bank of a destroyed stream, numerous pits and fissures spread out around them for miles in the small section of the Inquiring Mountain they were on. The pits and fissures spread out all around were caused from the horrendous attacks coming from Blades of Liberation, the rest of the destruction simply caused by the impact of their spar over the last few hours. The valiant Athena let out small breaths as she shook her head in a ludicrous manner while looking at Noah, not believing the talent of this being as he had managed to withstand her power even after she used 30,000 Fate Lines! The Junior Disciple in front of her currently had a bit over 18,000 lines of fate, and yet all she managed to do was finally make him sweat as he called for a break while citing the lack of energy as the excuse. Even though they had been exchanging attacks evenly this whole time, Athena took it as her win as she had managed to drain this Junior Brother of all his energy until he couldn''t continue any longer! Noah took in Athena''s gaze as he utilized his acting skills to slowly reduce the rapid breaths he was taking, pausing the ongoing spar where he learned many things as he played the role of a younger disciple that couldn''t go on any longer. "Thank you for the spar, Senior Sister." Athena nodded towards him as a smile appeared on her face, expressing much more emotion as her guard dropped more and more around this Junior Brother. She looked thoughtfully at him as she said slowly thereafter. "Call me Athena. We''ll drop the ranks of Junior and Senior for now as you seem to be keeping up even if I go above the power you can effectively utilize. The moment you stop keeping up you''ll have to call me Senior Sister again." The expression of a younger disciple nodding proudly appeared on Noah''s face as he was about to reply, his words cut short as both he and Athena heard the words of a certain Grandmaster ring out in their minds. "Come to the Monastery, I have good news!" Without a second delay, the two of them rose from the destroyed area of the mountain they were in as they began to fly towards the peak of the Inquiring Mountain. The immense damage they had caused had already begun the process of healing as the immense essence covering the mountain had already spurted the growth of plants and vegetation in the destroyed areas that would soon return to the original beauty! Their figures went into the Monastery where Grandmaster Vredral sat serenely while stroking his white beard, his gaze looking towards them with a nod as they respectfully sat in front of him. "Athena, how much do you know about the Celestial Realm?" "Grandmaster, all I have overheard over the years is how it is a land of immense opportunity, and the reason why we hold the sway that we have over the Light Expanse today is because of this Celestial Realm." Athena replied quickly as her eyes shone, the Grandmaster laughing in affirmation as he began weaving a grand story about something at the center of the Celestials'' strength, he began talking about the Celestial Realm! Chapter 360 - A Vast Realm Unlike Any Other "This is something that only the Grandmasters have knowledge of so far, but you two will be playing at the centermost position in the coming months that it is knowledge which you are cleared to have!" The voice of the Grandmaster had a hint of solemnity as he began, both Noah and Athena sitting down respectfully in front of him as their eyes looked forward, hungry for information. "Much of what I am about to tell you pertains to the Celestial Realm, a realm that is unique in our Novus Galaxy, and the place that allowed for our domination these past thousands of years. It is not our destructive Warsh.i.p.s that can destroy entire stars, nor is it our proficiency in understanding the Supreme Law of Fate- it is this place called the Celestial Realm that is the reason why we stand where we are today!" Noah''s heart shook as he heard these words, numerous thoughts crossing his mind as the solemn Grandmaster Vredral continued to speak in front of him. "This is because everything we have...our weapons, our techniques that allow us to influence fate...all of this came from the Celestial Realm." RUMBLE! A tremor ran through Noah''s body as he listened with rapt attention while a Grandmaster that stood at the core of one of the Celestial Stars began revealing secrets out of his wildest dreams. The Celestial Realm was something that a few powerful beings had found thousands of years ago, and it was these powerful figures that began to explore this realm and everything it held within it. Their intrusion into this realm allowed for them to experience never before seen wonders, granting them unbelievable techniques and power out of their wildest imagination. At the same time, they came to understand that it was extremely dangerous! Among the few powerful figures that went into the Celestial Realm, only three managed to keep their lives after they delved too far within, their progress blocked by the very things that granted them techniques and immense ways to utilize mana that they never thought to be possible. The things that made it possible for them to gain phenomenal strength while also causing the downfall of a few of them was what later came to be termed...Celestial Beasts! At this juncture, the Grandmaster became silent as he looked at the two of them closely, seemingly arranging his thoughts before he continued. "It is these Celestial Beasts that are among the many things you will be looking for when the time comes for the gates of the Celestial Realm to be opened. When the Founders encountered this first bottleneck that stopped their advances, they pulled back to the perimeters of the Celestial Realm to recuperate and absorb the treasures they had obtained, growing their power exponentially before they returned to carefully exploring the Celestial Realm for the next hundred years." The beings that Grandmaster Vredral called Founders were the powerhouses that stood at the top of the power known as the Celestials! They spent more than one hundred years after breaking into the Celestial Realm as they explored the wonders within it, as well as the numerous dangers it held. In the 99th year of their exploration, they came across a particular area where they almost lost their lives, but with the danger passed, they were rewarded with a set of techniques that made them who they are today. It was in this 99th year since they began exploring the Celestial Realm that the founders came across the techniques dealing with the Law of Fate that would go on to allow them to rapidly increase in power, going on to dominate an entire region of the vast Novus Galaxy they were from as their exploration of the Celestial Realm only continued at a rapid speed. With their obtainment of these powerful techniques, they understood that to utilize them to their fullest, the users had to have a tremendous amount of influence on many beings. The more numerous and the more powerful the better! "Our founders looked upon the boon they received as they put it to use for the betterment of the Novus Galaxy they were in, going on to study the law of fate and use it to establish a reign seeking Order and Balance." Grandmaster Vredral finished these words with a profoundly respectful tone as his eyes were lost in thought. Noah was absorbing all of this new information as he filtered out the enormous levels of bias and possible lies from the Grandmaster, realizing that the thing that prompted the Celestial''s quest for power and domination was simply these techniques and treasures that they obtained from this Celestial Realm. It wasn''t some inborn need to reduce the natural order of chaos that everything was going towards, it was because the techniques they trained in required for them to have an overwhelming amount of influence on numerous beings that they chose to expand their power under the name of Order and Balance! The power they continued to gain over the years...all of it actually went back to this Celestial Realm as they continued to explore it all this time. The Grandmaster returned to the present as his eyes focused on Noah and Athena, continuing to release huge secrets that very few were privy to. "In the thousands of years that followed, the Founders created the power that came to be known as Celestials, expanding their influence and recruiting more qualified forces as the years passed." "In the 1523rd year of exploration of the Celestial Realm, a few newly recruited Celestials came across treasures that you all are familiar with currently- the technology known as the Prime Warsh.i.p.s and even more phenomenal weapons that you all have yet to see. But what I want you two to realize is that all of this was made possible solely because of the Celestial Realm. What is the most shocking thing though, is that in the years that followed until this very day, the percentage of this Realm that we have been able to explore and map out...has not passed 10%!" ¡­! Chapter 361 - Fantastical! The last words of the Grandmaster smashed into Noah powerfully as his thoughts rapidly moved, the meaning and possibilities behind these words being so immense that he could not even imagine! In the last thousands of years as the Celestials expanded their power while exploring this Celestial Realm, they had only explored a measly 10% of the entire Realm! In this area they had explored though, they were able to come across ridiculously powerful treasures that could destroy stars, as well as obtain techniques that gave them the prodigious positions that they held in the Light Expanse today. Noah''s heart was shaking as his eyes looked forward into the unlimited possibilities of the future. If...just if he was given access to this realm that even the Celestials had not fully explored...just what would he be able to pull out when the Celestials already received so much from just covering 10% of it? "There are still numerous secrets to uncover when it comes to the Celestial Realm, but the one thing we have confirmed is that the rewards are abundant. This was also the reason why knowledge of it has been kept very scarce, the privilege of exploring it given only to powerful Celestials or disciples that show overwhelming potential over the years." The solemn gaze of the Grandmaster fell on the figures of Noah and Athena at this moment. "This is where you two come in! In the near future, you will be exploring this vast realm as you learn to grow your power even faster. With your status as those who hold a Noble Fate, who knows what you might discover, and if it would come close to the level of things that we have discovered over the years, or something out of our wildest dreams!" The eyes of the Grandmaster were shining as he looked at them, Noah reading between the lines as he realized that the Celestials did not just permit them entrance into the Celestial Realm for the purpose of rapidly increasing their strength, but also to use their titles as those with Noble Fate to see if they can chance upon anything at the level of the treasures they have come across over the last thousands of years. The deep thoughts behind the actions of the Celestials made Noah more careful as the Grandmaster continued to speak. "Although this time it is going to be different. As I oversaw the mission in the Magus World and observed the changes in the workings of fate in real time, an idea struck me that I have passed on. We are now just awaiting confirmation but for the near future, for the first time in history- we should be opening the doors of the Celestial Realm to select individuals that do not hold the identities of Celestials!" His words carried an unknown meaning as he did not fully delve into what idea he had proposed and passed on, but Noah knew something huge would be occurring in the Light Expanse in the very near future. At the center of all of it were the Celestials, and now, he had stably instituted himself in their ranks as he would be given access to a fantastical Realm he never knew existed, to the realm where the immense power of the Celestials came from! He hid his deep smile as he continued to listen closely to the solemn Grandmaster, his eyes set on the future that seemed to be calling out to him brightly. --- As Noah received profoundly secretive information of the 7th Celestial Star, his clone was sitting in the underground layer of the Spiritual Land that was not too far away from the expansive Time Space. This area in front of him held a uniquely shaped black building that looked to be sculpted from metal, the sleek black color giving it an ancient aesthetic as a single metal door opened itself as Noah neared. He entered inside to find a simmering Hearth that seemed to be calling out for it to be used as blue flames sn.a.k.e.d within, drawing a mystical contrast as he observed everything else in the Blacksmith''s Forge. The outlines of numerous weapons, armors, and all sorts of other items he wasn''t familiar with were all laid out over the walls of the smithy, a simple styled workman''s bench placed at the very center. Noah had a light smile as he brought himself to sit on this workman''s bench, a blue panel appearing before his eyes in a simple manner as it laid out beautiful words. [Blacksmith''s Forge]- Unlocked Features: [Forge] [Refine] [Repair]. Locked Features: [Evolve] [Recipe Design]... The words shone in a blue l.u.s.ter as he focused on them, gaining even more understanding as he read their descriptions. [Forge] :: Depending on the materials placed into the forge, an exemplary item that stands at the peak of its stage will be created. If a material has a potential of synergy, the Forge will create an Item Set once sufficient materials are placed. [Refine] :: An already completed item can be enhanced to bring out more of its potential. Requires [Core]s of sufficient level for refinement. Supreme Treasures require Unique Materials for refinement. [Repair] :: A broken item can be repaired to its prime. Requires [Core]s of sufficient level for repair. Supreme Treasures require Unique Materials for repair. Noah''s eyes shone as he read over all the descriptions of the things he could currently do with the Blacksmith''s Forge, many more questions appearing on his mind as he wondered first and foremost what materials would be considered unique! From the information he read, if he used a material that was classified as a Void Rank Material, the item produced would simply be a Void Rank Item. If he got his hands on the materials that were termed Unique, creating Supreme Treasures was not an impossibility! His mind was already going towards the Trident of the Sea when he looked over the feature of [Refine], as well as the Dagger of Time that was listed as Incomplete at this moment. In the future, it seemed like it was possible to enhance these Supreme Treasures even more, while there were numerous features to be unlocked in the future that made Noah itch with anticipation. At this moment in time though, he would try an initial use of the Blacksmith''s Forge as he gained a better understanding of it. His clone was expressing the marvelous emotions that his real body was feeling but could not express in the 7th Celestial Star as he continued to listen to the secrets of the Celestials, numerous plans about this Celestial Realm he would delve into sometime in the future circling his mind as the clone worked steadily in the Spiritual Land! Chapter 306 - Ridiculous The first level of the Inheritance of the Blood Progenitor was passed in less than a minute! The most shocking thing about this was the fact that this was the difficulty that was raised by a factor of 10. The Guardian of Blood observed the human in the middle of the wide Coliseum as he wondered whether the Inheritance Ground had misjudged their level of power, but confirmed the being was at the Saint Realm as a weak red light shone throughout the Inheritance Grounds, signifying the clearing of the first level. The resounding voice of the Guardian of Blood resounded soon after. "The first level has been cleared, granting you the rewards of the Bloodline of a Normal Vampyre, along with a set of skills that goes with it. Do you wish to claim these rewards and relinquish the remainder of the trial, or do you wish to rest and then continue?" Less than a millisecond passed before a calm reply came from the floating Noah. "Continue." "I will remind you that the rewards of the first level will not be made possible to you if you choose to move forward and fail at the second level, as failure will result in death!" A warning came from the mouth of the Guardian of Blood as Noah repeated once again with a firm tone. "No need for rest, I will continue!" RUMBLE! A red light shined out as essence converged, two more lakes of blood trembling as numerous figures began to rise from them. Noah observed with shining eyes as he counted a number of similarly shaped Blood Beasts rise up, until this number reached 200! The second level...was twice as difficult as the first one, the number of Blood Beasts simply being duplicated! Noah smiled at the craziness of this Inheritance that would most likely not be passed by anyone that wasn''t a Vampyre with this crazy upgraded level of difficulty as he looked at the gains from defeating the first 100 Blood Beasts. When he devoured all of them, similar to the Infernals that only gifted Noah with their unique energies in the form of Skill Points, he only obtained the memories of the Blood Beasts as no [Skill Books] or [Cores] were received from their defeat. The cause either lied from the fact that they were coagulations of blood and weren''t considered to have souls or origins, but they gave absolutely nothing compared to the Infernals that gifted him with the powerful Skill Points as a reward. He didn''t mind this though, as the reward of a Bloodline and techniques he would receive from taking them down was more than enough! "Come!" He roared out as a cold light shone in his eyes, his figure flashing towards the 200 Blood Beasts that had grouped together with tight defenses as they began moving the mana in the surroundings to cast long range attacks...or they tried to, but found that they couldn''t activate any abilities! Confusion permeated in the coagulations of blood as no attacks came out from them, the Guardian of Blood once again being stumped at what was going on as Noah''s laugh resounded. This was simply caused by another ability from the Sins under >. This time, it was a subset skill from the Sin of Envy, [I''m the Absolute Best]! [I''m the Absolute Best] - Opponents are not allowed to use skills known by the user, when fighting the user. Any Unique, Ultimate, or Absolute Skills holding a lower level of power than > are negated and unable to activate. The moment that Noah absorbed the first 100 Blood Beasts and perused through the memories, the abilities they could use were all known to him, and thus they could no longer activate those skills when they faced him! The force of 200 strong Saint Realm beings became disordered at this junction, their bodies instead moving for close combat as they rushed towards Noah, who only greeted them with a resplendence of shining condensed stars as he cast [White Dwarf Throw] with his body glowing from the intense aura of the Sin of Pride. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Resounding explosions erupted as the Blood Beasts had their defenses ruptured by the force of a condensed white dwarf star, the force of 200 strong being taken down in an extremely terrifying manner as the Guardian of Blood looked on with a stupefied expression once again. It admitted the strength of this human after the first level, but thought that he would at least have exhausted his strength after those deadly attacks and struggle slightly more on the second level...but he was going through enemies at the same level as himself without any issues yet again, and this time, the Blood Beasts weren''t even throwing out attacks! The Guardian of Blood wondered if the mechanisms of the Inheritance Ground had gotten too old and were interfered with as he confirmed that everything was working normally, watching stupefaction as 200 Blood Beasts were wiped away in the blink of an eye. "...The second level has been cleared, granting you the rewards of the Bloodline of an Elite Vampyre, along with a set of skills that goes with it. Do you wish to claim-" "I will continue!" A jovial voice that was full of expectations erupted from Noah as he felt like he had found something that very few would come across, and he would be able to take advantage of it in a way that only he would be able to! His sights were already set on the highest rewards at the 5th or 6th level, even gaining the Bloodline of a Pureblood Vampyre on passing the 3rd level being something small in his eyes! A brighter red light shone throughout the expansive Coliseum as the third level for the Inheritance of the Blood Progenitor began, this time a force of 400 Blood Beasts at the Saint Realm rising up from the lakes of blood as their reddened eyes focused on Noah. Normally, a genius Vampyre at the Saint Rank would have faced 20 Blood Beasts of the same realm at the second level, and 40 on the third level to prove their battle prowess and intelligence. But the difficulty was much higher for Noah¡­ although the number did not matter as he was always faster than them, and they could not even use their full abilities against him! What occurred next was just plain ridiculousness as the Guardian of Blood watched the unbelievable sight of one man weaving in and out of a crowd of swarming Blood Beasts at the same level as him, stupendous attacks being thrown around until not too long later, only silence reigned. "..." The Guardian of Blood wondered, was the 10x difficulty set by his master not enough to even make this human sweat? Had humans grown more powerful to raise such geniuses over the past millennia? Worries began to pile up as at this rate, it seemed like this human might actually obtain the inheritance only meant for the noblest of Vampyres! The giant made of crystallized blood watched on as the forces of the Blood Beasts continued to dwindle until yet again, only a single man remained floating in the bloody skies. A hardened expression entered the face of the Guardian of Blood as it smashed down the large spear it was holding once again, a bright red light shining out that signified the clearance of the 3rd level, and brought out the monsters for the 4th level. This time, it was only 10 Blood Beasts that were twice as large as the ones Noah had seen before. It was a small number, but each of these Blood Beasts let out a powerful aura of strength at the Void Realm! The fourth level of this Inheritance of the Blood Progenitor was to fight 10 beings that were an entire rank higher than the challenger, something that would normally be an impossibility! The concept of a genius being able to fight a single being of higher rank than them was already a shocking thing to hear about, but going against 10 would only be a joke out of people''s wildest dreams. Noah looked at the appearance of these 10 Void Rank Blood Beasts as he saw the Guardian of Blood had not even bothered to ask him if he would continue or not, a refreshing smile coming on his face as he asked. "What are the rewards of clearing the fourth and fifth level?" ".." The Guardian of Blood seemed muted for a second before he replied. "Clearing the Fourth level gives you the Bloodline of a Royal Vampyre, and clearing the 5th level gives you the access to the...Absolute Techniques that were used by the Progenitor himself!" The Guardian of Blood spoke out about the rewards it never thought this human would even come close to obtaining, its observation landing on the peculiar being that held a confident smile while looking at the 10 Void Rank opponents. Just what being had entered his Master''s Inheritance Grounds? Chapter 362 - What do you know about fate?! In the innermost region of the 7th Celestial Star below the fantastical mountains filled with dense essence and medicinal herbs, there lay a horrendous golden cage that had numerous spears piercing through a single being. This cage was located in the area in the deeper layers of the Celestial Star in a position that very few disciples had access to. It was placed at the center of this wide underground cavern that had foliage shimmering with blue and purple lights, the foliage being the type of plants that never saw the light of day. It was normally a silent area as years would pass before any being would intrude upon it, but there was a shimmering golden robed figure walking towards the cage that held a disfigured being pierced on all sides. This individual held an exemplary goatee on his face, being the Celestial Grandmaster that oversaw many of the operations on this Celestial Star- it was Grandmaster Ramiel! His expression seemed to be one that was lost in thought as he strolled towards the restrictive cage holding a single being, only looking up as he was inches away from it, the figure of the prisoner within being extremely clear. The one chained to the floor of the cage with numerous golden rods piercing through his body turned his head unnaturally as one of his eyes landed on Grandmaster Ramiel. The Grandmaster that was lost in thought actually pulled back from the cage as he bowed respectfully, reigning in his bubbling aura that stood at a rank above the Domain Expansion Realm and bringing forth a shocking scene that could not be understood by any of those watching! "This unworthy disciple greets Master. I haven''t been down here for quite some time, and I''ll have to bother you with some of my ramblings again." Grandmaster Ramiel began a monologue as he let out shocking words, slightly revealing the identity of the being that was mutilated by numerous spears within the cage! "The tides of fate continue to ebb and flow forth, where we are now reaching an impasse with the Infernal Lords joining hands with those in the Dark Expanse. The period of war is fast approaching once more, with all forces raising their own champions to steer this coming battle into their favor." Grandmaster Ramiel began walking around the cage as he talked, seemingly lost in his own musings as the being he had called Master continued to silently listen! "The position of the Infernal Lord we had killed long ago is about to be filled again as a new Infernal Lord rises. The Warlocks and Witches controlling the Dark Expanse continue to refine their spells as they congregate with the Infernal Lords, while our forces have located a few beings with Noble Fates that we continue to raise." Grandmaster Ramiel walked around the cage thoughtfully as he continued to ramble on, his expression that of extreme focus as he laid out numerous secrets calmly! "We have continued to monitor those insane entities in the Dark Expanse, but it seems they won''t be moving for this coming war, all indicators pointing to some sort of restriction binding them from acting once more." He came to a stop once more as his eyes focused on the imprisoned being. "Our newest action would actually deal with the wondrous place you helped locate long ago, where we are thinking of influencing the fates of those in the Light Expanse even more by letting them explore that Realm, and then using this force in the coming war as well." RUMBLE! The air around them trembled as a plot that would shake the minds of many who heard was laid out simply! "Their lives would at least serve some meaning as they stand in the front lines, contributing to the establishment of Order and not the chaos that they continue to cause." Blood continued to leak out of the imprisoned being as his barely freed facial muscles rose up in a smile, numerous thoughts coursing through his mind as the one that called him Master continued to ponder next to his cage! "Our rule has tightened over the years in the Light Expanse, but this will be the first time that we include its inhabitants on something this grand as we continue to steer fate in the direction that we want. What do you think about this move, Master?" Grandmaster Ramiel shook his head as no reply came from the being in front of it, his gaze turning towards the golden rods that locked him in place as he shook his head in wonder. "The treasures of the Celestial Realm amaze me to this very day. I never would have once believed that a being like you could be locked down for this long, your strength continuously drained, your millions of Fate Lines shattered as your power continues to drain every second. Yet...your power still seems as boundless as ever, Master!" His words were those of reverence and respect as he looked upon the being skewered in the cage, shaking his head wistfully as he turned around and began walking away. Grandmaster Ramiel had the habit of coming down here frequently every tens of years as he reminisced about the past and thought of the grand history of this being caged beneath this star. To him, this was just a repeat of what he usually did as he came down and began leaving soon after, his thoughts already going towards the many things he had to take care of as a few last words left his mouth. "Why, Master? Why did you do that? Ay¡­" His melancholic words faded as his figure went higher and higher, gradually disappearing as he left behind the skewered body that continued to leak blood. The imprisoned being in question looked at the leaving being as a disfigured smile appeared in its skewered face, a small whisper that no one would be able to hear leaving his lips. "Steering fate huh? What would you children know about fate, or how fickle it can be!" THRUM! The numerous golden rods holding him in place trembled at the immense aura of this being, things gradually calming down as the imprisoned figure raised his head above the cage, his eyes piercing through the layers of earth as they came to rest upon a particular mountain on the 7th Celestial Star. At the place his eyes were gazing at, the figures of Noah and Athena were respectfully listening to a particular Grandmaster. The imprisoned being looked at this scene as a wide smile covered his disfigured face, a look of anticipation covering his face. "Soon!" ... Chapter 363 - Infernal Set! In the underground layer of Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, immense heat was coming off a particular Blacksmith''s Forge as Noah looked at the results of trying out this new feature for the first time. He had first checked the possibilities of the feature called [Refine], pulling out the Supreme Treasure that was the Trident of Sea as it was quickly swallowed up by the Hearth at the center of Blacksmith''s Forge! The numerous blue flames wrapped all around the shining trident before a prompt appeared on Noah''s eyes. [Supreme Treasure Trident of the Sea- requires Unique Materials that would enhance the efficacy of the item by an unknown amount.] The first test was a dud as he still did not come across something that could be considered a Unique Material, his mind leaning towards the Celestial Realm he was learning more and more about as the place he might be able to get his hands on something like this. This idea also brought into account another feature of the Spiritual Land that Noah had not had a chance to use too often, and that was [Treasure Hunter]! The abilities of the Spiritual Land continued to affect his rise in strength more and more, going on to unimaginable degrees at this moment as it seemed to always hold newer and more fantastical surprises. He put the thoughts about how he could possibly move in the Celestial Realm as he gathered more information on it first, checking to see if it would be even possible for him to take the Spiritual Land along on that journey. When it came to the Locked abilities of the Blacksmith''s Forge, there was [Recipe Design] and [Evolve]. The latter was vague and he didn''t know how different it would be from the [Refine] feature, but the [Recipe Design] was something that made his heart shake in excitement as he wondered exactly what were the limits to what the Spiritual Land would allow him to personally design in the future. When his thoughts came to this stage, he almost wanted to look into the problem of obtaining a Small World Core right away while trying to upgrade the strengths of the Beasts of the Spiritual Land into a rank that even he had not stepped into yet. He shook his head at the numerous thoughts as his attention reverted back to the [Forge] feature of the Blacksmith''s Forge as he took back the Trident of the Sea from the dancing blue flames in the Hearth. When he first initiated the use of [Forge], he didn''t have anything that could be considered a material on him, so he tried the only thing holding a possibility of being counted as a material while also being abundant near his location. Being in the First Realm of Hell, he quickly procured the bodies of a few Void Ranked Infernals as he teleported back to the Blacksmith''s Forge and threw a few of them into the Hearth! The function of [Forge] was selected as an exuberant amount of mana began leaving his body, the numerous dredges of Void Rank Infernals beginning to melt in front of his eyes as blue flaming snakes went on to cover all over them, wrapping them up entirely as more than half an hour passed while Noah watched the burning flames. RUMBLE! An explosion of light that seemed to portray the arrival of something grand spread out from the Hearth that Noah was closely watching, the shining light disappearing as an exquisitely designed b.r.e.a.s.tplate and a glimmering red serrated sword floated in front of him, their identities being revealed as their descriptions floated in front of his eyes beautifully! VOID [Infernal''s Serrated Sword] :: A sword forged from the very origins of Infernals themselves, carrying their vengeful emotions with every strike. +50% Physical Damage. +20% Increased Attack Speed. (Part of the Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set) VOID [Infernal''s Spiked B.r.e.a.s.tplate] :: An armor meant to withstand all the wrathful attacks thrown towards it. +50% Defense. +20% Increased Elemental Resistance. +50% Increased Fire Element Resistance. (Part of the Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set) {Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set} :: The complete set that only those capable of taking down numerous infernals are rewarded. Set Bonus: 2 Pieces- Apply the Fear Effect to all those at lower ranks. 4 Pieces- Gain a unique enhancing energy in the form of a Frenzy Charge after every kill. The Frenzy Charges gradually disappears after 30 seconds. Each Frenzy Charge grants +5% Increased Damage. 6 Pieces- Enter the state of Infernal Rage whenever you are low on life, granting you 100% more Damage and Regeneration, as well as the gained Frenzy Charges not expiring. "...Well damn." Noah''s mouth was wide open as he looked at the details of the two items laid out in front of him, not imagining in his wildest dreams that the first items created in this Blacksmith''s Forge were this marvelous in their capabilities! He had made the assumption that only Supreme Treasures would be able to enhance his abilities, but it seemed the items created from the Blacksmith''s Forge were something entirely different. This was especially so because of the bonuses one could obtain if they wore the entire Item Set created from the bodies of the dead Void Ranked Infernals. The items provided increased speed, damage, and armor, which Noah could disregard if he wanted, but his curiosity was raised when he looked at the unique features that could be obtained if the remaining 4 items were created and worn all at once, gaining the boost given for the complete Item Set! This also made him very much look forward to the possibilities of the types of Supreme Treasures that could be created from the Blacksmith''s Forge if something at the Void Rank came out as spectacularly as this. Even though the items in this {Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set} would not grant him crazy boosts to his already insane abilities, he knew it would be an immense help to those around him, allowing them to raise their power much quicker as well as gaining another layer of protection. He waved his hands in anticipation as he took out more than 10 other Void Rank bodies of the Infernals, throwing them all into the Hearth that pulsed with a blue flame as he created items unique only to him, something that his people would wear and become known for in the future that he had yet to perceive! In the coming war that would affect the dynamic of trillions of lives, a monstrous force that wore designs of similar Items that Noah had begun creating would become known across the reaches of the Novus Galaxy... Chapter -1 - Ranks/Levels/Realms(Spoilers as of 317) Ranks F>E>D>C>B>A>S >EPIC RANK >LEGENDARY RANK >MYTHICAL RANK >PHANTASMAL RANK >TRANSCENDENT RANK >SAINT RANK >VOID RANK(A crucial rank that allows one to freely traverse the void of space) >SOUL RANK --- Celestial Rankings encapsulate multiple ranks as their definition of power is much simpler Rank 1: Epic(Middle Rank 1) Legendary(Middle Rank 2) Rank 2: Mythical(Middle Rank 2) and Phantasmal(Peak Rank 2) Rank 3: Transcendent(Middle) and Saint(Peak) Rank 4: Void(Middle) and Soul(Peak) Rank 5: UNKOWN ... Ranks converge as higher levels are reached, with the same names applying for Cultivators. Example: Transcendent Rank>Transcendent Realm, Saint Rank>Saint Realm, Void Rank> Void Fimerment Realm>Soul Forging Realm ... Skill Levels follow the same ranks, with the addition of specialized skills that grow with the user. In terms of power: {UNIQUE} {ULTIMATE} > Skill Trees: [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(5/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(5/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(5/5) >> [Abhorred Lich Emperor](30/30) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(5/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(5/5) [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(5/5), Destabilize(5/5), Shattered Star(5/5), and Miniature Space(5/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu](30/30) Additional Abilities- Morph(5/5), Child of Space(5/5), Portals of Terror(5/5), and Sever(5/5). [Blood Lord] (30/30):: A technique that only those with the purest forms of blood can use. It is Ancient Blood Magic that includes the abilities Dawn of the Blood Lord(0/5), Blood World(5/5), Drain Life(0/5), and Nightmarish Descent(0/5). > > :: A skill given to the holder of all the "Seven Deadly Sins" skills. The user is considered to be the Absolute Sin, empowering every sin type skill they hold. It gives access to the skills: [Sin Empowerment], [Harbinger of Sin], [Sin Manipulation], [Sin Syphoning], and [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] > :: Your connection to the stars is unique, being able to assert an influence that bends the laws of space to your will. A proficient Connector is able to freely traverse through space, even to locations they have never been to before. Abilities include Marker, Connector, Astral Traveler, Expansive Space, and Star Seeker. > Your very core holds a unique relationship to blood, granting you wondrous ways of utilizing it that many can only aspire to. Abilities Include Unique Origin, World Veil, Blood Sea, A Drop of Blood, Telepathy, Vampyrism, and Panacea. Bloodline(s): [Vampyre Progenitor](Awakening) :: The Bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor has fused with your origin, slowly continuing to awaken to its full potential as time progresses. Bloodline boosts include: Ancient Being, Vampyre Ruler, Supernatural Beauty, Decelerated Aging, Blood Controller, Bloodline Affinity, Bloodline Bestowal, World Portal, All Element Resistance, Natural Blood Armor, Enhanced Charisma, Unnatural Healing, Unnatural Speed, and Blood Gourmet Chapter 364 - A Move of Consolidation Word was soon passed from the 7th Celestial Star and into the numerous other Celestial Stars spread out over the Light Expanse, going on to reach the ears of the upper echelons that made the true decisions. The Grandmasters in the 7th Celestial Star were confident after they had used their own techniques to discern the possible effects and results of letting inhabitants of the Light Expanse explore the Celestial Realm for the first time under strict conditions, and they saw the effects to be marvelous and heavily favoring their aims! So word was passed forward to the higher-ups, but they knew the ultimate decision would be the confirmation of this never before done event as they were approaching the precipice of another war, and the use of the beings in the Light Expanse in the front lines of this war would only leave them in a better position. Grandmaster Ramiel had left the underground area where a being lay imprisoned, these numerous thoughts coursing through his mind as he shone a resplendent gold light, numerous skills activated as he overlooked the activities of the 7th Celestial Star. When it came to raising forces, one could forcefully throw them into their deaths, but what if you could raise beings to fight on their behalf willingly with their own wills? The Celestials had been doing this for ages with the act of recruiting disciples, going on to create the force of hundreds of thousands of those qualified in learning about fate over the years as these beings were spread out all over the stars of the Light Expanse. But the epiphany that Grandmaster Vredral had as he watched the constantly changing influence of fate of numerous Prime Worlds that had their emotions and beliefs pressed down and changed in a matter of hours as they watched the power of Celestials had brought forth this new possibility. The Celestials had been steadily influencing the fates of the numerous stars in the Light Expanse, but not to the extent that they were about to do in the near future. They were involved in the affairs of the numerous stars, even going as far as providing them with minor treasures after their participation in the Infernal Hunts. But this coming future would have the inhabitants of Light Expanse work closely and tirelessly with the Celestials as they would go on to fight for them in the front lines after their strengths were boosted in the Celestial Realm! They would not be forced or conscripted to fight and throw away their lives, but they would be influenced ever so slowly with the power of Celestials they continued to observe as they tasted the treasures that they had already been eating for years. Then, they would willingly lay down their lives to the enemies that the Celestials pointed their fingers towards. Grandmaster Ramiel smiled as he thought this, numerous message transmissions leaving his mind towards numerous beings as he moved forward with the plans to influence the beings of the Light Expanse even more the moment he received the permission he expected to receive as the information returned from the many Celestial Stars. This time, it wasn''t just through fear as the beings of the Light Expanse observed the majestic power of Celestials similar to the bloodbath in the Magus World, but also through awe as they would come to observe and appreciate the Celestial Realm they would soon be given a chance to dive into under strict conditions! It was a plan of using fear and propaganda to further enhance their already stable influence of fate, and now it would also produce more powerhouses to fight in the coming war as more and more beings explored and chanced upon the wondrous treasures of the Celestial Realm. --- Only a few days passed before thousands of Prime Worlds began receiving astounding pieces of information directly from the Celestials! Only worlds at the level of Prime received this piece of information, very few of the tens of thousands of Large Worlds or the hundreds of thousands of small and middle worlds filled with weak life forms were receiving this message as it was focused on those that were powerful and capable in the Prime Worlds. The message''s contents told them all that a chance had arrived! A never before given chance that would allow the powers of the Light Expanse to progress in strength as they worked together with the Celestials to explore something phenomenal. Many of the worlds already knew of the Celestial''s power, and worlds like the World of Cultivation had already been receiving resources from the Celestials over the years. So when they saw the contents of this message, they knew it would be something unbelievable! The numerous powerful worlds in the Light Expanse began to bustle with activities at the advent of this message, many of them looking forward into the future as they prepared. Only a few knowledgeable figures and the beings watching from the Dark Expanse looked at these large movements as they realized something momentous was occurring with the Celestials. Those watching closely from the Dark Expanse came to realize that the Celestials were consolidating their power as they prepared for their future war once more, and this consolidation of power was so expansive that they were now involving the entire Light Expanse! In the Underworld, the Royal Vampyre Elena received a similar message as she closed her eyes and mumbled with an amorous smile. "The Celestial Realm, huh?" Her red eyes were languidly looking forward to the bustling Pureblood Vampyres that continued to expand their forces in the Underworld. She looked towards her brother who was overseeing the campaign with a frowning face as she spoke of with a smile. "Little Brother, we''ll have to call back little Cassius from the Dark Expanse so he can enjoy a piece of the pie opening itself up soon." A thoughtful expression was on the Vampyre King''s face as he replied. "This Celestial Realm that these mongrels are choosing to open up to the public now...there should be numerous hidden meanings behind it. Not to mention the dangers." The Vampyre King was careful as he thought of the possibilities and meanings behind the actions of the Celestials, but Elena only smiled as her bountiful body bounced up. "Oh little brother, danger brings with it an opportunity, and this opportunity to get our hands into the treasure bowl of the Celestials...I''m sure the Alliance is going to do everything in their power to take full hold of it!" Across the worlds, bustling movements had begun as many beings plotted and schemed with their own plans. At the same time, a being was designing terrifying weapons and armors in a fiery hell, and was at the same time training at the core of the Celestials themselves as he garnered more status and power. Among the schemes and plans, who knew which power would come out on top? Chapter 365 - A Penguin Clad in Armor, Towards the Celestial Realm! As many beings prepared for the profound opportunity opening itself up, Noah''s clone was in the underground layer of this spiritual land where an amazing sight was taking place as a Penguin of immense arrogance raised its beak even higher into the skies because of the majestic Item Set it was currently adorned in. Noah was standing in front of the Emperor Penguin as he observed the tight fitting of the {Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set} with shining eyes. The strongest beast of the Spiritual Land was the first to be tested as the moment it equipped the items they went on to tightly wrap around his body and fit as if they were meant for him. The {Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set} contained the sword and the b.r.e.a.s.tplate that he created first, and then later on he was able to craft the leggings, shoes, armguards, and a helmet! The entire set shone with a red l.u.s.ter as it fully covered the penguin, the multiple pieces going on to smoothly attach to his body. Going back a few minutes prior, the Hearth of the Blacksmith''s Forge had produced the last 4 four pieces of the set as they floated grandly in front of Noah''s eyes, the descriptions of their boosts being around the same as the last two items. VOID [Infernal''s Spiked Leggings] :: Leggings that are meant to provide smooth movements while granting increased protection. +50% Defense. +20% Increased Elemental Resistance. +50% Increased Fire Element Resistance. (Part of the Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set) VOID [Infernal''s Spiked Helmet] :: A crown created to exemplify the qualities of one that is stained with the blood of Infernals. +10% Attack and Cast Speed, +25% To All Element Resistance.(Part of the Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set) VOID [Infernal''s Spiked Armguards] :: Armguards that are meant to provide versatility while also reinforcing the strength of the user. +10% Attack and Cast Speed. (Part of the Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set) VOID [Infernal''s Spiked Boots] :: Swift and strong, this Infernal footwear provides the speed and agility required to move across tough terrains. +20% Movement Speed, Unaffected by the extreme burning grounds you stand on. (Part of the Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set) Once the set fully came together, it created a menacing armored figure that was adorned with a fierce helmet that had two horns protruding on either side. It made for a demonic picture, and this contrast was especially interesting on the emperor penguin. Its flippers were fully covered as numerous spikes protruded from the armed guards, it''s beak holding a red sheen as a thin red film of light came to protect it. Its beady eyes were able to be seen from the thin slit that was visible from the small opening of the helmet of the infernal set. This was the completed and finished creation of the first set that Noah had crafted from the use of the Blacksmith''s Forge. It was a fully void rank {Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set}! One of the things that Noah found to be marvelous about this Item Set was the unique abilities they provided after one wore all 6 items. {Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set} :: The complete set that only those capable of taking down numerous infernals are rewarded. Set Bonus: 2 Pieces- Apply the Fear Effect to all those at lower ranks. 4 Pieces- Gain a unique enhancing energy in the form of a Frenzy Charge after every kill. The Frenzy Charges gradually disappears after 30 seconds. Each Frenzy Charge grants +5% Increased Damage. 6 Pieces- Enter the state of Infernal Rage whenever you are low on life, granting you 100% more Damage and Regeneration, as well as the gained Frenzy Charges not expiring. The concept of Frenzy Charges that increased your damage output every time you took down an enemy reminded Noah of Berserkers that would continue fighting in a bloody battlefield as they only became stronger with time. This was complemented even more when looked over the last boost given for equipping all 6 pieces that allowed one to enter an actual berserker state. He knew that this type of Item Set would definitely go on to be extremely useful for his forces in the future. He had used up almost all the bodies of the void rank infernal that he held to create enough set items to completion, but the product was worth it! "How do you feel?" He asked the flexing emperor penguin as he wanted to get feedback on the boosted strength from someone that didn''t have the crazy boosts that he personally held. "Powerful master, it feels as if I have an exhaustible amount of energy!" Noah nodded as he replied while moving out "Good. Let''s test it out in combat and check out the boosts provided by the set bonuses themselves." The plan that Noah''s clone was currently carrying out was collecting as many bodies of dead Infernal as possible and using them as materials to mass produce these spectacular item sets that enhanced the strengths of his people by a large margin. There were still many tests to conduct as time passed, his attention also divided into the increased ratio of the Time Space where in the last two tier upgrades, it did not double as it had been doing in the past. From the 6th to the 7th Tier, the upgrade went from 1:20 to a ratio of 1:25, and the 8th Tier granted a ratio of 1:30! It felt like a nerf had been placed as the ratio would have become simply monstrous if it continued to double, but it didn''t mean much to Noah as the ratio of 1:30 was already insane by itself. This was because a single passing day outside would mean 30 days in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land. It was already a crazy concept that would allow him to swiftly raise the proficiency of his skills that continued to become harder to raise the more they advanced in rank. This was just another thing that he had on his to do list, with his tasks expanding to create numerous Item Sets using the Blacksmith''s Forge, spending some time in the Time Space to increase the proficiencies of his [Lesser Cthulhu], [Fate''s Guardian], and the [Abhorred Lich Emperor] that was actually leading in proficiency as it had been active this entire time, as well as explore the features of Law Space. As the clone steadily moved to accomplish these goals, in the 7th Celestial Star, a few days passed since the Grandmaster broke the news of the Celestial Realm to Noah and Athena. Today, Noah had once again received a telepathic message as he was condensing Fate Lines in his Abode. "Come! We have gained the go ahead for you and Athena to delve into the Celestial Realm first!" Noah''s eyes shone as he received this message, a light smile appearing on face as his figure disappeared from his Abode and reappeared near the Monastery. Athena wasn''t too far behind as the girl had her hair already tied in a ponytail, the red robe she wore hiding her bountiful figure beneath as the both of them came to see the Grandmaster. "Haha, this is a great opportunity. You two will get firsthand knowledge on how to move in the Celestial Realm, and you¡­" The wizened Grandmaster Vredral turned towards Noah as he finished his words. "...will get to meet even more astounding geniuses besides Athena. Some may not be on your level, but they should still be able to give you a fight!" The Grandmaster neared their positions as a brilliant light erupted to cover the three of them, their figures fading away as the light died down, their bodies reappearing inside a familiar Prime Warship they had used just a few days ago. "We are setting off towards the land of opportunity and magnificence, the Realm filled with peril and danger, but also filled with treasures out of your wildest imagination!" The voice of Grandmaster Vredral rang out as Athena and Noah looked towards each other, a thrilling light passing through their eyes as each of them held their own thoughts. Athena longed to find her purpose and what fate laid in store for her, while Noah was hungry for this phenomenal realm that was largely unexplored even after thousands of years, and for what possible treasures were waiting within! Chapter 366 - A Breathtaking Golden Door A grand Prime Warship streaked across the vastness of space, having been a few days since it first left the 7th Celestial Star. Noah and Athena were on a uniquely designed rectangular dining table that had a white cloth draping over it, numerous dishes that glistened in the light filling this table as the two ate while talking. "It''s disheartening to find out that even your cooking skills are out of this word." The Senior Sister that was gradually opening up to Noah said these words as her clear eyes looked at Noah inquisitively as she threw out a question. Noah replied as he grabbed the fat golden thigh of a large bird as he took large bites. "My time in the Profound Astral Sect wasn''t just spent cultivating, I made sure to at least get the skill of cooking down when everyone was still looking down on me." Athena nodded as she carried on with light conversation. They had been on the ship passing through numerous stars over the past few days that after training in their separate rooms, they routinely got together to eat. Noah used the time to show off his cooking skills as he slowly gained more and more trust from the valiant War Princess, as well as the old Grandmaster that simply shook his head after realizing the disciple he considered a genius had another thing he excelled in. "Oh? It seems like we are finally nearing the location." The War Princess that was licking the oil on her ring finger called out, her senses reaching a region tens of miles from where they were. Noah spread his own senses out as he came to observe the appearance of numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s much larger than the one they were on. These Prime Warsh.i.p.s only increased in number as they neared, Noah noticing the protective formation that the numerous sh.i.p.s took as if they were protecting the most treasured thing possible. Each of these sh.i.p.s was at the same level or higher from the Prime Warship they were on, meaning there were numerous sh.i.p.s capable of destroying entire stars spread out all over the location that held the entrance to the Celestial Realm! The Prime Warship they were on continued to get closer as it smoothly passed the circles of protection, its identity being known long in advance as the profound weapons of numerous other sh.i.p.s did not even turn towards it. The further in they went past the initial perimeter, the more powerful sh.i.p.s that contained horrendous auras they could feel as they realized how heavily protected this location was by the Celestials! Noah could already feel numerous auras at the Soul and Domain Expansion Realm overlooking these many sh.i.p.s, but his gaze stayed up front as he began to sense the appearance of a shining light. This shining light only became brighter and brighter as their ship went closer, continuing to grow in size as it soon came to overshadow the large vessel they were on. His figure flashed away from the dining area and into the front of the ship that held a clear glass screen, his eyes landing on this brightening light as it gradually became more and more clear, his eyes finally registering the appearance of a humongous Golden Door! It was a breathtaking scene to observe as this door stood serenely in space, gold particles of light ever so slowly coiling around it as it portrayed a sense of majesty Noah had not come across before. The only thing that slightly took away from this majesty was the numerous Interstellar Sh.i.p.s surrounding it on all sides, the eyes of the Celestials protecting this door as if it was their lifeline. "The Celestial Door, a breathtaking sight to come across for the first time as it is nothing compared to the gates leading to the Infernal Realms you have come across before." Grandmaster Vredral appeared next to Noah as Athena joined their position, his wizened gaze deepening as he stroked his beard and continued. "One can look at the names of the two and say they are similar, but the Celestial Realm and the known Infernal Realms are not even capable of being at the same stage of comparison. The entire size of the First Infernal Realm cannot even compare to one-hundredth of the minuscule amount of lands that we have managed to explore in the Celestial Realm." The words of the Grandmaster revealed the immensity of the Celestial Realm more and more as their ship came to a stop not too far away from the Golden Door. The more than 2000 meters in size Warship seemed tiny compared to this grand door floating in front of them. "Now, let''s go in and have you two take a first look!" The Grandmaster voiced out with a happy expression as a wide door opened up on the side of their Prime Warship, their figures stepping into the void of space as they began to head towards the Golden Door. None of the numerous Interstellar Sh.i.p.s even batted an eye towards them as they all knew their identities to be important figures from the 7th Celestial Star! Many of the beings that were stationed in the numerous vessels to protect the perimeters of the entrance to the Celestial Realm were beings that were average in talent, using many of the years on missions of securing the perimeter as they cultivated for tens of years in these vessels before they were assigned to other missions. Some of them had not even been given the chance to enter the Celestial Realm yet until they completed their missions! Noah''s party smoothly bypassed all of this as they neared the door with the Grandmaster at the lead, and under the eyes of everyone, they came to float just a few meters from the Golden Door. The simple l.u.s.ter and brightness of the gate caused them to squint their eyes as the Grandmaster spoke once more. "The moment anyone touches this Golden Door, they will be transferred to a specific region that we have long ago colonized and made our own, and it will be this region that you all will spend quite some time to get acquainted in before you begin to fully explore the dangers and opportunities of the Celestial Realm." Noah and Athena nodded as their figures came ever so closer to the Golden Door. "It will be my honor to welcome the newest geniuses of the Celestials into the first region of the Celestial Realm, the Sanctum!" The voice of the Grandmaster reached a crescendo as they fully came in contact with the Golden Door, their figures disappearing in a flash of light as Noah Osmont, a nobody from a Small World had finally stepped into a Realm that would allow for unpredictable changes for the entire Light Expanse! Chapter 367 - The Sanctum! How would one describe something they found so beautiful and grand that no words came to their minds? How would you describe something that looked exactly like what you imagined a paradise would be like? How would one bring themselves to describe the first place that everybody was teleported to when they entered the Celestial Realm, the place known as the Sanctum! Noah and Athena''s figures appeared on a magnificently white marble clearing as their eyes landed on the wondrous buildings all around them that rose to the skies. They seemed to be a blend of ancient architecture that Noah would have seen in olden times, but also the futuristic designs that made one feel they were in an entirely new land! Many of the structures around them had pointed peaks that rose to the skies, the crystalline structures tinged with the colors of white and gold as they glistened in the light. Those that didn''t have pointed peaks had artistic dome-shaped outlines that released an air of regality. All around these enormous buildings, the ethereal outlines of huge ancient trees that rose to heights no less than the buildings themselves were present. The trees seem to shimmer with abundant life essence as they provided an aesthetic of nature that could not be violated. It felt like they were in a land filled with nature, and at the same time, this land had undergone the process of change that kept the natural aesthetic while simply adding the unique architecture all around it. They could feel the oppressive feeling of immense essence all around them, the quality so powerful that every time they breathed, they felt as if their noses were getting unclogged after days of having a cold, finally being able to smell the vibrant smell of spring! Noah felt his own body almost feeling gleeful as it settled in this environment that held a profound quality of essence. They could sense numerous powerhouses spread out all around, the least of which held power at the Void Realm, with the auras of multiple Domain Expansion experts being present! Their surroundings were bustling with activity as numerous different robe colored Celestials could be seen walking around, only the white marble circular area they stood on being secluded and empty. The Grandmaster looked at the paradisiacal scene around him as he voiced out with a tinge of wonder. "Welcome to the first area that all who step in through the Golden Door of the Celestial Realm are introduced to, welcome to The Sanctum that is our home base in this expansive Celestial Realm." Noah continued to glance at the phenomenal array of golden and white colors around him as he sensed a brand new atmosphere in this Celestial Realm he had stepped into. He realized the first subtle differences by the many bustling figures that were moving around the Sanctum, but he couldn''t find anyone in the skies. He noticed this difference as he felt a type of restriction landing on his body, and he wanted to test it as his body slowly jumped to the skies, but he was thrown back down by his weight the moment he reached just a few meters high, finding that he could not use his energy to hold himself up! "Haha, you have caught on to the differences of the Celestial Realm fast. Yes, one of the things you will come to realize here is that numerous restrictions exist, and one of them is that you cannot fly! Unless you are on a ship or flying on a winged beast, you will find your energy is useless in keeping you afloat...that is until you reach a certain realm." The body of the Grandmaster began to float stably as he said this, his figure remaining in the skies jovial before he came down in a few seconds. "Of course, the other differences are more astute, but you can easily discover them in time. Come, the newcomers need to gain their preliminary knowledge of the nearby geography and exactly where to go or not go if you want to keep your life." The Grandmaster pulled them away from the white marble area they entered in as they went towards one of the ancient buildings that had its golden peak pointing to the skies, the shape of two huge white wings spreading out from the sides of this unique structure as it let out an air of magnificence. Their party passed through the glass doors as two guards clad in a unique white armor bowed with their hands clasping their chest. "Grandmaster." "Grandmaster." Grandmaster Vredral gave a simple nod as he took Noah and Athena forward, the two disciples curiously watching everything around them as they observed numerous Celestials moving in and out of the building they were in. They climbed a set of circular stairs as they came to reach a higher floor that held huge wide open doors leading to a hall where a few figures were cl.u.s.tered around an oval table. There was a powerful aura at the forefront that turned towards Grandmaster Vredral and called out raucously. "Vredral! You''ve finally returned, and with new disciples I see." The smooth reacquaintance of two old friends occurred as the wizened Grandmaster gave a huge bear hug to this being. "Commanding Officer Raizel now is it? Haha, we''ll catch up later. I bring with me seeds of the future that need to be looked after extremely well. They need to be brought to speed on the safe and dangerous regions around the Sanctum, as well as the areas they can begin to explore in this wide Celestial Realm of ours!" A nod of understanding came on the face of the one called Raizel as he smiled and looked towards Noah and Athena, his powerful aura at the Domain Expansion realm focusing on them as he nodded. "You have been gone too long my friend, the regions you knew to be dangerous have turned safe after years of exploration, and some of the safe regions have turned dangerous after the Celestial Beasts reclaimed them. Haha, no worries though, let''s enjoy ourselves a bit with delicacies only found here before we delve into the crux of everything." The being called Commanding Officer Raizel waved his hands toward the table as numerous doc.u.ments and papers were moved away, a collection of rainbow-colored fruits that pulsed with immense essence appearing on the table as the eyes of a few guards standing by the side shone with light. "Do you remember these? The Aurora Fruits from a dangerous region we had not yet captured towards the west. We have been able to get our hands on them now, and they are delicacies you definitely have to enjoy!" Raizel invited them to partake as Noah''s hands grabbed an Aurora Fruit himself, feeling enormous amounts of energy the moment the rainbow-colored fruit landed on his hands as surprisingly, his Planetary System showed a few blue colored words interpreting the features of the fruit''s unique energy signature right away. [Aurora Fruit] :: A unique medicinal fruit only capable of growing in unique environments. Has the effects of fully recovering one''s energy and vitality to the maximum, and granting them +100% energy regeneration for the next hour. His jaws nearly dropped at the description of a simple fruit that he had come across as he first stepped into the Celestial Realm, his gaze turning towards the jovial Celestials in front of him as the hunger he felt for the unknown things in this Celestial Realm only grew. He had just arrived at the base of the Celestials in this Realm that was called the Sanctum. He wanted to learn more about exactly what awaited outside this Sanctum, and what dangers he had to brave if he wanted to get his hands on ridiculously amazing items such as the ones he had just come across a few minutes of entering into this Celestial Realm! He was also extremely impatient as his thoughts went to a feature of his Spiritual Land that would be something phenomenal to have in this land filled with opportunities. He was thinking of the feature of [Treasure Hunter] that he wanted to use in this Celestial Realm right away, his gaze looking far into the future on the unlimited possibilities. He had just stepped into the Celestial Realm, and already his heart felt a strong pull as he was swept off his feet instantly! Chapter 368 - Celestial Beasts As Noah and Athena sat down with the one called Commanding Officer Raziel and Grandmaster Vredral, the picture of the Celestial Realm gradually became clearer in their eyes. The location known as the Sanctum was the first area that the Celestial colonized, going on to build a central base here as they gradually expanded over the years. This expansion was a tug of war between them and the inhabitants that could be found in this Celestial Realm- the Celestial Beasts! They were termed this simply as they were the regal and monstrous beasts that could be found all over this Celestial Realm, but others also knew them by another name because of their prime feature. They were also known as...Behemoths! Noah could feel his heart pounding as he listened to the carefully given lecture by the Commanding Officer Raizel, the picture of this Celestial Realm only getting bigger and bigger as the image of these beasts called Behemoths filled his mind. They were called Behemoths simply because of their monstrous size, where just a single one was like an entire moving building! In the explored areas that Celestials had observed so far, the smallest of these Celestial Beasts had turned out to be 50 meters! This was a shocking size for a normal beast, actually being 25 times Noah''s human stature, where even in his Lesser Cthulhu form he would still be considered smaller. These were the beasts populating the Celestial Realm, these were the Celestial Beasts known as Behemoths! "You will be lucky to come across one that would usually be protecting a certain area which is usually filled with treasures. If you come across 2 or 3 Behemoths congregating, then it means the treasure is especially more potent and rare." The Commanding Officer Raizel said with a solemn tone as his eyes locked in towards Athena and Noah. "The defenses of these Behemoths are extremely terrifying, where we have come to learn that they have insane resistance to many laws, and only Supreme Laws like the Law of Fate are extremely effective in passing through their defenses. It takes other attacks twice as much time just to get through their thick skin." The story continued as the descriptions of the Celestial Beasts became more clearer in Noah''s eyes. The Behemoths had horrendous levels of defenses, and this also stood the same with their attacks! You could actually come across a Behemoth that held huge attainments in the Law of Water and find yourself outmatched as they used spectacular skills you could not easily defend against. "The even more ferocious Behemoths are those that are proficient in Supreme Laws. It is these beasts that act independently and are the main cause of us losing an area we already explored and claimed, where we face monstrous casualties every time a Behemoth at such a level comes to these areas." The face of the Commanding Officer Raizel only became more and more solemn as he talked about the ferociousness of the Celestial Beasts. Because of the terrible power of these beasts, when the Celestials moved to explore the Celestial Realm, they always moved in teams in order to match these Behemoths that they came across! This created an atmosphere where numerous teams were created in the Sanctum for the purposes of hunting down Behemoths. "These Celestial Beasts are extremely dangerous, but their rewards are also just as stupendous. This is what propels the many teams formed in the Sanctum forward, as aside from the areas filled with treasures that these beasts protected, their own bodies contain unheard of materials that are drenched with the universal laws!" Yes! Aside from the abundant rewards you could claim from the area that the Celestial Beast was protecting, their bodies themselves were profound materials that carried with them the laws that the Behemoths were proficient in. When Noah heard the mention of materials, his heart beat slightly faster as he knew he was already sold on everything about these Behemoths, but they just continued to tell him more and more things that made him want to go out and start exploring right away! "Those capable of carrying bodies of Behemoths back, or those with achievements in the Law of Space that can easily transport them are favored as a single Behemoth''s body is a valuable treasure trove that could be enjoyed for days. Its meat alone holds special properties and rejuvenates you with energy, and their Origin Cores are something we have never come across before anywhere else." Thus, it was extremely crucial to form a good hunting team to go and explore the Celestial Realm, as if you attached yourself to a single good team that had a powerful figure, you would be feasting on treasures and delectable meats for years to come! "Teams are crucial in the Sanctum, as the power of the Behemoths is simply that great, forcing us to group up if we want to ensure our lives. Too many geniuses have overestimated their abilities as they left to hunt alone, being successful at first as they were able to keep all the treasures they found to themselves. But¡­" The eyes of Commanding Officer Raizel became cold as he said the next words. "...eventually they chance upon a Behemoth that they cannot handle alone, and escaping a Behemoth is a rare thing to occur in the Celestial Realm." The message was clear- no matter what type of genius you thought yourself to be, it did not apply in the Celestial Realm! The Behemoths dwelling within are that terrifying, that even the strongest of the Celestials made sure to always move in groups. "You two are those with Noble Fates, so I''m sure multiple teams will be scouting for you to join them as soon as word about your arrival spreads. If you didn''t know, those with Noble Fates actually hold another title in the Sanctum, and that title is...Golden Goose!" Boisterous laughter erupted from Commanding Officer Raizel and Grandmaster Vredral as they looked at each other and laughed at this mention, Noah and Athena turning towards each other as sharp lights passed through their eyes. Their supposed Noble Fates meant that their exploration in this Celestial Realm was bound to be filled with dangers and great opportunities. The new information about the Celestial Beasts that were known as Behemoths rolled around in Noah''s mind as he wanted to soon try them himself! Chapter 369 - Hunting Team? In the expansive Sanctum they just arrived in, the Celestials almost always formed teams in order to hunt these terrible Behemoths and continue their exploration of the Celestial Realm. "It is routine for Grandmasters at the Domain Expansion Realm to move out together as an Elite Team, these teams being the ones that make the most breakthroughs into new areas or come across wondrous treasures. You two¡­" Commanding Officer Raizel locked his gaze towards Noah and Athena as he continued. "...will either have the option of joining a normal team, or the two of you creating a team yourselves!" A pondering look appeared on Noah as he turned to see the shining expression of Athena. He knew the War Princess already had her battle sense excited as it could be, her body seeking these dangerous Behemoths they were hearing about even more than him. He personally enjoyed moving solo, and it went even more spectacularly because of his abilities, but he had to admit that there was still a lot of unknown factors about this Celestial Realm! This was the realm after all, that even the Celestials themselves had only explored less than 10% of. He would take this dangerous land of opportunity very seriously, and move carefully at first as he gained more and more knowledge of it before he began risking his life by moving solo. If he had to move with a team though, who better than the War Princess blessed with a Noble Fate, the destructive Celestial that he knew to have a few screws loose, but also had tens of thousands of Fate Lines? Athena had apparently already made up her mind as she spoke towards the closely watching Grandmaster Vredral. "I''ll move with Junior Brother Crixus. All we would need is the information on the layout and the zones we need to be careful of." Grandmaster Vredral nodded carefully as the Commanding Officer Raizel chipped in. "That may be a good idea, but you still need to have someone show you around and familiarize yourself with the norms and the dangers of the Celestial Realm. So for your first hunt, I will have you two move with the best team that is currently not made up of Grandmasters, the Exploration Team called Righteous Fire that is under the lead of your Senior Brother Boru!" The name of the Senior Brother Boru seemed to carry some weight as the Commanding Officer Raizel had a proud expression, the words he said seeming more like a command and being non-negotiable as he would have the two newcomers become familiar with the Exploration Teams and how they moved first. Athena and Noah nodded towards this Commanding Officer as the boisterous atmosphere returned. "Good, this compound we are in is one of the many spread out over the regions we have gained control of, and you will find that many of the bases you go to will have lodgings no less luxurious than the ones you all had in your Celestial Star. For now, go out and explore the close areas of the Sanctum. I''ll catch up with this old fool and call you all when I get the status of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team." "Yes, Grandmaster!" Noah and Athena stood up while placing their hands to their chest respectfully as they saw Grandmaster Vredral give them the go ahead, the two of them leaving the expansive room and going down the spiral staircase as they came out to see the wondrous sight of the Sanctum once more. The ancient trees shimmering with essence that were even taller than the building they just came out of, as well as the numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s they could see coming in and out occasionally made for a unique aesthetic in this paradisiacal Celestial Realm. Noah walked along the marble roads as he breathed in deeply, immensely enjoying the atmosphere filled with essence as he began to observe the Celestials he could see moving all around. Many were occupied with their own tasks as they moved quickly, where he could not catch many that were alone, with almost everyone in groups. What he found interesting was the type of armor and weapons these Celestials carried. Each one could be seen fitted with bulky armor that one could clearly see to be made out of the scales or skin of a beast, with the armors holding a rough exterior that looked impenetrable! He could also see their weapons were most likely poorly refined bones or teeth of Behemoths as he came to realize ever so slowly just how important these Celestial Beasts were. Athena was looking at this same scene with shining eyes as she spoke out. "It seems to be the norm to use the materials from the bodies of these humongous behemoths to create armor and weapons that are more effective in hunting down even more of them." The War Princess had already analyzed what they were seeing as she came up with the exact reason why many of the Celestials they saw were carrying ridiculously large weapons and bulky armor. Noah nodded as they continued to observe more of the area around them, their eyes landing on a particular group of Celestials that let out a wild aura, causing many of the teams that came across them to move out of the way as they seemed to be heading straight towards their position. He looked towards Athena who had her eyes squinted as she also focused on this group of beings with powerful auras heading their way as a single one came to the forefront and neared them rapidly. His body seemed to be of humanoid shape, but he was extremely bulky and large, his stature made even more extreme by the heavy behemoth armor he wore. His height reached 3 meters as he spectacularly had a large jagged Broad Sword that was double his size strapped horizontally to his back. A wide smile covered this being''s face as he came close to Noah and Athena, their bodies feeling an oppressive air of a predator as this being''s body surprisingly pulsed with a unique and explosive fiery aura! Noah could see visible sparks of flames appearing and disappearing around this large figure''s body, and this was compounded with the numerous Fate Lines he could distinctly sense hidden within. This was the first Celestial that Noah had come across who seemed to actively be proficient in two laws- both Fate and Fire, and the power each of these laws released from his body did not seem to be too far apart from one another! "Haha, you must be the fresh meat that Commanding Officer Raizel is sending me message transmissions about. Nice to meet you! The name is Boru, Boru of the Righteous Flame!" RUMBLE! The air seemed to shake with his introduction as the explosive fire elements around him singed the air, the two newly arriving Noah and Athena coming face to face with the leader of one of the most powerful Normal Teams of the Sanctum. Chapter 370 - A Lesson in Elements The air in front of Noah and Athena palpated with power as the figure of Boru was soon accompanied by numerous other beings that pulsed with power no less than his, their gaze that of curiosity as they landed on the two of them. A fully armored girl who only had her small head protruding from her oversized armor glanced at them doubtfully as she spoke up. "Still at the Void Realm, are you sure these two will be ok to join our team?" Her words received nods from her team members as they inquisitively looked at Noah and Athena, Boru laughing boisterously thereafter as he spoke out with a loud voice that caught the attention of many of the Celestials moving in the surroundings. "It matters not what their levels are right now, because these two are new disciples ordained with Noble Fates!" "What?!" "Noble Fates?" Many of the teams moving in the background heard these words as they looked over, their gazes shaking deprecatingly after seeing that the Righteous Fire Exploration Team was already surrounding the two beings. "Ah, they got their hands on two Golden Geese." "Haha, having a Golden Goose isn''t everything. We''ve been perfectly fine without one all these years." "What are you talking about, we''ve only been meeting Elite Behemoths that we couldn''t even defeat all this time, leaving us with nothing these past few months." "You¡­" Noah tuned out the numerous discussions erupting around him as he shook the hands of the large Celestial called Boru, getting the pleasantries out of the way as his focus remained on the enormous weapon strapped on his back that was most likely crafted from the remains of a powerful Behemoth. "My team and I planned to set out tomorrow after relaxing for a bit today, but as the Commander wants us to show you two the ropes, we will just move out today!" After the pleasantries, the voice of Boru continued its boisterousness as Noah and Athena nodded, following along this Righteous Fire Exploration Team as they began to point out the various structures and what they signified. "Living quarters will be over there...dining area will be¡­" A tour of the Sanctum was given as Noah and Athena followed this team as they went towards the North of the Sanctum, the layout of this grand place itself being explained by Boru as they passed the phenomenal looking structures surrounded by shimmering trees with sizes no less than the buildings themselves. "Once you guys accomplish hunting your first behemoth, you can bring the material over there¡­" Boru pointed to a grand building designed with a sleek black outlook that had the outline of an anvil and a hammer displayed outside of it. "...at Grandmaster Simeon''s Shop as he will craft you the strongest weapons that are most proficient in taking down Behemoths. This broadsword of mine was a commission I was able to make after my 14th year here, and it''s been with me ever since." Boru caressed the enormous blade twice his size as he lifted it off his back effortlessly, going on to teach Noah and Athena more about the Behemoths as they began leaving the Sanctum! "You will come to find that the Behemoths are very proficient in particular laws, where finding one with deep achievements in the Law of Fire where we are going in the North is almost certain." "But, in other locations, you can find those proficient in the Law of Water, Earth, and even Supreme Laws if you explore further out." Noah listened closely as the environment around them gradually changed, their figures leaving behind the expansive Sanctum gradually as less and less structures became apparent around out. They continued walking out as useful knowledge about the Behemoths was released. "Their proficiency in laws is terrifying, but it is also their weakness that can be exploited to take them down more smoothly." Boru waved his hands as the Exploration Team continued to move out, the enormous blade that released spurts of fire disappearing as another one slightly smaller than it appeared in his hands. This one released vibrant water elements on its blade edge that caused it to take a shining blue color that calmed the atmosphere as Boru continued. "When we hunt in the North where we know we will come across Behemoths proficient in the Law of Fire, we bring weapons of the water element that we were able to procure from the bodies of Behemoths from the south. It becomes much easier to take down the Behemoths proficient in the Law of Fire when you have weapons made from the bodies of Behemoths drenched in the Law of Water. We exploit this weakness to manage to take down these crazy powerful beasts!" Weapons drenched in the Law of Water could be used to effectively bypass the horrendous armor of Fiery Behemoths! This was a lesson that the newcomers came to learn about the Behemoths in the Celestial Realm- that using their strongest feature of proficiency in laws as their weakness! This also applied to the armor that Boru wore. It released bursts of fiery light as it came from the body of a Behemoth found in the Northern area that was proficient in the Law of Fire, this type of armor granting increased resistance to its horrendous fire element attacks. To put it simply, carry a weapon of the opposing element to deal more damage, and wearing the armor of the same element to resist its attacks! "Of course, using these types of weapons and drenching them with our abilities of the Law of Fate that deals Soul Damage just goes on to further enhance our strength, allowing us to gain the foothold we have gained so far in this Celestial Realm." Boru had a wide smile as he carried the long jagged blade filled with water elements, Noah paying close attention to his words as the Exploration Team went out of the expansive Sanctum and into the mystical path laid out in front of them. His mind was on the Blood Stained Infernal Oath Set that he had produced a numerous amount of in the Spiritual Land, recalling how this Item Set gained from the bodies of Infernals had many resistances to the Fire Element! He hid a wide smile from appearing on his face as he thought of the possibilities of Items and possible Item Sets appearing from the bodies of Behemoths. The further they went away from the Sanctum, the less buildings they came across as the archaic and humongous trees became more common. The flowing wisps of colorful blue and green essence shimmering from the fantastical trees brought about an atmosphere filled with fantasy and adventure, making Noah''s heart thirst for adventure as he explored this mystical environment! Chapter 371 - Worthy of the Title- Behemoth! It felt like a scene out of a fantasy book as Noah passed his hands over the colorful essence that was so thick that it had actually materialized into the atmosphere. The area that the Righteous Fire Exploration Team was walking across was filled with silence as the humongous trees all around them carried the air of mystique and danger. "Haha yes, the environment of the Celestial Realm is so special that it will take you a few days to get used to it. After a while, all of these pretty colors will seem like the norm as you get to experience even more fantastical things." Boru''s voice pushed out the eerie silence of the now quiet environment of a forest as they walked further and further from the Sanctum. "We''re gradually leaving the perimeters of the Sanctum, and the areas further from here you will only find Watch Towers that monitor the surrounding regions for any activity." Another one of Boru''s teammates chimed in as they continued to move forward, their steps gradually becoming faster as they picked up the pace while moving through the thick foliage that increased around them. The atmosphere of a fantastical jungle only became more and more prominent as they went further in, Noah and Athena continuing to listen to the information of the layout they should be paying attention to and what areas they were passing through. After a few minutes, Noah felt a significant change in the level of essence in the air, noticing it becoming immensely thicker as the Boru advancing in the front brought his hands up and brought the party to a halt. He explained slowly as he closed his eyes, a wide smile appearing on his face as his body pulsed with power. "Whenever you feel that change in the atmospheric essence...know that a Behemoth is near. In this region in the North that we are in, you can occasionally come across a wandering Behemoth that nears the Sanctum to this extent. These Behemoths are usually the easiest ones to take care of as they have no sense of danger!" Boru''s boisterous voice rang out as he grasped the over sized jagged broad sword that palpated with the water element, giving a signal to his teammates as they advanced steadily. "You two, observe our movements and coordination first before choosing to join in. Watch how we handle the attacks of these Behemoths and the weakest points in their tough bodies that we attack." Noah nodded as he turned towards Athena who had been relatively silent, her gaze continuously kept on the phenomenal sight around her as the moment they heard that a Behemoth was nearby, Noah saw the restlessness that always overcame her body as she thirsted for battle. As they came here, Boru had mentioned that aside from the weakness of opposing elements that the Celestial Beasts held, the other weaknesses had to be learned for each specific type of beast depending on their size and build. One had to learn where their wrappings are, and this only occurred with time! The two of them proceeded with caution as they followed behind the Righteous Fire Exploration Team, watching as the five members of this party had their weapons ready and drawn out. Aside from the oversized jagged sword that Boru carried, two were hoisting large bows, another carried a menacing flail, and the last one had a shimmering staff. The one unique thing about all of their weapons was that they all had the water element strongly exuding from them! This was because the Behemoth they would come across in the Northern region from the Sanctum were those that were proficient in the Law of Fire. Noah began to feel this first hand as he felt the temperature around him gradually begin to increase, to the point that he knew any normal being would have begun to have their skin singed at the heat. As they continued forward, the heat only became stronger as he felt that even lower ranked awakened could be burnt into crisp, but the wondrous thing was that the foliage and enormous trees around them peacefully continued their fantastical swaying as this temperature did not seem to bother them one bit! Noah kept his senses spread out as they finally neared the point that released this much terrifying heat, his eyes noticing it first as they landed on a large mountain. Or it seemed like a mountain, but it was actually moving! THUMP! Noah''s mouth flew wide open as his senses went on to wrap around this humongous mountainous figure, each of its features becoming extremely clear in his eyes as he observed a thing that was more than double the size of his Lesser Cthulhu form nonchalantly move in front of them. THUMP! The closer they neared, the more they could feel the shaking of the earth caused by its simple movements. He could only describe the thing in front of his eyes to resemble an oversized dinosaur that was pumped with too much meat and bones! It was walking on four legs, a ferocious looking head languidly moving around as a spiked tail that was covered with pulsating red crystal stalagmites that shone dangerously weaved behind it. THUMP! The l.u.s.trous red crystals went on to travel from its tail and all the way across its back as it gained a spiked appearance, its entire body releasing horrid waves of heat that seemed capable of melting anything they came in contact with! Looking at the enormous size of this Behemoth as well as its fiery appearance, Noah had to agree that its title was well deserved. This was a Celestial Beast that a single person would in no way be able to take down. This...was a Behemoth! THUMP! As Noah observed the immense heat being released from this powerful being, he saw with a shaking head how even the simple foliage and trees around this mountainous beast were still swaying peacefully, the environment of this Celestial Realm being something too unique. He could see some trees pushed aside or fallen to the side, making a clear pathway of where this mountainous Behemoth had come from, but that was the only damage he could find. The moment the Righteous Fire Exploration Team neared the position of this Fire Behemoth, its large eyes shifted as its head turned towards them at an unnaturally high speed, bursts of flames beginning to erupt from its body as a world shaking roar rang out! "ROAAAAAR!!!" The roar was that of arrogant reality, of a being so powerful that the aura of a few ants getting near it shifted its mood as it warned them not to even come close! RUMBLE! It felt as if the air itself was shaking as waves of flames erupted from this fearsome creature, the wild laughter of Boru being heard at the same time as his body lit up with tens of thousands of Fate Lines, his power at the Soul Realm exploding out fully as the jagged sword he wielded let out a dazzling blue light! He swung this blue glowing blade forward as the roiling flames coming towards them were cut in half, preventing them from reaching the team members in the back as the first battle with a Behemoth unfolded for Noah and Athena! Chapter 372 - A Battle With a Fire Behemoth! Waves of power erupted out as Boru''s Soul Forging Realm was revealed gloriously, the heavy armor made from materials of a Fire Element Behemoth shining an arrogant red color as they went on to push back the raging flames being propelled forward by the mountainous beast in front of them! The long BroadSword letting out palpating waves of the water element went on to further disperse the powerful attack coming towards them as the members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team spread around the Fire Behemoth, each one knowing their positions as their grasped weapons let out colorful attacks. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The moment the wide area attack of the Behemoth ended, attacks layered with the strength of thrumming Fate Lines from 5 Soul Forging Realm Celestials began to land on the large beast. "Heave HO!" BOOM! Boru took the center point as he kept the attention of the maddened beast, swinging his large blade downwards as it released a spectacular blade light of gold and blue, the unique energy provided by his Fate Lines passing through the weapon he held as this blade light went on to leave a scratch on the thick skin of the Behemoth. That was right, a scratch! That was all that the numerous attacks did to this terrible creature! Noah and Athena were observing the ensuing battle from the back to get a grasp of how the team normally handled these types of creatures, their own bodies aching to join the battle themselves as the splendors of colorful skills bloomed in the area. "Zeke, left flank! Reiner, get behind it! Sylphy¡­" Boru was giving numerous commands as multiple Empyrean Guards began to appear around the raging Behemoth, these Empyrean Guards soon turning into streaks of light that went on to wrap around the bodies of the members of the exploration team. OOOM! The immense aura of fate spread out as the five figures of the exploration team became golden armored and winged beings, tens of thousands of Fate Lines on each of their bodies pulsating as they rained down even more attacks with vigor. ROOOAAAR! The Behemoth roared out as it felt dents beginning to appear on its armor, the numerous spiked crystals attached all over its huge back and tail shining a murderous red light as they erupted from its body and flew to the skies, very quickly raining down in the form of dangerous spiked flaming lances that attacked the entire perimeter around it! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Boru and his teammates weaved in and out of the area as they evaded the flaming lances that exploded on impact, their armored bodies taking the brunt of the explosive forces as one of the teammates had to even pull back after cracks began to appear on her armor. "Sylphy, pull back! Everyone else, get [Judgment] ready!" Boru shouted out as he oversaw the entire area closely, his Soul Rank strength bubbling with power as he dual wielded a golden hammer in one hand and the long jagged water element BroadSword in the other. "Hooo¡­" A hot breath released from him as Noah shockingly counted more than 80,000 Fate Lines thrum within his body, his body coiling like a spring as it propelled itself towards the head of the Behemoth in a straight line! Boru''s body began spinning in the air as wave after wave of golden blue blade lights began to erupt from him and smash onto the large head of the Behemoth, the monstrous beast itself going on to reply by releasing a horrid breath of fire that disintegrated the very air itself towards him. SHAA! SHAA! SHAA! The numerous golden blue blades of light met this attack as Boru continued spinning, his team mates moving to the sides as they prepared a skill Noah was very much familiar with, [Judgment]! "Ready!" "Ready!.." The four of them called out as Boru used the force of his weapons to push himself out of the way of the destructive fire breath, the Behemoth choosing to pursue him with more attacks angrily before it came to a stop, its senses telling it that danger was coming. RUMBLE! Essence converged around the Behemoth as an enormous barrier of colorful flames appeared around it, but would the attacks of 5 Soul Forging Realm Celestials be that easy to block? [Judgment]! [Judgment]! ¡­ Four calls resounded first as Boru''s teammates released their abundant mana to release this powerful skill, numerous golden spears appearing in the skies as they aimed straight down towards the enormous Behemoth. BOOM! The wide and colorful shield of flames it had erected was pierced through after the first and second round of spears rained down, the third and fourth casts going on to pierce through its thick hide as a squeal of pain was finally released from this monstrous beast. ROAAR! A roar of pain erupted out as the beast felt enormous damage in its soul from the numerous attacks layered with abundant Law of Fate, but its pain was not done as the one who had been peskily running around it had the time to collect himself and prepare an even more powerful attack with his abundant lines of fate and something else that Noah could not yet figure out. [Judgment], [Smite of Liberation]. OOONG The air trembled as Noah used his senses to observe the being called Boru call upon every drop of energy in his body, his senses observing this energy pass through his tens of thousands of fate lines as it was released in a unique manner to initiate the cast of two abilities from [Fate''s Guardian]. BOOM! The numerous sharp golden spears arrived first, piercing the wide body of the mountainous Behemoth that had actually begun to bleed bubbling red blood and going on to skewer its body even deeper! The golden spears were followed by the sky clearing up as a large incorporeal golden Blade of Liberation that was more than three times the size of the blades Noah normally cast descended down. This single blade was half the size of the more than 50 meter Fire Behemoth as it shot down at high speeds, the Behemoth sensing this danger as a destructive fire storm raged around it, but the damage it had received to its Soul affected it too much! SPLUCH! The abilities of [Fate''s Guardian] could be vastly different depending on who was using them, the enormous Blade of Liberation being cast by the Soul Forging Boru being phenomenally powerful as it went on to pierce the hard hide of the mountainous Behemoth and sink deep into its body. ROAAAR! "Haha!" A defiant roar rang out from a deadly beast inflicted with immense Soul Damage, while a spent Celestial hoisting a large BroadSword laughed as he knew the battle was as good as over. Chapter 373 - A Shocking Feat Done Effortlessly Gushes of blood erupted from the mountainous Behemoth, but it was not the physical damage that made it roar out a dying bellow, it was the horrendous damage to its soul that it received after these attacks pierced its hide! The attacks were even further exacerbated as they carried with them a hint of powerful water elements that were destructive to its heavily flame based essence. The Behemoth tried to move its beaten down body as it felt weary, but the Celestials ganging up on it would not give it such a chance as Boru that was breathing heavily called out to his four team members along with Noah and Athena. "Finish it! And you two, let''s see some of your strength that makes you those with Noble Fates!" His four team members were already moving the moment Boru''s attack finished, Noah and Athena dashing into the scene of the battle quickly thereafter as Athena was quickly wrapped up in a golden armor as she valiantly went into close combat with the dying Behemoth, Noah himself looking to the skies as he cast [Smite of Liberation], the rumbling of descending blades being felt their after as five Blades of Liberation that were nowhere near as large as the single one that Boru had sent down came to smash into the Behemoth. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Their attacks landed on the wounded and dying beast, continuing on relentlessly as they knew they could not give it a second to recover its strength or gather its energy for attacks. The life force of Behemoths was enormous, where they would start healing in a matter of seconds if given the time as you found yourself in a long drawn out battle that you would eventually pay with your life! "ROAAAR!" Dying roars rang out from the enormous beast as the Celestials ganged up on it relentlessly, the battle only ending after another few minutes as the members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team all slumped towards the ground breathing heavily. Their bodies were drained of energies as their faces were those of extreme achievement as they looked at the mountainous body of the Behemoth that had finally stopped moving, only its muscles spasming as fountains of blood continued to leak out from it, waves of burning elemental energies slowly beginning to build up around it. "Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!" Noah looked towards Boru''s position to observe this sizable Celestial actually near a position close to the Behemoth where spurts of blood were leaking out, his mouth wide open as he swallowed what rained down with huge gulps, his face that of extreme satisfaction! His teammates looked at this site while they breathed raggedly, shaking their heads with a smiling expression of slight disgust as they were used to this behavior. "Ahh, that''s the spot. Another lesson for you rookies, the bodies of Behemoths being valuable treasures was not a joke, where even its blood is filled with immense life force that will quickly rejuvenate your lost energies. You wanna give it a go?" The dangerously smiling Boru invited them as Athena quietly shook her head, Noah himself training his level of control as he knew better than anyone else the quality of blood leaking into the earth! His [Blood Gourmet] was telling him that the liters of blood gushing down would have a heavenly taste that even a voluptuous Soul Rank Vampyre could not even come close to comparison, but he would control himself at this moment as he did not want any unnecessary slips. Boru wiped his mouth as he came towards him and Athena, his team mates recouping their strength as they began to surround the Behemoth. "So, first hunt. You observed and then joined in later. You got the feeling of it?" The Celestial thrummed with power that was gradually retuning to his body and Noah and Athena nodded, their gazes on the party members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team that had begun to cut apart the body of the Behemoth. "We work as a team, and so we have to divide the treasures the same way too. It is merit based of course, with the one contributing the most to bringing down these huge beasties taking the larger portion of it. BOOM! His words were masked as a Blade of Liberation descended down to precisely cut apart the Behemoth at a certain section, his party members using their [Smite of Liberation]s at this time to divide up the mountainous body of the beast as they each began to divide numerous parts and place them into their storage rings or bags. Boru watched calmly as the largest portion of the Beast was left to him, along with a huge glistening core that released enormous waves of fire elemental essence in the surroundings! The eyes of the boisterous Celestial shone as they came onto this huge Origin Core, waving his hands as it disappeared, along with the chest and head of the Behemoth as only a few pieces were left behind for him and Athena. "Here you go rookies, for those last attacks after you observed comfortably at a far distance, haha!" Boru used his expansive strength to throw the wide tail of the Behemoth that was still larger than Noah''s entire body towards him, two of the limbs of the beast containing horrendously sharp claws going towards Athena. He waved his hands as the enormous tail filled with numerous shimmering crystal spikes entered his [Expansive Space], his heartbeat increasing every so slightly as he got his hands on the body of a Behemoth from the Celestial Realm, even if it was a small part of it. "Let''s move out from here. We''ve caused a big commotion, and don''t want to be in the same location in case we attract anything." Boru voiced out as the party began to move from the bloodied site of destruction, the serene environment of the Celestial Realm gradually going back to normal as the shimmering trees and foliage continued to stand strong. Noah followed the Righteous Fire Exploration Party half heartedly as he was doing something incredibly unique that he knew no one else could currently do! He was excited to get his hands on the enormous spiked tail of the Behemoth, putting it in his [Expansive Space] as the Ancient Blood Clone that was millions and millions of miles away in another Realm entirely teleported into the [Blacksmith''s Forge] from the Time Space of the Spiritual Land. This Ancient Blood Clone was an extension of himself, so he could just as easily access the [Expansive Space] that he placed the enormous tail of the Behemoth in! A wide smile appeared on the devilishly handsome clone''s face as he waved his hands, the same body part of a Flame Behemoth appearing in the [Blacksmith''s Forge] as it almost took up the entire space! Noah laughed as he performed this feat so effortlessly, his thoughts quickly throwing a command to the Hearth of the Blacksmith''s Forge as he wondered, what would come out from the body of a Behemoth drenched in the Law of Fire? Chapter 374 - Materials, A Soul Rank Item! As Noah was moving in the Celestial Realm, his Ancient Blood Clone had begun the tedious work of raising the proficiency of skills in the Time Space while also taking the time to craft new sets of Blood Stained Infernal Oath. The Item Set had a wide array of uses as it effectively created Berserkers that only became stronger as their vitality fell, finding great uses in the hands of the Beasts of the Spiritual Land and the Harbingers. So far, he had created more than ten complete Blood Stained Infernal Oath Sets that he went to distribute to his people, but none of these crafting sessions had made him as excited as he was now! Because currently, the burning blue flames in the Hearth of the Blacksmith''s Forge flew out to wrap around the enormous tail of the Fire Behemoth that held numerous spiked crystals on it. The blue flames acted like a snake as they wrapped around this tail in its entirety, Noah watching with rapt attention as he began to oversee the process where the massive tail filled with life force was cut apart as small pieces flew towards the Hearth and disappeared in the flames. The process was quick and smooth, but something different occurred as the Ancient Blood Clone went on to observe the blue flames taking the thick hide, meat, and bones of the Fire Behemoth, but the numerous crystal stalagmites that were all over the tail were left floating in the air as a new panel filled with shining blue text appeared on Noah''s eyes. [You have obtained x34 Soul Rank Fire Crystals, a normal material capable of enhancing flame-based Items with greater efficiency than Cores.] Noah''s eyes widened as he observed the finished process of the entire tail being cut apart and the muscles and bones disappearing in the Hearth, the only thing left behind being the shining crystal spikes that were all over the tail of the Behemoth, their identity actually being materials that could be used with the [Refine] feature of the Blacksmith''s Forge! He thought back to the huge chunks of the Behemoth that Boru and his teammates had gotten and the numerous stalagmite crystals that were still spread out all over the back of the humongous beast as his main body in the Celestial Realm hungered for the body of a Behemoth all to himself. He would take it one step a time though, and observe exactly what results it would bring out first. The clone continued to observe the burning flames in the Hearth as the essence of the Spiritual Land was quickly and without reservation sucked towards the Blacksmith''s Forge, the Item coming out from the forge this time ultimately being something of great value. The ingredients were the enormous tail of a Behemoth that was standing stably at the Soul Rank, so Noah looked forward to the sort of weapon that would be one level higher than the Blood Stained Infernals Oath Set Items that he had been creating recently. The process continued on for another few minutes and before long, an eruption of essence and light occurred yet again in the Blacksmith''s Forge as a regal aura spread out, the temperature in the surroundings beginning to rise rapidly a red shining weapon rotated in front of the Ancient Blood Clone''s eyes! It was a weapon that passed Noah in size, being slightly larger than himself as it slowly came to life before his eyes. This was a type of weapon that Noah had seen before, but had never actually used in his lifetime. It was a weapon with a single handle in the middle, but it had sharp blades sticking out from each of its ends as it looked like a double edged sword-spear. If he knew his weapons correctly, this should be something that goes under the name of a Glaive! His thoughts were affirmed as the rotating item slowly released waves of heat in the air, calming down as its description appeared in front of his eyes beautifully. SOUL [Glaive of Simmering Ember] :: From the rage filled embers of a Behemoth, a glaive simmering with deadly flames comes to life. +100 Fire Elemental Power, +100% Physical Damage, +100% Elemental Penetration, +50% Attack Speed. Additional Ability: Descending Conflagration. (Part of the Incandescent Flameborn Set) {Incandescent Flameborn Set} :: An Item Set that only an experienced hunter of Behemoths can adorn. 2 Set Item Bonus- An Ember Phoenix accompanies your side as they attack your enemies with fiery attacks. Ember Phoenixes are spiritual beings that can be summoned again as soon as they perish. 4 Set Item Bonus- When dealing damage with the Fire Element, enemies will take 500% extra damage over 5 seconds as the Burning Effect is applied on their bodies. The damage dealt by the user will also be increased by 50% and the damage taken is reduced by 3% for every Flameborn Item they have equipped. 6 Set Item Bonus- A Blazing Ring of Fire passively and constantly erupts with you at the center, applying the Soul Immolation Effect to your enemies. Enemies under the Soul Immolation Effect take 1000% more damage from abilities of the Fire Element. A beautiful set of words that were extremely pleasing to the eyes appeared in front of the Ancient Blood Clone as he sucked in a breath. The weapon itself was crazy enough, but he had just finished reading the possible Item Set that could be created from the materials of a Fire Behemoth as his jaw nearly dropped to the ground! The set bonus for 2 items seemed interesting, the bonus for 4 items looked crazy, but the bonus for having 6 items from the Incandescent Flameborn Set was simply insane! Noah looked over the description of the achieved ability that dealt something called Soul Immolation, as well as the huge 1000% boost that was attached to this ability. The numbers were too crazy for one to wrap their minds on the first time, and could only be viewed and tested fully on the battle field! He went over the description of this fantastical weapon another three times before he reached out and grabbed onto it. RUMBLE! He felt the ever so increasing temperature of his surroundings gradually calm down as he grasped the weapon in his hands, its size a few inches bigger than his as he swiftly began to move it around. He felt an unnatural heaviness coming from the weapon as every time he moved it, thin streaks of flames began to bubble forth dangerously! This was the first weapon that he had crafted that had an ability also attached to it, his eyes going over the [Descending Conflagration] as he wondered exactly what it would be. The attack speed boosts, physical damage boosts, and the Elemental Penetration were also amazing qualities by themselves, but he also came to the new introduction of something called Elemental Power! He observed the [Glaive of Simmering Ember] as the flames that were asking to erupt within it continued to dance wildly, his thoughts moving rapidly as he went on to test the normal materials that had appeared from the tail of the Behemoth. The Glaive flew out of his hands as it went back into the Hearth, his mind sending a command to use the [Refine] feature for the first time. RUMBLE! 15 of the crystal stalagmites that were considered Soul Rank Fire Crystals flew into the Hearth along with the Glaive of Simmering Ember, essence converging yet again as this session was much shorter than the last one, being less than a minute before the Item was thrown out of the Hearth once more. Noah glanced at the description yet again as he noticed some changes. SOUL [Glaive of Simmering Ember]+1 :: From the rage filled embers of a Behemoth, a glaive simmering with deadly flames came to life. +110 Fire Elemental Power, +110% Physical Damage, +110% Elemental Penetration, +55% Attack Speed. Additional Ability: Descending Conflagration. (Part of the Incandescent Flameborn Set) A +1 had appeared on the powerful weapon, as well as its boosts being increased by a small amount! But...this was only a single successful refinement that had pushed the power of this weapon by more than 10%. Noah''s thoughts were running wild as he thought of all the possibilities of refining this type of weapon numerous times, as well as the other Items that were part of this Incandescent Flame Born Set that this [Glaive of Simmering Ember] was a part of. Although his thoughts were brought to a stop as he remembered he currently did not have any more pieces of a powerful Soul Rank Behemoth, and he only had 19 more Soul Rank Fire Crystals remaining on him! This reminder brought his hungry thoughts back to the Celestial Realm, where the Righteous Fire Exploration Team was moving back towards the Sanctum to recuperate their spent essence. Noah walked along with them in the fantastical forest atmosphere of the Celestial Realm nonchalantly, fitting in perfectly as his clone had finished creating an Item from the materials of a Behemoth that was more refined than any weapons that the members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team were wielding! Chapter 375 - Bustling Atmosphere As Noah continued moving in the Celestial Realm, motions continued to flow in the Light Expanse of the Novus Galaxy as the major powers in the Prime Worlds were finishing their preparations to set off towards a certain location after agreeing to the conditions of the Celestials. First, only beings of the Void Realm and above were allowed entrance to this paradisiacal Realm that the Celestials released information of, as anyone of lower strength would simply not be able to survive even a day in this Realm. The second condition was the most important one, and it stated that for every being entering the Celestial Realm, whatever treasures they found in this dangerous realm would have to be shared with the Celestials, and this applied to half of everything they found! Last and not least, everyone that entered would be kept track of, the Celestials needing to know exactly who was coming in and out of the Celestial Realm! The powers from the numerous Prime Worlds agreed to these conditions without a second thought, their sights already set on the fantastical treasures of this Celestial Realm, no matter what they had to do to get their hands on it. In the tumultuous Underworld, the forces of the Pureblood Vampyres were prepared as a devilishly handsome Prince Cassius had reappeared, his gaze as aloof as ever as his power thrummed at the peak of Void Realm. Hos gaze was currently locked on with the beady eyes of a particularly arrogant penguin that was being carried by his Aunt, the Royal Vampyre Elena. The Emperor Penguin seemed to be looking at the face of the prince up and down with its beady eyes that were filled with a prideful light, ultimately raising its beak up as it disregarded the devilishly handsome Prince and sunk back into the chest of a happy Elena. This Royal Vampyre had just received a command from her Progenitor that she would be coming into the Celestial Realm with the forces that he sent, this Emperor Penguin being just one of the few beings that she would be traveling with! Among them were fearsome Vampyric Calamities of the Sea, with the even more powerful beasts that were even more familiar with the particularly cute penguin she was holding tightly onto her. She ran her fingers down the sleek feathers on the raised head as she spoke to her nephew. "Get everyone else ready and we shall board the ship. The journey should take quite some time." "Yes!" Prince Cassius affirmed with a determined expression as he thought about Noah, learning of the results of his recent actions as his face hardened. He had reviewed the recorded events of the massacre in the Magus World, seeing this being he knew to be ok his level not too long ago actually stand against two Soul Forging Realm opponents and actually take them down with ease. This wasn''t to even mention the Devouring Winged Serpent that was at the peak of Soul Forging Realm that he helped to finish the life of. Prince Cassius felt a sense of shock as a flame began to burn in his heart, committing to strengthening himself to the fullest so he could at least match that being again! His gaze was that of determination as he went towards the Interstellar Warship, looking forward to what the future would bring. The Vampyre King watched his son head out as he looked back towards Elena, his gaze that of care as he spoke out slowly. "Take care of him while you all are there, Elena. He is my only son." "Bah stop with that brooding mood. I''ll keep everyone safe and bring you back some treasures. That is if I have the time while overseeing all the missions of the old fogey in the Dark Expanse." Elena replied as she revealed some unknown secrets behind the scenes, secrets of how the Dark Expanse was using this opportunity to put some of their own forces into this Celestial Realm and observe its inner workings carefully. At this stage, the conflicts continued to occur behind the scenes as everyone seemed to be preparing for a coming war that would surely come to pass! As the Celestials busied themselves with the Celestial Realm and rising the strength of their own weapons, The Infernal Lords were waiting patiently for the inevitable rise of the 9th Infernal Lord. They were a special existence, coming to understand that things would always move how fate intended, no matter what the being flowing in the river of fate tried to do. So they did nothing but simply wait as in the First Realm of Hell, an Abhorred Lich Emperor continued to direct a legion of Undead to continue depleting the rapidly populating Infernals of the expansive Infernal Realm of Hell. Its body was bubbling with strength as golden flames eerily waved in its bony sockets, a green-gold light going on to shimmer over its body as it realized a change had occurred within itself. The terrifying Lich did not have to wait long while wondering as soon after, its owner appeared in the skies where it stood atop a Bone Dragon, a smiling expression stretching out from his devilish face as he saw from the stat panel that the Abhorred Lich Emperor had finally reached maximum proficiency, and could be upgraded towards the next rank! "Haha!" Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone let out a laugh as his thoughts moved towards the Abhorred Lich Emperor Skill Tree, getting ready to use the many Void and Void+ skills he had gained from the events in the Magus World to bring up this Skill Tree into the Soul Rank as well. The required skills were sacrificed as a change began to occur to the Abhorred Lich Emperor in front of him, even bigger changes in store as he looked at the possibilities of advancement of its skill tree. [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(5/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(5/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(5/5) >> [Abhorred Lich Emperor](45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(5/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(5/5). Two Skill Trees for evolution are possible once sufficient points and a base requirement of two equivalent level sacrificial skills are reached: >> [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] :: A dreadful calamity steeped in death. Enhances all death aspect abilities, as well as gaining the capability of summoning Supreme Tier Undead. >> [Pernicious Death Lord] :: A being with utmost proficiency in the art of poison and death, gaining wide area of attack abilities that decimate its foes. The Ancient Blood Clone gazed at the blue set of words in front of his eyes as he smiled, his mind going on to select the pathway he wanted right away as a dense black light engulfed the summoned Lich Emperor, the air trembling as it announced the coming of an even more dreadful being! Chapter 376 - [Arch Lich RaZan] The selection of the next advancement made was [Arch Lich Ra''Zan], the pathway that led to even more deathly and terrifying additions being made to the Undead Legion! RUMBLE! Essence converged to the already summoned Arch Lich as he underwent a transformation, the Ancient Blood Clone going on to view the new abilities given by the advancement of this skill tree into the Soul Rank. SOUL [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(5/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(5/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(5/5) >> [Abhorred Lich Emperor](45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(5/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(5/5) >> [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] (0/60) :: Additional Abilities- No Man''s Land(0/5), Reward for Servitude(0/5), Field of Torment(0/5), and Abyssal Summoner(0/5). The clear and crisp addition of four abilities came with the advent of Arch Lich Ra''Zan, with their names already sounding overly powerful as Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone focused on the individual skills to see exactly what their effects were! [No Man''s Land] (0/5) :: The area of 1 mile around the Arch Lich Ra''Zan becomes a domain of death for 10 seconds. The Arch Lich and its minions are healed 3% of their maximum health every time an enemy dies in No Man''s Land. Enemies found in No Man''s land will suffer -25% All Element Resistance and -50% Death and Poison Element Resistance. Death related skills'' mana consumption is reduced to 0 while No Man''s Land is active. Cooldown: 360 minutes. [Reward for Servitude] (0/5) :: The legion of the Arch Lich gains the capability of spreading the damage each of them received throughout the whole legion, bolstering their resilience as the vitality of many is greater than the vitality of a few. The damage that the Undead Legion receives can also be redirected towards the Arch Lich momentarily. [Field of Torment] (0/5) :: Enemies are brought into an isolated space where they shall be tormented until their souls break down. The origins and memories of tormented enemies will be given to the Undead Legion as they are strengthened even further. [Abyssal Summoner] (0/5) :: The terrible Undead from the Abyss can be called upon, their sheer size dominating the battlefield as only the strongest of Arch Liches can control them, Currently Available Abyssal Undead: Abyssal Death Knight, Abyssal Ghoul. Abyssal Summon Limit-1 The set of skills shone with a blue l.u.s.ter as the clone''s own eyes shone, his gaze landing on the newly improved Arch Lich Ra''Zan who was rising up from the cacophony of essence. His features had fully erased the green color as it became a dominating black figure with golden flames blazing in its eye sockets, its size now nearing 3 meters as the skull staff it held became even more menacing! Numerous black runic lines ran across its skeletal body that was half covered with a cloak drenched in darkness, the Bone Dragon it stood on beginning to perceptibly change below it as an aura of darkness spread out to cover it, along with the tens of thousands of the Undead that filled the surroundings. OOOOOH! Resounding cries of death erupted out as the Undead Legion underwent a transformation and further increased in strength, Noah wanting to observe the exact changes of the new skills as he began to pump skill points into them freely! [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] (60/60) :: Additional Abilities- No Man''s Land(5/5), Reward for Servitude(5/5), Field of Torment(5/5), and Abyssal Summoner(5/5). The effectiveness of [Field of Torment] and [Reward for Servitude] were increased, but the ones that showed their increased effectiveness most clearly were [No Man''s Land] and [Abyssal Summoner] after they were filled with maximum Skill Points! [No Man''s Land] (5/5) :: The area of 6 miles around the Arch Lich Ra''Zan becomes a domain of death for 60 seconds. The Arch Lich and its minions are healed 21% of their maximum health every time an enemy dies in No Man''s Land. Enemies found in No Man''s land will suffer -50% All Element Resistance and -100% Death and Poison Element Resistance. Death related skills'' mana consumption is reduced to 0 while No Man''s Land is active. Cooldown: 60 minutes. [Abyssal Summoner] (5/5) :: The terrible Undead from the Abyss can be called upon, their sheer size dominating the battlefield as only the strongest of Arch Liches can control them, Currently Available Abyssal Undead: Abyssal Death Knight, Abyssal Ghoul, Abyssal Revenant, Abyssal Jiangshi. Abyssal Summon Limit- 6 For the [No Man''s Land] ability, the affected area had increased from 1 mile to 6, as well as increased debuffs for all the enemies that were contained in this range of 6 miles, with the limit of how many the Arch Lich could summon becoming 6, while the cooldown came down from 360 minutes to only 60 minutes! For the [Abyssal Summoner], additional possible summons called the Abyssal Revenant and Abyssal Jiangshi were added. Noah very much looked forward to seeing what exactly these Abyssal creatures were as he gave a command to the Arch Lich, the deathly being nodding as it waved its skull staff forward and cast, [Abyssal Summoner]! RUMBLE! A storm of essence erupted out with the Arch Lich at the center as a huge runic circle filled with darkness appeared in the skies of the First Realm of Hell. The runic circle was more than 50 meters wide as it pulsed with power, a dark light shining from it as the forms of expertly designed Abyssal Undead erupted out and crashed towards the blazing earth! BOOM! Their arrival caused a huge impact that even crushed a few weaker Undead that were in the surroundings, their sizes being so massive as the two Abyssal Undead towered over 40 meters. One was an Abyssal Revenant, a being that had a humanoid mummified form, and on its back was a huge coffin that spanned the length of its entire body! The other was the Abyssal Jiangshi, an enormous being that held two dark columns bubbling with darkness in its arms, its entire body looking very similar to a four legged beast as it crouched down like an ape, the two dark columns of darkness it carried within its arms causing the earth they touched to decay. OOOOH! They screamed out as they announced their arrival, their screams traveling back to the far away Spiritual Land and spreading out tens of miles in theFirst Infernal Realm as even the wrathful Infernals received a tremor throughout their bodies! Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone only smiled as he looked at these powerful beings called Abyssal Undead, knowing his collection of Skill Points was about to get much faster, his heart already set on getting the percentage of the Infernal Lord title towards 100% soon! Chapter 377 - The Time Nears! In the Celestial Realm, the Righteous Fire Exploration Team had returned to the Sanctum as they went towards Grandmaster Simeon''s Blacksmith Shop. "Old Man Simeon, are you in here? We got some new material you can work on!" Boru''s boisterous voice erupted towards the large smithy in front of them as an even thicker voice returned out. "If it''s the materials of some Normal Behemoth, don''t even bother." "Ehh¡­" Boru shook his head willfully as he heard these words thrown out a moment after he called out, motioning for the team to continue towards the dining quarters. "Sometimes Grandmaster Simeon can be busy and turn you down unless you bring him an Elite Behemoth''s materials that are drenched in Supreme Laws. For now, let''s celebrate by gorging ourselves with food!" The members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team cheered as they followed along, Noah and Athena close behind them as the valiantAthena looked at Noah who seemed to be in thought. "You have that same light as when you proposed the alternate path for the mission in the Magus World. What could my little Junior Brother Crixus be thinking?" The Senior Sister that had spent a significant amount of time with Noah over the past month noticed the sharp light that was passing through his eyes, sending him a telepathic message as they went towards a spectacular looking building that had a heavenly smell of food and was bustling with the movements of numerous Celestials. Noah glanced at the War Princess as he replied. "This expansive Celestial Realm that is largely unexplored...I want to see exactly what its secrets are!" His thoughts were simple, so he said them in a straightforward manner as Athena''s eyes shone at his answer, feeling a similar feeling deep in her heart. She looked towards the boisterous exploration team they just had their first hunt with as she sent back another telepathic message with a smile. "Haha, don''t worry. After learning all we can from this top ranked Exploration Team and grow our knowledge and power, it won''t be too late to explore the unknown regions." The words of Athena only affirmed Noah''s thoughts about how he should move forward from here on out, knowing it would be very hard if he wanted to move out alone, as the Grandmaster heavily favored his life! He thought of all the possible ways he could achieve his goal of exploring this Celestial Realm freely as many possibilities floated in his mind, one of them even being simply waiting a few days until the powerful figures of the many Prime Worlds began entering for him to enter as well, or to simply teleport his clone to also move right away in the Celestial Realm! These ideas floated in his mind as he decided against teleporting the clone for now, not fully understanding the extent to which the Celestials were watching the explored regions surrounding the Sanctum, and for the simple fact that nobody other than Celestials were currently in the Celestial Realm. If anybody came across a single being exploring the dangerous Celestial Realm, he would raise a lot of dangerous flags with the Celestials at this point in time. The idea of waiting for more foreign powers to enter the Celestial Realm was most ideal, as things would become even more chaotic then, and if he chose to bring his clone into the Celestial Realm as well, he could do it with out any reservations. This would mean momentarily losing the bonus of constantly using the Time Space of the Spiritual Land to raise the proficiencies of the skill trees, but he could still divide his time to do this if the clone moved alone in this mystical realm. The other cause was the [Treasure Hunter] feature that was attached to the Spiritual Land, which he knew would be immensely helpful in this realm filled with treasures. So bringing his clone into this realm with the Spiritual Land was an inevitable action, all that mattered was when exactly he would do it. So for now, he would learn all about the explored and unexplored regions, and prepare for when he could actually start to move in earnest in a few days. He wanted to explore this expansive realm for himself to see exactly what awaited him, and to understand just why it was that Celestials had only ever explored 10% of this entire Realm! He now knew that to the North of the Sanctum lied the Fire Behemoths, and to the South were the Behemoths knowledgeable in the Laws of Water and Ice. He still did not gather the knowledge of all the surrounding regions, and where exactly he would have to go to come across Behemoths that were proficient in Supreme Laws, or what treasures they could be guarding. But after seeing the types of Items he could create from the bodies of Behemoths...his heart shook as he recalled the boosts of the Incandescent Flameborn Set that he only held a single item of currently. The Item Set was so powerful that he knew if he hunted Behemoths of the opposing element, his task would be that much more smoother from the huge boosts given by equipping all 6 Items in the Set! So he would continue amassing his knowledge of this establishment of the Celestials in the Celestial Realm, the Sanctum, and then get a good grasp on all the surrounding explored regions as he waited for the masses of beings from the numerous Prime World to gather. He had been extremely productive the past few days, this being attributed mostly to his clone as he had quickly managed to upgrade another skill tree to the Soul Rank, and [Lesser Cthulhu] was not too far away from getting its own upgrade as the Ancient Blood Clone continued to work hard in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land. A world shaking aura could be felt in the wide space most of the time as the clone adopted the fearsome form of the Lesser Cthulhu and used its numerous abilities, its Skill Proficiency continuing to be raised more and more as numerous days passed in the Time Space of the Spiritual Realm. Noah looked forward to the next form of this skill tree greatly, as there were too many mysteries associated with this particular ability. He continued moving with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team as his thoughts were occupied with many ideas, occasionally asking more questions to learn about the Celestial Realm as time progressed. Like this, the days continued to pass as the river of fate moved forward and in a few days, tens of thousands of Interstellar Sh.i.p.s were nearing the same position near a wide Golden Door that Noah had passed through not too long ago, their eyes shining with hunger as they also sought for their own opportunities! Chapter 378 - The Denizens of the Light Expanse Enter Throughout the Sanctum, a bustle of activities were taking place as the Celestials moved to ensure everything went their way with the entrance of the numerous beings from powerful Prime Worlds into the Celestial Realm. The expansive colonized area of the Celestial Realm that was hundreds of miles long had communications running throughout the different parts as they prepared for the massive increase in the number of beings. The central area of the Sanctum that was cl.u.s.tered with most buildings was the busiest, while the empty areas of mystical forests that only had watchtowers every few tens of miles monitoring the explored regions had the least amount of activity. It was decided that the coming beings would be residing in these empty but explored regions, regions similar to the ones that Noah and Athena had entered into with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team where they had encountered a Fire Behemoth! These regions weren''t entirely safe, but those entering would be given this information and told to prepare as they forged their own path in the Celestial Realm. Talismans that could be given to all those who entered so they could be kept track of were produced en masse as hundreds of thousands were ready, the Celestials looking forward to the future where their resource collection would multiply by an unknown factor as they received even more treasures through the intrusion of these beings, while also influencing them greatly for the coming future. In a particular nondescript vessel, the forces of the Pureblood Vampyres of the Underworld were cl.u.s.tered together neatly as they continued towards the Golden Door. There were hundreds of Prime Warsh.i.p.s in the surroundings, causing every single being to be very well behaved as they knew very well the power of these fearsome weapons The Pureblood Vampyres watched the procession of beings getting out of their vessels as they were read the rules and accepted the tracking talisman, their turns soon nearing as the Royal Vampyre Elena led her forces forward. Among them were the forces of Beasts from Noah''s Spiritual Land and the Calamities of the Sea that had used the numerous cores that Noah brought back to upgrade their rank to the Void Realm, their gazes shining a dangerous light as they looked at the beings that so easily destroyed their world. Their hearts were stifled, but they knew they could not do anything at this moment as they continued to improve their strength until they achieved a level of power that would allow them to move however they wished. The arrogant Emperor Penguin floated in the void of space as his body pulsed with a unique force, his spatial attribute going very well with the unique qualities of space as he stood at the forefront of the forces right next to Elena. Their turn came as they floated towards the front of the procession where multiple Red Robed Celestials were located, golden lights shining upon them as they were read the agreement for entering the Celestial Realm and each one was given a tracking talisman. This would effectively act as their identity for when they wanted to enter or leave the Celestial Realm in the future! Something of important note was the reminder from the Celestials that even though whatever they obtained in the Celestial Realm would be reduced by half as they gave the other half to the Celestials, whatever treasures they fought for and obtained would ultimately be theirs. They would not be bullied, and it was first come first serve when it came to battling the creatures in the Celestial Realm, or its vast mystical treasures. Like all the previous denizens of the Light Expanse, the Pureblood Vampyres agreed as they were granted access to move forward, their origins coming in contact with the Golden Door as their figures disappeared, instantly reappearing in a bustling area at the center of the Sanctum that now held even more people! Different to when Noah first entered, a huge change had occurred in the past few days as the Celestials anticipated the many uses of the increase in beings, going to institute a few things, with one of them being shops! There were numerous stalls spread out all over the Sanctum that offered a variety of products unique to the Celestial Realm, some being oversized weapons and armor made from the bodies of behemoths, others being medicinal herbs or unique treasures that Celestials ran into themselves as they explored. Currently, many of these shops were spread out as each one held a singular similarity, and that was the incredulous prices that were attached to the things offered for sale! As they were unique products never to be found anywhere else, they were traded only with the highest quality cores or other treasures as a form of payment, with the least acceptable cores or refined cores(Spirit Stones) being those at the Soul Realm, and the prices ranged in the tens of cores. This was just a preliminary test that the Celestials were conducting, their future goal being to create an economy as this new force entered the Celestial Realm, using the many things they obtain within to circulate as they grew more and more attached to the Realm and everything in it. This also went in their favor as to them, they were simply lending out weapons that would help these beings to take down Behemoths that they would eventually be taking 50% of whenever the denizens of the Light Expanse defeated them, and this also applied to any treasures they were lucky enough to find! It was a win win situation that promoted the strength of the newly arriving beings while only furthering the goals of the Celestials more. The forces of the Pureblood Vampyres looked around their surroundings in wonder as they sensed the engulfing and overflowing essence in the surroundings, the Emperor Penguin being particularly happy as he could sense the Spiritual Land Master not too far away from where they were! ''Master, we can finally fight in the same location as you!'' The arrogant penguin felt a tight knot in its chest loosen as it achieved the goal of helping its Master, finally gaining enough strength to be able to stand in the same region as him. Its beak raised to the skies as it vowed to enact the legend of the most fearsome Spiritual Beast that ever lived and leave a mark in this Celestial Realm for its Master! Many hopes and dreams were flowing through the minds of the newly arriving beings from powerful Prime Worlds in the Light Expanse as the largely unexplored fantastical Celestial Realm received a large influx of forces, on the first day gaining tens of thousands of beings at the Void Realm, and hundreds at the Soul Forging Rank as the tides of change swiftly moved forward. The influx of these new forces only meant one thing- that this largely unexplored realm was about to become even more lively, numerous beings with their own fates entering as mysteries would more quickly be unveiled. Although, the result of this project on a large scale could only be seen by those actually moving the pieces in the dark. Chapter 379 - The Order of Blood is Formed, Arrival! A few days passed as the liveliness of the Sanctum only increased, the influx of people increasing by the day as many familiarize themselves with the knowledge of the Celestial Realm. To gain this knowledge, they had to pay the price of multiple Soul Rank Cores or simply begin venturing into the mystical forest of the Celestial Realm themselves as they braved the dangers and tested their luck on fantastical treasures. Some groups heavily believed in themselves as they moved out, many beings coming to face the power of the Behemoths for the first time in the past few days as many casualties occurred for the newly formed exploration teams, this event acting as a reminder to those coming in as they watched dejected faces walking through the expansive Sanctum carrying dead bodies of their comrades. Some were from powerful Prime Worlds and made Exploration Teams filled with Soul Rank individuals and hundreds of Void Rank beings, using this overpowering force to take down Behemoths as they began to enjoy the treasures of the Celestial Realm! The moment these victories began to appear, the newly arrived beings from numerous Prime Worlds saw the importance of creating powerful Exploration Teams to hunt down these powerful but wondrous Behemoths whose bodies were filled with treasures, sparking the competitive beginning of the creation of numerous teams as some forces were powerful enough to form their own complete teams capable of hunting down Normal Behemoths, while other forces from different Prime Worlds joined together in order to achieve the same goal. On the third day as even more and more beings continued to pour into the Celestial Realm and begin exploring it, the careful observing force of Pureblood Vampyres finally decided they gathered enough information, which was simply what Noah passed towards the Emperor Penguin and Royal Vampyre Elena as they became one of the most prepared groups of the incoming forces. They finally felt their confidence rise on the third day as they finally stopped watching how the events would continue to move forward, choosing to set out to explore themselves as Elena received very specific directions from Noah in order for this team to keep their lives and not face a complete massacre. One of those things was the simple rule that their force would not move past the unexplored regions that might hold powerful Elite Behemoths or even worse for now, spending this time to get accustomed to the fighting power of Normal Behemoths as they strengthened themselves and obtained phenomenal treasures. The Royal Vampyre listened to the words of the Vampyre Progenitor to the tee as on this day in the Sanctum of the Celestial Realm, the Exploration Team under the name of The Order of Blood was formed! This exploration team consisted of powerful Vampyric Beasts like the Emperor Penguin and numerous Pureblood Vampyres that were led by the curvaceous Royal Blood Vampyre Elena, a force that would actually fall on the weaker side as it did not have that many Soul Forging Beings. But they would make up for what they lacked in strength with their numbers, and also with something that was unique only to them, the blazing red Item Sets they wore that were the Bloodstained Infernal Oath Set Items! Noah had used the Absolute Skills > to observe the Items created from Infernals numerous times as he confirmed that their origins were not able to be ascertained as the enemies of Celestials at all. But these items would play a special role in the Celestial Realm, as they were items strong in the Law of Fire, being especially effective in hunting down Icy Behemoths in the South region or withstanding the Fire Behemoths in the North with the armors that provided defense against such a beast. The concept that having the armor of the same element helped in withstanding the damage of the Behemoth while holding a weapon of the opposing element helped you deal more damage to the Behemoth would soon become understood very clearly by the arriving beings as they flocked to create weapons from the bodies of the Behemoths they hunted, wanting to equip themselves with the right set of armors and weapons that would dictate what they hunted in the future. The combination of armor drenched in the Law of Fire along with a weapon drenched in the Law of Water was needed to hunt Fire Behemoths with most efficiency. While the combination of armor drenched in the Law of Water and a weapon filled with the Law of Fire were utmost if one wanted to pierce through the defenses of an Ice Behemoth. This concept applied to all the other elements, as they had not yet stepped into the realm of worrying about Elite Behemoths that could be proficient in Supreme Laws. The Law of Light and the Law of Darkness opposed each other, as well as the Law of Fate and the Law of Chaos standing on opposite sides of the spectrum, but not a single one of the new beings were worried about these types of laws at this moment. The newly formed Order of Blood with Elena leading was equipped with the Infernal Sets as they set off carefully towards the explored perimeters near the Sanctum, wishing to find a weak wandering Behemoth to have their first battle as they move to strengthen themselves. Meanwhile, Noah and Athena were in the company of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team as they continued to go out and hunt the Northern Region with Fire Behemoths every day as they learned more and more about the Celestial Realm, Noah''s mood being particularly good today as while he walked with Boru and his group back to the Sanctum, in another location of the Celestial Realm, someone had intruded. The intrusion was not through the Golden Door that led one into the Celestial Realm, but through the use of a particular Teleportation Skill that allowed one to appear at any place in their memories. This time, a devilishly handsome Ancient Blood Clone had appeared in an empty region of the Celestial Realm, a confident expression on his face as he had a miraculous Spiritual Land anchored to his body. A single blood clone carrying a Spiritual Land that had a unique feature entered the Celestial Realm, the effect of this event being something only Noah could imagine as he got ready to move into this expansive realm in earnest as he used the cover of the newly arriving beings to move freely. This wide realm and the numerous mysterious treasures within it...he wanted them all to himself as the Ancient Blood Clone raised his hand up, holding the miniaturized Spiritual Land as he began by activating a single feature- [Treasure Hunter]! Chapter 380 - Covert Exploration In the expansive Celestial Realm, a single Ancient Blood Clone was moving further and further away from the Sanctum as he passed through numerous areas that were already explored by the Celestials, the path he was taking actually taking him towards the unexplored regions as time passed. The usage of the [Treasure Hunter] feature of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land was a unique one, with the clone observing a golden light shoot forth from the center of the miniaturized Spiritual Land as it trembled with vigorous essence, this golden light forming into the shape of a literal golden arrow that pointed even further north from the position that he was standing on. Noah shook his head with a smile as he looked at the small golden arrow that was barely a meter long, wondering exactly what thing could be considered a treasure that this arrow had locked onto, and what he would have to do to obtain it! Before he began moving towards the direction it pointed towards, he used the [Unique Origin] ability gifted from the Vampyre Progenitor as he chose to look for this first treasure covertly, not knowing what powerful creatures he could possibly run into as he went further and further away from the Sanctum. He used [Unique Origin] as his body rapidly changed, becoming a pool of blood that slowly dwindled in size until it became less than a few inches, his humanoid shape becoming clearer as the size continued to reduce until he became a single inch! As he used the ability, he made it so that not a single aura of power leaked from him, the presence he gave off being even less stimulating than the plants that gave off abundant essence around him. In the surroundings of the fantastical environment of the Celestial Realm where everything was filled with overflowing essence, a being that could barely be seen by the n.a.k.e.d eye that did not have even an aura of essence would be nearly impossible to find unless someone powerful was specifically looking for them appeared! The miniaturized Ancient Blood Clone looked up towards the now even grander forest around him, even the small swaying grasses seeming multiple times larger than his own figure as the earth below him that was abundant in essence expanded even further. The ancient trees that were tens of meters tall looked even more massive, the cover of all of these magical surroundings making him feel extremely safe. The size of the miniaturized Spiritual Land became even smaller than him, less than one tenth of an inch as it was anchored to his left hand, the golden arrow coming from it reflecting in size as the clone smiled, its body still bubbling with enormous power as it shot forth in the cover of numerous grasses where the arrow indicated! He was moving in an extremely covert manner as while he moved beneath the numerous plants and foliage, not a single disturbance occurred in the fantastical surroundings of his location. His goal was to find out exactly where [Treasure Hunter] would lead him, and that was it. What would happen after that would be determined by what exactly he came to find. His main body had been moving with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team the past few days, their hunts gradually giving him more and more information as he knew what terrible Behemoths could be found in the nearby areas that he was advised to keep away from. The explored areas near the Sanctum were filled with Normal Behemoths, their strength varying in ranks but almost all of them being stably at the Soul Forging Realm. Because of their unique enormous bodies and proficiencies in laws, tens of normal Soul Rank individuals were required to take them down, or the most powerful Exploration Teams from the Celestials like the Righteous Fire hunting team. Going even further out would put you at risk of coming around the Domain of an Elite Behemoth, which would almost certainly guarantee death for any Normal Team! The Celestials warned Normal Teams to be extremely careful of entering a domain of such Celestial Beasts because as the name implies, these Elite Beasts would commonly have power at the Domain Expansion Realm! That was a shocking realm that the Celestial Grandmasters held, their power being immensely powerful as they formed what was called Elite Exploration teams to hunt down such Behemoths. Some of these Behemoths could have a rank at the Soul Forging Realm, but if they were proficient in a Supreme Law, it automatically placed them at the Elite Behemoth level. Some could be half a step into the Domain Expansion realm, this small advancement added to their already terrifying bodies allowing them to also be ranked as Elite Behemoths. Of course, the Behemoths that had already stepped into the Domain Expansion Realm were the most powerful at the Elite Rank, needing a team of Grandmasters to fully take them down. What Noah currently dreaded the most was coming face to face with an Elite Behemoth, as he knew it would mean a very arduous and nearly impossible mission for his clone, but the further out he continued to follow the golden arrow, the more somber he became as he also grew more excited! His miniaturized figure continued running speedily beneath the cover of its surroundings, coming to a stop after an hour as he felt the overflowing aura of a Behemoth filled with the Fire Element. He stopped his quick movements as he climbed the grasses that were huge proportionate to his size, peeking from beneath the earth as he did not use any of his skills that allowed him to spread out his aura to check his surroundings. As long as he didn''t use any mana in this place where even plants overflowed with immense mana, even the extremely perceptive Behemoths would not be able to locate him. The Fire Behemoth he came across adopted similar features to the ones he had been coming across as he moved with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team, this one looking similar to an oversized Iguana that was slowly strolling through the mystical swaying trees. Noah observed this powerful beast as he finally came across a Behemoth while moving alone, the presence of it being at the Normal Level being apparent as Noah was confident in being able to take it down with time. He glanced at the calm surroundings and the Fire Behemoth that continued to stroll undisturbed as he smiled as returned back under the shade of the grasses, continuing towards where the golden arrow pointed as he marked the location of this Behemoth. He had used the abilities of {Herald of Fate} to determine the best pathway for him to take that would cause the least chaos for his mission, and it told him to continue on his path towards where the golden arrow pointed to! So for now, he only marked the location of this Behemoth as he continued forward, fully trusting the abilities of {Herald of Fate} as they lead him to upgrade [Blood Lord] skill tree that made possible for the Ancient Blood Clone to come to life, as well as the reminder for the profound uses of the Spiritual Land that he was currently using right now. A single Fire Behemoth was not hard to find in the close proximity of the Sanctum, and he could come to find one whenever he wished to start a long and arduous battle with it alone. But his goal currently was the location where the golden arrow that the unique feature of the Spiritual Land, [Treasure Hunter], was pointing to. After he ascertained exactly what was considered a treasure in the eyes of this ability and got his hands on it, he would hunt all the Behemoths he could! Chapter 381 - Hidden Beneath a Mountain! The miniaturized Ancient Blood Clone continued to go further and further away from the sanctum as he came across a few monstrous auras of Fire Behemoths, marking all of their locations as he continued forward and mapped out the fantastical areas of the Celestial Realm himself. He had come across and taken down a few Fire Behemoths with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team over the past few days, each time getting his hands on a piece of the large beasts'' bodies as he went on to create another 4 Pieces of the Incandescent Flameborn Set, the other four pieces being the b.r.e.a.s.tplate, leggings, boots, and armguards. All he had left to craft was the crown and he would have all 6 pieces of the powerful set. The boosts of these items were not a joke either, Noah looking at their description as the clone continued speedily moving towards an unknown location. [B.r.e.a.s.tplate of Simmering Ember] :: An item created from the wrathful body of a Behemoth. +150% Enhanced Defense, +50% Fire Element Resistance, +50% Increased All Element Resistance, and Grants the ability of Extreme Heat Resistance. [Leggings of Simmering Ember] :: An item created from the wrathful body of a Behemoth. +100% Enhanced Defense, +50% Fire Element Resistance, +50% Increased All Element Resistance. [Boots of Simmering Ember] :: An item created from the wrathful body of a Behemoth. +50% Movement Speed, +50% Enhanced Defense, +25% Fire Element Resistance, +25% Increased All Element Resistance. Unaffected by the burning grounds they stand on. [Armguards of the Simmering Ember] :: An item created from the wrathful body of a Behemoth. +25% Enhanced Attack and Cast Speed, +25% Enhanced Defense, +25% Fire Element Resistance, +25% Increased All Element Resistance. The items had huge boosts when it came to withstanding the attacks of flame Behemoths, making them top tier pieces of armor to wear for anyone traversing the Northern region that was filled with Flame Behemoths. The Glaive that was of the fire element would actually deal less damage to these same behemoths as they were extremely proficient in the Law of Fire, with Noah needed to find a weapon or the water element similar to the ones that Boru and his team carried to gain extra battle power against Flame Behemoths. He put this in the back of his mind as he focused on carefully following the golden arrow forward, noticing that the arrow was now blinking! This made him excited as it indicated he was actually nearing the supposed location! He continued traveling below the waving grasses as he observed the ground he was running on gradually becoming elevated as he continued forward, this actually causing a change to the arrow as instead of pointing straight, it began to edge further downwards as he continued following the ascending ground. He brought himself to a stop as he climbed the grasses around him, picking his tiny head to observe the surroundings more as he confirmed he was now beginning to go up an enormous volcanic mountain that had bubbling molten earth at the top. This mountain covered his entire sight as he could barely discern its peak or where it ended as it encompassed everything around him. The surroundings were much hotter than the explored regions near the Sanctum as a dangerous feeling was permeating all throughout this mountain. The Ancient Blood Clone''s face hardened as he realized that the golden arrow had begun pointing downwards the moment he began ascending the mountain, which meant that whatever treasure it pointed to was located at the bottom of this enormous volcanic mountain! He took a deep breath as he changed his tactics, his body glancing at the earth below him as his figure disappeared beneath it. His speed became unbearably slower as he used the tiniest amount of power to allow his small body to drill through the extremely hard earth, following the blinking golden arrow as it continued leading him to an unknown location, and this particular location was in the middle of an enormous volcanic mountain in the Celestial Realm. More than half an hour passed as he continued to drill further and further down, the only thing around him being gradually reddening earth. SHAAA! The figure of the clone came to a stop after some time as it broke through the layers of earth that were getting hotter and hotter, actually finding himself breaking through an enormous underground Cavern that had a powerful red tint from the overflowing lava and molten earth that could be seen from all around! He had pierced through the layers of this enormous mountain and arrived at this expansive underground Cavern that was actually tens of miles wide, seeming like an entirely new world to the miniaturized Noah. What was shocking about this lava filled cavern he had found himself in though, was the single mountainous Behemoth that was lazily floating atop the sea of lava! The eyes of the Ancient Blood Clone widened as they landed on this regal but monstrous beast as he shook his head exasperatingly. ''Haaa...thats a f.u.c.k.i.n.g Elite Behemoth isn''t it?'' Noah stared into the expansive cavern where molten lava flowed from all around while a single monstrous beast floated atop this flowing molten earth peacefully. The aura coming off its body was that of an oppressive beast that could devour everything, but Noah''s mood slightly became better after he noticed that the overpowering feeling wasn''t exactly the same as Grandmaster Vredral who at the Domain Expansion Realm. Yet...this being had a hint of that aura, making Noah believe that this was a Behemoth that was half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm, and this still classified it as an Elite Behemoth! The clone released a tense breath as it observed not too far from the immense Behemoth, there was an exquisitely raised pedestal that was filled with ancient runic lines, and at the top of this pedestal there lay a brilliantly shining red crystal that caused his heart to tighten just from looking. The golden arrow from the [Treasure Hunter] of the Spiritual Lana was blinking rapidly at this moment, seemingly trembling with excitement as it had reached the goal it was pointing to as it began to slowly fade away. The eyes of the Ancient Blood Clone glowed a sharp light as he finally came upon a treasure in the Celestial Realm! This apparent treasure was actually protected by a beast that would normally be taken down by an Elite Team of Celestial Grandmasters, even if it fell on the weakest side that could possibly be hunted by the strongest Normal Exploration Teams like Boru''s that now had the addition of Noah''s main body and Athena. The main issue remained the same though! Whatever this fantastical treasure that the Spiritual Land''s [Treasure Hunter] had led him to was, to get his hands on it, he had to get past this powerful Fire Behemoth that was half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm! Chapter 382 - A Dragon Guarding a Treasure Noah found himself in an extremely tense environment as he stared at the lazily floating Elite Behemoth that had half of its body sunken in the blazing lava. The mountainous figure had its eyes closed as Noah could only see half of its body, which actually spanned over 30 meters as it magnificently rolled around the Cavern. His attention was pulled towards the large red crystal of the ancient runic pedestal that seemed to be calling out to him, his eyes becoming hot the more they remained on this shimmering treasure. He breathed out slowly as he brought himself to calm down and think of the numerous ways to proceed, pulling out the Dagger of Time stored in the [Expansive Space] as well as equipping his miniaturized body with the items from the {Incandescent Flameborn Set} to provide even more protection in this fiery hell! Numerous calculations passed through his mind as he didn''t activate any skills yet, knowing the moment he used his mana this extremely dangerous Behemoth lazily floating in lava would notice him. A few minutes passed as he observed its movements in this tense atmosphere, coming to map out its large body gradually as it continued to swim in the lava. The Elite Behemoth actually adopted the features of something that Noah had come across a few times in his life, and that was a Dragon! The enormous head that continued to dip in and out of the lava peacefully had a rough draconic outline as enormous wings were tucked into its sides, with Noah not even being able to see their end as they sunk in the molten earth. A dangerously glistening tail that held numerous crystal stalagmites that shone with a deep red hue could also be seen occasionally rise and fall from the flowing lava! Numerous ideas came and went in Noah''s mind as he tried to map out multiple possibilities, planning for every possible path as he only came out with two. One was miraculously taking this unknown treasure right under the nose of its powerful protector, getting away safely just as the powerful beast was reacting to his movements. This was the best possible course of action, as Noah was not fully confident in being able to take down an Elite Tier Behemoth at this stage, even with his fantastical cheats! This also brought the consideration that he didn''t consider too much of a limitation because of his nearly infinite mana, and that was the 60% limitation of power given to this clone. This also bought numerous new questions about this limitation that he had to slowly understand. The other possible pathway for him to take this treasure was if the first plan of snatch and run inevitably failed, where he would then have to leave it to fate and go all out, testing exactly how powerful this Elite Behemoth that was half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm would be. This was the second pathway, and he already sent telepathic commands to a special someone if this path was to be followed, knowing he would need all the help he can get. His face became stern as he pulled back from the wide Cavern and followed the path that he came in, going more than a few miles as he took out the miniaturized Spiritual Land and used [Anchor] to expertly hide it among the grains of earth in the mountain. This was the last preparation, where just in case something horrendous happened, only the clone would be affected as his main body would suffer a significant blow from the loss of a portion of his Origin. He made his way back towards the wide Cavern thereafter as the same scene greeted him, getting himself ready as he was going to go for the first possible pathway first- taking the treasure right under the nose of this monstrous Draconic Fire Behemoth! To do this, he looked at the description of a particular ability from the Seven Deadly Sins that he had not used too often, one that came from the Sin of Greed! [Emperor of Greed] The user can steal the ownership of any item they see or sense. The skill stated that he could steal the ownership of any item he could see or sense, being extremely useful, but also raising many questions on what it applied to. This treasure in front of him, could it be considered an owned item that he could use this skill to take? Could this ability be stopped in any way if the perception of this Draconic Fire Behemoth was as monstrous as his intel from the Celestials told him? There were many unknowns in this first plan, which was why Noah was still fairly unconfident with it, and was simply giving it a shot! He breathed out as his eyes honed in on the faraway glowing crystal, getting ready another phase of this first plan that involved physically teleporting his body as he risked the life of the clone to the close proximity of this enormous Behemoth just incase [Emperor of Greed] did not work. But before this, there was the ability from the Sin of Greed, and there was also...the Dagger of Time! The abilities that the Dagger of Time had were few, but they were extremely powerful as he always kept the Sheath filled with Time Essence from the Time Space, always ready for use if drastic situations like these demanded it. When he saw the Draconic Fire Behemoth was at the position furthest away from the ancient runic pedestal holding the treasure, Noah''s face hardened as his eyes locked in on the profoundly glimmering crystal and cast multiple abilities, starting off with the ability from the Dagger of Time that actually stopped time, [Stop]! SHAA! Stillness spread through a wide region of the Cavern, Noah spreading out his aura and senses finally as his eyes locked on to the glimmering crystal above the ancient runic pedestal and also cast, [Emperor of Greed]! ... Chapter 383 - Authority! An unbelievably powerful entity was swimming peacefully in its natural habitat filled with blazing, flowing, lava, enjoying the nice swim as it continued to build up the Law of Fire throughout every molecule of its body. The environment of extreme heat in its surroundings only made it more powerful and efficient in its comprehension of the Law of Fire, its body attuned to the lava flowing around it and the immense heat all over the cavern as it continued its cultivation. At this moment though, around a certain region of the wide cavernous space that covered the entirety of its body and the region where a special item stood peacefully...time had actually come to a stop! RUMBLE! The shaking of essence could barely be discernible as in this frozen area of time, the enormous eyes of the Draconic Fire Behemoth actually snapped wide open, its overpowering senses observing the changes around it as it felt chains of time restricting its oversized body! ''HMPH!'' The eyes of the Draconic Fire Behemoth actually opened wide in this stopped area of time, its body that was frozen in place staying still as its humongous eyes locked towards a particular location where it could feel the movements of an enormous amount of mana. Its powerful Origin that was drenched in the Law of Fire and enhanced even further in this environment and its inborn ability actually allowed it to observe the movement of essence that was spreading out from a certain being in a far away location! This unique essence had already covered the expansive space it was in as it actually made possible for time to come to a halt, but the Draconic Fire Behemoth sensed the movement of even more vigorous essence shooting towards a particular Ancient Pedestal that held a special treasure which made its high achievements in the Law of Fire possible. One must know that within the time period that time had been stopped, not even an instant had passed as in this stopped time, the Elite Behemoth came to attention and observed all of these things instantaneously, its terrifying power going forth another level as it even sensed the spectacular movement of mana of a cast skill that was heading towards the treasure atop the archaic pedestal! The opened eyes of the Draconic Fire Behemoth locked on the small being that was releasing this mana, realizing its purpose instantly as its red eyes sparked with flames in this stopped time, the vigorous and fantastical essence within its body bubbling forth as it uttered three words within its heart. {{Flame Lord''s Authority}}. RUMBLEEEE!!! From the very origin of the Draconic Fire Behemoth, a unique power roared forth and erupted from it, going on to cover the entire area where the essence of a certain intruding being was stopping time, as well as the essence that was snaking towards the special item atop the ancient pedestal! CRACK! A ludicrous scene played itself thereafter as in the grey world of stopped time, sparks of fire erupted as they went on to actually shatter this frozen space, the energy from this stupendous ability that the Draconic Fire Behemoth had cast going on to wrap around the energy going towards the ancient pedestal even faster as this energy was dispersed, whatever ability being directed towards the special treasure being cancelled right away! Shocking! Majestic! Powerful! Time flowed freely again as the air vibrated with power, the enormous body of the Behemoth beginning to rise as its gaze filled with an aura of regality and strength locked towards a particular intruder. The ability that the Draconic Fire Behemoth had cast was still in the surroundings, wrapping up everything this fearsome dragon could see, and that included the intruder. As a being extremely proficient in one of the Universal Laws, as a powerful Dragon born in the Celestial Realm...this was its Authority! Its gaze continued to lock towards the individual that had tried to get his filthy hands on something that had been with it since it was born, watching this being arrogantly as its power only continued to climb higher. Its mystical senses that could discern even the movement of essence and cancel already cast skills wrapped around this being as a surprised look appeared on its fearsome face, a voice of immense power ringing out in the wide lava filled cavern. "You were actually able to withstand my Authority, little worm?" Its voice reverberated across the space as vibration spread across the lava below him, his enormous body moving directly in front of the ancient pedestal as it obscured its gaze completely and stared towards the trembling being. The creature that had intruded became more clear in his eyes, the outline of a small being barely an inch long zooming and expanding in his eyesight. The intruder wore a unique set of armor that let out a fiery aura that seemed to be protecting him, his body and limbs being completely wrapped around this set of armor as they were protected fully from his expanded Authority that had even burnt away mana! The only thing that was showing injuries on the intruder''s body was the devilishly handsome face that did not have this armor wrapping around it, burn marks that were rapidly appearing and disappearing apparent on the face as the energy surrounding him burnt his face, but he was healing the injuries just as fast. "Curiouser and curiouser." The rumbling voice of the Draconic Fire Behemoth rang out again as it saw the being in front of its sight, the body of this being rapidly enlarging as he became around two meters in size. In his right hand, a fearsome Glaive appeared as it rotated around his body and dispersed the fearsome strength {{Flame Lord''s Authority}} slightly, reducing the constant damage it dealt to the one part of his body that wasn''t covered by the unique armor as his face began healing completely. The boots this being wore shone a brilliant red l.u.s.ter as they stood on the flowing lava with ease, the extreme heat seemingly giving this intruder only a little trouble as his gaze also locked on the enormous Draconic Fire Behemoth that overshadowed his sight. Both had red eyes shining resplendently, one more beastial than the other as a man and dragon locked gazes! Chapter 384 - Spamming Skills Noah''s gaze looked with the monstrous Behemoth in front of him as he thought about this Celestial Beast''s ludicrous level of power. The overpowering essence it let out still confirmed with him that it was a beast half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm, but its power, even while putting its the crazy strength Behemoths usually showed, was still crazy! The reason for this was because of this concept that the Draconic Fire Behemoth had mentioned...the concept called Authority! Noah''s heart trembled as he thought back to the frozen time that he never thought could possibly be broken. This went out of the bounds of his knowledge as he had cast the ability of the Dagger of Time and moved speedily, casting [Emperor of Greed] thereafter. But this was when the ridiculous power of this Draconic Behemoth put itself on display! The Ancient Blood Clone in this frozen time was actually able to hear the calm release of three words that reverberated throughout the wide underground cavern. {{Flame Lord''s Authority}}. The words were calm and light, but the effect they caused was horrendous as they directly went on to shatter the essence that created stopped time, and it even went further to destabilize and cancel [Emperor of Greed] that was heading towards the Ancient Pedestal! This was an entirely new concept to Noah, but he had just seen the type of strength that a truly high level being could portray, the strength that somehow allowed them to shatter formed skills and disrupt the casting of abilities. After the monstrous Draconic Fire Behemoth uttered these three words, it stood in front of the treasure as its gaze locked onto him, its message being loud and clear- you will not be able to run. The utterance of {{Flame Lord''s Authority}} had spread out some kind of a blazing flame domain that caused huge damage for anyone in it, the clone being able to survive it fairly well because of the numerous compounded Enhanced Flame Element Resistance that came with the items of the Incandescent Flameborn Set. Only his head that did not have a helmet was undergoing the process of burning and healing constantly until he took out the Glaive of Simmering Ember and reduced the damage caused even further, bringing him to this point in time where the brilliantly shining red eyes of the Draconic Fire Behemoth. A smile of immense arrogance seemed to spread on the lips of the fearsome beast as it spoke out again. "I can see that you have not yet gained an Authority, so you being able to withstand mine is quite a feat." The Behemoth glanced at Noah closely as it continued. "Is it the items you are wearing? Or some innate ability? Hmm¡­" The Draconic Fire Behemoth did not seem to have an ounce of worry about Noah, continuing on nonchalantly as it wanted to sate its curiosity, and that was it. "Well, no matter. For the crime of intruding into my layer, for the crime of setting your eyes on something that is not yours...how would you like to die, little worm?" RUMBLE! Strong words resounded throughout the underground Cavern as Noah felt the fantastical {{Flame Lord''s Authority}} recede, the Draconic Fire Behemoth letting out words that already condemned him to death as the only option! He sighed again as his heart shook with slight excitement, knowing he would have to go with the second plan where he would actually have to match this monstrous being, and actually come out on top. As his armored body covered in the {Incandescent Flameborn Set} floated atop the boiling lava smoothly, his strong heart actually began feeling a sense of thrill as he stared at this enormous Celestial Beast! It was a dangerous situation where nobody knew what the results would be, but Noah was actually finding himself getting strong feelings of excitement whenever he was in situations like these. It was something terrifying and out of his wildest dreams that someone like him could be standing face to face with a Celestial Beast, an Elite Behemoth half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm, and he could actually stand against it with some level of confidence. This was the adventure he longed to have! This was the strength he wanted to achieve! To be able to look at something this powerful and still believe there was a way for him to trump over it! A bright smile covered the devilishly handsome face of the Ancient Blood Clone as he replied to the fiery Behemoth while casting numerous skills. "I will not be dying here today...little dragon." His words held a tinge of excitement over this unavoidable battle as above the molten and simmering earth around him, the aura of death appeared in the skies, the figure of [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] beginning to shoot down towards the lava as its body shone, an enormous Bone Dragon appearing below it as it flapped its wings and allowed the powerful Lich to remain in the air. In the Celestial Realm, flying was restricted until one broke through to the Domain Expansion Realm, but winged beings could still fly nonetheless! [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] looked at the monstrous opponent its Master had as golden flames blazed from its sockets and the skull staff it held, the essence of death spreading out in the surroundings as huge runic circles appeared in the skies. These runic circles signified the casting of [Abyssal Summoner], the ability that called forth enormous Abyssal Undead to fight for the Arch Lich. This wasn''t all though, as Noah uttered multiple skills without reservation while his gaze continued to lock with the Draconic Fire Behemoth. [Empyrean Guards]. [Empyrean Armament]. [Blood World]. [Dawn of the Blood Lord]. [Ancient Blood Scion]. [Summon the Ancients]...[Lesser Cthulhu]. RUMBLE! The atmosphere quaked as an enormous amount of mana was used wantonly, the numerous number of wide area buff, strengthening, and transformation abilities forming with a gorgeous array of colors in the expansive Cavern below a volcanic mountain in the Celestial Realm! Yet at this moment in time, a single Dragon remained calm as its voice reverberated out. "What did you just call me?" The nonchalant tone of the large Draconic Fire Behemoth had changed as it ignored the fantastical essence and splendor of skills and transformations that Noah was undergoing as it asked a simple question. Noah''s resplendent but still transforming figure that still seemed smaller than the 70 meter Dragon held a devilish smile as he taunted out a reply the numerous skills he cast coming to life around him gloriously! "A little dragon. You know, those small little lizards you can find scurrying in crevic-" BOOOOOOOOM!!! The very air itself shattered as a wrathful Dragon''s Roar resounded, the start of a monstrous battle going underway! Chapter 385 - A Lich! Ancients! Cthulhu! In the expansive underground space bubbling with extreme heat, a storm of essence was ravaging all around as numerous skills were manifesting in a grand fashion! The most ill.u.s.trious one was a dark bubble of blood that continued to expand around the wide underground cavern for miles, covering almost every inch of it as the function of hiding whatever was happening in this cave hidden from prying eyes. [Dawn of the Blood Lord] was the next most eye-catching one, a foreboding miniature moon appearing at the highest point of the cavern as it began releasing a dominating red light that gave numerous buffs to the caster while giving debuffs to the opponent! But the two skills that caused the most pressure were the transformation abilities that allowed the clone to take on the form of something monstrous. The first transformation was something obtained from the upgrade of [Blood Lord] and opening the path to the [Kin of the Ancients] skill tree, it was [Ancient Blood Scion]. [Ancient Blood Scion] (5/5):: Take on the form of the scion of blood and rain down destruction on those that oppose you. This form allows you to heal 30% of all damage dealt and received, increase Physical and Elemental Damage by 100%, as well as enhance all the abilities of [Blood Lord] by 30%. A transformation that allowed for the passive healing from 30% of the damage he received, as well as the damage he dealt! This wasn''t to even mention the boosts to all the other abilities of the [Blood Lord]. The form caused the clone to rise to the level of a giant, regal red vampyric wings erupting from his back as a gorgeous set of silver hair overflowed, his face taking the features of a humanoid bat as he rose above 10 meters. Yet...above that and going overboard, [Lesser Cthulhu] was cast as another transformation ensued, the baleful destructive power of Aether covering the clone''s body as the size continued to increase, another set of wings erupting out as tentacles and feelers accompanied numerous grotesque eyes, the look of a terrifying creature with four wings, multiple pairs of eyes with differing colors, as well as overflowing shimmering silver hair came to life. Yet again, this wasn''t enough! On top of this, numerous [Empyrean Guards] became streaks of light as they went on to change into a regal golden robe that attached itself to the grotesque figure, an enormous sword and shield appearing on its huge hands as palpated with the power of the Law of Fate! In front of the eyes of the DRaconic Fire Behemoth, a grotesque creature made from multiple transformations layered with a ridiculous number of skills made its appearance. But once more, this didn''t seem like enough so another skill was cast, this time a summoning ability that called forth beings that Noah did not fully understand yet! [Summon the Ancients] :: Your call travels through space and time as you call forth the Ancients that are bound by blood. Limit: 3 Ancients RUMBLE! A unique runic sigil spread out in the surroundings as the maddened dragon felt an air of ancientness permeate the surrounding space, a grey light shining through as it covered the appearance of unique beings that very few had the chance to see in the Light Expanse. SHAA! Three beings appeared around the still transforming clone, the only thing that one could use to describe them being one word- enormous! Their sizes overshadowed the transformed Noah, and actually neared the huge size of the Draconic Fire Behemoth! Their bodies looked grey and stoic, adopting a humanoid form as they were garbed in old grey robes. From their back, a shining pair of dark wings folded beautifully as they granted these beings a unique outline Noah had not come across before. The Ancients were actually humanoid in shape, and they held powering wings behind them! Their eyes were fully white as they eerily turned towards Noah the moment they were summoned, these white eyes scanning the figure of the clone up and down as they actually paid it no heed, their gazes actually turning in a completely unexpected direction of the cavernous underground space, peering through the cast [Blood World] and the layers of earth as they were directed towards the direction of the Sanctum. Noah''s real body that was moving with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team became shocked as his gaze turned, and he felt the eyes of the three Ancients standing beside his clone below the volcanic mountain were staring straight at him! [--------] They scanned Noah''s real body up and down with gazes that traveled far, Noah hearing some form of static voices in his mind as he could make nothing of it. After a few seconds, their gazes left his real body and began turning their blank faces away from the direction of the Sanctum as Athena looked at the surprised Noah. "Everything okay, Junior Brother?" "Ah, yes. I spaced out there for a second. Let''s catch up with the others." Noah''s real body continued his movements with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team as his heart shook, the beings called Ancients still being something he did not fully understand! In the underground space, the enraged Dragon finally adopted a careful expression at the appearance of these three unique beings that were letting out an air of desolation, their eerie blank faces and white eyes now turning to look towards it. As the Draconic Fire Behemoth finally took the enemy in front of it like a possible threat, the Arch Lich Ra''Zan finished casting his necromantic spells as he summoned two Abyssal Death Knights, two Abyssal Jiangshi, and two Abyssal Revenants. An energy of death spread in the surroundings as shockingly, an entire army had appeared around the Ancient Blood Clone in less than a minute, the levels of power of each of the beings summoned standing powerfully at the Soul Forging Realm, with some of them even letting out unique desolate auras that made one do a double take! The enraged Draconic Fire Behemoth looked at all of this as its gaze ignored every single one of the newly summoned beings and locked on Noah again. "Ugly little worm. You come to my abode, try to steal from me, then you insult me, and now after summoning these creatures...you still think you are leaving from here alive?" The voice of the enraged dragon rang out as Noah looked towards its apathetically, only his rapidly beating heart showing the excitement he felt as he pointed the golden sword he held forward, initiating the start of a wild battle as the forces he summoned began to move forward! ROAAAAAR!!! The roar of the dragon was the only response as storms of flames began to permeate through the air, the monstrous Behemoth finally moving to attack! Chapter 386 - Grandiosity A world shaking battle was taking place below a nondescript volcanic mountain that nobody was privy to! A world of blood had expanded all around to hide anything that was happening within, while in the underground space of this mountain where the fight was taking place, a red moon hung at the highest point! At this moment, the Draconic Fire Behemoth roared out as the very air trembled, its eyes shining as flames coagulated in front of it. [Immolation Pillars]. RUMBLE! A barely discernible whisper was heard. But this whisper was the command of something terrible as tens of blazing fiery pillars of flames appeared without reservation around the Dragon, each one heading towards the clone and the summoned forces. SHAA! SHAA! They streaked towards them menacingly as Noah put the golden shield on his left hand out, withstanding the fiery attacks as they exploded in a shower of sparks and flames. The summoned Abyssal Undead that felt no pain were struck head on, numerous parts of their bodies being set aflame as they still continued forward valiantly, the Abyssal Revenant shining the dark coffin it was carrying towards the Dragon as it opened to release a viscous cloud of poison and death! The Abyssal Jiangshi carried the deathly pillars in their hands as they weaved their large bodies forward and threw the pillars like spears, chains being seen attached to these pillars that they could pull back whenever they wished! The eerie Ancients that were summoned were the most spectacular, their white eyes shining as the pillars of flames snaking towards them simply dissipated as they neared. Thereafter, their gazes locked on the enormous beast as their dark wings flapped, their figures disappearing into particles of light as they appeared near the Behemoth, clenching their fists as grey air wrapped around them and let out a strike towards the Dragon! DING! The sound of metal deformity rang out as shockingly, only a few dents appeared on the body of the Draconic Fire Behemoth. The even more shocking thing though, was that the indented portions of the Dragon''s skin actually began to decay as an eerie energy began to spread from their point of contact. ROAR! A wave of power released from the Draconic Fire Behemoth as it actually felt pain, using its high achievements in the Law of Fire to wrap around the weird energy trying to enter his body as his wrathful head glanced at the many beings ganging up on him. "Do you think you are the only one that can summon things to aid you, ugly worm?" A voice filled with wrath resounded as the body of the Draconic Fire Behemoth pulsed with power, another set of words being heard all around as the fire energy around them went berserk! [Dragon Summoning]. [Rejuvenating Flames]. [Elemental Soul Reinforcement]...[Domain of Fire]. WAA! WAA! WAA! The very space trembled as it squeezed in upon itself, the Draconic Fire Behemoth using its expansive mana to cast many skills! All around it, the incorporeal forms of deadly dragons around half his size began to appear en masse, their reddened eyes locking on the many summoned beings around Noah as they began moving right away. On the body of the Draconic Fire Behemoth, golden flames appeared as they healed the decaying strikes caused by the three Ancients, an even more mystical set of flames appearing deep inside its origin as they protected its Soul. This was because the Behemoth had seen a tinge of the Law of Fate around the enemy in front of it, and prepared to counteract it as well as protect itself. The last thing cast by the Draconic Fire Behemoth was a domain...and this was a domain that only those in the Domain Expansion Realm, or those half a step into it like this Behemoth, could actually utilize! OOOONG An air of majesty spread out as the domain of the Draconic Fire Behemoth went on to expand just as wide as the Blood World, covering everything within it as it heavily bolstered the strength of the Behemoth and the numerous dragons it summoned, while Noah and his forces felt a heavy weight placed on their shoulders as if the very air around them had become viscuous and hard to move in! ROAR! A resounding roar was released yet again as fiery attacks flew, the many summoned dragons finding their targets as the Abyssal Undead began fights of their own, the Arch Lich Ra''Zan waving its golden staff as more and more Bone Dragons, Undead Phoenixes, and Specters came to life. The mystical Ancients floated in the air as they sensed the heavy pressure of the domain, their blank white eyes shining as they pointed towards Noah and his forces. [-----] A blank set of sounds appeared in Noah''s mind once more as he noticed a change on his body, the three Ancients initiating a skill that caused for a shimmering grey shield to appear on his body and the bodies of the numerous summons, the oppression they felt from the [Domain of Fire] gradually lessening as they actually began to feel their strength be bolstered! The moment this finished, the three Ancients went back to duking out terrible attacks towards the Draconic Fire Behemoth and its summoned dragons, these mystical and yet eerie beings actually being the ones that were dealing the most damage in this battle so far. Noah looked at these hard to understand beings called Ancients as he thirsted for more knowledge about them, the shimmering grey shield wrapping around his body causing him to feel weightless as he smiled and flapped his pairs of wings forward. He felt the [Domain of Fire] that the Draconic Fire Behemoth had cast just now, finding the extreme difference between it and the first ability that the Dragon had used to actually break apart his time stop and even stop the activation of [Emperor of Greed]. The ability the Dragon had used, which he called a type of [Authority], was much stronger and was one of the bigger causes for worry as this battle continued! Yet from all his observations as he spammed numerous skills and began cornering this powerful beast, this Authority was not used again, making him believe there were certain restrictions to such a fearsome power that could even go as far as canceling enemy skills. He would confirm his thoughts later after this battle finished though, for now, he had to focus. He placed the Glaive of Simmering Ember behind him as he carried the golden blade and shield from the abilities of [Fate''s Guardian], his sword tip pointing towards the many incorporeal dragons summoned in the surrounding as he called out vibrantly. [Portals of Terror]. [Sever]! RUMBLE! ZING! Numerous dangerously colored portals began to appear on the sides of the Draconic Fire Behemoth as they trembled to release destructive energies, the cast [Sever] going on to bisect the incorporeal dragons as a few were cut in half! "Haha, come on!" Noah couldn''t help but call out as the thrilling battle continued! Chapter 387 - A Budding Economy As a spectacular battle took place in the underground cavern of a volcanic mountain, elsewhere in the Celestial Realm, wild adventures of numerous Exploration Teams continued! Tens of thousands of Void Ranked beings continued to pour into the Celestial Realm, with a few hundred at the Soul Realm making their entrance as well as more and more hunting teams to take down Behemoths and explore the wonders of the Celestial Realm were formed. The Celestials were the biggest winners as always and as planned, watching as many beings perished while others learned from their mistakes, and ultimately create a smooth process where they received the resources of numerous materials from the bodies of Behemoths, and even further increased their exploration of the Celestial Realm. The benefits were slowly opening up as a bright future showed itself in front of their eyes. The more powerful forces of some Prime Worlds guessed the intentions of the Celestials, but the rewards were simply too enticing so they went along with it! This was because they found out the immense uses of the bodies of Behemoths that were drenched in universal laws, finding that the consumption of these beasts would rapidly propel their own comprehension and increase their power, not to mention that swallowing their Origin Cores where most of the universal laws were condensed gave one years worth of comprehension in that Law! This made for a very competitive atmosphere as many beings formed powerful teams to gain access to even more resources. On this particular day, the newly formed Order of Blood was conducting its first hunt, the Royal Vampyre Elena at the lead as they faced a powerful Ice Behemoth. This particular Behemoth had huge tusks that made it seem like an oversized Mammoth, its large amount of fur acting like a thick coat in the freezing and snowy region of the Celestial Realm. Numerous spears of ice continued to form and shoot out from its body every second as it faced its enemies! The curvaceous body of the Royal Vampyre twisted as her hands flew forward, initiating a sea of blood that formed into powerful lances that smashed towards the Behemoth and kept its attention. This powerful Royal Vampyre was actually acting as the tank while the Emperor Penguin and others adorned with weapons pulsating with the fire element released their attacks towards the Behemoth. ROAR! The Behemoth roared out as Elena sent a telepathic message to the others. "Ready?!" Focused looks appeared on the other Vampyres in the surroundings, the Emperor Penguin stretching its flippers as it replied and nodded, the Calamities of the Sea and other Harbingers that were not staying and training in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land ascertaining as they carried out a plan they discussed beforehand. The body of the Emperor Penguin teleported as it disappeared and reappeared far into the skies, feeling the strong gravitational pressure begin to pull its body downwards already as it did not have the capabilities to fly in this Celestial Realm like many others. Its goal was something else though, as its beady eyes locked in on the Ice Behemoth still letting out wild attacks towards its teammates, a shimmering silver light appearing over it''s body as it cast a particular skill it unlocked from its skill tree! [Spatial Displacement]! RUMBLE! A shining silver light flashed in the skies as the body of the Emperor Penguin disappeared, the even more shocking thing being the mountainous body of the Ice Behemoth disappearing as well, their positions actually switching as the huge Celestial Beast found its body high in the skies and dropping towards the ground at an extremely fast rate! "Attack!" Elena''s valiant scream rang out as the group below released colorful bouts of mana with their own skills towards the mountainous beat falling from the skies, the job of the Emperor Penguin not done as it waved its flipped once more, the silver light it released going on to cover the bodies of the Calamities of the Sea and the Imperial Phoenix as their bodies appeared even higher in the skies above the Ice Behemoth, their attacks also ready as they released them in a splendor of colors. Attacks from above, attacks from below, and all while disorientingly falling from the skies! ROAAR! The Ice Behemoth let out another roar as the many attacks pierced its thick hide, its mountainous body acting against it as it smashed towards the ground at a horrible speed. BOOM! CRUNCH! The breaking of bones could be heard as the many skills lowered its defenses and pierced its skin, the fall damage going on to disorient it even more as the beings from the Order of Blood released even more attacks, not giving the beast even a chance to retaliate as they successfully went on to hunt their first Behemoth! Scenes like these continued to spread out over the Celestial Realm, whereas in another location, the Righteous Fire Exploration Team was finishing hunting yet another Fire Behemoth, Athena''s potent Blades of Liberation striking down from the skies and ending the life of the mountainous beast. "Haha, I never knew your abilities were this unique, being able to read the flow of battle like it is nothing!" Boru''s boisterous voice rang out as he looked towards Athena in admiration. The past few fights, Athena''s unique ability shone as she actually began to conduct the pace of the battles, directing the teammates on how to move and expecting where the enemy would strike even before it did! This led to a shift in the paradigm where Boru was not the only major contributor in the team, Athena coming in close as their fights became easier and easier. "With you two, maybe hunting an Elite Behemoth would be a possibility." Boru''s eyes shone as he said this, looking forward into the future as he gained the spectacular ability from Athena that allowed for his team to move even faster, and the addition of Crixus that released a unique attack from [Fate''s Guardian] that even they weren''t aware could be utilized to that extent, causing enormous Soul Damage to the Behemoths and taking them down even faster. "Bah, an Elite Behemoth? Don''t even joke. Maybe once one of us breaks into the Domain Expansion Realm¡­" One of Boru''s teammates replied while divvying up the body of the dead Behemoth, Noah smiling as he waved his hands and accepted a material that would create the last piece of the Incandescent Flameborn Set while enjoying the words of the Celestial around him. Little did they know, his clone was trying to take down an Elite Behemoth right now! Chapter 388 - Ancients Lead the Way, An Elite Behemoths Fall Five Hours. This was the amount of time that had passed in the underground space of the blazing volcanic mountain as a ferocious battle was underway! The Draconic Fire Behemoth still had an air of regality, but its body held numerous deep gashes and decaying muscles that were caused from the eerie energy being released from the three summoned Ancients. Numerous incorporeal summoned dragons roamed the surroundings as they supported the Behemoth, but the Arch Lich Ra''Zan summoned even more undead to combat them, every time that an Abyssal Jiangshi or Revenant Fell, another one taking its place soon after. Truth be told, the power of this Draconic Fire Behemoth was simply too powerful at this stage, its body not being able to be pierced easily by many attacks. Even with Noah overlaying the abilities that relied on the law of fate, he could only deal a small amount of damage that was healed by the monstrous life force of the Dragon soon after! So the pathway that led to victory for him was to simply...protect himself while wearing down the energy of this monstrous beast! The body of the Ancient Blood Clone continued to stay far in the distance, the transformed combination of [Lesser Cthulhu] and [Ancient Blood Scion] releasing powerful attacks as [Portals of Terror] and horrible strikes of Aether erupted here and there. Even while staying at a far distance, the clone received enormous amounts of damage from the Draconic Fire Behemoth, to the extent that his wings were burnt off numerous times and lances of fire dismembered his limbs, but they all healed rapidly under the abilities of [Ancient Blood Scion] that allowed for him to heal from 30% of the damage he dealt and received, as well as the passive life steal he had from the abilities of the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline! He simply became an undying c.o.c.kroach as he ridiculously withstood all of the powerful attacks and continued forward. On the front lines was the Arch Lich that directed the undead, acting as cannon fodders as they continued to wear down the strength of the Draconic Fire Behemoth. But the ones leading the charge and actually piercing through the thick scales of the Dragon and dealing the most damage so far were the Ancients! These mystical beings flapped their dark wings and they teleported across the field of battle, their bodies acting like their own weapons as they released sharp lights whenever they struck the Dragon, leaving behind a powerful energy that caused the inflicted portions to actually decay! If it wasn''t for the fantastical life force of the Draconic Fire Behemoth, as well as the [Rejuvenating Flames] that wrapped around his body and continued to heal him passively, the mountainous body would have long succ.u.mbed to the injuries. So the battle of attrition continued, but this was the biggest mistake that the Behemoth could have made, because the enemy it faced was the worst to fight a battle of attrition with! As the fight continued, Noah''s main body got a hold of yet another large portion of the body of a Behemoth, these materials directly being placed in the [Expansive Space] as a thoughtful expression covered his eyes. He glanced at the pace of the battle as he gave a few commands to the summoned creatures, his body shrinking in size rapidly as he teleported away from the cavernous area and caused the Draconic Fire Behemoth to become even more vigilant as it guarded its surroundings while parrying off the many attacks still coming towards it. But Noah''s teleportation target was the Spiritual Land as he appeared in the Blacksmith''s Forge, showing the most possible disrespect in a battle as he left midway to forge the last piece of the Incandescent Flameborn Set! The enormous body part of the Behemoth defeated by the Righteous Fire Exploration Team was cut into pieces and swiftly absorbed by the Hearth, a few minutes passing before a resplendent fiery helm shot out of the shimmering Hearth. [Crown of the Simmering Ember] :: An item created from the wrathful body of a Behemoth. +50% Enhanced Damage of All Fire Attribute Skills, +25% Fire Element Resistance, +25% Increased All Element Resistance. The last piece of the Incandescent Flame Set appeared before him, the clone equipping it right away as it went on to wrap around the head of the grotesque transformation he still had. A wide smile was now covered beneath the helmet as the excitement from getting to try the huge boosts given from the Incandescent Flameborn Set filled his heart! Even though the enemy this time was of the Fire Element and they held tremendously powerful defense against attacks from that element, the boosts given by wearing the complete set were simply too monstrous! {Incandescent Flameborn Set} :: An Item Set that only an experienced hunter of Behemoths can adorn. 2 Set Item Bonus- An Ember Phoenix accompanies your side as they attack your enemies with fiery attacks. Ember Phoenixes are spiritual beings that can be summoned again as soon as they perish. 4 Set Item Bonus- When dealing damage with the Fire Element, enemies will take 500% extra damage over 5 seconds as the Burning Effect is applied on their bodies. The damage dealt by the user will also be increased by 50% and the damage taken is reduced by 3% for every Flameborn Item they have equipped. 6 Set Item Bonus- A Blazing Ring of Fire passively and constantly erupts with you at the center, applying the Soul Immolation Effect to your enemies. Enemies under the Soul Immolation Effect take 1000% more damage from abilities of the Fire Element. He glanced at the description of the completed set boost as he reappeared right above the fiery Draconic Behemoth that always had its guard up for him, its wide jaws shooting up as they attempted to swallow the controller of these horrible summons right away! Yet the only thing that met the wide open jaws of this dragon was the eruption of a blazing ring of fire! SHAA! SHAA! SHAA! Like the sound of waves crashing into the shore, a molten ring of flames erupted from the clone''s body once, and again, and again! This ridiculous ability smashed into the Dragon right in the face as it looked incredulously towards this being that was actually using attacks in the law it was proficient in, and these attacks were actually causing it a great deal of pain! "What the fu-" SHAA! SHAA! A blazing ring of fire continued to be released as soon enough, the strong soul of the dragon actually began feeling a burning sensation, an unbelievable reality opening itself up in the underground cave as the Behemoth that had been worn down for 5 hours finally had its defenses pierced through the moment the Soul Immolation effect was applied to it. Even though it was a Fire Behemoth, even though it was extremely proficient in the Law of Fire, its worn defenses actually began taking great damage from the flame attacks released from its enemy! It was ludicrous, nonsensical, and did not follow the natural course of actions! But because of the 1000% boost in damage achieved from the Soul Immolation effect that could only come by from the completed Incandescent Flameborn Set and its other monstrous boosts, abilities that relied on the flame element actually damaged a being extremely proficient in the law of fire! "Monster." The regality of a dragon remained as the Draconic Fire Behemoth felt its strong soul actually burning, something it never thought to be possible occurring as even more attacks smashed into it from the mystical summoned Ancients and Abyssal Undead. Its Authority could not be used any longer, the damage to its soul and body actually increasing as time passed. Swarmed on all sides, its air of a ruler stood strong as it knew that unbelievably, it would be facing its death today! Chapter 389 - Loot from an Elite Behemoth! Destructive portals surrounded it on all sides, terrible winged beings nearing its size let out mystical attacks that left a unique energy that caused the decay of the essence protecting its body, and the tireless and fearless Abyssal Undead that continued to be brought to life the moment another one died. It was an extremely tiring and helpless battle for one to go through, especially so for someone as powerful as a being nearing the full title of an Elite Behemoth, just needing a few more years to advance before fully stepping into the Domain Expansion Realm! Alas, fate would not have it so as the Draconic Fire Behemoth could feel its origin trembling, knowing it had overused all of its immense mana as its prideful aura of a ruling race shook when looking at the being that apparently beat it in terms of mana capacity. "Truly a monster." The Dragon shook its head in exhaustion as a brilliant light began to burn from it, the fearsome being actually choosing to burn its own soul and face death by its own accord! Noah observed this change as he sent numerous commands to his summoned forces, his own body that continued to release immense heat waves from the effect of completed Incandescent Flameborn Set nearing the burning body of the Draconic Fire Behemoth. The bright heat the beast released seemed like hot blasts of wind towards the clone protected by the shimmering item set, its body fearlessly coming close to the Draconic Fire Behemoth as yet another ability of the Seven Deadly Sins was cast! This time, it was coming from the Sin of Gluttony, it was the ability that allowed his to absorb entities and working in conjunction with another skill, it also allowed him to look at the entity''s entire life history and abilities, allowing him to choose two skills in addition to the ones he normally received as loot. The first skill was [Devouring], the latter was [Large Stomach]! [Devouring]! WAA! A dark cloud released from the clone as it went on to cover the enormous head of the blazing Behemoth, the dark cloud expanding rapidly as it went on to cover the entirety of the humungous body as a large amount of essence began to senselessly leak out from the clone and into the ability. What he was doing now was casting the [Devouring] ability on a live being, and it was an Elite Behemoth at that! It wasn''t a hunt of dead meat that could swiftly be taken, but a being that had their body blazing in flames as it tried to nobly take its own life! The gluttonous quality of the skills fully wrapped around the body of the drained and heavily injured beast, its unique energies going on to stop the self destruction as the dark cloud that had wrapped around the large Celestial Beast began to reduce in size gradually. From the more than fifty meters, it became thirty, then ten, five, until finally, the darkness surrounding the Draconic Fire Behemoth disappeared completely, taking along with it a monstrous beast that was already getting dissected and analyzing in the [Large Stomach]! From the position where the huge beast used to be, a brilliant golden light shone as a few skill books, cores, and a shining round item also floated in the skies as the clone waved his hand and quickly placed them in the [Expansive Space]. The enormous body of this beast, its materials, everything that it had...all of it was devoured as Noah favored the knowledge of this particular beast more than anything else at this moment. As he breathed heavily at the finished battle that had taken hours and too much mental stress, he deactivated [Ancient Blood Scion] and [Lesser Cthulhu], as well as the wide area buffing skills like [Descent of the Blood Lord] as the only thing he left behind was the [Blood World] that kept everything occurring in this underground space a secret. He turned his eyes towards the three summoned Ancients that had been the major cause of this battle going smoothly, finding that their blank white eyes were turned towards him as they seemed to be scanning him up and down, nodding their heads as a scratch nonunderstable voice was released in his mind again. [-----] The forefront Ancient seemed to be speaking as no communication came across, nodding his head towards the clone in affirmation thereafter as these summoned beings actually began to disappear into particles in front of the clone''s eyes, somehow having the power to desummon themselves as they wished! Noah looked at this as he mentally shook his mind in frustration, one of the messages he was sending towards the summoned Ancients seeming to go through as the mystery surrounding them increased. He put this aside for now as he began looking at the boon from the defeat of a Dragon of immense stature. Between Noah''s real body and his clone, he was currently giving over half of his mental processes over to the clone as it speedily began going through the memories of the fearsome Draconic Fire Behemoth, as well as the loot that had erupted from it. Of the Skill Books that came out, two were at the Soul Rank, and one was at the Soul+ Rank, with no such luck in easily gaining a skill of the Domain Rank! The other was an abundant amount of cores that in addition to the few that Noah already had from the massacre in the Magus World as well as the divided Origins from the Fire Behemoths that the Righteous Fire Exploration Team continued to defeat, he would have more than enough to propel himself from the Void Rank and into the Soul Rank, all the while having more than enough cores for the refinement of items. As a large number of memories of the Draconic Fire Behemoth continued to be sorted, the clone took out the other loot that had erupted out in an aurora of light when the beast was defeated. This particular one was something unique that Noah had not come across from defeating an opponent before, finding himself quizzically looking over the scintillating red gold ovular item that was nearly as tall as he was. His confusion was cleared up soon after as a resplendent set of blue words appeared in front of his eyes, the description of the item becoming clear as he gained something new for the first time ever with the defeat of an opponent. [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] :: An incubating Origin that will eventually give rise to a pet that the user can bind to themselves. Caution is required as the position of pet and master can change if there is a large gap in Origin strength. Incubating time varies depending on location and amount of essence available. ¡­! Chapter 390 - The First Treasure from the Celestial Realm Noah''s clone was staring blankly at the set of words that described something out of his wildest dreams! [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] :: An incubating Origin that will eventually give rise to a pet that the user can bind to themselves. Caution is required as the position of pet and master can change if there is a large gap in Origin strength. Incubating time varies depending on location and amount of essence available. Aside from the numerous Cores and Skill Books, the other thing to come out of the loot from the Draconic Fire Behemoth was an incubating egg that would actually gift him a Behemoth! This was something unique that Noah was coming across for the first time, sending a message to the Planetary System as a reply was quickly sent back. [The Celestial Beasts have extremely potent Origin Cores that are fused with their souls, making it capable to extract their origin and reproduce it into this form of being.] Shocking words were transferred into Noah''s mind as something huge was said so simply, nodding as he looked at the Incubation Time for this huge egg to pop. The time varied by location and the amount of essence, so he would see if it was possible to achieve some results today. His thoughts transferred from the loot as he now placed his attention towards the memories of the devoured behemoth that were slowly made clear, the hundreds of years worth of this monstrous being''s life playing themselves out rapidly in his mind as he sat down on the back of an Abyssal Revenant to absorb all the information. The life of this Celestial Beast was extremely unique, its first memories beginning while it was still in an egg when it first came to be in this same volcanic mountain! It very rarely left this home it found itself in, but it did move around over the last hundreds of years, which granted Noah a large amount of information on some of the nearby geography. But the thing that made the Draconic Fire Behemoth stay in this volcanic mountain and continue to guard it all this time...was the resplendent red crystal that was attached atop the mystical ancient pedestal. The eyes of the clone opened briefly as he looked at this pedestal not too far away from him that he could grab as the victor of the last battle, but he held himself back as he carefully perused through the memories to learn everything he could first. Shockingly, the treasure in front of Noah''s eyes was actually some type of Inheritance, something that very few beings would manage to come across in the Celestial Realm, but these Inheritances were some of the most valuable treasures! It was this particular Inheritance that the Draconic Fire Behemoth found himself with since it was born that allowed it to reach the heights it had in the Law of Fire. When the memories came to this point in time, Noah finally got the bits of information that explained the unique {{Flame Lord''s Authority}} that the Dragon had managed to use to cancel out his Time Stop and the already cast [Emperor of Greed]. This ability that was called an authority...actually stemmed from achieving high comprehension in a particular Universal Law! The Inheritance in this volcanic mountain had been an extremely powerful one from the Law of Fire, the staunch Behemoth choosing to practice it for hundreds of years as it advanced rapidly and got the strength that it had until today. To obtain this {{Authority}}, the Draconic Fire Behemoth had to actually advance and comprehend close to half of the Law of Fire. This was something crazy to think about, as from the knowledge that Noah had gathered, very few beings in the Light Expanse were proficient enough to actually have comprehended even half of any laws. The only ones he could think of were the Celestials themselves, their power being boosted as they obtained a set of techniques in the Celestial Realm that taught them to be extremely proficient in the Law of Fate, with Noah still being unsure at the level they had reached after hundreds of years. But he did not doubt that there were many in this powerful organization that held some form of {{Authority}}! Yet, this Inheritance in this volcanic mountain and the stern hard work of the smitten dragon that practiced it for years allowed this Behemoth to actually come close to attaining an {{Authority}} in the Law of Fire, which brought about the spectacular ability it used against Noah! THUMP! He could feel his heart beating faster as his gaze locked on to the glistening crystal atop the ancient pedestal, rising up from his position as he slowly pushed the newly flowing memories aside and neared this wondrous piece of treasure himself. The ancient pedestal let off a mystical air of blistering flames as it was still standing calmly at the corner of the cavern, the crystal on top of it becoming larger and larger in Noah''s eyes as he neared. His eyes felt a searing pain as he came closer upon it, tears almost falling out as he came within a meter of it, and then an inch of it as he reached out and laid his hands upon it! RUMBLE! A brilliant red light shot out as extreme calm returned in the surroundings, Noah opening his eyes as the Planetary System worked to decipher the treasure in front of him, a radiant description appearing in front of Noah''s eyes soon after. > A set of beautiful words flowed in front of Noah''s eyes as his excitement shot off to extreme levels. In his hands, his first treasure from this mystical Celestial Realm was giving off a powerful light as he placed more of his essence into it, keen to know exactly what awaited him from this >! Chapter 391 - An Inheritance! :: Left behind to those fate intended, this inheritance grants the unique cultivation ability {Disciple of Fire}, as well as the Absolute Skill > that are meant to create the most powerful Incarnation of Flames. The knowledge swiftly came into Noah''s mind as he hungrily looked at the abundant information stored in the crystal, the immense value of this treasure just now becoming clear in his mind! The biggest value that could be gained from this was not just its unique cultivation ability and the Absolute Skill, but the fact that this Inheritance was something that could be learned by others! Similar to the treasure that the Celestials came across that they spread out to their disciples, Noah could bring his people into this area for them to gain this Inheritance themselves, or see if he could learn how to make Inheritance Crystals similar to what the Celestials were doing. He had used his abundant essence to try and move this ancient pedestal from its spot as he began reading the information on this inheritance, but found that some sort of inviolable law was keeping it in place, where he could not even make it budge an inch! This would not be a problem though, as he would simply have to teleport his people here to have them experience this amazing boon as well. His gaze went down towards the unique cultivation skill, {Disciple of Fire} first. {Disciple of Fire} :: A technique geared towards cultivating the Law of Fire. Grants the user the ability to form a unique Fire Origin Core. Only two sentences for the description of the skill, but he found it eerily similar to the {Fate''s Disciple} ability that cultivated the law of fate by inscribing Fate Lines on the body of the practitioner, but this {Disciple of Fire} instead allowed one to form a Fire Origin Core! Noah put everything else aside as this unique skill that was extremely similar to the one dealing with the law of fate that he received from the Celestials took his central focus. Far away from his position, the Righteous Fire Exploration Team had already returned after they finished hunting the last Fire Behemoth that also provided Noah with the last piece of the Incandescent Flameborn Set, with his main body going into the regal structures that served as the sleeping quarters of Celestials as he secluded himself. A mini Blood World bloomed in the scintillating gold room that Noah was in as it covered him entirely, the knowledge about the unique skill {Disciple of Fire} filling his mind as he wanted to see how different it was to {Fate''s Disciple}! RUMBLE! It felt like an explosion was occurring inside his body the moment he activated {Disciple of Fire}, something new appearing deep inside him! At the position that could be considered the center of Noah''s body, there was an incorporeal blue colored core that held streaks of gold that was standing stably. This could be considered the center of his Origin, his Origin Core! Besides this large Origin Core, a small dot that shone with a fiery red light began to come to life, not even being one hundredth the size of his Origin Core. This could be referred to as the Fire Origin Core! RUMBLE! A storm of converging essence rushed into the room that Noah was staying in as the other Celestials in the exquisitely built structure noticed this wild convergence and looked forward while shaking their heads with smiles. They knew this to be the dwelling of a new Celestial that was also a being with a Noble Fate! They took this wild convergence of essence as a breakthrough that affected the surroundings of this being, choosing to be respectful and not even send their auras towards the dwelling. Meanwhile, an enormous amount of essence continued to acc.u.mulate as Noah absorbed both the surrounding essence, as well as the reserves of the planets he was connected to and drove them all according to {Disciple of Fire} into this budding Fire Origin Core. At the very center of his origin, besides the stably rotating blue core inlaid with a few golden stripes, the formation of an extremely small red core was completed as it was quickly wrapped up in a mantle of flames, a unique energy being released from it and into every single cell on Noah''s body as it began to rotate slowly, absorbing as much essence as it could with no reservation! The unique energy that the Fire Origin Core released the moment it was fully formed went on to wrap around every cell it came across, having an arduous journey in front of it as there were trillions of cells to cover! The process was slow, but Noah sent his awareness into his own body as he observed this unique energy being released from the Fire Origin Core begin to slowly strengthen the affected cells, each of them gaining a hint of the universal laws, this one being the Law of Fire! RUMBLE! It felt like his body was undergoing euphoria as his cells drank this unique energy being released from the Fire Origin Core with wild enthusiasm, Noah sensing his body gain yet another law, this one going on to boost him in a different way than even the Fate Lines that he continued to condense with {Fate''s Disciple}. {Disciple of Fire} had nothing like fate lines, but it did create another Origin Core inside him that had begun to slowly rotate as it accepted the input of a large amount of essence and then released a unique energy that was passively going on to strengthen Noah''s body, the crazy effects only being able to be discovered with time. The aura of fire began to slowly burn within him, his awareness closely monitoring this process as he asked himself- would this be similar to the cultivation of the Law of Fate where he could not condense a large number of Fate Lines continuously, or would this be something different? Essence was continuing to be absorbed by the small Fire Origin Core that began slowly growing larger as seconds passed, showing no signs of stopping as it went on to release even more of its unique energy to bathe Noah''s body. So he wondered as this mystical scene played out inside of him, was there actually a limit?! Chapter 392 - Fire Origin Core, <> The small Flame Origin Core continued to spin as it absorbed mana and released a unique energy that continued to release an intense energy drenched in the Law of Fire, this essence continuing to delve throughout Noah''s body as he began to feel a constant feeling of increased strength. His clone that was simply an extension of his limbs also had this energy wrap around him, the body of the clone actually having a more intense reaction in the underground cavern of the volcanic mountain as it brought Noah to the confirmation that he would be able to progress even faster in the environment filled with extreme temperatures and flames. He continued to test whether there would be a limit to how much essence he could feed the Flame Origin Core as it continued to strengthen his body using the Law of Fire, his gaze turning to his stat panel as he noticed the addition of another law! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(41%)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 23,486] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-1] [Vitality: VOID] [Focus: - ] [Strength: VOID] [Law(s) : Water-11%, Space-8%, Fate-.23%, Fire-2%] In the condest stat panel, Noah observed the addition of a section that listed Origin Cores, with the only one currently being listed being the Fire Origin Core that was placed at Stage 1! There was no mention of his much larger Origin that shone with a blue l.u.s.ter slowly rotating at his very center, only this new Origin Core being given a stage as it continued to grow ever so larger and begin to drench Noah''s body in the Law of Fire more and more. Different from the Fate Lines which he could activate and use the strength they provided to bring forth even larger amounts of physical and soul damage, the energy released from the Fire Origin Corewent on to directly enhance the strength of his body as he felt like his attacks would alway be even more explosive, taking with them a destructive power that would burn all those that stood against him. Essence continued to pour into this Fire Origin Core as Noah continued to test the limits, because if there wasn''t any, then he did not see a problem in raising the Stage of this Fire Origin Core from 1 and all the way to 10, or whatever the maximum stage of such a core was! But would the universal laws allow for such world shattering possibilities to come to life? His question was answered soon as he felt his body become drenched in the law of fire more and more, wisps of flames appearing on his skin as they danced around him beautifully. Beneath the volcanic mountain where his clone was surrounded by immense heat, his body was having an even greater reaction as it fully became wrapped in dark red flames, both the body of the clone and even his main one not feeling any pain as these flames felt very comfortable for them! POP! At this point, a metamorphosis seemed to occur with the Fire Origin Core as it instantly doubled in size, its presence even stronger as it changed from Stage 1 to Stage 2! Noah also saw the Law of Fire slowly rise from 2% until it reached 10%! In the span of a few minutes, he had ridiculously raised his comprehension of a law from nothing until it reached 10%! He was expectact to continue, but this was when the worries he had were affirmed as similar to when he first gathered Fate Lines, something stopped him from completely breaking the rules and just piercing through the stages! The large amount of essence from the atmosphere and from the reserves of the many planets he was connected to simply stopped going into the now Stage 2 Fire Origin Core as began rotating peacefully, not even paying attention to the bountiful energy trying to get into it as it now slowly underwent a cycle of releasing the unique energies it was released before, and then slowly absorbing the essence around it at a rate that would be considered a turtle''s pace. Similar to Fate Lines, he was stopped from rapidly shooting through the ranks of the Law of Fire, his thoughts now focusing on to what extent the effect of this new restriction was, and whether his thoughts of these restrictions being lesser than the supreme Law of Fate would be confirmed. Noah sighed with a light smile as he finally hit the wall he was testing for, shaking his head as he observed the changes to his body. He felt a fiery and explosive strength in every single part of him, knowing that if he went hunting for Ice Behemoths in the future, he had the perfect skills and body to take them down with a much easier time than other behemoths. When he thought about the skills that came with the inheritance, his gaze landed on the shining absolute skill called >, reading its descriptions as he tried to understand exactly what abilities it held. > A technique coming from the inheritance of the Disciple of Fire that strives for the aspect of extreme in the Law of Fire. Abilities include Incarnation of Fire, Rejuvenating Flames, Elemental Soul Reinforcement, and Armageddon [Incarnation of Fire] :: You continuously release flames from your body, dealing Fire Damage to all enemies in the proximity as any Fire Element skills are enhanced. The released flames can be manipulated to form varying shapes depending on the comprehension of the user. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the enhanced damage. Current Enhancement- +200% [Rejuvenating Flames] :: Flames of rebirth and healing wrap around your body, granting you increased health and mana regeneration. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the enhanced regeneration. Current Regeneration- +200% [Elemental Soul Reinforcement] :: A unique shield of flames rich in the elemental law of fire wraps around the soul of the user, granting increased protection from any sources of Soul Damage. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the enhanced reinforcement. Current Reinforcement- +200% [Armageddon] :: The area within five miles of the user becomes a Consecrated Flame Ground that calls forth meteors from the skies, destroying all enemies standing on this Consecrated Flame Ground. The Stage of the Fire Origin Core will determine the damage. Current Damage- +200% A beautiful set of words appeared in front of eyes, the descriptions of multiple new abilities that fell under a different system than the ones he usually came across opening itself up in front of him. Most terrifying of all was the name of the last ability that fell under >, and that was the ability coining the name [Armageddon]! Chapter 393 - Mysteries and Questions Noah continued to read through the percentages granted to the > absolute abilities as he realized that it was all affected by the Stage of the Fire Origin Core, watching as this shimmering red core slowly rotated at his very center while his body continued to pulse with power. He thought back to all the recent events as he breathed out, choosing to continue moving forward as he got used to these new skills while also tending to the bountiful treasures he just received. This brought into focus the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire that he could share with his people, the treasure being an inheritance that had a unique skill which allowed one to condense a Fire Origin Core, and an absolute skill that had crazy abilities contained within. He smiled at the possibilities of the future as he used [Unique Origin] to conceal the strong hint of the Law of Fire on his body while the clone in the underground cavern of the volcanic mountain stretched its body that was now filled with abundant fiery essence and looked over at the ancient pedestal which held the huge Inheritance Crystal that could not be moved. The Ancient Blood Clone reclaimed the Spiritual Land from the faraway location and brought it close to the blazing ground that had molten magma not too far away from it, the unique floating landmass standing stable against the extreme heat as he sent a few telepathic messages to his people. Barbatos, Kazuhiko, and a few others chose to train their skill trees in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land, their hearts set on seeing if this cheat area where time was much faster than the outside world would allow them to catch up to a single person. Many of the ranks of the Harbingers now neared the Void or were stably on it as Noah was coming across Cores very easily, their ranks almost reaching his as he had yet to choose to break through into the Soul Rank yet. His considerations for this were currently because of the restrictions of the Infernal Realm of the First Hell, which only allowed the origins of beings up to the Void Rank to remain in it. Those who were not of the Void Realm were pushed out of the First Realm of Hell, and in the case of Infernals, they were transferred into the Second Realm of Hell that was much wider and grander, the location where some genuine Infernal Lords made their home! Many thoughts crossed Noah''s mind as he wondered whether they would be a change on the restrictions of the First Hell because of the Infernal Lord title that he held, many of the thoughts leaning towards this possibility as his cast ability that he pushed into the Soul Rank, [Arch Lich Ra''Zan], could be cast in the First Realm of Hell and actually remain there. To him, this could simply mean because it was a skill cast by a being at the Void Rank, it did not violate the laws of the First Realm of Hell even though its power reached the Soul Rank. This was similar to the strength that Athena showed which made it possible for her to take down an Infernal Aberration that had its power touching the next rank and was about to ascend to the Second Realm of Hell. Many of these possibilities continued to flow in Noah''s mind as he chose to wait before rushing into the Soul Rank for now, the only thing he would be getting being his other attributes hitting that milestone, which was not that big of a deal for him who was now beginning to enjoy the boosts of Universal Laws. What he wanted to do now was explore the Celestial Realm even more as he used the memories of the new regions that the Draconic Fire Behemoth had explored in his lifetime when he chose to reluctantly leave the volcanic mountain that had the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire, as well as observe the other regions that held numerous different Behemoths! There were Ice and Water Behemoths he had yet to come across, Earth Behemoths he had only heard about from the Celestials, and even the powerful Fate Behemoths that were nearly impossible to kill, these Behemoths also being the ones that were disrupting the advancement of Celestials the most. To combat these Elite Behemoths that were proficient in the Law of Fate, Noah''s mind was already on the Behemoths that stood opposite them with the Law of Chaos as his mind continued expanding to multiple places. The biggest question on his mind was similar Inheritances like the Disciple of Fire and Fate''s Disciple that he now had his hands on. If he went into the regions of other elements, would he be able to get his hands on other Inheritances of those elements? Would they be similar to the Origin Core given by the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire or similar to the Fate Lines made available by Fate''s Disciple? There were so many questions that made his curious heart tremble in anticipation as he wanted to quickly get the answers to all of them! Among these many questions, the biggest one that still remained unanswered was about the Celestial Realm itself. What exactly was this esoteric realm that had Inheritances like Disciple of Fire and Fate''s Disciple? What was the true identity of this realm that was filled with enormous beings that were extremely intunned to the Universal Laws? This was the biggest mystery on Noah''s mind, and the one he was not even close to answering as he continued to move forward with his own aims! The Ancient Blood Clone took out the [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] from the Expansive Space as he chose to begin with this first, waiting while his people gathered themselves after he sent the telepathic messages pertaining to them partaking in the recent treasure he had found. A curious smile spread out from him as he looked at the shimmering egg in front of him, wondering of the being that would come out of this! Chapter 394 - A Land of Fire The [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] stated that its incubation period would be affected by the region it was in, Noah looked at the bubbling lava around him as this region was extremely suitable for this purpose, but there was another possibility he could think of that was even more perfect! He teleported into the miniaturized Spiritual Land as he appeared atop a snowy region in the north of the expansive landmass. He gazed at the beautifully falling snow as he glanced at the description of a particular feature of the Spiritual Land. [Law Space] :: Fields containing a higher concentration of particular laws can be created, granting increased comprehension speed to all that cultivate within. Currently unlocked spaces: Water, Fire, Earth, Air. Locked spaces: Time, Space, Light, Dark, Fate, Chaos¡­ Yes, the place he thought would be the most perfect for the incubation of this spectacular egg was something that he could make in his Spiritual Land, and that was the Law Space! The clone smoothly landed on the snowy field as he breathed out, using Spiritual Land Management to initiate the feature of Law Space. His thoughts went forward as he selected the element of fire, a holographic square image of where he wanted this space to be appearing in his eyes as he tweaked with it. He found that he could increase its size and also decrease it, expanding the holographic field as he made it a few tens of miles before he used his mind to overlay it to the vibrant snowy field in front of his eyes. RUMBLE! The moment he affirmed with Spiritual Land Management and the blue holographic layout was selected, a tremor passed through the entire Spiritual Land as its abundant essence began to congregate towards this selected region! The bountiful snow that was spread throughout the nearby fields melted rapidly as the clear earth below it was revealed, a shade of red beginning to spread out from all directions as the calm earth of the surrounding area began to crack and fissure. Some areas were elevated as others were brought down, the phenomenal creation of the Law Space filled with the Law of Fire occurring in front of Noah''s eyes in real time. The environment of the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land that was always cold and frigid began to change in this particular region as heat spread from all around, the formation of small blazing mountains appearing as the area quickly changed from an austere white and into a blazing red atmosphere with palpating heat. RUMBLE! Just as it had begun, the process continued to finish rapidly as the changed geography stopped shaking, the concentration of fire elements in the region now beginning to rise as even Noah felt it becoming increasingly hotter. This was the field being created by a feature of the Spiritual Land, this was the Law Space where there was a higher concentration of the Law of Fire! WAA! Waves of heat released outwards continuously as the process finished, the surrounding region that was not even designated as the Law Space also seeing its frigid air melting as the effect spread out for quite a distance. The melting of the snow continued until an area of spectacular balance was reached, Noah observing as a region of flames and fire came to an intersection point as neither of the two invaded the other. Calmness returned to the surroundings as his attention locked in on the newly built Law Space. To put it simply, it was a shimmering Land of Fire that actually had wisps of flames dancing in its atmosphere, the very earth itself blazing hot as spurts of lava could be seen coming from the ground. The Ancient Blood Clone entered this spectacular region as he felt the Fire Origin Core attached to his main body tremble in joy as he came in contact with the unique fire elemental energy in this space, its slow spinning in his main body becoming slightly faster as it moved with even more vigor. The clone walked through the Space filled with the Law of Fire, whipping out the [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] as the moment it was released into the hot atmosphere, it shone a red l.u.s.ter as the excited fire elements in the surroundings began to be absorbed into this crimson egg. Noah carried this large egg the same size as him further into the Fire Space as he neared the center where bubbling lava could be seen, laying this egg down at the location he felt the most congregation of the Law of Fire as half of the [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] sank into the rapidly changing earth. OOONG! The speed of fire elements converging into the egg only increased with this action, the egg actually rising slightly in the air by itself as smoldering flames and lava began to swirl around it, the intensity of fire elements only increasing in this region as the clone pulled back and watched this process occur. He watched for a few minutes as this process continued without a change, affirming in his mind that he expected the possible awakening of the creature inside this egg to happen in a matter of hours as he left it alone to float in the sea of flames and lava, his body disappearing to the underground layer of the Spiritual Land where multiple portals stably stood. He would give the enormous egg the time it needed as he moved on to another task he had to take care of, this one involving the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire! Of the portals present in the underground layer of the Spiritual Land, one shone with a red l.u.s.ter, another was tinged with white, one was swirling in darkness, another was verdant green, and the last one was a beautiful blue. This particular blue portal was connected to his home world, where he had laid down numerous portals in this world and the others that he was connected to, forming something close to what he observed in the World of Cultivation below where a circle of portals that led to different worlds stood. From the portal that led to the Demon World, the Tactician Agares who was overseeing this world was the first to arrive as he sunk to his knees while bowing his head down towards Noah. "Master." From the Beast World, those in the upper echelons from the remaining three Mythical Beast Kingdoms and the Frozen Kingdom also began to appear from their portal as they all did similar bows of respect towards Noah, Queen Adelaide coming to Noah''s side with a shy smile. Steel Mikhail soon came from the portal leading to his home world as he nodded towards Noah with his same strict face, the bulky protector''s body gleaming with power as his eyes shone for whatever opportunity laid in store for them today. From the Ancient Blood World, the exploring Vampyres also appeared from the red portal as the Frost Race of the Icebound World also made their entrance, the underground layer of the Spiritual Land becoming livelier as many beings were granted permission to enter into the Spiritual Land for an opportunity they did not yet fully know of. Barbatos and Kazuhiko''s auras could also be felt as they came out of the Time Space and joined them, a unique event about to take place as Noah was about to share a spectacular Inheritance that could only be found in the Celestial Realm! An Inheritance that granted one a unique cultivation ability and an Absolute Skill was about to be freely shared to multiple beings as the erection of Noah''s own powerful force continued, this time their power being boosted at an unimaginable level as they got their hands on something that nobody else could even find! Chapter 395 - A Scholar, Chaos and Fate In the region immediately south of the Sanctum, frigid winds ravaged the snowy environment as a large Ice Behemoth was rolling in the snow peacefully. Not too far from this Ice Behemoth, a hidden figure covered head to toe with a dark robe was crouching beneath the sparkling snowy vegetation as he wrote a few lines in his note book. ''Both the Northern and Southern regions have a similar level of elemental particles in the atmosphere, but their levels are still much higher than any other realms.'' The being was carefully doc.u.menting his findings of the Celestial Realm as his vibrant power at the peak of Soul Realm hid its aura from the nearby Behemoth. This was someone that had managed to enter the Celestial Realm with the aid of the Pureblood Vampyres from the Underworld, a powerful covert operative from the Scholar''s Guild that boasted great power in the Dark Expanse! ''The supposed Celestial Beasts are even more unique, their bodies holding an abnormal amount of universal laws.'' The being continued placing more findings, pushing up his glasses as his eyes remained on the Ice Behemoth rolling in the snow with its enormous body. ''The structures of the Behemoths I have managed to get my hands on shows that their physiology is similar to their species counterparts in other worlds and realms, but their Origins seems to have been influenced greatly by the force behind this Celestial Realm'' Numerous possibilities passed through the mind of the Scholar, comparing his abundant experience and knowledge with the new land that the Celestials had managed to explore for the past thousands of years. With his tenure in the Scholar''s Guild that only the most genius Wizards and Magicians had a chance to take positions in, his experience was wide and vast! ''The biggest possibilities so far is that this Celestial Realm is one of the highest tiered realms to be found in our Novus Galaxy, or the even more unbelievable possibility is that this Realm could be what we have all been searching for...the place where universal laws are abundant and the atmospheric essence is immense, this could just be the C-'' ROAR! The man from the Scholar''s Guild stopped taking his notes as his gaze went towards the mountainous Ice Behemoth, seeing an Exploration Team from a Prime World nearing the beast and beginning a hunt as the Scholar used his power to veil his body even more, sinking into the earth as he continued observing. What was on his mind was the same thing that many beings were recently trying to figure out, and it was the question of what exactly was this mystical realm that the Celestials had been enjoying for so long?! --- Near the center of the Sanctum itself, Athena and Noah were meeting with a serious Grandmaster Vredral as they discussed their recent ventures, the Grandmaster approving of their fast progress as he adopted a careful expression and spoke. "You''ve gotten used to the pace of Normal Behemoths and learned how to best take them down, and we can move on to the next stage of your training as you tackle even more fierce Behemoths, and these ones will actually be of great aid for you to increase the speed at which you obtain Fate Lines!" Grandmaster Vredral spoke with a powerful Voice as Noah and Athena looked forward respectfully, many thoughts passing through Noah''s mind as he looked forward to anything that could enhance the speed he could raise the Supreme Law of Fate. "Past the Fire Behemoths in the Northern region, the danger increases as you start getting into the dangerous regions where mainly those at the Soul Forging Realm explore, with the highest tiered teams like the Righteous Fire Exploration Team and Elite Teams coming into play as the enemies you might come across...are those proficient in Supreme Laws!" A powerful light shot through the eyes of the Grandmaster as he said this, using his power as he waved his hands and created the illusory image of a dark Behemoth in front of their eyes. "The ones that are the most dangerous to us as well as the most profitable...are the terrible Chaos Behemoths that are proficient in the opposing element that we cultivate. This means that our attacks backed with the law of fate are especially harmful to them, but it also means that their attacks filled with the Law of Chaos are especially dangerous to us as well!" "But with danger comes opportunity, where the hunting of Chaos Behemoths has shown to rapidly cause an increase in the number of Fate Lines one can condense, rapidly gaining strength through this dangerous path." The Grandmaster finished his words as the two disciples in front of him had shining eyes, Athena being the first one to speak as her body pulsed with a gold light, her expression that of excitement. "We are willing to brave the dangers, Master!" Noah''s eyes also showed an enthusiastic expression as he nodded towards the Grandmaster, their next steps to increase their already rapid rise in power being set in stone as they prepare to delve further into the mysterious Celestial Realm, and this time it was to search for Elite Behemoths that were proficient in a Supreme Law! Preparations went underway as the leader of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team became excited at the news that their team was granted clearance to delve past the Fire Behemoths and into the more dangerous regions further away from the Sanctum, the boisterous Boru bringing Noah and Athena to celebrate the entire night as a feast was carried out. To them, another milestone was coming up as they would get the chance to brave dangers and increase their strength, but Noah''s mind was filled with other possibilities as he had entirely different thoughts when he thought about the Chaos Behemoths and their proficiency in the Law of Chaos. His mind continued to wonder what Items and materials would come out of them, what treasures or Inheritances he could find if he delved into this region, and exactly where his power would be as he amassed more Fate Lines while increasing the Stage of the Fire Origin Core slowly growing inside him! As others looked at one or two possibilities in front of their eyes, Noah was seeing a bright future filled with endless opportunities that were all just waiting for him! Chapter 396 - Schemes, Sharing Treasures In specific locations around the Sanctum that were now designated as marketplaces, a bustling atmosphere spread out as shouts could be heard from all around. "Claw of an Earth Behemoth for sale, will only trade for Soul Cores or materials from a Fire Behemoth!" "An Aurora Fruit for sale! The one and only Aurora Fruit!" "The map layout of the nearby eastern region is available, looking for Ice Behemoth materials to trade!" Powerful voices spread out as beings from all over congregated and looked for things they could buy if they did not want to risk their lives fighting terrifying Behemoths, many of the materials being on sale currently only being half of the ones that the sellers brought back from their adventures, with half of it already being pocketed by the Celestials. In the past few days, the Celestials had begun seeing the effect of their decision as they collected materials at a pace multiple times greater than before, these materials coming from every single being moving in the Celestial Realm only acting as another source of rapidly increasing the strength of their disciples as many Prime Warsh.i.p.s were moving from the Celestial Realm and heading towards the Celestial Stars to distribute these wondrous materials to these planets. They were achieving their purpose of continuing to influence the lives of many of the powerful figures in the Light Expanse, as well as enjoy the benefits of the Celestial Realm at an even faster rate than before. But as always, decisions had their own positives and negatives! Among the many beings entering the Celestial Realm, many of those with expert hiding skills from the Dark Expanse also made their way in! Whether in the initial party of Pureblood Vampyres that came in with Elena, or the arrival of later parties as they began to explore and map out the Celestial Realm as well. Among these beings, there were those who had skills similar to a certain imposter that allowed them to teleport across realms and planets, their only limitation being the distance they could jump across. More mana was required the longer the distance was, which presented an arduous challenge for those in the Dark Expanse as the location of the Celestial Realm was surrounded in all directions by the eyes of the Celestials, any nearby planets being kept under close watch as they took into account the unique spatial abilities that some beings held! On this day though, another unique being from the Scholar''s Guild of the Dark Expanse had managed to pass through the eyes of the Celestials and smoothly enter into the Sanctum, sending a telepathic message to another member of the Scholar''s guild that was observing Ice Behemoths in the southern region. "Argus, I have arrived. We can now begin!" The contents of the message could only be well understood by the one that heard it, a telepathic message being sent back right away. "You finally arrive, Malthus. We have much to do. This realm¡­" Numerous messages began to be sent back and forth on this day as two well known beings in the Scholar''s Guild of the Dark Expanse actively began their plans in the Celestial Realm. One was known as Argus, the Walking Library who was proficient in covert skills and held a large amount of information on many things! The other was Malthus, the Spatial Magician that excelled in the Law of Space, holding abilities that many beings envied! "Yes yes slow down Argus, you''ve been keeping in contact with Elena? I am ready to establish the spatial connection that will allow us to transfer the boons of this realm with ease in the coming future. Which locations have you scouted?" "...start heading South, I''ll send you my location." One expert talked to another in the field of powerful beings moving around the wide Sanctum established by Celestials, moving directly under their nose as the initial stages of the plans of the beings from the Dark Expanse went underway. They knew the strength of their enemies stemmed from this realm, and these same enemies were bold enough to open this realm to others as the conflicts heated up and the way neared! Before all hell broke loose, they would harvest the boons of this realm themselves as they strove for one goal- finding treasures at the same level as the Celestials that have allowed them to move with extreme strength these past thousands of years! --- As many beings continued to move across the vast Celestial Realm, a few lucky ones were getting their hands on a powerful Inheritance beneath a volcanic mountain. The forces of numerous worlds connected to Noah were freely getting their hands on a powerful set of techniques that would give them a huge edge over cultivating a universal law, something that many of them had not even done before and would be the first time for them to try! But they had no need to ponder or try to comprehend the law in an abstruse manner, all they needed was to have enough energy to use {Disciple of Fire} and create the Fire Origin Core, continuing to build up this new origin as they also became able to use the Absolute Skill that came with the inheritance. The Spiritual Land was stationed very close to the ancient pedestal that held the Inheritance Crystal that could not be moved, Noah guiding those that were too weak with a protective barrier, and those who could handle the baleful lava floating in their surroundings simply went out themselves to accept the Inheritance. But when this initial process was complete, the many individuals found themselves directed towards a certain location in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land that went against the original nature they knew of, observing a wide area that was filled with extreme heat that only got more intense as one went further in! Those that were more powerful followed Noah''s directions as they went further into the field concentrated with the Law of Fire, being told to initiate {Disciple of Fire} for the first time in this mystical area. RUMBLE! The power leveling of numerous beings was underway as at the center of this Law Space, a huge egg was resting rapidly while absorbing the abundant elemental particles of the Law of Fire in the surroundings, immense heat being given off of it as it looked ready to pop at any moment! Chapter 397 - A Pet Behemoth! Some of the Harbingers of Sin were the first few to enjoy the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire, their bodies already producing a seedling that they needed to nourish before it could become a Fire Origin Core. Unlike Noah, they did not have unlimited reserves of mana to play with, so they actually had an arduous task just to acc.u.mulate enough mana to establish the Fire Origin Core in the first place! Noah expected them to take a few days before becoming successful even in this beautiful region that was now filled with the dense elemental particles of the fire element. His gaze transferred towards the pulsating [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] that was showing an even more vibrant reaction after a few hours, his clone teleporting near the very center of the Fire Law Space as he observed the changes with anticipation! His main body was communicating with Elena as she faithfully released the details of the movements of the Dark Expanse and their covert operations in the Celestial Realm, Noah keeping himself up to date on the occurrences that moved the future forward as he noted the arrival of two powerful unique combatants from the Dark Expanse in the Celestial Realm. "My Progenitor, could I be so bold as to request for you to create items for us using the materials of the Behemoths we take down?" A smile came on Noah''s mind as he heard this telepathic message from Elena, sending a reply right after. "That is something I already planned to do. Also, I''ll need you guys to find a chance to come into the Northern region of the Celestial Realm to personally accept a unique Inheritance I''ve gotten my hands on¡­" His main body continued communicating with his people who did not get the chance to partake in the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire yet, as well as begin the process of preparing to move out with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team as they went against Chaos Behemoths! His clone remained in the fiery Law Space as he observed the [Origin Core- Behemoth Zygote] to be pulsating, its size having already grown double to his own as it began releasing wondrous waves of scalding fire elements as cracks began to spread all around it, a red light beginning to shine out. RUMBLE! A unique regal essence began to permeate outwards as the cracks audibly spread across the egg, this regal essence stating the arrival of a powerful being as the fire elements in the surroundings danced wildly! ROAR! The clear and crisp roar of a young dragon rang out as magnificently, an eruption of red light blew apart the cage it was held in as the widespread wings of a small Draconic Fire Behemoth became apparent when the light began dying down. The highly abundant fire elements rushed towards this Dragon speedily as Noah observed with wonder as the size of this beast expanded until it reached 10 meters, its widespread wings shining brilliantly as its young draconic features came to observe the only being near it. The moment the gaze of the young dragon landed on Noah, its eyes shone with a subservient light as an extremely defined runic circle erupted from it and bound itself to Noah, traveling through the Ancient Blood Clone and his Origin feeling a small connection that was considered the attachment of a pet as this Dragon formed a bond with him successfully with the aid of the unique means of the Planetary System! The eyes of the young dragon remained on Noah as it looked at him with a mixture of care and confusion, its innate mental strength and power soon coming to play as numerous bursts of information were released from the connection it felt with this being in front of it, the young dragon coming to an understanding as it moved across the blazing atmosphere filled with fire elements and neared Noah. Its size now towered at 10 meters, being less than one fifth the size of a normal Behemoth right after its birth. The young Draconic Fire Behemoth brought its regal head near Noah''s clone as it cutely nudged and rubbed its head towards him, the clone having a wide smile spread across his face as he patted the subservient dragon in front of him! "Master." The voice of a young dragon rang out in Noah''s mind as he nodded, looking over the body of this 10 meter beast right after its birth as he calculated its strength. Currently, it actually held vibrant strength at the Phantasmal Rank, its strength right after being born depicting the regal rank of this being and the huge possibilities it would have for the future. The thought of the uniqueness of this Draconic Fire Behemoth that he just got his hands on did not pass by Noah, and he perfectly understood that he was most likely the first one to ever hold a Behemoth from this Celestial Realm as a pet! This was made possible with his Planetary System that took the Origin of the monstrous Fire Behemoth that was half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm and fused it together with the shattered soul, making way for the possibility of this spectacular young dragon in front of his eyes. In the brief period of time that his clone had entered into the Celestial Realm and began moving by himself, he had managed to find an Inheritance, defeat a Draconic Fire Behemoth that was already half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm, and get his hands on a pet of an unknown caliber as a powerful dragon subserviently nudged his body! His expectations for the future were bright as he looked towards the Dragon and called out. "Come!" There was much to do as he took the time to absorb the boons of the recent venture and continue strengthening the people around him, his thoughts especially focusing on the Behemoth he had gotten his hands on as he prepared to raise a terrifying beast for his own uses. Just the thought of this now 10 meter tall Dragon that could someday grow to become the mountainous Draconic Behemoth that he just battled made him look excitedly into the future! Chapter 398 - Time is of the Essence! Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone temporarily returned to the First Realm of Hell, his figure teleporting to the blazing skies as he stood on top of a curious young Draconic Behemoth. His gaze stretched across the area around him as it had already filled with droves of Infernals. The essence within his body thrummed as he adorned the Incandescent Flameborn Set with its ridiculous set boosts, getting ready to carry out high speed farming of the Infernals as he set the goal of fully obtaining the title of Infernal Lord soon! He had only been leaving the Arch Lich Ra''Zan behind to farm the Infernals and increase the Skill Points along with the progression of the percentage on the title of Infernal Lord, but he planned to move personally and claim this title even faster as he wanted to enter the Soul Forging Realm soon. He wasn''t confident of breaking the laws of the Infernal Realm if he reached the rank that was always pushed out of the First Realm of Hell, so this was his next best choice as his main body began moving with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team to delve deeper into the Celestial Realm looking for Chaos Behemoths. "Let''s go!" He sent a command to the young Dragon that was ever so slowly growing larger by the minute, the clone providing abundant cores to bring the rank of this Behemoth up as he expected it to reach the Void Realm in no time! He had with him numerous Saint and Void Rank Cores, with a decent amount of Soul Rank cores put aside to propel his own level forward when the time was right. As the dragon reveled in another fiery environment that was the Infernal Realm, Noah''s clone began casting numerous skills as the Arch Lich Ra''Zan appeared once more in the First Realm of Hell, its qualification as a skill cast by a being at the Void Realm allowing it to bypass the restrictions of this Infernal Realm as it began summoning a large amount of Undead, the huge runic circles that brought forth Abyssal Undead also appearing in the skies! RUMBLE! The mystical Ancients were brought to life once more from the use of the ability in the [Kin of the Ancients] skill tree, the dark winged humanoid creatures grandly appearing in the Infernal Realm as they glanced towards the clone. Noah''s thoughts seemed to have gone through to them as their gazes turned towards the maddened Infernals below them, seeing how weak these beings they were summoned to kill were as they turned their heads to the side and glanced at Noah again, seemingly posing a bewildering question that was asking- ''Really? Summoning us for such weak creatures?'' Yes! Compared to the power that Noah and his summoned beings held, this campaign that he was about to carry out against these Infernals whos strongest powerhouses were at the Void Realm was going to be really one sided! It was similar to a high level veteran coming back to a low level area filled with mobs that dropped loot which still had great uses for them! If just the Arch Lich moving alone with droves of undead over the past month brought the percentage of the Infernal Lord title over 30%, with how he planned to move personally while using his overpowered abilities in this realm, the only question that remained was how many days it would take him to bring the percentage of the title to 100%. [Arch Demon Lord Transformation]. [Lesser Cthulhu]. [Dawn of the Blood Lord]. [Incarnation of Fire]... The repetitive casting of numerous skills and stacked transformation and buffing skills were being cast as a terrifying aura bent on hunting down Infernals with extreme efficiency appeared in the First Realm of Hell! OONG! The shining Trident of the Sea appeared in Noah''s enlarging hands as he adopted the terrible combination of the transformations of the Lesser Cthulhu and Arch Demon Lord, his other hand carrying the Glaive of Simmering Ember from the Incandescent Flameborn Set as the gorgeous casting of skills erupted from him again, the targeted infernals almost pissing their pants as they felt an aura that was in no way at the acceptable level of this realm come for their lives! --- Noah''s main body was standing next to a boisterous Boru who was talking about the fearsome power of the Chaos Behemoths they would soon be facing as they waited for the rest of the team members to join them. "I was able to battle a single one while following an Elite Exploration Team of Grandmasters. I can tell you now that these beasts will make the superiority you feel while aided by the Law of Fate disappear! They will truly show you what beings proficient in Supreme Laws are like!" The power of the Chaos Behemoths continued to be hyped up as Boru continued. "The only reason I am confident of our chances this time is because Grandmaster Vredral favors his two disciples that have Noble Fates and will be coming along, haha!" Noah smiled at this comment as he knew for this upcoming trip, they would be accompanied by the powerful Domain Expansion Realm Grandmaster as they withstood against the unique strength of Chaos Behemoths. The Grandmaster favored their lives too much to let them explore such a dangerous location where these beings resided with just the Righteous Fire Exploration Team, so he would be acting as the leading figure in this upcoming hunt as Noah got a glimpse of the power of this Grandmaster that had a relatively high position on the 7th Celestial Star. Noah and Boru didn''t wait too long before the rest of the team began to gather, Athena appearing last with the Grandmaster as eyebrows were raised at her entrance. A proud smile was apparent on Grandmaster Vredral''s face as Athena walked in with an aura that had just broken through from the Void Realm and into the Soul Forging Realm, the strength of the War Princess pulling ahead as her body seemed to be bubbling with power! Chapter 399 - Venturing Further North "Congratulations, Senior Sister." Noah replied with a light smile as he looked towards the shocking strength being released in the small body of the girl in front of him. She had already been at the Void Rank when he first met her months ago, her power slowly continuing to build up as she finally exploded upwards and entered the Soul Forging Realm today! "Thank you, Junior Brother Crixus. You must not tarry behind." Her eyes were languid and filled with longing for battle as she joined the team, all the other members sending her their congratulatory words as Noah was instead wondering where the power of this War Princes was actually at now. As he spent more time amassing fate lines, he was growing more and more capable of discerning just how many lines of fate a Celestial held, and his intuition told him that Athena was actually nearing on the magical number of 100,000! This was a number that made one qualified to be a Celestial Grandmaster, something that very few joined the honor of achieving in their lifetimes. The power of this War Princess when she was at the Void Rank was terrifying, where she was capable of standing against a Soul Forging Realm Devouring Black Serpent in the Magus World and battle against Soul Rank Behemoths in the Celestial Realm. A smile spread across Noah''s lips as he wondered the power this woman could now wield as she entered the Soul Forging Realm herself! "Hmm, let''s go!" Grandmaster Vredral spoke out jovially as they went towards a particular area where numerous Primal Warsh.i.p.s were located, an expansive space that only Celestials were permitted into as for this exploration trip, they would be using a Prime Warship to traverse the vast distances of the Celestial Realm and into the region where Chaos Behemoths could be found. From the Sanctum that could be considered an enormous metropolis filled with an ever expanding population of new beings, a particular group of Celestials entered a grand Prime Warship as the energy of a Domain Realm expert wrapped around it and lifted it to the skies. The nearby forces of numerous Prime World now populating the Sanctum glanced towards the location where this Vessel lifted smoothly and began shooting off to the Northern Region, this not being the first time they''ve observed something like this happening as they looked enviously at the means of the Celestials. A particular party that was returning from their hunt, the newly formed Order of Blood, stared at this particular ship as a few of them felt a familiar aura from it! The Emperor Penguin was walking through the mystical streets of the Sanctum valiantly as it raised its beak towards the skies, a sharp light passing through its beady eyes as the Royal Vampyre Elena had an even more fervent look in her gaze while she stared at the direction that Noah had gone to. "Onward!" She decisively sent a message to her people as she communicated with the forces of the Dark Expanse beginning their own plans in the Celestial Realm, the current goal of the Order of Blood being heading towards the same direction where numerous Fire Behemoths could be found, using this as a source of training as they made their way towards a certain Inheritance beneath a volcanic mountain! The many pieces on the board continued to move as Noah comfortably stood in the advancing Prime Warship and looked out to the expansive landscape of the Celestial Realm below him. The enormous shimmering trees and the fantasy-like atmosphere always took his breath away, linking this feeling to a similar one he felt when he observed his Spiritual Land but on a much larger scale. He found his thoughts actually wondering as he arrived at this comparison. Would the Spiritual Land ever be able to reach something as remotely as amazing as this? He shook himself out of his fantasies with this thought as he serenely watched the passing surroundings, not trying to daydream about impossible things at such a time. They came across quite a few Fire Behemoths that were moving below, their gazes turning up towards them with a sharp light as they only observed the powerful vessel shoot past them. A few times he observed attacks being thrown their way, the vessel either completely evading them, or a thin barrier of light appearing around the Prime Warship that stopped the incoming attacks. So far, they had not come across any flying Behemoths that would have caused them trouble, beings like the Draconic Fire Behemoth being unique and rare. Like this, a few hours passed in the Prime Warship as the Grandmaster steered it competently through the explored areas of the Celestial Realm, a contemplating Noah watching the passing scenery and committing it all to his memory as his clone was moving with vigor in the Infernal Realm. He could observe the constant shooting up of the Infernal Skill Points at a speed multiple times what the stationed Lich was bringing in the past, with the percentage next to the title of Infernal Lord also continuing to rise every now and then! After another few hours, the Prime Warship that they were on started to slow down and lower towards the tall ancient trees in the ground, Noah noticing that the atmospheric essence had been getting even thicker as he looked towards the location they were arriving at. Not too far from them, the slowing vessel was landing next to a large tower like structure, this exquisite architecture being a place where powerful Celestials were stationed far into the Celestial Realm, the junction where one could draw a line from Normal Behemoths and Elite Behemoths based on which direction they took. Noah had arrived at his first Celestial Watch Tower that was surrounded by numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s, the auras of powerful Celestials even wilder than the ones he normally sensed in the Sanctum being present as he further pierced into the ranks of Celestials, this time following a team being led by a Grandmaster as they planned to hunt Chaos Behemoths! Chapter 400 - Line Between the Weak and the Powerful "This is a Watch Tower where some Elite Teams are stationed, monitoring the movements of those that are actually threats to our forces- Elite Behemoths." The Grandmaster was explaining slowly as they got off the Prime Warship, their gazes only looking towards the Celestial Watch tower as they actually went past it to the region that its threats were abundant at! The Watch Tower was built in an extremely unique manner, looking like a huge golden skyscr.a.p.er that pierced through the skies as its size passed the huge ancient trees around it. The area in its immediate surroundings looked more like a base as numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s were stationed, a few Celestials being seen moving in and out carefully. "Passing this Watch Tower means we directly put ourselves at risk of coming in contact with an Elite Behemoth, and any Tower that you pass will be considered a line that distinguishes the truly powerful and leaves the weak behind!" The expansive Prime Warship they traversed the long distances in would normally be stationed at these Towers, the Celestials moving to explore and hunt Behemoths themselves as the powerful vessels weren''t built for battling Behemoths. One would only achieve watching a Prime Warship get destroyed if they tried to pilot one to match an Elite Celestial Beast. "Stay close to me and pay close attention, I''ll walk you through your first hunt and show you exactly what to keep in mind when facing Behemoths that are proficient in Supreme Laws." The members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team nodded as even the boisterous Boru filled along with a serious expression, their hearts looking forward to seeing the strength of this wizened Grandmaster as he clashed with an Elite Behemoth! Noah''s senses expanded around his surroundings as they passed through the guarded area of the Watch Tower, venturing further into the mystical forest of the Celestial Realm that seemed to have a foreboding silence! One would normally hear the sounds of animals moving around, a cacophony of sounds surrounding them as they walked through such a large forest. But all that met them was silence as even the small critters knew not to make noises in this region where powerful beings roamed. Noah thought about the words of the Grandmaster, thinking of the invisible line that they were now passing which would put them into the field of truly powerful creatures of the Celestial Realm as he prepared himself! --- As Noah''s main body moved across the deeper regions in the Celestial Realm, his clone continued to carry out a destructive campaign in the First Realm of Hell that was reducing the numbers of Infernals at a rapid pace. His strength that was able to stand against beings half a step into the Domain Expansion Realm was now bullying the poor droves of Infernals that were defeated as if they were bugs! This was especially so because of the armor he adorned, which had a spectacular ability that he enjoyed watching unfold as he moved rapidly across the First Realm of Hell. The ridiculously powerful passive ability given by the complete Incandescent Flameborn Set that released a wide ring of flames around him every second acted like an attack that simply swept across an entire area that he appeared in within seconds! It made for a ridiculous sight where he teleported amidst hundreds of Infernals, a terrifying ring of flames rushed out from him that nearly incinerated half while all those remaining were placed under the Soul Immolation effect that made them take 1000% more damage from skills of the fire element. Those that survived would only remain that way for another second before they were wiped away completely, either by another ring of flames or the terrible abilities of the Lesser Cthulhu as Portals of Terror were cast freely. The clone had so many means possible as he went all out, freely using the mana gifted to him as he worked efficiently to rack up skill points and increase the percentage of the Infernal Lord title. Already, in the past day that he had been moving, the Infernal Lord Title had advanced over 50%! This goal was getting close to being completed as he also went along to achieve smaller goals, the small body of the Draconic Fire Behemoth he was bringing with him as a pet continuing to be fed Cores as its Rank already reached Transcendent over this last day. It was undergoing power leveling at a rate that nobody around Noah had the chance to, its body continuing to grow larger and larger as it began adopting the fearsome expression of a powerful Behemoth Noah had fought before. "Draco, let''s go!" His miniaturized form teleported to the back of the Dragon as he called it under the impromptu name he had given it in the past day, this fearsome Behemoth going on to be called Draco as it roared resonantly while Noah began to use a variety of skills above it! From the series of abilities in > to the skill tree of the [Kin of the Ancients] and the abilities of the Vampyre Progenitor, he played around with as many skills as possible as colorful rays of destruction continued to rain down towards the Infernals in the First Realm of Hell. While this was occurring is a similar Realm that held entirely different levels of Infernals, a being with horns that formed into the shape of a crown was floating with his back towards the blazing ground of another realm of Hell, his aura causing the numerous Void and Soul Forging Realm Infernals below him to quake in fear. He was lazily floating in the burning skies of the Second Realm of Hell when another being just like him teleported to his side, her face that of cruel excitement as she spoke out. "It seems like the upcoming little Lord is working even faster in the First Realm. It should not be long before he joins us. What do you think, Rykker?" The newly arriving Infernal Lord asked the other Lord floating in the blazing skies, the being called Rykker that replied with a lazy smile without even turning to look towards her direction. "Azula, you always were a tad bit too excited for these things. Let them take their time. You know that the moment they fully hold the title of the 9th Infernal Lord, it means our future is about to become that much busier." The cruel expression on Azula''s face gained an amorous expression as her hands eerily ran through her body, her head raised high with an expression of joy as she replied. "Why yes, I wonder who the little baby Lord will be...Aah!" The attention of numerous powerful Infernal Lords sensed a particular event nearing as they welcomed the future, the being in question not knowing about any of this as he enjoyed the feeling of power while coursing through the First Realm of Hell! Chapter 401 - Chaos Behemoth In a scene of a fantastical adventure, Noah and the party of Celestials he followed went deeper into the foreboding ancient trees that were scintillating with essence, the atmospheric levels in this area being off the charts as Noah shook his head exasperatingly. "When you become truly powerful in the future, venturing deeper into the Celestial Realm and cultivating in areas that are steeped in converging essence will become the norm. But that is only if you can handle the enemies you might come across in these deeper regions!" The Grandmaster spoke carefully as he led them through the shimmering foliage and trees, his gaze cautiously looking around as they went further in. They had been walking for a few hours already, being far away from the Watch Tower where the Prime Warship they traveled here with was stationed. "Be ready. I can already sense the aura of chaos begin to permeate the surroundings. Tell me, what can you perceive?" This question was directed to Athena and Noah as the Grandmaster stared at them with an expression of a teacher asking his students. Noah expanded his senses out slowly as the abundant fate lines in his body thrummed, using their unique power to sense the opposing law they stood against. It felt like his eyes were expanding in multiple directions, a slight thing golden wave releasing from him at the center as it flew forward. Soon enough, it came in contact with something murky and dark, something that felt wild, its composition constantly changing as if it could not decide exactly what it wanted to be! "This is...chaos?" "Can you feel it? The element of unpredictability. An element that is dark and constantly changing as if it could never be reigned in." The words of the Grandmaster entered one ear and left the other as Noah continued to expand his senses outwards, observing more of this energy of chaos as very quickly, he came across an area where an incredible and opposite amount of this aura of chaos was congregated! ROAAAR! A fearsome roar shook the air around them as the Grandmaster laughed. "You spread your aura too far and it has found us as well. Be ready, and watch!" RUMBLE! The overwhelming feeling of power began to descend down to their position as the Celestial Beast that had sensed them neared, the oppressive aura it released making Noah feel suffocated. WAA! The foliage and ancient trees that were extremely tough were parted aside like nothing as a magnificent creature made its appearance in front of them. Noah''s eyes shone with the reflection of this spectacular Celestial Beast that had the immense aura of chaos all over its body! What stood in front of him was something that was only described in stories, an enormous winged tiger that was steeped in glimmering darkness all over its body, a ferocious face with sparkling white teeth and a monstrous body that neared 60 meters! [Dark Winged Chaos Tiger]. The powerful name of this foe floated above its head as the Planetary System continued to actively portray the information gathered around Noah visually, the identity of this monstrous Celestial Beast being made clear. Its gaze was that of extreme cruelty as its dark eyes gazed towards their group and focused on the Grandmaster, the Chaos Behemoth noticing this was the major threat as it did something horrendous right away. [Domain of Chaos]. RUMBLE! The clear and crisp voice of a domineering Celestial Beast rang out around them as from it, a storm of chaotic energies began to bloom! "HMPH!" The body of the Grandmaster seemed to get larger in Noah''s eyes as this wizened old man replied with a move of his own. [Domain of Fate]! RUMBLE! CLASH! From the bodies of the terrifying Domain Expansion Realm Experts, their respective Domains were released as a powerful clash of opposite elements smashed into each other and fought for control! WAAA! The air seemed to be crying out as it withstood this pressure from two colliding domains, Noah''s eyes focusing on the body of the Grandmaster and the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger as his heart shook. These were genuine Domain Expansion Realm experts! Not a being half a step or barely reaching, but genuine ones who had proper Domains established! Now normally, a Behemoth at the same rank would always be more powerful than their human counterpart. So this Dark Winged Chaos Tiger should have been immensely more powerful than this single Grandmaster at the peak of Domain Expansion Realm, right? Wrong! RUMBLE! The battle between the two domains was actually in favor of the Grandmaster, the clash ever so slowly pushing the Chaos Domain of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger back as it roared furiously towards them! "Watch carefully, O you with Noble Fates. Watch what your level of power soon needs to reach in order for you to live to your full potential." The words of the Grandmaster rang in Noah and Athena''s minds as a golden light began to permeate from his body. Noah watched closely as he observed the rising of numerous Fate Lines to the surface of the wizened old man''s body, his long white beard swaying with the wind as Noah''s eyes opened in shock at the aurora of golden Fate Lines emitting from him! One hundred thousand...two hundred thousand...four hundred thousand! What! This shocking reveal reminded Noah of the esteemed title of Grandmaster as the number of Fate Lines he could count on this old man''s body continued to grow ever so larger! Athena looked towards the Grandmaster with a sharp look as a longing expression appeared on her face, this War Princess that was nearing one hundred thousand fate lines herself looking at this powerful teacher in front of her with a passion. As the clash between the two Domains continued, Noah came to fully count the revealed Fate Lines coursing through the body of the Grandmaster. The number was ridiculous as shockingly, this Grandmaster Vredral held over six hundred thousand Fate Lines! 600,000! A shocking number when compared to his own that was currently slightly over 20,000, and even higher than the monstrous Athena that neared one hundred thousand. But this was the strength of a Grandmaster that stood near the top of the food chain, someone acting with a few other Grandmasters to control the 7th Celestial Star! This was Grandmaster Vredral! Chapter 402 - An Old Man Flexes [Smite of Liberation]. A soft whisper could be heard in the wind as the words of a skill Noah was familiar with was cast, yet an entering different feeling spread out through the entire area as the skies split apart, an exquisitely designed golden sword that seemed very corporeal coming out of the shattered sky with a magnificent aura as it targeted the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger that continued to fight with its [Domain of Chaos]! SHAA! The enormous wings of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger flapped serenely as its body disappeared into particles of darkness, its domain being wiped away as the Blade of Liberation that was multiple sizes larger and more physical compared to what Noah and Athena could cast smashing into the area and burning up any aura of chaos in the surroundings. WAA! Heavy winds released as the opposing laws of fate and chaos came together, the magnificently dark shimmering body of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger rematerializing in the skies as it glanced down towards them with an expression akin to looking at ants. "Arm yourselves with Empyrean Armament, and watch what else you can do with these skills as you amass more fate lines." Grandmaster Vredral spoke cooly as he stretched his neck, seemingly getting ready to go all out as numerous Empyrean Guards that had a wild aura were summoned, their presence soon turning to rays of light as they moved to wrap around the body of the wizened old man! A bright golden light pushed out any remaining aura of chaos as an exquisitely designed armor appeared on the body of the Grandmaster, his voice ringing out again as he now wielded in his hands two pulsing golden hammers. "Crixus was genius enough that he was able to show variations in the abilities of [Fate''s Guardian] when he just began amassing Fate Lines, but the possibilities of what you can make these abilities do only increases as the number of Fate Lines breaks into a certain point." The old man was teaching as he fought, the golden armor and weapons surrounding him being filled with runic inscriptions that were not normally seen when Athena or others cast the abilities of Fate''s Guardian! This was something attainable by those with a large number of Fate Lines, something that Noah had already begun doing because of his usage of Skill Points! RUMBLE! The Dark Winged Chaos Tiger took the threatening atmosphere of fate as a threat, its body expanding as it seemingly became even larger, an attack being thrown from its mouth as vicious winds began to rage around them. [Chaotic Cyclones]! VOOM! VOOM! Numerous terrifying cyclones of darkness began to rush towards them, Grandmaster Vredral looking at them cooly as the other members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team were equipped with they Armament from Fate''s Guardian. "When you get to this stage, you will bypass the stage of passively using Fate Lines to augment your attacks and¡­" THRUM! The body of the old man seemed to trembled with power as the roiling Lines of Fate became high strung and tight, Noah observing the stellar essence of fate actually leaving from these Fate Lines and going towards the hammers in each of the Grandmaster''s hands. "...become able to actively use the strength of Fate as you momentarily take control of the Fate Lines in your body and release pure Fate Energy." BOOM! BOOM! The golden hammers in his hands waved towards the oncoming Chaotic Cyclones as a scintillating golden aura of fate shot forth from them, smashing into the cyclones as making them disappear as if they were nothing! ROAR! The furious roar of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger could be heard as even more cyclones rained down, the shining lights of fate energy being swung from the Grandmaster only increasing as the battle against the Chaos Behemoth was in full swing. "You puny beings and your incoherent handling of fate, learn what it means to actually comprehend a law! [Ignition of Chaos- Disordered Rays]!" The magnificent voice of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger rang in their ears as the sky above them changed colors and darkened, numerous dark rays of light blotting out the skies as they began rushing towards them dangerously. The [Domain of Fate] that wrapped around them from the Grandmaster pulsed strongly, the old man himself breathing out as his body bulged up suddenly, the hammers in his hands enlarging as he spoke out seriously. "Defend!" The members of the Righteous Fire Exploration team followed these words right away as their own bodies lit up with defensive skills, Noah hoisting up the golden shield on his left hand as he covered a majority of his body and prepared for the dark rays of light shooting down! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The earth shook as the horrendous attacks landed, the sneaky Dark Winged Chaos Tiger not giving them a chance to react as his body disappeared in the skies and reappeared to their left side, right next to Boru who was defending from a dark ray of light! "Boru!" "What!" The members of the team quickly turned their heads as they saw the mountainous claw of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger smashing down, knowing that even the strong Boru would not be able to withstand this crafty attack as they tried to speedily move towards him. But...they had no need to as at this moment of life and death for Boru, calm words reached permeated the surrounding as the golden aura of fate bloomed toward the oncoming dark claw. "You''re leaving yourself wide open, beasty." ZOOM! The words of Grandmaster Vredral were accompanied by a rushing golden spear rod of enormous size, its tip passing a few inches in front of Boru''s shocked face as it pierced the oncoming claw and stopped it in this tracks, dark blood flowing out as at this moment, tens of similarly enormous spears rained down on the attacking Dark Winged Chaos Tiger as unknowingly, this powerful Grandmaster Vredral had cast [Judgment] without anyone''s knowledge! ROAR!!! Chapter 403 - 100%! THUNK! THUNK! A fearsome impact of spears shining with the essence of fate smashed into the body of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger as the sharp eyes of an old monster followed the trajectory of the beast that had been hit with his attacks. The rest of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team reacted as their bodies lit up with colorful colors, their own versions of Blades of Liberation and sharp spears from [Judgment] erupting out as they layered their attacks on top of the Grandmaster''s! ROAR! The fearsome roar of the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger erupted out as its body rotated rapidly in the air, a storm of chaos elements erupting out that tainted the incoming attacks layered with the law of fate and rapidly dispersed them. Near its neck and at the center of its claw, huge gashes lay open as dark blood freely poured out, dark energies wriggling around the wounds but the essence of fate still lingering behind and preventing any healing from taking place! HMM! The Domain of Fate that the Grandmaster at the Domain Expansion Realm could use expanded even more rapidly as the aura of chaos around the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger took a hit, the glimmering golden colors filling their environment as the eyes of the Celestial Beast exploded outwards with even more chaotic elements! --- As a battle continued in the far region of the Celestial Realm against a Chaos Behemoth, a campaign of slaughter was soon coming to an end in the Infernal Realm as Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone moved with even more vigor! In the last few hours, the percentage in front of the Title of Infernal Lord had steadily passed 90%, the number of skill points he currently had also passed 1,800! It was a ridiculous set of numbers to imagine as he moved even faster after that, the percentage only increasing at a faster rate as he found newer ways to torment the Infernals. "Haha Draco, burn them all!" The young Dragon he was riding on top of that had now reached the Void Realm after continuing to be fed the cores in Noah''s Expansive Space was over 30 meters, its size becoming ever so terrifying as it skipped levels senselessly. Noah had even given it one of the few Soul Rank Cores he was saving to help it achieve an even faster breakthrough into the Void Rank! Draco heard the command as a determined expression covered its fearsome face, its chest bulging out as it breathed in and gathered essence, its elevation in the skies coming lower as it sped forth like a bullet train and then opened its wide jaws, releasing an extremely intense flame. BOOOOOOM! Leaving behind sonic booms, Draco flitted across the skies while raining down blazing flames that smashed into the Infernals with both speed and horrendous destruction, the flight path of the dragon leaving behind a straight line of hellish flames devouring everything within it as Noah laughed gleefully at the firepower of this pet! The figure of his clone teleported from Draco''s head as he appeared in the middle of panicking infernals a few miles away, his gaze on a skill under the [Kin of Ancients] that he had loved using recently. [Blood Rage] (5/5) :: A destructive storm of blood begins to rotate with you at the center, raging with the capabilities of disintegrating all enemies caught within. Affected Area- 300 meters. Without a second delay and before the surrounding Infernals could even react, the words escaped his lips rapidly. [Blood Rage]. RUMBLE! Large amounts of blood erupted from him as they began to rotate and expand around him, the speed of its rotations and expansions only increasing every millisecond as they soon covered an area of 100 meters, and then fully covered 300 meters in a dense atmosphere of a bloody storm that began shredding every single Infernal in this 300 meter area! Draco stopped in the skies with its powerful wings outstretched, watching this destructive storm of blood shred muscles and bones into nothingness as he felt the aura of his Master disappear from that location and appear elsewhere again while casting the same skill, and an explosion of blood erupting out once more as this repeated. Far across the Infernal Realm, the summoned Arch Lich Ra''Zan was still moving with a Legion of Undead and the powerful Abyssal Undead, while the mystical summoned Ancients were in another location letting out their deadly attacks that popped the heads of the Infernals like watermelons! This coordinated attack of the summons and Noah himself had made something that should have happened much later come to fruition sooner, the percentage of the Title of Infernal Lord inching ever so closer to completion! SHAA! Draco felt the aura of his master appear above his head once more as he felt the strong hands palpating with energies of Aether land on his scales, hearing the words that made it tremble with a feeling of unfairness. "Let''s burn them again!" "...Master, my mana is still recovering." Draco turned his head down shamefully as he flew through the skies, only spurts of flames leaving his mouth as he had been using Dragon''s Breath numerous times the past few hours, his energy reserves nearly depleted! This young Dragon was born with innate knowledge, and knew what was common sense and what was not. Seeing his master senselessly use mana like it was nothing these past days had made it realize the first lesson in its short life. ''My Master is too much of a monster that even the enormous reserves of a Draconic Behemoth cannot compare.'' The first lesson that Draco learned was that no matter how much it grew, it would most likely never reach the level of having similar mana reserves as his master! Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone was about to console the feelings of the dragon that was feeling down when he felt a minute change that completely overhauled and filled his entire senses. His gaze quickly turned towards the stat panel as he looked at the percentage next to the title. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(100%)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 26,613] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-2] [Vitality: VOID] [Focus: - ] [Strength: VOID] [Law(s) : Water-11%, Space-8%, Fate-.26%, Fire-12%] ... Unwittingly, in the last few seconds, the percentage in front of the Infernal Lord Title had reached 100%! Chapter 404 - Infernal Lord! At certain points in time, a historic event occurs that later goes on to affect many things on a grand scale. Sometimes there is an audience when such an event happens, other times it occurs in an unknown corner where nobody is actually there to tell the tale. But the major thing remained the same, and it was that these historic events would go on to forever change the way things were, where those involved can never bring anything back the way it once was. In the unknown corner of the First Infernal Realm, columns of dark red lights shot forth in all directions, their targets being a singular being floating in the air. In the blazing skies, one could observe the large body of a Draconic Fire Behemoth being pushed aside by these red columns of lights as they released an inviolable energy that was directed towards a single figure! In the distance, the eerie bodies of three Ancients looked at this scene with shining lights, their gazes being one that were shockingly able to understand what was happening. Their intrusion was joined by an Arch Lich that flew in on a Bone Dragon, a legion of Undead following closely behind as they simply stared patiently as their Master underwent a transformation. The moment that the percentage next to the Infernal Lord Title had reached 100%, these brilliant columns of light shot forth from every corner of the Infernal Realm as they held Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone in place, a unique energy being passed through these columns and into the clone, where this energy then traversed space and began following the invisible connection that allowed Noah to use this clone as an extension of his own limbs- this energy actually followed that connection as it began entering his main body that was an insurmountable distance away in the Celestial Realm and currently battling a Chaos Behemoth! RUMBLE! Noah''s main body felt a shocking jolt as the energy traversed through the millions of miles across space and began wrapping around his core, his thoughts moving rapidly as he focused his attention on the ability of the Vampyre Progenitor, [Unique Origin], as he quickly began to cover up the unique energy threatening to erupt from his body! Grandmaster Vredral''s face that was focused on the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger turned towards Noah momentarily as he blinked confusion away, his senses almost picking up on something dangerous that he had felt a few times before. ROAR! The counterattack of the Celestial Beast bought his attention back as he coordinated the movements of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team, their attacks flying out as they valiantly changed positions constantly while facing the unpredictable Chaos Behemoth. During the fight, Athena''s voice would occasionally ring out as she herself directed her teammates, her eyes shining a unique color as she read the movements of this powerful beast with ease! Noah kept up the pace of the battle as his mind and body was experiencing a horrific change, the energy threatening to spill out any moment as he continued pouring mana into the [Unique Origin] skill to make sure what he showed outside of his body was only the energy and aura of a Celestial and nothing else. The energy that traversed space from the clone in the Infernal Realm and into his body was wrapping around his very origin, the large blue Origin Core that had streaks of gold beginning to gain numerous red streaks that were quickly taking over as seconds passed! On top of this unique energy changing his core, a portion of it went to his mind as a large inflow of memories unique only to those gaining the title of Infernal Lord were thrust to the deepest recesses of his memories. In the Infernal Realm, the red beams of light only intensified as while Noah''s main body was pushing down any changes from showing through [Unique Origin], the extension of his limbs that was the clone experienced the full changes as all the transformation skills that were cast became canceled, the clear pale skin showing itself brilliantly and red runic sigils began to course below them! The most prominent change was above his head, where one could see numerous rising protrusions that were slowly forming into the shape of a crown. Such a crown was only apparent on 8 other beings, and it was a crown that stood for a great significance! RUMBLE! The inflow of energies and memories only continued as time passed, the clone continuing to undergo visible changes as Noah''s main body underwent hidden ones, the continuing inpouring of power also beginning to shoot his rank up as the shackles of the Void Realm began to be broken away without even the use of absorbing a large number of cores. The more seconds that passed, the more profound memories that entered into Noah''s mind as his expression was that of shock at first, then becoming stern, and ultimately becoming cold! This was best portrayed by the Ancient Blood Clone as the more that the memories continued to pour in, the colder its expression became as a shocking secret was revealed to Noah! The Novus Galaxy! The Light Expanse, the Dark Expanse, and the Letalis Expanse dwelling within it! The Infernals, the Celestials, and the Terrors that moved within it. Memories that were uniquely set aside for the special beings known as Infernal Lords continued to pour into Noah''s mind as the cold expression of the Ancient Blood Clone continued to grow colder, his mouth letting out a single word that seemed to depict his tumultuous mental state right at this moment with this influx of new information. "...f.u.c.k." --- At this moment in time as the process of the coronation of a new Infernal Lord began, the truly powerful beings across the Novus Galaxy came to attention as they looked across the vicissitudes of space and towards a certain location. From the Light Expanse to the Dark Expanse, and even the much wider Letalis Expanse- numerous auras awoke for this brief period in time as they felt the tides of change approaching! Chapter 405 - Signs of a New Era Across the multiple Celestial Stars, those that were considered at the top most positions were the ones that received the signal first, their power being the one that amassed the numerous benefits that all those below them brought in. Whenever a directive or a mission was released by the Celestials that went on to influence a small portion of the Light Expanse, the rise in understanding of Fate and Fate Lines would go towards those that were responsible for initiating such an event. For the missions passed down to destroy worlds or to save them, for the recent changes to allow the inhabitants living in the Light Expanse to enter the Celestial Realm...all of these events had their own cause and effect, the influence of fate they produced being taken in the most by those that actually initiated all of these things. So the heads of the numerous Celestial Stars felt the significant and rapid rise of the chaos element first, their abilities under extremely proficient in detecting wide ranging changes, especially those that dealt with laws! But aside from these powerful Grandmasters standing atop these Celestial Stars, there were also a few beings that stood above them- three to be precise! They would be considered the ones termed the Founders of the Celestial organization, the beings that made it possible for the Celestials to be where they are today. One was chained in a golden cage beneath a certain star, another was in an unknown location, and the last one...was relaxing in a paradisiacal atmosphere deep in the Celestial Realm! In this paradisiacal atmosphere where the mystical aurora of coagulating essence was abundant, a single man who looked to be in the prime of his life was lying back on the head of a mountainous creature that was a few hundred meters tall. This creature was one of fantasy, commonly heard about as a mythical beast with a shining white horn protruding from its head, and expansive white wings expanding on its back. Being a mixture of a Pegasus and a Unicorn, this monstrous Celestial Behemoth called an Alicorn was blankly walking forward as this single being sat atop its head comfortably! The being in question, one of the three Founders of the Celestials, had a wide smile appear on his calm face as his abilities showed the indication that the coming of a new Infernal Lord they were all expecting for had actually come to fruition faster than anticipated. The Founder crossed his arms in thought as numerous bursts of information appeared on his mind, a few words leaving his mouth that only he would be privy to. "Well, at least it is becoming slightly more exciting once more." He used his palm to pat the head of the enormous Behemoth he stood on, a unique energy shooting from his hands and entering the thick skin of the Alicorn easily as he spoke with an enthusiastic tone, the significance of the event that had just occurred seemingly not bothering him one bit! "Little horse, let''s go find another one of your little brothers for lunch. It''s been a few days since I''ve tasted a Supreme Behemoth." OOOO! A blank roar released from the Alicorn as it followed the given command, its enormous body turning into shades of scintillating golden lights as it moved forward at a speed even faster than light, trenching even deeper in the Celestial Realm! --- In the Letalis Expanse, a moving mass of a being that was the size of large planets had its red eyes staring in a certain direction. As it moved across the vastness of space, its dreadful power was expressed outwards as a swirling mass of destructive elements and Aether pulsed from it. One could distinctly observe the purple-blue color of Aether lighting up the large sections of this being''s body, star-sized tentacles and feelers only seeming much more terrifying in this light. The bulging red eyes were the ones that would draw someone in the most, holding a unique charm and terror that very few could handle. These red eyes seemingly having a light of conflicting emotions as a thought passed through this being''s mind. ''Was such a thing even necessary for you to do? What exactly do you hope to achieve with all of these events?'' The thoughts of the always slumbering being were awoken briefly as it sensed the rise of the last Infernal Lord, knowing that this indicated for a new era on the Novus Galaxy, where things would begin moving yet again towards a certain direction. Last time, this being, this Terror, interfered and actually brought an end to an Era! It ended the War of the Righteous as it hoped the direction of things could play out differently, but it seems like they were still set to head towards the same direction. ''Very well. Do what you must. There will be no interference from me this time around, even if all of these ignorant creatures kill themselves.'' Its thoughts came to a stop as its red eyes looked upwards, where even those that were knowledgeable would never be able to understand exactly what it was looking at. RUMBLE! A fearsome {{Authority}} that spanned tens of thousands of miles spread out as it returned to its task, moving across the Letalis Expanse as its red eyes gradually closed yet again! In farther reaches of space elsewhere, a similarly huge planet sized creature that held a different physiology than the aforementioned one also had similar thoughts, its attention eventually going on to what it was previously doing. This was just another one of the many truly powerful creatures that noticed the coronation of the last Infernal Lord and felt the beginning of a new Era, each of these powerful creatures having their own thoughts as they felt the changes and prepared or returned to what they were doing calmly! In the First Infernal Realm, the Ancient Blood Clone continued to feel the changes that it and the main body''s physiology was going through, a stellar red crown created from his own protrusions on his head lying grandly above him. He held a devilish charm as he felt his main body stably entering the Soul Forging Realm, the clone''s aura changing as well. He began to feel the laws of the Infernal Realm wrap around him as he experienced something that the advancing Aberration had tried to do months ago before its life was ended by Athena. The clone was ascending from the first Infernal Realm and into the one above it where multiple Infernal Lords resided! Chapter 406 - Shocking Knowledge As the coronation of the last Infernal Lord neared its completion, a stern look came upon Grandmaster Vredral as he also finally perceived this overpowering rise in chaos! Athena''s face changed a few seconds later, her face also turning grim as she stared at the Grandmaster for confirmation. ROAR! The Dark Winged Chaos Tiger continued to be hit with multiple attacks as at this moment, Grandmaster Vredral''s power began rising up wildly, raining down even more attacks as he utilized the golden hammers on his hands to release deadly Fate Essence. "We have to wrap this up, something has happened." His energy bubbled as enormous Blades of Liberation pierced through the skies, their deadly edges aiming towards the Chaos Behemoth rapidly changing positions as it continued to be swarmed from attacks of the members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team. Noah''s body also began rising in power as in the middle of all of this as his body stepped into the Soul Forging Realm, he used [Unique Origin] to portray a breakthrough occurring right at this moment as the essence his body gave off continued to rise and pierce through the wall of the Void Rank! A surprised expression appeared on the somber Grandmaster as he nodded. "Good! Keep going!" RUMBLE! The fierce battle continued as more attacks rained down, Noah himself officially stepping into the Soul Forging Realm in the eyes of the Celestials as his clone ascended from one Infernal Realm to another. --- The 5 Infernals Realms were spread out over a wide area in the Novus Galaxy. The lowest tiered one, the First Infernal Realm, had its gate in the Light Expanse. The Second Infernal Realm was located in the Dark Expanse, the Fourth one being at the border of the Dark and Light Expanse. The remaining two Infernal Realms where the most powerful Infernals and Infernal Lords resided were located in the Letalis Expanse that was filled with danger and mystery! Noah''s clone ascended into the Second Infernal Realm that was located in the Dark Expanse, his body opening its eyes and spreading its senses as he found himself in familiar skies that seemed to hold a tinge of difference. The surrounding atmosphere was much more dense than the First Realm, and he could observe huge structures in the distance that looked like devilish towering cities. The number of Infernals was not as many as in the droves of weak ones in the First Hell, but he could sense the aura of many Void and Soul Rank Infernals in the nearby surroundings! OOOM! Before he even got his bearings, he sensed the rapid appearance of an aura of two powerful beings rushing towards his position, the power he sensed from them being something he had never actually come across before. It was a level of power not at the Soul or Domain Expansion Realm, but the realm above that! These two Infernal Lords that were on the Second Infernal Realm and considered to be two of the weaker Infernal Lords were standing stably at the peak of the World Rank! From the Void to Soul, from Soul to Domain, and finally from the Domain and into the World Rank. A rank where the beings at this stage singularly had the power to destroy worlds. These were the first two beings at this level that Noah had met, and they were the Infernal Lords ranked 7th and 8th! WAA! Their arrival was announced grandly as their bodies pulsed with a power that Noah now found familiar, this power being the unique essence of Infernals that he had only been absorbing, but had now also become a part of him! The bodies of the Infernal Lords release a unique atmosphere as he could barely perceive an oppressive field of power and chaos that was always surrounding them. Making any beings that neared feel a sense of suffocation! "My oh my¡­ the new lord is actually not fully an Infernal, and is especially weak..." The curvaceous woman that held a pronounced crown similar to Noah and the other figure standing by her side spoke, her words sultry as her body curved magnificently while she spoke. Her words seemed sultry, but her power was surreal as Noah knew the identity of the two beings in front of him to be genuine Infernal Lords! He nodded towards them as he paid respects, the woman smiling while the devilishly handsome figure of the male Infernal Lord looked gruff while glancing towards him up and down before he spoke. "I care not of your power now, just whether you understand your role in the future. Do you know why you are here?" A simple question that anyone would come across throughout their lifetimes was asked, Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone nodding with an impassive face as he faced these beings of immense power. He held no fear towards them as the many memories he obtained the moment he became an Infernal Lord told him of many shocking secrets, and he knew that these two beings in front of him would never harm him. The question they asked was regarding the status he obtained the moment the title of Infernal Lord was fully his, and the unique existence he became because of it! "Yes, I know my role extremely well, and I will be moving to rapidly enhance the level of my realm so that I can be ready to carry out what is expected of me." The male Infernal Lord finally nodded with some goodwill at this, his body disappearing in particles of light as this was all he needed to hear! The sultry Infernal Lord remained as she stared at Noah with shining eyes, and he returned her gaze as he thought about the true identity of the Infernal Lords, and exactly what his role would now be. When comparing the identity of Infernals and the numerous other beings of numerous races he had come across over the months, they could be considered two opposing life forms. He was a life form that stood opposite to Infernals a few minutes ago, but ever since he took the full title of Infernal Lord, he had become a hybrid of something else! This identity came with many secrets that changed his view points and perceived notions entirely, especially so affecting how he would move from now on as among the many shocking pieces of information he had come across, one of them told him the main purpose for the creation of Infernals. That purpose that he now had to carry out...was to destroy! "Ahh, little lord, let''s talk for a bit...tell me how a being like you reached a special existence such as us while being at this level. Come, oh and call me Azula. Big Sister Azula." The powerful Infernal Lord at the World Rank smiled widely as she spread her arms out and pulled Noah''s blood clone forward, heading towards one of the many grand castles spread across the ancient looking cities in this Infernal Realm! Chapter 407 - Purpose Along the dredges of history, the knowledgeable beings knew that the Infernals came to everyone''s knowledge in the Battle of Righteous, standing against Celestials as in this battle, one of the weakest Infernal Lords fell. Since the battle was ended by the monstrous Terror, things have been in a constant state of conflict as the Infernals stood against the forces of the Celestials alongside the beings of the Dark Expanse. One side apparently stood for order and balance, the other was created for chaos and destruction! But...the many memories that Noah was granted told him a bigger story than just that! The Infernals and the Celestials, the Celestial Realm, or really its true name- the Central Realm that is closest to the true center of the Novus Galaxy, and the many creatures that are being cultivated within it. They were all connected! The beings called the Founders simply named themselves Celestials, and also named the Realm they chanced upon as their own- simply calling it the Celestial Realm. But the true identity of this realm was something much grander, something that the Celestials did not and could not actually lay claim to! But it was because of this Realm that they were able to obtain the powerful techniques and treasures that placed them in the position of power that they were in today. The way that they used this power though...went on to directly go against the universal laws, and thus the Infernals came to be! Their rise was a singular effect from the actions of the Celestials, the spawning of multiple Infernal Realms across the Novus Galaxy coming to be for the single purpose of balancing the flow of fate and chaos! The Infernals stood for chaos and destruction, but their true purpose was actually something that the Celestials regularly spoke of as one of their main ideals. The true purpose of the Infernals was to actually...bring back the original order and balance that was gradually being tipped by the Celestials! This was just what some of the shocking knowledge that the privilege of the Title of Infernal Lord told him, the information overhauling his world view and numerous possibilities of how he would move in the future were already blooming in his mind. For now, he followed and listened to the words of the 7th Infernal Lord Azula, as he looked for the description of the Infernal Lord title that was not incoherent symbols anymore. [Infernal Lord] (Variant) :: A special existence born for destruction and chaos, all in order to bring back balance. A holder of this title is granted powerful knowledge about the true nature of the Novus Galaxy, but restrictions exist which prevent them from acting on this knowledge as they remain strictly in the bounds of their purpose. This Variant title makes the user a unique existence that bypasses this restriction. Among the abundant knowledge obtained, the user has obtained the cultivation and martial techniques for the Supreme Law of Chaos. A long description of immense proportions laid out in front of his eyes as much of the things he knew were affirmed, all of the information flowing through his mind also going towards the Planetary Systems as they themselves had adopted a somber atmosphere. The title of Infernal Lord brought with it knowledge and a special entity into existence, but it also brought Noah the gift of something that only Celestials have had the pleasure of enjoying these past thousands of years! It also gave him something that was unique to the Celestial Realm, an Inheritance of the Disciple of Chaos! This Inheritance would have been something that he had to search for and brave horrendous dangers from the region where powerful Chaos Behemoths moved, but the Infernal Lord title granted this Inheritance as a by product. One must know that this was an Inheritance at the level of a Supreme Law, and was most likely at the same level as the Inheritance that the Celestial Founders had come across in the Celestial Realm, the same level of techniques that they had used to strengthen themselves for the last thousands of years! Yet now, Noah had obtained a similar level of techniques, and his sword that was aimed towards them had become even sharper as he received a clearer directive as an Infernal Lord. But...he also gained a better understanding of the powers of beings that he was playing with. He knew that the weakest Infernal Lords in this Second Infernal Realm were at the World Rank, the mid ranked Infernal Lord at the realm above that, and the strongest Infernal Lord that took the first seat was a whooping 2 realms higher than the World Rank. This was just the side of the Infernals that he was now on, and the terrifying thought to realize was that even with such a force, in the battle more than one thousand years ago, an Infernal Lord had still fallen as they faced their enemies- the Celestials. This showed the horrendous power that the Celestials carried, especially so for the Founders that stood at the peak of this organization! This made Noah realize no matter how fast he thought he was advancing, no matter how quickly he shot through the ranks, he was still utterly and completely outmatched by these powerful beings that had been alive and cultivating for thousands of years. He did not even come close to matching the strength of a single Celestial Grandmaster that had more than 600,000 Fate Lines, his own lines of fate just amounting to twenty six thousand! This was not to even mention the creature...the being that stood at the top of the Celestials and the millions of Fate Lines that they held. This realization made Noah shift his mentality on his rate of progress, throwing out any sort of pride or sense of accomplishment he had for getting so far in the span of a few months. Yes, nobody had risen as fast as he had in power. Nobody had amassed the achievements he obtained, his latest one of obtaining the title of Infernal Lord being even more unique. But...in the grand scale of things as he looked at the many shocking memories this title brought...he was extremely weak! So he continued perusing through the numerous shocking cl.u.s.ters of information as he planned for a plan of advancement in the future that would leave the speed he had been advancing so far in the dust. He would occasionally think himself powerful or overpowered as he strolled around and even began threatening entities on the level of planets. He thought this was some great accomplishment, but there existed experts like these two Infernal Lords at the World Rank that had the capabilities to destroy planets! No. He was not powerful! He was not overpowered! Not yet, not by a long shot! His eyes shone with a dangerous l.u.s.ter as he threw aside his old foolish thoughts and looked at things on a grander scale. Why feel a sense of achievement for being connected to a few worlds? Why feel happy for barely mastering .26% of the law of fate and amassing just 26,000 Fate Lines? What was stopping him from moving actively to connect himself to tens, hundreds of more worlds? What was stopping him from using his unique Planetary System and finding new ways to rapidly increase his mastering of laws? What was stopping him from truly becoming overpowered? RUMBLE! It felt like a dam had broken loose in his heart as intense ambition and goals sprouted forth, the shocking new knowledge he obtained going on to cause something even he did not fully know the effects of! Chapter 408 - {Disciple of Chaos} "My oh my, you''re barely paying any attention to me." The powerful Infernal Lord in front of him spoke out in a pouting manner as Noah was shaken out of his thoughts and looked towards her apologetically. "I apologize, Big Sister Azula. What were you saying?" "I asked you for your story, your journey up till now. I have to also assign you your own Infernal Legion, but that''s for later. Come, enlighten me while we enjoy some food." The Infernal Lord Azula motioned for Noah to follow her into one of the huge castles Noah could see in the ancient looking cities below him, behaved Infernals moving around respectfully as they neared. His head was filled with a variety of thoughts as he moved to entertain this powerful Infernal Lord first, choosing to move slightly later as he collected his thoughts and finalized his plans. In the Celestial Realm, the battle between the Dark Winged Chaos Tiger was coming to an end as a furious Grandmaster Vredral threw out consecutive Blades of Liberation and [Judgement] down on the beast, the timely warnings from Athena about its movements and the other deadly attacks from the now Soul Rank Noah and other members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team causing even more damage on this Chaos Beast. ROAR! It let out its last defiant roar as the Domain of Fate that Grandmaster Vredral released overpowered it, a singular last Blade of Liberation coming down to take its life! BOOM! Silence reigned in the region as only the brilliant aura of fate lingered in the air, Noah sensing numerous Lines of Fate descending onto the bodies of all the Celestials around him as he observed the quickest way that Celestials increased their Fate Lines. The face of Grandmaster Vredral was still somber as he floated in the air, his body disappearing into particles of light as he left behind a message. "Something urgent has occurred. Dissect and divide up the Behemoth before carefully returning to the Watch Tower, there shouldn''t be any other Elite Behemoths nearby. Boru, explain the intricacies of the materials of a Chaos Behemoth and Fate lines to the junior disciples." He left behind a tired Righteous Fire Exploration Team that nodded with tight expressions as he left, Boru taking charge as he began to explain a concept that Noah actually knew about deeply now because of a recent title. This time it dealt with the two Supreme Laws of Fate and Chaos! "Chaos is diametrically opposed to Fate, so whenever one overpowers the other, a rise in the respective beings involved increases." Boru spoke while moving quickly, the other party members helping as they began to use their abilities to divide the monstrous beast into multiple portions. "When we defeat Chaos Beasts, our Fate Lines increase rapidly. This also applies even more so when we purify the immense essence of chaos entrenched in their bodies there after, this being one of the more efficient ways we amass more fate lines." Noah listened closely as he contributed to the project, the mountainous beast soon being cut apart as everyone took their portion, their gazes turning towards the same direction that the Grandmaster disappeared in as they made their way back. They also knew that something serious had happened! Boru continued explaining about the usage of the materials of Chaos Behemoths as Noah used this information and compared it to what he now knew, a few possibilities forming as he thought about the cultivation technique he had obtained after becoming an Infernal Lord. The first one was a similar one to {Fate''s Disciple} and {Disciple of Fire}! {Disciple of Chaos} :: A technique geared towards cultivating the Supreme Law of Chaos. Grants the user the ability to cultivate Chaos Particles and form a Chaos Field. Succinct words showed themselves in his eyes as the team of Celestials slowly made their way back, his attention placed on the different aspects of this unique skill that set it apart from the first two law type cultivation techniques he obtained. The Disciple of Fire granted him a Fire Origin Core, Fate''s Disciple granted him Fate Lines, while this Disciple of Chaos granted its user a Chaos Field! He thought back to the oppressive feeling of strength that the Infernal Lords released, especially their surroundings that always felt suffocating for anyone that neared as he glanced at the Chaos Field even more. [Chaos Field] A field created from the unique particles of chaos, granting its user the reinforcement of the Law of Chaos passively and actively when any abilities are cast. Attacks reinforced with the chaos element bypass most defenses and reduce the Vitality of opponents directly. A thoughtful expression appeared on Noah''s face as they continued moving forward in the Celestial Realm, his clone being the one about to actually test this unique cultivation technique at the same level as the one the Celestials had their hands on. Back in the Second Infernal Realm, the Ancient Blood Clone looked at Infernal Lord Azula as they enjoyed a variety of unique foods he had never come across before. "Besides being assigned a Legion and increasing my strength for the foreseeable future, what else will I be doing?" Azula''s devilishly handsome face turned to the side at this question, smiling broadly as she replied. "A Letter of Summons from the First Infernal Lord will most likely arrive for you in the near future, detailing out a specific mission for you to carry out. Wait patiently for that as you cultivate, little lord." The powerful Infernal Lord replied with a sultry voice, Noah nodding as he prepared to move. "Then I''ll have to be impolite and get myself acquainted with my new power first. Thank you for the great welcome." He bowed towards the curvaceous Infernal Lord that replied without missing a beat. "Why of course. Mmm, you can dwell in the castle right next to this one for now as I get things prepared. And if you need anything...just ask." His face remained respectful and impassive as these words were released from the Infernal Lord, bowing as he moved out of one grand castle and went towards another. He simply had too many things on his plate to even think about anything else currently, and he had to start right away! Cultivating the Supreme Law of Chaos, the Supreme Law of Fate, the Law of Fire, and many other objectives that were only ideas so far and not made into action. He left to start on his long line of goals as he left behind a smiling Infernal Lord whose eyes shone while glancing at his back. "An Infernal Lord...yet not really...Ahh!" ... Chapter 409 - Fate Lines and Chaos Particles Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone descended onto one of the grand castles that were present in this devilish looking metropolis at the center of the Second Infernal Realm, the few attending Infernals inside it bowing towards him respectfully as his aura seemed inviolable to them! This was the aura of an Infernal Lord, and it came with many positives, but also a number of negatives as well. The biggest negative currently was that Noah could be classified as an Infernal, and a high ranking one at that, which made it so that he could not obtain the unique energy in the form of Skill Points that was only available when beings of polar opposite existences defeated each other in the Novus Galaxy! When the Celestials and other beings in the Novus Galaxy entered into an Infernal Realm to hunt down Infernals, they would receive this unique energy as their power and comprehension was boosted. When the Infernals defeated them, in turn they would also power up rapidly as their rank increased. The obtainment of the Infernal Rank title had effectively made Noah a special existence that now neither stood on one side or the other, actually being a hybrid existence that took away this unique feature, but granted him so much more. But this also meant that the Skill Points he currently had were limited to this number, his gaze looking at the overall Skill Points that were hovering a bit over 2000. His gaze was impassive as these thoughts came, simply letting him know that he had to use the Skill Points well and not waste them by permanently using them in maxing proficiencies of skills. But he held no worries as he knew in the far future, there was something which would still provide him with something along the same lines of Skill Points! He wrapped up his thoughts as he came into a grand hall in the castle, the attending Infernals closing the doors as he finally had time for himself. He thought back to the First Infernal Realm where Draco remained alone, Noah sending the young Dragon a telepathic message to continue hunting the constantly spawning Infernals to raise its power. He would be able to leave the Infernal Realm from a Portal that was already established by Noah when the Harbingers were hunting Infernals themselves a few weeks back. His other summoning skills were canceled as the only thing left in the First Infernal Realm was currently a Draconic Behemoth that was reaping the rewards of Skill Points. With these things set aside, the Ancient Blood Clone began on the first pressing issue- using the technique he received as an Infernal Lord to cultivate the Law of Chaos! He sat down at the center of the grand hall as he closed his eyes, spreading out his senses to cover his entire body and the surroundings as he activated {Disciple of Chaos}. This time, he made sure not even an ounce of chaos would show on his main body that was still moving in the Celestial Realm as [Unique Origin] was placed on overdrive. OOONG! A dark ripple of energy released from his as he cast this ability for the first time, this ripple of energy coming back in a circular fashion around him as it slowly began to vibrate. RUMBLE! This continued vibration seemed to be this circle, this Chaos Field, rapidly expanding and contracting as little by little, small dark particles began to appear within this field! These were the Chaos Particles that the {Disciple of Chaos} could form in a Chaos Field, the manifestation of chaos essence that would go on to reinforce them and their abilities! Little by little, the reserves of essence that the clone was connected to were let loose freely as these small Chaos Particles began to appear en masse all over the Chaos Field. The very surroundings trembled as the Infernals around the castle began to feel the convergence of the powerful aura of the Law of Chaos, respectful looks coming on to their faces as they went about their tasks. Around the clone, it seemed like floodgates of dark energy were congregating as Noah felt a new source of strength continue to grow within him, his gaze going observing a new section on his stat panel that showed the constantly rising number of Chaos Particles! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 26,653] [Chaos Particle(s) : 420] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-2] [Vitality: VOID] [Focus: - ] [Strength: VOID] [Law(s) : Water-11, Space-8%, Fate-.26%, Fire-11%, Chaos-.000042%] The number of Chaos Particles was constantly shooting up as it changed from a few hundreds quickly and went above 1000, the convergence of essence around the area the clone was in only getting wilder as the skies above the castle began to darken. The respect the surrounding Infernals felt only increased, while the 7th Infernal Lord Azula appeared in the skies as her gaze locked in on the castle Noah was in, a bright smile spreading from her face as the 8th Infernal Lord, the Infernal who was known as Rykker, also appeared next to her to watch this spectacle. "He''s at least got the talent to rapidly advance, don''t you think?" Azula said with a bright tone as she continued to observe the convergence of essence and chaos around the castle. Rykker replied with an impassive expression as he nodded. "He had to at least have some ability for him to be able to stand on the seat of the 9th Infernal Lord. Besides, anyone cultivating the Law of Chaos using the {Disciple of Chaos} for the first time initiates a change like this. It will fade away soon enough as he falls along the same grueling cultivation journey that we all take. He''ll hopefully gain some power in these next few years before the war breaks out." Rykker said this with an unimpressed expression as the two Infernal Lord continued to observe the phenomenon in the air, waiting to see how long this convergence of chaos essence would continue to measure the genius of this new Infernal Lord. Their eyes watched as their impressions gradually changed, noticing that the clouds of chaos particles were not actually reducing as time passed, but actually becoming even denser before they shot down towards the singular being cultivating within the castle! "..." "Well, I guess it''s impressive now. It''s been a few minutes, and with such a large amount of chaos particles converging, he can be considered a genius that has obtained a few thousand during his first session." Azula only smiled brightly as Rykker said this, her gaze looking forward expectantly as more time passed, the surrounding cloud of Chaos Particles actually not reducing one bit, and were actually becoming even denser! 10 minutes! 30 minutes! 1 hour!!! RUMBLE! A tremor ran through the minds of many of the Infernals in the Second Infernal Realm, many of them already noticing the stupendous phenomenon of intense convergence of chaos particles that only continued to get denser and denser. Rykker''s face had turned ashen as even Azula looked forward in shock, the implication of holding the convergence of this mane Chaos Particles that continued to descend into the Castle having ahuge significance! Similar to Fate Lines, those that were truly proficient in the Law of Fate would condense a few hundred or a few thousand Fate Lines on their first initiation of {Fate''s Disciple}, whereas they would be limited to condensing a few tens of Fate Lines or at most a hundred every day there after. This created a very long and arduous journey for those cultivating Supreme Laws, where they had to find other means like influencing the lives of millions or reaping the lives of beings proficient in the opposing Law of Chaos to increase their cultivation rapidly! This concept stood the same for the Chaos Particles of the Law of Fate, which was why the two Infernal Lords were shocked, as they could presume the number of Chaos Particles being condensed should have long ago passed ten thousand, and it did not seem like it was stopping! Rykker couldn''t help but let out an exclamation as he watching this confounding phenomenon. "What the hell is this?!" ... Chapter 410 - Dual Cultivation Going back an entire hour as Noah first initiated {Disciple of Chaos}, the process had been going similarly as he expected from his experiences in condensing Fate Lines. He saw the constant stream of Chaos Particles fill his Expanding Chaos Field, their rate constantly pouring in as the number soon passed 10,000 and continued forward, showing that his supposed talent for this Law of Chaos even surpassed the Law of Fate! But it was only by this much, as he observed himself getting a few hundred more Chaos Particles before the atmospheric converging chaos began to stall and reduce. He was about to accept this result when he thought of Boru''s words on how they increased their Fate Lines rapidly through defeating Chaos Behemoths and using their materials. Through using their body parts and purifying the enormous amounts of chaos entrenched in their bodies, one would be able to gain Fate Lines much faster! This thought crossed Noah''s mind as he chose to become bold briefly, testing the waters and this theory as while {Disciple of Chaos} was initiated, he also activated {Fate''s Disciple}! RUMBLE! A tremor passed through his body as the moment the skill was initiated, a few golden lines of fate began coming towards him. But the intrusion of these fate lines was as if gasoline was poured into the fire, causing the surrounding Chaos Particles they were passing through in the Chaos Field to tremble violently as they attacked the coming Fate Lines and wiped them away entirely! !!! Noah observed this change with a shocked expression as the moment that these golden Fate Lines were disintegrated, the surrounding Chaos Particles became excited as even more of them converged towards him, the number that had stagnated at 10,836 pushing upwards as it broke past 11,000 very quickly. He continued to pour mana into the {Fate''s Disciple} skill as numerous Lines of Fate descend down and tried to attach to his body, but the moment they came in contact with the Chaos Field, they were utterly destroyed even before reaching Noah''s body, the reaction that Boru talked about of increasing one''s Fate Lines by purifying Chaos actually being used the other way around, where any condensing Fate Lines were quickly wiped away by the Chaos Particles surrounding Noah as he was then rewarded with even more particles! He felt like he was touching upon the precipice of something tremendous as he kept it going, the only thing he was burning being his mana as the number of Fate Lines remained at a constant 26,653, but his Chaos Particles were gradually increasing as he had {Fate''s Disciple} activated. He observed for 10 more minutes as he counted more than 100 Fate Lines appear and try to enter his body, but they were ultimately destroyed the moment they reached the Chaos Field, never coming in contact with him as the normal rule where he could condense 100 Fate Lines was violated, even more of them coming down as they never actually became bound to him and continued to be destroyed! It was a terrific cycle where Noah was only using an immense amount of mana to keep the two techniques, {Fate''s Disciple} and {Disciple of Chaos}, active while he simply watched the many present Chaos Particticles eat up the lines of Fate, their numbers continuing to shoot up as if a chemical reaction was taking place, causing the cloud of converging chaos particles to only become denser as time passed. This brought us to the current time where it was an hour later, and Noah already had the number of Chaos Particles up to 13,000, amassing 2000 more Chaos Particles that he would have had to spend 20 days slowly condensing in just a single hour! This situation caused his eyes to shine a beautiful splendor as a shocking thought crossed his mind. If this number remained the same...if he could really condense 2000 Chaos Particles in around an hour...didn''t this mean he could possibly have over a million in just the span of a month?! "..." This idea left him speechless as it seemed too shocking to be true! If this same technique could be applied to Fate Lines, it meant he could possibly catch up and even pass a being like Grandmaster Vredral in the span of a month! [...It seems to be possible.] His thoughts were affirmed as the Planetary System of his home world chirped in, the confirmation making Noah expectant as he had come upon a way which made the heavy weight he felt from knowing too many truths about their current situation lift some what. [The time span of a month is also if you were cultivating a single Supreme Law. If you put the Law of Fate into the equation as well, you would only make half the progress, but in both Supreme Laws.] Noah nodded as many thoughts continued coursing through his mind. [We''ve also tested amassing Fate Lines in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land, where the unique ratio of time actually did not affect the condensation of Fate Lines, the number remaining at 100 in terms of the real time of the Universe.] Yes! When Noah created his Ancient Blood Clone, one of the first things he tested in the Time space of the Spiritual Land was whether he could use the passage of time in the Time Space to bypass the restriction of only being able to amass around 100 Fate Lines each day. But he had disappointedly found out that even with the enhanced ratio where days passed in the Time Space, the moment 100 Fate Lines were condensed, an entire day had to pass in the outside world before more of them descended down! This was why even though his clone was actively in the Time Space increasing the proficiency of skills and training, the number of Fate Lines had still grown at the same rate the past few weeks! This limitation did not get Noah down though, as he now had his hands on this unique situation that would easily allow him to amass numerous Chaos Particles and by extension, many Fate Lines for as long as he wished. [Although, I can already see another limitation occurring in the future when you enter the stage of a million or more. I''ve observed the usage of mana to exponentially increase when you reached the 10,000 mark for both Fate Lines and Chaos Particles, which means it will increase even more as you continue in the future. This is especially so with this new method you are currently using, where the essence you burn to constantly keep both {Fate''s Disciple} and {Disciple of Chaos} is of no issue or consequence now, but it might cause a strain as you get closer near the 10,000,000 number of Fate Lines or Chaos Particles and get close to mastering these Supreme Laws through this Dual Cultivation method.] Hearing these words from the Planetary System about possible limitations in terms of something he considered to have an infinite amount of, his eyes shone with an oppressive aura as dangerous thoughts rushed out from him. ''If a strain in energy might occur in the future as I near mastering these Supreme Laws, I''ll simply nip that problem in the bud right now.'' The Planetary System had simply mentioned that there would be a strain if he were to constantly burn mana as he kept the two skills active when the number of Fate Lines or Chaos Particles reached the millions, meaning that it still would not be that much of a problem, and would simply be a strain. But even this he did not want to hear! Because in his heart, the mana he could use was always Infinite! The thought of there being a strain should never even come when it dealt with him! His eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as he affirmed his next steps while he continued to amass even more Chaos Particles. ''If the connections of a few planets will not be enough, I''ll simply attach myself to a hundred more! If a hundred more will not be enough, I''ll simply upgrade them to become Realms! Mana...will never be a problem for me!'' Arrogant and domineering thoughts swirled in his mind as he perused through the abundant knowledge he now held about the Novus Galaxy, the ideas of Worlds and how they became Realms being extremely clear in his eyes as he looked forward to a grand future. Outside the castle where he was dual cultivating both {Fate''s Disciple} and {Disciple of Chaos}, two Infernal Lords were looking at this scene with ashen faces as they thought the genius of this new Infernal Lord was simply too monstrous! Chapter 411 - Movements As a new Infernal Lord just chanced upon a terrifyingly rapid way to increase his strength, the powerful figures on opposing sides were moving with their own discussions and plans. The Righteous Fire Exploration Team had returned to the watch tower where they stationed the Prime Warship, the tense air being sensed around the Tower as over the next few hours, they were briefed on future changes as the Celestials reacted to the knowledge that a new Infernal Lord had risen! This event meant that in the near future, where it be months or years, a new war would be breaking out. The coming of the 9th Infernal Lord was just another one of the signs for this, with many more to follow. For the Celestials, their allowance of the inhabitants of the Novus Galaxy into the Celestial Realm continued to provide them with multiplied benefits as those in high ranking positions were able to increase their progress in the Law of Fate, while also being able to bring in even more materials from the Behemoths that continued to be hunted by tens of thousands of teams currently. With this project going smoothly, the next item on the list for the Celestials was the even more rapid rise in strength of their own forces, a few Grandmasters like Vredral putting forward the ideology that they needed to focus their treasures on a few specific individuals that would hold a tremendous amount of battle power, and not spread out all the resources to create average strength Celestials. This brought forward the command for the seeds of Celestials like those with Noble Fates and those showing unique strengths to be put at the forefront of receiving materials and treasures, their rise in strength being favored more as they showed a different level of strength! This made it so that a majority of the materials combining into the hands of the Celestials were directed to powerful Grandmasters and beings that held unique titles like those with Noble Fates, meaning Celestials like the War Princess Athena and Crixus the Destroyer would be freely receiving huge boosts very soon. When the day ended, numerous new directives had been laid out as Celestials began to move with even more discipline and haste! They were not the only ones though, as the Alliance of the Dark Expanse that was made up of organizations like the Scholar''s Guild and Ancient Clans of Vampyres and other powerful beings also continued to move forward with even more vigor. Their spies that had made it into the Celestial Realm began moving even faster as a unique spatial connection was hiddenly established in this Central Realm at the center of the Novus Galaxy as they began reaping the rewards of the Celestial Realm in full swing. The unique atmosphere gradually growing in the Sanctum, the central location that many being converged to sell and trade their treasures in the Celestial Realm, became even more active beginning this day as it was not just the powerful beings standing near the top that felt the gradual change in atmosphere, even the forces of numerous Prime Worlds knowing they were entering another stage. Noah gradually absorbed all of these changes as his clone continued his stupendous Dual Cultivation of both Chaos and Fate simultaneously in the Second Infernal Realm, the watching 7th and 8th Infernal Lord glancing at this show of talent with ashen faces as it had been continuing for the past day. His clone was currently increasing Chaos Particles, where golden Fate Lines continued to try descending down on his body and were gradually destroyed, the destruction of the Fate Lines granting Noah a never ending cycle of even more Chaos Particles. He breathed out slowly as he glanced around the enormous Chaos Field surrounding his body, especially the thousands of Chaos Particles randomly moving around within it. His surroundings were dark and cloudy as any nearby Infernals felt their bodies grow stronger as they were exposed to the unique environment for a few hours. His body was the one with the most changes as he glanced at his Stat Panel, the number making his ambitious thoughts grow ever stronger as they foretold countless possibilities. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 26,653] [Chaos Particle(s) : 45,635] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-2] [Vitality: SOUL] [Focus: - ] [Strength: SOUL] [Law(s) : Water-11, Space-8%, Fate-.26%, Fire-11%, Chaos-.45%] The number of Chaos Particles had risen from nothing until they broke through 45,000 in the single day that he began cultivating the {Disciple of Chaos}! The percentage under the Law of Chaos also rose to .45%! This was more than the entire progress he made over the past month as he amassed Fate Lines as Celestials normally would! It was a shocking rate of progression, but it made him slightly less apprehensive as he thought about the strength of the beings he had to move with. The truly powerful Celestial Grandmasters in the Light Expanse, the Ancient forces moving in the Dark and Letalis Expanse, as well as the most fearsome creatures of them all...the Terrors. With this new method of cultivating laws that was only made possible by the enormous reserves of mana, he felt a level of confidence when looking at this big picture! SHAA! He waved his hands as he stopped burning his mana towards {Fate''s Disciple} and {Disciple of Chaos}, the dark clouds that had been gathering for the past day beginning to slowly clear up as the aura of Chaos reduced. Around his body, the Chaos Field rumbled as more than forty five thousand Chaos Particles chaotically moved within it. He moved his thoughts as these particles slowly settled, the Chaos Field around his body gradually becoming transparent as it disappeared, never to be seen by anyone else unless he wished it! He breathed out as he rose, feeling the auras of the two Infernal Lords floating atop the skies of the Second Infernal Realm. He turned into red particles of light as he disappeared, reappearing in the skies in front of them as he knew he must have shocked them beyond comprehension. Infernal Lord Azula looked towards him with shining eyes and a fervent expression, looking at his impassive face that seemed to say what he did wasn''t much. The 8th Infernal Lord, Rykker, glanced towards Noah with sharp eyes as he could not help but comment. "What the hell are you, really?" ¡­ Chapter 412 - Utilization Noah glanced at the two Infernal Lord in front of him as he replied impassively. "It seems I am more in tune with the Law of Chaos than I thought." His answer only caused the two powerful beings in the World Rank to shake their heads helplessly at the simplification of the unbelievable cultivation session where this being most likely amassed more chaos particles in a day that would normally require one to cultivate for a month. "If your power rises like this, your Realm progression past the Soul Forging Realm will only become smother, the profound comprehension of a Supreme Law only aiding you in faster breakthroughs while also enhancing your strength." Noah nodded at this as he spoke once more. "I''ll have to be impolite and leave our Realm soon. I know you all sense that I am not fully an Infernal, my unique position allowing me to move freely. I am planning on further increasing my comprehension in the Law of Chaos by actively moving in the outside worlds and realms." His words brought a period of silence as Azula smiled sweetly while Rykker looked towards him carefully, the curvaceous Azula speaking with an amorous tone. "Just be sure your identity as an Infernal Lord is hidden so that you don''t inadvertently start the war early. We wouldn''t want the 9th Infernal Lord to die again as soon as he just took his seat." Noah nodded as he glanced at the 8th Infernal Lord Rykker who also nodded, his clone casting [Unique Origin] as the regal crown protruding from his head began disappearing, the dark hair filled with silver streaks returning as he took back his actual form that was Noah Osmont. "A form of a human that is so seamless...ahh your talents are going to become very important in the future. Go on and be careful, I will send you a message whenever a Letter of Summons from the 1st Infernal Lord comes down for you." The 7th Infernal Lord Azula said this as she waved her hand, a runic medallion pulsing with a unique power coming towards Noah as he swiped his hands and placed it in his Expansive Space. "Then I''ll have to trouble you, Seniors. Please let me know if I can be of help in anything." Noah made a slight bow to these powerful World Rank individuals as he began disappearing in particles of light, disappearing in front of the two Infernal Lords and leaving behind a shocking atmosphere where they were still reeling from his wild cultivation session. "...this new Infernal Lord might be something shocking that has yet to show us all exactly what he''ll be capable of." A thoughtful expression appeared on Rykker as the eyes of Azula twinkled, their bodies shooting off in separate directions thereafter as they moved to do their own tasks! --- The Ancient Blood Clone reappeared beneath a certain volcanic mountain where an Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire was contained, the miniaturized Spiritual Land still stably floating near the Ancient Pedestal peacefully. The clone sensed the overpowering coagulation of essence in the Celestial Realm once more as he compared it to the levels of essence in the Second and First Infernal Realm, affirming that these two realms were not even close to the level of essence in this Central Realm that was nearest to the center of the Novus Galaxy! He moved into the Spiritual Land as he saw the state of the training Harbingers and other individuals from the multiple stars he was connected to, many of them having learned the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire as their bodies vibrated with the fire element while trying to build a Fire Origin Core. He sent a message to the Emperor Penguin as he wanted to gauge their distance from the volcanic mountain, they being the only ones that had not learned the Inheritance yet as they used the journey to this mountain as one of training. The Emperor Penguin let him know that they were actually fighting a Fire Behemoth at this moment, with the Ancient Blood Clone using the Spiritual Land to check exactly what location the Emperor Penguin was in. Matching the rough coordinates with the map he had drawn for himself as he traversed towards this volcanic mountain when he was following the [Treasure Hunter] of the Spiritual Land and only marked the locations of the Behemoths he came across, he found their location as he disappeared once more. ROAR! He appeared in the gorgeous field of greenery and ancient trees of the Celestial Realm that he was used to, hearing the roar of a Behemoth not too far away as he sensed the auras of Elena and the Emperor Penguin, along with many other Vampyres and the Calamities of the Sea. "Be ready!" Elena was shouting valiantly as she tanked the horrendous fiery attacks of the Behemoth, the others dealing damage all around this beast as they weaved in and out. The Kraken was sending down red rays of light as an oversized goldfish, another Calamity of the Sea, released blue-gold water spear that rushed towards the Behemoth. Spatial Blades were being released from the flippers of the Emperor Penguin as the battle was in full swing, everybody contributing to bringing down this Celestial Beast at the level of Soul Forging Realm. RAA! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin cried out expectantly as it sensed the aura of its Master, a fervent look appearing on Elena as she sensed the aura of the Progenitor! RUMBLE! Noah read this state of battle as he teleported once more, appearing atop the Fire Behemoth that looked like a large iguana, his feet stably landing atop the beast that soon felt the intrusion of a being stepped on it and roared loudly, fiery essence bubbling on its body as it prepared to burn whoever was so foolish to stand upon it. Noah disregarded the bubbling power of the beast as he called out calmly, wanting to test the efficacy of the rare Supreme Law of Chaos as he came to pick up his subordinates for the future plans he had. [Chaos Field], [Essence Disruptor]. RUMBLE! A dark field containing tens of thousands of Chaos Particles spread out with him at the center, the deadly chaotic field going on to wrap around the body of the Fire Behemoth as the wild movements it was doing came to a halt, Noah''s clone actually going on to use one of the new abilities he obtained! ROAR! It let out a fearsome roar as it tried to move, the numerous Chaos Particles going on to disrupt its essence as it felt its muscles spasming and the essence of the Law of Fire suppressed! The Pureblood Vampyres and subordinates around him looked in shock at the incapacitated Fire Behemoth, Noah himself continuing his test as he looked over the other set of abilities that came with the Inheritance of the Disciple of Chaos when he obtained the Infernal Lord Title. He glanced at the absolute skills called > and [Agent of Chaos] as his mana began moving wildly! Chapter 413 - Agent of Chaos The description of the > skill was similar to the opposing skills that he obtained some time back from the Celestials, only having a few differences from >! > :: An inheritance from the Disciple of Chaos that holds tremendous power. The mysteries of the Supreme Law of Chaos can be slowly understood while this technique is in use, understanding what true chaos is as the user moves to not just create more chaos, but to control it. Abilities include Chaos Discernment, Chaos Traverser, Chaos Concealment, and Chaos Harvester. [Chaos Discernment] :: The clouded and abstruse movements of chaos of different entities or beings became easier to see. The Agent of Chaos can then decide how to use this information. Strict conditions must be met for any usable information to be discerned. [Chaos Traverser] :: As one that is proficient in the workings of the law of chaos, you have more of a leeway over the chaos around you and those you are connected to . This ability allows you to traverse towards the optimum chaos that will grant you the most power. [Chaos Concealment] :: The user''s chaos can be made hard to decipher, where others will not be able to find exactly where chaos will lead you. [Chaos Harverstor] :: An ability given to the Herald of Chaos that allows them to grant chaos to others while reducing chaos from themselves or others. One must use it sparingly as the distribution of chaos is harder to control than expected. The description of the abilities were very similar to the ones from the >, where one could even argue they seemed like a simple copy and paste! But the two laws were counter parts of one another, and having equivalent abilities would only allow Noah to see both sides of the equation, being able to discern both Fate and Chaos. But his gaze was on the offensive and defensive skills similar to [Fate''s Guardian], these ones called [Agent of Chaos]! This was where he had obtained the skill he just used to incapacitate the movements of the huge Fire Behemoth, the skill called [Essence Disruptor]! SOUL [Agent of Chaos](0/60) :: The title of an Agent of anything is a rare one. This skill tree gives its user the ability to confidently call themselves an Agent of Chaos. Abilities include Essence Disruptor(0/5), Chaotic Mandate(0/5), Chaos Orbs(0/5), and Void of Impending Doom(0/5). [Essence Disruptor](0/5) :: The Chaos Particles under your control heed your call as they go on to bind and disrupt the essence and movements of the enemies that fall upon your Chaos Field. [Chaotic Mandate](0/5) :: The user is covered with a mandate of chaos, the Chaos Field surrounding them transfusing with their skin to adorn them in a Chaos Armament. This mandate allows the Agent of Chaos to stand as a true being capable of reigning down unmatched retribution. +100% Chaos Damage, +100% Chaos Resistance, +50% Elemental Damage, +50% Defense, +50% Attack, Cast, and Movement Speed, +50% of all Damage converted to Chaos Damage. [Chaos Orbs](0/5) :: Destructive orbs of chaos are called upon, being released upon your enemies as an area of attack ability. Each of the orbs carry with them the explosive force of a disordered star. Affected area- 50 meters. [Void of Impending Doom](0/5) :: A void of chaos is focused on one particular enemy, this void installing the Fear and Oppressed Effect onto the enemy and disordering their mental state before deadly Doom Spikes rain down. A set of beautifully described skills were laid out in front of his eyes, and he started by testing out [Essence Disruptor] first, the more than 45,000 Chaos Particles under his control permeating through the body of the Fire Behemoth as it tried to will it essence and muscles to move, but it was rendered unable to! The Emperor Penguin watched this scene where his master incapacitated a monstrous Soul Forging Behemoth the moment he entered, being taken out of his stupor when he heard the calm command ring out in his ears. "Attack." OOOH! The Harbingers of Sin and the Pureblood Vampyres became pumped at the show of power, moving with even more vigor as their attacks smashed into the Fire Behemoth who could not even use its essence to defend itself, Noah''s clone remaining on top of the huge iguana looking beast as he continued to pour mana into the [Essence Disruptor] skills to allow the Chaos Particles in his Chaos Field that wrapped around the entirety of this huge beast to continue disrupting its essence. With his power, this was the extent of what he could do currently, which was a terrifying thought to imagine as he cooly stopped the movements of a powerful Normal Behemoth! He did not cast the other terrifying sounding skills like [Chaos Orbs] or [Void of Impending Doom] which would most likely wipe away everything on site, choosing to let his subordinates finish off this Behemoth and not steal their kill. ROAAR! A weakened roar of unwillingness was let out from the Fire Behemoth as it faced a situation where it could not even move, horrible attacks reigning down that soon took its life! BOOM! Its body slumped to the ground as the Order of Blood cheered, the many team members glancing towards Noah with shining eyes as they dawned a Behemoth so easily with his intrusion of a few seconds. "Master!" The eyes of the Emperor Penguin were shining as he and the fervent looking Elena were the first to step forward, Noah nodding towards them as he waved his hands to the right of the Behemoth, essence converging as a portal slowly began to form. The sleek penguin came to the side of the Fire Behemoth as it used its spatial abilities to put away the Cores and Skill Books that dropped from it as loot to be divided for later, waving its flippers towards the mountainous body of the beast itself thereafter as it also disappeared into the Emperor''s Penguin''s own spatial inventory skill. OOOM! The portal finished forming as silently in the explored Northern Region of the Celestial realm, Noah came to collect the rest of his subordinates for them to begin learning the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire, the closest plans he currently had dealing with the beasts of the Spiritual Land the most as he prepared for something that he considered a practice run for his future plans. The thing he considered a practice run was fulfilling the requirements of upgrading the Spiritual Land to the 9th Tier, where he needed to get his hands on the core of a Small World! Chapter 414 - Herbs and Pills are Good for Breakthroughs As Noah erased the portal which led to the Spiritual Realm in the location where a Fire Behemoth just fell, he was the last to disappear as he joined everyone else beneath the volcanic mountain where the Spiritual Land stood next to the Ancient Pedestal that held the Inheritance Crystal for the Disciple of Fire. The extremely hot environment was one where only those at higher realms could withstand, with all the newcomers that were just battling the Fire Behemoths being those who could easily learn the inheritance on their own. He looked towards Elena as he gave out multiple directions to her and the others. "Gather all those that haven''t learned the Inheritance and oversee the whole process. You.." He pointed towards the Emperor Penguin as he continued speaking. "...gather your brothers and sisters. We have another power leveling session to go through." He released multiple commands towards many beings, those familiar with Noah noticing the slightly colder tone as they nodded with serious faces and each went about their tasks. The normal smile that Noah carried months ago was fading away slowly, his disposition becoming more serious when he obtained the Vampyre Progenitor bloodline, and now becoming even colder as he was hit with some of the truth about the true reality they were all in, and just how outclassed they were! Those paying attention would recall his disposition becoming more cheerful or feeling a sense of excitement only when he explored new areas, obtained new skills, or got his hands on powerful new treasures. His emotions were gradually settling down on the more impassive and calmer side, the cheerful and excited side of himself slowly being tucked away in a corner! Many beings went about their tasks as most were simply learning a powerful inheritance and then cultivating in the Fire Law Space to form their Fire Origin Cores, with the Spiritual Land Beasts having a different task as they were brought down to the Time Space of the Spiritual Land for more intense training. Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone looked at the many resplendent fields of medicinal herbs and fruits spread out across the Time Space, this region that should have been one where people trained their hardest and surpassed those in the outside world slowly turning to become a region filled with farmland. He planted as much of the Spiritual Land Plants that had long growing and maturing times but gave out amazing herbs of medicinal fruits that held overflowing essence in the Time Space, using the increased ratio to grow these plants in a short period of time. When the Spiritual Land was last upgraded to the 8th Tier, he had planted the newly available plants that were called Athramire and King''s Collard among others, where the products of these magical plants were being observed in front of him right now as he looked at farmlands overflowing with shimmering plants that dangled rainbow-colored fruits, while some were growing as scintillating herbs. A profound aroma was released from these many fantastical fields as Noah waved his hands, collecting many of the fruits and herbs as he prepared to make pills once more while using the {Forge of the Silver Flame} that he received from a being that was shrouded in mysteries, but Noah already had a slight indication of a few possibilities! This being that called himself the Karmic Sect master had also left him something he had not been using all that much since he received it, the item called [Lawful Nourishment] that helped one with cultivating laws. This was something that he planned to take out and use during this time as he was finally getting into the time when he was focusing on the comprehension of laws. He put these thoughts aside as a cauldron materialized in front of his, a shining silver flame beginning to burn as the shimmering medicinal fruits and herbs that were filled with essence began to be refined and turned into pills. He was utilizing these Spiritual Land Plants that were heavily conducive to the rise in strength of the Spiritual Land Beasts in order to achieve the goal he currently held of pushing the ranks of more than 10 beasts into the Soul Forging Realm. He had a set of Soul Rank cores from the many Soul Ranked beings he defeated these past few weeks, but they would not be enough to push the ranks of 10 beasts from the Void and into the Soul Rank, with these medicinal herbs and fruits acting like a buffer to continue propelling the levels of these Beasts forward! The Emperor Penguin, Arctic Wolf, Flying Spider, and 7 other of the most powerful beasts in the Spiritual Land stood respectfully near Noah as they saw the appearance of shining pills that flew towards them, their jaws spreading wide open as they swallowed and began digesting the treasures they were receiving. On top of the pills filled with abundant essence, Noah waved his hands to bring out the Soul Rank Cores in his [Expansive Space] as they were also thrown towards the beasts, the process of raising the ranks of 10 beings from Void to Soul beginning in the Time Space of the Spiritual Land! It was a busy time in this fantastical floating landmass as many beings were moving rapidly within it, many of them cultivating the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire, with others excitedly being fed herbs and pills on top of Cores to push their ranks from one stage to another. During this whole process, Noah was thinking about the other condition he had to fulfill if he wanted to bring the Spiritual Land from the 8th and into the 9th Tier. Upgrade Conditions: 10+ Spiritual Land Beasts at the Soul Rank, A Small World Core He looked under {Spiritual Land Management} as the words ''A Small Word Core'' shone with a blue l.u.s.ter, his thoughts moving rapidly as he thought of exactly what his actions would mean for him to obtain a World Core. This momentary thought was quickly thrown out of his mind as his heart became firm, knowing he would face this problem head on as the time neared, and he would accomplish without fail no matter what he had to do! His mind was already perusing through many memories of the beings he had devoured before as he searched for possible small worlds, whether it was those occupied and filled with life, those that did not have any civilizations or even those that were simply uninhabitable planets filled with unlivable environments. He had many possibilities, and did not necessarily have to destroy an entire world and its beings in order to achieve his goals! He watched the progress of the Spiritual Land Beasts as their power continued to grow, biding his time as his mind-enhancing skills worked rapidly, his main body undergoing an entirely different ordeal as he had begun receiving even more treasures from the Celestials. Chapter 415 - Treatment Reserved for Kings In the large Watch Tower that stood between the border of Normal Behemoths and Elite Behemoths, Noah and Athena were in a huge training hall to themselves as they looked in front of them where numerous materials from Chaos Behemoths were thrown down. Grandmaster Vredral was overseeing this continuing process as numerous Celestial Disciple came in with golden rings and released numerous treasures ranging from the powerful Chaos Origin cores of Elite Behemoths all the way to materials filled with the Chaos Element. "You two are actually fortunate to be living in this tumultuous time, as you will experience a rapid rise in your strength that would normally take others tens or hundreds of years to do so." The Grandmaster continued speaking as the treasures piled up. "These materials filled with Chaos in front of you would normally be spread out to hundreds of Grandmasters to continue propelling their ranks forward, but many of them were redirected towards you as we need beings with unique titles like yours to be the ones that stand at the forefront of the coming battles." He moved with a serious expression as he picked up one of the "The Chaos in these materials can be purified to grant you an increased pace at amassing Fate Lines, which will even further increase your speed of progressing through the Realms. I''m especially happy for your fast progress in being able to keep up with your Senior Sister, Crixus!" Grandmaster Vredral beamed toward Noah as he said this, even Athena turning towards him with a light smile as he nodded to the Grandmaster. "Alright, you all go ahead and cultivate well, I will come to bring you both on hunts for Elite Behemoths during periods when you need to consolidate your power and get some practice." The Grandmaster left behind his directions as Athena walked towards the mountains of materials and Cores from Chaos Behemoths, looking at Noah with a smile as she spoke. "We truly are blessed by Fate, Junior Brother Crixus. Who could have ever thought that something like this would have been given freely to us." Noah walked towards the mountain of treasures as he hid an impassive interior with a smiling exterior and replied. "We should do our best to cultivate then. Don''t let me catch up to you in Fate Lines as well, Senior Sister!" "Oh, is that a challenge?" The valiant and battle driven War Princess looked towards him as she took his words a challenge, sitting down next to the pile of treasures as grabbed a piece of a Chaos Behemoth that was entrenched with the Law of Chaos. Her body lit up with tens of thousands of Fate Lines as she released a golden aura, this aura going on to actually burn the material that held the chaos element as it began to burn the opposing law within it! As this process continued, yet another Line of Fate descended down from the air and stably attached itself towards Athena, putting aside the material that had lost the darkness of chaos and grabbing the next one as she looked at Noah competitively. "I''ll take you up on your challenge. Let''s see if you can even get near the number of my Fate Lines in the next few years!" The brilliance of a relationship of a senior sister and a junior brother seemed to be blooming between them as two beings with Noble Fates began using the treasures that were handed to them to cultivate! Noah listened to the words of Athena with a smile as inside his heart, he knew he could most likely reach the number of Fate Lines that she held in just a matter of days if he was dually cultivating both the techniques under the laws of chaos and fate! He kept these thoughts to himself as he began purifying the materials in front of his, slowly increasing his fate lines as his clone continued to do the brunt work for the both of them. He had currently only spent a day focusing on increasing the Chaos Particles when his clone was training in the Second Infernal Realm, bringing the percentage of the Supreme Law of Chaos to .46% where he bypassed the .26% of the Supreme Law of Fate that he had obtained first. When he switched to increase the number of Fate Lines, he would have to be careful to hide his true number from the eyes of Athena and other Celestials that came near him. He planned to show a monstrous talent that amassed Fate Lines quickly, but he could never explain his rate of amassing close to 48,000 Fate Lines in the span of a day. When he first used the method of cultivating both the {Disciple of Chaos} and {Fate''s Disciple} where the Chaos Field around him was destroying the oncoming Lines of Fate, his Chaos Particles had increased by a rate of 2000 every hour. This meant that in one day, he could amass 48,000 Chaos Particles, while his Fate Lines would remain the same as he was burning any incoming Fate Lines in order to continue his obtainment of Chaos Particles. For the future, he had to make a thorough plan where he purified Chaos Particles one day in order to increase his Fate Lines, and then do the opposite the next day in order to increase his progress in the opposing law. This was also under the pretense that he spent all the 24 hours of the day simply cultivating and doing nothing else! His mind made the calculations as he came to some crazy numbers. If he were to focus on only one law for 24 hours a day for the next month, with the rate of 2000 per hour, he would be able to amass 1,440,000 of either Chaos Particles or Fate Lines in the span of a month! If he wanted to progress in both of them at the same rate as he divided his attention to both, this number would simply be halved as he would need to focus on Chaos one day and Fate another day. And once one took into account that he would be doing other things besides isolating himself for a full 24 hours during the day, maybe it would be possible to amass half a million of both Fate Lines and Chaos Particles every month. This was an increase of roughly 5% in two Supreme Laws simultaneously every month...a terrifying thought that would horrify any knowledgeable being! Chapter 416 - A World Core! As terrifying calculations were carried out in Noah''s mind, his Ancient Blood Clone had finished his pill making session as he observed the swirling of different colored essence around the 10 Spiritual Land Beasts. He spread his senses out as he monitored the continued strengthening of other beings on the wide Spiritual Land. The numerous portals lying stably in the Underground area he was in pulsated with colorful lights as those given permission would occasionally enter the Spiritual Land while an individual like Steel Mikhail would enter and live freely as he moved to do his job on the blue planet and then returned to cultivate in the Spiritual Land. After observing everything moving smoothly, the clone disappeared from the Time Space of the Spiritual Land as he let the Spiritual Land Beasts finish their breakthrough into the Soul Forging Realm, leaving behind numerous essence pulsating pills and cores for them to continue absorbing! He performed a long distance teleportation this time as enormous amounts of mana was used, his body reappearing in the wide expanse of space not too far away from his homeworld. The Ancient Blood Clone glanced at the small blue world that only he could currently see, the [World Veil] he had cast on this world and the other ones he was connected to long ago still active and hiding the world from any passing eyes. The world in front of his eyes was already nearing the position of a Prime World as it continued the powerful feedback of essence from the many worlds it was connected to, especially the Ancient Blood World that was an entire Realm sometime in the past. Yet this powerful and expansive world still seemed so small as he looked at it from an extremely far distance, his body continuing to move away from this blue planet as his target this time was not to check up on all the advancements that had happened so far, but to search for viable worlds he could pluck the cores of in the surrounding area! This was something that even his own mind just a few months ago would never have been able to fathom. The fact that someone like him could be traversing through space actually looking for a viable world to steal an entire world core and possibly destroy such a world was something extremely foreign to him, yet now about to become a reality. His body moved across space as the [Child of Space] ability from the Lesser Cthulhu skill tree made him feel like he was in the most comfortable possible environment. His body was shooting through the vastness of space at a shocking speed, the tremendous boosts that he received from his many passive skills made it so that his speed and power was already nearing those at the Domain Expansion Realm! He could only confidently say this when it came to those at the normal level of the Domain Expansion Realm, and this was not putting into account the Celestial Grandmasters themselves like Vredral. He continued moving across the vastness of space as he wandered across the void looking for specific stars. The one that he was looking for was a small world that would not have any inhabitants, potentially a world that had a harsh environment that no organisms could survive in. His heart was not fully set out to be a destroyer where he would without reservations take the core of a small world that was filled with life forms similar to his own homeworld just a few months ago, even with all the knowledge he currently held. He did not travel far before he came upon a world filled with elemental storms and chaotic energies. It was neither a large nor a middle world, being a perfectly small world that was uninhabited by any other beings. The rough storms always raging on the surface of this world and in the skies above it making it an uninhabitable star in this wide area. His eyes honed in on this world as he began shooting down towards it at a high speed. He felt a slight resistance as his level was so much higher than this world, but these protections were nearly nothing when it came to someone who wielded the immense energy coming from multiple stars. He quickly pierced through the many layers that a small world would have for protection as he entered its atmosphere, and then continued shooting down towards its earth! BOOM! His body pierced through the layers of frozen Earth, this world holding unique qualities of destructive storms above it and frozen earth below it. Because of his extremely fast speed, he began nearing the inner core of this world in less than a few minutes. SHAA! He broke through the innermost layer where the core of the entire world laid as he glanced upon these slowly rotating ovular shape in front of him. [...] A period of silence followed as Noah looked upon this rotating core of this unknown small world, where he heard a cold static voice thereafter. [What are you?] The small world coldly asked this question in a manner and tone of voice that Noah was used to hearing throughout these past few months. He impassively focused on the core of this small world as he took in its words and replied calmly. "I would apologize to you in advance. For this is something that I do have a choice on, and I am choosing to do it regardless of its consequences in order to further my own goals. It is even somewhat hypocritical." His voice was that of conflict as he had made sure to look for a specific world, one that didn''t have any life on it, one where he would not be taking or reaping the lines of billions. But still, there was one entity that would have to be affected no matter what he did. This entity was the world itself. He glanced upon the small world core that did not reply after it heard Noah''s words. It''s vast senses telling it that something inexplicable would be happening here today. Noah moved without any further forethought as he threw his hands out and placed them on the powerful core of this Small World as he uttered simple words. [Devouring]. RUMBLE! For the first time ever, in actuality and in totality, he had cast the skill from the Seven Deadly Sins, from the Sin of Gluttony- He had cast [Devouring] on an actual world! OOONG! A cloud of darkness went on to wrap around the rotating world core, it''s manner was that as if a beast had opened its jaws and was rapidly closing in on this resplendent core. Devouring was fully cast as the cloud of darkness had circled the entire core of the Small World in front of Noah, with essence beginning to leak out of the body of the clone nonsensically as the target of devouring was an actual world this time around, not just an enemy that was at the mythical or a legendary rank, but an entire core of a small world! RUMBLE! Essence leaked out of him with wild abandon as the entire surroundings of the small world were shaking. At this moment in time something that had rarely occurred in history was happening, where one existence that was on an entirely different tier from another was doing something unexplainable! The process of essence continuing to leave his body recklessly went on for a few minutes before everything went silent and the darkness that was wrapping around the core of the small world rapidly began to reduce in size as Noah began to see cracks appearing on the layers of earth around them. CRACK! At the moment that the small world core fully disappeared and the devouring skill had successfully done its job and devoured an entire core of a small world, space shattered and began folding in on itself! This destruction continued spreading throughout the area of the inner core that Noah was in, his figure teleporting out of the area as he began to see notifications of messages from the Planetary System Discerning the exact results of his actions. He appeared in the space above the uninhabitable planet that was filled with even more destructive storms as he looked at the visible result of his actions. CRACK! CRACK! BOOM! In front of the already destructive world, cracks were visibly spreading all around the spherical planet, the instability of a world without a core being visible in front of Noah''s eyes as he went on to watch the destruction of something that he had caused with his own hands. BOOM! BOOM! Space shattered and refolded as the world had a force rapidly pulling itself in near the center of the missing core before it exploded outwards as a supernova! Shards of the planet began to spread out far and wide as in front of Noah''s eyes, the storms gradually reduced and calmness slowly returned, the only thing left behind in front of him was palpitating destructive essence and floating debris over the wide area of space. [A Small World Core has been obtained.] [Error. Analyzing. Error.] [...] From the void of space, numerous Chaos Particles had begun appearing as they willingly fell upon Noah the chaos and destruction he had caused being rewarded as a few hundred Chaos Particles were added unto his already abundant amount. The Planetary System was also sending various messages as the results of devouring a Small World Core were slowly unfolding in front of his eyes! Chapter 417 - Possibilities In the [Large Stomach] that was created from the abilities of the Sin of Gluttony, an ovular world core was floating stably as the essence of gluttony tried to absorb it ever so slowly. Noah felt these changes as he gave a command, everything going silent in the large stomach with the messages of the Planetary System continuing to ring out and float in front of his eyes! [Analyzing.] [The devoured Core is an entirely separate entity compared to you.] [There is a high rate of failure if you try to absorb the Small World Core.] [Two options exist after the successful devouring of a world core. The first is to use the core as a basis to upgrade a Spiritual Land. The second is to use the world core as the basis to upgrade the levels of the connected worlds. You cannot personally gain benefits from it as it is an entirely different plane of existence compared to you.] Noah listened to these words as he nodded, his thoughts just being affirmed as he had already looked at this possibility while using >! He would not have been able to even fathom if he could somehow obtain quantifiable or actual benefits from him actually absorbing the core of an entire world. Unlike him, a world did not have statistical values. It did not have vitality, strength, or focus. Nor did it have any skills or abilities. It was an entity that was bound by the universal laws! It was him that was an anomaly! It was him that had stepped out of the bounds of his existence and actually intruded upon the existence that was a world, being able to actually devour its Core through using the large reserves of mana that he was borrowing from the many worlds he was already connected to. He thought of the two options that the planetary system had laid out for the possibilities on what to do with world cores as at this moment, he was focusing on the first one. The use of the world core to fulfilling the requirement that the Spiritual Land needed! In the void of space, Noah''s clone glanced at the destruction that he had caused, the debris of an entire star floating around him as he began to disappear in particles of light. He reappeared in the underground space of the Spiritual Sand as he looked in the Time Space where multiple beasts had already broken into the Soul Forging Realm. The emperor penguin was of course the first, with the Arctic Wolf and the Polar Bear following there after, where now only two of the spiritual beasts had yet to finish their breakthroughs! Noah waited patiently as he thought about his recent actions, his heart not wavering one bit. To make sure that no problems occurred for what he was about to do he teleported out of the spiritual land and made sure that everyone was contained in it, leaving behind the ancient pedestal that held the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire as he used anchor to place the spiritual land on his body where he then disappeared once again from the volcanic mountain. This time when he reappeared, he was actually near the Ancient Blood World that stood at the junction between the Light and Dark Expanse. This was an area that he knew very few beings would be passing by as he laid out this spiritual land in the vastness of space and let it bloom to its full size! The spiritual land that could have been considered a floating city multiple tiers ago could now already be called a country in itself. Noah always messed around with the spiritual land''s size regulation feature, so he never really let it bloom to its full size in the past months, with the spiritual land almost always remaining miniaturized as he moved along with it. This time around he was in the vastness of space as he let the spiritual land freely get to what could be considered its size at the eighth tier. The enormous floating landmass bloomed further and further as Noah''s figure slowly became the size of an ant. The spiritual land itself continued to expand while he pulled back further and further to observe its enormous size. When he made some quick calculations as the fantastical landmass that was holding its large shade of white color and still keeping to its name as the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land, he found that it was approximately around one thousand miles in size! This was a landmass that had been obtained in the Frozen Kingdom of the Beast World. At that time this landmass was only a few tens of miles long being something that floated in the skies near the frozen kingdom. Yet now, the Spiritual Land had grown to a size of over 1,000 miles, and from what Noah expected, after the upgrade to the ninth tier that actually required the core of a small world, this Spiritual Land was about to get even bigger! RUMBLE! He glanced at spiritual land management As he saw under the Upgrade Conditions for the number of beasts to reach 10 had turned green. For the requirement of a small world core, it had also turned green! The spiritual land could already sense a core of a small world on the body of its master, and the requirements could be considered completed as now all that was needed was an immense amount of energy and essence in order to initiate the upgrade from the eight tier and into the ninth tier. This was an upgrade that required the core of a small world, so what exactly would be the boons of it come out of it? What exactly would the possible Locked feature that was listed as [Division] for this next stage of the spiritual land hold in store?! Noah wasted no further time as he looked at the mystically floating landmass that stably stood in space, his thoughts already moving to initiate the upgrade to the 9th Tier! Chapter 418 - An Upgrade of Enormous Significance! The mystical spiritual land floated in the vastness of space near the junction of the light expanse in the Dark Expanse it had a blue light film of light covering it in its entirety, making sure that it acted as a protective barrier between the suffocating space and the beings that were currently within the spiritual land. To them, the environment had changed from the red blazing earth and lava that was the volcanic mountain that they were under, and now when they looked to the skies of the spiritual land all they could see was the expanse of space! Some of the more knowledgeable beings in the spiritual land knew that something grand was about to happen. This was even more so for the beings that had followed Noah the longest, as the Calamities of the Sea, along with Barbatos, Kazuhiko, Steel Mikhail, and many others that cl.u.s.tered near the center of the spiritual land where Noah had built the most pristine buildings while using the [Architecture] feature of the spiritual land. While a majority of the beings gathered here, the emperor penguin appeared in the skies of the spiritual land, his brothers and sisters not too far behind him as the 10 of them looked out into the void of space, barely being able to see Noah''s clone through their connection that they held to this Spiritual Land Master. Their bodies had the aurora of having just broken through to the Soul Forging Realm, completing one of the requirements as they simply waited for yet another resplendent upgrade to occur in the land that they were born in. They had a deep trust in their master, and simply bid their time as they waited for the event to start! Noah''s clone was staring at this fantastical sight that was a spiritual land as he put aside his thoughts and commanded the item that was contained in the large stomach ability of the Sin of Gluttony. Right in front of him, the sizable core of a Small World appeared, not rotating anymore as it floated stably in space. Noah''s thoughts then went to the {Spiritual Land Management} which showed the upgrade conditions as met and without further ado, he went ahead and initiated the upgrade of the spiritual land from the eighth year and into the ninth tier! RUMBLE! The world core that was standing next to him suddenly shot out with extreme speed as it was attracted onto the floating spiritual land, going through and easily passing through the blue film of light as it continued downwards. The soil that it was about to hit on the snowy area of a spiritual land seemingly opened up in front of this core as it continued to shoot down further and deeper into the spiritual land without any issues until it settled in a place that could be considered near the very center of the spiritual land deep in the underground area where the Time Space and the Blacksmith''s Forge was located! OOONG! In the vastness of space, the spiritual land began rumbling with energy as from Noah''s body, a ridiculous amount of mana began flowing out. The spiritual land itself was using the atmospheric essence it held along with the energies in the void of space and dropping them towards its center as the process of upgrading the spiritual land from the eighth tier and the ninth tier went underway. If one would describe it, it would be a cacophony of colors and regality where one could observe blue essence rushing in one direction, red essence rushing in another, and a gorgeous color of white bathing every inch and corner of the spiritual land! What many could observe before they had to close their eyes as it was shining too brightly, was actually the mana that was leaking out of Noah''s ancient blood clone. It was coming out at such a rate that one could visibly see the shining blue color that continued to descend down towards the enormous spiritual land. Noah simply acted like a conduit as he 100% knew at this moment that he was the only being who remotely had the possibility of doing something like this, the mana that was required being something that maybe only those nearing the peak of power in the Novus Galaxy being able to provide! This reality of upgrading this unique treasure called the Spiritual Land simply required too much mana that when he looked at people like Steel Mikhail and Kazuhiko or the Imperial Phoenix that held their own spiritual lands, he knew for sure that they would never be able to upgrade their Tiers at the stage that he was currently doing. They would never be able to get their hands on a world core, nor be able to provide this abundant energy that was all coming out of the reserves of the many stars he was connected to! This led him to briefly think about all the things that had brought him here. How the Beast World that was being overtaken by the demons from the Demon World was the reason for and where his journey into other worlds began. With the demon invasion and then entering the Beast world to fight off the demons until he got his hands on the Spiritual Land in the process. He thought of all the events that led up to him obtaining this unique treasure and what had happened since then as everything seemed to be steered by the hands of fate! He seemed to be a singular being that met the many strict conditions to do what he was currently doing because of a coincidental set of events that all led here! It was at this stage but he evaluated many of the things that had occurred to him as he wondered, just how many of them were based on his choices and his actions, and how many were steered by an unknown hand of fate? He actually found himself asking a question that a certain War Princess always had in her heart. What exactly did fate have in store for him? He held no answer at this moment as he put these terrifying thoughts in the back of his mind and continued observing the upgrade of something beautiful. He visibly watched the floating landmass that was the spiritual land continue to expand ever so larger, its size going from 1,000 miles to 1,500 and then simply doubling to 2,000 from the original size when it was in the Eighth Tier. When it reached approximately 2,000 miles in all directions, light continued to converge towards it with even more vigor. The blue thin film of light that surrounded it only getting stronger as it reached a crescendo of buildup! RUMBLE! At this point in time, from the circular shape of the floating spiritual land a blast of blue light released from it that went out in all directions. It was a light that announced the completion of something grand, of something beautiful, as even Noah''s eyes were blinded by the light entirely! His eyes opened to glance at the magnificent Spiritual Land thereafter as he observed it now held an even stronger protective film of light, its grandeur stably standing in the void of space as at this moment, he shockingly heard something that could only be coming out at the center of the Spiritual Land. [Hello, Master.] Noah''s eyes opened wide as he heard this voice, his gaze focusing on the spiritual land and piercing through the many layers as he followed the voice to the exact center of this floating landmass where he now saw a powerfully shining blue core slowly rotating, the voice that he had heard in his mind coming from this exact location! For the first time in the past day since he received the Infernal Lord title, Noah finally found himself having a real smile as he was faced with this new situation. His expression was actually joyful as he realized a consciousness had appeared from the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land the moment it absorbed the core of a small world and was upgraded from the eighth and into the ninth tier! This voice was also very similar to the voice of the Small World that he had obtained the Core from! Furthermore, under the management skill he had always used for this floating landmass, he had seen a change of words from Spiritual Land and into Spiritual World! ¡­!!! Chapter 419 - A Manager! A mystically floating landmass was amazingly stationed in the void of space, its size nearing that of Small Worlds. In the past, it could have been called a Spiritual Land. But currently, it was known as a Spiritual World! Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone glanced at this marvel as he replied to the robot like voice in his mind. "You are¡­" [The essence of the Spiritual World. With your permission, I will be overseeing many of its functions, being capable of designing cities and countries, as well as using all the other features under Spiritual World Management to craft in the Blacksmith''s Forge or design the Law Spaces.] A wonderful reply came to his mind as he explored the fantastical situation opening itself to him after the upgrade of the Spiritual World. He nodded as he glanced at the skill that was now renamed {Spiritual World Management} first! {Spiritual World Management} [Frozen Plateau-9] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-XXX, C-XXX, B-XXX, A-XXX, S-XXX, EPIC-15,285, LEGENDARY-6,613, MYTHICAL-3,163, PHANTASMAL-749, TRANSCENDENT-242, Saint- 42, Void- 21, Soul-10 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic, Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora, Qilin''s Cold Stone, Resonant Okra, Arctic Flora, King''s Collard, Athramire, Phantom Mulberry. Available for planting( Fire Starter, Frigid Apple) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Unlocked), Law Space(Unlocked), Blacksmith''s Forge(Unlocked), Division(Unlocked), Alchemy Hall(Locked)[email protected]#%#$%(Locked) Upgrade Conditions: 10+ Spiritual Land Beasts at the Domain Rank, A Large World Core A large set of words shone in a clear blue in the panel of {Spiritual World Management}, Noah glancing through all the changes as he observed the newest ones with shining eyes. The first thing he noticed was the fairly eye catching descriptions of the new medicinal plants available for planting! [Fire Starter] :: A unique medicinal herb that can only grow in the Fire Law Space. The matured herb will contain the essence of the Law of Fire, granting those that consume it faster comprehension in this law. Maturing Time- 10 Years. [Frigid Apple] :: A unique fruit that can only grow in the Water Law Space. The matured herb will contain the essence of the Law of Water, granting those that consume it faster comprehension in this law. Maturing Time- 10 Years. Noah read over the description of the plants that were the first of their kind to actually give benefits to laws. The long maturing time that was attached to them did not bother him one bit as he had [Budding Farmer] to reduce this time by a large amount, and he also planned to have many of them planted in the Time Space of the Spiritual World that was many miles wide now! Next up, he observed the newly unlocked feature, which was called [Division]. [Division] :: The Spiritual World is unique, holding features that are rare to find across the stars. One of these features is the ability to divide the Spiritual World into connected landmasses, giving one the versatility of designing something that is only limited by their imagination. A fairly straightforward description that also left a lot of things in the air floated in front of him, his mind already thinking of the possibilities when he heard the voice of the Spiritual World again. [Master, this Division Feature can be used to exquisitely design areas where you can have things like different Law Spaces or special environments. The Fire Law Space could be made into its own floating island, the Time Space could have its own area, and much more.] Noah listened to the thoughts seamlessly entering his mind as he knew he would be utilizing this Spiritual World to an even bigger potential now that it had an entity to do every single task for him. All he would need to do was give the commands on what he wanted to be done, and this entity would carry it out in the best way possible! He already had a grand image in his mind of this Spiritual World having exquisitely designed areas with multiple environments and Law Spaces, specifically designated lands for farming and architecture from different worlds appearing beautifully all around this large Spiritual World. These were all ideas in his mind, but this entity that now stood at the center of the Spiritual World would make them a reality in the future! He put these thoughts aside as he continued looking through the changes under {Spiritual World Management}, seeing that all the previous features were boosted in their own ways. He glanced at the upgraded changes under the [Law Space] feature as currently, only the Fate and Chaos Spaces seemed to be remaining locked. [Law Space] :: Fields containing a higher concentration of particular laws can be created, granting increased comprehension speed to all that cultivate within. Currently unlocked spaces: Water, Fire, Earth, Air, Time, Space, Light, Dark. Locked spaces: Fate, Chaos... It seemed like the next upgrade of tiers for the Spiritual World would be when he would be able to make the Fate and Chaos Spaces which should be able to drastically improve how fast he condensed Fate Lines and Chaos Particles. He glanced at the changes of the Blacksmith''s Forge next. [Blacksmith''s Forge]- Unlocked Features: [Forge] [Refine] [Repair] [Recipe Design]. Locked Features: [Evolve]... A new feature had been unlocked, this time being the [Recipe Design]! [Recipe Design] :: The Spiritual World Master can design Item Blueprints that the forge can then analyze the viability before they are forged with the required materials. A simple explanation laid out in front of him, giving him even more thoughts as he knew he would be very busy in the coming days with all the things he had on his hands. The last thing he looked at was the conditions to upgrade to the 10th Tier, requiring a similar number of beasts like last time to reach the next rank, but the requirement of a Large World Core going along with it. This was a fairly difficult requirement, as it was nigh impossible to find a Large World that was uninhabitable and did not have any beings in the billions populating it. This was because a world only had the possibility of reaching that stage because of the fates of the beings it carried if it wasn''t already at that stage in the beginning. This meant that when the time came for him to look for the Core of a Large World, he had to be creative or end up doing something horrendous! But he left all of these thoughts for the future as he currently focused on the task at hand. There were a multitude of things he wanted to explore in this fantastical newly upgraded Spiritual World, and he also wanted to begin the Dual Cultivation of Chaos and Fate, where he focused on Fate next as he brought the number of Fate Lines from 26,000 and pushed it further up. The number of Lines of Fate was already slowly increasing as his main body was with Athena in the Celestial Realm continuously purifying materials from Chaos Behemoths, but it''s rate did not even come close to the speed he found with his Dual Cultivation method! His body disappeared into particles of light as he descended into the Spiritual Land first, wanting to test its new Manager as well as observe how it would carry out the features! Chapter 420 - Breathtaking Steel Mikhail glanced at the surroundings of the Spiritual Land as he had his usual cold exterior on the outside, but inside his heart was trembling at the continuing unfolding situation around him! This Protector still referred to the landmass he was on as the Spiritual Land, but even he was wondering whether this was an apt name for such a fantastical place that was now floating in the void of space. He sensed the overflowing essence as his gaze and the gazes of many others looked to the skies of the Spiritual Land, seeing twinkling stars above them as they became entranced by it. From the position he was at, he knew that even with the limits of where he could spread his aura, he wouldn''t be able to fully ascertain the size of this Spiritual Land that had grown immensely larger. This wasn''t to mention the area overflowing with the Law of Fire that had allowed him to condense a Fire Origin Core after obtaining the Inheritance that Noah led them to not too long ago. Steel Mikhail thought about this being that at one stage, he had considered to be on the same level as him! Now, he seemed so extremely far away, to the point that he did not even know which manner to talk to him anymore. The powerful air he released made him seem foreign, like an entirely different person from when he first met him in the Blessed Empire. He had looked at this being before as a much stronger Hunter who provided much needed help to push back against the demons, but ever since then, the things he continued to do had just continued to astound and break the common sense that all the people like him had. The things he did were so ridiculous to wrap one''s mind around that if he told himself of the events just four months ago, he would laugh as he threw them aside as lies! There were somehow numerous portals in this being''s Spiritual Land that connected to multiple worlds. Oh and somehow, he had descended down or sent his forces into these worlds to lead them to submission. Aside from this fantastic floating land, he was able to enter the ranks of the most powerful beings of their Galaxy and seamlessly stay in their ranks, gaining access to a realm unlike anything from their imaginations. He was also able to gain something secretive like the bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor, where he shared other bloodlines of Vampyres like nothing to him and many others, his hands being so full that he simply created a portal connecting their small blue planet to a Prime World called an Ancient Blood World that held its own unique and amazing opportunities. There were so many things occurring around this being that if Mikhail was to tell himself this in the past, he wouldn''t believe it! And now, on the latest venture, he had his Spiritual Land upgraded to another tier yet again as Mikhail felt an unexplainable feeling. He had the thought that the land he was standing on actually did not feel all that different from the worlds that he had the chance to travel into because of Noah. This thought actually scared him as the implications of this Spiritual Land being a world carried an immense weight that he could not fully fathom right now! Steel Mikhail was surrounded by the other Harbingers as they watched spectacular changes appearing right in front of their eyes, those with high realms being able to spread their auras out as they began to observe large scale changes that shocked them to their cores. They first watched as Noah appeared in the skies of the Spiritual Land far away from them, where they could only observe if they used long distance skills as the land they were on had become exceedingly vast after the last upgrade. But they saw his appearance in the skies, and then felt shaking thereafter as they observed a stupendous sight of huge sections of landmasses splitting apart, some rising while others fell! RUMBLE! They shockingly watched as a landmass of a few hundred miles rose in the north, and others of similar size breaking off from the Spiritual Land and rising in the south, east, and west. They were left on what could now be considered a central landmass where much of the architecture was at, their jaws agape as a coalescence of colorful essence and lights covered the four huge landmasses that were hundreds of miles long! To their North, the huge landmass that had risen there had the Fire Law Space that they were cultivating the Disciple of Fire in before, its sheen being slight red as those whose eyes could observe more would be able to see that the Fire Law Space was expanding rapidly, going on to cover most of this floating island as the atmospheric fire elements began to wildly converge in this particular island. The other ones did not have a Law Space initiated to be built yet, so the next thing they could observe was the formation of resplendent blue lines from each of the risen land masses as they connected to one another, and to the central landmass they were on as well! These blue lines shimmered as they seemed to be calling forth the surrounding earth, the beings in the Spiritual World watching with agape expressions as solid earth converged on these blue lines that connected the landmasses and began forming into the shapes of exquisitely designed bridges. It was something reminiscent of the small floating peaks of the Frozen Kingdom in the Beast World that had staircases one could climb in a matter of minutes to reach another peak, but the huge bridges and stairs being created to connect each of the landmasses that had broken off from the Spiritual World were tens of miles long, with some even being more than a hundred miles long! It was a scene straight out of fantasy as in front of the eyes of shocked beings, four huge islands had broken off from a central one on the Spiritual Land, huge and long connections being built on each of these floating islands as a beautiful scenery was created. OOOM Essence gradually settled down on the Spiritual World that floated stably in the void of space between the Light and Dark Expanse. If one were to observe from the expanse of space, they would see an extremely large landmass that could be considered an entire world by its size. A blue film of light shimmered and surrounded this small world as one could distinctly see four smaller continental land masses on each of the four directions of this world! It was a scene of a never before seen world with a unique look, but this was just the beginning as the possibilities for what could be designed in this wondrous Spiritual World were endless! Chapter 421 - Cultivating Noah glanced at the results of the Division feature of the Spiritual World as a fantastical sight of four huge land masses that could be considered Continents separated from the central landmass that held the Time Space and the Blacksmith''s Forge. The continents were mostly filled with a similar type of essence and environment, the only thing different being the one in the North that was slowly turning fully into a fiery continent that was filled with the Law of Fire. Many possibilities lied in front of him as he sent a message to the Spiritual World System. "You can handle the farming of the new plants and designing architecture and layouts of these continents?" [Yes. Just let me know which style of architecture you wish for, as well as any ideas you have for Recipe Design and the building of new Law Spaces. Anything you need, I can handle.] An extremely competent reply came from the System as Noah nodded, seeing that he had placed a significant amount of time in this particular task that an entire day had passed. He currently looked at the passing of days as extremely crucial, as his mind had calculations of what he could possibly achieve in a single day in terms of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles. If he was doing anything else and a day passed, it felt he missed out big in advancing his power forward! The upgrade of the Spiritual World was more than worth it, as he left things in the hands of the Spiritual World System and glanced towards the few beings he had in the Spiritual World. There were a large majority of Spiritual Beasts populating the central landmass, with other cl.u.s.ters in the risen continents aside from the fiery ones the current beasts were still major of the Ice Element. When he came to this thought process, he couldn''t help but ask something that was on his mind. "The beasts that were born in this Spiritual Land were always of the Ice Type Element. If the convergence of essence in the continent that is covered by the Law of Fire births new Spiritual Beasts, will they be of the Fire Element?" Noah''s mind was already thinking in this manner, simply wanting a confirmation at this wondrous possibility. [Yes. When the Earth Law Space or Fate Law Space or Chaos Law Space are established in the future, beasts of those respective elements will also have probabilities of being born.] A spectacular affirmation came as Noah shook his head at the wonders of the Spiritual World, looking towards the Harbingers and other beings that were looking at him with reverence and a tinge of fear. Some understood his power and knew him for a long time, others only heard stories as they now came face to face with him and looked at him in an entirely different manner. The beasts of the Spiritual World like Emperor Penguin simply looked at his figure with shining eyes filled with strength and trust, making his heart settle with ease as the more he rose in power, the more alone he felt. Even with the company of women like Adelaide and Barbatos, he only had a chance to be around them briefly as he was constantly moving, his heart settling down when he was around them and had a chance to relax, but most of his time was divided into adventuring into new lands or facing powerful enemies, with him doing almost everything alone. It was a unique feeling that those on the path of power would occasionally find themselves in. A position where they seemed to be forging ahead while others were just trying to keep up! It was the solitude one felt when they were in a position that others could not come close to! Even someone like Prince Cassius who Noah could talk freely with in the past, he could not do so anymore. The moment the prince moved together with her aunt and saw the actual picture of Noah''s true strength, a change occurred as he knew they weren''t even remotely close to the same positions, not looking at Noah the way he used to before. Noah sighed as he sent telepathic commands to the Emperor Penguin and Elena, as well as the other major figures that over the worlds he was connected to as he cast one more skill before he disappeared from the skies of the Spiritual World. He cast [World Veil] that now applied to this unique treasure of his, letting it stay in this expanse of space for now as he prepared to come in contact with powerful laws. He would set no time for celebration or anything like that for this amazing upgrade that had turned the Spiritual Land into a Spiritual World, teleporting away from it as he appeared tens of thousands of miles away from the junction of the Light Expanse and the Dark Expanse where he would leave the Spiritual World briefly, letting those within cultivate as others could use the portals in the Central land mass to head back to their respective worlds whenever they wished. His clone appeared far away in the void of vast space, feeling his eyes close as he enjoyed the weightlessness and power because of the [Child of Space] ability from the Lesser Cthulhu Skill Tree. He felt extremely safe and content when he floated in this dark expanse of space, his heart already looking forward to when he would soon upgrade the skill tree of the Lesser Cthulhu along with Fate''s Guardian. If one could place the things he had to do on a plate in the form of food, they would overflow as there were truly too many of them. Skill trees, Laws, Celestials, Infernals, Ancients, the Spiritual World...there were so many things that he wished his Blood Lord ability could grant him another clone for him to do all of them! His main body had been spending the last day with Athena as they continued their cultivation session that pushed Noah''s Fate Lines from 26,000 over 27,000 in the span of a day, this being an amazing number in the eyes of the Celestials. But...he planned to start a cultivation session now where he would condense double the amount of fate lines that he and Athena condensed in a day...in just the span of an hour! He looked forward to seeing the future results of obtaining close to 50,000 Fate Lines in the span of a day as he comfortably got in a seated position in the void of space he was in, clearing his mind as he initiated {Fate''s Disciple} first this time around, watching as a golden line of fate began falling down. His body pulsed as he shone gold and brought to surface the hidden Fate Lines already in his body, covering his surroundings with the aura of fate as he then slowly began also activating {Disciple of Chaos}, commanding just a few Chaos Particles to come to light as the golden aura of fate felt like it had found its biggest enemy, going forward and overpowered the few Chaos Particles as they were quickly wiped away and purified into nothingness. This reaction of purifying pure chaos elements was rewarded with multiple Fate Lines that then went on to descend and attach to his body, this session being one where he increased the number of Fate Lines while Chaos Particles stalled, his heart at peace as he repeated the process and began wildly burning his mana as it poured endlessly into two techniques which cultivated two Supreme Laws! Chapter 422 - One Cultivates, One is Showered with Treasures. In the wide expanse of space, some starts shimmered brightly while others were dull. There were millions of these stars littered across this wide space as in a particular location, a being was floating peacefully in this terrifying void that many would not make as their home. There was a splendor of golden color as around this being, one could see numerous lines of fate descending down consistently, the truly observant ones being able to notice the formation of a few Chaos Particles that were quickly purified by the intense aura of fate that was in the surroundings. A calm expression was apparent on the being, Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone, as he continued to make rapid progress in the Law of Fate, and this time there were no limits! The process had already been going on for more than half a day, the area of space he was in being filled with an aurora of golden colors that spread throughout the blank void beautifully. In this span of half a day, he had already amassed more than 24,000 Fate Lines, obtaining the same amount of Fate Lines that he had spent the past weeks collecting after he first received the unique skill of {Fate''s Disciple}. The number of Fate lines he currently had was actually over 56,000 in total, his main body that was being spoiled with numerous materials and cores filled with the Law of Chaos adding on to the progression. His Ancient Blood Clone continued the project of amassing fate lines as the plan was to complete a full day of cultivation before he moved on to do anything else. In the Celestial Realm, his main body was moving yet again through the fantastical and essence filled forests of this expansive realm. He was accompanied by the valiant Athena to his side as the Righteous Fire Exploration Team he was a part of was moving again towards the direction where the Elite Chaos Behemoths were located. After spending a significant amount of time freely purifying the chaos materials and absorbing cores in the Celestial Watch Tower, the regiment of the Grandmaster was for them to head out once more to take down Chaos Behemoths. This would allow for a rapid increase in their Fate Lines while giving them battle experience and the consolidation of their power that was being forcefully raised up through treasures. With the abundant Soul Rank Cores that Noah and Athena continued receiving, Noah did not doubt that the Celestials were confident in forcefully pushing the levels of the beings they knew to be of Noble Fates to the Domain Expansion Realm soon enough! This was a type of treatment that would normally draw in jealousy, as even the powerful Boru felt the strength of Athena nearing his while Noah was not too far away. But these beings that were following the lessons of Celestials did not show any outward signs of discontentment as they even volunteered their own materials, attributing this all for the cause of reducing Chaos and maintaining Order! ROAR! Yet another powerful Elite Chaos Behemoth fell in the hands of the Righteous Fire Team that was led by the returning Grandmaster Vredral, the beast holding enormous chaos essence slumping down unwillingly as the Domain of Fate that the Grandmaster Released had only gotten stronger. This powerful Grandmaster was receiving a higher level of treatment than many others, his power also continuing to rise rapidly as he acted on a grand scale to influence the fates of beings in the Light Expanse. He was also the one that had initiated the campaign to allow the inhabitants of Light Expanse to enter the Celestial Realm, much of the influence obtained from this event also coming to him as his Fate Lines continued to increase! Grandmaster Vredral cut through the body of the Chaos Behemoth as he pulled out a shimmering dark Chaos Core, the powerful chaos essence sizzling as it floated a few inches from his hands. ZING! A golden glow shined out as the powerful Domain Rank core was cut into pieces, each of them floating towards an out of breath Athena and Noah that were leaning on each other''s backs as they recovered their energy after the tough battle. They reached out to grab the pieces of Chaos Cores as the Grandmaster spoke. "What we are currently doing can be considered violating the natural order, rapidly enhancing the rate at which you two increase your power. But the two of you are those with Noble Fates, having a big hand to play in the future which will go on to reduce an enormous amount of chaos! So the price we pay to achieve this is very small." His voice was filled with conviction as the two beings with Noble Fates looked at each other with determination. As they continued to train and move around each other, the Junior Brother and Senior Sister had gradually gotten closer, the impassive mask of Athena ever so slowly breaking down in front of Crixus as the battle driven War Princess was even leaning on the back of her Junior Brother to recuperate. "Since we are raising your power speedily, your realm and handling of essence will be very rough once you reach the Domain Expansion Realm. So for your next mission as you near this level is to handle an Elite Behemoth yourselves while I oversee things!" Stern expressions covered Noah and Athena''s faces as the members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team also looked forward seriously. With the abundant treasures and Cores that Noah and Athena continued to receive, they would undoubtedly be able to reach the next realm soon enough! With this knowledge, the Grandmaster wanted to use the opportunity to further stimulate their breakthrough as he wanted them to conduct a hunt against a Behemoth by themselves. "This will be one of the prices to pay for pushing your realm up so quickly, where we can at least stabilize your power as time goes on. Come, let us move on to the next one!" The Celestial Grandmaster waved his hands righteously as he pushed the Exploration Team to continue, an amazing event currently playing out in the Celestial Realm! Those with Noble Fates had the full backing of this powerful organization, the abundant treasures they had collected over the years being something they could use to push the realm of whoever they wanted higher at a rapid rate. This time around as the war approached, the Celestials were focusing their resources on beings with Noble Fates like Noah and Athena, with others holding the same title not appearing in front of them yet as they were under the leadership of other Grandmasters! Aside from those with Noble Fates, Grandmasters with high comprehension in the Law of Fate were also favored as resources continued to be taken from the vaults of the Celestials and spent wildly, leaving no risk for the coming war as they prepared. Although just as quickly as they were depleting their treasure vaults, even more materials and cores were coming in from the half tax imposed on all the beings they allowed to move in the Celestial Realm. Although unknown to the Celestials yet, a stable spatial connection was on the process of being established between the Celestial Realm and the Dark Expanse through the use of unique skills of certain beings from the powerful Scholar''s Guild as the side they were fighting on also began getting their hands on the share of resources! Chapter 423 - A Vast Number of Abilities In the Southern Region of the Celestial Realm where Behemoths proficient in the Law of Water resided, the powerful beings from the Scholar''s guild had gathered into a nondescript area underground as they finalized their spatial connection and made sure that nothing was out of place! "Agrus, you are sure that even with the Celestial''s method in the Law of Fate, they would not be able to discern what we are doing here?" Malthus, the Spatial Magician from the Scholar''s Guild asked Agrus, the ''Walking Library'', who was relaxing in the cold underground area without a worry. The relaxing Malthus replied while stretching his hands, his eyes gazing upon the structures that a few figures had already begun building in the wide space they were in. "Just as the Celestials have their own mysterious abilities and means, increasing their power over the last thousand years- so have we!" He spoke with a slightly passionate expression as he pushed the glasses on his face up, his hand reaching into his robe as he pulled out a dark pulsing object that caused the expression on Malthus to change. "That is...the Chaos Wand?!" "Sadly no, just an imitation of it. But this is more than enough for our uses to evade the eyes of the Celestials as we build a connection that will be able to stably transfer both materials and eventually beings to our nearby bases that aren''t under the gazes of Celestials." Malthus''s gaze was still on the glowing dark stick as he asked once more, knowing full well the history of such an object that his partner held! "What did you say to the Elders for them to hand you a Chaos Wand, even if it is an imitation¡­" His gaze was that of envy as he looked at this powerful weapon, Agrus chuckling as he replied. "The Scholar''s Guild is one that operates on knowledge and power. After those old Wizards were hit with such losses from being utterly unprepared to counter attack the techniques of Celestials in the past war, they have been dutifully moving, this time associating too much with the Infernal Lords as they have been gaining large benefits in knowledge and items such as this¡­" Argus revealed secretive information as Malthus nodded his head unwillingly and sighed, knowing the treasure in his friend''s hand was something extremely valuable, actually being the main thing that would render the eyes of the Celestials and their powerful techniques powerless in this region they were in! This was a weapon that was simply an imitation designed from the knowledge that the powerful Scholar''s Guild had been collecting since their defeat a thousand years ago, working closely with the beings proficient in Chaos, the Infernal Lords, to get to a new level of power that gave them a level of confidence against any future wars! This was the level of power of the Scholar''s Guild, one of the forces besides the Vampyre Clans holding the Alliance of the Dark Expanse together. Those that were knowledgeable called the powerful beings in the Scholar''s Guild Magicians, some called them Warlocks and Witches, with others even calling them mages! But those truly knowing the truth behind the scenes would know them as those with Blessed Knowledge, beings that were extremely proficient in magic as they used powerful weapons to channel the universal laws to their will! This Chaos Wand that the ''Walking Library'' Argus held was one of these powerful weapons that was drenched in the Law of Chaos, granting a shade from the powerful skills under > that the Celestials could use. Agrus had a profound expression as he continued to reply to Malthus. "There is a great deal of things in this wide Galaxy of ours, and Celestials do not hold all of them. There is a vast abundance of abilities that even they do not know. What the old fogeys at the top of our Guild are trying to do now is prevent the further advancement of these Celestials to the point that even with our knowledge, we will not be able to compete." Malthus nodded as his body glowed with a silver light, continuing to layer more and more runic signs onto a huge portal as he completed their project with ease. "Our entrance into this Celestial Realm that I suspect to be near the center of our Galaxy is one of them, with many other projects that even I do not know." "What about the being moving with Elena, the one known as Noah Osmont?" Malthus asked the Walking Library more questions as he wondered of the being they had knowledge to have entered the ranks of Celestials as he slowly moved. Agrus thought of this for a bit before he replied. "He is just one of the cards that the Vampyres Clans are playing, with their aim being a special being that is locked within the 7th Celestial Star. But he is surprisingly rising fast within the ranks of Celestials that now his name has even reached the fogeys at the top of the Scholar''s Guild, working hard to discern how they can use him after he also made our entrance into the Celestial Realm even easier." A shocking reply came from the Walking Library as he talked about someone that not many beings fully understood yet! Agrus had a careful expression as he continued. "Though I feel there is something else with him. Elena is too careful when it comes to any information about him, and she is the one that has direct contact with him." "Oh? You think the Silver Beauty has fallen for the charms of this upcoming genius?" Malthus asked with a smile as Agrus continued to lazily stare at the completed connection in front of them. "Who knows. She hasn''t even been replying to my communications these past few days after letting me know she would be busy. Come on, let''s focus on completing our work, we already have too many Behemoth materials to transport." The beings of the Dark Expanse continued moving as more and more entered the Celestial Realm, beginning their own search and collection of the treasures in this wide realm as they also planned for the future! Within their discussions was a being they considered a minor figure, someone they knew to be called Noah Osmont and also had the secret identity as Crixus the Destroyer! Very few higher ups in the Vampyre Clans and the Scholar''s Guild knew of this information, but they simply placed this being a small piece to be played in the much grander puzzle that was chaotically moving all these years! Many of them were very wrong on exactly what level of a role this being would play in the months and years to come! Chapter 424 - Just a Glimpse of True Genius! Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone opened his crimson eyes in the void of space, his figure''s devilishly handsome look being enhanced in this environment as he floated in darkness and had an aurora of golden colored lights and fate lines all around him. His dark hair that had streaks of silver was growing ever so larger, nearing his shoulders once more as it shimmered with its own essence! He got up from his seated position in the void of space as he stopped burning enormous amounts of mana into {Fate''s Disciple} and {Disciple of Chaos}, the overflowing golden color brought about by the Lines of Fate beginning to die down as he finished the second cultivation session while using the method that was unique only to him. After half a day, he had added another 24,000 Fate Lines as he brought his full amount to just over 81,000! This number already neared those who would cultivate for years, and he has achieved it in the span of a day! At this moment in time, his Fate Lines were leading once more as the Chaos Particles remained at around 50,000, his next cultivation session would be to burn fate lines and increase the Chaos Particles as he expected them to break over the one hundred thousand milestone. Breaking the 100,000 milestone would allow one to begin using Fate Lines and Chaos Particles in a new way, granting them the ability to release pure Fate and Chaos Energy in their attacks that were even deadlier to the opposing element! The War Princess Athena would soon break past this point, but Noah would not be far behind as he would soon even surpass her at a rate that would shock them if they knew. Noah''s goal was to still appear as a genius in the eyes of the Celestials, and he would expose this genius some more over the next few days as he slowly revealed his rapidly increasing fate lines at a rate that would make them think he was a terrifying genius, yet not treat him like an anomaly to be researched. But whatever he showed them would simply be just a glimpse of what he could truly do! His expression was determined as he glanced around the void of space around him, the golden light having died down majorly as things went back to normal. His figure turned into particles of light as he disappeared from the location and returned to the Spiritual World. He appeared above this massive and fantasy like treasure that looked like a huge landmass which was connected to four shimmering floating continental landmasses as he took in the magnificence before his energy began to flow over, activating the [Size Regulation] feature of the Spiritual World as then enormous star sized treasure began shrinking rapidly! RUMBLE! The essence required to use features like Size Regulation were increased by an enormous amount as the tier of the Spiritual World increased, but this meant nothing to Noah as the large treasure continued to shrink in his eyes until it was a few inches, his mind never being able to understand how the spacial mysteries worked with this feature that effectively meant he could have an entire world be the size of his thumb, yet when he entered it, it would still seem like a massive world in his eyes! It was a scene of fantasy that made one suspend their beliefs and simply enjoy the brilliance of such a treasure! The Spiritual World was then anchored to his body as he disappeared from the junction of Light and Dark Expanse, returning to the Ancient Pedestal below the volcanic mountain as the next plans were to let the powerful beasts and Elena return to their exploration of the Celestial Realm as they increased their power, the Fire Origin Cores and powerful abilities from the Inheritance of the Disciple of Fire being put to full use as they continued their advancement. Elena''s figure appeared in the lava filled space as she looked towards Noah with an expression of infatuation, the Emperor Penguin and others also appearing as their forces prepared to move out. "Master, the forces of the Dark Expanse were successful in setting up a spatial connection, and they should be able to freely collect the treasures of this realm as they increase their power as well." Elena sent a telepathic message towards Noah as his eyes seemed to be asking for praise as she continued to reveal secrets about the forces that still thought she had her allegiance with. Noah nodded towards the curvaceous woman as he patted her head full of silver hair, an expression of happiness spreading out as Noah talked while glancing at all of them. "Be careful as you move, and if you run into any Elite Behemoths, call me right away." His forces nodded with seriousness as they began to move out, their bodies equipped with powerful Bloodstained Infernal Sets from the materials of millions of Infernals that Noah had hunted while he was bringing the percentage of Infernal Lord to 100%. He had saved an enormous amount of the bodies of Infernals as he left the job of crafting them to the Spiritual World System over the last day, many of his forces being armed with the powerful items that protected them against Flame Behemoths! A few of them were even wearing completed Incandescent Flameborn Sets, two more sets being able to be completed as Noah used the material that his main body had received as well as Behemoths that Elena and the others had hunted. Their bodies shone with strength and power as he expected them to be able to handle Normal Fire Behemoths with ease, and this was especially so for the Emperor Penguin and Elena that held the Incandescent Flameborn Sets! His clone had yet to begin crafting the materials of Elite Chaos Behemoths that he was slowly collecting, his heart set on collecting all materials and completing a full set instantly some time soon. As for the next task of the clone, it was to oversee the upgrade of another skill tree as his main body continued to use it while fighting alongside Celestials, the powerful skill tree that was [Fate''s Guardian] being the next one that was ready to be upgraded! The clone glanced at the panel that showed the information of the possible advancement paths as he began choosing which of the many Void Rank skills he had obtained as loot to sacrifice. [Fate''s Guardian](45/45) :: As a beginner just learning the workings of fate, the role of a guardian that protects the weak and eviscerates evil is given to you. Abilities include Empyrean Guards(5/5), Empyrean Armament(5/5), Smite of Liberation(5/5), and Judgment(5/5). Two Skill Trees for evolution are possible once sufficient points and a base requirement of two equivalent level sacrificial skills are reached: >> [Devout Follower] :: A follower on the path of fate, grants the user protective abilities that will enhance their power and those around them. >> [Unruly Guider] :: A path of one that questions and forms their own rules, using immense offensive power to guide lost beings. The two choices of advancement for [Fate''s Guardian] was either [Devout Follower] or [Unruly Guider]! The impassive gaze of the clone already knew the choice he would make as unimportant skills were sacrificed, a light of brilliance shining out as a tinge of gold covered the blue stat panel, another skill tree advancing silently! Chapter 425 - Unruly Guider! The eyes of the Ancient Blood Clone shone with splendor as he watched one skill pathway disappear and another one fully settle in under [Fate''s Guardian]. The one to disappear was Devout Follower, with the one he chose being [Unruly Guider]! The stat panel shone as new words and abilities were shown to Noah''s eyes, the skill tree going on to add four new abilities as he glanced at their descriptions. SOUL [Fate''s Guardian](45/45) :: As a beginner just learning the workings of fate, the role of a guardian that protects the weak and eviscerates evil is given to you. Abilities include Empyrean Guards(5/5), Empyrean Armament(5/5), Smite of Liberation(5/5), and Judgment(5/5). >> [Unruly Guider] (0/60) :: A path of one that questions and forms their own rules, using immense offensive power to guide lost beings. Additional Abilities include Empyrean Ruler (0/5), Liberator (0/5), Fate Stealer(0/5) Golden Guider(0/5) A new set of abilities were shown strongly on the skill tree of [Fate''s Guardian]. Noah glanced over at the skills as he began putting in skill points right away, wanting to see the full uncovered potential of these abilities right away! [Empyrean Ruler] (5/5):: The number of Empyrean Guards that the Unruly Guider can summon is increased to 12. [Liberator] (5/5) :: The Blades of Liberation feel the strong will of the Unruly Guider, gaining their own will as they stay alongside you to bring Judgement to your enemies. +180% Physical Damage, +180% Soul Damage, and +180% Attack Speed to the [Sword of Liberation] ability. [Fate Stealer] (5/5) :: A support ability that is only activated when an enemy that is proficient in the workings of fate stands against the Unruly Guider and faces their death. 12% of the Fate Essence that they have collected over the years will be absorbed by the Guider. [Golden Guider] (5/5) :: All the beings that are following the rule of the Unruly Guider are blessed with his source of strength as a portion of the user''s aura of fate surrounds them. To those classified as Subordinates of the Unruly Guider: +120% Physical, Soul, and Elemental Damage, +120% Cast and Attack Speed, +120% All Element Resistance, +120% Defense. Clear and crisp descriptions that made Noah''s eyes shine were laid out in front of him, a spectacular set of abilities being added to his arsenal as he went through them slowly. [Empyrean Ruler] and [Liberator] were geared towards strengthening the skills under Fate''s Guardian, with [Fate Stealer] being something unique that would most likely allow him to increase his percentage in the Law of Fate faster if he took down beings also proficient in it. The last skill [Golden Guider] was a particularly interesting one, as it actually granted fairly huge boosts to those following him. He didn''t have even a slight worry of the mention that a portion of his fate would surround them as he had long since used the abilities of > when he first received them to hide hisown fate, the world''s he was connected to, and all the beings around him! This Absolute Skill was just another one of the skills that Noah had active at all times which continued to suck mana to remain this way, but it gave him boundless benefits of moving covertly with his forces while holding no worries. Even if a Celestial were to be standing right next to someone like the Emperor Penguin and glance at his fate, all they would see would be a normal fate of a unique beast that had the bloodline of a Vampyre! So Noah himself held no worries, with the only thing he wondered being exactly what classifications there were on who was considered his Subordinate. As his thoughts wondered, in another location in the Celestial Realm, the Order of Blood with Elena at the lead had already found and were hunting another Fire Behemoth when they felt an ecstatic feeling of strength wrap around their bodies silently. The first one to notice things was the Kraken, as it had cast its [Sea Ray] ability and was releasing powerful destructive rays of light from its reddened eyes when it suddenly noticed its output increase instantly, the rays doubling in size as they shot forth with even more vigor, and it also discerned a golden aura now moving along with these destructive rays as they actually pierced the hide of the Fire Behemoth they were fighting and caused it to release a pained scream! ROAAR! The surroundings shook as the skill of the Kraken was the first one to hit the beast the moment after Noah obtained the [Golden Guider] skill and placed 5 Skill Points into it. The ability had turned especially deadly as it now carried Noah''s aura of fate, which provided the abstruse Soul Damage that very few could defend against! The others very quickly noticed the changes as they felt their bodies to be lighter and faster, using their essence to check their bodies as they felt the appearance of a warm and powerful aura enveloping them. "Master!" "Ahh, Progenitor!" The Emperor Penguin was the first to attribute the change to the only person responsible, with Elena hugging her body tightly as she felt the warm aura surround her and enhance her strength. RAA! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin waved its flippers as it released numerous [Spatial Blades], this time they were covered with a tinge of a golden aura that went on to pierce through the defenses of the Fire Behemoth easier as it let out another pained roar from the soul damage that came with it! This stupendous situation was occurring in multiple places, as those who were labeled as Noah''s subordinates were truly too numerous to even count! In the Spiritual World, those remaining in the Time Space to max the proficiencies of their skill trees felt this powerful aura wrap around them. Those in the First Infernal Realm of Hell like the young dragon Draco felt their bodies gain a power that allowed them to take down the Infernals with even greater ease! Going even further, in a random created Dungeon in Noah''s home world where a Rank B Hunter had recklessly dived into a dungeon by himself and was about to die, his body felt an abundance of strength as his low ranking iron blade gained a tinge of a red aura that went on to actually defend against the blow of the troll in front of him, his gaze looking at his sword in shock as he then moved at a speed he had never moved before and slashed towards the beast. SHAA! The weak iron blade cut through the defenses of the troll like nothing as the hunter that had overestimated his abilities and was about to lose his life looked around in shock, not understanding what was happening as a unique thought passed through his mind. ''Was I actually born with an unknown power and am meant for great things?!'' To go even further, a man that had just become a father was playing with his child who could barely form words yet in a small city in the United Federation of Noah''s home world. "Say papa, say papa my little boy!" The father was cradling the boy in his arms with his face full of joy, the child amused by the expressions as random sounds left its mouth. "aha, da..da!" The joy on the father''s face only increased as he repeated his words, and it was this time that the unique energy of the Golden Guider wrapped around the both of them. "Say papa...!" The words of the young father stopped midway as he felt the foreign energy, his joyful expression that was observing his child seeing it adopt a never before seen serious expression as a word actually came out of the child''s mouth! "Papa." ...!!! Numerous situations like these continued to play out across an expansive array of places as the [Golden Guider] skill that granted boosts to the beings considered to be Noah''s subordinates were shockingly applied to every single being on the many planets he was connected to! Chapter 426 - Crixus Shows Off A unique phenomenon spread out across a few stars as the beings within unexpectedly came in contact with something the vast majority of them would have never had the chance to even glimpse nor understand. A distinct aura of fate wrapped around them as they felt their bodies strengthened and reinforced, those that were actively dungeon diving or fighting seeing this strength increase first hand. Because of this, shockingly something that was a norm on Prime Worlds was occurring throughout the planets that Noah was connected to. This phenomenon was the one where a vast majority of the beings on Prime Worlds would be considered ''Awakened'' individuals in the terms of the Planetary System, where a vast majority of beings on Prime World would have a tinge of essence running throughout their bodies that granted them a longer life span and the possibility of getting stronger in the future. This was only possible because of the powerful atmospheric essence that was abundant in Prime Worlds, making most of the beings in it be considered Awakened. Such a phenomenon was actually occurring right now in the numerous Planets that Noah was connected to, where those that could be considered normal beings were slowly awakening because of the powerful energy of fate that wrapped around them! In a small apartment located at the banks of the cities in the Blessed Empire, a young man was watching the TV with shining eyes as he saw the scene of Rank S Hunters valiantly fighting against each other in the Coliseum. A thought was running through his mind as he looked at this scene longingly. ''When would I be able to cast a skill or do anything remotely as powerful as them?'' It was the thoughts and gazes of longing that many felt when they watched their phones and TVs while observing powerful hunters obtain riches beyond their wildest dreams! This young man had the same, but he shook his head as he placed his focus back on the TV, when he suddenly felt a unique energy wrapping around his body, this energy going on to unlock something within him as it directly made him awaken, his shocked eyes finding themselves watching a materializing blue stat panel in front of his eyes there after! Shocking scenes like these continued to occur wide and far as a spectacular phenomenon continued across the few connected worlds, bringing immense joy to unsuspecting beings as this was only the beginning of it all. Noah himself had no knowledge of this yet, until a few seconds later he heard the words of the Planetary System ring in his mind. [That Golden Guider ability is more ridiculous than you expected it to be.] Noah, who had already begun moving forward to another task heard the occurrences around the planets he was connected to as he glanced at the description of this skill in shock. Those considered his ''subordinates'' were simply too many...right? Realizing the extent that the effects of this Golden Guider traveled, a variety of thoughts passed through his mind as the Planetary System affirmed and voiced out his thoughts. [If there are other Guider type abilities in the future Skill Trees, the effects are bound to be something unique.] A shocking thought passed through the mind of one being and the Planetary Systems of a few worlds as countless possibilities lay for the future! Noah shook his head at this ridiculous boost that almost every being on these stars had received and what it could mean for the future, his main body that was moving with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team and Grandmaster Vredral continuing to move as they had located yet another Chaos Behemoth. He would observe the full effects of the Golden Guider ability later as he focused on what he was about to do currently in front of these Celestials. After the upgrade of the [Fate''s Guardian] skill tree that granted him the advancement of [Unruly Guider], he planned to ''show off'' some of his genius in the next hunt for the Chaos Behemoth! Grandmaster Vredral was slowly pulling back in the fights more and more to have Noah and Athena work together with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team to stand against these Elite Behemoths, their bodies that continued to receive numerous Origin Cores of Behemoths and their materials making them near the peak of the Soul Rank in just a matter of days. The hand of the Grandmaster moving in front of them came up as they received the signal to stop, his voice ringing out thereafter. "A fairly average Elite Chaos Behemoth lies in front of us. Crixus and Athena will lead the charge, with the rest of you backing them up. I will jump in if any life threatening situations occur!" The calm voice of the Grandmaster allowed them to nod with serious faces as the War Princess and the Destroyer took the lead, their bodies beginning to light up as they cast [Empyrean Guards] and [Empyrean Armament]. ROAR! Their use of these skills caught the attention of the Chaos Behemoth as the earth below them began to tremble, the mountainous beast most likely reaching their positions in a matter of seconds! 4 Empyrean Guards appeared around Athena as they soon turned into streaks of light and gave her the usual golden armor and two golden hammers with shining light wings. Around Noah, a similar scene repeated, but the summoned Empyrean Guards did not stop at 4, or the normal 6 that the Celestials had seen him use before! With the addition of [Empyrean Ruler] from the Unruly Guider skill tree, he could summon an additional 12 Empyrean Guards! What exactly would come out of him absorbing this many Empyrean Guards? Grandmaster Vredral watched carefully as his eyes began to shine an intense light, watching the appearance of exactly 12 Empyrean Guards around Crixus before they all turned into streaks of light and rushed to attach to his body. A blinding light shot out as a brand new transformation came from doubling the amount of Empyrean Guards, Noah not even using the extra 6 that he could as he only portrayed 12 overall to the Celestials around him! ROAR! The Chaos Behemoth broke through the resplendent foliage of the Celestial Realm as the blinding light that was Noah moved to clash with it first, his spectacular adorned figure finally appearing in front of the eyes of the Grandmaster, Athena, and the members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team as they stood with agape expressions, Noah himself clashing with the Chaos Behemoth head on! BOOOOM! Chapter 427 - Shimmering with Splendor BOOM! The impact sent shock waves of Chaos and Fate elements as Noah''s figure was pushed back slightly, the Chaos Behemoth being stopped in place as in a particular portion on its body, a burning mark was left behind, the strong aura of fate burning into its touch skin as the beast stared at the party of Celestials. In front of Noah''s eyes, a crystal clear name floated atop it. [Chaotic Zygosaurus] This Chaos Behemoth held qualities reminiscent of ancient carnivorous dinosaurs, standing powerfully on four legs as it had a huge extended jaw and dark scaled skin, towering over 60 meters! Yet this huge beast''s onslaught was brought to a halt from a Soul Forging Realm being as his new form made itself clear for all to see. In his left hand, a huge pristine white tower shield protected his body entirely, his right hand holding a weapon that could closely be described as a flail! The flail hung on a clear white chain as it had golden spear protrusions that shimmered dangerously. His body was wrapped around tightly with a golden robe that pulsed with power, one barely being able to discern a passive golden barrier of light being given off by this robe! To his back were spectacularly erupting white feathered wings, but what was more shocking were the three objects rotating in a circular motion behind him. Similar to the hammers that Athena was currently wielding, three resplendent golden hammers were rotating in a circular motion behind Noah''s back as they pulsed with power! The scintillating of Fate Lines visibly showed on his body as the Celestials watching were able to count more than 40,000! WAA! An air of regality spread out as Noah breathed out, wielding the golden flail in his hands as his entire figure released waves of golden essence. The three golden hammers that rotated behind him also vibrated as they shot out, moving as if they were extra hands while they targeted the enemy. "Haha, a genius indeed!" Grandmaster Vredral howled by the side as the rest of the watching members were returned to attention, the War Princess Athena looking towards Noah with sharp eyes as the Junior Brother of hers had inadvertently had another breakthrough and even unlocked another way to uniquely use the techniques of Fate''s Guardian! Noah was not done as he pointed the golden flail forward, the [Chaotic Zygosaurus] gritting its teeth threateningly as he cast another skill, the clouds in the skies being split apart as five large Blades of Liberation descended down. "Haa!" Noah himself moved as he was joined by Athena and Boru, the other members sniping the beast from a far distance as a battle without the help of the Grandmaster against a Domain Expansion Realm Chaos Behemoth began! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The Blade of Liberation smashed towards the beast as it dodged and absorbed some of the attacks, the watching Grandmaster and the fighting members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team being surprised yet again when the normal scene of these Blades of Liberation disappearing into particles of light did not happen, and instead, they strongly remained in the air and began moving on their own again, chasing the Chaos Behemoth down as it was cornered in all directions! The Grandmaster looked at this with a quizzical tone as this scene even left him too curious to understand exactly how this genius did it. The Blades of Liberation that now moved with autonomy under the effect of the new [Liberator] ability had increased damage and speed as they weaved across the field of battle and kept the Chaos Beast fully occupied, the other members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team being given a breather of moving around and dodging the terrifying attacks that the beast released. Huge golden blades chased it down on all sides, powerful golden hammers that were palpating with the aura of fate rotated around him to protect him and also move on their own to dish out even more damage! "Watch out!" The warning came from Athena as her unique power told her a huge skill was coming, the ferocious Chaos Beast in front of released a dark wave of power as it cast its Domain of Chaos! "Hmph!" A golden wave released from the Grandmaster as he pushed back the Domain with his own Domain of Fate, the two canceling each other as the battle continued with the beast slowly gaining more injuries as 5 huge Blades of Liberation sneaked in attacks at all times, while Noah himself moved with his powerful flail to land attacks and then defend with the huge tower shield the beast swiped its claw forward. When this was paired up with Athena''s directions, the Righteous Fire Exploration Team was actually handling an Elite Behemoth by themselves under the watch of the Grandmaster, neither of them at the Domain Expansion Realm as they battled a beast that was! ROAAR! The battle would go on to continue for another half an hour as the defenses of the Chaos Beast were slowly ground down, this time around Noah and Athena stably leading the pace of the battle as even Boru was left behind in how much damage was dealt. The three hammers floating around Noah as well as the Blades of Liberation that seemed to have their own wills dealt even more damage over the course of the battle, the Chaos Behemoth not being able to handle the onslaught of attacks on all sides. A wide smile was apparent on the face of the Grandmaster as his thoughts were affirmed! This was why they used so many treasures to train those with Noble Fates! Their power simply could not be compared as they came with their own genius that could surprise the most powerful veterans! He looked forward to when these two beings would soon break into the Domain Expansion Realm, their rapid rise in ranks that should have been causing them slight destabilization in their essence being solved very quickly as they continued to battle powerful Elite Behemoths to get their power under control. Grandmaster Vredral planned to ask for even more materials for these wonderful disciples of his, which would shockingly soon be able to get a similar title as him at the rate they kept going. Athena was infinitely close as her Fate Lines were about to spill over 100,00, the barrier that anyone that passed would be granted the title of Grandmaster! ''Grandmaster Athena and Grandmaster Crixus...Haha, that doesn''t sound so bad at all!'' The Grandmaster thought wildly as he could tell, with figures like these on the rise, the future of the Celestials was one that would be filled with splendor! Chapter 428 - Fame Among the networks of the Celestials moving in the Celestial Realm, two names had begun popping up and shining with vigor as the days passed. The Normal and Elite Exploration Teams had been passing around the names of the two newly arriving Celestials with Noble Fates that were rising rapidly through the ranks, their names now being placed in the same places as renowned Celestials that were moving in Elite Teams! "They aren''t the only ones with Noble Fates though. There are others that shine even brighter like Grandmaster Xander and Grandmaster Lila." Two normal teams were enjoying a feast of simmering behemoth meat as they talked within the special locations that were exclusive to Celestials in the Sanctum. The beings they mentioned as Grandmasters were not some old fogeys that had been living for thousands of years, but young and upcoming Celestials that had passed the point of 100,000 Fate Lines and obtained the title of Grandmaster! They were beings that were similar to Noah and Athena, holding the title of those with Noble Fates. "Well, I know we place a lot of importance on those with Noble Fates, but what about the Three-Eyed Fate Child and Grandmaster Light? They don''t hold such titles, but because they are unique existences in our galaxy, they hold tremendous power!" A burly celestial took a large bite of the glistening meat that shone with essence as he spoke out, the topic of conversation not disparaging any of the powerful beings they were talking about, where they were simply sharing their opinions on who else was out there. This was the atmosphere of Celestials, who were under the doctrines of maintaining Order and Balance, and thus were happy as long as powerful figures were growing in ranks to be able to better reduce the ever so increasing Chaos! The two other beings they mentioned as the Three-Eyed Fate Child and Grandmaster Light were not those holding powerful titles, but simply beings born in unique environments which gave them innate strength that was one of a kind in the Light Expanse. The Three-Eyed Fate Child was the last of its species, a being that was found by a roving Grandmaster in an uninhabitable planet that was filled with destructive storms. This Three-Eyed Fate Child had been able to survive alone in this star for years before the Grandmaster found him, his unique Three Eyes giving him immense talent in the Supreme Law of Fate and the Supreme Law of Time-Space. This gave birth to a being that was proficient in two Supreme Laws! The other was a Celestial known as Grandmaster Light, a being that was born on a planet made of light, this planet going on to shatter the moment that Grandmaster Light was born. She was an existence that held a unique composition, with much of her body being made up of particles of light! There were rumors that only her heart was the same as everyone else, possibly being her only weakness as well. As she was a being of the Light Element, she had been able to cultivate the Supreme Law of Light and Supreme Law of Fate with ease as she moved through the ranks of Celestials over the years. Now, each of these figures were moving on their own Elite Teams as they sought to increase their power and be the ones that brought down the most order and balance. "Our organization is extremely united, but I feel like there will be some rifts and competitiveness soon as the number of beings with powerful talents appear. We have large amounts of treasures, but is it enough to raise multiple beings with Noble Fates and even Special Existences to the peak levels of power before the next war begins?" A low voice erupted from the corner of the table, a fairly intelligent robed Celestial speaking out as he caused a silence to descend onto the area, those that heard his words being made to think. The words of this wondering Celestial were actually fairly spot on though, as when the moment that Grandmaster Vredral applied for more materials and Cores for the powerful students under him that he knew to be showing immense promise, he was soon faced with an awkward situation where he was told to wait, as much of the other resources were already diverted to other beings holding titles of those with Noble Fates or Special Existences! This caused the Grandmaster a bit of unhappiness as he knew that the disciples he had were extremely talented, knowing they would be able to bring them the most help when standing against the coming chaos in the future. Grandmaster Vredral had thought about this issue as he went ahead and contacted his connections in the Sanctum and the 7th Celestial Star, letting his thoughts be known similarly to when he brought forth the idea of influencing the beings of the Light Expanse more by letting them into the Celestial Realm. Because of his recent contributions, his words held a significant influence and value as even though he did not stand near those that would be considered at the top of power when observing the large scale of the Celestials, his influence was still wide as he helped oversee a significant portion of the Light Expanse with other Grandmasters in the 7th Celestial Star. He had sacrificed his rise in power in the past as he chose to leave the Celestial Realm and take part in the overseeing mission of the Light Expanse, where the friends he knew and had in the past who had remained in the Celestial Realm were powerful Grandmasters that had already entered the World Rank, with some of them even having the task of looking after Special Existences or those with Noble Fates! His influence over some of the regions in the Light Expanse allowed him to easily amass hundreds of thousands of Fate Lines even while he wasn''t actively hunting Chaos Behemoths as the other Grandmasters over the years. Thus, his words were taken seriously as the names Crixus and Athena were brought forward to the upper echelons of power of the Celestials, these two beings being put on the list among the brilliantly shining Celestials that were being groomed with the most resources for the war to come. But this brought the problem where the exceptional Celestials were too many, with the materials and treasures needing to be spent very carefully as they were only focused on to beings that had the ultimate potential to create powerhouses that could sway the direction of the war in the future. So how would those that were truly deserving and with most potential be chosen among the geniuses in their organization as they neared the precipice of a war? This question would bring forth a spectacular event in the near future, an event that would be a show for the ages! Chapter 429 - Shooting Past the 100,000 Barrier Grandmaster Vredral glanced at Crixus and Athena as he had a carefully pondering expression on his face, turning to the disciples who had just taken down another Chaos Behemoth and were steadily purifying the Domain Realm Origin Core before they began absorbing its powerful essence for themselves. He knew that the forced increase in the realms of these beings was not necessarily the best, but their bodies seemed to be able to particularly handle this ordeal as they continued battling with the powerful Behemoths! He expected these two students to soon enter the Domain Expansion Realm themselves, but this was where hardship would begin, as treasures to push the power of those at this realm were exceedingly rare, causing the situation that had occurred when he requested more resources and actually could not be provided with any. A solution was under way, but his students would have to work hard to get through an ordeal before they could continue advancing at such a rapid pace again. His heart was at peace as he thought about the other beings considered Special Existences and those with Noble Fates. He truly believed in his heart that Crixus and Athena had the most potential and stood above them all! Now, the only thing for them to do was to show this to the higher echelons¡­ --- As events continued to be propelled forward around his main body, Noah''s clone was the one being the most productive these past few days. His main body continued to move with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team as they went deeper in the Northern Region of the Celestial Realm, coming face to face with powerful Domain Expansion Realm Chaos Behemoths. Since they were at the Domain Rank, each time they faced a Behemoth, the Grandmaster had to be present to cancel the powerful Domain they could cast, otherwise Noah and the others would fall into a Domain of Chaos as the fate energy in their bodies became restricted, eventually falling into the deadly hands of the beasts. Though at the rate they were going, Noah knew he and Athena would reach the Domain Expansion Realm soon enough and be able to provide their own Domains! A majority of the materials and Cores from the defeated Behemoths continued to be distributed to him and Athena, their titles continuing to benefit them greatly, even though he knew a limit for the benefits of these titles was soon coming. As for what would happen after that? He would take it as it came. While his main body continued to build up his Rank and get used to the spectacular new abilities of the next stage of [Fate''s Guardian], the path of the [Unruly Guider], his clone had been using the Dual Cultivation method the past two days to break past the barriers of one hundred thousand in both the Supreme Laws of Fate and Chaos! Noah had noticed that ever since the initiation of the Golden Guider ability that influenced the beings in the world he was connected to even more closely, he had become able to gain more and more Fate Lines at a rapid rate. The effects of [Golden Guider] did not just extend to increasing the power of the multitude of beings he was connected to, but it went even further to increase the rate he improved in the law of fate as his influence over these many beings increased by a huge factor! This effect was slowly causing a trickle of Fate Lines to converge towards him constantly, with him believing that it would gradually even increase over time as the beings he affected increased their strength and propagated throughout the worlds in the future. This boost of Fate Lines from multiple sources and the Dual Cultivation method allowed for him to break through the barrier of 100,000 milestone with ease. 100,000! The benchmark that marked a Celestial as a Grandmaster, and the place which allowed him to see a 1% next to the Laws of Chaos and Fate on his stat panel. His Chaos Particles were hanging slightly over 104,000, with his Fate Lines shooting further ahead as even though he divided his time equally in increasing both the laws, he was originally ahead with Fate Lines by almost thirty thousand and now gained a greater amount because of the effects of [Golden Guider], which put his total number currently at 130,000 Fate Lines. Such a number could only be achieved by tens if not hundreds of years by heavily dedicated practicing Celestials, and he had gotten it done in a few days while also keeping himself busy with other tasks. His forces had entered a period of rapid strengthening because of the boost of [Golden Guider], the addition of the aura of fate on their bodies granting them a level of damage that decimated their enemies. Even Noah himself thought he was still underestimating the effects of the Guider skill as it seemed like the stage of strength of many beings across the Worlds he was connected to were being boosted to a whole other level. In the Spiritual World, the beasts were moving with vigor as they enjoyed the resplendent farmlands across the continental landmasses, many of the Spiritual World Beasts leaving lives of luxury as they cultivated and enjoyed essence filled fruits and medicinal herbs. The paradisiacal looking Spiritual World that had four floating continents on top of the enormous central one was an environment that even the richest kings would not be able to come across, the levels of atmospheric essence in this world being off the charts. This wasn''t to even mention one of the continents now being fully changed to a land of fire, coagulation of fire elements being abundant as it was fully turned into a Fire Law Space. This allowed for the birth of new Spiritual World Beasts that were not of the Water Element, the advent of fiery beasts coming to be in the expansive Spiritual World! There always seemed to be new and exciting things to observe in this Spiritual World as Noah unlocked more and more of its secrets. There was also the recently unlocked plants which granted boosts to the Law of Fire and the Law of Water being already planted in the Time Space of the Spiritual World, Noah moving to use his Budding Farmer skill as he reduced the growth and maturing rate of the plants by a large margin, expecting them to be ready for consumption in a matter of weeks and not years! On the side of the Blacksmith''s Forge, he had already collected more than enough Chaos Materials, being able to craft a full Set Item from the Chaos Element. He planned to craft a full one some time later, and for now, he was going to upgrade a skill tree he looked forward to seeing the next stage of for a while. That''s right, the Lesser Cthulhu skill tree was ready for an advancement to the next stage! The ability that made it possible for him to gain the qualification of an Infernal Lord in the beginning, the one that seemed to be surrounded by mysteries- it advancements were slowly opening themselves up in front of his eyes. Chapter 430 - [Kin of Terror], Bold! Noah''s clone was currently in a random location in the void of space, his gaze looking over the stat panel that showed two possibilities of where he could take the Lesser Cthulhu skill tree. [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(5/5), Destabilize(5/5), Shattered Star(5/5), and Miniature Space(5/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu] (45/45)Additional Abilities- Morph(5/5), Child of Space(5/5), Portals of Terror(5/5), and Sever(5/5). Two Skill Trees for evolution are possible once sufficient points and a base requirement of two equivalent level sacrificial skills are reached: >> [Void Colossus] :: A pathway geared towards enhancing the control of space, granting a form deserving of the name. >> [Kin of Terror] :: A fledgling of a powerful existence with unique traits. Its true value lies in its future possibilities. Two possibilities lied in front of his eyes as he read over them carefully, understanding that his choices would determine whether he reached a stage of something he had gained an insignificant amount of knowledge about so far. The pathway of [Void Colossus] seemed to provide more battle power, especially the mention of having a form deserving of the name. The [Kin of Terror] pathway was worded similarly to the upgrade of the Blood Lord that led to the Kin of Ancients, making Noah lean more towards this choice, along with the glaring shining words that read ''Terror''! He chose the [Kin of Terror] pathway right away as the words in the stat panel shone, an additional set of abilities being added. He briefly glanced over them with shining eyes before he placed all the Skill Points into the abilities, wanting to see their most powerful versions right away. SOUL [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(5/5), Destabilize(5/5), Shattered Star(5/5), and Miniature Space(5/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu] (45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Morph(5/5), Child of Space(5/5), Portals of Terror(5/5), and Sever(5/5). [Kin of Terror] (60/60) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Reinforcement (5/5), Multiplicative Ray Support (5/5), Triple on Cast Support (5/5), Lunacy Inducement (5/5) [Aether Reinforcement] (5/5) :: All of the abilities preceding and following the Kin of Terror Skill Tree will be reinforced by the power of Aether passively. +300% Aether Damage, +100% Aether Penetration, +60% Fate and Chaos Damage Reduction. [Multiplicative Ray Support] (5/5) :: Laser-based abilities similar to [Sever] will be further enhanced, the released rays of Aether increasing to 6 as their power is tripled. [Triple on Cast Support] (5/5) :: The [Portals of Terror] ability is further enhanced, where there is an 80% chance to triple the appearance of portals of terror on cast, bringing the possible maximum cast portals to 54. [Lunacy Inducement] (5/5) :: Those with weak minds cannot stand against the Kin of Terror. Lunacy Inducement allows for the user to bring their enemies into a negative mental state as they are slowly left defenseless. The effectiveness of this ability depends on the Soul Strength of the target as well as the user. The additional abilities under the Lesser Cthulhu skill tree were proudly showing themselves in front of Noah as he read them over a few times. There were a few differences compared to previous additional skills as two of the new ones were called support skills that simply enhanced the previous skills to an insane degree. [Multiplicative Ray Support] and [Triple of Cast] support effectively made the Sever and Portals of Terror abilities nonsensical at this moment, even Noah himself not being able to understand the extent until he tested them out himself. Even without having tested them though, their usability already seemed ridiculous! He wiped non-existent sweat off his forehead as he thought about any pitiful enemies that would have to face such terrifyingly enhanced abilities. [Aether Reinforcement] was straightforward, and the only one that would need more time and a closer look in was the [Lunacy Inducement] ability which seemed to have its own terrific uses. He wanted to test these abilities right away, and would very likely have the chance to in the next task that he had the clone lined up to do! The Ancient Blood Clone that was still floating peacefully in the void of space got ready as his body rippled with power. For his next task, it was considered something bold as while his main body continued to move through the ranks of Celestials and got stronger in the Celestial Realm, the clone''s task was to increase the number of connected worlds amidst the training of skills and amassing of Chaos Particles and Fate Lines! It was a very busy and non-stop past few days for his clone, but not even an ounce of tiredness could be felt as he always looked forward to the next steps. For the first world in mind, and this was also the reason why he called the next set of events bold- it was to form a connection with the Magus World that he had personally taken the lives of its strongest forces, this world now currently having celestial disciples moving within as from the words of Grandmaster Vredral, it was being used as a place for them to hone their skills in fate while influencing the lives of the beings in it. This meant that in the Magus World, there was a high chance of there being a Grandmaster that was overseeing the operations for the world that had the massacre of its strongest forces broadcasted, and his plans of forming a connection with the world would undoubtedly cause him to come in contact with whatever force the Celestials had stationed there! Thus, he would have to move covertly in order to establish the connection, clear out any Celestials he found there, and then do something even crazier as his teleportation currently was leading him towards his homeworld where he would be picking up something the Celestials called a Cursed Treasure, something that they used as the reason to destroy an entire world. He considered this next venture bold as he would ultimately be pulling off a disappearing act for an entire Prime World by the end of it... Chapter 431 - World Engine Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone appeared serenely back in his homeworld, above the wide blue seas as he took a deep breath and glanced towards his surroundings. He took in the calmness as his body began descending down into the sea, moving at such a speed that in only a matter of seconds, he could already see the shining lights of an underwater continent that was the New Atlantis. He observed the unique futuristic mixture of magic and technology that the Atlantians and Merfolk showed, the appeal of such structures returning to him as he made a mental note to have an entire area in the Spiritual World built similarly. His presence was already sensed the moment he neared the underwater continent, the being that he had sent a telepathic message some time ago already floating in the lit-up sea with a party of Atlantians and Merfolk to welcome him. "O Great Benefactor, we have everything ready." The one at the forefront, the being that continued acting as the Ocean Master these past few months, bowed towards Noah while pointing to a huge square compartment that shone with blue and gold runic lines. Before he teleported here, Noah had sent a telepathic message to the Ocean Master to have one of the World Engines that had finished being created ready for him to take away for his own use, and the Ocean Master had delivered as Noah could sense the pristine fluctuations of something powerful in the square compartment! He nodded towards the Ocean Master while speaking. "May I?" "Why of course. This is one of our most recent ones that runs even smoother, a few changes made to the rune overlays that allows the flow of mana to be evenly distributed and even faster, achieving the result of spatial warping in a much shorter time frame." The Ocean Master spoke with a confident expression as Noah went forward, waving his hands and opening the square compartment as a circular treasure that seemed to constantly have runic lines moving over it shone resplendently. {World Engine} :: A unique treasure that was created by the combination of technology and magic by the Atlantians. It allows for the spatial warping of an entire world, and requires the permission and cooperation of the will of the world itself before it can be operated. The user must be standing with the World Engine in the innermost core of the targeted world before it can be activated. A description that foretold exactly what to do with the world engine floated in front of his face as he nodded, waving his hands as the entire square compartment containing the Wold Engine entered his [Expansive Space]. "Amazing work as always. I can''t wait to see what other innovations you come up with." He gave a light smile to the Atlantians that could sense the overwhelmingness of his power, the Ocean Master bowing again as he spoke out. "Whatever we can do to help. Please let us know if we can be of use at any time." Noah nodded towards the Ocean Master as he gave another glance to the continuously expanding futuristic underwater world around him, his figure disappearing thereafter as he made his way to the Magus World! The moment he left, huge sighs and breaths of relief as bubbles from the Atlanteans and Merfolk as it felt like they could finally breathe after an instance of meeting that powerful figure. One of the Merfolk turned towards the Ocean Master as he asked with an ashen expression. "Sire, are you sure that is the same Benefactor?!" The Ocean Master had a relaxed face as he glanced at his subordinates and nodded, even he not being able to completely withstand the overwhelming aura the being that had just disappeared released! It wasn''t that his rank and power were overflowing freely for all to see, they actually could not even guess what realm their Benefactor was at as his body did not release any essence fluctuations. What filled them with the overwhelming sensation was his eyes! Whenever he glanced at them, they felt like his eyes could see through everything they had, having a level of power capable of decimating them in an instant. The relaxed expression on the face of the Ocean Master only increased as he affirmed that they had allied themselves with a powerful being, his forces never having to fear for their lives again! "Let''s go. I want to see if we can finish the Plasma Warship in the next few weeks. As soon as we are able to get the inscriptions correctly, we can produce many working ones quickly!" The innovators of Atlantis returned to their underwater kingdom as they went about their work, their Benefactor appeared on the surface of the Magus world silently, his body not releasing even an ounce of energy. --- The Magus World was a huge Prime World that held billions of powerful Magi, their power being something that many forces feared in the past. But this power would forever remain in the past as their strongest organization had gotten decimated some time ago! Currently, the Inhabitants of the Magus World felt a sense of loss as even though their lives were gradually returning to normal, they felt a stifling sensation in their hearts as they never became able to reclaim the sense of identity as beings of a powerful Prime World. This was especially so when the Celestials, those responsible for carrying out the decimation of their strongest forces in the first place, were freely descending on their world as they seemed to be helping the many scattered forces and organizations come together and bring back an ordered Prime World. A few days ago, a Celestial Warship that was a level lower than a Prime Warship had docked on the central lands of the Magus, a Grandmaster that brought along a few Celestial Disciples just beginning in the study of the Law of Fate coming along as he also monitored the evolving situation of the Magus World. This Grandmaster was a fairly powerful Celestial at the Domain Expansion Realm, his power ranking around the middle when looking at the larger forces that held the Title of Grandmaster among the Celestials. He was meditating serenely in the Celestial Warship as golden essence surrounded him, > being used slowly as he tried to decipher his own fate and of those around him. At this moment, his eyes shot wide open as out of nowhere, he found that his fate had turned dark and murky, something he never expected! A quizzical expression passed through his face as he calmed down and tried discerning fate again, thinking it was some sort of mistake. Unbeknownst to him, an Agent of Chaos had silently begun drilling towards the core of the Magus World, the next few hours being something that all the beings in this Magus World would never be able to forget! Chapter 432 - The Magus World Noah''s clone was covered with the aura of [Unique Origin] as well as the concealment techniques of > and >. He was covertly moving and hidden so well that nobody could find out anything about him, whether they were looking for it or not. His body seamlessly pierced through the layers of earth in the Magus World as he went deeper and deeper, his abilities being so adept that he seemed to be flitting through the grains of sand. A few minutes passed as he streaked through the earth, soon breaking past numerous layers as he entered the innermost layer of the Magus World and came face to face with the core of the powerful Prime World. [...] The World Core was unexpectedly taken aback and did not even speak, Noah being the one to take the initiative as he glanced at the circular rotating mass of mystical essence that stood as the center of a Prime World. "I apologize for intruding, but I came to reclaim something that I made possible to still be living today." He spoke out curtly as he neared the World Core, the immense mystical power that was bound by universal laws which it released not affecting him one bit as he heard the reply of the World Core. [What exactly are you talking about? Do you even know what you are currently standing in front of-] "Yes yes, it will be easier if I simply share something with you. Can I get some help?" Noah spoke nonchalantly to the core of the Magus World as his last sentence was directed to his Planetary System. From Noah, a manifestation of lights that were actually memories were released, nearing the mass of rotating core as a surprised voice came out. [Such a thing should not be possible for an entity like you, what is-] [...!!!] The information that was uniquely passed from the Planetary System and onto the core of the Magus World as a shocking level of silence followed, an entire 5 minutes passing as Noah stood calmly in front of the core that did let out any more words! This was because the information that was just passed to it was about the plans of the Celestials to fully destroy the Magus World, and the intervention of Noah that allowed for this world to continue living, even though it had to lose its most powerful forces! [It is you that massacred the beings I raised for so long.] "Yes." [It is you that saved everything else, even me.] "Yes." [...What do you want to do?" A sly smile appeared on Noah''s face at these words, giving a speech he had given to many worlds before as this one did not hold any sort of threats. [A connection?] After a while, the core of the Magus World ascertained while thinking carefully, voicing out something that would be the biggest worry for the undertaking that Noah was about to carry out. [If everything you say is correct, you would be putting yourself and this entire world into even more danger, as Celestials can simply come and do what they wish even if this connection is successfully established. There are also a few on them on this world at this very moment.] "Let me worry about that, I have your agreement?" [...Yes.] With the agreement of the World Core of the Magus World, Noah''s eyes shone as he stretched his neck and prepared to begin! The first thing he did was use the abilities of > and > to discern his own fate and the fates of the many beings in the Magus World. A large inflow of information rushed to his brain as with the use of both absolute skills that involved the Supreme Laws of Fate and Chaos, he felt like he was seeing even more, the simile of seeing both sides of the same coin appearing in his mind as he sensed the bright fate and chaos auras located in the Magus World as many plans flowed in his mind. He also pulled out the Dagger of Time as it rotated rapidly in front of him, using the ability of [Insight] as he foresaw many possibilities of the next few minutes, nodding his head as he breathed out slowly, getting himself in the right mindset as he was about to pull off a bold heist! "Let''s do this silently, why don''t we?" He sent his thoughts to the Planetary System and the core of the Magus World as a bright light that signified a connection shot from him and into the core of the world, a fantastical process beginning as from Noah himself, a beautiful circle of blood began to spread out with him at the center. Both [Blood World], [World Veil], and [Unique Origin] were cast simultaneously as powerful covert techniques went on to begin wrapping around the entire Magus World with extreme speed and precision! The beings on the world felt only a slight tremble at first, and the more powerful ones felt an overpowering essence pass through them as the cast Blood World and World Veil very quickly covered the entire planet. The Grandmaster that was meditating with a troubled expression shot up rapidly as he looked to the skies, noticing a color red overtake it as his warning bells rang, finding that much of his connection to the outside world and his fate abilities were being hindered! He took out a medallion as he prepared to recall the Celestial Disciples currently moving in the Magus World, realizing that what he discerned before might not have been a mistake as something troubling was occurring. "Get back to this Warshi-" SHAA! BOOM! Silently and explosively, right behind the Celestial Grandmaster, the expressionless figure of Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone appeared as the Domain Expansion Realm was hit with a sneak attack! [Void of Impending Doom]. [Armageddon]. RUMBLE! Overpowering darkness, terribly blazing flames, meteors, and chaos erupted out and closed in on the Celestial Grandmaster as the ability Void of Impending Doom from the [Agent of Chaos] and Armageddon from > were cast for the first time. ...! Chapter 433 - Assassinating a Grandmaster! Grandmaster Luo had been meditating in the Celestial Warship with a troubled expression when he first felt the waves of chaotic power pass through his body. He did not even have a chance to react as a second later after he realized the passing energy was a technique that cut off communications from the outside world, an enemy appeared to attack him out of the blue! RUMBLE! The skies cried and the earth rumbled the moment this being rushed towards him, teleporting extremely closely as the whispers of two skills, [Void of Impending Doom] and [Armageddon], were heard. It was an immensely dangerous situation for the Grandmaster as he felt the weight of the entire world falling towards him, numerous chaos essence converging all around him as he saw the formation of dangerous chaos spears from all directions. This wasn''t all as below him, the ground was bubbling and melting as fiery eruptions occurred, his senses indicating to him that above them, there were also numerous terrifying meteors raining down that were already ripping the Warship apart! "FIEND!" The face of the Celestial Grandmaster was filled with immense anger and slight fear as the golden aura of fate erupted from his body, choosing to release the power of his Domain right away in order to escape this dangerous predicament. BOOM! CRACK! The impact hit, the collision and repulsion of fate and chaos spreading out, debris from the shattered warship smashing to the ground as the fiery earth continued to bubble forth and meteors smashed down, it was exactly a scene of what the skill described as for miles around, it was the scene of Armageddon! The Celestial Grandmaster himself had blood leaking from his right shoulder as the Void of Impending Doom ability had not been completely evaded, even his spread out Domain of Fate could not completely prevent the destructive chaos elements. Grandmaster Luo looked at the enemy that was now under the oppression of his domain as his eyes shone with splendor, feeling the chaos elements tearing apart his shoulder as he winced and spat out wrathfully. "You dare to sneak attack a Grandmaster of the Celestials?!" His words rumbled with power as he increased the output of energy towards his domain, numerous Fate Lines appearing on his body as they thrummed with power. On his body, one could count the swirling Fate Lines to tower over 200,000! He glanced at the attacking enemy who was being pushed down by his Domain of Fate, his surroundings lighting up with numerous Empyrean Guards that soon became streaks of light and rushed towards him speedily, transforming into a golden armor, hammers, and wings! The enemy looked towards the Grandmaster''s bleeding shoulders with an expressionless face as he uttered simple words. [Chaotic Mandate]. RUMBLE! A field of chaos particles first became apparent as it began spreading out wildly, trying its best to fight against the overpowering Domain of Fate as a glistening armor of darkness enveloped the expressionless being. The armor shockingly shimmered in darkness as in his hands, two long serrated blades that released chaotic energies stood dangerously! On his back, wings of devouring darkness erupted out in grandeur as a tug of war between two supreme laws went underway! In the air, the opposing battle between the Domain of Fate and the released Chaos Field continued, the much greater strength of the being releasing the Domain exceeding in pressure, but the newly armored enemy whose body palpated with dangerous chaos particles was holding off the pressure as he stood strongly. Noah glanced at the Grandmaster that had evaded his attack with a heavy injury, the 200,000 Fate Lines thrumming with power making him feel slightly suffocated, but that was all! This was because he himself had more than 100,000 Fate Lines, and also had Chaos Particles that passed that amount as well. His figure held on tightly to the dark serrated blades as he streaked forward like a streak of light, the blades going for the head of the Grandmaster! "Vile creature that has fallen in the hands of chaos! PERISH!" An enormous Blade of Liberation pierced through the skies of the now apocalyptic landscape, numerous spears of Judgment also descending towards Noah as he weaved in and out them expertly. It seemed like it wasn''t chaotic enough as his eyes rapidly followed the trajectory of the golden spears and the Grandmaster that was gradually healing with a golden aura, his thoughts moving to cast even more terrific skills as he tested what it would take to bring down a Grandmaster. [Portals of Terror]. [Portals of Terror]... RUMBLE! A terrible skill was cast multiple times, this skill being made even more terrifying by the [Triple on Cast Support] that caused the blooming portals releasing immense destruction to come in numbers of three, quickly increasing in number in the surroundings as more than 50 Portals of Terror soon occupied the Grandmaster that was at the very center! "..." His gaze was ashen as he stared at the overwhelming number of pulsing Portals of Terror that he felt a foreboding feeling from, his heart tightening as he felt like he was standing in the direct center of an explosion. BOOOOOM! RIIP! The portals released their numerous varying disordered and destructive elements as the being shining grandly in gold on the middle was quickly overshadowed in a colorful yet deadly array of colors. OOOOM The space cracked and reformed as things gradually calmed, Noah walking forward while adorned in the powerful [Chaotic Mandate] that let each part of his body act as a weapon that released Chaos Essence. He walked towards the center of where the numerous portals had congregated as he observed space to reform, revealing the disfigured Celestial Grandmaster within as his Empyrean Armament was tattered and broken, half of his right hand missing as he looked toward Noah with a terrified gaze. "You..!" ZING! Noah wasted no time as he cast [Sever], the skill now supported by [Multiplicative Ray Support] releasing numerous rays of Aether that went on to pass through the body of the Grandmaster and cut it up into pieces. Noah Ancient Blood Clone remained impassive as he neared the mass of flesh that remained, his gaze watching shattered Fate Lines that were rising from the body of this powerful being and coming towards him because of the effect of a particular skill. [Fate Stealer] (5/5) :: A support ability that is only activated when an enemy that is proficient in the workings of fate stands against the Unruly Guider and faces their death. 12% of the Fate Essence that they have collected over the years will be absorbed by the Guider. He watched with cold eyes as more than 25,000 Fate Lines raised from the body of the dead Celestial Grandmaster, the death of this being only bringing one thought in his mind as he prepared to hunt any other Celestials on the Magus World before he did something even more spectacular. He used [Devouring] on the body of the dead Grandmaster just by habit, swirls of information crossing through his mind as he moved forward, but he had to come to a stop as while the life of the Grandmaster Luo was playing out in his mind, he actually came across information that pertained to someone he never expected, the War Princess- Athena! He stopped briefly as he glanced over this information, his eyes shining as he unexpectedly got his hands on something good. He put this information in the back of his mind for now though, the task in front of him being crucial and time sensitive, so he continued forward, not even paying heed to the fact that he had just taken down a Grandmaster at the Domain Expansion Realm, a being that had over 200,000 Fate Lines! Dead, and in under a minute! The terror and immensity of the constantly enhanced abilities in the numerous Skill Trees he held were only now beginning to show their capability, their possibilities for the future being something that even Noah did not yet fathom... Chapter 434 - A Prime World Disappears The instant the Grandmaster on the Magus World perished, any other Celestials on the Prime World faced similar fates as Noah wordlessly located their positions and took them down. He was keeping emotions out of it as he moved with a single goal that was extremely time sensitive! The few powerful beings of the Magus World at the Soul Rank that still remained alive already felt the shocking waves of power spreading out where the Celestial Grandmaster was located, their figures only appearing thereafter as they saw the scene of destruction. Noah had already teleported back to the inner layer where the core of the Magus World resided, his sight faced with the newly established connection as the Will of the Magus World underwent a similar process to the past worlds. From shock at their boldness to violating universal laws to acceptance as they were now all on the same boat, this process went by quickly as Noah pulled out the compartment containing the World Engine. "Ready?" He sent his thoughts towards the world core as the mystifying World Engine began floating in front of Noah, taking a position in the middle of him and the core of the Magus World. [Let''s do it.] An affirmation came from the core of the Magus World as pure world essence began to leak from it and into the World Engine, Noah simply watching as he did not really need to provide any energy, this planet now connected to the reserves of many and having more than enough! Still, his mana flowed towards the World Engine as the treasure still needed the location of where it was warping this Prime World if they did not want a random movement of the star. RUMBLE! His eyes closed as he thought back to the void of space not too far from his home world, the World Engine that was receiving enormous amounts of essence having blue runic lines seamlessly moving across it as it expanded and released a unique energy that began spreading throughout the inner layer of the Magus World and further out! It was a new type of energy that Noah was not entirely familiar with, only noticing the spatial essence within it as this energy went on to wrap around the entirety of the Magus World, a few quakes spreading out as the inhabitants felt an enormous change occurring. If a being that could pierce through a [World Veil] and a [Blood World] were to be standing in the void of space watching the Magus World at this very moment, they would notice an eerie spatial energy wrapping around the entire world as it began to look as if it was folding in itself, and then instant later it fully disappeared from the location it was at! Seamlessly! Silently! Powerfully! An entire Prime World had disappeared out of nowhere, powerful beings only finding out about this shocking information some time later¡­ On the 7th Celestial Star, the being that oversaw a majority of the operations on this star, Grandmaster Ramiel, shot up from his meditative position as his eyes shone dangerously. An overabundance of Fate Lines erupted on his body as his eyes shone gold, his usage of > that was exceedingly done in an expert fashion confirming the shocking revelations in his mind as his face turned sour. He opened his mouth as he released a powerful voice that rolled throughout the 7th Celestial Star. "A Grandmaster has been murdered in the Magus World! Leave all tasks behind and get there as soon as possible. Be prepared for battle!" WAA! A shocking command reverberated in the ears of every Celestial Grandmaster of the 7th Celestial Star as many golden figures of Grandmasters moved without a second of delay, their bodies either teleporting onto huge Warsh.i.p.s that were powered up instantly and began shooting from the shimmering star, or others jumped onto established portals that connected to worlds near the Magus World that the Celestials held sway over. From the 7th Celestial Star, numerous golden lights shot out as Prime Warsh.i.p.s of varying sizes erupted out with maximum speed, Grandmaster Ramiel being the first one to move the moment he finished his rallying call as he was shockingly moving through the void of space alone and without the use of a Warship, but his speed was multiple times faster as he shot through at speeds that seemed to be surpassing light! In the void of space, ruptures continued to spread out as he shot forward. This monstrous Grandmaster was shooting through the void of space so speedily that in only 10 minutes, he had traversed from the far away 7th Celestial Star and at the exact location where the Magus World was...or where it used to be! His face was colored black as he swept his energy all around, turning even darker when he found that where the Magus World used to be, fluctuations of spatial energies were freely flowing, but the world itself was missing. It was missing along with Grandmaster Luo who was stationed here a few days ago with a few disciples. His gaze became sourer and sourer as golden waves of fate began spreading around the area, his essence utilizing > even more a monstrous number of fate lines rolled around his aged body. They seemed insurmountable as one could barely make out that their number most definitely passed a million, if not higher! He utilized the Absolute Skill to try and decipher exactly what had happened here and who was involved, but he shockingly found out that he could not get even a semblance of knowledge on the being involved, nor could he locate anything about their fate. All that met his peering gaze was a void of darkness, where he also saw spurts of shining light! His gaze continued to get more and more chilling as the time passed, soon enough sensing the arrival of numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s and other Celestial Grandmasters as they all surrounded where the Magus World used to be, their eyes almost popping out of their eye sockets as the location where one of them had fallen...was actually missing. They glanced towards the leading Grandmaster Ramiel as they did not know how to move, because simply, something like this had never happened before! In the past 1000 years after the War of the Righteous, not a single Grandmaster had fallen to enemy forces, much less assassinated. So who exactly was bold enough to kill a Grandmaster, and how powerful were they that this entire group of Celestials could not find out anything about them?! Chapter 435 - A Declaration! Grandmaster Ramiel floated in the void of space as he stared at the empty plot where the Magus World used to be, numerous thoughts floating in his mind as a few stood at the forefront. As he looked at the situation in front of him, multiple things came to his mind, but the biggest one was a similar occurrence of such an event when it pertained to a Large World that was already destroyed in the past, and by their commands as well! A Large World that had the capabilities to warp across space, holding a Cursed Item that defied the universal laws and increased Chaos! They had sent the order down for this world to be destroyed long ago, so this occurrence should not be connected to it, but the cursed treasures of that world might have just fallen into some else''s hands. He continued to think as his expression was that of wrath, but it wasn''t for the reason that many were thinking of. The death of a Grandmaster was a big loss, yes. But the even bigger loss was the slap in the face as an enemy actually targeted the Celestials. The eyes of Grandmaster Ramiel twinkled as he combined the many thoughts in his mind, thinking of ways to bring about the best results from this event. He looked towards the surrounding Celestials as he thought about the the recent state of affairs, a dangerous gleam appearing in his eyes that nobody could foresee as he spoke out with a rambling voice. "This...is an affront to the honor of Celestials, as cowards actually think they can target and take the lives of our people!" His gaze was cold as he stared at the Grandmasters on Prime Warsh.i.p.s and others that were floating angrily in the void of space. "Those who did this are enemies of Celestials, and in this wide Novus Galaxy of ours, we only have a single enemy!" Shock coursed through the minds of the listening Grandmasters as they soon caught wind of where the words of this leading Grandmaster on the 7th Celestial Star was saying. "Our enemies are the cowards hiding in the Dark Expanse, and those slumbering in the Letalis Expanse!" RUMBLE! Fate Lines that crossed the 1 million point thrummed strongly on the body of the Grandmaster as his body adopted a holy aura. Outwardly, he had a wrathful holy expression while inwardly, he was smiling at having found the perfect way to bring about immense results in the form of increasing their power and influence, as well as be the one to earn the most influence and increase in Fate Lines at the end of it all. "Today, from their cowardly actions here, they have effectively declared war!" OOOM! Essence of fate rumbled out a singular event that would propel a sequence of events towards a terrible future began, the surrounding Grandmasters watching the play that Ramiel was acting out as their eyes twinkled, getting on board of the train instantly. "A declaration of war!" "We must avenge Grandmaster Luo!" "We must bring Order to all of this chaos!" "War!" "War!!!" RUMBLE! A wide smile appeared over Grandmaster Ramiel''s face as he watched this scene. He cared not whether the killer of this Grandmaster was a being that had obtained the Cursed Weapon from a world they destroyed long ago. He cared not whether the little mice in the Dark Expanse were involved or not. All he wanted was to use this event to increase his influence and the influence of Celestials the most, sparking the conflict they all knew was coming, but had not found the right spark for it just yet! The assassination of a Grandmaster...was all he needed to use as an excuse to paint the beings of Dark Expanse as their enemies once more, and begin the gradual process of a war that would influence the lives of trillions. The skies shimmered gold as Fate Lines had already begun descending onto Grandmaster Ramiel even before he moved to further propagate his own campaign. His face shone with the splendor of a holy aura as he spoke out towards the watching Celestials. "For the Order and Balance of our Novus Galaxy, let the war against these savages begin!" OOOOOOH!!! Resounding roars of affirmation met him as in the location where a Prime World used to be, one of the initiators of a terrible war began. In another location, a Prime World had seamlessly warped across vast distances and appeared near a blue panel, a splendor of essence still apparent around the world. Noah, who was standing within the world, felt the descent of numerous Fate Lines and Chaos particles, his eyes shining as it seemed his actions had brought about something even bigger than he thought. He held no worries though, as he planned to do what he did today multiple times over the span of the next few days. He planned to expand the connected worlds from the low number that was still under 10 and multiply that as much as possible as he trained in two Supreme Laws, while his main body moved in the Celestial Realm to obtain even more treasures. [When do we begin the process of Realm Creation?] A question that would have scared any knowledgeable being was heard in Noah''s mind, the Planetary System bringing the topic of something that it was very much looking towards to as Noah had a thoughtful look. "As soon as we have the proper requirements to create something at least on par with the Infernal Realms. For now, we can steadily build up to it!" Noah replied calmly as he himself was looking forward to this event, the information he gained from the Infernal Lord title letting him know exactly what he had to do in order to uniquely achieve the goal of making a Realm, something that rarely occurred, and especially rare for there to be a singular being that caused it! But for now, he enjoyed the achievement of connecting to the Magus World, his gaze on the inhabitants in this wide world that would soon join his forces as he prepared to send some beings down to properly manage this world. The one at the forefront that had been moving tirelessly the past weeks was the Guardian of Blood that continued to oversee the Ancient Blood World and monitor the progress of the Vampyres that Noah made, but this Guardian was versatile in its abilities and should have no problem looking over a few other worlds! The clone''s figure disappeared as he went off to repeat what he did just now to a few more worlds, staying true to his goals of simply attaching more worlds to retain his supremacy over mana! Chapter 436 - Rapid Breakthrough As his clone moved to increase the connected worlds, Noah''s main body was currently in an expansive training room of the Celestial Watch Tower that stood between the border that left behind Fire Behemoths and had the Chaos Behemoths that were located further out. The aura of fate was abundant in the room they were in as Grandmaster Vredral stood in front of them, his hands releasing warm essence of fate as he calmed the unstable aura around Noah and Athena. That''s right! The power leveling that the Grandmaster was putting Noah and Athena through was finally coming to fruition, as these two beings that continued to be given materials and cores from Chaos Behemoths were finally forcefully breaking through to the Domain Expansion Realm! The resources and treasures that would have gone to multiple Elite Exploration Teams and Celestial Grandmasters were given to the two beings with Noble Fates, their strengths being raised at a rate rarely seen as they broke through ranks that would normally take even geniuses years to break through. Grandmaster Vredral would not have proceeded to continue pushing their realms up forcefully if their bodies showed any instabilities from not being able to handle the rapid rise, but Noah showed no issues while Athena only showed slight instabilities! After putting through numerous battles against Chaos Behemoths, their rapid rise only became solidified as they were now breaking through into the next rank with ease. In their hands, the last Domain Expansion Realm Cores faded away into dust as both of their bodies rumbled with power, the unique strength of a Domain that was only present in this realm beginning to wrap around their cores as touched upon a level that would have taken them a significant amount of time to achieve with normal means. "Good, keep it steady and manifest the domain around your origins, this will allow you to stably step into the Domain Expansion Realm!" The Grandmaster said gravely as his power continued to descend onto their bodies and aid them, another few minutes passing before a change began to occur on Athena first, a golden glow surrounding her as she turned into a being clad in golden light! An ecstatic expression appeared on the Grandmaster, the smile becoming even wider when the exact same situation happened to his other student, the two successfully establishing domains in their origin as the powerful aura at the Domain Expansion Realm began to leak out from them. "Haha!" A prideful look was on Grandmaster Vredral as he stared at his terrific students, Noah returning an excited smile as he laughed in his mind, these Celestials not knowing exactly who they just helped advance the realm of! He and Athena had been given so many Domain Cores that he could have reached the reached a few days back because of the smoothness that the Planetary System allowed him to absorb cores, but he waiting until the Senior Sister that had always been ahead of him to break through before he did it himself. At this moment, he had to give heartfelt thanks to the Celestials that had granted him such a large amount of treasures and brought up his rank rapidly. For the first time in a while, his rank had advanced first before he upgraded his skills. Much of his skill trees currently remained at the soul rank, which will need the clone to spend some time out of its planned schedule in the Time Space raising the proficiencies of the skills before they could advance forward. This would be for later though, his attention currently turning towards the joyful Grandmaster that he stood on the same Realm as. The only thing missing being a few hundred thousand Fate Lines that he saw himself reaching not too long from now. "Hmm, terrific geniuses indeed. You''ll work to stabilize your new realm the next few days before we can set off again. I wanted your power to be as high as possible before you began joining any skirmishes of the coming war, but¡­" His gaze of joy turned difficult as he continued. "...I just received word that Grandmaster Luo of our 7th Celestial Star has been assassinated, and the Dark Expanse is to blame. This...is a Declaration of War!" Noah''s eyes opened wide as he heard this, his clone that was already locating another world to form a collection to also pausing in surprise as it heard the shocking results of its actions. Noah had known that at most, the Celestials would connect the disappearance of the Magus World to the technology of the Lost World of Atlantis they destroyed long ago, but they would never be able to find out exactly who was involved, as he was expertly guarded by both Fate and Chaos techniques! Yet somehow, the Grandmasters had attributed the death of their own to the Dark Expanse in an effort to use it as one of the excuses to start the war. A war between such huge forces did not begin and end in a day, where even the campaign of war that the Celestials carried in the War of the Righteous more than a thousand years ago, the war had lasted tens of years as the Celestials gained more territory and power. This war that was about to begin would not end in a few days or a few months, the beings involved being too many and too powerful, where even Noah knew after he gained his burst of knew knowledge that it could take years! But, this was all without him in the picture. If he actually had a hand to play in this war as he increased his power¡­. He kept his thoughts to himself as he looked towards Athena, the memories of Grandmaster Luo letting him know that there was a connection between them! Athena looked towards the Grandmaster with an angry expression before being the one to speak out. "Grandmaster, I know our rise in strength has been going against the natural order, where the rate simply does not conform to the norm! But since our strength will allow us to bring forth even more order, I will gladly continue raising my power, and I know Junior Brother Crixus will do the same!" She had a valiant look on her face as she continued speaking. "In this large scale war, beings at the Domain Rank will be of great use, but those of higher levels will be the true decoders of the war! What can we do, Grandmaster, in order to attain such strength before the conflicts begin?" Unexpectedly, Noah did not see the reaction he expected from Athena as she straightforwardly asked Grandmaster Vredral how to further increase their power, the old man looking towards them with shining eyes and replying. "I was going to mention this to you after you had stabilized your realms and were ready to move forward, but¡­" "...as there are numerous powerful Celestials that are special existences or those with Noble Fates, resources have been equally decided so far and are getting scarcer. This is even more so for resources that are useful to beings at the Domain Expansion Realm!" The Grandmaster spoke seriously as Noah considered his words about resources that could help someone at the Domain Rank. One must know, the Grandmaster was at the peak of this same rank, and even he had not broken through. Whatever resources that would be useful to him and Athena, they would also be useful to the Grandmaster! But this aged man did not even mention this as he seemed to focus his entire attention on the two of them. "The resources to help a being in the Domain Expansion Realm are scarce, but it does not mean they do not exist. But because of their rarity and the fact that there are so many qualified beings in this realm that desperately need such treasures to increase their power...something has to be done to determine which Special Existences or being with Noble Fate is holding more potential and more deserving of such treasures!" The words of the Grandmaster were explosive, Noah and Athena listening closely as they waited to hear exactly what the Celestials had in store. How would they be determining who is more deserving of treasures that were useful to even the most powerful of Grandmasters?! The answer was in the form of battle! Chapter 437 - To Be Matched Against Special Existences "The deciders of the direction of the war are the strongest beings, with players at the World Rank or the ranks above being the ones that will ultimately decide which battles we win or lose " Noah listened closely as the Grandmaster continued, his mind going towards the cultivation ranks the Grandmaster mentioned as he already knew what was above the rank of World. After a being established a Domain to cover their origin, the next stage was the World Realm as they fused their Domain to their core, being able to bring out power that could destroy Small or Large Worlds! After the world stage, one would embark on the path to strengthen their origin as if they were forming a world itself at their very center, the realm above this being called the Star Forging Realm! Experts at this realm legitimately had the force of a star thrumming at the very center of their strength, Noah knowing that the middle ranked Infernal Lords occupied this level, as well as some of the more powerful Grandmasters. Above the Star Forging Realm was the realm that the experts standing at the top of power in this expansive Novus Galaxy, it was the realm where one had to shatter the very Star they forged which stood at the center of their origin, allowing the explosion of the dying star to form what was the next stage after this- Nebula! A Nebula was a giant cloud of dust and gas in the vastness of space, and it was this cloud of dust and gas where new stars formed. Experts at the Nebula Realm were those standing at the peak of power as any one of them could have a Nebula that already birthed multiple stars, the levels of strength being wide ranging as the fire power of such a realm was shocking to even understand. As far as Noah knew, the strongest First Infernal Lord was at the Nebula Realm, along with the Founders that stood atop the Celestials! But this was only what his knowledge led him to, he could always be wrong. He stopped dwelling in his thoughts as he continued to listen to the Grandmaster before him. "Celestials at the World Rank or higher are held with great esteem, being one of the powerful weapons that could even match against the weakest Infernal Lord if multiple of them work together. Thus, any treasure that can possibly help a Celestial step towards the World Rank is treated with utmost importance!" "Such a treasure...does exist in our hands. It is something that is completely out of my reach, and will only be given to the most promising Special Existence or a Celestial holding the title of Noble Fate. This treasure is something that we found in the southern region of the Spiritual Land where Fate Behemoths are abundant, a treasure that I only know by the name- Luminescent Rainbow Dew!" The eyes of the listening students shone as a treasure was mentioned, something that even Grandmaster Vredral himself could not get his hands on. "You two have the chance of obtaining this Luminescent Rainbow Dew, but only if you can prove that your potential and power is greater and more deserving than the other beings at a similar standing as you. The way to do this is simply...through battle. In order for you all to experience a rapid rise in strength similar to the past few weeks and enter a Realm that will grant you the power to make a difference in this war, you will have to fight for it." Noah thought of many possibilities as the abundant treasures of the Celestials continued to help him greatly, and this treasure that was being hyped up by the Grandmaster was one that could possibly bring him to yet another stage that would allow him to catch up to some of the monsters he was facing. "Who do we expect to be facing, Grandmaster?" Noah replied with the conviction that seemed to say they would do whatever it took to increase their power, the Grandmaster nodding with a received smile as he continued. "In a soon to be specified location, a Battle of Geniuses will be held where those joining will be faced with beings holding Noble Fates and Special Existences that have immensely powerful innate abilities. Coming out on top of this tournament will grant you some of the most valuable treasures that we have collected over the last thousand years!" A resounding reply rang out in the training hall they were in as they received the information on just how they could advance their strength further, Athena turning to look towards her Junior Brother with a determined look as the both of them nodded towards each other, turning their gazes to the Grandmaster as they replied. "We will not let you down, Grandmaster!" Noah continued to play the part of a genius disciple well as even more opportunities landed on his lap. As the cultivation and information session with the Grandmaster was coming to an end, he looked at the change that had appeared in the Stat Panel after he stepped into the Domain Expansion Realm. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 162,735] [Chaos Particle(s) : 135,234] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-2] [Domain(s) : Water, Space, Fate, Fire, Chaos] [Vitality: DOMAIN] [Focus: - ] [Strength: DOMAIN] [Law(s) : Water-11, Space-8%, Fate-1.6%, Fire-14%, Chaos-1.3%] Among the many additions that continued to be added over the last weeks, there now stood another one that was titled [Domain(s)]! Included in it, the laws that Noah was currently cultivating were available, meaning that if he so chose, he could release a domain of any of these laws to pressure his enemies. The higher his percentage of the laws increased, the more powerful the domains would become. For now, all he had to do was continue the monotonous work of cultivating Fate and Chaos, as well as have his clone move in the Celestial Realm once more to look for an Inheritance that dealt with the law of water. This was because normal universal laws like water and fire were much easier to raise up, and Noah knew if he could repeat something similar to what he was currently doing by dual cultivating both fate and chaos, raising the laws of water and fire should be even easier! Chapter 438 - Atop a Dragon Searching for Treasures Noah glanced at the Grandmaster that gave him and Athena more information of the Battle of Geniuses where they would have to face the terrible power of Special Existences and being similar to them with noble fates in order to get his hands of treasures that could help those in the Domain Rank. For now, his main body would participate in this tournament seeming event as his clone continued to do the brunt work. At this moment, his Ancient Blood Clone had formed a connection with a Large World that Noah found viable in his memories, the beings within not having too many connections and not being of high strength. Much of these types of worlds came from the memories of the Demon Emperor Baal who was very active in targeting middle and large worlds as he expanded his forces. This recent world achieved Noah''s goal of passing 10 connected worlds, the most recent ones being brought near his homeworld through the use of World Engines, with Noah casting a [World Veil] thereafter to hide all of them from prying eyes! These newly added worlds did not even need to be identified by name or unique qualities, as none of that would matter in the coming weeks as he soon planned to carry out the grand plan of a Realm Formation. Such a plan...would make the identities of worlds null. His eyes shone with splendor as the meeting with the Grandmaster moved along, thereafter obtaining more information on the recent events where Grandmaster Luo was assassinated and the resulting actions that came thereafter. The leading Grandmaster on the 7th Celestial Star, Grandmaster Ramiel, had already formally filed for permission to move his Battalion that was made of numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s and Celestials towards the border between the Dark and Light Expanse, sending them as the preliminary force as they initiated what would be a long period of war. Some Celestials were opposed to this as they wished for a longer preparation period to orderly move all forces, but even more were for it as it meant they could begin their conquest that would lead to more influence over many beings'' fates much sooner! The request of Grandmaster Ramiel would most likely soon be given a green light after it was passed to the Founder, what happened thereafter only being etched in history. Something new that came at the center of this was the prepared command that would be given to the powerful beings of the Prime Expanse that were moving in the Celestial Realm. They would be told that for them to continue exploring and enjoying the boons of the wondrous realm, they had to send a specific number of beings from their worlds as soldiers to fight alongside the Celestials! They had to fight for the peace and order of the Light Expanse that was being disrupted by the Dark Expanse! This command would cause for the influx of millions of beings to be in the front lines in the coming war, this conflict of attrition eventually benefitting the Celestials as they would be losing very little of their own forces as time passed. Thus, many waited for the okay to get things started, Noah absorbing all of the information himself as he continued preparing in his own ways. The Spiritual World continued to bubble with essence, numerous things being accomplished every day by the System that stood as the center of the Spiritual World. The building of the Water Law Space had already been completed on one of the four continental landmasses of the Spiritual World, Noah actually choosing to reduce the Fire Law Space to cover half of the Continent, and for the Water Law Space to cover the other half. This created the unique environment where two opposing Law Spaces had an inch of a barrier that stopped them from flooding into the other. This was all in preparation for the obtainment of a new inheritance in the Law of Water that would allow Noah to perform Dual Cultivation with these two laws as well! The Ancient Blood Clone finished forming the connection of another world as he sent numerous telepathic messages to his competent forces to handle this transition, Steel Mikhail and even Kazuhiko that seemed to never want to leave the Time Space that he was using with extreme efficiency to raise his skill proficiencies being put to use. The clone moved without rest as he reappeared back into the Celestial Realm, his body currently pulsing with power as his main body had stepped into the Domain Expansion Realm. When this was paired to his continued advancement in two Supreme Laws, many beings would feel their souls shaking if he didn''t cover up the pressure of power that he released. This time, the clone had appeared in a region not too far from the Sanctum, his gaze going towards a certain direction. This time, it wasn''t the North where the Fire Behemoths and Chaos Behemoths resided, but the South where one could find Water Behemoths and Ice Behemoths, his goal being to look for the treasures and inheritances here as he increased the efficiency of his cultivation even more! His rapid rise in Chaos Particles and Fate Lines was going in the right direction, but his Fire Origin Core had remained with a slow progression where even the Supreme Laws could soon surpass it. "Draco, come back." He sent a telepathic message to the Draconic Fire Behemoth that was moving in the First Infernal Realm to pass through the portal there and return to the Spiritual World, the huge beast materializing in front of Noah a few seconds later as he came out from the miniaturized world. RUMBLE! "Master!" The voice of the humongous beast reverberated as its head that was now multiple times larger than Noah went forward to nudge him, the clone smiling as he got on its wide back, and the dragon took off into the skies! Its size now towered close to 40 meters, Noah already pulling out numerous Cores from his [Expansive Space] to begin power leveling the rank of this beast towards the Soul Forging Realm. Then, he took out the wondrous miniaturized Spiritual World as he activated [Treasure Hunter], an eruption of essence coming out as a direction was picked. He sent his thoughts into the ability to try and steer it towards what he wanted, but this would only steer it towards a certain direction, where the actual results would be hard to know. SHAA! The figure of an enormous dragon shot through the fantastically glowing trees and vegetation around the Celestial Realm as Noah''s clone continued on towards the South fearlessly, his heart looking forward to whatever treasures or inheritances waited for him there! Chapter 439 - Growth, Treasures As Noah made his way south, his forces propagated various areas of the Celestial Realm as their increased power only allowed for more efficient and effective cooperation that took down behemoths with ease. Not to mention their own recently upgraded ranks and cores from Soul Rank Behemoths continued to flow towards their hands, the boon from the [Golden Guider] skill was so overpowered that when they faced the Fire Behemoths to the north, they could take them down much faster as each of them held a hint of the law of fate in their attacks. Most of the forces were now actively moving as the things around Noah became more and more expansive, even the lazy Barbatos joining the Order of Blood Exploration Team as her own specialized legion of undead joined the fights. Others were either put on tasks to manage the newly added worlds or hunting Behemoths for their resources, with these resources being transferred into the Spiritual World through the Emperor Penguin that held ever so powerful spatial skills. These abundant materials would then be processed by the System at the center of the Spiritual World as they were forged into Items in the Blacksmith''s Forge, powerful Sets of armors and weapons that had overwhelming effects being created with ease. Currently, the number of Blood Stained Infernal Oath Sets made from the bodies of Infernals were the most numerous as Noah had simply hunted too many of them to obtain his Infernal Lord title. The Incandescent Flameborn Set was next in production as more and more materials from Fire Behemoths were obtained, these powerful Sets that had a 6 piece bonus of an Immolation ability that allowed the wearer to deal 1000% more damage being something extremely deadly. As Noah''s forces gradually became equipped with these terrifying Items and the boosts from the Golden Guider, their power was spilling upwards exponentially as they were growing to become a powerful force! It was not just Noah that was currently rapidly advancing through ranks, his forces were also following along! His Ancient Blood Clone continued flying through the mystical forest of the Celestial Realm, the young dragon Draco enjoying the return to the overflowing essence of the realm as it broke the sound barrier to shoot towards the direction that its master directed it towards at high speeds. "Slow down." Noah sent his thoughts forward as he felt the golden arrow from the Spiritual World beginning to blink, the dragon slowing down and reducing its altitude as Noah came to view the environment to the south of the Celestial Realm with more clarity. Huge ancient trees with blue colored leaves were abundant, with numerous lakes that sparkled clearness and serenity spread out all around. As he spread his senses further out with the dragon slowly moving forward, he could see rushing rivers, and even further locations being areas of frozen lands where he even spotted an Ice Behemoth. In the South of the Celestial Realm, one could come across Behemoths proficient in the law of water, whether they were plain Water Behemoths or the specific Ice Behemoths. ROAR! The arrival of a Draconic Fire Behemoth in the skies drew the attention of a nearby Ice Behemoth, but Noah ignored it as Draco continued towards a certain location, Noah following the blinking arrow closely as it pointed towards a sparkling and expansive lake that was surrounded by trees. Draco hovered over the pristine lake as Noah saw the arrow to be pointing down, sending his thoughts to his pet as Draco was transferred back into the Spiritual World, the figure of the clone shooting down towards the clear lake speedily as it went to see just what exactly the [Treasure Hunter] feature had found now. SHAA! His body pierced through the waters with ease as he began descending down, the lake being very deep as he spent a few minutes diving down and watching the area around him. His body was filled with covert skills after he sent Draco away so that he did not get discovered too easily if there was something powerful down the lake, and his senses already caught one Water Behemoth happily swimming a few miles away. After achieving the Domain Expansion Realm, Noah felt an astounding level of control of his energy as the Domain that wrapped around his origin allowed him to feel a sense of stableness that he never came across before. He saw that his progress in the Fire Origin Core even increased after achieving the Domain Rank, seeing that higher realms held their own secrets and surprises to unfold as he continued on in the future. His figure continued shooting down the lake for another few minutes before he neared the bottom the area around him becoming colder as his eyes came across a cold hard floor that shone with a blue crystalline l.u.s.ter! His senses tried spreading through this layer of earth to see what lied below it, but he surprisingly found that he could not spread his aura past it, whatever the Spiritual World was pointing down towards still not known. His fingers tapped onto the earth as he found it to be extremely hard material, but its uniqueness lied in the fact that even a being at the Domain Rank could not spread his aura past it. Noah chose the less destructive way as he became extremely small and minute through [Unique Origin], using his very small size and immensely boosted strength to drill through this unique earthen layer. It wasn''t even that thick, his body being able to pierce through the other end in a matter of minutes as he entered into the hidden space that lied below the frozen floor at the bottom of the lake. His eyes looked around as they shimmered a color of blue, this color being reflected by everything he was seeing as the place he had entered...looked to be a huge stalagmite mine! Numerous Crystals littered the area, his eyes seeing that the space was not even that huge, maybe the size of a football field. But this space held an array of Crystals Stalagmites that shone with a deep blue hue, Noah sensing a congregation of the Law of Water deeply entrenched into every single one of them. Though the blue crystals were many, they were not the most eye-catching thing in this hidden cavern. The most eye-catching thing was that at the center of this place, there laid an even more enormous crystal in the shape of a spiked crown, most of the energies around this place congregating towards it! Noah''s gaze landed on this vibrantly dense blue crystal as a few words popped up in front of his eyes. [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite]. His eyes shone with understanding as he laid his eyes upon the first-ever Unique Material that he came across, his goal of searching for an inheritance leading him to another treasure entirely as he actually came across something which could be used to refine Supreme Treasures, or even possibly create one! Chapter 440 - Materials In a brightly blue lit up underground area, sparking crystal stalagmites exposed the brilliance of the area as the brightest one that stood at the center had more descriptions rise up gradually in front of Noah''s eyes. [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite] :: A material that has collected an abundant amount of the essence of the law of water, granting it the unique title. Can be used to refine Supreme Treasures or in the creation of one in the Blacksmith''s Forge of the Spiritual World. Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone had actually come across a material of great value in his search for an inheritance, something that thrummed with the power of the Law of Water, a material that he could use to either refine the Trident of the Sea, or possibly create another Supreme Treasure! His eyes shone as he waved his hands towards this enormous [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite], watching it disappear from his eyes as his gaze turned towards the numerous other crystals that weren''t nearly as bright as the one he had just pocketed. [Water Crystal] :: A crystal holding the essence of the Law of Water, can be used as a material to refine normal Items or further refined with the locked feature of the Spiritual World, [Alchemy Hall], into Soul Jades. The less bright crystal stalagmites were Water Crystals that were similar to the Fire Crystals he had obtained as materials before from his first Fire Behemoth, but he noticed the additional descriptive words added to the item as the Planetary System hinted to a feature he could not even use yet. "You are able to foresee the possible uses of the future features of the Spiritual World already?" He asked the Planetary System as a reply came a millisecond later. [The veils of secrecy for the natural order and existence of things is gradually becoming thinner as we gather more information and connect to more worlds, your elevation to an Infernal Lord granting us access to a profound bank of knowledge that allows for fairly accurate possibilities.] Noah''s clone nodded as he was reminded of the information that would make many tremble to their cores, the powers of the beings standing atop this Novus Galaxy being so terrifying that nobody would ever think of matching themselves against them. When faced with beings that had established a Domain and then entered a realm where they could destroy worlds, and then they went even further ahead to forge an entire star at their core before they shattered this star to form a Nebula that could birth even more stars...many would simply run away! But Noah received this knowledge as it made his fear at first, yes! But he reminded himself of his own power, and just how rapid he could rise through the ranks compared to anyone else. An example was how in just a period of the past few weeks, he had gone from the Void Realm and into the Soul Forging Realm, and just now he had stepped into the Domain Expansion Realm! What speed! What genius! With such an overpowering power behind him and his own confidence for the future, he saw himself in no way lesser than the beings that already stood near the top. He shook himself out of his reverie as he glanced at the many Water Crystals around him, waving his hands as the wide expanse that was the size of a football field began to be emptied until the brightness was gradually gone. Every single shining crystal that had even the tiniest l.u.s.ter was taken into the Spiritual World as the place where a treasure trove had been laid barren, Noah''s figure bringing out the Spiritual World thereafter as he used [Treasure Hunter] once more, another golden arrow appearing as he was led to another direction once more! He disappeared from the barren underground area as he teleported to the skies, having finally attained the Domain Expansion Realm that allowed one to fly freely in the Celestial Realm. But, he liked the feeling of flying on an enormous Draconic Fire Behemoth even more, so Draco reappeared in the skies with a shaking presence as Noah landed on its head, a slight smile on his face as he patted the enormous dragon that began leaving embers of flames as it began shooting through the skies! --- In another location, his main body was in an expensive lodging of the Celestials in the Sanctum, having returned from the far region where Chaos Behemoths were abundant in order to consolidate his realm and in preparation for the battles between Special Existences and beings similar to him who held noble fates, or so the commands from Grandmaster Vredral stated. His main body was planning on how to best move within the ranks of the Celestials to maintain the most benefits, especially this treasure known as Luminescent Rainbow Dew that even Grandmasters at the peak of the Domain Expansion Realm wished for. He was thinking of how to move while gaining all of these benefits, but he was also thinking of the overall results he wanted to obtain from this organization! His thoughts went towards Athena, another figure that would play a central role in the events to come as at this moment in time, he saw her as a viable scheme to play. He had already placed himself in the War Princess''s life until her guard was completely down around him, and he recently obtained even more information that pertained to her from the Grandmaster Luo that he took down in the Magus World. The information was something that was only a bit of history, but it could be used to create an amazing opportunity for the future. So while his clone continued to move in search of treasures and the continuing cultivation of laws, Noah was currently scheming, and at the heart of the scheme was the valiant War Princess! In the expansive room he was in, Noah turned his head towards the door as he waved his hands to make the Dagger of Time that was slowly rotating in front of him disappear. The past few hours, he had been using the [Insight] feature of the Dagger to look at a few possibilities of how his plan could play out, and was confident in it somewhat as he heard a knock on his door soon after. He went over the plan a few times, changing what he was wearing as he also used [Unique Origin] and then walked towards the door and opening in as in front of him was the War Princess herself, her face holding a vibrant expression as Noah saw on her body, she was adorned by a unique golden robe that only signified one thing, and it was a type of status that very few Celestials held in the Light Expanse. "Senior Sister, they''ve already given you a title of Grandmaster?" Noah smiled as he spoke to the War Princess in front of him, a scheme that would be one of the deciders for a few major events in the future beginning to play out at this moment. He had not done anything these past weeks as he was around this Senior Sister, but he would be making his move today! Chapter 441 - Inducement, Behind a Waterfall! "Senior Sister, they''ve already given you a title of Grandmaster?" Noah''s gaze was steady as the girl in front of the door looked to be slightly taken aback as she saw him because at this moment, he had made it so that when he opened the door, he was standing in front of her with a fresh towel wrapped around his waist, another white towel on his hands as he dried his hair damp as if he has just taken a shower. Athena looked at him as she shook her head with a smiling expression and replied. "I''ve long since passed 100,000 Fate Lines, it was long overdue. I wanted to come tease my little Junior Brother about how he was lagging behind and take you with me to spar, but you don''t seem all that down." Noah smiled as he looked at where they were standing, having an expression of not wanting to be impolite as he invited Athena in. "Please, come in and have a seat. Tell me of the perks you have now that you can be called a Grandmaster." The expansive dwelling Noah was in could be considered an entire house, having a wide living room area and a few other separate rooms. Athena came in and sat at the exquisitely designed table as she replied. "Not that many perks and just more responsibilities. It''s just a title that many Celestials have, even the Special Existences and other beings with Noble fates that we will be facing soon holding the same title as many of them have achieved more than 100,000 lines of fate. By the way...Junior Brother Crixus, are you just expecting me to ignore the fact that you only have a towel wrapped around you this entire time we''ve been talking? What exactly are you trying to pull off?" The eyes of the War Princess squinted carefully as she asked, Noah laughing as he waved his hands and changed to plain white clothing. "I thought I would catch Senior Sister off guard by showing her something she rarely sees, but you seem as impassive as ever." "Oh, did you expect me to jump on you the moment you took your shirt off?" Athena replied teasingly as she looked towards Noah, this not being the first time that the senior brother and sister were bantering, their time spent together the past few weeks being abundant. "Maybe not with my shirt, but what if I cook for you again?" Noah asked with a smile as he went towards the kitchen and waved his hands, taking out behemoth meat that was filled with essence while looking towards the senior sister that was now looking at him with shining eyes. His food had been the one thing that caused her to speedily open up to him, being something that she never tasted before! A conflicting look appeared on her face, but not for a long as her eyes quickly regained their normal valiant look. "Hmph, I came over here to ask you to go spar with me to celebrate my ascension to a Grandmaster, but it seems all you want to do is play around." Noah''s eyes shone the moment he heard these words, the things he foresaw playing in the proper direction as he moved in right away. "What if we did play around, Senior Sister?" OOOM! Silently, essence moved as Noah activated a skill he had not utilized since he first received it, dipping his hands into one of the Seven Deadly Sins available to him- the Sin of L.u.s.t! He had never used this skill before, and even using it now on this War Princess wasn''t something he would normally do, but he had to move things along as he set up the sequence of events to possibly control this being in the future. The skill he used at this moment was the last listed ability under the Sin of L.u.s.t, it was [L.u.s.t Inducement]! [L.u.s.t Inducement] - The user can increase the l.u.s.t other beings feel. This will make it easier for the user to manipulate said being. Noah''s eyes shone red as they glanced towards the War Princess that reflected a similar color briefly, her strict demeanor changing as she looked towards Noah and the behemoth meat ready to be cooked on the table. She seemed to think for a bit before she replied. "I''ll only stay for the food. No funny business, little junior brother." At these words, Noah only smiled as he lit up a fire and began roasting the essence filled meat. If there was an analogy to describe what had just happened at this moment, it would be akin to a fish taking the bait, and now he was just reeling it in as on this day, he planned to initiate a scheme to bring this being with a Noble Fate under his heel. His gaze was looking forward to a distant future when he could manipulate her as he wished to deal a decisive blow or even multiple of them in the coming war! --- As his main body schemed in the Sanctum, Noah''s clone was shattering the sound barrier atop Draco as they shot off in another direction that [Treasure Hunter] pointed him towards. The mystical Celestial Realm continued to reflect on his eyes as he went forward, passing numerous Behemoths below him and finding very little flying Behemoths, these being more common near the regions where Elite Behemoths resided. He even came across a particular Exploration Party from one of the Prime Worlds that looked to the skies in shock after hearing a booming sound, only finding embers of flames left behind. A few hours passed in this manner, the gaze of the clone continuing to watch the golden arrow that led him to an unknown location in the Celestial Realm, where it finally began to vibrate when they neared an area filled with raging rivers, as well as an enormous waterfall that smashed down to hard blue rocks. Draco slowed down and eventually came to a stop as the golden arrow from the Spiritual World pointed down towards the waterfall below them, the young dragon being sent away yet again as Noah began to shoot down towards this waterfall. He couldn''t feel the presence of any beasts, the only sound he heard being the roaring waves of crashing water. The rapidly vibrating arrow led him right in front of the waterfall and pointed forward, his gaze remaining firm as he floated towards it and pierced the rapid waters. SHAAA! A crystal blue covered his eyes as he passed through the water, his senses observing there was actually a hidden location behind this waterfall! No beast of human was in sight as he passed through, coming into a blue glittering cavern that sn.a.k.e.d forward. The golden arrow from the Spiritual World continued to vibrate faster as he went further in, the hidden space opening up in front of his eyes until he came into a much wider clearing where a pool of extremely crystalline blue water peacefully laid. Near this mystical pool of water, an ancient pedestal that held a huge blue crystal could be seen. Noah smiled as his eyes landed on the pedestal, but in front of his gaze, it was shockingly two descriptions that came up, one from the essence-abundant pool of water, and the other from the pedestal! [Prismatic Aurora Spring Water] ¡­! Chapter 442 - Plucking Treasures Left and Right When the hours were passing as his clone neared a particular waterfall where treasures laid within, Noah''s main body had plucked another treasure in the Sanctum. In the dwelling that he was in, there was an expansive bed that would put even a memory foam mattresses to shame, his well-built body was covering the things below his waist as a senior sister that had lost her usual ponytail, her glimmering dark hair sprawled out in a rough manner as she rested her head on Noah''s chest. "You know, a junior brother should not be doing those types of things to his Senior Sister." Athena spoke with a light tone as she had an expression of relaxation, her fingers tapping on the defined abdominal muscles as she counted with a cloudy expression. "It was the least I could do. The only thing I''ve seen you do is battle and cultivate that I was starting to wonder if you had it in yo-" Pah! A light slap landed on his chest as Noah stopped his sentence, Athena looking towards him with a threatening expression as he smiled and stared at the ceiling. A second later, he spoke again, this time in a softer tone. "I am curious about something though, in regards to the news of Grandmaster Luo. I did not expect you to react the way you did." Athena raised her head slowly as her cloudy eyes looked at Noah''s, replying with a sigh as her curvaceous body that was always hidden from the eyes of many stood up, a simple robe wrapping around her thereafter as she began fixing her hair back into a ponytail. "It is what fate laid in store, so I don''t particularly have any strong feelings." Her tone was reminiscent and slightly cold as she spoke, Noah''s eyes shining as he continued. "He was the one to find you in your ruined world and take you to become a Celestial, I thought it would hit you hard." "We know the risks we take in order to maintain balance in this galaxy of ours. Fate is written for some of us to fall, and some of us to continue towards a larger goal. We lost a great Grandmaster, and we will be sure to make those responsible pay for it, using it as an opportunity to bring about even more order!" Athena replied strongly as even when faced with the death of the being that took her from her star to become a Celestial, she viewed it the same as how she viewed her disciples that died during the last Infernal Hunt. What she didn''t know was that those disciples and even the recent Grandmaster Luo had all perished from Noah''s hands! The biggest thing was not this though. In Noah''s mind, the biggest boon he received from killing Grandmaster Luo was the memories he obtained, the memories that told him the true story behind the planet that this War Princess was on, as well as Grandmaster Luo who just ''happened'' to be on this planet to discover a girl that had a Noble Fate. He held a shocking secret about this event that he planned to use in the future as he continued to bring this senior sister under his heel, what he began here today being just the start as he planned to utilize the abilities of the Sin of L.u.s.t to manipulate the War Princess as much as possible, planning to use her as a weapon against the beings she currently stood with! He spoke towards the robed Athena that already had her usual ponytail up, the simple robe covering everything he was just seeing. "Alright. Why did you get dressed though, we have at least another few hours?" "No, we have to prepare for the powerful beings we will be matched with soon. Not all of us are crazy geniuses that are obtaining Fate Lines faster than anyone thought possible." Athena replied with a firm expression as she spoke once more with a light smile. "Let''s go spar again, maybe if you win this time...I''ll entertain the thought of returning to this room again." Noah''s eyes squinted as he nodded, going with the flow as his relationship with this War Princess had moved forward to another stage, continuing his intrusion into the Celestials and their forces as he prepared for a few things! One was the plan for the War Princess, the other was the battle with Special Existences and beings with Noble Fates that would decide whether he received amazing treasures that might even allow him to break into the World Rank at a rate he never expected. To achieve such a rank, either he had to do the impossible thing of fighting a being at that rank and winning, obtaining their cores to make his breakthrough. The other way would be to traverse the Celestial Realm until he found a treasure similar to what the Celestials currently had as the prize for the coming battle between powerful geniuses. His clone had actually come across a treasure that wasn''t just an Inheritance in the Celestial Realm just now, Noah''s mind paying attention to the description of the things that his clone was seeing in the hidden space behind the waterfall far to the south region from where his main body was. Moving from the scene of the vibrant Senior Sister and Junior Brother that were leaving their living quarters to begin a different sort of spar, Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone neared the shining pond and the Inheritance of the Disciple of Water as their descriptions appeared in front of him! :: Left behind to those fate intended, this inheritance grants the unique cultivation ability {Disciple of Water}, as well as the Absolute Skill > that are meant to create a master of the water element. [Prismatic Aurora Spring Water] :: An enriched spring water that is soothing to the soul and good for the body. One cup grants +100% Health and Energy Regeneration and +100% increased Damage to all Water-related Abilities for 30 minutes. Even more benefits can be gained if the spring water is taken away and used for the plants in the Spiritual World, or especially so in the locked feature of [Alchemy Hall]. The description of the [Prismatic Aurora Pearl] :: A pearl capable of releasing Prismatic Aurora Spring Water in a region of half a mile. A unique treasure that is hard to find. The treasure capable of releasing the wondering spring water was obtained as he transferred it to the Spiritual World, giving a command to the Spiritual World System to place it in the continent that held both the Water and Fire Law Space, the pearl to be placed on the region filled to the brim with the essence of the law of water! He then waved his hands towards all the surrounding spring water as all of it went to his Expansive Space, his gaze moving towards the ancient pedestal holding the Inheritance of the Disciple of Water. This would be the treasure that would allow him to rapidly cultivate two normal laws at a speed nobody thought to be possible before! Chapter 443 - Disciple of Water Noah glanced at the ancient pedestal holding the resplendent crystal, expecting for the skills and descriptions of the Inheritance of the Disciple of Water to be very similar to the counterpart of Fire. His thoughts were affirmed as he placed his hands on the huge crystal and the enormous flow of information began rushing towards him. The first thing was the technique that would help him cultivate the law of water itself, it was the unique skill, {Disciple of Water}! {Disciple of Water} :: A technique geared towards cultivating the Law of Water. Grants the user the ability to form a unique Water Origin Core. It was very similar to the Disciple of Fire, Noah not needing to comment anything on it as he moved on to the Absolute Skill contained in the Inheritance. > A technique coming from the inheritance of the Disciple of Water that strives for the aspect of extreme in the Law of Water. Abilities include Ice Age, Incarnation of Water, Elemental Soul Reinforcement, and Summon Tsunami. [Ice Age] :: The Herald of Water had the right to call forth an entire field of unstable and frigid water elements onto a wide ranging area. Enemies within will have extreme cold seeps into their bones as the Slow and Frozen Effects are applied while the user gets increased speed and power within the world of ice. Current Enhancement- +0% [Incarnation of Water] :: You continuously release particles of water from your body, creating large bodies of water rapidly as it can be manipulated to form varying shapes depending on the comprehension of the user. The Stage of the Water Origin Core will determine the enhanced damage. Current Enhancement- +0% [Elemental Soul Reinforcement] :: A unique shield of water rich in the elemental law of water wraps around the soul of the user, granting increased protection from any sources of Soul Damage. The Stage of the Water Origin Core will determine the enhanced reinforcement. Current Reinforcement- +0% [Summon Tsunami] :: A disaster materializes in front of the Herald of Water as a tsunami made up of water particles whose only purpose is to drown their enemies descends forth. Current Damage Enhancement- +0% The abilities of the Disciple of Water were laid out clearly in front of Noah, a few of them being similar to the abilities from the Disciple of Fire, with some distinct ones. One thing that could be noticed now was the fact that for their enhancements, they were all at 0% as currently, he had not even formed a Water Origin Core yet. Once he formed one at the First Stage, the enhancement would go to 100%, with the second Stage granting him 200% and on and on. Noah watched the new skills and abilities settle in his already expansive Stat Panel as he used [Anchor] to place the Spiritual World near the Ancient Pedestal, entering within as he appeared in the skies. He watched the mystically floating continents on all four sides and the central one that he could see large scale changes on, the Spiritual World System already beginning to renovate and use the [Architecture] feature to fully build a magnificent city of Noah''s wildest dreams. He thought he was creative, but his thought did not stand a chance when compared to the System that lied at the center of the Spiritual World! The Central Continent of the Spiritual World had futuristic buildings that were reminiscent of the dreams of the people in Noah''s home world on what a future would look like, with huge skyscr.a.p.ers and exquisitely styled buildings that would take one''s breath away. Not all the areas of the Central Continent were changed like this, a majority of it still left in a natural state as huge trees rose up, the Spiritual World Beasts still living in the habitats they enjoyed. Of course, the higher leveled Spiritual World Beasts like the Emperor Penguin preferred the quality of comfort that could be found in the exquisitely built buildings, especially the places with hot springs and beds that made one feel they were sinking down endlessly. Noah put the spectacular advances of the Spiritual World out of his mind as his figure teleported to the Northern Continent of this wondrous treasure where both the Law Spaces of Water and Fire resided, his figure entering the Water Law Space first as he wanted to form the Water Origin Core similarly to how he first formed the Fire Origin Core without trying anything out just yet. While he did this, he sent telepathic commands to the Harbingers and his other subordinates to tell them that yet another Inheritance waited for them! Those that were moving within the Spiritual World simply needed to go out to the luminescent hidden space where Noah anchored the Spiritual World right next to the Ancient Pedestal holding the Inheritance of the Disciple of Water, while those who were not on the Spiritual World would simply have to use the portals in whatever world they were in to return and partake in yet another unbelievable opportunity. Many of them were already growing numb at all the treasures and opportunities they were receiving, and in such short periods of time at that as they had not even fully devoured the gains of the previous treasures. For many of his subordinates, they were still just finishing forming their Fire Origin Core at the First Stage, where even the second Stage might take them months or years to achieve. Yet now another Inheritance that would allow them to create another Origin Core landed on their laps! Many beings in the light expanse would only dream of being subordinates that received such a treatment, but it was not even a possibility for them! Noah would allow his people to learn the inheritance in the next few hours while he himself began forming the Water Origin Core by using the {Disciple of Water}, where he would try the Dual Cultivation method thereafter to see exactly what stage he could reach with the laws of water and fire. After this task finished, he would check on exactly how he wanted to use the other treasure he obtained today, the [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite] that he could use to either refine the Trident of the Sea or possibly create a brand new Supreme Treasure. As always, he felt like there were so many things he had to do, and just too little time! Chapter 444 - Water Origin Core! The Water Law Space located on the Northern Continent of the Spiritual World was an area filled with blue, the plants fitting to become aquamarine vegetation and the land itself holding vast expanses of lakes and rivers, with numerous waterfalls created from the different elevations of multiple areas as the water flowed in a circular fashion throughout the continent. Elemental particles of water danced freely in the surroundings as Noah went towards the very center of this Water Law Space where the Spiritual World System had already placed down the [Prismatic Aurora Pearl] that released spring water filled with water element essence. The pearl had been placed on an area of depression that would contain the spring water it would release, Noah already seeing more than half of the half a mile area already filled with the sparkling Prismatic Aurora Spring Water as he dipped his body into it. He would cultivate at the very center of this Law Space, inside the valuable Spring Water from the treasure he recently obtained! He prepared himself as he settled deep within the area, feeling the overpowering essence of water all around him as he smiled...and then activated {Disciple of Water}. RUMBLE! It was like a match had been lit as the instant the skill was initiated, all of the surrounding essence filled with the law of water rushed towards Noah''s clone, making him feel a tinge of pain as it rushed too fast towards the Origin of his main body! The energy flowed in freely as he soon felt the appearance of a small clear blue dot to the right side of his main Origin Core, the Fire Origin Core that lied to the right of his main core still sitting stably. Essence filled with the law of water rushed in, and so did his own mana as it all converged towards the ever so enlarging blue dot. Noah knew that the formation and rise of the Water Origin Core would be much faster as he already had 11% in the Law of Water, but he didn''t expect it to be so vigorous. SHAA! In the Prismatic Aurora Spring, there was a swirl of essence forming as it rushed towards Noah''s clone like a black hole, passing through him and going towards his main body through the unique channel they shared, the clone simply acting akin to a limb as his main body kept [Unique Origin] ability active with even more care these days to make sure that none of the changes that were brought upon by his clone cultivating the laws would ever outwardly show. OOOM! In a matter of moments, the first stage of the Water Origin Core formed as a shimmering blue circular core formed near his origin, beginning to rotate even faster as his mana continued rushing in. After achieving stage one, just half an hour later, it doubled in size as it reached Stage 2! Similar to the Fire Origin Core, whatever energy the Water Origin Core drank, it used it to get bigger while also releasing a unique energy that went on to wrap around every single cell in Noah''s body, the energy once again permeating though the clone before it rushed towards Noah''s main body in the Celestial Realm. He could feel the dual strengthening of both the unique energy that the Fire Origin Core released, as well as the new one from the blue shimmering Water Origin Core. The fiery one made his body feel more explosive, like his speed and power just continued to break through all bounds! The calm blue energy permeating within him now slightly calmed the fiery energy, even slightly bolstering it, as Noah felt an overabundance of defense and resiliency with every passing second that his two bodies were washed by this energy. The process continued for quite a while, Noah enjoying the effects of it fully! The essence of water continued to pour into the core for thereafter, only settling down a few hours later as Noah observed it to be slowing down its rate of energy absorption similar to what the Fire Origin Core had done, but it was still faster as he was located in an area extremely dense with the law of water, the Prismatic Aurora Spring only enhancing the environment more. His eyes wandered to the shining blue box only he could see as he observed the stat panel for the new addition. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 174,274] [Chaos Particle(s) : 146,164] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-2, Water-2] [Domain(s) : Water, Space, Fate, Fire, Chaos] [Vitality: DOMAIN] [Focus: - ] [Strength: DOMAIN] [Law(s) : Water-19%, Space-8%, Fate-1.7%, Fire-18%, Chaos-1.4%] The number of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles continued their rapid growth as he broke through any established norms to amass even more of them. His eyes focused on the Water Origin Core that had reached the same stage 2 as the fire counterpart, its percentage even catching up as he did not completely see through the Stages and how they correlated with the percentages. Stage 2 didn''t simply translate to progressing 20%, and it seemed he had to break past this stage to see exactly how the percentages would move thereafter. To do this, he shifted his body as he teleported from the Prismatic Aurora Spring Water and went towards the area where both the Fire and Water Law Space met. His gaze landed on these areas that portrayed two different worlds with just a movement of his eyes, where to his left was a blazing earth filled with fiery outbursts, and to his right was a calm blue shimmering earth filled with water. It was an interesting contrast to observe as he went forward and positioned himself right in between where these two areas met, his body standing right in the middle as half of it was in the Fire Law Space, and another half was in the Water Law Space. He sensed the two opposite elements as he closed his eyes, the slowly rotating Origin Cores of Fire and Water slowly continuing to circulate by taking in his mana and releasing vibrant essence that went on to strengthen him. His eyes never left these two origin cores as he activated both of the unique skills, {Disciple of Water} and {Disciple of Fire} simultaneously! Chapter 445 - Fire and Water Behind a rushing waterfall in a particular location of the Celestial Realm, there was a hidden space where an Ancient Pedestal stood, gloriously holding up a vibrant blue crystal that held the Inheritance of the Disciple of Water. Near this pedestal, there was a barely discernible floating Spiritual World where few creatures came out of every so often, learning the inheritance before they went back into the paradisiacal world. Most of them rushed to the floating continent on the North of the Spiritual World, this continent being divided in half by a thin line that had fiery environments on one side and a watery environment on the other. The beings rushed to the side where the particles of the Law of Water were abundant before beginning their cultivation, the continental floating landmass being so wide that they didn''t even near a particular position where an explosion of blue and red lights was beginning. At the very junction between the Fire and Water Law Space, a singular clone was sitting meditatively as his senses focused on his body, feeling the minuscule changes as he watched the two Origin Cores for fire and water slowly begin to rotate the moment both of their unique skills were activated. From one side of his body, the elemental particles of fire rushed in and went towards the Fire Origin Core, and the opposite side of his body had the elemental particles of water rushing into the Water Origin Core. BZZZZ! Friction seemed to occur for a millisecond as the opposing energies seemed to bathe Noah half and half, their point of contact causing a rapid repulsion as they began to vibrate in extremely close proximity to each other. Yet at the same time, there continued to be a sense of attraction as the two cores pulled this energy towards them, Noah feeling as if his body was becoming a battle ground. Every time that the particles of the two opposing elements came in contact as they went towards his Origin, they became agitated and pushed against each other, making them aggressive as this reaction caused them to rush towards his Origin faster! The moment that they entered, they rushed to their respective Cores, whether Fire or Water, before even more of the elemental particles continued to rush in as the reaction became faster and faster. The colliding particles of water and fire continued to agitate each other and senselessly rush down Noah''s body, creating for a rapid progress in the rotation of the Fire and Water Origin Cores as they absorbed the essence rapidly while releasing its unique energy that coursed through his clone and then through his main body! At this time, a smile of accomplishment would have passed over Noah as he performed the successful Dual Cultivation of the Laws of Water and Fire, but his current expression was one of grim pain as unlike Fate and Chaos, the reaction of the oncoming particles of Fire and Water used his body as the battlefield to become agitated before they rushed towards their respective cores speedily. The reaction that occurred with his body at the center made for a very painful experience as he could feel the impact of the opposing elements damage him, observing his body being put under strain as even some muscles were torn! It was at this instant though, that the unique energy being released from the Fire and Water Origin Core permeated through his body, washing over the torn muscles and aching areas as the millions of cells around these locations hungrily drunk the energy and were reformed right away, the strength they had increasing ever so slightly. Noah observed this reaction as he grimaced in pain, but a smile came on his face nonetheless as he felt the minute strength gained from the unique energy released from the two cores repairing his torn muscles made them stronger than when it was absorbed by his cells normally while only cultivating a single law. Thus, for the effects of the Dual Cultivation of both Fire and Water, Noah could conclude that it was bound to be an extremely painful experience, but it allowed him to bypass the rate at which energy entered into the Origin Cores at a turtles pace, the flow being constant and even increasing every so often as the energy the cores released went on to heal and even further strengthen his body that was acting like a battle field for the opposing laws! RUMBLE! The essence of water and fire from the two different sides of the Law Spaces cl.u.s.tered around Noah as they began forming a resplendent cloud of light, a unique cultivation session that had never before been done continuing in the Spiritual World. --- In the wide Sanctum that Celestials controlled, there was a bustle of activities recently as among the ranks of the Celestials, word had been getting passed around that soon, the future powerhouses of their generation would be getting assessed on who among them had the greatest potential in the form of combat! These words became a reality a few days later as it was announced to all that in the next few days, a spectacular tournament would be held at a specified location in the Celestial Realm. This tournament would involve beings that many rarely saw in their lifetimes as they were always moving with extreme efficiency deep in the Celestial Realm to increase their power. It would be a tournament where beings holding Noble Fates and Special Existences took to stage, each of them fighting a battle of supremacy to see who exactly would come out on top! This tournament was open for all to watch, being made into a huge festive event where the Celestials planned to reveal the beginning of a long paused conflict with the Dark Expanse. The Celestials wanted to use this tournament to announce the initiation of a grand campaign! It would be located around a particularly clear field of land to the east of the Sanctum where the slightly docile Earth Behemoths resided, this wide expanse of land being perfect for the huge and spectacular battles about to take place. Among the Special Existences and Celestials with Noble Fates, the upcoming geniuses known as Athena and Crixus would be making their grand entrance into the eyes of many who had only so far heard of them, or knew nothing about them¡­ Chapter 446 - Even if its you! Noah''s main body was sparring with Athena in one of the huge training halls while his clone continued the Dual Cultivation of the Laws of Fire and Water, the unique energy passing through his two bodies continuing to strengthen him. BOOM! The golden floating hammers around him stopped the strikes of the War Princess that was clad in an empyrean armor, her own hammers that she held in her hands striking the ones floating around Noah away as she tried to land attacks on him. But every time she neared, they stood in her way, and this situation was made even worse as five enormous blades of liberation were on standby to strike towards her anytime she left a gap in her defenses. Noah himself was floating in the skies as he glanced at this sight, a smug smile on his face as Athena''s sharp eyes found him. "Are you deliberately trying to annoy me, Junior Brother?" The frustrated Athena called out as her body began to shine gold with numerous fate lines erupting out, the essence of fate beginning to shine brilliantly around her as she sprung forth like a cannon towards Noah. BOOM! With every swipe of her hammers, powerful fate essence erupted out, this ability being something that only those passing the 100,000 Fate Lines milestone could use. The strikes filled with fate essence smashed back the three floating hammers around Noah as Athena closed in, her gaze filled with bloodl.u.s.t as she spoke. "Very soon, you will be facing Special Existances that have been in the Domain Expansion Realm far longer than you have!" BOOM! Her flurry of attacks swiped away all the three hammers, being thrown away a great distance as Athena''s curvaceous body weaved through the glistening edges of the blades of liberation and neared Noah, her two hammers landing on the huge tower shield that he raised up. DONG! Golden light erupted out as Noah was pushed back, yet fully protected as not a single bit of damage got through to him. He raised his tower shield as he glanced at the huffing War Princes and spoke with a smile. "If I can handle your attacks this easily Senior Sister, I think I''ll be just fine." "Oh? Let''s really put that to the test!" A provocative light bloomed in Athena''s eyes as he pointed her hammers forward and called out- [Judgment]! OOONG! Numerous large spears formed around Noah, his figure at the very center becoming serious as the tower shield in his left hand was raised, his golden flail in his right hand already moving to deflect a dangerous golden spear that already rushed from his right side. DONG! His body shimmered with a brilliant l.u.s.ter as he moved his body to dodge the onslaught of a powerful skill, his shield blocking many of them as they sent shockwaves through his body, his flail directed towards any others as he rapidly knocked them away and dodged. In the middle of all this, Athena appeared in the skies as she pointed down, a huge Blade of Liberation descending under her command as it went on to ''overwhelm'' the surrounded Noah and smash him towards the ground! BOOM! His body acted like a shell as it made a dent into the floor, the Senior Sister finally reigning some light in her eyes as she looked down with concern, only to find her junior brother protected like a turtle behind his golden tower shield, his head peeking out with a smile. "Hmph, and that was me going easy on you. The Special Existences we are up against are on an entire league entirely, with some of them even being proficient in multiple Supreme Laws." She went down towards her junior brother as she helped him up, pushing his roughed up hair away to the side as she looked directly at his eyes in a teaching manner. "You may be able to block my attacks, but your enemies will have been in the Domain Expansion Realm Longer than you and have more experience, with the most obvious choice for them being to just attack you until you run out of energy, all of these defensive skills you have around you being rendered useless." Noah''s eyes locked against this War Princess as he nodded with a smile, his face moving forward to quickly sneak in a kiss as a surprised Senior Sister sprang backwards with an admonishing expression on her face. "Stay focused!" Athena said this as she looked around the training room and spread out her senses to see if there was anyone watching, her slightly angered gaze landing back on Noah who was wiping the dust off his body while speaking with a calm expression like nothing ever happened. "What if I meet you in one of the matches, my dear Senior Sister?" The question caused a serious expression to appear on Athena''s face, her gaze locking with Noah as she replied with conviction. "I would go all out. The treasures given to the winner of these upcoming battles are enough to create a powerhouse- meaning whoever takes the title will most likely be the first one to enter the World Realm!" Yes! The treasures that the Celestials had collected were many over the years, especially the really unique ones that were so potent in their unique essence that they allowed beings to quickly break through a rank! Just the [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] mentioned by the Grandmaster was enough to send any knowledgeable Celestials crazy. "I still seek to understand exactly what my fate is in this chaotic universe, I will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. That does not change, even if it is you that is standing against me, Junior Brother." The gaze of the War Princess was filled with conviction as she finished, Noah looking at this with a hidden smile as he nodded, an imperceptible red light crossing through his eyes that reflected on Athena''s eyes as well! "Very well. Let''s continue the spar, Senior Sister. I won''t be going easy on you this time." "Hmph, come!" RUMBLE! ... Chapter 447 - Domineering! In the Spiritual World, a few hours had passed as Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone sat in the center point of an elemental storm with bubbling fire and water elements continuing to rush towards him. He finally felt a sense of stabilization from the two opposing energies as they ravaged his body and healed it soon after, his heart knowing he could now handle it with ease and continue to bear the pain for as long as he wanted. But at this critical juncture, his face hardened as he prepared to do something wild- something that nobody would even come close to thinking or comprehending when it came to cultivation. His eyes shone with a golden l.u.s.ter as while he already had activated the two cultivation techniques for the Law of Water and the Law of Fire, he domineeringly opened his mouth and activated another two cultivation techniques, and this time they were for two Supreme Laws! {Disciple of Chaos}! {Fate''s Disciple}! RUMBLE! Yes! In his thoughts as he began cultivating the Law of Water and Fire he had asked himself- As he began that cultivation session, what stopped him from simply activated the techniques for the Law of Fate and Chaos at the same time? For others, it wouldn''t even cross their minds to cultivate the opposing techniques of two different laws, much less four of them at the same time. But for him, he actually found himself questioning what exactly stopped him from doing it? The answer was- Nothing! He had the mana! He had the skills! He had everything! All that was left was for him to actually do it, and so he did. RUMBLE! The storm of essence around him raged even more as the golden color appeared in the skies, the formation of small Chaos Particles beginning to form soon after as the golden Fate Lines lashed towards them quickly for the sake of purification. The Fate Lines then descended towards the clone and established themselves tightly, no issues occurring as Noah did something outrageous! Since his mana permitted it, he was actually cultivating not just two, but four Laws at the same time! The appearance of the golden aura of fate and occasional Chaos Particles calmed the raging water and fire elemental particles as the pain they gave towards Noah lessened, the calmness causing a smoother absorption as an insane cultivation session went underway. A few hours passed. A day passed. Two days! Three Days! A few days passed, and Noah continued to keep the four unique skills active at the same time as he made insane progress in the Laws of Fire, Water, Fate, and Chaos. He alternated between the two Supreme Laws that required one to increase while the other stalled, having a similar rate of progression for both of them. It had been such a long and grueling process, but as the elemental storm and overpowering auras of fate and chaos raged on, he had finally seen the percentage of the Laws of Water and Fire shoot past 31%, the Stage for them also entering 3! At the same time, he was able to amass more than 80,000 Fate Lines and the same number of Chaos Particles, shooting the progress of the two Supreme Laws even higher. RUMBLE! An influx of essence rushed in as Noah breathed out slowly, watching calmness gradually settle in as he began stopping the supply of mana to activate the {Fate''s Disciple}, {Disciple of Chaos}, {Disciple of Fire} and the {Disciple of Water} unique skills. The last influx of essence caused the Fire and Water Origin Cores to shine bright red and blue respectively before they settled down, a sense of immense power emanating from them. The Fate Lines flowing within his body thrummed with strength as the Chaos Field that contained numerous Chaos Particles rolled around him with strength He glanced at the updated stat panel as he marveled at the rapid speed he continued to show. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 256,243] [Chaos Particle(s) : 224,276] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-3, Water-3] [Domain(s) : Fate, Chaos, Water, Fire, Space] [Vitality: DOMAIN] [Focus: - ] [Strength: DOMAIN] [Law(s) : Fate-2.5%, Chaos-2.2%, Water-31, Fire-31%, Space-8%] Noah''s clone and main body also felt a vibrant energy continuously course around to every part of muscle and bone, the unique energy that was released from the Fire Origin Cores going on to wash over every single cell in his body as he felt like his muscles were packed with an astounding explosive force and his bones were hardened to insane degrees! For the Law of Water and Fire, they seemed to heavily influence his body''s strength and defense as they enhanced it to levels he never thought possible, with the other boost they provided being the percentage attached to the Absolute Abilities contained in the > and >. They were determined by the Stage that the Fire and Water Origin Cores were at, and the current boost had moved to 300% for all of the abilities. The thrumming Fate Lines and vigorous Chaos Particles swimming in his Chaos Field made him feel even more powerful, his heart feeling a sense of profound accomplishment for such a fast rate of progress! Noah calmed his aching body that felt in top shape, the pain he continued to feel while dual cultivating the two laws completely forgotten as he got up to test his strength. BOOM! The instant he tapped his feet on the ground that was the junction of the Water and Fire Law Space, his figure shot to the skies as he broke the sound barrier, reaching supersonic flight instantly as his speed was enhanced to insane degrees from his body being constantly strengthened with the unique energy his two Stage 3 cores provided! He came to a halt in midair as he smiled, feeling the explosive force in his fists as he calmed his energy down and disappeared from the skies of the Northern Continent of the Spiritual World. Chapter 448 - Supreme Treasure Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone teleported deep in the Central Continent of the Spiritual World where the Blacksmith''s Forge lay. He had spent a significant amount of time cultivating the four laws that he currently had the cultivation techniques of, and planned to get to the task on how to best use the [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite] that he obtained from the southern region of the Celestial Realm. It was a treasure that could either be used to forge a new supreme treasure, or be used to [Refine] an already existing one. His current mindset was leading him towards creating another one, as he had very few to begin with, and using the material to refine his only existing one would only give a boost, himself having no knowledge of exactly how big this boost would be. He was thinking of using the Unique Material to create a Supreme Treasure in the form of an armor since he already had one in the form of a weapon. One weapon, one armor, two Supreme Treasures! His gaze was clear as he went towards the [Hearth] of the Blacksmith''s Forge and communicated with the Spiritual World System. "Is the process of forging a Supreme Treasure any different from the Item Sets we''ve been creating?" [Yes. It will take a significant amount of time to create one depending on the unique material and expected treasure.] Noah gave a light nod as he waved his hands and pushed the [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite] towards the hearth, a blue light shining as the large crystal material that was double Noah''s own size was scanned thoroughly. [This unique material is fully capable of creating a complete Supreme Treasure, with a possibility of a few scraps being left to perform a refinement in the future. Do you have any specific requests for the design of the treasure? The [Recipe Design] feature can be used in this instance.] The Spiritual World System that understood everything happening on it asked in a monotone fashion, Noah smiling as he knew this entity which was connected to many planets through his own connection with it as its master had access to enormous vaults of information. He had access to this information as well, but his mind was nowhere near as close to what the Planetary Systems could contain and process, thus he left a majority of the minute small details on all the planets he came across and their abundance of information to the Planetary Systems. When it came to items, he had some ideas on what he could design himself based on his imagination and his own experiences, but he knew that the Spiritual World Planetary System could come up with something multiple times better than him just because of its special identity! "Use the information of all the suits of armor we''ve come across recently from the different worlds and organizations. Design something that is a combination of all of their strengths to create a Supreme Armor." Thus, he left the design of the powerful treasure to the entity with enormous reserves of information to make something at the peak of quality and usability. [Understood, Master. Any specific name for this Recipe Design?] Noah thought closely at this question before he replied, a smile spreading across his devilishly handsome face as he glanced at the water elements dancing around the [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite]. "Staying with the theme of water, let''s call this Supreme Treasure...-[Hydromancer''s Mantle]." [Understood, Master. It should take approximately 72 hours.] RUMBLE! Essence began to converge around the Blacksmith''s Forge as the huge [Unique Material- Aquamarine Mesrandite] was taken further into the Hearth, a blue flame beginning to wrap around it as it shimmered strongly under the heat. While the material was being broken down, the Spiritual World System was compiling large reserves of information on all the armors that the numerous worlds Noah was connected to held, a database of information that even the strongest information groups would envy freely flowing into it from the connection it shared with Noah. At this moment, a resplendent armor that very few would know the name of but closely remember its unique design was being created. The [Hydromancer''s Mantle] would have its design started today, with its creation being completed some days later! With this process underway, Noah''s clone continued forward as there were simply too many things that fell on its hands. He was currently at the Domain Realm, but his skill trees were at the Soul Forging Realm. On top of increasing the percentage of laws, he had to increase the proficiency of his skills while preparing for a busy future. His main body had been using the abilities of {Herald of Fate} and {Agent of Chaos} to foresee many things with more clarity these past few days, grasping a few abstruse pieces of information that dealt with the Infernal Lords. His title as the 9th Infernal Lord would not all be for naught, and he foresaw that he would be called upon sometime soon in the future for him to begin carrying out his duties! The clone continued forward as the main body was moving side by side with Athena and the members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team. Boru was still as boisterous as ever- he talked towards the two beings holding titles of Noble Fates with more respect as they were now an entire realm above him. "You two have gathered the information on your possible opponents and rewards?" The gaze of Boru was shining as he mentioned the rewards, just the rumors released on exactly what was at stake in the upcoming tournament making the hearts of powerful Celestials quiver! Noah smiled as he replied to Boru with shining eyes. "One of the biggest rewards in the Luminescent Rainbow Dew, something that was found in limited quantities by the Founders more than a thousand years ago, a treasure that guarantees a being an advancement to the World Realm!" Yes! Just one of the rewards up for grabs for battling Special Existences and beings with Noble Fates was something that would create an expert capable of affecting the direction of the future war. Experts at the World Realm were rare, where even the lowest leveled Infernal Lords stood at the peak of this level! Treasures that allowed for one to enter such a realm...were nearly nonexistent in the hands of others. In this coming tournament, just what other treasures lay in store? Just who would stand against them vying for these same treasures?! Chapter 449 - No Chance of Winning! The Sanctum was bustling with activities as word spread of the magnificent battles to take place soon. Those in the ranks of Celestials were looking forward to seeing the geniuses at the forefront of their organization while those from the numerous Prime Worlds in the Light Expanse looked forward to the show of power from the overlords that stood over their Light Expanse. Among these many forces, there were also the hidden figures from the Dark Expanse that wanted to use this opportunity to learn more about their enemies! It was an opportunity to assess the supposed geniuses that would be taking charge in the upcoming battle, this tournament actually being something that could reward them the most in this venture in the Celestial Realm as it provided a rare commodity about the Celestials- Information! Many beings moved with their own motivations, but it was ultimately to watch the stupendous battles that would soon be occurring. Amidst the bustle of activities, Noah was moving with the Righteous Fire Exploration Team where the boisterous Boru continued to talk about the beings they would be facing. "The toughest Celestial Grandmasters you will have to watch out for are Grandmaster Light and the Three-Eyed Fate Child, the Special Existences that run their own Elite Teams and have been moving in the regions where Fate Behemoths are abundant." His eyes were serious as he said this, their steps taking them towards the specified location in the Celestial Realm when one could find the less aggressive Earth Behemoths roving around. The path they followed made them seem like ants as they stood within droves of beings that went towards the same direction, Celestials and normal beings from the Prime World alike. "I say this because unlike the other beings similar to you and hold the title of those with Noble Fates, these Special Existences are beings that are cultivating not just the Supreme Law of Fate, but also another Supreme Law!" The gaze of Boru shone with splendor as his burly body thrummed with power, just mentioning these powerful Celestials making one feel the adoration and wariness he had at their power. "So while you are proficient in the Law of Fate as they are, they also have another Supreme Law aiding their power. Grandmaster Light is someone that cultivates the Supreme Law of Light, a being that very few can even damage, while the Three-Eyed Fate Child is very proficient in the Supreme Law of Time-Space, a very abstruse law that combines the Law of Time and the Law of Space. Those that spar with him do not even understand why they are defeated, they just find out that they are. So-" "Junior Brother Boru, why are you only bragging about Senior Sister Light and Senior Brother Three-Eyed? Are the rest of us not worthy?" From the front, a strong and confident voice spoke towards their group as a man surrounded by a group of golden robed Celestials caused the crowds of beings to spread out, his gaze locking on the figures of Noah and Athena while he sent a question towards Boru. The burly Boru smiled wryly as he called out to the being that had interrupted his speech. "Senior Brother Xander, I haven''t seen you in over a year. You''re as confident as ever." The Celestial Grandmaster called Xander looked forward with squinting eyes and a wide smile as he came in front of their group, his eyes filled with shining lights locking with Athena and Noah. "So, am I not an opponent our new Junior Brother and Sister holding the titles for Nobe Fates should be looking out for? I do hold the same title if I recall." Grandmaster Xander did not relent, continuing his question as Noah glanced at this being he had already collected information about. Grandmaster Xander- Dark-haired, gold eyes, age 233, roughly 264,927 Fate Lines, and a being holding the title of one with a Noble Fate! "My oh my, are you bullying the younger disciples again?" Another voice came out from the distance as another figure appeared, the situation turning into one where multiple people just invited themselves into the conversation as the two beings at the center of it were Noah and Athena! Xander turned towards the new figure as he glanced at her with a smile, his eyes shining with carefulness. "Senior Sister Lila, I hope you''ve trained enough for these upcoming battles, or it won''t be just the younger disciples I would be bullying." A provocative sentence was released from Xander towards the newly appearing being that was also someone that held the title of a being with a Noble Fate! This time it was the Celestial known as Lila- Blue hair, dark eyes, age 229 and around 250,000 Fate Lines, a woman with deadly proficiency in close combat. "I like that you''re still so confident, Xander! Now let''s take a look at the Junior Brother and Sister who will be fighting for the treasures with us this time around. Crixus and Athena, is it?" Yet another combatant in the upcoming tournament came to introduce themselves to them as the woman whose body vibrated with power came close, her gaze when looking towards Noah and Athena being one of an a.d.u.l.t looking at upcoming young ones! Athena nodded as she replied. "Nice to meet Senior Brother Xander and Senior Sister Lila. We look forward to learning many things in these upcoming matches." Her words were those without disrespect, but also expressing that they would be giving it their all in the coming battles. Lila smiled sweetly as she patted Athena on the head, the collection of 4 beings holding Noble Fates coming together all at once occurring in the Sanctum of the Celestial Realm! "So cute. Use this opportunity to increase your battle prowess and learn from your seniors. You''ll have many more opportunities in the future." Grandmaster Lila said this as she patted Athena''s head, seeming like a caring Senior Sister taking care of her junior. Her demeanor and the demeanor of Xander made one thing abundantly clear- in the upcoming battles, Noah and Athena were not even considered serious combatants, their few years cultivating and recent breakthroughs in realms not even landing in the eyes of these powerful experts that had been moving for more than 200 years! As far as what was known, Athena had just broken past the 100,000 Barrier of fate lines recently, with the other junior brother Crixus still not even passing that yet. These other beings with Noble Fates, barring the even more powerful Special Existences they had not met- none of them believed that Athena and Noah even had a shot of winning the bountiful rewards! Chapter 450 - [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] A hidden smile appeared on Noah''s face as he followed the collection of Celestials to the East of the Sanctum where the docile Earth Behemoths were abundant. The Senior Brother Xander and Senior Sister Lila that were also beings holding the titles of those with Noble Fates were having their own conversation in front of them, the party that Noah was with following closely behind. "What do you think our odds are against Grandmaster Light and Senior Brother Three-Eyed?" Lila asked the confident Xander with a smile as they made their way towards the predetermined location, an impassive look appearing on Xander''s face as he replied. "They both are proficient in two Supreme Laws, but I don''t see us going down so easily! They have to spread their focus to two laws while we focus on one, this is where our edge lies¡­" The Righteous Fire Exploration Team continued following behind them as they listened to their conversation, awkward looks appearing on the faces of Boru and the others as they saw the moment the Senior Brother Xander and Senior Sister Lila introduced themselves to Crixus and Athena, they completed disregarded them as actual combatants in the upcoming fights. Noah glanced towards Athena, the War Princess having eyes shining with lights that longed for battle as he chuckled. Athena saw his gaze as her eyes turned sharp and she sent him a telepathic message. "Don''t falter and try your best in the battles ahead. And I better not see you trying anything funny around everyone." Her eyes held a dangerous glint as they focused on Noah, his head bobbing up and down as he nodded and replied teasingly. "Nothing around everyone, but when we''re alone?" "Hmph." The War Princess turned her head away as the procession of Celestials continued forward, their party coming in contact with two other powerful beings holding Noble Fates as they made their way towards a specified location for the upcoming Tournament! Among the many beings rushing force, a particularly arrogant Emperor Penguin was moving with the curvaceous Elena, Barbatos, and other Harbingers that were moving in the Celestial Realm. Barbatos had a bored expression as they went forward, the curvaceous Elena giving glances to this woman that was around her Progenitor more than many others as they all made their way forward. There were many beings moving, each with their own goals and emotions, but the central figures always remained the same. Hidden within the masses of beings were also the forces from the Dark Expanse, where Malthus, the Spatial Magician, was leading a group of beings for the mission of collecting more information on the powerful beings within the ranks of Celestials. Each with their own ideals and goals, but they all went towards a single location! Far away from the Sanctum, the place where everyone was congregating at was a wide expanse of land that had very few of the huge ancient trees that towered grandly. It was a field of a few miles of clearing that was surrounded by trees in a circular fashion, giving an extremely clear look at everything that would be happening within it. It was a field of resplendent greenery that was surrounded by even more mystically glowing trees, always making one feel the wonder and magic of the Celestial Realm. Around the perimeters of the huge circle, numerous figures were already present and spread out. Some were standing on the ground, others had climbed the large trees as they perched on them like thousands of ants, each of the huge ancient trees holding thousands of beings on their branches and leaves as they all prepared to watch the spectacle. Near the clear green field that would act as the arena, one could see multiple Prime Warsh.i.p.s stationed above in the skies. Many Celestials present here as they also watched on with great interest. The cl.u.s.ter of beings and bustle of activities only increased as time went on, the recognizable figures of those participating in the tournament arriving as many carried out their own discussions. The ones more knowledgeable and having discussions worthy of note were the throngs of Celestials on the Warsh.i.p.s or those on the ground, their eyes correctly locating the combatants today as many proposed their own theories while seeing them roll in. SHAA! A blinding flash of light erupted out at a certain location as a being appeared magnificently, the bustle of discussions moving towards her appearance. "Grandmaster Light has finally arrived. My goodness, I can''t even see through her Fate Lines with how blinding her achievements in the Supreme Law of Light are." "If you''re looking for someone striking, look over there where Senior Brother Thee-Eyed is. His third eye locks you in and makes you feel like you can never look away." The Celestials that the discussions moved to were the beings that were called Special Existences, their sheer appearance pulling the attention of all beings there as even the forces of the Dark Expanse had dark looks! "The upcoming Junior Brother Crixus and Junior Sister Athena are also here. They should have some chance to show themselves a little right?" "Against Special Existences like that and 10s of Grandmasters that have been in the Domain Expansion Realm for years? I wouldn''t be so sure!" The cacophony of noises and discussions reached their peak as many of the participating Celestials arrived. OOOONG! At this moment, a blinding light appeared in the skies above the very center of the clear field where the battles would be taking place, a figure of an oppressively powerful being appearing. He was adorned in a golden robe, his face aged and wise with an excellent long beard and white hair trickling down to his shoulders. THRUM! His body rumbled with power as he purposefully and wildly released the lines of fate kept tightly in his body, the Celestials present being able to count more than 3 million Fate Lines strongly rolling around this being''s body! "I am Grandmaster Onillus, and I have left my post deep in the Celestial Realm to oversee this little tournament here today." His voice was resounding and strong, being able to be heard by every single being around the 10 miles area as he stroked his beard profoundly. "It is being made a show of for a reason that will soon become apparent, with one of the biggest things being...this." The powerful Grandmaster Onillus holding more than 3 million lines of fate waved his hands, a single multicolored water-drop shaped object appearing in the skies! "One of the prizes for today''s winners, and something that I want many of you here today to remember." It was only 10 inches in size, but it released a blinding rainbow colored light that reflected on the eyes of every single being watching. Noah himself glanced to the skies as the identity of the item became visible to him! [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] :: A consumable treasure found in the deeper locations of the Celestial Realm. Can be used to propel the rank of a being all the way to the World Rank, with the condition that their bodies can withstand the energy released by this treasure. Its rarity does not need to be stressed. Chapter 451 - The Battle of Geniuses! [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] :: A consumable treasure found in the deeper locations of the Celestial Realm. Can be used to propel the rank of a being all the way to the World Rank, with the condition that their bodies can withstand the energy released by this treasure. Its rarity does not need to be stressed. Noah''s eyes squinted at the description only apparent to his eyes as a hungry light erupted from him. The others only looked at this scintillating rainbow colored dew with fascination as the wizened Grandmaster Onillus continued speaking. "Some of the geniuses that you may or may not know will be fighting in randomly selected battles in order to get their hands on this, a treasure that is capable of bringing a being fully into the World Realm." ¡­! "What?!" "This¡­" "Holy!" RUMBLE! A buzz of essence and sounds rumbled out as a luminous treasure was given the identity of as if it was nothing. The Celestials only had shining eyes as they glanced at the treasure, while those from the Light Expanse looked at it with envious and longing eyes. Those from the Dark Expanse had ashen faces as they saw a treasure that would most likely produce a World Realm expert to stand against them in the future, and they most likely had no way to prevent it as just the overseeing Grandmaster seemed to be in the World Realm himself! World Realm experts were extremely rare, only those at the peak of powers being the ones to enjoy this mystical realm. Yet in this tournament they would watch, a Celestial would be given a treasure that would simply create a World Realm expert. While their thoughts were troubled for the future, it made their desire for the Celestial Realm where this treasure was found to grow ever so higher! Malthus the Spatial Magician was using his unique magic item to portray all that was happening here back to his forces in the Scholar''s Guild. So it was not just the beings here that were witnesses to what was about to occur, but the leaders of the powerful forces of the Dark Expanse as well. "This Luminescent Rainbow Dew is the top treasure that the number one genius will be receiving, with the others getting varying levels of treasures that are in no way near this one in efficacy. As for the geniuses themselves, step into the field!" The voice of Grandmaster Onillus reverberated out as figures of multiple beings stepped forward, the figures of Athena and Noah being among them as they grandly entered into the eyes of many. From the circular ring of tens of thousands of beings surrounding the clear field, 32 beings stepped out. Shockingly, each of these beings were releasing waves of energy at the Domain Expansion Realm, with very few being in the lower Soul Forging Realm. "These geniuses you see before you are the future defenders of the Light Expanse, but they have to prove their capabilities and show who shines the most among them." Grandmaster Onillus waved his hands as 32 streaks of light shot out from him towards the geniuses that stepped forward. Noah grabbed the object shooting towards him as he found it to be a crystalline ball that pulsed with a hint of essence. "The way to prove their capabilities is through combat, as we only care about which one has the most potential for us to foster! The White Crystals you have all received will act as your number. The moment it lights up, you will step forward and battle another genius who also had the White Crystal light up. The winner will advance forward, while the loser will step out!" Clear guidelines for the matches to follow were laid out as many listened with shining eyes. There were 32 beings competing, so there would be 5 rounds to determine the ultimate winner. In the first round, only 16 winners will continue on. The second round will have only 8 continue forward, with the 3rd round having 4 continue, the fourth round having 2 continue, and these last two would fight in the final 5th round for the title of the Strongest Genius! "Understood? Now step back once more so we can soon begin." Grandmaster Onillus waved his hands impatiently in the air as the 32 geniuses pulled back slightly, many of them being powerful enough to hold the title of a Grandmaster, but they listened dutifully to the powerful World Rank Onillus. Noah was looking at the White Crystal on his hands, his senses spread out in the surroundings to observe the beings he would be facing as he noted the names he had come across already. The two Special Existences known as the Three-Eyed Fate Child and Grandmaster Light. The two with Noble Fates known as Grandmaster Xander and Grandmaster Lila. There were a few others with genius Celestials, some with unique bodily compositions, and others who simply had monstrous comprehension abilities that allowed them to quickly master the techniques of fate and advance forward. He was thinking of how he would act to take down those that stand against him when he heard the telepathic message of a particular Grandmaster in his mind. "You two are faced with powerful opponents that have been cultivating even longer than you. Still, try your best to pass through the rounds and get a good position. Even if the Luminescent Rainbow Dew is out of reach, a high ranking will allow for even more resources to go to you!" The strong voice filled with the care of Grandmaster Vredral rang in Noah and Athena''s ears as the two of them looked at each other, their gazes filled with confidence in their own abilities, even if others did not fully believe in them! In one of the Prime Warsh.i.p.s, Grandmaster Vredral was watching with a group of Grandmasters that had teaching roles of bringing up talented Celestials. The Commanding Officer Raizel who had a post overseeing a portion of the Sanctum that Noah and Athena had met when they first came to the Celestial Realm was to his right, his head shaking as he glanced at the two that he had seen first not too long ago. "When you brought them into the Celestial Realm, weren''t they still at the Void Realm? You''re really having them face other disciples at the Domain Expansion Realm after pushing their levels up so speedily?" Commanding Officer Raizel asked his friend as he was in deep thought, a shining light passing through Grandmaster Vredral as he replied. "Even though I cannot see the fates of those holding the title of Noble Fate, I have a feeling that these two will bring a great surprise to us in the future. I will stake my entire reputation on it!" The words of the Grandmaster were filled with belief as they prepared to watch the matches that would soon begin. Chapter 452 - First Match: Athena! The World Rank Grandmaster Onillus looked at the masses of beings, Celestials and non-Celestials alike, as he waved his hands while domineeringly floating in the skies. "Then we shall get started. The first match will be¡­" RUMBLE! Two lights released from him as they circled above his hands randomly, thereafter shooting out as they went to light up the White Crystals of two beings! "...Athena and Lila!" WAH! Murmurs spread among the Celestials as above in the Prime Warship where Grandmaster Vredral stood, an ashen look had appeared on his face when he heard the first match to be between his disciples and one of the more powerful beings with Noble Fates. In the first match, Athena was actually placed against one of the four beings they were told to watch out for the most, the same Grandmaster Lila that had patted Athena on the head like a younger sister! "Sigh¡­" "Haha, Vredral, it looks like our disciples are the first ones up!" Commanding Officer Raizel let out a pitiful breath as another voice perked up thereafter, a wide looking Grandmaster that could be considered to be a fatty entering the Prime Warship that Vredral and Raizel were in. This was Grandmaster Rock, the one who had brought in Lila as a student, the powerful genius at the Domain Expansion Realm being his disciple! Vredral turned to look at Grandmaster Rock with a calm expression as he observed the vibrant power of this being at the peak of the Domain Expansion Realm, the Fate Lines this Celestial Grandmaster held being even more numerous than Vredral himself. "I didn''t think you''d be joining us, Rock." "How can I miss my two disciples showing off their strength after all this time? Both Lila and Xander have been training hard in the dangerous areas these past years, they deserve the treasures coming out of this little tournament." The fatty Grandmaster Rock sat next to Grandmaster Vredral and Commanding Officer Raizel jovially, revealing that he would similarly be watching the results of two beings holding Noble Fates that he guided, similarly to Vredral! "But your disciple is truly unlucky to be matched with Lila as the first match. Her potential would have at least placed her in the Top 8 if this hadn''t happened." Rock spoke out again with a smile as the Grandmaster watched the figures of Athena and Lila step forward in the center of the field of battle. Grandmaster Vredral was quiet before he replied calmly, his gaze being as clear as water. "It matters not, as it is simply what fate had ordained. Let us see exactly what the results would be." A calm reply unlike what Grandmaster Rock expected came out, the Grandmasters turning their senses down as the two curvaceous women in the center of the field were about to start! --- When the match was first called, the White Crystal in Athena''s hands had lit up, making Noah turn towards her as her opponent was someone that did not hold the two of them in any regard in their past interaction. An impassive look appeared on Athena''s face as she stepped out silently, Grandmaster Lila following thereafter with a smile as the two of them wordlessly went towards the center of the miles-long field. "Junior Sister, I''m sorry to cut your ranking off so quickly. I really didn''t expect for both me and you to be picked first." Grandmaster Lila had an apologetic expression as she looked with smiling eyes towards Athena, who had already begun summoning Empyrean Guards and casting Empyrean Armament to prepare herself. In a stellar fashion, a golden armored and winged Athena holding two huge hammers appeared in the clear field, her languid eyes locking on the smiling figure of Grandmaster Lila as she replied impassively. "The victor is yet to be decided, Senior Sister. Let us see what fate has in store!" Noah stared at the two women facing off as he smiled, the outcome of this battle having been long decided the moment that the two of them were picked to stand against one another. On one side was the War Princess at the Domain Expansion Realm, and her enemy was someone who had been in this same realm over many years, and even had more than double the Fate Lines that she held. So many beings were seeing a clear dominant winner, but would that be so?! OOOOOOH! His eyes shone as the watching crowd made vibrant noises at the stellar figures of these two women facing off, the clear and resounding voice of the floating Grandmaster Onillus reaching them thereafter as a spark was lit. "Start!" BOOM! "YAA!" With a glorious cry, Athena shot off the ground like a cannon as she rushed towards Grandmaster Lila who was still smiling sweetly, her body glimmering with Fate Lines as numerous Empyrean Guards were cast and absorbed by her instantaneously. A resplendent set of armor and wings similar to Athena was adorned on her, having a few distinct differences because of their levels of comprehension in the law of fate. The smiling eyes of Grandmaster Lila found Athena''s eyes filled with battle as she grasped the slightly larger hammer in her hands and struck out towards the oncoming attack! BOOOM! A golden shockwave spread out as the spectating combatants that would be called upon later watched closely. The three glimmering eyes of the Special Existence known as Three-Eyed Fate Child rapidly moved as he began following the figures of the two fighting women in the field of battle. The other Special Existence known as Grandmaster Light was simply watching on impassively as her body that was majorly made of particles of light brightened. The one with Noble Fate, Xander, also watched his Senior Sister under the same master as all of them waited for a singular result from the battle, the winner already decided in their eyes a long time ago. In the distance, the forces of the Dark Expanse with Malthus the Spatial Magician at the forefront were using a hidden device to portray all the occurring events in real time towards the Scholar''s Guild where many powerful beings were watching! From many directions and on all sides, many beings had begun watching as the first fight in this Battle of Geniuses began! Chapter 453 - Outmatched WAAAAA! Cries of wonder and fervor rang out from the tens of thousands of spectators as a battle with rarely seen abilities unfolded in their eyes. Many from the Prime Worlds did not get a chance to see the skills of Celestials in action, the masses being given access to watch the coming battles using this opportunity to the fullest as they pledged to see the power they wanted to achieve themselves. On a nondescript side of the circular field where Athena and Grandmaster Lila were battling, an Emperor Penguin exuding deep arrogance was being carried by Elena as their forces of Vampyres were stationed around an enormous tree not too far from Malthus. The being sending a live feed of the occurring events to the Dark Expanse was messaging with Elena telepathically over the past few minutes as numerous things were discussed. "The one that is working with us, Crixus, how do we see his chances in these battles? The old fogeys have been wanting to use him more ever since they found out he had somehow reached the Domain Expansion Realm this fast, even though his mission to release the prisoner from the 7th Celestial Star has not been accomplished." "Bah, take things slow and as they come. As for his chances in this battle? Hmph, just watch like all of us." An irritated reply came from the Royal Vampyre as she held the fluffy Emperor Penguin tightly, the Kraken at the side watching with jealous eyes as they kept their gazes towards the continuing battle! SHAA! Ever since the battle began, those with keen and observant eyes had begun noticing a shocking fact with the constantly moving figures of Athena and Lila. When the battle began, Grandmaster Lila who had been in the Domain Expansion Realm much longer than Athena was fending off her attacks with ease, even maintaining the light smile behind her armor as her Fate Lines that were double her opponents gave her even more support. Yet as time passed, it felt like her support and ease was gradually leaving, things getting so serious that her smile was completely wiped off a minute later when a hammer swept to her left and forcefully lifted her off the ground! In the Prime Warship, the veteran Grandmasters were watching the battle with shining eyes as they stroked their beards, Vredral''s impassive face gaining a smile as Commanding Officer Raizel spoke. "This is...Battle Sense? The battle was in favor of Lila in the first minute, but she soon fell into a particular rhythm that Athena began, almost as if it was a¡­" Grandmaster''s Vredral''s face smiled as his beard shimmered, finishing the words of Commanding Officer Raizel. "...dance!" Yes! What many people were witnessing was the expert control of battle that only the War Princess had because of a unique ability that only she held, an ability that allowed her to foresee and perceive the strikes of her opponents as she relentlessly used this knowledge to hammer their defenses and evade their attacks in such a way that it looked like she was conducting a dance! The face of the fatty Grandmaster Rock was dark as he watched his student actually begin to be cornered, the valiant eyes of Athena seemingly shining with light as she relentlessly pursued someone that many knew to be stronger than her. Grandmaster Rock''s flaps of fat could not even turn to the Grandmaster Vredral that he was gloating towards a few minutes ago as he remained quiet! "As I said, we must always wait to see exactly what fate has in store for us." Grandmaster Vredral cooly said as his gaze remained on the ongoing battle where Blades of Liberation and sharp spears of Judgment had begun weaving around majestically. BOOM! BOOM! Enormous Blades of Liberation thundered down while golden spears filled the skies, the two combatants weaving in and out of them with ease. Athena was evading the ferocious attack within a few inches as she used the least required movements to get closer and closer to her opponent, her hammers being able to reach her as she entered into close combat- something that was her forte. SHAA! Grandmaster Lil saw her bending her body backwards as she evaded a golden hammer smashing straight to her face, her body letting out rapid breaths as her eyes angrily glanced towards the Junior Sister that was actually putting her in a tight spot! But something horrendous occurred in the next instant as the hammer that was swiping from left to right that Lila evaded by bending down had somehow stopped its horizontal trajectory instantaneously right at her position, the tout muscles in Athena''s arms bulging as the golden hammer changed directions to smash down vertically, right on her wide open and full chest. BOOOM! "What!" "Grandmaster Lila!" Shocked Celestials that knew Lila called out concerningly as she took the blow straight on, the watching masses glancing at one another as they raucously cheered by the resplendent move. OOOOH! Noah was watching by the side with shining eyes as what he expected occured, the terrifying battle skill of the War Princess exceeding the 100,000 Fate Lines difference as Athena''s hammer smashed into the opened defenses of her opponent to deal a deadly strike. She didn''t get complacent though, as the moment her strike landed, she jumped back from the position of the shockwave as a wrathful Grandmaster Lila erupted out with glowing Fate Essence preparing to unleash a last ditch attack, but all that met her was air as Athena had already moved far away! Her golden hammer was pointed towards Lila silently as her valiant eyes shimmered, Lila feeling an oppressive feeling as her sense of danger rang wildly, her gaze only being able to rise to the skies briefly before she saw a golden Blade of Liberation smashing right at her position. BOOOM! ¡­ Silence. After the first hammer strike that had smashed onto the chest of Grandmaster Lila, Athena had moved back as she summoned a Blade of Liberation right at her position to finish off the battle. Valiantly! Ruthlessly! This was the War Princess, this was Athena! "WAAAAA!" Cheers rang out as the dust cleared, one being able to see a bloodied Grandmaster Lila with broken pieces of golden armor, a large scar on her shoulder as her wrathful gaze shakingly looked up at Athena. The eyes that met her were calm, as if they weren''t the cause of the horrendous injuries, making this Senior Sister Lila feel even more anger as she stared at the Junior Sister that she was domineeringly patting the head of just an hour ago. "Winner, Athena!" The impassive voice of Grandmaster Onillus floating in the skies rang out, Athena''s armament fading away into particles of light as she calmly made her way back towards where the other combatants were, coming to stand right beside the Junior Brother Crixus as she leaned on his shoulder for balance. Very few could notice her hard breathing as Noah smiled, the first battle of the Battle of Geniuses concluding gorgeously as soon after, Grandmaster Onillus called the next fighters! Chapter 454 - Those Watching "Reiner and Zula, you''re next!" The World Rank Grandmaster Onillus randomly picked the next two combatants as two Celestials brimming with power stepped out. Both were at the Domain Expansion Realm, with their Fate Lines fairly close to one another. But each of them was a genius in their own way, with one being proficient in the law of water on top of the law of fate, and the other being proficient in the law of air. Mastery of two laws paired up with extremely deadly techniques allowed them to be called geniuses, many of the other beings in the group of 32 participating Celestials being this way! There were very few like Noah, Athena, Lila, and Xander that held the titles of those with Noble Fates, with the Special Existences like the Three-Eyed Fate Child and Grandmaster Light being even rarer. The match between the genius celestial Reiner and Zula was much longer than the first one, with the two Celestials being very close in power. They put up a delightful fight that was nothing like the first one, but their mastery of two different laws caused many beings to turn their eyes as the winner was decided to be Reiner! "Elias and...Crixus, you''re next!" As soon as the battle finished and the field cleared, Grandmaster Onillus called for the next match, his words causing Noah''s White Crystal to light up as he stepped forward calmly. His entrance towards the center of the field of battle caught the attention of not just the Grandmasters that were with Vredral in one of the Prime Warsh.i.p.s, but even more so the forces of the Dark Expanse that were watching. As they heard the name, Elena and the others had their eyes shining with strong emotions, the being they all followed stepping up grandly to face a celestial that was considered a genius. Malthus the Spatial Magician was near Elena as he had a dark pearl on his chest that acted as a button to close his robe, this dark pearl being one that sent back a feed of all the events occurring in front of their eyes to the Scholar''s Guild in the Dark Expanse. Although Malthus was sent this item a few hours after he informed his superiors that the Celestials were putting up a tournament with their most promising geniuses and grandly showing it to the public with no worries, even he did not know exactly what beings were watching on the other side. Were he to know, he would be shocked to the point of choosing to change his demeanor as he held the dark crystal and attached it to his robe! This was because in an expansive ovular hall at the center of the Dark Expanse where the Scholar''s Guild was located, powerful auras that would shake beings to their cores were watching. There were a decent amount in this ovular room that was located in a famous Mage Tower of the Scholar''s Guild, but the ones of more importance and worthy of note were few. One was the current Guild Leader of the Scholar''s Guild, the one known as the Grand Magician, Edrusim! Another was the ruler of the Archeon Clan that represented all Vampyres in the Dark Expanse, Vladivostok! Last and not least, a more shocking figure that very few would be expecting to be casually sitting with others...was actually an Infernal Lord. To be exact, it was the 2nd ranked Infernal Lord, Voldred! He was lazily glancing at Edrusim as he spoke out. "Did you really call me here to watch the battles of Domain Expansion Realm beings, Young Edrusim? So what if one of them is a future World Realm expert, even the weakest Infernal Lord can match ten World Realm experts with ease." The Grand Magician Edrusim looked at the Infernal Lord as he replied coldly. "It''s a good chance to learn more about the enemies we will face, and it''s better than beating you at chess again." "Hmph." A grunt was all that met Edrusim as he turned to the leader of Vampyres of the Dark Expanse, Vladivostok. "How much control does your Clan have over this Crixus? He has yet to use the vial you procured from me." On the face of Vladivostok, a wide smile that showed the huge canines spread as he replied calmly. "You know that Vampyres all follow the ranks of bloodlines. I have one of my trusted soldiers, Elena, who has a purer bloodline than most and comes even close to me watching this Crixus. I control Elena, she controls this Crixus. A command from me would be all it took if you really want to hurry the release of that prisoner on the 7th Celestial Star." "... let''s watch what his skills are exactly first. He has somehow gone from the Void Realm and into the Domain Expansion Realm in a matter of months, so it seems he really does have a talent in the law of fate. We do not want to carelessly throw this piece away if he was able to climb the ranks of Celestials this fast. Imagine if he got an even higher position as the war begins..." Edrusim replied to the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok calmly as they watched the figures of Noah and the other genius Celestial called Elias enter the field of battle, the command to start being given by Grandmaster Onillus! Over the side, the 2nd Infernal Lord was looking closely at Noah''s face, his expression that of confusion as he seemed to have sensed something he should not be able to sense from looking at the moving image on the screen, this feeling causing him to tilt his head as his lazy eyes tried to discern exactly what he felt. The other beings in the ovular room of the most powerful Mage''s Tower kept extremely quiet as they felt the oppressive strength of an Infernal Lord, a Vampyre Ruler, and one of the strongest Magicians in the Dark Expanse. All of them were watching one thing, a battle that was in full swing as the scene of it brought surprising expressions to their eyes! Chapter 455 - In a Matter of Seconds! From the oval room atop the highest position of the Mage''s Tower in the Dark Expanse, the eyes of Edrusim shone with surprise as he looked at the ongoing battle. It had begun similarly to the others where the combatants adorned themselves with the energy of fate, one of the surprises being that the adornment that Crixus had was different from everyone else drastically. A golden robe wrapped around him as one could observe a brilliant circle shield of light protecting him, in his left hand holding a huge tower shield while his right hand held a flail! Three bright hammers rotated around him peacefully as he stood in the skies grandiosely. This transformation brought surprise to the eyes of many Celestials, and even those watching from the Dark Expanse as they were also familiar of the abilities of Celestials. Adorned with this armament, Crixus went on to completely dominate the other genius known as Elias, the proficiency of this opponent in the law of fate and his Fate Lines spilling above 150,000 not being able to deal any damage to the heavily protected Crixus, yet the flail that this brilliantly shining being was attacking with let out deadly attacks that slowly broke down his defenses. When Elias was about to release an all-out attack to try and overpower Crixus with pure Fate Essence, something unexpected happened as the people nearby could barely pick up a whisper of a word! [Sever]. SHAA! At the speed of light, rays of destructive purple-blue Aether erupted out from Crixus as they completely wiped away the fate essence released by his opponent, half of the Aether Rays going on to pierce the shoulder of Elias as he felt his energy overturned and move chaotically! He stared at Crixus in shock as he knew if his enemy had chosen to aim those powerful Aether Rays anywhere other than his shoulder, he would have perished. His gaze hardened as his armament turned into particles of light, his head bowing towards Crixus as he stepped away from the field of battle. "Winner, Crixus!" Grandmaster Onillus announced impassively as his eyes shone, looking at the remnants of baleful Aether as he nodded. The figures watching in the Dark Expanse were also surprised by the appearance of multiple rays of Aether as Edrusim spoke out. "Something that you would rarely find even in the Letalis Expanse...why is a being proficient in Aether appearing in the Light Expanse?" His gaze was that of pondering as he turned to the Vampyre Ruler that had the same look as him, his gaze thereafter going to the 2nd Ranked Infernal Lord who actually seemed to have a glimpse of understanding before he began laughing boisterously. "Haha! Wow, now this is unexpected!" Edrusim''s eyes sharpened as he asked the laughing Infernal Lord inquisitively. "What did you find?" "You all haven''t come across Aether in its natural form or when it is used by a being unless you traversed the Letalis Expanse, so you might not really be able to tell the difference when looking at it. This Aether that this Crixus released...haha, I have seen a similar type before!" A look of enjoyment appeared on the Infernal Lord''s face as he laughed and spoke thoughtfully. "Of course, this is only a guess and I could be wrong but...I''m curious to know why a being connected to THAT is playing around with the Celestials." Edrusim''s face became sour as the Infernal Lord did not give any straight answers, asking once more for clarification. "What exactly did you find out?" "Hmm? It''s probably nothing, Young Edrusim. Come, let us keep on watching. This might not be a waste of time after all." An inquisitive Genius Magician and a lazy Infernal Lord watched on with more attention to the Battle of Geniuses continuing in the Celestial Realm, another pair of names being called forth as the battles continued! --- In the perimeters of the circular arena, Noah was standing with Athena as the senior sister continued to speak with him telepathically. "Very few beings will be able to counter your Aether strikes, especially now that there''s multiple of them. When did that happen?" The gaze of the War Princess was filled with light as she asked, the battle going on in front of them being reflected in their eyes as another two Genius Celestials were fighting resplendently. "I don''t only make breakthroughs in the law of fate you know. Aether was the thing that got Grandmaster Vredral to take notice of me, and it''s still the thing that has the most firepower in my arsenal! I''m afraid even you might not be able to handle it, Senior Sister." "Hmph, you have your talents and I have mine. We will see!" The strong-willed voice of the War Princess travelled to his mind as the battle in front of them wrapped up, another winner being declared. "Three-Eyed Fate Child and Volador, you''re next!" Grandmaster Onillus continued the battles swiftly as murmurs spread throughout the clearing, many beings paying attention to this Celestial that was known as a Special Existence! The Three-Eyed Fate Child stepped forward with light steps, his gaze looking coldly towards the other genius Celestial known as Volador. His three eyes stood on his tan skin eerily, dark hair flowing down to his shoulders as he had the wild look of an unkempt beast. The one called Volador was also at the Domain Expansion Realm, being a genius that amassed 200,000 Fate Lines in less than a hundred years! He saw the gaze of the Special Existence as he steeled his heart, preparing to go all out the instant the battle began as he wanted to give it his best, even if the strength of this being was insane as many foretold. Grandmaster Onillus watched the cold faced Three-Eyed Fate Child with a light smile as he nodded happily for the first time before he initiated the battle. "Start!" SHAA! The instant that Volador heard the command to start the battle, he moved his essence to begin summoning Empyrean Guards, but his words were caught in his throat as his eyes opened wide, shockingly somehow finding the Three-Eyed Fate Child already standing a few inches away from him! His hand was raised as a dark blade of light that palpated with the aura of Space and Time was actually held against the neck of Volador, this genius Celestial feeling a sharp pain just from the edge of the blade stationed at his neck. "..." Silence reigned in the field of battle as the eerie eyes of the Special Existence stared at his enemy with a blade ready to strike. Were this actually a real battle, this young genius Celestial would have fallen right here and now without even understanding why! "Winner, Three-Eyed Fate Child!" WAAAAA! The dark blade of light dissipated into lights as Volador looked towards the back of the already leaving Special Existence with a terror-filled gaze. Those with normal cultivation levels were still looking at this scene in shock as they did not understand what had just occurred, just knowing the battle had ended in less than 5 seconds! This was the power of the being proficient in two Supreme Laws! This was the power of the Special Existence that cultivated the Law of Spacetime and the Law of Fate! Chapter 456 - The Title of Special Existence Noah had his awareness spread out to observe every single thing that occurred in the clear field of battle in front of them, so when the Three-Eyed Fate Child moved, he saw it all very clearly. From the eyes of others, the being had simply moved his legs and instantly appeared in front of Volador with a dark glimmering blade placed at his throat, but Noah saw the movement of essence that he was familiar with, the essence of Time, and that of Space! This being had actually either accelerated or slowed himself with time while also making use of a teleportation technique to cast a skill before his enemy even noticed it, their neck only feeling a cold blade that could take their lives at any instant. His eyes turned serious as this was an extremely deadly enemy. If he wasn''t fast enough or he could not keep track of his movements as the enemy interfered with time and space, he could find himself in a similar position as this Volador. Of course, if he was able to use the Ultimate Treasure that was the Dagger of Time, this would be an entirely different case. But his identity as Crixus prevented him from using a majority of his skills and items, especially a dagger that was considered a Cursed Item by the Celestials. He knew that he would have to be very careful when he faced this powerful Special Existence! "Next up, Light and Xander" The one to step up next was the other being that was a Special Existence, the one known as Grandmaster Light! She held a unique body composition that was actually made up of particles of light, her prowess lying in the Law of Light and the Law of Fate. She stepped into the field of battle as she glanced at her opponent with calm eyes, the white light shining off of them showing a type of serenity rarely seen in the Light Expanse. She had a humanoid form that seemed to shift every few seconds as the white light that made her moved around, her head shaped beautifully as tendrils of white lights flowed down to her shoulders. Her eyes shone with a hint of blue l.u.s.ter as she actually gave a nod of acknowledgment towards her opponent, the being known as Xander- someone that held the title of a Noble Fate and was currently standing in front of her before the battle began. "Start!" The command was given for the battle to start, Xander''s face serious as he began by casting Empyrean Guards and Empyrean Armament. RUMBLE! Essence converged as a gorgeous set of armor wrapped around him, his gaze watching Grandmaster Light who was simply watching him serenely to finish his transformation! The moment he was finished, she moved with light steps as her figure turned into a streak of light towards him, her fair hands stretched forward as she came on to grasp a blade of white light on her right hand and a blade of golden light on her left hand. This wasn''t any type of skill, it was simply the manifestation of Fate Essence on the left hand and Light Essence on the right hand! Noah did not know what the prerequisite was in order to utilize Light Essence with ease, but he knew one had to pass 100,000 Fate Lines in order to do so with Fate Essence. This Grandmaster Light has actually mastered the Law of Light to a similar extent as the Law of Fate, her hands expertly using the essence of each of these two elements to attack her opponent. BOOM! Her blade made of Light Essence landed on Xander first, his hammer parrying the blade as a white light erupted and pushed him back. The blade made of Fate Essence arrived a millisecond later as it smashed down and repeated the same thing, Xander being pushed back again as his face became increasingly serious! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Shockingly, Grandmaster Light kept her calm smile as she continued to lightly swing down the two blades she held in her hands, using simple pure Fate and Light Essence to land attacks that caused Xander to not even be able to retaliate. What Noble Fate?! What genius?! In the face of this Special Existence utilizing the Law of Light and Fate, she was using their pure essence to overwhelm Xander until all he could do was defend! CRACK! He wasn''t able to release a single attack as he defended the entire time, the hammers he was using to shield himself finally cracking as two pulsating blades of gold and white came near his neck, ready to finish him off at any time. "..." Haggard breaths were leaving Xander as his eyes contained great shame at not even being able to withstand this being''s attacks. He had heard of the prowess of this Senior Sister, but never did he think it was this overwhelming. "Winner, Light!" OOOOOH!!! The crowd cheered the dominating show by the mystical being made of white light as she took light steps back towards the remaining combatants. Shockingly, the first round of the Battle of Genius ended with some of the most powerfully known Celestials being kicked out. Two particular beings with noble fates that people expected to at least enter the top 4 were kicked out in the first round, not even making it to the top 16! Those advancing forward were the two Special Existences, two unlikely beings with Noble Fates known as Crixus and Athena, as well as twelve other genius Celestials. Grandmaster Onillus wasted no time as he began the second round, the matches continuing on speedily. In the second round, Noah and Athena did not meet the most powerful Special Existences that many dreaded facing as it would most likely mean the end of their battles in this tournament! They showed off their skills against Celestials known as Geniuses, many of them ranging above 200,000 Fate Lines as Noah used his transformation after absorbing 12 Empyrean Guards to stand against them, their strikes not even passing through to damage his body that was hidden behind a huge tower shield as he then released attacks with his flail or deadly rays of Aether. Athena used her unique ability to create a scintillating dance as she controlled the pace of the battles to always wear her opponents down until they faced deadly attacks that cost them the match! But like this, Noah and Athena passed the second round and entered the top 8 with no issues. Of course, it was the same case for the two Special Existences, the Three-Eyed Fate Child and Grandmaster Light who both passed through by dominating their enemies in a shocking manner. The second round was passed in this manner, and whether by chance or fate, it went exactly in the same manner for the third round that decided the top 4 of this Battle of Geniuses! In the third round, neither Noah nor Athena met the Special Existences, cruising through with their abilities as the both of them showed great battle prowess that overwhelmed their enemies and made them smoothly enter the top 4! In one of the floating Prime Warsh.i.p.s, Grandmaster Vredral had a beaming smile as he laughed, Commanding Officer Raizel glancing towards him as he shook his head with an unbelievable expression. "What kind of monsters have you raised that they are able to smoothly pass to the top 4 of all current geniuses of this generation?!" ¡­ Chapter 457 - Crixus! Top 4! The first three rounds of the tournament were over, and the beings that smoothly entered the top 4 ranks were not what many expected. The powerful Celestials holding the title of Noble Fates, Xander, and Lila, were taken out in the first round! The two Celestials holding a similar title but much weaker cultivation experience were actually the ones to replace them and take their spots, creating a clear path as they swiftly made their way to the top ranks. In the Mage''s Tower where powerful auras were watching the ongoing matches, Edrusim had turned to the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok with a careful gaze as he spoke. "This Crixus is more of an important piece than we all realized. You really only sent a Soul Forging Vampyre to oversee him?" "...I didn''t expect for him to be this much of a genius. I''ll make the proper preparations." Vladivostok replied with a shining gaze as his expression looked like someone that had gotten his hands on something he did not want to let go of. "If you all are smart enough, you will work hard to keep the identity of this Crixus under wraps and use him as a deadly blade at a crucial junction of the war, not risk his life freeing some old loser who was already defeated once." The voice of the 2nd Infernal Lord rang out lazily to the side as his sharp eyes followed the events portrayed in front of them. "That benefactor was the one that allowed many of us to come out alive in the last war, bringing him back to our side is only natural!" Edrusim replied sharply while the Infernal Lord shook his head deploringly. "And this is why you all have been left behind by the Celestials. You''re too habitual in your thinking that even veering off the course a little is too much for you." "Hmph!" Slight disagreements occurred as the powerful figures watched the ongoing battle, the Vampyre Ruler by the side of the Infernal Lord and Grand Magician having a serious look as he sent communications to his forces in the light expanse while re-evaluating this being called Crixus. In the Celestial Realm where the tournament was about to proceed, Noah and Athena were given a break before the final two rounds resumed, their figures actually being in the floating Prime Warship where Grandmaster Vredral and Commanding Officer Raizel were. The fatty Grandmaster who was the teacher of Xander and Lila had long since left as he could not handle the proud look of Grandmaster Vredral, the wizened old man now looking at his two disciples with nearly tearing eyes. "You two have exceeded my expectations, but there is an even harder- nay, near-impossible task ahead of you!" His face was serious as his prideful gaze was filled with somberness. "You have been watching how the two Special Existences, the Three-Eyed Child and Light, have carried out their battles. While knowing your own skills, what do you think your chances of winning are?" The gaze of the Grandmaster first went to Athena as she looked at him with a calm look before she replied. "60%, Grandmaster." "What?!" Commanding Officer Raizel by the side looked on with a surprised expression at this number, his experience as a Grandmaster telling him that the Special Existences would be very hard to take down with the skills that these two disciples held. Grandmaster Vredral looked at Athena carefully as he nodded while asking. "Why 60%?" "If I am matched against either of them, I can use my unique ability to prolong the battle as much as possible, using my close combat skill to possibly wear them down after a sufficient time has passed. Of course, their skills are terrifying enough that all my plans could be rendered worthless, but I will still give it my best!" A valiant light erupted forth from her as she let out words of extreme confidence, Grandmaster Vredral nodding his head as he turned towards Noah. What did his other disciple see his chances at? His aged gaze stayed on Noah as the moment this disciple of his opened his mouth, the wrinkles on his face began trembling. "100%." "..." Silence! Commanding Officer Raizel looked incredulously towards Noah while Grandmaster Vredral''s body trembled, his shining eyes locking onto this disciple as Noah opened his mouth and continued. "I have made a breakthrough while studying Aether and the Law of Fate these past few weeks, and I am confident in matching these Special Existences with my current abilities." Yes! Noah was expanding the skills he could use against the enemies he would soon face, as he saw that their abilities were something that his identity as Crixus would struggle against unless he had a breakthrough in the middle of the battle or beforehand. He would continue exaggerating the genius of Crixus as he planned to use more abilities in the [Kin of Terror] skill tree, enjoying the heavily boosted abilities like [Portals of Terror] that were made even more terrifying from the recent additional abilities like [Aether Reinforcement] and [Triple on Cast Support]. The surrounding Grandmasters were looking at him incredulously as Commanding Officer Raizel shook his head in a non-believing way. Athena gazed towards him with shining eyes as even she did not fully believe him! "If your words are actually true, you will be obtaining the Luminescent Rainbow Dew that will grant you strength even higher than mine. If you can have such strength...you can begin fully exploring the wonders of the Celestial Realm as you go to locations that have similar treasures like the Luminescent Rainbow Dew!" Grandmaster Vredral spoke with a passionate expression as he stared at Noah, half believing his student about his shocking words that were filled with arrogance. He spoke of the possibilities is Noah really was able to live up to his words, obtaining the #1 spot as he passed the fourth and fifth round where only four beings remained. Him, Athena, Grandmaster Light, and the Three-Eyed Fate Child. Just who would come out on top? Would Noah really be able to stand against the powerful Special Existences?! Chapter 458 - Two Battles, Different Results I As their rest time came to a close, Noah and Athena went out of the floating Prime Warship and went toward the clear miles long arena where two beings calmly remained. The onwatchers locked their eyes onto their figures as a bustle of discussions erupted on who they believed would take the title. Most were looking at the eerie Three-Eyed Fate Child as the eventual winner, the way he passed through his matches being in an extremely domineering manner! His expert use of the Law of Fate and Law of Spacetime was at such a level that even some of the veteran Grandmasters were threatened by this being''s power. Those that many were surprised by but expected them to be the eventual losers were Athena and Crixus! The two beings had rocketed into the top four, but many believed this would be where their journey ends, the matches of the fourth round only allowing the Three-Eyed Fate Child and Grandmaster Light to continue forward to fight for the championship. "Alright!" Grandmaster Onillus appeared in the skies again as his voice echoed through the field, his gaze carefully looking at the four genius Celestials below him. "The fourth round matches will be completed consecutively, with the fighting pairs occupying half of this field!" RUMBLE! Grandmaster Onillus waved his hands as he created a clear line that stretched for more than a mile, the expansive field being split in half as he pointed in one side, energy leaving his body as the White Crystals which chose the combatants shone on two genius Celestials'' hands. "On this field will be Fate Child and Athena." His gaze was impassive as he listed a match that made Athena adopt a heavy expression, his hands waving to the other field as he continued. "On this field will be Crixus and Light." WAAAA! The matches were decided as the crowd thrummed in excitement, their hearts looking forward to seeing the resplendent skills again. RAA! RAA! One could distinctly hear the loud bellows of an Emperor Penguin as he hiddenly supported his Master from the shadows, the eyes of the watching forces of the Dark Expanse shining as they looked forward to the results. "You four are good seedlings, and will have no shortage of resources in the near future because of the ranks you have gained. But the winner will gain even more, so continue working hard, and get ready to start!" Grandmaster Onillus waved his hands as the four combatants stepped into their respective fields. Noah glanced at his opponent, the Special Existence that was born on a star made of light, a star that shattered the moment this being was born! She was someone that was extremely proficient in the Laws of Fate and Light, and he had seen the domineering fashion that she used to straightforwardly release Fate and Light Essence to overwhelm her opponents. He planned to show off the brilliance of Crixus even more with this battle, this time around planning on using the full amount of 18 Empyrean Guards he had available to him. With 12 Empyrean Guards, he was adorned with a golden robe that released a resplendent thin protective shield along with a flail and a tower shield, as well as three rotating golden hammers that followed his thoughts. RUMBLE! He began summoning the full amount of Empyrean Guards as many Celestials looked forward with shocked eyes, not being able to believe that the skill they had been using all their lives could have such a difference in usage based on who was utilizing it. 12 Empyrean Guards! 18 Empyrean Guards! OOOOH! A burst of essence erupted out as the numerous Empyrean Guards all became streaks of light and attached to Noah, the newest form becoming clear in the eyes of all as one could only describe it in one word- Majestic! Two pairs of golden wings erupted from his back, both of his hands holding shining weapons as one held an extremely sharp golden blade and the other held a glistening flail. Around his armored body, 6 golden hammers flowed freely around him, but they were accompanied by the enormous presence of 3 tower shields made of a thin film of light that circled Noah protectively on all sides! He held two weapons in each hand to attack with, two pairs of wings for even more speed and versatility, another 6 weapons that were freely floating around listening to his commands, and three rotating tower shields to defend any attacks that came his way. He looked like a moving golden tank that would not be taken down by even the most fearsome of attacks! Grandmaster Light looked at this opponent as her calm eyes shone with splendor, summoning her pulsing blades of Fate and Light as she burst from her position and rushed towards Noah at once. On the other field, Athena wasted no time as she used Empyrean Armament herself, knowing that many of the past opponents of the Three-Eyed Fate Child had lost in a matter of seconds as this being appeared from nowhere to finish the battle. She planned to use her unique ability to predict the path of attacks of this opponent who was proficient in the Laws of Spacetime and Fate, the moment she got the rhythm of the attacks giving her a chance to counterattack herself! RUMBLE! Energy erupted out as two battles began on the separated fields of battle. The eyes of those watching were rapidly shifting from the four moving figures as they watched an array of abilities be put to use. Elena was watching the ongoing battles with rapt attention when she received a message from the Dark Expanse, and this time it was directly from the Vampyre Ruler that oversaw much of the Archeon Clan! The contents of the message were simple- more importance was being placed on the being called Noah, with the Archeon Clan needing daily briefs about his movements as they prepared for the future. Whether for good or bad, the spotlight shining on Noah was gradually opening up the interest of many beings, the eyes of the powerful Celestial Grandmasters that were watching also honing in as they watched the ecstatic battle prowess he continued to show when matched against other geniuses. BOOM! The two battles of separate fields began as other beings communicated and planned behind the scenes for the future, the winners of the fourth round not being clear! Chapter 459 - Two Battles, Different Results II RUMBLE! Essence roiled in the field of battle as the first rounds of impacts occurred. The beings watching had their eyes locked on to the first exchange as for the first time in a while, the matches did not end with the first move. When it came to Athena and the Three-Eyed Fate Child, the less experienced War Princess had somehow been able to foresee where the strike of the Special Existence would land as she smashed the hammers in her hands in a particular direction, and the hammers actually came in contact with the palm of the Special Existence that was about to clasp onto her fair neck! In the battle between Noah and Grandmaster Light, the being made of pure light had summoned her golden and white blades, using pure fate and light essence to smash towards Noah''s tanky exterior. The three shields rotating around him absorbed the essence released, the damage being further mitigated once they passed through the thin barrier of light being given off by the armor he was adorned in. At the same time, the six floating hammers followed his thoughts as they circled Grandmaster Light on all sides, his multiple pairs of wings flapping rapidly as his figure turned into a streak of light that continuously released attacks every time the being made of light dodged the rushing hammers! Grandmaster Light finally had a serious expression as essence moved around her, Empyrean Guard and Empyrean Armament being activated, along with another ability. [Holy Light]! Her clear voice rang out for the first time as her body exploded with white light, the numerous hammers circling around her looking for a point of weakness being pushed back as this exuding and overpowering light continued. BOOM! At the same time, Noah felt the expansion of her domain as he released his own, the two of them clashing and canceling each other as his attacks towards her accelerated. He wanted to give her no time to adapt as he didn''t want to show off too much of his power here. [Smite of Liberation]! OOOM Numerous huge golden swords rushed from the clouds as they descended towards Grandmaster Light mercilessly, those watching being shocked to find these huge blades of liberation moving with their own will as even more weapons moving by themselves now attacked the defending Light. In their field of battle, one could spectacularly see the movement of numerous golden hammers and swords around a defending Grandmaster Light, Noah himself moving expertly with a flail and sword in hand to dominatingly take the pace of the battle! In the other field, a surprised Three-Eyed Fate Child had his body begin to release on overpowering light that began folding the space around him, his hands moving eerily in various directions to grasp onto Athena. The War Princess had her gaze locked onto the numerous movements as she used her unique ability to see their trajectory. SHAA! She dodged the dangerous hands coming for her as her mind had an epiphany at this moment, where she actually realized that her eyes were causing her reaction time to be slower as this being in front of her affected both time and space. She let out a deep breath as she trusted her instincts and shockingly...closed her eyes! WAA! Those watching their battle closely rose from their figurative seats as they saw the War Princess actually close her eyes in the middle of the battle, but they were shocked even more as they saw her movements had become even swifter thereafter as the dangerous hands of the Three-Eyed Fate Child were dodged with even more ease. "What¡­" "Genius! Truly genius!" Many Grandmasters looked on with shining eyes as they observed these spectacular talents that would soon surpass them in strength, their gazes especially so favoring Athena and Crixus as they were actually able to stand against Special Existences. Their titles of Noble Fates seemed to hold more true than the other two that were taken out in the first round, their rapid rise in strength that allowed them to actually be at the stage they were in currently being the most surprising event out of this entire tournament. In the battle with the War Princess and the Three-Eyed Fate Child, the former was slowly giving the battle more gravity as his body shone with numerous colors, Athena only showing more battle prowess as she trusted her ability and senses, moving with closed eyes! Noah continued his domineering usage of skills that allowed for him to lock down the powerful figure of Grandmaster Light who was glowing brilliantly while releasing numerous abilities from the Light Element. The abilities seemed to be more geared towards support as they bolstered her defense, her body occasionally releasing sharp swords of white light that were soon reflected by Noah''s boisterous defense. "The winners of the two fights seem to already be decided." Grandmaster Onillus whispered to himself in the skies as his sharp eyes squinted, a light passing through them that nobody else would understand! He watched as in the matches, the genius Crixus gained more and more of an edge while cornering the Special Existence, Light, who could not get through his defenses even though she held much more Fate Lines and understood 2 laws. "This Crixus seems to be more of a genius, he hasn''t even shown his Aether abilities in this match. He believes in himself to win this match and use all his abilities in the final match? Hmm¡­" A look of pondering appeared on Grandmaster Onillus as he turned his gaze to the other field, where he could already see who the victor that would stand against Crixus in the final match would be. Even as Athena brought the battle to her pace by continuously dodging the strikes of the Three-Eyed Fate Child, this was all she could do- just dodge! Her energy and mental energies required to keep up her constant movements were soon drained as the victor on this battlefield would also soon be decided. "The pair of disciples are about to have different results in their battles¡­" Yes! In the two fields where two battles were on going and nearing their conclusions, for the disciples of Grandmaster Vredral- they were about to have very different results! Noah was moving valiantly with numerous golden shields and hammers surrounding him, even more blades of liberation descending from the skies to portray the image of a grand being with Noble Fate, the victory of the battle soon going to him. Athena had her armament wrapping around her as she moved around with closed eyes, showing the image of a valiant War Princess, but this War Princess would soon be overpowered by the Special Existence that was proficient in two Supreme Laws. Two battles, but there would be different results! OOOOH! Those watching felt their blood boil as they were given a show of resplendent abilities, many looking forward to the last match that would give a glorious victor taking the title of Strongest Genius. This would be the victor that would obtain the named treasure, the [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] that was capable of creating a World Realm expert. Unbeknownst to many of them, their wishes for a final battle...will never be fulfilled as something even more shocking was about to occur! Chapter 460 - Magisterial!!! In the clear and expansive field to the east of the Sanctum where the docile Earth Behemoths could be found, tens of thousands of beings had gathered as they watched two battles near their glorious end. Among those in the crowd, the forces from the Dark Expanse watched with hungry eyes at the power these young genius Celestials showed, and this was especially so for the one called Crixus! They knew Crixus to actually be on their side, so the higher he rose in the rankings and obtained valuable treasures, the better. Malthus the Spatial Magician was standing stably as he fixated the dark pearl on his robe to continue sending the feed of the entire field in front of them to the Dark Expanse, the beings in the Mage''s Tower of the Scholars Guild continuing to watch while discussing carefully. "If this Crixus actually gains the number one ranking, it will mean he will soon be brought to the World Realm by the Celestials!" The Grand Mage Edrusim spoke with shining eyes as he thought about gaining a World Realm powerhouse, and one that was actually raised by their enemy at that. The 2nd Infernal Lord looked with slight interest with his gaze focused on Noah, his mind convincing himself that he found some sort of secret with this being because of the abilities he showed before. Meanwhile, the Vampyre Ruler was looking on with a happy expression as he knew this Crixus held a Vampyre Bloodline, and he could control anyone with such a bloodline! There were very few beings alive that held the same level of bloodline purity as him, Elena and a few others being special cases as the masses of Vampyres could be brought under his command no matter their power level, the uniqueness of bloodlines running this deep. He himself was a Star Forging Realm Expert, an entire realm above World- so he looked forward to gaining such a genius subordinate in the future. The beings in the Dark Expanse and those in the Celestial Realm, all of them watched the fourth round matches with rapt attention as they neared their conclusion. The Special Existence that was known as Grandmaster Light was gradually getting more and more cornered by Noah''s attacks, his relentless golden hammers and blades of liberation that moved with their own wills as well as his own attacks not giving the woman made of light even a chance to retaliate. Her Fate Lines that towered over 200,000 were no use over the Noah that was boosted by numerous passive and active skills, each of them with their own powerful boosts that would rack up huge percentages if one were to fully count them all. One would only have to talk about the boosts from [Child of Space], and then from the singular boosts that just one Empyrean Guard gave when they were absorbed into his body using Empyrean Armament. Just these two alone were enough to add up percentages that would shock a mathematician! RUMBLE! His body shone with a golden glint as he moved even fiercer against Grandmaster Light, his counterpart in the other field of battled doing the same as the Three-Eyed Fate Child increased his attacks against Athena, the War Princess not being able to keep up any longer as the attacks filled with the power of Spacetime and Fate smashed into her relentlessly. Two beings filled with power, each of them gradually cornering two powerful beings that were giving it their all. OOOOH! Reverberations of power spread out as Grandmaster Light was smashed away by a convergence of blades of liberation and golden hammers, something similar occurring in the other field as the War Princess was smashed head on with an attack from the Three-Eyed Fate Child. BOOM! BOOM! Their two figures coincidentally flew towards each other as Athena and Light neared the borders where their respective arenas were, smashing towards the ground and forming craters not too far from each other! Their bodies were riddled with injuries as they got up in a difficult manner from the craters, their gazes looking at their opponents who were no longer looking at them. Noah floated in the air above Grandmaster Light as he stared into the arena where Athena and the Three-Eyed Fate Child were fighting, his gaze not even glancing towards Grandmaster Light as he stared at the being also floating in the air in front of him. The Three-Eyed Fate Child was looking coldly at Noah, his gaze completely passing over Athena as the two victors both looked towards the opponent they would have to face in the Final Round. One had the dark energies of Spacetime rolling around his body, wisps of golden fate lines showing every now and then as his three eyes locked forward. The other was a winged being surrounded by rotating golden shields and hammers, enormous blades of liberation pointing themselves towards the being with three eyes as they were ready to strike at any moment. WAAA! Their sheer presence was shocking to see as a majestic scene of two powerhouses grandly played itself for all to see. "These are the geniuses of this generation? Not too bad I suppose." RUMBLE! At this moment, an oppressive voice that seemed to be coming from all sides reverberated across the expansive area where every single being was watching the matches of the Celestials geniuses. This voice was not just oppressive, it contained a hint of authority that made those who heard it tremble deep in their souls! In the skies, Grandmaster Onillus heard this voice as his face immediately changed, his figure shooting down from the skies as he landed on the ground and kneeled. That''s right, kneeled! With him as the first, all the numerous Grandmasters that were on the few Prime Warsh.i.p.s surrounding the expansive arena all teleported or turned into streaks of light as they appeared on the ground, all kneeling! The lesser ranked Celestials and Celestial Disciples looked at the behavior of the Grandmasters as they followed it themselves, their hearts feeling a sense of terror they had never felt before. Noah was still floating in the skies as he shockingly looked around for the source of his voice when he suddenly felt an overpowering force also pulling him down, a pressure beginning to appear all around them that called out to be respected! In the skies, an enormous figure of a mountainous Celestial Behemoth appeared, an indistinct being that was even smaller than the minute hairs of this behemoth standing powerfully atop the head. This being was indistinct, but all the beings around could make out that he was there as the oppressive and overwhelming pressure released from him. The Celestial Behemoth shone with a golden hue, its eyes blank as it held a shining horn piercing the skies and expansive wings covering the earth. The mixture of a pegasus and a unicorn shone with splendor as its power that stood a level above the World Rank, stably at the Star Forging Realm, was completely overshadowed by the being standing on it! The Alicorn, a Supreme Behemoth that was ridden on by a single being had arrived and cast a shadow on every single area occupied below. The being standing atop it could be sensed by all as he arrived with a magisterial pressure, a pressure that caused all those in the skies to descend down to kneel, a pressure that accepted no other beings in the skies when he was there! Noah''s eyes looked up in shock as the image of the overwhelming being became clear on the mountainous Alicorn, the figure of someone that should have not made their appearance any time soon actually stepping into the limelight... Chapter 461 - Magisterial!!! II From the aura released, one would only be able to feel emotions about this being that would scream out one word- Magisterial! It was a feeling of majesty from someone that had great accomplishments, of someone in a realm that very few could claim in the Novus Galaxy! "Your skills are sufficient enough as the new weapons to be forged, but that is actually not what interests me more." His voice was the only one ringing out over the expansive area of beings as they picked up another thing that caused them the feeling of terror they were experiencing. From the voice of this being, they could feel extreme apathy, a tonation of a being that portrayed to have no emotions whatsoever as he spoke. It was akin to the way a human would speak to an ant, their hierarchy being extremely clear as one knew they could step on the other easily whenever they wished. It was this feeling of being looked at as if they could be stepped on whenever this being wished that filled them with terror! His image was clear in the eyes of many, his hair being a unique light gold color, his eyes as dark as night. His body was only adorned in vibrant white pants with his chest bare as one could sense the aura of wildness around him. "What interests me are the few rats that have taken the bait to sneak into my realm, and are even bold enough to believe that I would not know about it. The geniuses shall be rewarded after these rats are taken care of." His apathetic voice now contained a direction as his gaze turned towards the ring of tens of thousands of beings, landing in a particular location where the forces of the Dark Expanse that Malthus moved with were situated. "The filthy aura of the Dark Expanse is strongly bouncing off of you, you know?" "...!" Many beings watched as the figure floated off the expansive Alicorn that covered everything in their sight, standing generously in the air as he stared towards the frozen figures of numerous beings from the Dark Expanse that had adopted horrified expressions! Noah''s main body had a reverent expression on the outside, but he was shocked at the development of events as the next ones made the situation even more drastic. "Others may not be able to notice it, but coming from someone that has nearly mastered a Supreme Law, I must tell you that it is too obvious." His gaze moved from Malthus as he was talking, going to the side as he stared directly at the nearby Elena that was looking upwards with a fearless expression. Her face trembled at the pressure that was directed towards them even more, but she remained fearless nonetheless! "The most powerful Vampyre here seems to also be from the Dark Expanse? Let''s see...Ah from the Underworld. Treacherous creatures as always, I shall start with you for your race''s eventual extinction." ... Shocking! Drastic! Fastly deteriorating! The situation became worse and worse as this singular being, one of the Founders of the Celestials, stretched out his hands towards the forces of the Dark Expanse along with the Vampyres that Elena was surrounded with. This also included the vampyric beasts that were the Emperor Penguin, Barbatos, and other beings from Noah''s Spiritual World! The watching Grandmasters and Celestial Geniuses from the sidelines had also woken up from their stupor as their bodies glittered in gold, their strong eyes turning towards the collection of beings pointed out by their Founder as the bright light of skills began to be cast. Noah himself shimmered with bright light as he turned his gaze filled with hostility towards those exposed as from the Dark Expanse, but his mind was moving rapidly as he sent numerous commands to his subordinates, the backup plans he never thought would see the light of day being initiated! Things had changed just too fast! This was not the way that he expected anything to be progressing, but he would try to adapt as fast as he could. RUMBLE! Essence converged as the white hand of the Founder crossed miles, nearly reaching the position of the forces of the Dark Expanse in an instant. It was at this moment where many figures were still frozen in shock with very few even being capable of using their essence that between the forces of the Dark Expanse and the dangerous white hand, a figure of a dark-haired man appeared! Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone with a grim look and a vibrating body grandiosity appeared as he saw the palm descending down, a palm that he knew even his main body would not be able of withstanding if he was directly hit. His mind worked rapidly as he looked at how fast the palm was approaching, and he knew that he would not even have the chance to teleport one or two of his subordinates before this palm came down and pulverized the rest! His heart was grim as he went with the first plan that would buy him time for a second, the plan of spamming! [Destabilize][Portals of Terror][Dawn of the Blood Lord][Blood World][Nightmarish Descent][Blood Rage][Arch Demon Lord Transformation][Lesser Cthulhu][Ancient Blood Scion][Blood Rage]...[Blood Sea]!!! RUMBLE! The activation of numerous skills that caused the bubbling of erupting essence akin to an exploding volcano occurred, a stupendous sight of numerous transformations taking place as a disfigured giant rapidly took form, numerous terrible portals releasing destructive elements and destabilizing space, a bloody moon appearing in the skies as a veil of blood erupted outwards, and eventually an expansive blood sea began expanding outwards! It was an entire array of abilities cast wildly, something that no normal being would be able to do from the influx of mana that it required. But all of these abilities were cast just to stand against a single palm! A strong, domineering palm! RUMBLE! The beings around watched in shock as the white palm came in contact with the expanding sea of blood and the conflagration of a being that was bubbling within it, this single palm utterly erasing everything it came in contact with as the rumbling portals of terror faded into nothingness and nearly 90% of the sea of blood was wiped away in an instant. The Founder had an apathetic face as he stared at the remainder of the intruding being, his eyes shining brightly as his voice reverberated again. "A chimera of demons, ancients, and vampyres...with an aura of a Terror? Interesting." He said blandly with a cold voice as Noah felt the life force of his Ancient Blood Clone being nearly depleted with one strike, even with all of the transformation abilities and even skills like [Blood Sea] that negated 50% of all physical damage, the single palm of this being that was not even acting seriously nearly taking the life of his clone! Only a wriggling mass of flesh remained as it formed into a head and a hand! OOOOOM! His reformed eyes watched in slow motion as a bright light of a domain unlike anything he had ever seen before begin to release from the body of the founder, his mind moving on to another back up plan as he realized him stopping the advancement of the palm did not bring himself even a second required to take away the Emperor Penguin and others from here. Watching the slowly expanding domain, a purple-colored dagger covered in a sheath appeared in his only reformed hand, his mind going towards the plan of reversing the situation if it had deteriorated this much already! Chapter 462 - Inviolable! Seeing the appearance of the dagger, the eyes of the Founder shone with more light as he felt a unique energy be released from it, this unique energy of Time going on to wrap everything around the area as the enormous Domain he was releasing began to recede into his body. He then began moving backwards in time as the events that took place slowly reversed, time unwinding as this majestic being actually chuckled! "Standing against me with just an item? Truly brave." RUMBLE! In the reversing time, his voice reverberated in Noah''s ears as his main body and clone both moved in reverse along with everyone else, many of the powerful being feeling this weird sensation but not being able to do anything about it. The events had only gotten to the point where the shadow of the Alicorn was about to disappear along with the being that it carried above its head when the apathetic voice rang out again, this time in the form of an ability. {Fate Lord''s Authority}. WAAAA! A golden air put a stop to the reversing time as the Founder spoke simply, using an authority only given to those that had mastered more than 50% of a law as he used the authority of fate to instantly stop the reversal of time of an Ultimate Weapon like the Dagger of Time! Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone saw the Time Essence in the Sheath that powered the dagger drain even faster as it tried to resist this authority, but it was not able to as it was soon drying up, his reversal of time in this particular event not even going back a few minutes. But the minutes that he did reverse by...would have to be enough! RUMBLE! Time seemed to be stabilizing again as the clone moved with extreme precision, his senses telling him they had only gone back to a millisecond after the Alicorn had first appeared. He teleported near Elena, Barbatos, and all the other Beasts of the Spiritual World as he waved his hands towards them, teleporting them away in this destabilized space through the use of >! He began with the most important figures first as he could feel the oppressive Authority of Fate rush forth from the Founder in the reversed time, the powerful being not wasting a second as those that were weak only came to find the appearance of an enormous Alicorn, a being letting out an overpowering pressure atop it that already began releasing an ability that made them tremble to their cores. Noah''s main body was still facing the Three-Eyed Fate Child as they both turned around to the location of the beings from the Dark Expanse, most of the powerful Celestials having felt the reversed time and knowing exactly what had happened before! Noah''s main body, followed along by the Athena, Light, the Three-Eyed Fate Child and numerous other Grandmasters that were near the spectating group of beings now exposed to be from the Dark Expanse released their own attacks towards them as they moved rapidly. Noah''s clone had only managed to teleport away the beings he considered the most important when the attacks reached them, his mana that was going towards the terrified Malthus coming to a stop as the expanding golden {Fate Lord''s Authority} reached them! WAAA! Shockingly, it was not just mana that was held in place, Noah finding out that his clone could not move a single muscle, every single being remaining in the area experiencing the same phenomenon as the voice of the Founder was heard once more. "You actually managed the escape of a few with me here, I have to give you props for that. Let''s see now¡­" The figure of the Founder appeared near the frozen beings, his eyes glancing at Noah''s Blood Clone curiously as they also went towards Malthus. His apathetic eyes lingered on Malthus as his energy picked up a unique signature on the body of this operative of the Dark Expanse, it was the dark pearl that was attached to his robe! "Bold enough to even show what was happening here to others? Now now, who''s out there watching?" His languid voice filled with apathy was still the only thing ringing out in the surroundings as the Celestials pulled back the moment they saw the Founder arrive amongst the enemies, their hearts trembling at the level of his strength as none of the enemies could even move a muscle. Noah''s main body was observing the situation with an expression that matched all other Celestials, but his heart was grim as his clone found himself not being able to move an inch while under {Fate Lord''s Authority}! He was able to teleport away all of his people, and even some of the operatives of the Dark Expanse, but there were still many left behind as those of importance to note were Malthus and his clone, all others being nameless operatives. The Founder continued to move at his own pace as more and more shocking words came out from him, Noah finding his methods more and more unfathomable as the next thing he said shocked him even more. "You think you can peer into my Celestial Realm without me peering back? Hmm...an Infernal Lord, a little Magician, and a scurrying Vampyre...I remember your auras from the last war." Shocking words that the masses who were watching with rapt attention nearby digested rang out, the information that the ongoing matches were not just being watched by them, but also by the powerful figures from the Dark Expanse becoming apparent to them.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/inviolable!_50823557147585846 for visiting. The powerful figures themselves that were within the Mage''s Tower of the Scholar''s Guild had stood up with sober expressions, their eyes locked onto the rapidly changing scenes as Edrusim had an angry expression, the 2nd Infernal Lord nearby looking forward with an expression that was actually smiling in excitement, the destructive energies of his body seemingly bubbling up just waiting to be released! "I see. This is good. I can relay my message to you all right away." The apathetic voice of the founder continued as his hands reached for the dark pearl which was showing the feed of everything occurring to the forces of the Dark Expanse, his other crystal white hand grabbing on the head of the frozen Malthus who wore the robe that had this pearl. His hand landed atop the frozen being''s head as it continued to descend down as if it was pressing against clay, skull and brain matter spurting out as the genius Spatial Magician was killed simply! He then released golden flames from his hands that rapidly began to burn the lifeless body, his other hand grabbing onto the pearl as he watched with bored eyes as the being known as Malthus burned to ashes. He grasped the pearl in his hands as he then turned towards the frozen clone of Noah, his gaze that of slight interest as he spoke into the pearl! "Are you still watching?" ¡­! Chapter 463 - Puppets! Freedom! Noah watched the attention of the Founder turn towards his clone as he watched on coldly, having saved all those he could as the death of the one called Malthus was out of his hands. As for his own clone? In front of the founder that was already reaching out towards it, Noah simply stopped supplying mana to the ability of Ancient Blood Clone, cutting off the connection with the mass of blood and flesh right away before any more damage could be done by this terrible being! He had already sustained horrible damage to his origin just from the pressure passed from {Fate Lord''s Authority}, and would not allow any more as he had already saved those most important to him. Now, all he could do was watch as this being that should not have appeared came into play in front of his eyes. Many questions were swirling in his mind, but he held no answers to any of them. Why had the most powerful Celestials appeared right before the last round of the tournament? Why did he move to act at this exact moment? What exactly were his goals?! No answer came to mind as the shocking events continued to play out. The Founder watched the frozen body of his clone turn into a mass of bloody goo as his face scrunched up, waving his hands as golden flames embroiled it and turned it to ashes instantly. His hand then focused the pearl sending the feed to the Dark Expanse on the remaining forces of Vampyres and other beings that were with Malthus, golden flames erupting from him as they went on to leap from one being to another, eating them all up with ease as numerous figures burned until nothing remained of them! "Do you see how easily I can erase you all? Are you still watching?" The Founder spoke as he waved the dark pearl showing the feed of everything upward, making it float in the skies as he turned his gaze towards the many Celestials and beings from the Light Expanse. "I will use this opportunity when every side is listening to declare that war shall begin yet again. The enemy is one who you have seen, the beings constantly moving in the dark to sow disorder, the savages of the Dark Expanse!" His apathetic voice had more emotion as his rumbling power was directed to the tens of thousands of beings around the clearing. He turned to the pearl floating above him as he spoke out towards the listening Infernal Lord and Grand Mage. "I imagine you all must have somber expressions while thinking of the future and the billions of lives that will be lost. I will tell you now, cheer up. There is no need for such somberness in this little playground we are in!" His voice was gradually rising in volume as his apathetic eyes that drew in all those watching shone in a peculiar l.u.s.ter while staring at the device sending the feed of everything in the surroundings to the highest echelons of the Dark Expanse.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/puppets!-freedom!_50823568958745965 for visiting. "It is this little playground that I plan to break out of, and I will take you all with me. To a place where we can make our own choices, a beautiful place that is wider than anything you''ve ever seen¡­" A pause appeared on the face of the Founder as he glanced around him. His languid eyes watched the reverent and terror-filled gazes of the tens of thousands of beings in the surroundings along with the figures of the Dark Expanse that were watching through the dark pearl. He spoke the next words slowly as he seemed to be reminiscing. "In this Novus Galaxy of ours, we''re all puppets, puppets flowing across the river of fate¡­" A look of hatred spread across the handsome yet terrifying figure of the Founder as he talked about a playground and the mention of puppets, his gaze seeming forlorn! "I plan to break the strings that are constantly moving the innocent souls in this playground of ours, until all of us can no longer be considered puppets. I will set you all free. I...will set us all free!" RUMBLE! A terrifying shock spread out to the minds of any that were listening, not fully understanding the meaning of the words just said as they only sent deep terror to their hearts! The Founder had a lost look on his face as he seemed to be reminiscing, his gaze looking afar at something nobody else could see. His mouth moved by itself as he seemed to be lost in a monologue, giving a show of only him to the terrified audience in the surroundings. His gaze focused onto the dark pearl where he knew the forces that were his enemies were watching, continuing his monologue with no interruption. "Return to your holes and hold your families close. Spread the word to the other rats and prepare, because I''ll be sending my forces towards your direction now." OOOOM! The Founder finished his words as he pinched his hands towards the dark pearl, destroying the device and cutting the feed that the powerful beings in the Mage''s Tower were receiving right away. He only left behind an air of power as the authority he was releasing slowly receded. WAAAA! An air of madness and uncertainty spread out across the expansive field, the many Celestials and Celestial Grandmasters were already on the ground kneeling as this Founder rose to the skies. "Scour my Celestial Realm for any remaining forces from the Dark Expanse, and get a Warship to make haste towards the Underworld that has been hiding them. Destroy it all with no trace left remaining." RUMBLE! A command rang out in the ears of every Celestial Grandmaster as they placed their right hands on their chest in allegiance and understanding. "The four geniuses showing most promise...take them to the Golden Bastion and finish forging them into the best weapons before they join the coming conflict. There should be another Luminescent Rainbow Dew there for the final two champions. Spare no efforts to raise their realms." More commands released from the Founder as an air of majesty spread out, his gaze calm and apathetic as he landed back on the Alicorn overshadowing everything around with its sheer size. "Onillus, you shall lead the Squadrons for the first wave of attacks in this war. Prepare to take on the title of a Commander and lead the first forces of the numerous Prime Worlds and Celestials to the border where our forces await. As of now...we are officially at war!" OOOOOH!!! "It is a war for Liberation, for Order and Balance! For breaking free of the chains that bind us in this playground we are in!" WAA! "For Order and Balance!" "For Freedom!" ¡­! Noah watched the roaring of essence and power from thousands of Celestials and powerful Grandmasters, his heart beating wildly as a scene of paramount importance played itself out in front of him. Athena had come to inexplicably stand by his side as she looked forward with shining eyes. The beings from numerous Prime World watching were shaking in the places they stood as the show of power was too much for them, those that could still think knowing that many of them would be heading into a war soon! A tournament that was meant to observe the genius of a few Celestials had ended in the most shocking of ways, a single being appearing as he overhauled everything happening, killing numerous forces from the Dark Expanse and announcing the beginning of a long war! Chapter 464 - Rapid Movements In the Mage''s Tower of the Scholar''s Guild, the Grand Magician Edrusim had on a wrathful face why the Infernal Lord had an expression of excitement. "I see why our existence was necessary to oppose this being! Does he not know what his words truly mean? Haha!" The second ranked Infernal Lord spoke out as wild waves of power emitted from him, the other powerful beings in the room already beginning to send telepathic communications based on what they just saw. The leading figure of the Celestials had just outright declared war, and they had to prepare! Edrusim''s wrathful gaze came down as the provocation of the Founder gradually lost its effect, the gaze of the Grand Magician going towards the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok. "You forces in the Underworld are about to be taken out." Vladivostok had on a grim look as he replied less than a millisecond later, his robe fluttering behind him as he stepped out. "I''ve already sent word for them to begin moving out, I''ll have to excuse myself for now." "Haha! Hahaha!" Voldred, the 2nd Ranked Infernal Lord, continued to have a glimmer of excitement on his face as he laughed, Edrusim turning towards him as well as he voiced out. "I''ll depend on you to get word to the other Infernal Lords...as well as their assistance."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/rapid-movements_50823585584971099 for visiting. "Ahh, no worries Young Edrusim. After all...we were created just for this!" RUMBLE! Essence blasted out as the body of the Infernal Lord disappeared, the only one left behind in the expansive room of the Mage''s Tower being the Grand Magician Edrusim who was accompanied by a few other High Wizards. "What shall we do, Milord?" Many of them dressed in grey robes glanced at Edrusim with tight expressions, the Grand Magician replying simply as he pulled out a commonly seen weapon in the Dark Expanse, the tool that many wizards and witches carried with them- it was a majestic wand that released an air of ancientness! "We prepare. Assemble the Battle Mages of our Guild and work with the Vampyres to begin creating different Legions. The first Legion of the Celestials will most likely head towards that location, so station the first forces there." His face had erased all of its wrath as he held a chilling expression, vibrant essence beginning to roll around the Ancient Wand in his hands as the air of a Grand Magician was properly portrayed. "As of now, we are at War!" RUMBLE! Essence reverberated from the wand he held as it coursed through the uniquely designed runic circles in the room they were in, causing this room and the larger Mage''s Tower it was connected to, to begin shining brilliantly as a single message began to spread across the Dark Expanse. This message only told of one thing, and it was war! --- In the Celestial Realm, Noah was moving inside a Prime Warship with Athena and Grandmaster Vredral, along with the two beings termed as Special Existences. A moment after the words of the Founder to take the four geniuses that were fighting in the fourth round before the shocking interruption was heard, Grandmaster Onillus transferred numerous treasures and authority to Vredral, allowing him to lead the Warship and take his disciples as well as the two Special Existences towards a particular deeper area in the Celestial Realm. The location they were heading in was further to the south past the Water and Ice Behemoth, the location where Fate Behemoths were abundant, and the place where the most powerful Celestials were always trying to explore. It was an area where Elite Behemoths freely ran rampant, and one could occasionally spot a Supreme Behemoth if they went far enough! Grandmaster Vredral was taking the four geniuses to this location per the orders of the Founder, in his bag of holding lying the [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] and numerous other treasures as he steered the Prime Warship forward with a serious expression. Noah and Athena were standing not too far behind the Grandmaster as each was lost in their own thoughts, the two Special Existences could be seen in meditative poses not too far away from them. Every single person was lost in their own world as the events they had just seen were too shocking! The power they had just witnessed from the founder made many of them receive the reminder of something they only had in their wildest dreams, the remainder of the power they all wanted to achieve. They looked at the Founder that had required respect just from his sheer presence as exactly the power they wanted to achieve, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Some time back and unbeknownst to the beings around Noah, a drop of blood had slowly formed from his heart, abundant Origin Essence going into it as it then swiftly disappeared from inside his body, never to be seen by anyone else as even the essence fluctuations were hidden. Inside his own body, he had activated the [Ancient Blood Clone] ability once more as a drop of blood filled with his own origin formed inside of him, this drop of blood disappearing thereafter as it was teleported to a singular location- the Underworld! After having saved Barbatos, Elena, and the others from certain death in the hands of the Founder, he moved without haste to a Prime World that was facing its destruction soon. These were his own thoughts, as well as the frantic telepathic messages from Elena and Prince Cassius for the Vampyre King and the other forces stationed in the Underworld. The moment that the Founder released his command to destroy this Prime World for hiding the treacherous Vampyres, the Celestials passed word as the forces nearby were soon activated, any close Prime Warsh.i.p.s and Grandmasters setting off right away. It was a race against time as Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone reformed from the drop of blood rapidly in the bleak atmosphere of the Underworld, its body already beginning to rush down towards the planet''s core as he moved fast! Chapter 465 - Missed by a Second! The body of the Ancient Blood Clone was finishing the process of formation as it pierced through the layers of earth, not even taking a few seconds before getting into the inner layer of the Prime World. His gaze was impassive as his emotions were turbulent after having just seen the immense power of just one of the beings he was up against, his current power not even being able to withstand a single attack. [You...What?!] He put his thoughts aside as he heard the words of the Core of the Underworld and worked in conjunction with his Planetary System as he portrayed the images of the particular time when the Founder had called for the destruction of the Underworld. [...] Silence reigned as slight trembling could be felt from the core of the Underworld, Noah not wasting any time as he initiated the process of forming a connection while talking. "There is no time. If you want to survive¡­" What always happened when he formed new connections with worlds repeated, a rumbling of essence occurring as something else approached the Underworld! Two Prime Warsh.i.p.s with the hardened faces of righteous Celestial Grandmasters at the lead were using their energy to pierce through the void of space as they neared the Underworld, having received word that the mission came directly from the Founder, and it concerned a world that was harboring the forces of the Dark Expanse. They moved without a second delay as they were nearing the Prime World, their hearts set on destroying the entirety of this world as they prepared to join the war. RUMBLE! They felt immense fluctuations of energy ahead of them as they neared, their Prime Warsh.i.p.s arriving as they observed with shocked eyes, where the world used to be, only a void of darkness laid! "Rubbish!" One of the piloting Grandmasters called out as he spread out his energy, a surprised look overtaking his wrath as he sent out a message. "It is only invisible, aim the World Cannons and obliterate it!" OOOOM! Essence rapidly converged around the Warsh.i.p.s as the huge cannons around them vibrated, gaining a glimmer of red as they aimed at the invisible Underworld in front of them. Deep in the core of this Prime World, Noah''s clone had already successfully finished the formation of the connection as another stupefied reaction was released from this Prime World as well, his mind working fast as he pulled out the [World Engine] from the Expansive Space that he shared with the main body, activating the treasure right away as a unique energy spread out with the core at the center. He had already cast [Blood World] and [World Veil] to wrap around the entire world, preventing the coming Celestials from seeing what was occurring within it and turning it invisible, but this only earned him a few seconds. These few seconds...were more than enough! The unique energy released from the [World Engine] wrapped around the entire world as outside it, the enormous cannons meant to strike down at the core of the Prime World had readied enough energy, destructive rays of red lights shooting out as they went towards a singular location. OOOOONG! The rays of red energy left destructive energies in the void of space as they thundered down, the Grandmasters piloting the Warsh.i.p.s watching with eyes burning with passion as they sensed an enormous fluctuation of energy at this moment, and then observed with unwilling expressions as the red rays of destructive lights they shot out...actually hit nothingness! "...!" Silence reigned as they watched the rays pass through where they sensed a planet was just a few seconds ago, nothing being there now. They grit their teeth as they were knowledgable of a similar incident with the Magus World not too long ago, they just didn''t think it would happen again, and not so quickly! This also meant that the culprits for the disappearance of the Magus World were also the forces of the Dark Expanse, being connected in some way with that world as well. These were the conclusions that the Grandmasters arrived at anyways. "Savages!" One particular Grandmaster grit his teeth as he gave out a command. "Head back to report the findings. I''ll scour the surrounding areas to see if I find anything¡­" Thus, a wild goose chase that would give nothing began, while Noah''s clone was already in a completely different quadrant of the Light Expanse near his homeworld, numerous connected worlds veiled in different areas all around this quadrant. His clone had already disappeared from the inner layer of the Underworld as he reappeared inside the Spiritual World that he had anchored in a nondescript location of the Celestial Realm as small as a grain of sand before he jumped to save everyone from the single palm of the founder. He appeared in the Time Space as he did not even go communicate with his forces that had come close to death under the hands of one of the most powerful beings in the Novus Galaxy and were currently sitting with troubled expressions. He wanted a moment of silence and contemplation as his main body was itself surrounded by numerous Celestials, his clone being the only one that truly felt free right now. He appeared in the skies of the time space as he floated and closed his eyes, just wanting to get a momentary time to think! Things seemed to always be happening so fast, but he breathed out slowly while looking at the results of recent events. All around him, numerous lines of fate and chaos particles swirled towards him in great abundance, as he had just created an enormous amount of chaos and changed the fates of billions from utter destruction in the Underworld.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/missed-by-a-second!_50823634188562895 for visiting. He had participated in the tournament that was so extravagantly interrupted, the results now giving the treasure that could push someone''s rank to the World Realm to two beings. The last command from the founder was to take the last 4 Geniuses- Him, Athena, Light, and the Three-Eyed Fate Child- deeper into the Celestial Realm to be forged into the sharpest weapons! He would soon enjoy this treasure that would push him up an entire realm as his thoughts then moved to the consequences of the Founder appearing, the remaining forces of the Dark Expanse in the Celestial Realm, as well as the War that had just begun... Chapter 466 - A Grand New Area, Summons! The recent events had caused rapid developments, and Noah still did not know what the full results of these events would be. His clone floated in the skies of the time space as he spent a few hours just thinking, numerous new pathways opening up in his mind as he looked on how to move forward next. When it came to the forces of the Dark Expanse, there was another being called Agrus, a ''Walking Library'' that should still be hidden in the location that they established in the Celestial Realm.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/a-grand-new-area-summons!_50823965706340254 for visiting. The problem of the Founder still remained as this being was powerful enough to point out the beings of the Dark Expanse from his power, so any of them that were still moving in the Dark Expanse would have to be extremely careful! This also came to his forces, who could no longer freely traverse the Celestial Realm to take down Behemoths themselves as they were quickly associated with the forces of the Dark Expanse as they were under the lead of Elena. After this, they would have to increase their strength in the Time Space of the Spiritual World to max their skill trees proficiencies as well as raise their percentages in the Law of Fire and Water in the Fire and Water Law Space. Another pathway was the Dark Expanse which should have many opportunities to move in as well, especially with the war heading towards them right now. The War made Noah also think about when he planned to use the vial he had received from Elena weeks ago, a vial that would free a powerful being from the 7th Celestial Star. He would have to make a plan to also use this sometime in the near future! His eyes opened as they glimmering with strength in the Time Space, his figure disappearing thereafter as he began moving once more, this time starting with the worried subordinates as he moved to check on them, as well as the stabilization of the forces of the Underworld. His identity would be revealed to the forces of Vampyres in this world as he stopped any information from leaking to the forces of Vampyres in the Dark Expanse by using his authority as the Vampyre Progenitor. His clone began moving as his main body arrived in a different location further south of the Sanctum past all the Water and Ice Behemoths. The area they landed the Prime Warship on was an exquisitely designed bastion of a city, enormous golden structures rising to the skies as numerous Warsh.i.p.s floated all around. This was one of the bigger strongholds of the Celestials, something that was placed close to where the Fate Behemoths resided- the location where the most powerful Celestials moved around in! "Welcome to the Golden Bastion, the place where you all will truly step into power before setting out to make a name for yourselves." The voice of Grandmaster Vredral rang out as the two beings with Noble Fates and the Special Existences looked towards this city, their eyes shining with anticipation. The Grandmaster turned towards them with a smile as he focused on Noah and the Three-Eyed Fate Child. "I''ve received a message that the Founder would like the two beings who would have fought in the final match to both receive the treasures that will push their levels to the World Realm, so the both of you will be receding the last two Luminescent Rainbow Dews in existence!" RUMBLE! He waved his hands as a single dew shaped item that shone with splendor flew towards Noah. "I have one of them on me, the other is in the hands of Grandmaster Lukas in this Golden Bastion." He said this towards the Three-Eyed Fate Child who would be receiving his own Luminescent Rainbow Dew later on as he then turned towards Athena and Light. "The two of you will receive the remainder of the treasures, and it will depend on your talent whether you can breakthrough from the Domain and into the World Realm, as the process will simply take too long and is too arduous unless a treasure like the Luminescent Rainbow Dew is used." The two that lost on the fourth round nodded as the Celestials descended into the Golden Bastion, Noah putting away the extremely valuable [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] as he smoothly achieved gaining a treasure that would propel his rank rapidly to another stage! It was at this moment that Noah also received a telepathic communication, and this one came from a unique being- the 7th Infernal Lord, Azula, had sent him a message that relayed shocking information. A Letter of Summons had arrived from the 1st Infernal Lord, and it concerned him! His mind quickly processed this information as his Ancient Blood Clone that was moving in the Spiritual World discussing the recent events with the Harbingers and Elena had to stop the discussions, having to be the one to head back to the Infernal Realm. "Draco, Barbatos, help Elena with the stabilization of the Underworld. I''ll be stepping out briefly." His subordinates nodded with serious looks as they saw the clone disappeared into particles of light, their gazes looking at each other as they seemed to come to an agreement from their hearts! The subordinates that were boosted heavily by [Golden Guider] and still experienced just how powerless they were next to a truly powerful being felt a stifling feeling in their heart, wanting to get stronger so that they weren''t constantly saved by their Master. Their hearts burned with ambitions as they moved to do their tasks, Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone teleporting back into the Second Infernal Realm with his body changed to that of the Infernal Lord adorned with an exquisite crown. The dreary and fiery lands reflected in his vision as he saw that there was a bustle of activity in the grand metropolis of this Infernal Realm, the movements of numerous Infernals in an orderly fashion reflecting in his eyes as they formed into numerous large groups. "My oh my, already in the Domain Expansion Realm. You rise up first, O 9th Infernal Lord." The curvaceous figure of Azula materialized in front of his eyes as a sultry voice rang out, the 7th Infernal Lord appearing while waving a glistening red letter in her hands! Chapter 467 - Directed Towards the Dark Expanse Noah stared at the curvaceous Infernal Lord in front of his eyes as he nodded respectfully, the 7th Infernal Lord waving the letter in her hands towards him. "The time is nearing for the War, and the 1st Infernal Lord has sent his summons for you. You are to take up an Infernal Legion to assist the forces that will come in conflict first!" His clones waved his hands towards the red letter that shone with essence, his Origin sensing a sense of Authority from it as the moment he touched it, it released a proud and strong voice that reverberated in his mind. "Lead a Legion to the Verittas Fortress where the first point of contact of this war will occur. Prove your worthiness as an Infernal Lord there by claiming the first victory in this war!" RUMBLE! The voice echoed in his mind as if it was to be completely obeyed, its authority dying down thereafter as it faded into strands of red light. He glanced up to the smiling Infernal Lord Azula as he asked. "The Verittas Fortress?" "Ah yes, a literal fortress floating in the vastness of space, here are the coordinates. It is a fairly interesting stronghold that the Wizards created as one of the first points of defenses against Celestials. You will be reinforcing them as those expected to clash in this war are the weakest of all forces, with the 1st Infernal Lord using this opportunity to see your personal strength and your strength as a commander." Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone nodded as he glanced at the numerous moving Infernals below him, their numbers hitting in the tens of thousands. Azula glanced in their direction as she continued. "You will be using the Second Infernal Gate that is actually located not too far from the Verittas Fortress to get there swiftly. The only thing you''ll have left to do is command the Infernal Legion as well as work together with the little Wizards and Witches there to push back the advancing Celestial Legions. Fun, isn''t it?" The voice of the Infernal Lord was filled with blood l.u.s.t as it seemed like she wanted to go in this battle herself, finishing her words in a teasing manner as he nodded towards her. "Understood. I will head out right away." He affirmed at the Infernal Lord as he had his own thoughts rapidly moving, seeing this as an opportunity to be involved in the first conflict of the war in a huge capacity that he would not be able to be in as Crixus yet. But as the 9th Infernal Lord...he would be standing against multiple Grandmasters and Celestials that were aiming their blades to conquer more lands and increase their amount of influence. It was this influence that they coveted, as it would allow their influence over the fates of many beings to increase, which would in turn increase their power! Noah saw this as one of the biggest motivations for the Founder who had proclaimed the declaration of War. As the being that influenced the huge organization raving through the Dark Expanse, the Fate Lines he had collected over the years were insurmountable, where he would not be too surprised if this being was not too far away from mastering the Supreme Law of Fate. His power was already massive, and if he could increase his own strength while stopping the expanding influence of the Celestials and their rapid increase in strength, he would gladly do it as it was killing two birds with one stone! He descended down towards the ground where orderly and armored figures of Infernals stood. His eyes counted more than 10,000 that made this Legion, and it was all shockingly majority of the Infernals at the Void Realm, with about 3000 in the Soul Forging Realm, and even 10 at the Domain Expansion Realm! Their gazes glanced up towards him as he made his Chaos Field visible with all of its glory, causing many of them to have their knees buckle at its pressure as the 7th Infernal Lord Azula in the skies looked on in shock. RUMBLE! Noah did not hide his advancement in the Law of Chaos when it came to this Infernal Lord, because he knew it was a Special Existence that was made for a single purpose- Destruction! In her Origin, there stood no plots or schemes, just following orders and directions from the strongest Infernal Lord as they awaited to carry out the goal they were created for. Thus, Azula only felt shock at seeing the number of his Chaos Particles that were rapidly nearing the three hundred thousand milestone. He glanced at his Stat Panel that had continued its improvements, especially so in the number of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles as he continued to influence more and more things around him. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 289,258] [Chaos Particle(s) : 269,362] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-3, Water-3] [Domain(s) : Fate,Chaos, Space, Fire, Water] [Vitality: DOMAIN]Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/directed-towards-the-dark-expanse_50824004075837467 for visiting. [Focus: - ] [Strength: DOMAIN] [Law(s) : Fate-2.8%,Chaos-2.6%,Space-8%, Fire-33%, Water-33%] He was already nearing the mastery of 5% in just a matter of days, and he saw himself achieving the 1 million milestone soon enough as long as he continued to act on the grand and much larger stage. The Legion of Infernals that felt his strength as they smashed the weapons they were holding or their feet towards the ground with fervor. "Ready to serve! Ready to Destroy!" "Ready to serve!" "Ready to destroy!" OOOOOH!!! A coalescence of dark red mana erupted out as the Infernals chanted, Noah feeling a connection forming with the 10,000 Infernals in this Legion as one of the unique abilities of the Infernal Lord appeared in front of his eyes- the simple ability to command Infernals under his banner. He glanced towards them as he raised his hand, their boisterous yells stopping instantly as they looked up with shining eyes. Noah then glanced at a humongous gate in the distance which would lead them to the location where a doorway towards this Second Infernal Hell stood in the Dark Expanse, the region where they would head towards this Verittas Fortress and clash with the on coming forces of the Celestial Legion! "Set off!" RUMBLE! He let out a commanding voice as the Infernals moved orderly, their eyes set as they looked forward to the destruction... Chapter 468 - The Dark Expanse Noah''s Ancient Blood clone passed through the large gate that stood within the Second Infernal Realm. The legion of infernals followed behind him closely as they passed through with utter cordiality- It looked like the procession of a king that was leading his troops to battle! RUMBLE! They passed through the gate as Noah felt the changing of spatial locations, his eyes and senses opening up as a brand new world and folded itself in front of him. The void of space was not too different from the one that he was used to, but he felt a peculiarity that made him know that this was not the Light Expanse. This peculiarity was hard to pinpoint, but his sense told him that he had fully arrived into the other side of the Novus Galaxy, the Dark Expanse! OOOOM The Infernal Legion passed through the gateway easily and appeared behind him as the surroundings of this particular Infernal Gate that led to the Second Infernal Realm was not actually surrounded by numerous warsh.i.p.s as the first one that he went in through to conduct the Infernal Hunt with the Celestials. The large gate stood alone in the vastness of space without a single soul in the surroundings. This was because there was a certain agreement between the beings of the Dark Expanse and the Infernals. The leaders of both forces knew that their enemy was not among each other, but something even larger that stood to threaten all of them. Thus, there wasn''t any measure of protection or watch surrounding this gate as Noah glanced around the empty doorway that led the infernal realm and began to take the legion under him towards the coordinates where a certain Verittas Fortress was. This would be the location that the first collision of this war would occur in! RUMBLE! The strong force of ten thousand infernals that consisted of a majority void ranked and the remainder being at the Soul Rank and even the ten at the Domain Expansion Realm thundered forth menacingly as they followed behind their infernal Lord. Noah ignored any of the surrounding planets, whether dead or alive that he passed as you continued forward for a few hours, eventually coming across a bustle of activities as he began to see exquisitely designed warsh.i.p.s that were much different than what the celestials wielded move across the void of space. These vessels were only similar to the ones Celestials used in shape, seeming more like imitations that could never live up to the real thing when actually put to the test. He could also sense numerous figures at the void realm or above streaking as lights across the vastness of space, their faces serious as they prepared for something big. Noah glanced at the appearance of these beings from the Dark Expanse as he neared the Verittas Fortress. They weren''t all that different from the beings it was used to seeing in the Light Expanse, with most of them being humans and the remainder being collective beings of other races. Many of those he came across glanced at the fearsome ten thousand army force that went towards the vast Verittas Fortress. But they only watched on as relieved expressions actually appeared on their faces, their hearts seeming more at ease as these fearsome looking Infernals appeared in front of them. This was an extremely stark difference compared to how infernals were viewed in the Light Expanse where they were feared and even told as ghost stories to scare kids. In the Dark Expanse, Infernals were welcomed as they represented a force of protection against the raging celestials! Noah continued forward until he came across a collection of beings that actually came towards him with their heads bowed down respectfully. The beings had conical hats that would make one assume for them to have the profession that was fairly unique but wide-spread in the Dark Expanse- the profession of a Wizard! Wizards were also called Mages, beings that wielded incredible magic to affect the essence in their surroundings and produce spectacular spells that could even weave the very reality itself when utilized at their peak. 10 Wizards came bowing towards Noah, stopping his procession of 10,000 infernals. The beings had power at the level of the Soul Forging Realm, the one at the forefront standing at the Domain Expansion Realm speaking. "It is an honor to have the aid of an Infernal Lord. Please, let us guide you." The ten beings respectfully pointed towards a certain location, their eyes slightly shaking as they stared at the field of Chaos that the being in front of them freely released. Noah nodded and went along with them, where inn front of his eyes the appearance of this spectacular location known as the Veritas Fortress became apparent. It was worthy of being called a fortress as shockingly, he found it to be a literal planet-sized fortress that was floating in the void of space. It was not circular like most of the planets he had come across. It actually seemed more like a floating island that was even bigger than his Spiritual World, but this floating island was built in the terms and designs of a unique fortress. There was a truly exuberant numbers of beings that could be sensed within and around this planet sized Verittas Fortress, being the highest number of beings that Noah had seen cl.u.s.tered in one area at once. Numerous vessels moved around it as beings of all species and races moved in out, the busy bustle of activities only getting wilder as he moved closer. His eyes observed a purple field of light surrounding this entire fortress that looked to be even bigger than most prime worlds and infinitely neared the rank of a Realm.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/the-dark-expanse_50859238930576804 for visiting. Looking at this grandiose Verittas Fortress, he knew that he had arrived in the Dark Expanse. He had arrived at the location where the first battle against the celestials would take place. He had arrived at the location where the 9th Infernal Lord would make his presence known! Chapter 469 - World! As his clone made his entrance in Verittas Fortress, his main body was in the Golden Bastion of the Celestial Realm where he glanced at the [Luminescent Rainbow Dew]. It was a treasure that only two beings would have the chance of consuming, with him holding one, and another being in the hands of the Three-Eyed Fate Child! It was a treasure that forcefully rose a being''s realm to the World Rank, with the prerequisite that their body would be able to handle it. Noah glanced at this treasure with hungry eyes as he put everything else in the back of his mind, throwing this treasure inside his mouth and swallowing it whole. RUMBLE! A rainbow colored light shot out as beautiful colors filled the room he was in, an enormous convergence of essence beginning to wrap around him as he broke all known norms to move to another rank with a speed never before seen. The Luminescent Rainbow Dew was something that propelled the rank of a being all the way to the World Realm. It was a treasure that was overbearing in nature, something that contained a tremendous amount of energy. This was the reason why in its description, it mentioned that it would only work on someone that could actually bear the wild energy! This overbearing energy began to spread throughout Noah''s body, the rainbow colors only being an aftereffect as they shot out vibrantly all around his body. He''s Origin Core that was now surrounded by the Fire Origin Core and the Water Origin Core hungrily sensed this energy as it began to absorb it without a second delay. OOOM! The Origin Core shook as the domain surrounding it became more and more solidified, its size getting ever so larger as it absorbed the pure energy from the Luminescent Rainbow Dew.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/world!_50859246161544740 for visiting. Noah could feel his stats continuing to shoot up as more and more of the energy was absorbed. Whatever barrier existed in the domain expansion realm quickly being hammered down as he infinitely neared the world realm. This was the rank where one contained the singular force of an entire world. It wasn''t to be mistaken of one being a world of themselves or creating a world within their origin. It was the stage where a being with their pure physical force could match that of a normal world! When one moved past the physical force that it would apply and then took this to their skills and abilities, they were elevated to insane degrees. WAAA! Brilliance erupted from him as Noah raised his head high, feeling the shackles of the domain expansion realm breaking as his body stepped into the World Realm! A rank that was actually achieved in a matter of days after his last breakthrough¡­ The energy of the Luminescent Rainbow Dew still remained in his body as he finished absorbing it, looking at his hands and feet as they glowed bright gold and black. The energies from the law of fate and the law of chaos were resonating the moment he finished his advancement into the realm, his body feeling the power of these laws even more. A calmness returned around him thereafter as he had a smile on his face, sensing the feeling of power that continued to get ever so larger. This smile remained even when he thought about the Founder that had recently appeared. He thought about this being''s motivations and exactly what he wanted to do. He thought about his words of them being puppets on a huge playground as he had his own ideas on exactly what this Founder meant, but the confidence in himself only grew as he thought about all of it. He rose up as his body felt the coursing strength of an entire world, saying something that only he could hear. ''If this is a playground, what is stopping me from flipping all of it over and making it my own?" OOOM! The reverberation of power gradually calmed as he stepped out of the room he was in and went towards an expensive training hall in the Golden Bastion where he sensed the auras of two particular figures to be sparring. It was the War Princess Athena, and the other was the opponent who had fallen under his attacks, Grandmaster Light! Their gazes were filled with battle spirit as they were the only ones to receive lesser treasures than Noah and the Three-Eyed Fate Child. While the two of them had gotten a [Luminescent Rainbow Dew] each, Athena and Light had received Elite Behemoth materials and other treasures that also promoted their strength, but it was nothing remotely close to the effects of the treasure that the two beings who would have found in the final round of the Battle of Geniuses received. The spar was stopped as Athena glanced towards Noah, seeing his body rumbling with power as her gaze only shone with even more spirit. "Junior Brother, you''ve actually pulled ahead from me now." Noah smiled at these words as he replied. "I''m sure it won''t be for long. Where is the grandmaster?" Athena revealed the location of Grandmaster Vredral as Noah left the two sparring Celestials, sensing the gaze of Light boring into his back and ignoring this defeated Special Existence for now as he went to have a discussion with his supposed teacher. As he had achieved a rank of power greater than many Celestials right now, he was going to ask to move with more freedom in this Celestial Realm! When a celestial reached the level of the World Realm, they were considered a true powerhouses at the peak of power, and the beings that could truly explore the Celestial Realm. He now wanted to be one of these figures. While his clone was acting as the 9th Infernal Lord and actually stopping the advancement of Celestials in the Dark Expanse, his main body would continue the exploration of the celestial realm as he went through the locations where the Fate Behemoths were abundant, collect more treasures and materials, and even find more inheritances for him to master even more laws. Before all hell broke loose, before he met the founder again as an enemy on the battlefield, he still had many things to do! Chapter 470 - Stationed and Waiting! Noah''s ancient blood clone followed the ten mages towards the Verittas Fortress, the enormous planet-sized fortress becoming bigger and bigger in his eyes as they descended towards a particular location where he could sense the numerous congregation of powerhouses. As they descended down the smaller details of the Verittas Fortress became apparent in his eyes as he could see ancient styled castles that rose to the skies. The castles seemed to be depictions of the Verittas Fortress itself, just on a much smaller scale as one could see enormous walls surrounding each of the congregations of buildings. It was a unique style of dome-shaped castles that looked like grand churches of an ancient era as they gave off a feeling of ancientness and magic! Noah could sense a unique type of essence in the air, his mind curious on exactly how differently these beings called wizards or mages lived out their lives. There were a variety of forces in the Dark Expanse that made the Alliance, with those being proficient in magic being the majority. Some termed themselves Mages, other groups preferred to be called Wizards, Witches, or even Warlocks. But almost all of them utilized mana the same way, just from different ancestry. He followed the group of robed Wizards towards a grand castle that was placed at the very center of a tightly defended city as he stationed his ten thousand Infernals in a field outside the fortress where the castle was located. Seeing the Infernal Lord reign in his forces to calmly remain in that area, the leading figure of the ten men pointed forward while speaking. "This is one of the central commands of our Verittas Fortress, a place where some of the leaders meet to discuss and plan out the future events." Noah''s clone nodded as they brought him further down, where he was able to find even more numerous bustling figures of mages moving around. Many were clad in dark or purple robes with conical hats above their heads being the only thing that nearly all of them wore. Far away from this location, you could see other beings that seemed to be coming from different planets, but all were congregating together for the oncoming war. He continued observing his surroundings as the 10 Mages had led him towards the inside of the large castle and into an expansive rectangular hall where a bustle of discussion was underway. His entrance caused the eyes of many to turn towards him as they had relieved expressions in their eyes. All of them looked at the unique styled infernal crown above Noah''s head, this crown letting them know that this was one of the Infernal Lords that was siding with them in these times of war! One of the more powerful auras in the room came forward as he nodded towards Noah, the power of this being vibrantly standing at the World Rank. His eyes shimmered with aurora colored lights as the conical hat that he adorned came off as he spoke towards Noah. "We are glad for the help. Come, let us brief you on our forces and everything we have so far." Noah nodded impassively as he went towards the wide table where the discussions were taking place, his seat being near this powerful being who introduced himself as Commanding Mage Turner. This was one of the leaders that was taking the reins of the operation to defend the Verittas Fortress. This Fortress was a place to defend and the place where the Celestials would attack simply because it acted as the doorway that led to many of the parts of the Dark Expanse that were populated by many beings.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/stationed-and-waiting!_50882848617459285 for visiting. If the Verittas Fortress fell, it would mean the free entrance of Celestials further into the Dark Expanse. This would allow them to achieve their goal of getting even more beings under the influence and thus once more increase their power in the law of fate! Noah listened in to the discussions as he gathered more information about the defenses of the Verittas Fortress and got to understand more about the Mages and Wizards that had the task of defending this enormous gateway of a planet. After an hour, the discussion came to an end as he became acquainted with the important figures around the Verittas Fortress as well as the forces that they should be expecting in their coming days before the clash with the celestials occurred. Commanding Mage Turner spoke towards Noah as he led him out of the expansive hall where the discussions were taking place and towards another location in the castle, letting him know that their forces would be continuing to work together and distribute the coming reinforcements, and that they would call upon him and distribute all the information simultaneously whenever the Celestials made a move. Noah nodded as he sent a command to the waiting Infernal army of 10,000 to remain still outside of the castle. He entered into a grand room that the Commanding Mage Turner directed him to as he wanted to use the few days before the Celestials descended in the Time Space of his Spiritual World to max the proficiencies of his skill trees and upgrade them into the next rank. He felt ashamed to say that shockingly, his abilities were actually at the soul forging realm when his main body''s power had just reached the World Rank! His realm this time had simply raised too fast that even his skills fell behind. He planned to use the increased ratio of the Time Space of the Spiritual World to the fullest in the next few days, as even a single day in the outside world would be more than 50 days in the Time Space. Even though the rate of increasing the percentage of his laws would not benefit from the ratio of the time space, his skills would still be able to advance rapidly as long as he placed the time into them. He had done numerous tests in the past to try and use the loophole of the Time Space to rapidly increase the gathering of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles, but every time he cultivated them inside the Time Space, they still followed the time of the outside world where their rate of gathering was slowed to insane degrees! This made for an event where if the time dilation in the Time space was 1:50 and he spent 50 days in the Time Space, the rate of progress would still be equivalent to the 1 day that passed in the outside world as the descent of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles was slowed by a factor of 50 times. This simply showed him that the increasing law comprehension always followed the Universal Laws, where even his Time Space could not be used to swiftly make him comprehend the laws to 100% in a matter of days. It was too balance breaking of an idea to even fathom! These few days that remained before the battle started, he would see if he could bring all of his abilities into the domain expansion realm, and even possibly have a skill tree or two in the World Rank. He took out the Spiritual World that was anchored to his body and placed it on the ground of the room he was in, entering it thereafter as he began a training session to boost his skills even further before he clashed with the Legion of Celestials. The coming army of Grandmasters and their Warsh.i.p.s had no idea that in the camp that they would soon clash with, they had just created a World Rank combatant by giving him a unique treasure willingly! This same being they continued to foster and raise the strength of was about to oppose them on their conquest of expansion... Chapter 471 - Fledgling Blood Ancient In another location, the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok had a frustrated expression as his communications with Elena, the one being who had access to the Crixus that shone brightly in the hands of the Celestials-was cut off. He had sent numerous messages towards her and the forces in the Underworld that he controlled, only to get no replies as time passed! His troubles seemed to only be compounding, as he knew his position in the Alliance would waver if he could not even maintain a handle on such a powerful spy that they placed into the ranks of Celestials. He turned towards one of his subordinates as he asked irritatingly. "The force towards the Verittas Fortress has set off?" "Yes, Master. The Royal Vampyre Rokku and his forces should arrive within a few hours." The Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok nodded as his red eyes shimmered. He knew this first battle against the Celestials was pivotal, and would even set the tone for the remaining battles that came after. He had sent numerous Vampyres down to reinforce the defenses of the Mages there, their other forces moving to tighten their defenses in other important areas as they prepared. He put the thoughts of Crixus aside for now as he focused on the current matters at hand, the vibrant power of this being at the Star Forging Realm moving forward. --- In the Verittas Fortress, three days had passed as Noah''s clone enjoyed the treatment of the Mages while he trained to max the proficiencies of his skill trees. While only three days had passed in the outside world, he had spent more than 3 months in the Time Space! This was a truly ridiculous number to even imagine, but it made possible for the rapid advancements of raising proficiencies of skills and then combining them. Two skill trees had already met the requirements and were taken into the Domain Expansion Realm as he worked double to combine solo skills he wasn''t using into the Domain Rank and then sacrificed them into the skill trees. The other two Skill Trees were not far behind as they only waited for the required sacrificial skills at the moment! The ones he worked to upgrade first were the [Kin of Ancients] and [Kin of Terror], their advanced skill trees actually taking on similar names as he chose the path where both of them were termed "Fledgling". He advanced these ones first as they would be the ones he would most likely use the most in the coming days, the Arch Lich Ra''Zan and Fate''s Guardian being left behind for now. After these, the next one of great importance that had taken even longer to raise up was the [Agent of Chaos] skill tree that directly opposed the Law of Fate! But for now, the first one was the [Kin of Ancients] skill tree that had the abilities of the Blood Lord at their base. This skill tree was expanded to a pathway that was called [Fledgling Ancient]! DOMAIN [Blood Lord] (45/45):: Abilities- Dawn of the Blood Lord(5/5), Blood World(5/5), Drain Life(5/5), and Nightmarish Descent(5/5). >> [Kin of the Ancients] (60/60) :: Ancient Blood Scion(5/5), Ancient Blood Clone(5/5), Summon the Ancients(5/5), Blood Rage(5/5) >>[Fledgling Blood Ancient] (75/75) :: A fledgling of a race of powerful creatures that occupy the Letalis Expanse, the skills of this particular fledgling leaning more towards the control of blood. Abilities Include Blood Summoner(5/5), Blood Clone Support (5/5), Drain Master Support (5/5), and Domination (5/5) [Blood Summoner] (5/5) :: When the abilities Dawn of the Blood Lord and Ancient Blood Scion are simultaneously active, the user can summon 30 Blood Ancients to aid them. [Blood Clone Support] (5/5) :: The Ancient Blood Clone is further strengthened, now being able to exhibit 100% of the main body''s strength. [Drain Life Support] (5/5) :: The Drain Life ability is enhanced, its effects not limited only to attacks dealt as an aura of blood will passively erupt to leech the life force of the targeted enemies around you. The Life Steal effect is increased from 5% to 10%. [Domination] (5/5) :: The eyes of the Fledgling Blood Ancient release a dominating light that enthralls any with weak souls. The bodies of the dominated can then be controlled to either replenish the Blood Ancient with [Blood Bag], or deal damage to surrounding enemies by [Blood Bomb]. A set of shining new skills were displayed in front of him, his eyes going over them a few times as he largely understood them all without needing to go over them. The Drain Life Support and Blood Clone Support were straightforward, with the latter being even more useful by granting his Ancient Blood Clone the power to exhibit the entire strength of the main body. This now meant that there were two of him that could effectively release his entire power at full capacity! Although one would have to wonder, did the previous percentage cap of 60% even limit the clone''s power in any significant way when one thought about the mana available to it? Noah then moved on to the other two, the Blood Summoner being a fairly unique one as it allowed him to summon 30 new combatants as long as he had two specific skills active. If these Blood Ancients were anywhere close to the power of the Ancients that he could call upon with the [Summon the Ancients] ability, he would not have to worry at all about their fire power.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/fledgling-blood-ancient_50882860965490386 for visiting. The last one was the most unique one, the ability called [Domination] that made him actually look forward to trying it out on the battlefield! Shockingly, this ability allowed him to bring to his command those with weak souls, and those dominated souls only had a single fate- the blood and body be used to replenish him or as explosions to damage those around them! It seemed like a very flashy and destructive skill that he could not wait to put to use when imagining the Legions of Celestials nearing this location. With this skill upgrade, he sadly did not come across any other Guider type jobs similar to the [Unruly Guider] ability that stemmed from [Fate''s Guardian], and this stood the same as he glanced at the upgraded skill tree of the Kin of Terror, which had added 4 new abilities under the next advancement- [Fledgling Aether Terror]! Chapter 472 - Advancing Legion On the 7th celestial star, Grandmaster Ramiel had just left a hidden underground prison where a certain individual lay with his body pierced with numerous golden spikes. He had gone down to this underground area to once again one sidedly monologue towards his teacher about the recent events, as well as the initiation of a war that he would be at the forefront of. When he left the golden cage that continued to seep the strength of the powerful figure, Grandmaster Ramiel once more missed the hidden smile that had appeared on the bleeding and disfigured being''s face. This had been the last time that this Grandmaster was going down to ramble to his teacher, the last time that he would converse with one of the founders of Celestials. Unbeknownst to grandmaster Ramiel, this was also the last time that he would see his master, because in the journey that this Grandmaster was about to undertake, he would not get the chance to return to this Celestial Star! But this knowledge was not one that was privy to him at this moment as he left the Celestial Star with a strong demeanor. He looked at the celestials around him as they all boarded numerous prime warsh.i.p.s, the single 7th Celestial Star forming one of the small squadrons that were going to combine with the large Legion that someone from the celestial realm would be leading towards the Dark Expanse. RUMBLE! Grandmaster Ramiel gazed at the numerous prime warsh.i.p.s that littered the void of space, the procession of beings from the Celestial Realm passing near the 7th Celestial Star as his job was to only combine in their ranks and follow along in this venture. All the Celestials were under the lead of Grandmaster Onillus, a being in the World Realm and someone that had more than three million fate lines thrumming strongly in his body!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/advancing-legion_50908198068087669 for visiting. If Grandmaster Ramiel could be considered just at the entrance of the World Realm, then Grandmaster Onillus was nearing its peak as the time that he spent in the Celestial Realm granted him versatile skills and abilities, as well as improving his techniques in the law of fate. This was why the Founder had chosen this Grandmaster to be the one that led the forces in the first battle of this war. It was because this being was looked at with extreme confidence as it was someone that participated in the war more than a thousand years ago and knew the ins and outs of being a commander! The many prime worsh.i.p.s that would make any surrounding planets tremble continued on moving as Grand Master Ramiel entered the largest one at the forefront. This was the main vessel that contained many of the leading grandmasters. One could sense numerous powerhouses at the World Realm, with the majority being at the domain expansion realm and even more at this soul forging realm. But the largest percentages were of course those of the void rank. A stark difference in the legion that was being led towards the Verittas Fortress in this war compared to the previous war was that the head count for the celestials was actually rather small when one compared to the numbers of individuals that came from numerous Prime Worlds that were also currently moving within the Celestial Legion! The Celestial Legion had not yet reached the Verittas Fortress because they were passing through Specific regions in the Light Expanse collecting more and more powerful figures from chosen Prime Worlds that were selected to provide soldiers for this first conflict. As they moved across the Light Expanse, in just a few days the number of celestials actually became the minority in this advancing force as hundreds of thousands of powerhouses at the void realm from numerous prime worlds came under their banner. Those capable steered their own vessels towards the dark expanse with even more being taken into the prime warsh.i.p.s of the Celestials. The forces from the World of Cultivation were even more vibrant as they were actually given special treatment from the Celestials. The reason was because the World of Cultivation was the place where the being with Noble Fate who would soon enter the ranks of experts, Crixus, came from! Those especially proud were the cultivators from the Profound Astral Sect, especially the Elder that was Crixus''s father who enjoyed a position as the leading figure that was overseeing the forces of the World of Cultivation. The power of the Profound Astral Sect had gradually expanded in the cultivation world because of the shining name of Crixus, and now they found themselves serving at the forefront as they actually saw this chance as an honor. Their gazes were those of responsibility and slight fear, as all that they knew was that they were going to defend their home. They were going to defend their Light Expanse from the hands of the savages that had already made two prime worlds disappear. They had acted and somehow taken the lives and the entire world that was formerly known as the Magus world and even more recently they had entered the wondrous celestial realm and caused conflict while also erasing another powerful prime world that was known as the Underworld. Many of the forces from the numerous prime worlds were acting under this assumption, as this was the only news and propaganda that the Celestials had spread, a propaganda that began the moment the Founder declared war after the Battle of Geniuses! A majority of them knew that they were going in this war to defend their homes, but those even more knowledgeable and those that could see behind the scenes knew that they were only pieces being played on a chessboard. But could they refuse? Could they say no? They had lesser power and they had no strength, so they could only go along as a grand procession passed through the Light Expanse as it looked like a large blade that pointed itself towards the Dark Expanse! Chapter 473 - Fledgling Aether Terror! Back in the dwelling that Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone was staying at in the Verittas Fortress, he was looking at the advancement of the skill tree that stemmed from [Lesser Cthulhu]. It was the skill tree that made many of the things he had at this moment possible, being the one that opened the doorway for him to become an Infernal Lord! After Kin of Terror, the next name that came with 4 new abilities was termed [Fledgling Aether Terror]! The other skill tree that he could have chosen from was something called [Devouring Aether Beast], but he stuck to the names that continued to lead towards the terrifying being that he only knew from his memories. The abilities of [Fledgling Aether Terror] did not disappoint. DOMAIN [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(5/5), Destabilize(5/5), Shattered Star(5/5), and Miniature Space(5/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu] (45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Morph(5/5), Child of Space(5/5), Portals of Terror(5/5), and Sever(5/5). >> [Kin of Terror] (60/60) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Reinforcement (5/5), Multiplicative Ray Support (5/5), Triple on Cast Support (5/5), Lunacy Inducement (5/5) >> [Fledgling Aether Terror] (75/75) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Emission (5/5), Aether Chain Support (5/5), Fatal Ailment Support (5/5), Size Distortion (5/5) Aether Emission (5/5) :: The body of the Fledgling Aether Terror passively emits the baleful energies of Aether. This ability also allows the boosts of [Aether Reinforcement] to apply to any skills used by the Fledgling Aether Terror. Aether Chain Support (5/5) :: The Aether Rays emitted by the Fledgling Aether Terror can chain between selected enemies. Supported ray-based abilities can chain +10 times Fatal Ailment Support (5/5) :: The essence of Aether is destructive by nature, causing chaos in the body of those affected. All abilities preceding and following the Fledgling Aether Terror skill tree deal an additional 70% damage over time as Aether continues to cause chaos in their bodies. Size Distortion (5/5) :: Striving for unmatched strength, the body of the Fledgling Aether Terror can be expanded up to 250 meters. As soon as Noah finished placing all the required Infernal Skill Points into the newly opened Fledgling Aether Terror skill tree, he felt his already strong body rumble with power as the energy of Aether leaked freely from him! WAA! The baleful energy caused the air to scream as those within the grand castle he was situated in also felt an oppressive aura of energy coming from the location where an Infernal Lord was residing, their faces actually filling up with happiness as they sensed this fearsome power, as it actually brought them comfort when they thought about the coming enemies. Noah reeled in the Aether to only stay within a meter around him as it seemed to just continue expanding, his gaze going towards the additional skills after this skill tree was brought up to the Domain Rank. The [Aether Emission] was what explained what just occurred with his body, so he moved on directly to the skills that had ''Support'' attached to them as he was coming to particularly love these types of skills more and more. Those with the addition of ''Support'' always enhanced his current abilities to even greater heights, not simply adding more and more skills for him to try and keep track of and maybe not even use as time passed. The two support abilities this time were [Aether Chain Support] and [Fatal Ailment Support]! The former made it so that when he released the numerous rays of Aether through [Sever] that was already enhanced by [Multiplicative Ray Support], these Aether rays would actually chain between the bodies of up to 10 enemies! This caused for a shocking lethality as the rays of Aether were already destructive enough, but were now made even more insane. The [Fatal Ailment Support] was another unique support skill that was equivalent to poisoning any being he hit with abilities from this skill tree as they would suffer damage over time. This damage over time would continue until their death or if they somehow had the means to purify the baleful energy of Aether from their bodies. Again, it simply made his abilities all the more terrifying! This was the reason why he particularly loved skill trees, and would continue to pursue them to their peak until he saw just how crazy all of these abilities could become. The last skill was a simple one, [Size Distortion] allowing him to expand his size to actually become 5 times the normal mountainous size of Behemoths. It granted him the ability to expand up to 250 meters! It was ridiculous to even imagine his size larger than the Behemoths he was fighting, so he was excited to try this ability in the coming battle when he faced hundreds of thousands of enemies. As his thoughts were coming to a close, he received a message from the Spiritual World System.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/fledgling-aether-terror!_50908204762200983 for visiting. [Master, the Hydromancer''s Mantle Supreme Treasure has finished being forged.] The sweet words of even more spectacular things occurring rang in his eyes as his figure disappeared into the miniaturized Spiritual World and went directly towards the Blacksmith''s Forge. Inside the expansive Forge that was now much bigger than when he first entered it, there were numerous shining armors and weapons that were beautifully placed on the walls of the Forge. The Items forged from the materials of Infernals and Behemoths that were not yet distributed to his subordinates were all grandly displayed in the Forge, the workshop turning into a brilliant showcase of powerful armors as Noah went towards the one that shone with a luminescent blue brilliance. The [Hydromancer''s Mantle] looked like a blue battle robe that fully covered the wearer from head to toe, even having a fearsome looking helm with a design only veteran commanders would be adorned in. Blue runic sigils swam around the Mantle mystically as it gave off a feeling of power and strength! Noah''s eyes shone as he neared the [Hydromancer''s Mantle] to take a look at exactly what abilities and boosts it provided. Would it be as crazy as the Trident of the Sea, or something even more wondrous? Chapter 474 - [Hydromancers Mantle] Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone thoughtfully stared at the description of the newly forged Supreme Treasure, [Hydromancer''s Mantle], that was floating serenely in the Blacksmith''s Forge. [Hydromancer''s Mantle] :: A supreme treasure geared towards extreme defense, absorbing any attacks thrown at it as the wearer experiences extreme comfort. Abilities include Sea Domain, Hydromancer''s Banner, Hydomancer''s Pride, Seaborn [Sea Domain] (Active) :: With the user at the center, the surrounding 1 mile can instantly be turned into a domain of the sea. Within this Domain, the wearer of Hydromancer''s Mantle absorbs 50% of all damage and reflects 20% more, while the enemies are granted the Slow and Restrictive skill effect. The Defense of the user is tripled in the Sea Domain. [Hydromancer''s Banner] (Active) :: A banner of the one loved by water descends on the battlefield, granting the Aura of Water and Seafarer abilities to all those standing with the Hydromancer that allows them to move unhindered in the Sea Domain while enhancing their abilities. [Hydromancer''s Pride] (Passive) :: +500% Physical and Magic Defense, +300% Water Element Resistance, 5% Chance to block all damage. [Seaborn] (Passive) :: The wearer of the Hydromancer''s Mantle is loved by water, granting them 100% comprehension speed when trying to understand the Law of Water. Noah''s eyes stared carefully at the blue shining mantle as numerous ideas about the abilities shown passed through his mind. [When forging, I tried to steer the resulting abilities towards things that you did not already have, the results being somewhat satisfactory.] The voice of the Spiritual World System rang out as Noah smiled. "This is more than enough." Yes, this was more than enough! The abilities were stupendous, especially [Seaborn] that insanely doubled his comprehension in the Law of Water! He was currently working to refine Soul Jades from the Water Crystal materials he had obtained while traversing the southern area of the Celestial Realm in order to use them on the neglected [Lawful Nourishment] item that he received from the Karmic Sect Leader in order to increase the rate at which he comprehended the laws. The future plan was to find the equivalent materials to enable him to collect numerous crystals of all the laws he was working on to further enhance his speed, so he never expected an item to actually just casually double his rate of progress in one law. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/%5Bhydromancer''s-mantle%5D_50914171830726801 for visiting. If the Hydromancer''s Mantle gave just this, he would have been happy. But it did even more as grand abilities like Sea Domain, Hydromancer''s Pride, and Hydromancer''s Banner appeared to further protect him and reinforce his power. Noah''s clone wasted no time as his hands reached towards the Supreme Treasure, adorning it for the first time to see its spectacular descriptions in action! --- As legions moved closer and closer towards each other, Noah''s main body was moving alone in the celestial realm. Grand Master Vredral had looked at this disciple with shining and proud eyes when he stepped into a realm that was even above his own and was even courteous enough to ask his teacher still for the permission to explore the Celestial Realm by himself. The Grandmaster had shaken his head proudly as he waved his hands telling Noah that he could do whatever he wished! He was an expert at the World Realm now and that title came with a status. A status that would first award him the title of a Grandmaster even though his fate lines had yet to reach and exceed 100,000. Before he left the Golden Bastion, Noah had received the Golden Robe that was adorned by the many Grandmasters of this Celestial Realm. In the span of a few months after Noah first stepped onto the seventh Celestial Star as a disciple, in this short period of time he had actually risen from that lowly rank and had gotten the name of a Celestial, and now held the proud name of a Grandmaster. Of course, this meant nothing to him as he left the Golden Bastion adorned in the golden robe and went further south of the Celestial Realm to begin exploring and hunt down behemoths in full. Even as people neared war, he still had to strengthen himself and his forces, where now a majority of the Harbingers of Sin were in the Soul Forging Realm with not a single one in the Domain Expansion Realm. The current plan was to of course explore the uniqueness of this Celestial Realm while obtaining the cores and skills of Behemoths that he could absorb himself and also pass down to his subordinates. He had already been on this venture for the past three days, having actually come across more than 20 Fate Behemoths. These celestial beasts that were proficient in the law of fate would have been particularly difficult for Elite Explorations Teams to take care of, as they were more than likely more proficient in the law of fate than the Celestials that were following the inheritance of the disciple of fate. But for Noah, these beasts that were in the Domain Expansion Realm fell under his abilities very easily! The ones he came across were the same mountainous beasts that towered over 50 or 60 meters, with their traits being very similar to the animals from his homeworld that he had always come across before with their major difference being in color, and of course power. Among the ones he had seen was a golden Phoenix that he took down through using attacks that were layered with the power of chaos, making sure that he had [Unique Origin] active and other covert skills so that even if someone was watching, they would not be able to understand the true extent of his power. This was simply him being more careful, and he most likely did not have anything to worry about. He met a variety of fate behemoths the past few days, each of them holding golden feathers or golden furs with their skills being resplendent as they utilized the law of fate. As for the loot, these Behemoths did not just drop cores, but they also dropped fancy-looking skills related to the law of fate that were not contained under the [Fate''s Guardian] skill tree. Many of these skills utilized mana to either form offensive abilities or defensive abilities in the forms of shields or weapons. An example of some of the skill books that he obtained were [Blades of Fate], [Fate Armor], [Golden Berserker], and a few more abilities that were unique to the type of celestial beasts themselves. There were various abilities, but in his eyes none of them even came close to the abilities under the Fate''s Guardian skill tree that continued to expand more and more, each of the abilities within them boosting the entire skill tree to unimaginable levels. The percentage of boosts from these skills already at the Domain Rank actually did not even match the compounded boosts he was receiving from just a single skill in the still Soul Rank Skill Tree. If he were to pay attention to all of these skills that dropped as loot from the fate behemoths and even the many other beings they had taken down, he would have thousands of skills in his stat panel without even knowing which one to use or utilize. So, many of these skills would be used as sacrificial skills for [Skill Combination] and to bring up his powerful skill trees to even greater heights, with the rest being given to his subordinates for them to gain equivalent level skills for when he granted them cores of the Domain Expansion Realm as well. RUMBLE! Yet another fate behemoth fell as the brilliant light of loot erupted from it, cores and skill books erupting out as they quickly turned into lights and faded away, entering Noah''s Expansive Space in the span of a millisecond. All of the beasts that he had taken down could be considered Elite Behemoths and there were still all in the domain expansion realm. For him to meet the beasts above that, those that were titled Supreme Behemoths, he had to venture deep into the Celestial Realm to even come across these powerful celestial beasts that were at the World Rank or even more terrifyingly above that. But this would all come later, as his focus now remained on hunting more Behemoths! Chapter 475 - A Sense of Pressure! Noah''s main body continued moving as the cores and the skill books that he placed in the Expansive Space were then quickly accessed by his clone and transferred into Spiritual World for his subordinates to use right away. The ones prioritized were the Harbingers of Sin, as well as beings like Elena. The domain expansion rank cores and skill books would be even more useful to them as they didn''t have the ability to very rapidly max proficiencies of their skill trees and upgrade them as quickly as Noah could. So even with the rapid power leveling that he continued to do with them, their skill trees almost always lacked behind their ranks because of how fast they rose. He would keep a sufficient amount of Domain Expansion Realm skill books to use as sacrificial skills for his skill trees and give the rest to his people for them to be able to use powerful skills at the level that they enter. He planned to strengthen his subordinates well and have a few of them enter the Domain Expansion Realm and actually participate in the coming conflict of the Celestial Legions and the Legions of Mages, Wizards, Vampyres, and Infernals waiting for them at the Verittas Fortress. He had also prepared numerous sets of armors from Flame Behemoths and from Infernals for them to equip, along with some completed Chaos Sets made from the many chaos behemoth materials that he had been collecting while hunting with Athena and the Righteous Fire Exploration Team before the tournament. Only three of the Chaos Sets were able to be completed, and the three strongest combatants that entered into the Domain Expansion Realm before the war began would be given for them to wear. His main body continued forward in this Celestial Realm as he hunted more behemoths and kept an eye out for any treasures. His gaze was bright as he waited for his clone that could now move with 100% of his strength to clash with the coming Celestials! --- The clone itself was currently wearing and testing out Hydromancer''s Mantle, his figure being in the junction between the Fire Law Space and Water Law Space as he used {Disciple of Water} and {Disciple of Fire} in conjunction once more to observe the effects of [Seaborn] that were provided by the Supreme Treasure. The first thing that was eye-catching was the scintillating colors that now surrounded his body, the passive emission of the purple Aether from the Fledgling Aether Terror abilities and the sparkling blue water elements constantly given off by the Hydromancer''s Mantle giving off an eerily beautiful contrast when also putting into account his devilishly handsome looks. The Hydromancer''s Mantle had a particularly unique style as one could almost feel as if waves of clear blue water were constantly moving at the edges of the blue mantle. His body shone with an aura of a boss monster that he would only find in late game content of the games he used to play in the past, this type of boss monster being able to drop the most valuable loot! Noah found himself smiling as his thoughts briefly went back to times of extreme ignorance and bliss, times when he could just play games and read novels while he went on with his life. Those were the times when his mind was free with no responsibilities whatsoever on his shoulders, his life simply going along with the flow as he enjoyed the things around him. A slight look of reminiscence appeared on his face as he quickly shook himself out of it and breathed out, adopting a serious expression as he thought about the current him. He was still going along with the flow of things, even moving himself to steer their flow and the flow of fate to the direction he wanted. And now, the things he would have considered to only be in his wildest dreams and as just fantasy were actually right in front of his eyes! So he shook himself out as he stopped reminiscing and made himself focus on the task at hand, his heart set on continuing forward. As expected, while wearing the Hydromancer''s Mantle, the progression of the Law of Water had nearly doubled, with the water particles rushing towards him much faster than the fire particles. Even though the Seaborn effect was only for the Law of Water, the faster progression also propelled the opposing fire elements to run slightly faster! The clone nodded its head as he continued on for another few hours before the tests came to a stop, his figure disappearing as his main body had placed yet another bountiful loot in the Expansive Space. He waved his hands to take it out as his figure reappeared next to powerful auras of numerous beings training in the Time Space of the Spiritual World. The Harbingers of Sin and the powerful Spiritual World Beasts were all here training to break past the Soul Rank and step into the Domain Rank as this was the prerequisite that Noah had set for anyone that wanted to participate in the war at the Verittas Fortress! He was unconsciously becoming more and more protective as he saw that anyone in the Soul Forging Realm only had a chance of surviving in the coming war, and he didn''t want any deaths that could be easily prevented. A particularly arrogant Emperor Penguin raised its beak towards its master as it swallowed a Domain Rank Core, its flippers sticking out with no shame as Noah waved his hands for another similarly ranked core to fly towards him. He pulled out more and more Domain Rank Cores that his main body continued to place in the expansive space as he hunted down Behemoths, all of them going towards his subordinates as he could sense the auras of many of them about to spill over into the next realm soon. The Spiritual World Beasts entering into the Domain Rank was an even better situation as it signified that one of the requirements for the next upgrade of the Spiritual World was complete, the only thing remaining being the obtainment of a Large World Core. This was something Noah would worry about for later as he focused on the current events, continuing the preparations for the war as besides giving his subordinates numerous Cores and Skill Books, he put the task of designating the Item Sets to the Spiritual World System whenever one of them stepped into the next rank. Among the subordinates currently training, a few others were not in the Time Space as they were busy stabilizing the newly connected Underworld and moving around the Spiritual World thereafter, with others still looking over the many new worlds that were now connected. He was not the only one busily moving, the forces he was connected to all feeling a sense of pressure as they collectively moved towards a brighter future!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/a-sense-of-pressure!_50914179346919600 for visiting. Chapter 476 - Ahh! My Progenitor! Elena was floating in the skies of the Spiritual World as her face was that of immense wonder and infatuation. A few days ago, her Progenitor- nay, her Master, had brought her into this wondrous land once more after saving them from the clutches of the Celestial Founder. Her Master had actually duplicated his body as he ingeniously still kept his identity as a Celestial while also working against them simultaneously to save her and many others from certain death! It was something beautiful and resplendent, something that only her Progenitor would be able to do! She had great worries about her little brother in the Underworld the moment the Celestial Founder called for its destruction, and her Master had somehow been able to do something as ridiculous as teleport the entire Prime World away while dominating its core at the same time. It was at this moment that Elena realized that she really did not know her Progenitor as much as she thought she did! What type of being could subjugate entities that were the centers of entire worlds? Who could then even teleport such an enormous entity to an entirely different quadrant in the Light Expanse? What energy was required?! What grandeur! What magnificence! ''Ahh! My Progenitor!'' She found her hands clutching her chest as her thoughts went in this direction while she floated in the skies of the Spiritual World. She had already stabilized the newly added Underworld as she gained the knowledge that her Progenitor already had numerous worlds like this connected, each of them with their own set of beings that were all being taken care of by him. She flew along the paradisical worlds as her gaze traveled to the Central Continent of the Spiritual World and flew towards a certain location there.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/ahh!-my-progenitor!_50938784929333458 for visiting. Not to just mention the four floating Continents that were beautifully seen all around her, she actually found the Central Continent to be more wondrous as within it, she found the unbelievable land known as the Time Space, as well as the location where her Progenitor created fearsome armors and weapons that nobody else had ever seen. But even more than this was the collection of portals that one could find at a particular area of the Spiritual World. Her eyes gazed upon different colored portals that were ordered in a circular manner on a large snowy clearing. There were names floating above these portals that would make one tremble when they realized exactly what their meaning was. She could see the titles above the portals as such- [Demon World Portal], [Ancient Blood World Portal], [Beast World Portal], [Underworld Portal]... Her shining eyes saw many of such portals spectacularly laid out, figures of beings of different colors and races occasionally seeing coming in and out of these portals as they actually transferred from these many worlds and into the Spiritual World. Almost all of the beings coming in and out of these portals had one singular thing on their faces- wonder and amazement as they came and went with their own assigned jobs. Many of them did not even have jobs perse, as what they were doing was simply coming into the Spiritual World to be granted paradisiacal Medicinal Herbs and Fruits that were spread out all across the Spiritual World. This was another thing that caused Elena''s heart to beat even faster. In the Spiritual World, she found that across all the continents, the majority of their lands were covered by farming fields that had shimmering fruits and herbs filled with essence growing within! Aside from the Spiritual World beasts that enjoyed these medicinal herbs and fruits the most, the beings entering and leaving the Spiritual World were coming and going mostly for these resources as they took them back to their own worlds. She had seen her Master''s figure travel through the fantastical floating landmasses of the Spiritual World as he went to each of these fields and waved his hands above them. Every time he did this, a green light would descend down and wrap around the medicinal herbs or trees, causing them to have rapid growth and achieve maturity in a matter of minutes compared to the days or months that were required. He had such a wide array of abilities that Elena wondered, could she be able to find something that her Master could not do? Even something as simple as cooking- the one time that she tasted it she nearly blacked out from pleasure! She even found herself wondering why he would even excel in something like cooking, but it just added to the charm that he had! But the wonder of him being a farmer on the side overtook her mind momentarily as her thoughts wandered even more. Her Progenitor was so magnificent that he actually took the time to be a farmer and plant all of these wondrous things for them, things that were actually filled with so much essence that one could consider them prized treasure gardens of powerful sects. Yet all of them could freely be seen spread out in the Spiritual World as the followers of her Master enjoyed them to the fullest while also using them to bolster the strength of the many worlds her Master was connected to. The more she learned about her Master, the more reverence and infatuation Elena had as she found her fangs unintentionally coming out while she licked her lips. She closed her eyes in the skies above the portals where many beings went in and out, ignoring their gazes as she recalled the sensation of her Progenitor sucking blood from her weeks ago. That amazing feeling she was able to feel then...she had not gotten the privilege to feel it again ever since! She reminisced as she wondered. ''My Progenitor, just when will you feed on me again? My blood is quite good you know? Ahhh¡­'' The matter of feeding war paramount, especially to the Vampyre Progenitor. She felt like he had been suppressing his urges for far too long, and the day that he chose to get lost in them would be the day to remember. Her eyes were closed as her body wiggled curvecously in the air, her mind filled with her Progenitor as her thoughts soon went towards those closest to him. Her face instantly turned hard as she thought about the women around her Master. The closest ones she could see was the one called Barbatos- all she saw in her eyes was a small woman with somewhat decent looks, but she would never question the tastes of her Master. This Barbatos was simply too lazy in her eyes, only training and accompanying her Master when he had the time, but the way she referred to him was not the way one should address someone such as him! The other was a fair little queen known as Adelaide who always came to her Master with a shy expression that just asked to be spoiled. Her royal countenance was always reserved around others, but one could see a much rosier appearance whenever she was around the Progenitor. This one seemed to at least fit Elena''s requirements, but there were still many things to be worked on. All of these women surrounding her Master seemed gorgeous and perfect to others, but to her- they weren''t enough! Does nobody not know the majesty of her Progenitor? Do they really think his desires would be satisfied by the presence of merely two women?! Her Progenitor was someone grand that was already taking over numerous worlds, with a future that many of them could barely even imagine! Soon enough, even these women would start to find themselves inadequate in the presence of her Master, and that was when she would go in to allow her Master to do whatever he wished with her. If it was high quality blood- she had it! Anything else- she had it! She would accompany him to her death as she carefully chose the beings deserving to be around him and experience his grandeur with her. This was the future she awaited for with her Master, her cloudy eyes clearing up as she thought of this, her figure disappearing from the area of the portals as she went on to join the others that continued to be spoiled with treasures from her Master. She did not even have the patience to reply to the figure leading the Vampyres in the Dark Expanse, the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok, as she focused on her own strength. His message was releasing commands that were filled with bloodline power to ask her to reply or return, but this Vladivostok did not know that someone way above him had already given separate commands to her. If a subject received the command of the King and then received another set of commands from another subject of the King, who would she listen to? ''Hmph!'' The powerful figure overseeing the Clans of Vampyres in the Dark Expanse at the Star Forging Realm was just like another subordinate of her Master. So what if he was a whole rank above the World Realm? What if he had lived for thousands of years? As her Master was now playing the Dark Expanse, she knew that the entire faction of Vampyres that made up the Dark Expanse would soon fall into his hands. After all, who could deny their Progenitor? Who would be able to look at the being with the purest bloodline of Vampyres alive and say no to him? She was one of the few permitted to feel this reverence, so she knew she had to work hard. She also had to increase her strength if she wanted to be around him! In the skies above the portals that she just left, the beings moving below finally breathed out again as they went on with their tasks once more, whispering words only a few of them could hear. "Who was that demoness wriggling her body in the skies?!" "You...shut up and move faster. You don''t want to offend any of the experts under the Spiritual World Master, do you? It doesn''t matter how weird they are!" "Stop gawking and hurry you fools!" Hushed words passed between them as their bodies brimming with strength from Noah''s all around buff caused by the Golden Guider coursed through them, their gazes bright as they moved across the Spiritual World while also seeing a bright future ahead of them! Many of the beings from the numerous connected worlds that were granted permission to enter the Spiritual World only knew of Noah from those that stood at the upper echelons of their worlds, with very few of them actually coming in contact with him. But they all knew of his grandeur and power as they worked diligently, grateful to be placed under such a person''s wings! As these numerous beings continued to have their lives changes affected, their fates steered towards directions entirely different than what was ordained, the one responsible would continue to benefit immensely as time passed. The Founder was able to increase his power and Fate Lines by indirectly influencing and changing the lives of many worlds in the Light Expanse, and his power had risen to the peak of many in the Novus Galaxy in the past thousand years. What of someone like Noah who was directly and actively steering the fates of numerous planets and their inhabitants then? How long would it take him to scramble to the top as he continued to expand his scope of influence?! Chapter 477 - Dark Guider! Another day passed in the outside world as Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone was able to bring yet another skill tree to the next rank, this time being particularly exciting as yet another Guider Type job appeared in front of his eyes! When the prerequisite sacrificial skills were given with the skill tree hitting maximum proficiency, the options of either [Chaos Guider] or [Chaos Relegator]. He naturally chose the one that had the name of Guider, seeing how the previous selection of [Unruly Guider] under the skill tree aligned with the Law of Fate granted him ridiculous abilities. He placed all the required skill points as he viewed the new additions at their peak. DOMAIN [Agent of Chaos](60/60) :: The title of an Agent of anything is a rare one. This skill tree gives its user the ability to confidently call themselves an Agent of Chaos. Abilities include Essence Disruptor(5/5), Chaotic Mandate(5/5), Chaos Orbs(5/5), and Void of Impending Doom(5/5). >> [Chaos Guider] (75/75) :: A path of a being that revels in unpredictability and the comfort of chaos. Additional Abilities Include Dark Guider (5/5), Chaos Bearer (5/5), Aura of Chaos (5/5), Desecrate (5/5) [Dark Guider] (5/5) :: All the beings that are following the rule of the Chaos Guider are blessed with his source of strength as a portion of the user''s aura of chaos surrounds them. To those classified as Subordinates of the Chaos Guider: +120% Physical, Soul, and Elemental Damage, +120% Cast and Attack Speed, +120% All Element Resistance, +120% Defense. [Chaos Bearer] (5/5) :: Any chaos that the Chaos Guider causes is amplified, granting them +50% increased comprehension in the Law of Chaos. [Aura of Chaos] (5/5) :: The distinct aura of chaos wraps around the body of the Chaos Guider and allows for all cast abilities and skills to be layered with the chaos element. +100% Chaos Damage to all utilized abilities. [Desecrate] (5/5) :: A wide area ability that creates a Desecrated Space where Chaos Elements are abundant as far as the eyes of the Chaos Guider can see. Within this Desecrated Space, the Fear, Slow Mana Regulation, Debilitated, and Blind debuff effects are applied to all enemies. Abilities that satisfied his heart were shown in front of his eyes, once more granting him a wide array of extra abilities that he could utilize on the coming battlefield. His enemies were beings proficient in the law of fate this time around, and the opposing abilities of the law of chaos would be one of the best counters. When he saw the [Aura of Chaos] and [Desecrate] abilities, a smile appeared on his lips as these abilities essentially allowed all of his attacks to be layered with the power of Chaos, as well as release a wide debuff domain that further lowered his enemy''s defenses and even granted them horrible debilitating effects. Then there was the [Chaos Bearer] ability that actually enhanced his rate of progression in the Law of Chaos! This was similar to the ability that the Hydromancer''s Mantle provided, but cut by half. It was an unexpected surprise as the gathering of Chaos Particles always lagged behind the Fate Lines. This was because he initially began with the law of fate, and he also had the [Fate Stealer] ability which allowed him to actually get 12% of the Fate Essence of the beings that he killed. In the upcoming battle, it was actually this single ability that excited him the most! With the thousands of Celestials coming towards him, especially the big bosses like Grandmaster Onillus that had more than 3 million Fate Lines...he was actually going to increase his progression in the Law of Fate at a pace that would break any remaining common sense in the Novus Galaxy. In his eyes, he foresaw himself easily passing the 1 million mark, and even going above it just with this single coming battle! That was how domineering this [Fate Stealer] ability was! His progress in the Law of Chaos was bound to be left in the dust, but it would still increase even faster because of the newly gained [Chaos Bearer] ability. The last ability that did not just give him joy, but granted even more happiness to his subordinates was the [Dark Guider] ability. They were already boosted by the [Golden Guider] from the skill tree stemming from the Law of Fate, and now there was another Guider Type ability that essentially doubled the boosts they already had! At the same time, they now had the auras of both Fate and Chaos coursing through their bodies. This was an aura of two Supreme Laws that were freely coursing through the bodies of billions of beings...at this point in time, even Noah himself would not fully know the effects of this until much later. RUMBLE! The instant the ability was activated, Noah felt the surging of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles once more as he greatly influenced billions of beings, some in more ways than he expected as huge changes occurred throughout the planets he was connected to once more! In the quadrant of Light Expanse where numerous of the connected Worlds were hidden behind layers of a Veil, essence dispersed freely as the singular addition of another Guider Ability caused another Supreme Law to descend onto these worlds, their targets being the numerous inhabitants of these worlds that fell under the category of Noah''s "Subordinates". When the prior [Golden Guider] from the Law of Fate was activated, the multitude of beings had experienced a period of rapid advancement in their strength as with the backing of a Supreme Law, they were able to do things they never considered before. With the widespread project of creating dungeons not just in Noah''s homeworld but in the many connected worlds, the phenomenon of beings diving in dungeons to enhance their strength only propagated further. With the boost of [Golden Guider], those diving in dungeons saw firsthand how they could defeat monsters that were a rank above their own as they took advantage of the boon and became rapidly stronger. Yet at this moment, as if the first boon was not enough, [Dark Guider] arrived and brought with it another Supreme Law! Dark auroras of pure chaos energy descended onto the numerous worlds and wrapped around their inhabitants, another point of widespread change occurring as it was not just the addition of another law to their bodies. It was the inclusion and utter synchronization of two opposing Supreme Laws in the bodies of billions of beings that could be considered relatively weak. It was something that should have never have the chance of happening, but it did! And it brought with it too many changes and opportunities... Noah was about to look into everything that was changing when he felt the presence of the Mages in the castle he was supposed to be in come closer, stopping his strengthening session as his body teleported away from the Spiritual World and into the room. "Lord, our scouts have begun to see the Legions of the Celestials. Commanding Mage Turner has tasked us to ask to grace the other Commanders with your presence!" The words of a strong mage rang in his ears as he waved his hands, the many fearsome and colorful skill effects of numerous elements that surrounded his body gradually fading and turning invisible as he opened the door and followed the inviting Mages. He would let the worlds and beings he was connected to experience the changes as he enjoyed the boons from it himself as time passed, setting his gaze towards this coming battle for now. His aura spread out from the location he was in as he sensed even more forces within the expansive Verittas Fortress, the auras of many new Vampyres from the Dark Expanse being apparent, as well as numerous more powerhouses he had yet to come across. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/dark-guider!_50938793804494356 for visiting. The unique attire of the Mages and Wizards along with the shimmering wands they carried beneath their robes gave Noah a mystical fantasy feel of this Dark Expanse, especially the wide and dark halls of the dreary castle he was walking in. It reminded him of the imaginative stories he used to read in the past about the grand abodes of wizards with pointed hats that lived in the darkness of the world. The castles of these actual Mages and Wizards of the Dark Expanse had their own unique style, their halls lined up with small floating shining lights that added on to the air of magic and mystery. There was a bustle of activities everywhere they went as Noah saw floating animals that he recalled to be Familiars of Wizards move along with them, his observation also seeing the unique way these beings used magic as he could see floating utensils cooking by themselves when he passed a dining hall, or things link ink brushes and pens moving on their own to write manuscripts in huge rooms where discussions were taking place. It truly was a place where the beings around it utilized magic fully in their daily lives, even to the smallest details! Noah wanted to explore more of this culture and their techniques if the time came in the past, curious at the wand-shaped weapons that boosted the abilities they cast by a large degree as wondered of the wide array of techniques that the Wizards and Mages of the Dark Expanse used. He already had so much on his plate in terms of skills and abilities that he felt the addition of even more was just him continuing to go overboard, where he might not even get a chance to utilize them all. But he would wait for the time to come when he could truly observe the culture and techniques of the beings within Dark Expanse, his figure currently going towards one of the command centers as it looked like the clash with the Celestials would soon begin, their Legion being close! Chapter 478 - Simultaneous Breakthroughs In the Time Space of the Spiritual World, a particularly arrogant Emperor Penguin raised its beak high as it felt the course of a new Supreme energy travel through his body. The aura of chaos that normally destabilized the essence of those it entered felt like a docile stream as it passed through his vessels and core, his breakthrough into the Domain Expansion Realm that was at the cusp of occurring actually happened right away with the addition of this new energy. RAA! RAA! RAA! He let out fearsome battle cries, but he wasn''t the only one as many of the other Harbingers and beings that were receiving Domain Rank Cores from his Master the past few days were all experiencing breakthroughs into this realm simultaneously! RUMBLE! Essence rapidly converged around the numerous beings stepping into the Domain Rank as they all felt the newest boost from the addition of the new Guider Type Ability- Dark Guider. Apart from the golden energy of fate coursing through them, a dark scintillating energy of chaos was now vibrantly coursing through them as well, their bodies feeling the boost in power once more. They could be considered bonafide beings at the Domain Rank, but their power was unlike any others at this realm as they were receiving huge buffs from two Guider Type Abilities! The Emperor Penguin rose to the skies as he felt this fearsome power, his fanaticism towards his master only growing as he sought to prove his strength in battle. [Come to the Forge.] His thoughts were cut short as he received a command from the Spiritual World itself, his arrogance being cut short as this was the only entity besides his Master that could push him around. A silver light flashed as the figure of the Emperor Penguin appeared outside of the Blacksmith''s Forge, entering it thereafter as he was met with a floating item set that shone with the l.u.s.ter of chaos! [As the first beast of this Spiritual World, you represent all of your brothers and sisters whenever you move. Master gave me the right to choose who will be wearing the created Chaos Set Items, and I''m going to be biased and give you one of them! You must live up to your name as the Emperor Penguin.] The voice of the Spiritual World that seemed more commanding when communicating with the arrogant penguin rang out, the beak of the penguin nodding up and down as it received the item set that nobody else had gotten their hands on yet. [Baleful Chaos Bringer Set] :: An item set made from the materials of Chaos Behemoths. Contains a scimitar, b.r.e.a.s.tplate, briefs, boots, arm guards, and helm. Varying levels of boosts are given when the set items are worn simultaneously. 2 Set Items- Reduces the cooldown and mana cost for all Chaos Abilities by half, as well as doubling their effects. 4 Set Items- Grants the wearer a Chaos Barrier that reflects 30% of all incoming damage back to the caster. 6 Set Items- A passive Chaos Storm is initiated by the resonance of all 6 Set Pieces. This Chaos Storm swirls around the wearer as it tears down the defenses of their enemies while boosting their own attacks. +250% Fate Element Resistance, +250% All Element Penetration, +250% All Element Resistance, +100% Chaos Damage applied to all abilities. The set bonus of the spectacular [Baleful Chaos Bringer Set] became apparent in the eyes of the Emperor Penguin as he glanced at the smaller descriptions of the items themselves and all of their boosts. His eyes shone with brilliance as he adorned the Item Set, his fluffy body being covered by the dark chaos armor as it was soon fully hidden, only a fearsome shape of an armored penguin wielding a Scimitar that shone with a deadly edge becoming visible. RUMBLE! A Chaos Storm erupted from him as he enjoyed the feeling of strength the Item Set provided, but this didn''t last long as he felt an immense pressure descend down on him a second later as the Chaos Storm continued to spread out in the Blacksmith''s Forge. [Don''t get conceited and damage the things in the Forge. Remember that all of this strength is made possible by the Master. Just try to be more useful now to him now.] The cold voice and pressure of the Spiritual World descended on the Emperor Penguin as his beak pointed down in a docile manner, stopping the advancement of the ability given the 6 Item Set boost while also being reminded once more that beside his Master, the entity that was the Spiritual World was the only other one that could take him off his pedestal no matter his strength! This was because he was a beast born from this unique World, his Origin being tied closely to it. "I shall go acclimate to my new Realm and Items while waiting for Master to call us..." The Emperor Penguin spoke out with a tone of someone bullied but it still held a tinge of arrogance as he flashed away from the Blacksmith''s Forge, going on to test his new strength and abilities in the Time Space of the Spiritual World. Besides him, numerous beings in the Spiritual World broke into the Domain Expansion Realm thereafter as they were also adorned with their own Set Items! The remaining two [Baleful Chaos Bringer Set] went to Elena and Barbatos, their realms breaking through the fastest while also holding their own unique strengths. Aside from the limited Chaos Sets, the Spiritual World System was working to rapidly produce Set Items from the Fate Behemoths that Noah''s main body continued to take down in the Celestial Realm.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/simultaneous-breakthroughs_50962305797639103 for visiting. Even though standing against Celestials with the opposing Chaos Sets was ideal, having armors made from Fate Behemoths also provided a level protection from the element itself, thus other beings would be adorned with newly created Fate Item Sets that were being created right at this moment. They had to be lucky enough to first enter the Domain Expansion Realm, and for the war to not break out too soon before the creation of the Fate Set Items were finished! But just on Noah''s side, numerous beings were stepping into the Domain Rank as they were fitted with fearsome Items. All of them were waiting...waiting to participate in the first battle of many in a war that would later be known in history as...the Last War! Chapter 479 - Primed! Commanding Mage Turner was glancing at the numerous powerhouses around the war room as his eyes carried a trace of seriousness. In the war room, a majority of the beings were releasing unique auras of the World Realm, these figures being some of the revered powerhouses that were fairly well known in the Dark Expanse. Besides the World Rank Mage Turner, there were three other beings that stood in this same realm as him who would be leading their own forces against the Legions of Celestials in the coming battle. One was the fearsome Royal Vampyre known as Rokku, one of the generals under the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok. The other was the Dark Wizard Shanora, a powerful being from the faction that preferred the mantle of Wizards instead of Mages. Of course, the last being to join them was the 9th Infernal Lord whom they only knew by that title still! Four World Rank Experts- Turner, Rokku, Shanora, and an Infernal Lord. These were the beings standing against the coming Legions of Celestials, there being a tacit understanding between the two sides that they would not be releasing the peak powerhouses at the Star Forging Realm in this first clash. Those were the types of forces used near the end of the war as they represented the peak power of both sides, and this war...was just beginning. "We expect their vessels to pierce into the Dark Expanse in a day or two, and we have our own sh.i.p.s and forces distributed in a defensive wall around the Verittas Fortress to stop their advances."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/primed!_50962350894796104 for visiting. Commanding Mage Turner spoke out in a serious tone as the powerful figures looked at each other around the room. The Dark Wizard Shanora who was dressed in what Noah would describe a cliche witch costume was glancing in the direction of his clone with shimmering eyes that held great interest, the essence of darkness swirling around her being agitated as time passed. "We can talk about strategies and defenses all day long if we want Turner, but why don''t we get to know each other''s...strengths some more? It''s not as if we get to be in the presence of an Infernal Lord everyday." Her gaze shone with l.u.s.ter as she stared at Noah, his own gaze remaining impassive as he didn''t spare the wizard any look, turning towards the Commanding Mage Turner and speaking. "Where do you want my legion?" The Commanding Mage nodded as he pointed towards the table in front of them that had a projection of the wide Verittas Fortress and displayed some of the forces around it, his hands causing the appearance of a miniature legion of red figures that signified Noah''s Infernal Legion to be right at the center- at the forefront of the battle! "We will have to rely on your power to withstand the attacks of the Celestials head on...while we release our spells and magic from the sides to stop their advance and pick them off little by little until all of their strength is depleted." Noah''s eyes shone as he heard these words, the meaning of this strategy plainly being that they wanted him to be a tank that withstood the damage of a huge boss while they dished out damage to slowly bring it down! "We excel in offensive tactics and destructive spells, but our defenses cannot compare to the power of Infernal Lords we have observed before. Is this strategy viable?" The Royal Vampyre Rokku spoke out carefully as he sensed the bubbling strength stemming from Noah''s body, the Dark Mage Shanora still having her gaze locked on him as Noah replied. "It shouldn''t be a problem!" RUMBLE! His words reverberated with power as relieved expressions appeared around the room, Commanding Mage Turner continuing. "Alright, let''s talk logistics¡­" The meeting continued for another few hours as the powerful beings familiarized themselves with each other''s forces and talked about possible plans in case things went wrong. The Dark Mage Shanora who continued to glance towards Noah''s vibrant aura of Chaos was the most peculiar, not exactly explaining why her gaze was locked on him for so long. At the end of the meeting as Noah was stepping out, he heard a telepathic message released from her enter his mind. "I must apologize for the abrupt introduction and interest, but we don''t usually have beings with such a thick aura of Chaos swirling around them such as you. If we are able to survive this little war that is coming up, I would love to discuss something with you. It somewhat pertains to the Dark Expanse, and someone with your advancements in Chaos would be most fitting for it!" Words that seemed to have a tinge of fanaticism rang in his mind as he didn''t even turn towards her, simply nodding as he left the room. The figures of the Dark Expanse really held Infernal Lords in much too different regards! He would leave all other thoughts behind as he continued to look forward to the Legions of Celestials first, his heart expectant on all the treasures and loot they were planning on delivering to him. As the legions of Celestials advanced forward and neared the Dark Expanse, the forces at the Verittas Fortress fortified their defenses as they prepared for the eventual clash. It was a bustling scene of numerous forces that numbered in the hundreds of thousands preparing to participate in the war, the highest ranking powerhouses conducting the movements of their forces like a well-oiled machine as they worked together to ensure a chance of victory. Noah was creating even more powerful forces in the Spiritual World as more and more of his subordinates entered the Domain Expansion Realm, his main body continuing to work efficiently in the Celestial Realm as he took down more and more Fate Behemoths at the Domain Rank, getting a taste of the ability of [Fate Stealer] early as he saw his Fate Lines continuing to jump higher every time a Fate Behemoths fell. As he went further and further south of the Celestial Realm, he was gradually nearing the locations that would be considered largely unexplored, the wide areas where very few Celestials traversed and were filled with mysteries! Chapter 480 - Ready to Serve! In the unexplored regions that Noah was currently nearing, the Behemoths would continue getting stronger and stronger, where after passing the area where the Domain Rank Fate Behemoths appeared, the danger level rose by a factor of 10!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/ready-to-serve!_50963048004897248 for visiting. The reason for this was that the unexplored regions of the Celestial Realm were extremely unpredictable, where one could come across a Behemoth at the World Rank, or they might just as well come across one at the Star Forging Realm! There were no laws that said in this location you would find Behemoths at this realm or another, and it was completely wild and unexplored mystical lands holding their own secrets. This was also the reason why even after 1000 years, the Celestials had only ever been confident to say they explored a bit over 10% of it, only their powerful peak figures like the Celestial Founder and the few at the Star Forging Realm being the ones to go even deeper into the Celestial Realm! Celestials at the World Rank like Noah still had to be careful how deep they went, as the moment they came across even a single beast a realm higher than theirs, it was game over. At this moment as his clone prepared to clash with Celestials, Noah''s main body was standing in a vibrant golden shining forest filled with huge ancient trees as he glanced at the direction ahead of him. If he continued any further, he would be entering the unexplored regions where even the Celestials had not fully doc.u.mented. Powerful figures like the Founder and other Celestials might have passed through these regions and found nothing of note, but as of now, no information existed for them! His face was serious as his body began shimmering with essence, [Unique Origin] and other abilities being used as he chose to go in covertly, the possible levels of enemies varying by a large amount in these locations. The beauty of the Celestial Realm he was seeing right now had already become the norm, the tall trees where one could visibly see golden essence flowing through its leaves like sand only making him appreciate the scene of serenity. It was a scene that only those confident and powerful could consider serene, as the deafening silence would make others trembled while they traversed through. SHAA! His figure silently disappeared among the thick foliage around him as he ventured further into the Celestial Realm, keen to know exactly what secrets it held! --- In an advancing Prime Warship that was followed by many just like it, Grandmaster Onillus had a bright face as he felt the aura of the Dark Expanse, the Legion under his command successfully passing through the junction between it and the Light Expanse as he continued forward! The boons from the Celestial Realm were many and filled with wonder, but they did not come close to the number of Fate Lines one could gather when they changed the course of history for trillions of lives. He would be one of the forces at the forefront of this change in this coming war, and would gain much from the eventual results that would change the landscape of the entire Novus Galaxy! His mood was jovial as he asked a Grandmaster below him. "Have the vessels containing the citizens of those Prime Worlds lead as we near this so-called fortified fortress of the Alliance. We shall proceed with caution, I want no mistakes!" "Yes, Grandmaster!" RUMBLE! Word software affirmation rang out as some sh.i.p.s veered forward while others went back, a shuffling of forces occurring as Onillus counted the beings under him. He had 5 other World Realm Grandmasters under his banner spread out into their own vessels, with another World Realm Expert that actually stemmed from one of the more powerful Prime Worlds in the Light Expanse taking the lead of those forces. One of the few beings not under Celestials and having power at the World Realm, an existence known as Master Brightstar, a being that was the first born of a Prime World on the cusp of becoming a Realm! His birth absorbed so much essence of his world that even now it still remained at the Prime World level, but it created for an astounding genius that had lived for many years, where he now gained a powerful level even without joining the ranks of Celestials. This meant that for the Legion of Celestials heading for the Verittas Fortress, there were a total of 7 World Realm experts at the lead! Grandmaster Onillus''s face was bright as they neared the supposed fortress, his eyes not hiding the hunger for war as his heart felt like it was screaming. ''Throw the best you have at me! Let me inscribe my name as the first general to gain victory in this war...let the name Onillus ring out across the Novus Galaxy!'' His eyes shone with dangerous l.u.s.ter as his hungry gaze remained forward, the powerful Celestials around him showing similar lights as they looked forward to a grand battle. --- Around the Verittas Fortress, four distinct forces could be seen surrounding the enormous planet as an aura of oppressive power leaked out. One force was led by the Royal Vampyre Rokku, another by the Dark Wizard Shanora, the third by the Commanding Mage Turner. Last but not least and standing at the very center of these forces like the sharpest point of a blade was an impassive Infernal Lord that floated above a 10,000 army of Infernals that were letting out fearsome battle cries that were setting the tone of the coming fight. OOOOH! "Ready to serve!" OOOOH! "Ready to destroy!" OOOOH! Even the faces of nearby wizards, vampyres, and mages were trembling as a fearsome tune gradually took the soon to be battle field. Commanding Mage Turner was watching the boisterous forces with eyes of hope as he waited to see the fearsome power of an Infernal Lord, his eyes noticing the appearance of beings that were not there originally when the Infernal Lord first came, but their bodies were releasing bursts of strength that caused his belief for this battle to be raised even higher! Around the Infernal Lord, numerous armored figures began to appear, varying in all shapes and sizes. Commanding Mage Turner blinked his eyes at certain times to make sure that his eyes were not playing tricks on him, as he could clearly make out the shape of a penguin that was covered in a spectacular set of dark armor releasing an abundant aura of chaos. There was also the figure of an armored Kraken with deep red eyes that seemed to hold great excitement and vengeance as they stared out in the void of space, as well as the small humanoid figure of an armored woman also clad in an armor wrapped in chaos, her hands beginning to move as the aura of numerous undead began to spread out from the already numerous Infernals! The surrounding beings watched with agape expressions as around the Infernal Lord, numerous figures began to appear en masse, the army of 10,000 continuing to expand as vibrant War drums rang out. "Ready to serve!!!" OOOOOH!!! Chapter 481 - Ready to Destroy! "Ready to destroy!" OOOOH! The drums of battle only became louder as the forces around the Infernal Lord continued to increase. The auras of beings that were all in the Domain Expansion Realm appeared around the Infernal Lord continuously, with many of them fitted in matching armors and weapons that only added to their fearsome aura. From those clad in items drenched in Chaos, some could be seen with armors that blazed with the element of fire, and most recently appearing beings caused the forces of Dark Expanse to rub their eyes in shock at the armor they adorned seemed to actually be releasing an aura of...fate! Fate! Forces that came from an Infernal Lord actually released the blinding gold aura that Celestials were known by, giving a huge shock to the World Rank experts that were leading the forces of the Verittas Fortress as they spread out their auras to see if their eyes were deceiving them. But it was genuine as around Noah, numerous Spiritual World Beasts, Calamities of the Sea, and even some of the humans and beasts from his homeworld and the Beast World that were power leveled to the Domain Rank stood around him powerfully! An enormous Draconic Fire Behemoth appeared to steal the show as he towered over 50 meters in the void of space, Draco appearing with all of his glory as a golden armor actually wrapped around the entirety of his body, the Set Item from the Fate Behemoths actually fully adapting to whatever the form of the wearer was, causing a shimmering enormous golden dragon to appear magnificently near Noah. Kazuhiko was also one of the few clad in a Fate Item Set, his hands dual wielding to beautifully inscribed long blades as his eyes could not contain their excitement. The Imperial Phoenix was next to him in her humanoid form as she adorned a similar set, those being lucky enough to receive the newly forged Item Set from Fate Behemoths being truly blessed as its boosts were nothing to scoff at! Kazuhiko was still incredulously looking over every single description of the four items as his gaze went towards the description of the Set Item itself. [Raiment of Fate''s Guard] :: An Item Set made from the materials of Fate Behemoths. Contains dual swords, b.r.e.a.s.tplate, briefs, boots, armguards, and helm. Varying levels of boosts are given when the set items are worn simultaneously. 2 Set Items- Every time an enemy falls from the hands of the one wearing the Raiment of Fate''s Guard, a Fate Charge is gained. 1 Fate Charge grants +30% All Damage Increase, +30% Chaos Resistance, +30% All Element Penetration, and expires after 10 minutes. 4 Set Items- After collecting more than 10 Fate Charges, Blades of Liberation begin to descend for every Fate Charge thereafter. 6 Set Items- Each Fate Charge brings with it two Blades of Liberation that follow the will of the user for as long as the Fate Charge remains. The expiration time for Fate Charges increases to 20 minutes. Kazuhiko''s pupils were shaking as he read over the descriptions of the full set bonus again and again. In his mind, he was just imagining how everytime he defeated a being, the set bonus of this item set would allow him to gain a single Fate Charge that brought with it two Blades of Liberation and a huge boosts to his power. The more beings he defeated thereafter, the more charges and autonomous Blades of Liberations that would surround him! His mind was imagining a scene where tens of Blades of Liberation followed his every command as he descended into battle, his single figure surrounded by numerous golden swords! OOOOOH! "Ready to serve!" "Ready to Destroy!" The yells of the Infernals only took him out of his stupor as his eyes looked forward, his expanded senses just being able to feel the rushing force and essence of many beings nearing them. The Celestial Legion was here. RUMBLE! A wave of power spread out as the appearance of the enormous golden warsh.i.p.s became visible, many more appearing thereafter as Noah''s face finally showed more than just an impassive expression, his body rising higher in the void of space as a sparkling blue armor appeared around him. He adorned Hydromancer''s Mantle as a brilliant blue light pulsed from him, his thoughts then letting the ability from the Fledgling Aether Terror run free as [Aether Emission] was let loose, the purple energy of Aether beginning to leak out and swirl around him menacingly! He also let loose the active ability of the Hydromancer''s Mantle, the [Hydromancer''s Banner] that gave an all around buff to those that could be considered to be moving with him. RUMBLE! This caused for a spectacular scene to occur throughout the Verittas Fortress, every single being that was standing against the Celestials gaining a unique blue runic symbol above their heads as an enormous rectangular blue transparent banner appeared above Noah''s head.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/ready-to-destroy!_50998272373881115 for visiting. Commanding Mage Turner and the other powerful World Realm experts felt this change and slight boost to their power as their attention was taken once more from the appearing Celestial Legion and to the Infernal Lord shining with brilliant colors in the void space, their thoughts collectively being the same as they stared at this unique being. ''Just what type of Infernal Lord are you?!'' No answers would arrive to them at this moment as Noah was not done, even more abilities being cast as this was one of the few times where he could actually go all out. It was a rare opportunity to let loose and farm an abundant amount of loot, Fate Lines, and Chaos Particles that he would not let it slip by his fingers so easily! RUMBLE! [Chaotic Mandate], the ability from the Agent of Chaos skill tree that allowed him to be adorned in an armor of chaos similar to the Empyrean Armament of the counterpart law of fate skill tree was initiated as above the worn Hydromancer''s Mantle, the appearance of a dark armor erupted forward. The blue and purple resplendence of colors was dyed dark as the aura of Chaos spread out fully, Noah also freely releasing the Chaos Particles swirling in his Chaos Field as his presence just continued to get brighter and brighter in front of the Verittas Fortress! He was practically and arrogantly screaming to the now visible Celestial Legion- I am here! But even at this point...he was not done as he now began to cast the transformation skills that came from the numerous skill trees under his command. As the Celestial Legion appeared to kick off the start of a shocking battle, a single combatant was already causing widespread shock as the resplendence of abilities that caused the aura of this being to continue becoming more and more oppressive stole the spotlight of the whole battle! OOOOOH!!! Chapter 482 - This isnt even my final form! Already adorned with the Hydromancer''s Mantle and even the Chaos Armor from [Chaotic Mandate], Noah still went even further as he grandly used abilities freely, his abundant reserves of mana allowing it with no problems as he cast the transformation skills. First, above the Verittas Fortress, a bloody moon appeared that released an oppressive red light, this light going on to wash around everyone, but causing a particular group to look up in immense shock. "What the f.u.c.k?!" The Royal Vampyre Rokku could not help but blurt out as he saw the appearance of the Blood Moon, recalling skills from the Ancient Vampyres of the past as he felt the red rays of this moon bolster his power rapidly, as well as the powers of all the Vampyres around him. His shock came from the fact that this Infernal Lord also seemed to have access to the abilities of Ancient Vampyres that even he, a Royal Vampyre, did not have on top of every other spectacular abilities he had already cast! It was just shock after shock as even though the Mages and Wizards spread out left and right of the Verittas Fortress were using their own magic as they veered Mana to go through their wands and cast terrible spells, they did not seem brighter than this singular being that just continued to cast one ability after another! The Wizards were already summoning huge Golems and Beasts that floated grandly in the void of space, the Mages using magic circles as fearsome Elementals appeared with resplendent cries. But all of this did not cause any eyes to open in shock as this Infernal Lord continued. [Ancient Blood Scion] was cast first as below the layers of armor, Noah began to adopt the form of an Ancient Vampyre as his figure began to enlarge rapidly. This enlargement only became more rapid as he wasted no time, casting [Arch Demon Lord Transformation] and then activated the form of the [Lesser Cthulhu] thereafter! WAAA! "Ready to serve!" "Ready to destroy!" As his transformation took place, the Infernals below him continued their chants louder and louder, seemingly building up to a crescendo of noises that overtook the whole battle field! The arriving Celestial Legion was looking on with serious eyes as Grandmaster Onillus had a deadly expression, his golden eyes locked onto this figure that was showing a terrible aura unlike anything he had ever seen before. They had arrived and planned to make a grand entrance to instill fear into the hearts of their enemies with their numerous warsh.i.p.s and forces, but this being stole the spotlight right away with a resplendent show of colors and abilities that allowed all eyes to be on him. In the void of space, Noah''s figure continued to expand further and further, his monstrous transformation of multiple skill trees hidden beneath the Hydromancer''s Mantle and [Chaotic Mandate] armors, the many surrounding beings only seeing his figure enlarging more and more as his transformation completed at a towering 60 meters! RIIP! Luminous and glistening pairs or dark red wings were the only thing erupting out of the armored body as the monstrous overall shape continued to be hidden by the two sets of armor wrapping around him, with his size continuing to shoot up menacingly! It was the height of commonly seen Behemoths in the Celestial Realm, a stature that took the breaths of many beings away as the void of space quaked and rumbled, the now gigantic figure waving his right hand as an enormous golden Trident of the Sea appeared in his hand. DING! The Trident of the Sea caused a ringing sound to reverberate as it resonated with the Hydromancer''s Mantle hidden below the [Chaotic Mandate] armor, the oppressive air and splendor that this Infernal Lord released only getting larger and larger as his arms moved, the enormous three pronged weapon pointing towards the stationary Celestial Legion a few miles away from the Verittas Fortress. "Ready to serve!" "Ready to destroy!" OOOOOH!!! "..." Instantly and eerily, the crescendo of noises from the Infernals ceased at this exact moment as the hearts of many felt a strong pull. As the show of resplendent skills and colors ceased, silence overtook the battlefield as many looked at the larger picture around this Infernal Lord. An enormous Golden Dragon that was now slightly smaller than him, thousands of Infernals patiently standing by, numerous figures clad in different sets of armors with each of them at the Domain Expansion Realm. The feeling of power this group gave off was immense as all the eyes on the battle field in the void of space was on them! Noah stared at the stably stationed vessels of Celestials that now stood opposite the Verittas Fortress as he sensed the tremendous power in his body. His Fire and Water Origin Cores were rotating rapidly, absorbing energy and releasing their unique essence which coursed through him and made him feel simply fantastic. His Fate Lines were expertly hidden through [Unique Origin] as only the field of chaos was apparent, the swirling Chaos Particles breaking past 400,000 at this moment as every single type of essence he held seemed to be bubbling. But even at this point...he wasn''t done! BRRRR!!! Horrid vibrations released from his body as he activated yet another one of his recently gained skills. [Size Distortion] was activated from the newly gained Fledgling Aether Terror as his body vibrated rapidly, his power growing ever larger as his size began to shoot up to unimaginable heights! Those around him watched with slack-jawed expressions as even before the war began, it seemed that this Infernal Lord was intent on baffling as many people as possible. The forces of the Dark Expanse watched, but it wasn''t only them as similar to the Battle of Geniuses, they had their people sending numerous feeds of what was occurring here to the upper echelons that were observing the progress of this first clash closely! From the Prime Warsh.i.p.s of the Celestials, similar to how Grandmaster Vredral had used the vessels to show what was happening in the Magus World when Noah and Athena were raining down destruction, all the events occurring here were currently being broadcasted to the upper echelons of the Celestials! The grandeur of resplendent abilities that Noah continued to show...was witnessed by many as the name of this 9th Infernal Lord entered the minds of all watching. WAA! His size erupted up as it passed 100 meters, skyrocketed to 150 meters, and continued on until it stopped at 250 meters! More than 125 times larger than the height of an average man, and more than 5 times larger than the height of even the mountainous Elite Celestial Behemoths! His sheer size was terrifying as every around him seemed miniscule in comparison, the wondrous colors being released from the Hydromancer''s Mantle, [Aether Emission], and the [Chaotic Mandate] armor only extenuating his figure as he pointed the now enormous Trident of the Sea towards the Celestial Legion, his thunderous voice being the first thing to ring out before the first battle of the Last War was initiated. "I wonder if in this battle...is that little Founder of yours watching?"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/this-isn''t-even-my-final-form!_50998305676655401 for visiting. "..." ¡­!!! Chapter 483 - Imposing! The words of the gigantic figure of the Infernal Lord caused shock and movements to spread throughout the battle field from their extreme arrogance, but they caused reverberations even further as many forces were ultimately watching to see the results of this first conflict! The Grand Mage Edrusim was surrounded by numerous powerful Mages and the faction of Wizards that made up the Alliance as their eyes watched with unblinking eyes, they having already done their part of distributing their forces and now were simply waiting to see what the results of the battle would be. In another location in the Dark Expanse, the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok was watching the bloody moon appearing in the void of space above the army of Infernals as the sear he was on fell to the side, him being one of the more shocked beings as he recalled this skill from a long-forgotten past! It came deep within the Letalis Expanse, with its source being from the revered Progenitor itself as it was an ability that had only shown itself in the War of the Righteous! It had long since been lost in the dredges of time, along with the powerful beings that could use this skill. Yet now, it was appearing once more, and in the hands of an Infernal Lord. What exactly was happening?!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/infinite-mana-in-the-apocalypse_16709186806051905/imposing!_51023730792524115 for visiting. The gaze of Vladivostok shook as he recalled the only location that might have answered, waving his hands in front of him as he created a runic magic that was the prerequisite of a portal forming. This was similar magic that the Vampyre King of the Underworld had used months ago to send a special someone into an Ancient Blood World, and Vladivostok was trying to do the same now as his thoughts led him to quickly check this Ancestral Ground that was all the Vampyres had left at this moment for answers. Hid essence moved as he watched the runic circle complete with anticipation, but was shocked thereafter as when the red portal began to form while seeking a connection to the targeted ancestral world, it trembled and fizzled halfway through...not being able to form a connection! "...!" Vladivostok looked towards the failed connection of the Ancient Blood World he knew so clearly as his gaze turned ashen. He tried again and again, but the magic that allowed him to form the portal with the Vampyres'' own Ancestral World was actually not working anymore! This led Vladivostok to believe that something had happened with the Ancient Blood World, and this Infernal Lord being shown in front of his eyes should have some connections to it! What exactly had happened? Why was he able to use the skills of their Ancestors? Vladivostok would get to the bottom of this, even if he had to offend the dignity of an Infernal Lord! The scene moves from the questioning Vampyre Ruler and goes into the wondrous Celestial Realm where yet another figure was watching the arrogant words of the Infernal Lord, a pristine wine glass in his hands as his wild countenance had changed. The Founder was not in the wildness of the Celestial Realm as he sat in a paradisiacal expansive hall that was filled with the colors of gold everywhere one''s eyes wandered to. He sat in a pristine golden throne as he enjoyed food that very few could ever taste in their lives, the feed of the Verittas Fortress being displayed clearly from the Prime Warsh.i.p.s of the Celestials in front of him. This being was living the dream of all the big bosses- simply sending out his people to work hard and his behalf as he reaped most of the rewards. It was a truly rare position that very few could have the chance to enjoy. There was an unnatural smile on his apathetic face as he heard the words of the Infernal Lord, curious words leaking out from his mouth. "The 9th and weakest Infernal Lord actually entered the Celestial Realm and saved those little rats earlier? Now that''s just not fair, don''t you think?" He was alone in the expansive golden hall, but seemed to be questioning something or someone as he continued! He recalled the same red moon that had appeared when his palm was descending down towards the rats that had entered his cage, now confirming the identity of the being that saved them to be this Infernal Lord. This was one of the more shocking thoughts that were spreading through the minds of many of the knowledge beings that could connect the dots- they found the identity of the being that actually stood against the Celestial Founder to save others not too long ago, and it was actually an Infernal Lord! The question in many beings eyes was how this happened and why! How was he able to so quickly react, and why did he dave those particular beings? What history and connection were they missing? Questions upon questions entered the minds of many as they watched the initial scene of the first battle of the Last War, the Founder himself continuing his monologue in the golden hall. "A creature of chaos created to oppose me, you shouldn''t have any driving emotions but destruction...hah, what exactly are you trying to do?" His voice was as if it was directly questioning something, but he continued to be alone! "You block me at every turn and stop my advancements for your own entertainment, but do you really think creating an anomaly of an Infernal Lord will help all that much? I''m very close you know. I can¡­" The gaze of Founder was bright as he reached his hands out as if grasping something only he could see in front of his eyes. "I can...almost touch that point now. I''m almost there. When I reach that point...I''ll be breaking out of your influence fully!" RUMBLE! His strong voice reverberated out as only he knew the target of these words, his apathetic eyes turning to the feed of the Verittas Fortress as a smile curled on his lips. "I''m watching, little Infernal Lord. Give me a show." Chapter 484 - Like Moths to a Flame Grandmaster Onillus heard the impetuous words of the Infernal Lord as his eyes blazed red with anger, the disrespect directed towards the Founder being something he could not tolerate! "Destroy them all." His words were simple and filled with wrath, the command going out to all the Prime Warsh.i.p.s as the vessels had their World Cannons meant to destroy stationary worlds aimed and loaded, destructive red rays of light beginning to shoot out of the many Warsh.i.p.s! RUMBLE! The forces of the Dark expanse were prepared as the aura of World Rank being erupted out, shimmering shields of all sorts of colors being created as the rushing rays of destructive lights met resistance. If one took a larger view of the battlefield, they would notice many of these beams of destructive red light aimed towards the mountainous 250 meters Infernal Lord that stood imposingly! To defend against this first attack by the collection Celestial Legion, the Wizards had pulled out their powerful wands as rays of red lights released from them and converged together, fully defending against the rays of light through sheer numbers and power as they worked with the World Realm experts. Noah himself looked at the destructive rays of light that he once saw descend on the Lost World, this time their power not feeling all that oppressive for him as these rays that could destroy a world...he raised his Trident of the Sea towards them as numerous beams of plasma were released from the weapon! These beams of plasma were actually dark in color because of the abilities under the [Agent of Chaos] that layered his attacks with the power of Chaos. This also proved to be useful when it came to the rays of Aether that his identity as Crixus had cast as a Celestial, his enormous eyes watching carefully as he cast [Sever] and saw the released rays being balefully dark in color, their aura of Aether enveloped and reinforced by the power of chaos as they looked like terrible dark rays of light! WAA! What followed thereafter after was a wondrous scene of red rays of light meeting chaos rays that shattered the void of space, Noah going the route of offense being the best defense as his own attacks thundered forward! "HMPH!" A snort rang out in the battlefield as from the numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s, golden figures began to fly out and rapidly fill the void of space. The golden figures were quickly overshadowed as the even larger numbers of beings from the Prime Worlds of Light Expanse also made their appearance. At the forefront of all of these forces, Grandmaster Onillus had his eyes shining with a gold splendor as he stared at Noah. "You all can have any of the other World Realm Commanders, but this childish Infernal Lord...is mine!" Words of the Grandmaster with more than 3 million Fate Lines reverberated strongly as a gold aura began to permeate around him and fill everything in the surroundings! His eyes were dead set on Noah as the other World Rank Grandmasters and the single World Rank Expert from the force of the Prime Worlds had the Royal Vampyre Rokku, Commanding Mage Turner, and the Dark Wizard Shanora on their sights. Each side had forces that spilled over hundreds of thousands, the numbers of those standing on the side of Celestials being slightly more as it was packed with beings across the chosen Prime Worlds of the Light Expanse. OOOOOH! "Ready to Serve!" "Ready to Destroy!" The Infernal Legion had begun chanting again as they saw the appearance of the many figures, feeling the smell of battle and blood l.u.s.t as their weapons called for destruction! Noah''s eyes sn.a.k.e.d across the void of space as he observed all the forces, everyone currently on a standstill as the staredown before everything turned into a scene of hell continued for another few seconds. If things went according to plan, the forces would rush towards each other as the powerful World Rank figures from Celestials clashed with their respective matches on the side of the Verittas Fortress, and the moment these powerful figures began falling, the direction of the war would be decided! Since the Celestials had more powerhouses at the World Rank, the side of the Verittas Fortress would soon be overrun as the Experts on the other side could simply group up to attack and destroy. Thus, the figures of the Dark Expanse were feeling some worry! When the two forces rushed towards each other, this scene of chaos would be one where the Celestials could take the most advantage of, and even possibly grant them a victory! As Noah stared at the hundreds of thousands of beings, especially the golden shining Celestials that were placed at the very center of these forces- his eyes flashed a dangerous excited color. To him, these many beings represented an expansive amount of loots and something even bigger- Fate Lines! His heart was screaming out for him to take all of these Celestials out by himself if he could, and feeling his heart tell him this, he wanted to make it a possibility...and so he did! "Haha, let''s play!" His words were the spark that caused the forces of the Celestial Legion to begin rushing towards them, those from the Dark Expanse staying tightly around the Verittas Fortress as they fortified their defenses. The moment Noah''s words finished though, his mountainous 250 meter figure disappeared from its position...and shockingly teleported right at the center of the Celestial Legion that was rushing forward! Right at the very center where most Celestials were located! Grandmaster Onillus at the forefront who was already rushing towards Noah felt this change as he turned back in shock, his wrathful face screaming out as he turned directions quickly. He wasn''t the only one as two other World Rank Grandmasters saw this, their eyes quickly communicating with each other as they also turned and went towards the Infernal Lord! "Vile creature!" The Infernal Lord has shockingly teleported to the very center of the hundreds of thousands of enemy forces, at the heart of the Celestial Legion where most Celestials were cl.u.s.tered. 3 World Rank Experts were heading his way as he smiled and spoke out slowly, his mind curious of a few things. [Domain of Chaos] [Domain of Water][Domain of Fire] [Sea Domain] [Desecrate] [Essence Disruptor] [Destabilize]... He released numerous Domains from the Laws he had control of as well as the buffing and debilitating Sea Domain from the Hydromancer''s Mantle as the mile around him became a terribly hellish place to be in for any of his enemies. The [Desecrate] and other abilities that affected enemies and surrounding space were going even more overboard as terrified looks began to appear on the faces of Celestials that were affected, their bodies feeling the horrendous effects! At this junction when Noah stared at the thousands of Celestials trying desperately to put up their defensive abilities and the attacks from three rushing World Rank Grandmasters, his mind was actually curious to know how beautiful his next skill towards them would be. He was naturally thinking of the extremely powerful and overly reinforced [Sever] that from a single ray of purple-blue Aether, it could now erupt with numerous rays of Aether that were drenched dark from the Chaos Element, and had even gained the quality of chaining between enemies from the [Aether Chain Support]! He wondered just how spectacular the sight would be of this extremely destructive ability being constantly spammed amidst thousands of Celestials who would in no way have a result to defend themselves! The result...would cause the three converging World Rank Grandmasters to have shivers run down their spine as Noah spammed the command of [Sever] in his mind, essence bubbling as blinding rays of dark aether overtook the battlefield! Chapter 485 - Too OP! In a bold and shocking move, the 9th Infernal Lord had teleported in the direct center of the Celestial Legion as the surging momentum of the entire force was disrupted, three World Rank Celestials changing their directions as their bodies rushed towards him! Even though Noah had abruptly teleported, his commands were relayed seconds before as the Infernal Legion moved forward orderly, their sharp weapons getting ready to clash with the coming army. The Emperor Penguin, Draco, and all the others were also shooting forward with vigor as they finally got a chance to enter the same battlefield as their master! The feelings they had currently were those of extreme happiness, the one wish that many of them longed for so long actually being achieved today. OOOOOH! Reverberations spread out across the void of space as essence converged in the bodies of hundreds of thousands, but all of this seemed minimal when one looked at the dark armored body of the 9th Infernal Lord that had begun releasing truly destructive dark rays of light from his hands. RUMBLE! The dark rays of light were rays of Aether that were drenched in the Law of Chaos, at their base having the terrible power of Aether that was backed by numerous support skills! All of these support skills would make for a terrible sight as at first, 6 dark rays of light shot out and instantly neared 6 unlucky Celestials, their eyes filled with terror as because of already cast abilities like [Desecrate] and the numerous Domains that Noah had cast, they could not even move their energy to raise their defenses. They watched with terror-filled eyes as the dark rays of light struck them, their bodies being hit with a violent energy that tore them all nearly in half as their lives were ended instantly from the combination of Aether and Chaos, those that were unlucky enough to not die being hit by the [Fatal Ailment Support] that caused the energy of Aether to ravage their bodies until they died! But what was truly horrendous...was the scene that followed thereafter as from the bodies that looked like they had their strings cut, the dark rays that had hit them...actually sn.a.k.e.d to nearby Celestials as if they had their own wills, as if they were somehow attracted to their bodies, swiftly connecting with the surrounding beings in a chain reaction! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!!! The chain reaction looked like a dark line that zigzagged from one Celestial to another, each time it made a connection causing a being to face their death as a truly fear-inducing scene opened up in front of Noah''s eyes. From the 6 rays of Aether, more than 60 Celestials were hit and chained as they all died no matter if they were at the Void or Domain Realm, and Noah''s body had already released more than 12 rays of Aether a second later as he constantly spammed the [Sever] ability!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51023797096078717 for visiting. WAA! Grandmaster Onillus watched with a wrathful face as in the midst of Celestials, dark rays of chaotic essence that chained from one Celestial to another began to spread wildly, droves of Celestials dropping like flies thereafter as these rays seemed unstoppable. "Vile Creature!" He screamed put as his body glittered gold, in the space around him the appearance of ridiculously large golden spears came to life as they thundered towards the figure of the Infernal Lord. The other two World Rank experts released their own attacks, space creaking as the energies of four World Rank experts were released in the surrounding space! "Haha!" ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! Wild laughter was the only thing that met their attacks as Noah continued to release rays of Aether that chained from one Celestial to another, his happiness not just stemming from the beautiful ability, but because of the numbers of Fate Lines that had begun to shoot up rapidly! The percentage under the Law of Fate constantly began to change in eyes as every moment a Celestial fell, it jumped higher and higher from the effect of [Fate Stealer]. RUMBLE! The attacks of the three World Rank experts reached his heavily armored body as a majority of them were simply deflected off, only a few managing to even pierce the swirling armor of Chaos as they hit the Hydromancer''s Mantle below that. Onillus looked on with increasing fury as their attacks did not even reach the body of the Infernal, their bodies feeling pain in turn as they shockingly received Reflective damage from the abilities of Sea Domain! Onillus''s body began shining even brighter as he healed himself and prepared to release an attack that could be considered an Ultimate one, his fury reaching insane levels as too many things he didn''t understand occurred in this battle! The defense of Noah that Onillus and the others were baffled by was actually something simple, as he was truly boosted by too many defensive abilities from his transformations, but especially the ones from Hydromancer''s Mantle that tripled his defense in this area where he released [Sea Domain]. He was so reinforced that he would be shocked instead if the World Rank Celestials had managed to pierce his armor on the first try. They had to put some time into it! OOOOH! "Ready to Serve!" From the distance, the battle cries of the Infernals could be heard as Noah''s hands continued to rain down dark rays of Aether that reaped the lives of Celestials every second, his body taking on numerous attacks from three World Rank experts as he was not bothered by it one bit. It was a shocking scene in the battle field as one could observe a 250 meter tall figure reeling dark rays of light that wiped away hundreds of Celestials every few seconds, his body tanking the attacks of 3 other World Rank experts with ease as his chilling laugh of enjoyment rang out across the Void of space! It was at this juncture that the bodies of the three Celestial Grandmasters shone the brightest, the varying number of Fate Lines in the millions rising from their bodies as behind the wild Infernal Lord, the palpating appearance of an enormous golden spear that was over one hundred meters materialized. With Onillus at the center, the Celestial Grandmasters pooled in their essence to create a singular enormous spear from their combined powers, this single spear thundering down towards the Infernal Lord and finally tearing through his defenses as it rapidly rotated and drilled into his body with a splendor of gold, happy expression finally appearing in the eyes of the Grandmasters as they observed the spear to enter the chest of this Infernal Lord! This was a spear that contained enormous amounts of the essence of Fate, something deadly to Infernal Lords that were drenched in the Law of Chaos. It pierced through the heavily armored chest of the Infernal Lord with its tip appearing drenched in blood clean through the opposite side. With this attack, they had effectively heavily injured this monstrous figure, seeing a clear path ahead as he would be weakened to great degrees hereafter, right? Right?! "Haha!" A wild laughter was all that met their happy expressions as even with an enormous spear piercing his chest, the mountainous Infernal Lord did not spit out blood or even stop the casting of his skills, the only thing changing being that his aura was becoming even more menacing, the Celestials not knowing they had pushed Noah to cast his next terrible skill. He could be considered injured yes? So all he had to do was to heal himself. Now shockingly, there were a large number of beings running away from him that fit his requirements for healing very well, their minds already in disorder as he cast the wide area ability he had just gained for the first time. It was an ability that would even cause the enthralled watching forces of the Dark Expanse feel shivers down their spine, an ability that would actually come to be commonly known in the future as one of the loved skills of the 9th Infernal Lord¡­it was [Domination]! Chapter 486 - Rivers of Blood in the Void of Space The Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok was watching with squinting eyes at the live feed of the battle, his eyes honing in on the person that had taken a central position in this battle already, the being who could somehow cast abilities of Ancient Vampyres from a long forgotten era! He watched with shocking eyes as an enormous golden spear pierced from the back and through the chest of the Infernal Lord, rising from his seat with worry for the battle as this was a lethal attack in his eyes. The Infernal Lords were drenched in the law of chaos, and getting a spear filled with fate essence piercing their bodies like this meant they had taken heavy damage. Yet under the eyes of many, the Infernal Lord actually laughed as his body was pierced through! No scream of pain or wrath from taking heavy damage, but a laugh! This was because his body was rapidly gaining more and more Fate Lines on top of the ones he already had, the law of fate having a home in his body- so how could it harm him in a lethal manner? The injury was one he would consider light, but it was still an injury nonetheless so Noah chose a straightforward way to heal it. It was through...Domination! [Domination] (5/5) :: The eyes of the Fledgling Blood Ancient release a dominating light that enthralls any with weak souls. The bodies of the dominated can then be controlled to either replenish the Blood Ancient with [Blood Bag], or deal damage to surrounding enemies by [Blood Bomb]. Under the watchful gazes of numerous beings, the appearance of red eyes beneath his armored head could be seen as a single word spread across the void of space with clarity! [Domination]. RUMBLE! On the 250 meter tall body, the dangerously bloody eyes were now particularly vibrant and visible, a red light releasing from them as it went on to sweep to the thousands of Celestials still remaining in the surroundings. Vladivostok watched this light being released from this Infernal Lord as his body trembled, his heart having seen very few figures use such an ability in the past! What Vladivostok didn''t know was that this ability was not even passed down through Noah the normal way, but unlocked from his own methods through the unique Skill Points that made skill trees possible. The trembling eyes of Vampyre Ruler watched on as anywhere the red light passed. The beings caught within began trembling as their eyes turned cloudy. The three World Rank Celestials were also affected by this red light, but their bodies shone gold as they pushed it out and regained their clarity. The same could not be said for the numerous other Celestials though! Anywhere the red light passed, the beings that could not fully defend their souls fell under the influence of [Domination] as their eyes turned glossy, their gazes turning blankly to the enormous Infernal Lord as he gave a single command in his mind to all those who had fallen under his control. He could either choose Blood Bomb or Blood Bag, and he chose the latter as he found its effects did not defer too much from the former! Numerous powerhouses watched on as the beings affected by the red light began ballooning up as something wriggled out of their bodies...each of them shockingly bursting into a shower of blood as a gory scene overtook the battlefield. POP! POP! POP! In the expansive void of space, one could hear a sound as if popcorn was popping loudly in a microwave, but the things popping were the powerful beings at the Void, Soul, and Domain Rank as regardless of their realm- if they fell under [Domination], their bodies ruptured in a shower of blood as it began flowing in a straight line towards a laughing Infernal Lord! "Haha! Haha!" The laugh reverberated throughout the void of space as many beings watched rivers of blood forming from the thousands of beings affected, the mouth of the Infernal Lord opened wide as these rivers of blood rushed in endlessly! The ability of [Blood Gourmet] was amplified as Noah tested the blood of powerful beings in proportions he never before imagined, his mouth gulping down numerous times. Among those watching, Vladivostok looked on in shock as he affirmed his thoughts about this Infernal Lord having traits of an Ancient Vampyre as he watched him devour rivers of blood, observing as his body began to shine a brilliant shade of red, the place where a golden spear had pierced beginning to wriggle and reform as the aura of tremendous life force leaked out. It was life force from too many powerful beings that was absorbed by a single one, the sheer scope of it causing the entire battlefield to turn into a lul as the truly powerful beings pulled themselves back to observe the battlefield on a larger scale. To their shock, they found that by the time that this Infernal Lord had teleported amidst the forces of the Celestials and the single minute that followed, he had gone off a reign of terror that had actually decimated more than half of all of the forces of Celestials that were on the battle field! The eyes of Grandmaster Onillus turned crazy as he glanced around the battlefield and saw the empty void of space filled with bones, numerous Celestials that were not in the scope of influence of Domination still scrambling away fearfully. Onillus realized that since the beginning of the battle, his forces and even himself had just been scrambling around the palm of this singular Infernal Lord, and more than half of all the Celestials brought to this War had already died in the span of less than a minute! A minute! RUMBLE! The vibrant color of red shone luminously from the 250-meter mountainous body as a primal yell of enjoyment and destruction was released from Noah''s mouth. "OOOOOOHH!!!" The roar echoed through out the void of space as the eardrums of weaker beings burst, the brilliantly red eyes of the Infernal Lord now turning to the wrathful expressions of three World Realm Celestial Grandmasters that could do nothing to stop him while he obliterated more than half of their forces. As his cells screamed out from the enjoyment of devouring rivers of blood, his origin was screaming out joyfully as imperceptible wisps of gold light that signified the Fate Lines taken from all the Celestials he had defeated continued to enter his body! When he observed the stat panel in the corner of his eyes, it shockingly showed constantly changing numbers that just continued to shoot higher and higher, the current total number of Fate Lines having already passed 1,582,295! 1,582,295!!! Just from the massacre of thousands of Celestials from varying levels of Void to the Domain Expansion Realm, more than 1 million Fate Lines were added, his percentage in the Supreme Law of Fate quickly shooting past the 10% mark! In a matter of a single minute! Ah! Who could call themselves a genius in front of such a sight?! Who could say they are talented in the Law of Fate if they knew what this single being had added more than a million Fate Lines in just a minute?! Could the numerous exclamation points written even get across this point of grandiosity?! It was ridiculous, improbable, and simply scary! Noah''s eyes that were filled with bloody fervor landed on the wrathful World Rank Celestial Grandmasters as his abilities finally moved towards them, his body rumbling with joy as he moved to singularly battle against three World Rank Experts! Chapter 487 - A Penguin Leads the Way! As the shocking scenes around Noah continued to play out, with his mountainous figure now turning around to pay attention to the three World Rank Experts after he had erased more than half of all the Celestials on the battlefield, the battles between the other figures were also resuming or starting with intensity! There were in total 7 World Rank Experts from the Celestial Legion, and as 3 of them had grouped up against the Infernal Lord, there were 4 freely running rampant as they collided with the forces of the Verittas Fortress. Even though Noah had fully disrupted the battlefield, there were still hundreds of thousands of forces that moved forward under the command of those above them to clash with each other!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51045030088982834 for visiting. Among those moving, the single World Rank Expert that wasn''t a Celestial, Master Brightstar, had a dark expression as his shining saber clashed against the magic of the Commanding Mage Turner. The Commanding Mage had summoned a spectacular fire elemental that he stood on, blue and red flames equally covering this Elemental''s body as Turner himself stood atop it releasing terrible spells of the Fire Element. The tens of thousands of beings from the many Prime Worlds also came in contact with the opposing Mages that stood with Turner, beginning battles of their own as a chaotic battlefield fully bloomed in the void of space! In another location, A World Rank Celestial Grandmaster clashed with the Dark Wizard Shanora, his cast of an enormous Blade of Liberation stopped by a floating Dark Golem that Shanora stood on with an enthralled gaze, her eyes occasionally going to the mountainous figure of the Infernal Lord as hidden thoughts coursed through her mind. She waved her Wand towards the Celestial Grandmaster as spears of darkness bloomed in front of her, keeping this World Rank combatant busy as the Wizards around her also clashed with the forces of the Celestial Legion in the area. Another World Rank Celestial was being kept busy by the shocked and buffed Royal Vampyre Rokku who was enjoying the boosts of the recently appearing blood moon in the void of space, his mind in disarray as he observed the abilities he had only heard about in history be utilized by an Infernal Lord! The forces of Vampyres he had with him were actually holding the toughest and tightest defense against the Celestial Legion because of this unexpected boost that remained in the void of space, a blood world blooming from Rokku''s hands as he prepared to trap the Celestial Grandmaster and finish him on his own turf. Rooku, Shanora, and Turner were each able to match 3 World Rank Grandmasters, but this still left one Celestial Grandmaster running freely as no combatant of the same realm came to match him from the Verittas Fortress! His eyes were cold as he carried with him two dual shining blades of light, cutting down lower ranked forces from the Dark Expanse like flies as he neared Verittas Fortress with tens of thousands of beings. This gap in defense would be deadly if it wasn''t quickly filled, and Commanding Mage Turner was about to send commands to distribute more forces to hold this rampant Grandmaster back which would cause more lives to be lost. But he did not get a chance to do so as in front of the advancing Grandmaster, the Infernal Legion appeared strongly, going towards the tens of thousands of beings as they released fearsome war cries! "Ready to serve!" OOOOH! "Ready to destroy!" OOOOH! A clash instantly erupted as the Celestial Grandmaster raised his hands high and prepared to unleash deadly skills upon the Infernals that only had ten Domain Rank experts at their peak, but his gaze was filled with the appearance of new beings as he actually felt a threat appear in front of him. His eyes squinted as he observed the figure of an armored penguin appear, his body reacting to the aura of chaos released from this penguin as even more figures with similar auras appeared around him. The other two were women, one tall with long legs and the other with a shorter stature, but their bodies still released the dreadful aura of Chaos! The Grandmaster could actually observe particles of chaos rotating around the bodies of the three figures akin to that of a storm, and it was this that made his body feel a threat! These three figures were further reinforced as Kazuhiko, the Imperial Phoenix, the Kraken, and numerous other Spiritual World beasts appeared and surrounded the World Rank expert. The others were either adorned in armors that actually released an aura of fate or had an aura of Infernals, their eyes locking towards the singular Celestial Grandmaster as they boldly prepared to stand against a being an entire realm above theirs! Such a feat was normally left to their Master, and it became even harder when one reached the peak levels where the gap between realms just seemed like an expansive gulf that could never be crossed. But they were confident enough to do it, and it was because each of them was receiving incredible boosts from two Guider Type Abilities! They were given boosts to their attack and defenses in the hundreds of percentages with the [Golden Guider] and [Dark Guider] abilities, their bodies also carrying with them the stable aura of both Chaos and Fate as they raised their weapons towards the powerful expert with no fear! RAA! RAA! RAA! A battle cry was released from the Emperor Penguin as he used the 6 Piece Set Bonus to the fullest and let loose the Chaos Storm, Elena and Barbatos doing the same as they layered three terrible storms of chaos to descend onto the battlefield. These three would act as the close combat fighters, with the others releasing attacks from the distance as they all worked together for the goal of bringing down a being at the World Realm, a being holding the strength of an entire World! But their confidence did not just come from their new boosts and Item Sets, it also came from the knowledge that a few of them held abilities from the Seven Deadly Sins. The first ability that gave them all confidence was one held by the Emperor Penguin, the holder of the Sin of Pride. It was [Pride Embodiment]! [Pride Embodiment]- When meeting foes holding a higher level of strength, the user gains the power of hubris itself. This power can be used to strengthen attacks or defenses. The level of enhancement is dependent on the true pride lying deep in the user''s heart, which could be nurtured to grow so large that nothing is allowed to overshadow it! RUMBLE! This single ability caused the aura of the Emperor Penguin to continue to rise nonsensically, his body ballooning more and more as his beady eyes shining with gold splendor, [Aura of Pride] also being on full display. With [Pride Embodiment] as well as his Item Set and boosts from the two spectacular Guider Abilities, he was confident of being able to withstand the power of this World Realm expert and act as a tank for the others! RAA! Chapter 488 - So What?! As the Emperor Penguin looked forth arrogantly, his body rushed towards the Celestial Grandmaster with no fear in his eyes as he chose the straightforward method of attacking. But one should not forget that the holders of Wrath, Gluttony, L.u.s.t, and Greed that four Harbingers held were also present in this battle! Kazuhiko''s eyes flashed as he used [Emperor of Greed], the two golden swords in the hand of the Grandmaster that were going to meet the dark scimitar flashing towards him from the arrogant penguin actually disappearing, the two glowing blades appearing in Kazuhiko''s hands as they changed ownership! His body shone with the luminous gold splendor of the Item Set that released strong waves of Fate Essence as he struck forth with his newly gained weapons. The Kraken felt the enormous amounts of wrath in the battlefield as it used [Wrath Absorption], [Rage Empowerment], [Anger Avatar], and [Fury Channeling] consecutively, its wriggling body expanding rapidly as visible rays of destructive red light shot forth from it. Its anger, its misgivings, all the unfairness it felt in the past- it released it all as a deadlier attack than any that had come before! The Imperial Phoenix and Barbatos waited for a prime opportunity to utilize their own ultimate skills as they leashed out attacks of their own, these Harbingers actually taking and controlling the pace of the battle against a being an entire rank above them as they fought in a fashion never before seen. Aside from the Harbingers and other beasts surrounding the World Rank Grandmaster, a particularly mountainous Draconic Fire Behemoth, the young dragon Draco, was breaking the sound barrier and swallowing the figures of celestials and any that came around him whole, his huge figure moving through the void of space with utter impunity! ROAAR! The eyes watching from the shadows looked on in shock at this sight as in a grand hall that Edrusim was in with many Mages who were monitoring the state of the battle, bustling discussions occurred as they observed the spectacular scenes playing throughout. "Even if it is in groups...being able to withstand a being an entire realm higher is exemplary!" "Exemplary? It shouldn''t even be possible!" "...just who are these armored beings the Infernal Lord released?" Numerous questions and discussions took place as the pace of battle was analyzed, the appearance of beings with spectacular Item Sets that showed off improbable levels of strength for the realms they were in taking the attention of many. But the singular figure that remained at the center of attention for everything was the Infernal Lord himself, the being that was standing against three World Rank Celestials! BOOM! His mountainous figure waved the dangerously shining Trident of the Sea to sweep down at Grandmaster Onillus, who in turn stood firm as he projected a transparent golden shield that was shattered at the moment of impact! The other two Grandmasters rained down golden spears and Blades of Liberation as they also released pure Fate Essence in efforts to overwhelm the chaotic Infernal Lord, but they found that even when his body was bathed in the golden aura of fate, he didn''t seem to be taking any injuries! [Armageddon]. They heard a simple word that was followed by the shaking of space itself, the blue region filled with the [Sea Domain] around them turning a tinge of red as it turned hellishly hot in a matter of seconds. Above them, the appearance of Flaming asteroids rushed towards the golden shining World Rank Celestials as their expressions hardened, using the profound power in their bodies to reinforce their defenses so they could withstand the hellish environment while surviving the attacks of the Infernal Lord. It was a battle of three World Rank Celestials against a single World Rank Infernal Lord, and yet it was the three Grandmasters that were actually at a disadvantage as the Infernal Lord continued to senselessly release skill after skill as if his energy reserves had no limit! So what if it was three World Rank Experts?! So what if they each had Fate Lines in the millions?! Against his own power that was boosted multiple times over by numerous skill trees and items, Noah could arrogantly ask- So What?! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51067085819802266 for visiting. Numerous rays of dark colored Aether were released from him as they smashed onto the body of Onillus, and then went on to chain to the two Grandmasters near him before they returned to chain to Onillus again, over and over! They had a powerful golden aura of fate protecting their bodies, but every time an Aether ray chained between their bodies, this protective layer got thinner and thinner as their faces became more and more serious! [Ice Age]. After using the [Armageddon] ability from the >, Noah vastly changed the surrounding environment once more as he brought in the polar opposite, using the ability from the > that causes the temperature of the surrounding regions to go towards absolute zero, shimmering white frost spreading out with him at the center as the Grandmasters were hit with yet another debilitating attack. "Wretched devil!" Grandmaster Onillus howled forth while expanding more and more energy to protect himself, numerous attacks smashing into Noah''s body as bursts of armor erupted out, any strike that actually landed on his body only drawing minor injuries. Noah paid no attention to their attacks as whenever he became even remotely injured, he uttered a few words to cast yet another ability from the >, it was [Rejuvenating Flames] that caused gold-colored Flames to appear next to his injuries as they became rapidly healed thereafter, his dominance over the pace of the battle field continuing! A wide array of resplendent abilities continued to release from his body as he continued to stand against and even overwhelm the World Rank Experts, throwing out Chaos Orbs or miniaturized Shattered Stars while continuing to chain chaos-filled Aether rays between them to constantly rip apart their defenses and wear down their energy. From the wrathful eyes of the three Grandmasters, one could see a tinge of fear appearing as they fully realized the pace of the battle as the momentum of the Infernal Lord in front of them just continued to shoot higher, a single thought crossing their minds that began to only expedite the fear! ''Are we...are we actually going to lose?'' ¡­!!! Chapter 489 - Overkill I The watchers that were observing this first battle of a long war actually watched on in stunned silence at the scenes playing themselves out in front of their eyes. Some portions of the battlefield could be considered what one should normally expect in a war, with beings of opposing but similar levels of power fighting against each other until the other side came out on top. Yet on other portions of the battlefield, the things they were seeing were enough to shatter any known norms! In one area, an Infernal Legion was cutting down any beings they came across as they sang a symphony of destruction with every swing of their weapons, their path paved wide open with nobody from the Celestial Legion to stop them as shockingly, the last World Rank Celestial Grandmaster was actually being held back in a tight battle against multiple Domain Rank armored beings! RAA! RAA! RAA! An Emperor Penguin valiantly took the strikes that held behind them the force of an entire World as he retaliated, his body shimmering with the dark aura of the Chaos Item Set while a Chaos Storm raged around him. It was tinged with wisps of gold as the immense aura of Pride also leaked out, the abilities of the Sin of Pride being put in full display as his very being was amplified to greater heights because he stood against an enemy a level higher than him! Kazuhiko and the other Harbingers used the gaps created by the Emperor Penguin to land terrible attacks as those who adorned the Fate Chaos Sets, in particular, were using the Set Boost to build up Fate Charges, and allowing for the appearance of numerous blades of liberation that should have been colored gold, but they held a mix of darkness as the abundant chaos essence they had from the Dark Guider ability freely flowed to their attacks. The World Rank Expert had no chance to slack off as he withstood attacks left and right, but this wasn''t the most shocking scene that was occurring across this battlefield! The ongoing battle of an enormous Infernal Lord that towered over 250 meters, his body clad in an armor releasing wisps of chaos as well as the emission of baleful Aether- it was the battle with this single being at the center that took all the attention as he wildly fought against 3 beings at the same realm as him. WAA! The enormous trident he wielded smashed down towards the central figure of Onillus as the Grandmaster released Fate Essence to form into the shape of huge golden palms, his Fate Lines rumbling as the two palms grasped onto and stopped the descent of the vibrating weapon! The other Grandmaster tried to use this chance to send out deadly attacks, but they seemed to simply be getting brushed off on the body of the mountainous figure as the numerous layers of armor he had on did almost all of the defending on his behalf. The eyes of the Grandmasters held a tinge of unwilling fear as they knew what all of the far away watching forces knew as the battle continued- the three of them were actually on the path of a terrible defeat! The Infernal Lord in front of them seemed to be jumping with boundless energy, his attacks relentless as he released one after another without any reservations. While on their side, their defenses were getting weaker and weaker as the abundant energy in their bodies was actually becoming depleted. This meant that in the next few minutes, they would begin falling one by one if nothing changed! Onillus knew this very well as his eyes battled the fear out to try and replace it with fury, his unwilling voice resounding out as his body began to burn a brilliant and even brighter gold color. "Burn your Soul!" "...!" Unwilling looks appeared on the faces of the other two Grandmasters at these words, but they seemed to have no choice as they went to the only option that could provide them a possible victory- but at the cost of their burning their very Origins and heavily reducing their level of power permanently! "Burn the Soul!" "Ignite your Origin!" RUMBLE! They adopted valiant faces as the strong aura of fate descended towards them, their power beginning to rise rapidly as they prepared to release attacks more powerful than any they had been releasing in the past hour. But would they really be given a chance? For the first time ever, Noah had a cruel smile as he drenched himself in the aura of Chaos and baleful Aether, enjoying the all-around feeling of power as he went on to cast only 2 skills that would go on to figuratively cause the jaws of all those watching to drop to the floor. The 2 skills were actually Unique Skills, ones that he had gained months ago when battling against the Demon Lords and Demon Kings of a now subjugated world. He had not put them to much use in the past months as he had designated them to the constructed dungeons of his homeworld, their uses being further limited as they truly only worked best when he was battling enemies at the same realm as him. But any time in the past few months, he had always faced enemies that were a realm or two higher, the effectiveness of the two unique skills not being able to add much as he left them to continue their assigned tasks in his home world. But now that he was at the World Rank, a rank that only true experts in the Novus Galaxy could enjoy, he saw himself putting these skills to use more and more in the future as he continued to test their effectiveness as well as their limitations! RUMBLE! Essence wildly erupted as his lips silently moved, the energy that the three Celestial Grandmasters were collecting being blown apart as around them, the figures of oppressively powerful beings were summoned with ease! Two were large and fearsome, their bodies reeking of darkness as their eyes shone red, and three were actually fairly small and had curvaceous figures with their bodies palpating with wicked strength. The jaws of many beings figuratively dropped to the floor with the appearance of these five figures as each of them...held the power of the World Realm! Noah''s eyes shone red as his smile only became wider, utilizing {Primal Conjurer} and {Witch Slaves}, two unique abilities that allowed him to actually summon beings at the same level as himself as he casually summoned 5 World Rank Experts while the three Celestial Grandmasters were burning their very souls for an all out attack. What followed thereafter...was simply overkill! Chapter 490 - Overkill II Overkill! Overkill to an insane degree as with the appearance of 5 new World Rank Experts, all color drained from the faces of the Celestial Grandmasters. The ones that were in their own battles against the Experts of the Verittas Fortress or the single World Rank Celestial that was actually in a sorry state while being matched against an arrogant Emperor Penguin and other armored beasts- none of them could provide any help and support as they watched on helplessly! The abilities that had allowed for this hopeless scene to occur were naturally {Primal Conjurer} that was gained from Demon King Gremory in the battle to protect the Frozen Kingdom of the Beast World, as well as the other Unique Skill {Witch Slaves} that came from Demon King Sitri during the battle in the Lost World of Atlantis! {Primal Conjurer} :: Two primal spirits of the same level are called to your side. Currently available spirits (Troll, Manticore, Dullahan, Basilisk, Red Dragon...Abyss Phoenix, Chaos Pixie} {Witch Slaves} :: Spawns powerful undead witches that are proficient in Blood Magic to do your bidding. Their strength can be adjusted up to the rank of the user. A maximum of three Witch Slaves of the same rank can be summoned, with the number tripled for every rank lower. The unique abilities were of great use as Origin substitute dungeon bosses, especially the {Witch Slaves} whose number tripled for every rank below his current one. But for the first time in a while today, he had used the two skills to summon 5 creatures of the same rank as him, this summoning causing a more disruptive scene than Noah could have realized! This was because the worlds were many, the Novus Galaxy being extremely wide. So many beings knew that many skills existed all around, but even they had not yet come across the abilities that this Infernal Lord portrayed, especially ones that allowed him to simply summon 5 combatants at the World Realm. Many were first asking themselves, what kind of an ability was that? But the most important question to them was the natural universal law that required essence in exchange for abilities, so they knew that logically to somehow summon creatures at the level of the World Realm, the mana requirement was enormous! How could this being that was already releasing skills as freely as he could over the past hour still be able to do something as ridiculous as this?! As the shock of those watching only increased, the beings in the actual predicament were trembling as the 5 summoned creatures at the World Rank released attacks towards them right away. The three creatures summoned from {Witch Slaves} were the curvaceous figures of genuine witches, their bodies vibrating with essence as they pointed pulsating wands towards the figures of Grandmasters, deadly streaks of darkness shooting out right instantaneously! The two Primal Spirits from {Primal Conjurer} were enormous Abyss Phoenixes, their bodies burning with dark flames as they released torrential pillars of tenebrous flames towards their targets. Noah himself did not relent as he went for a joined attack that would obliterate the three Grandmasters instantly, his eyes glistening as destructive Portals of Terror began to appear en masse in a circular fashion around their figures. This was on top of the rays of Dark Aether that were also thundering down, ready to chain between the bodies of the three Grandmasters as many times as they could! Many beings watched the unfolding of all of these skills as if they were in slow motion, the other fighting Celestials trying to make their way over to the position of the Infernal Lord, but they were kept at bay by their enemies so they could only watch! BOOOOM!!! A space rending cry erupted out as the eardrums of any nearby beings burst, the weaker ones dying from the impact right away as their brains turned to mush. "..." Silence reigned in the battlefield as the surrounding miles around the Infernal Lord were eerily quiet. A mountainous Infernal Lord of over 250 meters floated in space, surrounded by two Abyss Phoenixes and 3 World Rank Witch Slaves. In the mile around them, only the bloodied and lifeless bodies of numerous beings floated in the void of space. "..." The silence continued as the destructive energies around them cleared, the scene of where the three World Grandmaster used to be opening itself to the eyes of many as a horrendous sight played out. Portions of dismembered body parts could be seen in a gory show of blood and bones, the only thing remotely recognizable remaining being the disfigured body of Grandmaster Onillus. He had lost half of his body as one could notice distinct golden lines of fate trying to recreate the other half unsuccessfully, his bloody mouth where a few teeth remained moving in an incoherent fashion as only the nearest being, Noah, could hear what he was saying. "...my name...was going to spread across the...Novus Galaxy." Noah''s eyes coldly glanced at the World Rank Grandmaster that had appeared in the skies of the Celestial Realm not even two weeks ago. He was a whole realm higher than him then, with his strength seeming oppressive and out of reach. Yet this same being was lying disfigured in the void of space just a few days later, the time of his death nearing, and by his hands at that! "I- I read the flow of fate...it is not supposed to go this way¡­" The words seemed to be coming from a being that had his soul taken away, seeming devoid of any feeling and emotion as they just felt like ramblings. Noah looked forth as his eyes turned bright red, casting the wondrous ability of [Domination] on this heavily injured being as he spoke out. "Your name will not be remembered, and things rarely go the way we plan. You can die knowing you achieved nothing." The light of Domination erupted out as it reflected on Onillus''s dead eyes, his muscles spasming as they calmed down completely thereafter, his soul completely being dominated! Noah''s eyes then shone once more as he gave a command, the body of the World Rank Celestial Grandmaster exploding in a shower of blood that soon flowed towards him enticingly! Celestials and those from the Dark Expanse alike watched in shock and horror as in a matter of minutes, three World Rank Experts were completely decimated, all that remained of them being bits of blood and bones. ¡­! Chapter 491 - A Grand Symphony of Chaos I The death of three World Rank Experts all at once carried a heavy toll for the Celestial Legion, the eerie silence continuing for a few seconds before they all saw the body of the Infernal Lord...actually vibrating as it began to release an even more fearsome aura of power. Incredulous looks appeared on Commanding Mage Turner and on the expressions of many of the beings of the battlefield, their faces simply carrying sheer disbelief and confusion at this point! What they didn''t know was that the burst of power from Noah was coming from the fact that he was at this moment gaining hundreds of thousands of Fate Lines all at once from the deaths of the three World Rank Celestial Grandmasters! This immense flow of strength that was given as comprehension of a Supreme Law made his already fearsome power feel even more oppressive, as the number he was gaining all at once was simply too much. From Onillus alone, he was a being that held 3,505,800 Fate Lines. 12% of this was 420,696. 420,696 Fate Lines from Onillus alone! The other two Grandmasters had Fate Lines ranging slightly above 2 million, each of them giving Noah around 300,000 Fate Lines. This was an addition of more than 1 million Fate Lines instantly, increasing the percentage next to the Law of Fate by another 10% as it now stood at 28%!!! And this was only mentioning the benefits in the Law of Fate. There were also the invisible streams of light that was the loot from the bodies of the three World Rank beings that shot forth into Noah''s [Expansive Space] right away, granting him numerous World Rank Cores and techniques of the same realm. There was also the disorder caused by the death of these three beings bringing their own bursts of chaos as numerous Chaos Particles were converging towards Noah senselessly. OOOOH! The eerie silence everyone was enthralled in was broken as the Infernal Legion felt the grand movement of chaos energies, their bodies calling forth for more destruction as they resumed their slaughter! "Ready to Serve!" "Ready to Destroy!" RUMBLE! Everyone was soon returned to the foray of the battlefield as the forces of the Celestial Legion were now fighting disorderly, the loss of three Grandmasters being horrendous. RAA! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin moved with even more vigor when he saw his Master had taken down 3 World Rank Experts, his only thoughts at the moment being, ''Am I so weak that I cannot kill even one?!'' RAA! His attacks became more relentless as the other Harbingers piled on with even more vigor, the four remaining Celestial Grandmasters finding themselves in tight battles as their hearts were now filled with terror! This was because they knew that the single Infernal Lord who had taken down three of them was now free and alone on the battle field. This meant...he would be moving to choose his next targets soon, and this act would hit the nail in the coffin for this battle! It was even more horrendous as ridiculously, there were 5 figures at the World Rank standing protectively around the Infernal Lord who at this moment...raised his head as his eyes shone a splendor of deep red. His body felt vigorous and coursing with strength, the feeling of nearing the 50% mark of a Supreme Law, even if 22% remained to get there, made him tremble with excitement as his eyes scanned the battlefield. He saw the figures of fighting Harbingers, the Dark Wizard Shanora, Commanding Mage Turner, and even the Royal Vampyre Rokku. All of them were fighting their own battles as Noah had already finished his! His eyes then turned to the scrambling remaining forces of Celestials that were near their Prime Warsh.i.p.s, some of them already rushing towards them as fear had overcome them and they wanted to run. His lips curled up in a smile as he did not want to let any loot escape his grasp, the cruel thought he had causing his body to teleport right away towards the Prime Warsh.i.p.s that could destroy Worlds while sending commands to the Primal Spirits and Witch Slaves to go to different directions! The fearfully scrambling figures of Celestials rushing to their Warsh.i.p.s felt the descent of the overpowering aura as space instantly became destabilized, chaos beginning to rain down as a grand symphony of chaos continued! The forces from the numerous Prime World watched on helplessly as even the beings that had taken them from their homes to fight were trying to flee, yet what could they do? Defectors had already started to appear as they laid down their weapons when faced by the tens of thousands of forces from the Dark Expanse, with others being unlucky as those that were against the Infernal Legion or the terrible dragon Draco were cut down no matter if they were holding weapons or not! This was a war, and war...War never changes! It was a scene of carnage that one could call cruel, but it caused the battlefield to become even more bloody as in one region, another Grandmaster was about to fall. The World Rank Expert surrounded by an arrogant Emperor Penguin and other armored figures had expended nearly all of his energy, his expression that of hopelessness as the battle was nearing its end the moment a World Rank Witch Slave began to head his way! He began burning his Soul unwillingly for more strength, but this was the time when tens of Blades of Liberation from the Fate Item Sets that Kazuhiko and the others wore rushed down, as well as blinding suns from the Emperor Penguin, and numerous other final attacks raining down as the Harbingers wanted to finish the battle before the aid of their Master could even arrive. BOOM! The life of another World Rank Celestial Grandmaster was ended as the loot from him was distributed in rapid forms of light that shot into the bodies of those that had been attacking him, the ones dealing the most damage receiving Skill Books of the World Rank as well as Cores of the same level! RAAA! A victorious cry emerged from a particular Emperor Penguin as it spread across the void of space and acted like the sound of the horn of the end for the Celestial Legion! Chapter 492 - A Grand Symphony of Chaos II The Founder was still calmly enjoying exquisite meats that came from the bodies of Supreme Behemoths while he sat alone in the expansive golden hall atop a regal chair. As he saw the chaotic scenes of the battle where three World Rank Celestial Grandmasters had just lost their lives, all he did was pause briefly before bringing another piece of a glistening thigh towards his mouth, his mouth slowly moving in a soliloquy thereafter! "I see. So that''s what that feeling was all about." His gaze was as apathetic as ever as he nodded, his eyes shining gold as they focused on the figure of the Infernal Lord that was now going around destroying the Prime Warsh.i.p.s and any of those that wanted to board them, the eyes of the Founder also focusing on the figures of World Rank beings summoned by the Infernal Lord as the golden light only became brighter. "The coming of this so-called 9th Infernal Lord was touted as such a big thing by Fate, that his appearance meant the beginning of the Last War and blah blah blah. But isn''t this just subpar?" Shocking words of extreme disdain released from him easily as his eyes observed the movements of the Infernal Lord and uncovered numerous secrets! "Proficient in multiple laws, sure. Transformation abilities to boost his power output, and he''s even dabbling in the law of fate as well. All made possible by your intrusion I''m sure, but the final attack he used to take out those three weaklings is just a failure, don''t you think?" It felt like he was talking to himself, yet he also wasn''t at the same time as his eyes shone with splendor, analyzing things in a manner that very few would be able to in their entire lifetimes! "A final skill that summons 5 beings at the same rank as himself. Seems scary enough, but if you peel through all the bravado and falsehoods...you can see that these beings are simply husks with no souls nor any accomplishments in the universal laws. If this creature you''ve made ever comes near me with such failure of abilities, he''ll die right away you know? Although the abilities stemming from the law of Chaos seem proficient enough, but this really is a waste of my forces to test what exactly you would throw at me as I begin this Last War." Words that would cause the sent Celestials to despair released from him, his thoughts revealing this initial Legion sent forth into the Dark Expanse being only a test to observe exactly what was in store for the coming war! "I must say, it was thoroughly disappointing. At this point, I think your best bet would have been to strengthen the old Infernal Lords and bring a few more of them up to the Nebula Realm. Maybe then they could match me in a worthy final battle before I break out of this cage. But this little present you''ve prepared? Hah!" Contempt was vibrant on his face as mysteries unknown to many unfolded from him, a slight smile appearing on his apathetic face as he enjoyed his sumptuous meal while watching a battle where thousands of beings from the Light Expanse and hundreds of his Celestials were dying every second! Yet as all of this continued, indistinct Fate Line after Fate Lines were descending from the skies and coming to tightly wrap around him, his gaze not leaving the feed showing what was occurring at the Verittas Fortress as the decimation of his forces continued! "Your earlier moves were very cunning. Using love to turn one of my brothers against me and making the other lose all hope as he senselessly wanders along the Letalis Expanse. But this 9th Infernal Lord that Fate is being all bubbly about...ah let''s just watch and see, maybe there is still something I haven''t seen hmm?" The apathetic founder continued on with his monologues in the Celestial Realm as in a completely different location, in one of the most hellish Infernal Realms where the powerful Infernal Lords resided, a singular figure clad in a white robe was floating peacefully in the blazing red skies, their gaze happily watching a similar scene as the Founder as they observed with great interest! The figure was dressed in a white robe that was an extremely stark contrast with the hellish and chaotic atmosphere of the Infernal Realm, but it seemed to be very fitting as it matched the flowing white hair and blue eyes of this being, the happy smile being one that would cause the hearts of many to flutter. "Not too shabby, but still a long way to go." A clear and sonorous voice rang out from her as she changed her position, waving her hands towards the illusory screen showing the ongoing battle as it faded. To her, this battle was already considered finished, all that was left thereafter being the unfortunate scene of Chaos that came from these wars, blood continuing to flow freely in the vast expanse of space. For the truly powerful figures of the Novus Galaxy that bothered to watch the scenes at the Verittas Fortress, the first battle of the long coming war was effectively over, and they had discerned a few important things from it. One was the appearance of the 9th Infernal Lord foretold by Fate, the other was naturally the directions of the winds of victory of this war actually going to the side nobody expected- the Dark Expanse! In the first battle initiated by the Celestials, it actually looked like they would be taking a huge loss! The Grand Mage Edrusim was watching the ongoing scenes of the battle with a shocked smile as he laughed jovially, the Mage''s Tower he was in turning particularly rowdy as they observed the happenings of the Verittas Fortress. In another location, the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok should have also been happy, but he held a troubled expression as he saw the power of this Infernal Lord that was somehow connected to the Vampyre Ancestors. He had to find out exactly what was going on around this issue, steeling his heart as his power at the Star Forging Realm exploded, setting out to confront this Infernal Lord right away for answers! Some were joyful, some gaining a new sense of fear, but the results remained the same. Back in the battlefield, the symphony of Chaos continued as Noah spread his senses out wide, sweeping it across the void of space as he confirmed not a single Celestial remained. Complete massacre! OOOH! He sent a command to the Infernal Legion to stand down and stop needlessly taking the lives of the surrendering beings of the Prime Worlds that accompanied the Celestial Legion, his body that was thrumming with power settling down as he looked around to the only places where battles were still ongoing. Only the single Celestial Grandmaster matched against the Dark Wizard Shanora still stood, all the other World Rank Grandmasters facing their death! It was actually Grandmaster Ramiel who controlled the 7th Celestial Star, his character being so meaningless that he was only being mentioned now, his defeat not even needing to be expressed with more words! The only other World Rank Expert that stemmed from the Prime Worlds, Master Brightstar, had surrendered with his gaze that of confusion and despair as Commanding Mage Turner had his essence tightly binding him. The World Rank Summons that Noah commanded had helped rapidly bring the battlefield into order, their entrance accelerating and stopping most of the battles as only a single World Rank Grandmaster remained, the gaze of Ramiel being that of despair as he felt the auras of numerous World Rank beings coming towards him! Noah''s eyes focused on this remaining World Rank Grandmaster as his figure teleported right away, intent on fully finishing this grand battle as he counted the enormous gains! Chapter 493 - Weak! The last World Rank Grandmaster from the Celestial Legion fell as the 9th Infernal Lord himself appeared hungrily in its hopeless battle with the reinforced Dark Wizard Shanora, the enormous palms of the Infernal Lord coming forth as they grasped onto the fearful body of the being that had all of his energy spent with his eyes shining the light of [Domination]. The World Rank Celestial that was already heavily exhausted stopped struggling in his palms as he pressed down, the uncomfortable sound of flesh and bones creaking ringing out as it resoundingly closed the chapter on the strongest opposing beings of this battle! OOOOH! "Ready to Serve!" OOOOH! "Ready to Destroy!" OOOOH! A cacophony of noises from the Infernal Legion was the only thing ringing out as others simply stared around in confusion, happiness, fearfulness, and terror! Noah''s mountainous body rose high as the vibrant yells of the Infernals were all that reverberated, his gaze arrogantly overlooking the battlefield and the portions where thousands of golden robed Celestials were lifelessly floating. He then looked towards the few Prime Warsh.i.p.s that he had not destroyed as his figure rose towards them, his grandeur causing even the chanting Infernals to come to stop as his gaze stared towards the Warsh.i.p.s...as if he could see the beings that were peering in! Commanding Mage Turner looked towards this Infernal Lord with a shocked expression as he and many others knew what was about to happen as this powerful being looked out into the void of space. Did he...really plan to address the powerful experts watching this battle? Was he going to give a speech to boast of his victory while slapping the face of the higher ups among the Celestials?! They watched with bated breaths as they waited to hear the words that this Infernal Lord would use to address the watching Celestials. The armored figure''s eyes shone a luminous red splendor as he opened his mouth and spoke in an extremely domineering and reckless manner. "Weak." RUMBLE! ¡­! Only a single word! Weak! A single word that was filled with arrogance and disdain, but it carried with it immense meaning as it shook the minds of all those that heard it, the Infernal Lord teleporting thereafter as he did not even bother to speak a single more word! "..." OOOOOH! The feeling of victory only came after this shocking statement as many beings looked at each other. "We won¡­" "We won!" "Victorious!" Only after a while did the feelings of victory permeate throughout the forces of the Verittas Fortress, their gazes unbelievingly staring at each other as they hugged those near. This was because for many of them, they had inscribed the terror of Celestials into their hearts, and knew that in this battle, they were very likely to die very cruel deaths! Yet it was not them who had this fate today, but the Celestials themselves. The yells of Victors spread throughout the battlefield as those who surrendered stayed as quiet as possible, awaiting to see exactly what their fate would be. The World Rank Experts fighting for the Verittas Fortress looked towards the mountainous Infernal Lord that was now waving his hands, the summoned World Rank beings leaving their sight as they then observed with shining eyes as he teleported around the void of space where tens of thousands of bodies of defeated Celestials and beings from the numerous Prime Worlds laid. They saw the Infernal Lord appear beside these bodies as a red light erupted from him and washed over the bodies in droves, their eyes not fully understanding what they were seeing, but they prepared to take a look at their forces as well as the surrendering beings that numbered in the tens of thousands from numerous Prime Worlds of Light Expanse. The red light they saw shining as Noah moved across the void of space littered with body was actually just him reading the memories of the dead beings, his mind already planning ahead multiple steps as the memories of thousands were something extremely valuable that he was planning on using in the near future! His body continued to feel the descent of numerous Fate Lines and Chaos Particles, but his Fate Lines were so far ahead and still constantly changing that he felt his progression in the Law of Chaos would be left in the dust if he didn''t find a way to rapidly move the progression along like in the Law of Fate.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51103476272386348 for visiting. He glanced at his Stat Panel briefly as he teleported across the battlefield and read the memories of tens of thousands of dead beings, numerous unknown thoughts moving through him! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor(Awakening)] [Fate Line(s) : 3,109,498] [Chaos Particle(s) : 794,362] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-3, Water-3] [Domain(s) : Fate,Chaos, Space, Fire, Water] [Vitality: WORLD] [Focus: - ] [Strength: WORLD] [Law(s) : Fate-31%,Chaos-7.9%,Space-8%, Fire-37%, Water-37%] His Fate Lines had ridiculously risen by more than 2 million in just this single battle, his heart seeing this as the biggest boon as it actually made him look forward to even more battles like this! The number of Chaos Particles had stably rocketed to close to 800,000, their number also rising rapidly from the chaos and destruction that was carried out in this battle. RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin was arrogantly rising in the void of space victoriously as he was followed by the other Harbingers and a mountainous Draco, their eyes set on their Master as he moved across the void of space collecting the memories of thousands. They weren''t the only ones watching closely, the World Rank Royal Vampyre Rokku along with his forces...were also looking towards him with a difficult expression! This was because they saw too many things that pointed to secrets of Ancient Vampyres from this Infernal Lord, but they couldn''t bring themselves to go forward and ask as the oppressive air this Infernal Lord released was heavy. They also had a sense of intuition that told them...something big would change the moment they wanted this mystery to be addressed! But the current forces of Vampyres at the Verittas Fortress did not have to fear, because the Vampyre Ruler himself, the being that oversaw the many Vampyre Clans in the Dark Expanse...was rushing over here at this instant to solve this mystery himself! Chapter 494 - At least it will be fun! In the unknown location in the Celestial Realm, the Founder wiped his mouth with a sigh of contentment reminiscent of someone that had a really good meal, his eyes watching the fading figure of the Infernal Lord as the battle at the Verittas Fortress wrapped up. To him, this event actually did not seem to hold much significance, the biggest emotion he released out of all it actually stemming from the l.u.s.trous meats of the Supreme Behemoths he was enjoying while watching the battle! "Weak, huh?" He held a smiling expression that looked extremely eerie with his eyes that never released an ounce of emotion themselves, numerous thoughts crossing his mind as he thought about his life. Weakness...was actually not a familiar feeling for him, his heart not having felt it for quite some time! Even now he only curiously thought about it, as it was not even in his mind that he would ever feel such an emotion again. This was because he knew too many things! He had achieved too much! Lastly...he had a very clear goal that was very much within his reach! Thus, fear was not something that he ever thought about, this recent loss at the Verittas Fortress only further giving him more information that would go towards building the future he wanted to create. "With such a character of an Infernal Lord joining in, at least it will be fun." He left behind such words as his figure turned into particles of light, moving from this location to another as he went to lead his people that were currently reeling from the shock of a loss right now! The Celestials across the numerous Celestial Stars were receiving the news or had watched it with their own eyes in anger and horror, watching the complete obliteration of their forces as not a single one of them managed to return. The Celestials in the 7th Celestial Star were left without a leader momentarily, Grandmaster Ramiel''s life being taken as easily as all the other Grandmasters. This student that had left a golden prison deep beneath this Celestial Star...would never get to return as he faced eternal darkness! In the hidden underground prison on this 7th Celestial Star, the pierced figure who had revealed himself as the Karmic Sect Leader to Noah, also the being that was known as one of the Founders of the Celestials- was actually sighing with a sad smile as he sensed the passing of his disciple. "Which one of us ever knows what fate has in store?" He posed a question to nobody as on this particular day, his face was brighter than normal. This was because what little calculations he could do right now told him that with the beginning of the Last War...fate was moving rapidly once more as the shackles that bound him would soon be no more. The person responsible for releasing him had taken his time, but one could never rush the workings of fate, as things would always occur when they were meant to. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51137040888152728 for visiting. He was reminiscing in his golden prison when at the next moment, he heard bustling movements beginning to spread out all around the 7th Celestial Star, the beings dwelling within moving with vigor as his ears perked up. What the chained being found was the forces of this Celestial Star being riled up, having received commands that came directly from the Founder for them to prepare! His eyes shone with a bright light as he continued to observe the happenings of this Celestial Star, trying to foresee the future as this incidence was not just occurring on the 7th Celestial Star! All across the Light Expanse and in the Celestial Realm, the millions of Celestials had received a single command from the Founder in response to the colossal first loss at the Verittas Fortress. That command was for all of them to prepare and be ready! For the sake of bringing Order and Balance in the Universe, the loss of a single Celestial Legion could be overlooked. What they needed to do now was prepare to not just send out a single Legion, but form hundreds of Celestial Legions that would be placed under the command of worthy Generals. In the mind of the Founder, the inconsequential loss at the Verittas Fortress was nothing, and the full war would begin soon as movements were underway to move billions of forces from the Light Expanse, place them into hundreds of Legions under the command of Celestials, and then use this terrifying force to head towards the Dark Expanse. What was happening now was them entering into a period of an actual full scale war, a war of attrition that would span for who knew how long! RUMBLE! Waves of fate and chaos continued to flow through the river of time, the tides of war being fanned as those in the Dark Expanse knew what was coming. The Grand Mage Edrusim and the Infernal Lords knew full well the strength of the Celestials, their forces being prepared in earnest as they did not let this single victory lul them into a feeling of power. It was not a single victory that would decide the course of this war, but a balance on wins and losses over the span of months or years- how ever long it took before a deciding event took place to end this Last War. Two of the forces who could be considered the leading figures of the Dark Expanse were now actively moving, primely being The Grand Mage Edrusim and the Infernal Lords. There was another figure that stood at the peak of the Star Forging Realm similar to Edrusim who at this point in time was not actually rallying the numerous Vampyre Clans spread out in the Dark Expanse, but he was actually nearing the Verittas Fortress to confront the 9th Infernal Lord for the mystery of why he had the abilities of Ancient Vampyres, and find out exactly what the connection was! Chapter 495 - A Star Forging Expert Arrives Noah''s mountainous form had reduced as he floated in the void of space, his eyes overlooking the tens of thousands of bodies floating in a mess of bloody gore. The Harbingers were cl.u.s.tered around him as they sensed their Master''s introspective look, Barbatos and Kazuhiko being the ones that could still bypass the aura that Noah released to be the ones actually conversing with him at this time. "We''ve come a long way, little fish." The fiery Barbatos had gradually become more and more docile over time, her gaze currently shaking incredulously as she observed their surroundings with sparkling eyes. When she chose to betray her own kind and follow Noah, she had done it for her own selfish reasons of wanting to be free to do whatever she wanted, and she had thoroughly enjoyed her time since then to the point where she still could not believe it. Traveling wondrous worlds and being a part of a unique one that was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Enjoying the ridiculously talented being''s company and food, as well as achieve a realm of power that was out of her wildest imagination. All of it was made possible by her decision to follow this single man, and now she floated in the void of space of the Dark Expanse, having just stood against a powerful being at an entire stage above her as she and those working with her achieved victory. It was unbelievable, surreal, and most of all exciting! Her wild heart was feeling calmer and calmer as she experienced so many things the past few months, her gaze towards the bloody void of space actually holding a tinge of happiness. Behind her, the hidden face of Elena that was filled with wild fanaticism glanced at Noah, numerous thoughts crossing through her mind that only she knew! At this point in time, another voice resounded out to the right of Noah. "I just want something at least similar to the abilities you have. Come on, what skill tree did you unlock that gives you chaining chaos lasers? Or the abilities in the Blood Lord skill tree, I should at least be able to get those? Right?" Kazuhiko was looking at Noah in an imploring tone as he had observed the spectacular abilities he released to decimate the Celestials, wanting the same for himself as he also wanted to dominate the battlefield in such a way! "Haha, I''ll tell you the route I followed for Blood Lord, you should be able to reach it if you can raise your proficiency fast enough." Noah laughed as he replied and stopped staring at the bloody expanse of space, looking at Kazuhiko and Barbatos as these were the few figures who could still converse with him with ease, reminding him that he still had those he could comfortably talk to and even joke around with! He glanced at the rest of the Harbingers that were no doubt reveling in the victory as they counted their spoils of the battle, sending his thoughts across as he saw the forces of the Verittas Fortress look towards them. "You guys head back to the Spiritual World first, I''ll deal with everything else here." The Harbingers ascertained his words as the numerous figures around him began to disappear one by one, where he was soon only left with the silent but sharpened Infernal Legion that floated powerfully in the expanse of space. He sent a command for them to remain stationary as he went towards the figures of Commanding Mage Turner, the Dark Wizard Shanora, and the Royal Vampyre Rokku who was looking at him while constantly fidgeting. These three World Rank experts had been cleaning up the battlefield while ascertaining the losses and taking care of the tens of thousands from the forces of the Prime Worlds that had surrendered, the fate of these beings that were not necessarily blameless in the war but could still be considered victims being treated in a very humane manner! Some of them fully believed in the propaganda of the Celestials and came to the Dark Expanse with that purpose, others were skeptical and only came along because the Celestials oversaw the Light Expanse and could not really be told no when they gave a directive. There would have to be clear distinctions in the future in how forces such as this would be handled, as those in the Dark Expanse could not just open themselves up to attacks or not defend themselves against those that didn''t have the title of Celestials but still participated in the war nonetheless. Noah had his own thoughts for the future as he glanced at the spread forces of crestfallen beings, the memories he had collected for those that died from the many Prime Worlds set aside to be used for something grand in the near future! "I have to give you our heartfelt gratitude for helping us keep control of the Verittas Fortress and not allow the Celestials further into the Dark Expanse, O Infernal Lord." Commanding Mage Turner had began speaking to him in a much more respectful tone than before as he neared, the other World Rank experts actually turning mute as they could not even bring themselves to address him! Noah nodded towards them as his mission here was finished, where he would soon go back to report to the Infernal Realm. His gaze landed on the Royal Vampyre as he had an entirely separate train of thought about this being and the tens of thousands of Vampyres that still stood behind him, all of them having quizzical expressions as they looked towards him but neither of them bringing themselves to say anything. Noah knew his display of abilities of the heavily advanced Blood Lord skill tree would catch the attention of the huge faction of Vampyres in the Dark Expanse, and he had done this intentionally as he waited to see if they would be provoked enough to move, his bloodline allowing him immense leeway when it came to Vampyres! His red eyes turned to the Royal Vampyre Rokku as he decided he might as well begin with the Vampyres here, but at this moment, the aura of a powerful being began to descend onto the Verittas Fortress. ¡­! The gazes of the World Rank experts moved as they looked up in shock, noticing a red streak of light barreling forth towards them as their bodies unconsciously moved their essence in case it was a new enemy, but they calmed down as they sensed the descending aura that felt more and more familiar. RUMBLE! It brought with it space rumbling majesty as the figure of aged but devilishly handsome Vampyre appeared in the void of space above the Verittas Fortress. Bright silver hair running down to his shoulders and shockingly red eyes that showed experience and age glanced around. His eyes were squinting as he locked them towards the tens of thousands of Vampyres, and then towards the being they were all wondering about! OOOM! His power wildly flew out as it announced grandly- the Star Forging Realm being, the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok, had arrived! Noah''s eyes glanced at this being calmly as a rumbling voice rolled out from the aged face. "I''ll have to take some of your time to ascertain a few things, O 9th Infernal Lord." ¡­! Chapter 496 - Kneel! The Grand Mage Edrusim had already stopped watching the feed of the Verittas Fortress as he continued to be increasingly busy, numerous communications reaching him as he sent back even more commands to start getting the forces of the Dark Expanse ready. He was in the middle of glancing at an enormous Star Chart which outlined the numerous stars littering the Dark Expanse, observing how he could possibly move the forces and their distribution in order to withstand the coming legions of Celestials. He was one of the key figures who had to work and communicate with the Infernal Lords, know the movements of the clans of Vampyres, as well as manage the Mages and Wizards that were spread out across the Dark Expanse. He was extremely busy after watching this first battle, and it was why his mood turned extremely sour when he received the news that in the Verittas Fortress where the battle had just wrapped up, the leading figure of Vampyres, Vladivostok, had appeared to confront the 9th Infernal Lord! "You fool, you better not sow discord right at the cusp of a war!" He uttered out as he also recalled the abilities he had observed from the Infernal Lord that seemed extremely similar to those from the Vampyre Clans, but he did not think they would be something major that would cause this being at the Star Forging Realm to move. "Bah, watch things here, I''ll be right back." He sent a command to the Commanding Mages around him as his figure shimmered with the color of stars, disappearing from the Mage Tower as he also now went towards the Verittas Fortress, hoping that one of the leading figures of the Dark Expanse would not sour the relationsh.i.p.s between the Infernal Lords! --- The three World Rank experts from the Verittas Fortress looked towards the appearing Vampyre Ruler, Vladivostok, as their eyes opened wide in shock! The peak Star Forging Realm being at the cusp of entering the ultimate realm in the Novus Galaxy had actually made himself appear in front of them, with his attention directed towards the brightly shining Infernal Lord. They recalled the numerous skills that this fearsome being had displayed on the battlefield as they made some connections, watching to see exactly what hidden mysteries were about to unfold. But they would not get a chance to, as they tensed while observing the Infernal Lord not send a single word of reply, his expression calm as if nothing had happened while he glanced at Vladivostok! A trace of anger seemed to appear on the Star Forging being''s face, but he tried not to show it as he had to first get to the bottom of why this Infernal Lord had the abilities of Ancient Vampyres. Vladivostok glanced at Rokku who was standing by the side awkwardly, his face shaking at this behavior as he glanced at the other World Rank beings by the side watching on in anticipation. He waved his hands and cast forth a [Blood World] to make sure whatever mystery he was about to uncover remains hidden, the expanding bloody domain going on to cover him and the figure of the Infernal Lord who still had not made a single move or uttered any words! OOOM! Those in the surroundings watched as a Blood World fully encased the newly arriving ruler of Vampyres as well as the Infernal Lord, whatever anticipation for them finding out the mysteries shattered as their senses could not even penetrate to see what was happening within. Inside the blood world, Vladivostok spoke once again, this time with a more firm tone as he recalled the levels of power between him and this Infernal Lord. "I do not intend to cause any conflicts with the Infernals, and am only curious about the abilities that only our Ancestors knew that you have freely displayed. This is especially so because of your...unique Origin that I had to come." His words were not looking down in any way as he knew the status of an Infernal Lord and what it signified, but he was still talking in manner of a senior talking to a junior because of their levels of power! Noah glanced at this being at the Star Forging Realm as he actually adopted a light smile. This was because when he stared at this powerful being a rank above him...he actually felt not even an ounce of threat. This was because his bloodline, his very origin- told him that this being was considered nothing more than another Vampyre in the eyes of the one holding the bloodline of the Progenitor! One must recall that this was the Ruler overseeing the faction of Vampyres in the entirity of the Dark Expanse! This was a Star Forging Realm expert, someone that was a step away from the highest realm that anybody had achieved in the Novus Galaxy... Noah glanced at the Vampyre that was the central figure of the numerous Vampyre Clans in the Dark Expanse as he spoke out calmly. "You come in front of me and do not even acknowledge me, nor do you show the respect of a junior to their Senior. Are you looking to be stripped of all your power and strength?"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51160395863357517 for visiting. "...!" Vladivostok had a startled expression as he heard ones he never expected, turning his head to the side as he wanted to confirm he heard correctly- his face gaining a trace of anger thereafter as he now spoke out while freely releasing his vibrant power. "I have been nothing but polit-" "Do not speak." RUMBLE! In the middle of his sentence, Vladivostok was cut off as he heard the words of the 9th Infernal Lord once more, but this time around, they actually held a tinge of authority...authority that actually caused his mouth to unconsciously close! ¡­! His heart shook as at this moment as he wanted to speak, but he found he was unable to! At this instant, his mind moved at extremely high speeds as he was being guided towards a shocking and terrifying conclusion as his eyes dilated more and more while he looked at the figure of the 9th Infernal Lord. To him, an aura had begun leaking out of the being in front of him, an aura that made his very origin shake as a thought arrived in his mind that told him the truth, but he still could not believe it as his mind felt like it was exploding! Noah moved closer and closer to the Vampyre Ruler as he floated until he was just a few inches from his face, glancing towards him with cold eyes as he understood the bloodline system of the Vampyres was really absolute. This being with a rank higher than him, could actually not do a single thing to harm him! He glanced at the shaking eyes as he spoke out with a tone befitting the ruling figure of a certain race, causing the shock of Vladivostok to only increase thereafter. "Kneel." RUMBLE! A simple word, a single command. THUD! Even though they were in the starry and dark void of space, the sound akin to someone''s knees hitting the floor resounded as Vladivostok''s body involuntarily kneeled, his thoughts finally being affirmed as the eyes of this Star Forging Being looked up towards the red glistening eyes of someone extremely special to the race of Vampyres! "Kneel, and properly welcome your Progenitor." ¡­! Chapter 497 - A Master and Servant Vladivostok finally felt his mouth having the ability to move again as he glanced up towards Noah with a shaking face holding an unbelievable expression within the wide Blood World the two of them were in. His silver hair danced wildly atop his aged head, his facial muscles nearly spasming at the shock. "H-how...Ah!" He uttered beneath his breath only for a second before his seasoned mind adapted and he looked back down, speaking out with a shaking voice that held a tinge of respect and fear! "Thi- this lowly servant greets the Progenitor, and hopes you will grant me mercy of for my actions!" The Star Forging Vampyre Ruler hurriedly blurted out words nobody would ever expect to hear him say to someone an entire realm above him, but as the Vampyre felt his bloodline begin to boil just because he was near this being, his disbelieving thoughts finally settled as he admitted to himself that somehow, unbelievably- this Infernal Lord in front of him actually held the Bloodline of the Progenitor, a being with the purest bloodline of his race! He did not understand why or how, but he knew it to be so! He remained on the ground as his body shook, the shock and fear he felt gradually wiping away as it soon began to turn into a sense of...excitement. "Rise. I''ll take the time to discuss many things with you later, but if you have made your way here, so will others soon." Noah glanced at this being that was going through one emotion to another as he spoke, Vladivostok rising as his disbelieving expression was completely wiped away, now looking at Noah with an expression of reverence as his mind finally felt like it was moving freely again and he understood the importance of the Progenitor standing in front of him. This was the Progenitor himself! His appearance here meant a great deal of things for Vampyres, as he was the singular leader of their race! Vladivostok forgot all about his bearing of a Star Forging expert, of a being that had been overseeing the many Vampyre Clans in the Dark Expanse as he knew in front of the being with the purest bloodline, realms of power made no difference! His heart did not feel any sense of weirdness or unwillingness the moment he affirmed the being in front of him really was the Progenitor, his tone even trying to be more servile as he spoke towards him. "I had no idea of your coming, O Progenitor, but it can only mean for a grand future for all of us. My rash coming here will most likely cause someone like Edrusim to come by. What are your commands?" A voice akin to that of a servant asking their master rang out, Noah glancing at this being as he felt the vibrant power of the Blood Progenitor grant him utter control of a being an entire realm above him. He had many plans in mind on how he should move forward before the full scale war broke out, and he had a great deal of things to get done before then, but now he also had the Vampyres of the Dark Expanse on his plate! He thought of the skill trees to advance, the planets to connect to, and the numerous fantastic things like the upgrade of a world or worlds into a realm, his mind moving as he chose a certain point in time to fit the Vampyres as well! "Gather the Vampyre Clans of the Dark Expanse, their leading figures, and their most powerful forces in a week and then send me the coordinates. At that time, I will descend to properly take a look at the powerful beings of my race that have only become a mere faction of the Dark Expanse." The more he spoke, the more respectful and servile the Star Forging being in front of him became, his next words causing a reaction that confirmed Noah''s choice to add the Vampyres of the Dark Expanse on his to do list even with all the things he had to do. "Yes, Master!" RUMBLE! From Noah''s body, glimmering gold and dark essence were released as they went to wash over the now excited Vladivostok, who had heard a command to gather the Vampyres together to acknowledge their Progenitor! This would be a momentous event of their race, something that had not happened in more than a thousand years! His excitement only rose higher as just from being near the Progenitor, he could feel his body gaining more and more strength, this being not realizing that he was now considered a subordinate of Noah and fit the specifications of the Guider Type abilities that Noah always had active. His body felt the unique energy of chaos as he understood that, but he was even more shocked to sense the freely flowing aura of fate as he gave the Progenitor an even more incredulous look, but did not raise a single question as he stood up, sensing the aura of a being he knew to well come from a distance. Seeing the demeanor of the Progenitor, Vladivostok understood his wishes to remain in secrecy for now as he spoke out. "I will clear my mistake here first with no issues, O Progenitor, and let you know as soon as I complete your command!" His voice was strong as he spoke out like someone that would do whatever it took to accomplish the goal given. There was not an ounce of pride or arrogance for his mighty status of a Star Forging Expert, nor any status of a Ruler that had been overseeing billions of beings over the past hundred years. In front of the Bloodline power that was the purest, all of these distinctions were wiped away! Noah nodded towards this powerful being as the Blood World around them began to fade. Seeing the aura of fate and chaos descend into the body of Vladivostok, Noah confirmed that the future event with the Vampyres would have their own abundant rewards, where he only imagined the millions of powerful Vampyres who could actually fight in the war fitting the conditions to be his subordinates and gaining the boosts of the Guider Type abilities! This would be something that would heavily influence the Dark Expanse, as well as the direction of the War that involved the lives of trillions. To him, all this translated to was...more Fate Lines and Chaos Particles, and especially abundant ones at that as it would steer the direction of numerous powerful beings, unlike the weak ones on the numerous planets he was currently connected to! RUMBLE! The Blood World fully disappeared as those outside of it looked in, seeing Noah floating in the void of space calmly as Vladivostok was near him, his face seemingly trying to be serious, but one could distinctly see the trace of happiness and excitement in his red eyes. Vladivostok glanced at the surrounding figures as he saw the materialization of the Grand Mage Edrusim in the distance with a dark face, his figure going towards this leading figure of the Dark Expanse as he telepathically bid farewell to the Progenitor. Noah glanced at the Grand Mage he had yet to interact with, Vladivostok''s figure shooting towards this Mage instantly as he began speaking out and the face of the Grand Mage gradually calmed down. Commanding Mage Turner, the Dark Wizard Shanora, and the incredulous Royal Vampyre Rokku were still on the side with agape expression as even now they did not understand what had just happened. Noah glanced at Rokku and the tens of thousands of Vampyres behind him, his eyes shining as he looked forward to seeing a scene of millions of Vampyres as he sent a telepathic message to Commanding Mage Turner bidding his farewell for now, and sending another command for the Infernal Legion to head back to the Infernal Gate that led to the second Realm of Hell! OOOOH! "Ready to serve!"... The chants of the Infernals resounded yet again as they made their way across the void of space, Noah leaving the cleaning up of the battlefield and the handling of the numerous beings from the Light Expanse to the Verittas Fortress, his mind already planning his moves the moment he returned to the Infernal Realm. "Ah¡­" He heard the voice of the Dark Wizard Shanora that had mentioned she wanted to discuss something with him after the battle, but he paid it no heed as he already had too many things on his plate, his discernment with Fate Traverse telling him it would simply be something else that required him to put a significant amount of time into, and it was time that he actually did not have. He left Vladivostok to deal with the entrance of a Grand Mage as he took his forces away, bidding farewell to the location of the first battle that had granted him more than 2 million Fate Lines, his heart looking forward into the future as he moved forward! Those left behind at the Verittas Fortress were only left with incredulousness and confusion as they asked themselves- just who exactly was this 9th Infernal Lord? Chapter 498 - What Noble Fate?! In the Golden Bastion of the Celestial Realm where the 4 Geniuses were placed in to finish their training, a dark skinned girl was repeatedly watching the scenes of the recent battle at Verittas Fortress over and over again. Her eyes were cold and filled with fighting intent as she watched a certain Infernal Lord move across the battlefield in a dominant manner, not a single creature being able to stand in his path as he obliterated anyone he came across. She watched as this Infernal Lord caused the body of the Celestial Grandmaster that had presided over the tournament not too long ago, someone they looked up to with reverence because of their strength- she watched this being''s body exploded like a balloon with just a gesture of the Infernal Lord! Athena glanced at this scene and the numerous other scenes as essence began converging around her body, a multitude of thoughts flowing through her mind as her Origin was unknowingly bubbling with power. When she looked at these scenes, she did not feel any fear or horror that others would feel, nor did she feel sad or have a sense of loss at the perishing of an entire Celestial Legion. She very strongly believed in fate, and knew that it was simply the fate of those that perished to do so, their sacrifices only acting as stairs to elevate their battle to bring order and balance in an even greater fashion! What she felt the most was actually the emotion of unwillingness and competitiveness as she looked at the figure of the Infernal Lord, ingraining it in her mind as she asked herself many questions. She was someone that was a genius in Fate, and even held the title of a being with Noble Fate. Yet, why was it so that her power did not even match someone like her junior brother who had ascended to the World Realm? With her title, how could she be so useless that when she looked at her power and compared herself to the newly rising 9th Infernal Lord- she knew she would not even stand a chance and would be killed even faster than the dead Grandmasters! She felt unwillingness as she looked at her very Origin and asked- why would someone with her title not have power at this level?!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51184494371203027 for visiting. RUMBLE! Essence continued to madly converge around her as the unwillingness she felt to her core was further boosted by her battle intent as she looked at the spectacular scenes of battle, her origin madly absorbing essence as the War Princess was unconsciously raising her realm by the sheer strength of her will! She had been enjoying numerous treasures for achieving her rank in the Tournament, even though it was nothing near the effectiveness of the [Luminescent Rainbow Dews] that Crixus and the Three-Eyed Fate Child received, she and Grandmaster Light were given numerous Elite Behemoth Materials at the World rank and even Cores of that same rank for each of them in an effort to further accelerate their realms. Her body that was already drenched in absorbing those treasures was now madly absorbing even more essence as time passed, her rank nearing the peak of the Domain Expansion Realm as she wanted to break through to the World Realm by sheer willpower alone! This was something only a genius holding the title of someone with a Noble Fate could do, something that only the War Princess with her strong l.u.s.t for battle and unique title could achieve. As essence raged around her, she screamed in her heart for more strength, her rank continuing to shoot up as she inscribed the face of the 9th Infernal Lord to her heart. This was the type of strength she aspired to have, so she would simply go forward to achieving it. When she did, she wanted to stand against this Infernal Lord to really test what Fate had in store for her. She would either perish or rise above as she really lived up to the title of having a Noble Fate. Otherwise, if she remained this weak- what use was there for her having such a title?! RUMBLE! --- As one genius tried making a breakthrough and enter a higher realm, an even more monstrous genius had returned to the Infernal Realm as Azula looked towards him with an exasperated expression. This was because when Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone first entered the Infernal Realm to accept the Letter of Summons, he had shown his rank to be at the Domain Realm! Yet when he went to battle, he revealed power at the World Rank, the same realm where the 8th and 7th Infernal Lord stood at, and now this 9th Infernal Lord returned triumphantly after wiping the floor with an entire Celestial Legion. Azula shook her head unbelievably as she could not even bring herself to stay near this monstrous genius, returning to her castle as she wanted to increase her power even by little before the numerous Celestial Legions began making their way across the Novus Galaxy. Noah stationed the Infernal Legion that was under his command as their eyes remained on his leaving figure, these Infernals actually feeling a strong bond with the swirling chaos that always followed this Infernal Lord! Having completed his task as the 9th Infernal Lord, he moved to reap the full benefits of the battle as his body changed out of the shape of a crowned Infernal Lord and returned to his normal one, teleporting to a certain region in the Light Expanse. He appeared somewhere in the starry expanse of space as his gaze landed upon a particular Prime World, this world holding no special identity besides the fact that it was one of the many worlds in the memories that he absorbed from the defeated figures of beings from the numerous Prime Worlds that made up the forces of the Celestial Legion. One of the bigger rewards he reaped out of the recent battle were these memories of thousands of beings...memories that he planned to use to connect numerous powerful worlds of the Light Expanse to himself as they forever disappeared from the eyes of everyone! He would also use this time to obtain the required World Core for the upgrade of the Spiritual World as the first requirement of Domain Rank beasts had been met, only this single requirement remaining. With the goal of amassing more worlds to himself and looking forward to another world-shaking upgrade of one of the most unique treasures he owned, his eyes shone with a golden l.u.s.ter as his figure silently streaked towards the Prime World in front of him to get started! Chapter 499 - Plucking Stars With Ease! As Noah''s Ancient Blood Clone started the connection of more worlds to expand the source of his strength even more, his main body was finishing a battle with a Supreme Behemoth in the deep unexplored regions of the Celestial Realm! RUMBLE! The World Rank Behemoth that was shimmering with golden light and shaped like a four-headed golden lion slumbered to the ground after falling to the horrendous attacks laced with the essence of Chaos and Aether, Noah gaining another mountainous body brimming with wondrous materials, and this time it was from a beast that was actually at the World Realm. The numerous loot for the Behemoth rushed to his [Expansive Space] as he waved his hands to cause the mountainous body to disappear. Aside from using its materials to craft new Item Sets, the meat was extremely sumptuous to enjoy as it contained abundant essence! In conjunction with his [Cook] ability that made everything he touched into something tastier than even the food from 5-star restaurants, his time exploring the Celestial Realm had been extremely enjoyable. This was the 4th World Rank Behemoth that he had come across in these unknown regions, where he also came across treasures in the form of fruits that rejuvenated one''s energy or came across regions that were filled with Fate Essence and conducive to training. But soon enough, he would have an entire region filled with Fate and Chaos Essence to himself as he upgraded the Spiritual World and unlocked the next features of the Law Space, so he momentarily stopped his exploration as he calculated a better pathway to follow with the abilities of >! SHAA! In front of his eyes, a being with his original body teleported in as he waved his hands forward, a sparkling miniaturized Spiritual World flowing towards him as the clone that was currently connecting numerous worlds came to hand him the unique treasure and disappeared thereafter to continue his tasks.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51184507524540548 for visiting. This handoff of the Spiritual World to the main body while the clone continued the world connections was for Noah to use this time to steer fate towards the best direction that Fate told him to follow. From the use of the skills under >, he saw once more that to increase his power the fastest while swallowing up the many things throwing themselves at him, he had to focus on a particular skill tree first, followed by the upgrade of the Spiritual World, and then he had to finally get to freeing the being that was being held in the 7th Celestial Star! RUMBLE! Waves of essence silently stretched out as the miniaturized Spiritual World was placed on the glimmering grass of the Celestial Realm, Noah''s figure disappearing within it as he entered the Time Space to begin right away. The skill tree he had to focus on was actually not the [Fate''s Guardian] or [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] skill trees that were still at Soul Rank, but the [Blood Lord] skill tree that he just recently brought to the Domain Tier with the addition of Fledgling Blood Ancient! His focus was actually directed to this right away, and he had the capability to bring it to the World Rank since he just obtained numerous sacrificial skills of that rank to use, all that was left being their requirement of proficiency as he began spamming the abilities to bring them up right away. His Ancient Blood Clone that had just transferred the Spiritual World over to him teleported to another location in the Light Expanse, continuing the process of entering deep into the cores of these worlds as he established connections with them and then used the World Engine to teleport them vast distances across space in the quadrant where his homeworld was. Many stars were being added to this expansive corner of Light Expanse as all of them were veiled deeply, never to be found unless someone powerful was actively passing around and looking! He was plucking stars left and right as his movements would soon cause commotion in the already tense Light Expanse as the disappearance of numerous Prime Worlds began to gain notice. These actions that Noah was currently undertaking were bold, but he made countless calculations as he affirmed to himself in these times of a chaotic war, the disappearance of a few planets will only be a drop in the bucket, never garnering the attention of Celestials for them to bother looking into it, and even if they did the chances of them finding anything were extremely minimal. Thus, days passed as the clone continued the connections while looking out for a Large World to obtain a core of in a smooth manner, the main body staying within the Time Space of the Spiritual World as he got ready to upgrade the first skill tree into the World Rank! In these past days, the regions of the Light Expanse became particularly active as Celestials began moving to amass the forces of being above Void Rank to add to their Legions, this time the process being carried out orderly and carefully as the full-scale war that would begin thereafter would be unlike anything that had happened before. It would be a large scale attack across many regions of the Dark Expanse, with many battles being fought as the Celestials would either win many and advance further into the Dark Expanse while gaining control of more regions in the Novus Galaxy, or if the repeat of the first battle is to occur, their advancement might be halted! Righteous fervor and strength filled the minds of the Celestials as they looked forward to wiping off the stain of losing the first battle, their hearts calling out for more order and balance as numerous Celestial Legions were being created every passing day. In the Time Space, more than 3 months had passed with the passage of just a few days outside, Noah''s main body shining brightly as he stopped the constant casting of numerous abilities and opened his eyes sharply. The time had arrived for the first World Rank Skill Tree! Chapter 500 - [Juvenile Ancient]! In the Time Space of the Spiritual World, prerequisite World Rank Sacrificial skills were burnt, and from the ashes rose a brand new addition to the Blood World skill tree, with Noah choosing the option of [Fledgling Ancient] and gaining access to four entirely new abilities. His eyes gave a quick run down of the abilities before he used his limited Skill Points to max them right away, wanting to see these abilities at their peak at once! WORLD [Blood Lord] (45/45):: Abilities- Dawn of the Blood Lord(5/5), Blood World(5/5), Drain Life(5/5), and Nightmarish Descent(5/5). >> [Kin of the Ancients] (60/60) :: Ancient Blood Scion(5/5), Ancient Blood Clone(5/5), Summon the Ancients(5/5), Blood Rage(5/5) >>[Fledgling Blood Ancient] (75/75) :: A fledgling of a race of powerful creatures that occupy the Letalis Expanse, the skills of this particular fledgling leaning more towards the control of blood. Abilities Include Blood Summoner(5/5), Blood Clone Support (5/5), Drain Master Support (5/5), and Domination (5/5) >> [Fledgling Ancient] (100/100) :: A juvenile creature of a rare race of beings presiding over the Letalis Expanse. This particular pathway is more inclined towards the talent of Blood Ancients. Additional Abilities Include [Ancient Essence] (5/5), [Clone Master] (5/5), [Blood Magic Support] (5/5), [@#%@$] (5/5) [Ancient Essence] (5/5) PASSIVE:: A unique penetrative energy wraps around the attacks of the Fledgling Ancient. Grants the Ignore 30% of All Defenses Effect [Clone Master] (5/5) PASSIVE:: The usage of Ancient Blood Clone is further enhanced, granting the user a second clone that can utilize 100% of the power of the main body. [Blood Magic Support] (5/5) PASSIVE :: All abilities that the Juvenile Ancient casts are granted the Drain Life effect. Life Steal increased from 10% to 20%. [@#%@$] (5/5) PASSIVE :: As a creature favored by @#%@#[email protected], you have the passive increased comprehension of all Universal Laws by 50%. ''¡­''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bjuvenile-ancient%5D!_51207978195407669 for visiting. ''Well damn.'' Noah stared wide at the list of skills that were all actually passive, his eyes going over to the last one that had un-understandable words for the first time in quite a while. His eyes shone as he asked the Planetary System. "What''s going on? We haven''t come across something you could not decipher for a while." [This is...there is something that is actively preventing the discernment of some parts of this ability, though I don''t know for what reason.] "...something?" [Something.] Noah''s thoughts rapidly churned as the System replied plainly, his eyes going over the skill that ridiculously granted 50% increased comprehension of all Universal Laws! The clue that one could discern was the ''As a creature favored by @#%@#[email protected]", where his thoughts went towards the beings known as Ancients that resided in the Letalis Expanse without entering any conflicts with the Light or Dark Expanse, wondering why this ''Something'' favored them so! His mind already had multiple ideas on what the System termed as ''Something'' was, even though he had yet to confirm anything. So he was just slightly curious why there was still a need for secrecy and blocking the discernment of the System, but he would place this issue behind him for now. There were many more things on his plate to currently worry about, and he would delve into other mysteries later. Pulling his mind away from the veils of the Letalis Expanse and Ancients, he went over the other 3 Passive Abilities as there were numerous shocking ones this time around. The next one that caused his heart to shake was [Clone Master], an ability that granted him another Ancient Blood Clone entirely! This was exactly why [Fate Traverser] had led him towards upgrading the Blood Lord skill tree to the highest tier once more, as it granted him another hand for him to move even more freely. His power was already rising ridiculously fast and breaking all known norms because of what he and his clone were constantly dividing tasks. As he rose to higher levels, one would expect his rate of growth to plateau or slow down, right? Right?! No! With the abilities he was opening up, the norm of taking even longer to advance through higher realms or taking more time to upgrade higher ranking skill trees...would be entirely cleared as he advanced forward even faster! If it took him two or three weeks to jump from Domain and into the World Rank- then at this moment, the expected longer duration of a month or more required for him to break through to the Star Forging Realm was completely destroyed. With the addition of another clone, what stopped him from advancing forward in power at the same time period of even less?! His eyes shone with a regal light of understanding as he let out a light laugh, his head shaking at the ridiculousness of his own abilities. There were now many more ways he could move, his mind particularly seeing the path of bringing his skill trees to the next ranks and his comprehension of laws shooting exponentially up in the coming days. He tried to control the ever so expanding excitement as he glanced over the other two passive abilities. [Ancient Essence] was another thing unique to the Ancients, granting him that same type of energy he observed when he summoned the Ancients from another ability in the Blood Lord skill tree, an ability that granted a unique energy that ignored 30% of all of the enemy''s defenses! Just completely Ignore! His head continued shaking side to side as he glanced at the last ability, [Blood Magic Support], which effectively gave every ability he cast regardless of whether it stemmed from the Blood Lord skill tree or another- a 20% Life Steal effect. His mind was growing numb from all the surprises of the new abilities as he rose from the frozen grassy plains of the Time Space, a certain [Ancient Blood Clone] ability being cast as a part of his Origin was sapped from him, allowing the appearance of a deeply red drop of blood to float in front of him! Chapter 501 - Three is Better Than One! In front of Noah, a drop of blood revolved rapidly before it soon bloomed into the bloody image of himself, a brand new presence appearing as a devilishly handsome face soon reflected on his eyes. He smiled while looking at the face of someone that was becoming more and more mature as the months passed, always gaining extra charms aside from the effects of [Unnatural Beauty] from the Vampyre Progenitor passive abilities. The clone breathed out while glancing around the Time Space, this being the place that this second Ancient Blood Clone would spend the most time in as he did something shocking. For now, Noah would have this clone remain in the Time Space as he maxed the proficiencies of his other skill trees while also training in the four laws he currently held inheritances of! One must know that the significance of this additional clone was not just to further accelerate his rate of growth, but it effectively meant another combatant at the same level as himself that he could choose to deploy on the battlefield. When the time came that he was standing against a truly powerful enemy, what would this enemy do when two more of him appeared to join the battle?! It was a thrilling scene to imagine as Noah grandly looked forward into the future! His main body teleported out of the Spiritual World as he anchored it to himself and disappeared from the Celestial Realm, briefly leaving this wondrous place for the first time with his main body as he reappeared in an empty expanse of space. He needed this level of privacy as he was about to do something that was simply too big! His clone remained in the Time Space as he was about to begin the task of laws and raising proficiencies of skill trees. Even though he could not use the loophole of the Time Space to quickly master the laws, his regular rate of growth for Chaos Particles and Fate Lines was already crazy, being able to amass more than 25,000 of each in a single day, or 50,000 if he focused on just one. If one did the math, this meant that even if Noah chose to do nothing else and just simply brought up the percentages of laws, he would be able to master the Law of Fate to 100% in just 9 months, and add more than 7 million Chaos Particles around that same time period!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51207989201261455 for visiting. This was plainly ridiculous, rule breaking, and something that would make the hard-working beings comprehending laws for hundreds or thousands of years simply go mad. Yet he would not be sitting still while this clone worked on increasing the percentages in Laws and upgrading the skill trees. He would embroil himself in battles that granted him a stupid amount of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles, as well as numerous other things that would each have their own effects. The future seemed even brighter as Noah''s main body left the Time Space right away, the new clone sitting down as it sent words to the Spiritual World System. Soon after, in a small area of the Time Space, a portion of the surrounding land turned fiery and another turned into a sparkling blue sea- the Water and Fire Law Spaces being built in a small area of the Time Space as the clone sat at the junction where they met and began cultivating. Water and Fire Elemental particles began rushing towards him, while the appearance of thin Fate Lines and Chaos Particles expressed themselves in the air. At the same time, golden swords of liberation, spears of judgment, and the reappearance on an Arch Lich Ra''Zan took place as the clone trained the proficiencies of the next skill trees for an upgrade at the same time! It was multitasking to an insane degree, but Noah still felt in his heart that something was still missing. The missing piece was naturally the fact that he could train in a Fire and Water Law Space, but the more crucial Fate and Chaos Law Spaces had yet to be unlocked. Thus, after letting the Spiritual World bloom freely to its full size in the starry expanse of space he had teleported to in the Light Expanse, his main body appeared above Central Continent of the Spiritual World, glancing at the four surrounding floating continents as he waved his hands and caused the appearance of enormous World Core. That''s right! His first clone had already obtained the core of a Large World as he connected more and more planets, taking the time to locate a fairly weak Large World that had a few billion creatures occupying it. It was nearly impossible to find a Large World that was uninhabited, or it would even make more sense to say that a world could not get to the ''Large'' stage if it did not have any beings dwelling in it. This world had contained in it humanoid and beastmen creatures, Noah simply conducting mass teleportations as he painstakingly moved all the beings of this world into the wide Ancient Blood World where they were placed under the care of the Blood Guardian. His heart had not yet grown so ruthless as to cause the deaths of billions just to obtain his own aims, only using [Devouring] after every single creature was transported away and watching the crumbling of this world thereafter. His heart had to be cold at this as the only victim was the entity that was the core of this world, but even that he had no need to do as this consciousness would simply get assimilated into the Spiritual World System! Thus, while his first clone continued to move and add more world connections from the abundant memories of the dead beings he had obtained at the Verittas Fortress, his main body waved his hands as the Large World Core placed in the [Expansive Space] appeared, this core trembling instantly thereafter as it shot down towards the Central Continent. This was the last requirement for an upgrade from the 9th tier and into the 10th, a tier that would unlock the Fate and Chaos Law Spaces, as well as numerous other functions! RUMBLE! The many beasts, humans, and any other creatures living in the Spiritual World felt the fluctuations once more as they opened their eyes wide and spread out their auras to observe. The Central Continent of the Spiritual World, as well as the enormous four connected floating continents, had begun to tremble as essence was washing over them freely, the knowledgeable beings shocked senseless once more as they realized the already wondrous Spiritual World was getting yet another upgrade! Chapter 502 - The Tier Right Before a Realm! With his second clone stably training in the Time Space and his first clone continuing the immense project of more world connections, Noah''s main body was overseeing the advancing of the Spiritual World from the 9th tier and into the 10th! All the requirements were set as the luminescent Large World Core pierced through the layers of earth of the Central Continent of the Spiritual World and rushed towards the core of this unique treasure, the advancement beginning right away as essence was pulled on all sides of the starry expanse of space that Noah had placed the Spiritual World to float in. Most of this pulling sensation of essence was towards the core of the Spiritual World, with the remainder of the colorful and vibrant essence washing over the lands of all the continents as the atmospheric levels of mana rose crazily once more. The requirement of mana from the Spiritual World Master was met with ease as essence leaked from Noah without reservation, the congregation of all of these sources of essence causing a layer of glimmering colors to permanently lay over the lands of the expansive world and its connected continents as a beautiful scene played out in front of Noah''s eyes. He observed the many occurring changes as he saw the maximum size of the Spiritual World expanding once more, the Central Continent and the four connected floating Continents vibrating as they absorbed large amounts of essence and enlarged. This phenomenon of essence absorption continued for another half hour as Noah observed things carefully, the advancement coming to an end only then as a flash of a ringed blue light erupted from the Spiritual World and spread out hundreds of miles in the void of space it was in. The wild mana and essence calmed thereafter as a more massive Spiritual World showed itself in front of his eyes, the atmospheric mana rising to extreme levels again as one could almost physically discern it!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51231267907230408 for visiting. The upgrade to the 10th tier was completed without any issues, Noah placing his eyes on the Spiritual World Management ability to observe the detailed changes. {Spiritual World Management} [Frozen Plateau-10] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-XXX, C-XXX, B-XXX, A-XXX, S-XXX, EPIC-55,492, LEGENDARY-18,572, MYTHICAL-9,327, PHANTASMAL-2,857, TRANSCENDENT-985, SAINT- 210, VOID- 76, SOUL-44, DOMAIN- 13 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic, Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora, Qilin''s Cold Stone, Resonant Okra, Arctic Flora, King''s Collard, Athramire, Phantom Mulberry, Fire Starter, Frigid Apple. Available for planting(Fate''s Orchard, Chaotic Amaranth) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Unlocked), Law Space(Unlocked), Blacksmith''s Forge(Unlocked), Division(Unlocked), Alchemy Hall(Unlocked), Library(Locked)[email protected]#%#$%(Locked) Upgrade Conditions: 10+ Spiritual Land Beasts at the World Rank, 5 Prime World Cores The shining blue panel showing the ability was being filled with more and more words as it displayed itself beautifully, Noah noticing how the numbers of Spiritual World Beasts just continued to explode upwards as time passed. If the number of such beasts continued to increase in such a manner while their ranks climbed higher as well, he saw himself releasing the more powerful beasts to participate in the coming wars as they gained more experience! His eyes went further down as he saw the newly added plants, Fate''s Orchard and Chaotic Amaranth. The names of these plants brought a smile to his face as with their appearance, the introduction of plants abundant in the Fate and Chaos Essence were born. His wide smile was because these plants would be extremely helpful to him, but their appearance also meant that the Law Spaces for Fate and Chaos were also unlocked! He affirmed these ideas as his eyes traveled further down the panel and focused on the feature of Law Space, seeing the addition of Fate and Chaos in a spectacular fashion. [Law Space] :: Fields containing a higher concentration of particular laws can be created, granting increased comprehension speed to all that cultivate within. Currently unlocked spaces: Water, Fire, Earth, Air, Time, Space, Light, Dark, Fate, Chaos. Locked spaces: Aether, @#%@#... After he saw this, his thoughts were instantly relayed to the Spiritual World System as in the underground space of the Central Continent where the Time Space resided, the location where his clone was training in began trembling as Noah sent the command to create the new law spaces right away! The second clone was already training in the junction of the Fire and Water Law Space, but now he would be standing in the junction of four different Law Spaces created in a square formation, their corners meeting in an area where the elements of Fire, Water, Chaos, and Fate would vibrantly gather together. RUMBLE! The creation of the Fate and Chaos Law spaces was just as eye catching, golden essence covering one side and a starry darkness covered the side of chaos, the environment and vegetation that matched these respective elements sprouting at the second clone continued his training without a second of delay, the beauty of the area he was in only reflecting for a second! Above the skies of the Central Continent of the Spiritual World, Noah was no glancing at the unlocked feature after entering the 10th Tier, the feature of [Alchemy Hall]. [Alchemy Hall] :: A unique area where varying alchemic innovations take place. Capable of creating medicinal concoctions of the highest quality. Currently capable of creating Health Potion, Mana Potion, Strength Potion, Defense Potion, All Element Resist Potion... [Health Potion] :: When consumed, revitalizes 20% of total health in 10 seconds. Required ingredients to craft: Athramire, Regal Flora, Fire Starter. Additional materials that would double the efficacy of the potion: A drop of blood from the Vampyre Progenitor. The details of the newly unlocked feature that contained a vast array of possibilities showed itself in front of his eyes. This supposed [Alchemy Hall was capable of creating numerous different potions, giving Noah the image of letting the Spiritual World System craft tons of potions for him to buff himself to even greater heights, or the even better way of boosting the strength of his subordinates during battle. He glanced at the details of the [Health Potion] that had the plants he already unlocked in the Spiritual World as the requirement to craft the potion, with its effectiveness being doubled if he added his own blood! This was only made possible due to the trait of [Blood Panacea] that stemmed from his Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline. The other potions had similar descriptions, their ingredients being the only thing that changed. But they were all things which could be found in the Spiritual World! Noah nodded as he looked at this new feature, glancing further below the Spiritual World Management skill panel as he saw the requirements for the upgrade to the next tier. His eyes blinked rapidly as he wondered whether he was seeing things, the required number of World Cores making him do a double take. His thoughts were affirmed when the voice of the Spiritual World System rang out in his mind. [The requirement for the next tier really is 5 Prime World Cores. As you know, under special circ.u.mstances, this is the least possible number required before a realm can come to life.] ¡­! Noah''s eyes squinted as he stared at the panel closely while listening to the Spiritual World System, not thinking that the 10th upgrade he just conducted would actually be the tier right before the World became a Realm! Chapter 503 - Realms 101 A Realm! The next tier of the Spiritual World was not anything simple like going from a Large World and into a Prime World. Similar to the past upgrade where it went from needing the Core of a Small World to needing the Core of a Large World for the upgrade he just conducted, the next rank did not just ask for a Prime World Core, but 5 of them in order to take the Spiritual World into the stage of a Realm at once! This stage was something very few Worlds were capable of achieving, there needing to be numerous qualities that had to be met before such an event could take place. An example was something like the Ancient Blood World where the Vampyre Progenitor left behind. That enormous world had become a Realm in the past, but it had downgraded over time and returned to a Prime World as nearly all of its people were gone from it, the essence and status of the world gradually declining until it returned to a Prime one. But this also meant that with enough essence and status, a world could be raised to the level of a Realm depending on what beings, treasures, or other unique factors that surrounded it! The Celestial Stars where numerous forces of Celestials were cl.u.s.tered could be considered one such case, where they were larger than most Prime World and on their way to becoming Realms, the status of the world and the beings within it growing ever so larger as time passed. Such worlds were on the cusp of becoming a realm just from status alone, but what prevented it was the essence required which continued to be absorbed from the starry void of space for hundreds of years. When it came to Noah, he had his own plans of the formation as a realm, as such a task became particularly easy for him in terms of essence. This was because he had the essence of numerous worlds, and he even more recently attached himself to tens of Prime Worlds all across the Light Expanse! His first clone was still steadily continuing on this task even now as he fully had the requirement of essence down, with all that was left being the status of the world, which was affected by the beings dwelling in it. There were numerous Realms spread out across the Novus Galaxy, some known and some hidden, and each with their own unique features. The feature that unified all of them together...was the fact that every established realm had its own independent space! Its own spatial territory that one could not observe unless they used the only thing shown to the outside world- an entrance. This was why the Infernal Realms had huge gates floating in space, and also the same reason for the golden gate leading to the Celestial Realm. These gates could not be destroyed, nor could they be moved. Such a thing made it so that destroying a Realm was nigh impossible, as it first existed in its own independent space, and the only place leading to it was indestructible! This was something that Noah badly wanted- a place that would be very hard for others to destroy, something that could act like a stronghold! He looked forward to the future where he could establish his own realm, his own hidden spatial realm where the worry of its destruction or his own would never weigh down on him so heavily. His eyes shone as he looked at the first possibility of a realm opening itself up in front of him, the worlds he was connected to not yet achieving the required status, but this unique treasure bypassing all of that as it showed a path never before followed. In his heart, there was already a plan of using simple brute force and essence on the worlds he was connected to in order to form a realm that actually combined many of them to quickly achieve the required status, but he would test things out with this method the Spiritual World provided as he gained the smooth experience without the danger of the unknown! He glanced at the Spiritual World that continued to surprise him as he checked out the rest of the features, sending many commands to the Spiritual World System for renovations and places to set up the newly unlocked Fate and Chaos Spaces aside from the small areas in the Time Space where his clone was training in. --- In the clear blue sky in a certain paradisiacal clearing of the Golden Bastion, Athena was sitting down with a pleasant expression as essence vibrated around her. There was a gold light slowly flowing in the area she was in as her body was lifted off of the floor and floated in the air. Her eyes opened sharply as she felt the vibrant strength at the World Realm strongly bounce off around her! Unexpectedly, this War Princess had actually broken through in a matter of days after she utilized the treasures handed down to her along with her own unique genius as she combined valuable materials and treasures that very few could enjoy along with sheer willpower of strength to break through. The weakness she felt when looking at the dominating scenes of a particular Infernal Lord faded as she clenched her fists and felt the feeling of power, knowing that she now stood on the same realm as that being. At this stage, she should be able to handle someone of that caliber with her unique abilities, right? "Athena." Her questioning thoughts came to a stop as she heard a telepathic message call out to her, the voice of Grandmaster Vredral ringing in her mind as it called for her to come towards the central area of the Golden Bastion. She was not the only one receiving such a message, as Noah who was floating in the Spiritual World and marveling at the new upgrades and features received the same message, calling him back to the Golden Bastion as something grand was about to occur! Chapter 504 - [Radiant Protector], A Call to be a Commander! Noah heard the message of Grandmaster Vredral ring out in his mind as he finished relaying his commands to the Spiritual World System. Many of his commands were for designs of the enormous continents of the Spiritual World, making the addition of Fate and Chaos Law Spaces in wide regions on the four floating continents surrounding the Central one. He wanted to create this wide array of spaces that were filled with Fate and Chaos Essence as beasts of those elements would be born in the places thereafter, granting an increased quality of powerful beasts rising in the Spiritual World. Aside from that, the production of numerous Potions from the Alchemy Hall were underway as the vibrant medicinal herbs and plants needed were plucked from the many fields and began being processed, Noah himself producing a few gallons of his blood that was a [Panacea], healing himself thereafter as his main body turned into particles and disappeared from the Spiritual World thereafter. His main body would head back into the ranks of the Celestials as his two clones continued advancing forward, his second Clone that was training the laws and proficiencies in the Time Space already making progress as the skill tree of [Fate''s Guardian] was currently being advanced forward, a new addition being made! DOMAIN [Fate''s Guardian](45/45) :: As a beginner just learning the workings of fate, the role of a guardian that protects the weak and eviscerates evil is given to you. Abilities include Empyrean Guards(5/5), Empyrean Armament(5/5), Smite of Liberation(5/5), and Judgment(5/5). >> [Unruly Guider] (60/60) :: A path of one that questions and forms their own rules, using immense offensive power to guide lost beings. Additional Abilities include Empyrean Ruler (5/5), Liberator (5/5), Fate Stealer(5/5) Golden Guider(5/5) >> [Radiant Protector] (75/75) :: [Bright Absorber] (5/5), [Smiter] (5/5), [Aura of Fate](5/5), [Golden Decree] (5/5) [Bright Absorber] (5/5) PASSIVE :: The essence of Fate easily draws towards you, granting you 50% Increased comprehension in the Law of Fate. [Smiter] (5/5) PASSIVE :: Any cast Blades of Liberation are enhanced, their power quadrupled as their size becomes no less than 25 meters. [Aura of Fate] (5/5) PASSIVE :: The distinct aura of fate wraps around the body of the Radiant Protector and allows for all cast abilities and skills to be layered with the essence of fate. +100% Fate Damage to all utilized abilities. [Golden Decree] (5/5) ACTIVE :: A decree erupts out from the Radiant Protector, affecting the surrounding miles as a golden star that releases a resplendent light shines over the user and their allies. Grants the Enhanced All Element Resistance, Rapid Healing, Bolster Defense, Sharpened Attack, Clear Mind, and Light Feet skill effects. In the Time Space of the Spiritual World, the second clone had already begun showing the rapid progress that would soon be made as a skill tree was already advanced in a short period of time. Now at the Domain Rank, the [Fate''s Guardian] skill tree had another subset abilities under the pathway of the [Radiant Protector! Two passive abilities contained within, one of them granting him even faster progression in the Law of Fate, and the other boosting the attack power of [Smite of Liberation] heavily as any cast Blades of Liberation would now be no less than 25 meters. This was half the size of an Elite Behemoth, and yet he would be able to cast many of them down towards his enemies, and with their power quadrupled at that! Putting aside the ridiculousness of this ability, the passive [Aura of Fate] ability simply layered fate essence into any and all attacks he cast, while [Golden Decree] was an area of effect ability that would immensely boost himself and his subordinates whenever they faced large amounts of enemies. His abilities just continued expanding, his clone only sparing them a glance before he moved on to training other skills, his task continuing methodically as the main body neared the Golden Bastion in the Celestial Realm. Noah followed the directions of the message as he went further into the Golden Bastion that was unusually boisterous, numerous Warsh.i.p.s entering and moving as the golden figures of Celestials frolicked quickly back and forth. The words of Grandmaster Vredral led him towards an enormous dome shaped building that looked like a cathedral, this location being one where the Grandmasters with high status and roles gathered! He opened the large doors as he felt the auras of Athena and Vredral further inside, surrounded by numerous other Celestials with world shaking power. The inside of the cathedral looking building was an expansive rectangular hall, many figures moving within busily as Noah noticed a few at the forefront. The Three-Eyed Fate Child, Light, and Athena were standing next to Grandmaster Vredral, Noah noticing the auras of Athena and the Three-Eyed Fate Child actually fluctuating strongly at the World Realm, Grandmaster Light being the only one that remained in the Domain Rank! His eyes squinted as he expected the Three-Eyed Fate Child to break through into the next rank as he received the same treasure as him, but Athena was unexpected as even with lesser quality treasures, she had somehow used them to effectively break through into the World Rank. Noah''s entrance brought a few looks as he nodded, smiling towards Athena who had a valiant look as the voice of Grandmaster Vredral rang out. "The last of you are here, so I will begin." The voice of the aged Grandmaster was excited as he glanced at the four of them, the surrounding Celestials taking a pause as they looked forth as well. "Using the little authority I still have as your teacher, I am happy to relay the command that the four winners of the Battle of Geniuses will each be given a Celestial Legion to lead and foster, with the four of you gaining a unique title that very few Grandmasters have a chance to!"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bradiant-protector%5D-a-call-to-be-a-commander!_51231292871730595 for visiting. "...!!!" The surrounding Celestial stopped their tasks in the hall as they glanced up towards the four figures and Vredral with shining eyes, the excited Grandmaster waving his hands as four dazzling medallions appeared in the air and floated towards Noah and the others. "I am proud to complete my work as a teacher and be the one to award you with the Commander''s Golden Medallion, the four of you effectively gaining the title of Commanders that will lead your own Legion into battle against the wretched creatures of the Dark Expanse!" RUMBLE! A golden air of regality and majesty erupted, lines of fate swirling around from just this simple declaration, cheers resounding in the hall thereafter as four new Commanders entered the ranks of Celestials. OOOOH! ... Chapter 505 - A Prison Break The area around the cathedral styled building turned even more vibrant and busy after this news spread out, the crowning of four new Commanders that would each lead their own legions spreading out across the Golden Bastion. One was Commander Crixus, the Destroyer! Another was the War Princess, Commander Athena! You then had the terrifying Commander Three-Eyed, and the vivacious Commander Light! Four new commanders, two holding titles of Noble Fates, the other two being Special Existences. With such new additions to the fighting force of Celestials, many stopped the inner worries when they recalled of the battle power of the briefly appearing 9th Infernal Lord that had defeated an entire Celestial Legion, their preparation continuing as the entirety of the explored regions of the Celestial Real became increasingly busy. In the Golden Bastion, Noah was flipping the Commander''s Golden Medallion as he recalled the words of the Grandmaster. He would lead a Celestial Legion in the coming weeks towards the Dark Expanse as he gained experience and amassed more Fate Lines from defeating Infernal and those residing in the Dark Expanse, and depending on his performance and leadership, there were many opportunities to advance in the future! If his genius was as exemplary as many believed, then he would not just stop at leading a single Celestial Legion, but would instead be a Commander that led many into the battlefield, amassing even more power as time passed. It was a powerful rank that very few Celestials could achieve, and Noah had arrived here! "You weren''t in the lead for too long, Junior Brother." A bright voice rang out behind Noah as he turned to see Athena, his lips curling in a smile as he tried to take her in his arms, the War Princess dodging him with a smile as she continued "There will be a time for celebration later. Why don''t we go spar now that we are in the same realm again? I am itching for a good match before we get assigned a legion." "As you wish, my dear Senior Sister." The War Princess was looking for another spar as Noah agreed while keeping his hidden smile with him, knowing his plans with the War Princess were still heading in the proper direction! This being that was now a Commander of a Celestial Legion was already slightly under his influence, and he would increase this influence rapidly in the coming weeks before he used this piece whenever an opportunity for it arose in the future. For now, he continued moving in the Celestial Realm, gaining the title of a Commander while awaiting his own Celestial Legion! Far away across the starry expanse of space, his first clone that had been forming connections with planets and had been able to add many to his collection, giving this task a rest for now as tens of Prime World were added without any issues. News of the disappearing Prime Worlds had already began to make waves among the power of the Light Expanse, putting many beings on edge as the Celestials were also notified of this. But in this tense period right before the full explosion of war, there were too many things to handle as this issue of disappearing worlds was just one among the many! The abundance of all of these newly added Worlds only propagated the status and rate of advancements of Noah''s homeworld and any other worlds that weren''t at the stage of a Prime World, their path towards such a level becoming smoother and smoother as the Worlds only acclimated to the ever so increasing essence and broke through to higher stages. This task of World connections was given a rest as Noah followed the third thing aside from upgrading the Blood Lord skill tree and upgrading the Spiritual World- it was finally the task of freeing the being dwelling in the 7th Celestial Star! This Celestial Star was among the many that were currently filled with activity, Prime Warsh.i.p.s rapidly moving in and out as preparations were underway. His first clone silently teleported into the mountain that Noah had first arrived in when he first became a Celestial Disciple, his body covered to not be noticeable as he used the skills of {Herald of Fate} and [Unique Origin] to hide anything to do with him, his aura being so thin that one would have to be actively looking in order to find him! The mountain that was under the control of Grandmaster Vredral was fairly empty, leaving a few disciples to take care of the wondrous medicinal gardens and other tasks since the departure of the Grandmaster. The brilliance and beauty of the area he was in did not even register in Noah''s mind as he carefully moved. He crouched down among the thickets of trees of this mountain as he took out the vial containing a starry dark mixture, it being something that was handed down from the forces of Vampyres, but it''s true source was actually from the 2nd Infernal Lord that was working closely with the Grand Mage Edrusim! When Noah first got it, he could not discern its identity, but it was clear as day to him now as he glanced at its description. [Pestiferous Chaos] :: A unique chaos essence that originates from the source of a powerful Infernal Lord at the Nebula Stage, and is capable of interfering with chains of Fate. This particular essence has a designated target on the 7th Celestial Star. A vial containing a liquid deeply entrenched in Chaos Essence, something that was actually specifically manufactured under the wishes of the Grand Mage Edrusim from the 2nd Infernal Lord that stood at the peak of the levels reached in the Novus Galaxy! This vial was then passed to the Vampyres until it reached Noah''s hands, where he now took it out and actually popped the stopper. RUMBLE! Weak waves fluctuated as Noah quickly reigned them in, the liquid from the vial flying out as if possessed and beginning to drill down towards the earth below his feet. His figure miniaturized to follow the rapidly moving chaos essence as it went deeper and deeper underground, his body following along as a few minutes passed before they broke through numerous layers and reached a wide cave filled with vibrant crystals. The most eye catching thing in this cage was also the location where the chaos essence was shooting towards, the singular place that held an enormous golden cage, this cage having protruding spears that pierced into the body of a single being! OOOM! The chaos essence latched on to the cage filled with glistening spears as it began its job of quickly eating away at them, the unique energy of a stage Noah had yet to reach leaking out as the creation of an Item made by a Nebula class expert proceeded to do its job of freeing a certain being. Noah''s figure broke through the clearing as he came to float in the air, his eyes looking into the rapidly dissolving spears of the cage as they connected with the prisoner contained within. A wide but tired smile was on the prisoner''s face as he glanced at Noah, speaking out in a clear voice that Noah was familiar with! "It''s been a while, Noah Osmont." ¡­! Chapter 506 - Steal and Run! "It''s been a while, Noah Osmont." Noah glanced at the aged figure of a face he was familiar with, the being that appeared before him in the past as the Karmic Sect Leader Inuit fitting the face of the imprisoned figure that was currently pierced through by multiple golden rods. The chaos essence backed by the power of a Nebula class being ate away at these golden rods rapidly as blood ruptured out freely from where the disappearing spears were piercing, Noah looking at this scene as he sent forth a golden essence to heal this being! Noah''s figure went forward and clasped onto the body of the aged being as the last spear piercing him faded, the voice of Inuit ringing out once more thereafter as he glanced towards Noah with a smile. "You do not seem all that surprised?" He posed a question as Noah continued to wash his body over with radiant essence, stopping blood from leaking out of the many holes, but that was all his energy did! The injuries did not heal anymore than this as he finally spoke towards this old benefactor of his. "I theorized multiple possibilities for your identity, being a prisoner from the last war and the target of the mission given to me weeks ago was one of them." He helped the old man up with a smile as he continued. "I have to thank you once more for saving my life in the past, and I have even more questions I want to ask you before you fade away again, but we might have to move fast to leave this place." Noah said this as he glanced at the chaotic essence that had chewed through the cage completely, knowing that some kind of signal could be sent out as a consequence, and he still had something to do on this Celestial Star before too many powerful Celestials were alerted! "Oh, we have less than 3 minutes. If you planned to do anything grand like massacre everyone on this Star before we leave, it might not be too advisable as an old friend is quickly going to descend, and I don''t think you''re a match for him yet." "An old friend?" Inuit had a calm expression as Noah helped him up, replying to his question as he tried to move the joints of his body that had been stuck in place for hundreds of years! "Yes, someone you know as the Founder." "..." Noah paused as he looked at the old man that just dropped a bombshell, his mind already having calculated a lot about this mysterious being he was rescuing, but he wasn''t privy to the information that he was connected to the Founder of the Celestials! His mind worked rapidly as he heard this new information and the limited time they had, changing the plans of taking down the powerful Celestial of this star for Fate Lines as he moved on to another objective that he should be able to complete in time. "Go on and do what you need to, nobody else will be coming down here in the next 3 minutes. I''ll use the few minutes to stretch my legs." Inuit spoke out with a smile as he raised his body by himself, stretching his imprisoned limbs as Noah saw there was no time to waste and nodded, moving on to try and complete at least another part of the objective. SHAA! His figure descended further down into the earth as he drilled rapidly, his goal actually being the core of this brilliant Celestial Star that was bigger than most Prime Worlds and infinitely neared the stage of a realm! He originally planned to release a Blood World and a World Veil to take down everyone in this star first before plucking away its core, but after getting the knowledge that the Founder would be coming in a matter of minutes, he was only confident in taking away the Core of the Star within that time period. OOOM! His figure broke through the inner layer of the luminous world as a golden rotating core laid in front of his eyes, his hands waving forward rapidly as he cast [Devouring], leaking mana senselessly to steal a peak Prime World Core in less than a minute! RUMBLE! [A being of your stature should not be violating an entit-] The voice of the World Core had already begun to ring out in Noah''s mind, but he ignored it as he continued to release his mana even faster, the entire golden core soon becoming fully wrapped by the darkness released from [Devouring] as Noah began the process of swallowing! It was a race against time as he counted down every passing second, his mind working rapidly as he saw the progression of Devouring get faster and faster! CRACK! A disconnect was soon felt between the planet and its core, Noah spending enormous amounts of mana to completely devour it as it went into the [Large Stomach] of the Sin of Gluttony. The moment he finished this, his figure teleported back to the location he had left the aged Inuit as he found the old man to be calmly stretching and then voicing out to him. "Ready?" RUMBLE! The earth around them had begun to shake as the star lost its core, its destruction and implosion not too far away as Noah expected many Celestials on this 7th Celestial Star to actually lose their lives from the implosion of this star, only the truly powerful ones being able to survive the implosion of a Prime World! His hand grasped onto the body of Inuit as he instantly began teleporting away with him, but not before his eyes caught on to the appearance of a powerful being materializing into the underground space as he and Inuit were teleporting away from it. As if time had slowed down, the clear eyes of Inuit and the squinting eyes of Noah were able to lock on to the materializing particles of light that was actually the Founder himself, his face still apathetic as his eyes held a trace of anger!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51254877627673373 for visiting. A single glance between the three of them...and that was it! SHAA Noah and Inuit''s figure completely disappeared in the underground space, the alerted Founder missing them for less than a millisecond... Chapter 507 - The Destruction of a Celestial Star! The Founder stared coldly as the world around him shook, fissures beginning to spread out as an immensely destructive shattering of a star was about to occur and take the lives of all that lived on the 7th Celestial Star! The many powerful Grandmasters had sensed the powerful fluctuations seconds ago, but they could not do much besides save their own lives from the force of the coming explosion as those that were powerful enough to react went ahead and reacted. RUMBLE! But at this moment, a unique golden glow erupted from the body of the Founder that went on to rapidly cover the destabilized and imploding star, the planet that was heading towards destruction actually being brought to a halt as all movements ceased! "..." The many Celestials that felt the aura of death coming for them breathed out as they heard commands ring out in their minds soon after, and they came from a voice that could not be denied! "Quickly evacuate all forces and treasures." The first command was given to all the beings in the 7th Celestial Star, another command ringing out to the powerful Grandmasters that resided on this dying Celestial Star as it also spread out to the minds of the presiding Celestial Grandmasters on the rest of the remaining Celestial Stars. "Deploy sentries to spread out their aura over the entirety of all Celestial Stars. If they feel the intrusion of anything that should not be there, act to destroy and call for reinforcements right away if it cannot be handled." The apathetic face of the founder released numerous telepathic commands as his eyes held a trace of anger, overlooking the destroyed golden cage where a prisoner used to be as he released numerous commands to make sure that nothing like what occurred would repeat again. The defenses of the many Celestial Stars would be fortified even further after this, not even a rat being able to escape through the auras of Celestials that would be rotated to observe every corner of the Celestial Stars 24/7! The immense essence that released from the Founder continued to keep the dying star that had lost its core together as the Celestials were evacuated, numerous Warsh.i.p.s leaving the planet as it only took minutes for the powerful Celestials to get everyone and everything valuable off of this star. At this point, the golden glow the Founder released receded into his body as the dying planet trembled again, streams of lava seen erupting soon thereafter as immense heat energy from the unstable core of the world was freely contracting and expanding, an explosion at the level of supernova forming as one could observe large cracks appear on the Celestial Star if they were looking from the void of space! The Founder actually remained still in the underground area of this star where much of the force was gathering, his figure stable amidst the chaos as he wanted to ingrain this image into his mind. His robes fluttered as they were the only thing moved by the destructive energies, his body remaining unbothered by the force of the exploding star. CRACK! CRACK! The cracks only continued as the force of the star folded onto itself before it rapidly exploded outwards, releasing waves of destructive energies that could be felt by all the Celestials that were either floating far away in the void of space or in numerous Warsh.i.p.s. "..." Silence erupted out as bursts of wrath and anger filled the minds of the Inhabitants of the dead star, their hearts feeling pain as they watched the place where some of them had spent hundreds of years in be taken away in a flash! In the middle of the debris and the center point of the explosion, one could notice the unbothered figure of the Founder floating peacefully as he glanced at the pieces of the shattered star, numerous thoughts swirling in his mind as his apathetic expression remained the same. Numerous lines of fate swirled towards him as he had just saved and changed the fates of many beings, his image shining resplendently amidst the destruction. ''You want to play like that? I''ll play like that.'' A deadly thought filled with anger passed through the mind of the Founder, his emotions actually being moved for the first time ever as the event which had occurred now involved a being he used to call a friend, someone he could not bear to bring himself to kill and had locked away in the 7th Celestial Star. Yet, he remembered the distinct face of the same Infernal Lord that had appeared before him not too long ago appear again, and this time he took something that actually had a level of care in his heart, and right in front of him at that! It was a face that actually looked at him without an ounce of fear or respect, their eyes that locked gazes in the millisecond before the teleportation showing the Founder the attitude of this being as he marked him for death right away. His figure began gaining a luminous glow as the millions of angry Celestials focused on the being that had saved them, the Ruler of the organization that held full control of the Light Expanse and was now on track to expand his rule. The voice of this Founder rang out in the void of space as he looked around at the beings full of anger. "This is the type of future we can look forward to if we leave the Dark Expanse alone."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51274244708952671 for visiting. RUMBLE! Waves of power traveled with his voice as this message was not just being passed to the nearby watching Celestials that used to reside on the 7th Celestial Star, but a video feed of the destroyed star was being shown to all the Celestials in the numerous Celestial Stars in the Light Expanse as well as the Celestial Realm, his voice reaching the ears of all that needed to hear his message! "It is lawlessness, chaos, and disorder. As practitioners of Fate, it is our duty to bring order and balance across our Novus Galaxy and bring a stop to such chaos that the savages dwelling within cause!" OOOOH! Rousing shouts erupted out as the hearts of the inhabitants of the 7th Celestial Star especially felt strong emotions, their hatred and resolve for the coming war only being steeled as time passed. In the perspective of these beings, they were practicing a Supreme Law to bring order into the Universe, and they just saw first hand the need for their power and conquest over the Novus Galaxy as their own home was attacked and destroyed by the beings called savages! Those watching also felt the strong emotions as hatred and alienation continued to develop, the feelings of war only expanding as the words of the Founder rang out in their minds. "This is why we go to War. Not because we want to, but because we need to! It is for Order and Balance." OOOOH! "For Order!" "For Balance!" RUMBLE! Waves of fate rolled out as the significance of the releasing of a certain prisoner and the destruction of a star spread out, the Founder doing what he did best as he led his people and used the chance to reinforce and steel their resolve for the atrocities that would soon be committed at the level not seen before! Chapter 508 - Unveiling Secrets Noah reappeared with the aged Inuit on one of the floating continents of the Spiritual World where he had designed for the Fate Law Space to be, the arrival of this being that was caged beneath the 7th Celestial Star being a wondrous land that was filled with plants and vegetation that held a tinge of gold in their green. Inuit looked around him as he discovered small beasts that held ounces of the essence of fate moving around, their eyes sparkling with curiosity as they looked at their appearing figures and then moved away. The aged being saw that this area that was brimming with overwhelming fate essence was wide, his eyes using the little strength left in him to observe 3 other floating continents from the one he stood on, and a single larger continent that stood at the center which brimmed with life! Noah on the other hands had a troubled expression as he heard the strong words of the Founder through his main body in the Celestial Realm, his mind only being pulled back as he heard the voice of Inuit ring out beside him. "A truly wondrous place you made for yourself here." The aged old man took Noah out of his thoughts as he bent to smell the flowing leaves and flowers around them, his body still seeming feeble as Noah assessed him fully. Being a bit less than 2 meters, Inuit was clad in white hair that dropped to his shoulders, his facial expression sunken as he looked extremely malnourished, his eyes actually gleaming with a silver light as the injuries on his body were serious, Noah''s awareness catching that the many holes which the golden spears had dug through were not healing. RUMBLE! He waved his hands as he pulled out numerous Supreme Behemoth materials and meat from his [Expansive Space], sending word to the Spiritual World System to send him the newly created [Healing Potion] as he also cast one of his newly gained abilities from the Fate''s Guardian skill tree, it was [Golden Decree]! [Golden Decree] (5/5) ACTIVE :: A decree erupts out from the Radiant Protector, affecting the surrounding miles as a golden star that releases a resplendent light over the user and their allies. Grants the Enhanced All Element Resistance, Rapid Healing, Bolster Defense, Sharpened Attack, Clear Mind, and Light Feet effects. A shimmering golden star appeared above them as waves of gold washed down to wrap around his body and the body of Inuit, his voice resounding thereafter as he looked at the old man that did not look bothered by the injuries, his gaze continuing to look around the luminous area of the Spiritual World with a smile. "How should I address you, benefactor?" He was wondering which identity to use when it came to this being, a light laugh and a reply coming to him soon after. "Old Man Inuit is fine. I am after all just an old man at this point, a dredge still hanging on in the river of time." The resplendent light from [Golden Decree] washed over his body as he seemed visibly brighter, Noah beginning to cook the many Supreme Behemoth portions of meat that he took out as he also added his blood that had the qualities of [Panacea] to heal Old Man Inuit faster. This was because this time, he wanted to begin by finally probing for answers from this being! "As we get your health back, would it be ok for me to ask you to unveil some of the mysteries?" Old Man Inuit smiled as he turned to the skies to watch the glimmering star brought forth by [Golden Decree] as he voiced out. "You''ve come along far and deserve some answers, that is if you are willing to listen to the ramblings of an old man." Noah nodded his head as he waved his hands and used the [Architecture] feature of the Spiritual World, a regal and immaculate outdoor dining area forming in front of their eyes as he invited the old man to comfortably sit as powerful waves of essence bore towards him to try and heal his body, the food that Noah was cooking also soon being ready as he would have food to enjoy for the first time in hundreds of years! What followed after that...was a story. A story of the past, of the events that took place in the War of the Righteous, and of the reason as to why the three Founders of the Celestials had fractured in that single war more than a thousand years ago! "It all began with the three of us, three friends looking to increase their power, but each of us found something entirely different¡­" The gaze of Old Man Inuit was reminiscent as he began weaving his story, beginning with how the three of them had first come in contact with the golden doorway that led into the Celestial Realm as well as their exploration. "From the Inheritances that gave us immense strength all the way to the treasures we found, each of us believed that we were meant for great things, our futures shining brightly as they called out to us!" They saw a grand future ahead of them, but for them to actually achieve this future, they had to resort to unsightly means in order to progress even faster. This was the source of the creation of the Celestials, as well as their conquest for the Light Expanse and the War of the Righteous that followed. "Aldrich, the one you know as the Founder, was a very straightforward man that only saw a singular goal and did anything to achieve it. This trait was the one that propelled him to the stage he is at now, where his mission for strength and what he considered freedom...has only grown stronger as time passed." Noah listened carefully to the unfolding story, already finding the name of the being all Celestials referred to as the founder to be Aldrich! "Then there was me, and another friend that you have yet to meet, the one that is most likely still exploring the entirety of the Novus Galaxy at this moment...Fritz." "The three of us had differing personalities and ideals, which is why during the War of the Righteous, we all took very different paths. As we saw the atrocities and destruction we committed, as well as the response- Fritz became disillusioned, Aldrich only saw the rise in his strength as he affirmed his power, while I...well, I fell in love." The gaze of Old Man Inuit was cloudy as he continued, revealing the hidden history that very few beings had the knowledge of in this Novus Galaxy! Chapter 509 - Love! Love! During the War of the Righteous, Inuit had actually fallen in love, and it was one of the major reasons for the rift that occurred thereafter! "It was a unique being that joined the War after some time, a being that actually came from the Ancient Races of beings in the Letalis Expanse. It was the person that you actually carry the bloodline of right now...the Vampyre Progenitor." A forlorn and longing look appeared on Old Man Inuit''s face as he spoke out, Noah''s eyes nearly bulging out as he asked while surprised. "How? You were both on opposing sides¡­" "I met her on the battlefield and fell in love on the battlefield. I used my skills in the Law of Fate and Karma to discern that my future lied with her...but even I was wrong." Yes! Even though fate led him towards the Vampyre Progenitor, it was not to grant him a happy life with a being he could be happy with, but it was simply the hands of fate steering events to a certain direction as even someone that had millions of Fate Lines like Inuit read his Fate wrong! "Aldrich very soon found my connection with her, with Anna...and he wrathfully set out to extinguish this being that he considered to have made his friend weak." "She showed me a different world, a different path to follow that was not just for the sake of power and conquest. I looked at her as my future, so when Aldrich set out to destroy it...I fought back." During the War of the Righteous, a rift had occurred between the leaders of Celestials that nobody knew of, a rift that resulted in one of the Founders being pitted against another, a rift that eventually went on to cause the death of the Vampyre Progenitor! "He moved to target Anna and her forces as they rested from a recent battle, and I arrived just in time to stop him from taking her life. But at that point, she had suffered severe injuries that had damaged her Origin too greatly, and I saw the fate of death soon coming for her." As he spoke, glistening tears fell from the sunken eyes of this formerly powerful being had his gaze lost in time as he thought back to a long forgotten era! He had held off Aldrich as the Vampyre Progenitor went to go find safety, eventually returning to the Ancient Blood World as her forces faced defeat after defeat thereafter, some surrendering in the Light Expanse as others retreated into the Dark Expanse. In the Ancient Blood World, she had used her remaining Origin to set up the Inheritance of her bloodline, the few remaining Royal Vampyres being able to come into the world to awaken bloodlines of Vampyres for the future. "Even as she spent the rest of her days thinking of her Race, I could not be with her as it was this time that Aldrich saw my heart was completely set on something else, and he saw this as a great betrayal as he actually went on to shatter the source of my power...directly injuring my Origin as he stripped me of all my Fate Lines, and all of my power." "..." A somber silence came between them as Noah processed these words, hearing the terrible power of the Founder, Aldrich, who had simply shattered the power of someone at the same rank as him and then kept them as a prisoner for hundreds of years! "He was ruthless, cold, but most of all calculating. He would not allow anything to stand on his path, and he became even more isolated after Fritz, the only other friend between the three of us- saw what he had done." "Near the end of the War when we witnessed the terrible power of the Terror, one of the beings that rules over the Letalis Expanse that gave me my Anna...this was when Fritz ended up leaving Aldrich as well." At the end of the War of the Righteous, the three Founders of the Celestials were no more as one was stripped of all their power and jailed to a certain star, another became disillusioned on their mission and left to do what his heart desired, and the only one that remained was Aldrich- the one currently known as the only Founder! The defeat of the Celestials by the hands of the Terror in the last war dealt heavy tolls, but Aldrich only grew stronger from it as his mission was now all that existed, and he would stop at nothing to achieve it. During all of this time, Old Man Inuit remained bound and chained on the 7th Celestial Star, where for hundreds of years he was searching for a way...a way to achieve the dream of peace that Anna, the Vampyre Progenitor- had told him! "It was only a few decades ago when I began hearing whispers of a name in the river of fate which I then connected to the Law of Karma, and I was able to get a few distinct clues of the rising of a being that could make a dying dream a possibility." The gaze of Old Man Inuit glanced deeply at Noah when he reached this point, his eyes that looked to be filled with pain and wisdom locking with Noah''s eyes as he continued. "I tried to gleam of this bright future and saw many ways it could be snuffed out, and I used whatever remained of my power to try and steer it towards the proper direction. Saving you in the Lost World, guiding you to the World of Cultivation, the journey from there that led you to the Infernal Realm¡­" Old Man Inuit continued to talk more and more as Noah continued to listen gravely, the sequence of events being too wondrous to follow as he continued! From the Lost World to the World of Cultivation and then into the Infernal Realm, to then being noticed by Celestials as he came upon the same star that Old Man Inuit was chained in...until where he was right now! There were many steps, but they all seemed to be leading to a singular destination. Was this...fate?! Noah thought deeply as Old Man Inuit continued. "I tried my best to steer fate in towards the optimum result, giving you some techniques and treasures that I thought would be of use, even advising to be careful of women and love as it was exactly what brought me to my current fate." "Sometimes I was right, other times I was wrong. Some advice I gave you and you didn''t even need it, even some items that you have yet to use to get to the stage you''re currently at." Old Man Inuit was stroking his beard mysteriously as he let out a light laugh, Noah waving his hand as he looked at [Lawful Nourishment] that he had received from Inuit in the World of Cultivation. The treasure also had the attribute of increasing the comprehension of universal laws, and he was already refining Soul Jades in the Spiritual World as he planned to layer the uses of this treasure to the vibrant Law Spaces and many more things. "This is the problem with Fate...we can only be right about it so many times! But ultimately, here we are. Here you are." The gaze of Old Man Inuit was bright as he looked at Noah. "A grand fate awaits you...but only if you seek it and fight for it! Though I''m sure you''ll know this soon enough as your comprehension in the Law of Fate increases."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51287237790321526 for visiting. Noah put away the glimmering pendant in his hands as he looked at the old man, many thoughts coursing through his mind as the meeting that unveiled many secrets continued! Chapter 510 - Prevent a Catastrophe! In the mystical environment of one of the floating continents of the Spiritual World where Noah placed the Fate Law Space, the golden green vegetation waved peacefully around his figure and the figure of Old Man Inuit who was slowly savoring the meat of Supreme Behemoths. "Now this I haven''t had in a while. I''m assuming Aldrich has not made any headway into the Central Realm?" Old Man Inuit voiced out as he ate, using the words Central Realm to refer to the more commonly known Celestial Realm at this time! "I''m not too sure on this as I was just named a Commander to be given my own Legion soon. I''m not too knowledgeable, but why do you believe he hasn''t made any progress?" Inuit enjoyed a sumptuous bite before he replied with a profound gaze. "Because the entity that he hates so much simply won''t let him. It''s the reason for his obsession, and also why you might have heard him scream about his goal of freedom." Even more mysteries were being unveiled as Old Man Inuit spoke, Noah listening intently as he wanted to absorb all the information he could before the ensuing conflict. It seemed that there were more clues that were involved into the reason as to why the Celestials had explored such little regions of the Celestial Realm after such a long period of time, and it was apparently because even their strongest being, the Founder, could actually not make any more headway either! "If you delve further into the Central Realm, you will actually reach a certain point where you cannot cross, a barrier existing that none of us could break, no matter if we were at the World or the Nebula Realm it seems. It''s also because of this that Aldrich''s hatred was compounded even more." Yes! This was the reason for the immense contempt and hate the founder held when he talked about the playground they were all in-it was because he could see the wondrous treasures lying deeper into the Celestial Realm, and yet he was denied them at every turn! When he also wanted to increase his power in the Law of Fate even faster by propagating a War and increasing his influence, the power of a Terror that he could not deny also came down to stop him. At every turn he went, he was stopped left and right as he developed the mindset of a caged being that could not do what he wished, and this was why he spoke of breaking free out of this playground! "He''s publicly said that he will set us all free." Noah voiced out these words as he looked carefully towards Old Man Inuit, a grim look appearing on the aged figure as he shook his head and replied. "There are many more mysteries that I do not know, but from the last words of the Terror in the War of the Righteous...Aldrich''s goals would just invite a disastrous catastrophe!" RUMBLE! Waves of essence erupted out just from the mere mention of words, Noah sensing his surroundings as he saw the energies of fate and chaos being particularly vibrant. Old Man Inuit continued as the golden rays of light released from Noah''s [Golden Decree] and the vibrant food he was eating was making his figure more and more livelier. "It is precisely this Catastrophe that you must prevent, as most likely even the Terrors nor Ancients will be moving in this Last War." "Why is that?" Noah probing asked a question that pointed to the mysteries of Ancients and Terrors, his mind keen to know more about the beings he was unlocking the skill pathways of! "This...even I do not fully know!" Old Man Inuit replied while shaking his head, his eyes landing on Noah once more as he asked with a smile.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51287257922985108 for visiting. "But that''s enough of a boring old man''s story. You probably have many things on your plate and I should not keep you from doing them. What were you planning on doing next?" The aged being with eyes full of wisdom asked Noah, his body becoming livelier as time passed. Noah thought about the rough schedule he was setting up for himself as he replied. "One of me will be heading towards the stronghold of the Vampyres in the Dark Expanse soon. There, I will properly be taking up the mantle as the Vampyre Progenitor." His words caused a strong light to shine in Inuit''s eyes, as it was actually the Vampyres and The Grand Mage Edrusim that had made his escape that Noah initiated in the 7th Celestial Star possible, they being the ones who actually had the goal of saving him! "I''ll have to tag along with you and see what has become of Anna''s race then. I won''t be of much use to you now besides occasionally spout some nonsense as my Origin is nearly completely destroyed, with the only thing left in me being to maybe appear before Aldrich one last time to see if even an ounce of possibility exists for us all to come out of this alive." Old Man Inuit spoke with a smile as he got up to stretch his body, the injuries this being had faced for hundreds of years healing ever so slowly as Noah looked at this and smiled lightly himself. He had learned some more information about the Founder, and even glimpsed more of the mysteries of whatever entity was actually in steering the fates of trillions of beings in this Novus Galaxy. He thought of the Celestial Realm that apparently had a barrier that even beings at the Nebula Realm could not pass after you reached a certain point, and he thought about the mysteries of the Ancients and the Terrors of the Letalis Expanse. How was everything connected, what existed behind the barrier in the Celestial Realm, and what Catastrophe would come about if the goals of the Founder were achieved? There were many questions and beings involved, and as always he felt like he had little time! His main body was in the process of receiving an entire Legion to wage war against the vast regions of the Dark Expanse, his second clone was in the Time Space upgrading skill trees right at this moment, and his first clone was sitting with Old Man Inuit as he prepared to soon move towards the Vampyres of the Dark Expanse. He could not be more thankful for his three bodies at this moment as he would have had to move at a turtles pace otherwise. "By the way, now that I''m regaining some of my awareness and I can see more of this place you brought me in, just what exactly is this place that seems much too close in similarity to the Central Realm?" The voice of Old Man Inuit rang out besides Noah as his awareness spread out across the Spiritual World, noticing the four floating continents that had areas of the Fire, Water, Chaos, and Fate Law Spaces! He saw the small beasts carrying the essence of these respective elements moving across the wide and colorful lands, their features reminding him of the Celestial Realm as he looked around curiously. "The grand fate following is something I have never come across before if you are even given things like this¡­" Old Man Inuit voiced out mysteriously as Noah looked at his own Spiritual World. Of course, he had noticed the similarities of the direction and features of the Spiritual World to the Celestial Realm! But he kept this in the back of his mind as he simply waited expectantly for a single future of this treasure. Would this treasure that he had obtained in the Beast World really be something so wondrous to even come close to matching the Celestial Realm? The place where even the Celestials had explored very little of, and there apparently existed a point where nobody could even pass! The questions and mysteries were many as thoughts jumped around in Noah''s mind, his gaze overlooking the wondrous Spiritual World as he left behind what he could not answer now and got ready to move forward into the future. Chapter 511 - Commander Crixus In the Golden Bastion of the Celestial Realm, Noah''s main body was in the skies overlooking the expansive fortress of the Celestials. He was currently on one of the huge Prime Warsh.i.p.s that was just assigned to him, many others filling the skies around the Golden Bastion as the new legions of the four geniuses from the recent tournament were formed. His hands fiddled with the Commander''s Golden Medallion that set his identity as a Celestial Commander, his face turning to look far into the mystically swaying ancient trees of the Celestial Realm as he thought about the information that his clone was listening to from Old Man Inuit. Past these many vibrant ancient trees filled with essence, there apparently existed a barrier that even the Founder, Aldrich, could not break! He was in the process of exploring further himself as he had already begun running into World Rank Celestial Behemoth, but he had to leave behind his exploration for now as many things were happening all around him. The mysteries of the Celestial Realm that even stumped someone as powerful as the Founder could slowly be unveiled as time passed, his heart now steeling himself for the wars to come. In the past day, Grandmaster Vredral and many other Celestials were moving with even more wrath and vigor after the destruction of the 7th Celestial Star, this place they knew as their home being taken away by the very same beings they considered to be lawless savages bent on perpetuating chaos, this event just further cementing their beliefs! This led to rapid productiveness that allowed for Noah to already be situated atop a Prime Warship that had himself at the lead, very soon moving as a commanding figure of the Celestials to wage war against the so-called savages of the Dark Expanse. "Commander Crixus...that has a nice ring to it, don''t you think?" The clear voice of Athena rang out as the War Princess materialized near him with a smile, Noah turning towards her as he replied with his gaze still watching the distance. "My dear Commander Athena, should you be leaving your Warship so quickly? You should soon be meeting with your subordinates as a chain of command is established for your Legion. Or does none of that matters since you''re missing me too much?" "Hmph, all that respect for your senior sister seems to be disappearing faster and faster for you to be talking to me like this." The War Princess had a teasing expression as she spoke, Noah finally turning around to look at her as he replied with a smile. "You still couldn''t match me even on a spar after all, Senior Sister." The Junior Brother and Senior Sister bantered as they spoke of their current situation, the matter of the 7th Celestial Star exploding not affecting them as much since they spent very little time there, with Athena simply seeing it as Fate that brought forth an event which further steeled the hearts of the Celestials. When it came to the two of them, their roles as Commanders were also rapidly changing how things worked around them! The two of them and the Three-Eyed Fate Child, as well as Grandmaster Light, were slowly acclimating to their positions as many Warsh.i.p.s and beings were placed under their commands, gradually fitting themselves into the role of Commanders as they prepared to set off towards the Dark Expanse. During this period of time, Noah got a whole lot more information about the Celestial Legion, the distribution of their powerhouses, as well as the powerful Commanders to be looking out for! "If we are victorious in many battles, maybe even we will be able to get our hands on the rare Realm Dreadnought." Athena''s voice rang out once more as she spoke of grand ideals, talking about the powerful vessels above the Prime Warsh.i.p.s that were simply termed as the Realm Dreadnoughts! These Realm Dreadnoughts were extremely rare in the whole of Novus Galaxy, being the peak treasures that the Founder was able to get his hands on from the Celestial Realm aside from the Inheritance of the Law of Fate. These powerful vessels were currently under the command of the Golden Commanders, the term given to the few Celestials that had entered the Star Forging Realm, those just a step away from the Nebula Realm, and the true powerhouses of the Celestials aside from the Founder! These powerful Golden Commanders each led their own Realm Dreadnought, controlling multiple Celestial Legions under them as they would be the sharp tip of the sword that would soon be cutting through the lands of Dark Expanse. "The title of Golden Commander is too far away even for us, we''ll either need enormous battle merits or simply enter the Star Forging Realm. But before then, we can only imagine gaining control of that type of monstrous vessel¡­" Noah released his thoughts freely as numerous hidden ones crossed his mind, the Junior Brother and Senior Sister spending some more time talking before they each returned to familiarize themselves with the Legion they would soon be leading! This was the current state of affairs for the Celestials, with many Legions being assembled across the Celestial Stars and the Celestial Realm, their swords being sharpened as even the most powerful Golden Commanders that led terrible Realm Dreadnoughts under their banners were coming out into the lime light. As all this occurred, Noah''s second Ancient Blood Clone continued to make rapid progress, this time achieving the 4th Stage for the Fire and Water Origins as the percentages for the Law of Fire and Water had breached past 40%! His pathway towards gaining a type of {{Authority}} that only stemmed from mastering more than half of a universal law was thus ever closer as his second clone continued uninterrupted. His first clone continued his discussions with Old Man Inuit as a tour of the expansive Spiritual World was given, Noah taking the time to introduce the being that had been caged for centuries to his subordinates before they went on their way towards the Vampyres of the Dark Expanse. As all this happened, the productiveness of the second clone training in the Time Space did not just stop with the advancement in universal laws, as the last skill tree that remained at the Soul Rank was currently being brought up to the rank of Domain! The [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] that had not been frequently used after the time in the First Infernal Realm had finally advanced, a delightful set of abilities appearing in front of Noah once more... Chapter 512 - [Abyssal Lich], Vampyres! The abilities this time further reinforced the power of the Undead Legion that the Arch Lich could command, the addition of the skill tree that brought the Lich Lord of Abomination into the Domain Rank being called [Abyssal Lich]! DOMAIN [Lich Lord of Abomination] (15/15):: Abilities- Summon Poison Totem(5/5), Summon Undead(5/5), Noxious Outburst(5/5), and Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord(5/5) >> [Abhorred Lich Emperor](45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Undead Legion(5/5), Will of the Undead Emperor(5/5), and Delay Death(5/5) >> [Arch Lich Ra''Zan] (60/60) :: Additional Abilities- No Man''s Land(5/5), Reward for Servitude(5/5), Field of Torment(5/5), and Abyssal Summoner(5/5). >> [Abyssal Lich](75/75) :: [Elemental Undead] (5/5), [Curse of Weakening] (5/5), [Vitality Decay] (5/5), [Abyss Veteran] (5/5) [Elemental Undead] (5/5) :: The undead that the Abyssal Lich summons can obtain a specific element that the Abyssal Lich or its Master can utilize, giving rise to a wide array of undead in the Legion.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Babyssal-lich%5D-vampyres!_51323996536360784 for visiting. [Curse of Weakening] (5/5) :: The Abyssal Lich gains the ability to utilize the Curse of Weakening in a one mile area. To all enemies affected: -50% All Element Resistance, -50% Movement Speed, -50% Mana and Health Regeneration. [Vitality Decay] (5/5) :: All summoned undead release a terrible essence of decay that latches on to any surrounding beings. The essence will erode the Origins of all those that cannot protect themselves until they embrace the sweet release of death. [Abyss Veteran] (5/5) :: The effect of [Abyssal Summoner] is enhanced, with the number of Abyssal Undead capable of being summoned being tripled to 18 and the addition of Abyssal Dragons becoming available. The set of skills becoming available to the Abyssal Lich were at the same level of ridiculousness as the others, Noah''s eyes locking on one particular ability that made him give this skill tree an extra level of care and importance once more. The ability he was looking more at was [Elemental Undead], an ability that seemed normal at first glance but was extremely overpowered when one thought about it! Its description said that the Abyssal Lich could summon undead that held an element it or it''s Master could utilize, and this meant that somehow, the Lich would be able to summon undead that were vibrant with the chaos and fate elements! The option of undead circling with fire and water elements was also appealing, but when it came to fighting mass groups of Celestials proficient in Fate, a Legion of Undead creatures that could easily defend against their attacks if they held the essence of Fate within their bodies or beings that could deal terrible attacks towards them because they carried the essence of Chaos would make the coming battles extremely exciting. He saw this singular ability as one of the more important ones, the [Curse of Weakening] and [Vitality Decay] being more on the side of wide spread debuffing abilities that heavily tied down the enemies of the lich. [Vitality Decay] was slightly more eye catching as it was capable of directly turning more beings into undead if they did not have any ways to defend themselves from the energy of death that the undead released! The last one was the support ability Abyss Veteran that granted the powerful Abyssal Undead that were enormous in size, this time even gaining the capability to summon an Abyssal Undead. If used in conjunction with [Elemental Undead] to bring forth Abyssal creatures filled with the essence of Chaos or Fate...it made for an exciting scene that Noah could not wait to lay his eyes on! --- As more and more abilities were advanced with the progression of power continuing its exponential curve, the beings on the other side of the Novus Galaxy that were connected to Noah were unknowingly preparing for his grand entrance. In the Dark Expanse, many Vampyre Lords and Vampyre Kings were in bad moods as they heard the command of the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok to gather together at once. This forced them to leave their posts where they were making preparations to stand against the coming Celestial Legions, but the being overseeing the many Vampyre Clans in the Dark Expanse had effectively beckoned them to come without giving any proper explanation, causing for a sour mood in an already tense atmosphere to spread! Vladivostok was moving faithfully while still holding a shocked and excited state of mind as he thought of the meaning of the bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor coming to life once more, his mind not caring for the injustice the Vampyre Lord felt as he used his authority to call forth all the leaders of the forces of Vampyres spread out across the Dark Expanse. This was an extremely unwise move in the middle of a beginning war, a crucial period where forces had to be stationed in multiple places and resources had to be taken care of. Yet at this crucial time, the leaders of all of the Clans were called by Vladivostok as they gathered in a well known region in the Dark Expanse where the leaders of the many Vampyre Clans normally met for important events. It was a location in the void of space known as the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, an expansive region in the void of space that contained collections of dead stars, making for a unique atmosphere and pristine location where only those at the Void Realm and above could even attend. For this task, Vladivostok had gathered more than 100,000 of the powerful Vampyre Lords and Kings, this being easier to do than moving the billions of Vampyres spread throughout one third of the Dark Expanse. There were many World Rank Vampyre Lords in this gathered force, along with two other beings at the Star Forging Realm similar to Vladivostok! He had gathered all of them at the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter as he prepared for a grand and proper entrance for their Vampyre Progenitor, sending the coordinates and location of this place telepathically to the Progenitor as more and more Vampyres arrived. The stationary cl.u.s.ters of asteroids that made up the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter had many figures standing atop them at this moment, and they looked towards the very center of the cl.u.s.ter where huge bloody thrones of varying sizes stood. There was a single throne that was taller than the rest, the thrones to its left and right being progressively smaller in size as they formed a wide circle of thrones at the very center of the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter. These were the thrones that the Vampyre Lords would normally be situated in whenever they held grand meetings, the biggest throne being taken by Vladivostok who held one of the purest bloodlines alive and had the title of the Vampyre Ruler. Currently, devilishly handsome Vampyre Lords with shining silver hair and powerful red eyes were taking their positions as they wondered exactly what Vladivostok was doing at a time like this! Chapter 513 - Bow to the King! On the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, the collection of asteroids came together to create a wondrous and expansive area that was modified with spectacular thrones at the very center. Whether through teleportation or Vessels, more and more Vampyre Lords were arriving with their most powerful subordinates as they took their positions on the grand thrones, the area released waves of bloody power as the auras of the experts at the Domain and World Rank Permeated! RUMBLE! Consecutively, the auras of three Star Forging Realm experts appeared as two devilishly handsome men and a single curvaceous silver haired woman appeared within a few seconds of each other, their appearance causing the bustling discussions of many Vampyres to come to a close as they walked up to their seats that were closest to the largest one. The female Vampyre Lord at the Star Forging Realm glanced at the largest throne as she sat on the slightly smaller one beside it and spoke out to the other 2 experts of the same realm. "Where is Vladivostok? He dares to command all of us here so abruptly and he wants to arrive late?" Her words carried an unhappy tone, and it was understandably so as the timing of this meeting was just horrendous with the unfolding war! With all of them being taken away from their posts, they were swearing in their hearts that this sudden meeting of all the powerful Vampyre Lords and the specific command to bring their direct powerful subordinates better have a grand meaning- even if it was coming from the Vampyre Ruler with the purest bloodline that they elected. "As cold as always, Rose, but today''s matter is too joyful for me to care." The voice of a powerful expert at the peak of Star Forging Realm that they all knew rang out, Vladivostok appearing with an expression that startled many of the Vampyre Lords here. The ancient looking Vampyre had his silver hair visibly dancing on his shoulders as his entire body exuding excitement, a smile apparent on his lips as he glanced at the many Vampyre Lords and the thousands of Vampyre Kings at the Domain and Soul Forging Realm who were the heads of the collective billions of Vampyres that moved across the Dark Expanse. There were also tens of thousands of powerful Vampyres present that made the meeting here today all the more vibrant, the number of forces here spilling out above 100,000! The three Star Forging Realm Vampyre Lords took their positions on the nearby thrones as they saw the appearance of Vladivostok and had their own thoughts, but they received their first shock of the day when the first action that this Vampyre Ruler took was much different than normal! The many watching Vampyres observed unbelievably as Vladivostok did not actually take up his position on the largest throne, but actually kneeled right in front of it without sitting down! "What are you doing?!" The Star Forging Vampyre Lord Rose was the first to blurt out as she incomprehensibly stared at Vladivostok, the strong voice of the Vampyre Ruler ringing out thereafter as it resonated to the ears of all the gathered Vampyres. "The meeting today is a grand and momentous event, where even someone like me does not deserve to be seated at the highest seat of honor." With these cryptic words, confusion spread out among the Vampyres as the three Vampyre Lords now had a thread of annoyance appearing on their faces, feeling the dignity that the one they elected the Vampyre Ruler should have was dissolving in front of their eyes as another expert at the Star Forging Realm spoke. "You...what are you doing? If the one holding the Vampyre Ruler title is not to sit on the commanding throne, who is?!" RUMBLE! The question was not answered as at this moment, they felt the auras of beings they weren''t familiar with come near the expansive Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, their bodies not carrying the familiar smell of Vampyres and it was what made them stand out all the more. The figures of two beings, one with a devilishly handsome face with dark hair that had streaks of silver, and another was an old man with an amiable smile and sparkling eyes that seemed to contain unknown wisdom! Rose and the other two Star Forging Vampyre Lords rose from their thrones as they actually recognized the figure that was the old man, as it was someone they were familiar with from the War of the Righteous! "Ancestor Inuit?!" Shock was apparent across their faces as they saw the intrusion of this aged being that they had given the mission of freeing to a certain Celestial Disciple, and yet he appeared casually now at this location accompanied by an unknown being. Vladivostok was also hit with shock once more as even he did not expect the Progenitor to come here with someone that should still be locked up in the 7th Celestial Star, his heart shaking as he realized there were even more things he did not know about this new Progenitor! The figures of the two beings landed in the middle of the circle of thrones, surrounded by tens of thousands of Vampyres as the one that even the Vampyre Lords did not know, the devilishly handsome man with a calm look that seemed to show no worries for anything- this man began walking towards the central throne that Vladivostok was kneeling besides without any fear. "...!" Looks of incredulity began to spread across the Vampyres as they watched this scene with disbelief, the being that they could only sense an aura of power from actually walking forward and bringing himself to sit on the largest throne that was surrounded by four Star Forging Realm Experts without batting an eye! Many faces then turned towards Vladivostok as they saw an expression of excitement on the ancient Vampyre''s face, this being they considered a Vampyre Ruler not rebuking or using his power to strip this being down from the throne as silence descended onto the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter. "...what-" The three Star Forging Ream Vampyre Lord situated beside the largest throne were turning their faces from the being they knew as Ancestor Inuit to Vladivostok and then to the new being that had just sat himself on the throne that only someone considered the ruler of Vampyres should be sitting on as they did not even know where to begin. It was at this time that the resonant voice of Vladivostok rang out across the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, revealing shocking words that caused waves of bloody essence to erupt out from a grand announcement! "On this momentous day, I welcome back our Master...I welcome back our Progenitor!" DING!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51348549773871106 for visiting. A bloody aura of power erupted out at the mention of these words from the largest throne of the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, an aura of regality and strength erupted that demanded the eyes and minds be pulled towards it! "I welcome the Progenitor and say to my Brethren¡­ Bow to your King!" RUMBLE!!! Chapter 514 - Grandeur "Bow to your King!" "Bow¡­!" "...King!" Words of enormous shock resonated and repeated themselves across the ears and minds of the many Vampyres spread out across the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter as an aura of immensity that the Vampyres had not felt in many years erupted out fully from the largest chair at the center. In the middle of the circle of thrones, Old Man Inuit glanced at the forces of Vampyres around them and then at the being who was releasing waves of bloody essence, shaking his head with a smile as what he was seeing was greater than any of the predictions and probabilities he foresaw! His old eyes looked at the being releasing the waves of power atop the throne as he thought about how it had only been a matter of months since this being began embarking on his journey for power. It had not even been a year since he was first exposed to essence and mana, and yet at this moment, he stood between four power houses at the Star Forging Realm without a shred of fear, a unique power of bloodline erupting from him that actually made these beings and the many Vampyres around them utterly incapable of giving him anything but their attention! ''Ah...such a fate!'' Old Man Inuit thought about many things at this moment as the scenes continued playing in slow motion. Noah himself had a calm gaze as he released the bloodline power of the Vampyre Progenitor, his awareness looking at the levels of power of beings he would soon have under his control as he spread out the domination of the bloodline unique to him! "Bow to your King!" The resonant words of Vladivostok continued as many were released from their stupor, sensing an aura that many had not gotten a chance to feel for hundreds of years, with the closest beings that were the Vampyre Lord at the Star Forging Realm actually being the ones closest and felt their Origins tremble the most just from the proximity of this being. THUD! ...THUD!..THUD!. THUD! Numerous knees hit the floor of the cl.u.s.ter of asteroids that made up the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter as all the ranks of Vampyres at this location unbelievably had similar thoughts coursing through each of their minds. ''Is it really?'' ''Impossible!'' ''The King?'' ''The Progenitor?!'' Expressions of shock and disbelief had propagated throughout, and as time passed and everything registered, the Vampyres began to feel excitement coursing through them! RUMBLE! This caused for a spectacular scene to play itself out in the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, where all ranks of Vampyres no matter their level of power had gotten down on their knees as they looked towards a single being sitting on a throne. It did not matter if they were Vampyre Lords at the Star Forging Realm or Royal Vampyres at the Void Realm, any of those that held the bloodline of a Vampyre were all of the ground staring towards Noah! The being in question looked at the powerful figures paying respects to him as he opened his mouth for the first time in front of them. "In the War of the Righteous, you were bullied and beaten and had to be saved by an outside force to continue living." WAA! His voice spread out in waves as it contained an irresistible force towards the many Vampyres, feeling the words rushing through their minds with every syllable! "The Noble Race of Vampyres lost their leader and were left behind in the Dark Expanse, breaking into collections of clans as more than a thousand years were wasted with no major progress in their strength nor revenge. Are you all content with such status and conditions?" His words traveled out as they felt piercing and scathing into the hearts of many, but the Vampyre Lords and Vladivostok at the Star Forging Realm especially. They were in these realms when the war ended, and they were still in the same realm of power now! None of them had made a breakthrough into the last and greatest level of power they knew, only increasing their strength in law comprehension and the usage of their abilities, but that was all! "No, Progenitor!" OOONG The resonant voices of a collective many erupted to answer simultaneously, emotions bubbling towards their hearts as they felt a sense of shame at being reminded how the past one thousand years had gone by. Noah felt the vibrations of these voices as he continued "I have only for a single purpose for coming here- to change the conditions of my Noble Race and elevate it to the pedestal it used to be on before, and even reach higher! If it is power you lack, I will grant it to you. But what I need in return is to know whether you are ready and willing to seriously move as the strong and Noble race of Vampyres once more." "We are willing!" "We are ready!" RUMBLE! Waves of voices spread out as the more than 100,000 powerful Vampyres had their hearts bubbling, realizing this being in front of them really was their Progenitor as they sensed the unique bloodline signature and felt the strength in his words, their hearts beating faster and faster as they felt that something grand was coming. Noah''s eyes scanned the many being around him as he thought about his plans. He simply needed to have all of these powerful leaders of numerous Vampyre Clans acknowledge him as the Progenitor and have them listed as his Subordinates, the effects of the Guider Type Abilities being able to spread through with ease after this as the system of the Vampyre Bloodline made it extremely easy to do so. He had the purest bloodline, which meant all those below him had to unconditionally follow his commands. When he achieved the requirements to make the many powerful Vampyre Lords that oversaw many worlds and forces in the Dark Expanse his Subordinates, all of the Vampyre Clans would soon fall in line as well, his mind foreseeing a grand possibility of the Guider Type Abilities affecting more than one third of all the forces residing in the Dark Expanse! With this in mind, his voice moved once more as he tested it out, releasing the spreading of the two Guider Type Abilities as he freely allowed them to descend onto the bodies of tens of thousands of powerful Vampyres. "Then power you shall have." RUMBLE! A splendor of colors and a flash of light. Splendrous gold and starry darkness erupted out like a flood from a singular being at the center as it spread out like a tidal wave towards kneeling individuals. It was beautiful, dazzling, and resplendent! It was the moment one of the more powerful forces of the Novus Galaxy were washed with unbelievable waves of fate and chaos without reservations, the effects of such a move only being able to be discerned over the passing river of time! Chapter 515 - Star Shaking, Sense Breaking! "Then power you shall have!" RUMBLE! Old Man Inuit felt the space around him change as his eyes shone with a shocked l.u.s.ter, the sight playing out in front of him being too ridiculous to describe even for him. With Noah at the center, a flood of fate and chaos essence erupted out as it sn.a.k.e.d towards the many Vampyres kneeling in the surroundings, but this was not what gave Inuit the most shock. It was the fact that from the storm of Fate and Chaos Essence, very little of it was actually coming from Noah himself, where Inuit could confidently say 99% of it was coming from the surroundings! To someone knowledgeable of the universal laws and the workings of essence, this was a shocking event as he was effectively watching a being somehow affected atmospheric elements on the category of the Supreme level, and these elements were actually adhering to his will as they went on to attach to the bodies of those he wanted to! Normally, one had to draw in the essence of fate, chaos, fire, air, or any other element for them to be able to use it for their own purposes. But what Inuit saw now was the uncontrolled and unreigned essence of fate and chaos that was not even bound to Noah actually following his will and going on to attach to the bodies of Vampyres. The singular question in Inuit''s mind was exactly what type of ability or authority was given that allowed Noah to freely use and impart the environmental essence of two Supreme Laws to seamlessly enter the bodies of other beings without any disruption! ''I understand the fate which that Entity has in store for him...but is this even allowed?''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/star-shaking-sense-breaking!_%!d(string=51371145328389381) for visiting. Old Man Inuit looked forward unbelievably as his eyes caught the descent of abundant essence of chaos and fate from the starry space around them, these energies going on to wrap around the bodies of the Vampyre Lords and many other Vampyres as their bodies effortlessly gained the auras of two Supreme Laws, the immensity of this event causing a storm of essence to rapidly descend on the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter. The Vampyres within felt the descent of strength onto their bodies as their strength felt elevated, their figures shaking as their eyes glanced towards their Progenitor in fervor and incredulity as they found the identity of what was freely flowing through them at this moment! "The power of two Supreme Laws will flow through you now, and there should be no excuses for you all to not be able to match the Legions of Celestials making their way here now. Will you live up to the Noble name of a Vampyre?" RUMBLE! "Yes, Progenitor!" A bloody flash of essence erupted as the resonance of bloodlines occurred, the many beings in the surroundings feeling a level of shaking to their very cores as they experienced the explosion of strength, with some of them even breaking through from the Void and into the Soul Rank, others entering into the Domain Rank as Inuit shockingly saw the auras of two new World Rank experts explode out near the circular cl.u.s.ter of thrones! The essence of fate and chaos was so potent that it caused the normal beings in the worlds Noah was connected to, to awaken and for others to feel an advancement in their realms if they were stuck on the cusp of breaking through. This effectiveness was shown at this point in time even more powerful beings were gifted this essence, many experiencing breakthroughs. Old Man Inuit rapidly moved his eyes to the three Vampyre Lords and singular Vampyre Ruler at the Star Forging Realm who also had their bodies bathed by the colors of fate and chaos, wanting to see if that ''Entity'' had completely gone overboard and was allowing Noah to freely break all universal sense! His shaking gaze saw that even though their auras had significantly risen, their level of power was not suddenly propelled to the Nebula Realm that very few could get their hands on! ''Haaaa¡­'' A sigh of relief seemed to escape from Inuit as if what he thought of had actually occurred, it would be more terrifying than ridiculous as the basis of everything would have just been broken down. He glanced towards Noah who had now stood up from the largest throne, his eyes gazing into the starry beauty of space as the fate and chaos essence around him still bubbled freely, the effects of [Golden Guider] and [Dark Guider] only beginning as they actually began to propagate further from the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter...and towards the Dark Expanse! RUMBLE! The unique connection of the bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor was showing itself now as while the strongest and purest of bloodlines were kneeling in front of him in the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, all the Vampyres spread out across the many Clans and Worlds in the Dark Expanse which these kneeling beings controlled had fit the requirements of ''Subordinates''. First was the fact they carried the bloodline of Vampyres, and the second condition was of the leaders they all followed to be listed as his Subordinate! Noah then went even further as for the first time ever, he prepared his mind as he activated the mind-enhancing unique skills he held, using the bloodline power of the Vampyre Progenitor and an immense amount of mana to cast a wide-ranging [Telepathy] that went to billions of beings that had the bloodline he shared. The message they heard in their minds was a simple one. "Pay respects to your Progenitor!" "Kneel!..." "Acknowledge!..." RUMBLE! Ridiculously and without batting an eye, Noah went forth and used a combination of abilities to allow the casting of numerous skills and their effects to spread out and cover one of the three forces that made up the Dark Expanse. Conditions that only he met allowed for this, where if he were missing a single one- none of this would be possible! If he did not have the mana he did, the bloodline he did, the skill trees he held, the unique skills...if he did not have even a single one of these things, one could say what was occurring now would not be possible! Yet it happened freely as any being that fell under the category of the race of Vampyres knew on this day that their Progenitor had returned. The ridiculous effects of the Guider Type Abilities permeated across many regions of the Dark Expanse as on the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter, a devilishly handsome being stood upon a throne and glanced towards the starry space above him, seeing a storm of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles descending onto him freely in the thousands. It was glorious, breathtaking, and simply beautiful as many watched the aura of radiant colors wash over this being in stupefaction! Chapter 516 - An Advisor, Legions Set Off Across the Dark Expanse, a shocking phenomenon was spreading out. The descent of the universal laws of fate and chaos entered the body of billions as in the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter where a circle of thrones stood, a King was grandly standing atop the main throne, his gaze overlooking the many Vampyres around him. His devilishly handsome face opened its mouth as his resonant words rang out once more. "You now have the strength. It is time to aim it towards the coming enemies that want to take the places you''ve made your homes these past hundreds of years." "OOOH!" Roars of affirmation rang out as a sense of cohesiveness and strength spread out across the ranks of vampyres, their bloodline auras with this powerful being making them feel an overabundance of strength! The Star Forging Realm Vampire Lords glanced at Vladivostok and their Vampyre Progenitor as they then looked towards Old Man Inuit that had come with their Progenitor. What followed thereafter was the reacquaintance of these powerful beings that had fought in the War of the Righteous more than a thousand years ago as they finally got the chance to meet the one they knew as the ancestor, Inuit! He was the being that had helped the past Progenitor with all his power, and he had paid dearly for it. This was the being that they had given the task of freeing to a particular celestial disciple, and yet now he appeared here with their Progenitor. They dared not to ask as the Vampyre Lords and Vladivostok looked towards the two of them for directions. The power of Old Man Inuit may have been shattered with his origin heavily injured to the point where the millions of fate lines that he carried were fractured and broken, but his mind was still there. The intelligence and wisdom of a monster that had lived for many years were still there! Noah knew this, so when this time came when they needed to deploy the forces of the newly strengthened vampires across the many defensive positions of the Dark Expanse, he looked towards Old Man Inuit as he wanted to put this heavy task on the shoulders of the old man. Only a light smile appeared on the face of Inuit, his intuition seemingly having expected this as in the next few hours while the Vampyres were accommodating to their newfound strength- a discussion on how the forces of Vampyres, Mages, Wizards, and Infernals were spread out across the Dark Expanse took place. Information that very few had in hand was freely shared with Noah and Inuit from the mouth of Vladivostok as Old Man Inuit listened closely. He had abundant knowledge about the Founder and the forces of Celestials, his mind already assimilating much of the information for him to use into the favor of the forces of the Dark Expanse. In his mind, a powerful defensive formation that would make it extremely hard for Celestial Legions to break through was already being created as a meeting between a Vampyre Progenitor, an old man, and all the forces that were under them continued! During this meeting, Noah also released the Harbingers and Elena to join the ranks of the Vampyres of Dark Expanse. Vladivostok looked towards Elena who was supposed to be moving under his directions as he laughed, piecing together some of the more shocking mysteries as he nodded toward the curvaceous Elena. At this moment, their distinctions were not any different as they were all under the rule of a single Vampyre Progenitor! RAA! The cries of an arrogant Emperor Penguin erupted as he floated in the space and used his beady eyes to look at the forces of tens of thousands of Vampyres, his beak passing through the World Rank Vampyres and the Vampyre Lords with disdain as he simply saw them as his Master''s servants. He knew that he was one of the first beings that his Master had taken under him months ago in the Frozen Kingdom of the Beast World when he first obtained the Spiritual World, and saw his position as unshakable! Using this status as the first beast of the Spiritual World, this penguin could look down upon even the Star Forging Vampyre Lords as they came later than him! These Vampyres with powerful realms looked at the new beings and the penguin that their Progenitor released as they only smiled wryly, never even entertaining the thoughts of hurting individuals that had been with their Progenitor all this time. The much too social Kazuhiko had a bright face as he looked at the faces of thousands of powerful beings around him, beginning to move towards the few World Rank Vampyres as he began talking, his heart not as shameless as the Emperor Penguin. With the addition of Noah''s first subordinates, the forces of Vampyres only became livelier as they prepared and planned on the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter. --- In the golden bastion of the celestial realm, Noah had his main body standing at the forefront of an enormous Prime Warship. He released essence from his body to occasionally guide the vessel as he controlled the enormous ship to head towards the golden gate in the Sanctuary of the Celestial Realm that led out of this wondrous place. Behind him, a collection of prime warsh.i.p.s followed as Noah himself had fully taken up the role of a Commander and was now leading his own Celestial Legion! There were many powerful Celestials on the warship that he was leading, their levels varying from Void to Domain rank. He even had Boru and the other members of the Righteous Fire Exploration Team on his Legion, their bodies vibrant as they looked forward to the coming battles. OOOOH! Waves of essence spread out from his legion as resonant voices could be heard from the celestials within, a hymn that released waves of gold ringing out. "For balance!" "For order!" RUMBLE! The powerful essence only continued to permeate outwards further and further as Noah''s Legion was not the only one moving out from this realm today. The War Princes Athena was spearheading her own legion as her shining eyes fearlessly shone with a dangerous l.u.s.ter. Grandmaster Vredral had chosen to go onto her Legion to watch over her abilities in the coming battles, the teacher and student moving hand in hand as they sought their own ideals. From another Legion, the Three-Eyed Fate Child had a cold look as the sh.i.p.s behind him moved forward, the scene of Grandmaster light leading her own legion not too far away showing itself. She had an expression of someone that wanted to prove themselves, as she was the only one among the four geniuses who had yet to break into the World Rank. She led her own legion as she was looking forward to claiming many military exploits and gaining the ranking and prestige similar to the other three beings on the same stage as her! OOOOH!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/an-advisor-legions-set-off_%!d(string=51371156351015868) for visiting. Their legions left the celestial realm as they then passed through designated locations across the Light Expanse, going on to add the numerous beings from powerful Prime Worlds that would be joining the war and fighting alongside them. It would be bloody and destructive, but at this moment the forces of both sides had begun actively moving and preparing. The flames of the war that could take months or years to resolve were burning ever higher, a shocking future awaiting all the participants! Chapter 517 - [Juvenile Terror] As all preparations were set for a full scale war with many beings moving, Noah''s second clone continued his exemplary training session in the Time Space of the Spiritual World. The incandescent colors of gold, dark, red, and blue shimmered around him as he was situated in the junction of the four different Law Spaces. His own body though was not as radiant though, as it was in the form of a monstrous Cthulhu with tentacles that wriggled with the power of Aether! The beauty of the Law Spaces around him was ruined as the destructive attacks he was training to increase the proficiency of the skill tree were too many, but they achieved the result as he was able to bring another skill tree to the World Rank, and this time it was the especially unique pathway that led towards the mysterious Terrors of the Letalis Expanse. The unlocked pathway this time was termed [Juvenile Terror], and the abilities were shocking, to say the least! WORLD [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(5/5), Destabilize(5/5), Shattered Star(5/5), and Miniature Space(5/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu] (45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Morph(5/5), Child of Space(5/5), Portals of Terror(5/5), and Sever(5/5). >> [Kin of Terror] (60/60) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Reinforcement (5/5), Multiplicative Ray Support (5/5), Triple on Cast Support (5/5), Lunacy Inducement (5/5) >> [Fledgling Aether Terror] (75/75) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Emission (5/5), Aether Chain Support (5/5), Fatal Ailment Support (5/5), Size Distortion (5/5) >> [Juvenile Terror] (100/100) :: Unique Being (5/5), Compounded Terror Support (5/5), Unnatural Size Support (5/5) Tentacle Manifestation (5/5). [Unique Being] (5/5) :: Stepping into the ranks of beings born for a specific purpose, your Origin gains a unique disposition. Universal Laws comprehension increased by 50%, and the skill effect of Apathy is granted. [Compounded Terror Support] (5/5) :: The destructive abilities of the Juvenile Terror are further enhanced. Every time an Aether Ray from [Sever] hits an enemy, a random Portal of Terror blooms. [Unnatural Size Support] (5/5) :: The effects of Size Distortion are doubled, the Juvenile Terror gaining the ability to expand to 500 meters.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/%5Bjuvenile-terror%5D_%!d(string=51381586947534591) for visiting. [Tentacle Manifestation] (5/5) :: The physiological tentacles on the body of the Juvenile Terror can be utilized. The power of Aether courses through them as any enemies they come in contact with are affected by the Weakening and Origin Deterioration skill effects. The abilities of the [Juvenile Terror] Skill Tree were shocking in front of his eyes, and yet Noah''s face and eyes were those of extreme apathy as even his thoughts were only calculative and seeing exactly how useful the new skills would be in battle. The reason for this was the skill effect that came with the first ability of this new skill tree, [Apathy]! No emotions were released from him as eyes glanced through the abilities quickly, discerning their usage and effectiveness as he then waved his hands emotionlessly and prepared to get back to training more skill trees while increasing his comprehension in the universal laws. "..." It was at this point that he came to a stop, his eyes gradually gaining their normal light as he had sent a command to stop the skill effects of [Unique Being], his heart shaking at the cold and robotic manner of his thoughts and actions just in the last few seconds! It was as if he was looking through everything through a completely different lens, the only thing that mattered being his goals and the most efficient way to go about them! It was a terrifying state of mind that he had only experienced for a few seconds before he deactivated the skill for now, choosing not to be in that state of mind as he properly looked at his new abilities. He breathed out as he felt his normal self returning, drawing upon the elements around him until his mind felt refreshed before he glanced at the skills. [Unique Being] came with its own mentioned surprises of the [Apathy] ability and the 50% Universal Laws comprehension, but it was [Compounded Terror Support] that gave him the most shock because of its ridiculousness! It made it so that every time his aether rays struck someone, a portal of terror would erupt right then and there. With the [Aether Chain Support] that caused his aether rays to chain between enemies, this made for a terrifying picture for any enemies that stood against him in the future. This wasn''t to even mention [Triple on Cast Support] that allowed for three Portals of Terror to be cast instead of one...his thoughts were wondering whether this would apply with the new aether ray support as it would truly just be the cherry on top for the ridiculous abilities! [Unnatural Size] simply made his size even crazier as he went more and more towards the body size of an actual Terror, not fully knowing just how large the future abilities would make him. The Last ability, [Tentacle Manifestation]- was actually more in line with the abilities of the Cthulhu, granting another offensive skill that would terrify his targets before they were destroyed. Ever so slowly, the abilities of the powerful existences he had only heard about continued to come to him, his heart patiently waiting for the ones that would come at the Star Forging Realm and the Nebula Realm. His essence moved as he only hesitated for a moment before allowing for the activation of [Unique Being] once more, enjoying the effects of increased Law Comprehension and gaining the effects of [Apathy] as his mind became increasingly calculative and efficient. The ability caused him to look at everything in a very cold and detached manner, but its usefulness was still too great when it came to efficiency! Thus, the second clone got back to training, his progress becoming even faster as across the Novus Galaxy, events continued to unfold. In the many Infernal Realms where powerful Infernal Lords resided, the lands were trembling as the force of Infernal Lords had also begun to move out of their Realms and began to permeate throughout the Dark Expanse... Chapter 518 - Summoned! In the many Infernal Realms laid out across the Novus Galaxy, Infernal Legions were moving out in droves as they permeated through out. This was especially so for the Infernal Gate that existed in the Light Expanse, the billions of weak Infernals who had their levels up until the Void Rank senselessly leaving through the gate as they were met with the stationed forces of Celestials at this location.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/summoned!_%!d(string=51381704773915077) for visiting. The battles would not just be taking place in the Dark Expanse, but they would occur in the Light Expanse as well! Although the threat of Infernals that only reached the Void Rank was low, their high numbers and rates of being born in the Infernal Realm caused for a hellish scene of devilish beings constantly erupting out of the Realm Gate and spreading out, trying to pierce through the tight layers of Celestials. In the Realm Gates that existed in the Dark Expanse, Infernals were spreading out freely as they prepared to take defensive positions all across the area that Celestials could enter through. If one imagined a terribly enormous circle as the Novus Galaxy and then drew three lines that met at the very center to cut the circle into three pieces, these portions made for the Light Expanse, Dark Expanse, and Letalis Expanse. The Celestials Legions were all coming through the line that represented the different borders of the connection of the Light Expanse and Dark Expanse, and the defenses of Infernals, Mages, and Vampyres were being laid out across this line! With that picture in mind, one must know that it was an incredibly vast distance to cover! Thus, the distribution of forces was extremely important in order to stop the sword that was the Celestials from piercing through into the Dark Expanse and begin to claim dominion across the Planets they pass. In front of one Realm Gate in the Dark Expanse, the 7th Infernal Lord Azula who stood at the peak of the World Rank was watching the procession of Infernals as they permeated outwards. She was following the directions of the 2nd Infernal Lord who was the point of communications between the Infernals and the forces of Dark Expanse. As she gave commands to the millions of Infernals to spread out across many locations, she received a telepathic message unique to Infernals on the form of a Letter of Summons that had a singular message- it was a summoning that said the Infernal Lords would all meet before the full war broke out! The Letter of Summons was telling her to make her way towards the 4th Infernal Realm where the terribly powerful Infernal Lords at the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st rank normally resided. She was not the only one receiving this message as Noah who was still in the Starry Blood Cl.u.s.ter wrapping up the event with the Vampyres and preparing to return to the 2nd Infernal Realm to lead his legion out- he received a Letter of Summons himself as he heard the shocking message in his mind! Similar to how the first Celestial Legion moved, it would only be a matter of a few days before the many Celestial Legions that were preparing even more to start arriving along the defensive lines that the Dark Expanse created. So Noah knew they had a few days before everything went down, but he didn''t expect that he would spend some of them to meet the mysterious and powerful Infernal Lords. His mind quickly worked as he prepared to move, realizing this could be an important opportunity to pierce through the layers of mysteries, as the Infernal Lords were unique existences released for the sole purpose of destruction- specifically for standing against Aldrich, the Founder! "I have to set off." He spoke towards the discussing Old Man Inuit and Vladivostok as the former smiled mysteriously and the latter nodded in a servile manner. "Fate is calling for you once more, huh?" Old Man Inuit spoke with a smile as he moved numerous pieces of light created by essence atop a clear table to represent multiple forces of the Dark Expanse and how they moved. "The Infernal Lords are calling." Noah nodded as he replied, the Vampyre Ruler Vladivostok by the side feeling his heart shake as he felt like he was listening in to powerful secrets. "Go on, I''ll lay out all the forces of Vampyres and be ready for the forces of my friend soon." Noah''s figure began to disappear as the forces of Vampyres were placed in the more than capable hands of one of the Founders of Celestials, an old being with immense knowledge and wisdom! He had already discussed numerous things with Old Man Inuit and Vladivostok on the future movements and how his Celestial Legion that he was leading as Commander Crixus would move, and what to do in order to prepare for this future. His thoughts then went towards the Infernal Lords as his figure completely disappeared. When he first became an Infernal Lord, some of the knowledge he gained pertained to the 4 Infernal Realms. The one located in the Light Expanse where he farmed skill points, the 2 located in the Dark Expanse, and the last one which was located in the Letalis Expanse. He had memories of all the 4 Infernal Realms, and he would currently be teleporting to the 4th Infernal Realm that stood closer to the Letalis Expanse, the location where the 3 most powerful Infernal Lords resided! RUMBLE! He left behind only fluctuations of essence he teleported vast distances, his eyes opening up to a brand new realm. Unlike the 1st and 2nd Infernal Realms he had been in, the 4th Infernal Realm was not just a region of blazing lands and fiery skies. This Infernal Realm was much different, with the essence of flames reigned in as it seemed quiet and peaceful, the essence of Chaos being much more prominent in the atmosphere as Noah''s thoughts when he first entered were, ''It seems very close to the Chaos Region of the Celestial Realm?'' Yes! The 4th Infernal Realm was not just a hellish region with blazing flames, but it held an abundant amount of chaos as the essence within felt as vibrant if not more compared to the Celestial Realm. His awareness spread out as he felt the terrifying auras dwelling within, the two nearest to him being ones that he had seen before. The emotionless face of the 8th Infernal Lord and the curvaceous figure of the 7th Infernal Lord Azula entered his line of sight as he began taking his steps towards the terrifying auras of beings known as Infernal Lords... Chapter 519 - You...?! Noah''s Gaze met the curvaceous Azula that was smiling brightly, her demeanor not at all that of a peak World Rank expert! "Little 9th, how fortunate that you get to meet everyone before...well, before something grand happens." Her eyes twinkled with light as she spoke, the 8th Infernal Lord beside her simply nodding as their figures began to descend down towards a spectacular metropolis. One could feel a few auras that signified Infernal Lords which stood out the strongest, but the signatures of numerous Infernals at the Soul and Domain Rank were abundant. The 4th Infernal Realm had its own style of architecture, Noah finding it very close to the castles on the 2nd Infernal Realm with a few unique features. It felt like he was looking at a long forgotten city that lost across the ages. His figure and the figures of the accompanying Infernal Lords were all headed towards a piercingly tall castle, the powerful auras of the other Infernal Lords they could sense being on an expansive terrace of this castle. The three of them continued down until the view of the terrace became clear to them, their feet landing down as the sight in front of their eyes was startling to say the least. Three Infernal Lords that were at the Star Forging Realm were bowing with their heads down towards a singular direction, and they remained in this stance even as the seconds passed. These three were the 6th, 5th, and 4th Infernal Lords that normally resided in the Third Infernal Realm! But this wasn''t the most startling thing, it was that similar to these 3 Infernal Lords, there were another two that stood at the Nebula Realm doing the exact same thing! All of them, no matter their rank, were paying respects to the 1st Infernal Lord that Noah could not even sense the aura of. When his eyes landed on this Infernal Lord though, he had to come to a complete stop as his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. White hair that fell down her shoulders, sparkling blue eyes that drew everything in her direction. Noah''s surprise didn''t come from the beauty of this being nor was he suddenly smitten, it came from the fact that he had actually seen this face before! It was a face that he had seen multiple times at that too as his widening eyes watched this 1st Infernal Lord glance towards them in a smile, Azula and the 8th Infernal Lord falling in line and bowing similar to the others as Noah was the only one left dumbfounded. He used his eyes and mana to confirm and the face remained the same...it was the face of Sophia, the Guide that his Homeworld was using as a representative! "..." [What is this¡­?] Noah heard the voice of his homeworld in his mind as he almost released an exasperated sigh, this being the question he wanted to ask, and apparently even the System itself did not know! "You look as if you''ve seen a ghost." The clear voice that only confirmed Noah''s thoughts rang out as all the boxes were checked in his mind. Same face, same voice, and just a slightly different body that looked a few years older. The words of the 1st Infernal Lord caused the powerful bowing beings to look over at Noah with annoyed eyes, with the 2nd Infernal Lord being the one to voice out in a commanding tone. "9th, you should have at least gained the memories on decorum, what are you doing?" The voice that seemed to be disciplining a child rang out as Noah continued to glance at the smiling woman that he had definitely seen before, her voice ringing out again right before his head bowed down. "Now now, cut the new Infernal Lord some slack. Rise." The 1st Infernal Lord waved her hands as the 8 beings rose, falling back and standing in a straight line as they each looked forward with respect. The only one among the 8 who still had eyes swimming with questions was Noah, his mind communicating with his Homeworld over the last few seconds as unbelievably, it was as stumped as him for the similitude of this being to the one they knew! Noah directly threw away the stupid thought of it being a coincidence or some random chance as the implications of the appearance of this being were shocking, numerous possibilities coursing through his mind as they led him towards something explosive. Not giving him time to think, the 1st Infernal Lord began speaking towards the 8 that were standing in front of her with serious faces. "Tell me now, what is our purpose?" "Destruction!" RUMBLE! Replies erupted out from the 8 Infernal Lord the moment her words finished, even Noah''s lips moving by themselves as the questioning continued. "When are we permitted to carry out our purpose?" "Now!" The blue eyes of the 1st Infernal Lord shone as she continued. "Why are we meeting at this very moment?" "..." Silence descended as nobody had an answer, the eyes of the 1st Infernal Lord squinting as she smiled, her eyes moving across the confused Infernal Lords until they landed on a particular one. "Naturally, we are gathered here today because of the new Infernal Lord to join our ranks. The one promised by fate...Noah Osmont. Step forward!" RUMBLE! The words had a strong pull with them as Noah felt his legs inadvertently moving, his figure stepping away from the line of Infernal Lords as he moved forward, getting close to the smiling being whose realm was the highest of all who were here!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/you...-!_%!d(string=51418449024442531) for visiting. Azula and the other Infernal Lords looked at this scene with stupefaction as it continued to play out. The 1st Infernal Lord looked over Noah up and down as she nodded and then put her hand on his shoulder, Noah feeling the weight of the world pressing down on him as her voice rang out again. "Now which of you can tell me the importance of the 9th Infernal Lord?" "..." A stark silence was all that met the question as the 1st Infernal Lord brilliantly smiled, her mouth opening once more as a shocking scene continued to play out in the Fourth Infernal Realm! Chapter 520 - Supremacy Lies in Laws! Noah''s mind was rapidly moving at the abrupt question and answer session, the powerful hand of the 1st Infernal Lord pressing down on him as not a single being replied to her question. "To get to the importance of Little 9th, we must first understand and realize something about ourselves. Old 2nd, tell me- what is the realm of power of the being we oppose?" The 2nd Infernal Lord stepped forward as he replied quickly. "At the Nebula Realm." "And what are realms of me, you, and Old 3rd?" The 2nd Infernal Lord replied once more to a question that they all knew the answer of, many of them wondering where exactly this was going! "Also at the Nebula Realm!" "So then, our mission should be very easy right? Just a single being who stands at the same realm as us. We should wrap up this conflict and return to our abodes with ease yes?" "..." Silence met her again as even Noah''s thoughts were rapidly churning at this moment, the hand clasping onto his shoulder feeling heavier and heavier as the voice of the 1st Infernal Lord became cold and continued. "The answer is no. The reason for this is because we are weak...weak in the field of universal laws! Old 2nd, how much of the Law of Chaos do you and Old 3rd understand?" "Roughly over half!" "And how much of the Law of Fate does the enemy we stand against understand?" A period of silence came once again as nobody replied. Noah raised his head as he glanced towards the face of this being as he had many questions in his mind, his voice actually ringing out to answer this question at this moment. "Nearly 100%." The 1st Infernal Lord unclasped her hand from his shoulder as she nodded, going on to speak about something consequential when it came to the levels of strengths in the Novus Galaxy. The Realms of power themselves came with their own power, but the thing that separated true powerhouses was their proficiency in universal laws, as this was the ultimate decider of their true power! After the War of the Righteous, the three Nebula Rank beings that made up the Celestials had fractured, and yet Aldrich, the remaining founder- remained alive and well as he now continued his reign after a pause of 1000 years. Many beings feared his power, and even the Dark Expanse felt a heavy pressure from this singular being. Even though they knew there were three Infernal Lords at the Nebula Realm as well, they still felt this pressure! This was because they knew that the Founder was a monster when it came to universal laws, and it was the thing that truly made him a fearsome foe! "So even the three of us can barely match one of him. It is shameful, but that is where little 9th here comes in. We have all been given distinct memories about each other and many different things, with my given memories surpassing all of yours. I know what makes Little 9th special, and I know that it will be him who will make it possible to bring back true order into the Novus Galaxy." "..." Shocking words were released from the mouth of the 1st Infernal Lord as he actually spoke of order, true order! Noah''s heart shook as he heard these words, one of the many futures he thought about being put on the spot light as the eyes of many Infernal Lord landed on him. "Little 9th is special because his advancement in Universal Laws is faster than anything in our little Galaxy, but this isn''t the only reason I called him and you all here." The cold tone of the 1st Infernal Lord disappeared as her smile returned, glancing at Noah as she continued. "What is the progress of the highest Supreme Law you have mastered, and how long did it take you to get there?" The question was one that Noah expected as he followed her thought process, his heart actually becoming calmer as he replied. "Close to 36%, and it has roughly been less than 2 months since I began comprehending the law." "...!!!" The other Infernal Lord looked towards him in shock at these unbelievable words, Azula looking towards him as if he was a monster! She had thought this new Infernal Lord excelled in his talent to advance through realms, but it seemed nothing compared to his progress in the Universal Laws! "That is¡­" Even the 2nd Infernal Lord who normally communicated with the Grand Mage Edrusim and had watched Noah''s actions before was stumped as gazes of stupefaction continued to lock towards this singular being. "In a matter of months, close to mastering half of a Supreme Law. The rest of us don''t even need to be trying really." The 1st Infernal Lord had a light smile as she began walking around, her gaze looking outside the terrace they were on to the grand metropolis around them as she asked Noah once more. "How do you so easily advance through law comprehension, Little 9th?" "...through taking the lives of Celestials." Noah replied rapidly as his thoughts churned, his mind telling him of a shocking possibility if he was following the words of this mysterious woman correctly. "Yes. And it just so turns out that a whole lot of Celestials are heading our way. Fortuitous, wouldn''t you say?"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/supremacy-lies-in-laws!_%!d(string=51418501100922318) for visiting. Her gaze landed on each of the Infernal Lord as she finally revealed the point she was getting to, her words revealing a shocking plan that made Noah''s heart accelerate! "You will match and defeat them, increasing your comprehension rapidly, but I do not want you to stop there. It is the reason why I gathered everyone here today- it is to let them know that they will be your helpers in this task!" RUMBLE! Domineering essence released from the 1st Infernal Lord as her glimmering white hair vibrated, her voice continuing to ring out. "When the war begins and you all come across the Celestial Legions, kill all you come across...but restrain the Commanders. Restrain those experts and be sure to bring them all to Little 9th so that we can create a sharp weapon to stand against Aldrich in the shortest time possible!" ¡­! Shocking words left the mouth of the 1st Infernal Lord as Noah''s eyes shook, this being that seemed to know a lot about him and his abilities actually proposing something he never thought someone would be capable of doing to him. The 1st Infernal Lord actually wanted to power level Noah! Chapter 521 - What are you...? It was a shocking revelation, but it was a welcomed one as Noah would never say no to receiving free Fate Lines! This was especially so since it would be Celestial Commanders who would most likely be at the World Rank with an abundant amount of Fate Lines, with many of them being more experienced as Commanders like Athena, the Three-Eyed Fate Child, and Grandmaster Light were rare. Noah''s mind wandered as the Infernal Lords in front of him obliged to the commands of the 1st Infernal Lord right away, their eyes now filled with interest looking towards this 9th Infernal Lord that held such a ridiculous talent of comprehending Universal Laws. As these beings were occupied with this, Noah himself had his mind wandering towards the subject of the 1st Infernal Lord that held the same face as the being that his homeworld had chosen as a representative! [I''ve discerned all I could, I still do not see a correlation, but it is definitely there.] ''You''re being blocked again?'' [...] Noah had to let out an emotional sigh at this moment as even though the depth and understanding of his System was rapidly increasing the past few weeks, when it came to this specific subject- it was always stumped! This subject once again involved ''Something''- a concept that he was apparently not allowed to know of yet. It seemed ridiculous to him as he had already come this far, turning his introspective mind towards the 1st Infernal Lord as he wanted to ask her directly to clear some of his doubts. "Aside from this, Little 9th was unique and smart enough to even insert himself into the forces of Celestials, and even I''m curious to see how he will play this card in the future to come." The mysterious being spoke once more as she saw Noah''s expression, revealing his identity as Crixus which made knowing lights shine on the faces of the Infernal Lords as they looked at him. The 1st Infernal Lord then waved her hands towards them as her cold voice returned. "Return to your Legions and move to your respective positions, remember my words and be efficient!" "Yes!" RUMBLE! The fluctuations of essence erupted out as the figures of Infernal Lords disappeared, leaving behind only Noah and the 1st Infernal Lord as she looked towards him with a smile.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/what-are-you..._%!d(string=51439087701260556) for visiting. "You seem to have many questions." Her gaze was that of great interest as she waved her hands and caused the elevation of a regal chair, sitting upon it as she stared out from the terrace and into the calm metropolis. "Your face-" "All I have are memories. Just like how you gained new memories when you gained your status as an Infernal Lord, so did I. Whatever mystery your fate involves, I do not know it." Noah was interrupted before he could even ask as the stunning figure of the 1st Infernal Lord said, her gaze looking out as an unknown light coursed through her eyes. Noah squinted his eyes as he gave an emotional sigh of frustration, but his mind was captured once more as the clear voice rang out again. "What I do know is that you will have all the answers you want after the defeat of Aldrich. That is if you succeed...can you imagine a future if you don''t?" Her eyes twinkled playfully as she said this, Noah seeing he would be getting nothing from this being here today as he bowed. "If you will excuse me then, I shall get ready myself." A nod came from the 1st Infernal Lord as she continued to stare out into the vast metropolis of the Fourth Infernal Realm, Noah''s figure turning into particles of light behind her as he completely disappeared as well! All that was left behind was a single being, her eyes curving into a smile as words that only she could hear rang out. "Not quite yet." --- Noah disappeared from the Fourth Infernal Realm as the first place he went to was his Homeworld, his figure above the vast blue seas as he floated in the skies. On top of the Sea, there was an enormous floating city where the light of mana was constantly shining. One could see the bodies of Atlanteans moving busily as they worked on multiple projects, this location being one of the areas where the beings from Atlantis worked to create more innovations. Currently, the appearance of a miniature vessel being made for the purposes of moving through the void of space was clear, the Atlanteans working efficiently to replicate more technologies aside from weapons and World Engines. Within this vast Floating City, the figure of the one Noah knew as Sophia was talking with the Ocean Master when she glanced towards Noah''s small figure far away in the skies, smiling as he materialized in front of them with an awe-inspiring aura he didn''t know he released. The Ocean Master received a big shock at this unexpected surprise, but Noah was only closely looking at Sophia with careful eyes! "I truly do not know either, Big Brother." The exact replica of the 1st Infernal Lord he was talking to replied, her facial expression and body only seeming a few years younger! Even before Noah had arrived here, the System had already tried to discern the mystery with Sophia, and they were all kept in the dark about this issue! Noah shook his head exasperatedly as the voice of the System rang out in his mind. [We already have our assumptions which should be fairly accurate, with all that is left being to confirm it. Leave this to me as you focus on what is to come.] Noah listened to the voice of the System and the smiling Sophia in front of him as he nodded with a sigh, looking over to the scared Ocean Master as he briefly discussed the small scale events occurring throughout his homeworld and other connected worlds before he chose to leave yet again. He would leave the mystery behind for later, as he knew sooner or later his assumptions would be confirmed. If all it took was the death of a single Nebula Rank being, then so be it! His thoughts moved away from this issue as he thought about the one directly in front of him. His main body was currently acting as Commander Crixus, his Second Clone still deep in the Spiritual World training skill trees and comprehending laws. This First Clone that just met with the Infernal Lords continued to move as he prepared to take the mantle of the 9th Infernal Lord once more, soon going into battle. But he already knew that it would not be the 9th Infernal Lord that would see the first battle of this War. Instead, it would actually be his identity as Commander Crixus of the Celestials! This brought forth what one would consider a conundrum as his main body led a Celestial Legion already filled with beings from the selected Prime Worlds of Light Expanse, soon to come in contact with the defensive forces of the Dark Expanse. The conundrum was his own actions- what exactly would he do when he was leading an entire Legions towards beings that were only defending their homes against tyrants?! Chapter 522 - The Witches Layer Across the vastness of space, numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s tore through as they steadily left the boundaries of the Light Expanse. The sh.i.p.s were designed exquisitely, having a golden exterior that released a bright glow that illuminated the surroundings. On the vessel at the very forefront, Noah was supplying his energy to proceed further towards the Dark Expanse, the Legion he led actually nearing the junction between the two Expanses of the Novus Galaxy. The moment he passed through the junction and entered the Dark Expanse, his legion would meet the forces that were defending this particular area. From his knowledge, his Legion would be coming in contact with a defensive location called Witches Layer, a collection of three stars near each other where a powerful force of Witches and Mages resided. It was another location similar to the Verittas Fortress but at a lower level, its defenses being reinforced constantly as it was one of the first locations closest to the border of the two Expanses. RUMBLE! The many Prime Warsh.i.p.s in his Legion continued forward as he carried the force of being slightly over 200,000. Around one-sixth of this force was Celestials, the vast majority remaining were the beings from numerous Prime Worlds of Light Expanse. He was at the forefront of this Legion that was about to lay siege on beings that just wanted to defend themselves, and the choice of movements he had were few and far between! For his identity as a Celestial Commander, would he be carrying out bloody massacres on the beings living in the Dark Expanse? Would he stand against the Vampyres that were already labeled as his subordinates and destroy the Infernals that his clone led? There would be many questions that would plague a being with multiple identities as they tried to keep them all under wraps, but for Noah...this would not be an issue! His gaze was calm as he felt the change into the Dark Expanse, his sh.i.p.s piercing through as they soon neared a collection of three enormous stars a few hundred miles away. Even with many questions that would plague another being on how to solve such an issue, he already had a plan in mind that would allow him to move without problems, and it would not turn him into the same tyrants he was working against. First, one had to think about the subjects of deaths in this war. No matter what Noah did at this moment, there were hundreds of Celestial Legions making their way towards numerous defensive positions of the Dark Expanse, and the conflict coming out of this would cause deaths in the hundreds of thousands daily! He knew that many beings in the Light Expanse and the Dark Expanse would die, and he would not be able to change this. He knew that Vampyres will die, Celestials will die, and there was even a possibility of his own people being hurt in this war. Even though he could not stop the overall stage of this conflict currently, he could still control the deaths of the beings in the battles he was involved in at this moment. Thus, he had made a plan for how Commander Crixus would act when he faced the forces of the Dark Expanse, and he wanted to make sure that those innocent would not face death from his hands. Although all of this still remained as a plan in his mind, he still had to wait and see the feasibility of it all when the time came! At this point, his gaze became cold and apathetic as he freely turned on the effects of [Unique Being] to his main body, the area around him actually become a few degrees colder as even the Celestials and the Righteous Fire Exploration Team that was on the ship he controlled looked towards him with shining eyes. They could sense the signs of life in front of them as their bodies began boiling with strength as well. In their minds, they were coming to bring order and balance into these lands of savages, beings that continued to cause chaos wantonly across the Novus Galaxy. They were here as saviors, beings that actually came to liberate those in the Dark Expanse and show them a better way of living, a way through order and balance that would allow them to prosper and leave behind their savage ways! But to do this, they had to first battle them and tear through their defenses before they could achieve their goals. So as they headed towards the forces of the Dark Expanse, they only felt a righteous light and reasoning as they prepared to clash. WAA!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/the-witches-layer_%!d(string=51439209839387582) for visiting. The Prime Warsh.i.p.s began slowing down as the scene in front of them changed from the void of space, twinkling lights coming in front of them as the three stars that made up Witches Layer shone brightly in the starry space. All around the 3 planets, numerous dots of light that counted up to hundreds of thousands of beings floating in the void of space could be seen, with billions more dwelling within the planets themselves. Strong expressions could be seen on the beings defending their homes as they looked forward, numerous spells already cast on their side as tens of thousands of Elementals floated fiercely in the void of space. Elementals of all elements and sizes permeated throughout as they released a strong aura, Noah looking across the beings in front of the stars as his gaze remained cold. He only found them to be Mages and Wizards, the reinforcements of Vampyres having not arrived at this location as they judged the significant collection of Mages and Wizards on this Witches Layer would be enough to withstand against a Celestial Legion. In front of Noah''s eyes, he counted three World Rank Experts among the forces defending Witches Layer, this location not being as important as the Verittas Fortress where 7 World Rank beings from the Celestials had attacked and it had the defenses of an Infernal Lord and 3 other World Rank Experts. This was also the reason why Noah''s Celestial Legion was sent here, it was because this was meant to be his first battle as Commander Crixus where he would be faced with three beings at the World Rank as the opposing leaders, those at the top wanting to see exactly how genius his talent was! OOOH! His cold eyes glanced at the opposing forces of Dark Expanse as roars began to ring out from his Legion, the Celestials having bright faces as they looked towards the beings defending The Witches Layer like a pack of wolves. Chapter 523 - I am here to save you "For order!" "For Balance!" OOOOM! Waves of golden essence erupted out as the forces came to a stand still, those in the legion of Commander Crixus simply waiting for his command in order for them to start the battle. RUMBLE! The vibrant yells of the Celestials only made the defenses of the defender of the Witches Layer tighter, the Mages using rune magic to put up huge reinforced barriers as the Witches summoned more Elementals and powered their wands ready to go with powerful spells! Noah had an apathetic gaze as he glanced at this, his figure waving his hands as the Prime Warship he was on opened up and he floated out into the void of space. This movement caught the attention of the three World Rank Commanders protecting the Witches Layer as two men and a single robed woman stepped out to the forefront, assessing the Celestial Legion in front of them as they breathed easier. They had spread out their aura multiple times, confirming that even though this entire Celestial Legion contained many beings at the Soul and Domain Expansion Realms that would make the battle tough, they only had a single World Rank Commander! This was good news for them as even with the title of a Commander, they believed themselves to be capable of withstanding the attacks of a single being on the same realm as them. This was even better since the Commanders recognized the Celestial in front of them as the genius the intelligence reports had shown, the one called Crixus the Destroyer who had just stepped into the World Rank. To them, someone like this was only starting on this realm, and could be considered a baby! Alas, this would have only been true if it was against anyone that wasn''t Noah. His apathetic figure that radiated coldness that seemed to say he cared for absolutely nothing in the wide worlds glanced at the hundreds of thousands of beings cl.u.s.tered around the three stars as he spoke words that caused the minds of many to shake. "I am here to save you." RUMBLE! His words reached the minds of those floating in the void of space and even the billions dwelling within the three stars of the Witches Layer. They caused anger to erupt out in the hearts of those that heard it as they contained not an ounce of emotions and said contradictory things for the tyrants attacking their homes! The coldness also made the hearts of many shake as they glanced towards the singular figure that had left one of the Celestial Vessels, seeing a golden glow begin to wrap around this being as his whole figure became inflamed. Noah released no commands to the Celestial Legion as it remained still, lifting his hand up as he moved the over 3 million fate lines in his body to pull out the essence of fate. This golden essence wrapped around his hand as it crackled beautifully, showing golden arcs of light coursing through his hand as they quickly went on to wrap around his entire body. When one reached the point of having more than 100,000 Fate Lines, they gained more control over the law of fate as they could begin outwardly using Fate Essence, and those more proficient could ingrain varying qualities to the Fate Essence that they used. The most straightforward effect of this essence was to attack the enemy and cause them physical and soul damage, but Noah was ingraining a different quality in the fate essence he was displaying out as his figure became grandly colored gold! OOOOH! The Celestials within his legion looked forth in splendor as they cheered for the power of their Commander, their bodies palpating with power as they waited to jump into battle themselves. Arcs of gold light rolled through Noah''s body as he repeated himself once more while his figure began to float towards the defender of the three shimmering stars, their forces roaring out as they prepared for contact. "I am here to save you." RUMBLE! His movement towards them acted as the match that lit up the fire, waves of beings from the Prime Warsh.i.p.s rolling out as the forces defending the Witches Layer lit up with colorful and destructive attacks, elemental energies of numerous laws shooting towards Noah and the being rushing behind him as another battle began in the Dark Expanse. Noah''s words really were true, where among the many beings behind him that wanted to reap the lives of the Mages and Wizards, his purpose of being here in this battle was to actually save them. He could only do this in a way that would make many beings look at him like a bloodthirsty Commander, but he would achieve his goal of saving as many as he could in the battles he fought while still putting up a show for the Celestials that were undoubtedly watching! Seeing the array of colorful spells obscuring the entirety of his vision, his body that was clad in crackling golden fate essence became tout as his cold eyes flew towards the forces of the Witches Layer even faster. BOOM! His body pierced through the layer of spells as the rest of them rushed behind him towards his Legion, his hand forming a fist as his eyes honed in on one of the Commanders of the Witches Layer at the very center that prepared to clash with him, numerous Mages and Wizards casting spells behind him as his fist clad in a golden aura blazed towards them! OOOOH! The Commander at the forefront waved his hand as a fiery red and blue phoenix came to life and rushed towards Noah, numerous other spells from the beings behind him shooting out as a blinding impact took place. BOOM! Many of those watching the first clash of this battle around the Witches Layer or those watching it as video feeds from vast distances were startled at the result, a shiver running down the spines of others as the result of this clash was shocking! The golden aura covering the body of the one legion the Celestial Legion, the one known as Commander Crixus- this golden aura went on to explode on impact with the spells of the Mages as it permeated out like a raging flame, the fate essence wrapping around the bodies of all those nearby as unholy screams erupted out. Commander Crixus himself was completely fine, the arcs of golden light coursing through his body as his apathetic eyes seemingly watched the scene in front of him where the golden light he released wrapped around the bodies of the beings in front of him, acting like the most horrendous tongues of flames as they fiercely burned the bodies of all they attached to, people watching in horror as those weaker began to see their bodies rapidly disappearing into ashes before they became completely extinguished! Extinguished! Gone! Erased entirely!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/i-am-here-to-save-you_%!d(string=51463241792017124) for visiting. Anyone that the golden flaming essence wrapped around screamed out as they felt a burning sensation that affected their very cores, those at the Void Rank turning to ash the fastest as the nearby beings at the Soul and Domain Realm took longer, but anyone affected by the golden flames released from the apathetic Celestial in front of them was soon turned to ash. The Commander of the Witches Layer that was currently matching Noah had the same fate essence affecting him, his body feeling piercing pain as his vibrant and powerful essence ''protected'' him, his eyes shaking as he saw the essence he could not stop latch onto his people as they were all burnt to a crisp, not even a corpse remaining behind! "You fiend!!!" He was one of the few remaining in the surrounding area that had not been extinguished by the attack, his face shaking as he tried to douse the golden fate essence still trying to break through his defenses while matching the being in front of him that had now raised his hand high, snapping his finger as one could see the materialization of an enormous golden blade of light, the same terrifying golden essence wrapping around this Blade of Liberation that was more than 25 meters large. His eyes were apathetic as they repeated the same thing he had said two times previously, more than a thousand being already seemingly ''turned to ashes'' by his single attack as he continued. "I...am here to save you." ¡­!!! BOOM! Chapter 524 - This is an Ally?! In a command center of a Mage''s Tower, Edrusim was in an enormous control room that displayed numerous scenes of all the events occurring across many of the defensive positions of the Dark Expanse. Many Mages were moving beside him as they monitored other screens, but the eyes of Edrusim were glued to a particular one that already had a battle beginning, and it was the Celestial Legion that had just clashed with the forces of the three stars of the Witches Layer. This Celestial Legion had someone that should have been considered their ally, a spy that they had placed in the ranks of Celestials. Yet this being that had now taken the role of a Commander that was leading his own Celestial Legion was actually moving first to attack in the most destructive and cruel of ways, not caring about the commander he was fighting against or the beings around him as he unleashed an attack that wiped any and everything away! Edrusim''s face was called as he pulled out a medallion and coldly spoke into it. "Vladivostok, I thought we agreed Crixus was to act tough and stall, losing and winning some battles as he kept his identity as a Celestial for a while longer before we used him in a crucial battle. Yet why is he actively moving to kill at this moment?!" The Grand MAge screamed out as he had many things to pay attention to at this moment, not thinking the issue of an ally in the enemy camp would be taking up his time as he watched this Crixus begin to dominate the battlefield the moment he arrived. There was silence on the other end before a calm reply came from Vladivostok.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/this-is-an-ally-!_%!d(string=51463256807630323) for visiting. "He is stalling in his own, and his words of him saving them are actually true, Edrusim." A reply that seemed disconnected from reality was all he received as Edrusim glanced to make sure they were both looking at the same scene. On the illusory screen, Crixus had raised his hand up as a single enormous golden blade of light appeared, beginning to rush down towards the lone Commander of the forces of the Witches Layer who had all the beings near him turned to ashes. This enourmous golden blade shone with a shocking light as it tore through the spells this Commander cast, going on to smash into his chest as an even larger amount of the golden essence wrapped around him, his body that was attached to the tip of the blade heavily injured as even this commander began to scream horridly, feeling his body burning as he as well...was soon turned into ash! "..." In just the first minute of the battle, the single Commander Crixus at the World Rank had already ''killed'' an enemy commander of the same Realm, now only two remaining as they rushed towards him with unbelievable expressions, not understanding how their friend had not been able to last even a minute! Edrusim watched with a cold gaze as the golden blade that towered over 25 meters did not even wait or go for the other 2 Commanders that were now rushing towards the unprotected Crixus. The golden blade went further into the army of the Witches Layer, the beings at the Domain, Soul, and Void Rank that were dissipating like flies from the might of this blade, but they could not run fast enough as it barreled towards them and smashed, making all those it touched turn to ashes in a matter of seconds! "...you call this our ally? He is more actively killing our people than even the normal Celestial Commanders would!" Edrusim shouted into the communication medallion once more, his words actually being true! Other commanders would match themselves against enemy commanders, the loss and victory of the battle being decided when the powerful commanders of either side lost. Meanwhile, the lower ranked soldiers in both camps would carry their own battles as victory could also sometimes be decided this way if a larger amount of force in one camp remained. Yet this Crixus did not even seem to aiming for the commanders, apathetically saying he was there to save them while his first attack affected everyone in the surrounding, and his second attack killed a command while it ignored the other two, actively rushing towards the lower ranked beings as he destroyed them as well! This was an ally?! "Hold on, let me show you something." Edrusim''s wrath was only met with a calm reply as some of the Vampyres inside the command room of this Mage''s Tower that were receiving cold looks from the Mages came forward with a shining crystal. They fearlessly came towards the wrathful Star Forging Edrusim as the crystal in their hands floated forward, displaying another scene that caused the eyes of many to nearly pop out of their eye sockets. It displayed a red world filled with crystal stalagmites, but the scene displayed showed the constant teleportations of beings covered by a shining golden glow, their horrible screams of them feeling their bodies burn and turning to ash coming to a stop as the moment they were teleported in, the golden essence receded from their bodies as they looked around them in a confused manner! They had felt as if their very origins were burning a moment ago, and yet now they appeared in a completely different location as the burning sensation left, the battle they should have been at gone from their eyes as they appeared in an unknown world. Edrusim''s eyes shone as he say the figure of the dead commander that had just taken an enormous sword to his chest and turned to ash in front of his eyes be safe and well, an injury still remaining on his chest as the impact of the sword was real, but he was alive and well! "This is¡­" The vast knowledge he had failed him at this moment as he thought back to the previous scene at the Witches Layer and what he was seeing now, his shocked thoughts hearing the voice of Vladivostok once more as the words made more sense this time around. "He really is there to save them all, or really as many as he can. That is why he is so aggressive." ¡­! The surrounding Mages and Edrusim had shocked gazes as they saw this development, questioning their own eyesight that showed them being hit with terrible attacks as they turned to ash, and yet something these same beings were alive and well, teleported to some place they knew nothing about! Exactly what was going on?! Chapter 525 - The Destroyer I In the eyes of the beings protecting the three stars that made up the Witches Layer and those not in the central command room of the Mage''s Tower that knew the truth, a scene of horror was imprinting itself into their minds as a being clad in the essence of fate brought down horrendous attacks without any reservations. With a wave of his hands, a shining sword of light that was immensely large materialized and swung down, vaporizing any beings it came across as this Celestial Commander seemed to purposefully be targeting all the forces in his immediate surroundings. Even his Legion that was rushing behind him like a fierce wave had only just brushed off the attacks thrown towards them by the forces of the Witches Layer, and they had not even come in contact with their enemies! "CRIXUS!" A loud bellow from one of the two remaining Commanders of the Witches Layer rang out across the battlefield as the identity of the Celestial Commander was widely spread out to any that had yet to know about him, many other knowledgeable individuals being reminded of the Celestial termed as the Destroyer, the one who had massacred the powerful beings of a particular Prime World and was one of the genius Celestials- Crixus! BOOM! The Commanding Mage of the Witches Layer arrived with a Chaos Elemental, a rare elemental that very few beings could summon that rained down hellishly dark flames towards Noah. The other Commander waved his hands forward as runic symbols erupted, bringing with them crystallized spears that reflected all light as they thundered down towards the one enemy that had already destroyed too much. RUMBLE! Noah''s apathetic eyes blocked the coming attacks as the crackling golden essence on his body danced wildly, his fingers waving the air multiple times as many watched in astounding horror as numerous Blades of Liberation of more than 25 meters in size rumbled down from nowhere, dispersing all the coming attacks as they moved with their own will to swarm the two Commanders! The soldiers of the Witches Layer looked at this scene, their hearts quivering as they forced themselves to go aid their commanders and meet this terrible foe whose Legion was already sending their own attacks towards them. BOOM! A hellish scene began to unfold as the two sides clashed, the two remaining Commanders on Noah as a free for all began across the expanse of space near the three shining stars that made up the Witches Layer. Noah''s eyes scanned the unfolding battlefield as he began to see beings face their deaths from both sides, a few Celestials, some of the forces from the Prime Worlds, and even more of the forces of the Witches Layer. They were not actually facing true death that was different from what he was giving to those he attacked! Before coming here, he carefully planned to use the unique qualities of fate essence that one could use after bypassing the 100,000 mark, moving to make his essence attach to all those he intended as they felt a small amount of damage to their souls that would cause for an excruciating pain, but he would then combine his usage of [Unique Origin] and the abilities of the Absolute Skill, >, to teleport all these beings into the Ancient Blood World! He made it so for the Celestials and anyone else that was watching the battlefield to only see the image of individuals being turned to ash, but it was simply the teleportation that took them from this location with added effects of [Unique Origin] that allowed for Noah to affect them through his essence they were now laced with to safely bring them away from here. He knew that even with this method, he would still not be able to prevent the deaths of some of these beings that were only defending their homes as he knew without a doubt the Founder and other high ranking Celestials were watching any unfolding battles of their war. So what was best to do at this moment was to end the battles he was in as Commander Crixus in the shortest time possible, playing out a show for all those watching as he made himself out to be a ruthless and powerful commander. [Golden Decree]. With the plan of ending the battle as quickly as possible while saving many lives, he cast one of the latest skills on the World Rank [Fate''s Disciple] skill tree!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/the-destroyer-i_%!d(string=51487881734188070) for visiting. [Golden Decree] (5/5) ACTIVE :: A decree erupts out from the Radiant Protector, affecting the surrounding miles as a golden star that releases a resplendent light over the user and their allies. Grants the Enhanced All Element Resistance, Rapid Healing, Bolster Defense, Sharpened Attack, Clear Mind, and Light Feet effects. RUMBLE! The entire battlefield was brought to a stop as all beings felt the tremors of enormous amounts of essence being used, a golden star appearing far above them that began releasing rays of golden lights that covered every area they passed through. The Commanders of the Witches Castle watched on helplessly as they tried to fight off the enormous Blades of Liberation attacking them on all sides, their bodies still trying to fight off the fate essence that was sticking to them like glue. They watched on in despair ad disbelief as the golden light being released from this singular shining star in the starry expanse of space washed over their forces, each of them becoming colored gold as the same terrifying essence that they were fighting covered their people in the tens of thousands! Even the Celestials stopped to watch this splendor in shock as their Commander displayed skills they had never seen before, looking towards him as they observed his apathetic eyes that were currently colored gold as he spoke out a single word which sent shivers down everyone''s spines. "Burn." RUMBLE! "AAH!" At his command, all the beings affected by the golden light of [Golden Decree] which actually considered those affected as Noah''s allies- all of these beings began to scream out as the numerous effects brought about by the skills were overshadowed by the tinge of Soul Damage Noah''s was allowing to go through them. His fate essence wrapped around all those affected by [Golden Decree] as he carried out mass teleportations to save these creatures only defending their homes, but it was being displayed as him releasing an ability which shone terrible golden rays of light that burned all they touched to ash! "..." Many watched in shocked horror as this Crixus, the being who held the title of Destroyer, do exactly what this title expressed- and in a shocking fashion at that as in their eyes, thousands of beings were turned to ash by a golden light of retribution! This was one of the pivotal moments that many would ingrain in their minds the power of a fearsome being, the power of Crixus, the Destroyer! Chapter 526 - The Destroyer II Across the vastness of space, an enormous warship that was larger than any Prime Warsh.i.p.s stably floated in space, its golden exterior laced with red runic magic circles giving it an ancient feel as the vessel known as Realm Dreadnaught made its appearance. Inside it, there existed an expansive hall filled with illusory screens that showed many scenes across the Novus Galaxy. Many showed advancing Celestial Legions making their way to the Dark Expanse, some showed a few Legions reaching the junction between the two Expanses, and a single one showed a battle already underway as a Celestial Legion faced the defending forces of the Dark Expanse. The description was actually not too correct to say the Celestial Legion was facing them, as just the single Commander was stealing the entire show as he released dominant attacks which wiped away all the enemies he faced with impunity! In the hall filled with illusory screens inside this Realm Dreadnaught, the auras of 5 Star Forging Celestial Commanders freely displayed themselves as they observed the many scenes displayed, but their eyes were honing in on this particular battle as they sent communications towards each other. "Apathetic eyes and ruthless enough to wipe even those below his level, the soldier that Little Vredral created is turning out to be better than we could have imagined." "Such is the way for those with Noble Fate. I now wonder how the other one will perform." Numerous discussions were underway between these Star Forging Celestials as they observed all the occurring battles and reported their progress to the Founder. They were also the ones that relayed the order of Aldrich at certain times as the deployment of the Celestials Legions and their targets were given from them! At this moment, they saw the scene that [Unique Origin] displayed to everyone watching the space above the Witches Layer, a scene of dominating power of a Celestial releasing golden rays of light that vaporized all they touched. "His speed of progression will only increase as it seems he will be obtaining our first victory in this war." "Hmm. It is the benefits we will all enjoy soon." Calm discussions continued as they watched the supposed deaths of tens of thousands, but their hearts had already prepared to see deaths in the billions as they continued to send commands and move their forces in the next few months, piercing through many regions of the Dark Expanse before they personally moved when they neared the deeper regions fortified by powerful Infernal Lords at the Star Forging and Nebula realm. The plan the Founder had was for them to gradually gain more influence and Fate Lines as they conquered more and more stars under their rule, only moving with their most powerful forces when they had collected as many benefits as possible to push their comprehension in the Law of Fate to unimaginable heights! Thus, these Star Forging Experts watched with shining eyes as they obtained the first victory, and it would forever go down in history that it was taken by Commander Crixus, the Destroyer! --- RUMBLE! Star shaking might rolled out as everyone the golden light of [Golden Decree] passed, every being was extinguished as tens of thousands ''perished'' instantly! The two commanders of the Witches layer felt their wills slumping down as one of them could not fight off the fate essence any longer, many watching as his body turned to ash as well. The remaining commander looked at the golden light that continued to expand as he fought for his own life, tears falling from his face as he looked at this immense destruction as his voice painfully rang out. "..surrender¡­" "Stop...we surrender!" His voice was hoarse as it began, becoming louder as he bellowed out with all his might, trying to save as many remaining people as possible from the fearsome golden light!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/the-destroyer-ii_%!d(string=51487901061541224) for visiting. "Surrender!" "Surrender...!" The shouts of the defeated commander broke the final walls of strength of the forces of the Witches Layer, laying down their wands as they screamed out painfully and terrifyingly calling for surrender! They saw that they could not withstand even a single Commander, with their friends and families dying in droves by the second. Noah looked at this despairing scene as his apathetic eyes remained the same, the golden rays of lights released from [Golden Decree] not stopping as his figure bathed in crackling golden essence came towards the remaining commander that was looking at him with hallowed eyes. "We...surrender¡­" His hoarse voice rang out again as Noah ignored it, knowing enemy commanders at the World Rank would not be spared by the Celestials as he reached out and grasped the neck of this defeated being in his hands. "Rest for now." His apathetic voice rang out as even more fate essence surrounded the body of the Commander, his eyes shaking as all those watching saw his body turned to ash seconds later. "..." Even as they called for surrender, this terrible being did not stop as he killed the last commander of the opposing side- effectively showing the victory of the second battle after the Verittas Fortress going to the Celestials! OOOOOH! The shocked Legion behind him roared out at this scene of victory as they watched the golden lights from the shining star above them begin to dim, the despondent looks of the Mages and Witches that were defending the three stars that made up the Witches Layer becoming apparent as they floated in the void of space soullessly. The more powerful ones spread out their awareness to sense the damage and those that had ''died'', calculating that more than 90,000 beings had perished from this single Celestial Commander alone in the span of a few minutes. Their eyes and the eyes of many beings watching turned towards this bring known as Commander Crixus as they became enraptured by the shimmering and crackling golden light, the apathetic voice of this being ringing out as it called for the end of the battle. "You shall all be saved and brought under the order of Celestials. Those that surrender will not face death, and those that work with us will be the new leaders under an era of Order and Balance." RUMBLE! His voice spread out in waves as he floated in the starry expanse of space grandly, the Celestials behind him cheering out as the grandeur only shone brighter. "For order!" "For balance!" Shouts rang out as those defending three powerful stars containing billions of beings fell onto the hands of Celestials, the terrible Commander Crixus calling for order and balance after taking away the lives of tens of thousands, saying that no more deaths will occur this day for as long as they comply! The immense might he showed caused all the beings to lay down their weapons as the first Celestial Legion that went on to expand the influence of Celestials into the Dark Expanse was the legion under the command of Crixus, the Destroyer. The name and might of this Celestial who had single-handedly faced three experts at the same realm as him while wiping out more than 10,000 beings spread out, soon becoming another name to be paying attention to as the flames of the Last War fully went underway! Chapter 527 - The Vampyres Fearsome Defense Edrusim watched with a complicated expression as he saw a minute location in the Dark Expanse occupied by the Celestials in their second battle, his gaze landing on the being shining in gold as he asked himself if it was worth keeping this piece of their in play if it would cost them losses of strongholds at the expense of not losing too many lives. He saw the ingenuity of this being to save all those tens of thousands of beings that others thought he had killed, and he knew that if it was another Celestial Legion, even more deaths might have occurred before one side retreated or called for surrender. He steeled his heart as he only saw positives with this being called Crixus, seeing the manner that he ended the battle while calling for no more loss of lives as they simply began to occupy the three stars and bring them under their influence in the coming days. "Let us discuss things like this in advance next time." He voiced out to the medallion that connected him to Vladivostok, his voice carrying enormous weight as he and the many beings in this Mage''s Tower accepted the first loss in this war, and it was a loss that came from one of their own forces. Could it really be considered a loss though? This question would roam in the minds of many powerful Mages and Edrusim as they took the scenes of this battle and further reinforced the many strongholds lying in the periphery of the Dark Expanse. Different reactions were occurring throughout, but Noah floated in the void of space as he saw the Celestials beneath him righteously take over the three planets of the Witches Layer, numerous Fate Lines and Chaos Particles going towards him as he continued elevating his strength ever higher.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/the-vampyres''-fearsome-defense_%!d(string=51511462715245743) for visiting. For the beings that he mass teleported into the Ancient Blood World, they would effectively be taking a vacation for some time in this world as they waited for more commands from the higher ups in the Dark Expanse. They were supposed to be dead, so they would remain dead for now before they all returned to be spread out across the Dark Expanse to reinforce the war effort when Old Man Inuit saw it fit. Communications would occur between Vladivostok and the Grand Mage Edrusim to make this happen even smoother. His eyes that had lost their extreme apathy from the ability under the [Juvenile Terror] being turned off glanced at the scene of his legion occupying the three stars of the Witches Layer as he steeled his heart and accepted this responsibility. He would be here for at least a few days as he oversaw the occupation, the rule of the Celestials needing to be fully established before his legion continued further into the Dark Expanse. As his main body oversaw this, in another defensive region across the line that distinguished the Light Expanse from the Dark Expanse, a force of Vampyres and Infernals under the banner of the 8th Infernal Lord stood strongly defending another stronghold that Wizards occupied. This stronghold was an enormous Prime World called The Mist Domain, a star that was surrounded by a unique cl.u.s.ter of mist all around it. It gave a mysterious feel as currently, vessels and the figures of hundreds of thousands of beings were floating in the starry expanse of space around this Mist Domain, their eyes actually gleaming with anticipation for the coming battles! At the Mist Domain, members of the Infernal Legion of the 8th Infernal Lord were present and being led by the World Rank Infernal Lord himself, the defense added to even more with the addition of Vampyres and the Wizards that were the original inhabitants of this star. Something that caught the eyes of many were the uniquely designed armor that the Vampyres wore, its style reminiscent of the one they had seen the followers of the 9th Infernal Lord wear in the first battle at the Verittas Fortress! These armored Vampyres gave off a different feel that many expected, even their eyes showing a light of determination and strength that awed their allies. This was because within their bodies, they carried the reinforcement of two Supreme Laws, the boosts of the two Guider Type Abilities stemming from Noah increasing their strength to a great degree as they prepared to show their newly rising Progenitor that they were worthy of such strength. Devilishly handsome figures with flowing silver hair, their determined eyes gazed forward as the appearance of a Celestial Legion unfolded in front of the Mist Domain, tens of thousands of beings starting to erupt out of the Warsh.i.p.s as yet another battle was about to unfold in a separate location of the Dark Expanse. This Celestial Legion was led by three World Rank Commanders, which matched very well with the single World Rank Infernal Lord and the leading Vampyre and Wizard Commander that were also at the World Rank. Those distributing the Celestial Legions had found it fit to send this specific one to the Mist Domain after ascertaining the level of opposition they would face with Fate Discernment. But on this day...what they discerned would not go the way they planned as in the battle for the obscured planet that was called the Mist Domain, the Celestial Legion was met with a shocking fire power not from the Infernals or Wizards, but from the forces of Vampyres as they showed never before seen levels of strength and resiliency! Their attacks carried with them horrendous damage that broke through the defenses of Celestials, and their bodies seemed especially resistant to the attacks that carried the essence of Fate that the Celestials released. Fighting with strength and nobility that had not been seen for hundreds of years, the force of Vampyres pushed back against the invading Celestial Legion as the shocking results of Celestials retreating came to be. A single Celestial Commander had managed to escape, with one killed and another captured! This battle resulted in another loss for the Celestials on their conquest as the higher ups reviewed the scenes of battle and planned more for the future, knowing that these first initial battles were only a prelude to the many small wars to come. But the newfound strength of Vampyres was first shown in this battle in the Mist Domain, and many would come to realize that such a level of strength was actually widespread among the Vampyres, the strongholds they protected being those where the Celestials would face the most losses in the future to come! Chapter 528 - {{Authority}} As battles unfolded all around the Novus Galaxy, Noah''s second clone continued to make ridiculously fast progress in the Time Space of the Spiritual World. Currently, the Spiritual World was acting like a huge factory that churned out Item Sets, Medicinal Herbs, and potions as every now and then, the second clone attended to the many medicinal fields to rapidly cause the maturing of plants while the Spiritual World System worked to harvest and process the medicinal plants into Potions in the [Alchemy Hall]. Such potions would then be distributed to all of Noah''s forces as they were equipped with things that many would be envious of for their effectiveness in the field of battle! This was also one of the reasons that contributed to the dominance of the Vampyres in the coming battlefields aside from the boosts of the Guider Type Abilities. Currently, the Second Clone had already finished the rounds of the maturation of medicinal fields as he returned to the Time Space and resumed cultivating the universal laws as well as raise the proficiencies of skills trees when something shocking happened just a few minutes in. Noah''s main body was actually the one feeling all the shocking changes as it was occurring in his Origin where two additional cores were rotating peacefully, his awareness watching as the Fire and Water Origin Core actually had cracks spreading out all around them before they instantly shone resplendently. As if something was blooming, even brighter cores that trembled with power showed themselves, making one think the previous ones were quite dull in comparison! Noah understood what had occurred as through the efforts of his second clone, he had actually been able to raise the proficiency in the Laws of Fire and Water past 50%, effectively mastering half of two universal laws! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Fate Line(s) : 3,582,735] [Chaos Particle(s) : 1,142,835] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-5, Water-5] [Domain(s) : Fate,Chaos, Space, Fire, Water]Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/%7B%7Bauthority%7D%7D_%!d(string=51511483921646934) for visiting. [Vitality: WORLD] [Focus: - ] [Strength: WORLD] [Law(s) : Fate-35%,Chaos-11%,Space-8%, Fire-51%, Water-51%] [Authority(s) : Flame Lord, Water Lord] His stat panel beautifully displayed in front of his eyes, showing the rapid progress in all the laws as his Chaos Particles had also broken past the 1 million mark, his Fate Lines also rising by more than 300,000 in the span of a few days from his cultivation and the actions he had taken with the Vampyres. The alteration and changing of fate would continue as he collected more and more Fate Lines over the coming months as the war dragged on. But the most important thing currently were the normal laws of Fire and Water that he had comprehended more than 50% of, the origin cores becoming Stage 5 as the abilities under > and > each gained 500% in their effectiveness! This alone created for an amazing boon, but it was nothing compared to the addition of a new section at the bottom of the stat panel, a section that listed the type of Authority he could use now that he had comprehended more than 50% of a law. His eyes shone as he glanced at the details of this {{Authority}}! {{Flame Lord''s Authority}} :: With your command, the surrounding miles are placed under a fiery and inviolable authority that has the effects of Cast Disruption, Mana Interference, Flame Manifestation, Atmospheric Regulation, as well as increasing the effectiveness of all flame related abilities by 500% and reducing their mana cost by 90%. This authority is a manifestation of will power that will overpower any who do not stand on the same level, but the mana cost for its usage is simply terrible. Its uses are many and versatile, with those that continue advancing in the law of fire will find themselves being able to use this authority to apply the Flame Lord''s Armament across their body. Such an armament cannot be pierced through unless another being with similar law comprehension or exceedingly powerful strength appears. A fairly lengthy description of the {{Flame Lord Authority}} was displayed in front of Noah as his mind rapidly moved to absorb everything. The {{Water Lord''s Authority}} had nearly the same description, the only changes being water where flames were in the long set of words. The description mentioned that the usage of such an authority were many, and these words were very true as there were many abilities contained in this single use of authority! Similar to when Noah first became exposed to it in the Celestial Realm, this {{Authority}} allowed one to actually interfere with the mana of those it encompassed, being able to disrupt their casting of skills and much more. There were the abilities of Flame Manifestation and Atmospheric Regulation that he could use to create a hellishly blazing domain under the area covered by this {{Authority}}, his fire abilities elevated to a whole other level as his eyes honed in towards the aforementioned [Flame Lord''s Armament]. Those that were proficient in the Law of Fire could encase their bodies with this authoritative armament that actually allowed one to remain invincible if they faced an enemy that had not comprehended any law past 50%, their bodies only ever being reached if a freak of nature with exceeding strength that overpowered the laws appeared! Noah''s eyes shone as he felt like he was entering a brand new area of strength that came with its own separate rules, his heart beginning to beat even faster as he applied this new knowledge of authority to the law of fate. As this was a Supreme Law, its effectiveness and uniqueness should be even grander, and this was a terrifying thought to have when he applied it to the Founder of Celestials, Aldrich! If even a normal law had something like the {{Flame Lord''s Armament}} that made someone nearly invincible unless another being proficient in laws stood against them, just how ridiculously powerful was the Founder who neared 100% under the law of fate and could use what Noah assumed to be {{Fate Lord''s Authority}} with more control than anyone else in the Novus Galaxy? It was a terrifying thought to have as even though Noah broke through into another stage and obtained a fearsome new power, his heart became even colder as he got back to training with his second clone right away. The feeling of pressure of someone immensely powerful than him was only becoming clearer in his eyes, his heart pushing himself to do even more than what he was currently doing as he moved forward and sought even more strength! Chapter 529 - War Princess! Across the starry expanse of space, the forces of Celestials were slowly all coming in contact with the defensive line of the defenders of the Dark Expanse. Battles had fully begun in many regions as some ended in a matter of minutes, while others went on to take days! This all depended on which Celestial Legions were on the move, and exactly how the power of the defending side matched with them. Among the clashes between the two forces of Light and Dark Expanse, the Celestials were finding it particularly harder to pierce through regions protected by the force of Vampyres! This was because of the immense firepower they showed that had never been seen before, their bodies fighting even to their last breath as they seemed to have renewed vigor. In the few days preceding the full start of the Last War, it was the topics of the newly found strength of Vampyres, Crixus the Destroyer, and the 9th Infernal Lord protecting the Verittas Fortress that took the center of many being''s thoughts. On this day though, yet another figure was about to make themselves known as the playback of their assault was being seen with increasing eyes. The figure that grandly made her name known this time around was the one known as the War Princess, Athena! In the unique environment of war, many got the chance to see exactly why she held the title of the War Princess. Athena had led the assault on a stronghold where Mages and Vampyres were protecting, and her assault had shockingly led to the first battles that a stronghold in the Dark Expanse being protected by Vampyres faced. The reason for the War Princess'' shocking victory was something that only she and very few Celestials knew of- her Unique Ability that was called {Precognition}! This was the ability that first granted her the title of War Princess, and also the ability that shone with great splendor on the battlefield. Athena displayed a shocking scene where she singularly led a single Celestial Legion that only had her at the World Rank, facing against a stronghold that was protected by a World Rank Vampyre and World Rank Mage commanders. A battle of two against one, with many people finding it difficult for the defending Vampyres and Mages to lose given the track record since the beginning of the war. Athena proved this belief wrong as she valiantly appeared and controlled the pace of the battle in a manner that only the most proficient generals could! She floated in the expanse of space as her eyes shone with splendor, a proud old man floating beside her as she was encased in a golden armament that only made her brilliance shine brighter. With every wave of her hand, numerous commands were released from her forces as they utilized the technology of the Prime Warsh.i.p.s and their own group attacks, fluidly withstanding the fearsome Vampyres and Mages as the War Princess then went on to match against the two World Rank Commanders by herself. Singularly and brilliantly! Her unique ability let her foresee even more things as she rose to higher ranks, predicting the movements and attacks of her enemies as she showed a battle that attracted the eyes of all those watching simply because of one thing- Dominance! It was this type of beautiful dominance that only the most seasoned Commander would show in a war, but it was being displayed by a newly risen Celestial Commander. This was a being holding the title of Noble Fate. This was the War Princess, Athena! --- In the Verittas Fortress, Noah was watching the brilliant display of Athena''s battle as his gaze remained calm. His first clone was currently holding the defensive position of defending Verittas Fortress as the 9th Infernal Lord, his Legion floating in space with palpating pressure as they waited patiently for any signs of Celestials. Commanding Mage Turner and the Dark Wizard Shanora were still defending alongside him, with the addition of two World Rank Vampyres that Vladivostok wanted besides their progenitor to further reinforce them. The figures of the Harbingers could be seen among the Vampyres, along with many Spiritual World Beasts and Noah''s first pet, Draco. A particularly pristine Emperor Penguin with sparkling dark and silver colors was floating around as he acted like a commander of the forces of Vampyres, Elena shaking her head with a smile as Barbatos looked at this in an annoyed manner while she waved her hands to summon her undead legion. She and all of his subordinates were currently trying to digest their gains from the last battle where they obtained World Rank Cores and skill books, wanting to break into the next realm as soon as possible! Noah also saw this as an inevitability as all the cores he gained were also prioritized to the Spiritual World Beasts and Harbingers, the levels of these beings continuing to shoot up at insane degrees. This was to more quickly achieve his goal of upgrading into a realm, and to make sure that his people would be strong enough to not lose their battles in the fights to come. RUMBLE! A wave of power spread out at this instant as Noah came out of his thoughts, the Infernal Legion in front of him waving their weapons down and signaling the aura of beings they were particularly sensitive to nearing. Resolute expressions formed on the faces of the defenders of the Verittas Fortress as they prepared to face another assault, knowing that the stronghold they were occupying could not fall simply because of its importance. Noah''s eyes pierced through the starry expanse of space as the veils slowly lifted, his eyes landing on a collection of truly numerous sh.i.p.s heading towards the Verittas Fortress. The sh.i.p.s were truly many as he confirmed with his own eyes what he already knew from his knowledge as a Celestial Commander- and that was the information that this time around, two Celestial Legions would be leading the assault on the Verittas Fortress!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/war-princess!_%!d(string=51533698046156682) for visiting. His eyes curved into a delighted smile at this as it meant more and more food delivering itself to him, his hands waving in front of him as he called for the activation of a recently upgraded skill tree, summoning the [Abyssal Lich] who could play with millions of undead as he wanted to show them a different type of despair... Chapter 530 - Two Legions! RUMBLE! Waves of dreary and deathly essence spread out as an enormous black runic circle materialized above the 9th Infernal Lord, the many Mages looking towards this curiously as they had startled eyes, their proficiency in runes letting them know how truly intricate and complex this whole summoning was. WAAA!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/two-legions!_%!d(string=51533715477688363) for visiting. Dark essence erupted outwards as the summoned being appeared, the back robed [Abyssal Lich] holding a pristine skull staff that shone with piercing golden eyes appearing in front of them! This Lich released an immensely powerful aura of death as it bowed to Noah, then turning its head towards the enemies that would soon come towards its master as it waved the skull staff it carried forward. The golden eyes of the staff shone with a luminous assortment of colors as they released a gold and dark light, the summoning on a multitude of undead in droves beginning to appear all across the void of space! These Undead caught the eyes of many as they had distinct dark and gold colors, the [Abyssal Lich] using the ability [Elemental Undead] to imbue an entire Undead Legion with Fate and Chaos Essence! OOOH! Baleful roars began to ring out from the undead as more and more of them appeared, the Abyssal Witch waving his staff like a symphony as even larger runic circles that released enormous undead were materializing. The forces of the Verittas Fortress watched on with shaking eyes as the appearance of the enormous Abyssal Undead made their debut into the battle field, many rubbing their eyes as they saw 50-meter tall Undead Dragons that shone with the l.u.s.ter of chaos or fate. They were under the impression that the 9th Infernal Lord had shown nearly all of his abilities in the past battle, but they never thought he could pull vastly different ones and at such a grand scale! They watched with amazed eyes as he also waved his hands and summoned 5 beings that released the aura of World Rank experts, the figures of summons that many recognized making their appearance as an enormous force bulked up around the 9th Infernal Lord. The numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s of two Celestial Legion made themselves apparent in front of the eyes of the defenders of the Verittas Fortress soon as the tension palpated between the two sides. --- In one of the largest vessels of the two Celestial Legions, two Celestial Commanders that stood at the peak of the World Rank were discussing in a calm manner as they gazed at the resplendent abilities of the 9th Infernal Lord that was summoning tens of thousands of undead in droves. "Everything is ready?" One of the Commanders squinted his eyes as he asked, receiving a nod and a sharp reply that made one''s ears ring. "They have sent word that they are fully ready. These savages will not know what hit them." The eyes of this commander were cold as they shone dangerously, the sight of the 9th Infernal Lord that had taken down 7 World Rank Commanders from the first Celestial Legion sent to the Verittas Fortress actually not making them feel an ounce of fear! This was because they came prepared. Not just with two legions, but with something else that would shock the entire state of battle! Wide smiles were on the faces of the two Commanders in this single vessel as they looked towards the 9th Infernal Lord. Even while filled with all the knowledge about this being''s battle prowess and strength, their eyes were those that already considered the being in front of them as good as dead. OOOH! The horns of war resounded as the majestic forces of the two Celestial Legions were on full display, the hundreds of thousands in numbers beginning to spread out from the Prime Warsh.i.p.s like ants as they formed a tidal wave in the expanse of space. The commanders of these two Celestial Legions then took center stage as they stepped to the forefront of the army, the defenders of the Verittas Fortress being able to see the assembly of World Rank Commanders as their eyes turned sharp. Aside from the two commanders that were having secretive discussions in the largest vessel, they were accompanied on both sides by five World Rank Experts each! This meant that in total, there were 12 World Rank Celestials participating in this battle, their gazes that of great confidence as they stared down towards the Verittas Fortress. The Celestial Commander at the forefront smiled as he spoke out to those around him. "We do not leave this stronghold unless it is with the head of the 9th Infernal Lord, understood?" "Yes!" RUMBLE! Waves of power stretched out as the aura of fate erupted, the gazes of all twelve commanders honing in on a particularly calm Infernal Lord who seemed to be more interested in watching the summoning of tens of thousands of undead by an Abyssal Lich. The forces of the Undead Legion made up of chaos and fate element undead had their voracious gazes at the sight of the Celestials, Noah giving a light smile as he didn''t give any grand declarations or words, simply motioning for the Abyssal Lich to move as he initiated the battle right away. OOOH! Space rumbled as the tens of thousands of undead began to roll forward, the Abyssal Undead towering over 50 meters in size being even more eye catching as they fearlessly charged towards the celestial army. The forces of Vampyres and Mages weren''t too far behind as the battle was soon about to be in full swing, and yet the faces of the twelve Celestial Commanders did not change as they hardened their resolves and under the command of the leading Celestials...they took off! Noah glanced at the rushing forces as he smiled lightly and wondered while secretly discerning the river of fate. He was noticing something huge occurring in this battle as his eyes became more active, his thoughts of an easy defense while farming Fate Lines coming to an end as it seemed like something grand was waiting for him at the end of this battle... Chapter 531 - Assassinate the 9th Infernal Lord! In the many battles occurring throughout the Novus Galaxy, very few in particular were ones that many of the higher ups of both sides watched. The battle taking place at the stronghold that was known as the Verittas Fortress was one of the few that took the center of attention for many! Powerful beings from both sides were currently watching as two Celestial Legions led an assault towards this fortress, the eyes of many on the dominant 9th Infernal Lord as they prepared to watch just how extensive his abilities were.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/assassinate-the-9th-infernal-lord!_%!d(string=51557367057270793) for visiting. The Grand Mage Edrusim was in the busy command room of the Mages Tower as he pulled the illusory feed of this battle in front of his eyes, gazing towards the tens of thousands of unique undead creatures that the Infernal Lord was summoning on top of the 5 World Rank beings. His perceptive eyes caught the unique aura of fate and chaos on these undead as he shook his head incredulously, his eyes fully absorbed into the scene as the twelve Celestial Commanders did not mince any words and rushed forward, the two Legions behind them following along as the two sides clashed! Edrusim was prepared to watch another blood pumping battle as he observed the scenes of the Verittas Fortress, and it was actually shaping up to be such a battle. The Celestial Legion clashed with the numerous undead, Infernals, Vampyres, and Mages as those with keen eyes could observe them being pushed back, their power visibly not being able to especially withstand the forces of Vampyres and modified Undead that held the aura of two Supreme Laws. But the battle was shaping up to be a wild one as a majority of the World rank Celestial Commanders swarmed towards the 9th Infernal Lord who was surrounded by him summoned creatures. The Infernal Lord had a calm smile on his face as he prepared to move, but it was at this time that something drastic happened! Something that brought shock and horror to all those watching took place as all known and established norms of Wars were broken on this day! --- In the starry expanse of space near the Verittas Fortress, 8 World Rank Celestial Commanders had surrounded the heavily protected Infernal Lord, the other Commanders going on to match the experts defending the Verittas Fortress. If one was perceptive enough, they would notice cold smiles on the face of the Commanders at this moment, but none of this would matter for what was to come. These 8 Commanders raised their hands in the air as if they were about to cast powerful abilities, many watching with rapt eyes to see what colorful skill the Infernal Lord would use to defend, but it was at this instant that something drastic occurred! ZIING! It felt like a droning sound that scratched ones ears, and it only registered a millisecond later as widening eyes watched the sudden appearance of a solid and piercing golden needle-like sword that had come to be so fast that nobody caught it, only seeing it a few inches away from the forehead of the 9th Infernal Lord. With the appearance of this shimmering sword, the immense aura of a realm that they were familiar with descended, many having color drain out of their eyes as they felt the ridiculously powerful aura of a being at the Star Forging Realm! Star Forger! A Star Forger''s aura had appeared out of nowhere, and now a golden needle-like blade was about to pierce into the head of the Infernal Lord! Yet...it seemed that even this was not enough as behind the Infernal Lord''s back, they could see the rapid materialization of a being stretching out a crackling red-gold palm, this individual actually bringing out another aura at the Star Forging Realm as many realized that to their horror, it was not just a single Star Forger that was actually sent here to attack- nay, to assassinate the 9th Infernal Lord. Two Star Forging experts, one in front and one in the back. Two separate attacks that were sent out with the purpose to kill, the World Rank Celestial Commanders that had been even close to the region beginning to move back not to be caught in the impact. It was coordinated, planned, and carried out perfectly! The assassination of a being that was displaying a high level of power at the World Realm, the being that held great significance for the beginning of this Last War, was being carried out blatantly in the eyes of all as the attacks of the two Star Forging Experts reached this being. RIIIIIP! BOOOOM! Space itself ripped and cracked, the needle-like golden sword carrying with it deadly vibrations and the immense power of an expert, the crackling palm coming from behind the Infernal Lord''s back actually being reinforced by the law of fate and the law of fire. Both attacks landed squarely on the target that was intended, immense fluctuations erupting out as the cold eyes of the Star Forging experts watched the target they hit explode in a sea of blood! A sea of blood! Many watched with unbelieving eyes as the entire body of the Infernal Lord was turned into a mess of blood, the reality of what just occurred dawning in on them as fear began to overtake them. As time seemed to be moving in slow motion, only the truly powerful could notice the distinct fluctuations of this mass of blood that was supposed to be the dead Infernal Lord actually begin to wriggle and contort, the assassins that just appeared squinting their eyes as they saw the exploded pieces of the being that should have been dead collect themselves together into an enormous drop of blood, this blood drop blooming into the smiling figure of a devilishly handsome being that was looking at them with sparkling eyes! "Two Star Forgers? You must think very highl-" BOOM! Space ruptured again as the assassins gave no time for a pause, the one that had thrown the strike of a crackling palm moving his hands forward as tens of such palms filled with immense fate and fire essence filled the surrounded, the golden needle-like blade actually transforming into the shape of a golden haired man who waved his hands forward and caused the appearance of thousands of extremely small golden swords that vibrated powerfully. They attacked without pause to complete their mission of assassination, not letting their first failure affect them one bit! Noah looked at these scenes as a wide smile spread from him, his heart shaking in excitement as he called out calmly. "Very well. {{Flame Lord''s Authority}}." RUMBLE! ¡­! "{{Water Lord''s Authority}}." RUMBLE! ¡­!!! Chapter 532 - So Damn Easy! The Figure of Edrusim and multiple other Star Forging Mages beside him disappeared the moment the aura of two beings of the same power as them appeared on the battle field of the Verittas Fortress. This was because an unwritten rule of the war was broken, with the Celestials choosing to send multiple beings in two realms higher for the single purpose of assassinating a rising individual that would possibly be a great threat to them! Such a move from the Celestials was a great provocation as it effectively ripped away all rules of engagement for war, the powerful figures of Dark Expanse shooting towards the Verittas Fortress the moment the two experts entered the same battle field as the 9th Infernal Lord. The Mages moved! The Vampyres moved! Even the 5th and 4th Infernal Lords moved! They all rapidly adapted to the changing situation as they moved to save a singular being that they knew could be one of the major keys for this war. Yet in the next instant as they teleported or streaked across space, whatever method they were using to watch the unfolding assassination displayed an even more shocking scene. The being that should have been dead and only been a puddle of blood reformed, his bright face looking at the two Star Forging Realm experts as he actually muttered words which heald great meaning to those with great knowledge. "{{Flame Lord''s Authority}}" "{{Water Lord''s Authority}}" WAAA! The hearts of many being and even of the rushing Star Forgers shook as they heard these words, their indication being something grand that meant someone had comprehended more than half of a universal law, and had gained the ability to lay down its authority. Very few of them had comprehended any laws past the halfway point, so seeing this newly rising Infernal Lord utter of the {{Authority}} of two separate laws, they almost had heart attacks! RUMBLE! Majesty and resplendence was the only thing to describe what happened next as the shining abilities that the two Star Forging Realm experts were throwing out became wiped away, a sparkling circle of red and blue beginning to expand from the Infernal Lord as it went to cover them and the 8 running World Rank Celestial Commanders in the surroundings. Space crackled with immense energies as the authority of two laws spread out, the faces of 8 World Rank Celestial Commanders becoming ashen as the newly arriving Star Forging Celestials adopted hard expressions on their face. The many experts rushing towards Verittas Fortress pushed their essence to erupt even faster, their hopes of saving this being shooting up even higher as they saw this ridiculous talent that could actually use the authorities of two universal laws. This talent was simply monstrous, and such a person could not be left to die! They wanted the 9th Infernal Lord to hang on just for a few minutes before they arrived and saved his life, but was such a thing even needed...? --- On the battlefield at the Verittas Fortress, an arrogant penguin was watching a spectacular scene with shining eyes. His heart had only shaken for a second when the assassins first appeared, but he then recalled just who his master was before he felt completely at ease. This was his master, someone that did ridiculous things almost every single day. When it came to an impossible situation where two powerful Star Forgers, beings that actually forged an entire star within their Origins- when such powerful beings sneak attacked his master, the only thought in the Emperor Penguin''s mind was exactly what ridiculous thing would he do to bypass such a situation?!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16709186806051905)/so-damn-easy!_%!d(string=51557494027241521) for visiting. It wasn''t fear, or worry that popped in the Penguin''s mind, but it was an expectation for what his Master would do at this moment. And these expectations...were exceeded on all levels as the flippers of the penguin trembled while watching the authorities of two universal laws spread out! Noah had simply thrown out his hands, covering all his enemies with an authority that erased their skills as he in the next moment, tongues of noble red flames began to cover his body. Many did not know what this was, but under the possibilities of {{Authority}}, this was Flame Lord''s Armament- flames made under the authority of the Flame Lord that could not be bypassed unless a being also holding an authority came to match him, or someone with exceedingly powerful force! Noah''s body seemed like the Incarnation of Flames as his outline was that of a man of fire, a spectacular crown of flames spinning above him as it released immense might which pressed down on all in the surroundings. The beady eyes of the Emperor Penguin shone while he looked at this, him and the rest of the Harbingers staying put as they believed in their Master immensely. At this moment, the entire battlefield seemed to have come to a stop as only the events that seemed to be playing out in slow motion were capturing the gazes of all! The penguin watched on as he could feel a smile forming behind the tongues of flames his master was under, his gaze on the two Star Forgers being that of delight as in the next millisecond, his figure instantly vanished in a flash of flames as he appeared in another location. It seemed like teleportation, but this was even faster than that as it was an extremely rapid instantaneous movement that the Flame Lord could carry out in the area under his authority, instantly appearing anywhere in this region! The place he appeared was not next to the Star Forgers to attack them, but he instantly appeared behind the party of 8 World Rank Celestial Commanders that were trying to run away, his palm lifting toward the head of one of the Commanders as he grasped onto it...and people watched in horror as it melted. His hand that was covered in extremely scorching Noble flames just reached out to grab onto the head of a World Rank Commander, the extreme heat melting the head of the Celestial right away as his body soon became engulfed in wild flames! The remaining surrounding 7 Commanders moved their essence to protect themselves as the Star Forgers angrily moved, many watching on in shock as the 9th Infernal Lord actually ignored the two powerful assassins a rank above him that had come to assassinate him, attacking the World Rank Commanders first as one was taken down in less than a millisecond. Shock and stupefaction was the only thing spreading in the hearts of many, but in one particular Emperor Penguin, all he felt was pride! This was his master! This was Noah Osmont! Chapter 533 - Hepta Kill! There are a variety of rare occurrences that very few beings get to experience in their entire lifetimes. Falling in love for the first time, enjoying immaculate food unlike any other, or the feeling of being intimate for the first time. They were all experiences that one would remember and ingrain in their memories, and Noah was experiencing such a feeling right at this very moment as he used the {{Authority}} of two laws for the first time. The feeling of strength and power that he sensed...was simply too exhilarating to describe! He had to stop himself from instantly closing his eyes the moment he cast it just to enjoy that feeling of something unknown and powerful coursing through him, his gaze instead seeing every small detail over the area where he expanded the two Authorities. In the areas he covered, he felt a feeling of control over them unlike anything he had sensed before. In this space, he was king! He placed the focus on the {{Flame Lord''s Authority}} as he encased himself in a terrible Armament, his body vanishing instantly as he turned into a flicker of flames that was faster than the speed of light, instantly appearing behind a World Rank Celestial Commander as his hand writhed in flames and grasped down. Immense power was gathered in this palm as the authority of the law of fire disintegrated all defenses of the World Rank Celestial, his achievements in laws not being able to withstand the attack for even a little! The body of the Commander then became inflamed as Noah saw the burst of light that represented loot entering his Expansive Space, an even more brilliant explosion of Fate Lines shooting out because of the ability of [Fate Stealer]. He had arrogantly moved to take down the World Rank Celestial Commanders first, knowing the Star Forging beings would be a much harder case on their own as he chose to power himself up even more with the Fate Lines and loot that was simply being delivered to him on a platter by these surrounding commanders. They could only react a millisecond later as their bodies began to shine brilliantly, their faces that of dismay as even though the two Star Forging Celestials had begun shooting their way, their bodies seemed to move at a turtles pace as the two authorities Noah laid down were not just for show! RUMBLE! Noah felt the sensation of his hands that were covered with the authority of law that easily decimated the defenses of a being at the same realm him, fully beginning to understand why the palm of the Founder was so inescapable back then. This feeling of simply the authority of the law of fire had made him this absent-minded, his heart not even beginning to appreciate the authority of the law of water as he closed his eyes while the Celestial Commanders near him were panicking. He felt the flames he could control in this domain of authority as he stopped his original ways of thinking and ventured into a different direction. The use of an {{Authority}} was extremely taxing, both mental and in terms of mana. So very few could even use it for prolonged periods of time and utilize its efforts fully until they were in higher realms of power. So at this moment, Noah stopped restricting himself as he went past just attacking a single being under his banner of authorities, his closed eyes focusing on the {{Flame Lord''s Authority}} as he pumped the mana he had access to into this authority senselessly! What he wanted to do was not to just focus on one point of attack or reinforce his body, he wanted the entire area that was under his authority to...burn. WAAAA! A feeling of freedom erupted from him as he senselessly poured out mana at a rate he never had before, where he could effectively confirm none of his previously cast skills and abilities had ever taken this much! With him at the center, seven scrambling World Rank Celestial Commanders running away from him, and two Star Forging Celestials rushing towards him... his body exploded with scorching red flames that carried a deep orange hue, a hint of gold traveling within them as many watched with shocked eyes the grandiosity thereafter.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51567909876586164 for visiting. In the entire red and blue circle that represented Noah''s two authorities, flames had permeated with him at the center as they filled every single inch of this glimmering circle, forming a resplendent aurora of red and blue as the beings in the surroundings could feel the face-melting and dangerously scorching heat of the flames as if the fire was right next to them! BOOOM! Countless implosions occurred within this world of flames as this modified essence filled with authority tried to rip apart any beings that were not Noah. The defenses of the World Rank Celestial Commanders were shredded over and over again as even while casting what could be considered a wide area of attack ability, its damage was so high that even those in the World Realm could not defend for long! POP! POP! POP!... He could feel the bodies of the Celestials get squeezed down by the scorching pressure of flames before they were imploded into fiery balls of fire, the flames sneaking into their orifices as they exploded them from the inside and shattered their Origins. One, two, three¡­numerous pops that represented deaths rang out before Noah laughed in the world of flames, his eyes opening as he gave a command for the flames to clear away, his gaze locking toward the only two beings that were still alive within the area of his authority. BOOM! Two Star Forging Celestials neared him with their spectacular attacks, their bodies steaming and tan as luminous golden veils of light covered them. Their expressions were maddened with fury and anger as amidst all of this, they seemed to have forgotten that they were just acting as assassins! The sight of the circular field under Noah''s authority was gradually becoming visible as the beings watching had to blink their eyes multiple times to make sure they were seeing the correct scene... Chapter 534 - Just Who Needs to be Saved?! Kazuhiko watched the brilliantly shining domain of flames clearing up instantly, showing the expert control of the being causing this as the sight within it nearly caused his eyes to bulge out. Only three beings remained in the area under Noah''s authority! It was the two Star Forging Celestials as well as Noah, and that was it! Everything else was a burnt and unrecognizable mass of flesh¡­ The colors of the iridescent and dominating authorities shimmered in the starry expanse of space as the breath of many beings was taken away by it. Kazuhiko looked at this with an unbelievable gaze as he shook his head. ''F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell...that was seven World Rank experts, right?''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51567961147759106 for visiting. His thoughts could not help but comment as he observed the burnt and bloody remains around Noah, his body now being covered by a shimmering circle of water that deflected the attacks of the Star Forging Celestial Commanders. But the main point of what he just saw still stuck in Kazuhiko''s mind! 7 World Rank Experts! Dead with a single move! 7! These weren''t just flies or common beings. They were monsters that had lived for hundreds of years to gone their skills and abilities. Yet in the face of a single being using their Authority, they were wiped away! "I''m gonna have to thank you for being nice enough to bring so many of you this time around." Noah''s clear voice could distinctly be heard as he stared at the two Star Forgers with a smile, using the authority of the Law of Water to build this defensive and illusory field to actually withstand their attacks. His body was currently rapidly eating up the Fate Lines of the 7 dead Commanders, his percentage in the law of fate already reaching 40% as it continued to climb forward! His gaze stood upon the two Star Forging Realm experts as he knew he could not let them go, the rewards they held with them being too abundant. With their defeat, it would mean that just today, he would possibly pierce through the halfway point in the Supreme Law. His eyes looked at the faces of the two assassins as possible identities came to him because of their skills. These were two of some of the more powerful Commanders under the banner of Aldrich, their entrance here showing simply how much importance was placed on this matter. Not just one of them was sent, but two! As Noah looked at them with a hungry gaze that wanted to devour, they looked at him with even deadlier gazes as he had effectively taken down powerful commanders they should have been protecting right under their eyes. RUMBLE! No words were spared as from one of the Star Forgers, numerous needle point golden swords erupted en masses while the other reinforced his body with essence of fate and fire to move towards Noah with out hesitation. Even with the use of Authorities, these beings that were an entire realm above Noah had been able to withstand it with their powerful reinforcements, as well as the fact that they comprehended more of the law of fate than the dead World Rank Commanders! They prepared to complete their mission even with the deadly power showed as in their beliefs, they knew the strain of using the Authority granted by laws was enormous, and already saw themselves being able to pierce through his defense in just a few minutes. These few minutes would be crucial as they knew with their appearance here, they had set a precedent that would cause the war to become even deadlier as beings of high ranks could start moving at this moment. Just a matter of minutes, and they believed it would be enough! What they didn''t know was how wrong their assumptions were, and the fact that Noah was only just beginning to use all of his abilities! As he kept the Authorities of the laws of water and fire active, Noah appeared and disappeared at light speed as he only became a wisp of a flame, dodging the many needle like golden blade and the crackling hands trying to tear his clone apart. When it came to those a level above him, he saw that the use of Authority would allow him to restrict their movements while heavily boosting him, cutting the gap in their strength as his other skills would more than make up for it. Even the Flame Lord''s Armament he was adorning granted him a level of protection where very little damage that he could not dodge from the Star Forgers got to him! Now, all he had to do was overpower them with his wide array of abilities! Using the boosts of the two Authorities, he began with the spectacular abilities of > and > as scorching meteors began to shoot towards the two Celestials out of nowhere, droves of water also filling the circular area under his authority as his enemies were restricted even more. Even with this, there was still his transformation skills that he could use, and abilities from the seven deadly sins! He had many choices, but he went with the one he liked the most for its destructiveness and splendor. His hands crackled as the abilities of the Juvenile Terror began to crackle with wildness, his heart expecting the crazy effects of his Aether Rays that had gained the support of blooming a Portal of Terror with every hit on top of their ability to chain between enemies. Now that he had two enemies, just how would this scene play out? RUMBLE! The many eyes watching this scene as well the beings of the Dark Expanse that were rushing towards the Verittas Fortress nearly wiped their brows at the deadly show of abilities that showed themselves on their illusory screen, some of them even coming to a stop as they saw the scene they were heading to rapidly changing, with a shocking thought arising in their minds! ''This...does he even need to be saved?!'' Chapter 535 - A Realm Above? So What! In a fight against beings that were an entire realm above yours, what exactly would you do? Others would either run for their lives, and those more proficient would use experience and genius to outsmart these stronger enemies. In the case of Noah, he had no need to run for his life nor even outsmart his enemies- he chose the most direct route of force! Yes, they were more powerful than him, with their bodies covered by the immense energies one could only feel from an actual star. But as long as he could withstand this power, he could use something that they and nobody else in this Novus Galaxy had- immense reserves of mana unlike anything ever seen before. With the use of two Authorities, he was able to withstand their dreadful attacks. Now, he would do the one thing that he could to slowly begin tearing down their defenses, and he would do it by no other way than fully utilizing his unique ability and simply spam his skills! RUMBLE! Aether rays released from him in a flash of dark color as they soon reached the body of the Star Forger that continued to release numerous golden blades of light, this ray that was a mixture of chaos and aether striking him as instantly after, a pulsating Portal of Terror bloomed right at his face before exploding with a horrendous force. But this wasn''t the complete scene as right after that ray of aether struck him and the portal bloomed, that same ray went to hit the other Star Forger that utilized the law of fate and fire, chaining onto him as the same scene repeated itself! But ridiculously, the chaining ray of aether did not stop as it returned to smash again into the first being, going back and forth between the two beings rapidly until ten chains were established.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51591436616917840 for visiting. One must know that each time they chained and hit the figures of the Star Forgers, a Portal of Terror that released destructive energies would bloom and rip into the bodies of the powerful beings, this attack being extremely deadly and fast paced! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! The chaining aether ray stopped as the destructive enemies of the Portals of Terror lingered a bit longer, their energies causing the bodies of the two Celestials to shimmer with light as they still protected themselves. Their eyes looked towards Noah contemplative as to them, this deadly attack had actually caused their luminous defenses to dim, and thought that it should have been an ability which had a high cost of mana for it to be able to damage beings of their power. Thus, they became even bolder as they waited for this being to tire himself out in the next few seconds before they pounced, taking his life even before the powerful figures of the Dark Expanse could respond! Yet as they began to move their essence to send out their attacks, their eyes expanded as they saw a similar ray of aether rush towards them. And another. And another. ZAP! BOOM! ZAP!... Every single ray came with it more than 10 Portals of Terror, the rays chaining between the two Star Forging Celestials as they didn''t even have the time to separate, thus they received double the damage from the close proximity of the Portals of Terror that bloomed from each of them! ZAP! "..." Many beings watched with agape expressions as the powerful Star Forgers were put in a constant defensive position, terrible destructive portals releasing close to them every half a second as they used their huge reserves of energy to reinforce their defenses, the constraints of Noah''s two Authorities still around them as they believed this being would tire himself out of energy sooner or later. This thought that Noah would be stopping these horrendous attacks that should naturally cost a lot of mana to use so frequently in order for them to retaliate...would actually be the nail on the coffin for these hundreds-year-old monsters at the Star Forging Realm! This was because many watched in stupefaction as the 9th Infernal Lord did not even seem to be putting in all that much work, his body regal wreathed in flames and a bubble of shimmering water protected him, his hands spread out as chaotic rays of darkness left every second to smash into his enemies. Only a light smile and a look of anticipation was present on his face as this was the only thing he did. No other attacks, no other ridiculously colorful abilities, just the constant spam of aether rays that had the attributes of chaining and summoning portals of terror every time they hit! But just this...was actually more than enough as dark expression covered the faces of the two Star Forging Realm experts, feeling their energy draining lower and lower from defending against the terrible attacks as their enemy just continued to throw more of them. I''m their minds as they could only defend against these terrible attacks without even being able to retaliate, they were only thinking how his energy should soon be expanded, right? "..." Yet many watched with disbelief as the grandeur of Star Forging beings was stripped away every passing second, the single Infernal Lord keeping them all at bay as their illusory golden defensive shields became thinner and thinner, their faces becoming darker as time passed! At this moment, a few across the battlefield had actually begun to question their awareness as they actually began to wonder if the powerful auras of the two assassins really was at the Star Forging Realm. Had their senses tricked them? Disbelief was spreading across the minds of many as the expected power and Domination that beings of such a realm should have been capable of causing was all but gone, the both of them left to simply defend as they could do nothing else! Aside from the disbelief and stupefaction, the surrounding Celestials were already feeling deep fear as even these powerful beings were actually being dominated by this single Infernal Lord. ZAP! BOOM! The faces of the two Star Forging Realm experts became ashen at this moment as they sensed their nearly depleting energies while their enemy still had a calm smile on his face. Unbelievable thoughts began to spring in their minds at this impossible situation that went against everything they knew. They were a realm higher, you know? They had more energy, you know? They...they¡­ They were lost for words as a shocking thought traveled across the minds of many watching beings. ''This Infernal Lord wasn''t about to defeat two beings a realm higher than him this simply, right?!'' Right?! Chapter 536 - You cant finish that fast! The Emperor Penguin and other Harbingers were watching the scene playing out with bright eyes, this scene of domination being something they all strived to be able to do in the future! BOOM! BOOM! Explosions after explosions resounded as a ridiculous feature of Portals of Terror being summoned any time an Aether ray hit an enemy was abused, the chaining rays ravaging through the defenses of the Star Forging beings as they had unbelieving and unwilling expressions! They were powerful experts that had trained for hundreds of years! They were Commanders that actually piloted one of the terrible Dreadnaughts of the Celestials! They were beings of immense positions that should not have been in a predicament like this¡­ They had expected to quickly assassinate this being an entire realm below them quickly, and they brought two of them to guarantee this reality. Yet...yet¡­Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''t-finish-that-fast!_51591444401546155 for visiting. The ridiculous scene where they could not even get a chance to fight back occurred. They could not realize their wide variety of splendorous abilities, not show the experience and smarts they had cultivated for hundreds of years. All they could do was slowly watch with unwillingness as their energy reserves were being cleaned out by a being that seemed to have limitless energy! ZAP! BOOM! None of their unwilling thoughts were answered as Noah simply continued to throw out rays of Aether, the powerful defenses of these beings remaining paper thin as the one who could turn into a needle like golden sword was the first to falter. RIIP! The layers of energy he surrounded himself with for protection were ripped apart, a ray of aether and a subsequent portal of terror coming down to tear apart everything that made him as he exploded into a gory show of blood! "OOOOOH!" Seeing this ridiculous scene, the remaining Star Forger let loose as he burned his very soul for more energy, waves of gold and red erupting out as he rushed towards Noah for the first time since they began the defensive bout. Yet it was at this moment that this powerful being took the most damage, as a feature of the support ability that allowed Noah''s aether rays to chain simply showed its utter ridiculousness. There were no surrounding enemies in the circular field where he laid down his Authorities for the aether ray to chain to, so what it did was simply, repeatedly, and instantaneously smash into the body of this single Star Forger as it made him shake like his body was having an epileptic seizure! BRRRRR! POP! Multiple rays of aether had actually chained onto a single body tens of times all once as they just utterly shredded any ounce of remaining defense raised from the burning of one''s soul, even Noah watching on in stupor as he was blown back from the tens of portals of terror that erupted instantly and exploded, rupturing the space as the body of the remaining Star Forging Celestial Commander was ripped to shreds¡­ "..." Silence reigned on the battlefield as many even forgot to fight against each other. The 4 World Rank Celestials that had gone to match the Commanders of the Verittas Fortress were shaking with a feeling of horror as the entire two Celestial Legions felt their bodies rumbling with fear, the reality of what just occurred in front of them being very hard to imagine! Even Noah himself was asking if his skills were bugged, the chaining effect repeatedly smashing onto a single being as their defenses were utterly shredded being something even he did not expect. Two Star Forging beings had come to assassinate the 9th Infernal Lord, and this target had somehow turned the tables around as he decimated them and eight World Rank experts in a matter of minutes. It was such a short period of time that even the powerhouses that had been rushing over from numerous locations to gather here and save this Infernal Lord could not even arrive in time before this damsel ripped apart the high leveled assassins himself. Not just assassins, but powerful beings practicing the law of fate, their bodies filled with immense power at the Star Forging Realm! This was a realm where one''s Origin was actually transformed into a miniature star, the force behind such a thing being hard to comprehend! As the battle between such beings came to such a quick and abrupt close, many were just watching with agape expressions as they did not even know how to process it all. They glanced at the bloody remains of shining Celestials that had an overpowering aura when they arrived, and now they floated in a red and blue void of space where only a single being remained. These beings were genuine powerhouses at the Star Forging Realm! They had such immense power compared to many others in the Novus Galaxy that the battle against them could have been described in another chapter or two! But was it really needed? The answer was no! Noah''s power was ridiculous enough that after the boosts and protection given by the Authority of two laws, he could effectively evade and defend against the attacks of the Star Forgers, all that was left being for him to spam his increasingly reinforced and boosted skills to tear away at the defenses of these powerful Celestials until their mana and essence could not keep up. Maybe if they had achieved more than 50% in the law of fate, they could have turned the tides and even caused him to run. Maybe if they brought a few more Star Forging Celestials. Maybes and maybes and maybes! But what occurred was the reality. All the conditions were met for Noah to wipe the floor with the newly appearing assassins, decimating them even with their realm of power as he pocketed loot and the even more valuable droves of Fate Lines rushing towards him because of [Fate Stealer]. A crescent smile spread out across his face as he watched streams after streams of fate lines descend down, the percentage of the Law of Fate seemingly trembling at the 49% mark on his stat panel before it soon broke through and smashed towards 50%! 50%!!! Chapter 537 - Win Some, Lose Some Across the vastness of space of the Novus Galaxy, a particularly powerful being was watching a singular illusory screen showcasing the quick battle at the Verittas Fortress. Aldrich, the remaining Founder of the Celestials watched on with out so much as a change of emotions in his eyes as two Star Forging Realm Celestials were actually killed, and in a short time at that by the 9th Infernal Lord that had many mysteries surrounding him! Yet at this moment, no anger or wrath was apparent on his face, only slight surprise as he closed his eyes and sent forth a telepathic message. "Advance the Realm Dreadnoughts forward and pierce through the layers of defenses." A terrifying command released from him and went towards Celestials Commanders already stationed and waiting at specific locations, the powerful vessels known as Realm Dreadnoughts that only Star Forging Commanders piloted moving forward! The place they were stationed and hidden at were actually extremely important strongholds where the Star Forging experts of the Dark Expanse protected, and amazingly, a few of these experts had left their posts to quickly go towards the Verittas Fortress to save a certain being that should have been facing a certain death. These Strongholds were now left unprotected, the forces that Aldrich had stationed in advance moving out as they began to rip through the defenses of beings which had no Star Forging leaders to protect them! Aldrich''s eyes shone with a golden l.u.s.ter as even though he has lost two Star Forging Golden Commanders unexpectedly at the hands of the 9th Infernal Lord, he still stood much to gain as things still went exactly how he expected. "You win some and you lose some, hmm?" His face had a widening smile as his eyes focused a whole lot more onto the Infernal Lord staying stationary while being surrounded by two Authorities of universal laws, the terrifying plan he hatched already taking form as even with a loss today, his forces would gain so much more as they would finally pierce through the important layers of the Dark Expanse! "But you¡­" A contemplative gaze was apparent on Aldrich as he stared at the illusory figure of the 9th Infernal Lord on the screen, many thoughts crossing his mind as a golden light of fate enveloped his location. --- In the Verittas Fortress, the shocking auras of multiple Star Forging beings had made their appearance in succession within the minutes following the death of the two Star Forging Golden Commanders. The Grand Mage Edrusim, the 4th and 5th Infernal Lords, and a single Vampyre Lord all stood in the periphery as they looked towards this being, their hearts seeing a bright future with such a creature standing with them! They were about to go towards the red and blue circle of authority when each of them began receiving news from their forces, news that mentioned Realm Dreadnoughts with Star Forging Golden Commanders in the lead had actually made their moves at this exact moment! "F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell." Edrusim cursed under his breath as he turned around right where he was, his body beginning to teleport vast distances as the other Star Forgers were doing the same as they rushed to protect the command the post they left. Only the four of them- Edrusim, the 4th and 5th Infernal Lords, as well as the single Vampyre Lord had rushed to this location at high speed, the other experts of the same realm turning around halfway through after they saw that the 9th Infernal Lord could somehow defend himself. This was because they also understood how risky it was to leave their posts during times of war, so only Edrusim and the other three continued forward to the Verittas Fortress just to make sure another Star Forging Golden Commander did not pop up to target the 9th Infernal Lord while the rest rushed back to their posts. They didn''t expect the Celestial to still be plotting and actually exploit this period of time, powerful Celestial Legions actually moving on important locations that had yet to be attacked since the beginning of the war! Even Noah with his position as a Celestial Commander did not know about this, the Legions being sent this time actually being under the Leadership of Star Forging Golden Commanders, with the release of three Realm Dreadnaughts to attack three specific strongholds with even higher importance than the Verittas Fortress. So even though some of the Star Forgers from the side of the Dark Expanse had returned to their posts halfway through, they had still left them as the Celestials hiding in wait went forth and attacked, beginning to decimate their remaining forces as they worked to quickly take over these strongholds! The Grand Mage Edrusim was receiving numerous communications of this plot as he gritted his teeth while streaking across the void of space, teleporting vast distances every now and then as he neared his Mage''s Tower where he could see and command everything in just three minutes. The Mage''s Tower was hectic as reports flooded in, Edrusim resuming control as the situation across the Dark Expanse became clearer. In just a matter of minutes and with the reduced defenses of some strongholds, more than five locations were pierced through and overtaken, three of them being those that faced the three Legions which had a Golden Commander leading a Realm Dreadnought! Colossal losses were taken, the forces of the Dark Expanse realizing that the plot of Celestials today was not just the assassination of the unique 9th Infernal Lord, but to also use the chaos surrounding this to lay a siege which actually succeeded in capturing 5 locations! Other strongholds were gradually fighting and holding on as their Commanders returned and faced the Star Forging Celestial Commanders, especially the locations where Vampyres were protecting being those that actually could not be taken over in time before all their forces returned. But the damage was done! On this day, Celestials advanced further into the Dark Expanse than all the days since the war began, gaining a major victory even with the loss of two Star Forging Golden Commanders under the power of the 9th Infernal Lord! Chapter 538 - Star Forger! Noah was relayed everything occurring at this moment from Vladivostok, his body still experiencing and enjoying the impeccable sensation of his law of fate breaking past 50%. The strongholds that had many Vampyres protecting them actually stood strong, the wisdom of Old Man Inuit directing them to keep their defenses even when he saw Noah being besieged by two Star Forging Celestials. Only a single Vampyre Lord at the Star Forging Realm had left because Inuit still had a semblance of worry, but his intuition allowed for them to actually hold off three Celestial Legions under the banner of Golden Commanders. Only the strongholds that were heavily protected by Mages and Infernals fell, all three of the powerful Realm Dreadnoughts being sent into these locations as if by a plan expecting the fearsome defense of the Vampyres, those three targeted stronghold falling into the hands of Celestials as well as another two similarly defended strongholds. Tens of billions of beings were now under the Influence of Celestials because of this move, their forces advancing further into the Dark Expanse as the forces of the 5th and 6th Infernal Lord had to retreat, along with many commanding Mages and Wizards as they unwillingly left behind their homes to gather their power and not needlessly die before they tried to fight back for them! If the Celestials so chose, they could obliterate these planets and kill billions, and this was the untold threat that allowed for them to smoothly take over the numerous planets cl.u.s.tered around these 5 strongholds the moment those defending them were defeated. Thus, even though the plot of assassination failed, a hidden plot had succeeded! Noah rapidly collected his thoughts as his surroundings rapidly changed, multiple Star Forging beings appearing and leaving in a matter of seconds, the two Celestial Legions collapsing as the remaining four commanders were quickly defeated, the Verittas Fortress that was at the center of a huge plot today actually surviving with very few deaths or injuries to their people! Seeing the many beings clearing the battlefield while looking toward his shimmering circle of Authority, he deactivated his Authorities as he sent out a few telepathic messages to his people and then...disappeared from the battlefield! There were too many things currently occurring within him as he wanted some time to observe them all, [Fate Discernment] telling him that nothing else exciting would be happening around the Verittas Fortress today. He could not change the outcome of the plot that the higher ups of the Celestials hatched, to the point that even his identity as Crixus did not grant him this information for the plot today. So he would leave it behind for now as he actually did something that would actually be of help- and that was to use the enormous amounts of loot he gained from the two Star Forging Celestials to power himself up even more! Aside from his Fate Lines continuing to shoot past the five million point, he wanted to quickly begin the process of turning his Origin into a genuine Star as he stepped towards the higher realms of power. His clone teleported to a nondescript location in the Light Expanse as he threw a Blood World and a veil unto himself, waving his hands as he grasped into multiple rainbow colored Cores from his Expansive Space. His eyes shone as the energy that signified the hard work and experience of hundreds of years that made a Star Forger begin to rush towards Origin of his Main Body, a unique phenomenon occurring as his clone continued to act like limbs to his original body, whatever they absorbed being sent directly to him and whatever energy they used also coming from him. This meant that Noah''s main body that was overseeing the occupied Witches Layer had hidden itself in his Command room as he also veiled himself and accessed the Expansive Space to bring out more Star Forging Cores, the energy rushing in even faster as it simply acted like multiple limbs on his body were absorbing the dense essence. Even the second clone in the Time Space did the same as the potent Star Forging Cores that would have taken a day or two to fully be absorbed were becoming smaller at a rate visible to the n.a.k.e.d eye, Noah''s bodies gaining a starry hue as his face shone with splendor! All the essence rushed toward his Origin as it remolded it, the Domain energy and the essence of the World Rank beginning to transform into a genuine Star within him as the forging continued.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51623625266098050 for visiting. DONG! Fluctuations were released every few seconds from his Origin as it became larger yet more compact, Noah accessing the abundant atmospheric essence of his Spiritual World through his second clone as the process went on with out a problem! DONG! His entire body seemed to be vibrating as time passed as it felt heavier and ridiculously stronger, a natural thin film of protective light similar to the ones that protected the 2 Star Forging Assassins beginning to wrap around him as it shimmered with an assortment of colors. DONG! His speed, strength, defense- everything was shooting higher and higher as a Star was gradually Forged within him, his eyes opening sharply as he stared at a blinking Stat Panel! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Fate Line(s) : 5,256,728] [Chaos Particle(s) : 1,483,245] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-5, Water-5] [Domain(s) : Fate,Chaos, Space, Fire, Water] [Vitality: STAR FORGER] [Focus: - ] [Strength: STAR FORGER] [Law(s) : Fate-52%,Chaos-14%,Space-8%, Fire-52%, Water-52%] [Authority(s) : Fate Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord] An additional {{Authority}}, vast advancements that would terrify the most powerful of beings in the Novus Galaxy, and a sparkling new addition that read Star Forger. Because of this single battle and plot to take his life, he was actually given such a large amount of presents that his power had skyrocketed into the Realm right before the highest one in the Novus Galaxy, making an even grander advancement as he effectively comprehended more than half of a Supreme Law and gained the subsequent {{Authority}}! Chapter 539 - Might as well make a Realm Noah flew the still exploding strength of his body as he freely let the essence in his environment rush towards him, his eyes honing in on his Stat Panel that listed the newly gained Authority of a Supreme Law! {{Fate Lord''s Authority}} :: A right given to a being that is embarking on the path of understanding Fate. This Authority has the effects of Radiant Knowledge, Cast Disruption, Mana Interference, Fate Manifestation, Atmospheric Regulation, as well as increasing the effectiveness of all Fate related abilities by 1000% and reducing their mana cost by 95%. The simpler description of the Authority given after passing the 50% mark in the Law of Fate was displayed on his eyes as he went over it. Nearly everything was the same as the Authorities of the Laws of Fire and Water, but the effectiveness of Fate Skills under this Authority were actually +1000% compared to the +500% of the previous two laws, with the mana cost being cut down by 95%! The only thing else that was new was the addition of the ability called Radiant Knowledge. Noah''s eyes twinkled as he didn''t make himself wait before casting the Authority, his first clone that had the identity of the Infernal Lord and was currently hidden in space casting this Authority is a small range around him. OOOM Golden fluctuations erupted outwards as Noah closed his eyes and compared the feeling of this Authority. In the few meters surrounding him, it had turned into a space tinged with a gold hue as abundant Fate Essence filled the surroundings, each of them dancing joyfully as they waited for Noah''s commands. He felt the stupendous feeling of strength this Authority brought him as the effects of the abstruse skill called Radiant Knowledge smoothly came in, his thoughts moving subconsciously as an idea seemed to suddenly strike him, his hands waving forth as he also cast the ability that cultivated the law of chaos, [Disciple of Chaos]! RUMBLE! It felt like oil being added to fire as the intrusion of Chaos Particles into the radiant field of gold fate essence that were abundantly swimming in the laid out Authority exploded out, this action causing a chain reaction as even more Chaos Particles manifested to rush down. It was similar to when Noah performed Dual Cultivation, but the reaction was much more intense as he quickly made calculations as time passed. His eyes shook as he confirmed the effect was actually closer to being more than 5 times as effective as when he performed Dual Cultivation of the two Supreme Laws, this space under {{Fate Lord''s Authority}} actually providing a way for him to increase his progress in the opposing Law of Chaos even faster! His thoughts moved rapidly as he continued to test a few things, his Second Clone in the Time Space actually taking over the task as he released {Fate Lord''s Authority}} in the region where he was surrounded by four different Law Spaces, not wasting any time thereafter as he cast the authorities for the Law of Water and Fire as well. RUMBLE! The very space around him shook at the immensity of the authorities as at this time, Noah also cast the skills that would allow him not to just perform dual cultivation, but quadruple cultivation as all the techniques of comprehending the laws of fate, chaos, water, and fire were cast! His body was first covered in the respective law spaces of these elements that gave him access to their abundant energies, and he then laid out the {Authority} for each of them but chaos, gaining access to their purest forms of essence as the effects of his progress were multiplied. He was actually cultivating by using his Authorities- something that nobody could do in this Novus Galaxy! Who had the capability to master three laws more than halfway? Who had enough mana to keep such Authorities active at all times? It was only him! It was ridiculous, crazy, and unsustainable for anyone else but him as he visibly saw the numbers of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles changing rapidly, the Fire and Water Origin Cores also spinning rapidly within his main body as they ate up as much energy as they could before they spit even more out to reinforce his body. Long story short- through the use of the Authorities of the laws that he had comprehended more than 50% of, he had increased his speed in law comprehension multiple times! The norm of a being taking longer to advance as he reached higher stages was once again broken as while Noah achieved grander achievements and realms, his speed continued to accelerate even faster! What slowing down? What pacing? Taking years to make advancements? Noah gave a big middle finger to all of this as he barreled forward, achieving things that would take others hundreds of years in a matter of days! Yet somehow, this speed was still getting faster¡­ It was ridiculous, to say the least, but Noah only nodded contently as his second clone continued this new cultivation method, the unique ability termed Radiant Knowledge under {{Fate Lord''s Authority}} spinning again as all the ideas he had about the future and himself were laid out clearly in his mind, all these ideas coming together in a much cleaner manner as he was provided knowledge of how to use these ideas in a more optimum manner similar to how he stumbled to try his newest cultivation method. His thoughts at this moment had revolved from the battles of the Last War, the mysteries he was still unfolding, and then they came to rest on a single topic amidst all of these- and that was his plan of forming a realm! He had just broken into the Star Forging Realm and passed the 50% mark on three Universal Laws, and at this time he rose as he stared at the starry expanse before him as he said to himself, ''I might as well make my realm.'' ¡­ A shocking and arrogant thought! Yet it seemed achievable to Noah as the Radiant Knowledge ability under the {{Fate Lord''s Authority}} acted like an upgraded version of Fate Discernment, this new ability not showing him any abstruse concepts or hidden meanings he had to figure out as his own thoughts and ideas were filled to the brim with new information as any gaps were filled, wondrous new possibilities that Noah had not considered opening themselves up in his eyes! Chapter 540 - Prepare for something beautiful! To make a Realm, Noah had originally planned to go through the upgrading of tiers of the Spiritual World into a Spiritual Realm. He wanted to observe this process before he fully committed to the grand undertaking of elevating his homeworld and the many other connected worlds into a singular Realm, this idea seeming feasible if he combined the status of all his connected worlds and fused it all together to create a Realm! Yet now, he looked at the upgrade of his Spiritual World and his connected worlds in the same manner. His Spiritual World was also connected to him, which also meant it shared a connection with his Homeworld and all the other worlds. So why not use the upgrade of tiers into the Spiritual Realm as the conduit for the fusion of all his connected Worlds into an even grander realm¡­? He had not even entertained this idea before because of many unknowns and because it involved the lives of beings that now passed a few hundred billion, but the advent of {{Fate Lord''s Authority}} filled his gaps of information with a lot of knowledge that made him confident in this possibility! It would truly be a great undertaking as it was not simply him tying the Spiritual World upgrade with his Homeworld and many others, it also signified that the wondrous things and the unique features of the Spiritual World would all be shared into a grand realm that would be nothing like any of the other realms out there. Noah''s eyes were shining with a gold light the more he thought about it, realizing that the outcome of such actions would be something that even he had yet to fully grasp, but the golden light of fate allowed him to infer just how grand it could be! Thus, he delayed no longer as he committed to it and began sending telepathic messages to the Spiritual World Beasts, telling them to get ready for another round of upgrades as he pulled out the numerous World Rank Cores from the Celestial Commanders he had taken down. The figure of his first clone disappeared from the starry void of space as he appeared near his forces still at the Verittas Fortress, waving his hands as all of them entered into the Spiritual World. He could see Commanding Mage Turner and the others sending out numerous directions, their eyes shaking as they turned towards him. Noah only gave a light smile as he knew if these beings could actually feel his hidden aura that was now at the Star Forging Realm, it wouldn''t just be their eyes that shook. He sent commands for the Infernal Legion still at the Verittas Fortress to remain stationed as he disappeared again without even glancing at rest the masses of beings that were still moving to clear the battlefield. Some were happy, but the Commanders were filled with worry as the news of multiple Celestial Legions using this opportunity to pierce through the defenses of the Dark Expanse reached them. Since Noah also could not change this at the moment, he continued forward for his grand goal of creating a singular realm unlike any other! After collecting his subordinates, his figure actually teleported at the void of space not too far from his home world, glancing at the twinkling blue star far away from his gaze as he released the Spiritual World to become its full size. RUMBLE! A splendorous world that was a huge central continent surrounded by four floating continents appeared, sparkling essence seemingly overflowing from it and into the surrounding space as it grandly appeared. Within it, multiple Domain Rank Spiritual Beasts had appeared in the time space where Noah''s second clone was training, stepping into the vibrant Law Spaces filled with essence as they received multiple World Rank Cores from this clone! The Emperor Penguin and others had already taken down a World Rank expert and gained such cores themselves in the first battle as they absorbed them and the herbs of the Spiritual World to improve their realm, but they weren''t enough. With Noah freely distributing his loot though, and even releasing the few Star Forging cores he had not completely absorbed- the achievement of getting many beasts at the World Rank would be achieved in a matter of days. Of course, they would be in the Time Space, so this would barely be more than a few hours in the outside world! At this juncture, Noah actually prioritized the Spiritual Land Beasts, the Harbingers of Sin like Kazuhiko, the Kraken, and even Barbatos taking a back seat in upgrading their realms for now. As the beasts worked to increase their ranks, Noah himself had to move to obtain the remaining Prime World Cores required to initiate the upgrade of the next tier. This would require for extremely ruthless actions of displacing billions of beings into the Ancient Blood World while he devoured the cores of their Worlds, but even the devoured entities that were the world cores would simply be assimilated into the entity overseeing the Spiritual World, so he didn''t see it as too much of a loss for them. This was especially so since all of the displaced beings would soon be placed into a grand realm that their worlds went on to help create. There were many ways that Noah could go about justifying his actions, but his mind continued to flash with ideas as he moved to actually obtain these world cores!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51648377967931195 for visiting. The beings all over the Novus Galaxy continued to move at this time as the powerful forces digested the move of Celestials and their success into piercing deeper into the Dark Expanse, the seriousness of this situation overtaking anything else in the minds of these powerful figures. So they focused on the continuing efforts of the war, none of them knowing that in an unknown corner of the Light Expanse, a single being was about to start the upgrade of a unique treasure that he found in a small world. This unique treasure had grown so much that it was now about to enter the stage that nobody could have thought possible, but the result of this would not just be the creation of a grand realm as Noah expected! Even he was about to be blindsided by the unexpected results that would come because of the formation of this Realm, something that was only ever on the back of his mind actually coming to fruition because of the actions he was about to undertake! Chapter 541 - Her ability makes her fit! Across the vastness of space, a few Golden Commanders, Celestials that had achieved the Star Forging Realm- were sitting with serious faces as a cold atmosphere over took the command room of the Realm Dreadnaught they were in. This enormous Vessel that very few Star Forging Commanders got the chance to pilot was actually not alone, another Realm Dreadnought of exactly the same enormous size stationed not too far from it. The size of these vessels were nearing those of Continents, with them being packed by hundreds of thousands of Celestials with their exterior shimmering with deadly weapons that could easily decimate Prime Worlds. Currently, this second Realm Dreadnaught was actually not occupied with any Commanders, only masses of Celestials moving within it as the Commanders that normally took its reigns were the two Star Forging Celestials that had been chosen to assassinate Noah! Now with their death, a new Commander had to be chosen for this monstrous vessel of death, and it was why this meeting was taking place. "I can take over to avenge our brothers. I will see to it that Verittas Fortress falls!" A strong voice erupted from a Star Forger that had sharp green hair, his eyes wild with power as the elements of the Law of Earth and Fate shimmered around him. The surrounding Star Forgers nodded at his words as they saw no issues, the green haired Star Forger looking at a single Celestial at the forefront of the command table they were situated around. All the eyes of the room turned towards this being who was known as Golden Child, the Celestial that currently acted as the right hand man of Aldrich! This being had eyes that seemed to constantly be shining with a golden light, his gaze calm as he voiced out. "No." Unexpected gazes locked onto the Golden Child as they wondered for the reason of the denial, silence overcoming the room as his face seemed to show a certain level of uncertainty before he spoke. "The one to take control of the Realm Dreadnaught shall be the upcoming Commander Athena." ¡­! Shocked faces were the only thing that met him as the powerful Celestials looked around the room in confusion, the green haired Star Forger known as Commander Verdant speaking out carefully. "The War Princess? But...that makes no sense. Not to even talk of her merits, but she has only just bega-"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51659449303094483 for visiting. "This is not coming from me, but from the Founder himself." RUMBLE! Waves of essence tumbled out at this as everyone shut up, any misunderstandings or grievances they had wiped away instantly as they nodded! Even though they had many questions, even though many of them did not follow the train of thought of why an upcoming Commander who was still at the World Rank would be given command of one of the few powerful weapons of the Celestials- they still agreed because it was the words of the Founder! The Golden Child looked at the many faces before he sighed and spoke once more. "It is because of her unique ability that allows her to see the movements of the enemy even before they happen- {Precognition}." ¡­! "Our enemies are veiled in chaos where we cannot discern their future even with our techniques of Fate, which led to us losing two brothers today. This unique War Princess actually has an ability that will help counter that 9th Infernal Lord with all his surprises becoming things we can anticipate." The Golden Child spoke of the ability of the War Princess as the listening Star Forgers adopted astonished expressions, their gazes agreeing as time passed while the Golden Child continued to speak. "Brother Verdant and Lyle, you two will accompany Athena on the Blazing Realm Dreadnaught, along with the company of the other three geniuses that participated in the recent tournament. The Founder plans to create an enormous legion to specifically counter the forces stationed at the Verittas Fortress, and you will be at the forefront of it!" RUMBLE! A golden glow erupted from his eyes at these words as the surrounding Star Forgers nodded. "For order!" "For balance!" Waves of change continued to spread out as the effects of the recent battle continuing, a being that should have taken months to show great battle merits actually being flung to the center stage in a short period of time! Was this the meaning of one with a Noble Fate, or something else entirely? Nobody could say they knew as the preparations were made, the commands being related to Athena, Crixus, the Three-Eyed Fate Child, and Grandmaster Light. It was at this time that Noah''s main body received the telepathic commands, and he was actually performing a change at this time as his first clone that had been moving to acquire prime world cores all this time teleported into the expansive Prime Warship of the Celestials he was on, both these two bodies appearing at the same veiled location as Noah curiously stared at himself. As this clone teleported into the Prime Warship, Noah teleported out as [Unique Origin] was initiated to make the first clone seamlessly adopt the identity of Crixus. This ability stemming from the Progenitor bloodline being something that even the eyes of the Founder had not bypassed! His main body was switching positions with his clone as during the momentous event of upgrading his Spiritual World and his many connected worlds into a Realm, he wanted his main body that held the actual connections and his full Origin to be presiding over it. He always veiled himself with a Blood World whenever he was making breakthroughs or making progress in the laws, and he did not know how wild the effects of this coming upgrade would be. Thus, his main body would now assume the identity of the 8th Infernal Lord while presiding over everything else, his figure teleporting is the quadrant where his home world and many of the connected worlds stood. He absorbed the news of Him and Athena being thrusted into the forefront of the coming battles as his eyes shone with many ideas, seeing another bright opportunity open up in front of him as he pushed aside these thoughts for now. This was because he was ready to get started on the project to transform many worlds into a singular Realm! Chapter 542 - Realizing the dreams of many! In the past day, Noah''s first clone and been moving diligently as the required Prime World Cores were obtained, a shocking phenomenon spreading out across the Light Expanse where four Prime World had suddenly faced destruction! Cries of horror and the state of war fully entered into the minds of the inhabitants of the Light Expanse as they became aware of this event, those who were apprehensive for this Last War fully committing to fighting and siding with the Celestials as they saw the events of Prime Worlds disappearing and not four of them shattering being something that could happen to their homes as well. Everything had a cause and effect- Noah knew this as he carried out his actions. Even while he did not take the lives of any of the beings on these stars that had faced destruction after their Cores were taken, this action would still be received and exploited in many different ways by those who wished. Even though he carried out mass teleportation for the billions of beings on these planets he took the cores of, others would not know that! But he had no fast alternative for now, so this was all he could do as he continued to increase his power until all of these beings that were put in a state of war...did not have to fight anymore! For him to do this, his strength must continue to grow to insane levels until even monsters like Aldrich could be taken down. He pushed the thoughts of his actions out of his mind as his main body began to actively move, this time teleporting to the many worlds he shared a connection with as he used the device that was the [World Engine] to move these worlds near the area of his homeworld where he anchored the Spiritual Realm. The Beast World, the Demon World, the Ancient Blood World...any worlds he shared a connection with were shifted across space to surround his homeworld and his Spiritual World in a circular manner, a majestic sight of numerous stars of varying sizes appearing in the small quadrant in the Light Expanse. Noah had no worries about doing his realm upgrade near his home, this location being somewhere special where he had begun, and he had zero worries of the coming events being seen by anyone else. Even his covert skills would still be covering everything just in case, but he expected no issues as all that remained would be exactly how successful he could be to achieve his goal. He had to allow for the realm upgrade of his Spiritual World, and then use his connection with this World as a conduit to include all his other connected worlds, fusing all of them together into something that would be too wondrous for him to even imagine! There were many things to take care of, and he would need the cooperation of all the Systems of his connected worlds to ensure the safety of the beings within them would not be an issue while the worlds were fusing into a singular realm. He would also need the cooperation of his powerful subordinates to bring order into an enormous realm that would contain a number of beings upwards of roughly 300 Billion, the billions of beings coming from literally different worlds and having their own cultures and understanding all suddenly being placed together in one location.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51659490927365728 for visiting. He was sending telepathic messages to Vladivostok and the Harbingers of Sin to be ready, all of these beings feeling a sense of wonder and slight apprehension while looking forward to whatever was to come as they followed this singular man that shone too bright! The beasts in the Time Space of the Spiritual World were consolidating their upgrade into the World Rank, the requirement of beasts already being met a few hours ago as the Emperor Penguin as his brothers and sisters advanced forward. RAA! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin was currently taking the role of a Big Brother as he lectured all the other Spiritual World Beasts to be ready, this upgrade being of even more significance to them as the original inhabitants of the Spiritual World which was known as the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land just a couple of months ago! In the Beast World, Queen Adelaide was situated on a grand blue throne, the Shadow Guard Night who was currently at the Void Rank, her Father, as well as all of her many Frozen Generals all preparing as they received news of what was to come. Very few of them even fully understood what was happening, but they all knew it was connected to their Queen who was connected to a very ill.u.s.trious person! The Queen in question was staring out absentmindedly as never in her wildest dreams would she have expected the unique skill her mother passed down, {Golden Rule}- would have ever made something like this possible. It only allowed her to find the being that would give her the brightest future, but she never expected for someone so out of this world! Her frozen gaze looked forward as their world took its position among many in surrounding a single Spiritual World. Across the many stars that Noah was connected to, many beings were having their own thoughts as ideals out of their wildest dreams were becoming realized. In Noah''s homeworld, Steel Mikhail was in the skies of the Blessed Empire, his wide figure accompanied by the Guider, Sophia, and many other higher ups of Noah''s homeworld. Sophia''s eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as she spoke out with a smile. "If we had been walking and stumbling in the darkness all this time, then we are about to start running forward at full throttle into a brand new era." Simple words that were filled with hidden meanings erupted out, Steel Mikhail''s calm heart shaking as he heard them, his thoughts tumultuous as he thought of the being that only an F Rank Hunter a few months ago! "Be ready for what is to come, for we are stepping into an Era we had only thought to be possible, but never something we could realize." Her words faded out as those around her gulped and nodded. Above them in the void of space, Noah had returned above his homeworld and Spiritual World, his gaze turning around to observe the many cl.u.s.ters of stars arranged in a circular formation all around him as he felt his heart beat remaining stable. He felt the gravity of what he was about to do as [Unique Being] was activated, the effect of Apathy bringing him to utter calmness and serenity as he closed his eyes. He felt the void of space and the stars around him. He felt his heart and thoughts that remained stable. He felt his very origin as he committed to advance forward, waving his hands as five sparkling Prime World cores flew out of his expansive space and rushed towards the Spiritual World! The stage was set, the requirements met. A grand realm full of possibilities was waiting at the other side as an event that would forever change the lives of an uncountable number of beings began. From the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land to the Spiritual World. Now, it would be advancing into the... Chapter 543 - Realm Formation! An unbelievable scene was playing itself out in a small quadrant of the light expanse. There was an enormous shimmering floating land mass that was a size larger than most prime worlds. This landmass was made of a singular central continent and four floating continents mystically floating above it. This was the spiritual world that was currently stationed above Noah''s home world! The blue planet was floating mystically below the enormous spiritual realm, and not too far from it, there were the shadows of numerous planets with each of them sharing a connection with Noah. All of them were stationed in a circular formation as an invisible line that connected each of them went towards a singular person. This singular person was floating above all the stars as his apathetic eyes looked down towards the spiritual world that had just absorbed five prime world cores. RUMBLE! The entire spiritual world was trembling as the transformation had started, blue light wrapping around it in a luminous fashion. Noah closed his eyes as he sensed his connection with the spiritual world and followed along its path of the upgrade into a Realm. An immense amount of essence was already converging towards it, and he followed all of this essence towards the core of this world, his awareness noticing the formation of a thin archaic-looking illusory door. Yes, a door! As the process began with this spiritual world absorbing an enormous amount of essence, the thin outline of an archaic door had actually erupted out from the core of the spiritual world, this outline rising from the depths as it shot out of the expansive world and into the void of space, coming to rest at Noah''s eye level! His closed eyes opened with a flash as he stared at the illusory door that was shimmering with mystical lights. RUMBLE! The entire spiritual world continued to vibrate rapidly as Noah monitored everything while sending messages to all the planetary systems connected to him. "Be ready." The systems of all the worlds that he was connected to had to ensure the safety of all the beings living within them from what was about to happen next. The sight was a fantastical one to see as Noah observed the spiritual world to actually start becoming smaller and smaller while gravitating towards the illusory figure of the door that had continued to expand in front of his eyes. This was the process that the spiritual world was taking to upgrading to a realm! After the initiation an illusory door had appeared, the landmasses of the spiritual world would all be absorbed into this door as they were placed in their own spatial plane, becoming a full fledged realm thereafter! As Noah observed one of the continents of the spiritual world getting closer to the door and being absorbed into it, he focused on his connection to his main world- the connection that was the strongest, as this connection and his will were relayed to the spiritual world. Noah was actually using this connection as a passageway as it served to identify his homeworld with a similar status to his Spiritual World, the blue light that had been covering this unique treasure since its upgrade shooting out as it went to wrap around Noah''s homeworld! This phenomenon was something that only Noah would have been able to do, as only he possessed a Spiritual World with its unique features while also sharing a connection with it and many other worlds. This light that signified the upgrade into a realm wrapped around his homeworld as it did not just stop there, this blue light going on to jump across the expanse of space as Noah''s mind focused on more and more worlds. The blue light continued towards the distant stars that he was connected to, each of them gaining a shimmering glimmer that caused for the ecstatic scene of multiple stars glowing brightly in this empty corner of Light Expanse! The inhabitants of all of these affected worlds felt the earth rumbling beneath their feet as each of them felt a movement they had never experienced before. It felt like their worlds were spinning out of control, and yet at the same time they weren''t. It felt as if they''re moving forward, but at the same time, they weren''t. It was a feeling that could not really be expressed in words! The phenomenon that was occurring to the Spiritual World was now happening to all the connected worlds, each of them becoming wrapped in the bright blue light as they began to be pulled towards the illusory door in front of Noah while they rapidly reduced in size. Noah''s eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as he observed the rapid movements of enormous planets shooting towards him only to disappear the moment they came within the bounds of the illusory door. VOOM! VOOM! VOOM! It was such a fantastical site to see as Noah felt the many connections that he had forming into a singular powerful, strong and more robust connection. The many stars he shared connections with all rushed towards the illusory golden door as each of them disappeared, going towards a different spatial plane that even Noah did not know how the formation of it would be nor what results would come out of it. The central continent of the spiritual world was actually the last thing to fly into this illusory door, waiting until all the chosen planets had been sucked in before it acted like a final piece, disappearing into the doorway and initiating the rest of the process as the rumbling of immense fluctuations of essence ensued! RUMBLE! With all the worlds absorbed into a singular door that was gradually becoming more physical, Noah focused on his connection as his eyes peered into the formation of the Realm inside of this door, his hands landing on it as even he disappeared! When he reappeared, he was actually above the skies overseeing a shocking transformation, his eyes watching as the central continent of the Spiritual World flew in to situate itself at an empty area that signified the center of this new Realm, the other continental landmasses already around it. The more shocking things were the other landmasses that were connecting and fusing with the many worlds, the circular shapes of these worlds ridiculously unfolding in front of Noah''s eyes as if they were some malleable material, a unique blue energy holding everything together safely as these worlds attached themselves into the landmasses of the Spiritual World! It felt like he was watching pieces of a puzzle come together as while he was observing all of this with shining eyes, something unexpected happened deep within his Origin. POP!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51695914934388147 for visiting. Noah adopted a painful expression as he brought his hand and clutched his chest, his face ashen as the connection between his very origin and the many stars he was connected to actually seemed to explode...and then rapidly begin to reform and expand! Chapter 544 - Mana Manipulation! It was a shocking feeling to go through, Noah experiencing something he always felt exploding within him, the connection that was established many months ago seemingly gone for a brief period of time before he felt it again. He could not even describe it as feeling the connection again as he realized it was the same connection, but it was also extremely different as it was much more expansive! If he could compare his past connection to a single thread of a line that was a few inches long, this current connection was an enormous column that was multiple miles long! That was how expansive and enormous it was. RUMBLE! Noah''s body actually became bathed in the same blue light that the many fusing planets had, where one could trace a cylindrical column of immense amounts of essence shooting forth from the forming Realm below him, this light seemingly too vibrant as his body could not contain it. This vibrancy made it shoot out above his head as a column of majestic blue right pierced through the newly forming clouds, a scene of fantastical elements playing out as Noah could not help but stretch out his hands and feet in the skies to take all of it in! [Everything is proceeding smoothly.] At this moment, he heard the voice of the System that seemed similar to the apathetic voice of his homeworld, his Spiritual World, and any of the other worlds combined as each of them seemed to be represented in this one voice. [The living beings will briefly experience a period of extreme nausea. No other effects have been observed.] Noah''s body continued to be bathed in a glorious blue light as he listened to this voice, finding it much more apathetic and systematic than before, but he could not pay too much attention to it as he was also experiencing something profound within himself. Because this new connection of an extremely large Realm was coursing through him, he could feel something that he had been actively using for the past months with the help of the System. The fuel that allowed for him to use the skills he learned from [Skill Books] or Inheritances, the one thing that he had a nearly infinite amount of. He could feel...Mana!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51695924598064698 for visiting. Not just feeling it, his Origin was shaking excitedly as he realized that this immense amount of mana from this forming realm...he might actually be able to manipulate it! It was an ecstatic thought, and something that he had always wanted to get his hands on ever since he first formed his connection. Previously, he had access to large reserves of mana, but he could not freely manipulate it in whatever order he required to bring the effects of skills he thought of or desired. Even the beings of the Beast World that did not have high realms could manipulate mana in different ways to create new skills with their experience, yet someone like Noah was still not able to after all this time! The reason for this was uniquely because of his own situation, his Origin and body not being able to withstand the torrent of Mana from the connection with a world, where him only accessing the connection when supplying mana to skills was the only way for him to use it all this time. But at this juncture, he was forcefully exposed to a torrent of mana multiple times larger than any of the connections before, the reserves of a Realm being something that he could not even wrap his mind around. This exposure should have been extremely dangerous, and might have even caused for his Origin to fracture and explode. But he had achieved a realm only a single level below what the beings in this Novus Galaxy could achieve- he had become a Star Forger before his upgrading of a realm! This allowed his Origin to expand this new connection, while his body was being shot up with so much mana that even if he did not want to be fully exposed to it and begin to learn how to manipulate it- he would be forced to! [The Inherent Skill, {Mana Manipulation- Restricted} has been acquired.] BOOM! He felt an explosive force erupt out from him with the words of the System, the rowdy and expansive connection of a Realm slightly settling down and reigned in as his body felt ecstatic in ways he could not even describe. At this time if one was observing Noah''s expression, they would observe the blue light that was emanating from his body to be so potent for a release that his eyes actually shone with splendrous arcs of blue light, his gaze turning otherworldly as these arcs of light spread out to his surroundings. His shaking eyes continued releasing gorgeous arcs of light as he could not even wait as he tried to look at his stat panel and observe exactly what the newly gained skill entailed! {Mana Manipulation- Restricted} :: An inherent ability that allows the user to use mana in specific pathways in order to achieve the desired effect in terms of abilities. It includes the abilities of Mana Operation and Mana Perception. It is {Restricted} because the being, [Noah Osmont], is restricted from freely releasing Pure Mana externally. ¡­! His thoughts churned as he read the somewhat different description of this new Inherent Ability, his eyes honing in on the so-called restriction as he seemed to understand. Only someone like him was specifically restricted from freely releasing pure mana, as it would mean he had the output and force of an entire realm to release upon his enemies if he wished! Such a thing completely broke the scales of balance in the Novus Galaxy and in the Universe as a whole, and in an effort to maintain a similitude of balance- Noah was restricted from being able to do such a thing! Thus, he could only continue to release mana in terms of skills and abilities. He had an unwilling expression as he thought about this, feeling it to be an injustice. Yet, his thoughts were stopped yet again as the voice of the System continued to ring out in his mind. [Because of the required condition of having {Mana Manipulation}, the System function of [Skill Creation] is now available.] "¡­" ¡­!!! The wondrous upgrade into a Realm did not just come with Mana Manipulation, but it came with the ability that went hand in hand- the capability to forge the skills which could put the newly gained manipulation skill into practice! [Skill Creation] had entered the stage!!! Chapter 545 - [Skill Creation]! As a ridiculous amount of essence continued to be sucked into a wondrous process of a Realm Formation, a single being was floating in the skies of the realm as his body was surrounded by a column of blue light! His arms and legs were outstretched as his muscles spasmed, his eyes shimmering as they shot out beautiful blue arcs of light. Even though this being looked to be in pain, a smile could be seen on his face as the surprises he was getting were too many! First was the Inherent Ability of mana manipulation, and then came a feature of his System that many others could already do- the capability to create skills! The feature of [Skill Creation] was added on top of such things as [Skill Combination], Noah taking half of his attention from the forming of the realm and into his panel as he observed the details of this feature. [Skill Creation] :: A feature that allows the user to create skills or skill trees. The tier of a skill or skill tree is dependent on the stage of the user. Multiple conditions are required for the successful creation of a skill or skill tree: The user is required to describe the intended ability in detail before a skill model can be computed for its feasibility. To bring the skill or skill tree into fruition, [Skill Points] are required. The amount of [Skill Points] needed is dependent on the type of skill being created. The description of a feature that seemed to actually be shining bright gold in Noah''s eyes appeared, this feature being a much-awaited one as he theorized all he could do with it! The only thing that put a damper on his thoughts was the requirement of Skill Points that he had very limited amounts of remaining, much of them being cl.u.s.tered and spread out into numerous Skill Trees. Unless he found a new source of Skill Points in the near future, he would have to soon inactivate some skill trees as he took the Skill Points within to focus them onto a few specific ones, as he would soon be upgrading the stages of skill trees into the Star Forging Realm! He would be faced with the situation where Skill Points were gradually becoming a scarce resource, and this was made especially so by the fact that he would need to spend them to create new skills or skill trees. Thus, he looked forward to the day that he could obtain new Skill Points, but he also abhorred it because it would come with its own terrifying connotations!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bskill-creation%5D!_51719784215139480 for visiting. [The Realm Formation is 80% completed.] He locked this thought in the back of his mind for now as the voice of the System rang out in his mind, his awareness focusing on the expanded channel of mana that could intensely feel as well as the changes occurring in the expansive Realm before him. He would play with [Skill Creation] later as he now finished overseeing this realm upgrade. The circular planets had all inexplicably unfolded into wide and flat land masses that would make for a grand paradise for anyone that believed stars were flat, these landmasses connecting together like pieces of a puzzle that had just been waiting to be fitted this entire time! The vibrancy of all sorts of colors of essence was abound in this spectacular realm formation that even Noah did not know how to describe it all. He could see the different regions that used to be the Spiritual World, his gaze seeing those that shone with colors of blue, red, gold, or dark depending on their different Law Spaces. In the location that used to be the Spiritual World, he could see the figures of beasts led by the Emperor Penguin, this arrogant penguin actually standing at the forefront as one could see its body trembling, tears actually coming out of its beady eyes! This was because this event was simply too important for a few beings much more than others, and the Spiritual World Beasts that were first born when this was still just a small floating landmass in a corner of the Beast World were those affected the most! Thus, one could see the scene of emotions that would never be expected of the face of this arrogant Emperor Penguin as this achievement was simply too much for him! The Harbingers of Sin that were nearby simply looked on with unbelievable expressions at the grandiosity of everything, Kazuhiko being one of the many that was pinching themselves multiple times to make sure what they were seeing was not a dream. Noah moved his awareness out further as he could see the blood red Ancient Blood World that was now a landmass which was thousands of miles long, the figures of minuscule Vampyres and beings from the Dark Expanse that he had saved in prior battles looking around them with immense shock. Even closer to the past Spiritual World was the place that he came from, the blue planet he called his home. Its land and seas were already situated peacefully as the Humans, Atlanteans, and Merfolk within were looking at all the splendor. Noah gazes at all of these regions as he observed the completion of the Realm formation, sending his thoughts to the System of this new Realm. "Can we already modify the geography?" [Yes. What would you like?] "Spread the different Law Spaces out, let every past world and land have access to fate, chaos, aether, fire, water, earth...all the currently available elements." RUMBLE! His words were followed with vast and spectacular changes as a flash of multicolored auras rose, particles of all colors literally washing over this soon to be completed realm as the function of law spaces was spread out everywhere! It did not matter if it was the Supreme Law of Fate or the Law of Air, every land in this realm would have a region that would be populated with an abundant amount of numerous elements, such a thing making way for an unbelievable realm that was packed with not just dense essence, but also giving the beings dwelling within even more abundant elemental essence of any laws they wished! The gorgeous display of colors only further made the already spectacular formation to become even greater in the eyes of all those watching, those who did not think they could be shocked anymore being proven wrong time and time again... Chapter 546 - The Ridiculous Esteemed Person Hello. This would have been the 1392nd entry into the Journal of the best Shadow Guard, Night. Yet the times call for me to narrate what is occurring as it is happening, so if there is anyone listening, pay attention. The day had begun unlike any other, with me going busily about my work looking after the Frozen Queen. It should have remained like that, but all that changed when the Queen received word from the Esteemed Person. Out of the blue, this Person had said for us to prepare, mentioning that a change would be occurring to our world. Now in the past, such changes had occurred when the Beast World was elevated from a Middle and into a Large World, and even most recently into a Prime World. With the words of the Esteemed Person, the Beast World was about to be elevated yet again. It was a shocking thing to hear, but what was even more shocking was my and the Queen''s acceptance of it all without batting an eye. This was because there had been just too many things that this esteemed Person did that broke all common sense, and we had learned to simply go along with the things he mentioned and only watch the show thereafter. This meant that for the show that was currently playing out in front of us- we were wholly unprepared for it. Within my stupor and surprise after the out of this world majestic scenes began, my eyes noticed the Frozen Queen float to the skies as she looked around us with just as much surprise, confirming my thoughts that even she was just as unprepared for this as we all were. As I floated up with her, my trained eyes at the Void Rank were able to see the many lands of the Beast World that I had studied my entire life, but then my gaze saw as even more lands came to be, stretching out for miles and miles until even I could not observe where they ended. My eyes shook as I confirmed the geography of a few of the lands I could observe. The Esteemed Person''s Homeworld, the Demon World, and even a few of the worlds that the Esteemed Person only talked about when he came to visit the Queen during his night time rendezvous. Such a sight had shocking meaning, the simple words of the Esteemed Person meaning something nobody among us could have ever predicted as we observed the many worlds we occasionally traveled to in portals that he created actually to be in the same...plane as ours. It was a ridiculous idea to even imagine, yet when it came to the Esteemed Person, we were gradually becoming numb to unimaginable things. ¡­ It seems I have to bring my ramblings to a close as all the lands in my eyesight are all becoming engulfed in a storm of aurora colored essence that would be something you only see in protected Holy Lands where only the purest of beings could enter, but they were spreading out freely amongst all the lands my eyes could gaze upon. Truly a Ridiculous Esteemed Person. For any that were listening to my ramblings, I''ll be sure to doc.u.ment them in my Journal for future generations. This is all for the sake of them understanding just how ridiculous the person my Queen found is. Until then. --- Across the many connected worlds that were now fully connected and fused together in a sense that none of their inhabitants could have imagined, many were having their own thoughts and amazements at the scenes playing out around them. What was happening now did not just affect Noah, but billions of beings that each had their own stories, ideals, and lives. Whether it was those that chose to be connected to Noah or those that did not even fully know his identity, each of them were inextricably connected and brought together into one singular spatial space that was completing its formation. RUMBLE! The lands that the many masses stood on trembled for the last time during this process as the last piece of the puzzle fit in place, signifying the end of a wondrous transformation as a brilliant blue light went on to cover everything for the last time. Atop the vast colors of essence spreading out all across the lands, the blue light overflowed as it all shot towards a place that could be considered the center of this new realm. It was the location where many special beasts were congregating and tearfully looking around them, the location where a single being stood in the skies as the blue energy all converged towards him in a resplendent pillar of light! The eyes of billions seemed to focus on this being at this moment as they portrayed their amazement, their worries, and their hopes. A being encased in a shining pillar of blue light, his eyes shooting arcs of light as he luminously looked around him in just as much wonder as everyone else. The mouth of this being opened as those nearby could hear his words with extreme clarity, and they were something that shocked each of them to their very cores. "This...is my realm." ¡­! RUMBLE! The declaration seemed to be the final ingredient to complete this wonder as the brilliance of light all thundered towards him and disappeared, his figure appearing grandly in all its majesty as some beings could make him out clearly. Eyes that shone with confidence, one releasing a deep red hue and the other releasing a splendorous blue. Luminous hair that was evenly split in half with colors of gold and black, streaks of silver barely being visible within. A devilishly handsome face with a jawline that would make many tremble, all dr.a.p.ed in an exquisite dark gold robe that fluttered in the wind! Regal. Majestic. Powerful! The one known as Noah Osmont floated in the skies of a brand new realm that had just come to fruition in the Novus Galaxy. In the corner of the Light Expanse, one could now observe the appearance of an enormous and exquisitely archaic blue door. The shimmering blue doorway led to a place full of wonder, a Realm that would be known by a name that would only be suitable to it alone! Chapter 547 - My Infinite Realm I [The Upgrade into a Realm has finished successfully, and no living beings were harmed in the process.] [37 Worlds have been successfully integrated into the new Realm, with geographical changes currently underway¡­] The words of the System continued to flow into Noah''s mind as the essence that should have been settling after the completion of the upgrade into a realm was actually just as vibrant, widespread changes continuing to occur throughout the new Realm. All around the newly formed Realm, Noah could see the formation of floating landmasses that shone beautifully, the scene becoming something that would be hard to see even in the wildest fantasy! Among these newly forming floating landmasses, unique and unheard of plants and vegetations were spreading out along with new lands that many had not come across before. This was because Noah''s simple words of spreading out all the unlocked Law Spaces freely across this realm were truly shocking, as one could have been living in an apartment and suddenly found their entire complex surrounded by the vibrant particles of fate, and others could have been living in the sea and suddenly found themselves surrounded by the luminous particles of Aether! Even a dangerous element such as Aether which was unlocked after this upgrade could be turned into a Law Space, its particles turning docile as they flowed freely among the beings encased in them, this law that Noah still wasn''t sure if it stood on the same level as Fate and Chaos or above them being one of the many wondrous things spreading out across the realm. Noah continued to gaze at all of these changes as he felt the eyes of many beings land on him, his gaze watching the emotional spiritual beasts as well as the stupefied harbingers of sin that looked towards him with varying expressions. A few thousand miles away, an area filled with Blood Crystals that signified the past Ancient Blood World was even more vibrant, masses of Vampyres beginning to shoot out in droves towards him as they knew his identity more closely than most. "Progenitor!" "Blood Progenitor!" RUMBLE! He felt the words of many being calling out his name as he felt the movements of a single being flying into the skies towards him from the direction of his past Homeworld. His luminous eyes caught the figure of Sophia, the being that was a figure that his homeworld chose as a representative, the same being who inexplicably had the same face as the 1st Infernal Lord. Sophia flew towards Noah''s position as her vibrant white hair and shimmering blue eyes lit up with happiness, her figure bowing towards him! "Big Brother." Noah smiled towards this unique being as she came close to him and turned around to stare at the vast landscapes that seemed to have no ends, her mouth opening up once more as its vibrations actually spread out to every corner of this new Realm. "To all the beings lucky enough to be a part of this Realm at this very moment, I welcome you. In this Realm, you can live free of worries and fears, completely isolated from the horrors outside of it. A single being made this possible, and you will come to know and acknowledge this being as...the Overseer!" RUMBLE! Sophia''s gaze shone with resplendence as she spoke out, a commanding tone spreading out across the lands of the Realm as those that heard it felt their very Origins shaking! "...overseer.." "...Overseer..!" Across the wide realm, the sound vibrations of billions of beings began to spread out as they all built up in a crescendo of overpowering voices, the very air trembling as they traveled to reach Noah in the skies. OOOOH! "Overseer!" "OVERSEER!" WAAAA! The skies were trembling as billions of beings spoke out, Noah glancing at all of this as it did not even feel like something real. His senses went towards the beings he knew and even those he didn''t, his heart filling with an emotion he could not quite describe. He glanced at the sparkling Sophia beside him as he put his hand on her shoulder, her mouth that was about to open once more turning towards him. She nodded with a smile as she stepped behind him, Noah overlooking the vast expanse of lands once more as he spoke. "Let us all work together to create something beautiful. Let us all strive for peace and strength in this new Realm- In My...Infinite Realm!" RUMBLE! Noah called out these words as the corner of his eyes glanced briefly towards the skill that was now labeled {Spiritual Realm Management}, his eyes seeing the name of Frozen Plateau Spiritual Realm as he chose to change it at this moment, his gaze observing it actually begin to change in the Stat Panel as it adhered to his wishes. Yes! His Infinite Realm! From Spiritual World, it had normally gone to become named the Spiritual Realm. But as he looked at the vast landscapes around him and the fact that this Realm was made up of cl.u.s.ters of numerous stars, he called it the Infinite Realm! This was because to him, it was a realm of boundless possibilities, and it became especially so after his eyes began to look towards the new features that were unlocked with this single upgrade. It was not just the addition of one or two features, but multiple of them! OOOOOH! The shouts of the many beings that had heard his words reached him once again, their vibrant voices shaking him out of his reverie as he listened. "Infinite Realm!" "Overseer!" "Progenitor!" RUMBLE! Waves of essence continued to spread around throughout as around Noah, the show of colors never seemed to end as the moment the Infinite Realm completed being formed, thousands of Fate Lines and Chaos Particles had also been descending down madly. He glanced at all of this as he spoke out once more, this time in a jovial tone that seemed to forget any worries in the outside worlds. "We have much to do, but first- let us celebrate!" "OOOH!" The formation of the Infinite Realm was completed as its Overseer called for a celebration. Multiple new worlds were integrated into this Realm as Noah knew an enormous amount of work would be required to actually oversee all of them and address the lives of billions of beings. He needed capable beings from all Races to begin the road of this ordeal and actually manage the Infinite Realm, and this would all be initiated the moment the celebratory works finished. His figure and the figure of Sophia flew towards the ground where vibrant yells were abound, his heart set to enjoy this feeling for just a few more hours before he rushed back into a war. Meanwhile, his eyes were looking through {Spiritual Realm Management} as he fully observed the detailed changes, just the descriptions of the new features being more of a celebration in his eyes more than anything else! Chapter 548 - My Infinite Realm II Across the expanse of space, a state of war was apparent throughout as tensions flared all around. Yet at this same time, a grand celebration was beginning in a newly established realm. Noah had descended onto the center of the Infinite Realm as many of the beings he was close with were here, even the Frozen Queen that was a few thousands miles away being teleported here with her Shadow Guard as well as her father. The Ill.u.s.trious King Roark now just looked like a proud father, following behind his daughter with a slight smile as he observed the things around them. Barbatos was looking towards Noah while shaking her head at the ridiculousness, Kazuhiko and the other beings from Noah''s homeworld sharing similar feelings as the celebration of this new realm fully went underway! At this same moment, Noah was looking at the panel under the unique ability that was the {Spiritual Realm Management}, seeing all the new changes with amazement in his eyes. {Spiritual Realm Management} [Infinite Realm-11] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-XXX, C-XXX, B-XXX, A-XXX, S-XXX, EPIC-XXX, LEGENDARY-35,255, MYTHICAL-27,245, PHANTASMAL-9,421, TRANSCENDENT-3153, SAINT- 1232, VOID- 342, SOUL-121, DOMAIN- 24, WORLD-14 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic, Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora, Qilin''s Cold Stone, Resonant Okra, Arctic Flora, King''s Collard, Athramire, Phantom Mulberry, Fire Starter, Frigid Apple, Fate''s Orchard, Chaotic Amaranth. Available for planting(Aether Infused Willow) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Unlocked), Law Space(Unlocked), Blacksmith''s Forge(Unlocked), Division(Unlocked), Alchemy Hall(Unlocked), Library(Unlocked), World Integration(Unlocked), Realm Gateway(Unlocked), Pocket Realm(Unlocked) [email protected]#%#$%(Locked) Upgrade Conditions- ????????? A similar panel he always observed under upgrades that were extremely different compared to the past ties was displayed in front of his eyes as he hungrily devoured the information. He would first try to fully understand the workings of this new realm before he experimented with [Skill Creation], his gaze going towards the unlocked features after this upgrade that actually amounted to four! Four entirely new features were unlocked with this single upgrade, his eyes focusing on them as he looked through their details! [Library] :: The skills of the Master of the Infinite Realm can be transcribed into a grand Library, capable of being passed down to later generations. All skills can be transcribed except Inherent, Unique, Ultimate, or Absolute Skills. Only the first stage of Skill Trees can be transcribed. Those wishing to learn from the Library of the Infinite Realm must be at the same level as the skills they seek to learn. Noah had to bring himself to a stop just at the first unlocked feature, something that he never even thought about before actually coming to fruition. The feature called Library actually allowed him to effectively make Skill Books for all his subordinates to learn as long as they were ranked F through the Star Forging Realm! This was such a shocking thing that even the limitations it listed seemed to pale in comparison to its benefits! One of the biggest boons he saw was his ability to transcribe the skill trees, this being something that many being lacked. Just this single feature would have been enough to show the reward of this upgrade into a realm, but there were three more to go through. [World Integration] :: The Infinite Realm has the capability to integrate new worlds and entities connected to its Master, being able to expand to unknown territories. A short and simple description, but one that made the name that Noah had granted this realm be simply perfect! The ability of [World Integration] made it so that any new world that Noah connected could be brought in to be a part of the realm, continuing to ever so expand as it fit the name of an Infinite Realm perfectly! [Realm Gateway] :: A shimmering blue archaic door of light is all that remains of the Infinite Realm to the outside universe as it exists in its own spatial space. This Gateway can be shifted under the will of the Infinite Realm Master, as well as set restrictions for the beings allowed in or out. [Pocket Realm] :: A segment of the Infinite Realm can be taken and anchored to the Infinite Realm Master, granting access to its many features for the Master to use as they wish. Each of the four new abilities seemed greater than the last, the last two making Noah''s eyes light up even more because of their versatility! When it came to realms, the doorways used to enter such locations were always stationed in a specific area in the vastness of space, this doorway not being able to move at all once the realm was established. Yet, his realm had the feature where its Gateway could be moved, and he could even control who entered or left! It was unheard of as far as he knew, and the unlocked abilities even went as far as giving him something called a [Pocket Realm], its simple name showing shocking connotations as it allowed him to effectively carry a miniature realm with him wherever he went. 4 new features in a single upgrade, each of them more shocking than the last. Noah finished looking through the entirety of the panel under the {Spiritual Realm Management} as he lastly noticed how in front of ''Upgrade Conditions'', a bunch of question marks were the only thing visible as even he was stumped as to what it could lead to. Apparently, upgrading into a Realm was not the last stage of this wondrous unique treasure that he carried, and he could not wait to find out in the future what this next stage was whenever the question marks decided to reveal themselves. For now, as the celebration of the formation of this Infinite Realm and the choosing of regional rulers that would establish order across it would soon go underway, Noah wanted to take the time to also look through [Skill Creation]. Just exactly what could he do with this feature, and what skill or skill tree should he first try to create? Chapter 549 - Skill Creation Experimentation As the celebrations and calibration of how the Infinite Realm would be looked after were underway, Noah was experimenting with the many newly gained features that came because of the upgrade of the Infinite Realm, and he was beginning with the newly added feature of [Skill Creation]. As this was a feature that required the use of Skill Points, he had to find out exactly how many it would take and how vast the difference was depending on the skills he wanted to create. His eyes conjured up the Stat Panel as he focused on the blue-lit feature of [Skill Creation], an entirely new screen opening up in front of his eyes which allowed him to fill in the information of skill names and their descriptions! The System would then look over what he placed down and judge its feasibility of being brought to existence, and exactly how much Skill Points it would cost to do so. He thought for a moment before he tested out something he considered very small and low effort. "Let''s see...something called [Lightning Strike]...at the Star Forging Realm..." He gave his specifications to the System as a vibrant blue light shone, everything being put together as a clearly defined skill with its usage as well as its cost appeared under the [Skill Creation] panel! Lightning Strike] :: Lightning thunders down towards your enemy at a speed faster than the eye can follow. Cost of Skill Creation: 10 Skill Points A very cost-effective and distinct skill appeared in front of him, the 10 Skill Points it would take to create such a Skill not being too much but not too little either. He waved his hands as the skill disappeared from the [Skill Creation] panel. His mind moved rapidly as he now wanted to test a variety of skills and see the difference in cost. His thoughts were sent to the System as a list of multiple skills were assembled in the Skill Creation panel, his gaze shining brightly as he looked over them! [Space Shattering Void Devouring Fist] :: Imbued with the power of space and void, destructive energies surround your fist which will shatter the location targeted while devouring anything weak enough to remain. Cost of Skill Creation: 50 Skill Points [Soul Manifestation(Weapon)] :: Enables the user to create any weapon using their soul. The weapon deals soul attribute damage that cannot be blocked by essence or physical protections. Cost of Skill Creation: 2000 [Life Severing Chaotic Aether Strike] :: Connecting to the destructive essence of Aether and Chaos from the depths of the Unknown, a strike that will take the life of any being at the Nebula Realm or below thunders forth. Cost of Skill Creation: 10,000 Skill Points [Galaxy Aurora Sword] :: A holy sword condensed from the will of the Galaxy forms and follows the will of the user to exterminate all those in the Nebula Realm or below. Ignores the protections of the Universal Laws even if the comprehension of the targeted being is at 100%. Cost of Skill Creation: 50,000 Skill Points. "..." He had thought of the most ridiculous sounding skills he could just to gauge exactly what he could do, and the possibilities were actually shocking as ridiculous skills were displayed in front of him! Of course, they were ridiculous for a reason as their cost for creation was simply too unrealistic. One that took the elements of Aether and Chaos as it shattered and devoured space only cost 50 Skill Points, one that used the power of the soul being placed at a whooping 2000 cost, but he ramped up the ridiculousness with a skill that would take the life of anyone at the Nebula Realm. The corresponding cost for such a skill was 10,000 Skill Points! But in the next skill, he went even further as he classified that even those with 100% law comprehension could be destroyed under the description of a skill that utilizes the energies of an actual Galaxy, this bridging the cost to 50,000¡­ One must know that Noah currently had a bit over 2000 Skill Points in total, and he currently had no way of obtaining more! He gazed at the sweet sounding skills that would erase all of his problems as he sighed, waving his hands as they were all erased from the Skill Creation panel. He thought of what he could create realistically as he went out of the bounds of combat skills for a moment, knowing that he had more than enough of these and he simply needed to raise his rank and comprehension of laws to be able to match the biggest enemy he faced at this current moment. His thoughts moved as he recalled his non-combat skills such as [Budding Farmer] or [Cook] which had made many things possible in their own right as he tried to design a skill tree at this moment with these types of skills! This time around, he wanted to reduce the number of required Skill Points as much as possible as he set restrictions and definitions that would only apply to him or to specific areas, trying to see if he could create something wonderful that would not cost too much. His thoughts were relayed to the System as a skill tree was displayed in front of his eyes soon after. [Versatile Farmer] :: A skill tree geared towards the most versatile agriculturist. Each of its abilities have an abnormally high energy usage to achieve their desired effect. Abilities included are Master Farmer, Automatic Planting and Harvesting, Advanced Inventory, and Five Star Chef. Cost of Skill Tree Creation: 25 Skill Points [Master Farmer] :: The user can rapidly increase the growth and maturing rates of plants in all fields of the Infinite Realm simultaneously, a holographic display at their use allowing them to observe the areas affected. [Automatic Planting and Harvesting] :: The user can automatically plant and harvest vegetation in the Infinite Realm, a holographic display at their use allowing them to select the required areas. [Advanced Inventory] :: All plants harvested with the [Automatic Planting and Harvesting] function are placed in a spatial inventory connected to Noah Osmont''s [Expansive Space]. [Five Star Chef] :: A farmer is nothing without the skill of a great chef. Any meal prepared by the user will have the splendor and taste of pure happiness while enhancing the essence contained in the ingredients by more than ten times. An extremely cheap skill tree with abilities that held their own restrictions and wonders were displayed in front of his eyes, a smile appearing on Noah''s face as he paid the 25 Skill Points and gave his confirmation to bring this Skill Tree into fruition! As a war was continuing to escalate in the Novus Galaxy, Noah had overseen the upgrade of a new realm as he now used one of his newly gained abilities to create his first ever non-combat skill tree! Chapter 550 - Unreal! Noah knew that he had very little time before he had to thrust himself back into the ongoing War and training, so he was using this time where his mind wasn''t occupied with constant battles and planning to enjoy the first-ever created Skill Tree. His second clone that was situated in the Time Space of the Infinite Realm had his eyes on an expansive holographic display that was imitating the areas of the Spiritual World before it became a realm, all of these areas having numerous medicinal herbs and plants that held abundant essence! Many of them were Fate''s Orchard and Chaotic Amaranth, golden fruits that were filled with the essence of fate coming out from Fate''s Orchard while the Chaotic Amaranth looked like a fantastical medicinal herb that glistened with the cold and dark essence of Chaos. He had not just created the [Versatile Farmer] skill tree for fun, but because there was a huge aspect of his Infinite Realm that he was not using fully to his advantage, and it was the ridiculously overbearing plants he could grow within! The plants'' growth within the Infinite Realm were extremely effective in raising the level of the Beasts born in this realm, while he as the Infinite Realm Master could also heavily profit and strengthen himself from plants like Fate''s Orchard and Chaotic Amaranth which had abundant essence of fate and Chaos which would go towards increasing his Fate Lines and Chaos Particles. The idea of the Beasts born in the Spiritual Land and the exclusive effects they could enjoy from the plants grown within also brought forward a terrifying concept to Noah- Since all his connected worlds were now fused into this Infinite Realm, would all the different races of beings born in this Realm be given the same rights of strengthening and advancing as the naturally born Beasts?! [Yes. Any beings born in the Infinite Realm that was formerly known as the Spiritual Realm will have all the benefits and rights given to them at birth.] "..." His question was answered the moment he thought of it as a terrifying reality made itself clear, this significance of this new realm being something that would change the lives of many in a spectacular fashion. This new reality meant that newly born beings of all races would have perks of rapidly increasing their strength and ranks very rapidly, as they would be able to enjoy the 100% effectiveness of all the essence filled plants grown within which were extremely conducive to raising the strength of beasts! It was such a stupendous perk, and the new Skill Tree that Noah created would go above and beyond to fully utilize this feature of the Infinite Realm. He used [Master Farmer] as the holographic image of all the currently planted fields across the lands that used to be the past Spiritual World were washed over by a blue-green wave of essence, the vibrant particles of the law of earth and a hint of a law that Noah had yet to even come across permeating across the thousands of miles of lands! RUMBLE! Noah would not know the identity of the other law besides earth which was mixing to cause the growth rate of plants to explode to extreme degrees until much later, but it was the Ultimate Law of Life! But such a thought was not currently in Noah''s mind as he observed the holographic images of plants beginning to grow and expand rapidly, essence wildly flying around the center of the Infinite Realm one more as the celebrating beings were astonished at the scenes around them. Noah then used [Automatic Planting and Harvesting] as a hologram of the expansive Infinite Realm spread out from his position and covered a mile around him. This holographic projection was the miniaturized version of the areas that he could designate as fields to plant on, each small area shown within signifying hundreds of miles of land! It was such a mind-boggling concept that if Noah did not have multiple mind enhancing skills, he would have been overwhelmed! As he felt the strain in his mind of looking over such an expansive Realm, he glanced at the [Skill Creation] function once more as he sent his thoughts towards the System while beginning the process of planting a variety of plants across the Infinite Realm while using the [Automatic Planting and Harvesting] skill. His thoughts were accepted by [Skill Creation] as a new skill was displayed in front of his eyes. [Enhance Thought Process] :: The thought process of the user is passively enhanced to extreme degrees. Skill Creation Cost: 10 Skill Points He paid the price right away as he felt the strain on his mind elevated, his eyes continuing their work as he looked through the many regions of different Law Spaces across the Infinite Realm and chose respective plants to grow.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51764258853156690 for visiting. In regions of fire or water he planted the Ice-fire Persimmon or the Ice Phoenix Fruits. In the areas where the essence of fate and chaos were abundant, the aforementioned Fate''s Orchard and Chaotic Amaranth were planted! He continued to freely release an exorbitant amount of mana to the [Automatic Planting and Harvesting] to plant many new medicinal plants and herbs, and then using [Master Farmer] thereafter to rapidly increase their growth process. He felt like he was playing the easiest farming game as he carried out actions that affected thousands of miles of land, shocking all the beings moving within them as to them, shocking scenes on top of shocking scenes continued to pile up. Some were still reeling from the surprise of being in an entirely new realm when they felt their cities become filled with fate essence, and then soon after they found golden seeds shooting to the ground as a blue-green light quickly came to watch over it, beautiful trees that shone with gold leaves and glimmering fruits beginning to erupt out in front of their eyes. It was such a fantastical scene that many were pinching themselves to make sure they weren''t dreaming, the person responsible continuing using enormous amounts of mana as they became a farmer for a brief period of time, their goal on the particular plants that were filled with the essence of fate and chaos that would increase Fate Lines and Chaos Particles! Chapter 551 - A New Age In a small region that used to be in the United Federation of Noah''s homeworld, a human was sitting outside a small house that showed his status to be one living a simple life in the countryside. There was a small barn to the side as this man had a few fields around him, the sounds of terrifying animals who were scared at the newly arriving and overflowing abundance of essence still apparent. This human farmer was sitting outside as he stared at the new world around him in shock, having heard the voices of two beings declaring the name of this new Realm as he prepared to accept this reality! The atmospheric essence had already made him have a breakthrough to what would be considered a Rank D Hunter, his eyes looking at the abundant essence around him as he grabbed his hoe that he used for farming and went towards the fields he normally tended to. He could feel the soil of his field brimming with vibrant energies as he prepared to do some work and continue his simple farming life even in the midst of these unbelievable events. There was no threat of monsters from dungeons, no foreign armies or lands invading, nothing. This small farmer wanted to continue his simple life as he went to tend towards his fields. But this was when the sight in front of him rapidly changed, his body coming to a stop as he watched with an agape expressions seeds fell from the skies and dug into the ground, a powerful light shining down thereafter as vibrant plants sprouted in front of his eyes! He watched as all the knowledge he built over the years about farming was violated, seeing flowers forming and then fruits erupting in a matter of seconds as his hoe dropped to the ground. He reached out towards the now glistening fruits that had appeared in a matter of seconds from plants that did not exist before, bringing a blue-colored fruit in his hands that he bit down into. An explosion of essence erupted from the fruit and went through his body as the simple farmer shook his head, going to sit back down near his small house as a wide smile was apparent across his face as he watched this unfolding ridiculousness. ''What a ridiculous being¡­'' Such a thought crossed the mind of this farmer and the minds of many beings from many worlds that were currently integrated into the Infinite Realm, billions of beings beginning their new lives in this area as they began changing their common sense into things they never would have believed before. It was a life-changing day for all of them, and time moved on as they quickly adapted to the wondrous landscapes and vibrant essence as the first day passed since the formation of the Infinite Realm. --- Noah got the chance to experiment with many things while spending some time with his people, discussing the ways of governing this expansive realm with his powerful subordinates thereafter as many Officials had to crowned to oversee the vast lands of the Infinite Realm. The one at the forefront was Steel Mikhail, the being who had stayed back to look over Noah''s homeworld with Sophia, being one of the few beings that could handle administrative tasks very well. He would be continuing this role as he aided Sophia in delegating duties to many beings across the Infinite Realm, as Sophia now represented one of the few beings that held a connection with the System of this new realm. The other being was the Blood Guardian of the former Ancient Blood World, this Guardian continuing his job of overseeing that region with the addition of many more. The successful workings and future of this new realm did not just depend on Noah, but the many beings watching over things around him as he continued to do what he did best- rank up in power while creating the path forward. His clone continued to play with the features of the Infinite Realm as his main body wrapped up the celebration and administrative tasks, letting the others carry on as he appeared in the skies of the Infinite Realm. His eyes overlooked the colorful lands in this isolated space as he prepared to leave them, his right hand pointing out as he cast [Pocket Realm]! RUMBLE! Essence thundered forth as an illusory form of the large realm seemed to lift off the ground, coming towards him as it became small in size before solidifying on his palm. He looked at this illusory realm as he could observe the formation of small floating landmasses within, each of them with their own colors as they signified a different Law Space. This would be the [Pocket Realm] that he could carry with him as he moved around, being able to use features of the Infinite Realm like [Treasure Hunter], [Defensive Maneuvers], [Offensive Maneuvers], and many more! Noah recalled the last time he used some of these features like the attacking capability of the Infinite Realm was way back when he was fighting against the Devilish Unveiler of the World of Cultivation, with him having not used these features for a long time as they continued to be upgraded with every upgrade until this point. He looked forward to seeing the upgraded versions of all of these features as he continued forward, waving his hand as the Pocket Realm became minuscule and attached to his body, his figure disappearing from the enormous Infinite Realm! It was a newly built expansive space that would take many days to fully be used to for many people, but he didn''t have the luxury to slowly enjoy it as there was still a war in the outside worlds. Even his second clone that remained in the Time Space of the Infinite Realm was getting back to training while playing with the features of [Master Farmer] and [Autonomous Planting and Harvesting] in order to create more plants filled with Fate and Chaos essence to further elevate his progression in these two laws, but that was it. He left the long and arduous task of looking over these expansive lands which represented many worlds to his people, his main body disappearing as it flashed back to the battlefield above the starry void of space of the Verittas Fortress! Chapter 552 - Formation of a Fearsome Celestial Legion As his main body returned to resume the role of the 9th Infernal Lord, his first clone that he had switched with was now acting as Commander Crixus. This Celestial Commander was currently leading his legion from the Witches Layer that had completely fallen under the influence of Celestials, and this was because he had received the command for him to join up with his Senior Sister who would soon be leading a Realm Dreadnaught! The shocking news of the newly rising Commander Athena being thrust at such a spotlight confused many, but the moment they knew it was the words of the founder, they acquiesced as they welcomed this new change. To them, it wasn''t their job to question- but only to follow! Thus, in a region in the Dark Expanse that had fallen under the control of Celestials, numerous warsh.i.p.s were congregating around an enormous one that shone with a menacing light. This was the Realm Dreadnaught which was normally piloted by Star Forging individuals, and one could count Prime Warsh.i.p.s that made up multiple Legions being stationed around this enormous vessel. This included the Legion of the Three-Eyed Fate Child, Grandmaster Light, Crixus, and even two more Legions under the control of Star Forging Celestial Commanders! These additional Legions made it so that another 2 Star Forging Experts on top of the two that the Founder had assigned to aid Athena would be joining the ranks of this new legion! At this moment, Athena had stepped into the Realm Dreadnaught as she was surrounded by golden robed Celestials, her gaze going towards the two Star Forging Celestials that the being directly under the Founder, Golden Child, had assigned to help her. The two powerful figures glanced at the World Rank Athena as they actually smiled towards her and spoke. "We realize it is a bit of an odd situation, but you can trust in the wisdom of the Founder. If he says you are to lead us- you shall lead us to glory!" RUMBLE! Waves of power rolled out at these words as Athena adopted a strong look, stepping towards the two individuals as they pointed towards an exquisite octagonal shaped table built within this command room of the Realm Dreadnaught. "This is the command center which you can use to relay all commands. Where you want the Prime Warsh.i.p.s, individual forces, the World Cannons attached to the Dreadnaught...everything is here. All that remains is for the two of us to provide energy at the Star Forging Realm to make sure it all runs smoothly." The War Princess was guided towards the luminous octagonal table that was the command center, her hands playing with the things atop it as she familiarized herself with it. If one looked deep in her eyes as she played with the commands of a fearsome weapon, they would see a shred of hesitation within them as even Athena did not fully believe in herself at this moment! This was because she was thrust into the spotlight so quickly, where just after her first battle controlling a single legion, she was now about to control multiple. "Per the words of the Founder, we are to heed your words and calls without question. We put our trust in you, War Princess!" RUMBLE! Behind her, the two Star Forging Celestials spoke as they placed their hands on their chest and bowed, everyone who was lesser than them in rank shooting to their knees as they paid respects to the new Commander of a Realm Dreadnaught! Athena felt her heart shake at this scene as she hid the hands that were slightly trembling behind her, her eyes landing on the many beings paying respect towards her as she tried to adopt her usual cold expression. She saw the blank-faced Three-Eyed Fate Child, the disbelieving Grandmaster Light, and then her eyes landed on a single man she knew too well. She saw the calm and slightly playful gaze of Crixus as the trembling of her hands eased completely, her gaze gaining a confident light as she looked around the expansive room while speaking. "I will not let you down!" OOOOH! Resonant yells greeted her as the Celestials rose, many of them reacquainting themselves as discussions erupted out. Athena discussed a few more things with the Star Forging Commanders before she excused herself, looking towards Crixus as she sent a telepathic message and stepped out of the command room of the Realm Dreadnaught. This enormous vessel was as large as a continent, numerous Prime Warsh.i.p.s being stationed on it as one could even get lost if they did not know where they were going. Athena went towards the quarters meant for the Commander of such a Vessel where very few Celestials were located, the area being devoid of life as she stepped into a grand room that would put the castles of kings to shame. This room had a one-sided mirror of walls that allowed those inside to see the beautiful starry space outside of the Realm Dreadnaught, which was now occupied by the small figures of moving Celestials and Prime Warsh.i.p.s. Athena felt the door she entered through close behind her as the being she had been spending the most time with these past few months entered, his playful voice ringing out to reach her. "I never expected you to advance this fast, Senior Sister." "Hmph, stop that. Both I and you know this was purely on the whim of the Founder. Even right now I''m not sure I can¡­" The gaze of the War Princess was hesitant as she stared out into the starry space visible from this room, the auras of hundreds of thousands of beings around her that she now held the control of fully weighing down on her! Her hesitant expression eased as she felt the strong hands of Crixus wrap around her, his confident voice ringing out thereafter. "You''ll do just fine. After all...you have me by your side." A red light that hid the many manipulative effects of the Sin of L.u.s.t was shining in Noah''s eyes as he said this, the War Princess in front of him turning around as her gaze was more filled with valiancy and confidence! Noah had never expected her progression of power to reach this level so quickly, but this being with the title of Noble Fate had gained a multitude of more uses because of it. He would continue strengthening his control over her in the following days as he planned to make the full use of this War Princess that now controlled a Realm Dreadnaught occupied by two Star Forging Celestials! Chapter 553 - A Terror Converses with a Founder In the vastness of space, a myriad of beings lived with their own ideals as they looked for their purpose and meaning. There was one such being, in particular, that was traversing the Letalis Expanse with a heavy weight on his shoulders, his eyes a mixture of colors as they were searching for a greater meaning! The being looked aged as his figure rapidly shifted across the space of the Letalis Expanse, the space around him adopting a varying amount of dangerous elements of Aether. His body was unconsciously pushing away these elements as he looked to be in a daze, his eyes only coming to focus after he reached a region where he found his body could actually not move forward anymore! RUMBLE! The body of the aged figure shook as he finally opened his eyes and awareness to his surroundings, noticing the chaotic elements of aether that danced around him as well as the opening of extremely red and enormously large eyes. He could gradually see the iris and pupil of these eyes which reminded him of a memory of a long time ago, these oppressive eyes that shook one''s soul being the size of planets! OOOM! The opening of the eyes gradually lit up the massive body which they were connected to, the aged man being able to see the roiling tentacles that crackled with Aether, each one more massive than the other as this terrible being in front of him seemed to be a wriggling moving mass of danger. "Ahh...very sorry for disturbing you." The aged man seemed to adopt an apologetic expression as he scratched his head and spoke, the enormous eyes of the Terror in front of him locking onto him as he felt an enormous amount of pressure! The eyes shimmered with the power of Aether as they displayed utter coldness and brutality, seemingly deciding whether to wipe this being away from existence at this very moment for the disruption of his job. "You did not come here accidentally, little creature. I remember your ugly face from a thousand years ago." OOOM! Sound waves that affected the very space itself rolled out as the aged man felt his skin tremble at it, even his power at the Nebula Realm not being able to grant him protection as all his senses told him- this Terror in front of him could wipe him out in a matter of seconds if he so wished! Yet he had come here today! He had wandered until his figure reached the area where no beings were, one of the areas which released a fearsome aura that even the Ancients of the Letalis Expanse stayed away from. "Are you searching for the sweet release of death, little creature?" The voice of the Terror boomed out as the aged man rose his head up with an unshaven expression, this being- no, the third Founder of the Celestials, speaking out while in front of this terrifying being! Even though his figure seemed like a speck of dust compared to the Terror, he still brought himself to speak towards it without a shred of fear! "I''m sure you know that my Brother is once more waging war against the Dark Expanse. His goal is very likely to be reached soon and I...I wonder why¡­" His thoughts seemed to carry a sense of hesitation as he did not know exactly how to put everything to words, a silence descending briefly before the Terror spoke out again. "Both you and Aldrich were shown the Truth. You lost all hope because of it, while he ignored it and continued on. That little creature should be more like you, as it would have saved him a whole lot of pain." Words that seemed to carry profound wisdom and admonished at the same time rang out, the eyes of the Terror that were the size of planets actually beginning to close again after it found out the topic this being had raised forward. Its attitude actually said that it didn''t find this topic worthy of its time, getting back to what it was originally doing! "But...he nears completion of a Supreme Law because of his actions. Why don''t you stop him once again like before...why won''t you save the lives of billions...why sit here doing nothing?!" RUMBLE! BOOM! The eyes of the Terror opened briefly once more as they released a shockwave which smashed the Third Founder back tens of miles, his body trembling with the residual destructive elements of Aether as he still looked towards the terror with an unwilling face. "Careful of your words, boy." OOOM! A trace of coldness was carried in the words of the Terror as it continued. "We can not act because of constraints placed on us because of our power. The last time we did, a heavy toll had to be paid! We do not act...because we do not need to." The coldness faded as the enormous eyes of the Terror began closing once again. "Whatever Aldrich aims to do, he will not succeed. She will not let him. She has made it so. All that will happen is the loss of billions, and She allows that as well. If She does not care for her own...Hmph, why should I? Just as you were shown it is futile, he will find out the same very soon." The voice of the Terror shook in the Third Founder''s mind as his words carried with them a mysterious meaning, his eyes snapping shut as the destructive Aether elements chaotically danced and permeated throughout. The Third Founder looked at this as his eyes shook, unwillingness and despair floating within them as he continued to ask himself, ''Why? Why?! Why?!!'' The question plagued his mind but held no answer, his body that had taken a single blast from the Terror beginning to move away as one could sense a deep sense of sadness within his figure. This sadness stemmed from feelings of utter uselessness, of shame from his own actions, and of things he did not understand! As he moved away from the overpowering area where a Terror resided he continued to ask himself repeatedly¡­ ''Why¡­?'' Chapter 554 - Reinforcements, A Narrow Focus! In the Verittas Fortress, a buzz of activity was going on as a large number of reinforcements were continuously arriving. The Old Man Inuit had foreseen of what was to come as many pieces were moved towards the Verittas Fortress, the auras of multiple Star Forging experts being added as time passed. This arrival of multiple new Star Forging experts was not the most surprising thing to happen at the Verittas Fortress though, as many beings watched in a stupor when the realm of the 9th Infernal Lord was revealed the moment he returned! His devilish handsomeness seemed to have increased as he reappeared next to his Infernal Legion, his aura actually standing stably at the Star Forging Realm as the Legion which waited for him at the Verittas Fortress welcomed this new level of strength with even more vigor. "Ready to serve!" "Ready to destroy!" OOOH! Soon after, the appearance of the powerful beasts that followed the Infernal Lord reappeared, with their realms shockingly being at the World Rank. Many of the beings at the Verittas Fortress nearly doubted their eyes at this scene as they knew they saw these beasts at the Domain Realm just in the last battle, and yet now just a day later multiple of them returned at the World Realm! Was it so easy for one to advance realms nowadays?! Did World Rank experts grow on trees?! They watched on with disbelieving gazes as an arrogant Emperor Penguin flaunted his aura at the World Rank, its beady eyes watching the newly arriving reinforcements with its beak raised high. RAA! RAA! RAA! Cries that seemed to foretell of future victories rang out as more beings packed the defensive stronghold that was the Verittas Fortress. Commanding Mage Turner who had been overseeing this stronghold for the past months was currently relinquishing his control over to the newly arriving Star Forging Grand Mage that Edrusim sent over, this powerful figure learning all about the defenses of the Fortress as they prepared for an attack unlike anything they had faced before in this war. This was because they had received the crucial information that an enormous Legion was being formed on the Celestial''s side made up of multiple Star Forging individuals, terrible beings like the War Princess Athena, Crixus the Destroyer, and even Special Existences joining this Legion! This wasn''t to mention the Star Forging Golden Commanders, two of which would be piloting a Realm Dreadnaught that was known for wiping away planets with ease while using the terribly powerful weapons on this vessel. Thus, the side of the Dark Expanse was preparing as the defenses were reinforced, a Star Forging Vampyre Lord and the 6th Infernal Lord at the Star Forging Realm both leading their Legions to the Verittas Fortress. OOOOH! The fearsome chants of the Infernals could be heard as the mindset of many of the beings in the Verittas Fortress was actually not fearful, many of them feeling confident even with the news that a Realm Dreadnaught would be heading their way sooner or later. This was because they all knew the single being who held too many surprises protecting them- the 9th Infernal Lord that had actually trashed two Star Forging Celestials when his realm was still at the World Rank! Now that his strength seemed to have grown a whole other level, the confidence in the hearts of the defenders of the Dark Expanse was actually bolstered even more.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51810047499487448 for visiting. Noah saw the eyes watching him on the battlefield as they all emanated hope while looking towards him, his heart remaining firm as he continued to enhance his strength in order to remain confident himself. This was not turning out to be an issue as his second clone continued to work hard in the Time Space of the Infinite Realm, the first skill tree in his tool kit advancing into the Star Forging Rank. As he continued to advance forward and saw the scarceness of the Skill Points with their increasing uses in both Skill Points and when unlocking skill trees, he was planning on focusing on a few specific skill trees! He was planning on focusing on the Skill Trees of the Supreme Laws, as well as the Skill Tree dealing with the abilities of a Terror! Instead of raising multiple skill trees and spreading his scarce Skill Points across multiple trees that would just be at the Star Forging Realm, he planned to focus on two, or at most three- as he planned to raise them to the powerful Nebula Realm. This led for his clone to fully shift his focus onto a single tree as its proficiencies were wrapped up efficiently, the first Skill Tree to step into the Star Forging Realm being the Lesser Cthulhu tree! From the small stage of Lesser Cthulhu until reaching the World Rank Juvenile Terror, Noah chose the next upgrade of this skill tree to be...[Terror of Aether- Cthulhu(Young)]. RUMBLE! As soon as the requirements were met and the sacrificial skills required given, a unique energy signature erupted out even though he had yet to even activate any of the new abilities of this skill tree! When he went forward to upgrade this skill tree, the Terror that was trying to return to slumber while spreading his expansive senses out in order to return to his job was woken up once more, a grumble of annoyance ringing out from him! His eyes that were the size of stars opened slowly once more as he was interrupted for the 2nd time today, the annoyance palpable as the destructive Aether rolled around him. This was not the first time the Terror of Aether had sensed its unique energy signature being displayed elsewhere. Every time this signature appeared, the Terror had paid it very little heed as it was very weak. Yet today, it felt extremely potent- to the point that the Terror could say it felt like the energy he released when he was first born! The enormous red eyes for stars twinkled in the vastness of space as they seemed to be in thought, closing to return to slumber once more as the Terror ignored all distractions to focus on the job he was assigned. Yet, he could not stop letting a thought pass through. ''Must you always experiment with more? Can you not be happy with all of us right now¡­?'' A question was asked from the mind of one of the most powerful beings in the Novus Galaxy, but he received no answer as the river of time continued forward! One could sense loneliness and feelings of neglect in these thoughts, the history they carried being something very few could understand! Chapter 555 - [The Terror of Aether- Cthulhu(Young)] In the Celestial Realm, a white robed man was standing in front of a clear illusory gold barrier that stretched for miles. The area around him was filled to the brim with sparkling vegetation that had drunk in too much essence, the illusory gold barrier actually seeming to blend and match in the surroundings as if by design! The eyes of the Founder, Aldrich, flashed with an unknown light as his hands reached out to touch this gold barrier as immense vibration rumbled out, his hand being pushed back explosively thereafter. OOOM! Ripples spread out from this event before everything quieted down soon after, Aldrich staring at this barrier with cold eyes as the emotions hidden within threatened to spill out. It was at this time that a gold light descended down, his expression changing as he actually saw a change in the river of fate! This time, it concerned the recent move he made of placing multiple Celestials with unique abilities into a single Legion, the information he received at this moment actually telling him the fates of these beings that were grey before- which meant that their fate could go either way-, had actually turned dark at this moment.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bthe-terror-of-aether--cthulhu(young)%5D_51835656778868789 for visiting. Aldrich did not know, but this was also the exact moment that Noah went forth to upgrade his Lesser Cthulhu skill tree in the Star Forging Realm, gaining the [Terror of Aether- Cthulhu(Young)]! Aldrich gave a light sigh as he sent out a telepathic message to the Golden Child in response to this change. "Have another Realm Dreadnaught accompany the one that the young Athena would lead. Double the number of Star Forgers." RUMBLE! Waves of golden essence spread out as he received the affirmation from the Golden Child, his golden eyes overlooking the paradisiacal atmosphere past the golden barrier as he saw the fates that had turned dark just a moment ago return to shining grey, and that was all! ''Not even a fate of fortune from the doubling of forces¡­?'' He shook his head at the unfairness of it all as his ideals were even further reinforced. Yes, he thought of the unfairness! This was because he knew what he was up against. He was fighting against the Novus Galaxy itself! Where even to the point that he had some of the most powerful forces in this Galaxy, he still had not been able to get his wishes achieved. Even now when he was waging a war against beings in the Dark Expanse that were much less powerful than his forces, he only recently found success- and that was after multiple plans and sacrifices of powerful pieces. When he recalled the enemy he was up against, he would occasionally feel a sense of helplessness as he recalled the reason why his third brother had also left him. But Aldrich had squashed this sense of helplessness every time it erupted, his gaze becoming firm again as he knew he still had a card to play that could grant him victory against his enemy! This was because he was focused on a part that his enemy had slightly less control of...and that was the universal laws! As long as he could completely comprehend just a single Supreme Law...as long as¡­ His hands reached out to the golden barrier in the Celestial Realm that prevented anybody from venturing out further, his gaze switching from ruthlessness and longing as his eyes hid an enormous drive for his goals that were bordering on madness! --- Across the vast space, Noah himself was looking at the enhanced skill tree that now held the addition of [Terror of Aether- Cthulhu(Young)] STAR FORGING [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(5/5), Destabilize(5/5), Shattered Star(5/5), and Miniature Space(5/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu] (45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Morph(5/5), Child of Space(5/5), Portals of Terror(5/5), and Sever(5/5). >> [Kin of Terror] (60/60) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Reinforcement (5/5), Multiplicative Ray Support (5/5), Triple on Cast Support (5/5), Lunacy Inducement (5/5) >> [Fledgling Aether Terror] (75/75) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Emission (5/5), Aether Chain Support (5/5), Fatal Ailment Support (5/5), Size Distortion (5/5) >> [Juvenile Terror] (100/100) :: Unique Being (5/5), Compounded Terror Support (5/5), Unnatural Size Support (5/5) Tentacle Manifestation (5/5). >> [Terror of Aether- Cthulhu(Young)] (50/125) :: [Masterful Aether Control](5/5), [Aether Star Form](5/5), [Descension of Madness](5/5), [Anomalous Aether Construct Support](5/5) [Masterful Aether Control] :: The Aether that surrounds the Young Cthulhu is able to be controlled as the ability to form Aether Weapons is granted. [Aether Star Form] (5/5) :: The Size Distortion and Unnatural Size Support abilities are further enhanced as the user is now able to take on the Star Form of the Terror of Aether. The size of the form taken is as large as a star. [Descension of Madness] (5/5) :: The essence of madness unique to the Terror of Aether spreads out as an area of attack ability that plunges enemies into a state of madness. [Anomalous Aether Construct Support] (5/5) :: The versatility of [Sever] is further enhanced. Every time the released Aether Ray from this ability hits an enemy, a construct of unstable Aether forms as it finds the nearest enemy to attach to as it discharges destructive Aether until it dies. An additional four abilities were clearly listed in front of his eyes as they shone with a light of confidence. The unlocked skill tree at the Star Forging Realm was as terrifying as he expected from the abilities of a Terror, even if it was a young one! When one looked at the new abilities, they might say how [Descension of Madness] and [Anomalous Aether Construct Support] seemed spectacular enough as they were, or they might even say [Masterful Aether Control] was slightly subpar. But no matter the side, when one looked at the ability that was termed [Aether Star Form]...they would be forced to agree that it was utterly ridiculous, as it would actually give Noah a size large enough to be considered a star! A star!!! Chapter 556 - Wish for more wishes? As Noah upgraded the Cthulhu skill tree into the Star Forging Realm and looked over its ridiculously powerful abilities, he became increasingly conscious of the number of skill points that continued to dwindle! This brought him to look towards the feature of [Skill Creation] once more as he wondered of even more possibilities through this feature that would allow him not to just spend skill points, but possibly gain them. To understand this process, one must recall that for Noah to gain skill points in the first place, it was only made possible because he was an entirely different existence compared to the Infernals before he went on to become one himself. The Infernals were not just another Race that lived in the Novus Galaxy, they were unique existences that the vast majority of did not even have their own free will, their hearts only knowing destruction and their purpose of opposing the Celestials! Only the Infernal Lords that stood at the highest peaks of Infernals could be considered different. Noah was able to gain Skill Points because of this, and he instinctively knew that some time in the future, he would meet other beings that were a separate existence than him- and this would give him the chance to amass more skill points once more. Yet he now looked at the [Skill Creation] feature that gave out skills in exchange for Skill Points as he wondered if it might be possible to bypass a wait time of who knew how long and begin amassing skill points even sooner. He was thinking of the possibility of whether he could create a skill...which allowed him to get more skill points! He had not seen the full extent that [Skill Creation] could be used, his mind only focusing on combat or non combat skills so far. What if thought outside the box? It felt like a light bulb had lit up inside his mind as while he remained in the Verittas Fortress awaiting for the next attack the Celestials would throw this way, he began tinkering with the possibility of a new skill that was unlike any he had made so far. His thoughts were relayed to the System as he properly classified and added many small details and restrictions to make sure that the idea he was thinking of would not be too expensive. But if this idea was even feasible...then it would open up a brand new world of possibilities. A few minutes passed and soon enough, a beautiful blue light shone in the stat panel as the System computed the feasibility of the inputted skill, and exactly what it would cost to bring it to life! [Origin Conversion: Skill Point Absorption] - By using defeated enemies as a base, their very Origin is converted into usable Skill Points for the user. While this skill is active, enemies will not drop any form of loot aside from the skill points. This method produces 50% of the skill points that the user would normally gain from defeating separate existences. Cost of Skill Creation: 10,000 A distinct skill that shone in his eyes but seemed out of reach appeared, the 10,000 skill points price tag for an ability that would allow him to possibly amass skill points again being something he could not pay! Yet, he did not give up as he added even more restrictions to this possible ability, seeing whether he could bring this price tag down to an affordable level! He started with the percentage he placed compared to when he received skill points from Infernals as he brought it down from 50% and to 25%, the price only dropping by 3000. He gritted his teeth as he changed this to 5%, the price only dropping by another 3000! He continued to experiment as he added more and more conditions until a semi possible skill was displayed in front of his eyes. [Origin Conversion: Skill Point Absorption] :: By using defeated enemies as a base, their very Origin is converted into usable Skill Points for the user. While this skill is active, enemies will not drop any form of loot aside from the skill points. This method produces *5% of the skill points that the user would normally gain from defeating separate existences. *The user provides all the mana required for the conversion of Origins into skill points. *Only those at the level of Soul Rank or higher are capable of condensing skill points. Cost of Skill Creation: 300 "..." After numerous restrictions and an extremely small percentage compared to how fast he acquired skill points from Infernals, a usable skill appeared! ''Take it!'' His eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as he even had to reduce some points from the Abyssal Lich and Juvenile Ancient skill trees to be able to pay the price in full, but he did it without question as it gave him a pathway to gaining more skill points when he had no way to at this time! He also had the perfect opportunity to use it as he knew a great number of enemies would be making their way over to the Verittas Fortress very soon. His heart was already content when he realized that multiple Star Forging Golden Commanders were making their way over with Athena and even himself in the lead, but even this thought was proved to be wrong as Noah''s clone that was acting as Crixus began seeing the arrival or more Legions that began to cl.u.s.ter around the already bustling area. His clone was enjoying a meal with Athena when he began to see the addition of even more Celestials, his excitement rising as he saw more and more of them, because it meant his newly created [Origin Conversion: Skill Point Absorption] would be able to greatly display its usefulness as he planned to regain the full skill point cost he spent of this skill and then push past it as he collected more skill points for the future! Chapter 557 - What are you fighting for? I As Noah''s watched the continued formation of a fearsome Legion, the commander that would actually have a large amount of control over it was in the same room as him enjoying his food that now had the added taste of [Five Star Chef]. His eyes moved towards Athena at this time as he decided in his mind that it was time, this War Princess having come extremely far into a place he couldn''t have even expected- but it was now time to put his months long efforts into realized results. "Athena, what exactly are you fighting for?" He threw out a question as he placed his drink down onto the regal dining table, the War Princess looking towards him with a content smile before she saw his seriousness and stood straight, replying to him with careful eyes. "Of course, I''m fighting for order and balance. I''m fighting to bring an end to endless chaos that is permeating through the Novus Galaxy." A simple, sharp, and quick answer came out as Athena regained her valiant look, glancing towards Noah questioningly as she wondered why he would ask this question now. "For order and balance...huh? So you would point your sword to whoever is sowing chaos?" Noah''s eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as Athena found herself attracted to their light, not being able to pull away as her gaze tightened even further while replying. "Of course." "Then¡­" Noah heard the strong reply of the War Princess as he waved his hands, an illusory screen appearing in front of the both of them as it depicted a certain star. This star could have been any random one across the Novus Galaxy, but it was a particularly important one as Athena''s eyes widened when she saw it! This was because she had seen this star a very long time ago when she was being led away from it- when she was saved by a certain Celestial called Grandmaster Luo! This was the same Grandmaster Luo that had been the first Grandmaster to fall into Noah''s hands when he saved the Magus World some time ago. This was the Grandmaster that Noah had devoured and gained the memories of, learning a great deal of things from this Celestial that had ''saved'' Athena from her dying planet. He gained all the memories of this being as he now showed them in the illusory screen in front of him, showing the exact truth of what happened tens of years ago on a Small World called Esylla! "What is¡­?!" "Watch." A flicker of light shone from Noah''s eyes as Athena watched the scene playing out. It displayed Grandmaster Luo overlooking the Small World called Esylla as he held a contemplative look before waving his hands towards it. An indiscernible flicker of light spread out from his hands as it descended towards this star, dyeing it a flicker of gold before Grandmaster Luo descended down into the star himself. "Grandmasters raise their power through a variety of ways. Whether through war to gain more influence or fate lines, or those with more freedom choosing to focus on a singular world as they practice their techniques of fate." Noah narrated as the illusory scene playing out in front of them rapidly changed to show Grandmaster Luo setting up and beginning to live on this star, his focus on the unknowing inhabitants living within as he actually...began personally acting in the dark to influence the history of this world! Whether it was by sowing discord among factions or assassinating rulers and placing the blame on other groups...anything that he could do to influence the fates of the beings living on this star- he did! "The Grandmaster Luo you knew particularly loved experiencing the changes of the fate of billions under his fingertips, choosing worlds such as this to carry out his aims as he only sought a single thing." Yes! This was also the reason why Luo had descended onto the Magus World with his disciples- it was to alter the fates of the beings living there as they gained a more intricate control of their techniques and fate lines! The illusory scene in front of them continued playing as it showed the passage of time, showing Grandmaster Luo continuing to affect the state of affairs of this world as it went from a stable one into one filled with wars and conflict. The inhabitants living within could not even explain how they found themselves on this state, only fighting countless wars as they began destroying the world they lived on in the process. At this time, the illusory scene changed as it showed a small girl dressed in worn down clothes looking at the lifeless bodies of two humans, her gaze blank and not even being able to shed any more tears as the ones she knew as her parents did not open their eyes anymore. This was the time that Grandmaster Luo had first observed the young Athena...and it was due to the uniqueness that surrounded her in this world full of chaos and ruin, a world that Luo himself had set on this path! He noticed this being called Athena during one of the days when he monitored the different regions of the world, noticing this girl that had lost both her parents and yet was somehow still surviving. Luo watched on for weeks as this girl buried her own parents and began living on her own, fighting against those that wished her harm as she also escaped deadly situations with her life hanging by a thread. Luo watched this repeat multiple times before a few thoughts entered his mind, his lips moving as they could be seen on the illusory scene playing out. "This world might have even more surprises¡­" Athena''s body was shaking as she watched this scene and heard Grandmaster Luo''s words, her mind being carried back to when she was young and watched as her parents passed away, and as she struggled to live until one day- a single man appeared in front of her that changed her entire life! "Child, you seem to be in a great deal of pain." Full of compassion and wisdom, Grandmaster Luo had appeared in front of her not because he had just happened to pass this ruined world and noticed her uniqueness and talent- but because he was the cause of such ruin as he just happened to notice one of the beings on this world that was actually changing her own fate multiple times. Coming close to death and surviving every time, beating odds that are stacked against you- Luo thought of all this as he associated it with a single thing...and that was the possibility of a being having a Noble Fate! He had appeared in front of Athena while lending out a helping hand to lift her from this ruined world that he had in fact made so himself, the Light of mercy shining in his eyes as he called out to her. "There is too much chaos being spread across worlds nowadays. Child, come with me. I will teach you how to bring order and balance in these chaotic times...so that no other worlds can share the same fate as yours." With a gaze filled with light and mercy, Luo had reached out to the young War Princess that he ruined the home world of, and called to her to join the same ranks as him! Chapter 558 - What are you fighting for? II Athena''s entire body was shaking as she watched the scenes playing out in front of her, Noah''s voice ringing out beside her as he watched the same thing. "Effectively causing the death of your parents and billions more, and then appearing before you in order to see you from the misfortune that he himself created. This is what you are fighting for?" RUMBLE! The question struck Athena like a hammer as she watched the scenes continue. Watching as Grandmaster Luo took her from her world as they appeared in the void of space where he actually turned around and made her watch the destruction of her own world! "We cannot do much to save them now, the chaos has spread too much." Luo had said this as the ignorant Athena kept her eyes forward, not noticing as this being at the World Rank flicked his fingers and initiated the destruction of her own homeworld as a final action for his research. "I will take you back to a Celestial Star where you can be trained with powerful techniques that will allow you to save worlds like yours." Luo spoke with confidence as invisible Fate Lines descended unto him from destroying the fates of billions. "If you work hard enough, you will be able to gain the strength required to bring order and balance amidst chaos such as this." Athena recalled these same words she heard as a child, the same words that she made her conviction for seeking strength and power until now! THUMP! She could feel her heart beat as she slumped down with sunken eyes, her eyes not being able to leave the scenes on the screen as the life of Grandmaster Luo continued. It showed him bringing her to the 7th Celestial Star, it showed her receiving [Fate''s Disciple] and other techniques as her identity as a being with Noble Fate was confirmed, and it showed the appearance of Grandmaster Vredral as he talked with Luo on taking Athena as his disciple! "Luo, I know that bad habit of yours is the reason you were able to find a being like her in an unknown world. You probably destroyed her star just to finish your routine!" Vredral was looking towards Luo as he asked to be Athena''s Master, Luo glancing towards him as he replied. "Brother Vredral, don''t say it like you haven''t messed with the fates of a few worlds yourself. You''ve become much more reserved after returning from the Celestial Realm." "Hmph." Athena''s eyes became darker as she realized even the living Grandmaster Vredral knew of the hidden secrets of Luo, and even he himself did similar things in the past before he went to and returned from the Celestial Realm! She watched as Vredral used his status on the 7th Celestial Star to obtain the rights of training the young warrior that would be known as the War Princess, and then watched on as Grandmaster Luo went on to return to his methods of cultivation and raising fate lines by directly influencing the fates of others! "This is the order and balance you strive for? From the beings that are sowing the most chaos in the Novus Galaxy?" Noah''s words continued to smash towards her like sharp knives as Athena''s eyes remained on the scenes in front of her, her mind not knowing how to proceed as Noah''s voice became even firmer. "You also went along and destroyed an entire world yourself. I ask you again, was that balance?!" RUMBLE! Her gaze shook as she turned from the screen and looked towards Noah, seeing a cold gaze she had not seen on him before. "From the same beings that hiddenly go around ruining and destroying worlds for the sake of increasing their Fate Lines, you listened to their words and used a vessel to destroy a world with billions residing within!" "For what reason!" RUMBLE! A red light erupted out as Athena coiled back, her expression filled with uncertainty, shame, anger, fear, and a myriad of more emotions. Her eyes shook even more as she looked at Noah and felt an inexplicable sense of pain. This was the only being she had opened up to after tens of years, the only one she truly felt happy and safe around as they trained and rose in power together! Yet this being was looking at her with such coldness that it made the pain she felt on top of everything else even worse! "That''s it? Just blankly stare after knowing and even possibly realizing that you are the one spreading chaos in all of this?" "This Last War that you are now leading, why should the beings of the Dark Expanse not defend themselves as you all attacked them 1000 years ago and then you repeat the same thing now?" "The innocents of the world you destroyed, the innocents you are killing now, the chaos and discord you''re sowing now- what can you do to atone for it all?!" RUMBLE! Question after question seemed to strike towards her as she looked towards Noah with an unfocused gaze. "I¡­I can''t¡­" She had no words to say as her gaze traveled back and forth from Noah and onto the illusory screen he showed that continued to replay scenes of Grandmaster Luo''s life over and over again. Her mind was reeling as the basis of reasoning she had built her strength on was crumbling, the effect of it on her mental state exacerbated even more with the inclusion of Noah! ''Was I really¡­'' Doubt and pain clouded her as she recalled the images on her parents and the apathetic Luo that caused it all, the images of Vredral and his cold gaze as he bargained for a position as her Master while using his status...numerous images passed through her mind as Noah''s voice rang out once more. "Whether you want to or not, you will atone for all that you have done." "You said you will point your sword against all those spreading chaos, that your purpose is to maintain order and balance. Now, you will fulfill that in a much truer sense!" Athena raised her head towards Noah as she looked at this being that looked familiar yet seemed so distant. He looked so warm yet felt so cold! Her voice was hoarse as it left her mouth. "...impossible. Nothing can be done¡­" Her gaze was that of someone that had lost all hope in what she believed in, of someone that had no reason to do anything anymore! "Nothing is impossible, my dear Senior Sister." Noah''s voice was cold as he placed his hand on her chin and raised her head, moving the dark hair from her face as he stared her dead in the eyes and spoke out as his eyes shone with l.u.s.ter! "After all, you have me by your side, remember?" ¡­! Chapter 559 - Painful Coldness! For a particular War Princess, it was an extremely rough day as under the influence of Noah, she experienced a slew of the hidden truth that she may have even already known, but it was now made more apparent with the life history of the Grandmaster that was very much involved in her being where she was now! More than an hour had passed since Noah had begun playing the life history of Grandmaster Luo on the illusory screen, and Athena stood up at this moment with a blank gaze that just seemed tired. "...what do you want?" Her eyes seemed to have no emotions as she stared at Noah, only shaking thereafter as an overwhelming power descended around her. "It is never about what I want, Senior Sister. It has always been about your goals. Your purpose is to establish order and balance, pointing your sword against all enemies that sow chaos. You will simply do that." Athena felt the overpowering essence of a Star Forging Realm individual squeezing her defenses as she deprecatingly let out a hollow laugh, realizing her Junior Brother had always been ahead of her as always! Her tired eyes looked out to the numerous warsh.i.p.s surrounding the Realm Dreadnaught as she spoke. "You''re planning on using my new status to destroy this huge force?" The War Princess was still actively thinking as always, seeing Noah''s overall plan as she felt his power and irresistible red light that seemed to always be erupting from his eyes. "Naturally, your atonement will begin there. Whatever judgment falls upon you thereafter...well, that will be your fate." Noah was saying this as his hands reached out towards Athena''s head, the red light in his eyes beginning to shine ever brighter as Athena felt her mind and thought becoming cloudy, her mouth moving slowly before Noah could do whatever he intended! "You do not need to put me in any mental state¡­" Noah paused at her words as the War Princess rose up while dusting the thin robe she wore. "My new state will most likely be found out by the other Star Forgers if you do, and I most likely will not be able to carry out my role as a commander as I normally would." Her emotionless eyes looked towards him as a tinge of her valiancy returned, her words continuing. "I...I also wish to look upon Vredral and ask him...If we really are the ones sowing chaos, I will stay true to my heart and seek judgment for us all." She looked towards him as light was gradually returning to her eyes, her gaze locking towards him with only a slight tremble! Noah''s hands coldly moved as he initiated one of the newly gained abilities from the upgraded Terror of Aether skill tree, it was [Masterful Aether Control]! A crackling ring of destructive Aether erupted between them, a golden light of fate going on to cover it as it turned into a thin golden line. This line went on to pierce into Athena''s chest as she felt a tinge of pain, Noah''s voice ringing out thereafter.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51879901116035382 for visiting. "That is a destructive strike of Aether veiled by the light of fate. It is currently going on to wrap around your heart, veiled from being seen by anyone other than you and me. And for even more assurance¡­" Noah placed a destructive ring of Aether around Athena''s heart as he also went towards her, glistening fangs erupting from his mouth as he turned her face to the side and exposed her slender neck! Athena''s eyes followed his as she didn''t even portray the surprise in her eyes, her gaze only watching emotionlessly as Noah''s bit into her and she felt the intrusion of a strong authority of blood that was changing her very Origin into something else! "Ahh..." She could have normally resisted or even put up a fight, but her mixture of mental state did no such thing as she let everything happen, her body feeling pain and pleasure she had not felt before. Noah released his fangs as he watched the body of Athena convulsing, her blood gaining the quality of a normal Vampyre as he did not even grant her a bloodline of a Pure or Royal Vampyre, but one of the lowest ranks! RUMBLE! Fate Lines and Chaos Particles floated around them crazily as many shot into Noah''s body, but the essence of Fate and Chaos also descended onto Athena''s body as she gained the right to be called Noah''s subordinate, gaining the boosts of his two Guider Type Abilities! Athena felt the change in her blood as well as the descent of a powerful essence of fate and chaos, her gaze towards Noah constantly changing as she now felt a sense of domination that she could not even say no to. Noah then waved his hands towards her as her bloodline, any of the chaos and fate essence...everything that he wanted to be hidden and remain beneath was covered through the use of [Unique Origin] while also using > to cloud the fate of this being in front of him. With this, he finally came to a stop as he stared at the War Princess who had straightened up and looked towards him emotionlessly. "Are we done?" She brought forth a question that seemed to contain many meanings, her eyes hiding the biggest emotion of pain she felt currently as she gazed towards Noah. She felt pain every time she stared at the cold gaze he showed towards her, at none of the warmth or teasing she was used to before! Her question seemed to be filled with double meanings as she asked whether they were done! Noah''s luminous eyes locked toward her unshaking gaze as he only replied passively. "I will send you telepathic messages on how to move from now on. Just be ready." His words were devoid of emotion as he looked at her while she nodded and replied. "If you could please leave, I would like to prepare." She said these words as she looked around at the areas where they were just spending time on. On the dining table they ate on, on the bed they slept on, on the blank space where he showed an illusory screen not too long ago. She looked at all of this as she then observed the back of a man that seemed like a towering mountain to be leaving the room. The moment Noah left the room and closed the door behind him, the War Princess within slumped to the ground as tears freely spilled from her shaking eyes! Her body trembled as the entire belief system she had was brought down on this day, and the only person who could have even been there to comfort her was not there anymore! Her eyes shook as she realized that apart from everything else...she had no one to even hold her at a time like this. No one! On the other side of the door, Noah''s eyes were cold as he moved away. He felt like he had won, and yet... Chapter 560 - Nearly There! The concept of laws was very hard and mysterious to understand, but some beings were extremely talented and used many ways to comprehend these laws and use them to their advantage. If one found a loophole or a certain System to help them, even crossing the threshold that many could not even near on laws such as those placed on the level of Supreme was not that hard. For Aldrich, he had found one such loophole- but even with the use of it, it had still taken him hundreds of years just to near completion in this single law! The current remaining Founder of the Celestials was still meditating in front of a certain gold barrier in the Celestial Realm as line after line of fate descended down onto him, the ongoing war in the Dark Expanse continuing to provide him with Fate Lines. The War was not just occurring in strongholds like the Verittas Fortress, but also in thousands of other locations as the lives of hundreds of billions were constantly being affected. Some of these locations didn''t have flashy Commanders carrying out magnificent battles like the few that were mentioned before, but their battles also held great significance as each of them came together to make for a singular result that was taking place right now. The result of all of these small battles across the Dark Expanse came together to provide Aldrich more and more Fate Lines, his eyes opening brightly as he reached 9,917,134 Fate Lines at this moment! 99% comprehension of the Supreme Law of Fate! All he required was less than 100,000 Fate Lines, less than a single percentage and his goals would be achieved. His eyes shook with a strong light as he felt as if all his goals were right in front of him, as if he could actually reach out and grasp them with just a wave of his hands! He looked at the golden barrier of light that stood between him and something wondrous as he knew the moment he achieved the full comprehension of the Law of Fate, this barrier would not be a problem for him! This was because he could feel the barrier was created by the essence of fate, but it was so pure that nobody in the Novus Galaxy could have achieved its level of purity. Not unless they had mastered this Supreme Law. "When I first began my journey, I thought I was a chosen child you know?" He spoke out with a reminiscent smile while staring at the golden barrier of light, Fate Lines continuing to descend around him every now and then. "Stronger than all of my peers, venturing into the vastness of space and even coming across this bountiful Central Realm. It felt like I was on a golden path of greatness that only climbed higher...a path meant for things I could not even imagine." Yes! He felt like a hero writing his own story, his adventures only seeming to propel him higher and higher as time passed! "Yet you tore all that down in a matter of minutes. Erased years worth of work in but an instant as you sent just a single one of your lackeys you call Terrors. Do you know how mad you can drive someone by dangling something so great in front of them only to take it away thereafter? Without so much as a word?!" His voice was gradually rising higher and higher, one being able to see the light of madness slowly shining out of the depth of genius of a being that was actually pitting himself against his own home! "It''s enough to make any being take drastic measures." The light in his eyes shimmered down as he moved his hands forward and twirled the golden essence of fate around him. "The recent events have made me wonder though- have you found another toy to play with? Another being you''re planning on elevating to a high stature?" His eyes shone with the light and knowledge that felt terrifying for a single being to have, speaking about things he should have no conclusive ideas about, but he knew he was thinking in the right direction! "I wonder...if you will tear them down from that high place you''re elevating them just like you did to me¡­" His thoughtful expression remained on his face as he rose up, nobody being able to answer his question as the golden light of fate wrapped around him. He glanced at the golden barrier one last time before he began moving away. "Well, it doesn''t really matter. I''m nearly there. All of this, even you...none of it will matter." He said these words in a foreboding tone as he seemed to have a grander plan at hand than just the Last War and achieving complete comprehension of a Supreme Law. As for what exactly he had planned? Only he knew at this moment! --- In the Infinite Realm, Noah''s second clone was transforming the medicinal plants filled with the essence of Chaos and Fate that he just harvested from [Automatic Planting and Harvesting] into pills while using the [Alchemy Hall] feature, the upgrades this time allowing the process of pill formation to be even faster than when he used his {Forge of Silver Flame} skill. His gaze was playing out the events with Athena as he popped these pills filled with the essence of fate and chaos, the number of Chaos Particles and Fate Lines continuing to increase within him on top of the vibrant show of colors playing out around him as he was also performing dual cultivation for both fate and chaos, and fire and water. His rapid progression of laws became even faster as his mind was thinking of the coming battle that would be unlike anything else, the involvement of multiple Star Forging Experts as well as the play he would have to enact with Athena. All of these things swirled around his mind as he continued to move with three bodies, hundreds of Chaos Particles and Fate Lines continuing to rush towards him ceaselessly. While others would take numerous weeks or months to achieve just 100,000 Fate Lines, he was doing it in a matter of days or sometimes just hours! This created a situation where two beings in the Novus Galaxy were all racing towards the complete comprehension of a Supreme Law, but their speeds were so vastly different that they could not even be compared!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51879912658760223 for visiting. Chapter 561 - Set Off At the location where large amounts of Celestials were cl.u.s.tered together as they came to form an enormous Legion, the one who would be leading at the forefront was standing in the command room of the Realm Dreadnaught while staring out to the numerous Warsh.i.p.s floating in the void of space. The command room was placed at the very front of the continental sized vessel, being extremely wide and vast as it gave an expansive view of everything occurring outside while hiding everything inside from the eyes of those prying. Athena, the War Princess that would lead this enormous legion filled with Star Forging Commanders was overlooking the expanse of space as numerous thoughts crossed through her mind, many that she did not have the answers to! "I never imagined your Noble Fate would be this grand. It makes your Master feel proud even now." Beside her, the voice of Grandmaster Vredral rang out as he stroked his white beard with a prideful expression, his position continuing to be elevated as his disciples rose ever so higher. Athena looked at this being she knew as her Master, her eyes hiding the dangerous light that came whenever she thought about Grandmaster Luo and this Grandmaster Vredral. Her master knew exactly what Grandmaster Luo had done, and even he used to do it himself in the past! These powerful beings pulled the strings as they affected billions of beings in the light expanse, spreading the same chaos that she herself promised to stand against! But...did any of it matter? Athena''s thoughts were despondent as even while knowing all of this, even if she aimed her sword at the beings that a particular person pointed her to at this moment...she felt like it would all be for naught. This was because she knew the power of the organization extremely well, and she knew the impossibility of standing against them! Thus she was very perplexed at Crixus who had managed to bind her through blood and threats, currently telling her how to act and what to do as he actually went against Celestials! "Athena?" Grandmaster Vredral turned towards her as she didn''t reply, her thoughts coming back as she released a fake smile while talking. "Sorry, Master. I was basking in the glory of it all myself. We should be setting off soon, yes?" "Haha yes, yes. Crixus, you need to show even more exemplary abilities in the coming battle to not be left behind by your Senior Sister!" Vredral continued stroking his beard wisely as he turned to a calm Crixus on the side, Athena''s eyes also turning towards him as they trembled with an unknown light. Noah smiled while looking at Vredral and Athena, his voice ringing out clearly. "It will be a battle to remember." His words were released as they held different meanings to the people that heard them! Athena heard these words as she sensed something foreboding while imagining exactly what this being that used to be her Junior Brother was planning, while Grandmaster Vredral only nodded while looking forward to battle where his disciples were at the forefront! But he was not privy to the telepathic conversations that Noah was currently having with Athena as he garnered all the information available to the being who would be directing powerful experts around the battlefield because of her unique skill, {Precognition}. He now knew of the presence of 8 Star Forging Individuals, his heart shaking as he found out this number because it truly represented something grand! If he could actually play this coming battle well, it meant he could possibly bring under his heel 8 Star Forgers! Think of the Fate Lines! Think of the Loot or the Skill Points! His heart was shaking because they provided him with such an abundant feast that he did not even know how to best make use of it. He had the War Princess who would actually be commanding this enormous force led by 8 Star Forgers, so he had a lot of leeway to strategize and possibly set a trap that would allow him to sweep all of these powerful Star Forgers away. RUMBLE! The space around him began shaking as he was taken out of his thoughts, the enormous Realm Dreadnaught beginning to move as a drove of Prime Warsh.i.p.s accompanied it along. In the wide command room, there was also the presence of 2 Star Forging Celestial Commanders that were the ones providing the energy to run the Realm Dreadnaught smoothly, the one at the forefront speaking out as the Legion began to move. "Commander Athena, you can have your {Precognition} skill active as we near our target. We are to treat the 9th Infernal Lord as an extremely dangerous figure who can dispose of Star Forgers that have yet to achieve half comprehension of a law with ease. Thus, me and Commander Lylle who have obtained an Authority of a universal law will face him in close combat, with you sending us the information of what your ability tells you in real time." The voice of the green-haired Commander Verdant rang out strongly, causing Athena to nod her head that was filled with too many thoughts. Her {Precognition} skill would be ready as the battle began, but she wondered how all of it would go down as these Celestial Commanders who were waiting for her directions would actually be receiving directions that someone else commanded her. Her heart was tumultuous as it wanted to return to one that was valiant and ready to eradicate any beings causing Chaos, but she knew her power would not be able to allow her to achieve anything she wanted. Even though she was angry and wanted to confront and bring to account Grandmaster Vredral for his role in her life, she knew the moment she acted the Star Forging Celestials would use their powerful energies to stop her. Even if she had to atone for all the lives she had taken with her own hands under the orders of others, she could not as the only person special to her was holding on to her life! The Celestials she had considered to be her family but were actually beings spreading chaos were standing on one side, and the being that had bound her by blood and had destructive energies swirling around her heart was standing on the other side. Even though she had told Crixus that she would stay true to her heart and point her sword to those causing chaos, she doubted if she was strong enough to do so! The War Princess did not know how all of this would be resolved as this chosen Commander led an enormous Legion filled with hundreds of thousands of Celestials and packed with 8 Star Forgers towards the Verittas Fortress. She led them towards the location where she knew Crixus would ultimately command her to betray them. She led them to the location that she knew would most likely be her death as Crixus made her atone for all she had done. The thoughts of the War Princess were sad and melancholic as her awareness secretly focused on a single being in the expansive command room while her gaze continued facing forward, her mouth already beginning to release Commands as many vessels thundered forth at full speed towards the Verittas Fortress! Chapter 562 - No Need! Noah''s main body continued to act as the 9th Infernal Lord at the Verittas Fortress, his gaze peaceful as he awaited the arrival of a huge force of Celestials. His second clone that remained in the Infinite Realm was currently utilizing the feature of [Library] as he doc.u.mented his abilities as well as the first stage of his skill trees in order for his subordinates to copy and learn them, contributing to boosting their strength by a wide margin as he wasn''t the only one increasing in strength. The feature of [Library] was a unique one, an ancient styled building that had the ornament of an opened book being erected near the center of the Infinite Realm that anyone can access. Inside of this actual Library, there were different levels that all held varying skills from Noah, each of them in their own books that his subordinates could go in to touch and learn if they had the required level of strength. This Library could also be accessed through his [Pocket Realm] with the portals he laid out there, so even those that were already around him at the Verittas Fortress could quickly access it and learn new skills! As for Noah himself, he was currently glancing at the progress he had made just in the past few days as he fully utilized the law spaces, dual cultivation sessions, Authorities, as well as the highly potent planted herbs containing dense fate and chaos essence as he glanced at his Stat panel. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Fate Line(s) : 5,438,365] [Chaos Particle(s) : 2,021,264] [Origin Core(s) : Fire-5, Water-5] [Domain(s) : Fate,Chaos, Space, Fire, Water] [Vitality: STAR FORGER] [Focus: - ] [Strength: STAR FORGER] [Law(s) : Fate-55%,Chaos-20%,Space-8%, Fire-57%, Water-57%] [Authority(s) : Fate Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord] His Chaos Particles were actually rising at a more rapid rate than even his Fate Lines at this moment, the use of {{Fate Lord''s Authority}} to amass more chaos particles being extremely potent. Compared to Fate Lines, the Chaos Particles actually had triple the rate of progress in the past few days by amassing close to 600,00. This was a terrifying number to imagine, but Noah made it possible! Even though they were rising this rapidly though, he knew his progression in the law of fate would blow every other law progression out of the water with the cause being the coming battle. Truly too many beings were delivering themselves to him, and he had [Fate Stealer] when it came to the law of fate! His eyes continued scanning the starry space surrounding the Verittas Fortress as he watched the deployment of numerous Infernal Legions under the 6th Infernal Lord, as well as a multitude of Mages and Wizards accompanied by parties of devilishly handsome Vampyres.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51901374627105363 for visiting. The many Commanders were moving about rapidly as they strengthened their ranks and prepared, a heavy atmosphere spreading out as they had to once again defend this important location! Noah was currently conversing with Old Man Inuit as he monitored the situation around the Verittas Fortress. He was sending telepathic messages as he provided the old strategist with information that would be used to deploy the forces of the Dark Expanse to expertly match the Celestial Legions. At the same time, he sent a message about how the coming Celestial Legion where even his other clone that was known as Crixus was coming along had a force of 8 Star Forging Celestial Commanders. On the other side of space, Old Man Inuit heard this as he rose from his seat abruptly. "What?! 8 Star Forgers? I''ll send reinf-" Noah laughed lightly as he quickly sent back a reply while sensing the worry in the old man''s voice. Even though Old Man Inuit knew of Noah''s ability and trusted in it, it was still terrifying to imagine a force of a Realm Dreadnought and 8 Star Forging Realm experts coming for you! "No need." "..." Old Man Inuit stood with a blank face as he heard these words, his aged ears distinguishing them from words that many would think were of arrogance to those of plain confidence! From Noah''s words, Old Man Inuit actually felt a level of confidence that showed Noah did not have even a semblance of worry! Inuit did not know what show of power to expect, but never in his wildest dream could he imagine that Noah had very little worries because he was effectively controlling the enemy commander of the coming Legion. Even though the commander was weak at the World Rank, the Star Forging Realm experts that listened to her words were the targets that he set his eyes on! He was planning on making sure that he would be able to personally take down most if not all of these Star Forging Commanders, as he speculated he would be able to pull a significant number of Fate Lines just from them in this one battle. The number of Fate Lines he could possibly get made this battle extremely significant as it could potentially hand him three or four million Fate Lines, double what he got in the prior two battles! For this reward that could potentially push him to 80% or even possibly nearly complete the comprehension of the law of fate, it was too important! Even the discarding of his identity with Athena''s coming betrayal was nothing if he could really get his hands on a few million fate lines. He looked towards making this dream into a reality as he thought of amassing a shocking number of Fate Lines in one day that would take others hundreds of years! It was truly too ridiculous. Too balance breaking! Too unfair to any others properly studying the universal laws! Yet it was something that Noah thought about simply turning into a reality. "Oh, and during the fight at the Verittas Fortress, they will be using the other Realm Dreadnaughts to advance forward at the Blackscale Stronghold, the Icy Supercl.u.s.ter¡­" He continued his conversation with Inuit as he planned, numerous hidden information that he now had access to within the Realm Dreadnaught he was moving in were also shared with the Old Man for him to spread to Vladivostok and the forces of the Dark Expanse, the defenses being set up against the Celestials expected to hold off all of these forces moving behind the scenes. The state of war was constant and ever-moving, where they were currently at the stage where Celestials were still taking the lead. With their plot during the failed assassination of the 9th Infernal Lord, they had advanced far into the Dark Expanse as they now needed a single stronghold to fall in order to consolidate these newly gained areas before they broke through into the inner depths of the Dark Expanse. This meant that for the Celestials to continue forward...the stronghold at the Verittas Fortress had to fall! This established truth had many beings on the edge as the Realm Dreadnought composed of multiple legions thundered forth through space, heading towards a single location where many eyes would be watching the coming battle once again¡­ Chapter 563 - Be Wary of the 9th Infernal Lord! The dreadful Realm Dreadnaught streaked across space as the void itself trembled, the movement of so many vessels causing a shift in the surroundings. Commander Athena stood at the forefront while being surrounded by two Star Forgers who had achieved more than 50% comprehension in Universal Laws, another 6 Star Forgers spread out across their own vessels. The presence of Crixus and Vredral were the most prominent ones around her, Athena actually finding herself growing calmer as the time that she thought would be her death neared. After all, how could she escape the grasps of 8 Star Forgers after she betrayed them? How could she escape the hands of the being that had fooled every single Celestial and had already bound her by blood? The only ending she saw for herself was death, and this thought actually made her return to her calm and valiant mental state! If she was to die, she would at least look upon the face of Vredral and see his expression as everything crumbled around him. She would at least look upon Crixus with confidence as she atoned for all that she did. At the end of it all, she wanted to know...who was he, really? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51914804704629082 for visiting. The thoughts swimming around her mind were many as she prepared to not be hypocritical and actually point her sword to those causing chaos, her mind looking at the advancement of Celestials into the Dark Expanse differently as she questioned the meaning of everything they did. Regardless of the circ.u.mstances, she was a being with the goal of bringing order and balance, and she would destroy any of those causing chaos! With this thought, her eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as she recorded the valiant light that had been pushed down, her body beginning to emanate a unique aura in the command room of the Realm Dreadnaught as her eyes glanced towards their goal! RUMBLE! They broke through layers of space as their eyes honed in on a particularly fortified stronghold far in the distance, the numerous vessels of the huge Legion making their grand appearance as they came to a halt while nearing the Verittas Fortress. Numerous communications began to be sent through as the two sides looked towards each other, Athena''s gaze glancing towards the forces of the Verittas Fortress as she tried to see exactly what plan Crixus had. To be so confident as to place someone like her under his command while moving with the force of Celestials he stood against, what trick did he have up his sleeve? Her eyes scanned the forces at the Verittas Fortress as she found nothing unique, counting the auras of only four Star Forging Realm experts with the collection of hundreds of thousands of Vampyres, Mages, Wizards, and Infernals. She looked towards the forces of Vampyres as this was where she expected Crixus''s allies to be, recalling how he had displayed glistening fangs when binding her by blood. Even though the force of Vampyres looked fearsome, she still did not see something that would be able to withstand a force of 8 Star Forgers! Her discerning gaze then landed on the body of the being at the forefront of the defense at the Verittas Fortress. He had a shimmering red crown coming from his head that signified his title as an Infernal Lord, a regal battle robe wrapping around him as hundreds of thousands of Infernals stood behind. The reinforcements of the 6th Infernal Lord were present as the numbers of defending Infernals exploded, their force at the very forefront as the 9th Infernal Lord was leading one side, and the 6th Infernal Lord was leading the other! Athena''s eyes scanned all of this as she still believed the side of the Verittas Fortress was outgunned and outmanned, wondering exactly where Crixus''s plan lied. Her eyes focused on the being floating calmly at the very forefront as she wondered- were all the hopes of this battle being placed on this powerful and mysterious 9th Infernal Lord? "The one we have to be wary of the most is that arrogant-looking creature at the very forefront." The voice of Commander Verdant rang out in the Command Room as his body already shone with the l.u.s.ter of stars. "The enemy has access to two Authorities, so I will head out first and deploy my Authority, with Commander Lylle coming after and deploying his Authority." His voice was filled with confidence as he said this, because he knew his enemy had the Authorities of two normal Universal Laws, while the two of them had the Authority of a Fate Lord! "As we pin him and his two Authorities down, three other Star Forging Commanders will enter the domains of the Authorities as we besiege this 9th Infernal Lord until his death. The remaining Star Forging Commanders will match the 6th Infernal Lord and other commanders of the Verittas Fortress." A clear plan was relayed in the minds of Athena and the 7 Star Forging Realm Celestial experts from Commander Verdant, and it was a plan to overwhelm the 9th Infernal Lord with 5 beings at the same level as him! "We will depend on you {Precognition} ability to evade any unexpected moves from this creature, as we hope to not have even a single one of our brothers fall in this battle." Commander Verdant''s eyes bore into Athena as he said, the War Princess nodding as the forces of their enormous Legion came face to face with the defenders of the Verittas Fortress! Athena''s eyes shone with a melancholic light as she sent a telepathic message to Crixus. "What commands do you have for me?" As the battle was about to begin, the commander of the enemy forces sought another being''s command as a battle of immense proportion was about to begin. Athena could feel the calm smile on Crixus without even turning around, the telepathic reply of this being ringing out thereafter. "Continue with the flow that Commander Verdant mentioned for now. I''ll let you know when the time comes for you to move." The words in her mind reeked of such confidence that the War Princess wondered exactly what plan was afoot in the mind of this mysterious being! OOOOH! The horns of War were blown as the tensions between the two sides reached the peak! Chapter 564 - Descent of Multiple Lords On the Celestial''s side, the vigorous shouts for order could be heard clearly. "OOOOH!" "For order!" "For balance!" RUMBLE! Athena heard these battle yells as she wondered if those yelling out knew exactly what order and chaos was. On the side of the defending forces of the Verittas Fortress, the battle cries of the Infernals were the main thing building up a unique battle state. OOOM! "Ready to serve!" "Ready to destroy!" WAA! WAA! Droning sounds rang out as the Infernals smashed their weapons onto the empty void of space, every clash generating a unique force that created a unique sound that affected the hearts of many. In the Command Room, Commander Verdant gazed at all of this as he shook his head in disgust. "Such wicked creatures!" His gaze filled with a golden light bubbled with power as he got ready to move. "Fight with all of your power, and fight with great confidence! Because we are on the side of balance and order, we are the ones that will bring these savages to the right path!" OOOOH! "What do we fight for?!" "Order!" "What do we do to those that stand against us?!" "Destroy!" RUMBLE! The rousing words of Commander Verdant rang out across the legions of Celestials as a level of fanaticism was brought out. Athena glanced at all of this as her heart trembled, her mind no longer being in the same state as such a scene actually cemented her new belief of her and all the other Celestials being on the wrong side of order! "CHARGE!" BOOM! Like a bomb that had been set off, the words of Commander Verdant caused the explosion of forces to rush forward, space itself shaking at the level of destruction about to ensue. Commander Verdant''s own figure disappeared as he and Commander Lylle went towards their target- the 9th Infernal Lord! Their figures blazed with their own abilities as on Commander Verdant, aside from the vibrant light of fate, the green light of earth was abundantly flowing as it made him seem like a moving mountain. Commander Lylle was even faster as his sole focus in the law of fate made him all the more proficient, his figure shaped like a golden strike of lightning as it thundered forward! Commander Verdant and Lylle set off first as they were to match this being with their Authorities before the other Star Forgers joined them to take his life in a swift manner. RUMBLE! Space shaking might exploded out as the two sides rushed towards each other, the display of skills rushing forth as the 6th Infernal Lord already found an opposing Star Forging Celestial Commander to match with. The Vampyre Lord leading hundreds of thousands of Vampyres also matched with another Celestial Star Forger, while the Commanding Mage that had replaced Turner also matched with one himself! 3 Celestial Star Forgers were occupied by the enemy Commanders, and 2 were stressing towards the 9th Infernal Lord. Three Star Forgers remained in the dark as they waited for the perfect moment to swoop in and take the life of a single being! "Light Legion, pull back to the previous coordinates¡­" "Commander Three-Eyed, the Penguin Commander is about to swarm you with four others like him, pull back!" Numerous commands were ringing out from Athena as she read the battlefield like the palm of her hands and moved the forces of Celestials as needed. Her last command meant for the Three-Eyed Fate Child who was actually facing a particularly arrogant Emperor Penguin prevented many casualties, this penguin actually teleporting fearsome beasts at the same level as him to nearly surround the Legion that Three-Eyed led. As she gave out these commands, she also displayed the terror of the Realm Dreadnaught as numerous World Cannons activated, terrifying red pillars of light shooting out as the defenders of the Verittas Fortress formed a huge defensive shield to stop the advance of these horrendous lasers! The Realm Dreadnaughts were extremely useful not just because of their sheer size, but because of the destructive weapons they carried! The most used ones were the World Cannons which released horrendous destructive rays of light that could even destroy a world, but the rays of Realm Dreadnaughts were even more unique as they had faster activation and could actively seek out their targets. Athena was the one put in charge of commanding the World Cannons of the Realm Dreadnaught, her task being to use her {Precognition} ability to foresee any unexpected situations as she reinforced their forces! When it came to the lasers of the Realm Dreadnaught, only those at the World Rank could manage to even withstand one, and even they would lose their lives if they were not reinforced by others. As Athena''s eyes fully got into the groove of the battle while listening to everything {Precognition} was telling her, she waited for the command that would cause for her betrayal patiently, her heart solidifying more and more as the battle fully began. She was the War Princess. In any battle or war, she would be among the very few that could perform at the optimum level. A valiant light was slowly returning to her eyes as the will she had lost ever since Crixus bound her slowly returned! It mattered not what side she would fight, she would continue fighting for her beliefs as she pointed her sword at those sowing chaos! "Commander Verdant, the 9th Infernal Lord...will continue to remain still with no unexpected moves. Now would be the time!" She relayed another message as the figures of Verdant and Lylle arrived in the proximity of a particular smiling 9th Infernal Lord, his body simply floating at the forefront as all Celestial Legions avoided him like a plague, only the two Star Forging Celestial Commanders that had achieved more than 50% in the Law of Fate appearing around him. {{Fate Lord''s Authority}}! The words left Commander Verdant''s mouth as he moved with vigor to spread out a powerful Authority to encompass this unique Infernal Lord, Commander Lylle waiting to see what would happen as he held his own Authority back! {{Flame Lord''s Authority}}. A simple reply was uttered from the mouth of the 9th Infernal Lord as the might of another Authority entered the battlefield, his gaze remaining calm as he turned to look towards Commander Lylle in a taunting manner as if to ask, aren''t you gonna cast your Authority as well? It was a domineering gaze that did not seem to give even an ounce of care while being surrounded by an Authority of a Supreme Law, his gaze actually taunting another Star Forger to release his Authority! As the battle at the Verittas Fortress began with a bang, many focused their eyes on the scene of this domineering 9th Infernal Lord as they wondered what surprises they would come across today! Chapter 565 - You think too highly of yourself! "Hmph!" Commander Lylle looked at the show of arrogance from the 9th Infernal Lord with disdain as his figure streaked behind him, a brilliant golden light releasing from him as he released his {Fate Lord''s Authority} in another region so there would not be any overlap with the one Commander Verdant deployed. Noah felt the heavy strain of two Authorities of a Supreme Law descending down on him as it felt like his body and defenses could begin crumbling at any moment, but his gaze was still calm as he released another authority! {{Water Lord''s Authority}}.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51951723975077993 for visiting. WAA! It was a gorgeous show of colors as in front, he countered a resplendent circle of a Fate Lord''s Authority with Fire Lord''s Authority, showing a mixture of gold and red that drew in the eyes of all those watching. Then behind him, he countered another released golden light of authority as he replied with a brilliant blue one, the aurora of colors being extremely beautiful to observe in the expansive space. Even the many fighting subordinates from both sides could not help but spread out their awareness or turn their eyes to watch this rarely seen spectacle of multiple beings using the fearsome power of Authorities, their hearts being able to feel the oppressive strength even though they were miles away from it! The Emperor Penguin looked at this scene as he steeled his heart even further, his beady eyes locking towards the Three-Eyed Fate Child that Noah had fought in the Battle of Geniuses. This being was extremely slippery as he seemed to know all the moved before they were made, and the Emperor Penguin could barely evade the attacks of this Special Existence with his own spatial abilities. RAA! RAA! RAA! He screamed out valiantly as he chose to finally use the abilities he had obtained recently. [Destabilize]! [Spatial Cage]! The space surrounding him and the Three-Eyed Fate Child became disordered as an enormous cage descended down, heavily restricting the spatial movements of his enemies. If one has a good memory, they would recall that the abilities that the Emperor Penguin used were those found in the first stage of the [The Terror of Aether- Cthulhu(Young)] skill tree! The abilities were under the skills of the first stage that was termed [Amorphous Space Beast], and it was this exact skill tree that Noah had inscribed in the [Library] feature of the Infinite Realm that allowed him to record all his normal skills and the first stage of skill trees for his subordinates to learn. The only thing he could not grant were Absolute, Unique, and Ultimate Skills. But even his normal skills and skill trees were ridiculous enough as the Emperor Penguin was not the only one! [Dawn of the Blood Lord], [Nightmarish Descent]. [Summon Poison Totem], [Dereliction of the Saintly Poison Lord]. RUMBLE! The Kraken appeared as he used the first stage abilities of the [Blood Lord] skill tree, while Barbatos appeared to be using the abilities of the first stage of the [Lich of Abomination] that was the predecessor of [Abyssal Lich]. Through the battlefield, Noah''s subordinates all displayed a spectacular set of skills from his skill trees as they showed an overpowering presence in the battlefield, where even the beings that were considered at the same stage as Noah such as the Three-Eyed Fate Child and Grandmaster Light just a few weeks ago were now being matched by his Subordinates! RAA! The battle cry of a fearsome beat rang out as an Emperor Penguin could be seen moving with majesty, his body covered in an armament filled with Chaos Essence as the flippers of this penguin rose to above and then struck down. As they swung down, they came with the force of a destructive star as the [Shattered Star] ability from the Amorphous Space Beast skill tree was used, this strike causing the Three-Eyed Fate Child who could not move freely in the Destabilized Space to turn serious as his body shone with splendor! BOOM! World shaking might erupted out as a glorious scene of a penguin with brilliant flippers were imprinted in the eyes of many, its beak rising high across the starry space as its beady eyes actually looked down on this being termed a Special Existence. ''You think yourself at the same stage as Master? Hmph!'' This unique penguin along with the other uniquely armored beasts were relentless as they showed powerful skills while facing their enemies. As millions of beings embroiled and fought together in space above the Verittas Fortress, a few distinct figures shone more strongly than most. The one shining the brightest was of course the side of the 9th Infernal Lord, with the next ones being armored beasts that were his subordinates, but many could not keep their eyes off another brilliantly shining figure. It was the being known as the Destroyer, the one that brought dread to the minds of many defenders of the Dark Expanse after they watched his overpowering show of strength at the Witches Layer- it was Crixus! A golden light of mercy seemed to be erupting from the face of this golden-robed being as he appeared a few miles away from the figures of the 9th Infernal Lord and the two Star Forging Commanders besieging him. The face of Crixus seemed to be full of sympathy as he waved his hands forth and uttered the lines that brought chills into the hearts of many. "I am here to save you." RUMBLE! With a wave of his hands, [Blades of Liberation] that were tens of meters long thundered down gloriously, rushing towards enemy commanders, Mages, and even Vampyres as any caught within them were ''evaporated'' in a matter of seconds. Of course in reality, they were all sent into Noah''s Infinite Realm as he moved them from a hellish battlefield and into a paradisiacal landscape, but the terror a few others felt was real as he raised his hand and caused the appearance of a glowing golden star. [Golden Decree]. The dreadful light this Crixus released was another focal point of the ongoing battle as even Athena who was overseeing the battle in the Realm Dreadnaught wondered what exactly this Crixus aimed to do. In this chaotic battlefield occurring across miles of the starry expanse of space, too many figures were moving with their own show of power and strength, but the show revolved around a specific few! The light of Authorities continued to shine as strongly as ever as bountiful attacks were released from the two Star Forging Celestial Commanders facing the 9th Infernal Lord. "Wicked creature, die for me!" RUMBLE! Chapter 566 - A F***ing Star! "Wicked creature!" Commander Verdant''s voice rumbled out as numerous sharp [Blades of Liberation] flew out from him as freely as they could, their number easily towering over a few hundreds. On top of this, the sharp blades seemed to be layered with a tinge of green light as they were reinforced by the law of earth as they barreled towards the Infernal Lord who actually released two Authorities. He was using the authorities of laws that were lesser than Fate to withstand the Authority of two Fate Lords, his body obviously feeling the strain as the power of the Supreme Law dominated! Even though the Authorities of Fire and Water offset some of the oppressive air, many could see that the Celestial Fate Lords actually had the upper hand as they seamlessly threw off the 9th Infernal Lord''s attacks while they continued to throw out even more that actually landed. Many beings adopted heavy expressions as they did not observe the dominance that they always saw the 9th Infernal Lord showing! When he released the terrifying black ray of light which could chain between enemies and cause the eruption of dreadful portals that released destructive lights, these rays of chaotic light would actually not reach the bodies of Commander Verdant and Lylle as they weren''t able to find any targets. The oppression of two Fate Lord''s Authorities was this much that even the wondrous abilities many beings observed from the 9th Infernal Lord actually seemed to be bearable against beings that had achieved similar law comprehensions, especially in a Supreme Law at that. RUMBLE! Commander Verdant observed the scene as he saw that while the Infernal Lord was receiving their attacks, their damage did not even seem to be acc.u.mulating because of his horrendous defense. But since he and Lylle were pinning the Infernal Lord down with their authorities, he sent messages out to the remaining three Star Forging Celestial Commanders to finally enter the fray so they could all work together to bring this aberrant Infernal Lord down. "Janus, Ogda, Xander! Now is the time!" His message reached the Star Forgers hiding in the dark as in the ongoing battle involving millions, those involved felt the vibrant appearance of three more Star Forging auras as they looked towards a certain direction in shock. At this moment, Athena''s eyes were also scanning the battlefield and continuing as she would with her job as a Celestial Commander, still not having received any large commands from Crixus all this time! When Commander Verdant called for the appearance of the other three Star Forgers to join hands in defeating the 9th Infernal Lord though, she finally received a command that made her tremble. WAA! Many being watched with shocked stupor as they saw three more Celestial Star Forgers go towards the ongoing battle between the Infernal Lord and 2 Celestial Fate Lords, their minds reeling from the fact that just for a single 9th Infernal Lord, the celestials had actually prepared 5 beings at the same rank as him just to take him down! Five! "Cowards!" "Wretched!" Those not in the loop watched this scene with disgust as many defenders of the Dark Expanse prepared to throw their lives away to lend help to the Infernal Lord that would soon be surrounded, but their enemy Celestials used this opportunity to further strengthen their defense as they knew the fact that once this powerful Infernal Lord was defeated, they would effectively win this battle! RUMBLE! The figures of the three Celestial Star Forgers were streaking towards the area of overlayed authorities when at this moment, all the commanders as well as Verdant and Lylle heard the voice of Athena ringing out in their minds, this time revealing shocking information. "Stop! It is a trap from the Infernal Lord to lure you all in! He has a third Authority!" WAA! The three rushing Celestial Star Forgers came to a screeching halt as their essence even exploded to push themselves further back, their hearts trembling as in the next instant, they heard shocking words be released from the Infernal Lord as he actually also had a surprised look with the instant retreat of three beings who should have fallen into his newly expanded authority. {{Fate Lord''s Authority}}. RUMBLE! Commander Verdant and Lylle watched on with sinking faces as they saw the spread of a golden light much similar to the one they released begin to rapidly spread out and cover the both of them, only the other three Commanders being out of its bounds because of the quick words Athena! Shockingly, this Infernal Lord was somehow also extremely proficient in fate, being so proficient in fact, that he was actually also a Fate Lord! "Defiling the law of fate!" The three Commanders not under the bounds of the Authority were happy with the timely words of Athena, because they saw the surprised expression on the Infernal Lord because of reactions they should not have been able to make, and they could now safely release long range attacks outside of the influence of the layered authorities to reinforce Commanders Verdant and Lylle. They called the use of the law of fate under an Infernal as defilment while they strategized how to reinforce Commanders Verdant and Lylle that were now matched with the three Authorities of this Infernal Lord when they received another message from Athena, and this time it was as frantic as the one before! "Commanders Janus, Ogda, and Xander, move to Commander Crixus''s position quickly!" After having just received the words of Athena with her {Precognition} ability that allowed them to escape the trap of the terrifying Infernal Lord with three Authorities, they acted instantly without question once more as they located the figure of Crixus a few tens of miles away, their bodies streaking towards him at the speed of light as they soon flashed to surround him protectively. Commander Verdant and Lylle who had begun casting many defensive skills as they prepared for the reinforcements of the other three Commanders were left alone for a moment as they wondered why they had suddenly pulled back to a position tens of miles away, the two of them not receiving Athena''s telepathic message this time around! The three Commanders that had swiftly followed Athena''s words vigilantly spread out their senses as they expected another shocking show of power from the Infernal Lord or a hidden enemy targeting the genius Crixus, but nothing occurred for a second as they sent a questioning message to Athena. Even though the situation seemed urgent, they did not hear anything back as the next voice they heard actually came from the Crixus they protectively circled to protect! "Well then, let us properly start this battle." RUMBLE! World shaking might erupted out at this moment as the three Celestial Commanders felt a foreboding feeling descending, a shocking set of words being released from the mouth of the one they knew as Commander Crixus, the Destroyer. [Aether Star Form].Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #***ing-star!_51951753234543248 for visiting. "..." "..." "..." BOOOOOOOM! Chapter 570 - Lets get crazy Noah''s enormous Aether Star Form felt an eruption of might the moment that the Star Forging Celestial Commanders fell. The most immediate effect was watching his Fate Lines beginning to shoot up by hundreds of thousands. The number continued to change on his stat panel until he saw an addition of more than a million fate lines from the deaths of just these three Celestials! The 12% effect that Fate Stealer had meant he was eating up hundreds of thousands of Fate Lines every time that a being that held millions of them died, these powerful Star Forgers that had trained for hundreds of years finding all of their efforts being taken by him. This wasn''t all as another section in the stat panel that had only been getting reduced the past months actually jumped, his Skill Points increasing by over 100 from the origins of these powerful Star Forging experts! His humongous red eyes could not help but shine with a brilliant light as he ascertained this reality, his aura becoming even more oppressive. "Haha!" RUMBLE! Boisterous laughter erupted from his grotesque Aether Star Form as it shook the surrounding miles, those hearing this laugh feeling a sense of foreboding as the aura of the three Celestial Commanders had disappeared! "Brothers!" Commanders Verdant and Lylle released pained and shocked cries as they felt the auras of their three being they knew for years disappear, but they could not even take the time to look at the monstrous form of a Terror that had taken the three of them as they were under constant attacks themselves. WAA! With a glorious demeanor, the 9th Infernal Lord was actually crowned in the golden light of fate. A Fate Lord''s Armament wrapping around him as he seamlessly used the Authority of Fate even better than the two Celestial Commanders he was facing! The light of Chaos also somehow surrounded this grand aura of fate as it dealt even more damage to the two Celestials, the battle actually going on to favor the Infernal Lord as the seconds passed. Noah glanced at this scene as he knew he could simply continue using his Authority and his armament to overwhelm the two Fate Lords until they were defeated. All three of them in the overlayed authorities knew this! But...why should he play it like this? What if he went just a little crazy and had more fun? RUMBLE! His eyes closed into slits as while surrounded by three Authorities and adorning a Fate Lord''s Armament, his main body that was the Infernal Lord also uttered ridiculous words. [Aether Star Form]. ¡­!!! WAA! Ridiculousness ensued as enormous tentacles covered with the aura of Aether, Chaos, Fate, Fire, and Water elements erupted out from the 9th Infernal Lord and began swallowing everything! Commanders Verdant and Lylle were quickly wrapped in the tentacles as they directly began burning their souls to defend themselves, their areas of Authority being overtaken as another enormous form of a young Terror took shape to cover over 200 miles! But this enormous star-sized being was different than the one that appeared first. The colors of gold, black, purple, red, and blue were swimming around this enormous mass of moving tentacles to represent all the elements that were actively being used as when the eyes that spanned for miles on this being opened, they blazed red while adopting a star shaped golden pupil! This wasn''t all as in the back of this monstrous form, golden particles of light were forming as wings that spanned tens of miles were established in an aurora of colors and lights, giving this new Ather Star Form a majestic yet terrifying look as the wriggling masses of tentacles were attached to golden wings beautifully spanning out. "..." No matter if it was the attackers from the Light Expanse or the defenders of the Dark Expanse, all those watching were stumped at the scene playing out as they thought similar things! "Oh come on¡­" "What the f.u.c.k¡­?!" "Are you kidding me¡­" All those watching had their jaws falling to the floor as they simply could not wrap their minds at what was happening. They...they wanted to pack their bags and go home! They were just here to participate in a war, but who the hell was this guy who just continued to break all common sense?! As if one star-sized monstrosity wasn''t enough, Noah simply pulled out another one as in the starry space surrounding the Verittas Fortress, two new moving stars had appeared in full grandeur. --- In the Celestial Realm, Aldrich watched on with emotionless eyes as the scene of monstrous stars appeared on the battlefield at the Verittas Fortress. He watched when things suddenly began going wrong as the first enormous creature that resembled a young terror actually came from a being his own organization had raised, and then watched as the Commander that he appointed himself begin to attack her forces whether by her own will or someone else! The situation had colossally crumbled down and would have made many beings falter, but not Aldrich! Amidst all of this, the moment things began veering off track- he had focused all of his power and comprehension of a Supreme Law to focus on the single figure that seemed to be the center of this disruption. His eyes shone with a golden l.u.s.ter as they first focused on the 200 miles long monstrous being, and then locked on when the 9th Infernal Lord took a similar form. They tried to peer behind the veils of secrecy as Aldrich used his Authority that neared 100% completion...and they were finally able to see something as he rose up with a shocked gaze for the first time in hundreds of years! "Ridiculous¡­" Yes! Using his Authority of a Supreme law that neared completion, he had actually been able to peer through multiple veils and see something that was truly ridiculous! He used his immense power and authority as he was actually able to see the three figures that were inside the monstrous young terror that had stemmed from Crixus in a shade of gold, and the moment these Commanders were decimated, he observed their millions of Fate Lines fading away as universal laws would normally have them. But then he observed a portion of these Fate Lines- which were in the numbers of hundreds of thousands, go towards the monstrosity that had killed them! He had to confirm this ridiculous possibility twice just to make sure he wasn''t seeing an illusion, and he was met with the same scene when the 9th Infernal Lord changed into the tentacled monstrosity as well, his eyes peering through the veil seeing as he saw one of the shining Commanders fall as the scene of Fate Lines repeated itself again. "You...you would bend the universal laws like so?! Haha! Ridiculous!" His eyes blazed with the light of anger as he saw this, his figure beginning to flicker into particles of light as a maddened voice rang out. "Good! Good! Let''s play dirty then!" RUMBLE! His figure rapidly disappeared as this monstrous genius who had nearly mastered a law actually began teleporting towards a particular region in the Dark Expanse, his foresight actually showing him a dreadful scene where his enemy, the Novus Galaxy, was actually making use of his own forces as fuel to create something to stand against him! His foresight told him to quickly move the Celestials away to stop this birth of an Abomination who seemed to not have any of the restrictions of Terrors... Chapter 583 - Nebula Rank Skill Tree! Noah stood behind the three Infernal Lords as his eyes landed on the fearsome aura that Aldrich was letting out. The essence that was currently wrapping around Noah''s body, the unique essence of a Grand Controller that would allow him to do incredible things...this same essence was overflowing in the body of Aldrich as it was even further enhanced with the backing of his Nebula Realm power. Noah himself was still only at the Star Forging Realm, and he would have to face this powerful creature at this realm while relying on his power as a Grand Controller! To increase his chances of winning and make sure that he won''t be facing a colossal loss today, Noah was making his own plans as his clones were working tirelessly in the Time Space of the Infinite Realm, and the reward for their hard work was coming to fruition soon enough. He had already reformed the clone destroyed by Aldrich as both of his clones worked tirelessly in the Time Space to increase the proficiencies of required skills that would be able to push The Terror of Aether-Cthulhu(Young), into the Nebula Realm stage! "Are you ready?" The words of the 1st Infernal Lord rang out beside him as their surroundings began to take a hue of gold, Aldrich''s body visibly trembling from range as he looked toward them with the light of madness. "Nearly." Noah replied as he checked the progress of his skills in the stat panel, his clones going forward as they covered whatever remaining deficiencies in the proficiencies with Skill Points! "Well then, we shall set off first." The three Infernal Lord around him nodded to each other as the skills they had been preparing erupted forth, their figures turning into streaks of light as they thundered towards Aldrich! The 1st Infernal Lord had her figure begin to glow with the colors of shining white and black, the laws of chaos and light swirling around her in balance as she also shot forth like an arrow. "Why won''t you abominable creatures leave me be?!" RUMBLE! Aldrich''s shout came at this instant as his power overflowed out. His rage palpable as he was being stopped yet again when he was this close to his goals! As these powerful figures shot towards each other, Noah stayed behind as his eyes finally saw the change occurring in his stat panel. After having to use up over 100 skill points, he was able to bring the one and only skill from the stage of the Star Forging Realm and into the stage of a Nebula! From the lowly stage of [Amorphous Space Beast], all the way to the [Terror of Aether-Cthulhu(Young)], the next stage that Noah chose was termed [Madness of Old, The Terror of Aether- Cthulhu]! As a space rending battle began in the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy, Noah laid his eyes on the Nebula Rank skill tree that he would be using to stand against Aldrich. NEBULA [Amorphous Space Beast] (15/15) :: Abilities- Spatial Cage(5/5), Destabilize(5/5), Shattered Star(5/5), and Miniature Space(5/5). >> [Lesser Cthulhu] (45/45) :: Additional Abilities- Morph(5/5), Child of Space(5/5), Portals of Terror(5/5), and Sever(5/5). >> [Kin of Terror] (60/60) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Reinforcement (5/5), Multiplicative Ray Support (5/5), Triple on Cast Support (5/5), Lunacy Inducement (5/5) >> [Fledgling Aether Terror] (75/75) :: Additional Abilities- Aether Emission (5/5), Aether Chain Support (5/5), Fatal Ailment Support (5/5), Size Distortion (5/5) >> [Juvenile Terror] (100/100) :: Unique Being (5/5), Compounded Terror Support (5/5), Unnatural Size Support (5/5) Tentacle Manifestation (5/5). >> [Terror of Aether- Cthulhu(Young)] (125/125) :: [Masterful Aether Control], [Aether Star Form], [Descension of Madness], [Anomalous Aether Construct Support] >> [Madness of Old, The Terror of Aether- Cthulhu] (150/150) :: [Terror of Aether] (5/5), [Star Caller] (5/5), [Madness Hegemony] (5/5), [Anomalous Size Support] (5/5), [Law Genius] (5/5), [Origin Destruction] (5/5) [Terror of Aether] (5/5) :: An inborn ability granted to the special existences known as Terrors by the Novus Galaxy. For an extremely high price and restrictions, this ability normally granted 100% comprehension in the law of Aether. As the current user has not paid this price nor any of the restrictions and yet still holds this title, only 50% of comprehension in the Law of Aether shall be granted. The technique of cultivating Aether, [Disciple of Aether], is also granted. [Star Caller] (5/5) :: Unstable Stars of hundreds of miles are called forth as they descend upon the enemies of the Terror of Aether. [Madness Hegemony] (5/5) :: The surrounding space is changed into an environment familiar to the Terror of Aether, the surrounding thousands of miles turning being occupied with unstable Aether and thousands of Portals of Terror that release Rays of Aether which seek out their enemies. All abilities of the Terror of Aether are enhanced by 1000% in this space. [Anomalous Size Support] (5/5) :: The Aether Star Form that the Terror of Aether can assume is further enhanced, allowing for a growth of up to a few thousand miles. The strength of the user''s origin will determine the limit of the possible size.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52160474703251355 for visiting. [Law Genius] (5/5) :: Being a creature closely tied with laws, a Terror is granted the ability to traverse the laws of the universe at 100% speed. [Origin Destruction] (5/5) :: Built for a purpose, their last ability is one that reflects the lengths that Terrors will go to achieve their objective. [Origin Destruction] is built into all Terrors as it allows them to face True Death that will in turn release an attack capable of killing any beings at the Nebula Rank, with a few exceptions. "..." Six abilities instead of the usual four appeared, each of them having their own terrifying aspects as Noah focused on the secrets that the descriptions of the skills displayed. The descriptions told him information about the terrors that nobody could have ever imagined, where just the first skill showed that each Terror was actually already at the level of a Controller, with their first ability giving them 100% comprehension in the type of law their origins were geared towards! A shocking skill concept! A shocking skill tree! Chapter 584 - Implications of a Terrifying Future RUMBLE! Within his body, Noah had begun feeling an explosion of Aether that permeated around his very Origin, and it did not just stop there as destructive Aether which should have shredded apart any being felt like the most blissful energy coursing through him, this Aether going on to also wrap around his Fire and Water Origin Cores, as well as the Chaos Particles and Fate Lines that dwelled within his body! All of these different types of essence were wrapped singularly with Aether, each of them becoming more active as the strength and power they gave off more than doubled instantly. [The Terror of Aether] ability was taking full effect as the 50% comprehension of the law of Aether was added onto Noah''s stat panel, his body feeling this abundant essence of Aether permeating throughout as he felt even more explosive strength rumble throughout. His heart shook as he continued to read over the descriptions of the newly gained abilities. The skill tree in front of Noah''s eyes was simply too eye-catching, and it was supposed to be so as it represented the Nebula Realm of abilities that only a few creatures had achieved in the Novus Galaxy! The abilities present in the skill tree displayed the unique strength and mysteries surrounding the Terrors that only made Noah ask more questions the more that he read. Aside from the spectacular gifts of [Law Genius], [Madness Hegemony] [Anomalous Size Support], and even [Star Caller], - [The Terror of Aether] and [Origin Destruction] skills left many questions in Noah''s mind! This was because as he read their description that talked about purpose and how he knew they did not move to stand in the way of Aldrich, he understood that their purpose was actually...not something within the Novus Galaxy! The Terrors that were built by the entity that had stopped censoring the descriptions of Noah''s abilities, the Novus Galaxy itself- these Terrors were actually creatures made while already having the title of Controllers, their true purpose being something that would scare anyone once they thought about what it really represented. This was even more so when one looked at the ability of [Origin Destruction], as it showed the unflinching loyalty that these beings had to protect and achieve their purpose! RUMBLE! Noah calmed his raging heart that continued to receive more and more information unlike never before in just the past few hours, his gaze going up front where three Nebula Rank Infernal Lords were matching a wrathful Aldrich, and they were actually losing! Three Nebula Realm creatures, yet they could not stand against a single being of the same realm. This was because the being they were up against had the identity of a Grand Controller, a being that had fully comprehended a Supreme Law. Every attack that Aldrich released contained in it the essence unique to Grand Controllers, a type of essence that was extremely penetrative in attack and extremely robust in defense when against any beings that did not achieve the same level of a Grand Controller. If the essence of such a Controller was quantified by Noah''s system, it would show enormous percentages in terms of offense and defense that varied in the thousands depending on which type of law it was! CRACK! This created for the shocking scene in front of Noah''s eyes where even the 1st Infernal Lord who was utilizing the laws of Chaos and Light in conjunction was being pushed back while simply falling into a defensive position. In the skies of the Central Ream, Aldrich was staying still as he did not even dodge the incoming attacks being laid out by three Nebula Realm experts, numerous projections simply being formed in the skies that countered all of these attacks while continuously pushing back the Infernal Lords. "You truly do not know the weight of your actions! You truly do not comprehend who you stand against! |PIERCE THROUGH|!" RUMBLE! A unique speech was released from Aldrich as he used one of the abilities unique to a Controller. This ability allowed one to utilize the unique essence that came with their law in terms of speech, their words carrying their intent as it was manifested in shocking ways that altered the surrounding laws, using the essence of the Controller to achieve their wish! Aldrich had screamed for his attack to pierce through, so his golden palm that was hundreds of meters in size and smashing towards the three Infernal Lords did just that- it pierced through all their defenses as a deadly blow was dealt. CLAP! PAH! PAH! PAH! Three figures smashed into the hard earth of the Central Realm as their bodies were ravaged by the golden essence of fate, the 2nd and 3rth Infernal Lord coming out of their deep holes in sorry states as the 1st Infernal Lord came out thereafter. She wiped the dust off of her as the wrathful essence of fate continuously destroying her body was also reduced at the same time, her gaze actually turning towards Noah at this moment as she spoke with a smiling expression. "Are you ready now?" The eyes of the beat-up Infernal Lord looked over to Noah as an unknown light flowed through them, Aldrich''s eyes also wrathfully turning towards the being very close to the golden barrier that he had wanted to cross for so long. Each of them were looking towards Noah as they all knew a singular truth- A Grand Controller could only be matched by another Grand Controller! This was why Aldrich had done all he could to achieve this title, and why his madness had exploded even further when he saw that somehow, the anomaly that was the 9th Infernal Lord had somehow reached the same realm as well. Thus, all their eyes were on Noah as he moved away from the golden barrier and moved towards the position where space itself was shaking from the might released by a single being. The light of wrath in Aldrich''s eyes was overflowing as he stared at this being that seemed to be at the epitome of calm, no emotions across his face whatsoever! One was at the Nebula Realm while holding complete comprehension of the law of fate, the other had comprehended the law of fate to the same degree, but was only at the Star Forging Realm. Only at the Star Forging Realm, and yet he had unlocked an ability that only those at the rank of Nebula could utilize...and he ridiculously had enough mana that would put any beings at the Nebula Realm to shame! Among these two beings, just who was bound to come out on top?! Chapter 586 - I just wanted one thing! The Celestial Realm had a truly beautiful environment. When one traversed through it, they would normally see visibly colorful essence particles floating around in the surroundings, even the plants having a tinge of essence as they created for a paradisiacal atmosphere. This was especially so in the region close to the golden barrier that restricted the entry of many beings, it was simply a wondrous location to observe! But currently, this location had actually been turned into a hellish environment where baleful Aether was freely permeating through as numerous Portals of Terror began to appear, a purple-blue hue overtaking everything in the surroundings. The enormous figure of the solidified Celestial Emperor that Aldrich had assumed was surrounded by the tendrils of Aether as his fingers reached out and played with it with cold pairs of eyes, the three faces on the head of the incarnation he had fused with crying, laughing, and stern at the same time as his body released a golden glow to push this Aether away! At the same time, Portals of Aether that actually released Aether Rays erupted towards him, eating up at the golden energy he released as Aldrich placed his entire focus on the monstrous transformation in front of his eyes. The figure of Noah had activated numerous transformation abilities, but the Aether Star Form took all precedence as he took the enormous form of a Terror, but this time the form was actually more humanoid as the other transformations came into play! The numerous tentacles had come together as they wrapped around each other to form into the muscles and form of a humanoid being at the exact same size of 100 miles similar to Aldrich. This form had purple-gold wings erupting from its back, a monstrous head with devilish horns erupting out as the pointed ends of these horns actually had a swirling ancient runic sigil that palpated with Aether. This runic sigil atop the two horns was the condensed [Aether Lord''s Authority], continuously rotating as it released terrifying levels of Aether to permeate throughout the huge body! There was an enormous golden runic sigil that represented the [Fate Lord''s Authority] swirling around Noah''s chest, a fiery red sigil in the form of a tattoo moving across his right hand, and a shimmering blue sigil also in the form of a tattoo swimming on his left hand. His entire body was an assortment of colors and essence as his eyes opened up blood red, animalistic pupils brightly displayed within as fearsome sound erupted from its tentacle-covered mouth! ROOOAAR! OOOM! Space shook as the waves of Aether, Fate, Chaos, Fire, and Water elements rushed out in droves, Noah actually not even taking the form of thousands of miles as he simply matched the same size that Aldrich displayed at this moment! His left hand opened as a minuscule purple dagger appeared within it, this dagger enlarging until it stood perfectly within his hand releasing a purple sheen of light. The [Dagger of Time] had appeared once more as the essence of the Law of Time permeated out. His right hand also opened as an enormous [Trident of the Sea] appeared, its pointed ends even ripping apart the space around it as on Noah''s body, the [Hydromancer''s Mantle] also appeared to thinly cover the grotesque monstrosity lying within, a Sea Domain erupting out at this moment as Noah just continued layering skills on top of skills! If one actually took the time to measure the percentages of boosts that his armor alone provided, then to the domains he set up around him, then to the boosts displayed just in the description of the Trident of the Sea while within a domain of water, then to the authorities...to his abilities from multiple skill trees- there were essentially so many factors going on to simply grant Noah a crazy numerical value in terms of how much his abilities were boosted, and this was what he was using to match the strength of a Nebula Realm being! This was how he bridged the gap between them, even though he didn''t know exactly how many stars Aldrich had formed within his Nebula at this moment! His transformation finished resplendently as he breathed out, tendrils of Aether releasing from his mouth as he did so. Even before he attacked, the entire landscape had been changed to a destructive one where much of the space was shattered, Portals of Terror continuing to automatically appear as they released more and more rays of Aether. Aldrich glanced at all of this as his voice boomed out coldy while feeling the power of this being standing in front of him! "You know, in my whole life I''ve only ever truly wanted one thing." RUMBLE! His voice carried with it waves of power as Noah saw the essence of a Grand Controller building up around Aldrich''s body. "It''s to simply pass that barrier behind you and get my hands on what is truly mine, on the treasures that were promised only to me!"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52183351561340540 for visiting. RUMBLE! "I found this Celestials Realm!" "I explored every single stone and river!" "All I want...is to just pass through that barrier and claim the rest!" RUMBLE! Awe-inspiring essence erupted out with his words, Noah''s eyes squinting as he saw the essence of a Grand Controller forming into a sharp edge around Aldrich''s enhanced staff that was made up of Fate Lines, which let him know that Aldrich was using an intent of |Attack| or something similar while utilizing his essence. ''|Robust Defense|'' He thought simple words himself as droves of mana went towards activating and utilizing the unique essence of Grand Controller, golden square slabs of essence beginning to form all around his body as they prepared a ridiculous level of defense for the coming battle! "Even though my goal is right in front of my eyes...something always pops up to stand in my way." The three faces on Aldrich''s Celestial Emperor form each had their own emotions as he pointed his staff layered with hundreds of thousands of Fate Lines towards the transformed figure holding an enormous Trident of the Sea and a Dagger of Time. Noah glanced at the wrathful Aldrich as he truly addressed this terrifying genius for the first time in his life. "I''m not just here to stand in your way. I''m here to take everything away from you." His voice calmly boomed out as he taunted this terrifying creature to cause even more instability within its psyche, and the effect was just that! "..." RUMBLE! A flash of gold, and a flash of mixtures of gold, purple, red, blue...all sorts of colors rushed towards each other at this moment. Aldrich''s faces were filled with wrath as he thundered forth, the battle between two Grand Controllers in the Novus Galaxy fully going underway as the mere impacts themselves continuously shattered space! One was utilizing their unique essence for the intent of |Attack|, another was using it for |Robust Defense|. It was the first time each of them were learning more on how to utilize the perks of a Grand Controller, but one would be shocked if they realized that even during all of this, the one known as Noah Osmont had not yet even used all his power! Chapter 587 - Flung out of the Central Realm! A battle of terrifying proportions was underway in the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy. CRACK! Space shattered with every point of contact as two figures over 100 miles large smashed into each other, the paradisiacal space of the Central Realm continuing to be overturned as thousands of Portals of Terror releasing horrendous Aether rays continued to appear around the battlefield, making it so that anyone at the Star Forging Realm or lower would perish if they were in this location! As of this moment, more than an hour had passed since the two figures at the levels of Grand Controllers began fighting! ROAR! Any nearby Behemoths scrambled to get out the way whenever the battle of these two figures changed locations as they moved across the Central Realm, with there being unlucky Behemoths every now and then who could not escape in time as their bodies were shredded into mincemeat instantly. It was a battle of immense proportions and would continue for quite a while, but very few beings knew that it was even occurring at this moment, with many of the figures of the Novus Galaxy still moving about their lives! In the Infinite Realm, the curvaceous Elena was commanding Vampyres as they reestablished grandeur to the expansive landmass that used to be the Ancient Blood World. In another location, an Emperor Penguin was teleporting multiple times across an area filled with elemental particles of the Law of Space as he faced the powerful Undead Legion under Barbatos while dodging the sharp blade of Kazuhiko that was shimmering with a dark light! "This is all an arrogant penguin like you has to offer? Come on!" The Harbingers continued to spar as they tried to raise their power higher, a multitude of beings in the Infinite Realm also moving as this wondrous Realm continued to be developed and enhanced into something unbelievable. Above the blue seas on the land that used to be Noah''s homeworld, the continental-sized Realm Dreadnaught he had taken from the hands of Celestials was floating. On this Dreadnaught, numerous figures of Atlanteans were moving with highly advanced technological equipment as the wonders of this vessel were scanned with the goal of reproducing it themselves! Deep beneath the sea in a region that had turned into a Fate Law Space, The Inquisitor Athena was adorned in a golden armor as she faced the Kraken and other Calamities of the Sea in a spar, the former War Princess choosing to get to know the beings she affected the most as she sparred with them. "Hmph!" Blades of liberation were thundering down as Athena was reinforced in the Fate Law Space, the Kraken and other Calamities weaving around the attacks as they released their own. All of them continued to train and reinforce their strength as they strove to reach greater heights! RUMBLE! In another region, one could see Steel Mikhail and Queen Adelaide observing the harvesting of wide fields of resplendent vegetation that was brimming with essence, all the produce here being collected here and across the millions of other fields being distributed out to the billions of beings dwelling in the Infinite Realm. It was truly a land of wonders where the lives of many were just beginning. To protect all of this, Noah was currently facing the wrathful Aldrich in the Central Realm as he fully got in the groove of utilizing the unique essence of a Grand Controller! |Pierce| BOOM! The Trident of Sea thundered forth as it gained a terrifying new piercing force, blowing a chunk out of the golden staff that Aldrich wielded. |Strengthen| |Destroy| RIIIIP! Two more qualities were layered on top as when it smashed towards Aldrich this time, the entire golden staff made of Fate Lines was ruptured apart! Noah felt his heart rapidly beating as he utilized the essence of a Grand Controller more and more, his unlimited mana reserves not making him worry about managing his power as Aldrich was, and he simply continued to experiment on what he could do with this unique power in his hands! Aldrich let go of the remainders of the shattered golden staff as he moved back emotionally, his hand stretching out as another staff reappeared in his hands. His mouth moved as he uttered unique words himself. |Unbreakable| BOOM! The battle resumed once more as their two figures streaked across the skies, constantly shattering space as they weaved in and out of the void. But in the middle of all of this, one would be able to notice that on all the moves exchanged- Noah was only testing things out so far and had not moved seriously, while Aldrich was slowly losing the edge in terms of momentum! The more time that passed, the more familiar Noah became with his new power as his fearsome form of a horned Terror being reinforced by 4 different Law Authorities pressed towards the three-faced Celestial Emperor. Occasionally, the purple Dagger in his left hand would shine with a purple light as Noah utilized the abilities of the Dagger of Time, and they afforded him an extra second or two where he could turn back time even with Aldrich actively defending against it! BOOM! At this juncture, Noah glanced at his surroundings as he saw that he had pushed Aldrich far from the earth of the Central Realm. They were now extremely high in the skies of this wondrous realm as they could both feel the boundaries of it. This was a unique sight that only Controllers had, where they were powerful enough to see the bounds of a realm, and even capable enough to leave it that way, not needing to utilize portals or doorways! As Noah saw the thick barrier of transparent light that represented the boundary of the Central Realm, he breathed out as his body bubbled with power, his enemy doing the same as an irreconcilable look of wrath and anger continued to permeate his three faces. RUMBLE! World shaking essence was utilized as Noah called forth for multiple intents from his essence. |Explosive Strength| |Space Breaking| |Unavoidable| WAA! Aldrich''s numerous pupils dilated as he observed the golden essence of a Grand Controller utilized so freely, the enemy in front of him continuing to senselessly use it multiple times as if the enormous energy requirement for such a thing did not exist!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52205339394759206 for visiting. He saw the three-pronged Trident streaking towards him as it carried horrendous qualities, with this attack not even being avoidable as it seemed to follow him wherever he went. "Wretchedness! |DEFENSE|!" BOOM! The strike found its target as Aldrich could only hold on briefly, the enormous force behind the attack overpowering him thereafter as his figure shot forth like a cannonball, smashing into the boundary of the Central Realm! ...SWISH! His figure actually did not stop as the force was terrifying enough to smash him through the layers of space, one of his faces shattering as shockingly...he passed through the boundary of the Central Realm and was actually flung out! WAA! Noah did not let up as his figure streaked towards the same area of the boundary Aldrich was forced through, also leaving the Central Realm as he located his enemy with dents and cracks throughout his 100 miles large body in the vast space of the Novus Galaxy! Chapter 588 - Centuries of planning turned into nothing! RUMBLE! Wild essence still moved as Aldrich floated in the starry space, energy weaving across his body as he healed himself. |Regeneration| His body was rapidly healing as his eyes filled with the light of madness and wrath looked at the enemy in front of him, an enemy who seemed to not even be paying full attention to him as he looked towards their surroundings! When they pierced through the boundary of the Central Realm, they actually did not appear in the Light or Dark Expanse, but had been flung out in the region of the Letalis Expanse!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52205358185241507 for visiting. Noah confirmed this as he sensed the unfamiliar air that was different from both the Light and Dark Expanse, as well as noticing the grandness of the surrounding stars that were unbelievably larger than many that he came across in the Light and Dark Expanse. On this day, he had actually come into the Letalis Expanse, and it was because he left the Central Realm through forceful means as the coordinates they broke through were in the bounds of the Letalis Expanse! "I just wanted one thing¡­" RUMBLE! Aldrich''s voice boomed out as his body came back together, the voice carrying out a tinge of sadness amidst all the anger and wrath as he was flung out even further from his goal in the Central Realm. "Why can you not let me be? Why can you not just be gone?!" RUMBLE! His figure shot forth as he released deadly attacks, Noah using his Trident of the Sea and Dagger of time to defend as looked towards Aldrich coldly. This Celestial Founder had long ago felt the pace of the battle and how Noah seemed to be using abilities and the unique essence of a Grand Controller over and over again with ease, not even worrying about the usage of mana as if it wasn''t even a factor to consider! "For years I have strived¡­" BOOM! "For centuries I have planned!" BOOM! "Why is it that you can just come out of nowhere and take it all from me? Why?!" His three faces were filled with wrath as he recklessly attacked, Noah defending all of his strikes as he saw that shockingly, this being at the Nebula Realm could be handled by him just from his identity as a Grand Controller and the use of a Nebula Rank skill tree while backed by his nearly Infinite Mana! Thus, his curious heart wasted time no longer as he freely released his energy, his body beginning to expand as he became even larger than he currently was. OOOM! Mana was unreservedly used as it went into his Aether Star Form that was combined by numerous other transformations, his size expanding past 500 miles as he instantly became 5 times as large as Aldrich, and he just continued to expand ever higher as he took on a titanus form! RUMBLE! Aldrich watched on with apathetic eyes as the enemy prevented him from achieving his grand goals expanded even further in power, his heart pained at the level of unfairness as ultimately, the figure actually grew to be 10 times as large as him. At this moment, he actually seemed small when comparing himself to this being, the red eyes staring at him with an obscene level of calm simply making him angrier as the seconds passed! But as if this was not enough, Aldrich felt the appearance of two new figures, each of them with identical faces as in the mystical Letalis Expanse they were in, two more figures carrying the same face of the 9th Infernal Lord he was battling appeared. RUMBLE! He observed as these creatures leaked out the same energy of a Grand Controller as the enormous being in front of him, the bodies of these two also exploding outwards as their power began rising towards the same level as the being Aldrich was just battling! "Haha!" At this point, Aldrich actually laughed angrily at the ridiculous sight opening up in front of him, at the complete nonsense of this creature that was sent to oppose him! He was already only matching his enemy before he expanded in size, and now two more beings just like him had appeared simply, and he knew at this point that his aims would never be achieved. It was a sad and extremely demoralizing moment as one realized that all of their life''s effort, all the blood, sweat, and tears they put into their lives- all of them were turned null because of a single being! "Truly ridiculous! Truly unfair!" His gaze was irreconcilable as he said this, realizing why Fritz had given up when he knew their enemy was the Novus Galaxy. But he still wanted to try! He still wanted to obtain all the treasures within this galaxy before he broke out of the cage and explored the grander universe! Yet...he was denied at every turn as at this moment, a nonsensical enemy that defied all reason was sent to stop him! The light of madness in his eyes was slowly overtaking everything as he glanced at the three enormous figures around him, a forlorn sigh escaping his mouth as he voiced out sadly. "So be it!" RUMBLE! |Extreme Speed|! |Acceleration|! Aldrich used up a large amount of his mana as he utilized the essence of a Grand Controller twice, his body turning into a streak as he shot forth faster than the speed of light and continued even faster above the encirclement of three Noahs! ¡­! Noah instantly shot out thereafter as he experienced the extreme speed and instant acceleration that allowed Aldrich to be hundreds of miles away instantly, his own bodies utilizing his unique essence as he chased towards him. Far in front where Aldrich''s figure continued to streak forth, he could hear a voice of complete madness and immense hatred ringing out. "If I cannot have what I want, nobody else can." RUMBLE! Even more mana was being used as Aldrich accelerated forward even faster, Noah noticing that he was shooting forth in a particular direction that was actually extremely dangerous! He termed it dangerous because at the speeds they were going, they would actually come to another barrier some time very soon. This was a barrier that he normally would not even be able to sense or understand in the past, but as a Grand Controller, he knew exactly what it was! It was the barrier that represented the bounds of the Novus Galaxy in the area they were at in the Letalis Expanse, a location where one could choose to pass through as they moved on to a grander stage. But why exactly was Aldrich rushing towards the boundary of the Novus Galaxy while spewing out such foreboding words?! RUMBLE! "If it is destruction you want, then destruction you shall have!" The wrathful voice of a Founder feeling extremely wronged rang out, his eyes blazing with light as he shot towards the bounds of the Novus Galaxy while planning something shocking! Chapter 589 - The Bell Has Been Rung! I In the Letalis Expanse, the powerful Terrors dwelling within had sensed the appearance of two auras at the same level as them, the auras of Controllers! This in itself was a shocking finding as it meant that in their Novus Galaxy, more beings like them had appeared! It would normally be a grand event and a cause for celebration, yet the Terrors actually felt a sense of foreboding when these auras appeared, their intuition telling them something they could not discern. RUMBLE! The enormous Terror of Aether opened its star-sized eyes as the aura it always released to monitor the boundaries of the Novus Galaxy in this Letalis Expanse where the barrier was actually the thinnest contracted slightly, trying to focus on the auras of the two appearing Controllers. One of the auras was very similar, making the Terror feel as if he was looking at his own energy signature, but there were distinct differences with it. The other was foreign and had a distinct coldness that caused one to feel distaste. The two Controllers had only appeared in one location briefly before two more energy signatures appeared, and then they all began shooting forth at high speeds! The Terror of Aether had continued observing these figures briefly, but his gaze turned stern soon enough as he saw their direction was in a straight line towards the boundaries of the Novus Galaxy! OOOOM Essence erupted around the Terror as it adopted a stern expression, seeing these figures actually continuing in this direction as it affirmed its thoughts. The sense of foreboding seemed to come from this as the Terror trusted in its intuition and also began moving towards the same direction as the newly appearing Controllers. Shockingly, the Terror of Aether was not the only one as the two other Terrors dwelling within the Letalis Expanse also began moving at this moment, all of their intuitions screaming something indiscernible to them! --- RUMBLE! Noah''s three bodies continued to chase towards the figure of Aldrich, each of his bodies occasionally teleporting as they tried to get their hands on a being who was utilizing all of his essence as a Grand Controller to run. Noah assumed that Aldrich had used his essence with the intent of speed, velocity, or something similar that allowed him to forget everything else as the figure of this Nebula Realm expert continued to slip from his hands! His gaze was stern as he did not know what Aldrich wanted to do, so he simply continued to give chase while utilizing his unique essence. |Extreme Speed| |Surpassing Light| SHAA! Streaks of light were the only things barely visible as they thundered forth even faster than light, Noah''s hands flinging out as an ability was also cast! [Star Caller]. RUMBLE! The skill of the Terror of Aether activated as multiple unstable stars hundreds of miles in size began to appear in front of Aldrich, the Founder expertly avoiding them as his golden figure even smashed through one! Skill after skill was used, but Aldrich continued to use his essence only for running as they soon neared the extremely thick boundary of the Novus Galaxy. The boundary was among the thickest that Noah had ever seen so far, being tens of miles wide as it adopted a shimmering black color. It was a barrier that seemed to blend in with the space around it, being extremely thick yet thin at the same time as only those at the level of Controllers could discern it or even do anything when it came to this barrier. Having the identity of a Grand Controller allowed a being to be able to leave their galaxy and actually survive while traveling outside of it, so Noah moved even faster as his three bodies tried to grasp onto Aldrich before he came in contact with this barrier! RUMBLE! A golden light began to emulate from the body of the Celestial Founder at this moment as it seemed his power was rising even higher, Noah''s senses shocked to find that Aldrich had without a second thought actually began burning his very Origin as a source of strength. THUMP! His hands reached the thick barrier at this moment as his enormous 100 miles incarnation holding three faces turned towards Noah, its body ballooning up as a small figure blazing in gold light came out from within! Aldrich appeared in his human figure as his right hand lay on the barrier of the Novus Galaxy, his left hand pushing out the incarnation he had been in as it transformed into a thick golden barrier that covered Aldrich and the portion of the barrier of the Novus Galaxy he was in contact with. Noah was already near as he used his essence while forming an intent. ''|Break|!'' BOOM! Noah''s Trident of the Sea instantly smashed onto the golden barrier Alrich laid out as trembles spread across it, the power Aldrich was releasing right now as he burned his very Origin being extremely fearsome! This was the burning of an Origin that was first at the Nebula Realm, and also of a being holding the title of Grand Controller! Noah had no doubt that Aldrich would have been able to heavily injure him if he directed attacks while burning his origin like this, but this Founder had actually chosen to run away as he came in contact with the barrier of the Novus Galaxy! "Remember that it was you that pushed me to do this. That it was your own fault things ended like this!" Aldrich''s voice came out at this moment as it contained a mixture of sadness and extreme lunacy, his eyes shaking brightly as he pushed all of his power towards his hands while uttering a single intent.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!-i_52228043111976948 for visiting. "|SHATTER|" RUMBLE! ¡­! "What?!" Noah looked towards the figure of Aldrich incredulously as this being was not actually trying to pierce through the veil and leave the Novus Galaxy, but was doing something far sinister as he apparently planned to shatter the portion of the boundary of the Novus Galaxy he was in contact with! But...what would this accomplish? Noah did not know what the aim of Aldrich was as he did this, but he utilized his immense mana reserves as he laid out his own intents while trying to break through the golden barrier of a Grand Controller that was burning his very Origin. |Ultimate Penetration|! |Shatter|! RUMBLE! Enormous units of mana were absorbed in order to utilize his essence as a Grand Controller to make possible what his intent wanted, the Trident of the Sea shining with a piercing light as it smashed into Aldrich''s golden barrier again, but Noah was actually able to hear the shattering of two barriers at this moment. CRACK! CRACK! One was the golden barrier he broke that Aldrich had set up, the other was the portion of the miles-long barrier that represented the boundary of the Novus Galaxy, where he could now see a portion of the barrier multiple miles long and in an octagonal shape...was actually shattered! ¡­!!! Chapter 590 - The Bell Has Been Rung! II At the very precipice of the Novus Galaxy, in the corner of the Letalis Expanse where only Controllers could discern an area where the bounds of this Galaxy passed, two figures were staring at a broken space. "Haha! Haha!" Wild laughter that reeked of madness flowed out from the one responsible as the area that he had destroyed vibrated intensely! VOOOM! An extremely strong absorbing force leaked out from the portion where Aldrich had broken the barrier of the Novus Galaxy, Noah''s essence forming into tendrils of Aether and reaching out as it grabbed around Aldrich who was about to get sucked in through the octagonal shattered space. "Haha! Do not blame me!" Wrathful and incoherent laughter was all that came from Aldrich at this moment as his body seemed nearly depleted of essence after stopping Noah''s advance and shattering a portion of a barrier of an entire Galaxy. Noah looked towards the shattered octagonal space as what he saw behind it was truly terrifying, his awareness barely being able to spread out a few meters as all he saw was immense blackness! The space immediately outside the bounds of the Novus Galaxy was terrifyingly empty and black! "What did you do? What purpose does this serve?!" Noah''s voice rang out coldly towards Aldrich as the Founder currently had his arms and legs stretched out in four directions, the force from the void outside the Novus Galaxy threatening to swallow him whole and rip him apart the moment that Noah released him. Aldrich did not nearly have enough essence that would allow him to actually utilize the abilities of a Grand Controller to traverse outside of it, yet Noah observed as this being actually continued to laugh with no fear, his gaze actually looking towards him mockingly! "Haha! You do not know? I thought as the main puppet, you would know everything that was happening!" RUMBLE! Foreboding words were the only thing coming from Aldrich as Noah tugged at his essence, the tendrils of Aether that were holding Aldrich in place bringing him closer as Noah observed the wide-open octagonal shattered space. There seemed to be a greater meaning to Aldrich''s actions that Noah had not grasped yet, so he brought the figure of the Founder close to him until he landed on his palm, his enormous figure that was still over a hundred miles looking down with shining red eyes as his two clones flanked his left and right. "What did you do?" "I did the only thing I could when cornered to such a state, I called for the destruction of the enemy I could not defeat!" Aldrich''s reply came in between his maddened laughs, his words continuing as his image completely lost all dignity and he looked more and more like a raving lunatic. "The destruction of my home...haha! A fitting end for the enemy that raised me up and then threw me away like nothing!" Shocking words of destruction released from the Founder as Noah''s eyes squinted, his gaze turning murderous as the palm he had Alrich on began closing. "Haha! It is too late now! Even a puppet like you will not be able to stop it!" Noah was prepared to stop listening as he wanted to simply eradicate Aldrich right away, absorbing his memories as he simply learned what the meaning of this creature''s actions were. "The bell has been rung!" RUMBLE! More raving screams left Aldrich even as he saw the enormous palm about to crush him, his words only repeating again. "The bell has been rung, and they are coming! Haha! Haha!!!" ¡­! Noah''s intuition became more and more foreboding with every passing word as he prepared to crush Aldrich, when he instantly felt the nearing of three terrifyingly powerful auras that he had sensed from a very far away region not too long ago. RUMBLE! The unique signatures of Terrors neared as Noah only heard a space-shattering yell. "YOU FOOLS!" RUMBLE! Two enormous red stars for eyes, massing coiling and moving tentacles that occupied hundreds of miles. The Terror of Aether was at the forefront as he arrived while staring at the figure of Noah and his clones, as well as the raving lunatic of a being grasped within the palm of Noah''s main body and about to be crushed. Its enormous eyes then locked on the shattered octagonal area that represented the boundary of the Novus Galaxy as its body shook, the terrifying power of the Terror exploding out wildly as he spoke once more! "You fools! Do you know what you have done?!" RUMBLE! "Haha!" The only answer was the wild laughter of a particular Founder as the auras of two other Terrors made themselves visible, creating for a suffocating atmosphere that would have simply destroyed the origins of any weaker beings were they in the surroundings. One was a being coming a bit over 1000 miles, his figure humanoid in nature as his body seemed to be made of extremely bright black crystals, even his eyes densely black as he released a cold air! The Terror of the Void had appeared as his eyes coldly glanced at Noah and the small raving figure of Aldrich within his hands. RUMBLE! On another side, the third terror actually had a shape that Noah had seen before, a shape of the ancients that he could normally summon with the skills of the Blood Lord! Also claiming a unique humanoid appearance with horns rising from its head as its head was filled with shimmering grey hair, this was the Ancient Terror that had actually borne the Ancient Races of the Letalis Expanse! All three Terrors were looking towards Noah and then the figure of Alrich with extreme wrath in their eyes as they understood what the image of an octagonal broken area in the barrier of the Novus Galaxy represented.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!-ii_52228068093247554 for visiting. "Haha, the other puppets are here as well. Very good, all of you can simply wait in helplessness before you-" CRUNCH! Noah''s patience had run completely thin as he folded his palm entirely, destructive Aether rolling out as the Founder of Celestial perished as simply as if one crushed a bug. A radiance of red erupted out as Noah absorbed the memories of this creature, having deactivated [Origin Conversion: Skill Point Absorption] at this point as he chose not to obtain Skill Points but instead obtain all the Cores and loot of the only Nebula Rank being he had killed in the Novus Galaxy, as they would allow him to make a greater advancement into the next realm! Even the appearance of three powerful Terrors did not deter him as he read the many memories of Aldrich, wanting to know exactly what was the full meaning behind his actions? What had the breaking of a portion of the barrier of the Novus Galaxy done? The full answer was something horrendous, and also the reason for the wrath that the Terrors felt! Chapter 591 - A Signal! Memories are a curious thing. One can look fondly when going through memories of the past, or one can even try to forget them depending on what they contain. But when it came to stealing the memories of someone else, when it came to absorbing the memories of a being who had lived for close to two millennia...one could not even begin to describe such an experience! While being surrounded by three wrathful Terrors, Noah had crushed Aldrich within his palm as he began absorbing all of his memories, giving this task to his two clones as his attention focused on the powerful entities that surrounded him while also trying to focus on memories pertaining to Aldrich''s goals and what exactly was the full meaning of his actions just now. "Foolish! Foolish! Foolish!" RUMBLE! The body of the Terror of Aether, Cthulhu, moved closer as its eyes focused on the octagonal broken area on the boundary of the Novus Galaxy. An oppressive force continued to leak outwards into an extremely black void that nobody but Grand Controllers could be able to survive in as the gaze of this Terror turned towards Noah''s three bodies. "Based on your essence signature, you should have stopped something like this from ever happening! What made you so useless?!" The voice was wrathful as the body of Cthulhu continued coming ever closer, Noah feeling the intent of this Terror to push him away from the area of the shattered boundary as he did not resist, his mind having already located the most important and most pertaining memories of the current situation from the dead Aldrich as he sifted through shocking information! Cthulhu came towards the shattered area of the boundary as his tentacles landed on the areas around it, a unique energy beginning to leave his body as his voice of wrath continued to come out. "Such a thing...such a thing should not have been possible¡­" Mysterious words were uttered as the other two Terrors came close, glancing towards Noah closely as a unique energy also released from them to go towards the shattered space, Noah observing that the miles-long shattered area was slowly beginning to reform at this moment! "Unless¡­" Words of hesitation leaked out of the Terror of Aether as his body began to shake while affirming its thoughts and observing the state of the shattered area, his enormous red star-sized eyes trembling as the wrath within them only became more potent, the voice he released only becoming grander! "You allowed for this!" RUMBLE! His voice rang out clearly as it had an accusatory tone, the other two Terrors opening their eyes as understanding registered into them as well, the gazes of all these three powerful Terrors at the level of Controllers turning towards the direction that Noah and Aldrich had come from- each of them were glancing towards the Central Realm while the Terror of Aether released accusatory words! "It was you! You allowed for this to happen! You would have sensed the moment the thoughts of that creature were aiming to harm you like this, and you would have sent us to stop him long before! You allowed for the barrier to be breached!" WAA! Shocking words were released from the booming mouth of the Terror of Aether as he actually looked towards the Central Realm while releasing words that seemed to be filled with pain and sorrow, and Noah would have not been able to understand their full meaning had he not just grasped the memories of Aldrich that pertained to this.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52251437547181137 for visiting. "That creature should not have even had the knowledge to do this unless you granted it to him! So why!" Even more mysterious and shocking words left Cthulhu as the energy that he and the other two Terrors released went to reform the shattered portion of the barrier even faster. Noah''s own thoughts had turned chaotic as he actually grasped the full picture, being able to understand exactly what Aldrich had done and the significance such a thing had! When Aldrich saw that he could not win the battle against him, his unwillingness and unfairness he felt for not being able to get his hands on the only thing he wanted drove his maddened mind towards one thing, and it was the thing he was screaming about- mutual destruction! If he could not have what he believed to be the biggest treasures in the Novus Galaxy and he was about to fall under the hands of a being that had not even appeared before just a few months ago, he might as well perish along with the enemy that prevented him from achieving anything. With this thought, Aldrich actually chose to go towards the bounds of the Novus Galaxy where a barrier that only Grand Controllers could affect existed, a barrier where one could pass through as they left behind their Galaxy to explore the wide Universe! But his goal was not to simply pass through this barrier, but to shatter a portion of it as he did something no inhabitant of a Galaxy would ever do, but it was the only way he saw of causing the destruction of his enemy- the Novus Galaxy itself. Aldrich chose to shatter the barrier because it was the only way to invite beings stronger than him into this galaxy, it was the only way to release a signal to powerful entities in the outside Universe that a Galaxy still in its beginning stages existed in this area of space! Aldrich''s action of shattering the small portion of the barrier of the Novus Galaxy was simply that- a way to send out a signal to the outside Universe. A way to invite unknown dangers towards the Novus Galaxy that had always been unknown and undiscovered this entire time! This was why he had been screaming that the bell had been rung. That they were coming. A native had actually sent a signal that invited the destruction of his own Galaxy! Chapter 592 - Why?! As Noah sifted through the memories, he also understood why the words of the Terrors were accusatory as they looked back towards the direction where he had expelled Aldrich from the Central Realm. These Terrors were glancing towards the location where the entity that could represent the Novus Galaxy resided as they accused this entity of actually calling for destruction itself! The Terror of Aether had screamed that the creature known as Aldrich should have never had the knowledge that the capabilities of a Grand Controller would be able to shatter a portion of the barrier of their galaxy, nor should Aldrich had known what doing such an action represented. Yet he had the information that did just that, and when he could not win, Aldrich made it his goal to simply call for the destruction of the Novus Galaxy through the hands of others! Noah also understood where this information came from as while Aldrich was journeying throughout the Celestial Realm, the technologies of the Warsh.i.p.s and Realm Dreadnaughts as well as the techniques of the Law of Fate were not the only things given to him. Noah used the word given because it was actually just that- all that Aldrich found during his exploration were simply things he was allowed to have, those he wasn''t allowed to have being placed behind a golden barrier that he never crossed! Information about Terrors and even the small tidbits of information about the Novus Galaxy itself and the working of the barrier protecting it...they were all spoonfed to him by a single entity- the Novus Galaxy itself. This was why the Terror of Aether had turned towards the Central Realm while sending out accusatory words. This was why he blamed the happening of the shattered area of the boundary of the galaxy...on the Novus Galaxy itself! It was an event that sent a signal of their location to the wide and dangerous Universe full of things they had no knowledge about, and now that this signal had been sent out...something was coming! "Why?! Why would you do such a thing!" Noah continued sifting through the memories of Aldrich as the red eyes of the Terror shook while his voice continued to resound across space. "Why subject us all to death?! Why seek for more? Are we not enough for you?!" Words that were filled with extreme pain and shock left the Terror of Aether as the reality of what this event signified fully settled in all their hearts, their many questions wanting to at least be answered as they looked towards the Central Realm. "What goal could you possibly have to invite such a disaster towards us¡­" The voice of the Terror of Aether had turned dejected as the shattered space on the barrier became completely stitched up, the powerful gravitational force stopping as everything seemed to have gone back to normal. But each of them knew that nothing would be normal again as in the foreseeable future, something they had no knowledge about would be descending upon them soon enough. OOOM The essence of the three Terrors was flowing wildly as with the closure of the shattered space, their eyes turned fully towards the Central Realm as they portrayed emotions of anger and frustration, emotions of unwillingness and non-understanding as Cthulhu''s voice rang out once again. "Why-" [Quiet.] RUUUUMBLE!!! Space seemed to shake and tumble as the Terrors felt searing pains in their minds, Noah being in the same state as he felt like his head was burning the moment this voice erupted out! That''s right! It was a voice! A voice that felt familiar in Noah''s mind, yet at the same time, it felt extremely foreign! A voice that seemed to resonate with the very deepest parts of the Origins of the Terrors and even Noah! ¡­! Noah''s heart was beating wildly as this voice erupted out, the Terrors beside him turning mute as it was only Cthulhu with his shaking red eyes still actively moving, the enormous tendrils of Aether coiling around him shaking with wild destruction as he actually disobeyed this voice and continued. "No! You have freely done unexplainable things for centuries and I have kept quiet while following orders! You have let unneeded wars and deaths occur by uncountable numbers on the same creatures living within you over the millenniums. This time I will not just sit idly by, this time I at least want answe-" RUUUMBLE!!! A magisterial energy erupted out of nowhere at this moment as it wrapped and bound the body of the Terror of Aether, his eyes trembling in shock as these energies ignored his balefully destructive Aether and even his identity as a Grand Controller, his enormous planet sized body being covered by these unique energies entirely as his figure disappeared in the blink of an eye! Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52251457126202097 for visiting. Gone! Noah sensed the fluctuations of a huge spatial movement as the entire planet sized Terror of Aether, Cthulhu, was forcefully teleported away from this position instantly! [Anyone else feel like talking?] "..." "..." The Terror of the Void and the Ancient Terror shook fearfully in their position as they actually got into kneeling positions, their eyes bowing down as not a single word was heard from them. Noah saw this shocking scenario as his own heart continued to beat wildly, his gaze still on the thousands of miles where a terrifying Cthulhu used to be, yet this same being was forcefully taken away in less than a second by the entity whole voice was permeating in the surroundings- by the Novus Galaxy itself! [Go back to your posts.] RUMBLE! Without so much a millisecond delay, the remaining two Terrors moved away as they turned into streaks of lights, spreading to different directions as they went back to their original positions in the Letalis Expanse without so much as another word. Noah floated at the same spot as he ridiculously just watched the shocking set of events playing out, waving his hands as he sent his two clones back to the Time Space of the Infinite Realm so that they could go through the memories of Aldrich faster, his gaze looking towards the void of space and the boundary of the Novus Galaxy near him as the shocking voice that seemed to cause searing pain in his mind every time it rang out expressed itself again. [You have questions.] "..." Noah closed his eyes as he felt the searing pain in his mind dim little by little every time the voice spoke, his eyes squinting coldly as he looked towards the Central Realm while activating Apathy to calm his rapidly beating heart. Damn right he had questions. He had a whole lot of f.u.c.k.i.n.g questions! [The time is here for all the answers. Come...] [...My Champion.] Chapter 593 - What Lies Behind the Golden Barrier? I Space was extremely huge and vast. This was even more so when one looked at an entire galaxy that housed an uncountable number of planets and creatures, and it was even vaster if one took into account the unknown that lied outside of a galaxy! Yet there existed a few specific beings that could effectively achieve a high enough level as they actually changed how vast things seemed to their perception, rising to such extreme lengths of power that even the vast distances of a Galaxy did not seem as vast as they were before. This was the case with Noah after he achieved the level of a Grand Controller, the type of movements he could do within the Novus Galaxy expanding greatly to the point that he could not even compare it to his past self! An example was how he and Aldrich had gone from the Central Realm and into the Letalis Expanse, and then just a few minutes later reached the bounds of the Novus Galaxy as the events that had already occurred took place. With his position as a Controller, the vast Light, Dark, and Letalis Expanses could actually be explored by him in time as he would at most have to spend a few months or even a year or two to fully explore the entirety of the Novus Galaxy and everything that was lying within! But at this moment...he had an enormous task ahead of him as he heard a shockingly powerful voice that had teleported away a Terror of Aether without its will, an entity that the Cthulhu had accused of bringing calamity to itself and all of them by allowing the actions of Aldrich to go through unstopped! "You still know nothing about this?" He sent his words towards his own Realm System, which was the integrated Infinite Realm that had all the worlds he was connected to put together as he sought for even a bit more guidance to try and understand what was about to happen. [No. I am experiencing this at the same time as you.] His System replied curtly, Noah analyzing the distinct differences between the voices in his mind as he affirmed they were different, that the commanding voice that had simply teleported Cthulhu away was much colder and emotionless, one feeling a distinct chill from it! He glanced at the surroundings where the boundary of the Novus Galaxy had reformed, preparing himself fully as he used enormous amounts of mana to teleport directly to a single location. Of course, his location was the wondrous Central Realm that he had left not too long ago, returning close to the golden barrier where he had left behind the Nebula Rank Infernal Lords. The land around the Golden Barrier was already getting back to normal as the destruction his [Madness Hegemony] caused was slowly wiped away by the abundant essence of the Central Realm, the vegetation already regrowing. Noah saw the figure of the three Infernal Lord standing straight in front of the Barrier as the 1st Infernal Lord looked towards him with a smile. "I trust it went smoothly?" Her words were as melodious as always, Noah staring towards this woman as he nodded while speaking. "Not necessarily. There''s something about a bell being rung and all that." His eyes were squinting as he tried to figure out the mysteries around him, wanting to see the full connection this 1st Infernal Lord had with the commanding voice that had called him a Champion, wanting to know the things that had been held in the dark for too long! "I am in the same situation as you and many others, but I have received guidance that all the answers lie on the other side." The 1st Infernal Lord bowed apologetically as she spoke, her hands pointing behind her as Noah saw a blinding golden light shining out, a blinding rectangular opening being created on the fearsome golden barrier that Aldrich had wanted to get behind for so long! RUMBLE! The golden barrier that he was completely kept out of was now opened towards Noah even though he could have just chosen to pass through it with his power as a Grand Controller. [Communication will be much smoother the further in you are. Come.] Noah turned his head in pain as he still felt a searing tinge every time the cold voice entered his mind, looking towards the three Infernal Lord that seemed to be waiting for him before they entered the golden rectangular opening that showed something entirely different than what Noah and many others were expecting. He left behind his reservations as he floated down and walked through the opening, feeling like a film of light was peeling in front of his eyes the moment he passed through the golden barrier that Aldrich had wanted to get behind for long! He began spreading his awareness out as the auras of the three Infernal Lord entered with him, his eyes opening wider at everything he was discovering as the contents within this barrier were really outside the expectations of many! Aldrich and many other powerful Celestials had made passing this golden barrier their goal over centuries, imagining all the wondrous treasures they would be able to find in the hidden region as they used it to reach even greater heights of power. Yet over all the years, they had never been able to achieve it as Noah was currently the only one to explore this mystery with his own eyes! "This is what Aldrich spent his life trying to reach? This was the reason for all the chaos over the past hundreds of years¡­?" Noah could not help but voice out as the Infernal Lord beside him let out a light laugh, an indistinguishable light shining in her eyes as she nodded. "We often have wild delusions of grandeur on things we cannot get our hands on. What Aldrich sought...he would have never found here." Noah shook his head with emotion at these words as he thought about the being that had lived over 2000 years while having the singular goal of passing through this golden barrier and putting his hands on all that lied within! He shook his head as he confirmed with his own eyes that it was better he took away Aldrich''s life with his hands, for if he had actually been able to pierce through the barrier and see what lies behind it...he might have just taken his own life right then and there! Chapter 594 - What Lies Behind the Golden Barrier? II Behind the golden barrier that Noah had crossed...was a spectacular environment that had 10 times the concentration of essence as the area immediately outside of it! Noah''s awareness at the level of a Grand Controller could spread out to cover an extremely wide distance, so even though he had just entered an area that covered the remaining portion of the Central Realm that had not been explored by anyone, he was able to notice many things in the immediate surroundings! Shockingly, those he could sense the nearest were the droves of Infernals who had been spread out across the Novus Galaxy to stop the advancements of Celestials. The auras of the remaining 6 Infernal Lords and the hundreds of billions of Infernals that had been in all the Infernal Realms had returned into the Central Realm, into the home they had originally deep behind the golden barrier! But this was only the first thing that Noah noticed. As he rose to the skies and watched the mystical surroundings filled with extremely tall trees that further increased the aesthetics of this surrounding land to make it seem as if he was walking through an ancient primordial land, he saw even more shocking things. Aside from the nearing Infernal Lords, the further out that Noah spread out his awareness, the more beings he came across as he actually saw their levels of power increase ever so higher! Some looked like Behemoths, others were creatures he had never seen before, but the most unique thing was their realm of power. Nearly all of them stood at the Star Forging Realm, without a single one being a rank lower! That''s right- aside from the Infernals with their varying levels in the immediate surroundings, Noah could only observe a truly large number of creatures that all had their Realms at the level of a Star Forger and nothing less. As his awareness went out even further, he began coming across the auras of creatures at the level of the Nebula! ¡­!!! Even further inland where his awareness could not reach and it became foggy, he could sense the aura of the powerful Aether of Terror that was forcefully teleported away from the Letalis Expanse not too long ago. This was why he thought if Aldrich had really been able to cross the golden barrier, he might have just taken his own life as the things within were wholly different from what he expected! "Are there actually any truly spectacular treasures in here¡­?" He unconsciously asked the 1st Infernal Lord floating beside him as he focused his awareness on the smaller details of this area past the golden barrier. It actually wasn''t wrong for many beings to think that there were countless treasures past the golden barrier, as his sharp eyes actually noticed a section a few hundred miles away that had something he had taken in the past that pushed him to the World Rank- the [Luminescent Rainbow Dew]! He actually saw these Luminescent Rainbow Dews freely coming off of extremely tall trees as if they were fruits, and there was a large number of them that they would have made any beings in the Novus Galaxy to look towards them with greedy eyes. Yet they peacefully swayed in the branches of these tall trees among this fantastical environment filled with an overabundance of essence, making Noah look around everywhere else for treasures he did not even know about. "Of course, there is also an abundance of treasures. All the techniques that allow one to advance through normal and Supreme Laws, even unique laws like Aether that are just a small distance further ahead than Supreme. Of course, the other things which might not be considered treasures but are abundant in nature...are the Protectors you are seeing." The 1st Infernal Lord replied to him as their figures floated further inside, stating that the beings which all seemed to be at the level of Star Forging were termed as Protectors! "...and the multiple auras of Nebula Realm creatures?" His awareness was focusing on seeking out exactly how many of such creatures laid within this place as he asked, another reply coming towards him. But this time it was from an extremely cold and monotone voice. [Existences made for the sole purpose of Protecting. It is not hard to make many once you set restrictions on their Origins, with their greatest restrictions being bound by universal laws that they cannot escape.] His head did not feel a searing pain anymore as he floated further and further past the area of the golden barrier, this voice being clearer as he began receiving answers from the entity itself! [Lying just a level before Controllers, with their sole purpose to remain in the Central Realm for guard duty and nothing else. The moment they do anything else but that, their Origins implode.] Concepts similar to what Noah had read when he achieved the Nebula Rank in the Terror of Aether skill tree rang out, an idea of how these beings came to be filling Noah''s mind. He recalled the description of the ability as he continued flying towards the depths of this new land, flying over the droves of Infernals standing completely motionless below him. [Terror of Aether] (5/5) :: An inborn ability granted to the special existences known as Terrors by the Novus Galaxy. For an extremely high price and restrictions, this ability normally granted 100% comprehension in the law of Aether. As the current user has not paid this price nor any of the restrictions and yet still holds this title, only 50% of comprehension in the Law of Aether shall be granted. The technique of cultivating Aether, [Disciple of Aether], is also granted. Based on the description of this ability, the creatures within this area behind the golden barrier were granted their power at the Star Forging or Nebula Realm in exchange for huge restrictions from the universal laws themselves. But the ability to make these protectors as well as place the restrictions that allowed for their power...this ability was only something that the entity known as the Novus Galaxy could carry out! Noah continued forward as he noticed the three Infernal Lords stopping behind him at a certain point, the 2nd and 3rd Infernal Lords descending down as only the 1st Infernal Lord remained in the skies with him. They had passed the area where hundreds of billions of Infernal Lords were motionlessly and noiselessly standing, with their figures about to enter further in where Noah saw multiple creatures at the level of Star Forging and even a few at the Nebula Realm moving. [It should be much easier to communicate now at this point.] He heard the voice of the powerful entity once more, but he had to turn his head this time around as it came from the figure right beside him- from the 1st Infernal Lord herself! Her eyes had lost their blue light as they turned a blank white, becoming completely emotionless as they stared towards Noah while the two of them floated in space. The delightful expression and melodious words of the past Infernal Lord were gone, her cold gaze telling Noah he was currently talking directly to the entity known as the Novus Galaxy itself! She waved her hands as the trees below them stretched up and formed two mystical chairs of identical stature and length. The body of the Infernal Lord floated down to one as she pointed her hands towards the other, Noah''s body descending unto it as his eyes locked onto the figure in front of him. [I''m sure you have many questions, but it would be even easier if you first listen to a story. It will answer many if not all of them, and shed light on exactly what is to come in a much smoother fashion.] Noah glanced at the blank eyes of this creature in front of him as he nodded, the entity known as the Novus Galaxy beginning to narrate a grand tale. A tale of how many things came to be! Chapter 595 - The Novus Galaxy! The Novus Galaxy was extremely vast and wide, but it was not always like this! Like many things, it began somewhere, and ended somewhere!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52296878032740075 for visiting. [The answer to the question you heard the Terror of Aether spouting actually lies here.] The monotone voice rang out in front of Noah as the tale began. The accusatory questions that the Cthulhu had thrown towards the Central Realm indicated that even though Aldrich had carried out the actions of shattering a portion of the barrier of the Novus Galaxy and sending out a Signal to the unknown universe of exactly where their Galaxy was...the Cthulhu said that this dangerous action that would put them all at risk could only be made because the Novus Galaxy itself let it happen! So why would this be? Why would a galaxy incite destruction to itself?! [To understand this, you must realize the true nature of a Galaxy, as well as the workings behind it.] [Over the many eons of time...the Novus Galaxy has actually risen and fallen numerous times.] ¡­! Noah''s eyes shook as he listened, hidden truth that nobody knew being revealed simply in front of him. Over the past tens of thousands of years, and who knew how much further, the Novus Galaxy had actually come to be and then been destroyed multiple times! [Each time was different. Whether by the hands of the natives, or by outside forces, or by something completely unknown.] [But no matter what, every time there was complete destruction before everything restarted once more.] RUMBLE! Lines of fate seemed to be swirling around Noah as he learned this truth, the shocking reality that a Galaxy actually went through cycles of destruction and rebirth, the truth that trillions of beings would inexplicably be moving within at every cycle as they lived their lives before all of them were wiped away...only for the Galaxy to begin anew as the process repeated itself! [I have gone through this process too many times to count.] The voice coming out from the 1st Infernal Lord felt even colder and more emotionless at this moment, Noah beginning to understand exactly why that was so as he thought about just the idea of countless destructions and rebirth, of seeing trillions die over and over again! [To try and prevent this, I strove to make strong Protectors over the eons that could withstand the challenges which ultimately led to my destruction, but even that was never successful.] OOOM! The first Infernal Lord waved her hands as an illusory screen appeared beside their two figures, Noah turning towards it as he saw numerous shocking scenes being played. One scene showed multiple figures with the auras of Controllers releasing horrendously powerful attacks towards a shining white core. [Whether it was by my own inhabitants¡­] Another scene showed a shocking large-scale battle that involved creatures Noah had never seen before, of powerful beings that even caused Noah''s heart to stir! [Or by Outsiders who inadvertently found the location of the Novus Galaxy in this vast universe.] No matter what happened, the conclusion was always the same- destruction! But there existed a unique feature about Galaxies where they did not utterly face extinction, going into hibernation for countless years before enough essence can be absorbed for everything to restart yet again. [Even more recently, I have been trying new methods of raising powerful Protectors with unique abilities that can stand against any coming forces, but even that failed.] The scene changed as it portrayed five figures releasing auras at the level of a Grand Controller, these five figures facing unknown beings that were not shown clearly on the illusory screen. Noah''s eyes shook as he saw that at the forefront of the five figures, a single woman with dark hair was wildly leading the others with a cold expression. This figure was very prominent in his eyes as she looked to have a face that was very similar to Noah''s, the features just slightly more feminine to match the body! This being that looked just like him but had a different gender faced the unknown enemies as in the end...all five Grand Controllers fell! [Every time. All that I could look forward to was destruction. That is...until something changed.] Yes! Something had changed! Noah''s eyes looked towards the 1st Infernal Lord that carried a blank expression as he could feel his beating heart even though he had Apathy activated. He wanted to know exactly what change had occurred, but the cold voice skipped over it entirely as the story continued. [After that change, I tried something new. I tried not to have multiple powerful Protectors that all seemed to lose in the end, I tried to forge a single Champion that I was confident could withstand anything that came.] RUMBLE! [That is where you come along. You are...that Champion.] ¡­! After whatever Change she mentioned occurred, the Novus Galaxy had stopped focusing on making multiple powerful protectors who always fell in the end to either their own conflicts or to outside enemies, and she instead focused on forging a single powerful being who could possibly withstand any and all coming forces! She wanted to forge a Champion of ultimate proportions, a being that could shoulder a task that nobody would dare put on their shoulder! [Accomplishing this was not possible before, but the change allowed for me to be able to bend the Universal Laws even by a little, and it expanded the possibilities as I focused on a single aspect of strength that I saw over the eons of destruction and rebirth.] [I observed this aspect on the Outsiders that occasionally caused my destruction, where the Outsiders had extreme strength and power in one aspect, a strength that culminated in giving them a tremendously powerful presence that is collected and termed into a single word¡­a Trait.] RUMBLE! A Trait! [Some Outsiders had traits focusing on the extremes of Laws, some had Traits that allowed them to do unimaginably powerful things with ease, and others had so-so Traits as they could even be matched by the Controllers I made.] But the one singular truth remained...and that truth was if someone had a strong enough Trait, an extreme of a law or something else that could overpower any other beings...they would be victorious! [Because of this, I went forward with the goal of forging a Champion that had an unbeatable Trait, a Champion who could trample on all other beings regardless of the trait they held in the coming future.] RUMBLE! Space seemed to be shaking around them as the emotionless words of the Novus Galaxy continued to ring out! [What do you think about Infinite Mana?] ¡­! Chapter 596 - A Trait! A Trait! Noah''s eyes opened wide as he heard this word, his mind going back months ago when he saw a dash in the stat panel when it came to his [Focus]. At that time, this dash that represented nothing meant that the amount of the attribute of focus- the amount of mana, could not be properly displayed as it was too exorbitant! He later found out that this was because of his connection with the planet he was on, and he even actively expanded this connection as time passed so that he could acc.u.mulate even more mana! [There were multiple trial and errors, but I am now seeing that the Trait of Infinite Mana ranks higher than any of the Traits I have come across before.] RUMBLE! [It is also a Trait that could not just be granted, but it had to be grown to the stage it is at currently, where even at this moment it has not achieved a full bloom to be properly called an official Trait. This is because you have only created a connection with a Realm, and to fully complete this Trait...a connection with something even larger is required.] ¡­! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! Noah could feel his heartbeat as if it was the sound of a drum, shocking information about all that was occurring to him being displayed so freely at this time! All the connections that he had formed with the many worlds, and even when all of these connections were combined into a single powerful Realm...all of this was still just progress he was making towards creating a particular Trait- the Trait known as Infinite Mana! Even at this moment in time, this trait was not complete as he still had work to do before it could officially manifest. [When you take the final step and officially achieve this Trait, you can unequivocally say that you have Infinite Mana. This is because a completed Trait is forced to intertwine with the Universal Laws, whatever the trait is granting being made into a reality.] When he officially completed this Trait, he would never have to worry about any mana he used at any stage he achieved! He would never have to worry about adding this planet or that planet in order to expand his reserves...he would for as long as he lived always have Infinite Mana! Noah''s eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as he reached this point, his heart nearly jumping out as he wanted to grasp this Trait in his hands right away! But this posed the question...of exactly how to complete this trait. He glanced towards the white blank eyes of the 1st Infernal Lord that had been taken over by a separate entity as he had an idea of exactly what he had to do to achieve the completion of such a spectacular Trait. The eyes of this entity seemed to understand his thoughts as their monotone words continued! [As it is a trait that I doubt has ever risen across the vast Universe, it is one with very strict requirements to bring to fruition.] Yes! It was extremely hard and required many factors coming together to bring to light a Trait such as Infinite Mana! First, one had to begin with forming a dangerous connection between a world and a creature that had yet to even experience any forms of Mana, and then have this creature awaken to the workings of mana while keeping their lives during this whole time! If they perished, the planet would perish. If somehow everything lined up and continued, the creature would then have to grow to enough power as they had to be able to traverse in the starry space as they formed even more connections and expanded the usage of this incomplete Trait, all the while none of the planets they were forming connections to had to also remain safe with no destruction. Noah had shockingly gone through all of these stages as he arrived at the point where all the worlds he was connected to were combined into a single Realm, paving his path in an even smoother direction as it granted him a level of safety he did not have before!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52296887411208604 for visiting. [Now that you were able to form a Realm, the next steps are relatively easier as all you have to do is fuse into your Realm the Worlds present in the Light Expanse, Dark Expanse, and Letalis Expanse.] "..." Jaws would have dropped down if there were any other beings listening to this conversation, but Noah managed to release a question during this time. "How many more Stars will have to be fused¡­?" [This, I have not been able to confirm. There is a last stage you must still complete after the fusion of many worlds into your Realm. I will know if you are ready for that final stage as you fuse the worlds, and the Trait that shall stand against any enemies will be complete.] A Trait unlike any other! A Trait that would be able to stand against Outsiders and anything that had appeared before and destroyed the Novus Galaxy, causing it to experience rebirth over and over again until this current era! As Noah arrived at this point and tried weaving everything together in his mind, he was reminded of the accusatory words of the Cthulhu, and the fact that the actions of Aldrich shattering a portion of the barrier of the Novus Galaxy had sent out a signal which actually let unknown beings know exactly where their Novus Galaxy was. It was a signal that effectively called Outsiders over to them! Noah locked his gaze with the apathetic eyes of the entity residing in the 1st Infernal Lord as he asked. "If in the past eons you faced destruction and rebirth multiple times because of Outsiders or other sources...why allow for a signal that would invite disaster to be released by Aldrich this time around?" He could feel the space around him beginning to shake as he asked this same question that the Cthulhu had asked and was forcefully teleported away for. He asked a question that demanded an answer! RUMBLE! Lines of Fate and chaotic particles began to swirl around them as Noah actually observed the emotionless and impassive face of the 1st Infernal Lord show emotion for the first time since this entity had taken over it and adopt an extremely enigmatic and cruel smile, a smile that would cause the spines of beings to curve as their very Origins trembled! [Well¡­] Chapter 597 - Multiple Law Inheritances! Sometimes, too many shocking things can occur at once that one would often feel a sense of numbness after consecutive shock after shock. Over an hour had passed, and Noah was currently feeling like this as he finished listening to shocking information from the entity that was the Novus Galaxy. He had asked for the reason as to why a Signal was allowed to be released to the outside Universe and invite destruction towards them, and the answer was a shocking one! His head felt blank as he looked towards the face that had turned impassive once, any emotion it showed the moment he asked the question being completely gone as if it was never there. [It will take some time, but I am confident in the Champion of this era.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy was monotone, but held a hint of certainty as the blank while eyes stared at Noah. [You are completing a Trait that requires the workings of an entire Galaxy to complete, whereas other creatures can only be granted Traits that are slightly exceptional or even normal by their Galaxies depending on what the river of fate tells them.] The 1st Infernal Lord rose as she said this, looking around them while Noah continued to sit in a contemplative tone. This was because the bombshells dropped today had been too numerous, with their answers also being questionable! [I know you may still not fully agree with or understand my reasoning as it jeopardizes the lives of all the creatures in this current era, but I did this after multiple cycles where creatures just like them faced complete destruction before everything started over again.] The tone was somber as the concept of an entity watching as trillions died over and over again was brought up, the possible emotions behind it being something that very few could understand! [You may feel emotional as you are connected to and know a few creatures in this Galaxy, but realize that I am connected to all of them! The emotions you feel are nothing compared to mine. If I still chose to undertake this route, it is naturally the route that I believe will give them the most chance to not be like the others in the past cycles that have destruction!] RUMBLE! Waves of fate and chaos rolled around as these words were said with certain strength, Noah looking up while still contemplating, looking at the many things around him that lay behind a certain golden barrier. "What of Aldrich''s words about puppets?" His pondering gaze asked another question in his mind as the 1st Infernal Lord turned towards him and titled her head. [Do you truly believe you are a puppet?] It was a questioning tone that held a hint of surprise, Noah not needing to wait as the voice continued. [Do not confuse the moving of the river of fate with someone controlling you. Any time in the past months, you could have chosen to do different things that would have led you on a completely different path. Fate does not lead to a singular location, it can change and shift at any time because of just a single being''s actions. Even now after all this, you can choose to complete your Trait or not, you can choose to go forward with what I proposed or not. I cannot force you.] Her blank gaze looked around the very deep areas of the Central Realm as she said this, Noah taking in the words as he half agreed with them and half didn''t! Even though it was something wondrous that he himself knew he wanted to achieve, he still wondered whether he could really say no to all of it! This was the paradox he found himself in, as when he thought about the fantastical concept of an Infinite Mana Trait- he wanted to complete it. When he thought about saving himself and all those he was connected to from eventual destruction that the Novus Galaxy had faced multiple times in the past, he also wanted to do this. The entity that was the Novus Galaxy also wanted the same things that he wanted, so was he really being controlled to do all these things, or were they all just his choices? His gaze was that of pondering as he felt that he already had an answer, but he left this topic behind as his eyes glanced at the many Protectors around the area behind the golden barrier. "Alright, we can leave this behind for now. I should get started if we want to see a chance of success in the coming weeks." The blank face of the 1st Infernal Lord nodded as they began to float further into the inner area of the Central Realm as Noah followed along. [Aside from your Trait, you also carry the attribute unique to this Galaxy that allows you to quantify your abilities and universal laws into visible numbers, this attribute also allowing you to very easily comprehend universal laws when paired with your Trait.]Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52322164115819194 for visiting. Their figures currently went towards the inner depths as Noah observed the numerous creatures that were all at the Star Forging Realm, a few at the Nebula Rank that also acted as Protectors popping up! [In this Inner Realm, I have been able to put together the techniques for advancing through the normal and Supreme Laws, as well as unique laws such as Aether that a creature born in this galaxy is proficient in. Aside from other treasures that will mostly be useful to the beings you choose to elevate the strength of as your subordinates, these techniques will be the things that will be the most useful to you.] The entity currently residing in the 1st Infernal Lord said this as their figures dove down towards the ground, passing the many scintillating ancient trees around them that vibrated with essence as Noah came upon a circular clearing that held multiple pedestals. These pedestals each shone with their own unique essence as an enormous Inheritance Crystal lay on top of them, each Inheritance Crystal representing a different law! He saw the ones shining red and blue as he recognized the Inheritances of the Disciple of Fire and Water, and he saw that nearest to them were two huge Crystals that shone green and grey- representing Earth and Air. There were even more Inheritance Crystals that represented the laws of Space, Time, Light, Dark, Fate, Chaos, Karma, and even Aether! An abundance of Inheritances for him to choose from on where he wanted his journey in the Universal Laws to continue. [They should continue overlaying even more boosts to your power as you gain Authority from each of them and eventually becoming a Controller of multiple laws. You should have also seen the path of advancement as a Controller, yes? This will be the toughest gap to close between the coming Outsiders, as they have long begun on that path.] The entity that was the Novus Galaxy looked towards Noah as she said this, Noah''s head nodding unconsciously as his eyes were fully focused on the many Inheritance Crystals in front of him. He knew the path of advancement after gaining the title of Controller, and any enemies that could do anything to him would be those that already embarked on this path! But he was leaving all of this for the future as he now focused on the abundant treasures lying before his eyes, as he went forward to learn the techniques of advancing through multiple universal laws so that he could fully put his clones to use in the Time Space of the Infinite Realm! Chapter 598 - A Signal is Received! At the circular clearing where enormously tall ancient trees shimmered with essence, Noah was going across every single Inheritance Crystal as he learned multiple techniques to traverse through universal laws. Laws were the one thing that always continued to add more and more boosts to his strength, and it was one of the things he planned to focus on aside from completing his Trait!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52322172688981315 for visiting. He glanced at the description of a law comprehension technique that he had yet to start on. {Disciple of Earth} :: A technique that allows one to form an Earth Origin Core. It comes with the techniques of the Herald of Earth. {Disciple of Karma} :: Every action will have a reaction, every deed will have its consequences, every being will be surrounded by Karma. This technique allows the user to embark on a loosely understood law as they read and try to interfere with the workings of Karma while cultivating Karma Lines. {Disciple of Air}...{Disciple of Light}... All of the Inheritances that Noah could get his hands on...he did! Once this was completed, he sat down at the center of the mystical clearing as he closed his eyes, all these new techniques he had obtained being reflected in the eyes of his clones currently residing in the Time Space of the Infinite Realm as he began cultivating numerous Laws at once. Yes, simultaneously and without reservations! RUMBLE! Space quaked in the surroundings of the Time Space and the mystical area deep inside the golden barrier that Noah was in, the convergence of numerous elemental particles beginning to head towards him as he once more performed something that would shatter the common sense of others without so much as blinking an eye. One could observe a hint of light green elements that repressed Earth swirling around Noah''s body, the formation of an Earth Origin Core beginning seamlessly beside the Fire Origin Core and Water Origin Core. At the same time, an Air Origin Core from the Disciple of Air appeared as Noah felt his central Core shaking! RUMBLE! The four commonly known and cultivated laws of Air, Earth, Water, and Fire were being comprehended simultaneously as they caused for a splendorous reaction that very few geniuses would be able to achieve! Even if they could achieve it, it would only be brief and not as long as Noah was about to as he had the mana to keep on going for as long as wished. Within his Origin, the slowly rotating Fire and Water Origin Cores seemed to have been lit by spark, soaring to life as they began to spin rapidly! The newly appearing Earth and Air Origin Cores rapidly finished forming as they acted the same way, an outrageously beautiful congregation of blue, red, green, and white colors of elements beginning to form outside of Noah''s body as he began a cultivation session of multiple laws! As if these laws were not enough, mysterious particles of essence that represented Space, Time, Aether, Karma...all of them seamlessly rushed towards him as he fearlessly took all of them in, his eyes only opening to see his Stat Panel that was rapidly changing. Aside from the four Cores of Fire, Water, Earth, and Fire, even more brilliant cores of Light and Dark had also appeared as milky waves of white and black freely ran rampant around Noah! Not too far away from him, the figure of the 1st Infernal Lord still had another entity residing within, the blank white eyes looking towards Noah seeming to have a multitude of thoughts as they turned to look above. These blank eyes pierced through the layers of the Central Realm and even the boundary of the Novus Galaxy, going on to observe the dangerous and chaotic void outside of it as they waited expectantly! --- In the vastness of space, a great number of unknowns were constantly in motion. The Universe was wide and vast, with many beings finding it hard to grasp the sheer size when discussing it, that the understood concepts of miles or kilometers had to be thrown away! At this juncture, one had to look at a distance in terms of light-years! For the knowledge creatures, there was an understanding that a single light-year was equivalent to 6 trillion miles, a distance that the majority of beings would never even dream of traversing throughout their lives. Yet in this vast Universe, at a distance of an unknown number of light-years, a Signal was traveling along the waves of universal laws! The unique thing about this signal was that it never traveled in one direction, the chaotic and deadly nature of the Void outside of galaxies throwing it around millions of miles of random distance every second. The signal had been strong but was gradually growing more and more feeble over time as one could be led to believe that it could disappear completely any second. It was blinking on and off as it traversed the Chaotic Void where only Grand Controllers could travel across, occasionally passing powerful entities by a hair''s breadth as it continued forward. It traversed through the void directionless and soon enough, it came to stop at a certain point and disappeared completely! It wasn''t that the signal had grown weak and been snuffed out, it was that this signal had stumbled into an extremely large presence in the chaotic Void as it was sucked in right away. This presence could be considered extremely large as it represented a Galaxy that had lived for who knew how many eons, a Galaxy whose very presence shook the surroundings of the Chaotic Void! Inside this vast Galaxy, the sucked-in Signal was attracted towards a single location that was actually an extremely prominent feature. This feature was enormous in size, actually being a shimmering portal that was hundreds of miles long as it shone with a rainbow-colored l.u.s.ter that would enamor the eyes of all that saw it! The Signal sunk into this portal as a small vibration could be felt, this vibration being picked up by numerous beings not too far from this enormous portal, beings that had the title of Watchers! "Hmm?" One of these Watchers closed their eyes as they read the essence of the vibrations and the signal it received, a smile blooming on their face as they spoke with utter calmness. "We might have just discord something new...though it is an extremely weak signal¡­" RUMBLE! Waves of fate distinctly rolled around the area surrounding this enormous rainbow-colored portal, a portal that was actually known by a different name among the locals of this Galaxy. The area where the signal of the Novus Galaxy had reached was actually the location where a Universal Rift existed, a Universal Rift that was extremely rare to find or come across in the expansive Universe! The Signal reached this Universal Rift as it signaled the beginning of something spectacular, of a Grand future that very few could never have even imagined! Chapter 599 - A New Era Among the knowledgeable forces of the Dark Expanse, shocking news had begun to spread that caused all those that heard it to stop in disbelief! This news had passed from Noah to his forces and Old Man Inuit before he delved into a resplendent session of universal law cultivation as he really did not pay full attention to what the news represented. When Old Man Inuit heard it, he tilted his head as he looked towards the solemn-looking Fritz absentmindedly, uttering the message he just received from Noah thereafter as the two brothers looked towards one another in shock! "What do you mean it''s all done? Aldrich is nearing complete completion of a universal law¡­" "He''s dead." RUMBLE! This shocking and unbelievable knowledge about the being that was considered a top tier expert in the Novus Galaxy, a being that had been able to interfere with more than half of the galaxy with his own ideal was hard to swallow by many! It caused Old Man Inuit and Fritz to feel a grand weight lifted off their shoulders, and it caused Edrusim and the other forces in the Dark Expanse to breathe as they also accepted it incredulously. Many commanders had thought the news was a ploy to let them lower their defenses, but as the source was a being like Old Man Inuit that they knew from the War of The Righteous, they accepted it with immense joy and celebrations began for the first time in many years throughout the Dark Expanse! Can you imagine the feeling of being placed in a constant state of war where you feared for your life, only to be told that it was all over? All the fear that many people had begun to evaporate rapidly as they absorbed the news, with some forces taking this news in very differently. In the Infinite Realm, Elena was floating in the skies of the lands that used to be the Ancient Blood World, Vladivostok floating beside her as they looked down towards masses of Vampyres below them. The gaze of Elena was chilly even amidst this victory as her voice rang out. "The Progenitor avenged all our dead brethren from the War of the Righteous and the Last War, and you fools were stupid enough to begin celebrating!" RUMBLE! "What were you all doing as the Progenitor faced a powerful enemy by himself and saved us all? You were doing nothing!" Elena was reproachful as she stared at the powerful forces of Vampyre Lord and lesser Vampyres around her, her status of being closer to the Progenitor than most earning her a high seat among the race of Vampyres as she actually floated above them commandingly. "Do you know how many races there are in this Infinite Realm? Do you know just how grand and majestic the might of the Progenitor is going to continue expanding? As those directly sharing his blood, we cannot be falling behind in strength in this realm, and must live to be worthy of even uttering the name of the Progenitor, of the Overseer!" OOOOOH! The Vampyres could feel their blood pumping as they heard this, Elena''s curvaceous body shining brilliantly in the skies as she pushed for the continued growth of her race- something that many beings were doing in the Infinite Realm as it wasn''t just the forces of Vampyres doing this! In the land that used to be Noah''s home world, Steel Mikhail and Kazuhiko were addressing the forces of the past Blessed Empire and the United Federation with solemnity in this time of great joy. "The Overseer came from our past world, and yet our forces are actually the weakest among the many in the Infinite Realm. Are you all content with that?!" RUMBLE! "NO!" "Continue working hard to raise your strength! You have all the resources you can want, all the ideal environments in this wondrous Realm. Choose a path and stick to it as we elevate our power to not let down the Overseer!" OOOOH! In another location, The Inquisitor Athena had boarded the enormous Realm Dreadnaught with the Emperor Penguin and a few other Harbingers, these figures already setting off towards the destabilized Light Expanse where the gap left behind by the Celestials was causing chaos. The Inquisitor was leading forces for the first time as she sought to re-establish order in the Light Expanse, the Emperor Penguin coming along as he felt stifled for not being of any use when battling a huge guy like Aldrich. All around the Infinite Realm as the news spread that the powerful force of Celestials were dismantled, many beings overcame the initial joy as they made vows to get even stronger and began moving to stabilize the chaotic environment left behind by the Celestials. None of them knew at this moment that an unknown threat was approaching, a threat that their own Galaxy called towards them as motions were in play for a shocking future! In the depth of the Central Realm past the golden barrier, Noah''s body rose as he shone with ridiculously colorful lights, his mouth breathing out as a multicolored rainbow essence flowed out with his breath- the cultivation session he had undergone being ridiculously multiplicative to his power! He could feel an overabundance of numerous essences of universal laws vibrating stably within his body, knowing his path as a Controller would be a much different one than many beings. He was comprehending a number of laws that no beings would dare to comprehend, and he was even speeding through them at a rate that they could not even begin to imagine! "Setting off?" His thoughts were brought to a close as the voice of the 1st Infernal Lord rang out beside him. Her cheerful expression had returned as her eyes were back to shimmering blue, Noah nodding towards her as he glanced at the surrounding area and the even deeper area of this inner portion of the Central Realm that he had yet to explore. Aside from the Inheritance Crystals that taught how to advance in laws, there were still abundant treasures in this area like the Luminescent Rainbow Dew and even more potent treasures that he wanted to give out to his forces to raise their strength. During all of this, he was also about to move as continued towards the completion of a single Trait by continuing to fuse more worlds into his Realm...he went towards the completion of the Unranked Trait that would be the cause of much change in the coming years, the completion of the Trait of Infinite Mana! Chapter 600 - Realm Expansion! Hello. It is your trusted Shadow Guard Night once more. This is the 36th Journal Entry in the new Volume I''ve started since the day the Infinite Realm was established. It has been an extremely busy period of time, with many beings moving around this wondrous Realm as they mostly harvested its abundant resources that did not seem to be ending. Delegations were sent from numerous Lands that used to be Worlds, beings of different Races meeting as they began to work together towards a common goal. I was always present and protecting Queen Adelaide during these meetings, her delight as she handled any matters that would be helpful to the Esteemed Person being extremely visible every time. During this busy time period, the Esteemed Person abruptly passed down the word that the biggest enemy was defeated. Just like that. He didn''t need an army with him or millions in order to come out victorious in such an ordeal, and this knowledge caused many of us within this Realm to feel a burning desire to get stronger- just so that this Esteemed Person would not leave us all behind! We wanted to participate in the battles, you know? Be of some help as we received so many benefits that we never thought possible, you know? Yet not too long thereafter, on what should have been a period of relaxation and resting...a change began to occur. RUMBLE! Ahh, it''s actually just happened once more as I am writing this. Over the past few days, a tremor would pass throughout the Infinite Realm every now and then. Sometimes it came in a few minute intervals, sometimes just a few every hour. We didn''t know what these tremors represented at first, but every time a tremor finished the extremely perceptive beings could notice that the atmospheric essence had risen once again. This was an easy thing if you had been following the Esteemed Person for a while and was there was the Worlds ascended to higher ranks before ultimately forming into a Realm, and I noticed it right away as a shocking truth was confirmed right after as the changes became more noticeable and word passed down from the culprit in question! It seemed that every time this tremor occurred, it signified that yet another World was joining the expansive Infinite Realm, that another few billion creatures had joined us once again! It was such a shocking thing as we expected the Esteemed Person to rest for even a little, but it seemed like he could not sit still as every few minutes, another World was fused into this grand Realm filled with wonders. RUMBLE! Multiple worlds have already been fused as I am writing this Journal Entry, the task we have at hand to continue reaching out to the newly joining worlds and establish communications and governance only continuing to increase as many beings would have to be mobilized. But this entire unbelievable and shocking issue of the Esteemed Person actively moving as he combined numerous worlds into this Realm made many of us who could think realize that something big was coming. He would not be moving like this unless another enemy we do not even know about had risen, or maybe the Esteemed Person just enjoyed achieving ridiculously higher realms of power that he didn''t wish to stop. But either way, I was already preparing my mind to withstand any shock that the Esteemed Person wanted to send towards us next. Me being even surprised at the fact that a new world was being fused into this realm every few minutes was a loss on my mission, but I am now vowing with all my strength to never be shocked at the things this being did in the future. I would wholly expect unbelievable and shocking things to continue to occur, and I will succeed in never having my jaw drop at the next unbelievable event. Until then, there is an entire Realm to explore and numerous races to meet. I''ll update next time on the progress of my mission, whenever the time comes that the Esteemed Person chooses to break all common sense again. --- RUMBLE! Yet another world seamlessly fused into the Infinite Realm as Noah used the feature of {World Integration}. He had stopped counting the hundreds of billions after a certain point as many beings found their worlds suddenly changed, his focus working overtime in the Infinite Realm as they stabilized any newly appearing fused lands and spoke to their people. The billions of Vampyres that were spread out all over the Dark Expanse were those at the forefront of wanting to take on this task, trying to be of some help to their Progenitor as they moved diligently to make sure everything continued smoothly! But just like this, Noah was able to seamlessly integrate many worlds as he first teleported across the Dark Expanse where he only had to let beings like the Grand Mage Edrusim know what he was doing as they only nodded in a stupor, already sending him messages of when their own Worlds being integrated into this wondrous Realm that only a few higher of ups of the Dark Expanse knew about. They were at the forefront of it as Old Man Inuit had told them the being who had so easily taken care of Aldrich and the billions of Celestials that nobody could find at this moment was the 9th Infernal Lord, a being that was moving for the peace of the Novus Galaxy! All those with the tiniest bit of intelligence wanted to attach themselves to this being as Noah was able to bring in multiple powerful Prime Worlds in this manner. Days passed like this as his main body integrated new worlds while his two clones continued cultivating multiple universal laws at once, the areas where these two clones stood turning into shockingly overabundant fields of essence as the mana of numerous laws freely swirled around. RUMBLE! His origin shook at this moment as he detected yet another change, reaching another stupidly grand milestone in a short span of time as one of his clones briefly opened his eyes to observe the changes in the stat panel. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Grand Controller(Fate)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Aether Particles(s) : 5,526,932] [Karma Line(s) : 502,492] [Fate Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Chaos Particle(s) : 5,192,265] [Origin Core(s) : Light-1, Dark-1, Fire-8, Water-8, Earth-3, Air-3] [Domain(s) : Aether, Karma, Fate, Chaos, Light, Dark, Space, Time, Fire, Water, Earth, Air] [Vitality: STAR FORGER] [Focus: - ] [Strength: STAR FORGER]Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52346177529632387 for visiting. [Law(s) : Aether- 55%, Karma-5%,Fate-100%,Chaos-51%, Light-8%, Dark-8%, Space-28%, Time-12%, Fire-83%, Water-83%, Earth-38%, Air-38%] [Authority(s) : Aether Lord, Fate Lord, Chaos Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord] Beautiful numbers that were enough to make a grown man cry were displayed in front of him, the shocking speed of progress he had made in just a matter of days being visualized for the first time! Multiple laws now littered his stat panel as he managed to break the 50% mark in the Law of Chaos, gaining yet another Authority aside from Aether that was just handed to him. Even more shocking was the rate of progress for the four laws that had amazing synergy- it was Fire, Water, Earth, and Air! The synergy of cultivating these four laws at the same time allowed for him to simply speed run their advancements, the four Origin Cores of these laws spinning at such a rapid rate as they devoured all the essence they came across. Yet as Noah stared at the new information on the laws of Karma, Aether, Light, Dark, Space, and Time...he couldn''t help but bring a smile to his face while thinking of the future! The Novus Galaxy had a grand plan aside from Noah completing his Infinite Mana trait, and it was a plan that Aldrich had helped to initiate as he sent out a signal to the chaotic Universe! Whatever this signal would bring to them...Noah had to be ready for it as it would determine the success or failure of the plan that his own Galaxy had concocted, and whether it faced another cycle of destruction and rebirth because of it! It was a shocking and cruel plan when considering the lives of the creatures within this wide Novus Galaxy...yet Noah could not help but think back to the grand goal that the entity overseeing the Novus Galaxy had discussed with him back then, his face becoming firm as he chose to continue advancing his strength and make sure nothing went wrong. Chapter 601 - A Party Sets Off A brilliance that was reminiscent of gorgeous stars was continuously shining from an enormous Rift that stood at a central position of a Galaxy. This Rift towered over 100 miles in size, being something so ridiculously large that it could be seen from great distances away. This rift was commonly known as the Universal Rift, a unique tool that the inhabitants of the Galaxy that just recently received a weak signal utilized! Monitoring the signals coming through this rift was the job of the Watchers, a powerful group of beings chosen to tirelessly release their auras as they learned to communicate with this radiant Rift that allowed for them to reach the point they were at today. The uses of the Universal Rift were many, and it made it possible for this Galaxy to stand strong over an unknown number of years as its inhabitants used this Universal Rift to explore the Chaotic Void of their Universe. The first beings to utilize and test this Universal Rift realized that it had the capabilities to smoothly allow for the exploration of their Universe by allowing whoever stepped into it a smooth passage across the Chaotic Void! A unique energy would surround the beings that passed through it, making them appear outside of the Galaxy as this unique essence given by the Universal Rift would surround them for an entire month before it disappeared. This meant that one did not have to be a Grand Controller to be able to leave their Galaxy, where anyone bold enough to explore could do so! Over the numerous years, the inhabitants of this Galaxy had done just that. Numerous explorations occurred as they rose to new heights and gained strength of colossal proportions, multiple Controllers and other powerful beings rising over the years. More often than not, Grand Controllers were favored as they could traverse the Chaotic Void with ease, each party that was setting off for an exploration almost always leaving with one or two beings at the level of a Grand Controller. But in this Galaxy, Controllers were not even the beings that were at the peak of power! Given the title of Law Masters, Controllers were actually just a powerful force that resided in this Galaxy and focused on the comprehension of Universal Laws. There was an even more terrifying force that was led by powerful beings that were directly chosen by this Galaxy and granted fearsome power to wield. These were the beings that were granted Traits, beings that were known as Blessed! The Blessed were powerful beings either born with a Trait or awaking to it in their prime, beings such as them becoming more and more prominent over the years as their Galaxy garnered more and more strength from their explorations. It was like a feedback loop of elevating to higher levels of strength, where the inhabitants of the Galaxy went out to explore the unknown Universe and brought back spectacular treasures which enhanced the power of their Galaxy, this unique realm that had a Universal Rift within it continuing to rise over the eons as it now stood at an unshakable level of strength! On this day though, another Exploration was about to occur as an advanced party was being sent to check out a weak Signal that Watchers had noticed being attracted to the Universal Rift. It was a Signal that was weaker than all the others they had come across, so the higher ups had simply given the task of checking out exactly what this signal was first. Sometimes it was the signal of a Galaxy filled with treasures and wonders, other times it was a signal released by powerful entities seeking to devour unsuspecting beings for fun, or it could be an unknown treasure simply floating around the Chaotic Void of this vast Universe! The Signal that was received recently would be checked out by a powerful group of Law Masters and Blessed, which consisted of multiple Controllers and beings with powerful Traits. Even though it was simply a scouting mission, all precautions were taken as the beings about to pass through this Universal Rift knew of dangers they could come across the Chaotic Void. Near the Universal Rift, multiple beings adorned in regal attire walked across the golden floors below as they entered into an expansive chariot, this chariot having a shimmering starry blue barrier covering it as the animals that would be pulling it were fearsome creatures letting off an aura similar to that of a normal Controller. This was known as an Imperial Vessel that was pulled by creatures commonly seen outside of Galaxies, creatures known as Void Beasts that could traverse through the Chaotic Void with ease! These Void Beasts had wide dark wings swirling with runic circles as their bodies could very similarly be compared to a Gryphon, but their eyes oozed the power of Space and Chaos as they looked forward coldly, the reigns attaching them to the grand chariot making them shockingly seem like docile creatures. Multiple figures entered this Imperial Vessel as a single stone-faced man sat at the forefront of this spectacular chariot, holding the reins as his essence of a Grand Controller fully tamed the Void Beasts that began releasing a powerful essence of Space and Chaos which caused the chariot to take to the skies. RUMBLE! The many Watchers and beings carefully observing and noting the changes of the Universal Rift gave their permission as the chariot pulled by Void Beasts flew forward, going into the Rift as they soundlessly disappeared! On this day, a shimmering blue chariot pulled by Void Beasts entered a Universal Rift as they went on to search for a signal. Within this chariot known as an Imperial Vessel, three Law Masters and three Blessed took this exploration mission that would bring about unintended consequences. This marked the first time that the Galaxy known as the Nexus Galaxy, a terrifyingly powerful realm that had survived eons and collected powerful beings of stupendous strength- it marked the first time that the forces of the Nexus Galaxy set off as they would come in contact with a being that would soon bring to fruition a spectacular Trait! Chapter 602 - Into the Nebula Realm! On another side of the Chaotic Void, a singular being in the Novus Galaxy continued to advance forward as multiple milestones were achieved. The first milestone was the continued upgrade of his subordinates, the Harbingers of Sin and other powerful beings overseeing the Novus Galaxy actually being granted entrance past the golden barrier of the Central Realm! Using the ability of Pocket Realm, Noah used it as a simple transfer portal as his subordinates came into the depths of the Central Realm with ease, their minds being shaken once more as they sensed an abundant atmospheric essence that was even greater than the Infinite Realm that was still expanding even now. Noah had brought his subordinates over to the mystical clearing that had numerous Inheritance Crystals which contained the techniques of comprehending universal laws, and he gave them the option of choosing what law they wanted to follow!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52368520486374740 for visiting. Unlike him, none of them could afford to focus their attention on multiple laws, with his subordinates choosing the law that fit them best as they also embarked on their path to become future Controllers. Kazuhiko''s eyes shone when he glanced towards the Crystal containing the techniques of the Law of Chaos, looking at the dark glint as he rushed towards it right away. To him, he would finally be achieving his dream of releasing dark rays of chaotic light from his blade once he became proficient in the law of chaos! Athena had only come into the Central Realm briefly as she sought to learn more of the truth of this realm that many Celestials fought for, being one of the last few remaining Celestials who had even been able to enter past the golden barrier. She remained on the path of the Law of Fate as her resolve became even stronger when looking at the level of strength her Junior Brother displayed, knowing that she had to work that much harder. Others like the Kraken were humble as they remained comprehending the normal laws of Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. One particular Emperor Penguin was even bolder and more arrogant than the rest as he chose to study both the law of Time and Space, making it his goal to increase his spatial abilities and combining it with time to be even more deadly! "RAA! RAA!" Excitement was abound in the hearts of Noah''s subordinates as they learned these techniques as well as the treasures of the Central Realm. Things like Luminescent Rainbow Dews that could upgrade one into the World Rank were free and many, with other treasures of similar potency or even stronger being able to be found in these deep areas of the realm. Their goals of rapidly increasing in strength to catch up to Noah seemed to be possible at this moment as the next few days were spent with them making rapid progress! The second milestone was the bringing another Skill Tree into the Star Forging Realm, Noah getting ready for whatever was coming as best as he could, and he chose the goal of bringing at least one more skill tree into the Nebula Realm before whoever received the released Signal came. The skill trees he chose for this task were the Fate''s Guardian skill trees! He chose Fate''s Guardian naturally because the law of Fate was currently one of the only laws he had at 100%, and the skill tree would benefit greatly from its backing. Over the past few days, the product of this skill tree at the Star Forging Realm had been produced as it added even more to his abilities, their skills seeming subpar at this point compared to Terror of Cthulhu skill tree currently at the Nebula Realm. He gained another pair of skills that passively increased his comprehension of the law of Fate, as well as a skill termed Celestial King that was very similar to what Aldrich had used in the past battle! But this skill tree was just one of the major things in Noah''s mind, because he was currently focused on absorbing the Nebula Realm cores that he had obtained from the defeat of Aldrich. He had chosen not to convert the Origin of Aldrich into skill points in order to obtain these cores, as the strength and resiliency of his level would matter just as much as the perks being given by becoming a Controller as he advanced to further stages! From the stage of a Star Forger, one would have to destroy their very Origin that was in the shape of a star as they later used the shattered dust of this star to try and form a Nebula, an Origin that was so strong that it would contain multiple miniature small stars. As Noah absorbed more and more Nebula Realm Cores, his Origin had continued vibrating at a high speed as it even caused the artificially formed Origin Cores of laws to bounce in excitement. Within Noah''s body, there existed not just his main Origin Core, but also the Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Light, and Dark Origin Cores! He was shockingly walking around with multiple cores within his body, and his main one was about to dissolve into dust as it served as a base to build even more miniature stars in the future! RUMBLE! His main body was situated in a beautiful scenery of green as enormously tall ancient trees surrounded him, his position currently being in the depths of the Central Realm past the golden barrier as an overabundance of essence surrounded him. Much of this essence was currently swirling towards him rapidly as he had already started the process of entering into the realm of a Nebula! His Origin had been vibrating at a high frequency as a pained expression continued to deepen on his face, the process of essentially shattering one''s own core before reforming into something grander being extremely dangerous. CRACK! CRACK! Lines of cracks spread throughout the Origin Core as Noah felt the other origins representing multiple laws rotate even faster, bringing a sense of stability as in the next millisecond...his main Origin shattered! RUMBLE! It felt as his Origin had been completely ground into dust, leaving behind a cloudy mass that began to circulate rapidly. This cloudy mass was the initial formation of a Nebula, and it needed enormous reserves of essence as it was circulating faster and faster while trying to birth multiple stars within. Yet it turned out that at this time, the nearest sources of essence was the unique energy that the Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Light, and Dark Origin Cores that had been even more actively rotating and releasing essence as this multicolored assortment of energies rushed forward to build the stars within this Nebula! The unique essence of Universal Laws themselves! Going towards building a single being''s Nebula! Such a thing was unheard of, and it would be the beginning of a shocking set of events as far from the Novus Galaxy where Noah was trying to condense his first stars, an entity that was freely floating in the Chaotic Void of the expansive Universe multiple light-years away opened his eyes the moment that Noah began establishing a new Core that was being built with the essence of Universal Laws themselves. RUMBLE! "After countless eons¡­" WAA! The body of the entity took a seated position as this moment as a shocking event played out light years away! Chapter 603 - Too Many Eons! The Entity floating amidst the Chaotic Void that would shred the defenses of any being that did not have a unique treasure or the essence of a Grand Controller had gotten to a seated position, his stature simply too enormous to even comment on how large it was, there being no suitable point of comparison in the current space he presided! "Truly too many eons for such a being to rise again...hmm" The Entity waves his hands as in front of it, a page that shone with the most gorgeous color of gold appeared. This page had an archaic language written on it, the Entity reading the words of the page with a somber expression! "A being with an Origin molded from the Universal Laws themselves...a being with multiple unique powers that will cause even the most powerful Void Beasts to tremble...Ah, why isn''t there more information!" RUMBLE! The Entity grumbled with unhappiness as he waved his hands and caused the golden page to disappear, his gaze glancing around the chaotic void as he opened his mouth and began sucking in the surrounding void as if it was malleable, the Chaotic Void that could rip many beings apart actually being devoured by him rapidly as he patted his stomach thereafter and released a burp! "Alright, guess I will continue searching for the remaining pages of this trash Book of Ruination. Such a pain¡­" His body began moving through the Chaotic Void once more as this Entity continued forward while releasing shocking words. "Too many eons have passed...too many¡­" RUMBLE! "If I just had more pages...maybe I would be able to locate you¡­Bah!" OOOM! This entity shockingly had the page of a treasure called the Book of Ruination, a treasure so extremely high that it should not even be talked about at this stage of the story! This creature had been able to sense a change because it held a page from this book, noticing the advent of a being that had a core molded by the essence of the Universal Laws themselves! Unbeknownst to many, this being moved! --- Back in the Central Realm, a wondrous scene was occurring as amidst a forming nebula, the colors of red, blue, grey, green, white, and darkness that represented the numerous Law Origin Cores within Noah''s body were freely flowing into the establishing nebula, the stars sprouting up having a spectacular array of colors as they shone with magnificence! Within the spinning Nebula, colorful round stars had begun forming as one could count their numbers in tens! This was an extremely shocking thing as those familiar with the process of stepping from the Star Forging Realm and into the Nebula Realm would know that normally, one would form a few stars within their new Nebula, with the norm being around 3 stars or geniuses forming close to 10 the moment they established their Nebula. Yet Noah¡­! Noah had tens of stars forming within his Nebula during his first time condensing it, the starry nebula rotating heavily as if it was carrying enormous weight, the essence of numerous Universal Laws surging into it endlessly! RUMBLE! All the surrounding essence particles were also being sucked in rapidly as the many ancient trees around Noah lost their l.u.s.ter, even their essence being devoured as his Nebula took every source of essence that it could find. BZZZ! Its heavy rotations slowly got faster as this Nebula spun while absorbing even more energy, numerous small stars shimmering with color being seen within as a resplendent ray of multicolored light shot forth from Noah at this moment and pierced the skies of the Central Realm! WAAA! It was a magisterial sight of wonder that attracted the attention of the nearby Protectors and Infernals as they looked towards this sight with confounded shock. Noah opened his eyes at this moment as he felt the rotating Nebula that drew in a ridiculous amount of energy at every rotation- energy from the Law Origin Cores, energy from his own body, and even atmospheric energy, all he could say as he felt this rotation was a feeling of unbound and wild strength! This Nebula had a myriad of colors as it looked extremely beautiful, where one could actually get lost in it if they observed it long enough. The feeling of strength that this Nebula brought to him...was simply too much. He felt like he could step out into the starry space as he threw out a fist towards a world...and this world would shatter! He felt as if he could throw a punch in the skies and it would crack! It was such a joyful feeling of strength as each of the cells within his body felt drunk by the unique essence floating through them, the 6 Origin Cores of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Light, and Dark rotating even faster than when he was actively cultivating using their techniques...as if they were receiving an enormous pull from the Nebula they surrounded. It was a shocking and much-welcomed development where even Noah did not understand the complete meaning of it! [It seems a change has occurred with your very Origin, the essence of the Universal Laws becoming more closely entwined than they should be¡­] He heard the voice of his own Realm System as he tried to sense the enormous changes within himself as well as his strength, but even he could not fully fathom it. He released a breath as even his breath unconsciously released a colorful burst of mana, as if he was simply too full at this moment in time! "How different is it from the breakthroughs of other Nebula Rank beings you''ve observed?" Noah voiced out a question not towards his own Realm System, but towards the entity known as the Novus Galaxy as he received a reply soon after, the pain from hearing this voice being much dimmer after all this time. [Completely different from what I have observed before. There should be a special property with your Nebula as it looks to be made of the unique essence of universal laws. I will see if it is possible to decipher it.] RUMBLE! Essence freely flowed from Noah in droves as he nodded, moving his body as explored this ridiculous feeling of strength while moving on to his next goal. Shockingly, more than 50 Stars had formed within his Nebula at the time that he established it. Fifty. F.u.c.k.i.n.g. Stars. If the knowledgeable creatures of this expansive Universe heard this, they would tumble from their seats as they lost all hope in the meaning of what genius was!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52368557815681013 for visiting. Chapter 604 - The Requirements are Met! As his main body ascended to new heights of power and ridiculous new possibilities he did not even fully know about yet, one of his clones was currently exploring the Letalis Expanse. This was the same Letalis Expanse that was mysterious to him before as he moved while observing the positions of the Ancient Terror and the Terror of the Void that had gone back to their posts as commanded the day that Aldrich was defeated. He could also sense the wild power of the Terror of Aether that had sulkingly returned back to its post after whatever the Novus Galaxy told it, but Noah could still feel boundless anger from the heart of the Cthulhu as it still was not convinced of why they invited doom over to themselves! Even now as Noah thought about what the Novus Galaxy had told him, he had slight apprehension as it involved the lives of simply too many, but his apprehension was overshadowed by the possibilities that the Novus Galaxy spoke about as he resolved himself and continued forward. He had been going around the Letalis Expanse the past few days as he connected more and more worlds from this Expanse while exploring the race of Ancients that he did not get the chance to interact with before. Many of these Ancients actually stemmed from the Ancient Terror that stood at the level of a Controller, one of the three Terrors currently residing and watching the boundaries of the Novus Galaxy that were thinnest in this Expanse. When one looked at a Galaxy, they could not just look at it as a circle with many things contained inside of it, but something that existed within its own space as it only had one side that could be seen as a door. Using this analogy, the entirety of the Letalis Expanse could be considered as a door, the area that if one wanted to enter the Galaxy, it would have to be through here! This was why the Three Terrors at the level of Controllers were stationed to monitor the boundary around the Letalis Expanse for the past thousands of years, and still the reason why they were there until now. The rest of the Letalis Expanse had vibrant Prime Worlds that held the unique race of Ancients, with Noah coming across beings nearly the same as the ones he came across before when he used [Summon the Ancients] from the Blood Lord skill tree! The Ancients living in the Letalis Expanse were very closely tied with the Terrors, their race being similar to the Infernals that had recently returned into the Central Realm as they also had the task to act as protectors. The Vampyre Progenitor had originated from them, and this was why Noah believed that the [Blood Lord] skill tree that came with the bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor would lead to the abilities of the Ancient Terror when he made it into the Nebula Rank, very similar to how [Amorphous Space Beast] led to the abilities of the Terror of Aether! Thus, he continued traversing the Letalis Expanse as he connected more of its worlds, the passing days allowing for the count of the Worlds integrating into the Infinite Realm to increase more and more rapidly. RUMBLE! At this moment, he had just finished the integration of another world when he felt a rumbling within his own Origin, his connection to the Infinite Realm communicating something to him as he stopped to pay attention. [The time is nearing.] OOOOM His main body in the Central Realm heard the voice of the Novus Galaxy as he was still studying his newly built Nebula, the last World Integrated into the Infinite Realm causing some type of reaction as Noah could sense the entire Realm was overflowing with essence. With the addition of this world, the goal of completing the Trait of Infinite Mana was actually nearing! "You mentioned that you would know when the conditions are met?" [Yes, the base requirement was for your Origin and Soul to be strong enough to withstand the last step, as well as your Realm being expanded into at least a Large Realm.] The conditions were for him to achieve the Nebula Rank, which granted him a ridiculously strong Origin that was even more stupendous than even the Novus Galaxy expected with the unique formation where the essence of Universal Laws was now flowing within it, as well as his Realm being expanded multiple times as hundreds of Worlds were now integrated with it! [All the hard parts are finished, and your Origin should be strong enough at this point to withstand the last step- which is establishing a connection...with the Novus Galaxy itself.] RUMBLE! To bring to fruition the Trait of Infinite Mana, he didn''t need to spend months and years connecting and integrating every single World in the Novus Galaxy into his Realm, all he had to do was grow strong enough where he could withstand a connection with an entity at a much higher stage than him, and he would effectively share a connection with everything it was connected to! [This will only be possible using your Infinite Realm as the intermediary for the connection, with it really being a three-way connection where I shall be connected to your Realm, and you are connected to it.] Yes! Even though Noah had stepped into the Nebula Realm, the task of successfully forming a connection with an entire Galaxy was much too grand to even be thought about! But they could use other means to force a connection, and therein lay the use of the Infinite Realm!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52368611486002691 for visiting. "Good. Let us get started." Noah''s eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as he floated to the skies and went even deeper into the depths of the central realm. His face was calm as his heart beat soundly, not an ounce of nervousness appearing on his expression as he exuded strength and confidence. This was the same being that was only a Rank F hunter a few months ago! This was the same man that had been fighting with goblins in [Goblin King''s Abode], the same man that was tussling with lowly Demon Lords in the Frozen Lands of the Beast World! Yet now, he stood at the precipice of something grand as he set out to do something that others could not even imagine! Chapter 605 - Trait: Infinite Mana I The wings of change were rapidly blowing as many beings were taken into a grand new era. The dynamics of the Light and Dark Expanse had changed greatly just over the span of the last few days, the name of the Overseer known as Noah Osmont beginning to spread around the two Expanses as he went around integrating worlds into his Realm. Many beings came to know that a wondrous Realm called the Infinite Realm existed, and that this being that had quite literally wiped Celestials off the face of the Galaxy was the one controlling this Realm! In just a matter of days as many worlds were integrated from the Expanses, the dynamics of power shifted greatly as many realized the strength they carried could not even be held in comparison. Yet even before the beings could absorb this change as they learned to adapt to this starting of a new Era, Noah was changing things once again as his main body appeared in front of a huge blue door! This door was near the position where his home world used to be, and it was also the door that led into the Infinite Realm. Noah''s hands rested upon this shimmering blue door as he utilized a feature of the Infinite Realm that would make possible what he wanted to do! [Realm Gateway] :: A shimmering blue archaic door of light is all that remains of the Infinite Realm to the outside universe as it exists in its own spatial space. This Gateway can be shifted under the will of the Infinite Realm Master, as well as set restrictions for the beings allowed in or out. RUMBLE! His mana rushed into it as the gateway shone with l.u.s.ter, disappearing along with him as he transported it towards the Central Realm. This blue door was the only official entrance of the Infinite Realm that was located in its own spatial space, and this space could be easily accessed by the Novus Galaxy when Noah brought its gateway into another Realm! He reappeared at the depth of the area past the golden barrier as he moved forward, creating for a spectacular scene as the Protectors and Infernals all around the area turned their heads upwards to observe a shocking scene. They observed a single being with his hand placed on an archaic blue door, and this being was flying through the skies as he dragged this archaic blue door with him! It was a majestic sight to come across as Noah continued going deeper into the Central Realm, his surroundings gradually changing as more and more vegetation came to be, even the numbers of Protectors reducing as it was becoming quieter and quieter. He continued forward while dragging the archaic blue door behind him, following the guidance of the Novus Galaxy as he came upon a small grove of thick ancient trees in a circular formation. The Ancient Trees seemed to be surrounding something, their leaves wriggling and shifting as Noah neared and created an opening. Noah patted the door that he was dragging as it became smaller in size, entering through the area where the ancient trees created an entrance as he appeared in what could be considered an entirely different space. His eyes shone as within the encirclement of the ancient grove of trees where no outside light could penetrate, it shimmered brightly as colorful particles of elements were abundantly floating around. Essence of all colors freely overflowed in a gorgeous array of green, red, blue, white, and gold as they danced around a single black core! This core was unlike anything that Noah had come across before, observing it being completely still as it made no movements at all since he appeared! It had a glossy obsidian black color that actually reflected Noah''s own devilishly handsome face, showing his figure and the outline of the shimmering archaic blue door he dragged with him. Shockingly, as he came across what should be the core of an entire galaxy, there weren''t some brilliantly rotating miles long core that was at the deepest depths of a hard to get location- it was simply an obsidian core staying entirely still in the middle of an ancient grove of trees! The only thing different was the fact that there was an extremely dense amount of universal law essences in this area, where Noah could feel all the particles of different laws visibly move even in liquid form the nearer they were to the obsidian dark core. [At the end of it all, everything returns to simplicity. Galaxies have a tremendous amount of power, but they also have grand restrictions that make them extremely vulnerable.] RUMBLE! [If an enemy had somehow managed to break through the boundaries of the Letalis Expanse, and then the golden barrier was breached, and then all my Protectors failed to stop their advance...they would be able to pry open the trees around me and do as they wish.] The words of the Novus Galaxy revealed more and more information as Noah let the blue archaic door representing the entrance of his realm float alongside the river of universal law essences around this mystical obsidian black core, his hands instinctively reaching towards it as it looked very enticing! [Careful, even a small touch or mistake can cause the deaths of trillions. The cores of Galaxies are some of the most fragile things in existence, which is a ridiculous paradox when considering what they are able to do.] His hands pulled back as he adopted a serious expression and contained his wonder inside of him. "What do I need to do?" [At this point, focus on your connection with the Infinite Realm. The singular connection that you share with it. During this whole process, you will need to focus on the stability of this connection the most as I open up a channel between myself and your Realm.] RUMBLE! [I will share a connection with your Realm and not you directly, but just this action will be enough to fully bring the Trait of Infinite Mana into a reality as I will have met all conditions to grant it at that stage.] Yes! Traits had requirements that had to be fulfilled if they were crazy powerful, and the requirement of the ridiculous Trait of Infinite Mana was for one to really have a source where they could use as much mana as they wished without ever having to worry! The Universe would be forced to acknowledge and grant this trait when a being who would actually share a connection with an entire galaxy appeared, as no matter what he did in his lifetime- he truly would never be able to run out of energy! Thus, Infinite Mana would be fully bright into fruition! Chapter 606 - Trait: Infinite Mana II In the ancient grove where the essence of universal laws was freely flowing around an obsidian core, Noah took a deep breath as he sat down while closing his eyes, his entire mind focusing on his Infinite Realm as he even utilized [Skill Creation] to make two new skills to support his thoughts and make sure that everything went smoothly. After spending 30 Skill Points in total, the skills [Ultra Speed Computing] and [Parallel Though Enhancement Support] came to be as his mind was further enhanced, grasping all the minute details that would have made any being''s head hurt! RUMBLE! The moment that he was able to fully focus on the connection he shared with his Infinite Realm, a change finally occurred as the obsidian core that represented the core of an entire Galaxy shone with a distinct light, a black line released from it as it latched onto the archaic blue door that represented the entrance of this realm. This black line briefly stopped on the surface of the blue door before it pierced through instantly, entering into a different spatial area as a shocking sight occurred in the Infinite Realm on this day. Many beings within the realm were able to observe it with their eyes just briefly, and from the stories played out in the future, some said they saw a flash of a dark line that shot from the skies and pierced deep into the Infinite Realm! This was actually what happened, this thin black line being the connection that the Novus Galaxy was forming as it found the core of Noah''s Infinite Realm as it smashed into it with a purpose! RUMBLE! [Connection initiating.] Noah heard the words of his System that had now begun resonating with the cold voice of the Novus Galaxy, the voices ringing out in conjunction within his mind as he focused all his mental faculties on keeping his connection with the Infinite Realm. Within the Realm itself though, great changes were occurring as the back like that had appeared and disappeared briefly had begun causing great changes, the establishing of a connection between a Galaxy and a Realm creating for a wondrous exchange of essence as the atmospheric levels of mana in the Infinite Realm began rising crazily once again. In the Infinite Realm, the Harbingers had exasperated expressions as they truly did not even know what was happening now! So many shocking events after shocking events continued to occur that they thought they were ready for anything, but they were proven wrong at every turn. At this moment, the inhabitants of the Infinite Realm felt strong waves of essence vibrating and permeating throughout as it went yet another grand change. [No errors have occurred. Beginning Synchronization.] RUMBLE! In the ancient groove of the Central Realm where the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy existed, Noah heard this voice again as his brow began sweating, feeling the connection he shared with his Realm rapidly expanding! The line of connection that could be observed by him in a cylindrical manner was expanding more and more, ballooning to greater sizes as a connection was formed between his Infinite Realm and the Novus Galaxy. RIIING! The black light that represented the connection shooting forth from the Novus Galaxy seemed like a tout string that had found an anchor on both sides, vibrating rapidly as the atmospheric essence of the Infinite Realm began to rise ever so greater! [Synchronization successful.] [Connection established. Beginning the process of granting a Trait.] RUMBLE! When Noah thought the process would slow down or even pause briefly as he sensed the enormous cylindrical line within his mind that actually still continued to expand even after the connection between his Realm and the Novus Galaxy continued- the process sped up even faster as the Novus Galaxy initiated the culmination of the Trait right away, Noah unconsciously raising his head to the skies as he felt a burning sensation with his very Origin! This sensation was actually a branding, a ritual where a certain trait was being attached to his very Origin and Soul, a process of a Trait being granted to him! This would be the first Trait that the Novus Galaxy granted to any creature, and this entity had chosen to do this purposefully so because the being granted the first Trait was special- being granted their abilities in the most optimum and powerful form. For the past thousands of years since its last cycles of destruction, not a single trait had been granted to any creatures in the Novus Galaxy as most only fumbled through the levels of power and dabbled into laws. Yet today, the first being to have a trait would be born in the Novus Galaxy as it gained its first Blessed! [Trait culmination and harmony confirmed.] RUMBLE! Noah felt the branding on his soul heat up as he felt a sense of tremendous calm and accomplishment, feeling ''something'' appearing within him that wasn''t fully there before, this ''something'' granting him an enormous sense of freedom and power! [A New Trait has been born.] OOOOM! A magisterial sight played out around Noah at this moment as his body subconsciously lifted off the ground, the color blue dominantly spreading out from him as his body shone brightly! CRACK! As this mana was senselessly leaking from his body, the surrounding earth below him cracked at the pressure as the soil became ground to dust, an awe-inspiring presence shooting forth from him as crackles of blue energy coiled around his body. This was mana! Pure and una.d.u.l.terated mana! Mana that he could choose to do whatever he wanted with as at this point, no matter what realm of power he achieved- he would never ever have to worry about his reserves of energy! It did not matter if he stayed at the Nebula Rank or somehow crossed ten ranks above it, for as long as he lived he would always have what his trait foretold- Infinite Mana! RUMBLE! His eyes opened at this moment as resplendent and gorgeous arcs of blue light permeated out from them, his form at this moment looking extremely ethereal as there was such an overabundance of mana that it was leaking from his eyes as they took on a form of shining blue lights with arcs of mana occasionally flashing out. OOOOOOH! He released a primal below that shook the skies and earth as he announced the arrival of something grand, the arrival of a Trait that would comfortably stand above many Traits in this unexplored universe. He was announcing the arrival of Infinite Mana! Chapter 607 - What are your traits? As Noah completed a new trait in the Novus Galaxy, a grand chariot was being pulled across the chaotic void of the Universe by two fierce Void Beasts. This chariot caused for a mystical sight to play out as these ferocious beasts seamlessly trudged along the chaotic void and carried along with them the inhabitants that were coming from the Nexus Galaxy. The bodies of these Void Beasts released a mystical aura of chaos and space, this chaotic void actually making them feel as if they were home as they happily moved forward while directed by the essence of a Grand Controller! Inside this carriage, two Law Masters aside from the Grand Controller and three Blessed were sitting in contemplation or talking with each other. At this time, one of the Law Masters, a being that comprehended the law of fire in its entirety- glanced towards the three Blessed as an envious light flashed through his eyes. He couldn''t help but ask out carefully as the colorful essence of fire danced around him. "So...what are you guys'' Traits?" The question was a simple one, but it caused for a weird atmosphere to develop inside of the magnificent Imperial Vessel as it dealt with the unique powers of the beings they were working with! But the Blessed at the very forefront smiled as he spoke out mildly, his extremely white hair and frosty appearance adding on to a mysterious air about him. "My Trait is [Ice Man]. I can utilize the element of ice even better than a controller of the law of water to the point that I''m capable of turning my entire body into a pure form of ice as no physical attacks can even reach me." RUMBLE! The envy in the eyes of the fire Law Master only increased as he heard these powerful words, his eyes going towards the other two Blessed that also had smiling expressions as if they knew of their high status! The man at the forefront continued as they pointed towards the other two Blessed beside him. "This one has the trait that is called [Supernova], where each one of her strikes always releases the explosive force of a dying star." The Blessed holding the Trait of [Ice Man] pointed to a curvaceous woman beside him as another shocking trait was revealed, with the voice of the frosty Blessed continuing to ring out! "Lastly, my friend here has the trait called [Ability Mimic] that effectively allows him to mimic and display the abilities of his opponents." Every single word that left the Blessed''s mouth on what trait he and his two partners held had only caused the envy of the Fire Law Controllers eyes to increase, only the eyes of the other Controllers trying to remain without a change as the majestic chariot continued to traverse the chaotic void. The Grand Controller that was at the forefront of the chariot and releasing his essence to steer the Void Beasts listened to this conversation as he only smiled, speaking out towards the five others inside the chariot at this moment. "With this signal that we are exploring, we don''t really know what we might come across. So your Traits and our masteries in the Universal Laws will work together nicely to defend against anything that we come across." His voice was magnetic as it held a sense of power that only Grand Controllers that fully comprehended a Supreme Law could feel! The others nodded at the words of the Grand Controller as even the three Blessed took on serious looks. This was because even they could not simply look down upon a being that had mastered a Supreme Law, and this being steering the Imperial Vessel had comprehended the Supreme Law of Chaos! "We were lucky so far to not have come across too many powerful Void Beasts, where all of the ones that appeared I could easily take care of. But keep your minds sharp as anything can happen!" The eyes of the Grand Controller were vigilant as the aura of chaos spread out from him calmly, sensing the many happenings of the Chaotic Void around him as he used his unique essence of a Grand Controller to continue steering the two Void Beasts pulling the Imperial Vessel forward. "What if we are unlucky and the signal was a powerful entity?" At this point, the frosty Blessed posed a question as the Grand Controller laughed warily. "Haha, we can only try to run at that point. Only a few parties have been unlucky enough to come across dangerous entities that cared enough to act against them, and we never heard from them again." His expression was portraying calm, but he knew there was a level of danger with the task they were undertaking where anything could go wrong! "Anyways, I assume that you three should have been given some life-saving Talismans from the Imperials, yes?" The Grand Controller said this to the three Blessed as they scratched their heads with smiles. "The life-saving measures are only enough to survive against an extremely powerful Grand Controller''s or a Beginner Assimilator''s attacks for a short period of time as we try to make an escape." The frosty Blessed holding the Trait of [Ice Man] said this as he shook his head, a somber atmosphere occupying the inside of the majestic chariot. "We shall see. Normally a signal reaching the Universal Rift should not be something too dangerous or too meaningless." The Grand Controller voiced his words as the Imperial Vessel continued traversing across the chaotic void with even more speed, only a streak of light being visible in the utter darkness of the terrifying void. These beings from the Nexus Galaxy were heading towards a singular location. The location where a Grand Controller of Fate had actually shattered a portion of the boundary of his own galaxy and released the signal that reached them! As these beings traversed towards the source of this signal, towards the Novus Galaxy, one would wonder exactly what they planned to do once they found it! Chapter 608 - Why stop at one?! In the Novus Galaxy, Noah was floating in the skies of the Central Realm as his body took in the feeling of strength and power that his newly granted Trait gave him. The Trait of Infinite Mana didn''t reinforce his body or grant him strength in any visible way, but it gave him the feeling of power that made him think he could do anything he wanted! This was a unique feeling the very few beings could come across, and Noah was feeling it because of the fact that from now on until whatever stage he reached in his journey, he would always have Infinite Mana! [With the success of granting this Trait, you have fully taken the mantle of the Champion off this galaxy.] RUMBLE! The voice of the entity that controlled the Novus Galaxy rang out in his mind as Noah sensed the connection that was now added to his Infinite Realm. He shared a connection with the Infinite Realm, and now the Infinite Realm shared a connection with the Novus Galaxy itself! He could continuously observe new changes continue to occur as every second passed in the Infinite Realm, and all of these changes could be attributed to the singular black line that represented the connection that this realm now shared. [The lives of the trillions in this galaxy. Those you know, and those that you do not know. They are now all intertwined with your future actions and mine.] [Whether we succeed or undergo another cycle of destruction and rebirth will depend on our actions from here on. As Noah heard these heavy words, he shook his head as he completely wiped away any feelings of weakness or uncertainty from his mind. His thoughts became calm and he affirmed to himself that he would succeed! He glanced at the blinking Stat Panel in front of his eyes as new changes displayed themselves, but he focused on a single row that displayed new information. He saw that a new section had appeared which displayed his Trait of Infinite Mana! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Grand Controller(Fate)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] ¡­. He simply stared at the top of the stat panel as he focused on the newly appearing section with shining eyes. If one was perceptive enough, they would be able to notice the way that the stat panel was structured held its own meaning. When one looked at the section that displayed the titles, it showed [Title(s)] that put an ''S'' in the parentheses which indicated that one could start with one title and gain many, thus having the singular and plural form of the word displayed on the Stat Panel! The same applied to the section listing [Bloodline(s)] as at this moment, in the section that displayed Noah''s Infinite Mana Trait, one could also see the singular word Trait with the parentheses of ''s'' attached to them! This shocking hidden clue actually showed that in the future there was a possibility not just for one Trait, but multiple! RUMBLE!!! Noah''s eyes became even firmer as he stared at the word of Traits on the stat panel and thought about the words of the Novus Galaxy days ago when he confronted it and asked for the reason why she let Aldrich release a signal that would effectively endanger all of them. This memory was very vivid in his mind! At that time, the words of the Novus Galaxy had shocked him! [I have undergone multiple cycles of destruction and rebirth. I am tired of it, and I never want to experience that again. Thus when the change happened, I vowed to make a Champion that wouldn''t just stand above other beings, but a champion that would completely and unilaterally be able to smash all of them into nothingness.] While talking through the 1st Infernal Lord, a cruel and wicked enchanting smile had appeared on what would be a normally blank face, the Novus Galaxy feeling very strongly about this issue! [Infinite Mana as a Trait was only the first stage of this. It was a trait that granted the Champion all the mana for them to do whatever they wanted, and it was such a shocking trait that it could raise one to be a future powerful entity in this unexplored Universe.]Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52400204728553975 for visiting. At that time when Noah heard these words, his heart was shaken as he realized that the plans of the Novus galaxy did not just finish at one trait! [Since one trait can give you such a power, why not another? Why not a third? Why not a fourth? What if...what if we continue along this path as we create something that will be able to trample on any being that ever thought about standing in our way. Why stop here?] RUMBLE! The words of the Novus Galaxy were extremely cold and dominating when she talked about this, as Noah sensed a variety of emotions in them that were surging with confidence and arrogance! But the more he heard them, the more that his heart beat even faster as those same thoughts began to occupy his mind. If a single trait that required so many conditions just to be bought to fruition would be able to create a future entity that would be powerful enough to stand among the ranks of the unknown entities of the unexplored universe, what if you simply had another trait just as powerful as it? What if he had three or four?! This shocking thought occupied his mind as it seemed to be the only thing he could see, but of course, there were rules that restricted such things to be brought to fruition! As the universal laws would have it...a being could only have a single trait! That is why only Galaxies could grant Traits to their inhabitants, and the Traits were branded into their very origin and soul. It was because of this problem, because of this universal restriction, that the Novus Galaxy let a signal be released into the outside universe. The Novus Galaxy had actually invited unknown forces that would hopefully be from another galaxy in order to just bypass just this single restriction! She had a grand plan that involved bypassing the restriction of the galaxy only being able to grant a single trait to a being residing within! She had thrown out the bait of the signal to whatever galaxy caught it as she planned to do something terrifying to whatever force they sent in order to achieve her goals. [If I cannot grant you another Trait because of such stupid restrictions, then I will simply have another Galaxy do it for you¡­] [For the goal of creating an unbeatable Champion...for the sake of gaining strength to withstand all the terrifying unknowns waiting for us...this will succeed!] RUMBLE! A terrifying plan! A scheming Novus Galaxy! Just what exactly would come out of all this?! Chapter 609 - Peace As Noah completed the terrifying Trait of Infinite Mana, the beings connected to him simply experienced the huge changes of the Infinite Realm that continued to get denser and denser atmospheric essence as it further strengthened their resolve to get stronger. In the core area of the Infinite Realm where the central continent of the Spiritual World used to be, an arrogant penguin had his beak raised high as he faced thousands of beasts, beings that the penguin considered his brothers and sisters! The area they were currently in was filled with the universal essence of space as it was very conducive to cultivating the Law of Space, and the Emperor Penguin was currently acting as the teacher as he faced the crowd of beasts. This arrogant Penguin was floating at the forefront as one could see that in order to fit into the role of a teacher more, this penguin had adorned a nice fitting white suit that shone with great contrast to his sleek black feathers, the appearance of a bow tie being even more prominent as it gave the Emperor Penguin an appearance that would make many beings stop on their tracks! "RAA!" He released a bellow that relayed his intentions to the many beasts, each of them activating [Disciple of Space] as they tried to comprehend this law around them, some of them beginning to display their skills as they bowed to the Emperor Penguin and sought guidance. It was a carefree and peaceful scene of these beings only striving their best to get stronger, because even though the Overseer of the Infinite Realm had not relayed them any information that made them feel any sense of danger, many of them were still striving to improve their strength as they saw the continued changes of the Infinite Realm every day! Noah had not yet told anyone else about the events that occurred at the boundary of the Novus Galaxy and the Signal sent out, or that a force could be making its way towards here at this moment. He knew that his subordinates would grow to be extremely powerful in time as they used the resources of the Infinite Realm and the Novus Galaxy, but they were currently nowhere near being ready to face beings that could traverse the Chaotic Void. He knew the knowledge that because the Novus Galaxy had finally granted him the first Trait of this Galaxy, it could now begin to awaken Traits on those that met the qualifications or those who were destined for them as many beings would gain even greater forms of power in the coming future! But the battle to come, Noah would most likely be fighting it alone, only supported by the fearsome Terrors that held the titles of Controllers. Thus, his subordinates had no idea of what was coming, but they still instinctively continued to train with even more vigor. Aside from the Emperor Penguin who was working to improve the strength of the high ranking beasts of the Infinite Realm, there were also Barbatos, Athena, Elena, and many others that were doing just the same! In one region of the Infinite Realm that was filled with the essence of Chaos, Barbatos was sitting on a throne of bones releasing a distinct black hue that continuously strengthened thousands of high ranking Undead of a powerful Legion that she herself was creating, this legion being reinforced by the power of Chaos as she chose to comprehend this law. Her gaze was distant as her fingers unconsciously released essence, her thoughts rotating around a single being as she felt the continuing changes of the Infinite Realm and sighed! "Ah, Little Fish¡­" She thought of a single man who seemed to be elevating himself to greater and greater heights each day, her resolve of getting stronger only increasing as she sought to go towards the same level of power as this being! To just be able to stand alongside him while raising her head high! Barbatos was not the only one with these emotions as in another location, Athena was actually facing the three remaining Mythical Beasts of the Beast World, some of the Demon Lords from the Demon World, and various other beings all over the Infinite Realm that sought to learn the law of Fate. One could also see Old Man Inuit and Fritz by the side giving their own guidance, these old beings looking at their surroundings in shock and awe still as the fantastical sights continued to play around them. Athena was currently following the routine where she aided those needing to see the techniques of Fate in the Infinite Realm for half of her day, using the other half of the day to traverse the Light and Dark Expanse with Old Man Inuit and Fritz as they continued to oversee the healing period for these two Expanses. Her goal of seeking Order was still just as steadfast as she also had another reason to seek for strength at this time. ROAR! In another location of the Infinite Realm, one could observe a fearsome Draconic Fire Behemoth nearing 100 meters in size, the pet known as Draco having grown to the powerful peak of the World Rank as it sparred with Elena and hundreds of other Vampyres. Scenes like these were abundant all over the Infinite Realm as many beings strengthened themselves while feeling a period of peace. This sense of peace was enhanced even more when they looked at the nearly endless resources of the Infinite Realm! Anytime they wished, they could walk to a nearby field that would be filled with wondrous medicinal herbs or fruits that were potent with essence, aiding them in regenerating their strength or even advancing through ranks as they enjoyed an atmosphere that very few could come across! Even while feeling this peace, many of the top commanders under Noah were nearing the rank of Star Forgers as time passed while they also began traversing in the path of laws. Being in an environment where they could dedicate all of their time to training while keeping calm hearts, it was actually the perfect recipe to create powerful soldiers that would grow their strength at terrifying speeds. Even if they would be nowhere near as close as Noah when it came to their breakthroughs and even with comprehending laws, it would not take them hundreds of years like their predecessors for them to achieve high levels of strength! Just a few years would be enough to produce multiple experts, and Noah even expected to have multiple Controllers in around 10 years or less as he thought about his subordinates and all the opportunities they had access to! But for all of this to come to fruition, he had to make sure that the plan of the Novus Galaxy was carried out seamlessly, that whatever they invited would be taken care of with no problems as he would then continue on this grand journey! Chapter 610 - [Controller](Fire, Water) As Noah repeated the words of Novus Galaxy in his mind over and over again, he was staring at the description of his Trait while continuing to sense the confounding sense of power from his Origin that had birthed a Nebula. [Infinite Mana] (Unranked) :: Its uses are pure and simple, granting exactly what the trait says. The holder of this Trait can cast as many abilities as he wants for however long he wants, with mana never being an issue for them. It is currently unranked as there is very limited knowledge of where it might stand amongst the numerous Traits in the outside galaxies.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bcontroller%5D(fire-water)_52400383506573993 for visiting. Noah glanced at the details of the Trait as he smiled, knowing that on this day, he could full well look down upon all others when it comes to the reserves of mana as he can confidently ask- Mana depletion? What''s that? His smile was wide as he glanced at the description of this trait with vigor, only being taken out of this trance when he felt his Origin begin to vibrate with power! He sent his awareness in as he found the now over 50 stars in his Nebula floating in a mystical formation, each of these stars contributing to granting him stupid levels of attack and defensive power. If beings in the Star Forging Realm were powerful because they had a star supporting them in their Origin, one would only have to think a little to understand the realm of power where a being at the Nebula Rank had multiple stars that were doing just the same! This created for a vast gulf for beings in the Nebula Rank, where one could have tens of stars while others only had two or three- the former being able to trample on the one holding fewer stars with ease! But currently, the reason that Noah''s origin was shaking was because extremely pure streams of essence continued to come from the law Origin Cores surrounding his Nebula, but the current flow of universal essence was even stronger from two particular Origin Cores- the Fire and Water Origin Cores. This was because the comprehension of these two laws...were about to hit 100%! RUMBLE! Tremors spread out because of the majestic energy as the size of the red and blue cores were the second largest after Noah''s Nebula, where they were glowing even brighter than the Light and Dark Origin cores that were a level higher in terms of laws. Their rotation only increased as the seconds passed, and Noah felt their vibrations reach a breaking point as the two Origin Cores came to halt instantly...thereafter exploding into a shower of colors as they were both ground into dust! Similar to how his Nebula formed, the Origin Cores of Fire and Water had dissolved into milky red and blue particles as they actually formed the base of a Nebula, extremely small red and blue stars beginning to erupt from these Nebulae as Noah felt an even more intense rush of universal essence washing over his own Origin. This was an extremely interesting sight to come across as in the vast Galaxies, Nebulae were huge cl.u.s.ters of gas and dust in space that come about from the supernova of a dying star, and they are also the regions where new stars begin to form as they were actually termed the Nursery of Stars! Seeing the Origins of two laws forming into a Nebula at this moment represented a grand future that showed the path of these laws was only just beginning. The two newly appearing Nebulae that represented the comprehension of law of Fire and Water vibrated with essence as they began to float around Noah''s main Nebula in a circular motion, following the same path as the four other Origin Cores of Air, Earth, Light, and Dark that were all still singular circular origin cores! But the essence they released towards Noah''s Origin was ten times what the other cored released, Noah feeling this awe-inspiring sense of strength as he looked at his Stat Panel. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Grand Controller(Fate), Controller(Fire, Water)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Aether Particles(s) : 6,294,563] [Karma Line(s) : 924,249] [Fate Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Chaos Particle(s) : 6,624,983] [Origin Core(s) : Light-2, Dark-2, Fire-10, Water-10, Earth-4, Air-4] [Domain(s) : Aether, Karma, Fate, Chaos, Light, Dark, Space, Time, Fire, Water, Earth, Air] [Vitality: NEBULA] [Focus: - ] [Strength: NEBULA] [Law(s) : Aether- 62%, Karma-9%,Fate-100%,Chaos-66%, Light-21%, Dark-21%, Space-38%, Time-27%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-38%, Air-38%] [Authority(s) : Aether Lord, Fate Lord, Chaos Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord] Shockingly, he had just seamlessly advanced forward as he became a Controller in another two universal laws, where he now stood at the level where he had complete comprehension of 3 laws! He focused his attention towards the two newly appearing titles of Controller. [Controller](Fire) :: A title granted to those with complete comprehension of the law of Fire. All fire-related skills will exhibit their power at the level of a Controller regardless of their rank, the user beginning to embark on truly understanding the essence of Fire. The essence of a Fire Controller allows them to be immune to any fire-based attacks of those at lower stages of the Law of Fire. [Controller](Water) :: A title granted to those with complete comprehension of the law of Water. All water-related skills will exhibit their power at the level of a Controller regardless of their rank, the user beginning to embark on truly understanding the essence of Water. The essence of a Water Controller allows them to be immune to any water-based attacks of those at lower stages of the Law of Water. Nearly identical descriptions with the only changes being whether it was fire or water were displayed in his eyes, Noah gaining two more Laws that granted him the title of a Controller as he could actually claim Immunity to any beings with less advancement in the two laws! Another even more ecstatic thing was the fact that being a Controller of the laws of Fire and Water allowed one to display the immense power of such a level on all possible cast skills of the user. This made Noah''s eyes shine with l.u.s.ter as he imagined a shocking sight of him defeating powerful enemies with skills of the lowest tier! "Haha!" He gave a boisterous laugh as he was not the least beast fearful of whatever was coming, his main body letting his clones continue their advancement in the laws and proficiencies of a particular skill tree that would soon enter into the ranks of Nebula as he went off towards the Letalis Expanse. His 100% comprehension in the law of Fate told him that whatever was coming would be upon them in just a day or two, thus he went towards the only location that any Outsiders could enter- and that was the Letalis Expanse where three Terrors were stationed! Chapter 611 - I Want Their Origins! The vast Letalis Expanse was eerily quiet at this time, the progeny of the Ancient Terror living within sensing the winds of change as they knew something was coming! These were the only creatures of the Novus Galaxy to sense anything amiss, with only a few others in the Light and Dark Expanse being able to notice something. Some of these beings included Old Man Inuit and Fritz, who had some proficiency in the laws of Karma and Fate as they recently felt a sense of foreboding that came and passed infrequently! Old Man Inuit had asked Noah about this just to be sure, and Noah had told him that it was not anything for them to worry about, not revealing the shocking truths behind what was to soon happen. Since they were not strong enough at this moment, Noah wanted to let the beings of the Novus Galaxy continue to expand their skills and increase their power, as they could fight all they wanted in the future! As long as he and the Novus Galaxy succeeded in their scheme the next few days, it would set up for a grand future where wars for the beings of the Novus Galaxy to join would only be an inevitability. When this time came and they were sufficiently strong enough, he would let them freely fight as much as they wanted. At this moment though, his figure appeared in an unstable location in the Letalis Expanse where one could feel a dreadful amount of Aether dancing around, Noah actually coming to the location where the Cthulhu was normally stationed as he prepared to intercept whoever came. RUMBLE! The Cthulhu felt his presence as its star-sized red eyes opened slightly, only turning into slits before they closed fully thereafter as if it did not even want to glance towards Noah! Noah smiled at this as he saw the majesty of the Terror of Aether while also understanding its emotions. Made for the purpose of protecting the Novus Galaxy, yet its Master continued to conduct unexplainable things over and over again until now, an unknown force was coming towards them because of it. Even after listening to the Novus Galaxy, the Cthulhu still kept to its belief that they did not need to provoke the hornets'' nest, and they could have continued peacefully while slowly amassing their strength to only protect themselves if they needed to! This was why the Cthulhu did not look favorably towards Noah, even with the knowledge that he was this Galaxy''s chosen Champion! There was a stark silence in the dreadful space filled with Aether as Noah looked like a grain of sand in the starry space when next to the star sized Cthulhu. "..." "Can you not go patrol somewhere else?" The Cthulhu''s words were unruly as even while knowing full well that it was speaking to the Galaxy''s Champion, it showed its distaste as its numerous tentacles wriggled dangerously. Noah let out a light laugh at the words of this being he adopted the power of through the Terror of Aether Skill Tree, replying as his eyes stared at the blank space all around them until they landed on the boundary of the Novus Galaxy far away. "I wanted to be next to someone I admired. Your abilities got me where I am today." "Hmph." The red star sized eyes of the Cthulhu opened as they showed the immense power within, its rumbling voice sounding out again. "Another one of me is not nearly enough to stop whatever you all invited towards us." "I am not just another one of you, though." Noah replied quickly as he looked into the huge eyes of the Terror of Aether that took up the surrounding hundreds of miles, his voice continuing to ring out. "The first Trait holder in the Novus Galaxy, the first natural Grand Controller, the first to hold multiple completed universal law comprehensions¡­" RUMBLE!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52484609157427728 for visiting. Noah listed out his achievements as the eyes of the Cthulhu shone with a red light, listening silently before they turned towards the starry space above them! "Even with all that, even if you win...her plan is simply¡­" The red light in the eyes of Cthulhu intensified as it thought of the apparent plan that Noah was told not too long ago. This plan of the Novus Galaxy was truly a terrifying one, with many hidden things that were not revealed even until now. They very closely dealt with whatever Outsiders came searching for the signal they sent out, and it was actually tied even closer to Traits! To understand exactly what was in store, one must grasp what a Trait actually meant. The origin of Traits stemmed from a Galaxy towards its inhabitants, where a single being would only ever hold a single Trait throughout their lives. Yet the Novus Galaxy wanted a Champion who held multiple Traits, a being that could look down upon any enemies that came with extreme strength. Noah recalled the words of the Novus Galaxy as he floated near the baleful area of Aether next to the Cthulhu. [To do this, to even have the possibility of making this plan possible, I will need the origins of the powerful beings that are hopefully from another Galaxy. If they are powerful entities from the Chaotic Void, it would be a failure as we would have to try again, given that we survive that entity of course.] RUMBLE! The terrifying plan of the Novus Galaxy was revealed at that point as one could feel a maddened hunger for power and survival, a hunger of a being that had undergone multiple cycles of destruction and rebirth! This hunger was caused by the fact that this entity did not want to go through it again! Such a plan bordered on the extreme, and it was the reason why Cthulhu disagreed with it! Yes...Noah actually found himself looking forward to it as he thought of the many unknown possibilities. They were simply too many wondrous things in this Galaxy, and in the larger unexplored Universe that he had yet to step out to. As he accomplished his trait of Infinite Mana, his eyes were looking towards even grander horizons that he had yet to even see as he wondered just what else was out there! As for whatever the released signal would call towards them? Well, he was getting ready for this as well as even at this moment his clones were working hard to push another Skill Tree into the rank of Nebula. But in the coming battle, all he wanted to do was freely go rampant as he utilized his Trait to the fullest! He wanted to spam whatever enemy acting against them to death! He wanted to do many things as he sought to see the limit of where he could reach with the power he held. "I really think it will all be fine." Calm words rang out in the space filled with Aether as the eyes of the Cthulhu locked towards Noah''s extremely small figure, the eyes trying to see behind this being that the Cthulhu had sensed multiple times when he was just a fledgling! Cthulhu stared at this creature as he saw a devilishly handsome and confident smile appear on his face, a smile that actually caused the powerful Cthulhu to feel an unknown sense of pressure! Chapter 612 - Outsiders! I The man and Cthulhu observed the stars littering the Letalis Expanse as their awareness spread out to cover the boundaries of this Expanse and thus the mystical Novus Galaxy, continuing to monitor everything as they waited patiently. At the same time, less than a light year away from the Novus Galaxy, an Imperial Vessel from the Nexus Galaxy was rapidly nearing their positions as it contained within it three Law Masters and three Blessed! The powerful Grand Controller steering the Void Beasts forward had a careful look as the Imperial Vessel tore through the chaotic void, knowing that they were rapidly nearing the location where their Universal Rift had felt the signal. The body of this Grand Controller undulated with power as one could feel particles of chaos seamlessly floating around him, a profound feeling being felt from him as those knowledgeable would know that this being was not simply at the stage of a Grand Controller! He had already begun embarking on the path above that, a path that the Blessed moving with him in this Imperial Vessel had mentioned before- the path of an Assimilator! Yet even the two Law Masters beside him and the three Blessed did not fully grasp this yet as they went forward, where they were now nearing the location of the signal. RUMBLE! The essence of the Grand Controller erupted out as he began slowing the speed of the Void Beasts, their Imperial Vessel that was shooting forth at the speed of light slowing down the extreme blackness of the chaotic void registered around them. The six beings had looks of care as they each spread out their awareness while moving forward, choosing the route of extreme care as they did not know exactly what they would come across! Their bodies bubbled with power as they apprehensively prepared for anything, the Grand Controller keeping his energy ready to go at any time in case they were intruding upon a powerful Entity''s space! "..." The Imperial Vessel slowly moved forward as they came just a few miles away from the signal, the eyes of the Grand Controller opening wide as his body began to tremble, joy appearing on his face as he voiced out with great vigor. "It''s...another Galaxy! Haha, we''ve actually found another galaxy!" RUMBLE! "What!" "This!" Ecstatic joy was on the faces of the other 5 beings from the Nexus Galaxy as their awareness went forth, noticing the imperceptible spatial boundary that would never be noticed by a passing being unless they were an extremely powerful entity of if they knew of the location in advance.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!-i_52484628753216273 for visiting. "Judging by the undulations and power of the boundary...it actually seems to only be a Millenium Galaxy, with a range of maybe 10,000-20,000 years! This¡­" The face of the Grand Controller was becoming more and more ecstatic as he thought about what their finding truly meant! The beings of the Nexus Galaxy were great explorers of the unknown Universe through the use of the Universal Rift, and the powerful force controlling everything in the Nexus Galaxy made it their goal to locate and explore new Galaxies! They had been fairly successful over the years and grown to the height they were currently at, but coming across a Galaxy such as this one which was termed a Millenium Galaxy was extremely rare. This was because Galaxies were extremely hard to perceive when they had just undergone a cycle of destruction and reformation, where many Galaxies could only be located with ease after they had reached 50,000 years or more. But at this point, a Galaxy might have powerful Inhabitants that would give even the forces of the Nexus Galaxy a headache to take care of. But when it came to Millenium Galaxies that had not reached the 50,000 years timestamp...this was the type of finding favored the most! The three Blessed in the mystical chariot felt their hearts pounding as the significance sunk in, one of them hesitantly speaking out. "We...can report it right away and be swiftly promoted among the ranks of Imperials¡­" His voice shook many out of their stupor as they turned to him, the face of the Grand Controller squinting as he looked back. He spoke a second later as a weird atmosphere overtook the Imperial Vessel. "We can. But...if we enter and explore it for ourselves, can you imagine the possibilities of other rewards that might be waiting for us? The inhabitants of this Millenium Galaxy should have at most achieved Controllers and a few Blessed, maybe a few Grand Controllers at most. It is such a rare finding that we¡­" He left the last words unspoken as the faces of the other 2 Law Masters and three Blessed shone with light, thinking back to the resources that the Imperials controlled in the Nexus Galaxy, and imagining these same types of resources simply waiting for them in this Millenium Galaxy in front of them! "In the case we do explore and find that one of the treasures that the Imperial Adjudicator seeks happens to be in this Galaxy...can you imagine the rewards if we personally present it?" The voice of the Grand Controller rang out again as it seemed extremely sweet and layered with honey, making the rest of the party looking forward with shining eyes. Their minds seemed to be made up as they looked at each other and nodded, neither of them choosing to send word back right away that they had reached the target of the signal released, and that it was actually a new galaxy still in its beginning stages that they had not come across before! The three Blessed holding the Traits of [Ice Man], [Supernova], and [Ability Mimicry] looked at each other with looks of resolve as they nodded towards the three Law Masters led by the Grand Controller. "Let''s do it!" RUMBLE! Imperceptible waves of fate spread out as these six beings made their decision, a decision that would put in motion a shocking set of events! Chapter 613 - Outsiders! II The Novus Galaxy was in an extremely peaceful era where many of the creatures in the Light and Dark Expanse were forging new lives as they recovered from the terror of constant war with the disappearance of the Celestials. Not many knew the truth that the leader of this organization had actually exterminated this enormous force himself, and they lived in blissful ignorance as they continued on with their lives! Even at this moment as for the first time in the history of this Novus Galaxy when Outsiders were about to enter, only a few creatures in this Galaxy knew or felt it! RUMBLE! In the Letalis Expanse where the boundary of the Novus Galaxy could be seen, an Imperial Vessel could be seen squeezing through the miles long boundary with ease as it was covered by a unique energy. This energy stemmed from a single being- the one at the forefront who was a Grand Controller of Chaos, and actually had the essence required to freely travel through the Chaotic Void as well as easily pass through the boundaries of galaxies, or even shatter or portion of such boundaries if they wished! But the Grand Controller was moving with caution this time as they were undertaking a fairly dangerous task of entering another Galaxy. The problem at this moment lay in the unknowns, where even though they knew that this Galaxy should only be a Millenium Galaxy with at most a few Controllers, they still had to move carefully to make sure nothing went wrong. SAAA! The mystical chariot that was the Imperial Vessel passed through the boundary as it appeared in the Novus Galaxy for the first time, the three Law Masters and Blessed within the chariot stepping out and floating alongside it as the Void Beasts breathed in the new atmosphere with vigor! "This¡­" The eyes of the Outsiders from the Nexus Galaxy shone with l.u.s.trous light as they sensed the surrounding space, their awareness confirming with them the truth of this galaxy as they affirmed it really was less than fifty thousand years old! They knew this because this was not the only outside Galaxy they were stepping in aside from their Nexus Galaxy. They had been sent on missions before that required them to step into fearsome galaxies of close stature to their own, and a few that were at lower levels. But during all this time, they always explored Galaxies where their predecessors were there before them! This new Galaxy they stepped in...they saw that they were actually the first as they sensed the peaceful nature and movement of essence! RUMBLE! At this point, essence rumbled out from the body of the Grand Controller, the unique essence of chaos permeating out as his voice resounded. "Continue to be careful and do not celebrate yet. This Galaxy must have its own protectors, and as all Galaxies sense foreign objects and beings entering them, they will be sending their protectors over to us at any moment." OOOM! His words carried immense weight as the others nodded and their bodies began permeating with power, the Fire Law Master and the Space Law Master beside the Grand Controller actually lighting up as their bodies released powerful Authorities to surround the Imperial Vessel in a defensive manner! They had to do this because as mentioned before, a Galaxy could always sense foreign beings that did not belong to it, causing any outside forces entering any galaxy to be sensed right away as if it contained powerful enough Protectors, these Outsiders could be defeated and thrown out with ease! "I am confident after entering this galaxy that they have a few Controllers or powerful Blessed, and at most, two or three Grand Controllers. We will test whatever is sent our way first before we decide to act." The eyes of the Grand Controller were shining with greed as they stared at the foreign space around them, all he could feel from it being its young age as his heart looked forward to the treasures of this Galaxy! RUMBLE! Before his voice could even settle in the ears of others, they felt a strong aura propel towards them rapidly as the first thing they could see were its extremely large star-sized eyes. WAA! This strong aura rushed towards them as they could feel intense emotions of anger from its eyes, its enormous size stopping hundreds of miles away from them as the red eyes locked onto their party atop the Imperial Vessel. The Cthulhu had made an appearance as the six beings looked at it carefully, their eyes not changing as they simply floated and kept their energy ready to go without moving! This was because they were waiting...they were waiting to see just how many protectors this Galaxy could afford to send towards them! RUMBLE! A second later, another two auras appeared, their sizes just as large as they were in the thousands of miles. The Ancient Terror and the Terror of the Void appeared with cold looks as they also stared at the outsiders from a distance of a few hundred miles away. It was an extremely tense situation as the Outsiders from the Nexus Galaxy waited a few seconds longer, the frosty Blessed who held the Trait of [Ice Man] not being able to hold himself back as an ecstatic expression actually appeared on his face! "Haha, this is all? It looks like this venture will be extremely worthwhile!" Shocking words were heard from the Outsiders by the three Terrors as they were filled with immense disdain. This was because the Outsiders could sense the auras of Grand Controllers on the three Protectors, with this aura being strongest around the Cthulhu that wriggled with baleful tentacles filled with Aether. Even the face of the Grand Controller of Chaos was filled with light as he waited a few seconds longer before confirming they had really struck it rich to be entering a Galaxy that had so few Protectors! "Outsiders, you are not welcomed here!" RUMBLE! The voice of the Terror of Aether rang out as it was filled with anger and unwillingness, the thing it did not want the most to happen actually taking place at this moment! But the Outsiders he spoke paid him no need as the frosty Blessed laughed while stepping forward, the authorities of the two Law Masters still actively surrounding the force of six Outsiders. "Boorish creature, has nobody ever told you size is not everything?" The words of the Blessed were filled with confidence as even while sensing that the creature in front of him was a Grand Controller of the Law of Aether, he stepped forward fearlessly and spoke down towards it! OOOM! A unique feeling of power released from this Blessed as he freely activated his Trait, [Ice Man].Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!-ii_52506386537442423 for visiting. SHAA! For the surrounding thousands of miles, the starry space instantly became a realm of ice as the being that was the cause of it all flung his arms out with a wide smile and spoke. "A galaxy in its infancy just waiting for us to explore...ahh!" RUMBLE! An enormous area of complete white permeated for thousands of miles in the Letalis Expanse near the barrier of the Novus Galaxy, six outsiders appearing as they disdainfully looked down at the natives sent to stand on their way! Chapter 614 - [Fireball]! Going back a few seconds, Noah had been talking with a not so pleased Terror of Aether when they felt the abrupt change in the barrier they were observing as well as the appearance of 6 new auras of power. Three of them felt familiar to Noah, as they each had a hint of law where Noah knew it was two Controllers and a single Grand Controller that also seemed to have a unique aura included with him! The other three were even more unique as the aura Noah felt from them was unlike anything he had come across before! RUMBLE! The enormous body of the Cthulhu began to move the moment the auras appeared, leaving behind wrathful words that showed its thoughts at this moment. "The result of the actions you condone has come, let us hope it is not the doom for us all!" Noah gave a light smile at the strong words of the Cthulhu, sensing the other two Terrors far away from them also converged towards six newly appearing signatures as he also made his way. "A galaxy in its infancy just waiting for us to explore...ahh!" He appeared just in time as the Outsider at the forefront had an ecstatic look on his face while observing Cthulhu and the other two Terrors, Noah''s body finally become visible in their eyes as they also looked towards him, his appearance actually making them look even happier as it apparently furthered their belief that this galaxy was nothing much! Noah''s eyes shone as he looked towards the Grand Controller letting out an aura of Chaos, as well as the other two Law Masters released auras of Fire and Space. These beings he could sense the auras of and understand, but the other three gave him a unique feeling of strength that he could attribute one thing- Traits! He glanced at the being at the forefront who had wavy frosted hair as his body released extremely cold elements that turned the surrounding miles into a frozen space. He observed this unique being using his power, realizing that this being was utilizing a trait while his body only gave off the essence of someone at the Nebula Rank, but no law masteries whatsoever! Yet this being was able to cause the surrounding thousands of miles to be filled with cold elemental particles that actually reduced the movements of Controllers and even slowed them down. This was a being with a Trait, this was a Blessed! Noah''s small figure stepped forward amidst all of this as the three Terrors had their essence ready to erupt at any moment, his eyes shimmering with strength as he appeared fully in front of the six Outsiders. The Outsiders squinted their eyes as they actually could not observe any sense of danger from Noah''s small body, their confidence levels only rising as they confirmed these beings in front of them really were the only Protectors that this Galaxy could send out! "It seems like our journey will be extremely rewarding this time around." The other two Blessed holding the traits of [Supernova] and [Ability Mimic] spoke to each other with smiles as they were actually protected by the Authorities that two Law Masters released as well as the field of frozen ice that the strongest Blessed laid out, not treating Noah as anything much! Noah did not mind this as he simply wanted to open up a new chapter and fully start the terrifying plan that the Novus Galaxy had concocted, and he wanted to start off this new stage in the most spectacular way possible. He did not want to exchange any words or play games with these Outsiders, he only wanted to start off his new path in one way! He wanted to do so in the same way when he first awakened...and it was with a single skill! After becoming a Controller of the Law of Fire, Noah had carefully read the description that said how any rank of skills could display power at the level of Controller, and he had many ideas when he saw this! The first thought that came to his mind was his first skill, the skill that actually started his path as an Awakened until he reached the position he did today. It was a skill with an extremely fast casting time because of it being the lowest ranked skill- it was the Rank F+ Fireball! His hand stretched out in front of him towards the unbothered Outsiders that had only begun releasing their energy more rampantly, preparing to see what the native of this Galaxy would throw before they fully committed to doing as they wished. It would be an utter surprise for them when they heard a simple word! "[Fireball]." ..... BRRRRRRRR! Like the sound of a gatling gun, tens of balls of fire bloomed out from Noah as events had to be described in a manner as if time was slowed down! When describing the ''balls of fire'' being released from him, it did not really capture what they were fully because their sheer size was simply too enormous! These so called Fireballs were actually tens of miles large, where each one was larger than Noah''s current human form by thousands of times! They were not really fire balls, but genuine scorching suns that were nearing the size of stars! The heat they released as they were utilized by a controller caused undulations in the surrounding space as they threatened to melt anything in sight, and it was these genuine suns that were shooting out in the tens just from Noah casting [Fireball] once. It was a skill maxed in proficiency as Noah even added to it 5 Skill Points, this simple beginner skill at this moment actually being able to shoot out multiple scorching suns at a speed unbefitting of their sheer size and stature! "..." OOOM! The Blessed with the [Ice Man] trait had his eyes dilate as he discovered hundreds of miles long suns rushing towards them at ridiculous speeds, his body glowing in a powerful blue light as he screamed out while wiping away the unbothered expression. "Ice Age!" RUMBLE! He was not alone as the face of the Fire Law Master hardened, his body also stepping forward as he actually utilized |Intent| using his power as a Controller. |Protect|! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Sun after sun smashed towards them in a shower of searing heat and molten flames, each explosion causing the frosty Blessed to tremble as the Ice Age he was spreading out was rapidly eaten up! BOOM! Yet another sun smashed and exploded as a hazy red barrier formed from the Intent of the Fire Law Master stopped it, their faces finally becoming serious as they stared at this being in front of them. Waves of heat washed over to them as the hand of the Blessed with the [Ice Man] trait was trembling, the eyes of the Fire Law Master cold as he stared at this being that was apparently just like him! Even the Grand Controller nodded with a careful expression as it seemed this was in the bounds that he expected this Galaxy to send out, beginning to send messages to the other 5 Outsiders at this moment, but his words would get drowned out soon after! "They seem to have some skills, but this should be an easy fight. Reinforce each other''s streng-" RUMBLE! His words were cut short as they consecutively heard the same words for the skill that had just made their expression serious, the words of the Grand Controller veering off as they looked towards the Protectors of this Galaxy with wide eyes. "[Fireball]. [Fireball]. [Fireball].[Fireball]. [Fireball]. [Fireball]. [Fireball]..." BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Time seemed to be moving extremely slow as near Noah, the Terrors tumbled away! Space seemed to fold from the searing heat! A color of red overtook the starry space! A shocking and majestic sight erupted as tens of suns began to appear in front of Noah. On the other side, the Grand Controller of Chaos had an incredulous face as his powerful essence finally moved and swept out as he sensed this overpowering appearance of an ability used too many times, an Authority of Chaos emerging out as it held a hint of something else- it was the aura of someone that was a Beginner Assimilator! But even this Assimilator had a gaze full of shock as he stared at the appearance of hundreds of suns that covered the entirety of their sights from all around them, each of these suns carrying with them a power of a peak Fire Controller as they thundered towards them at speeds not matching their miles long sizes! It was shocking! It was ridiculous! It was the spamming of a low rank skill that had an extremely fast casting speed while carrying the immense prowess of a Controller!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5Bfireball%5D!_52506401284607688 for visiting. It was the rank F [Fireball], and it opened up yet another stage in Noah''s life! Chapter 615 - Assimilator! Have you ever come across tens of exploding suns? Deep in the center of these explosions as well, each of the scorching heat of these suns actually being directed at you as they seemed to endlessly rush forward? It was a terrifying sight to say the least! BOOOM! The Grand Controller of Chaos was taking the central position of defending as he was backed on his right by the Fire Law Master and on his left by the Blessed with the [Ice Man] Trait. Their gazes were finally serious as the essence of the Grand Controller of Chaos expertly moved to create a thick black barrier, this barrier being covered by freezing ice in front and a layer of a flaming barrier in the back as the three beings worked together to withstand a barrage of exploding suns! BOOM! BOOM! The suns seemed nearly endless as the face of the Grand Controller became extremely serious, his voice ringing out to the others as they made their moves. "Sajar, Johnny Boy, you''re with me in taking on this small being. He should be the strongest protector in this Galaxy, yet seems to not understand the concept of preserving one''s mana with such reckless attacks." His words were careful as they were directed to the Fire Law Masters in his party and the Blessed holding the [Ice Man] Trait. All the meanwhile, he slowly analyzed the situation before them while the barriers they erected were able to stop the barrage of suns that continued to explode with searing heat in front of them! "You three, take on the oversized creatures behind him, and don''t hesitate to use your life-saving Talismans in case something unexpected happens, I will rush in to resolve anything else." He then spoke towards the two other Blessed beings and Space Law Master as the one holding the Trait of [Ability Mimic] nodded with vigor. The words of the Grand Controller were filled with strength as he breathed in after finishing his commands, the other 5 Outsiders nodding in understanding as they saw the unique power bubbling on his body! This was a power that they did not expect this Grand Controller to have, a power that showed he had actually already embarked on the path of an Assimilator! This made their resolve even stronger as in the next moment, two words filled with intent left the mouth of the Grand Controller of Chaos. |Chaotic Dispersal| RUMBLE! A star shaking might erupted out with these words, the intent of a Beginner Assimilator rushing towards the endless suns as it carried with it a unique authority, this essence wiping away all the coming suns as if they didn''t exist in the first place! This intent continued forward until it found the source of the enormous balls of fire, only being stopped as it clashed with another intent that Noah released! BZZZT! An impasse came to be as the two sides were able to see each other once more, the Outsiders seeing the figure of Noah calmly observing them as a distinct smile was visible on his face, apparently very pleased at the way his opening attack had gone. The Grand Controller of Chaos locked onto Noah''s figure as the party he was with followed his words! The Space Law Master became a white streak of light as he shot towards the Terror of the Void, the one holding the Trait of [Supernova] going to match Cthulhu, and the one with the [Ability Mimic] Trait actually locking eyes with Noah first as her body shone with an Incandescent light before she went over to match the Ancient Terror. Others might not have known, but the incandescent light on the Outsider''s body when she locked eyes with Noah was her actually using her trait as she became able to mimic the terrifying skill he had used, the Outsider wanting them to have a taste of their own medicine when she went to match the Ancient Terror! This left the Grand Controller of Chaos, the Blessed holding the [Ice Man] trait called Johnny Boy, and the Fire Law Controller to face Noah himself, these beings moving carefully as they did not want any mistakes after finding such an opportune galaxy. "You don''t seem to have even embarked on the path past a Controller yet, Native. Why don''t we have a talk where I might even show you the way?" The voice of the Grand Controller who could also be called a Beginner Assimilator rang out towards Noah, the unique essence he used to completely wipe away tens of scorching suns being extremely potent as his right hand pointed forward! The other two Outsiders backed away from him as one moved with their Authority and the other released terrifying coldness, this Beginner Assimilator continuing to talk as his aura only shot up higher. "You see, after completely comprehending a Universal Law and becoming a Controller, one must then Assimilate their law comprehension where the ultimate goal¡­" OOOOM! His hand released a milky black aura as Noah could see it was an extremely potent essence of Chaos, and it seemed to be moving in conjunction with the Beginner Assimilator''s intentions as it wrapped around his body before he completely disappeared in a flash of chaotic light! "...is becoming one with the very Universal laws themselves."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52506412290461553 for visiting. The Beginner Assimilator actually appeared instantly behind Noah, his fist covered with this extremely potent chaotic essence as it smashed into Noah before he could even react! BOOM! The light of chaos overflowed as a blow was dealt by the Outsiders for the first time, even the eyes of the Terrors looking towards Noah''s figure that had been shot forward like a cannonball towards the other two Outsiders. WAA! Halfway through before Noah even reached the Law Master of Fire and Johnny Boy that were already preparing their attacks, his body came to a stop as a tinge of golden light began to cover him, his face shining in the dark space as one could actually see an expression of joy on his face! This was because he had affirmed the path forward that he knew of after becoming a Controller, and he had felt the strength of this stage as the strike that had smashed into him from this Grand Controller that had begun Assimilating his comprehensions was enough to injure him! But that was all- just enough to injure him as the two Outsiders behind him could observe his back that was a gory mess of blood rapidly healing as good as new, the distinct gold light that represented fate beginning to fully release from him. His eyes were full of joy as he stared at the Beginner Assimilator as if he had found a rare treasure, his mind already seeing the path of laws laid out in front of him. First, you comprehend the laws, and then you become one with them! Assimilate them! This was the stage above a Controller, this was the stage where beings sought to become intertwined with the Universal Laws as they freely used them to do their bidding! Chapter 616 - Three Versus One! As Noah faced a Beginner Assimilator with palpating levels of chaos surrounding his body as well as a Blessed and a Fire Law Master, the Terrors were facing their own enemies as the three Outsiders went to match them! The Blessed holding the Trait of [Supernova] fearlessly went towards the terrifying Cthulhu that wriggled with Aether as her hands were covered by a red glow. The Cthulhu saw this figure with his star sized eyes as he cast a skill instantly, calling forth numerous stars to materialize and rush towards this Outsider as he utilized [Star Caller]. BOOOM! The Blessed saw the newly appearing stars as she met the forefront one with her fist, a fearsome explosion occurring as the star was shattered into pieces, her body weaving through the rubble as her fist smashed into all the other coming stars while she advanced towards the Cthulhu! This was the being holding the trait of [Supernova], a being that released the power of a dying star with every strike she landed! Her body shone with the l.u.s.ter of the essence of someone at the Nebula Realm as tens of stars swirled within her Origin. The Cthulhu''s red eyes focused on this being as he cast yet another ability and caused baleful Aether to envelope the surroundings, the battle fully underway in this location as in another two spots, the other Two Terrors were facing their own enemies! The Space Law Master was weaving through the layers of space as he began releasing attacks on the Terror of the Void, this powerful terror also being proficient in this space as a fearsome battle began. The other battle worthy of note was the one where the Blessed holding the [Ability Mimic] trait was facing the silent Ancient Terror, a smile apparent on her face as prior to this, she had used her ability to mimic the terrifying skill that the small human that was being surrounded by three Outsiders cast, and she wanted to use this same skill as she showed them a taste of their own medicine! The Blessed threw out her hands as she cast the fearsome skill- [Fireball]! Rumble~ "..." Small fluctuations of power were released as a few fireballs a few inches in diameter flew towards the Ancient Terror, their power diminishing before they could even reach the Terror as they disappeared simply because of the sheer pressure this being released. The Blessed that knew for sure she had mimicked the ability of that being correctly looked forward incredulously at this scene! The lesson of abilities being utilized very differently depending on the user was learned on this day as the same skill that allowed scorching suns to erupt out from the hands of one being were only small balls of fire in the hands of another! The Ancient Terror ignored this embarrassing moment as from it, a Blood World bloomed that completely encased it and the Blessed with it, nobody else being able to know what was happening within this Blood World. OOOM! With these three battles occurring in their own spaces, we can now look back to the stage where a Beginner Assimilator, a Fire Law Controller, and an icy Blessed were in a triangular formation as they blocked off all sides and rushed towards Noah. The most danger could be felt from the body of the Assimilator, as the essence of chaos could actually rip apart the defenses of a Grand Controller that Noah always had surrounding his body, the abilities of the Fire Law Master and the Blessed called Johnny Boy being much lesser worries! As their three figures rushed towards him, Noah gave a light smile as he also cast [Blood World], an enormous veil of blood erupting with him at the very center as it threatened to cover the three Outsiders in the surrounding space. Their bodies shone with their own unique power as they protected themselves from what they assumed was an area of attack ability, but this Blood World did not harm them one bit as it simply passed through them and continued expanding, covering the area of tens of miles around them as only the three of them and Noah were within this Blood World! They found at this moment that they could not sense the outside world, nor could they communicate with others as well- this ability fully creating an isolated space where nothing could go in or out! The gaze of the Beginner Assimilator was passive as he nodded towards the other two Outsiders, the battle fully beginning as dazzling skills flew out. From the hands of Johnny Boy, pulsing Frost Orbs that held enough power to threaten any Controller were released as he utilized the [Ice Man] Trait, the area he occupied becoming fully covered in white as he threw out long distance attacks! The two Law Masters continued to rush towards Noah as they wanted close combat to pin their enemy down, especially the Assimilator that could easily injure Noah''s body with the essence of chaos fluidly moving through him. It seemed like it was bound to be a long and difficult battle as these powerful Outsiders faced the native Protectors of the Novus Galaxy, but would it really be like this? The answer was no! And it was a shocking no as a smile bloomed from Noah in the next moment, the aura of two more beings that looked just like him appearing in the veiled Blood World! RUMBLE!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52506430292425538 for visiting. "What!" "|Defend|" "Ice Fortress!" The three outsiders reacted in their own ways as one of Noah''s clones appeared above Johnny Boy as cast [Madness Hegemony], the surrounding space changing to that of baleful Aether as terrifying Portals of Terror began to bloom around the Blessed holding the [Ice Man] Trait. Another clone appeared in front of the Fire Law Master as he did not cast any flashy abilities, but actually something simple from the abilities of the Absolute Sin. From the Sin of Gluttony, Noah tested out the usefulness of [Devouring] as a black circle went on to wrap around this Controller! The ability of Devouring allowed him to devour his enemies and even their memories, with the mana requirement varying from who exactly he was trying to devour. If a being he was targeting did not have the prowess to break through the black circle that represented [Devouring], then with his Infinite Mana...Noah should be able to devour that being in their entirety as their defenses were slowly ground down! This ability would only work on someone on the same level as him or weaker as they would not be able to escape the black circle that represented [Devouring], so Noah simply tried it as one of the Outsiders became completely encased in the light of Gluttony. "Sajar!" The Grand Controller saw this insidious skill where his companion did not seem to be breaking out of as his body tried to change directions, but Noah''s main body stood in his way at this time as a few words left his mouth. "[Incandescent Emperor]." RUMBLE! A new skill was cast from Noah for the first time as a brilliant golden glow erupted from him and blinded the Assimilator for a brief moment, an ability from the newest skill tree that had just stepped into the Nebula Rank through the hard work of his clones just minutes ago being utilized as Noah single-handedly took on three beings at the Nebula Realm- one an Assimilator, one a Controller, and the other a Blessed being! Chapter 617 - I Cant Take Any Damage! Right before his two clones had appeared and blindsided the Outsiders, they had finished maxing the proficiency of the [Fate''s Guardian] skill tree as Noah also met all the other requirements to upgrade it to the rank of Nebula! Unlike the Nebula Rank Terror of Aether Skill Tree, only 5 new skills were laid out in front of his eyes. ¡­>>>NEBULA [Incandescent Ruler- Fate''s Guardian] :: [Incandescent Emperor](5/5), [Holy Fire](5/5), [Fate''s Guardian](5/5), [Aura of Redemption](5/5), [Sword of Judgment](5/5) [Incandescent Emperor](5/5) :: The stature of the Incandescent Ruler is adorned as the user adopt a regal armament. While active, Incandescent Emperor grants +1000% to Damage, Attack Speed, Cast Speed, Law Resistances, Defence, as well as +50% Decreased Damage Taken from all sources. [Holy Fire](5/5) Golden raging fires of Fate thunder down towards the user''s enemies as they scorch everything with righteous terror, with the greatest burning damage dealt to their enemies'' souls. [Fate''s Guardian](5/5) :: The fate lines representing other creatures the user is connected to can be observed as their futures can be guided to the most optimum path. [Aura of Redemption](5/5) :: A circular aura that surrounds the user and grants them constant health regeneration where any damage dealt can be healed instantly for as long as the ability is kept active. [Sword of Judgment](5/5) :: A unique sword capable of tearing apart space itself is called upon to be wielded only by the user. The Sword of Judgment deals 0 Physical Damage in exchange for dealing a tremendous amount of Soul Damage. Skills with grand names befitting the rank of the skill tree appeared, and each of them fought the others for supremacy! Noah particularly liked Incandescent Emperor and Sword of Judgment, Holy Fire coming in close third as they all pertained to him being able to deal crazy amounts of damage to his enemies. This was why he had cast [Incandescent Emperor] as he faced the Beginner Assimilator in front of him, a golden light erupting out as his human form gained the mantle of a regal Emperor! Royal robes shimmering with golden lights dr.a.p.ed over him, and one could see a distinct golden crown fall upon his head as it sat and shone with complete arrogance while releasing a light of domination. His devilishly handsome face was even further extenuated as his human form looked like the shiniest golden crowned being one could ever come across. But this form that hugged his body shape granted him +1000% in Damage, Attack Speed, Cast Speed, Law Resistances, Defense, and even a +50% Decreased Damage Taken from all his enemies! The Beginner Assimilator in front of him noticed how Noah''s aura had become greatly sharper, a dangerous edge that even he was threatened by coming to light. The eyes of the Assimilator turned serious as the liquid chaos essence around him began bubbling, beginning to wrap around his body as a black armor formed around him. He glanced towards the frosty Blessed, Johnny Boy, who was currently releasing extremely cold waves of essence to keep at bay dreadful Portals of Terror, as well as the Fire Law Master that actually had not been able to escape from the terrifying black light of [Devouring] yet! The Assimilator glanced at all this as he prepared to go toe to toe with this unexpected enemy while saving his comrades! But would he really get the chance? In the Blood World that nobody could see inside of, one of Noah''s clones was floating above Johnny Boy who released dreadfully cold ice essence, this Outsider shouting out powerful words soon after. "Pure Ice Form!" RUMBLE! Blasts of cold erupted out as Noah was able to see this being change fully into a white-blue creature, even his light skin tone disappearing as he became a man of ice! The cold eyes of this Outsider locked onto Noah as he waved his hands and released the barrier of cold light that was stopping the destructive elements of the Portals of Terror, the attacks actually going towards Johnny Boy as they reached him and...nothing happened! "Ignorant Native, I have taken a pure form of ice that even a Water Law Controller cannot obtain. It is something only possible from my Trait, and you cannot deal any physical damage to me!" The Blessed shockingly revealed his ability and what it could do with ease, Noah looking towards him quizzically as he took in the said words and nodded, opening his hand out as he called out a skill. [Sword of Judgment]. SHIIING! A ray of golden light fell down as a gorgeous looking serrated golden blade of light appeared in the clone''s hands. One of the skills from the newly advanced Nebula skill tree was cast as Noah listened to the words that this pure ice form this being had taken prevented all physical damage, so he chose a skill that dealt 0 physical damage and an enormous amount of Soul Damage, grasping the golden blade of light as he slashed down towards the icy Blessed! SAAA! The golden blade left waves of light behind it as it swung, and the target, Johnny Boy, did not even move as he stared arrogantly at the coming blade. He was extremely confident in his Trait, as he had been able to stand to powerful Controllers in the past the moment he took on his Pure Ice Form. He wanted to show the native in front of him that his body could not even be hurt as he would lay out terrifying attacks thereafter! But this was where he would be terribly mistaken. "Dodge you fool!" The words of the powerfully shining Assimilator rang out as his figure streaked towards Noah''s golden armored body, his eyes locking on to the non-descript golden blade carried by Noah''s clone as this Outsider was more in tune with laws and could sense the terrifying damage that could be dealt by the sword! These words shook Johnny Boy out of his stupor as he immediately sensed something wrong, his hand waving as he wanted to pull out his life-saving Talisman right away just in case. But it was too late! WOOSH! Like a mere streak of light, the Sword of Judgment passed through his body from top to bottom seamlessly. "..." CRACK! A terrifying sound occurred thereafter instantly, the blue light shining brilliantly in the eyes of this frosty Blessed died out, his Origin having undertaken enormous Soul Damage with zero protections as even his Rank at the Nebula did not save him! "Johnny Boy!"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52506453914745993 for visiting. The Assimilator looked forward with brazen shock at this unexpected scene as he could not even believe his eyes! At this time waves of fate spread out from the spot of the Blessed''s death as Noah''s clone saw the statue of the ice man in front of him beginning to crack, a unique energy from the surroundings actually gathering on the body of the Blessed he had so easily taken down as a shocking sight played out. This unique energy wrapping around the dead Blessed was actually from the Novus Galaxy itself, this energy going on to preserve the dead Origin of this Outsider for the future grand plan of this Galaxy! Noah''s clone observed as the body of the Outsider actually folded in on itself, being crumpled together as it came to form a singular black mass that remained stationary in the hidden Blood World. At this time, Noah felt a change in his Stat Panel as he opened in to observe his Skill Points shooting up by a few hundred, his eyes shining with light as he was finally able to defeat a separate existence to grant him an enormous number of skill points! This being at the Nebula Rank and holding a Trait had gifted him with hundreds of Skill Points just a few minutes into this battle! The gaze of the clone that just took down this powerful but stupid Blessed now turned towards the shocked Assimilator as he went to assist his main body, terrifying words leaving his mouth as he did so. "That''s one." ¡­! The words were calm and nonexpressive, making one think what was just done was as easy as anything could be! Chapter 618 - My Specialty is Actually Spamming Shockingly, a Blessed had fallen in a matter of minutes since the battle began! Only the Assimilator observed this horrendous situation as his body began to burn with an extremely black color, the aura of chaos permeating through as powerful black chaos shadows began to rise around the Assimilator. These chaos shadows shone with a dark l.u.s.ter as each of them held the power of a Controller, the gaze of the Assimilator cold as he went all out! Meanwhile, in the area where Noah''s clone had trapped the Fire Law Master, the black circle that represented the ability of [Devouring] opened, the sight inside making the eyes of the Assimilator even colder! Inside the opening aura of Gluttony, the husk of a being could be seen as all essence and life force was drained out, the eyes of this Nebula Rank Fire Controller losing their light a second later as Noah had actually defeated this being with a single skill that just drained him out entirely. A unique essence from the surrounding space went on to wrap around the husk of a being as it folded in itself, forming a second black mass that represented the Origin of this being from another Galaxy! Noah also watched his stat panel that showed the number of skill points rising rapidly, both of his clones having finished their opponents the moment they appeared as at this moment, his three bodies went towards surrounding the singular remaining enemy in the hidden Blood World. The Grand Controller of Chaos was looking towards the spots where his companions had died, only an eerie black mass remaining in these positions as it created for a terrifying atmosphere! He had thought they found a young galaxy with weak Protectors and chose to enter and take most of the riches for themselves, choosing to not even send word back to the Watchers assigned to him for this mission. Now, an unexplainable enemy had appeared as he lost a Blessed and a Controller. He breathed out as his body thrummed with power, reminding himself that he had already embarked on the path of strength after a Controller, and this being in front of him showed no indication of it. All he could see was that somehow, he was proficient in multiple laws, where he might even be a Controller in each of them as well! "It was a mistake to enter and antagonize you like this. Do you think we can let bygones be bygones?" More and more chaotic dark shadows that held the auras of Controllers appeared around the Assimilator as he said these careful words, going for possible diplomacy before he went all out against this mysterious enemy. Noah only smiled at these words as his three bodies surrounded all sides of the Outsider, replying thereafter with a calm tone. "Outsider, similar to how you have the unique power of an Assimilator or how your friends have their Traits, I have my own unique power you know." His words seemed to be resonating with the surrounding space as the Assimilator continued to prepare, the numerous chaotic shadows floating protectively around him as an unbound aura of chaos threatened to spill out at any moment with the command of this Assimilator! |Protect|, |Defend|, |Strengthen|, |Fluid Teamwork|, |Enhanced Chaos| RUMBLE! Numerous |Intents| were used by the Outsider as the summoned chaotic shadows around him became more and more solid, the aura of Chaos palpable as these shadowy figures screeched towards Noah''s three bodies! "My power lies in mana, where my specialty is actually just spamming." Noah''s eyes honed in on the powerful chaotic figures that numbered over ten, each of them glowing with the aura of a Peak Controller as in the middle of them, an Assimilator was tightly protected! The Outsider was taking all precautions after seeing the deaths of his two companions, where he now used an ability that summoned more than 10 figures with the power of Controllers as he planned to carry out a long and prolonged battle with Noah. ...or so he expected. But Noah planned to do something entirely different, where he wanted to fully use his Trait of Infinite Mana as it deserved to be used...with constant and repetitive spamming of powerful skills that required enormous amounts of mana to be used! RUMBLE! The surrounding space had begun to tremble as it felt a premonition of what was to come, the face of the Assimilator turning colder as he bellowed out while commanding his summoned creatures to rush forward! [Madness Hegemony]. Noah''s main body called forth a skill that changed the surrounding space and caused it to be filled with numerous Portals of Terrors, streaks of Aether Rays appearing as they began to shoot towards the many chaotic figures and the Assimilator. [Holy Fire]. WAAA! One of his clones called out as from the space above, illuminant golden flames that burned the surrounding space itself began to appear as they rained down with a merciful light that threatened to burn everything it touched! [Fireball]. BRRRRRRR! His other clone called out the name of the Rank F+ skill as Noah condensed the balls of star sized suns into just a few meters, increasing their explosive force as they thundered forth towards the protected Assimilator like rapid bullets. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The rays of Aether, Portals of Terror, scorching golden flames, and terribly explosive fireballs all smashed into the protected Assimilator as the chaotic figures he summoned took the brunt of the damage, but he survived with no problems as he prepared to retaliate at this moment, expecting his opponent to have used up a lot of his energy as he used this gap to finally deal some damage! But as he prepared to move out, he heard the same words repeat again! [Madness Hegemony]. [Holy Fire]. [Fireball]. [Madness Hegemony] [Holy Fire]. [Fireball]... Reinforced by the powerful skill of [Incandescent Emperor] which granted +1000% to many things, but the two qualities of Attack Speed and Cast Speed that were also reinforced by 1000% made a terrifying scene where all of these cast skills were being cast and rushing forth at a nightmarish speed that would cause one to tremble in fear. RUUUMBLE! Space itself shook from the ridiculous amount of mana being used as layers after layers of Portals of Terror, Aether Rays, golden flames, and destructive small suns all began to appear en masse around a singular Assimilator! [Madness Hegemony]. [Holy Fire]. [Fireball]. [Madness Hegemony] [Holy Fire]. [Fireball]... This Assimilator''s eyes opened wildly in shock as he couldn''t help but ask in his mind- ''How do you have the mana for all this?!'' But his question would never be answered as the barrage of colorful and destructive abilities rained down thunderously. At this point, Noah was not even doing any work, but he was simply calling out skill names as he spammed over and over again! It was against an enemy that had embarked on a path even higher than a Controller, but with barely a small rank above him, would that be enough to withstand against endless abilities swarming on all sides? The answer was a dreadful no as a particular Outsider had already begun sweating as his summoned chaos soldiers began to be wiped away by the horrendous damage as all these endless attacks targeted him! BRRRRR! On this day, Noah learned the joys of repetitively using powerful skills with no consequences as a true spammer was born! Chapter 619 - Lets wrap it up BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A constant flood of destructive skills rained down endlessly towards a singular Assimilator, the many chaos guards he summoned being wiped away in a matter of seconds as the flood of skills continued. Terrifyingly scorching fireballs with the potency of suns, destructive Portals of Terror and Aether Rays, scorching Holy Fire that even scorched the surrounding space! All of these horrendous abilities rained down endlessly as Noah spammed his many skills with ease and without stopping! He had Infinite Mana, so there was nothing stopping him from being able to overwhelm someone much stronger than he was through these methods. So what if this Outsider was an Assimilator? What if he had begun assimilating the Supreme Law of Chaos to himself as his usage of this law was even greater than his fully comprehended Law of Fate? None of it mattered when he went ahead and did something that defied all reason! "OOOOOH!" The Assimilator roared out as he continued defending against the barrage of attacks, pulling his aura back entirely as one could see a circular liquid barrier of chaotic light protectively hugging his body. This barrier took the brunt of the damage from the destructive skills as he tried to move across the chaotic space! His Chaos Lord Authority was closely wrapping around him as his body thrummed with power. His figure tried shifting left and right constantly, but each area he appeared in either had scorching fireballs or he was chased by destructive rays of Aether that would bloom Portals of Terror whenever they smashed into his barrier! It was a terrifying situation where any place he went to, shockingly dreadful abilities awaited on both sides as he could not escape. "Native!"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''s-wrap-it-up_52574444052342668 for visiting. RUMBLE! His voice rang out with an enchanting chaotic light as within his hands, a dark halberd made of the essence of chaos appeared as he slashed away the incoming attacks, his brow visibly sweating while he tried to reach out to Noah. "It was our mistake, I have no problem admitting this! Let us talk!" BRRRRR! Among the barrage of fireballs with the damage of actual suns, the Outsider tried to bring this battle to a stop as Noah''s three bodies acted as if they had not heard anything, skills continuing to be called out as they thundered down! "I am just an Assimilator in charge of an exploration party from the Nexus Galaxy, there are many like me!" BRRRR! "My life is not worth much, but I can connect you to the force of Imperials that rule the Nexus Galaxy and many more Galaxies, I can work with you!" The Assimilator continued to plead out as he unbelievably saw the attacks continuing to rain down, shock running through his mind as he wondered whether this being in front of him had endless energy. One could not simply spam skills like this, they had to run out sooner or later! But seeing how his words did not seem to have any effect, the Assimilator gritted his teeth while deflecting the numerous terrible skills, moving from pleading to threats. "If my party is wiped away without us sending word to the Watchers assigned to us, they will see this as an anomaly as a powerful force will be sent to this location!" RUMBLE! Shocking threats were released as the Assimilator continued. "We are a disposable party, that''s why we were sent first to check out an unknown signal! But the next force will not be the same, it will have multiple Imperial Assimilators and even Beta Ranked Blessed that are nothing like the Alpha Blessed you defeated!" Information freely flowed from the Outsider that was cornered at this moment, even his rank as a Beginner Assimilator actually not being able to help him as he faced a being that constantly spammed powerful skills capable of injuring Controllers over and over again. The Outsider talked of Alpha and Beta Ranked Blessed, introducing some of the distinctions between the different ranks of Traits that individuals could be lucky enough to obtain throughout their lifetimes! But...Noah had already begun to obtain this knowledge from the Fire Law Master that he had cast [Devouring] on, his mind working overtime as he senselessly continued to spam his skills while learning more about the Galaxy these beings came from. "I...I can even send back a message that we just came across a powerful entity and lost a few of us, it doesn''t have to end like this!" The words of the Assimilator were getting more desperate as he shockingly found even with his rank a level higher, his chaos barrier was beginning to crack as the essence he could supply to it was actually running dry. This being in front of him...was actually driving him to exhaustion! But all of his words were ignored as he despairing heard an impassive voice ring out amidst the exploding suns and bursting portals of terror. "Let''s wrap this up, why don''t we?" RUMBLE! The dreadful skills seemed to actually be rushing down even faster as both of Noah''s clones were now dr.a.p.ed in the armaments of the [Incandescent Emperor] ability, the +1000% cast and attack speed causing the flood of abilities to get even wilder as the defenses of the Assimilator began to crack! |Faster Casting|, |Extreme Speed|, |Duplication|. But this wasn''t all as Noah dreadfully added the Intents of his essence as a Controller, the speeds of the barrage of skills simply becoming insane as they even doubled with the last Intent! "No!" The Assimilator was unwilling as he did not expect to lose his life in a Millenium Galaxy, in such a young galaxy that should not have had such a terrifying figure! As he glanced at this enemy that seemed to have endless energy to cast his skills over and over again, he realized that his strength did not lie in the essence of fate or fire that made him a genius Controller of two laws, but it was shockingly the trait that somehow allowed him to endlessly cast these horrible abilities so many times. As this Outsider was faced with a spamming of abilities he wondered- just what Trait did this creature have to give him power like this?! Just what was the rank of such a Trait that he could handle him and two others with ease?! CRACK! The answer would not be known by this being nor Noah for quite some time as the Chaos Barrier this Assimilator cast finally cracked, the flood of skills rushing towards his strong body as they began to ravage him apart. "They will come to this signal again¡­!" "They will come!!!" RUMBLE! His words were drowned out by the barrage of fire and aether as a being that had already embarked on the path past a Controller faced his end. The cause of his death? Someone was spamming too much! Chapter 620 - Origins from another Galaxy! In the hidden Blood World where no eyes could pry in, Noah had actually defeated three Outsiders! One was an Assimilator, another a Fire law Controller, and lastly the Blessed who was called Johnny Boy. His three bodies stopped the constant spamming of skills as they each held the ability of the [Incandescent Emperor] still active. This allowed for a regal aura to show on all his three bodies as they were adorned with a golden crown and royal golden robes that shone with majesty! But his expression was impassive, where one could only observe a light smile as Noah simply watched the condensing of the black circular masses that represented the origins of these dead outsiders. These origins were the things that his Nexus Galaxy needed in order to carry out a terrifying plan. The circular black masses remained stagnant as they floated in space held up by the unique essence of the Novus Galaxy itself. Noah did not even touch these Origins as he had already obtained the skill points he wanted from taking down separate existences, but no other loot like skill books or cores were given to him this time around! All of these things were retained within the origins that were floating in space as they made up the core of the Origins of these Outsiders. But one of the bigger rewards that he had obtained from these three outsiders was actually the memories of the one that he had devoured. These memories told him about a grand Galaxy! A Galaxy filled with trillions of beings, a galaxy that had its reaches spreading out across this unexplored Universe! His heart beat slightly faster as he absorbed all of this new information and contemplated the future, and he then placed all of it aside for now as there were still three other Outsiders that the terrors were facing outside of the Blood World he had erected. The Terror of Aether was facing the Blessed with the [Supernova] trait as this being utilized his essence at the nebula rank along with his trait to release explosive strikes that each held an extreme power of a supernova! But just this was not enough to withstand The Terror of Aether who released an ability much similar to Madness Hegemony as the rounding space became filled with the baleful power of Aether as the Portals of Terror and chaotic rays of ether freely floated around. The state of this Blessed was pitiful as they were barely keeping up their defenses amidst the attacks of the Cthulhu. The Blessed with the [Ability Mimicry] was in an even worse state as she had mimicked the ability known as [Fireball], hoping to use this fearsome skill to punish the natives of this galaxy. Yet to her dismay, all that this ability released from her hands was a few flimsy fireballs and not the humongous suns that Noah had released prior!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52574456937244730 for visiting. Her Trait was currently still on a cooldown after the first few minutes of using it, and so this meant they did not have as many viable and powerful abilities to use while facing the Ancient Terror! This meant that this Blessed was also on dire straits in this battle as nobody else could even observe her situation as she was wrapped in the Blood World of the Ancient Terror. The only Outsider who seemed to still be standing head-on as the Space Law Master who was facing the Terror of the Void. His body was constantly shifting and moving across the space as his eyes looked to the battle of his other companion that was on the losing side. He was not even able to observe the states of battle for his other four companions as they were contained in isolated worlds! His gaze looked hurried as he waited for the Assimilator that should have been contained in Noah''s Blood World to come out, and this was because he expected the powerful Grand Controller to have easily been able to defeat the singular native that he faced with Johnny Boy and the Fire Law Master. Yet to his shock as a few minutes passed by, not a single being came out of the expansive Blood World as his worries only piled up! RUMBLE! This was only so until this moment, when this isolated world dissolved and they shockingly saw the scene within as a single being came out of it alive. The appearance of Noah''s three bodies with the same exact regal armament of an Incandescent Emperor gave terror to the two outsiders that could see him as they were actually not able to observe the beginner Assimilator who should have been powerful enough to defeat this being with the support of their other two companions! As they could already barely hang on to their own battles, this change made them despair! The Terror of Aether used this chance when the Blessed with the [Supernova] Trait was distracted as he released and compiled multiple portals of terror, his tentacles flooding out and beginning to constrict the space around this Outsider, her fate actually being decided at this instant. The other Blessed that was facing the Ancient Terror in her own Blood World also could not hang on at this time, not even knowing what was happening to her companions as her defeat also happened in the next few seconds! This only left the Space Law Master who had grown increasingly panicked as he shook his head in stupefaction and fear, his figure starting to turn into a streak of light as he tried to run towards the boundary of the Novus Galaxy! The Terror of the Void released its own terrifying skills to stop this, but it did not even need to as Noah himself flashed above the space where this Outsider was running towards as he cast yet a simple spell. [Fireball]. BRRRRRRR! Scorching suns bloomed in front of Noah from the simple cast of a low-ranking skill as they shot forth like a barrage of bullets, these tens of miles-long suns going on to smash into the body of the worn-out controller as they were able to utterly obliterate his defenses! OOOM! The scene that had occurred multiple times before happened again, where yet another origin began to condense in the space of the Novus Galaxy as simultaneously, three more black masses formed. These black masses of Origins represented the six Outsiders that had come to observe the signal received by the Universal Rift of the Nexus Galaxy, and these six Outsiders had all so easily and ridiculously been taken down in less than half an hour! All that remained of these Outsiders were small circular black masses that represented the Origins of existences of another galaxy, as well as the Imperial Chariot being pulled along by two Void Beasts that remained stationary far in the distance. [Now...we can begin.] RUMBLE! The nonchalant voice of the Novus Galaxy rang out at this moment as the unique energy that wrapped around the six origins shone with a bright black and white light at this instance, the plan that this terrifying entity had crafted starting to be carried out at this moment! Chapter 621 - What is making all of this possible? The Terrors watched on in silence as they saw the Outsiders called into the Novus Galaxy so easily defeated, their eyes locking towards Noah as he was the one to actually stand against half of them and come out unscathed in even less time than it took for them to defeat their enemies! But Noah was not paying attention to these gazes, his eyes being focused on the Origins of the Outsiders that came from a place called the Nexus Galaxy. These Origins had begun to shine with light as they moved close to each other, Noah watching closely as the essence of the Novus Galaxy itself wrapped around them and caused them to spin in a circular motion around each other! What was happening now might not have any meaning to anybody else watching, but it held a great meaning to Noah as he recalled the plan of the Novus Galaxy to raise a dominating champion that would utterly obliterate any enemies they came across. The first step was the completion of the Infinite Mana Trait, with the next step being to directly begin the culmination of another Trait that would also take time to come to fruition. In order to do this, the essence of another Galaxy was required! This was because a Galaxy was the only thing capable of granting Traits, and it could only grant these traits once to the inhabitants residing within it. A single being could only ever receive one Trait, which meant that if Noah wanted another Trait, he had to be considered a native of another Galaxy! He could not just barge into another Galaxy like the 6 defeated Outsiders had done, as that would only cause that Galaxy to notice their existence that was different from the natives as the Protectors of that Galaxy would all swarm towards this Outsider to eliminate them. So the only solution meant that a being had to be considered a native, and this was the plan that the Novus Galaxy devised and needed the Origins of beings of another galaxy for! As Noah watched the 6 spinning orbs that represented the Origins of the beings from the Nexus Galaxy, the cold voice rang out again. [The first step in culminating another powerful Trait is for me to carry out a procedure that will send half of your Origin into another Galaxy, your Origin being covered by the potent aura of the natives of that galaxy as it completely evades the senses of the Galaxy Core, that entity treating you as if you were their own.] Yes! The plan was to use the Origins of the natives to mask his own, and somehow succeed in transferring himself into the Galaxy as he was recognized as a native! [If successful, your transferred Origin will be able to find a vessel in that Galaxy that resonates with your soul as we force a fusion with their Origin and yours, with the most likely scenario being you finding a vessel that is near death.] The shocking words of the Novus Galaxy continued as they showed a clearly laid out plan to send half of Noah''s Origin into another Galaxy, this process being able to happen undetected as his Origin found a vessel of a being to occupy, thereby being considered a native as he embarked on a journey to culminate his second trait in that Galaxy! But...such a thing was far-fetched and should not be possible! Being capable of somehow using the Origins of the natives of that galaxy to mask Noah''s, somehow sending his Origin to traverse the chaotic void and be able to arrive into the new galaxy, and even the process of successfully finding a vessel that his Origin would occupy¡­all of these were impossible things to achieve as universal laws existed which prevented such a thing from ever becoming a reality. Yet, the Novus Galaxy had done many things that defied universal laws, and this yet another impossibility it planned to overcome. Noah''s eyes shone as he thought about this, seeing the six rapidly rotating Origins come close to each other as they began fusing together, a milky white color spreading out as a singular white and black mass was slowly forming. He was thinking of what made it possible for the Novus Galaxy to continue doing things that defied Universal Laws, and it could all be attributed to the "Change" she mentioned previously, but never explained to him! Somehow, this "Change" made it possible for her to culminate a being with a Trait such as Infinite Mana that completely went against natural laws, and now she was doing another impossible thing as she planned to transmigrate the Origin of this same being seamlessly into another Galaxy. Noah could not help but ask as he watched the formation of the milky black and white core made of the 6 Origins of the Outsiders as he prepared himself. "What exactly is making this possible? How can you be able to undertake events to allow a successful transmigration into a vessel of another Galaxy with such confidence?" He asked how any of this was probable as the 6 Origins of Outsiders fused into one, a spectacularly shining milky mass being observed by the eyes of Terror and Noah in the starry space of the Novus Galaxy! [Bring the Origin Embryo into the Central Realm, I will show the ''Change'' that makes all this possible.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy rang out as the Terrors looked at each other, returning to their posts as Noah''s hands delicately reached out to the milky white mass called Origin Embryo. He carefully wrapped his essence around it as his figure disappeared from this location and teleported into the Central Realm! Not just the Central Realm, but the location where a mystical grove of ancient trees resided, the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy lay! He reappeared within this mystical location as the thick essence of universal laws surrounded him again, the Origin Embryo he arrived floating in the air between him and the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy. [It was a change that occurred when I underwent the last cycle of destruction and reformation, the reason why all of this is possible.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy rang out as Noah shockingly saw the smooth obsidian core shine with a dark light as something with a terrifying aura came out of it! This aura was terrifying because it made his very Origin tremble as his knees nearly buckled from the weight of the pressure released, the ''thing'' coming out of the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy being this shocking! [This is what made it all possible, something that I found with me the second my consciousness returned after the last destruction.] An aura of colors erupted in the mystical ancient grove as Noah''s eyes trembled while observing the appearance of something so powerful it felt like his entire origin could be obliterated in a second! The thing that made it possible for the Novus Galaxy to defy so many natural laws had appeared! Chapter 622 - Ruination Core!!! "What is that¡­?" Noah asked with trembling words as he sensed this unknown feeling of pressure coming from the thing floating out of the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy, being able to notice its shape being square as it seemed to be filled with multiple holes that led to nowhere! A square item with countless holes, shining with a fearsome red and black light! The milky liquid form of the universal laws had begun dancing wildly as they were attracted by this black box, beginning to flow towards it fearfully as they entered the holes of this box and never came out. Noah felt his heart pounding as the voice of the Novus Galaxy rang out while slowly pulling this red and black square box back into its Obsidian Core. [Ever since I regained consciousness, I have only known its name. It is something called a Ruination Core.] RUMBLE! Space shook at the mention of these two words as Noah repeated them in his mind, the shocking identity of the thing that caused an enormous change in this recent cycle of destruction and reformation of the Novus Galaxy being revealed! It was this item that made it possible for the strict and inviolable natural laws to be twisted and bypassed in order to achieve the Trait that Noah currently held, and it was also this item that the Novus Galaxy had to use to make it possible for the grand undertaking of placing Noah''s Origin into another galaxy. The intense pressure it released slowly receded as it was pulled back into the Obsidian Core of the Novus Galaxy, Noah finally being able to breathe again as his mind still swirled with questions! What exactly was this item that made all this possible? Why had it appeared when the Novus Galaxy began a new cycle? How could its uses actually bypass natural laws as it made unbelievable things possible? [Our lack of knowledge of this item is actually our greatest weakness, because it should hold an insurmountable importance, and yet we do not even know what it is. All I can currently do is exert my influence to utilize an insignificant portion of its power that has allowed me to do what I have done so far.] [One of the things you will have to do as you explore this Universe is to gather knowledge and find out exactly what this is, and how we can better use it! But you must take extreme care as just from the little we can do with it...means that we will undoubtedly invite a disaster if others were to find out that we hold such a thing.] RUMBLE! Noah felt his heart shaking as he heard these words, nodding as he understood more of the mysteries of why and how the Novus Galaxy came to be where it was today, and yet as always he just felt like he was left with even more questions! [This Ruination Core will be what will make it possible for your Origin that will be masked within this Origin Embryo that is in tune with that Nexus Galaxy to successfully traverse through the boundless chaotic void and arrive in that Galaxy safely to find a vessel.] The main player that made many things possible was introduced, and even though Noah and even the Novus Galaxy did not understand fully what it was at this point, they still continued forward with their aims as Noah nodded with a serious expression!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!!!_52600572469105722 for visiting. "You say my origin will be attracted to a vessel in the Nexus Galaxy...I wouldn''t find myself becoming a baby or something, right?" [No, your Origin will require a vessel that has lived for some years and had a wide and strong enough core to contain your Origin. It will most likely be an aged being, or a sickly being in their prime who has a weak core, or even a being that has been seriously injured and is about to face death. Your Origin will seek its fated counterpart in this galaxy as your complete comprehension in the Law of Fate will actually make it so that you will enter the most opportune vessel to start your rise in the Nexus Galaxy.] Yes! If all goes as planned, Noah would successfully be able to have a part of his Origin enter the Nexus Galaxy and transmigrate into a vessel of this powerful galaxy as he began on his quest for his second Trait! [The moment you successfully find a vessel and awaken will also be the time that your second Trait will be granted to you, the entity overseeing that Nexus Galaxy unconsciously feeling its essence being used as before it will even notice, a Trait will begin to be culminated within you!] The Ruination Core was making all of this possible! The transfer of this Origin Embryo, the implantation of Noah as a native of this galaxy, and even the initial unconscious use of this Galaxy''s essence to initiate the initial formation of Noah''s second trait. [Similar to Infinite Mana, there will be conditions that you will have to fulfill in order to bring your second trait to fruition, where even if that Nexus Galaxy notices anything thereafter- as long as your trait initiated successfully, it has to help you bring it to fruition. As long as you fulfill the requirements of that Trait similar to Infinite Mana, it will be completed with no problems!] The voice of the Novus Galaxy was filled with a wild hunger for power as Noah heard its words. His eyes shining with bright l.u.s.ter as he looked forward to such an event. [While you traverse this new Nexus Galaxy and aim to complete your second trait while gathering knowledge and information, half of your remaining Origin over here will continue comprehending laws and getting stronger as we get ready for a bright future.] The rough details of a grand future were laid out as Noah was reminded of what was required to achieve this plan, which was to separate his Origin in half as one would be feud to the Origin Embryo made from the six Outsiders to go towards the Nexus Galaxy, while the other half would remain in the Novus Galaxy as it healed and continued growing stronger! But this action of separating his Origin...would be an extremely painful one as very few beings in the vast universe had ever even gone through something like this. Yet he would have to endure it as he stepped onto a path for an unknown but grand future, so he steeled his resolve as he looked forward to the rotating Origin Embryo just waiting for him. "When do we start?" [Before splitting apart your Origin, we will have to deal with protecting ourselves first from the signal we released. As that Outsider mentioned, even stronger beings will be sent here to check out what went wrong, so we naturally have to disappear from this location first before we carry out our plans.] The Novus Galaxy said these words simply as Noah smiled, recalling something unique that only he was currently able to do in the Novus Galaxy as the mention of relocating an entire galaxy was mentioned! "You couldn''t possibly mean the¡­" [Yes, the inconsequential and intuitive World Engine produced by the inhabitants of the Lost World. Well, with a few modifications and support from something that has made many improbable things possible up to this point.] RUMBLE! Waves of fate rolled out as events continued to steer towards an uncertain and terrifying future, a being and a Galaxy continuing a plot that would shake the unexplored Universe! Chapter 623 - Relocation Near a glimmering multicolored Universal Rift, a Watcher opened his eyes as they slowly dimmed with golden light. This light was very much similar to one present in Noah''s eyes whenever he utilized the essence of Fate, the light in this being''s eyes being much more powerful and condensed! This being opened his eyes as he muttered shocking words. "All six dead¡­? Could it be an unknown Entity, or something else?" The Watcher wondered out loud as he was already sending word to the correct departments and waiting for directions on how to move, where he was actually sending a message and waiting for word from a High Ranking Imperial! The light of fate in his eyes flowed towards his brain as imperceptibly pieces of information began to flow into him. "No...not an unknown entity¡­" Information that he should have had no knowledge about was flowing into him as he ascertained exactly what happened just a few minutes ago! The knowledge that the party of beings under his watch had actually located the signal and spent some time around it before they lost their lives became clear to this Watcher, making him rule out the possibility of a powerful unknown entity as the other choices were extremely enticing to him! He also sent word of this as he received a reply soon after, a voice entering his mind. "Watcher Gold Eye, we trust your judgment. They might have found a treasure and got greedy, thus resulting in their death. We will dispatch a force of multiple Alpha Blessed just like them and a few Beta Blessed accompanied by Assimilators." RUMBLE! The verdict was quickly passed down as the Imperials worked on efficiency and communication, getting to the core of the issue as they thoroughly prepared! "Actually just in case, I shall let one of the High Imperials holding a Delta level Trait accompany this force to make sure there are no mistakes." The classifications of Traits were mentioned once again as a terrifying individual planned to be sent out, a being holding a rank of a High Imperial! But the more important ranks were those of Traits, which went from the lowest ranked Alpha to Beta, and the terrifying rank of Delta. Past Delta, one would come across the fearsome ranks of Traits termed Epsilon and the legendary rank of Omega! As far as many beings knew, an individual holding a Trait of Omega had not risen in the Nexus Galaxy or in the nearby doc.u.mented galaxies! But the issue of this signal that had caused the rapid vanishing of a party under a Watcher had made an Imperial issue an order for multiple Blessed at the ranks of Alpha and Beta, as well as a single Delta ranked High Imperial to accompany them. "Thank you for the support, Watcher. I will send the selected beings your way in a few minutes¡­" RUMBLE! Waves of fate spread out as the Watcher smiled, the light of fate staying within his eyes as it seemed extremely dense! One would be able to notice the faint glimmer of Fate Lines, but these golden lines seemed much thicker and much brighter than even Noah''s current Fate Lines as they held a unique power. It was the power of a being that was not just a beginner Assimilator, but a genuine Assimilator that had been fusing the Law of Fate to himself! He prepared to receive and send off yet another party across the Universal Rift soon as the Imperials moved with efficiency in the background... --- Back in the Novus Galaxy, Noah had pulled out the exquisite World Engine as it had begun to be disassembled and reassembled numerous times by the Obsidian Core of the Novus Galaxy in front of him, the resplendent color of powerful and ancient runic sigils swimming around freely! Before they could start with the grand scheme, they had to ensure their safety as they relocated the Novus Galaxy from the location that released the Signal which reached the Nexus Galaxy. The words of the Outsider rang out in Noah''s mind as he mentioned how they were just a disposable party sent to see if it was anything genuine. Normally, a party such as this would have reported their findings of another Galaxy right away, but the shockingly young age of the Novus Galaxy made them greedy! The fact that they now perished meant that the signal would be investigated even more thoroughly, where higher ranks of Blessed and powerful Law Masters could be sent. Thus, Noah''s eyes watched with rapt attention as the World Engine was assembled together once more, this time as it shone with a black and blue light as the runic sigils all around it settled down. [It would normally be an impossible thing to even imagine, but I have restructured the Engine to be able to spread its effects across the entire galaxy when activated near the core.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy rang out as the newly formed Engine floated towards Noah. [Even with that modification though, the impossibility would lie in the fact that no being is capable of supplying the energy required to carry out a teleportation of an entire Galaxy. Well, that is unless you had Infinite Mana.] "Haha!" Noah gave a light laugh at this as his hands landed on the newly modified Engine. It could not be termed a Realm Engine or even a Galaxy Engine as it was about to do something spectacular! From the hands of the Atlanteans of the Lost World that first created the World Engine, to the Celestials destroying their World because of it, this same World Engine was now being used to change the fates of trillions! It was truly shocking to see how things were so intertwined and connected when one could observe the river of fate and understood its movements¡­ Noah yet again began violating common sense as mana leaked from his body endlessly and entered the modified Engine, a unique essence beginning to permeate from this item as it expanded outwards to start covering the entirety of the Novus Galaxy! Chapter 624 - Split your Origin! A Galaxy was extremely vast, even a Millenium Galaxy like the Novus Galaxy that was present less than 50,000 years was just as vast. Yet at this moment, a unique essence had begun to spread out from the core of the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy, this essence released by an Engine modified to allow for the displacement of an entire Galaxy into a different location being put to work! From the hands of Noah, endless mana leaked out as he did not feel any strain from activating an item that would be able to affect an entire galaxy, his energy pouring in even faster as the rate that the unique essence released from the Engine actually increased. It rapidly spread out from the area behind the golden barrier, going on to pass the Sanctum of the Central Realm where newly arriving beings would appear, and then began to permeate out of the Central Realm itself! This unique essence was barely perceptible to the inhabitants of the Novus Galaxy, many of them just feeling something spreading over them as they would soon go about their days without knowing even what had happened.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52624468878615050 for visiting. Many of the creatures of the Novus Galaxy were in a stage of ignorance right now, where none of them even knew that a shocking battle had just taken place in the Letalis Expanse! It was a battle where they came in contact with beings Outside of this galaxy, but the vast majority of beings in the Novus Galaxy were not even thinking about such a concept at this time, and many normally would not in all their lifetimes! The inhabitants of the Infinite Realm were the same, where Noah''s subordinates also did not know what Noah had just done or what shocking actions he was actually doing right now. Each of them continued to strive for greater levels of strength as they just had an intuition that something big was going on, and Noah was shouldering all of it himself. Even these beings were also only able to notice the imperceptible essence being released from the modified Engine wash of them as it permeated through the Novus Galaxy, Noah''s mana continuing to sink into the Engine as the three expanses began to be covered throughout! From the Letalis Expanse to the Dark and Light Expanse, this unique essence permeated throughout as it covered every nook and corner, every star and sun...everything was covered and protected by this unique energy as over an hour passed by! RUMBLE! In the ancient mystical grove of the Central Realm where Noah was near the Obsidian Core of the Novus Galaxy, his eyes opened as the Engine his hands were attached to sent him a feedback telling him that its essence had reached every corner of the Novus Galaxy, and he could initiate the final step at this moment. His eyes shone powerfully as he gave the command, a wave of immense mana erupting from him as it acted like a chain reaction, the modified Engine in front of him releasing a white light that traveled even faster than the speed of light as it went to encompass the Novus Galaxy in an instant! It was also this blast of energy that meant that at this moment, this expansive Galaxy had actually been shifted from its original position in this unexplored Universe. If one were to be standing in the Chaotic Void and they could clearly observe the boundaries of the Novus Galaxy, they would have watched on at this moment as this expansive galaxy disappeared from this position, never to be seen again at this location of the Chaotic Void! --- In an unknown location of the vast Universe, the Chaotic Void was filled with all sorts of wild destructive elements as they all came together chaotically yet peacefully at the same time. This dance of destruction and peace was disturbed at this moment as the surrounding space trembled, the appearance of a warping galaxy changing the surrounding atmosphere as spatial essence ran rampant! RUMBLE! Waves after waves of tumultuous essence spread out as the calm only came a few minutes later, this unknown location of Chaotic Void gaining a galaxy on this day silently. The location that had released a signal caught by the Imperials of the Nexus Galaxy...was now empty! A successful relocation had occurred on this day a the Novus Galaxy was hidden in an unknown location, its beings not likely to be bothered by any Outsiders in the coming future. In the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy, Noah breathed out at the successful warping of an entire galaxy, not an ounce of exhaustion being felt from his origin after spending such enormous amounts of essence to do such a thing. [Everything went successfully, and we can now proceed.] The Novus Galaxy itself seemed to have no brakes as it continued to proceed forward, one event after another finishing as they just continued! [At this point, all that is left is for you to split your Origin in half so we can fuse it into this Origin Embro. After that, it will just be your entrance into the Nexus Galaxy we have to worry about as the remaining half of your Origin here heals as you continue to increase your strength.] Yes! At this point, a much needed time had been given to Noah after this relocation, where after they carried out their scheme, he would have an enormous amount of time with no interruptions or enemies popping up every few days! He would be able to enjoy the Infinite Realm as he farmed the powerful medicinal herbs and fruits as much as he wished, as he created Dungeons for the enhancement of his forces'' strength, crafting items and potions using the features of the Infinite Realm, and traverse through the multiple laws he had as he became a Controller in all of them and then proceeded forward to become an Assimilator! To do this, he would need the techniques of Assimilating laws that a Galaxy like the Nexus Galaxy will have, as the enemies he defeated did not give him any skill books this time around since their Origins were used to make the palpating Origin Embryo. Even the being he devoured was only a Controller, and did not even have the techniques needed for one to assimilate universal laws! As he thought of all of this, Noah was very much looking forward to the coming future! But to start things off and make it possible, he had to first split his Origin and Soul as he underwent an extremely painful process. He sat on the vibrant earth as he was surrounded by the milky rivers of universal law essence swirling around the core of the Novus Galaxy, casting [Aura of Redemption] to offset and heal the coming pain as he gave a command to his Origin! It was akin to a being sending neural impulses from their brain to tell their limbs to move or for their mouth to open, but the impulses that Noah was sending were telling his very Origin to split in half! RUMBLE! His face grimaced with immense pain as the process began, his very Origin being split apart as in front of him, the Origin Embryo made from the Origins of six beings from the Nexus Galaxy floated close by, ready to fuse with whatever came out! The scheme of a Galaxy continued as a powerful being was splitting apart his Origin to fuse it to an Embryo that would allow him to imperceptibly enter a grand Galaxy, a galaxy where he would be starting off with another Trait as the path of seeking immense strength to unilaterally smash any and all enemies continued! Chapter 625 - Embark towards the unknown! Pain could be felt on different scales, and it could be felt in many different forms! Currently, Noah was undergoing the strongest type of pain- one that dealt with his very Origin. "..." He grit his teeth as he prevented any painful grunts from leaking out, his eyes changing to a shade of red as the process of splitting his Origin continued!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52644910758677120 for visiting. |Split|! RUMBLE! He exerted his power as a Controller as he used his intent to accelerate the process, the essence of fate wrapping around his Origin as it initiated the last step. SPLAT! Noah was forced to spit out a mouthful of blood as he felt something inside him break into two parts, the process continuing to mount the pain as he felt his chest splitting! From his chest, one could see the protrusion of a swirling origin, looking very similar to a swirling nebula as it very quickly became a circle that shot towards the prepared Origin Embryo. The split Origin from Noah shot into this Embryo quickly as it entered and pierced it to its very center, remaining there peacefully as the essence of the Novus Galaxy wrapped around it vibrantly. Noah himself was breathing out heavily as the cast [Aura of Redemption] healed his body and soul, feeling himself getting much better but also having a sense of unknown weakness as half of him had been taken away! He felt this bubbling consciousness flicker in and out inside the Origin Embryo as a black and red light was shining from the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy as it undoubtedly used the power of the mysterious Ruination Core to fuse Noah''s origin into this Embryo and have it ready to be sent forth towards a new Galaxy. RUMBLE! Waves of essence erupted out at this moment as the Origin Embryo shone brightly, Noah feeling his other half of consciousness vibrantly come to life as he found his other half to only feel himself as a round ball- as a simple origin! [It was successful.] The words of the Novus Galaxy rang out as Noah''s main body looked at the Origin Embryo floating in front of him, his hands reaching out as he grasped onto it delicately and felt his consciousness within. "It is ready to be sent out? The Nexus Galaxy will not even notice as this origin enters?" [No. Through whatever power this Ruination Core holds, I am confident in being able to allow passage of this Origin Embro into the Nexus Galaxy until it finds a vessel and awakens a Trait. Everything will be left up to you thereafter.] Noah nodded as he adopted a serious look, pushing the Origin Embryo towards the Novus Galaxy as he spoke out with conviction. "Let''s do it!" OOOOM! The colors of black and red shone even brighter as the Novus Galaxy used the immense and unknown power of the mysterious item known as a Ruination Core to make improbable things possible, this time all of this power focused onto this Origin as a few realities were placed into it! One was for it to be able to traverse the Chaotic Void of the Universe and reach the Nexus Galaxy, another was to be undetected by this very Galaxy itself as it found a vessel to enter and initiate the process of awakening a Trait right away by forcing the use of this Galaxy''s essence the moment Noah awakened. Unimaginably hard conditions that would have never been possible under any circ.u.mstances were being forced to occur by the power of this unknown Ruination Core as the Origin Embryo containing half of Noah''s shot out from the ancient grove swirling with universal laws and began going towards the boundary of the Novus Galaxy! It shot past the layers of the Central Realm at speeds faster than light as it then pierced across the Letalis Expanse, seamlessly passing through the boundary of the Novus Galaxy as it already entered the Chaotic Void. It then...continued! Seamlessly, easily, and without any issues- it crossed across the Chaotic Void that would normally need the essence of a Grand Controller to move around in ease, or the use of a unique treasure like the Universal Rift of the Nexus Galaxy that covered those passing through it with a unique essence which allowed them to easily traverse the chaotic void. Noah felt this Origin Embryo shoot forth across the chaotic void as his eyes glowed with expectation, looking forward to what was to come as his tired body sat down in the ancient grove where the core of the Novus Galaxy lay. The milky colorful rivers of universal essence that flowed around the core of this galaxy moved in tandem as he breathed out, finally coming to terms with the fact that in the coming weeks and months, he would most likely have all the time in the Novus Galaxy to do whatever he wished. There would be no enemies he had to face, no threat pointing down towards them that would destroy everything...just a period of peace where he could explosively grow his strength as he learned more about this unknown Universe and the galaxies present within it, as he learned more about the systems of power and strength while he became ever stronger! He had to work on his own rank as he continued forging Stars to expand his Nebula, as he had not even reached the peak of this realm before he spilled into the next one. He had many laws to comprehend to completion before he began to assimilate them, many skills and skill trees that he could create and combine...there were a great deal of things he now wanted to do! But most of all, he wanted to relax and watch what would happen to this Origin Embryo that was now traversing through the Chaotic Void as it went towards a singular location. An unknown number of light-years away, this Origin Embryo went towards a new Galaxy as it sought to find a vessel to reside in that would allow Noah to transmigrate into a brand new being! Chapter 626 - You see, I actually wasnt that OP before I The river of time waited for no one as it moved along, the workings of fate continuing as they should as events perpetuated one after another across the unknown Universe. In the expansive Nexus Galaxy where a certain Origin Embryo was heading towards, a certain event was occurring as it was obscured from the eyes of many. A dashing young man was talking to a shadowy figure in front of him. "How many new participants rose this round?" "We have gathered information on 443 unaccounted new Blessed that have signed up and are moving across Imperial Citadel, Master Andrews." The shadowy figure brimming with power replied as the young man called Andrews nodded, his gaze turning cold as he sent out shocking words. "The Blessed Imperial Selection this year is much different compared to previous ones, where the Imperial Adjudicator is actually allowing the Imperial Princess to join. We cannot have too many rugrats filling in the count and surrounding the only daughter of the Imperial Adjudicator if something dangerous were to happen in this selection." "You mean¡­?" The shadow figure asked hesitatingly as he foresaw the extreme measure his Young Master wanted to take for the being that was normally hidden behind layers of protection and guards who would actually be participating in the yearly Blessed Imperial Selection that allowed one to become a high Imperial! "Yes, thin out the coming participants. We shall act as the first layer of the Trial to thin out unworthy beings. Get rid of the ones with trash Traits that are even thinking of dirtying the presence of the Imperial Adjudicator''s daughter." RUMBLE! A command was given out as the shadowy figure only paused for a second and then nodded, disappearing thereafter as he sent out word to the others and went to undertake the task they were given! In his mind though, he was shaking his head disappointedly at the commands of the young master that also chose to participate in this Blessed Imperial Selection because of the news that the Imperial Princess would be participating. His young master was going out of his way to harm others just because he didn''t want what he considered weak beings with trash traits to be around the Princess when the Selection Trials were underway, when the Imperial Princess herself most likely did not even know his young master or even spare a thought about him before! But since he came from a prominent family in the Imperial Citadel, he could command guards at the Peak of the Nebula Realm or even low-tier Controllers! The shadowy figure sighed again as he weaved across the brightly lit areas of the Imperial Citadel, a paper appearing in his hands as he checked off and crossed multiple names based on their Traits. The Imperial Citadel earned its name as it was at the very center of power of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm, this ''citadel'' alone being larger than most continents or even high ranking Realms. In one of the parts of this city, multiple shadowy figures followed the commands of their Young Master as they tracked down the newly appearing Blessed who planned to join the Blessed Imperial Selection trials, taking out the ones with weak Traits as they would not even be able to make it to the starting point of this yearly Trial! "What¡­!" "Why?!" Pained cries silently rang out silently in the night as some fell down as they were walking across the sparkling streets, others not opening their eyes from their meditation, and some being stopped in the middle of their meals! This shocking event continued in the shadows of the Imperial Citadel as one of the shadowy figures looked at one last name that was crossed out on the list and matched it to the being he was tailing currently. [Alexander- Auxiliary Trait, Alpha Rank.] The lowest rank of a Trait, and one that wasn''t offensive or defensive at that! The shadowy figure sighed as he tailed this unsuspecting being, and the moment he passed through a near Alley, a gravitational force suddenly pulled him towards this dark alley as the shadowy figure finished his given mission for the night! His bloody hand that pierced through this shocked Blessed''s body was pulled out as he saw the light gradually disappearing from their eyes, the figure disappearing in a conflagration of shadows as he moved. Such was life! Such was the fate of those weak, as their lives could be altered on the whims of someone slightly stronger than them! But the river of fate worked in mysterious ways as at this same time, an Origin Embryo that had been streaking across the Chaotic Void for days had finally reached its destination, piercing through the boundaries of the Nexus Galaxy without a hitch as it silently and grandly entered. This Origin Embro continued streaking silently across the vast space of the Nexus Galaxy, ignoring the many Realms and worlds spread around it as it searched, before waves of golden light covered it as it came to a stop and then began shooting towards a specific direction! It was towards a certain Brightgold Monarchy Realm that was publicly known as the largest Realm in the Nexus Galaxy, the Realm where the ruling force of Imperials that had consolidated power throughout the Nexus Galaxy resided! This imperceptible streak of light thundered forth silently as a unique power wrapped around it, where even the Nexus Galaxy itself could not feel anything out of sorts at this moment. It easily pierced through the barrier of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm as it continued forward, seemingly set towards a specific direction as it passed numerous continents in this expansive realm and went towards the Central one. The Origin Embryo actually continued towards the Imperial Citadel that was bustling with activity and power, the largest area of this Brightgold Monarchy Realm as well as the area where powerful Imperials resided! It only stopped momentarily above this continental Citadel before it zoomed towards a certain section of it, an area currently clouded in the darkness of the night as it appeared in an alleyway where a being was rapidly nearing death. The Origin Embryo stopped above this being that had been dealt a deathly blow not too long ago by a shadow figure, a golden wave of fate erupting out silently before the Origin Embryo drilled towards the dying being! RUMBLE!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''t-that-op-before-i_52644925522637819 for visiting. As if his body had received an enormous shock, the figure began convulsing vigorously as the dying light of his Origin was rapidly revived while fusing with something else, this process being completed in a split second as the figure became completely still thereafter. "..." OOOOM A golden light appeared to cover the figure at this moment as it floated a few meters towards the sky, this golden light permeating throughout the body as it healed all injuries before carefuly bringing it towards the ground again...but this time it was standing on its own two feet! "Ahhhh¡­" A deep breath was taken by the rejuvenated figure as his eyes opened, streaks of blue and gold-colored lights coursing within these eyes as he looked at his arms while his face was that full of wonder. "Hmm, Alexander?" The words were more of a confirmation than a question as imperceptible changes continued to occur in the body of the being that was marked for death, someone else taking over this being''s identity as silently, Noah had arrived in the Nexus Galaxy without any issues! Chapter 627 - You see, I actually wasnt that OP before II In the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy, Noah had a wide smile as he talked with the obsidian core in front of him. "I''ve successfully found a vessel in the Nexus Galaxy." RUMBLE! The surrounding space shook at this proclamation as it affirmed the success of something that should have been impossible, yet it was a reality as Noah was waking up in another Galaxy as someone else! [This Ruination Core continues to exceed all expectations as the Nexus Galaxy itself was not able to notice anything. Even now, its very essence is being used to awaken your second Trait.] The Novus Galaxy replied with a tone that wasn''t as cold as usual, where one could even notice a tinge of happiness within it! "My second Trait, huh?" Noah felt his excitement stirring as he recalled his discussions of the second Trait with the Novus Galaxy. It was fairly cryptic thus were, with the only thing he understood being the fact that it would be a trait going towards the goal of making a Champion that was simply unbeatable. For this to be done, one might think that a Trait had to be an extremely powerful Offensive or Defensive Trait, but often enough it was actually an Auxiliary Trait that took center stage! His Infinite Mana was not an offensive or defensive Trait, but an Auxiliary one that supported him in such a major way that he could easily beat other Blessed with it. Of course, he did not know if the Infinite Mana Trait was considered one of the highest tiered Traits, but he believed so! When looking at the ranks of Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, and Omega...Noah would say his Trait belonged to Omega! But he had no confirmation of this as they had not collected enough information about Traits, so he would hold off on the judgment for now as waited to see what his second Trait would be. [Your second Trait...well, you will see it soon enough. It should be another Auxiliary Trait that will allow you to completely dominate those pointing their sword at you when it brought to completion. Even at the first stage of its awakening, it should be on par with some of the most powerful Traits existing in the Nexus Galaxy.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy resounded out once again as Noah nodded, closing his eyes as he focused on seeing his new self-awakening in the Nexus Galaxy! --- In the dark alley where a being should have just faced death, a figure that released fearsome blue and golden lights in his eyes looked towards his surroundings as he breathed in. A name was rolling off his tongue over and over again as he was seemingly getting used to it, his eyes somewhat hazy as he absorbed numerous flows of information! "Alexander...a Blessed on his way to participate in the Blessed Imperial Selection, but met the unfortunate fate of suddenly being killed out of the blue." The voice that held a tinge of pride and arrogance threw this being off as he closed his eyes briefly, sorting the abundant amount of information when at this moment, he felt the influx of a unique essence wrapping around his origin! This essence was coming from the surroundings nearby, being the essence of the Galaxy itself as it went on to awaken a Trait in Alexander! This was something extremely new and foreign as this being already had a Trait before, but the moment he faced his death this Trait was taken from him, only for his figure to be rejuvenated a millisecond later as he was now awakening another Trait. Alexander closed his eyes tightly as he felt his head pounding, the essence of Galaxy swirling around his brain as it focused here for his Trait! The essence only converged faster and faster as it rose in density until finally, Alexander opened his eyes again as they shone with white light! New knowledge flowed into his mind as he felt the appearance of a Trait, and the identity of this Trait making his eyes shake because of the sheer ridiculousness that just its name represented! "She wouldn''t be this crazy right?" Noah, or more aptly named at this moment, Alexander, shook his head in a stupor as he looked at the second Trait he had in this lifetime. [Alexander King][Title(s):HIDDEN] [Trait(s): HIDDEN, Protagonist] [Bloodline(s): HIDDEN] [Origin Core(s) : HIDDEN] [Domain(s) : HIDDEN] [Vitality: STAR FORGER] [Focus: HIDDEN] [Strength: STAR FORGER] [Law(s) : HIDDEN] [Authority(s) : HIDDEN] "...no f.u.c.k.i.n.g way." A completely new stat panel that had much of its contents hidden as if one was looking at a redacted doc.u.ment appeared in front of Alexander''s eyes, causing him to release expletives as he glanced at it! Much of the information was hidden because in this new galaxy, even though the one known as Noah retained half of his Origin which granted him access to the powers and laws that he had cultivated so far, they had to be hidden from the eyes of the Nexus Galaxy itself! At this moment, this galaxy would just begin to notice as a large consumption of essence that awakened this Trait should have been noticed by it, but when it glanced towards Noah, all it would find was a peculiarity that awakened another Trait and not be able to find anything else about him! This was because unlike the Novus Galaxy, the Nexus Galaxy did not have something like the Ruination Core, and the impossible things and abilities that the Novus Galaxy carried out were not something this galaxy could do. But all of this was not the most shocking information that took Noah''s attention, with another thing that appeared in a pristine white color appearing that shook him to his core! The most shocking information was the second Trait, a Trait that had the ridiculous name of [Protagonist]! [Protagonist]! What did this term represent? It represented a leading character or a central figure in an event or story, it represented the being that everything revolved around.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''t-that-op-before-ii_52670050292781454 for visiting. Noah was shaking his head in stupefaction because shockingly, the Novus Galaxy had chosen such a term for the second Trait, which had tremendous implications for what exactly would be contained in this Trait and what type of support it would give! He could not wait any further as he zoomed in on the Trait of Protagonist, wanting to see exactly what shocking thing he had just gained this time around! Chapter 628 - You see, I actually wasnt that OP before III [Protagonist] :: You are the protagonist. To live up to such a title, abilities worthy of creating a true Protagonist are granted. As it is a culminated Trait, it has different stages that each have their own abilities. Currently Unlocked Ability(s) : Eyes of Truth, Photographic Memory, Memorable Visage, Blind Luck. Locked Abilities: Plot Armor, Chosen Extras, Deus Ex Machina, Chosen One, Save Point, @#%#%@$. To increase the stage of the Trait and bring it to complete fruition, you must play the central and decisive role in the Nexus Galaxy. "..." Alexander stared at the blue screen in front of his eyes with sheer and pure shock as he did not even know where to begin! ''This...this is just ridiculous¡­'' His thoughts were swirling around his mind as his other body that was light years away looked towards the obsidian core that represented the Novus Galaxy in shock as this information was transmitted to him. "This trait¡­" [If you want someone unbeatable, you have to naturally think outside the box. This Trait is the realization of a far-fetched possibility, if you could really culminate it to completion, the tools available to you will ensure that you will keep your life even while facing the most powerful enemies.] RUMBLE! A shocking truth was released as the madness of this Novus Galaxy continued to go to even greater heights, a Trait of stupid proportions being culminated in Noah''s new identity in the Nexus Galaxy! What Offensive Trait? What Defensive Trait? Could those compare to a Trait that was actually called Protagonist?! Noah shook his head as he reeled in his shock, focusing on the feedback of information that his new identity, Alexander, was receiving. He first focused on the stage of abilities that were currently unlocked with just the newly awakened version of this Trait, beginning with the extravagant sounding Eyes of Truth. [Eyes of Truth] :: Glance upon the many things in the vast galaxies as their secrets are laid bare to your eyes. [Photographic Memory] :: Forgetting things? What''s that? [Memorable Visage] :: As the protagonist, you begin to take the central role wherever you go, your visage being remembered by all who lay eyes upon you as you automatically give out a favorable impression, as well as garner prominent attention from your enemies. [Blind Luck] :: Fortunate things just seem to happen to you out of nowhere. You could just be walking across the street and find a million dollars by the roadside. "..." Descriptions that seemed to be overly simple and taunting were laid out in front of him as he did not even know where to begin! Blind Luck, Memorable Visage, and Photographic Memory were ridiculous, but they were understandable. It was [Eyes of Truth] that Noah was looking most closely at as he tried to understand it! He wasted no time as his thoughts went towards this skill, using Eyes of Truth on himself. DING~ A soft sound rang out through his mind as numerous words appeared on a text box in front of him. It wasn''t the usual blue panel boxes that he could see because of his Realm System, but a red textbook that shone with gold words as if it wanted to be known it was distinct from anything else! [Alexander King] :: A Blessed born in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm located in the Nexus Galaxy. [Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... His eyes opened wide as he read on more and more, shockingly finding out that almost every piece of information about him was listed on this red and gold box panel that popped up after using [Eyes of Truth] once! His life history, his strengths and weaknesses, his abilities, even his habits! Everything was laid bare in front of his eyes as they shook, his question going towards the usability of this terrifying Eyes of Truth as he wondered- ''This is what will pop up if I use it on anyone?!'' His eyes rose in alarm as he thought about this fearsome ability from the Protagonist Trait, as this single ability alone had such shocking implications that he could not even begin to list them all out! If it really showed him the contents of the red and gold panel when he used it on anyone, then all the secrets about that person- their entire life- would all be accessible for him to read and do what he wished with such dense information! This was...too shocking! He thought he was strong before. He thought he was maybe somewhat overpowered to be able to do the things that he had been doing. But now with such a second Trait called Protagonist and the ridiculous abilities that came with it... THUMP! He felt the beat of his heart as he finally turned his face upwards and looked around him in the new world, nay the new Realm he was in. His expression was that of amazement and absurdity as he stared at the skill while beginning to look around him. He was located in a dark alleyway between two enormous buildings, but if one stepped out from this alleyway they would step into a bustling world full of activity! The more shocking thing was that as Noah looked around him, the Eye of Truth unconsciously activated as his eyes shone with an enticing red light, the information of everything around him going towards his mind.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''t-that-op-before-iii_52670066130473558 for visiting. [Rickter Auction House] : An establishment in the Imperial Citadel of the Brightgold Monarchy¡­ [Red Lantern Tavern] : An establishment in the Imperial Citadel of the Brightgold Monarchy¡­ Information of everything around him was clearly displayed in front of his eyes as he stumbled out of the darkness and towards the light. He went towards the brightly lit street in the cover of night as everything shone with resplendent light, his eyes beginning to look over the beings nonchalantly moving through the streets! [Donny Sharpton] :: A citizen of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm located in the Nexus Galaxy. [Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... [Rachel Zang] : A hidden operative of the Imperials tasked with covertly maintaining the order of the Imperial Citadel. [Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... [Simon]...[Jake]... Numerous names and everything about them rose in front of Noah''s eyes as he shook his head in wonder, officially beginning to look at the new galaxy he found himself in as he also explored a shocking new trait. It displayed the Traits of everyone he looked at, their strengths and weaknesses...everything! It was genuinely a balance-shattering trait of ridiculous proportions, where even the abilities unlocked at the first stage were this powerful. There were still unlocked abilities that had just as shocking names, and all of this was waiting for Noah to start moving towards as he made his first steps in the Nexus Galaxy! Chapter 629 - The Imperial Citadel of Brightgold Monarchy Noah condensed the knowledge he had amassed so far about himself and his surroundings as he walked happily through the streets of the Imperial Citadel. The streets he was walking on dripped with the aura of extravagance and richness as the very road he was stepping on...was made of gold! Spectacular lights permeated through the streets he was in as they made the cover of the night seem like day, the unique style of buildings being something you would call modern because of their aesthetics, but they also looked medieval because of their ancient and old air! One thing they all had in common was that almost every single building shone with colors that weren''t too distinct in the night, but Noah could make out they were white and gold. It was a genuine Citadel filled with unique architecture that shone with white and gold, the people around walking through it varying in power as he had truly seen too many. The shocking thing was that the lowest ranking beings he came across were actually at the EPIC rank. Not a single being ranked B, A, or S in his own terms walked the streets, where even the weakest beings were EPIC rank! Those at the Saint Rank were abundant, those standing at the Void Realm being many, and he even came across multiple World Rank experts that were nonchalantly walking and talking or going into certain buildings. Star Forgers were among the rarity, with him not coming across a Nebula Realm being just from the few minutes of walking. All of these beings he came across had differing powers, with some carrying hints of Law Masters, others having the unique aura of a Blessed, and some having neither. But Noah could not stop looking around in amazement as all these beings that were passing around him and going on about their night...he could see everything about them with the Eyes of Truth! Their abilities, weaknesses, life history...everything was shockingly privy to him because of his Trait. He had focused the Trait on himself once more as he had pulled up the red and gold panel that had his information, going over the last few events listed in the Life History of Alexander King as he came to know exactly what had occurred right before he transmigrated. [Alexander King] (Life History) :: ¡­ 03/18/XXXX- Was walking across the streets of the Imperial Citadel as he prepared for the yearly Blessed Imperial Selection when a gravitational force pulled him into a dark alleyway and he was dealt a heavy injury by a peak Nebula Rank Shadow Imperial under the command of the Young Master of the Light Dawn Household. Shockingly, Alexander had been targeted and killed by a Nebula Rank expert, and a peak one at that! Noah had yet to affirm how many stars one would have to forge in their Nebula to be considered the peak of the Nebula Rank, yet a guard of just one of the powerful households in the Imperial Citadel had taken this rank! Of course, as they were identified only with their rank, it meant they did not have the title of a Controller or Blessed as those heights were still rare to achieve for nobodies. But the reality remained as Noah found himself in a grand new Realm of a shockingly powerful Galaxy that had lived for many years. Beings here did not just have a thousand or two thousand years to rise up through ranks, they could have had thousands and tens of thousands of years depending on their talent to grow stronger before their lives ran out. This made way for a Realm such as this Brightgold Monarchy Realm in this Nexus Galaxy to have many beings that Noah would consider experts moving around! Alexander himself was only at the Star Forging Realm as he registered his name on the list of hundreds to be participating in the yearly Blessed Imperial Selection that allowed citizens of the Brightgold Monarchy to distinguish themselves and have the chance to join the ranks of High Imperials- beings that directly worked for the Imperials to explore the expansive universe! Yet before he could even put his foot in the door, his life was taken. But from it, Noah came to be as he found his Vessel and awakened another Trait of his own in this body. And at this moment, whether it was by the workings of fate or not...the goal of this Alexander was very much in line with Noah''s! He had to explore this Brightgold Monarchy Realm as he understood the Imperials that controlled not just this, but the entire Nexus Galaxy as he fulfilled the requirements of culminating his second Trait. The requirements listed for him to become a central figure in the Nexus Galaxy, for him to truly live up to the name of the Trait before he could ascend through its stages or complete it. This Trial that was known as the Blessed Imperial Selection which the owner of this old body was killed for...Noah would participate in it as he made his grand entrance into the Nexus Galaxy while understanding the forces working within! He walked through the Imperial Citadel of this Brightgold Monarchy as he used the [Eye of Truth] on anything that walked, being able to absorb so much information that even the very natives of this Citadel would soon be behind him in terms of knowledge of it. When he added another ability of the Protagonist Trait, the [Photographic Memory]...everything just clicked into place too damn perfectly. He saw that even though it was deep into the night and would soon even change into dawn in this Imperial Citadel, the movements of beings within it were just as vibrant. A wide smile overtook his face as he breathed all of this in while his feet took him towards the location where Alexander inadvertently had not been able to arrive at before. --- As Alexander took his first steps in the Nexus Galaxy, Noah was in the Novus Galaxy with a wild and dominating look in his eyes as he stared at the panel in front of him. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Grand Controller(Fate), Controller(Fire, Water)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana, Protagonist(Incomplete)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Aether Particles(s) : 6,725,982] [Karma Line(s) : 1,924,356] [Fate Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Chaos Particle(s) : 6,252,654] [Origin Core(s) : Light-2, Dark-2, Fire-10, Water-10, Earth-5, Air-5] [Domain(s) : Aether, Karma, Fate,Chaos, Light, Dark, Space, Time, Fire, Water, Earth, Air] [Vitality: NEBULA] [Focus: ¡Þ ] [Strength: NEBULA] [Law(s) : Aether- 67%, Karma-19%,Fate-100%,Chaos-62%, Light-25%, Dark-25%, Space-44%, Time-36%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-44%, Air-44%] [Authority(s) : Aether Lord, Fate Lord, Chaos Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord] In the panel that showed his Traits that were not hidden or redacted like Alexander''s, spectacular things showed as most of all, he observed the singular addition of the Protagonist Trait! His eyes shone as the same sparkling red light that appeared when Alexander used this new Trait was recreated in Noah in this galaxy that was light years away! Chapter 630 - Shocking Revelations! Traits were things that were ingrained in the very Origins of beings, with a being only being able to carry a single Trait throughout their lifetimes as a Galaxy had to bless them with it, and one could only ever be a native of one galaxy. Yet, Noah had violated this rule through the use of a terrifying item he did not yet understand, and he had now succeeded in transmigrating half of his Origin onto the body of a being in another galaxy as he awakened a new Trait there as well! This meant that within his Origin, two Traits were inscribed! In the body of Alexander, he could utilize Infinite Mana, and in the body of Noah, he could utilize the Protagonist Trait! Both of his bodies had access to both of these Traits as they all shared the same shocking origin. This brought us to the current moment where Noah''s eyes were shining brightly as he looked at the details of the Protagonist Trait, especially the ridiculous [Eyes of Truth] that simply did too much as he sent his thoughts towards the Novus Galaxy. "This Trait is as ridiculous if not more compared to the first, but its uses are simply¡­" He shook his head as he spoke, letting out shocking words as he wanted to use this Trait in this Galaxy at this moment! "Let me see the [Ruination Core] once again. With the abilities of Protagonist, I should be able to glean exactly what it is." RUMBLE! [Such was the possibility I anticipated. We know too little of this unexplored Universe, a Trait such as this will allow us to gain information at extreme speeds that nobody can even imagine.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy rang out blandly as the obsidian core of this galaxy opened up once again, the red and black square cube that shone with a terrifying aura being released again as Noah controlled his body to not tremble and opened his eyes towards it, using [Eyes of Truth] on this terrifying object! OOOM!Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52679899189662623 for visiting. Sparks of red and gold light erupted out as it felt like an inviolable truth was violated, Noah feeling a searing pain in his eyes as one turned bloody and ruptured, but a red and gold panel still appeared in front of him as it showed a set of shocking words. [Ruination Core] :: A tool of extreme power that more often than not invites destruction to its user. Capable of interfering with the Universal Laws themselves, it is a tool of Ruination that has multiple counterparts spread out across the Dark Universe. A special constitution is required to wield tools of Ruination. When all the tools of Ruination are gathered, the Dark Universe will #$%[email protected]$^$%^##$%#^#%... THUMP! A shocking set of information could be read in front of him as his ruptured eye healed, blood leaking from him as even with the use of the newly gained Trait, he was still only able to glean a fraction of information from this terrifying item! One of the biggest gains he got from it was that this Universe he had simply been calling the unexplored universe was actually known as...the Dark Universe! Another was that this single Ruination Core...was actually not alone. The information indicated that it had counterparts, making it seem like other Ruination Cores existed out there in the vast Dark Universe. [This¡­] Noah had relayed the information to the Novus Galaxy as this new reality came before them, an air of seriousness permeating throughout as a single sentence had placed them in this state. It was the sentence that mentioned tools of Ruination such as the Ruination Core more often than not led their users towards destruction! The Novus Galaxy had been actively using it, and it had even made possible many things that they never could have even imagined before. It even brought the new Trait that made it possible for Noah to know the identity of this item, and yet the truth told by the [Eyes of Truth] remained the same. [We have stumbled across something much too grand and powerful at this time. You need to continue growing ever stronger and faster as we try to understand these mysteries even more while gathering information with your new Trait. When it advances to another stage or once it comes to completion, we should be able to discern all there is to know about these...Ruination Tools.] THUMP! Noah closed his eyes as he could still feel his beating heart, nodding as his mindset calmed down and he explored this Protagonist Trait even more! There are still the unlocked abilities of [Blind Luck] and [Memorable Visage] he had to explore, but his counterpart would be collecting more than enough information for this as he took his steps in the Imperial Citadel! --- Deep in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm where the bastion of Imperials resided, Alexander had walked through the streets of this Citadel as he gathered more information of its people and culture, as well as observe the ridiculous levels of strength from these beings that had lived in a galaxy for hundreds of thousands of years. At this moment, dawn had broken as the rays of golden light glistened down from the star that was hanging far above the skies of this mystical Realm, and Noah had come towards a huge fortress that had powerful auras in the hundreds moving around! The fortress glimmered with gold and white, its structures rising arrogantly to the skies as Noah could not wait to replicate them in his own Infinite Realm. But at this moment, he had arrived in front of this fortress for the same reason that many other Blessed were also going towards it at this time- for the yearly Blessed Imperial Selection! It was a selection that held multiple Trials to decide which renowned and powerful Blessed would be joining the ranks of High Imperials, the ranks of beings that were the true heroes of the Nexus Galaxy. It was these beings who gained the chance to freely use the Universal Rift as they explored the Dark Universe, while also holding the title of High Imperials who had access to a variety of resources and techniques to forge powerful Blessed and Law Masters. Such was the fortress that Noah arrived at, the location which was receiving all the incoming Blessed participating in this yearly Trial, the Imperial Thunderdome! Chapter 631 - EPSILON! Noah went towards the entrance of the Imperial Thunderdome where a robust woman that had a figure more built than many men stood with a clipboard and pen. She was noting the names of the Blessed coming in as she crossed their names out on the sheet placed on the clipboard as they entered into the Imperial Thunderdome thereafter, her gaze filled with power and seriousness as not a single being acted out of order! Noah went towards this woman as she raised her eyes towards him, looking over him up and down as she asked passively.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52703643899592118 for visiting. "Name?" "Alexander King." She located his name far down in the sheet as she crossed it out, her eyes landing on the Trait listed next to this being as she developed a quizzical expression! "You have an Auxiliary Trait such as this and you are taking the Imperial Selection?" Her words were actually not insulting and more of caution as it was rare for someone with such a Trait to join this Trial, her eyes focusing on the Trait listed next to Alexander''s name that read- [Analyzer]! "I will tell you now that the Trial is extremely tough, and this year even more so as it will not just be ending in our Imperial Citadel." She cautioned the being in front of her as she only saw Alexander smiling, a smile of calm and confidence as he replied, "Thank you for the warning, but I am confident in my abilities." With these words, the robust woman nodded with a passive face as she let him through, allowing Noah to enter the doors of the Imperial Thunderdome! He walked in to observe the expansive space of this building that looked like an extremely huge auditorium while his eyes glanced at the stat panel that listed all the information of the robust woman outside. He had been keeping [Eyes of Truth] active on all beings he came across as he gathered a ridiculous amount of information, this time learning that the woman checking off names in front of this Imperial Thunderdome was a Controller in the Law of Earth. He read over her life history and abilities as he continued gathering information while going further into the Imperial Thunderdome where hundreds of beings were gathered around. Some of them were in groups, others being alone with passive looks as they all waited for the ceremony that would start this Blessed Imperial Selection to begin. "That''s¡­" "No way¡­" Gasps and surprises could be heard throughout a few minutes after Noah''s entrance as at this moment, the figure of a veiled woman appeared while surrounded by two shockingly gorgeous women beside her. These two women seemed to be acting more as Guardsmaids as they moved forward with dangerous smiling expressions, parting the crowds of people that moved away from them naturally as they came to stand not too far away from Noah and also waited. "That is...the daughter of the Imperial Adjudicator?!" "You...don''t speak so loudly!" RUMBLE! Whispers and hushes rang throughout as those that did not know finally knew the secret that in this yearly Selection, the Imperial Adjudicator had actually allowed his daughter to join the trials in the Blessed Imperial Selection to officially gain the title of High Imperial! This was actually a puzzle in the eyes of many, as the Imperial Adjudicator was what could be considered the highest position among the Imperials, and this applied to the Imperial Princess as well. She had a special position where nobody in the entire Nexus Galaxy would dare to even offend her, and even those at the rank of High Imperials would not so much as have the courage to talk to her. So when they saw she was participating in the Blessed Imperial Selection, they only saw it as an esteemed young person being bored and wanting to explore, thus coming here with her Guardsmaids just to enjoy the Trials! If she so wanted, she could have simply asked her father, the Imperial Adjudicator, to release a decree that granted her the official title of a High Imperial. But she chose the round about way as she appeared in this year''s Blessed Imperial Selection. The veil on this person''s head glimmered with a mysterious essence where even if a being sent their aura forward to check, they would still not be able to observe what the face lying behind it actually looked like. Noah''s eyes were passive as he also turned his eyes towards these new shining entrants, his curiosity peaked as they were actually connected to the high powers of this galaxy. His eyes had been passive from just looking at them, but when he used the [Eyes of Truth] on the figures of ridiculously gorgeous Guardsmaids and the veiled Imperial Princess, his eyes nearly popped out of their eye sockets from what he found! He was shocked from looking at the Guardsmaids as he found out that from the ranks of Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, and Omega-the two of them actually had Delta Ranked Traits! In the entire past day he had spent walking around this Imperial Citadel of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm of the Nexus Galaxy, he had yet to come across beings with Delta Ranked Traits, and two of them were here acting as Guardsmaids for this being called the Imperial Princess. Yet what was even more shocking was the rank of the Trait that the Imperial Princess herself held. It was a whole f.u.c.k.i.n.g EPSILON Rank Trait, and a truly shocking one at that! [Anna Lexalius Dannicus] : A unique being residing in the Brightgold Monarchy of the Nexus Galaxy. [Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... The history and all the information there was about this being displayed itself in front of Noah''s eyes as they shook, coming in contact with one of the beings who would be a major player in the Nexus Galaxy for the coming future. Veiled where nobody could see her face and surrounded by two Delta Ranked Blessed, the Imperial Princess Anna Lexalius Dannicus had appeared! Chapter 632 - Such a trash Trait! "Alright alright settle down!" OOOM! A voice traveled out to cover the entirety of the Imperial Thunderdome as a man with a shocking aura appeared in the skies. One could see glistening white wings spreading out from his back as his chiseled jaw and devilishly handsome face attracted the attention of many. This being looked around the Imperial Thunderdome as he gave a slight nod over to the direction of the Imperial Princess before continuing to speak out. "There are a few hundred of you here for the Blessed Imperial Selection this year, a number slightly higher than the previous years but it shows your drive and strength since the Trials this year are even harder!" RUMBLE! "I am the Trial Master presiding over the selection this year, you can call me Master Zeke!" The man grandly announced his identity as Noah moved his shocked eyes over from the Imperial Princess to him. The [Eyes of Truth] told him everything about this man as he also had a shocking identity, being someone that was a Delta Ranked Blessed and also someone that held the rank of Black Hole! [Zeke Aureus] :: A birdman of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm of the Nexus Galaxy. [Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... The information of the humanoid man with expansive white wings was made clear as Noah came across the level above Nebula for the first time. Above the rank of Nebula and after one had built a sufficient amount of stars, they would form a Black Hole that devoured their entire Nebula as they held a shocking level of power and defenses! Do you know what a Black Hole is? It is a region of spacetime where gravity was so strong that no particles of light could escape from it! This Realm of power termed as Black Hole was one where if such an expert wanted you dead, you would just have to lie waiting to die, as you could never escape from their grasp! It was rumored that those in the realm of Black Hole could easily become controllers of the Laws of Space and Time, being able to manipulate gravity so freely as they lived up to the name of their Rank. Such a being was presiding as the Trial Master for this year''s Blessed Imperial Selection, and many wondered if it was because the Imperial Princess was participating this time around. Master Zeke waved his hands as on the opposite side of the Imperial Thunderdome, a barrier of white light seemed to peel off as it revealed a pulsating dark rift that shone with malice. "The First Trial this time around will take place in this Carnage Realm. You all must know about such realms, right? Your task will be to simply survive in this Realm for a day as we assess the usefulness of your Traits. Only those coming out of the Carnage Realm alive will proceed to the next stage." Many had surprised expressions and even a tinge of fear as the First Trial of this year''s selection was revealed, the use of a Carnage Realm being one of the requirements shocking many of them. The trial beginning like this showed them it was bound to be extremely tough! "The abilities of a Blessed vary, and you can use any means necessary to survive, even working with others. You should also pay attention to this..." Master Zeke said this with a glint in his eyes as he waved his hands and caused the appearance of numerous talismans to land in front of the Blessed participants. "These are Spatial Talisman that will directly send you out of the Carnage Realm the moment you crush them, and it will also mean automatic failure of the Trial. After 24 hours, they will naturally send you back here. Now, be ready!" RUMBLE! Rapid movements began to occur as the Blessed around Noah began shuffling around, the Spatial Talismans being taken by all as those already in groups were feeling much safer after the words of Master Zeke as others that were alone began looking for other people to group up with. A group of three Blessed came towards Noah as they saw him standing in the middle of the sea of people with a calm and confident expression. "Hey, you wanna join in with us for this Trial? The name is Mark. We have two Offensive Blessed and a Defensive Blessed on our team. What about you? You can join us and complete our team if you are a Defensive Blessed as well." One of them at the forefront reached out his hand in a welcoming gesture as Noah returned in and spoke with a smiling expression. "Alexander, an Auxiliary Blessed with the Analyzer Trait." "..." The hand that was reaching out to him stopped in midair as the man pulled back, the other two beside him seemingly losing their patience as they began to pull the one known as Mark from the forefront away. "Bah, you always have bad luck with people...nearly grouping us with someone that has such a trash Trait¡­" Shockingly hurtful words were released as the three moved away from Noah like a plague, others hearing these words as they glanced towards him with ridicule and pity while focusing on finding other partners if they didn''t have any! Noah laughed inside as he revealed the old Trait that this body used to have, his eyes reading the information freely available to him from the Eyes of Truth as he stared at the dark Rift that led to this Carnage Realm where the Trial would take place. [Rift of the Aether Carnage Realm] :: A rift that leads to a destroyed Realm where Aether freely permeates. The Safe Zones are located...The Danger Zones are located¡­ Information that told everything he needed to know about this dangerous Realm that made many Blessed fearful was displayed in his eyes as he made himself familiar with everything while waiting, his mind still on the shocking details of the Imperial Princess standing calmly with her Guardsmaids by the side as he occasionally switched over to her panel to read her details over again. As he remained alone while Blessed constantly moved and shuffled around, he continued to use the [Eyes of Truth] on all the Blessed around him as he garnered more information on Traits and understood many of the beings in here at deeper levels than even their closest friends. While spreading his attention around, his eyes landed on a particular being that was surrounded by 2 other Blessed, a frosty look on his face as he had an arrogant and pompous expression of someone important! Noah saw the eyes of this being trying their best to not look towards the direction of the shocking Imperial Princess as the information on him was revealed in his eyes, making his brows raise up as he found interesting information. ''Ho, so you were the perpetrator of the murder of poor Alexander before I came?'' Noah was looking at the [Life History] of the Young Master that had given out the command for multiple Blessed that planned to join this Selection to be killed, citing a stupid excuse of taking out the weak that pointlessly caused multiple Blessed to silently lose their lives in the past day. [Andrews Manuli Dawn] The Young Master of the Light Dawn Household of the Imperial Citadel.[Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... From the Life History of this being, he learned of many despicable things he had done throughout his time as the events that occurred yesterday became clear in Noah''s eyes, a cold light coursing through them as he had already made a judgment about this being! ''Alright. You aimed to kill me, so I will naturally avenge the body of this being that I have taken over.''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52703773822340204 for visiting. His eyes shone with light as he marked a being for death on his first day of arrival in the Nexus Galaxy! "Alright, enter and good luck to you all!" At this time, Master Zeke spoke out with a loud voice as his white wings flapped majestically behind him, the hundreds of Blessed beginning to enter the Rift that led to the Carnage Realm as Noah also made his way over! Chapter 633 - A Fateful Meeting in the Aether Carnage Realm The Aether Carnage Realm was a unique Realm that had faced destruction in the past but had not been destroyed fully. It then thrived on the elements of destruction as it took on the qualities to become a Carnage Realm! This particular Carnage Realm had the elements of Aether permeated throughout from its destruction, and was thus filled with extremely dangerous and baleful Aether swimming around freely all across it. One could come across areas of floating earth and stones all across this Realm, but much of its space was occupied with clouds and tendrils of Aether that would shred apart an unsuspecting being if they were caught in it. Even more terrifying, Aether Storms occurred frequently in random areas, and were the major causes of death for anyone exploring an Aether Carnage Realm as they would be surrounded and ground down by Aether in a matter of seconds! Yet, Carnage Realms were also preferred by powerful Law Masters as they had an abundant essence of whatever element they were named after, a being that was trying to comprehend the Law of Aether being very comfortable in a place like the Aether Carnage Realm. Still, it was a Realm that was extremely hard to navigate in, and it was why it was used as the first Trial for this year''s Blessed Imperial Selection! That was the reality for most people, but a single being was freely walking across the Aether Carnage Realm as if it was his home! Noah had shining eyes as he looked at the areas around him, the tendrils of Aether occasionally striking down like lightning making any nearby Trial Participants scurry as they tried to find a safe location that was not permeating with too much Aether while preventing themselves from ever having the bad luck of coming across an Aether Storm. Yet for Noah that had [Eyes of Truth] that told him everything about this Realm...he held no worries as it even felt like home! He knew the extremely dangerous zones as well as the safe zones, and even what signs he should watch for in case an Aether Storm was about to form in a certain area. He was more familiar with this Aether Carnage Realm than even beings that had explored it once or twice over, and this only made possible because of his Trait. He was continuing to compound the abundant knowledge he was coming across while thinking of the beings he came across that he could consider important, the shocking Imperial Princess holding an Epsilon Ranked Trait being one of them, and the killer of the body he was currently moving in being the other! As he saw fewer and fewer people around him, he disappeared into a cloudy area of Aether as the dangerous tendrils only washed over his body briefly before they became calm, his proficiency that was over 50% in the Law of Aether still existing in his Origin as this much would not harm him. He moved across the dangerous tendrils of Aether of this Carnage Realm as he chose to continue collecting and assimilating the vast amounts of information before making any major moves. Even in the case of the Young Master that killed Alexander, he wanted to collect more information on the Household he was a part of and how they were connected to the Imperials. He had to move carefully and not just focus on the small fries in front of him, because there were many experts on this Nexus Galaxy! Just from his first day here, he had met numerous Star Forgers just like the realm of his current body and multiple beings at the Nebula Realm, not to mention the terrifying expert at the rank of Black Hole. He chose the route of care as he closed his eyes while surrounded by tendrils of Aether, even using this time to absorb and cultivate them as he waited for the 24 hours to pass before he successfully cleared this Trial. Using this time, he was gradually building up the Origin Cores of Water, Fire, Air, Earth, Light, and Dark as well as the Lines and Particles of other laws that were returning towards him at crazy speeds. His Origin was already proficient in all of these laws, and he just had to use the essence around him to recreate them in this body as he expected it to only take him a matter of days before he was fully back to the same power that his body in the Novus Galaxy held! --- At the same time, three figures were moving across the Aether Carnage Realm peacefully as it seemed they were on a stroll, the central figure being veiled in a regal while cloth while the two Guardsmaids beside her were looking around carefully while clutching their weapons! "Will you two relax? I finally got permission to leave that stuffy castle filled with old monsters to enjoy myself, but you two aren''t making it easy." The veiled figure, the Imperial Princess, said with a sonorous voice that would drain the energy from the legs of weak men as the two women beside her shook their heads simultaneously. "We''re sorry Imperial Princess, but aside from the Carnage Realm being dangerous, we don''t know what intentions these weak Blessed participating in this Trial might have towards you and we have to be on guard." Protective words filled with conviction rang out from the two Guardsmaids, one of them sporting a head full of dark hair tied up in a ponytail, another having a similar style with the color of green. "Mmm, that''s your worry? It seems like anyone we come across simply bows with trembling bodies or they scurry away in fear. And do you all think any of them can actually harm me?" The Imperial Princess remained with a sonorous playful tone as she talked to the uptight maids, reminding them how anybody they came across actually shook in their boots as they knew the identity of the Imperial Princess, and nobody could brave to even be within a few meters of this only daughter of the Imperial Adjudicator as they traversed far away from them! The last sentence to come out of the mouth of the Imperial Princess might have also seemed arrogant and domineering, but when the maids heard it- it was like they had received a reminder as their hands lifted from their weapons and became slightly less worried. This was because they knew her words that none of them could actually harm her were a fact, and it was because even the two of them at the peak of Nebula Realm and holding fearsome Delta Ranked Traits could never even get near the Imperial Princess in strength! "Come on, I don''t know when that old man is going to get paranoid again and force me back into that castle. Let''s enjoy this freedom while we still can." The two Guardsmaids looked at each other as they shook their heads wyrily, understanding the heart of this fearsome Imperial Princess that had never come out like this before in her life. They continued floating across the deadly Aether Carnage Realm as the two of them moved to protect the Imperial Princess anytime tendrils of Aether rushed towards them, the hours passing by within this Realm. They had come across multiple parties and beings during this time, each of them simply nodding towards them with respect as they scurried off quickly thereafter. This action drew a light of disappointment from the veiled Imperial Princess as she continued moving forward. Things had continued to play out this way until half an hour later as they passed through a region of particularly wild clouds of Aether, they came across a figure that was peacefully floating in the skies while surrounded by tendrils of Aether! The baleful Aether seemed to actually be attracted towards him as he seemed to be cultivating, and the presence of the three women alerted him as he opened his eyes and stared towards them. The three of them were still floating on the same path they had been going on as they expected another panicked reaction and a bow, but their figures simultaneously came to a halt when they actually observed this being to not even have a change of expression, simply closing their eyes once more as they returned to their cultivation! "..." The two Guardsmaids had annoyed looks as they felt that this being had not shown the proper respect to the Imperial Princess, while the veiled Princess herself had an interested light flashing across her eyes as she came across a being that didn''t scurry away from her the moment they realized who she was, and this one did not even seem to care! Chapter 634 - A Ridiculous Show of Power The party of three Blessed that contained an Imperial Princess and her Guardsmaids came to a stop as they stared at a single being that was cultivating peacefully while surrounded by tendrils of Aether. The maids had looked of annoyance as they already moved their essence to begin moving away, choosing not to even bother with such a being as they could already sense fluctuations at the Star Forging Realm. Such a being did not even enter their eyes, and they chose to spare his worthless life for the disrespect he showed the Imperial Princess today! But as they began moving on the path they were on, they had to come to a halt again as they realized the Imperial Princess herself had remained where she was, and had even begun floating towards this figure that had briefly opened his eyes and then ignored them! "Ah, Princess¡­" One of the Guardsmaids complained as they both followed, the veiled Imperial Princess floating towards this being that had drawn slight interest from her as she came to be a few meters from him. The being opened his eyes once more as the three women noticed the ridiculous level of calm within them, with the words coming out of this being''s mouth shocking them thereafter! "Can I help you?" RUMBLE! The annoyance in the maid''s eyes changed to anger as their aura terrifyingly erupted out, one of them speaking out as her oppressive aura crashed towards Noah. "Is that how you speak to Nobility? To someone as Esteemed as the Imperial Princess? I will give you one chance to redeem yourself!" Even though her aura was wildly flying out, she still gave the being in front of them a way out for the actions that these maids thought to be disrespectful! "Raya." OOOM! The name of the maid was uttered once from the veiled Imperial Princess, her voice having a tinge of coldness as the peak Nebula Rank being shuddered and dropped to her knees in the skies filled with Aether. The other maid did the same as they heard the cold tone, their voices ringing out simultaneously! "Please forgive us!" "..." The Guardsmaids heard a tone that rarely came out of the mouth of the Imperial Princess as they knew that they had erred, immediately dropping to their knees as the veiled being looked towards Noah and spoke. "I apologize for my maids, we don''t normally come across beings with such...a carefree demeanor such as you and they did not know how to act." The Imperial Princess spoke her first words towards Noah as his eyes landed on this being, his thoughts unknown as he replied with a smile. "It''s fine." His reply was simple as it drew the interest of the Imperial Princess even more, where she realized even after this being knew her identity, they remained unimpressed! Were they simply fake and putting on airs, or was there something interesting with this being? She glanced towards him as she found a young man that did not look any older than 25, dark hair freely flowing on his head as he had a fairly average face that seemed to have a hint of unbound confidence! "You''re a Blessed that also cultivates a Supreme Law? It''s rare to come across such a talent." She spoke as she tried to probe this person as he was the first one to rouse any interest among the beings she met the day of her freedom. "Yes, and I would love to continue talking about this any other time, but I have to advise the Imperial Princess and her Guards to move from here at this time, as a terribly powerful Aether Storm is about to form in this region." The words out of Noah''s mouth drew more annoyance from the kneeling Guardsmaids that had still not lifted their heads up, seeing his natural tone of talking the Esteemed Princess like any normal person distasteful as they also laughed away at his words. Who was he trying to fool? One of the main dangers of this Carnage Realm were the powerful Aether Storms that unlucky beings could come across, and they were dangerous because one could never foresee them before they formed! Yet this Star Forging Blessed was claiming that one would be forming in this region even before any signs for it were picked up by even them? "Oh?" The Imperial Princess raised a brow in her veiled face, looking around the tendrils of Aether around them that did not seem too destructive at this moment as even she was doubtful! "Yes, you all still have a few seconds before it hits." Noah continued with a calm expression and passive words as the Imperial Princess turned towards him. "Then shouldn''t you be moving away from here? I''m sure it will be deadly to someone at the Star Forging Realm, even if you cultivate the Law of Aether." He looked towards her with a mysterious light as he replied, "I naturally have my ways, Princess." RUMBLE! The moment his words finished, a shocking storm of Aether began to rage out of nowhere, the Guardsmaids looking around them in shock as their bodies lit up with essence to protect themselves, the initial blast of the Aether storm knocking them away from the Imperial Princess! They looked towards the distasteful being with shock as they saw him to somehow still be in the same position as before, the Imperial Princess also still standing a few meters away from him as they actually seemed to be at the center of the Aether Storm! ''He was actually correct? This¡­'' The Guardsmaids and the Princess were filled with shock as they looked towards Noah, who seemed to be oscillating with the baleful waves of Aether being produced by the rapidly strengthening Aether Storm as he remained in the same place. "Princess!" The two guards used their boundless strength to push back towards the Imperial Princess at this juncture, but the force of the Aether Storm was just growing stronger as it pushed them further back, none of its destructive energies being able to pierce through their essence but it could still prevent them from moving forward! "You two know I''ll be fine, I''ll meet up again with you soon." They heard the nonchalant voice of the Imperial Princess as the Aether Storm became even stronger, being something that would even threaten a Nebula Rank being if they were not careful! For comparison, it was like receiving Noah''s or the Terror of Aether''s [Madness Hegemony] that released powerful strikes of Aether constantly in the form of a forceful storm. But in the middle of this raging Aether storm, Noah was still sitting peacefully without any worries, as he also held the skill of Terror of Aether, something like this not being able to harm him in the slightest! But the more shocking thing was the Imperial Princess in front of him that was looking at him with greater interest at this time, the veil and even the white regal cloth draping over her not even shaking in the slightest in the middle of this raging Aether Storm. Even Noah''s own body had to undulate up and down as he wavered through the Aether Storm, his body absorbing much of the Aether as the rest could not harm him. But this being in front of him seemed to not even be affected the rough pressure of the terrible storm they were in the center of, much less any of the terrible Aether swarming towards her! Noah observed as baleful tendrils of Aether rushed towards her en masse, but every time they were within just a few inches of her they disappeared silently as even the clothes and veil she wore did not even shake! His eyes shone as he looked at this scene and remembered the Trait of this being he had seen with the [Eyes of Truth], the EPSILON ranked Trait that made this being at the peak of Nebula Rank to stand in the middle of an Aether Storm without even being pushed aside by a millimeter from the position she chose to float in. [Anna Lexalius Dannicus](Trait) : Vector Controller(EPSILON)- A Trait that allows the user to control the magnitude and direction of something within the scope of their understanding. A distinct light could be seen covering the Imperial Princess who held a Trait of ridiculous proportions, a meeting between her and the being holding the Traits of [Protagonist] and [Infinite Mana] taking place amidst a raging Aether Storm! Chapter 635 - Who is that? Was it through the effects of [Blind Luck] and [Memorable Visage] or simply coincidence that Noah met the person with the fierce personage of the Imperial Princess? This was the same personage that was the daughter of the Imperial Adjudicator, the being standing at the forefront of the Imperials who controlled the entirety of the Nexus Galaxy and the many reaches it had across the Dark Universe! This Imperial Princess with a much too ridiculous trait was floating in front of Noah as an interested light passed through her veiled eyes, her Trait making it so that the powerful tendrils of Aether could not even touch the clothes on her. When one looked at her Trait of Vector Controller, they had to understand that Vector was a term that referred to the position, velocity, and force of something. A being that could control Vector could effectively control those same three qualities! This Imperial Princess was currently making it so that the tendrils of Aether could not even reach her as they were displaced elsewhere, and even if she allowed for them to reach her, she could change the speed they came towards her to be at a turtle''s pace or she could simply control the force of the tendrils of Aether to be nothing more than a feather landing on her clothes! Such was an ability of a Vector Controller, and this was a very simplified description of it when one thought about all the possibilities she had when it came to her Trait. Worthy of being an EPSILON ranked Trait, worthy of an Imperial Princess of the force controlling the Nexus Galaxy! "You are interesting. What Trait do you have, if you don''t mind me asking?" She said these sonorous words as the Aether Storm raged around them, Noah only smiling as he breathed in the surrounding Aether while replying. "A simple Auxiliary Trait called Analyzer that lets me be very knowledgeable of my surroundings." His words caused a doubtful expression to appear on the veiled Princess, but she nodded impassively as she looked around the raging storm around them towards a certain location that had begun shining with a dense orange hue. She smiled towards this as she knew her Guardsmaids were going overboard, the two of them utilizing their Traits as they were trying to forcefully tear apart the Aether Storm she was in the center of! KAAA! The fearsome sound of a phoenix erupted out as a blazing golden shape of a phoenix flashed outside of the Aether Storm, much of it being torn apart as one of the Nebula Rank guards holding a DELTA ranked Trait streaked through the torn Aether to return towards them. [Raya Von Saun](Trait) :: Golden Phoenix(DELTA)- The user can call upon the power of the Ancient Halcyon Phoenix to aid them. Noah recalled the Trait of this maid he had seen from the [Eyes of Truth] as from another side, an even more shocking power ripped apart the Aether Storm still trying to rage around them. RUMBLE! Noah observed as the very tendrils of Aether themselves burst into colorful blue lights as a cylindrical path was created, the other maid that was clad in a shocking blue aura of flames also making her way over as they reduced the force of the Aether Storm by a significant amount, its raging force beginning to die down around them. [Maya Von Saun](Trait) :: Essence Burst(DELTA)- The user can convert all elemental energies into a burst of destructive energies under her control. Two sisters, each with their own shocking DELTA ranked Traits, reappeared grandly around the Imperial Princess as they apologized. "We are sorry for leaving your side, your Highness!" They said these words as they continued using their Traits to forcefully erupt the Aether Storm around them, even though they could see that the Imperial Princess was not even the least affected! On one side, the image of a terrifying Ancient Halcyon Phoenix opened its beak as the purple Aether was washed away with a blazing gold, the other side having the Aether burst into dispersing blue essence as another Trait was utilized. Thereafter, the eyes of these Guardsmaids honed in towards the singular being standing near the Imperial Princess who seemed to have an amazed look while looking at their colorful skills! "Hmph." The Guardsmaids came back protectively around the veiled Imperial Princess as the Aether Storm around them was fully and forcefully dispersed by their fearsome power, the event having even called over other Blessed as they felt the fearsome power of Traits they never came across before. The few that were nearby and came were greeted with the sight of the veiled Imperial Princess talking to a figure sat in a meditative position in the skies, the auras of the two Guardsmaids that drew them in being just as bright as ever! But it wasn''t the shocking levels of energy that made their eyes nearly pop out of their sockets, but it was the scene of the Imperial Princess talking to the Blessed floating in the skies that shook them! "That is¡­" "Who is that?! How dare he¡­" Many could not help but voice out their opinions as in the next second, a powerful aura of a Blessed came over as he also saw this scene, his face turning incredibly dark and sour. Young Master Andrews had entered the scene while accompanied by two other Blessed beside him, his gaze nearly spitting flames as he saw the inviolable Imperial Princess actually having her presence sullied by someone else! "Who...is that?" He gritted his teeth as he said this to the two Blessed behind him, this Young Master of the Light Dawn Household of the Imperial City not even being able to recognize one of the beings he had called for the death of the night prior as he wanted to prevent cases like this where a rugrat was staining the presence of the Imperial Princess to ever occur. "Err...we don''t know yet, Young Master. I''m sending the image of his face over to our information network, we should get a name briefly." One of the Blessed beside him spoke with sweat dripping down his back as he worked fast, where he came out with a name and shocking information a second later! "He...he''s actually one of the targets that should have been taken out last night by the Covert Guards, an ALPHA ranked Blessed with an Auxilliary Trait¡­" CRACK! The very air around them cracked as a few beings turned to look their way, noticing the palpating essence around Young Master Andrews as his power threatened to rage and spill out at any moment. The being he aspired to even be close to, the esteemed personage that even the highest of Nobility ever saw...a being with a trash ALPHA ranked Auxiliary Trait was actually so nonchalantly standing next to her?! Chapter 636: That kid has a death wish! The two Blessed close to Young Master Andrews saw the palpating rage in his eyes as they sighed in their hearts while looking over at the scene of the veiled Imperial Princess talking with a nobody. They shook their heads as they thought in their minds, ; ''This kid really has a death wish!'' ; To be so nonchalantly talking with someone like the Imperial Princess, the two Blessed already said their prayers for this being as they tried to assuage the anger of the Young Master they moved with! ; "We will gather more information about him as we ask the Covert Guard that should have taken his life what happened, Young Master¡­" ; The Young Master''s rage only continued to grow higher as he looked at the scene of the calm expression on the face of the Blessed as he talked to the Imperial Princess, numerous thoughts and commands coming from him as he began to utilize his position to find out all there was to know about this kid with a death wish- the Blessed known as Alexander King! ; Meanwhile, Noah sighed as he looked around them at the peering gazes of many beings as he came out of his meditative position and spoke. ; "It seems like you''re bringing me trouble, your Imperialness." ; A metaphorical vein seemed to pop in one of the Guardsmaids as she spoke in annoyance. ; "It''s Your Highness, Your Highness." ; Maya gave Noah the proper term as he nodded with a smile towards them while starting to move away to spend the remaining few hours of the Trial in peace, the sonorous voice of the veiled Princess ringing out still. ; "What is your name?" ; The voice was filled with interest as the Imperial Princess realized the situation where this being was seen with her with the eyes of many Blessed who might each have their own intentions and interpretations about it, but he actually did not seem to be bothered by it at all! ; "King, Alexander King." ; RUMBLE! ; Noah left behind the tendrils of Aether as he stepped away from this meeting, the Imperial Princess repeating this name in her mouth with interest as she laughed and also began moving away with her maids that looked towards Noah with careful eyes! ; His figure disappeared among the clouds of Aether as the other Blessed also moved away, Young Master Andrews giving the direction that Noah had left in a hard look as his aura focused on the direction of the Imperial Princess with a palpating heart. ; If even he did not have the courage to go up to her, nobody else should even think of sullying her presence, especially not a trash Blessed! ; He sent a telepathic message to the beings he could control outside the Aether Carnage Realm as he schemed. ; "Get ready a Blessed geared towards silent assassinations that cannot be tracked. Have them ready to intercept the trash known as Alexander King the moment that we finish the first Trial!" ; His words were sharp as he chose to do everything silently, as he did not know exactly why the Imperial Princess was talking to that being, but he did not want to be tied to that being''s death in any way if the Imperial Princess happened to hear about it. ; ; Thus, he released a command as a Blessed proficient in assassination was prepared for Alexander! ; --- ; The hours passed in the Aether Carnage Realm and many Blessed continued to be teleported out as their essence ran dry, only those with uniquely powerful Traits or those that had dipped into comprehending laws being able to withstand the deadly environments of this realm. ; The Blessed had their own Yearly Imperial Selections, and so did Law Masters in their own regions. But if there existed Blessed who held a powerful Trait and also had the profession of a Law Master, these were the true peak powerhouses as they had many strengths reinforcing their power! ; The first Trial of this year''s Blessed Imperial Selection took out the Blessed that did not have Traits to grant them enough stamina to hold on in dangerous environments, or those who could not react to the unpredictability in the ever-changing and random environments of the Aether Carnage Realm. ; Of the few hundred that entered, less than half had managed to stay until the very end and not break the Spatial Talismans! ; RUMBLE! ; Noah felt the Spatial Talisman he had on him break naturally after the 24 hours, his figure being sent out of the Aether Carnage Realm as he reappeared in the Imperial Thunderdome. ; "Haha, we made it!" ; "Brother, didn''t I tell you I could do it?!" ; Shouts of joy were erupting out from all around as around 200 Blessed were left in the Imperial Thunderdome, those that had been teleported out of the Aether Carnage Realm before the 24 hours already having been escorted outside. ; In front of each of these slightly over 200 Blessed, new talismans appeared in front of them as they signified a status of beings that passed the first stage of this Selection. ; "Good, good! Quite a decent amount of you remain after that!"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52762910958601210 for visiting. ; The vibrant voice of the winged Master Zeke erupted out as everyone put their attention to this being in the skies, taking the glowing Talismans in front of them as they listened. ; "You all must be exhausted after 24 hours of constant danger, so you get a day''s rest before the last portion of this year''s Blessed Imperial Selection. But be warned...if you thought this Carnage Realm was too hard and you struggled too much, you will undoubtedly fail the other half of this Selection." ; OOOM! ; The reverberations made the faces of many serious as soon after, the voice changed to a boisterous one. ; "Alright, go and celebrate for now and be sure to come back here tomorrow at this exact time!" ; "Yeah!" ; "Drinks!" ; Shouts of joy erupted out again as the Blessed moved about, Noah giving a light smile as he moved out to the exit of the Imperial Thunderdome as he planned to gather more information in the next 24 hours about the Imperial Citadel and the Brightgold Monarchy it was in, as well as continue to read over the details of the powerful Imperial Princess. ; Not too far from him, the party of the Imperial Princess and two Guardsmaids glanced towards his direction briefly, especially the powerful maids that gave him an inquisitive look. But they weren''t the only ones as in another direction, the eyes of the Young Master Andrews were cold and devoid of emotion, a message coming to his mind as he was told the unfinished job of taking out trash Blessed would be completed today! ; Chapter 637: Delivered on a platter! Noah continued to think about the information of the shocking Traits of the one known as Imperial Princess as well as her guards as he moved out of the Imperial Thunderdome and went to explore the wide Imperial Citadel that was as large as multiple continents in his own Infinite Realm. He wanted to establish himself and gain more strength before he associated himself with such terrifyingly powerful figures, but he would take things as they came because such figures showing even a slight interest in him was good, their background really being too grand! As he left behind many of the cheering Blessed that passed the Imperial Selection, he delved back into the heart of the Imperial Citadel as he observed this fascinating city and its people more. A majority of the beings he came across were humans, with those that weren''t being similar to Master Zeke as they were simply humans with animalistic features. Of course, much of what made him excited was the food of a Realm in an entirely new Galaxy, so he was ready to go into a specially large restaurant to enjoy himself first. His eyes were reading the information of a restaurant that his [Eyes of Truth] said was among the very best establishments in this expansive Imperial Citadel, and he was already taking steps towards this place when suddenly...he felt a powerful essence pass through him! ''Hmm?'' In front of his eyes, the people that were just passing around him or even the restaurant in front of him had all but disappeared as he found his sight looking around an area filled with clouds! "Hmph, making me move just for a mere Star Forging Blessed with an Alpha Trait? This Andrews is really becoming spoiled." A cold voice rang out from all around as Noah saw his surroundings seemed to all be endless areas of rapidly roiling cloud, realizing he was in a different spatial space through the use of a skill or Trait! But...he did not need to guess as the [Eyes of Truth] were telling him everything about it at this moment. His face adopted a solemn expression as he seemed to ''fearfully'' look around, the cold voice ringing out again. "You can say your prayers now, little guy. You are in my [Cloud World]! It is my Trait that allows me to seamlessly transport myself and other targets into a separate space as everything that happens within never ever gets a chance to leave." "Ahhh, why did you have to offend someone as spiteful as that young master¡­" The voice seemed to mourn for Noah as it came from all sides, this being that was proficient in assassination because of his Trait collecting his powerful Nebula Rank essence as he prepared to deal a deadly blow to the ''weak'' Blessed that showed a panicked face amidst the roiling [Cloud World]! "Ayyy¡­" A pained sigh seemed to ring out as the being sent out a strike, but his eyes bulged when he watched the Blessed in the middle of the roiling clouds suddenly disappear, his chest feeling extremely cold and painful thereafter as from his hidden location deep in the clouds, the figure of Noah reappeared! "...Blergh!" A mouthful of blood was spat out from the Nebula Ranked Blessed as he felt his eyes were deceiving him, but the strike of Aether Ray that had passed through his very heart and Origin seemed to say otherwise as the youth behind him came closer, putting his hands on his body as a calm voice rang out. "Richard Mazin, 269 years old, commonly known as the Swift Cloud Assassin with the interesting Trait of [Cloud World]." ¡­! Alarm showed on the body of the Swift Cloud Assassin as he heard his hidden name and correct age uttered from the mouth of this being as he felt his essence move slower as his life began to leave his body. "You...how¡­!" GUH! Another mouthful of blood was spat out as Noah waved his hand to destabilize the space around them, the roiling clouds nearly coming to halt as he continued speaking. "You [Cloud World] is nearly unbreakable once you bring someone in the same realm like you or lower, and it is why you have been able to have an impressive assassination streak of 1,839 since you began working for the Light Dawn Household of the Brightgold Monarchy, wow." His voice seemed to have a tinge of praise as he talked, the Swift Cloud Assassin only becoming colder and colder as his feet slumped to the ground, his mind in turmoil as this being in front of him spoke of things that nobody should know! ''Just what exactly is this fiend?! What did that stupid young master send me to kill!'' Regret was welling up in the heart of the Swift Cloud Assassin as none of his questions were answered, not even knowing how it came to be that he was dying as Noah''s voice continued. "[Cloud World] is definitely unique as it hides your aura and body among the clouds with your enemies never being able to know where you are, being able to strike them until they are dead. Alas, you ran into me where my eyes told me exactly where you were¡­" "Ahh¡­!" Noah kept his hand on this being as he mocked in the same manner of pained unwillingness that this assassin had shown when he brought him into this [Cloud World], and he then began to release tendrils of Aether onto this body as the shocked look never left the assassin''s face since he had just died too easily and shockingly! The [Eyes of Truth] had told Noah exactly what the [Cloud World] around him was, and even where its master was hidden as everything thereafter was history! He simply teleported behind him as an Aether Ray released to shatter the being''s origin, and he now lay dead. "I wanted to return to Nebula Rank soon too, didn''t think someone would deliver themselves to me on a platter." Noah spoke calmly in the [Cloud World] that was in stasis even after its Master died, this spatial area being something that would dissolve within 5 minutes after being cast, but this time was extended even further as Noah had destabilized the space and actually began supplying essence to keep the [Cloud World] active longer! He watched calmly as the assassin died, a red light passing over the dead body as he also read the memories of the being and then watched vibrant Nebula Rank cores appearing in front of him as this Blessed only left these cores behind. Noah smiled as he grabbed these cores and began absorbing them, the Realm of this body that had been in the Star Forging Realm beginning to shoot up as the essence within these cores dissolved rapidly. The Law Origins that he had already begun to recreate since the past daw also churned and spun as Noah filled his Origin to the brim before soon exploding it again into a Nebula, the essence of the universal laws repeating the same thing they did as in the Novus Galaxy as Noah regained much of his power in this new Galaxy at this time! Chapter 638: Forging stars is actually very easy In the soon to be dissolved [Cloud World], Noah, or more aptly Alexander- was forging a Nebula within his origin as the essence of universal laws went on to help him do it! The cores of the Nebula Rank assassin that delivered himself to him continued to be consumed as fuel, more and more stars being formed within the Nebula. The experts at this rank were particularly numerous, as the requirement to proceed into the next realm was particularly high, and it actually varied among different beings. It was a known truth that after one had cultivated more than 1000 stars within their Nebula, they could make a breakthrough into the Realm of Black Hole if they were talented enough! The talk of talent was mentioned because some beings achieved more than 1000 stars and still remained in the Nebula Rank for all their lives, death claiming them after a few thousand years. When it came to those that forcefully tried to form their Black Hole with insufficient stars forged, the creation of such a force would actually devour them from inside out as their very lives were snuffed from existence. To be successful with forming a genuine Black Hole within your Origin, it was said that the more stars one forged, the better. The upper limit of a thousand is what many beings aimed for, but very few were ever able to do this and achieve the realm of Black Hole! Noah was making it his goal for both his bodies in the two Galaxies to amass and forge more stars within his Nebulae, testing exactly what upper limit of stars he himself could reach before he could seamlessly rank up to the Realm of Black Hole. As he did this, something unique was happening far away in the Novus Galaxy¡­ --- As the first being to be given a Trait had appeared in the Novus Galaxy, others could now appear as well! Across the vast stars in the Novus Galaxy, those lucky enough would be able to awaken a Trait if fate had it, the rank of such a Trait completely random as for the first time in a while, the entity that was the Novus Galaxy let things run their course without using the Ruination Core to interfere or bend Universal Laws. This was more of a cautionary move after having understood a little of the identity of this Ruination Tool because of Noah''s Trait, the danger of this item they still did not fully understand presenting itself to them in a clear fashion as they proceeded carefully! The essence of the Galaxy had thus been randomly been granting Traits to those lucky enough, but the Novus Galaxy could of course choose to focus a significant portion of its essence in certain areas as it affected the rates of Traits being born there with a lot more frequency. This is where we come into the Infinite Realm, where the essence of the Galaxy was chosen to be gathered in this wondrous Realm and multiple Blessed had been awakened with every passing day! Those worthy of note as of right now were two key figures, one of them being much more boastful about it than the other as Noah was looking at the Traits of two beings among his people that awakened, and they were fairly high ranked Traits at that. [Emperor Penguin](Trait) :: Gigantomachia(DELTA)- The user of this Trait is capable of expanding their form into a gargantuan size as their Strength, Focus, Vitality, and all cast abilities are strengthened by more than ten times. An essence focused on the essence of indestructibility begins to form around the user the more that the Trait is employed. RAA! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin was bellowing out loudly in a region of the Infinite Realm as he toward more than 100 meters in size, being larger than even most Behemoths as his trait did not just grant him this massive size. The strengthening of all of his attribute values and skills by more than 10 effectively multiplied his strength by that much as this Infinite Realm Beast was going wild while sparring with others to show off his newly awakened power. "Haha, come! Come!" ZOOM! The figure of the arrogant penguin shot around the sparring area where the Draconic Fire Behemoth, Kazuhiko, Kraken, and many others were knocked back at the fearsome power he showed, the pride of this penguin having just shot up to another level with the advent of his Trait. But he wasn''t the only one worthy of note with a powerful Trait, as the Inquisitor herself, Athena, had also gained a DELTA ranked Trait! [Athena Cross](Trait) :: Extinction Flames(DELTA)- The user of this Trait is capable of shooting out extremely scorching flames that have the corrosion attribute, capable of reducing those that cannot defend themselves into nothingness. "Yaa!" The Inquisitor let out a fierce yell as she stood to stop the barrage of the rampaging Emperor penguin, her hundreds of thousands of Fate Lines shimmering around her body as she flipped her palm forward, dark purple flames blazing out! WAA! The Emperor Penguin felt an immense threat from these [Extinction Flames] as his flipper smashed forward with dense spatial essence, shockingly finding it eaten up rapidly as he was pushed back and smashed towards the ground. BOOM! A crater formed as the beak of the arrogant Emperor Penguin looked up with blazing eyes, his [Sin of Pride] activating as his body shone with a golden luster, marking Athena as his only enemy as he erupted out again! Athena herself breathed out while feeling the power of her Trait, actually lessening the factor of corrosion as she did not want to seriously hurt her sparring partners. But these dark purple flames blazed around her as she adopted a shocking image of a conflagration of flames, going forward to meet the 100 meter golden shining Penguin as shocks reverberated through the immediate surroundings! Noah was in the skies of the Infinite Realm observing this with a smile, knowing that powerful monsters of their own stature were slowly rising in the Novus Galaxy, which would make the coming months and years extremely interesting as he got himself acclimated to the Nexus Galaxy and learned of the larger Dark Universe. As he looked at his people sparring and continuing to ascend in strength, he wondered who would become Blessed next, and for what shocking Traits they would receive as their strength ceaselessly rose ever so higher! Would someone like that terrifying Imperial Princess with an EPSILON ranked Trait ever arise from his Galaxy? These thoughts and more swirled in Noah''s mind as his attention was taken back to Alexander, his other version that had finished ascending to the Nebula Rank as a [Cloud World] dissipated around him. Chapter 639: A Trial Inside a Prison! In the Imperial Citadel, the figure of Alexander reappeared just as seamlessly as it had disappeared from the gold-lined streets, the powerful Blessed geared for assassination disappearing entirely along with his [Cloud World]. He had a bright smile on his face as he sensed his vibrant power at the Nebula Realm, continuing to move towards the restaurant in front of him as if nothing had happened, wanting to spend the rest of his time before the start of the next stage enjoying the delicacies of this new Galaxy! The body of Alexander had minimal currency, but the assassin that had thrown himself at him held an abundance of this Realm''s currency on him as Noah splurged all this wealth on vibrant dishes that held enough essence to cause them to release an aroma and brilliance that would make the mouths of any being water. Was it due to [Blind Luck] or something else that the assassin had so perfectly landed on his lap to grant me the cores he needed to quickly jump to the Nebula Realm and even the resources for him to enjoy limitless delicacies? He did not know or care, but he simply enjoyed himself! --- The hours passed as many went about their day, those successfully passing the first stage of the Selection celebrating the entire day and night before they began to walk back into the Imperial Thunderdome on the next day. Young Master Andrews had spent his day even more lavishly as he came back with eyes that seemed somewhat sunken, where one would know he must have spent a great amount of time in his nightly activities as even his spirit looked spent! The Young Master seemed to be venting his frustrations because of the prior day''s events, and the fact that he could only stare at afar from the being he truly admired and sought to be in the company of. He had a forlorn look as he glanced at the party of the Imperial Princess and her two maids, but his eyes nearly bulged out when he caught on that not too far away, the figure of the trash Blessed that should be dead the night prior was right there! ''What the fuck?!'' His mind fuming, the Young Master had begun to send numerous transmission messages to question why a simple assassination mission had not been completed as his second-rate villainy continued, and Master Zeke came out at this time. "Alright, everyone is here." OOM His voice took the attention of everyone in this section of the Imperial Thunderdome as he continued. "The last stage of the Trial will require us to step into a Teleportation Portal towards a region outside of the Imperial Citadel of our glorious Brightgold Monarchy Realm...we shall be heading towards the Devouring Hells Rift." ¡­!!! Alarm rose in the eyes of many as they heard this, a twinkle passing in the eyes of Noah and a few others as they heard of this name. "Pass through this portal as we head there!" Master Zeke pointed towards a pre-prepared portal as the figures of Blessed entered into it, Noah also following along as after passing through it, they found themselves in the middle of an expansive mountain! Abundant greenery and essence were around them as his eyes turned towards the opposite direction, being able to observe the boundaries of the enormous Imperial Citadel far off in the distance. The single portal teleportation had taken the 200 odd group all the way out of the Imperial Citadel, bringing them to another location in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm as each of them followed the flying Master Zeke from the mountain as he went towards a certain direction. "We have a single rift in this Realm that leads into the Devouring Hells Realm, a realm located in an unknown spatial area somewhere in our Galaxy. This is the Realm where we keep vile prisoners as well as...beings from other Galaxies!" ¡­! Even the eyes of those knowledgeable were pensive as they heard this, the group flying with Master Zeke as they approached an enormous red Rift floating in the skies that was heavily protected by multiple Nebula Rank beings and a single expert at the realm of Black Hole. "Before being granted the titles of High Imperials and the benefits that come with it, your task will be to bring back the heads of five Prisoners as you learn exactly what power you will be coming across if ever you get to venture out of this Galaxy." OOOM! Waves of essence freely permeated as the Blessed faced this enormous red Rift, seeing another set of Spatial Talismans appearing in front of them as they worked the same as the ones before, where this time they could crush them to be teleported out the moment they brought back the heads of 5 prisoners! "The strongest of beings in the Devouring Hells are at the Nebula Realm, where any enemies higher than that have to be directly killed since they can easily break out of any devices tethering them to a Realm. The most dangerous ones that you will come across are Fiends, sneaky and terrible beings with immense physical prowess that can bring death to you in a second." They received warnings from Master Zeke as the Prisoners in the Devouring Hells Realm were beings that were tethered and could not leave the Realm, but they were freely spread out across it as it was a Realm filled with chaos and terror! Such was their last stage of the Blessed Imperial Selection, such was the place they had to find and defeat 5 Prisoners in order to join the ranks of High Imperials! "Enter!" WAA! Essence erupted out as the over 200 Blessed rushed off with power, valiantly flying towards the red Rift as they committed themselves and their lives to completing this trial successfully. Noah did the same as his aura felt the cold look that he was receiving from Young Master Andrews behind him, a light smile on his face as he ignored this arrogant young master for the time being and looked forward to seeing this prison of a realm, as well as the creatures from other Galaxies that Imperials locked in this place. The party of the Imperial Princess and her maids was the last to enter as Master Zeke looked towards them with a smiling expression while shaking his head, the last stage of the Blessed Imperial Selection being underway! Chapter 640: Fiends from the Burning Domains! The tens of Blessed appeared in the skies of a brand new space, entering the Devouring Hells Realm through the rift near the Imperial Citadel as they looked at the new space around them. Everything was colored by an orange hue as the stench of the dead permeated throughout, making many beings scrunch their faces as they each shot into separate directions. Others still worked in parties for the matter of safety, while some moved alone as they sought to defeat 5 prisoners before too much time passed in this Realm. This was because with every passing second, their lives were in more danger as the prisoners tethered but still moving freely within would notice them! When Noah appeared in the new Realm, he read all the information he could with [Eyes of Truth] as he also began moving out, curious about the beings outside this Galaxy called Fiends. The skies held a tint of the orange hue, but the earth below him was scorched red as it reminded him of the Infernal Realm, the wide expanse of barren and lifeless mountains making for a desolate scene as he freely spread his aura out without any worries. He did not have to search for long as in just a few minutes, he sensed a fiery aura moving below him as he saw a Blessed wreathed in a brown-green earthen glow facing a humanoid being with hooves for legs, enormous sickled arms hanging on each side, and tout bat wings behind their back as their entries bodies were the vibrant color of red. ROAR! This monstrous creature released a sound blast as it attacked, the Blessed''s green light being shattered the moment the fist of this being landed as it could not handle the pure physical strength. The Blessed panicked at this show of power as he hastily pulled out his spatial talisman, activating it as he disappeared in a shower of light! The monstrous creature, or more aptly called a Fiend, then turned towards the other nearest aura as its eyes locked towards Noah in the skies, its tout wings flapping as it shot towards him like a bullet train. BOOM! As this creature barreled towards him, Noah marveled at the numerous information popping up in front his eyes as he learned of the beings called Fiends. [Rak Ragaz] :: A Fiend from the Burning Domain Galaxy. [Life History] [Strengths] [Weakness] [Ability(s)] [Trait(s)][Habits]... He read over the details of this being rapidly as he found out that even while being at the Nebula Rank, it was not proficient in any laws as it relied solely on pure strength! SHAA! He moved aside as he evaded a scorching fist that would have shattered the defenses of a normal Nebula rank being. This was one of the unique features of Fiends- they were beings that had stupendous ranks and pure power at the expense of not being proficient in laws. But they made up for this huge disadvantage with their rapid progress in ranks, where even this single Fiend in front of Noah had already forged hundreds of stars, and his pure strength and defenses alone could easily match a normal Controller. But as with everything...they had their weaknesses! And Noah knew exactly where the weakness of this bulky defensive being lay as the moment he evaded the fist he shot out multiple Aether rays that aimed toward the back of this being where his wings erupted out. ROAR! It released a painful bellow at the unexpected attack, swiping its fist behind him as Noah had already teleported in front of it, making sure there was nobody nearby watching a golden light shined out, [Sword of Judgment] being cast as the other way to very easily defeat something which had high defensive and offensive power...was to simply wound its soul! BOOM! Noah made quick work of the Fiend as he utilized his Traits and skills to take it out with ease, smiling as he felt an abundant amount of cores entering his Expansive Space unique to the body in this Galaxy. He took out one of the cores as he continued moving across the orange-tinted skies of the Devouring Hells Realm, forging more stars within his Nebula as he moved. Aside from the cores, he confirmed with his own eyes as the number of Skill Points jumped up by a few hundred, these beings known as Fiends being considered separate existences as they were from a galaxy other than the Nexus Galaxy that he was currently a member of. He did not even need to use his Origin Conversion skill as this being gave him the full Skill Points, and he continued to save and stack up these skill points as he planned to use [Skill Creation] for a dominating skill in the future! He was very happy to have come into this Realm, because they effectively provided him with a place where he could farm the cores of beings at the Nebula Rank and skill points as he very quickly continued forging the numerous stars within his Origin! --- It did not need to be described in countless words and fill multiple pages, but Noah continued traversing the Devouring Hells Realm as he made quick work of the Fiends he now knew too much about, collecting large amounts of Nebula rank cores as he absorbed some while moving, the number of Stars within his Nebula already passing 150! One must know that the rank of Nebula was a stage-defining one, with many beings remaining in this realm throughout their lifetimes and never being able to reach Black Hole. It was a realm that many beings spent years in as they forged numerous stars within their Nebula, until they were confident enough to reduce all of it in the goal of forming a black hole. Yet at this moment, Noah was getting multiple Nebula Rank Cores as he smoothly absorbed their essence that others worked hard to build for tens and hundreds of years, and he simply forged new stars as easy as it could be, forging in a matter of minutes what it took others years to do in this last stage of the Trial! This same Trial that was disqualifying many Blessed as they could not withstand the destructive power of the Fiends was being passed with ease when it came to him as he actually used the time to further increase his strength. In another location not too far away from Noah, another being was making even quicker work of the Fiends as the Imperial Princess holding a shocking EPSILON ranked Trait watched the oncoming fist of a Fiend twice her size cover the entirety of her sigh, and she replied by raising her index finger. Just her single finger! BOOM! The Fiend towering over four meters in size felt an oppressive repulsive force, the instant he neared the finger of the Imperial Princess- an inexplicable field had appeared as it uttered pushed it back while disorganizing the essence in its body. The Fiend looked towards its enormous fist that actually had its muscles and bones trembling with a confused look as it then looked toward the small finger that had stopped it, wondering if it was seeing things! But at the same time, the outraised finger of the Imperial Princess made a beckoning gesture as a dense gravitational force suddenly pulled the Fiend forward, finding its body rapidly being pulled towards the Princess as her finger moved towards it like a blade. SHIING! An eerie sound erupted out as the head of the powerful Nebula Rank Fiend flew, its eyes still confused as the light faded away from its eyes, still not knowing how it fully died! "Hmm." A thoughtful look appeared on the terrifying being in question as she looked at her hand that was spotless, still shaking it a little as she looked towards her maids. "These are the Fiends from the Burning Domain Galaxy that we are currently at war with? They don''t seem that tough." Anna turned her head while saying these shocking words, the maids beside her shaking their heads without any answers as their thoughts ran wild. ''They''re plenty powerful, you know? It''s just that you''re a monster!'' Even the two of them would have to put in some work to take them down while using their Traits, but the Imperial Princess made things look extremely easy! "Oh, did my public presence cause anything interesting to happen?" She asked this as the maids Maya and Raya nodded, recalling various information on the reactions of the Noble Households. "Well, most just have the opinion of you playing around as they continue their gossip behind closed doors, with nothing substantial happening. The only thing to have happened that might be connected to you was the actions of an insignificant young master¡­". Raya said this as she pushed her glasses up, an illusory screen appearing in front of her as she moved data around. "Oh?" The veiled Imperial Princess focused on Raya with a hidden smile as the maid continued. "The Nobles continue to underestimate our reach thinking we do not know what they do, so we easily collected the information that Andrews of the Light Dawn Household had utilized his influence to set a prominent Nebula Realm Assassin to kill the...being you previously talked to in the first Trial." Raya did not even know how to properly refer to Alexander, so she simply called him that ''being'' as she saw the veil of the princess move from her laughter! "Haha, they tried to kill a being overflowing with confidence even in a place like the Carnage Realm? Wasn''t he safe and sound as he entered this same Devouring Hells we are in a few hours ago?" Anna''s melodious voice resounded out as it contained a chilling magnetism. The two maids nodded as they recalled multiple documents, also mentioning the actions taken a few days prior when innocent Blessed faced death from this same being over a ridiculous ideal that also had to do with her. "Truly vile and useless." Cold words passed from her as an interested light also streaked through the eyes of the Imperial Princess as she thought of the being that had apparently escaped death twice, her aura spreading out as she closed her eyes and put in some effort to use her Trait. "What does that fool Andrews look like?" She said this with closed eyes as Raya transmitted an image of the low-tier villain to the Imperial Princess, receiving a nod thereafter as the body of the Princess began to vibrate at high speeds. "Got it, I''ll be right back." BOOM! Without another word, space shattered in the area she was in as her body turned into a streak that moved even faster than it could be seen, and who knew how many times faster than the speed of light! The Imperial Princess put in some effort as she made a grand move in the Devouring Hells Realm, leaving behind disbelieving maids that quickly tried to follow... "..." Raya had her lips curve into a surprise ''O'' as she didn''t expect the Imperial Princess to move herself and leave them behind again, hearing a frustrated sigh from Maya as the two sisters erupted with power trying to catch up! Chapter 641: Insignificant! VOOM! In the Devouring Hells Realm, over tens of Blessed had given up or been killed from the terrifying power of the prisoners known as Fiends. At this moment, Young Master Andrews was still fuming as he moved with two lackeys in the skies of the Devouring Hells Realm, thinking of the forces he would put together to fully and without mistakes take care of a single trash Blessed. WAA! Yet at the next moment, light flashed in front of the eyes of him and his lackeys as they were shocked to find the figure of the esteemed Imperial Princess appearing in front of them, the veil covering her as still as always as she pointed her fingers towards the two Nebula Rank Blessed beside Andrews. One must know that this Imperial Princess had used insane speeds to traverse the large Devouring Hells Realm over the past few minutes as she came across multiple Blessed and Prisoners, and she had managed to locate the face of Andrews as she located him in no time, her fingers pointing emotionlessly to the two lackeys by his side! CRUNCH! A horrid gravitational force seemed to wrap around these two beings, and only these two beings as even the nearby stupefied Andrews was not affected. This gravitational force that was called upon by the use of the EPSILON ranked [Vector Controller] seemed to ignore the ranks and power of these beings as it squeezed them from all sides, their bodies folding in on themselves as they became a mass of round flesh and bones in an instant before dropping down to the red earth! "..." Andrews had his mouth agape as his heart pounded in terror, being close to the person he so dearly wished to be near so many times but never had the courage to do so, and yet this same person was emitting great killing intent towards him at this moment! The shock of what just happened registered in his mind as he stammered back. "Princess¡­" VOOM! Before he could even utter another word, he felt his body being overtaken by a tremendous force as he was unwillingly pulled towards a certain direction, the figure of the Imperial Princess silently disappearing along with him! --- Far off in another area of the Devouring Hells Realm, Noah had just severed the origin of another Fiend through the use of [Sword of Judgment], this skill that dealt pure soul damage being extremely deadly to beings not even traversing laws as they opted for extreme physical strength and a high rank. He was about to continue searching for more as he was actually very happy with his progress, having taken down over 12 Fiends so far as he always had a core in hand to continue building up his Nebula! He had gained over 200 Stars at this point, surpassing his other body in the Novus Galaxy as the stars mystically rotating in his Nebula were numbering over 300. Aside from this Blessed Imperial Selection granting him an identity of an Imperial, he was also being taken to these amazing realms where he simply farmed cores while getting stronger. He was about to continue this laid back adventure of taking down powerful Nebula Rank combatants while speedily advancing through the long and arduous Nebula Realm when suddenly, his defenses shot up instinctively as he felt a terrifying aura sweeping towards him at a ridiculous speed! VOOM! Two beings appeared in front of him before the sound could even register, his eyes observing space creaking and folding from the path they just took as he watched with surprise eyes the appearance of a terrifying Imperial Princess as well as...the being he had already made numerous plans for- Andrews! The young master had his eyes shaking as he looked around him, Noah being astounded by the sheer speed that was multiple times above his own as he remembered the horrendous Trait of this being. "I heard this insignificant trash had actually called for your death and the death of multiple others. This violates the values of the powerful Households of the Imperial Citadel, so I will be using my authority as a Royal of the Dannicus Household to bring him and everyone involved to justice." A shockingly cold voice released from Anna Lexalius Dannicus as even Noah was surprised, his mind having already conjured up numerous ways to deal with the problem of this Young Master and the influence he could have continued to use as he tried to kill him in the near future. He expected for this Young Master to continue sending Nebula Rank beings towards him in the future as he planned to use that as a method of farming until he neared the Rank of Black Hole, where he would then look for the methods to break through as he gathered more information with his identity as a High Imperial! Yet now, this terrifying Imperial Princess had gone straight ahead with a brute method as she used her strength and authority to bring the culprit right in front of him, and before he could even say anything else, he felt her oppressive power being activated again as she pointed towards the young master. Noah''s eyes shone with a red luster as [Eyes of Truth] were kept active to understand everything occurring in front of him. BRRR! Rapid and terrifying vibrations began to emit from the body of the Nebula Rank being as before he could use his Trait nor any of his power, his whole body seemed to be trembling as Noah watched in slow motion as the skin of this young master began to expand and burst like a bubble, his muscles and bones following thereafter as he understood somewhat what this Princess carrying an EPSILON ranked Trait was doing! [Vibration Emission] :: One of the methods of manipulating vectors that the holder of the [Vector Controller] Trait can utilize. The user can generate vibrations or cause particles to vibrate as they wish, bringing about many means of destruction when the methods are used against someone else. Through increasing the vibration rate of subatomic vectors, the user can induce many effects not limited to but including Internal Rupture, Disintegration, Burst, Sonic Boom Generation, Molecular Oscillation...To counterattack Vibration Emission, one must have the capabilities to heal at a faster rate than the damage caused, or have a powerful enough constitution to withstand it... Eyes of Truth told him that the spectacular Trait of Vector Controller was being used to produce vibration emissions within the body of Andrews as his very own subatomic vectors were induced to vibrate at greater and greater frequencies until...he burst! POOF! A shower of gory blood erupted out as an invisible circle wrapped around it, Noah only watching in silence as this puddle of blood was then released from this circle as it fell towards the red earth. The Nebula Rank defenses of this being could not stop the oppressive power of [Vector Controller], nor did his Trait that did not even need to be mentioned. He just simply died. Just like this, the low tier villain young master that used underhanded means and murder with the justification of his infatuation with an Imperial Princess...was actually brutally killed by the very being herself as the veiled powerhouse continued to glance towards Noah, not even giving the blood falling to the red earth a look as her voice rang out again, this time none of the coldness apparent in it! "Well with that over, I''m very curious how you managed to escape death twice, and even more interested to understand your demeanor towards me so far." "..." The voice had changed to the sonorous tone of an interested young girl that had found a toy to play with as Noah felt cold sweat metaphorically dripping from his back, realizing he had to quickly amass new abilities and grow his power if he was so quickly coming face to face with terrifying creatures such as this... Chapter 642: High Imperial! In the skies of the Devouring Hells Realm, Noah stared at the veiled Imperial Princess as numerous thoughts crossed his mind. He was thinking about the terrifying ability that her Trait possessed, as well as what he would have done if it was directed towards him! When it came to her using [Vector Controller] to cause a being''s very own subatomic particles to vibrate at greater frequencies until they burst and became puddles of blood, he looked over the counterattacks mentioned by the Eyes of Truth as he thought about using the ability of [Aura of Redemption] that granted him constant healing, and all he had to do was make sure his rate of healing exceeded the rate at which his very cells imploded. Many possibilities of what he could do floated through his mind as the main point still stood- the power of this EPSILON ranked Trait was terrifying! "I didn''t die because they simply underestimated me. As for how I act towards you¡­" He replied to her question as a light smile hung over his face. "...well, it''s more so due to my Trait, [Analyzer], that lets me know information about the things and people around me." The Imperial Princess''s veil shifted to the right quizzically at Noah''s words, her sonorous voice ringing out again with interest as if she did not just pulverize a genuine Nebula Realm being into a bloody mess. "Your Trait made you look upon the daughter of the Imperial Adjudicator of the Nexus Galaxy and not care about her status as you acted completely different from everyone else?" It was more of a conformational statement than a question, but Noah replied with a nod as he sensed two fierce auras that should have been this being''s maids rushing over here rapidly! "Yes, my Trait told me that you wish me no harm, and that you were actually saddened at the fact that nobody could truthfully talk to you because of your high stature." RUMBLE! At these words, Noah felt the extreme coldness of this Imperial Princess return as her next words were filled with power. "Your Trait peeks into my thoughts?" Her veil shone with luster as she said this, Noah raising his hands up as he replied to her quickly while cursing his [Memorable Visage] ability and making sure [Blind Luck] was still active and working. "No, I just get a glimpse of information about emotions and people''s intentions towards me." "..." The Imperial Princess folded her hands in the skies as she seemed to be in thought, her bountifully blessed chest protruding even more as Noah remained calm. A few seconds passed as a tense atmosphere permeated, the auras of the two powerful maids being seen by the naked eye as they rapidly made their way over with frustrated expressions. As they arrived, the tense atmosphere faded away as they heard the sweet voice of the Imperial Princess ring out with words that nearly made their jaws drop. "Interesting. Alright, since you''re the only person in my generation capable of talking to me with a straight face, you shall henceforth be my friend!" The veiled Anna Lexalius Dannicus said these words as more of a proclamation than even a question, her gaze locking towards the being in front of her as his next words would be extremely crucial. Noah gave a light smile as he reached his hand out, his actions signifying his agreement as the nearing shocked Maids looked on to see slight hesitation in the figure of the Imperial Princess before he white-gloved hand reached out and grasped onto the outstretched hand! "Alexander. It''s nice to meet you, Imperial Princess." "...Anna of the Dannicus Household that rules the Nexus Galaxy. I look forward to the surprises you''re still hiding from me, friend." Two beings that had only officially met twice in their lives shook hands on this day under the watchful eyes of two maids, this single hand shake being the beginning of a shocking set of events that would embroil multiple powers of the Dark Universe in chaos! --- The hours passed by as powerful Blessed with unique Traits completed the task of defeating 5 Fiends and bringing their heads back, successfully completing the last stage of the Blessed Imperial Selection. In this last part of the trial, slightly over half of those that entered were successful, and many were shocked to find out that a prominent Young Master of a powerful household of the Imperial Citadel had somehow faced his death in the Devouring Hells Realm! Another shocking event that made many Nobles observe closely was the scene where the party of the Imperial Princess and her Guardsmaids could actually be observed to be moving with an unknown Blessed, those that had seen this same scene just 2 days prior spreading this information as soon enough, the identity of the being known as Alexander King began to be talked about. At this point in time, many were just wondering exactly why this being was hanging around the Imperial Princess, and what authority he had to do so! "Haha! I welcome the new champions! I welcome you all to the ranks of High Imperials!" OOOOH! A bellow could be heard from Master Zeke as he counted the heads of the Fiends brought forward by all the successful Blessed, and he then waved his hands towards the 100 odd Blessed that passed this year''s Blessed Imperial Selection, the wave of his hands causing the appearance of a green-gold emblem to appear in front of their eyes. "This is the Imperial Emblem that grants you an identity as a High Imperial, a sacred identity which comes with important duties!" The humanoid birdman spoke as his white majestic wings moved in the skies, all the Blessed that successfully passed the Trial being teleported back to the area in front of the shimmering red rift that led to the Devouring Hells Realm between multiple mountain peaks as they now grasped on to their Imperial Emblems. "There isn''t going to be some grand celebration or anything like that to welcome you all as you take on the mantle of High Imperials, but there is going to be a commandment that I will repeat- and it is this commandment you all must etch inside your hearts and follow." RUMBLE! "As High Imperials, it is your job to put your life on the line to protect our Nexus Galaxy, the task of exploring the Dark Universe being something that comes second!" The strong voice of Master Zeke reverberated throughout the mystical mountainous region as the red rift leading to the Devouring Hells Realm shone menacingly behind him. "Of course, to usher in the new ranks of High Imperials also means abundant rewards to foster your strength. You will find many resources in the Imperial Emblem that also acts as your identity once you bind it by blood. The second reward will be something granted to every High Imperial...the access to the first two floors of the Imperial Library!" ¡­! The eyes of many beings shone as they heard these words, others not being able to contain themselves as they bellowed out their happiness at arriving in this new stage. "For the Nexus Galaxy!" "For the Imperials!" OOOOOH! Vibrant waves of power released outward as around 100 new High Imperials were added to the ranks of Imperials on this day, Noah implementing himself in the organization ruling the Nexus Galaxy as he was one step closer to completing his goals in this new Galaxy. The path to completing his second Trait as he stayed true to its name of Protagonist, the goal of taking a central role in the fate of this new Galaxy...began now! Chapter 643: The Imperial Library! As Noah fully assimilated himself in the Imperial Citadel of the Nexus Galaxy, the party being led by a DELTA-ranked Blessed and multiple Law Masters to check the disappearance of an exploration party finally traversed across the Chaotic Void and reached the location of the signal after a few days had passed. As many Imperial Vessels floated in the Void, stern faces and confusion were all that could be seen as the powerful DELTA ranked Blessed at the realm of Black Hole spread his essence throughout, but affirmed what everyone was seeing with a grim face- it was the fact that there was nothing in the area that released the Signal! This meant that the advance party of Imperials were most likely taken down by a moving Entity, which led to the assertion that they were just unlucky enough to have run across a powerful dweller of the void that had a horrible temperament. "Head back!" The lead DELTA ranked Blessed who was in the realm of Black Hole said these words as the many Imperial Vessels began to turn back, his gaze staying at the location of the Void where the signal came a bit longer as he noticed a peculiarity that he did not know how to explain. The Chaotic Void around where the signal should have been...was particularly unstable as if a huge change had occurred here recently to make it so. But no conclusions could be drawn from it as the second party sent to check the Signal which was released from the Novus Galaxy turned around! This incident would be attributed to the wrath of a fearsome entity, and that would be enough to successfully close this chapter as information about this signal would all be archived away in the near future. --- In the grand Nexus Galaxy, a wide array of Realms and Worlds peacefully stayed within. All of these Realms and Words were in a period of peace and conquest as they were unified under the rule of the Imperials residing in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm. This realm had the name ''Brightgold Monarchy'' because it was founded by a being known as Golden Monarch Brightgold! Though currently, the ones ruling the Central lands of this Realm and residing in the Imperial Citadel were the Nobles of the Dannicus Household, with the one known as the Imperial Adjudicator at the lead. The Dannicus Household ruled with an iron fist as much of the success of the Nexus Galaxy could attributed on a whole to this powerful family, the prosperity many beings were seeing today coming from their conquests and actions. This household was also the one to call themselves Imperials, with different ranks of this name given out to different beings depending on their power! At the lowest rank, you had the Nobles who could freely claim the singular Imperial Title. Above it, you had those who could traverse the stars and Galaxies, the High Imperials! After High Imperials, you had the esteemed Imperial Lords who managed different regions of the Nexus Galaxy, and above them you had the Imperial Rulers that controlled the forces sent through the Universal Rift as well as command posts on other Galaxies. Standing above all these Imperials was the singular Imperial Adjudicator himself, the Golden Conquer that resided in the Imperial Citadel! In the Imperial Citadel that served as a command station for many of the things happening around the Nexus Galaxy, one would almost always hear about the most famous establishment aside from the unique Imperial Thunderdomes- it was the location where many beings sought knowledge, the Imperial Library. This Imperial Library was open to very few beings, and it was restricted only to those holding the title of Imperials! The first and second floors of this vast Imperial Library could be accessed by High Imperials, with the lowest rank of Imperials only being able to access the first floor. Only Imperial Lords could access the mysterious Third Floor, and only Imperial Rulers had access to the Fourth Floor! At this moment, the Imperial Library was receiving an influx of new beings all at once as slightly over 100 new High Imperials were crowned on this day, many of them rushing towards the Imperial Library after they ascertained their treasures in the Imperial Emblems. This was because in the Imperial Library, aside from the vast knowledge about the Nexus Galaxy and the forces surrounding it, one could also find powerful Inheritances of Universal Laws and even techniques left behind by the powerful combatants of the past Era! The truly smart Blessed knew to also try their hand in mastering Laws, with the true elites being the Imperials who could utilize Traits as well as wield the power of the Universal Laws. At this moment, Noah was standing in front of the ridiculously huge entrance of the Imperial Library, coming here with the same goal as the many others that had already rushed in. "Many beings can stumble to learn the universal laws simply based on their talent, but if they have the guidance of techniques, they will comprehend and assimilate laws at rapid speeds." The voice of the melodious Imperial Princess rang out beside Noah as she was flanked on both sides by the powerful Maids, Maya and Raya. This bored Princess that had found a single friend she could talk to in her generation made it so that the four of them came to this Imperial Library together, much of her veiled gaze on Noah as she tried to probe this being that somehow drew great interest from her! Noah nodded at the words of the Princess as he looked at the two maids who were still staring at him suspiciously, as if they were trying to find whatever means he had hiddenly used to capture the attention of their esteemed Princess. He looked towards the Princess as he spoke. "I know the Imperial Library holds vast knowledge and techniques, but which floor might the truly powerful law techniques be held at?" The eyes of the Imperial Princess twinkled as she replied while taking steps towards the Imperial Library. "On the first floor, you have the techniques of the normal Universal Laws with millions of books containing knowledge of the Nexus Galaxy. On the second floor, you will find the techniques of the Supreme Laws and knowledge of other galaxies, and it is only until the Third Floor that you come across techniques for Ultimate Laws." ¡­! Chapter 644: I Always Wanted To Learn an Ultimate Law Ultimate Laws! Laws that even his own galaxy did not have the techniques to cultivate, but this Nexus Galaxy that had lived for countless eons held it! Noah listened to the words of the Imperial Princess as he nearly sighed, repeating the fact that Ultimate Laws were located in the Third Floor, and his title as a High Imperial at this moment only allowed him to access up to the second floor. The Imperial Princes noticed his forlorn expression as he stared up the Imperial Library, her voice ringing out in a surprised manner. "You''re already trying to jump to Ultimate Laws? You have access to the floors that hold the techniques of all other laws up to Supreme, you should even find great techniques for your comprehension in the law of Aether there." Noah nodded at her words as he seemed to be thinking of something else. "Well you see, I always wanted to learn an Ultimate Law since I am such a genius in lower-tier laws. Now that I''m here, I can''t help but feel like it is within my reach but still so far away." "Haha!" A slight laugh escaped from the Imperial Princess as she shook her head while staring at the man who seemed to have missed out on a huge treasure right in front of his eyes, his words speaking about himself like some kind of a genius that could easily comprehend laws. The maids Maya and Raya looked towards him with slight contempt as they thought he was showing off again. ''Hmph, wanting to embark on an Ultimate Law when you haven''t even mastered normal or supreme ones? He''s definitely a boaster!'' ''It won''t be so easy for you to show off in front of the Princess. A genius in laws? Ha!'' The thoughts of the two sisters were in sync as they looked at each other, shocking words coming out of the mouth of the Imperial Princess soon after. "Well if you are so curious about Ultimate Laws and are the genius you say you are, I can grant access to the Third Floor for you just once." ¡­! Noah''s eyes opened wide as he looked towards the veiled figure that he could distinctly feel was smiling with an expression of challenge. It seemed she was curious to see if he was just talking big about wanting to learn Ultimate Laws, and she would even use her status to grant him access so could see exactly what he was made of! If things were really like that¡­ "I''ll owe you a favor if you can make something like that happen, Princess." His eyes twinkled as the veiled figure nodded, the two maids shaking their heads full of complaints as they knew not to speak out once their Princess had made her mind. With out minding the gazes of the many beings around them, they ascended up the steps of the grand Imperial Library as its golden arched doors were wide open, a thin film of transparent white light being the only thing present! Noah''s new Imperial Emblem shone as he neared and passed through the barrier into the First Floor of the Library with no problems, following the leading Imperial Princess and her maids forward as his eyes looked around him. All around him, rows and rows of bookshelves could be seen as he could not even ascertain their numbers. Far off in the distance of this first floor, he could notice a glimmering blue portal surrounded by multiple Imperial Guards. "The Inheritances of normal Laws can be found once you go through that protected blue portal, the same thing being present on the upper floors." Maya explained with a cold voice as instead of staying on the first floor, the four of them had begun taking the spiral stairway leading to the second floor. A similar scene as the first floor repeated as Noah saw the essence of space vibrantly permeating through this floor, its size somehow expanded to be even larger than the first floor as it nearly doubled in size even though it did not look like it from the outside. This second floor should have been the last place he could access, where one would come across Supreme Laws! But he had the powerful Imperial Princess leading the way as her very presence caused murmurs to spread out in the quiet library, many people committing the figure of Noah who was accompanying her to their memory as they planned to find out who he was! The four of them came upon the spiral stairway leading to the third floor as Noah saw it was protected by a single Blessed, this protector having a vibrant aura at the realm of Black Hole as he blocked the way towards the third floor where only Imperial Lords could access! He saw the Imperial Princess that came ever so closer to him as his eyes shook, standing aside quickly as he bowed, but his aura also locked towards Noah at the same time. "Princess¡­" His gaze was questioning as he glanced towards Noah, the Imperial Princess waving her hands as a cold voice rang out from her. "Librarian Shaun. This is my guest, and will be allowed access just this once." Her words came out cold and domineering, seeming more like a command to this expert at the Realm of Black Hole as Librarian Shaun nodded while bowing even deeper! The barrier that only Imperial Lords could cross using their Emblems opened up in front of Noah at this time as he and the three women made their way to the third floor. Shocked gasps and envy could be seen in the eyes of many as they watched this scene, the information systems of many Nobles being put in play on this night as they all went to figure out the identity of the being taken to the 3rd Floor of the Imperial Library by the Princess. Majestic and ancient were the only words to describe the third floor, being nearly empty as Noah could not sense a single soul on it! It did not even have any guards stationed at the glimmering portals that shone with a pure green and oppressive dark luster, each of the two portals signifying a different Ultimate Law as they lay on opposing sides of the floor. "I don''t want to make my old man angry so I''ll only give you a chance for one or the other. Death or Life, what will it be?" The voice of the Imperial Princess rang out sonorously as her veiled figure turned towards Noah, nobody being able to see the expectant eyes under this veil that wondered what surprise this being would have in store for them! If his words were just lies and he was just boasting in front of her this entire time, she would be very disappointed as she very quickly cut off her connection with this being. But her eyes were expectant because...this person''s figure seemed to have an unbounded sense of confidence that simply could not be faked! As the eyes of the maids and the Imperial Princess honed in on him, Noah turned his face towards the vibrant green and the intense dark portal that led to two different Ultimate Laws. Life or Death...which would it be?! Chapter 645: A Primeval Tree Takes Root Within a Nebula I The choice was made in an instant as Noah thought about himself and his situation, choosing the Ultimate Law of Life right away! When it came to defense or offense in this new Galaxy with filled monsters and the unexplored Dark Universe filled with even more terrifying entities, he would choose the option that would increase his defenses and grant more means of protection first before he did anything else. Thus, his face turned to the right where a vibrant green portal law, the Imperial Princess smiling as she led the way there. She was really curious, was Alexander really the genius he said he was? They passed the rows of ancient and tightly bound books as they soon came upon the unprotected portal, the Princess and her maids leading the way as they stepped into it right away with Noah following behind. The scene in front of him changed instantly as he found himself in a unique spatial area, looking around him to see that even though they still seemed to be on the 3rd floor of the Imperial Library, they were in a separate space that still showed their surroundings in a transparent manner. "This is a different layer of space, but it is still within the third floor of the Library. It''s why the you can still observe the books outside of here, but what you want is right ahead¡­" The Imperial Princess and her maids looked toward the center of this circular spatial space they were in as Noah''s eyes also landed on a grand pedestal that was brimming with essence. This pedestal looked extremely archaic and ancient, with green and brown runic markings swirling around it as Noah breathed in deeply to take in a refreshing air of...life! He already felt his very muscles and bones rejuvenated as he just smelled the essence that this archaic pedestal released, and on top of this pedestal one could observe a floating green gem- this was the Inheritance that taught one how to cultivate in the Ultimate Law of Life. Noah walked towards it alone as the maids Raya and Maya pulled the sleeves of the Imperial Princess, Maya whispering in her ears as they carefully watched the being in front of them. "Princess, what if you finally see he''s just a show-off and your father gets angry for bringing a nobody to a place only Imperial Lords are allowed in?" Maya tried to word the question as best as she could even though it still came out as an insult, the Princess laughing lightly as she didn''t seem bothered by it. "We''re already here, so we might as well just see how it turns out." Thus, the three of them watched as a single young man went forward and touched the Inheritance holding techniques to traverse the Ultimate Law of Life, a bright green light shining out instantly thereafter! RUMBLE! Noah felt the flow of knowledge as he accepted this grand Inheritance, an inheritance that stood above laws like Fate or Chaos as it stood at a higher level. Numerous knowledge on the construction of skills through the use of mana entered his mind as they were classified into normal or part of an Absolute Skill, but his mind at this moment focused on the technique that taught one how to comprehend the Law of Life, on a technique that would have been similar to Disciple of Fire or Water, or Fate''s Disciple. But this one did not have any of those names, and it was termed in its own way as Noah saw the words¡­{The Doctrine of Life}! {The Doctrine of Life} :: Across the eons of time and space, there are few true wonders permeating throughout. This Doctrine is among the few wonders existing in the vicissitudes of time, one that teaches the user about a single thing- Life. With this technique, the user can begin comprehending the Ultimate Law of Life as a primeval tree buds from their very origin. RUMBLE! The shocking skill fully solidified in his mind as he put aside all the other skills that came with the inheritance, dropping to the floor as he took a seating position and looked to activate the skill right away! This was because the moment the knowledge of it came to his mind, his very origin began to thrum with longing, a longing so deep that it overcame every other thought as it only told Noah to do one thing- start on the path of the Law of Life! His mana nearly went into overdrive as he let it freely flow into the construction of {The Doctrine of Life}, activating the skill for the first time as a deep green hue began to emulate from his body. This green hue began to get brighter and brighter as the time passed, putting a stark contrast on the jaws of two maids that nearly dropped to the floor, as well as the veiled Imperial Princess that one could not see the expression of. But shock had begun to enter their hearts as at this moment, they felt the appearance of a shockingly potent aura of Life emanating from the being seated in a lotus position in front of them, and this aura only became stronger and stronger as the seconds passed! But this rapidly expanding green aura was the least fantastical thing, as the most resplendent sight was occurring within Noah''s very out Origin. At Noah''s very core, one could see a floating blue gold Nebula that was his Origin, and it was surrounded by two other Nebulae that represented the 100% comprehension of the laws of Fire and Water, as well as the vibrant Origin Cores of Earth, Air, Light, and Dark. In the very middle of his Origin Nebula where over 300 Stars now peacefully made their rotations, one would be able to see at this moment the appearance and the budding of a seed! A seed had appeared a second after Noah activated {The Doctrine of Life}, and the enormous influx of essence caused it to bloom a second later as Noah could now see a sprout that was gradually getting bigger until three branches came out, the unfolding of three leaves happening at this moment as the shocking aura of green he released shot through the fucking roof. RUMBLE! Chapter 646: A Primeval Tree Takes Root Within a Nebula II Maya and Raya were watching with disbelief as the aura that was growing bigger and bigger from Alexander decided to go completely insane, forming into a column of green light as it thundered forth from the isolated space they were in and appeared outside on the 3rd Floor of the Imperial Library, and it then only became more powerful and oppressive as it shot above this floor and continued to go ever higher, the unique phenomenon overtaking the entirety of the Imperial Library! On the second floor, the Imperial Guard at the realm of Black Hole felt this quaking aura above them as his face turned serious, the immensity of Ultimate Laws being one of the few things capable of making experts such as these serious. This expert and many other beings in the Imperial Library turned their faces towards one direction as the vibrant column of green light only continued to get bigger, the gold-white Imperial Library becoming tinged green as it lit up brightly! In the isolated space itself where Noah sat down peacefully, he observed the sprout that was budding from his Nebula as he saw his own mana flooding into it, but the essence of all the 6 Law Origins he also had with him were all flowing towards this sprout that signified his progress in the Law of Life thus far! 6 different law origins were bending to the Law of Life as they gave their own essence to make the sprout prosper, Noah noticing more branches appearing from the sprout with every second as it went from 3 leaves to 6, and then from 6 to 12. Everytime that a new leaf bloomed, it released with it a green light that permeated all across Noah''s body, his very cells drinking up the energy of this Ultimate Law as his body could not help but tremble in joy at the experience of it. The trembling of his body only signified one thing- it wanted more! And so Noah delivered as essence continued to flood towards {The Doctrine of Life}, his eyes observing the sprout that had begun spreading its roots throughout his origin bud with more and more leaves as it expanded in size. Thick roots that shone with a unique power furled themselves all around the stars of his Nebula, creating for a shocking imagery as the more he kept {The Doctrine of Life} active, the more these roots spread out while the tree grew ever larger, its leaves becoming abundant! When he reached 384 leaves on this resplendent tree, he felt the waves of green essence released from the budding tree more than double as the green light he released became even more intense, this green light essence that stemmed from the source of the Law of Life actually undergoing a form of positive feedback loop with the 6 Law Origins within his body as there was a cycling of energy that just caused a larger and larger reaction. When the leaves came to be 1536 the party of Imperial Princess and her 2 maids had gaping mouths as from their point of view, they could observe the faint illusory image of an ancient primeval tree present on Alexander''s chest, this tree vibrantly shining with his every heart beat as it released an even grander luminescent light to the surroundings! In Noah''s very own Nebula, he could also see the appearance of this mystical tree that was fully taking root in the middle of the swirling Nebula, vibrant green leaves that released lush essence which changed his body from inside out continuing to release nonsensically. This essence of life itself was being drunk by his body so much that he even unconsciously released it outward, the three women standing a distance away breathing in deep breaths as the smell of something wondrous touched their noses! THUMP! The primeval tree beat in conjunction with his heart as he felt himself getting stronger with every beat, where he knew that purely from his physical strength alone, he was over 5 times stronger than just a few minutes ago. But the more shocking thing was the essence of life itself that was so pleasurable that it made him want to scream out! This was an Ultimate Lawa This was the Law of Life! Ah! "Small Success in an Ultimate Law¡­" Raya couldn''t help but mutter the shocking words, these three girls being witness to a being that embarked on an Ultimate Law and achieved a ''Small Success'' in it in a matter of minutes. In the Nexus Galaxy and in the grander Dark Universe, the comprehension of laws was referred to in stages, where one would go from having nonexistent comprehension in a law to the stage of Small Success, and then step into Large Success before finally achieving Completion. At this point as Raya mentioned Small Success, it was actually Noah hitting the 3% mark of the Ultimate Law of Life in a matter of minutes! He would be considered at the stage of Small Success until he reached 49%, where stepping above half of a law''s comprehension and gaining an Authority meant that one was at the Large Success stage of this law! THUMP! With every beat of his heart, they saw the illusory tree on Alexander''s chest pulse out with energy, the disturbance in the Imperial Library only continuing as Maya reeled in her shock while glancing around them. "Princess, this...is causing too much of a commotion¡­" The shock and awe gradually calmed as they fully grasped what was happening, the Imperial Princess shaking her head in wonder as she observed the being that should have been seated on the floor begin to be raised up by the green essence in a show of grandeur, one last blast of green light erupting out grandiosely before his body was returned to the floor, the illusory green tree present on his chest also fading away slowly at this time. OOOM It was then that Alexander opened his eyes that shone with a bright hue, capturing the three girls'' eyes as they locked on to him with disbelief. He looked around the fading green light around him as he actually shook his head in disappointment, his eyes staring at an invisible panel that showed his progression in the Law of Life had hit 5% before the initial burst of comprehension that came with all laws died down. He shook his head in disappointment as he knew it would be arduous to raise this percentage from now on, but the three girls only looked at this scene with even more shock as his next words nearly made them want to strangle him! "Ah, it seems my talent in cultivating this Ultimate Law is only so-so, Your Highness." RUMBLE! "You¡­" Maya had to reel in her words as in the figures of the three women, power nearly erupted out to strangle this arrogant being in front of them as numerous thoughts swirled through their minds. ''Your talent is so-so?'' ''If your talent is so-so, then every one else''s talent is trash!'' "Haha!" Clear and languid laughter broke out of the Imperial Princess as her gaze focused even more around Alexander, an unknown light coursing through her eyes as they looked up around them and tore through the layers of walls around the Imperial Library, her eyes coming to observe the figures of multiple beings that floated around the Imperial Library with careful expressions and bodies that shone with star shattering power. "You''ve brought me trouble, Alexander King." Her sonorous voice rang out as Noah got to his feet and also felt the auras surrounding them, noticing the appearance of numerous experts at the realm of Black Hole carefully surrounding the Imperial Library, each of them releasing a pressure that made their very surroundings quake as all their eyes were focused on the isolated space located on the third floor they were in! "Now, what are we to do about this?" Chapter 647: Ill Call Upon You! From the Imperial Library, a rumbling essence came out as Librarian Shaun- the one who had granted access to Alexander and watched as he went up to the third floor with the Imperial Princess, came out to meet the auras of multiple Black Hole Realm experts who were stationed in the Imperial Citadels. "Generals, it''s nothing major. Just the Imperial Princess and her people exploring universal laws." Librarian Shaun''s expression was awkward as he rubbed his temples while speaking out to them, his words making all of them having a change of expressions as one laughed jovially while coming closer. "The Princess is playing around again? And what do you mean exploring universal laws- that was someone gaining Small Success in an Ultimate Law!" A brute man with a ferocious scar running down diagonally across his face came forward with wild essence as he spoke. "General Zadan, I''m just as surprised as you are¡­" Librarian Shaun had begun speaking with a light smile, but he had to stop half way as behind them, they sensed three powerful auras they were familiar with, as well as an extra aura that pulsed with extreme vibrancy and life! Still fresh from the first cultivation session of {The Doctrine of Life}, Noah came out of the Imperial Library with the party of the Princess as he stared with shining eyes at the multiple experts in the Realm of Black Hole floating in the skies. At their appearance though, these shockingly powerful beings had wide smiles on their faces as they bowed, each of them calling out respectfully to the Imperial Princess in front of them! "Princess¡­" "Your Highness¡­" "Little Anna!" One particularly boisterous shout rang out from the expert with a huge scar running down his face, General Zadan floating closer to them as he looked at the veiled Princess up and down, and then gave a dangerous glare to Noah''s figure which still shone with a green luster. "Uncle Zadan...I''m not so little anymore¡­" Noah nearly did a double take as he heard the voice of a shy girl come out of the terrifying veiled figure of the Imperial Princess, causing laughter to ring out among the groups of experts as many beings around the Imperial Library shockingly looked to the skies. "Haha, you will always be the little girl who gave a beating to a Nebula Realm expert when she was just 15 to me. Now, who is this being that is causing such a commotion, and what is he doing near my Anna." RUMBLE! The sharp aura of an expert at the Realm of Black Hole bubbled forth as Noah unconsciously felt the primeval tree stabilizing within his Nebula pulse, green energy bouncing off of him as he repelled nearly all of this pressure! "Uncle Zadan, stop it...he''s a friend of mine who is slightly good in comprehending laws, so I let him test himself with an Ultimate Law." The sonorous voice of the Imperial Princess rang out as the many experts around them shook their heads with disbelieving smiles. ''Slightly good in comprehending laws?'' ''You let him try an Ultimate Law first?'' "Hmm...still! He does not have an identity as an Imperial Lord! Little Anna, do you know how hard I worked to achieve that? Your father might ground you again for breaking more of his rules." General Zadan pulled back his aura as he said this to Anna, waving his hands towards the other 6 experts at the Realm of Black Hole as they each bowed towards the Princess as they began to fade away, but not before giving one last look at Noah as they burned his image into their memories! "Don''t worry Uncle, I''ll talk to daddy and explain everything." Anna seemed to have a mischievous smile behind her veil as the powerful scarred General Zadan nodded while shaking his head, turning his attention towards Noah as he spoke seriously. "You have great talent in the laws to be able to gain Small Success in the Law of Life on your first cultivation session. Life Law Masters are extremely rare, and you will be heavily sought after for your ability to [Endow] areas after you obtain your Authority. Come to the Sanctuary of the Watchers whenever you break into the Realm of Black Hole or gain more achievements in this law in order for you to take on the test to become an Imperial Lord." The voice of the General was filled with power as Noah seriously nodded while voicing out. "I''ll be sure to do so when I am ready, General Zadan!" The General nodded at Noah''s words as he turned to Princess and completely changed his demeanor, patting her head as his body also began to fade away. "Try not to cause any more commotions, Little Anna." The voice was filled with love and care as he faded away. "Un." The veiled Imperial Princess nodded as she watched the expert disappear, still keeping her shy demeanor until the General left. Noah breathed out silently as he saw the figures of powerful experts of the Realm of Black Hole come and go, but his breath had to come to a stop as he heard a telepathic message from the same disappearing General that was extremely cold and domineering! "No matter what genius you are, I better not hear about you touching a single hair on Little Anna''s body." RUMBLE! The voice was perceptible only to him as the auras of powerful experts all but disappeared, the sighs of the two maids being heard behind them as the Princess turned towards Noah and spoke with none of the shyness she showed to the powerful General she called Uncle. "Haaa, you''ve benefited a lot while nearly getting me in trouble, Alexander." Noah heard this sonorous voice filled with power as he smiled and replied. "I told you that I would owe you a favor, and I''ll be sure to honor it." "Mmm. I know you''re anxious to continue looking at the techniques you received from the Inheritance so I won''t keep you for long. I''ll be returning to the castle to make sure my old man doesn''t rescind my freedom again." The veiled Anna looked towards Maya and Raya as they each nodded while giving careful looks to Noah, the two of them having been surprised by him too many times in the past few days! Anna placed her hands on the two maids as Noah could feel her mischievous eyes lock with his behind the veil, the area they were in beginning to vibrate rapidly as this Princess was about to take off along with her maids. "I''ll be sure to put such an interesting genius like you to use soon enough to reclaim that favor. Hold on to this and wait for my call~" BOOM! Noah only heard a sonic boom as the three figures in front of him disappeared, his hand grabbing onto a glimmering green-gold medallion the princess had left behind before she streaked away. Like this, the commotion that played out in the Imperial Library which caused multiple experts at the Realm of Black Hole to come check out resolved itself, leaving Noah some time to himself as he expectantly looked towards the abilities contained in the Inheritance of the Law of Life, as well as he himself checking out the Primeval tree that was taking root within his Nebula! Chapter 648: Which Entity is Utilizing So Much Mana? I On top of {The Doctrine of Life}, the Inheritance he received from the third floor of Imperial Library included numerous other skills that were being classified into a skill tree and an Absolute Skill in his stat panel. His eyes shone with ever-increasing brilliance as he teleported away from the skies near the Imperial Library and appeared in the mountains where Master Zeke had led them through to go towards the Devouring Hells Rift, hiding his aura and body as he went down towards the thick trees abundant with greenery all around them. "Ahh¡­" He couldn''t help but release a comfortable breath as he came in contact with the abundant vegetation of the mountain he went down in, his newly gained essence of Life brimming as the grasses around him became greener and flowers bloomed not too far away! He felt the vibrant life force around him as his eyes glanced at the other skills that came with the techniques of the Law of Life, starting with the Absolute Skill. <> :: An absolute skill utilized by a being proficient in the Ultimate Law of Life. Abilities include [Life Essence Endowment], [Law Resonance and Enhancement] [Ultra Speed Regeneration],[Life Link], and [Origin Repair]. A set of gorgeous abilities contained in an Absolute Skill laid out in front of his eyes as he went through their details with much enthusiasm. [Ultra Speed Regeneration] was fairly straight forward, granting the user the capability to rapidly heal and regenerate at the expense of Life Essence, with the effect only becoming more monstrous the more of the Law of Life one comprehended. [Law Resonance and Enhancement] was another unique one that explained why the primeval tree within his Origin caused a reaction with the Origins of other laws, this ability actually showing the supremacy of an Ultimate Law! [Law Resonance and Enhancement] :: An Ultimate Law stands above all those underneath it, where the being who cultivates it becomes able to traverse through all lesser laws with great speed. +500% to Universal Law Comprehension and Assimilation, +500% to the abilities and effectiveness of all lesser laws. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability under the [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil].) A great boost, and one that simply made Noah even more terrifying as he saw the rate at which his Fire and Water spun increased even more, with the other Origins of Laws also increasing at a more rapid rate. There was also the sentence in parenthesis that explained how the enormous boosts of the ability were coming from the Skill Tree that Noah had not viewed fully yet, but had simply dumped all the required skill points into as whatever effects it had were being fully given out even at this moment. But he would fully go over this new skill tree with the shocking name of [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil] later, as he would first focus on the abilities under the Absolute Skill. Next up was the ability of [Origin Repair] that was even more straightforward as it gave a being comprehending the Law of Life the capability to repair Origins! Such a thing was extremely rare, and Life Law Masters were a rare class that was much wanted in all factions. Noah thought about a certain Old Man in the Novus Galaxy as he looked at the descriptions of [Origin Repair], but his eyes moved to the last two abilities that just seemed to shine more than any others. [Life Essence Endowment] :: The user can utilize their comprehension in the Law of Life to release endowment over a certain area, being able to cause the Revitalization and Enhancement of this area as all beings within it experience the vibrant essence of life. The ability can only be utilized over areas that the user has control of. An Endowed Area gains the boosts of +1000% Increased Atmospheric Essence, +500% Increased Universal Law Essence, +500% Increased Universal Laws Comprehension, and +100% Increased Life Force for all creatures residing in this area after a certain amount of time. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability under the [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil] Skill Tree.) [Life Link] :: The user can connect their life essence with another being of a similar existence. Once linked, they are able to expand their individual strengths and draw them together in a union, allowing them to achieve untold power. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability under the [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil] Skill Tree.) ...!!! Life Link was something unique that might have a use in the future, but [Life Essence Endowment] was the thing that made Noah''s eyes tremble with power as he thought of the possibilities! The Atmospheric Essence boost...the Universal Law Essence boost and comprehension...the increase in Life Force! It all showed boundless possibilities with far-reaching effects depending on how it was used... But whatever possibilities he thought of in the Nexus Galaxy, he could not carry them out here as from the details of [Life Essence Endowment] that granted enormous boosts to an Endowed Area, he could only use this skill on an area that was considered under his control! So he could not do anything in the Nexus Galaxy, but his other body in the Novus Galaxy¡­ --- In the Novus Galaxy, a star shaking green light just recently died down as his body in the Infinite Realm just finished cultivating using {The Doctrine of Life} and establishing his own Primeval Tree within his origin, feeling the abundant strength as he teleported above the Infinite Realm while thinking about the newly gained [Life Essence Endowment]. He could utilize this skill on a World or Realm he was connected to, but why stop there?! His eyes were shining with a gold-green luster as an idea took root in his mind, sending a shocking message to the core of the Novus Galaxy thereafter. "With my connection to the Infinite Realm and the Realm''s connection to you, can the Novus Galaxy be considered something under my control?" [In a sense. You want to try¡­?] The core of the Novus Galaxy already knew of the abilities Noah had received from the <> Absolute Skill, and saw the grandness and craziness in Noah wanting to try on something that was simply too massive! Any other being that learned the techniques of the Law of Life and could utilize [Life Essence Endowment] would most likely be able to use this technique over a small specified area the size of a room, or at most a house as such a skill used enormous amounts of essence to put in practice. Even General Zadan, the Black Hole expert who came when Noah caused the commotion in the Imperial Library- told him that he would be sought after for the ability to [Endow] area after he reached Authority in the law of Life, which meant that the span of an area that Life Law masters could endow must have been extremely minuscule, and was only at a decent level after they passed the 50% mark in the Law of Life that they could utilize the skill proficiently. It was a skill that granted ridiculous boosts to the Endowed Area, and thus its cost was also naturally just as high! Yet Noah did not want to try out this skill over an area the size of a house or even a football field, or even a World or a Realm at that¡­ He wanted to cast [Life Essence Endowment] over an entire Galaxy! ¡­!!! [It would normally be an impossible thing, but with Infinite Mana...what is to stop you?] RUMBLE! Raging waves of fate and chaos erupted out just from the daring thought of this, Noah''s figure disappearing from the Infinite Realm as he teleported to the area in the Letalis Expanse that Aldrich had shattered some time ago. His eyes couldn''t hold in his excitement as golden-green lights vibrantly shone from them, his body being enveloped in the essence of a Grand Controller as he stepped into the boundary of the Novus Galaxy and went outside of it! WAA! His body felt the pervading darkness and terrifying might of the Chaotic Void for the first time as he stepped out, the essence of a Grand Controller protecting him with ease as he turned around to observe a barely discernible barrier of an entire Galaxy. His hands lay on this barrier of the Novus Galaxy as he was about to do something wild, something that nobody else in the Dark Universe ever thought of doing, something that even the most powerful beings who delved into the law of Life could not do! This was because multiple strict conditions were required to do it, and Noah met all of them! To be in control of the area he wanted to apply the shocking skill to? Check. To have the mana required to carry it out? Check. To cast a skill capable of affecting an entire Galaxy? Big fucking check! He could do it, and so he did. With his hands placed on the Boundary of the Novus Galaxy, he called out simply as a smile erupted on his face, a shockingly luminous light beginning to shine out in the Chaotic Void. [Life Essence Endowment]. A single skill. A burst of glimmering green light. The rest...is history. RUUUUUUUUUUMBLEEEEE!!! Chapter 649: Which Entity is Utilizing So Much Mana? II RUUUUUUUUUUMBLEEEEE!!! In the Chaotic Void where the Novus Galaxy lay, intense vibrations were quaking out as an aura of immensity came to fruition. It wasn''t an aura of a powerful being or an attack, but the pure aura of Mana that was just being used in obscene amounts! With the successful activation of the [Life Essence Endowment] ability as all its conditions were met, a pure and blinding green light had begun to permeate from the boundary where Noah laid his hands as it began to spread out rapidly. Inside his very Origin where a Primeval Tree had taken root, his Nebulae was trembling as the immense amount of mana coursed through it and into the Tree, and this Tree was shooting off the enormous amounts of Life Essence required to bring the [Life Essence Endowment] ability to full fruition over its target that was an entire Galaxy! To make this possible, a ridiculous amount of Life Essence was required, and the Primeval Tree budding in Noah''s Nebula was only at the stage of 5% comprehension in the Law of Life, and had not grown to a stage where it could freely release such vast amounts of Life Essence in such a short period of time. Yet it was being forced to do so as the Primeval Tree took the endless Mana from Noah''s Nebula and did something it normally would not do- it directly converted his mana into Life Essence as the ancient tree simply acted like a funnel, taking in one form of energy and converting it another! Normally, one would have to absorb the essence of their surroundings, which was the essence of the universe, in order for this to be converted into the essence of a law as one gained more and more comprehension. One could even progress faster in a law if they were in a location dense with that law''s particles, similar to the Law Spaces present in Noah''s Infinite Realm. This was why Noah could not simply use his endless mana and pump it into a particular law until it reached 100% comprehension, as that was not how one could traverse through the laws- the essence of the surrounding universe was required, and this was why they were called ''universal laws''! Yet at this moment, the amount of essence required to carry out the [Life Essence Endowment] could simply not be absorbed enough from the surrounding space, and as the ancient tree simply had not grown enough to have the reserves of Life Essence to carry out the skill at this moment, it had to take the next available source of energy- which was Noah''s own mana as it endlessly pumped out Life Essence to bring to fruition the skill that met all of its requirements. This caused for a shocking scene that should not have been possible, where as the ancient tree pulsed and released more and more essence, its branches became even thicker and more numerous as resplendent leaves grew, each one only making the release of Life Essence faster as in Noah''s stat panel- one could shockingly observe the percentage of mastery in the Law of Life rising at a visible rate every second! 5.5%...6%...6.5%... The surrounding Chaotic Void quaked as the essence nearby rushed towards Noah and into the Primeval Tree, but it made a very low percentage as his mana went to provide more than 95% of what was required. WAAA! A magisterial occurrence was happening at this moment as the ecstatic light of Life fully erupted out with wild abandon, being fueled by endless mana as it went on to cover an entire Galaxy! --- In a region unknown Light Years away, an Entity was floating near an extremely dangerous area in the Chaotic Void that held horrendous gravitational forces which would easily tear apart the defense of being multiple levels above the Nebula Rank. This Entity was actually floating next to an enormous Black Hole as his gigantic figure seemed smaller than a grain of sand, a Black Hole so large that it was a few thousand Light Years in size! To understand the sheer grandness of this, one must recall that 1 Light Year was 6 Trillion Miles. A small Galaxy could range at about a radius of a few thousand Light Years to tens of thousands of Light Years or even more, and there were actually numerous Black Holes within any Galaxy you came across. This could be a lesson to some, but there were varying numbers and sizes of Black Holes in every galaxy, with many stellar black holes being very difficult to even detect. Yet this Black Hole that covered the sight of this entity neared the size of a few thousand light years! That was a few thousand light years times 6 Trillion just to understand this in terms of miles! Such a sizable Black Hole would have been enough to release a shocking gravitational force that would have sucked in anything entering its fringes, yet a unique power seemed to exist that caused the terrifying effects of this Black Hole to only reach a few million miles away, its fearsome force actually not expanding thereafter! Only when one entered its peripheries would they feel its terrifying force... Even this Entity with his extremely large stature was extremely minuscule in front of this Black Hole, yet his body and soul were not ruptured or destroyed by the terrifying forces being released from it as he entered its range. He was ever so slowly using his essence to get closer into the Black Hole while also trying not to be completely absorbed and turned to dust by it, his gaze actually locked on to a glistening red page that seemed to be ignoring the horrendous forces of the Black Hole and was floating peacefully in its periphery. The entity was risking his life as his face seemed extremely annoyed at the location that this shocking page, this page from the Book of Ruination- chose to hide at! He had already been trying to go towards it for the past days, the current page he held leading him to this location as he got ready to obtain two pages from the Book of Ruination. Yet at this point, this shocking Entity had to come to a stop as he looked towards a certain region, his head turning back as he seemed to barely glimpse the instantaneous shine of a brilliant green light. "Hmm?" His interest was piqued as he had lived for many years in the Chaotic Void, and he knew what a light such as that blinking from such vast distances in the Chaotic Void meant. "Which fool is using such a large amount of mana right now?" The shocking question was more to himself as he wondered, the flash of light he observed being something that would only come about from a powerful entity utilizing a terrible skill which could be a final attack to release a force strong enough to obliterate a Galaxy without even going inside it to search for its vulnerable core! "Did one of those puny Galactic Rulers overstep their boundaries and anger an Entity capable of freely releasing their essence like this? Hmmm¡­" The Entity was curious about this light as he saw it fading away, where he knew that if he chose to follow it at this moment, he would be able to observe the shocking scene of its origin. But he was so close to another page from the Book of Ruination as he shook his head and spoke in a somber tone. "Oh well, no matter. Whatever galaxy rises and falls is of no consequence, being something that has happened countless times over the eons. What truly matters is strength, and the Tools of Ruination...that is strength!" RUMBLE! His body shone with a unique luster as he proceeded forward, his eyes focused once more on the glimmering page floating innocently not too far from him. The light that this Entity had observed was clear in his eyes because he was actually not too many Light Years away, where he was actually in a unique position of being able to follow the source of the light to its Origin. It just so happened that other Entities like it also observed this light, but it was even more brief for them as they were a countless number of light years away, and even if they wanted to follow it to its source, they couldn''t! But each of the Entities reacted in their own ways as they wondered- just which entity was so freely using such large amounts of mana that would cause for the light of whatever ability they used to flash countless Light Years away? This would forever remain a question to them and in the future, some would even greatly regret that they had not done all they could to check the source of this light on this fateful day! Chapter 650: Comprehending Laws is Just Too Easy! Throughout the Novus Galaxy, waves of immense essence were spreading out wildly as they permeated through every planet and Realm, through every crevice and hole! Waves of immense green light would wash over the expansive areas, as what followed thereafter was an abundant emergence of essence as the Atmospheric Essence, Universal Law Essence, Universal Laws Comprehension, and the Life Force for all creatures residing in the Novus Galaxy were all increased heavily. In the Central Realm, the first Infernal Lord was overlooking the vast numbers of Infernals now freely moving around the Realm without any restriction, their essence of destruction having been reduced as they now tried to forge their own path. Yet she felt the immense green wave wash over her as the surroundings erupted with essence of all different colors, feeling her Origin thrum with excitement as she felt abundant life force course through her! "...!" Even though she was a vessel that the Novus Galaxy could use to more easily express her will, she still wasn''t aware that Noah had begun doing something crazy which would cause this- so she was just as surprised as every other being in the Novus Galaxy. Her eyes shook as she looked towards the vast Central Realm and saw this pervading green light filled with the aura of life washing over everything, the already abundant essence in the Central Realm bursting out melodiously as it approached dangerous levels where the particles nearly became solidified to be visible to the naked eye! In the Infinite Realm, Barbatos was looking at her army of Undead she was raising as she now saw their bodies thrumming with the essence of Life, their bones becoming tougher than the strongest metals as they glanced towards her with glee. She felt the abundant life force erupt within her as well as she observed the changes in the surroundings, receiving messages from numerous other Harbingers of Sin that this was occurring nearly everywhere! Barbatos and all the other beings under Noah felt this enormous change as their minds only had a single culprit that could cause all of this, but it still did not prevent them from being overly shocked as the phenomenon this time was simply too enormous and large scale. +1000% Increased Atmospheric Essence, +500% Increased Universal Law Essence, +500% Increased Universal Laws Comprehension, and +100% Increased Life Force for all creatures residing in the Novus Galaxy! Such were the crazy boosts being applied throughout the Novus Galaxy, and the being conducting this skill in question was undergoing enormous changes himself as around him, abundant lines of fate wanted to rush towards him even though he had already met the 10 million max capacity, so the even wilder Chaos particles rushed towards him in hundreds of thousand as what he was currently doing at this moment was too significant and affected too many things. THUMP! As Noah felt the Primeval Tree within his Nebula pulse with even more strength and grow ever larger while budding even more branches and leaves, he saw that his comprehension in the Law of Chaos was shooting up faster with every second as he shockingly saw it would soon reach 100% in just a matter of seconds¡­ He had nearly 7 million Chaos Particles just a few minutes ago, yet he was now already past 9 million as he neared the complete comprehension of 100% of a Supreme Law, gaining more than 3 million Chaos Particles in just a few seconds as the effects of the [Life Essence Endowment] continued to permeate throughout the Novus Galaxy! It was a maddening sight that would make all geniuses go green with envy as this was not all, the even more shocking thing was his progression in the Ultimate Law of Life that was even harder than a Supreme Law to traverse. Within his vibrant Nebula, the roots of the Primeval Tree were stably spreading throughout the forged stars, its branches growing in numbers and size as the trunk only became thicker, its leaves shining with all sorts of colors as it was absorbing the essence in the surrounding, the essence of laws, and even more of Noah''s own mana. As it cycled all of this essence to provide the Life Essence required to carry out the [Life Essence Endowment] skill over the span of an entire Galaxy, the percentage of the Law of Life was showing a rapid increase in Noah''s stat panel as it had already risen to 25%! Let''s take a step back here and breathe a bit... One might not realize it after watching Noah''s feats so many times, but comprehending laws was actually very hard! It took a great deal of effort and time! This was especially so for an Ultimate Law, where powerful entities spent their entire lifetimes without being able to master it. Yet Noah had comprehended 5% the first time he initiated its cultivation, and on the same day as he cast a skill that affected something as grand as an entire galaxy, the comprehension on his stat panel rose by 20%! He had ridiculously garnered over 25% in an Ultimate Law just a few hours after he began cultivating in it! Where were those that called themselves geniuses? Where were those who thought they were talented? They would pale in comparison to Noah as he stood in a realm of Genius that could not even be classified! But this wasn''t all! The Ultimate Law of Life still had another ability contained in the Absolute Skill that dealt with other laws. [Law Resonance and Enhancement] :: An Ultimate Law stands above all those underneath it, where the being who cultivates it becomes able to traverse through all lesser laws with great speed. +500% to Universal Law Comprehension and Assimilation, +500% to the abilities and effectiveness of all lesser laws. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability under the [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil].) This singular skill meant that as he neared 100% comprehension in the Law of Chaos because of the vast amounts of chaos his action of Endowing an entire Galaxy would bring, his other Laws were shooting up at extreme speeds as well! Nothing as fast as the Law of Chaos, but as the Primeval Tree within Noah''s Nebula pulsed and drank more essence, the Nebulae of the Laws of Fire and Water forged even more stars within them as the Origin cores of Light, Dark, Earth, and Air spun and grew ever larger. Aether particles rampantly entered as the layers of Space and the fabric of Time shook...every single law he cultivated being enhanced rapidly on this day as the [Life Essence Endowment] skill completed its effect! As the luminous green light covering an entire Galaxy died down, the man responsible was shining with resplendent arrays of light in the Chaotic Void as he somehow managed to come out with the biggest boon than everyone else... Chapter 651: Yggdrasil! THUMP! Noah seemed to have fallen asleep for a long time, the skill he cast having forcefully made his consciousness shut down as he was waking up slowly while he felt abundant strength coursing through him. Both his bodies had experienced something similar as his body floating in the Chaotic Void right outside of the Novus Galaxy was the one that shone with the most glimmering colors, his body as Alexander in the Nexus Galaxy using all possible covert abilities before he inexplicably passed out to make sure that his rapid comprehension of multiple laws wasn''t noticed by anyone else. He didn''t know that because of his single cast of a skill that affected an entire Galaxy, a bright green light had shone for an instant as it acted like a beacon! Powerful beings that were termed Entities observed this light as they mistook him for someone on their stage because of the scale of this one skill he had cast! The only saving grace was that either these Entities were too far away to even be able to track back this source of light, or the one that was near was simply too busy with their own goals. But ignorance was bliss as he continued on without any worries... Both of his bodies from the two different Galaxies rose as Noah saw a shimmering ancient tree vibrantly sprinkling green essence into his Nebula and everything around him, his body feeling immensely heavy and tout with strength as he glanced at his stat panel. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Grand Controller(Fate),Grand Controller(Chaos), Controller(Fire, Water)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana, Protagonist(Incomplete)] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil: Young Tree Stage] [Aether Particles(s) : 8,926,354] [Karma Line(s) : 4,145,526] [Fate Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Chaos Particle(s) : 10,000,000] [Origin Core(s) : Light-5, Dark-5, Fire-10, Water-10, Earth-8, Air-8] [Domain(s) : Life, Aether, Karma, Fate, Chaos, Light, Dark, Space, Time, Fire, Water, Earth, Air] [Vitality: NEBULA] [Focus: ¡Þ ] [Strength: NEBULA] [Law(s) : Life-25%, Aether- 89%, Karma-41%,Fate-100%,Chaos-100%, Light-52%, Dark-52%, Space-61%, Time-57%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-85%, Air-85%] [Authority(s) : Aether Lord, Fate Lord, Chaos Lord, Space Lord, Time Lord, Light Lord, Dark Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord, Earth Lord, Air Lord] He had cast a single that affected an entire galaxy as his mind was forced to take a nap, and he woke up to find out that he had become a Controller in another Supreme Law as he also gained the authority of multiple other laws! ''Ayy, I''m becoming too much of a genius!'' Taking a nap and waking up multiple times stronger, Noah could not help but let his thoughts run wild as he laughed. His stat panel was vastly different with many laws being boosted simultaneously, his body sensing a unique aura as the essence of a Grand Controller of two laws swam freely around him. Being a Controller in two normal Laws and a Grand Controller of two Supreme Laws was something he didn''t know if anyone else had done, but it boasted many questions when it came to using |Intent| to utilize the essence of these laws as a Controller. As he continued forward in the future, would he simply be limited to |Intents| of two words or is he now able to utilize |Intent| with an even larger number of words? There were many things left for him to experiment on but he set his eyes below him where a shimmering Galaxy now lay, a strong essence of Life permeating throughout this Galaxy as it became the first to be [Endowed] in the long eons that passed! This meant there were a great deal of things to watch out for, the boosts for the [Life Essence Endowment] skill being so enormous that Noah knew the growth for the creatures of this Galaxy would be simply monstrous as they lived in an area so extremely abundant in the essence of an Ultimate Law, as well as the boosts of Atmospheric Essence on top of denser Universal Laws Essence and Increased Comprehension. "Haaa¡­" He gave a content sigh in the Chaotic Void as he saw nothing had gone wrong, with many beings simply just beginning to acclimate to the wondrous changed environment they were in as Noah knew in any normal creatures were living in this Galaxy, that was soon about to change as nearly everyone would soon become ''awakened''! With such an abundant Life Essence granted to them and the heavily enhanced essence of the Galaxy, even if a being did not want to- their bodies would naturally drink in the immense amounts of essence as they awakened to a new power. [Not just that, with such an increased concentration of Life Force and Universal Law Essence, the essence of a Galaxy required to awaken Traits was elevated by a large factor, meaning that the Traits born in beings will be of high quality and even more abundant than other Galaxies.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy rang in his mind as the effects of Noah''s actions were still being studied, the wide ranging results they would provide being something he would continue to monitor and observe with the passage of time! He continued to observe the vibrant essence and changes of the Novus Galaxy from the Chaotic Void as he looked at his stat panel again, this time wanting to observe the other side of the Inheritance of the Law of Life. Naturally, it was the Skill Tree that was responsible for the ridiculous boosts that [Life Essence Endowment] had, the one under the name of [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil]! [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil] :: A skill tree that includes a set of techniques meant only for a being that holds a growing Primeval Tree within their Origin. Abilities include [Life](5/5), [Yggdrasil](5/5), [Primeval Propitious Physique Forging ](5/5), [Ashes to Ashes](5/5). [Life](5/5) :: All abilities pertaining to the Law of Life are enhanced by ten times. (+5 Skill Point boost increased enhancement from two to ten) [Yggdrasil](5/5) :: An ability that most beings cannot keep active for longer than a few minutes because of its immense mana requirements, but a worthy ability of a user of the Law of Life. Project your comprehension in the Law of Life outwards as you take on the form of an ancient tree lost in the vicissitudes of time. In this form, the user gains +3000% Physical and Soul Defense, +3000% to All Damage, +5000% Health and Mana Regeneration, +3000% Increased Area of Effect on all Abilities, +3000% Increased Attack Speed, +100% Universal Laws Resistance Penetration, +100% to all Universal Laws Resistance, +10% Vitality Returned Each Time an Enemy is hit by an Attack. All enemies struck by your branches gain the [Withered] status effect. All Allies struck by your branches gain the [Boosted Life Force] status effect. The user will also gain a Life Shield after every 10 minutes this ability is kept active. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability.) ".." ''This...I¡­'' Speechless. For the first time in a while, Noah was genuinely speechless as he stared at horrendous percentages of a single skill that was being boosted ten times by another skill! Chapter 652: Primeval Propitious Physique! Noah could not even finish looking at the remaining two skills as he stared dumbly at the one simply termed [Yggdrasil]! Even he himself was out of words as he stared at the percentage of numbers that simply looked unreal in front of him, the skill called [Yggdrasil] being simply too monstrous. The abilities were ridiculous to begin with, but the greatest root and the cause of the ridiculous numbers were the skill points that took the single skill that was called [Life] from just increasing the effectiveness of all abilities under the Law of Life from 2 to 10! This was the reason why the boosts of something like [Life Essence Endowment] were at a crazy number like +1000% Increased Atmospheric Essence, +500% Increased Universal Law Essence, +500% Increased Universal Laws Comprehension, and +100% Increased Life Force for all creatures residing in this area after a certain amount of time. It was because originally, the numbers were respectively +100%, +50%, +50%, and +10% Increased Life Force of all creatures. Yet even this original percentage increase was sought after in a Life Law Master, and if they utilized the [Life] ability without Noah''s skill points, they could even double the effectiveness. But Noah could ridiculously use the ability at 10 times effectiveness because of the unique features that he held! This stayed true for the ability of [Yggdrasil], its crazy boosts in the thousands being explained this way. He understood most of the percentages and the boosts they gave, but he was still unclear on the last portion of the skill that stated- [All enemies struck by your branches gain the [Withered] status effect. All Allies struck by your branches gain the [Boosted Life Force] status effect. The user will also gain a Life Shield after every 10 minutes this ability is kept active.] His eyes shone as he focused more on the three things mentioned. [Withered] :: A status effect where the one affected will momentarily leak out their life essence as their bodies become withered. [Booster Life Force] :: A status effect where the one affected will overflow with life force momentarily as injuries are healed at a rapid rate. [Life Shield] :: A circular shield of Life essence that forms 10 minutes after [Yggdrasil] is activated. It can take in a set amount of damage before it can be broken. Those within the life shield experience constant healing and rejuvenation. ''Sheesh¡­'' Just the status effects given by the skill and the Life Shield were powerful by themselves, but they simply added on to the complete insane ability that was [Yggdrasil]. He looked forward to the time he could use this as he expected a lot from it in battle! His shock simmered down as his eyes went towards the remaining two skills, but even they did not hold back in their ridiculousness compared to the first. [Primeval Propitious Physique Forging ](5/5) :: Those embarking on the Ultimate Law of Life cannot profane it by having such weak bodies. This ability allows the user to forge their body into the ancient Primeval Propitious Physique, which when cultivated to completion grants one an unfettered body that can freely traverse through Galaxies and the Chaotic Void, among many more possibilities. (+5 Skill Point boost grants 50% enhancement to the speed of forging). (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability, increasing enhancement to 500%) [Ashes to Ashes](5/5) :: An ability that is incomplete, with its counterpart, [Dust to Dust], lying with the techniques under the Law of Death. This ability allows the user to remain alive for as long as a drop of their blood remains, being capable of complete health regeneration as long as mana is provided thereafter. When the user learns of the techniques under the Law of Death, the !#$%@#$ Skill, [Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust], shall be born. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability) He carefully read over the two skills as he had a lot to look forward to when it came to [Ashes to Ashes], this skill having a grand name with unknown implications when he thought about its counterpart that he would obtain whenever he learned the Ultimate Law of Life. He would be able to utilize the star shaking name of [Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust] thereafter! But the other skill made him even more excited as it was actually something he could utilize right now, the [Primeval Propitious Physique Forging] that allowed him to forge his body into the Primeval Propitious Physique. To get the full benefits, he passed back through the boundary of the Novus Galaxy as he reappeared inside and left behind the Chaotic Void, sensing the abundant essence and Life Force that he was the cause of as he floated in the starry space. In this starry space near the boundary of the Novus Galaxy and in the hidden mountains outside the Imperial Citadel of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm of the Nexus Galaxy, two of Noah''s bodies got in a seated lotus position as a single word was uttered. [Primeval Propitious Physique Forging]. RUMBLE! Waves of essence erupted out as dense Life Force converged around him, this life force moving in mysterious ways as it came to form extremely colorful green runic circles that swirled around Noah''s body. The green runic circles had ancient designs as they shone with luster, multiple of them forming around all of Noah''s body as they rapidly spun and caused the abundant Life Essence to enter every part of Noah''s body down to the cellular level, where some cells shone with a brilliant luster as they were strengthened while at the same time causing destruction to some cells as they quickly imploded! A cycle of destruction and reformation, that was what the [Primeval Propitious Physique Forging] technique provided as all it would leave behind when cultivated sufficiently was a Physique of shocking proportions, a Physique that would allow a being to move unhindered in the Chaotic Void as if it was his home, as a being garnered a body filled with such strong vitality and strength that he could take on powerful experts purely on the strength of his body! And Noah...could progress through at 500% speed while using this skill because of his skill points. OOOM! He felt the pleasurable feeling of old skin and muscle falling off as even stronger muscle reformed and even smoother skin returned, the process of destruction and reformation actually not giving a net painful effect as he rather enjoyed cultivating the Primeval Propitious Physique! In his stat panel, a whole other section had appeared as it displayed wondrous details. [Noah Osmont]... ¡­. [Body Cultivation: Primeval Propitious Physique- .0005%] A long and arduous journey of cultivating and strengthening his body to insane degrees had begun, even though its length was bound to be 5 times less than everyone else as he traversed through it at shocking speeds. He could choose to have his clones cultivate it in the Time Space of the Infinite Realm as he used means very few beings could utilize, with their results being something that would shock the forces in the coming future. As he cultivated the Primeval Propitious Physique with both his bodies and watched the newly appearing percentage go up, ancient green runic circles swirled around his body as Noah officially considered his perception and review of everything he gained under the Inheritance of the Law of Life completed for now! There was still much to experiment with and observe when it came to the effects of [Life Essence Endowment] over the days to come, as well as monitoring the strength of his body as he forged this new physique. But he felt like he was heading in the right direction of strength as he had a wide smile everytime he saw the +3000% and +5000% percentage boosts in a particular skill! He really itched for an enemy to come, he really itched to try [Yggdrasil]! Chapter 653: Dannicus! At the center of the Imperial Citadel, a terrifying force of power that oversaw the entire Brightgold Monarchy Realm and the Nexus Galaxy itself lay. To enter further in towards the center where the enormous archaic castles stood strong, one would have to be granted permission or have a sufficient rank which allowed them to do so, where if you wandered in without permission- you might have your life lost in the span of a few seconds! Among the many archaic and grand castles in the Central region, in the largest one that shimmered with the colors of green and gold- one woman was walking across one of the many halls with vigor and strength not seen in many beings. This largest castle was one of the many that a particularly powerful Household of the Imperial Citadel resided in- the Dannicus Household where the Imperial Adjudicator stemmed from! This was the castle known as the Dannicus Fortress! Above this archaic castle, one could observe a shimmering illusory flag being portrayed above it, the flag holding the symbol of a golden axe and a green sword crossing in a stellar fashion. The woman walking within the halls of the Dannicus Fortress was naturally the Imperial Princess herself, Anna Lexalius Dannicus. Her two maids were sent away to prepare a few things as her veiled figure went towards the inner parts of the castle, passing through multiple doors as she took out an Emblem unique to her and shone it on a panel of a particularly large green-gold door, slowly walking through the opening pathway as she entered into a small room. This room did not have much to boast, but it did have an exquisite table surrounded by six chairs, and the center of the table held a hexagonal dark crystal that shone with an enticing luster! The moment that Anna entered this room, the dark crystal shone brightly as she pulled out one of the seats and watched as the light transformed into the shape of a strong figure of a man, a being that began to emanate a presence even though he was only being portrayed as an illusory image from this dark crystal! "My Little Anna¡­" A strong voice that would have caused the legs of the strongest Generals to tremble rang out with extreme love and affection, looking towards the Imperial Princess with the eyes of a father that were filled with immense love and guilt. "...Hey Daddy. Where are you now?" A small voice that seemed like it was coming from a being who could not harm even a fly came out of Anna, her veiled head looking towards the figure of her Father, the Imperial Adjudicator! "I''m in the Sanguine Galaxy right now, just about to finish establishing order across their realms as we get everything operational. Say, which gift do you want when I come back? They have resources that can promote a faster growth rate for both Laws and Traits here, oh and their food is¡­" The Imperial Adjudicator was looking doting towards his daughter as he spoke, but he was interrupted when she shook her head lightly. "Daddy, my Trait is already powerful enough as it is and you know I get bored when I comprehend laws. But I did want to work on my Realm¡­" Anna spoke as she seemed to have slight hesitation. "Oh, you want to enter the Realm of Black Hole?" An expectant reply came from the illusory image of the Adjudicator as he said these words as if it was the simplest thing in the world! "Yeah, I wanted to quickly finish forging the required stars and then breakthrough, and I know we took over the Stellar Sky Galaxy that has treasures which easily allow one to forge stars...and I wanted to take a trip there¡­" RUMBLE! "..." Vibrant waves of power released from just the illusory figure at this moment as complete silence overcame the room! "...You want to step outside the Galaxy? Anna, just wait a few weeks for me. I''ll be back and I can personally take you wherever you want to go-" "No daddy, I just wanna make a quick trip to grab the resources and I''ll be back. You can even send a few experts to accompany me if you''re worried." "..." A stern silence was from the other end as the Adjudicator seemed to be thinking heavily, this simple question making him more thoughtful than when he discussed with Imperial Rulers on their management of Galaxies! "Please daddy, I''ve been cooped up in this castle since I was born and only just went out to see our Imperial Citadel. Nothing bad happened here, and now I just wanna explore another Galaxy while upgrading my realm to another stage¡­" Anna spoke lightly with an imploring gaze as she thought about the incident her father might not have heard yet, her eyes glimmering behind the veil as a sigh could be heard from the illusory figure of the Imperial Adjudicator. Anna looked expectantly towards it as she waited for an answer, and spoke one last time to erase any more reservations there could be! "You also know about my Trait, even Black Hole experts have a hard time dealing with me...you know I''ll be safe." Sound words that shockingly could not be denied rang out, the illusory image putting on a thoughtful expression as a strong voice reverberated from it. "Alright, but only for a few days! You need to be in and out, and multiple Blessed and Law Masters will be escorting you!" "Yay!" Anna rose triumphantly in her seat as she jumped across the table and made a cute motion to hug the illusory image, hearing a sigh from it as she laughed happily. "You''re the best! I''ll let Maya and Raya know and start preparing now! Be safe in the Sanguine Galaxy!" Her figure bounced out of the room as she seemed to be filled with excitement, leaving behind a sighing father who felt like he was played. "Hmm." His expression straightened up as he stared around the simple room, sending out essence as it alerted numerous powerful experts in the Dannicus Fortress, numerous commands starting to be sent out. In another location, the veiled Imperial Princess was walking across the halls of the castle with even more vigor, many thoughts coursing through her as she actually got permission to go out exploring outside of her Galaxy for the first time! As she planned and prepared, the image of one particularly interesting and confident genius entered her mind as a devilishly cute smile crossed her lips, knowing who she would be taking towards this Stellar Sky Galaxy that held powerful resources to promote the forging of Stars in a Nebula as it created many Black Hole experts! Chapter 654: A Princess Reclaims a Favor Across the vast Dark Universe, there existed an unknown number of Galaxies, each with their own uniqueness and qualities. Over the eons of time, some Galaxies developed in different directions as they obtained unique realms or resources, these differing resources and treasures being one of the major reasons why you had some powerful forces spreading their power to multiple Galaxies in the Dark Universe. Some Galaxies had unique systems of power, others were blessed with realms that made traversing universal laws much easier, and you even had some with resplendent treasures that would cause the greed of any powerful force. The treasures that caused greed were mostly ones that increased the realms of beings rapidly or increased law comprehension, and there was even an ancient myth that there existed Ultimate Treasures in some unique galaxies that granted Traits! This caused some galaxies in the Dark Universe to be given more attention than most. One particular Galaxy of interest was the Steller Sky Galaxy, a prominent and powerful Galaxy that was fought over by multiple forces intertwined with the Nexus Galaxy, the Fiends from the Burning Domains Galaxy being one of the bigger losers as the eventual winner was the dominant Imperial Adjudicator of the Nexus Galaxy! The reason that many forces sought over the Stellar Sky Galaxy was for a rare treasure that was only fostered amongst unique stars present only in this Galaxy, the treasure known as the Effulgent Star Pearl! The Effulgent Star Pearl was a unique treasure that allowed beings to easily forge stars in their Nebula, these treasures being birthed in planets known as Stellar Stars- and it was these treasures that allowed the power of the Nexus Galaxy to spread even further as they produced multiple Black Hole Realm experts over the past years since bringing the Stellar Sky Galaxy under their control. This was the same the Galaxy that the Imperial Princess had just gotten permission to go to, and she sent word to one of the beings she would be taking right away as far from the Imperial Citadel in a mountainous region surrounded by trees, Alexander felt the crystal he received from her shine as her voice resounded out. "Boastful genius! The time has come for you to pay back that favor. Follow the signal of the Imperial Medallion I gave you and come over to my place. We''re going exploring!" The commanding voice of the Imperial Princess filled with excitement rang out from the other end as Noah lifted up the medallion while numerous thoughts crossed his mind. "Exploring what, Princess?" His words were light as he stretched his body and stood up, having just finished forging his body through using the [Primeval Propitious Physique Forging] ability. His body felt like it was brimming with overwhelming strength as the density of his bones and muscles felt extremely heavy, yet at the same time, he knew he could move multiple times faster than before! And this was just the initial stages of the Primeval Propitious Physique that he was now forging, the percentage in the stat panel not even having reached 1% yet. "The Stellar Sky Galaxy where they have treasures to quickly turn those in the Nebula Realm into the Realm of Black Hole. Hurry up or I''ll change my mind and leave you behind!" The voice of Anna rang out again as Noah stood up abruptly and replied. "Coming!" BOOM! A sonic boom could be heard as he disappeared into a streak of light, the words of the Princess being extremely enticing. He thanked [Blind Luck] and [Memorable Visage] of the Protagonist Trait as this wondrous opportunity seemed to have fallen out of nowhere, even though he knew the princess said she would call for him just yesterday. But the opportunity of using the Universal Rift of the Nexus Galaxy to explore another galaxy that held treasures that would quickly push beings in the realm of Black Hole? That was something he couldn''t say no to! He looked at the direction of the signal that the Imperial Medallion given to him by the Princess released as he teleported multiple times while moving at great speeds, soon passing by the Imperial Library as he went further in land into the Imperial Citadel. Everything around him was becoming richer and more exquisite as grand archaic castles of nobility populated his sight, slowing his advance as he went along the central golden-green road without making too much noise. The further in he went, the quieter the streets became as an aura of elegance and power permeated! The Imperial Medallion that he was carrying seemed to be releasing some sort of signal that allowed none of the powerful auras of beings protecting these inner lands of the Imperial Citadel to stop him, his path continuing as passed numerous beings brimming with power along the path and he soon came upon the central archaic castle that the signal was leading to. Numerous guards were lined up and down on the fortress-like wall of the Dannicus Household as Noah came to a stop, looking over each of the guards that were adorned with a spectacular set of armor as he stopped in front of an enormous fortress gate. Each of the guards released powerful auras at the Nebula Realm, and he could see that just the two lead guards that had locked their eyes towards him were at the rank of Black Hole! He saw these powerful pressures delve onto him as he was about to send a message in the medallion once more, but this was exactly when he felt movement as the enormous fortress gate in front of him opened. OOONG! With a grand air filled with majesty, what appeared after the opening on the gate of the Dannicus Castle was an exquisite Imperial Vessel clad in white and gold, numerous aurora-colored gems covering the outside! This Imperial Carriage was being pulled by creatures Noah had seen in the Central Realm of his own Galaxy- Pegasi with grand white wings and luscious mane who released an aura of serenity and strength. [Void Beast- Light Pegasus] :: A rare creature of the void that is proficient in the law of light. Currently tamed by the¡­ Details of the Nebula Rank Void Beasts pulling the Imperial Vessel flowed in front of Noah''s eyes as he kept Eyes of Truth active at all times, his gaze only being pulled away from the majestic beasts when the Imperial Vessel stopped not too far from him and opened along with a sonorous voice ringing out. "Come on now, we don''t have all day." The voice of the Imperial Princess pulled Noah forward as he stepped into the Imperial Vessel to a grand sight inside of it, the Pegasi pulled it flapping their wings as it rose to the skies and shot off at rapid speeds! At the area it just left, the gates of the Dannicus Household closed as the two guards at the Realm of Black Hole looked at each other. "Does His Highness know the Princess is inviting a guy to her ventures?" One of the experts spoke in a low whisper as if he did want to be heard saying this. "Hmph, you want to be the one to tell him? Go ahead and sign your own death wish." The other guard replied with a rough voice as these two experts of high ranking continued sitting guard for the most powerful Household of the Brightgold Monarchy, and of the Nexus Galaxy by extension. The Imperial Princess of this household had just embarked on an Imperial Vessel with a being holding two shocking Traits, this Vessel heading towards the Sanctuary of the Watchers where the Universal Rift lay, a grand and shocking adventure waiting for them! Chapter 655: The Sanctuary of the Watchers In the Imperial Vessel that was closely resembling a regal carriage, shockingly powerful personage were traveling with a being that was relatively not well known in the minds of the beings of the Nexus Galaxy as of right now. This being currently held the name of Alexander, and he was looking at the Imperial Princess that many beings never even got the chance to be in the presence of all their lives while sitting opposite to her on the vessel being carried to the skies by Void Pegasi! Anna was still veiled as always, but the colors of her clothes had changed as she adorned a red tight-fitting battle suit that was covered by a shimmering red and black cape which covered all the goods she was blessed with. The Maids Maya and Raya were sitting beside the Princess as they tried not to stare at Alexander, occasionally sending telepathic messages to the Princess as they tried to dissuade her from taking an entire trip with this new being she considered a friend. These two had only met a few days ago, yet they were now on a vessel that was heading towards the Sanctuary of the Watchers with the goal of exploring another Galaxy! Yet every time the two maids raised their points, they were quickly shut down as Anna simply told them not to worry about it. The gaze of this Princess was as always on Alexander as she spoke with piercing eyes. "How come your life force is nearly five times what it was when we left you? You couldn''t have made even faster progress in the Law of Life right?" Anna asked a question that puzzled her as she sensed the boundless aura of Life rampaging from Noah On the Vessel, Noah was spreading his aura as he looked around him, noticing the great speeds the Void Pegasi were traversing as the enormous Imperial Citadel was just a far dot as they soon left the boundaries of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm. "Naturally, Princess. I was just cultivating the Primeval Propitious Physique that comes with the techniques of the Law of Life, it seems I''m also suited for body cultivation and have some skill extending to this as well." Noah spoke naturally as the veiled princess gave a light laugh, the two Maids Maya and Raya simply shaking their heads as they were now getting used to his boasting. "Very well, keep your secrets. We''re now stepping out of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm as we take a straight path to the Sanctuary of the Watchers, that being the last place we need to pass before we can take the Universal Rift towards the Stellar Sky Galaxy." Anna spoke languidly as she sent out her senses to their surroundings, their vessel finally passing through the boundary of the realm they were in as they appeared in the starry space of the Nexus Galaxy! This would be the first time that Noah with his identity as Alexander stepped out of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm, his gaze bright as he looked all around him. The Princess noted his fascination with a sharp light as she continued. "What do you know about the Stellar Sky Galaxy?" Noah pondered this question thoughtfully before he replied, "Not too much. Enlighten me, Princess." "Well¡­" A conversation continued in the exquisite Imperial Vessel that streaked towards the Sanctuary of the Watchers as Noah was given more information on the uniqueness of the Stellar Sky Galaxy and the Effulgent Star Pearls that were sought after, the Maids chipping in their knowledge every now and then as a fun atmosphere overtook the vessel, the beings within expectant for an adventure! They traversed through the Nexus Galaxy as they passed countless worlds and Realms, the Void Pegasi pulling the Vessel shooting forth at Light Speed as great distances were covered in a short amount of time. Occasionally, their Imperial Vessel even entered Teleportation Rifts that were set up all over the Nexus Galaxy to allow for faster transportation across vast distances, their party soon nearing the Sanctuary of the Watchers that surrounded an enormous aurora colored Universal Rift. The Sanctuary of the Watchers was a mystical sight to come across, and extremely busy at that as numerous Vessels could be seen entering and leaving constantly. It was unique as it wasn''t a planet or realm, but an enormous structure the size of a world that surrounded the hundreds of miles long Universal Rift at the very center. It was designed in a circular manner as ten enormous large humanoid statues were built on top of an obsidian disc facing towards the Rift, these statues having wide halls and rooms as they acted like the base which beings moved in! A large black obsidian disc the size of a small world enclosing a Universal Rift in the center, 10 enormous Statues built upon this obsidian as they focused their gold-green eyes and faces towards it. This was the Sanctuary of the Watchers! This was the location that numerous Vessels visited daily as they were assigned to specific Watchers before being granted permission to use the Universal Rift to explore the Dark Universe. Today, it was particularly busy as in the central area of the exquisite structure that was the Sanctuary of the Watchers- ten Watchers were assigned to a single departing party, with a group of Guards being prepared to escort this party on their exploration outside of the Nexus Galaxy. Those considered Guards for this mission were shocking to say the least, where among those included- 10 were in the Black Hole Realm, with double the amount being at the Nebula Realm! A collection of Blessed and Law Masters were prepared for the journey that a single being wanted to take, and such a powerful defensive escort force was created because of the identity of the being stepping out of the Nexus Galaxy for the first time. As the unique Imperial Vessel containing this party arrived at the Sanctuary of the Watchers, many beings finally understood the reason for the seriousness and the commotion around this grand place for the last few hours! Powerful Blessed, Law Masters, and even other Watchers looked on at the unexpected sight of the Imperial Vessel with the design of the golden axe and green sword that represented the House of Dannicus land on the Sanctuary, simply waiting to be received and granted the permission before setting off into the Universal Rift... Chapter 656: They are all ignorant! General Zadan had been notified the moment the Watchers received word that the Imperial Princess would be setting off for another Galaxy, his presence being the reason why so many powerful beings were assigned to protect the Imperial Vessel that would soon be setting off. He had a somber expression as he stared at the doors of the Imperial Vessel opening and watching the veiled Anna descend down, and this expression became one of annoyance when General Zadan also observed the genius proficient in the Law of Life that he had met just prior! "Little Anna, I don''t think I or your father knew would be taking company with you." His gaze was locked on to Alexander as the Imperial Princes bowed her head towards him. "Don''t worry about him, Uncle. He''s also here for my protection! Even though I see you may have already gone overboard with that¡­" The Imperial Princess spoke with a sweet tone as she saw the 10 Black Hole experts with 20 more in the Nebula Realm stationed near them ready to board two other Vessels. "These Imperials have sworn their lives on keeping you safe, and it is more of a precaution from the Imperial Adjudicator. Even though we have conquered the Stellar Sky Galaxy, it doesn''t hurt to be safe." General Zadan pointed to the protectors standing by their side as they bowed in acknowledgment. As General Zadan introduced the party to protect them, the Princess nodded as she expressed her gratitude, the Watchers assigned to them giving them coordinates that could be used on a unique map that outlined the numerous zones around the Nexus Galaxy that had been explored! While all of this was occurring, Noah glanced around the Sanctuary of the Watchers as Eyes of Truth granted him boundless information, but his gaze was overtaken when he turned towards the mystery that was the Universal Rift itself. [Chaotic Void Rift] :: A Lesser Universal Rift that is currently being used to grant a Void Aura over those passing through it, giving them safe passage in the Chaotic Void for 30 days. Forming randomly throughout the Dark Universe, these Void Rifts can be utilized for a variety of means when powered by the essence of the Tools of Ruination. When properly used with the aid of the Tools of Ruination, one can [email protected]$^#%#$... ¡­! Alarm rose in his eyes as he read over the information numerous times, not having expected the Rift that the powerhouses of the Nexus Galaxy termed a Universal Rift was actually a Chaotic Void Rift that was a lesser type of a Universal Rift, and the shocking thing was the terrifying name of Tools of Ruination popping up again! Whenever this term popped up while Noah used the [Eyes of Truth] under the Protagonist Trait, it was the only thing that would always be followed by incomprehensible words that could not be read. He would have to elevate his Protagonist Trait to the next level if he wanted the chance to pierce through the veils of secrecy that came with the terrifying Tools of Ruination that made both of his two Traits possible! As Noah became lost in the glimmer of the Lesser Universal Rift, much of the process behind him finished as they were soon ready to head out. "We have been mining the Effulgent Star Pearls for a while now as we still face limited supply, so I''ll be sure to send a message ahead to have the recently mined ones saved for your arrival." Many things were outlined for them for the sake of safety, going through numerous words of advice and regulations before they could reboard their Imperial Vessel and get ready to enter the rainbow-colored Universal Rift. "I''ll be back soon, Uncle Zadan!" Anna voiced out joyfully as they boarded the Imperial Vessel once more, the exquisite carriage being pulled by two Void Pegasi rising to the skies as two more Imperial Vessels floated behind it. General Zadan watched this scene with cold eyes as he wished them a safe and boring journey, as someone like him much preferred when things were boring and nothing drastic occurred! RUMBLE! The three Vessels shot forth towards the Lesser Universal Rift as they set off towards the Stellar Sky Galaxy, nobody among those watching realizing that this event marked the beginning of a drastically changing future¡­ --- Light years away from the Nexus Galaxy, in the Burning Domains Galaxy that had the Fiends which Noah met during his Blessed Imperial Selection. This unique Galaxy was among the many that the Imperials of the Nexus Galaxy had made enemies of, with many casualties occurring on both sides as even now, multiple Fiends were locked in places like the Devouring Hells Realms in the Nexus Galaxy, and Imperials taken prisoners were also locked in hellish realms within the Burning Domains Galaxy! Most of the conflict occurred when it came to these two Galaxies trying to impose their influence onto nearby regions, the numerous clashes over the years being a result of territorial battles! Deep within this Galaxy that had a calm exterior, shocking movements were happening within as the Fiends born with immense talent to traverse ranks with the handicap of not being proficient in Laws were being grown in large numbers. In a Realm near the Center of this Galaxy, a Fiend Emperor that normally ruled over multiple Realms of the Burning Domains Galaxy was kneeling down while bowing to a mountainous figure that seemed to be focusing on a page floating in front of its eyes. "Master, we have gotten word of new developments on the side of the Imperials. It seems that a Royal of the Dannicus Household is setting off a mission of conquest with more than three Vessels seen leaving the Nexus Galaxy, granting us a perfect chance to carry out our plans." The Fiend Emperor had a unique body that thrummed with tremendous physical strength, where those knowledgeable would know that it surpassed the Realm of Nebula and Black Hole purely on strength alone, with his rank even being above that! Yet this Fiend Emperor was bowing towards another creature, the Entity who had been focusing on the dark floating page with immense concentration as the words recently released grabbed its attention. "Mmm...It might still be too early¡­" The voice coming out of the Entity surrounded like searing metal clanging against each other, its voice extremely unnatural and grating, but one could make out it was slightly feminine. The Fiend Emperor bowed even lower while continuing to speak. "Master, the Vessels are heading towards a galaxy you wanted us to conquer before...the Stellar Sky Galaxy¡­" RUMBLE! A fearsome pressure appeared with the mention of this, the Entity glancing at the Fiend Emperor as it replied after thoughtful consideration. "The only Royal in the Dannicus Household aside from the Imperial Adjudicator is his daughter, yes? Mmm...this could be sufficient enough to keep his attention while we finally act. He is the only one among the few Galactic Rulers who shows any capability, and one that has hindered my plans the most..." ¡­! With these words, the Fiend Emperor nodded with vigor, the voice of the Entity continuing to ring out! "These fools prancing around as Rulers of Galaxies do not know a thing about the Truth, believing Supreme and Ultimate Laws are the peaks of strength and that Blessings from Galaxies are sufficient to traverse the wide Dark Universe. They do not even have knowledge of the @#$, nor could they even imagine the shocking truth of this Universe!... Yet the things they covet are also those I want, and there should be another Page from the Book of Ruination in the Stellar Sky Galaxy¡­" The Entity said these words as she waved her hands and caused the movement of the floating page in front of her, her gaze locking with the excited Fiend Emperor as she relayed her command. "Gather your brothers and sisters and all the Fiends we have managed to produce over the last thousands of years, and let your Elders know. I still cannot move with my injuries yet...but I should have raised more than enough of you all to cause some commotion and stand against these puny Galactic Rulers, even the Imperials." RUMBLE! "You shall go forth and conquer all the Galaxies we have our eyes on at once, not giving the Imperials time to even know what is happening. Use the daughter that the slightly able Imperial Adjudicator raised as a bargaining piece, or even kill her if you must as you occupy the Stellar Sky Galaxy. Your mission there will be to specifically locate a page like this." The glimmering dark page that represented another page from the Book of Ruination floated and imprinted itself in the eyes of the Fiend Emperor, his heart thumping as he seemed completely enamored by the figure of the powerful Entity as he replied with conviction! "Whatever you want shall be yours, Master!" OOOM! This was the conviction of a Fiend Emperor, a being not in the Nebula or the Realm of Black Hole, but a being in the QUASAR Realm! Such a being gave strong words of conviction as he chose to lead the force that would occupy a particular Stellar Sky Galaxy that a party was adventuring towards. After the Nebula Realm and the creation of a Black Hole, the next Realm thereafter was something of shocking stature and strength...the realm known as QUASAR. Also, one must recall that the Entity told this Fiend Emperor to gather his brothers and sisters, and even let his Elders know! This meant that there were multiple beings with power at the QUASAR Realm like this Fiend Emperor, and there were even unknown Elders standing above beings such as this. To top it all off, there was an Entity that was also trying to collect more information on the Tools of Ruination as they looked for the pages of the Book of Ruination! Even though one would not know the power of this Entity as she was injured, what did her ability to raise multiple Fiend Emperors at the QUASAR realm such as the one bowing before her say? The race of Fiends that had no advancements in the Universal Laws but could rapidly advance through the Realms of Power...these beings began showing movement after remaining hidden for thousands of years, choosing to move in the most explosive fashion in response to a single action that caused their plans to align. The daughter of the most powerful Galactic Ruler standing in their way had left her home for the first time ever, her actions providing unique opportunities as a powerful Entity saw uses of this Royal against one of their most powerful enemies! The Imperial Adjudicator would have never expected a possibility of a terrifying injured Entity lying behind the Fiends, one of the many forces he fought over the thousands of years. Nor would he have known that these fiends only ever sent out their surface-level pawns on their many battles. Nor could he predict allowing his daughter to simply go to another Galaxy already under their control...would be the spark for such a shocking sequence of events, the spark that made a deeply hidden force choose to move at this moment! Chapter 657: Stellar Sky Galaxy! I The Imperial Vessel Noah was on passed through the Lesser Universal Rift with ease as in the next moment, it appeared outside the Nexus Galaxy. A unique essence covered the vessel as it protected them from the Chaotic Void outside, even though the essence of a Grand Controller or even something like having a powerful physique similar to Noah would be more than enough to withstand the terrifying pressure and terror of the Chaotic Void outside of Galaxies. The Vessel left behind the Nexus Galaxy that Noah had only been on a few days as it began heading towards one of the locations that were under the control of the Nexus Galaxy- the Stellar Sky Galaxy! The veiled Imperial Princess within the Vessel was spreading her aura out as she stared at everything around them with wonder, even the darkness of the Chaotic Void seemingly interesting to her. Being given permission to travel out of her native Galaxy for the first time was naturally something that made Anna very happy! Even the maids Maya and Raya stared at the glimmering lights the Void Pegasi pulling the carriage were releasing as they streaked across with the speed of light, following a predetermined path towards the Stellar Sky Galaxy as they would pass various relay stations holding portals that were set up for smoother and faster journeys across the Void to the places under the influence of the Imperials. "You''ve heard the rumors of powerful Entities roaming the Chaotic Void? Of beings so powerful that they could destroy entire Galaxies with a wave of their hands?" The Princess continued making conversation as the minutes passed during their journey, many things being discussed with this girl that seemed to never have had the chance to talk freely to someone else like Noah before! Noah replied with interest as he amassed more information about the Nexus Galaxy and their surroundings, even more so what forces they had under their control. "Apparently some of these Entities do not even bother with Universal Laws, and they are proficient in something even more terrifying-" RUMBLE! Anna was talking with enthusiasm while Maya and Raya looked towards her with adoring expressions, when her words suddenly came to a stop as powerful waves of Life Essence erupted from Noah out of nowhere, his body suddenly being covered by numerous ancient runic circles! "You¡­" They looked on with gawking expression as Noah replied with an apologetic expression, since the reason was because his counterpart that held half of his Origin in the Novus Galaxy had been cultivating the [Primeval Propitious Physique], and had actually reached the 1% mark at this time as the Primeval Tree within the body of Alexander released a burst out with Life Essence and caused the appearance of the ancient runic sigils that naturally strengthened this body to the 1% mark as well! "Sorry for interrupting, I didn''t think my body cultivation in the Law of Life would upgrade just from time passing. You were mentioning the Entities¡­" His apologetic words seemed extremely condescending to the three girls as they looked at him while shaking their heads at his continued ridiculousness, knowing that no normal being would make advancements while just sitting down talking! An even more curious light passed through the hidden eyes of the Imperial Princess as she found her intuition of this Alexander to be more and more correct. Traversing the Chaotic Void with two gorgeous Maids and a veiled Imperial Princess, Alexander made advancements as he merely sat down in a Vessel heading to another Galaxy! --- Meanwhile in the Novus Galaxy, Noah''s body felt the burst of strength from the Primeval Propitious Physique as the ancient runic circles died down around his body, putting on a silk golden robe to cover his steel forged muscles that seemed tout and trembling with power! He then conversed with the Novus Galaxy as he checked up on the continued changes throughout the Galaxy from having its Atmospheric Essence, Law Essence and Comprehension, and even the Life Force of its beings strengthened to such a large extent. The progression of beings ascending through the Realms was the greatest change that the overabundance of essence caused, especially in a place like his Infinite Realm causing for his subordinates and Infinite Realm Beasts to elevate themselves greatly in a short amount of time. This effect was increased even more for those training in the numerous Time Spaces spread throughout the Infinite Realm, where only a day would have passed in the outside world as they spent more than two months in the Time Space! Such a unique convergence of factors allowed for most of the Harbingers to step into the ranks of Star Forgers, and their eyes were already set on achieving the Nebula Realm as they continued to train incessantly. The even larger change was the formation and advancement of more and more Infinite Realm Beasts who had the Medicinal Herbs and Fruits directly from the Realm being extremely conducive to elevating their ranks, creating for a fearsome situation where hundreds of thousands of ridiculously powerful Beasts were rising through the ranks every day. One would be shocked to know that when it came to sheer numbers of beings in higher realms, the Infinite Realm Beasts alone had a huge lead when they were compared to any of the other Races living in the Infinite Realm! But this wasn''t the only change worthy of note- the biggest one was the continued granting of Traits that occurred with even more frequency, where another Harbinger of Sin had gotten a powerful Trait. It wasn''t just any common Trait, but the first EPSILON ranked Trait to appear in the Novus Galaxy! Claiming the unique title of being the only person currently holding an EPSILON rank trait was...Kazuhiko! OOOOOM! The gaze of this being who could be the main character of his own book was sharp as his dark hair waved from the winds of a high mountain he stood on in the Infinite Realm. Atop this mountain, Kazuhiko was staring at the vast army of Barbatos filled with Undead that were brimming with the Essence of Life, the Star Forging Barbatos herself accompanied by the Emperor Penguin, Steel Mikhail, Imperial Phoenix, and many more of Noah''s powerful subordinates as they all came together to test out the power of the first EPSILON ranked Trait of the Novus Galaxy. Being faced with so many powerful beings at the same rank as him, Kazuhiko was actually not afraid as he couldn''t help but have a wide smile appearing on his face, his eyes nearly tearing out of happiness as he bellowed out a roar of power while activating his Trait- [Dark Emperor]! RUMBLE! Chapter 658: Stellar Sky Galaxy! II Faced against all of his allies, Kazuhiko fearlessly roared out without any shame - [Dark Emperor]! [Dark Emperor](EPSILON) :: A Trait that allows the user to turn their body and origin into a unique essence of Darkness, becoming a conflagration of dark smoke as they gain a 100% reduction in Physical Damage, 50% reduction in soul damage, and the ability to utilize their new forms in many unimaginable ways as they only become more proficient in time. Worthy of EPSILON rank! A Trait that gave the user complete reduction to Physical Damage, and went even further to reduce Soul Damage by half, while also changing their form into a conflagration of darkness. Worthy of a Trait! RUMBLE! Kazuhiko''s body erupted into tendrils of palpating darkness as it barreled towards the Harbingers menacingly, and one could distinctly begin to see the formation of katanas and serrated blades from this extremely dark smog as they thundered towards the Harbingers and threatened to overwhelm them. The Undead under Barbatos slashed their weapons as others cast skills filled with the aura of death, but all of them seamlessly passed through the dark smoke that was Kazuhiko as this darkness went on to enter the orifices of the undead, the creatures becoming immobilized! "RAA! RAA! RAA!" A piercing cry erupted out at this moment as a gargantuan Emperor Penguin landed among the dark smoke, his flippers filled with the dense essence of space and time as it clashed with the smoke. The essence of laws was the only thing capable of dealing damage to the body of a being utilizing [Dark Emperor], but the range of Kazuhiko''s body was currently too enormous as he not only focused on the Emperor Penguin, but he was surrounding many of the other Harbingers while facing his utmost attention on a single being- a dark skinned woman with glistening hair, the Inquisitor that held a terrifying DELTA Trait called [Extinction Flames] which was wiping away his form of darkness rapidly every time Athena waved her hands! OOOOH! A bellow erupted from the dark smog that was Kazuhiko, barreling towards everything and everyone as he actually stood on par with multiple beings at the same rank as him without any issues. As long as he withstood and avoided the attacks which could deal Soul Damage, his complete immunity to Physical Damage in this state would make him a terrifying combatant on any battlefield! Of course, if someone like Noah who held terrifying abilities that purely dealt Soul Damage came, it would be a different case entirely. Minutes passed as many looked towards the powerful darkness with envy, wondering if they would get such a Trait as this. It continued to surround them like a dark smoke as Kazuhiko separated them to stop them from working together, his attention placed on those proficient with laws that could deal even a hint of soul damage to him. He continued to show a dominating presence in the sparring field, but it was also at this moment that this dark smoke came to a stop, a shocked voice of Kazuhiko ringing out as this smoke began to recede towards one location. "Stop stop stop!" The shout was slightly hurried as Kazuhiko saw the others had many powerful skills ready to be thrown his way as they continued to test his invincibility and the extent of his Trait. "I...I''m running out of mana¡­haaa." He released a defeated sigh after standing against many powerful beings, realizing the high cost of keeping his Trait active as he sought to increase his Realm and have more essence to use! As the dark smoke which had spread to hundreds of meters receded to become his single human body, one could see a determined expression on Kazuhiko as a dashing smile could be seen on his face, his heart set on getting stronger as he saw rapid progress with the addition of this Trait. If one looked around at the scene of Harbingers in this sparring field, they would observe determined expressions on all of them as they pushed themselves to work even harder! ¡­ --- In the Chaotic Void, the three Imperial Vessels had passed through numerous teleportation stations as they neared the position of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, spending a bit over 7 hours on this journey! Noah''s eyes shimmered as they reached the last relay station set up by the Imperials in the Chaotic Void, his senses observing the beginning of a boundary of a glimmering Galaxy. "An average Galaxy through and through, but its position was heavily elevated because of the Effulgent Star Pearls that could be found in it." Maya had become more talkative over the trip as she spoke out with shining eyes, the four of them in the Imperial Vessel of the Dannicus Household observing the bounds of the Stellar Sky Galaxy with expectant eyes. "Let''s go!" An excited command was released from the Imperial Princess as the Void Pegasi streaked forward, the station set up by Imperials outside the boundary of the galaxy not doing a thing to stop them as they very well knew their identity, only sending acknowledgment their way. RUMBLE! The Void Beasts seamlessly passed through the shimmering barrier without any issues, three Vessels successfully passing through from the Void and into a Galaxy! These three vessels came to a stop near the boundary as the beings within stepped out, looking into the new galaxy as a welcome party was there to greet them. The figures acting as the welcoming party were numerous as a shockingly handsome man was at the forefront with a bright smile, the light of fate coursing through his eyes as they honed in on the veiled Imperial Princess while giving glances to the two Maids and Noah. "Imperial Princess, I welcome you to our everything...I welcome you to our Stellar Sky Galaxy." OOOOOH! Triumphant horns of celebration bellowed out as it seemed an entire show was brought to this welcome reception, Noah already using Eyes of Truth on anything he saw as he began gathering tons of information. Among the welcome party, multiple beings carrying the emblems of Imperials could be seen as they also bowed their heads towards the Imperial Princess with a warm welcome. But the man in focus at the moment has shining blue hair somehow waving in the starry space, Anna glancing towards this being with a nod. "You must be¡­?" Anna spoke with a calm tone as their party moved forward, the 10 Black Hole experts and 20 Nebula Rank guards standing not too far behind them releasing an oppressive pressure all around. "I am the only son of the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy that bends to the Imperial Adjudicator, Andreas Von Husen!" A grand announcement was made as the son of the ruler of this Galaxy that was under the rule of Imperials came to welcome the Imperial Princess. Light greetings were exchanged between them as they began moving across the starry space of this new Galaxy, leaving the Imperial Vessels behind as they took in the time to enjoy the new sights. "The word we received mentioned your purpose was the Effulgent Star Pearls?" Andreas spoke with an inquisitive face as a smile remained on him at all times. "Yes, Our Lady wishes to use these treasures to quickly move through the Nebula Realm and approach the creation of a Black Hole." Maya replied to him passively as glimmering stars began to appear within their sights. A sigh could be heard from Andreas at these words as he spoke out with melancholy. "That may be a bit problematic at this time, Your Highness. We have been trying to locate and mine the Effulgent Star Pearls on any of the millions of Stars and thousands of Realms over the years, with the known locations running dry and the Pearls themselves being distributed for use the moment they are mined. I''m afraid there won''t be too many at this time...unless you are okay with spending a few weeks in our small Galaxy until a few hundred are collected." The smile remained on Andreas as his dashing face seemed to exude the sadness he felt at not being able to provide for what the Imperial Princess wanted, and Noah only smiled as he looked at this character''s description with the Eyes of Truth as he understood his true nature! A son of the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy! Someone who should have inherited and ruled something so vast and wide that very few could claim the title of it in the Dark Universe. Yet all of this was taken away by the Imperials as he had to now even attend to a mere Princess with a smiling expression! The true emotions that Andreas felt as well as his true nature...all of it was visible under Noah''s eyes as they arrived in the Stellar Sky Galaxy and met some of its inhabitants, a new adventure underway as an interesting treasure was their goal- the Effulgent Star Pearl! Chapter 659: Stellar Stars The Stellar Sky Galaxy was a particularly gorgeous galaxy as it held many unique stars. Part of its name stemmed from the planets that were termed Stellar Stars, stellar bodies that could be found across the billions of stars in the wide galaxy, with some of them even being more unique as they became Stellar Realms. The one thing that caused other Galaxies to fight for the Stellar Sky Galaxy was the unique treasure known as the Effulgent Star Pearls which could be found on the rare Stellar Stars, but these Pearls had unique attributes that caused them very hard to locate! One could not sense them even if they spread out their aura or consciousness over an entire star, these Pearls being only visible to the naked eye as the only method of detection. It required beings to dig across an expansive star of thousands of miles! To make it even worse, one had to be very careful while mining them, as the slightest disturbances could affect the treasures essence held within the Effulgent Star Pearls, making them quickly leak out this potent essence as it became lost in the atmosphere if one did not begin absorbing it right away. If enough shock was felt from a being rampantly using their strength to break through the layers of earth and search for them, the pearls would shatter right away as they watched the potent essence they contained quickly become assimilated in the atmosphere of the star once again. So the treasures were rare, delicate, and hard to locate among the many Stellar Stars and Realms! The entire task of Imperials stationed in the Stellar Sky Galaxy was to work with the Natives to locate and mine the Effulgent Star Pearls, coming to an agreement to provide a set amount to the Imperials and a set amount to the natives themselves. Being as rare and as useful as they were, the Pearls were normally used up in a matter of days by the Imperials and Natives alike as a few were transported back to the Nexus Galaxy! At this moment, the stock of the Pearls was nearly depleted as Andreas mentioned the locations they knew and had been mining so far were running dry. "So all we have to do is find Stellar Stars and Realms ourselves as we can mine the Effulgent Star Pearls and use them as we wish, yes?" Anna spoke to the dashing Andreas as they streaked across the starry space, their figures coming to a stop in front of a glimmering star that shone with a silver and white colored aurora. "Theoretically, yes. But even we as Natives who have even been born on Stellar Stars spend a long time just to locate the Pearls, and we have to be even more careful while mining them as even vibrations can cause them damage as they leak out their wondrous essence. Even this Stellar Star in front of us that had recently begun to be mined is nearly depleted, where we are spending most of our time just trying to locate the Pearls " The son of the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, Andreas, replied with a smile as all he got was a nod from Anna. The veiled Princess and her maids looked with sparkling eyes towards the star that shone with a silver and white brilliance, but it was Alexander''s eyes that were shining with even more intense lights than them as they gazed upon the Stellar Star with Eyes of Truth! "What do you think, Boastful Genius? Can you show us something surprising on this matter as well?" Anna turned towards Alexander as she spoke with a tone that surprised Andreas, as whenever her words were directed towards him they were completely cold and flat. But towards this being, they actually seemed lively? "Well, a Stellar Star that holds these Pearls is right in front of our eyes, so I don''t see a reason why we shouldn''t mine some ourselves." Alexander''s tone that seemed extremely calm and confident rang out, drawing the eyes of the many experts guarding their party and raising the brows of Andreas and the natives of the Stellar Sky Galaxy that came with him even more. "I don''t mean to dampen your spirits, but we have lived and mined these Star Pearls for centuries, with our methods being honed and becoming impeccable over the years. Even with my experience, I can at most mine out a Star Pearl of High Grade if I''m lucky. Newcomers to mining will either destroy the Pearl completely, or come out with a Low Grade one if they''re lucky!" Words filled with disdain flowed from Andreas as his eyes focused on the man coming with the party of the Imperial Princess! He had watched the demeanor of the Imperials that had been on this region of the Galaxy and even the 10 Black Hole and 20 Nebula Ran experts the Princess came with, and neither of them looked at this being in any special way, but the Princess was constantly conversing with him. A feeling of competition seemed to rise from Andreas as he looked at Alexander, wanting to know what qualifications he even had to stand amongst the Princess and them! He was the son of a Galactic Ruler, a being that held control over a Galaxy! Even if his father was under the banner of the Imperial Adjudicator, Andreas still had a powerful status. So why should this man be receiving more attention and such a tone from the Imperial Princess and not him? His words were meant to provoke, but only a light smile covered Alexander''s face as he spoke out while looking at the Stellar Star in front of them. "Why don''t we head down and see the process of locating and mining? I''m curious to try a little something myself." His eyes were shining with intense luster because a text box with golden-red words floated in front of him, Eyes of Truth showing him an ecstatic set of information as always. [Stellar Star] :: A unique planet that can be found in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. A notable thing about this type of star are the unique Effulgent Star Pearls that can be found from them, these pearls being capable of allowing beings to forge stars within their Nebulae with even more ease than using cores. On this particular Stellar Star, the Effulgent Star Pearls can be found at...The best way to mine them is through the use of Universal Law Essence, with a higher tiered Law being capable of granting one a Star Pearl of the highest quality¡­ Information upon information passed through his eyes as he hid his smile and laughed in his mind! Spectacular treasures that were so hard to find that one could only blindly search through the star as they dug everywhere just to find their location. So delicate when they were mined that even the slightest vibrations damaged them! Yet his Trait¡­ It was being ridiculous as always! Chapter 660: Disbelief! The collection of beings with shaking auras of power all descended onto one of the many Stellar Stars of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, the eyes of a particular group being much more carefree and expectant than others as the unique features of these stars displayed themselves in front of their eyes. The silver aurora that covered the Stellar Star remained as its key feature as one landed on it, its very atmosphere being surrounded by this unique atmospheric essence as it seemed like a type of silver mist was covering the entire planet, where one could not visibly see with their naked eye if they looked to a place a mile away. The mist was a sign of dense essence coagulation, Noah gazing at the earth of this star as he saw grand mountain ranges tinted with green and silver, the movements of numerous living creatures being felt all around as the one major thing remained on this planet- a sense of calm! "We have to work very efficiently and carefully while locating and mining the Effulgent Star Pearls, with a base being built on every Star we have begun to mine as mining parties are sent out every day to carefully dig through the planet and search." Andreas continued to introduce everything around them as Anna and her maids looked around them with interest, their auras sensing the movements of many beings moving all around the continents of this Stellar Star. Noah on the other hand seemed to be looking at specific locations as he shone with a mysterious smile on his face, their party landing at an enormous silver mountain that had the entrance of a huge cavern! "To allow everyone to see the hardship we go through every day to mine, I asked my forces to stop their mining of an Effulgent Pearl that appeared on any stars these past hours, and a lucky miner was able to find and preserve a pearl on this star we are on. Come, I will show you the process we have to go through every time!" Andreas looked ready to show off and impress others as he led them into the cavern, the inside of it being briefly dark before it was lit up by silver crystals visible all over the walls of this wide cave. The glimmering colors grabbed the girls'' eyesight as they went further into the stellar mine, passing multiple bowing individuals in unique outfits that seemed to distinguish them for the jobs they were doing. They proceeded forward for a few minutes until they came to a point where the silver light was shining the brightest, the party of many powerful beings coming to rest their eyes on a cavern wall where a clear round crystal could be seen emitting all the silver light! WAA! A unique aura of majesty spread from it as it seemed precious, the miners looking over it nodding towards them as Andreas stepped forward while speaking, his arms being covered by the essence of water as he carefully went to ''pluck'' out this silver circular crystal that was the Effulgent Star Pearl. "Once we can locate one where our digging did not completely disrupt or destroy it, we carefully wrap it with law essence before digging it out, and we can then obtain...the Effulgent Star Pearl¡­" His blue essence of the law of water moved seamlessly as he pulled off the delicate Pearl from the cavern wall while keeping it intact, controlling it as it floated towards the veiled Imperial Princess! With a dashing smile, Andreas offered her the Pearl as he spoke. "For you, Princess. Be very careful with it as even a little pressure can cause it to burst, but it will be very easy to absorb its essence as you can forge three stars from a Medium Grade Star Pearl like this." Noah looked at this sight while laughing inside, knowing full well that this terrifying Princess did not even put this Andreas character in her mind, yet he was trying so hard! As if to prove a point, Anna grabbed the Effulgent Star Pearl in front of her as she looked at it curiously, and then turned in his direction as she threw the delicate treasure towards him. Gasps could be heard throughout the cavern as Noah lightly caught it in the air by wrapping his essence in it, the sonorous voice of the Imperial Princess ringing out. "Alright Analyzer, what can you tell me about it?" A hidden smile could barely be perceived behind the veiled princess as she called Alexander with the name of this body''s old Trait, a bubble appearing in front of his eyes as he read the words detailed through it. [Effulgent Star Pearl](Middle Grade) :: Poorly dug out with a horrible technique and sustaining vibrational damage before it was uncovered, this treasure allows the user absorbing it to forge 3.5 Stars within their Nebula. "About three and a half stars can be formed from this, and I might be able to locate some more of them on this star after taking a look at this." He said these words calmly as they drew the ire of the surrounding natives, but he shockingly did have knowledge of where these rare and delicate treasures that most of the time broke because of how deeply they were hidden underground and the process required to unveil them! Eyes of Truth had shown him multiple coordinates on this Stellar Star that mentioned where he could locate the Star Pearls, and he would be able to mine with ease while maintaining the highest quality if he so wished! "Hmph, please do not insult our prowess and techniques we have developed over thousands of years. To even locate a Pearl required luck, and even more luck that you do not destroy it while digging through the earth. Nobody is able to just find one if they wish!" Cold words came from Andreas as he felt that he lost his face to this being every time, where he became the center of attention from the hands of the princess while someone like him continued to be ignored. Now he was bragging about being able to find Star Pearls after just touching one? Arrogant! The maids gave ridiculing looks while looking at the demeanor of Andreas, even the Princess ignoring this being as her eyes focused on Noah while she spoke. "Surprise us." Noah nodded with a smile at these words as his body erupted with the essence of Aether, the destructive essence wrapping him from head to toe as he walked towards the cavernous wall in front of him. "You...what are you doing?" Surprised gasps came from the respectfully bowing natives as they had a foreboding feeling, and their thoughts came true the next instant as they saw the debris flying out from the cavernous wall, the arrogant being in front of their eyes beginning to forcefully dig forward using the destructive essence of Aether as he created a man-sized 2 meter hole while recklessly moving forward beneath the silver mountain. "Stop! This is a mining spot that should still have multiple Star Pearls, if you use such destructive force you will destroy all of them!" Andreas bellowed out commandingly as Noah''s words did not even reach him, his senses following the direction that Eyes of Truth told him as he used the essence of Aether to move across the heard earth like a drill, disintegrating much of the debris with only some dust flying out every now and then! Andreas was bubbling with rage as he was about to move, but he felt the eyes of multiple experts meant to protect the Princess and her party land on him at this moment as he shivered, reigning in his rage as he glanced towards the Imperial Princess that had begun following the man sized hole being made with interested steps. "Princess...please¡­" Andreas seemed to plead with them as he also followed, many of the natives having looks of horror as they expected this boorish man with his destructive essence to very quickly destroy any Star Pearls that might have been remaining on this mountain. Such a loss! They followed behind Andreas with aching hearts as they could hear the voice of this Young Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy continue to ring out with complaints, but it very quickly halted as those who squeezed in to the man sized hole spread out their awareness to clearly see what was happening saw his mouth agape with his eyes nearly popping out. In front of them, the ''boorish'' man playing with the destructive essence of Aether had stopped right before glimmering silver light, a light that only represented one thing as they then observed the essence surrounding him to change from the destructive Aether into a green one filled with an overabundance of life! They saw this essence go forward as it carefully dug out the last layer of earth, unveiling a shining bright Effulgent Star Pearl that was shining more resplendently than any that they had seen before. No vibrational damage or any type of damage was dealt to it, the ''boorish'' being in front of them somehow being knowledgeable to come to a stop right before he even hit the adjacent wall that the Pearl was stuck in and pulverized it along with anything else, and they shockingly saw him use the essence of the Ultimate Law of Life as he carefully wrapped it around the pearl and plucked it out! RUMBLE! "This¡­" "Not possible¡­" "Unbelievable!" The miners that had lived all of their lives looking for and trying to carefully mine Effulgent Star Pearls were trembling with shock as they saw the bright light that this Pearl released. A hazy cloud of silver seemed to continuously wrap around the pearl as the life essence wrapping around it reduced, and when they saw this hazy white essence...they trembled even more. "That is...a perfectly mined Star Pearl¡­" "That luminescence! That silver cloud mist surrounding it! That is¡­.!" "A Supreme Grade Effulgent Star Pearl!" ¡­! Alarm rose in the eyes of many as they turned toward the man curiously holding the Star Pearl while staring at it, their minds reeling with many questions. How was he able to know where it was at? How did he so perfectly come to a stop right before he pulverized it? How could he excavate it with such effort that it turned out to be a Supreme Grade Star Pearl? Most of all, just who was this being?! Chapter 661: I just have a sense about these things "How could you¡­" Many beings were still in a stupor as they stared at Noah, their eyes seemingly portraying that they were staring at some type of monster as a light laugh could be heard from the Imperial Princess up ahead. "Seems I wasn''t wrong to bring you here. Alright! Let''s find more of these Star Pearls since they seem to be in such short supply, we will find and use them all ourselves while not dipping into any of their reserves!" The words of the Princess strongly reverberated out as they struck Andreas the most, mentioning how it was impossible for there not to be a few hundred Star Pearls if not more in collection, but they were stingy to not give them freely! Now the Imperial Princess had shown up with a shocking being that could somehow locate a Star Pearl and excavate it in a matter of minutes, and do it while maintaining its Supreme Grade at that. They didn''t even put the thought in their minds that it was luck, as they saw the skill required to do what this being did! "How were you able to find it so fast and take it out safely, Boaster?" Maya had sparkling eyes as she renewed Alexander''s image again, the cute maid pursing her lips as she couldn''t believe the actions of this being once more. "Oh, I just have a sense about these things. Come on, I''ll find some more!" He left behind the beings with gaping mouths as the Supreme Grade Pearl disappeared, his body being enveloped with the dangerous essence of Aether as he began digging through the underground cavern while just barreling through with his body. The shocked beings behind him followed as this time, he didn''t even move far before he came to a stop again, leaving another thin film of earth where they could see the beginning illumination of an uncovered round Pearl. The scene repeated again where Aether was switched with the Essense of Life, another Effulgent Star Pearl being plucked out with ease! "Another Supreme Grade Pearl¡­!" Those following cried out in shock as they observed this, everything they knew being turned upside down as the confident Andreas himself was ashen. One might have been luck, but twice in a row confirmed the skill even to the biggest unbelievers! A light laugh could be heard ringing out from the Imperial Princess as Noah did not even stop after getting the second Pearl, simply using the information Eyes of Truth gave him about this planet as he went forth to easily collect all the Effulgent Star Pearls just on this mountain. After the 5th Supreme Grade Pearl was retrieved by him, those following behind with stupor felt their ears ringing. After the 20th, they felt their ears buzzing! After the 30th, they just watched on in horror as this being did the impossible! But during the time when Noah was about to mine the 36 Pearl, the mountain they were on began to shake as they all realized they had made holes all over the mountain, its integrity being reduced as the surrounding walls were creaking and breaking down. All of them sighed as they shook their heads at this, beginning to move out of the mountain themselves as they had more than enough power to not worry about being buried. RUMBLE! The shaking continued as this mining location on this Stellar Star shook, silver debris and dust erupting out as the party of the Imperial Princess and her Protectors could be seen in the sky, the natives of the Stellar Sky Galaxy and Andreas looking towards Noah with complex expression as he waved his hands while saying grand words with he crumbling mountain below them! "36 Supreme Grade Effulgent Star Pearls just from this one mountain, and I can sense even more spread throughout the this Stellar Star." ¡­! His voice was low, but they all heard it clearly as their looks of shock remained, knowing how rare Supreme Grade Pearls were, much less finding every single one of them at the same grade as it was mined with utmost care! "Good! Good!" The Princess repeated the words good twice as she saw Alexander wave his hands, the 36 Supreme Grade Effulgent Star Pearls floating towards her as she released a soft essence to wrap around them, putting them in her spatial item as the surprising being in front of her began to shimmer with the essence of Aether again. He could feel even more numbers of these Pearls within this star, and wasn''t bothered with repaying the favor of being brought to this Galaxy as he knew he would be collecting even more of them soon. "I''ll be right back, Princess. Give me a bit over a few hours to scour this entire Stellar Star for the Effulgent Pearls." The words had only registered in their ears briefly before they saw his figure go towards an adjacent mountain at fast speeds, many of them still standing in the air while not knowing what to do! As for Noah, he had read the descriptions of the Supreme Grade pearls from the Eyes of Truth as they told him he could forge 10 Stars with a single one of these pearls, and he knew a few hundred lay within this single Stellar Star alone. This meant that for him to reach the 1000 Stars mark that many beings met before they attempted to form their Black Hole, all he would need was less than a hundred of these treasures to forge that many stars! But he didn''t want to stop there as he wondered, just what was the upper limit of stars he could forge before he could form his Black Hole? It was said that the more Stars one had in their Nebula, the better their chances were- so he wanted to form as many as he could before he even attempted to step into the Realm of Black Hole! But as he whizzed through this Stellar Star and did things even the natives could not do, he knew that he would definitely be reaching the Realm of Black Hole in just a matter of days if not hours because of the treasures of this Stellar Sky Galaxy. Truly worthy of making the trip! Unbeknownst to Noah and many more beings though, a great number of beings were covertly beginning their movements from the Burning Domains Galaxy as they moved with grand goals of conquest under the orders of a powerful Entity... Chapter 662: Hundreds Forged in Minutes! A bit over 3 hours passed since Noah''s proclamation to scour the Stellar Star in front of them for all the Pearls hidden within. Above this particular Stellar Star, the natives and Andreas had their own group standing not too far from the Imperial Princess who was sweetly talking with her maids. None of them seemed to hold any worry as they took the words of the being known as Alexander with complete confidence, the hours passing by in no time as they felt the aura of the same genius being come towards them at this moment. WAA! Noah appeared like a flash of light in the starry space above the Stellar Star, looking below it with a smile as it had truly granted him too much this time around! The Princess and everyone else looked expectantly towards him as they wondered just what his boon would be, and he did not delay as he waved his hands and caused the appearance of numerous silver-sparkling Pearls. The experts that began to count them trembled every time they finished, as they confirmed with their own eyes the sparkling and misty appearance of over 400 Supreme Grade Effulgent Star Pearls! "This...this is enough to potentially produce 4 Black Hole experts!" "Incredible!" "How is this possible?!" Disbelief spread out as many beings reeled from the situation around them, shocked to have the knowledge that over 400 Effulgent Star Pearls came out of this single Star. Normally, only a few tens of pearls would ever be mined from one star, with many of them destroyed during the mining process or if a count like 100 pearls was ever reached from any star- they would mostly be Middle Grade Pearls or Low Grade, never Supreme Grade! Even if there were 400 Low Grade Effulgent Star Pearls, they would not have a big reaction to it as they knew a Low Grade one could only allow a being to forge 1 or 2 stars. But Supreme Grade Pearls had the ability to allow one to form as much as 10 stars. Just 100 of them represented the 1000 Star requirement in a Nebula before one could try their luck to form a Black Hole! Yet this being in front of them had managed to bring out over 400 Effulgent Star Pearls of the highest grade from unknown methods, and he floated them in the star space as many looked over with envy and greed in their eyes. "Well, I had thought it would take us quite some time to gather and then absorb the treasures of this Galaxy to increase our Realm, but it seems you''ve done everything for us." The words of Anna Lexalius Dannicus stopped the thoughts of all the beings in their tracks as she floated next to the shimmering 400 Star Pearls. She turned her head towards the natives and Andreas as she released cold words. "We can take it from here and won''t be needing an escort. We''ll go through a few more Stellar Stars or Realms if need be or just to see the sights of this Galaxy itself." The words were extremely emotionless as Andreas nodded, waving his hands as some of the miners behind him returned to the Stellar Star below them, with others simply flying away to other locations as they still turned towards Alexander every now and then with shock. "You all watch over us as we cultivate, I''m curious of these treasures!" Anna''s voice rang out again as it commanded the 10 Black Hole experts and the 20 Nebula Realm beings acting as their guards, those in the Nebula Realm trying their best not to even look at the enticing Pearls that would allow them to forge over 1000 Stars if they could handle it. "You guys can partake!" The cheerful voice of Anna rang out towards her two maids, not even needing to tell Alexander as he had already grabbed onto one of the shimmering Effulgent Star Pearls that he collected. [Effulgent Star Pearl] (Supreme Grade) :: An expertly dug out Star Pearl that retained all of its essence entirely. Capable of allowing the user to forge 10 stars with it. In his hands, the Pearl began to melt as its essence passed through his hands and went towards the illusory Origin near his heart. The Nebula that represented his Origin, as well as the Nebulae of the Laws of Fire and Water continued to spin beautifully, there being a bit over 300 Stars currently in Noah''s Nebula. The cores of Fiends had been extremely helpful as they brought him to 300 forged stars, but this many treasured Effulgent Star Pearls in front of him could easily push him above 1000 stars as he wondered exactly what his limit would be! RUMBLE! As soon as the essence reached his origin, it shone with a silver luster that went to form the outlines of 10 stars, his Nebula spinning faster as it absorbed the law essence from the surroundings Law Origins as well as the atmosphere to finish condensing these 10 Stars. DING! All 10 Stars were swiftly forged as his Nebula continued to spin, Noah giving a light smile as he moved on to the next one and continued forging stars as easy as one could! The three girls that thought Alexander had given them enough surprises for today had to look up with surprised eyes again when they noticed that even though they were still absorbing their first Pearl and carefully forging their Stars, he had moved on to his third. He had such a rapid rate of absorption that they wondered if he was already a black hole that sucked in everything! This rapid rate of absorption continued as Noah soon passed 400 forged stars, then 600, then 800! He had absorbed over 50 Effulgent Star Pearls in the span of an hour forming nearly triple the number of stars he had in his Nebula during this time. Even the Imperial Princess and her maids had only been able to fully absorb 10 Pearls at around this same time! But Noah paid no heed as he continued, absorbing another 20 Pearls as he reached 1000 Stars. OOOOM! He felt strong vibrations ringing out from his Origin the moment he completed the 1000th Star, unique black light that actually sparkled draping over his Nebula as it signified he could choose to make the move of trying to form a Black Hole by making his Nebula collapse in on itself, using the force of the numerous stars to easily establish a Black Hole. But it was common knowledge that the more stars you forged, the higher chances to had of forming a Black Hole as well as increasing its strength! With the maximum number of stars forged in a being known to be 2000, Noah wanted to even bypass this number as he made a grand goal of creating the most powerful Black Hole from his Nebula. This meant that after he reached 1000 Stars...he ignored the newly appearing essence of sparkling darkness as he continued to absorb more Star Pearls! 1100, 1200...He continued as the stock of Effulgent Star Pearls quickly became reduced in front of him, a shocking cultivation session where he was making progress that would take others years to make in just a matter of minutes! --- As many beings went about their business across the cluster of Galaxies near the Nexus Galaxy and the Stellar Sky Galaxy, forces had begun moving in the Chaotic Void. Placed on enormous ancient vessels, a ridiculous number of Fiends with high realms of power spread out from the Burning Domains Galaxy silently as they spread towards many different locations. The shocking thing about them wasn''t that their numbers were in the millions or even billions, but the fact that they had a few tens of thousands of beings stepping out that had achieved extremely high realms! They didn''t bother sending dredges below the Nebula Rank, so their force was not large in quantity, but freakishly horrendous in quality! They were launching simultaneous attacks across multiple Galaxies to make sure there would be no reinforcements or even a chance for others to act, occupying everyone as they made them busy while achieving their goals! One of their biggest goals lay in the Stellar Sky Galaxy, where Vessels carrying 2 thousand Fiends at the Nebula Rank and slightly over two hundred Fiends at the Realm of Black Hole were prepared! This was a shocking force to be sent to one location, but this Galaxy was one that the Entity behind them wanted something from. Even more shocking was the number of Fiends at the Nebula and Black Hole rank, where no dredges of lesser power were sent! These were creatures that could not traverse in laws, but could easily achieve high Realms instead. Their shocking numbers would cause the scalps of many to tingle as there was a Fiend Emperor leading them, and he wasn''t alone as a being with the same aura as him stood not too far away while they traversed the Chaotic Void. This meant that 2 QUASAR Realm Fiends on top of over a 200 at the Realm of Black Hole Fiends and 2 Thousand Nebula Rank Fiends were all rushing towards a single Galaxy! It was strong enough force to cause the collapse of any common Galaxy, and it was headed towards the Stellar Sky Galaxy that only had a single QUASAR expert on it- its Ruler! It was bound to be a hectic and shocking oncoming days as Noah was still at the Nebula Realm absorbing Effulgent Star Pearls in the Stellar Sky Galaxy... Chapter 663: Test the Limits! In the starry space near a Stellar Star of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, a beautiful scene of multicolored silver Star Pearls floating seamlessly in the air could be seen. For figures were floating around these Supreme Grade Star Pearls as they absorbed them serenely, with Noah coming to a stop at this moment as he saw a bit over 200 remained floating in the starry space. He had already absorbed a majority of the Pearls by himself, currently having over 1200 stars swiftly rotating within his Nebula. He wouldn''t finish the rest of them as they should be enough for the Imperial Princess and her maids to continue absorbing over the next few hours, so he simply made the decision to move out and find some more Star Pearls for himself to absorb! He did not feel any sort of limit as he forged more of them, so he would simply continue to do it until his very Nebula screamed that it couldn''t take anymore. He transmitted his thoughts to the Imperial Princess as her veiled figure broke her concentration to look towards him, a fairly reigned tone ringing out from her. "Thank you for collecting so many of them for us. You''ve repaid my favor over and above as it seems I owe you even more right now." The thankful words of the Princess reached his ears as he didn''t bother the concentrating maids, his figure disappearing silently as even the Protectors floating not too far from them only watched on. "I''ll regroup with you guys soon after I collect and absorb more of these Star Pearls." He left behind these words as he disappeared, delving further into the Stellar Sky Galaxy as he sought more Stellar Stars and even possibly Realms! His physical prowess was currently extremely monstrous, his speed being pushed to ridiculous degrees as multiple skills from the Terror of Aether Skill Tree continued to make him ridiculously proficient in the field of space. When adding on to him actually comprehending the law of space, it just compounded as he was like a fish swiftly swimming through native waters. He was a streak of light as he traversed the region they were in, coming across numerous stars as those termed Stellar were in the minority, but with half an hour he was able to see the silver shine of another Stellar Star as he descended down while covering his aura. There were natives mining on this star as well, and he didn''t want to waste any time introducing or explaining himself as essence wrapped around him as he caused his body to become smaller, miniaturizing himself to the size of a grain of sand as he then shot forth with great speed towards the earth of this Stellar Star! His small size would allow him to drill through relatively unannounced as Eyes of Truth already told him the locations of all the Effulgent Star Pearls of this planet, and he would switch from the destructive Aether he used to dig through into the potent Life Essence to simply mine and place the Pearls in his Expansive Space. But on his 5th Star Pearl on this Stellar Star where he was about to stow it away, he saw the inefficiency as even without plucking the pearl out, his tiny fingers landed on it as he began absorbing it right then and there, all the essence of this Pearl being sucked out in a matter of seconds! He felt the formation of 10 extra stars as he nodded thoughtfully, continuing to go through the Star efficiently as he found the locations of these treasured Pearls and absorbed all of them without reservations. After an hour, he had found and absorbed 150 more Pearls, easily amassing another 1500 Stars within his Nebula! The aura of sparkling darkness that descended after he reached the 1000 point continued to become ever denser and brighter, telling him that he could choose to try forming his Black Hole with relative ease at this moment if he wished as he had over 2700 stars within his Nebula! This was an extra 1700 compared to the 1000 goal that many beings sought, even the most dreadful geniuses to be documented around the cluster of Galaxies near the Nexus Galaxy having the information of a powerful individual being able to forge as many as 2000 Stars before they embarked to form their Black Hole. It was a documented and researched fact that within Galaxies, actual Nebulae held around 700-1000 Stars, and that was where this magical number was contrived. Going above it meant exceeding the known limits of a Nebula! For Noah, as he saw the ridiculous usefulness of the Effulgent Star Pearls and the rate he forged his stars, his goals were extremely high as he asked himself- what stopped him from reaching 10,000 forged stars? Ten times what beings normally had before they broke through! But even further, what stopped him from going above and beyond? Thus, his gaze remained steadfast as he emptied the hidden reserves of the Star Pearls of this planet as well, gaining over 500 Pearls instantly as the number of stars within his Nebula rose to 6200. 6200! He felt boundless power as this was the equivalent strength of 6 Peak Nebula Rank experts all contained within him, causing his body''s explosive speed to only increase as he moved from this Stellar Star and went on to find the next. As he streaked across the starry space of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, he wished that this body also had the [Pocket Realm] that would have allowed him to use the abilities of his Infinite Realms that allowed him to find Treasures, but he could only rely on blind luck at this instance as he streaked across space. When his thoughts came to this, he laughed as he recalled that he had an ability that was actually called Blind Luck, and as if wanted to announce itself at this very moment, his eyes picked up a silver luster at a far corner of space to his right, halting his direction as he went towards this light right away! The light only became brighter and brighter as he neared, a bright smile blooming on his face as he found an enormous Silver Door seamlessly floating in space. [Gateway- Stellar Realm] :: A gateway that leads to a Stellar Realm filled with abundant life forms¡­ His Protagonist Trait put in some work as the third thing he came upon wasn''t another Stellar Star, but a grand Stellar Realm that should have been multiple times larger than any star! This meant an even more exorbitant amount of Effulgent Star Pearls that he could mine with the highest grade, and it meant an even more shocking number of stars could be forged within his Origin. His grain-sized miniaturized body went forward and touched the gateway as he quickly disappeared, entering his first Stellar Realm that was filled with an even more beautiful silver-colored luster! Chapter 664: We Shall Bathe in their Blood! The Stellar Realm was simply like an even larger Stellar Star, the unique color of silver presence throughout as it seemed like an ancient land untouched by the ravages of time. The number of natives in this Realm was even higher though, with each of them carrying out mining operations as they searched for the Effulgent Star Pearls themselves. This was the main job for many beings in this Stellar Sky Galaxy! Noah ignored all of them as his militarized body sunk into the earth, continuing his own search as he repeated the same process of absorbing as soon as he located them. The number of forged Stars within his Origin continued to explode upwards of 6000 as his body in the Novus Galaxy was experiencing great changes as well. Both Noah and the body of Alexander shared the same Origin, and thus a majority of things were shared between the two bodies! Law comprehensions and even something like progress in the Primal Propitious Physique were shared simultaneously, but the essence of his realm was the only thing that wasn''t simultaneously shared. This was the reason why Alexander had remained in the Star Forging Realm after the process of Transmigration, but had abruptly risen into the Nebula rank the moment the cores of a single being of that Realm landed in his hands. The process of Alexander forging stars was also even faster after he gained more cores from Fiends in the Devouring Hells Realm, catching up and beginning to exceed the number that the Original body of Noah had in the Novus Galaxy! Now that the situation was switched with the body of Alexander leading the way with over 6 thousand forged Stars within his Nebula, the body of Noah in the Novus Galaxy was having a stellar time as all it was required was for him to use the abundant Enhanced Essence of the galaxy and Infinite Realm he was in- this essence being enough to reproduce the forged stars that a part of his Origin had already created! In the past few hours as the absorption of the Effulgent Star Pearls continued, the body of Noah had already amassed over 2 thousand forged stars as a similar unique dark veil landed on his Nebulae, letting him know he could try breaking through and forming his Black Hole any time. So he continued on fearlessly as the body of Alexander began to locate and absorb even more pearls in the Stellar Realm, excited to see if a universal restriction or anything like that existed that would prevent him from completely shattering everything that was known about the forged stars of the Nebula Realm! --- As Noah continued actions that literally nobody else could take in the Stellar Sky Galaxy, a terrifying force approached not just this Galaxy, but 3 more that were in the cluster of Galaxies near the Nexus Galaxy. The forces were distributed fairly evenly, with over 200 Fiends in the Realm of Black Hole, over 2000 in the Nebula Realm, along with two Fiend Emperors at the shocking Realm of Quasar! A force such as this was heading towards the 3 Galaxies that were either Allies or under the Influence of the Nexus Galaxy, while the force heading towards the Nexus Galaxy itself was even more terrifying as it held double the experts at the Quasar Realm, and another being that the Fiend Emperors called an ''Elder''. This ''Elder''...was a terrifying existence that could not even be talked about at this moment... Among the 3 Galaxies targeted, the one that the Imperial Adjudicator was currently trying to stabilize, the Sanguine Galaxy- actually had no force going towards it, and this was purposeful! This, along with the huge force heading towards the Nexus Galaxy undetected were all just merely preparations. This was all preparation for the terrifying Imperial Adjudicator and the forces under him that would run to protect the Nexus Galaxy, and it was also just one of the schemes hatched by the Entity behind the Fiends to mask their true goals for this venture. Their main goal was a treasure in the Stellar Sky Galaxy, with the side goals of claiming influence over the Galaxies that had fallen under the reign of Imperials while diverting the attention of the Imperial Adjudicator to multiple attacks as they reduced his ability to make strategic decisions even further by taking control of the Stellar Sky Galaxy and holding his daughter hostage! For this mission, the party of Fiends under the two Quasar Fiend Emperors moved with vigor, the terrifying expressions of the two powerful creatures being extremely cruel at this moment as they silently traversed the Chaotic Void and neared the position of the Stellar Sky Galaxy. "Brother Blazing Earth, how will we locate the Treasure that Master wants us to find? A Galaxy is much too vast for us to search all of it before the Imperial Adjudicator retaliates and hinders us." One of the Fiend Emperors called out to the being that had reported to the Entity not too long ago and been directly given the mission of finding a Page of Ruination in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. This Fiend Emperor had his body tower over 4 meters in size as the terrifying wings and animalistic horns growing out of his head were extremely terrifying, his eyes filled with intense light as he replied with a guttural voice. "Master showed me the unique energy signature of that treasure. As long as it is within the Galaxy, I will be able to quickly scour it as I find whatever Star or Realm it''s hidden within in no time!" RUMBLE! His words were filled with belief and strengths as he continued. "There is only a single Quasar Expert within the Stellar Sky Galaxy, after we reap his life and take hold of the daughter of the Adjudicator, we can swiftly begin this mission as the experts of the other 4 Galaxies scramble to defend themselves without knowing our true goals." A fearsome plan was revealed as cruel smiles came upon the faces of the QUASAR Fiend Emperors, the 200 Fiends in the Realm of Black Hole and the even more numerous Fiends at the rank of Nebula contained within their Ancient Vessels shone with a menacing power! "Such puny and weak existences that only have a single Quasar ranked expert defends a Galaxy. They are about to know that we have multiple of such experts among our Brothers and Sisters, and even more terrifying Elders at the rank of the same thing they protect- GALAXY!" RUMBLE! The rank after Quasar was revealed from the monologue of a terrifying Fiend Emperor at this time, the luminous and heart-shaking realm that very few people understood and even fewer people knew about- The GALAXY Realm. "After we rip apart the Quasar Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, we can bathe in the blood of their so-called experts as we search for the Treasure that even they do not know exist, nobody being able to stand in our way¡­" "And after that pesky Adjudicator is taken care of by Elder Oswald, what can they do but despair? This cluster of Galaxies will fall to our control as we begin to finally let our name known to all the Ancient Powers of this Dark Universe...as we finally build a bastion to protect all Fiends and never be enslaved again!" Cruel lights passed through the eyes of the QUASAR ranked experts as they neared the Stellar Sky Galaxy that had a Protagonist still rapidly moving in the Realm of Nebula. The power difference was vast and the gulf of strength was wide, and the shocking conflict was about to be even more glorious!!! Chapter 665: The Adjudicators Gaze There are such things known as limits. Normally, people adhere to these limits as they reach an upper boundary of something, and they are satisfied with it as they then proceed forward in another direction! Yet for Noah...he was currently looking at a limit, and then simply chose to bypass it! As he traversed through the large Stellae Realm, he found and absorbed a few hundred Pearls as he neared the 10,000 boundary of forged Stars within his Nebula, where he was currently at 9,999 Yet when he neared this number that should have been a limit his eyes remained impassive as he didn''t seem that impressed! 10,000 would be ten times the normal amount of forged Stars that any recently known beings had undertaken, but to someone like Noah who had risen so quickly from just absorbing treasures of a specific galaxy, it made him hungry for more. Other beings would have counted their lucky stars and embarked on the formation of a Black Hole right away, but Noah simply watched as the 10,000th Star completed forging, causing a huge change to occur once again within his Nebula. RUMBLE! It vibrated with the immensity of power one would even wonder if this could be considered a Nebula anymore, the vast amounts of stars being truly too much to wrap one''s head around! With the 10,000 count reached, the sparkling layer of darkness that had descended down when he reached 1000 was replaced, his eyes watching as he saw the essence of the surrounding Law Origins somehow resonating with his Nebula at this instant, the rainbow-colored essence of the Universal Laws themselves beginning to descend onto his Nebula as they draped over them magnificently. This caused for the ten thousand stars within his Nebula to shimmer with colorful splendor, the shone of his Nebula at this moment screaming magnificence! He was constantly receiving an indication in his mind from his very own Nebula that if he chose to so at this moment, he could very easily form a Black Hole. His Origin seemed to be nearly screaming to him as it said- ''You''ve worked hard, let me go on to the next stage now!'' Yet as he saw the active Nebula and the swirling of universal law essence around it, he remained impassive and unimpressed as he went towards the next location in the Stellar Realm that held another Effulgent Star Pearl. This was because even as his Origin screamed for him to do something else, his own Intuition and ability as a Grand Controller of the Law of Fate told him he would find something much bigger if he continued going! So he simply ignored the shocking number of the 10,000 milestone as he asked himself- ''Why stop there?!'' RUMBLE! A wild and unruly thought, a thought that would bring about immense consequences! Instead of a measly 10,000 stars that were 10 times the normal amount, Noah''s only thought was what exactly stopped him from gaining 100x the normal amount? The answer would only be given in time as he continued the rapid absorption of unique treasures, unknown movements continuing to occur unbeknownst to him¡­ --- In the Sanguin Galaxy, the ruling powers were being reorganized as this recently conquered Galaxy by the Imperials came into agreement with the Imperial Adjudicator to be placed under the influence and rule of the Nexus Galaxy. The Imperial Adjudicator himself was present as he looked at the many regions of the Sanguin Galaxy and the unique treasures they held that promoted law comprehension and the increased growth of Traits, his insight being one of the things that continued to allow the reign of Imperials to remain steadfast over the last thousands of years! He was also extremely careful of everything he did over the years as this attribute of his got him where he was today. Unbeknownst to even himself though, he had recently tripped up when it came to something close to him, and it would bring with it a painful lesson¡­ "Hmm?" It felt like a buzzing intuition at first, but the same being that was talking to and had granted the Imperial Princess permission to traverse into another Galaxy- this same being rose from a wide room of an enormous fortress as he felt something! The fortress he was in was located in what could be considered the ''Central Realm'' of the Sanguine Galaxy, and this was where he was releasing all his commands as he monitored the movements of beings and the unearthing of the treasured resources from now on. Yet from the room he was in, he stood up as his deep and starry eyes looked above, piercing through the fortress and even the boundaries of the Central Realm, and then it went even further as it seemed to see past the entire Sanguine Galaxy! This gaze was inquisitive at first as it seemed to have seen far too much, becoming grim in a matter of seconds as he erupted with shocking power that instantly shattered everything in the room to dust. A shout could then be heard throughout the Sanguine Galaxy as it entered the ears of all experts at the Nebula Rank and above no matter if they were natives of Imperials! "Fiends are laying siege to the Nexus Galaxy! All able-bodied Imperials and those under our control- set off to defend at once!" RUMBLE! Shockingly, the Imperial Adjudicator had noticed the moments of the Fiends right before they entered the Nexus Galaxy, calling for defenders to move out right away as he also began sending numerous messages for the Generals in the Nexus Galaxy to be ready. RIIP! His own figure tore through the surrounding space as he traversed to leave the Sanguine Galaxy right away, not even taking the Void Beasts that were pulling a grand Imperial Vessel larger than any other in the periphery of the Sanguine Galaxy. This was because this being known as the Imperial Adjudicator could move even faster than the Void Beasts in the Chaotic Void, and he was truly in a hurry as he somehow noticed terrifying auras nearing around the Galaxy he controlled! Thus, he rushed out at extreme speeds while commanding his forces to do the same, but what he had yet to find out was that it was not just a single Galaxy that being laid siege to today¡­ Chapter 666: A Terrible Ordeal! At the same moment, the Imperial Princess was finishing absorbing her 119th Supreme Grade Effulgent Star Pearl, her Nebula brimming with stars over 1300 as one added those she already had before coming on this trip here. She was having the most peaceful time cultivating as she made enough progress in a matter of hours that would normally need tens of years, if not hundreds! Yet she wasn''t alone in this as the boon was extended to her two maids that were also brimming with power. And all of this...was made possible by a single being that continued to defy all expectations. Anna thought of the singular mystery known as Alexander King who still had not returned as she was about to grab another Pearl to absorb. Even though she knew she could try and form her Black Hole right away, she wanted to continue absorbing more Pearls as she forged more stars, knowing the more she could forge the better her chances and talent. She was reaching for this Pearl when she suddenly felt an intense aura of wild madness and power, her veiled face turning upwards from the starry space of the Stellar Sky Galaxy as they seemed to pierce through the layers of stars and see the Chaotic Void outside it! RUMBLE! It was also at this moment that the 10 Black Hole Rank experts assigned to protect her also felt something, those in the Nebula realm feeling it as all their gazes turned upwards in a shocked fashion. This was because they could sense a tremendously powerful aura of wild and maddened power that some of them were familiar with, but this wasn''t the more shocking thing! The more shocking thing was that these auras...were just too many! Those that were even more perceptive were able to notice that among these domineering auras, there were two that were particularly horror inducing as the faces of all the Nebula Rank experts turned ashen. WAA! The 10 Black Hole experts instantly surrounded the party of the Imperial Princess as they picked up their communication medallions that had begun to light up with information, but it wasn''t one that they wanted to hear as it told them of a shocking attack coming to the Nexus Galaxy. They felt their words stuck to their throats as they had wanted to report that an attack had reached the Stellar Sky Galaxy, the same Galaxy where the daughter of the Imperial Adjudicator was at! Anna rose from her positions as the two maids surrounded her even closer, her piercing gaze seeing shocking things as at this moment, powerful auras entered the Stellar Sky Galaxy wildly. Filling ancient looking Vessels that could traverse the Chaotic Void, the race of Fiends they knew all too well made their entrance into the Stellar Sky Galaxy, and all that noticed them were shocked when they observed their sheer numbers. It wasn''t something in the billions or trillions that would make someone shake their heads in wonder, but it was merely a small number of around 2,000. Then there was an even smaller number of around 200. And an even smaller number of 2! They were actually small numbers, but they represented extremely shocking identities that made those looking at them treat them with more horror than even if it was a trillion enemies. This was because the 2000 represented Fiends in the Nebula Realm, the 200 represented Fiends into the Realm of Black Hole, and the 2 represented Fiend Emperors standing stably in the QUASAR stage! The faces of the 10 Black Hole experts protecting the Imperial Princess turned ashen as they saw the scene of these intruders, but yet another aura appeared thereafter that somewhat caused them to breathe easier. RUMBLE! From the center of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, a being shimmering with silver and white light as bright as a star made his way over, their eyes that saw from far away observing this being to actually appear not too far away from their position as he looked at the invading forces of Fiends that silently went towards a certain location in a straight line- towards the very spot that the Imperial Princess and her guards were at. But the being that had appeared between them was someone extremely special, the being known as the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy! The party of the Imperial Princess and others could see all this very closely because they had just entered the Stellar Sky Galaxy a few hours ago, and had stayed in the periphery of the first Stellar Star they found as they were very close to the boundary of the Galaxy. So when the Fiends neared and entered, their auras picked them up. But this also meant...the powerful Fiends also picked up their signatures and knew who they were, actually making a bee line right towards them! But it was at this moment that this Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy appeared, his gaze bubbling with fury as he glanced at the terrifying force of Fiends atop the ancient Vessels. "What do you want with my Galaxy that you Fiends would send your entire force here?! What have we done to wrong you?!" RUMBLE! The voice of the Ruler rang out clearly for all to pick up as the ancient vessels carrying the Fiends forward did not stop, another voice merely coming out coldly as they moved unhindered towards their goals. "Our entire force? You think too highly of yourselves, humans. This is merely but one force from the many that finally embarked from our glorious Burning Domains¡­" ¡­! "...As for our purpose, it is naturally your Galaxy...as well as the little spawn of a princess that was nice enough to be very close." RUMBLE! Many beings felt their hearts shaking as they heard and understood the meaning of these words, some beginning to feel fear seep deep into their bones as they really confirmed the enemies invading in front of them. Even the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy that shone with the luster of a small sun shook as he himself was only at the QUASAR Realm, and he could see two beings of the same rank as himself standing to oppose him, the one who just spoke being particularly more powerful! As he floated in the starry space of his Galaxy, his heart twisted as he knew they had stepped into a terrifying ordeal. A truly terrifying and terrible ordeal of powerful enemies! From the same direction that the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy had come from, thousands of lights that each signified powerful beings began to gather, those that were defenders of this Galaxy coming forward with shaking hearts. Andreas could be seen amongst the many beings as they made their way forward. Within the group of thousands, only a bit over 30 Black Hole experts could be seen, slightly over 200 beings at the Nebula Realm, and the rest were Star Forgers! Even though their hearts felt an incredibly cold chill, they still came forward to defend their Galaxy. Near the mined Stellar Star, the party surrounding the Imperial Princess shook as they looked towards Anna in despair, never in their lives thinking this being would be targeted, and they would be the ones protecting her! The Princess in question herself seemed extremely poised as her veiled gaze still looked up and observed the approaching ancient vessels with shocking auras, the two Maids nearest to her that were shaken themselves only hearing a sigh from her as she waved her hands and caused the appearance of a shimmering golden-green medallion. A few million miles away from them, from the doorway of the Stellar Realm that a particular someone ahead entered not too long ago- he came out once again as his eyes also stared towards the periphery of the Stellar Sky Galaxy as he saw the shocking invading force assembled and making their way. In the middle of forging thousands of stars within his Nebula, Noah came out to find a nauseating number of enemies multiple ranks above him make their entrance into the third Galaxy he had stepped into! Chapter 667: Dont Worry! In the Chaotic Void, a being that looked like an exploding sun shone brilliantly in the utter darkness as he tore through the void while making haste towards the Nexus Galaxy. Numerous teleportation stations were used by him as he traveled even faster than Void Beasts, the trip that would have taken vessels hours being grounded down to mere minutes by him! As he was soon about to reach the Nexus Galaxy, he took out his Command Medallion that could receive many messages and communications in times of emergencies to check the situation, and his blazing speed came to a halt instantly as he picked up more information from the Medallion. WAA! He came to a stop in the Chaotic Void as he was just a few minutes away from reaching the Nexus Galaxy, the thing that brought him to a stop being the news that it was not just the Nexus Galaxy that was being attacked, but the 3 other Galaxies under their control as well as...the Stellar Sky Galaxy! His face turned extremely grim as more communications finally entered from the Black Hole experts sent to protect a special someone adventuring within this Galaxy, revealing shocking information about the purpose of the invaders who had stated clearly what they wanted. His body shook as he heard many messages coming in that revealed horrendous information of powerful forces of Fiends led by QUASAR ranked experts on each of these Galaxies, with the Nexus Galaxy facing an even more terrifying force! But none of this was the reason that made the face of this Imperial Adjudicator turn grim. It was the information that the Fiends attacking the Stellar Sky Galaxy had his daughter as one of their goals. This was the reason he came to a stop in the middle of the Chaotic Void, not continuing to go towards the Nexus Galaxy that was just a few minutes away now! It was because he knew his precious daughter was in danger! This fearsome commander that ruled an entire Galaxy, this being that held the title of a Ruler of a Galaxy...his heart was currently burning with wrath and pain as the Galaxy he swore to protect and had everything he had built was under attack, but his one and only daughter was also being targeted by the same enemies in a terrible plot. He came to a stop as he could not make a decision on whether he should go save his daughter...or save his Galaxy! Ah! BUZZ At this moment, the Command Medallion rang again as the Imperial Adjudicator received another communication, and this time it was from someone special as it drowned out all the other voices coming out of the Medallion, the body of the Adjudicator shaking as he heard a sweet voice that made his heart feel like it was being squeezed. "Daddy." ---- In the Stellar Sky Galaxy. As the force of powerful Fiends was descending down, Anna took out a Medallion as she sent her voice into it quickly while hoping for a reply. It was a Medallion only to be used for emergencies, and a pretty shocking emergency showed itself in front of her at this time as she called out, "Daddy." The voice of a daughter calling for her father was calm and composed, her heart only stirring when she heard the reply of the powerful voice she was always used to. "Anna, are you safe? The Fiends¡­" "There''s a decent amount of them arriving at the Stellar Sky Galaxy. Hearing their words, it seems they probably sent another force just like it if not more powerful to our home." The voice of Anna was calm as she analyzed the words of the Fiend Emperor and quickly came to a conclusion, the voice on the other end going quiet as it heard these words! "Don''t worry about me, Daddy. You need to go protect our home." RUMBLE! A shocking truth was revealed as the Imperial Princess put many pieces of the puzzle together purely from the words of the Fiend Emperor that they were just one of the many forces of Fiends sent out, realizing that the Nexus Galaxy as well as other Galaxies could also be under simultaneous attacks. But she went even further as she knew her father was in the Sanguine Galaxy, and he should have now known of these attacks as he would either be setting off to protect the Nexus Galaxy...or someone special that had just stepped outside of it! She was very thoughtful as she knew at this point, her father would be placed in a huge dilemma as the lives of trillions hung in the balance along with the Galaxy he ruled over...while he contemplated all of this for his daughter who was in another targeted Galaxy light years away. "Anna¡­" A voice filled with intense pain and wrath was the only thing that came out from the Medallion, the maids Maya and Raya besides the Princess who was surrounded by the 10 Black Hole experts also looking towards the Princess as they began to tear up. When Anna heard her Father''s voice again, she smiled lightly as she knew he had already made the difficult decision! "Don''t worry about me, our home is much more important, you know? Mom is there, my annoying aunties, even the pompous nephews along with trillions of others¡­" Her voice was always calm and collected, but it had begun trembling near the end as she knew there were many uncertainties to come in the next few minutes! She was about to continue as she wanted to tell her father she loved him, these words serving a shocking meaning that might have even made the Adjudicator change his mind. But it was at this moment that she spatial fluctuations near them, her gaze noticing the reappearance of the being she knew as Alexander. Towards this particular genius that she had invited and embroiled into this situation, she wanted to sigh as her eyes caught her face, and she had to do a double take! Her perceptive eyes saw the expression of Alexander was the same as always, the same expression that had appeared multiple times before he threw ridiculous surprises their way. As he now stared up towards the few hundreds of thousands of miles where ancient Vessels filled with Fiends were coming towards them, she saw that his expression was as calm as ever, and it didn''t have any ounce of fear! Her heart settled as she saw this expression, pulling back the words of telling her father she loved him that would serve as a goodbye. She instead spoke sweetly again just like when she was asking him for permission to leave the Nexus Galaxy. "Take care of them without a worry Daddy, I''ll see you in a bit." WAA! She finished these words as she put the Medallion away, glancing towards Maya and Raya, and then towards the powerful genius calmly watching the scene playing out in front of him. She looked at the calmness of this being''s eyes as she wondered, in the face of all of this when even her Black Hole Protectors seemed to be quaking, what was giving this being the strength to be so calm? Chapter 668: Vector Controller! In the Chaotic Void where the Imperial Adjudicator had come to a stop, his body exploded with even more power the moment the words of his daughter finished, his heart filled with such intense wrath that even the Chaotic Void around him warped and shook! A part of his brain noticed that his daughter had not said goodbye to him, only that she would see him in a bit. It meant that even his daughter held some form of hope that even with the terrifying plots and enemies against them, she saw a possibility of coming out of it alive! Just this small possibility made the Adjudicator blaze with even more power, continuing his path towards the Nexus Galaxy as the fate of his daughter was left up in the air. But now, his power blazed even brighter as he saw a possibility for him to dave both his Galaxy and his daughter, but he would have to act as quickly as possible and crush all enemies before he could go on to save the thing dearest to him! RUMBLE! His shocking aura that seared the very Chaotic Void itself thundered towards the Nexus Galaxy, where it wasn''t just those at the Black Hole and Quasar Realm that was targeting this particular galaxy¡­ --- In the Stellar Sky Galaxy. Anna''s eyes closed as she sensed the trembling protectors around her, the teary Maids nearest to her, as well as the calm Alexander further from her. She felt all of this as she looked within her Nebula, seeing the over 1300 Stars that were forged and the dark light that signified she could try forging her Black Hole at this moment if she wished! She had wanted to wait some more as she stabilized her Realm before proceeding forward, but her languid eyes that were glancing at everything around her became even calmer at this moment as while she looked towards her Nebulae, she gave a single command. Break through! RUMBLE! The space around her shook as even the Maids were slightly pushed back at the pressure, looking towards Anna as they sensed a terrifying gravitational force enveloping her. This caused their eyes to open wide as they knew what this gravitational force signified- it was what would be observed anytime a being tried to break through into the Realm of Black Hole! The Nebula at their very center would be used as a sacrifice to produce a terrifying Black Hole with a tremendous gravitational force that threatened to devour the being trying to break through if they were not strong enough. The more stars one had in their Nebula when they broke through, the more stable their Black Hole would be as they had best hope their bodies were also strong enough to withstand the initial force of the Black Hole and successfully finish its formation. One must know, a Black Hole normally forms because of the death of a massive star, when such a planetary body has depleted its thermonuclear fuel at its very core, it becomes unstable and then proceeds to gravitationally collapse inward upon itself! What a being had to do when going into the Black Hole Realm...they had to utilize their Nebulae filled with over 1000 stars as they gave the command for it to collapse within itself for the formation of a grand and powerful Black Hole. The result...was something ecstatic! The protectors of the Princess looked towards her location with strained eyes as they saw what she chose to do, their bodies beginning to glow with power as they prepared to lay down their lives if they had to on this day. The force of the Stellar Sky Galaxy that had also neared saw this breakthrough, their eyes then moving towards the incoming Ancient Vessels carrying Fiends as many of them simply shook their heads in despair. What could a single new entrant into the Realm of Black Hole do? They had over 200 of such Fiends in the Black Hole Realm as they even held two QUASAR experts! So what if you broke through right now? Their eyes were filled with despair but also a tinge of hate, as they heard the aims of the Fiends was their galaxy and this Imperial Princess, attributing the fault of them being targetted to her. Anna paid no attention to this as her heart remained calm, the gravitational force threatening to absorb her body and extinguishing her life being wiped away instantly as she used her EPSILON ranked Trait- [Vector Controller]. To a being with a Trait such as that, what gravitational force could they not repulse or nullify?! OOOOH! Her languid eyes opened wide beneath the veil as she instantly wiped away the terrifying obstacle that came with forming a Black Hole, the terrifying gravitational force disappeared as the Nebula within her that had imploded within itself came down to stabilize...coalescing together as vibrantly, a glimmering Black Hole was being born. An extremely hard breakthrough that should have taken some time and effort to occur was easily cleared by the terrifying Imperial Princess, her veil widely flapping for a second as it threatened to fly off. "Haaa¡­" A distinct sound of someone breathing out calmly could be heard as Anna reigned in the wild essence pulsing off of her, completely placing her black hole under control as a powerful aura began to rise from her. Her maids and protectors looked towards her in a stupor as they seemed to want to ask. ''Was that it? You had already broken through?!'' But the stupor was ignored by her as she channeled her abundant energy of this new realm that was sucking in all the essence around her, fully utilizing her EPSILON ranked Trait of controlling vectors as she utilized a high level ability she had just begun to understand. "Plasma Generation." Sweet words escaped her lips as immensity thundered out. WAA! A gorgeous color of blue and purple erupted as the Vector Controller increased the vibration rate of the atoms around her so much until she began to coalesce...plasma! If one was knowledgeable, they would know that plasma is a superheated electrically charged ionized gas that is so extremely hot, causing even electrons to be ripped away from the atoms to form this ionized gas. This extremely dreadful Plasma had begun to coalesce around Anna, warping the nearby space from its searing heat as it even caused the Maids Maya and Raya to pull back from their sheer scorching temperature. Yet this blue-purple plasma erupted out from the back of Anna Lexalis Dannicus as it formed into a majestic shape of stellar wings, wings made of pure plasma would scorch anyone but the Vector Controller! As these wings were in the process of forming, Anna''s hands magnificently opened to her sides as the baleful plasma formed there as well...in the form of a long cylindrical rope that seemed to turn into a whip as she grasped this destructive plasma with her bare hands. RUMBLE! Their formation wasn''t alone as scorching balls of plasma began to erupt all around her, a shocking image of a terrifying creature being created in the Stellar Sky Galaxy as the Imperial Princess became surrounded by plasma, her eyes cold as they stared fearlessly towards the far distance where powerful Fiends stood! Not too far from her, Noah saw all of this happening as numerous thoughts crossed his mind while calculating the situation around them, his eyes hiding a lustrous shine as it seemed he was plotting something... Chapter 669: Yggdrasil Takes Root Among the Stars! I The defenders of the Stellar Sky Galaxy gathered under the QUASAR ranked Ruler of this Galaxy as they watched the unhindered Ancient Vessels of the Fiends rush towards them. Many of them were fearful as they did not even have the will to attack first, seeing how outnumbered they were by the many Fiends. They had over 200 beings in the Realm of Black Hole while they had slightly over 50 when the defenders of the Imperial Princess were combined, and while the number of Nebula rank individuals they had were in the hundreds, the Fiends were above 2000! To top it all off, they only had a single QUASAR ranked expert while the other side had two! Faced with such a line up, who would not despair? The answer was very few special beings! One was the transformed Imperial Princess that had a shocking look of a being clad in scorching plasma, even the nearby Nebula rank individuals feeling this searing heat as they pulled back in fear. The wings made of plasma erupting behind her seemed to make her unique charm and power even more lustrous as they did not harm her one bit, the control this woman had over the minute atomic particles being extremely frightening. The other being that wasn''t shitting his pants amidst all of this was naturally Noah! He had heard the shaking words of the Fiends reverberating through the nearby stars, coming out of the Stellar Realm where he had continued to absorb numerous Effulgent Star Pearls as he forged more stars within his Nebula. Currently, he was sitting over 16,000 stars as his Nebula felt extremely robust and vibrant, and the intrusion of these beings made him look around in surprise as he complained within. These were extremely powerful enemies, with two that were shockingly two Realms above him! He wasn''t fearful as he knew he could run away whenever he wished, and none of these beings were even aiming or looking at someone like him as he seemed to be a small figure in this expansive galaxy. But was running ever part of his skill set? The answer was no! He also could not turn tail and teleport away since the person with a singular identity in the Nexus Galaxy had already connected herself to him, and he would be taking an easy path if he continued to stay near her as he went on to try and complete the Protagonist Trait that required him to play a central role in the Nexus Galaxy. As he looked at all of these factors...he chose to stay and fight! He would fight, but of course, he would not throw his life away. So his mind had moved as a few plans formed, and he began adapting to the situation right away as he acted based on his thoughts. The first thing he did was the moment after he left the Stellar Realm, two drops of blood dripped from him as they floated imperceptibly across the starry space, hiddenly beginning to form into the shape of a humanoid being not too long after as for the first time as Alexander- the Ancient Blood Clones were reproduced! An ability stemming from the [Blood Lord] skill tree continued to be just as useful as ever, making Noah keen on continuing this Skill Tree and even the ignored Law of Chaos skill tree. The clones that stemmed from the ability fully formed as they had a singular mission- to continue searching for and absorbing the Effulgent Star Pearls on any Stellar Realms and Stellar Stars lying in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. His goal was to push his number of forged stars as high as possible, and the situation in front of him...was extremely helpful towards that goal if he played it well! There were over 2000 Fiends in the rank of Nebula aboard the Ancient Vessels, and 200 more in the Realm of Black Hole on top of that. He did not even begin to think that he could take down the QUASAR ranked beings as was right now, so he focused on the Fiends of lower rank as he knew if he could take many of them down and absorb their cores...coupled with his clones searching for and absorbing the Effulgent Star Pearls, he was bound to have an explosive growth unlike any other! He was not sure how hard of a fight it would be against the Fiends in the Realm of Black Hole, nor what his absorbing of the cores of these beings would provide in terms of forged stars. At these high Realms of Power, one needed to accumulate a large amount of essence before they could proceed forward, and Noah had yet to even confirm the path forward after establishing his Black Hole. But that would not prevent him from trying to take down experts of such a level as he tested exactly what they would give. Cores! Skill Points! Whatever other loot they brought with them! His eyes shone with a greedy light as he planned to use this terrifying ordeal that had many beings despairing and fearful into an opportunity! The only reason he was somewhat confident besides the fact that he could easily teleport away...was when his thoughts went towards a certain skill that he had received from an Ultimate Law not too long ago. His eyes turned into slits as he stared into the stat panel to observe its shocking percentages once more. [Yggdrasil](5/5) :: An ability that most beings cannot keep active for longer than a few minutes because of its immense mana requirements, but a worthy ability of a user of the Law of Life. Project your comprehension of the Law of Life outwards as you take on the form of an ancient tree lost in the vicissitudes of time. In this form, the user gains +3000% Physical and Soul Defense, +3000% to All Damage, +5000% Health and Mana Regeneration, +3000% Increased Area of Effect on all Abilities, +3000% Increased Attack Speed, +100% Universal Laws Resistance Penetration, +100% to all Universal Laws Resistance, +10% Vitality Returned Each Time an Enemy is hit by an Attack. All enemies struck by your branches gain the [Withered] status effect. All Allies struck by your branches gain the [Boosted Life Force] status effect. The user will also gain a Life Shield after every 10 minutes this ability is kept active. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Life] ability.) With such boosts of this ability that many others could not even keep active for a few minutes, he felt like he should be able to withstand Black Hole Realm experts while being able to butcher those in the Nebula Realm freely! He could already take care of Nebula Rank Fiends with ease as he saw in the Devouring Hells Realm of the Nexus Galaxy where some of them were imprisoned, and he was basing his plans on this. The only thing he would have to watch out for and carefully navigate was the presence of the two QUASAR ranked Fiends. He did not have much information on the fearsome power of this Realm, nor did he know if the being known as the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy would be able to stand against one of the Fiends, much less two! As he glanced at the image of the Imperial Princess clad in purple-blue wings of plasma, he could feel an unshaken gaze that let him know help might be coming because of the identity of this being, but the words of the QUASAR Fiend also let him know that the Nexus Galaxy was most likely under attack. Help would not be coming anytime soon, and they were most likely on their own! As the Ancient Vessels of the Fiends neared and he sensed the space shattering power of the two at the forefront, he breathed out calmly as his nerves settled and his mind turned clear. He sensed the Imperial Princes and her maids not too far away, the protectors steeling their resolves to defend with their lives, and the defenders of the Stellar Sky Galaxy standing behind their Ruler as they prepared for a clash where their lives would most likely be lost. His eyes then closed as he spread his arms out freely and called out. [Yggdrasil]. ¡­ RUUUUUUUUMBLE! At this moment, a Primeval Ancient Tree had taken root in the starry space of the Stellar Sky Galaxy. Chapter 670: Yggdrasil Takes Root Among the Stars! II RUUUUUUUUMBLE! A magisterial display of mana freely erupted out as it drew the attention of many, even the oncoming QUASAR ranked Fiend Emperors looking away from the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy to briefly glance at this display! Not too far from the party of the Imperial Princess, a flash of green began spreading out wildly as they observed the appearance of a bud, and then watched as a trunk filled with branches came to be, incandescent green leaves erupting thereafter as the sight was breathtaking to say the least. "That is¡­" "A skill from the Ultimate Law of Life!" Many beings went into a stupor as they observed the stupendous show, especially the Law Masters among the party of Black Hole and Nebula rank experts. Some of them were Controllers, and a few had the titles of Grand Controllers as they fully comprehended the laws of Fate and Chaos. Some were even more proficient and had made great gains in their path as Assimilators, embarking on the path to make the universal laws a part of them! Yet as they looked at the eruption of this singular skill, they had to take a step back and look multiple times because of the sheer grandness of it. It was manageable when it first began, but they watched with widening eyes as the budding tree grew an incandescent green color and grew rapidly, numerous roots erupting our beneath it as they wriggled wildly across the starry space, its branches flailing with even more figure as they stretched out and grew luscious leaves! 200 meters! 500 meters! 2000 meters! 3 Miles! The Primeval Tree continued to spread its roots and branches throughout the expansive space as the party of the Imperial Princess watched in wonder as numerous roots passed around them and covered everything in front of them. The greenery blazing off of this primeval tree was extremely blinding as a hue of green spread out, even the Imperial Princess in a grand form surrounded by scorching plasma looking up with wonder. WAA! Sitting over 5 miles, Yggdrasil stopped growing as its branches shook with vigor, green starlight shooting off from them as the abundant aura of life spread out with ease! The party of the Imperial Princess under the influence of the Primeval Tree felt their essence responding with vigor and crying out with wanting, drinking the essence of life that enhanced all other laws it came in contact with. Many beings still looked forward in a stupor as their despair was taken down somewhat, with a few of them having come across Life Law Masters who could use such a skill before! "That is¡­the [Yggdrasil] ability, right?" One could not help but ask out loud as they tried to match what they knew about the skills under the law of Life and the phenomenon they were seeing today. "It''s too big¡­" "The biggest I''ve seen was a hundred meters, and the exalted Life Law Master could only keep it up for a minute. This exalted Law Master having his over 5 miles...how can he¡­?!" Shock and disbelief spread throughout the minds of many as the eyes of the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy shone, feeling the pressure and despair he felt towards his Galaxy slightly lessen as he observed the power of this new ally. But only lessen, the despair he felt was still huge as he saw no way of combating two QUASAR ranked individuals alone! But at this point, some gasps began to occur as the many experts observed the branches of the Primeval Tree to begin moving with vigor, their targets being the allies around it as many became apprehensive. The tree seemed to feel this as it directed three branches towards the Imperial Princess and her two Maids first. The guards were ready to act when they saw the hand of Anna rise up to stop them, the hand she raised going towards the branch that was coming towards her with a purpose. PA! A brilliant green light shined the moment her hand came in contact with the branch that Noah extended, the same scene repeated with Maya and Raya as these three beings felt an overabundance of Life Essence begin to flow through them! The effect of [Boosted Life Force] was applied to the beings hit with the branches of the Primeval Tree, the dense essence making their bodies feel full of life as any injuries they sustained would be healed rapidly! As the guards saw the vibrant Life Essence erupting out from the Princess and her maids the moment the branches struck them, they let down their reservation as they allowed the branches of the enormous tree to wriggle around and freely hit them. PA! PA! PA! Spectacular sounds rang out through the starry space as enormous widespread buffs were applied, the defenders of the Stellar Sky Galaxy seeing this as the Ruler gave out a command. "Join with the Imperial Princess of the Nexus Galaxy and her protector. We shall aid them while protecting our Galaxy!" The command spread out through the minds of the few thousand beings as they turned into streaks of light towards a shimmering green resplendent Primeval Tree. They surrounded it as they waited for tremendous buffs that would make their fight much easier, hoping the exalted Law Master would be able to last a long enough time before he finished all his mana! Far in the distance, the two Fiend Emperors at the QUASAR Realm saw this as they merely harrumphed, seeing that while the power of this Life Law Master seemed to be unique, they did not sense the aura of a being at the QUASAR Realm from it. To them, that was enough to treat it as nothing! Thus, they continued forward as the 2 thousand Nebula ranked Fiends began to weave out of the Ancient Vessels, the 200 in the Realm of Black Hole also releasing their shocking auras as they overpowered the fewer forces coming to gather around the enormous tree. Most of all, an eruption of frightful power erupted out from the bodies of the 2 QUASAR ranked Fiends as the both of them had their gaze on the Ruler of the Starry Sky Galaxy! Take out the most powerful one first, and the rest will follow. This was the strategy the Fiend Emperors were going with as their bodies overflowed with power! These were beings at the QUASAR Realm. Did any of the beings in this area truly understand their power? Did any of them understand the gap between them and those in the Realm of Black Hole? Do any of the readers of this grand epic grasp the difference between the Realms of Power? The answer was no. Not yet anyway! Soon, it would be made blatantly clear just what those beings at the QUASAR Realm could do. As for the more shocking level of GALAXY that was above it? Ah! Chapter 671: GALAXY! Across the Chaotic Void, the presence that was shining brighter than a sun neared the Nexus Galaxy as he could already sense powerful shock waves spreading out, a stench of blood and war he was used to beginning to permeate out! This was the same stench he dwelled in whenever he conquered Galaxies, but never did he expect to find it in his own home. As his rage only rose to the skies, he saw the shimmering Nexus Galaxy appear in front of his eyes as Ancient Vessels were near its entrance, terrifying auras of power present in these vessels as the scene in front of him was a gory one! The scene was gory because the defenders of the Nexus Galaxy had appeared, where one could see many Watchers, Law Masters, and Blessed valiantly defending their home. But the valiant defense could not do much as the enemies before them simply had too much power. The 4 QUASAR ranked Fiends sent here were actually matched with 4 Imperials of the same caliber, showing the power of the Nexus Galaxy to be able to produce for QUASAR Realm defenders! Below them, even more at the Realm of Black Hole like the General Zadan that Noah had previously come in contact with were standing their ground, but it was still a bloody scene as they were being pushed back, with a Black Hole expert drying every few seconds! The reason for this...was naturally the Elder that accompanied the force of Fiends, a being that spectacularly stood at the realm above QUASAR. OOOOOH! Bellows of fury and shock could be heard throughout as the 4 QUASAR ranked experts trying to match with the Fiend Emperors were being pushed down by the sheer energy the Elder at the GALAXY Realm released. At this moment, this Elder actually had a humanoid shape unlike other fiends, his arms scholarly behind his back as he floated in the starry void and observed the show. One could see his body was thrumming with power as he looked like he was about to make a move and wipe out all the enemy forces nearby, but this was the exact moment when the shocking aura of the Imperial Adjudicator appeared! OOOM With a grand entrance and a face full of wrath, many beings turned their eyes towards the new entrant as a variety of emotions covered their faces. The Imperials breathed out sighs of relief as they felt a huge weight lifted off their shoulders, while the Fiends did not seem bothered as they knew the shocking power of their Elder, simply keeping to their relentless advance as the Ancient Vessels pierced into the starry space of the Nexus Galaxy. The Elder letting out wild waves of power honed his eyes on the wrathful being appearing in front of him, his eyes that had experienced the vicissitudes of time not being bothered one bit as a cold voice released from him. "Adjudicator, huh? You''ve been bullying my youngins all this time thinking you were something big. I am here to clear that misunderstanding." WAA! An aura of majesty released from the Elder as space weaved and cried, even the nearby barrier of the Nexus Galaxy thrumming as if it felt a threat! The Chaotic Void in the surroundings shook as it seemed to become more orderly, with this shocking phenomenon continuing until the void seemed to take characteristics of the starry space within a Galaxy, as if another Galaxy had actually come to reside in this location. The shocking truth was...that a Galaxy had come to reside in this area, and it was the manifestation of the Realm that the Elder of the Fiends achieved! GALAXY Realm! A Realm where in the simplest terms, the beings could influence the surrounding area as if it was their own personal Galaxy! Do you even fully understand what this phenomenon meant? The implications were shocking as the Imperial Adjudicator looked at this scene with the same wrathful eyes. The Father of the fearsome Imperial Princess seemed like a man in his forties, his face sculpted with devilish handsome features and a sharp jawline as his eye brows alone released unkempt regality. Dark hair flowy wildly above his head as eyes that shone with a blue luster glanced at the fearsome GALAXY ranked combatant without any fear. As he saw the war currently making its way into the Nexus Galaxy, he thought of his daughter that was facing a deadly threat far away, as well as his wife in the Nexus Galaxy! As the images of these beings crossed his mind, his rage overflowed as essence erupted from him. VOOOM! Like a vacuum coming to fruition, the aura he released pushed back the horrifying influence of the GALAXY Realm Fiend Elder, glimmers of stars beginning to appear around him as one could see his aura was not at the QUASAR Realm, but it also had not stepped into the GALAXY Realm! "Hmph, just a half a step into the Galaxy Realm, and you thought you could raise yourself into a power in this unknown corner of the Universe? Too bold!" The voice of the Elder Fiend was as cold and domineering as ever, his aura only spiking up more as it threatened to devour the barely formed manifestation of a starry Galaxy that the Adjudicator released. "If this is all you have, it seems like the rest of our targets today, this Galaxy will be falling to the hands of our Great Master." RUMBLE! Horrid words that would have made any man falter released from the Elder Fiend, the mentioning a Master behind him only making the situation more pressing as the face of the Imperial Adjudicator remained as quiet and wrathful as ever. As he sensed the fearsome power of his opponent and saw the chaos falling upon the Nexus Galaxy, he held slight hesitation on his face as he recalled the words that a being extremely special to him had said before! ''Only use it as a last resort...it is powerful, but it might invite them here! If they find me, I will forever disappear from you and Anna¡­'' The voice of the being he loved the most repeated in his mind over and over again as he glanced at the fearsome force threatening the same Galaxy she was hiding in, steeling his resolve as he chose to face what may come whenever it came! As he resolved himself, the eyes of the domineering Elder Fiend abruptly opened wider as he began to sense a fearsome aura emanate from the ''weak'' Imperial Adjudicator. This aura...even made his manifested Galaxy tremble! Chapter 672: Across the vicissitudes of time, the types of powers and strength were numerous. The masses would only ever come to touch the cusp of such powers, while a select few enjoyed shockings means of strength that could only be imagined in the wildest dreams! Such a thing was happening right now as the Imperial Adjudicator that was half a step into the GALAXY Realm saw that to save the Nexus Galaxy, he had to use something that he had been warned not to utilize unless it was in the direst situations. <> ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ CRACK! An eerie silence had pervaded briefly as it seemed the void itself was fearfully waiting, and in the next instant the horrid sound of space breaking occurred as one would be shocked to find the source of the horrid sound was from the Adjudicator''s chest! RUMBLE! Essence roiled and tumbled wildly as from the chest of this Galaxy Ruler, the appalling appearance of what could only be described as a rift appeared. This rift seemed to split his chest apart as he winced in pain, but his blue eyes remained steadfast as he continued to supply his mana towards the stupendous ability he had cast, and the Elder Fiend felt the aura of something unbelievable as from the rift on the chest of the Adjudicator, something was emerging outwards with the luminescence of stars! Whatever was coming out seemed to have been miniaturized when it was inside the rift apparent on the Adjudicator''s chest, and it continued to enlarge as it got bigger in front of him, overshadowing everything around it as the Imperial Adjudicator announced its name with great reservations. "...Aurora Galaxy Dragon." WAA! A magisterial awe inspiring aura erupted in the void at this moment as the image of the beast that leaped out of the rift situated on the Adjudicator''s chest became clear. The image of a majestic dragon towering over 500 meters appeared with crystal clarity, its scales shining a formidable assortment of colors as the most shocking thing was that when one looked at the body of this Aurora Galaxy Dragon...they could see the appearance of a rotating galaxy! An illusory image of a rotating galaxy was very clearly reflected on the body of this majestic creature, causing the luminescence of millions of Nebulae and Stars to light up the faces of the somber Imperial Adjudicator and the surprised Elder Fiend. At the same time with the appearance of this Aurora Galaxy Dragon, an imperceptible wave of essence erupted from it as it spread outwards, none of the two beings in the surroundings being able to pick it up. ROAAAR! With glistening deadly jaws that were filled with dignity, a space rending Dragon''s Roar erupted out as the manifested galaxy that the Elder Fiend had laid out was entirely wiped away, a domain of unknown wonders being laid down as the fearsome Aurora Galaxy Dragon then turned its gaze towards the Elder Fiend. Its eyes were colored gold, its face arrogant as it seemed to disdain merely being in the presence of the creatures around it, even the being that summoned it getting the same treatment. The domineering pressure of the Elder Fiend was wiped away instantly in front of the appearance of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon, as one could not compare the skill of a child to an adult! One could not compare to the arrogance and domineering pressure of a Dragon! And this was a genuine Dragon, a creature brought forth by the <>! The Elder Fiend looked on as his demeanor instantly changed, his own body screaming danger as his mouth unconsciously moved in a stupor. "That...is not possible! Such an ability is only available to those affiliated with THAT Ancient Power, those with knowledge of the power above Ultimate Laws...you...you cannot have it!" RUMBLE! His arrogance had faded as his eyes turned extremely grim and hysterical, staring at the phenomenon before him in disbelief as he told himself it simply could not be so. The Elder Fiend had lived long and was somewhat knowledgeable, having listened to the stories of the Entity it called Master as he knew quite a bit about the Dark Universe! As the Elder Fiend heard the words uttered to bring forth the Aurora Galaxy Dragon that had a shocking aura at the GALAXY Realm, he recalled some of the stories heard before as the identity of this ability became clear to him. <>! An ability that only beings of a fearsome power nowhere near this nondescript location of the Universe should be, an ability that allowed these beings with the profession know as Animus Summoners to call forth fearsome creatures to fight on their behalf! Some called these creatures Animus Summons, some called them Animus Pets- but the only thing that remained as the truth was the fearsome power of these creatures that could be raised to horrendous levels as it allowed for an Ancient Power to stand strong in the Dark Universe. It was an ability that utilized something even more horrific than the concept of Ultimate Laws. The problem was...it should not be appearing here! The Elder Fiend gritted his teeth as his overwhelming power at the GALAXY Realm erupted out with even more vigor, its gaze looking up to match with the cold and arrogant eyes of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon that was merely looking at him as if he were an ant, as if he was a being already destined for death. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the disbelieving Elder Fiend, a conversation was occurring between the fearsome Aurora Galaxy Dragon and the Imperial Adjudicator. "You know what your actions of summoning me can do. Are you so eager to get rid of my Master even after all the favor she has bestowed upon you?!" The voice of the Animus Summon was filled with even more rage than the wrath present in the heart of the Imperial Adjudicator, but the Father that was about to lose his daughter replied with a straightforward manner. "I had to! Not just the home she is in, but even her daughter is in trouble!" ¡­! The eyes of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon squinted as its oppressive power grew by a whole other level, silence reigning in their telepathic communication as the dragon only left behind a sigh. OOOOH! A bellow erupted out from the Elder Fiend at this time as his essence climbed up madly, a luminous red sword appearing on his hands as he screamed out while streaking forward. "It cannot be! It cannot be!" RUMBLE! His words said it could not be, his actions wanted to ascertain it! The domineering dragon glanced at this Elder Fiend as the illusory galaxy reflecting on its body shone with a dangerous luster! Space shattering power of the GALAXY Realm roiled out as even the chaotic void was displaced, a shocking battle beginning just outside the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy Chapter 673: One Second, One Hundred Kills! I RUMBLE! In the Stellar Sky Galaxy, the two sides had began clashing as the Fiends poured out of their Ancient Vessels. The two QUASAR Fiend Rulers made a straight line towards the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy, a being that was known as the Stellar Ruler! Hos body shone with the light of stars as his expression seemed to age a great deal in a matter of seconds as he saw the incoming Fiend Rulers, his closest subordinates at the peak of the Black Hole Realm staying behind him to reinforce against the kicking enemies. Even though they were in the realm of Black Hole, they knew that those in the QUASAR Realm could trash them with ease! The levels could be explained as such- those in the Realm of Black Hole compared to the Nebula Realm was akin to comparing a professional fighter to a fatty that enjoyed a hedonistic lifestyle all his life. Meanwhile, comparing the QUASAR Realm to Black Hole was akin to comparing a grown man to a kid! All the grown man had to do was exert some pressure and he could easily trash that kid. Of course like everything in life, there were exceptions. Sometimes you had a powerfully trained kid that would be able to take down a grown man. But this was also why it was called an exception- it was rare! At this moment 2 grown men- 2 QUASAR ranked Fiend Rulers, were ganging up against the Stellar Ruler as he was aided by his forces. PA! PA! PA! At this time, the branches of Yggdrasil reached them as they received a light smack on their back, the eyes of the aging Stellar Ruler regaining a semblance of light as Life Essence permeated through him and he felt increased vigor! His heart thumped with power as it made him fully pull out his emotions of unwillingness, the emotions of not wanting to lose his galaxy! He roared out with power as with the buff of [Boosted Life Force], he clashed with the 2 Fiend Rulers. OOOOOH! Off in the distance where the branches of Yggdrasil were many, the Fiends at the Ranks of Nebula and Black Hole were swarming towards the heavily outnumber defenders fearlessly. The grim looks on the faces of their enemies only served to increase their bloodthirsty as the first of the 2000 Nebula rank Fiends came in the range of Noah''s numerous branches. As if a snake was lying in wait, the branches filled with shimmering green leaves suddenly stretched and extended out, shooting towards the heads of the unsuspecting fiends as their speed neared that of light! SHA! SHA! SHA! A flash of light, a smack of a branch...and to those caught off guard...death! "Hold!" The Fiends pulled back for a moment they saw with surprise how 25 Fiends were unlucky enough to have the branches pierce their heads, and that these branches were somehow enough to reap their lives as they watched their lifeless bodies pulled towards the enormous Primeval Tree and be absorbed into its thick trunk. ¡­! Seriousness rose in the eyes of the Fiends as the 200 in the realm of Black Hole moved forward at this moment, their gaze towards the branches of Yggdrasil serious as they marked this tree dangerous! The same scene reappeared when the Black Hole Rank Fiends entered the range of the branches, but they merely slapped them away as they could not be pierced through by them, the gravitational force they gave out being too terrifying. Yet...they were still struck by the branches regardless as without their knowledge, the [Withered] status effect began to be applied to them! One must note that this was also another difference in Realms. Because of the power of their Black Hole, beings in this stage could still defend themselves against the branches of Yggdrasil that had enhancements in the thousands of percentages. The high percentage boosts were only enough to keep up with them in speed and slightly lesser in power, and this was shocking enough as it is since Noah was able to target any nearby Black Hole experts and the Fiends at the Nebula Rank alone! But it wasn''t enough! And he saw this clearly as he saw some of his branches being grasped by the Fiends above him in Realm as they used their strong hands to rip them apart. RIIIP! A tingling sensation came everytime his branches were destroyed, only pulling back slightly before they regenerated to rush out with even more vigor! This was the +5000% Regeneration at work, where as long as he provided mana and wasn''t killed by a terrifying skill, his branches could heal nearly instantly. One must also recall during all this that he wasn''t alone! As the enormous Primeval Tree Began to be besieged by Fiends and ripped apart, those who had received its blessing rushed out with vigor as their bodies shone with a hint of green from the Boosted Life Force ability. Another particularly luminous figure was the Imperial Princess herself, the scorching wings of plasma behind her letting out a resonant cry as she thundered forward not to meet the Fiends at the Nebula rank, but the ones in the Realm of Black Hole! WAAA! The scorching temperatures of the plasma caused a line of blue purple lasers to be the only trail that the enhanced Anna left behind, smashing into an advancing Black Hole Fiend as a rupture in space occured. When one looked at the scene again, they would find half of the body of the Black Hole Fiend to be missing, disintegrated entirely from the scorching beams of plasma! ¡­! Alarm rose in the eyes of the Fiends as they moved with more care, seeing that this tree and this Imperial Princess would be a great hindrance to them as they had to be taken care of fast. But it wasn''t just them as the two Maids living to only protect and service the Imperial Princess looked towards them with eyes pulsing with killing intent, their DELTA ranked Trait erupting out as they went to match the groups of Nebula Ranked Fiends. The protectors from the Nexus Galaxy joined in, as well as the defenders of the Stellar Sky Galaxy jumping in the fray as the conflict fully began! As all of this was happening, the numerous branches of Yggdrasil continued to whip as many beings as possible as allies were strengthened and enemies were debuffed, while also strangling any Nebula Ranked Fiends that came anywhere near them. But everytime a Black Hole Expert came near, they used their powerful realm to not allow any of the branches to pierce through them as they release horrendous attacks that ripped apart the branches. As Noah observed this situation, the enormous tree he was taking the form of seemed to nod as he then moved on to the next stage of his planning. One must recall that with Infinite Mana, Noah truly had a great deal of options at his disposal! One of those options...was layering a large amount of immense mana requiring skills that each have ridiculous boosts in order to be able to skip the advantage of the realms of his enemies. As he looked at the Nebula and Black Hole ranked Fiends that did not dwell in any laws and only had immensely powerful physical bodies, he recalled how he had easily taken care of them before in the Devouring Hells Realm with an attack that dealt Soul Damage! These thoughts only arrived for a second before he acted. [Aura of Redemption]. [Incandescent Emperor]. [Sword of Judgment]. [Sword of Judgment]. [Sword of Judgment]. [Sword of Judgment]... ¡­!!! A constant and repetitive spam! The horrendous abilities under the Law of Fate were cast seamlessly to back up the already ridiculous Law of Life! Chapter 674: One Second, One Hundred Kills! II A starry display of luminous essence of gold erupted out the moment Noah cast the skills under the Law of Fate, the golden glow beginning to permeate over the green as golden lines began to spread out from the trunk of the tree and go towards all of its branches! To understand exactly what was happening, one must recall what the abilities Incandescent Emperor, Aura of Redemption, and Sword of Judgment that Noah had just cast provided to be able to comprehend what was about to happen in the next few minutes. One had to recall the descriptions of these skills gained less than two weeks ago! [Incandescent Emperor](5/5) :: The stature of the Incandescent Ruler is adorned as the user adopts a regal armament. While active, Incandescent Emperor grants +1000% to Damage, Attack Speed, Cast Speed, Law Resistances, Defence, as well as +50% Decreased Damage Taken from all sources. [Aura of Redemption](5/5) :: A circular aura that surrounds the user and grants them constant health regeneration where any damage dealt can be healed instantly for as long as the ability is kept active. [Sword of Judgment](5/5) :: A unique sword capable of tearing apart space itself is called upon to be wielded only by the user. The Sword of Judgment deals 0 Physical Damage in exchange for dealing a tremendous amount of Soul Damage. A golden Aura that granted him constant health regeneration for as long as mana was provided! A skill termed Incandescent Emperor that granted him another +1000% to a great deal of things! And a skill that gave him a righteous Sword of Judgment that purely granted tremendous Soul Damage! Just these 3 abilities reinforcing Yggdrasil meant...well we would just have to observe to see the results. The Swords of Judgment continued to appear en masse around the branches of the Primeval Tree as Noah cast the skill over and over again, hundreds of these shocking golden swords being grasped by the tout branches of Yggdrasil as the golden runic lines from Incandescent Emperor continued to spread throughout! The Fiends and defenders of the Stellar Sky Galaxy alike turned towards this phenomenon with shock as they observed a golden illusory crown appear above the 5000 mile Primeval Tree. Its branches shimmering with gold as it released an extremely dangerous. And before anyone could absorb and react to this stupendous powerup, a great deal of branches instantly moved out under Noah''s command as they targeted multiple Nebula and Black Hole Realm Fiends! Each of the branches of the ancient tree carried with them a Sword of Judgement, the swords shining with a dangerous glare as they struck out with immense speed multiple times faster than before! The speed came as a shock to the fiends who watched in disbelief as multiple branches of the ancient tree struck over one hundred nearby Nebula rank experts while an even larger number of branches seemed to target over ten nearest Black Hole Fiends! The instant the branches struck out, the unsuspecting fiends only felt an illusory sword of light pass through them and all of those in the Nebula rank instantly lost their lives. Instantly! This was because the soul damage from these swords was extremely high, and such high damage could not be withstood from the surprise attack. This was a shocking sight to see as over one hundred Nebula rank experts fell in less than a second. On the other hand, the fiends at the rank of Black hole fared much better, a few of them being able to react on time as they weaved out of the path of the Swords of Judgment. But still, six had been unlucky enough to have multiple branches carrying the illusory swords pass through their bodies like a hot knife cutting through butter! Strong in physical offense and defense, but no protection against the damage dealt directly to the soul! This meant that instantly, six Fiends at the rank of Black Hole also met their death... A lull seemed to permeate throughout the battlefield as everyone looked towards the abrupt attack that had come from the glimmering ancient tree floating in the starry space. They saw that golden runic sigils were permeating throughout the trunk and branches of the ancient tree, its luminous green leaves shimmering with a hint of gold. But the most striking thing were the dangerously shining golden swords that had been used to deal a shocking sneak attack that took away the lives of too many experts. The imperial princess floated to the side as her wings made her stand out in the starry space. She still held a veil covering her face, but if one could see her resplendent expression they would see someone looking over in complete disbelief at what had just occurred. Over a hundred in the Nebula rank dead and six in the rank of Black hole dead instantly! Off in the distance, the two Quasar ranked experts that were besieging the ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy looked over with grim expressions as they saw the branches pull in the bodies of the defeated Fiends into its thick trunk. They looked towards each other as an unknown communication seemed to pass through their minds, and then one of them instantly shot towards the ancient tree while the other took the attention of the shocked Stellar Ruler! OOOH! The Stellar Ruler burned with essence as this being was actually an Assimilator of the Law of Space, and he was an extremely proficient Assimilator as over half of this Law was already one with him. His body seemed to become one with space as he instantly appeared in front of the Fiend that was making way towards Yggdrasil, throwing a punch that had the force of numerous stars as the Fiend Ruler came to a stop! "Your enemy is me!" The Stellar Ruler shouted this while his heart shook at the power the Life Law Master displayed! Aside from the Boosted Life Force given by this being that allowed him to sustain heavy injuries that healed instantly against the two QUASAR ranked beings, it turned out he was also proficient in the Law of Fate as he somehow dealt deadly damage to the Fiends and took down many of them rapidly. He could not let this being be besieged by these two powerful enemies! But as if the Fiend Rulers were in sync, the moment the Stellar Ruler appeared to block the one going towards Noah, the other one he left behind instantly disappeared from his location as he neared the wriggling branches of Yggdrasil. This meant that at this moment, a QUASAR ranked fiend expert was making his way towards Noah as he was marked dangerous, since his actions were simply too eye-catching! Chapter 675: Feed me more! Meanwhile, Noah himself was reaping the benefits of the surprise attack as he pulled in the bodies of over one hundred Nebula rank and six Black Hole fiends. The Fiends at the stage of Nebula alone granted him cores that went on to help him forge a range of ten to one hundred stars. Meanwhile, the experts in the Black Hole realm that he had never taken down before and yet somehow there were six dead at this moment-these beings were giving him a range of around one thousand stars each! This meant that from the six black hole experts, he had gained over six thousand forged stars as their entire Origins were brought into the body of Yggdrasil for him to quickly absorb the cores. One must also not forget the Skill Points that had increased by a few thousand just from the death of these beings! Yet the cores took the spot light at this moment as there were simply too many being forged all at once, especially from the unexpected source of Fiends. This was not even accounting for the stars he was currently forging through the help of his Ancient Blood Clones that had been scouring the Stellar Sky Galaxy for more effulgent star pearls. One clone had found a Stellar Star while another was sifting through a Stellar Realm! With the help of the clone and the over abundance from the fiends that he had just taken down, the number of forged stars was shockingly nearing 40,000. This number only served to grant him more excitement as he neared the ridiculous 100,000 stars goal! So his eyes were once again set on the remaining Nebula and Black Hole rank Fiends as he wanted to scream towards them- ''Feed me more!'' His excitement was only dampened when he saw the QUASAR Fiend Ruler making way towards him. This enemy that was two ranks above him would prove to be a terrible match as he began easily destroying the vibrant and luscious branches of Yggdrasil. His strength was extremely hard to describe, but the one thing one could see was extreme proficiency in the gravitational force around this Fiend Ruler. Any branches nearby were inadvertently pulled towards the Fiend Ruler as they were then ripped apart right away, the force traveling towards the trunk these branches came from as the damage passed through! This was also when the strong Life Force of Yggdrasil shone though, as this damage was nearly repaired in an instant, the branches just destroyed coming back to life once more! OOOOH! While the Stellar Ruler was being stopped by the other QUASAR ranked Fiend Ruler, the one targeting Noah bellowed out as he essence rose by another notch, beginning to tear apart every branch of Yggdrasil faster than they could heal as he went to destroy the enormous trunks releasing its roots across the starry space! But at this exact moment, a resounding sound rang throughout the region of the battlefield as a green glow bloomed from Noah''s huge form. DING With a vibrant eruption of essence, the feature of another ability of Yggdrasil came to be. Life Shield had finally been activated after ten minutes had passed since Noah transformed into the Primeval ancient tree! RUMBLE The Life Shield seemed like something that could not be violated, expanding out rapidly as it pushed out any nearby Fiends with an unknown force, including the powerful Fiend Ruler as all of them soon found themselves at the edge of a shimmering green circle. In the starry space, one could see this resplendent green circular field fully cover Yggdrasil as this ancient tree shone with an even more vibrant luster! "Outrageous!" The Fiend Ruler was maddened at this being of obvious lower power that could only defend and regenerate at this moment, but he was still not able to wipe him away quickly. DING! His fists crashed against the verdant Life Shield as all other Fiends went to do the same, the defenders of the Stellar Sky Galaxy contained in the range of Yggdrasil for the healing abilities of being smacked by a branch looking around with palpating hearts. The Imperial Princess was the same as her cold gaze shimmering with the power of plasma glanced towards Noah. Her thoughts could not be described at this moment as when she expected another surprise from him, it was nothing like what she was receiving now! The Maids Maya and Raya were finally out of words as they stared with utter stupor, not expecting a despairing battle to be going this way at all. But even in this moment of brief respite, Noah was still scheming as he saw the attacks of the many Fiends repetitively rain down on the Life Shield, sensing that this ridiculous shield could actually withstand the attack of these beings for about another 30 seconds at the rate they were going. Numerous possibilities crossed his mind as one was picked, his attention going over towards the Imperial Princess as he enacted a plan! "Princess, can you use your Trait to pull at least 60 of the Fiends at the Realm of Black Hole towards me the moment the shield is broken? Just bring them as far in towards me as possible!" His words startled Anna who looked towards him as if he was insane, only affirming with serious eyes when she saw he was serious! DING! The Life Shield began experiencing cracks as it would soon be broken, but the Imperial Princess prepared herself as the scorching plasma wings and rays of plasma around her receded. She thought of the words of Alexander as she sensed her Trait of Vector Controller, committing herself to affect over 60 Fiends at the Realm of Black Hole one way or another. She was also at this same rank, and she would have to control the vectors of 60 creatures to go towards a certain location! Even with the odds of doing this, Anna still went forward as she began to trust the being known as Alexander more and more. She knew the task in front of her would be extremely arduous, where she might utilize all her mana at once and be immobilized! Yet she still went forward. CRACK! The Life Shield shattered at this instant as the embroiled Fiends were about to rush over, others still staying away from the range of Yggdrasil as they threw attacks from a distance! But at this moment, a group of many Fiends in the Realm of Black Hole felt a strong gravitational pull that had a single purpose- to get them to move towards one location with certainty! It wasn''t a constricting gravitational force, just a simple pulling force that took over 70 powerful Fiends at the rank of Black Hole and brought them towards the very center of Yggdrasil where hundreds of branches carrying Swords of Judgement waited... Chapter 676: 100,000! Sometimes, only a single skill was required to change the landscape of a battle field entirely. Such skills required extremely great timing and effort, and most of all had to have a huge aspect of luck to be carried out successfully. With Noah''s actively flashing mind, he saw an extremely clear path that if taken...could cause for an explosive method of growth in a short amount of time. He saw his number of forged stars had increased by a thousand from each of the Black Hole experts as this count was brought over 40,000 stars, and he realized the remaining 60,000 could very easily be gained as long as he took down 60 more Fiends at the Realm of Black Hole! It was mentioned he could ''very easily'' gain such a large number of stars, but it was an extremely hard thing to accomplish as he effectively wanted to take down 10 times the number of Black Hole Fiends that he did with his first surprise attack. So he sent his thoughts to the Imperial Princess holding an EPSILON ranked Trait as he read over her Trait with the Eyes of Truth and saw that it could be possible for her to make him achieve this nearly impossible reality! The result...was a star staggering wonder of a brilliant hazy light shining from Anna as she spread her arms out wide, her veil roughly waving in the starry space as she pulled a force of over 70 Fiends at the Realm of Black Hole straight towards the enormous trunk of Yggdrasil. The moment this phenomenon occurred, not even the QUASAR ranked Fiend Rulers could react in time as a shower of branches folded in on the Ancient Tree, each one carrying a pulsating Sword of Judgment as they tore towards the Fiends! As if this stupendous ability of Sword of Judgment might not be enough, Noah cast area of attack abilities that affected a wide region, spamming many skills that brought by a spectacular effect since they were cast in the form of Yggdrasil. [Madness Hegemony]. [Holy Fire]. [Fireball]. [Madness Hegemony]. [Holy Fire].[Fireball]... Palpating Aether, blazing suns, and golden scorching flames overshadowed the starry space, the shimmering horror of the [Sword of Judgment] in the hundreds slashing towards the shocked Fiends playing out. One must recall the [+3000% Increased Area of Effect on all Abilities] that was attached to Yggdrasil, and then you had the further enhancement under the [Incandescent Emperor] that made something which should have been nearly impossible into a reality. To put it in simple terms, the Fiends that had no protection from laws and had very little resistance to the terrifying Soul Damage that was coming out from Noah on top his horrific abilities enhanced by many skills...the power of Realms was breached with ease as he was able to reap the lives of 70 beings a Realm above him in a few seconds! All of these factors made it possible for him to leap over the power of Realms and ignore it, reaping the lives of those that should have been above him with relative ease... RUMBLE! Off to the side, Anna and the other protectors were watching with bulging eyes as the starry space changes color to a tinge of gold and purple for a second, the essence of destructive Aether and domineering Fate present throughout as when the numerous branches could be seen again, the bodies of over 60 Fiends in the Realm of Black Hole were skewered on them as they were pulled towards the trunk of tree at once¡­ "You¡­!" OOOOM! World shaking essence filled with anger erupted out from the QUASAR ranked Fiend Rulers at this scene, the one besieging the Life Shield before pulsing with stupendous strength as he turned into a streak of light towards Noah. "Pull back first!" His command could be heard as it was directed to the Nebula and remaining Black Hole rank Fiends that could feel their hearts trembling with unease at the butchering of their brethren with such ease. The Fiend Ruler set off alone to rectify this great injustice but...he would find that he and his people had just played a part in a shocking play as they acted as the fuel to make a raging fire glow ever brighter! At this moment, time seemed to come to a slow motion as many important events occurred in the span of a few seconds. A Fiend Ruler erupted out towards Noah. Yggdrasil then began to shine with a vibrant light as at its hidden center where an illusory Nebula could only be seen by Noah- a great number of stars began to be forged at a rapid pace unlike anything experienced before. 50,000! 70,000! 95,000! It seemed like his fuel was endless, and it actually was as the loot of 70 Black Hole rank experts went towards helping him put together a shocking Nebula of 100,000 stars...was actually completed. DIING! An archaic wave of mana erupted outwards from Noah''s huge form the moment that this phenomenon was completed, his entire body coming to a halt as even his clones that were searching for more Effulgent Star Pearls were brought to halt momentarily. Even his other body and clones in the Novus Galaxy were also brought to a halt for a second, time seemingly being slowed down the instant the 100,000 star mark was achieved, a shocking phenomenon occurring within the Origin of Alexander as the Nebula came to a complete halt! An essence of appalling age and profound ancientness seemed to emulate from the center of the Nebula and climb outwards, Noah''s mind coming back to life as his eyes shone while looking at his own Origin, a set of words appearing in front of him as he stared at the ecstatic Nebula with Eyes of Truth. [Complete Nebula] :: An origin in the Realm of Nebula that has achieved Grand Completion, achieving a stage that very few have entered since time antiquity. As with all stages achieving Grand Completion, the illusory Nebula will become more real as it already manifests on the body of the being with this Origin¡­ A set of words showed something unique that very few had achieved as in the battlefield where time seemed to be moving in slow motion, many beings nearly had their eyes fall out of their sockets as from the body of Yggdrasil, they began to see an image of an expansive Nebula come to life. This Nebula seemed wondrous and magical, with starry skies filling it to the brim! A glimmer of profoundness could be felt from as it lit up the entire surrounding space. Yet before this Nebula could even be enjoyed with all of its beauty, they saw a starry light cover it as the beautiful stars within it shattered, an implosion of tremendous proportions erupting out as it even shook the space outside, those watching with perched eyes beginning to see the formation of a dreadful Black Hole! At this moment, a variety of factors came to be as Noah imploded his [Complete Nebula] to advance from this Realm he had been in for a few weeks into a brand new stage! Chapter 677: Manifested Black Hole! In the chaotic void of the Nexus Galaxy, tears could be seen in space as flashes of light were the only thing visible every now and then. This was because an appalling battle was taking place between experts at the GALAXY Realm! The Elder Fiend was particularly active as he moved with a sullen face, parrying the claws of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon with the blade he carried or even his own body at times. This was the body of an Elder Fiend that had trained to the peak, gaining a thrumming physical body that could actually match a creature such as the Aurora Galaxy Dragon in battle! Others could traverse in laws and gain a special understanding, while Fiends focused on their Realms and bodies as they grew to the numbers and levels they were at today. Yet...they were still being hindered, and by a power that should not be able to do so at this moment. The Elder Fiend had a somber expression as his denial about the creature before him could not be continued anymore, the knowledge it had about such a creature spilling out as his heart only became heavier! The creature he was fighting was truly an Animus Summon or an Animus Pet, where beings proficient in a particular #%$^$ were capable of utilizing profound abilities to bring these creatures to life. Among the many secrets of the Animus Summons, the one that made them as powerful as they were was the fact that when it came to the Realm of power, they followed archaic methods that granted them a nearly perfect cultivation base! Such a thing could also be understood with ease when one knew what to look for, and the Fiend was convinced when he continued to see the image of an expansive Galaxy swirling within the body of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon. At any stage, if one could see a Manifested image of the Origin of a being when they utilized their essence, it meant that this being had a nearly perfected realm of power that would overshadow all of those in the same realm! It was extremely hard to reach such a Realm as the methods to do so had long been lost in the eons of time, but the !&#^^# capable of utilizing <> made it so that these Animus Pets could actually be raised proficient enough to naturally attain the nearly perfected realm of a long past era. So even though the Elder Fiend was extremely strong in physique and defense, he could currently only defend against the terrible attacks of this creature that was in the same Realm as him, and yet on a completely different plane! What was most vexing was the fact that as he stood against this Aurora Galaxy Dragon, the Summoner himself had gone down into the Nexus Galaxy to reinforce the forces there. Being half a step into the GALAXY Realm, the Elder Fiend felt pain at the thought of the Fiends fighting down there facing the Imperial Adjudicator alone! He knew at this moment that this campaign at the Nexus Galaxy...would not be successful! ROOAR! A dragon''s roar was all that met his thoughts as a starry claw carrying the force of a luminous Galaxy thundered down¡­ --- In the Stellar Sky Galaxy, an isolated gravitational force had come to be as a wonder of a Nebula was broken down, those watching seeing the formation of a shocking Black Hole that wasn''t just black in color, but it seemed to hold an assortment of gold, black, red, green, blue¡­! It was a Black Hole forming that had the splendor of multiple colors as those watching had to rub their eyes to be sure they were looking at the correct phenomenon. The implosion of the Nebula and the formation of the Black Hole was extremely fast, nearly instant for those paying attention as one of the benefits for forging the ultimate peak of stars before breaking through was revealed. Those attaining the 100,000 number of forged stars in their Nebulae before breaking through would have the easiest time doing so, the next stage coming naturally as they would not experience any dangers! Such was what occurred with Noah, where his spectacular Black Hole formed with ease as he began to feel the surrounding space with much more clarity, the gravitational forces in his immediate surroundings being something that he seemed to be able to easily control. Many beings watched the formation of the Black Hole with amazed eyes, especially the Imperial Princess that had contributed majorly to making it possible. Anna was currently breathing heavily after utilizing all her power, drawing nearly every mana she had to pull the over 70 Fiends to the position where they were wiped away. She was surrounded all around by her protectors as she recovered, all of their gazes remaining on Yggdrasil as on this huge tree, they could see the most beautiful multicolored Black Hole that thrummed with unknown power! If one recalled the clear image of a Manifested rotating Galaxy on the body of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon, they would know this phenomenon was the same one, where Noah had actually achieved a path of a realm very few even knew how to embark on. Yet he had used brute force of purely absorbing Effulgent Star Pearls and Cores of being a stage above him, finally breaking through and forging something that gave him unrivaled strength on beings of the same Realm! RUUMBLE! The leaves of Yggdrasil shone with even more splendor as the slowed down time seemed to move normal, a fearsome pressure erupting out from the ancient tree as it faced the coming onslaught of a maddened Fiend Ruler. This QUASAR Realm expert locked his eyes with the gorgeous multicolored Black Hole that seemed to release an unknown sense of pressure that made even him uncomfortable, especially the fact that its image was rotating domineeringly in the body of this ancient tree, as if nobody could stand against it! "Perish!" The aura of the Fiend Ruler climbed as he ignored the danger signals and thundered forward. A newly advanced being at the Realm of Black Hole versus a being at the Realm of QUASAR! The former was reinforced with a great deal of skills that granted shocking percentage boosts, and now as he walked on the path of strength that had been lost over the eons of time, his level of strength amidst all of this not being fully calculated yet. A battle with someone of a higher rank...was just what he needed! Chapter 678: A Page! The battlefield had turned chaotic as the QUASAR ranked Fiend Ruler went toward Yggdrasil with an ever rising aura. The Stellar Ruler observed this scene with unwilling panic as the other Fiend Ruler accelerated his attacks and besieged him on all sides so he could not lend help! "Protect the Life Law Master, even if you have to sacrifice yourself!" The cry of the Stellar Ruler rang out across the starry sky as many beings shook their heads with strong emotions while listening to the command. Even they knew that if this wondrous being in the form of a tree fell, they would fall even faster as they lost one of their strongest contenders who could also heal all of them in seconds. The two Maids Maya and Raya did not want to leave the side of the tired Imperial Princess, looking towards Anna with hesitation as they wondered what to do. All of the beings currently on the scene of battle were on the same mindset as they watched the Fiend Ruler aim at Noah''s life, they knew that it would be extremely hard to win such a battle even with the prowess he had shown in the form of Yggdrasil! To understand this, one would have to know the distinction between those in the Realm of Black Hole and those who had stepped into QUASAR. A Quasar is an exceedingly luminous active galactic nucleus that has a supermassive black hole with mass ranging millions of times greater than any common star! In the wide universe, it was known that Quasars were linked to how Galaxies formed, as they had within them the active galactic nucleus that would later make way into something even grander! The supermassive black hole in the middle of a Quasar continuously collects gaseous mixtures from the surrounding space as it creates a bright whirling disc of light propelled by strong magnetic fields. If one ever had the chance to lay their eyes on a sight of a Quasar, they definitely should! But at this moment, a being of such a level was thundering towards Noah as around his body, one could distinctly notice a natural swirling mass of star particles that created a natural barrier between the Fiend Ruler and the outside space. A naturally protective barrier granted whenever one reached the QUASAR Realm, a barrier that heavily reduced all incoming damage while even nullifying lesser types of damage. Before, when the branches of Yggdrasil even neared the Fiend Ruler, they were ripped apart into nothingness as the Swords Judgment carried on them were easily evaded. Now as Noah stepped into the Realm of Black Hole and stepped on a path of power lost in the eons of time...he sent forth his branches once more as other protectors of the Stellar Sky Galaxy swarmed towards his position to also lend a hand! They watched with bated breaths as the singular branches of Yggdrasil rushed forward while climbing together, gradually forming into a huge cylindrical trunk that was 1000 meters in diameter. This tree stump went towards the Fiend Ruler making his way over like a raging bull, this QUASAR expert throwing out a fist that carried with it the glimmer of stars, smashing against the cluster of branches head on! BOOOOOM! Titillating light waves and vibrations erupted out at the point of contact, the scene becoming clear once more as many beings watched in pure astonishment as they saw a fist still in contact with a thick tree trunk. BZZZ! Horrid gravitational forces were continuing to erupt at the point of contact as shockingly, Yggdrasil was not pushed back by the punch from a being a rank above him in the slightest! "What!" "That is¡­!" The illusory multicolored Black Hole that was visibly swirling within the body of Yggdrasil could be seen shining ever brighter as it released a stupendous gravitational force, their eyes really registering the fact that someone at the Realm of Black Hole withstood an attack from an expert of the Quasar Realm. They seemed to have forgotten the feat just a few minutes prior when multiple Black Hole experts were taken down instantly when Noah was still at the Nebula Realm, because they simply weren''t looking at him like he could be in such a realm with the power that he portrayed! Yet now they visibly saw a shimmering Black Hole that did not appear on anyone else like so, the path of strength only common in ancient times being recreated in Noah''s hands as after seeing he could withstand the horrendous damage of the Fiend Ruler, even more branches weaved together into huge tree trunks. The vibrant golden green leaves seemed to have an even sharpened edge that could cut apart steel as on the converging branches, hundreds of Swords of Judgment appeared as miniaturized stars also came to be, along with fearsome Portals of Terror filled with pulsating rays of Aether and golden scorching suns as Noah cast [Star Caller], [Madness Hegemony], [Fireball] and more skills! Since he saw the gap could be breached, he wanted to break it even further by doing what he was best at- spamming! --- Meanwhile, as the battle between the body of Alexander in the Yggdrasil form and the Fiend Ruler took place, something worth noting was happening with one of the Ancient Blood Clones that was just finishing scouring a Stellar Realm for more Effulgent Star Pearls. The way of forging stars was much faster when cutting down Nebula and Black Hole rank experts, but where would one free find such beings to do in the future? These Star Pearls could grant someone multiple stars as they would still have their uses, so Noah had the two clones continue to scour the Stellar Stars and Realms of this Galaxy! One of his clones was passing through the earth of a Stellar Realm while heading towards another location of a pearl, when his body suddenly came to a halt as not too far away from him- he felt the waves of unique essence that he shockingly recognized. It was the same type of essence that he sensed when the overwhelming Ruination Core was brought out by the Novus Galaxy, an essence that seemed to indicate a Tool of Ruination! He changed his direction instantly as he followed the waves of this unique essence, piercing through the earth as he broke into a small cavernous space beneath whatever mountainous earth he was on. This space was unique in nature as it seemed to only be holding a single thing within. Floating in the very middle of this hidden space...was a page! A Page!!! Chapter 679: Violating the Realms of Power! When Noah saw the clone break through the layers of earth and see the page floating silently in the small hidden cavernous, he couldn''t believe his own eyes as he had to make sure what the Eyes of Truth were showing him was truly a real thing! [Book of Ruination- Page XI] :: A page from the Book of Ruination. Knowledge of the assimilation and integration of Laws is contained within. ¡­! It truly was! His clone floated towards it as his hands reached out, managing to grasp onto the page carefully as he came across something with a unique texture. It felt extremely cold to the touch, and even though it seemed to have the properties of a page, he could not bend it even slightly! As he looked at this page, he was filled with disbelief as even he had to ask himself, what were the odds of him coming across such a thing as his clones scoured the Stellar Sky Galaxy for Effulgent Star Pearls? He had only searched across a few stars and realms and yet a page from the Book of Ruination was now in front of him! Granted, he only found it because it released a unique signature that he had felt before because he was around a Ruination Core, but it was still something that caused one to pause. He would attribute it to Blind Luck at this moment, but his attention was already carried away from the ''Why'' as he stared into the page and wanted to see exactly what was on it. He stared at the words present on the page as they seemed to come alive, each of them seemingly trying to jump out of the pages! His eyes could not help but read the first paragraph. {Excerpt XI- Integration}(Book of Ruination) :: The Laws are as vast as the oceans and as solid as the mountains. One can embark on a single law and never complete it in their lifetimes, while others can begin a law and master it in a single day. This time among many things, we discuss the steps after one comprehends a law- we discuss the steps of the integration and assimilation of laws¡­Among the multitude of creatures in the Universe, the one who embarks on the path where their Origin is loved by the Universal laws will be the one to succeed...To those seeking to Assimilate laws in the most optimum way, one must first comprehend all the basic, Supreme, and Ultimate Laws. Initiating a method of Assimilation written later on in this page will allow one to embark on a path that breaks through the chains of Universal Laws as their assimilation of all of such laws will set them on the path of a Grand ***, a path that is needed if one ever hopes to fully utilize the Tools of Ruination, a path of those who stand above many in contempt¡­ ¡­! Archaic words filled with power littered the page, those displayed above being but a mere paragraph as what was written on this page could fill half a book! Yet this was only a single page from the book of ruination, a page that was titled {Excerpt XI- Integration)! His eyes seemed thirsty as he continued to read even more, knowledge he never thought to be possible freely displayed on this page as he soaked all of it in. --- While his clone obtained something out of his wildest dreams, Noah himself was fighting a being of higher rank than him while actually managing to stand his ground! The high percentages of boosts given by the many skills he had active were the only reason he was doing what he did, with the other being the abnormally powerful multicolored Black Hole that seemed to release near the same pressure as the Fiend Ruler at the QUASAR Realm. This was because it was a Black Hole formed from 100,000 forged stars, something 100x times greater than what most beings broke through with! One must also understand the percentage boosts and exactly how they came to provide Noah the power that he held. If we were to assign an ''Attack Value'' of 10 to Noah as the base damage he could deal and then apply the +3000% damage, it would be 10x3000%, or 10x30! This would bring the base attack of 10 to 300, an increase of 30 times¡­ This was why he could match the being at the QUASAR Realm- because nearly all of his attributes and damage of skills were being boosted by 30 or 50 times. Such was the reason why he could stand against the Fiend Ruler! BOOM! Another impact resounded out as Noah observed the starry field around the Fiend Ruler expand outwards, its body trying to weave in and out of the spammed skills or simply tank those that were too large. Noah was making sure the impact of the skills could be felt as he threw down stars and fireballs 10 or 50 times larger than the 3 meter tall Fiend Ruler himself, making it so that these attacks had to be dealt with by him as he withstood their damage alone! One could distinctly see that even though the starry field portrayed by this Quasar expert was roiling out strongly, it continued to get dimmer and dimmer over time. This was because even as he tried to make his way to the huge trunk of Yggdrasil, the numerous branches wielding Swords of Judgment always got in his way if not for the terribly changed Aether filled area of space through the hands of Madness Hegemony or the terrifying spammed skills. At this moment, the Realms of Power were being violated by Noah as he actually made it so that a being of a higher Realm could not advance or pull back in front of his attacks, only being able to sit there and take it as with time, the one with essence remaining will be the eventual winner! Many beings saw this situation as well, which was the reason why even more of them continued to be amazed with the being they only knew as a Life Law Master. Having been fighting for so long and keeping such a powerful skill active, was this being still not running out of energy?! The Fiend Ruler felt irreconcilable as he tanked more and more attacks while trying to squeeze in towards Yggdrasil to no avail, while the other Fiend Ruler versed the Ruler of the Stellar Sky Galaxy who had begun laughing wildly at the situation. He and the many other protectors that were still facing the remaining Fiends with the help of the Branches of Yggdrasil that provided immense support actually felt the air of despair lift from their hearts, seeing a possibility of coming out of this terrible ordeal alive! Such a thing was only brought forward by a single person, a being of unfathomable strength who had an image of a multicolored Black Hole slowly spinning with vigor on his enormous body! Chapter 680: Dead! Dead! Dead!!! In the Nexus Galaxy, the Conquest of the Fiends was rapidly unfolding as the enemy they thought to have understood enough turned out to be even more mysterious! The Imperial Adjudicator reinstated his power and might as he came down to reinforce his forces in the ongoing battle in the Nexus Galaxy, slaying the 4 QUASAR Fiend Rulers and all the forces they brought with them! The Adjudicator had used an ancient power to summon the Animus Summon that was at the GALAXY Realm, this Summon alone keeping the Elder Fiend at the same rank busy as he went down to back up his forces and wipe out all the Fiends in the Nexus Galaxy. But the Adjudicator knew the day was not done, and his heart was still not settled as he thought of his daughter that was in a galaxy far away. Also, aside from the Stellar Sky Galaxy, there were still other Galaxies under the simultaneous siege of the Fiends. He glanced at the bloody scene of war as dismembered bodies of fiends littered the starry space, the Imperials breathing hard around him looking towards his direction with shock and reverence. This was because aside from the power he had used to keep a GALAXY Realm combatant at bay, the Imperial Adjudicator still had his own EPSILON ranked Trait that he used to appalling proportions to wipe out the 4 QUASAR Fiend Rulers in an unmatched fashion. "Head to the Snow Realms and Silver Mountains Galaxies to reinforce them against the Fiends. I will make haste towards the Stellar Sky Galaxy." RUMBLE! He gave out a command to the QUASAR ranked Imperial Lords, the Imperials who were standing above Imperial Rulers that were most commonly at the realm of Black Hole. These Imperial Lords nodded with heavy expressions as forces were divided and soon prepared to set off, the Adjudicator turning into a streak of light as he left the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy! Outside in the chaotic void, the Elder Fiend was maddened as his body was gradually ground down by the Aurora Galaxy Dragon, a being such as him not being able to handle a majestic creature holding the bloodline of dragons while also being on an ancient path of power that allowed for a glimmering galaxy to be manifested on their bodies. The Imperial Adjudicator watched this unique creature with shining eyes as he came out of the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy, communicating with it telepathically as he received the reply that the battle with the Elder Fiend should end within the next hour! Even with the extreme might of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon, beings at the rank of GALAXY were extremely hard to kill as their Life Force could even rival those cultivating the Propitious Primeval Physique. This Elder Fiend who was on the ropes while fighting with the Aurora Galaxy Dragon would not be going down anytime soon, and the Adjudicator knew he would not be of help in this fight between experts of a Realm he had only taken half a step into, even if he brought his EPSILON ranked trait into account! "Then I shall go confirm Anna''s safety!" ROAAR! His message reached the Aurora Galaxy Dragon as he simply received a piercing roar, his eyes barely managing to catch a glimpse of the starry claw rushing down towards an irreconcilable Elder Fiend. His body thrummed with power as he made way towards the Stellar Sky Galaxy, hoping that the protectors there could just hold on for a little bit longer, and that even if all of them died- they had better protect his daughter with their last breath! --- As the Adjudicator left a battlefield with experts of higher Realms and respected the absolute difference in power, Noah was utterly ignoring such a thing as he continued to thrash a QUASAR Ranked Fiend left and right. The numerous and luminous branches of Yggdrasil focused entirely on the Fiend Ruler as this being was besieged on all sides with branches wielding Sword of Judgment, any time that these swords weren''t near an imploding star or a blazing sun would take its spot! Over time, the Swords of Judgment found their marks as this fiend that even had a natural barrier of essence around his body began to get hurt, the problem of not having strong Soul Protection becoming the bane of this creature! The protectors of the Stellar Sky Galaxy watched this fight with ever rising hope as they fought back even harder, the [Boosted Life Force] effect that they actively sought by going near lone branches of Yggdrasil just to be hit continuing to provide stupendous results. The Fiends themselves could not believe the sight in front of them, and this was especially so for the Fiend Ruler that was matching the Stellar Ruler. This QUASAR ranked Fiend had turned drastic as he tried to get past the Stellar Ruler and lend aid to his compatriot who was being besieged by attacks on all sides, but the Stellar Ruler would not relent! As he glanced at the miles long Ancient Tree that had a visible multicolored Black Hole rotate through its body as if it was a painting, the Fiend Ruler questioned what exactly they had come across. They still had the mission of looking for the mysterious Page, and the Fiend Ruler was terrified to return to his Master without any results. Yet he could only watch as their forces were reduced to a level where the protectors of the Stellar Sky Galaxy could fight back, and the situation was turning drastic for the QUASAR Fiend Ruler facing Yggdrasil! OOOOH! The Fiend Ruler released a bellow as his body lit up with a torrent of essence, reinforcing it as he withstood a barrage of [Fireball]s in the form of genuine suns. Terrible eruptions of Aether and destructive elements from oversized Portals of Terror also erupted around him as the +3000% increased area of effect on all abilities boost continued to show extreme effectiveness. In between this spam of suns, stars, and Aether rays were the hidden and the even more deadly Swords of Judgment, and the moment that a Portal of Terror exploded and caused a destabilization in the surrounding space, Noah used this chance to lay out a finishing strike! Hidden amongst the destabilized space and baleful Aether, over 10 Swords of Judgment suddenly bloomed from a hidden branch as their tips reached the Fiend Ruler in an instant. SHIING! A grating sound of multiple illusory swords meant to only hurt the soul did just that...and they did so in an utterly stellar fashion as the Fiend let out a bellowing last cry, his head pointing up as his eyes blazed a golden light before they died down, the immense QUASAR within his origin coming to rest! "..." Dead! Dead! He was actually dead! Silence permeated the battle field as even those in close combat came to a stop. They looked at the scene of the Fiend Ruler floating listlessly in the starry space with disbelief as they did not even know how to react. From the hands of someone that had just entered the Realm of Black Hole, a QUASAR ranked expert had fallen! Many looked at this scene as they wanted to scream impossible, as they wanted to say it was improbable. Not even the Stellar Ruler who was fighting another QUASAR Realm expert had been able to take him down. Nobody else on the battlefield had as many kills as him. Yet he¡­ Did he have to be so outrageous?! Chapter 681: A Failed Conquest! How could it be so! This was the thought crossing the minds of many, but it was the singular thought in the mind of the Fiend Ruler as he watched with disbelief as someone with the same rank as him had been killed. OOOOH! He bellowed out with rage and unwillingness as a command left his mouth soon after. "Fight! Fight with all your strength! For the Great Master!" He bellowed out the words as his command shook the hearts of the remaining Fiends, but they steeled them and followed as they rushed towards Yggdrasil that was still surrounded by many protectors like moths to a flame. The Fiend Ruler knew that their Master would not accept such a failure, especially since their mission was much more important since it involved finding the treasure that their Master wanted. If they could not get it, it was better to die here than to face the wrath and disappointment of their Master! RUMBLE! Fiends dashed down even though the state of the battle had become unfavorable to them, the Fiend Ruler raining down attacks towards the Stellar Ruler with even more vigor. Meanwhile, near the Ancient Primeval Tree, Noah had just taken in the body of the dead Fiend Ruler as he saved the cores, a glistening QUASAR Ranked Skill Book, and then he watched the Skill Points shoot up by another few thousands while a red glow passing over the dead body of the fiend as he read through its memories! Eyes of Truth told him a lot about the beings he came across, but nothing could compare to living the memories of the being themselves. As he began to quickly process thousands of years worth of memories, his roots wriggled in the starry sky as his enormous body rumbled, the Manifested multicolored Black Hole rotating with immense power as he moved rapidly towards the other Fiend Ruler! The movement of this mountainous form took many by surprise as the fiends on the way had a multitude of branches wrap around them, deadly swords piercing through them as the remaining QUASAR rank Fiend felt the presence nearing. The look of the face of this Fiend Ruler was that of someone who had accepted death, and he did so in a stellar fashion as when he saw Yggdrasil nearing, he stopped attacking the Stellar Ruler and brought his arms to the side! The Stellar Ruler looked at this as he used the opportunity to quickly land a deadly strike, but before he could even reach the Fiend, his fist stopped an inch away from him as an enormous force was beginning to erupt out. When he felt this force, the Stellar Ruler turned ashen as he instantly turned around and ran in the other direction while screaming! "Spread out! As far away from here as possible! He is imploding his Quasar!" Shocking words left his mouth as many beings scrambled away, the Fiend Ruler that had accepted death for its failure actually choosing to go out with a bang, and it was in a stellar fashion at that. At high stages like Black Hole and Quasar, experts could give out their most powerful attacks when they destroyed their own core, the destructive energies released from an imploding Black Hole or Quasar being something that could heavily injured or kill the enemy of the same rank. This was especially so for Quasar, as it was nearly 100x more deadly than an implosion of a Black Hole! This was because a Quasar had an active galactic nucleus, a level right before the formation of a Galaxy! Such a thing imploding would release a tremendous gravitational force that would rip apart space and everything in its surroundings to oblivion. So the Stellar Ruler ran at this scene, while Anna and her protectors moved even further back to be safe. But many had widened eyes when they realized a single being was not running away as they even continued to rush towards the imploding Quasar faster! Yggdrasil neared the terrifying force of an imploding Quasar as the body of the Fiend Ruler had begun to crack and melt, the space around him already ripping apart as a horrid gravitational force threatened to erupt out any second. But Noah still went towards this exploding Quasar not because he was selfless or a Saint, but because of the loot! He really could not let the loot of a Quasar ranked being go to waste! So he went forward as he was also filled with a level of confidence. One of it was the fact that his Life Shield would erupt out at any moment, and the other was that he actually did not feel too much of a threat from the horrendous gravitational force spreading out from the Fiend- and the reason was his own archaic Manifested multicolored Black Hole. At this moment, it seemed to be domineeringly screaming to him that the gravitational force being released by this imploding Quasar could not compare to the abilities of the Manifested Black Hole, and it threatened to prove this as the colorful Black Hole within Noah shone with a scintillating light! The light seemed dominant and wild, converging to form an appalling gravitational force that went to restrict the imploding Fiend in front of Noah. His branches flew out in a circular motion as they went to wrap all sides of the Fiend, the suppressive force being released by his own multicolored Galaxy actually stopping the advancing implosion of the Fiend as the terrifying gravitational force around it remaining restricted to him. This was suppression! Utter and genuine suppression of a lower Realm with a higher one, and it was simply because the lower realm was made too resplendently with abilities that were lost over the eons of time! The horrid gravitational force from the imploding Quasar never appeared, with Noah''s branches carrying golden sword reaching and piercing this being from all around as a golden light burned in the closed eyes of the Fiend Ruler, his soul being cleansed with the judgment of fate as he perished. "..." A pervasive sight! A heart rending battle! Two QUASAR experts dead, and to someone that had recently broken through to Black Hole at that! Chapter 682: One Can Never Have Too Much Loot! In the chaotic void, a particularly restless Imperial Adjudicator was rushing out with an aura of a blazing sun as he made way towards the Stellar Sky Galaxy. He used any teleportation rifts that he could to make the trip smaller, but as it normally took hours to make it from the Nexus Galaxy to Stellar Sky, it would take him at least half an hour if not slightly more as his shocking speed powered forward! As he streaked across the chaotic void, he just hoped for the safety of his daughter. He held the Medallion she had used to contact him prior, only listening to see if any message would come out of it as he never sent one himself! This was because he knew that his daughter could be in a deadly battle right now, and he would not do a single action that could break her concentration. And he knew that whenever she was safe, she would immediately let him know! So he kept the Medallion as he thundered forth, wishing he could grow wings to move even faster. What the Imperial Adjudicator did not know though, was that his daughter had passed over the terrible ordeal and was safe at this moment. She just had not even thought about picking up the Medallion and letting her father know as her eyes, like the eyes of many, were still glued to the figure of an enormous green-gold tree butchering experts at the realms of Nebula, Black Hole, and Quasar as if he was simply snapping the necks of chickens! --- With the fall of the last Fiend Ruler, the ranks of Fiend broke down as others tried to run, with even more choosing a similar action of self-implosion as the protectors had already run far away from them. Meanwhile, Noah actively sought them out after he put the body of the Fiend Ruler away, his Manifested Black Hole releasing a suppressive force on any being that wanted to implode themselves and cause a horrendous gravitational storm, his branches reaping their lives thereafter! The others saw this phenomenon as they shook their heads in amazement, thinking this righteous Life Law Master could not stand to leave even a single of these invading Fiends alive as he took care of them before they could deal any more damage. But the truth was that Noah simply wanted all the loot that came with Nebula and Black Hole rank experts! The skill books were many, the cores they granted were numerous, and he could find a way to transport them to the Novus Galaxy as he very easily increased the strength of the combatants there to Nebula Rank, and even make some of them experts at the Realm of Black Hole. His subordinates would rise in strength even faster than him if they were power leveled with these cores, and Noah wanted them to achieve even higher realms of strength! This was because he knew that deep inside their hearts, they felt a feeling of uselessness as they could not contribute to any of their goals because Noah''s power outpaced them by so much. If he could raise their strength to a sufficient enough level, the Harbingers of Sin and others could finally be put to use as they explored this vast Dark Universe! This was also why even after locating the shocking Page of Ruination, the clone had put it away for further reading later as he continued to search for and collect Effulgent Star Pearls- all that would be loot he could use to power level his subordinates. He was collecting the loot from Fiends and the loot from this Galaxy as he left nothing behind. One could never have too much loot! His thoughts were abundant as he carried out his actions, the memories of the Fiend Rulers showing the shocking truth of even their mission that he had stumbled upon. He also got to know the identity of a fearsome backer of these Fiends, a being that had earned the title of an Entity! He still did not know what this title truly meant as he pushed it in the back of his mind for now, dealing with the things immediate to him at this moment. The battlefield had gradually become calm as he finished off the last of the Fiends, his form as an enormous tree taking the eyes and attention of all the beings in the surroundings as they gave him a variety of looks! The Imperial Princess that had recovered some of her mana floated with the two Maids who could not hide their amazement, their eyes opening even wider as they saw the ancient tree shimmer with a green light as it began to reduce in size. Soon enough, the image of a young man with dark hair appeared, his eyes still carrying a hint of blue and green as the abundant essence of life vibrantly pulsed from him. As Anna stared at Alexander, she could not help but shake her head in wonder as on the body of this being, she and many others could still see the image of a manifested Black Hole! He looked like a being glowing with multicolored lights as the illusory image of his profound Black Hole took over 80% of his body and glowed with power, his eyes noticing the gazes of the beings around him as Alexander turned to look at himself and see the situation first hand. He seemed to smile as he gave a command, the illusory Manifested Black Hole on his body becoming dimmer and dimmer until it could barely be discerned! This was a mark to identify the beings on a spectacular path of power, and would light up brilliantly whenever he used his essence in the future! As he finished all of this, his gaze was calm as he went towards the direction of the Imperial Princess. Many of the people around did not even know how to approach and act towards him as only the Stellar Ruler was laughing boldly while going towards him. "Princess," Noah called out with a slight smile as the veiled Anna turned her face to the side curiously, speaking out words filled with interest and a hint of inquisitiveness! "Who are you?" This was a question that many beings had, among the thoughts of thankfulness for saving them! Noah already prepared multiple ways of answering but at this moment, all the beings here felt the nearing of a ridiculously powerful aura, an aura of power that was even greater than the QUASAR ranked Fiends that were just defeated. The eyes of many nearly lost their light as they saw a blazing sun pierce the boundary of the Stellar Sky Galaxy and rush towards them, a bellow coming out from it that shook the starry space itself! "Vile Fiends!" RUMBLE! Some were scared, while some that recognized the aura and the voice like Anna smiled brightly as the man himself, The Imperial Adjudicator, finally arrived to give aid to the Stellar Sky Galaxy. His immense aura spread out as he noticed the scene of battle and prepared to release deadly attacks, but was shocked to find bodies of a few Fiends littering the space, those present only being the protectors of the Stellar Sky Galaxy as well as some Imperials and...his daughter! The Imperial Adjudicator glanced towards the direction of his daughter as he arrived to save her, finding a mysterious man standing beside her and looking towards him with eyes of curiosity. He had arrived to save them, and yet it seemed nobody needed saving! Was this not the Galaxy that needed saving? Did it not have numerous Fiends of high Realms that completely outnumbered them? 2 in the QUASAR Realm? 200 at the Realm of Black Hole? What exactly had happened?! Chapter 683: Ill Do it Myself! The scene of the battlefield in the Stellar Sky Galaxy was one of cheering and happiness, this state being increased even more as the identity of the recently appearing Adjudicator was confirmed. Many were happy to escape death as they threw away their feelings of despair, looking toward Noah''s direction as he was the only one they had to thank for this. The Imperial Adjudicator went towards his daughter as his perceptive eyes caught this scene, nearing her in an instant as he questioned for her well being and exactly what had occurred. Anna changed to her sweet tone as she talked to her father, Noah standing by the side as he was too busy reading the information about this being from Eyes of Truth! If he could put it in one word, the information from this being was- vast! There were many things worthy of note and some shocking secrets, but those on the surface was the fact that this being was half a step into the GALAXY Realm, and he also had an EPSILON ranked Trait similar to his daughter while also being an Assimilator of the Law of Chaos and Space, and a Law Master of the Law of Death. Many titles with a lot of hard work required to bring them to life, but Noah''s shone as he saw that the identity of this being as a Father was the most important! Eyes of Truth were showing him shocking information about the being that this Adjudicator was connected to, the one who would be the Imperial Princess''s mother! Noah''s thoughts moved rapidly as he learned more about the Imperial Adjudicator more than anyone, this being turning towards him after he heard the story from his daughter. "You have my genuine thanks for going out of your way to save my daughter and the people of the Stellar Sky Galaxy!" OOM! The voice of the Adjudicator was filled with power as he said this, his eyes looking towards Noah with thankfulness as they also held a hint of questioning and coldness, as Noah was too mysterious. When listening to her daughter''s story, his instincts as a father were glaring whenever Anna mentioned Noah as a friend she made when she went out to the Blessed Imperial Selection not too long ago. When she told how he had killed the QUASAR raked Fiend Rulers, the Imperial Adjudicator had nearly disputed her words with disbelief! "As a citizen of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm, I was only doing my job to protect the Princess." He replied while bowing, his actions receiving eye rolls from the two maids as the Imperial Princess felt the same, her voice ringing out thereafter. "I can''t stomach this. Dad, don''t we have to go? There should be many things we need to get done!" The words of the Imperial Princess returned many to the present as the Adjudicator nodded, turning his attention to the Stellar Ruler as he spoke to him briefly. The knowledge that multiple Galaxies were under attack was now widely known as they knew much work was still needed! They moved to fortify the defenses of the Stellar Sky Galaxy as the Adjudicator even gave the commands to leave the Imperial Protectors that came with Anna to remain, with him choosing to take his daughter and her party back towards the Nexus Galaxy where an Elder Fiend was being over powered. After he knew his daughter was safe, he planned to reinforce the rest of his forces that had moved out to help the other besieged Galaxies as they put this matter to rest for good! RUMBLE! A wave of essence erupted out as it wrapped around Anna and her two maids, the princess nodding her head towards her father as she looked towards Noah, this essence wrapping around him also as all four of them shot out from the Stellar Sky Galaxy. They left behind a powerful force reinforcing this location, and Noah left behind two clones to continue mining the treasured Effulgent Star Pearls --- Light years away in another location. In the Burning Domains Galaxy, an Entity was releasing baleful breaths of essence as she healed herself, grave injuries apparent on her body from an unknown source! Her eyes were calm and collected as she cultivated silently, but they soon opened with a sharp light that contained maddened ruthlessness. "Failed¡­?" The word seemed to have a sense of disbelief as even this Entity was surprised at the result, her powers ending that the lives of many of the beings she had sent out were snuffed! The most important force she sent to silently scour the Stellar Sky Galaxy for a page from the Book of Ruination- utterly destroyed. And the being she had sent to spearhead the mission of conquest to the main Galaxy, the powerful Elder Fiend that had a realm same as the Entity, except of the Low Tier- even this being had just now lost his life as it was the signal that woke the Entity up! Disbelief filled her, as well as a sense of profound carefulness! From her knowledge, there should not have been a force capable of destroying a Low Tier GALAXY Realm expert in the cluster of Galaxies he targeted, thus she was filled with concern as her eyes shone with coldness. A moment seemed to pass as the Entity wished her options, sensing her injured body as she thought of the unique treasure that was the Book of Ruination and multiple other factors. The wrath and coldness won in the end as she spoke out appalling words. "Fine. I''ll do it myself!" RUMBLE! Waves of fate erupted out as the essence of this Entity erupted, the injuries she had being healed at a faster rate as she used even more expensive means to recuperate! Meanwhile, the Imperial Adjudicator and party of four streaked towards the Nexus Galaxy, arriving there in less than an hour as the image of a domineering Aurora Galaxy Dragon soon became clear in their eyes. The Aurora Galaxy Dragon floated in the chaotic void outside of Nexus Galaxy with blazing eyes, the Manifested Galaxy rotating calmly on its body as floating in front of it was a body. It was a body of the Elder Fiend in the Realm of GALAXY, and it was dead! Chapter 684: Notoriety! Noah enjoyed the feeling of being taken through the chaotic void at speeds faster than anything he could muster right now, the Imperial Adjudicator that he had only recently come across truly being a powerful individual! Only half a step into the GALAXY Realm, yet the things he delved in and mastered were many, with his power extremely robust. They crossed the distance that took them a few hours with the aid of the Void Pegasi in just 30 minutes as they appeared back at the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy, noticing an extremely suffocating aura permeating in the surroundings! Noah and the three girls spread out their senses as they glanced at this figure with awe, the image of an Aurora Galaxy Dragon being something that they had never seen in their life times. Even the daughter of the being that summoned this creature had never seen it before, her veiled figure hiding the shocked expression on her face as she looked up in wonder! They saw the shimmering galaxy manifested on the body of this Aurora Galaxy Dragon as it reminded them of something extremely similar, turning their faces towards Noah briefly as they recalled the manifested Black Hole that could barely be discerned at this moment. Their eyes then went towards the thing floating in front of the Dragon, their hearts tightening as they saw the body of what should have been a Fiend! Based on its aura, this Fiend was at the genuine Galaxy Realm, and yet it lay dead before this Aurora Galaxy Dragon! They could see the body of the Elder Fiend had been brutally split apart, its chest caved in as the blood floating in the chaotic void was a mixture of colors, the torn muscles and bones revealing a unique structure that shimmered with the light of stars, making it seem like a shattered Galaxy was still present in this small body. Amazingly, the bodies of beings at the GALAXY Realm were forever changed as their muscles and bones shone with the light of starry stars, their power still being something that they did not understand! "You were successful." OOOM! The strong voice of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon reverberated around them as the Imperial Adjudicator nodded with a heavy face. The Dragon glanced towards Anna with a warm light as it nodded, surprising the Imperial Princess as next up, the face of this fearsome creature landed on Noah. "Hmm?" An inquisitive light passed through its eyes that shone briefly, shooting out a light that instantly reflected on Noah before he could do anything else! Surprise came upon the Imperial Adjudicator and Anna as they did not expect this, turning towards Noah to see the vibrant multicolored Black Hole manifest itself fully again after what the Aurora Galaxy Dragon just did. "Rare to find a being like you in these parts...only the Scions of Ancient Powers have been able to reproduce this path on their own bodies, and never at the level that would match Animus Summons like you¡­" RUMBLE! Shocking words hiding many different clues and meanings erupted from the Aurora Galaxy Dragon as it gazed over Noah up and down, while Noah did the same to the creature as Eyes of Truth showed this majestic being''s information! [Aurora Galaxy Dragon] :: An Animus Summon that is temporarily contracted with Alexei Lexalius Dannicus. This Animus Summon has been trained to Grand Completion as it exhibits the Manifested Galaxy Realm, even though it is only at the Low Tier Galaxy Realm. [Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... From the Life History of this being, a stupid amount of information he had no reason seeing at this moment was reflected in front of his eyes! Knowledge of the beings known as Animus Summons or Animus Pets, and some knowledge of powerful ancient organizations that ruled the many regions of the Dark Universe that utilized creatures such as these! Truly too much and too early for Noah''s imaginative mind as his eyes nearly showed the intense thirst he felt. "He was the one to save Anna, a genius Law Master with essence reserves unlike anything we''ve seen." The Imperial Adjudicator replied to the Aurora Galaxy Dragon as he saw Noah was absentmindedly looking towards the majestic Dragon, a nod coming from the creature as it pulled its eyes away and spoke with a strong tone. "You must go see her after this." Words that caused the Adjudicator to adopt a somber expression and for Anna to light up rang out, with the Adjudicator nodding his affirmation! His palm then pointed towards the Aurora Galaxy Dragon as he shouted out a single word. "Return." CRACK! His chest seemed to split open as a swirl of a rift formed within it, a sucking force wrapping around the Aurora Galaxy Dragon as it became smaller and smaller...until it fully disappeared into the chest of the Imperial Adjudicator! Shocking sight after shocking sight was being revealed in front of Noah as he breathed out calmly. Just the single glance at the Aurora Galaxy Dragon had given him so many things to look forward to that he did not even know if he could contain himself. He breathed out as he kept his heart calm, the essence of the Imperial Adjudicator wrapping around them again as his voice came out. "We shall go see your Mother as soon as we ascertain the status of all the Galaxies that fell under attack today." The words of the Adjudicator were sound as they entered the Nexus Galaxy once more, many things happening all around as they returned to Brightgold Monarchy Realm! The Imperial Adjudicator did not have to leave to lend help to the other Galaxies himself as only QUASAR ranked Fiends were there similar to the Stellar Sky Galaxy, and the Imperial Rulers that he sent to aid them quickly got things under control. This meant that the sudden and terrible conquest the Fiends had shown quickly came to an end, and there were a few things to come out of it as the most immediate effect. The first one was the knowledge that the Fiends were deeply hiding their power, where even now they weren''t fully confident of the forces they had hidden in reserve. Another effect was the knowledge that while under siege, the Imperial Princess had undergone forging in the battlefield as she broke through into the Realm of Black Hole, showing tremendous power that could instantly kill a Fiend of the same level in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. But she wasn''t even the brightest star that shone from this ordeal, as the being that had protected her life and the lives of many in the same Stellar Sky Galaxy was the one whose name had begun to spread as soon as the party with the Imperial Adjudicator returned to the Nexus Galaxy. The name of the being who was a shockingly powerful Life Law Master among many other titles, the one who could reap the lives of Black Hole Fiends at the Nebula Realm and then reap the lives of QUASAR Fiends at the Realm of Black Hole! The one known as Alexander King...his name was spreading among the upper echelons of the Nexus Galaxy! Chapter 685: Notoriety! II In the Nexus Galaxy, many beings were moving about as they established normalcy to this Galaxy and all those affected by the recent attack by the Fiends from the Burning Domains Galaxy. The Imperial Adjudicator had spent an entire day giving out commands to his forces as he communicated with those sent to reinforce other Galaxies, and he found that the battle was not without its losses! The two Galaxies that had only received reinforcements some time after the attack started lost more than half of their experts, a heavy toll being taken as many were bubbling with fury towards the Fiends. But even while feeling immense wrath, nearly all of them were hesitant to make a move as they didn''t know the depth of the Fiend''s strength! So the Imperial Adjudicator focused on reestablishing order, and as soon as this was done he moved on to the next important task. In the Dannicus Household that was bustling with activity, Imperials of all types filled the halls as discussions of the recent war spread out. One would be able to notice that among many of the names, ''Alexander'' would be popping out with frequency as he was discussed with much fervor! "A High Imperial at the Realm of Black Hole who can match Quasar?" "Don''t forget that he''s a Life Law Master as well, and apparently also dabbling in Fate and Aether¡­" Royals and Imperials were discussing in murmured breaths around the Dannicus Fortress, and one question was in the minds of many that still had not been answered! "I heard he is always with the Princess, is there¡­?" "Don''t even finish that sentence if you want to keep your life! Do you know who she is?!" Words and rumors spread around as the situation gradually settled. In a corner of the Dannicus Fortress, the Imperial Princess was being attended to by her maids as she heard the voices of the many Imperials rooms away as she smiled with a cold light, this light dimming down as she felt the aura of her father materializing outside of her room. "Little Anna, we need to go now." The Imperial Adjudicator came to pick up his daughter for a trip they had to make to a special someone, making Anna quickly step out as even her maids remained behind! Father and daughter were heading out of the Dannicus Fortress silently, heading towards an unknown location. But before they could even get too far, the Imperial Adjudicator came to a halt as if lightning struck him, a surprise expression appearing on his face as he received a telepathic message from the same being they were going to meet! "Bring the one that saved my daughter as well." The voice was calm and sonorous, with a tone that seemed so enticing that any man would turn cartoonishly heated. The Imperial Adjudicator blankly nodded with surprise as he turned towards Anna and asked where Alexander was. "Oh, since he saved my life, I wanted to return the favor once more. The only thing he wanted was to learn the techniques of the Ultimate Law of Death...so I granted him access to the library again." Anna''s voice was low as she talked, seemingly not wanting to be disciplined by her actions as her father shook her head with a smile. "Tell him to come here, quickly." Anna hid her surprise in her veiled face as she quickly sent a message to Noah, who had just finished obtaining the techniques for the Law of Death in the Imperial Library! When they returned to the Nexus Galaxy and received the hero''s welcome with his name spreading among the upper forces of the Galaxy, Anna had asked him if he wanted anything to repay his actions of saving her and an entire Galaxy. His answer was of course- the techniques of the Ultimate Law of Death in the Imperial Library! This was because he was extremely excited to get the counterpart of the Law of Life, and he wanted even more to see the opposing ability of "Ashes to Ashes", the one termed as "Dust to Dust."! He wanted to check the abundant amount of loot he received from the Fiends also, but he pushed this back as aside from the stupendous Cores and Skill Points, the skill books he got from them would most likely just be used as sacrificial skill books when he upgraded his skills or given to his subordinates. So he simply asked for the reward of the Law of Death! Anna had shaken her head wyrily as she granted this request, using her authority to grant him access once more into the floor of the Imperial Library where only the highest of Imperials could enter, all the while the Adjudicator dealt with clearing up chaos sown by the Fiends. At this moment, Noah received word from the Imperial Princess as he stopped reading the description of the new techniques, his senses for unique opportunities tingling as his proficiency in the Law of Fate told him only benefits awaited him! He disappeared from the Imperial Library as he appeared in the skies of the Brightgold Monarchy Realm, following the coordinates given by the Princess until he found two figures in the skies not too far from the Dannicus Household. He bowed his head slightly towards the floating Imperial Adjudicator as he nodded to the Princess, the strong voice of the Father ringing out as he isolated the space around them! "We will be visiting someone with an extremely special identity, and they have asked for the one who saved Anna to come along as well. I expect your discretion!" His voice was strong but filled with a sense of hesitation, as even the Imperial Adjudicator wasn''t sure why that person wanted this Alexander there! A serious look was the only thing present on the genius''s faces as he nodded, the party of three moving away from the Imperial Citadel as they flew towards an unknown location in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm. "The location we are going to is a hidden Realm that very few know about!" They were going to a hidden Realm that contained a being with a powerful identity. It was the person who had ''given'' the Imperial Adjudicator the Animus Summon at the Realm of GALAXY, the true Master of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon! Chapter 686: The Personage in the Blue Plains Realm! In the Brightgold Monarchy of the Nexus Galaxy, there existed multiple Rifts that led to different Realms! An example was the Rift leading to the Aether Carnage Realm where Noah had begun the first stage of the Blessed Imperia Selection, and the Rift that led to the Devouring Hells Realms where Fiends were held prisoners. Currently, the party being led by the powerful Imperial Adjudicator was heading towards one such hidden Rift, a rift where a special personage was hidden at! They arrived in the thick foliage of mountains as the Imperial Adjudicator descended down, Noah noticing the aura of multiple beings at the ranks of Nebula and Black Hole spread all over the mountain they were descending down in. His eyes also noticed the appearance of multiple thin barriers of light that covered the entire area, their bodies passing through them at this moment with ease as their feet touched the grasslands of the mountain. Covered by resplendent trees and stationed silently in front of them, a clear blue Rift could be seen near the area they had touched down in, the Imperial Adjudicator leading the way as the two of them followed! Noah''s eyes shone as the identity of the rift was revealed in front of him. [Blue Plains Rift] :: A rift leading to a small mobile realm currently located in the Brightgold Monarchy. A simple description that gave away the identity of the location they were going to! His eyes went to the surroundings as he saw Imperials at the Realm of Black Hole guarding the blue rift on each side, standing still as the party of three approached and entered through the rift silently. WAA! A spatial movement later, they found themselves in what seemed to be a paradisiacal circular world, where with the simple spread of their aura they could actually see all the boundaries of this small Realm! It actually did not seem to be any larger than 100 miles in diameter, but it had a unique atmosphere that made it more pronounced than many of the Realms Noah had visited. The Blue Plains Realm that they had entered has wide grasslands and expansive blue skies, the dome shape of this realm being covered by mystical blue clouds as it shimmered with colors and essence! In the middle of this Realm, a single small castle existed as Noah could feel the aura of only one being- a being that was currently walking through a garden in front of the castle! Noah was looking around this realm in wonder as the two beings beside him seemed emotional, neither of them being able to take a single step towards the castle. This remained so until a sonorous voice rang out beside their ears. "Why are you two standing there like fools? It''s only been a few years, come on." The voice seemed melodious and enticing, each word dripping with honey as the three found themselves going forward unconsciously! They reached the perimeter of the castle in a matter of seconds as the woman walking in the garden became clear, her face turning towards them with a bright smile that seemed to shine away all darkness. Yet at the same time, Noah''s eyes constricted as he looked at this being, his heart shaking as her eyes alone told him of the extreme coldness and strength of this woman, and his Eyes of Truth told him of even more shocking information! "Mom¡­" Anna was reaching her arms out like a child as she threw herself into the arms of the woman, none of the demeanor of a cold blooded Black Hole expert existing as she hugged the woman tightly. "Silly girl, still wearing that veil I gave you? Take it off so your mom can see you." Words full of love were released from the woman as Anna quickly nodded, the veil she always wore on her head disappearing as ridiculous gorgeousness was revealed underneath! ''Holy¡­'' Even Noah had to hide his thoughts in amazement as he looked at the two women, having to admit that they were factually the most drop-dead gorgeous women he had seen in his life time. His attention was shaken by the Mom''s power and status at first, but as he looked at their identical faces- it seemed like he happened to walk by two fairies beautifully standing in a garden! The Imperial Princess he had never seen had vibrant red hair with light blue eyes, her fair face only being beaten by the mature demeanor her mother exuded that could cause the downfall of countries. The mother was an exact replica, but somehow even more vibrant to look at! "Anastasia¡­" The Imperial Adjudicator, Alexei, called out with hazy eyes as he went forward, but he could not bring himself to get near her as he sighed and instead continued speaking! "I could not help but release the Animus Summon you temporarily put under my control. We were being besieged on all sides and Anna was in danger as well¡­" His voice was low as he seemed ashamed, but the woman raised her hand lovingly as she turned her attention towards Noah and spoke. "I know. Saved by a being that many can only call a genius, an Imperial that nobody had heard of before a week ago but having unexplainable strength and being extremely proficient in the Law of Life that the abilities he released caused him to easily massacre beings a Realm above his own." Her eyes shone with a golden glint as she focused on Noah, the faces of the three beings on the garden of the castle landing on him with extreme focus! Noah only reciprocated with a calm smile, seeing the clues to the reason for him being there as he continued to read the description of this being under the Eyes of Truth. [Anastasia Frederick Windsor] :: An Entity residing in the Blue Plains Realm hidden in the Brightgold Monarchy. She comes from the Expansive Dragon Cluster located near the periphery of the center of the Dark Universe...[Life History][Strengths][Weakness][Ability(s)][Trait(s)][Habits]... "His Realm is even a perfected one, something that even I could only grant to my Pets after years of efforts and treasures. A genius through and through, the question is...how much of a genius?" Anastasia, the being with a shocking status that should definitely not be in the small Nexus Galaxy, began walking towards Noah with steady steps. "After the recent actions, I do not know how much time I have, and your enemies still have someone behind them that will make a move soon. You have many warriors here, but many of them have no talent." She spoke amply as she came to stand in front of Noah, her eyes shining with an unknown light as she smiled even more! "Yet you...have Comprehended multiple laws!" ¡­! Even Anna and her Father were surprised as they focused on him, this being knowledge they did not know! They knew he dabbled in a few laws, but not that he had comprehended many of them fully. Noah remained calm as he saw this being was not directing any killing intent towards him, continuing to wait to see what her aim was! "I want to protect the small home I''ve been on in the past years. I will test your talent and see if you are worthy...worthy of coming in contact with that which lies above even Ultimate Laws. I will do this with the promise that you continue protecting Anna and the Nexus Galaxy" ¡­! Disbelief rose in the eyes of all beings there but the shocking personage herself, none of them being able to wrap their minds around what was happening! Chapter 687: The Doctrine of Death! Noah breathed calmly as he tried to keep his breath under control, his shining eyes being the only thing revealing his true thoughts as he slowly nodded. "Protecting the Imperial Princess is something that I will always do, and the Nexus Galaxy is my home!" These words were said with conviction as they reached Anastasia, her gorgeous face shining brighter as she replied. "Good. The only problem is that learning such a thing required talent, and many beings on the fringes of the Dark Universe do not have it. Nor do they have the resources of Ancient Organizations to help them, so they forever remain weak!" She moved away from Noah as she went back to the surprised Anna, strong her hair tenderly as she continued. "Alexei summoning my Aurora Galaxy Dragon might have already alerted those searching for me of my location, so we might either have a few weeks or a few months, maybe even years if the signal wasn''t picked up. But during that time, I want to see if I can create some protectors for you all." The words were filled with love and sadness, causing the Imperial Princess to bite her lip as she spoke to her mother! "Can we not just come with you?! I...I¡­" Tears actually welled up in the girl''s eyes as she spoke, the tender look on her mother becoming grave at these words. "No. They cannot even know you are my daughter, nor that I took a man in this small Galaxy. They will kill you all without batting an eye!" RUMBLE! Appalling words were said as she turned serious, the Imperial Adjudicator and Anna turning ashen as it seemed they still did not understand her identity. "Why...why¡­?!" Anna was irreconcilable as she persisted. "I ran away because someone I did not want, wanted me. The rage of that Ancient Power is not something you can even imagine, nor what mindset they stand on." Her expression seemed to be recalling something disgusting as she talked! "They stand above all others as they look down in contempt, as they think themselves the true inheritors of everything in this Dark Universe. Only other Ancient Powers stand equal to them, everything else being mere ants in their eyes." "To them, it would not be an issue to step on the ants that they would consider to have sullied something of theirs, they would not even blink before wiping everything here away!" RUMBLE! Ashen expressions were the only thing that came with these words as they got a better idea, their heads buzzing as they repeated the word in their minds. Ants! They would be seen as mere ants before Ancient Powers, even with the Realms they had achieved! Even with all the hard work and progress they had made in laws or Traits, it was still considered nothing in their eyes! "But while I may not be able to stay with you all, I could at least ensure your safety. I did that first by giving Alexei my weakest Animus Pet and imparting some techniques, forming a contract with his soul momentarily for it to aid him in the most dire situations." ¡­! Yes! She had given the Imperial Adjudicator the Aurora Galaxy Dragon that she even said was her weakest Animus Summon. She did this because the weakest one should have released the weakest signal if ever it was used, and it was also the reason why she had not given any more of her Animus Pets nor summoned them over the years. "If I could enlighten some geniuses though, there might be a chance. So, Alexander, I''ve heard of your amazing feats and power, but I haven''t seen it first hand. Can you show me your genius? Just as a formality, but I would like to be sure of your talent before handing down something so immense!" Anastasia turned her face away from Alexei and Anna as she focused on Noah again. During all this time that shocking information was easily released, Noah was the only one not scared or feeling immense pressure. All he felt was excitement and wonder as the many new things were brought into the picture, and he wanted to jump towards them headfirst as he absorbed everything he could like a sponge. He thought of the words of this woman with a fearsome identity as an idea popped in his mind right away. "I have just picked up the techniques of traversing the Ultimate Law of Death from the Imperial Library. I can cultivate the law for the first time in front of you as you see my comprehension!" "Hoh?" An interested light erupted from Anastasia as she nodded. "I cannot sense any concepts of death within you, good. Let''s see what you have." Anastasia pointed for Anna and Alexei to sit in the paradisiacal garden as they stared at Noah, the eyes of these beings watching him as he felt not an ounce of fear! His eyes looked at his stat panel that showed the recent techniques he received from the Imperial Library. {The Doctrine of Death} :: Across the eons of time and space, there are few true wonders permeating throughout. The Doctrine of Death completes the Doctrine of Life, where the being that comprehends and assimilates both will have a possibility of finding an even greater path of strength. The technique to cultivate the Ultimate Law of Death was given to him, and he sat down peacefully in the calm garden that was filled with important beings as he began to cultivate! RUMBLE! Anna had already seen scenting like this as she was there when he first cultivated the Law of Life, but her eyes still focused on him as she saw the color of immense darkness erupt out of him the moment he sat on the ground. OOOM The aura of an Ultimate Law permeated out, this one being particularly cold and merciless as it smelled of the potent aura of death! Within Noah''s origin when an illusory Primeval tree that represented the Law of Life was blooming, a seed began to sprout below this grand tree. The seed was black in color and shone with even greater darkness, essence pouring into it as it erupted! Chapter 688: Above the Laws is... Unimaginable potent essence converged in the small garden in the Blue Plains Realm, all of it going towards the man currently cultivating the Doctrine of Death for the first time! Similar to the Law of Life, the process for the Law of Death had begun with a budding of a seed that soon erupted into a sapling. This sapling was extremely dark in color as it seemed to absorb every other color around it, a stark contrast being created with the vibrant green tree of life that was growing above it. The two trees were currently growing while facing different directions, where if one were to draw a line at the very center of the Origin, they would see a vibrant green hue permeate the origin above the line and a dark cold hue to permeate below! As the sapling of the Tree of Death began to bud with more and more branches and leaves, thick roots erupted out as they spread serenely through the colorful Manifested Black Hole and began to intertwine with the roots of the Tree of Life. This reaction should have been something opposable, but it happened as smoothly as it could as for the two Ultimate Laws of Life and Death, the two were one and the same! Two sides of the same coin! But it created for a truly beautiful scene as even Anna who had seen Alexander shine with a vibrant green in the Imperial Library before could not help but watch with an agape expression. The Imperial Adjudicator who had lived for many years and seen many things was also moved, his own Tree of Death within his Origin ringing in a reaction as it sensed another Death Law Master being born nearby! The one with an esteemed identity, Anastasia, also looked on with shining eyes as she saw more things than the two beside her saw. She had seen many beings embark on Ultimate and Supreme Laws in the past, and none of them had caused a reaction such as this when they first began. When she looked at the man in front of her, it seemed like the atmospheric universal essence was fighting to get into his origin to power up the cost of using Doctrine of Death, as if this essence was not a problem for him and would even acquiesce to his wishes! She did not know how this result was brought about, but her eyes only gained more and more surprise as the time passed. 5 minutes passed as the phenomenon of converging essence and the illusory scene of a Tree of Death coldly growing ever larger below a Tree of Life continued, the roots of the two trees wrapping around each other so tightly that they created a mysterious groove at their point of contact. 25 minutes passed, and Anastasia was convinced of this being''s genius as she could see he had attained Small Success in this Ultimate Law in just half an hour since he began cultivating it, a result that would take even the Scions from her birthplace months to achieve! Yet the phenomenon in front of them did not stop as the Tree of Death grew ever larger, its lifeless grey leaves shining splendorously as its branches shook angrily, seemingly not reconciled at the fact that the tree of life it was bound to was so much larger than it. This caused for even more essence to converge towards it as it grew ever larger! 40 minutes! 60 minutes! ¡­! Alarm rose in the eyes of Anastasia and the other 2 beings as they saw this process still continue, and their hearts only settled after they felt the essence begin to recede the moment the one hour mark was met. The essence of universal laws began to die down around them as they could see two illusory Trees floating stably amidst the genius''s colorful Black Hole. Anastasia sighed with surprise as her thoughts were proven true, committing it in her heart to see if genius would be able to traverse the even harder path that she walked on. She was about to speak her thoughts when her eyes caught the expression of Alexander scrunch up as he felt the waning universal essence, seemingly annoyed by this fact as his body soon shone with a verdant green light. {The Doctrine of Life}! RUMBLE The technique for cultivating the Law of Life was cultivated simultaneously as {The Doctrine of Death}, the appearing green light stimulating the waning universal essence to re-energize as the black essence from the Law of Death also elevated to another level! RIIING! A resonance seemed to occur between the two Universal Laws being cultivated at the same time as universal law essence descended down once more with stellar colors, this time even more vibrant than when the genus had begun cultivating before. The three watching in the garden only watched with agape expressions as they did not even know where to begin. He''d passed whatever test was laid out in front of him, you know? He didn''t have to show off so much! Yet the minutes passed as they could only watch in wonder, imprinting this memory into their brains for as long as they lived. --- 2 more hours passed. Noah had taken his time as he felt the growth of the Tree of Death, this tree synchronizing with the Tree of Life as he brought the Law of Death to 12% from cultivating it in just a few hours, the Law of Life rising becoming to a full 30% at the same time! It was only then that he stopped simultaneously activating the Doctrines of Life and Death as he opened his eyes, essence waning around him as even the skies seemed to breathe in relief at the phenomenon''s ending. His eyes opened to lock on with the sharp eyes of Anastasia that was looking at him with focus, her voice ringing out right after. "Your talent should be at the level of the Core Scions of Ancient Organizations if not completely surpassing them. Good! We are low on time, so we shall get started right away. You two, pay attention as well and see if your talent can pick anything up." WAA! An aura of unique strength erupted from Anastasia as she rose in the air, her face becoming cold and devoid of emotions as she seemed like an untouchable Entity! Her face was staring down towards Noah, her daughter, and the Imperial Adjudicator with eyes of authority, her voice ringing out all around them as it dripped of majesty. "In the vast Universe, there are many routes of power as beings continue to search for the unknown. The most natural route is to study Universal Laws, with others relying on unique cultivation methods or even Blessing passed down from their home Galaxies in the form of Traits." "All of these things can only support one of their path of strength, but there exists ''concepts'' above things such as Traits or Laws that grant immense power to their wielder, a power that sets them apart from all others!" RUMBLE! Her words contained a unique charm as Noah listened with shining eyes, her cold expression continuing with no pause! "Above the laws, there exists Daos!" "I come from the Expansive Dragon Cluster, an Ancient Power that relies on Archaic Animus Pets to control large regions of the Dark Universe, and we study...the Dao of Summoning!" ¡­!!! Daos! Wide-ranging and extremely elusive, ranging from the Dao of Summoning to the Dao of Blood to the Dao of Destruction and many more... The next area of study...was the Dao! Chapter 689: Daos! Dao! Above laws, there was the concept of Daos! "A multitude of Daos exist, yet few beings can ever grasp even one. Even those that have great guidance by others that embark on the path of Daos might not necessarily be able to comprehend even a single one." They were abstruse and hard to grasp, things that one could search a thousand years for but never find one. "Even in the Expansive Dragon Cluster that boasts being followers of the Dao of Summoning only has a small percentage of the geniuses embarking and following this path!" Anastasia continued to float in the skies, her eyes releasing an unknown sense of pressure and regality as she continued. "Across the Dark Universe, the Ancient Powers are formed based on what Dao Path a group follows. So you can come across Ancient groups that focus on the Dao of Slaughter, or the Dao of Destruction, or the Dao of Creation...There are as many as there are grains of sand!" RUMBLE! Noah felt his mind ringing as these words continued, a path he was only stumbling onto now opening itself up so widely that he wanted to scream out. "There are even Daos that integrate the Universal Laws into them and grant a being mastery at extreme speeds, with the Dao of Four Elements being one of them. We could sit here and talk for days just listing the many Daos there are, but we will focus on the Dao of Summoning." Anastasia''s voice only became more and more enticing as time passed, her voice continuing to explain s grand concept as Noah, Anna, and the Imperial Adjudicator listened closely. "There are Lesser Daos, Grand Daos, and the most hidden, elusive, and majestic Cosmic Daos! The Dao of Summoning that we study...is merely a Lesser Dao. Yet it is this Dao that has granted the Expansive Dragon Cluster the capabilities to rule a region of the Dark Universe. You will come to find that even among the Ancient Powers out there, very few of them have even come close to touching Grand Daos, not to mention the elusive Cosmic Daos." WAA! Anastasia waved her hands in front of her as a luminous obsidian crystal appeared, this crystal releasing a fearful pressure as the surroundings around them quacked at the mere introduction of it! "To embark on the Dao of Summoning, all prospective talents in the Expansive Dragon Cluster are lent this Dao Crystal- an extremely rare material that is held by very few! This particular Dao Crystal has wisps of the Dao of Summoning, and you will have to grasp just a minuscule amount of understanding in this Dao before you can begin even activating the techniques of <>." She finished her words as the obsidian crystal known as a Dao Crystal floated down, its size being at 2 meters as it was around Noah''s height. Anastasia then waved her hands again as three brilliant white lights shot from her and went towards the heads of Noah, Anna, and the Imperial Adjudicator! "That is the technique to sense and gain understanding in the Dao of Summoning, something that the Forefathers of the Expansive Dragon Cluster have managed to create after eons of trials and errors. Learn it well and then try sensing the Lesser Dao within this Dao Crystal. If all goes well, you should be able to grasp something in a few days if you have a great talent, or a few months if you are merely talented!" RUMBLE! The rumbling essence around them quarter down as the three of them closed their eyes and focused on the technique imparted, Noah watching the words of an Absolute Skill freely popping up in his mind. <> :: A technique created by Forefather Expansive of the Expansive Dragon Cluster. It aims to comprehend Lesser Daos, but one would rarely find success unless a crystallized form of the Dao is nearby for them to sense. A shocking technique that aimed to comprehend Lesser Daos, yet even the System showed how one could barely comprehend Daos with it! They would need something like the Dao Crystal that Anastasia laid in front of them if they wanted to make any headway with it. Noah was about to give it a try with high expectations when he reread the part that said it was a ''technique created by Forefather Expansive''. These words reminded him that the beings of the Expansive Dragon Cluster worked for eons to create a skill such as this, but he had to also remind himself that he...could also create skills! RUMBLE! His heart felt even more excitement as the thought took root in his mind, his eyes moving towards the Skill Points section of his stat panel as he could finally put the points he had been saving up to good use. They had been raising by hundreds when he took down Fiends in the Devouring Hells Realm during the Blessed Imperial Selection, and they rose by thousands when he killed even more of them in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. The QUASAR ranked Fiend Rulers alone granted him 10,000 skill points each as his total number came to¡­.127,524! Over a hundred thousand Skill Points! The number only caused his eyes to shine with a maddened light as he pulled up the Skill Creation tab right away, beginning to input ideas of the skill he wanted as a calculation was soon made in a matter of seconds. ¡­ [Supreme Dao Traverser] :: The user utilizes their Origin as the lamp as they traverse on the dark path of the Dao, lighting up the way with ease as only time is needed to master Lesser and Grand Daos. All learned Daos will passively be comprehended even while the user isn''t actively comprehending with the skill. The speed of Dao Comprehension is increased the more mana that the user can provide. Cost to create the Skill- 100,000,000 Skill Points. "..." His mind went blank for a moment as the base skill he put in before he added any modification required simply ridiculous amounts of skill points, his face hardening as he went forward to edit the skill to acceptable levels! He spent some time as he added more and more restrictions, watching as the 100 million required number of skill points went down to 50 million, then to 1 million, then to 150,000, until finally...it stopped at 120,000 skill points. The new skill that he could create was displayed in front of him brilliantly! [Dao of Summoning Traverser] :: The user utilizes their Origin as the lamp as they traverse on the dark path of the Dao of Summoning, lighting up the way with ease as only time is needed to master the Dao. The skill requires tremendous amounts of mana to activate and keep active.* The user can only comprehend the Dao of Summoning with the skill.* Cost to create the Skill- 120,000 Skill Points. He took out the possibility of comprehending any other Daos from the skill as it purely focused on the Dao of Summoning, and also took away the possibility of passively comprehending the Dao freely as time passed. He then added restrictions as an acceptable skill appeared, and he gave the command to create it! RUMBLE! Chapter 690: In Just F***ing Seconds! An eruption of essence silently occurred within Noah as 120,000 skill points were spent instantly, a new skill at the rank of Black Hole appearing! His eyes shone whole looking at the skill, enhancing it with skill points as a (5/5) appeared in front of it. All this did was enhance its effectiveness even more, and it was finally read for Noah to try as he came closer to the Dao Crystal that Anna and the Imperial Adjudicator had already begun to touch. Anastasia looked at this scene interestingly as she saw this being move only a few minutes after he received the <> ability. She watched closely as he went toward and placed his hands on the Dao Crystal, a unique air beginning to spread around him. Her eyes constricted as she saw this appear the moment he sat down, and then her eyes began to tremble a second later as she observed a shocking sight! The reason for this was because the moment that Noah touched the Dao Crystal containing wisps of the Dao of Summoning, he activated [Dao Of Summoning Traverser] right away. The skill was nothing like the defective one that one could only embark on the Dao of Summoning if they had a Dao Crystal with a sense of this Dao already, and he could have begun activating the skill even without touching the Dao Crystal! It might have taken him a few hours or a day before he gained his first understanding in the Dao of Summoning, but that was already multiple times faster than even the top geniuses that Anastasia talked about, and it was guaranteed with his self created skill. Yet he was currently touching a Dao Crystal containing the Dao of Summoning, so the moment he activated the skill he did not even have to spend a second searching for the Dao of Summoning. It was already in front of him, so it simply came to him! RUMBLE! Immense mana poured into the skill because of the restrictions he created, but it meant that the second he sat down and activated the skill...the essence of the Dao of Summoning that he sensed from the Dao Crystal swarmed towards him, essence he did not even know existed flooding into his body on all directions. An activation of a skill! A second of passing! A Dao was learned! WAAA! A magisterial pressure erupted out as the essence of a Lesser Dao washed over him, feeling more regal than even the Ultimate Laws as he felt a sense of closeness he could not explain. BOOM! His multicolored Black Hole seemed like it was on fire as it began to rotate and expand rapidly, merely the essence of this Grand Law pushing his strength upwards as it felt like...like a cap had been taken off an erupting volcano! It felt like something within him was setting loose as abstruse waves of something he never came across before...waves of Dao were swimming around his body as they gave him an appallingly ancient aura! Ah! The Dao! On this Day, he had stepped onto the path of the Dao of Summoning! "..." Anastasia was looking towards him with her drop-dead gorgeous face losing all of its majesty, her mouth agape as she sensed the essence of the Dao of Summoning beginning to swim around Noah. ''This...was impossible!'' No matter how much of a genius, no matter the talent¡­doing this in just a matter of seconds?! This was nigh impossible! Not minutes! Not hours! Not days or even months, but merely seconds! ''What the fuck?!'' Even the most splendrous geniuses took days, with many taking months before they could even sense the Dao of Summoning. Yet this being did not only sense it, he had also began embarking on it as the majestic aura of a Lesser Dao began to permeate around him! Just what was this creature?! Absent minded to the shock of Anastasia, Noah opened his eyes as his body felt something unique traveling through it, the Law Origins within him bubbling with excitement as they churned even faster. A mere wisp of this Dao was able to excite his body and laws, all of them revolving even faster, especially the Ultimate Laws as the Trees of Life and Death began to brim with essence all around them. The Dao was above the laws, so studying it would only make those below it proceed even faster! But Noah put this behind him for now as while he embarked on the Dao of Summoning and felt like he could do something with it, he felt like he was missing a piece of something to do it. So he looked towards Anastasia who was staring at him with shocked eyes, only coming back to herself when she saw his gaze! She seemed to know what he was thinking as she waved her hands, another bright light shooting off of her as it entered into Noah''s mind. Her voice seemed slightly shaken as she spoke, putting her surprise aside for now as she wanted to see just how far this genius could go. "Once one has stepped into the Dao of Summoning, they need unique skills to utilize its comprehensions to the fullest. We were able to create the techniques that allow us to summon and contract Animus Summons, unique creatures that can only be accessed from an unknown Universe that only those traversing in the Dao of Summoning can call upon!" RUMBLE The techniques she talked about entered in Noah''s mind as he was nearly leaping out with excitement. "The ability of a being to call upon a powerful Animus Pets depends on luck and their comprehensions in the Dao of Summoning, with those just starting only being able to summon Common ranked pets as it becomes their jobs to use the skills I just imparted to you to raise them to greater levels." Beginners would only be able to summon Common pets, with the ranks of pets going from Common to Uncommon, Rare, Ultra Rare, and ultimately Prismatic! The skills that Anastasia imparted to him now were the <> that could call forth a random Animus Pet for a being to first contract with, and this same skill was used to call forth contracted pets with just the intention of the master. The other set of skills were in the form of a Skill Tree, one that contained four skills which went on to be termed¡­[Animus Summon Trainer]! Chapter 691: The First Archaic Summon! Without wasting any time, Noah delved into the newly gained skill tree that was known as [Animus Summon Trainer]! [Animus Summon Trainer] :: A skill tree geared towards raising the strongest Animus Pet. The skills contained within are capable of raising their ranks, refining their bloodlines, and much more. Abilities include [Archaic Contract](5/5), [Animus Growth Empowerment](5/5), [Bloodline Forging](5/5), [One Body, One Soul](5/5) [Archaic Contract](5/5):: Every Animus Summoner needs to form a contract with the pet they summon. This ability inscribes an Archaic Contract into the souls of the Summoner and the Pet, forming a bond that makes them one. (Skill Point enhancement allows the user to contract a Pet a stage above their own). [Animus Growth Empowerment](5/5):: The core skill of an Animus Trainer. This ability is cast on the Pet that the Summoner wants to train as their Realm can be raised. The Realm of the Summon can be taken as high as the Realm of the Summoner. Because of the uniqueness of Animus Summons, their Realms can be grown to Grand Completion over time as they are continuously trained with this ability. (Skill Point enhancement increases the effectiveness of this ability by 200%). [Bloodline Forging](5/5) :: Even the weakest Animus Summons have bloodlines. This ability allows the Summoner to refine and activate the strongest bloodline that is hiding within their Summons. Can only be cast on a pet every 24 hours. (Skill Point enhancement allows for even bloodlines of Prismatic Summons to be brought forth, with the rate of refining bloodlines increased by 200%). [One Body, One Soul](5/5) :: This ability allows the Animus Summoners to merge with their contracted Pet, their whole being forged into one as their power is enhanced. (Skill Point enhancement allows for perfect merging of Summoner and Pet, with the power increased by 200%) ¡­ Ah! Noah stared at the skills as his mind seemed to be buzzing, his eyes nearly shaking from the excitement as he read over them multiple times. A completely new path of strength that would make him even more overpowered had opened up, and it opened up in such a stellar fashion at that! On top of dreadful Traits that were only made possible through the use of a mysterious Ruination Core and the use of Universal Laws that he would comprehend fully in a matter of time...he now also had a Dao to support his strength! Just this single Dao of Summoning came with such appalling abilities that he couldn''t wait to explore all of it and see what it would give him. He tried his very best to make sure that his mind wasn''t thinking about the fact that there were many other Daos that he didn''t even know about, the mere mention of Lesser Daos, Grand Daos, and Cosmic Dao making his heart tingle in anticipation. But the Dao of Summoning was first, and even though it was a Lesser Dao, its majesty felt greater than even the Ultimate Laws of Life and Death! "Familiarize yourself with the abilities before you try summoning your first Animus Summon." The voice of Anastasia shook him out of his stupor as he glanced around him, seeing that the Imperial Adjudicator had released his hand from the Dao Crystal while shaking his head disappointedly, while Anna still had her eyes closed as she tried to sense the Dao of Summoning. Even while being temporarily contracted to an Archaic Animus Pet, the Imperial Adjudicator could still not sense even an ounce of the Dao, the temporary contract being something that Anastasia placed onto him herself with the willingness of her pet! But even this did not allow someone as fearsome as the Imperial Adjudicator to grasp even a tendril of the Dao of Summoning. Yet¡­ The eyes of the Imperial Adjudicator looked towards the direction where Noah sat in a Lotus position with difficult eyes as he saw the familiar oppressive aura of a Dao that Anastasia released also emanate from this genius! He had shockingly grasped a wisp of this Dao the first time he tried! The Imperial Adjudicator had sunken shoulders at being near a genius such as this as Anastasia came next to him and stroked his shoulders affectionately. "It is not that you aren''t talented, just that he is a monster." Anastasia''s words that should have made the half a step into the Galaxy Realm expert feel good only made him feel worse, his gaze focusing on the direction of the genius again as they saw an ancient runic sigil forming in the skies. "You''re trying to summon right away?!" Even Anastasia was surprised as her eyes focused on what was about to happen, not expecting this genius to be so confident that he would start right away. Off to the side, Noah''s eyes were filled with concentration as he could not bring himself to wait any longer, his eyes shining luminously as he cast <>! RUMBLE! In the skies, an archaic runic sigil appeared as it rotated while releasing a unique aura, a swirling Rift slowly being formed above them as it began to expand rapidly. Anastasia looked at this scene with interested eyes as she knew that the larger the opening Rift was when one first summoned their pet, the more powerful and rare that pet was! The Rift brought to life by the archaic runic sigil was already at 10 meters and still expanding, which let her know that an Animus Summon of at least a Rare rank was coming. Below the Rift, Noah was looking with expectant eyes as he wondered of the first Animus Pet he would summon. What rank would it be! What kind of a creature and with what bloodline! Many thoughts and expectations were carried as the Rift became ever larger, reaching 50 meters as Anastasia''s mouth opened with an agape expression once more. ''An Ultra Rare pet with the first summon?!'' Her thoughts were tumultuous as she looked towards this genius with a disbelieving gaze, the Rift above them shining brilliantly as something descended down while being surrounded by the colors of blazing flames and an immense light of fate! RUMBLE! The light came all the way down as it touched the ground, the blinding luminescence dying down as the creature to come out of the rift began to be seen with clarity. Being only a meter in size, the Archaic Animus Summon shimmered with wings that spat out flames, the golden light of fate pulsing off of its feathers as its head rose to the skies. One could see a golden piercing beak with dichromatic eyes of gold and red that dripped with arrogance and dominance, this Animus Summon looking towards Noah with an unkempt aura of regality! Standing on three legs with wings wreathed in flames and the light of fate, the First Archaic Summon that Noah brought forth...was a chicken! "..." The Imperial Adjudicator was speechless. "..." Anastasia had no words! "..." Noah himself was shocked as he stared at the Animus Summon in front of him, a summon of the Ultra Rare rank! Chapter 692: Three-Legged Fate Crow! The singular thing that could be said when one looked at the fiery gold chicken was the fact that from its face, they could see an aura of extreme arrogance and dominance, its eyes gazing around everyone as if it stood above them! Even while glancing at Noah, its golden beak was raised high as its flaming feathers flapped towards him, seemingly telling him to get a move on after it had been summoned. Anastasia came out of her stupor as she sensed the profound aura around the chicken that told her it was of high rank, her years of experience telling her not to underestimate it as she quickly spoke. "Quickly contract it! An Animus Summon will not remain here for long unless it finds a master right away." Noah''s eyes shone at Anastasia''s words as he didn''t need to even be told, the identity of the chicken in front of him making him wave his hands as he cast [Archaic Contract] right away! RUMBLE! Essence flooded out as the skill enhanced by skill points formed into a unique runic sigil in the skies, the sigil separating into two parts as one shot towards Noah''s head and the other shot towards the fiery gold chicken. SHAA! It felt like a brand was being placed on his very origin when the archaic rune entered, the process being fairly fast as in a matter of seconds he felt...a consciousness that he could understand! His eyes sharply opened as he stared forward, locking with the fiery gold eyes of the chicken as its face still continued immense regality and arrogance. The consciousness within him conveyed an arrogant thought as he received the first ever thought from an Animus Summon. "Human! Count your lucky stars to have summoned someone as great as I- the Great and Archaic Animus that stands above all, the Golden Crow!" OOOM! The voice dripped with confidence and strength as Noah smiled at the successful contract, looking over the details of the pet as its arrogant words stood true. [Three-Legged Fate Crow](Ultra Rare) :: An Animus Pet currently at the Domain Rank. It holds within its origin a semblance of the bloodline of the Archaic Golden Crow, and is currently contracted to Noah Osmont. Its abilities include Fate Flames of the Void, Barrier of Brilliance¡­ The description of the first pet were displayed in front of his eyes as he drank them in, going towards this pet as its voice continued to resound in his mind. "Well? I''ve heard that the Trainers calling upon us will have skills capable of raising our realms and refining our blood, where are these skills at? It is the only reason I answered your call!" Noah smiled at the domineering voice inside him as he went to grab the juvenile Fate Crow, its fiery feathers flapping as it tried to get away, but its power at the Domain Rank was nothing to Noah! He grasped onto it as it flailed around with complaints, this creature never being held by anyone before as it grumbled its complaints in his mind. "Let''s see, I''ll call you...Flamey?" He sent his thoughts towards it as its head shook with horror, not accepting the name as Noah continued. "Sparky?" "No!" "Fruitloops?" "No!!" ¡­. "How about Ruby?" "...Hmph" An acceptable name was taken as the Fate Crow took to the skies, announcing its entrance to the Dark Universe with a piercing cry! CAAA! Flames of fate erupted out as Anastasia appeared behind Noah, nodding her head as her sonorous voice rang out. "After summoning a pet and contracting it, you must then work hard for years to increase its realm and refine its bloodline." "The [Bloodline Forging] ability can only be cast once a day to gradually refine your pet''s bloodline, with powerful trainers spending hundreds of years to even successfully awaken any ancient bloodline within their summon. But the [Animus Growth Empowerment] can be cast as many times as possible, and only depends on your mana reserves and the talent of your pet for how far it can grow!" Noah''s eyes shone as he heard these words, Anastasia continuing as she expounded more knowledge. "Some are able to quickly raise the Realms of their pets and even bring them to the Manifested stage for each realm, the only thing stopping the advancing of the pet thereafter being their Summoner''s Realm and the capability of the Summon to refine the essence of the Realm they enter before they can proceed forward." Yes! Animus Summons were special in that their realms could be raised purely from their Masters casting the Animus Growth Empowerment on them, with the only thing they had to do is to refine the essence flooding into them and stabilizing their realm before they could advance! Some had the talent to quickly stabilize their realms and break through multiple times, while others took years to stabilize their realms before proceeding forward. "When a pet achieves the latter realms of Nebula, Black Hole...the talented ones take years while the worst ones take hundreds of years before they can be caused to advance even with the Summoner casting [Animus Growth Empowerment] until they run dry. The only limit to how high a Summon''s Realm can be raised is the Realm of the Summoner himself." Noah nodded as he sent a command to the Fate Crown, its three legs touching the ground again as he neared it and cast [Animus Growth Empowerment] right away! RUMBLE! Mana flooded out of him in waves as it created three illusory runic circles above the Fate Crow, these runic circles beginning to undulate up and down the summon as essence from the surroundings and from Noah flooded into it incessantly. Anastasia said even with the use of [Animus Growth Empowerment], pets would still take months or years to move up! He wanted to test with his Infinite Mana and the talent of this Ultra Rare summon, just how fast could he raise its Realm?! WAA! He gave no pause as after casting [Animus Growth Empowerment] once, he cast it once more as three more runic circles appeared and began undulating around the Fate Crow, the conversion of essence only increasing. CAAA! "Hey¡­" A piercing cry was released from the crow as Anastasia was about to caution, but everything she knew was once again flipped upside down as in the next second, a wave of essence released as she watched the realm of the summon go from Domain and into the World Realm right away! At this moment, the first three runic circles undulating on the body of the crow had begun to fade away, but Noah waved his hands as yet another three appeared with ease. [Animus Growth Empowerment], [Animus Growth Empowerment]... "You¡­" Anastasia was cautioning with alarm as she saw Noah casting the ability multiple times as if it didn''t take immense amounts of mana, numerous undulating runic circles appearing on the Three-Legged Fate Crow as the unique cultivation only for Animus Summons began with a stellar fashion in the Blue Plains Realm! Anastasia could only watch on before finishing her caution as she saw from the body of the Fate Crow, an Illusory World was already beginning to be Manifested! Trained from the Domain and into the World Rank in seconds, with its current Realm already beginning to reach Grand Completion as an illusory world was already manifesting on its body. CAA! CAA! CAA! An excited expression could be seen on the arrogant Three-Legged Fate Crow as it sat within the numerous undulations of runic circles, its eyes shaking in happiness as it sensed the profound essence continuing to flood into it as its Realm rose even higher! Its body already began undergoing changes as it looked towards Noah with a shining light. This was a Trainer! This was an Animus Summoner! Chapter 693: Ascending Through Realms With Ease! For Animus Summons, their cultivation was extremely unique! Their Summoners did all the work as they cast powerful Trainer skills that directly caused essence to flood into them and elevate them to a higher level, the job of the Summon only being to consolidate and stabilize their realm before they can move forward. Common ranked beasts took a long time to refine their new realms before they could advance to the next rank even with the aid of [Animus Growth Empowerment], with rarer Summons taking a shorter amount of time. The truly rare or Ultra Rare Summons with powerful Archaic Bloodlines would take even less time before they could refine and consolidate their new Realms, being some of the beasts that could be raised extremely fast! The only limiter to how much a Summon could be raised was only based on the Summoner himself, and Noah wanted to see if his enhanced [Animus Summon Trainer] paired up with the hidden Bloodline of this Three-Legged Fate Crow would allow it to quickly catch up to his Realm of Black Hole. BOOOM! Potent reverberations of essence erupted out as one could observe the illusory world of the World Rank Manifest on the body of the Crow. CAA! Its eyes shone with luster as its wings gained archaic golden runes, the runic circles undulating around it continuing to swirl from all directions as in the next moment...the Manifested illusory world could be seen quickly condensing and becoming realm, forming into a genuine Star! Star Forging Realm! The Three-Legged Fate Crow had entered the Star Forging Realm as the forged star enlarged and became denser, essence continuing to be refined by its body rapidly as it tried to assimilate this new realm and use the potent essence from the undulating archaic circular runes cast by its master to go even higher. The mesmerizing body of the Three-Legged Fate Crow had gotten even larger, reaching over 10 meters at this moment as the undulating runic circles brought forth by Animus Growth Empowerment expanded to match it. Shining with a gold and red luster, the Crow continued to absorb a flood of essence as by the side, Anastasia seemed to be learning a completely different way of cultivating Animus Summons. Her mind was buzzing as she affirmed what she was seeing was correct, trying to make sure that the genius she had just handed down skills to wasn''t an old monster who had already spent thousands of years studying the Dao of Summoning! Because she knew the only way one could be an amazing Trainer such as this to be able to raise the rank of a Summon multiple times- they had to be extremely proficient in the Dao of Summoning. Those with more comprehension could naturally bring more of the pets'' talents, yet this Alexander seemed to already be at the stage just within an hour of coming in contact with the Dao! Her eyes watched with rapt attention as on the body of the Three-Legged Fate Crow, she noticed essence being burned as she finally saw something normal- the scene of the pet trying to refine its essence and blood after stepping into a new Realm. This was something every pet had to do after breaking through, and it was what took time when it came to raising one''s pets over the years! Even though this monstrous genius was casting the skills of an Animus Trainer over and over again as if the concept of mana wasn''t applicable to him, the pet still needed time to assimilate the fast progression of Realms. Anastasia was waiting to see how long it would take for this pet to assimilate before trying to break through, planning on imparting some of the more common sense ideas into Alexander''s head in the mean time when her eyes contracted. CAA! She saw at this moment that the burning of essence on the body of the Three-Legged Fate Crow had finished as it let out a piercing cry, the forged Star within its Origin Manifesting very clearly as it seemed to be...at the peak of the Star Forging Realm! BOOM! Her thoughts were proved to be true in the next moment as the forged star imploded powerfully, becoming scorching heat and gaseous dust as the base for a Nebula was created. My gosh! From Domain to World to Star and Now Nebula, all in a matter of minutes! Completely defying all known norms, this phenomenon was caused by the enhanced trainer skill that Noah used, along with the immense talent of the Three-Legged Fate Crow that had the Bloodline of the Archaic Golden Crow. Numerous stars had already begun to be forged within the Nebula as Noah continued to cast Animus Growth Empowerment, increasing the undulating archaic runic circles that enhanced the realm of the Summon as a fiery fate essence continued to permeate out. He already had a pet at the Nebula Realm, and it would not take too long to bring it to the Realm of Black Hole! As he watched the stars forging in the Manifested Nebula, he was patiently waiting for them to reach 100,000 as this summon consolidated its realm before it broke through. In the meantime, he also looked at the [Bloodline Forging] skill that further refined and brought the hidden bloodline of pets out, casting it right away as a golden bloody mist landed of the Three-Legged Fate Crow that caused it to tremble! The descent of a fearsome aura could be felt as off to the side, Anastasia shook her head in wonder as one could barely hear her whisper. "A Top Tier Archaic Bloodline...Ah!" One could hear lament and disbelief in her voice as Noah kept his eyes on the cultivating Three-Legged Fate Crow, going towards Anastasia as he saw the situation proceeding smoothly. At this moment, tens of stars were being forged by the Animus Summon as numerous archaic runes undulated around it, so all it needed was time! Noah went to talk to the shocked Anastasia and the Imperial Adjudicator that was looking towards him with shining eyes as he waited. "You mentioned how the Aurora Galaxy Dragon was just one of your pets, how many pets can one contract?" He asked this with a clear face as if he didn''t just overwhelm the two of them with a shocking show in the past few minutes. Only Anastasia and the Imperial Adjudicator were watching the commotion, and Anna still had her eyes closed and engrossed on the Dao Crystal that contained wisps of the Dao of Summoning as she tried to sense this Dao and nothing else! Anastasia heard his question as her drop-dead gorgeous face returned to its old self, her sonorous voice ringing out. "...At the Nebula Realm and below one can contract a single pet, with every Realm thereafter allowing them to contract an additional pet. Aside from the Aurora Galaxy Dragon, I have three other contracted pets!" These words were like honey to Noah''s ears as he nodded with shining eyes, his gaze staying on the image of the Three-Legged Fate Crow as many thoughts crossed his mind! Chapter 694: Conditions Met! Noah truly had too many ideas and thoughts coursing through his mind as he ascertained the number of pets one could contract as they progressed through Realms. At his current Realm of Black Hole, he could summon and contract two pets! But one must recall that Noah was not normal. Through the use of a Ruination Core, he had granted himself not just Infinite Mana and the Trait of Protagonist that should soon grow to the next stage, but he had also split his Origin as he obtained the identity of an entirely new being in another Galaxy. His bodies as Alexander and Noah weren''t merely clones, and each of them carried their own cultivation as even now, Noah''s body in the Novus Galaxy was still only at 80,000 forged stars as he used abundant essence to recreate what the body in the Nexus Galaxy had already done! But because of his two different bodies with differing Origins... it meant that he would be able to summon and contract twice the amount of pets as other beings...or at least he hoped so! This would mean that when both of his bodies were at the Realm of Black Hole, he could actually contract 4 pets. And when he reached the GALAXY Realm, instead of the usual 4 pets one could contract...he would be able to have 8! The implications of this were truly horrifying to understand as if he trained all of these pets to the same Realm as him when he later reached GALAXY...it meant that aside from his two bodies, he would be walking around with 8 GALAXY Realm Animus Summons that would each have their Realms at Grand Completion! Ah! Just the idea of it was enough to cause his eyes to shine with excitement. In the Blue Plains Realm, Noah continued to observe the situation as hours passed. On the 3rd hour as he resupplied the undulating archaic runic circles that continued to help the animus forge stars in its Nebula, he received a question from a worn-out Imperial Adjudicator. "Are your mana reserves just as monstrous? Even a Galaxy Realm expert wouldn''t have this much¡­" "I was always born with large mana reserves. I''m nearly depleted right now so I hope the Three-Legged Fate Crow can advance to the Realm of Black Hole soon!" Noah''s reply was calm as he didn''t worry about them finding out anything about his Infinite Mana. Nobody in their right mind would even believe that someone could have such a thing, so they could only attribute it to extremely large Mana Reserves! Another hour passed in the Blue Plains Realm. RUMBLE Essence raged around the Three-Legged Fate Crow once more as one could see on its Manifested Nebula...100,000 stars shone with immense luster. BOOM! All of these stars within this Nebula then imploded as a core of a multicolored Black Hole was then formed with ease, as easy as anything could be! CAA! A fearsome cry of the Three-Legged Fate Crow then rang out as golden flames flared out of its beak, its eyes opening grandly as its evolved body came to view. Standing above 20 meters with feathers that shimmered with golden flames, its body was filled with a beautiful mixture of red and gold feathers as above its golden beak and multicolored eyes, an illusory crown could be seen placed on this future Golden Crow! Its three legs beneath shone with piercing sharpness as its eyes landed on Noah, and the eyes could not hide the happiness of this Summon. "A truly worthy Trainer! From this day forth, I shall follow you with all my heart. Let us show the puny beings of this Universe just what the future Archaic Golden Crow and Master Trainer can do!" Ruby, the newly summoned Three-Legged Fate Crow, said these words clearly as even Anastasia and the Imperial Adjudicator heard them. Its piercing golden beak shone with luster as its eyes shimmered with strong confidence that blinded those looking! Alexei and Anastasia looked at each other with exhausted smiles at the sight of this genius, Anastasia sending a telepathic message to Alexei at this time. "You must grant this being the highest Title below yours as you prepare the warriors to defend against your coming enemies. Don''t lose the fealty of such a genius!" Alexei, the Imperial Adjudicator, nodded at these words as he took out a shimmering Medallion that represented his Authority as the highest ranked Imperial in the Nexus Galaxy. His eyes were somber as he released a shocking announcement to the high ranking Imperial Lords and Imperial Rulers, with the announcement later on being spread to all Imperials! It was a command that effective immediately, a new Imperial Ruler was born! The being that had foiled the plot of the Fiends and saved the Imperial Princess in the Stellar Sky Galaxy, the one known as Alexander King was given a title that only the few QUASAR ranked experts of the Nexus Galaxy enjoyed. Young in age yet holding tremendous strength, his position had been rapidly elevated as another core defender of the Nexus Galaxy was born! Aside from the shock and stupor of many, the one who was most affected by this was actually Noah himself who had yet to even hear of the command elevating him to a higher position. His eyes were honing in on the brilliant figure of the Three-Legged Fate Crow as he sensed its vibrant power, his heart already set on trying to summon the next pet he could summon right away! The body of Alexander could summon another pet, and his body as Noah in the Novus Galaxy could also summon 2 more pets as soon as he reached the Black Hole Realm. There were so many things to do that even with his many bodies and clones he felt short-staffed, and yet in the next moment a resonant sound rang in his mind. DING! [Conditions for the next stage of the Protagonist Trait have been met.] Ah! Noah''s heart shook at these words shining in a blue text panel appearing in front of him, the gains on this day after performing spectacularly in the Stellar Sky Galaxy not just ending at him receiving the techniques of the Law of Death and the even more shocking knowledge of the Dao and obtaining the powerful Archaic Summoning techniques...his Trait would also be taken to the next level as the gains and loot just continued coming! Chapter 695: Unlocked Abilities of the Protagonist In the Novus Galaxy, a storm of essence was erupting around Noah as he recreated the 100,000 stars of a Nebula and shattered all of them, his surroundings thrown into chaos as essence raged to help him form his Manifested Black Hole. One body entering the Realm one day, his other body slightly behind as he entered it a few hours later! At this moment, both of his identities had the Manifested Black Hole Realm as on Noah''s body, a multicolored Black Hole could be seen rotating beautifully. Currently, he was in a location in the Infinite Realm where multiple Law Spaces intersected, enjoying the benefits of each of them as the abundant essence multiplied multiple times over with the Enhancement he had cast over the entire Galaxy. At this moment, he and the many beings of the Novus Galaxy were experiencing tremendous growth! Every day, more and more of his subordinates unlocked their own Traits, each of them ranging from Alpha and going all the way to EPSILON in the case of Kazuhiko. What should have taken them months and years to do, they were now achieving in a matter of weeks as the atmospheric essence and universal law essence was simply too abundant at this moment. Those traversing in laws found it easy, those upgrading through ranks had an even easier time! And now as Noah stabilized his Manifested Black Hole and watched its multicolored appearance rotate on his body, his eyes rose up from the Infinite Realm as he seemed to pierce through the layers of space to see a far away location. At this time, another body of his was tearing through the layers of space as he cast an extremely long distance teleportation, one that only someone with his Infinite Mana could cast! RUMBLE! Blinding essence erupted in front of him as he gazed at the clone of Alexander appearing all the way from the Stellar Sky Galaxy. Devilish handsomeness that hadn''t quite reached his original body, but still holding a unique charm! The clone appeared as it teleported light years from one Galaxy to another, waving its hands as a large amount of shimmering Cores, Skill Books, and Effulgent Star Pearls poured out! The Origins of Noah and Alexander in the different Galaxies shared a different storage space from the use of the [Expansive Space] ability, so the only way to transfer things across his two bodies was for one of them or the clones to go to the other Galaxy. He couldn''t have the clones of Noah even enter the Nexus Galaxy as it would alert the Entity overseeing it, but it was no issue for the clones of Alexander to jump light years away and into the Novus Galaxy to bring back all the loot! Contained in the enormous pile were all the treasures obtained from the Fiends, with the cores ranging from Nebula all the way to Black Hole as Noah knew he would produce many experts from his forces with these. He would distribute them to the Harbingers of Sin and then the Beasts of the Infinite Realm as he prepared to do even more things himself. He waved his hands as the loot brought out entered his storage space, Alexander''s clone already disappearing as it went back to continue mining the treasured Effulgent Star Pearls. Meanwhile, Noah himself returned to cultivating as he saw the appearance of the [Dao of Summoning Traverser] skill and the other newly gained skills to summon Animus Pets that Alexander had obtained, his eyes shining as he sat down to gain the essence of the Dao of Summoning with this body as well! The moment this was completed, he would start summoning with this body as well as he wondered what Animus Pets would come out of it. Intricate actions such as this continued to happen in the background as time passed, with Noah''s body in the Novus Galaxy doing a multitude of tasks as his people did the same. Everyone was moving and doing their own things, but they all came together to form a shocking story that very few could experience! Back in the Nexus Galaxy, the body of Alexander was watching the notification that the Protagonist skill would be elevated to another level, still not knowing that it was due to him being appointed as one of the highest protectors of the Nexus Galaxy. To unlock the next stage of this wondrous Trait, he had to play a central role in the Nexus Galaxy, and his actions in just two weeks did just that. Just less than two weeks! A silent essence of the Nexus Galaxy raged around him as he felt something within him elevated. He sensed the changes as his eyes focused on the panel showing this ridiculous Trait. [Protagonist] :: You are the protagonist. To live up to such a title, abilities worthy of creating a true Protagonist are granted. As it is a culminated Trait, it has different stages that each have their own abilities. Currently Unlocked Ability(s) : Eyes of Truth, Photographic Memory, Memorable Visage, Blind Luck, Plot Armor, Chosen Extras, Deus Ex Machina. Locked Abilities: Chosen One, Save Point, @#%#%@$. To increase the stage of the Trait and bring it to complete fruition, you must play the central and decisive role in the Nexus Galaxy. From the original three abilities, three more had been listed in a stellar fashion as [Plot Armor], [Chosen Extras], and [Deus Ex Machina] were unlocked! His eyes twinkled as while Anastasia and the Imperial Adjudicator stood behind him, he began reading the panel displaying the details of [Plot Armor] that only he could see. [Plot Armor] :: As a true main character, one must have a tool that allows him to keep his life in any situation! Yet to achieve this in reality is extremely hard. This ability allows the holder of the Protagonist Trait to gain genuine the [Plot Armor Status Effect] for a period of 1 hour, with the skill having a cool down of 30 days purely because of its reality-altering effects. With the status effect active, the user will not lose their life as their body and soul gain the [Invulnerable] effect that prevents all sources of damage. "..." As he looked at the skill, all he could say was that it was a truly worthy skill for a protagonist! Chapter 696: Utter Ridiculousness! His eyes shook with strong emotions as the powerful beings beside him noticed this, Anastasia coming towards him with care as she asked him whether he had used up too much mana. "Recover for now before trying to summon your next Pet. I would even have you rest an entire day until you''re in top shape before doing it." Noah nodded his head at the gorgeous personage worrying about him, sitting down in the garden of the mystical castle they were at in the Blue Plains Realm as he really had to be seated for the things he was currently reading. Off to the side, Anna was still entranced with the Dao Crystal as her hand remained attached to it, essence bubbling calmly around her as she tried her best to catch a wisp of the Dao of Summoning! Noah put all of this beside him as he read the details of [Plot Armor] again. Such an ability truly made him shake his head in wonder, as the things it detailed were simply too fantastical! When he used it, he would be under the effect of Plot Armor as his body gained something called [Invulnerable]- an ability that allowed him to not take any damage whatsoever. He had to reread such an ability multiple times just to make sure he wasn''t dreaming! He hadn''t even gone through the skills of [Chosen Extras] and [Deus Ex Machina], [Plot Armor] alone taking the spot light as he gained a new idea while reading the descriptions of the ability. His eyes were honing in on the skill termed [Invulnerable] as his eyes shone, putting the details of it in the Skill Creation tab as he wondered if he could bring this effect to fruition himself without being restricted to one hour and a 30 day cooldown! If he could do such a thing, he would just close the pages of his story as he lived his life to the fullest! Yet what showed in front of his eyes when he tried it brought him back down to earth. [Invulnerable] :: An ability that allows the user to enter a state that prevents any source of damage from reaching them. Cost of Skill Creation- 1,000,000,000,000,0¡­ Zeroes on top of zeroes filled his screen as his fantastical thoughts quickly came down, toning down his greed as he was already ecstatic with the effect of [Plot Armor]. With such a tool under his belt, many ideas were coursing through his mind as he thought of the enemy that the Nexus Galaxy currently faced and the many days he could deal with them. He had the memories of the Fiend Rulers, and he knew of the fearsome Master they had! A being with the identity of an Entity! He wasn''t even sure what stage of the GALAXY Realm this being was in, but he knew that it was a terrifying creature. Yet...a skill like Plot Armor that granted him Invulnerability for a whole hour...many ideas swirled in his mind as he thought about it! But he placed these ideas for later as he looked on to the other two unlocked abilities of the Protagonist Trait. [Chosen Extras] :: As with any Protagonist, there must be side characters that add something to your journey. They cannot all be left behind and forgotten like weaklings that contribute nothing. This ability allows you to currently choose 5 Extras who will be granted the [Enhanced Growth Perk] that allows them to progress through Realms at a speed comparable to the Protagonist, +100% Increased Loot Effect when defeating enemies, +100% Increase to their Comprehension, and a Thrice increase to their Luck. [Deus Ex Machina] :: At the most critical and important juncture as the life of the Protagonist is in peril, casting this ability will bring forth an unexpected power, being, or event that will save them from the seemingly hopeless situation. As with any skill capable of affecting universal rules, there is a 30 day cooldown after every use. His head shook with incredulity as he stared at the description of skills, Deus Ex Machina being somewhat similar to Plot Armor, while Chosen Extras went on to help those that Noah deemed as his subordinates! They were skills worthy of being under such a shocking title as Noah was already thinking about who he should choose among the 5 Chosen Extras, but even with such an ability he still wondered whether his subordinates would play truly important roles in the future. They had to rise through the Realms and gain great strength, becoming a powerful force that could dominate their own region of the Dark Universe after tens or hundreds of years! All of these were possibilities for the future as he waited for it expectantly. As for the ability of Deus Ex Machina, it was yet another life saving tool if he ever brought himself to a pinch, and he planned to always save this for use even after he utilized [Plot Armor]. "Haaa¡­" He breathed out a contented sigh after looking at the newly gained abilities of Protagonist, many grand ideas swimming in his mind that he never thought of before. One of such ideas was if he really used [Plot Armor] and gained Invulnerability for an hour, where even a terrifying Entity would not be able to kill him- what if he used the Fiend''s memories and went to raise hell in the Burning Domains Galaxy while obtaining a whole lot of loot?! He had to plan thoroughly and be sure that it would be worth the use of Plot Armor with its 30 day cool down, with his prizes from it being to at least enter the QUASAR Realm. His thoughts actively moved as it seemed like he was just meditating as an hour passed. Beside him, the domineering Three-Legged Fate Crow was unfurling its fiery golden wings that were bathed with scorching flames as it refined its Realm of Black Hole, this mystical Ultra Rare Animus Pet giving an extremely striking look! It seemed like a fantastical bird from ancient times appearing in the modern era, with its form constantly evolving towards the Archaic Golden Crow as its bloodline continued to awaken. OOM A wave of essence silently spread out from Noah at this time as he opened his eyes, staring at the 20 meter tall Three-Legged Fate Crow that was bathing in Fate Essence and Flames, a smile spreading on his lips as he got ready to summon his second Animus Pet! Before he made any plans to raise his realm or siege an entire Galaxy, he had to be as strong as possible. And being surrounded by horrendously powerful Animus Pets that had a similar perfected Realm like him...it would truly be a feast for the eyes. As he rose to try his luck at Summoning another pet, he knew that his identity as Noah in the Novus Galaxy would soon do the same as well. It was bound to be an eventful next few hours as he continued exploring the new path of power! Meanwhile, the Imperial Adjudicator was coming towards him as he was about to hand down a position of responsibility and power... Chapter 697: Imperial Ruler! In the garden on the lone Castle in the Blue Plains Realm, the Imperial Adjudicator had come in front of Noah the moment he observed the genius to have woken up. With the heart of a Ruler and his authority, he relayed the news of Noah gaining the title of an Imperial Ruler- something that only those at the Realm of QUASAR could hold! To him, it was only natural as the genius that even Anastasia was shocked by could already kill beings at the QUASAR Realm, so granting him a title such as this was extremely befitting. Noah had taken the news calmly as he expressed his thanks to the Adjudicator, knowing his advancement of the Protagonist Trait was in part due to this as he could now play a larger role in the Nexus Galaxy. The position came with many benefits, granting him his own castle under the name of Dannicus in the Imperial Citadel and even granting him the possible position of overseeing another Galaxy as the Imperial Adjudicator mentioned he could work with the Stellar Ruler to look over the Stellar Sky Galaxy! Such a thing was wanted by many Imperials, but Noah brushed it off for now as he said he did not have talent with such a thing, and would focus on increasing his strength for now. Anastasia agreed with this as she spoke towards the two men, her eyes shining as she saw Alexei hand Noah a Medallion that represented an authority of an Imperial Ruler. "Take some time to solidify your understanding in the Dao of Summoning as well as becoming familiar to your pet. I''ll keep watch over Anna for now, and we will discuss the enemy in the Burning Domains Galaxy in a few days when we collect more information." Agreeing with this thought process and wanting time to himself to truly explore his many gains, Noah glanced at the domineering Three-Legged Fate Crow that blazed with the essence of fate and flames behind him as he felt the connection with this creature and uttered out. "Return." RUMBLE A unique light went on to cover the Crow as Noah mystically observed a rift opening up on his chest, the same thing he observed on the Imperial Adjudicator when he recalled the Aurora Galaxy Dragon! This rift was something unique to Animus Pets, leading them to the Origin Space of their Master as they would reside in here until called out for battle. When one grew powerful enough, they would have multiple powerful Animus Pets within their Origin that they could call forth instantly to obliterate their enemies! The 20 meter tall glimmering Crow grew small as it turned into a streak of light and was pulled into his Origin. "Then I will see your Esteemed selves in a bit. Thank you again for your guidance!" He gave thanks to the two beings in front of him, Anastasia nodding towards him with good will as he nodded his head and teleported away! He wasn''t worried about showing such a skill at this moment as it would seem something small compared to what he had shown them he could do in the past few hours. He appeared back in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm among the glistening vegetation filled with essence in the periphery of mountains, his thoughts moving rapidly as in front of him, one of the clones he left in the Starry Sky Galaxy appeared, while the main body of Alexander disappeared! He had made a quick switch as his main body made a huge leap from one Galaxy to another, wanting privacy in the Stellar Sky Galaxy as the clone that had just switched with him in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm would head towards the newly gained fortress for an Imperial Ruler in the Imperial Citadel. --- In the Stellar Sky Galaxy, Noah scoured the space he teleported into as he looked for an uninhabited star, finding a planet filled with deadly elemental storms of the surface as he delved deep into it and hid himself while casting an enormous Blood World. He finally found time to himself as he prepared to fully digest his gains, starting with the summoning of the last pet that the body of Alexander could summon at the Realm of Black Hole! Before he did this, he called forth his Three-Legged Fate Crow as a swirl appeared on his chest, the majestic fiery gold creature coming out. "When I first summoned you, what made you answer my call?" His eyes shone as he asked the golden flaming Crow, trying to pry off some secrets before he tried once more. "I was lazily moving about when I saw a blinding Summoning Rift appear, its size being multiple times larger than many that I had seen before! We Animus strive to find a perfect pair to complete us, so we always look for the strongest summoner out there. We can measure this by the size of the Summoning Rift!" A shocking truth came to him as he nodded, the Three-Legged Fate Crow continuing. "Truly powerful Animus as the Ultra Rare and Prismatic Rank like me are kings on our own right in our home, so we don''t even bother answering the calls of Summoning Rifts when they randomly appear. Only those at lesser ranks try their luck. But when we see an enormous Summoning Rift, it normally means the Summoner is extremely proficient in the Dao of Summoning or they have a high Realm that allows them to use immense essence to call upon us, so some of us answer!" RUMBLE! Noah could feel as if a grand path was opening itself up in front of him, his shining eyes catching on to a singular truth that would be of great help to any Summoner. Aside from the random luck of where his Summoning Rift opened in the Animus Universe and which Animus Pet would answer the call, one could increase their chances if they were extremely proficient in the Dao of Summoning or had immense mana! He didn''t have the former, but the latter...he had already the mana on the world. "Good!" He nodded with appreciation towards the Three-Legged Fate Crow as this Animus Summon felt essence bubble forth from its Master, the skill of <> being utilized yet again! But this time, Noah did not just stop at the required amount of mana to activate the skill...he continued to senselessly pump in more and more mana into the ability as the runic circle and rift appearing in the skies of the hidden planet he was on got wider and wider. In the first 10 seconds, its width already exceeded the width that was there when he called forth the Three-Legged Fate Crow, and it only continued to expand! Pump! Pump! Pump! "Master, you¡­" The Three-Legged Fate Crow had Fate flames leaping out of its beak as it breathed hard, its origin trembling at the sight of the widening rift as it began sensing an Archaic aura on the other side. For the Three-Legged Fate Crow to have its origin tremble from an Archaic aura even though it held the bloodline of the Archaic Golden Crow...it meant that something terrifying had picked up on the Summoning Rift, something with an even rare and more Archaic bloodline than itself! Ah! Chapter 698: PRISMATIC! A ridiculously large Summoning Rift! An Archaic aura that even made the Animus holding the bloodline of the Archaic Golden Crow tremble! What came out from the other side...was appalling, to say the least. In the hidden world, fierce mana storms were raging as Noah''s dark hair waved widely, his eyes focused on the widening Rift above as it finally seemed large enough to allow through whatever wanted to come. An aura of antiquity seemed to leak out as from the now over 100 meter rift, a head popped out. That''s right, just a head! This head alone was extremely shocking to look at, shimmering with colors of grey, purple, and blue as it looked like a dragon''s head at first glance, but Noah soon realized it was a serpent''s head! The terrifying serpentine head shone with the essence of Death, Aether, and Chaos as its red eyes opened, locking on Noah before it even stepped out of the Summoning Rift. It seemed to be gazing at him carefully as it discerned something, having made a decision a second later as an enormous body slithered out of the Summoning Rift with ease! Its width alone nearly touched the edge of the Rift as it continued to pour out endlessly, its length not yet being ascertained. The scales on this enormous serpent shone with a purple-blue luster, its draconic-serpentine head rising up threateningly as it stared at Noah, balefully colorful elements freely swimming atop the crystalline scales. RUMBLE! The mana that Noah supplied to the Rift was finally cut off as the tail of this enormous serpent finally came out of the rift, its enormous body writhing on the ground as its head rose to the skies and looked down towards Noah. Raising his head to meet the dominant aura of this being, Noah heard an ancient voice resound in his mind! "Human, I have answered your call. But I do not even know if you are able to keep me here." The voice seemed to be reverberating in his mind and outside of it as Noah stared at this creature absentmindedly. This was because the aura he sensed from it was nothing like what he felt from the Three-Legged Fate Crow, the same summon that was shaking frightfully behind him as it tried to keep its arrogant golden beak up against the pressure that the serpent released! This was because as even Noah affirmed while looking at the description of this creature, it was actually at the Prismatic Rank. Prismatic! The second Animus Summon he had called forth had the most shocking rarity, and its identity was even more terrifying! [Void Eclipsing Sea Serpent](PRISMATIC) :: An Archaic Animus currently in the QUASAR Realm. Still in its early growth phase, this Serpent holds within it one of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of all Animus Creatures- the bloodline of the Galaxy Devouring Serpent, J?rmungandr. Having mastered the Laws of Death, Chaos, and Aether, this creature''s abilities are many. When it completes its growth phase and fully awakens its Bloodline, it will naturally awaken the comprehensions of the Dao of Slaughter contained within. A creature that was actually an entire stage above his own, one that he would not even be able to contract if his [Archaic Contract] wasn''t enhanced by skill points! The voice it released reverberated out as Noah came out of his stupor, wasting no time as he got serious and released the [Archaic Contract] skill. "I have the ability, and much more!" RUMBLE! He voiced out strongly as archaic runes appeared and split in the air, one going to him and the other going into the head of the Void Eclipsing Sea Serpent who looked at the scene playing out calmly. This creature was extremely wise and had lived for thousands of years, knowing a great deal of things. It was astounded by the amount of essence that created an enormous rift in its Realm as it entered into it, but seeing the Summoner who was only at the Black Hole Realm, it didn''t know how this phenomenon was brought about as its ancient heart stayed until the universal rules sent him back to his Realm. Yet...its enormous red eyes gradually shone as it actually felt the contract this being released...bind into its very soul! ''Hmm?'' Something that should not have been possible for a Summoner to do, this being actually did it as the Void Serpent sensed the contract fully establishing, its soul becoming connected to him. "Interesting." Its thick voice reverberated out again as Noah looked towards the creature seriously. He could sense its emotions, which were actually extremely cold and filled with a wild aura of destruction! Its thoughts conveyed to him that it had only answered the call of the Summoning Rift out of passing interest, and that even with the established contract right now- the only emotions it felt were to see how the rest of this interesting set of events play out! As these thoughts reached him, Noah contained his excitement of obtaining one of the rarest Animus Summons one could have, planning on reigning it in first as it looked at him more than just an interesting being. "What shall I call you?" He treated the Summon with respect as it truly deserved that and more, the Void Serpent spreading its aura around the hidden star as it continued to expand for several hundreds of thousands of miles thereafter as it simply observed the area it was currently in. "Just Void Serpent is fine for now. I will not take any other name other than J?rmungandr, and I do not yet deserve the name at my current Realm." RUMBLE! Domineering! Powerful! The voice of the Void Serpent dripped with ancient regality as Noah nodded, replying with a calm voice full of expectations. "I will help you to successfully reach the stage to obtain such a name, refining your Bloodline and Realm to the highest levels in a short period of time!" "Will you now?" The voice of the Void Serpent seemed cold and curious, Noah only nodding as he returned the same demeanor of dominance and began by casting [Animus Growth Empowerment]. "Yes. First, I shall grant you a Manifested Quasar Realm as I bring you to Grand Completion!" OOOOM! Essence erupted out as the skills of an Animus Summoner were cast, a terrifying Archaic Animus that would cause the Expansive Dragon Cluster to go in an uproar purely because of its identity...such a creature was summoned and contracted to an unknown being in the corner of the Dark Universe! Chapter 699: Entities and Extras The types of strength across the vast Universe were many. One could embark on any path, and as long as they spent enough time on it, they would become extremely proficient as they eventually achieve a title of Supremacy! A title that makes it known a being has an accomplishment in a certain area, and these beings are titled...Entities! A prerequisite to even be given the title of an Entity was for one to be at the Upper Tier of the GALAXY Realm, and that was simply the prerequisite! After they became distinguished in a certain area, then they could be given such a prestigious title. The weakest of Entities would be those in the Upper Tier of the GALAXY Realm, while the strongest had immense strength that was hard to even grasp. To fully understand the intricacies of this, we must also mention the differences of the three Tiers of the GALAXY Realm, where each of them are like their own stages! From Lower, Middle, to Upper, each Tier of the GALAXY realm corresponds to a vast gulf in strength that some consider them separate Realms by their own right. A being at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm could never defeat one at the Middle Tier, and the same applied for the peak! Even the powerful Aurora Galaxy Dragon was only at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm even with all its shocking strength. But the target of discussion today is a being dwelling in the Burning Domains Galaxy, the one holding the title of an Entity! Even though she was heavily injured, this being was at the Upper Tier of the Galaxy Realm as she held shocking strength that could decimate Realms and shatter Galaxies if she really put in the work at her peak. Yet she had gone through a terrible ordeal as heavy injuries were dealt, injuries that took an extremely long time to heal as they were dealt by a being proficient in a Dao! It was a particularly deadly Dao at that, being a rare one that focused on the extreme essence of weapons- the Dao of the Sword! When she faced the terrible Entity that was at the same Realm as her, she had found the essence of a Sword occupying her entire sight as she only saw the grand form of a sword and nothing else. Phantom sword strikes containing Dao within them had bloomed all around her in shocking numbers as they struck forth, nearly ripping apart her body as her soul was gravely injured. The only reason she was able to survive...was because the Dao she studied was one that gave her a degree of survivability. The Entity residing in the Burning Domains who enhanced the strength of Fiends was actually studying the Dao of Vitality! She had long since mastered and assimilated the Law of Life thousands of years ago, where she then touched upon the deeper concepts of Vitality as she stepped upon the path of this Dao. This was the only reason she had kept her life when faced against a being with strongly Offensive based Dao of the Sword. She then came to reside in the Burning Domains Galaxy as she healed herself while elevating the strength of beings within, having kept her prize from the battle with another Entity while also sensing another one just like it on a Galaxy not too far away- it was the Pages from the Book of Ruination! Yet after years of planning and releasing the Fiends on a plan that should have succeeded, none of it produced any results. RUMBLE! Deep underground on the Central Realm of the Burning Domains Galaxy, this Entity was walking at the deepest areas of where the core of this Galaxy resided, her body bubbling with essence as she drew in the potent universal and atmospheric essence around her, a unique energy even seeping out of the obsidian core of the Burning Domains Galaxy as well. Shockingly, this being traversing in the Dao of Vitality could even drain the Vitality of Galaxies to heal herself! If one listened closely, they would even be able to hear the distinct sound of the Galaxy Core crying out, but no aid came to it even its most powerful inhabitants were under the reign of this Entity. "Hmph, just you wait." Her enormous body showed a face filled with power and wrath as her words were said to no one, a colorful green-grey light that represented the Dao of Vitality swirling around her in a stellar fashion! Faced with such a being who used to be at the Upper Tier of the GALAXY Realm and was proficient in a Dao, what could her enemies do?! --- As many beings moved with their lives and planned, Noah continued to move with his own aims. While the body of Alexander trained the fearsome Void Serpent at the QUASAR Realm and refined its bloodline, the body of Noah in the Novus Galaxy had chosen the 5 Extras for the [Chosen Extras] ability. The choices could be changed at any time, so he had currently placed the Emperor Penguin, Barbatos, Kazuhiko, Elena, and Athena! The moment these beings obtained the title of an Extra, an imperceptible golden light shone over them as even they felt some changes, but didn''t exactly know what they were. It was also at this time that Noah distributed Nebula Rank Loot to them and other Harbingers that didn''t yet have the title of Extras, observing the differences as they progressed through the Realms while absorbing the Cores. An hour since the beginning of absorption and with speed reminiscent of Noah, the 5 Chosen Extras all broke through into the Nebula Rank after the implosion of their forged star. The other Harbingers were progressing much slower, but their Realms would make a breakthrough at any moment! Each of them took the loot Noah gave them with heavy hearts as they could not even bring themselves to ask where he had gotten such treasures. They knew that even while they were living peaceful lives and simply training, he must have been putting his life at risk to be able to get the treasures he brought back to them, and in such large quantities at that. Their hearts felt stifled as they were screaming inside, screaming of wanting to help and be of use as Noah stopped risking his life alone! Whether their wishes would be granted as they achieved higher Realms was yet to be known, and even their misconceptions about Noah and what he was currently doing would soon change. He planned to gradually let them know what happened with the Terrors and Outsiders, how he was already moving in another Galaxy, and simply impart to them much of the knowledge they would need before they set off to explore outside of the Novus Galaxy. He was creating experts as easy as it could be, simply feeding them loot like steroids until they bulked up to powerful individuals. This was even more true as the 5 Chosen Extras that had stepped into the Nebula Rank had already been given the treasured Effulgent Star Pearls to absorb, depending on their own talent for how many stars they could forge before they broke through! For these 5 Chosen Extras, the Realms of Star Forging to Nebula to Black Hole would all be broken through in a matter of days, something that would be impossible anywhere you went. Who else but Noah could make something like this happen?! Who else could even try?! Chapter 700 - Planning to Siege a Galaxy! A bustle of activities were occurring throughout the Nexus Galaxy and all the Galaxies under its influence. They were in a high state of war after the attacks from Fiends, and they prepared for future attacks or word about retaliation as they looked towards the Imperial Adjudicator! The Nobles and Imperials of high ranking in the Nexus Galaxy were moving around with vigor as Imperial Lords formed ready to do Legions, the Imperial Rulers stationed over the Galaxies under the rule of the Imperials also being put on high alert. In the Blue Plains Realm, Anastasia was discussing the same thing with the Imperial Adjudicator as plans were under way. "There is most likely a powerful backer behind the Fiends, and that will be your true enemy when the time comes." Anastasia''s face was calm as she said these words, Alexei listening closely with a clouded face! "My Animus Summons all carry a signal that can be tracked by those looking for me, and even the weakest Aurora Galaxy Dragon that you released might have already had its signal picked up. If this powerful backer of Fiends comes out to attack and I am forced to release my other Pets, they will for sure find me then." Dangerous words were released as Alexei''s face was grave, but he could provide no solutions! ; Even the genius Alexander that had comprehended a Lesser Dao in a day would need time to grow, and they might be able to get past the threat if he spent a few tens or hundreds of years training to reach the GALAXY Realm. At that time, Alexei imagined the genius would be able to summon multiple GALAXY Ranked Summons that would make the position of the Nexus Galaxy unshakable in this region as they continued using the unique Universal Rift to explore the Dark Universe. "If it does come to that and they find me, they cannot know anything about Anna, and know even less about you. I will simply be taken back to the Expansive Dragon Cluster as I will be forced into a marriage I do not want...that is the price we pay for being weak in this era." Extreme solemnity and sadness could be seen on her face as this being who was actually at the GALAXY Realm called herself weak! It wasn''t a weakness of Realm, as those in the GALAXY Stage were truly powerful, but a weakness when it came to the identities of the Ancient Powers involved. Each of them had their own Dao they followed, with histories as deep as they could be and as expansive as the chaotic void! Compared to the will of a single GALAXY Ranked expert, where did it stand in front of the collective wills of Ancient Powers? Thus she called herself weak! On the side, the Imperial Adjudicator clenched his fist as his heart felt burning pain while listening to Anastasia. He had fallen for her the day he met her, and strove to improve his strength as much as possible just to be confident enough to stand by her side and hold her hands again. Yet every time he wanted to be around her these past years, he recalled how he had made very little progress and had not even fully reached the same Realm as her, constantly reminded of his weakness as he slowly distanced himself! He felt like he was not worthy of her! Now as she talked about her own weakness and the fact that she would be taken away to be given off to another man...he was truly unwilling! Yet...his weakness still remained. A depressing air permeated in the Blue Plains Realm as the Father and Mother of impressive identities looked over at their daughter who continued to be in contact with the Dao Crystal that contained the Dao of Summoning. She was engrossed in it as she continued, seemingly not wanting to let go of it until she comprehended something! The two shook their heads with pain as they looked at the being they wanted to protect the most and come out of this situation with all of them staying together, but the future did not look too bright¡­ Meanwhile, a few light years away in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. As others feared an inevitable future of separation due to what the future actions of the force residing in the Burning Domains Galaxy would cause, someone else was actually having a terrifying thought of storming into it by himself! Noah wanted to put to use the ability of [Plot Armor] as he used its effectiveness to gain a tremendous amount of loot he would not be able to get his hands on otherwise, the effect of [Invulnerability] making many things possible. His eyes were staring at the enormous coiled Void Eclipsing Sea Serpent that had grown even larger in size, its oppressive aura even more suffocating as its red eyes were staring at Noah very closely! This Archaic Animus seemed to be trying to pry the secrets of Noah open with its gaze as the creature that had lived for thousands of years was truly surprised. This was because something that it would have needed over a century to achieve, this Summoner had achieved for him in under an hour! Of course, it was the enhancing of his QUASAR Realm into Grand Completion as he now held a scintillating QUASAR that shone with splendor. It was now Manifested brightly outwardly on the huge body of the Void Serpent! Aside from this, the Void Serpent could feel its bloodline that should have been lying dormant for at least a few centuries beginning to wake, the human it was contracted with also casting a single skill to make this possible. "Interesting. I will see what else you have in store for us." ; The ancient voice of the Void Serpent rang out as it said us, its gaze also landing on the Three-Legged Fate Crow that had gotten past its fear as its arrogant beak was raised high again the moment the Void Serpent was successfully contracted to Noah. "CAA!" Its golden beak let out a resounding cry as the essence of Fate and Fire wrapped around it, its wings fluffing out as it tried to assert its dominance over this serpent that could swallow the crow in a single gulp! Ruby had the bloodline of the Golden Crow, so it could not be seen cowering- even when faced with a terrifying Void Serpent. Noah''s shining eyes were looking at the majestic body of this Serpent towering over 500 meters- that was slightly larger than the Empire State Building! His eyes reflected the gorgeous colors of Grey and black, along with a purple-blue mixture that represented the complete comprehension of the Laws of Death, Chaos, and Aether. "How confident would you be if you were faced with a Lower Tier GALAXY Realm being? With your Manifested QUASAR Realm and strength of your bloodline." Noah asked the enormous Void Serpent as his mind swirled with many possibilities. "I should be capable of defeating the weakest ones of the Lower Tier. If any of them have embarked on the Dao though, I can only protect your life while escaping." RUMBLE! The strong voice of the Void Serpent slithered out with unbound confidence as by the side, the Three-Legged Fate Crow also perked up. "I- I can also act as a diversion and even use Undying Fate Flames to mess with GALAXY Realm beings for a minute!" The golden beak of the crow shone with splendor as it tried to match the immense aura of the Void Serpent, Noah chuckling at this sight as he decided to go with the plan! "We have yet to even test how your power will be when I merge with you using the [One Body, One Soul] ability, maybe taking out Low Tier Galaxy Realm expert will be an easy thing then." "Hmm? How confident are you in your physical skills to think you will improve my capabilities so much just with merging?" The ancient voice of the Void Serpent resounded out as Noah simply smiled. He thought of the many horrendous abilities he had that granted a ridiculous amount of percentage boosts, of the effects, and the possibilities of what would happen if these were applied to him while he merged with an Archaic Animus that had the bloodline of the Galaxy Devouring Serpent- J?rmungandr! All of these thoughts granted him the confidence to proceed forward with a grand plan. A plan of actually besieging a Galaxy that was most likely filled with multiple Elder Fiends at the GALAXY Realm, as well as the Entity of unknown power behind them! With [Plot Armor], he would have one hour there to unleash deadly attacks with his new pets as he collected an enormous amount of loot from the unsuspecting Fiends, upgrading his Realm at Black Hole to QUASAR as he would then begin chasing the elusive Realm of GALAXY. With the newly unlocked abilities of the Protagonist Trait guaranteeing his life, he wanted to be bold and domineering as he moved with efficiency not seen even among the Ancient Powers! Chapter 701 - Old and New Shall Work As One! I At this moment, it seemed to be the period of the calm before the storm as many beings moved about and prepared. The clone of Alexander used the medallion that granted the Authority of an Imperial Ruler to occupy the fortress that the Imperial Adjudicator had given him. This Dannicus fortress was filled with protectors and maids as it brimmed with life, but like much of the Nexus Galaxy, Noah would not get to enjoy it too much! He thought this because even though he had been in the Nexus Galaxy for over half a month now, he had only remained in the Brightgold Monarchy Realm where the core of the Imperials resided. Even though this was the location where the most powerful gathered, there were still millions of other Realms and billions of worlds in the starry space of this Galaxy that he did not explore, simply because it wasn¡¯t his focus and he did not need to. Noah was lamenting this fact as he loved exploring and enjoying the cultures of different beings, but his focus had been very narrow and locked on as time passed! Even now, the clone was helping with enhancing his Realm by absorbing Cores at the rank of Black Hole, utilizing the loot he received from the Fiends himself. His Manifested Black Hole merely devoured all the coming Cores as it only got larger and enhanced its gravitational force, where even as Noah took out and absorbed the QUASAR Ranked cores that shone with multicolored splendor and were the size of his head, his Black Hole only grew ever larger as the oppressive air it released increased. But he did not break through! Traversing through the Realms while keeping oneself at Grand Completion was hard, where the resources required to advance were even more numerous. This was why Noah had to absorb the cores of multiple beings a stage above him just to obtain the Manifested Black Hole while advancing forward. "If I have to butcher tens of QUASARS or even a Lower Tier GALAXY expert to advance, so be it!" His gaze was cold as he said these words, continuing to absorb the many cores as he thought about the body of Noah in the Novus Galaxy. Because of wanting to bring as much fire power as possible to the Galaxy he wanted to besiege, he would have both his bodies work together on the raid mission of the Burning Domains Galaxy. This was also because if he did not put his other body to use, it would mean that an hour of [Invulnerability] gets simply wasted as both his bodies shared the effects of the Traits he held. With his split Origins, some things between his bodies were separate, but the inscribed Traits given by his home Galaxies were one and the same! An example was the progression Realm being somewhat interlinked but separate, or how some skills like [Ancient Blood Clone] were treated entirely separate as he gained clones past the limits because of both bodies. The inscribed Traits of Infinite Mana and Protagonist were the things that were shared! When he activated the [Plot Armor] ability with the body of Alexander, it would also apply to the body of Noah in the Novus Galaxy as under Traits, both bodies were one and the same! So why not have his other body participate when there was no threat to his life? Thus, he would have both the old body and the new one work together as they procured the most loot! This was especially so since in the past few hours after the body of Noah in the Novus Galaxy obtained the wisps of the Dao of Summoning, two additional pets were also summoned! His Origin in the Novus Galaxy summoned and contracted the Animus Pets without any problems, whatever Universal Rules or Dao existing not being able to stop him as his two bodies exceeded possible limits on this aspect as well. The Animus Summons brought forth by Noah were just as shocking as the ones the body of Alexander summoned, with two Ultra Rare Summons being brought forth! Since he began on the path of a Summoner, not a single Common or Rare Pet, but all his pets had been of the Ultra Rank or above. He even considered the Noah in the Novus Galaxy unlucky as no PRISMATIC Summons took the bait for him! Yet the summoned pets had their own splendor as both of them held Ancient Bloodlines! [Variant Oculothorax](Ultra Rare) :: An Animus Summon at the Black Hole Realm. Its body is primarily an eyeball, and this particular Oculothorax has undergone a mutation through pure willpower after rejecting its grotesque appearance, mastering the Laws of Light and Fate in an effort to change its destiny. It contains a dreadfully strong soul as all its abilities carry potent Soul Damage. Abilities include Eye of Doom, Fate Extinguishing Light... [Millennium Calamity Bear](Ultra Rare) :: An Animus Summon at the QUASAR Realm. A unique species of Bears that takes on the mantle of [Calamity], this Summon has mastered the Laws of Life and Earth as its body can barely be penetrated by physical attacks. Within it, the Bloodline of the Archaic Void Calamity Millennium Bear dwells. Abilities include Shield of Beginning, Hug of Life and Death... From his two summons, Noah was able to bring forth two Ultra Rare pets, with one in the realm of Nebula that he raised to Black Hole, and the terrifyingly large Millennium Calamity Bear standing at 300 meters large that was already at the QUASAR Realm! All he did for the Calamity Bear was enhance its Realm to Grand Completion, his heart trembling in excitement as he looked at its tanky abilities that would even be able to withstand attacks from a Lower Tier Galaxy expert once he merged with the pet. You read that right! The defences of this Millenium Calamity Bear seemed terrifying enough that after Noah merged with it and enhanced its strength, he expected this Summon at the QUASAR Realm to be able to at least defend against a Lower Tier GALAXY Realm expert! As for the Oculothorax...all he could say was that it was extremely interesting! What should have normally been a grotesque-looking summon as it was an eyeball floating in space actually contained within it the brilliant light of fate, resplendent white wings erupting on the back of the eye as the pupil shone half gold and white! Who could have imagined that he could summon pets with such uniqueness? He was looking forward to advancing through Realm quickly so he could summon even more, wanting to catch as many unique Animus Summons as he could! Chapter 702 - Old And New Shall Work As One! II When looking at the current number of Summons he held, one might be asking themselves how exactly he planned to utilize them when besieging a Galaxy? The effect of [Plot Armor] would only apply to him, not his pets. If he wanted it to apply to them as well, this would only be possible while utilizing the skill, [One Body, One Soul] to merge with them! But that would mean that only two pets would be able to be utilized by the bodies of Noah and Alexander...that is if he didn¡¯t have clones that could exhibit 100% of his strength for both of his identities. This meant that was his domineering raid mission began, all four pets would have a body they would merge with as he would release for combatants that each carried power capable of reaping the lives of QUASAR Realm experts, and in the case of the bodies merging with the Void Serpent and the Calamity Bear- two of him would even be able to match Lower Tier GALAXY Realm experts! Ah! Two of his main bodies and two of his clones, each one merged with an Animus Summon as all of them had the status effect of [Invulnerability] as they wreaked havoc in the Burning Domains Galaxy! Can one even f.u.c.k.i.n.g imagine this sight?! It would be an event for the ages as Noah finalized his plans and monitored things on both Galaxies before moving out. The Novus Galaxy continued its Era of Peace as the Chosen Extras were rapidly forging their stars in the Nebula Realm. Noah didn¡¯t know if they would have the talent of forming 100,000 stars even with all the Effulgent Star Pearls given to them, but all he cared about was that they already passed the average benchmark of many beings as they garnered above average strength! They could break through into the Black Hole Realm whenever they wished, and Noah was already thinking of ways of getting his own people to step on the path of the Dao early. He could pass down is [Dao of Summoning Traverser] and the [Animus Summoner Trainer] skill tree as they were normal skills, but the Absolute Skill <> that summoned forth the pets in the first place could not be passed down through the Library feature. He would have to possibly create another skill that would have the same function if it wasn¡¯t insanely expensive so that the strength of his subordinates can explode even more! But aside from those in the Novus Galaxy, preparations were getting even busier in the Nexus Galaxy as the Imperial Adjudicator felt a sense of impending loss, not finding any options to save him and the two women he could not live without. They reinforced their defenses as they prepared, the genius Imperial Ruler known as Alexander being given time to consolidate his rapidly enhancing strength as they hoped he would soon be able to stand as a pillar for the Nexus Galaxy. Yet they didn¡¯t know that at this moment, the being in question was finishing chugging Cores at the Black Hole and QUASAR Realm as he brought himself to his optimum strength! The body of Alexander rose in the hidden star in the Starry Sky Galaxy as around him, a shimmering Three-Legged Fate Crow plucked its fiery golden feathers while an enormous 500-meter tall Void Serpent literally vibrated with strength as its scales shone with a terrifying l.u.s.ter. His eyes shone as the image of a stat panel that could only be seen from the Noah in the Novus Galaxy reflected on his eyes, checking this panel after what seemed like a long time even though it had only been over half a month! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Grand Controller(Fate),Grand Controller(Chaos), Grand Controller(Aether), Controller(Fire, Water)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana, Protagonist(Incomplete)] [Dao(s) : Dao of Summoning- .008%] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil : Young Tree Stage] [Primeval Tree of Death: Young Tree Stage] [Aether Particles(s) : 10,000,000] [Karma Line(s) : 6,353,924] [Fate Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Chaos Particle(s) : 10,000,00] [Origin Core(s) : Light-7, Dark-7, Fire-10, Water-10, Earth-9, Air-9] [Domain(s) : Life, Death, Aether, Karma, Fate,Chaos, Light, Dark, Space, Time, Fire, Water, Earth, Air] [Vitality: BLACK HOLE] [Focus: ¡Þ ] [Strength: BLACK HOLE] [Law(s) : Life-31%, Death-13%, Aether- 100%, Karma-63%,Fate-100%,Chaos-100%, Light-75%, Dark-75%, Space-78%, Time-69%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-98%, Air-98%] [Authority(s) : Aether Lord, Fate Lord, Chaos Lord, Karma Lord, Space Lord, Time Lord, Light Lord, Dark Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord, Earth Lord, Air Lord] Many laws were nearly fully comprehended as he would soon be able to follow the shocking methods laid in the Page of Ruination he obtained to begin the process of Assimilation for all his laws simultaneously! He had become a Grand Controller in the Law of Aether as this law was fully comprehended, and planned to see the extent of the help of the |Intents| of the combined Supreme Laws would be in the coming battles as he chained multiple words. He would be able to freely do this without worrying about those watching, which was the reason he still somewhat held back while taking care of the Fiends in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. He had laws, boosts from numerous skills from <>, which had especially potent abilities when it came to matching those a realm above his own...he just had many things he would be using as he would try to go all out for his siege mission! RUMBLE! His Summons were taken into the swirling Rift on his chest as the enormous snake and shimmering young Golden Crow appeared within his Origin, his figure teleporting away from the hidden Star in the Stellar Sky Galaxy. When he reappeared, he was in a region of the chaotic void that wasn¡¯t too many light years away from his target- the Burning Domains Galaxy! Around him, a clone from the body of Alexander appeared as a second later, the body of Noah and his clone also made their appearance in the chaotic void. Four bodies, a single being! As he looked at his four bodies, a deadly smile filled with wild excitement could be seen appear on each of them, their thoughts one as they prepared to do something grand! Chapter 703 - A Majestic Line Up! RUMBLE! In the chaotic void not too far away from the Burning Domains Galaxy, Summoning Rifts erupted from his two main bodies as terrifying Animus Summons that released an ancient stepped out. The terrifying chaotic void around them did bother them one bit, each of their bodies appearing in a stellar fashion as they looked around curiously! The biggest Summon was the 500-meter large Void Serpent whose twisted body overtowered all of them, only the 300 meter-sized Calamity Bear being able to turn its face towards him as it didn¡¯t seem as minuscule as everyone else. The unique Variant Oculothorax shone with the essence of Light and Fate as the enormous pupil was about 20 meters in size, ten times the height of an average man as it matched the size of the arrogant Three-Legged Fate Crow that glanced around each of them while keeping its beak high. "This is..." OOOM The ancient voice of the future Jormugandr rang out as it glanced towards Noah¡¯s two bodies, finding out with surprise that aside from the Alexander it was contracted to, it could also feel a link to the newly appearing body of Noah as it felt even this being could give it commands as well! This unique situation caused the eyes of the Void Serpent to shine, this being something it had not yet seen in its thousands of years of living. The other pets also noticed this oddity as it shocked them to accept, but the truth was clear as they could feel it with their souls. Two bodies, a single Master! The clones could be differentiated as the Animus Summons looked towards each other with an unknown light, the Three-Legged Fate Crow speaking out as it acted like an older summon amongst all of them. "As the first summon by Master, you all can call me Older Sister Crow. Do you all know what we are about to do?" Its fiery gold feathers shone splendrously in the chaotic void as its eyes tried not to tremble when the terrifying gaze of the Void Serpent looked towards it with a smile, the eyes of the Crow focusing themselves on the Oculothorax and the Calamity bear as it tried to insert its authority! "Older Sister Crow, aren¡¯t we besieging a Galaxy filled with powerful enemies? It is nothing much." The strong voice of the Calamity Bear rang out calmly as it didn¡¯t seem bothered by anything, its eyes only locked on to the Void Serpent as it felt its very bloodline quiver when looking at this being. A second later, the piercing mental voice of the Oculothorax also rang out in the minds of all the beings here as it carried with it a tone of battle intent! "Master has shared the information of these so-called Fiends. My attacks layered with Soul Damage will reap the lives of those QUASAR Ranked Fiend Rulers as easy as plucking the feathers of chickens...with the Elder Fiends at the GALAXY Realm...being my main targets!" CAA! The future Golden Crow was nodding mysteriously while trying to look wise until it heard the last sentence of the Oculothorax, bringing its fiery golden wings close to it as its golden eyes locked with the enormous eye filled with the essence of light and fate. The Void Serpent looked at all of this calmly as its gigantic head turned towards the two Noah¡¯s and asked calmly. "You seem confident to walk into this Galaxy and come out alive even when it is filled with enemies of higher Realms than us, what is the goal?" "The goal...is simply loot! As for our lives, I can guarantee that all of us will walk in there and leave without so much a feather falling off our bodies." Noah answered calmly as he prepared, the body of Alexander going towards the Void Serpent. "Before we teleport into the Burning Domains Galaxy though, we will merge and bring ourselves to the peak of our strength. The moment we enter will be the time when blood will overflow." RUMBLE! Words filled with confidence spread out in the Void as even the pets weren¡¯t fully convinced, but they trusted their Master when he said none of them would lose their lives, even if they could not explain it! "The mana expenditure to maintain the merging state not just with me, but with these other three...I know that most Summoners can barely merge with their Summons for a few minutes, are we only going in and out in a matter of minutes?" The curious Void Serpent continued to ask questions as it tried to get to the root of Noah¡¯s strength, the being in question only smiling as he said simply, "Mana? That¡¯s something I have even fewer worries about. If I wanted to remain merged with all of you for days, it would not be an issue. Much less a few hours. Let us begin- [One Body, One Soul]!" RUMBLE! Baleful Essence erupted out in large amounts as a golden line appeared between the body of Alexander and the Void Serpent, a hazy light covering the two of them as with another flash of light, they were pulled towards each other as they became one! WAA! Bubbling essence continued to emulate out as when the light died down, the enormous body of the Void Serpent had shockingly grown by another 200 meters, its scales seeming even thicker and l.u.s.trous as its eyes now shone with a gold-red l.u.s.ter. "Woah." When the eyes opened, the joined consciousness of two beings was finalized as Noah felt the immense power of the Void Serpent, especially the archaic bloodline hidden deep within it! Memories of its numerous terrifying skills and abilities poured into his brain as they felt like his own, the power of this creature at the QUASAR Realm being elevated by a great amount from the +200% boost in power of the enhanced [One Body, One Soul] perfect merging ability! But he wasn¡¯t done. Merging with a summon was only the first step, and he would be bringing out even greater power as he began buffing himself with shocking abilities! [Incandescent Emperor]. The ability that granted him +1000% to Damage, Attack Speed, Cast Speed, Law Resistances, Defence, as well as +50% Decreased Damage Taken from all sources was activated as on the body of the Void Serpent that had mastered the Laws of Death, Ather, and Chaos- the light of Fate began to dr.a.p.e over it with ease. Vibrant golden runic lines began to be drawn throughout the enormous body of the creature as on top of its draconic-serpentine head, a golden crown began forming! The aura it released was only rising higher and higher as the other three Animus watched on in shock at the pressure the Void Serpent released that seemed to be soon going way past the realm of QUASAR. A shocking powerup and transformation session was just beginning as Noah fully prepared many abilities, planning to be at the absolute peak of strength the moment that his four bodies merged with Animus Summons teleported into the Burning Domains Galaxy! Chapter 704 - Spam All the Buffs! A magisterial sight was taking place in the chaotic void as a stellar Void Serpent adorned with a golden crown appeared, numerous runic sigils branded on its purple-blue scales as the pressure it released was not something a QUASAR Realm being should have! The other pets looked at each other in excitement while observing this scene, turning their eyes to the three remaining Noahs as each of them smiled calmly while calling out- [One Body, One Soul]. RUMBLE! A light that linked the original body of Noah and the two clones to the three remaining pets shone out, another 3 fusions of Summoner and Pet occurring as the blinding light spread out for miles. [Incandescent Emperor].[Incandescent Emperor].[Incandescent Emperor]. The descent of the strong golden light of fate then came down as the runic lines were carved like archaic tattoos on each of the pets, a shimmering golden crown adorned on each of them as they shone with ridiculous power! CAA! The cry of the future Golden Crow resounded as the chicken grew twice as large, its wings shining with even more golden light. But it seemed tiny in comparison to the enormous Void Serpent as well as..the Calamity Bear that looked like an Archaic King while now sitting at 500 meters while adorned with a golden crown. Its obsidian-colored fur seemed thicker and stronger than the rarest diamonds as its face was filled with a regal aura, its thick bear claws shining menacingly as the essence of Life and Earth abundantly leaked from it. Meanwhile, the Oculothorax¡¯s shimmering crown nearly covered all of this creature, the huge eye shining even brighter as it gained enticing beauty to those who deeply favored eyes! "This power..." The ancient voice of the Void Serpent was filled with surprise as it sensed its aura actually nearing the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm even before it used its abilities. ¡¯With such supporting skills...if they last long enough...¡¯ Numerous thoughts crossed the ancient creature¡¯s mind as at this moment, the voice of its master rang out. "We aren¡¯t done." ...! [Yggdrasil]. RUMBLE! His word was filled by the repetition of the same word by the other three merged pets, the colors of the dark chaotic void changing as above them, rivers of the essence of life dripped down like a broken dam as it went to coalesce around them, thick branches and leaves beginning to shroud their 4 bodies as they didn¡¯t take the form of the enormous Tree of Life, but instead, the thick branches and leaves wrapped around them as they began to form a primal looking visage. The form of the Tree of Life was that on an ancient armored visage that went on to fully cover every spot on the bodies of the four merged summons, each of them gaining a thick layer of protection as the main use of this covering was to reinforce their power- enormous amounts of Life Essence pumping into them every second as they looked like huge creatures of the forest! The aura of power they released continued to shoot ever higher as from the body of the Void Serpent, the aura it now released was no less than a being at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm. All the other pets...were releasing horrendous aura at the peak of QUASAR Realm that threatened to spill out to GALAXY at any time! One must recall that Noah himself...was only at the Black Hole Realm. Manifested Black Hole, yes, but still at the Realm of Black Hole! Yet combined with his pets and while adorned with [Incandescent Emperor] and [Yggdrasil], one of his pets already released an aura able to match a being at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm while the others could reap the lives of QUASAR ranked experts with ease. Yet even at this juncture...stupidly and unbelievably- Noah was not done. He ridiculously wasn¡¯t f.u.c.k.i.n.g done! Ah! "[Death Scythe]" WAA! The immense aura of death began to permeate out as before the rivers of the essence of life could even finish granting the primal armor of Yggdrasil, a flood of the essence of death rumbled through to wrap around the bodies of the summons as above their crowns, the illusory image of a shockingly long Scythe began to appear. The Death Scythe was constantly thrumming as it released a thick barrier of death around the bodies already layered with numerous buffs, this being a new ability that Noah obtained from the techniques of the Law of Death! One must recall that previously, we only mentioned the cultivating ability of <> but not the other abilities that came with the techniques from the Imperial Library. The skill he just cast one that came from the skill tree under the techniques of the Law of Death! The boosts of the ability were also very similar to Yggdrasil. [Death Scythe](5/5) :: Death is something no being can escape, something that many run from but never find success! This ability grants the user an illusory protection in the form of a Scythe, this protection giving them the possibility of interfering with death. While active, the user gains +3000% Physical and Soul Defense, +3000% to All Damage, +1000% Extra Death Essence Damage, +3000% Increased Attack Speed, +100% Universal Laws Resistance Penetration, +100% to all Universal Laws Resistance, and All enemies struck by you abilities gain the [Death Leech] status effect. The user will also gain a Death Shield after every 10 minutes this ability is kept active. (The skill is currently being enhanced by the [Death] ability.) It was literally just the boosts of the Yggdrasil abilities with a few extra additions or differences, but it contributed even greater percentages of boosts as aside from the Primal verdant armor given by Yggdrasil as the Scythe constantly pulsed and released a layer of death essence to cover all the pets. As Noah got to this point, he could feel a tremendous strain on his soul as he knew these transformations were the max that he could do even while being reinforced with the souls of the merged pets, that if he tried to add the [Terror of Aether Form] or the [Arch Demon Lord] form from the Seven Deadly Sins abilities...he would only get a momentary boost before his origin and soul could not keep that many transformations together as they would fall apart in the next minute. But what he had now..should be more than enough! When he looked around at the four Summons he had merged with, each of them looked like a Primal Archaic Beast that could tear apart anything they faced with ease as the strongest Void Serpent and Calamity Bear seemed particularly monstrous. The layers of boosts from merging, [Incandescent Emperor], [Yggdrasil], and [Death Scythe] made them and the Three-Legged Fate Crow and the Oculothorax look so damn sturdy and ancient! They looked so f.u.c.k.i.n.g sturdy as they emanated a horrendous pressure that seemed to say nothing would be able to bypass them! Ah! Chapter 705 - The Siege Begins! Immense auras of shocking proportions were pulsating in the chaotic void a few light years from the Burning Domains Galaxy. This was especially so for two of them- the Void Serpent and the Calamity Bear! The Void Serpent was already releasing a suffocating aura that only those in the Lower Tier GALAXY Realm could release with the boosts of [Yggdrasil], but with [Death Scythe] on top- this suffocating aura approached the peak of the Lower Tier GALAXY Realm! This was what an Animus Pet of the Prismatic Rank and holding an Archaic Bloodline could achieve when supported by tremendously powerful skills. The Calamity Bear that was also only at the QUASAR Realm similar to the Void Serpent but did not have a ridiculously powerful bloodline like it was only able to release the aura of a being at the Lower Tier GALAXY Realm after the last boost of [Death Scythe], its enormous towering body seeming like a building that would destroy anything in its path. The Three-Legged Fate Crow and the Oculothorax each shone menacingly with their golden crowns and fully covered up bodies, each of them releasing shocking auras at the peak of the QUASAR Realm even though they stood in the Realm of Black Hole. The pressure that each of these pets released was suffocating as on each of their bodies, the Manifested Black Holes and QUASARS could be seen swiftly rotating as each of them were at the Grand Completion of their Realms! "With this...we are ready." "With this...we are ready." "With..." Each of them spoke the same sentence simultaneously as the minds of all of them were linked by a singular being, their goals made clear as the Animus Summons followed Noah¡¯s will while keeping their shock and surprise to themselves for now! At this moment, the memories of the Fiend Rulers Noah had taken down flowed freely into the minds of the Summons as multiple locations on the Burning Domains Galaxy were seen, and each of them would be sent to separate locations that held cl.u.s.ters of powerful Fiends for them to rampage. --- Across the Dark Universe, the Galaxies were innumerable with the numbers of beings as vast as could be! In the fringes of the Dark Universe, there existed the Burning Domains Galaxy which had unique stellar bodies that were filled with abundant essence of flames. Shockingly, each of its stars carried with it scorching environments as they created for many domains of cl.u.s.ters of stars, granting it the name of the Burning Domains Galaxy. Within this Galaxy, the singular race of Fiends were the ones reigning Supreme, with them being the only beings that thrived and survived in the scorching atmospheres. Among the Fiends of the Galaxy, Six Domains were known as the most important, where an Elder Fiend ruled each Domain with strength and valor. This was how things were a few hundred years ago, but they had changed rapidly with the advent of an Entity coming to reside in their Galaxy- this Entity overtaking their entire power structure as she inserted herself on top and used shocking abilities to increase the power of all the Fiends as she gained their unfilial loyalty! The Elder Fiends that ruled the Six Domains were elevated to the Ranks of Low Tier GALAXY, with many Fiends at the levels of Black Hole and QUASAR being produced, and even more numerous Fiends at the Realm of Black Hole. Among the many Galaxies around it, the Burning Domains Galaxy actually had an overpowering battle power that could easily take down any that it set its sights on. Yet after showing some of their power by releasing a single Elder Fiend to take care of a few Galaxies, they unexpectedly met with loss as the Entity above them was filled with wrath! The Six Domains were in a bustle of activities as numerous Fiends moved in each of them while continuing to train, every now and then bringing themselves to a unique glimmering green body of water that was placed in the middle of each of the Six Domains by the hands of the Entity. The green bodies of water were placed on the starry space of the Six Domains, at the very center as they looked like an enormous green liquid star! The Fiends would make a trip away from their planets and Realms as they dove into this green body of water as they came out of it extremely rejuvenated, with their cells screaming for them to continue cultivating as this was how their rapid growth came to be- through the hands of the Entity proficient in the Dao of Vitality! At this moment, only one of the Six Domains did not have an Elder Fiend presiding over it, this being the Low Tier GALAXY Realm expert that had fallen by the hands of the Aurora Galaxy Dragon. But on the other Five Domains, an Elder Fiend at the Realm of GALAXY presided over the training of the many Fiends as they oversaw numerous Realms and Planets surrounding each of the green bodies of water filled with Vitality that they termed...Vital Life Water. Across the many Realms and Planets on each of the Domain, the Fiends continued their battle driven lifestyle as in one of the Domains, an Elder Fiend situated on an asteroid stationary on the starry space who was observing the Fiends coming and going into the Planetary Body they called Vital Life Water in their Domain- this Elder Fiend felt spatial fluctuations that foretold of a long-distance teleportation being cast, and the being utilizing it was particularly large as the senses of the Fiend spread out towards this fluctuation a few hundred thousand miles away! The Fiend then abruptly rose as a wild pressure released from it, the eyes on its head incredulous as its senses told it that...an enormous coiling being in the form of a serpent had appeared at that location, the aged eyes of this Serpent briefly looking over its direction as the Elder Fiend was actually ignored and watched on with his aura as this Serpent...delved towards the nearest Realm that was filled with Fiends in ranging from the ranks of QUASAR all the way to the lower ranks. At the same time, the incredulous Elder Fiend could distinctly pick up words that seemed to travel through space, and the words said simply- [Plot Armor]! RUMBLE! A brilliant light shone on the body of the Void Serpent right before it dove into the Realm filled with Fiends, something similar happening onto the bodies of three other beings as at this moment...a terrifying Siege had begun in the Burning Domains Galaxy. Inside three other Domains where other Elder Fiends oversaw, the enormous bodies of the Millenium Calamity Bear, Variant Oculothorax, and the Three-Legged Fate Crow all made their appearance as the moment they entered, a unique light that represented the ability of [Plot Armor] went on to cover them, their eyes blazing with a domineering light as some dove into the nearest Planet or Realm that held a multitude of Fiends, while another summon went on a completely different mission! On the bodies of each of these creatures, a potent armor of Life that represented [Yggdrasil] and a horrid Scythe released deathly essence while situated atop shimmering golden crowns floating on top of each of their heads, making these creatures looking like Archaic Kings that had come down to rain judgment. At this moment, the Siege had begun! Chapter 706 - A Light Tears Through Space, A GALAXY Falls! The next set of events have to be described separately, but they happened simultaneously the moment that Four Archaic Animus Summons descended on four separate Domains of the Burning Domains Galaxy. Each Domain was under the rule of a GALAXY Rank Elder Fiend, and the Animus Pets teleported into the Domains as they descended on the nearest Realm or Planet that held training Fiends! "Enemies!" "Move!" In a particular Domain, an enormous Void Serpent that was hundreds of meters descended into a Realm filled with a blazing atmosphere and an abundant amount of Fiends, this Realm holding two Fiend Rulers at the QUASAR Realm. The eyes of the Void Serpent buffed with multiple skills shone as it moved at speeds that its enormous body should have in no way been capable of, going to the center of this Realm where the two QUASAR Fiend Rulers resided as the Fiends sensed his terrifying aura and began to mobilize! RUMBLE! Essence flew about wildly as not too far away from this Realm, the Elder Fiend at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm was already moving as a streak of light towards this Realm that was only a few hundred thousand miles away, and he would be getting into it in a matter of seconds. But these seconds...would be extremely crucial as the reason that this Elder Fiend was hurrying towards this enemy was because it could sense the horrifying aura that was no less than its own from the spot it stood! Few Seconds! But in these few seconds, Noah who was merged with the Void Serpent came across the fortress where two QUASAR Fiend Rulers stood, Fiends of lower levels spread out all over this Realm as they all steaked towards Noah¡¯s aura fearlessly. "Hold until the Elder arrives!" The two QUASAR Fiend Rulers shone with power as their eyes remained unshaken at the rushing enemy, their bodies reinforced with potent abilities as they threw out their most powerful attacks to stop the advance of this enormous snake just for a matter of seconds! OOOOM But the moment the Void Serpent neared them, its eyes shone even brighter as it seemed space came to a halt, an aged voice resounding out from all angles as a skill was cast. A single skill. One that stemmed from the Animus that held the bloodline of the Galaxy Devouring Serpent- J?rmungandr! [Annihilatory Death Devouring]. "..." A mixture of the extreme essence of Chaos, Death, and Aether overflowed from the body of the Void Serpent! It felt like space and time had come to a stop as the Fiends were held captive, the eyes of the QUASAR Ranked Fiend Rulers only seeing one thing on their sight- the mouth of the enormous Void Serpent adorned with a golden crown and deadly Scythe overtaking everything they could see as from it, an appalling devouring force assisted by multiple Laws erupted out. RUMBLE! The force affected the surrounding miles as any and all Fiends no matter their rank, from EPIC and the way to the two QUASAR Fiend Rulers...all of them were frozen in space as a second later, they instantaneously disappeared! "..." Devoured! Not one at a time, not while the strongest at QUASAR struggled. All at once and without question, devoured instantly! CRACK! A horrid sound seemed to occur the moment that the Void Serpent closed its wide jaws, seemingly brought to a close with difficulty but the moment they fully closed...the lives of all those devoured were fully lost as the appalling cracking sound represented their very souls shattering. At the same time, loot from all the devoured Fiends appeared in Noah¡¯s [Expansive Space] as he didn¡¯t get any time to even target other Fiends, an immensely powerful aura of a being at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm that was only a few seconds late finally arriving! BOOM! The Elder Fiend arrived with an enclosed fist that held within it a rotating Galaxy, the Void Serpent turning to meet this fist with its jaggedly scaled and armored tail as the impact between the fist and tail...entirely shattered the portion of the Realm they were in. OOOM! "Alert the Master!" In the shattered space, the Elder Fiend had a disgusted look as its eyes and aura locked in with the terrifyingly large Void Serpent, its fist that shone with a l.u.s.ter of a Galaxy actually trembling as one could distinctly see bloody bones protruding from this fist. A single strike, and a Lower Tier GALAXY Realm expert was left with a bloodied fist! But something worthy of mentioning with even more importance at this same period of time was another area in the Burning Domains Galaxy entirely, moving away from the Void Serpent that was confronting an Elder Fiend after reaping the lives of multiple QUASAR, Black Hole, and Nebula rank Fiends that were concentrated in the center of an entire Realm. We have to mention another Summon, the summon that held terrifying proficiency in Soul Damage- the Variant Oculothorax! When Noah entered another one of the Domains of this Galaxy with this merged summon, he didn¡¯t delve into a Realm or Planet that held many Fiends at the realms of QUASAR or below, he directly teleported to an area from the memories of dead Fiends that he knew the Elder Fiend of this Domain would be located. His aura had spread out the moment he appeared, seeing the Elder Fiend floating a few thousand miles away near a bubbling Planetary Body of liquid that was filled with Vitality. This Lower Tier GALAXY Realm expert noticed the mesmerizing Eye that was the Oculothorax the moment it appeared as well, the shocking aura it released causing the eyes of this Elder Field to open wide as its body began to bubble with power! Yet the Oculothorax moved forward with purpose as its goal was this GALAXY Realm Elder Fiend itself, its eye filled with the essence of Light and Fate opening extremely wide until golden drops of blood could be seen tearfully dropping from it. [Envy the Mighty]. First, a skill from the Seven Deadly Sins series, the ability from the Sin of Envy that lowered the abilities and stats of an opponent by one stage was cast! At the same time, a golden light that represented the abilities of the Sin of Pride being activated from facing a stronger foe shone brightly! |Enhanced Soul Damage|. |Extreme Soul Damage Penetration|. |Soul Lock|. | Non-Evadable Attack| Numerous Intents combined from multiple Supreme Laws were also brought forth. RUMBLE! The wings of the Oculothorax shimmered with immense strength as thereafter, another skill was cast- a skill that caused a brilliant light to tear through the thousand-mile distance between Noah and the Elder Fiend as it reached its target in an instant. [Eye of Doom]. RIIIIP! A harrowing light filled with the essence of fate and light. A light released from a Variant Animus Summon that was proficient with Soul Damage. A light that was enhanced by the Sin of Pride, multiple Intents, [Incandescent Emperor], [Yggdrasil], and [Death Scythe]. A light that was directed against a Fiend whose abilities experienced a sudden debuff, whose one weakness was its Soul! "IMPOSSIBLE!" A deathly scream was the only thing that could come out from the Elder Fiend as this appalling light reached it instantly, the illusory stars from a rotating Galaxy it was trying to summon dimming a second after the light touched him, his eyes that were blazing like lanterns struggling with fear as something that should have not been possible occurred. The blazing eyes of the Elder Fiend that had achieved an extremely high Realm shone brilliantly for just another second...before they dimmed entirely! Dead! A single skill from the stupidly enhanced and buffed Oculothorax, and an Elder Fiend...lay dead. In this Domain that the Oculothorax had teleported in, it wasn¡¯t the weakest Fiends that had fallen to it first, but the strongest! This Oculothorax was at the Realm of Black Hole! Yet! Yet! A Lower Tier GALAXY Elder Fiend lay dead the second it released its attack! Yes, it was extremely proficient in Soul Damage that was the Fiend¡¯s greatest weakness. Yes, it had a ridiculous amount of boosts while the Elder Fiend was debuffed by the Sin of Envy. But still, this was a genuine GALAXY Realm expert...and it still lay dead. Within the first few seconds of the Siege of the Burning Domains Galaxy...there was one less GALAXY expert within it! One must know...the battle had just begun! Chapter 707 - What Can They Do But Die?! In another Domain of the Burning Domains Galaxy, a piercing cry of a future Golden Crow rang out in a stellar fashion. CAAA! This cry was accompanied with a flaring of wild and brilliant golden flames, the Three-Legged Fate Crow that was descending onto a nearby Star filled with Fiends up to the Rank of Black Hole shining brightly as with every passing second, the flames around it exponentially increased in size as the descent of this Animus Pet soon seemed like a wild golden sun was forming to strike the entire Planet and its inhabitants! [Fate Flames of the Void]. A single skill from the merged and enhanced pet was released as Noah already backed it up with multiple specific Intents of laws, and the flames called forth by the Three-Legged Fate Crow had coagulated around it as they expanded rapidly, burning the very atmosphere it was entering as within an instant, it smashed into the planet. BOOOOM! Horrific flames shone in a cross shaped manner as from the position the Crow landed, the flames had actually spread out rapidly to cover thousands of miles as they instantly covered the entire planet, this entire star and all the Fiends on it being covered by scorching Fate Flames that burned their very souls, the star itself beginning to implode right after! "Coward!" A resounding call erupted out the moment the planet became engulfed in flames and imploded right after, every soul within it dead as among the imploding chunks of earth and flames, the glimmering body of a stellar Elder Fiend instantly appeared above the Three-Legged Fate Crow and struck down. OOOM The fist carried with it the force of a shining Galaxy as it smashed into the body of the Crow instantly, a blinding impact flashing as the Crow shot downwards for hundreds of miles in the starry space before coming to a halt. "..." The Elder Fiend looked on with incredulousness after landing the strike with his full power, multiple illusory stars from his inner GALAXY that he had called forth to aid him were still rotating on his fist. Yet the enemy he struck...did not have an ounce of Damage as the moment they recovered from the inertia, the arrogant golden beak on the enemy only rose up in disdain before it completely ignored the GALAXY Realm expert and streaked towards a nearby Planet where more Fiends lay! "Hold!" The Elder Fiend put away his questions as he chased, passing messages to all other leading Fiends as he continued to ask himself how this being was not injured by his strike. But he would never find out as this was...[Invulnerability]! From the casting of [Plot Armor], Noah had Invulnerability for the next hour...and there were four of him that descended onto the Burning Domains Galaxy as the Fiend would soon be faced with ridiculous enemies that could not even be damaged. In another Domain, the mountainous form of a Millenium Calamity Bear had descended into a Realm that turned out to be one of the core Realms of Fiends, holding within it 5 Fiend Rulers at the QUASAR Realm with millions of other Fiends training within. The Calamity Bear appeared in the skies of the Realm as the mountainous body cast a shadow, its gaze that of solemnity and regality that was unique to its bloodline as the golden crown and Scythe shimmering atop its head only went towards increasing its grand stature! As the Fiends cl.u.s.tered together with the 5 QUASAR Fiend Rulers leading them with wrathful faces, the Calamity Bear spread its paws out in a welcoming manner as it called forth- [Hug of Life and Death]. RUMBLE! Calmly, the skill was enunciated as it rang in the ears of all the beings in the surrounding miles, a hazy green-grey essence shining out from the Calamity Bear as its widespread paws and chest shone with an enticing l.u.s.ter! At the next instant, the 5 QUASAR ranked experts and a few hundred Fiends around them at the Realm of Black Hole and Nebula felt a strong gravitational force that they could not deny, a force that wrapped around each of them and pulled them towards the welcoming hug of the Calamity Bear without question! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The bodies of the Fiends were pulled in as they stuck on the covered fur of the Calamity Bear, their eyes filled with terror as in the next instant...the paws of the Calamity Bear began closing to tightly hug all the Fiends that had been pulled into its embrace, a horrendous pressure grinding down onto each of them as flesh and bones began to tear and break. SQUELCH! A shower of blood could then be seen thereafter as the palms of the Calamity Bear touched, the 5 QUASAR Fiend Rules and a few hundred Fiends that had fallen into its hug only becoming a mass of flesh and bones as they perished! If one could not survive the [Hug of Life and Death], there was only one outcome! The remaining Fiends on this Realm shook as they saw their strongest combatants wiped out in an instant, their hearts only being lifted as in the next second, a wrathful Elder Fiend at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm made his entrance into the Realm, his body pulsating with strength as he bellowed while shooting towards the Calamity Bear. At this powerful expert making an appearance, the regal gaze of the Calamity Bear remained as its enormous paw simply waved down with a grand aura of majesty! --- The battles had begun simultaneously, and only a few seconds had passed in reality as the Fiends of the Burning Domains Galaxy reacted. At the same time, in the depths of the Galaxy where the core of it lay, a terrifying Entity opened her eyes as a mystical light swam within her, her gaze rising high as it pierced through the veils of space and sensed the commotion while receiving word from multiple Elder Fiends of what was happening! "Who dares?!" RUMBLE! Chapter 708 - What Can They Do But Die?! II In the Central Realm of the Burning Domains Galaxy, a terrifying Entity disappeared as her body bellowed forth with power! She had received numerous communications from multiple Elder Fiends of attackers besieging their Galaxy, and she also felt the life force of one of the Elder Fiends perish a second later. Her face was filled with wrath as she warped through space and neared the closest Domain where she could sense the aura of one of the enemies that was currently facing another Elder Fiends. No more of her tools would be killed today no matter who the enemies were, they had to die! RUMBLE! The Entity appeared instantly in the domain where an enormous Void Serpent had actually enclosed the GALAXY Realm Elder Fiend within its large body as its serpentine body constricted, its tail striking out constantly while the Elder Fiend defended with starry attacks. The moment that the aura of the Entity spread out to announce its arrival, Noah in the merged Void Serpent glanced towards this titanous being with shining eyes as one of the most powerful skills of the Void Serpent were cast towards the Elder Fiend he had been dealing with this entire time! [Annihilatory Death Devouring]. WAA! The essence of Death fully erupted out to cover the surrounding hundreds of miles, submerging the Void Serpent and the Fiend it was battling within as the entire affected space...came to a halt. The only thing moving was the widening jaw of the Void Serpent, this jaw showing a transparent light connecting to the shocked Elder Fiend whose body was vibrating in the halted space while trying to move. "Great Master!" The Elder Fiend at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm that was actually on the losing side of the battle utilized all of its essence to try moving in the halted space as a terrible devouring force began to call out to it, calling out to the newly arriving Entity with excitement and fear the moment she appeared! The Entity herself glanced at this situation with experienced eyes as her body bubbled forth with power, seeing that the enemy was actually at the QUASAR Realm, yet its body released a terrifying aura at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm. Seeing this sight calmed the wisened Entity much, the first thing she did was waving her hands as an overpowering pressure spread out over the surrounding thousands of miles as she locked the space. She then glanced at the Void Serpent that had activated a skill that was releasing a horrible devouring force that even a Fiend at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm could not defend against. Amongst the wrath of the Entity, a light of interest appeared as when she looked closer at this creature, she picked up the aura of...an Animus! This was a type of creature she was familiar with, and from an Ancient Power she had come across before! As she stared at the Elder Fiend that was in a perilous situation, her bellowing voice resounded out. "No matter your connection to the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, attacking a domain I have claimed will only result in your death!" RUMBLE! Her gaze was filled with wild power as the aura of the Dao erupted out, this aura going on to surround Noah in his Void Serpent form along with the Elder Fiend that was in the process of being devoured. "Abysmally low comprehension in the Dao, and you dare to try and kill one of my people? You shall not touch a single hair on their bodies when I am here! What do you have to say for yourself before I erase your soul?" The voice seemed to have everything under control the moment the immense aura of the Dao of Vitality spread out to cover everything, seemingly bringing all things around her control as even the horrendous devouring force released by the [Annihilatory Death Devouring] ability was reducing, the Elder Fiend gradually regaining control of its body as it stopped going towards the jaws of the Void Serpent! This was the power of an Entity! A being that Noah could not even hope to defeat at his current state even if he brought all four of his Animus Summons to group up. This was because this being, even while injured, was at the Peak of the GALAXY Realm while backed up with the comprehension of a powerful Dao! Noah¡¯s eyes shone with l.u.s.ter at this progression as in the halted space, he looked towards the Entity he had only seen in his memories as the ancient voice of the Void Serpent he merged with resounded out with calmness and arrogance. "A mere Entity, and you think you can stop me from achieving what I want?!" His shocking words were followed with him outwardly releasing the little comprehensions he had of the Dao of Summoning, a unique pressure that only those who had begun embarking on the Dao could release permeating out to offset the horrific pressure of the Dao that the Entity released just around the Void Serpent and the Elder Fiend. The moment Noah did this, he spammed the same ability that nearly devoured the Elder Fiend as immense mana was utilized! [Annihilatory Death Devouring]![Annihilatory Death Devouring]![Annihilatory Death Devouring]! CRACK! "NOOO!" Space seemed to crack and fracture at the casting of the ability multiple times, the devouring force from the jaws of the Void Serpent becoming unbearable as the Elder Fiend was sucked towards its jaws instantly. SNAP! The jaws snapped shut as the immense pressure of the Dao of Vitality that the Entity released covered Noah again, but the Elder Fiend was already being devoured inside it through and through as the gaze of the Void Serpent stared at the Entity fearlessly! Even in its presence, he had broken control of its oppressive power for a second as he utilized this to cause the downfall of another Elder Fiend in the Burning Domains Galaxy. At this time, Noah¡¯s voice in the form of the ancient Void Serpent rang out again in an arrogant fashion, his eyes locking with the newly enraged Fiend that had her authority questioned! "I shall not touch a single hair while you are here? Hmph. If I want them dead, what can they do but die?! Even an Entity cannot change that!" RUMBLE! His words were released with regality and majesty as the crowned head of the deadly draconic-serpent rose up arrogantly, its body that was hundreds of meters large actually looking down at the powerful Entity that was proficient in a Dao! Domineering! Shocking! Noah could say such arrogant words and act so tough...because he knew he still had [Plot Armor] active for another 57 minutes... Even a terrifying Entity that he knew he could not defeat, as long as he had [Plot Armor] active...he did not fear them! Chapter 709 - Merely an Entity! In life, many beings have many different ways where they carry themselves. Some are servile and some are overbearing, with many more staying in between these extremes as they simply pass through life. Some may confidently raise their heads to the skies while strutting about while others hunch over and keep their heads very close to the earth! Those who can confidently raise their heads and those who can be overbearing- a lot of the time there is something within their psyche that grants them such a disposition. Something that is there to back up their confidence in the face of anything. Some had wealth or high societal position to back them up, others simply cultivated a strong belief in themselves as they raised their heads high through pure hard work. When it came to the being holding the Trait of Protagonist though...his assurance to act high and mighty in the face of a powerful Entity was his fear of Death being removed! Backed up by [Plot Armor], Noah in the form of the Void Serpent glanced at the Entity with his serpentine head held high. The Void Serpent towered over 700 meters with all the buffs, its red eyes glancing towards the Entity who towered over 20 meters. This Entity had a humanoid shape with a face similar to that of human females...yet at the same time, it seemed different! The face seemed like a mixture of human and devilish features as at this moment, it was filled with wrath at having its authority violated, and violated by someone at a much lower status than her! "I have traversed the Dark Universe more than many can even dream of, seen things that you cannot even imagine. I have fought Entities proficient in terrifying Daos and come out alive, conquered multiple Galaxies and destroyed even more with ease! Yet today, a creature at the Lower Tier of the GALAXY Realm dares to be wild under my gaze?! You dare to kill when I say you cannot?!" RUMBLE! Each of her words were filled with wrath as the oppressive aura she released rose higher and higher, the space around her trembling as the unique essence of the Dao swirled around her. One must recall that this was an Entity! A title that was given to a being that the prerequisite alone was for them to be in the Peak Tier of the GALAXY Realm. The power of this being...was immense! Yet Noah glanced towards her with even more calmness and arrogance as the rising pressure she released seemed to not make him falter a single bit. "I dared! Will you continue talking and spreading out that vile aura, or will you act?!" SNAP! His words made all hell break loose as a grey-green light covered the Entity and caused her to instantly disappear, her titanic body reappearing right above the head of the Void Serpent as she pushed out her palm. Only a palm, but it was filled with a terrifying power that would wipe away a Middle Tier GALAXY expert and heavily injured normal Peak Tier ones! Her eyes shone with innumerable lights as her gaze became cold, this palm of her seemingly eclipsing everything as it expanded to be even larger than the enormous head of the Void Serpent. It was releasing a devouring power that sucked away all the nearby Vitality, even space itself as it began to turn grey and lose l.u.s.ter. "Perish." Cold! Powerful! BOOM! The strike fully shattered and devoured the surrounding space as a void was created, the body of the Void Serpent shooting out like a cannon ball as it was pushed back for tens of thousands of miles, eventually coming in contact with a planet as... His body actually pierced through the planet and caused it to implode a second later! WAA! Noah only came to a stop after another few thousand miles as he came to a halt, breathing hard as he checked his body thoroughly to find...no injuries whatsoever. "Haha!" Raucous laughter erupted in the starry space as the Entity reappeared above the Void Serpent once more, her eyes glowing with a cold light as she shockingly observed the creature laughing wildly...to not have been injured even a little! "That was all? Merely an Entity! Now move, I have work to do." The body of the Void Serpent turned into a streak of light as its aura spread out and looked for more Fiends in the near cl.u.s.ter of stars. He actually ignored the Entity who could not injure him as he went to collect more loot. The Entity herself hid the shocked look within her eyes as she appeared in the path of the Void Serpent once more, her palm shooting out as it carried with it fearsome essence of the Dao of Vitality! BOOM! Yet another strike from a powerful Entity, throwing Noah back for another thousands of miles before he came to a stop. All he felt when the strikes his him were a sense of pressure that pushed him away, but no pain or injuries whatsoever! He shook his head towards the Fiend as he teleported away. "Just stay here and relax for a bit, I¡¯ll be done and take my leave after I achieve my goal!" He teleported away as he appeared in another quadrant of the Burning Domains, in the domain where the Elder Fiend taken down by the Aurora Galaxy Dragon used to oversee. He left behind a stupefied Entity that was looking at her palm and sensing the Dao to make sure that she wasn¡¯t seeing things, her face turning ugly as her body disappeared to chase the nearest enemy aura once more! In a few seconds, the Entity appeared in front of a flaming golden chicken- the fearsome Three-Legged Fate Crow who was going from star to star burning everything down to cinders. BOOM! A palm struck out against this unsuspecting chicken as she was thrown back for thousands of miles, but the same thing repeated itself as the chicken only looked towards the Entity with an annoyed expression after coming to a stop. That¡¯s right! Annoyed! The Entity saw this expression as she couldn¡¯t hide the stupor on her face anymore, the golden beak of the crow raising up as its voice was heard in passing while its body teleported away. "Little Entity, don¡¯t bother us! We¡¯ll be gone in a bit!" The aura of the chicken reappeared in another corner of the Burning Domains Galaxy as its Siege continued, the Entity sensing this with shock and bubbling fury as she went towards the other 2 attackers! Chapter 710 - An Entity chases to no avail, Noah Farms! This powerful Entity had many questions as she moved, the words on arrogant golden chicken ringing out in her mind as her fury only grew! ¡¯Little Entity...Little Entity...Little...¡¯ RUMBLE! Wrath of unbridled proportion erupted out at this moment! In a few seconds, the powerful Entity reappeared in another Domain of the Burning Domains Galaxy as this time, she faced a Kingly Bear that was swiping its powerful paws left and right, each time a Fiend falling from it. This time, the Entity was careful as she called out, her words changing the very surroundings themselves. "One With the Dao! [Vitality Reversal]!" RUMBLE! At this moment, it seemed like all the surrounding space and stars lost color, everything gradually turning grey and lifeless as they were all taken towards a singular being. Even the remaining Fiends that the Calamity Bear had not taken care of became lifeless husks as in the surrounding thousands of miles, it became a lifeless world! Everything in the surroundings became lifeless...except the Entity that had cast the terrifying skill, and the regal Calamity Bear that actually gazed towards this Entity with disdain. His snout twitched to the side as the paws of the Calamity Bear shimmered, its voice ringing out before spatial essence covered it. "So damn annoying!" These were the only words left behind as the Entity looked on in a wrathful stupor as the Calamity Bear disappeared as well. ¡¯This...¡¯ Numerous thoughts crossed the Entity¡¯s mind as she tried to make sense of the situation in front of her. ¡¯I cannot sense anything that would make such a thing possible! A Grand Dao? A protective Dao Weapon?!¡¯ Many thoughts crossed the terrifying mind of the Fiend as nothing made sense, she could not figure out how this being was escaping any and all damage she dealt- even when she utilized the very essence of her Dao to deal horrendous attacks that would shatter a Middle Tier Galaxy expert in a few moves. Yet no answer came as the Entity could only continue to chase the attackers besieging the Burning Domains Galaxy to no avail! She threw out an attack that drained the essence of an entire star the moment she neared another one of the attackers, and it was the Variant Oculothorax this time around. The planet that the Oculothorax was rampaging around in was drained entirely with everything on it as one could shockingly see chunks of it turning to earthen dust, yet the Oculothorax wasn¡¯t harmed one bit by the attack as the huge eye stared at the Entity. A light of curiosity twinkled as before teleporting away, the eye was buffed by Intents as the ability of Sin of Envy was also utilized, [Eye of Doom] being cast a second later as a shocking ray of light erupted out and struck the body of the Entity! OOOM! The light encompassed her as she harrumphed, the light of Dao shimmering off of her as the skill that killed a Low Tier GALAXY expert did absolutely nothing against this being. Noah affirmed his thoughts that he could not defeat this creature no matter what he did at this moment, teleporting the body of the Oculothorax away as he continued his Siege to collect more loot. He couldn¡¯t take care of the most powerful being in this Galaxy, but his goal of obtaining a large number of cores from Nebula, Black Hole, and Quasar rank experts was proceeding smoothly! None of the Fiends at the Realm of QUASAR could stand against him, and he had already taken down two at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm as the three remaining Elder Fiends were among his targets before his [Invulnerability] effect was taken away. So while being chased around by a furious Entity that could do nothing to him, he continued to amass more and more loot that would for sure bump him to the QUASAR Realm while keeping his Grand Completion, and it still remained to be seen whether it would be enough to rise to GALAXY! When he was running rampant throughout the Domains, his Three-Legged Fate Crow appeared near the green Planetary Body of water that all the Elder Fiends were guarding, glancing over its description with shining eyes. [Vital Life Water] :: A treasured vital water that was drenched in the Dao of Vitality. To those delving into it or drinking it- Enhances Realm Progression by 200%. The Vitality Essence will gradually fade away after 1 year. Yet another treasure lied in front of him as he waved his hands and used an enormous amount of mana to place all of it in his [Expansive Space]. He also made it his goal to steal the rest of the Vital Life Water that was in the other Domains- the thing that caused the battle driven Fiends to elevate themselves and create many experts over the last hundreds of years! "Wretched creature!" BOOM! The Entity appeared before him again as she continued to released attacks without giving up, with his reaction being to ignore her as he knew he couldn¡¯t defeat her at this moment, only collecting information on all the skills and abilities she used while trying to observe the powerful Dao she wielded. Like this, minutes passed in the Burning Domains Galaxy! There was a powerful Entity still recovering from injuries chasing away four attackers, while each of them continued to release terrible skills that reaped the lives of Fiends over and over again. The loot piled up in Noah¡¯s Expansive Space as he enjoyed the perks of [Plot Armor], moving freely in the Burning Domains Galaxy while not worrying about the powerful Entity attacking him! It was only after half an hour of him scouring the multiple Domains that the Entity came to stop, her gaze being extremely cold and filled with immense wrath as she only watched the four Animus Summons continue their rampage. Even an Entity who had comprehended a powerful Dao had to come to stop! In front of [Plot Armor] that granted the carrier of the Protagonist Trait [Invulnerability], what could an enemy do but despair?! Chapter 711 - Bearing a Heavy Toll! Throughout life, one can sometimes hear about treasures piling up as high as a mountain, or learn about treasure troves that would even make the greediest Dragons be filled with jealousy. Yet all the treasure troves one could imagine...could not even enter Noah¡¯s sight at this moment as he stared at the resplendent Cores and Skill Books that he had collected as Loot from the Fiends! The shimmering cores were piled up together as they formed an enormous mountain, and this was especially so for the GALAXY Rank Cores that were much different than any other past cores. These cores were as large as his own head as they shimmered with a mystical light, each of them showing a multitude of stellar Stars rotating within the core as it seemed Noah was holding on to a small Galaxy within his hands! Ah! Can one even imagine this? Close your eyes as you try and picture the image of your palm outstretched, and on top of your palm there lies a large circular crystal that contains within it a small galaxy... It was truly a majestic sight to behold as Noah could not wait to see just what these GALAXY-ranked cores could elevate him to! Other treasures that he chose to take for himself from this Galaxy was the Vital Life Water present in each Domain, taking this treasure created by an Entity proficient in the Dao of Vitality for himself as he planned to personally use it as well as hand it to his people. Both he and them needed many resources to elevate their realms higher, and this was especially so for him who wanted to keep his Realm at Grand Completion continuing forward! After obtaining a Manifested Black Hole Realm, if he wanted to stay on this ancient path he had to make sure that he reached Grand Completion in all his future Realms, which meant absorbing as much essence from Cores or treasures until his very Origin could no longer take it. After that, he could breakthrough as through his Realm, he would obtain battle power that was multiple times greater than the same beings on his Realm. Of course when it came to him, he already had horrific Traits and abilities that made him unrivaled in the same stage as many others! This could already be seen from how at the Realm of Black Hole, he was already capable of taking down Low Tier GALAXY Realm experts! Of course it was only because of his Summons, but at this moment he considered his pets a part of his strength- they were one and the same. They raged through the Burning Domains Galaxy as numerous planets were destroyed and multiple Realms ruined, Noah continuing to move forward with his goals even though he was very well aware of his actions! In his mind, he was erasing the problem of Fiends that had waged war first against multiple other Galaxies. When they invaded other Galaxies and carried out these attacks, they didn¡¯t feel any remorse for the lives they took or what damage they dealt. So in his perspective, he was simply taking care of an enemy force! All was fair when one was at war! But he also understood that from the minds of the Fiends, they experienced an unknown Invader coming to their Galaxy as he laid waste to their powerful combatants and destroyed multiple places that many of them called home. It was extremely hard to look at these events without a strong mind, especially when you were the one carrying them out! So every time that Noah moved and reaped the lives of more Fiends, his heart only became calmer and calmer as he forged his will and made became even firmer in the belief of his goals. As long as there were enemies, they had to be taken care of! Sooner or later, it would be either the Fiends and this Entity as the victor as the Nexus Galaxy and many others were laid to waste, or it would be the Fiends experiencing great loss like they did today. His mindset was such at this moment! Who was to say whether it was correct? How far would the line be blurred from what he did and what his enemies did? By the end of it all, it purely came down to survival! It was kill or be killed, and there were Predators and Prey. And Noah...never wanted to be a scared little prey ever again. RUMBLE! With a steeled heart, his one hour of [Plot Armor] was used as efficiently as possible as multiple Domains of the Burning Domain Galaxy were besieged, many Fiends falling as he collected a multitude of loot. After he used the strength of the merged Animus Summons and killed his 3rd Low Tier GALAXY Fiend, the Entity moved with a cold face as she collected the remaining 2 Elder Fiends that were trembling with anger and shame! They actually had to be protected by their Master from an enemy they could not counter, an enemy that had such shocking defenses that nothing went through him. He wasn¡¯t able to get his hands on the other 2 Elder Fiends as they were kept by the side of the Entity thereafter, casting him to search across the Galaxy and finish off any remaining QUASAR ranked experts and below. It was truly a heavy day as he faced the experts of an entire Galaxy! His subordinates in the Novus Galaxy would have never believed he was doing something like this, and even the powerful beings in the Nexus Galaxy had no idea that the powerful force of Fiends they knew to be great in number was actually taken care of alone by the new Imperial Ruler they knew as Alexander. The only threat that would remain at this moment was always the biggest one...and that was the terrifying Entity that traversed in the Dao of Vitality! As Noah finished the most powerful experts of the Burning Domains Galaxy and saw less than 15 minutes remaining in his stage of [Invulnerability], he was content with the abundant amount of loot as he looked towards the position where the wrathful Entity that could do nothing to him had remained. This Entity stayed at this location while protecting the last two Elder Fiends, her heart continuing to breed immense hate towards the unknown creatures that even she could not take care of. The eyes of Noah¡¯s Summons all now looked towards this Entity as before his [Plot Armor] ended, he actually wanted to check out the power of this Entity some more as he prepared for the future! Chapter 712 - ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||! In the Burning Domains Galaxy, much of the Central areas of the Domains lay in ruin as in a particular Domain, the wrathful Entity stood in front of two trembling Elder Fiends who had their bodies trembling from shame and anger! They had their auras spread out across the many thousands of miles as they could only helplessly watch while 4 creatures ravaged their homes. They could only watch ad these creatures were extremely powerful, and even their Master could not put a scratch on them. After a while, they sensed all of the creatures come to a stop as spatial fluctuations occurred in the same region they were in. Soon after, the images of a kingly Calamity Bear, an arrogant future Golden Crow, a saintly Variant Oculothorax, and an ancient Void Serpent all appeared in front of their eyes calmly! "..." The eyes of the Entity were filled with extreme coldness as her voice rang out while looking at the mystery she could not solve. "Are you done?" The words felt cold and sharp, being words of someone thinking of many ways to cruelly kill the creatures in many sorts of ways the moment she got the chance! Noah listened to these words as the voice of the Void Serpent resounded out. "Not quite yet!" RUMBLE Even though he could not defeat this being, it did not prevent him from testing out more of its abilities with the remaining time he had! Aside from the skills of his summons, he wanted to try a particular skill that was the combination of techniques from the Law of Life and the Law of Death. The Law of Life had Ashes to Ashes, and it mentioned a counterpart ability lied in the Law of Death termed Dust to Dust, and they came together to bring about a terrific skill! It was a first for Noah to observe as well, something that was different compared to the many other skills he had. ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| :: Somewhat different from Unique or Absolute Skills, this is a unique type of skill that grows with the Realm of the user, and was birthed from the combination of the two Ultimate Laws of Life and Death. Depending on the user, this ability could cause mountains to tremble or it could be utilized to lay waste to stars and Galaxies. The ability utilizes the essence of both Life and Death to release an area of attack that can either cause the age regression or progression of that entire area. Those capable of casting it long enough can regress the ages of the area and everything within it, or progress everything as they experience the vicissitudes of life and death. Those that cannot defend against it will only have one result- ashes to ashes, dust to dust! At the current Realm of the User, an area the size of a normal star can be affected. Once one reaches a high enough Realm, even entire Galaxies can be affected. It was an ability with a lengthy explanation, but one that heavily interested him nonetheless! When it came to its high mana requirements of casting it and keeping it active, he did not have to worry at all as the Void Serpent raised its head towards the Entity and two Elder Fiends before he called out the words that were drenched with an aura of ancientness. ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||. "..." RUUUUMBLE! The starry space trembled and splintered as the words were called, the area where the Entity floated with two Elder Fiends changing colors to gain a grey hue that contained an unknown aura of death...and also life! Yet everything with the space seemed to be getting older and older, starting with the horrified Elder Fiends that felt their very bodies and souls aging as their Origins calculated the age of their demise getting nearer and nearer. "Master!" The Low Tier GALAXY Realm Elder Fiends called out fearfully as their bodies aged rapidly, seemingly thinking they would turn to ash in a matter of minutes if nothing was done! Thi single skill was actually capable of affecting those at the GALAXY Realm who had no laws or Dao to defend themselves! The only being in the space to still remain with a calm expression was the Entity, her body covered by the unique essence of the Dao of Vitality as in the next second, this essence also leaped out to cover the aging bodies of the Elder Fiends as well. The gaze of the Entity was sharp as she seems to have figured out something, nodding towards Noah nonchalantly as if the space around them did not continue to rapidly deteriorate! "Possessing a treasure that allows you to ignore the attacks of even someone like me, but possessing Offensive Power no stronger than a being at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. Even the treasure you have most likely protects you for a set time, otherwise nothing in this Universe would make sense anymore." Her voice was calm but chilling, the essence of the Dao she released only becoming stronger as it exploded out to cover the area where the effects of ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| were covering! One must recall that this skill that Noah just cast was capable of aging even the Low Tier GALAXY Realm experts... RUMBLE! Yet...the aura of deterioration that this horrendous skill released was wiped away with the essence of the Dao of Vitality as the Entity continued. "Merely a skill using Ultimate Laws, not enough to reach the Dao! You best hope your protection treasure does not run out while you¡¯re still here, otherwise..." The Entity waved her hands as an appalling gravitational lock erupted out for over a hundred thousand miles, covering all of Noah¡¯s four merged forms as she continued "You best pray that I do not meet you again, or next time...you will not be able to escape my grasp!" Noah heard these wrathful words as his eyes shone expectantly, affirming the strength of this fearsome being that held the title of an Entity as he nodded. He had accomplished much here today, and did not need to stay any longer and accidentally bring himself harm if anything happened! He wanted to leave this Galaxy with a few minutes remaining, just in case his aura or teleportation route could be tracked or anything mysterious like that. He cast a teleportation skill while the words of the Entity rang out in his mind. The figures of the Calamity Bear, Three-Legged Fate Crow, and the Variant Oculothorax disappeared with the light of teleportation. Even under the locked space that the Entity had laid down, he could still teleport out with ease through the use of the Absolute Skill- <>! Only the Void Serpent remained as it raised its crowned head high while its eyes glanced down at the Entity. The eyes dripped with confidence as the light of teleportation covered the merged Summon, the voice of Noah mixed with the ancient demeanor of the future Jormungandr ringing out. "Even if there is a next time, you will not be able to stop me. I will come and go as I please!" Words of extreme arrogance that slapped the authoritative face of the Entity rang out, and Noah grew even more calmer as he saw the increasingly wrathful face, leaving a few more words before he disappeared to utterly piss off this being. "Just pray that I don¡¯t grow to your level before I meet you again, otherwise an Entity like you will end up just like the Fiends- as dead as you could be!" SHAAA! With that, he disappeared from the Burning Domains Galaxy as he laid waste to much of its experts, leaving behind a wrathful Entity who still could not explain the mysteries of what happened! Chapter 713 - The Overseer- As Ridiculous As Always In the chaotic void between the Nexus Galaxy and the Stellar Sky Galaxy that Noah had seen when he and the party of Imperial Princess traveled back and forth, the enormous body of the Void Serpent appeared! It shimmered with a powerful aura as it appeared alone in this space, observing the changes around it to see whether the powerful Entity was capable of using some mystical methods to track him down. The other 3 Animus Summons had also teleported to random locations in the Chaotic Void, spending the last few minutes in their Invulnerable state to make sure they weren¡¯t followed! He even waved his hands as he released the Planetary Body of the Vital Life Water in the chaotic void, wanting to test if the Entity could somehow track this treasure that she used her Dao of Vitality to bring to life. After the minutes went down and nothing occurred, he once more checked with his skills in the Law of Fate as he saw no trouble would come to him, and then each of the Summons performed teleportation again as they all had a singular location as the goal- the Novus Galaxy. He appeared with his summons in the Central area of his Infinite Realm, the continent that used to be the largest one when it was still the Spiritual World in the past! RUMBLE The shocking aura of four Animus Summons with shocking power appeared in what could be considered the capital of the Infinite Realm, the location that many beings knew to be the home of the Overseer. Noah came back to his home Galaxy to celebrate the successful completion of an extremely fruitful siege mission, the treasures he obtained being something that was worthy of celebrating! ---[POV Change] Hello. It¡¯s your favorite Shadow Guard once more, Night. Let me tell you, I was having what could be considered a normal day in this mystical Infinite Realm, but my heart nearly leaped out of my chest just now! The cause was of course, as always, the Esteemed Overseer. What we call the Infinite Continent, the area at the direct center of the Infinite Realm that has continued to expand as more worlds are constantly fused into it- this area was where the Esteemed Overseer had built enormous buildings of beautiful aesthetics that he found from many worlds. Buildings as tall as the huge trees one could find in the Celestial Realm rose to the skies, some looking medieval and majestic while others looked like they came from a technological empire! But they made for a beautiful Citadel at the center of this Infinite Continent as the largest structure that lied at the very center was an exquisite fortress where the Esteemed Overseer would reside. This was the place where you could find the shocking personages like my Queen, Adelaide, or the domineering Barbatos and the much too forward Vampyre Queen- Elena. It was THE place where the delegations of all fused worlds came to pay respect as most of the powerful personage in our Realm could be found in this fortress or around it. Very few of them ever got to meet the Esteemed Overseer themselves, with most of them being seen by the Guide, Queen Adelaide, or the Protector, Steel Mikhail. But today, above this regal and mystical fortress at the very center of the Citadel of the Infinite Continent...four shocking auras that caused the very skies themselves to tremble appeared! This was the reason for my heart nearly leaping out of my chest, as the power the for auras released was greater than anything we had come across before. I nearly peed myself at the presence of these beings, but gradually calmed down as I saw their bodies reducing in size, losing their golden shimmering crowns, Scythes, and layers of resplendent armor as the proper images of a Crow, Bear, Serpent, and a floating Eye Ball appeared! My worries only reduced after a light shone and I observed the forms of the Esteemed Overseer appearing next to these four majestic animals while stroking them, a boisterous laugh that shook the skies themselves coming out from him. "Haha!" He was laughing as jovial as one could, glancing at his fortress below him as he waved his hands on the large courtyard and...did something that would be inscribed deep in my mind for years to come. With a wave of his hand, large amounts of crystalline shimmering Cores flooded into the courtyard as they soon began creating a mountain, this shocking action and the auras of the four creatures already being picked up by all the powerful personages in this Citadel as they all came out with agape expressions to watch this spectacle. They came to watch as the Esteemed Overseer waved his hands, and a mountain of valuable treasures appeared as Cores of all levels nearly eclipsed the large Fortress! What was more shocking was the power these cores released, where through the use of the intuitive System we gained by joining the Esteemed Overseer- we could see the identity of these Cores that made us all the more shaken. This was because among the mountain of treasures Cores, we could make out hundreds of thousands of Cores at the Star Forging Realm, tens of thousands of cores at the Nebula Rank, and thousands of Cores at the Black Hole Rank! Thousands! This number made my legs give out as I fell down in a stupor, as they truly represented a shocking truth. You must know, the strongest experts we had currently were the Ladies of the Esteemed Overseer that had just broken into the Nebula Rank, where the first appearing Black Hole expert was actually the Ill.u.s.trious Emperor Penguin- as he liked to be called! Yet at this moment...the esteemed overseer had thrown down a mountain of treasures where cores at the Black Hole Realm that signified thousands of Black Hole experts were overflowing, not to mention our eyes picking up on the even more luminous cores that actually read [QUASAR Rank Core]. "..." Speechless was all we could be as I saw Queen Adelaide appear in the skies and smile sweetly towards the Esteemed Overseer, the mountain of treasured cores below her seemingly not even entering her eyes as they seemed to be looking at the man in the skies like he was the most treasured thing alive. The Ill.u.s.trious Emperor Penguin and others appearing in the skies were among the only ones that shared my unbounded shock as we realized what the jubilant laughter of the Esteemed Overseer meant as he continued to release treasures in the skies, his hands moving again as thousands of skill books descended down and nearly overshadowed the fortress! As if to say he wasn¡¯t done, his gaze also went to the skies as his hand commanded, and we observed as a blue moon ridiculously appeared far in the skies. It seemed like a blue moon, but it was actually an enormous body of water that was the size of a small planet, seeming like a moon as it hanged above the skies of the Infinite Realm. One must remember that the Infinite Realm was currently approaching over 500,000 miles in size after many worlds continued to be fused into it, the moon appearing in the skies that seemed like a small star being only a few thousand miles in size and fitting snuggly! But his hands continued waving as another four of these same Planetary Bodies appeared, and we would only later come to find out they were called [Vital Life Water], a grand treasure that would cause us to break through ranks even faster. As we looked at all of these things...we could only begin to imagine what grand battles the Overseer had gone through to bring such treasures to light. But the more important question was- could the Esteemed Overseer please try not to shock us too much?! My legs can¡¯t handle such surprises so frequently you know! Chapter 714 - Others Take Years, I Take Days! In the courtyard of the expertly built fortress reminiscent of the architecture in the Nexus Galaxy, Noah stared at the mountain of cores and skill books as the top combatants in his Infinite Realm came close. "Come! Let us partake in loot as I tell you all a story!" His voice was vibrant as he was in good mood, choosing this time to be as good as any to let them know of the forces outside of the Novus Galaxy while his other bodies used their boons to elevate their Realms to even greater levels. Off to the side, the Nebula Rank Kazuhiko could not help but tremble while looking at the four Animus Summons that surrounded Noah¡¯s multiple bodies! "This...what are they?!" His voice was tinged with excitement as he glanced at the terrifying pressure the Animus Pets released, Noah smiling towards him as he replied, "Pets. Similar to Draco, but much more powerful! I¡¯ll tell you guys about them as well." Noah¡¯s main body remained for the job of spreading out the treasures and talking with his people as the Three-Legged Fate Crow and the Void Serpent disappeared with the body of Alexander. This party of Alexander reappeared in a Time Space of the Infinite Realm in an area only privy for him, waving his hands once more as a pile of cores ranging from Black Hole to GALAXY appeared in front of him! There were many things to be done, but raising his strength came first as with the raising of it there came many surprises and a vast increase in his power! This was more clearly displayed when one thought about the fact that he would be able to summon two more Animus Pets when he entered the QUASAR Realm, and another 2 more after he touched the GALAXY Realm. His thoughts moved as from the 6 Planetary Bodies of the Vital Life Water that he stole from the Burning Domains Galaxy, he removed a circular portion with the diameter of 6 meters from the single planetary body he kept to himself to come outside and drench him as he enjoyed the +200% speed in Realm progression that the Fiends had been enjoying for so long! With such a thing, he was confident in breaking through to the next level, even if the GALAXY Realm might remain out of reach after he absorbed even the few cores of the beings at this level. The main body of Alexander had already begun devouring the Black Hole rank cores first as he would move on to QUASAR...consuming them until his body released the signal that he could advance into the next Realm while keeping himself at Grand Completion. Meanwhile, the clone of Alexander was taking the questions of the Animus Summons that were shocked out of their minds! "Are you a chosen Dao Child? Do you have a Dao Treasure? How were we not hurt when facing the attacks of an Entity?" "CAA! CAA! CAA!" The ancient voice of the Void Serpent could finally not help it as it asked, while the future Golden Crow screeched loudly as she remembered her majestic figure taking the hits of Entity and coming out unharmed. Noah smiled as he began discussing with his Pets some truths about himself, trusting these creatures as they were contracted with him and a part of his strength! So a multitude of discussions were taking place with Noah as the central character, his clones and main bodies each doing their own tasks as he considered the most important one to be the task of Alexander consuming cores like pieces of candy. RUMBLE! His black hole continued to expand and actually became ever brighter as it attempted to form a Quasar. The Quasar itself was an extremely luminous supermassive black hole that was surrounded by a powerfully gaseous accretion disk! In trying to understand the term ¡¯accretion¡¯, it is the acc.u.mulation of miniaturized small particles into a massive gravitational mass like a Black Hole, and this acc.u.mulation of particles attracts more matter in the gaseous form as it forms a disk around a Black Hole. Such was an "Accretion Disk", such was the shocking event that was occurring within Noah¡¯s Origin at this moment. It was the stage of Quasar where the active galactic nucleus would be formed, the stage that made one prepare to form their own GALAXY. An hour passed as he had swallowed all of the Black Hole and QUASAR Rank Cores, his body feeling vibrant and nearly full as he downed the cores of hundreds of Fiends at the same rank as him or greater. But he still did not have that final piece of the puzzle that gave him the signal of reaching Grand Acc.u.mulation of this Realm before he broke through into QUASAR! This made his eyes turn towards the shimmering GALAXY Cores that were the size of his head, each of them shining with a miniature Galaxy as they seemed extremely enticing to him, his very Origin calling out to them. He was at the Realm of Black Hole, but he would be consuming a core of a being 2 Realms above him in order to break through! Such was the difficulty of achieving Grand Completion in one¡¯s Realm... His hands grasped onto the GALAXY Core without any more wait as a brilliant light shined out, his body sucking in the essence of a ridiculously powerful core for his level as the gaseous mixture forming into a disk around his Black Hole became ever so denser, a blinding aurora of a gorgeous red, orange, and purple light beginning to emanate out as the process of forming a QUASAR fully went underway! THRUUM His body felt extremely full as he let out a wild cry, keeping his Realm at Grand Completion as he now advanced into the next Realm. The accretion disk expanded and spun crazily as it drew in the atmospheric essence and the essence of the GALAXY core, the potent energies causing its formation to be extremely rapid as in a matter of seconds, Noah¡¯s body unconsciously and grandly began to float in the glimmering skies of the Infinite Realm. On his body, one would distinctly be able to notice an astronomical body of extremely high luminosity, an astral body that would normally be found at the centers of Galaxies! Being powered by gaseous matter spiraling at appallingly high velocities as they surrounded a Black Hole, this was a Quasar! QUASAR! A vibrant and thrumming QUASAR was manifested on his body in a stellar fashion as the gravitational forces around him went into a tumultuous fervor. His aura was that of someone in the Quasar Rank, but its oppressive force was more than 10 times what others in the same Realm would release. And this was before he even employed his strength. As he sensed the profound strength within him as well as the majestic Quasar manifested throughout his body, the body of Alexander looked like an ancient treasure that even Ancient Powers would protect as a grand smile could be seen on his face! Others took years to advance through these Realms, while he merely took days! Just days! His bubbling excitement only increased as while sensing this power, he felt a shackle being lifted as it told him he could utilize <> once more to bring about another Pet... Chapter 715 - A Coming Catastrophe! In the Burning Domains Galaxy that Noah left in ruin, the Entity was floating amongst the starry stars as many thoughts crossed her mind. The 2 Elder Fiends she protected were weaving through the Galaxy as they ascertained the damage, but she knew the force of Fiends she raised for the past hundreds of years was all destroyed in a single day! Her wrath was just as great as ever, but she contained it as she waved her hand and released an ancient page- a Page from the Book of Ruination! She used a unique method as she poured essence into the page, closing her eyes as she wanted to sense something- only for her face to become even darker as the rage grew to greater levels. What she had sensed with her unique method was the fact that...the Page that should have been present in the Stellar Sky Galaxy was actually gone! She could no longer sense that signal even though the two Galaxies weren¡¯t too many light-years away, which let her know that within this period of time- someone had taken it away. Her bubbling rage gave way to her thousands of years of experience as she thought of multiple possibilities, with the greatest one coming out to be the next strongest power that had just gone into the Galaxy to save them from the siege of Fiends, as well as the power that was taking over the Stellar Sky Galaxy at this time! "Puny Adjudicator!" Yes! She began with the nearest possible force that might have taken something hers, and it was the Nexus Galaxy that had just provided support in the Galaxy that the Page of Ruination used to be in. "First an unexplainable assailant, and now mere Galaxy thinking they can stand in my way! I have healed enough to be able to withstand another Entity if I face one...this time I shall act myself!" RUMBLE! The horrendously powerful Entity that even Noah could not stand at the moment had taken enough time to heal, and her healing was always in terms of carefulness and safety. She would not step out of the Burning Domains Galaxy if she wasn¡¯t confident in being able to withstand another Entity, and it was this type of paranoia and carefulness that had caused her to keep her life for so many years. This time, she would be moving herself as she went towards the Nexus Galaxy, wiping out the pesky beings that dared to withstand her might and deny the wishes of an Entity for so long! She had destroyed multiple Galaxies before, this one would simply be among them soon enough. As she looked around the Domains of the Galaxy she had occupied for the last hundreds of years, she shook her head in disappointment. "What a waste of time, no decent force even came out of it!" Her aged gaze was filled with disappointment as the light of teleportation filled her body, disappearing from the Burning Domains Galaxy as she made her way towards a single place, with her goal being to wipe out a Galaxy! --- Galaxies were unique things in the vast universe as they birthed within them multitudes of life, and they were granted senses unique to them as well by the Universe. One of such privileges was a sense of danger for the Galaxies and all the beings it contained, this sense allowing for a Galaxy to try and mobilize its forces before this danger came and wiped everything away. Many destroyed Galaxies felt this sense before they were destroyed, where even when they mobilized all their forces- they were never enough for an unavoidable danger coming towards them! Thus they would be destroyed as they experienced rebirth who knew how many years later, birthing within them a whole new generation of creatures as cycles passed over the eons of time. On this particular day, the powerful Nexus Galaxy that had its reach across multiple surrounding Galaxies and even enjoyed the uses of a unique Universal Rift...such a Galaxy felt an astounding impending sense of danger that told it...death was on its for it and all the inhabitants within it! All the formed worlds, Realms, beings, cultures, and structures of power that they had worked on for hundreds of thousands of years...they were all about to be torn apart from this coming danger. THRUUMM! On this day, the powerful inhabitants of the Nexus Galaxy felt a strong calling as their faces turned ashen, where they heard no words from their Galaxy- but they were given the understanding that they had to prepare, or they would all perish! This sense traveled to even Noah who had the body of Alexander in the Nexus Galaxy, raising his face up with a dark face as he was about to summon his 5th Animus Pet. In the Nexus Galaxy, The Imperial Princess that had been glued to the Dao Crystal for the past few days finally lifted up her face, her body beginning to glow with the glimmer of the Dao as shockingly- she had been able to glimpse it and gain initial understanding in a few days! Her drop-dead gorgeous demeanor wasn¡¯t happy though, and one could see a hint of sadness on her face as it would make any man run towards her while whispering sweet words of how they could help so that such an expression could never appear on someone like her. She had this saddened expression because even after stepping her foot in a Lesser Dao, her home was facing a threat that could destroy everything soon after! She sighed as she rose, her actions taking her Mom, Anastasia, out of her stupor as she turned towards her daughter with shining eyes. "Just like your mother...you hold some talent." She went towards her as she rubbed the glimmering crimson hair that could be seen on the both of them lovingly, Anna nodding shyly as she looked around her and remembered someone else. "Where are Dad and Alexander? Did they manage to step on the Dao as well?" "Well..." A wry expression appeared on Anastasia as she told of the past events, a cute O forming on the face of Anna as in a few minutes, the Imperial Adjudicator appeared in the Blue Plains Realm they were in with a heavy face. "Something is coming. A danger that poses a Calamity to destroy everything we have built, and I am not sure where it is from..." His gaze was that of a frustrated Ruler and a pained Father, his mind feeling a sense of weakness that wanted to make him bellow out his grievances! Anastasia nodded at this as she still held her daughter lovingly. "It¡¯s alright. We shall go through it together. Call the genius Alexander and assemble all of the powerful forces to gather outside the boundary of the Galaxy. We shall see exactly who wishes it harm." RUMBLE! A coming threat! A movement of forces! A start of something that would lead to shocking results... Chapter 716 - As Trouble Looms, I Shall Summon Pets! Noah thought hard about the looming threat making its way towards the Nexus Galaxy, the sudden feeling of danger making it very clear to him that if nothing was done, destruction was coming for the Galaxy! Such an event was not something he wanted to happen, and there was still the matter of his Trait that was not fully completed. Many thoughts passed across his mind as he thought of countless possibilities, his eyes landing on the [Plot Armor] skill that had 29 days left on the cool down timer, and then staring at the [Deus Ex Machina] skill that he saved for emergencies! If worst came to be...he still had the choice of evading the coming doom of the Nexus Galaxy with such a skill, and he would see what possibilities would come out of it. But first, he would continue elevating his strength as he breathed out, getting ready to summon his fifth Animus Pet. After breaking through to QUASAR, he enjoyed the feeling of the [Vital Life Water] as he brought more of it out while consuming another GALAXY Rank Core, feeling the abundant essence of this stellar core rushing towards his QUASAR as it disappeared into it like a drop of water! That¡¯s right, a mere drop of water, and it felt like he had an entire small pond to fill up before he could be considered to have achieved Grand Completion and broken through into the GALAXY Realm without issues. If he kept his Manifested Realm at such a stage, it would mean that he could easily wipe out those in the Low Tier as he would match the experts at the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm. In the case he brought his Animus Pets into the picture...the thought of it alone made his blood boil in excitement. RUMBLE! Since he knew that even if he absorbed the remaining amount of GALAXY Rank Cores they would not help him achieve his breakthrough, he put them aside to absorb later as he went about the business of obtaining his fifth pet. Essence freely overflowed as he pumped mana with wild abandon while activating <>, causing the opening of a Summoning Rift to appear in the skies of the Time Space he was in as it got larger and larger. His excitement was so palpable that if someone was there, they would be able to notice his eyes visibly shooting out golden beams of light as he focused on the widening Summoning Rift, this luminous light only getting brighter and brighter as he noticed the size of this Rift to pass one that would give out an Ultra Rare Pet and actually approach the size of the prized rarity- PRISMATIC! Ah! He nearly cried out in joy as the first PRISMATIC Pet was a Void Serpent with a terrifying bloodline and was a Rank higher than him. As he saw this widening Summoning Rift that seemed to be even larger than the Void Serpent¡¯s who carried the bloodline of Jormungandr, his thoughts wildly moved as he repeated a single sentence! ¡¯Please be in the GALAXY Realm...Please be in the...¡¯ His eyes were filled with expectations as the Summoning Rift got larger and larger, a terrifying pressure beginning to be released from it as the fiery golden feathers of the future Golden Crow had began to tremble, and the gaze of the Void Serpent curled not too far away was filled with an ancient light as it watched on. THRUM! Space seemed to be getting twisted and pulled apart as the figure of the Animus Pet came out of the Rift, the powerful Aura it released attracting the attention of the Harbingers of Sin that were with the body of Noah far away in the Infinite Continent. The thing coming out of the Summoning Rift was truly too attention-grabbing, Noah noticing the oppressive aura of dragons from it as this seemed to only be a portion of this creature, and it was mixed in with even more potent auras that he did not know! The enormous body seemed to be squeezing out of the Rift with difficulty as a bright silver light shone out, the vibrant scales on this creature¡¯s body flashing wildly as its body became slippery and it quickly passed through, its grand figure being visible to Noah¡¯s eyes. "This..." His mouth was agape as he didn¡¯t know how to even describe it! An enormous body that shone with a silver-colored l.u.s.ter, streaks of black and purple running through it in the form of runic tattoos as this creature seemed to hold a draconic head, but held a body that was so large and wide that it was akin to a whale! At the same time, sharp silver wings spanning hundreds of meters outwards shone with a dangerous l.u.s.ter, the eyes of this creature that shimmered with the blue color of the deep blue sea landing on Noah with a sharp light. [Colossal Helios Leviathan]( PRISMATIC) :: An Archaic Animus currently in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. Being a mythical creature that traverses the Helios Sundering Seas of the Animus Universe, its size alone has yet to reach maturity as it holds within it one of the Variant Bloodlines of the Royal Helios Race. Proficient and Assimilated with the Laws of Death, Aether, and Space-Time, this Animus is already searching for clues on the path of the Grand Dao of Macrocosm, and will have initial understanding in such a Dao the moment it reaches the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm and reaches full a.d.u.l.thood. Its abilities include Unremitting Fortress, Realm Depredation... It was...it was something out of pure insanity and fantasy! Seeming more like a fortress than a creature, an Animus that held traits of draconic origins and the body of a deep-sea creature...a shocking Leviathan had entered the stage. "I heard a calling..." CRACK! An ancient voice that caused the surrounding space to shudder and whimper! A shockingly large Animus that seemed to be growing ever larger in the skies as it took the sight of everything in the surroundings! A PRISMATIC Animus Summon at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! Chapter 717 - Called To Serve! The aura of a being at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm was extremely overbearing on many beings in the Infinite Realm, their hearts shuddering in fear as they could see the creature who had the size of a fortress floating far off in the distance. As others were fearful and nearly pissed their pants, Noah¡¯s eyes shone golden beams of light as he released an Archaic Contract to keep this majestic Animus attached to him! A grand light shone out for a few seconds as his enhanced skill that allowed him to form a contract with pets of higher Realm than him went to work, very soon feeling the strong connection with this Archaic Animus as he felt its ridiculous power. "Interesting..." Its deep voice that caused space to shudder was reminiscent of the Void Serpent who had its draconic head raised while calmly staring at the Colossal Helios Leviathan, neither overbearing nor servile as the future J?rmungandr retained its authority! "A holder of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines here with me attached to the same Master in this Universe, and a little chicken that wants to be as bright as the sun...how cute." The archaic voice resounded out in the skies as the starry blue eyes of the Helios Leviathan honed in on Noah. "To be able to make all of this possible...I greet my first Master." RUMBLE! A deep smile entrenched itself on Noah¡¯s face at this sight, obtaining a ridiculously powerful pet as there was much to do! --- In the Nexus Galaxy, the inhabitants felt the unknown sense of threat from their own home as they mobilized, numerous forces placed at the Boundary of the GALAXY ready to move out at any moment! Against a threat that even their Galaxy could feel that it could be the end of, they knew they might be throwing their lives away, but they had to fight for their home. The Imperial Adjudicator moved with haste as he called the forces of the Galaxies under their command to make way to aid them, numerous reinforcements from the Stellar Sky Galaxy and other Galaxies under them already on their way. What was saddening about this whole event was the Nexus Galaxy itself, where Noah didn¡¯t get the chance to fully explore as all we learned was the Brightgold Monarchy Realm and the Imperial Citadel where the central powers of the Galaxy were cl.u.s.tered! There were millions of other Realms and billions of worlds each with their own uniqueness spread throughout this Nexus Galaxy that we never got to explore, and now they were all facing a catastrophe. Noah¡¯s thoughts were many as the clone of Alexander in the Imperial Fortress he was given after he obtained the title of Imperial Ruler- this clone received the message from the Imperial Adjudicator as he was called to serve. With a calm gaze, spatial fluctuations flowed out as the clone was displaced by the real Alexander, the smile on the face of this body still prevalent as the surprise of summoning and training the Colossal Helios Leviathan was simply too much. Against the coming catastrophe which he believed would most likely be the Entity of the Burning Domains Galaxy making a move, he had a few different thoughts on how he could deal with it, but releasing his brand new Low Tier GALAXY Helios Leviathan was not one of them! He had seen the terrifying power of the Entity proficient in the Dao of Vitality, a being at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm with thousands of years under her belt and horrendous ways to kill beings and destroy Galaxies in her mind. The difference between the three Realms of GALAXY were akin to a Realm of their own, where a being in the Low Tier could never match one in the Middle or Peak Tier normally. Until he was fully confident that his Helios Leviathan at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm while boosted by all of his buffs could withstand the force of something like an Entity...he wouldn¡¯t risk it. Even in his heart as he recalled the description of the Entity under the Eyes of Truth, he didn¡¯t think he would be able to match such a creature even if he was at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm unless his comprehension in the Dao of Summoning rose crazily as his pets were boosted to insane degrees. The difference wasn¡¯t just in Rank and laws, but the Dao! Simply because of the Dao the Entity cultivated, he might be able to attack her and deal damage that would be negligible and healed like nothing with her power. Her Dao of Vitality allowed her to create something like the Vital Life Water that enhanced Realm Progression by 200%, and the few skills she released against him showed the versatility of being capable of draining the essence and vitality of entire planets until they turned to ash, or protect beings in the GALAXY Realm against an attack like ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| that directly affected the age progression or regression of things! With all these thoughts, he moved with a heavy heart as he followed the coordinates given to him by the Imperial Adjudicator, teleporting towards the Sanctuary of the Watchers where the Universal Rift of the Nexus Galaxy Existed. As he moved, the fluctuations of power on his body only showed him to be at the Black Hole Realm, even the Manifestation of his Realm outwardly on his body still showing a Black Hole as the [Unique Origin] ability of the Vampyre Progenitor continued its usefulness even at this stage as it masked his true Realm. This location of the Sanctuary of the Watchers wasn¡¯t too far away from the boundary of the Galaxy, and many Imperials and nobles of other Households were stationed here ready to move. Noah¡¯s new authority allowed him to move past the Legions and Battalions of Imperials as he appreciated the shimmering armors and weapons they wielded as they stood within their Vessels. Within the Sanctuary of the Watchers that was surrounded by enormous statues, Noah found the core party of the strength of the Nexus Galaxy as he passed through many Imperials to enter an exalted area where the aura of the Imperial Adjudicator could be felt! Near the Adjudicator, Noah was surprised to see the figures of two veiled women with curvaceous figures- the pair of mother and daughter that could cause the downfall of empires purely with their beauty alone! Even the Esteemed Personage, Anastasia, had left her hidden Blue Plains Realm as the Imperials around them were so respectful towards her it seemed their knees would soon touch the floor in reverence. Noah¡¯s entrance caught the eyes of many as the first being to move was Anna herself, this Imperial Princess coming over to him with hurried steps as her eyes shone beneath her veil while speaking out. "You...you already summoned your Animus Pets? Show me quickly before I try summoning mine!" Even in the midst of a coming catastrophe, the Imperial Princess couldn¡¯t help but allow her fascination with this genius to come out, Noah smiling at this Princess as he nodded towards the Imperial Adjudicator who had a heavy face and the veiled Anastasia. Along with this powerful line up, the Imperial Rulers and Imperial Lords of the Nexus Galaxy were all gathering near the Sanctuary of the Watchers close to the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy, with even more reinforcements on their way as they prepared for an apocalyptic encounter with an unknown enemy! Chapter 718 - An Entity Brings Devastation! For those who haven¡¯t experienced war, it becomes very hard to imagine the experience of those in the midst of war feel. It is even harder to imagine the emotions of those who knew that death could be coming to them, but they stayed behind regardless because the place they wanted to defend was their home. Such emotions were being felt by many beings that considered themselves powerful before, as they came from a force that had multiple Galaxies under it! Yet each of the powerful inhabitants felt the cry of the Nexus Galaxy as it shared with them that it sensed a Galaxy-ending catastrophe heading towards them. At this moment, the leading figure of the Nexus Galaxy, the Imperial Adjudicator, was overseeing the operation of this defense where if the feeling of their Galaxy was true...it was bound to be a very bloody day. In the Sanctuary of the Watchers, Anastasia went towards the body of Alexander as she spoke with shining eyes that were hidden in her veil. "Did you summon your second Animus Pet?" The question got the gaze of Anna to also lock on him as he nodded with a wry smile, prompting Anastasia to shake her head in wonder as she asked once more. "Its rarity?" "...Prismatic!" Noah replied to her question with conviction, numerous hidden thoughts crossing his mind as he felt essence fluctuation from Anastasia the moment he said these words. "..." A deafening silence continued for another few seconds as the shock was simply too much, especially so for Anastasia who had lived for many years in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and knew very well what rarity the majority of summons would have even in the Ancient Power she came from! The number of PRISMATIC Summons...could actually be counted in one¡¯s two hands! Yet this being in front of her claimed to have summoned one right after his first pet that was Ultra Rare. "A genius such as you should not have to perish in such an unknown location. With such talent, it would not be too far of a stretch to say that you can obtain the Title of an Entity in the future!" Anastasia¡¯s words nearly pulled in the discussing Adjudicator and the Imperials around him as they refocused on their tasks, only the mother and daughter surrounding Noah as he received a telepathic message from Anastasia next. "If...you had the choice to be taken away from here and move towards the center of the Dark Universe...would you take it? There are Ancient Powers that could mold your talent into something powerful as soon as they recognize you." ...! The Esteemed Anastasia that came from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter sent these words to Noah after much deliberation and hesitation, where even she did not know how the next events would play out, but she was very aware of her identity! As she came to reinforce the experts of the Nexus Galaxy against whatever enemy was coming, she would have no problem using her status to bargain with this enemy if need be to save the new home she made, even if it meant word of her being here would get out as she would be taken away not too long after. If this came to be, she did not want her daughter and someone like Alexander to perish for no reason in a place like this. Noah¡¯s eyes shone with a hidden light as he was about to reply, when his expression and the expressions of all the beings around the Sanctuary of the Watchers changed rapidly as they sensed a horrifying aura approach from far away! RUMBLE The aura felt extremely oppressive and vile, and yet it contained within it a breath of life that anyone would seek. The being releasing this aura...came in with a grand welcome outside the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy, a lone figure of a humanoid with feminine features appeared, her hand dr.a.p.ed with a pulsating green-grey light that emanated an aura of the Dao of Vitality. This Entity appeared outside the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy as she ignored some of the forces stationed just outside of it and instead threw forward a fist! This fist was dr.a.p.ed with the essence of the Dao thundered towards the Boundary of the Nexus Galaxy as a bellowing cry erupted out! "Puny Adjudicator!" THRUUUM....CRACK! Immense vibrations erupted out as in the next second, a sound akin to glass shattering emanate out as the area where the Entity had punched towards...the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy was wiped away for tens of thousands of miles as an immense gravitational force from the Chaotic Void formed. All the Imperials and beings that were close to that area of the boundary when the Entity appeared...had turned into corpses! "You...!" The body of the Imperial Adjudicator trembled with anger as his half a step into the GALAXY Realm aura flowed out, his body nearly flying out of the Sanctuary of the watchers towards the destroyed boundary as it was the fair hand of Anastasia that stopped him. Anastasia looked up towards the far boundary of the Nexus Galaxy that was shattered into oblivion, the edges of this cracked area trying to heal as a pervasive essence seemed to stop it in its place, the bellow of the Entity ringing out again as she floated inside the galaxy with her arms crossed behind her domineeringly. "Today, I came to destroy a Galaxy!" RUMBLE! "Before I do, I will give the Puny Adjudicator a chance to give the treasure that he took from the Stellar Sky Galaxy, and maybe I will spare some of you death. Or you can remain in hiding, and everything will perish anyway before I get my hands on what I want!" The bellowing words reached out far and wide as the destruction of the boundary of the Galaxy at such a scale shook the minds of many beings, the anger of the Imperial Adjudicator only rising through the roof as he was blamed for something he had no knowledge about. Anastasia kept her hand on the Imperial Adjudicator before he could make any rash moves, this being with a unique identity glancing at the Entity that was screaming bloody murder as a saddened expression appeared behind her veil! With this development, she knew that her time in this new home would be cut short, and she would only have one chance to use her identity to possibly help them get out of it alive. Many thoughts crossed her mind as she prepared to make an irrevocable move that would forever change everything for her. Meanwhile Noah, the true culprit in all of this, looked forward with a difficult expression as he sighed and mentally prepared to move himself. Yet...it was also at this moment that he heard a voice in his mind. It was a type of voice he had heard before numerous times, a mechanical voice that only special entities that he entangled himself with could release. [Bring...clone...Central Realm...] Filled with broken words and seeming somewhat staticky, the voice of the Nexus Galaxy that was facing a catastrophe from an unexpected Entity had finally called out to him! Chapter 719 - You scratChapter my back... As an Entity arrived to lay out destruction upon the Nexus Galaxy, Noah heard a call in his mind as his eyes shone with a powerful light! Seeing the extreme danger the Entity presented, his thoughts were already moving rapidly as a millisecond after he heard the voice, his clone reappeared near the Brightgold Monarchy Realm of the Nexus Galaxy among the starry stars. The eyes of the clone looked around him as he truly did not know where the Central Realm of this GALAXY would lie, but he knew he would be directed by the entity that spoke to him as his eyes honed in on a distinct golden light that flashed in space. He turned into a streak of light as he followed this flashing golden light, moving as fast as he could as the terrifying Entity that had shattered a portion of the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy was on the move! "Next to me, your lives are even more meaningless than the waste you produce, with your Galaxy being even less so in my eyes! I ask again- utter destruction, or will you come forward?!" Her chilling voice reverberated out as the Imperials of the Nexus Galaxy began to move forward with tight expressions and heavy hearts. The Imperial Adjudicator was also about to make a move when Anastasia denied him yet again, this esteemed personage giving a command as she flew forward. "All of you stand down. I will have a dialogue with this Entity, even if it means revealing my identity." THRUMM! The Imperial Adjudicator felt his heart shaking as Anna had a strong expression underneath her veil filled with a murderous aura, her gaze towards the far away Entity fearlessly as her mother began to emanate a powerful aura at the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm! "Hmm?" The Entity instant picked up this aura as her eyes honed in, the image of the veiled Anastasia getting closer to her as she moved from the Sanctuary of the Watchers and went towards the shattered area where a terrifying gravitational force remained. Her veiled figure looked peerless in the starry space as her languid voice could be heard! "Esteemed Madam, I believe there has been a mistake, as we truly do not know what we did to earn your wrath." OOOOM! Compared to the rasping deadly voice of the Entity, Anastasia¡¯s voice was so smooth and powerful that one could be lulled to sleep by it, but this same sound felt like searing heat in the ears of the Entity as her face was filled with even more anger. "And what type of thing are you? With power at the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm, you shouldn¡¯t be someone from this region! Speak!" With a commanding tone, the Entity spoke out as Anastasia nodded, her essence bubbling as she prepared to summon pets that she had not summoned for a long time as she revealed her identity to this Entity. She planned to use her identity as a Dao of Summoning practitioner of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter to negotiate with the Entity, or even threaten her when she revealed her high position in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter if it came to it! But as Anastasia did this...she did not know that not too long ago, this same Entity had met with an Animus Summoner that she knew to be from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, and this being had laid siege to the Galaxy she resided in as the anger she felt could not even be explained. For her to perform her next actions was just...Ah! Yet at this same time, Noah¡¯s flashing figure came to a stop on a cl.u.s.ter of tens of thousands of Asteroids, where he noticed the golden light to be coming from a particularly hidden one as he flashed next to it and spread his aura out, finally locating a miniaturized Realm Gateway that he entered without a second of delay. When he reappeared again, he seemed to be in a grand world as he saw wide expanses of paradisiacal forests filled with abundant essence, his thoughts thinking of how both of the Central Realms of the two Galaxies was in seemed to be areas very in tune with nature. [Hurry...] The voice entered his mind once more as he swept his aura out, going towards where the essence was the thickest as the trees around him became more and more ancient, their leaves shimmering with splendor as in a matter of seconds, he appeared above of verdant green mountain that opened up its jaws the moment he neared, his body entering as it closed behind him with a clang! When he ventured in slightly deeper, he came across a family scene of the shockingly dense condensation of Universal law essence around him, his eyes looking a few meters away as he finally came face to face with an Obsidian Core very much similar to the one he saw in the Novus Galaxy. [Finally, we can communicate with ease.] The voice of the entity that was the Nexus Galaxy rang out with clarity, Noah nodding with a smile as he knew that this Galaxy was very much different compared to his own! The Novus Galaxy was very much different as it violated multiple universal laws and did such things as transfer some of her consciousness to a body like the First Infernal Lord for her to take an even more active role within the Galaxy, and it could communicate with ease unlike the Nexus Galaxy as it continued to use the shocking tool that was the Ruination Core. But the Nexus Galaxy did not have these capabilities as it had to tell the body of Alexander to bring its clone in the Central Realm just for a smooth communication to take place! [I wish to propose an exchange. We are short on time so I will make it quick- I will use all my power to consider the requirements of the Protagonist Trait are completed...in exchange for you successfully using the abilities within it to guarantee my safety from this enemy!] RUMBLE! Essence erupted out in a stellar fashion as a Galaxy proposed an exchange, Noah¡¯s eyes blazing with light as an imperceptible smile appeared on his lips! Chapter 720 - You cannot pay the price! In the Central Realm of the Nexus Galaxy, a conversation was taking place between a clone and the core of the Galaxy itself! [When such a Trait even exceeding the bounds of the highest OMEGA Tier randomly appeared on a being as my essence was forced to initiate it, I set the requirements for the holder to play a central role in this Galaxy in order to bring it to completion. I will consider your successfully saving us now to be a central role and complete this Trait for you after.] Noah¡¯s eyes shone as he heard this, nodding as he proceeded with careful words. "You...can¡¯t just unlock it for me right now? I¡¯m sure the abilities of the last stage will give me even more guarantee of saving all of us." [...It is impossible to unlock it unless the requirement has been met. I would need to bend the universal laws to do that, and nobody can do such a thing.] Noah¡¯s thoughts moved rapidly as he heard these words, nearly shaking his head to tell this being that their words were somewhat wrong, and that there were ways one could bend universal laws! If they had the right treasures that is... "Alright! I¡¯ll give it my best!" He gave his affirmation as his clone looked up from the hidden mountain in the Central Realm that he was in, his eyes piercing far in the distance as the scene changed to the main body of Alexander who was looking at the scintillating Anastasia that was revealing her identity. THRUMM! Essence of gorgeous color erupted out as from three Summoning Rifts, the oppressive pressure of Middle Tier GALAXY rank Animus Pets could be felt! They entered into the world with a grand demeanor the figured of three majestic creatures could be seen. One was a fearsome Icefrost Moon Dragon towering over 100 meters, another was a Mystical Chaos Fox that shone with an enticing l.u.s.ter, and the last one was yet another draconic creature- this one having a more serpentine body as the usual wings of a dragon were missing from it. This last one was a Void Rending Wyrm that held cold eyes towards the Entity in front of them. "I am a member of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter who is currently residing in this Galaxy. I know the beings in here, and I truly believe there must be a misunderstanding. I hope the Esteemed Madam can give us a chance to talk!" While surrounded by three majestic Animus Summons in the same Realm as her, Anastasia spoke with a hint of confidence as she knew that any Entity should be knowledgeable enough of the Ancient Powers of the Dark Universe, and anyone seeing someone like her capable of summoning three powerful Animus in the GALAXY Realm would have an idea that she holds a special identity! Especially because a majority of her summons were Dragons, where most of the Holy Children of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had a line up of pets such as this. She waited for the surprise and dialogue of the Entity when her spread out senses shockingly found a shocking Dao converging around the fist of the Entity, her face seemingly livid after her words as her fist thundered forth with ridiculous power while she bellowed out! "You wretched creatures!" RUMBLE! A fist that devoured the Vitality of the surrounding space itself thundered forth as Anastasia looked up in shock, her pets moving with alarm as resplendent skills shone off of their bodies. They wrecked numerous barriers and shields while utilizing multiple elements, where even Anastasia herself cast a skill after she came out of her stupor! "[Summoner¡¯s Bastion]!" A distinct purple barrier appeared to reinforce all the other defensive skills her pets had cast, a unique energy linking Anastasia to her pets as this purple energy reflected off of their bodies and further strengthened the barrier she erected. It was then that the devouring fist hit! BOOOOM! Blood sputtered from the three defending Animus Summons as the barriers they erected shattered one after another, the last purple barrier barely holding on as Anastasia had a grimace on her face while looking towards the Entity in shock. When she revealed her association, it seemed to have enraged the Entity even more as this being moved with wrath to strike forth! "Where is the other one?! Bring that wretch to me as well!" The bellowing voice of the Entity rang out again as Noah in the far distance was surrounded by Imperials and hiding his face, his thoughts rapidly moving as he finally acted and...merely activated a skill. [Deus Ex Machina] :: At the most critical and important juncture as the life of the Protagonist is in peril, casting this ability will bring forth an unexpected power, being, or event that will save them from the seemingly hopeless situation. As with any skill capable of affecting universal rules, there is a 30 day cooldown after every use. Currently, there was an unstoppable force of an Entity threatening the hoke Galaxy of Alexander and everything in it. At this juncture where the Protagonist was faced with an unstoppable power, Noah cast a skill to bring forth an unknown event or being that would save him and many others from peril! THRUM! Waves of shimmering blue distinctly came off of him as it didn¡¯t even seem like the skill was activated, but as Noah saw its cooldown counting down...he knew it was active. Now, all he had to do was wait. At the shattered boundary of the Nexus Galaxy, the Entity was preparing another attack as Anastasia looked forward with eyes of cold rage. Her veil disappeared from her face as her crimson-colored beauty became apparent for all eyes to see, going forward fearlessly as her peerless voice resounded out at this moment! "You...Stop! I am the Holy Princess of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, killing me is tantamount to offending an Ancient Power that is backed by multiple Entities! You cannot pay the price for it!" Anastasia called forth grandly as her gaze now turned to one full of anger, the grandeur of royalty and of a being with such a high position leaking off of her dripping outward in the starry space as the bubbling gathering of essence around the Entity came to a halt. The Entity looked towards the calamity-inducing gorgeous face of Anastasia as deep within her eyes, a sharp light filled with jealousy flashed...and it was very soon replaced with determination even as the Entity ascertained the truth of this being¡¯s words with the knowledge she held! "Hmph! The Holy Princess that went missing years ago? So what! If you die here, nobody will be the wiser!" THRUMM! The essence of the Dao of Vitality resonated within the body of the Entity once more as she raised her hands forward, intent on wiping away everything about this Galaxy in front of her as the importance of the Page of Ruination was simply too high! Chapter 721 - Who do you think you are?! "Anastasia!" The Imperial Adjudicator called out with a stifling heart as his figure barrier out from the Sanctuary of the Watchers, Anna and Noah doing the same as they saw the Entity was intent on wiping out everyone one. "CHAARGE!" OOOOH! Bellowing cried erupted out as Imperials of all ranks also rushed forward, not even considering their lives as they went to defend their homes! "Merely a princess that ran away from home, perish for me and maybe I¡¯ll drop your corpse in your cl.u.s.ter as a gift!" Meanwhile, the Entity called out powerfully as a shining light blasted out of her hands. It was filled with the immense power of the Dao of Vitality as it aimed to kill towards Anastasia, the three Middle Tier GALAXY rank Summons around her bellowing out as their bodies shimmered with multiple skills, preparing to intercept as they would rather sacrifice their lives than see their Master hurt. Off in the distance, Alexei-The Imperial Adjudicator, had a despairing expression as power bubbled forth from him, and Anna had already condensed scorching plasma around her as it went to cover her in a purple-blue majestic armor, her speed nearly meeting her half a step into the GALAXY Realm father as she went forward valiantly! The power of the Vector Controller shone once more as it would truly grow to be powerful- its user simply had to be given the time. In this despairing situation where a strike from the Entity thundered forth and many beings went forward to defend with their lives, time seemed to be going extremely slow for Noah as his eyes looked around, and he didn¡¯t have to wait too long as in the next instant...it felt like space and time had come to a halt. A moment after, an aged voice filled with solemnity and ancientness resounded out in the ears of every single being there. "What made you bold enough to make a move against the Holy Princess of my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter?" "..." RUUUUMBLE!!! An appalling aura descended. Out of nowhere, an enormous figure appeared as it cast a shadow over the shattered boundary of the Nexus Galaxy! It didn¡¯t cast a shadow because of its sheer size, but simply because of its power and grandeur as it seemed bigger than anything here. From this shadow, the only thing the eyes of the many defenders could see was a claw! An enormous and appallingly vibrant Dragon¡¯s Claw! Feeling this oppressive power and the descending claw, the Entity¡¯s eyes squinted tightly as her essence moved! --- Let¡¯s go back merely minutes prior as we gain a better understanding of how things came to be. In the vast Dark Universe, one could spend months and years traversing it from one side to another as they went towards specific locations. It depended on their mode of transportation how fast they could travel, as well as their own power! In the past days, a particularly powerful collection of beings were traversing wide distances of the Dark Universe- and these beings were powerhouses of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! This party only consisted of 5 beings- three shockingly gorgeous women, a Middle-aged man, and an Old Man carrying a glimmering cane as he seemed to be in his last stages of life. Yet among all the beings in this party, this Old Man seemed to be the most powerful one as the very space around him tremble when he moved. These beings were from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, and they were currently moving in the chaotic void on the back of a particularly colossal Animus Summon! This Ancient Power had always been on the lookout for a particular being, using the bloodline of this being and unique methods to garner her location the moment she utilized something unique to her. In this case, they targeted the use of her summons as the identifier, where the moment one of them was summoned- they would be able to pick up the signal of her location if they were lucky enough. Such a thing was exactly what happened a few days ago when the signal of a particular Aurora Galaxy Dragon was picked up, and a party gad set off from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter to follow it right away. But the distance was truly too massive, and it came from a faraway location where they didn¡¯t have Portals set up that could help them traverse such a distance with ease. If things went as they should have, it should have taken them weeks to arrive where the signal was! At that time, they would hope that the being they were trying to find had not moved, or they had to spend even more time searching for her. This brings us to the current moment where this party was moving through the Dark Universe in haste, calculating that the distance they had left should take them another 3 weeks before they could arrive. Yet on the Chaotic Void they were traversing in, these powerful experts were suddenly swept up in a spatial storm that they didn¡¯t even get a chance to stand against, this spatial storm warping them from their location to an entirely different one in a matter of a millisecond! The moment this party reappeared, their spread out and alarmed senses picked up a familiar aura and shocking words that caused the man at the very forefront of this party to smile with a cold expression, as the eyes of the Old Man behind him lifted up lazily at the same time. "Merely a princess that ran away from home..." The words of the Entity had rang out in their ears as the middle aged man at the forefront turned towards the Old Man, this aged being nodding with lazy eyes as his boisterous voice that resounded throughout the Nexus Galaxy was heard next. "What made you bold enough to make a move against the Holy Princess of my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter?" THRUMM! With his words, the horrifying pressure that descended towards the Entity was accompanied by the claw of the Animus Summon this party from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter was riding through the chaotic void! This claw glimmering with an immense light of a vibrant galaxy as it tore apart space while descending, directly coming in contact with the cold faced Entity as in the next moment, a horrendous impact was released as even experts felt their blood boil as if their very cells were about to burst! Chapter 722 - Powerful! BOOOM! Two dreadfully powerful forces collided near the shattered barrier of the Nexus Galaxy as the sheer impact and pressure alone pushed everyone nearby back while coughing blood, others directly vaporized from the impact as it was simply that horrendous! "Why would an unaffiliated Entity be bold enough to attack the Holy Princess of my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter? Have we not shown our might well enough over these last thousands of years?" The boisterous and calm voice resounding out got the attention of many to look at where the enormous claw was coming from, the figure of a colossal dragon over 1000 meters in size finally showing itself grandiosely as one could observe a Manifested GALAXY rotating powerful over its body. SHAA The powerful Entity that had blocked the Dragon¡¯s Claw also appeared below it from the shattered space as one could see her arm trembling, the skin on her hand ruptured in multiple places as bloody bones protruded out! The gaze of this Entity also climbed up the body of the enormous dragon as her eyes honed in on the figures standing majestically atop it. The one speaking with a resonant voice was an Old Man carrying a glimmering cane, and beside him stood a valiant looking Middle-aged man with three veiled women behind them! The middle aged man has a cold look as his eyes did not even glance at the Entity, but they were locked onto the figure of Anastasia not too far away. His eyes weren¡¯t actually happy or joyful, but his cold look carried a trace of anger as he called out! "Little Sister, you have brought me many troubles over these past years!" A voice of authority and elegance, a reprimanding voice of an Older Brother toward his Little Sister. Yet...Anastasia had a saddened look at the appearance of this being as she sighed with unknown grievances, waving her hands as her three injured Animus Summons turned into streaks of light and disappeared into her origin! The pair of brother and sister then looked towards each other, while the Entity and the Old Man with a cane atop the enormous Dragon also locked eyes with each other! A cold atmosphere permeated as these powerful auras oppressed everyone in the nearby region. Meanwhile, Noah was looking at all of this with shining eyes as he read over the identities of the party and of the enormous Animus that was the mount of the party brought forth by [Deus Ex Machina]. [Starry Behemoth Tarragon](Ultra Rare) :: an Archaic Animus currently at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm... [Rudolf Fredrick Windsor] :: A being currently at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. As the next Ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, his fate is bound to the lives of uncountable trillions... [Old Man Khan] :: A being holding the Title of an Entity, currently at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. Proficient in the Dao of Summoning, he commands multiple... The identities of the immediate three beings were read by him as he was shocked by their identities! One was a genuine Entity, the other was the brother of the Esteemed Anastasia, and the Animus was a pet under the command of the terrifying being that even by his system was known as Old Man Khan. Truly terrifying figures had been brought forth by his casting of Deus Ex Machina! The Entity that clashed with the powerful claw of the Starry Behemoth Tarragon looked towards Old Man Khan without saying any words, her body rapidly healing as she seemed to be thinking. Meanwhile, Old Man Khan floated off the dragon as he went towards the Entity, his aged voice ringing out as it commanded to be revered! "What¡¯s wrong little one? Cat got your tongue?" His voice was that of someone with very little worries, as if he was simply strolling through the meadows at this moment! His air of calmness even made the female Entity eerie as she finally opened her mouth. "I am not here for her, just the Galaxy she resides in." Her voice was calm and measured as the aura of the Dao of Vitality bounced off of her rapidly. The cane of Old Man Khan tapping the starry space as powerful fluctuations erupted out every time! Old Man Khan nodded at the words of the Entity as he continued floating towards her, doing something that normally no Summoners would do- leave the side of their pets as they went forward themselves. His eyes seemed to be barely open as Old Man Khan floated until he neared the position of the Entity, coming to float just a few inches away from her as he looked into her wrathful face while lazily speaking out. "You say that, but your strike was directed towards the Holy Princess to kill. So I want to ask you, little entity..." THRUMM! While being just inches away from the powerful Entity, Old Man Khan continued to speak lazily and domineeringly as if the event in front of him was no threat at all! "...are you going to choose to run like a cornered dog, or do I have to butcher someone here today?" ...! Domineering! Powerful! The Old Man that seemed aged and seemingly waving through the starry space as if he could be blown away at any second...this old man stood directly in front of the Entity that came down to bring destruction to the Nexus Galaxy as he asserted his dominance in a shocking fashion. Yet his words seemed to hold utmost authority as the Entity the Old Man stood in front of only looked towards him with trembling eyes! She then looked towards the enormous Starry Behemoth Tarragon behind this Old Man...and then closed her eyes to hide her unbounded wrath as she remained floating in the starry space! Noah and the others looked at this scene with stupor as their eyes were truly opened today. This terrifying Entity had come into the Novus Galaxy screaming bloody murder as she domineeringly shattered its boundary and killed many beings, and this same being was being stepped on by an Old Man that she couldn¡¯t even give off the domineering replies she was uttering to them before! How the tides could so easily change! How the power could so easily shift... "Well? Do you want to be a dead dog or an alive one?" The domineering Old Man voiced out again as it seemed his words and energy weren¡¯t even worth being spent on the enemy in front of him. The Entity¡¯s body shook, her eyes opening with a dangerous light as in front of this Old Man...she backed away! Both were given the title of Entities, yet she was the one that backed away! This was because she had years of fighting for survival in the Dark Universe, and she had honed terrifying senses that told her exactly how to move if wanted to keep her life. This Old Man in front of her...could summon multiple Animus just as powerful as the Starry Behemoth Tarragon that had injured her with one strike. This wasn¡¯t to mention the power of the Old Man himself, who shone with an abundant aura of the Dao of Summoning! So the Entity swallowed her pride as she moved away, her trembling wrath held within as she had to give up on something as precious as a Page of Ruination. Whatever treasures the inhabitants of the Nexus Galaxy stole from her, she knew they would all be taken by this newly appearing force as she didn¡¯t even have the chance to fight for it! So she pulled back to avoid a deadly fight as she trusted her senses! At the same time this was occurring, the middle-aged man that had called Anastasia his sister was moving towards her while not even glancing at the enemy entity that was warping away in defeat. "You will be coming back with me today, Little Sist-" The words and body of this middle aged man, Rudolf Fredrick Windsor, came to a halt as his eyes picked up another figure behind Anastasia, a girl that had been rushing towards her when the attack of the Entity was first released! Her veil had been torn off by the terrifying impacts of the attack and her crimson-colored hair and drop-dead gorgeous face that was the exact replica of Anastasia was laid bare for all to see. As Rudolf saw this scene, his expression twisted as his body began to shake, his eyes looking towards his sister incredulously! "What have you done?!" An authoritative voice that demanded answers regarding out, a terrifying aura of a Ruler descending on the surrounding space as shocking events just continued. The Entity that came seeking destruction was running with her tail between her legs, an appallingly powerful Old Man appearing with his Summon at the Peak of GALAXY as the future Ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter came to pick up his sister! Noah watched all of these events with shining eyes as he awaited the developments, with his heart set more on the soon to come notifications of his Protagonist Trait being completed as soon as the Nexus Galaxy deemed his mission successful and granted everything to him... Chapter 723 - Invitation to An Ancient Power! Abruptly, Rudolf Fredrick Windsor waved his hands as a dark mist spread out from him, covering his figure and the figures of Anastasia and Anna in a blink as all those watching could not hear or see anything happening within this dark mist. Inside of it, Rudolf¡¯s expression was livid as he stared at his sister. "You had a child." "Un." Anastasia nodded with a calm expression as she pulled Anna close, this Imperial Princess looking over Rudolf, who should have been her uncle- with careful eyes! The future Ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter looked over the figures of the two women multiple times, his authoritative voice ringing out again, and this time with murderous intent. "The father?" "...Dead." Silence overtook the surroundings as the anger in Rudolf¡¯s eyes shimmered even more. He was about to erupt when the melodious voice of Anastasia rang out with calmness. "I will come back with you. Willingly at that as I play the role I ran away from." Her words calmed the wrathful eyes of Rudolf greatly as she continued. "All I need from you is an assurance to protect this Galaxy that I made my home these past years, and to guarantee the safety of my daughter when we return!" Anastasia¡¯s gaze was filled with conviction when she said this, Rudolf glancing towards her with glimmering eyes as he replied. "Even if she is from a dead unknown toad, do you think I would not value the life of my own Niece?" His words still contained anger and authority, but a hint of cunning flowed through them as many thoughts crossed his mind when he looked at Anna! His sister did not have any weaknesses before, which was why she was able to do what she did in the past. Yet now... "As long as she is from you, she is of the bloodline of the great Sage Windsor! Nothing can change that..." His words were filled with mystery as Anastasia nodded, the sadness within her eyes immeasurable as Anna saw this and adopted a strong expression, speaking out for the first time to this powerful being that was her Uncle! "We do not wish to return, you can see that. You would force your own sister?!" Her words weren¡¯t respectful one bit as Rudolf had thought many things while calming down, the wrath he showed before wiped away and hidden within as he calmly spoke while looking over his niece. "This involves things you do not understand, my dear new Niece. Things that are even out of my control! This involves the wills of two Ancient Powers, the wills of Hegemonies that cannot be denied!" RUMBLE! "Your mother has denied it long enough, and she now has to accept her role...with the repercussions that come from it." His face shone with royalty as he made his stance clear, looking around them as he scrunched up his nose and continued. "Let us make haste back home, the fringes of the Dark Universe hold nothing for us." His hands waved towards Anastasia and Anna as the mother held her daughter¡¯s hand and went towards Rudolf. From the cloudy mist surrounding them, a path was made as it led towards the head of the enormous Starry Behemoth Tarragon where three veiled women were standing, the bodies bowing to Anastasia as they called out respectfully. "Holy Princess." THRUM! Hearing these words caused an unknown light to shine in Anastasia¡¯s eyes, landing on the head of the Tarragon as they looked to the starry sky where the dark mist was dispersing, seeing the faces of Imperials and other inhabitants of the Nexus Galaxy that didn¡¯t dare move a muscle in front of the recently arriving overpowering auras! Anastasia gave a cursory glance towards the Imperials as she didn¡¯t even focus on the face Adjudicator that she had sent a telepathic message to for him to move back and distance himself from her. She then landed her eyes on the confident face of Alexander as she thought for a bit, speaking towards her brother once more with a calm expression. "During my time here, I took in Anna¡¯s friend as a Disciple. He¡¯s someone with immense talent as he comprehended the Dao in a day and was capable of summoning an Ultra Rare Summon." ...! Her words caused the heads of the three veiled women to shift as Rudolf Fredrick Windsor squinted his eyes towards the figures of Imperials, these eyes shining with light as while sensing for the aura of the Dao, they came to land on Noah! "Him?..." He stroked his beard thoughtfully as he waved his hand, a triangular crystal Medallion that shone with a red l.u.s.ter appearing as he spoke. "Even if he has stepped on the path of the Dao of Summoning, he still has to go through the proper channels to join my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. This will give him the right to seek entrance as a Dao Disciple!" Waves of spatial fluctuations erupted out as the triangular crystal Medallion appeared in front of Noah, the voice of Rudolf appearing in his mind soon after as he changed his expression. "This is the tool that will guide you to my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. Make your way there and show this as you will be tested to prove your genius, and you might just be able to join an Ancient Power." RUMBLE! The voice was filled with power as Noah humbly nodded, Rudolf looking towards Old Man Khan who was also returning atop the Starry Behemoth Tarragon after making a genuine Entity turn tail and run! The future ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter then gave a thorough look to the many inhabitants of the Nexus Galaxy as his eyes contained deep disdain and arrogance, waving his hands as they were about to leave when Anna¡¯s strong voice came out. "I also want my Maids who have been with me since young to come, Maya and Raya." She spoke to her uncle like this was a must as the devilishly gorgeous Imperial Princess was not awed by his might one bit, Rudolf glancing towards her and seeing her strong expression as she nodded with a smile. "Attendants are not bad." With such words, Maya and Raya that were looking towards Anna with watery eyes from the distance soon appeared above the head of the Starry Behemoth Tarragon. Rudolf then glanced towards Old Man Khan as he gave a command. "Per my sister¡¯s words, we shall bring this little Galaxy under our protection." The words seemed simple, but Old Man Khan nodded while opening his lazy eyes and tapping his cane on the space beneath him. Immense essence erupted out as a red light shone, an insignia forming outside the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy that represented one word- EXPANSIVE! This was a word containing authority and backing of an Ancient Power, where any powerful Entities that passed through this Galaxy would know that it was under the protection of the Ancient Power residing in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. Anyone that went against this authority and did anything to the inhabitants of this Galaxy...would face the full might of this Ancient Power! With this action, the Nexus Galaxy had shockingly wethered through a catastrophic event, many beings not knowing that the person responsible for things playing out this way was none other than the Protagonist that had cast Deus Ex Machina... Chapter 724 - A Completed Protagonist Trait! The hearts of many beings were heavy as they had just undergone too many abrupt events in the Nexus Galaxy! The Imperials watched on with shocked eyes as an extremely powerful Starry Behemoth Tarragon shimmered with a grand Manifested Galaxy, this enormous dragon laying its eyes on the Nexus Galaxy once more as its figure began to disappear in front of their eyes. On top of it, Anna was the only one looking back at the Imperials as her gaze landed on the body of Alexander, her mouth moving as she whispered a telepathic message to him. "I better see you soon. Who knows, maybe even in this situation you can..." Her last words were left unsaid as she shook her head, turning her gaze away as the Starry Behemoth Tarragon disappeared! Nobody on top of it spared another glance at the Nexus Galaxy, even Anastasia forcing herself to keep her head forward as she did not want to be seen turning around! She left behind a saddened Imperial Adjudicator who had been receiving telepathic messages from her this entire time for him to not make a move, this father having been forced to watch his wife and daughter taken from him right before his eyes while he could not do a single thing! The sense of powerlessness and defeat he felt was only expressed the moment when the figures of the powerful personages disappeared, his knees falling down in the starry space as his ashen face was filled with perspiration! His body shook as he clenched his fists, some of the nearby Imperial Rulers and Imperial Lords approaching him as others worked to provide order and oversee the repairing of the boundary of the Nexus Galaxy. --- Aboard the enormous Starry Behemoth Tarragon that had just left the Nexus Galaxy, Rudolf was looking at the expansive chaotic void as he telepathically communicated with Old Man Khan. "There is a mysterious force or being connected to that Galaxy. That spatial storm that swept us away even with our power for us to be taken there just in time to save the Holy Princess and the rest of them...we need to keep a lookout for who was behind it." Old Man Khan opened his eyes into slits as he nodded. "The emblem showing our authority was cast down by me, I¡¯ll be able to keep my eyes on it for the next thousand years." This hidden talk continued in the minds of these powerful experts as beside them, the Holy Princess had already begun to adopt a cold demeanor as she brought her daughter close, these drop-dead gorgeous women having telepathic communications of their own as a mother prepared her daughter for what was to come. For a trip that would take weeks, the party made their way back to the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as their mount pierced deeper into the Dark Universe! Meanwhile in the Nexus Galaxy, the distraught Imperial Adjudicator adopted a fierce expression as he turned towards the body of Alexander. He went towards this newly crowned Imperial Ruler with sharp eyes as he nearly bowed his head while sending him a message. "When you make your way toward the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter in the future, please watch over Anna!" His words were filled with emotion as this Ruler nearly bowed his head to who should have been another one of his subjects, but he saw Rudolf hand Alexander a crystalline medallion as he knew Anastasia must have spoken about his genius and wanted to recruit him! Noah nodded with a serious expression as he affirmed he would do all he could, the Imperial Adjudicator staring at him briefly before he moved away to work with the other Imperials to repair the portion of their shattered Galaxy. At this same time, the clone of Alexander in the Central Realm of the Nexus Galaxy received a message! [Our deal can be considered to be complete.] RUMBLE! The words of the Nexus Galaxy were followed with an eruption of essence, Noah¡¯s eyes shining as he very quickly switched the position of his main body and clone in order to bring the true body of Alexander that would be receiving something grand without picking up the attention of anyone. The main body of Alexander appeared in the Central Realm as he stared at the obsidian core, the eruption of galactic essence rushing directly towards him right away as he was bathed in a gorgeous rainbow of colors! [The conditions to grant the full Protagonist Trait have been met.] THRUUM! Essence overflowed as Noah closed his eyes and bathed in it once more, this being his second time where he completed a shocking Trait that would forever change him. The galactic essence flooded towards him for a few minutes as it inscribed something deep in his soul, the essence of the universal laws also being sucked in as they were forced to adhere to the shocking qualities of this Trait. The Nexus Galaxy did not know this, but far off in the distance multiple light years away, the Novus Galaxy was utilizing the rule-defying capabilities of the Ruination Core through the connection of Noah and Alexander to make sure this trait completion truly granted Noah all it could as the universal laws went forward to bring it to completion! [The Trait has been successfully completed.] WAA! The erupting essence around Noah died down as he opened his eyes, a sharp smile appearing on his face as he glanced towards a blinking trait in the stat panel in front of him. [Protagonist] :: You are the protagonist. To live up to such a title, abilities worthy of creating a true Protagonist are granted. As it is a culminated Trait, it has different stages that each have their own abilities. This trait has been fully unlocked at this moment. Ability(s) : Eyes of Truth, Photographic Memory, Memorable Visage, Blind Luck, Plot Armor, Chosen Extras, Deus Ex Machina, Chosen One, Save Point, Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark. The Trait he transmigrated into the Nexus Galaxy for was displayed in a stellar style in front of him as three new abilities were unlocked! He also knew that the surprises did not stop there, and that the extent of the previous abilities would have also been enhanced. An example was his [Eyes of Truth] ability, where he should not be able to glance at anything as he saw the full truth, with no issues of suddenly seeing undecipherable symbols as secrets were kept from him. He looked forward to using this ability the most on a particular set of rare items that even Entities were fighting for... But before that, he wanted to affirm the uses of the three new abilities. His eyes looked over the three as he chose the last one that was undecipherable before, the one that read [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark]! [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark] :: A true protagonist has their trials, but they also have their moments where they shine with blinding power. To further create a truly powerful Protagonist, the last ability of this Trait makes the holder of it capable of ¡¯Bookmarking¡¯ the characters that they previously came in contact with. To those Bookmarked, the Protagonist can descend onto their body without their knowledge as he becomes able to assimilate into them for a period of 1 minute. In this period of time, the Protagonist can choose to focus on a specific area such as Experiences, Laws, Realm Progression, Daos...everything that the bookmarked character has accomplished as the Protagonist can rapidly raise their law progression or learn a new law, gains years of experience, enhance their understandings of Realms, enhance their understanding of a current Dao, or step on the path of a brand new Dao that the bookmarked character is adept on. Only a previously met character that the Protagonist saw with their own eyes can be bookmarked, and a 30 day cool down exists before the ability can be utilized again. "..." Noah read over the description of the ability multiple times as he didn¡¯t even have the words. He... He was truly speechless at this point! Chapter 725 - A True Protagonist! The last unlocked ability of the Protagonist Trait was truly something! Noah himself had to read over it multiple times just to be sure he understood everything about it. [This Trait is unlike any other ones I¡¯ve granted before, and I have a feeling that I would not be able to grant it to anyone again no matter how much I try. As for its uses...I¡¯m confused as to why the Universal Laws even allowed it to be birthed and come to fruition.] The voice of the Nexus Galaxy rang out in his mind as it commented on the impossibility of Trait, Noah only giving a light smile as he continued to look at [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark]. The core of it was the fact that he could select someone, or the so called term of ¡¯bookmark¡¯ them as he could descend onto their body without their knowledge! He could then choose from a variety of options to benefit from, with his mind already thinking of the esteemed characters of Rudolf and Old Man Khan that he had met just a few minutes ago! If he could bookmark one of those characters and be assimilated into them for just that one minute, what percentage of advancement would be shown in his Dao of Summoning if he focused to experience their comprehension of it while the skill was active? This single thought buzzed through his mind as he made a note and planned, his gaze going down to the other 2 new abilities as his expectations were driven insanely high. First up was something he was very knowledgeable in when he played games in the past, a feature that you could use with your character that saved all your progress for you to load it up whenever you wished- it was Save Point! [Save Point] :: The Protagonist can utilize this ability at any point in time, allowing them to establish their Origin and Soul into a unique Spacetime Continuum that they can return to if their life is ever at the point of being taken away. Right before the time of death, this skill will automatically activate if there is a Save Point available, preventing the death of the Protagonist as they are brought back in time. Aside from the automatic activation right before death, the Protagonist can also choose to return to a previous Save Point at any time they wish. This ability has a cool down of 30 days. "Well..." His eyes shone at its details as while he was taken down a notch by the continuing cool downs of the abilities, he just gained yet another powerful life saving measure that would guarantee his life in the near future. His eyes then landed on the last ability that was purely termed ¡¯Chosen One¡¯! [Chosen One] :: The Protagonist is meant for something greater, and they must play a central role in the designated area they currently reside in. The current holder of the Protagonist Trait is in the Dark Universe, thus in this area, they will find that their movements are inadvertently mixed with the major forces of the universe as they always end up the center of all problems...as well as the solutions. With this ability, as long as the holder of the Protagonist Trait doesn¡¯t fall off a cliff and die- all they would need is time as they somehow become embroiled into every major event as they play the role of the chosen one, the singular character that will always be there to prevent disasters and save the day. Yet another ridiculous Trait showed itself in front of his eyes as he didn¡¯t even know how to feel at this point. All of the abilities he continued to find in the Protagonist Trait gave such unique and shocking abilities that when looking at them, he nearly began deluding himself into thinking he was truly the main character of some story! He had to shake his head as he erased this thought away, thinking that he was entertaining himself too much with such a thought. Him? The main character of a story? It was only something he thought in passing as he smiled at the thought. If he truly was the main character of a story, he would want to be one that was overly powerful and bulldozed over every obstacle in front of him. He wouldn¡¯t be struggling as Noah had been struggling over these past months! "Ahh..." But as he looked at all of these abilities, he could genuinely say that in terms of his Trait, he had become a true Protagonist on this day! He didn¡¯t even know how to compare the grandness of the Protagonist Trait with his Infinite Mana Trait, where it seemed the both of them excelled in certain aspects. But if he had to choose which one he considered of utmost importance...he would still say it was his Infinite Mana! This was because his Infinite Mana trait stayed at the core of everything. Whatever he wanted to do, he needed mana. Even the protagonist Trait could only be utilized because he had unlimited mana due to the high energy requirements of its abilities. But the survivability aspect that the Protagonist Trait granted...it was just utterly ridiculous. Pulling his thoughts away, he looked at the other factors of the Protagonist Trait while the process of rebuilding continued in the Nexus Galaxy. Aside from the new skills, there was also the enhanced version of previous skills that Noah simply loved! One of these was the fact that for the two abilities of [Plot Armor] and [Deus Ex Machina], their cool down had reduced to 21 days instead of 30! The rest of the prior abilities simply got enhancements in their effects as Noah actually looked at the complete form of [Eyes of Truth] with the most anticipation. This was because with this, he would never come across any unintelligible words when he glanced at anything in the future, and he wanted to start with the main treasure that had made many things possible for him, the treasure that he could only gleam a small and simple description of in the past as his eyes burst just from looking at it! In the Novus Galaxy, the body of Noah opened his eyes as he also saw the same descriptions of the Protagonist Trait as Alexander, his body warping away as he appeared deep in the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy near the glimmering obsidian core. Today, he would gaze his eyes upon something grand once more! Chapter 726 - The Dreadful History of the Tools of Ruination! The Novus Galaxy knew Noah¡¯s purpose the moment he appeared as from its mystical obsidian core, the red and black shimmering Ruination Core that looked like a small square item with numerous holes appeared! The last time he gazed at this, his eyes had ruptured as he only got a paragraph of a description. But with the completing Protagonist Trait that enhanced his Eyes of Truth...he should be able to know everything about this mystical treasure. RUMBLE! His eyes shimmered with intense multicolored lights that went on to shine on the Ruination Core, a blinding light erupting out as in the next moment, multiple enormous text boxes appeared in Noah¡¯s vision! These text boxes all gave information on the Ruination Core, and all that Noah could say at this time was that the information he got...was too abundant! His eyes honed in on the first text box as he began reading, intent on finding out what this Ruination Core truly was. [Ruination Core](3rd) :: A tool of extreme power that more often than not invites destruction to its user. Capable of interfering with the Universal Laws themselves, it is a tool of Ruination that has multiple counterparts spread out across the Dark Universe. A special constitution is required to wield tools of Ruination. When all the tools of Ruination are gathered, the Dark Universe will be returned to its natural state. The information found on this Ruination Core is too vast, and has been categorized into multiple parts. [Excerpt I- History], [Excerpt II-Uses], [Excerpt III- Locations of other Ruination Tools]... ...! Normally, Noah would simply read for himself as the rest of us read a summary, but this was such important information and history as it had to be experienced first hand for one to truly understand what meaning it held! While being alarmed at the abundance of information, Noah proceeded forward as he wanted to learn of the history of this item first. [Excerpt I- History] :: This Ruination Core is a tool of power and destruction that came from a stupendous and naturally formed Cosmic Treasure. It cannot be utilized by normal means as it requires a specific constitution in order for it to be utilized by beings. Entities such as Galaxies in a universe are capable of utilizing some of its functions as when separated, the tools of Ruination more than likely seek cores of Galaxies as their home. When it comes to the constitution required to utilize it, a being needs to have the fully formed prime laws of their universe (Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air) within their origin. This constitution is termed the Universal Origin Physique, something achieved very little times over the eons as its creation was truly too hard. A single Ruination Core is only capable of residing in one of the mastered Law Origins within the Universal Origin Physique, where the being capable of locating the remaining five Ruination Cores and combining them into each of his Law Origins...this being shall be capable of bringing down Ruination. To understand the concept of Ruination, one must understand how it came to be in the first place, as well as what caused the splintering of the Cosmic Treasure that made way for the formation of the Six Ruination Cores. In the past, the complete Cosmic Treasure was not able to be wielded by the beings that obtained it. These beings were termed Sages, Entities that were capable of surpassing the boundary of the GALAXY Realm as they achieved accomplishments that very few experience. When the Cosmic Treasure was first located, it passed through the hands of multiple Sages and Great Sages, these powerful beings not being able to utilize the treasure until all of them combined the power of their Realms and comprehensions in Laws and Daos in order to put it to use. When the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe began to utilize the Cosmic Treasure, they found to their shock its stupendous uses that made way for great advancements in their comprehensions and Realms, as well as the capability of the treasure to affect the laws and daos of universes! During this long forgotten era of eons past, it went under a particular name that only the top most beings knew of. The Era when the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe began to utilize the Cosmic Treasure that would later fracture into Ruination Cores was known as the...Primordial Era. During this Primordial Era, the Dark Universe, like many other Universes, was connected to the Primordial Cosmos. It was a period of grand advancements and flourishing as with the use of the Cosmic Treasure known as Ruination, the Dark Universe was able to elevate its status as it produced many more Sages and Great Sages, where some beings even began seeing the path past it! With this treasure, traversing through laws was easy as learning the Lesser and Grand Daos became a walk in the path, where a few powerful Great Sages even stepped on the path of Cosmic Daos. Yet, this was also the time when other Universes of the Primordial Cosmos found out about the Cosmic Treasure, as well as what the Dark Universe had been able to do with it. This finding...would be the cause of a dreadful war that brought with it horrendous results...] ...! Noah¡¯s body was trembling unconsciously the more he read on, the information contained within this single Ruination Core being simply too overwhelming! The content he was reading from it did not even feel like something he should be able to read, and it was only made possible by the newly enhanced Eyes of Truth as it truly gave him utterly everything. He could not tear his eyes away as he continued to read! [...The War brought forth for the stupendous Cosmic Treasure known as Ruination was true to its name- True and appalling ruination spread through the Primordial Cosmos as the war waged for hundreds of years, and its flames only spurred even greater on the 999th year. This was because even while facing the might of multiple other Universes, the Dark Universe had actually managed to remain standing strong in the Primordial Cosmos. This fact only caused even more universes to turn their attention towards them as their enemies only increased, more and more coming to understand the terrifying effects of the Cosmic Treasure as a major portion of the Primordial Cosmos set their eyes on the Dark Universe. It was at this time that the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe felt themselves to be at the edge of a cliff. Even while continuing to use the Cosmic Treasure to produce more Sages and enhance their understanding in the Daos and Laws, the swarming of multiple universes was gradually overwhelming them as they were left with very few options! At this stage, the Great Sage that had stepped on a Cosmic Dao came forth, this Great Sage proposing a shocking solution that would stop the war with the other Universes as well as grant them the freedom to continue advancing and learning more about the Cosmic Treasure. What this Great Sage proposed was for them to use the terrifying power of the Cosmic Treasure to break off the Dark Universe from the Primordial Cosmos, forever separating them in this Primordial Era as they used the power of the Cosmic Treasure to hide themselves to never be found by any forces from the Primordial Cosmos. The solution seemed very viable, and the many sages moved forward with enthusiasm to see if they could make it possible! But what they didn¡¯t know was the fact that this action would affect too many things, that this singular action would set the Dark Universe on a path of destruction and Ruination, on a path that it was still headed to right now...] As he read on, Noah¡¯s body had stopped shaking as it was his eyes that trembled, but they didn¡¯t tremble in shock or surprise- they were trembling from ever-rising and propagating anger as the content he read next...was one that birthed immense wrath and devastation from the depths of his heart. The information was simply too much! Chapter 727 - I Shall Usher in the Winds of Ruination! I In the Novus Galaxy, a single being was unveiling shocking truths that very few knew about in the vast Dark Universe! His unveiling was only made possible because of the completion of a ridiculous Trait, but it was made possible nonetheless as shocking information was shown clearly in front of him. The Ruination Cores actually stemmed from the Cosmic Treasure, [Ruination], that the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe utilized to make grand advancements. This Cosmic Treasure was also the reason for other Universes of the Primordial Cosmos to aim their blades towards the Dark Universe, this single treasure plunging the Primordial Era into chaos as many forces fought for it. The shocking event that brought an end to it...was something that was due to the actions of the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe, where they utilized the Cosmic Treasure to carry out a drastic measure! Noah¡¯s eyes were continuing to burn with ever increasing anger as it soon became unbounded wrath the more that he continued to read the [Excerpt I- History] that was visible to his eyes. [Excerpt I- History] :: ...The Great Stage that had stepped on the path of a Cosmic Dao led the way as all the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe were brought together to make their wish into a reality. All of them used their power and strength to connect to the Cosmic Treasure, Ruination, as they carried out an action that eventually led to the shattering of the treasure and the creation of the Ruination Cores such as this. In order to escape from the ever increasing forces of multiple Universes fighting for their Cosmic Treasure, the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe chose to cut off their Universe from the Primordial Cosmos as they forever disappeared from it, those wishing them harm never being able to find their Universe ever again! But to successfully sever the connection of an entire universe from the Primordial Cosmos...a sacrifice was required. The only one that knew of this was the Great Sage that had embarked on a Cosmic Dao, all the other Sages having no idea until when the process began, they felt their very own life forces being drained on top of their mana as they tried to power up the Cosmic Treasure and grant their wish. To power up the Cosmic Treasure, the life forces of all the powerful Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe were eaten up, where the only one remaining alive was the Great Sage that had begun it, this being giving the last command before his soul perished for the firmament of the Dark Universe, for the separation of it from the Primordial Cosmos! The wish of this Great Sage and all the other Sages was actually granted as the Cosmic Treasure performed a measure nobody in the Primordial Cosmos had seen before, where the enemy Universes found to their shock that where the Dark Universe used to be...had suddenly become empty. They found to their shock that throughout the entire Primordial Cosmos, the Dark Universe had disappeared overnight! Towards this action, they could only despair as they gave up on the stupendous Treasure they never even held. This was because within the Primordial Cosmos, those qualified could easily travel among the different Universes, but nobody had been able to ever leave the Primordial Cosmos. When a Universe disappeared for the first time in the history of the Primordial Cosmos, waves reverberated throughout as many would forever search for a truth that they would never be able to find. The moment that the Cosmic Treasure completed its grand task of separating an entire Dark Universe from its Cosmos, cracks spread throughout it as the task was simply too much, and there was no master to control it. This caused for the Cosmic Treasure to splinter as from it...the Ruination Cores were born. Yet, this Cosmic Treasure seemed to have a form of consciousness as during the time it shattered, it created a book that displayed some of its mysteries...a book that might make it possible for beings of the Dark Universe to be able to utilize the Ruination Cores in the future! This was how the Book of Ruination came to be, with the impact from the birth of the Ruination Cores flinging the pages of this book across the vast Dark Universe. On these pages were a variety of mysteries, but the core treasures that remained were the Ruination Cores. These Ruination Cores spread throughout the different parts of the Dark Universe, the history of what they just carried out being something very few knew as all those involved had fallen! All the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe perished from this single action, only some of their descendants left behind in Ancient Powers having some residual knowledge of this shocking history as time passed. But what the Sages of the Dark Universe did not know by carrying out this action...was the fact that one could not simply separate a Universe from its Primordial Cosmos. The Primordial Cosmos could be compared to a body, where the many universes within it made up its organs, bones, muscles, fingers, and toes. Cutting off an organ or removing it from the main body...would only mean there was destruction waiting for it! This was the point that all the Sages and Great Sages had missed. The Cosmic Treasure stayed true to its name as the last action conducted by it truly brought about Ruination, cutting off a Universe from its Primordial Cosmos as all that was left for it...was Apocalyptic Ruination...] THRUUM! Noah could feel his heart aching as he read on, this being the source of his ever so rising wrath! The Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe had actually condemned all of its inhabitants to certain death. They had played with forces outside their understanding as they all perished, and they went further on by dooming an entire Universe! "Fools!" Chapter 728 - I Shall Usher in the Winds of Ruination! II "Fools!" He bellowed out as his heart truly felt stifled, everything he had been working for all this time seemingly being for naught. From the blue planet he came from until this point he was in right now, he realized that he had never escaped the Apocalypse! He was in it then, and he was still in it now as undoubtedly, the Dark Universe was headed towards its own destruction. Who knew how long it would be, who knew how many days or months or years were left. All he knew was that everything and everyone within it...would all perish and die! No matter what he did...he would die! The Dark Universe was headed towards destruction the moment the Sages carried out their actions, what they thought was them saving their Universe being the thing that utterly and ultimately set it on a path of Ruination, exactly what the name of the Cosmic Treasure was. Ruination! The splitting of the Dark Universe from the Primordial Cosmos was like cutting a leaf off of a tree- this leaf was bound to wither and die in a matter of time! Such a thing was exactly what was happening right now, where the Dark Universe was a cut leaf that was already withering and would soon turn into nothingness as everything within perished! No matter what Noah did, he would be perishing along with it too! This was the reason for his immense wrath- it was because of the stupidity of the Sages and Great Sages that did not know what their actions fully did, and for the greed of the other Universes of the Primordial Cosmos that cornered them in the first place. "Fools!" He bellowed out again with immense rage as beside him, even the core of the Novus Galaxy could not comment! "..." Minutes passed as he simmered in rage, continuing his viewing of the description of the [History] portion of the Ruination Core. None of the details changed, but a single paragraph was all that remained in the end as he forced himself to read it. [...If the Cosmic Treasure known as Ruination is reassembled once more by a being with the Universal Origin Physique, a possibility exists to undo what had been done in the past. For this to be brought to fruition, the Ruination Cores have to be gathered as once more since the time of the Primordial Era...Ruination shall be brought forth once more.] RUMBLE! With a wrathful mind and a shaking heart, Noah read the last few words over and over again as amidst his red eyes, a brilliant light began to shine! There were still many things he didn¡¯t know, but the shocking history of the Cosmic Treasure known as Ruination was displayed in front of him with clarity. Aside from the portions that induced his anger, the last paragraph was one that gave hope amidst the dark tunnel of the apocalypse. The action that the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe had taken on the past...there lay a possibility to reverse it! The leaf that had been cut off the main tree of the Primordial Cosmos...there lay a possibility to stitch it back before it withered and died. Calming his rage, Noah looked at these words as his expression hardened, his thoughts moving as an immense choice lay in front of him. He only hesitated for a total of 5 seconds, and he then made up his mind! Just 5 seconds, and he made the decision that was true to him! He would not simply lie down as he waited for the eventual destruction of the Dark Universe that was torn away from the Primordial Cosmos. This was not like him. Instead, he would give it his all to change it as the task in front of him...was extremely grand! If he undertook it, it would give him the sole responsibility for the lives of an uncountable number of beings , but it would mean the entire Dark Universe would not perish. To even begin doing all of this, he had to not only collect the remaining 6 Ruination Cores, but complete all of the 6 Law Origins of Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, Air as he used them to hold a Ruination Core each! Once he achieved this, he could possibly reverse the actions of the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe...but it would mean he would bring forth Ruination once more! The Cosmic Treasure that caused all of this...he had to bring it back in order to change the fate of the Dark Universe. To save the Dark Universe, he had to bring down Ruination! An extremely heavy burden to shoulder, but as he looked inside his origin and saw the swirling Law Origins, he affirmed that he was one of the very few if not the only one capable of even shouldering it. So he steeled his heart as his face rose. He glanced away from the panel that showed the History of the Ruination Core as his eyes locked to the floating obsidian core that was the Novus Galaxy. In front of this galaxy, his wrath transformed into extreme calm as he uttered what seemed like ramblings, with his voice growing louder and firmer each time. "Ruination..." "The Sages and Great Sages of old all perished from this single Treasure, and I...I will bring it forth once more!" THRUMM! "I will do it! I will collect all the Ruination Cores as I set us back on the right path, as I rejoin the Dark Universe with the Primordial Cosmos!" "I shall usher into this Universe...Ruination!" ...!!! Essence raged all around him as in this area that was thick with universal law essence, it seemed to have become particularly active as it raged around him vibrantly. His words seemed to have evoked some sort of change as all sorts of Universal law essences surrounded him, his image becoming extremely imposing as amidst his chilling calm, his rage still remained at the ones that had caused all this! On this day in the Novus Galaxy, a shocking vow was made that would forever change the direction of utter annihilation of the Dark Universe! Ah! Chapter 729 - The Disgusting Effects of a Ruination Core As Noah made a grand vow, the universal law essences around him raged as if they agreed with his choice, his image at this moment being extremely eye catching as he looked like a grand existence that released an extremely oppressive pressure. This was very hard to describe as Noah wouldn¡¯t normally release such an oppressive demeanor, yet his mind was gradually being forged and changed as he experienced shocking adventures and truths that he never thought possible! His eyes carried a trace of coldness as extreme calm settled in, his fiery gaze going back on the Ruination Core still floating in front of him. To begin his mission, he had to first start with the Ruination Core in front of him. He waved his hands as he pulled the panels of text boxes containing its information, moving from the [History] portion and into the [Uses]. [Excerpt II- Uses] :: When it was a full Cosmic Treasure, the uses of Ruination were vast. After splintering into 6 Ruination Cores, each one carries a number of uses that relate to laws, Daos, and miscellaneous ¡¯affixes¡¯ that the holder of the Ruination Core can set. To be considered a holder of a Ruination Core, one must have the Universal Origin Physique with all six laws (Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, Air) mastered before even one Ruination Core can choose a Law Origin as its home. When a single Ruination Core has been successfully equipped, the user gains the ability to choose one of the following effects to be inscribed on their Soul (Only ONE effect can be selected per Ruination Core). [Ruination Core Affixes](Laws) :: +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation to the Law of Life, +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Law of Death, +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Law of Fate, +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Law of Chaos...+10,000% Enhanced Effects(Defensive/Offensive/Auxiliary) to the Law of Death, +10,000% Enhanced Effects(Defensive/Offensive/Auxiliary) to the Law of Life... [Ruination Core Affixes](Daos) :: +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Dao of Summoning, +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Dao of Vitality...+10,000% Enhanced Effects(Defensive/Offensive/Auxiliary) to the Dao of Macrocosm... [Ruination Core Affixes](Miscellaneous) :: 10% chance to Smite enemies for 10,000% Ruination Damage when you hit them, Slain enemies explode into crystallized Blood Orbs that enhance physical constitution, +10,000 to All Damage, +10,000 to Defense, +10,000 to Attack and Cast Speed, Damage Dealt to enemies increases by 10% for every enemy near 50 meters of you... "..." Noah¡¯s call gaze only had slight shaking as he remained cold, his mood heavily being changed by the shocking truth he just found out that he would have otherwise been jumping for joy while raucously laughing at the boosts he could choose from by equipping a single Ruination Core! His sharp eyes honed in on the fact that he could only choose a single effect affix to attach to himself once he equipped the Ruination Core, but a single effect was more than shocking enough as it could enable him to advance through a single law or dao at +10,000% speed than normal, or enhance the effects of those laws or daos by the same percentage. This wasn¡¯t to mention the shocking effects of the [Miscellaneous] affixes that numbered over a hundred, just the first few he saw showing something extremely twisted like having a 10% to Smite enemies for 10,000% Ruination Damage when his attacks reached them. This... Was truly ridiculous! Such were the Ruination Core¡¯s effects when utilized by a being! Such was the effect of an item capable of twisting universal laws! But for Noah to equip this item...he needed to master 6 laws. Fire and water were already at 100%, with Earth and Air currently at 99%! Only light and Dark each had about 20-30% remaining before he could max these as well. Seeing the stellar floating Ruination Core in front of him, his mind was made up as he sat down right away in the Central Realm. He wasn¡¯t the only one as all his clones and Alexander and all of his clones in the Nexus Galaxy also took their positions as today...he would completely master all 6 laws! The way he went about this was of course by doing something that nobody else could do- he began by activating each of the techniques to cultivate the laws of Light, Dark, Earth, and Air that had not yet reached 100% completion as after these law techniques were activated, the two trees within his origin thrummed as they also began trembling. RUMBLE! The dense universal law essence converged around him as he didn¡¯t just cultivate the four laws he needed to master at this moment, but all the laws that had not reached 100% as the dense culmination of life and death essence roiled around him and swirled into the Trees of Life and Death. RIING! All of these laws being cultivated at once caused a sense of resonance as the Ultimate Laws increased the speeds of all other law comprehensions, the effect of the Endowment he had cast in the Novus Galaxy also going along to achieve a rapid cultivation pace! But this wasn¡¯t all! There was also another thing he could now utilize which caused a vibrant reaction when cultivating laws- and it was the Dao! His calculative mind moved as he also activated [Dao of Summoning Traverser], a majestic swirling descent of the Dao appearing above each of his bodies as the law essence around him only became wilder. As this shocking cultivation session began, he did not even wait a minute before the 99% in the Laws of Earth and Air reached 100%, only the Laws of Light and Dark that had a bit over 20% remaining! Today, he would not move or do anything else until these laws hit 100%, and then he could equip the Ruination Core as he would gain a shocking tool to quickly traverse through laws and daos, or simply choose one of the more shocking affixes that were termed [Miscellaneous]! Chapter 730 - Master the Laws and Equip! As Noah went about mastering his laws, the Infinite Realm of the Novus Galaxy was particularly boisterous. Right before Noah had left with all of his clones to begin cultivating, he had told all of his important people about the truths of what occurred with the Celestials, his entrance into the Nexus Galaxy, and much of the things that had recently occurred as he granted them knowledge of Galaxies and expanded their views. After they received this information, their hearts only ached for more power as in a matter of a day, multiple Infinite Realm Beasts that were in the same generation as the Emperor Penguin reached the Nebula Realm, the Harbingers of Sin making the greatest progress as all of them chose not to chase the impossible dream of Grand Completion, choosing to break through into the Black Hole Realm the moment they amassed a few thousand stars within their Nebula! The Inquisitor Athena, Steel Mikhail, Kazuhiko, Barbatos...all of these beings made advancements as their power exploded! This created multiple experts in the Novus Galaxy as even grander things were in play. This was because there were thousands of skill books obtained from the siege of the Burning Domains Galaxy for them to choose from...as well as the skills that Noah had placed in the Library Feature of the Infinite Realm. The most important ones and the ones that made the Harbingers make a line towards the grand Library where they could obtain these skills today were the [Dao of Summoning Traverser] and the [Animus Summoner Trainer]! This was because Noah planned to create his own powerful force of beings that had already begun embarking on the Dao early, where they would obtain this shocking inheritance as in the near future, Noah would create another skill that was similar to <> that would allow his people to begin summoning and training their very own Animus Pets after they begin gaining understanding in the Dao of Summoning. This would create for a shocking force to begin budding in this unknown corner of the Dark Universe... --- In the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy, two days passed! During this entire time, immense amounts of mana were constantly used to keep the techniques of law cultivation active, Noah being constantly surrounded by swirling colors of law essence as he advanced minute by minute without a pause. THRUMM! After two days, the Laws of Light and Dark while being enhanced by various factors finally came to completion, Noah actually obtaining 100% in all 6 laws required to be considered someone that held a Universal Origin Physique! WAA! At this moment, a unique phenomenon occurred as around Noah¡¯s expansive QUASAR, one could see the vibrant Law Origins of Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air in the form of swirling Nebulae. These swirling Nebulae shone with splendor as they actually resonated with each other, faint blue lines that went around Noah¡¯s expansive QUASAR forming to connect each of these Nebulae together! Outside, his body was being elevated in the atmosphere as the universal law essences seemed to be cradling him- welcoming the first ever being with a Universal Origin Physique since who knew how many eras. THRUUM! A magisterial sight of his body being set down like a delicate object occurred as the vibrant lights around him died down, his eyes opening with blazing golden lights that made him seem like a feral archaic being! Checking his body, he nodded in satisfaction as he considered it acceptable, even feeling that it was slow as he hoped he could finish everything within a day, but it took two days! If the genius of even Ancient Powers heard his thoughts, they would explode with jealousy as even beings like them took years to make the progress that Noah could make. The moment he completely mastered the 6 laws, his eyes went towards the Ruination Core that had been floating near the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy. His shining eyes looked towards it domineeringly as he waved his hands towards it, this shocking treasure that felt oppressive to him before seeming docile as it began to float towards him. [Are you sure...] Even the Novus Galaxy was hesitant after it found out of the history of where this Ruination Core came from, of the Cosmic Treasure known as Ruination that caused all of this! "I¡¯ve never been so sure in my life." RUMBLE! With a steadfast gaze, the square-shaped red and black Ruination Core touched his chest as it felt like searing hot metal, passing through his physical body as it delved into his Origin and hung atop his luminous QUASAR. It seemed to be deciding exactly which Law Origin among the 6 it wanted to go to, a red light shining from the many small holes of the square shaped Ruination Core as it then turned into a red streak of light that shot towards the Light Law Origin! THUMP! It smashed into the Origin with fervor as it vibrated rapidly, going into the center of the swirling Nebula of the Law of Light as it began to spin in a smooth motion. Every time it spun, a red light would be released that went on to shine over the Law Origin, this light encompassing more and more distance as the seconds passed! Every time the Ruination Core finished a rotation, the red light dr.a.p.ed over more of Noah¡¯s origin as it went on to cover over the other Law Origins and eventually covered all of his QUASAR. If a person then looked at Noah¡¯s body, they would begin to see it shining with a brilliant red light that shone with an oppressive air, his shining eyes filled with calm as he sensed an unknown sense of power spread through him! At the same time, he saw glimmering red words appear in front of his eyes. [Ruination Core successfully equipped. Which Affix would you like to equip?] "..." With a calm expression and eyes blazing with intense light, Noah looked through the hundreds of Affixes as he made numerous calculations for his plans! Chapter 731 - A Shocking Event! Across the Dark Universe, there were a variety of powers spread throughout where cl.u.s.ters of experts were collected. There were also lone Entities that traversed the Dark Universe as each of them moved with their own aims. On this day, across multiple locations in the Dark Universe- multiple beings were alerted of something shocking! The first one was an Entity we mentioned before- one that already held a Page of the Book of Ruination and even later went into a super Black Hole that held terrifying gravitational forces that even affected Entities to obtain another one. At this time this Entity was moving across the Chaotic Void As his face changed, bringing out the two pages he held as he saw they were shining with a brilliant red light! "A being with a Universal Origin Physique has actually come to be..." He was mumbling incredulously as he stared at the two Pages from the Book of Ruination! If one recalled the Book of Ruination was something that came to be when the Cosmic Treasure itself was sundered apart, being something that the treasure itself had done to leave knowledge behind future generations to have a chance of using it or even possibly piecing it back together. The first page that this Entity held was one that held an enormous amount of information on a being with a Universal Origin Physique,and the second page that he had obtained from the super massive Black Hole actually had explicit details of some of the history, enlightening this Entity some more as he understood more than others on exactly what this phenomenon he was seeing currently meant. "With their arrival, our Universe will one more begin shifting into a new Era as we prepare..." The gaze of the Entity shone with light as he wasn¡¯t the only one with these thoughts, multiple other beings facing similar situations through the Dark Universe! One was an Ancient Power of high stature that actually had its experts holding on to a Ruination Core since ages past, and someone that was watching over their treasure vault sensed that for the first time ever, the Ruination Core had began vibrating as it shone with an immense red light. This alerted many powerful experts and Entities, each of them trying to figure out what it meant to no avail! They didn¡¯t know that this was the same time that Noah brought in a Ruination Core into his body, his Universal Origin Physique letting him equip a terrifying tool that only a Galaxy had been able to use up till now. Aside from the previously mentioned Ancient Power, others just like it experienced similar phenomenons as some of them held pages from the Book of Ruination, with others being lucky enough to hold on to a Ruination Core themselves that they didn¡¯t even know how to use. In the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, a powerful Entity rose from his post deep in the core location of this Ancient Power, grabbing a communication Medallion as he sent word the moment he saw the brilliant red light shining from their treasure vault! "Pass word to the Holy Emperor, something has happened to the tools of Ruination! Also tell the Holy Prince Rudolf to make haste!" RUMBLE! In another location, an area of the Dark Universe where cl.u.s.ters of Quasars were actually rotating near each other. At the center of these rotating Quasars, a being with a cold demeanor and a small body was calmly floating, the aura of a Grand Dao swirling around her as her eyes opened briefly while she waved her hands, causing an appearance of a Ruination Core that was shimmering with red light to appear! "You little shit. I carry you all this time and find nothing, and now you¡¯re shining for what reason? Huh??" A voice of extreme coldness rang out from this being that held power which in no way matched her body, the swirling essence of the Grand Dao she released being enough to suffocate any Peak Tier GALAXY experts! In another location! The Entity that had just run with her tail between her legs after facing a terrifying Old Man Khan was traversing through the chaotic with a disgruntled expression. Her face then abruptly changed as she waved her hands and took out her page of ruination, her eyes shining as she gritted her teeth! "If I had another page...I would be able to understand more!" Rage filled her heart as she thought of all the beings that stood against her recently, swearing to take her revenge the moment she made a breakthrough as she would make them all pay. Being like her and even the old fogeys of Ancient Powers all reacted in similar ways on this day, the reactions of the Tools of Ruination across the Dark Universe sending waves. Simply put- a change occurred on the Dark Universe on this day as many powerful beings were alerted! Meanwhile, the person that caused all of this was sensing the profound strength of his body as he continued to stare at the blinking text box in front of him. [Ruination Core successfully equipped. Which Affix would you like to equip?] A question that seemed so damn simple and yet was so extremely difficult at the same time. But...Noah knew his next steps so he moved with conviction! For him, the immediate things he considered he had to get done were his laws, and it was because he held a shocking one of the Pages of the Book of Ruination that told him how to begin assimilating all of them once they are fully comprehended, this assimilation bringing about something grand. He had a hunch at what exactly it would bring forth, where he thought at the end of the Assimilation he would be gaining a Grand Dao or even more likely...a Cosmic Dao! RUMBLE! Just the mere thought of it caused waves of essence to erupt out as he made his mind. He had many tools to use in his hands as he currently focused on the Affixes of the Ruination Core...and the ability of [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark]! Chapter 732 - Affixes and Bookmarks When it came to which Affix he would choose, it actually went hand in hand with how he wanted to utilize [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark]! This ability would allow him to descend into the body of a being he had seen before as he gained a minute to make a choice on exactly what he wanted to learn. There were many paths he could choose to take for [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark]. He had met multiple shocking individuals in the past few weeks that each held their own uniqueness, and he had many options to choose from based on how he wanted to move. He could choose the Bookmark Old Man Khan, Anastasia Fredrick Windsor, or Rudolf Fredrick Windsor as he increased his comprehension in the Dao of Summoning greatly, moving past the abysmal number of .008 as he possibly gained entire percentages! Or he could choose to Bookmark the Entity that had been getting slapped left and right from the Burning Domains Galaxy as he obtained yet another Dao- Vitality! There was even the Animus Summon of Old Man Khan- the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm Starry Behemoth Tarragon who like the Void Serpent or the Colossal Helios Leviathan that Noah had summoned, they would unlock and start comprehending their own unique Dao when they reached the upper rank of GALAXY. The Starry Behemoth Tarragon that he had seen...was actually proficient in the Dao of the Void as it was the reason that it became the mount of Old Man Khan while traversing the chaotic void. Thus...he had many choices as he could choose to enhance or embark on new Daos, but he actually...was not keen on choosing any of them! As he made his calculations, he knew that the thing which would bring him immediate boost in strength and further help him set up his plan for how to move in the future. It actually dealt with things considered lesser than Daos, and it was the Laws! He wanted to first completely comprehend the Universal Laws as he embarked on finally assimilating them according to the techniques described in the Page of Ruination. With this, he could step on the path of possibly obtaining a Cosmic Dao from the combination of all Universal Laws, and he would only have to wait a month before he could use Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark to enhance or obtain something else. Yet...he also knew that obtaining another Dao had a stupendous supplemental effect, where when he obtained the Dao of Summoning, he was able to advance through the laws much faster! His eyes shone as a solution appeared in front of his Eyes, and it was the Entity from the Burning Domains Galaxy... He would use Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on this being not purely for the Dao of Vitality, but for her mastered and assimilated Law of Life! He was planning on spending the first 50 seconds of the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on heavily enhancing the Ultimate Law of Life, and the latter 10 seconds on her comprehension of the Dao of Vitality so that he could simply step on this Dao and gain its initial supplemental effects! Two prizes for a single Bookmark... He chose to heavily start by enhancing the Law of Life as he knew it would cause a chain reaction with the remaining Laws, this law influencing the speed of the Law of Death and all other Laws as they would be caused to rise and in a matter of days...he saw himself completely mastering all the remaining Universal Laws. An extremely domineering thought, but would he be able to achieve it?! He had the Laws of Life, Death, Karma, Space, and Time as the only ones left to master! Karma was already at 71% while Space and Time had already gone over +80%. Life was at 33% with Death at at 16%! He wanted these numbers to change rapidly in the coming days as he sat himself down and closed his eyes. The first thing he did was send his attention into the Ruination Core as he chose his Affix for now, something he could change whenever he wished as long as he provided enormous amounts of Mana! But since he only had a single Ruination Core at this time, he could only ever have one Affix at a time. This would change the moment he set off to find more Ruination Cores, and he knew where all of them were through [Excerpt III- Locations of Other Ruination Tools]! Shockingly, his next target that was the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter that actually held a Ruination Core! But he placed all these thoughts aside for now as he chose his first Affix. [Affix Selected- +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation to the Law of Life.] RUMBLE The unique light of Ruination descended onto Noah as he closed his eyes and reveled in it, his thoughts moving forward as his will cast another skill- [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark]! The target was the The Entity from the Burning Domains Galaxy that Noah had enraged before, the same being that was proficient in the Dao of Vitality after finishing fully comprehending and assimilating the Laws of Life and Earth. It wasn¡¯t mentioned before, but the name of this Entity was Nirnasha! Nirnasha of the Old Plains! The moment that Noah cast [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark] with this character as the target, he felt a part of him leave his soul and origin as he instantly shot out of the Novus Galaxy, the speed being nothing he had ever come across before as in just seconds, he crossed who knew how many light years across the chaotic void as the next time he blinked, he saw the illusory figure of himself already descending onto the familiar body of the Entity Nirnasha! This being was currently moving through the chaotic void to who knew what location, and she didn¡¯t notice a single thing as another being shockingly descended and assimilated into her very Origin, all of her secrets laid bare as Noah could gain access to everything. The moment he descended into her body though, a timer appeared on the corner of his eyes that read 60 Seconds, which went to 59 right after! His thoughts moved fast as while he adapted to the feeling of assimilating into the body of another being, he directly searched for and selected the comprehensions of this being¡¯s Law of Life as he wanted to make them his own! THRUM! His mind felt like it was receiving disjointed information that should not have been his, but his eyes began to shine as he collected all of it into a bundle of light that shone with a green l.u.s.ter. These were the comprehensions of an ultimate law that an Entity had spent years to cultivate, and he was learning them with ease as at the same time- he had the shocking effect of +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation to the Law of Life active! This would create for a shocking phenomenon as he did something nobody else in the Dark Universe could do- he was about to comprehend an Ultimate Law and master it in a stupid amount of time! Chapter 733 - Why not master an Ultimate Law in minutes?! The seconds dwindled down as Noah utilized [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark] to obtain the comprehensions of the Ultimate Law of Life, all of them being condensed into a bundle of light that stuck very close to his soul! During this time, the Entity Nirnasha continued on her journey across the chaotic void as she didn¡¯t feel a single thing, the ability that Noah was utilizing being that ridiculous. When time dwindled down and it neared 10 seconds left, Noah quickly switched his thoughts as his will said to now focus on another aspect of this Entity- their comprehension of the Dao of Vitality! In the next second, an even more vibrant verdant ball of light began to form around Noah¡¯s soul, its brightness being 10 times that of the ball of light that represented the Law of Life comprehension. This ball of light formed rapidly as the seconds passed, the timer that Noah could see in the corner of his eyes hitting 0 as his soul felt a pull back towards his main origin. Just like that- the first [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark] was used! Quick, efficient, with the target not even knowing that anything had happened! Yet...Noah¡¯s soul traversed the chaotic void at shocking speeds while returning to the Novus Galaxy, bringing with it two balls of light that represented something grand. One was much smaller than the other, but its brightness outshone the former dominatingly as the both of them returned with Noah¡¯s soul and delved back into his main Origin. BZZZT! The instant this happened, Noah felt like his brain was being split apart as hundreds and thousands of years worth of comprehension poured into him, yet his gaze was calm as he took all of them in! As for what happened next- we have to dissect it piece by piece even though it happened simultaneously! There were actually only 2 pieces- the Law of Life and the not yet learned Dao of Vitality. We will start with what occurred the moment that the large ball containing the comprehensions of the Law of Life entered and merged with Noah¡¯s soul and origin. Right before this, the percentage next to the law of life was at 34%. Another thing to keep in mind was the fact that at this moment, Noah had the affix of +10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation to the Law of Life active! This, paired up with him already having active the techniques to cultivate the Dao of Summoning, the Laws of Life, Death, Space, Time, and Karma...all of these factors went together to cause an unbelievable sight that had never before happened in history. The moment the comprehension of an Entity that had mastered the Law of Life entered his body, Noah¡¯s shining eyes saw that the percentage jumped from 34% to 55% in just a second! Yet...the ball of green light had not even been halfway absorbed as it continued to sink into his Origin, this percentage shooting up even higher as within his origin- the Primeval Tree of Life was shining with a shocking l.u.s.ter as it grew and branched out rapidly! The other laws he still had not mastered- especially death in particular as it reacted with the ridiculous percentage jumps of the law of life, all of these laws had also begun rising at rates much faster than before. Another second, and the Law of Life was at 70%! 80%! 95%! 100%!!! "..." Purely nonsensical! One must know, this was an Ultimate Law! Others took hundreds of years or even thousands to fully comprehend it, yet Noah had pumped it from 34% to 100% in a matter of seconds... Of course, this didn¡¯t just happen magically. It was due to the ridiculous 10,000% increased comprehension of the law of life granted by the Ruination Core, as well as the comprehensions of an Entity that had mastered this law herself. The 10,000% increase amplified the gained comprehensions crazily as it was the main reason this percentage shot up to 100% in mere seconds. When one looked at it from this perspective, it would be weird if he didn¡¯t master the law after all these factors! THRUM! Vibrant essence swirled as he looked like a black hole swallowing everything around him, even his Infinite Mana being utilized to make up for the difference that the universal atmospheric essence could not provide because of the speed he was absorbing essence with. Noah¡¯s dark hair flailed grandly as his emotions didn¡¯t even flutter after fully comprehending an Ultimate Law, his mind already moving towards the second piece of information we have to cover- which was the Dao of Vitality! This smaller but even more luminous ball of light had also descended into his Origin as he felt a majestic force from it, his thoughts quickly moving towards the Ruination Core as he gave a command- Remove the [+10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation to the Law of Life] Affix and replace it with [+10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Dao of Vitality]. RUMBLE! His Infinite Mana leaked out without reservation to make this possible, the high mana usage of the Ruination Core that would drain even Sages with every use being nothing to him as easily switched from one Affix to another. One may not be able to truly grasp just how much mana was utilized even as we reference how Sages would be drained with a single use of a Ruination Core at this moment, but when we delve into the stages after GALAXY- this idea would truly be cemented! But at this moment, the focus is on the verdant ball of light that represented the Dao of Vitality! The moment the affix was switched and this ball sunk into Noah¡¯s origin, all colors outside of his body changed as they were bathed in an intense green light! The Central Realm he was in where he was very close to the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy...the verdant green light even covered this expansive Realm as the Behemoths and Infernals within it trembled at the aura of a Dao that was descending down with fervor. The mystical swirling essence of the Dao descended down Noah in droves as the simple 10 seconds from [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark] where he focused on the Dao of Vitality of the Entity Nirnasha...gave him comprehension in the Dao of Vitality as the percentage very quickly passed even his previously learned Dao of Summoning! Chapter 734 - Merely Laws and Daos! When it came to the Dao, one could say with confidence that the difficulty for it exceeded the laws by multiple times! One had to put in tens times as much effort and have genius talent just to take a few steps in the Dao. This could be seen with how even Noah only had .008% in the Dao of Summoning after he first got exposed to it. Yet on this day, the small verdant ball of light that represented the comprehensions of the Dao of Vitality from the Entity Nirnasha as well as the Affix of [+10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Dao of Vitality] of a Ruination core...Noah watched with luminous eyes as a single number appeared in his stat panel, and it continued to rise until it reached 5%! Only 10 seconds of descending and assimilating into an Entity through the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark had given him 5% in a Lesser Dao... Of course, this percentage was only made possible because of the affix of the Ruination Core as well, but made Noah think of many things! He only allocated 10 seconds of the Bookmark to the Dao of Vitality, and it had granted him 5%. If he allocated the full 60 seconds, that theoretically meant he could advance in this Dao by 30%! Which meant just 2 more Bookmarks, two more months when considering the cooldown...and he could fully comprehend a Dao! Who could do such a shocking thing other than Noah? Who could even imagine such incredulity? This same concept would apply to the Dao of Summoning, where if he used the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on Anastasia, Rudolf, or Old Man Khan...just a few months would be enough for him to fully comprehend this Dao! When he did that...the type of power that his Summons would be able to show would be something simply ridiculous. His face remained impassive as he simply nodded at the progress, staying steadfast as the moment he saw the verdant ball of vitality disappear and he finished absorbing all the fruits of the now on cooldown [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark], he then turned his eyes towards the laws of Death, Space, Time, and Karma that were bubbling with essence while also advancing. These laws were progressing at fast speeds, especially the law of death, with the completion of the Law of Life that still had its Primeval Tree of Life vibrantly sprouting leaves and cascading its effects of enhancing others laws down on Noah¡¯s origin! Noah¡¯s thoughts moved as he utilized immense amounts of mana once more to replace the affix of Vitality on the Ruination Core as this time...he placed the affix of [+10,000% Comprehension & Assimilation in the Law of Death]. He actually planned to cycle through the affixes of Death, Space, Time, and Karma as he used this period of enhancement from the completed law of life and the swirling majesty of two Daos to actually...comprehend all of the Universal Laws! He ridiculously wanted to comprehend all of the Universal Laws in one swoop as he finally embarked on assimilating them with the method shown on the page of the Book of Ruination, as he stepped on the path that would grant him a Cosmic Dao whenever he finished assimilating all the Universal Laws. Such was his sight and plans at this moment...and he carried them out without hesitation! RUMBLE! The affix of the Law of Death was placed as this law began to go towards completion at even faster speeds. In the coming days, Noah would switch it to Karma, Space, and then Time as he cultivated all of these laws to 100%! A day passed. Three days! Two weeks! Shockingly, Noah remained steadfast for two weeks as he fully comprehended one law after another, switching from one Affix to another in the Ruination Core. After Death was completed, he targeted Karma, with the Laws of Space and Time finishing last on the 14th day as brilliance shone out. This was a brilliance of all the law essences of Universal Laws swirling around Noah! It was a multicolored l.u.s.ter of immense proportion as he looked like a precious treasure that was glowing on all sides. Within his Origin, his Manifested QUASAR thrummed with power as surrounding it were the Law Origin Nebulae of Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Within his Origin and Soul, he could also see the illusory particles of Aether and Chaos, Fate and Karma Lines, as well as the fabric of Time and Space! There was also the even more vibrant Trees of Life and Death that had thick roots entangling themselves within Noah¡¯s QUASAR. All Universal Laws, fully comprehended! THRUM! Dense vibrations spread out with Noah at the very center, a cylindrical light that seemed to be welcoming an archaic being shooting out from him and into the skies! This gorgeous show of colors continued for a few minutes before Noah opened his eyes once more to rejoice with a unique sense of power flowing through him. His luminous eyes glanced around him as even he had to take a pause, the truth of what he had done just now settling in his mind! He had actually gone ahead and fully comprehended all of the Universal Laws after he first embarked as a Rank F Hunter just a few months ago. Less than a year! Less than a year since he began rising through the realms of power...and he now stood at this position. Who could claim to be able to do this? Who could claim such ridiculous advancements?! He was such a ridiculously shocking genius that he could stand atop the geniuses of Ancient Powers and have them grovel below his feet! There were sacred things that many people could not even hope to master multiple of them, yet to Noah... he could say they were merely Laws and Daos. RUMBLE! The domineering thought only made Noah¡¯s demeanor more vibrant as his body was still surrounded by colorful swirls of essence, moving on to his next goal as his hand waved forth and brought a page from the Book of Ruination appeared in front of him! Chapter 735 - Begin Assimilation! What exactly was the Assimilation of laws and daos? It was the act of becoming one with the laws and daos after one had comprehended them- the act of fusing these concepts to their very beings as they wielded shocking power. Of course to Noah, it meant being able to deal even more horrendous damage or obtaining ridiculous defense. The page from the Book of Ruination in front of him detailed a lot of things, but it focused on the act of Assimilating Laws! It talked about a unique method of assimilating all laws, and even discussed about other methods of Assimilation that would provide different results. Like the previous Ruination Tools, this page had sections that were filled with unintelligible words before, but the upgrade in Eyes of Truth with the completion of the Protagonist Trait made it so that Noah could see all of this information! The [Excerpt] of this page talked about a method where one could assimilate together the Laws of the 6 Elements that granted Noah the Universal Origin Physique(Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air), the result of assimilating these laws together granting the Grand Dao of Six Elements. Yet Noah breezed past this information as he cared not for assimilating laws into a Grand Dao, his eyes searching for the information he truly wanted as he found it soon enough! [When all Universal Laws are assimilated at the same time, a Cosmic Dao lost in time can be brought to life, a Dao that one needs if they truly want to be able to utilize the Cosmic Treasure that birthed the Ruination Cores. When one fully assimilates all the Universal Laws, the Cosmic Dao of Ruination will be born.] [The technique that allows one to combine all their laws and assimilate them as one is termed The Primordial Universal Alignment, and it uses the laws as the base in order to bring forth the Dao of Ruination when the assimilation is complete...] Numerous bundles of information entered Noah¡¯s mind as soon enough, an Absolute Skill was clearly displayed in his in his stat panel! <> :: A technique that assimilates all learned Universal Laws simultaneously, refining the Origin and Soul of the user as the insights and comprehensions of the laws are forged into them. As the task of the ability is truly grand, only those at the level of Great Sages are capable of providing the essence required to activate it and keep it active for a few minutes before they have to regenerate their reserves. "..." Noah¡¯s heart beat could be felt with extreme clarity as he read over this information, the fact that The Primordial Universal Alignment was such a high level technique that only Great Sages had enough mana to utilize it for merely a few minutes made him laugh! With his Infinite Mana, he was planning on activating this stupendous ability at all times as he passively assimilated all the Universal Laws, seeing exactly how long it would take him before he could fully Assimilate them as he gained a Cosmic Dao that nobody else could even dream of achieving right now. THRUM! Without a second delay, The Primordial Universal Alignment technique was cast for the first time, and shockingly the last time as Noah would not initiate its activation ever again- he would always keep it active until his goal was achieved! The moment the skill was cast, his QUASAR felt a unique sensation as he felt all the law essences inside him to have been provoked, each of them vibrating as the tout 10 million Fate and Karma Lines, Chaos and Aether Particles, Nebulae of Light, Dark, Fire....all of the law essences were pulled towards his vibrant QUASAR as they infinitely neared it. The Trees of Life and Death that were already within the QUASAR were even more vibrant, their leaves turning illusory as they seemed to be ever so slowly merging with the surroundings. This was Assimilation! All the learned laws that Noah learned being pulled towards his origin and soul as in time, they would fully be incorporated into him as he could utilize them with such ease as if they were his own limbs! The power of any skills and abilities of laws would be enhanced by ridiculous degrees when one became assimilated to them, and now Noah had embarked on this path. He monitored his Origin as he saw a new section appear on his stat panel, one that showed the arduous road ahead of who knew how many months before he would achieve his goals! [Universal Laws Assimilation: .00006%] A decimal percentage with many zeroes that caused his heart to ache, with this number actually only being this high because he still had the affix of +10,000% to the Comprehension and Assimilation in the Law of Time active since this was the last law he mastered. Even while enjoying the +10,000% boost in the assimilation of just a single law, the number was still rising abysmally as Noah saw among all of the slowly assimilating law essences, the law of time was fusing at 100 times the rate that other laws were fusing at! But just this number would still cut down what might have taken him years to accomplish...in possibly just a few months as whenever a law was fully assimilated, he would switch to another Affix. OOOM! The essence around him gradually calmed as he nodded while breathing out, seeing everything going smoothly as stepped towards the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy while feeling like a new man. In the span of just over two weeks, he had accomplished a great deal of things as his power was enhanced greatly, and yet he still had many things to do! He still had to summon another Animus Pet from the body of Noah, train the Colossal Helios Leviathan to Grand Completion of the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, get ready to embark for the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter where multiple goals coincided as along with joining an Ancient Power and expanding his knowledge of the numerous powerhouses of the Dark Universe- another Ruination Core resided within this Ancient Power. There were many more things he had to do in addition to the aforementioned tasks above, but the mission in front of his eyes as he strode towards the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy was a simple one. "With powerful Entities and unknown Ancient Powers that hold legacies of the foolish Sages and Great Sages as our potential enemies, we have to strengthen ourselves even more so that no random being can just stride in and destroy everything we have built." RUMBLE! His voice was calm as his steps were light, his eyes shining with a multicolored light as he came within a few inches of the obsidian core of his home Galaxy-something that in the past gave him immense pressure, he looked up at this core as he stayed shocking words! "I think the time has come to fully fuse my Infinite Realm with your core, to elevate it to the stage of a Galaxy as we can finally use its features to create something grand." ...!!! Chapter 736 - Upgrade the Infinite Realm! In the Central Realm of the Novus Galaxy, Noah spoke with a calm expression about something monumental, a task that would produce a shocking reality that not even those who currently owned Spiritual Lands could believe to be possible! He spoke of fusing the Infinite Realm to the Novus Galaxy, of upgrading this treasure that began as a Spiritual Land into something that could be called a Galaxy! One must think back and recall that in the beginning, there was only this small Spiritual Land that was a floating land mass in the Northern Region of the Beast World. A mere floating land mass that had unique uses, the same location where an arrogant Emperor Penguin led thousands of beasts! This floating landmass went on to become a world, and even further on to become a Realm. Now...it was actually a possibility for it to go into the stage of a Galaxy! Ah! Who could have thought this possible? Who could have imagined such grand advancements of something so minuscule? "If we can utilize the features of the Infinite Realm, of the portability of it and the ability to fuse with other entities...I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t form a moving Galaxy that slowly gobbles up other Galaxies...creating a power no less than these Ancient Powers waiting for us out there." RUMBLE! A grand goal and aspiration! A domineering thought that would even cause Sages and Great Sages to tremble! [This was inevitable.] The voice of the Novus Galaxy rang out after a few seconds as it understood the gravity of the situation. For the Novus Galaxy to fuse with the Infinite Realm, its core had to be eaten up and assimilated by the core of the Infinite Realm, and this process would be very unique as both of these entities already shared a connection with each other! Thus, their fusion should not pose too much of an issue! And when it came to be Infinite Realm itself, the requirements to upgrade it to the next level have long since been met as the Infinite Realm beasts rose from Star Forging all the way up to Black Hole at this time, the only thing needed being the core of the next stage this realm would want to achieve. "Then let us not waste any time." RUMBLE! Waves of essence erupted out as within this same Ancient Grove where the core of the Novus Galaxy resided, the archaic blue door that represented the gateway into the Infinite Realm floated peacefully. If one recalls, Noah had dragged this blue gateway into the Celestial Realm weeks ago as his Infinite Mana Trait was brought to completion after the Novus Galaxy formed a line of connection that shot into the gateway to reach the Infinite Realm. This time around, something even more dangerous and grand would be occurring as within the Ancient Grove of the Central Realm where the obsidian Core of the Novus Galaxy resided- this obsidian core began floating towards Noah as he held it delicately in his hands...and then walked through his Realm Gateway! The core of a Galaxy was extremely delicate, and Noah had to careful to not even make grand spatial movements with it as even passing through the Realm gateway was risky. But this occurred without any issues as in the next instant, Noah appeared above the skies of the Infinite Realm. The moment he appeared, the voice of the Infinite Realm rang out in his mind as even its coldness seemed to contain a hint of excitement! [Is it truly time, Master?] "Since the requirements are met and we have a Galaxy Core, let¡¯s upgrade to the next tier." Noah nodded his head as a mystical light began to converge around the obsidian core of the Novus Galaxy, this core then being pulled towards the Central Continent as it was there where the fusion of realm and galaxy would occur, the influence of the Infinite Realm expanding to cover an entire Galaxy! This wasn¡¯t like the previous upgrade of Tiers when a core of a world had to be sacrificed in order to proceed. This time the core of the Novus Galaxy would be assimilated into the core of the Infinite Realm as the two became one and the same, the product being something that nobody could have imagined. Such a task was nearly impossible to do, especially when it came to the master of the Infinite Realm being capable of providing the essence required to carry out the fusion of a Galaxy. Yet when it came to Noah¡¯s Infinite Mana, such things were purely useless! THRUUM! The moment the core of the Novus Galaxy disappeared into the earth of the Infinite Realm, a wave of essence reverberated out as the inhabitants within felt a grand change. The newly risen Black Hole experts from the ranks of Harbingers left their abodes as they spread their senses out, they eyes very soon locking towards the outline of Noah in the skies while they sensed the vibrations that had began to spread out across the entire Infinite Realm. In the minds of all these Harbingers of Sin, only a single thought singularly passed through them. ¡¯Just what ridiculous thing is he doing right now?¡¯ A question on everyone¡¯s mind, and a grand sight for all to see! It was a grand sight that would not just be experienced by those within the current Infinite Realm and Novus Galaxy, but also a show that could be seen by any nearby Entities within a range of a few light years. This was because the mana that was going to be consumed in order to upgrade the Tier of the Infinite Realm and fuse an entire Galaxy with it...was truly monstrous! What occured in the next few minutes could only be considered a fantastical sight that very few would ever come across in all their lives, a sight that would take an uncountable number of pages to describe but could be summarized in a few sentences. It was a gorgeous show of colors as in the skies of the Infinite Realm, its master was required to provide the mana to catalyze the fusion as from him, a blue light began to leak out. The shimmering blue light of mana only further brightened his figure to those glancing up towards him, their hearts beginning to thump with unknown feelings as they saw a majestic image of a being erupting out with an immense aura, tendrils of blue lights leaking from his eyes as his body shone with even more blue l.u.s.ter- all of this essence flowing down towards the Infinite Realm endlessly! It was a magisterial sight as Noah looked like an ancient being from ages past, his face expressionless as his eyes blazed out with tendrils of blue light! Chapter 737 - My Infinite Galaxy! I In an unknown corner of the Dark Universe, a Galaxy was undergoing deep changes as a brilliant blue light spread out from a certain Realm and went on to cover everything in sight. This was the same Galaxy that had undergone Life Essence Endowment as its atmospheric and universal law essences were boosted to great degrees, and now a mystical light of pure mana spread out across all of corners and grooves as the master of an Infinite Realm wished to connect this entire Galaxy into his Realm, making it something he controlled! Such actions though, required immense amounts of mana- mana that would not leave the hands of a normal being, but would instead be seen from powerful Entities that were in the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm that had lived for tens of thousands of years and had built up great mana reserves. So when an ability or skill was used that utilized such high levels of mana, its brightness and pure oppressive pressure could be felt a few light years away! As Noah let his mana flow freely to fuse the cores of his Infinite Realm and Novus Galaxy together, there actually happened to be someone passing a few light years away from the discrete Galaxy, this being turning his head towards this direction with shining eyes. Coincidentally, it was the same Entity that was traversing the Dark Universe for the pages from the Book of Ruination, the same one that currently held two pages and was looking for the Esteemed Being that had successfully established a Universal Origin Physique that could utilize the tools of Ruination! "Let¡¯s see which guy is being so flashy hmmm?" This time, this Entity went towards the powerful aura of mana being utilized, making way towards the Novus Galaxy rapidly! Meanwhile, Noah oversaw the process proceeding smoothly as his mana grandly washed over the entire Galaxy, his origin feeling a unique sensation as he was connected to both the Infinite Realm and Novus Galaxy before their fusion. If he were to close his eyes and describe what was happening, he would draw the Novus Galaxy to be a circle as right at the center of it, his Infinite Realm had placed itself as it utilized his mana to release numerous strong lines that connected everything within this Galaxy to itself and kept it together! THRUMM! At this point, the entire galaxy seemed to be vibrating with the gorgeous light that Noah released as it neared completion, those in the Infinite Realm who could see the scene only looking up in unbounded shock and incredulity. Within the past Infinite Realm, the Beasts that were naturally born within from the dense condensation of essence were bubbling with essence as they found their Realms to be breaking through with the influence of the place they were tightly connected to being elevated even higher. RAA! RAA! RAA! The piercing cry of an Emperor Penguin could also be heard as it made an even smarter use of this opportunity while sensing the bubbling essence in its body, waving its flippers as it went on to hug Cores at the Ranks of Black Hole and QUASAR that Noah had given out to them to increase their Realms- the arrogant penguin hugged these cores as it began to absorb them in conjunction with the enhancing of his Realm that came with this phenomenon! Its stage in the Realm of Black Hole began to be elevated rapidly as it wanted to see if this opportunity could be used to break into QUASAR. There was no worry about something like Grand Completion, so what prevented this majestic penguin from using the opportunities provided to it to advance forward?! THRUM! In another region, the Terrors that were the original protectors of the Galaxy were gathered together as the planetary sized Cthulhu spread out its senses with a somber gaze. Many emotions seemed to be rolling through its mind as the other three Terrors also glanced towards it, their thoughts being something that only they were privy to! Yet the process that was taking place...was nearing completion as the brilliant blue light of mana flashed out even brightly to announce the completion. RUMBLE! The whole galaxy seemed to pulse and tremble with power as the raging essences gradually died down. Outside of the Galaxy, if one was looking at its boundary they would be able to notice the transparent barrier to turn into a brilliant hue of blue, its thickness beginning to increase by multiple hundreds of miles as it seemed like an endless fortress wall. Inside the galaxy, dense atmospheric essence was running rampant as Noah¡¯s eyes opened to look at the results of the actions he had taken today. He looked at the used to be Infinite Realm that was now fused with something even grander as a voice rang out in his mind. [The fusion and integration of a Galaxy has successfully allowed the Tier to be elevated to 12, with the current stage being that of a Galaxy.] The voice was feminine while holding a hint of excitement, Noah picking out the mechanical qualities of both the Novus Galaxy and the core of the past Infinite Realm in it! He nodded his head at the voice as his gaze swept out across the Realm he was in and saw through the boundary to glance at the millions of stars outside of this huge galaxy. Even the starry space shimmered with intense light as his body still had a glimmer of a shining blue light bouncing off it, his heart feeling extremely full as what he accomplished today was out of his wildest dreams! As his eyes gazed upon this new galaxy, he spoke as a deep and sonorous voice rang out throughout the past Infinite Realm and extended to the hundreds of thousands of miles nearby, a voice filled with strength and regality that could be heard by experts and lowly rank F beings alike. "My Infinite Galaxy..." RUUUMBLE! His words seemed to usher its full completion as a light shined out brightly, announcing the arrival of something shocking that would make waves across the Dark Universe in the coming future! It was the coming of the Infinite Galaxy, and the many possibilities that it came with! Chapter 738 - My Infinite Galaxy! II In the new Central Realm of the Infinite Galaxy. This wondrous Realm that was the source of the Spiritual Land that later became a Spiritual World and Realm was currently the location where the core of this Galaxy now resided! The many inhabitants within this Central Realm did not even know what to make of what had just occurred, but those who knew Noah as well as some of his secrets could not help but tremble when they heard his resounding words that reverberated throughout the Realm. "My Infinite Galaxy..." RUUUMBLE! His words shook them to their core as they realized the shocking meaning of it when it related to Noah and his Infinite Realm, and they realized this ridiculous guy had truly done something crazy! Barbatos was among the many that were looking towards Noah in stupor, her small figure crackling with deathly essence as over the past weeks as her strength increased, her curves had only become more prominent as her expression was much too vibrant for the Necromancer that reveled on destruction. Currently being at the Realm of Black Hole, her power had grown greatly as her Undead Legion grew ever so larger, this force being enhanced even further as she had placed all her focus and skill points on elevating the Arch Lich Skill Tree that Noah had left behind in the Library of the Infinite Realm! All this time, she had been telling herself that she was surely getting closer and closer to him in strength, that she was only a rank behind where he was and she could confidently stand beside him again while raising her head high. Yet as she saw his image as he looked like an archaic creature out of primordial times while he was apparently fusing the Infinite Realm to the Novus Galaxy...she was finally able to admit something to herself that allowed her to feel as if shackles were lifted from her heart! This guy...was not someone she should even f.u.c.k.i.n.g think of matching or standing next to on an equal level! But...she realized that she did not have to be in the same realm as him or be as strong as his in order to confidently stand beside him, nor should she change how she acted towards him because of his continued elevated position. This thought caused her to feel immense weight lifted off her shoulders as while she gazed at the image of Noah still glimmering with blue light, her face regained the same mischievous smile and coldness that Noah had first seen when he met her in the Lost World of Atlantis, her small body shooting out towards him as she shouted out grandly while leaving all reservations behind. "Little Fish!" THRUM! In the state of awe filled stupor that everyone was on at that moment, the figure of Barbatos streaking across the shimmering skies and diving into the wide chest of Noah was imprinted on the minds of many! Far off in the distance, Adelaide was being held back by the Shadow Guard Night as she looked like she was about to pop off, Elena nearly shooting off blood spears with her eyes as even further away, the Inquisitor Athena had a forlorn expression. At this scene, the tendrils of blue light shooting off of Noah gradually faded as he looked down towards the Barbatos that was hugging his chest as hard as she could. He raised his hand as he patted the head of this curvaceous Necromancer as his heart calmed down, bringing to a brief stop as he took in the accomplishments of what he did! To go from where he was to his current position...was truly a thing of wonder that deserved amazement from all angles. In the next instant though, the smile he had on his face was wiped away as his eyes squinted, his own senses and the Infinite Galaxy feeling a terrifying aura of strength wave over them as outside of the blue boundary of the Galaxy...a huge being with the oppressive aura of an Entity had appeared! This was the same Entity that had sensed the profound fluctuations of mana from a few light years away, coming to this location to check it out as to his shock, he found out that it was merely a Galaxy. Yet this Galaxy carried a unique sensation as it had qualities he hadn¡¯t come across before, and his expression changed heavily as while his aura spread out, it caught onto the image of a single figure as this Entity sensed something shocking within this being! "This...this!" He called out incredulously as inside his personal isolated space where he kept his items and treasures, he felt the two pages from the Book of Ruination trembling as his own power that sweeped over the galaxy saw a shocking image on the being he locked in on- it was the image of 6 swirling Nebulae that represented the Universal Origin Physique he had only read about, as well as the even more shocking item he had only heard about actually dwelling within one of these Law Origins, a Ruination Core! Faced with this situation, even the Entity couldn¡¯t help but fall into a stupor as the being he was searching for with all his heart had ridiculously appeared right in front of him. Yet on the other side, Noah wasn¡¯t feeling the same way as the moment he felt the aura of an Entity that seemed multiple times heavier than even the Entity Nirnasha while also feeling the trembling of the Tools of Ruination he had on himself- he made a move right away as he knew he could not deal with such a powerful Entity at this moment! So he wasted no time as before he could even look at the new features of the Infinite Galaxy, he used [Size Regulation] paired up with immense mana to cause the enormous size of the entire Galaxy to instantly shrink down, leaving the watching Entity with even more shock as he observed the galaxy with the length of a few thousand light years incredulously shrink down so damn rapidly that it barely became a speck in the chaotic void. Instantly! The entity then felt waves of spatial fluctuations as he called out hurriedly. "Wait...!" ...but it was to no avail as Noah who knew the dangers of powerful Entities, especially one that seemed multiple times more powerful than one that he previously met...he instantly teleported away after he shrunk and anchored an entire Galaxy onto himself, not wasting a single millisecond with the foreign Entity! "..." "You...!" The Entity looked forth incredulously at this sight, not even knowing how to move as his face soon turned into anger and frustration. He was right there! The being he was searching for this entire time...the answer to everything he wanted...had just stupidly slipped past him the moment he was found. Ah! Aside from this, he was even more shocked by the methods this being had utilized, being able to actually control an entire Galaxy into a miniscule size as he teleported with it...this was something that even this thousands of years old being had never come across before! Meanwhile, spatial fluctuations erupted out on the other end where Noah had made his destination, his figure appearing in the chaotic void near the Nexus Galaxy as his eyes landed on his next target while he reflected on what just happened. Chapter 739 - {Spiritual Galaxy Management} In the chaotic void not too far away from the Nexus Galaxy, Noah gazed far away as he thought about the recent situation. His mind moved rapidly as he realized that the Entity wasn¡¯t randomly pulled towards his Infinite Galaxy, and that it was very likely that his high usage of mana that could rival and surpass those in the GALAXY Realm was the thing that alerted this Entity. Realizing this, Noah made sure to plan to mask both himself and the Galaxy whenever he carried out grand moves like this in the future so that he wouldn¡¯t draw too much attention to himself! Noting this, his eyes landed on the shimmering Galaxy he had miniaturized in the palm of his hand as many thoughts crossed his mind. Even after he just used enormous amounts of mana to utilize the features of this unique treasure that were now applicable to something as grand as a Galaxy, Noah didn¡¯t think much of it as it required basically nothing from him! But the possibilities themselves were huge when one remembered exactly what features were present in the previous Infinite Realm and even the past Spiritual Land. All of these features were now present in this shimmering Galaxy in the plan of his hands! Can you imagine the stage you would have to be to accomplish what Noah was doing now? To literally hold a Galaxy within his hands?? Such a thought brought a smile to his face as he then glanced towards the far away Nexus Galaxy. Within this Galaxy, the body of Alexander had warped in the Central Realm he had been invited to before as he went forth to bring a proposition! As Noah shared the same soul and it was just another one of his bodies, his eyes saw an imaginary scene where Alexander arrived in the Central Realm as the obsidian core of the Nexus Galaxy looked towards him questioningly. But Alexander¡¯s words were simple as he smiled and said, "Do you want to be a part of something larger? To guarantee the life of all the beings in this Galaxy as you don¡¯t even have to worry about Entities?" Alexander had begun using honeyed words with the core of the Nexus Galaxy as Noah planned to fuse this Galaxy into his Infinite Galaxy first! He would then move on to the Stellar Sky Galaxy and the few other Galaxies that were under the influence of the Imperials as the task ahead of him was insurmountably large. When it came to fusing more Galaxies though, the task would actually be very easy to do as the cores of galaxies were nothing but logical beings! The moment that Noah revealed the nature of the Infinite Galaxy, as well as the nigh impossibility of killing the owner of it...these logical entities would be going against their very nature if they did not make the decision to be fused into his Galaxy. The only thing left to do after giving them the offer is sharing memories with them as they confirm the truth of Noah¡¯s abilities and the unique features of the Infinite Galaxy! Noah also stared at the character shimmering faintly outside of the Nexus Galaxy- the character that read EXPANSIVE which Old Man Khan had laid down before he left! His eyes shone as he knew that while it might have seemed like a form of protection due to Anastasia speaking out, it was more than likely also possible to monitor the large movements of the Nexus Galaxy with it. But it didn¡¯t give Noah any worries as he planned to cast covert skills the moment the fusing was about to occur, this EXPANSIVE character floating in the chaotic void only being able to observe the disappearance of a galaxy thereafter! As Noah waited for the eventual results from Alexander¡¯s task, his eyes turned down to the stat panel as he viewed the past {Spiritual Realm Management} that was now {Spiritual Galaxy Management} {Spiritual Galaxy Management} [Infinite Galaxy-12] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-XXX, C-XXX, B-XXX, A-XXX, S-XXX, EPIC-XXX, LEGENDARY-XXX, MYTHICAL-XXX, PHANTASMAL-XXX, TRANSCENDENT-XXX, SAINT- XXX, VOID- XXX, SOUL-1,224,274, DOMAIN- 324,827, WORLD-66,924, STAR FORGING- 13,247, NEBULA- 828, BLACK HOLE- 23 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic, Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora, Qilin¡¯s Cold Stone, Resonant Okra, Arctic Flora, King¡¯s Collard, Athramire, Phantom Mulberry, Fire Starter, Frigid Apple, Fate¡¯s Orchard, Chaotic Amaranth, Aether Infused Willow. Available for planting(Immemorial Dragon Fruits, Mythical Fruit of Life) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Unlocked), Law Space(Unlocked), Blacksmith¡¯s Forge(Unlocked), Division(Unlocked), Alchemy Hall(Unlocked), Library(Unlocked), World Integration(Unlocked), Realm Gateway(Unlocked), Pocket Realm(Unlocked), Assimilation(Unlocked), Trait Blessing(Unlocked)....Dao Birth(Locked) Upgrade Conditions- Over 100,000 Assimilated Galaxies The beautiful set of words that displayed a summary of his Infinite Galaxy were clearly displayed as he gave a light smile. The thing one would notice first would be the number of beasts, especially those in the Nebula and Star Forging Realm that now existed within the Galaxy! Due to the high number of cores that Noah provided as well as the recent upgrade of tiers, many of the naturally born beasts of the Infinite Galaxy experienced great progress as the number of Nebula Rank experts towered over 800. This number was really eye opening when one realized that the past Novus Galaxy had only had a few Nebula Rank experts that could be counted on one¡¯s two hands, and now with Noah¡¯s influence there were hundreds in just a matter of months! Aside from this shocking number, there were also the unlocked features as well as the upgrade requirement into the next stage, which actually required 100,000 Galaxies to be fused into the Infinite Galaxy. This was the reason why Noah had already gone ahead and began discussing with the Nexus Galaxy, as he knew he had to truly make an effort in the days to come if he wanted to accomplish this! With all future Galaxies he wanted to take under his banner, he would have one of his clones constantly make way through the Dark Universe as more and more Galaxies were taken under his banner. When the time came for him to actually have the requirement of fusing 100,000 Galaxies...he believed the Infinite Galaxy would be grander than even the domains of the Ancient Powers! Chapter 740 - Fuse With Nexus! Noah¡¯s eyes honed in on the newly unlocked features as grand thoughts crossed through his mind! [Assimilation] :: Existences of similar nature can be assimilated into the Infinite Galaxy as the bounds of its expansion are only limited to the capabilities of its master. As long as the other party is willing, assimilation is as easy as can be. [Trait Blessing] :: The Master of the Infinite Galaxy can choose to awaken the Traits of the beings dwelling within. Traits are specific to the beings themselves and the tier cannot be chosen by the Master of the Infinite Galaxy, this concept remaining fairly random with higher chances for greater tiers being attributed to the fate of the being. As Traits require the very essence of a galaxy and this Infinite Galaxy has a Master, the mana of this Master will be exchanged for the required galactic essence needed to awaken and develop Traits. Use sparingly as if too many Traits are granted at once, the user can face mana depletion as their core dries out and dissipates. The features were stupendous, to say the least. [Assimilation] was very straightforward as Noah only gave it a few glances, but it was [Trait Blessing] that made his eyes shine with splendor! Such an ability seemed to come just in time when it came to elevating the strength of all the beings in the Infinite Galaxy, where if he wanted them to be comparable to beings that had been living in the domains of Ancient Powers...mass strengthening them all with Traits was definitely a way to go about it. He glanced over the details as he felt the only way to truly satisfy his heart was to see its effect right away, bringing his palm up as he let the miniaturized Infinite Galaxy float in the chaotic void. His eyes then honed into the Central Realm of the Infinite Galaxy- the one that used to be known as Infinite Realm where his home and most of his people were located! Just a test, he focused on all the remaining Harbingers of Sin that had not unlocked their Traits yet, as well as the high tier Beasts of the Infinite Galaxy. RUMBLE! He then cast the [Trait Blessing] ability as his eyes observed a curious sight! All the beings he selected had begun to shine with a dense blue-silver light, each of them looking blankly in space a moment later as they most likely saw a notification pop up on their skill panel about a Trait! Such a scene would have left anyone with shock, yet Noah had done it so nonchalantly as he merely nodded while seeing the happiness spread on the faces of the beings he chose. These Traits would greatly enhance their strength, and Noah as the Infinite Galaxy Master could freely awaken the Traits of the beings dwelling within it...so what prevented him from putting out that classification that he wanted to awaken the Traits of all beings within the Galaxy right away? He had the Mana to do it, so why not?! This grand thought entered his mind briefly before his shining eyes had to look away from the miniaturized Infinite Galaxy and stare towards the Nexus Galaxy. At this moment, he looked over to this galaxy as in its Central Realm, Alexander had finished discussing with the core of the Galaxy as things went as expected- this logical entity went with the path of being assimilated into his Infinite Galaxy! With a knowledgeable nod, Noah floated towards the Boundary of the Nexus Galaxy as he floated only a mile away from it. He then took the Infinite Galaxy in his hands as he let it freely float in the chaotic void. If he wanted to be showy, he could have expanded the size of the Galaxy back to its light-years distance before he proceeded with the fusing of another Galaxy, but even while miniaturized the fusion would occur without any issues! In the effort to also hide from prying eyes and the shining EXPANSIVE character floating in the chaotic void, the body of Alexander in the Central Realm of the Nexus Galaxy breathed out as he clasped his hands, casting some not so recently utilized [Blood World] and [World Veil]! If one recalls, these were abilities stemming from the Vampyre Progenitor Bloodline that created a huge circular barrier and cast a veil on a world where nobody could see nor feel what was happening inside even when spreading out their aura. Such skills were normally employed at the level of worlds, or even just a few meters of miles to just surround an enemy. Yet Noah was using them now to hide the happenings of entire Galaxies! THRUM! Essence surged silently with the casting of the covert skills, very little fluctuations resounded out as from the body of Alexander, a transparent red circular tinge that smelled of tangy metallic odor erupted out. It covered the Central Realm in less than a second as it spread out even further, enormous amounts of mana pumped into it as it was covering millions of miles instantly! The sheer grandness of this could not be expressed more as very soon the barrier and veil covered a light-year¡¯s worth of distance, and in a matter of minutes went on to cover the entirety of the Nexus Galaxy¡¯s thousands of Light Years size as it simply expanded a little more to cover the body of Noah and the miniaturized Infinite Galaxy outside the boundary. With the spread of these skills, of course the powerful beings of the Nexus Galaxy felt it- but the core of this galaxy itself sent the Imperial Adjudicator a message to make all Imperials stand down as they prepared to enter into a brand new age, an age where they were joining hands with powerful beings that were doing things which should not have even been possible! With the proper skills in place and all the pieces together, the fusing of galaxies would take place as enormous amounts of mana were utilized, never again powerful Entities being able to pick up signals of Noah using horrendous reserves of mana unless he wished for them to. Such was the stage where we have arrived! Fusing actual galaxies as the being in question could even cause it to miniaturize and hold a Galaxy in the palm of his hand. After this fusing of the Nexus Galaxy and carrying out discussions with the natives to bring order, Noah still had many things to do on his plate as he was already on his way to reducing his workload and make his way towards the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! This would of course be achieved by the hundreds of thousands of skill points that had spilled past a million after his siege, as well as his skill trees... Chapter 741 - Make Way Towards an Ancient Power! From the siege of the Burning Domains Galaxy, Noah had truly gained much as one of the biggest things was his skill points! To understand their scale at this moment, we must take a look at his stat panel that was also filled with gorgeous numbers and percentages. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Controller(All Laws)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana & Protagonist] [Dao(s) : Dao of Summoning- .1%, Dao of Vitality-5%] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil : Matured Stage] [Primeval Tree of Death: Matured Stage] [Aether Particles(s) : 10,000,000] [Karma Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Fate Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Chaos Particle(s) : 10,000,000] [Origin Core(s) : Light-10, Dark-10, Fire-10, Water-10, Earth-10, Air-10] [Domain(s) : Life, Death, Aether, Karma, Fate,Chaos, Light, Dark, Space, Time, Fire, Water, Earth, Air] [Vitality: QUASAR] [Focus: ¡Þ ] [Strength: QUASAR] [Law(s) : Life-100%, Death-100%, Aether- 100%, Karma-100%,Fate-100%,Chaos-100%, Light-100%, Dark-100%, Space-100%, Time-100%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-100%, Air-100%] [Authority(s) : Life Lord, Death Lord, Aether Lord, Fate Lord, Chaos Lord, Karma Lord, Space Lord, Time Lord, Light Lord, Dark Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord, Earth Lord, Air Lord] [Skill Points :: 2,537,246] A gorgeous set of one hundred percents all around! A beautiful and round 10 million on laws! Such a sight would cause one to tremble with joy as the happiest one for Noah was the number displayed next to the Skill Points. 2,537,246! This number had shaken Noah¡¯s heart as he nearly had the thought of simply moving Galaxy to galaxy and laying siege to everything on sight! But he wasn¡¯t a common mass murdering Protagonist...was he? Unless he was provoked and it was a war for survival, he would not go out of his way to hurt those not aiming for him or those who were not oppressing others. But the number of skill points was truly eye opening as he had many ways to utilize them. One of the biggest was of course the advancement of his skill trees, where he could comfortably consume the skill points to max the proficiencies of his skill trees and elevate them higher and higher if they were rising too slowly even with the help of the clones utilizing their skills! There was also the creation of a skill that could do the same function of Summoning Animus Pets for his people, as well as a few other skills Noah had in mind himself. But the first task was the upgrade of his Skill Trees that had fallen far behind as he was now relying on powerful Animus Summons, with his focus on the skill tree of the [Blood Lord] that granted him the versatile clones. Then there were the skill trees of Fate and Life he wanted to focus on, a large number of skill points being required to pump them from their current levels all the way to QUASAR. THRUUM! Vibrations of essence were ringing out in the chaotic void as near the light-years distance where the Nexus Galaxy used to be, only vast emptiness could be seen along with an enormous moving fortress that towered over 10,000 meters large. This was the Colossal Helios Leviathan, the Animus Pet that Noah had now trained up to the peak of the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! Having a Manifested Realm, this Leviathan had grown ever so increasingly larger as it literally seemed like a moving fortress. Atop this leviathan, Noah was laying on his back while glancing at the never ending chaotic void that would make any normal being have an existential crisis. Beside him, the figures of the large Void Serpent, Three-legged Fate Crow, Oraculothorax, and Calamity Bear were sitting around while glancing towards their master with shining eyes of amazement from his recent actions. Noah was thinking about a lot of things at this moment, his mind wandering from the coming Apocalypse of the Dark Universe that could arrive in a day or in ten thousand years, as well as the many unknowns of what he would be able to accomplish as he stepped towards a grander stage! As of right now, he was already taking the right steps as the fusion of the Nexus Galaxy into the Infinite Galaxy had already completed successfully, where he was now lying on the back of the Colossal Helios Leviathan while staring out towards the chaotic void while fiddling with the Infinite Galaxy in his palm. Inside of it, Alexander was meeting with the Imperial Adjudicator and the QUASAR ranked experts that came from the Nexus Galaxy, all of these beings having now heard messages from what used to be their Galaxy as they were told of the situation! They could only accept it with incredulity as thereafter, there would be a lot of discussions on how to manage and rule the light years worth of distances that would increase in the future with every assimilated Galaxy. We didn¡¯t need to spend entire pages discussing the interactions of these characters as well as their discussions, simply knowing about it in passing being enough as our focus lies elsewhere! Above the Helios Leviathan, Noah breathed out as he let the proceeding discussions and management of the Infinite Galaxy be taken care of by his other bodies, his own gaze landing on his stat panel as he went to his Skill Trees. While he made his way towards the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, he would be bringing up some of these skill trees as well as creating new skills. During this journey, he would be stopping at numerous Galaxies for the purposes of assimilating them into the Infinite Galaxy, and as Noah¡¯s main body took care of organizing the skill trees , his clones would have the job of the galaxy fusions, with one clone taking the time to be with his subordinates and the body of Alexander working to manage and relegate positions to manage the Infinite Galaxy! With the tasks being divided and clearly defined, he set off right away as a silver light covered the enormous body of the Colossal Helios Leviathan, the entire party of Summoner and Summons disappearing as their first target on the trip was the Starry Sky Galaxy. After this galaxy was assimilated, they would make way towards the nearby galaxies under the influence of the Imperials as the journey towards the Expansive Dragon cl.u.s.ter went underway! During all of this, our focus remains on Noah who had spent multiple skill points to open up the path of the [Blood Lord] skill tree to the QUASAR Realm! Chapter 742 - A Skill Tree at QUASAR! The skill trees that Noah held were many, and as he had an overabundance of skills, he wanted to focus on a few specific ones that he would fully utilize and they would go further to support him as he gradually changed his battle style. At this current moment, his combat power was enhanced the most by the Animus Summons, the terrific pets that held powerful bloodlines and rarities that could be brought to Grand Completion in a matter of hours! Every day he was refining the bloodlines of these pets, where all of them would be awakening into their hidden bloodlines when they stepped into the Peak Tier Galaxy Realm. This meant that he would have a genuine Golden Crow instead of the arrogant chicken, and a powerful creature with a rare Bloodline even in the Animus Universe- the Jormungandr! We also have to mention the Calamity Bear that holds the Bloodline of the Archaic Void Calamity Millennium Bear as well as the latest Animus Pet Noah had summoned- the Colossal Helios Leviathan. This was the one that Noah was keeping a close eye on as it was already at the Low Tier Galaxy Realm, and the moment it entered the stage of Peak Tier it would awaken the bloodline of the variant bloodline of the Royal Helios Race that actually grants it understanding in the Grand Dao of Macrocosm! Aside from this Animus Pet becoming exceedingly powerful, Noah could also get his hands on a Grand Dao through Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark... Even with all of this, Noah still had 1 more chance to summon an Animus Pet as both the bodies of Alexander and his own had reached the QUASAR Realm, and he planned to summon this one as he made his way towards the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. So while keeping the terrifying possibilities of the Animus Summons in mind, Noah would raise skill trees that could further explode his power and theirs as he created something that even future Entities would be fearful of! With this in mind, he began by upgrading the skill tree that had focused on him and made many things possible, where he later planned to delve into the skill trees under the laws of Life, Death, and Fate that he used man skills of to enhance his Animus Summons during the Siege of the Burning Domains Galaxy. What he focused on first was more for himself, it was the Blood Lord skill tree being brought to the QUASAR Realm! QUASAR [Blood Lord] (45/45)... >>[Fledgling Blood Ancient] (75/75) ... >> [Fledgling Ancient] (100/100) Abilities Include [Ancient Essence] (5/5), [Clone Master] (5/5), [Blood Magic Support] (5/5), [Galaxy¡¯s Favor] (5/5)...>> [Ancient] (125/125) Abilities include [Ancient Fortitude] (5/5), [Blood Scion Support] (5/5), [Ancient Ruler] (5/5), [Death Law Enhancement] (5/5)...>> [Ancient Terror] (150/150) Abilities Include [Ancient Terror Form] (5/5), [Blood Fantasy] (5/5), [A Dance of Blood] (5/5), [Blood Sacrifice](5/5)...>>[Void Terror(Blood)] (175/175) Abilities include [Clone Enhancement] (5/5), [Void Physique] (5/5), [Blood Realm] (5/5), [Void Displacement](5/5)...>>[Void Devouring Blood Terror](200/200) Abilities include [Void Form](5/5), [Blood of the Void](5/5), [Devouring Void](5/5), [Unbreakable Void Body](5/5) From the World Rank that the Blood Lord skill tree was left at, it was brought up to the QUASAR stage where the additional line of the skill tree for the Star Forging Rank was known as [Ancient], the Nebula Rank was known as [Ancient Terror], the Black Hole rank was known as [Void Terror(Blood)], and lastly the stage at QUASAR had a tree with the name of [Void Devouring Blood Terror]! [Clone Enhancement] :: The user can summon an additional clone as they are further enhanced, being able to display 120% of the power of the main body. ...This skill was stupid enough as it actually granted 20% more power to his clones, being a nonsensical thought that caused him to shake his head as he thought he should just sit back and let his clones do all the work since they can display even better combat power than him! Apart from this, there was also another skill related to clones when the Blood Lord skill tree reached the rank of QUASAR, it was the ability known as Void Clones. [Void Clones] :: Apart from increasing the limiter of clones by one and bringing it to 4 summoned clones, this ability grants the unique attribute of the Void to all clones as they gain 50% Damage Reduction from all sources while in the Chaotic Void. The unique composition of their body also allows them to rapidly regenerate and heal from deadly injuries while in the Chaotic Void. This ability made it so that Noah could summon a full line up of 4 clones, where one had to simply double that number when they brought his identity as Alexander into the picture! Such a reality of 8 clones and 2 main bodies was fearful when one truly thought about Noah¡¯s abilities. Yet at this moment, he was just thinking of the many different tasks he or the clones could take as he moved with such efficiency that even Sages would be in envy of! Aside from the skills dealing with clones, many others were support abilities that further enhanced the skills in the Blood Lord skill tree by percentages or granted him a new form to take, an example being Ancient Terror Form similar to the Cthulhu Form or the [Void Form] of the QUASAR ranked Void Devouring Blood Terror skill tree line. There were even more useful skills like [Void Displacement] that actually allowed Noah to move through the chaotic void with ease, this ability granting his 100% movement speed as the Blood Lord skill tree went towards the route of a creature that made the chaotic void its home. [Devouring Void] was an attack ability that devoured everything within a mile radius, even the chaotic void itself. This skill was just one among the many attack or support skills that Noah gained from taking the Blood Lord skill tree all the way to QUASAR! THRUUM! At this moment, Noah raised his head up as he saw their first stop of fusing the Stellar Sky Galaxy was successful, his new clone holding on to the miniaturized and ever expanding Infinite Galaxy now beginning to make his way over to the Sanguine Galaxy and the remaining Galaxies that were under the influence of the Imperials. This meant Noah was free to forge ahead to the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter while continuing to expand his skill tree and create new skills, leaving many of the tasks he had to do to his clones! He sat atop the Colossal Helios Leviathan as the fortress sized Animus Summon streaked across the Chaotic Void, multiple days passing and going in the darkness... Chapter 743 - Skills and Skill Points Meanwhile, a day had passed as Noah traversed the Chaotic Void and came across absolutely nothing. His clones continued their work as they split into multiple directions in the chaotic void of the Dark Universe to see if they could discover more Galaxies, one clone carrying the Infinite Galaxy as he carried out the fusions! As the number Noah needed to fuse into his Galaxy was 100,000...he knew he had a lot of work to do. Other clones were moving throughout the Infinite Galaxy as its features were explored further as the features of Blacksmith¡¯s Forge and Alchemy Hall were used to produce splendorous treasures and items. Yet the attention of the main body was currently placed on skill trees and creating new skills as an ability that he had placed in [Skill Creation] would be taking 500,000 of his over 2 million skill points. It was a skill he was waiting to create before he summoned his next Animus Pet, and also a crucial skill he wanted to place in the Library Feature of the Infinite Galaxy for his people to study. It was a skill that made one capable of summoning Animus Pets, one that didn¡¯t require the use of the Absolute Skill that could not be copied into the Library Feature like the <>! He already had the [Dao of Summoning Traverser] skill that allowed one to step on the Dao of Summoning and the [Animus Summon Trainer]that allowed one to train Summons, but he didn¡¯t yet create a normal skill that his subordinates could use to actually summon Animus Pets. Thus, the product called [Ancient Animus Summoning] came to be! Simply replacing Archaic with Ancient, the change of this ability lied not in the name, but in the description that Noah specified that got its cost to run up to 500,000 even after he made some revisions! This high cost meant that it would not only be effective for his subordinates, but also something he could use to continue summoning high rarity pets in the near future. [Ancient Animus Summoning](5/5) :: All one needs is minor proficiency in the Dao of Summoning, and they can call forth the rare creatures from the Animus Universe. This ability allows the user to call forth summons of Rare rarity of above, where a common rarity would be an impossibility and the chances of summoning Ultra Rare and PRISMATIC Animus Summons are slightly increased. You see? It was a truly wondrous ability that still cost 500,000 skill points even after Noah rephrased it from being able to summon only Ultra Rare pets and above while giving a 50% chance to summon a PRISMATIC Animus. THRUM! Essence waved out atop the body of the Colossal Helios Leviathan as Noah gave the go ahead for the skill to be created, the clone who was carrying the Infinite Galaxy acting as the intermediary to inscribe this skill into the Library Feature as it could not be used by his subordinates! When it came to who could actually utilize it as it required someone to have stepped on the path of the Dao of Summoning, it was actually the Imperial Adjudicator being the first one aside from Noah in the Infinite Galaxy to gain initial understanding! This being was already thrumming with emotions after losing his wife and daughter, and the moment he had access to Noah¡¯s [Dao of Summoning Traverser], the Adjudicator who was already in a forced contract with an Animus Summon finally sensed the Dao of Summoning. In the past few days, the other ones to gradually gain initial understanding and have a percentage of .000...% in their stat panels were some of Noah¡¯s Harbingers of Sin, the Emperor Penguin leading the way once more in an arrogant fashion as he was also on the cusp of breaking through into the QUASAR Realm after being power leveled with Cores. This meant that at this moment, some beings in the Infinite Galaxy could begin summoning Animus Summons! In Noah¡¯s mind, the skills he created were much better than even the ones that the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter provided, and this was shown from the fact that many of his people were already stepping on the dao in a matter of days. When one also thought about the effect of skill points on the [Animus Summon Trainer] skill tree that allowed a being to contract a pet a level above him and increased effects of refining their bloodline and enhancing their Realm...they would realize that Noah was fostering a fearsome power that could grow to rival these so called Ancient Powers rapidly. This was because his subordinates did not necessarily need to be strong themselves as advancing through the realms and learning laws might be time consuming and hard, but summoning and training pets was bound to be a really fast process to great strength as long as they could keep training their realms and bring them into Grand Completion for each stage! This would not be too hard to do as one of the features of the Infinite Galaxy was its abundant essence, as well as the Medicinal Herbs and Fruits of this unique Spiritual Galaxy that could be eaten or refined into pills or even the [Alchemy Hall] feature that allowed Noah to form pills to quickly help a being regenerate their mana and health. If his people could train their summons while utilizing the resources of the Infinite Galaxy and simply pop mana recovering pills every time they were drained...having experts with multiple summons with Manifested Realms would not be too hard! When that happened, nobody could call Noah¡¯s subordinates weak characters that contributed nothing and simply leeched off of him! In the Infinite Galaxy, the Imperial Adjudicator and Emperor Penguin were the first to rush into the Library to obtain the [Ancient Animus Summoning] technique as they tried their luck right away. It was bound to be an exciting few days for the inhabitants of the Infinite Galaxy, and the same applied for Noah as he would actually be first to utilize the [Ancient Animus Summoning] technique to summon the last pet he could summon at the QUASAR Realm! With an ability that increases the chances of summoning Ultra Rare and PRISMATIC pets being given to him who had only been summoning pets of that level, does it not just guarantee him PRISMATIC pets when he summons anything in the future? THRUM! His eyes unknowingly shot out golden beams of light as he prepared for a future where even Ultra Rare pets were not a possibility for him! Chapter 744 - A Holy Princess is Returned Home! In the vastness of the Dark Universe, one could cross its expansive chaotic void and spend days and weeks before they came across anything. In the past weeks, the party of Holy Prince and Holy Princess of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter was returning to this Ancient Power in haste while standing atop a Starry Behemoth Tarragon that was being controlled by a fearsome Entity- Old Man Khan! This party was finally nearing their destination, only being a few minutes away from entering the controlled domains of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. Yet at this time, the face of Old Man Khan rapidly changed as he brought the Starry Behemoth Tarragon Dragon to a stop. "What¡¯s wrong?" Rudolf, who was standing majestically up front, looked towards the powerful Entity seriously as he asked Old Man Khan¡¯s eyes were cloudy as he seemed to be confirming something, uttering out shocking words that even caused the nearby Anastasia and Anna to stand up in shock. "The little galaxy that Anastasia was residing in...has disappeared." ...! "What?!" "How?!" Anastasia and Anna looked forth with Anger as they shouted out, Old Man Khan looking languidly at them as he spoke slowly. "The character I left behind to oversee the galaxy only observed a single being warping near the boundary of it, a unique veil then erupting from within the galaxy itself and wrapping around it entirely as all my senses were cut off into it. When this veil disappeared, there was only a tumultuous chaotic void as the entire galaxy was gone." ...! Old Man Khan¡¯s words were calm, but he still seemed unsure of himself as the sequence of events did not make sense and were too shocking! Rudolf heard the words as his eyes squinted, glancing towards their goal far in the distance as he spoke. "So there was an Entity connected to that Galaxy...one powerful enough to ensnare us into a spatial storm from far away to force our hands on his behalf and also powerful enough to warp an entire Galaxy. Might it be an entity proficient in the Grand Dao of Voidspace?" The words caused Anastasia and Anna to look towards each other in stunned silence as they knew nothing about a spatial storm, Old Man Khan only replying that he wasn¡¯t sure. Rudolf then turned towards his sister as he said calmly. "I kept my promise to you and left behind our will to protect the Galaxy, but whatever protector it had has taken it after you left. This is out of my reach." His stoic words caused the expression of Anastasia to change, her eyes blazing with anger as she pulled Anna close. This Imperial Princess was still in a stupor as she thought about her dad, not knowing the status of his safety as they were unsure of exactly what had happened! The image of a genius friend she had made also popped in her head later as she sighed with anger and frustration. Meanwhile, the Starry Tarragon Behemoth had continued forward under the command of Old Man Khan, this party entering the domains of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as a grand sight opened itself in front of their eyes. When coming in contact with the space under the control of an Ancient Power, one would first notice the sheer grandness of it as the domains of these powers spanners hundreds of thousands of light-years if not millions! A Galaxy could span a few thousand light-years, which meant that within the scope of an Ancient Power, there were numerous Galaxies contained within, each with their own uniqueness. The sight in front of Anna and Anastasia was the shimmering appearance of the boundaries of two Galaxies, their figures seeming extremely minuscule due to their size as the Starry Behemoth Tarragon did not even glance at these galaxies and simply passed through the space between their boundaries! Around this area, unique vessels and the figures of many beings that seemed like grains of sand in a vast desert could be seen stationed near the boundaries of these Galaxies, all of them bowing respectfully when the party atop the Starry Behemoth Tarragon passed across the Chaotic Void. Rudolf remained with the same expression as his voice rang out with slight vigor and majesty as they entered through the outer perimeters of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. "I welcome you back home, my dear sister and niece." THRUM! His words were followed with the Starry Behemoth Tarragon moving past the first two galaxies at great speeds as they seemed to have broken through a veil, the darkness of the chaotic void seemingly no longer existing as a brand new space opened up in front of them! Anna¡¯s eyes reflected the shimmering colors of light as she saw that all around them, one could see the outline of multiple galaxies cl.u.s.tered very close to each other, all of them arranged in a circular location as they seemed to be orbiting a single area at the exact center. To even see the sheer grandness of this, one had to actually be an Entity that could spread their aura out for a few thousand light-years distance! They would be able to see the stupendous cl.u.s.ter of galaxies that went into making the name of this Ancient Power- the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! When it came to the part of the ¡¯Dragon¡¯, this was much more clearly seen as the thing that the many galaxies were all cl.u.s.tered around, the thing that was the culprit in illuminating the surrounding chaotic void and making it seem like a brand new world...was an enormous draconic outline that seemed over 1000 light years long. Surrounded by many galaxies, it was actually a huge Realm that was displayed outwardly like a world, its shape in the form of a huge dragon that was over 1000 light-years long! This draconic shaped Realm shimmered with different colors at each body part, its pairs of wings alone shimmering with red l.u.s.ter as they held atop them who knew how many trillions of beings. The light that took away the darkness of the chaotic void came from this dragon shaped Realm that was the location for the core powers of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. It was the home that Anastasia had been raised in, it was the Expansive Holy Land! Shining splendrously in the chaotic void as it purified away the darkness with immense light, and being surrounded protectively by numerous Galaxies in all directions...the party had arrived at the Expansive Holy Land as a lost Holy Princess was brought back home! Chapter 745 - Fast as F***! As one party arrived in the magnificent Expansive Holy Land that was surrounded by a cl.u.s.ter of galaxies, another one was still making its way atop an enormous Colossal Helios Leviathan that rumbled through the chaotic void. Atop the Leviathan, Noah¡¯s currently summoned Animus Pets were training as the future Jormungandr had abyssal shimmering eyes while facing a fiery gold chicken and tanky Calamity Bear. CAA! CAA! A cry resounded out as the fiery golden flames of the Three-legged Fate Crow descended onto the enormous serpent, the Calamity Bear looking down like a king as its paws spread out wide to give a hug of life and death. THRUUM! At that moment, the body of the future Jormungandr shone with a dark l.u.s.ter as the flames lost their effectiveness, and its serpentine body that was about to be constricted by the hug of the bear vibrated as it expanded even further and broke through the restrictions! CAA! The fiery golden chicken squawked at this as its golden beak rose to the skies, letting out a complaining voice thereafter as its three legs jumped up and down. "No fair! Your bloodline is much higher than ours and we can barely touch you! Why don¡¯t you match Big Bro Leviathan? Hmm? Scared?" "..." The enormous serpent was quiet as its eyes squinted, its forked tongue coming out its mouth as it seemed to be looking at this squawking chicken like a delicacy! The eyes of the chicken shook at this as it ran behind Noah while raising its voice even higher. "Master! Look at this guy, he¡¯s licking his lips again and looking at me like a meal! He doesn¡¯t respect this Golden Crow one bit!" Noah smiled at the shenanigans of the pets as he pacified them, their nonchalant demeanors helping him escape the doom and gloom of an unknown Apocalypse. He stroked the golden feathers of the chicken as he calmed them down. The Variant Oculothorax was sitting off to the side as its proficiency was in Soul Damage, its golden eye simply blinking as it watched everyone else. "Alright alright, come to a stop for a second. Let¡¯s add someone else to the family." His eyes were followed by a shining light from the summons atop the Leviathan, while the Leviathan itself had its voice thunder out thereafter. "Already capable of summoning another one of us at your stage? Truly a mysterious Master..." RUMBLE! The voice of the Colossal Helios Leviathan caused fractures in the chaotic void as Noah only smiled, waving his hands grandly as he cast his recently self created skill, [Ancient Animus Summoning]! CRACK! A rift opened up in the void as it spread out rapidly, this one being a distinctly golden red color unlike the rift caused by the <> that Noah received from Anastasia. His self created [Ancient Animus Summoning] was much better, with no chance of summoning Common pets as it even increased the chances for Ultra Rare and PRISMATIC summons! So when Noah cast forth the ability, he was already expecting another PRISMATIC Pet, and nothing else. The rift opened up wider and wider, the colors of gold and red making it seem as majestic as something could be as its size spread out to be slightly larger than the Colossal Helios Leviathan. Noah expected an enormous creature that caused the very void to tremble, but in the next instant, a black flash was the only thing he saw as his eyes barely followed it, the next second his eyes meeting the golden blue of a foreign creature that was an inch away from him! THRUM! Waves of essence spread out as the rift closed, Noah¡¯s eyes opening wide as the pet that popped out was merely two meters, it¡¯s face feline as its dichromatic eyes shone luminously while staring at Noah. The speed of this creature shook Noah as he didn¡¯t even see it before it appeared in front of him, and he quickly released the archaic contract to bind the creature to him. A bright light shone over both of their bodies as an illusory runic symbol imprinted deep into their souls, a contract being formed as the eyes of this creature shone with an interesting light! [Mercurial Obsidian Panther](PRISMATIC) :: An Animus Summon at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. It is a unique species with the Bloodline of the Noble Black Panther Clan of the Tempestuous Realms of the Animus Universe. Its proficiency lies in quickness and speed that can even rival beings of higher stages as its deadly claws deal even more dreadful damage, with the laws of Space, Time, and Air being mastered. This Mercurial Obsidian Panther has already embarked on the Lesser Dao of Alacrity, further enhancing its speed. Yet another shocking summon at the rarity of Prismatic, yet another at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! SHAA! SHAA! SHAA! The extremely dark Obsidian Panther seemed to be blending into the darkness of the chaotic void as his figure could only be seen as an after image of a black flash, its body actually appearing in front of the Void Serpent, Three-Legged Fate Crow, and all the other summons as it gazed upon them up and down with shocking speed. "Interesting." It spoke with an excited voice as instantaneously, it appeared inches away from Noah again as it showed off ridiculous speed that easily bested anyone here! "Multiple beings just like me and a master that seems weaker but not really! Good, let¡¯s have some fun! What are we doing now? We¡¯re going somewhere right? We must be, this area of the void is too bleak and boring so we¡¯re heading into Primal Lands? Or Chaos Galaxies? Wait no, let¡¯s go explore a Shattered Grotto..." The words of this Obsidian Panther shot forth like a barrage of bullets as it didn¡¯t stop for even a second, its figure continuing to flash around the leviathan as it said different things to every being it came across! Yet another unique summon had joined Noah¡¯s party as he was more than a week into his trip towards the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, his shining eyes looking over this new pet as he gave a command to recall all the other summons. THRUM! All the Animus Summons returned as only the Obsidian Panther was left, its golden-blue eyes shimmering as it blasted off words once more. "Ah were they slowing you down, Master? I got you. I¡¯m one of the fastest Animus Summons you will come across, I¡¯m fast as..." Chapter 746 - Let me save my progress! Noah¡¯s trip towards the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter became extremely fast after using the Obsidian Panther as a mount. The Mercurial Obsidian Panther had extremely dark fur that shone with a bright l.u.s.ter, its figure streaking across the chaotic void as it melded into it seamlessly. A trip that should have taken another two weeks was actually cut down to one, the treasured Medallion that Rudolf Fredrick Windsor had given Noah telling him he would arrive in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter in just a few hours! In the past week, many changes had occurred as Noah advanced another 2 skill trees into the QUASAR Realm while he also brought his Obsidian Panther into the Grand Completion of the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. The power of the speedy summon was enhanced even more as when it came to the skill trees, he purposefully stopped at advancing 2! This was because each skill tree came with a large number of skills, and he wanted to focus on a few powerful skills he could utilize every time in battle so that the repetition of him having hundreds of available skills and yet utilizing very few of them didn¡¯t repeat. He reflected back to how he had mostly utilized the abilities of the Law of Fafe and Life in his previous battles, choosing the skill trees of these two laws to be brought up aside from the Blood Lord skill tree! He very much wanted to touch others skill trees like [Arch Lich Ra-Zan] as his heart always beat faster whenever he set his eyes on an enormous undead legion led by a dreadful lich. He set this aside for later or he would simply observe the sight when Barbatos brought it up to the QUASAR Realm in the near future. In the near future, he planned to send down Barbatos and the other powerful beings on his Infinite Galaxy to farm some skill points and finally utilize their skills in life and death battles in the Burning Domains Galaxy! There were still two Low Tier GALAXY Fiends left behind within this Galaxy, with many more at lower ranks spread throughout the wide Galaxy as even Noah did not have the time to take down all of them in less than an hour. So he planned to let his people descend onto this Galaxy as he left it alone for them to gain skill points to quickly advance their skill trees. Having descended and assimilated into the moving Entity Nirnasha, he knew that there should be no problem with this being popping back up in the Burning Domains Galaxy. In this manner, many skill trees that even Noah didn¡¯t get a chance to play with would quickly be brought up to Black Hole and QUASAR! As for Noah himself, he was very content with the abilities of the upgraded [Incandescent Emperor] skill tree and the [Primeval Tree of Life], many support skills coming to be as the newer offensive skills had even stupider percentage increases! He looked forward to seeing these skills in action while he summoned numerous pets on whatever enemy decides to stand in his way... SHAA! The Obsidian Panther streaked across the chaotic void thunderously as Noah had to grab its silky fur just to hold on, very quickly nearing the coordinates that the treasured Medallion he was given indicated! Only minutes passed before he began sensing the life force of beings, his eyes landing on two galaxies near each other as many small figures and vessels were passing between their boundaries. Currently, he had the face of Alexander as this was what he would use in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, and it was also the face that Anna and Anastasia were still familiar with at this point. He came to a stop as he neared his target location, his shining eyes glancing towards his Trait as he looked at one particular ability within it before he proceeded any further! He was glancing at the Protagonist trait as he first saw the abilities of [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark], [Deus Ex Machina], and [Plot Armor] had already finished their cool downs as nearly four weeks passed since he last used them, 2 weeks passing while he mastered all laws and another 2 weeks passing on his trip towards the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! This meant that he could enter this Ancient Power without any worries, but he wanted even more assurances as at this moment, he was actually looking at the [Save Point] ability that he had yet to use! This ability allowed him to return to a previous time point if ever he faced a situation where his life was on the line, with the ability activating by itself anytime an attack strong enough to kill him appeared. He could also activate it himself to return to any previously saved time point as at this moment, he wanted to do just that. Beforehand entered into this unknown Ancient Power that held terrifying Entities among their ranks, he wanted to first save his progress! [Save Point]! THRUM Essence erupted out silently as a unique essence covered Noah, most of it wrapping around his origin and soul protectively as it looked like it was cradling something extremely precious. This essence made Noah feel extremely comfortable as if nothing in the world could hurt him, nodding his head in satisfaction as he waved his hand to recall the Obsidian Panther and continued to fly towards what would be the entrance into the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! Just the entrance was actually an area that was surrounded by a galaxy to its left and right, the procession of beings moving in the middle of these two boundaries before they could fully lay their eyes on the shocking Expansive Holy Land! "Halt!" As Noah neared, a thunderous voice traveled in the chaotic void as he was brought to a stop, the source of the voice appearing in front of him as a humanoid being appeared in front of him. This being was humanoid, but Noah¡¯s eyes shone as he saw that the head and upper body was that of a dragon! In front of him, a being of the exalted Dragonoid race of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had appeared! "I do not sense an Identity Medallion on you, are you a guest?" The thunderous voice resounded out once more as Noah observed this Dragonoid to actually be at the QUASAR Realm, the even more shocking thing being the swirling essence of the Dao of Summoning around him! Noah nodded at his words as he waved his hands, causing the Medallion that Rudolf Fredrick Windsor had given him to appear. "I was given this Medallion by the Holy Prince Rudolf himself." ...! RUMBLE! His words seemed to carry weight thereafter as the demeanor of the QUASAR ranked Dragonoid changed, his eyes squinting as he nodded and spoke carefully. "A Qualification Medallion to fight for the chance to be a Holy Descendant of our Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter...follow me!" Noah gave a bright smile as he nodded, floating behind the Dragonoid as he finally stepped into the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! Chapter 747 - Fathers and Daughters In the Infinite Galaxy, a Ruler was in the mystical space looking down on a multitude of stars and hidden realms of what seemed like a Galaxy, and yet this galaxy seemed never-ending as it spanned endlessly in all directions! This Ruler was of course the fearsome Imperial Adjudicator who ruled the Nexus Galaxy and even took multiple other galaxies under his rule. Yet in the past few days...this same Imperial Adjudicator found himself questioning life and whether it truly had meaning as his entire world view was shattered! A being that he thought to be a genius of his galaxy turned out to be something purely ridiculous, someone that his own Galaxy worked with to bring out an unbelievable event to fruition. Before the event, the Imperial Adjudicator was actually in a depressive mood as he thought about his wife and daughter, sensing his own powerlessness as he simply watched as they were taken in front of his eyes! Previously, he had made Alexander promise to take care of Anna whenever he made his way towards the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, but that was only a desperate father using all means available as he thought about his family. He didn¡¯t really think Alexander would be able to make much of a difference even when it came to Anna, much less Anastasia. Yet now... "Ridiculous..." His voice thundered out as in the starry space he was in, he wasn¡¯t alone as not too far from him, a sparring battle was going on that involved creatures nobody would have expected to see. The Imperial Adjudicator was watching the sparring of multiple Animus Summons that were the pets of beings at Lesser Realms than him, where even he had a new Animus Pet to his that shone with a regal countenance! RAA! RAA! RAA! The shout of a boisterous Emperor Penguin that was riding atop a Wyrm Water Dragon could be seen as he tangled with a valiant dark skinned woman backed by a six winged humanoid creature that released a shocking golden light! "OOOH!" The shout of a dark swordsman also resounded out as he led a Hellion Bull to smash into an enormous Panda that was being ridden by a Vampyre Queen! That¡¯s right! The Imperial Adjudicator was shaking his head disbelievingly at the sight of multiple Animus Summons in the Infinite Galaxy, something only made possible because of the being that made this Infinite Galaxy come to life, the being he only thought to be a small genius! In less than two weeks after the fusing of his Nexus Galaxy with this force, Alexei found himself stepping on the path of the Dao as he found other beings with even more talent than him do the same, terrifying strength being displayed as his wise eyes saw something many other people didn¡¯t see. The Imperial Adjudicator¡¯s eyes saw things in the span of a time period, and as he looked at the terrifying rate of growth that this new force he was a part of had...his despairing heart when it came to his family actually became bright again! He knew that with the shocking and fantastical things he was seeing right now, it was actually possible for him to bring back his family in just a few tens or hundreds of years as he expected this force to grow into something rivaling Ancient Powers in that period of time. Yet...even at this juncture, the Imperial Adjudicator didn¡¯t truly understand the new force that was led by the enigmatic Noah Osmont as he gave them tens or hundreds of years to grow into the same level as Ancient Powers that controlled the Dark Universe. To Noah...even a few months was too much time! RUMBLE! --- In another location, a father was about to meet his daughter after many years as the atmosphere was actually not jovial, but rather oppressive! Deep within the Expansive Holy Land, a gorgeous Holy Princess walked through the fantastical palace with the demeanor of an untouchable fairy as she went towards a certain area. It had been a few days since she had returned, and only now was she walking towards a certain place to see someone! Word of the return of the Holy Princess had made their rounds across the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, a unique atmosphere descending down as this signified too many things. But Anastasia ignored all of this as she moved forward steadfastly! She passed through the mystical halls that were actually cloudy as they were filled with dense atmospheric essence that coagulated in the surroundings. Anastasia only spent a few minutes before she passed through an archway that led into a paradisiacal garden, this garden being empty of everything but a single being that stood in the middle of it while staring at the overabundance of rare vegetation growing all around. The man standing within the garden had a simple white robe, his built body being seen clearly even though he looked to be past his middle age as one could describe the aura he emitted with a single word- powerful! "Father." Anastasia called out shyly as even her voice had a slight tremble, the elegance she normally showed not being present as she seemed like a simple daughter coming back to her father after she was caught doing something wrong! The being who was called out to, the Holy Emperor turned towards Anastasia as a smile could be seen on his face, his body instantly warping at her position as he used his wide hands to stroke the crimson hair on his daughter¡¯s head. "Little Ana, I heard you¡¯ve actually given this old man a granddaughter." Anastasia nearly choked as she felt the strong hands of the only figure that caused her fear, as she felt immense love and affection from his words that she nearly jumped into his chest. ¡¯Maybe...maybe things had changed?¡¯ She entertained a thought she thought to be impossible as she looked at her father that was looking at her lovingly, her words barely coming out. "...yes, Anna¡¯s been looking forward to meeting you and mom." She spoke slowly as the Holy Emperor nodded, his voice resounding out once more as the moment it did, Anastasia gradually felt the tone of the voice change. "Good, I want to see my granddaughter as well but..." RUMBLE! Immensely powerful and domineering waves were released the moment his ¡¯but¡¯ ended, his smiling and loving gaze instantly disappearing as the majesty of a ruler filled with regality took its place! "But you, as a Holy Princess of our Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter...abdicated your duties as you believed your happiness was more important than the blood, sweat, and tears that multiple Entities and the past Sages have put in." ...! Anastasia looked up towards the expression on her father¡¯s face as her heart trembled, none of the love and happiness she saw prior was present, only an impassive countenance as a resounding voice continued. "Even though you are my daughter, your identity as the Holy Princess comes first, and you ran away from your duties when you were needed most! You...have sorely disappointed me, Anastasia!" RUMBLE! Anastasia shook as she couldn¡¯t even look in the eyes of her father anymore, the coldness within it chilling her heart as she felt immense pain! A heart wrenching scene! "Because of your weakness, countless deaths have befallen our people, and now the task that you ran away from...will have to fall on your own daughter." ...!!! "No..." Anastasia¡¯s knees gave out as despair descended in, but only the cold countenance of a ruler with too many things on his shoulders met her gaze. Two fathers and daughters across multiple locations. One was hopeful just to get back to his daughter and hold her again, another had reunited with their daughter as even though they loved each other very deeply, they were bound by even larger responsibilities that greatly strained their relationship! Chapter 748 - Wanting to be a Holy Descendant! "You can¡¯t...she has nothing to do with this!" Anastasia looked towards her father like he was a foreign being, her heart tearing in pain at even the thought of Anna going through something that even she ran away from. Yet the Holy Emperor of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter remained impassive as his expression was stout, even though one could see deep in his eyes there was also a tinge of pain! But this hidden emotion was quickly suppressed as he continued! "All of the major Ancient Powers are aware that Cataclysm is coming, and only the strongest will survive. Many have already began forming connections as they share the knowledge of their Sages and Great Sages. Around us, all we have are enemies as the Aileron Race of the Primal Winged Expanse are our only allies." RUMBLE! His words carried immense weight as he talked of another Ancient Power, his words resounded as Anastasia trembled at the memories that returned at the mention of these beings. "The Ailerons are an extremely proud race, your actions of deserting their Aileron Prince nearly breaking apart thousands of years worth of work. But just like you...the Prince of the Primal Winged Expanse sired a child, a son! So the joining of the two powers by blood will resume through this!" "No, Father! She has nothing to do with this! I will do it, I will marry that winged bastard and complete the pact set forth, but Anna cannot be thrown to them! She is your granddaughter...please..." Anastasia went towards her father as she clutched onto his robe pleadingly, her knees on the floor as the regal majesty she always had was gone. "You are a Holy Princess, and you had your duties. As your daughter, as someone of my blood, she will also have to bear some of the responsibility and duty, let her know of this!" The voice of the Holy Emperor continued to resound, getting softer near the end as the coldness contained a hint of sadness! "We are rulers. We have countless trillions to think about, we have the legacies of Sages that sacrificed their lives for us to live on. I cannot let down my forefathers, even if the happiness of my family is the price to pay. This is final, and cannot be changed! Both of you will make yourself present during the Holy Descendants Selection tomorrow to officially announce your return." With these words, the Holy Emperor remained in this garden no longer, his figure disappearing as all that was left behind was a distraught Holy Princess that looked forward with an ashen and pained expression! She felt utter and extreme weakness as even with her rank at the Middle Tier of GALAXY Realm, even with her Grand Completion Pets...she still could not do a single thing to get what she wanted. When it came to Ancient Powers holding legacies of fallen Sages and Great Sages, holding Entities of powerful strength and even hidden beings approaching the strength of Sages themselves...she was utterly weak! And to be weak in this era...was a sin! --- In another location within the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, Noah was stepping in as his eyes absorbed all he was seeing in a stellar fashion! After passing the two boundaries of the Galaxies, the true Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter opened up in front of him as he saw the outlines of numerous galaxies that shimmered with immense light, all of these galaxies surrounding a single area that rejected the darkness of the chaotic void and released stupendous brilliance. The Dragonoid he followed made his way towards this shining area, the place known as the Expansive Holy Land as Noah passed many unique beings and vessels along the way! His eyes shimmered with the red light from [Eyes of Truth] as he already began absorbing immense knowledge about his surroundings as he was confident to be more knowledgeable than even the natives here in a matter of time. "You¡¯re lucky coming in around this time, with the monthly test for beings wishing to be holy descendants actually taking place tomorrow." The QUASAR ranked Dragonoid spoke as they neared the draconic shaped Expansive Holy Land, Noah¡¯s shining eyes glancing towards him as he asked. "Anyone can apply for the test?" "Mostly, but only those receiving recommendations can be tested, and even fewer meet the standards set forth by the Holy Emperor. Here." The QUASAR Dragonoid entered a certain quadrant of the enormous draconic shaped Expansive Holy Land, this singular small area of this enormous 1000 light-year area seemingly like a huge world of its own as this particular section contained numerous portals that shimmered with a mystical light. Locations like these were abundant in the Holy Land, causing for easy movement across its large areas instantly with the use of these portals. Noah followed the Dragonoid across multiple portals as they delved deeper into the Holy Land! He came across many scenes and beings, finding that the distribution of humans and dragonoids were half and half, but the humans seemed to hold much more of a high standing within this Holy Land- which could be explained by how the current ruler was of the human race. There was a deep history about the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and its ties to dragons, where even to this day much of the Animus Summons of the powerful beings of this power were dragons. Noah thought about all of this in passing as he took in the fantastical sights of this Holy Land, truly earning its name as it actually neared his Infinite Galaxy in terms of atmospheric essence! Even Noah did not catch the arrogance of his thoughts as he compared his growing Infinite Galaxy to this Holy Land as the figure of the Dragonoid he was following finally came to stop as they came through one last portal. The area they arrived in looked like a world of its own, where Noah knew they were actually in the Head Region of the Expansive Holy Land that was shaped like a dragon. In this area, there weren¡¯t any magnificent houses or vegetation, but only a single structure stood tall in this entire land that was as large as a world! Noah could only describe this structure as an extremely oversized Coliseum, his aura covertly spreading out as it did not encompass it even after seconds passed. "This is where the Holy Descendant Selection will take place tomorrow, the Expansive Coliseum. Simply show them your medallion as you will be added among the list of contenders. Oh and the Selection this time is somewhat special as we celebrate the return of our Holy Princess, where even the Holy Emperor will be coming to grace us with his presence during this Selection." The voice of the Dragonoid carried immense respect and reverence as he said this, Noah pulling his eyes away from the fantastical looking coliseum that he counted over a billion seats in as he paid attention to the words of the guide. "Oh?" He had just arrived, and he had already caught on to clues of the taken Anna and the Holy Princess as he would actually be seeing them in just a few hours! As for the Holy Descendant Selection? It was bound to be glorious as within this Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter...he planned to go wild! Chapter 749 - A Galaxy Grows, Extras Talk In the Infinite Galaxy, progress was proceeding at such a stupidly rapid pace that someone sleeping for a few hours would wake up feeling weaker as all others were advancing that crazily. Currently, a particularly arrogant penguin was continuing to train with other Harbingers of Sin, these beings utilizing the skills Noah put in the Library to step on the path of the Dao of Summoning with ease as they also obtained their own Animus Summons! At this moment, the Emperor Penguin that had utilized the previous upgrade of the Infinite Galaxy to push himself to the edge of the QUASAR Realm and had now successfully stepped in it...this penguin could now summon 3 Animus Pets! "Wyrm Water Dragon, I choose you! " The penguin shouted out grandly as a blue shimmering Wyrm erupted out with a roar towards the enemy, which at this moment was a cold faced Barbatos who held an entire Undead Legion behind her. By her side, the Abyssal Lich that was from Noah¡¯s skill tree could be seen, multiple Abyssal Undead already summoned around her as on top of all of this- an aura of the Dao swirled around her as she summoned a 20-meter beast. "ROAR!" It released an even more powerful roar as unlike the Rare Ranked Wyrm Water Dragon that the Emperor Penguin had released, Barbatos was actually one of the only beings aside from Noah in the Infinite Galaxy to be lucky enough to obtain an Ultra Rare Pet! It was actually an Ultra Rare Skeleton King, Barbatos having such an affinity with Undead that even her Summon matched it. The petite Necromancer jumped on the shoulder bone of the Skeleton King as her eyes honed dangerously on the Emperor Penguin, giving a command to the undead as a shocking battle ensued. THRUUM! Scenes such as this were abundant in the Infinite Galaxy, the Harbingers doing their hardest to train as the Beasts of the Infinite Galaxy were actually the ones showing the greatest progress with the nature of the Infinite Galaxy. There were now hundreds of beasts that had begun embarking on the Dao of Summoning at the Nebula Realm, each of them heading into a Time Space as they trained their Summons to Grand Completion when they came out just days later! When it came to the Galaxy itself, the Stellar Sky Galaxy had also been assimilated along with the Sanguine Galaxy, Noah¡¯s clones making their way into the Chaotic Void as more galaxies would soon be assimilated. Individuals such as the Guide of Noah¡¯s Homeworld, Sophia, along with the 1st Infernal Lord and beings like the Imperial Adjudicator were the ones continuing to oversee the ruling of the billions of stars as they worked with the previous leaders and rulers of these Galaxies. Ever so rapidly, the Infinite Galaxy continued to grow as the rise of the beings within was even faster than Noah himself expected! --- In the Expansive Holy Land, Noah was in the region where the Head of the draconic-shaped mystical land was located, in the world sized area where the Expansive Coliseum took up a lot of the space. This enormous Coliseum was the biggest that Noah had ever seen in his life, just the seats of the coliseum alone being over a billion! It of course had elevated sections where those higher on the social strata resided, and a grand area where the ruling force of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter would be staying atop of whenever a grand occasion came along. On the sides, huge illusory screens could be seen as they would display the events happening on the floor of the coliseum clearly for all those watching. Currently, the Expansive Coliseum was bustling with activity as the over a billion seats began to be filled up, beings from multiple galaxies who afforded the right to attend this month¡¯s special Holy Descendant Selection filling the metaphorically and nearly literal world-sized Coliseum! Under the guidance of the Dragonoid, Noah showed the Medallion he received to the beings in charge of the Selection, being admitted as one of the participants in this month¡¯s Holy Descendant Selection. Thereafter, he was directed into a grand hall beneath the Coliseum where many beings like him waited. It was a truly privileged place as servers could be seen walking around the wide hall with refreshments that shone with essence and providing foods glistening with phoenix oil! Beings of all shapes and sizes could be seen as a majority of them were humans, with a quarter being of the Dragonoid race as a singular thing was clear on each of them- they were each proficient in the Dao of Summoning as swirls of the Dao essence hung around them. Noah could sense about 50 or so beings who seemed like participants, each of them carrying an air of pride and strength. While being served delicious wines and foods, these beings waited patiently to show off their pets and power in the hours to come. Each of them was an expert in their own right, and they held their heads high with pride from either the rarity of their pets or the fact that they had summons with powerful bloodlines! As always, our lone Protagonist was standing by his lonesome in this new land, his figure that of a confident human that always had a slight smile on his face. He was currently observing all of the beings around him with eyes of truth as he listened in on their conversation to learn more about his environment. "Did you hear about Master Zackary of the Whitesnow Galaxy? He¡¯s probably one of the biggest contenders this time around as he apparently summoned a rare Three-Eyed Phoenix!" Off to the side, a wide man gulping down a Phoenix leg gossiped as he talked to a QUASAR ranked man in front of him. "Master Zachary? Hmph, you¡¯ve obviously not heard that the Summoning Prodigy will finally be joining the competition this time around since the Holy Emperor is making his appearance." "Hhmm?!" "What?!" The mention of a particular being got the eyes of many worried just from a mere mention, someone called the Summoning Prodigy that was well renowned in a few galaxies, but had yet to join the Hole Descendant Selection to be considered a Holy Child of the Expansive Holy Land that was the core of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! "Wait...that¡¯s him!" As soon as his name was uttered, many beings were actually able to locate him as the eyes of tens of experts ranging from Nebula to Low Tier GALAXY turned towards a particular direction. There, a Middle-aged man was sipping his drink calmly even with all the gazes towards him, his eyes languid as those watching could sense the powerful aura at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, as well as the dense swirling essence of the Dao of Summoning! "They say his first three pets were all rare, and the one he summoned the moment he entered Low Tier GALAXY was actually Ultra Rare!" "...a monstrous genius!" A commotion was raised as this being became a heated topic, while he himself simply sipped his drink while smiling, as if none of the happenings here were worth his time. He seemed to have just come here to take the spot light for the whole Selection as all those participating with him would just be points of comparison! After all, who among them could compare against three rare pets and an Ultra Rare one? What they didn¡¯t know was that in the next few hours, all of them were in for a grand show as they were truly shown what rarity one¡¯s pets should be if they wanted to hold their heads high! Chapter 750 - A Special Holy Descendant Selection! In the Expansive Holy Land, it was even more bustling than normal as many qualified beings went towards the Dragon Head to observe the Holy Descendant Selection. This time around, it was an extremely special one as the Holy Emperor himself would be attending, a grand occasion being announced as it coincided with the return of the Holy Princess Anastasia! RUMBLE! Unique waves of essence swirled around the Expansive Coliseum as the over 1 billion seats were soon filled up, auspicious clouds forming atop the wide Coliseum as there were simply too many beings with the swirling essence of the dao in this single location, causing for unique atmospheric phenomena to form. Within this Expansive Coliseum, there was an elevated area designed to be the location where important personages sat, and this place was set apart from the similar 1 billion seats where all others were situated. With extravagant seats and a rich atmosphere, this was the location where the powerful beings that were the strength of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter began to appear! "There is Holy Prince Rudolf! My gosh, look at his peerless gaze...!" "Who¡¯s that beside him? Could it be?!" Discussions were abound as the noise made from over a billion beings gathered in one location was something shocking to experience, but they watched the exalted seats above them to be filled with esteemed personages as the image of Holy Prince Rudolf Frederick Windsor became apparent. Near him though, many honed their eyes on two veiled women as they had many ideas! "That should be the missing Holy Princess Anastasia, but who is that other woman beside here?" "Who knows? We should be happy that the Holy Princess had been found and returned to us! Just her presence is..." Fanaticism and reverence were all that the beings felt when they looked up the Windsor Royals that ruled over the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! This was a generation that had ruled in the past thousands of years, taking the reins of the powerful Dragonoid rulers over 10,000 years ago as they elevated the status of the human race higher in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. In the elevated square-shaped area of the coliseum that these royals were situated at, many could see the guarding Holy Descendants that surrounded the area on all sides, as well as the archaic-looking chair at the very center that was currently empty. This was the seat the fearsome Holy Emperor would be taking, all other seats being occupied at this moment as everybody waited for this being to make an appearance. ROAAR! At this moment, a dragon¡¯s cry could be heard as from the skies above the Expansive Coliseum, a powerful aura at the Peak of the GALAXY Realm descended. On the many illusory screens spread throughout the Expansive Coliseum, the image of the source of this dragon¡¯s cry was clearly displayed as many beings drew in their breaths! It was a fearsome Dragon that had 6 heads, each of the shimmering with a different color as on top of one of them, a majestic man with a shining pristine white crown could be seen! This man actually stood on a powerful Animus Summon at the PRISMATIC rank as it released a grand aura that took the breaths of everyone away! This was one of the few PRISMATIC Pets under the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, one that was being controlled by the Holy Emperor himself as it appeared below him to assert a profound dominance. The Holy Emperor himself was decked out all in white as he exuded power and elegance, the dragon below him that released an aura more powerful than many Entities that Noah had met before carefully carrying this being as it could only act as a mount at this moment. One of the heads of the 6 Headed Dragon that the Holy Emperor stood on extended slowly towards the area where the Holy Children were located, this being stepping onto it grandly as silence descended onto the Expansive Coliseum. Over 1 billion beings, and not a single one uttered a word with the entrance of this being. He had a light smile on his face as his feet landed, the enormous 6 headed dragon disappearing into a light that dove into his origin, all of the Holy Children on the stands and the over 1 billion beings rising so that they could bow towards him! This was deep reverence that they all felt towards this ruler, reverence that was deep rooted in their hearts from this being that reigned over them for the past thousands of years! The eyes of many looked towards the exalted stand where the Holy Emperor, Prince, and Princess were located, their eyes seeing even the veiled Holy Princess Anastasia standing up to bow. Yet in the next moment, their eyes constricted as they saw that unlike all of them, a single being did not even bother to stand up and give respect to the Holy Emperor. RUMBLE! Gasps could be seen as the eyes of many honed in on this being that was situated to the right of Holy Princess Anastasia, her veiled gaze seemingly only looking forward as she didn¡¯t even bother to stand up! Even the Holy Emperor looked towards her as unlike the wrath many beings expected to see, a wide smile appeared on his face as he walked towards this being. His daughter had turned to her right as she nudged the veiled being to rise, but she stayed situated on the seat adamantly as she chose to still not to give respect to the most important personage of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! The Holy Emperor walked towards her with a warm smile as many people held their breaths for what was about to happen, this ruler coming in front of this veiled woman as all the illusory screens of the Expansive Coliseum showed the scene of him using his hands to lift her veil while he uttered shocking words. "My granddaughter, let this old man see you." ...! BUZZZ! "...!" Shocked silence descended throughout the Coliseum as when the silence was lifted, crimson-colored hair overflowed as the exceedingly and impossibly gorgeous image of a woman in her prime showed itself! Many people had to pinch themselves and run their essence throughout their bodies to make sure they weren¡¯t dreaming, this image of a shining fairy gracing them with their presence nearly sucking their souls out. This was especially so since the being called the ¡¯granddaughter¡¯ by the Holy Emperor was actually staring towards him with a fierce expression, her eyes carrying a hint of anger as she showed not even the littlest respect! "As fierce and beautiful as your mother." The Holy Emperor voiced out again as he smiled, many people glancing at the nearby Anastasia as they drew in cold breaths while realizing many things. During this time, many of the watching beings missed a crucial feature when they glanced at the veiled Anastasia as their attention was drawn simply to her presence. If one looked closely, they would be able to notice shimmering gold circlets that wrapped around both her hands. To others, they only increased her beauty but on the Holy Princess herself, they felt like chains as this was something her own father had placed on her after her return so that she would not so easily disappear again! The circlets were a special item that had a very specific purpose, and they escaped the attention of all beings as the proceedings continued. Only the hands of Anastasia herself could feel how heavy they were as her saddened gaze was hidden beneath her veil. At this moment, the Holy Emperor turned towards the over 1 billion beings as his face appeared on all the illusory screens of the Expansive Coliseum. "My people! Welcome to this grand occasion where we celebrate the return of our Holy Princess Anastasia, as well as the introduction of my granddaughter- Anna!" RUUMBLE! Waves were sent with his words as in a grand hall of the Expansive Coliseum, Noah was looking at the illusory screen displayed to the contenders as the image of the Holy Emperor switched back to the gorgeous Anna that he knew as the Imperial Princess. He smiled as he saw this scene, his mind working rapidly as he already saw his ticket to quickly insert himself in this Ancient Power as he elevated his strength and looked for the Ruination Core hidden within! Chapter 751 - Its Him! In the Expansive Coliseum, hundreds of millions of beings that held high positions throughout galaxies that were a part of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter- all of these beings were introduced to the daughter of the Holy Princess, Anna! There were many questions that came with this shocking revelation, but as their Holy Emperor was happy to introduce his granddaughter, the watching subjects roared out in fervor as the shockingly drop dead gorgeous face of Anna filled the screen. OOOOOH! Shouts reverberated out and essence flowed wildly, the Holy Emperor waving his hand as it very quickly came to a stop. "Today, we are here to enjoy the Holy Descendant Selection though, so let us see what talents are revealing themselves from our Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! Let us watch exquisite summons from all walks of life!" OOOOH! The image of the Holy Emperor was grand as it appeared on the multiple illusory screens, all the beings shouting out in fervor as he waved his hands and the image on the screen changed to show an enormous golden door that led into the solid floor of the Expansive Coliseum. OOOM This golden door filled all the screens as it was over 200 meters large in diameter, opening into the floor of the coliseum that spanned 1 thousand miles! That¡¯s right, the floor of the coliseum itself was a thousand miles, with the structure being expertly built the way it was to be able to hold over a billion beings within it as experts could freely watch everything with ease, while others could simply focus on the illusory screens that zoomed in on the moving beings! Everyone watched with bated breaths as on the screen, a bit over 50 beings could be seen stepping out of a grand hall. These were the contestants that had earned the right to participate in the Holy Descendant Selection this time around, the beings proficient in the Dao of Summoning who wanted to impress the royals of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and join the ranks of Holy Descendants. They stepped into the arena floor as their figures seemed extremely minuscule across the hundreds of miles, but they were zoomed in with clarity on the huge screens as their faces were seen clearly. "That is...the Summoning Prodigy!" "We¡¯re in for a show today, an Ultra Rare Summon should be making an appearance!" A bustle of discussions already erupted out as the faces of the contenders became clear. Their levels ranged from Nebula to Low Tier GALAXY Realm as more than half were humanoid with the remaining being of the Dragonoid race. Some were well known with others being extremely famous, the figure of the one known as the Summoning Prodigy taking a full screen by himself as whoever controlled the illusory screens focused on him. In the stage where the Holy Emperor was located, none of the powerful and high-ranking beings showed any reaction to the contenders of today¡¯s selection...none of them but two specific people! Anastasia raised her head as her eyes squinted while looking at someone shown in passing on the screen, a devilishly handsome young man that held a calm smile on his face. Beside her, Anna inadvertently stood up as her eyes landed on someone familiar again, a happy light shining through them as she accidentally called out softly! "Alexander..." THRUM! The actions of this new Holy Princess shocked many as even the Holy Emperor turned towards her, his eyes shining with an unknown light as he then turned his face to the illusory screens. This granddaughter of his had not given him an ounce of respect as she did not even rise from her seat like everyone else when he entered, and yet she stood up so abruptly for someone she saw on the screen! The Holy Emperor did not have to wait long as yet another person recognized the being that Anna and Anastasia had reacted to, the Holy Prince Rudolf squinting his eyes as he spoke out. "That is the supposed genius that Anastasia trained in the Galaxy that disappeared from our watch not too long ago. For him to be here already he must have left around the same time as us...he might have a connection to whatever powerful Entity is looking after that galaxy!" His words gave a lot of information and the Holy Emperor nodded with a smile. Anastasia pulled Anna to sit back down as their sights settled on the illusory screens once more, many emotions passing through their eyes as they saw this genius again! Meanwhile, Noah had a light smile on his face as throughout the Expansive Coliseum, a boisterous voice had now begun to ring out as everybody sat back ready to watch the show. "Alright everyone, settle down!" The voice resounded out from a location just below the area where the Holy Emperor was situated, a man with a red Mohawk appearing on the illusory screens as his voice was amplified to reach everyone. "We are in for a great show of rare and exciting summons, of powerful practitioners of the Dao showing off the strength of their pets as we shall welcome new Holy Descendants at the end of it!" OOOH! "As always, we shall first have the contestants show the rarity of the pets they hold, and then we shall have them show this strength in actual combat as we see just what type of trainers there are!" OOOOH! Every single one of his sentences was met with raucous yells, the blood of hundreds of millions of beings pumping strongly as their excitement was shooting through the roof. "Without further ado, we shall start with contestant number 1, Viktor!" From the line up of contestants leaving the grand hall and into the arena floor, Noah watched as a man walked in with prideful steps as his face occupied the center of the illusory screens. He was obviously ready to catch the eyes of everyone as he seemed extremely confident, his essence rumbling as he was about to summon his pets. Noah was simply watching with a smiling expression as he prepared. In the days to come, he wasn¡¯t planning on hiding or acting low key. He was actually planning on acting extremely high key as he had utter confidence in keeping his life, and he truly had the qualifications to act high and mighty unlike these beings he was seeing who were actually feeling prideful from having summoned a Rare Animus! He waited to see how they would show off in this Expansive Coliseum before he utterly crushed them as he showed them what true rarity of pets one should have before they held even an ounce of pride... Chapter 752 - Merely Rare and Ultra Rare! The Expansive Coliseum was bustling with activity as many beings watched with expectant eyes while a QUASAR ranked expert filled the screens spread across the huge coliseum! This expert called Viktor raised his head high as a brilliant silver light flashed out three times, each time representing an Animus Summon coming out of his Origin. RUMBLE! They appeared spectacularly and in a stellar fashion as many beings gasped, noticing three unique creatures as one in particular drew in their breaths. "2 of the Common Rarity...but the last one is Rare!" "That must be the Rare Devouring Sandworm right?" Discussions ran rampant as Viktor looked proudly at his Rare Devouring Sandworm, his other two pets being lackl.u.s.ter as they were within normal limits of what beings normally saw. "Next up is contestant number 3, Dugu Xi!" WAA! The announcer only gave Viktor a few minutes before he called up the next contestant, the crowd being kept entertained as they were exposed to many pets after that. Contestant after contestants were called up as they showed off Animus summons of the Common, Uncommon, and even so called geniuses showing a Rare pet every now and then. But even this was enough to get many people talking as they discussed the bloodlines of the shown pets and their unique points. At this time though, silence descended down as the announcer¡¯s voice resounded out in a stellar fashion, his gaze heated as he called out the name of the contestant who was right ahead of Noah! "Next up is someone you all have heard about...the Summoning Prodigy- Raeger!" THRUM! Waves of essence rumbled out as a calm man went forward and took the sights of all illusory screens, the exalted stands where the Holy Family sat in having discussions also. "This should be a good seed to rope in, Father." Holy Prince Rudolf turned towards the Holy Emperor as he whispered, the only thing he got being a nod as they watched this calm being step into the limelight. Unlike many others, his face turned towards the far away stand where the Holy Emperor was as he bowed, raising his head thereafter as brilliant flashes of light erupted out! OOOM! Huge creatures that shone with powerful l.u.s.ter came to fruition, each of them more frightening than the last as this being at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm summoned not just one, but three Rare Ranked Pets consecutively! "He really lives up to his reputation..." "Truly the Summoning Prodigy! But wait..." The hundreds of millions in the stand discussed as they watched with bated breaths for the main show to come, not waiting long as the Summoning Prodigy waved his hands once more and caused the appearance of a stellar Ultra Rare Pet. WAAA! "He truly contracted a Void Behemoth Sparrow!" "Genius...!" Ignoring the fervor happening with the common folk, even the Holy Emperor nodded as he agreed with Holy Prince Rudolf. This was because extremely rare pets were truly rare even in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, with even an Entity like Old Man Khan having an Ultra Rare Starry Behemoth Tarragon as his main battle pet. Only the Holy Emperor and a few other Entities under the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had Prismatic Pets, and pets of such rarity could actually be counted on one¡¯s two hands! So one of the main forces of power were the GALAXY Realm experts with Ultra Rare pets under their belts. OOOOH! Raeger, the Summoning Prodigy, received many cheers as he left the stage in a grand fashion, only giving a cursory glance to the being who was right behind him as his eyes seemed to have a tinge of pity. Such emotions weren¡¯t shared by him alone as many beings in the stand looked at the announcer that was about to call on the next contestant and discussed. "The guy going next has to have the worst luck!" "Hah, to go right after the Summoning Prodigy? I would just swallow my pride and run..." Jokes and laughter had begun spreading out even before the name was called, the announcer that had a deep smile since Raeger came up reading the name very quickly as he wanted to get a move on and see the pets in action in the next part of the Selection. "Next up is Alexander." His voice came out blandly as the many screens portrayed the calm face of Noah. He went forward into the arena floor with steady steps as he took his time, drawing the ire of many as they truly didn¡¯t care for this nobody who was striding like he was someone! "This is the being you trained?" The Holy Emperor¡¯s voice sounded out as the Anastasia that wasn¡¯t too far away bit her lips and nodded. Holy Prince Rudolf chimed in soon after. "He¡¯s apparently a genius capable of summoning Ultra Rare pets. I gave him the selection medallion after Anastasia mentioned it just in case." His words seemed to not believe his own sister as the Holy Emperor nodded, their gazes landing towards Noah who actually raised his head high and instead of beginning to summon his pets, he actually spoke a single word as he raised his head to the other contestants to look as arrogant and pompous as possible. "Fools!" RUMBLE! With a gaze filled with contempt, this was actually the word uttered by this contestant as he glared at all the others behind him! His words nearly caused the eruption of battles as the other contestants he suddenly insulted nearly jumped him, these beings who were geniuses or extremely advanced in age not taking such an insult lightly. Yet the words continued as they felt like this being was purposefully asking for a beating. "A bunch of fools that know nothing about rarity!" RUMBLE! His words came with action as first, he utilized his essence as the over 1 billion beings watching nearly had their eyes pop out- their irises locking to the gradually appearing image of a Manifested QUASAR within this being¡¯s body! "Manifested Realm...!" "Grand Completion!" "Ah!" Shock and stupor resounded throughout as in the exalted stand, Anastasia let out a light sigh as all others honed their eyes towards this being with shining lights as his words continued. "You fools continued summoning trash pet after trash pet and keep on thinking you¡¯re all that, disgracing the Dao of Summoning with such actions!" THRUM Every word of his seemed like a knife that wanted to provoke others, his gaze domineering as he continued. "Standing so proud and showing pets that are merely Rare and Ultra Rare!" Essence moved with his words as a streak of light shot from his origin, the image of an enormous Void Serpent making itself clear in front of him as its draconic head raised arrogantly. ...! Those knowledgeable in the Dao of Summoning- which were nearly everyone here- very quickly sensed the rarity of this pet as their bodies shook in incredulousness! "That is...!" "Ah...Ah!" "PRISMATIC!" THRUM! The word spread throughout the Expansive Coliseum as many eyes honed in on Noah, even the gaze of the Holy Emperor and beings around him locking at his location as a sharp light crossed through their eyes! Chapter 753 - Must Have Him! Utter silence overtook the Expansive Coliseum as the audience saw a PRISMATIC Pet summoned from a being that now looked to be shining with gorgeous splendor! The being who was known as the Summoning Prodigy looked at this scene with an ugly face as the calm and proud expression he always had was wiped away, his mouth twisted as if he had eaten some truly dirty shit. The announcer had to do a double-take to make sure his senses weren¡¯t lying to him, that the dark shimmering Serpent he was seeing truly was an Animus Pet of the PRISMATIC Rarity! In the exalted stands, Rudolf had shocked eyes as he didn¡¯t truly believe his sister, the gaze of the Holy Emperor landing on him as his voice sounded out. "This is the being you didn¡¯t bother checking the words of your sister for truthfulness of?" RUMBLE! Rudolf felt immense pressure as he nodded slowly, the eyes of the Holy Emperor then going towards Anastasia as he wanted to ask something, but the contestant known as Alexander did not seem to be done at this moment as he waved his hands and summoned yet another pet, his devilish charm being shown for all to see on the numerous illusory screens. The flash of gorgeous light this time around caught the eyes of everyone as they watched with bated breaths to see what would come out next, nearly stumbling from their seats as they saw the materializing on an enormous fortress looking creature- the Colossal Helios Leviathan making an appearance in a grand fashion as it towered over 10,000 meters! Although in the 1000 mile arena floor its size wasn¡¯t overly large, but it took over much of the illusory screens as they zoomed out to capture the entire body of the creature while focusing on its draconic-whale shaped body that glimmered with an intense l.u.s.ter. The domineering being known as Alexander climbed atop the huge body of this Leviathan, the Void Serpent warping above it as well as its serpentine body wriggled dangerously. The gaze of this actual summoning genius appeared on the screens that all hundreds of millions of beings were watching as his face alone relayed his thoughts! His head was raised as he stood atop his Colossal Helios Leviathan while looking towards the other contestants. As for what his gaze said, the mere contempt one could see from it was enough to make some contestants puke blood. His figure looked like a lone hero with a grand destiny awaiting him, a being of true importance as every other Summoner that had gone into the arena floor before him were merely extras to his story. The abilities of the Protagonist Trait were running on full steam at this moment as his visage was imprinted into the minds of many! "..." Utter silence overtook the arena floor as the audience simply looked forth in a stupor! A single PRISMATIC Summon was enough to cause huge waves across the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as there were so few of them. A second one appearing would cause similar waves, but the fact that it came from the same being was the truly appalling fact. In the exalted seats, Anna¡¯s eyes were shining as she nodded in a matter of fact manner, her eyes seemingly accepting what the being she knew as Alexander had done faster than anyone else. This was because during all the times she was with him, he had continued to exceed her expectations as everything he did was always over the top! Anastasia also looked over with shining eyes as she thought of many things, but it was actually another being on the exalted stands that was having the biggest reaction to the happenings right now was actually the Holy Emperor that was standing at the very forefront. This was because unlike others, he was looking at everything through a bigger lens, a view point of a Ruler. At this moment as he saw the appearance of 2 PRISMATIC Summons from a single being, their significance was something only he truly understood! For us to understand this as well, we must talk about what the rarity of PRISMATIC pets in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter truly signified. Almost always, PRISMATIC Animus Summons signified the rank of an Entity is the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! This was because once raised to the Peak Tier of the GALAXY Realm, nearly all pets of this rarity would have their bloodlines fully unlocked as they also gain understanding of a unique Dao. When they reached this level, those brought up to Grand Completion along with the boosts of their terrifying bloodlines and Daos...they could match the level of an Entity. In the entire Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, less than 10 PRISMATIC Summons were present throughout! This meant in terms of summons, they had less than 10 that could be titled Entities. Of course, the Summoners that controlled these summons were Entities in their own right, but the key here is that there aren¡¯t many of them. So when the Holy Emperor saw three PRISMATIC Summons be released from one being, his eyes looked towards him like a treasured gem as aside from the disbelief at this ridiculous scene, he wanted this being under his banner! His fiery eyes turned towards Anastasia as the swirling Dao of Summoning erupted around him, his voice ringing out clearly as it woke many of the Holy Children and Descendants from their stupor. "Anastasia. I¡¯m going to need you to tell me everything about this Alexander." THRUM! His voice was unquestionable as only silence met him, squinting his eyes as he saw the flash of hesitation in Anastasia¡¯s eyes. The Holy Emperor thought quickly as he sent her a telepathic message. "I will delay Anna¡¯s engagement to the Aileron Prince for another year." "..." Anastasia looked towards her daughter and then towards the grandiose looking Alexander, her eyes calmly saying that when it came to this genius, all she did was pass down the skills of their Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! "Aside from achieving Grand Completion of his Realm, he took just a second to embark on the Dao of Summoning, and just minutes to summon his first pet." ...! Alarm filled the eyes of the Exalted Holy Children and Descendants as the eyes of the Holy Emperor shone with blazing lights, Anastasia hiding that Noah¡¯s first pet which had somehow not even made its appearance here was actually a Three-Legged Fate Crow at the rarity of Ultra Rare. "Oh and he¡¯s personally got the battle prowess capable of slaying those in a realm above him with ease, yet when I told all of these to my dear older brother, he decided to leave him alone in that remote galaxy and not even bother to check." Anastasia¡¯s cold voice rang out as she boasted about Noah while throwing veiled words against Rudolf! The Holy Emperor looked at this scene as his eyes nearly shot out golden beams of light. In the heart of this Ruler, he knew today that whatever he had to do- he had to rope and tie this being to him right away! Chapter 754 - All of you can face me! As many beings could barely contain themselves from the shock they were experiencing, they actually didn¡¯t know that Noah wasn¡¯t done! As the Holy Emperor vowed to not let this being slip past his fingers just from seeing him summon 2 PRISMATIC pets, Noah raised his head high once more as a silver light began to shine from his body once more, meaning another pet would soon be coming out. "He wouldn¡¯t be..." "Not another one, right?!" Hundreds of millions rose from their seats as they wished their eyes could be right next to this being to observe what would happen next! THRUM! Essence surged out as in the next instant, a fast shadow that even those in the Middle Tier Galaxy could barely see flashed out of Noah¡¯s origin. With such fast speed, the Obsidian Panther appeared grandly as even though it wasn¡¯t as large as the Colossal Helios Leviathan and the Void Serpent- its significance was just as great! This was because with this pet brought forth, another PRISMATIC summon came to be on the arena floor of the Expansive Coliseum! A single being at the QUASAR Realm, three PRISMATIC summons! The hundreds of millions of beings all glanced towards him as they saw the devilish charm and the raised head that looked at everything in contempt. At this moment, the image of this being was imprinted in the minds of many! "Ridiculous...:" In the exalted stand, Old Man Khan was standing behind the many Holy personages as his old eyes fully opened, taking in the sight of 3 PRISMATIC Animus summons. Meanwhile, the Holy Emperor at the very forefront was gripping his seat while many thoughts ran rampant in his mind. When he saw the three pets, he was actually looking into the future when all three of them were brought into the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm, as this would signify his Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter gaining three more Entities! ¡¯With such an additional force while completely allying ourselves with the Aileron Race of the Primal Winged Expanse...those Ancient Powers would not dare make a move for our Legacy...¡¯ A grand future opened itself up in front of him as this ruler planned, his gaze on Noah becoming even stronger as he thought about what had to be done to tie this being to him. --- On the arena floor, Noah was surrounded by three sparkling PRISMATIC pets as he stared down at all the other contestants that were showing off earlier. His gaze dripping with contempt glanced all around as he stroked the fur of the Obsidian Panther, his voice ringing out again. "I know there¡¯s a fighting portion of this selection where we see who the best Animus Trainers are. Since I¡¯ve shown you all that truly rare pets are, let me show you how they fight. All of you...can face me!" THRUUM! Millions nearly fell out of their seats as they felt their blood beginning to boil at these words, the audience looking at each other to confirm if they had really heard correctly. The contestants that Noah was looking at, especially the Summoning Prodigy- all of them glanced at Noah with blazing eyes full of anger as others glanced towards the announcer who also looked forward in stupor! This was definitely not the way the Selection was supposed to go, so the announcer turned towards the direction of the exalted stands where the Holy Emperor sat as he looked for a signal. In one illusory screen, the majestic face of the Holy Emperor was shown as he looked extremely thoughtful, eventually giving a light nod as the entire audience erupted in booming cheers thereafter. OOOOH! Excited reverberations rang throughout as hundreds of millions looked forward expectantly! At this point, they truly did not know what they would be seeing as nobody had ever expected the coming of 3 PRISMATIC pets. Now that this single being would be using these pets to battle all the other 50 some contestants...it would be a sight to see! Among the contestants, the so called Summoning Prodigy stepped out as he held a difficult expression. "I respect you for being able to contract such amazing pets, but your demeanor and insults are not qualities a Holy Descendant should have, so I will have to face you with all I have!" He spoke as all of his summoned pets shone with light, all the other contestants also preparing as they looked towards this genius called Alexander with caution. He was more than amazing to have such rare pets, but could he really face 50 other contestants all at once? The Summoning Prodigy pointed this out as his hands waved around them. "Another thing that will be your bane is your arrogance, where you actually chose to face all of us just to feed your pride. Among us, there are multiple at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, and as you are at QUASAR, your pets are at most in that Realm as wel-" ...! The Summoning Prodigy had to come to a stop before his words even finished as he and all the other contestants looked at the pets this being summoned again! He was talking about how the levels of the Pets would be at QUASAR or below because of Noah¡¯s rank, but he realized in shock that the Obsidian Panther and Colossal Helios Leviathan were both at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm while the Void Serpent was the only one at the QUASAR Realm! "How..." He and many others had actually been so shocked by the rarity that they forgot to glance at the Realm the pets they were in, just now realizing this discrepancy as it didn¡¯t make any sense! How could a being of the QUASAR Realm contract with pets a Realm above them?! THRUUM! But the answer would never come for them as at this moment, Noah finally began moving. "Truly fools until the end. Just my panther will be enough for all of you." RUMBLE! Essence of starry black erupted out from a single Animus Pet near Noah, the Illusory screens of the Expansive Coliseum showing different scenes as everyone looked forth with bated breaths. They saw the image where a single being was standing atop an enormous Colossal Helios Leviathan, a Void Serpent by his side as an Obsidian Black Panther had begun shining with a brilliant black light. Facing this being were over 50 powerful experts proficient in the Dao of Summoning with their own pets, a few of them even being at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! Yet while facing all of these beings, Alexander waved his hands and gave a command, the Obsidian Panther turning into a black flash that streaked across the arena floor. This black flash...would spell doom on all of its targets as wherever it passed, blood overflowed! "Ah!" A shower of blood erupted out in the arena floor of the Expansive Coliseum as Noah made sure to remind his panther not to go for the kill when facing these opponents, with the goal being to only incapacitate them as his aim at this moment was to introduce himself to everyone in an extremely domineering fashion! Chapter 755 - An Unforgettable Day Disrupted! In the Expansive Coliseum, a shocking scene was taking place as a single Animus Summon flashed across the arena floor while it tore down the summons of multiple experts! It did matter if they were pets summoned by those in the Nebula Realm or those in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. The Obsidian Panther was so damn fast that he was just a black flash of light that passed through them, its deadly claws tearing apart tendons or wings as every single pet tumbled down. THRUM! The Summoning Prodigy had an ashen face as he turned into a streak of light to merge with his Three-Eyed Phoenix, but even before the fusion could complete the figure of the Obsidian Panther appeared in front of him. Within the Panther¡¯s eyes, one could see a hint of mockery as it glanced at the Low Tier GALAXY Three-Eyed Phoenix, swiping its feline claw as a dark phantom claw appeared atop the Phoenix and suppressed it completely, smashing it down as a chicken cry could be heard! RUMBLE! Waves of essence erupted out as before the dust could even settle, the Obsidian Panther was already in front of another Animus Summon as he went on to utterly decimate everything. This was speed. Speed of shocking proportions! In the middle of it all, Noah stood atop the Colossal Helios Leviathan grandly with his arms crossed on his back, the Void Serpent standing by his side majestically as he released the image of a primal being descending into the common world! ROAAR! The Obsidian Panther that could be seen as a black flash of light rose to the skies, standing above all of the Animus Summons as its eyes glanced down towards them arrogantly. Many were injured and could not even move, but the Panther saw that they still had fighting spirit dwelling within them as they did not despair. "Hmph!" A snort was the only thing many heard before a dreadful aura began spreading out from the Obsidian Panther, a singular skill name being cast from it for the first time. [Bloodline Supression]. THRUM! A flash of red light erupted from the panther as it went on to descend down into the arena floor, all of the animus pets that felt this light trembling as they felt a horrendous pressure push them towards the ground! In the skies, the figure of the small Obsidian Panther was seemingly expanding larger and larger, the phantom shape of the majestic Noble Black Panther Clan King forming as they could barely raise their eyes to see the phantom of a Mercurial Obsidian Panther with a stellar shimmering black crown floating atop its head grandiosely! While this phantom form existed, every summon under the PRISMATIC rank or those with weak bloodlines felt suppression- a level of suppression that dug to their very souls as their combat power was reduced by more than half and they could barely raise their heads to look up to the figure of the magisterial panther in the skies. This was a PRISMATIC Summon! A single one at that! OOOOH! Bellows rang out from the hundreds of millions as they felt their blood excitedly trembling within them, their eyes nearly tearing from the majestic sight as some nearly had heart attacks from too much excitement... RUUMBLE! Yet even before people could catch their breath from watching this battle, another thing occurred as this time, it wasn¡¯t on the arena floor of the Expansive Coliseum- but far above them in the skies. Amidst this stellar show of power from a single PRISMATIC Summon, a dreadfully arrogant and powerful aura had begun appearing at the highest point of the Expansive Coliseum, many beings turning their heads towards it fearfully as they thought enemies were invading! In the exalted stands where the Holy Emperor was, he had a slight angered look that he wiped away as he waved his hands for the many soldiers ready to bring from their summons and go to battle to come to a stop, watching the skies as a brilliant white light flashed to bring the materialization of a group of beings. THRUM! Pure mana flashed out with their arrival in the skies as Noah also looked up, his eyes shining as he glanced at the group of beings that had one defining feature- resplendent wings! "Haha Brother Windsor, you sent us an invitation for a grand event, but it looks like it¡¯s about to be done even before we arrived." Giving off an immense aura of power, a humanoid being that had five pairs of wings led a few just like him as they strolled through the skies in a magisterial fashion! The beings were about 4 meters tall with fair skin, all of them having the feature of multiple pairs of wings on their back. These wings were extremely unique as on all of them, one would be able to notice the shape of a mystical eye that seemed to watch everything. It was a mysterious sight to see as the being speaking joyfully at the very forefront had the most pairs of wings, the eyes on each of his wings seemingly swirling with essence as they nearly drew in the spirits of weaker beings! "Brother Primal, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to make it on such short notice." The resonant voice of the Holy Emperor replied as it dispelled the shocking feeling released from this being who was actually the Aileron Ruler! The winged being was the one standing atop the Primal Winged Expanse, a being known as the Primal Emperor! His eyes that constantly swirled with a mystical essence looked down into the arena floor where Noah was looking up while surrounded by his three PRISMATIC Pets. "It looks like you¡¯ve gained a powerful genius." RUMBLE! His words might have seemed like nothing to others, but the eyes of the Holy Emperor constricted while Noah below felt his blood boiling, his acute senses actually making him feel a barely discernible killing intent from the being that ruled over an entire Ancient Power! The Holy Emperor had an impassive look as he simply nodded while moving towards the Primal Emperor. "We¡¯ve only gained another Holy Descendant to our ranks, that¡¯s all. Come, let us go somewhere more lively now that this event has come to a close...Rudolf and Anastasia, take care of everything here and entertain the guests. We shall have a feast in the Expansive Ballroom!" The words of the Holy Emperor brought everyone to attention as he appeared in the skies and flew away with the smiling Primal Ruler, the party he brought with him remaining in the skies as they looked arrogantly towards the exalted seats where Rudolf, Old Man Khan and all the others remained! Rudolf knew the meaning of his Father¡¯s words as he glanced at his sister as he spoke out carefully. "Since you two are familiar with the genius below, reunite with him and bring him to the Expansive Ballroom. I¡¯ll take care of the remaining guests." Anastasia looked towards the party of winged beings far in the skies with careful eyes as she nodded, many memories coming back to her as she saw the particular figure of a being she denied years ago before she ran away from home! This same being was now leading the party of creatures from the Primal Winged Expanse, his eyes calm as they held an unknown light while glancing down at Anastasia and others. Rudolf and Old Man Khan had already flown towards them to welcome them, while Anna was already flying towards Noah as her mother shook her head with many emotions before she went down towards the Arena Floor herself. Too many things had happened as the moment Noah finished introducing himself as a shocking genius, the only allies of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter appeared as his Eyes of Truth showed him a great deal of things! Chapter 756 - The Aileron Race The winged beings that Noah had met for the first time were of the Aileron Race, a race of beings that ruled over the Primal Winged Expanse, and the only nearby friendly Ancient Power that shared borders with the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. As Noah stood atop his Colossal Helios Leviathan, the other contestants of the Holy Descendant Selection were groaning on the floor. Many of them and their summons had light injuries that could be healed within a few hours or days, with some like the Summoning Prodigy recovering event faster as they only had ashen expressions. The Holy Descendant Selection these being participated in was actually brought by to a close very quickly, just a single contestant matching all of them and utterly trampling all Animus Summons using a single pet! Yet soon after, the powerful and prideful Aileron Race appeared, the Primal Emperor of this Ancient Power making an appearance as the Selection was further disrupted. Noah still remained calm atop the Colossal Helios Leviathan as he saw the figure of Anna and Anastasia flying towards him. His eyes were focused on speedily reading numerous lines of information from Eyes of Truth as he met the powerful Aileron Ruler, just this mere meeting granting him many things! First was the information about this other Ancient Power, the only so called ¡¯ally¡¯ that the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had at this time. It was from this Ancient Power that in the past, familial relations had almost formed to cement the alliance between the two powers, but Anastasia could not be forced to do it as she ran away. When one truly thought about it, it was an extremely stupid matter to put a familial connection as one of the core things of an alliance, but the proud Aileron Race put this condition forward as the first thing before a few others that had to be complete before the two forces fully joined together in power to survive the coming Cataclysm! Yet the Aileron Race had done just that as the meeting this time around only occurred after the Holy Emperor of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter reached out and mentioned the talks of the alliance once more, and this time with the same conditions! Their appearance had given Noah truly large amounts of information, but one of the more important ones was the information on the type of strength- the Dao that the Ancient Power that was the Primal Winged Expanse cultivated, and it was the Dao of Withering! Noah was waiting until he stepped into the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter before he utilized a single feature- the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark that would allow him to gain a great deal of things from beings he merely met! He was waiting to meet any experts that might have had a unique Dao or possibly a Grand Dao that would very quickly boost his strength, but the hundreds of millions he had laid his eyes on or spread his aura out to see were nothing special! Most had barely begun on the Dao of Summoning if they were lucky, the truly important characters he would ever dare to use Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on being Entities like the Holy Emperor or Old Man Khan for their deep comprehensions in the Dao of Summoning. As he saw that even the Aileron Race cultivated a Lesser Dao, he chose to utilize his Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark soon to focus on completing a singular Dao first and stop spreading his focus into every single Dao he came across- he chose to first completely comprehend the Dao of Summoning as he would use his Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on the powerful Holy Emperor! RUMBLE! His thoughts were brought to a close as the figures of Anna and her mother appeared in front of him, the groaning contestants on the arena floor below them barely catching their eyes. The two drop dead gorgeous beings stepped on his Colossal Helios Leviathan as Anna¡¯s eyes shone with familiarity, this former Imperial Princess now turned into a Holy Princess speaking out with emotion. "What happened to the Nexus Galaxy? Where is father?" Her first words were those of concern as she asked of the fate of the Nexus Galaxy, Noah nodding to her and Anastasia while replying. "Nice to see you two again in one piece. The Imperial Adjudicator is safe, and I even have a message from him if we can find somewhere private." His words brought relief to the two women as they nodded, where the next thing that Anna said concerned Noah himself! "Ok, so what the hell is this? Three PRISMATIC Pets? Some even at a higher realm than you..." A barrage of questions erupted out from the curious Anna as she ignored the hundreds of millions of beings buzzing around them while looking at the images of them on the illusory screens. Far off in the skies, Rudolf had met with the rest of the delegation from the Primal Winged Expanse as the looks on the Aileron Princes were not too happy when they saw the talkative Holy Princess and Noah! Anastasia could read this situation as she cut off their reunion and spoke calmly. "Come, we are to welcome you into the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter per the words of the Holy Emperor. There is a celebratory ball waiting for us." "Oh? I¡¯ve passed the Holy Descendant Selection?" Noah said these words with a smile as he looked back at the groaning contestants that were unsummoning their Animus Pets and healing at this time, their gazes towards him still frightful! Anastasia shook her head incomprehensibly at these words as Anna gave a light laugh, the incredulousness of Noah taking many things off their minds at this moment as the enormous body of the Colossal Helios Leviathan rose to the skies. OOOOOH! Vibrant yells could be heard from the hundreds of millions of beings in the Expansive Coliseum, welcoming this new genius with his PRISMATIC Pets as they didn¡¯t let their eyes off the glimmering Leviathan. All that was left behind in the Coliseum were defeated beings that walked in with extreme pride, yet now Noah alone left with a mother and daughter of stupidly gorgeous proportions as his entrance into Ancient Powers began with a bang! Many pieces had actively begun moving with the return of Anastasia and Anna into the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, with Noah¡¯s introduction on this day propelling even more things into an unknown direction. At this moment, Noah would get a few hours of rest before attending a supposed celebratory dinner where powerful personages from two Ancient Powers would be attending, and he wanted to use some of this time to privately reunite a father with his family as he understood the situation Anastasia was in better, as well as how to proceed while putting his own goals into account! As always, it was bound to be a shocking adventure! Chapter 757 - Just Loot at the End of it All! I The Expansive Holy Land that stood at the center of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had a bustle of activities occurring throughout. It seemed like celebrations and festivities had overtaken the entire draconic shaped land as even though not everyone could participate in the grand celebration that would be occurring in the Expansive Ballroom, most still celebrated in their own regions as they welcomed the return of their Holy Princess and the news of a dreadful Genius Summoner that had multiple PRISMATIC Pets began to spread out! Such news called for grand celebrations! Meanwhile, Noah was talking with a mother and daughter pair as he gained more understanding of the situation around them, Anastasia bringing the two of them through a few portals that only someone of her status could pass through without any issues as their destination was a paradisiacal isolated world that held fantastical castles. "There should be some privacy in here, what happened with the Nexus Galaxy?" The most pressing matter was the one of safety for the beings they knew for years, Anastasia asking of this as they passed through the colorful gardens that looked like mazes around the unique medieval styled castles. Noah gave a light smile as he walked with the two women, nodding in front of them as they came to a stop and watched the area he pointed to begin to bubble with spatial essence as something came forth. "Alright, prepare yourselves for this." The spatial essence brought forth a clone, a clone that had the same face as Alexander as the two women looked towards it with their expressions agape! But this wasn¡¯t all as this clone very quickly unfurled his hand, bringing forth a stellar looking circular object that shone with scintillating light. The object floating on the palm was shockingly a Galaxy, and one that was the product of the fusion of many galaxies! "Don¡¯t resist." Noah said these words as he used his authority as the Infinite Galaxy Master to warp the two of them into his home, many things being much easier to explain in this location. SHAAA! After a flash of essence, their figures disappeared silently from the garden as a miniaturized galaxy fell on the earth below, merging with the small grains of sand seamlessly! --- Within the Infinite Galaxy, some of the more powerful figures were floating in the starry space between multiple shimmering stars as they enjoyed the essence filled fruits of the Infinite Galaxy. They had briefly stopped their training to recuperate and relax as they got a message from Noah that powerful guests would be coming into the Infinite Galaxy! These guests were beings that the Imperial Adjudicator was connected to, so the Harbingers took some time aside to see the beings that the Adjudicator they trained with always talked about. With a flash of light, the appearance of two curvaceous women appeared along with Noah¡¯s two bodies near the space they were in, their expressions looking around with their mouths agape as they wanted to confirm they were now truly in a separate space that had multiple stars! "Anna! Anastasia!" The Emperor Penguin and others then watched as the tough Imperial Adjudicator flew towards these two beings without any of the majestic demeanor of a king, hugging them tightly as he finally met his family again. This powerful ruler glanced towards Noah¡¯s two bodies as his eyes were red with emotion and said softly, "Thank you." Noah nodded at this as he smiled lightly, his voice ringing out thereafter. "Welcome the new guests to the Infinite Galaxy. We have much to do!" What followed next was the introduction of the Infinite Galaxy to the shocked mother and daughter, the reality that the Nexus Galaxy they knew was fused into another galaxy being something they could hardly believe. "How does that even work? Like, no...it doesn¡¯t make sense..." Anna was shaking her head as she barraged Noah with questions in the starry space, her fiery red hair dancing in space while the Imperial Adjudicator pulled Anastasia close to him as if he didn¡¯t know when he would lose her again. Far off in the distance, the Emperor Penguin looked at this scene as he shook his head in amazement, his beady eyes glancing to the side as he saw a fiery Barbaros crossing her arms while gazing towards Noah and the two new beings. ¡¯Is master really about to add another woman he can barely take care of? Truly unfathomable!¡¯ The Emperor Penguin had a ridiculous thought as his eyes shifted from Anna to the Barbaros near him, the stupor and shock of the reality of the Infinite Galaxy being accepted by the two women as they moved on to the issue at hand. "My weakness seems to have only made things worse, where now I¡¯ve gotten even Anna embroiled in the mess of Ancient Powers." After things settled down, Anastasia told the story of their return and exactly how events had played out, mentioning to them the standing of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse as she talked of the broken engagement she ran away from, as well as the new one that was about to be formed now. "What!" The Imperial Adjudicator was furious as he bellowed out. "A prideful Aileron Race? Needed allies? So what! All I see is birdmen trying to force my daughter, I won¡¯t have it!" His stance was made clear as Anna nodded in a matter of fact fashion, but her face and Anastasia¡¯s face was one of difficulty as they knew the many more intricacies within it! Anastasia waved her hands in front of them as she spoke. "My father has already chained me to make sure I don¡¯t step out of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter again, and he knows Anna won¡¯t go anywhere if I¡¯m forced to remain here. In the next day or two, he plans to make the engagement official as two Ancient Powers join together." "..." Silence overtook the starry space that these beings were in as many had thoughtful expressions, all of their gazes going towards one person at this moment! They all went towards Noah who was sipping a golden drink squeezed from fruits dense in fate essence, listening to the issue at hand that weighed down on others heavily as if it was nothing to him. Seeing the worried looks of the Adjudicator and the mother and daughter pair, Noah finished his drink as he turned towards Anna and asked simply! "Are you planning on getting together with a random Aileron Prince?" "No." Anna¡¯s reply was instant as her gaze was calm, looking expectantly towards this genius that always surprised her to no end. "Then if you don¡¯t want to, you simply won¡¯t. I¡¯ll make sure of it." RUMBLE! With a domineering gaze, Noah sipped his golden drink as he spoke out lazily, making his stance clear! Anna looked towards him as her bright eyes shined, all of the beings here listening to his words as he made one thing clear. Even if the will of an Ancient Land was to do something, if he said they won¡¯t- then they would have to bend to Noah¡¯s will! Chapter 758 - Just Loot at the End of it All! II In the starry space of the Infinite Galaxy, a group of important beings were sitting together as a heavy discussion took place! Anastasia was the one speaking right now as she understood the immensity of Ancient Powers, as she knew of the dreadful monsters hidden within these places that were actually legacies of long lost Sages. "But...this involves Ancient Powers, Entities that have nearly comprehended Daos, beings who have legacies of Sages with them...as much of a genius as you are, you haven¡¯t been given enough time to-" THRUM! Before Anastasia could finish her worried words as she looked at Noah, he erupted with essence as his brilliant QUASAR shone resplendently on his body. His face took a hint of seriousness as he spoke once more. "The Nexus Galaxy has become a part of my Infinite Galaxy, so its people fall under my responsibility! Your husband, your daughter, and even you...all of you fall under my responsibility!" OOOM! The swirling essence of Dao erupted out with his words, Anastasia shockingly sensing the Dao of Summoning and ridiculously another Dao mixed in as Noah continued. "So if I say other people cannot lay their hands on you, they cannot lay their hands on you! It matters not if they are Entities or Sages, they are nothing! To me, they shall merely be loot in the very end!" THRUM! Those listening felt their hearts pump as they listened to a being that did not put Entities or Sages in his eyes! His last words reverberated throughout as they left a deep impact on those listening. "...shall merely be loot in the very end..." "...merely be loot..." "...merely loot...!" Entities and Sages- in front of Noah, he foresaw that that could only be loot! --- As Noah let out domineering words with one body, one of his main bodies was casting a profoundly powerful skill that could not be used for weeks after- it was the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark! More than always, Noah would be doing multiple things at the same time with his different bodies. So as one of them was entertaining the crimson haired mother and daughter pair while understanding the happenings of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, other bodies were training skill trees, utilizing features of the Infinite Galaxy, and now his main body was selecting a target for Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark. The being this time around was naturally the top most being of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, the Holy Emperor himself who held profound comprehensions on the Dao of Summoning! Noah made this Dao his target to master as his Animus Summons were the ones granting him the biggest battle power at this moment. From the experiment with the Dao of Vitality, he knew that spending the entire Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on a Dao would grant him over 30% into it, so he would be waiting merely less than 3 months before he completely comprehends the Dao. 3 months! And that was barring any other opportunities he came across during that time. THRUM! Essence moved under his command as first, he changed the affix of the Ruination Core to [+10,000% Comprehension and Assimilation in the Dao of Summoning], Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark being cast thereafter as a portion of his soul traversed the wide space to go elsewhere! Going from the miniaturized galaxy that was a grain of sand in the garden of the paradisiacal world within the Expansive Holy Land, he traveled rapidly as he passed through restricted areas and actually entered deep into the Head Region of the draconic shaped land, bursting into an isolated world filled with mystical billowing blue smoke that only held two discussing beings- the Holy Emperor and the Primal Emperor. His soul whizzed by unknowingly as it descended into the body of the Holy Emperor, even this powerful Entity or the being he was talking to not being able to notice a single thing! "Things have gotten even wilder with the changes we saw in the Ruination Tools. The other Ancient Powers have begun making movements they wouldn¡¯t dare to make before." The voice of the Primal Emperor rang out as the minute countdown started in the periphery of Noah¡¯s vision, his mind having already given the command on what experiences to focus on as he listened in on the conversations of these two big bosses! "...to the North, the Arch Human Race is consolidating power once more as they bring even more Entities under their banner." The talk between these two bosses was a heavy one that concerned the environment of the Dark Universe, the discussion staying on the Ancient Powers that surrounded them! The current discussion was for the force that controlled a portion of what could be considered the Northern Region of the Dark Universe, where the terrifying Arch Human Race ruled a terrifying Ancient Power that was at this moment recruiting more Entities. The two big bosses continued their talk without the knowledge that at this moment, Noah was listening in while crystallizing immense comprehensions of the Dao of Summoning from the Holy Emperor. "Ever since the reaction from the Tools of Ruination, every Ancient Power has been scrambling to obtain more knowledge and consolidate more power. We are the same, we just have to make sure our alliance starts off on the right path!" The Primal Emperor that held 5 shining pairs of wings said this with a wily smile while staring at the Holy Emperor who nodded calmly while replying. "Anastasia may have not been able to complete the pact last time, but my granddaughter will! I will set the engagement for a year later." "A year? You do not wish to join hands right now?" "A year is nothing to us. I hope Brother Primal can understand." The gaze of the Holy Emperor remained impassive as he said these words, the winged ruler of the Aileron Race in front of him only smiling as he nodded! "My Primal Winged Expanse is fairly protected as we reside past the Pestiferous Chaotic Regions that we know how to navigate, but others will be aiming for your Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter with even more vigor soon because of your intact Sage¡¯s Legacy..." Noah¡¯s soul perked up in the midst of absorbing Dao comprehensions, his attention on the intact ¡¯Sage¡¯s Legacy¡¯ that was mentioned between these two bosses! Chapter 759 - One Third of a Dao in Seconds! The Primal Emperor spoke of an intact Sage¡¯s Legacy that was the target of other Ancient Powers, yet his eyes seemed to hold a tinge of greed as he spoke about this himself! The Holy Emperor saw this as his eyes squinted, speaking out while enunciating every word clearly. "It is merely a rumor that my Ancient Power has a more intact Sage¡¯s Legacy than yours or the others. If we truly had one, we wouldn¡¯t be in the position we¡¯re in right now!" Yes! The surrounding Ancient Powers each had their own unique strengths and areas of study when it came to the Dao, but there was a rumor that the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter was among the few Ancient Powers that had an intact Sage¡¯s Legacy left behind by a benevolent sage before the Cataclysm that took all the Sages and Great Sages away. During the time when the Sages and Great Sages utilized the Cosmic Treasure Ruination, some were lucky enough to have foreseen a horrendous possibility as they left behind legacies for their bloodlines, these legacies creating the Ancient Powers that currently rule the Dark Universe! "The ones spreading such lies is naturally that loser in the North and the Desolate Galaxies of the East. They just want an excuse to attack my Expansive Holy Land again!" The eyes of the Holy Emperor blazed as the Primal Emperor nodded. "Not to worry, Brother Windsor. As soon as they know of our alliance, they wouldn¡¯t dare take their forces out to attack. But really...to be surrounded by so many enemies..." The ruler of the Aileron Race continued as he talked of the Ancient Powers surrounding them, Noah gaining even more knowledge of the many experts around him as he saw he had 20 seconds left in Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark! He found out that within the Dark Universe, the Arch Humans ruled the Northern region, with the East being ruled by the Ancient Power standing above the Desolate Galaxies, the Spirit Race consolidating their rule in the south, and of course there was the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse in the West. Multiple Ancient Powers, each with their own stupendously powerful Entities as they each focused on different Daos. Some Ancient Powers were even more powerful than others as they study a Grand Dao, this being the Spirit Race in the South that many other Ancient Powers were apprehensive about! Others focused on the Dao of Weapons such as the Dao of the Sword or Saber, others on the more Unique Daos like Summoning, Slaughter, or Destruction. Yet above all of these, one central thing made many Entities and Ancient Powers apprehensive. "It is always the Tools of Ruination..." The Holy Emperor gave a light sigh as he looked out, remembering the history left behind by their long lost Sages as well as their own understanding after years of research. He turned to the Primal Emperor as he spoke carefully, his eyes shining as he had seemingly made a tough decision! "Come, let us enjoy the celebration as I will also announce something to show some goodwill for our alliance." "Oh?..." The two big bosses continued their conversation as they changed locations, the being who was listening to them the past seconds fading away from the Origin of the Holy Emperor as he carried with him a dense red crystal that contained years¡¯ worth of comprehensions of the Dao of Summoning! Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark was finished as it granted Noah a large amount of information as well as a huge boost in the Dao of Summoning that he would know the exact percentage of in a bit. His soul traversed through the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter rapidly as his soul descended onto his body as he was still talking with Anastasia and others! To them, Noah was just releasing a domineering air as he said words that shook them to their core, and then he took a slight pause as he seemed to have thought of something. THRUM! Yet a second later, the space around him began to tremble as a magisterial air burst out, those around him being pushed away as all around Noah, the swirling essence of the Dao of Summoning had descended around him as it tunneled into him rapidly! "What...!" Anastasia was about to tell this being about the true terror of Ancient Powers and that they had hundreds of thousands of years to comprehend different Daos, that he who had only embarked on the Dao a few weeks ago would not be able to match them so quickly. Yet...she watched with an agape expression as she saw the condensing of pure Dao Essence around him, this Dao Essence being something only those who had been comprehending the Dao for tens of thousands of years being able to bring forth! She had to swallow her own words as she realized this much Dao Essence would very soon exceed her own understanding in the Dao of Summoning. ¡¯How? I¡¯ve embarked on this path for a few hundred years...I...¡¯ THRUM! Noah could only be seen calmly floating in the starry space as his dark hair waved wildly, his Origin absorbing the comprehensions of the Holy Emperor that he had worked so hard to achieve for thousands of years. Noah himself looked at his stat panel as he observed the percentage next to the Dao of Summoning increase from the abysmal low decimal percentage and shoot up- going from 1% to 10% rapidly as it only continued further! In the past when he spent 10 seconds of the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on the Dao of Vitality, he had gained 5% in this Dao when he absorbed everything. This time around, he had used the full 60 seconds on the Dao of Summoning while he bookmarked the Holy Emperor, meaning he would be getting 6 times as much advancement as he would comprehend one-third of a Lesser Dao in the span of a few seconds... This meant 30% would be comprehended in just a matter of seconds! A few seconds! Yes, there were many factors that made it possible. There was the +10,000 affix and the use of Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark, but still! One third of a Lesser Dao to be comprehended in just seconds was just...Ah, the words aren¡¯t even there! Chapter 760 - The Primal Holy Land Shall Open! I Some beings had been around Noah long enough to not be too surprised by the things that he did. Off to the side, the Emperor Penguin and the other Harbingers of Sin were looking at Noah with calm eyes as he simply sipped a golden drink while his body swirled with the magisterial essence of the Dao of a Summoning! The intense reverberations only made them nod their heads in a matter of fact fashion as they continued eating their own pristine foods and drinks, but it was the figures of the Imperial Adjudicator, Anastasia, and Anna that looked towards Noah with agape expressions. By the time their expressions returned to normal, the dao essence around Noah was calming down as he opened his eyes calmly. As if nothing had just happened he turned towards them and continued on speaking. "So this Aileron Race..." The others looked towards him incredulously as he simply carried on the conversation as if he hadn¡¯t just advanced a thousand years¡¯ worth of comprehensions in a matter of seconds! In the corner of his eyes, Noah could see the 31% next to the Dao of Summoning. Aside from this percentage there also came unique features that one could only unlock after they traversed through any Lesser, Grand, or Cosmic Dao. To understand these unique features, we must discuss exactly what happens when one comprehends and assimilates a Dao. The further one travels as they gain more comprehension, the more power they can draw from the Dao they are studying...as well as the more power they could grant to their pets! One of the more unique features that was inconsequential to Noah before but he could use now, was to actually control the dense swirls of Dao Essence he could now command to infuse into the bodies of his pets while they were summoned. This would enhance their strength to an unknown factor as he had to test it to be sure. Noah was also able to confirm that the cooldowns and the efficacy of all of the skills that dealt with the Dao of Summoning were increased greatly as his comprehension rose to 31%! So the skills that awoke the bloodlines of the Animus Summons now had +310% attached to them as he could use it twice in a day, and the skill that an animus trainer could use to increase the cultivation of their pets also had a +310% in front of it as only its efficacy was increased. Of course, there was also the increased chance to obtain rarer pets when one¡¯s comprehension in the dao was extremely high. All in all, the efficacy of skills were greatly increased the further one traveled in the Dao, where when one reached 100% in comprehension...well, the boosts and ways they could utilize their abilities would just be horrendous. When one further assimilated the Dao into their very soul and origin- well, that was another concept entirely! So at this moment, Noah¡¯s abilities that were boosted by skill points were even further enhanced with the increased progression in the Dao of a Summoning. Noah conversed with Anastasia and the curvaceous Anna for a few more minutes before they had to leave the Infinite Galaxy and return to head towards the celebration taking place at this time. When it came to the supposed chains placed on Anastasia, Noah saw they were merely an item that had a locator function, but they could not be taken off by anyone other than the Holy Emperor! This wasn¡¯t because it was a great treasure, but simply because it required a being with immense comprehensions in the Dao of Summoning to continuously input dao essence into it before it could be unlocked. Even though Noah had only jumped to 31%, he could easily utilize his mana to continuously command dao essence into it until the tool could be unlocked! He left the bracelet alone for now as he would observe how things go before making drastic movements. Thus they left the Infinite Galaxy to go towards the celebration. It was only the first day, but Noah had arrived as he etched his name into the minds of hundreds of millions, reunited with a shocking mother and daughter pair, and also used the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark to advanced more than 30% in a Lesser Dao! In only less than a day! Yet he continued on with ease as his senses spread out from the Infinite Galaxy that was miniaturized and as small as a grain of sand in the gardens of the area they were in. When Noah noticed that nobody was present-the figures of him, Anastasia, and Anna swiftly reappeared. His clone warped in briefly as he anchored the Infinite Galaxy on to himself and disappeared soon after as he returned to the job of fusing more galaxies into the Infinite Galaxy! "Well, let¡¯s go see how this plays out." Noah spoke with a slight smile as the party went towards the location where the convergence of experts from the Primal Winged Expanse and the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter would be occurring. --- The location that went to was a central castle in the area they were in, and this area that was the size of a world was truly grand as it looked like a paradisiacal land filled with beautiful gardens and castles. Even though this castle was just as enormous, it didn¡¯t have too many rooms, and only held a singular expansive ballroom in a circular area that was filled with golden tables and chairs. Exotic maid of the human and Dragonoid races walked in elegantly as they served drinks and good brimming with vigorous essence, painting for a fantastical scene one could never come across with ease! This expansive ballroom was filled with important personages as Noah could even pinpoint the aura of more than five Entities just in this area, and this did not even include the Holy Emperor and the Primal Emperor that were not here as of right now. The figures of Maya and Raya, the maids of Anna, could be seen standing behind the exquisite throne where the Holy Emperor would be sitting. One could also see Rudolph and Old Man Khan entertaining the princes of the Aileron Race in the middle of this huge ballroom. These beings held regal robes as their shimmering pairs of wings were their defining features, their 4 meter tall stature making those talking to them always glance upwards! Many others in the surroundings were Holy Children and the Holy Descendant of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. In this Expansive Ballroom filled with such royalty and elegance, Noah made his entrance! When he stepped in, he was accompanied on both sides by two gorgeous women, with him being the leading figure as they walked behind him. His entrance actually caused a pause to occur throughout the ballroom as many turned their eyes to see him walking at the very forefront while Anastasia was behind him to his left and Anna behind him to his right! It was a shocking image to look at as the Holy Princesses of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter actually followed behind a single man. The eyes of Rudolph opened with a slight anger as Old Man Khan looked forward with a light smile. The party from the Primal Winged Expanse that they were entertaining looked towards Noah with cold eyes as one of the Princes of the Aileron Race began walking towards them. Noah¡¯s gaze was calm as he looked around at the many figures in front of him, his eyes keen on using the eyes of truth to understand more the mysteries of these powerful beings! He didn¡¯t even put the coming prince into his eyes as this being did not look towards him either, his gaze going towards the veiled Anna who was beside Noah. "I wondered when I would make your acquaintance, Princess Anna." The four meter tall winged being came over as a light smile appeared on his face, elegance and royalty leaking out of him as his four pairs of wings shone mystically behind him. This was the supposed Prince that would be promised the hand of the Holy Princess of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter when the time came for the two forces to join hands as allies! This was Prince Kirigan! His face was filled with elegance and majesty as he appeared in front of Noah¡¯s party, completely ignoring Noah as he only acknowledged Anna and Anastasia. Yet before either of them could even reply, Noah appeared in front of Anna as he glanced at the Aileron Prince lazily before he spoke out. "Who are you?" "..." Silence descended into the wide ballroom as a genius newly chosen Holy Descendant appeared in front of an Aileron Prince, his gaze full of disrespect as he stopped the Prince from even talking to the Holy Princess! THRUUM! The elegant face of the Aileron Prince lost its smile as coldness appeared, the mystical eyes within its wings beginning to revolve as it looked like a fight was about to break out! Chapter 761 - The Primal Holy Land Shall Open! II "Wow, the younguns are particularly feisty and full of energy!" RUMBLE! Before the essence from the Aileron Prince could build up any further, the strong voice of the Holy Emperor reverberated as he appeared in the ballroom with the Primal Emperor next to him, these two personages releasing extremely oppressive atmospheres as the attention of the entire room was demanded to go towards them. The nearly bursting essence of the Aileron Prince died down as he received a look from the Primal Emperor, pulling back as the voice of the Holy Emperor resounded again. "Gather around everyone. Before we jump into the festivities, I have a grand announcement to make that involves the joining of our two Ancient Powers, as well as...our Primal Holy Land!" ...! The words of the Holy Emperor took the attention of all the beings as the topics mentioned within were of high importance, many beings forgetting what just occurred as they focused on the figure of the Holy Emperor that moved to the very forefront. The gaze of the Holy Emperor passed through many of the important figures in the ballroom before he continued. "First is the news of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse coming together as allies, this alliance starting off by the engagement of my Granddaughter Anna...and Prince Kirigan of the Primal Winged Expanse!" RUMBLE! "What..!" "The new Holy Princess...?" Murmurs spread throughout with this announcement, a grand light coming to shine on the 4 meter tall Prince Kirigan as another light shone on Anna who was still behind Noah! Even though these two figures were supposed to be on the spot light at this moment, many could not help but bring their eyes to notice the figure of Noah that was standing between the Prince of the Primal Winged Expanse and the Holy Princess. Such were the effects of the Protagonist Trait! Even the Holy Emperor looked at this in passing as he looked at the genius he needed to tie to him, and as she saw that he seemed close to his Granddaughter and Daughter, it shouldn¡¯t have been too much a problem. He only had a light smile as he continued, the next thing he would be saying being granted even more importance as his oppressive aura spread out even more. "To commemorate the beginning of this new chapter...I shall be opening our Primal Holy Land once more as the younger generation can step in to test their luck with the Legacy left behind by the Great Sage!" ...! "This time, our genius Summoners will be accompanied by the young generation from the Primal Winged Expanse as we get closer together, the storms to come in the future being nothing to stand against us!" This shocking announcement had many beings shocked as cheers erupted thereafter, sharp lights passing through the eyes of the powerful figures of the Aileron Race as their Primal Emperor laughed jovially while raising a toast. "To the alliance of our Ancient Powers!" "To the alliance!" THRUUM! Essence bubbled forth as these experts celebrated, many intricacies lying behind the decisions and happenings as on the surface, many beings just knew that two Ancient Powers were coming together. "Let¡¯s feast!" The celebration began in full swing as beings came to converse with each other, Prince Kirigan turning around to see his soon be bride only to notice her already walking away with the figure of Noah towards the delicacies on the many tables of this ballroom. His cold gaze contained many thoughts as a few other beings of the delegation from the Primal Winged Expanse came around him, sending telepathic messages with each other as they enjoyed the delicacies around them! "Haha Brother Kirigan, are you really jealous of that puny human? Although he is a genius by their standards, even the Holy Emperor has promised his daughter to you." The one to speak was another magnificent winged Aileron Royalty, his eyes containing a hint of mischief as he wanted to stir things up. Prince Kirigan only smiled as he replied. "I just don¡¯t like flies hanging around my food, that¡¯s all." These cold words were said as the eyes of the Aileron Royals saw the group of Noah, Anna, and Anastasia finally go towards the Holy Emperor. Yet the telepathic messages of the mischievous Aileron Royal continued. "I know you prefer playing around with the humans, but are you sure the Princess can handle you? I don¡¯t know if her Physique can hold on like all the others!" The Aileron Royalty voiced out telepathically as a light laugh escaped his lips, Prince Kirigan only smiling coldly as he replied. "Let¡¯s wait to enter their Primal Holy Land first, in there, I can truly show any flies what it means to be king." ... As new faces were introduced to each other, a grand feast was being enjoyed as delicacies of all types were served out! Ranging from rare fruits that took tens of years to mature, all the way to glistening Mythical Void Turtle meat and barbecued Phoenix Wings...a truly rare selection was being enjoyed by the higher ups of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse. In the midst of all of this, many beings were getting acquainted with the horrendous genius that appeared in the Holy Descendant Selection, the being known as Alexander! The more shocking thing about this being was how he was being taken around by the Holy Princess Anastasia and her daughter, his demeanor around them seemingly as if he had the higher status between the three of them! Even the Holy Emperor noticed this scene as when the three of them went towards him, he sent a telepathic message to his daughter to act proper- even though he was secretly glad that there seemed to be a strong bond between this genius who should have been a student of Anastasia. He then met the genius he wanted to rope into his power as in his eyes, he only saw the possible future of multiple Entities arising from this single being because of his PRISMATIC Summons. When Noah faced this ruler of an Ancient Power, many thoughts crossed his mind as he observed Anastasia to give a slight bow. Anna remained standing straight as Noah merely nodded to show respect, neither servile nor overbearing as the Holy Emperor laughed at this scene and didn¡¯t take it to heart! "The new genius Holy Descendant of my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! Come, let us know a bit more about you..." The festivities continued as Noah mingled with truly powerful beings, a few of them being ridiculously powerful Entities that he couldn¡¯t hope to match at this moment. Yet, he had successfully inserted himself into the Ancient Power in just a single day, where he was currently introduced with its Ruler and Royalty! On top of this, there was the delegation of another Ancient Power that seemed to be saying different words than what they truly intended, his Eyes of Truth catching the intricacies of many things. Even further, there was the opening of the Primal Holy Land that apparently contained the Legacy of a Great Sage... There were a lot of moving pieces, but it was bound to be a fruitful adventure! Chapter 762 - You think I need protection?! The night was lively as esteemed personages enjoyed themselves, the event going through the entire night and spilling into the next day as to these experts, it didn¡¯t matter whether it was day or night! Noah got the chance to truly open up his eyes to how those in Ancient Powers celebrated, much of the night being accompanied by Anna and Anastasia as the Holy Children of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter tried to get closer to him. When the celebration neared its end, he received word from Anastasia that the Holy Emperor wished to meet him in private, his show of power having worked greatly as this Ruler of an Ancient Power truly wished to rope him in! --- As Noah made his way towards a private meeting with the Holy Emperor while accompanied by the mother and daughter pair, the delegation of the Primal Winged Expanse was making their way out of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter with grand smiles on their faces. The Primal Ruler was at the very forefront as his five pairs of wings shimmered with immense light. The wings of the Aileron Race represented status, and five pairs were the highest an Aileron could achieve! Even Prince Kirigan only held four pairs of wings at this moment as he had not reached his ultimate form. The voice of this same Prince Kirigan rang out towards the Primal Emperor as they crossed the chaotic void. "Grandfather, why would the Holy Emperor open up his Holy Land so easily?" "He knows that the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter is gradually getting more and more cornered as 2 Ancient Powers are turning their eyes towards it. The rumors about them having an intact Sage¡¯s Legacy have truly brought them into peril..." As the Primal Emperor mentioned the ¡¯rumors¡¯, he had a mocking smile as this same being was one of the contributors of such things! "I know he suspects me as well, but his hands are tied as with the move of inviting our young generation into the Primal Holy Land as well as announcing our alliance that begins by blood, he ties our two powers together while reducing the rumors to nothing as we will be able to see for ourselves that he doesn¡¯t have an intact Sage¡¯s Legacy- that old fool is as wise as ever!" "As it will be known that our two powers have explored the Primal Holy Land together, any attacks that the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter faces will be shared by my Primal Winged Expanse as well. But what my dear Brother Windsor does not know is that I could give a shit about his Sage¡¯s Legacy...what I want is something that even at this time he thinks is a secret...I want the Ruination Core within his grasp!" RUMBLE! The 10 eyes on the five pairs of wings of the Primal Emperor shone with a golden l.u.s.ter as he released a horrendous pressure, the faces of the Aileron Royals behind him lighting up as they looked towards each other with great smiles. "The coming cataclysm will not be survived by any stupid Legacies or the minor comprehensions in the Dao...the only solution is the Tools of Ruination that began everything in the first place." The delegation from the Primal Winged Expanse left while discussing a great deal of things, another meeting taking place at the same time back in the draconic shaped Expansive Holy Land as Anastasia led Noah into yet another grand castle. He seemed to be jumping from one majestic castle into another as this current one wasn¡¯t filled with servants all around, but seemed quiet and empty as he could only sense a single aura- an aura of a terrifying Entity more powerful than the many he had come across! He was brought into this castle that had a garden at the middle of it, a single Holy Emperor standing within this garden as he turned towards them with a smile as he spoke to Anastasia and Anna. "Leave us." RUMBLE! His word was an undeniable command as Anastasia turned around right away, only Anna remaining as her mother pulled her back with her a moment later while sending a telepathic message towards her. ¡¯He¡¯s not in any danger. He¡¯s actually safest by the side of the man that wants to rope him in the most.¡¯ As the mother and daughter pulled back, Noah glanced at this Holy Emperor that had already begun speaking as he looked at the vibrant garden around him. "I haven¡¯t come across a being like you in my lifetime, where even now I don¡¯t know how you were able to summon three PRISMATIC Summons." Noah remained quiet as he listened, walking into the garden with arms behind his back as he put on airs even while in front of this Holy Emperor! This being looked towards him with a smile as he sensed this scene, continuing with the same tone thereafter. "Such accomplishments have also made you very proud it seems, where even someone such as me isn¡¯t even placed in your eyes it seems. But I will tell you now that this attitude...will bring you countless troubles in the future!" "Yes, you are a genius, but you are young and haven¡¯t grown! There are many enemies all around that can very easily take your life!" THRUM! With these words, the Holy Emperor released a terrifying air as dense swirls of the essence of the Dao of Summoning descended unto him, his figure metaphorically becoming bigger in front of Noah¡¯s eyes as he seemed as vast and stable as a holy mountain! "I want to provide you with the protection you need as you grow, as well as all the resources you can think of. All I want from you is your allegiance once you reach the rank of an Entity, as this will strengthen our Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter even further." ... Noah glanced towards this being that was vibrating with power. This was an Entity that stood at the top of an Ancient Power, a being that commanded multiple Galaxies and was greatly proficient in the Dao of Summoning as even his Pets were in the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm as they were Entities themselves. Yet as he stood next to this being...Noah wasn¡¯t afraid! This was more so because of all of his abilities from the Protagonist Trait, but also because of the many unique uses of the Ruination Core that he had with him. Aside from the great percentages when it came to laws and Daos, it also had great offensive and defensive abilities. He looked at these stupendous affixes as he calmly uttered shockingly domineering words in front of the Ruler of an Ancient Power. "You think I need protection and resources from others to grow?" RUUUMBLE! ...! Chapter 763 - Why can I not be arrogant! "You think I need protection and resources from others to grow?" BOOM! The words were like a thunderclap in the ears of the Holy Emperor, his gaze on this being turning cold as he shook his head with a hint of disappointment, realizing that genius truly came at a price- and this being was too prideful! Such pride was the downfall of many geniuses, and he thought this being that his daughter brought would be above that. As the gaze of the Holy Emperor turned cold, Noah¡¯s eyes were glancing at the Miscellaneous Afixxes of the Ruination Core he had equipped. [Ruination Core Affixes](Miscellaneous) :: 10% chance to Smite enemies for 10,000% Ruination Damage when you hit them, Slain enemies explode into crystallized Blood Orbs that enhance physical constitution, +10,000 to All Damage, +10,000 to Defense, +10,000 to Attack and Cast Speed, Damage Dealt to enemies increases by 10% for every enemy near 50 meters of you, Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate, Every attack deals an extra 100% Ruination Damage, 25%chance on killing an enemy to cause an explosion of Cores, Every successful attack increases Cast and Attack speed by 1% for 5 minutes-capable of stacking up to 10,000 times, The act of not taking damage for 10 seconds grants a Ruination Shield capable of withstanding a single strike from a Sage... The Miscellaneous Affixes were many, and would fill up multiple pages if they were all to be listed. But Noah stopped after the Affix he was currently interested in the most, the one that stupidly granted him a Ruination Shield that could withstand the basic attack of a Sage as long as he did not take any damage for 10 seconds! The only question that remained in Noah¡¯s mind was how many strikes from an Entity were equivalent to a single strike of a Sage? This would be something he would learn in the future as at this time, he switched out the +10,000% increased comprehension and assimilation in the Dao of Summoning and added the affix that granted him a Ruination Shield as long as he didn¡¯t take damage for 10 seconds. RUMBLE! Essence silently thrummed within his origin as his eyes glanced at the cold faced Holy Emperor. "Just a few months back, I embarked on the path of strength by awakening as the weakest hunter of my planet. Only weeks passed before I became the strongest on that planet, and a few more weeks passed before I began conquering nearby planets!" Noah¡¯s gaze was calm as he seemed to be reminiscing, his words continuing grandly. "A few more weeks passed...and I became the strongest in my Galaxy. Yet just this wasn¡¯t enough as in the past few weeks, I¡¯ve embarked on a path outside of my Galaxy as I search for greater strength! During this entire time...I didn¡¯t require the protection or resources of anyone- I just took what I came across as I have now embarked on a Dao, and I have summoned three PRISMATIC Summons from my own efforts." SHAA! As soon as his words finished, 10 seconds had passed as around his body, a circular transparent shield that held a tinge of red began to form, Noah using his Unique Origin ability to make the forming Ruination Shield invisible to others as his eyes locked with the Holy Emperor. "With my skills, I expect to rise to the rank of an Entity in just a matter of weeks as I will move unhindered in the Dark Universe. Why should I seek allegiance to your Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter? Why should I not hold my head high with pride? Why can I not be arrogant!" RUMBLE! His words caused an air of majesty to leak out of him, the Holy Emperor squinting his eyes as he saw the same aura of a Ruler appear on this being in front of him! An aura of someone that held a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders, someone meant for a great future out of their wildest dreams. Yet...the Holy Emperor still saw him as only a young child. This was because this genius was only of the QUASAR Realm, and yet he was throwing airs in front of an Entity multiple stages above him! He had to enter and then pass the Low Tier, Middle Tier, and then ascend into the Peak Tier of the GALAXY Realm before he could even claim to stand at the same stage as the Holy Emperor, and yet his gaze at this moment was like he was talking to someone else at the same stage as him. "You do not believe me." Noah¡¯s words rang out as he glanced at the Holy Emperor at the corner of his eyes, this being currently holding an utterly disappointed expression as he was debating on what to do about him. Noah gave a light nod as he closed his eyes, speaking out with a languid expression. "Very well. Since you do not think I can protect myself, why don¡¯t you try to harm me?" "..." The Holy Emperor glanced towards Noah with blank eyes as he thought his ears had gotten too old, his dark hair beginning to dance wildly as his sharp face became even more oppressive! He looked towards this genius as he decided to teach him a small lesson on arrogance, that no matter how amazing he was, he truly had not had the time to rise to a level of strength where he could talk in the same manner he was at this moment! "Very well!" RUMBLE! Dao essence swirled around the Holy Emperor as he pushed out a palm. It was a single palm that contained power at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, the Holy Emperor wanting to only teach this genius a lesson to reform his arrogant view! If one looked at this scene, they would be shocked to find a powerful Entity throwing out a palm filled with the essence of a Dao, the target of this palm standing calmly with his head raised as he didn¡¯t even bother dodging or utilizing any skill! Chapter 764 - Merely Strikes From an Entity! As his shimmering palm went towards a certain genius, the Holy Emperor saw that this being did not even dodge as he looked towards him with his head raised high. The thought of stopping did not enter the Holy Emperor as he pushed the ferocious palm forward, knowing it would at most injure this genius as he would need a day or two to recuperate. Yet when the palm was inches away from Noah... THRUM! A soft force of expulsion occurred from the point of contact of the palm and a transparent barrier that was the Ruination Shield! PAH! The Holy Emperor felt a light force push him back as his Dao essence was sucked into nothingness, his eyes opening wide as he looked over to see the genius still standing without even lifting a hand, and yet he was pushed away! "..." A strike from an Entity...was pushed away! "You are truly full of surprises..." The gaze of the Holy Emperor became even more heated as he glanced towards Noah, his figure disappearing at a speed Noah could not even follow as he only felt another palm near him from behind. PAH! The strike was bounced away as the figure of the Holy Emperor disappeared from Noah¡¯s sight once more, in the next millisecond another strike appearing to his left as the scene repeated once more! PAH! PAH! PAH! 5 strikes were released as Noah did nothing but stand still, his heart becoming chilly as the latter strikes felt extremely powerful that he knew they could heavily injure his physical body and origin if they were to land on him. SHAA! The figure of the Holy Emperor reappeared in front of Noah with a shocked look as his gaze towards him became truly unique, Noah himself sighing with relief as he felt the Ruination Shield would have shattered after it absorbed another 5 attacks! This meant that one single strike from a Sage was the same as 10 strikes from an Entity! This was a rough estimation from Noah as it would vary depending on how deadly the attacks were, as well as who was dealing them. Yet his bet had paid off as the Holy Emperor of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter looked towards him incredulously, his eyes seemingly shooting off golden lights as he felt like he was looking at a pristine treasure he had to have! Yet his emotions were thrown down once more as the arrogant voice of this genius rang out again. "Merely some strikes from an Entity, they aren¡¯t enough to harm me!" RUMBLE! A domineering atmosphere no lesser than the Holy Emperor rumbled out with these words, the white robe of the Ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter calming down as it stopped waving wildly, his energy retracting as he looked at this being with a calm gaze. Many things seemed to pass through his mind as an entire minute passed while these two beings stared at each other, the Holy Emperor opening his mouth as he spoke with a calm expression thereafter. "What do you want?" ... A Ruler of an entire Ancient Power uttered these words to a QUASAR ranked being! The Holy Emperor locked his gaze unto this being as he prepared himself for whatever crazy request this genius would bring forth. He was slightly apprehensive as his aged mind calculated the aims this being could have, many possibilities forming in his mind as he saw the lips of the horrendous genius open. "I want...your daughter!" "..." The Holy Emperor looked towards Noah incredulously as he wondered once more if he had heard correctly. "Are you serious?" "...why doesn¡¯t that seem serious?" Noah tilted his head as he answered back quizzically! Of course, he couldn¡¯t tell this Ruler at this moment that he wanted to obtain the Ruination Core hidden somewhere in this Ancient Power, so he could only play around with his aims first! The Holy Emperor saw this scene as he shook his head with yet another tinge of disappointment while waving his hands. "That cannot be done, I¡¯ve just promised her to the Aileron Prince of the Primal Winged Expanse." "So what? Unpromise it." Noah¡¯s gaze was uncompromising as he also waved his hands and said this! A brief lull occurred between the discussion as they seemed to come to an impasse before the Holy Emperor spoke once more. "How about Anastasia? Your teacher-student relationship can bloom into something else." "...no." Noah was nearly speechless as he thought about the poor adjudicator, this Holy Emperor giving away his daughters and granddaughter as if they were nothing! His eyes squinted as he voiced out his thoughts clearly. "Why did you promise Anastasia to the Aileron Race before and your granddaughter now? Even if I was mentally inept, even I could obviously see that those from the Primal Winged Expanse have ulterior motives. Why give your own blood to them?" A common sense question was given out as the gaze of the Holy Emperor turned cold, his voice coming out coldly thereafter as he seemed very clear on this as well. "At the end of the day, it matters not their true or false intentions. Tying ourselves together means any more attacks we face from other Ancient Powers will have to be shouldered by the both of us. It is the most effective means to protect the trillions of lives under me, the most effective means to escape the coming Cataclysm!" "..." Noah silently pondered this answer as he replied with great disappointment himself! "You would sacrifice your family for this?" "Each of us has to make sacrifices. Those of us that rule Ancient Powers have a responsibility to shoulder that nobody else can imagine!" The gaze of the Holy Emperor remained the same as he said this, Noah making the disappointment in his eyes clear as he voiced out slowly. "What if I told you that I was a better power to tie yourself with in order to escape the coming Cataclysm?" THRUM! The words were so arrogant and domineering that essence erupted out from the mere mention of them, the Holy Emperor looking Noah up and down as he made sure he didn¡¯t miss something. "You...? Yes, you¡¯re a genius. Yes, you have unique means that even I cannot explain. But in the grand scale of the Dark Universe...what can you do?" The reply of the Holy Emperor seemed more like a challenge as Noah smiled grandly, his eyes lighting up as essence rumbled within his body! Chapter 765 - A Fantastical Holy Land! I He was merely a single being, so what could he do when it came to the grand stage of the Dark Universe where multiple Ancient Powers were embroiled? What could be done against powerful Entities who had mastered Daos with some even Assimilating them?! What could a mere Noah Osmont do to those holding Legacies of Sages and Great Sages? To such a challenge, Noah only smiled as his eyes locked with the Holy Emperor. "Time will tell. You made the engagement a year away, yes? All I will need is a few weeks or months. You¡¯ll naturally see if my words are just boasting then!" RUMBLE! Even the surroundings seemed to hold Noah¡¯s words accountable as space trembled, the Holy Emperor squinting his eyes as he nodded. "Alright, it is only but a small period of time. Until then, you are of my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, and you will be a part of the group descending into the Primal Holy Land that I will open in two days. With your genius, you might be able to find something good there...and your arrogant attitude might even be ground away!" The two men looked at each other with the same gazes, this staring contest continuing for a whole minute as each of them had their own thoughts. To the Holy Emperor, it mattered not whether Noah¡¯s words were true or false, just that he would have this genius tied to him! All he had to do was wipe away the pride that seemed to be dripping from every word this genius said. As for Noah, he would be getting access to a Land that apparently had the Legacy of a Great Sage as he was given more time and even the resources he denounced for him to just grow. It was a win-win for everyone, thus they came to an understanding! --- In the next days, a solemn atmosphere overtook the central regions of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as multiple Holy Descendantants were chosen to enter the Primal Holy Land. Among them, the new genius known as Alexander and even the Holy Princess Anna were included! The party from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter consisted of many genius summoners of the younger generation, with the levels ranging from Black Hole all the way to the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. This party would be accompanied by the Aileron Royals of the Primal Winged Expanse, these Royals also holding similar levels of strength as the chosen ones already arrived at the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter a day before the Primal Holy Land would open. When the day came for the Primal Holy Land to open, Noah was standing on a mystical garden of the castle designated to him as he stared out into the open world around him, his senses picking up the auras of Anastasia and Anna flying in as he knew it was time. He flew up to meet them as he observed the stern face of Anastasia who spoke while stroking the vibrant crimson hair of Anna. "Take care of her in there. I¡¯ve only visited the Primal Holy Land once, and while there shouldn¡¯t be too much danger unless you delve deep into it, there are other sources of danger from those accompanying you." She let out cautioning words as Noah smiled, nodding to let her know that he understood! By the side, Anna shook her head in annoyance as this genius by her own right felt she could protect herself. The two of them were led by Anastasia through multiple portals as they went deeper and deeper into the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, gaining more knowledge about the Primal Holy Land on the way there. This Primal Holy Land was said to be the Abode of the Great Sage that had fully comprehended and assimilated the Dao of Summoning, this Great Sage finding a unique realm where used his power of the fully assimilated Dao to summon forth numerous Animus Pets that could remain in the Realm without being contracted! This Great Sage had been such a great genius that he recreated the environment of the Animus Universe within this small realm, setting up restrictions as all the Animus Pets he summoned within this Realm would remain there even if no being in the Dark Universe contracted them. This was the Primal Holy Land! A land that a Great Sage made which held a great deal Animus Summons along with who knew how many secrets and treasures. When the Great Sage perished, the Animus Summons within this Primal Holy Land turned wild and savage, attacking all those that entered indiscriminately. The more that Noah heard about this land, the more his eyes lit up as in his mind, he just continued imagining piles and piles of loot just coming towards him! He looked forward to finding out exactly what this land that had the Legacy of a Great Sage would bring as their figures arrived at the target location. Noah saw that at this moment, they were actually in the belly region of the huge draconic shaped realm as his eyes caught the images of the two big bosses- the Primal Emperor and the Holy Emperor standing side by side. Below them, the figures of Holy Descendants and Aileron Royals could be seen standing with vigor, their eyes shining as they looked towards a certain location where Noah¡¯s eyes saw...a crack in space! Yet this crack in space held a shocking identity as his Eyes of Truth showed him its wonders. [Secret Realm](Primal Holy Land) :: A unique Realm created by Great Sage Aoin. It holds within it a myriad of beings unique to animus summons, with the atmosphere of the Realm granting unique effects to such creatures. Within, Animus Summons gain the following effects: +100% Growth, +100% Bloodline Refinement, and +100% Battle Power. A wondrous Realm and its amazing effects of Animus Summons appeared in front of Noah¡¯s eyes, the identity of the Great Sage that made this Realm also appearing in front of him! Great Sage Aoin! Noah hid his smile as he was ready to plunder whatever this supposed Great Sage left behind... Chapter 766 - A Fantastical Holy Land! II Within the belly of the draconic shaped Realm that was the core of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, Noah was surrounded by powerful personages as he stared at a crack in space. On one side, the Holy Emperor was standing behind 20 young experts from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. All of them were powerful and talented Animus Trainers that were all in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, with five of them even being in the Middle Tier! Looking at this scene, Noah couldn¡¯t help but send a telepathic message towards Anna. "Surrounded by all these experts while at the Black Hole Realm- aren¡¯t you falling behind, princess?" He couldn¡¯t help but tease her as her clear eyes turned towards him slightly, her voice ringing out in his mind soon after. "Hmph, that old man has already given me a ton of treasures that will allow his dear granddaughter to breakthrough into the GALAXY Realm fast. I just haven¡¯t stooped down to use them!" The Princess shot back as Noah¡¯s eyes shone at her words, sending her another message telling her that she shouldn¡¯t turn down free things that would raise her strength! He then continued to observe the surroundings of the crack that would lead into the Primal Holy Land as his eyes turned to the party of the Aileron Race. They also had 20 beings, with the levels also all being in the Low Tier GALAXY, with 7 being in the Middle Tier. Within this party, the figure of Prince Kirigan could be seen standing majestically at the very center as the 4 meter tall stature shone with dominance. "The Primal Holy Land is a grand opportunity to explore the home of the Esteemed Great Sage, a Realm who¡¯s time flow is 10 times faster than our own as a day out here is 10 days in there! Since the passing of the Great Sage, the Realm has developed restrictions to those in higher Realms, with Peak Tier GALAXY Realm beings not being able to remain inside for longer than a few minutes before they are ejected. Use this opportunity wisely as you raise your strength!" The boisterous voice of the Holy Emperor rang out as his figure moved forward the moment that everyone arrived, his eyes grandly shining out beams of light as a single word was uttered while he stared at the crack in space. "OPEN!" THRUUM! Space tumbled and quaked as a horrendous pressure descended, the forehead of the Holy Emperor splitting apart as a crack appeared on it, a blood red light shooting from this crack on his forehead as it went to connect to the crack in space! The moment this occurred, the crack in space began expanding rapidly as it reflected back a red-gold light, this illumination getting brighter and brighter as in a matter of seconds, a gorgeous red gold portal began to form in front of everyone. Noah¡¯s eyes shone as he stared at this portal that would lead into a Secret Realm, the Primal Holy Land of the Great Sage Aoin! "You all can now enter!" RUMBLE! The grand voice of the Holy Emperor woke many up from their stupor as the Aileron Race Royals glanced towards their Primal Emperor as he gave a slight nod, the Holy Descendants from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter already leading the way as Noah and Anna joined them. The party of 40+ beings all in the Low and Middle stages of the GALAXY Realm all entered as only a few beings stayed behind to watch this scene! Off to the side, Anastasia was watching all of this with worried eyes as she was not actually standing beside her father, but a woman that was veiled in the same manner as her- someone that was rarely seen even in the most prestigious events of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. "Mother, why don¡¯t you step in and talk to father? He might still listen to you." Anastasia¡¯s voice was mild as she said this, the one beside her own mother who stayed enclosed in a castle the majority of the time. If one could see beneath her veil, they would notice that she had a sickly appearance even though her body released an aura at the GALAXY Realm! This veiled woman glanced at Anastasia with a light smile as she shook her head. "You know him just as well as I do. After your father plans, all we can do is follow." Words that Anastasia expected but didn¡¯t want to hear rang out, her head shaking in sadness as she glanced hopefully towards the disappearing figure of Noah that followed closely behind her daughter disappear into the wondrous red gold portal. --- For those entering the red gold portal, they felt immense spatial disorientation as they were shuttled into an entirely different region, their sight only clearing up after a second as they appeared in colorful skies of a brand new realm. Noah¡¯s eyes lit up as he gazed around him, noticing the skies to be tinged with an aurora of colors as a cloudy mist seemed to blanket above them with shimmering splendor! Below them, an expansive mystical forest filled with lush greenery and vegetation lay, huge trees of all types with vibrant fruits being seen as the most fantastical thing of all...were the distant cries of beasts. SHAAA! Not too far from them in the skies, Noah observed a golden feathered bird streaking through, golden tongues of flames dancing behind it. Below, he could sense the movements of multiple beasts of the ground as the Realms of the nearest ones he could sense...ranged from Nebula and all the way to the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm! "CAAA!" A piercing screech resounded out at this instant as the golden feathered bird towering over 10 meters in height turned its fearsome gaze towards the newly appearing parties, its figure leaving behind only a flash of light as it thundered towards them. Noah gazed at this creature that seemed to be in the Low Tier GALAXY as the Holy Descendants around him began summoning their pets, but a figure stepped out to meet this creature first as their body shimmered with a hazy grey l.u.s.ter, a swirl of dao essence rumbling from them as they threw out a fist to meet the coming golden ray of light! BOOM! In a magisterial fashion, the golden feathered bird was knocked back after a golden flash of light, everyone observing that half of its golden face was rapidly turning deathly as the fist that was thrown out to meet it contained the Dao of Withering! WAA! The 4 meter tall figure of Prince Kirigan floated grandly as he withdrew his fist, the light of the dao still swirling around him as he gazed towards this creature without any regard! Chapter 767 - Wild Animus! In the middle of the grand show of power, Noah turned his eyes of truth towards the golden feathered bird that was letting out resonant cries as the figure of Prince Kirigan descended onto it once more. [Golden Tailed Sparrow](Uncommon) :: An Animus pet at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. It is currently in a Disordered State as it has been restrained in the Secret Realm without being contracted. The Disordered State can only be dispelled when the restrictions of the Secret Realm that lock the Animus Summons in place are lifted and they return to the Animus Universe. This Golden Tailed Sparrow distinctly holds the bloodline of... The details of the creature appeared easily in front of Noah¡¯s eyes as he figured out a few things. In the Secret Realm that the Great Sage Aoin created, there were a myriad of Animus Summons that were all in the Disordered State, attacking anything that wasn¡¯t of their species that they came across! Great Sage Aoin had made this realm to be very similar to the environment of the Animus Universe when he was present, but with his passing the atmosphere of the realm just could not be kept the same as the Animus Summons within gradually became Wild Animus in a constantly Disordered State. "CAAA!" The Golden Tailed Sparrow let out a dying cry as after a few strikes from Prince Kirigan, its body that used to shimmer with golden light was gray and lifeless, falling from the skies and smashing into the ground soon after! THRUM! Prince Kirigan floated in the skies with a majestic presence thereafter as his Middle Tier GALAXY Realm aura spread out, turning his gaze towards everyone as he smiled brilliantly. His eyes turned towards Anna as he spoke out. "Princess Anna, why don¡¯t we explore together? The dangerous beasts in here won¡¯t stand a chance as we can take this as a mere sightseeing experience to get to know each other." His wings shone brilliantly with these words as the veiled Anna only craned her head to the side before she shook it. "No thanks, I¡¯ll move with this little genius for now." She replied calmly as she patted Noah¡¯s shoulder, his figure and hers beginning to part away from the group of 40 or so people as Noah only had a light smile on his face as he saw the worsening expression of Prince Kirigan! Off to the side, the leading Holy Descendant in the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm had a troubled look as he voiced out before they could leave. "Holy Princess, it might be better to stay in groups in case we ever get besieged by multiple beasts, especially when exploring deeper into the Realm." The words were of caution and care as the Holy Descendant looked around the fantastical realm that shone with mystical lights, while also containing powerful Wild Animus within- any of which might have embarked on a Dao if they were high leveled enough or held powerful bloodlines! "It¡¯s fine, we¡¯ll see you guys in a bit." Anna¡¯s reply was impassive as she pulled Noah along, leaving behind the experts of both Ancient Powers who could only look at one another before they chose the directions to go towards. Prince Kirigan remained in the air as dao essence swirled around him, the other Aileron Royals coming to float beside him as they spoke in cold tones. "Truly not knowing what is good for them. Who in their right mind goes with a QUASAR Ranked child when compared to the Prince at the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm..." The words only made the cold light in Prince Kirigan¡¯s eyes shine even more, voicing out calmly as he ushered them to move away. "It seems I will be swatting away some flies in the near future..." --- As the parties of the two Ancient Powers divided to move through the Primal Holy Land, Noah moved with Anna as he continued to observe the mystical sights of this secret realm he was in. He also felt a tinge of excitement as he could sense truly large amounts of Wild Animus within the GALAXY Realm, meaning he had found a place to farm for him to very quickly rise into the next Realm while keeping himself at Grand Completion. His advancement meant even greater advancements for his pets, as well as the addition of 2 more slots when he advanced into the GALAXY Realm! "Let¡¯s go down first." Noah spoke lightly as their figures went towards the dense greenery below them where he could sense even larger numbers of Wild Animus, his essence rumbling out as around them, three Animus Pets quickly made their appearance. THRUM! Appearing in a stellar fashion were the Mercurial Obsidian Panther, Colossal Helios Leviathan, and the fearsome Void Serpent as Noah only brought forth the PRISMATIC Pets and did not reveal the bear, chicken, and floating eye ball yet. But just these pets would be more than enough to explore this Primal Holy Land as he slowly collected loot and explored its mysteries! "Hmph, I¡¯ve also contracted mine!" WAA! The Holy Princess Anna was not to be left behind as she released her first contracted pet, this one being a Rare Four Winged Unicorn that shone with a glimmering white l.u.s.ter. This powerful Black Hole rank princess holding the fearsome Vector Controller trait climbed atop this Four Winged Unicorn as her figure simply became even more aesthetically gorgeous. "Wow, this place seems interesting. Master, I sense your strong battle intent, are we fighting? Who are we about to fight? Oh, these are similar to us but..." The rapid ramblings of the Mercurial Panther that was already flashing around wildly appeared as Noah nearly sighed, his eyes gazing below as he saw a group of QUASAR ranked Wild Animus called [Verdant Ox Bullion]. It was an entire herd of these creatures as Noah locked his gaze towards them, craning his neck side to side as he prepared to farm! He gave a command to the Colossal Helios Leviathan to make the first move as this enormous summon cast a single skill. [Unremitting Fortress]. RUMBLE! Its huge body unnaturally began to rush towards the ground as an enormous gravitational force appeared around it, the vast distance between the sky and the ground covered in just a second as the huge body smashed into the entirety of the area where the Verdant Ox Bullions were located! BOOM! A devastating scene occurred as the ground below was pulverized, the bodies of the Bullions smashed into meat paste as when the Leviathan rose, Noah only saw glittering cores and skill books below at the QUASAR Realm below him. "You might not want to use your grandfather¡¯s resources, but how about mine?" He smiled towards Anna while saying these words, the glimmering loot floating towards him as he divided most of it towards her. She accepted with shining eyes as her crimson hair shone in the multicolored skies. "It¡¯s another favor from you that I will definitely repay. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m also a powerful genius as well, and I¡¯ll climb to where you are soon enough!" The gaze of this Holy Princess was valiant as Noah only nodded with a light smile, his gaze going further into the Primal Holy Land as he sensed the abundant beasts within it as well as the unknown treasures. He could not wait before he delved far into this Secret Realm as he obtained a tremendous amount of loot and rose his Realm! Chapter 768 - GALAXY! I Across the Dark Universe, a great deal of realms and Galaxies propagated as one could come across truly wondrous and dangerous locations that could take your breath away. Secret Realms were among the top most wondrous places, as more often than not a great personage used to reside in such a realm or they even built it themselves! The Secret Realm known as the Primal Holy Land was one such a Realm- a legacy left behind by the Great Sage Aoin as within it dwelled fantastical Animus of all types, its mystical environments not being any lesser to any other unique environments that one could stumble upon in the dark universe. At this moment, multiple beings had entered this Realm as each of them had their own aims. The party of 20 Holy Descendants from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter wished to train themselves as they battled terrifying Wild Animus and search for the legacy of the Great Sage, while the party from the Primal Winged Expanse had their own designs! At this moment, the multi winged Aileron Royals were flying through the misty multicolored skies as in the very forefront, Prince Kirigan was leading with a sharp expression as within his hand, one could see a glimmering dark red page. "Prince, still no reaction from the Page of Ruination?" A voice from an Aileron Royal sounded out as the group moved forward, Prince Kirigan shaking his head as he replied. "If the Ruination Core was freely located within this Secret Realm, this page should have sensed it. It seems that the Core is either on the Holy Emperor himself, or he hid it in a very special realm somewhere in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter!" Words tinged with coldness and frustration rang out as the others nodded, another Royal looking off in the distance as he chimed in. "Then why don¡¯t we have some fun first? I want to see the face of that disrespectful human genius despair, and you could play with your soon to be wife a year early, Prince." The Royal was full of malicious intention as he said this, the multi winged beings looking at each other as Prince Kirigan put away the page from the Book of Ruination and commanded out. "Track them. Let¡¯s see how that fly can withstand even a single strike from me..." RUMBLE! --- As some beings made their way with malicious intent, Noah and Anna were moving through the Secret Realm of the Great Sage Aoin with way too much ease. This was because in the outer perimeters, mostly QUASAR and Low Tier GALAXY Wild Animus could be found! When it came to such levels of beings and Noah¡¯s own Summons...well the fights were simply brutal, to say the least. The figures of Noah and Anna remained atop the Colossal Helios Leviathan as it floated very close to the verdant green earth of the secret realm, its wide jaws occasionally opening as horrendous purple-blue beams of light erupted out. OOOONG! The purple-blue plasma beam was from an ability known as [Heliotic Energy Beam], a unique skill the Colossal Helios Leviathan could utilize as it could be shot out rapidly and at high speeds. The only issue was that it requires immense mana to utilize, and this became a nonissue as the trainer of this animus had infinite mana to reinforce it. BOOM! The plasma beams utterly eviscerated any QUASAR ranked Wild Animus as they injured those at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, and this was where the other two summoned PRISMATIC Pets came into play. First was the Mercurial Obsidian Panther that acted like an assassin in the dark as the Wild Animus who survived the plasma beams of the Colossal Helios Leviathan and prepared to retaliate were met with glistening dark claws that came from nowhere, their eyes only seeing a black flash swirl around them as their limbs separated from their bodies! SHAA! The Panther would then arrogantly look over their decimated bodies before it disappeared in a blink! This was an animus summon that already embarked on the Lesser Dao of Alacrity and had speed as its biggest tool, and such speed was utilized fully as a black flash of death was the only thing this summon represented on the battlefield. Next up was the future Jormungandr, the Void Serpent that was still in the QUASAR Realm but could match other Wild Animus in the Low Tier Galaxy Realm because of its powerful Bloodline! Its serpentine body slithered below in the lush greenery as it erupted with the ability of [Annihilatory Death Devouring] on any injured Wild Animus as their attention would be on defending against the horrendous plasma beams from the Colossal Helios Leviathan above them. It was truly a horrendous team that only wreaked havoc and death as they mowed down any Wild Summons they came across! Noah had no worries about wiping away these creatures in a Disordered State, as he could not wipe away this status effect at this moment and if he did not retaliate against them, they would just reap his life and make him waste a perfectly good Save Point or Plot Armor. So he sat above the Colossal Helios Leviathan as his job...was to collect and absorb all the loot that dropped from the kills of his pets! Anna was sitting beside him absorbing cores similarly as she shook her head with disbelief while she glanced at Noah¡¯s pets while comparing them with her very own Four Winged Unicorn. She could only sigh as she continued to elevate her strength, sensing that she would very soon step into QUASAR as she was absorbing cores at this level and even those at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. Meanwhile, Noah was fully taking in GALAXY Core after GALAXY Core without stopping as he sensed the unique feeling of Grand Completion, knowing that the moment this was achieved he could break through while maintaining such a state in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! He first finished the cores he had left over from the Elder Fiends of the Burning Domains Galaxy that his Harbingers would soon be besieging themselves, and he then ate up the cores of any defeated Wild Animus that fell under the teamwork of his three PRISMATIC Pets. He hadn¡¯t brought out the Variant Oculothorax, Calamity Bear, or the future Golden Crow as they were still in the QUASAR Realm, and he wouldn¡¯t reveal them yet until he stepped into the Low Tier GALAXY Realm and he brought them up as well. As for entering such a realm...well, it would only take minutes as he continued to absorb the glimmering GALAXY Cores while his pets ravaged the beautiful Secret Realm below him! Chapter 769 - GALAXY! II Going past the Realm of QUASAR was an enormous step for many beings, especially so because the active galactic nucleus of a QUASAR would be utilized to finally bloom into a genuine Galaxy. This stage of GALAXY was a special one in the Dark Universe, as a majority of experts were within this stage! These experts then fight tooth and nail for powerful treasures that can enhance them from the Lower Tier of this Realm until they enter the Peak. From Low, Middle, and finally to Peak- each had its own distinction as those at the peak could easily crush those below them, with a few creatures being the exceptions. The Peak Tier GALAXY Realm was particularly unique as it was also the prerequisite for any being to be considered an Entity- they had to first be in this stage as they then had to be particularly proficient in dao or mastered it, with the most powerful Entities being ones already assimilating the Dao into their very origins and souls. In the Dark Universe, these were the beings that stood at the peak of power! Others became rulers of their home Galaxies while others wandered the Dark Universe in search for unknown Secret Realms or Unique Galaxies as they sought for treasures, while others joined established Ancient Powers that offered such things and legacies of Sages so that they could seek even greater levels of strength! At this moment, Noah would simply be stepping into the Low Tier GALAXY rank as he absorbed a great number of cores, and this action held its own significance as he would be doing it while maintaining his Manifested Realm. RUMBLE! The eruption of essence began as above the enormous body of the Colossal Helios Leviathan, Noah absorbed the last glimmering Galaxy Core as the vibrant Quasar within his Origin...shone in a grandiose light that nearly blinded the nearby Anna! Such light was so damn bright as searing heat could be felt from Noah- such intense heat that Anna was pulled away protectively by her Four Winged Unicorn. OOOONG! The Colossal Helios Leviathan also let out a bellow as this Low Tier GALAXY Animus Summon actually felt the searing heat above its body, bearing with it as its role was to loyally act as its master¡¯s mount! Noah felt all of these changes as he came out of the wondrous stage and gave a command, the Colossal Helios Leviathan flying even lower while his body shot to the skies, putting distance from the others as the light from his origin only became brighter. The surrounding space that his body occupied shimmered and seemed to oscillate from the searing heat, making for a shocking image as if the very sky around him was melting! This was the Forging of a Galaxy! Of a QUASAR having its active galactic nucleus used as it birthed billions of stars within the Origin of a being! The phenomenon was even wilder than others as for this realm elevation, Noah even let himself fall into the sleeping state as he enjoyed the effects of the Sin of Sloth that allowed him even grander effects when advancing through stages. THRUUUM...CRACK! The moment his eyes closed, the essence around him became even wilder as space shattered, chaotic voids appearing around Noah as horrendous spatial storms erupted out. Yet his body...remained still as it shone with magisterial splendor! Yes! Magisterial splendor as his arms were widespread as if accepting a grand gift, the luminous bright searing light dying down as on Noah¡¯s body at this moment...one could see a vibrant GALAXY! Much more vibrant and luminous than others. Filled with multicolored stars that would entice beings to want to enter such a galaxy and live within it. Yet such rights were only being enjoyed by his Animus Summons! Within his shared Origin, the figures of the Three-Legged Fate Crow, Oraculothorax, and the Calamity Bear could be seen floating within happily. THRUUM At this moment, Noah opened his eyes as he sensed the profound strength dwelling within him, as well as his body having arrived at the top of the Low Tier GALAXY Realm simply after his elevation in rank! From now on, he would need a great deal of Cores at the Middle and Peak Tiers of the GALAXY Realm in order to enter these distinct stages within the same Realm. Since it was a new Realm, it meant he could summon an additional Animus Pet for each of his two main bodies. This also meant that even though the stages of Low, Middle, and Peak were distinct, as it was still within the same Realm- he wouldn¡¯t be getting the perk of being able to summon extra pets when he advanced to Middle and Peak of the same GALAXY Realm! He considered this a pain as for now...he would enjoy the immense feeling of power while understanding what this Realm truly represented. "Genius doesn¡¯t even seem appropriate at this point. You¡¯re just a monster." The voice of Anna rang out as she came back to his position on her Four Winged Unicorn, his Animus Pets also making their way back as the Obsidian Panther was the first one to flash towards Noah as it looked at his figure up and down. "Wow wow wow! Master, how is yours so much bigger and brighter than mine? So many more stars too...Ah!" The Panther flashed all around Noah speedily as a second later, the serpentine tail of the Void Serpent timed its path and wrapped its body to quiet it down briefly. Noah glanced at everyone around him as his eyes landed on the Void Serpent. This Animus Summon was still at the QUASAR Realm as it showed battle power at the Low Tier GALAXY, and it would be the first one that he would bring up in Realm before he worked on the chicken, bear, and the oculothorax! His body rumbled with essence as his shimmering GALAXY shone, preparing to unleash a spam of abilities from the [Animus Summoner Trainer] skill tree when suddenly, his expression changed as he looked towards a certain direction. RUMBLE! Off in the distance, a sharp light appeared as the aura of over 20 beings could be felt, the multiple pairs of wings on their backs very quickly making their appearance clear as their voices reached them even before their figures fully materialized. "My future wife and the fly that continues to be around her, we meet again." The figure of Prince Kirigan appeared grandly as 19 other Aileron Royals appeared behind him, their gazes that of coldness and ridicule as they glanced towards the pair of humans domineeringly! Chapter 770 - You want to be my loot this badly?! The figures of the Aileron Royals shone with l.u.s.ter as they floated in the skies, their image being extremely menacing when paired up with their mystical wings. "Holy Princess Anna, come tour the scenery of this Secret Realm with your future husband. We have much to learn about each other." The attention of Prince Kirigan remained on Anna as always, his eyes shining with light as he looked towards her like a prized possession he had to have! His words only made Anna¡¯s expression cloudy as she answered back curtly. "I¡¯ll say it again, I have no intention of being around you. Not now. Not in the future." THRUM! The words were as decisive as they could be, the intentions of Anna being blatantly clear as she spoke without caring about the face of this Aileron Prince! This Prince heard the biting words as his eyes began to gradually lose their calmness. He felt as if he could see the gazes of the other Aileron Royals digging into his back as to them, it seemed like he could not even handle his own woman. "You¡¯re going to continue to act this way?" While speaking with a cold voice, his body began to erupt with power as the essence of the Dao of Withering rumbled around him. "With even your grandfather giving you away, what gives you the confidence? Is it this mere human you call a genius who just now advanced into the GALAXY Realm? A being that has lived and accomplished barely a hundredth of what I¡¯ve done in my lifetime?" RUMBLE! With every word, the swirling Dao around him became wilder and wilder as his eyes gained a trace of anger, seeing that even now Anna was still not moved as she just moved closer to Noah, making her stance clear! Seeing this scene infuriated Prince Kirigan even more as he took a few seconds to think something through before his expression became cold and decisive. "You are to be engaged and wed to me, you must be by my side and not some random fly. If you cannot see that, then as your future husband- I must discipline and show you, starting with the fly that shows no respect to those above him!" RUMBLE! Shocking words erupted from the mouth of the Aileron Prince as Anna¡¯s eyes now shone with anger, her mouth moving as fast as her thoughts. "You little bird, what did you say? Discipline me? Haha!" She laughed in her anger as she looked towards the 20 Aileron Royals as well as the prince. She then turned towards Noah as a single thought passed through her mind. ¡¯He¡¯s always broken common sense before, so he should be fine, right?¡¯ With this single thought, she also made her decision as she turned to the being that Prince Kirigan called a fly and spoke out coldly. "Count this as another favor to add to my tab. I don¡¯t even want the possibility of this winged bastard being married to me. Wipe him out." THRUM! Cold and decisive words erupted out as Noah¡¯s three PRISMATIC Summons were kept close, the Aileron Royals surrounding them glancing at each other as they laughed in derision! "Wipe the Primal Prince out? Haha!" "Prince Kirigan, this girl might need a lot of discipline to get her right in the head, it seems she doesn¡¯t even know of the concepts of power!" Insults and derision flew out from the mouths of the Aileron Royals as Noah adopted a wide smile. The situation around them seemed extremely bad as 20 Aileron Royals surrounded them. Each of these beings was in the GALAXY Realm, with a significant portion being in the Middle Tier as they represented geniuses that were learned in the Dao! The Aileron Race especially was proficient in the Dao of Withering, a Dao with high destructive capabilities as those proficient in it could release terrifying forces to desiccate, decay, and cause the decline of all life, with a rumor that those fully assimilating it might even be able to cause the decline of abstruse concepts such as time as they brought things to a halt, or cause the desiccation of entire Galaxies with based on mere whims and wishes. It was a truly terrifying dao even though it was classified as lesser, and yet even while faced with this...Noah still had a wide smile! He was actually a very calm and laid back guy, you know? He didn¡¯t go out of his way to kill others or start a conflict. Yet...it seemed that some people just could not help but throw themselves at him! Beings like these Aileron Royals glancing down towards him arrogantly as they talked of teaching them a lesson cropped up way too many times. They seemed to be fighting very hard just to become his loot, so he could only give them what they wanted as he was also a truly kind guy! What others wanted, he would give. And these Aileron Royals...they were chasing death! As for the consequences? He would merely anger and put himself against an Ancient Power. If one were to ask him what he thought about that, he would say- So what! RUMBLE! Essence erupted from him as he did many actions in the next second. First was the activation of the Ruination Core as he switched into another miscellaneous affix, this time an offensive one! To add some information briefly- when it came to his Ruination Core within his origin, it naturally could not be sensed by others even if they held the pages from the book of ruination in their hands. This Ruination Core was completely equipped by him as everything about it was contained within Noah¡¯s origin, him being the only one to sense or do anything with it. As he activated it, he chose the Miscellaneous Suffix of [10% chance to Smite enemies for 10,000% Ruination Damage when you hit them]. He was feeling a tad bit high as he had just achieved a huge advancement in a realm so he wanted to test out some of the more fun features of the abilities he held. And what could be more fun than spamming skills with an extremely high cast and attack rate that would give a 1 in 10 chance to allow an enemy to be Smitten by 10,000% Ruination Damage?! RUMBLE! Chapter 771 - Have you ever had a Galaxy thrown at you? After he changed the suffix of the Ruination Core, he actually didn¡¯t send commands to his pets or begin casting any transformation abilities. He simply waved his hands as on his palm...there appeared a Galaxy! Such a barely discernible object was only given a glance by the Aileron Royals as Prince Kirigan waved his hands forward, sending two Low Tier GALAXY experts towards them. These winged beings came toward them with glee as they didn¡¯t put Noah nor his pets into their eyes, being very confident in their Dao as their bodies already began to fill up with its essence just in case. Noah merely had a bright smile as he thought about the miniaturized Galaxy that he could freely control! One must remember that among the features of the Infinite Galaxy, there was an entire category under [Offensive Maneuvers]! It was something that Noah had rarely utilized in the past, for the sole reason that the last time he cast it, the results weren¡¯t too favorable. He could still recall the Spiritual Land that was split in half by the Devilish Time Unveiler of the World of Cultivation, this image being imprinted on his mind whenever he thought about the offensive features of this unique treasure! Yet now as it reached the level of a Galaxy, he brought it out once more as he communicated clearly with the core of the Infinite Galaxy and confirmed a shocking fact- the integrity of the Galaxy would not be affected one bit when he cast the ability of [Falling Meteor] that was provided in the Offensive Maneuvers of the Infinite Galaxy against experts of this level! From the thoughts of the Infinite Galaxy, it wouldn¡¯t be able to seriously harm those at the Peak Tier, while it might be able to injure those in the Middle Tier, but when it came to beings in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm...Noah got the message that they would be utterly obliterated. THRUM! He thought of this unique feature as he looked at the oncoming Low Tier GALAXY Aileron Royals, these perfect practice targets coming to be as essence rumbled forth from him in insane amounts with the cast of [Falling Meteor]. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a falling meteor, but a Galaxy! SHIING! A resonant sound that seemed extremely uncomfortable rang out in the surrounding space, the miniaturized Galaxy within his palm glimmering with a brilliant blue light as it began to shoot towards one of the Low Tier GALAXY Aileron Royals. To him, it only seemed like a small blinking light that was rushing in his direction, his expression arrogant as he harrumphed and threw out a fist palpating with the essence of the Dao of Withering. This being actually threw out a fist to meet the entire force of a Galaxy! A Galaxy that was already multiple times larger than a normal one as multiple other galaxies had already been fused into it, a unique treasure with fantastical abilities that made the scene about to occur possible! We are very far off from the scientific spectrum, but if we were to look at this with even a tinge of logic, one would still be shocked. To put it in somewhat understandable terms, a normal Galaxy weighs 1.5 Trillion Solar Masses. A Solar Mass is a standard unit of mass in astronomy that is equal to approximately 2¡Á1030 kg, and is more often than not used to indicate the mass of nebulae, black holes, and Galaxies. In more common terms, 1 Solar Mass is equal to the mass of the Sun. So a single normal Galaxy had the mass of 1.5 Trillion Solar Masses- that was 1.5 trillion suns! This Aileron Royal actually threw a fist to stop a moving Galaxy that weighed much more than this, the result could only be a tragedy! For the other Aileron Royal coming towards them, Noah didn¡¯t do anything too outrageous as he merely cast his first ever obtained skill. [Fireball] was cast merely once as this ability with extremely rapid casting and attack speed threw out over 20 fireballs in an instant, Noah choosing not to make them the size of suns but merely condensed balls of flames about an inch in diameter. BRRRR! These 20 miniaturized suns rumbled towards the other Aileron Royals as he shook his head with an amused smile on his face, merely throwing out a palm to meet them as this winged being truly had no sense of death! With just two attacks sent out, Noah stopped moving entirely as he brought his arms behind his back, ready to watch a spectacular show as his body glowed luminously with the image of a manifested GALAXY while on top of the Colossal Helios Leviathan. Beside him, Anna was on top of her Four Winged Unicorn as she looked forward with a calm gaze, but her eyes gradually opened up wider and wider as her mouth opened in an agape expression as the scene in front of them finally played itself out. The first ability to reach the enemy was [Falling Meteor] as the singular thrust out fist of an Aileron Royal met the mass of a horrendous Galaxy, all of those watching in the surroundings having their eyes constrict in shock as they observed the fist that met the glimmering blue mass...begin to rupture from skin to muscle to bone with such extreme ease at it left their scalps tingling in fear! THRUUUM! It felt like time had slowed down as they watched the tendons and bones on the fist of the Aileron Royal completely disappear first, the expression of fear descending onto this being palpable as the miniaturized galaxy was unhindered as it blew apart the connected hand, and then it went further forward and hit the body of this being as in the next instant, 80% of his body exploded into a mass of meat and shattered bones as the Galaxy passed through the right side of his body! POOOF! The rest of his body was pulverized a second later from the sheer weight of the attack that was being received, this single attack completely wiping out a Low Tier GALAXY Expert as Noah¡¯s own only shone with greater brilliance! Chapter 772 - Merely 20 GALAXY Experts! I We¡¯re all familiar with instances where a being is walking down the road and out of nowhere, a red truck appears as it smashes into this unsuspecting being and very quickly reaps their life. At this moment, this was a very close analogy to what had occurred to the Low Tier GALAXY Realm expert! As if this being was hit by an oversized truck, his body directly splattered on impact as his origin and soul were pulverized by the sheer physical force alone. ...! Alarm rose in the eyes of the Aileron Royals as their gazes turned towards the other being that was also receiving an attack from Noah. The miniaturized suns numbering 20 reached the palm of the Aileron Royal at this moment, his mind trying to move fast as he saw the instantaneous death of his friend near him as his body was still slow to react! Even though he added more force behind the attack, he still could not move fast enough as the miniaturized fireballs very quickly smashed into him. BRRRRR! 20 fireballs, 20 attacks that smashed onto his palm that was filled with Dao essence. BOOOM! There were continuous explosions of light as the Aileron Royals observed the situation closely, the being attacked by the fireballs finding that his palm was slightly burnt, but no great damage had passed to him! He sighed with relief as his aura turned to the side to stare at the pulverized mass of blood and bones that was his friend, his eyes then turning to Noah with immense hatred and bloodl.u.s.t as he exploded with power. Both him and the other Aileron Royals with Prince Kirigan thought the second attack that was 20 small fireballs was over with just that as they prepared to react fast and with great power to quickly take down this sudden enemy that had somehow killed one of them with a single strike, but it was in the next instant that a horrendous sound erupted out, a sound as if the very sky itself was breaking! CRAAACK...RIIIIP! Above them in the mystical multicolored skies, magisterial rifts releasing oppressive auras erupted out, their number totaling 5. From these enormous rifts, their eyes watched in slow motion as tendrils of dark red lightning flew out at speeds that even Middle Tier GALAXY experts would not be able to fully follow, these 5 tendrils of dark red lightning all going towards the Aileron Royal that had taken the attacks of 20 fireballs! This was the affix of [10% chance to Smite enemies for 10,000% Ruination Damage when you hit them], an affix that has the probability of a powerful Smite to hit an enemy once out of every 10 attacks. But that was only the probability, it didn¡¯t mean that the 10% would not activate multiple times as it was still due to chance, and the being casting it had something as ridiculous as increased Luck from his Protagonist Trait! So the Smites that would deal 10,000% Ruination Damage...hit 5 times out of the 20 strikes of miniaturized suns! THRUUUUM The Aileron Royals could only watch in horror as these oppressively powerful tendrils of light reached the head of Noah¡¯s target instantly, the first one tearing off the entire layer of skin and rupturing the wings, the second strike tearing apart the muscles and bones while the third strike caused the being to explode in a shower of blood! The fourth and fifth strike still descended down as they coiled around the chunks of meat and bones, utterly pulverized them as well as in the area where this being used to be...only a burnt smell remained as not even a strand of hair was left... "..." Anna stood by Noah¡¯s side with her mouth agape, staring at the position where two Low Tier GALAXY Realm experts used to be just a second ago. "..." Prince Kirigan was in the skies with a cloudy expression as a hint of hesitation and fear appeared on his face, his face looking at the other Aileron Royals as he saw the same things in their eyes! Just these two attacks...had scared them shitless as they did not want to continue! Noah saw this scene as he could foresee that he had shown too much power with these two attacks, these multi-winged beings possibly thinking of running as he voiced out calmly. "No you don¡¯t." RUMBLE! His voice was followed by the cast of a single skill, a skill that was from one of the newly advanced skill trees- a new ability from the skill tree associated with the Law of Life! [Life Realm]. THRUUM! From Noah, a multitude of roots erupted out in a circular fashion as they moved at speeds faster than light, covering him and all the beings in the nearby 10-mile region instantly as they formed into a thick shaped dome with tout wriggling roots! It looked like a cocoon of thick roots as a hazy green shield of light began to cover all the surroundings, those inside of it feeling their connection to the outside world absolutely cut off as they couldn¡¯t send any messages or much less teleport out of this place called [Life Realm]. Outside of its 10 mile range, this enormous cocoon could actually not be seen as a cocoon, and instead an enormous green door was the only thing present that anyone could come across in the skies! Such was the ability that Noah got from taking the Law of LifeSkill Tree into the QUASAR Realm from Nebula! [Life Realm] :: Breaking past the common abilities used by a Life Law Master, this skill allows the user to create a temporary life realm that traps in both the user and their enemies for as long as mana is provided into the skill. The ability calls upon the essence of not just the Law of Life, but any other laws that the user has mastered to create an isolated space that an enemy cannot break out of unless the user dies or faces mana depletion. A skill of ridiculous proportions that came from the QUASAR stage skill tree termed [Primeval Life Usurper], a skill tree that came with 3 other powerful abilities Noah had yet to utilize! It allowed him to effectively lock up him and his enemies in a hidden space for as long as he wished and it was essentially an upgraded Blood World of immense proportions. If enemies wanted to break out, they had to take his life! Within this Realm, Noah looked at the remaining Aileron Royals with cold eyes as he voiced out. "Now, why don¡¯t we continue?" RUMBLE! Chapter 773 - Merely 20 GALAXY Experts! II The [Life Realm] ability that Noah had just utilized came from the Primeval Life Usurper skill tree. It was just one of the 8 abilities that he received after he advanced the Primeval Tree of Old into [Propitious Life Master] and then into the [Primeval Life Usurper]! At this stage, the skill tree shone with brilliance in the stat panel. QUASAR [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil] :: A skill tree that includes a set of techniques meant only for a being that holds a growing Primeval Tree within their Origin. Abilities include [Life](5/5), [Yggdrasil](5/5), [Primeval Propitious Physique Forging ](5/5), [Ashes to Ashes](5/5). >>> [Propitious Life Master] :: [Tree of Life Support] (5/5), [Forging Master](5/5), [Summon Treant] (5/5), [Chlorokinesis](5/5). >>> [Primeval Life Usurper] :: [Life Realm](5/5), [Galactic Tree](5/5), [Life Seed](5/5), [Usurper](5/5). There were a few support abilities that further enhanced the previous skills of the skill trees as well as attack and defensive abilities that Noah would have to explore slowly over time. But at this moment, he just wanted to utilize [Life Realm] in order to hold the experts of the Primal Winged Expanse in a cage they could not leave. RUMBLE! Essence erupted forth from Noah as his first action after locking everyone up was to actually change the affix of the ruination core once more. This time, he switched from [10% chance to Smite enemies for 10,000% Ruination Damage when you hit them] to [Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate] This time, he was planning on truly being a farmer as he collected not just cores and skill books from the enemies he was about to defeat, but also utilize the Ruination Core to bring about the fantastical effect of his enemies dropping Dao Crystals that contained their comprehension of a Dao, Crystals that could be absorbed to very quickly comprehend and advance through even if one knew nothing about the Dao in question! After he switched the affix, the three PRISMATIC Pets around him began to shine with a brilliant light as from Noah, the swirl of Dao essence was erupting out and going into his three pets in a stellar fashion. He finally comprehended enough of the Dao of Summoning to utilize its mystical Dao essence to reinforce his pets, the mere 31% comprehension he had right now being able to boost his pets more than when he merged with them and used the support skills like [Incandescent Emperor] and [Yggdrasil]! Even without utilizing support and transformation skills at this moment, he could confidently say he wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, and he felt confident even with his own strength to withstand those in the Middle Tier. When he brought his terrifying pets that had powerful bloodlines and manifested realms...the less than 20 experts in front of him did not even need to be a worry in his eyes! To him, he could say with confidence that it was merely 20 GALAXY Realm that would very soon be meeting their deaths! It mattered not whether they were the princes or Royals of an Ancient Power, they would be dying today nonetheless. THRUUM! While the swirling Dao essence was being packed into the Animus Summons, Noah was also directing the ability of [Animus Growth Empowerment] to the Void Serpent in order to pump its level from QUASAR to Low Tier GALAXY as soon as possible. Such grand actions of him utilizing multiple skills and immense mana only made the eyes of the Aileron Royals graver, Prince Kirigan giving out commands with a strong voice. "Spread out and attack all at once. Nifin, Zachary, you two see if we can break out of this isolated Realm. Everyone else, with me!" RUMBLE! The auras of multiple experts proficient in a Lesser Dao erupted out as these beings that had lived for hundreds of years finally turned careful. After seeing one of them be hit with a glimmering blue object and be pulverized into nothingness with another one struck down by terrifying swirls of lightning that contained a horrendous form of energy...they were finally utilizing their brains as they knew their lives were on the line! No insults or ridicule were thrown out as the 18 remaining Aileron Royals spread out to surround the enormous Colossal Helios Leviathan that Noah and his pets stood on, Anna remaining beside Noah this entire time as not a trace of worry could be seen on her face. Noah paid them no heed as he knew they were locked in and could not go anywhere, his attention fully on watching the effects of inputting Dao essence into his pets as they currently looked like roided out beasts. The Obsidian Panther¡¯s muscles were constantly vibrating as its body seemed ready to erupt out at any second, while the aura of the Colossal Helios Leviathan grew ever larger as its hardened skin glinted with a blue purple light! As for the Void Serpent, its QUASAR already showed signs of erupting into a GALAXY as it would very soon break into another Realm! During this tense situation where the 18 Aileron Royals got into position, the voice of Prince Kirigan rang out again. "We didn¡¯t know you were an expert in your own right. We do not have to fight a battle that will result in allow us facing death!" RUMBLE The arrogant Prince Kirigan actually began to speak with reason for the first time, he mind constantly replaying how two of his people at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm had died with such ease from the hands of this being as he wasn¡¯t confident to be able to withstand the same attacks if they were thrown his way. "I am the Primal Prince of an Ancient Power, with my grandfather being extremely doting on me as you can see. Even if you really caused our deaths in here, he would not let you off!" "He is the Ruler of an Ancient Power, a being with multiple Entities under his beck and call! If you do not wish to start a war between our two Ancient Powers, I can apologize for my mistake this time and we can even forget about the 2 prior deaths." THRUUM! A shocking call for peace was heard from the Aileron Prince as it contained warnings within! Faced with these words, the being surrounded by 3 glimmering Animus that were vibrating with power only smiled lightly. His smile looked extremely innocent, but when Prince Kirigan saw it...his gaze hardened as he saw Noah¡¯s answer right away! This was because he had seen this smile before. It was the smile of someone that simply did not care, of someone that believed they had everything under their control! Chapter 774 - Explode into Loot! "You will truly start a war between Ancient Powers if you do this!" The voice of Prince Kirigan was relentless as his hand rose up, ready to give the signal to attack at any time as he first tried to salvage the situation. But the being that had made him change his entire demeanor only smiled calmly as he twirled his fingers, where one would be able to notice a Galaxy flowing fluidly as his body still released immense Dao essence that pumped into his pets. RUMBLE! A brilliant light shot out as on the side, the Void Serpent entered into the Low Tier GALAXY Realm as its body grew even larger, more pronounced draconic features appearing on its head as its red eyes shone with even more l.u.s.ter! ROAAAR! A loud bellow released from it as when it calmed, Noah¡¯s voice rang out clearly. "I never looked highly at Ancient Powers before, and I won¡¯t suddenly look highly at them now. We don¡¯t need to talk so much, birdman. Are you ready?" The question came out in a domineering tone as Prince Kirigan¡¯s face turned sour, his eyes glancing at the two Aileron Royals he had tasked with checking if they could break out of this isolated realm as they looked towards him while shaking their heads. His eyes then went back towards Noah as his expression became hard and livid, putting his hand down as all 18 Aileron Royals swarmed towards Noah, Anna, and his Three Animus Summons! OOOOOH! The bellow from the Colossal Helios Leviathan shook the very space itself as the enormous body of the Void Serpent Coiled out, the figure of the Mercurial Obsidian Panther erupting in a flash as it appeared in front of a Low Tier GALAXY Aileron Royal instantly. As for Noah himself, he didn¡¯t do much but cast an ability that he had cast once before- an ability that was able to heavily damage Low Tier GALAXY beings as only an Entity was able to stop its advance! ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| THRUUUM...CRACK! The skies quaked and rumbled as the verdant green hue released by the isolated Life Realm changed to a tinge of grey, deadly essence from the combination of the Ultimate Laws of Life and Death coming together as they neared the oppressive aura of a Dao! This essence locked on to the 18 Aileron Royals as their expression heavily changed, their senses feeling their very surroundings aging as their bodies would soon follow if they could not defend. They shockingly faced an ability that was very similar to the Dao they cultivated, an ability that caused the decay of its target! Although what Noah cast could allow the progression or regression of the targeted beings... RUMBLE! The bodies of the Aileron Royals erupted out with the essence of the Dao of Withering as they covered their bodies fully, but their expressions remained solemn as they observed the ancient essence that could age them and their origins combat the defense of Dao essence, seeing that if they lost their focus even a little- this ability would deal great damage to them! Yet...how could they keep their focus when three PRISMATIC Summons were rushing towards them? SHAA! The Mercurial Obsidian Panther was the first one to make a move as the Aileron Royal it appeared in front of and was defending against Noah attack only saw the phantom image of dark claws swipe past his head, a second later his face developing huge gashes where one could even see the white bones! SHAA! SHAA! SHAA! Yet before he could even react to the horrendous pain, the figure of the Obsidian Panther flashed tens of times around his body as wings were torn and shredded while his skull became fractured, his limbs shockingly seen detached a second later as even he could not follow the progression of attacks. It was too fast! POOF! The moment this horrendous damage was dealt, the Aileron Royal could not defend against the eroding essence brought forth by ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| as his messy blood and bones quickly withered, his entire body exploding thereafter as shockingly from the explosion of this body...glimmering crystals erupted out. Noah watched this singular scene as his eyes shone with intense splendor, observing the effects of the Affix that stated [Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate] first hand! With his increased Luck from the Protagonist trait, he expected the chance of his enemies literally exploding into loot to happen much more frequently than the stated probability. As for the sight of the glimmering red Dao Crystals? They were truly beautiful to look at! Do you recall looking into a screen after defeating droves of monsters and seeing tons of dropped loot that signified their rarity based on beams of gorgeous colors that shot to the skies? This was the scene that Noah was watching right now, his eyes seeing the Dao Crystals shooting out a bright red cylindrical light to the skies as it screamed out it was a prime loot! OOOM! He didn¡¯t even have to wave his hands as the Dao Crystals that had exploded from this Aileron Royal rushed towards him along with the glistening GALAXY cores that came out thereafter! In the middle of this terrifying battle where 17 Aileron Royals remained after just a second had passed, Noah even cooly glanced at the description of the Dao Crystals. [Crystal of the Dao of Withering] :: A unique Dao Crystal that contains comprehensions in the Dao of Withering. When absorbed, one gains .5% Comprehension in the Dao of Withering. "..." His thoughts moved rapidly as he read over the details of the Dao Crystals, a single one providing half a percentage as he obtained 10 Dao Crystals from the exploding Aileron Royal just now. This meant 5% comprehension in a Lesser Dao could be gained by him if he wished from just slaying one enemy! This was the same amount as using 10 seconds of the Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark on an Entity, and yet it was made possible by a single Affix from the Ruination Core. If he got lucky enough and obtained tens of Dao Crystals from the remaining 17 enemies... THRUUUM His origin called out hungrily as his essence moved, his eyes shining golden beams of light as he sent numerous commands to his summons! He seemed like an archaic being commanding a battlefield as the Colossal Helios Leviathan below him moved, its wide jaws already shooting out horrendous plasma beams as the Void Serpent nearby opened its jaws to release an oppressive devouring force. OOOH! Seeing this stupendous show of power as yet another Aileron Royal died in just a second after the battle began, Prince Kirigan bellowed out as his body shone with a grand light, cutting through the skies as he made way directly towards Noah! Chapter 775 - Not Even a Challenge! The battle was one that moved at such a rapid pace that grand changes would occur after just a single second! The moment that yet another Aileron Royal fell in less than a second, Prince Kirigan made a decision as he thundered forth towards Noah, the remaining experts spread out taking the attention of the Colossal Helios Leviathan and Void Serpent as the Obsidian Panther was already flashing in another direction. OOOOH! Prince Kirigan bellowed out as his four pairs of wings shone with immense l.u.s.ter, large reserves of mana exploding from him as it made the swirling Dao essence even more pronounced. His figure looked like an archaic bird swooping down to rip apart his enemy as his two hands were outstretched and forming into the shape of two claws, the Dao essence around him manifesting into two phantom claws that threatened to pulverize any enemy they touched! Anna stood beside Noah as her eyes slightly shook, but she observed him to not even bat an eye as she calmed down, watching as his reply to this terrifying enemy at the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm...was to simply throw the glimmering blue miniaturized Galaxy towards the terrifying phantom Dao claws. THRUUM! The eyes of Prince Kirigan constricted when it came to this blue glimmering treasure, the moment it touched his manifested Dao claws causing an intense clash as it seemed to be held in place! BZZZ! Space quaked as the Dao essence was actually able to bring the thrown Galaxy to a halt, Prince Kirigan feeling a horrendous as he felt his essence drained rapidly, knowing he could not even hold on for long. Yet Noah did not even give this Prince time to think as from his body, the light of the Sin of Pride and Envy shone as his essence was boosted by a large amount while the attributes of Prince Kirigan suddenly came down a level, his essence reducing out of nowhere! This wasn¡¯t all as on top of this, the essence of the Dao of Summoning erupted out from Noah to clash with the Dao of Withering essence that Kirigan was pushing out majestically before but it had now waned, instantly dispelling it as the Galaxy continued unhindered and smashed into his outstretched palm! BOOM! A disastrous impact resounded out as the body of the Middle Tier GALAXY expert was much more sturdier and powerful, a treasured light also shining out from the body of the Prince as a protective armament was ruptured, the impact not directly pulverizing him as his figure was shot back like a cannon ball. BOOM! He knocked onto the periphery of the wriggling roots of the Life Realm as he spurt oout blood, the moment pushing him out again like a rag doll as Noah finally began putting in some more effort and flashed towards the trajectory of his body, his hands having already reclaimed the Infinite Galaxy as he simply pushed this out again towards the body Prince Kirigan! PAH! For the second time, the Galaxy smashed onto his body as even more treasured armaments shattered, his figure flung backward again as Noah followed. "Prince...!" "You cannot kill!" "You will start a war!" The Aileron Royals not being pinned down by the three Animus Pets tried to make way as they shockingly saw their prince targeted to the point where his body nearly burst, but their cries fell on deaf ears. Noah was lazily not using any more overpowered skills or even merging with his pets, simply throwing out a Galaxy that was reinforced with swirling Dao essence like a battering ram as once more, he flung it to the battered body of the Aileron Prince that had nearly all of his body ruptured and bloody! BOOM...POOF! The third time the body of this Prince came in contact with the weight of the Infinite Galaxy...was also the time it could hold on no longer as it utterly broke down and was pulverized into a mass of flesh and bones, his origin and soul utterly destroyed from the sheer horrendous force. Noah shook his head disappointedly as he saw the body of the prince did not explode into a shower of treasured loot, not mattering to him the order that he killed his enemies! If the Prince came to him to die, he wouldn¡¯t tell him to wait as he killed all of his lackeys first before he made his way to the big boss. This meant that the Aileron Prince that has looking at everything with an arrogant and domineering gaze...died even before all of his goons were wiped out! "No...!" "Prince Kirigan!" Wails rang out at this moment as Noah paid them no heed, waving his hands to collect the resplendent Middle Tier GALAXY Cores as well as the belongings of this Prince, his expression changing as his aura caught on to an aura of something familiar in an isolated space treasure on the body of the Prince. His eyes then shone with golden l.u.s.ter as he affirmed the outline of a red black page, a page from the Book of Ruination! RUMBLE! He waved his hand to collect everything as he would give them a thorough look later, turning his gaze towards the remaining Aileron Royals as there were even fewer of them remaining now. The moment they saw the pulverization of their prince from a specific being merely spamming the throw of his Galaxy, some were too shaken as the Obsidian Panther used this time to split apart the skull of another being, the Colossal Helios Leviathan and the Void Serpent doing something similar as they released horrendous attacks that caused the downfall of another 3 Low Tier GALAXY experts just seconds after Price Kirigan fell! OOOOH! The remaining Middle Tier GALAXY Realm experts bellowed out as they tried to gang up on the Animus Summons, each of them staying away from the figure of Noah in the skies as some even went back to try attacking the thick roots of Life Realm to see if they could get out! As Noah glanced at this scene of GALAXY Rank experts panicking while he floated towards them while waving a shimmering galaxy, he shook his head lightly as he had a domineering thought. ¡¯This...isn¡¯t even a challenge anymore!¡¯ THRUM! With his gaze set to massacre more experts of an Ancient Power, Noah continued! Chapter 776 - A Dream of Creating Multiple Entities As Noah was butchering GALAXY Realm experts on one side, one of his clones within the same Infinite Galaxy he was flinging around as a weapon was carrying out a mass teleportation with multiple beings. The teleportation this time included all of the Harbingers of Sin along with other important personages and Chosen Extras, all of these major powerhouses being brought into a Galaxy Noah had laid siege to weeks ago- the Burning Domains Galaxy! THRUUUM The figures of multiple beings disappeared from the Infinite Galaxy and reappeared in a Domain of the Burning Domains Galaxy, the line up being something that would make one rub their eyes in shock. This was because it was the same beings we were familiar with, but each of them was in the grand Realm of QUASAR! This was the requirement from Noah for all of those that wanted to participate- that¡¯s their realms had to be power leveled to QUASAR before they would be allowed to delve outside of the Infinite Galaxy. This meant that aside from the Emperor Penguin, all the others had also forgone achieving Grand Completion of their Realms as they used the abundant Cores and resources of the Infinite Galaxy to break through Nebula and Black Hole, ultimately achieving Quasar as it was within this realm that they truly began to shine. They truly shone because in this realm...each of them could have 3 Animus Summons that they trained to Grand Completion! To understand this shocking phenomenon, one must recall the resources and features of the Infinite Galaxy, as well as putting Noah himself and his [Chosen Extras] ability into account. The foremost feature that made such a rapid rise in strength in the past weeks since Noah first fused with the Novus Galaxy was of course...the Time Space! Since the fusion, the Feature of Time Space had stopped its ratio at 1:100. Yes. 1:100! This meant that a day in the outside world was 100 days in the Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy! When you accounted for the fact that an entire month had passed since Noah¡¯s siege of the Burning Domains Galaxy and the fruition of the Infinite Galaxy, it meant that any of his subordinates who remained constantly in the Time Space would have experiences 100 months. That was 8 years! 8 years...was truly a great number of days when one looked at how Noah had risen from nothing to the stage he was at in less than a year. Of course, if you looked at it from the perspective of Ancient Powers that had lived for tens of thousands of years, you could say 8 years was nothing. But when it came to beings who only had to absorb cores to advance...it was just the perfect amount of time they needed to very quickly rise in strength! In this period of time, the Realm of QUASAR was long achieved by each of them as they utilized the skills that Noah created to embark on the Dao of Summoning and bring forth their own Animus Summons. This was where the crux of their strength lay- the fact that they were able to summon multiple contracted pets and train them to Grand Completion as the years passed in the Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy! Those who had were selected as Chosen Extras when they Summoned their pets were lucky enough to get a higher rarity of pets, with a few of Noah¡¯s subordinates getting multiple Ultra Rare Animus Summons as uniquely...Barbatos and the Emperor Penguin were the only ones to obtain a PRISMATIC summon! The beak of the sleek penguin had risen ever higher when this scene occurred, with Barbatos merely looking at her summon with shining eyes as a dangerous light appeared. The Emperor Penguin was lucky enough to obtain a Mythical Frostbourne Mammoth while Barbatos contracted with a Holy Millennium Phoenix! RUMBLE! Such creatures were the ones summoned the moment that Noah¡¯s clone teleported them into the Burning Domains Galaxy. The stellar image of a pristine white feathered Holy Millennium Phoenix that had white flames dancing on its body stood grandly next to Barbatos as she also summoned her Skeleton King and a Winged Onyx, her hand waving behind her to also summon the Arch Lich Ra-Zan as Abyssal Undead would soon stand behind her only to be boosted by the Holy Light of the Millennium Phoenix! The arrogant Emperor Penguin stood on the tusks of his Mythical Frostbourne Mammoth as he also summoned his other two pets, his image looking extremely grand as the Sin of Pride made an ever-present golden l.u.s.ter hang behind him. Such was the stage of Noah¡¯s subordinates at this moment! The most powerful ones already had 2 PRISMATIC Pets at Grand Completion of the QUASAR Realm as they could easily match weak Low Tier GALAXY beings! You still had the Kraken, Kazuhiko, Athena, Elena...and many others that each had their own three Animus Summons at the Grand Completion of the QUASAR Realm. Even if their pets weren¡¯t at the PRISMATIC stage, they still had horrendous over as the moment these beings stepped into the stage of GALAXY...no normal beings on the same stage as them would be able to stand against them... Such was the force that Noah was raising! So aside from the Time Space, the other thing that made it possible for Noah¡¯s subordinates to rise to such levels of power was the Dao of Summoning that granted them terribly powerful Animus Pets that could be brought up to Grand Completion within their Realms. As his clone glanced at the line up of his subordinates currently ready to go against the remaining 2 GALAXY ranked Elder Fiends in the Burning Domains Galaxy, he could already imagine each of them standing in the Realm of Peak Tier GALAXY with multiple pets in the same realm...his heart trembling with excitement as he thought of commanding such beings! If he could command such a force where each of them would hold the power of an Entity, what were Ancient Powers in front of him then? As many Ancient Powers were scrambling to bring more Entities into their organizations, he was in the process of creating his own at this very moment! "Go! Target only the Fiends at QUASAR and above!" He gave the command as his force descended onto a Galaxy in a shocking fashion. RAA! RAA! RAA! The fearsome cry of an Emperor Penguin could be heard as he stood atop a Mythical Frostbourne Mammoth majestically, yet another battle erupting out at this time! --- Back in the Secret Realm of Great Sage Aoin, there was a single door that represented Noah¡¯s [Life Realm], an isolated space that he had locked himself in with 20 GALAXY Realm experts from the Primal Winged Expanse. These experts were beings from an Ancient Power, Aileron Royals that had comprehended the Dao of Withering! Some were even Princes from the direct lineage of the Primal Emperor that ruled the Primal Winged Expanse. At this moment, a devastating scene lay inside of this isolated realm as these 20 GALAXY Realm Aileron Royals...were no more! Chapter 777 - Nothing better than counting loot! It was a shocking scene to come across in the isolated Life Realm as only 4 beings floated in the skies, all around them bloody chunks of beings and scintillating lights of loot being the only things one could see. Anna was mounting her Four Winged Unicorn as she stared at the scene around her in a stupor, where even after she watched it play out in real time she still could not help but be shocked at it! The three PRISMATIC Summons were just now reducing in size as Noah stopped pumping them with Dao essence, their bodies having terrifying looks as they seemed to be bathed in blood. This was especially so for the Obsidian Panther that actually had the highest kill count, this speedy cat taking down 7 GALAXY rank experts itself as it was simply too fast and deadly! Even Noah had only taken down 3 more Aileron Royals after reaping the life of Prince Kirigan, his Animus Summons doing the rest as the Colossal Helios Leviathan and the Void Serpent acted in a brutal fashion to crush or devour their enemies. The end result was the entire party from the Primal Winged Expanse being wiped out, where only Noah remained in the skies with his body bathed in the blood of enemies he pulverized by throwing around a Galaxy! He stared at the surroundings as his eyes shone while looking at all the loot around him. After the death of Kirigan, he let the loot of the defeated or exploding enemies remain in the skies as a magical scene very few would come across was playing itself in front of his eyes at this moment. It was the scene of numerous loot items shining with immense l.u.s.ter all around him, ranging from cores to skill books and even Dao Crystals! The Dao Crystals were even more eye catching as they seemed to be releasing a wondrous red pillar of treasure light, seemingly screaming it was high tiered loot as it could be distinguished clearly from the blue glimmering GALAXY Cores. As his gaze passed over them, he sighed with emotion as he waved his hands to count and collect everything he had obtained. The boon this time was simply enormous, with the targets delivering themselves to him being 20 beings in the GALAXY Realm, with one third of them being in the Middle Tier! This meant that he had obtained a great deal of Low and Middle Tier GALAXY Cores, and his mind was already working overtime on how to best use these cores. For him to go from QUASAR into the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, he had to absorb the cores of all the Elder Fiends he took down as well as cores from multiple Low Tier GALAXY Realm Wild Animus in this Secret Realm! So when he thought of advancing to the Middle Tier, he truly wasn¡¯t sure if even the cores of the 20 GALAXY Realm experts would be enough to do so. But he was still in the Secret Realm, and there were a great deal of Wild Animus he could still farm for cores to be used by him and his subordinates, so he didn¡¯t stay on this thought too much! Aside from the many skill books that he would go through later for anything unique, it was the Dao Crystals that occasionally erupted from the dying enemies that made him even more excited. From the 18 experts he had killed after he changed the Affix to [Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate], only 5 had triggered the affix! Even this was extremely lucky as it was a 1 in 10 chance of it ever occurring, where if it happened twice it would be considered great. But the glimmering Dao Crystals that he collected made him truly smile as from his calculations, he saw that if one were to absorb all of them...they would be able to gain over 30% in the Lesser Dao of Withering! That was the same gain from a Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark, the capability to learn one third of a Dao in an instant... And this time, it wasn¡¯t just limited to Noah as he could actually choose to have others absorb the Dao Crystals and gain the comprehension instead. And if he were to let¡¯s say...come in conflict with the Primal Winged Expanse after killing their 20 Aileron Royals, would he not get a chance to take down more of them as he farmed even more Dao Crystals? Didn¡¯t this mean he could quickly farm a type of loot that would allow him to gain 100% Comprehension of a Dao in a relatively short period of time? Loot that also wasn¡¯t just restricted to him?! Many thoughts crossed his mind at this moment as he simply waved his hands and put everything away. He then turned to Anna on the side as he spoke with a light smile. "So, we just killed your future husband and the entire delegation of the Primal Winged Expanse. It¡¯s going to be wild when we get out of the secret realm." "..." Anna looked towards him as her eyes shone with a sharp light, seemingly thinking about a lot as she replied with a strong voice. "Grandfather will have to make a choice. And...I feel like you would enjoy the outcome of conflict anyways..." Her words were inquisitive at the end as she seemed to figure out Noah little by little as he only nodded lightly at her words while he waved his hands to dispel the Life Realm around them. THRUUUM! The space gradually shifted as the wriggling vines pulled back, returning to the multicolored skies of the secret realm as the door floating in the skies disappeared! "Let¡¯s deal with that when we go out. For now, we still have this secret realm to finish exploring...and seeing for ourselves if there truly is a Sage¡¯s Legacy." Noah¡¯s strong voice rang out as he patted the bloody Obsidian Panther happily, the Void Serpent and Colossal Helios Leviathan around him roaring powerfully as they were still in top shape. Anna looked at this scene as she smiled with disbelief, seeing this being treating the action of wiping out 20 GALAXY Realm experts like nothing as he simply continued with his exploration with immense ease! She was greatly thankful for his help as she could only follow his pace and go along with his eccentricity, her bright voice ringing out. "Then let¡¯s go deeper!" RUMBLE! Essence pulsed out as the two humans went back atop a Colossal Helios Leviathan to explore more of the secret realm that was the Primal Holy Land, getting back to the same task of absorbing cores as Anna neared her breakthrough into QUASAR while Noah began the process of perfecting his new realm! Chapter 778 - The Sealed Tower of a Great Sage! The secret realm that was the Primal Holy Land was wide and filled with many lush mountains. The recent battle against 20 GALAXY Realm experts had taken place in one portion of this secret realm, where the young experts from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had no idea of its happenings! Currently, they were still exploring the secret realm carefully as they battled Wild Animus as they were none the wiser about the shocking battle or what its effects would be when they left the Primal Holy Land. But even this news would take the sideline as something even more wondrous was about to appear in the mystical secret realm! Noah and Anna were piercing deeper and deeper into this Primal Holy Land, the Colossal Helios Leviathan going in unhindered as they farmed more and more loot. After they passed through the outer periphery where they would occasionally meet QUASAR and Low Tier GALAXY Wild Animus, the depths of the Secret Realm contained divided regions where Middle Tier GALAXY Wild Animus Kings ruled! Noah came across beasts such as Wyrms, Elemental Golems, and a variety of other creatures as in a few hours, he was able to collect loot equivalent to the 20 GALAXY Realm experts of the Primal Winged Expanse that had thrown themselves at him before as he passed through the different regions and took dow multiple Middle Tier GALAXY Wild Animus Kings. Atop the Colossal Helios Leviathan, Anna had already broken through into QUASAR as ridiculously, Low Tier GALAXY wasn¡¯t too far away for her. She had multiple cores of such a level to absorb, and as someone who wasn¡¯t bothering with achieving Grand Completion- what stopped her from just piercing through realms? "Hmm?" On their way deeper into the secret realm, they had entered into another region where a Wild Animus King resided as Noah felt some unique changes, his senses honing in on the area where the powerful aura of a top Middle Tier GALAXY Wild Animus could be felt. In this area, he didn¡¯t just see the Wild Animus, but his gaze was honing in on a rectangular shaped object about 20 meters wide that this Animus was standing in front of! Noah could feel a unique aura erupting out from this object that was unlike all of the things he had come across in the secret realm, turning the Colossal Helios Leviathan towards it as his curiosity intensified. ROAAAR The wild Animus at the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm guarding this object bellowed out as they neared, with Noah only gazing towards it languid eyes as at this stage of his strength, he didn¡¯t even see beings of this level as a life threatening calamity anymore! He had his three PRISMATIC Pets released as within his Origin, he was already casting the [Animus Growth Empowerment] skill multiple times to bring his other three pets to the Low Tier GALAXY Realm as well. "Gang up on it." THRUUUM! He gave a command as the Obsidian Panther flashed forward with a devilish smile, the Void Serpent descending down with its jaws open in an apocalyptic manner as the Colossal Helios Leviathan began to shoot off beams of horrendous plasma! Against this single Animus Summon a level higher than them, they were fearless as their Realms at Grand Completion allowed them to have a similar level of essence, and their rarity and bloodlines made it so that they could have much greater battle power. BOOM! The Wild Animus that looked like a Komodo Dragon received attacks on all sides as Noah sent his aura out to observe the unique triangular structure better, seeing that the very top of it- it didn¡¯t have a pointed shape as instead, a tear drop depression could be seen! ROAR! The Middle Tier GALAXY beast bellowed out again amidst all this as Noah looked towards it with annoyance, waving his hands as the Infinite Galaxy descended down rapidly to smash atop the hard scales of this beast. The ground beneath it quaked as it released a pained roar, its sturdy body putting all of its power towards defending against the weight of a Galaxy as the pets used their horrendous skills at this moment to deal deadly strikes! RIIIP! The moment these strike were dealt, the pressure of the Infinite Galaxy could not be withstood anymore as it pulverized and split apart the Wild Animus in half, Noah finally recalling it to him as the area regained its quietness. He then flew towards the 20 meter structure as he used Eyes of Truth, his body beginning to tremble thereafter as the identity of the object revealed itself to him! [Tip of the Great Sage Aoin Tower](Sealed) :: A unique Inheritance Ground left behind by the Great Sage Aoin. The Great Sage used his complete assimilation of the Dao of Summoning to call forth Animus Summons ranging from Low Tier to Peak Tier GALAXY within, while also utilizing the Dao of Voidspace to create a unique spatial environment that incubated and sealed these Animus Summons that would only be released after specific requirements were met. The succeeding inheritors of the Great Sage will be told of the conditions once the Aoin Tower becomes unsealed. To unseal it, the blood of a PRISMATIC Summon is a required condition set beforehand by the Great Sage... The stupendous details of the singular thing many beings were looking for appeared in front of Noah grandly as his eyes nearly erupted out with golden beams of light. "What is it?" Anna came beside him curiously as her gorgeous crimson hair looked fiery in the light, Noah spreading his arms out wide as he laughed while explaining out. "Treasure! A great deal of treasure! J?rmungandr, let me borrow some of your blood...!" Noah called out to the future J?rmungandr as it nodded without any complaints, its scales splitting apart as an enormous drop of blood floated out. Noah controlled it as he let it fall onto the triangular object that was the tip of the Great Sage Aoin Tower, the instant this large blob of blood fell causing a stupendous reaction as a terrifying beam of light shot to the skies, the very secret realm they were in beginning to tremble as the multicolored skies began to shine ever brighter! On the ground where the triangular object was, the earth had begun to split apart as an enormous luminous structure began to rise, a terrifying aura spreading out as Noah pulled Anna back and watched this scene play out with blazing eyes. At this moment, something wondrous was happening in the Primal Holy Land of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as an outsider that had just arrived activated the right conditions and brought forth the Legacy of a Great Sage! Chapter 779 - A Legacy of a Great Sage! I Outside of the widened crack that led to the secret Realm. Even though some time had passed within the Primal Holy Land, only a few hours had gone by in the outside world due to the unique time and spatial environment of the secret realm. Outside of the crack, the powerful personages were situated grandly as they enjoyed paradisiacal drinks and food, the Holy Emperor discussing something with the Primal Emperor as their faces were filled with seriousness! "There are rumors of Entities that are nearing fully assimilating Daos...the pressure of the coming Cataclysm might just help with the birth of new Sages for the first time since that..." Yes! The talk was about Sages! In the Dark Universe that used to be populated with Sages and Great Sages before a monumental event took place, it was extremely saddening to look at its state now as the possibility of Sages or Great Sages even existing in it was currently unknown! After tens of thousands of years had passed since that event, many beings thought there was a high possibility that other Sages had arisen during that time, with rumors that some of the more powerful Ancient Powers were even backed by living Sages. Yet nobody knew exactly what the truth was. To understand the concept of Sages and Great Sages though, we must talk about how one can obtain such a title to begin with! This was because becoming a Sage did not mean advancing from the GALAXY Realm, and instead it all had to do with the type of Dao a being studied and whether they had assimilated it. When it came to the level of Great Sage, this one involved both an advancement of a Realm and the inclusion of assimilated Daos! In the Dark Universe, the level of GALAXY could be considered to be the peak, with individuals only becoming Entities after they had fully comprehended a Dao, and for those chasing the title of Sages...they had to have both comprehended and assimilated not just one Dao, but multiple! When it came to the level of Great Sages, very little information about this existed as it involved the secret of advancing past the level of GALAXY, with individuals capable of doing this only termed Great Sages if in addition to their Realm, they comprehend and assimilated a single Grand Dao. There were also the slightly less powerful Great Sages who aside from exceeding the level of GALAXY, they had also assimilated multiple Daos. Great Sage Aoin was one such being, who had exceeded the level of GALAXY while assimilating the Lesser Daos of Summoning and Voidspace! Such was the being that used to stand at the top of the Ancient Power that was known as the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter to this day. There were many wisps and rumors when it came to this Great Sage, with talks of him caring for his Ancient Power so much so that before his death, he was already working on or had already completed a Legacy that he planned to leave behind. Yet...even the Royalty of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter themselves knew nothing about this or its truthfulness as all the Sages and Great Sages had passed so suddenly. Before the crack where they had sent 20 of their most powerful young experts, the Holy Emperor and the Primal Emperor were talking about such a topic. "I doubt any new Sages have arisen in the past tens of thousands of years, much less Great Sages. It is simply too hard..." The gaze of the Primal Emperor shone with light as he spoke, the Holy Emperor about to reply on this topic of possible Sages within the Dark Universe when suddenly, his face rapidly changed as he turned towards the direction of the widened spatial crack! THRUUUM! At this moment, the crack widened even further as a l.u.s.trous light erupted from it, a grand light filled with an awe inspiring aura that made even the Entities that stood as Rulers of Ancient Powers tremble. "This...!" The Holy Emperor stood up with an ecstatic face as Anastasia came close to him, worry filling her face as she watched the overbearing aura and light wash out from the widening crack in space. The crack stopped widening after a certain point as it gradually transformed into a mystical golden door that was 20 meters wide, this golden door having a pulsating inscription that read out a single word- AOIN! RUMBLE! The existence of this word caused the minds of many to pale and tremble as the forces of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter looked towards it with euphoria. The Primal Emperor had a sharp light pass through his eyes as he looked over in shock, the reality setting in as the resonant voice of the Holy Emperor resounded out again. "They¡¯ve actually found the Legacy...!" THRUUM! A phenomenon so grand it was even seen in the outside world! Inside the Secret Realm itself...a majestic scene was all that could be observed as great changes occurred to the verdant mountains and fields while the multicolored skies coagulated with dense essence. At the center of this Secret Realm, an enormous tower was rising after a certain someone had splashed the blood of his PRISMATIC Pet atop its triangular tip, this archaic looking tower shimmering with colors of red, gold, and black as its appearance was the cause of everything! OOOOM! Noah and Anna stood below this tower as their shining eyes glanced up towards it, the rumblings all around them coming to a stop as a circular blast of vibrant essence erupted from the tower to fully announce its arrival. Thereafter, this vibrant essence began coalescing together as it began forming into a shape, a shape of something humanoid and at the same time not! Noah watched with bright eyes as the illusory form of a golden robed Dragonoid came to be, a sharp horn rising from the center of the forehead as the eyes swirled with the shocking light of galaxies. RUMBLE! Essence gathered as this figure became more and more corporeal, its mouth opening soon after as a resonant voice reverberated out! "Children of all Tribes and Clans. From this point onward, My Legacy shall be open to those destined!" WAAA! The words came with a magisterial air as the illusory form of a Great Sage manifested in the skies of the Secret Realm! Chapter 780 - A Legacy of a Great Sage! II Appearing grandly, the Great Sage Aoin Tower came with the illusory figure of the Great Sage himself- a being that was actually of the Dragonoid race! His piercing horn split apart the clouds as his illusory face glanced around the realm, the expression on the face gradually seeing some changes as one could see a sense of sadness within them. The illusory body then shone splendrously after announcing the opening on the Legacy to those destined, disappearing into particles of light that washed into the Tower! Noah watched this scene with a slight smile as his head soon turned, his eyes catching the figures of 20 Holy Descendants from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter appearing in this location. Their gazes were ecstatic as they looked towards Noah and Anna. "Holy Princess, you were actually able to bring forth the Legacy of our Forefather!" The voice of a Dragonoid Holy Descendant came out as each of the geniuses looked towards the tower with shining eyes. Anna only smiled as she didn¡¯t bother correcting them, simply staying behind Noah as the 20 GALAXY experts looked towards the Tower with expectant gazes. The leading Middle Tier GALAXY Realm Holy Descendant stepped forward with respect while speaking. "Holy Princess, please be the first..." The expression on his face was fawning as Noah laughed inside when looking at this, observing the ridiculous acts people would do when facing those above them in status. He didn¡¯t pay the experts any more heed as his legs were the first to move, Anna following him close behind as the Holy Descendant were left in a stupor before they followed. His three Animus Pets were taken back into his Origin as he made his way towards the Tower. Their steps were light, but each one felt extremely heavy as they neared the Tower, which had a grand golden door of light they had to pass through at the very lowest floor! Noah and Anna were the first to step through as they felt the changes right away, feeling like they had stepped into a brand new spatial area as the surroundings around them...was a blank room the size of 10 football fields! THRUUM! Their entrance wasn¡¯t without a show of essence as the moment they stepped in, a golden light flashed as Noah observed a necklace to appear around his neck and Anna¡¯s. The one on him was labeled 1 while Anna¡¯s had the number 2! All that behind them also had a similar phenomenon as they each got a numbered necklace. On top of this, streaks of light shot into each of their bodies the moment they entered as they were given a dense amount of information on exactly what the Great Sage Aoin Tower was and everything to do with the Legacy! Noah focused on the necklace that appeared around each of them first as he organized the dense information coming in. [Luminous Star Pendant] :: A unique storage artifact formed by the Great Sage Aoin. Capable of containing a myriad of things from the established Great Sage Aoin Tower... A unique storage artifact that was tied to the Tower they were in, its uses becoming clear as the information flowing into their minds showed the wondrous dream that the Great Sage Aoin had for this Tower! This Inheritance Ground was created by him a long time ago before the perishing of the Sages and Great Sages, something that Aoin had planned to leave behind to his people! The Tower was the core of this, where he wanted talented Dragonoids and Humans who were proficient in the Dao that he first mastered to try their destiny at obtaining the treasures he left behind. As for the treasures he left behind... RUMBLE! Even before Noah could finish going through the information that explained the rules of the tower, the expanding white room they were in lit up with lights as in the air above them, huge blocks of illusory screens appeared as they listed a number of things going from 1 and all the way to 10,000! The 10,000 listed things...were all treasures that the Great Sage left behind! "Ah...!" Some of the Low Tier GALAXY Holy Descendants plopped to the ground as their gazes landed on the names of the treasures listed on the illusory screens in front of them. The range was truly vast as from 5000-1000, every single item was a weapon or armor of the highest quality as well as accessories, items that were elevated to great degrees as they were termed Half Dao Weapons! These were weapons that were drenched in a specific Dao as they were being created, obtaining a hint of the Dao within them as each strike carried out by these weapons was extremely deadly. They were still termed Half Dao Weapons though because they weren¡¯t True Dao Weapons- weapons of such caliber being very hard to create and find! The numbers of 2000-4999 on the illusory screens were even more colorful, each of them listing unique and rare materials that one could find if they traveled the Dark Universe for tens of thousands of years. Many of the materials had their own unique uses, but the one defining feature for the ones listed on the screens was the fact that they were pristine materials to raise the strength of Animus Summons faster! As for the slots listed 1-1999, they all had the small images and names of...Animus Summons. Animus Summons along with their Rarity and Realm! It wasn¡¯t just the Holy Descendants that were falling on the floor in shock, even Noah nearly felt his legs buckle as he looked at the list of nearly 2000 Animus Summons that actually did not have a single creature lower than the level of GALAXY. 1500 of them were in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! 479 were in the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm, while the remaining 20...were Animus Summons at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm! This Legacy that the Great Sage left behind...actually had Animus Summons up to the Peak Tier GALAXY as the prizes one could obtain... Ah! Chapter 781 - Aptitude, Quality, Battle! Next to all the treasures listed on the illusory screen, a set of points could be seen as these were required if one wanted to obtain any treasures within the Great Sage Aoin Tower! As for the points...the way to get them was given to every single being that entered the Tower. At the very center of the expansive first floor of this tower, a contestant had to step in as they would go through a series of tests. These tests and trials are what ultimately granted the points that a being could use to claim the stellar rewards listed above! To go in order, the one undertaking the trial of the Legacy would be tested based on their Aptitude, the quality of their pets, as well as their Battle Power. Everything fell under the Dao of Summoning, where even though the Great Sage Aoin also mastered the Dao of Voidspace, the former Dao was the one that he had handed down to his people! "Haha, truly our Forefather¡¯s Legacy!" The experts that were residents of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter were ecstatic, especially the Dragonoid beings that were looking at the treasures with shining eyes. The treasures deserved such looks as Noah himself could not take his eyes off the things numbered 1-20. These spots all had a name and picture of a Peak Tier GALAXY Realm Animus Summons, with those in the top 10 all being at the PRISMATIC Rarity and the remaining ones all being Ultra Rare! It was a truly shocking scene as from this list, Noah could see names such as Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon, Monkey King, Galaxy Devouring Wolf, Blue Slime, Tiamat...and other shocking names that made him want to tear down this entire place and get all of these pets for himself! "Princess, please allow me to be a test subject for the trials of this Legacy!" Even the GALAXY Realm experts by the side could not help themselves as one spoke up with a devout expression to Anna, this Holy Princess merely looking towards Noah before she nodded as this Holy Descendant rushed towards the center of the expansive floor they were in. THRUUM! The moment he delved deeper in, runic circles lit up under his feet as essence raged, a strong voice reverberating out from the tower as an entrant took the legacy for the first time! [Legacy Disciple #17(Axin) currently undergoing the Trial.] The voice was monotone and calm, filled with depth as all who heard it could only think of an aged wise being speaking with a full white beard speaking. [First Trial- The Test of Aptitude...] The takers of the trial would first be tested with their aptitude as their comprehension of the Dao of Summoning were evaluated based on their age and time they spent studying it! The gaze of the Holy Descendant who was termed Legacy Disciple #17 was ecstatic as he waited to hear of his aptitude. After all, he was a genius from the young generation of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. [Legacy Disciple #17(Axin)- Average Aptitude!] BOOM! Like a strike of thunder, the words smashed into the Holy Descendant as he turned ashen, the blank voice not paying attention to him as it continued. [Second Trial- The Test of Quality. Summon all of your Animus Pets!] The Holy Descendant very quickly used his essence as four Animus Summons appeared, 2 having the lineage of dragons as the others were a Flaming Golden Lion and a Verdant Turtle. Even with the blow of the Test of Aptitude, the Holy Descendant was at least proud of his pets of which he had two at the rarity of Uncommon, and the other two being Rare! [Legacy Disciple #17(Axin)-The Test of Quality, Below Average Quality!] BOOM! The merciless voice rang out again as the Holy Descendant was nearly pushed to depression, Noah looking at this scene while chuckling inside as in the next second, the figure of the Holy descendant and all of his pets disappeared. [Third Trial- The Test of Combat!] The only thing the others heard was the resonant voice ringing out again as with the disappearance of the Holy Descendant, the upper area of the floor they were in had another illusory screen light up, this one showing the image of the teleported being on the 2nd floor of the Tower as directly opposite him, a fearsome Animus Summon at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm stood! [Begin!] RUMBLE! Without a pause, the last trial commenced for this contestant as his pets had to face a Low Tier GALAXY Realm Summon of the Rare rarity, passing this level without too many issues. On the next floor, he faced 2 Animus Summons of the same Realm as he struggled and barely passed, and on the third floor...his pets were incapacitated as he was stopped by 4 Rare Animus Summons of the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! [Legacy Disciple #17(Axin) Test of Combat, Below Average!] THRUM! Essence waved as the Holy Descendant was brought back onto the base floor, his gaze ashen as he looked towards the others with his gaze downcast. A hint of shame could be seen on his face as he turned his gaze up to the ceiling of the floor they were in, yet another illusory screen appearing as it listed the Trial takers of this tower! [Legacy Disciple #17(Axin)- 50 Points...] A measly number of points was listed for this being as 50 was barely enough to get a Low Tier GALAXY Realm Animus Summon from the rewards ranked 500-2000, with 50 points only being able to get something in the upper hundreds! A Legacy Disciple needed a few hundred points to even be able to claim a reward of a Middle Tier GALAXY summon, with 1000 points required to get one of the Rare or Ultra Rare rank. Meanwhile, one had to have a few thousand points to even touch the pristine rewards of Peak Tier GALAXY Realm Animus Summons, with each of the PRISMATIC Summons in the top 10 being 10,000 points each! THRUUUM Noah looked at this scene with shining eyes as after the Holy Descendant came back, none of the others seemed to want to go forward as they lost their confidence. At this scene while they were looking at each other hesitantly, Noah stepped forward without worry as he wanted to see just where he would stand as a Legacy Disciple of a Great Sage! Chapter 782 - Exceptional! His steps were light as he stepped forward free of worries, the others only glancing at this genius as they recalled that he had three PRISMATIC Summons. Their gazes rapidly changed at this as they thought of the three tests, with their hearts pounding the more they realized just what was about to happen! Anna simply stood behind as she sighed while getting ready for a show, her twinkling eyes watching as essence began to converge after Noah reached a certain point. THRUUUM Runic circles appeared beneath his feet as a unique light was over him, the cold voice they heard before ringing out. [Legacy Disciple #1(Alexander) currently undergoing the Trial.] [First Trial- The Test of Aptitude...] The test that would measure Noah¡¯s aptitude started off as it would see his comprehensions in the Dao of Summoning relative to his age and time he embarked on this Dao! He didn¡¯t know how the shining light that came from the Tower and washed over him did this, but he knew that it was harmless as it washed over him and very soon shone with luminous splendor. [...] Seconds passed as the light only increased in color, this process taking much longer than the first trial taker as the entity monitoring the Tower seemingly had to be sure of the results it was seeing! [Legacy Disciple #1(Alexander), Test of Aptitude- Exceptional!] ...! The Holy Descendants looked forth with alarm as Noah merely nodded, Anna merely shaking her head behind him as he continued. [Second Trial- The Test of Quality. Summon all of your Animus Pets!] Before the words even finished, Noah erupted forth with a grand light as his three PRISMATIC pets came forth. The shimmering figures of the Colossal Helios Leviathan, Void Serpent, and the Mercurial Obsidian Panther appeared grandly as the light of the Tower scanned over them, another few seconds passing as the voice only came out some time later! [Legacy Disciple #1(Alexander), The Test of Quality- Exceptional!] THRUUM! Wild essence waved out as Noah only nodded grandly, his figure and the three summons disappearing as they entered deeper into the Great Sage Aoin Tower. [Third Trial- The Test of Combat!] [Begin!] He appeared in an expansive room similar to the first, with an Animus Summon at the Low Tier GALAXY Realm releasing a powerful air roaring out towards him. SHAA! The Obsidian Panther moved in an instant as it pounced on the beast that looked like an Armadillo right away, its single claw leaving a gash on its hard skin as it cried out painfully. A few seconds later, the Armadillo received even more gashes as it wailed painfully, its huge size and speed not being able to even see the Panther as it seemed like it would be facing death soon! Yet the moment the Obsidian Panther was about to land the last attack to reap its life, a spatial light covered it as it was teleported away! Noah sighed at this scene as his conjecture was proved correct- the Animus Summons they would face on the last Trial were actually the rewards listed on the illusory screens, and they wouldn¡¯t be allowed to kill thm as the moment they were defeated with their lives threatened, they would be taken away. This meant that he wouldn¡¯t be able to farm GALAXY cores from however many Summons he would end up facing! RUMBLE Yet the Tower cared not for his thoughts as the next two enemies were teleported in, both his Void Serpent and Obsidian Panther moving against them. The past stage and this one were all beasts of the Low Tier- so they posed no challenge for Noah as he cleared the first, second, and third round of enemies with ease. After the third round which consisted of four Low Tier GALAXY Realm Animus Summons, the fourth round was a Middle Tier Draconic Phoenix! Yet even this Middle Tier GALAXY summon faced defeat when ganged up against Noah¡¯s 3 pets... Those watching the illusory scenes on the screen had agape expressions as those that considered themselves geniuses had to change their opinions on what that term truly meant! As the Holy Descendants watched the scenes of Noah¡¯s battles, they were all so mesmerized that all of them failed to realize that even until now, none of the beings from the delegation of the Primal Winged Expanse had come into the Tower. This would be a shocking realization later as they watched the culprit of wiping away this delegation exceed all they knew about geniuses as he passed the fourth round and went on to the fifth. The fifth round was against two Middle Tier GALAXY Realm Animus Summons, and when they were faced with Noah¡¯s pets that were all at the Low Tier- the two summons were still beaten! "No way..." "Is the gulf of a PRISMATIC summon that huge?! That they can even match those a realm above them...!" The Holy Descendants could not help but exclaim as they watched the scene of 4 more enemies being brought to face Noah, each of them of the Rare rarity and being at the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm. When the battle began against these powerful enemies, even Noah¡¯s pets felt the strain as the battle actually wasn¡¯t decided in just a few minutes! Sighs of relief could be heard from the Holy Descendant as they saw that even a monstrous genius such as this could have limits. They were about to watch the eventual defeat of this round as they wondered how many points Noah would gain from the Exceptional Ratings of the first two trials, as well as what ratings he would receive for this last trial. Yet their expectations...would be shattered once more as the moment Noah¡¯s pets began feeling the strain of fighting 4 enemies a level above them all at once...he finally moved himself as he...provided support! ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||. RUMBLE! The Holy Descendant watched in a stupor as they had forgotten the combat power of the Summoner himself, watching as a single cast skill from Noah brought down an oppressive air against the four Middle Tier GALAXY Summons. A second later, Noah did something that the audience would never get to understand, his body shimmering with a golden light as the Sins of Envy and Pride were activated, the attributes of the enemies being dragged down a level while Noah¡¯s strength was enhanced, his palm stretching out as the swirling essence of the Dao of Summoning pumped into his pets grandiosely! THRUUM! With this change in battle, his pets used the disruption to their advantage as very quickly...the enemy summons began to be defeated. "F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell..." "This...this isn¡¯t real..." Disbelief was the only thing present from the Holy Descendants as even Anna shook her head on the side! They watched on with bated breaths as all 4 Middle Tier GALAXY Realm Animus Summons were defeated as they were taken away in a flash of light. [...] Even the entity overseeing the regulations of the tower seemed to be at a loss as nothing happened for a few seconds, and the resonant voice resounded out once more. [Final Battle!] THRUUUM! The moment the words finished, an even brighter spatial teleportation occurred as a single creature flashed in. Majestically at 300 meters with a dark coating and beady eyes, a terrifyingly large Tarantula had made its appearance as it roared in front of Noah! Its rarity was Ultra Rare. Its rank was Peak Tier GALAXY! ROAAAR! It let out a terrifying bellow as it thundered forward! Chapter 783 - Against Peak Tier! As Noah was about to face off against a Peak Tier GALAXY enemy, his subordinates in the Burning Domains Galaxy were doing something shocking in their own right! CAAA! The resonant cry of the Holy Millenium Phoenix could be heard as Barbatos grandly stood atop it. Holy white flames were constantly washing off of the body of this Millenium Phoenix as they actually went on to strengthen the enormous figures of Abyssal Undead that Barbatos commanded, giving a horrendous contrast as the essence of death was mixed in with something it should not have been. Yet it molded together perfectly as the strengthened undead swarmed the Low Tier GALAXY Elder Fiend constantly for the past hour while backed with the support of other Harbingers, this powerful enemy currently being on his knees as he was disbelievingly being taken down by being of a rank lower than it! "This is the GALAXY Realm? Hmph, Little Phoenix, immolate this dumb thing!" CAAA! Barbatos called out to her Holy Millenium Phoenix arrogantly as the Elder Fiend was swarmed to his death, a similar scene occurring in another domain as the Emperor Penguin has become gargantuan while moving with his Mythical Frostbourne Mammoth to domineeringly smash into another Lower Tier GALAXY Elder Fiend. The starry space around them was frozen with ice as it created a unique scenery, the golden light of pride shining brilliantly from the Emperor Penguin as its flippers smashed into the Elder Fiend the same time that the deadly tusks of his Mythical Frostbourne Mammoth pierced into its body. With this, the most powerful experts of the Burning Domains Galaxy were no more as they were actually taken down by beings a Realm above them, this event occurring silently within this Galaxy as it would have no audience. Yet in the coming future, many beings and Ancient Powers would come to know of the unique figures of an Emperor Penguin sitting atop a Mythical Frostbourne Mammoth arrogantly, while the image of an Undead Legion crossing through the chaotic void while strengthened by a holy essence from a Millenium Phoenix would etch itself into the eyes of all! --- Back in the Great Sage Aoin Tower, Noah¡¯s face was cold as he faced the oppressive pressure of a Peak Tier GALAXY Animus Summon. Most Animus Summons at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm would have fully awoken their bloodlines as they each cultivated their own unique Dao, those in the Ultra Rare and PRISMATIC rarities being especially deadly as they could have bloodlines that granted them comprehensions in Grand Daos! The Wandering Void Tarantula in front of Noah wasn¡¯t that deadly, his Eyes of Truth telling him it was a creature proficient in the Lesser Dao of Poison as he could already see extremely verdant liquids leaking out of its grotesque jaws. Its many eyes seemed mesmerizing as its numerous legs wriggled towards him terrifyingly! THRUUUM! The Colossal Helios Leviathan moved first by shooting out numerous plasma beams, Noah turning into a figure of light as he shot into the body of the Void Serpent and instantly merged with it. The abilities of [Yggdrasil] and [Incandescent Emperor] were cast as a thick armor and golden crown appeared on the Void Serpent, its draconic head raised arrogantly as it went on to clash with the horror of a Wandering Void Tarantula! Of course, the lights of the Sins of Envy and Pride were already cast as the boost in abilities was applied to Noah while the attributes of the Tarantula were reduced, but the reduction of attributes wasn¡¯t enough to hinder this Peak Tier creature. BOOM! Space quaked at the impact as the Void Serpent was pushed back, the thick armor of Yggdrasil having numerous cracks as it tried to heal rapidly. Noah only nodded at this scene as even while facing such a creature, he was merely using it as a chance to test out his new skills from the upgraded skill trees. This Summon had only embarked on the Dao of Fortification and had not mastered or assimilated it, so it was nowhere near the level of an Entity as it was only a Peak Tier GALAXY beast. So he further explored his new skills from the upgrades of the Tree of Life as next up, he utilized [Galactic Tree] and [Life Seed]! [Galactic Tree](5/5) :: The ability of Yggdrasil is further enhanced as it gains the force of a small galaxy, its defenses boosted to a great degree as only those proficient in an offensive Dao are the only ones capable of shattering it. [Life Seed](5/5) :: A delicate seed forms above the caster as they are granted constant regeneration and the constant enhancement of 500% in all abilities. When the seed blooms into a flower, it collects all the damage dealt to the user since its formation as all of this damage is redirected onto the enemy with a single deadly strike. Essence raged out wildly as Noah used the support ability of Galactic Tree to cause the armament around the Void Serpent to become even thicker as instead of the verdant green sheen it had, the glimmer of stars could be seen on it as it now had the image of an illusory Galaxy! Above him, a verdant light also erupted as a shimmering seed appeared, this seed releasing waves of light over the merged Noah and Void Serpent as the moment these two skills were cast, Noah fearlessly went back to clash with the Wandering Void Tarantula! SHAA! Its dense green poison was shot out as Noah watched it splash onto the body of the Void Serpent, this deadly poison merely bouncing off the starry verdant armament of Yggdrasil as he moved forward unhindered. Meanwhile, the Obsidian Panther and Colossal Helios Leviathan provided support as Noah actually created for a stable battle where he tanked a Peak Tier GALAXY Animus Summon with the use of many support abilities, his pets gradually getting in the groove as they avoided any injuries and began to grind down this enemy that was actually 2 levels above them! Chapter 784 - Successor of a Great Sage! On the base floor of the Great Sage Aoin Tower, the Holy Descendants were watching in pure shock as a monstrous being actually faced an enemy at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm without being killed right away. "That is the essence of the Law of Life? It can be used to stand against a Lesser Dao like this?!" "None of that matters, how the hell has his essence not run dry while supporting all of his pets with Dao Essence and using all these abilities..." Discussions ran rampant as they watched the shocking scenes, these beings not being able to explain what they were seeing as they could only speculate! Anna watched the entire battle with shining eyes as she looked at this figure with many mixed thoughts. Appearing as a genius in front of her just weeks ago, and finding out he was the Ruler of an entire Galaxy- along with the one that used to be her home, not too long ago! Yet he didn¡¯t act high and mighty as many other Rulers, aside from being overbearing and domineering towards his enemies of course. When she looked at his figure, she only saw the wild eyes that seemed to always be filled with a myriad of thoughts, his figure getting increasingly bigger in her eyes as her pride made her strive to achieve the level of strength she was seeing. She was a genius too. She held a shocking Trait of a Vector Controller. She embarked on Dao while using the bland technique from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter in a short period of time! So why could she not do what Noah was doing right now?! RUMBLE! Her thoughts remained hers as she only watched while the Peak Tier GALAXY Wandering Void Tarantula had its numerous legs begin to be devoured, a flash of an Obsidian Panther rupturing its eyes every now and then as the deadly plasma rays from the Colossal Helios Leviathan thundered down. It was the first battle that actually took Noah some time, having to spent over half an hour to get through the defenses of this being that was utilizing the Dao of Fortification! ROAAR! The Wandering Void Tarantula let out an unwilling bellow as the light of teleportation covered it, the entity overseeing the Tower observing that its life was actually in danger as Noah...cleared the last fight in the combat test! [Legacy Disciple #1(Alexander) Test of Combat, Exceptional!] The cold voice reverberated out as Noah unmerged himself from the Void Serpent, giving a command as all his three pets returned into his Origin. He waited expectantly as he wondered how many points he would receive, and which Peak Tier GALAXY Animus Summons he would choose with them. [Legacy Disciple #1(Alexander)- Points...Null] RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s gaze shook at these words as he looked around him incredulously! On the base floor, the screen that showed Noah disappeared as the Holy Descendants and Anna looked towards each other questioningly, not knowing what had exactly occurred. All the eyes turned on the screen where the name of the first Holy Descendant who had taken the Trial first was listed as they hoped to see an extra name and points, but nothing appeared! "What happened..." Even Anna had a worried look as she looked around pensively! Yet at this moment, Noah¡¯s figure was teleported away without any explanation from the room he was in, his senses spreading out as he found himself in a mystical area that was surrounded by colorful rolling clouds. His senses could not spread too far away as they seemed contained within this area, the nearby cloud rumbling as they formed into the shape of a being Noah had seen in the skies above the Tower before. [The number of points are null because you will not need them.] The strong voice of the bearded being made of clouds floated into his mind as he listened with great focus! [Given your Exceptional talent and aptitude, you more than meet the conditions to be the True Successor of Aoin, the Great Sage that founded the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter!] RUMBLE! The words came down shockingly as Noah¡¯s eyes shone, this being that was the consciousness of the Tower- a mere sliver of a soul that the Great Sage Aoin left behind...this being wanted to make him the True Successor of a Great Sage¡¯s Legacy! [The only condition is for you to bear the weight of protecting the Dragonoid and human race of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. Can you bear this responsibility and become my Successor?] Not even a second had to pass as Noah would have promised this consciousness whatever it wanted to hear, his mind already imagining what he should choose from all the Peak Tier GALAXY pets. "I will bear the responsibility and be the True Successor!" [So it shall be.] RUMBLE! Waves of essence raged out as the multicolored clouds raged towards Noah, most of them going towards his forehead as a unique sigil was burned into his mind. This sigil was truly unique as it held an abundant amount of information, many of them being skills and abilities! [With me coming to be at this moment, it means my main body and soul have perished in the mission to isolate our Dark Universe from the Primordial Cosmos. But coming across someone like you...] The cloudy form of the residual consciousness of the Great Sage continued to ring out as Noah let the Legacy freely flow into him, his attention on this former big boss that was now monologing. [Coming across a being with such ridiculous talent means I can grow a powerful Great Sage to defend my home and fight any future battles with those thieves! For this...I am truly happy!" The light of melancholy could be seen on the Great Sage¡¯s face as his eyes honed in on Noah. [The abilities I used to traverse and assimilate my Daos, you shall have. The treasures of this Tower, you shall have. Whatever you wish to achieve...you can have as long as you put in the effort!] RUMBLE! At this moment, the runic sigil etched itself onto Noah¡¯s mind as he sorted a great deal of information, turning his starry eyes to the illusory figure of the Great Sage as he spoke out with shining eyes. "Strength is everything, and I wish to increase mine! Can I see the 10 Peak Tier GALAXY PRISMATIC pets? I would like to start with them!" He made his wishes blatantly as the figure of the Great Sage had a light smile, waving his hand as the cloudy area around them parted to reveal one of the most beautiful scenes Noah had ever laid his eyes on in his entire life. More beautiful than any exotic foods or gorgeous men and women! More beautiful than even a father watching their first child be born! As the clouds parted, what was revealed was a line up of PRISMATIC pets at the forefront, each humongous in stature as their bodies let off horrendous auras. Behind them were rows and rows of other Animus Summons of all species and colors, Noah¡¯s eyes lighting up with beams of golden light as he laid his eyes on all of this! The sight of a magisterial Galaxy Devouring Wolf, of a dreadful Tiamat, of a glorious Monkey King, of a resplendent Blue Slime... It was truly too beautiful! Chapter 785 - Advance into Middle Tier! [After fully assimilating the Dao of Summoning, you can easily call forth rare beasts from the Animus Universe as even without contracting them, your essence is enough to let them remain in our Dark Universe for quite some time. I utilized my mastery in the Dao of Voidspace to create a unique environment in this spatial realm thereafter that mimicked their homes as they could remain here for as long as possible.] The illusory figure of the Great Sage continued to speak as Noah stared at the titanous figures of PRISMATIC Summons. [The Animus in this tower were the closest to it as they weren¡¯t affected by the ravages of time, but those outside of it entered into Disordered States after so much time has passed without a contract with inhabitants of this universe. Among the ones you can choose, of course the PRISMATIC Summons at the Peak Tier Realm would be best, but it would not increase your strength right away as you won¡¯t be able to contract them for the next tens of years until you breakthrough to Peak Tier GALAXY Realm!] The wisdom of the Great Sage leaked out as he evaluated Noah differently, thinking that a genius as horrendous as him should be able to advance from Low to Middle and Peak Tiers of the GALAXY Realm in just a few decades compared to the hundreds of years that others took! Yet...even the wisdom of this great sage would be wrong as Noah finally turned his eyes away from the resplendent sight of summons, turning his gaze to the illusory figure of the Sage as he smiled lightly. Take him decades to advance to Peak Tier? Only able to contract pets after he reached that same realm as them? All of this was wrong! RUMBLE! His eyes shone with strength as he made visible the stat panel he hadn¡¯t looked at in a while. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Controller(All Laws)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana & Protagonist] [Universal Laws Assimilation: 4%] [Dao(s) : Dao of Summoning- 36%, Dao of Vitality-7%] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Primeval Tree of Old- Yggdrasil : M.a.t.u.r.ed Stage] [Primeval Propitious Physique: 28%] [Primeval Tree of Death: M.a.t.u.r.ed Stage] [Aether Particles(s) : 10,000,000] [Karma Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Fate Line(s) : 10,000,000] [Chaos Particle(s) : 10,000,000] [Origin Core(s) : Light-10, Dark-10, Fire-10, Water-10, Earth-10, Air-10] [Domain(s) : Life, Death, Aether, Karma, Fate,Chaos, Light, Dark, Space, Time, Fire, Water, Earth, Air] [Vitality: GALAXY(LOW)] [Focus: ¡Þ ] [Strength: GALAXY(LOW)] [Law(s) : Life-100%, Death-100%, Aether- 100%, Karma-100%,Fate-100%,Chaos-100%, Light-100%, Dark-100%, Space-100%, Time-100%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-100%, Air-100%] [Authority(s) : Aether Lord, Fate Lord, Chaos Lord, Karma Lord, Space Lord, Time Lord, Light Lord, Dark Lord, Flame Lord, Water Lord, Earth Lord, Air Lord] [Skill Points :: 2,623,643] Many things stayed at 100% as his skill points had even exceeded the count he had before he used Skill Creation not too long ago, but one of the more eye catching things was the percentage on the progress of his Universal Laws Assimilation! In the past weeks, it had risen to a grand 4% as this number had a shocking meaning. It meant that any normal person would be able to completely assimilate all universal laws as at the end of it, the reward of opening a pathway to a Cosmic Dao opened up. Yet to Noah...he saw the many months it would take being simply too long! To change this fact, he continued to save up his skill points as he eyed a skill that he had already tested in the Skill Creation tab, an ability that would allow him to increase his progress in his law assimilations. Yet this skill would cost him over 10 million skill points as this would be the goal he would work towards in the near future. His eyes then turned towards his Dao percentages that were increasing nicely before he stopped at the attributes that showed his Realm at Low Tier GALAXY. It was these words that he wanted to change at this moment as he climbed from Low to Middle, where he was planning to utilize all of the Low and Middle Tier GALAXY Cores he had obtained from the Wild Animus on the way here to push himself forward as contract two of the 10 PRISMATIC beasts in front of him! The consciousness of the Great Sage thought he would not be able to contract them for a while, but with his [Archaic Contract] ability would allow him to contract any being a stage above him as he shattered this norm also. ¡¯Should be light work.¡¯ His domineering thoughts came out as he sat down while waving his hands and pulling out multiple glimmering GALAXY cores that he began to absorb right away! The consciousness of the Great Sage looked towards him with a shining gaze as it witnessed this phenomenon, Noah merely voicing out as the multicolored magisterial light of essence already began washing over his body. "Give me a few hours to advance my Realm, then I¡¯ll contract with my next two pets." ...! His simple words brought alarm and confusion to the Great Sage as he could not help but voice out. [Realm advancement in a few hours? Contract two pets? A being can only ever contract with 1 Animus every time they advance through a realm after Nebula...] The confusion of the Great Sage would be cleared up soon enough as Noah was already lost in a deluge of essence being absorbed by him, beginning the process of enhancing himself into the Middle Tier of the GALAXY Realm merely days after he entered into Low Tier GALAXY! --- At the base floor of the Tower, the Holy Descendants could not make heads or tails of what was going on as more than an hour passed, the rest of them choosing to hold on before taking the Trial of this Legacy as a portion were about to head out of the Secret Realm to let their Holy Emperor know of the recent advancements. "We¡¯ll be back with the words of the Holy Emperor soon as we figure out what happened to Alexander and the delegation from the Primal Winged Expanse." They said these words to Anna who was situated on the floor meditating as she merely nodded, her expression actually calm as she had received Noah¡¯s mental message a while ago that he was just accepting the full legacy of the Great Sage for himself while advancing into the next realm for the next few hours! ¡¯Just ridiculous...¡¯ She could only shake her head at the incredulousness as she waited, not taking the test of the Legacy herself as she had only summoned 1 Animus Pet so far. She would come back as soon as she was ready as her eyes were also set on getting [Exceptional] results on all 3 Trials, or simply leech off the being who was receiving the full legacy at this moment! --- In the belly of the draconic shaped Expansive Holy Land where the important personages of two Ancient Powers were waiting, new figures flashed as they took the attention of all the beings in the surroundings! "What happened in the Primal Holy Land?" RUMBLE! The robust voice of the Holy Emperor locked onto the 5 figures of the Holy Descendants that had come out of the Secret Realm, his fiery eyes filled with excitement as he thought of all the possibilities! Of the Legacy left behind by their forefather and what it contained! Yet the information that came out...would be something that held grand consequences for both of the Ancient Powers! Chapter 786 - A Balance Shattering Pet! I Near the golden door that led to the Primal Holy Land, multiple Entities from different Ancient Powers looked at the 5 Holy Descendants that had come out of this Secret Realm. "Emperor, the Holy Princess was able to unearth the legacy of the Great Sage..." The breakdown of the events as well as the mysteries of what the Holy Descendants had seen in the Secret Realm were relayed as the surroundings became bustling with excitement! "Half Dao Weapons? Treasured Materials? PRISMATIC Animus Summons as the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm?!" The gaze of the Holy Emperor was heating up as he heard everything, his mind already imagining the 10 PRISMATIC Summons as future Entities that would work under him! "Why hasn¡¯t Kirigan or the others come out? Where¡¯s my delegation?" THRUUUM The strong voice of the Primal Emperor rang out at this moment as many beings came to a pause when they realized this. The Holy Descendants collected themselves as they voiced out. "This is also what we came to relay, we have not come across Prince Kirigan and the other Aileron Royals ever since we separated when we first entered the Secret Realm. Even when we all saw the changes within the Secret Realm as well as the Tower that rose and could be seen from anywhere in the secret realm, we still weren¡¯t able to locate them ..." "..." The gaze of the Primal Emperor turned cold when he heard this as he looked towards the resplendent golden door that had the inscription label AOIN! "Brother Windsor, what is the meaning of this? What other mysteries are there in this Secret Realm?" The atmosphere had turned sour with the disappearance of the delegation from the Primal Winged Expanse, the Holy Emperor¡¯s mood also brought down as he replied calmly. "They might have run into a wild Peak Tier GALAXY Summon or are simply in far regions of the secret realm at this moment. We shall send in more beings inside to check the progress as we also explore the Great Sage Aoin Tower!" This was the only choice the Holy Emperor could make at this moment as the gaze of the Primal Emperor remained cold, waving his hands as he selected some more beings from his Aileron Race to accompany those who would be delving into the secret realm once more. He wanted to get to the truth of where his grandson was! --- RUMBLE! At this moment, the being responsible for the deaths of the entire delegation from the Primal Winged Expanse was actually enjoying eating up resplendent GALAXY Cores, his body brimming with power as after absorbing tens of cores at the Middle Tier stage, his body was finally stepping into this same Realm as his vibrant Galaxy expanded rapidly while adding millions of stars per second. The gorgeous array of colors had the consciousness of the Great Sage Aoin looking forward in a stupor as this genius really had accomplished what he said he would just a few hours prior- which was to advance into the next Realm! But the other thing he said was being able to contract a Peak Tier Animus Summon thereafter, and two of them at that. The consciousness of the Great Sage thought about these words and how he had truly advanced into another stage within just a few hours as it wondered...would he also accomplish this? WAA! Without paying any heed to his surroundings, Noah finished his last GALAXY Core as the advancement from Low into Middle Tier GALAXY was finally complete. His Galaxy was even more vibrant as it had more than doubled in size, his senses telling him that a couple of billion more stars were condensed within as he felt boundless power! At this stage, he felt like even if he didn¡¯t have Infinite Mana, he would be able to carry out an ability capable of affecting an entire Galaxy at least once, something that only those in the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm would be able to do with their dense mana reserves. Yet his astounding Grand Completion while in the Middle Tier granted him such boosts as when he entered Peak Tier in the future while keeping his Grand Completion...well, only the future would tell! But he had genuinely gone from Low Tier and into Middle Tier GALAXY in just a matter of about a day or two! Ah! [Truly a once in a lifetime genius! I¡¯m not sure how true your latter words of being able to contract 2 Summons are, but I can use my authority within the tower to transfer an Animus of your choosing into the Luminous Star Pendant you received when you entered the Tower. This allows me to lock in and restrict a summon until the one awarded can contract it for themselves.] The uses of the necklace that condensed on each person who entered the tower was revealed, Noah simply shaking his head as he came out of his thoughts and walked towards the rows of Animus Summons that were held in place. "No need." RUMBLE! Domineering words erupted out of him as his steps were light, yet seemingly indecisive as they could not fully choose which direction to go towards in! This was because the PRISMATIC Summons in front of him were truly majestic and powerful, and it pained him that he had to choose just some out of the 10! As his eyes looked over the information provided from the Eyes of Truth on each of the treasured Summons- From the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon, Monkey King, Galaxy Devouring Wolf, Blue Slime, Tiamat and five others... He breathed out slowly as the tension left his body, taking light steps towards the line where an individual that could be considered the smallest in stature stood. This creature was at the center of the line up of 10 PRISMATIC Summons, and yet was the smallest in size! Bounded to its left and right by a terrifying Galaxy Devouring Wolf and an Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon, the Animus that Noah went towards...was a small blue blob that had innocent eyes! It was the Blue Slime! A mere slime, and yet his eyes of truth told him of its terrifying origins... [Blue Slime](PRISMATIC+) :: An Animus Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. A unique species rarely seen in the Animus Universe, this Blue Slime comes from the thought to be perished lineage of Universal Emperor Slimes that were hunted down to extinction in the Animus Universe by a coalition of beings from the Primordial Cosmos. The defining racial skill that made it a target for extinction is <>, an ability that brought about a Universal Emperor Slime that held an entire Universe in the Primordial Cosmos hostage for 1000 years. Its unique composition gives it complete immunity to physical attacks and 50% Damage reduction to all other forms of damage. This Blue Slime has nearly mastered the Grand Dao of Devouring, but is also proficient in the Grand Daos of Four Elements, Slaughter, and Macrocosm, along with the Lesser Daos of Alacrity, Voidspace, and Vitality. When it fully becomes a Universal Emperor Slime, it will naturally awaken the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation... "..." A ridiculous, nonsensical, and simply balance-shattering pet had entered the stage! Chapter 787 - A Balance Shattering Pet! II The Blue Slime that was the blob surrounded by terrifying figures of terrifying beasts looked towards Noah innocently as it seemed like the most innocent thing one could come across. Its jelly form wiggled as Noah went down and took it into his arms. [The Blue Slime...this was the last Animus Summon I called forth before I set off with the other Sages. I knew it was a rare creature, but I didn¡¯t have time to explore its full bloodline and abilities so I simply locked it up here along with all the others. Are you sure of choosing this one?] The voice of the consciousness of the Great Sage rang out with a tinge of melancholy as Noah nodded with a light smile. "Oh, this is definitely the one." He said these words as his body erupted with essence, the ability of [Archaic Contract] being cast as his body and the blob of the Blue Slime became covered with essence and runic sigils. THRUUUM! As if witnessing a monumental event, the very surrounding space shook as the illusory figure of the Great Sage Aoin could only look forward in disbelief as he saw a contract be formed between two beings of different stages! [Monstrous...] Only a single word could be uttered as the light died down, showing Noah and the Blue Slime that had bounced from his arms and gone on top of his head. It had lost the restrictions that the Great Sage placed on the Animus Summons within the Tower as it moved freely, its blob of a body bouncing atop Noah¡¯s head as it seemed to enjoy its freedom! Its bouncing was accompanied with a shy voice ringing out in Noah¡¯s mind. "Master, your head is very fluffy..." The terrifying Blue Slime bounced up and down Noah¡¯s head as it rolled in his dark gold hair, not giving any feeling of being the only living member of the terrifying lineage of the Universal Emperor Slimes that were hunted down by powerful beings in the Primordial Cosmos! "You like staying on my head?" Noah had a smile as he spoke to the slime, its bouncing only becoming more excited as he chuckled and continued. "Then you can play there for as long as you want!" "Un!" A cute reply came out as Noah looked at the panel that showed the information of this balance shattering Animus Summon once more. Being a Universal Emperor Slime, this summon had the singular ability of <>, something that made it possible for its power to grow where it was today, and also the reason why one of its kind could grow to a stage where it was capable of holding an entire Universe hostage! <> :: Any life form that is devoured will be fully assimilated seamlessly as their abilities, Realm, Law Comprehensions, Dao Comprehensions, and anything else within their existence will be obtained. This is an ability unique to the Universal Emperor Slimes. This was the ability that this Blue Slime used to somehow put multiple Daos under his belt, with 4 Grand and 3 Lesser Daos being comprehended by it as it had simply Devoured beings that were studying such Daos! It had taken whatever Origin they had along with their abilities, Laws, and Dao comprehensions fully as at this moment, it was more terrifying than any of the other Animus Summons that still remained on the line up in front of Noah! This was a summon that had nearly completely comprehended the Grand Dao of Devouring, a summon that would very soon be a genuine Entity the moment it did so! He had truly obtained something ridiculous as the possibilities for the future were truly too many. There was also immense hidden danger as this Blue Slime was a type of creature that was hunted down by the big bosses running around the Primordial Cosmos, but to this this thought Noah only had a single reply- So what! Even if some powerful beings he didn¡¯t even know about targeted his Summons, they would just get in the long line of people that Noah wanted to confront! There were those that attacked the Dark Universe while trying to obtain the Cosmic Treasure Ruination and ultimately cause its Sages and Great Sages to perish as this entire universe could now face an Apocalypse at any time, and now whatever beings hunted down Universal Emperor Slimes to extinction would just have to get on this long line of enemies. Oh and of course, he couldn¡¯t forget the stupendous fact that next to the name of this Blue Slime, a + sign could be seen next to PRISMATIC as it showed even within this rarity, this Summon was the very best there was. ¡¯Ah!¡¯ He sighed with contentment and achievement as he turned his gaze towards the other 9 PRISMATIC Summons in front of him! "Master, you want to choose another one? Get Big Sister Dragon, she has a lot of heads..." The Blue Slime chirped in as it noticed Noah¡¯s gaze, its eyes looking towards the terrifying visage of Tiamat, a dreadful looking dragon that simply had too many heads. Each of them a different color and shining with a dangerous l.u.s.ter as the eyes seemed to blaze with immense anger and madness! "Oh? Why would you choose her?" "Mmm, when we could freely move in the Tower tens of thousands of years ago, all the others were scared of her...and she was always in a bad mood somehow." The slime bounced up and down as it spoke of the passing of tens of thousands of years like nothing. But Noah agreed with the words of this terrifyingly cute slime as he looked at the information of the multi headed dragon! [Queen Dowager- Tiamat](PRISMATIC) :: An Animus Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. It was a ruling force in the Animus Universe as it is the Progenitor of one of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of All Animus Creatures. Stripped down from its high throne by the Alliance of the 5 Supreme Clans and having its Origin and Soul completely destroyed, Tiamat underwent rebirth from the Innate Skill of the Dragon Progenitor Bloodline as portions of its memories are slowly coming back. The Queen Dowager has currently assimilated the Laws of Life, Death, Fate, and Chaos. She has also nearly finished comprehending the Grand Daos of Slaughter and Destruction. When she completes the process of her rebirth and regains all her memories, she will awaken her comprehensions in the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation... Seeing Noah nod with shining eyes as he evaluated Tiamat up and down, the Blue Slime bounced happily as it called out. "Get that Big Sister, Master! She¡¯s nearly as cute as me..." RUMBLE! The words of Blue Slime caused the restricted eyes of Tiamat to shine a dangerous light as Noah moved forward! Chapter 788 - Pompous, Arrogant, and Frightening! Not too far in the unique space, the sliver of consciousness of the long gone Great Sage watched as his chosen Successor continued to live up to the words he said, where he was now really going towards the Tiamat with the intention of contracting it! He couldn¡¯t help but speak out. [As my successor, you can choose how to handle the rewards of the Tower, which means saving any Animus Summons you want for yourself and contracting them when you advance in the future! This is especially so for the PRISMATIC Peak Tier Summons, as many of them are nearing the Realm of Entities and would help you greatly on your journey...] Yes! Many of the Animus Summons within the tower were very close to becoming Entities, and this was especially so for the PRISMATIC and Ultra Rare Summons who had powerful bloodlines. As they were locked within the Tower for tens of thousands of years with special restrictions, even though they were not contracted to anyone and weren¡¯t in their Animus Universe- they had still been able to comprehend laws and Daos as the years passed! This was the case for the Blue Slime, Tiamat, and many others on the line up that Noah faced. [They have been comprehending for the past tens of thousands of years, but none of them have mastered their respective Daos as they have never been able to apply them. The moment they are contracted and step into the outside world as they utilize their Daos will be the time when they enter the ranks of Entities.] The voice of the Great Sage Aoin rang out sonorously as Noah merely smiled, waving his hands beside him as a spatial wave erupted, another one of his bodies appearing in front of the Queen Dowager- Tiamat! Since he was born from two Galaxies and shared two separate yet uniquely connected bodies, he effectively had a cheat on the number of summons he could contract with. But his bodies had to establish the contracts themselves first before he could place the pets into his shared Origin, where he could choose to transfer any of the pets that he or the body of Alexander contracted without any issues. To him, both of these bodies were one and the same, and he would not even be using the identity of Alexander soon enough as he was gaining terrifying power that would slowly make him able to move with even more vigor in the Dark Universe! RUMBLE! Essence erupted out as the sliver of consciousness of the Great Sage watched a new being with the same fluctuations as the one that should have been his successor appear, this being easily forming a contract with the Queen Dowager as the restrictions of the Tower were lifted from her. [Ridiculous...!]. Even the consciousness of a Great Sage could not help but lament in shock at the event! ROAAAR! A loud bellow of freedom reverberated out from multiple heads as this creature stood in front of Noah, its multicolored heads that numbered not 5 but 10- all of these draconic head roared out with anger and majesty! Noah simply felt the oppressive aura as he smiled, a cold harrumph ringing out from each of the heads as a second later, a red cloud of smoke descended into the enormous 500 meter Queen Dowager as it rapidly began shrinking in size. RUMBLE! Noah watched this unexpected scene with surprise, his eyes observing this dense smoke miniaturized the enormous body of the Queen Dowager until everything coalesced into red smoke around 2 meters! "Being summoned into this trash Universe by a stupid little sage, locked into an even more trash tower and wasted thousands of years, and then contracted by an even weaker being. I¡¯ve truly fallen!" With a shockingly melodious voice that would cause the souls of weak men to tremble, the figure of a drop dead gorgeous woman walked out of the red smoke in a shocking fashion as she walked with light steps towards Noah! It didn¡¯t take her long before her shocking figure came just inches away from him. Noah only watched in a stupor as this figure came in front of him and used her slender arms to grasp his head, turning him side to side as she seemed to be looking for something. "Hmmm..." A thoughtful look appeared the more she examined Noah¡¯s face, even placing her head that was full of luscious dark hair on his c.h.e.s.t as she seemingly listened for his heartbeat! "Well, not bad at least. A Grand Completion realm as a human, and I can even sense a whiff of something greater than a Dao Treasure from you." RUMBLE! The arrogant and pompous voice of this curvaceous woman that was the transformed Tiamat finally shook Noah out of his stupor as his face turned grave. His eyes carefully glanced at her as he thought that she truly had no need to give herself such a blessed c.h.e.s.t and curves in her human form! Even what she wore...was too revealing as it barely covered the things that should be covered! This was one of the first summons of his that was able to change into a human form, and he thought it was rightfully so because her identity was simply too great. She used to be the Progenitor of one of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of the Animus Universe, a reality bending expert that was ganged up on and killed, and even then she still had ways to return as she now stood in front of Noah! "Listen up." THRUM! Her words were mesmerizing as she spoke while raising her head pompously as every single one of her moves demanded attention. "I have many plans and goals as I enact revenge against some cowards. Since we are now bound to each other and you¡¯ve freed me from this stupid prison, I¡¯ll help you for a bit. If you can keep up with me, maybe I¡¯ll keep you around as my pet. But if you disappoint me and don¡¯t become a Great Sage in a few hundred years, I will break off this contract!" RUMBLE! Even though her curves and everything about her was gorgeous, her words were cold and merciless as this Queen Dowager that used to rule an entire region of the Animus Universe before stood in front of Noah. Faced with this pompous dragon queen, Noah¡¯s gaze turned cold as his eyes shone with a dangerous l.u.s.ter! The Blue Slime atop his head bounced up and down as it seemed to be having fun, but the air turned even colder as even more domineering words erupted from Noah. "Just who do you think is the Master and Pet in this contract?" ...! BZZT! It seemed like two domineering auras erupted against each other as a Summoner and an Animus Summon looked towards each other coldly, the very space in the surroundings beginning to crack as a dangerous force threatened to erupt out from the pompous Queen Dowager... Chapter 789 - Glorious Rewards and a Shocking Return! I "Guess I¡¯ll have to give out a beating against my so called Master for him to understand." The Queen Dowager raised her slender fists dangerously as a nearly completed Dao erupted from it, a Dao that very Infinitely neared the power of a genuine Entity as it was a Grand Dao! Yet against this scene, Noah¡¯s eyes remained cold. In this state of tension, the chirpy voice of the Blue Slime also rang out as it seemed excited. "Master, didn¡¯t I tell you Big Sister would be powerful and fun?" Noah ignored the words as he raised his hand and utilized something he never had before- the contract that was inscribed deep in his soul and the soul of the Animus in front of him! RUMBLE "Hmph, you think a mere contract ability that at most a Great Sage created would be enough to bind me? I¡¯ve ruled countless lands and even destroyed cl.u.s.ters of galaxies, what makes you thin- Ahhh!" A painful m.o.a.n escaped the Queen Dowager as she clasped her head in shock and fell to the ground! Noah walked up towards her as his gaze arrogantly looked down. Yes, maybe a being of her caliber would have been able to cause problems with an animus contract and even possibly break it if she grew to be more powerful. But the contract he used...was one backed by skill points as its effectiveness was elevated multiple times. Even this terrifying being felt intense pain from her soul if she ever wished to rebel! "You little...!" Yet Noah also watched with surprise as even with a pained expression, the Queen Dowager still rose up slightly before she remained in place while bearing the pain, the aura of a Grand Dao around her palpating as it threatened to erupt! His eyes shone with intense light at this scene as he waved his hands, causing the pressure of the soul contract to subside as Tiamat looked towards him dangerously! "I do not wish to have a conflicting relationship with my own contracted Animus, so let¡¯s do this." His words came out calmly as he walked towards the Queen Dowager and looked her in the eyes. "If I really get left behind in terms of Realm and I don¡¯t even become a Great Sage in just 10 years, not even hundreds of years, I¡¯ll break off the contract I¡¯ve created with you myself and let you off!" RUMBLE! "...!!!" Domineering! Shocking! His words were simply too shocking! "Great Sage in less than 10 years...hmph, so be it!" The Queen Dowager was reined in as she thought of the pain she just had to endure, as well as this incredulous promise of this human she knew he could no way accomplish! Great Sage in just 10 years? What, did he think he could advance through Realms and master Daos that easy? ¡¯You¡¯ll need to fully assimilate a Grand Dao and have advanced above the GALAXY Realm, even I would need at least a hundred years! Yet you¡¯re just a human...¡¯ Prideful thoughts crossed the Queen Dowager and she straightened her curvaceous figure and spoke grandly. "Let¡¯s get out of this musky tower, I¡¯ve been in here for too long." "..." Noah felt a headache coming as he looked at this Peak Tier GALAXY Summon, another one still bouncing above his head as the terrifying Blue Slime that seemed innocent was actually much more monstrous than even Tiamat herself. In this trip, he had truly obtained a great deal as his source of strength was expanded greatly, and he hadn¡¯t even gone through all of the rewards yet as of right now! He still had the Ruination Page from the dumb prince to go through, remaining Low Tier GALAXY Cores he had in abysmal amounts after absorbing nearly all of them just now to pass to his subordinates, and all the rewards of the Tower that included a great deal of things- along with the Legacy of the Great Sage Aoin that included skills relating to the Dao of Voidspace! When it came to skills relating to the Dao, Noah was filled with curiosity as most were skills designed by beings over the years, the [Animus Summoner Trainer] from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter being an example. This meant he could create his own skill trees that related to any Dao he was focusing on, and he wanted to fully do this when the time came for Grand Daos! If a unique Lesser Dao like the Dao of Summoning granted him this much power, just what would happen if he fully utilized the others? Of course, he knew the Dao of Summoning was unique in the way it boosted him because of his Infinite Mana and Protagonist trait, where he utilized this Dao to an extreme that even exceeded the Ancient Power that was focusing on it for the past tens of thousands of years! The Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter also comprehended this Dao and even had Entities that had begun assimilating it, and yet even they had not been able to have the line up of pets like Noah nor accomplish the things he had. Even now, their Ancient Power was merely equal to the Primal Winged Expanse as other Powers eyed their Legacies. So how powerful one could be from any Dao depended on how it was utilized and the power of the being themselves! ¡¯Ah...¡¯ Noah lamented at this fact and his own genius as he turned towards the consciousness of the Great Sage Aoin that was still looking towards him in a stupor. He had defied every single thing this Great Sage knew as common sense, where at this point the sliver of soul didn¡¯t even have words! "The Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter has enemies within our ranks currently. Close off the Tower for now until we successfully bypass some of these dangers, I shall bring worthy geniuses to claim powerful summons here then!" "We have to move..." He gave commands as huge changes began to occur in the Tower... --- As Noah reigned in an unruly Animus and gave out commands, changes soon occurred in the secret realm where many new Low and Middle Tier GALAXY experts had entered! First was the Tower itself, where every being inside was ejected as they found themselves warped outside of it. "What happened..." "We can¡¯t get back in!" The Holy Descendants tried to enter the same way they did before, but they were bounced back as if rejected and not allowed to enter! Anna didn¡¯t panic as she looked around, her eyes soon noticing spatial fluctuations as two figures appeared in front of her. It was the genius she knew all too well, but he was accompanied by a curvaceous woman whose expression dripped of elegance and power! In addition to this woman, Anna squinted her eyes as she also saw a cute blue blob situated happily atop Noah¡¯s head! Chapter 790 - Glorious Rewards and a Shocking Return! II "This is...?" Anna¡¯s eyes carefully looked at the human form of the Queen Dowager as she seemed to sense immense danger from her. Noah had a light smile as he looked around and replied. "Just a summon. Come, we have to head out." Anna seemed unconvinced as she stared at Tiamat, but the latter ignored her as the bountiful c.h.e.s.t attached to the Queen Dowager¡¯s c.h.e.s.t shook while she spread her arms out wide and took a deep breath! "Never thought such a dry environment would ever smell so good..." She spoke domineeringly about the atmosphere of a secret realm that was filled with dense essence, leaving hints that where she came from was multiple times grander than this! Noah didn¡¯t pay attention to her as he raised his above them, seeing the figures of multiple Holy Descendants and Aileron Royals coming towards them and the Tower. The second party was just arriving as Noah didn¡¯t even want to bother with them, sending a message to the consciousness that controlled this secret realm! "Eject all of us out of this Realm for now, I should be back with a few people in a bit." RUMBLE! The moment his words ended, the entire Primal Holy Land shook as a bountiful amount of essence erupted out, the Wild Animus roaring out as all the humans, Dragonoids, and Ailerons felt spatial essence cover them as they were unwillingly thrown out! At the same time, Noah¡¯s own essence overflowed as he changed the affix on the Ruination Core to be [The act of not taking damage for 10 seconds grants a Ruination Shield capable of withstanding a single strike from a Sage]. He was merely getting ready because as of this moment...things were about to get wild! --- SHAA! SHAA! SHAA! The gazes of the Primal Emperor, Holy Emperor, and many others rose up as they sensed changes near the golden door of the Primal Holy Land, seeing multiple figures teleported back. Those that entered first and even those that had just entered a few minutes ago, every single being was teleported out! Of course, every single being but the 20 Aileron Royals from the first party to enter... The expressions of many beings shifted at this scene as the air was very oppressive and filled with power! This was because currently, there were 4 Entities present in this very tense situation! The Holy Emperor was overseeing things as Old Man Khan wasn¡¯t too far away with the Holy Price Rudolf and other important Royals, while the remaining delegation of Aileron Royals were the Primal Emperor bound by an Aileron Entity behind him, as well as the remainder of their Royals that were led by Prince Kirigan¡¯s father. OOOM! The pressure was mildly reduced as the Holy Emperor went towards the teleported figures, his eyes landing on Noah and his granddaughter as they shone with brilliance. This was especially so as his eyes landed on the curvaceous figure of Tiamat, his eyes beginning to shake with happiness as he sensed her aura at Peak Tier GALAXY! Yet his eyes didn¡¯t catch the even more fearsome blue slime atop Noah¡¯s head as it seemed like the most non-threatening thing there, no aura leaking from its body. "What happened?" His question was directed at all of them, so a single Holy Descendant went forward as he bowed while speaking apprehensively. "Emperor, our group was forcefully ejected from the Primal Holy Land as we appeared here..." The face of the Holy Emperor lost its happiness at this as nearby, the resonant voice of the Primal Emperor rang out next! "All of you?" RUMBLE! His words came out like a rolling tide as they held immense pressure, the second group of Aileron Royals that were also just ejected nodding towards their Emperor with cold faces. "We were all ejected, meaning that all of us here are the only ones alive to be teleported out..." THRUUUM! The moment these words finished, the horrendous aura of a peak Entity erupted out as the 5 pairs of wings on the Primal Emperor quaked with power! His gaze was extremely cold as with the warping of all of these beings here forcefully, they confirmed that the initial 20 man party of Aileron Royals were dead! All others were ejected out of the secret realm, but not them! The significance of this was soon understood by all as the atmosphere became extremely oppressive. It meant that under the watch of the geniuses of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, the guests they invited had lost 20 of their people- and it was those with extremely high status at that! "Windsor, what is the meaning of this?" THRUUM! The words were cold and biting, filled with zero cordiality as even the ¡¯Brother¡¯ that the Primal Emperor normally used was dropped! "I¡¯m sure there is an explanation of what happened to the young Prince Kirigan and others. You all, what did you see?" The Holy Emperor remained impassive as his might was unrelenting when faced against the aura of the Primal Emperor. Turning his gaze to Noah and the other Holy descendants that had entered first! At the same time, the Holy Emperor sent a telepathic message towards Noah as his shining eyes remaining on the curvaceous figure of the Queen Dowager who was only looking around with her mesmerizing red eyes, this entire tense situation seemingly not worth her attention... "What happened with our Great Sage¡¯s Legacy? Is that creature in front of you from the Legacy? What about all the other treasures...?" A barrage of telepathic questions entered Noah¡¯s mind as his eyes looked up to meet the Holy Emperor. All of the others also focused on this scene as among everyone there, nobody even raised their heads as they knew nothing of what happened, only this single genius raising his eyes to meet the Holy Emperor! The powerful beings all around watched with careful eyes as they wanted to know, just what exactly had befallen the 20 Aileron Royals inside? At this juncture, Noah replied with two sentences. One was a telepathic one that entered the mind of the Holy Emperor and caused his body to nearly shake out of happiness. The other was a verbal message that he said for all to hear. "In the Secret Realm, the consciousness of the Great Sage saw my talent as he chose me as his successor, bringing the rewards of the Legacy that contain multiple PRISMATIC, Ultra Rare, and many more powerful summons under me to do as I see fit!" This was the telepathic message to the Holy Emperor that nearly caused a wide smile to break from him, containing his emotions as his shining eyes called for him to continue for the other question he had asked. When Noah answered this question for all to hear, the happiness bubbling within the Holy Emperor would very quickly be doused as the atmosphere would turn terrifying! With a blue slime sitting happily on his head, Noah raised his head grandly and spoke with utter calmness, his words being a shocking spark that would cause the eruption of deadly events. "The 20 Aileron Royals including that Prince Kirigan...I actually killed them all." "..." Silence! "..." Silence so deep and terrifying that I made the blood of many run cold! This silence...was followed by mayhem! RUUUUUUMBLE! Chapter 791 - The Falling Out of Two Ancient Powers! I The surrounding space quaked and trembled as a horrendous pressure descended, a rumbling voice that shattered even the eardrums of weaker Nebula Rank beings resounding out. "You did what?!" BOOOM! The voice was explosive as it was followed by an action, the formation of a hand that was filled with the stellar light of the Dao of Withering reaching out towards Noah! "Ah...!" "This!" Pandemonium and mayhem ensued as all those weaker than at the Peak Tier GALAXY flew away at the pressure, the Holy Descendants around Noah and Anna being the quickest to run at the sight of the hand as the only figures that remained still in the face of this horrendous hand formed from the essence of a fully comprehended Dao were Noah and his summons along with Anna. Even in the face of a terrifying Entity moving, Anna didn¡¯t twitch as she stayed by Noah¡¯s side! Meanwhile, the body of the blue slime wiggled as the Queen Dowager had a cold look while looking at this palm, not making any moves as their master actually told them not to do a thing! Noah merely looked at the coming hand that threatened to grasp all of them with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze that of an ancient hero that wouldn¡¯t be shaken by anything. In the face of this strike, only a single being moved! "Brother Primal, let us not be too hasty." THRUUUM! In front of Noah, a dragon¡¯s claw had appeared out of nowhere as the figure of the Holy Emperor descended grandly atop a 6 headed dragon! BZZT The claw of the 6 headed dragon glimmered with an intense light of destruction as it clashed with the enormous phantom hand of the Primal Emperor, the essence of Destruction gradually wiping away the essence of Withering as the illusory hand faded. ROAAAR! The bellow of the 6 heads of this fearsome dragon reverberated out as the horrendous pressure the Primal Emperor released was offset greatly. Its magnificent draconic heads locking on to the Primal Emperor fearlessly! This was the PRISMATIC Animus of the ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, the singular Animus that had given the Holy Emperor the strength to spearhead this Ancient Power! It was due to this terrifying 6 headed dragon that had fully comprehended the Grand Dao of Destruction! [Stellar Spiridoro](PRISMATIC) :: An Animus Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. This creature stems from the lineage of the Ancient Kaijus of the Animus Universe, its body being one of the toughest things when it reaches its ultimate form. It has fully comprehended the Grand Dao of Destruction as it is now in the process of assimilation... The deterrent that caused the Holy Emperor to be renowned as his Ancient Power was even eyed by others at a distance- it was a creature bounded to him who utilized a Lesser Dao, and yet the Animus itself had become a strong Entity through a Grand Dao! RUMBLE! The body of the Primal Emperor came to a stop as he coldly stared at Spiridoro, and the somber looking Holy Emperor that stood atop it. "Are you sure about this, Brother Windsor?!" His booming voice ruptured out as next to him, the figure of the other Aileron Entity materialized from particles of light. The situation became extremely tense as many lesser beings scrambled away! Meanwhile, Anastasia made her way over to Noah and Anna who were now looking at the broad back of the Holy Emperor and his Stellar Spiridoro. A second later, Old Man Khan appeared beside the Holy Emperor as Holy Prince Rudolf was in tow, his gaze darkened as he stared towards Noah! "We don¡¯t know what truly happened, this genius Holy Descendant could be under the influence of something..." The Holy Emperor continued calmly as all the Aileron Royals gathered behind the Primal Emperor, his gaze becoming increasingly cold as he saw the being who just said he murdered his grandson and 19 other Aileron geniuses being protected so closely. At this point of the confrontation, the voice of the being that had caused such a state resounded out again calmly, acting like gas to fan the flames ever higher as they were just as explosive! "That Prince Kirigan and his goons had appeared in front of me and Anna, threatening to teach me a lesson while apparently enjoying Anna before even their official engagement. I naturally had to defend myself and the honor of the Holy Princess, so I made some quick work of the Prince and the other Aileron Royals as many of them interestingly died while pleading for their lives. I never knew the Aileron Royals had such flimsy backbones..." "Shut up!" RUMBLE! It was the Holy Emperor shouting out this command over Noah, this Entity knowing full well what this genius was doing as he left no path of retreat for either of the two sides, bent on telling things how they were and not even worried about covering the truth of what occurred! The face of the Primal Emperor became even more deadly at this scene as rage billowed in his eyes, locking with the figure of Noah that floated calmly behind the Stellar Spiridoro as he etched this being¡¯s image into his brain. He then turned towards the Holy Emperor as he asked once more. "I want the life of the culprit responsible for the death of 19 geniuses and my own grandson, Windsor! Will you grant this to me or not?!" OOOOM! Words filled with conviction that said it could only be this way and no other resounded out, the gaze of the Holy Emperor cloudy as he looked at the calm Noah. The Holy Emperor was truly angry at this juncture as this being just had to ruin such a perfect set of events! They had just reclaimed their Great Sage¡¯s Legacy, with this same genius being the one who obtained it all and became the True Successor. Along with the alliance they were forming with the Primal Winged Expanse, it would have truly been the greatest set of events primed to allow the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter to rise stably while having well defended borders in the hundreds of years! Yet...yet! He now had to make the choice between this singular genius and the alliance of an Ancient Power! Chapter 792 - The Falling Out of Two Ancient Powers! II The frustration felt by the Holy Emperor was immeasurable as he looked towards Noah, knowing this being was too much of a genius and too valuable. But there was also the alliance that would affect the lives of trillions to consider... As if Noah could see the thoughts of the Holy Emperor, he sent a telepathic message that dripped with dominance and calm. "I told you before that a single me would be a more powerful support than even an Ancient Power. Just days after stepping into your Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, I¡¯ve unearthed the Great Sage¡¯s Legacy and brought to fruition multiple Peak GALAXY Summons that are just waiting to be contracted, with many of them nearly mastering their respective Daos as each would soon become an Entity in their own right. I did this in just days, can you imagine what I will do in weeks?" THRUM! Noah¡¯s words were like strikes of lightning in the mind of the Holy Emperor as they continued. "The choice is yours to make!" "..." A contemplative look appeared on the Holy Emperor¡¯s face as his gaze locked with the Primal Emperor. The Primal Emperor saw the gaze of Windsor as he shockingly knew what choice was made! "You¡¯re sure about this, Windsor?!" "To fully destroy our alliance and become enemies? To add another Ancient Power to your list of enemies?! Because of a mere genius?!" RUMBLE! The regal and majestic air of a ruler erupted from the Holy Emperor atop his Peak Tier GALAXY Summon, his eyes seemingly aged and wise as if he had seen countless things! With such a magisterial stature, he let his choice be known! "Alexander was merely protecting himself and Anna, I cannot let him be punished for doing such a thing. The people of my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter shall always be protected!" OOOOM! Resounding words that sealed the fate of two Ancient Powers. Words that made the expression of the Primal Emperor livid as he nodded vigorously! He let his wrath be known as he waved his hand, the entire delegation of the Primal Winged Expanse sending deadly looks all around them as they pulled back. The Holy Emperor and Old Man Khan remained still as their senses observed the luminous multi winged delegation of beings leave the Holy Land and ultimately the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter without making any moves, their eyes only turning towards the beings they protected behind them at this time. The gaze of the Holy Emperor was furious as he understood the significance of what had just occurred, his pressure bearing down towards Noah as in the next second, he saw the fearless face of Anna get in front of him! Anastasia followed thereafter as the mother and daughter pair actually stood between the Holy Emperor and Noah. The anger of the Holy Emperor only increased at this scene as his voice reverberated out. "Unfilial children and dumb geniuses, truly a combination! I¡¯ll deal with the lot of you later!" Essence erupted out as the Holy Emperor set off with his Stellar Spiridoro, knowing that his closest ally had now turned enemy as he had to give out many commands to tighten their borders and be ready for the outbreak of a war! --- A tumultuous period was coming for many beings through a variety of means, the looming Cataclysm being the biggest thing in the minds of Ancient Powers. Thus they raced to find anything that dealt with the Tools of Ruination, as well as the Legacy of forgotten Sages as they sought to achieve this realm of strength! At the same time, the Entities that had bound themselves to the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter were alerted as the auras of powerhouses permeated around different regions! Far off in the vast chaotic void, there was also the Primal Winged Expanse, a grand cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies under the rule of the Aileron Race. This cl.u.s.ter of galaxies was particularly unique as if a being who could glance at all of them in their entirety existed, they would be able to notice all the galaxies forming into a triangular shape, the Primal Winged Holy Land being the Galaxy that sat at the very top of this triangular cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies! At this moment, the delegation of Aileron Royals that the Primal Emperor led returned home as the wrath being released from the Primal Emperor was extremely chilling. His generals stood on stand by as the Entities connected to the Primal Winged Expanse were already alerted. "Making friends is hard, but becoming enemies can be done in a heart beat!" OOOM The resonant voice of the Primal Emperor resounded as he spoke out to the Entities that gathered the fastest. Each of them had 5 pairs of wings on their bodies as they shone with the beautiful light of a fully comprehended Dao that made them an Entity, and one of them didn¡¯t even have wings as he was actually a human! "We tried making friends with the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, and spent thousands of years on this task to be allies. Yet in just a single day, all of this was broken down." "We were to be allies because of mutual interests, because of the Legacy of the Great Sage that Windsor promised to share, because of the Tool of Ruination he had on him!" Shocking secrets that others didn¡¯t know were released freely as the Entities looked amongst each other. "Since we cannot be allies and enjoy Legacies and research Tools of Ruination together...then we shall be enemies as we take them for ourselves and put them to use so that we can survive the coming Cataclysm!" RUMBLE! With a somber tone and eyes blazing with the light of malevolence and fervor, the Primal Emperor uttered words that would be the cause of something huge. "As of right now...we are at war!" OOOOH! "War!" RUMBLE! Bellows after bellows erupted out from the Primal Winged Expanse as at this moment, a declaration of war was called out from the ruler of an Ancient Power! The consequences of this war...would be horrendous as they would be the cause for the rise of a ridiculously domineering Entity... Chapter 793 - Preparations for a Grand Future In the next few days, many movements were occurring into the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as many pieces were moved around. During this entire time, Noah was enjoying the loot he had collected as he went through everything, with a slight change to his normal routine as a headache was following him around! "How can you so easily carry around a Galaxy like that? This Queen has come across many unique powers, but yours don¡¯t make any sense." The pompous voice of the Queen Dowager who refused to be returned to Noah¡¯s origin continued to ring out, a red robe draping over her as it at least covered the much too blessed figures she freely showed before. "I¡¯ve just got a decent amount of mana, that¡¯s all." Noah waved his hands annoyingly towards her as he lounged on a luxurious chair while popping Immemorial Dragon Fruits into his mouth. He had the Page of Ruination he had obtained from Prince Kirigan in his hand as this page contained a great amount of information on the history of the Tools of Ruination, information that Noah had already pried from the Ruination Core he currently held himself through using Eyes of Truth! At this moment, he was just comparing the information to make sure it matched as he enjoyed the wondrous fruits from his Infinite Galaxy while waiting to be called by the furious Holy Emperor. At the same time, the past few days had been hectic for him as he had to manage an unrelenting Tiamat and the exuberant blue slime that loved freedom too much. The blue slime wanted to explore anything and everything as it tugged on his head, Noah having to let Anna carry the slime with her around the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter while he prepared himself for what was to come. He found the curious sight of the slime not staying atop Anna¡¯s head, but being more than comfortable as he was carried in her hands while being blanketed by her bountiful c.h.e.s.t. "Hmph, choosing to treat this Queen like this. Do you know how many Sages and Great Sages used to grovel at my feet? How many cl.u.s.ters of galaxies I could move at my beck and call?" The voice of Tiamat continued to resound in his ears though as he sighed while replying calmly. "Things in the past stay in the past. Come to me when you can have Great Sages grovel at your feet now." "..." Tiamat was speechless at this nonchalant creature as her eyes squinted while mentioning something else. "Oh, this war?" Noah adopted a wide smile as he put away the Page of Ruination. "This war is a stepping off point. There will be a great deal of powerful loot making their way towards us as all that will matter...is whether we can take it in our hands." His gaze was that of someone with a righteous dream as he talked of the powerful experts from the Primal Winged Expanse as nothing but loot! "Hmph, how does lounging off for the past days here help you with that?" Tiamat was relentless as her curvaceous figure came to stand above the seated Noah, her gaze filled with disdain at this being who promised he would somehow enter the Realm of Great Sage in less than 10 years! The moment her words finished though, spatial fluctuations erupted out as a figure resembling Noah appeared. "Who said I¡¯ve just been slacking off?" With a light smile, Noah grandly caused the Infinite Galaxy he had on him the past few days to float towards the Clone that had just appeared, this clone having found another suitable Galaxy to continue the goal of fusion! He shot back against the pompous Tiamat as he thought of everything occurring behind the scenes these past few days. The biggest thing was the Secret Realm that held Wild Animus and the Great Sage Aoin Tower that held contractable Animus Summons of all types along with powerful weapons names Half Dao treasures and materials to help with the advancement and bloodline refinement of pets. Just a few hours after everybody had been ejected from the Secret Realm and the alliance between two Ancient Powers broke down, Noah¡¯s main body had returned into the Secret Realm to examine and utilize everything within it! Aside from the treasures of the Tower, this also included the Wild Animus that was a great source of strength for those who could defeat them and absorb their cores. Only the ranks of QUASAR to Middle Tier GALAXY existed as Wild Animus in the secret realm, so they didn¡¯t have too many big uses to Noah himself. But they would be shining treasures to his subordinates! So in the past days, the Harbingers of Sin and all the powerful beings from the Infinite Galaxy that had reached the QUASAR Realm were teleported into the Primal Holy Land for the purpose of farming loot from the powerful Wild Animus. The Imperial Adjudicator descended down as he wanted to finally achieve the level of GALAXY and better protect those he loved, while all the others simply sought greater strength to be able to defend their homes and be close to the person they looked up to! RAA! RAA! The wild bellow of an Emperor Penguin riding a Mythical Frostbourne Mammoth could be seen traversing the Primal Holy Land as not too far away in another region, an Undead Legion filled with Abyssal Undead that were filled with the Holy Light of a Holy Millennium Phoenix ravaged any Wild Animus they came across. Aside from them, there was the valiant Athena, Kazuhiko, Elena, Prince Cassius, Steel Mikhail, Kraken, Imperial Phoenix...and many, many other beings that deserved a multitude of chapters in their own right! All of them moved with fervor as they took down the limited Wild Animus within the Primal Holy Land in order to increase their strength. Their ultimate aim was the Great Sage Aoin Tower Noah had told them about, a Legacy that held Animus of all Rarity just waiting for them. OOOOH! Frightening bellows could be heard as the farming continued unhindered in this secret realm! Chapter 794 - The Least You Could Do! When it came to Noah himself, his power had already experienced an exponential boost greater than anyone else as he had to now absorb it and see how he could best utilize it. He had achieved Middle Tier GALAXY is just days after entering the GALAXY Realm, and he already had two Peak Tier pets that were nearly in the realm of Entities the moment that they fully comprehended their respective Daos! Each of the pets had their own frightening identities as Noah was thinking about the Blue Slime more than anything else. Its <> ability made it so that this summon could be the most terrifying tool in Noah¡¯s hands if he used it correctly! This was because due to this skill, the Blue Slime could be raised to a horrendously powerful level very quickly. To be able to assimilate the entire strength of a being including their skills and Dao comprehensions meant if Noah could somehow defeat an Entity and then have the Blue Slime devour such a being...the Blue Slime would gain the power of an Entity right away and become one itself. If it somehow swallowed a Sage...the same thing would happen! Such was the terrifying existence that held an entire Universe hostage for 1000 years, and the even more terrifying thing Noah didn¡¯t want to think about was how the beings from the Primordial Cosmos had taken care of such a creature in the past. It made him look forward into the future if he was able to survive the Apocalypse of the Dark Universe and step into the Primordial Cosmos...what an adventure that would be! But at the moment, he was still just a rising minor character that had not even become an Entity yet. In the past days, he worked hard as he raised the Realms of all of his summons to Middle Tier GALAXY Grand completion, many of them vibrating with bower as their bloodlines would awaken the moment they entered into the Peak Tier! The Void Serpent would fully be the genuine J?rmungandr as the Three-Legged Fate Crow would graduate to become the resplendent Golden Crow, the Oculothorax and Calamity Bear stepping into their own terrifying bloodlines as the Obsidian Panther and Colossal Helios Leviathan became even more monstrous. His line up was truly grand as at this moment, it included 6 Middle Tier GALAXY Animus Summons at Grand Completion and 2 at the Peak Tier! Among them, the majority were of the PRISMATIC rarity as only 3 were Ultra Rare! It was such a ridiculous line up that it nearly made Noah salivate when imagining all of them and peak tiers and having fully comprehended their respective laws and become Entities. To accomplish this, one of the biggest cards in Noah¡¯s hands was the Affix of [Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate] that he could select from the Ruination Core. This affix had already given him Dao of Withering Crystals that would grant 30% comprehension to anyone that absorbed them. In the coming war that was filled with experts comprehending the Dao, if he took down just three times as many beings as he did in the Primal Holy Land...it meant he could choose to create an Entity! Well, that is if the one absorbing them was at Peak Tier GALAXY... But this tool would be the greatest one he would have in any future conflicts, his shining eyes seeing the creation of multiple Entities in this direction. The only problem he would have to tackle after that was the issue of assimilation that stopped many beings from ever touching the stage of a Sage or Great Sage. As he was lost in his thoughts this entire time, he finally received word from the Holy Emperor as he made his way into the same grand castle that had a gorgeous garden where he first talked with this Ruler. Tiamat was in tow as if it was the most natural thing, her curvaceous figure shining in the light when they entered the fairly simple abode of the Holy Emperor. When Noah¡¯s eyes landed on this man again, he seemed extremely aged as the straight back he always had seemed to be curved as if he was bearing a heavy weight! His eyes were cold and heavy as he gazed upon Noah and the nonchalant Tiamat as his somber voice rang out. "Others cannot enter the Primal Holy Land no matter what they do for the past days. What have you done to our Great Sages Legacy?" He didn¡¯t angrily berate Noah or explode out, simply asking in a somber tone as Noah replied calmly! "A sliver of the Great Sage Aoin¡¯s soul still remains in the Primal Holy Land as he can control everything about it. Since I¡¯ve been chosen as the True Successor, I had the Great Sage lock down the secret realm for the time being as we have entered into a tumultuous period of time." "..." The Holy Emperor looked at him for an entire minute with cold eyes before he spoke once more. "I¡¯ve heard of the treasures, weapons, and Animus Summons within. I want those things from our Great Sages Legacy." Noah¡¯s eyes shone at these words, having expected the Holy Emperor to want a bite out of the wondrous meat that was the legacy! And rightfully so as this was the Legacy of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter to begin with... He put on a thoughtful expression as the seconds passed, hearing the voice of the Holy Emperor again soon enough- this time the voice carried a hint of anger! "Your actions have single handedly started a war with an allied power, where now billions will perish from this war if we win, and trillions of lives will be in jeopardy if we lose! Why hesitate when it comes to giving the Legacy of this land you¡¯ve jeopardized back to it, even if only a small fraction of it? It is the least you could do!" RUMBLE! With this in mind, spatial fluctuations erupted a second later as a single being materialized, this figure being Noah¡¯s main body that had come from the Primal Holy Land! As he appeared near the body of Alexander, the Holy Emperor didn¡¯t make a move as he merely watched, his eyes constricting as in the next second, he saw the face and body of Alexander mold to match the newly appearing Noah- two beings with the same look appearing in front of him. As of this moment, Noah threw away the identity of Alexander as he fully returned to a single name! He nonchalantly spoke as the newly appearing Noah waved his hands towards the Holy Emperor and caused the appearance of numerous Luminous Star Pendants coming to be! "In here are 2000 Half Dao Weapons, 2000 Treasured Materials, 1000 Animus Summons ranging from Low to Middle Tier GALAXY with rarities of Rare and Ultra Rare...and a single PRISMATIC Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY." RUMBLE! The gaze of the Holy Emperor shook as he took the spatial pendants containing immense treasures in his hand, Noah being magnanimous enough as he gave back just some of the treasures that normally belonged to the beings of this Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter back to them! He had already accounted for the Summons that he and his Subordinates would take in the future as for now, he at least shared the treasured loot to increase the strength of this Ancient Power that he had embroiled in a war. The gaze of the Holy Emperor finally became light as he seemed to have significant weight lifted off his shoulders, looking at Noah with shining eyes as he seemed to have somewhat redeemed himself. "You said you alone would be better than an Ancient Power, so you will prove it as you will be at the forefront of the defensive lines being created! I¡¯ll give you the specifics later, with you most likely joining Old Man Khan to defend a side of a Galaxy Cl.u.s.ter." The Holy Emperor spoke words that were simply beautiful in Noah¡¯s eyes, this being his plan all along as he merely smiled. He had to be in the front lines if he wanted to get his hands on Middle and Peak Tier GALAXY Cores after all! As the Holy Emperor looked at Noah¡¯s nonchalant expression on both of his bodies, he couldn¡¯t help but ask while he put the spatial pendants away. "Though I would still like to know as we go forward...who are you, really?" It was a question that boggled the Holy Emperor and many of his experts, especially now that he saw the face of Alexander completely change into this new being! None of them could figure out the true origins of this fearsome genius that had done just too many things. At this question, Noah merely smiled as he replied calmly! "Noah Osmont, a nobody from an unknown blue planet..." Chapter 795 - Overseeing the Rising Stellar Peaks! I The Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter was bustling with activity as many powerful figures were moved here and there. From the Holy Emperor, Noah found out he would be heading to a region of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter known as Rising Stellar Peaks, an area where the outline of three uniquely shaped Galaxies created the form of three stellar peaks! Within this region, he would be accompanied by Old Man Khan as this was the Entity assigned to protect this area. Through the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, numerous regions existed where enemies could enter through, and tight-nit defense and communication lines, as well as numerous sensing apparatuses were laid out to expand over thousands of light years as they monitored the boundary of the huge cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies that made up this Ancient Power. An Entity had to only protect a single Command Region, this being a location where the input and communications that covered thousands of light years would come through! If any enemies crossed a certain area, an Entity would know as it would only take him seconds to appear in that location and defend it. Old Man Khan and various other Entities connected to the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter were overseeing this role, with Noah joining the camp of Old Man Khan as he was the one Entity he had come in contact with before, and also a powerful one! Within days after meeting with the Holy Emperor, Noah was led by Anastasia herself along with Anna towards the so called Rising Stellar Peaks, a jolly Blue Slime and a curvaceous Tiamat following closely. They passed through the chaotic void as they went away from the draconic shaped Holy Land at the center of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and went to the fringes of it, passing through a few Galaxies as Noah soon laid his awareness on the mystical Rising Stellar Peaks! Three Galaxies with their millions of stars formed into a far reaching peak that tore through the void of space! A very special environment was in front of Noah¡¯s eyes in the periphery of these galaxies, he noticed how the chaotic void was littered with small figures of humans and dragonoids. Among these humans and Dragonoids, the unique figures of beasts of all shapes and sizes could be seen near them, the sight of millions of Animus Summons filling Noah¡¯s eyes! Many of the summons were trained to Grand Completion as it seemed like miniature galaxies were constantly revolving around the chaotic void. The sheer sight made it seem like a profound sense of power enveloped them, Noah¡¯s aura catching the essence of the calm looking Old Man Khan at the very forefront who had a Starry Tarragon Behemoth and three other gigantic Animus Summons floating a few meters away. The figures of Noah, Anna, and Anastasia were like streaks of light as they passed through the hundreds of thousands of experts floating in the chaotic void that made up the so called Defensive Line, going to the very center of it where Noah could now clearly see the figures of Old Man Khan and even the Holy Prince Rudolf himself who had a stern look at their arrival, Anastasia nodding towards them as the Entity that defended this region turned his eyes towards Noah. "Do you know why an Entity is selected to protect each region?" A question was thrown out the second they arrived as Noah merely shook his head while glancing at the vast chaotic expanse around them. The dreadfulness of the void that seemed endless paired with the millions of defenders of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter behind him was truly a sight to behold, the many rotating galaxies signifying grand completion bringing some ease to those nearby. "It¡¯s because in wars against Ancient Powers, it is the Entities that are targeted first, being the first bastions in any attack as if they fall, everything falls." RUMBLE! "The opposing Ancient Power uses a variety of means to gather intelligence on which Entity is overseeing which region, making calculations on who to attack based on what they believe the strength of that Entity to be. You...were put in my region as I am the most powerful after the Holy Emperor, my presence here being known as this Rising Stellar Peaks would only be attacked at the latter stages of the war when the two sides are in the final battles." The words of the calm Old Man Khan rang in the minds of many as their hearts lifted, looking at this old man and his walking stick with shining eyes as his strength seemed to be boundless! "I see, I shall provide some more defenders to bolster the ranks." Noah nodded to the fearsome Entity as he moved forward from the cl.u.s.ter of beings on the defensive line, his hands producing a barely noticeable shimmering Galaxy that pulsed with light, spatial essence rising from it as multiple beings were teleported out! RAA! Thereafter, multiple figures were warped in- Barbatos, the Imperial Adjudicator, Kazuhiko, Elena, Athena, the Kraken...all the powerful beings from Noah¡¯s Infinite Galaxy were making their appearance in the grander playing field for the first time! For all of them appearing...their levels were all in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm after spending the past few days in the Primal Holy Land and hunting down Animus Summons for their cores. Since they had no worries about achieving Grand Completion, rising through the stages with cores was relatively easy for them! Even Anna had finally stepped into Low Tier GALAXY after being power leveled with cores the past few days, her eyes filled with strength as she stood near Noah. A few others like the Imperial Phoenix had not been able to obtain enough GALAXY Cores as they remained in the QUASAR Realm so for the sake of safety, Noah told them they could not participate in a Grand scale war like this for the time being. "Haha, we can finally fight on the same battlefield!" Kazuhiko¡¯s voice of boisterous as he looked towards Noah, his body shimmering with essence as he released three Animus Summons- 2 Rare and one Ultra Rare! Many eyes honed in on Kazuhiko and the other inhabitants of the Infinite Galaxy as at this moment it wasn¡¯t just him- all the others had begun summoning wondrous summons that were a notch higher in quality compared to the geniuses of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, the sight in front of them beginning to be filled with Rare and Ultra Rare Summons! RUMBLE! Shock and envy was the only thing spreading out as Noah brought out his subordinates, each of them with their own unique Traits and summons as they would begin to become known from the coming battles! Chapter 796 - Overseeing the Rising Stellar Peaks! II Old Man Khan stared at the newly appearing beings as each of them held powerful and high-quality summons, being surprised yet again by this genius that was the cause of this war! While looking at this scene, Old Man Khan couldn¡¯t help but speak out. "The aid you¡¯ve called forth might not be able to experience much as the spies and the Aileron Forces monitoring which Entities preside over which regions already know about my presence here. The most we will be doing is hearing about the progress of the first clash in a far away region..." The gaze of Old Man Khan was deep as his eyes seemed to contain countless wisdom, Noah looking towards him with shining eyes as he thought about the words. Off to the side, the Emperor Penguin that had just entered the stage glanced at the Blue Slime claiming its position atop Noah¡¯s head as its beak rose forward, speaking sharply as his arrogant voice rang out. "Hmph, why should we wait for them to attack, Master? Let¡¯s just go and destroy their measly Ancient Power right now!" RUMBLE! The arrogant penguin¡¯s words we met with odd glances as Noah only gave a light laugh while replying to Old Man Khan. "So they won¡¯t attack this location because of you...but what if they were provoked to do so?" Dangerous words left Noah¡¯s mouth as the eyelids of Old Man Khan fluttered, this aged Entity coming to attention as he asked in a slightly disbelieving tone. "You wouldn¡¯t be thinking of..." RUMBLE! Before Old Man Khan even finished his words, Noah¡¯s figure warped away as he appeared a mile in front of the defensive line where only the blank void could be seen, where seemingly no other soul was present! But Noah knew that out there somewhere, the spies and experts from the Primal Winged Expanse were monitoring this region where the Entity known as Old Man Khan resided. While thinking about the words that they would not be attacking this location until the latter stages of the war, Noah¡¯s body began to shine a glorious l.u.s.ter as he went ahead to do something to change this! His vibrant manifested GALAXY rotated wildly on his c.h.e.s.t as he pumped immense amounts of mana into it, the surrounding void beginning to be light up as the exuberant amount of mana was only for the effect of being seen. THRUUUUM With a glimmering galaxy that had begun to shine in the surrounding miles as even those back in the defense line looked toward in shock, Noah¡¯s domineering voice came out as he enhanced the mystical sound waves that defied science to travel as far as they could across the chaotic void. "The one who ripped apart the body of the cowardly Prince Kirigan and 19 other Aileron Sc.u.m...is currently here in the Rising Stellar Peaks!" OOOOOM! "I wonder if all other Ailerons are just as cowardly, or if they¡¯ll use this opportunity to avenge their fallen Prince..." His words were extremely mocking at the end as even the defense line behind him felt anger rising in their hearts! But his words...would be most effective in raising the anger of the Ailerons from the Primal Winged Expanse as just a hundred miles away from Noah, a Peak Tier GALAXY Aileron surrounded by a dark smoke that molded with the surrounding chaotic void heard the words and saw this scene as he looked forward in shock. Within his hands, there was a shimmering gemstone that had the shape of a winged eye, this eye shining with a red light as it picked up the scene of Noah shining brightly with the light of a Manifested Galaxy while saying astounding words! This scene that was picked up by the gemstone that looked like an eye...traveled from the far location of the Rising Stellar Peaks as it was transmitted into an enormous Command Center within the Primal Winged Expanse that received numerous feeds like this from all the protected regions of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. The moment this feed arrived at the Command Center, it felt like a fire had been lit as the flames of anger erupted from the Aileron Generals listening to it! The scene was very quickly ascending through the ranks as it arrived in the abode of the Primal Emperor who was surrounded by powerful Entities. Wrath filled his eyes as he looked at the obvious provocation, the oppressive aura around the room he was in became even denser as one of the Entities around him spoke up. "Brother Primal, I know you were planning on sending me among the last forces in this war to fight alongside you..but let me be the one to go into the Rising Stellar Peaks region and face that Khan while taking down that arrogant creature." RUMBLE! The voice was cold and cruel, coming from a hooded Entity that was actually a human and not an Aileron Royal! If one recalls, this was the same Human Entity that stood nearest to the Primal Emperor when he declared war days ago- one that was actually treated with more respect than even the Aileron Entities! The Primal Emperor looked at this being as his eyes swirled with intense light. "Then I¡¯ll have to bother you with leading some of our troops into this Rising Stellar Peaks region, Brother Vast." RUMBLE! A devilish smile spread out from the hooded human at these words as he nodded. "I¡¯ll let them know the feeling of despair before ripping apart that so-called genius." ...! Noah had released a provocation to bring the enemies right to them, and the provocation worked too well as the Primal Emperor sent out a human Entity he had on retainer, an Entity that titled himself ¡¯Vast¡¯ for the sole reason of the Dao he studied- the Grand Dao of Vastness! Being on the most powerful Entities under the wings of the Primal Winged Expanse, this being studying a unique Grand Dao that made many other Entities not want to battle him...this being was going to lead millions of Aileron experts in the first clash of this war! Chapter 797 - A Glorious Clash! I The many experts on the defensive line watched in a stupor as Noah came back, the shimmering Galaxy on his body drawing in everyone¡¯s gazes as the face of Old Man Khan twitched. Noah had a light smile as he said. "I think it¡¯s better that we test the enemies out first, you know? Since Esteemed Old Man Khan is here, it shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem." "..." Many people didn¡¯t even know how to reply as off to the side, Noah¡¯s subordinates looked at each other with exasperated smiles! Yet at this time, the stern voice of Prince Rudolf rang out. "What if they do come? You and these Low Tier GALAXY beings you¡¯ve summoned- how will you be able to help in the larger war against Peak Tier Experts and Entities?!" RUMBLE! His voice seemed to be berating a junior as Noah only turned towards him coldly! The situation turned pensive as Anastasia quickly came in to calm things down. "Alright alright. We¡¯ll all naturally see soon enough the strength we can all display. We must work together for the coming war, we cannot be bickering amongst each other!" The veiled Anastasia drew in all the eyes as the experts of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter became serious, waiting pensively as they spread their senses out for the possibility that Noah¡¯s provocation really did call for the first battle of this War to come to them. To their anguish, it really was so as in just an hour, numerous communications reached the Generals and Old Man Khan stationed at Rising Stellar Peak that told them of a large army moving across the chaotic void towards their location! "Haaaa..." An aged sigh escaped from Old Man Khan as he stared at the distant sight of Noah who was surrounded by his subordinates with their shimmering Animus Summons. Even as the war was approaching, Noah seemed to be talking to his people without worries as if no grave danger was coming! "Your wish came true..." RUMBLE! Summons of all shapes and sizes rumbled with energy as they became ready, Noah also turning his head a few hundred miles past the Rising Stellar Peaks region as his senses saw millions of winged beings litter the chaotic void! They were moving extremely fast as within just a few minutes, they covered the miles of distance as their figures appeared grandly to float opposite to them in the chaotic void. At the very forefront of these winged Ailerons was actually a human, his hood being lifted up as a devilishly handsome face with a cruel smile came to be! "It would be my honor to face the unbreaking Old Man of the Expansive Dragon cl.u.s.ter!" THRUUUM! His voice resounded out as the face of Old Man Khan changed, his hunched back becoming straighter as while he looked at this devilishly handsome human, he uttered but a single word. "Vast!" "Haha, yes! It is I, Vast!" With boisterous introduction, two Entities conversed in the middle of two armies, Noah looking at this enemy Entity curiously with Eyes of Truth. "I never thought the Primal Winged Expanse would pull in vile murderers to fight on their behalf. It seems they have truly fallen and weren¡¯t worthy to be our allies!" RUMBLE! Shocking words were released as there seemed to be some hidden truth, Noah finding all of these out as he read the information of this Entity through Eyes of Truth! This being called Vast was an extremely eccentric Entity that was widely known 6,000 years ago. His eccentricities earning him the title of a criminal from all the surrounding Ancient Powers as he was known to appear randomly to challenge renowned Peak Tier Experts and Entities from the various powers, this challenge almost always ending in the death of his opponents! The reason for this was because this Entity had stumbled onto a Shattered Legacy of a Great Sage that earned him the techniques and talent to cultivate the Grand Dao of Vastness, a unique Dao that granted him powerful abilities. Vastness is related to a great deal of things- it is related to size, soul strength, essence, and even knowledge! The Entity Vast became renowned as one of the biggest things that other Entities feared when facing him was his vast knowledge and abilities that directly counteracted theirs, as well as his immense strength and mana reserves. Such was the being that had entered the stage in the Rising Stellar Peaks, a being that many feared in prolonged battles as he was an Entity who seemed to have vast strength, could grow to ridiculous sizes, and had a vast pool of mana to pull from to fight for hours! "..." They really brought an Entity that was considered astoundingly powerful because of a Grand Dao that gave him immense mana reserves amongst other things. "Haha, let¡¯s go!" Noah laughed grandly in the face of this Entity as he bellowed out, his subordinates joining him as their Animus Summons rumbled with power! The Entity Vast glanced towards Noah with shining eyes as well, his vibrant voice spreading out. "You as well, little thing. The Primal Emperor wants me to bring back your head!" RUMBLE Vast made his purpose abundantly cleared as Old Man Khan and his Summons moved in front of Noah. His aged eyes were letting out resplendent light as he seemed like a sturdy mountain. While standing on his Starry Behemoth Tarragon, this Old Man¡¯s voice resounded out strongly as it also riled up the defenders of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! "A vile criminal like you will not be laying a hand on him. Holy Descendants, stand firm against this enemy and let your Dao lead the way!" "Let the Dao lead the way!" "Do not give the enemy even an inch to advance! Repel them!" RUMBLE! Old Man Khan¡¯s voice had turned into the most powerful sound on the battlefield as on his word, the Holy Descendants of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter let their Animus Summons move forward. Meanwhile, Noah summoned the remaining animus summons from his origin as the Void Serpent, Colossal Helios Leviathan, Obsidian Panther, Calamity Bear, Three-Legged Fate Crow, and the Variant Oraculothorax grandly appeared! Each of the at the Middle Tier GALAXY stage, each of them with bodies thrumming with power from their ancient bloodlines! It was a magisterial sight to see as each of Noah¡¯s pets bellowed towards the millions of Ailerons opposing them! Chapter 798 - A Glorious Clash! II From the side of the Aileron Army, a great deal of GALAXY experts filled the front of this army as multiple beings at the Peak and Middle Tiers were situated right behind the Entity Vast. Their eyes were honed in on the other GALAXY experts of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as at this moment, powerful beings were given the order to set their sights on them as well! The beings were naturally Noah¡¯s 6 Animus that were just summoned out, him giving them the commands to focus on taking down the GALAXY ranked Aileron experts who had understanding in the Dao of Withering so that he could collect Dao Crystals from them! He had changed the Affix of the Ruination Core to be [Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate], and of course, this was applied to his pets as they were a source of his strength. This Affix was for the goal of farming Dao Crystals from the Ailerons as be would very quickly be able to produce Entities in a short period of time. OOOOOH! The bellow of the Colossal Helios Leviathan reverberated out as plasma beams already began to shoot from it while it barreled forward, the other summons staying around its enormous body as the black flash of light that was the Obsidian Panther melded into the chaotic void to act as the deadliest assassin! Noah watched as his pets went forward, his gaze turning to Tiamat who still had a nonchalant expression beside him. He smiled mischievously as he spoke out. "Let¡¯s see the strength of the fearsome Queen Dowager that ruled countless regions in the past." "..." The gaze of Tiamat was silent as her eyes twinkled with light, the situation happening currently actually being favorable towards her. This was because she had been locked up in the Great Sage Aoin Tower this whole time while comprehending her Grand Dao of Destruction and was actually on the cusp of fully mastering it! But since she hadn¡¯t been able to do what her Dao stood for, she couldn¡¯t finish that last step! But now, she was being provided a battlefield where she could carry out destruction on a large scale...a battlefield for her to home her abilities and possibly approach the rank of an Entity! Dense red smoke erupted out as her body very quickly began to morph, a fearsome dragon¡¯s cry that made all other dragons on the battlefield tremble ringing out as a magisterial scene played out on the Rising Stellar Peaks. It was the scene of the powerful Old Man Khan atop a Starry Behemoth Tarragon surrounded by 3 other Peak Tier GALAXY beasts going to match a wildly laughing Entity Vast who had actually begun ballooning up into an enormous figure! The Grand Dao of Vastness was utilized as the body of Vast became insurmountably large and powerful, very quickly causing the appearance of a 1000 meter tall human being in the stellar chaotic void, this single human being throwing out an enormous punch that eclipsed Old Man Khan and all of his summons. Yet in the middle of this scene, the roar of the Queen Dowager rang out as red smoke permeated, yet another figure at a shocking height of 1000 meters coming to be, and this one was terribly frightening to look at! Ten draconic heads each with their own shimmering magnificent colors, the scales beautifully glistening in the chaotic void as her manifested GALAXY brightened up the surrounding miles. ROAAAR! Glorious red-black wings spread out on its back, each of them causing the void to tremble as they seemed to be releasing billowing waves of destruction. Even the two Entities were brought to a halt as they stared at this newly appearing Ten headed dragon the same size as Entity Vast, while all the other summoned dragons on the battlefield felt their blood boiling and calling out towards this majestic being, their very origins screaming for them to bow towards it! This was the descent of the Dragon Queen, of the being that was the Progenitor of one of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of the Animus Universe! An indistinct clone of himself teleported in as he turned into a flash of light towards Tiamat, sending his thoughts towards her as he cast the merging ability! "I¡¯ll be becoming one with you for a bit." RUMBLE A dense wave of essence erupted out as the Queen Dowager felt a consciousness enter her, her strength beginning to rise rapidly after merging with her Master as she let out a loud snort. "Hmph, let¡¯s just show some weaklings what it really means to be strong." Her domineering words were followed with her enormous figure moving its wings as the instant later, it bounded towards the Entity Vast and Old Man Khan as shockingly, this Peak Tier GALAXY Realm Animus Summon that wasn¡¯t yet an Entity went forward to fight in a battle with Entities! On her way there, Noah cast [Incandescent Emperor] as the golden light of fate filled the dragon, a shimmering golden crown appearing atop each of its heads as a simply majestic scene came to be. This golden light was even further enhanced as the Sins of Pride, Envy, and Wrath were running at full speed- the oppressive air that Tiamat received only becoming grander! Noah then cast [Yggdrasil], [Death Scythe],[Life Seed], [Galactic Tree]...and numerous other skills that caused the burst of Fate, Life, and Death Essence to permeated and leak out wildly, the Queen Dowager becoming armored all around while a shimmering green seed appeared above the entire battlefield while showering down a green light. This wasn¡¯t to forget the abilities of the upgraded Blood Lord skill tree that had evolved into the [Void Devouring Blood Terror], a skill tree that made Noah and any pet he merged with even more powerful in the chaotic void outside of Galaxies! There was the [Clone Enhancement] ability from the [Void Devouring Blood Terror] skill tree that allowed Noah¡¯s clones to stupidly have 120% more power than even himself- thus why he had his clone merge with Tiamat. There was the [Void Clones] ability that made his clones a 50% damage reduction in the chaotic void! There was also [Ubreakable Void Body], [Void Displacement]...just too many damn skills that would go on to support this Queen Dowager! Noah was simply continuing to buff this Peak Tier GALAXY expert as much as he could as he wondered, just how many buffs would be enough to stand against an Entity while having not fully comprehended a Dao? This was because the simple action of comprehending a Dao was what made one an Entity after they entered the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm, where they could defeat any others who hadn¡¯t done the same! But what if the opponent was a dreadful Queen Dowager that was the Progenitor of Dragons, a being who nearly completely comprehended the Grand Dao of Destruction and on top of this...was boosted by Noah¡¯s ridiculous support skills that had percentage boosts in the thousands? The results...was something Noah couldn¡¯t wait to see! The light of the Grand Dao of Destruction filled the entirety of Tiamat¡¯s body, her enormous claw coagulation with it as it swiped towards the 1000 meter human Entity that was Vast! At this scene where both the Entity Vast and Old Man Khan looked in a stupor towards a non-Entity entering their fight, Noah reached above his head as he brought down the wiggling blue slime. "Hey little guy." He looked at this blue slime with a smile as a glorious and space-rending clash was about to take place from the claw of Tiamat filled with Destruction smashing into the fist of a genuine Entity. At this scene, Noah spoke words to the Blue Slime that would be extremely shocking and ridiculous to anyone that heard them, but he wanted to make it into a reality! "From this battle, what do you say about becoming an Entity?" A question that was said easily as if it could be achieved with no effort. A question that would shockingly be brought into reality not when the battle against the Ancient Powers was over, but just this battle at the Rising Stellar Peaks! Ah! Chapter 799 - Daring to Attack an Entity! BOOOOOOOM! Everything began with an explosion from a clash, a clash so horrendous and striking that the very void trembled. It was this strike that fully began the battle at the Rising Stellar Peaks as while Old Man Khan stalled in a stupor, Vast¡¯s punch was met with a deadly claw filled with the light of destruction! The impact was horrendous, but it further reinforced the power of an Entity as a second later, the enormous claw of Tiamat trembled as muscle ruptures spread out wildly, even the nearly completed Dao of Destruction not being able to fully withstand the completely comprehended Dao of Vastness. Such was the strength of a Grand Controller of a Dao! The Entity Vast was shocked in the beginning, but the occurring scene reaffirmed his knowledge that an Entity¡¯s power was inviolable, yet what should have been a deadly injury on the claw of the ten headed dragon began to heal so rapidly that before Tiamat was even pushed back fully- the ruptured muscles fully healed as she looked like she hadn¡¯t just suffered an injury! "..." Silence reigned in the battlefield before all hell broke loose, the forces of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter bolstered as their draconic summons felt their blood pumping even faster, bellowing out towards the Aileron Army as they charged forward. OOOOOOH! Millions of beings in the Nebula, Black Hole, QUASAR, and the GALAXY Stages rumbled towards each other in a shockingly magisterial fashion as such a wondrous scene could not even be fully described in its entirety! In the midst of this, Entity Vast¡¯s voice bellowed out in anger as his body became ever larger. "You dare attack an Entity as a mere Peak Tier?! Just wait for your death along with this Old Man!" THRUUUM! The bellows of Vast caused Old Man Khan to lead his four Summons forward as their bodies rumbled with power, yet Vast cast an ability to teach the Queen Dowager looking towards him arrogantly while ignoring Old Man Khan¡¯s summons. [As Vast as the Stellar Seas, As Numerous as the Stars]. ... RUUUUMBLE! The singular skill of an Entity was cast as the dark chaotic void brightened. Old Man Khan had a grave face as his body lit up, the Tarragon below him shining as its jaws opened, a horrendous Dragon¡¯s Breath shooting out as it spread out to cover hundreds of meters. The other 3 draconic animus summons under Old Man Khan also lit up with essence as multicolored destructive essence coagulated together to rush towards the Entity Vast! Such destructive stellar cl.u.s.ters swirled over his skin as his thrust out fist pierced the Dragon¡¯s Breath from Old Man Khan¡¯s Tarragon, slowing down as they were nearly brought to a halt by the attacks of the other 3 Animus Summons. Yet it wasn¡¯t stopped fully as some strength still remained while heading towards the ferocious Queen Dowager! At this scene, the 10 pairs of eyes on each of the dragon heads shone with a resplendent l.u.s.ter as the Queen Dowager domineeringly called out. ||Wrath of the Dragon Queen||. The voice was melodious and light as it rang in the ears of all those in the surroundings, feeling their very origins tremble as the manifested GALAXY on the c.h.e.s.t of Tiamat shone with immense l.u.s.ter. An instant later, a unique oppressive pressure that was new to all those who felt it descended down spectacularly as above the enormous figure of the two Entities, the starlight coalesced as it formed the phantom figures of four majestic ten headed dragons gathered in a circular location, each of them looking down coldly towards the fist of Vast heading towards the realm Tiamat! Its strength had been reduced by the attacks of Old Man Khan¡¯s summons as the stars, black holes, and Quasars rotating on it were much fewer, but it was still powerful as it would obliterate any none Entity it was directed to! Towards such a strike, the four illusory forms of Tiamat and the real Tiamat herself all opened their terrifying jaws from the numerous heads, pillars of scorching multicolored flames of plasma coming out from 50 Draconic Heads as they rumbled towards not just Vast¡¯s terrifying fist, but also going on to blanket his entire body! The dreadful pillars of multicolored flames of plasma tore apart the chaotic void as the darkness was pushed away to light up the surroundings. Such a majestic sight was the ||Wrath of the Dragon Queen||! BOOOOOOOM....CRACK! A horrendous impact erupted as space quaked and shattered. The entire body of Vast being covered by the Pillars of Flames filled with destruction! His fist was brought to a stop as the innumerable stars black holes, and Quasars were wiped away as it never reached the c.h.e.s.t of the real Tiamat. Her 4 illusory forms faded as Old Man Khan¡¯s initiated attacks from his summons reached Vast at the same time, his body being pushed back from the attacks of 4 Peak Tier GALAXY Summons! "..." Shock was present not just in the eyes of Old Man Khan, but all the GALAXY experts on the battlefield as they watched a non-Entity release a powerful enough attack to hold back a genuine Entity. Such a thing was not possible! You could not just skip just a tremendous barrier like that with ease! So the question that entered their minds was what exactly was this terrifying ten headed dragon? Chapter 801 - Merely an Entity! I Even though the Blue Slime that Noah had contracted looked innocent, one must still remember its identity! [Blue Slime](PRISMATIC+) :: An Animus Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. A unique species rarely seen in the Animus Universe, this Blue Slime comes from the thought to be perished lineage of Universal Emperor Slimes that were hunted down to extinction in the Animus Universe by a coalition of beings from the Primordial Cosmos. The defining racial skill that made it a target for extinction is <>, an ability that brought about a Universal Emperor Slime that held an entire Universe in the Primordial Cosmos hostage for 1000 years. Its unique composition gives it complete immunity to physical attacks and 50% Damage reduction to all other forms of damage. This Blue Slime has nearly mastered the Grand Dao of Devouring, but is also proficient in the Grand Daos of Four Elements, Slaughter, and Macrocosm, along with the Lesser Daos of Alacrity, Voidspace, and Vitality. When it fully becomes a Universal Emperor Slime, it will naturally awaken the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation... A creature proficient in 4 Grand Daos and 3 Lesser Daos while also being at the Peak Tier GALAXY! Not to forget its stupendous <> that made its brethren a target by the experts of the Primordial Cosmos! Such a creature was acting like an assassin as an invisible aura built up in its body while it was situated below the feet of the Entity Vast! "Haha, have you not heard of me? Do you not know what the Grand Dao of Vastness represents?!" RUMBLE! While being surrounded on four sides by Old Man Khan¡¯s summons and the terrifying Tiamat above, Vast continued to talk boisterously. "My essence is more vast than anyone you will come across in this Dark Universe, so even though pesky flies are keeping up with me now- you all won¡¯t be able to do so in a few hours!" BOOM! "When that time comes, you can only prepare for death! Haha!" Vast was boisterous as he launched attack after attack, the black holes and Quasars he was throwing out truly seeming endless as his mana constantly brought more of them forth with every strike. Old Man Khan¡¯s aged eyes had a troubled expression as he knew without the support of Tiamat, he might have already been forced to retreat from the relentless attacks of this Entity! But how would they get out of this situation around at a time like this? "Be on stand by to have your pets release their most powerful attacks soon. I¡¯ll let you know when." While wondering about how they would get out of the worsening situation, Old Man Khan received a telepathic message from Noah that would have caused him anger before, but his brows tightened in seriousness as he knew this being had too many surprises. "Haha, in front of this Vast, what can you do but di-" THRUUUUM! Vast¡¯s arrogant words were brought to a halt as he paled at this moment. It wasn¡¯t just vast, but everything on the battlefield paled at this moment as a terrifying aura burst forth! What made it terrifying wasn¡¯t because of its Realm, but the fact that it was the instantaneous release of the essence of four horrifying Grand Daos, this horrendous release coming from below the body of the Entity Vast! His expression turned ashen as he tried to move, but the reaction simply was not fast enough as an instant later, a blue light expanded out and began rapidly covering his over 1000 meters body. The red essence of Devouring and Slaughter covered this expanding blue light as the thing allowing its expansion- the essence of the Dao of Macrocosm, gave the body of the Blue Slime a glimmering starry l.u.s.ter that was reinforced by the Dao of Four Elements! This seamless combination of 4 Grand Daos allowed the deadly expansion of the body of the blue slime to cover half of the Entity Vast before he could even react! "OOOOOH!" Vast bellowed out crazily as his face obtained a tinge of fear, utilizing him immense mana reserves to push all of the essence of Vastness he could command to stop the advancement of the body of the slime, a brilliant light shining out as the being that had not yet become an Entity had its swallowing stopped only halfway. <>. RUMBLE! The skill that caused the entire lineage of the Universal Emperor Slimes to be hunted down was cast. What was terrifying about this skill was that when activated, the target that the body of the Blue Slime was wrapped around in would experience total devouring. Not gradually or in a few seconds! But...instant devouring! Instant!!!! WAP! An instant was all that was required, and the lower half of an Entity disappeared. "...!" Old Man Khan¡¯s expression turned ashen as the Entity Vast that was merely a torso with arms and a head screamed out a blood curdling cry! "AAAAAA!!!" The cry was one of immense fear and pain as it wasn¡¯t just his body that was devoured, but half of his soul as well! At this moment, there was but a single thought in this Entity¡¯s mind. That thought was to run! To run and run extremely far away and at a rapid speed! This was because Vast in his horrendously injured state could sense the viscous body of the slime beginning to expand as it wanted to swallow the rest of him. So his half body shimmered with light as he was about to turn into a streak of light! But it was at this time that Noah¡¯s command descended onto the mind of Old Man Khan. "Now." VROOOM! Instantly, the attacks of four Peak Tier GALAXY Animus Summons that Old Man Khan had ready were thrown out, space thrown in chaos as his half body was pushed down towards the expanding Slime! Horror filled his face as he saw his stomach fall into the viscous blue jelly, but he had no time to think as another horrendous attack descended down. ||Wrath of the Dragon Queen||. RUUUUMBLE! The chaotic void quaked as a magisterial presence descended yet again, hellish pillars of scorching multicolored flames from 4 illusory ten headed dragons and 1 very real one smashed into the half body of the Entity Vast, pushing him further into the expanding Blue Slime as even his head fell into the starry blue viscous mass! "AAAAA!!!" Dread filled this Entity¡¯s whole body as beings at this level were extremely perceptive- and his senses shockingly told him that an instant later, he would be forever erased! And this Entity¡¯s intuition was correct as an instant later, terrifying words were uttered! <> WAP! "..." As if he had never existed, the body of the Entity Vast ceased to be. RUMBLE! The now 1000 meter body of the Blue Slime shone with immense blue light as it trembled with happiness, its aura beginning to shoot up rapidly as something shocking was occurring within its body after it devoured an Entity! Yet those on the battlefield only looked at the scene in stunned silence! "..." "..." "What the f*ck just happened..." Something unbelievable and terrifying took place as the entire battlefield came to a halt, only a single creature being able to move nonchalantly as a vibrant blue slime burped out happily while its aura rose! ...!!! Chapter 802 - Merely an Entity! II There very rarely comes an instance when a single person can be made speechless, and it¡¯s even rare to make an entire group of people speechless. Yet what had just occurred...made millions look forward stupidly as they didn¡¯t even know what to do with themselves! Those on the battlefield and those watching from their lofty thrones...each of them was looking at a shocking scene in a profound stupor! Those on the battlefield experienced it most closely as they felt the horrendous aura of multiple grand daos erupt at once, and watched as a glimmering blue slime went on to devour an Entity in two gulps. Yes, the Entity was being besieged by another Entity and even a terrifying Queen Dowager. Yes, he was held down with two supremely powerful attacks as his upper half of a remaining body was swallowed. But...still! He was an Entity! The Entity Vast! Known throughout the starry stars as a vile criminal proficient in a grand dao, and yet he...ah it was simply frustrating to even think about! In the heart of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, the Holy Emperor¡¯s throne was cracked in the middle as he had inadvertently put too much strength when he watched the scene playing out, his entire body trembling as his eyes shook while observing the scene. "How is this possible..." Only a muttering came out as the Holy Generals around him were silenced! Far off in the Primal Winged Expanse, the expression of the Primal Emperor was ashen as he and the other Entities looked at the scene where one of the more powerful Entities from their side had fallen in a matter of seconds. At this moment as they looked at the glimmering blue body of the slime, they saw this creature as some ancient Entity that the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had hidden away, and that was the only way it could have done what it just did to Vast! The entire sequence of the fall of the Entity Vast was pure majesty, every chained attack and execution of skills being something out of pure timed fantasy. If one thing had not occurred the way it did, the powerful Entity might have even survived. Yet he was taken down by a terrifying slime! Never in their wildest dreams would they have believed that the Blue Slime was merely at the Peak Tier GALAXY without fully comprehending any Daos yet when it did this, but even this was about to change as a shocking scene played out soon after. Those on the battlefield and those watching from afar honed in on the figure of the enormous burping slime as they saw its body beginning to oscillate rapidly, a unique power beginning to coalesce from it! Those familiar with this power became even more shaken as they realized it was the formation of an Aura of a fully comprehended Dao- the aura of what was commonly known as an Entity. What! THRUUUM! Throughout the tumultuous essence, Noah¡¯s body calmly warped above the enormous body of the blue slime as his figure came into focus on all those watching. Some seemed to have remembered that before the battle began, there was a small blue slime in this being¡¯s hands as they now realized it was one and the same. Their shaken minds became even more tumultuous as their brains worked hard to connect everything together, but Noah would not even give them time as while staring at the Blue Slime with shining eyes, he looked around the two armies that had come to a halt as his resonant voice rang out for all to hear. "That was the Entity everyone was making a big deal about? The Entity that the puny Primal Winged Expanse decided to send out first?" RUMBLE! Shocking words reverberated out as the eyes of watching beings nearly bulged out when they saw the expression of disappointment on Noah¡¯s face! They really saw disappointment as they tried to grasp the incredulousness occurring at this moment, but his voice continued to ring out domineeringly. "Not even a trace of him remains from just two gulps of my pet, Ah!" "He was only so-so, Merely an Entity!" RUMBLE! The Holy Descendants and Ailerons nearly fell from the chaotic void at these domineering words, the far away powerful Entities from the Primal Winged Expanse adopting extremely solemn looks. As Noah domineeringly floated in the chaotic void, the slime below him was releasing an ever increasing aura as its body began to go down in size. The increase in aura was of course the effect of <>! <> :: Any life form that is devoured will be fully assimilated seamlessly as their abilities, Realm, Law Comprehensions, Dao Comprehensions, and anything else within their existence will be obtained. This is an ability unique to the Universal Emperor Slimes. An ability unique to the Universal Emperor Slimes. An ability that Noah saw would make him his first Entity, and it was exactly what was happening right now! After having devoured Vast, the Blue Slime had gained the complete comprehension of the Grand Dao of Vastness as it now became a genuine Entity! RUMBLE! This was the same unique essence that beings associated with Entities! The same overpowering essence that would make any of those not in this realm feel overwhelming pressure! This was the essence of a Grand Controller of a Dao, something even more unique and greater than laws as at this moment, the powerful essence of Vastness formed around the body of the Blue Slime like a natural Domain. A domain of Dao Essence naturally and ever so present on its body! THRUUM! Through the contract he shared with the slime, Noah was able to see its stat panel as he observed something new appearing within it. {Aura of the Grand Controller of Vastness} :: A passive aura that only appears around those who have fully comprehended the Grand Dao of Vastness. It grants +5,000% Extra Damage, Increases the Mana Pool by 1,000%, and allows the Grand Controller of Vastness to utilize this Dao in unique ways... A shimmering blue aura that Noah had seen as a film layer of light on the body of Vast now formed on his Animus Summon, the passive +5,000% damage of such an aura being the reason why Entities were so dreadful- not to mention the unique qualities of what a respective dao would provide! Ah! Noah reached out as he grasped onto the now small blue slime with excitment, its eyes having turned innocent once more as they blinked happily towards him. Yet he had a wide smile appearing on his lips, a smile that caused others to be terrified as they observed Noah turning his head towards the Aileron Army while uttering horrendous words. "Now then, why don¡¯t we start farming loot?" RUMBLE! Chapter 803 - Dreadful! I Fear was a curious thing. There were many types of fear, but the more prevalent one at this time was the all consuming fear of death. Rarely would a being ever feel such a fear, and it might only be once or twice in their lifetimes where one could see their life flash before their eyes. At this moment, millions of Ailerons felt a deep and intense fear, a dreadful type of fear that guaranteed death for them the moment that the singular being holding on to a wiggling Blue Slime turned his eyes towards them! Their hearts were enveloped in an intense fear as just from this being¡¯s gaze, they saw that they were not even considered living things anymore! From his eyes, they saw that Noah¡¯s gaze already considered all of them dead! This thought actually had some truth in it as at this moment, Noah considered them as nothing more than loot- and it was loot of such great quality that he would never let it escape his sight. "Aaaah...!" "Run...!" "Run...!!!" THRUUUM! Figures began to twist and tumble as the natural response to their all consuming fear was to naturally run. RUMBLE! Ignoring the Holy Descendants and any other enemies in front of them, the Aileron Army began to scatter as the Peak Tier GALAXY experts were the first to turn into streaks of light! But the being targeting them was truly unforgiving and much faster than them, the void being something he could consider his home because of the [Void Devouring Blood Terror] skill tree that stemmed from Blood Lord. The moment his words finished and just as they began running, his figure melded into the chaotic void as he appeared right in the midst of the Aileron Army, uttering a single ability that would be feared by many in the future to come. [Life Realm]. "..." WAA! Faster than a flash of light, a unique green light expanded out for hundreds of miles as it passed through every single Aileron and even included Noah¡¯s subordinates and some of the Holy Descendants from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. This flash of green light washed over every single being on the side of the Aileron Army as the moment it receded...they all disappeared! "..." Many did not know what had just occurred, but some truly knowledgeable people did as back in the heart of the Primal Winged Expanse where the Primal Emperor was surrounded by Entities, one of them uttered with a solemn expression. "Instant Realm Creation..." The words made the expressions of the powerful beings in the surroundings much graver as they knew the intricacies of what this meant! It wasn¡¯t just the fact that it was a unique and rare seen ability, it was that utilizing it would truly require too much essence, especially when it came to forcefully creating an isolated space and dragging other beings into it. An Entity had a somber expression as he voiced out what everyone else was thinking. "Unless they work together to very quickly break the spatial locks of that Realm, that entire Aileron Legion...is lost." RUMBLE! The body of the Primal Emperor trembled as his eyes were filled with wrath, but he came to the same conclusion! All those caught in the newly created Realm would be facing the horrendous creature that devoured the Entity Vast...and what could they do against such a creature? "Good! Good! Good!" The Primal Emperor uttered indignantly as he continued to look at the scene with wrathful eyes! ... Back in the Rising Stellar Peaks, the Old Man Khan stared at the enormous green door that represented the entrance into the Realm that Noah had locked millions of experts in, his hand landing against this door as he found that he wasn¡¯t granted entrance! It was a realm that locked everybody in and kept everyone out! The other defenders of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter didn¡¯t know if they should cheer or celebrate as the war truly did not follow the norms, many of them simply feeling a tinge of fear when they thought about the being carrying a blue slime and the fearsome 10 headed dragon that he commanded. Even they did not want to know what was happening inside the locked Realm! But inside of the [Life Realm], Noah stood above scrambling Aileron Forces as his gaze was cold. In the past few seconds, the GALAXY experts from the Aileron forces had pushed down their fear as they tried to work together to break the confines of the Life Realm! When they found to their despair was the thick roots being nearly impermeable to damage, looking towards each other in dismay as they then grouped together and stood in front of their entire disorganized Aileron Army. "If you want to get out, it¡¯s only my death that will allow it." RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s voice reverberated out as the Ailerons looked towards him with solemn faces, their hearts not necessarily fearing his figure the most, but the figure of the Blue Slime he carried in his hands! This singular Blue Slime was currently releasing an oppressive aura of a being that had fully comprehended a Dao- an aura unique to an Entity! To their dismay, they found that they were actually imprisoned in a Realm with a dreadful enemy Entity that had defeated Vast in two attacks. Their dismay was palpable as around 8 Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons cl.u.s.tered together, the millions of other Ailerons grouping up behind them pensively! It was an astounding sight as near Noah, his 6 other Middle Tier Summons were by his side, his subordinates that numbered a bit over 30 beings also standing behind him as the enormous figure of Tiamat overshadowed all of them. Even further behind Noah were a few tens of thousands of the defenders of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter that got caught up in his Life Realm. But the scene was that grand! Millions of beings on one side, and it was actually this side that was looking fearfully to the opposing side that had less than 50,000 beings! As Noah stared at the 8 Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons, the tens of them that were in the Middle Tier, and the over 100 in the Low tier GALAXY Realm...his eyes shone with palpable beams of light as all he could see was loot! While holding the blue slime within his hands, he uttered shocking words that caused the blood of all the Ailerons to run cold. "Let¡¯s see what this stage of Entity is all about. Don¡¯t devour them, just kill them." THRUUUM! Chapter 804 - Dreadful! II "Let¡¯s see what this stage of Entity is all about. Don¡¯t devour them, just kill them." Noah gave a command to the innocent Blue Slime that was releasing a horrendous aura, telling him not to devour the Aileron Army as the nature of the Universal Emperor Slime meant they would be devoured in their entirety as even loot would not be released- this was what occurred with the Entity Vast! Noah then turned to his subordinates as he gave them a nod. "Go all out, my summons and Tiamat will protect you all." RAA! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin bellowed out wildly at this as he and the others moved, Noah¡¯s gaze then turning to the Holy Descendants that got wrapped up in the Life Realm! "You all just relax here for now, we should be done in a bit." ...! Alarm and a deadly chill was the only thing the defenders of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter felt at these words even though they were all supposedly on the same side. What made them feel a cold chill was the dreadful attitude of this being that looked at the Aileron Army as nothing more than dead things! This was a cold and heartless attitude they would only see in extremely powerful beings. The cold detachment while they condemned millions to death. It was truly dreadful! Of course, Noah himself knew of his actions and their consequences, his heart already prepared to bear the heavy responsibility even as he gave out the commands. If they were on the weaker side when facing this Aileron Army, their lives would be left to their vices as they would be taken away without so much as a thought. It was merely kill or be killed. It was war, and war never changes! So his eyes remained cold as he uttered to Tiamat as well. "Scorch them." ROOOOAR! The space shaking roar of a fearsome Queen Dowager erupted out as a ||Wrath of the Dragon Queen|| was cast! Before, it was directed against an Entity as they used their wondrous essence to withstand such an attack with only minor burns. But the target this time was Low to Peak Tier GALAXY being who didn¡¯t have such power- so the pillars of scorching multicolored flames from 50 draconic heads was an Apocalypse inducing scene as all those touched were disintegrated! "AAAAH!" "We yield!" "Take us prisoners!" Crisp and clean outline of cylindrical pillars would be left as gaps in the Aileron Army after scorching multicolored flames passed through them, only the Peak Tier GALAXY experts being able to withstand such an attack with heavy injuries or even possibly evade it. Some had already begun pleading for their lives as Noah maintained his cold look while overseeing everything occurring in the life realm! Others would argue that the rest of the army were merely soldiers following orders. That they were somehow blameless and only following the words of their generals. Noah didn¡¯t believe this thought as he knew those very same soldiers were the ones committing atrocities to anyone they were aimed to! They make the choice to pull the trigger, so they were directly responsible as well! THRUUUM So the dreadful scene of carnage in the Life Realm continued to play out as the tens of thousands of Holy Descendants that were watching felt their blood run cold. They watched as after the scorching multicolored pillars of flames from Tiamat ended, the figure of Blue Slime descended onto the Aileron Army along with the fearsome subordinates of Noah. The methods of the Blue Slime that was an Entity were particularly disastrous as its shimmering blue body expanded on wildly while compressing itself, coming into the shape of a luminous blue disc that was about 100 meters! This blue disc thrummed with the aura of multiple Grand Daos, particularly the aura of the Grand Dao of Vastness is it allowed for the unique essence of an Entity to wrap around its body seamlessly. ZIIIING! The disc shaped Entity...then spun rapidly while barreling towards the aileron army, causing a shocking scene of dismembered wings and limbs to fly out as all those seeing the shimmering blue light would try to run away! In the face of the Blue Slime, Tiamat, and Noah¡¯s 6 other summons- even his subordinates from the Infinite Galaxy paled in comparison as more than 75% of the millions in the Aileron Army would go on to be taken down by him. This was the burden of lives he would bear, as well as the Dao Crystals that had begun to appear on the battlefield with the deaths of powerful GALAXY ranked Ailerons who actually had deep comprehensions in the Dao of Withering, these Dao Crystals shooting out gorgeous beams of red loot light to the skies! The scene was truly that of carnage and wonder as it continued silently in the locked Life Realm... ... The situation of the battlefield at the Rising Stellar Peaks was thrown into a lull as millions of powerful Holy Descendants remained without enemies! They could only stare at the shimmering green door that represented a Realm for about 30 minutes, and it was only then that they began to see some changes. THRUUUM! ...! The figures of the released beings made many people draw their breaths sharply, their hearts turning cold as they saw the thousands of Holy Descendants that were wrapped in the forced realm formation, as well as Noah and the forces he brought forth. That was all! The millions of Ailerons...none of them could be seen! Such a shocking reality brought shock to many as the thousands of Ailerons that had witnessed what had occured in the Life Realm...they were looking towards the Blue Slime that had innocently gone back atop Noah¡¯s head fearfully. Nearby, the figure of a curvaceous Tiamat in human form could be seen as at this moment, all eyes landed on them! Chapter 805 - Shock and Reverence Many eyes close by and afar were glancing towards a single figure- a single human that had a wobbly slime atop his head as his eyes seemed to blaze with a profound light! He seemed to very well know that all eyes were on him as he glanced at the solemn Old Man Khan who had the party of Holy Prince Rudolf, Princess Anastasia, and Princess Anna with him. His eyes glazed over them as they turned around to face the blank chaotic void where millions of Ailerons used to be. The area was devoid of any life but Noah knew that further in, there were still multiple Ailerons putting their lives on the line to uncover more information and report what was happening here back to their command bases! So he stared out towards the blank chaotic void as he voiced out grandly. "The Entity Vast was only so-so, and the Aileron Legion was even worse to match against! I hope the next battle will not be as disappointing..." RUMBLE! Words of immense ridicule came out of him as those watching him felt a variety of emotions. His demeanor was domineering! This being... The eyes glancing towards the being known as Noah were very different now compared to just an hour ago as those watching knew that the deadly Blue Slime that was a genuine Entity and even the terrifying Ten-headed dragon that was nearing the rank of an Entity all acted under his orders. As he floated in the chaotic void grandly and spoke domineeringly, they were reminded of this reality! This was because such a reality made it so that even though he wasn¡¯t an Entity himself, he was even more monstrous than one as at the Middle Tier GALAXY stage, he was somehow commanding two Entity-equivalent creatures! Even someone at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm like Old Man Khan was known as one of the strongest experts in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter because of his Starry Behemoth Tarragon that had fully comprehended a Dao, his other three pets merely being at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm without having fully comprehended a Dao. So for someone like Noah to have two Entities below him...many beings could only sigh in envy! In the chaotic void, Noah seemed to have lost interest as he waved his hands, his figure beginning to go back towards the Rising Stellar Peaks as his subordinates followed close by with shining eyes. This was because the battle they had gone through...had truly been eye opening! --- As the Primal Emperor looked at the scene of Noah¡¯s majestic figure, his face was cold as he spoke out to the Entities around him. "Brother Vast fell into a trap where he was besieged by one of the most powerful Entities of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter paired with a Dragon that has power at the cusp of an Entity...and that deceitful Slime that made it seem like it only broke through to become an Entity after Brother Vast was unjustly ganged up on!" RUMBLE! The gaze of the Aileron Emperor shone with power as his wings released a grand light, those around him looking at each other with shining eyes as he continued. "Being able to stand against 3 Entities by himself and letting us reveal the hidden experts of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter is something we will forever be thankful to Brother Vast for! But this development only makes it all the more important for us to win this war!" "That deceitful slime and ten headed dragon...the first time I saw them was when the Great Sage¡¯s Primal Holy Land teleported my people out for the last time. For them to grow to such a level, the treasures in the Sage¡¯s Holy Land must be something that we all seek, with the Ruination Core most likely being there as well..." RUMBLE! The hearts of many beings were moved as the figure of the Holy Emperor rose, containing his talk as many schemes and plans sprouted! ... In another area, the Holy Emperor was standing grandly with a shining gaze as his eyes honed in on the figure of Noah. He thought of the fact that when he first met this being, he was at the QUASAR Realm and had only entered his eyes as a powerful genius to groom for the future. He expected this future to be tens or hundreds of years down the line, not in a matter of f.u.c.k.i.n.g days! When he really thought about it, his body actually began trembling as the reality that it had only been over 1 week and a half since their first meeting registered on his mind. Less than 2 weeks since this Noah entered his Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, and he was somehow in the Middle Tier GALAXY Realm as he commanded an Animus Summon at the stage of an Entity and another that neared the same stage! "Holy shi..." The Holy Emperor nearly let off expletives as this thought fully registered, his figure disappearing from among the many other shocked Royals and Generals of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as he made way towards the Rising Stellar Peak! Meanwhile, Noah himself was not in the mood to show off or antagonize anyone anymore, his attention now set on all the loot that he and his Summons had collected over this battle at the Rising Stellar Peaks. He talked with the figures of Old Man Khan and other Holy Descendants that were looking at him with extremely different gazes, leaving them with the tasks of any clean up as he teleported into the Infinite Galaxy with all of his people! The figures of the Emperor Penguin, Elena, Kazuhiko and others entered the eyes of the experts of Ancient Powers and left them just as quickly, only being left to wonder what the geniuses that Noah brought forth really were. In a certain starry space of the Infinite Galaxy, a wondrous scene was taking place as Noah floated in the skies, breathed out excitedly...and waved his hands, releasing all the loot that he had personally collected to float in front of him! His summons that shimmered with the Grand lights of manifested Galaxies also took the initiative as they released all the loot they had picked up into the starry space in front of them, causing for the formation of gorgeous beams of loot light to shine all around! From Dao Crystals to luminous Cores to Skill Books... It was loot! Sweet, gorgeous, resplendent loot! Ah! Chapter 806 - Crystals! Cores! Skills! "Am I dreaming...?" In a starry space outside of the Infinite Realm that was at the center of the Infinite Galaxy, enormous mountains of loot were piled up as they floated brilliantly in space! Kazuhiko was looking at these mountainous bundles of loot as he pinched himself to see if he was dreaming, others around him shaking their heads as they all looked towards a single person. All of the Harbingers and experts of the Infinite Galaxy stared towards the being that had a wobbly blue slime on his head as his eyes shone with a more blazing light than any of them! They were waiting for him to give direction and divide the loot as nearly 80% of it came from a wave of his hands and what his summoned animus released. Even with all of them working together, their loot was barely 20% of what Noah had collected by himself! "Little Fish, these Crystals..." The voice of Barbatos rang out as her eyes were drawn into the Dao Crystals that only Noah and his pets could farm by chance from killing any being that were proficient in a Dao. She glanced at the Dao Crystals as she found out their information, her body beginning to shake as her eyes shone brightly! Noah also came out of his stupor from glancing at all the loot as he smiled and spoke grandly. "Yes, the Dao Crystals are the most important out of everything collected...as they give a direct path to the title of Entity without having to spend hundreds of years comprehending the Dao!" THRUUUM! Noah waved his hands as he collected all of the resplendent Dao Crystals that were shooting out gorgeous beams of loot light in the starry space, counting all of them as he made quick calculations based on the percentages each one would give. Let¡¯s do some math for a second. After the Blue Slime assassinated the Entity Vast, Noah collected 8 Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons, tens in the middle tier, and a bit over a 100 in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! This was nearly ten times as many GALAXY experts as the ones Noah had taken down in the Primal Holy Land and obtained enough Dao Crystals to comprehend 30% of the Lesser Dao of Withering. But from the recent battles, there were 8 Peak Tier Experts that had comprehended much more of the Dao of Withering, so Noah received an overabundance of Dao Crystals from three of them who actually triggered the 10% chance to explode into Dao Crystals! There was also the Ailerons in the QUASAR and Nebula Realm that made up the millions he had dreadfully reaped the lives of in the Life Realm- even though most had not embarked on the path of the Dao and those who did had abysmal comprehensions, the Affix was still triggered for them as Noah and his pets obtained a Dao Crystal here and there. All of these factors culminated in the amount of Dao Crystals Noah gathered as his calculations continued! When he collected all of them and finished his calculations...his eyes blazed with light as he shockingly found that with the 10% chance of Dao Crystals to drop from the defeated enemies proficient in a Dao, he had obtained enough of such Crystals to bring someone to 100% completion...over 12 times! RUMBLE! This meant that just from this battle, Noah¡¯s own luck and the luck of his summons was great enough to give him enough Dao Crystals to make 12 full fledged Entities. "...!" Even Noah himself was alarmed at this reality as he found this Affix of the Ruination Core to be simply ridiculous when paired up with what he could do! Of course, there was still the fact that those who absorbed the Dao Crystals had to be at Peak Tier Entity to be considered titled Entities for the norms of the Dark Universe. This was because never in history had someone that had been in the Low or Middle Tier Realms been capable of fully comprehending a Dao to completion, only those at the Peak Tier living enough years and having the talent to achieve such a task! But when it came to Noah...why would it matter to him whether they were considered full fledged Entities or not based on their Realm? If he were to just give one of his subordinates a portion of the Dao Crystals and grant them 100% in the Dao of Withering, they would still get the unique aura of a Controller of a Dao as they received the horrendous boost in power that came with it! RUMBLE! Such was the truth Noah formed in his mind as he then looked at the subordinates around him...and then turned his eyes towards the pile of loot. The task of who to power level to 100% comprehension of a lesser Dao would come later, the sacred task of finishing the count of loot continuing for now. Aside from the Dao Crystals, there was a gorgeous amount of Cores ranging from Nebula all the way to Peak GALAXY! The sheer amount of Middle Tier and Peak Tier GALAXY Cores made Noah believe it wouldn¡¯t be an issue for him to ascend to Peak Tier after absorbing them, and it remained unknown if any would be left to power his subordinates to Middle or Peak Tier depending on how many it took for him to rise up. His strength would still come first as with his Traits, he could dish out ridiculous power as even with the Dao Crystals, he would be using one of the 12 spots first and becoming the first Entity of the Infinite Galaxy! THRUM! Noah waved his hands as the Cores were also divided cleanly, his subordinates only watching with salivating eyes in the distance. Next up were the Skill Books that were simply too numerous, but Noah took some time to scan through them as he found multiple techniques that utilized the Dao of Withering that would constitute an entire skill tree, as well as millions of other skills that would clutter the stat panel of anyone who dared! All in all, it was a gorgeous scene of cleanly divided mountains of Dao Crystals, Cores, and Skill Books that filled the starry space of this small region of the Infinite Galaxy with a luminous treasure light! Chapter 807 - Since powering up has been so slow... Aside from the gorgeous loot, one must not forget an even bigger present out of an all out war with beings that were considered different existences from Noah. It was, of course, the Skill Points that made many things possible that Noah was now looking at with passionate eyes as he made his subordinates wait even longer before they could enjoy the loot before them. In his stat panel, he saw the gorgeous count of 12,358,013 Skill Points! From the measly 2 million he had before, he had jumped up by 10 just from defeating the army that the Entity Vast led! Such a number of skill points made his emotions churn as with them, he achieved his goal of 10 million skill points that were required to create a particular skill. It was a skill meant to accelerate Noah¡¯s growth, since he felt like he had just been rising too slowly in the past few weeks... The rising he was thinking about wasn¡¯t in terms of Realms or comprehending Daos and Laws, he knew very well that he was nearing or even already breaking any existing balance jumping from QUASAR to Low Tier and then Middle Tier in just weeks, where he was even about to attempt reaching Peak Tier Galaxy after just a bit over a week since his last Realm advancement! The rising that he felt was going very slowly was of course the progress of assimilation of laws, and eventually it would be the assimilation of Daos that would stump him for years to come! He found many loopholes to bypass the hundreds of years others would need to bypass Realms and comprehend laws and daos, but his progress in assimilation was abysmal as even now- he only had 5% in the progress of assimilation all Universal Laws. To him, such a number was unacceptable as he wanted to bypass this point as well as the future hindrances of assimilating Daos. The solution...was to create a fearsome skill after he got some inspiration from seeing a particular Affix of the Ruination Core! Thus, a skill named [Loot Drop- Assimilation Crystals], was created! Though its cost had stumped Noah until now. A skill for his biggest problem at this moment. A skill that allowed him to have a cheat when it came to something that would take beings hundreds or thousands of years to do- the Assimilation of Laws and Daos! "Haha!" He laughed out grandly as he gave the confirmation, 10 million skill points disappearing just like that as he gained a new passive skill on his stat panel. He stared at this ability with shining eyes for a few seconds as he thought of a future where both Dao Crystals and Assimilation Crystals would drop freely, imagining a future where it wouldn¡¯t take him months or over a year to assimilate all universal laws and step on the path of a Cosmic Dao that was promised to him, of a future where fully assimilating Daos to become a Sage or a Great Sage would only take him a matter of months if not less! Who needed 100 years? Who even needed 10?! RUMBLE! His essence thrummed forth domineeringly as he gazed upon the experts of his Infinite Galaxy that were still eyeing the loot- especially the Dao crystals, with shining eyes. "There shall be no favoritism when it comes to these Dao Crystals that are an easy path to becoming an Entity." ...! Kazuhiko, Steel Mikhail, and all the other guys and Beasts of the Infinite Galaxy breathed out sighs of relief as they half expected the curvaceous women around Noah to be the first to be given these Dao Crystals as they awaited their turn for whenever the next battle came. "Hmph." Barbatos saw their expression as she pouted while looking towards Noah, Elena¡¯s eyes only shining ever brighter as it seemed her fanaticism only increased! Noah continued as he gazed towards all of them calmly. "Simply put, the strongest at this moment will receive enough crystals to grant them 100% comprehension in the Lesser Dao of Withering. As for deciding the ranks of strength...it is naturally through combat!" RUMBLE! Noah brought his arms to his head as he brought down the wiggling blue slime, continuing with his words as he pushed the slime forward. "This little guy has the keenest senses out of all us here, so he will oversee you guys competing as the strongest 11...will be among those who will very soon step into the ranks of Entities!" Essence blazed out wildly as the subordinates looked at each other with wild eyes. They each knew what a power like that represented, and wanted to grasp it within their hands as they knew it was the peak of power at this moment! RAA! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin bellowed out wildly as it floated in front of everyone else, calling out domineeringly with its golden beak raised high. "As the first beast of the original Spiritual Land, I will naturally have to keep my lead as the strongest! Who shall match me...!" THRUUM! The scene became competitive as a mini tournament would go underway in the Infinite Galaxy! Meanwhile, Noah stepped away as he grabbed the Middle and Peak Tier GALAXY Cores, disappearing from the starry space as he entered the depth of the Infinite Realm that was at the center of everything, and also the location where essence converged the most. The area he arrived in was a culmination of multiple Law Spaces, where multicolored milky essence of all types could be seen physically coagulated because of the intense concentration! ¡¯Just when will I have Dao Law Spaces...Ah!¡¯ He shook his head sorrowfully as he sat down at a location that wasn¡¯t too far away from the core of his Infinite Galaxy, choosing this place to absorb the numerous Middle and Peak Tier GALAXY Cores as he tried to see if they were enough for him to enter Peak Tier! Thereafter...he would absorb one of the 12 portions of the Dao of Withering Crystals as he became a genuine Entity... When one looked at the time, he spent 2 weeks traveling to the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter as he then spent just a bit less than 2 weeks within this Ancient Power. Yet in this period of time, he went from QUASAR to Low Tier GALAXY, to Middle Tier GALAXY, and now...he wanted to enter Peak Tier GALAXY! Less than a month! Ah! Chapter 808 - ENTITY! I A variety of scenes were taking place at this time as many beings moved with their own ideals. A few hours had passed since the battle at the Rising Stellar Peaks as the consequences were dealt with by the forces of the Primal Winged Expanse and the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! In the Rising Stellar Peaks region, the defense line found itself returning to position as very few of them had lost their lives, Old Man Khan reshuffling the forces as he stood guard over the region once more. This powerful Entity didn¡¯t know what to think as he stared at Anastasia, the one who had brought them to have a connection with the mysterious being that now commanded a powerful Animus Entity! "You can look at me all you want, but I won¡¯t have any answers." Anastasia spoke out calmly while looking at Old Man Khan and Prince Rudolf who had a lost look by the side. RUMBLE! Yet in the next second, a surprising event occurred as they felt a powerful aura near them, but this aura came from the place they called home and was extremely familiar as they calmed down and looked toward a certain direction, the image of the magisterial Holy Emperor materializing in front of their eyes as he spoke quickly. "Where is that domineering little Entity?" He spoke with a jovial smile as all he got was a head shake from Old Man Khan and Prince Rudolf, Anastasia being the one to speak as she stared out into the vast chaotic void. "He disappeared some time back to take care of something, he should return in a bit." "Hmm? Good! We must prepare a grand celebration!" In the Primal Winged Expanse, the Primal Emperor was speaking to a Peak Tier GALAXY expert that had a solemn expression on their face. "Take a few of your brothers and head towards the other Ancient Powers. Let it be known that the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter has unearthed their Sages¡¯s Legacy...and that they have a Ruination Core!" RUMBLE! Shocking commands came out from the Primal Emperor as the expert he was speaking to nodded sternly, his figure flashing away a second later. The only one who remained was the Primal Emperor himself as his wings shimmered mystically, the Aura of the Dao of Withering on his body being extremely condensed as he was the single being within his Ancient Power that was the closest to fully assimilating this law. Yet he could never take that last step and enter into the status of a Sage as like many Entities, he found that he could not so easily fully assimilate a Dao! One had to find outside help and unique resources to do so, and unique treasures like the Tools of Ruination were at the forefront of things sought after by all Entities. The Primal Emperor...would do all that he could to make sure that he got his hands on the treasures of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, even if he had to muddle the playing field and throw out bait to see if any other parties would bite! THRUUUM! This essence revolved around him as in his hands, a wondrous looking GALAXY core that shone with the light of stars was reducing by size every second as he absorbed more and more of it. It went from something the size of a head and became a mere grain of sand in minutes as all the essence within it was s.u.c.k.e.d out entirely! "Haaa..." Noah sighed out in contentment as every single part of his body seemed to be vibrating with energy, his manifested GALAXY ever so close to remaining at Grand Completion before he could advance into the Peak Tier stage. He had actually finished absorbing all of the Middle Tier GALAXY Cores as he was now on his 5th Peak Tier Core, and he finally felt the feeling of being full as the hundreds of billions of stars that formed in his illusory galaxy moved in a wondrous symphony of power and regality! THRUUUM! He began absorbing the next Peak Tier Core as this feeling came even closer, going on to finish this and another three more before he felt entirely full, a cracking sound tingling out thereafter as it felt like a dam had broken loose and surging waters were sundering down! OOOM! The atmospheric essence and law essence all around him resonated as he became the center of a huge mana storm, his GALAXY expanding on contracting constantly as it released wondrous waves of power. He would be in this stage for some time to come as what he would focus on from now on would entirely shift to laws and Daos, where unlocking the next path of power lied in fully comprehending and assimilating Daos as he would then rise into the title of a Sage! WAAA! The raging essence around him slowed down as his figure became clear. One could see the devilishly charming face carved from the traits of the Vampyre Progenitor. His hair was all sorts of colors at this point after he let it freely be influenced by the universal law essences flowing through his body, but his Manifested GALAXY was the most eye catching as it represented him standing among the ranks of true experts in the Dark Universe! The Realm of Peak Tier GALAXY! Chapter 809 - ENTITY! II After a being achieved so many grand things consecutively, one would think they would take a breather and appreciate their work for a second. Noah appreciated his work for s literal second as he nodded proudly while glancing at his Peak Tier GALAXY...and then waved his hands to bring out the wondrous Dao Crystals as he already moved on to grab another achievement! The targeted goal this time was to comprehend a Dao to completion and obtain the title of an Entity, and Noah planned to do this in a stellar fashion. Unlike others who would take hundreds of years to fully comprehend a Dao, he had the affix from a Ruination Core that allowed him to obtain Dao Crystals- treasures he would use to fully comprehend a Dao he never had skill in or began before and comprehend it fully in a shocking period of time! His hands grasped the brilliant Dao Crystals as they shone with l.u.s.ter, their shine flashing brightly before dimming as he began to absorb... While Noah began absorbing the resplendent Dao Crystals, the experts of the Infinite Galaxy were fighting to see who was strong enough to obtain the other 11 seats that would give birth to Entities! Through sheer dominating power and the fact that they were the only ones to currently hold PRISMATIC Summons, the strength of the Emperor Penguin and Barbatos came out on top as they secured their spots. The other figure that let himself known brightly was the Imperial Adjudicator, this old fox using his age and experiences paired with his Ultra Rare and Rare Summons he had obtained after switching to the techniques of the Infinite Galaxy- he used these Summons to wipe the floor with others as he obtained a spot himself, his conviction to obtain strength and be able to shoulder the burdens of Anastasia and Anna shining brightly! Kazuhiko couldn¡¯t be left behind as he utilized his Trait that nearly made him invulnerable on top of his Summons to claim another spot, Steel Mikhail and Athena being another two that shone brightly in their battles. With an excited slime that was now an Entity overseeing the mini tournament, it quickly ended as the ranks of strength were decided and the other 5 that would be getting their hands of the treasured Dao Crystals were the Kraken, Elena, the Ruler of the Demon Realm Agares who held the Sin of Envy, the Imperial Phoenix who managed to break through and barely clinch in, as well as Anna who was around Noah the most since the Primal Holy Land! All of them were in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm as their Traits and summoned Animus were what played key roles in obtaining their levels of strength. RAA! After the ranks were decided, the Emperor Penguin cried out grandiosely as it floated in front of everyone else, Barbatos showing an annoyed expression as they all looked towards the jovial Blue Slime and nonchalant Tiamat while waiting for Noah! In the depths of the Infinite Realm that was at the Center of Infinite Galaxy, Noah¡¯s eyes were shining brightly with palpable beams of light as he stupidly saw the percentage next to the Dao of Withering to really rise from 0% to 10% and then 90% just an hour later. It was such a fantastical and unbelievable scene that should have never been possible, yet minutes later he continued absorbing the required Dao Crystals as the number went to 99% and ultimately reached...100%. THRUUUM! The area around him shook the moment this occurred, a momentous aura descending down as a phenomenon similar to when the Blue Slime became an Entity was recreated, albeit at a slightly smaller scale as the Dao in question was a Lesser Dao! Noah felt the essence of the Dao of Withering he had never even touched until now descend unto him like it belonged to him for years, his heart strings being pulled as numerous ways to utilize the Dao bloomed in his mind. He could better utilize this Dao if he created his own skill tree dedicated to it, or simply absorb enough skills from the defeated GALAXY Ailerons to form a skill tree from the skill books he obtained! RUMBLE! His thoughts were taken away as he had to stop everything to sense the new aura spreading around him, covering every part of him as he began to feel a sense of boundless strength. This was an aura every Entity was afforded when they fully comprehended a Dao, an Aura of a Dao Controller! {Aura of the Controller of Withering} :: A passive aura that only appears around those who have fully comprehended the Lesser Dao of Withering. It grants +2,500% Extra Damage and allows the attacks of the Controller of Withering to contain a unique corrosive essence that deconstructs and reduces the attacks, mana, and life force of the target until they become empty husks... A passive aura that granted half the percentage of Extra Damage as a Grand Dao, this one with its own unique feature as the Dao of Withering deconstructed and reduced something into nothingness. It was in the name- Withering! Such an aura, similar to the Aura of the Grand Controller of Vastness, could have its percentage boosts increased and even more features unlocked in the future as one assimilated it into their origins and souls. This was why those who were further in assimilation were extremely powerful, those who could fully do it and become Sages being geniuses that deserved their reverence! Yet this would be a worry for later as for now, Noah¡¯s body rose grandly while sensing the power flowing through him, knowing he had come a long way to achieve what he just achieved at this instant. ENTITY! He had achieved the title of Entity just a month or two after knowing and meeting such beings, a rank at the peak of power for the surrounding light years as it would allow him to move with ease and confidence! He could not help but bellow out a heart shaking roar as if he was announcing his arrival! OOOOOOOOH! The essence around him trembled as he called out, his dark hair flying wildly as an oppressive air leaked from him, his figure akin to an ancient creature from the Primordial Cosmos! Chapter 810 - Making Entities is Easy! OOOOOOH! Noah¡¯s bellow seemed to travel out from the expansive Infinite Realm and echo into the even more expansive Infinite Galaxy, his entrance into the title of an Entity being something celebrated by the Infinite Galaxy itself. Such a stage allowed him great strength and survivability as he could now withstand strikes from those powerful Entities, being able to use the fully comprehended essence of the Lesser Dao to battle against powerful Bosses without being overwhelmed. It was akin to a level 1 noob fighting the strongest boss of the dungeon right away- even if they were pay to win players who were armed to the teeth, because they hadn¡¯t grinded and their level was below the boss by such a large extent, they would get obliterated at the end! It was an impossible gulf to cross before, but Noah had now risen to the level of these bosses as he could defend against their attacks and even get through their defences as he now stood at the same stage as them! "Ah..." He let out a content sigh as he enjoyed the feeling of his newfound strength while teleporting away, returning to the area where a mini tournament just ended as he found the Harbingers of Sin and other powerful combatants of the Infinite Galaxy cl.u.s.tered around the friendly Blue Slime. Tiamat was off to the side as her drop dead figure seemed unapproachable, her gaze forlorn as she stared out into the starry space where even her aura could not find the end of within this wide Galaxy! Noah¡¯s appearance caused excitement to appear in the eyes of everyone as Tiamat turned towards him with shining eyes. Her thoughts were tumultuous as she remembered the promise she had with this supposed Master of hers who wanted to be a Sage in under 10 years. She had laughed at this as she thought it to be a mere joke, yet as she watched this being go from Middle Tier GALAXY and enter the Peak while also becoming an Entity in just days...she wasn¡¯t so sure! Her gaze was inquisitive as she wondered how he had been able to cause something as universe defying as Dao Crystals to come to be, such a treasure effectively being able to make one an Entity with such ease that she found herself questioning whether to ask for a portion herself as well. ¡¯Hmph!¡¯ She instantly threw this thought away as her pride was too high, knowing that she would very soon make a breakthrough and fully comprehend the Dao of Destruction. This was a Grand Dao! What would a mere Lesser Dao of Withering be compared to this? So the dreadful Queen Dowager turned her head away from Noah¡¯s brilliance as others swarmed towards him! "Master, I¡¯m as amazing as ever that I even surprised myself..." The Emperor Penguin was shining with a golden light as he began bragging about his strength among everyone else, Noah patting this Penguin¡¯s silky fur as he got the gist of what happened from everyone else. He nodded towards the beings that earned the privilege of becoming future Entities, waving his hands as the glimmering red Dao Crystals he collected went towards each of them! Every single one of them received the portion required to reach 100% in the Dao of Withering, their hands quickly going towards these treasures as their eyes glowed brilliantly. "Take your time to absorb them and feel out the Dao. You should get to 100% in just an Hour or two as you gain something only Entities grasp...with you getting the full title whenever we collect enough cores to bring everyone to Peak Tier GALAXY!" RUMBLE! A grand proclamation was made from Noah as he handed out enough Dao Crystals to forge 11 new Entities. To him, making Entities was just that easy! If any other Entities or Ancient Powers found out what he was doing or the shocking things behind it, their hearts would simply rupture from envy and shock. Yet Noah gave away the Dao Crystals like nothing as the 11 experts nodded towards him with shining eyes. "Also, the [Library] should have a skill called [Loot Drop- Assimilation Crystals] by now. Be sure to learn it if you want to collect loot that will very quickly allow you to assimilate the comprehended Dao and boost your power even more!" Even more shocking words came out as this time, they raised alarm from the knowledgeable Tiamat from far away that couldn¡¯t help but blurt out. "Assimilation Crystals? Similar to those Dao Crystals? Are you f.u.c.k.i.n.g telling me you¡¯re going to extract the progress of assimilation from those you defeat and make it your own as well? That is...!" Her eyes were shaking as she connected the dots, Noah smiling towards her as he knew his promise of becoming a Sage in less than 10 Years would be an achievable thing in less than even a year! Such a shocking truth even left him marveling as he wondered if he truly was a real Protagonist as his Trait stated... "Becoming a Sage should be light work. Be ready to fully submit when that time comes." Noah spoke out with a smile as Tiamat had a difficult expression, the subordinates listening by the side looking at each other with disbelieving smiles as they commended Noah¡¯s boldness to utter such words with everyone around, Barbatos and the other curvaceous women looking towards him with dangerous eyes! But Tiamat¡¯s expression was still difficult as she voiced out. "I...have a path of vengeance I must take! Even if you abide by the terms and I submit, you have to allow me to seek my revenge! I have an entire Universe littered with Great Sages, Monarchs, Paragons, and even the schemer of it all who is in the Universal Realm!" ...! Noah¡¯s eyes returned with clarity a second later as many thoughts crossed his mind, with the others looking towards Tiamat in shock as they then turned to Noah and wondered who the hell he had connected himself to now! Chapter 811 - It Matters Not! As the heads of many turned with the new information of the grand realms ahead of them, Noah nodded his head simply as he replied while looking deeply into the wrathful eyes of the Queen Dowager. "Great Sages, Monarchs, Paragons, or even anyone in the Universal Realm...I don¡¯t know the extent of their power, but it matters not!" RUMBLE! Essence rumbled out from Noah¡¯s words as others could not help but look towards him in a mesmerizing fashion. Their hearts and eyes were pulled towards this being that now had an aura of an Entity, the air he released being extremely unique as his words seemed like they deserved to be heard! "I myself have many beings I need to find and seek answers from not just in a single Universe, but many of the universes that make up the Primordial Cosmos. This entire Dark Universe we are in...it is headed towards destruction as we speak from the actions of Sages and Great Sages that were forced by the experts of nearby Universes to use a Tool they had no idea how to utilize...this tool allowing them to separate our Universe from the Primordial Cosmos as it placed us in grave danger..." OOOOM! Shocking revelations were released from Noah to everyone else at this moment as he chose to use this time to let them all know of the future that lay before them. He explained how the Great Sages had utilized a Cosmic Treasure they did not fully understand to cause the separation of the Dark Universe from the Primordial Cosmos, and exactly what this meant as this Universe was at this moment headed towards destruction! ...! The Imperial Adjudicator had a blank gaze that was shared by many, their recent power ups that made them feel like masters of their own destinies waning as they realized the truth. At the same time, Tiamat had a shocked expression while listening to Noah¡¯s story, her eyes trembling with excitement as she couldn¡¯t help but call out! "This is the Lost Sundered Universe from all those years ago? The Universe that had a Cosmic Treasure born in it?!" The gaze of Tiamat was heated as she came close to Noah, her bountiful c.h.e.s.t shaking as she sought to confirm something from Noah! Noah himself was looking at this being that used to be one of the Ruling Forces of the Animus Universe as he knew she must have a deep history and be extremely knowledgeable! Her words connected to the truth as he replied slowly. "It should be one and the same." Tiamat¡¯s body thrummed with power at this reply as she voiced out with excitement. "Good! We have to find that Cosmic Treasure! With it, I can raise past even Great Sage with ease as I make my way back to the top..." She seemed lost in thought as she paced in the skies, Noah hiding his knowing smile as he probed for more information. "What do you know about the Lost Sundered Universe?" "The name only became widely renowned in the Primordial Cosmos after its exploits of withstanding the powers of multiple nearby Universes were spread. It became even more famous after it was somehow separated from the Primordial Cosmos as it became known as the Lost Sundered Universe..." As she paced, Tiamat continued to reply without too much thought. "It was a shame for this Universe to be lost as it held a Cosmic Treasure, something so rare that if the truly powerful Universes had heard about it first...a Universal Realm expert would have descended onto the Universe to wipe out all the Great Sages as they took the treasure for themselves with ease!" RUMBLE! "But the surrounding Universes that knew of the possibility of this Cosmic Treasure kept this information from spreading for many years, with many only finding out after it was somehow separated from the Primordial Cosmos...Ah!" Tiamat seemed to be reminiscing as she talked of a great deal of things, Noah¡¯s eyes shining more and more as he heard of the information. He had some questions himself as he couldn¡¯t help but ask. "This should be that same Sundered Universe, but since we are separated from the Primordial Cosmos, I have always been curious about how beings utilizing a mere Lesser Dao of Summoning have been able to summon creatures from the Animus Universe that should still be a part of the Primordial Cosmos!" Tiamat was listening carefully as she waved her hands dismissively at the end. "Oh, that? This is because of a powerful Universal Realm expert that birthed the Dao of Summoning made it so that the summoned creatures could only come from his Universe, the creatures being able to traverse through Realms and achieve Grand Completion with ease the moment they are given the status of Summons!" "So even with the Lost Sundered Universe being parted from the Primordial Cosmos, utilizing the Dao of Summoning still means the creatures have to come from the Animus Universe, with the price of summoning being paid by the one who birthed the Dao to begin with as that Universal Realm being gains more understanding of the mysteries of the Primordial Cosmos..." ...! Noah was nearly speechless at the information as he asked in shock. "When you achieve a high enough Realm...you can birth your own Dao?!" "...Yes. But only if you are at a truly powerful stage." The gaze of Tiamat turned mysterious as she seemed to be lost in thought, all the others listening in also reflecting as they felt like their minds were expanded! The surrounding space turned quiet before the piercing voice of the Emperor Penguin rang out. "What I don¡¯t get is how the Dao of Summoning is considered a Lesser Dao after all that, it seems much stronger than something like Withering and even seems on par with the Grand Daos we have just witnessed!" The words of the Emperor Penguin made the eyes of many light up as they turned towards Tiamat questiongly. The Queen Dowager seemed to have gradually returned to her old self as she waved her hands while replying. "The classification of Daos is based on to what extent they can push the power of the user. Something like Summoning that relies on others will have a bottleneck where the user finds it hard to achieve the stages of Monarch, Paragon, or even the Universe Realm at that." "Grand Daos such as Destruction or Vastness, or even something like the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation...those will truly allow one to reach the peaks of power!" RUMBLE! Noah took in Tiamat¡¯s words carefully as he didn¡¯t necessarily agree with them. The Dao of Summoning had been such a huge boost to him that he would even consider it better than some Grand Daos, but he knew it was because of his own unique circ.u.mstances that he was able to utilize this Dao with such extreme efficiency and usefulness! Even the entire Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter with its Entities that studied it could not compare to him, so he somewhat understood what Tiamat was talking about. He digested the many bundles of information while he spoke to his people. "You all absorb the Dao Crystals first. Keep in mind our path is thorny and filled with danger, and I even have a solution to the coming Apocalypse that you all will know in time." ...! The eyes of the beings in the surroundings shone at these words as they looked at each other incredulously while also feeling a heavy weight lifted off their shoulders. They had just found out they were all heading towards an Apocalypse, only to have Noah tell them he could solve it much later after they accepted their existential crisis. It was truly a rollercoaster of emotions as the words had a different meaning to Tiamat! Her shining eyes nearly blurted out her question before she chose to telepathically ask Noah. ¡¯You¡¯ve gotten your hands on the lost Cosmic Treasure?!¡¯ Tiamat¡¯s gaze was shining as she stared at Noah, her eyes seemingly trying to devour him as he only smiled. He only had a portion of the Cosmic Treasure called Ruination! He had a single Ruination Core as he wanted to collect another from the Holy Emperor of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! After that...he would track down all the rest as he undertook a grand task, his journey truly beginning at that time! Chapter 812 - What I Want! I Before Noah could think about the other Ruination Cores and his grand dreams, there was still the war with the Ailerons that he was very excited to finish! He left his subordinates to absorb the abundance of information as he teleported from the Infinite Galaxy with the Blue Slime and Tiamat, even leaving Anna within to finish her absorption as he appeared close to the defensive line of the Rising Stellar Peaks. RUMBLE! His appearance caused many beings to turn towards his direction, their faces holding a myriad of expressions as Noah saw a particularly important new face! "Haha, you continue to exceed my expecta-" ...! The Holy Emperor had jovially begun laughing the moment his eyes landed on Noah, but he had to come to a stop as his eyes widened, his entire body beginning to shake incredulously thereafter. This was because after lying his eyes for just a second on Noah¡¯s body, he sensed the aura of a being that had fully comprehended a dao, the aura of an Entity! "How..." He stared in disbelief at this being as Old Man Khan and the others had their jaws wide open, Anastasia looking towards Noah with shining eyes behind the Holy Emperor. Prince Rudolf by side rubbed his eyes as he nearly screamed out. "Impossible! You...you were just at Middle Tier GALAXY a few hours ago! You can¡¯t just...!" All those around the Rising Stellar Peaks were looking at Noah with alarm as they shockingly found this being not to just have upgraded his strength to the Peak Tier GALAXY, but had also somehow fully comprehended a Dao at the same time as he released the unique aura of an Entity! "..." The entire Rising Stellar Peaks went silent as those watching were mute in shock, Noah giving a bright smile as he nodded towards the Holy Emperor and Old Man Khan. "It¡¯s merely an increase into Peak Tier and becoming an Entity, nothing much." THRUM! Domineering words erupted as Noah cared not for the reactions of others, continuing with his words! "So, what¡¯s happened with our dear neighbors at the Primal Winged Expanse?" He asked nonchalantly as the Holy Emperor nearly broke down, sending his aura out to make sure he wasn¡¯t mistaken, his gaze turning serious as his eyes contained innumerable thoughts while staring at Noah. He looked towards their surroundings and the blank chaotic void behind them where the forces of the Primal Winged Expanse were still undoubtedly watching as he waved his hands and spoke grandly. "Let us have privacy for a second..." The Holy Emperor wanted to take Noah away and receive him properly with his new identity, but Noah merely nodded as he waved his hands and cast {Life Realm}, bringing his two summons and the Holy Emperor into a separate space as a small green door formed in the skies! "..." Old Man Khan looked at this scene in a stupor as he saw the formation of a Realm and was isolated from it a second time... Within the Realm itself, the Holy Emperor looked towards Noah with shining eyes as he spoke. "I was truly wrong about you, and I can¡¯t help but consider everything you have said to be true- even though that makes you all the more shocking!" Yes! The Holy Emperor truly could not believe it, but every single word Noah uttered had turned out to be true as he frightfully thought of his assertion that his aid was even better than an Ancient Power! After everything he had done in such a short period of time, the Holy Emperor really did not think he could just ignore the even grander assertion this being made before. "For gaining such power, I¡¯m sure you have your own secrets...as well as a true aim for coming to my Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter!" RUMBLE! "...or do you truly want my granddaughter? Because we can arrange that as well..." Off to the side, Tiamat was shaking her head with a disappointed expression as the Blue Slime with a heart shaking aura of an Entity wobbled happily on top of Noah¡¯s head. Noah himself smiled as he thought about the question of his aims from this Ruler. He had planned to crush the Ailerons entirely as he amassed even more strength before approaching the Holy Emperor for the Ruination Core- even if it had to be by force! But he was now here alone with the man in question as he wondered if he could do things differently... He had many tools up his sleeves, but the biggest thing he could use when it came to the Holy Emperor was the fact that he had an entire Ancient Power to take care of! Many thoughts swarmed in his mind as he then adopted a wide smile, essence beginning to rumble from him as he did something he hadn¡¯t planned to do! RUMBLE! The burst of essence came from his very origin, deep inside him where his Universal Law Origins lay as one of them opened and released a resplendent looking red black Ruination Core! ...! This core materialized in front of him as it shone with a luminous l.u.s.ter, landing on his palm as he glanced towards the shocked Holy Emperor. "I came with many goals, but this one is first and foremost." RUMBLE! He spoke calmly as he twirled the powerful Ruination Core in his hands, even Tiamat beside him trembling as her eyes began to shake while looking towards the Ruination Core! "You...you truly had a part of the lost Cosmic Treasure on you...!" She was even more shocked than the Holy Emperor as she knew of the fearsome power of this Treasure. Yet the Holy Emperor himself went through a series of shocks as he then backed away from Noah as he had a grimace appearing on his face. "That...how do you have that?! How can you handle it...?!" RUMBLE! Chapter 813 - What I want! II The Holy Emperor was careful as he asked the first thing that came to his mind while his essence began to move, ready to summon his PRISMATIC Animus at any time as this advancement was not something that he expected! His eyes honed in on the pulsating Ruination Core as he matched it with the one he knew, his heart only becoming more shocked as time passed. Noah ignored the shaken Holy Emperor as he continued. "This is a Ruination Core. I know there is another in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, though I don¡¯t know how much you know about it." The question seemed to make the Holy Emperor shake out of his stupor and pensiveness as he stared at Noah in shock. His expression underwent a myriad of changes as he seemed thoughtful and pensive, staring at the calm Noah who had an Entity knowledgeable in a Grand Dao above his head and another being nearing the rank of an Entity by the side. Yet even at this scene, the Holy Emperor wasn¡¯t fearful as he spoke out carefully. "We have studied the Tools of Ruination for a long time, and we have not been able to discern anything from them nor how to use them! How did you activate that one...how are you using it?!" The gaze of the Holy Emperor gradually became heated as time passed, Noah merely nodding as he continued to talk. "I assume you know of the history of the Tools of Ruination? Of the truth behind the event tens of thousands of years ago that wiped out all the Sages and Great Sages?" "...Yes. Nearly all the powerhouses of the Ancient Powers know about this...whether through the pages of the Book of Ruination or from the messages left behind by Sages and Great Sages..." The Holy Emperor spoke carefully as his eyes remained on the pulsing Ruination Core in Noah¡¯s hands, his mind seemingly connecting many things together as his eyes then shook while he turned to stare deep into Noah¡¯s eyes! "We¡¯ve only been able to discern the information that a special authority or physique is required for anyone to utilize the Ruination Cores, could it be that you...?!" The wise old man was smarter than Noah expected as it saved him lengthy explanations, his head mearly nodding as he moved on to the next step. "I am most likely the only being in the Dark Universe who has the physique capable of utilizing the Ruination Cores...and also the one who can save us all from the coming Apocalypse!" The Holy Emperor shook as he ascertained this truth, his mouth seemingly dry as he spoke once more! "The coming Cataclysm...? You...!" The words didn¡¯t seem to come to him as the Holy Emperor merely stared at Noah in befuddlement. All of the Ancient Powers that presided over the Dark Expanse knew or had glimpses of information about a future Cataclysm, and they knew it dealt with the event tens of thousands of years ago and involved the treasure known as Ruination! Yet neither of them knew what to do to stop it as they all simply searched for the tools of Ruination and ways to utilize them. Very few had the proper knowledge of everything, with beings like the Entity that had appeared in front of Noah when he first formed the Infinite Galaxy. That Entity had collected multiple Pages from the Book of Ruination as he even knew of the Physique required for one to even think about using the Ruination Cores, but others were even more in the dark than him as they only knew of theories from the Legacies that their Sages or Great Sages left behind! The Holy Emperor from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter was one of these beings as he now faced a creature he had only heard and read about in hearsay. "My aim is the Ruination Core that should be under your care, if you would be wise and magnanimous enough to not simply let it collect dust and actually let me utilize it to save us all!" THUMP! "The coming Apocalypse is not one that can be survived unless I collect all of the remaining Ruination Cores and undo what the Sages and Great Sages did!" THUMP! "...!" The heart of the Holy Emperor was beating fast as he absorbed the multitude of information while seemingly lost in thought. As the seconds passed, Noah returned the Ruination Core into his origin, this action bringing the holy Emperor back to attention as he stared towards him with shining eyes. "This explains your ridiculous genius and talent...even the things you¡¯ve been able to do, but..." Noah looked at the gaze of the Holy Emperor and understood, as it was truly hard to let go of a treasure as profound as the Ruination Core! He seemed to see through the mind of this Ruler as he spoke calmly. "The Ruination Core will only continue to collect dust in your hands, but I can utilize it to save all of us. Your family outside, the trillions of lives in the Expensive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter...all of the Dark Universe! What is a mere treasure in front of this?!" RUMBLE The question rang true as it seemed to have woken the Holy Emperor, his shining eyes calming down as he retained the demeanor of a Ruler! "The news of the Ruination Core had somehow been leaked to the Primal Winged Expanse as I kept them close as allies since I knew full well what would happen when it was spread. This is the reason why the Primal Emperor proceeded with this war...and there is nothing stopping him from muddying the waters further by telling others about it!" "If the being that can utilize it appears in front of me while fighting for my Ancient Power..." The rest of his words didn¡¯t seem to be coming out as if he was thinking heavily on this issue! Yet when Noah saw this expression, he smiled as he knew he was already close to achieving his goal. "I can promise you security for the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, with no Ancient Power being able to bully you. The one I initiated this conflict with...I shall personally set off myself to finish it!" RUMBLE! Noah voiced out domineeringly as the Holy Emperor glanced towards him once more with shining eyes. "You¡¯ve been saying domineering things and accomplishing them with no issues so far that I subconsciously believe you when you speak now...sigh." The aged Ruler let out a breath as he seemed deep in thought, thinking about the trillions of lives under him and the reality that a being who could actually utilize the tools of Ruination had appeared right before him! "Very well!" THRUUUM! Chapter 814 - The Second Ruination Core! When a Ruler made their decision, they acted on it with no hesitation! The Holy Emperor did just that as he outweighed the risks and rewards after putting the terrifying being in front of him into full account. His strong voice resounded out. "Since the Ruination Core reacted some weeks ago, many experts have been moving with more vigor searching for the tools of Ruination. I knew the one I had under my control could invite a disaster...so I always kept it with me since that day!" RUMBLE! The Holy Emperor waved his hands the moment he finished his words. as a spatial ring appeared on his palm. This spatial ring was inscribed with unique runic marking as Noah laid his eyes on it. [Legacy Ring of Holding] :: An item passed down in the Windsor lineage for generations. It is capable of preserving many items in its isolated space while preventing any prying eyes from seeing within it... A special item that held an isolated spatial space appeared in the hands of the Holy Emperor, his eyes only growing firm when he pulled it out as his essence drilled into it, a flash of light shining out as something appeared out of it a second later! SHAA! Noah watched with shining eyes as a second Ruination Core appeared. His hands nearly reaching out inadvertently as the Holy Emperor looked at the powerful treasures with melancholic eyes. Tiamat was looking at this scene with disbelieving eyes as she didn¡¯t think this backwards looking power also had a portion of the Cosmic Treasure that was sought after by many beings before! "Our Forefathers obtained this tens of thousands of years ago during their journeys, and it has been with us ever since." His gaze was filled with reminiscence as his eyes became firm, the Ruination Core in his hands beginning to fly out towards Noah. "All the Ancient Powers are looking for the answer to evade the coming Cataclysm. It would be selfish of me to not make a move when the answer has come to me!" With these words, the Ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter made the choice to let go of a treasure that others wanted dearly, something that was worth it enough to even start wars and destroy galaxies! Noah gained a whole notch of respect for this being as his mana wrapped around the Ruination Core and brought it close to him, the treasure very quickly beginning to react to the one in his Origin as it began releasing a gorgeous red black light. It seemed like an attractive pulling force was coming from Noah¡¯s origin as the Ruination Core was inadvertently going towards it! The Holy Emperor watched the scene closely as he saw the terrifying Ruination Core enter the glimmering c.h.e.s.t of this genius, soon disappeared as a second later...immense eruptions of essence burst forth. THRUUUUM! It felt like a resonance of mana as Noah brought the Ruination Core into another one of his 6 Universal Law Origins, the treasure settling in as if it arrived home! Noah¡¯s body felt like a battlefield of mana as he shone with a l.u.s.trous light, the red black essence of Ruination shooting forth from his domineeringly as for the first time since tens of thousands of years ago, two portions of the Cosmic Treasure Ruination were brought close! Noah looked inside of his origin as he saw a distinct thin red line connecting the two Ruination Cores together, each of them pulsating with power as at this moment, Noah had obtained 2 Ruination Cores! He didn¡¯t have to do anything grand to get his second, merely talking with the Holy Emperor being enough as his exploits were big enough to back up his words in the mind of this powerful Ruler. One didn¡¯t have to always use brute force to get what they wanted! RUMBLE Noah was looking at the second Ruination Core as at this moment, he knew he could choose a second Affix to keep active at all times, his power being boosted by another level as he could be even more monstrous during combat, and also enjoy even greater benefits while cultivating when he switched to the affixes that dealt with increased assimilation and comprehensions! As light bounced on and off of the Ruination Cores, he was also getting new information about new Affixes becoming available! In the case of Laws and Daos, a new possible Affix that stated [+2500% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Laws] and one that stated [+2500% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Daos]. His eyes shone at these new possibilities as it meant he could see the terrifying +10,000% very soon if he collected more Ruination Cores! A variety of new Affixes were added as Noah had many new ideas while going through them! RUMBLE! The obtaining of a second core was truly a grand achievement as the light between the two Ruination Cores endlessly bounced back and forth with an ever increasing might. The resonance of the Ruination Cores continued as at the same time as this occurred, a chain reaction was taking place on all the tools of Ruination across the Dark Universe. Each of them vibrated intensely for a few minutes as many powers were alerted, those knowledgeable connecting some dots as terrifying conclusions began to be drawn! Light years away from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse, multiple Entities with unique physiologies stood around a vibrating Ruination Core with blank expressions. These Entities were extremely unnerving to look at as all of them looked similar, yet they were completely different beings! An even more disastrous thing was the fact that from their bodies, one could sense the swirling essence of multiple Daos! These were genuine powerhouses that would cause other Powers to tremble, being with immense powers! This was the Ancient Power in the North that was ruled by the Spirit Race! "It seems the one who can utilize the Ruination Cores has really come to be, otherwise this would not be repeating twice in such a short time span." "They seem to be able to very quickly find the locations of other Ruination Cores, so we will know who they are very soon as they will actually come to us..." RUMBLE! A shocking thought was released as these aged beings nodded towards each other! The swirling light of Lesser and Grand Daos around them only made them only more menacing as they continued to discuss. In other areas, similar scenes were occurring as whether it was in an Ancient Power or from a lone Entity that held the Tools of Ruination...they all knew something grand was coming as yet another reaction came from the Tools of Ruination within a short period of time! They knew that grand changes were coming, and each of them had to be prepared! Chapter 815 - Unlocking the Bloodlines and Daos of Pets! I The eruption of essence was slowly dying down in the private Life Realm as Noah opened his eyes, his majestic figure made even more glorious by the terrifying Blue Slime wiggling atop his head. By the side, Tiamat seemed to be thoughtful as the voice of the Holy Emperor rang out once more. "You said the coming Cataclysm could be stopped by you, what can the rest of us do to help?" "All that I need to do is collect the remaining 4 Ruination Cores and put them together. Then I can undo the work that the Sages and Great Sages did to cause all of this!" Noah replied calmly as the Holy Emperor continued to question! "Undo the work of multiple Sages and Great Sages by yourself? I know you¡¯re a genius but..." The eyes of the Holy Emperor were twitching at the reply as Noah merely smiled while speaking calmly. "It only requires the mana equivalent to multiple Sages and Great Sages, nothing much on my part!" "..." The Holy Emperor could only look forth incredulously at this reply as he had no words, only watching as Noah came forward jovially to express his thanks. "You¡¯ve done something great that you will only know the profound results of in the future! And for our nearest future...let us take care of the Primal Winged Expanse first!" RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s gaze turned ferocious as the Holy Emperor adopted a solemn expression. Noah wanted to find out more about the powerhouses of the Primal Winged Expanse, so after he obtained the Ruination Core, he continued talking with the Holy Emperor and asked about the true power behind their enemies! "The Primal Winged Expanse is blessed with around 25 Entities, some of them being wandering Entities that pledged allegiance to them thousands of years ago!" The Holy Emperor gave an overview of the Primal Winged Expanse and its forces as Noah found out that they had over 25 Entities including the Primal Emperor himself. Some of these Entities were participating in this war, with others being cornerstones of the Ancient Power as they remained as reserve forced to protect their core lands. "Our Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter has similar numbers, with around 15 Entities deployed to cover numerous regions as less than half are cultivating around the Expansive Holy Land to act as protectors for the core regions." He thoughtfully put together the information that the Holy Emperor continued to tell him as he thought of it in his own terms. In his mind, there were around 25 Big Bosses that would drop the most prime loot if he could take all of them down, and they were really cl.u.s.tered in a single location as they waited for him! When he realized this scene...he knew he had to do something wild as he wanted to target and take down all of these big bosses at once! He didn¡¯t want a single one of them to escape as the singular thing that dominated his mind at this moment was...a Siege. A Siege! RUMBLE! He rose up while looking at the Holy Emperor with a smile and spoke out grandly. "So I¡¯ll be personally attacking the Primal Winged Expanse with my own forces. I ask you to trust me once more when I tell you the most important thing about all of this- do not interfere!" ...! The Holy Emperor looked forth in a stupor as he heard words that didn¡¯t make sense. But Noah¡¯s words were because...he didn¡¯t want any loot to be stolen away from him by the forces of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, so they had to stay away! "Can you promise me this?" Noah¡¯s expression was stern as the Holy Emperor sighed while nodding. Even asking on whether he should interfere if Noah¡¯s life was threatened- but he still said no! After all was said and done, the talk between the Holy Emperor and Noah continued for another half an hour before the Ruler was satisfied after listening to Noah¡¯s domineering requests, the Life Realm around them beginning to dissipate as their figures soon appeared back in the Rising Stellar Peaks. Old Man Khan and the others looked at the reapplying figures as they came forward, Noah giving a light smile as he turned towards the dark chaotic void past the Rising Stellar Peaks where he knew the forces of the Primal Winged Expanse were still watching. Hid eyes shone as he finalized his plan that he calculated numerous times in his mind...going towards this Dark chaotic void once more as he prepared a show! This time, the show was to introduce himself- to show the Primal Winged Expanse and any other Ancient Power out there as he gave them a glimpse of Noah Osmont. As he planned for the Siege of an Ancient Power, he wanted all the spread out Entities of the Primal Winged Expanse to gather as this time around, he wanted them to know he was coming! RUMBLE! He floated far past the defense line as he got into the same area where he had taunted them to send an army to him before. This time, he didn¡¯t speak any words as he merely waved his hands to summon his Middle Tier GALAXY Animus Summons. With Tiamat not too far from him and the Blue Slime atop his head, the figures of the Three-Legged Fate Crow, Oraculothorax, Void Serpent, Calamity Bear, Colossal Helios Leviathan, and the Obsidian Panther all appeared grandly! Their manifested galaxies shone with splendor as at this moment, the powerful Summoners of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter couldn¡¯t even ask why someone had double the normal amount of summons contracted to him, their eyes only watching and opening wider and wider as they saw Noah begin to utilize the [Animus Growth Empowerment] skill on his summons right here and now. ...! Many quickly realized that as this now apparent Entity was at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm, he could use the [Animus Growth Empowerment] ability to very quickly bring his summons up to the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm over the next few months and years, but they hadn¡¯t expected him to begin doing such a thing at this moment! Was he planning on publicly training his pets even when it would take weeks or months to just fully train one all the way to the Peak? The forces of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter were confused as the hidden forces from the Primal Winged Expanse only watched closely from afar. THRUM! They observed Noah to cast still after skill on a majestic looking Three-Legged Fate Crow, the mana of an Entity utilized every time as the Animus felt a rush of essence wrap around it constantly! It¡¯s body was changing and growing larger at a visible rate it let out fierce cries, those watching beginning to feel its Realm slowly advancing from the Middle Tier GALAXY...and begin heading up towards the Peak! The Three-Legged Fate Crow let put piercing cries as Noah cast one [Animus Growth Empowerment] after another, choosing to domineeringly catch the attention of the Ancient Power he would Siege with a grand show nobody had seen before. "He wouldn¡¯t actually be..." "No way..." "Did he comprehend the Dao of Vastness as well?!" Cries began to soon ring out as those proficient in the Dao of Summoning saw cast after cast from this being relentlessly as he didn¡¯t stop for even a second to recover his mana- seeing a shocking scene of someone continuing to cast a growth skill multiple times as if he continued like this- they shockingly realized they would watch the advancement of a an Animus Summon from Middle Tier to Peak Tier GALAXY in a matter of minutes! Minutes! "No f.u.c.k.i.n.g way..." It was the conserved Prince Rudolf letting out the expletives as the Holy Emperor and others watched with shining eyes what a true Summoner could do. RUMBLE! Noah planned to do this for all of his pets publicly, showing a shocking show of power as he produced multiple Peak Tier GALAXY experts who would awaken powerful Bloodlines and Daos the moment they entered this Realm. Apart from the Golden Crow, he couldn¡¯t wait for the advancement and transformation of the Void Serpent into J?rmungandr! "Haha!" His wild laugh bellowed out in the chaotic void as the transformation of a Three-Legged Fate Crow into a genuine Golden Crow was underway at this very moment. Those watching...would barely be able to close their eyes as a grand show played for all to see! Chapter 816 - Unlocking the Bloodlines and Daos of Pets! II "What is he doing...?" In the core of the Primal Winged Expanse, an Entity voiced out towards his surrounding peers and the Primal Emperor while they watched the scene of Noah constantly spamming [Animus Growth Empowerment] on his pets. "From the information we¡¯ve gathered about the Dao of Summoning, he should be upgrading the realm of his pets...though that process should take weeks at the fastest if not months at the slowest!" The Primal Emperor replied with Eyes blazing with light as those who heard his words quieted down! "So how is he doing it in minutes..." "..." Silence reigned in the surroundings as nobody had answers! --- CAAA! A piercing cry reverberated throughout the chaotic void as golden scorching flames in the shape of a cross brightened up the Expansive darkness, the body of a creature over 50 meters tall registering on the eyes of many. Everything about this creature was gold as its feathers shone resplendently, its golden eyes releasing an overpowering light as its Expansive wings seemed as sharp as blades while its three feet seemed strong enough to shatter mountains! CAAA! Noah laid his shining eyes on it once more. [Golden Crow](Ultra Rare) :: An Animus Pet currently at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. It has reached a.d.u.l.thood and awakened the bloodline of the Archaic Golden Crow, directly gaining comprehensions of the Grand Dao of Inferno as more techniques will slowly be awakened by it. Its abilities include Fate Flames of the Void, Barrier of Brilliance... His first ever pet was given the privilege of entering the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm first when one didn¡¯t put into account Tiamat and the Blue Slime, Noah gaining a genuine Golden Crow under him as this majestic beast brought its golden beak to slowly nudge Noah, its reverberating flames causing for a magisterial scene to be displayed to many! Old Man Khan was looking at this scene while shaking his head, this man being a veteran in the Dao of Summoning and saw exactly what had happened, but he still couldn¡¯t believe it! The first issue was the [Animus Growth Empowerment] skill itself that Noah was casting. It seemed to be much too effective and powerful! The other issue was naturally the fact that he had cast this skill way too many times and constantly over the past 15 or so minutes as they wondered a singular thing. "How has he not run out of mana?!" RUMBLE! The disbelieving gazes of those watching would be left in the dust as Noah paid no heed, his body exploding with essence as he began to spam [Animus Growth Empowerment] on the Void Serpent and the others at the same time as well. It was constant and repeated casting at a rate of multiple times per second, the truly knowledgeable beings nearly shaking from shock when they saw the scene as it entirely defied everything they knew! The Holy Emperor thought he had been surprised enough, but as he looked at this scene- he couldn¡¯t help but think back to something Noah had said when it came to his mana. ["It only requires the mana equivalent to multiple Sages and Great Sages, nothing much on my part!"] These words rang out in the Holy Emperor¡¯s mind as he seemed to understand why these ridiculous words could somehow be true! RUMBLE! At the spot where Noah continued to upgrade the strength of his pets, the serpentine body of the Void Serpent was coiling as it became even larger, a hazy dark grey light wrapping around it as draconic roars could occasionally be heard. The Dark grey light expanded wildly as the shadow of the Serpent became ever so bigger, only a few minutes passing before a luminous dark light shone out while a draconic roar resounded! ROAAAR! Off to the side, Tiamat had reminiscent eyes when looking at this creature unlocking a bloodline she was very much familiar with- a sister bloodline of her own lineage where she knew the being at the very peak of strength tens of thousands of years ago. As the hazy light faded and the image became clear, Tiamat shook her head wistfully as she realized she was nearly looking at the youthful image of an old monster she used to know! The fearsome and enormous creature she was looking at was the Void Serpent that had finally entered a.d.u.l.thood, a being now touring over 500 meters in size as its pristine dark-grey scales shone even in the chaotic void. The Void Serpent was gone as finally, the true form of J?rmungandr had come to light! [Galaxy Devouring Serpent- J?rmungandr] (PRISMATIC) :: An Archaic Animus currently in the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. Entering its a.d.u.l.t stage, this Galaxy Devouring Serpent has awakened one of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of all Animus Creatures- the bloodline of the Galaxy Devouring Serpent, J?rmungandr. It has directly gained comprehensions in the Grand Dao of Devouring as the further its bloodline awakens, the faster its speed of comprehension and Assimilation will be... "Ahhh..." Those weak in the heart slumped to the ground while watching this scene, their brains barely being able to follow as they were watching something that went against everything they believed in! 2 Animus Summons raised to Peak Tier GALAXY in half an hour, and the person in question was relentless as he seemed to be continuing. "What is this...?!" "It¡¯s not real...it¡¯s not real..." Shock, awe, and disbelief spread out at a shocking scene that would include itself onto the minds of all of those watching! Yet Noah wasn¡¯t done as while he laughed grandly when looking at the resplendent appearances of the Golden Crow and J?rmungandr, he moved on to the Variant Oculothorax and the Calamity Bear to finish their enhancements next! Chapter 817 - A Tyrannical Entity! I The Variant Oculothorax was a particularly unique Animus Summon as it didn¡¯t have any powerful bloodline or history, simply being a unique creature that had undergone a mutation and was very proficient in the Soul! When Noah finished admiring the gorgeous sight of a fearsome Galaxy Devouring Serpent, his constant spamming of [Animus Growth Empowerment] had been focused on this Variant Oculothorax and the Calamity Bear. The winged eyeball that was proficient in laws of Light and Fate had grown ever bigger as it neared its final transformation, a piercing cry erupting from it as it grandly showed itself. AAAAH! The cry was one that made weaker beings clutch their heads in pain, just its roars carrying power to affect a being¡¯s soul as this Oculothorax bowed its wings towards Noah subserviently! Its size was now around 100 meters, its wings shining with a contrasting dark and gold color as the main body that was the eye could infuse terror into any normal being. [Lightbourne Oculothorax](Ultra Rare) :: An Animus Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. Its body is primarily an eyeball, and this particular Oculothorax has undergone a mutation through pure willpower and mastered the laws of Light and Fate. Since advancing to a.d.u.l.thood, it has stepped on the path of the Lesser Dao of Darklight. It contains a dreadfully strong soul as all its abilities carry potent Soul Damage. Abilities include Eye of Doom, Fate Extinguishing Light... Yet another Peak Tier summon appeared in the bustling chaotic void as all those looking felt their minds grow numb. The Primal Emperor¡¯s gaze was increasingly solemn as he watched the being in the illusory screen continue to cast skills repeatedly, enormous bouts of mana being required every time. "The show he is putting up is merely a continuation of his boasting after the death of Vast. Since Vast boasted to have enough mana reserves to last for days while fighting, he¡¯s merely showing his own reserves to be higher than Vasts!" An Aileron Entity by the side spoke out calmly as they all watched the illusory scene. "But such repeated casting and use of mana...even Vast had nothing like this!" "..." No other replies came as the powerful Entities continued to watch in silence. 30 minutes passed as in the chaotic void where Noah could be seen by all, another one of his pets entered into the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm after being subjected to his constant spamming. THRUUUUM! The enormous Calamity Bear shook the surrounding space as its form underwent a grand change, shining black wings erupting from its back in a shocking fashion after its transformation! "OOOOOH!" A bellow was released from it grandly as it looked like a majestic king of all bears, Noah glancing at the new description of this Animus Summon. [Archaic Void Calamity Millenium Bear](Ultra Rare) :: An Animus Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. A unique species of Bears that takes on the mantle of [Calamity], having entered a.d.u.l.thood, this Millenium Bear has stepped on the Grand Dao of Nature as it strives to become one with those around it. Its abilities include Shield of Beginning, Hug of Life and Death... The stellar Archaic Void Millenium Vear joined the ranks of Golden Crow, Jormungandr, and the Lightbourne Oculothorax as its aura oppressive stood as the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm as its body swirled with the essence of a Grand Dao! The summoners from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter watched with agape expressions as they found themselves question whether all of them were studying the same Dao of Summoning. Had they just been doing things wrong? Were they just stupid people that considered themselves geniuses? "Why have we wasted so many years..." Even Prince Rudolf had a sunken expression as he couldn¡¯t explain the scene in front of him! 30 minutes passed! RUMBLE! The colossal figure of the Leviathan became ever larger as it nearly covered the sight of everyone, the creature being thousands of meters large as its finished transformation was contrasted by something extremely small that could not be seen by many because of its shocking speed. Both the Obsidian Panther and Colossal Helios Leviathan had advanced to Peak Tier and transformed at this crucial stage as Noah glanced at their new descriptions as well! [Golden Colossal Helios Leviathan]( PRISMATIC) :: An Archaic Animus currently in the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. Being a mythical creature that traverses the Helios Sundering Seas of the Animus Universe, it is nearing full maturity as it has awoken the Golden Helios Bloodline of the Royal Helios Race. Proficient and Assimilated with the Laws of Death, Aether, Space, and Time, this Animus has now embarked on the path of the Grand Dao of Macrocosm. Its abilities include Unremitting Fortress, Realm Depredation... [Tempestuous Obsidian Panther](PRISMATIC) :: An Animus Summon at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm. It is a unique species with the Bloodline of the Noble Black Panther Clan of the Tempestuous Realms of the Animus Universe. Its proficiency lies in quickness and speed that can even rival beings of higher stages as its deadly claws deal even more dreadful damage, with the laws of Space, Time, and Air being mastered. This Tempestuous Obsidian Panther is nearing full comprehension on the Lesser Dao of Alacrity, greatly enhancing its speed. The Colossal Helios Leviathan looked like a moving fortress as its thick scales were tinged with gold, the flashing figure of the Obsidian Panther having sleek dark fur as it flashed around at such high speeds that only Old Man Khan and the Holy Emperor could keep their eyes on it! "..." All those watching could simply observe in silence at this scene as they truly watched from beginning to end as a being took 6 Animus Summons from Middle to Peak Tier of the GALAXY Realm in just a few hours. "This...is just too domineering..." "Domineering? F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell, this is just tyrannical!" "Tyrannical!" RUMBLE! It truly was so! Not even domineering anymore as many beings thought this new apparent Entity was simply too Tyrannical. In the chaotic void, Noah now floated next to the magisterial sight of 6 glimmering Animus Summons in the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm, the Blue Slime wiggling above his head and the fearsome Tiamat looking towards him with shining eyes making it a total of 8 Peak Tier GALAXY experts by his side! "Haha!" His bellowing laugh echoed out as the many watching beings nearby and afar looked towards him with still shocked eyes, wondering what this domineering being would do next. Noah would not disappoint as the moment his bellowing laughter finished, he flew onto the enormous body of the Colossal Helios Leviathan as his other pets did the same, his voice ringing out explosively as the body of the huge leviathan began to move forward. "Primal Emperor...I am coming to pay a visit to your Ancient Power!" THRUUUM! ...! Chapter 818 - A Tyrannical Entity! II Alarm rose in the hearts of many as their jaws nearly detached, the voice of Noah ringing out continuously in their ears! "Primal Emperor...I am coming to pay a visit to your Ancient Power!..." "..." Old Man Khan had incredulous eyes as he turned towards the Holy Emperor and asked what Noah was doing in shock. The aged Holy Emperor did not say much as he shook his eyes and he replied. "He said he would lay siege to the Ancient Power, and he has now set off to do that." ...! Old Man Khan scratched his ears and checked to see if his old friend had turned senile! "What the hell do you mean? That doesn¡¯t make any sense! He¡¯s..." RUMBLE! The Holy Emperor raised his hands as he shook his head, his grand voice ringing out after. "His status represents something more important than what you or I realize. For now, let¡¯s just watch." "...we won¡¯t even be sending him support?" Old Man Khan still didn¡¯t believe what he was seeing as he still asked! "No. He specifically asked for none of us to interfere. No Entity from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter will make a move, I will let them all know!" The walking stick in Old Man Khan¡¯s hand shattered as one shocking word after another came out, his hairs turning whiter by the second as he watched the domineering image of an enormous Colossal Helios leviathan moving forward. The many Holy Descendants on the defensive line looked forth in a stupor as a single word began to spread among them! "Tyrannical..." "The pride of Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter!" "A powerful Entity!" "Powerful? He¡¯s f.u.c.k.i.n.g tyrannical! A Tyrannical Entity!" "The Tyrannical Entity!" RUMBLE! A single word spread across the millions that watched Noah¡¯s domineering actions and declaration as he now stormed towards an Ancient Power. --- In the heart of the Primal Winged Expanse, wrath was bubbling in the heart of the Primal Emperor as he sent out numerous communications to his powerful experts. "Be ready to intercept this freakish Entity. If possible, we cannot let him grow any further as he might become someone unbeatable in the future!" OOOM! His words were known to be true by the other Entities as they recalled how just a day or two ago, the aura of an Entity was not on this being as he was merely a Middle Tier GALAXY expert. Unless he had a technique that lied to others about his Realm...the truth was terrifying to think about. "Amass our Peak Tier GALAXY combatants for this frontal attack, we saw how he can also teleport in groups of GALAXY experts..." Many preparations were made by a singular Ancient Power as Noah made his way over to the Primal Winged Expanse! His pace while crossing the chaotic void was actually not fast, the Golden Colossal Helios Leviathan seemingly having fun swimming through the darkness as it let out terrifying bellows every now and then. On its body, the manifested GALAXIES of all of Noah¡¯s pets shone brightly as he nonchalantly talked to the Animus Summons to get a better grasp of their abilities. The fearsome Jormungandr was talking to Tiamat with his head proudly held high while a wiggling Blue Slime that released the terrifying aura of an Entity was the most friendly of them all, going towards every other Animus Summon as it rested on their heads. When it neared Tiamat, the curvaceous Queen Dowager had thrown it a dangerous look as the body of the Blue Slime wiggled before it just moved along! It passed through all of them and eventually returned above Noah¡¯s head as all the others did not seem to come to its standard. Such was the scene playing out above the moving Leviathan as Noah neared an Ancient Power with no rush, hours passing by! If one thought about it just a little, they might even think he was actually giving them time to prepare! --- In other parts of the Dark Universe, many pieces were moving back and forth as grand movements were made. A particular one worthy of note for us was the news that the Primal Emperor had released reaching the ears of far away Ancient Powers from the groups of Ailerons that would not be making it back to the Primal Winged Expanse alive. But at this moment, the news of an apparent Ruination Core and a Great Sage¡¯s Legacy being unearthed was known by many Ancient Powers, the consequences of such a move still being unknown as of right now! But at this juncture when the Tools of Ruination reacted twice in a short period of time...news about the Ruination Cores could not be ignored! "Elder Sunflower, lead some of the invited Entities to check out the situation between the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse..." A majestic voice commanded a group of Entities in one corner of the Dark Universe. "Borrow one of the Sun Shattering Legions to gather more information...do not join their war!" Another command was given by a Ruler from another corner of the Dark Universe... Many scenes like this repeated themselves as scouting Entities were sent out to see exactly what was occurring in the location where spread out news said a Ruination Core existed and a Great Sage¡¯s Legacy was unearthed! Numerous parties made their way over with quick speed, and the setup was glorious enough that they might arrive either just in time as Noah attacked an entire Ancient Power by himself, or they would be there to witness the devastating results after everything was over and done... Chapter 819 - A Full Frontal Attack! In the Southern region of the Dark Universe, there existed an Ancient Power with deep roots and history, one that many beings feared and steered clear of. This was the Ancient Power ruled by the Spirit Race, unique existences that were heavily in tune with nature, laws, and Daos! These beings had many unique features as among them, they shared a strong link in their souls as they easily communicated with each other. "Sister Gold, you should have made some advancements in your assimilation of the Daos of Alacrity, Vastness, Frost, and Destruction. Why don¡¯t you set off for the outside Galaxies and observe if there truly is another Ruination Core in the hands of this little expansive cl.u.s.ter?" A message traveled through the connected minds as one being heard it and nodded, the shocking reality of this Entity from the Spirit Race studying 4 Daos being mentioned by them simply! In the Northern region of the Dark Universe where the Arch Humans ruled, a lone Entity was moving through this Ancient Power after traversing outside alone for so long. You might recall this Entity as the one that was able to see Noah briefly after he upgraded his Infinite Galaxy, the Entity that has been searching for the being capable of utilizing the Ruination Cores for all these years! He was grumbling at his bad luck as he enjoyed the companies of other Entities in the Northern Region, friends that he had made over the land thousands of years. "Oh?" News about the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse reached the talking Entities as they discussed it without making any moves, but one of them had shining eyes as he stood up swiftly! "Traverser, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re thinking of falling for such an obvious tactic?" A curvaceous female Entity drank the golden liquid from her cup as she asked curiously towards the dominating Entity that had miniaturized himself from his large size. "One can never advance in this Universe if we do not take risks! I thank you all for sharing this with me..." The other Entities shook their heads wryly as they watched one titled as Traverser flying out with a flash of light, yet another powerful Entity joining the fray among the many heading towards the war between the two Ancient Powers in the West! --- The distance between the two powers could not be considered too vast or too close, with Entities being able to go from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and into the Primal Winged Expanse in as long as days or as short as just a few hours. It all depended on the speed the Entity was moving at! Noah was moving at an absolute snail¡¯s pace as he gave time for his subordinates to finish absorbing the Dao Crystals that would grant them full comprehension in the Lesser Dao of Withering, and he also gave time for the Primal Winged Expanse to prepare him a buffet of loot. As he slowly moved atop the Colossal Helios Leviathan, many plans swirled in his mind as thought of using [Plot Armor] or [Deus Ex Machina] during the coming battle, and the choice of the two Ruination Core Affixes that would best match him against powerful Entities! He knew that many eyes were on him as he neared the coordinates of the Primal Winged Expanse he had gotten from the Holy Emperor. Those from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter he had told to stay away and not interfere were watching, while those from the Primal Winged Expanse were preparing for him! OOOOH The bellow of the Colossal Helios Leviathan could be heard as the outline of the nearest Galaxy that made up the cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies that were part of the Primal Winged Expanse appeared. Noah¡¯s eyes shone as he could already see numerous figures littering the area. At the forefront, the grand image of a majestic Primal Emperor could be seen as he was flanked side by side with many domineering figures, each of them letting out the terrifying auras of Entities as they looked towards Noah and his pets coldly! THRUUUM! Palpable waves of power could be felt spreading out at the mere presence of this many experts, Noah¡¯s eyes shining brightly as he looked behind the Entities standing next to the Primal Emperor. For this battle, the Aileron Race did not bring in millions of small dredges that would simply be killed, but only top tier experts as besides the Entities, over 100 Peak Tier GALAXY experts were gathered! Such was the strength of an Ancient Power... Noah could count around 15 Entities coldly staring towards him, his eyes glancing around as he really expected the 25 that the Holy Emperor mentioned. "I¡¯m not sure whether to consider you really bold or just plain stupid." THRUM! The resonant voice of the Primal Emperor rang out as he waved his hand, spatial fluctuations erupting out behind the Colossal Helios Leviathan and to its left and right sides as at this moment, more Entities appeared to flank Noah¡¯s party right in the middle! Behind him, 5 Entities with world shaking auras appeared, 3 to his left and 3 more to his right as it made 26 total Entities currently encircling him! "But since you have come here...I might as well make this your grave!" RUMBLE! The voice of the Primal Emperor reverberated out as the 4 encircling groups of Entities had one person in each group shatter a crystal, a brilliant light shining out as a circular field of light exploded out to cover all the nearby surroundings- including Noah and his pets. "I know you like creating Realms and holding your enemies hostage, so I wanted to give you a taste of your own medicine as you get locked in an Illusory Unbreakable Realm that will hold you in while showing all the cowards watching what I will do to unruly Entities that threaten me!" RUMBLE! The wrathful voice of the Primal Emperor continued to resound out as Noah¡¯s eyes shone brightly, never having expected his full frontal attack on the Primal Winged Expanse to go this well. The reason for this was the Illusory Unbreakable Realm that the Primal Emperor had just talked about! "Brother Primal, this Unbreakable Realm will be active for the next hour as nobody will be able to come in or out." The Entity releasing unique spatial fluctuations voiced out as his arrogant eyes landed towards Noah¡¯s small figure far in the distance. Yes! Shockingly, the fearsome ability that used the essence of the surrounding Entities was a powerful realm prison that enclosed and locked in all those in the affected space for a whole hour! Everyone! Only the controller that initiated it, the being with unique spatial essence on his body, could choose to cut off his connection as he left alone while dealing heavy self-damage to himself if ever he wanted to get out before the hour ended. It was a truly powerful ability that had very shocking limitations! "Ah...!" Noah couldn¡¯t help but tremble at this scene, his eyes not being able to hide their happiness as the single greatest he was afraid of- which was the Entities he wanted to fight running away from him, this problem was solved by his own enemies as they locked themselves with him in a timed prison. How nice they were! How magnanimous! How magisterial! Chapter 820 - Lets Go!!! I Within the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, the Holy Emperor and Old Man Khan had returned to the core of the draconic shaped Realm as they were surrounded by 4 other Entities. Noah had yet to meet any of them as they had been placed at far positions for defense, but the Holy Emperor had called some of them back as they now stood in a Core command room while watching the illusory scene of Noah and the forces of the Primal Winged Expanse playing out far away! Old Man Khan¡¯s face was cloudy as his body palpated with power. His strong voice coming out in anger. "This being is obviously a once in a life time genius, where we would have grown together in the next tens and hundreds of years as he possibly had the chance to become a Sage...!" "Yet...yet! You let him go alone and now he is surrounded by 26 Entities that want to put on a show!" Anger was not hidden from Old Man Khan¡¯s voice as he spoke, the Holy Emperor keeping his gaze calm as the other Entities looked at each of them with many thoughts. Even though the situation looked extremely grim, the Holy Emperor¡¯s face remained the same as his majestic voice came out. "As hard as it is while watching what is happening right now...I am trusting in his words!" RUMBLE! The stance of the Holy Emperor was clear as they watched the shocking scene play out with clarity, the Illusory Unbreakable Realm having its unique quality in the name- everyone could see what was happening within it! --- "Haha! Very good!" Noah¡¯s boisterous voice came out even while surrounded by a variety of Entities. When he looked around him, he could see that many of them had the stellar pairs if wings that made them Ailerons, but a few were humans and 2 seemed to be from completely different species as their bodies held unique physiologies! From them, he could sense the aura of profound Dao essence, each of their bodies thrumming with power as they looked towards not him, but the Blue Slime above his head coldly. They had seen this creature sneak attack someone as powerful as Vast, and a large portion of their focus was on it! While the Peak Tier GALAXY Summons Noah brought forth were strong, they weren¡¯t seen as threats in front of the Entities¡¯ eyes To them, this battle was over and done with as the domineering Primal Emperor would soon give out a command! Noah stopped his boisterous laughter as he looked towards them while his body began to explode out with essence. "Big bird bosses, you see...aside from my many other talents. I¡¯m actually very proficient in making Clones!" RUMBLE! The moment his words finished, his c.h.e.s.t shone as Noah made it seem like something was coming out from his origin. He didn¡¯t want to let the Entities in this realm prison know that he could leave at any time due to his Astral Connector Absolute Skill, so he made it seem like he was merely Summoning things from within! But soon after, the devilishly handsome figures of beings with the same look as him appeared grandly, each of them carrying the same aura of an Entity. "..." Their number increased to match the numbers of Peak Tier summoned beasts beside Noah, the figures that looked exactly like him standing beside every Animus Summons but Tiamat! "Merge!" With each of these figures relating the aura of Entities, Noah had them merge with the Peak Tier GALAXY pets and the Blue Slime right after as an explosion of essence took place. Shockingly, the Primal Emperor and other Aileron Entities let him perform all of these skills and transformations before attacking! RUMBLE! The Void Clones of both of his bodies merged with the Blue Slime, Colossal Helios Leviathan, J?rmungandr, Golden Crow, Calamity Bear, Oculothorax, and the Obsidian Panther as only Tiamat was not merged with yet. A the same time, Noah affirmed that the two Ruination Cores affixes were set to [Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate] and [The act of not taking damage for 10 seconds grants a Ruination Shield capable of withstanding a single strike from a Sage]! A defensive affix and an auxiliary one to provide him with the most pristine loot were set as his newly created ability of [Loot Drop- Assimilation Crystals] was already working and simply waiting for him to take down his enemies. Many things were in place as he thought about bringing out the subordinates that had been absorbing Dao Crystals in the Infinite Galaxy, but only a few had managed to bring their comprehensions to 100% as they all still remained in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm! Due to this and being faced with the pressure of 26 powerful Entities and over 100 Peak Tier Entities behind them, Noah planned to maybe release the Emperor Penguin and others when the odds of the battle were not that dangerous. He had [Save Point] and multiple other life saving means, while his subordinates were still only budding and had just now barely entered the ranks of power houses. So for this battle...he would take on all of these Entities alone! The summoned pets that merged with his clones very quickly erupted with power as each of their bodies now held the aura of an Entity, their bodies rumbling with power as they were ready to strike! The Primal Emperor and his forces still looked towards Noah coldly though, as not a single one made a move. "Are you done?" The domineering voice of the Primal Emperor that seemed free of worries rang out. After surrounding a being with 26 Entities ready to gang up on him, would there ever be a need for someone to worry? His mystical pairs of wings glimmered sharply as his body shone with l.u.s.ter, the ruler overseeing an entire Ancient Power that had assimilated a large portion of a Lesser Dao exploding out with power as the Entities around him began to move. "Let me show you despair. Let me give you a taste of the same treatment you gave my people!" RUMBLE! The chaotic void quaked at the sight of immense pressures, Noah simply having a bright smile as his hair flung around wildly, the Blue Slime shooting forth from his head as Tiamat¡¯s body erupted out and transformed! "Let¡¯s go!!!" OOOOOH! Chapter 821 - Lets Go!!! II "Let¡¯s go!!!" A magisterial bellow erupted out as while faced with enemies in much greater numbers, Noah and his summoned pets moved with valor, their bodies shining out with power! CAAA! The resonant cry of the Golden Crow rang out first as the golden flames on its body shone splendorous, a single skill being cast that affected all allies. [Aurora Flames of the Enforcer]. WAA! The golden flames from her body intensified as they jumped onto the bodies of other pets, swirling around them menacingly as they each received a boost in power while gaining regenerative and defensive boosts from an ability of the Golden Crow! ROAAAR! The draconic roar of the Dragon Queen rang out majestically as the huge figure of Tiamat made her appearance. There was a reason why Noah had not merged with her, this Queen Dowager sending him a single message some time back. ¡¯Do not merge with me and share your aura of an Entity. I need to experience destruction in its true form- whether from my body being heavily injured or if I rip apart Entities...before I can completely comprehend the Dao of Destruction myself!¡¯ Tiamat wanted to struggle against the Entities without any support, Noah trusting the abilities of this fearsome being to not die simply as he let her run free! As for himself? Since he had reached Peak Tier GALAXY and had become a genuine Entity, what prevented him from personally participating? "OOOOOH!" He bellowed out wildly as he didn¡¯t call forth any weapons such as the Trident of the Sea or the less useful Dagger of Time at this moment, simply going towards the cl.u.s.ter of Entities around the Primal Emperor with his body that palpated with the aura of the Dao of Withering! "You dare come towards me with the Dao I have nearly assimilated?!" The Primal Emperor called forth in anger and fury as he sensed the aura of the Dao of Withering on Noah, his body moving towards him wrathfully. The Entities by his side rushed towards the menacing Blue Slime and Tiamat, the ones that appeared behind Noah being matched by the Colossal Helios Leviathan and the fearsome Jormungandr while the ones on the left and right were targeted by the Golden Crow and Calamity Bear on one side, the Oculothorax and Obsidian Panther on the other. It was a grand scene of multiple Animus Summons and Noah¡¯s valiant figure rushing towards multiple Entities! By all accounts, they were outnumbered! Those they were attacking...were beings that had lived for very long and were already assimilated with their Daos by large amounts. Everybody looking at this scene nearly closed their eyes as if they expected the massacre about to take place, as if they couldn¡¯t bear to see such a Tyrannical Entity be stopped by being ganged up on by 26 Entities! BZZZT...BOOOM! Space weaved and cried out as the first impact occurred. Multiple Entities had thrown out skills or physical attacks against Noah and his summons, the expected scene that should have occurred being one of bloody murder as logically- blood should have been drawn! OOOOH! Noah and his pets were only pushed back a little as illusory barriers appeared around them! It was Ruination Shields! The Shield came from an Affix that applied to Noah, and Noah had separated himself into multiple clones. The clones had the boost of the Ruination Shields, and so did the Animus Summons that they completely merged with! The only being that didn¡¯t have the protection...was Tiamat as shocking ruptures and torn muscles could be seen after she took the strikes of multiple Entities, her grand wings shredded from the aura of Withering as white bones could be seen. The Blue Slime wasn¡¯t even fazed as he had the protection of his own Grand Dao of Vastness and a Lesser Dao of Withering from the merged Noah, its body zipping around crazily as it targeted a single Entity to devour! "This..." The scalps of the Entities tingled as they saw only a single pet of the Tyrannical Entity be injured, and the one that was injured...its aura had begun to rise crazily from the heavy injuries it sustained! With ruptured wings and muscles bleeding out profusely, the Queen Dowager¡¯s resonant voice rang out. "From destruction comes rebirth." THRUUM! The words came with them the eruption of a majestic aura, of the essence of the Grand Dao of Destruction that had reached completion just seconds after the battle began. The Queen Dowager that was awakening its memories and getting back its power after tens of thousands of years...had finally taken another step as she reclaimed the title of an Entity. WAAA! A magisterial air erupted from her as her injuries began to heal rapidly, pillars of scorching flames beginning to erupt out! Yet...even this was not the most terrifying scene within this Illusory Unbreakable Realm as it was not the thing the Entities from the Primal Winged Expanse were most shocked about. The most shocking event was the body of an Aileron Entity freely floating in space as an empty husk, the light within its eyes dimming as many came to realize an Entity had somehow fallen in the span of a few seconds! Not too far away, the glimmers of a resplendent ray of light returned to a golden winged eye that was the Oculothorax! Shockingly, it wasn¡¯t the terrifying Blue Slime or Tiamat who were now Entities of Grand Daos that stole the show with the first impact. Targeting an attacking Aileron Entity, the Oculothorax had released its [Eye of Doom] as the essence of Withering swirled around it, this ray ignoring the outstretched fist of the Entity as it shot straight to his soul and shattered it right away. ...! OOOOOOH! An invisible cry reverberated out from the glistening golden eye as it announced itself grandly, letting everyone know it was one of the deadliest combatants here! Ah! Chapter 822 - Magisterial! I The watchers of the battles found themselves standing up from their seats when they really confirmed that an Aileron Entity had fallen just seconds from the first impact! That was an Entity you know. A being that had lived and cultivated for thousands of years. Gone! RUMBLE! "Soul Attack!" "Reinforce your souls!" ...! The Entities cried out quickly as they shook their heads with mourning, knowing one of them was lost so stupidly because they hadn¡¯t expected the rare Soul Damage attribute to appear here, nor how fast and deadly it would be when backed by the Dao of Withering! The Primal Emperor had a wrathful expression as he voiced out. "Be careful of Soul Attack and the devouring Slime. Move together to wipe out these fiendish freaks!" WAAA! The Entities moved in conjunction as they targeted Noah and his pets in groups. The battles about to occur were so fast paced and involved so many moving pieces that we have to talk about them separately! The following events were taking place simultaneously, each with their own ferocity and valor! We start with the group of Entities that were facing the Lightbourne Oculothorax and the Obsidian Panther. It used to be three of them, and now it was down to two as a dead Entity floated behind them! Sadly, the body of this Entity didn¡¯t trigger the Affix of the Ruination Core to drop Dao Crystals nor did it trigger Noah¡¯s own Loot Skill to drop Assimilation Crystals. The eyes of the remaining two Entities were looking towards the Oculothorax with careful eyes as they dated not underestimate the light shining from the enormous winged eye. Yet as their attention focused on the Oculothorax with their bodies glimmering with resplendent abilities, the nonchalant Obsidian Panther by the side moved as his figure entirely disappeared! SHAAA! "Watch out!" The scalp of one of the two Entities trembled as he only saw a black flash before he noticed a claw filled with glimmering dark claws that palpated with the essence of Ruination swipe towards him. RIIIIP! A horrid sound erupted as the claws sunk into the forehead of the Entity, his eyes filled with solemnity as he tried to move back while feeling the destructive essence of Withering try to pierce through the torn head muscles and necrotize his brain! SHAA! SHAA! The black flash disappeared once more as the Entity could barely keep up, and during this period of shock, the ray of light from Eye of Doom reverberated out once more as the Lightbourne Oculothorax let out a deadly strike. "F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell!" The two Entities matched with these two pets dodged to the inch of their lives every time as they found themselves not even able to release attacks! CAA! The resonant cry of the Golden Crow came with blistering flames that threatened to scorch the very space itself, these flames coagulating into sharp Golden claws that descended towards 3 Entities maddeningly! "Hmph!" These 3 Entities had become careful, but did not feel the strain as they faced the two pets. Their bodies shone with the light of the essence of Withering, utilizing their proficiency in this Dao to form illusory weapons that smashed onto the Flaming Golden claws cast by the Golden Crow! "Nothing much, let us wipe them out and help the others!" The Entities felt the quality of these two pets to be lower as they proceeded to ready deadly skills to quickly defeat them, but it was at this time when they felt a tremendous presence behind them. THRUUUM! The Calamity Bear they always had their eyes on had somehow appeared before them, its kingly aura leaking out as it looked like an arrogant Ruler! "Hug of Life and Death." WAAA! The horrendous constrictive force was felt by the 3 Entities as they were held in place, their gazes changing as essence exploded from their bodies to resist. Yet the Golden Crow appeared above them at this time as its golden eyes shone menacingly. [Nirvanic Flames of Tyranny]. BZZZZT! From its body, Golden flames that contained a tint of red appeared, the scorching temperatures they released only being enhanced by Noah¡¯s essence of Withering as they thundered down towards the 3 Entities held in place! OOOOOOH! The Entities shockingly felt like their lives were on the line as they bellowed out, their bodies shining brightly to defend against these deadly attacks... These 5 Entities were facing the enormous figures of Colossal Helios Leviathan and the deadly J?rmungandr as they had their task somewhat easier, flying around the huge body of the Leviathan as they released powerful attacks towards it. The fearsome J?rmungandr was on top of the Leviathan as its serpentine head coiled, its red eyes watching the Entities surrounding them closely! They used the enormous body of the Leviathan to their advantage as they believed it was only a matter of time before they pierced through its thick scales and took it down. At this scene, the Colossal Helios Leviathan felt insulted as its booming voice rang out. "You think me to be huge and defenseless?!" RUMBLE! Its resounding voice was followed by intense reverberations as it released a single skill. [Realm Depredation]. ...BOOM...CRACK! It was also at this time that J?rmungandr moved in a magisterial fashion. It raised its head high as its blood seemed to be boiling, its red eyes shining with a brilliant l.u.s.ter as they honed in on 2 nearby Entities with solemn faces as they faced the Leviathan¡¯s [Realm Depredation]. With an air of majestic ancientness, J?rmungandr called out! [Galaxy Devouring Serpent]. WAAA! Essence gushed out wildly as an illusory image of a Primal Serpent appeared above J?rmungandr, its shape disastrous and massive as its abyssal eyes stared at the two target Entities. Facing the eyes of this Illusory Primal Serpent, the Aileron Entities felt their souls shake as they actually felt a life-threatening feeling from it! Chapter 823 - Magisterial! II The sight of an enormous Galaxy Devouring Serpent was truly one of wonder as it captured the eyes of many of those watching this shocking battle! Yet..there was still another ridiculous battle occurring simultaneously at the same time as the fights between the party of Colossal Helios Leviathan and J?rmungandr, the party of Golden Crow and the Calamity Bear, and the party of the Oculothorax and the Obsidian Panther. It was the figures of Noah, a Blue Slime, and Tiamat going towards the Primal Emperor who was backed by 14 other Entities and 100 Ailerons in the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm! THRUUUM! Towards the enemies releasing deadly attacks filled with the backing of Daos, the three were fearless as they had the Ruination Shield still protecting Noah and the Blue Slime, with Tiamat having a grand light of destruction protecting her as she was the first to move. [Wrath of the Dragon Queen]. RUMBLE! The formation of 4 Illuosry Dragons with the same stature as Tiamat appeared grandly, the scorching pillars of flames billowing out of them majestically as this time...they held with them a deadly light of Destruction! They were like palpating beams of plasma that even made the surrounding chaotic void melt as they rushed towards the 15 Entities and 100 Peak Tier GALAXY Realm experts rapidly. Attacks like this were extremely deadly and effective as they affected a wide area, the coming Entities having to utilize a lot of their essence to cast skills that carried the essence of their Daos to protect themselves and stop it from wrecking the bodies of the Peak Tier Entities behind them that were actually feeling like they didn¡¯t belong in this battle! BOOOM! The scorching beans of plasma hit as the Entities defended, the figure of the Primal Emperor being the first to fly of the scorching plasma as his hand formed into a claw that tried grasping towards the rushing Noah. SHAAA! The Primal Emperor pulled back instantly as he still recalled what had happened to the Entity Vest that the body of this Blue Slime had covered, his face solemn as the other Entities soon came beside him. But one must recall...the Blue Slime didn¡¯t just have its expanding ability and the Grand Dao of Vastness, it still had multiple other Grand and Lesser Daos that neared full comprehension because of <>! [Sundering Song of Death and Decimation]. The Blue Slime called out innocently as the essence around its body raged. The essence of the Grand Daos of Vastness, Devouring, Macrocosm, Slaughter, and Four Elements raged our wild as they came together into a maddening symphony of chaotic tendrils of darkness that stretched out towards every single Entity! It was the combination of multiple Grand Daos, these beings utilizing a Leser Dao looking forward in shock as they wondered how the hell a single creature containing so many Grand Daos! The Primal Emperor¡¯s face sunk even more as his body formed a spectacularly shining shield made of the essence of Withering, his voice ringing out as he weaved in and out to defend against the deadly tendrils that were the [Sundering Song of Death and Decimation]! "Focus on the most powerful one first!" Yet the other Entities could not reply to him as they were still trying to survive the deadly [Sundering Song of Death and Decimation] that tore apart their defenses any time the Dark tendrils touched them! In the midst of all of this, Noah¡¯s eyes shone brightly as his body began to erupt with light. When it came to Noah, he truly had a great deal of abilities he could use. So many in fact, that one could consider him to be neglecting some stupendous abilities! To fix this while also utilizing his greatest perk that was Infinite mana, Noah had designed a skill and used 1 million Skill Points to create it on his way here. [Automatic Cast of All Support Skills]. His mind gave a single command that initiated a great deal of skills. THRUUUUM! Support skills from all the Universal Laws! From all the Skill Trees! An enormous influx of mana was used as it caused such tremendous pressure and brilliance that it pushed away any surrounding beings. The essence of all Universal Laws freely raged around a single being as he was enhanced by a multitude of abilities that utilized their essence, his body shining splendrously as he took on a new form to represent all of these cast abilities! He didn¡¯t expand into the huge tree even though a transformation ability that also greatly supported him like [Galactic Tree] was cast. Nor did he turn into a huge Terror or take on any enormous form! The Universal Laws that he was assimilating in conjunction at this moment...wrapped around him seamlessly as when the light died down, Noah kept his original body while being adorned in a magisterial set of armor. Shining with a rainbow of colors, he wielded sharp swords palpating with the essence of Death and Aether. On his back floated 6 golden gamers glimmering with the aura of Fate, with his robe shining a green l.u.s.ter as it represented the defense of Yggdrasil and Galactic Tree- shining with the essence of life! On his back were mystical white and dark pair of wings, carrying with them the essence of Space, Light, and Wind as they threatened to be even faster than even the Obsidian Panther! It wasn¡¯t just these Laws as all over Noah¡¯s body, the essence of all universal laws shone brightly as he actually utilized all of them at once, the laws forming into things like gloves, boots, earings...anything that could attach to his body and strengthen him. Behind these laws were also a myriad of |Intents|! Overall, it produced a Noah that was garbed in a magisterial battle robe and resplendent pair of wings, his body seemingly shimmering with all colors as he disappeared in a flash of light, only to appear in front of the shocked Primal Emperor with his two blades shimmering with the aura of Death and Aether already striking at the fair neck of this Ruler! Faster and deadlier than even the Obsidian Panther! ...! It was a magisterial sight as at this same moment, many beings had begun to arrive to see the conflict between the two Ancient Powers, the auras of multiple Entities utilizing resplendent skills drawing them to the borders of the Primal Winged Expanse right away. When these powerful Entities from numerous Ancient Powers arrived behind the scenes to watch, their hearts shook as they saw multiple Entities encircling a single man and his summons. The thing that provided the shocking factor was the fact that while surrounded by 25 Entities, the Tyrannical Entity in the encircling wasn¡¯t one bit on the losing side as he even took the initiative to control the pace of the battle! What they were about to see would truly be eye opening, these beings never being able to forget it as they would be introduced to the one known as Noah Osmont in a stellar fashion! Chapter 824 - One by One, They Shall Fall! I Sister Gold was watching a curious scene play out in the border of the Ancient Power that was known as the Primal Winged Expanse. She knew all there was to know about the Entities connected to this Power, the prowess of the Spirit Race being something very few beings could imagine! She was very knowledgeable about the forces of this Ancient Power...so she was all the more surprised when she observed them taking a beating from a single being that was utilizing the Dao of Summoning and Withering! As a being that was working to assimilate the Daos of Alacrity, Vastness, Frost, and Destruction, as well as being a unique existence from the Spirit Race- she had a very keen eye when it came to quantifying the battle power of others and understanding their might. At this moment, she was working to analyze the combatants fighting in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm as her figure melded into the chaotic void a few miles away. The strength of the Entities coming from the Primal Winged Expanse...she understood. Many of them were proficient in the Dao of Withering and had already begun assimilating it, with quite a decent amount of them increasing their +2500% Extra Damage of this Dao into the ranges of +3000-4000%. Especially the Primal Emperor himself, this being should have been at a shocking 4800% boost as he was in the upper percentages when it came to fully assimilating the Dao of Withering! When she looked at these Entities, her unique abilities could quantify and understand the output of their power. Yet when it came to the enemy they faced...she actually could not make any headway! "It is improbable..." She uttered out calmly as her mind observed the shocking battle that was occurring at high speeds. "That alone should have been very unlikely, if not impossible." But even this point she placed aside as she focused on what this being was currently doing now. From the 100 Peak Tier GALAXY Aileron experts that had circled the fighting Entities and got ready to lend support at any time while evading the horrendous attacks thrown within, Sister Gold picked up from their pensive conversations that the being facing 25 Aileron Entities was a genius from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, her ears picking up the names of Alexander and Noah simultaneously. Her eyes were focused on this being as they observed that he alone was reinforcing and supplying the bodies of all 8 of his summons with an endless supply of Mana and Dao Essence! He was supplying them with pure mana from the connection formed deep in their souls, and also using the mana within his own body and converting it to Dao Essence using his comprehensions in the Dao of Withering to boost the power of his Summons even more. This thought process, Sister Gold could understand. But what she couldn¡¯t explain was how this Entity had not dropped dead from Mana exhaustion after spending the resource so freely and wastefully like this! Her brows jumped even higher when out of nowhere, she saw the explosion of Universal Law Essences. Not a few law essences...but all of the Universal Law Essences erupted out and then swirled around this single Entity, his body being adorned by a magisterial set of armament as his power jumped up multiple levels! "This..." Sister Gold¡¯s eyes finally became serious at this scene as she focused all her attention on this being. Entities normally had one or two laws fully comprehended and assimilated, and they used them actively while supporting their Dao as they unleashed terrific attacks. Yet to utilize the essence of all Universal Laws? At once? "It is not probable!" THRUUUM! Her mental state was slightly affected by the scene in front of her, her thoughts moving quickly as she utilized the unique ability of the Spirit Race to send a message to all the Entities of her race. One Race, One Soul! This was the shocking motto of the Spirit Race that was one of the most feared Ancient Powers of the Dark Universe. "I¡¯ve come across an Anomaly while observing the war between the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse. I¡¯ll begin real time memory sharing." RUMBLE! In Sister Gold¡¯s mind, another voice rang out calmly. "The utilization of all Universal Laws...and this usage of mana..." Terrifying beings had gotten their eyes of Noah as a single creature of the Spirit Race floated a few miles away from the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, yet it was like the numerous Entities of the Spirit Race were all there as their cold eyes analyzed this anomaly of Noah Osmont! In other hidden regions all around the border of the Primal Winged Expanse, numerous hidden figures had already been watching or were arriving and hiding themselves to watch the ongoing clash that involved multiple Entities, many of them questioning how it was even happening the way it was! A single Entity controlling multiple Summons was standing against an entire group of Entities, and it didn¡¯t seem like he was on the losing side! RUMBLE! Inside the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, Noah was clad in shimmering armaments that thrummed with the power of Universal Laws that were enhanced with the essence of the Dao, his stats being boosted crazily as even he had yet to calculate the actual percentage. Just from the single skill of Yggdrasil he had over +5000% Increase in Damage and other attributes, these percentages being increased crazily when he activated the support skills from all the Laws as he wouldn¡¯t be too surprised if just the boost in [Damage] was over +10,000%! ZIIIIING! HO! A burst of essence erupted from this Ruler as everything around him was pushed back, his eyes glancing at the magisterial figure of Noah as well as the swirling coagulation of essence around him! The eyes of the Primal Emperor became more and more somber as Noah pushed forward even faster than light, arriving beside him again as a shocking clash ensued. While keeping at bay the ferocious Noah that seemed like a Primal beast out for blood, the Primal Emperor sought support from the many other Entities around him! Yet this was the time was the figure of a small Blue Slime zipped out, its body carrying a profound aura of multiple Daos as while the ability of the [Song of Death and Decimation] continued to spread the Entities out while they defended- it went forward to attack as the targets of Devouring entered its line of sight. The Blue Slime represented terror as it appeared instantly behind an Aileron Entity, it¡¯s body expanding rapidly as it was about to remind everyone of the horror they saw before! Chapter 825 - One by One, They Shall Fall! II The Blue Slime had targeted a defending Aileron Entity as it appeared silently from behind, its body rapidly going on to expand as the Entity only felt an uncomfortable feeling wrap over him before... <>. WAP! ...he disappeared! RUMBLE! Essence erupted out as the moment an Entity was so easily devoured, the Blue Slime¡¯s aura rose ever higher as instantly, it obtained the full comprehensions and assimilations of the Dao of Withering from the devoured Aileron Entity. Off to the side, the scalp of the Primal Emperor tingled as his gaze remained cold, his wrathful eyes now counting 2 Entities on their side having fallen! "Do not let them make a mockery of us!" He bellowed out to the remaining 13 Entities nearby that had surrounded the baleful Tiamat and were carefully looking at the Blue Slime that had taken down their compatriot. These Entities were beings that had lived long in age and were extremely wise, this ongoing situation beginning to make the gears in their heads spin as they began to have a foreboding feeling! Noah¡¯s gorgeous multicolored figure flashed in front of the Primal Emperor once more at this time, his mind sending a telepathic message to the Blue Slime as his swords filled with the essence of Death and Aether thundered forward. "That¡¯s the only one you can devour. Kill the rest so that we can have a chance of collecting Assimilation Crystals!" A shocking message was sent out as the Blue Slime wobbled forth, its body exploding out with the auras of multiple daos as its speed was no less than Noah who was bolstered by all Universal Laws and Dao Essence. Noah kept his eyes on the Primal Emperor alone as the other 13 Entities were actually held at bay by the dangerous Tiamat and Blue Slime, these PRISMATIC+ pets that each had their own shocking identities in the larger Primordial Chaos being even more overpowered than Noah! He stared at the eyes of the Primal Emperor that seemed to have boundless wrath and calmness, the disposition of this Ruler being something rare as even in a situation like this, he remained level-headed as his body exploded with power. Different coagulations and shapes formed around him as the assimilated Dao of Withering was used proficiently, each of them being extremely deadly as even while Noah evaded most of them, over 10 strikes had managed to land on him as the Ruination Shield on his body wavered! THRUUUUUM! Time seemed to slow down. Ever since Noah had activated all the laws to reinforce his body, he seemed to have entered into a special state that he was slowly grasping as the seconds passed. He didn¡¯t know what to call it or what exactly it was, but this unique state made his body and infinite mana move ever faster, every single time he moved and attacked becoming faster and faster! The gorgeous eruption of essence all around him seemed to come to a stand still, as if time itself had come to a stop. The kingly Calamity Bear that had managed to successfully grasp an Entity into his Hug of Life and Death. The resounding image of the shockingly luminous Golden Crow raining down sundering flames to hold the other Entities at bay while the Calamity Bear squeezed the Aileron Entity to death! The scene of the deadly Lightbourne Oculothorax shooting out resplendent beams of [Eye of Doom] while the Obsidian Panther was ravaging an Aileron Entity with his body that could only be seen like a flash of light. The scene of the enormous Colossal Helios Leviathan working with the Galaxy Devouring Serpent-Jourmungandr, to withstand and even cause 5 Aileron Entities to stand on the losing side. All of these scenes seemed to reflect on his mind as he could feel his blood raging! His hair danced wildly as from those observing him and the shocking scenes occurring in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, they shockingly felt like they were looking at an archaic creature let loose to bring destruction! In his stat panel, unbeknownst to Noah, another shocking thing was happening. The speed of his Universal Laws Assimilation was rising as the percentage in front of it changed with every passing second! RIIING! He felt the essence of laws coursing through him, and the dao essence that reinforced them as he actually...closed his brilliant eyes, his body moving even faster. He put in even more effort as his body flashed faster than light, his two blades palpating with laws and dao essence piercing through the coagulation of dao around the Primal Emperor as he finally landed a deadly attack on this being! SHAAA! A second passed, and a bloody hand flew off the body of the Primal Emperor! SQUELCH! The sword in his other hand also landed as it dug deep into the bright wings of this Ruler, multiple pairs of wings flying out as blood freely sputtered out. ...!!! A shocking lull descended on the battlefield at this scene. At this shocking juncture as blood freely overflowed from the body of the Primal Emperor, Noah¡¯s summons used this as a chance to lay out even more tremendous attacks as the instance of spacing out had shocking consequences! From the side of the Colossal Helios Leviathan and Jormungandr, an Aileron Entity had been devoured in the jaws of the dreadful Serpent! The Entity in the bear hug of the Kingly Calamity Bear...was squashed to paste after he lost the support of the other 2 Entities! A shocking scene played out in the Illusory Unbreakable Prison as the being that had drawn the blood of the Ruler shone the most l.u.s.trously. He raised his right hand as his Death Blade pointed towards the Primal Emperor while uttering tyrannical words. "Weak! Weak! Weak!" RUMBLE! "One by one...all of you shall fall today!" RUUUUMBLE!!! Chapter 826 - Pretty Obvious The juncture where the Primal Emperor had one of his hands and wings separated from his body was a particularly shocking one that etched itself in the minds of all those watching. The Entities in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm were even more shocked as Noah¡¯s summons used this instance to take multiple Entities down! Aside from the 2 falling by the hands of Calamity Bear and Jormungandr, the [Eye of Doom] from the Lightbourne Oculothorax had found another target as an Entity found their soul shattered. The Entities near Noah and the Primal Emperor were most shocked as the Blue Slime and Tiamat didn¡¯t waste this opportunity. The Queen Dowager¡¯s body glimmered with an intense light as she didn¡¯t use her dreadful [Wrath of the Dragon Queen], but another ability that she could now utilize as she had reclaimed her title as an Entity. [Sanctimony of Destruction]. RUUUMBLE! Essence bubbled forth angrily from the body of the Queen Dowager as above her, an enormous black door formed. The door looked primal and old, opening slowly yet rapidly at the same time as an instant later, one could see a shocking draconic claw coming out from this huge door! The claw was entirely black as it was made up entirely of the essence of destruction, its direction focused towards one Entity as it pinched...and this Entity found its body surrounded by the horrendous light of destruction a second later as his body and origin were squeezed from all sides, his Lesser Dao not being able to withhold the terrifying essence as the Entity exploded! POOOF! A shower of blood and gore erupted out as not too far away, the figure of the speedy Blue Slime was barely discernible as it chose a more eerie method. Its body flashed in front of a shocked Entity as its viscous mass shot forth as it broke through the thin layer of essence shield and entered through the nose of this Entity! After gaining access into the body of the Aileron, the Blue Slime expanded as its viscous mass that palpated with the light of multiple Grand Daos ballooned crazily. POOOF! Another Entity exploded out grandly as in the span of seconds, 5 Entities fell! 5! Five beings that lived for thousands of years perished together in seconds- this reality shocking all of those watching as they didn¡¯t even know what the hell they were looking at anymore. Less than 20 Entities remained as Noah¡¯s eyes scanned everything, his expanded senses from utilizing all universal laws and the shocking state he entered showing him many things. From the 5 Entities that had recently fallen, 2 had exploded in a shower of loot as Noah¡¯s eyes glimmered while landing his eyes on the shockingly colorful Assimilation Crystals for the first time! Multiple in number and shining gorgeous, they disappeared silently from the battlefield as the merged Jormungandr silently put them away in Noah¡¯s Expansive Space. THRUUUUM! Amidst this shocking scene, the Primal Emperor still had a wrathful expression while looking at Noah, his aura continuing to rise ever higher even though he was injured! "Do not falter!" RUMBLE! He uttered these words out confidently to the remaining Entities as the swirling essence formed into a stellar armor around his body and soul. His wrathful eyes followed Noah as his body shot out, the torn arm and wings not even being paid attention to! SHAAA! Noah¡¯s figure flashed once more as he continued to get used to the unique state from utilizing all universal laws at once. He noticed the activity next to the progress of All Universal Laws Assimilation percentage as it continued to rise ever so slowly, but it was rising! This caused for his emotions to become even wilder as he got lost in the enticing feeling of the essence of all Universal Laws surrounding him, his mind forgetting anything else as he focused on their integration with him. He had thought creating a skill like [Loot Drop- Assimilation Crystals] would be the only way to greatly increase his speed in assimilating Laws, but he was wrong! The act he was undertaking right now was very unique. Normally, a being would have gotten exhausted by now after activating and utilizing the abilities of all laws at once, but Noah¡¯s oppressive aura only kept increasing as behind him, he had Infinite Mana! ZIIIING! This caused the swords made from the essence of death and Aether chase after the body of the Primal Emperor even faster. Off in the distance of the chaotic void, Sister Gold was watching this scene as she relayed it to the many powerful beings in her Ancient Power. There were many discussions ongoing among the group of existences from the Spirit Race, the beings that were ahead of everyone else when it came to comprehending and assimilating daos! "He seems to be actively assimilating all universal laws..." The obvious was stated as Sister Gold nearly pointed it out, but she wanted to be more productive as she shot back. "It still does not escape the fact that it is not probable. Everything else aside, what is not explainable is where all the mana to make this possible is coming from." There was silence as the powerful beings watched the ongoing battle in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm. "We all agree that it¡¯s pretty obvious he¡¯s the one we might be looking for when it comes to the being collecting Ruination Cores?" "The scene in front of us would make sense if this being contains the special constitution required to utilize Ruination Cores." "But it still doesn¡¯t explain the source of his mana..." "Stop it with the question of mana, we cannot explain it at this moment." Many voices seemed to be buzzing back and forth in Sister Gold¡¯s head as she was the center of the established connection. Her face remained placid as she asked a question that shut up all the voices in her head. "Shall I confront him as an Ally or an Enemy?" "..." The silence in her head became deafening as not a single voice spoke! Chapter 827 - Tyrannical! In the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, the situation was actually ridiculously looking dire for the many Entities that were grouping up against a single one! The Primal Emperor saw this scene as he observed the battle while clashing against a relentless Noah, his vibrant voice ringing out again as he gave a painful command to the forgotten 100 Peak Tier GALAXY Realm experts that were surrounding the fighting Entities and watching apprehensively as they threw out attacks that could heavily injure any Peak Tier GALAXY being who didn¡¯t have the protection of a Dao essence in an instant. "Join together and fight! Keep the freaks at bay while we take them down!" He continued teeming the unbelievably powerful Noah and his summons as freaks, his command ringing in the ears of the Peak Tier GALAXY experts as they moved apprehensively! They actually did not want to enter the frightening battlefield, but Entity after Entity kept falling from their side as they knew if the unbelievable and impossible thing of all them falling occurred...death would also come for them. So even though they were unwilling, they joined the fray! BOOOM! Resplendent long distance skills overflowed as they tried to keep their distance, but their abilities only bounced off the bodies of the summons as the moment they entered...the eyes Noah¡¯s pets honed in on them. They saw the pristine loot of GALAXY Cores, Law Assimilation Crystals, and Dao Comprehension Crystals when they looked at these beings that hadn¡¯t yet fully comprehended their Lesser Dao, the option of them dropping Dao Assimilation Crystals not even being a possibility. But Noah¡¯s target when creating the loot drop skill was always to increase the rate of hid law assimilation, so these 100 Peak Tier GALAXY experts were simply gift wrapped for him! He gave the command to his pets that while they matched and took down the Entities, they shouldn¡¯t forget to send an attack or two to reap the lives of the Peak Tier GALAXY experts! ...! Ah! Such a domineering thought process came naturally to Noah. The thought that his summoned pets could simply take a few seconds of their time to butcher Peak Tier GALAXY experts for their loot... How far he had come! How short the period of time! THRUUUM! The Golden feathers of the mystical wings overflowed with blood as the Aether sword found its target once more. The gaze of the Primal Emperor had turned solemn as he gave a command to the 10+ nearby Entities that were attacking Tiamat and the Blue Slime in conjunction. "Support me!" RUMBLE! The words were strong, but painful to hear! It was the Ruler of the Primal Winged Expanse asking for help from his allies...he was expressing that he alone could not keep the Noah that continued to rise in oppressive aura at bay. How shameful! The Primal Emperor could nearly feel his face burning red as two Entities appeared beside him, these two giving their brethren Entities a much harder time as they left them alone with Tiamat and the Blue Slime that comprehend many Grand Daos! They reinforced the Primal Emperor as Noah now faced three powerful Entities by himself. "Hmph!" His domineering snort rang out as he moved like a flash of light, avoiding the attacks of the new Entities as his body finally materialized for more than a second once more. His hair danced wildly as it didn¡¯t even have the texture of normal hair anymore, seemingly looking like tendrils of blue mana dancing on his body as the arrogance and disappointment on his face was apparent. "The weak always huddle and gather together when faced against an oppressive force!" ...! The faces of the Primal Emperor and all other Aileron Entities in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm turned red at these words that stabbed deep into their hearts! Those watching from afar that were in parties looked at their friends in shock as expressions of incredulousness were apparent on their faces. They seemed to be asking themselves, did this f.u.c.k.i.n.g guys really just say that?! But Noah paid all of this no heed as at this juncture, he changed one of the affixes on the Ruination Core as he stopped seeking for safety and defense, wanting to go on the full offensive mode. The affix of creating a Ruination Shield if he hadn¡¯t taken Damage for 10 seconds was taken off. He didn¡¯t choose the affix for Smiting his enemies with 10,000% Ruination Damage that had a 10% chance to activate. He further made his base offensive boosts even crazier as he activated the fairly simple [+10,000 to All Damage] Affix! Simple, straightforward, and for his current state that was already enhanced by numerous percentages and support skills...it was simply deadly! THRUUUUUUM! The moment the affix was activated, the faces of the Primal Emperor and the 2 Entities behind him drastically changed. The Golden hammers shimmering with the essence of fate that were floating behind Noah disappeared and reappeared above their heads smashing down. Noah¡¯s body also turned into a flash of light as beside him just attacking with his Law Sword, he now also began casting active skills. [Sever]. ZIIING! [Portals of Terror]. [Fireball]. BRRRRRRRR! Enhanced by ridiculous amounts, skills were cast as they bloomed in the midst of the 3 Entities. Their faces drained of colors as they felt blazing miniaturized suns smash into them on top of a chaining Aether lightning, along with portals that released deadly essence! "No...!" One of the Entities screamed as he felt his Dao essence shield be ripped apart by the destructive nature of these skills, his wings beginning to burn up as a unique aroma permeated the surroundings. It was the smell of a bird being overcooked, a second later a shining miniaturized sun stemming from [Fireball] piercing into his now defenseless head as his brain was melted! RUMBLE! The other Entity beside the Primal Emperor also had his Dao essence shredded as he fared somewhat better, evading the miniaturized suns with a heavy face as he thought he was out of the woods...that is until he felt the piercing dual swords of Aether and Death reach both sides of the neck from a suddenly appearing Noah, his head separated from his body a second later as blood bloomed out gorgeously. Noah finished the job as his swords moved even faster, cutting up the entire body of the Entity as he was destroyed in both body and soul! ...! Only the Primal Emperor was able to escape the shocking attacks with heavy injuries as to his dismay he realized...the two Entities he had just called to support him were dead in seconds! WAA! Noah¡¯s grand figure materialized again as his domineering eyes locked with the Primal Emperor. "Call some more." ...! Cold and domineering words that were deadlier than even his real attacks reverberated out of the battlefield, those watching nearly losing their minds at what had just occurred! Chapter 828 - Surrender in not an option! THRUUUM! Outside of the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, silence reigned in the expansive chaotic void. Even though many experts were hidden in the folds of space while watching the shocking battle, not a single vibration of sound could be heard! Many of those watching were Entities from powerful Ancient Powers, and even they had solemn expressions as they watched Noah dispatch 2 Entities in a matter of seconds, only the more powerful Primal Emperor escaping his grasp. Their solemn eyes were because they felt like they were facing a great enemy, the power that this single being showed being something they had not expected to see when they came to check out the war between the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse! But among those watching, there were few that were only observing with cold eyes as a myriad of thoughts crossed their minds. Sister Gold, the stupendous being from the fearsome Spirit Race, was among these Entities. Ever since she had asked the question of whether they would treat this tyrannical Entity in front of them as an enemy or ally, the voices in her mind had quieted down! This was because they knew the full weight of this decision after observing the power of this being along with the high possibility that he was the one that was connected to the Ruination Cores. Thus, they calculated greatly before they even brought forth a thought. The silence did not last too long, as an aged voice rolled out extremely slowly in the mind of Sister Gold. "Strength is king." RUMBLE! "Enemy or ally, it does not matter. It only matters whether our goals can be achieved. If he furthers our goals he can be an ally, if he stands against us...there shall only be destruction." THRUUUM! A shocking statement was uttered in Sister Gold¡¯s mind as her eyes shone brightly. The being that spoke was someone extremely special among the Spirit Race, one of the beings that they termed Ancestor! Even after watching and analyzing the horrendous strength that Noah displayed as he matched numerous Entities, he had still uttered a statement that made it seem that if they were to become enemies...it wasn¡¯t them that would perish. Even as they saw how he butchered Entities in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm. Even as they saw his seemingly inexhaustible mana reserves or the terrific Animus Summons that were no less powerful than him! Those from the Spirit Race were confident! "Use your body as the conduit to create a doorway. We shall reinforce you just in case." "...Yes, Ancestor." ...! Even though Sister Gold was a terrifying being that was studying and assimilating many Daos, someone who looked down on the Entities studying a single Lesser Dao that Noah was butchering right now...even she was being sent reinforcements just in case! Those of the Spirit Race did not take risks unless they knew they would win! Essence silently erupted in a corner of the chaotic void near the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, no other Entities being any wiser on what was to come... Back in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, over half an hour had passed as the realm only had 30 minutes remaining. This 30 minutes...felt extremely grueling to the Aileron Entities as with every passing few minutes, another Entity would fall! From the side of the Colossal Helios Leviathan and the fearsome Jormungandr, only 2 Entities remained as 3 were taken down. The Golden Crow and Calamity Bear were left with a single Entity that had a fearful look on his face as his defenses were slowly ground down! Where the main force of 15 Entities used to be around the Primal Emperor who faced the most terrifying Blue Slime, Tiamat, and Noah...only 5 Entities remained alive including the bloodied and battered Primal Emperor. The results of this battle were extremely shocking to look at as time passed! Many considered if it was a show, the unbelievable sight of Entity after Entity falling from the hands of a single being and his Animus Summons being something purely out of fantasy. The face of the Primal Emperor remained cold and wrathful, nobody being able to understand the thoughts coursing through his mind as he pushed his body further and knocked away the vibrantly shining figure of a winged Noah that swirled with the essence of all laws! WAA! Every attack or skill coming from the shining being in front of him felt like a hammer of death smashing towards him, the damage they dealt being inconceivable. The +10,000% All Damage increase from the Ruination Core was something overpowered as it felt like a train smashing into the body of a defenseless being every time! With his body bleeding profusely on all sides, the Primal Emperor kept his cold gaze as his remaining wings shimmered, streaking towards Noah once more as he attacked. Throughout all this time, he never uttered any words of weakness or called for the battle to stop while claiming misunderstanding like others in a deadly situation like this would do. The remaining Aileron Entities looked at this scene in despair as they finally came to the conclusion that no matter what happened today, the Primal Emperor would not stand down! Some felt emotional as they fought faster, while some had looks of hesitation as they felt like their lives could be taken at any second from the ridiculously powerful pets that seemed to have boundless strength. The remaining Entity facing the the Oculothorax and Obsidian Panther could not hold on any longer as he evaded the rays of [Eye of Doom], his expression ashen as he called out! "I surrender!" THRUUUM! The cry wasn¡¯t particularly loud, but it reverberated throughout the Illusory Unbreakable Realm and the surrounding chaotic void. "..." Those that had it had somber expressions as they could understand the reason why! The Aileron Entities hearing it were angered as they looked towards their struggling brethren with faces of betrayal, but the being¡¯s pitiful cry only rang out again, this time with more determination. "I surrender!" ...! Ah... Many shook their heads at this scene as the shockingly golden and white winged eye that was the Oculothorax stopped in front of the Entity in his last seconds of life. Off in the distance where Noah continued to clash with the Primal Emperor, his bright and oppressive voice resounded out for all to hear. "Surrender is not an option that I can offer." RUMBLE! With his body flashing with innumerable lights from the essence of all laws and dao essence, Noah looked like a cruel archaic being as his bright eyes brought down judgment. "I shall offer you all salvation...as my loot!" ...!!! Chapter 829 - Emperorslayer! I The plea of surrender was heard from the distraught Entity...and it was ignored! THRUUM! The body of the Oculothorax erupted with another golden ray of [Eye of Doom], this ray shining the fearful and shameful expression on the Entity calling for surrender, his face being burned into the eyes of many of those watching as it was illuminated brightly before the golden ray smashed into him. BOOOM...CRACK! Body and soul were shattered as another Entity faced their death! "..." Dense silence descended in the chaotic void as the only sounds heard were the crackling of resplendent skills cast from the relentless animus summons and the bubbling body of Noah. The Primal Emperor remained steadfast as his eyes had become extremely calm in the midst of this unbelievable situation. His wrath and anger were abated as even with fewer and fewer Entities remaining beside him, he still moved towards Noah with his utmost power! He didn¡¯t call upon the other Entities to lend him, nor the less than 30 remaining Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons that were fearfully trying to evade shocking skills in the dreadful locked battlefield. He moved by himself as he felt his shoulders heavy, the weight that a Ruler of an Ancient Power had to carry being felt with clarity by him at this very moment! He knew very well what was happening, and who exactly had brought it to the stage that it was at right now. THRUUUM! Every strike and ability that Noah released caused even more deathly injuries to wreck the body of the Primal Emperor as the other Entities within the Illusory Unbreakable Realm were not too far off the same fate. His terrifying Animus Summons moved with valor as they relentlessly ground down their enemies, despairing gazes occupying the minds of the Aileron Entities as they one after another...they were all falling! The Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons that moved with confidence and power in their Ancient Power were few in number, many of them killed just from the residual energies released from the shocking battle of Entities. Within the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, the cl.u.s.tering glow of an abundant amount of loot could be seen floating around, cl.u.s.ters of Cores, Skill Books, Dao Crystals, and Assimilation Crystals being seen in some regions! Noah¡¯s eyes scanned all of these things as his eyes focused on the heavily injured body of the Primal Emperor. It was time. It was time to bring the Ruler of an Ancient Power to rest. THRUUUUM! Those watching felt breathless as they instantly felt that something of immense importance was about to take place! A flash of multicolored light streaked across the chaotic void. Two swords shimmering with death and aether vibrated, the sound they released akin to wailful cries that sought death and destruction. The swords streaked towards the neck of a heavily injured grand Ruler of an Ancient Power that had remained dignified throughout the entire battle! Not once did he beg for mercy. Not once did he call off the ongoing battle. His eyes seemed aged and filled with a mystical light, the Dao of Withering shining even brighter on his body! At this juncture as he saw the shadow of death, he seemed to have understood something as the Dao in his origin became even more active. As he faced ultimate destruction, the essence of the Dao of Withering bathed his origin and soul as the last thing he was missing to finish assimilating was coming together. If he had a status panel, he would be able to notice his assimilation in the Lesser Dao of Withering going from 98% to 99% as it was about to touch 100%! SHIIING! A flash of light. A head flew. SHING! SHING! SHING! The Tyrannical Entity was relentless as the swords flashed incessantly at the head that flew out, cutting it into innumerable pieces. SHIIING! The blades then aimed at the heart of the Ruler¡¯s body as it was ruptured and decimated, shining brightly as they went on to sever the body on all sides. "..." Noah stood with cold eyes as he was about to continue attacking, but stopped the moment he saw the eruption of loot occur. RUMBLE! Essence crackled wildly around his body as even with the battle against the Primal Emperor finished, his aura only continued to rise ever higher! In the past few seconds, his heart had shaken as he felt a shocking aura about to bloom from the body of the Primal Emperor. He wasn¡¯t the only one, the many other Entities watching from afar also saw the same scene as they gaped in shock, realizing they would very soon see a being take the first step towards becoming a Sage! To be considered a Sage, one had to have 2 or more Daos fully comprehended and assimilated. For a Great Sage, they had to have advanced past the GALAXY Realm while also comprehending and assimilating a Grand Dao or multiple Lesser Daos. This Ruler of the Primal Winged Expanse...was just about to step on this path as he became among the few that had assimilated an entire dao, needing to do the same to one more before he was titled a Sage! Yet... Before the shocking aura could bloom, it was cut off. Sighs of regret rang throughout the chaotic void. His body glimmered with intense light as the essence around his body bellowed out in waves, his two swords dripping with blood as he stared at the chunks of meat that were the Primal Emperor! He gave a nod of respect that only made those watching look at him incredulously, but it affirmed the reality of what they were seeing. On this day, the Ruler of an Ancient Power in the Dark Universe had fallen! Not to an army or an assassination from another powerful Ancient Power, but to a single man that wasn¡¯t known until just a few weeks ago! Chapter 830 - Emperorslayer! II The Entity Traverser had crossed the vast gulf of distance from where he was as he sped towards the two Ancient Powers currently embroiled in the war. It had taken a significant amount of time for him to get there, his eyes sensing the grand light of powerful skills being cast by multiple Entities as he made his way towards the border of the Primal Winged Expanse where a shocking fight was taking place! He arrived minutes before the end of the battle, he arrived just in time to see a being assimilate a Dao...and then watched in shock as this being became mincemeat seconds later. But the more shocking thing that made his heart shake was the archaic looking being that killed a possible future sage...his sight remembering the face that was surrounded by intense light as the same one that had escaped from him weeks ago! The same being he was chasing, the being that had the physique that could wield Ruination Cores and ultimately...the Cosmic Treasure known as Ruination! "This..." His heart thumped in excitement and in shock as he recalled this being was merely in the Quasar Realm when he laid his eyes on him before he and the entire Galaxy he was in suddenly disappeared. Yet this being had pierced into the rank of Peak Tier GALAXY a few weeks later, and now even held the power of an Entity as he just dispatched a Ruler of an Ancient Power! "..." Traverser was deep in thought as he wondered...was the being with the physique receptive to Ruination Cores supposed to be this ridiculous? Many thoughts were crossing through his mind as first and foremost, he wanted to talk with this special person! Yet he knew this thought might be hard to bring to fruition when he spread out his senses and felt the many hidden auras in the chaotic void surrounding the Illusory Unbreakable Realm... --- Inside the locked Realm that had just a few minutes remaining before it would break, occasional yells and death wails could be heard as Aileron Royals became empty body husks or had their origins ruptured. Noah¡¯s expanded senses were able to catch many eyes from multiple directions staring towards him, but his gaze remained placid as his focus stayed within the Illusory Unbreakable Realm. His eyes remained without an ounce of emotion as he turned his face to the few remaining Ailerons within the Illusory Unbreakable Realm. The remaining Entities were on their last breaths of life after the death of the Primal Emperor, their hearts in deep pain as they joined the rest of their brethren in the next few seconds! The 100 Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons...were reduced to 0 even though they had not even been at the focus of the battle- just the stray attacks from the Entities shattering their bodies and souls. Noah did not even have to lend his help after he took down the Primal Emperor, his Summons being proficient enough to wipe out all remaining Entities thereafter! In the region of the chaotic void, deafening silence pervaded as when one looked into the Illusory Unbreakable Realm, they found not a single Aileron alive. The void of space was painted with a tinge of red as the focus of many eyes remained on the luminous figure supported by the multicolored lights of many laws. They watched as he flew slowly in the locked space, going towards glistening cl.u.s.ters of light that were Cores, Dao Crystals, and Assimilation Crystals. They were swiped away in seconds as the calmness in the locked Realm remained. Not a single soul moved as the shimmering figures of Noah and his pets took the spot light! This action by itself was extremely shocking, and the one carrying it out was given an unspeakable title that nobody had held in the last tens of thousands of years. "Emperorslayer..." It began as an uttering among the hidden figures, but this uttering was as loud as a strike of thunder as it traveled through the chaotic void and entered the ears of many! Emperorslayer! THRUUM! Essence erupted out as at this moment, the barrier that kept the Illusory Unbreakable Realm together trembled and shattered. The 1 hour timer had passed as those within could come out, and those outside...could reach the beings that were within! Noah¡¯s eyes remained cold and fearless as he looked to the blank chaotic void around him, not making a single move. SHAA! SHAA! The grand figure of the Holy Emperor who held a difficult expression appeared, backed by Old Man Khan and 5 other Entities from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! As this Ruler of an Ancient Power looked at the being that had just become an Emperorslayer, the thoughts swirling in his head were too many! Old Man Khan by the side still had an expression of disbelief as even while he watched the whole battle and how everything went down, he still couldn¡¯t believe this was the same being that wasn¡¯t even in the GALAXY Realm when he first met him weeks ago. Yet he was somehow an Entity that could dispatch an Emperor of an Ancient Power that was about to fully assimilate a Lesser Dao! "Truly tyrannical..." This was the only thing Old Man Khan could say as he sighed while he, the Holy Emperor, and other Entities stood in front of Noah while looking out to the expanse of chaotic void before them. They knew that multiple powerful figures from all corners of the Dark Universe were watching and observing nearby. They saw how Noah had just spent a whole hour fighting with 26 Entities and taking all of them down, and knew he wouldn¡¯t be in any state to match even more fearsome Entities if those watching in the dark attacked! Thus, the Holy Emperor and the Entities he had nearby all came towards Noah as they planned to put their lives on the line to defend this Tyrannical being that should be exhausted by this point! Chapter 831 - The Watching Entities Reveal Themselves Noah¡¯s eyes were impassive as a calm smile appeared on his face. The Holy Emperor and others actually appeared in front of him with somber expressions as they seemingly put their lives on the line to defend him! They truly thought that after a long battle like the one he just had, he would not be able to keep himself in top shape much longer. Yet the form he currently held that was put together by the support of multiple laws still remained active on his body without him deactivating a single skill. His eyes were glancing at the numerous hidden figures in the folds of space as he didn¡¯t make a move, wondering which of them would do it first! Would they be more enemies for him to plunder loot, or would they be dismayed by his power as they scurried away? He and many others wondered who among those watching would be the first to make a move! The deafening silence in space was very quickly shattered as a burst of boisterous laughter rang out with the appearance of a figure who released a shocking aura. "Haha! I¡¯ve finally gotten to meet you again! I hope you do not leave too quickly this time..." RUMBLE! The thundering voice of an enormous being smashed into the ears of many, his huge figure becoming visible soon after. He had a humanoid shape, yet towering over 100 meters as one of the defining features was that on this being¡¯s face, he had a third eye instead of two! The third eye fully glistened with a red light as it was closed, but it was the thing that released the most oppressive force from this being. "...!" "Traverser!" "That fool..." Many whispers abounded as the huge body of Traverser miniaturized to become the same height as a normal human, his figure nearing the area Noah was at rapidly! RUMBLE! The figures of the Holy Emperor and Old Man Khan stood in front of Noah defensively as his Animus Summons formed a line beside him. The Blue Slime was actively dancing above his head as the summon seemed to enjoy the bubbling essence that had even enveloped Noah¡¯s hair and made it dance wildly. The Entity Traverser looked at all of this with a beaming smile as he stopped a few meters away, his resonant voice ringing out once more, but this time as a telepathic message to Noah alone. "I have been looking for you for a great deal of years after I obtained the knowledge from the Book of Ruination. I wish you no harm and actually have a singular goal- to do what I can to help the User of the Tools of Ruination to save our Universe!" THRUUUM! The strong voice of Traverser rang out grandly as Noah¡¯s eyes shone even brighter. He recalled this being from weeks ago, an Entity that had appeared just a second before he teleported himself and the whole Infinite Galaxy away. As he gazed upon this being, Eyes of Truth affirmed his identity! [Ebon Vaandal] :: An Entity proficient in the Laws of Space, Chaos, and Time, as well as the Daos of Destruction and Voidspace. He is an extremely powerful Entity that has earned the title of Traverser in the Dark Universe, his assimilations in the two Daos he studies being extremely high as he spent many thousands of years traveling throughout the Dark Universe. He holds multiple pages from the Book of Ruination as he continues his search for the being that he considers the Savior that shall stop the coming Cataclysm... The details of this powerful Entity appeared in Noah¡¯s mind as his vibrant eyes saw this being truly meant his words! Among the many beings he had come across in his life, this one had been actively looking for him as he gained more thorough knowledge from the Book of Ruination and was searching for the being that could bring them all together for the possibility of undoing the work of the past Sages and Great Sages. Towards this being...Noah adopted a bright smile as he also laughed boisterously while going towards him, shocking the Holy Emperor and others that were looking towards Traverser with caution! "Haha, Brother Traverser! You see, I was very weak and had to be careful a few weeks back. Just the thought that an Entity had found my Galaxy made me run..." His words were nothing like the domineering coldness many beings heard when he took down multiple Entities, the many hidden beings in the chaotic void observing this shockingly powerful Entity go towards Traverser as he fearlessly stood in front of him with a smile! Even Traverser was taken back before his smile bloomed even more, his heart at ease as he realized achieving his goal of connecting himself to the being that could use the Ruination Cores might be even easier than he expected. "Good! I have many things I wish to discuss with you, but it seems like I am not the only one looking for you..." THRUUUM! In one direction, five Entities dressed in regal armament appeared. Each of them were four-meter tall as they looked like the most beautiful humans one could come across- these were the beings from the Arch Human Race from the Northern Region of the Dark Universe! In another direction, the Entities that represented the Ancient Power ruling over the Desolate Galaxies in the East also appeared. Lastly, the shocking personage of the Spirit Race, the beings that many looked towards with apprehension as they ruled the Southern Region of the Dark Universe with a tight grasp...these unique beings made their appearance as the entire environment of the chaotic void changed. RUMBLE! Sister Gold was the first to appear as Noah laid his eyes on the Spirit Race for the first time. With a body that wasn¡¯t entirely corporeal, a beautiful creature that could barely be seen with the n.a.k.e.d eye appeared. Her body danced with the essence of multiple terrifying Daos as among the Entities appearing, her aura dwarfed all of them in power as she seemed like a horrendously powerful big boss! Yet she wasn¡¯t alone as a second later four more figures letting out auras no less shocking than hers appeared from behind! THRUUUM! With called eyes and devoid of emotions, they stared at nobody else as their eyes only found a singular being. The being was smiling wildly with a confident expression as his body was still wrapped with the luminous armament from all universal laws, his two swords within his grasp seemingly vibrating as he stared at the beings from the Spirit Race! Chapter 832 - A Tyrant of a Throne! I Traverser had a somber expression as he stared at the appearing Entities, his gaze coming to rest on the blank expressions of the Entities from the Spirit Race. He always hated these beings the most from all the ones he met, as they never sat right with him! Their pompous blank expressions that looked at every other beings as worthless, their indiscernible thoughts that made them extremely eerie...and their stupendously powerful Ancient Power that had Entities comprehending multiple Daos with ease. They had also made their appearance here as their goal also seemed to be the same being he had managed to find again. ¡¯Sigh.¡¯ Traverse gave a melancholic sigh as he stared at the nonchalant expression of the being in question that focused on nobody else but the Entities of the Spirit Race as well. --- Before the battle within the Illusory Unbreakable Realm had ended, Sister Gold followed the words of one of the Ancestors of the Spirit Race as she used her body as the conduit to bring forth 4 more Entities. It was an extremely unique ability that strained her origin, yet she had performed it perfectly as 4 beings no less powerful than her in power appeared! These 4 Entities were reinforcements when it came to the question of whether the powerful Entity that was most likely the holder of the Ruination Cores would be either an ally or enemy. The moment such a thing was decided...the terrifying Entities from the Spirit Race would make a move! Yet when the battle had ended, the Tyrannical Entity acted very differently than many expected. What should have been a careful Entity who should have been exhausted from his recent shocking battle...was nowhere to be seen as his terrifying transformation was kept active, his eyes gazing domineeringly as the Entities from multiple Ancient Powers that appeared all around him. The essence of all Universal Laws around him danced wildly as he floated away slowly from the group of Holy Emperor and Traverser. They were shocked at this scene as they saw even his summons remained in a singular line with them, hesitantly watching what this domineering Entity was about to do! THRUUUM! With the Aether and Death swords palpating in his hands, he floated singularly in the chaotic void as he willingly left the protection of the Holy Emperor and the Entities he brought, even leaving his pets behind as he floated alone while staring at all the powerful beings! His expression was filled with a confident smile as a resonant voice rang. "My dear brothers and sisters of this Dark Universe...I wonder why you have chosen to appear before me on this special day!" RUUMBLE! Fearless words that carried a trace of arrogance smashed into the ears of ever Entity, their eyes squinting dangerously as they were asked a simple question. Yes! What exactly were they going to do after watching 26 Entities be massacred along with the Ruler of an Ancient Power? The darkness of the chaotic void flashed with light as not a single being answered. The Wandering Entities similar to Traverser moved a bit further back while staring at Noah¡¯s figure, only the Entities from Ancient Powers remaining in place! Noah glanced at all of them as he received no answer, his face quickly showing a tinge of disappointment as he brought his two shimmering swords to shine on his face. "If it is a fight you want, I¡¯ve gotten quite a decent workout from butchering 26 Entities. Sending some more to accompany them in death won¡¯t be a problem for me." "...!" RUMBLE! Taking down 26 Entities...was just a work out?! Their hearts trembled as Noah continued to stare at each of them fearlessly. He had his own plans. He would actually have no qualms with offending and beginning a fight with every single Ancient Power out there, but he had made some promises! The Holy Emperor coming by his aide just now reminded him of his promise to protect the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, and he also wanted to swallow his enormous gains from the 26 Entities he had just taken down. Before he completed a few things..he didn¡¯t want to completely antagonize every single Ancient Power out there! This was especially so when he looked at the information of the 5 Entities from the Spirit Race that were staring towards him emotionlessly. These beings were truly terrifying with the multiple Daos they studied, but what was even more terrifying was that they weren¡¯t the most powerful beings from the Spirit Race! Noah had always wondered about the truth that many beings questioned over the past tens of thousands of years- after the deaths of all the Sages and Great Sages due to their actions all those years ago, had any new ones risen? As he stared at the details of the 5 Spirit Race Entities before him, he had a shocking answer as he read the details about the [Ancestors] of the Spirit Race! He looked at the swords made of baleful essence of Death and Aether in his hands as he gave a command, the swords erupting in a shower of essence as they coagulated behind him to form into a shape. The Entities watched with sharp eyes as they saw the vibrant eruption of the essence of other universal laws go towards the formation of...a stellar throne made of essence in the middle of the chaotic void! Such a thing was simple for Noah to make as he commanded the Universal law essences, his body going and sitting on the throne grandly as he stared at all the Entities without fear! A throne made up of the essence of all Universal Laws appeared in front of the eyes of many, the being that made it sitting down grandly as his domineering voice rang out once more! Chapter 833 - A Tyrant on a Throne! II A spectacular throne made out of the essence of all Universal Laws existed in the chaotic void, the voice of the Entity atop it spreading out for all to hear. "Before you choose the course of your actions in the next few minutes, I want you to think about the 26 Entities that made up the Ancient Power behind me." RUMBLE! It was like a king giving a sermon to his subjects! Like a Ruler stating inviolable facts that could not be desecrated! "I gave them a heads up many hours ago that I was coming for them, and they prepared a so called prison for me and brought their entire force that amounted to 26 Entities. They calculated and believed with their thousands of years of wisdom...that they would easily be able to kill me!" THRUUM! "Yet even with all their calculations and preparations...all 26 of these beings perished one by one under my hand!" Noah¡¯s eyes released arcs of light as he sat upon the grand essence throne, his voice piercing deep into the hearts of all those around him. "I want you to think about these beings and ask yourselves...are your calculations and preparations any different?!" RUMBLE! "Can you guarantee with certainty that you won¡¯t find yourselves in a similar predicament that you just watched? Just constantly shocked as every single Entity sent my way dies one after another? Can you guarantee yourselves that you won¡¯t be like the Ruler of this Ancient Power behind me?" ...! His words thundered down as even the hearts of Entities skipped a beat! There were truly a great collection of watchers that came from the news of the war breaking out between the two Ancient Powers and the news of the Ruination Core, and even more had arrived while the battle in the Illusory Unbreakable Realm was taking place. Yet Noah glared down at all of these beings fearlessly as his words rang out clearly in each of their ears! Only the crackle of essence from Noah¡¯s body sitting atop the throne made up of essence could be heard. His voice rang out once more as with a domineering gaze, he gave out an ultimatum. "If you can guarantee your life, if you are truly confident...then stay. If you aren¡¯t, I¡¯m gonna need you to roll the f.u.c.k out of here!" THRUUUUM! ...! The Holy Emperor had his jaws nearly torn as he looked forward in shock. The powerful Traverser had his eyes shining with an intense light as he gazed upon this being he had been looking for, for so long! Such tyrannical words came from a single Entity as they were inscribed in the minds of all those watching. But when they thought about it, he really could back it up with actions if need be! So those that did not want to participate...the lone Entities that weren¡¯t associated with Ancient Powers or just stepped from regions of the Dark Universe that just had a few cl.u.s.ters of galaxies but weren¡¯t powerful enough to be considered Ancient Powers...these beings began to disappear. One after another, the many new eyes populating the chaotic void began to pull back! The few individuals were all gone as only three groups remained while they locked eyes with the arrogant tyrant of the shimmering throne. The group of Entities that represented the Ancient Power ruling over the Desolate Galaxies in the East glanced at Noah closely before they warped away. In another direction, the group of Arch Humans standing at 4 meters tall glanced towards him with shining eyes as their bodies rumbled with the aura of a Grand Dao, a Dao that caused for the illusory image of a sharp sword that could cut through anything to appear above them- the Grand Dao of the Sword! "How shall we address you, friend?" The one at the forefront that had unparalleled devilish beauty voiced out with a smile as if he hadn¡¯t heard any of the insults that Noah had just thrown out. Noah looked towards these powerful Entities with calm eyes as he replied blandly. "A few days ago I heard the moniker of Tyrannical Entity when I wiped out a rat, today I¡¯ve heard the moniker of Emperorslayer after I took down an Emperor. It¡¯s up to you which one you use!" RUMBLE! "Good!" The Arch Humans shone brightly with the aura of the Sword Dao, their figures disappearing soon after as many Entities cleared out. Noah sat on his resplendent throne as his eyes turned towards the only remaining foreign Entities here. It was the 5 figures with incorporeal bodies...the Entities of the Spirit Race! The expressions were blank while staring towards Noah, causing for immense tension to fill the surroundings. Traverser changed his expression as he stared at the incorporeal beings. He truly did not like the Entities of the Spirit Race. The Holy Emperor sighed as he gave a nod to the Entities around him, prepared to move at any time as they observed the tremendous pressure being released from the group of 5 incorporeal Entities. Yet...Noah raised his hands towards them at this juncture, a hand that told them to stand down! He then locked eyes with the Spirit Being at the very forefront, the one known as Sister Gold who had just opened her mouth with no sound coming off of it, her message entering Noah¡¯s mind directly! "What is your purpose in collecting the Ruination Cores?" RUMBLE! His body thrummed with power atop the throne as he sent back his own telepathic message. "Naturally, it is to stop the coming Apocalypse!" The eyes of Sister Gold and the 4 Entities accompanying her shone with immense light at this answer, their connected minds receiving Noah¡¯s message with clarity! They still debated on whether to approach this being as an Enemy of an Ally...and they still had not made that choice even with the answer they were given. So Sister Gold asked again! "What is your purpose in collecting the Ruination Cores?" RUMBLE! The same question, and Noah¡¯s bright hair danced wildly as he got an idea of what these terrifying beings wanted to hear. He smiled arrogantly atop the throne as sent a message back. It was a message that had shocking consequences! "My purpose...is to reconnect the Dark Universe with the Primordial Cosmos!" The moment his answer arrived in the mind of Sister Gold, their bodies erupted with terrifying essence a millisecond later. Dao essence began to dance wildly as the bodies of the Spirit Race Entities moved apart, each of them releasing a horrendous level of power! Sister Gold¡¯s eyes were expressionless as her sonorous voice rang out in the chaotic void. "Enemies it is." RUUUUMBLE! Chapter 834 - Pull Back! The Spirit Race that was seen as a fearful force by many were filled with mysteries, their purpose and aims known by very few as they remained secluded even though they boasted tremendous strength Rarely would they ever be seen making a move, and when they did...it was something grand! THRUUUUUM! The 5 Entities from the Spirit Race still held blank expressions as their bodies erupted with essence, the aura of multiple Daos swirling on each of their bodies as the pressure made many beings gape in shock! The Entities from the various Powers had only pulled back from the region, watching to see if anyone would actually make a move. Their hearts trembled as they saw from the bodies of the Spirit Race Entities...the pristine aura of a fully assimilated Lesser Dao could be felt from the two Entities that flanked Sister Gold! "Impossible..." The heart of the Holy Emperor trembled as he gave a command to the 5 Entities he brought, unwillingly sending word to half of the remaining Entities left behind to protect the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter to bring them here for support as well. Traverser¡¯s eyes shone with intense light as his body expanded rapidly, the crimson eye in the middle of his forehead threatening to erupt at any second as he sighed deeply in his mind. Yet their power was unquestionable as shockingly, two of them had a Lesser Dao fully assimilated as they were a step away from becoming titled Sages! The power one could wield with a fully assimilated Dao wasn¡¯t just an additive factor where they became twice or thrice as strong...depending on the Dao, they could see their power spike up to unimaginable levels. Yet even when faced with this shocking sight, Noah merely nodded his head while remaining atop his throne. His hand came down commandingly as the Animus Pets he controlled came up behind him in a grand fashion. Yet another one of his clones appeared as he merged with Tiamat, making it so that all of his pets were merged with him as an instant later, each of them uttered domineering words he himself had uttered not too long ago. [Automatic Cast of All Support Skills]. [Automatic Cast of All Support Skills]...[Automatic...] RUUUMBLE! The chaotic void ruptured at the sight where Noah and his pets stood. "How is this possible..." "That wasn¡¯t even his full power?!" They watched with agape expressions as they saw the same magisterial armament made of all Universal Laws wrap around each of Noah¡¯s summons, their bodies gaining fitting armament that adhered to their physiology as in a matter of seconds, a stellar armored Dragon Queen appeared. ROAAAAR! The resonant bellow that Tiamat released shook everyone from their stupor as the scene established itself with clarity! Multicolored essence abound on all sides, 8 magisterial Animus Summons adorned with resplendent armament that caused their strength to rise to unknown levels! A wiggling bouncing Slime that had stopped being blue and now shone with a golden l.u.s.ter...its eyes seemingly filled with light as it stared at the 5 Entities from the Spirit Race with excitement. A fearsome Galaxy Devouring Serpent that had golden scales and shimmering wings now attached to its back, its head slithering dangerously as its red eyes shone with glory! CAAA! A kingly Calamity Bear floating in the chaotic space as he was enthroned in an armament fitting for a king, its gaze arrogant as its paws shone with a menacing l.u.s.ter! Each of the pets had varying transformations, but all of them could be described as magisterial while they stared down powerful Entities. "..." The watching Entities felt their hearts shaking as they recalled the words that the Tyrannical Entity had uttered. It seemed he wasn¡¯t bullshiting as somehow...his essence was as boundless as ever! Noah rose upon his throne as he cracked his neck side to side. It seemed like he had to use [Plot Armor] after all. ZIIIIING! His body began to vibrated rapidly as his Universal Laws Throne disappeared, sharp blades appearing on his hands as they pointed at the incorporeal throats of the Spirit Race. "..." At this juncture where everyone forgot to breathe while waiting for something glorious, a single Ancient voice rang out for all to hear. "Pull back." THRUUUUM! The voice actually stemmed from the connected minds of the 5 Spirit Race Entities, ringing out in their minds as they were given a command...but the voice also stretched out from their minds and spread out into the outside chaotic void as it was heard by all those in the nearby tens of miles! THUMP! Noah felt his heart constricting as his eyes shone ever brighter, this voice that was just uttered bringing with it immense pressure unlike anything he had felt before! The voice alone was akin to an entire world smashing into their minds as it rang once more. "What you seek, I have two of. You will have to come to my door if you ever wish to accomplish your goal." THUMP! The voice dripped with power and majesty as its words rang out most clearly in Noah¡¯s mind, his eyes shining ever brighter as he locked eyes with Sister Gold. Whatever being that was speaking through her seemed to have immeasurable strength, even the body of the powerful Sister Gold only being able to relay his will! "Return." Like an inviolable command, the words uttered were followed to completion as the bodies of the 5 Entities from the Spirit Race disappeared in the next second. "..." Many beings gaped in shock at the sequence of events as their hearts trembled with fear. Was a fight not supposed to break out? Weren¡¯t they ready for another grand show? What had just happened? Most of all...that voice! Oh, that voice! The voice lingered on the minds of many as Noah¡¯s eyes shone brilliantly in the chaotic void. His mind had a myriad of many thoughts, but a single one triumphed among the sea of thoughts. ¡¯That was a Sage, wasn¡¯t it? What happened to all you f.u.c.kers being dead?!¡¯ RUMBLE! Chapter 835 - Has He Comprehended a Cosmic Dao?! The region of the chaotic void near the Primal Winged Expanse was entirely silent as only the crackle of essence from the shining bodies of Noah and his pets reverberated out. Everybody else was shocked to their cores as some quickly began to leave, others still hiding themselves and staying behind to see if any more noteworthy things would occur! Noah glanced in the direction that the 5 Entities of the Spirit Race left as many thoughts swirled in his mind. The voice that had come from them was extremely domineering, and his senses definitely screamed that it was a big boss when he recalled the tone and demeanor that seemed to say everything was under their control! Yet this voice had commanded the powerful Entities from the Spirit Race to pull back as they let it be known that they held 2 Ruination Cores...giving him a headache on how he would collect all the remaining four as he pushed this thought aside for now. There were truly a great deal of this he had to deal with at this moment, as well as a tremendous amount of loot to go through! His eyes briefly looked at any remaining Entities hiding in the distance as he then turned towards the Primal Winged Expanse next. This was an Ancient Power that had cl.u.s.ters of Galaxies under it, and there were no Entities to look after it! After taking out all of their figureheads...the next step was to naturally assimilate them all into his Galaxy! But this would take an enormous time and effort, as there were an abundant amount of experts in the GALAXY Realm he could sense fearfully looking towards him from the nearby Galaxies, and trillions of beings that he would have to fully dominate under him. When he thought of such a task, his face scrunched in annoyance as he then looked at the Holy Emperor that stood next to the shocked Traverser. Towards this Ruler of an Ancient Power, Noah adopted a wide smile as he didn¡¯t even bother paying attention to their stupor at the sequence of events, smiling brightly as he went towards the Holy Emperor. "Brother Windsor! So you see, I have this Infinite Galaxy..." --- At this time, across the darkness of the chaotic void. The party of 5 Spirit Race Entities that had warped away very quickly...expressions of disbelief could be seen on their faces as Sister Gold was the first one to speak up while their bodies pierced through the layers of the chaotic void with ease! "Ancestor, why stop us? We ascertained he was an enemy, and we should have been sufficiently prepared with the 5 of us to be able to wear down his defenses and ultimately take his life in seconds." THRUM! She received no reply as her blank expression contained a tinge of worry, speaking out once more. "He wishes to rejoin our universe with the Primordial Cosmos. Even if he somehow succeeds in doing this...it is an action that will allow powerful experts to easily descend down and do as they wish. We cannot..." "Hush.." RUMBLE! A single word. Silence was all that followed. Sister Gold remained quiet as she and the other 5 Entities moved through the chaotic void, their expressions solemn as they waited for the voice to ring out once more. "That creature is a truly curious case. You 5 would have actually not been able to reign him in." "...!" Yet she could never in a million years deny the words of this ancestor as she knew how he grasped one of the most top tier Grand Daos in existence, a Dao that the Great Sage who led the many Sages of the Dark Universe in the past assimilated...the Grand Dao of Destiny! She knew that this Ancestor must have utilized the abilities of this Dao right before their battle and ascertained some things... "It¡¯s not even a matter of power, as you all had more than sufficient power to even destroy his origin with my help after...hmmm an hour?" The eyes of Sister Gold and the 4 Entities returning with her became even more perplexed as the Ancestor told them that even in the state that the Tyrannical Entity was in after fighting 26 Entities and his apparent help in the battle, they would only be able to kill him after an entire hour! "What¡¯s even more interesting is that even after his origin is destroyed...he isn¡¯t truly dead, and simply disappears from our...time. That is when things would have truly become tricky. I need to devise something against this." RUMBLE! Shocking words that would have even caused Noah¡¯s heart to tremble if he heard them resounded out. Even if a Sage made a move, they still would have not be able to take the terrifying being¡¯s life as even if they destroyed his Origin...he wasn¡¯t truly dead! Sister Gold¡¯s expression had turned somber as she recalled the image of the single man sitting atop a throne as she couldn¡¯t help but ask. "That should nearly be impossible...unless he has somehow grasped the Cosmic Dao of Chronology..." "No...if it was such a Dao then that being would already be running around the Dark Universe with everything in his palms. No, this is something else...I shall consult with the others for now. He will have to come to us either way if he wants to get his hands on the other Ruination Cores." The grand voice of the Ancestor refuted Sister Gold as she and the other 4 Entities continued their return with perplexing thoughts. Their conversation was brief, but it involved shocking secrets and the abilities of a fearsome being that was just one of the Ancestors of the Spirit Race! He had somehow accounted for [Plot Armor] and its 1 hour time span, and even accounted for [Save Point] in Noah¡¯s worst case scenario. Yet even this Ancestor...did not know how to combat such shocking abilities at this time as he had the Entities of the Spirit Race pull back! A battle had not occurred, nor had the two parties mingled...yet the single meeting between them would have shocking consequences. The Dark Universe was wide and extremely vast, with many old monsters hidden within that were simply waiting for a certain time to come. That time...was fast approaching as many pieces moved on an enormous chessboard, none the wiser on who were the pieces...and who were the players! Chapter 836 - Assimilating Ancient Powers is Easy I "Brother Windsor! So you see, I have this Infinite Galaxy..." The Holy Emperor stared at Noah in a stupor as he began conversing with him freely after they just saw 5 extremely powerful Entities move out right when a fight was about to erupt, this event seemingly being nothing in the Tyrannical Entity¡¯s eyes as he was moving to more important matters! As Noah looked at the Primal Winged Expanse that had cl.u.s.ters of Galaxies, he came up with a plan for an easy assimilation as it would have to begin with the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the few Entities they held that could be used to oversee large regions of Galaxies. "It will be a way for me to fulfill my promise of keeping your Ancient Power entirely safe, the treasure I have being something that others can only imagine..." His body rumbled with colorful essence still as he waved his hands to bring forth the Infinite Galaxy, causing for the Holy Emperor to be hit with shock after shock as something fantastical was explained to him! A plan was laid out to the Holy Emperor for the cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies under him to be fused into this larger Galaxy, such an action allowing for the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter to be hidden away safely as it could not even be reached by others. The Holy Emperor gradually worked through the phase of the shock of such a thing being possible as he thought about it deeply. When he thought of the powerful Entities that had just appeared as well as the trillions he had to protect...this Ruler locked his eyes with Noah for an entire minute before this shocking plan was agreed upon! "I¡¯ll need to meet all the Entities under the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and judge to see if they can all be trusted to oversee the Cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter...as well as the Primal Winged Expanse!" RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s aims were made clear as he planned to first assimilate all the galaxies of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and then use its Entities to oversee all the newly added Galaxies, as well as keeping the GALAXY Rank Ailerons in check as he gradually established a new order. His own subordinates that had been absorbing the Dao of Withering Crystals would also be put to work in the tumultuous time to come as they familiarized themselves with their newfound strength. The Ailerons were already defeated with the deaths of all their Entities...all that remained for them now was to be subjugated under Noah¡¯s heel! SHAA! SHAA! Figures began to flash away from the border of the Primal Winged Expanse as Noah¡¯s clones un-merged with his pets, the clones taking the Infinite Galaxy and disappearing with the Holy Emperor and other Entities to complete the task of quickly assimilating the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. The few remaining watching Entities that had hidden themselves continued to observe with careful eyes as some of them followed the direction of the leaving clones and Holy Emperor, only Noah, his pets, and Traverser being left behind in the region of the chaotic void! While the clones went to complete their task, his main body stood at the border of the galaxy cl.u.s.ter of the Primal Winged Expanse as his aura spread out wildly. The Ailerons in the nearest Galaxy felt their hearts shake as they observed the eyes of this being, his gaze seemingly waiting to bring down judgment as they saw him wave his hands and cause the appearance of a majestic throne made of Universal Laws Essence to appear once more, his piercing eyes continuing to stare towards them dominantly as he...waited! "Brother Traverser, why don¡¯t we talk in the meanwhile?" With his clones handling an important task, Noah got situated atop a throne that the Blue Slime was bouncing up and down on, turning his gaze to the Entity that had been searching for him for a long time. Traverser came out of his stupor as he stared at him for a few seconds, shaking his head incredulously as the third eye on his forehead shook with elation! --- Having many bodies working on many tasks provided for immense efficiency, and this was exactly what Noah was experiencing at this moment. His main body began discussing with Traverser as he gained a vast amount of knowledge about the Dark Universe and the Ancient Powers within it. His clones moved to talk and assimilate with Galaxies as another one of his clones...was counting the loot that he had collected! This clone was in the core regions of the Infinite Galaxy, within the land that used to be Noah¡¯s home world as he pulled out a variety of Cores, Dao Crystals, Assimilation Crystals, and Skill Books! The most important thing to Noah at this moment was the Assimilation Crystals, as this was what he needed the most in order to achieve one of his grand goals at this moment- the Cosmic Dao of Ruination! Even the Dao Crystals triggered by the Ruination Core didn¡¯t take the center of his attention, as he would only be able to produce more Entities from his subordinates with them. His eyes glimmered as they looked at a collection of vibrant Assimilation Crystals that shone with a luminous light of stars, these Crystals being the thing that would bring him a powerful Dao. With the 5% chance to drop due to [Loot Drop- Assimilation Crystals], he had received numerous Law Assimilation and Dao Assimilation Crystals from the 26 Entities and 100 Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons. Probability would say the skill would have been triggered at most 6 times, but Noah¡¯s Protagonist Trait came in clutch as aside from the Primal Emperor himself exploding into a pile of Law and Dao Assimilation Crystals...the deaths of 5 Entities and 10 Peak GALAXY Ailerons granted the crystals! The mere thought of what these shocking Crystals could do...made Noah tremble in excitement as he couldn¡¯t wait to begin! Chapter 837 - Assimilating Ancient Powers is Easy II The Aileron Entities granted Noah both Law and Dao Assimilation Crystals, but he would be shelving the Dao Assimilation Crystals for now until he could use them for the Cosmic Dao of Ruination. This was one of the most unique features Noah had in mind when he designed the Loot Drop skill. He made it very clear in the definition that the Assimilation Crystals could be used for any Dao! Whether it was Lesser, Grand, or Cosmic...if he collected enough of them, what stopped him from doing something extremely balance breaking? THUMP! His heart felt the excitement at the mere thought of it as his eyes turned towards the Crystals that he could use at this moment- the Law Assimilation Crystals. From the Entities and Peak Tier GALAXY experts, tens of Law Assimilation Crystals covered his sight as his clone grabbed onto one of them. It shone with a bright blue hue as it vibrated, whatever mysteries and essence lying inside it swiftly flowing into Noah¡¯s origin! THRUUUM! He felt his mind bubble in excitement as his eyes focused on the stat panel that showed the progress in the Universal Laws Assimilation. [Universal Laws Assimilation: 8%] The number had risen nicely when Noah used the support skills of all Universal Laws and wrapped his body with their essence while fighting the Ailerons, where even now he knew he needed to explore the unique state he was in some more and have his clones use it actively at all times. But with the inclusion of the Law Assimilation Crystal...the percentage exploded up by an entire decimal point to 8.1 as the crystal was absorbed! RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s eyes shone with l.u.s.ter as his origin revolved faster, sulking in the entire Crystal in seconds as he nearly trembled when looking at the stat panel. [Universal Laws Assimilation: 9%] "..." A single Law Assimilation Crystal increased the assimilation of all of his laws by 1%. He had 33 remaining Assimilation Crystals. ...! Shockingly, he could raise his progress of assimilation that had been going at a snail¡¯s pace above 40% after this single battle! What speed! What majesty! And this was only in terms of laws...he couldn¡¯t wait to see the scene when he utilized the Dao Assimilation Crystals in the future! RUMBLE! He continued his blatant cheating that would cause others to cough up blood if they found out, many things continuing to happen at the same time... 24 hours passed since the shocking battle at the border of the Primal Winged Expanse. During this time, something even more shocking occurred- an event that would send waves throughout the Dark Universe! It was the mystical event where the cl.u.s.ters of galaxies that made up the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter...began to disappear one after another as in a matter of hours, the few foreign Entities watching managed to observe the complete disappearance of an Entire Ancient Power! They observed the figures of the Tyrannical Entity moving with the Ruler of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, galaxies disappearing everywhere they passed until nothing remained. It was such a shocking scene that would forever remain ingrained into their memories...and it wasn¡¯t even done! Within the very same Infinite Galaxy that was the culprit of the shocking event, the Holy Emperor was floating near what used to be the draconic shaped Holy Land of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. He, Old Man Khan, and multiple other Entities were still staring around in a stupor as they affirmed their eyes truly were seeing this unbelievable reality where realms and galaxies were fused into one thing! If it could be explained with clarity, the act of assimilating galaxies into the Infinite Galaxy was similar to multiple small circular objects joining together with a much larger one. In the case of the Infinite Galaxy, it continued to take in the circular shaped and other unique shaped galaxies as the protective boundaries of these smaller galaxies disappeared, all of their stars, planets, realms, and many other stellar objects spilling into the grander Infinite Galaxy. No borders were present between the fused galaxies as even the stars and stellar bodies of Noah¡¯s Novus Galaxy could now be found near the stars and stellar bodies of the past Nexus Galaxy! This same concept applied to all the newly coming galaxies as the Infinite Galaxy expanded even further, and it also meant there had to be all that many more beings overseeing the increasingly vast and ever expanding additions of stars and planets. "This is something I will leave to you all in conjunction with some of my clones." Noah spoke these words calmly as he glanced at the Holy Emperor and his party of Entities that presided over the past Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. He had looked over all of the 20 or so Entities that had the majority of them comprehending the Dao of Summoning, but their lackl.u.s.ter Summons that were Ultra Rare at most with a few PRISMATIC here and there made Noah glance over them just briefly. "This is just..." The Holy Emperor breathed out his disbelief as he could only accept what he saw. His arms stretched out into the starry space of this grand galaxy as he felt the overwhelming concentration of essence that was multiple times greater than any location on his past Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter! His heart trembled as he glanced at the borderless and vast stellar bodies around him as he asked carefully. "Just how many galaxies have been assimilated in here? How many trillions of beings?" The Holy Emperor asked a question that nobody had asked Noah since he began fusing Galaxies all the way from the Nexus Galaxy. His clones had been carrying the task of looking for more galaxies whenever Noah wasn¡¯t actively using the Infinite Galaxy as the progress had not been little! Noah¡¯s eyes shone with regality and calmness as he replied. "After the 800th Galaxy, I stopped counting the trillions of stars and beings." ...! That¡¯s right! Over 800 Galaxies had been fused into the Infinite Galaxy so far, even though this number might seem minuscule when compared to the 100,000 goal that was required to upgrade the Infinite Galaxy! Even the 800 fused Galaxies required Noah to delegate many beings to multiple regions, only being able to keep balance in the Infinite Galaxy due to the fact that the Galaxy itself was an actively moving Entity. It constantly monitored what was happening within it as it would alert Noah¡¯s clones and the Harbingers of Sin if any beings in a certain region were doing something they shouldn¡¯t, and it could even utilize the features of the Infinite Galaxy to take action itself. This was the only reason that everything wasn¡¯t in utter chaos right now! When it came to the goal of 100,000, Noah¡¯s clones had covered a very short portion of the vast Dark Universe as of right now...and he knew he would only need some time before he broke through into thousands of fused Galaxies as he neared his goal. "Now...the Galaxies of the Primal Winged Expanse wait for us..." He finished assimilating one Ancient Power with ease as he wasn¡¯t done, heading towards a defeated one as he would assimilate even more Galaxies before he continued his search for Ruination Cores! Chapter 838 - An Infamous Entity The mysteries and wonders of the Dark Universe were innumerable, with the truly powerful beings dwelling within this universe using their power to understand all these unknowns. They varied from regions where unique stellar bodies bloomed, regions where one could find huge cl.u.s.ters of black holes and Quasars or unique Galaxies with their own rare qualities. On this day, yet another wonder had bloomed in real time as multiple factors coincided that allowed for powerful experts to be in the affected region, watching with their own eyes as the shocking event occurred! After the disappearance of the Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters of the Expansive Dragon Expanse, the wizened Entities turned their eyes to the Primal Winged Expanse and true enough- its cl.u.s.ters of galaxies were next to disappear. The body of the Tyrannical Emperor could be seen situated on a magisterial throne made of an overabundance of universal essence, the figure of Traverser by his side as the eyes of these two beings were on the remaining Aileron powerhouses, watching silently as the galaxies these Ailerons dwelled in began to disappear! For those that did not know the reason behind the disappearance of the Galaxies, it was an eerie scene of a Tyrant situated upon a throne...watching silently as the Galaxies in front of him vanished. Every time that a flash of light occurred and a galaxy was gone, the Tyrannical Entity would turn into a streak of light that tore through the chaotic void, traveling countless miles as his gaze and pressure descended unto the next galaxy within the cl.u.s.ter...that Galaxy disappearing as well! It was such a dominating scene that caused the eyes of those watching to tremble, this scene playing out until the many Galaxies that had lost the protection of the Primal Emperor and his Entities all disappeared. Within a day, the Ancient Power that was the Primal Winged Expanse was wiped out. The Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter had disappeared even earlier. The cause of it was a singular being that was domineering enough to be moving across space while sitting calmly upon a throne made of laws! The chaotic void seemed extremely destitute and silent. Not a word was spoken as many beings left, the news about a Tyrannical Entity beginning to spread to the knowledgeable beings of the Dark Universe. A Tyrannical Entity had sprouted from the Western Region of the Dark Universe. He was first seen dominating 26 Entities by himself as he killed an Emperor. He was then seen moving across the two Ancient Powers in this region as a day later...these powers disappeared! He rose from obscurity as now...information about this Tyrannical Entity was beginning to spread. To the far reaching Desolate Galaxies that held cl.u.s.ters of warlords fighting for power. To the wondrous lands of the Arch Humans where the fanatic of the Sword Dao could be found. To the cohesive lands of the Spirit Race where power and regality overflowed! The name of the Tyrannical Entity thundered across with fervor. A new era was on the horizon! --- A few days passed since the disappearance of two Ancient Powers. Many things seemed calm on the surface, but the expansive Dark Universe was even more bustling at this moment as many powerful beings moved with their own goals! In the starry chaotic void, an enormous Leviathan could be seen shooting across as atop it, two figures were talking. It was the Tyrannical Emperor that had become the topic of discussion for many beings, as well as the somewhat known Entity- Traverser! Noah had been expanding his knowledge of the Dark Universe and the notable powers dwelling within as he talked to this Entity that had been searching for the being capable of using Ruination Cores all this time. Much of the information revolved around the 3 Ancient Powers Noah had yet to come across- the one where the Arch Humans ruled that was known as the Consummate Sword Expanse, the one overseeing the Desolate Galaxies that was known as the Desolate Expanse, and lastly it was the Spirit Domain where the unique Spirit Race ruled! Noah gained much more knowledge about these Ancient Powers and what types of Daos they studied, his focus actually honing in on the Consummate Sword Expanse where the Arch Humans ruled. "I can ascertain the location of the remaining Ruination Cores, and going by what you¡¯ve told me...one of them should be in the region under the Consummate Sword Expanse." Yes! The location of the 4 remaining Ruination Cores was spread out across the Dark Expanse, Noah still being able to glean information of their locations as he utilized Eyes of Truth on the Ruination Cores themselves. After organizing the abundant collection of information, he confirmed that one should be in the hands of the Consummate Sword Expanse, and 2 were in the hands of the Spirit Race! The fourth one...was the most tricky one as it didn¡¯t remain in place, constantly moving across the regions of the Dark Universe as Noah knew it must be in the hands of a powerful wandering Entity, or something even more terrifying. "Getting the Ruination Core off the hands of the fanatics that sleep with their sword in the Consummate Sword Expanse will be..." Traverser¡¯s eyes shone with a sharp light as he spoke of the powerful Entities that studied the Grand Dao of the Sword. Noah smiled at this as his eyes landed on this being that was known as Traverser. Aside from expanding his knowledge, he had vowed to support him any way that he could until he obtained all the Ruination Cores and stopped the apocalypse that was coming for them all. It was an unexpected ally out of the battle with the Ailerons that Noah planned to put to full use! His eyes focused on the vibrant third red eye of this Entity as he voiced out domineeringly. "It¡¯s only another Ancient Power. They either adhere to my will...or the heads of their Entities shall roll!" RUMBLE! Even the surrounding space shook at the sheer arrogance as Traverser¡¯s eyes became even sharper, these two beings making their way towards an Ancient Power that was second only to the Spirit Race of the Dark Universe! Chapter 839 - Setting Off for the Sword Expanse! Within the Infinite Galaxy. After the assimilation of two Ancient Powers into it, the Infinite Galaxy had turned even more boisterous as the additions this time around weren¡¯t just in quantity, but of tremendous quality as the galaxy cl.u.s.ters obtained had Entities and multiple experts at the GALAXY Realm! Noah¡¯s subordinates were watching this in real time as the Emperor Penguin arrogantly oversaw the galaxies where the Ailerons resided, the remaining GALAXY experts of this Ancient Power being meek in front of the strength of the being that took away their Entities in a dominating fashion. From the Aileron Galaxies, the majority were from the Aileron Race, but humans and a variety of other unique species existed among the trillions of beings spread out across the stars. THRUM! The flippers of the Emperor Penguin were letting out an intense light as he held a Peak GALAXY core, absorbing it as his golden eyes moved across the numerous stars of the past Primal Winged Expanse carefully! His current Realm was in the Middle Tier GALAXY, yet one could notice the distinct aura of an Entity from his as he had been among the few to use the Dao of Withering Crystals to completely comprehend a Lesser Dao. This arrogant penguin and other subordinates of Noah who had achieved this 100% comprehension in a Dao were now enhancing their strength even further as they were given the loot from the recent battle, the l.u.s.trous GALAXY Cores going towards them as they quickly tried to push their strength towards the Peak to become genuine Entities. While the Emperor Penguin moved to oversee the newly added Galaxies, the other experts within the Infinite Galaxy each moved with their own ideals! An example of this was a scene that was occurring at this exact moment in a cl.u.s.ter of stars that used to be at the center of the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter. The Imperial Adjudicator was standing powerfully in front of the Holy Emperor, Anastasia, and Anna by his side as this past galactic ruler confronted the man that nearly gave his wife and daughter away! A look of shame could be seen in the eyes of the Holy Emperor, but his gaze remained steady as he met the man that gave him his little granddaughter. The Imperial Adjudicator¡¯s body now let out the aura of an Entity along with Anna, their Realms reaching Anastasia at Middle Tier GALAXY as they could genuinely consider themselves powerhouses that could protect themselves. The strength that the Imperial Adjudicator strove for to protect his family...he had achieved it as he now stood proudly in the ranks of experts! Like the Imperial Adjudicator, many other powerful beings in the Infinite Galaxy moved with their own ideals as their main goal remained getting stronger. Barbatos was a prime case of this as she was in a Time Space absorbing Peak GALAXY Cores, her red eyes vibrant as she recalled Noah¡¯s words that he uttered to all his subordinates that entered the rank of Entities. "The Tower of the Great Sage Aoin still contains a myriad of Animus Summons...with a few PRISMATIC summons that still need their masters! The most powerful among you once you all reach the Peak Tier...will get to choose from the PRISMATIC and Ultra Rare Summons!" THRUM! These words from Noah had spurred another period of training for his subordinates as they were now forged into powerful Entities. The next time they stepped out of the Infinite Galaxy...their names would become renowned as they left behind their own trail of destruction! --- A few more days passed as many things occurred in the Infinite Galaxy. Noah was still atop the Colossal Helios Leviathan with Traverser as it streaked across the chaotic void, his eyes closed as he had just utilized the [Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark] that had finally ended its cool down! The target was of course the Holy Emperor, Noah making sure to keep his focus on the Dao that had granted him the huge boost in power that he used to power through the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and the Primal Winged Expanse. Swirling waves of the essence of the Dao of Summoning erupted from him as Traverser shook his head incredulously by the side, watching this Tyrannical being advance through a dao as easy as it could be. The tide of essence receded into Noah¡¯s body as his sharp eyes opened. He felt the overpowering strength coursing through his body as his gaze went towards his stat panel. [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Infernal Lord(Variant), Controller(All Laws)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana & Protagonist] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Vitality: GALAXY(PEAK)] [Focus: ¡Þ ] [Strength: GALAXY(PEAK)] [Law(s) : Life-100%, Death-100%, Aether- 100%, Karma-100%,Fate-100%,Chaos-100%, Light-100%, Dark-100%, Space-100%, Time-100%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-100%, Air-100%] [Universal Laws Assimilation: 46%] [Primeval Propitious Physique: 96%] [Skill Points :: 32,413,487] A shining stat panel that he reduced to the most important details, with the most important thing in Noah¡¯s eyes being the number of skill points that were one of the most important loot to come from taking down 26 Entities and 100 Peak Tier GALAXY Ailerons. They were truly the most giving big bosses as the number of skill points they gave were many! This gave way to many possible skill creations as the next best thing was the sweet 79% next to the Dao of Summoning after his use of Protagonist¡¯s Bookmark, as well as the 46% next to all Universal Laws Assimilation. He was nearly done with comprehending the Dao of Summoning and nearly halfway through assimilating all laws as a prized Cosmic Dao waited at the end of it! RUMBLE! "We should be nearing the Consummate Sword Expanse?" His voice was powerful, his gaze was filled with starry light as they were set upon another Ancient Power. This one was the 2nd strongest within the Dark Universe, overseeing a great deal of Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters as they ruled through pure strength alone. This strength was provided by a single dao that was unique in its nature, a dao that went to the extremes of a weapon! Ruled under the banner of the Sword Dao, the galaxy cl.u.s.ters prospered as they produced beings filled with fanaticism towards the sword. The next target that held a Ruination Core was locked on as Noah neared the Consummate Sword Expanse! Chapter 840 - The Glorious Consummate Sword Expanse In a corner of the Dark Universe, one could observe a truly interesting cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies that were all situated together to form a unique form of a sword! Whether it was formed naturally or had an expert that had done something shocking, it was a breathtaking scene in the chaotic void. From the hilt all the way to the tip of the blade, the starry light of Galaxies illuminated such a pristine shape as Entities crossing the chaotic void would feel their hearts tighten when they stood at a far enough distance to be able to observe the stellar bodies in full. Noah was able to do this exact thing at this moment- his vibrant eyes seeing the unique formation of the stellar bodies that came to form a sharp sword! VOOOM! The Colossal Helios Leviathan continued to tear through the chaotic void as they neared this Consummate Sword Expanse, Noah¡¯s eyes focusing on the enormous Galaxy at the tip of the sword shaped stellar bodies. This was where the center of this Ancient Power coalesced, the place known as the Consummate Sword Holy Land! "The strength of these fanatics is somewhat high as they are one of the few beings to love the Dao they study too much. This passion has allowed many of them to easily comprehend and assimilate it as even I am unsure of the extent of their power." Traverser voiced out with careful eyes as the Animus Summon they were on made its way towards the Galaxy at the tip of the Sword formed stellar bodies. The Ancient Power they were heading to was known as the second strongest after the Spirit Race, but nobody had been able to truly quantify their strength! Yet to Noah...such strength did not matter as he could protect himself with surety. This was made even more true as his eyes shone while he activated a particular skill. [Save Point]. THRUM! Unique essence flashed from him as he created another Save Point, the skill¡¯s could down having been met a few days back as before he stepped onto another Ancient Power, he saved his progress! He could now move with even fewer worries as he kept his focus on the goal of this trip- the Ruination Core. He didn¡¯t need to mingle or insert himself into the Ancient Power while slowly rising up in ranks. He didn¡¯t have to hide his identity while slowly gaining the trust of the core figures of this Ancient Power. No. He had risen to a level of strength where he could boldly move, his identity as the Tyrannical Entity being more than enough! He was truly excited to see how this different approach would play out! RUMBLE The enormous Colossal Helios leviathan made no effort to hide its aura, and neither did Noah or Traverser as they neared the Consummate Sword Holy Land. Naturally, this meant their powerful auras could be picked up hundreds of miles away as a second later, spatial fluctuations brought forth a 4 meter tall being in front of the path that the Colossal Helios Leviathan was taking. It was a being of pristine beauty, his humanoid figure and characteristics making him no other than a creature of the Arch Human Race! The aura of a powerful Entity bounced off of his body as his hands could be seen resting on a sharp sword. His eyes were sharp as his piercing words rang out. "Friends, can I ask your purpose for coming towards our Consummate Sword Expanse?" RUMBLE! His words traveled like sharp swords across the chaotic void as they reached Noah and Traverser, the Colossal Helios Leviathan still continuing to move its monstrous body forward without stopping as if an Entity had not appeared in front of it! Noah gave a warm smile towards this Entity as he replied. "Naturally, it is to see the beautiful sights of your Ancient Power while learning about the Sword!" A reply that caused the eyes of the Entity from the Consummate Sword Expanse to shine brightly, his hand beginning to vibrate as they held the terrific sword he had on him! The sight of the enormous Leviathan not even stopping as it barreled forward was matched with a bursting essence shaped like swords from the body of the Entity as his aura began to rise. Neither side was coming to a stop as it seemed an impact was imminent! SHAA! SHAA! Yet it was at this moment that more 4 meter tall figures warped in, their bodies brimming with power as Noah even remembered a few of them from the party that he had met a few days back after the battle with Aileron Entities. "Emperorslayer...to think we would meet again so soon!" RUMBLE! The most devilishly handsome Arch Human that had spoken to Noah last time as well appeared grandly as he spoke, his powerful aura bellowing out in waves as he seemed like a sharp sword ready to strike! The enormous Colossal Helios Leviathan came to a stop just a few feet away from the cl.u.s.ter of appearing Entities, Noah waving his hands as the enormous animus turned into a streak of light and returned into his origin. The figures of him and Traverser appeared in the stellar chaotic void as he floated towards the Arch Human Entities. "I¡¯m only visiting another Ancient Power. The last one left a bad taste in my mouth as I was left wondering how other powers in this vast Dark Universe are." ...! The eyes of the Entities with essence as sharp as swords constricted as the one at the very forefront spoke with a smile. "Then you are guests of our Consummate Sword Expanse! Come, let us not be bad hosts..." The devilishly handsome Arch Human Entity welcomingly waved towards Noah and Traverser, his eyes hiding a sharp glint as he and his brethren parted in the middle to escort two guests into the Consummate Sword Expanse. It was a wondrous cl.u.s.ter of galaxies filled to the brim with beings that studied a unique dao passionately, its Entities being truly powerful as it boasted power second only to the Spirit Race. Chapter 841 - The Master Was Right! In the depths of the Consummate Sword Holy Land, a mystical Realm existed where the core power of the Consummate Sword Expanse resided. This Realm was full of fantastical herbs and vegetation that were packed to the brim with essence, mana flowing serenely around the verdant vegetation as a single being was sitting down meditating with a glistening sword on his l.a.p. He would occasionally stroke the sword as it hummed in a dangerous tone, the essence of the Dao of the Sword swirling around this being in large amounts! SHAA! A second later, the figure of 4 meter tall Arch Human teleported into the mystical Realm, his head bowed to the meditating being as he spoke out with reverence. "Sword Emperor, that...Tyrannical Emperor truly did come to our Expanse. Brother Brightsword is escorting him and Traverser into the Consummate Sword Holy Land at this moment." The voice of the bowing Arch Human was filled with respect, which made this scene all the more shocking as from the body of this Arch Human...the aura of Entity was bursting off. An Entity was bowing respectfully to the meditating being, giving him a shocking status! THRUUM! The meditating Sword Emperor opened his eyes as the surroundings resonated with his breathing, his voice that was filled with sharpness ringing out. "Good. The Immemorial Sword Formation is ready to be initiated?" "Yes, Emperor. With the Consummate Sword Holy Land as the conduit itself, many of our Entities have been stationed throughout the different levels of the formation ready to start at any time." The Entity¡¯s eyes were filled with fervor as they glanced at the Sword Emperor, seeing this Ruler nod his head as the Entity warped away right after. "Big Sis Morgana, the being I mentioned has entered my Ancient Power. What the Master told us so long ago is turning out to be true..." A simple message, but one that would cause the minds of the beings that knew the status of this Sword Emperor to reel in shock. No sound came back from the other side of the medallion as the Sword Emperor waited calmly, seconds passing before a sharp voice could be heard. "The so called Master of Ruination that the Old Fool talked about before he croaked? F.u.c.k if I care that he¡¯s come to you!" The voice was sharp and filled with disdain, with the truly perceptive readers being able to link the vulgar way of speaking of this being to an ¡¯Entity¡¯ that was mentioned some time back! On the other side of the medallion that the Sword Emperor was speaking into, the small body of a girl that was floating in the chaotic void while twirling with a Ruination Core could be seen. This was the exact same being that was the other holder of a Ruination Core, the one that Noah labeled to be a powerful Entity of even worse of a being that was actively moving throughout the Dark Universe! Her petite figure brimmed with shocking power as she played with a Tool many beings were searching for, her voice ringing out again as it traveled to the Sword Emperor. "I was wondering why this stupid tool would be vibrating after all this time, never did I expect the bullshit ¡¯Master of Ruination¡¯ to have actually propped up! What the hell makes him worthy, huh? He¡¯s still barely an Entity from what you¡¯ve told me!" The expression of the Sword Emperor remained placid at the barrage of words from the being he called Big Sis Morgana as he replied. "The Master has never been wrong. But of course, I still made my own preparations. To make sure that we have a chance of survival...to make sure we can withstand the maniacs of the Spirit Race...I will even sacrifice my power and Origin." ...! The eyes of the petite figure countless light years away constricted as she began screaming loudly into her medallion. "You little shit! What do you plan to do? Can you stop doing stupid things just for a second when I¡¯m away? What do you mean sacrifice your Origin? You better have not believed all of the words of that Old Fool!" Her voice was sharp to the ears as the Sword Emperor smiled while turning his face away. His face was melancholic as he repeated words he had heard tens of thousands of years ago. "A being capable of freely wielding the Tools of Ruination. A being that rises from nothingness and into a peak powerhouse in a short period of time. A being that gets stronger from devouring the strength of others...everything that the Master said to us before fits with this being. I have collected all the information about him that dates back to when he appeared in the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter just weeks ago. Do you know what his realm was then?" "..." The petite figure was silent for a moment as the Sword Emperor continued. "Merely at the QUASAR Realm." ...! "And now, he stands as an Entity just a month later, with enough power that even when he came in contact with the Spirit Race...it was actually them that pulled back!" RUMBLE! "What?!" The petite figure known as Big Sis Morgana shouted out at these unbelievable words, the Sword Emperor continuing as his eyes swirled with powerful light. "The Spirit Race not moving against him after meeting gives us a chance, a chance that I will use to the fullest to achieve the dream of Master. I know you can feel that the Cataclysm is nearing as well...this might be the last chance that we have to move against the Spirit Race and take the remaining 2 Ruination Cores from them...the last chance to give the Master of Ruination a chance to undo what Master and the others did a long time ago! RUMBLE! Morgana felt her heart tremble as she had a foreboding feeling, essence beginning to swirl around her as she voiced out angrily. "You dumbass! Wait for me and dont do anything stupid. I¡¯ll come back and peel the origin of this useless Master of Ruination to find out his secrets as I use the tools of Ruination myself. Do not do anything before then!" THRUUUUM! The chaotic void shattered as the petite figure of a terrifying being shot out at high speed, her blazing with anger as she made way towards the Consummate Sword Expanse! Back in the verdant mystical realm where the Sword Emperor resided, his eyes shot out innumerable lights as he put the medallion away and looked to the skies while speaking mysteriously. "Master...I shall help to undo what you and the others did all those years ago..." His gaze seemed to hold a myriad of secrets as he stared into nothingness, his body brimming with power that was way past an Entity! It was the power of a Sage! Chapter 842 - The Immemorial Sword Formation Activates Noah was able to enter the grand Galaxy that was the Consummate Sword Holy Land with relative ease as the Arch Human Entities guided him in. It was filled with a myriad of stars like any galaxies, but it held a mysterious air that made it seem extremely old and archaic! Traverser was the only one who seemed to have his guard up as Noah and the Arch Human Entities floated towards an enormous golden door with smiles. "This is the Sword Realm that is more than worthy of receiving respected guests such as yourselves." The lead Entity introduced the Realm they were entering through the golden door as they appeared in a fantastical environment. Noah was in the skies as he watched an expansive fantasy city filled with buildings and structures built to the likeness of swords, vast grasslands present throughout as it seemed like a land that past Sages would stroll through! The essence was vibrantly dancing in the surroundings as the party of Entities descended down an open area that held majestic outdoor dining tables and chairs, Noah and Traverser being welcomed to sit down as a variety of glistening food and drinks appeared on it. "Now, let us talk over a hearty meal." The lead Entity had an indiscernible smile as he smiled at them, Noah not caring as he sat down and comfortably began helping himself to the golden drinks and meat that vibrated with essence. "I am the Sword Emperor¡¯s right hand man, Brightsword. May I know why the Emperorslayer has made his way over to our Ancient Power?" Brightsword glanced at Noah with a smile as he asked. It was an extremely weird environment as all the Entities were watching Noah, him being the only figure that was digging into the food and enjoying himself as even Traverser seemed to be carefully looking back at the watching Entities. "I came for the Ruination Core that is somewhere in this Ancient Power." "..." Silence descended onto the majestic outdoor dining area as even the wind stalled, Traverser¡¯s eyes opening wide as they locked towards Noah...watching as this being merely continued enjoying his meal with a savory look after saying shocking words! What was even more surprising was...the fact that the Arch Human Entities didn¡¯t react in a shocked manner or erupt out in anger, remaining still as Brightsword only kept smiling. "I see. Then we must follow the will of the Sword Emperor!" THRUM! Brightsword said these words powerfully as his eyes shone with immense l.u.s.ter, Noah merely glancing towards this Entity and those around him with squinting eyes as he spoke nonchalantly once more. "And what is the will of your Sword Emperor?" There was a period of silence as Brightsword waved his hands while smiling, seemingly giving a signal as he smiled. "The will of the Sword Emperor is something even we cannot deny...so I shall wish you good luck in obtaining what you want. If fate permits, I might even stand in front of you again!" RUMBLE! The gaze of Brightstar and other Entities seemed to hold innumerable mysteries as the moment these words finished, the figures of the Entities in front of Noah began to disappear one after another as Noah and Traverser also felt themselves swept away by a spatial storm! "Hmmm?!" Noah¡¯s eyes shone with bright light as he sensed his surroundings, his eyes glancing around to find himself in an entirely new area that held a much different environment than the one he was in. He finished the golden drink he had in his hand nonchalantly as he began to focus. Spreading his senses out, he saw that he had been teleported to a planet that had no life on it, the only figures on this planet being him...and a single Arch Human Entity that was stroking his sword with a melancholic expression! This Entity was standing in front of an enormous magic circle that shone with an intense light, Noah¡¯s Eyes of Truth locking onto it as his eyes nearly bulged out when he somewhat ascertained what was going on. THRUUM! Yet he didn¡¯t have to put the pieces together as a moment later, the Illusory image of a devilishly handsome Arch Human formed in the skies of this planet! This one held a head full of dark hair that moved with the wind, a sharp jawline and an air of a being that carried themselves with immense majesty! His eyes seemed to hold a myriad of mysteries as he glanced down towards Noah and spoke grandly. "I am glad you could make your way down to my Consummate Sword Expanse...as it gives me a unique opportunity to do something I had long given up on and thought of as mere stories!" RUMBLE! Filled with the light of majesty and power, the Sword Emperor had appeared in front of Noah in an Illusory form. With the simple appearance of this figure, Noah¡¯s senses also caught the usage of enormous amounts of mana in his surroundings, knowing a unique phenomenon was occurring at this moment as he stared at the floating figure in the skies. "Tens of thousands of years ago, my Master told the tale of a being that would be capable of holding immense power, of a being that could utilize the Tools of Ruination!" RUMBLE! "It has been so long that I nearly forgot about this tale...that I nearly gave up! Yet, a being matching the descriptions Master mentioned has stepped onto my home, but this being...is not up to par with the ill.u.s.trious one that my Master painted." The resounding voice of the Sword Emperor was filled with melancholy as he looked at Noah. "The Master said that the one capable of using the Tools of Ruination would be able to very quickly rise in strength as they could devour the origins of others and assimilate them into their own power." "I am inclined to believe in the Master, and it is the reason why I have made so much effort. But...I must be sure that I am making the right choice, so I shall give you a chance!" The barren planet Noah was on quaked as enormous amounts of essence flooded in, something shocking that had been underway finally being completed. "This chance lies on the Immemorial Sword Formation that has been activated. A formation that spans across 50 planets and stars- each of them connected together to create a unique Spatial Realm that uses the Origins of the Sword Kings of my Consummate Sword Expanse at their core." "Within this Immemorial Sword Formation, you will stand against my Sword Kings as you make your way to the top. If you are capable enough and are the true Master of Ruination, you should be able to defeat them as you assimilate their power to increase your own. It is a huge sacrifice that my forces are making as they will lose a significant portion of their power with their defeat...but I must do this if I want to realize the dream of my Master!" RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s eyes shone brightly as he stared at the illusory figure, his mind rumbling with many thoughts as a singular one came to the very forefront when he looked at the situation before him. ¡¯So...you¡¯ve created a Dungeon where Entities are the mini bosses?!¡¯ ...! Chapter 843 - The Immemorial Sword Dungeon! Noah¡¯s mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts as he gradually understood the situation around him, putting together the many pieces of information that the Sword Emperor was throwing out as he created a larger picture. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t alone in trying to prevent the apocalypse, beings like Traverser and this Sword Emperor existing who also had the same goal! To further this goal, Traverser had joined him and pledged to help in any way he could, while this Sword Emperor was an old monster that had a supposed prophecy passed down by a being he called his Master...this being somehow foretelling that someone like Noah would appear in the future. This alone made Noah¡¯s mind buzz as he wondered what type of Dao or unique power that being cultivated to be able to see something like that, and what truly happened with the Sages and Great Sages that caused the separation of the Dark Universe from the Primordial Cosmos. He couldn¡¯t help but ask. "Who exactly is this master you keep on referring to?" The Illusory figure glanced at Noah as their starry eyes moved, their dominant voice ringing out once more. "My Master was the Great Sage that stood at the forefront of the battle against the nearby powers from the Primordial Cosmos that aimed for our Cosmic Treasure, the one that also knew what would happen when they cut off our Dark Universe from its home. But he did this because he saw that it was the only way to grant us time...where he even sacrificed his life and the life of all living Sages to cut us off and give us a few tens of thousands of years where we were waiting for a single being to rise." RUMBLE! "Even the maniacs of the Spirit Race do not know this secret, Master being the only one that knew and passed it down to his disciples. Otherwise...they would have not so recklessly let you go in the Primal Winged Expanse. This is because you are the bane of what they stand for...you are the supposed being that would connect us back to the Primordial Cosmos and stand to protect this Universe." "Whether that being truly is you, we have to test and affirm with full certainty. Your power at the rank of Entity is not enough to stand against the Spirit Race and obtain the other 2 Ruination Cores as their strength is unfathomable! Let us see if you are truly the being we have been waiting for...climb through my Immemorial Sword Formation and defeat my Sword Kings. If you can truly assimilate their strength and rise in strength to approach Sage...I have no problem handing you the Ruination Core in my hands!" ...! Noah felt his heart beat faster as this truly wasn¡¯t a situation he expected. He didn¡¯t have to slaughter his way through an Ancient Power as this time around, he was mingling with beings that knew of the apocalypse to come and actually wanted to prevent it. But they had to have assurances that they weren¡¯t giving away their supreme treasures to some weakling as this Sword Emperor had chosen a unique way to go about it...by creating a dungeon! What was a dungeon? In Noah¡¯s Homeworld and the Beast World, dungeons were widespread as the Origins of beasts were used to serve as the mobs within, everytime they were defeated leaving behind a portion of their origin to the victor as they gradually lost their power and sense of being. Their origins could be replenished with the input of essence as overtime, they lost all of their identity and simply became mindless origin machines that acted as puppets within a dungeon. In the past, the Spiritual Land of the Beast World had also created a dungeon for the test Noah took before he became its master- where the Emperor Penguin, Polar Bear, and other Spiritual Land beasts were used as the mini bosses in the dungeon. The dungeons were unique spatial realms where those connected to the dungeons did not truly die...only losing a portion of their origin as their souls also received immense damage from the pseudo-death! This was exactly what the Sword Emperor had done. The so called formation he had set up...was a dungeon that had 50 Planets interconnected, each one acting as its own level as it held a varying amount of Entities as mini bosses! "..." Noah was breathless as he affirmed this by glancing at the planet he was on with eyes of truth. [First Floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon] :: The first floor of a dungeon created for a unique purpose. A single Entity has to be defeated on this floor before the challenger can step on the runic magic circle and be teleported into the 2nd floor... The fantastical reality really was so as Noah shook his head incredulously, looking towards the illusory figure of the Sword Emperor with a difficult expression. He had expected an enemy when he came, but unexpectedly found something entirely different! RUMBLE! He expressed his thanks in the only way that would reach the magnanimous Sword Emperor, his body beginning to bubble with power as he would take this pie that was falling out of the sky and take huge bites out of it. He gave a nod of respect to the Sword Emperor. "I will thank you in advance for this opportunity!" The figure of the Sword Emperor nodded with melancholy as he began to disappear. "Traverser has no role to play in this Formation, and he will simply be watching the scenes playing out like many others. Prove to us that you truly are the being we are waiting for." WAP! The illusory figure disappeared as on the barren planet- on the first floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, only Noah and a single Entity was left. The hairs on Noah¡¯s head began to dance wildly as they focused on the Arch Human stroking his sword with a sad expression. The sword in his hands seemed to be humming a tune, where with every passing second the shocking aura it released only became more and more powerful. The Entities, or as the Sword Emperor referred to them, the Sword Kings- would not lay down their lives easily as they knew with their defeat, their origin and soul would be heavily injured as their battle power would be greatly reduced! So Noah would have to put in some work if he wanted to defeat these Entities that were fanatics of a Grand Dao of the Sword as he advanced through a one of a kind dungeon. A dungeon made just for him. Filled with Entities proficient in the Grand Dao of the Sword that he could defeat for Dao and Assimilation Crystals, Skill Points, and a myriad of other loot. It was something out of his wildest dreams as he couldn¡¯t help but let out a bellow of happiness! "OOOOOH!" RUMBLE! Chapter 844 - Picking Up a Grand Dao is Easy I In the mystical realm filled with lush greenery, the Sword Emperor was still situated among the verdant grass as he peacefully breathed in and out. A few meters away from him, an illusory screen could be seen that showed the scene of Noah looking towards one of his Sword Kings, the body of the Emperorslayer beginning to bubble with power as things were about to begin! Many thoughts crossed the Sword Emperor¡¯s mind as he looked at this scene, his essence constantly making sure the Immemorial Sword Formation that was set up was working perfectly. He had no regrets from his actions, the possibility of the identity of this Master of Ruination simply being too important as he had to act! His senses told him that the Cataclysm was truly near, and if they wanted to stand against the suicidal Spirit Race...they had to move. THRUM! Essence was now erupting freely on the First Floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon as his starry eyes locked in to pay attention. In another location, Traverser was left behind as the voice of the Sword Emperor had reached him to explain the ongoing situation, an illusory screen also present on the outdoor dining area they were in that showed the scene of Noah and the Sword King. All the other floors of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon also had similar illusory screens as Noah¡¯s battles would be analyzed by the very same beings he would face, his mission becoming increasingly harder as he climbed up. The pieces were set. The board was made. Now, it was time to play. On the first floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, Noah directly activated [Automatic Cast of All Support Skills] as his hair danced wildly, his body being wrapped by the multicolored essence of all Universal Laws as glorious wings erupted behind him while he was adorned in a magisterial armament. Vibrant golden hammers swirled on his back as two sharp swords appeared in his hands, the Sword King in the distance glancing at the Swords with a light smile as he wielded his own. "You really do dare raise a Sword against someone that has wielded it their entire life." His voice was soft and placid, Noah sensing many emotions in it as the moment the being finished talking, he began walking towards him. THRUM! Each step he took, his aura became even wilder as the Sword he held hummed, Noah feeling the power of the Grand Dao of the Sword as he moved himself. He was truly curious what exactly this Grand Dao has that created fanatics. "The Will of the Sword Emperor must be followed...and he told us to go all out as if death in here was truly final!" BOOOM! This object was naturally the Sword of the Arch Human Entity, Noah¡¯s colorful eyes watching things as if in slow motion as he saw the swirling coagulation of the essence of the Sword Dao on the descending weapon. This essence was truly unique as it was filled with immense power, this single strike making it seem like it would bring down the weight of an entire star when it met its target! The Dao of Withering had essence with a destructive nature that deconstructed and eroded the enemy, the Dao of Vastness has expanding essence that granted the user unique properties...every single dao had its own unique essence. The essence of the Dao of the Sword...gave its Entities extremely sharp and destructive attacks that carried the force equivalent to or even greater than the weight of stars or the even heavier stellar bodies, causing for the Sword Kings to be capable of shattering planets with a single swing of their sword! RUMBLE! Such was the strike that was coming towards Noah, his arms rising up to bring his two Sword that palpated with the essence of Aether and Death to stop the advancement of the Sword King¡¯s strike that was smashing towards his face. ....BOOOM! The impact was horrendous, the sheer weight the strike carried smashing into Noah¡¯s Swords as it passed through them and descended onto his body, smashing him backwards as his body was thrown a few miles back! WAA! So this was the power of the Sword Dao! "Good!" THRUM! His body exploded back towards the Sword King miles away, the pressure he released becoming even wilder as the Ruination Cores¡¯ Affixes were activated. [+10,000 to All Damage] and [+10,000 to Attack and Cast Speed] were activated as his figure turned into a streak of light, the swords he wielded moving at speeds that the watching Entities who were lax on the other floor failed to catch! ...! They rose up from their nonchalant gazes as they focused on the illusory screen, only then being able to see the path of Noah that had truly become too fast out of nowhere! BOOM! It was Noah¡¯s turn to strike back as the Sword King he faced barely raised his sword in time, the clash this time causing space to shatter as neither side was moved back! Horrendous sounds were rusting out as the eyes of the Sword King focused feeling the force that Noah released now to be on par with the enormous strength that his Dao provided him. "...!" It was a chilling truth that only came by due to [+10,000 to All Damage] and [+10,000 to Attack and Cast Speed], the effects of the Ruination Core Affixes being the same if not more than what boosts the fully comprehended Daos provided to Entities! "Haha!" It was a shocking reality as Noah moved to strike again, enjoying the feeling of his body moved at shocking speeds and releasing tremendous power as he had yet to even call forth his summons. As for the affixes, he would be replacing the Attack and Cast Speed affix the moment his foes were about to be defeated and replace it with the [Slain enemies have a 10% chance to drop Dao Crystals based on the Dao they cultivate] Affix in order to collect the Dao Crystals of this resplendent Sword Dao himself! His strikes gaining the force equivalent to the weight of stars? He wanted it! RUMBLE The clash against the two Entities continued wildly as the eyes of the Sword King turned bright, his mouth moving in a barely discernible whisper. ... The skies turned quiet as an ability was cast. Hundreds of Sword began materializing above Noah, each of them carrying the weight of stellar bodies as they tore through space and thundered down. "Ah..." Towards such a shocking ability, Noah had a bright smile as around his body, innumerable miniaturized stars, suns, black holes, and quasars began to form. The abilities of the Void Terror and the Terror of Aether- Cthulhu skill trees that were brought up had many abilities that conjured up stellar bodies as the method of attacking. They eventually reached the stage of being able to throw out even black holes and Quasars as attacks, the only thing Noah could not do at this moment being the fact that he couldn¡¯t conjure up a miniaturized Galaxy to throw at someone...but he had a real Galaxy to do that with if he wished! But with his body brimming with power as stellar bodies coalesced around him, he faced the onslaught of hundreds of swords! BOOOM! Chapter 845 - Picking Up a Grand Dao is Easy II BOOM! ...THRUM! Minutes passed on the first floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon as two streaking figures of light could be seen. One had a tinge of blue that represented his sword essence wrapping around his body, while the other had too many damn colors coalescing all around him as he was being aided by all laws and a few daos! When one observed closely, they would be able to see that the figure of the Sword King was disheveled as the pressure he released was gradually waning, while the figure of Noah was just as vibrant as ever. This was the difference between beings that had limited energy...and one that had an infinite amount of it! BOOM! Noah attacks were only becoming more and more smooth as his aura rose ever higher, the +10,000% support in Damage, Attack, and Cast Speed provided by the Ruination Core on top of his other support skills and the percentage boost that his completely comprehend Dao of Withering provided making him overpower an Entity that studied a Grand Dao over time! BOOM! The figure of the Sword King began to be pushed back as he could only defend, his sword humming sadly by his aide as it felt like it failed to protect its master. The eyes of the Sword King were bright as he remained relentless even when things turned disadvantageous. He fought until his hand was cut off and the trusted Sword was lost from his grasp. SHAA! An Affix was switched. SHAA! A head rolled to the ground of a barren planet. "..." Those watching the scene had many complicated thoughts as at this moment, the first floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon was cleared. The body of the dead Sword King exploded out as it disappeared, leaving behind a cl.u.s.ter of Cores and a skill book...along with a few Dao Crystals that could drop with a higher chance than Assimilation Crystals. Noah¡¯s body remained vibrant and colorful as he reached out, putting the Cores in his Expansive Space while his hands had already begun absorbing the [Grand Dao of the Sword Crystals] after changing to the affix that would allow him to obtain an even larger percentage of this Dao. GALAXY [Sword of Revelation] :: An area of attack ability that calls forth hundreds of swords that are as dense as black holes. Each of them points towards the enemy as their tips will pierce through them to reveal the secrets lying within. He learned the GALAXY Rank skill book right away, not doubting that it would be one of the few skills that would form into a skill tree that could utilize the essence of the Dao of the Sword into an ability. He could create some powerful offensive skills for the Dao of the Sword too if he wished as he had over 32 million skill points at this moment...but his thoughts were on creating a singular powerful one sometime soon in the future that could be utilized and enhanced by all laws and daos! The scene on the barren planet turned silent as many beings watched the Tyrannical Entity sit down while he absorbed gloriously shining Dao Crystals. In front of him, the runic magic circle shone brightly as it was asking him to step into it and arrive into the second floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon where even more powerful foes waited for him! --- In the mystical realm filled with verdant greenery, the Sword Emperor was staring with shining eyes as he observed what occurred the moment one of his Sword Kings was defeated. He saw the appearance of a book and Cores as his eyes actually focused on the brilliantly shining Dao Crystals that shot a blue loot light into the skies. He observed as Noah began absorbing the crystals...his eyes opening in shock as he felt the aura of the Sword Dao begin to erupt from Noah soon after! "Truly capable of devouring the strength of others to advance...but to do it this fast? On a Grand Dao as well..?!" The firm heart of the Sword Emperor was shaken as right after, a slight smile appeared on his lips. "This affirms his identity even more, which means...!" The eyes of the Sword Emperor were filled with many mysteries as he glanced back at the illusory screen. RUMBLE! He was watching the progress of Noah absorbing the Dao Crystals when not too far from him, spatial fluctuations erupted out and a Sword King with an ashen expression appeared! It was the very same Entity that had just battled and been defeated by Noah. His eyes seemed to have dimmed as he let out a light cough, the Sword Emperor glancing towards him with careful eyes as he spoke. "How do you feel?" "...my cultivation is destabilized as I nearly fell to Middle Tier GALAXY...and my comprehensions into the Dao of the Sword are murky!" "It¡¯s as if I did not fully comprehend the Dao all these years, the only saving grace being my progress in the assimilation of the Dao lighting up the way again after I came to." The Entity spoke with a firm expression as he didn¡¯t seem to hold even the slightest regret! The Sword Emperor kept his firm expression as he nodded. "We were right! He can devour the Realms and comprehensions of others as he grows at a rapid rate...the Master has never been wrong with his words!" RUMBLE! The Sword King nodded deeply at these words as his figure disappeared, his report having finished as he now needed to recuperate for who knew how many years to recover his Peak strength and straighten his Dao once more. He didn¡¯t ask the most pressing question as he was too afraid to ask or even think of it. It was the purpose of the Immemorial Sword Formation, and the fact that the being at the very top level of it was the Sword Emperor himself. If that Tyrannical Entity really managed to get past the groups of Sword Kings at the higher levels of the formation, what would happen if he reached the Sword Emperor? It was a shocking thought that was better left unsaid as on the first floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, Noah finished absorbing the Dao Crystals and stood up. A light smile could be seen on his face as the Sword made from Death and Aether trembled within his hands. The Sword Kings on the upper levels of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon stood up with grim looks as they really confirmed it. The Tyrannical Entity now had the essence of the Dao of the Sword swirling around him, his edge having become even sharper as he stepped on the runic magic circle leading to the next floor! Chapter 846 - The Tyrannical Entity Decimates Sword Kings! I On the second floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, there were two Sword Kings waiting for Noah. Neither of them spoke a single word as their faces were extremely serious, knowing the power of this being as they had just seen it first hand! THRUUM! Their swords cried out as they moved faster than what the eyes could see. Noah gave a light smile as he ironically cast a single skill. [Sword of Revelation]. WAA! The skies became filled with hundreds of Swords that carried with them the essence of the Grand Dao of the Sword...and also all universal laws along with the deteriorating essence of the Dao of Withering! It was multiple times more deadly than when it was first cast against Noah on the first floor, as it was also supported by the switched Ruination Core Affixes of [+10,000 to All Damage] and [+10,000 to Attack and Cast Speed]. BOOOM! The figures of the two Sword Kings rushing towards him were blown back as their bodies glimmered with the essence of the Sword, their eyes shining brightly as they were attacked with their own skill! "OOOOH!" One of the Sword Kings released a vibrant bellow as he threw the sword he held into the skies, Noah watching with shining eyes as this Sword split from one to two, from two to four... It continued splitting more and more as the Sword King valiantly called out. [Starry Flow of the Sword]! RUMBLE! His sword that had split apart numerous times formed into a mass that looked like a rushing body of water. The cast of this ability was followed by the shocking formation of an enormous starry river, this river being made of an innumerable number of Swords as it thundered towards the rain of Swords that Noah released from the skies! The clash was grand as space quaked, the starry River of swords moving with purpose as they sn.a.k.e.d towards Noah. He only smiled calmly as he did something that only he could do. [Sword of Revelation].[Sword of Revelation].[Sword of Revelation]... He began spamming... THRUUM! The rain of hundreds of swords ripped apart the starry River as even more of them thundered towards the two Entities, their faces filled with frustration as they faced a being that truly did not play fair! In the next second, they found that fairness truly wasn¡¯t in this being¡¯s vocabulary as while they faced the rain of swords palpating with the reinforcement of all laws and multiple Daos, a blob of a blue had silently appeared behind them. Nobody knew when, but the terrifying Universal Emperor Slimes has been summoned silently as it came to the back of the unsuspecting Entities... its body expanding as it swallowed one of them whole. ...! Alarm filled the faces of the two Sword King as the one that didn¡¯t have his body covered by the body of the slime watched in shock as his friend...disappeared entirely in the next second! WAP! <> was utilized as the Blue Slime got a meal on the second floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon. RUMBLE! Its body began to tremble with happiness as its small eyes formed into a crescent, the aura of an Entity proficient in the Dao of the Sword erupting from it as this ridiculous Slime gained yet another Grand Dao to its list of fully comprehended Daos! BOOOOM! The body of the Blue Slime moved like a sledge hammer as while reinforced by the essence of numerous Grand Daos, it smashed into the shocked Arch Human Entity and flung him out towards Noah, the body of this Entity spurting out blood after its defenses were punctured from a hit that contained the essence of so many Daos. He flew like a missile towards Noah¡¯s direction as what awaited him... [Sword of Revelation]. THRUM! "..." Two Entities were cleared out in seconds as a Blue Slime cheerfully went towards Noah, its body bouncing up and down on his head excitedly as its small body released the shocking pressure of multiple Entities! There was immense silence in the upper floors of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon as the many Sword Kings saw that somehow, the second level was passed even faster than the first as their Entities were taken down in less than a minute. "This...!" The eyes of the Sword Emperor in the far mystical realm shone brightly at this scene as he continued watching! On the second floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, Noah went towards the area where the second Entity had just died, his hands grabbing onto the Cores as well as.... Law and Dao Assimilation Crystals! This Entity didn¡¯t trigger the Affix of the Ruination Core and had instead triggered Noah¡¯s own skill as he gave out the even more wondrous Assimilation Crystals. Along with this, a single Skill Book floated in the air as it turned into a streak of light and flew into Noah¡¯s mind. [Starry Flow of the Sword](0/5) :: The ways to decimate an opponent with your sword are many, but none are as powerful as sacrificing your Sword to form into a starry stellar river of swords that decimated your enemy. On the third floor, yet another pair of Sword Kings waited for them as the moment Noah and the Blue Slime were teleported in...they attacked with fervor as they saw the ridiculous strength of these two beings! ZIIIING! The clouds in the skies of the barren planet the third level they were on parted as from above, two blue shimmering Swords that spanned multiple miles long thundered down. [Wrath of the Sword King]. RUMBLE The eyes of Noah and the Blue Slime turned towards the skies as the sharp tips of the two Swords were the only thing covering their sight, the eyes of the Sword Kings wrathful as they pointed down towards them! They actually wanted to snipe them the moment they entered the 3rd level, horrendously powerful attacks smashing towards them the second they appeared. THRUUUM! Noah released a bright smile as he used the new GALAXY Rank skills he had obtained, while the body of the Blue Slime ballooned up excitedly while facing the mountain sized Sword descending towards them! Chapter 847 - The Tyrannical Entity Decimates Sword Kings! II Traverser was watching with blazing eyes as a shocking scene played out on the third level of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon. Under the pressure of two mountainous Swords, the Tyrannical Entity pointed his Aether and Death Sword to the skies as he cast the very same skills of the Sword Kings! [Starry Flow of the Sword]! The Sword of Aether shattered as it formed into a stellar river of Swords, the Sword of Death doing the same as two raging rivers of Aether and Death appeared to stand against one of the mountainous swords. RUMBLE! The small figure of the Blue Slime also ballooned up greatly as its viscous body thrummed with the essence of many Daos, the second mountainous Sword smashing into it as...it could not go down any further! BZZZZT! Space was the only thing hurt as it quaked and cracked, the stellar rivers of Death and Aether swords shattering the enormous Sword that represented the [Wrath of the Sword King]. Traverser¡¯s scalp tingled as he stated at this shocking scene as in the next moment, a heart rending Roar could be heard as on the field of the third floor, the image of a glorious Queen Dowager appeared the moment that the two mountainous swords were repelled, its ten heads erupting out with scorching pillars of flames while the Blue Slime and Noah moved like streaks of light towards the two Sword Kings. "They...they¡¯re decimating Entities that studied the Grand Dao for all their lives..." That¡¯s right. What was happening as Noah ascended through the floors of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon wasn¡¯t a fight anymore, it was simply the Decimation of Entities as he seemed to get more and more powerful after every passing floor, clearing them even quicker than the previous ones as the Entities within were destroyed in even more spectacular ways! RUUMBLE! On the third floor, Noah watched the two Sword Kings explode into loot as he stood on one of Tiamat¡¯s heads, waving his hands as multiple Galaxy Cores entered his Expansive Space while he also grasped onto the appearing Dao Crystals. Only a single Entity dropped Dao Crystals this time as no assimilation crystals came out, with two more skill books appearing in front of him that he quickly learned while already absorbing the Dao Crystals! [Sword Intent](0/5) :: A powerful intent blooms in your Origin as it can reinforce your will on the path of the Sword. +1000% Increased Damage on all abilities that utilize the Dao of the Sword. This percentage can be increased greatly depending on your comprehension in the Dao of the Sword. [Wrath of the Sword King](0/5) :: A mountainous Sword is the only way a King can release his wrath. The angrier the caster is, the more powerful the damage will be as the percentage is capped at 1000%. Noah digested the 2 skills as they were very quickly assembled into a skill tree on his stat panel, combined with the other 2 he had gained prior as the four of them were grouped under a single tree! [The Way of the Sword](0/500) :: A skill tree containing the abilities capable of making one proficient in the way of the Sword. Contains the Abilities [Sword of Revelation](5/5), [Starry Flow of the Sword](5/5), [Sword Intent](0/5), and [Wrath of the Sword King](0/5). Just a few other floors and some luck...and he would be able to fully comprehend an elusive Grand Dao while he collected Assimilation Crystals. His eyes blazed with intense light as he knew...if he fully crossed the floors of this Immemorial Sword Dungeon, it truly might not be a problem for him to bring his Universal Laws Assimilation all the way to 100%! THRUM! His eyes blazed with power as before he proceeded into the next floor, two clones warped in as they turned into streaks of light to merge with the dreadful Blue Slime and Tiamat, the clones using [Automatic Cast of All Support Skills] as the immense power these two PRISMATIC+ pets released became even more fearsome. The swirling essence of all Universal Laws around their bodies gave the watching Sword Kings goosebumps as they saw the Tyrannical Entity and his Summons descend unto the next floor, which was another barren planet with 2 Entities on it! Their bodies were already glowing bright with the Dao of Sword, moving with a delay as they had seen what this Tyrannical Entity had done the floor prior. It was truly an interesting scene as the Sword Emperor had spread out his Entities across the Immemorial Sword Dungeon in terms of power, putting 2 Entities every level after the first one until the 20th- with those on higher floors being the Sword Kings that had assimilated more of the Grand Dao of the Sword as their power was much more frightening! It should have been a dungeon that caused its challenger to despair and lose their will after a few floors, yet they saw the scene of the challenger getting stronger after every floor as he went to the next one with vigor! On the fourth floor, the 2 Sword Kings did not last a minute under Noah¡¯s onslaught of skills that their own people were using not too long ago, along with the ferocious strength of the two PRISMATIC+ Pets. If this wasn¡¯t enough, [Wrath of the Sword King] was cast as Noah made sure to utilize the Sin of Wrath to boost the percentage boost of this skill near its maximum before he struck, causing the formation of an enormous sword miles long to pierce through the skies of the barren planet, a single one of these swords squashing an Entity that was struggling with a stellar river of Swords a second later. "..." It was truly a dominating show of power as he seemed unstoppable! What was most frustrating of all for the watching Sword Kings was the fact that this Tyrannical Entity was defeating their people so overwhelmingly through skills they had known since before they even became Entities! In the Ancient Power that held Entities that loved and studied the Sword Dao with fanaticism, Noah was actually utilizing this same Dao to thrash its most powerful Entities left and right. The Sword Kings were breathless as they saw Noah enter floor after floor as the decimation only continued. From his body, this could see the Illusory figure of a sword surrounding him as one of the 3 Entities on the 21st floor sighed with utter shock. "He is already coalescing a Sword Will to naturally reinforce his origin and soul...!" They could only watch it utter shock as the Tyrannical Entity breezed through the first few floors of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, the essence of the Dao of the Sword around him becoming even thicker as after defeating multiple Entities proficient in this Dao, he was collecting enough Crystals to very soon completely comprehend it! Chapter 848 - 100% in a Grand Dao, a Disastrous Event! I Amidst the devastating scene of Sword Kings being whipped left and right, the Sword Emperor was actually smiling in the mystical verdant Realm. "Master has never been wrong..." He was smiling because his assertions came to be true, the being in front of him truly being the Master of Ruination as no other being could do what he was doing! This reality also caused him to pause as he became serious, thinking about the end result of the Immemorial Sword Formation that he had set up. He would be the last being to face this Tyrannical Entity if he kept this pace and climbed all the way to the 50th level of the Formation. The Sword Emperor thought of the one he called Big Sis Morgana who was furiously coming towards the Consummate Sword Expanse as his face lost its seriousness and adopted a light smile. "It should be okay. She¡¯ll be there to pick up the slack..." The eyes of the Sword Emperor were filled with innumerable mysteries as he continued watching the shocking scenes play out. On the 6th Floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, the fearsome Jormungandr and the Golden Crow made their appearance grandly along with the Blue Slime and Tiamat, the pace that the Tyrannical Entity cleared each floor becoming even faster as the Entities proficient in the Grand Dao of the Sword were decimated within minutes from the overwhelming force of Entities that Noah brought with him! A clone warped in for each summoned Pet as they all became adorned in the stellar Armament of all Universal Laws, this time also being aided by the Grand Dao of the Sword that Noah was on his way to fully comprehending as he collected more Dao Crystals. On the 15th floor of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon after taking down over 18 more Entities, the Affix of Ruination had triggered enough times as Noah obtained the Dao Crystals he required to do something stupendous! His eyes blazed with light as they saw the percentage rapidly jumping from 70% to 80%, and from then on as it raced towards 100%! THRUUUM! The watching Sword Kings were truly mystified as they also watched this scene on their illusory screens, Traverser joining them in their shock as these beings were ridiculously watching as an illusory Sword coagulated on Noah¡¯s body, his figure beginning to release an aura that only the Sword Kings had been releasing this entire time. "...ridiculous!" A reality many Sword Kings wanted to deny as they had spent blood and tears for thousands of years to fully comprehend the Grand Dao of the Sword, and this being in front of them...he really comprehended it in less than an hour. ...! He had truly been moving through the Immemorial Sword Dungeon in less than an hour, and he had a shocking 100% next to the Grand Dao of the Sword as his body erupted with a brilliant blue light! WAAA! A space shaking aura began to emanate from Noah as at this moment...it wasn¡¯t just his pets that had a Grand Dao fully comprehended. And he had joined their ranks as well. They landed on the stat panel as they observed the Dao of the Sword. {Aura of the Grand Controller of the Sword} :: A passive aura that only appears around those who have fully comprehended the Grand Dao of the Sword. It grants +5000% Extra Damage, +5000% Attack and Cast Speed, +50% Increased Soul Defence, and boosts all abilities of the Sword by 1000%. "..." When it came to percentages, Noah was a big fan of them. The percentages floating in front of his eyes...they only made his eyes shine brighter as he calculated the craziness of adding this on top of all the other percentages he had! The Entities from the Consummate Sword Expanse had only been able to keep up with him and withstand the barrage of attacks from him and his pets for a minute or two because they had a boost like this on them. Noah was able to decimate them without it as he brought boosts from Ruination Cores and his own support skills that called on all Universal Laws and their |Intents|. Now on top of every other boost he had...he would also put on the support of the Grand Dao of the Sword as the results were about to be disastrous! Purely disastrous! While a Tyrannical Entity was ascending through a dungeon, a monumental event was about to occur in the Dark Universe. Far from the Consummate Sword Expanse that Noah was now moving in, there were the Desolate Galaxies in the East that were ruled by the Ancient Power known as Desolate Expanse. Compared to the past Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter and Primal Winged Expanse, or even the Consummate Sword Expanse- the Desolate Expanse contained the most cl.u.s.ters of Galaxies by a large margin! It was an Ancient Power that had the union of multiple races and beings, their power not being centralized as they were spread between factions of powerful Entities that oversaw portions of the vast cl.u.s.ters of Galaxies. Purely in terms of number and power, it was considered the 3rd most powerful Ancient Power in the Dark Universe! Yet on this day, a terrifying event occurred as after it, the Desolate Galaxies would never be the same. It came out of nowhere, and when it occurred- it happened instantly. What was most shocking was that it affected tens of thousands of light years in distance as multiple Galaxies were affected! On this day in the Desolate Expanse, enormous fissures tens of thousands of light years long tore apart the chaotic void. Chapter 849 - 100% in a Grand Dao, A Disastrous Event! II It had been business as usual in the Desolate Galaxies as many beings moved about across multiple galaxies. In the next few seconds, multiple shocking scenes played out instantly across the span of galaxies, but we will focus on a few! One was of a being from the Treant Race that held the power at S Rank, living on an expansive green planet that resided on a small Galaxy. Without any warning, this being from the Treant Race saw a flash of extremely dark light that seemed to consume everything spread out in front of him, this light expanding in an instant as it swallowed the entire planet this being was on! RIIIIP! The planet and everything within it...gone in an instant! The terrifying rupture didn¡¯t stop there as it expanded thousands of light years instantly, tearing the small Galaxy which that small planet was located on in half. If one could observe the circular shape of that small Galaxy and all the twinkling stellar bodies within it, they would be able to notice a vibrating dark fissure that had devoured every single stellar body in the middle of this Galaxy as it turned dim without any colors! ...RIIIP! The overwhelming dark Fissure erupted right in front of his eyes as well, spreading to devour him and nearly the entire Galaxy he resided in...in an instant. In another location! A curvaceous Entity was dressed in sagely green robes as she gave a lesson to Peak GALAXY Rank experts on the Daos she had fully comprehended. Coincidently, it was the Entity Nirnasha that was studying the Dao of Vitality that Noah had met weeks ago in the Burning Domains Galaxy! She had traversed the chaotic void and received an attractive offer from one of the factions of the Desolate Expanse that always invited more Entities, accepting it as she was expounding on the Dao of Vitality to the GALAXY experts on a certain Galaxy. In front of this Entity proficient in the Lesser Dao of Vitality and the Peak GALAXY experts...yet another Fissure erupted out to cover them in an instant. Nirnasha¡¯s face had changed briefly as she seemed to sense something foreboding, her body beginning to light up with light as she tried to move, but before she could do anything...the fissure devoured her! It ruptured the starry space within this galaxy and the chaotic void outside of it as it was larger than most other Fissures, swallowing the entire Galaxy and the trillions of beings within it instantly. It was an interesting sight that nobody would get to see! But! The point to be made here was that no matter if it was a being at Rank S, in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm, or even in the rank of Entities...against the instantly expanding and dreadful Fissures that came out of nowhere, nobody survived. Nobody! THRUUUM! The chaotic void spanning tens of thousands of light years around the Desolate Galaxies trembled and wavered as from nowhere, fissures tore apart galaxies as everywhere they spread became lifeless. The Fissures themselves were extremely dark, holding an enticing light that seemed to want to devour everything. They seemed to lead to nowhere as the stellar bodies and galaxies they devoured were nowhere to be found. Those that had lost their lives on this day? The trillions were too many to count. From Entity to Rank F individuals, nobody escaped. The all devouring Fissures were expanding! It was the beginning of something that was known from tens of thousands of years ago, something that was a product of the actions of the Sages and Great Sages. It didn¡¯t happen all at once as it would occur in stages, but the first stage had already begun. An Apocalypse was coming! --- Back in the Consummate Sword Expanse, a Tyrannical Entity was ascending through the Immemorial Sword Dungeon with ease as he and the other Entities as well as the Sage within this Ancient Power...knew nothing of what had just occurred in the Desolate Galaxies. Noah had all of his Animus Pets summoned and merged as they each adorned stellar Armaments backed by the power of all Universal Laws. Around their bodies, the swirling essence of multiple Daos could be seen as the pets themselves were studying their own Daos and at the same time receiving Noah¡¯s essence of the Dao of Summoning, Vitality, Withering, and the Dao of the Sword! Their bodies hummed with power as the more shocking thing was the mystery of where the essence that continued to power them came from. They had to get ready as this Tyrannical Entity had already crossed the halfway point- the 25th Floor. Even though he now met three Sword Kings to hinder him, he was actually tearing through them even faster than when it was one Entity or 2 as he had summoned all of his pets to aid him! The Sword Emperor says this scene as his eyes shone with intense light. He saw that this Master of Ruination would most likely keep his dominant strength in battle on all the coming floors, being able to most likely even defeat his strong Sword Kings that nearly assimilated the Dao of the Sword fully as he would reach him in a matter of time! "If that¡¯s the case..let¡¯s simplify things!" THRUUM! The Sage moved as his body shone with mystical lights, his mana as vast as the stellar space as it was activated on the Immemorial Sword Formation. His vast essence wrapped around the remaining levels of the Dungeon aside from the one saved for him, the Entities within this level feeling a spatial wave overtake them once more as the voice of the Sword Emperor rang out clearly for all to hear. "We shall not waste any more time in this case...as you shall simply face all the remaining Entities for the last level of this Formation before you can proceed towards me." RUMBLE! The hearts of the Sword Kings shook at these words as their eyes shone with immense light! While Noah...his eyes were even brighter than theirs as he began to laugh out wildly! This was because from the levels he cleared and the levels remaining...there were 73 Entities left for him to go through. The Sword Emperor had then chosen to simply merge the remaining levels as he...would face all the remaining 73 Entities at once. "...how Glorious!" THRUUM! Chapter 850 - With a Swing, A Sword King Falls! I Noah and his pets were about to step on the magic runic circle leading into the next floor when suddenly, it disappeared in a flash of light as everything began to tremble! His shining eyes tried to peer through the truth of what was happening as he gazed at his surroundings, but the voice of the Sword Emperor rang out soon enough as an incredulous reality was brought to light. "We shall not waste any more time in this case...as you shall simply face all the remaining Entities for the last level of this Formation before you can proceed towards me." THRUUUUM! The words were accompanied by tremendous spatial fluctuations, the planet Noah was on warping through space as it disappeared, Noah and his pets remaining alone in the starry space. A moment later, the spatial light reappeared as the figures of multiple Entities came to be. Each of them shimmering with an intense blue l.u.s.ter that represented the pristine aura of the Dao of the Sword, 73 Entities warped in the starry space near Noah one after another. Their eyes were filled with battle intent as they looked at the being that had decimated their people at every level, thinking that they might have a chance to do the same to him at this moment! After all...there were 73 of them! That was 73 genuine Entities that fully comprehended the Grand Dao of the Sword. Sure nothing crazy and unexpected would happen in such a battle, right? Noah looked at the scene of Entities littering the starry space as towards this...he could only smile brightly while his body let off even more glorious power. "....how glorious!" He had been worried about the Sword Emperor cutting it short or taking the other Entities away from him as he moved rapidly through the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, and yet this man had instead grouped up and brought everyone to him! He was truly too magnanimous! THRUM! The Sword Kings knew Noah¡¯s terrifying power as they moved the instant they appeared, their mana moving as numerous abilities were cast. SHING! SHING! The sounds of vibrating swords filled the starry sky as for the first time ever, Noah faced something that he had only ever done to other people. It was the act of facing multiple of the same abilities at once, an act he achieved through spamming. But the Entities in front of him used their sheer numbers to their advantage as all 73 of them cast skills from the Way of the Sword Skill Tree! [Starry Flow of the Sword]. [Wrath of the Sword King]. [Sword of Revelation]. [Starry Flow of the Sword]. [Wrath of the Sword King]. [Sword of Revelation]... The sonorous voices of all 73 Entities rang out as they surrounded Noah on all sides, their voices moving in conjunction as the starry space lit up. This beautiful and deadly sight of the attacks of 73 Entities rushed towards Noah and his pets as they threatened to wipe out everything in their path! CAA! The cry of a Golden Crow was heard. ROAAR! The roars of Tiamat, the Colossal Helios Leviathan, the ferocious J?rmungandr, and the flashing Obsidian Panther could be heard. OOOOH! The kingly Calamity Bear bellowed out as its authority was tested, the Oculothorax joining it as it released waves of spiritual pressure. "..." The Blue Slime blinked as an innocent smile appeared on its wiggly body, a gulp of a being that seemed to be too overwhelmed with the choices of meals being heard. ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||. His expression was extremely solemn as he uttered these words, his body that was wrapped in a myriad of boosts from Laws and Daos trembling the moment he finished. The skill that scaled up to the level of the user, ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||, was cast. RUUUUMBLE! [Starry Flow of the Sword]. [Wrath of the Sword King]. [Sword of Revelation]... GALAXY Rank skills were spammed in large numbers. The innumerable number of Swords rushing towards Noah and his pets...trembled! THRUM! [Realm Depredation]. [Flames of Glory]. [Wrath of the Dragon Queen]. [Galaxy Devouring Serpent]. [Flash of Darkness]. The voices of the Golden Crow, Tiamat, J?rmungandr, and the Obsidian Panther reverberated! THRUUUUM! [Majesty of a King]. [Golden Eye of Truth]. The Calamity Bear waved its paws as they erupted with a magisterial light, the Oculothorax shimmering with golden l.u.s.ter as an uncountable number of golden rays erupted from it. [Vastness]. The Blue Slime uttered a single word as its body began to balloon up crazily, numerous Dao Essence swirling around as it threatened to devour everything! An impact occurred. BOOOOOOM! When the scene cleared, the shocking image of a Tyrannical Entity standing perfectly unharmed could be seen, his pets adorned in glorious Armament surrounding him as a fearsome Blue Slime could be seen continuously expanding! The eyes of the Tyrannical Entity lifted as they locked on the 73 Entities around him as he uttered a dominating command. "Rip them apart." RUUMBLE! His figure disappeared into a streak of light as he moved, his pets rushing out towards the shocked faces of 73 Entities that had all released attacks in conjunction against a few enemies...and found them all repelled with ease! Chapter 851 - With a Swing, A Sword King Falls! II One might come across a myriad of shocking and incredulous events throughout their lives, but nothing would ever be as incredulous as watching a single Entity with his pets fearlessly match 73 other Entities. Traverser was watching the scenes with an agape expression as he observed the Sword Kings to be moving slower as if they were in a quagmire, the effects of ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| fully settling in as they had to use their essence to prevent against the corrosion of a horrendous area of attack skill that was now backed with the immense power of multiple Daos and Laws! The Animus Summons moved in furiously as the Sword Kings did not give them an ounce of fear, their resplendent attacks raining down mercilessly as they attacked multiple Entities at the same time. The Blue Slime was the most terrifying thing as it seemed to be expanding continuously, its enormous body very soon being able to occupy the surrounding starry space as any that entered the viscous mass would have an extremely horrendous ending! As for Noah himself...this guy had already closed his eyes as the swords of Aether and Death vibrated in his hands. He wasn¡¯t using his eyes as his aura was spread out wildly, sensing the Universal laws supporting him as well as the Dao essences he was freely releasing from his body with his endless mana. He had yet to figure out the unique state he entered when he utilized all laws at the same time, but he knew that every single part of him felt extreme exhilaration as his senses were magnified by a large extent. So with his eyes closed, he waved his Aether Sword as a starry river of swords was formed from the use of [Starry Flow of the Sword]. THRUUM! His Death Sword waved to the other side as a rain of sharp swords in the thousands tore through space through the use of [Sword of Revelation]. From above, mountainous swords had begun raining from all around as at this moment...a spamming session of ultimate proportions had begun. Traverser felt his heart grow cold as while he observed, he was shocked to find out that every time Noah waved a sword, one of the Sword Kings on the battlefield would fall! Other times it was due to the attacks of ferocious Animus Summons that moved with extreme ferocity while using the gaps of defense created by Noah¡¯s relentless spamming attacks on the Sword Kings. But the truth remained the same...every time the being with his eyes closed waved his swords while he continued to spam countless numbers of skills, an Entity fell! RUMBLE! The figures of the Sword Kings never reached Noah to even land any attacks on him due to the relentless nature he was spamming his skills, where they could not even get near him. If they could not even reach him while he constantly attacked and decimated their defenses with abilities that held too high of an attack power...what could they do but fall?! And so with every swing of the Tyrannical Entity¡¯s swords, the battlefield had one less soul present. "This..." Traverser felt his scalp tingle at such a scene as he reached towards his forehead to wipe perspiration and sweat. The actions occurring in front of his eyes were so shocking that they made an Entity break into a cold sweat! In the mystical Realm filled with plains of green, the Sword Emperor looked at the scene where his Sword Kings had reduced by more than 10 in less than a minute. ¡¯Is this his current Peak state of power? Extremely powerful, but...¡¯ Even as the Sword Emperor saw Entity after Entity fall, his eyes only shone brightly as he remained placid. "...but it is still not enough!" RUMBLE! Yes! Even though it was a tremendous show of power, the Sage still shook his head as he knew it wasn¡¯t enough! "Against the suicidal Sages from the Spirit Race...it is not enough!" The Sword Emperor had a thoughtful look as he thought about the incorporeal beings that were the Spirit Race. When taking into account every powerful being in the Dark Universe, they were the only ones that deviated from the common goal of trying to prevent the apocalypse of their Universe. At this juncture, Morgana had flown into a rage as she nearly declared a war, the Sword Emperor being the one to pull her back as they digested what just occurred. The answer had been so shocking that the two of them could not make heads or tails of why. Why would anyone not want to save their own home?! As he thought of this, the eyes of the Sword Emperor shone like resplendent lanterns as he decided...the last step truly had to be taken. "For the Dark Universe." THRUM! In the starry space of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, Noah was moving with closed eyes as he swung his swords while causing an eruption of skills. Every time he swung, an Entity fell as there seemed to be a grand symphony of destruction that only he was conducting! Dao Crystals, Assimilation Crystals, Cores, and Skill Books filled the area as they blazed with immense loot light. Noah¡¯s senses occasionally picked up on the numerous law Assimilation Crystals as he knew a 100% Assimilation of All Laws was not too far away! RUMBLE! So he moved with even more vigor as the Grand symphony of death and destruction continued, Entity after Entity disappearing from the stellar space like mere flies! Chapter 852 - The Last Boss is a Sage! I In the merged second to last level of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, a shocking sight was wrapping up as Traverser could hardly believe it. The Sword Kings that were being thrashed left and right through the spamming of GALAXY Rank skills as one of them fell every time the terrifying Tyrannical Entity waved his swords...even they did not believe it! The pure ridiculousness of a single being with his 8 pets decimating over 70 Entities was simply unheard of, but when one put Noah¡¯s abilities into account- it wasn¡¯t an impossibility. One could look at it in a way that even though he was acting like a single Entity, the fact that he released numerous skills constantly was akin to him doing the job of multiple Entities- thus, the difference of numbers was overcome by sheer skill! THRUM! Yet another Entity fell as Noah finally opened his eyes after a whole minute. His starry eyes shone with resplendent light as when he closed them, over 60 Sword Kings were fighting against his pets and himself. Countless casts of [Sword of Revelation], [Starry Flow of the Sword], and [Wrath of the Sword King] along with the oppressive and ever present ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| had occurred in this single minute that his eyes were closed- with his pets releasing their own resplendent skills as well. A minute later, he opened his eyes as he saw...just 5 Emperors remaining on the starry space! Each of them were spread apart as their c.h.e.s.ts heaved, their eyes trembling in fear! That¡¯s right! The hearts of the fearsome Sword Kings, Entities who spent thousands of years learning the Grand Dao of the Sword and built strong minds and bodies...these beings couldn¡¯t help but tremble as they witnessed the situation where tens of Entities perished in less than a minute as they were the only ones remaining! An average of a second for the fall of an Entity. How ridiculous! How unfair! How glorious! THRUUUM! Noah felt his body erupt with even more essence as at this point, it seemed to be moving on muscle memory as he rushed towards the remaining Entities. His pets weren¡¯t to be left behind as the Golden Crow released blazing golden flames, the Blue Slime swallowing another Entity as pillars of scorching flames erupted from Tiamat! It did not take long before there was complete silence on the battlefield, the only things that could be heard being the crackling sounds of essence that coursed through the bodies of a single Entity and his 8 Summons. In the starry space of this level of the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, the glimmering pillars of gorgeous loot light could be seen brightly as an innumerable number of Dao Comprehension Crystals, Law and Dao Assimilation Crystals, and resplendent GALAXY cores could be seen floating freely. Noah¡¯s figure grandly floated in the starry space as he stared at all this and the significance of exactly what he had done. Even when he did find out about and began mingling with Entities weeks ago, they seemed like magisterial positions that were filled with power and might! Yet...here he was a few weeks later...where he had just personally carried out the decimation of 73 Entities in a matter of minutes, with the majority dying in a single minute. He did that! "OOOOOOH!" He released a primal bellow that seemed to emanate victory and power, his multicolored figure shining grandly in the starry space that he came out the grand champion of. "..." The Illusory screen showing him to the Sword Emperor and Traverser were silent as they observed his figure to go towards the glimmering cl.u.s.ters of loot light, seeing this as the unique ability of the Master of Ruination that allowed him to absorb the strength of others. The Sword Emperor looked at this scene with shining eyes as many thoughts crossed his mind. ¡¯Maybe...¡¯ RUMBLE! Spatial essence spread out wildly as the area the Tyrannical Emperor was in shone with light, the figures on the starry space disappearing. WAP! In the mystical realm filled with verdant grasslands where the Sword Emperor was at, the disappeared figures of Noah and his 8 pets could now be seen! They looked around the mystical area that emanated peace and wonder, their eyes honing in on the figure not too far from them that released not an ounce of power. Seemingly like a normal Arch Human that had never cultivated their strength, the Sword Emperor rose from the verdant plains as he turned towards them. He was dressed in simple white robes as even without any oppressive air being released by him, one would be able to notice the distinct demeanor and aura of a being that had accomplished a major milestone. The unique aura of a Sage...Noah was able to come face to face with it for the first time as his eyes showed utter calm! The dark hair of the Sword Entity flowed beautifully in the wind as within his right hand, the simple sword that was lying on his l.a.p before appeared. The moment this sword was held, the very air surrounding the Sword Emperor warped and trembled as an immense aura threatened to pour out! Noah¡¯s eyes shone brightly as he locked eyes with this being that made many things possible for him due to the Immemorial Sword Dungeon. He was immensely thankful, and also wanted to give him the respect he deserved by completing his wishes for the Immemorial Sword Dungeon! So his figure moved the moment he arrived in this mystical realm filled with verdant plains, turning into a streak of light as he appeared in front of the Sage in an instant. He moved against a Sage without so much as a word! Chapter 853 - The Last Boss is a Sage! II SHIING! Noah¡¯s swords that were dense with the essence of Death and Aether flashed dangerously towards the neck of this wondrous Sage in front of him as he wanted to test out exactly what this stage entailed! BZZZT Yet as his swords neared the body of the Sage, his eyes opened wide as he saw the expression of the Sword Emperor clearly. The eyes were like a vast body of water as they were filled with utter calm. He did not lift up the sword in his right hand to block, but merely raised his left hand! A simple palm reflected on Noah¡¯s eyes, but this palm seemed to have covered his entire eyesight as the trajectory of the two swords of Death and Aether were pulled towards it, both of them striking against this palm as a sound akin to two metals hitting resounded. CLAAANG! ...! "You do not yet understand the meaning of the word Sage." THRUM! The voice of the Sword Emperor rang out clearly as Noah saw the palm that was seamlessly and without worry holding his two swords...pinch down. The universal essence that made up the two swords shattered! "Let me show you." The voice of the sword emperor rang out again as Noah¡¯s body, even with all the boots of speed, seemed to be extremely slow in the face of the palm that shattered his two swords, his eyes only registering this same palm coming towards his body as before he could even have the thought of evading it, it smashed into him! ...BOOOOOOOM! A simple palm without an ounce of energy. A simple palm that was more powerful than any attack Noah had taken. SHAA! His figure tore through the skies of the mystical verdant Realm as he smashed into the wings of the ten headed Tiamat, the monstrous Animus letting out a painful sound as Noah¡¯s figure tore through her sturdy wings while his figure continued to fly out from the impact! ...! The figures of the Golden Crow and the Obsidian Panther flashed towards Noah¡¯s flashing figure as the fast summons appeared behind him, using their bodies to bring his barreling figure to a halt as the scene they saw caused flames of anger to erupt from their hearts. Half of Noah¡¯s body was missing as a wriggling mass of bones and muscles very quickly regenerated! "Haaa..." He let out a guttural breath as his eyes were red and filled with blood, looking incredulously towards the lone figure of the Sword Emperor that had thrown a mere palm his way and shattered his defenses as half of his body was wiped out! ROAAAR! OOOOOH! His pets roared furiously at this scene as they pounced towards the Sage, this powerful being not even glancing at them as his eyes remained on Noah. "The full assimilation of multiple Daos opens the way to something that only those at the stage of Sage and above enjoy, something that is inviolable in strength and power." WAP! The baleful attacks of Noah¡¯s pets hit the air as the Sword Emperor appeared above Noah¡¯s rapidly regenerating figure, another palm descending down from him as even the Obsidian Panther was not fast enough to prevent it! BOOM! Noah had only begun giving the command to his mana to teleport his body when the palm landed on him again. THUNK! His figure smashed into the ground as numerous bones cracked, yet they also healed nearly instantly later as the essence of all Universal Laws had begun filling up his injured body with even more vigor! "You heal nearly instantly. If you can keep this up, maybe you¡¯ll learn something." The moment Noah¡¯s body was about to fully reform as new skin covered the regenerated muscles, the figure of the Sword Emperor appeared beside him on the ground as his left hand reached out once more, this time clasping onto his shoulder as a moment later, Noah felt like he was locked on by an unmovable object. "Here is the first lesson- When one steps into the title of a Sage, they gain access to something called Primordial Essence." Noah¡¯s shining eyes looked at the figure that was nonchalantly talking while holding him in place, his body erupting in multicolored essences as an innumerable number of miniaturized stellar bodies bloomed from him, countless illusory swords also coming out as they all went towards the Sword Emperor! Sin of Pride and Envy were also running at full steam from Noah¡¯s body as he looked at the Sage, yet this being only shook his head as he felt a foreign power try to affect him, the stellar bodies conjured and the illusory stellar rivers of swords not even reaching his body as they seemed to evaporate from a thin film of light. "In front of true strength, tricks are meaningless." The hand that clasped onto his shoulder like a metal clamp released a unique essence onto Noah¡¯s body, this essence washing over the universal laws essence he conjured up in the form of armament as it utterly shredded it once more, and then proceeded to enter his body as he felt a searing pain in his origin and soul! "As I was saying- Primordial Essence. It is the access of this unique power that opens the door of true power to Sages, Great Sages, and all those above them. It is also the reason why right now even with all the attacks you used to decimate my Sword Kings...even you can do nothing but defend." RUMBLE! Noah felt his mangled body shake as a foreign essence ravaged him, his body thrown behind like a rag doll while his pets tried playing catch up with the figure of the Sword Emperor once more. This being clad in a white robe simply warped across space as he evaded the attacks of the Animus Summons with ease, his brows lifting up a little as when he warped to a certain place in the skies, the silent figure of a vibrant blue slime was somehow already there as its body ballooned up to try and devour him! WAP! Yet before the body of the slime could expand, the Sage was much, much faster as he flashed away, a thoughtful look on his face. "Truly Interesting." He floated in the skies grandly as he watched the figures of all of Noah¡¯s pets stand in front of his mangled and healing body, their eyes filled with fury as they stared at the Sword Emperor. Noah finished regenerating a second later due to all his support skills that were further enhanced by the Law of Life and the Dao of Vitality, his soul still feeling pulsating pain from the foreign essence that had just ravaged him. He sat on the flat ground of the green plains as he breathed sporadically, his heart beating fast as he looked towards the being termed a Sage in front of him in shock! This...what the f.u.c.k was this?! The shocking scene of the Tyrannical Entity that had been decimating other Entities left and right...the scene of this same Entity getting thrashed played out in mystical Realm as the robe of a Sage remained white and clear, his eyes gazing down towards the Tyrannical Entity as he uttered dominating words. "This...is the power of a Sage." THRUUUUM! It was pure speed he could not keep up with! It was pure power he could not defend against! It was the wondrous power of a Sage! Chapter 854 - Primordial Essence! When Noah had met the Sword Kings of the Consummate Sword Expanse before, they had repeated to him multiple times that the ¡¯Will of the Sword Emperor¡¯ would always be followed. He thought this was mere fanaticism to the Sage of their Ancient Power, but he now realized it was something much grander as he felt the power of the Sage for himself! He was releasing such dominating strength that Noah nearly activated Plot Armor to achieve a state of invincibility, but he held it off. This wasn¡¯t a life and death situation, and as much as the Sword Emperor was thrashing him around, he didn¡¯t actually want to kill him. This could be seen by how he was freely talking while throwing out his palms, and also why he wasn¡¯t throwing these powerful attacks to Noah¡¯s summons as the Sage targeted him alone! Noah listened to the words of the Sage as he felt the tinge of damage to his soul and Origin from his last attack, his eyes landing on the figure majestically floating in the skies of this verdant realm as the details of the Sage appeared in front of him. [Sword Emperor] :: A Sage that has lived for tens of thousands of years and experienced the vicissitudes of life. He has completely assimilated the Grand Dao of the Sword, and the Lesser Daos of Voidspace and Alacrity. The complete assimilation of more than 2 Daos has allowed this being to gain access to Primordial Essence... Noah¡¯s eyes shone as he read the information of this wondrous being, his eyes honing in on the words this Sage had mentioned before that apparently granted him such tremendous power- Primordial Essence! [Primordial Essence] :: The abstruse essence that gave birth to the Primordial Cosmos. One can gain access to it in a myriad of ways, but beings that have assimilated 2 or more Daos can access slivers of it to descend onto them to allow for the refining and purification of their body and soul. Those in the stage of a Sage will at most be able to purify 10% of their body and soul, those at the stage of a Great Sage being able to purify at least 25%...the assimilation of more Daos will open up a wider path for the transmission of Primordial Essence and allow a being to increase the percentage of their body they can refine and purify.... Terrifying information entered Noah¡¯s mind. They gained access to Primordial Essence that allowed them to purify their bodies, that being the reason why the Sword Emperor seemingly had such overwhelming strength when he faced Noah. One would be keen to remember that as a Sage, he could only refine and purify 10% of his body with the Primordial Essence over his long lifespan, only able to increase this percentage if he became a Great Sage! Yet even this level...Noah as an Entity could barely keep up with it... "Good!" Noah bellowed out with shining eyes as he looked at the Sage floating above. He was truly thankful to this being as he had opened his eyes to the path forward, a glorious path of power that he wished to grasp with his own hands. THRUUUM! Essence vibrated out as Noah thought about a great deal of things in a few seconds. He came to a decision as all of his animus pets aside from the Blue Slime all turned into streaks of light that returned to his origin! The slime rested on his head with keen eyes that looked at the Sage with great fervor. The Sword Emperor stared at the two beings below him with a starry gaze as his voice rang out once more. "You¡¯ve seen the strength of a Sage. What will you do to stand against it?" The Sage threw out a domineering question as his mystical eyes locked with the Tyrannical Entity. He was hoping for this being to surprise him again as he was looking for something- something that would make him comfortably leave the task of preventing the Apocalypse of their Universe. He wondered what this something would be! Noah glanced at this powerful being with shining eyes as he voiced out simply. "Give me just a minute." RUMBLE! The eyes of the Sage constricted as he heard this, a smile appearing on his face as he wondered, what could one do within a minute?! --- A minute walk neither long nor short, as one could use it in a myriad of ways. Noah¡¯s now unmerged clones that were separated from the Animus Summons appeared in a circle within a Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy. In the circle the clones were surrounding, numerous glistening loot that represented Law Assimilation Crystals lay gorgeously, the count being so high after Noah took out more than 130+ Entities from the Immemorial Sword Dungeon! These Crystals would be more than enough to completely have his Assimilation of All Laws percentage to 100%! The gift of the Sword Emperor had truly been too grand, accelerating his timeline greatly as each of the clones grabbed the assimilation crystals...and began absorbing them rapidly. Waves of essence flowed out gorgeously as the clones worked in conjunction, the speed of the percentage shooting up greatly as it crossed the 50% threshold in seconds! THRUUUM! In the outside space, not even a second had passed after Noah voiced out that he would only need a minute, the Sage seeing his body exploding out with all Universal Law essences as a storm of it began to swirl around him. ¡¯Universal Laws? What can this do...?¡¯ The Sage only had this thought as he quickly focused, noticing the storm of universal law essences around Noah only getting wilder and wilder! Within the Infinite Galaxy, the Clones had already gone through half of the Assimilation Crystals in the loot pile as a second outside was 100 seconds in here, the clones working fast as the percentage next to All Universal Laws Assimilation crossed 80%. RUMBLE! Relentlessly and ridiculously, Noah went towards the goal of accomplishing 100% Assimilation in all Universal Laws by using the method given from the Book of Ruination, this method promising the birth of a Cosmic Dao! The Cosmic Dao of Ruination! Chapter 855 - All Laws Assimilated! Cosmic Dao! One would wonder how or why the Book of Ruination listed that the assimilation of all Universal Laws using the technique it gave would make one step on the path of the Cosmic Dao that also had the name of the Cosmic Treasure- Ruination. There were Daos that existed which came from a combination of Laws or laws and other concepts, the Dao of Four Elements and the Dao of Voidspace being among them. Yet there was nothing as unique as the birth of something that came from the assimilation of all Universal Laws! Of course, there were many Sages, Great Sages, and even beings in the levels of power above that tried a myriad of ways to seek power- some of them taking tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of years to comprehend all laws and assimilate them to see if they could give birth to something truly powerful and unique. This was how the Daos of Four Elements and Voidspace came to be in the past- due to powerful beings in the Universal Realm researching this path and coming to these Daos as achievements. Through their tremendous power, they then actualized these Daos as they came to fruition! This was Dao Birth! Yet never before in history had a being been successful in assimilating all laws and making something with them. It wasn¡¯t to say some didn¡¯t try, with past Universal Realm powerhouses in the Primordial Cosmos assimilating all laws but not being able to succeed in fusing them to produce something. None of them were like Noah who had first comprehended all of the universal laws without assimilating any of them. He was first an anomaly that had been able to comprehend all laws at such a low Realm of power, and he was lucky enough that he didn¡¯t assimilate them as he comprehended them! When he did assimilate them...it was when he obtained a page from the Book of Ruination that listed the technique to do it, and he began by assimilating and fusing all the laws in the beginning stages as all of them were grouped together under All Universal Laws Assimilation. Nobody had done it before, as nobody had received instructions from a Cosmic Treasure to do so. Now, he was nearing 100% in this task after he utilized skill points to create a wondrous skill that allowed him to devour the assimilations of others! THRUUUUM! Gorgeous colors of lights were surrounding the group of clones that had Law Assimilation Crystals in their hands, their bodies glowing with a rainbow of colors as their eyes shot out beams of light! In the outside world, the Sage¡¯s eyes were opened wide as he stated with surprise towards Noah, only a few seconds having passed since this being uttered domineering words, and now a unique aura erupted from him. This ¡¯red¡¯ swirled around him wildly as it carried an Ancient air with every passing second, the aura of something grand stemming forth from it as the Sage was now looking at Noah with immense shock! "This aura! This air!" The Sage focused on the scene as he sensed an aura of old erupt out, an Aura that reeked of ancientness that should not in any way be coming from the young being! This aura caused Noah¡¯s body to be lifted to the skies as it was cradled by the red essence that danced around him wildly, his eyes opening as they shot out glorious beams of red light, this outburst causing a flash of red that even required the Sage to close his eyes from it. OOOOOOOH! A primal bellow released from Noah at this moment as his body felt a tremendous amount of power flowing through! He floated grandly as he had achieved 100% in assimilating all laws, the moment he did so giving him something he had longed for ever since he learned of it- a Cosmic Dao! WAAA! The air cleared as his figure became visible for all to see. Even the Blue Slime was pushed off of him when all the essences around him turned red, the Blue blob also turning to look as its master as its eyes shook. His hair was waving wildly atop his head as it had also taken the color of the red aura, turning into a bloody crimson color! Everything...red! RUMBLE! The aura that Noah released at this moment was like nothing that even the Sage had come across before, Noah himself looking within him as he searched for the answer. The answer of course...was the newly comprehended Cosmic Dao! [Cosmic Dao of Ruination] :: A dao that many have searched for, but nobody has stepped on. A single being- Noah Osmont, has now begun embarking on as they will be the first to experience its mysteries. Just by comprehending this Dao, the boost of +10,000% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Daos is granted, along with +10,000% to All Parameters(Damage, Defense, Attack Speed, Cast Speed, Health Regeneration, Health Reserves, Mana Regeneration, Mana Reserves, Resistances, Mental Processing, Soul Defense...). When one fully comprehends this Cosmic Dao, the boosts will be DOUBLED. When one fully assimilates this Cosmic Dao, the boosts will be QUINTUPLED. A Cosmic Dao such as this requires for it to be comprehend and assimilated by the soul- aside from Ruination itself, outside resources or treasures will yield no help. The one comprehending this Dao gains access to Ruination Essence, a type of essence that exists outside of the Primordial Cosmos- they can slowly use this essence to refine their body and soul into the deadliest weapon. Currently, the user can refine and purify up to 15% of their body and soul...at the full comprehension stage, the cap is increased to 35%, with the full assimilation stage allowing for up to 100% purification and assimilation. The user comprehending this Dao also gains the Absolute Skills that can only be activated through a counterpart of this Dao- the Cosmic Treasure Ruination. This Dao also allows one to seamlessly utilize the Cosmic Treasure Ruination as all Affix Effects are doubled. More mysteries of this Cosmic Dao wait to be discovered as the one comprehending it forges towards complete Assimilation... "...f.u.c.k." Even Noah was speechless as what he had unlocked was simply too balance breaking! RUUUUUUUMBLE! Chapter 856 - Who needs Primordial Essence?! I The Sword Emperor was staring towards Noah¡¯s figure incredulously as he could sense an aura of ancientness from it! An aura that seemed to scream of power as it wildly waved around him, an Aura he had not come across before. "This..." While he could not figure it out, Noah himself had just read about the Glorious rewards he received from the full assimilation of the universal laws. A Cosmic Dao! A Dao that only the top experts of the Primordial Cosmos even had a chance of enjoying, and his Dao was one of a kind as nobody had even embarked on it but him. Its effects...were simply stupendous, but he wanted to get over the disappointment first! The disappointment related to the sentence in the description that he read- [A Cosmic Dao such as this requires for it to be comprehend and assimilated by the soul- aside from Ruination itself, outside resources or treasures will yield no help.] A sentence that screamed of someone trying to make things harder for him! Comprehending the Cosmic Dao would have been hard enough as he would have had to do it all by himself, but he at least thought assimilation would be a breeze as he had the Dao Assimilation Crystals. Yet the Tier of a Cosmic Dao was so high that in its description it listed no outside resources would be of use. Assimilation Crystals and all their wonders...would be no use on Cosmic Daos! Due to this, Noah nearly wanted to revolt... But he was pacified as he read about the stupendous effects the Cosmic Dao gave him, starting with the boosts that were purely on the realm of ridiculousness. Just from comprehending the Cosmic Dao, he received boosts similar to a being that had comprehended and assimilated a Grand Dao! For him, it was even higher as it was +10,000% to All Parameters. It wasn¡¯t just All Damage or Speed...but all parameters! Even Grand Daos gave the full +10,000 boost once assimilated to one or two parameters, but this Cosmic Dao said f.u.c.k all that as it added it to everything! He...he truly had no words for this. It meant the +10,000% base would become +20,000% at full comprehension, and this +20,000% would become +100,000% at full Assimilation! What a magisterial set of numbers! What balance breaking reality! Noah¡¯s eyes searched the description of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination with fervor as he came upon the mention of Ruination Essence. He had just learned about Primordial Essence, the unique essence that actually birthed the Primordial Cosmos and could be accessed when one was in the stage of a Sage. Yet ridiculously...merely comprehending the Cosmic Dao granted him access to something called Ruination Essence that had effects and caps that seemed much more resplendent than even the Primordial Essence. THRUUUM! His body that was covered by a wild blazing aura looked to the skies as he stretched his hands out. Since he had access to this stupendous Essence, he would utilize it to strengthen himself! His actions caused the essence of the Cosmic Dao to swirl above him, rapidly spinning in a circle as space seemed to be getting torn. TRHUM! A second later, the swirling stopped as Noah¡¯s eyes squinted while observing at the center of the circle of red essence, a black hole the size of one inch appeared! This black hole was extremely dark as shockingly, it was reminiscent of something we had come across before- the Fractures that tore apart the Desolate Galaxies! Yet Noah didn¡¯t know of this as he looked at the small one inch hole, his outstretched hands making a grasping motion as a tendril of thick crimson liquid began to leak out of it. RUMBLE! The Sword Emperor was staring at the scene in front of him in shock at this point as what was occurring was simply unbelievable! This was because the sight of essence swirling in a circle to create a small opening that had a unique liquid essence pour out of it...this scene was extremely similar to what he was able to do when he became a Sage. This was how he obtained the Primordial Essence, and the small hole he could access it from as a Sage was less than half an inch! ...CRACK! One could hear the shout of something shattering, but it wasn¡¯t space this time as the horrid sound came from Noah¡¯s body. OOOOM! The moment he swallowed the liquid Ruination Essence, it felt like something had broken within him as an instant later, it was being rapidly resounded- and at extremely high speeds at that! The crimson liquid Ruination Essence pierced into his origin and soul as it bathed it entirely, and it then proceeded to cause Noah the most intense pain he had ever felt in his entire life as...it began to burn. Purify! The essence was purifying his body and soul, and it had to do so in the most excruciating manner possible as his face was drained of all color while he bellowed out. OOOOOH! It was a bellow of pain and frustration, a bellow of feeling his soul burning inside out! THUMP! The sound of his heart beating was like a drum, pound and resplendent as he came out of the pain of Purification for the first time while feeling like a new man. OOOOH! He couldn¡¯t help but release another triumphant bellow as his now crimson hair waved around wildly, his eyes shooting out luminous beams of red light! Chapter 857 - Who needs Primordial Essence?! II The stellar image of Noah floating in the skies glimmering with red all around was extremely striking. His bright eyes glanced at his Stat Panel as he noticed yet another addition that he focused on! [Ruination Essence Purification Effects](Currently .1%) :: +1000% to all Parameters. "..." Ruination Essence! His body and soul that was purified with such resplendent essence was given a huge boost merely at .1%... This was the type of power that made the Sage in front of Noah so powerful- he had purified his body with what was known as Primordial Essence, most likely gaining huge percentages in all Parameters as he moved with great power! Yet Noah¡¯s Cosmic Dao of Ruination granted him +10,000% in all Parameters outright, while his purifying of his body and soul just now with the Ruination Essence that existed outside of the Primordial Cosmos...granted him +1000% to All Parameters! That +1000%...was just him purifying his body and soul by .1%. This meant that when he purified his body and soul by 1%, he would gain another 10,000% in All Parameters. "...fuuuuck!" Noah¡¯s brain nearly exploded at this reality, as one must recall that in the case of Primordial Essence, Sages could only use it to purify 10% of their body and soul while Great Sages were only upped to 25%! Meanwhile, Noah could utilize this Ruination Essence to purify up to 15% at his current stage, and 35% when he fully comprehended the Cosmic Dao. His Parameters had the capabilities to exceed a normal Sage just in the level he was at currently! One must also remember...there was also the Primordial Essence that Noah had not even begun using. It created such a wondrous possible future that Noah wasn¡¯t sure how it would all turn out. Such power! Such magisterial possibilities! This wasn¡¯t even all... The skies of the mystical realm quaked and tumbled as the aura Noah released became more and more oppressive. This was due to the fact that with the advantage of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, the Affix Effects of the Ruination Cores were now doubled. Doubled! This means he currently had +20,000% increase to All Damage for one affix, and +20,000+ increase to Attack and Cast Speed for the other! This was on top of the base +10,000% to All Parameters that the Cosmic Dao of Ruination gave, now was it putting into account the +1000 to All Parameters from Noah purifying his body with Ruination Essence. All in all, even without putting the boosts of the Aura of the fully Comprehended Daos of the Sword and Withering in the picture, over +31,000% in boosts were currently rushing through Noah¡¯s body! Ah! RUMBLE! His hands then shot up to the skies once more as he tried to utilize his essence to cause another one inch circle to appear and release more Ruination Essence, but found to his dismay nothing coalescing in front of him. "...if that Essence is similar to what I think it is, you won¡¯t be able to call it forth again until your body is capable of handling another round of purification. For others, this could be a day, with the less talented needing weeks or months." The being in question turned his vibrant eyes to gaze upon the Sage staring at him in a stupor as he replied. "Seems I took a bit longer than a minute, my apologies!" His crimson hair that was affected by the essence of Ruination waved wildly as he turned his eyes towards the Sage. He wondered if this being had already purified his body to the max of 10% for the level of a Sage...if he already had +100,000 increase in All Parameters due to the Primordial Essence! "What...is that?" The Sage¡¯s eyes swirled with wisdom as he couldn¡¯t help but ask, the implications of what he was seeing being too grand. Noah¡¯s eyes squinted as he thought for less than a second before he made up his mind, his voice ringing out domineeringly thereafter. "You mentioned the Primordial Essence that I couldn¡¯t grasp yet, so I simply went ahead and began comprehending the Cosmic Dao of Ruination. It just so happened that it gave me access to Ruination Essence that is as potent if not more than the Primordial Essence." "...!!!" RUMBLE! Essence similar to Primordial Essence! And he...he accessed it by simply comprehending a Cosmic Dao?! Such bullshit was enough to cause the mind of the Sage to spin as he tightly looked at this being in front of him. Even his great Master had not been able to catch a wisp of a Cosmic Dao, and the vast majority of beings in the Primordial Cosmos were in the same boat as those that were capable enough and had embarked on a Cosmic Dao were few and far in between. ¡¯Master of Ruination...Cosmic Dao of Ruination...it would not be too far fetched!¡¯ The Sage thought simply as he nodded to Noah with a smile. He had a smile on his face as he felt like the words of his Master were ringing in his ears at this time. He had seen the ¡¯something¡¯ he needed to ascertain this being could truly lead them against the Spirit Race and obtain the remainder of the Ruination Cores to stop the coming Apocalypse! He could hear the words of his Master who had condemned himself along with many Sages and Great Sages to death just to give the Dark Universe enough time to give birth to the Master of Ruination...and that time was actually here. "Come. O Master of Ruination! Let me see the extent of your power!" The Sage bellowed out grandly as an immense aura shot forth from him, his right hand rightly grasping the Sword as he finally felt like he could use his full power against this being! "OOOOOH!" Noah¡¯s bellow reverberated out as the swirling essence of Ruination swirled around him with even more vigor, his Blazing red eyes sending out pillars of light as his crimson hair waved wildly, his hands making a grasping motion as two crimson Swords appeared on them! Swords made from the essence of Ruination. Swords containing the essence of a Cosmic Dao! With these in hand, his figure flashed towards a powerful Sage... Chapter 858 - I Can See You! In the mystical realm filled with bright greenery, the skies were crying out in fear as at this moment, a figure clad in a red aura moved to instantly appear in front of a Sage as he bore his two frighteningly crimson swords over! SHAA! The image of the Sage disappeared as the swords hit air, his voice ringing out in the surroundings as it seemed to occupy everything. "With this power up, you should be able to handle a strike from my sword..." RUMBLE! His words ended with the loud ringing of a sword being drawn, the right hand that held the sword finally being drawn and active as the Sage who had purified his body with Primordial Essence...this Sage now attacked seriously! His image was fleeting as he moved across the skies, his eyes observing the swirling red aura around Noah that seemed to actually give him a sense of danger. ¡¯Was the essence of a Cosmic Dao so powerful? That its mere usage would make a Sage be careful of it?¡¯ His sword was striking down mercilessly on Noah¡¯s right shoulder, being merely an instant away from striking it...but the red light around Noah became even more luminescent as the eyes of the Sword Emperor observed tremendous speed he was familiar with, this speed somehow keeping up with his strike as instead of his sword drawing the blood and limbs of Noah- he found the vibrant red swords this Tyrannical Entity held to actually clash against his! BZZZT! Space cracked and cried out at the clash, the Sage watching as his strike was countered for the first time since this battle! He saw the eyes of Noah that were blazing with intense red light, the voice of this Tyrannical Entity ringing out against his ears clearly. "I can see you, Sword Emperor." ...! BOOOM! Their swords bounced off each other as the Sword Emperor remained still, Noah being the one to be pushed off with the attack! But with this, he had successfully defended against a Sage with his own power for the first time. "Very good!" The eyes of the Sword Emperor glimmered with light as he spoke, his eyes opening ever wider as in the next moment, his aura picked up spatial teleportation as multiple figures clad in a shocking red aura began to appear around him. RUMBLE! Figures holding the same face as Noah, yet their bodies letting out even more terrifying power as it was his clones that could ridiculously display not just his full power, but 120% of it! Each of them had the red essence of Ruination vibrantly swarming around them, their crimson hair wildly flying around as they held the same exact red swords as Noah. "I hope you won¡¯t mind my clones joining the fight." The main Noah spoke as the appearance of 8 clones and the pressure they released constantly destabilized the skies. "It is a part of your strength. Let us see if it will help you!" WAA! ||Primal Supremacy Swords|| ... DING! The moment his words finished, a ringing sound erupted out...and then continued to erupt out en masse as it rang over tens of thousands of times in an instant. With every ringing, there was the appearance of a bright blue sword as the instantaneous ringing of tens of thousands of times caused for the appearance of tens of thousands of blue swords! They formed columns and rows around the entire area as before Noah and his clones could even blink, an innumerable number of swords had appeared between each of them! The skies turned into a sea of deadly swords that moved with the command of the Sword Emperor, this being coldly releasing the command for the Primal Supremacy Swords he had called for to descend onto their enemies. RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s essence moved rapidly as the abilities from [The Way of the Sword] skill tree were utilized, this time the starry rivers of swords and gigantic blades raining down being backed by the essence of a Cosmic Dao as they tried to protect their Master from the stupendous strength of a Sage that had an unknown percentage of his body already purified by Primordial Essence! BOOOM! --- As the shocking battle went underway in the Consummate Sword Expanse, another being of stupendous power was tearing acoss the chaotic void while making her way to this very same Ancient Power. The small body of the being known as Big Sis Morgana had a furious expression on her face as she used her b.a.r.e hands to tear apart the chaotic void and fold space as she constantly warped across, yet even with such shocking actions she still felt like she was too slow! "Surrounded by idiots in this f.u.c.k.i.n.g Universe! Others are suicidal, others are fools that believed old geezers too much!" Her wrathful voice rang out to nobody as she moved, venting her anger as she moved while talking! "That Old Geezer had foreseen that they would all die and their actions would give time for a powerful being to rise and successfully protect the Dark Universe? Bullshit! Who alone can protect an entire Universe? A mere kid just entering the rank of an Entity is the answer???" RUMBLE! "You better not kill yourself for such stupid claims Kaiser...otherwise I¡¯ll accelerate the destruction of this Universe with my own hands!" ...! Chapter 859 - A Sages Sacrifice I Space was ruptured and trying to heal on all sides as the vibrant greenery in the mystical realm was torn down. RIIIP! Yet another tear in space erupted as the magnificent Sword Emperor swung his sword towards another clone, this clone barely managing to survive as the essence of Ruination held shocking properties that caused the dissolution of the strong essence this Sage released! Yet even with such a feature, the Sage was still moving freely across the torn skies as at this moment, his pure Speed and power still exceeded Noah! ¡¯Has he truly purified 10% of his body and soul with Primordial Essence?¡¯ Noah¡¯s thoughts moved at instantaneous speeds with the +10,000% boost to All Parameters that included his mental faculties, wondering if the Sage he was battling had already reached the shocking level of +100,000% to All Parameters with the purification of the Primordial Essence! ¡¯In that case..." RUMBLE! Essence wildly flew out as while the Sword Emperor was besieging a clone, the appearance of terrifying Tiamat reappeared in the skies that weren¡¯t littered with as many terrifying blue swords, a clone clad in the red aura of Ruination merging with her right away before rejoining the battle- this time its power boosted as a terrifying Queen Dowager now moved while being assisted by the essence of a Cosmic Dao! ROAAAR! Tiamat let out a terrifying bellow when she felt this essence, her body being covered by it entirely as it reminded her of an age long ago. It reminded her of when she ruled over large regions of the Animus Universe, when she wielded her own Cosmic Dao of Annihilation as she was the Progenitor! The being that ruled with domineering strength before she was betrayed by the other Rulers of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines! ROAAR! A second later, the appearance of the fearsome Jormungandr, Golden Crow, Oculothorax, Calamity Bear, Obsidian Panther, and the enormous Colossal Helios Leviathan made their appearance- Noah¡¯s clones merging with them as their strength was vastly increased before they went to match the terrifying Sage! At this moment, Noah was measuring the percent increase of [All Parameters] that this Sage had by continuously adding more and more strength gradually, and he so far found out that the percentage of purification for this Sage exceeded 5%! RUMBLE! Even while surrounded by the Animus Summons enhanced by the essence of a Cosmic Dao, he flashed through the skies while wielding his sword gloriously. It felt like a single man with his swords standing against raging storms with ease as Noah observed the Sword Emperor to actually...close his eyes the moment he increased his power output by having his clones merge with his pets. His eyes opened wide in shock as he saw this Sage with his closed eyes beginning to change, his 4 meter form gradually disappearing as something else was taking its place! The voice of the Sword Emperor then rang out magisterially throughout the torn skies. "When you fully assimilate the Dao of the Sword, you truly become one with the Sword." ...! A resplendent, gorgeously shining blue sword that was inscribed with numerous runic markings! This sentient sword...tore through space as it instantly appeared above Tiamat, passing through her wings as they were instantly cut cleanly! ROAR! The Queen Dowager bellowed out furiously as muscles and bones tried to reform rapidly, the Sword Form of the terrific Sage having already flashed away as it went to strike towards another pet, Noah watching this scene with shock as the Sword Emperor...had really turned into a f.u.c.k.i.n.g sword! One with the Sword! SHAA! The singular arch human in sword form tore through the skies as he began to dominate the battlefield once more, Noah¡¯s pets falling on the defensive as Noah¡¯s main body gave chase. At this juncture, a variety of thoughts crossed Noah¡¯s mind on how he could reign in this Sage, a myriad of answers popping up in his mind as one of them was Skills. He now had a myriad of Daos, even grasping a Cosmic Dao that held terrifying boosts! What he needed now at this moment...was a skill that could put all of these Daos to use as he came out with something that could threaten a sage! Millions of thoughts came and went through his mind as he calculated, finding all the different possibilities with Skill Creation as he pulled up the number of his Skill Points during this time. [Skill Point(s) :: 98,245,252] From the 30 million something skill points he had after the events of the Primal Winged Expanse, they had more than tripled as he tore through the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, each of the Sword Kings he defeated giving him hundreds of thousands of skill points! While looking at these points and his current situation, a skill was quickly devised and calculated as it was placed in the Skill Creation tab. GALAXY [Cardinal Sword of Ruination] :: An Unavoidable ability that locks on to the aura of the selected enemy and does not stop until it reaches the target, even if it had to traverse the entire Universe. The Cardinal Sword of Ruination will include the essence of the Daos of Ruination, Sword, and Withering as the base- the seamless inclusion of these dao essences granting +10,000 Physical and Soul Damage. Cost of Skill Creation: 30,000,000 A fairly simple skill design that played to the weakness Noah currently had when it came to the wondrous Sage in front of him- his attacks were evaded or did not reach the being! The ability of Cardinal Sword of Ruination being unavoidable required 15 million Skill Points, the seamless inclusion of the Daos of Ruination, Sword, and Withering required 10 million Skill Points, as the +10,000 Physical and Soul Damage addition required 5 million more skill points. Noah could have made an even more fearsome skill by using the remaining 60 millions skill points, but he saved these for a rainy day as he knew his true enemies within this Universe were the Spirit Race he was yet to meet. For the purposes of the slippery Sword Emperor...this should be enough! RUMBE! [Cardinal Sword of Ruination].[Cardinal Sword of Ruination].[Cardinal Sword of Ruination]... WAA! In the skies, humongous swords 10 meters large that glimmered and vibrated with the intense auras of 3 Daos began to appear, each of them shooting out like a guided missile as they went towards the far off Sword Emperor! Mixtures of red and blue permeated throughout the swords as they appeared one after another, the first one reaching the Sword Emperor as this Sage in sword form merely flashed away from it to attack another one of Noah¡¯s pets. Yet...the sword that he just evaded warped right where the Sword Emperor appeared, exploding gloriously as the essence of three Daos tore apart space and caused the shimmering Sage to pause! BOOM! Unavoidable! The Sage had taken damage for the first time in a while from an attack his speed could somehow not evade. It was the advent of a skill that Noah could spam against his enemies while he was light years away, a skill they wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid as they had to be hit and either survive it with their sheer power and defenses- or face death! RUMBLE! A crucial juncture was about to occur in the battle within the mystical realm, a juncture that would cause for a magisterial outcome of this dreadful battle! Yet amidst all of this, there was one thing that many might have forgotten or slipped out of their minds. It was something that had been silent all this time even though it comprehended a great deal of Daos, more daos than even Noah and the Sword Emperor. Hidden in the folds of space of the mystical Realm, a Blue Slime was quietly waiting for a chance. It wanted the blood of a Sage. It wanted to completely devour a Sage as it obtained that exact same strength! Chapter 860 - A Sages Sacrifice II Crimson red swords shot forth like missiles towards the Sword Emperor, each of them screaming resonantly as they would not stop until they smashed into him! Wherever he teleported, wherever he disappeared to...the crimson Cardinal Swords of Ruination would be there! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Three of them exploded out in succession as the sharp auras of the Daos of Withering and Sword were bearable, but the essence of Ruination was deadly. It was a much higher tier essence that even while just being at the stage of comprehension, Noah could command this essence to burn through the defenses of the Sword Emperor¡¯s fully assimilated sword essence! "Good!" The vibrant shout of the Sage emanated out while he was in sword form, the coalescing of sword essence occurring as he remained in one spot and allowed all the chasing Cardinal Swords of Ruination to smash into him. BZZZZT! Space quaked and trembled as when the scene cleared, it showed ravaged sword essence as the bright blue sword that represented the Sage...had lost some of its l.u.s.ter! Yet when the Sage expected recompense, he found out to his stupor that multiple more Cardinal Swords of Ruination were already heading his way. Noah had not stopped casting them for a single second as they seemed like homing missiles constantly rushing towards the Sword Emperor. At the same time, the roar of an emotional Tiamat rang out as an enormous door appeared in the skies, this door opening rapidly to show the illusory form of a terrifying dragon head! Its jaws opened as from them, purple red flames erupted out that filled the skies. The other summons moved with vigor while enhanced by Ruination, Jormungandr opening its jaws wide as the illusory form of a Galaxy Devouring Serpent appeared behind him- its terrifying force temporarily holding the Sage in place. The purple red flames in the skies were joined by scorching golden flames, the Golden Crow looking at the Sage domineeringly as it released its fury! All the other pets moved with vigor as the Sage was besieged on all sides, the homing missiles that were the Cardinal Sword of Ruination continuing to smash towards him and dealing constant damage. But in the midst of all this...the Sage laughed! "Haha! Very good! With this, there is a chance!" As he felt the terrific power of this being that now had the strength of a beginner Sage even though he had not yet become one, the Sword Emperor felt like his Master¡¯s words were close to fruition. He knew that this being grew ever stronger from devouring the strength of others, and he attributed the current rapid rise in Noah¡¯s power to be due to the Sword Kings he had been fed in the prior floors of the Immemorial Sword Formation. He actually wasn¡¯t too far off as this was actually the truth! But the Sword Emperor knew that for the strength of this being to be even more stupendous, he had to be the last sacrifice! Even at this point while he was besieged on all sides, he had a variety of ways with the Strength of a Sage to erupt with deadly strength and reap the lives of Noah¡¯s pets or even possibly Noah himself, using his flames of life to choose mutual destruction. But he didn¡¯t do so as after experiencing the shocking strength and taking on the Cardinal Swords of Ruination that caused tiny cracks in his sword form, he finally stayed still as he was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice! He knew that his Origin would be preserved due to the Immemorial Sword Formation, that he wouldn¡¯t truly due. But still! He would be losing a large majority of his power as for the events to come...he would rest them on the hands of this being! ¡¯Capable of comprehending a Cosmic Dao while not even being a Sage yet, how can I compare?¡¯ BOOM! BOOOM! Cardinal Swords of Ruination continued to smash into the sword form of the Sword Emperor as the attacks of the pets threatened to tear apart his strong layers of defenses unsuccessfully. His figure was like a lone sword swimming amongst the waves of destruction, peacefully passing through unhindered! It was a truly wondrous scene as in the next moment, a Cardinal Sword of Ruination smashed into the Sage and threw him towards a certain direction. It was a fold in space where a Blue Slime had been waiting patiently for the entirety of the battle. WAA! Its magisterial essence was released at this moment as its body ballooned to cover up the surrounding 20 meters instantly. ¡¯Hmm?¡¯ The Sage had a smile on his face as a brilliant blue light shone, his sword form evaporating as he turned back to his devilishly handsome 4 meter tall body the instant before an Absolute Skill was activated. When he returned to his body, his serene eyes gazed towards Noah¡¯s main body far off in the distance as they seemed to give him a singular message. ¡¯I let you defeat me!¡¯ It was the pride of a Sage that did not wish to fight to the death, where even while using his life and power to further his goals, he still let it be known that he was truly powerful! <>. WAP! The devilishly handsome figure of the Sword Emperor...then vanished. "..." It was the sacrifice of a Sage. It was a selfless action that would be the reason for something wondrous to bloom, for the rise of a shocking being that would etch his name in the annals of history! Chapter 861 - A Slime Aspires to be a Sage! The mystical Realm that the Sword Emperor used to be in shook with instability. Its beautiful scenery was utterly destroyed as Noah and his pets were the only ones remaining, all of their eyes on the position of the Blue Slime that had its wiggly body trembling in the skies! RUUMBLE! Spatial essence washed over all of them in the mystical realm as they were warped away, their figures forever disappearing from the Immemorial Sword Dungeon as they appeared in the starry space of the Consummate Sword Holy Land- the galaxy that was the core of the Ancient Power. Not too far from them, over 100 Sword Kings were staring towards the figures of Noah and his pets with shining eyes, Brightsword and another Sword King hoisting up an extremely weakened Sage between them! The eyes of the Sword Emperor were dim as they had lost their mystical light, his origin and soul heavily injured as he thought he had severely underestimated the unique ability of the Tyrannical Entity to devour the strength of his enemies. Compared to his Sword Kings, he had lost over half of his strength as his body that was purified by Primordial Essence by more than 6%...it had somehow lost its purification as he barely held on to 1%! He didn¡¯t just lose half of his power like others defeated in the Immemorial Sword Dungeon, but nearly 90% of it as unlike what the Sage thought- it wasn¡¯t Noah who was the most terrifying when it came to devouring enemies, but the blue slime! Its Absolute Skill was extremely terrifying even in a dungeon that prevented the true deaths of those connected to it, it nearly swallowed all of them up. Such was the attack that devoured the Sword Emperor, his eyes ever so slowly regaining their lights as they locked on to the vibrating figure of the blue slime. The eyes of Noah and his pets along with the Sword Kings and the Sage...they all looked towards the singular Blue Slime as at this moment, three shocking auras of completely assimilated Daos began to emulate from it! Sword, Voidspace, and Alacrity! The starry space above this slime cracked and sundered in the next moment as the bellowing of space being ripped apart rapidly to allow the spread of a wondrous type of essence took place! The Sword Emperor watched in shock as a hole larger than a meter opened above the small slime- a whole numerous times larger than what he was always able to create to pull Primordial Essence to purify his body! Yet the slime had a hole over 1 meter open as shockingly, a dense amount of Primordial Essence rushed towards it and threatened to swallow its body. Its Absolute Skill still wasn¡¯t done with granting it 90% of the power of a Sage it was able to devour as the 90% of the purification the Sage had rushed towards him in the form of rivers of Primordial Essence. This was over 5% purification occurring all at once! It defied the rules and norms as even Noah was only able to purify only .1% when he first came in contact with Ruination Essence, but the Absolute Skill of the Blue Slime allowed it to be washed over by Primordial Essence as it forged towards 5% Purification. AAAAAA! A piercing scream erupted out from the wiggling body of the slime as the pain it went through was unlike anything that others would experience, no one having to ever withstand the essence that birthed the Primordial Cosmos in such large amounts all at once. Noah felt this soul screeching scream even pass through the connection he had with the slime as it pleaded for him to share some of it! The Blue Slime was truly pitiful as Noah bared his teeth while sharing the pain. He knew that once the Slime passed this ordeal, he would have genuine Sage battle power as the Blue Slime would gain over +50,000% boost to All Parameters from the purification it was currently undergoing, and such a number was something that was truly too fantastical to even think about! A heart rending 5 minutes passed like this as the Slime withstood a tremendous amount of pain- pain that scorched one¡¯s very body and soul... When the hole in space closed and the Primordial Essence stopped flowing into its body, the Blue Slimer glimmered with light as it released a terrifying aura. RUMBLE! The fully assimilated Dao of the Sword, Voidspace, and Alacrity cradled its body up as to top it all, an intense pressure that came off from a being that had begun undergoing purification through Primordial Essence- the aura of a Sage glimmered off of the Blue Slime! WAA! It released a majestical air as its small body wiggled, Noah raising his thumping head that had bore the soul rending pain with the slime as he smiled. He himself had power that could be considered barely as a beginner Sage, while his Animus Pet was a full fledged one! What a grand reality! The eyes of the Sword Emperor and his Sword Kings shook as they were still staring at the Slime in a stupor, and this was especially so for the Sword Emperor who knew what the previous events fully represented. Yet before any of these beings could digest these new developments, a tear of space could be heard far off in the distance, a powerful sound of something approaching reaching them! Sound and light barriers were broken as the speeding thing revealed itself in front of their eyes, its eyes filled with wrath. The figure of a small woman with vibrant dark hair and blue eyes could be seen, her exceedingly blessed c.h.e.s.t heaving up and down as she honed in where the most powerful beings were cl.u.s.tered in the Consummate Sword Holy Land! The powerful being known as Big Sis Morgana had arrived! Chapter 862 - Big Sis is Here! "..." The stellar space was eerily silent with the appearance of the small girl, the Sword Kings¡¯ beside the Sword Emperor looking towards her with shaking eyes as a glimmer of fear could be seen beneath! The expression of the Sword Emperor also changed slightly as he saw this being, his weak body rising up towards her. The one that had arrived, Big Sis Morgana- looked towards the Sword Emperor with angry eyes as she saw his state, her c.h.e.s.t heaving up and down even more ferociously as she then turned her eyes towards Noah! She glanced at this figure that now had a slime bobbing up and down his head happily as her resonant voice reverberated out. "You!" RUMBLE! It was only a single word, but it was followed by space bursting again as Morgana appeared in front of Noah instantly, her fist already outstretched as it palpated with the aura of the Grand Dao of Destruction! A fully assimilated Grand Dao of Destruction that contained hints of multiple other Daos... Yet another Sage had arrived as her entrance was explosive, striking towards Noah the most she saw the state of the Sword Emperor! She moved with such intense speed that Noah only saw her fist when it was already a few inches from smashing his head in, but he didn¡¯t have to worry as before the fist could smash into him...the wiggly figure of a slime appeared. BZZZT! A horrendous impact was felt as destructive energies were dispelled and countered, the face of Morgana getting even angrier as her other hand already arrived to grab on to the body of the Slime, trying to yank it away from Noah while her small legs struck towards the point between his legs! It was such a shocking and brutal form of battle as this Sage used her b.a.r.e body that was wrapped with the essence of the Grand Dao of Destruction mostly, her feet that were deadlier than the force of an entire Galaxy trying to smash Noah¡¯s precious gems! "You...!" Intense anger filled Noah¡¯s eyes while the body of the Blue Slime glimmered, an intense light of the Dao of the Sword erupting forth as Morgana was pushed back, her deadly legs smashing into the stellar space and causing it to shatter. OOOOM! The slime had become one with the Sword as it took a splendorous form, rotating around Noah protectively as its blade was pointed towards the wrathful Sage in the distance! Noah didn¡¯t give the command for the Blue Slime or for any of his other pets to strike as he knew this Sage was an ally, and an ally that had with her something he was actually looking for! [Morgana Wight] :: A Sage that has assimilated the Daos of Destruction, Fortification, and Alacrity. She has spent countless years exploring the Dark Universe as she maintains immense disdain over it and all the creatures within it that she considered exceedingly foolish. The only being capable of reining her in is the Sage who was the disciple under the same Master as her... A glorious set of words to introduce the newly entering Sage, Noah going over as the strong voice of the Sword Emperor reverberated out. "Morgana! Why would you fight with our ally? This is the being our Master talked out-" "Shut up! Do you see yourself? You have less than 10% of your power remaining, barely a husk of what you used to be!" The resonant voice of the girl rang out as she talked down to a Sage as if she stood at a higher position. "I know you¡¯ve always been slightly foolish after that Old Geezer brainwashed you, so I can¡¯t blame you too much. But your Big Sis will at least beat up the one that did this to you! This is that so-called Master of Ruination right? He¡¯ll answer for this!" BOOM! The slime didn¡¯t budge one bit as aside from having obtained the power of a Sage and having 5% of its body and soul purified, an action that granted it a shocking +50,000% to All Parameters by the way- it truly had too many Daos that it had comprehended as all of their essence danced with every strike the slime made! BOOM! Morgana smashed her little fists that contained a force strong enough to easily shatter stars and planets as the Blue Slime was there to counter it, her cute expression of anger increasing as she wasn¡¯t getting her way. The Sword Emperor stopped not too far away as he stared in wonder at the fact that Noah¡¯s summon could now match Morgana, but this Sage did not know about the true quality of this Universal Emperor Slime! It was after all a being that in the near future would awaken its own Cosmic Dao! "You...you¡¯re gonna let this little thing do everything for you?!" When Morgana saw her relentless attacks not passing through the Blue Slime in Sword form as space around her was the only thing that continued to shatter, she taunted the calm Noah that was observing everything as her eyes rose up arrogantly. Noah had been learning all he could about this being as he perused through the information he could find through Eyes of Truth, his gaze placid as after obtaining a power nearly equaling a Sage and having his Slime be a genuine one- his worries had truly decreased by a large amount! As he knew the girl was a disciple of the same Great Sage as the Sword Emperor, she was placed in the camp of allies- her just being a difficult one to deal with. "I don¡¯t plan to fight with a kid, so I can only let my pet fight with you if you want to continue." "..." The Sword Emperor who had thought the situation would calm down with the passing seconds as everyone would get to talk looked towards Noah in a stupor the moment he finished saying the shocking words! Why did he say those words? Why not anything but those words?! RUMBLE "A kid? A KID?!" BOOOM! Space quaked and tumbled as a dense aura of destruction circled around Morgana, her eyes utterly enraged while looking towards a calm Noah. A hectic introduction of allies was underway as the force of beings that would be the ones to band together in order to save a Universe from an Apocalypse was gradually being formed! Chapter 863 - More Ruination Cores, Shocking News! I It took another half hour of Morgana running rampant across the stellar space as numerous barren stars and planets were shattered as she chased Noah trying to land hits on him unsuccessfully. Her blessed c.h.e.s.t heaved up and down as she looked dangerously towards him while she spat out words. "If you ever call me that name again...there¡¯ll be hell to pay!" She spoke as if she had won and was now threatening Noah, the being that merely nodded towards her as the Sword he held turned into a blue slime that went to rest on his head. His body wasn¡¯t blazing with the aura of Ruination anymore as his hair returned to its normal dark gold, but his eyes now contained a hint of red as they shone like starry stars! He donned a regal white robe as he ignored the Sage cutely glaring at him, going towards the other Sage that was nearly 4 times her size. "Sword Emperor, you have my deepest thanks...even though I still have to bother you with even more things!" Noah said with earnest words towards the Sage with a weak complexion. The Sword Emperor had truly given much, with his Sword Kings losing nearly half of their strength while he lost so much more! But the result...was the Master of Ruination climbing from an Entity and having the power of a Sage in just a single day after he entered his Ancient Power. Arriving at this shocking truth, the Sword Emperor also knew what Noah was talking about when he mentioned he would have to bother him with even more things! Essence freely flowed out as the weakened Sage waved his hands, causing for the appearance of a cube shaped red black object that caused the eyes of every being here to shine. "You¡¯re really..." Morgana was about to start cursing again when the Sword Emperor interrupted her, giving the Ruination Core he had held after so long. "This is something I scoured the Dark Universe to find for tens of thousands of years, only being able to locate this single one as the other is in Big Sis Morgana¡¯s hands." Noah¡¯s eyes glimmered as he nodded at this, the function of locating Ruination Cores having long told him it was on the body of the small voluptuous figure of Morgana! RUMBLE An intense red light shot out when his hands touched the Ruination Core, the tool coming active as his essence of Ruination nearly burst out wildly. But it dove into his body and Origin with ease as it found a third Universal Origin Core to reside in, this Core also forming a link with the other 2 in Noah¡¯s body as he glimmered in an intense red aura. WAAA! A space shaking aura erupted out of his as the tinge of red threatened to cover his whole body, the light only dying down a second later as everyone looked towards him in amazement! Yet a mocking voice came out a second later that poured cold water into everyone¡¯s thoughts. "This guy is really showy huh? Shines red every damn second he gets!" Morgana had her hands crossed as she held up her blessed c.h.e.s.t, portraying an unimpressed expression even though her eyes were tinged with shock! This was because she had felt the Ruination Core she had hidden away vibrating the moment Noah took in the one Kaiser gave away, affirming who the being that had caused all the prior reactions was truly the one in front of her. Yet even then, she was relentless as the Sword Emperor had to sigh while raising his voice towards her. "Big Sis...if you ever valued our Master, you would also release the Ruination Core on you so we can start preparing and planning for the future to come!" The weakened Sage¡¯s voice was resonant as it rang out in Morgana¡¯s ears, but she became even more pompous as she replied with a sneer. "Why should I give this guy something I searched for for 23,837 years? That¡¯s a lot of years, you know? I could have been relaxing at the edge of the Universe or some shit during that time. Why should all my hard work just be handed away!" RUMBLE The Sword Emperor had begun to get angry as Noah¡¯s eyes also squinted dangerously, when they came to a stop as they felt yet another aura barrel towards them rapidly from far away. This one was nowhere near as powerful as Morgana, but it was rushing here at such great speeds that it felt like their lives depended on it! RUMBLE! Spatial fluctuations erupted out as the figure of a disheveled Sword King appeared. His hair was messy as his eyes were tinged with immense fear, looking towards the Sword Emperor as he hurriedly spat out shocking words! "It¡¯s gone...the Desolate Galaxies...they¡¯re gone!" ...! "What?!" RUMBLE! "They¡¯re inescapable! If you get caught in one, it doesn¡¯t matter your rank as they draw you in and grind you to dust! I washed an Entity try to outrun one Fracture...only for them to fully be devoured in a second!" ...! The Entity continued to release shocking words as the expressions of everyone turned grim. Noah felt his heart palpating as his expression turned sour. He truly thought he would have more time! The Universe had been chugging along just fine for tens of thousands of years before he was even alive, why could it not give him ten thousand years as well to become overly OP as he thrashed down all the enemies in it and obtained all the Ruination Cores? Why the hell did the Apocalypse come just when he neared the Peak ranks of power within this Universe?! RUMBLE! Chapter 864 - More Ruination Cores, Shocking News! II "That¡¯s not all, the Fractures that tore apart galaxies...they actually seem to be expanding over time, and their rate of progression is not slow!" ...! The Sword King delivering the news seemed to be vying for the top position of how many apocalyptic things one could say to get his points across, the Sword Emperor looking towards him as his expression was more grim than anybody else. Why now? Why now?! He had only just located and began helping the Master of Ruination. The being was powerful, but not fully there to stand against the Spirit Race and obtain the other 2 Ruination Cores! His tired eyes were filled with melancholy as he turned towards Morgana. "Morgana, we truly have no time. Please give the Master of Ruination the Core..." "Shut up!" Morgana¡¯s face was scrunched up as she waved her hands unwillingly, another stellar Ruination Core appearing in her hands as the moment it appeared in space, it shot forth towards Noah with fervor as the eyes of Morgana trembled. She had searched for this treasure as it stayed with her for so many years, and it now left her like an ungrateful child without so much as a thought! THRUM! It smashed into and melded with Noah¡¯s body as a scene similar to a prior one appeared, Noah¡¯s body glimmering with an intense red light soon as amazingly in the span of a day since entering the Consummate Sword Expanse...he had obtained 2 Ruination Cores! "Well, Master of Ruination, do you feel overflowing power surging through you? You can finally appear out of the blue and save everyone?" Morgana¡¯s voice rang out as Noah¡¯s feeling of reveling in the obtainment of Ruination Cores was cut short. He looked towards Morgana and the Sword Emperor as he spoke out calmly. "We need to gather the rest of the Ruination Cores soon. What needs to be done to stop what is coming...it can only be done when all of the Cores are combined to become one Treasure!" RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s words pacified some of the fear of the apocalypse that many had begun to feel with the news the Entity came with. "We also need to visit the Desolate Galaxies to see exactly what we¡¯re dealing with." ...! "...we shall do just that. For the Ruination Cores, we have to pry them off the hands of the Spirit Race...as it seems they have ulterior motives that we cannot understand!" The voice of the Sword Emperor rang out as Noah¡¯s eyes squinted, his voice coming out questioningly. "Do you know anything about this?" It wasn¡¯t the Sword Emperor that answered, the voluptuous Morgana feeling that the attention had shifted for her as she spoke to have all eyes turn toward her. "Those fools at least want to welcome death, I can commend them for that! They do not want to work with anyone about anything, simply locking themselves up in their Spirit Realms as the years waste away!" The Spirit Race of the Dark Universe. Beings with unique physiologies that had enormous power in their hands. Yet...they weren¡¯t the ones moving earnestly to save their Universe! It was such an unbelievable reality that many did not know what to make of it... --- The homes of these beings boasting an enormous amount of power were eerily silent even though they were filled with trillions of beings. This was due to the fact that each of them could mentally connect with each other, their Realms filled with a sense of silence that one would normally not come across in other places! At this moment, deep in the Spirit Domain. In an area where powerful auras resided, two cubed red black Cores shone with a gorgeous light twice before dying down not too long later each time. The shining of these cubes represented a great deal of things to those that held them, with their reaction this time being particularly important as it represented a shocking reality! "This is somewhat unexpected." A voice rang out, but it wasn¡¯t ringing out in the outside world- it was in the mental world of the Spirit Race! It traveled amongst the minds of a group of powerful beings as the eyes of many of them were focused on one. "What did you find out from utilizing the Dao? You were always the keenest among us." A Sage of the Spirit Race was put on the spot as his incorporeal body was masked in the darkness, his voice ringing out. "The Master of Ruination has unexpectedly collected 4 Ruination Cores, with the two in our hands being his next aim. I didn¡¯t expect for the two childish creatures in the Sword Expanse to give them to him so easily." His voice was inquisitive as a shockingly powerful Dao Essence swirled around him, the essence golden in color as it represented Destiny! His incorporeal hands seemed to be reaching into a cloud of gold as he plucked out fruits of knowledge, his expression constantly changing as an innumerable amount of information entered his mind. His expression hardened somewhat in the next second as something seemed to have occurred. "I can¡¯t grasp any more information on the Master of Ruination, which brings some uncertainties on what is to come." A shocking message was passed from him as something perplexing to the Spirit Race occurred! "As the one capable of wielding Ruination Cores, our sight might have been masked by the fact that he owns more of them." "Possibly..." The Sage in question had a piercing expression as possibilities were brought forward. But neither of the powerful beings of the Spirit Race brought forward the true reason why the Grand Dao of Destiny could not be used to get information on the Tyrannical Entity! This phenomenon began the moment that Noah gained the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, the Sage of the Spirit Race only finding out about it now! "The plans do not change nonetheless. The two Sages from the Sword Expanse can be handled, the allies he will bring forth only being able to stand against the soldiers in our ranks...the only thing we need to account for is his ability to be invulnerable for an hour and the capability to escape death by leaving our Time..." RUMBLE! Shocking plans and schemes were in play for the Tyrannical Entity as the powerful Spirit Race accounted for many scenarios! "It has already begun in the Desolate Galaxies, we could simply tether his soul to the destructive energies of Ruination that have begun spreading out there..." "Possibly..." "Ruination..." The voices spoke in different tones yet sounded alike at the same time. It was an eerie environment to be in as the Sages of the Spirit Race were trying to think one and two steps ahead of a being they knew would be hard to kill! Chapter 865 - Give Me a Second to Become a Sage! As the incorporeal Sages from the Spirit Domain pondered on the Dao of Destiny to find the correct path for their goals, the Tyrannical Entity was still in the Consummate Sword Expanse communicating with two Sages! The Sword Kings and the left out Traverser were by the side as Morgana was even more actively talking after the news about the destruction of the Desolate Galaxies. "The Spirit Domain has multiple Sages, those bastards having always seemed sneaky as hell to me as I don¡¯t doubt they¡¯re hiding some shocking secret." Her words made the expressions of many harden as her eyes focused on a singular being. "We must prepare, and have someone actually strong enough to stand against the suicidal Spirit Race!" Morgana tauntingly looked towards Noah as she spoke, sensing how this being had not even assimilated a single Dao. Even though he might have battle power nearing a Sage, he wasn¡¯t one himself! "The one to lead us is someone who hasn¡¯t even assimilated a single Dao? A being that barely qualifies as a Sage in terms of strength?" Her voice was extremely piercing in the starry space as it was filled with mischief, Noah looking at Morgana as he waved his hands to return his pets but the Blue Slime into his origin, sending his now unmerged clones back into a Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy as he planned to do something stupendous! Morgana and the others looked at this scene quizzically as Noah let out dominating words. "Assimilating daos...huh? Give me a few seconds to assimilate some Daos and become a Sage." ...!!! Shock and incredulousness filled the eyes of those that heard the words, the Sword Emperor¡¯s face being the most shocked one as he had heard words similar to this not too long ago! This being had told him to give him a minute as he came out having somehow comprehended a Cosmic Dao thereafter, and now he was saying to be given seconds before he assimilated Daos and entered the ranks of Sages... Ah! Amidst the stupor and shock of others, Noah¡¯s clones had entered the Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy as they each held and had already started actively absorbing Dao Assimilation Crystals! Noah now knew he couldn¡¯t use them on his Cosmic Dao, so he went ahead to assimilate his fully comprehended Daos as he planned to step into the folds of a Sage in a matter of seconds in the outside world! The Affix of [+15,000% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Daos] that would have normally been just a mere 7,500% with the addition of two more Ruination Cores as it used to be 2,500% when he obtained the second Ruination Core was also set, a tremendous amount of boosts becoming available for this session of assimilation as one must not forget the +10,000% from the boost of merely having the Cosmic Dao of Ruination itself! It meant that for the Assimilation Crystals...Noah would not have to absorb many to have his percentage shoot up by a large amount! RUMBLE! The absorption session of Dao Assimilation Crystals began for the first time ever, Noah making his way across the fully comprehended Daos of the Sword and Withering as the Grand and Lesser Dao began to skyrocket up at the same rate. His clones worked in conjunction to absorb multiple Crystals as it didn¡¯t take him too long to observe the percentage of assimilation on both Daos shoot from 0% towards 100% after absorbing just 5 rounds of Assimilation Crystals on all his clones! OOOOM! A unique air began to surround the clones as Noah¡¯s body in the outside world was even more vibrant. Morgana, The Sword Emperor, and many of the watching Entities observed the essence around Noah to shoot up the moment he said to be given a few seconds to become a Sage, watching in shock as this being erupted forth with the essence of the Sword and Withering in large amounts as seconds later, they receded onto his body calmly as if they were all reigned in- as if they were all subservient! A second later...the aura of a being that assimilated Daos erupted as the eyes of watching Entities and Sages nearly bulged out of their sockets! "You...you...!" Morgana was pointing towards Noah in a stupor as her bountiful c.h.e.s.t shook, the Sword Emperor looking form in blatant amazement as next, the saw the space trembling above Noah¡¯s head as a phenomenon similar to what the Blue Slime had undergone took place once more. This time, the hole that tore open the space was barely an inch in size, nowhere near as monstrous as the Blue Slime! Wondrous and regal looking blue Primordial Essence came from this tiny hole in the sky as it dr.a.p.ed over Noah, piercing into his origin and soul as he underwent another round of purification. This time it was from an entirely different essence, and something unique that Noah had not expected occurred when the Primordial Essence entered his Origin! It seemed to sense the Ruination Essence that had already purified him as it swirled around seemingly in confusion for a few seconds, but the essence had to purify nonetheless as it did its job a second later! Noah found to his shock that unlike the piercing soul rending pain he had gone through when he underwent his first purification under Ruination Essence, the Primordial Essence felt extremely warm and cool as he felt no pain. Only the sensation of him becoming stronger as he received another +1,000% to All Parameters! RUMBLE His body shook with majestic power as the genuine aura of a Sage leaked from him, those watching by the side having their jaws nearly detaching from their bodies as they stared at him with utter disbelief. "Well, it took longer than a few seconds, but a Sage is a Sage." ...! Domineering words left his mouth as the Entities were roused up, Traverser looking towards Noah with increased shock as he met this being not even a few days ago when he was just an Entity! What the genuine f.u.c.k was going on here?! Morgana finally had no words to spare as in the starry space, only the joyful laughter of the Sword Emperor had begun to resound as this old Sage felt his heart rest easier and easier with this show of power. On this day, Noah Osmont had become a Sage! Chapter 866 - The Fractures That Tore Apart Galaxies You know, I¡¯ve seen some shit in my years of life, but I haven¡¯t seen any load of bullshit like what I just saw right now. This f.u.c.k.i.n.g guy really went ahead and assimilated 2 daos in seconds to become a Sage, and even went further on to act cool while his origin and soul should have been getting painfully purified for the first time! It was such bull that I nearly questioned whoever set up rules and common sense of advancing through the Realms of power. Even if he was the so called Master of Ruination, how the hell do you explain this shit?! Ah...I digress. I can¡¯t show my shock to this being or anyone else. I am, after all, the Big Sis. "So you¡¯ve entered the ranks of Sages. I hope the Spirit Race gives you a few years to purify your body and soul, oh, and the apocalypse that¡¯s already started also gives you that same time." I looked towards the ridiculous being that had just become a Sage as I test him out. Surely he won¡¯t have any more ridiculous surprises? I thought Kaiser had turned into a true imbecile to have so much of his strength s.u.c.k.e.d dry by him, but this guy sure was convincing with the way he did things. But this f.u.c.k.i.n.g guy actually didn¡¯t reply to me as he looked over with those unimpressed eyes, turning towards Kaiser instead as he spoke. "We have much planning and preparation to do, but I need to go see these Fractures that tore apart the Desolate Galaxies...I need to know exactly what apocalypse we¡¯ll be facing!" His annoying voice that was always filled with confidence as if nothing could go wrong for him rang out. How long had this guy even lived for him to be talking like he has everything in the palm of his hands? I¡¯ve lived long enough to have witnessed the deaths of the stupid Sages of this Universe and watched the birth and destruction of Galaxies, yet this kid... He was truly someone that made you angry just by looking at him! Kaiser nodded towards him as if he was already a damn follower, his eyes turning towards me as he spoke. "You and Morgana should go to Desolate Galaxies with Fastsword, I will get things started over here as me and the Sword Kings recuperate and try to regain some of our strength!" Kaiser went ahead and did something I¡¯ve always hated- deciding what to do without caring what others thought. "Hmph." I didn¡¯t even bother with words as I saw the starry eyes of this so called Master of Ruination nod and turn towards me and the stupid Entity that had run from the Desolate Galaxies while screaming about the end of everything. "Let¡¯s go!" I grabbed the neck of that Entity and began shooting off towards the direction of the Desolate Galaxies, my body tearing apart through the space of the Galaxy as I entered the chaotic void in seconds! I turned around to see how far I had left the anger inducing Sage behind, only to find him a meter away from me as he tore apart through space with his hands clasped behind his back while he tried to look all cool, a bouncing blue slime on his had to add on to the ridiculous sight. --- The journey from the Consummate Sword Expanse and towards the Desolate Galaxies did not take longer than an hour- Noah, Morgana, and the Entity that was unwillingly being pulled by his neck like a cat arrived there in no time. Noah¡¯s eyes constricted as when they neared, he could already begin to see the heart shaking Fractures that were larger than even Galaxies, each of them menacingly shining with power as they slowly pulsed and stretched out! They seemed terrifying...but he was getting another sensation from them at the same time. BZZZT! The chaotic void was constantly being consumed by the fractures as it felt like an extremely hard structure was being cut up and destroyed. "No matter your Realm- whether an Entity or a lowly ant, anyone that gets consumed by these Fractures perishes!" The Entity that had reported this phenomenon spoke with a tinge of fear as the three of them watched the horrendous ruptures in space. They were a few miles away, but Noah and Morgana spread their senses out to cover the Fractures as shockingly, each of them returned with different feelings towards it! "My aura gets consumed entirely the moment it touches them. Even a Sage would not be able to escape these fractures if they get caught in them!" Morgana had a serious and solemn look for the first time as she looked forward with seriousness. Yet Noah...he had an incredulous expression on his face as when he spread his aura out to cover the terrifying fractures, he found an odd feeling- something he could only describe as a calling! It was an extremely disconcerting feeling as at the same time, the ruptures in the chaotic void seemed extremely dangerous as they threatened to even tear apart Sages. Unlike Morgana, his aura was not consumed to nothingness as he could observe the outer edges of the fractures and its features, yet he could only see darkness in all other areas as from within...he could sense the aura of Ruination! Ruination! THUMP! His heart thumped as he affirmed this, many thoughts crossing his mind as he ran across a myriad of scenarios. The thoughts of the Cosmic Treasure Ruination and its subsequent Cosmic Dao, the definition of Ruination Cores themselves that said those using them will more than likely bring upon themselves Ruination. As the one comprehending the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, would he be an exception?! His body naturally began to flow towards it as the Morgana and the Entity looked towards him incredulously. He commanded the Blue Slime to stay behind as it moved from his and floated to the side. "Hey big guy, the hell are you doing?" Morgana¡¯s sharp voice rang out as Noah¡¯s expression became firm, his thoughts being confirmed the more his aura spread out to cover the large Fracture near them! His voice that caused the 2 beings near him to nearly detach their jaws rang out as he advanced towards the Fracture even faster. "I¡¯ll be right back!" RUMBLE! A glimmering red essence erupted to cover his body as he crossed the few miles difference between them and then...disappeared into the frightening Fracture that swallowed even the chaotic void itself! "..." The Entity incredulously looked towards where Noah had disappeared as he didn¡¯t even know how to react! "Well, there goes the supposed savior of the Universe." Morgana¡¯s voice was the only thing that could be heard in the chaotic void as the figure of Noah disappeared into the Fracture! Chapter 867 - Swallow it all! Darkness. This was all that Noah felt the moment he entered into the shocking Fracture that swallowed everything! No sound, no sight, no smell...nothing! Even the limbs attached to his body...he wouldn¡¯t be able to know he had them if they weren¡¯t attached to him. It was an extremely terrifying feeling that would make one suffocate in fear as they had a mental breakdown in seconds! The moment he entered, an extremely terrifying energy had threatened to consume him- and it would have done so in seconds if he didn¡¯t have the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination! In this utter darkness where nothing could be felt, Noah waited calmly as the only thing he felt was his beating heart. It only took a few seconds before the darkness began to recede, and the source of light...was Noah himself as a red aura spread forth from him to illuminate the surroundings. THUMP Within his body, the Ruination Cores had become active as they pulsed with his heart, releasing a unique aura that allowed the light released from Noah to spread out even faster. Ruination Essence! Something akin to the Primordial Essence that birthed the Primordial Cosmos, a unique type of essence that as someone traversing the Cosmic Dao of Ruination- he could only obtain small slivers of it to purify his body every now and then. Yet in this place...there were rivers of it floating freely! RUMBLE! He had wondered how he could raise his strength in terms of purification of his body, the Sword Emperor having told him that geniuses could call slivers of Primordial Essence in varying frequencies that went from days to months and even years. He...didn¡¯t have months and years to spend while calling small, small slivers of both Primordial and Ruination Essence, and the answer was surprisingly in the ruptures that had begun destroying the Dark Universe! He wanted to explore the mysteries of this place he was in as it felt completely different than being in the Dark Universe, but this would be put aside as he fully focused on the current finding of this unique essence. There were rivers of this essence in this location, Noah¡¯s body beginning to shine ever brighter as his hands reached out to a flowing river of Ruination Essence and brought it to his mouth, swallowing it and gulping it down whole! RUMBLE The painful process of purification that others would go through in small amounts...Noah began it en masse as a large amount of Ruination Essence burned and purified his origin and soul, the percentage of Ruination Essence Purification Effects began to rise rapidly! Noah had to undergo immense pain and wracked apart his very soul, but he was coming out of it stronger as every .1% he saw gave him +1000% in All Parameters. THRUM! The river of Ruination Essence he had swallowed was quickly used up as the full percentage of purification rose to .7%. An unexpected boon! A wondrous surprise to find from the deadly Fractures that swallowed entire Galaxies! Noah felt his body that had become significantly stronger as his eyes let out beams of light, his hands going forward to grab onto and swallow even more rivers of Ruination Essence. It would be a painful procedure, but he would undergo all of it as he knew how hard it was for Sages to purify their bodies through Primordial Essence. Nobody had the opportunity like him where he could absorb up to the Peak of what he was allowed to, and that was 15% for him due to his Cosmic Dao! Rivers and rivers of Ruination Essence were taken in by him one after, Noah turning numb to the soul rending pain as he focused on the benefits. When the percentage of Ruination Essence Purification Effect reached 3%, Noah stopped feeling the pain entirely as his eyes were focused on what these numbers meant. A mere 3% was +30,000% increase to All Parameters! This knowledge made him move with even more vigor as he went towards the ultimate goal of 15%, of +150,000% in all boosts! When he got to that point, would the Spirit Race he had to face still be able to stand against him? --- Back in the Dark Universe, Morgana¡¯s figure was staring closely towards the nonchalant Blue Slime after its master was s.u.c.k.e.d into the Fracture. It didn¡¯t seem phased at all as the Sage sighed, thinking that the Tyrannical Entity had somehow survived diving into such a place that even she would not dare to! ¡¯Just what is he...¡¯ But with the assumption he was still alive from looking at this Summon, Morgana and the shaken Sword King by the side waited as Noah underwent an enormous boost of power in an entirely different location than any of them could expect. A few hours passed. In the area Noah had found himself in, his body had tendrils of red essence traveling over his skin as a shocking sensation of strength erupted from him! It was the sort of strength one would rarely come across, the type of strength that only beings that had lived for tens of thousands of years could possibly obtain! The strength of an extremely powerful Sage emanated from him as on the stat panel, a wondrous scene could be observed. [Ruination Essence Purification Effects](Currently 15%) :: +150,000% to all Parameters. "..." A purification of 15%. Its boosts were so high that one could barely believe it. This abundant strength...freely flowed throughout his body as he couldn¡¯t help but let out a bellow in the unique environment he was in! "OOOOOH!" Chapter 868 - Prepare for the Final War! I After Noah released his joy of gaining such a tremendous boost of power so very quickly, his eyes turned to the mysterious area he was in as the rivers of Ruination Essence flowed serenely around him. He utilized this very essence as he began to move around the area carefully. He was the only point of illumination everywhere he went, everything else seemingly just blank darkness! He found no answers as to what this area exactly was or even where either was. Eyes of Truth told him nothing when he stared around as he had a few terrifying conjectures based on what he already knew about Ruination, and the fact that it stemmed outside of the Primordial Cosmos! But he was given no affirmation as he roamed around an entire hour and found nothing. It seemed endless as he moved, and he didn¡¯t even know what he was looking for as all he saw were expanding rivers of Ruination Essence all around. After searching for so long and finding nothing and nobody, he decided it was time for him to try returning back into the Dark Universe. Maybe his comprehension in the Dao of Ruination was too low, or he had not met other factors. But the reality remained that he wasn¡¯t able to find out anything about this unique area he was in that was filled with Ruination Essence! He would come back when he fully comprehended the Dao of Ruination or even when he assimilated it as he tried to understand more About what this place truly was. As for the method of leaving this place, of course, he utilized the absolute skill that allowed him to move from any location, <>! RUMBLE! Silently, just as he had arrived, Noah left and returned near the Desolate Galaxies of the Dark Universe. He warped a few miles away from the fracture that he had dived into as the figures of Morgana and the Entity that was still shaken looked toward him with incredulousness! The Blue Slime happily bounced as it came towards him and landed on his head, the voice of Morgana ringing out. "You are truly something else....what now?" Before warping back to this location, Noah had reigned in his terrifying strength of someone that had undergone 15% purification, thus Morgana had not been able to see through this or she would have been in even more of a stupor! His expression is grim as he looked at the shattered Desolate Galaxies where trillions of lives were lost, his voice ringing gout. "We need to gather and strengthen all of our forces...we need to prepare and head down to the Spirit Domains right away." "The Ruination Cores in the hands of the Spirit Race...we will have to pry them from their hands if we have to. Otherwise, it will not just be the Desolate Galaxies that are affected!" RUMBLE! Morgana had a sharp light cross her eyes at these words, the figures of the two Sages and one Entity rushing back towards the Consummate Sword Expanse where they found the Sword Emperor and the Sword Kings to be located in the e Consummate Holy Land where they were recovering. The Sword Emperor asked what they had found out as Noah gave him a summary breakdown, Morgana simply shaking her head as she didn¡¯t even mention the fact that this guy could enter the fractures that swallowed anyone and come out of them alive whenever he wished. As Noah stared at the beings that had given up more than half of their powers to strengthen him, he was filled with the light of sympathy as he spoke towards the Sword Emperor. "I have a place I can bring you guys into, a place where time moves differently- where 100 days there is simply a day passing in the outside world." The eyes of the Sword Emperor and Sword Kings shone at this as a light nod was seen from the weakened Sage. --- In the vibrant Infinite Galaxy, a shocking number of scenes were taking place in an expansive Time Space where the condensation of atmospheric essence was as abundant as it could be. The scenes of multiple Subordinates of Noah absorbing crystals and Cores crazily could be seen, the loot from the Sword Kings having been abundant! Noah had only utilized a few of the Dao Comprehension and Assimilation crystals as the cores and skill books were all free to subordinates. As his main body moved and the outside world, some of his clones had continued to distribute loot and guidance to the powerful Entities within the Infinite Galaxy as at this moment the goal was to create multiple entities that completely comprehended the Daos of the Sword and Withering! There was also the shocking reality where because Noah had such an abundant amount of boosts in terms of comprehending and assimilating, he had more than enough Dao assimilation crystals to possibly cause the complete assimilation of two Daos on a single subordinate and be able to make another Sage! Yes! Amidst all of this, Noah could ridiculously make another sage! As for who would take that spot? The piercing cry of the Emperor Penguin rang out to announce itself as its body released an aura at the Peak Tier GALAXY Realm after being power levelled and absorbing cores for the past days in this time space. Apart from its Realm in the peak GALAXY, the distinct essence of the Dao of Withering and the Dao the Sword could be felt from its body as the Emperor Penguin had stupidly also achieved their complete comprehension by absorbing the numerous amount of Dao crystals that Noah obtained from the Immemorial Sword Dungeon. The penguins¡¯ golden beak shone with extreme l.u.s.tre as it looked at Barbatos, Steel Mikhail, Kazuhiko, and many other Harbingers of Sin as well as the subordinates that didn¡¯t have any of the sin abilities. The figure of the Emperor Penguin rose above all of them as it seemed to announce itself to be the strongest of the initial inhabitants of the Infinite Galaxy. This penguin announced grandly that it would be the one to receive the ultimate loot from their master...and be the next one to achieve Sagehood! RUMBLE! Chapter 869 - Prepare for the Final War! II The Sword Emperor along with Morgana and the Entities of the Consummate Sword Expanse appeared in the wondrous Infinite Galaxy as their hearts that were already worn out with shock were put to the test again. "This...seems like a never ending Galaxy..." The Sword Emperor spread his aura out as he covered trillions of stars, and yet he couldn¡¯t find the boundary of this Galaxy they had been teleported into as it seemed endless! Noah gave a light smile at this as he moved across the starry space and towards the entrance of a Realm that was established to be a Time Space with all the universal law essences freely flowing about. "It¡¯s because there are over a thousand Galaxies fused into it. Naturally, even a Sage would not be able to cover the distances with their aura." ...! The eyes of the powerful beings flashed with shock as they entered the Realm. This particular Realm was designated by Noah as the place for a majority of the powerful beings within this Galaxy to meet and train, and it was the location where the Emperor Penguin and others were currently training! "The levels of atmospheric essence seem to be more than 10 times higher than even the Consummate Holy Land..." The voices of the Entities rang out here and there as they observed the vibrant realm filled with essence as they also picked up on the aura of...multiple Entities! RAA! The fearsome cry of an Emperor Penguin gloriously rang out as its sleek figure appeared while Noah and the party behind him were descending. The Penguin wasn¡¯t the only one as Noah had passed the word for everyone to gather, the powerful figures within his Galaxy all congregating towards this Realm they were currently in as the auras of multiple Entities appeared! SHAA! The figures of the Imperial Adjudicator, Anna, Anastasia, the Holy Emperor...many beings began to appear in the small realm as their auras alone caused the very skies to shake. The Sword Emperor glanced at all the appearing beings as he looked towards the Holy Emperor- the being that was a Ruler of an Ancient Power not too long ago, and yet was at this moment in the Galaxy of the Master of Ruination! "Brother Windsor." The Sword Emperor spoke with a light smile even though the two Rulers were in different Realms, not belittling a fellow being that looked over an Ancient Power within their Dark Universe. "Sword Emperor!" Meanwhile, the Holy Emperor was shocked to find the figure that this Ancient Power had only gathered information about but were unsure of whether they truly had a Sage within it- and he had met this Sage personally! Noah looked at this scene of many different beings meeting each other as the Harbingers of Sin also all appeared, the vivacious figure of Barbatos appearing in the skies with a smile that was very quickly wiped away when she noticed the voluptuous Morgana that was floating beside Noah and the Sword Emperor. "...who the f.u.c.k is this now?" Her resonant voice rang out as it ignored the fact that genuine Sages had appeared in the Infinite Galaxy, nor that the person she was looking towards was also a Sage herself! "Oh?" Morgana and Barbatos stared at each other as the two looked at the opposite being¡¯s figure up and down. They saw the distinct similarities that very few others had as Morgana¡¯s voice rang back while everyone was frozen. "Who¡¯s this little kid talking so pompously? It¡¯s almost as if she considers herself on the same stage as me!" RUMBLE Domineering words rang out as essence erupted from the small body of Barbatos, Morgana only looking forward with a smile as Noah¡¯s eyes turned sharp. The dense essence of the Dao of the Sword and Withering swirled around Barbatos as even though she wasn¡¯t a Sage, she looked towards Morgana threateningly as she shot back! "You dare talk towards me like that? Some random bitch that just appeared?!" BZZZT! The Sword Emperor and many others were shocked as they saw Barbatos talk back against a Sage fearlessly, Morgana¡¯s face gaining a trace of anger as her aura also began to shoot up. "What will you do about it, little girl?" This wizened Sage that had lived many years long knew that the figure of Barbatos was simply acting out because she had seen Noah be accompanied by her, long figuring out that there was some sort of relationship between these two! She couldn¡¯t help but tease and act out herself in return as the resemblance between her and Barbatos was too striking...and she didn¡¯t appreciate that! Barbatos heard the words of Morgana as her eyes shone dangerously, her expression becoming extremely dignified as she uttered words that could end all battles. "Little Fish." RUUUUMBLE! A heart shaking aura erupted from all around as the skies of the realm quaked and shuddered! WAA! From Noah, a horrendous aura of power much higher than the Sword Emperor at his prime or even Morgana erupted out, every being in the surrounding feeling their origins shaking fearfully as they turned to see tendrils of terrifying red essence erupt over Noah¡¯s body! His eyes shot out beams of red light as his hair began to shine crimson, his gaze staring down everyone as he uttered words that were akin to an Emperor talking to his subjects. "We have no time to bicker amongst each other, as we must now prepare for the Final War of the Dark Universe!" RUMBLE! "The enemies are mysterious and powerful, beings that actually wish for the destruction of their own home. Against them...we cannot lose!" His words carried immense power as those who heard them could only nod, but The Sword Emperor and Morgana were looking towards him with utter disbelief as this being in the span of a few hours had somehow achieved more than each of them had obtained in thousands of years! In thousands of years!!! Barbatos was looking at each of them domineeringly as she came to stand beside Noah, her eyes lingering on the body of the voluptuous Morgana as they seemed to utter a message only for her. "Now...let us plan!" Noah¡¯s booming voice resounded again as the most powerful beings in the Infinite Galaxy were dominated into silence, all of them staring towards Noah with awe as the planning for Final War for the Dark Universe went underway! Chapter 870 - Making a Sage With Ease! The two Sages of the Consummate Sword Expanse were still in disbelief as the powerhouses of the Infinite Galaxy were introduced to each other. Kazuhiko was the welcoming Entity from Noah¡¯s people as he was the most friendly, going towards the weakened Sword Kings as his eyes glimmered excitedly when he saw the beings that lived all their lives attached to the Sword. Since he was a Rank A Hunter, he had used a Katana as he was a fanatic of Swords from a young age, so when Noah¡¯s clones passed the Dao Crystals he obtained from the Immemorial Sword Dungeon to them...his excitement had risen through the roof! Now that he got a chance to communicate with the Sword Kings themselves, he felt as if he had found his long lost brothers. The entire Realm that they were on was built to be a Time Space, so Noah told the Sword Emperor and Kings that they could begin recuperating here as with just a day passing in the outside world, 100 days would pass in this location. After seeing his show of power where the aura he released was even more oppressive than even the past Sword Emperor, they could only agree with disbelief as Noah also used the farming feature of the Infinite Galaxy to provide them with treasured Herbs that event Entities would have a hard time collecting. Fruits and herbs that were filled with large amounts of essence, as well as Potions that Noah¡¯s clones had formed from the Alchemy Feature of the Infinite Galaxy were handed out as the weakened Entities and Sages sought to heal themselves somewhat before the battle began! While the Sword Emperor and others were healing, Morgana angrily followed behind Noah as he floated in the skies looking at the Harbingers of Sin. "You¡¯re all deserving of the ultimate loot as you worked hard...but a promise is a promise!" RUMBLE "The one to forge the path ahead the fastest would be the one to receive the most prized rewards, and that was the Emperor Penguin." RAA! The prideful cry of the Penguin was heard as he floated in front of everyone to bask in the glory! Even Barbatos had an angry look on her expression as she nearly pouted at the fact that she wouldn¡¯t get to be the first Sage aside from Noah, but she reigned herself in as she didn¡¯t cause a scene. Noah waved his hands as the glimmering Assimilation Crystals appeared in the skies, surrounding the Emperor Penguin that began to absorb them right then and there. Nobody else even dared to go close as they only watched enviously as the power of the Emperor Penguin began to rise. Off to the side, Morgana looked at this with shining eyes as her resonant voice rang out. "So this is how you so quickly became a Sage? These Crystals just go ahead and increase the assimilation of Daos just from you absorbing them? This is just blatant cheating..." The Sage had her eyes opened today on the ways others went to increase her power, thinking back to the thousands of years she spent as her eyes shook from the memories! Noah merely nodded while watching the progress of the Emperor Penguin. "Just some treasures I can make that can produce Entities and Sages, it isn¡¯t much!" ...! The Harbingers of Sin looked at each other with smiles while Noah blatantly showed off, a few minutes passing as the aura of the Emperor Penguin rose ever higher. In half an hour, the aura of a completely assimilated Lesser Dao was released from the sleek body of the Penguin as its golden beak shone with prideful l.u.s.ter. Another hour passed, and the aura of a completely assimilated Grand Dao exploded out, the aura of the Emperor Penguin becoming even more condensed as with the full assimilation of two Daos, the skies above them parted grandly to allow the opening of a small hole- this hole releasing the wondrous Primordial Essence that went on to purify and welcome a new Sage! RAA! RAA! The Emperor Penguin roared out prideful as it withstood the pain of Purification of body and soul, coming out of this immense pain a few minutes later as a new being- the aura of a Sage grandly emanating from the body of the first beast of the Spiritual Land. RAA! The body of the Emperor Penguin shone gold as the light of Pride radiated from it, basking in all its glory as Noah saw the details of the aura wrapping around it that he also had the same of when he advanced to become a Sage. {Aura of the Assimilator of the Sword} :: A passive aura that only appears around those who have fully comprehended and assimilated the Grand Dao of the Sword. It grants +10,000% Extra Damage, +10,000% Attack and Cast Speed, +100% Increased Soul Defence, and boosts all abilities of the Sword by 2000%. The user can also become one with the Sword as they obtain Sword Form- a form that doubles the boosts of this aura. {Aura of the Assimilator of Withering} :: A passive aura that only appears around those who have fully comprehended and assimilated the Lesser Dao of Withering. It grants +5000% Extra Damage and allows the attacks of the Controller of Withering to contain a unique corrosive essence that deconstructs and reduces the attacks, mana, and life force of the target until they become empty husks. The user can now even corrode time itself as they can briefly slow the progression time in a certain area. The stellar descriptions of the unique auras that swirled around those who assimilated Daos were displayed! The Grand Daos came with even larger percentage boosts as some Lesser Daos had their own uniqueness. Noah waved his hands to collect the remaining Assimilation Crystals that would only be enough to get one of his subordinates to progress through half of a Dao, not sufficient to increase their strength majorly as he would keep them for when he fully comprehended a Dao and wanted to assimilate it quickly! He glanced at the newly advancing Sage that shone with the l.u.s.ter of pride as he smiled, his domineering voice ringing out in the surroundings. "So making a Sage is this easy..." A statement that was extremely arrogant, but also one that nobody could refute as Morgana was among the few still looking at this scene in shock! Chapter 871 - An Emperor Atop a Throne of Ruination! Barbatos and the others rolled their eyes at Noah¡¯s words as he became serious and addressed everyone again, the Emperor Penguin coming by his side as the Blue Slime bounced happily atop his head. "Since the Emperor Penguin got to become a Sage, the rest will get their pick of the PRISMATIC and Ultra Rare Pets from the Great Sage Aoin Tower." RUMBLE! Even more rewards were put out as there were still a great deal of Animus Summons to be contracted, especially the powerful PRISMATIC Summons that each had their own histories and uniqueness! None of the ones that remained within the Tower were on par with Tiamat and the Blue Slime, but they were barely behind them in terms of power as the Entities that contracted them would have their strength boosted by a large degree. Barbatos and the others would have the chance to contract Summons such as the Monkey King, Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon, Galaxy Devouring Wolf, and many others as their power would be raised greatly! RUMBLE! Noah teleported them into the Primal Holy Land as in the next few hours, many inhabitants of the Infinite Galaxy continued to prepare themselves for a shocking war that would decide the fate of their Universe! Some like the Sword Emperor and Sword Kings remained in the Time Space as for them, they spent days recuperating and regaining some of their strength in the wondrous Realm that was filled with an overabundance of essence. They would be overseeing Legions of the Infinite Galaxy Beasts that were below the levels of beasts like the Emperor Penguin, as well as the remaining GALAXY Rank combatants from the Primal Winged Expanse they absorbed! Even the Ailerons would be putting in the work to defend their Universe after these beings were brought under Noah¡¯s heel. Entities like the Inquisitor Athena would be placed as Commanders of these Legions as they led thousands of beings into battle as the Imperial Adjudicator and Anna did the same. So many things were happening at this moment in the Infinite Galaxy that it would take countless pages just to describe them all! In one area, Queen Adelaide was accompanied by a Clone of Noah and her trusted Guard, Night, as they toured the trillions of stars within the Infinite Galaxy. Noah had such free time and leeway with his clones that he would have one or two accompany Barbatos and Adelaide in his free time as they toured the countless planets within the Infinite Galaxy and enjoyed different cultures and foods while also enjoying each other¡¯s company. Noah had such luxury with his clones as while he could be fighting Entities or a Sage in the outside world, a Clone that wasn¡¯t needed could be in bed relaxing with a special someone as he enjoyed the fruits of the Infinite Galaxy! Who else but Noah could live so grandly?! Such was the bustle of activities occurring throughout the Infinite Galaxy, the hours going by as a day passed in the outside world. Even though it was injuries of the origin and soul, the Sword Emperor was able to recover 25% of his original strength as the Sword Kings that didn¡¯t get devoured by the Blue Slime had about 75% recovery from their peak power. With the Fractures that had continued to spread from the Desolate Galaxies and not knowing exactly where the next apocalyptic event would occur, Noah and the Sages within his party concluded that they had to move as soon as possible to recover the 2 Ruination Cores from the hands of the Spirit Race! --- In the darkness of the chaotic void, Noah was floating majestically at the area that should have been the location of the Consummate Sword Expanse. Yet this area was now just a blankness of the chaotic void, the Galaxies that used to occupy and form cl.u.s.ters having all been absorbed into his Infinite Galaxy! He had talked with the Sword Emperor about this during the 100 days they spent in the Time Space, the Sage nodding at the idea with a smile as it was only Morgana that nearly screamed her lungs off. The Legacy of the 2 Sages that had been there during the time when Ruination was first used...it was now devoured by Noah as it went forward to enrich his ever growing Galaxy with even more beings and culture! As he floated in the area where the Ancient Power used to be, the miniaturized Infinite Galaxy floated beside him. He took it within his hands as his figure warped away, going towards the direction where he could sense two Ruination Cores! Hours passed as he moved across the chaotic void. Only coming to a stop when he was an hour or two away from reaching the Domains of the Spirit Race. At this point, essence thrummed from his body as he would summon his forces here to prepare before moving any further. His body glimmered with light as he first summoned his Animus Pets- the terrifying figures of the Jormungandr, Tiamat, Golden Crow, Calamity Bear, Obsidian Panther, Oculothorax, Colossal Helios Leviathan, and the Blue Slime all came out grandly! ROAAAR! The chaotic void shook at their entrance as Noah then waved his hands and caused the figures of the Sword Emperor, Morgana, the Entities, and those in the GALAXY Realm that were present in his Infinite Galaxy to all begin to be teleported out. RUMBLE Wild energy erupted out as powerful beings began to fill the chaotic void, Noah floating in front of all of them as he watched the scene with shining eyes. At this scene, essence released from him as it was tinged red, this essence forming into a magisterial throne of essence that pulsed with the light of Ruination. Similar to when he first created a majestic throne when utilizing the essence of all Universal Laws, he now made a grand throne from Ruination Essence as he then sat on it grandly while watching the teleportation of many glorious Legions from his Infinite Galaxy! RAA! The Emperor Penguin that was just teleported out thought its Master really knew how to appear imposing and majestic as it looked at the magisterial throne Noah sat on, going on to float on the side opposite of the slime as its golden beak shone with pride at having such a Master! The Manifested GALAXY present on Noah¡¯s body made him even more vibrant in the dark chaotic as while he sat on a glorious throne, he watched the formation of terrifying Legions fill the nearby chaotic void. This was the force he would be taking towards the Spirit Domains. These were the Legions that he himself led! They had Sages, Sword Kings, and a variety of Entities present within them as he had absorbed multiple Ancient Powers, all of them now displayed in front of him as he gazed upon them all while seated on a throne. It was such a magisterial scene that it deserved to be etched onto the annals of history! Chapter 872 - A Ridiculous Skill Tree! The Progenitor is truly glorious. I felt this even more so as I stared at the scene before me, at something that nobody in their wildest dreams could have imagined would be brought to fruition, and in such a short period of time at that! Master was seated upon a glorious throne as two Sages occupied his sides. A shimmering blue slime and the much too favored Emperor Penguin. Ahh...how glorious of an honor it would be if the Progenitor had me by his side! The things I would do for him...! But! I am merely Commander Elena that now leads a Legion of Vampyres, Infinite Galaxy Beasts, and Ailerons under my wing. At the Peak GALAXY Realm and having been given the chance to fully comprehend the Dao of Withering and the Sword, I was now a genuine Entity that could move unhindered! Yet...I was just one among the many under the banner of my Master. In the nearby tens of miles, other Legions led by The Inquisitor Athena, the Kraken, Steel Mikhail, Lady Anna...many of the Entities that master had created from handing out the wondrous GALAXY cores and Dao Crystals- they all led their own Legions as each of us looked towards the Progenitor with proud gazes and reverence! The figures of the newly appearing Sages- the Sword Emperor and Morgana...they stood at the forefront of the Legions as the much too lucky Barbatos actually stood at the same spot as them! Beside Barbatos, the enormous figures of powerful Animus Summons could be seen. A Holy Phoenix ghat glimmered with light, a Monkey King that looked forward with a smiling expression. It wasn¡¯t just her as among the Harbingers of Sin, Kazuhiko was also lucky enough to get his hands on the ferocious Galaxy Devouring Wolf while Steel Mikhail stood atop the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon! The Holy Emperor and Imperial Adjudicator were just a bit further back as they were surrounded by their own PRISMATIC and Ultra Rare Summons, all of us without question looking towards the being on the throne. Tell us what to do! We shall all follow the will of the Progenitor! Of the Tyrannical Emperor! Of the Master of Ruination! RUMBLE! --- Noah stared at the wondrous scene of numerous beings that all came from his Infinite Galaxy. It seemed like a completed picture, and yet at the same time, it wasn¡¯t! This was because he had still not released all the forces he could release- he still hadn¡¯t utilized some fairly important skills! RUMBLE! As he sat upon the throne, a deep smile appeared on his face while being watched by every single being, he utilized a skill tree he had left in past as [Arch Lich Ra¡¯Zan]. The skill tree of the Arch Lich had been upgraded through the ranks of Nebula, Black Hole, Quasar, and now stood at the GALAXY Realm as a great deal of abilities were unlocked. Many of them were on the support side as they increased the number of Undead the Lich could summon or heavily enhanced their strength by giving them new qualities, but in the end, a wondrous skill that could call forth a terrifying Undead Legion came to light. He skipped past the many skills gained throughout the stages as he focused on the ones gained at GALAXY Rank that made the most difference! GALAXY [Arch Lich Ra¡¯Zan]...>>>[Galaxy Consuming Nether Lich Emperor] :: A skill tree capable of calling forth an undead catastrophe at the level of destroying Galaxies, a being that is normally a champion from the Necrotic Universe. Depending on the user, the results of this skill tree may vary. Abilities include [Summon Undead]....>>>[Galactic Undead](5/5), [Abyssal Nether Necrolords](5/5), [Aura of the Nether Lich](5/5), [Soul Reaper](5/5), [Sweet Release of Death](5/5) There were a great deal of abilities within the skill tree, some that could be easily simplified and others that deserved to be read to completion! An important note was also in the description of the skill that stated [Depending on the user, the results of this skill tree may vary]! How strong and ridiculous the results of its abilities could be...were all up to the being utilizing it! As for its abilities? [Soul Reaper] was a wondrous ability that granted all the summoned Undead within the legion +10,000% Soul Damage, while [Aura of the Nether Lich] allowed for the unique aura of the Galaxy Consuming Nether Lich Emperor to surround all undead as they gained +10,000 to All Damage, Regeneration, as well as Attack and Cast Speed. These abilities were the ones that could simply be given summaries of. They were shocking enough that Noah asked himself why he had not raised and utilized this skill at GALAXY rank sooner! [Galactic Undead] :: All of the summoned Undead under the banner of the Galaxy Consuming Nether Lich Emperor will at the least be in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm. The more powerful Undead that could be summoned in the Middle Tier to Peak Tier GALAXY include Abyssal Undead, Lich Kings, Death Knights, Abominations, Crypt Lords, Wights, and Primal Zombies that can spread galaxy ending plagues. [Abyssal Nether Necrolords] :: On top of many other specialized Undead, the Nether Lich Emperor can call forth Abyssal Nether Necrolords that reside deep in the heart of the Necrotic Universe with the aid of its Master. These Necrolords are relentless creatures hell-bent on destruction, proficient in the Grand Dao of Decadence as they cause the dissolution of every area they pass through. [Sweet Release of Death](5/5) :: The Nether Lich Emperor rarely releases his legion to return to rest. When they are released and given the sweet release of death, it is done so in a decadent fashion as all of the currently Summoned Undead explode to deal the collective damage of all of them in the form of Soul Damage towards the selected targets. A wondrous skill tree. One truly worthy as Noah even thought it was almost on par with the Blood Lord skill tree that granted him his stupendous clones! This was the same skill tree that even Barbatos had been able to bring up to the GALAXY Rank by utilizing her Skill Points, but even she could not use it at even 1% effectiveness as Noah could...the skill tree requiring simply too much mana to keep the Nether Lich Emperor active and even provide it the mana to utilize to summon creatures such as the Abyssal Nether Necrolords, Primal Zombies, or the Abyssal Undead. If someone other than Noah utilized this skill tree, they would be drained of all of their mana in a matter of minutes as they cannot sustain it! Almost as if it was made purely for him! Chapter 873 - You thought it was over?! While seated atop his Ruination Throne, Noah called upon the Galaxy Consuming Nether Lich Emperor. RIIIP! The chaotic void was ripped apart to allow its entrance, a terrifying robed Lich towering over 20 meters in size making its appearance. The robe was tinged with the color of blood as within, two red flames shone from a pristine obsidian skull that stared towards Noah. As this skill tree was an ability cast by him, it was influenced by his own power, the summoned Nether Lich Emperor brought forth thrummed with the wondrous essence of Ruination! The appearance of the Nether Lich Emperor took Morgana and the Sword Emperor by surprise as shockingly, they found this creature to be releasing the aura of...a Sage! Noah had unexpectedly called forth a Summon, and it was a creature at the stage of a Sage... "F.u.c.k me..." Morgana could only shake her head and mutter under her breath silently at this scene, but the surprises weren¡¯t done. DING! The Nether Lich Emperor wielded an enormous skull staff that held a laughing and crying skull, this skull staff smashing onto the chaotic void as it seemingly shattered, a large amount of Undead beginning to erupt from the ruptured spaces. Abyssal Undead, Lich Kings, Death Knights, Abominations, Crypt Lords, Wights, Primal Zombies...in the thousands, all of them began to appear as they filled up the spaces that the inhabitants of the Infinite Galaxy had not filled up. What was the most striking about these undead aside from them ranging from 2 meters in size to some being 100 meters in size...was the fact that all of them were undoubtedly in the GALAXY Realm! Not just within the GALAXY Realm, but the Manifested stage of it! Thousands of terrifying undead that shimmered with illusory galaxies... "...!" Shock rose on the face of the newly arriving allies at this scene as they knew to be able to use an ability that called forth so many creatures at the GALAXY Realm...the essence consumption was something nobody should have. Yet the being on the Ruination Throne defied all these expectations as aside from the thousands of GALAXY Rank Undead being summoned, the chaotic void tore even further apart as red skeleton hands began to crawl out, n.a.k.e.d skeletons that were fully shining crimson making their appearance! The Abyssal Nether Necrolords that were creatures who had fully comprehended the Grand Dao of Decadence rose from the call of the Nether Lich Emperor. Of course, if they fully comprehended a Dao, they were releasing the aura of an Entity. The summoned Nether Lich Emperor had called forth thousands of Undead at the GALAXY Realm, and it was now summoning Entities! Entities! "Oh come on...!." Tens of shimmering crimson n.a.k.e.d skeletons rose, each one carrying a red skull staff as they each towered at 20 meters. A maximum of 100 seemed to be the allowable summon limit from the Nether Lich Emperor...causing for 100 Entities to appear wondrously among the constantly growing Undead Legion! All of the undead shimmered with a wondrous red light, their bodies releasing terrifying fluctuations as their eyes shone with crimson flames. A terrifying number of them continued to propagate the surrounding chaotic void as even Noah¡¯s allies and subordinates felt their hearts chill at this singular ability! Barbatos was looking at the scene with shining eyes as she knew she would get vastly different results when she summoned her undead, none that would be anywhere near as powerful as Noah¡¯s, where she could at most call forth the Abyssal Undead and Lich Kings in the numbers of hundreds to sustain them for an hour or two, or call forth thousands of weaker ones that could stay for many hours. The problem lay in mana. The skill that was cast by Noah had even shaken the hearts of his allies as he was ready to point it towards the Spirit Race. There was also a fact that some readers may have not caught on. It was the fact that this was an ability that was cast by him. The skill he cast that called forth the Nether Lich Emperor also benefited from his stupendous strength of 15% purification. Do you recall what 15% Purification provided? If one truly understood the significance of this, they would know that Noah wasn¡¯t just moving as a chess piece on top of a huge board that was the Dark Universe...but that he was about to destroy all the other pieces and flip the whole board over! For this fight, he was going overboard! At the Glorious sight before him, Noah¡¯s body palpated with strength as he stared at the legions he had called forth from the Infinite Galaxy, as well as the Undead Legion that was constantly growing. You would think he was done. You would think that the show of power was over! But...he wasn¡¯t done! He truly wanted to go above and beyond for this fight as the preparations weren¡¯t done! RUMBLE! His body glimmered atop the throne as he cast abilities that allowed him to summon beings at the same stage as him. {Witch Slaves} from the Demon King Sitri that called forth 3 Undead Witches proficient in Blood Magic. {Primal Conjureror} from Demon King Gremory that called forth 2 Creatures at the same rank as the user. They used to be Trolls and Dullahans as options, later scaled up to Red Dragons, Chaos Pixies, and Abyssal Phoenixes. Noah¡¯s thoughts moved as his essence surged, these two skills being cast as gloriously, the auras of 5 Sages had begun blooming around Noah! "..." ...It was just f.u.c.k.i.n.g ridiculous at this point. Chapter 874 - The Incorporeal Spirit Race! I Three devilishly voluptuous Witch Slaves that trembled with the aura of Sages appeared, the aura of Ruination present on their bodies! They were wearing scantily clad clothes as their red eyes vibrated with power, each of them bowing grandly towards the Emperor on the Ruination Throne. An enormous Chaos Pixie over 100 meters in size also appeared, its childish face terrifying as its wings fully glimmered red. It was accompanied by the appearance of an Abyssal Phoenix that shone with black and blue flames, their arrival causing those watching to nearly lose their minds as it really was the appearance of 5 beings with the aura of Sages. "You can¡¯t just do that..." The tired voice of Morgana rang out as she wondered whether she should even bother complaining and being surprised at the shocking actions of this being. Who the hell goes ahead and summons multiple beings at the stage of Sages after stepping into this stage themselves just a few days prior?! The shock and stupor from Morgana had made her so tired as at this point, she was utterly defeated as she just shook her head at the ridiculousness and waved a white flag. The ridiculous guy could do whatever he wanted from now on and she would just watch and accept it as a matter of fact. Noah grandly looked at the sight of the Undead Legion that shimmered with Manifested Galaxies and the Witch Slaves and Primal Spirits bowing towards him in subservience, turning his head towards the Legions of beings from the Infinite Galaxy as he began to speak, his voice spreading out far across the chaotic void! "I stand before you today not as a Ruler, but as a being just like you with a dream! A dream to live a life full of happiness and wonder, to live in a Universe that isn¡¯t headed towards destruction!" RUMBLE! He began a speech abruptly after such shocking actions, but his voice drew in every single soul as they listened intently, his words resonating in their origins! The hearts of many beings shook as Noah began, feeling their hearts beating faster as their blood began to boil. "I will live just like you all if we succeed, and I will die just like you all if we don¡¯t! But against the enemies that wish to snatch the dream of happiness from us...against the enemies that wish for the destruction of our Universe...we cannot lose!" It was unknown who began, but a bellow rang out from the side of Vampyres as it carried throughout the numerous Legions, bellowing voices of GALAXY Rank experts and Entities resounding out. "Although we are from different Galaxies, from different Races and cultures...we have fought and progressed together! We are now fighting for freedom and the safety of our home, a fight that we cannot lose!" Noah¡¯s eyes traveled across the many regions that consisted of beings from the Expansive Dragon Cl.u.s.ter, Primal Winged Expanse, the Consummate Sword Galaxy...and so many more. Each of them felt his words as they looked at each other, more bellowing screams ringing out! OOOOOH! "Towards these unruly beings that wish Death to their own Universe...we shall stand atop the ashes of their souls as Champions!" OOOOOH! Beings were thumping their c.h.e.s.ts or smashing their feet onto the empty chaotic void, causing heartrending reverberations to ring out as they all felt their excitement reaching the absolute peak. Essence wildly flew out as the bellows of many beings reverberated across the chaotic void, Noah¡¯s throne vibrating with power as it turned towards the direction of the Spirit Domains and began to move forward, his voice resounding out once more. "Set off!" The essence of many beings in the peak of power of this Universe thrummed out, a fearsome Undead Legion also moving with them as the chaotic void shook when all of them moved in conjunction while following a man moving on a throne. The auras of multiple Sages surrounded the Ruination Throne as they followed their Master! The hearts of the Legions from the Infinite Galaxy were filled with the light of hope as they moved with vigor towards a brighter future, as they aimed their swords towards the Spirit Race! This caused for the shocking sight of the powerful forces of the Infinite Galaxy beginning to cross the dark chaotic void, their movements causing the waves of fate and destiny to shift as they soon neared the Spirit Domains! --- Some light years away from the enormous force that was piercing across the chaotic void. The location where the Spirit Domains of the Spirit Race resided could be seen grandly. If an expert looked at them from a light year or two away, they would be able to notice the outline of the Spirit Domains that looked like enormous circular balls of lights that shimmered grandly in the chaotic void! Their boundaries were shockingly clear as one could see the stellar bodies within, these Spirit Domains being like large bubbles floating in the chaotic void as they seemed extremely delicate! The vast Spirit Domains held an uncountable number of the Spirit Race, and they seemed to be extremely calm and at peace while a terrifying force barreled towards them. Some of the brighter Domains seemed empty though, as its inhabitants were not actually there, but in another location. Opposite the direction from where Noah¡¯s forces were coming from, a cl.u.s.ter of a truly incomprehensible number of beings could be seen! They floated in front of the first Spirit Domain as the luminous barrier of the domain illuminated the nearby hundreds of miles of the chaotic void, even a being in the EPIC Rank being able to see everything around clearly. Their bodies were incorporeal as their faces were blank, their eyes being the only thing shining as from within...one could see an immense amount of confidence. Overflowing confidence! Chapter 875 - The Incorporeal Spirit Race! II One might themselves asking for what reason the Spirit Race would hold such immense confidence? There were actually a variety of answers for this question, but they could not be revealed so easily as one of the answers came in the form of a Grand Dao- one that was particularly ranked high among the many Grand Daos out there...it was the Grand Dao of Destiny! A Dao that allowed a being to pierce through the abstruse mysteries of the fates of others and the forces moving either with them or against them...a Dao that would take too many pages to explain just from its sheer mysteriousness. Through this Dao, the Sages of the Spirit Race knew that the Master of Ruination was coming! They knew of the forces he was bringing! They also knew...of the eventual result they had calculated. Through all of this, they weren¡¯t filled with fear as instead, overwhelming confidence leaked through every part of their orifices! Even though towards the past few days when they had not been able to glean any more data from the Master of Ruination, they calculated that his strength would not rise that drastically for him to escape their calculations. Mind you, the last time they could glean information about Noah was the moment before his battle with the Sword Emperor, right before he assimilated all Universal Laws and obtained the Cosmic Dao that was the reason for their stoppage of information! It was only a day or at most 2 days since then. For what could change in such a short period of time? The uncountable number of Spirit Race filling up the chaotic void were in an orderly state, all of them forming nest lines as their bodies thrummed with power. The ones lined up ranged from Low Tier GALAXY all the way to Peak, Entities and Sages filling the ranks at the very forefront! The Sages took the lead as beings that looked extremely similar to each other formed a small line to stand in front of the innumerable army. Each of the Sages had a shimmering blue crown that matched the hazy shape of their bodies, these blue crows spinning wondrously atop their heads as they pulsed with essence. They would occasionally speak amongst themselves every few minutes. "We cannot discern the Master of Ruination, but those around him are no problem. The Sword Emperor is weakened to a large extent, most likely in a bid to increase the strength of the Master of Ruination. The childish Sage is at the same level, while another Sage has risen from the ranks of beings around our target." The Sage that had first come in contact with Noah through Sister Gold smiled. "The target...the Master of Ruination..." "If he hadn¡¯t come into the picture for just a few more months, the goal would have been achieved with surety." The sonorous voice of another Sage rang out, and one would even find it hard to distinguish their voices apart! "The theory we pushed aside as the cause for him being hidden from us may actually be true though." "...possibly, after all- it is in his title. How unfair the Cosmos would be if that were the case." RUMBLE! Shocking words filled with clues came out from these terrifying beings, their eerie conversation continuing! "Haha, when have the Cosmos ever been fair? It is why we must do things this way. We cannot depend on things to be handed down to us like the others." "Until we can forge our own path..." "Until we have achieved it ourselves!" THRUM! Dao essences swirled around them, shimmering with gold as it represented Destiny- but there were a great deal of other Dao essences swarming around them! At this moment, they went quiet as from a few hundred miles away, they began to sense reverberations ringing out from the chaotic void. Gradually, the image of a magisterial throne appeared on the horizon, a man domineeringly situated on this throne as his eyes released glorious beams of red light! A bouncing Blue Slime could be seen by the side as an arrogant Emperor Penguin also came into the picture. Behind them, the shocking auras of 5 Sages appeared as they floated protectively around being atop the Throne. THRUUUM! The shocking figures of his Summons floated around him, the shimmering Golden Crow causing all the others to be seen vibrantly. Next, the terrifying figure of the Nether Lich Emperor appeared, followed by an enormous Undead Legion that was led by 100 Entities- the Necrolords that comprehended the Grand Dao of Decadence! It was only then that the raucous Legions from the Infinite Galaxy made their appearance. The leaders of the Ancient Powers Noah had absorbed. The Sword Emperor and Morgana! The Holy Emperor, Old Man Khan, Imperial Adjudicator, Anna... The Harbingers of Sin that carried with them their own resplendent Animus Summons as Barbatos was seen with a shimmering Monkey King, the Sword King Kazuhiko sitting atop a Galaxy Devouring Wolf! Nearly all the powerhouses of the Infinite Galaxy appeared grandly as they all rallied behind Noah who floated with his throne towards the Sages of the Spirit Race. The two sides closed in on each other as essence thrummed gloriously, yet the innumerable and incorporeal beings of the Spirit Race remained still! The Spirit Race Sages at the forefront broke the silence as they actually talked amongst each other once again. "He is actually a Sage himself..." "Not a weak one at that. And those things connected to him...interesting!" "What¡¯s even more interesting is the Essence he is giving off!" RUMBLE! The eyes of the Sages of the Spirit Rave were actually shining as they stared at the numerous Legions, but moreover focused on the being atop the Throne of Ruination. "Hmm, it truly was the theory we pushed aside. Truly unfair!" ...! Even while faced with a terrifying force that they had largely not foreseen, the Sages of the Spirit Race actually did not lose their composure! Far off in the distance, Noah sat upon his throne as he stared at this scene with sharp eyes that glimmered with blazing light... Chapter 876 - We Have Accounted For Everything! Noah¡¯s eyes landed on the Sages of the Spirit Race as they constricted tightly. It was because of the fact that he counted 10 of them! These beings had humanoid forms, but their bodies were incorporeal as they almost looked like Spirits of the Dead! But the Sages of the Spirit Race were much more refined as each of them held a shimmering blue crown floating atop their heads, these crowns screaming their status as big bosses while they grandly floated in the chaotic void. Seeing their composure even while facing off such an enormous force, he looked at them deeply as he wanted to discern exactly what they were! Yet...he actually found nothing! Noah¡¯s eyes trembled as for the first time ever since he obtained the Protagonist Trait, something was actually blocked from him when his eyes landed on all the Sages of the Spirit Race. His eyes then turned to the Entities and GALAXY experts of the Spirit Race as with them, he could discern their information with no issues! Beings like Sister Gold that stood behind the Sages...he could see their information just fine when he utilized Eyes of Truth. But as for these Sages? [Spirit Race Sage] :: -----------... [Spirit Race Sage] :: ----------... For each of them, all 10 of them...he found nothing! It was a truly curious case as he would have wondered what the reason was and spent a great deal of time on it in the past, but as he now carried a tremendous force of power and Legions of beings behind him, he cared not as he raised his voice towards the Spirit Race in a domineering manner! "If I ask nicely, will you just hand the Ruination Cores to me?" "..." His voice only received black expressions from the Sages of the Spirit Race as the one at the very forefront spoke clearly, the two forces in a stand off as they could erupt at any time. "Handing over the Ruination Cores to you would interfere with our plans, so it cannot be done, Child." Noah¡¯s eyes shone at this sort of tone as he nodded, vibrant red essence erupting from him as his aura began to rise towards the peak. "And the reason why you all do not wish for the Dark Universe to rejoin the Primordial Cosmos?" A deafening silence appeared as even the Sages of the Spirit Race had not expected Noah to be so straightforward. They looked amongst each other as wondrous smiles formed on their lips, the one at the forefront replying lightly. "A fairly simple reason, but it is not time for you to know it as again...it shall interfere with the plan!" ...! "Plans, plans, plans...in the face of ultimate strength, what do your plans amount to?" RUMBLE Noah¡¯s eyes turned cold as his Throne of Ruination moved forward alone, unhindered! Even the Emperor Penguin stayed behind as the Throne only carried Noah and the Blue Slime situated on it towards the terrifying figures of 10 Spirit Race Sages and all the innumerable beings behind them. He went forward as he came close to these beings because with over 15% Purification...he didn¡¯t fear them! With his body rumbling with the strength of a Cosmic Dao, he didn¡¯t consider these Sages to be anything much with the aura of multiple Grand Daos Swirling around them. So his magisterial throne crossed the few miles distance of the Chaotic Void as his eyes that blazed with luminous red light actually came to gaze upon all the Sages of the Spirit Race up close, with the throne only being a few inches away from them! WAAA! A sense of majesty and wonder flooded out from this scene, Noah elevating his throne to be a few inches higher as the eyes of the Spirit Race Sages had to rise to meet him. Neither side moved at this shocking scene as far in the back, Morgana was tugging on the Sword Emperor¡¯s sleeve in shock at the domineering scene! Even Noah¡¯s own forces were shocked as the innumerable numbers of the Spirit Race also floated still. Not a single move was made as the Emperor on the Ruination Throne stared at the 10 Sages. The Spirit Race Sage at the very forefront glanced towards Noah with a light smile as he spoke. "There is no path where you win." THRUM! "We have accounted for everything, every possible path that could be taken and anything that could go wrong. Through all of it, our plan succeeds." ...! Noah¡¯s eyes remained placid at these words, his bright eyes looking at these beings from up close as he found them truly detestable. His throne thrummed with Ruination Essence as his body now had tendrils of such Essence coursing through it, his full strength had the boost of over 15% Purification exploding out! The Sages of the Spirit Race stared at this scene silently as their own bodies began to explode with power, each of the 10 showing strength that shockingly equaled to a Sage that had reached the cap of 10% Purification while utilizing Primordial Essence! "You think you have accounted for anything and everything...but you have not truly accounted for me." THRUM! Noah raised his head arrogantly upon the throne as Ruination Essence exploded out, threatening to swallow and destroy everything in its sight! "OOOOOH" The Legions behind him saw this scene as they roared out grandly, their bodies glimmering with light as they pierced through the chaotic void. The staff of the Nether Lich Emperor smashed down onto the chaotic void as a sound that ushered the advancement of the Undead Legion commenced! OOOOOH! Tiamat, J?rmungandr, the Golden Crow...all of Noah¡¯s pets shone with an immense crimson brilliance as the clones already merged with them, their bodies releasing terrifying strength at the level of a Sage as they thundered forward! The glittering bodies of the innumerable numbers of Spirit Race before them whose weakest were in the Low Tier GALAXY and the strongest were Sages...they seemed like the most pristine loot they could come across as they charged forward with vigor! The Final War for the Dark Universe had officially begun! Chapter 877 - DICTATORIAL! I RUUUUUMBLE! Reverberations were spreading out across all surroundings as the chaotic void was constantly being shattered and reformed. It was a chaotic scene as a truly large number of parties were fighting amongst each other, the forces of the incorporeal Spirit Race weaving through the chaotic void as their bodies thrummed with many Dao essences! This powerful Race of beings was nearly immune to physical damage as the only thing that could damage them were beings who could deal soul attacks. From the Legions of the Infinite Galaxy, the ones that had begun dealing the most damage to the Spirit Race...were the Undead Legions that the Nether Lich Emperor commanded! Each of these terrifying beings dealt heavy Soul Damage as from the Spirit Race that began to perish, it was mainly from the hands of the Necrolords that used the stupendous abilities of the Dao of Decadence. In the Necrotic Universe, when Necrolords such as these rose to a high enough level, there was a legend that they could go above the Grand Dao of Decadence as they possibly gained comprehensions in the Cosmic Dao of Necromancy! Throughout history though, it was mainly the Champions like Nether Lich Emperors that had come closest to this peak of strength. These terrifying beings with deep histories moved against the Spirit Race as the incorporeal beings felt tremendous pressure from the Undead Legions alone! In other regions, the stellar battles of the Harbingers of Sin could be seen as in a region of space, the gargantuan expanded figure of the Emperor Penguin could be seen. Its piercing cry rang out as an innumerable number of Swords waved around it, this creature that was now a Sage actually bullying Entities and collecting a great amount of loot as it didn¡¯t join the fight with the 10 Sages! The Penguin, like Morgana and the Sword Emperor, were some of the free Sages that led the Legions of Entities and GALAXY Experts to wreck the ranks of the Spirit Race. Against the 10 Spirit Race Sages, Noah was ridiculously matching all of them as if we bothered to tally, we would realize just Noah alone could produce over 10 Sages! Without even including himself, there were the 8 Animus Summons fused with his clones that made 8 Sages...and there were 5 more Sages that he summoned from his unique skills! Even the Nether Lich Emperor that was a Sage itself was merely destroying the ranks of the expressionless Spirit Race as it collected Dao Crystals of many Daos and Assimilation Crystals, along with any other loot they came across. There was a point that many had to keep note of when it came to the loot of Dao Crystals- the fact that the Spirit Race was learned in many Daos, and it meant they could drop a great deal of varying amounts of Dao Crystals! This was especially so because the Affix was doubled from 10% to 20%! But...as all the other Sages and Nether Lich focused their attention on the large numbers of Spirit Race Entities and GALAXY Experts, Noah alone faced their 10 Sages as he still sat on his throne. He was acting so damn domineering against the confident looking Spirit Sages that against them, he didn¡¯t even stand from his throne of Ruination! His Animus Pets were the ones weaving across the stupendous skills of the Sages that Noah could not get details about, only observing with his sharp eyes powerful attacks that carried golden lights fly from the Sages. [Destiny¡¯s Reversal]. Simple words were uttered as in the next moment, the attacks from the Animus Summons were deconstructed into nothingness as if they never existed! [Destiny of Destruction]. RUMBLE! An ability that combined the essence of two Daos opposed the Chaos Pixie and Abyssal Phoenix¡¯s attacks! The skills of the Spirit Sages were mysterious as some even contained the essence of 2 or 3 Grand Daos. Each of them carried a tremendously powerful Soul Damage attribute as they had to be avoided! Yet Noah remained atop his Ruination Throne as he merely spammed [Cardinal Swords of Ruination] while raising his head arrogantly. "Is this among all the paths you have seen?! Is everything going according to your grand plan?!" BOOM! A ridiculous amount of Cardinal Swords of Ruination exploded towards a single Sage, the one that had been talking with Noah at the very forefront. His body glimmered with the golden light of Destiny among many other Grand and Lesser Daos, his expression remaining placid even with the initial outlook of the battle that put the Spirit Race at a disadvantage merely in terms of numbers and power! The Blue crown floating atop the head of Sage shimmered as he spoke with a majestic voice. "Yes. Even with all this, everything is proceeding towards our goal!" RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s eyes squinted at this reply as he felt like there was something he had missed. He had overprepared. Him alone was enough to stand against all of their Sages! Yet...yet the Sages of the Spirit Race fought as if nothing was wrong, as if everything still proceeded according to their so called plans! RUMBLE Noah¡¯s eyes were filled with blazing light as he gave a command, the 100 Necrolords that were ripping apart Entities in another region all instantly being teleported to surround a Sage that was facing the wrath of the Queen Dowager. The moment the Necrolords were teleported in, Tiamat was teleported out as in the next instant, Noah cast the [Sweet Release of Death]. It was a skill that sacrificed the Legions of Undead for tremendous targetted soul damage. A skill that was only even more powerful depending on the ranks of undead sacrificed! ...BOOOOOOM! Void shattering waves were created as 100 Necrolords were sacrificed in an instant, their bodies that surrounded the Sage with a glimmering Blue crown ballooning and exploding out as all of their damage was targeted to this single being! 100 Entities...self destructed! RIIIIP! In the area where a majestic Spirit Race Sage used to be, a tattered body was ripped apart as the crown above it was shattered, the incorporeal body vibrating as it exploded out luminously a second later! "..." A Sage...dead! Noah raised his head atop the Throne of Ruination at this scene, waving his hands as the Nether Lich Emperor smashed his staff down and caused the chaotic void to split open once more, 100 more terrifying Necrolord Entities stepping out as he voiced out domineeringly. "Is this still in your calculations and plans?!" RUMBLE Magisterial! Dictatorial!!! The Emperor domineeringly looked upon the front most Spirit Sage after stupendously using his +150,000% boost in All Parameters to deal a devastating Soul Attack against a Sage that wiped it out instantly! "Everything is gloriously going according to plan, O Master of Ruination!" ...! RUMBLE! Chapter 878 - DICTATORIAL! II A Sage had fallen, and in response to this- the strongest Spirit Race Sage said everything was gloriously going according to plan! The fact that Noah could not garner any information about them and the way the Sages continued to conduct themselves, he knew something was afoot. "Do not hold back." He gave the command to his forces at this juncture as they exploded with even more vigor against the forces of the Spirit Race. Yet the Sages weaved in and out as they seemed like true experts on the battlefield, using their proficiency in many Daos to repel attacks while keeping the status quo! At this point in time, Noah was also doing something behind the scenes as in a Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy, there were 2 clones grasping multiple Dao and Assimilation Crystals. His Blood Lord Skill tree allowed him 5 Clones per body, his split origin giving him 2 bodies and the capability to summon 10 clones! 8 were merged with the Animus Summons as two of them were currently using the loot that was concurrently being received in battle! Noah browsed through all the loot that dropped as he focused on the golden shimmering Dao Crystals that represented the Grand Dao of Destiny. He had many questions and no answers, and he wanted to peer behind the veil of confidence the Spirit Race held as he wanted to learn about Destiny! RUMBLE! The clones began absorbing the Dao Crystal with fervor as with just half a minute passing in the outside world, nearly an hour had passed in the Time Space. This shocking time difference in conjunction with the crazy percentages Noah had to Dao Comprehension and Assimilation made it so that Noah fully comprehended the Grand Dao of Destiny in less than 30 seconds in the outside world. 30 seconds! Then the 2 clones began using the old and newly appearing Assimilation Crystals as they shot the percentage for this up as well, another half a minute passing in the outside world as the Emperor sitting atop the Throne of Ruination exploded with the Grand golden light of Destiny. That was a Grand Dao learned in less than a minute. OOOOOH! A triumphant bellow came from Noah¡¯s mouth as it shot out golden light, his eyes releasing beams of red light as he looked ridiculously magnificent at this moment! While he sat on his throne, his essence flooded towards the Dao of Destiny as he wanted to pry open the mysteries hidden from him! RUMBLE A golden light erupted out from his body as the Spirit Race Sages looked over towards him with shining eyes. Noah felt like he was in a unique out of body experience, his aura stretched out as he noticed a great deal of golden particles all around him. BZZZT! His mind was flooded with information as he saw a grand image- it was the image of many small blue particles...and each of these blue particles seemed to be connected together as they formed into a triangle. At the top of this triangle...there was a single blue particle that stood above all of them as all the lines of connection came to it! ...! Noah¡¯s eyes constricted as he deciphered the information he was receiving. "Oh? Haha. Very good." At this point, the voice of a Sage rang out as he withstood another Cardinal Sword of Ruination that was now also ringed with the light of Destiny, the Spirit Race Sage having seemingly gotten information on something! "We have already passed the crucial junction, so even if I tell you of the glorious purpose, it would be of no consequence!" RUMBLE! The centermost Sage then spoke while his body glimmered with innumerable golden lines. Each of these lines weaved together as they released tendrils of terrifying might that tore apart space itself while defending him from any attacks. The moment his words finished, Noah came out of the state where he was discerning Destiny, feeling something else as he looked up towards a far direction light years away from this location. Noah¡¯s eyes glimmered with light as he calculated some things while he looked at the ruptures spreading out light years away. The moment they appeared, the Sage said they had passed a crucial juncture! He also understood the meaning of this somewhat as after comprehending the Grand Dao of Destiny, he could sense many things all around him, even being able to understand the rate that the Ruptures would spread and what it could mean. He also understood something else as he turned to look at the Sages of the Spirit Race. Even though they claimed they had everything under control as they grasped the stupendous Dao of Destiny...he found out that even while many things seemed set, they could ultimately be changed and altered! He sat atop his throne as even at the shocking scene of Fractures tearing apart space, his attacks continued even more vigorously, the constant spamming of Cardinal Swords of Ruination never stopping as he looked closely at the shining Sage while his clones in the Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy grabbed more of the incoming loot from this war to increase Noah¡¯s power by even a little. As for the Spirit Race...there seemed to be many things in play as the Sage was extremely talkative! It was a big boss that actually loved to talk and monologue in the middle of battle. Noah hated these types of big bosses the most! "Do you know of the vast Primordial Cosmos? Of the place that houses Universes of all types?!" ¡¯Ah...¡¯ The moment this f.u.c.k.i.n.g Sage began talking about the Primordial Cosmos and its Universes, along with its prior words about the newly appearing Fractures, Noah¡¯s put together the information he was getting from the wondrous Dao of Destiny as his mind affirmed one of his theories for the Spirit Race and their motives as for why they didn¡¯t care for the survival of the Dark Universe! "There are many mysteries surrounding the Primordial Cosmos themselves, but the truly knowledgeable ones know that outside of the Primordial Cosmos...there exists an endless Sea of Ruination!" ...! RUMBLE! Chapter 879 - Of course there had to be a Great Sage! I Under the influence of the Dao of Destiny, it felt like Noah¡¯s sight had opened up! Along with the shocking words of the Spirit Race Sage that talked of the Primordial Cosmos, he understood some things! "Dangerous, unpredictable, and most of all...a destructive sea that not a single being can traverse through unless they have ultimate strength or an extremely unique ability. That is the Sea of Ruination that exists outside the Primordial Cosmos" BOOOM! BOOOM! Noah¡¯s Cardinal Swords of Ruination began descending down ever faster the more this being talked, Noah¡¯s face cold as in the next instant, his mind worked at rapid speeds as he gave multiple commands. He had gotten much of the information he needed as now was the time to act. His Animus Pets and 5 conjured Sages moved even faster as they went for the kill while himself...he looked at the 65+ million and continuously growing skill points he had put aside for emergency use the moment this Sage began talking of the Primordial Cosmos and the Sea of Ruination! "So you can imagine my surprise when over a hundred thousand years ago, I coincidentally came upon a few Universal Forces actually ganging up on a single Universe, and I found that they...were actually competing for the ownership of a Cosmic Treasure." ...! At these words, Noah entirely tuned out the Sage that had his blue crown shimmering brighter than ever- his face serious as he put to practice a variety of possible skills he had prepared against the Incorporeal Spirit Race that were only heavily affected by soul damage. The golden light of Destiny veered him towards a particular skill as he glanced at it! Since the abilities were already thought of beforehand, the one he was led to was the priciest one as the skill points he had further collected since the war with the Spirit Race began were spent, a skill very quickly being formed! [Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs] :: An ability purely created for the aspect of soul damage. Allows the user to throw unstable compressed Galaxies that contain the essence of all of their comprehended Daos and Laws to achieve the effect of +50,000% Soul Damage. The Spirit Bombs are unavoidable as after they are cast, their target must be hit. Cost of Skill Creation- 69,000,000. A skill that utilized all his remaining saved up skill points, one for him to quickly spam and clear out any terrain beings that could only be hurt through Soul Damage! [Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs]... THRUM! He began spamming as the talkative Spirit Race Sage looked towards him with brightening eyes, his body becoming enveloped in an array of golden shields that sang with the aura of Destiny! [The Savior¡¯s Bastion of Golden Destiny]. RUMBLE! As an innumerable number of Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs appeared, an array of golden shields wrapped around a certain Sage. The Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs shimmered with wondrous rainbow colored lights as they caused space to tremble when they came to be. They targeted the much too vocal Sage as they swarmed towards him, the unstable Galaxies exploding out in a flood of Dao Essence as everything around it was ripped apart! The golden light of Destiny that formed multiple shields around the Sage...they were all ripped apart one by one. RUUUMBLE! The chaotic void quaked as when the scene cleared, only the ripped apart body of an Incorporeal Sage remained! Another Spirit Race Sage, dead! Noah wasted no more time as he turned his eyes to the other Spirit Race Sages. They were 8 in number as they were swarmed by all of his Animus Summons and 5 Summed Sages, their bodies also lighting up as they began to cast multiple [Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs] themselves. Yet as his pets cast their fearsome skills and sent them through, all eight remaining Spirit Sages had their blue crowns shimmering with a bright light as their eyes shone with a splendorous blue, their lips moving as a single voice came out from each of them! "The Cosmic Treasure they were competing for...was a Myth only known by Universal Realm Hegemonies, yet it was actually real and in the hands of such weak Sages and Great Sages!" RUMBLE! It felt like time had come to a stop as Noah and the Sages on his side watched with sharp eyes as the voice of a singular being came out of the mouths of all Spirit Sages. As if it was all a single person! RUMBLE! An eerie scene was taking place in the midst of the chaotic battle between the forces of the Infinite Galaxy and the Spirit Race. All the 8 remaining Sages of the Spirit Race had their blue crowns shining in resonance, their eyes shining deep blue as from their mouths, a singular voice resounded out! "I was ecstatic to find out about such a secret as I moved in great haste, but alas...the Cosmos are rarely fair!" Noah¡¯s eyes constricted as he watched every single Sage speak in the same voice as the most vocal Sage he had just killed, his expression cold as he saw all the 8 Sages congregating together seamlessly as a terrifying force wrapped around them. The image he had seen when utilizing the Dao of Destiny...of the many blue particles in a triangular formation all connecting to a single one at the very top...it was coming true at this instant! "The exact moment I found out about the big secret where I could have easily obtained a Cosmic Treasure only known through myths...was also the moment that unworthy Sages of this Universe decided to use something they did not understand to actually cause for an entire Universe to split off of the Primordial Cosmos!" ...! "Can you imagine such unfairness? The anger I felt at such a time? I could only arrive to observe a piece of the Primordial Cosmos enter the Sea of Ruination, the Cosmic Treasure residing within that Universe being forever lost as anyone with a brain would be able to tell you a Universe cannot survive while being detached from its source!" RUMBLE! The secret as to why the Spirit Race didn¡¯t care for the destruction of the Dark Universe! The mysteries surrounding them and the tremendous power they held! It turned out the being at the very top of this Race...was not from the Dark Universe to begin with! Chapter 880 - Of course there had to be a Great Sage! II As their voices reverberated, the 8 Sages had gathered together as the Blue crowns atop their heads spun rapidly, flying out of their heads and circling around each other as it seemed like they were trying to fuse. Noah had no habit of letting his enemies power up, sending another command for the newly risen 100 Necrolords to be sacrificed for [Sweet Release of Death] while he continuously spammed Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs! THRUUUM! The chaotic void around the 8 Sages was tumultuous as after the terrific attacks landed at their location, an impenetrable golden wall seemed to have arisen as while the Blue crowns above continued to spin and nearly fuse to each other, the bodies of the Spirit Sages were doing the same. The resonant voice coming from each of their lips continued. "Seeing that the distance between the Cosmos and the detached Universe had not been too wide...I chose not to give up as I sent in more than half of my soul to cross the Sea of Ruination and see if I could successfully make it into this Universe without perishing. Sadly...only a sliver of my soul- only a portion, was able to survive the terrifying essence of Ruination." THRUUUM The 8 bodies of the Spirit Race Sages seamlessly blended together as they didn¡¯t even take all that long, all of them coming together as a brilliant blue light erupted out, the crowns spinning above also fusing into one as they formed into a majestic and enormous blue crown that descended only the head of a 20 meter tall being. His body was incorporeal as his eyes held limitless wisdom, his mouth continuing to move! "This portion survived countless years before I was able to find the unique Spirit Race, and this was finally where I was able to finally get some time to understand the situation around me as I reclaimed my many Daos and planned." The newly formed body of the Spirit Sage shimmered with intense light, where one could actually find...illusory GALAXIES beginning to show around his c.h.e.s.t, but they seemed unstable and ready to fall at any time! Noah¡¯s eyes constricted from this as he knew what it meant! It was the Realm above GALAXY that allowed a being to gain the title of a Great Sage, the Realm where from a single GALAXY, one had to birth many more- it was the Galactic Filament Realm! It was a Realm that was very hard to cross into as many experts would fail to do so for all their lives! Yet this monstrous being that Noah had found out the identity of now from its words...this being was actually at the cusp of fully forming more stable GALAXIES and stepping into this wondrous Realm. He was half a stage into the Galactic Filament Realm, Half a Great Sage! Noah gave a light sigh in his heart as he gathered all of the Sages under him to swarm by his side. The Sword Emperor and Morgana made their way over as they looked towards the monstrous looking Half-a-Step Great Sage of the Spirit Race. The being was actually not from their Universe, it being a terrifying creature that had another body that was in a powerful stage in the Primordial Cosmos! A sliver of its soul had barely crossed the Ruination Sea to reach their Universe, and it had taken over the Spirit Race as it grew them to where they were today. A shocking truth of the race that did not want to save the Universe they were in! At this moment, the Half-a-Step Great Sage raised his arm as a sense of profound strength released from him, a huge hole tearing apart the chaotic void as Primordial Essence began to flood into him ceaselessly. The terrifying golden wall that protected this being from Noah¡¯s continuous attacks and Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs was nearly shattered as cracks had spread through it, Noah close to bombing this Half-a-Step Great Sage away in the next seconds! "You know, the Dao of Destiny is truly straightforward. It let me know of all the possible plans as out of millions, only two would work with surety." "When utilizing this Dao, I found that in this Universe, the Cosmic Treasure was actually not destined for me in many the paths I wanted to take, that it would actually merely lead to the death of this sliver of soul that has been recovering! Not destined for the very thing I braved the dangers of the Ruination Sea to cross, it was extremely funny!" RUMBLE The hands of the Half-a-Step Great Sage raised as they thrummed with power, finally saying the shocking words that represented its glorious purpose. "But as you now understand...Destiny can be altered! The two paths that were destined for me, both of them had a stupendous boon that was no less treasured than the Cosmic Treasure itself, and if they play out...even the Cosmic Treasure itself could still be in play. It is of course...the Cosmic Dao that many Universal Realm experts strive to get their hands on even in the Primordial Cosmos, the highest form of Dao that very few can grasp, and yet unfairly...the one that was destined for the Master of the Cosmic Treasure who has already comprehended it!" ...! "As for what the two paths were? Haha! One was to experience the destruction of an entire Universe through Ruination, and the other...was to be killed by the destined Master of Ruination himself! Haha!" Raucous laughter resounded out across the chaotic void as the goal of the Half-a-Step Great Sage was finally revealed! It was the Cosmic Dao that in the Primordial Cosmos, only Noah had stepped in on- it was all for Ruination! THRUM! Noah¡¯s attacks came to a stop the moment the words of the Half-a-Step Great Sage resounded out, feeling the beat of his heart as many thoughts crossed through his mind. "This is why I said we had passed the crucial juncture! The Sea of Ruination will soon ravage the Dark Universe and I will achieve my goal, or the Master of Ruination will kill me...and I will still achieve my goal!" RUMBLE! Chapter 881 - There is always a third option! In the trembling chaotic void, the terrifying Half-a-Step Great Sage continued to speak madly as his face looked towards Noah with intense light. "Every time you took down my other 2 bodies...I felt the whispers of a Cosmic Dao enter my ears as the moment I faced utter destruction from you, I would finally step on the path of this tremendous Dao." "Even a child like you does not grasp the true meaning of it, the true worth of someone capable of utilizing the Dao of Ruination and being able to cross the Ruination Sea outside of the Primordial Cosmos! This is the reason why I decided to simply enjoy the first method, and instead see if I can kill the Master of Ruination so that I can be the only being having access to this Dao." The sinister plan that caused the Half-a-Step Great Sage to fuse his body and step into its terrifying realm came out! I¡¯m the end, he wanted to experience the death of a Universe to gain the spark of comprehension that would set him on the path of Ruination. He wanted to eliminate the being that had become the Master of Ruination as he took the prime position! If he learned the Cosmic Dao, he would naturally be able to combine and utilize the Ruination Cores as the Cosmic Treasure would also become his. "Yet you haven¡¯t even used your ability to obtain Invincibility for an hour when faced against all my bodies...your strength as a Sage nearly spilling out of the peak of such a stage." RUMBLE "I even had plans for when you escape this Time upon your death where I would follow you in the past and kill you there as well...but you threw all of this out when you ridiculously appeared at the stage of a Sage and with a mere wave of your hands produced even more Sages!" Yes! All the plans and contingencies the terrifying being had made were turned into nothingness in the face of true strength. When Noah¡¯s force came, it was a question of whether the set up plans would ever even get a chance to be utilized! The Sage actually had the goal of comprehending the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, and he would be able to do so if he experienced the destruction of a Universe with Ruination...or faced destruction from the hands of the Master of Ruination! Such a shocking reality was extremely shocking to think about! "If straining this portion of my soul a bit more might help in taking down a monster like you, I will do so. If not, I¡¯ll have to watch the play of you deciding whether you can kill me and hand me the keys to comprehending Ruination...or if the destruction of this Universe will do it for me!" "Either way...I will not lose!" RUMBLE! The Half-a-Step Great Sage spoke grandly as his words were packed with a great deal of information! The talkative biggest boss had told Noah everything to answer the questions plaguing him, even going as far as calling a being like him a monster. What an honor it was to be called a monster from an expert stemming from the Primordial Cosmos! "I will not lose...but what will you do? The Sea of Ruination is already ripping apart the portion of the Cosmos torn apart from its home...this Universe will completely be devoured as it does not have the protection of the Primordial Cosmos anymore!" "Will you try and take my life as you grant me the Cosmic Dao? Or will the inevitable destruction of this Universe give it to me? Either way...I win!" RUMBLE "The moment that I do step on the path of the Cosmic Dao...I will have my main body and soul finally freely traverse the Sea of Ruination as I will come to this destroyed universe to take with me a Cosmic Treasure, your strength next to the full power of my body and soul being negligible! The glorious Half-a-Step Great Sage said these words with shining eyes, his crowned 20 meter body shimmering with power as Noah just needed a few seconds to think. A moment after, his body rose from his throne as he turned his eyes towards the direction light years away where he could see Fractures beginning to spread out, where nobody knew how much time was left before these Rifts in space would decimate the entire Universe. BZZZT! Ruination Essence flared from him as his hands obtained two Cardinal Swords of Ruination, his hair turning crimson as his eyes blazed with light! "Well, that is a decision. But is it the correct one?" The Half-a-Step Great Sage that had been drinking Primordial Essence to purify his body saw Noah¡¯s reply, the Tyrannical Emperor¡¯s figure appearing in front of him in the next instant as his body carried large numbers of Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs to smash onto the golden barrier he had been Relentlessly attacking before. CRACK! ROAAR! Tiamat and the other Summoned weaved in on all sides as they went to support their Master against this ferocious enemy, the Legions from the Infinite Galaxy continuing to rip apart the forces of the Spirit Race that had their bodies glimmering with even more strength. "I want a piece of this damn Outsider!" Morgana¡¯s sharp voice rang out as with her little body that palpated with destruction, she smashed into the figure of the Sage with vigor as she joined the battle! A single Half-a-Step Great Sage, besieged on all sides by over 10 powerful Sages, most of them just stemming from Noah. BOOM! The terrifying Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs were the ones causing the most damage to the big boss, their terrifying +50,000% Soul Damage ripping the defenses that the Half-a-Step Great Sage was setting up in seconds! "Purification exceeding the ranks of Sages...this must be from the Ruination Essence, yes? Haha, good! For power such as that, it is still left in the air whether path 1 or 2 will be followed." Death from the Master of Ruination or from the destruction of an entire Universe through Ruination...the Half-a-Step Great Sage would take either as long as he achieved his goal of a Cosmic Dao and gained the ability to traverse freely from the Primordial Cosmos. Chapter 882 - Innumerable Daos in Seconds! Noah analyzed the words of the Half-a-Step Great Sage carefully as he moved. Since the being repeated over and over again that he would get what he wants from experiencing the destruction of the Universe or from the Hands of the Master of Ruination, Noah simply wanted to find a third option for that. This third option came in the terrifying identity of a Universal Emperor Slime! A race that was hunted down by even the powerhouses of the Primordial Cosmos for their unique power, a creature that could turn the tables at any time! Noah was not looking forward to whatever powerhouse from the Primordial Cosmos who gained the ability to traverse the Ruination Sea and come after him for the Ruination Cores, so this third option had to be utilized. As for the truthfulness of him being somehow able to comprehend a Cosmic Dao just from him being killed by Noah? He affirmed this to be true with the Grand Dao of Destiny! The soul of this being that had managed to survive Ruination once and enter the Dark Universe while collecting Ruination Cores made this condition viable to this creature as such a soul was only a portion connected to a larger being! Unless other beings stepped in the Ruination See with half a soul and it came out safe, and then somehow obtained Ruination Cores that the small soul stayed with for over a hundred thousand years- such a thing would not be possible again. So nothing ridiculous like beings gaining comprehensions of a Cosmic Dao merely from being killed by Noah would appear in the future! BOOOM! Unstable Galaxies floated around him as they were forward to smash onto the raucous Half-a-Step Great Sage, all of his Summons attacking valiantly as Morgana¡¯s deadly hands palpating with the essence of Destruction fearlessly pounded the enemy! At this juncture, we have to come to a stop for a second to appreciate the scene playing out. What was occurring at this moment was a scene of the final war for the Dark Universe, where the most powerful combatants were embroiled in a terrifying battle that would determine many things for the future. If the scene could be frozen in time, we would be able to see Noah¡¯s Summons surrounded by gorgeous tendrils of Ruination Essence as they released deadly attacks, the figure of Morgana pulsing with the Essence of Destruction onto a Half-a-Step Great Sage, the figure of the gargantuan Emperor Penguin and Barbatos leaving her Holy Undead Army not too far away- as well as the Undead Legion called forth by Noah that had the Nether Lich Emperor pointing its staff towards the glimmering bodies of the Spirit Race! Then there was Noah. A being that months ago had only picked up [Fireball] as his first skill. A being that was among the weakest there could be on an unknown planet. At this period of time, he was shining the most resplendently as he faced a Half-a-Step Great Sage, his eyes blazing with red beams of light as around his body...unstable cl.u.s.ters of Galaxies and vibrating Ruination Swords bloomed out! This being that was just a Rank F Hunter months ago...was forming and throwing out literal miniaturized Galaxies towards his enemies... How vast the changes could be in such a short period of time! But Noah wasn¡¯t thoroughly done as even with this tremendous strength, he still wasn¡¯t getting through the defenses of this Half-a-Step Great Sage to be able to give the third option a possibility. This was where the clones in the Time Space of the Infinite Galaxy came in! They had been gaining Dao and Assimilation Crystals every time an Entity of the Spirit Race fell, and they gained an even larger number of Dao Crystals as the GALAXY Rank Spirit Race experts were also learned on the Dao, just not fully comprehending it yet. This meant that all the Daos the Spirit Race delved in...could now become Noah¡¯s! RUMBLE As he clashed with the Half-a-Step Great Sage, the glorious scene resumed as those around felt the aura of the Grand Dao of Destruction erupt around Noah. It passed through the stage of full comprehension in a second, and then jumped to full assimilation in another second! BOOOOM! His strength became even more explosive as the Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs became even more l.u.s.trous. RUMBLE! His body glimmered all sorts of colors as the pressure when released only became grander. Mind you, every fully assimilated Grand Dao gave him +10,000% Increased Damage on top of whatever unique things the specific Daos themselves granted! This was why his power was increasing greatly every second as he wanted to bring forth all the daos he could until he could overwhelm a Half-a-Step Great Sage purely on the percentage boosts alone. With his 15% purification paired up with the boosts of multiple Daos... THRUM! He continued as those around him stared towards his direction in shock, sensing Noah becoming an Entity in Daos and assimilating them all very quickly in just seconds! "Truly ridiculous and unfair how the Cosmos can be! For what reason should someone like you be able to exist? A being so young yet somehow comprehends Lesser and Grand Daos to completion and assimilated them in seconds?" RUMBLE "Do you see why I say the Cosmos are unprincipled? Do you understand?! Unless you were a monstrous Universal Realm Hegemony that comprehended the Cosmic Dao of Reincarnation and you are simply reclaiming your old comprehensions and Assimilations...what you¡¯re doing now just should not be allowed!" THRUM! The Half-a-Step Great Sage had been clashing with Noah and the others many times in the past few seconds as he seemed fine after each clash, but after Noah comprehended and assimilated his fifth Dao...the Half-a-Step Great Sage began to be pushed back. ...! The Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs around Noah only formed faster at this scene as they rumbled towards the Half-a-Step Great Sage, yet another Dao aura erupting from Noah! Vitality, fully comprehended and assimilated. Voidspace. Alacrity. Fortification. Slaughter. Summoning! RUMBLE! The Spirit Race truly had a vast array of beings that studied many different Daos, where Noah knew it to be the influence of the being that descended onto their souls a long time ago from the Primordial Cosmos. He was truly thankful for this as even if the beings killed didn¡¯t fully comprehend the Dao- just having proficiency in it would grant him a few Dao Crystals. With his comprehension and Assimilation boosts, it became a cake walk for him to do the shocking actions he was currently doing. But after the many Daos he just added in a matter of seconds, the one he added last just now was the one to cause a change even more wondrous than the special effects of Grand Daos. It was the small Lesser Dao of Summoning that went far to forge Noah¡¯s path until he got to where he was today! Chapter 883 - Merely a Great Sage! I The moment Noah fully assimilated the Dao of Summoning, information of its perks when fully assimilated floated into his mind! Grand Daos like the Sword gave one the ability to enter a Sword Form that doubled all the boosts of the Dao, Withering had a unique quality of deconstruction, the Grand Dao of Vastness granted one expansive mana reserves, and all the other respective Daos each had their own perks. The Lesser Dao of Summoning had its perk as well, and it might have not been a big deal to normal beings who fully assimilated it, or even someone like the Holy Emperor. But for Noah... {Aura of the Assimilator of Summoning}: A passive aura that only appears around those who have fully comprehended and assimilated the Lesser Dao of Summoning. It grants +5000% Increased Damage to the Summoner and Summoned Pets, and allows the Controller of Summoning to merge his Summons onto him in the form of armament, greatly increasing their battle prowess. Aside from a 5000% damage increase that would at this point seem minor with what we¡¯ve seen, it was the perk of an assimilator of the Dao of Summoning being able to merge with all his pets as they would seamlessly attach onto his body as armaments! Armaments! THRUM! His thoughts moved instantly as the essence followed, the enormous body of the Colossal Helios Leviathan that released deadly red rays of plasma being the first to turn into a streak of light as it shot towards Noah. The light that represented the Leviathan covered his c.h.e.s.t and torso as it shone brightly, the scene clearing up as a gorgeous set of blue-red armor with archaic runic inscriptions appeared grandly on Noah¡¯s body! With the appearance of this, this aura that Noah released became even more oppressive! RUMBLE! The figures of the rest of the pets began to shoot towards him as each of them went to a different part of his body. The Obsidian Panther wrapped around Noah¡¯s feet as sleek red-black boots with obsidian wings formed, while the Calamity Bear wrapped around Noah¡¯s neck and back as a majestic furred coat dr.a.p.ed his back! The Oculothorax turned into a streak of light that went into Noah¡¯s eyes, forming into stellar contacts that snuggly fit onto both of his eyes as they released horrendous rays of doom lights the moment they appeared. The light of Jormungandr split in two as within Noah¡¯s hands, curved serpentine blades that pulsated with an intense light appeared! Tiamat¡¯s enormous figure all went towards Noah¡¯s head and back as it wrapped around, a fearsome draconic head helm and crimson dragon wings forming over Noah that made him look like a dragon warrior! Lastly, the bright Golden Crow¡¯s light came to float above Noah¡¯s head as it formed into a luminous golden crown filled with archaic runic inscriptions. The golden crown vibrated and released a pulsing light constantly as it washed over Noah, his body constantly clad in vibrant lights. He stopped there as only the Blue Slime wasn¡¯t fully merged with in the form of an armament, but his current look was a devastating one! Morgana and the others found themselves breathless when they looked at this scene. Crimson wings on his back with a dragon helm, a l.u.s.trous armor with two serpentine swords as his eyes blazed with a soul destroying light. It was a shocking transformation that caused the aura of his body to rise to shocking levels! His clones that were merged with his pets. And now his pets that were on his body seamlessly to create a magisterial set of armament! The boosts...oh the f.u.c.k.i.n.g boosts! It wasn¡¯t cluttered. It wasn¡¯t spread apart. All of it came together in a DICTATORIAL fashion as with a stellar new look as blazing red eyes, he released an aura that was way past a Sage! Even compared to the Half-a-Step Great Sage in front of him...it seemed higher and more oppressive! At this juncture, Noah with the demeanor of a true expert moved to attack the stupefied Half-a-Step Great Sage. BOOOM! An innumerable number of Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs exploded out, these ones dealing damage multiple times greater than last time as they were now enhanced by a ridiculous amount of boosts! Even Noah was not able to quantify what percentage of boosts he was receiving, as he knew it wasn¡¯t all simply added up from the merged pets. All he knew was that his body felt invincible, and his strength like he could shatter full sized Galaxies with a swing of his swords! It was that sense of feeling! "Haha! What a Cosmos we live in! What grand creatures that can be born from it! Alright then, O Master of Ruination. Kill me! Let me be destroyed from the hands of the Master of Ruination! From this destruction, I will experience a rebirth as I gain a Cosmic Dao..." "From destruction comes rebirth, from Ruination..." THRUM! The figure of the Half-a-Step Great Sage vibrated with power as Noah¡¯s attacks were actually getting through its defenses. The serpentine Swords he held tore apart the shimmering blue on the body of the enormous Sage as a starry Expanse was exposed from within! The Half-a-Step Great Sage was actually excited as even though it wasn¡¯t the path he wanted of him experiencing the Ruination of the Dark Universe, the path of being killed by the Master of Ruination still granted the same result! All he had to do was have his main body make its way to the Ruination Sea with the newly gained Cosmic Dao...his only task being to locate Noah and take the Cosmic Treasure away from him. After all, no being in the ranks of Sages or Great Sages could escape the wrath of an expert multiple levels above these! So the Half-a-Step Great Sage saw the many unstable Galaxies heading towards him and the deadly Animus Summon turned swords as he actually...closed his eyes and welcomed the death of this body. He waited for the death of this portion of his soul and got ready to reap its rewards! Oh, the result of this action!!! A blue assassin that was acting on its own finally made its appearance at this time! Chapter 884 - Merely a Great Sage! II Pride. Oh, pride! It was the deep and conscious satisfaction of oneself, something that experts achieving grand realms have too much of in abundance. It is pride that causes the downfall of many beings, it is pride that is the cause of great experts becoming careless as all of sudden...they fall from their high pedestals and into an extremely painful experience! The Half-a-Step Great Sage has a true body in the Primordial Cosmos as he was extremely powerful, and he had such confidence in himself and the Dao of Destiny that in the last few seconds of the Final War of the Dark Universe...he pridefully closed his eyes as he awaited to experience Ruination from the hands of the Master of Ruination. He waited for what he was destined for...but it would never arrive! Noah¡¯s eyes shone brilliantly as while in his magisterial armor, he watched in slow motion as on the majestic Half-a-Step Great Stage with a brilliant blue crown spinning atop his head...the viscous mass of a Blue Slime unfolded. A singular blue slime! It came from the folds of space as it ballooned up instantly, the Great Sage only sensing it a millisecond later as a single thought crossed his brain. ¡¯Hmm?¡¯ Hmm- It was a stupendous thought that many had throughout their lives, and it was the last thought this being had! <> was cast from a Universal Emperor Slime that did not have an ounce of Ruination Essence in its body! RUMBLE! ...! A void shattering eruption of essence then occurred a second later, everything around the immediate thousands of miles trembling! --- The Cosmos were vast, mysterious, and most of all...fantastical. So fantastical that everything within them was something out of a being¡¯s wildest imagination, with the most shocking things being how many trillions of different things one could find across these Cosmos. The Primordial Cosmos were filled with many Universes, our subject today being a particular Universe that was fairly well known by the true powerhouses that had the capability to stroll around between Universes as they wished! It was a Universe that was known as the Cerulean Universe, a gorgeous expanse of an innumerable number of galaxies, with its key feature being the wondrous blue aurora of colors that permeated throughout its chaotic void. Towards the center of this Cerulean Universe, there was a particular region that many powerful experts of this Universe stayed away from- a region that was known as the domain of a powerful being! Irascible in nature and extremely devious, this being was one of the few experts within this Universe that was widely well known. For any that were powerful or courageous enough to enter the region, they would be able to find a certain location that had a circular, stellar shimmering Galaxy filled with trillions of stars. On top of this slowly rotating galaxy that was thousands of light years...one could shockingly see the figure of a being laying on top of it! Let me repeat that- a figure of a being lying on top of the thin boundary of a galaxy that contained trillions of stellar bodies, where the length of his body ran from the beginning to the edges of the Galaxy, with one foot even dangling freely from the edge of the Galaxy! It was...a monstrous and unbelievable scene to even imagine. BZZZT! The next second, this being¡¯s eyes opened as the void around him trembled and cracked, his immense voice ringing out. "WHAT!" The galaxy he was laying on trembled at his outburst as the being rose up, his hand coming down in anger as it smashed onto the barrier of the Galaxy and shattered it as if it were a thin film of paper, his hand going on to destroy an uncountable number of stellar bodies in the corner of the galaxy that his hand could cover! ...! "What the f.u.c.k?! What the F.U.C.K?!" RUMBLE! He rose up with a face full of anger as one could shockingly see the being to be shifting from being visible to illusory, an enormous blue crown situated grandly atop his head as at this time, it shimmered with an intense blue light that matched with the cerulean chaotic void in the surroundings. Extreme shock and wrath were apparent on this being¡¯s face as he was the one that was the sliver of the soul within the Half-a-Step Great Sage that was just within the Dark Universe! His shock came from the fact that the connection with the soul was cut off abruptly, his high Realm being able to see the soul deconstructed and devoured in its entirety by the sudden appearance of a viscous creature. ¡¯The creature...!¡¯ His mind moved at extreme speeds as the scenes of the Final War in the Dark Universe played out, all the ones with a certain Blue Slime being isolated as the face of this being became filled with more and more wrath! This single creature...caused for tens of thousands of years of hard work to go up in smoke... Over a hundred thousand years¡¯ worth of work....wasted! It was all wasted as while he waited for death, the Master of Ruination had actually stopped while the viscous body of a slime wrapped around him and devoured his body and soul in their entirety, wiping that sliver of the soul out from existence. No death by watching a Universe being destroyed with Ruination, no death from the Master of Ruination- it meant no comprehensions in a Cosmic Dao! Just death by being utterly wiped from existence as everything he had was taken by a singular round creature. "That slime...!" His thunderous voice rang out as the Cerulean Chaotic Void trembled, this knowledgeable expert quickly putting the pieces together after looking deeply at the Blue Slime and recalling the feeling of devouring before the sliver of his soul disappeared. "A Universal Emperor Slime...that wretch actually obtained a Universal Emperor Slime on top of a Cosmic Treasure and Dao?!" RUMBLE! Within the unique cerulean chaotic void that took a blue hue, he seemed to be truly at home as this being was born from the essence of this Universe! "Hah! Truly what an unfair cosmos we live in! Ruining all my years of hard work and obtaining everything for yourself...? It won¡¯t be so easy!" ..! The resplendent blue crown of the terrifying being shimmered as he rose up, his eyes that were larger than many stellar bodies stacked together shining with a dominating cold light as the image of a singular being filled his mind. It was the being situated domineeringly upon a throne of Ruination. The being whose eyes seemed to always be looking down on those he faced, eyes that blazed with resplendent beams of red light! "Noah...Osmont!!!" THRUM! Chapter 885 - The Rebirth of RUINATION! I "Noah...Osmont!!!" THRUM! His shout reverberated across the cerulean chaotic void as many thoughts crossed his mind. He had long since known of the name of the being he was batting when he could still utilize the Grand Dao of Destiny against him, and his focus was on this being and the Universal Emperor Slime he commanded. "A creature such as that was outlawed and marked for murder across all cosmos, yet you just happened to have one!" WAA! His mere emotions caused the cerulean chaotic void to tremble as he continued. "I will not be cheated out of a Cosmic Treasure and Dao so easily..." His enormous body now sat at the edge of the Galaxy as many plans seemed to cure through his mind at this moment. "To succeed in saving your universe, all you can do with the combined Cosmic Treasure is stave off the advancement of Ruination Essence as you try and connect it back to the Primordial Cosmos..." "But even the Sages and Great Sages of your universe perished as they didn¡¯t have what it took before! Even if you have the prerequisite of the Cosmic Dao, are your mana reserves as much as multiple Great Sages or a Universal Realm Hegemony?! Hmph!" RUMBLE The body of the terrifyingly sized being stood up as the Galaxy below him quaked. "I actually wish you succeed in returning your Universe to the Cosmos! Because then...!" Devious light shone from the stellar eyes of the being as his body erupted with the golden light of Destiny. Many plans were weaved in preparation for what would happen with the lost Dark Universe! --- Back in the Dark Universe, a shocking scene of a trembling Blue Slime that had just absorbed a Half-a-Step Great Sage was playing out! Before anything else could happen, the viscous body of the Blue Slime seemed to be expanding and contracting as if it had eaten something it shouldn¡¯t have. BLEEERGH! A belching sound came as the Blue Slime ridiculously puked out some things...the things turning out to be two slimy red dark cubes that were the Ruination Cores! "Ah..." The Ruination Cores that were in on the body of the devoured Half-a-Step Great Sage where thrown out as they were actually stupendous enough to be items that were not devourable even with the absolute skill of the Blue Slime. Noah¡¯s armored body vibrantly floated in the chaotic void as the Ruination Cores sank into his Origin, trying to find their respective location as at this moment, all 6 were about to be gathered together once more under the being proficient in the Cosmic Dao of Ruination. The being that could actually use the Cosmic Treasure fully! RUMBLE! At the same time, the body of the Blue Slime had begun releasing a space shattering aura as its strength surged. The Legions of the Infinite Galaxy looked towards it in shock as the moment they observed the biggest boss of the Spirit Race fall, the rest of the army of the Spirit Race became dimmer as they seemed to have lost a great supporter! The bodies of the Spirit Race turned listless, Legions of the Infinite Galaxy shouting out with vigor as they moved to finish them off. Not a single one should be left alive on their eyes! OOOOOH! RAA! RAA The victorious cries of many beings rang out as they moved to collect loot, but Noah¡¯s resonant voice rang out and stopped all of them. "Stop, we have reached a critical junction with the apocalypse. Return to the Infinite Galaxy!" RIIIIP! The moment his words finished, a rupture spread out a few hundred thousand miles away to get his point across. The Infinite Galaxy bloomed out to the size of a small planet in the chaotic void under the command of Noah, the Legions instantly beginning to rush into it under Noah¡¯s command! Morgana and The Sword Emperor came towards Noah with shining eyes as they began to so see his body shoot out l.u.s.trous red light, knowing a reaction was happening after all the Ruination Cores were obtained as they waited to see the results. They had actually succeeded! Against a Half-a-Step Great Sage, they had actually come out on top! They looked towards Noah with visible shock and stupor at the level of power his body released, their figures then flashing towards the Infinite Galaxy as they only spread their auras out to see what was occurring in the outside void. It only took less than a minute for the Legions to be returned into the Infinite Galaxy, just as quickly as they were brought out. Noah waved his hands to warp this Slime into the Infinite Galaxy as well- becoming the sole being in the chaotic void aside from the listless Spirit Race that looked forward with hazy eyes! RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s body shone even brighter as the two Ruination Cores settled into their respective law origins, a wondrous reaction beginning at this moment as across the chaotic void and on the overall Dark Universe...an Apocalypse was accelerating. Fractures spread throughout as the piece of the Cosmos that was cut off could no longer protect itself from the destructive Sea of Ruination, being eaten up all around as it was only a matter of time before everything was swallowed up! At this moment as Noah watched ruptures appear one after another hundreds of thousands of miles away, with some even coming tens of thousands of miles close, his eyes were calm as he beckoned towards his throne of Ruination. The Light of Destiny flooded from his eyes as it told him of the time he had, as he ascertained what he had to do in the next few minutes. THRUM! His figure sat on the Ruination Throne grandly once more as he looked around the chaotic universe facing destruction. His c.h.e.s.t was shining out brightly as within it- the shocking rebirth of something powerful was occurring! It was the treasure that the Sages and Great Sages of the past utilized to strengthen themselves, but because they did not have the proper requirements to use it, they only brought themselves and their Universe Ruination. It was the Cosmic Treasure that forces from nearby Universes fought over, a Treasure that even an expert of the Cerulean Universe failed to get his hands on even after over a hundred thousand years! In the c.h.e.s.t of an Emperor atop a Throne, the Rebirth of the Cosmic Treasure Ruination was taking place! Chapter 886 - The Rebirth of RUINATION! II Noah¡¯s thoughts were many as he sat upon his Ruination Throne and saw the ruptures spreading from far away. His eyes shone with a golden light as he peered through the mysteries of many things, his c.h.e.s.t only continuing to get brighter as an enormous amount of essence from him and the chaotic void was constantly being s.u.c.k.e.d in to help with the Rebirth of Ruination! The 6 Cores were rotating mystically within his law origins as the line of connection that attached all of them together pulled them closer and closer until the square cubes smashed into each other. BZZZT! Reverberations exploded out as on the outside, Noah¡¯s c.h.e.s.t was seemingly exploding out with red light. Inside his Origin, the Ruination Cores had actually begun liquifying the moment they touched as at this moment, they melded together to reform into a single Cosmic Treasure! This was actually a truly important point to keep in mind- the fact that the Rebirth of such a treasure was occurring inside the Origin of a being. The birthplace of something is naturally their home, and the birthplace of Ruination...would naturally be its home! Even the Half-a-Step Great Sage had been wrong when he voiced out that the moment he succeeded, he would traverse the Ruination Sea to come find and kill Noah while retaking Ruination. Unlike other Cosmic Treasures that all remained Myths, Ruination was about to be the first one that was reborn inside the Origin of a being! THRUUM! Noah observed the progress while he sat upon his throne, his eyes observing the fractures to be spreading out and getting ever closer. But the process of rebirth within his origin...was nearly complete. The Cores that liquefied and melded together came to form not a square- but a round shape as the reborn Cosmic Treasure was circular! RUMBLE! Noah watched as the moment the circular Treasure fully formed, a majestic beam of red light shot forth from his body and crossed the millions of miles above him, the circular treasure that was Ruination beginning to form bright points of light within it that looked like wondrous Galaxies. RUUMBLE! Noah¡¯s body trembled upon the Ruination Throne as he felt an extremely clear connection form with something that seemed way out of his league at this moment. A second later, something shocking was heard in his mind! [I...have been reborn!] THRUM! Like lightning descending down, a voice crossed Noah¡¯s mind as he nearly fell out of his majestic chair, focusing on its source that was the Cosmic Treasure Ruination. [It is I!] Every single word it released was accompanied by the chaotic void shaking as Noah gave a light smile. At this point, he wasn¡¯t shocked that a Cosmic Treasure could have consciousness and speak and he sent his thoughts into it while gleaming its information. "Yes, it is you. Reformed as one after all this time, but we have to move fast to stop the fractures spreading throughout the Universe." [It is but an easy thing, O Master. Have you familiarized yourself with my features that you can currently use?] Ruination spoke of stopping the fractures plaguing the Dark Universe as something simple, Noah smiling as he glanced upon the information of this Cosmic Treasure! COSMIC :: A treasure of Cosmic proportions. Anyone obtaining this could be considered to have won in life as unless they perish from an early death, their rise into a Universal Hegemony is all but guaranteed. To be properly used, a being proficient in the Cosmic Dao of Ruination is required. Any use without this condition met will always result in Ruination. The Absolute Skills provided from the Cosmic Dao of Ruination are usable in conjunction with this treasure, with these abilities including , , , , . Unusable abilities include Ruination Primordial Clone, Dao Birth... A great deal of information and uses of Ruination were displayed, but Noah only needed to focus on the first absolute skill for now, it was Master of Ruination! :: The ability to bend Ruination Essence within the body of the Master of Ruination and outside of it to their will. Simple in name and definition, stupendous in its results. "Utilize the absolute skill ." ...! [What is the scope you wish for, Master?] The void of the Cosmic Treasure lingered in his mind as while he sat upon his dictatorial throne, he uttered out domineeringly! "The scope is this entire Universe. Stop the advancement of the destructive Sea of Ruination into the Dark Universe." RUMBLE! A domineering command, but one that was followed fully as from Noah¡¯s c.h.e.s.t, the glimmering red circle that was Ruination was released! [To cover the light years of an entire Universe, a truly dense reserves of Mana will be required that Master might not- oh...never mind!] THRUM! The Cosmic Treasure had begun speaking about mana, but changed its words half way when through the connection with its new master- it realized that his mana reserves were boundless! It shone with a luminous l.u.s.ter as millions upon millions of galaxies could be seen floating within the Cosmic Treasure that began to shine with an immense brilliance that shot out towards every single area. From where Noah floated atop his throne, a brilliant red light erupted out as wondrously, there was a Fracture that was about to instantly tear apart the area in the nearly hundreds of miles, but the moment that the red light extending from the Cosmic Treasure passed through this location, the Fracture disappeared! The chaotic void was restored as the essence of Ruination was wiped away, the light of the Cosmic Treasure only getting faster as it spread its reach as far as it could, the goal being to wrap an entire Universe to stop the advancement of the destructive energies of the Ruination Sea that were plaguing it! How vast was a Universe? How many quadrillions of life forms were spread throughout? Just how wondrous was the Dark Universe?! Chapter 887 - I Own a Cosmic Treasure I The Ancient Powers were only the cl.u.s.ters of power houses within the Dark Universe as they resided within Galactic Filaments, and they only took over a minute small portion of such a vast area! A majority of the millions of Galaxies within the Universe were similar to Noah¡¯s- isolated and never having even heard about other Galaxies or Ancient Powers. Even with Noah traveling a negligible portion of the Universe in the past weeks, he came across over thousands of Galaxies that were spread out far apart! At this moment, he had commanded his Cosmic Treasure to cast an absolute skill that covered this entire Universe that even he himself had barely discovered the edge of! The wave of red essence traveled out rapidly as it covered many light years every millisecond, the Fractures that were spreading out across the affected area of the Universe all fading the moment this red light passed through them! This was because it was the command under the skill of ! The deadly Ruination Essence could do nothing but obey the will of the Cosmic Treasure and its Master. So the light of the Cosmic Treasure continued to cross the hundreds of thousands of light years quickly! The Dark Universe was vast, being over 100 BILLION Light Years before one could come across the edge of the observable Universe and find themselves faced with a never ending Ruination Sea. Within it, the Galactic Filaments like the ones that made up Ancient Powers were many, but lone Galaxies spreading throughout were even more numerous! How many of them fell under the decimating damage of the Sea of Ruination was unknown, but millions of Galaxies were kept safe and sound as the light of a Cosmic Treasure wiped out all the essence of Ruination. The light covered 10 billion light years. Then 50 billion. Ultimately...over 100 Billion light years of the Dark Universe glimmered with the light of the Cosmic Treasure that was using the mana reserves of a being that had an infinite amount of! RUMBLE Noah still sat on the Ruination Throne as he experienced a unique feeling. He didn¡¯t feel drained of energy or anything as to him, it didn¡¯t even feel like he cast an ability that affected the whole Universe! Noah heard the shocking words of the Cosmic Treasure as he smiled. "That easy?" [That easy, Master. Though the kids that tried using me before to cause a portion of the Ruination Sea to rip apart this Universe from its Primordial Cosmos created a situation where even if the Ruination Essence outside does not ravage this Universe, it still does not have the essence to sustain itself.] RUMBLE! A shocking truth was released from the Cosmic Treasure as it called Sages and Great Sages kids along the way. Noah¡¯s expression was thoughtful as the light of Destiny and many other Dao Essence swirled in his mind. "What sustains the Primordial Cosmos?" [...the Primordial Essence. I know what you are thinking, Master, but it will be nearly impossible to sustain this Universe with Ruination Essence. It was born from Primordial Essence that is of a different nature.] [The only solution is to reconnect the Universe back to the Primordial Cosmos- like a piece of a puzzle completing the whole picture. Only then can the Universe be rejuvenated by its Primordial Essence. As of right now, the reason why it could no longer protect itself from Ruination Essence is because the reserves of Primordial Essence sustaining it have reduced greatly the past tens of thousands of years. Even now, after my protection from the Ruination Sea...this Universe will only last a few hundred years before it breaks down entirely!] The cold truth from the Cosmic Treasure would make anyone despair, but Noah only had a light smile as he tapped his finger upon his throne. "A few hundred years..." His eyes were filled with an intense light as he thought of many things! He was thinking of the terrifying expert he had just killed, knowing that the moment the Dark Universe was reconnected to the Primordial Cosmos, the beings within it would be alerted as the fate thereafter was something left in the air. But the Dark Universe could not just continue floating in the Ruination Sea as it needed Primordial Essence as its source of energy! Even when Noah¡¯s thoughts jumped to using Ruination Essence as the replacement, the Cosmic Treasure denied this possibility! His eyes shimmered with light as he looked at the shining Cosmic Treasure that contained an image of innumerable Galaxies within it. Through their connection, he sent information about his Infinite Galaxy to this newly reborn Treasure while he spoke. "What if I change the nature of the Universe? What if I devour all the galaxies within it? What if I locate whatever the core of this Universe is and I form a connection with it, and through my connection to the Infinite Galaxy...change the source of the essence of the Universe to accept Ruination?" RUMBLE! A shocking assertion! [I...well damn. I mean, maybe?] Even the Cosmic Treasure had entered a state of stupor at the domineering claim as Noah nodded with a smiling expression. "Good! We have much work to do!" RUMBLE! The shocking Cosmic Treasure was absorbed back into his c.h.e.s.t as he looked at the nearby chaotic void that had the listless body of the Spirit Race that felt like they had lost their souls, looking even deeper into the Spirit Domains that contained who knew how many more of these beings. The presence of the being outside the Universe had disappeared as the power of this Race of beings...fell by more than 99%! A debate on the fate of these beings passed through Noah¡¯s mind as with a heavy heart and a sigh, numerous Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs bloomed in front of him. They thundered towards the listless remaining army of the Spirit Race as for Noah, there was still too many unknowns with the enemy that had its mind take over these beings. His heart was heavy as he watched the destructive scenes that played out next with the explosions of the Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs, waving his hands to collect the loot after a few minutes passed! He disappeared from the chaotic void as his Ruination Throne appeared inside the Infinite Galaxy. It was on a starry space where the Legions were placed in waiting for word, all of their eyes turning towards Noah when he appeared! They looked at the fearsome looking being on the throne as they heard his words reverberate out. "We were victorious!" RUMBLE! It was but a few words. But they were words that contained a great deal of information! "OHHHH!" "VICTORY!" "For the Dark Universe!" "For the Tyrannical Emperor!" Reverberations began spreading throughout as shocking celebrations erupted, the Sword Emperor shaking with emotions as Morgana was only staring at Noah with continued shock and disbelief on the side. "Our Master¡¯s dream...!" The emotional Sword Emperor was surrounded by his Sword Kings as they looked upon the enthroned Noah with shining eyes full of wonder. Barbatos and the other Harbingers of Sin came close to celebrate as further away from this area in the stellar space, a wondrous Blue Slime was upgrading to become a Half-a-Step Great Sage as the two clones Noah had absorbing Dao and Assimilation Crystals were in front of it watching the process for when he did it himself! He released the other 7 pets from their merged state with him as they would join for the coming celebrations, but he had a great deal of things to do himself as his attention was turned towards the Cosmic Treasure. He had only looked at its feature of that stopped the advancement of the destruction of Ruination Essence into the Dark Universe, just how monstrous were its other features?! It had many features he could use and explore, but his heart couldn¡¯t take it as he had to peek at one that he couldn¡¯t believe just from its name. :: From destruction comes rebirth. With the exception of very few things, any item placed within Ruination will be deconstructed and then duplicated. "..." Chapter 888 - I Own a Cosmic Treasure II :: From destruction comes rebirth. With the exception of very few things, any item placed within Ruination will be deconstructed and then duplicated. It seemed to be a very simple feature on the surface! Anything placed within Ruination would be deconstructed and then duplicated...simple, but the possible uses for it were shocking! Within Noah¡¯s Expansive Space right now were a great deal of Dao Comprehension and Assimilation Crystals, GALAXY Cores, and Skill Books. All of these things...the rarest type of loot anyone in the Dark Universe had collected- could he be able to duplicate it with this new feature? [Naturally, Master. After all, I am a Cosmic Treasure. This ability is not even one of the ones I consider truly useful. The ones you cannot use right now are even better.] The voice of the Cosmic Treasure rang out in his mind as a smile bloomed on Noah¡¯s face. He waved his hands as he ushered forth a multitude of glimmering Cores and Dao Crystals, all of this loot flowing into the small circular Cosmic Treasure that s.u.c.k.e.d them in like a black hole. THRUUM! A wondrous flash of light illuminated the surroundings. A brilliant red light thereafter, a sea of loot double what he had put in before was spat out as RUINATION shone with a luminous light! [Everything that has been deconstructed and then recreated in double its amount cannot be placed in again, otherwise all Cosmic Laws would be broken with you just constantly duplicating the same things again and again.] The Cosmic Treasure voiced out what Noah already expected, his eyes shining intensely as he waved his hands to collect his loot that he had truly doubled just with a wave of his hands! What a Cosmic Treasure this was! His eyes then went towards the ability of . :: A unique Realm only the Master of Ruination can enter. Time flows at a rate of 1000:1, where a thousand years passing in the Ruination Realm is one year passing in the Cosmos. When inside, the perks of +50,000% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation in the Cosmic Dao of Ruination is granted, along with +25,000% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Daos. The Ruination Essence within is purer than even the Ruination Sea as it is the perfect place to form the Ruination Primordial Clone. The Ruination Realm can also Simulate all Enemies the Master of Ruination has come across before for the purposes of training. "F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell..." Noah breathed out in shock at this feature of the Cosmic Treasure as it was simply too ridiculous. His wondrous Infinite Galaxy had the max 100:1 time flow between it and the outside world, and yet this feature of Ruination Realm would grant him 1000:1, on top of other shocking perks! [I like the Ruination Realm, Master. I haven¡¯t been back there since I last left after my birth.] The Cosmic Treasure released more shocking truths as Noah just nodded, his eyes going towards the other two features that he could currently utilize. :: On top of the Affixes that were available through the pieces of RUINATION, the Master of Ruination can generate as many Affixes as he wishes, as long as they do not interfere or heavily influence the Cosmos. 6 Affixes are capable of being selected at once. :: The Cosmos are surrounded by a Sea of Ruination, with Universes being bound and protected by Primordial Essence. This ability can be utilized on a large scale to affect a willing universe, or used by the Master of Ruination to seamlessly pierce into and arrive into any known Universes that the Cosmic Treasure has passed through before. Currently available Universes- Euthenia Universe, Automaton Universe, Animus Universe, Microbial Universe, Necrotic Universe, Cerulean Universe, Elysian Universe, Chthonian Universe... Noah finally came across the ability that the Sages and Great Sages of the past had utilized- the ability that reaped all their lives and allowed for Ruination to descend unto the Dark Universe until it nearly underwent an Apocalypse! But the phrase ¡¯willing universe¡¯ within the definition gave Noah many ideas as it affirmed there was some sort of consciousness for the Dark Universe, and he was beckoning it to stop being so damn slow and come to him already so he could get things rolling! But the golden light of Destiny gave him no such information on this as he focused on the features again. Universe Piercer also granted him the ability to travel between universes that RUINATION had come across before, and when he focused his eyes on the listed Universes...he found that there were too many in number! A much larger number of Universes than he expected. His eyes focused on the Animus Universe where Tiamat was unjustly killed by the collusion of some of the Supreme Bloodlines, and then onto the Necrotic Universe where he was able to call the Nether Lich Emperor from! He could...go into these Universes if he wished, but he had to collect a great deal of information before he did so. Some things were crucial as Universes like his existed where beings only came up to the stage of a Sage or Great Sage, while other Universes had the super duper big bosses in the Universal Realm that were known as Hegemonies! Their rank stupidly had the term ¡¯Universe¡¯ in it, making Noah extremely careful to even step into any Universes in the future with his shiny new Cosmic Treasure. If he ever did so, he didn¡¯t see a problem in sending his clones, or even the feature that was currently locked for him- the Ruination Primordial Clone! "The locked features...?" [Master has gained ownership of me, but he still needs to use his Origin Essence to refine me and brand a portion of his soul onto me. When the Master has fully refined the Cosmic Treasure, he can use everything it offers. A Universal Realm Hegemony would have been able to refine me in a few hours, but Master is currently too weak to do so.] "..." Chapter 889 - GALACTIC FILAMENT! I As a Cosmic Treasure called its master weak, the celebrations continued in the wondrous Infinite Galaxy. The Sword Emperor was laughing jovially as he drank with his Sword Kings, realizing the dream of his Master who sacrificed his life to give the time required for the Master of Ruination to be born! His hand in creating an Immemorial Sword Dungeon and accelerating the strength of Noah helped them get where they were today! "Drink!" The wondrous fruits and herbs of the Infinite Galaxy were enjoyed to the fullest as many beings felt a huge weight lifted off their shoulders. RAA! A certain Penguin was boasting of his achievements as the Harbingers of Sin came together, with the eyes of Barbatos being glued to Morgana who sat opposite her. The Sage didn¡¯t get any special treatment from the Harbingers of Sin as at this moment, there were golden drinks filled to the brim in front of her and Barbatos! "I could at least out drink a child." "I f.u.c.k.i.n.g dare you to try." BZZT! Essence buzzed around wildly as the two women grabbed the Golden drinks and began chugging them. Off to the side, Kazuhiko¡¯s face was flushed as he was rambling on at a cold faced Anna and Athena. The two valiant women looked at this Sword King in disdain as he voiced out loudly. "You see, I was with Noah first before anyone else, so I know how this goes! Listen..." "...we saved our home world from an invasion against Demons, and then went on to conquer a bunch of worlds after that! We stood against tyrants of our Galaxy until we overcame them! Well...it was really Noah doing all the work..." Kazuhiko seemed to have a thoughtful look amidst his ramblings as the Imperial Phoenix came to join the party of two girls while signaling them with her eyes that this would continue for a while. "But the point is! We conquered worlds and Realms, and now Noah is fusing Galaxies so he could probably take over the Universe! That crazy guy...you all just wait when the time comes to conquer Universes!" RUMBLE! The ramblings of Kazuhiko got many beings to look at each other with shining lights as they ascertained his words for truthfulness. "Who will still be a major player when that starts...which of us will stand tall and strong to even provide Noah with any aid? Haha!" "Alright, alright." Steel Mikhail stepped in as he moved the rambling Kazuhiko away from the women who turned their eyes towards a certain location in the stellar space they were in. It was in a Time Space where one of Noah¡¯s clones was watching a Blue Slime closely. On the body of this fearsome Blue Slime, the essence of Daos even more numerous than Noah¡¯s shone out brilliantly. This was a natural course after swallowing the portion of a soul of an expert that had spent hundreds of thousands of years comprehending multiple Daos! At this moment, unstable Galaxies were shining and trembling in the Origin of the Blue Slime as it shockingly obtained the Realm of the being it Devoured! Half-a-Step Great Sage! "To step into the Galactic Filament Realm, you have to nurture your Galaxy with the essence of Assimilated Daos to birth more Galaxies. You have many Daos on you little guy, come on!" Noah spoke to the wobbly blue slime that seemed drunk on power, bobbing itself up and down as it was seemingly promising to stabilize the newly forming unstable Galaxies and fully step into the Galactic Filament Realm. Noah¡¯s clone smiled as he looked where the raucous celebrations were ongoing, choosing to let the powerful beings of the Infinite Galaxy enjoy themselves some more before another clone appeared in front of them with the Duplicated Cores and Dao Crystals! Off to the side, the voluptuous figure of Tiamat could be seen as she bit her lips while looking at Noah. "I...you...you really became a Sage in less than a hundred years..." Noah looked towards her as he remembered something and laughed heartily. "Oh yes, our bet! Well, not even a hundred years, but a few weeks have passed since that time? I frankly thought it would take me a bit longer too. I have myself to blame for being too outstanding." ".." Tiamat stayed silently as her eyes shimmered with the light of stars, getting in front of Noah as this terrifying being with a stupendous identity...fell to her knees! Her full c.h.e.s.t glistened in the wondrous colors within the time space as she voiced out with a firm voice. "Unbelievable rate of progression, assimilating daos as if they were nothing, gaining a Cosmic Dao while still an Entity...you have a rap sheet that would even make Universal Realm Hegemonies jealous!" RUMBLE! "I...I pledge my full allegiance to you, Master. You have my trust...and my heart if you wish for it!" ...! The domineering Queen Dowager could not help but succ.u.mb to the Tyrannical Emperor, this powerful Progenitor of Dragons kneeling in front of him in a shocking scene that would make the knowledgeable beings of the Animus Universe gape in shock. Noah came down to the level of Tiamat as he placed his hand on her chin to lift the face of the Queen Dowager up. He looked into her red draconian eyes as he spoke with a smile! "I told you that as one of my people, I would settle all grievances you have. I haven¡¯t forgotten about your wishes in the Animus Universe! Focus on increasing your power for now as you work back to regaining your Cosmic Dao. We¡¯ll start by making you and the others Sages and Great Sages..." Noah spoke domineeringly as Tiamat rose with a smile, replying with sweet words that were filled with trust. "Yes, Master!" The scenes gradually changed and shifted as time passed, Noah¡¯s words being those of Truth as he truly had the capability to make more Sages and Great Sages! As for the Great Sages? Well, such a thing could easily be done by him to his Animus Summons after he stepped on this path himself! He was telling the wobbly blue slime that his existence that held many Daos would be able to easily stabilize his Realm and advance into a Great Sage, but this situation applied to him even more as he had assimilated a great deal of Daos! In the chaotic void, Noah¡¯s main body returned as he remained situated upon the Ruination Throne, twirling with the bright Cosmic Treasure within his hands. "Let¡¯s visit the Ruination Realm. Let me experience a thousand days there in exchange for one...let me advance into the next Realm for the first time ever without relying on Cores of the same level!" ...! With the absence of Galactic Filament Cores as the Blue Slime had devoured everything for himself, Noah was left without Cores to advance his Realm as he chose to do it himself! Chapter 890 - GALACTIC FILAMENT! II The glimmering Cosmic Treasure released an oppressive light that wrapped around Noah and the throne he sat on, his figure disappearing from the chaotic void. The place he appeared was not within the Dark Universe nor within the Primordial Cosmos, but a location no other being had stepped on- it was the Ruination Realm that existed somewhere deep within the Ruination Sea! SHAA! His figure appeared in a space that was tinged red with a hint of gold, rivers of deeply crimson Ruination essence flowing smoothly in front of his eyes as they seemed extremely dense. Every breath he took here made his every cell feel extremely vibrant and full of life as even the Cosmic Treasure flowed from him to spin around the area! [The Ruination Realm is the place to come to when you need to increase your strength and even for Purification. Master can easily break into the Galactic Filament Realm here.] Its voice flowed out as Noah nodded, closing his eyes as he felt the abundant Ruination Essence around him. As he got familiar with the new environment, Information of his Stat Panel freely flowed into his mind as it showed him how far he had come! [Noah Osmont][Title(s): Sage, Infernal Lord(Variant), Controller(All Laws)] [Trait(s) : Infinite Mana & Protagonist] [Bloodline(s): Vampyre Progenitor] [Vitality: GALAXY(PEAK)] [Focus: ¡Þ ] [Strength: GALAXY(PEAK)] [Law(s) : Life-100%, Death-100%, Aether- 100%, Karma-100%,Fate-100%,Chaos-100%, Light-100%, Dark-100%, Space-100%, Time-100%, Fire-100%, Water-100%, Earth-100%, Air-100%] [Universal Laws Assimilation: 100%] [Primeval Propitious Physique: 100%] [Skill Points :: 39,125,269] His stat panel made him look like a maxed out character that someone had spent too much time on to achieve excellence on every possible avenue, but he had only done it in a matter of weeks! And after this time, he was making a bid to advance even further as he focused on his Manifested Galaxy that had been enriched to the fullest, and yet it hadn¡¯t advanced to the next stage! To further increase and birth more Galaxies, a being had to enrich their origin with the essence of their assimilated Daos. Within this wondrous Ruination Realm that had 1000:1 time ratio, this was exactly what Noah had begun to do as he utilized the essence of the many Daos he had recently assimilated and sent them all to his origin. THRUM! The Manifested Galaxy trembled with power as the stellar bodies within it shone gloriously, beginning to pulsate and expand as after being stagnant in the GALAXY Realm for so long, Noah was going forward to try and forge more Galaxies and build up his Galactic Filament! The past Sages of the Dark Universe had undergone a similar process, but very few of them had managed to comprehend many Daos, and thus it was harder for them to form new Galaxies and step into the stage of a Great Sage! After observing his own Animus Summon forge towards this level and having an overabundance of Assimilated Daos himself, it was only a matter of time before he advanced. And time...he had an abundant amount of! In a day, he finished enriching his Manifested Galaxy as it pulsed out with power, many smaller Galactic Nuclei slowly being born around it in a grand manner. In a week, the Nuclei began forming into their own Galaxies as they shook with instability, needing to be enriched with Dao Essence even more before they could become genuine Galaxies! Another 3 weeks passed within the Ruination Realm, and a space shattering aura erupted from Noah as at this moment- multiple vibrant Galaxies floated within his origin! No need for Cores of the Realm, no need to even depend on others! For the GALACTIC FILAMENT Realm, he stepped on it himself as his body upon the Ruination Throne buzzed with power. He opened his eyes as his body shone with a gorgeous splendor! On his c.h.e.s.t, the swirling manifestations of many Galaxies could be seen, where there was currently 10 in number. Such a wondrous title just less than a year since he stepped on the path of power! [That took you longer than I expected, Master.] The Cosmic Treasure commented lightly as it floated around the rivers of Ruination Essence gleefully, stopping in front of Noah¡¯s grand visage that trembled trembled power. Noah was in a stupor as he agreed, but he defended himself nonetheless! "It was my first time breaking through a Realm naturally, even though a month was long, less than an hour has passed in the Cosmos!" RUMBLE! The Master and Cosmic Treasure had a shocking conversation that would make the geniuses of the Cosmos spit blood. A month to achieve the stage of Great Sage? Other beings needed thousands upon thousands of years to do so! Yet Noah had spent over a month in the Ruination Realm as in the outside Cosmos...less than an hour had passed... The Cosmic Treasure voiced out again as Noah nodded. The time difference was so shocking that he could spend a year in here, and only 9 or so hours would have passed outside the Cosmos! He planned to utilize this to the fullest by having his clones or his main body remain in this location at all times to enjoy this boon while working towards achieving full comprehension in a Cosmic Dao that he could not use any outside tools to increase. "It¡¯s time to fully put all focus into fusing Galaxies and locating the core of the Dark Universe..." On top of the many things he had to do after achieving Galactic Filament like increase the Realms of his pets and comprehend the Cosmic Dao, he would be having all clones actively spread throughout the Dark Universe to come in contact with and fuse the Galaxies spread throughout! Chapter 891 - Making Sages is Actually Very Easy For the near future, Noah planned to have the clones teleporting back and forth with the Infinite Galaxy as they undertook the mission that was the basis to save the Dark Universe. Aside from this, Noah had to find the core of this Dark Universe as he needed its cooperation before many things could be done! At this moment, Noah left the Ruination Realm as he returned to the Dark Universe. The miniaturized Infinite Galaxy was still at the same location he had left it, his hands reaching towards it as he thought of how many days and months would have to be spent going around the Dark Universe to collect the 100,000 Galaxies he needed for the next advancement of this wondrous Treasure. He was about to summon his clones to begin fanning out and wading through the chaotic void in search of galaxies when he came to a stop, his eyes shining brightly as he turned to the Cosmic Treasure that was floating beside him! "You...still have active as you are actively protecting all of the Dark Universe from the advancement of the Ruination Essence from the Sea of Ruination, right?" Noah recalled the first feature he had used after the Rebirth of the Cosmic Treasure- the feature that released a red wave of essence that was currently keeping the Dark Universe from being ravaged by fractures! [Yes, Master.] "Since you are protecting all the 100 Billion Light Years, you know where everything is in the Dark Universe?" RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s eyes shone with bright rays of light as he asked this question. [Yes, Master. Hmm? Oh! Yes, there are many Galaxies and cl.u.s.ters of Galaxies located throughout, if Master wants to quickly carry out the idea of fusing Galaxies with that unique Treasure, I can send you the mental image of the area for you to even teleport to the Galaxy¡¯s location right away!] "..." The Cosmic Treasure very quickly caught onto Noah¡¯s thought process as it replied with vigor, Noah nearly laughing at this scene as the hard task of wading through millions of light years for months to locate and fuse the required Galaxies...was reduced to a negligible amount of time! He...felt extremely good at finding such a method as it felt like he was speedrunning a tedious task that would have taken a significant amount of time. "Good!" The Cosmic Treasure shone vibrantly at the praise as Noah himself moved this time around for the task of fusing Galaxies with the help of a few clones. He had other clones within the Infinite Galaxy gather the celebrating forces as they got ready to stabilize the infusion of a truly great number of Galaxies! It wouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue as the isolated Galaxies Noah was about to fuse wouldn¡¯t have powerful beings like Entities or Sages, being similar to Noah¡¯s home Galaxy that barely had a Nebula Realm expert at the peak. While other clones handled this task, one would be handing out the duplicated Cores and Dao Crystals to begin the process of mass producing Entities and Sages, one clone would be sent to the Ruination Realm and be forever stationed there for the purposes of comprehending the Cosmic Dao, while another one would have the task of upgrading the Realms of the Animus Summons to Galactic Filament! Noah was moving with extreme efficiency as he was doing a great deal of things simultaneously, his speed unmatched at this moment as with a vibrant new Realm, he felt pumped to do many things! A clone had already arrived in front of the Blue Slime that had been trying to stabilize its Galaxies, only an hour having passed for the slime and all others as it raised its wobbly body to find its Master had somehow already stepped on Galactic Filament fully before it. ...! Alarm overcame the Blue Slime as its wiggly body formed question marks and exclamations, Noah¡¯s clone merely laughing as his essence moved to personally stabilize and elevate the Realm of the Blue Slime! The others were teleported into the area as well, Tiamat watching the scene of Noah¡¯s clone that had multiple revolving Manifested Galaxies with shining eyes. ¡¯With someone like him by my side...those traitors will all be eaten up!¡¯ Her gaze was fiery as the Queen Dowager rushed to her Master so that her strength could be increased as well. The kingly Calamity Bear stroked its chin with majestic pride as the J?rmungandr eyes turned into dangerous slits, also being very happy at having found such a Master! CAA! All the pets went forward to have their Realms elevated as in another region where the celebrations were brought to a close, another one of Noah¡¯s clones at the Realm of Galactic Filament stood in front of the Sages and Entities of his Infinite Galaxy. "You...you...!" Morgana¡¯s small face was dripping with shock as she stared at the being who had been an Entity days ago, yet now stood in front of her in the Galactic Filament Realm while having also assimilated many Daos! It meant...he was a Great Sage! "Great Sage..." The Sword Emperor uttered with shock as he began to laugh raucously, the Harbingers of Sin staring at these new incoming being with calm eyes as they had long developed immunity from Noah¡¯s domineering surprises. "Hmph. Little Fish, I¡¯m next up to become a Sage." Barbatos raised her face as she looked towards Morgana like a country bumpkin that didn¡¯t know things, coming to hug Noah¡¯s arm who only gave a light smile while waving his hands to call forth an innumerable amount of Galaxy Cores and Dao Crystals! The Galaxy Cores were even more numerous in number as he hadn¡¯t consumed any of them, so when they were duplicated...the amount was shocking. Since he had utilized some Dao Comprehension and Assimilation Crystals though, they were slightly fewer in number as by his calculations- they should be able to produce a few hundred Entities...and even tens of Sages! RUMBLE! This number may seem shocking and unrealistic, but not when Noah also began exploring the new feature of the Cosmic Treasure- ! In the past he only had affixes that affected him when it came to how rapidly he comprehended and assimilated Daos, but he could make a tweak and produce an Affix that affected his subordinates! Thus, while Noah¡¯s main body began moving with the Cosmic Treasure to teleport next to Galaxies and fuse them, he utilized the feature of the Cosmic Treasure as the Affix [Ruination Guider] was born! [Ruination Guider] :: When selected, all the beings considered as Subordinates of the Master of Ruination gain 20,000% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Laws and Daos. Even the 20,000% was the max that Noah was allowed to do from the words of the Cosmic Treasure, with his first number when generating the Affix being 50,000%! But this shocking Affix meant Noah would not be alone in enjoying the sweets of easily comprehending and assimilating Daos. He had a bright smile as within the Dark Universe that was floating in a Sea of Ruination, multiple Sages were about to be born! Chapter 892 - Where art thou, Universe Core? As his clones went about doing a great deal of things, Noah¡¯s main body and a few clones were teleporting to multiple Galaxies from the mental images that he was receiving from the Cosmic Treasure. With his past teleporting skills and now the Dao of Voidspace, the reality of him being able to warp to whatever location as long as he had a memory or image of it remained true! Those clones would have the task of communicating and convincing the Cores of Galaxies as they shared their memories of what they had been doing and what was to come, the logical entities that were the centers of galaxies all agreeing without a hitch as always. So all that was left was for Noah to warp to these convinced Galaxies and fuse them while continuing to test out the features of the Cosmic Treasure! He had already produced the terrifying [Ruination Guider] Affix as he thought of many more that could apply to himself aside from just things like +10,000% to All Damage. He could create Affixes to heavily enhance specific skills or abilities that pertain to him, or even generate more unique ones along the lines of things like Dao Crystal Affixes or Increased Loot Drop Affix...the possibilities were endless! As for the wonders of Ruination Guider? THRUM! Essence was constantly converging around the figures of the Harbingers of Sin, Elena, Athena, Holy Emperor, Imperial Adjudicator, Anna...around 20 of Noah¡¯s strongest subordinates aside from the Emperor Penguin! All of them were in a Time Space as they absorbed Dao Comprehension and Assimilation Crystals, finding to their shock that the percentages of the Daos they chose were rising crazily! The Sword Emperor was looking at this shocking scene as his voice rang out to a scowling Morgana. "Do you believe in the words of the Master now? For the being they all sacrificed their lives to wait for?" Morgana had given up from all the shocks at this point as she merely waved her hands while watching the shocking scenes of multiple being fully comprehending Daos and going on to Assimilate them minutes later! "Yes yes we get it, the Old Geezer was right." Morgana voiced out lazily as she saw the aura of a Sage erupt from the vivacious Barbatos. This being that was merely an Entity a few days back now stood at the same stage as her as when her eyes opened, the two alike beings glanced at each other competitively! RUMBLE! In other regions, those that weren¡¯t fortunate enough to get the Dao Crystals received an overabundance of GALAXY Cores to push their strength to the peak of this Realm, hundreds of beings entering the ranks of experts! In another region of the Time Space, Noah¡¯s own Summons were being elevated in strength as with the Summoner achieving the next Realm, it was extremely easy to push their Summons to the same realm as well. Noah¡¯s clone pulsed with mana and Dao Essence that flowed into the pets, the birth of many Galaxies being seen as the Animus Summon were brought into the Galactic Filament Realm! With the addition of Assimilation Crystals, they would be one of the very few beings in the Infinite Galaxy to be termed Great Sages. ROAAR! Tiamat let out a roar filled with power as the Golden Crow rose to the skies brilliantly, the body of the J?rmungandr becoming even more pristine and majestic as all the pets shone with gorgeous splendor! At this moment, every single being was unceasingly increasing their strength as during this time, Noah had fused hundreds of Galaxies, the number only continuing to shoot up as he could locate them with much greater efficiency than before. The task was extremely tedious and time consuming, where fusing each Galaxy took at least a minute, and this was with Noah wildly using his power to complete the fusion quickly. When this was paired up with the remaining Galaxies he needed to fuse out of the 100,000 required for the Infinite Galaxy to advance forward, it meant his progress was around the range of 1400 Galaxies every day. This shocking number meant that Noah and his clones would be spending over 2 months just fusing the required Galaxies, a time period that was longer than it took him to advance from a non Entity into a Great Sage! During this 2 month time period, Noah traversed the expansive Dark Universe as his clones and subordinates helped with taking care of the successful inclusion of tens of thousands of Galaxies. This was an addition of trillions of beings every minute, something that would have been hard for the beings of the Infinite Galaxy to handle if they didn¡¯t increase their power and also Master the Blood Clone ability of Blood Lord! During this entire 2 month period where the fusions were taking place, Noah asked himself and the Cosmic Treasure exactly where they could locate the Core of the Dark Universe. Even with its essence covering up the entire Universe, the Cosmic Treasure wasn¡¯t able to sense anything that could be seen as the core of a Universe! [When I was just floating across the folds of space in the Cosmos, I came across many Universes, but never chanced upon their Cores or anything like that.] The Cosmic Treasure spoke of its own experiences as Noah nodded, wanting to scream out to the Dark chaotic void around him as he simply asked- where was the core of the Universe! But even though he could not locate it at this moment, the Golden light of Destiny that wrapped around him told him not to worry. His plan of elevating the stage of the Infinite Galaxy was actually in the right direction, with the mysteries he could unveil telling him that when he achieved the requirement of 100,000 Galaxies and upgraded his wondrous Treasure...that would be the time when the will of the Dark Universe would reveal itself! Chapter 893 - From a Spiritual Land into...! Like this, 2 months passed in the fantastical Cosmos as an uncountable number of beings each moved with their own goals and ideals. During this period of time, the Infinite Galaxy gained 21 new Sages and hundreds of beings in the GALAXY Realm, with Noah increasing his level of strength and having all of his pets step into the stage he was in...as Great Sages! Every single Pet was vibrantly releasing the Manifested glows of multiple galaxies, their Realms stably within the Galactic Filament Rank. This Rank also meant that Noah could summon another two pets for him to contract and bring his Summons to 10, but he waited to do so as the Universe he would be Summoning them from...it was one of the Universes he would soon be stepping into! Aside from his Summons and subordinates, Noah himself also advanced greatly in a field he thought would take him forever- his comprehension in the Cosmic Dao of Ruination. Leaving a clone in the Ruination Realm for the past two months meant that the clone had undergone a training session that lasted over 2000 months...or 166 years! The session had been extremely fruitful as on the percentage next to the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, a gorgeous 16% could be seen. 2 months to comprehend one sixth of a Cosmic Dao...it meant that Noah would only need over a year to fully comprehend it! Such a time felt extremely long for him, yet it was already something unbelievable for any other beings that comprehended a Cosmic Dao. Aside from this advancement, there was also the Purification of Primordial Essence that he had access to on top of the Ruination Essence. Within the Ruination Realm, the clone let this wondrous Essence wash into its Origin as it connected with the main body, Noah gaining constant purifications as the daily .1 percentages gradually filled up to grant him to allowable 25% that all Great Sages were capped to when it came to Primordial Essence Purification! With the 15% from Ruination Essence, Noah currently had 40% Purification that represented +400,000% to All Parameters. All Parameters! Apart from this rapid increase in strength, the main focus remained on the fusion of Galaxies as after 2 months, Noah was currently floating in front of the 100,000th Galaxy- the final Galaxy required before the next evolution of the Infinite Galaxy. THRUM! The process began just as the others, Noah watching as the boundary of this Galaxy faded away while all of its stellar bodies fused into the Infinite Galaxy that had an uncountable number of stars, planets, black holes, and quasars within it! [Even I am curious about the upgrade treasure. I haven¡¯t come across anything like it before...] RUINATION floated beside Noah as it looked curiously at the miniaturized Infinite Galaxy that had begun to shine brilliantly unlike when other Galaxies fused into it before. Noah watched on with expectant eyes as the moment the quota of 100,000 Galaxies were met, the Infinite Galaxy vibrated while releasing wondrous bursts of light, beginning the process of advancement as it drained mana from Noah the moment the upgrade condition was met! RUMBLE! As always when it came to the advancement of this treasure, all it did was require a large amount of Mana that Noah very easily provided. Although this time, Noah¡¯s essence was filled with the crimson of Ruination as the upgrading Infinite Galaxy was tinged with pure blue mana that was laced with red. [Beautiful...] RUINATION uttered such words as in front of it and Noah, the Infinite Galaxy floated upwards as it shone brilliantly, the Galaxy that should have remained miniaturized actually beginning to expand by itself against Noah¡¯s control! ...! Noah watched with a stupefied expression as the miniaturized Infinite Galaxy expanded rapidly, almost as if saying it could not remain such a small size after its upgrade as it chose for itself the smallest size it could be at this moment. It very quickly passed hundreds of miles, Noah¡¯s figure becoming dwarfed as it went on to a hundred thousand miles, then on to a million! Then onto a billion miles! THRUM! Essence was s.u.c.k.e.d into it in droves as it expanded out madly, the smallest size this treasure chose to be at...becoming a single light year! The figures of Noah and the Cosmic Treasure looked insignificant as just the mere miniaturized version of the treasure...was a light year- over 6 trillion miles! ¡¯How the hell am I going to be carrying you now...¡¯ Noah had begun with a thought as it was quickly erased...and this was because he glanced towards the shimmering 1 light year long object that used to be the Infinite Galaxy. At this moment, its boundary shone with a gorgeous array of blue and red l.u.s.ter, the innumerable number of stellar bodies hidden within from the fusion of 100,000 Galaxies not even being seen! The moment it reached 1 light year, it stopped s.u.c.k.i.n.g Noah¡¯s essence as it released one final burst of Mana, the stellar treasure floating majestically to announce its arrival. "..." RUMBLE! Out of nowhere, an archaic voice thundered all around him as even Noah¡¯s strong soul trembled, his eyes shining brilliantly as they remained locked onto the treasure that used to be the Infinite Galaxy. He locked eyes with it because as its Master, information about it flowed into his mind as he found his eyes shaking from what he found out and read on the ability that used to be called {Spiritual Galaxy Management}, but was now under a different name! {Universal Core Management} [Universal Core-13] Beasts: F-XXX, E-XXX, D-XXX, C-XXX, B-XXX, A-XXX, S-XXX, EPIC-XXX, LEGENDARY-XXX, MYTHICAL-XXX, PHANTASMAL-XXX, TRANSCENDENT-XXX, SAINT- XXX, VOID- XXX, SOUL-XXX, DOMAIN- XXX, WORLD-XXX, STAR FORGING- XXX, NEBULA- 5 Million, BLACK HOLE- 1 Million, QUASAR- 324,837, GALAXY-12,833 Plants- Whitefall Trees, Snow Vine, Sacred Rye, Pigmy Melon, Ice-fire Persimmon, Ice Phoenix Fruits, Spirit of the Arctic, Frozen Angelica, Regal Flora, Qilin¡¯s Cold Stone, Resonant Okra, Arctic Flora, King¡¯s Collard, Athramire, Phantom Mulberry, Fire Starter, Frigid Apple, Fate¡¯s Orchard, Chaotic Amaranth, Aether Infused Willow, Immemorial Dragon Fruits, Mythical Fruit of Life. Available for planting(Fruit of Destiny) Features- Size Regulation(Unlocked), Movement(Unlocked), Anchor(Unlocked), Boost Surroundings(Unlocked), Architecture(Unlocked), Frozen Barrier(Unlocked), Offensive Maneuvers(Unlocked), Time Dilation(Unlocked), Treasure Hunter (Unlocked), Interstellar Travel(Unlocked), Law Space(Unlocked), Blacksmith¡¯s Forge(Unlocked), Division(Unlocked), Alchemy Hall(Unlocked), Library(Unlocked), World Integration(Unlocked), Universe Gateway(Unlocked), Pocket Universe (Unlocked), Assimilation(Unlocked), Trait Blessing(Unlocked), Dao Birth(Unlocked)...#^$%#(Locked) A shocking set of details, one that listed the Infinite Galaxy under the name of Universal Core! RUMBLE! ...! Chapter 894 - A Universe I The thundering archaic voice he had been waiting for for so long finally arrived, and it was the will of the very same Universe he had just saved from Ruination two months ago! ...! That was right! For the past months, Noah had searched for and wondered where the core of the Dark Universe would be, the Dao of Destiny only telling him he would get answers when the upgrade of the Infinite Galaxy finished. He just didn¡¯t think...it would play put this way! This was a truth that an infinitesimal amount of beings knew- the fact that a Universe actually did not have a central core, being something that could not be destroyed...unless its source of sustenance was cut off and it was swallowed by the Ruination Sea. That sustenance...was the Primordial Cosmos! THRUM! A shocking development appeared before Noah¡¯s eyes as a myriad of thoughts danced in his mind. The little floating Spiritual Land from the Beast World...went to become a World of its own, into a Realm, and then a Galaxy! Now, it was a Universal Core that had not appeared before, something to be used to change the nature of a Universe that relied on Primordial Essence into an Essence that was normally destructive to it! "..." He breathed out slowly as his eyes flashed with light. Time seemed to flow slowly as he thought about many things before his face became firm, grabbing his Cosmic Treasure as he asked the will of the Universe that had finally chosen to speak. "...how do we start?" RUMBLE! A tremendous task lay in front of Noah as he looked at the 1 light year large Universal Core! A spatial light covered him as he disappeared, his face shining with brilliance as he went on to start a task of utmost importance. It was at this moment. At this moment where a transcendental scene that should definitely be inscribed into history books occurred! It was the scene of Noah teleporting towards the top of the Universal Core as he sat upon it, a Cosmic Treasure within his hands shining brilliantly as a gorgeous display of colorful Essence surrounded them. A second after that, the chaotic void trembled and quaked. THRUUM! From the chaotic void- from the folds of the Universe itself, tendrils of colorful Primordial Essence erupted out as they instantly went to cover the 1 light year Universal Core! These tendrils reached out to land on the Universal Core on all sides, multiple of them going towards Noah and piercing into his body as his soul nearly crumbled from the pressure. Feeling the tendrils of Primordial Essence that came from the Universe itself connecting to both the Universal Core and him, Noah¡¯s Origin felt the blooming of a distinct connection that he focused on. It was a connection that felt more enormous than anything he had come across, a connection that the moment it came to be, the thunderous voice of the Universe rang out. RUUUMBLE! The gorgeous tendrils of Primordial Essence and their points of connection to the Universal Core...Noah¡¯s eyes that had beams of blue-red light shooting out...the glimmering Cosmic Treasure...it felt like everything came to a stop at this moment. As if time itself had stopped briefly! When time moved again, an explosive force of essence erupted out from Noah and the Universal Core as the tendrils of Primordial Essence they were connected to...flashed blue as an intense hint of red began to occupy them! This red...caused the tendrils of essence to pulse with light as an instant later, they began to shoot out from the Universal Core and tear through the chaotic void around them on all sides. This created for the shocking image where with the Universal Core at the scene, tendrils of blue and red essence interweaved together and began to erupt out over the nearby light years, these tendrils of essence continuing to expand in every direction! The tendrils of essence spread out with the intent to cover the entire Universe! In the beginning, the light of blue that represented the Primordial Essence dominated, but after a few million Light Years, the shade of crimson red was all that could be seen from the tendrils that were exploding out across the Dark Universe. They were innumerable in number as from the connection of Noah, his Universal Core, and the Cosmic Treasure- tendrils of Ruination Essence were used as the source of the connection to an entire Universe! Ruination Essence! Something that was normally destructive to Universes and to its life forms- this very same essence now began to permeate throughout the Dark Universe with its goal being to be its main source of energy. THRUM! Atop the Universal Core, tendrils of Ruination Essence shot forth from Noah¡¯s eyes and mouth as he looked extremely terrifying at this moment, the Cosmic Treasure on his l.a.p shining ever brighter. 100 million light years. 10 billion light years. Noah did not know how long it took, only coming to as he awoke to a magisterial sight around him! It was the sight of a vibrant Universal Core stretching out its will to cover the entirety of a Universe! Chapter 895 - A Universe II We come across beautiful things every day, but there are times when we observe something so outrageously beautiful that we even lose the words for it. This was Noah¡¯s current situation, the tendrils of light that were shooting from his eyes and mouth dying down as he came to only to observe a shocking scene! From the Universal Core that was his past Infinite Galaxy, tendrils of crimson essence stretched throughout the chaotic void on all sides! He closed his eyes as he focused on the connections he had to his soul, focusing on the Universal Core as the things it showed him...were simply too much for someone like him to be seeing. THUMP! Like a beating heart, the Universal Core released a wave of essence that traveled throughout all the tendrils coming out of it, Noah¡¯s senses following this pulse of essence as he saw it spread for millions of lights and still continue! [Crazy...] Even the Cosmic Treasure on his l.a.p uttered out its astonishment at the shocking scene! This was because it was the first time in history for such a thing to happen- for a Universe to have its nature changed as it connected to a Universal Core that released Ruination Essence throughout it. The first time that a Universe wasn¡¯t supported and did not require the support of a Cosmos! And Noah...was at the center of it all as he was the master of the Universal Core that was now connected to the Dark Universe. RUMBLE! This shocking reality only dawned on Noah now as he didn¡¯t even know what to think! ...! The voice of the will of the Universe rang out in Noah¡¯s mind once more, this time seeming very clear as he shared a connection with it through the Universal Core. RUMBLE! Shocking words were released from the will of the Universe as Noah¡¯s eyes shone calmly. "The system..." Many thoughts crossed Noah¡¯s mind as he nodded as this, focusing on the connection of the Universal Core below him as a change began to occur once more. The red tendrils of essence spread out across billions of light years slowly receded into folds of the void as they became hidden, the Universal Core doing the same as well! It entered the folds of space as it utterly disappeared, where the only thing that was left behind throughout the Dark Universe from the shocking event that had just occurred was the shining color of crimson that permeated throughout. The dark chaotic void...was now lit up brightly with the aura of red essence flowing throughout, creating a beautiful scenery of shimmering darkness with the bright allure of crimson across the Universe! Within the folds of space, Noah stared at this scene with wonder as he returned to the {Universal Core Management} ability to see exactly what he had done. Many things had changed as features like and became Universal Gateway and Pocket Universe. As the Universal Core was now connected to the Universe itself, its features like Movement and Size Regulation could be used somewhat, and even nonconsequential features like Architecture could now be utilized on a grand scale Noah never thought to be possible! :: A feature that allows the Master of the Universal Core to build structures and alter the shapes and designs of existing stars, planets, and even the layouts of Galaxies and Galactic Filaments. "..." It was the shocking feature termed Dao Birth! :: Dao Birth is normally an ability that only those in the Universal Realm can have a chance of utilizing. Such an ability holds the secrets on how to surpass the Universal Realm to reach the state of ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ. After coming into control of a Universal Core, Noah Osmont can utilize this feature to Birth a limited number of Daos of his own making. Dao Spaces of already utilized Daos can also be established within the Universal Core. Currently possible Daos : 3 Lesser. ...! An ability only reserved for the Universal Realm Hegemonies that had reached the peak of power! An ability that was a must have in one wanted to peer through the secrets of reaching the stage above Universal Realm that was even hidden from Noah! At this moment as he obtained control of a Universe...Noah could birth his own Daos. ...! --- Within this same period of time, a shocking event occurred not in Noah¡¯s Dark Universe, but in a far away location across the vast Sea of Ruination. On this day, throughout the very Cosmos themselves...the most powerful experts could shockingly hear sounds of weeping stretching out across the billions of light years. It was a sign that very few of them understood the meaning of, but those that had not locked themselves away for hundreds of thousands of years and knew of the events that occurred over a hundred thousand years ago were able to understand its meaning! In the Cerulean Universe, a being with a shimmering blue crown with a stature that was the size of a Galaxy looked up as he heard this sound, his face turning sour as if he had tasted the worst type of shit. "That fool even failed to save the Universe anyways! Of course he couldn¡¯t utilize the Cosmic Treasure...!" ...! In another universe, a Universal Realm Hegemony rose her head as her eyes sparkled with the light of Galaxies, her fair mouth moving as she spoke in a sad tone. "A portion of the Cosmos has perished...a most troubling sign for what is to come!" RUMBLE! Yes, the significance of Noah¡¯s actions to not reconnect the Dark Universe with the Cosmos and instead turn it into something else entirely...it would bring sweeping changes that even he had no ideas about! Chapter 896 - Unlimited Possibilities! Throughout the Cosmos, a weeping cry reverberated out as many knowledgeable beings were alerted to the supposed death of a Universe that had been separated from the Cosmos over a hundred thousand years ago. With the vast Cosmos, a few knew the meaning behind it, but not a single being knew what it truly represented! It was actually one of the very few Keystone Events- Events throughout history that would go on to be a springboard for the direction of an entire Cosmos. The terrifying Universal Realm Hegemonies overseeing the Primordial Cosmos did not know this. The wills of the many Universes did not know this! The being who initiated this event himself...even he didn¡¯t know this! --- In the Animus Universe. There were only two beings within this Universe that noticed the phenomenon, both of them raising their heads as sharp lights crossed through their eyes. One was the individual that birthed the Dao of Summoning, her eyes shimmering with starry lights as the moment the weeping finished, she turned her attention to the abundant amount of information she was receiving on the usage of the Dao she created, her eyes continuing to be locked on the Animus Universe! Meanwhile...the other individual had a devious light flash across his eyes as he also turned his attention to the happenings within the Animus Universe, his fingers continuing to move as bright lights released from them- with this being having his own motives! Neither of the experts could have known the weeping was connected to a special being. A being that would very soon be descending onto the very same Animus Universe they had their eyes on! --- Inside the Universal Core, the beings within merely felt the starry space tremble as with every passing second since the upgrade of the Infinite Galaxy began, where they felt the atmospheric mana of the surroundings rise exponentially over the next few hours! The Sages within noticed this phenomenon the most as they tried to spread their aura out of the Infinite Galaxy to see what was happening outside...only to find they were blocked from doing so. They could only shockingly remain to observe the changes as after a few hours, things began to settle while leaving behind something that caused the inhabitants of the Infinite Galaxy to move around in a stupor. The atmospheric essence throughout the expansive Galaxy that held an uncountable number of stars...had grown to such an extent that all around, rivers of condensed essence could be seen! Rivers of essence! Aside from this, the concentration of universal law essence was also so dense that liquid wisps of multiple law essences could be seen on all the uncountable numbers of stars and planets within the Universal Core. The most visible changes to the inhabitants of the upgraded Universal Core was this shocking condensation of essence that would make it unbelievably easy for beings to advance on the path of power. "He has made a Holy Land of Cultivation..." The Sword Emperor was looking around the rivers of essence all around them as he spoke, the place they were in seeming like a paradisiacal Holy Land meant only for the highest beings to be in. Morgana was sighing wistfully as while she looked at the sweeping changes around them, she stared at the new Sages that had sprouted in the last few days. Even they who were the locals of this place for much longer than them looked to be in a stupor as they ran their hands over the rivers of essence flowing out, the voice of a particular being just turned Sage beginning to reverberate out in jovial laughter! "Haha, what did I tell you guys? I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Noah has somehow advanced the Spiritual Land into a mini Universe or something...ah!" Kazuhiko had a bright smile as all the others around him digested his words, their eyes looking around them as they wanted to ask the being himself what had happened! RUMBLE! They didn¡¯t have to wait long as Noah¡¯s main body flashed into the Universal Core with a light smile, a Cosmic Treasure by his side as he looked around at the progress of the beings within it. He had been looking at the wondrous feature of Dao Birth as he chose not to rush it for the time being, seeing as how he had only 3 chances to birth Daos as of right now. He would continue gathering information as he formulated possibilities of Daos before he moved to enact them! His eyes glimmered with the light of possibilities as he looked at the beings that had been training hard for the past 2 months, his voice ringing out. "The apocalypse of the Dark Universe isn¡¯t a worry anymore, with the only thing remaining now being our own choices on how to move forward..." Noah began to speak with his people as he waved his hands to call forth all of his Animus Summons that pulsate with the shocking strength at Great Sage just like him. "Tiamat, come forward!" He beckoned to the domineering Queen Dowager who was only servile towards him, with her gaze remaining cold and ruthless when she gazed upon all others! Her voluptuous humanoid void came to stand beside Noah as she looked towards everyone else, Noah¡¯s voice continuing to ring out. "Let us talk about what we do from here...let us talk about the Universe we reside in and the Primordial Cosmos...let us talk about the Animus Universe!" RUMBLE! Terrifying lights passed across the eyes of all the powerful beings within the Universal Core as at this moment, a shocking discussion began about the Primordial Cosmos they were all initially from...and the Animus Universe where Tiamat, the Blue Slime...and all other Summoned Animus came from. The voluptuous Tiamat that used to be a Ruler of an entire section of the Animus Universe was at the forefront of the discussion, a few hours passing as the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe planned! When all was over and done, Kazuhiko had a profound expression as while everyone was digesting information, he rose up with a bright smile while speaking out. "So what you¡¯re telling me is...that it is time for us to explore and conquer Universes?" RUMBLE! Noah glanced at the raucous new Sword Emperor as he gazed across the Universal Core. "I¡¯m not sure about conquering with the powerful Universal Realm hegemonies who can birth Daos running around the Cosmos, but exploring...will definitely be something I¡¯ll be doing!" "We have unlimited possibilities on what we can do, with our first step being the Animus Universe." ...! "There, one of our own was stripped from her throne from the collusion of forces that should have been her allies. We¡¯ll move carefully as we start in this Universe first...we shall first explore the Animus Universe as we gain more understanding of the Primordial Cosmos!" RUMBLE! Chapter 897 - The Animus Universe! I Hours passed as the Sages and Great Sages of the Dark Universe congregated and discussed! Noah only brought up Tiamat¡¯s ordeal and mission, leaving out the terrifying identity of the Universal Emperor Slime that he would actually have to not display so freely in the Primordial Cosmos- not unless he wanted all the experts to rush towards him anyways. Something worthy of note that seemed to foretell of a difficult future was the enormous body of Jormungandr stepping forward, its booming voice ringing out. "I was a weak thing in the Animus Universe before you summoned me...but I do know that the state of the Dragon Race has fallen from what it used to be! I haven¡¯t been to the Holy Lands of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines, but the scenes there might not be something any of us expect!" THRUM! The Galaxy Devouring Serpent said this while glancing at Tiamat, preparing her and Noah for whatever they would find when they arrive in the Animus Universe! Tiamat had a solemn expression as she expected this somewhat since she who was the Ruler of Dragons fell, but she still held hope that the Great Sages and Monarchs of her race had continued to fight for the status of her bloodline. Many things continued to be mentioned as after extensive discussions and preparations, Noah felt he had prepared sufficiently enough as he was ready to set off! The meeting was dissolved as others made their own preparations, Noah coming into the glimmering crimson chaotic void as he stared at its new beauty. He had achieved his goal of protecting his Universe and preventing its apocalypse, where it now faced no threats as it floated amidst the Sea of Ruination that was not harmful to it. At this moment, his mind was filled with thoughts of the Primordial Cosmos and all the Universes within them. Aside from the Animus Universe, Noah also put the Necrotic Universe and the...Cerulean Universe on his radar! This was because the Blue Slime shared with him the memories it had obtained after it absorbed the sliver of soul that was the Half-a-Step Great Spirit Sage. From this, he knew that the terrifying being that had targeted and been on the Dark Universe for the last tens of thousands of years was in the Cerulean Universe, and just how terrifying his level of power was! The contrasting image of the Blue Cerulean Universe passed through his mind as he looked at his own Dark Universe. Its formerly dark chaotic void now shone with auroras of crimson, the void of space being lit up brightly as the dark universe...wasn¡¯t so dark anymore! The contrast put a smile on Noah¡¯s face as he held the Cosmic Treasure that voiced out lightly. [Ready?] The Cosmic Treasure asked for affirmation if Noah was ready as their next action...was to utilize the [Universe Piercer] feature to make a Gateway to a Universe the treasure had come across- their target being the Animus Universe! Attached to Noah at this time was a [Pocket Universe] that held a Universal Gateway back into the Universal Core of the Dark Universe where he could access his subordinates within any time he wished, and he could also enter it to appear back in the Dark Universe whenever he wanted. He would enter the Animus Universe himself first before he called out any of the Sages within his Universal Core in this manner. "Ready!" THRUM! He replied to the Cosmic Treasure that initiated Universal Piercer right away, Noah¡¯s body being wrapped by a crimson red light as he disappeared! From the Dark Universe...he was shuttled into the Ruination Sea as a wondrous spatial light wrapped around him, his destination being the Primordial Cosmos! --- The Primordial Cosmos with its multitude of Universes was extremely old. Its actual age was very hard to ascertain even now as within it...a great deal of powerful beings had risen. Some beings achieved such powerful Realms of power that their very strengths could disrupt the lives of Quadrillions of beings if they battled or acted freely on their wishes! This was why in the Primordial Cosmos, there existed an Absolute Rule that was maintained throughout. An Absolute Rule that was rarely ever broken, a rule that upheld the era of balance and prosperity for the eons that passed within the Cosmos. It was the Rule that Hegemonies within the Universal Realm...could not move to act against those in the lower Realms, and nor could they act against each other for small conflicts! It was such a tremendously stringent rule that for it to be kept...an extremely powerful Universal Realm Hegemony called the Oathkeeper had stepped up to oversee it! Through the Lesser Dao of the Oath Keeper that this being had created, all rising and current Universal Realm Hegemonies would have to make an oath in front of him that would be inscribed into the very souls of each party. That was how Absolute the rule of Universal experts not moving against themselves for small conflicts or moving against those in the lower Realms was. That a Lesser Dao was made by a terrifying creature just for it, and all Universal experts had to make an oath under this Dao that if they broke...the Oathkeeper would know right away as the wrath of all the collective Universal Realm Hegemonies in the Cosmos would descend upon the Oath Breaker. This being one of the main things that kept the Prosperity of the Cosmos...made Noah extremely excited when he heard of it from Tiamat! Of course, he also knew that nothing was set in stone as just weeks prior, he had faced a negligible sliver of a soul from a being had just reached the bounds of the Universal Realm in the Cerulean Universe...and yet this being had been able to act against them! Whether it was due to their actual body and strength not acting, or the fact that it stayed within the boundary of the Realms within the Galaxy...whatever the reason was, Noah saw that this Absolute Rule that was maintained with such stringency...had loopholes to play with here and there. ¡¯The most powerful experts cannot move against me...¡¯ This thought carried him with confidence as the voice of the Cosmic Treasure passed through his mind. [We¡¯re arriving, Master.] RUMBLE! It was the place his Summons stemmed from, a Universe that he would soon come to know as a place with brutality and fantastical creatures each with their own histories! The Universe where the 9 Supreme Bloodlines ruled through pure strength and power...the Animus Universe! Chapter 898 - The Animus Universe! II The crimson red channel Noah was on gradually became a mixture of beautiful essence as the spatial light around him increased, a brilliant flash of light spreading throughout as he felt himself transported to a new place he had never been to! WAA! He came to as he found himself in a wondrously colorful chaotic void, the glimmers of bright stars and celestial bodies being seen from the distance. His eyes and aura took in everything around him as his mind absorbed all he saw rapidly, his heart shaking as he turned towards a certain direction where he saw...an enormous Planet! He would only consider a planet enormous if it was truly exaggerated in size- and this planet exactly had that feature. The smallest planets could range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of miles. The Planet he was seeing from a distance...was way out the ball park for this number as its size was shockingly akin to that of a small Galaxy! The singular Planet...was approximately 20,000 Light Years large. A planet the size of a small Galaxy! "It seems like we arrived in the territory of the Galaxy Devouring Serpents..." The voice of Tiamat rang out as Noah¡¯s eyes shone brightly, stepping into the Animus Universe for the first time as he came face to face with a majestic scene! "This unique galaxy-sized planet is a territory of the Galaxy Devouring Serpents, one of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines that controls a region of the Animus Universe..." Tiamat continued to speak as Noah summoned her curvaceous figure out first in this new universe! Her eyes coldly glanced at the far away planet as she continued. "Tens of thousands of years have passed since I¡¯ve been here, so I can¡¯t say for sure how the situation has changed within the Animus Universe. But from my recollection, this planet is one of the important strongholds of the Galaxy Devouring Serpents, it¡¯s nothing but those Snakes down there!" Noah smiled at her words as he asked with a smile. "Do we start there?" "...no, we might just come across a few Great Sages or Monarchs within this stronghold. We need to go into the Supreme Galactic Filament- a cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies that actually surround a planet even bigger than most galaxies- the Planet of Consanguinity where all the races of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines congregate!" THRUM! "There...we can go to the domain that the Dragons rule!" Tiamat¡¯s words made Noah¡¯s eyes shine as he nodded, the Queen Dowager sending Noah memories of the location she talked about as a light of teleportation wrapped around the both of them, their figures disappearing from the chaotic void. WAP! A second later, Noah found himself in front of a planet even more enormous than the first one he came across in the Animus Universe- a planet that actually had cl.u.s.ters of Galaxies surrounding it! "The Planet of Consanguinity..." Tiamat seemed to be emotional as she looked at the galaxy-sized planet, many memories being dug from her mind as events of the past were recalled. She shook her head with a firm expression as she looked towards Noah who only nodded towards her to take the lead towards the location ruled by the Dragon Race. The Planet of Consanguinity was truly as large as a Galaxy, being over 40,000 light years as the surface area was truly something hard to comprehend! When Noah began descending onto the enormous Planet, he could pick up an uncountable number of powerful auras dwelling just in the small area they were heading down to! "We must not call attention to ourselves before we collect more information. We¡¯ll have to get in contact with the Dragons inside the Stardew Valleys below us first." The area of the Planet of Consanguinity they were descending down on had an expansive area that was one of the strongholds of those with the Bloodline of Dragons, a place called Stardew Valleys that was 1 light year in size! That was over 6 trillion miles of land, most of it being wide stretching valleys that changed from freezing icecaps to barren deserts, all the way to verdant green mountainous landscapes- Noah and Tiamat going towards the center of it where the most powerful Dragon Tribes would be. "The other 9 Supreme Bloodlines are spread out all around this planet, with each force staying within the bounds of their regions unless a fight for Supremacy breaks out..." Tiamat continued to introduce the new land they were in as she provided a great deal of information, Noah continuing to pick up the auras of terrifying beings below them! They gradually entered the skies of the planet as below them, verdant valleys and mountains were stretched out for millions upon millions of miles, at the peaks of each of these mountains and valleys...one could see majestic structures that looked like magical cities. Noah looked at the exquisitely built structures atop the mountain valley right below them that held one of such fantastical cities, their two figures descending down towards it as they could see multiple figures moving about. As they went down and neared the peak of the valley while clearly seeing the fantastical scenes before them, Tiamat¡¯s face drastically began to change while Noah¡¯s eyes shone with an intense light! This was because at their Realms, the things they could see were truly many and not just a single scene of the grand structures filled with powerful beings below them. Set on top of the mountainous valley, the fantastical city had structures shining with an Obsidian color as they rose to the skies, majestic looking castles and abodes spread out everywhere as the city alone was over 5000 miles in size- the diameters of small planets! And this was just 1 of the many cities on top of the peak of the multiple mountains of the 1 Light Year long Stardew Valleys. Within the mountain peak and in this majestic city...the figures of many Dragons and other creatures from the 9 Supreme Bloodlines could be seen! Tiamat¡¯s face had changed drastically because with their power, they were now able to observe the happenings of this planet-sized city as many scenes unfolded in front of their eyes. A scene of the creatures from the Supreme Bloodline of White Tigers riding atop the backs of the Water Dragons while talking nonchalantly... An even more shocking sight was a scene of a group of creatures from the Nine-Tailed Fox Supreme Bloodline at the stage of Entities with a single Sage following them, the Sage waving his hands down as in the middle of the city...he cut off the head of a Blue Dragon while saying out nonchalant words. "This one will be today¡¯s meal. Make sure you stew the meat until it is well done!" ...! Tiamat watched this scene and many others scenes in the city below them as her drastically changing face became ashen, quickly becoming filled with immense wrath and shame! There were many scenes, but they all depicted great injustices befalling those of the Dragon Race! Within the City atop this mountain peak and on many other locations in the Domain of Dragons that was the Stardew Valleys...these scenes were actually commonplace. Since over a hundred thousand years ago when the Queen Dowager that ruled over the dignified Dragon Race was eradicated...this was the state that had befallen the Bloodline of Dragons! It was a heart rending scene for Tiamat to see on her return into the Animus Universe! Chapter 899 - The Fall of the Dragon Race I Noah looked at the shocking scenes around them with calm eyes as his hand tightly grasped the shoulder of Tiamat, their feet touching the earth of one of the celestial bodies of the Animus Universe for the first time. They were within the Planet of Consanguinity where all the 9 Supreme Bloodlines congregated, one of the important locations within the Animus Universe that wasn¡¯t under the control of a single Supreme Bloodline! Tiamat had chosen to come here first and not in the Draconic Holy Lands where she ruled before and was assassinated in for the purpose of first gathering information. She had to know the state of the Dragon Race, and understand what had occurred in the last tens of thousands of years. For this, they descended onto one of the many mountainous valleys of a location millions of miles long called Stardew Valleys that should have been under the control of Dragons! What she found...caused her heart to nearly explode in shame and wrath as it was the scene of majestic Dragons...being treated as if they weren¡¯t the peak Bloodline of the Animus Universe! Nine-tailed Phoenixes killed Dragons in plain sight for a meal, and the magisterial Dragons were used throughout the city as mounts that pulled carriages or to cross the skies. It was as if the dragon race was purposefully being bullied and shamed as when Noah used his eyes to cover the sights of the city nearest to them, he discovered it was only those of the Dragon Race receiving such treatment. "This...!" Tiamat¡¯s aura had nearly begun to explode out as Noah¡¯s hand on her shoulder tightened, sending a command to this Queen Dowager to calm down! He walked with her into the city as the many unfolding scenes around them became even clearer. It was a bustle of activities all around, Noah seeing many unique creatures and beings in human forms wandering about. Some of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines liked to keep their animalistic forms throughout, others took on the humanoid form as they moved across the City with ease and laughter! The scenes of Dragons being abused throughout seemed like the norm as nobody paid attention to it, Noah and Tiamat only being able to see fear and shame when they looked into the eyes of the Dragons moving around the nearest areas they could observe without spreading their auras out wildly. The dragon in human form had tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at the huge body of the dragon dissected not too far from her, but her head only turned away as she continued her task! Noah saw the girl had only Low Tier GALAXY Realm power flowing within her, sending a message to Tiamat as his essence silently flew out. The essence of the fully assimilated Dao of Voidspace silently flashed once as the figure of the sweeping dragon girl disappeared silently, along with the figures of Noah and Tiamat! Before they went even further into the city and saw what was happening within it, Noah wanted to collect information on the state of everything around them. The three of them disappeared from the majestic city as Noah utilized the [Pocket Universe] to send them into this isolated space! "Who...?!" The dragon girl was fearful as her voice shakily came out, her body pulsing with the aura of a being in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm as her pulsing body threatened to transform. "Who?! Who?!" RUMBLE! Tiamat¡¯s face was filled with wrath as she appeared in front of the Dragon Girl with her aura wildly exploding out! "This...!" The dragon girl was shocked as she felt a dominating presence that called for her to kneel, and she could not actually resist as she fell to her knees while looking up towards Tiamat in shock. "What has happened to my Bloodline?! What has happened to the dragon race in just a few tens of thousands of years?!" With a face filled with shame and pain from seeing her Bloodline treated as lower than Slaves, Tiamat looked for answers from the dragon girl they had snatched before them! "An ancestor of our race..." The girl looked towards them in a stupor for a few more seconds before she came to, sensing the dominating Bloodline strength of Tiamat that seemed much purer than hers as she mistook her for one of the hiding ancestors of Dragons! Her face became tearful as she choked her words out. "Ancestor...where have you and the others gone to? Why have you left us alone and defenseless?! You ask what happened to the dragon race? You abandoned us!" RUMBLE! Tiamat¡¯s body shook from the words as her domineering body nearly fell back, Noah coming forward with his eyes shining out red beams of light. "Treat us if we just woke up and know nothing of what happened in the last tens of thousands of years. What has happened with the Dragon Race in the Animus Universe?" The dragon girl came to as she became aware of of Noah¡¯s aura at the Galactic Filament Realm, finally coming to as she began to weave out a story. It was the story of the majestic Bloodline of Dragons...of how they had fallen from their high pedestals into where they were now! "Since the Progenitor perished..." After the shocking ambush that Tiamat had faced from the collision of multiple Races of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines, new Rulers that stood at the top of the food chain in the Animus Universe were crowned! The Lands of Dragons were taken over, the once majestic race that gradually lost its strongest protectors falling to the bottom of the ranks of creatures within the Animus Universe. Even the Race of the Golden Cyclops that was ranked at the bottom of the Supreme Bloodlines...received better treatment than Dragons for the thousands of years that followed the fall of the Queen Dowager! "The powerful Ancestors either bent their knees to the Nine-Tailed Fox Race or Qilin Race, with some disappearing as they merely hid in the shadows...!" "We have no experts to protect us, nobody to stand or defend us as we are treated like the lowest class of beings in our own lands! The Nine-Tailed Fox Race has a penchant for Dragon Meat, so they slaughter hundreds of Dragons daily just within this mountain to satiate their thirst!" "I see your aura at the stage of Galactic Filament with your Bloodline power matching that of the Ancestors...where were you this whole time?! To stand before me like someone important, to look at me who is only in the Low Tier GALAXY Realm and dare ask me of the state of the Dragon Race..." "...where were you this entire time?! While we were butchered and played around with? While the queens of our race became lower class citizens that the ugly Races sullied?! Where were you, oh great ancestor of the Dragon Race?!" RUMBLE! Shame filled Tiamat¡¯s face as she couldn¡¯t answer the Dragon girl¡¯s cries, her figure sinking back as she found out her Bloodline...had gone through a great deal of pain in the last tens of thousands of years! Chapter 900 - The Fall of the Dragon Race II "..." After her outburst, the dragon girl heaved while looking at Tiamat and Tiamat alone. Even with her Realm and identity as the Progenitor of Dragons, Tiamat didn¡¯t have an answer to give this aggrieved girl as she couldn¡¯t look at her! Noah sighed by the side as he was the one to reply. "She was stuck in another universe this whole time, and we just came back right now to see the state of the Dragon Race." ...! The dragon girl looked towards Noah incredulously at this reply as she merely shook her head and sighed. "It doesn¡¯t matter anyways. The Stardew Valleys is one of the locations where more Dragons try to be as even with how badly treated we are here, it is nothing compared to the treatment of our race in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ter where most of our powerful experts are locked up." ...! "What?!" Tiamat¡¯s head rose at this as her eyes blazed with shining lights. "They sent the majority of the Dragon Race into the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ter? They¡¯re treating only our Race as meat on a chopping board?!" The dragon girl stared at Tiamat with grieved eyes as she continued. "Aside from the Dao of Summoning we are all bound to with many of us answering the calls to go into and become contracted into other Universes...another Dao has risen up in fame since the Progenitor perished..." "...the Dao of Slaughter is now increasing as the most studied Dao within our Universe, with the Supreme Bloodlines using our dragon race in the Bloody Battlefields to hone their Dao. It is a hellish place of constant brutality where Dragons are hunted daily for sport!" RUMBLE! More and more shocking information was released from the dragon girl as Tiamat continued to shake with anger! It seemed there were still many things behind the scenes they didn¡¯t understand as they slowly had to piece together the true mysteries of what had occurred tens of thousands of years ago. Noah glanced at Tiamat with calm eyes as he spoke. "I promised you revenge against those that colluded against you...that hasn¡¯t changed! I just need to know if your will is strong enough to continue!" THRUM! He stared at Tiamat with a strong gaze as the Queen Dowager burst out with strength, her voluptuous body of a human disappearing as the ferocious ten headed dragon form of the Queen Dowager appeared. ROAAR! "Dead! I want them all dead! All those stepping upon my Bloodline...they shall pay for everything they have done in the last tens of thousands of years!" The heads of the ten headed dragon roared out angrily as the dragon girl beside Noah trembled while looking towards Tiamat. This was because even though she was born only a few thousand years ago, she still recalled the legends of a certain being that were passed around the dragon race over the years! Of the being that ruled with an iron fist as all the other Supreme Bloodlines feared her before they colluded with each other to assassinate her...the only being that had the form of a ten headed dragon out of all Dragons! "Progenitor..." The dragon girl dropped to her knees in shock as she looked towards Tiamat in a stupor. "I...this...!" Her mind buzzed as she recalled how she had told off such a being minutes ago, but Tiamat spoke with a heavy expression as she wasn¡¯t bothered by it. "You were right. I have neglected my Bloodline for too long, allowing you all to suffer great injustices for tens of thousands of years. All of this...shall end in the days to come!" RUMBLE! The Queen Dowager made a vow as Noah nodded, looking towards Tiamat as he asked with a calm voice. "Who are our enemies?" "The Nine-Tailed Fox Race, White Tiger Race, Qilin Race, the Phoenix Race...and the Golden Cyclops Race!" ...! "Their Sages, Great Sages, Monarchs, and their Progenitors that were at the stage of Paragon just like me...they were the ones that ambushed me. Even though I was the strongest and had even begun to gain comprehension of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation...their combined forces and betrayal still caused me to lose my life." "Before my death, the Paragon of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race...that f.u.c.k.i.n.g hypocrite let out an apology while letting me know that they were moving because of the commands of a Universal Realm Hegemony!" RUMBLE! Horrendous words that caused the poor dragon girl to nearly pee herself resounded, Noah¡¯s eyes turning into slits as he nodded while cracking his neck. "Sages, Great Sages, Monarchs, and Paragons...this will be interesting!" His eyes blazed with intense light as in front of the challenge ahead of them, he wasn¡¯t the least bit phased! "As for the Universal Realm expert, he cannot move against us- the most he can do being to influence the powerful beings sitting atop the Bloodlines like he did before..." Noah seemed to be thinking as the shaken dragon girl by the side spoke hesitatingly. "If...if you truly are the Progenitor, I would suggest you wait a few hundred thousand years to return to your peak power before moving against our enemies, otherwise...!" She wanted the being in front of her that matched the description of legend to not throw her life away in anger as she thought it was better to regain her power before moving! Tiamat¡¯s heads glared at the girl as she returned to human form, her gaze becoming kinder as she looked at a being from her Bloodline that had faced who knew how much injustice. "The Dragon Race is in pain now, so we shall move now. Besides, I am not alone! My Master, your new Master as well...he will take care of everything!" The domineering Queen Dowager actually glanced towards Noah with shining eyes as she relied on the being with a stupendous rate of advancement, knowing he considered the task in front of them a mere challenge to pass through! "The Progenitor has a Master...ahh!" The dragon girl slumped down again the moment she realized the great legend of their race had been subjugated, Noah letting out a smile at this girl who was going through a myriad of emotions in just an hour as he spoke out. "So, shall we start with the Stardew Valleys?" RUMBLE! Chapter 901 - Merely Sages, Monarchs, and Paragons! Noah¡¯s body pulsed with power as he hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to taste his wondrous power at the stage of a Great Sage, his eyes blazing with beams of light as he looked forward to the experiences to come from this Animus Universe! "We have to liberate the Dragons within the Stardew Valleys and the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters...but our main goal will be to recover the Draconic Holy Lands..." In the Animus Universe, every Supreme Bloodline Race had their own Galactic Filaments they called their Holy Lands. The Draconic Holy Lands were surely taken over as the most powerful Dragons were sent to be butchered in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters! "We will face beings above the Great Sage level with the terrifying power of Monarchs and Paragons...you¡¯re sure about this?" Tiamat looked towards Noah with a resolute face as she only saw his light smile. "I said it before and I say it again- it is merely Great Sages, Monarchs, and Paragons...they are nothing in my eyes!" RUMBLE! "Before we set off to start on the Stardew Valleys though, give me a few minutes to create a Dao." "..." The Dragon girl looked towards Noah incredulously as Tiamat had an even more shocked expression when she heard Noah¡¯s words. She was in a stupor because of Noah¡¯s words and the fact that after being around him so long, she knew that he almost always meant the things that he said! "What? What do you mean to create a Dao?" The dragon girl that was staring towards Noah incredulously could not help but speak up to make sure she heard correctly. "The act of birthing Daos is something that only the most powerful of the Universal Hegemonies can do..." Noah merely waved his hands at the girls that were in a stupor as he replied domineeringly. "It is merely something that universal realm experts can do. Even though I am not in that realm as well, it does not mean I cannot do so myself!" RUMBLE! Words so Tyrannical and shocking were uttered out that the two Dragons in front of Noah had no words to even reply with. The Queen Dowager simply shook her head in acceptance at Noah¡¯s domineering words as the dragon girl by the side simply looked back and forth between the two of them! Noah¡¯s clone was floating near the very center of the Core that was the past infinite realm where his homeworld was originally located. Within the space where rivers of universal essence and atmospheric essence freely overflowed, Noah voiced out majestically. "I wish to birth my own Lesser Dao." RUMBLE! He had spent a great deal of time thinking, his clones in the Time Space and the one in the Ruination Realm extending this thinking to many months on what Daos would aid him the most when it came to the journey ahead of him. After much deliberation...it was time to birth his own Daos! His words were accompanied by a shocking manifestation of essence as the universal core communicated with him and gave him a great deal of information. What Daos Noah could create, the limitations of the lesser Daos...everything that he needed to know! His eyes opened sharply after adjusting to the abundant amount of information as he already had in mind the lesser dao that would go on to initiate their journey in the animus. Noah was planning ahead as he thought about the Queen Dowager¡¯s identity. The fact that she was uniquely the only one from her race that had the ten headed dragon form! He also thought about himself and the Sages of the Dark universe, and the role they could play in the Animus Universe. With these thoughts and many more in his mind, he sent forth the Dao he chose to birth to the universal core as a few minutes passed where he and the core went back and forth on the exact details of the Dao until finally... a wondrous new Dao was produced. RUUUUMBLE! The Universal Core shone gorgeously as Ruination Essence pulsed from it, Noah sensing a majestic phenomenon occurring as the overabundance of essence congregated at the very center of the Core where he was at! This cl.u.s.ter of essence...actually converged together as it released a shocking burst of light, Noah¡¯s eyes feasting on something he had not come across before as what was left behind...was a terrifying rune shining with an array of colors that depicted a word. A Primordial Dao Rune depicting a single word! This word...was the name of the Dao that Noah had sent forth to be created! THRUM! It buzzed in the air briefly as it seemed to have consciousness, this buzzing coming to a stop as it turned towards Noah¡¯s clone and...warped towards it. The eyes of the clone were sharp as they prepared to accept whatever this was, but it found to its shock that the runic character of the Dao disappeared into the origin of the clone...and followed the line of connection it had with the main body that was within the [Pocket Universe] hidden in the folds of space in the much grander...Animus Universe! "Oh shi-" WAP! In the Animus Universe. The Planet of Consanguinity that held the Stardew Valleys that Noah and Tiamat were hiding in...Noah¡¯s main body teleported out of this region so damn quickly! He left the [Pocket Universe] behind as only his body warped away, the destination he chose being the...Ruination Realm! RUMBLE! The Runic Character changed course from the Cosmos as it teleported again, appearing above Noah¡¯s newly warped figure within the wondrous Ruination Realm that had rivers of essence...the character smashing into Noah as it delved deep into his origin and soul. ...! The birth of a new dao... "Too damn flashy is what you are, not at all what you should be..." Noah thought the birth of this Dao was too flashy, especially because it was a Dao he created for the purposes of hiding! But this was simply what occurred every time a Dao was born, where it had to bind itself to the one that birthed it- not their clone or anything similar. The aura it brought...was simply the majesty of a new Dao that was not birthed from the Cosmos, and instead brought to be from the will of a being! Noah broke down the shocking information he was receiving as he could classify it into two parts. One was the fact that after birthing his own Dao, he didn¡¯t just receive the Dao itself...he also received a title! This title... :: A title given to those that have birthed their own Dao. It allows for the Architect to benefit from all those that utilize their Dao, where depending on how it is used to affect the Destinies of living creatures- they can gain Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of all other studied Daos, Increased Universal Fortune, and Golden Destiny. If the birthed Dao Utilization is expanded to the scale of a Universe and fully assimilated by the majority of powerhouses, the Architect gains ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ. If the birthed Dao Utilization is expanded to the scale of a Cosmos, the Architect gains ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ, ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ,¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ...The Architect of the Dao is a prerequisite title for ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ....¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ...¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ "..." Not even the Dao itself, just the title that the truly powerful Universal Realm hegemonies who could successfully birth Daos held! It was the reality of a title being given to a being that should not yet hold it! Chapter 902 - Architect! Noah¡¯s eyes glanced at the title as he felt a myriad of emotions while reading the details of the stupendous title. It was like reading a redacted file that he shouldn¡¯t even be holding, much of the information within it not even being given to him! This was because he was multiple levels early in obtaining it, something that a being like him should not yet have! But it gave him an idea of how the Universal Realm Hegemonies spent their time when he read the few words that weren¡¯t redacted... His eyes lingered on the words of the boons he could enjoy at this moment, the ones termed [Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of all other studied Daos, Increased Universal Fortune, and Golden Destiny]! He knew what the first one entailed, and he could only make inferences for the other two as even when he focused on them, no additional information was given. As for the other perks that he couldn¡¯t even touch nor read since his Birthed Dao would have to be applicable to the scale of a Universe with a majority of the powerful beings within that Universe fully assimilating it...he could only look away from them at this moment as he would analyze the boons he could already access! He gave a light sigh as he thought of the created Dao itself that had caused all this commotion. It truly was a Dao he created for the purpose of moving across the Animus Universe unhindered and with a new identity, a Dao that focused more on support and utility than being offensive or defensive! LESSER [Dao of Subterfuge] :: A lesser Dao birthed by the Universal Core of Noah Osmont. As the Dao Architect, Noah Osmont can comprehend and assimilate the Dao at 10 times the normal speed. It allows the user to falsify the essence of the Daos they comprehend, their True Realm, as well as their physiology as they can transform into an entirely different being. The false can be indistinguishable from the real, and vice versa. At initial comprehension, the transformation of physiology is possible. At full comprehension, the falsification of one¡¯s True Realm is possible. At full Assimilation, the falsification of Daos is possible. A dao designed especially for him, but one that his subordinates could also use to freely move within the Animus Universe! A Dao for the ten headed Tiamat to utilize to hide her identity as the Progenitor of her Race, a Dao for Noah to become something else entirely while moving across the Cosmos... With the addition of the , it also made it so that Noah had to spread this Dao within his Dark Universe and have the majority of experts within fully assimilate it as soon as possible so he could enjoy the same stupendous perks that Universal Realm Hegemonies that birthed Daos were receiving- the perks that were all redacted from his eyes! "Well then..." RUMBLE! Within the Ruination Realm that held a 1000:1 time ratio, Noah¡¯s clone that was already there began comprehending a newly created Dao for the first time while his main body returned to the [Pocket Universe] where Tiamat and the dragon girl had just seen him disappear. "Sorry about that, it seems that creating a Dao is very flashy. I didn¡¯t want to draw any unneeded attention so I had to leave for a second." Tiamat looked towards him while shaking her head at this as the dragon girl looked forward in a stupor. This was because she began to notice the essence of a Dao she had not come across and could not pinpoint begin to erupt around Noah¡¯s body! "What is the new Dao you created?" Tiamat asked with shining eyes that locked onto the grey essence that had begun to swirl around Noah. It was rising in concentration every passing second as it signified someone gaining comprehensions in the Dao, and it was large percentages at that! "The Lesser Dao of Subterfuge..." Noah voiced out with a smile as he saw the percentage over this new Dao rise by 1% every passing second of the Cosmos. This was because as the Dao Architect, he could traverse through it 10 times the normal speed! This, in addition to the 1000:1 ratio of the Ruination Realm and the crazy Increased Comprehension and Assimilation boosts provided to his clone while in it, on top of these very same boosts given by the Affix within his Cosmic Treasure and also the new title as an ...all of these stupendous factors made it so that for the Lesser Daos Noah created, he could comprehend a single percentage with every passing second in the Cosmos! RUMBLE! A minute very and a half very quickly passed as a swirling storm of essence of this newly created Dao erupted around Noah, his domineering words ringing out soon after as the essence began to recede into his body. "Fully comprehended in less than 2 minutes, not too bad..." ...! The moment Noah gained full comprehension in the Lesser Dao of Subterfuge, he began with assimilation as on top of all the boosts he had for this...he also had the stupendous Assimilation Crystals that worked on any Lesser and Grand Daos that his clone in the Ruination Realm began to absorb. THRUM! This gave way to a reality of a majestic aura of a fully assimilated Dao erupting from him just 5 seconds later. 5 seconds! "Full assimilation in a few seconds, that¡¯s better!" "...!" The dragon girl by the side was scared shitless at this scene as she watched a being comprehend a dao in minutes and proceed to assimilate it in seconds! "This...it can¡¯t...what!" Noah ignored the cries of the girl as he looked towards Tiamat¡¯s dazed expression, his voice ringing out. "What are the different types of Dragons right below you? The ones that could have been the Great Sages or Monarchs of the Dragon Race?" Tiamat came out of her stupor as her lips moved by themselves, her mind also sending Noah memories of the many different types of dragons within the Animus Universe "There are the Abyssal Tyrant Black Dragons that could rise to such a stage along with the Amphipteres, Aether Dragons, Chaos Dragons..." Noah¡¯s mind reveled in the images of the many Dragons that Tiamat uttered as for the near future, he would choose to change into the form of a magisterial Dragon that would be moving to reclaim the honor of the Dragon Race of the Animus Universe! Chapter 903 - A Dragons Cry Reverberates Across Stardew Valleys! I The newly created Lesser Dao of Subterfuge granted a being the capability to falsify their physiology at initial comprehension, their Realms at full comprehension, and they could even falsify the essence of their Daos when they fully assimilated it! After Tiamat gave Noah the information on the many different types of Dragons, she watched on with shining eyes as the body of the being she knew erupted with essence and began to expand rapidly. THRUM! The expansion was followed by a flash of gray light as when the scene cleared, the pristine human figure of Noah was gone as a magisterial Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon took his place. ROAAAR! A shocking roar came out from him as from all accounts, Tiamat could see a genuine creature of the Dragon Race standing in front of her. Scales that were extremely dark as they shone with an Obsidian glow, a pair of wings that actually had black flames dancing on them dangerously, and a draconic head that held two terrifying crimson eyes and jaws filled with sharp teeth! A light smile could shockingly be seen expressed on the head of the newly appearing Tyrant Dragon as Noah spoke, the voice reverberating in their ears as it seemed like the sound of a true ancient Dragon. "It only takes an exuberant amount of Mana when you first transform, with the false form you take being kept until you disable it. You can also..." As he spoke, his body erupted with a myriad of Dao Essences- the most terrifying ones being the Cosmic Dao that caused the heart of the Dragon Girl to tremble, but there was also an assortment of over 10 other Daos! Yet within the next few seconds...all of these terrifying energies of multiple Daos faded away as only two Dao Essences replaced them- the Daos of Destruction and Vastness! "...falsify what essence your body gives off. Lastly, you can even falsify your Realm! That is the new Dao I¡¯ve created, the Lesser Dao of Subterfuge!" ...! Tiamat watched as Noah¡¯s terrifying power at the Galactic Filament Realm seemingly disappear, his enormous draconic figure releasing a weak aura that showed a shimmering Manifested Nebula. "Comprehend this Dao first and change into another form that isn¡¯t the ten headed dragon. I¡¯ll get the others ready as well before we move to begin the revival of the mighty Dragon Race within the Animus Universe." Noah¡¯s voice thundered out as Tiamat nodded, Noah placing her and the Dragon girl in a Time Space within the Pocket Universe as he got himself familiar with his new body! Back in the Universal Core of the Dark Universe, a clone of his was already moving and relaying the Dao of Subterfuge to his subordinates, expecting the Sages under him to be able to very easily learn the Lesser Dao within a few hours in a Time Space, which would only be a few minutes in the outside Cosmos! --- The reality of the brutal nature of the Animus Universe continued as a being prepared to make his entrance onto it. A vast cl.u.s.ter of Galaxies permeated throughout, with the shocking feature of swirling Rift portals appearing throughout the Universe every second as they were the gateways an Animus could dive into for the purposes of contracting a Master. Among all the Stellar bodies, the Planet of Consanguinity that was the size of a Galaxy was a well known location- the numerous races of the Supreme Bloodlines congregating there. Within this 1 light year region, there were numerous mountain peaks that held the majestic fantasy cities made of Obsidian structures where the races of multiple Supreme Bloodlines permeated throughout. The mountain peak that Noah and Tiamat had descended down in and grabbed the dragon girl was known as the Sky Summit, a region that had a few Sages and numerous Entities! The other mountainous Summits held many other experts as well, where if one were to look at the whole overarching Stardew Valleys- they would find thousands of Entities, hundreds of Sages, and multiple Great Sage experts residing within this region! Luckily or unluckily in the area that Noah first targeted...he wouldn¡¯t come across the terrifying experts in the stage above a Great Sage- that is if he moved carefully. He put together this information that the dragon girl gave them as many thoughts swirled in his mind! Within the Dark Universe, multiple days had passed in the Time Space where the Sages were trying to grasp the new Dao Noah had handed to them, only a bit over an hour passing in the Cosmos as all of these powerful beings were able to gain initial Comprehension with the push from [Ruination Guider]! This caused a smile to bloom on Noah¡¯s face as while his now enormous body of a Tyrant Dragon stood next to Tiamat and the dragon girl, spatial essence swirled from the enormous [Universal Gateway] at the center of his Pocket Universe that connected to the Universal Core of the Dark Universe. When the spatial light faded...the figures of multiple Sages from Noah¡¯s homeworld made their appearance into the Pocket Universe. The vivacious Barbatos and Morgana, the sharp looking Sword Emperor and Kazuhiko, the prideful Emperor Penguin, Holy Emperor, Anna, Athena, Elena...all the Harbingers of Sin and remaining Sages of the Dark Universe came out in full force to experience the Animus Universe! Many of the Sages recognized this Tyrannical demeanor as Barbatos walked forward with her curvaceous body swaying, her voice sonorous ringing out. "This is the new form you will take, Little Fish?" THRUM! Her voice caused all the others to affirm their assertions as they saw a deadly smile appear on the face of the Tyrant Dragon. "Yes. You all can choose your own physiologies from the Dragon Race before we move out!" ...! The eyes of the Sages shone brilliantly as they had already been briefed on the situation that Noah and Tiamat were met with. "Haha, good!" Kazuhiko¡¯s excited voice reverberated out as the Dao of Subterfuge swirled around him, this being always looking forward to new adventures as he was the first after Noah to utilize the newly created Lesser Dao to falsify his new form. "Arriving in a new Universe and beginning a quest for conquest right away...I like it!" RUMBLE! The air crackled with power as the tides of Destiny moved. The already brutal atmosphere of the Animus Universe was about to get even wilder as new players would soon be introduced onto the stage! Chapter 904 - A Dragons Cry Reverberates Across the Stardew Valleys! II Within the Pocket Universe. "We just arrived in the Universe, we¡¯re already battling with the natives?" Morgana¡¯s voice rang out as the teleported Sages looked towards Noah¡¯s majestic figure of an Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon. Tiamat was the one to reply coldly in her new form of the rare Chaos Dragon. "It is because the state of the Dragon Race is direr than expected, and we must move in haste to liberate them." A smile bloomed on Morgana¡¯s face at the reply as her fists crackled with the power of destruction. "Good, I was hoping to see how it felt to be cheaters like all of you guys and see exactly how I can utilize this System to shoot up in power." RUMBLE! She wanted to experience the feeling of obtaining loot and strengthening herself with it! "Choose your draconic forms!" Noah¡¯s dominant voice rang out as the illusory figures of multiple different Dragons appeared in the starry space of the Pocket Universe. In the vast Animus Universe, there were a myriad of creatures that held the Bloodline of Dragons. They ranged from Drakes and all the way to the fantastical Elemental Dragons and the rare or unique Dragons such as the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragons. The Sages of the Dark Universe looked at the many different types of Dragons displayed in front of them as they chose to take on the forms of the most tyrannical looking Dragons with the Dao of Subterfuge that they had just comprehended! Noah was the only one to take the vicious form of the obsidian Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon, with the Sages of the Dark Universe falsifying their forms to become Aether Dragons, Chaos Dragons, and other types of Elemental Dragons! THRUM! The surroundings fluctuated with majestic essence as the physiologies of many beings was changed and falsified, the appearance of numerous draconic creatures coming to be. ROAAAR! "This feels too real, like it¡¯s actually my body..." The voice of the Sword Emperor resounded from a pristine White Dragon that held illusory swords all around it, Noah looking towards this dragon and the many more that appeared all around him as he talked of the Dao all of them were using to achieve the result. "With the Lesser Dao of Subterfuge...the false will be indistinguishable from the real." THRUM! Noah repeated the detail he had placed in the creation of the Dao as he looked at the beings that were ready. "This will be the first time we step into the limelight of the Animus Universe...it is to stop the slave-like treatment of the Dragon Race as anyone who stands in the way of that...will be wiped out!" OOOOH! Essence resonated out as the Sages affirmed Noah¡¯s words. "The target is the Stardew Valleys of the galactic-sized Planet of Consanguinity, an area spanning 1 Light Year and holding within it a myriad of Sages and Great Sages...it¡¯s bound to be exciting!" The roars of Dragons reverberated out as the forces of the Dark Universe were about to introduce themselves into new lands! --- Hello. To whoever is out there listening, you need to buckle on for the ride I¡¯m currently on. I¡¯ve debated whether it was a dream every few seconds, but it seems like it is truly real as even while using mana to pinch myself or send a jolt to my mind, I¡¯m still awake. I¡¯m talking of course of the reality that the killed Progenitor suddenly appeared in front of me, her Master forcefully teleporting me away into a shockingly dense with essence spatial area as they proceeded to shock my poor heart one after another. First, it was Her Majesty¡¯s fault for not making her status clear, resulting in me releasing my grievances towards her in a way I would have never dared to do so! Then finding out the Progenitor of all Dragons actually submitted to a Master, and this Master could create, comprehend, and assimilate a Lesser Dao in minutes. Minutes! This brings us to this moment. This shocking, ridiculous, and frankly terrifying moment that I never thought I would find myself in. From the spatial area the Master called the Pocket Universe, we were all teleported out as we appeared...in the skies of the Sky Summit that has been my home for the past years. One of the many Summits that made the Stardew Valleys, a Summit that held within it multiple Sages and Hundreds of Entities from the Supreme Bloodlines! Above this Summit, the glorious figure of the Progenitor in her Chaos Dragon form and the Master in his Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon form appeared- surrounded by multiple Dragons releasing the auras of powerful Sages! Amidst all of this...my poor figure was in the center witnessing the shocking scene. We¡¯re the words of the Progenitor actually true? We truly were rising up to defend the Dragon Race from this moment? With the power that we currently held? Even after the shocking feats the Master of the Progenitor had shown, I still found myself uncertain as I thought of the many Sages and Great Sages from the Supreme Bloodlines staying throughout the Stardew Valleys. From this terrifying being, I heard the words that would begin a shocking set of events I would never forget in my entire life. [Life Realm]. RUUUUMBLE! The skies we stood on vibrated with power, a unique spatial wave of essence erupting from the Master and spreading out to cover us and the Sky Summit below us before one could even blink! My eyes barely caught on to the edge of this spatial light as it went on to cover the 5000 miles of the Sky Summit we were above of instantly, containing to spread out on all sides at speeds that seemed faster than light. Accompanying this wave of spatial essence that was called forth with the words [Life Realm]...was a Tyrannical Dragon¡¯s Roar I heard for the first time today. It was the bellow that would come to be associated with the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor, the bellow of the being that even the Progenitor of Dragons bowed down to! ROAAAAAAAR! A heart shaking roar that caused the very skies to tremble accompanied a shocking spatial light that was erupting with the intent to cover the whole of the Stardew Valleys! Chapter 905 - Only Worthy to Serve As Mounts! The Stardew Valleys were truly vast. Even though it made up just a portion of the enormous Planet of Consanguinity, a great deal of beings from the Supreme Bloodlines congregated here! Being a land that was ruled in the past by Dragons, it was divided up into many sections as other Races stepped in to stand above the old Rulers. The many Summits of the Stardew Valleys were filled with plenty of experts, and each of them raised their heads the moment they felt a wave of spatial essence pass through them, this wave accompanied by a resonant Dragon¡¯s Roar that commanded authority! RUMBLE! The flash of spatial light that was the [Life Realm] extended and crossed over billions of miles of the mountainous valleys, stretching to the deserts, frozen ice caps, and even the verdant grasslands that made the expansive Stardew Valleys! It only stopped when the territory that was ruled by Dragons in the past was covered...a Realm over 1 light year long being created in seconds. A light year covered in seconds! THRUM! The powerful Beasts with mythical Bloodlines staying in this range all raised their heads up as they looked towards the source of the spatial light and roar with shining eyes. After the resonant bellow ended and the Life Realm was established, the same voice that had bellowed out before rang out clearly for all to hear. "The glorious Dragon Race...shall not sit idle while being subjugated to injustice any longer!" RUMBLE! "Hmm? Which little lizard actually dares to be so bold?" In a Summit that was about 1 million miles away from the one that Noah and the others currently stood on, there was a refined looking being that sat on top of the highest peak of the Summit that held no grand structures, simply having abundant grasslands covering it top to bottom! The refined looking being played with the verdant grass around him as the swirling essence of multiple Daos was taken back into his body, speaking out with a smile when he felt the waves of power that spread out with the roar, along with the message it carried. "Power at...Galactic Filament? Haha, this is all it took for them to be so boisterous?" The refined looking being let out a light laugh as one could see shimmering crimson hair on his head, his eyes sharp and filled with the light of stars as they seemed to see through everything. "Prince, the creature seems to have cast an ability that isolated our entire region into a Realm, and we uniquely cannot seem to bypass its boundaries..." A figure flashed nearby the refined crimson haired man as she bowed while giving her assessment. The Prince merely nodded his head as he rose while dusting off his clear red robes. "It seems like a little lizard is thinking too much of themselves and wants to rile up the blood of long gone Rulers. Call Salazar here." THRUM! This new figure actually had a difficult expression that didn¡¯t seem to know what to do, his face being that of an old man. Both this old man and the woman that was bowing towards the creature called the Prince...were shockingly at the stage of a Sage! "Salazar, it seems someone from your race wants to cause trouble. Why don¡¯t we go see who it is? You will act as the mount to bring us there." The eyes of the Prince turned into slits as he spoke with a smile, the being named Salazar who was actually a creature from the Dragon Race nodding with a difficult expression as his body ballooned up to become an ancient Light Dragon! "...as the Prince commands." Even after feeling the spatial light that carried the resonant roar of a dragon. Even after hearing the message that came with this roar calling for the Dragon Race to not sit idly any longer at the injustice they were suffering. Even with all of this...a powerful Light Dragon at the stage of a Sage was beckoned by a terrifying being to be a mount for them, and he could only follow the order! It was a shocking show of power as the creature called the Prince took light steps towards the sky, his feet landing on the head of the Light Dragon as he sat down and patted its head with a wide smile. When their figures tore through the skies, one could be able to distinctly see the illusory image of 9 glimmering tails behind the creature called Prince, indicating a being of shocking status from the Nine-Tailed Fox Race making his way over! --- WAA! The figures of a Tyrant Dragon accompanied by a myriad of Elemental Dragons was a sight to see above the Sky Summit! The moment Noah¡¯s roar finished, a Life Realm was successfully established throughout the whole dominion of Dragons that was the Stardew Valleys. Noah¡¯s words rang in the ears of every dragon as they trembled with emotions, those from the Sky Summit looking towards him in shock as those from the far away Summits looked towards their direction! Meanwhile, Tiamat turned her eyes down to the expansive Sky Summit, her wrathful gaze landing on the Sage of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race that she had seen massacring a dragon to eat as a meal not too long ago. THRUM! Her essence as a Great Sage moved out vibrantly as it wrapped around this shocked Sage, the light of Destruction dragging the Sage of the Fox Race to the Skies as Tiamat¡¯s voice rang out. "Weak creatures of the thieving Fox Race should never stand above Dragons and eat them for sport!" ...! A show of shocking authority was displayed as Tiamat¡¯s aura of a Great Sage spread out grandly, the Supreme Bloodlines within the Summit below them that weren¡¯t Dragons adopting careful expressions as those holding even an ounce of the Bloodline of Dragons felt their hearts burn! They thought of the treatment and injustice they took over the years, of the friends they saw killed or taken from them...they thought of all of this as they asked themselves- had the time truly come for them to fight back?! "The ones you call thieving creatures of the Fox Race have been doing exactly that over the last tens of thousands of years. I wonder why a little thing like you thinks that can change." RUMBLE! The moment everyone¡¯s attention was on Tiamat and the figure of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race Sage she pulled towards the skies, a calm voice reverberated across the millions of miles as with it came the arrival of a shocking being. Crimson robes and hair, domineeringly standing above a Light Dragon that he used as a mount...the one termed the Prince reached the skies of the Sky Summit! He glanced at the figures of Noah and the others with an interesting light as his body majestically released the aura of a being at the peak of the Galactic Filament Realm, at the peak of Great Sage. Noah glanced at this being that held a genuine aura of a Great Sage, one more vibrant than anything he had come across before! Tiamat¡¯s eyes also locked with the appearing Great Sage as she could sense such auras converging around them on all sides. Yet she wasn¡¯t the least bit fearful as while tightening her destructive essence around the Nine-Tailed Fox Race Sage, she looked on coldly to the being on top of the Light Dragon who was smiling with shining eyes towards them, his voice booming out for all to hear! "I wonder why you suddenly became brave enough, even spouting words that should rile up those of your race! Haha, look around you..." RUMBLE! The Prince spread his arms out wide as all around them in the skies, the auras of more Sages and Great Sages from multiple Supreme Bloodlines appeared. What was heart-rending was that below each of these powerful beings...their mounts were Dragons that had their heads bowing down in shame! "...you have no need to rile them up or make them rebel. The wills of the past majestic Dragons that ruled over all...have long since been broken as they can at most be mounts and attendants." ...! The smile of the Prince was devilish as his mesmerizing illusory 9 tails waved behind him, his voice continuing to ring out as he pointed to the Dragons at the stage of Entities or Sages merely acting as mounts beneath the feat of the Supreme Bloodline Races! "This is all that is left of the majesty of Dragons, barely enough to act as things for me to step on." A dominating scene was displayed out atop the Sky Summit as multiple experts congregated towards the source of Dragons roar, the events about to play out being etched deep into their memories! Chapter 906 - Its better to group you all together! Noah looked at the figure of the Great Sage standing on top of a Light Dragons with interest as he commended this being¡¯s domineering tone! His eyes also caught the constantly nearing auras of a few other Great Sages and Sages, the hidden smile on his face only deepening as his aura exploded out wildly before anyone else could reply. With the rise of his aura, two shockingly powerful and unstable Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs shot towards the figure of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race Sage struggling within Tiamat¡¯s grasp of essence, the ridiculously powerful Galaxies exploding out as they ripped the body of the Sage apart in seconds! BOOOM! The sudden explosions took the attention of many as their eyes shockingly turned towards the being that had executed a Sage of the Nine-Tailed Foxes in front of the being standing atop the Light Dragon. "These Foxes sure are easy to kill. How are you all worthy to stand over the backs of Dragons?" "..." RUMBLE! The death of the single Fox Race Sage caused the air to turn extremely cold and deadly as the Prince atop the Light Dragon adopted a smiling cold expression. "You are the leader of this ragtag group?" His face had become exceedingly cold the moment a creature of the Fox Race lost his life, his starry eyes locking with Noah! "Somewhat. We¡¯re here on a mission to liberate the Dragon Race and all that." The majestic figure of a Tyrant Dragon smiling wildly could be seen as the eyes of many constricted. But the powerful Nine-Tailed Fox Prince was relentless as his voice reverberated out, the coldness in his eyes increasing as they were filled with a light of cruelty! "Haha! Liberate? Liberate? What need is there for that! Their Progenitor was killed long ago, their Bloodline in shambles." "Most of the Dragons were thrown into the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters to be butchered, while the glorious Dragon Queens merely became playthings of the other Races. There is nothing for you to liberate...no majesty of the past remains from the blood of Dragons!" ...! The Prince spoke grandly as his body began to explode with an immense aura of power. BOOM! While standing atop the Light Dragon, the body of the Prince exploded out as he began to morph into the glorious form of a royal of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race. WAA! Noah watched with shining eyes as an enormous Nine-Tailed Fox appeared in front of him. Its fur shone with a crimson light as its many tails crackled with terrifying power, the aura of multiple Daos swirling around him as the resonant voice continued to ring out. "If such knowledge isn¡¯t already ingrained in your brain...this Prince Ebner of the Nine-Tailed Fox Royal Bloodline will give you that lesson." The voice was extremely domineering as a powerful Prince releasing horrendous power as a Great Sage appeared majestically. Accompanying the aura of these Great Sages were a multitude of Sages, with thousands of Entities not being too far off! "Even the Dragons you want to liberate..." Ebner¡¯s voice rang out again as his paw pushed down the Light Dragon he was standing on before. "...I step on one at the level of a Sage right now, and he won¡¯t even dare to lift a finger!" RUMBLE! Prince Ebner¡¯s words were so domineering that all eyes were on him! Noah looked at the figure of this being as even in the midst of all of this where they were becoming surrounded on all sides, he considered it everything going according to plan as he spoke lightly. "You really love to talk, don¡¯t you?" "..." The majesty of Prince Ebner was brought to a halt at Noah¡¯s words as the fur of the Nine-Tailed Fox shimmered with crimson light. "You are not fearful of the powerful beings that surround you and your forces, little Lizard?" Prince Ebner spoke out sonorously as the nine tails behind him danced with power, yet the reply he received... "Not the least bit. I¡¯m actually waiting for all the Sages and Great Sages to gather here altogether, it will make killing you all much more effortless." ...! Noah¡¯s dominant voice as a Tyrant Dragon rang out as it sounded like a Thunderclap to all that heard it! He actually said...he was waiting for all of them to gather together in one location so he could have an easier time taking them all out! Domineering! Tyrannical! "Trap all the little animals running rampant across Stardew Valleys in a Realm, then simply wait as they wag their tails while running towards me. Good plan, don¡¯t you think?" THRUM! Around him, over 10 Great Sages had appeared and transformed while releasing a shocking aura of power. There was a vibrant Great Sage that looked like a kingly White Tiger, his fur l.u.s.trous and spotless as he brimmed with power! CAA! There was an Ice Phoenix releasing freezing flames that could both burn and freeze their enemy all at once! A beautifully shining Qilin, more Nine-Tailed Foxes, and an enormous Golden Cyclops whose eye radiated Soul Damaging light. All of them stood behind Prince Ebner¡¯s enormous 500 meter body as they looked towards the Tyrannical Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon. "Humor me before your death. The Planet of Consanguinity contains numerous Monarchs from the Supreme Bloodlines, along with a Paragon overseeing it at this very moment." Prince Ebner spoke lightly as his body buzzed with incandescent light. "What¡¯s your plan for them? Are you actually working under a Monarch or even a Paragon that has grown too bold? Why exactly would you make a move to liberate the Dragons within Stardew Valleys?" The Prince wanted to find out the true motives for Noah¡¯s actions, where he wanted to know if there was a greater threat behind him that he should nip in the bud by letting the Ancestors of their race know! "I care not for the Monarchs or Paragon overseeing this Planet. All I care about are the rats I¡¯ve caught within my cage." THRUM! Nonchalant words that only caused anger to rise in the spectating Great Sages and Sages rang out, Prince Ebner looking towards Noah closely as he wasn¡¯t able to figure anything out! He sighed in disappointment as his body began to glimmer with intense light. "The last time a rag tag group of Dragons decided to rebel was 23 thousand years ago. Most were killed right away, with the rest being sent to the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters to be killed later. For you all...I will just kill all of you here!" ...! Chapter 907 - An Inviolable Command! Atop the Sky Summit of the Stardew Valleys, a shocking amount of powerhouses surrounded a group of Dragons domineeringly! Prince Ebner of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race was at the forefront as he spoke with a dominant light erupting from his eyes. "I shall be the one to lead the Supreme Bloodlines of the Stardew Valleys to eradicate you all." RUMBLE! A contender for domineering words had appeared in front of Noah as he smiled at this wondrous scene! His enormous body as a Tyrant Dragon looked at Prince Ebner as he counted 18 Great Sages that had arrived alongside him. As for the Sages...there were over 80 that congregated to tightly form a circular formation around them! Noah counted all the enemies as his voice rang out like a greedy merchant that wanted to make sure he was getting all of his products. "Before we get to the eradication- are you sure this is everyone? The Stardew Valleys are extremely wide, I can wait a few more seconds for more of your Great Sages and Sages to gather." "..." His voice felt extremely grating to the ears of the creatures with Supreme Bloodlines as their eyes looked like they were ready to tear him apart! Prince Ebner¡¯s body flared up grandly with an intense light as his eyes flashed, replying dryly as his essence continued to shoot up. "If anything, you are an amusing lizard. I¡¯ll question you again when you are groveling at my feet in a few minutes." Prince Ebner seemed all but done with cordiality as the Dao Essence around him was about to erupt, Noah nodding at this scene as he looked over to a wrathful Tiamat as he gave a nod. The Queen Dowager received his message as her eyes shone with splendor, the blood within her body boiling as she used her authority as the Progenitor of Dragons to give a command through her Bloodline, a command that only the Dragons of the Stardew Valleys could hear. "No Dragon within these Valleys shall ever bow to other Races again. Your Ancestor commands it!" THRUUM! A wave of blood Resonance erupted out, an inviolable wave from a Progenitor to her subjects! It traveled outwards as all the Dragons on the many Summits of Stardew Valleys that had lackl.u.s.ter expressions began to feel their blood boiling. Even the dragon below the feet of the enormous Nine-Tailed Fox Prince...Salazar felt his mind buzzing after Tiamat¡¯s words as he felt like he could not deny the will of the voice ringing out from his blood. It was a command from someone with such a pure Bloodline that neither him nor any other dragon in the Stardew Valleys could deny it! ROAAR! A guttural roar rang out from him as he released his dragon form, his body turning into a streak of light as it moved beneath the feet of Prince Ebner to appear in front of Noah¡¯s party. ROAAR! An innumerable number of roars then rang out from the Sky Summit they were on, to all the way across the Stardew Valleys as the bellows of Dragons rang out freely! Prince Ebner looked at this unexpected scene with a sharp light, his eyes focused on the Light Dragon that was just beneath his feet. "You actually dare stand beside them and rebel, little Salazar?" ...! The Prince truly hadn¡¯t expected his attending who knew of the powerful beings of the Fox Race to side with a rag tag group of Dragons that were merely at the Great Sage level of power. "You¡¯ve seen the Monarchs and Paragons of my Race, and you still choose to rebel? Haha! Truly a lizard with no brain at the very end!" The piercing words of the mocking Prince Ebner reverberated out, but they were drowned with the continuing roars of Dragons heeding the command of a being with such a pure Bloodline that they could not deny her words! Salazar had a wrathful look as he felt his blood boiling, his heart filled with shock as he looked towards the being that had forcefully roused his blood and caused him to forget the powerful reality of the strength of their enemies. "The will and majesty of the Dragons will not be wiped away as easily as you think, little fox. Rip them apart and bathe in their blood!" RUMBLE! Her words were the match that ignited the fire as seconds later, the shocking laughter of a being many would come to know as the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor rang out! With this laughter, the aura of multiple Great Sages began to descend all around the party that only had 2 Great Sages and just over 20 Sages, yet was surrounded with over 18 Great Sages and 80+ Sages. It was the wondrous figures of a Galaxy Devouring Serpent, a Colossal Helios Leviathan, a Golden Crow...with the exception of one, it was all of the Animus Summons of Noah¡¯s that now returned to the Animus Universe! This wasn¡¯t all, as the Unique Skills that allowed Noah to call forth Witch Slaves and the Primal Spirits at the same Realm as his were cast. At the same time, multiple figures of Noah¡¯s identical Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon forms descended down as the auras of Great Sages freely overflowed above the Sky Summit! During the past 2 months as Noah fused Galaxies, he had asked himself of the many ways he could cause his power to explode even more. When he looked back over the past months, much of it came down to his ridiculous skills...but more than always it was his ability to call forth many beings in the same realm as him to fight! He was able to utterly abuse this ability as he had infinite mana, and abuse it even more due to him enjoying its benefits twice and being able to keep all 10 maximum clones active at all times without feeling any drainage. His subordinates could also do half of this...but they were only able to call forth and keep 2 clones active for an hour with their Peak GALAXY Realms while being able to utilize all their abilities efficiently! This was the sweet number they had found after he had every single Sage in his Dark Universe learn the Blood Lord Skill Tree and raise it up to the Galaxy Stage. This meant that above the skies of the Sky Summit where Noah called forth his clones that looked like terrifying Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragons, his 20+ Subordinates also each called forth their own Blood Clones- each of them bringing forth 2 ferocious Dragons of the forms they took! This caused for the sudden appearance of over 40 new auras of Draconic Sages... But was that all?! The answer was no! This was because there were also Noah¡¯s Summons. What exactly prevented his Summons from learning the Blood Lord Skill Tree and Summoning clones themselves? THRUUUM! The answer was a shocking reality where the magisterial figures of the Galaxy Devouring Serpent, the Colossal Helios Leviathan, Tiamat...all of his Animus Summons but the uncalled Blue Slime- all of them began calling clones of their own as the auras of Great Sages multiplied and caused the skies of the Stardew Valleys to quake! Chapter 908 - Clones on top of Clones! Salazar stared at the scene in front of his eyes in utter stupor! He had scrambled to the side of the Dragons after the command of a pureblood Ancestor, his heart shaking as he tried to wipe away the fear he had of Prince Ebner and the forces he had behind him. This was because he had been Prince Ebner¡¯s attendant for many, many years. He had traveled throughout the entire Planet of Consanguinity and the Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters around them, as well as the Holy Lands of the Nine-Tailed Foxes where stupendously powerful Paragons stood at the peak of power! He had observed Prince Ebner¡¯s cruelty first hand as his will was broken down over time, where even when they heard the roar of the Tyrant Dragon earlier on and Ebner had called for him...he merely followed. But! The words that resonated from his Bloodline caused him and the many other Dragons that were acting as mounts or attendants for the Sages and Great Sages of other Races in the skies to rebel! The words sung to their very soul as an inviolable command that had to be followed, and it caused a disruption in the ranks of enemies surrounding them as many Dragons came to cl.u.s.ter towards the forces of the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon. As Salazar was extremely knowledgeable of the Power of Prince Ebner, his heart only shook while following the commands as he thought he knew how things would play out. He half expected it to lead to his death, but this...! This was when the shocking scene that would cause many to have nightmares played out! The many Chaos, Aether, Ice...the many Elemental Dragons that surrounded the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon multiplied as their forces ballooned up by a large amount! Salazar watched with a shaking heart as from every Draconic Sage around them, 2 more of them appeared to bring forth tens of Sages from nowhere. But this scene was actually the least frightening and shocking thing that they witnessed, as after a few seconds passed- one would actually think hey, that¡¯s only about 40 new auras of Sages that just appeared. This was because a second later, from the Animus Summons called forth by the Tyrant Dragon...their bodies multiplied in much more frequency as from each of them, 5 more creatures releasing the terrific auras at the shocking level of a Great Sage appeared! From Tiamat that was a Chaos Dragon, from the Colossal Helios Leviathan, J?rmungandr, Golden Crow, Obsidian Panther, Calamity Bear, Oculothorax...these 7 summoned creatures each released 5 clones. That was 35 new creatures at the level of a Great Sage! What was more domineering was the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon that didn¡¯t call forth 5, but 9 full clones of itself as it created for a magisterial line up of 10 enormous Tyrant Dragons looking devilishly towards Prince Ebner and his forces! These were 9 of the 10 clones that Noah could summon, and this was only because he had split his origin into two bodies and could enjoy the boon of the Blood Clones twice. This was also the reason why his pets were only able to call forth 5 of the maximum allowable clones from the Blood Lord Skill Tree. Only a single clone wasn¡¯t put to work as he remained in the Ruination Realm, but even those brought forward along with the clones of the Animus Summons, the 3 Witch Slaves, and 2 Primal Spirits are the same level as Noah...it caused for the ridiculous appearance of 57 Great Sages. 57 Great Sages. 57! This is the point where we need to come to a stop for a second and just ponder this reality. The only exceptions from those who could clone themselves were the creatures summoned from Noah¡¯s skills like the Primal Spirits and Witch Slaves, or even the clones themselves. He couldn¡¯t ridiculous make it so that his clones somehow became capable of summoning their own clones! But aside from this...all other ones were viable! When it comes to the feasibility of it, no being would actually be capable of first Summoning and supplying essence to 8 Summons, and then be capable of calling forth his clones while also supplying mana to his contracted Summons to call forth their own clones! The problem lay in mana. It was a limited resource for many, but the truth of it being unlimited for Noah opened many doors of possibilities! One such ridiculous possibility was the fact that his 8 Summons could collectively call forth 35 beings with the same level of power as them at the level of a Great Sage, where after one added their 7 original bodies and Noah¡¯s clones and himself...57 Great Sages appeared in the skies of the Sky Summit. It was simply ridiculous. The area had gone utterly silent as one could hear a pin drop. "..." The 18 Great Sages and over 80 Sages that had surrounded Noah and his forces on all sides had blank expressions! The skies of the Stardew Valleys were entirely silent as Noah¡¯s domineering voice rang out arrogantly. "Now, you see why I called you all little animals trapped in my cage." RUMBLE! His voice reverberated across the Stardew Valleys as it seemed utterly dreadful to all those who heard it. It was the voice of a hunter that had cornered his prey...the voice of an apex predator! "I just wanted to make the hunting process a bit more efficient, and you guys were too eager to make it happen- actually gathering yourself at this location like moths to a flame. For that...I thank you." A glorious scene played itself that far in the distance, there were still some Sages and Entities still flying over from all the different areas of the Stardew Valleys to face the enemy that had risen. When these beings saw the wondrous scene of auras of Great Sages just continuing to sprout, their bodies unconsciously came to a halt in the skies. When they saw the glorious images of the Tyrannical Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon...they found that their bodies were actually unwilling to proceed any further! Chapter 909 - A Tyrannical Dragon Tears Apart the Skies I Noah¡¯s tyrannical voice that reverberated across the Stardew Valleys came from all 10 Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragons, their eyes glimmering with the light of stars as their Obsidian bodies pulsed with power that even caused the skies to tremble. Around him, his glorious Animus Summons and 5 copies of each of them released wondrous auras at the Manifested Galactic Filament Realm, but Noah¡¯s main body stole the show again as out of nowhere, its deep black scales began to shine with a l.u.s.ter of blue runic lines that bloomed from his draconic c.h.e.s.t and went on to cover all of his body! Others may not know, but this was the Summoning of the left out Blue Slime that was merged into Noah right away without even displaying its form, the slime turning into runic lines that covered Noah¡¯s scales as he turned into an Obsidian dragon with gorgeous blue lines throughout. As a Universal Emperor Slime that was hunted by the collective Cosmos, Noah had to be careful with this terrific pet as he didn¡¯t want to give Universal Realm Hegemonies an excuse to pulverize him yet, so the Blue Slime was merged into him as his domineering aura rose ever further! Prince Ebner looked at this glorious scene of an Obsidian blue-scaled Dragon that had behind him over 50 Great Sages as his eyes constricted. The explosion of Sages and Great Sages nearly blinded his eyes as the laid back, confident, and cold expression he always held had vanished! The domineering demeanor of the Prince was wiped away as his eyes became extremely chilling, no words coming from his mouth as his ethereal form of a Nine-Tailed Fox still released majestic power, but the confidence it exhumed was gone. When one looked at the line up of 57 Great Sages against 18...of course their boldness would wane! In front of such a ridiculous and overpowered cheater that could bring such a scene into a reality, why wouldn¡¯t the confidence of his enemies disappear?! "Don¡¯t try to run. I suggest battling head on with the pride of your Races you¡¯ve been so vocal about!" BOOOOOOM....ROAAAR! Their target was the body of the enormous Nine-Tailed Fox that was Prince Ebner, a being that Noah did not know exactly how many Galaxies he had forged within his Origin. ROAR! His Summons released wondrous bellows as they streaked towards the 17 other Great Sages that had adopted ashen expressions, the clones of the Obsidian Panther moving the fastest as they even went towards some of the shocked Sages! RAA! Then there were Noah¡¯s subordinates! The body of a golden Dragon glimmering with the aura of the Sin of Pride flashing out majestically as vastly different battle shouts could be heard from them. "For the Dragon Race!" OOOH! "For Dao Crystals!" OOOOH! "For Glorious Loot!" OOOOOOH! The shouts became more and more boisterous as the Sages from the side of the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon had their eyes blazing with greed when looking at the bodies of the Sages from the 9 Supreme Bloodlines. They flashed towards them with great haste while imagining a future of glorious loot! BOOM....RIIIP! A clash erupted out at this moment as the skies were torn. --- The enormous body of Prince Ebner was the first to clash with the foreign enemies, his tails moving mystically as the Grand Dao of Illusions erupted its essence majestically to cover his entire body! His eyes held an enchanting light as even while he faced the horrendous pulsing unstable galaxies that his senses told him released horrendous physical and soul damage, he wasn¡¯t hindered in his spirit as when the attacks coming out of the terrifying jaws of the Tyrant Dragon were about to land on him...his figure disappeared as if it was never there. A mirage! THRUM! Yet Ebner mind became filled with shock a second later as when his true body reappeared in the skies above where the eyes of the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragons found him, he felt the defensive shields covering his body be destroyed by more than half from the attack that he should have utterly evaded. ¡¯Dao essence capable of tearing through the Illusion of my Grand Dao?!¡¯ A terrifying thought passed through Ebner¡¯s mind as he reevaluated the enemy below him once more, but he still couldn¡¯t understand why the terrifying attacks of the enemy had reached his body even though they struck his mirage! The only reason was for the enemy to be using a Dao of a higher level than his, but he only saw the essence of Destruction and Vastness surrounding the bodies of the identical Tyrant Dragons that all shot towards him in the skies! Ebner...didn¡¯t know that his enemy was actually masking over ten grand and lesser Daos within his attacks, along with the essence of one of the most top tier Cosmic Daos that subjugated the essence of all other Daos. "Let me see your power, O Fox Prince!" RUMBLE! The booming voice of the Tyrant Dragon reverberated out as they suddenly teleported to surround Prince Ebner on all sides, unstable Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs being spat from their mouth in the most terrifying form of a Dragon¡¯s Breath there could be, these terrifying attacks that could easily decimate Sages shattering the skies and creating voids in space, the glimmering criming crimson body of the Prince being drowned out! WAA! . ...! RUUUUMBLE! Essence of o.b.s.c.e.n.e quality and quantity erupted out as the aurora of light from the Prince covered all of Noah¡¯s 9 bodies, quickly forming into a glorious multicolored cage that stretched out for an entire 2 miles! With his nine tails gloriously glowing, his domineering voice erupted out towards the Tyrant Dragons as he wasn¡¯t the least bit fearful. "Come at me you wretched beast!" THRUM! Chapter 910 - A Tyrannical Dragon Tears Apart the Skies! II [Illusory Prison of the Nine-Tailed Monarch] :: A nearly unbreakable prison that can only be activated by the Royal Bloodline of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race. As it is an ability that surpasses the abilities of a Great Sage, it requires a being at the Monarch Stage to be cast or a Bloodline Treasure handed down from one such being to their progeny. Within the Illusory Prison, the abilities of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race are enhanced by +10,000%, with essence being drawn from the surrounding space to constantly heal any injuries they may suffer. Noah¡¯s Eyes of Truth flashed with an intense light as the golden crimson pillars that surrounded him on all sides. He looked like he was in a square cage that came together from an innumerable number of the golden crimson pillars, with one barely being able to see between the gaps into the outside world! The Prince had actually trapped himself into such a Prison as his body became a mirage, duplicating itself multiple times as it was hard to tell which was the real one. This was Noah coming face to face with the Grand Dao of Illusions, and his eyes only shone with an excited light as he sought to learn more about this dao himself! "Come at me you wretched beast!" BOOM! The Prince said these words as his many illusory bodies released a glorious light, Noah coming face to face with a being that like him...had manifested Galaxies. But unlike him, Prince Ebner did not just have hundreds of Manifested Galaxies...but millions! Tens of millions of Manifested Galaxies that made up his Galactic Filaments! Noah looked at this glorious scene of an innumerable number of galaxies as he thought about himself. He had a mere fraction of this number as he had just stepped into the Galactic Filament Rank, where he thought the budding of hundreds of Galaxies set him on the right track. But the scene in front of him... It was what explained the Prince¡¯s tremendous power and his confidence- the fact that this being was already making his way towards becoming a Monarch as he had already forged tens of millions of Galaxies. This brings up a point that has to be explained in order to fully comprehend the ranks of power when it comes to Sages, Great Sages, and Monarchs! Great Sages had to have assimilated multiple Daos and stepped into the Galactic Filament Realm, a rank where one began expanding their single Galaxy within their Origin to multiple. The overarching goal of a being in the Galactic Filament Realm...was to form their own Universe! But such a thing was so far away and so hard to accomplish, and it was something that very few beings in the cosmos ever had a chance of accomplishing. One could spend hundreds of thousands of years until they faced death without being able to go from the Galactic Filament Realm and into the Universal Realm. Such a reality brought the titled stages of Monarchs and Paragons into the picture! For them to be considered a Monarch...they had to have forged over 50 Billion Galaxies! Can you imagine the tremendous force one could release with that many Galaxies within his Origin? Can you imagine the vast reserves of mana and essence?! The many beings of the Primordial Cosmos fought day in and day out to forge this ridiculous number of Galaxies, and just like when they initially broke into the Galactic Filament Realm, they had to multiply their Galaxies by nurturing them with the essence of assimilated Daos. This was also why everyone chased after comprehending a myriad of Daos, as the more one assimilated and the higher their tier...the faster they could forge galaxies within their origin! When one added to the strength a being could access from hundreds of millions of Galaxies and the fact that they could purify their bodies with Primordial Essence...the reality of foes Noah could come across in the Primordial Cosmos was terrifying. At the level of Monarch, the percentage of Purification a being could undergo with Primordial Essence capped at 50%. This was a shocking +500,000% to All Parameters, a ridiculous number that when paired up with the essence of billions of galaxies...it achieved a stupendous level of power that was far ahead any being in the level of Great Sage could match. THRUM! The Prince in front of Noah¡¯s eyes released terrifying pressure as the tens of millions of Manifested Galaxies shone, his body borrowing their immense might and power as within the golden crimson Cage only he and the 9 clones of Noah as well as his main body were in- pillars of red tendrils of flames erupted as he cast a skill against Noah¡¯s incoming unstable galaxies! [Soul Scorching Flames of the Abyssal Galaxies]. It created a glorious scene of multiple Tyrant Dragons flapping their flaming wings, their claws outstretched and covered by Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs that tore apart the skies itself...all the while evading deadly tendrils of soul scorching flames! This was the shocking battle occurring with Noah and the Prince, while even more brutal battles were occurring outside of the Illusory Prison. The Animus Summons and their 5 Identical copies were going wild on the other Great Sages, the figure of the beautiful races from the Supreme Bloodlines facing enemies attacking them with ferocity they hadn¡¯t come across before! CAAA! One particularly dreadful scene was the blazing Golden Crow that led her 5 clones towards the single Golden Cyclops Great Sage that towered over 20 meters. The Golden Crow targeted the creature that released a deadly light from its single eye, surrounding it on all sides as its golden beak opened to release sky melting flames! [Primal Hell Flames of the Golden Crow]. CAAA! A ridiculously baleful flame that reached the temperatures of genuine suns had all of its heat and Essence expertly directly from all sides towards a single Great Sage, the expression of this being utterly shifting to become ashen as he bellowed out grandly. It was a body that shimmered with the light of a few hundred thousand Galaxies. But...facing the attacks of 6 genuine Great Sages, facing the attack of the Golden Crow that literally melted the skies as if reality was a painting...the deathly cry of a Great Sage rang out across the Stardew Valleys! OOOOOH It was the cry of a being that had lived for a long time. The cry of a being that had not expected to face a deadly attack that could reap his life! At least not until some of the Entities and Sages from their side had fallen. He was a Great Sage- even if their enemy was this powerful, how could he fall to the grasps of death first like a common mob?! But his questions would never be answered as this deathly cry became a wake up call to the Supreme Bloodlines in the skies that faced the Dragons as their enemies. They each saw in the periphery of their eyes as a Great Sage was burned alive while surrounded by 6 Golden Crows, their hearts becoming exceedingly cold as they realized just how deadly the situation before them was! Chapter 911 - A LiChapter Shall Cleanse the Valleys! While Noah tried to tear apart the defenses of a Nine-Tailed Fox Race Royal that had forged tens of millions of Galaxies, his pets and subordinates were moving with vigor against the Sages and Great Sages of the Stardew Valleys. They were introduced to the terrifying racial abilities of new races and their own unique skills, but their sheer numbers made it so that the forces of the Stardew Valleys were on the losing side! There were only 18 Great Sages apart from Prince Ebner, and Noah¡¯s Summons alone accounted for tens of Great Sages. This meant that after the enemy Great Sages were matched, there were many Great Sages from Noah¡¯s camp that had no enemy of equal standing to stop them! This was where the bloodiest scenes of the battle occurred, where Tiamat¡¯s figures as Chaos Dragons could be seen tearing through the Sages of the other Supreme Bloodlines and leaving behind a trail of blood and gore. The enormous Galaxy Devouring Serpents coiled across the skies as they threatened to swallow the whole world, their jaws releasing a horrendous pressure that swallowed over 5 Sages instantly, the moment his jaws closing these Sages perishing as an explosion of Cores and Dao Crystals appeared right after! The explosion of loot...was something that many of Noah¡¯s subordinates sought after as in a certain region, a black Dragon that was Barbatos was leading a Small Legion of Abyssal Undead at the rank of Entities against 2 Sages and 24 Entities. Near her, the ferocious roar of a Fire Dragon could be heard boisterously, this roar coming from Morgana who had just ripped apart a Sage as her body palpated with an aura of destruction! When she saw the loot spilling out of the enemy Sage, the eyes of Morgana shine brightly as it was a first for her as a resident of the Dark Universe. "I can finally join the ranks of cheaters!" Her indiscernible cry reverberated out as across the Stardew Valleys, it was the might of the Dragon Race reigning Supreme everywhere one looked! Within the Sky Summit below, the beings within that had stepped on Dragons or massacred them for meals in the past thousands of years felt their hearts trembling, turning to their sides where they saw the eyes of the same Dragons they bullied over the years. As all the Great Sages and Sages were congregated in the skies above them, many of the locations across Stardew Valleys only had Entities or a few Sages of the Supreme Bloodlines left. But this also meant the rebellion of some Dragons would be stopped as a few were even unfortunately killed in the locations that had still held Sages and multiple Entities! To further prevent this and aid the many Dragons spread across Stardew Valleys, Noah had cast a skill that bloomed in the middle of the obsidian city below them while he faced Prince Ebner in the skies. It was from a skill tree he found to be loving more and more, a skill tree that he had taken to the Galactic Filament Realm! "Hellooo..." RUMBLE! An eerie greeting erupted out in the middle of the city where an Entity of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race was about to reap the life of a GALAXY Rank Dragon. The Entity felt chills over its body when it heard the Hello, not even being able to turn around when the hand of a skeleton pierced through its non transformed c.h.e.s.t and plucked out its heart with ease! The bones of the skeleton actually shimmered with the illusory light of Galaxies, a terrifying aura of another Great Sage spreading from the middle of the City as the Nether Lich Emperor was called forth. "Come forth, my children! We have the task of cleansing the many Summits of Stardew Valleys..." THRUM! His descending staff that touched the ground caused the eruption of horrendous aura to rise, where those within the city were shocked to find that this Undead Lich at the level of Galactic Filament...was summoning Undead Sages. Sages! To understand this, we have to glance at the shocking skill tree that was elevated to the Galactic Filament Realm! GALACTIC FILAMENT [Arch Lich Ra¡¯Zan]...>>>[Galaxy Consuming Nether Lich Emperor] >>>[Galactic Nether Lich Emperor] :: .... Abilities include [Summon Undead]....>>>[Galactic Undead](5/5), [Abyssal Nether Necrolords](5/5), [Aura of the Nether Lich](5/5), [Soul Reaper](5/5), [Sweet Release of Death](5/5) >>> [Authority of the Galactic Lich](5/5), [Deathly Soul Flames](5/5), [Sagely Necrolords](5/5), [Domain of the Undead Emperor](5/5) A skill tree brought to the Galactic Filament level, with the new skills being [Authority of the Galactic Lich], [Deathly Soul Flames], [Sagely Necrolords], and [Domain of the Undead Emperor]. Out of all these, the most pertinent ones right now were [Authority of the Galactic Lich] and [Sagely Necrolords]! [Authority of the Galactic Lich] :: As a creature that rules over Galactic Filaments in the Necrotic Universe, the Nether Lich Emperor can call forth the Undead Entities bound by death that are roaming within the Necrotic Universe. Yes. These were the two most ridiculous abilities that the Nether Lich Emperor had received after being brought to the Galactic Filament Realm! It was also why Noah had summoned it onto the Summit below, its mission being to call forth the ridiculous 100 Sage Necrolords as their goal was to spread across the Stardew Valleys to cleanse all the lands and free all Dragons! It also wouldn¡¯t hurt that the tens of thousands of Undead within the Legion...were now all at the levels of Entities. "Kekekekeke!" The chilling clatter of pristine teeth on the skull of the Nether Lich rang out as its eyes blazed with soul flames, watching the glorious scene of 100 Sagely Necrolords erupting from the cracks in space and shooting out like missiles across all directions, the sight of thousands of Abyssal Undead Entities that would form a horrendous Undead Legion catching its eyes as the flames within blazed powerfully! Even the nearby saved Dragon felt a chill run down its body as while the Dragons were elected alone, they pulled away from the maniacal Lich and the forming Undead Legion that had begun to go rampant on their enemies. "Kekekekeke!!!" The chilling laughter of a horrendous lich began to spread across the Stardew Valleys, vowing in its heart to cleanse them to its Master¡¯s satisfaction! Chapter 912 - Absurd! The overarching battle was being overseen by Noah from all angles as even while he faced a terrifying being that had forged tens of millions of galaxies, he still made sure to check everything was going as it should have for his subordinates and those around him! When he confirmed that the Great Sages of the Supreme Bloodline Races were battling with his Animus Summons and their Clones, with his Witch Slaves and Primal Spirits moving to reinforce his subordinates and lend support wherever it was required...he finally placed his full focus on the terrific Prince Ebner. BOOM! For the first time since the Half-a-Step Great Sage sliver of soul he defeated 2 months ago, he was battling with a being that could not be taken down instantly as the Prince displayed a great variety of illusory skills paired with heavily offensive abilities! The Prince was even further boosted by the that granted him powerful boosts to his power as Noah only found himself locking Ebner down with his clones after a few minutes, the terrifying Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs he continued to throw out finally tearing apart the defenses of this creature enough that its illusions were working less and less. "Who are you, really?" BOOM! As they fought, the Prince¡¯s voice rang out while evading the deadly jaws of multiple Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragons trying to rip him apart, his heart feeling heavy as he found he wasn¡¯t obtaining any advantages even after minutes passed since the battle began! RUMBLE! But the only reply he received was the fastest and most terrifying of the Tyrant Dragons which was Noah¡¯s own body that was lined up with the brilliant runic lines that was the Blue Slime- the jaws of this Tyrant Dragon releasing a Dragon¡¯s Breath that was made up of Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs that hit the real body of Prince Ebner head on. "Impudent!" WAA! The Prince came out from the attack with his fur losing some of its l.u.s.ter, the essence of many Daos around his body swirling crazily as the tens of millions of Galaxies within his origin pumped out a tremendous amount of force. "I have Monarchs and Ancestors at the level of Paragons behind me, would a creature like you dare to wage war against them? You think you can survive in this Universe with the Paragons of my Race hunting you down?!" BOOM! "Even now, they have already been alerted to this attack as the nearest Monarchs within this Planet of Consanguinity are already making their way to the Stardew Valleys, whatever formation or treasure you used to isolate this place being broken soon enough!" The voice of the Prince rang out majestically as the nine tails behind his body weaved with stupendous attacks, each one releasing soul scorching flames that smashed against Noah¡¯s constant unstable galaxies. Yet his voice that was filled with a domineering tone had gradually been ground down as he was now mentioning his Ancestors and the powerful forces behind him! At these words, Noah¡¯s eyes squinted as his voice reverberated from all 10 bodies inside the . "Then to make sure no surprises occur, you¡¯re telling me to wrap this battle up and kill everyone right away..." ...! "You fuc-!" RUUMBLE! The Prince¡¯s wrath had flared up as he was about to curse the being in front of him on how he had arrived at such a conclusion after hearing his words, but this was when the auras of 7 more Great Sages instantly teleported into the that nobody should be able to get in or out of. It was the original bodies of the 7 Animus Summons that had been ripping apart Sages and Entities outside! "Merge." ...! Essence overflowed as the starry eyes of Prince Ebner watched on to see 7 of Noah¡¯s Tyrant Dragon clones turn into streaks of light that merged with the 7 Animus Summons, and then these 7 Animus Summons turned into wondrous streak of lights to go on to merge with the only Obsidian-blue Tyrant Dragon! THRUM! A horrendous aura then began to erupt as it seemed to exceed even the pressure that the Prince that had forged tens of millions of Galaxies released, a pressure that was only made possible with multiple Great Sages joined together and gave their many boosts and power over to a single body. It was the coming together of multiple Great Sages unto Noah¡¯s single body! OOOOOOH! A bellow that caused the very skies to tear erupted out, the shaking as the aura of the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon that had begun shining gloriously within was rising rapidly, the size of the dragon beginning to expand just as fast. The aura caused the many eyes of powerful beings outstretched in the skies of the Stardew Valleys to turn towards the golden crimson prison that was 2 miles long in the skies, their eyes shockingly catching the image of a multicolored dragon expanding within this cage that was shaking as if it could break at any moment! A roar reverberated out as on the body of the enormous Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon, another pair of wings resplendently formed to create a dragon with 4 shimmering wings- 2 with black flames raging atop them and another 2 that shone with golden scorching flames. CRACK! These wings spreading out was the last straw for the , this wondrous ability that the Prince utilized a Bloodline Treasure to call forth shattering into innumerable pieces as the body of an ever-expanding dragon became clearly visible to all! The Summons that had gone to merge into Noah¡¯s Tyrant Dragon form...had granted him a stellar draconic armor that covered every single scale, even his head being covered by an armament that only showed the blazing beams of light released from his eyes! ROAAR! He bellowed out gloriously as his figure actually reached over 3 miles, occupying the skies tyrannically as many beings nearly went breathless at his sight. An enormous dragon that was over 3 miles long- that was nearly 5000 meters... It was an absurd scene that was only overshadowed by its sheer majesty! With his glorious four pairs of wings dancing with flames and his enormous body that shone with a multicolored dragon armor, those with the bloodline of dragons in the Sky Summit and those watching his shocking figure from far away slumped to the ground, their eyes fervently looking to the skies! "Dragon Emperor..." "Ancestor...!" THRUUM! Chapter 913 - A MonarChapter Arrives! "Dragon Emperor..." Dragon Emperor. It was a term reserved for the strongest of Dragons right below the Dragon Empress, right below the Queen Dowager that was the Progenitor of Dragons. It was a title that one could not grant themselves, but one that had to be given by others! Across the Stardew Valleys, many eyes turned towards a magisterial 3 miles long armored dragon that released a pressure that announced itself to be the strongest out of all the beings within the Valleys. Stronger than a Great Sage with a million forged galaxies! Stronger than even the domineering aura of Prince Ebner with tens of millions of forged Galaxies. The dragons stretched across the valleys looked towards this majestic figure as their blood boiled, and they couldn¡¯t help but cry out towards it! This was because the blood of Tiamat who was their Progenitor was infused in Noah at this moment, all dragons looking towards him as the Ancestor that had come to save them from tyranny. "Dragon Emperor...!" They cried out reverently towards the majestic figure in the skies as they and many others were shown a scene they would never forget throughout their entire lives. It was the figure of this enormous dragon opening its jaws to swallow a Nine-Tailed Fox that pulsed with the light of tens of millions of Galaxies! ...! The color on Prince Ebner¡¯s face had all but drained when the Tyrant Dragon became 10 times his size and entirely exceeded him in terms of pressure, and the loss of the boosts of the made him even more vulnerable. BOOOM...RIIIP! The skies tumbled and cracked as his disheveled figure was revealed right after, the mending skies showing the scene of his head filled with fur that had lost its l.u.s.ter glance towards the Tyrant Dragon. But all that the eyes of the Nine-Tailed Fox saw...was an enormous opened jaw with glimmering sharp teeth. All that everyone looking towards the scene saw...was the gaping jaws of a dragon over a trembling fox, the tyrannical jaw closing down as time seemed to slow, the scene very clearly becoming etched onto all of their minds! SNAP! The jaws closed shut in the skies as the glimmering Nine-Tailed Fox...was no more. ...! A Great Sage Prince of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race with tens of millions of forged Galaxies...perished into the maws of a Tyrannical Dragon Emperor! THUMP! It was the majesty of dragons when their progenitor was not assisted and their race enslaved, the majesty of apex predators devouring their prey! "Dragon Emperor!" OOOOOH! Bellows rang out from all around as in the skies, Noah¡¯s huge figure felt the body of the Prince ravaged and destroyed by the essence of Ruination within his jaws as whatever else remained on him...a gorgeous red light that was [Memory Plunder] covered the dead creature as Noah absorbed all of its memories. His eyes that shot out horrendous beams of light then turned below him where the clones of his Animus Summons held down the Great Sages and Sages that had arrived with the dead Ebner, his voice reverberating out with immense grandeur! "Wrap it up!" RUMBLE! A single word, but it was a word that spelled death for many as with the death of the most powerful being from the Supreme Bloodlines that was within the Stardew Valleys, Noah¡¯s enormous body moved unhindered to aid his subordinates and summons against the remaining Great Sages and Sages that were already in a dire situation. OOOOOH! After all of this ended...Noah had a plan for what he would do with the Dragons within the Stardew Valleys that stood on the enormous Planet of Consanguinity, a planet that held powerful experts from the Supreme Bloodlines! --- As Noah¡¯s forces moved to decimate the remaining enemies within the Stardew Valleys, the outside of this region was tumultuous as a great deal of powerful beings surrounded a portion of the 1 light year that Noah entirely swallowed with his [Life Realm]. To them, it seemed like an impenetrable green-blue barrier that could not be torn down no matter what attacks they released against it! The face of a Great Sage from the White Tiger Race became grim as he spoke out to the surrounding Great Sages and Sages. "The last message from Prince Ebner was that the situation was grimmer than we expected. If we do not break through the barrier soon, I fear..." "Stop such talk! It is Prince Ebner we are talking about here. He mentioned the enemies were only Great Sages, he can hold them down until Monarch Odo arrives." The voice of the Great Sage was cut off by a curvaceous woman that had the ears of a fox, her face filled with pride as she talked about the Prince! "Master Odo...you are sure the message was sent to hi-" Before the words of the Great Sage could finish, a domineering aura descended right in front of them- a being clad in a white robe appearing soundlessly in front of the barrier. "I am here." THRUM! With these words, the pristine robe draping over this being danced wildly as his body glimmered with an innumerable number of manifested galaxies! Their number towered over 50 Billion Galaxies as this being...was a Monarch! Chapter 914 - A MonarChapter Shatters an Unbreakable Realm! The Primordial Cosmos stretched out over vast distances, with the innumerable number of creatures within all having their own unique abilities and powers. Noah had collected a large number of unique abilities himself, but there were many beings that lived for tens or hundreds of thousands of years stretched out across the Cosmos that had their own unique abilities! As he traversed the many Universes and Cosmos, he would gradually come across these beings and expand what he knew about what was truly unique and absolute! --- Within the Stardew Valleys, Noah¡¯s enormous figure of an armored Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon swallowed another Great Sage, the scenes around him seemingly moving in slow motion as his mind entered a unique state. He saw his Summons ripping apart the remaining Sages and Great Sages from the enemy Bloodline Races, as well as his subordinates domineeringly doing the same while collecting loot with fervor. He saw the glimpse of the Undead Legion that had stretched out millions of miles to cover much of the Stardew Valleys as the rebellion of Dragons continued unhindered! He saw all of these scenes as they were uniquely collected together, the wondrous state he was in only then becoming clear in his mind as he saw that around his Origin, a magisterial golden light had begun to surround it. The wondrous essence of Destiny was extremely dense within this light, a large amount of information being sent to him that surpassed what this Grand Dao should be able to give! Noah did not know it at this moment, but this was the effect of the boons [Increased Universal Fortune] and [Golden Destiny] that were given to him when he became an Architect of the Dao! Such beings were extremely special existences, where no matter what path they took in life- it eventually led to an incredible future! Such beings could turn the most dangerous situations into golden opportunities, and death was a very hard thing to come for them unless something shockingly unexpected happened. Noah didn¡¯t have the full knowledge of this yet, only putting the [Increased Universal Fortune] and [Golden Destiny] effects in the back of his mind. He could not find out the full extent of what they granted him, but their effects silently manifested at this moment as Noah was given a shocking amount of information through the Dao of Destiny, his vibrant eyes turning to the skies as he seemed to see across the millions of miles of his Life Realm...and see the shocking figure of a Monarch that had arrived out there! THRUM! When his mind came to a second later, his voice rang out majestically across the plains. "Finish everything and collect the creatures of the Dragon Race...we have to go!" RUMBLE! The golden light of destiny had told him many things, his actions changing as he moved towards a path that prevented casualties he did not think could appear even after he deployed a Life Realm where nobody could enter or leave. --- Monarch Odo stared at the barrier of the Realm that covered the entirety of the Stardew Valleys as his face became exceedingly cold. His eyes shone with starry light as a horrendous aura erupted from him, the panicked Sages and Great Sages moving back from this horrendous pressure as they saw the figure of Odo...to simply for a fist! A fist that then went towards the barrier they could not get past or crack, a fist that carried with it a terrifying force that could shred apart an average Great Sage in seconds! Behind this fist and behind the figure of Monarch Odo, the illusion of billions of Galaxies was displayed, all of them seemingly interconnected as they pulsed with light, all of their strength going towards Odo¡¯s small body and into the outstretched fist that smashed onto the barrier of the Realm. BOOOOM! An absurd impact reverberated out as raging spatial winds erupted, the Sages in the surroundings being pushed further back as only the Great Sages could remain unhindered! Yet when the scene cleared, their eyes shone brilliantly as they saw...cracks had begun to spread across the barrier they thought to be unbreakable. ...! Similar to how Noah¡¯s enemies in the past had skills that locked down an entire area where nobody should have been able to leave and Noah could still freely teleport in and out...this type of scene played out where the unbreakable life realm was actually about to be broken. This would release a shocking being at the level of a Monarch into the Stardew Valleys, and yet a sudden light of Destiny covered Noah as it told him what he should do. The Monarch had no knowledge of this as his eyes were endlessly cold, the light of innumerable galaxies backing him as he threw another fist onto the cracking barrier of a Realm! --- With the Stardew Valleys, a shocking scene had occurred as just when the battle was becoming wrapped up with the forces of Dragons obtaining victory, the voice of the Dragon Emperor reverberated out for all of the Dragon Race to move, enormous golden portals beginning to appear across the 1 light year region of the Stardew Valleys that Noah¡¯s forces had covered. Through his summons that had shot forth from all directions, his own clones, and the Undead Legion that the Nether Lich Emperor had spread throughout...Noah used them as conduits to erect the [Universal Gateway]s of his Pocket Universe, in many locations! One could shockingly come across the scene of a myriad of creatures from the dragon race flying towards these portals, their blood heeding a command they could not deny as Noah used Tiamat¡¯s fused bloodline authority for himself! This caused for a mass exodus of the Dragon Race to occur in the Stardew Valleys where they reigned supreme over a hundred thousand years ago, leaving it to an unknown land under the command of their Ancestor. It was also around this same time that above the skies of the Stardew Valleys, a resounding sound as if glass had shattered reverberated out- the unbreakable realm that Noah had created...becoming decimated under the attacks of a Monarch! Chapter 915 - Deus Ex Machina! RUUUMBLE! The skies shook as it had seemingly shattered and was falling onto the ground, Noah¡¯s eyes turning to the highest point in the skies where the central point of impact that had caused the boundary of the Realm to shatter was! There, the terrifying aura of a being could be felt, this aura feeling like a billowing storm that descended down unto the Stardew Valleys like waves! Even though he had received information from the golden light of destiny, the process of this monstrous being that was a Monarch appearing was much too fast. Noah had a myriad of thoughts go through his mind as he released the merged form, some of the clones that were merged with his Summons turning into streaks of light that shot towards the direction in the skies where an aura of a Monarch vibrated without any fear! At the same time, his voice reverberated to all his subordinates and summons. "Take your main bodies back into the Pocket Universe, only leave your clones to finish aiding the remaining numbers of Dragons." RUMBLE! His words were passed as his will was followed, the figures of the Emperor Penguin, Morgana, and many others passing through the golden gates that led into Noah¡¯s pocket Universe as the twinkling figures of hundreds of thousands of dragons from all across the Stardew Valleys followed them. The Monarch that had shattered the boundary of the Realm spread his aura out and saw this while scene, his face becoming exceedingly cold as he saw nearly all of the Great Sages from the Nine-Tailed Fox Race and other Bloodline Races within the Stardew Valleys had already perished! "Who dared?!" THRUM! His voice caused voids to form in the clear skies as a myriad of beings from the Bloodline Races appeared behind him, wondering just who had been so bold as to kill the Prince of the Fox Race along with all those stationed within the Stardew Valleys. His searching eyes did not have to look long as they felt the aura of four Great Sages in the form of Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragons shoot across the skies towards him, their eyes releasing bright beams of light as the one at the forefront bellowed out towards a genuine Monarch. "I dared!" Shock spread out as the many beings behind the Monarch were shocked to hear someone actually reply to the question of Monarch Odo! What should have happened was for the enemy to quake in fear as they began to run, but they saw that four Draconic Great Sages that looked exactly the same were rushing fearlessly towards the Monarch while claiming responsibility. The enemies weren¡¯t following the script! --- Far from the skies where his four Clones were about to come in contact with a Monarch, Noah himself remained below as he saw the progress of many dragons being teleported into his Pocket Universe. The process was nearly complete as his eyes gazed above, sharing his sight with his clones as a voice passed through his mind! [I don¡¯t think we can handle an enemy at the Rank of a Monarch yet, Master. Do you plan to use my newly unlocked feature?] The voice of the Cosmic Treasure Ruination flowed into his mind as he shook his head, briefly thinking of the feature that had unlocked next after he had refined and branded the treasure with his origin and soul in the past weeks! It was a truly deadly feature that had only become accessible in the past few days- the one that was known as [Ruination Primordial Clone]! But he shook his head at this idea because in the face of this Monarch, the light of Destiny told him something else! He looked like a devilishly handsome middle aged man as bountiful red hair danced down to his shoulders, his eyes extremely sharp as they focused on Noah¡¯s clones "Ebner?" His voice was calm as it reverberated out, seemingly trying to confirm something as the front most Tyrant Dragon replied. "Shattered his origin and soul some minutes back, his meat didn¡¯t taste too good." "..." Noah¡¯s reply blew the minds of many beings as they looked towards his draconic clones in shock, the starry eyes of Monarch Odo releasing a powerful light as he nodded, his lips moving slowly as he did not another word, but cast a skill! [Nine-Tailed Hellfire Crucible]. ... RUUUUMBLE! A world shaking aura erupted out from a Monarch casting his skill, the very color of the sky changing as it turned crimson. A second later, an enormous crimson Crucible materialized in the skies below the Monarch as it stretched out for over 10 miles, this Crucible taking the entire area Noah¡¯s clones were in as they appeared within it! WAA! The formed Crucible took root in the skies as it began to burn with flames, 9 legs that looked like the tails of a Fox holding it up majestically. "Perish and be refined by the flames of the Hellfire Crucible." His voice was extremely calm as it resounded out, the figures of Tyrant Dragons within the Crucible changing their expressions as Noah felt... an overpowering and all consuming force descending from all sides threatening to crush his clones to oblivion! The eyes of the main body far away from this location shone as he observed even with the vibrant Dao essence wrapping around the bodies of the clones, it didn¡¯t seem like they could last under a single skill of this monarch for even half a minute! At this juncture, he nodded while following the path he had seen when the golden light of destiny descended around him. It was a path that he didn¡¯t even know existed, but his eyes could see such intense golden brilliance at the end of it that he could not help but take it! His words came out silently as he was the only one to hear them, casting an ability he had not cast for a long while. [Deus Ex Machina]. Essence silently erupted from Noah¡¯s main body and spread throughout, his attention still on the clones experiencing the shocking offensive power of a Monarch that released an AOE attack that covered the nearby surrounding miles! Chapter 916 - An Influence Above a Paragon! Tests have to be done every now and then to fully understand things, and Noah was doing just this when he sent four clones far above him where a Monarch had appeared. He wanted to know- exactly how much was the gap in strength?! Each of the clones carried with them horrendous percentages as their strength was comparable to Great Sages that had already forged tens of millions of Galaxies, but he found that the power of a Monarch was inviolable as within seconds of the aoe skill that was termed [Nine-Tailed Hellfire Crucible] being cast, the defenses of the four clones were being ground down faster than they could regenerate! Even as the essence of many Daos rumbled out to cast defensive barriers, it was no use as the horrifying pressure of the Hellfire Crucible called forth ground the defenses of the draconic clones as a second later...they were turned into mists of blood. THRUM! Such a scene caused Noah¡¯s eyes to shine brightly, 4 clones being taken out of commission as he didn¡¯t truly make any losses, but it brought to attention the fact that within his arsenal, aside from [Plot Armor] and the ability he had just cast, he didn¡¯t truly have an overpowered defensive skill to withstand powerful enemies! "Such trash!" BOOM! The voice of the Monarch resounded out after he ground down the bodies of 4 clones, his aura spreading out to cover the entirety of the Stardew Valleys as his gaze came to lock upon...Noah¡¯s main body that held blue runic lines all over. His fearsome body then began to shoot towards Noah, his eyes filled with a wrathful light that seemed to say the next ones to die would be in an even more painful manner! Yet Noah¡¯s figure wasn¡¯t the least bit bothered as at this moment, the Nether Lich Emperor that had its Legion spread throughout the Stardew Valleys sent him a message that all the dragons had crossed through the Universal Gateways established throughout. His subordinates and summons...had also collected all the loot they needed as they were already back in the Pocket Universe! The events all coincidentally fell into place just seconds after he cast [Deus Ex Machina]! As Noah looked towards the light that was a Monarch rushing towards his position though, he remained still as the light of destiny told him the effects of [Deus Ex Machina] were just getting started. He was truly curious of the feeling he found these past minutes, and wanted to understand just what he was being led to. His life wasn¡¯t in any danger with the ability of Deus Ex Machina active, and he still had [Save Point] and [Plot Armor] to utilize if he wished! But he wanted to pierce through the mysteries of what the Grand Dao of Destiny was trying to tell him! WAA! The wrathful Monarch arrived towards his position in a matter of seconds, his eyes dancing with flames of anger as he glanced upon Noah. "So it is you." His voice was extremely heavy as Noah felt the surrounding space constrict and become locked down. "Who sent you? Your reply determines whether you die quickly or excruciatingly slowly." With a domineering tone, Monarch Odo spoke out as essence burst from his, ready to move at any moment. Yet he found that his opponent was only curiously staring towards him, looking over at the illusion of billions of galaxies that stood behind the force that the Monarch released! Odo saw the being in front of him did not even bother to talk, his eyes falling with disappointment as he found he could not give an answer to the Royals of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race on exactly why one of their Princes had fallen within the Stardew Valleys. "An excruciatingly slow death it is then." RUMBLE! His roiling essence coagulated to begin forming a terribly powerful Hellfire Crucible Noah had seen before, this Crucible seemingly ready to come to life and extinguish any beings within it when suddenly...the whole of Stardew Valleys came to a halt. ...! Not just the Stardew Valleys, but the entire Planet of Consanguinity that was the size of a galaxy...everything seemingly came to a halt! Even Monarch Odo was brought to a halt as after a second passed, everything resume again. Yet the expression of the Monarch rapidly changed and turned ashen, the light coming back to his eyes as he looked around him to find...empty skies. The location where a certain obsidian-blue Tyrant Dragon had been...was entirely empty as if he had never been there! No spatial fluctuations, no essence that dealt with the void or space- nothing! The enemy he was about to eradicate seemingly just disappeared as if he had never been there in the first place. The heart of Monarch Odo trembled as when faced with this terrifying situation, a shocking thought passed through his mind. ¡¯That...was a power above a Monarch! Was it a Paragon, or a....!¡¯ ...! Monarch Odo¡¯s eyes became heavy as he could hear his thumping heart beat, his face extremely cold as he voiced out towards the Great Sages and Sages that had come with him far above in the skies, neither of them being any wiser on what had just happened as to them, Monarch Odo had just disappeared from their sight to take care of the enemies below and now his voice was just ringing out again. "Scour the Stardew Valleys for the enemies and kill any that remain on sight!" His command was heard as many powerful forces thundered down into the Stardew Valleys, but they would find to their shock that no enemies could be found across the 1 Light year region...as well as no dragons throughout the Stardew Valleys! Just as reinforcements had arrived to provide aid, the battle had long since concluded as enemies left with what they came for, leaving behind only bombshells that would be spread to the higher ups of the Supreme Bloodline Races. One of these bombshells would come from Monarch Odo...who experienced something that he knew could not be done by a Monarch or even a Paragon, but something even more monstrous! Chapter 917 - Its so big... In an unknown location. Noah¡¯s main body experienced something unique as one second he was looking towards a wrathful Monarch, and then the next second he was being shuttled through a spatial channel! Multicolored lights flashed around him as Noah felt himself arriving in a new area after just a few seconds, his eyes brightening up as his Origin trembled excitedly, the essence of Destiny within budding out as it nearly overflowed! The pathway that had opened up and caused the light of destiny to wrap around him in the past minutes...was this. His eyes and aura spread out to look around him as he found himself standing on top of things that looked like clouds...clouds that stretched for miles everywhere he looked! Miles above these pristine white clouds...were even more of the same clouds as both top and bottom were filled with mystical clouds swaying gently. It looked like a paradisiacal land that was unsullied by the presence of anyone as within it, essence was boundless as rivers of multiple colors freely flowed in the surroundings. It was an extremely unique space as Noah¡¯s eyes turned towards the only being his senses had caught within this space aside from him. It was a woman wearing a modest white dress, with hair as dark as the night cascading down her shoulders, her eyes even darker as they seemed capable of swallowing anything they landed on. Her fair white skin shimmered in the clear light of this space as she seemed to have an unnatural glow on her, her face holding a perplexed expression while she looked towards Noah! This perplexion and confusion seemed to gradually lift up as she stared towards Noah, her eyes gradually brightening up as an enchanting smile capable of causing the downfall of galaxies erupted on her face. "It¡¯s you!" ...! The shocking words were the first thing that left this woman¡¯s mouth as they seemed like the words of someone that found something they had been looking for for quite a while! Noah kept his Draconic Form as he unsummoned the blue slime, the blue runic lines on his body disappearing as he looked towards the result of Deus Ex Machina- towards the being that had taken him from the Stardew Valleys of the Planet of Consanguinity and brought him to this unknown location! "I never thought I¡¯d actually find you within the Animus Universe, much less for you to be battling the bloodline races..." She had a light smile as she spoke, every word from her dripping with allure as when Noah looked at her, he could not even catch a glimpse of an aura as she seemed like someone without an ounce of power. Yet his intuition told him that he should not raise his hand towards this being at any point unless he wanted to utilize his [Save Point] and be sent back to 1 month ago! "You¡¯re very reckless, you know? If my attention had not been brought to you and another one of those old geezers found you first, you¡¯d be hunted down with even more ferocity than even the Universal Emperor Slime you¡¯re contracted to..." ...! The figure of the drop dead gorgeous woman that didn¡¯t release even an ounce of power said this with shining eyes as she observed Noah¡¯s shocked expression, her expression turning teasing as she continued. "Oh, are you wondering how I know? How I even found you and brought you here?" Every question she asked, Noah wanted to nod to as he continued to observe this shocking figure, not at all worries about his life as he wanted to obtain as much information as possible, with him already knowing the terrifying level of power that this being carried as he was conversing with his Cosmic Treasure as he listened to her! "It is of course due to your Universal Fortune!" RUMBLE! Like a thunderbolt from the skies, her fair lips moved as her words thundered down. "Your Universal Fortune that surrounds you...it¡¯s so big!" ...! Noah¡¯s eyes constricted at these words as his memories went towards the boons of the title of Architect of the Dao he had obtained not too long ago. It seemed he had missed something as the mentioned Golden Destiny and Universal Fortune...could actually be seen by certain individuals! "It¡¯s bigger than a lot of the ones I¡¯ve come across, I truly don¡¯t know how you did it..." As she spoke, she took light steps towards Noah, her eyes seemingly carrying immense interest towards him as they looked at his enormous draconic form. Noah looked towards this being as many thoughts crossed his mind, asking what he wanted to know of the most as he opened his mouth towards her for the first time. "The Universal Fortune...?" "Hmm? Oh, yes. It¡¯s a sort of authority that Universal Realm Hegemonies use as they try to increase their power, the larger amount of it meaning the greater their chances of moving forward. Across the Primordial Cosmos, the innumerable number of beings born each carry their own universal fortune- those being able to see the Fortune of others observing thin small golden lines as the maximum amount of fortune any creature below the Universal Realm can have." "Over the hundreds of thousands of years, I¡¯ve observed the Fortunes of many- where I¡¯ve even seen the Fortune of a Universal Hegemony that amounted to an enormous golden cloud hanging over them. But you...your fortune is blinding as it is like a tower stretching for miles...it¡¯s much too big that it even surpasses some Universal Hegemonies!" THRUUUM! Her eyes shone with a gorgeous splendor as she said this, Noah¡¯s mind buzzing as he brought himself to utter calm before he sighed. He felt like he needed a pause button as it seemed he had jumped ahead without getting rid of the basics. His voice reverberated across the paradisiacal space that had rivers of essence freely floating about. "Let¡¯s take a step back here. If I may ask, you are...?" His calm voice entered the woman¡¯s ears as she smiled brightly. "Me? I¡¯m the one that birthed the Dao of Summoning you¡¯ve been using this whole time." RUMBLE! Her white dress and dark hair glimmered brightly as she gave a small curtsy, her voice continuing to ring out. "Valentina Aurelius, at your service." ...! Chapter 918 - The Architect of the Dao of Summoning! "Valentina Aurelius, at your service." ...!?? The curtsy from a woman of such a level was a terrifying thing to receive, Noah affirming his thoughts as he truly looked towards this being again. Her dark hair and eyes shimmered as liquid essence floated near them, Noah fully looking at this expert that should be at the Universal Realm! Not even an average Universal Realm Hegemony, but one that had actually been capable enough to birth a Dao that she applied to a whole Universe! Noah thought carefully about how he could be standing in front of her right now, the culprits of course being Deus Ex Machina as well as...the [Increased Universal Fortune] that the Universal Realm expert, Valentina, had mentioned. As he stared at the shocking figure that had revealed her identity, his eyes scanned her up and down as it truly didn¡¯t match with the image he had in mind of a powerful Universal Realm expert that could birth Daos! She saw his expression as she seemed to read his thoughts, her alluring voice coming out with a smile. "Oh? Are you wondering about my personality? Do you think someone like me should be cold and domineering?" RUMBLE! With these words her figure exploded with might as her face became expressionless, becoming icy cold as she grew over 1000 meters in size, coldly staring down towards Noah. "That I should gaze upon everything with immense pride and arrogance and think I am above all?" ...! Her body then shrank down to 2 meters as her playful smiling expression returned. "I could do all that, and I have taken many faces and personalities over the hundreds of thousands of years. But...I always come back to the personality of the girl I was when I began rising through the Realms of power, of the girl that looked towards every fantastical thing around her in wonder." Her hair danced lightly with her reduction in size, settling down to reveal the ridiculously beautiful face and eyes that could swallow everything they saw. Noah looked at her closely as his voice rang out again. "The creator of the Dao of Summoning...how exactly did I pop up in your radar?" His question was one that caused the eyes of the expert to shine brightly, her smile only becoming wider as she replied. "The one that creates the Dao is closely intertwined with it, capable of knowing a decent amount about the beings that utilize it. Of course, there are too many creatures utilizing the Dao as one usually never pays attention to every single one, but it is easy to pay attention to the anomalies that arise." "For me...the anomaly was the Dao of Summoning being utilized by a creature that controlled the destiny of an entire Universe, where I found my Universal Fortune densely increasing due to such a shocking reality!" ...! Because the Dao of Summoning was closely intertwined to Noah rising in power, his strength exploding out when he began traversing the Dao from the techniques given to him in the Nexus Galaxy by Anastasia...all the things that Noah was able to access from using this Dao did not just benefit him, but also the being that birthed it! Noah recalled the words under the [Architect of the Dao] as he arrived at this juncture. :: A title given to those that have birthed their own Dao. It allows for the Architect to benefit from all those that utilize their Dao, where depending on how it is used to affect the Destinies of living creatures- they can gain Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of all other studied Daos, Increased Universal Fortune, and Golden Destiny. If the birthed Dao Utilization is expanded to the scale of a Universe and fully comprehended by the majority of powerhouses, the Architect gains ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ... Reading the definition again, Noah realized that Valentia was able to benefit greatly from his actions- where aside from himself, he even spread this dao for all his subordinates to also utilize. That was the strongest experts of a Universe increasing their strength through this single dao, the one that birthed it having an explosive increase in Universal Fortune and turning their eyes towards them. "From this, I was able to further find out more anomalies when I focused on the being blessing me with such dense Universal Fortune, and you can imagine my shock when I find out he can not only contract with double the normal about of summons, but that he even had the Universal Emperor Slime that had been the last of its species to be in the Animus Universe." ...! "But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t locate what Universe you were in or how to find you- which was extremely vexing, mind you. It meant I had to wait for hundreds of thousands of years for you to rise up in strength before you were even capable of crossing Universal Barriers, and that you¡¯d somehow end up coming to the Animus Universe or that I¡¯d find a way to locate you after some time. After all...with Universal Fortune, many things are made possible!" "But here you are...I actually didn¡¯t have to wait a large number of years and through our connected Fortunes, I was able to find you just as you stepped into this Universe. Wondrous, don¡¯t you think?" Her words were all that Noah could focus on as he nodded while getting to the crux of the mystery that got him where he was right now. "This Universal Fortune..." "Yes, something that only Universal Realm Hegemonies that have created a Dao should have in such large quantities and quality, and yet someone like you at the level of Galactic Filament has such a dense amount of it...peculiar, don¡¯t you think?" RUMBLE! The figure in a white dress spoke with a smile that could collapse nations as she continued. "Either you¡¯re a creature that is just anomalous in the entire Cosmos, or if I didn¡¯t know any better I would say you¡¯ve birthed your own Dao. Which is not something that should even be possible or in any way be true, right?" ...! With a smile that seemed to be innocently asking for something, the Universal Realm Hegemony laid out a shocking question. Chapter 919 - A Hidden Battle Between Universal Hegemonies! "It¡¯s definitely because I¡¯m an anomaly. After all, only Universal Realm Hegemonies such as yourself can birth Daos, right?" Valentina¡¯s eyes became curved as her smile deepened, her fair hands clapping as she nodded!?? "Right, right! An anomaly that helped me increase my Universal Fortune when I needed it the most...and the one that my Destiny is telling me to side with for aid of my victory in the Animus Universe." RUMBLE! "Your victory? What challenge could a being like you be facing in the Animus Universe that I can do anything against?" Noah¡¯s eyes constricted at the rapidly advancing page of this woman as he asked. "To understand this, you have to understand something about the Animus Universe...as well as Universal Realm Hegemonies and what they do to increase their power..." In the latter stages of power, everything came down to the Dao. After a being was capable enough to forge their own Universe, their next goal was to be able to birth a Dao! That was the only way they could move forward in strength, the avenue of manufacturing their own Daos granting them huge boosts and access to a special power that no other creatures could touch. That special power was [Universal Fortune] and [Golden Destiny]! "With the creation of the Dao of Summoning and me being such a genius to make it applicable to the creatures of the entire Animus Universe, I elevated my strength quite a bit in the ranks of Universal Hegemonies, you know?" A mere lesser dao that allowed willing beings in the Animus Universe to become contracted by those living with the same universe or those outside of it...it was a Dao that was extremely useful and actually loved by those in the early stages of power, granting them a huge boost and protection if they had the talent to summon powerful creatures. This mere Dao was one that greatly increased Valintina¡¯s power and standing, putting her on track to be one of the more powerful beings within the Primordial Cosmos! "But of course, when you have someone shining too brightly...you always have others becoming jealous and wanting a piece of it. This is where my problem came. A universal Hegemony looking at my feats and all I had achieved...and deciding to have a piece of it himself." RUMBLE! The smile was wiped away from her face when she talked about this, her eyes becoming exceedingly cold as the entire space they were in seemingly darkened and became cloudy! "Over a hundred thousand years ago, one of the most powerful Universal Realm Hegemonies decided to descend onto this Animus Universe, seeing my success with the Dao of Summoning and thinking there was something unique with this place- he chose to settle in and began to extend his influence while spreading his own Dao." ...! "It¡¯s actually connected to the powerful identity of a Dragon you¡¯re contracted to, the one that you just had the battle for, I¡¯m assuming? That old geezer entered the Animus Universe and extended his influence onto the Bloodline Races, a few of them agreeing to him as he gave them his own designed Dao- the Grand Dao of Slaughter! The events of the fall of the Supreme Race of Dragons began here as the most important edict of his Dao was carried out...senseless Slaughter." Noah¡¯s heart shook as Tiamat¡¯s words were affirmed, the hand of the Universal expert that she said was behind everything becoming clear! "5 of the Bloodline Races had fallen to his influence, and by the time I began to influence the others, the Progenitor of Dragons that held great talent and had even been lucky enough to step on the path of a Cosmic Dao- a Paragon of unparalleled strength...this being fell to the betrayal of the 5 Races as since then, Slaughter has continued to permeate throughout the Animus Universe." The face of the Universal expert actually seemed pitiful, Noah shaking himself out of this feeling as he continued to focus! "I¡¯ve been working to deepen my influence on the remaining Bloodline Races and stop Slaughter from advancing throughout over the years, but it was a losing battle as the majority of the powerful forces of the Universe had already fallen under the hands of that geezer. My Universal Fortune began to wane as my advances slowed, and I didn¡¯t know what I could do for a long time...that is until there was a burst to my fortune due to a certain someone, until now...Destiny tells me you are the key." RUMBLE! Her gaze returned to being cheerful again as she walked towards Noah¡¯s large draconic body, her hands landing on his obsidian scales as she continued! "Will you be able to step up to the task? One of the most powerful old men of this Primordial Cosmos decided to bully a poor little girl like me when he saw the good thing I had going in the Animus Universe." Her expression seemed like a pitiful animal that had to be protected, but of course Noah knew better as he remained silent while listening to her story! Her voice continued to ring out when she saw Noah did not reply. "Of course, it¡¯s only natural that I give the champion who will aid me a great deal of things. We can start with knowledge...and of course how we can take care of the blazing golden beacon of light that is your Universal Fortune. The beacon of light that if any other Universal Realm Hegemony saw it...I can¡¯t imagine what those desperate geezers would do to you in trying to understand your mysteries..." RUMBLE! The words of the Universal Realm Hegemony only became more and more shocking as time passed, Noah going over everything as he thought of the biggest enemy behind everything- the Universal Realm expert that spread his influence to the 5 Supreme Bloodline Races. The one behind the massacre of the Dragon Race that even continued to this day, the one who was also the enemy of the powerful being that was standing in front of him... At this juncture, was there even a need to deny the help of a Universal Realm Hegemony?! "Oh! My Universal Fortune increased yet again, did you make a decision on something?" "..." The mysterious and terrifying expert voiced out happily while clapping her hands, the meeting of two beings extremely far apart in levels and power continuing to take place as it did not bode well for certain beings! Chapter 920 - The Request of a Universal Hegemony! I "From what I know, Universal Hegemonies cannot act against those of the lower levels or even fight against each other unless absolutely necessary..." Noah¡¯s voice rang out lightly as the Universal expert he faced replied quickly.?? "They cannot directly act, but they can influence others greatly! Similar to how the Old Geezer influenced the Bloodline Races to start a Slaughter a hundred thousand years, or similar to how I influenced the little Monarch you were facing- I didn¡¯t directly act against him, I merely caused a spatial displacement that just happened to bring a special someone over here- and even then, it neared the extent of what I could do without triggering the Oath that I agreed to long ago." "Of course, if the majesty of a Universal Hegemony is ever disrespected with them being attacked by a lower ranking being, they can act freely to wipe out the offender. This is a rule that not many know, and it was placed to make sure that the authority of Hegemonies was never disrespected! So unless you go out of your way to stupidly attack a Universal Realm Hegemony...they won¡¯t truly be able to land a finger on you." ...! Her words were filled with information as Noah nodded, his eyes focusing on her she continued. "Seeing as how our goals are going towards the same direction and sensing the increase in my Universal Fortune, I know you¡¯ve made your decision. Would you do this lady the honor of talking to me in your true form?" RUMBLE! A light smile could be seen on Valentina¡¯s face at these words, Noah looking towards her sharply as he questioned! "Why wouldn¡¯t this be my true form?" "Among the information I could glean from the being affecting an entire Universe while utilizing my birthed Dao...was the fact that he was human. Which makes it even more interesting to see you now as a genuine dragon..." Her words were tinged with teasing as Noah merely nodded his head while sighing. This expert in front of him could not act against him, and was even proposing help! The results of Deus Ex Machina were stupendous as they had actually introduced Noah to a Universal Realm Hegemony helper! His essence coiled around his body as he utilized his Birthed Lesser Dao of Subterfuge to shake away the false form and return to his original body as Noah! --- Unruly. That was the word that crossed Valentina¡¯s mind when she saw Noah¡¯s true form for the first time! When she compared it to the majesty of the dragon...the human form actually seemed to release an aura a notch higher, the true body of a being always revealing who they truly were. As her eyes locked on the eyes of the being in front of her, she could sense such immense confidence and calmness when staring towards her that she wondered just who was the Universal Realm expert between them! Even when he found out her identity and knew her Realm of power, this being had barely batted an eye as he only continued nonchalantly! ¡¯What exactly gives you such confidence? What other secrets do you keep within that domineering exterior?¡¯ Valentina¡¯s thoughts were many as there were truly too many things about the being in front of her she didn¡¯t know about. "Noah Osmont." RUMBLE! Short and sweet, the meeting between two unlikely beings fully beginning as Valentina nodded with shining eyes. "Osmont...very well! I¡¯ll start with the gesture of good will first. Here is the first technique that all Universal experts master to hide just how much Universal Fortune they hold, as such knowledge is immense power!" WAA! Waves of essence freely flowed out from Valentina as a bright multicolored Crystal formed in front of her, Noah recognizing this crystal as it was extremely similar to other Inheritance Crystals he had come across in the past! It flew towards him as he grasped it in his hands, the crystal shining brightly as the light within it began to be absorbed by him until not an ounce remained and it shattered into particles of light. <> :: An ability very few beings have the chance of utilizing. With it, one can observe the Universal Fortune and Destiny of those around them. It also allows the user to mask their Destiny from others and shield their Universal Fortune from prying eyes. A fairly simple skill, but one with shocking capabilities! Noah activated it right away as his body began to vibrate with light! "It might take you a few days to master, so we can use that time to get you familiar with-" ...! Valentina¡¯s eyes constricted as she saw the vibrant and towering Universal Fortune swirling around Noah to tremble before disappearing entirely a second later, his eyes looking over his body up and down as he seemed like any normal being at this moment! "You..." Valentina had a surprised expression at this being mastering a skill in seconds, seeing the eyes of this being land on her as they shone with bright golden light. This was Noah utilizing the skill on her! When Noah did activate <> while looking at Valentina, his eyes were finally able to see a wondrous sight for the first time- it was the sight of golden lines surrounding the small figure of Valentina, these golden lines coming together to cause a raging storm of Fortune that swirled around the body of this being and stretched out multiple meters! RUMBLE! A second later, Noah watched as the swirling storm of Fortune quickly faded away, the voice of Valentina ringing out. "I have a tad bit more Fortune than most other Universal Hegemonies due to my work with the Dao of Summoning. Many dangers turn into opportunities as my advances forward have been faster than others...and the problem I¡¯ve been facing the past tens of thousands of years, I¡¯ve now met a champion that can help me resolve it!" Her face curiously looked at Noah who continued to exceed her expectations, clapping her hands as the clouds below them and the skies above trembled vigorously. "Let¡¯s get started. The Holy Lands of the Supreme Bloodlines, the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters, the Bloodline Races that can be your allies...we have much to discuss and plan on how exactly we can break the Influence of a Universal Hegemony!" RUMBLE! The clouds and skies roiled as they formed into something majestic, Noah receiving a calling from a terrifying expert as a stupendous adventure lay before him! Chapter 921 - The Request of a Universal Hegemony! II The clouds that Noah stood on faded as he felt an undeniable gravitational force push him down. When the clouds parted...the scene below was something that would cause even the most fearsome experts to stand in a stupor and admire its beauty as a magnificent castle took the center stage! Surrounding it were verdant gardens filled with colors, rivers of water that seemingly shone with a golden l.u.s.ter being seen peacefully going between the exquisitely designed garden.?? Brilliant verdant gardens and rivers of gold surrounding a magnificent castle...this was the abode of the Architect of the Dao of Summoning! Noah found his figure brought down from the cloud all the way to a balcony of the castle he had seen when he fell from the skies, his body landing on a wondrous chair that was built so exquisitely that it seemed like a throne. In front of him was a circular table that was surrounded by such gorgeous looking thrones, the figure of Valentina landing opposite to him as her face still carried a smile. "This is the place that I spend my days in, and the best place to have a discussion." She said these words as Noah felt the presence of another being come into the balcony the two of them were in, another exquisite beauty appearing in front of him as Noah¡¯s eyes constricted not from her beauty...but the aura she released! Having just come across a Monarch in the Stardew Valleys, he was familiar with the oppressive feeling of strength one of them could give out as the woman in front of him...was nearly releasing an aura that was a hundred times stronger. ¡¯This girl...is a Paragon!¡¯ RUMBLE Noah knew his thoughts not to be false as he stared at the crimson hair that fell wondrously onto the shoulders and much blessed c.h.e.s.t of the Paragon, the more shocking thing being the fact that this being...wore the attire of a maid! "Oh, Natalia. Bring us some drinks and food, we have a guest for the first time in a while." The Universal Realm Hegemony called out lightly towards the Paragon dressed as a maid, Noah looking towards this scene in a stupor as he observed the maid whose body let out a searing heat glance towards him with sharp eyes that turned extremely gentle when they looked towards Valentina. She bowed without saying a word as Valentina looked towards her retreating figure while speaking out. "That little golden crow was too rowdy in the past as in a fit of rage, she disparaged and nearly attacked the Universal Hegemony currently moving his fingers across the Animus Universe. I could only save her under the conditions that she remains here for a certain period of time, otherwise the moment she steps foot into the Animus Universe again...that old geezer will make a move himself to erase her." ...! The identity of the maid was revealed as she was shockingly from the lineage of Golden Crows, one in the Paragon Realm at that who had attacked the authority of a Hegemony as they could not freely act against her! "That brings us to the old geezer himself in question...a powerful Hegemony that has lived for over a million years, a being powerful enough that he birthed his own Grand Dao of Slaughter. This is the enemy you have, the being that fractured the system of the Animus Universe as much of it is now turning into a place filled with slaughter." She waved her hands as she spoke, essence converging on top of them as Noah turned his eyes to see the illusory image of a calm old man that seemed to be in his prime. Even from this image, one could see an undeniable majesty and strength release from it as his eyes shimmered with the light of galaxies! "The Hegemony of Slaughter, Ambrose. An old monster that does not know when to die, choosing to disrupt everything I created in the Animus Universe as he now influences many things while reaping the rewards of increasing his Universal Fortune...among other things that only pertain to those in the Universal Realm." Her smile had gradually disappeared as a look of distaste appeared on her face the more she talked about the Hegemony of Slaughter. "He is my enemy, and he is the enemy of your contracted creature of the Dragon Race that holds the bloodline of the murdered Queen Dowager. Since you have already begun attacking the bloodline races and liberated the Dragons of the Stardew Valleys, I know you are already heading in the proper direction!" "But the core of his influence currently...is the place where the largest amount of slaughter is occurring on a daily basis- the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ter where the majority of the Dragon Race resides to be used as lambs for slaughter. It is here that you need to step into in order to begin shaking the influence of the Grand Dao...to abolish its system and directly start the process of breaking the influence that Ambrose holds over the 5 Bloodline Races..." Beside the illusory image of the Universal Hegemony, an image of an enormous cl.u.s.ter of galaxies that were tinged red appeared, each of them pulsing brilliantly as when Noah stared at them, their light enticingly seemed to be calling towards him! His eyes shone as he asked about something that had always been on his mind. "What about the other Bloodline Races? The Mixed Races, Galaxy Devouring Serpents, The Mythical Helios Race, and the Golden Crows?" When he spoke the last words, he looked towards the figures of the maid at the shocking level of a Paragon who had returned with over ten huge oval plates that held glistening meats and vegetables, along with golden drinks that had an intense aroma wafting out. Valentina looked at Noah with sharp eyes as she replied. "By the time I reacted, the Progenitor of the Dragon Race had already fallen as I was only able to extend my influence onto those 4 Races...and I was even able to save some clans of Dragons as some of them migrated to the Holy Lands of the Golden Crows, Galaxy Devouring Serpents, Mixed Races, and the Mythical Helios Race." RUMBLE! "Over the last tens of thousands of years, it had just been a hidden battle between which of the Races the two of us are influencing, with the Paragons and Monarchs of both sides keeping a check on each other as at this moment, a new force would tilt the battle towards one side. That new force...will be you. " ...! Valentina was staring at Noah as if he was some rare treasure, her eyes still locked towards this being as she recalled the towering fortune and destiny he held. "How about it? Shall we go into the details of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy and the situation you can expect within it? You¡¯ll be facing the champions of a Universal Hegemony that has birthed a Grand Dao...and will effectively call the attention of this being as he will use his power and resources to try and wipe you out..." With a smile that could cause calamities, Valentina spoke while looking towards Noah who stared back towards her with sharp eyes filled with a domineering light. "It¡¯s merely a Universal Realm Hegemony as an enemy. Against a being that cannot even lay a finger on me, what do I have to fear?" ...! RUMBLE! Chapter 922 - The Primordial Ruination Clone! I "It¡¯s merely a Universal Realm Hegemony as an enemy. Against a being that cannot even lay a finger on me, what do I have to fear?" ...!?? Noah¡¯s words caused Valentina to look at him incredulously before the Universal expert laughed lightly, her sharp eyes nodding as the two beings continued the discussion while digging into the feast in front of them! A shocking Paragon of the Golden Crow race stood behind Valentia with her eyes coldly staring daggers at Noah, but he didn¡¯t even bat an eye as he obtained more information of the forces of the Animus Universe and the next location he would be entering- the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters. The talk went on for a few hours as Noah obtained a great deal of information about the Animus Universe that when such information was joined together with the memories he obtained from Prince Ebner, he felt like he could have been a citizen that lived within this universe for tens of thousands of years! "The Bloody Battlefield Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters..." He voiced out while he finished the golden drink within his cup, his eyes turning towards Valentina as he nodded. "We¡¯ll start there. Free the Dragons locked within, shatter the influence of a Universal Hegemony. Let¡¯s hope it can be light work!" RUMBLE! He rose from the table with these domineering words as Valentina¡¯s eyes curved into a smile while she laughed lightly. She waved her hands as an exquisitely designed mirror with runic inlays floated towards Noah. "This is something you can use to easily reach out to me if anything happens. It¡¯s the extent of what I can do with my influence before alerting the geezer Oathkeeper. I¡¯ll be looking over things every now and then, but this will serve as our way of communication!" Noah took the golden mirror with mysterious runic inlays in his hands as Eyes of Truth showed him some information on it. [Valentina¡¯s Golden Mirror] : A unique treasure forged by the Universal Realm Hegemony Valentina Aurelius. With it, a being only needs to input a tiny amount of mana to alert her, allowing for smooth communication across unlimited distances. The treasure has the qualities of |Unbreakable| and |Fortune Enhancement|, being something that even Paragons would have a hard time breaking while granting its current designated owner increased fortune. Current designated owner: Noah Osmont. "..." Noah took the mirror speechlessly as he put it into his Expansive Space, nodding towards Valentina as he looked out the balcony of the castle and onto the paradisiacal landscape all around him. He then turned to lock eyes with the peak powerhouse of this Universe who held a great deal of power...yet could not fully utilize it at the same time! He had many thoughts about this as for now, he only spoke out lightly while a light of teleportation wrapped around him. "I¡¯ll check in if I ever need anything. Until then..." THRUUM! He left behind a Universal Realm Hegemony and a Paragon who looked towards his retreating figure with very different thoughts. The paradisiacal castle became quiet as soon as Noah left, Valentina looking towards the seat he was in as an unknown light flashed through her eyes. A myriad of thoughts were swirling in her mind about this new being and what exactly his immense universal fortune meant, but no answers came to her aside from the things he had chosen to share! "Oh well, there is always time that reveals all things." Her dark hair danced on her shoulders as the Golden Crow Paragon in a Maid costume bowed towards her while speaking out hesitantly. "Master...should I make you anything else?" Towards the Paragon respectfully looking towards her, Valentina only smiled while shaking her head, her voice only ringing out a second later. "No, nothing else for now. I need to keep watch on certain things and make some calculations..." Essence bloomed around the Universal Realm expert with these words, the golden light of destiny shining brightly throughout as a certain maid only nodded with a sunken expression behind her! The paradisiacal castle and all of its gardens and flowing golden rivers felt much dimmer at this moment, as if something that had brightened them up briefly disappeared just as quickly as it came. Even with all the beauty of this wondrous space, it felt like it was missing something! --- Noah¡¯s figure returned into the Pocket Universe as if he had never left, appearing in the form of the Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon as he looked over the expansive area of the Pocket Universe that was now littered with Dragons. RUMBLE! The power of their bloodline rumbled forth crazily as all of them were reigned in by the Aura of Tiamat, Noah watching this Queen Dowager release the authority of her bloodline to have all the dragons patiently situated in one location! Noah¡¯s entrance was what began the commotion as these Dragons from the Stardew Valleys looked towards the figure of the being that shone the brightest during their liberation. "Dragon Emperor..." His name was majestically uttered throughout as Noah merely nodded towards them, the figures of the dragon girl they had talked to when they first entered the Stardew Valleys and even the Salazar who was demeaned to act as the mount of Prince Ebner being among many that looked towards Noah¡¯s draconic figure with fervor! These were the dragons liberated from thousands of years of bondage, their blood burning strong as they looked towards the figure of Noah for what their direction would be from here. But Noah did not address them as he only turned his tyrannical eyes over to Tiamat. He wanted to let the Queen Dowager have free reign over the creatures of her Race as it was before, not using his title as her master to step into her role as the Progenitor of Dragons! He wanted to begin the true rebirth of the Progenitor of Dragons! Chapter 923 - The Primordial Ruination Clone! II Noah communicated with Tiamat for her to do as she wished as his figure disappeared from the fervent eyes of the dragons to reappear elsewhere in the Pocket Universe. The Queen Dowager nodded with bright eyes at this as she turned towards her Bloodline, all the creatures below gazing towards her as they sensed the pureness of her blood that shook them to their very cores!?? "My progeny...!" RUMBLE! The Queen Dowager addressed her people for the first time since her rebirth, this point in time being just the beginning for the Progenitor of Dragons going towards reclaiming her title! Far from this region, Noah towards his Subordinates that were congregating in another area of the Pocket Universe. All of them were floating around a mountain that was shining brilliantly with loot, Noah coming face to face with a literal mountain of loot as Barbatos, the Emperor Penguin, Morgana...all the Sages of the Dark Universe were looking towards him with shining eyes as he had given them a shocking message. He told them to collect all of the Dao Crystals, Cores, Skill Books....all the loot that they collected from the recent battle! They didn¡¯t know the reason why, but they listened and did as they were told, and they now looked towards Noah to see exactly what his words had meant. Noah went towards the mountain of loot that was surrounded by draconic figures, creating a wondrous scene as a spatial light bloomed from him, a large amount of loot descending onto the glowing mountain as his loot shone with even more gorgeous light. Within them, the Dao Crystals of a myriad of Daos and the Cores of Galactic Filament could be seen! ...! The Sages of the Dark Universe gulped while looking towards the Galactic Filament Cores that would be the key to paving the way for them to become Great Sages, looking towards Noah as they saw his body erupt with a deadly red light that wrapped around the entire mountain of loot. A second later, only empty space could be seen as a glorious light shone from Noah¡¯s c.h.e.s.t, the mountain of loot disappearing entirely! The red light continued to shine brightly as a second later, a wave of spatial essence spread out as the Sages felt their bodies being pushed back, a mountain of treasures twice as large as the one before appearing before them! "Holy shi..." "Are you serious?!" RUMBLE! The area buzzed with activity as everyone looked around in shock, Noah¡¯s expression not changing after he utilized the [Duplication] feature of the Cosmic Treasure! He waved his hands to collect a large amount of Dao Crystals and Galactic Filament Cores for himself as he called out domineeringly a second later. "Divide everything equally and upgrade your strength. The Battles are only getting started!" ...! After throwing all of his subordinates into a stupor by duplicating an entire mountain of treasures, Noah didn¡¯t even explain the ridiculousness as his figure disappeared, his main body teleporting into the Ruination Realm as he wanted to do something even more ridiculous- the birth of a Primordial Ruination Clone! He left behind subordinates that looked at each other with exasperation as he appeared in the Ruination Realm with his own body, the figure of the Tyrant Dragon wiped away. His c.h.e.s.t shone brightly as the Cosmic Treasure erupted out, RUINATION floating gleefully in the rivers of Ruination Essence as it voiced out. [You are ready for this, Master?] "Yes...let¡¯s build the Primordial Ruination Clone." RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s eyes were shining with an intense light as he said this, looking forward to the Clone produced by the latest unlocked feature of the Cosmic Treasure. Its details...were shocking to say the least! [Primordial Ruination Clone] :: Out of the innumerable number of creatures in the vast Cosmos, there are a few whose bodies uniquely rise above all others. The Primordial Ruination Clone is a feature that only the Master of RUINATION can utilize, allowing them to forge a Primordial Ruination Clone from the very essence of Ruination. As a creature made from the very essence of a Cosmic Dao, it has a +100,000% Increase in the speed of progression through the Realms of Power, +100,000% Increase in the Comprehension and Assimilation of all Daos, can display 200% of the strength of the Master of Ruination, along with its power increased by 1000% when in the Ruination Sea. It can seamlessly utilize the abilities of [Miniature Ruination Rupture Generation], [Instantaneous Universal Teleportation], [Ruination Essence Skill Conversion and Amplification], [!#[email protected]%], [@$%@#$%]... A feature that allowed for the creation of a balance breaking clone! One that had a stupid amount of boosts attached to it on top of ridiculous abilities only the clone could utilize. With Noah¡¯s go ahead, the Cosmic Treasure shone with a brilliant crimson light as it attached itself to Noah, his scalp opening as drops of blood erupted and was surrounded by the essence of Ruination! From this bubbling blood that acted as a signature, it began to suck in the red essence and gradually formed into a cocoon...a cocoon that expanded and contracted wondrously as it pulsed with immense mana and power. The voice of the Cosmic Treasure resounded out as the clone was forming, Noah thinking of the equivalency of this when he compared himself against Ebner that just had tens of millions of forged Galaxies! This single clone...would put him extremely high in the ranks of Great Sages that had lived for tens of thousands of years to have created over a billion Galaxies. But it still wasn¡¯t enough to match a Monarch! THRUM The bloody cocoon pulsed as it took Noah away from his thoughts, his eyes landing on it as saw an eruption of light occur, a magisterial presence stepping out from this light a second later. "..." A figure stared back at him silently, his consciousness feeling the connection he had with this figure as in a matter of seconds...it was like he discovered a lost limb! Hair as crimson as it could be, skin fairer than most women with well built muscles more defined than any man! A white robe dr.a.p.ed over the Primordial Ruination Clone as it covered the enormous blessings hidden within, his eyes reflecting Noah¡¯s as he spoke for the first time. "This is the body that will face Monarchs and Paragons as we haul off an old Hegemony from his exalted seat, hmmm?" The crimson Primordial Ruination Clone smiled devilishly as his eyes were filled with a tinge of cruelty, the birth of a creature geared for battle appearing at this point in time! Chapter 924 - Fishing Among the Stars! In a unique spatial area connected to the Animus Universe. The space was isolated, being one that very few beings could ever have access to. Within it, the figure of a single being could be seen- an old man with a robust figure and a majestic well-trimmed beard, his eyes shining with the light of innumerable galaxies as this being...was currently situated on top of a star.?? His body was gigantic in size as he could actually comfortably sit upon a star, an item that was would commonly find on fishermen being seen grasped in his arm as from a pole, a golden fishing line stretched out towards the starry space below him! This being...was actually fishing in the starry space! WAA A wave of essence erupted out not too far from him as the figure of another being appeared, this one in the form of the Nine-Tailed Fox as the aura it released was multiple times above what Monarch Odo released. This newly arriving being was a Paragon! The Nine-Tailed Fox bowed towards the enormous figure of an old man fishing among the stars as he voiced out. "Sir, one of my Monarchs came across creatures that caused the rebellion of the Dragon Race in a region within the Planet of Consanguinity. The being was only in the Galactic Filaments Realm but..." The Paragon actually seemed to hesitate with his words as the 9 tails behind him shook, the fishing old man voicing out calmly as a smile filled his face. "Go on. The things you want to tell me, I have already discerned the results of anyways." RUMBLE "A power that is greater than a Paragon¡¯s aided the Great Sage leading the rebellion to escape..." THRUM The unique space turned quiet at these words, the old man only continuing to fish within the stars as his eyes flashed with a cold light while looking at the wondrous scene around him. "You¡¯re making your move now, O Young Valentina?" His words were barely a whisper with nobody being able to hear them as if they could, they would be able to see immense contempt stemming from them! It was the words of a being talking about another as if they were a child, as if their action would never amount to much as everything would be in the other person¡¯s hands! "What shall we do, Master?" The Paragon asked with some hesitation as the voice of the old man landed on his ears. "Hmm, just focus your forces on the Holy Lands and the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters. Everything should be fine with just that." ...! It was a shockingly domineering reply from a being that had lived too long and had seen too much! --- Back in the Ruination Realm, Noah was currently getting acquainted with the feeling the Primordial Ruination Clone gave out. When his senses focused on it and his main body and other clones...he was able to see the stark difference in the power they could release! Everything about the Primordial Ruination Clone radiated power as it truly lived up to having 200% of the strength of his original body, even the action of breathing feeling more stupendous. There were a great deal of abilities the clone alone could utilize, and there were also multiple abilities that even Noah could find nothing about! "What¡¯s with the abilities of the clone that I can¡¯t even read?" He voiced out with his eyebrows raised towards the cosmic treasure that shook while replying lightly. [It¡¯s not my fault, Master. It¡¯s actually because your level is currently too low that you can¡¯t even utilize all the things the Primordial Clone has to offer. The ones you cannot see or utilize probably relate to the Universal Realm or when you achieve an even greater level. In your terms, you would be a level 10 beginner that got his hands on a level 999 end game item...you can use it somewhat, but not really.] "..." [Miniature Ruination Rupture Generation] :: The Primordial Ruination Clone is capable of causing small ruptures of a few meters in size to erupt from its body and last for 5 seconds, these ruptures tearing apart the surrounding space as it becomes a simulated region of the Sea of Ruination momentarily. Any being caught within the Ruptures will face deadly soul and physical damage as they will be devoured by the essence of Ruination for as long as they remain within the bounds of the Ruptures. The scene of the terrifying fractures that spread throughout the Dark Universe were displayed in Noah¡¯s mind when he read over the skill, this ability actually allowing him to do a watered down version of this that only simulated the Sea of Ruination, with its damage being extremely deadly as this skill should be even stronger than his Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs at this moment! With shining eyes, he read over the other abilities. [Instantaneous Universal Teleportation] :: All Universes recorded within the Cosmic Treasure RUINATION can be entered instantaneously as the Primordial Ruination Clone can displace its body rapidly across the boundary of the Cosmos. [Ruination Essence Skill Conversion and Amplification] :: All abilities cast from the Primordial Ruination Clone can be subjugated to conversion and amplification from the purest essence of Ruination, the effects of all targeted abilities undergoing a change. Even more balance shattering skills were displayed, with the first one being something that could easily to be utilized while the second...required Noah to test out to see its true might. But nonetheless, a ridiculously built Clone entered his hands! A powerful Primordial Ruination Clone that could display double the power his original body could display, along with shocking percentages in Realm progression that would shoot him up the Galactic Filament Realm while he forged galaxies...Noah had found the perfect thing! He would have this Primordial Ruination Clone be the one actively moving in the outside world for him, while his main body trained or relaxed within the Dark Universe. Chapter 925 - The Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters! I Within the loot that Noah had collected, the ones he looked forward to seeing the results of the most were the Cores that shone with the illusory light of Galactic Filaments when one looked at them, wanting to know exactly how many Galaxies these Cores would allow him to forge! Since they came from Great Sages that had formed millions or tens of millions of Galaxies, they caused the formation of tens of thousands in those that absorbed them every second, until a being could find themselves having formed hundreds of thousands of Galaxies.?? Meanwhile Noah...with the +100,000% progression through Realms of the Primordial Ruination Clone- it was just a horrendously ridiculous sight to come across! In his gorgeously shining origin, millions of Galaxies were stupidly becoming forged every single second. Not tens of thousands- but millions! It was such a ridiculous jump and a number so much larger than what he originally had, Noah finding himself having culminated over 50 million Galaxies after he finished the absorption of just a single Galactic Filament Core... RUMBLE! The body of the Primordial Ruination Clone shone brilliantly as the light of so many forged Galaxies, Noah¡¯s main body feeling the explosion in power as the Realm of the clone was transferred to him, Ruination Essence swirling around him as millions of Galaxies formed in him as well. It was a shocking new reality of shooting up through the ranks of power that was only made possible through the birth of the new Clone! "Continue!" Noah¡¯s eyes were bright as he continued absorbing the Galactic Filament Cores along with Dao Crystals, getting himself new Daos into his collection as within a matter of seconds, the Grand Dao of Illusions was comprehended and fully assimilated. Any daos he came across that he didn¡¯t already have...became fully assimilated in seconds! At this moment, he just went all out in birthing new galaxies and obtaining new Daos... ---- As the main body and Primordial Ruination Clone worked in the Ruination Realm, Noah¡¯s clones were still moving actively around the Pocket Universe to oversee everything while preparing his subordinates for the future to come. As they entered Time Spaces to absorb Dao Crystals and Cores, Noah relayed to them the future of the Bloody Battlefield Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters they would soon be entering- vast expanses of galaxy cl.u.s.ters where a majority of the Dragon Race lay, and where the most horrendous forms of slaughter were taking place in the Animus Universe! Within a region in the Pocket Universe, one of Noah¡¯s clones was watching the figures of Barbatos and Morgana competitively absorb the few Galactic Filament Cores available to the subordinates, their origins pulsing with power as unstable galaxies were forming and about to stabilize. In another area, multiple women were surrounded with a regal aura as they made similar breakthroughs- the figures of Elena, Athena, and Anna having the faces of pristine creatures that nobody could touch! Far from them in the skies, there was another vibrant woman watching this scene and many more, yet she seemed to have won as she held the hands of one of Noah¡¯s clones while watching everything! It was of course, the Ice Queen Adelaide, who only had her Realm in the Galaxy stage as she wasn¡¯t worried about forging more galaxies or getting stronger, being happy just to be around her esteemed person she was lucky enough to find and keep. RAA! With this, it signified the birth of another Great Sage as he had already met the prerequisite of assimilating multiple Daos- something that many of the powerhouses of the Dark Universe would soon manage to do. Within another region of the Pocket Universe, one of Noah¡¯s clones waved his hands as he summoned the blue slime that had been reinforcing him in his draconic form. He wanted to give the little guy more freedom even though it was being hunted across the Primordial Cosmos, bopping its wiggly body as he spoke to it. "You should¡¯ve grasped the Dao of Subterfuge by now. Change into a new form and aura that nobody will be able to associate with Universal Emperor Slimes!" THRUM! The body of the Blue Slime shook happily as it nodded, its body being covered by the essence of Subterfuge as its body gradually began to change! A brilliant shine of blue light later...and a new figure appeared in front of Noah¡¯s eyes as he looked towards it incredulously. It was the figure of a boy that looked no older than 10 a 11, his hair a bright shade of blue as it danced freely on his head. His eyes were shining a brilliant cerulean blue as above his head, an illusory floating crown could be seen! His face was filled with childish wonder and excitement as he looked towards Noah while showing off his form, speaking towards him without simply sharing his thoughts and consciousness for the first time. "It¡¯s an amazing form isn¡¯t it, Father?!" ...RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s heart nearly skipped a beat as even his main body and clone felt their minds shake in the Ruination Realm at the words of the Blue Slime! He...he hadn¡¯t even begun having kids, and yet this terrifying blue slime that had the mentality of a child actually gave him such a title! "You...I..." Noah had no words as he exasperatedly looked at the figure of the blue-haired boy go on to stand beside him and try to emulate his demeanor and make his face serious. "I¡¯m ready to go, let¡¯s go find some tasty meals!" THRUM! The body of the boy vibrated with power at the Galactic Filament Realm as the things he considered tasty were creatures at the Great Sage and Sage levels, and Noah merely sighed at this while he summoned the rest of the Animus Pets. They would be the advance party going into the Bloody Battlefield Galaxies of the Animus Universe, with everyone else coming later as they finished enhancing their strength and familiarizing themselves with their power! WAA! In front of this the summoned Animus Pets, another figure teleported in as his mere presence caused the surrounding space to twist and adapt. With crimson hair and eyes that shone with a devilish light, the Primordial Ruination Clone came out as with him, the air of majesty and power emanated out! "Let¡¯s go!" A single sentence, and it was one that began a bloody path towards Galaxies that were filled with slaughter! Chapter 926 - The Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters! II The Animus Summons felt as if the space above them had gained an intangible pressure when the Primordial Ruination Clone appeared, their gazes towards Noah being those of shock as they saw his origin glimmered with hundreds of millions of manifested Galaxies. Hundreds of millions!?? Not even the tens of millions that Prince Ebner, the first enemy they faced in the Animus Universe had- but hundreds. It was a ridiculous number that was only brought about by the terrifying 100,000% Increase in the progression speed through Realms- among the many things that this Primordial Ruination Clone could utilize! "Woah..." The blue haired boy that was the blue slime looked towards this devilish looking Noah as he tried his best to adopt a similar domineering expression, Noah only laughing towards this as he waved his hands and caused the eruption of essence. Before even their shock could fade, a light of teleportation warped around all of them as the first party to forge into the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters set off! Only the clone was left behind, and when one looked at the larger Dark Universe with the Pocket Universe and Ruination Realm included- the only beings to currently set off towards the Animus Universe were the Primordial Ruination Clone and the Animus Summons! Within the Animus Universe. There was a certain location where a vast amount of Galaxies cl.u.s.tered around each other closely, these galaxies forming into many Cl.u.s.ters as uniquely, a segregation on the level of forces moving throughout the galaxies existed! This segregation of forces was brought about a hundred thousand years ago when the name of these Galaxy cl.u.s.ters became the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters- the reason for it being the forceful placement of many Dragon Clans into these galaxies as they were given a single mission, and that mission was to fight for their lives and freedom! Hundreds of Dragon Clans were spread throughout the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters as their numbers towered over trillions, these Clans being forced to take home within these galaxies and try to propagate their Bloodline with the years that passed while withstanding constant attacks from 5 Bloodline Races. The main goal of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters...was Slaughter! The Dragons forcefully placed within to fight for their lives were the lambs, while the forces of the Bloodline Races that went into these galaxies daily were the Wolves that thrived on the slaughter! If a comparison could be made, the Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters were akin to a factory where Dragons continued to be produced only for the Bloodline Races to bring the blade onto their necks and harvest their meat for themselves. Over the years, some Clans continued to grow their power and survive, with the following battles being focused on forces such as these as they proved to be the locations where the most slaughter would occur. As for the segregation of forces- when the many Dragon Clans were forced into these galaxies in the past, the Paragons of the Bloodline Races told them they personally would not act to eradicate their race as long as they remained within the Galaxies and did not even try to leave, along with the rule that for some regions in the Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters...only certain levels of power were permitted to live within! So there existed some galaxies where beings only up to the level of Entities were allowed, some galaxies that only allowed up to the level of Sages or Great Sages- and there even existed the Galaxies at the very center where powerhouses up to the level of Monarchs was allowed. This was the segregation of forces! The Paragons of the Bloodline Races laid the rules as they said the dragon race would be given a chance to fight for their lives fairly, where only their most powerful beings of each Rank would fight against them, with the rule never being violated as there would never be an instance where a Monarch would enter a region that only beings up to the level of Sages were allowed to live in! If this utmost rule was ever to be ignored by either the Dragons or the beings of the 5 Bloodline Races...the Paragons would move to personally eradicate them to uphold it. This created for the true Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters to be born as over the generations, the many Dragon Clans reproduced and tried to increase their strength against always coming forces of Entities, Sages, Great Sages, or Monarchs depending on the region they lived in. It created for stars that were bathed in the blood of Dragons and even many creatures from the Bloodline Races, the whole region of Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters carrying a unique air of Slaughter as it seemed to be spreading to the outside chaotic void! The tide of time churned as over a hundred thousand years later, it had become the norm for many beings born within these Cl.u.s.ters to fight for their lives daily, the lives of the beings they knew constantly changing. At this time, in a Galaxy where only beings in the level of Great Sages or below were allowed to be in. A party of Dragons crossed the starry space with battle hardened expression, hundreds of creatures from the Golden Cyclops Race blocking their paths on all sides as they were led by 3 Great Sages and multiple Sages behind them! "Haha, who would have thought we would be able to surround one of the famous Chaos Dragon Battalions? It seems we will taste the rare delicacy of chaos Dragons today!" As the two sides faced off with Dao Essence vibrating all around ready to erupt, a spatial wave of essence erupted between them as it released a horrendous pressure of Power, the eyes of both sides turning vigilant to observe what popped up before them as the scene...caused them all to question if their eyes were seeing correctly! Chapter 927 - Slaughter I Between the forces of the Golden Cyclops and Chaos Dragons, what followed the wave of spatial essence was the appearance of a Galaxy Devouring Serpent, a Golden Crow, an Obsidian Panther, a Variant Oculothorax, a Calamity Bear, a Chaos Dragon, an enormous Colossal Helios Leviathan...and a small boy with vibrant blue hair that stood on top of a terrifying Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon! The Tyrant Dragon was the one releasing the horrifying pressure as it seemed to be a Great Sage that had forged over a billion Galaxies just from its pure domineering aura alone.?? Seeing the appearance of the Tyrant Dragon and the creatures of different Bloodline Races that didn¡¯t stem from the 5 they knew as enemies, the Chaos Dragon had their eyes light up with happiness while the forces of Golden Cyclops became grave! This feeling was further enhanced when in the next moment, the voice of the child rang out with adorable innocence as he looked at the Great Sages of the Golden Cyclops Race. "Wow, can we eat them? They look like they¡¯ll be tasty!" RUMBLE! The words seemed extremely innocent as they came from the small child, yet they caused the hearts of the Golden Cyclops to drop as they felt an immense threat from these words! "It¡¯s merely the weakest race of the Supreme Bloodlines...wipe them out." RUMBLE! The domineering voice of the Tyrant Dragon reverberated out as the 8 Animus Summons moved out against the Golden Cyclops that had drastically changing expressions. The one at the forefront that vibrated with the essence of a being that had forged millions of Galaxies voiced out as his body began to enlarge with a bright light! "Spread out and regroup later!" OOOM! The forces of Cyclops began to rush out from all sides with grind expression at having come across such a situation, vowing to pay back the Chaos Dragons by surrounding them with even more reinforcements later. Yet...they made plans for later much too early as none of them would be leaving the current starry space alive! WAP! Like a flash of light that passed through them and then pulled them in, every single creature in the surrounding tens of miles was captured in an isolated Realm! Unlike before, this Life Realm was extremely unique as it was tinged with a red light, a light many would not be able to correctly link to the essence of Ruination! All of the abilities cast by the Primordial Ruination Clone were subjugated to [Ruination Essence Skill Conversion and Amplification], and this is what occurred with the ability [Life Realm] as it was naturally was changed from that of the essence of the Law of Life being used as the base...and now the wondrous Cosmic Ruination essence was the base. It enhanced Noah¡¯s ability within by a large amount as if Monarch Odo who had appeared and shattered the Life Realm in the Stardew Valleys appeared again to try and break the boundaries of this Realm that now used Ruination Essence as the base...he would find it much harder to break as a mere punch or two would not be able to take it down! With this wondrous lock placed down, the voice of the domineering Tyrant Dragon erupted out once more. "Don¡¯t take too long, we have much to do." ...! With a nonchalant gaze, the Tyrant Dragon turned towards the party of Chaos Dragons that were looking towards it in a stupor, the figures of his summoned Pets being the ones to chase down the shocked Golden Cyclops Race as they began to rip them apart! Of the two Great Sages of the battalions of Chaos Dragons that was surrounded, one of them came out of their stupor as they spoke towards Noah hesitantly. "Brother..." "Dragon Emperor is fine. I- hmm?" Noah was introducing himself in a domineering fashion when the progress of the battle made him come to a stop, observing his summons and the forces of 3 Golden Cyclops Great Sages that actually did not perish within seconds while they faced his summons! The reason for this...was a swirling light of Slaughter that actually seemed to amplify their strength greatly within this region. Noah gained a light of interest at this as he wanted to study the Dao of Slaughter that he had already assimilated and check to see just how the influence of a Universal Hegemony was allowing beings to show such enhanced power. RUMBLE! The light of Slaughter erupted from him as well as his enormous body streaked towards the grim faced Golden Cyclops who looked towards him with heavy eyes, the pressure Noah was releasing being greater than any of the Summons they faced! "Come together!" The Chaos Dragons in the back watched in a stupor as the Great Sage and Sages of the Golden Cyclops Race actually came together to withstand against a single enemy, their bodies shining brilliantly as numerous defensive layers were cast over them to defend against the coming Tyrant Dragon. "Rupture." ...! RUMBLE! The dark starry space became illuminated with a red light. Under the horror of the Sages and Great Sages, space was torn apart like paper as a Fracture of Ruination appeared in the Animus Universe for the first time! It was a period of immense significance as the apocalypse that nearly befall the Dark Universe...its source was recreated in a minuscule area of another universe, and this time it was caused by a being. When the rupture in space receded...the results caused the hearts of all those watching to skip a beat! Chapter 928 - Slaughter II A rupture tearing apart space, devouring the bodies of the two Great Sages that were closest to it! The rupture itself was only a bit over 10 meters, but it was able to cover portions of the two bodies of the Great Sages as when it receded just a second later, a horrendous scene was left behind.?? The leader of the Chaos Dragons that was being chased, a being at the level of a Great Sage himself- looking forward with an expression of shock as he saw mere body parts of the Golden Cyclops Great Sages remain when the rupture receded! The frontmost Golden Cyclops had his entire upper body caught in the fracture, so when it receded...everything above his stomach was missing as wiggling muscles and nerves that were filled with the strong life force of a being at the Galactic Filament tried to regenerate unsuccessfully! Without a heart of consciousness, the lower portion of the body lost all energy and began floating in the dark space listlessly as the second Great Sage was in the same position. Nearly half of his body was caught in the erupting rupture as its jagged edges ate up half of the skull of the creature, its defenses not being able to keep up as the red essence seemingly continued to invade his body and destroy whatever else remained of his defenses. Two Great Sages...lost their lives in a single attack like this! The chaos dragon that was a hardened veteran of the Bloody Battlefields breathed heavily as he looked at this scene, the type of strength of being capable to wipe out those in the same rank instantly having huge significance to him as he lived in a galaxy that only had Great Sages as the strongest beings! So when he looked at this terrifying Tyrant Dragon...his eyes nearly burst with light as he thought of many possibilities. "Interesting..." THRUM! The domineering voice of the Tyrant Dragon rang out as if he hadn¡¯t just insta-killed two Great Sages, its eyes looking towards the remaining Great Sage Golden Cyclops that was frozen in shock as its claws wrapped around it. "Hey, I¡¯ll do it slowly this time around. Tell me if you can defend against it or if it eats up your defenses and essence instantly, ok?" He spoke towards the Golden Cyclops in his claws nonchalantly as if it was nothing, another horrendous tear in space forming as a rupture began to stretch out towards the legs of the Great Sage! The eyes of the golden cyclops trembled with fear as it could not break out from the claw of being that had the pure strength of over a billion forged Galaxies just from the body of the Primordial Ruination Clone alone, the essence of the Cyclops going towards its lower body where a rupture was about to cover with all of its power. THRUM! The rupture extended towards the lower body of the Golden Cyclops as his eyes turned fearful, letting out a terrifying below as when it receded, his legs were gone! "Well?" The calm voice of the Tyrant Dragon that caused chills to run down everyone¡¯s backs could be heard, many of them shocked that this being was actually bold enough to carry out experiments against a Great Sage. "It...it ate up my defenses too fast, I couldn¡¯t defend against the exterminating force...!" The voice of a terrified Great Sage rang out as the Tyrant Dragon nodded thoughtfully, seemingly satisfied with the answer as he flung the claw holding the half body of a Great Sage towards a direction where a certain child with glimmering blue hair floated with a smile. The boy¡¯s mouth opened up multiple meters as it caught the body of the Great Sage and instantly devoured it! "..." Silence descended onto the area as the chaos dragons and the Golden Cyclops that only had Sages remaining in their ranks looked towards this newly appearing force listlessly. "Clean up the others." RUMBLE! The domineering Tyrant Dragon voiced out again as he thoughtfully observed his surroundings, noticing the dense essence of slaughter that was permeating throughout the whole space increased another notch with the death of the three Great Sages! Under the influence of the Universal Hegemony, it seemed that it didn¡¯t matter to him whether it was the forces of Dragons being slaughtered or the Bloodline Races...as long as there was slaughter within the Animus Universe, he would stand to benefit from it as both Dragons and the many bloodline races under his influence that hunted them down- they were all mere meat on the chopping board of a much more terrifying being! The enhanced strength of the Great Sages of the Golden Cyclops Race got Noah to think about the central thing that connected the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters together, and the thing that Valentina had told him to focus on the most when he got here. It was something that had entrances on every single galaxy within this cl.u.s.ter, something that was known as the Slaughter Star Monolith! When Noah got to this point, he had his Primordial Ruination Clone continue within the galaxy that he just arrived in, while his main body left the Ruination Realm and waved his hands to pull out [Valentina¡¯s Golden Mirror] as he placed his essence into it. THRUM! "I¡¯ve come across information on the Slaughter Star Monolith, and where its entrance is in the galaxy I arrived in. You said you would tell me more when I reached this point." His calm words caused a hint of surprise to appear on Valentina¡¯s face as she spoke while tapping the chair she stood in. "For you to be so fast...I¡¯m impressed!" She spoke with a light smile as she began to weave out the story of one of the most important things within the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters and the even larger Animus Universe- the Slaughter Star Monolith! Chapter 929 - The Slaughter Star Monolith! "The Slaughter Star Monolith is a unique Universal Construct that Ambrose controls. It rises like a tower that pierces through all the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters, being made up of an uncountable number of stars that stretch for many light years!" Valentina¡¯s words rang out from the golden mirror as Noah began gathering more of the information on the Slaughter Star Monolith while matching it with the memories of the Great Sages of the Bloodline Races he had just taken down.?? "It is the central piece that allows Ambrose to use slaughter to his advantage and cause it to spread across a Universe, where he found a way to simplify Slaughter with the creation of this Universal Construct, and he went on to tie it with the unique cl.u.s.ter of galaxies after the fall of the Dragon Race. " Valentina¡¯s eyes had shone with an intense light as she mentioned this. As she stated, the Slaughter Star Monolith acted like a core that tied the Bloody Battlefield Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters together, having an entrance on every galaxy that allowed beings to enter! In the Galaxy that Noah just arrived in, the memories he obtained told him that the entrance of the Slaughter Star Monolith was controlled by the Bloodline Races, and Noah had to take control of this galaxy and step into this construct that a Universal Realm Hegemony laid down to truly enjoy the benefits of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters that pulled everyone in to slaughter! "Those who were brave enough to enter the Slaughter Star Monolith would find themselves into an area of true slaughter, where they would be transported into one of the innumerable number of stars within this Monolith that they had to kill all those they met before they could advance forward." A sharp light crossed Valentina¡¯s eyes as she said this, Noah pulling up the memory of the Golden Cyclops that the Blue Slime had just devoured. Within, it showed the Cyclops entering into a doorway that brought him in a unique space, a space that showed an endless tower rising to the skies as it was made up of an uncountable number of stars! "Those that do advance through the Slaughter Star Monolith...will have their strength greatly increase as if they have not comprehended and assimilated the Dao of Slaughter, they will be able to do it in a short period of time if they successfully climb multiple stars. If they have fully assimilated the Dao, its power will be enhanced even more while they gain something unique that only Ambrose can offer through this Universal Construct- the increase in Soul Power!" RUMBLE! "A power that enhances the strength of one¡¯s soul, allowing them to advance through their realms and daos faster while forging them into experts that are drunk on slaughter as they only want to continue climbing the Slaughter Star Monolith for even more of the rewards it offers." Noah listened carefully as many scenes played out in his mind, seeing the memories of the Golden Cyclops pull him into throngs of other Bloodline Races that all went towards the Monolith in droves. Aside from the unending tower that stretched across the galaxies, they also turned their eyes towards an enormous illusory screen that listed billions of names of many different beings. "Ambrose also chose to bring so called honor to those climbing the Slaughter Star Monolith, those that climbed it the most being given special recognition as their names would be spread across not just the Bloody Battlefields Galaxies...but across multiple Universes!" "This is because the Universal Construct under Ambrose¡¯s control is connected to multiple other Universes he also has influence in, Universes where he is also spreading Slaughter. In the Chaotic Universe there is another Slaughter Star Monolith, and also in the Necrotic Universe, the Automaton Universe....and many more. Ambrose offers all those that enter his Construct honor and power as the names of the strongest beings in their respective Realms are spread across multiple Universes." Noah¡¯s eyes shone brightly at Valentina¡¯s words as while reliving the memories of the Golden Cyclops, he saw its eyes turn towards the enormous illusory list that had billions of names, and it showed many rankings for beings in the level of a Sage, Great Sage, Monarch, and even Paragons for how far they had risen across the Slaughter Star Monolith! For example, the Ranking of the Great Sages had a being called [Lich Emperor Verdan- Necrotic Universe] ranked as number 9 in terms of power and how far he had been able to climb when it came to all Great Sages across the Universes where a Slaughter Star Monolith existed. The memories of the Golden Cyclops were filled with fervor and enthusiasm as even they at the same realm of Great Sages only looked at those within the top hundreds in the Slaughter Ranking of Great Sages across multiple Universes, only wishing for their strength to one day grow to such a level to have their name displayed on the Slaughter Ranking! "This is how he has been able to spread his influence in the Animus Universe so quickly. He cl.u.s.tered together all the powerhouses of the Dragon Race in the area of the Slaughter Star Monolith, and then went on further to influence 5 Bloodline Races to send their powerhouses into this same area to put pressure on the Dragons to climb the monolith along with the bloodline races." "Slaughter begets slaughter...and the cycle of slaughter has only continued for hundreds of thousands of years for other Universes, but only tens of thousands of years for the Animus Universe." Valentina¡¯s eyes were tinged with a sharp light at these words as she focused on Noah. "You won¡¯t be able to shatter the Slaughter Star Monolith as Ambrose has it entrenched into many Universes, but if you take control of the many of the Bloody Battlefield Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters...you will reduce the number of entrants from the Animus Universe, and thus reduce the influence of slaughter within this Universe!" RUMBLE! Noah¡¯s eyes shone brightly as he conversed with the Architect of the Dao of Summoning about a terrifying Universal Construct, his Primordial Ruination Clone continuing to move in the Bloody Battlefield Galaxy Cl.u.s.ters! Chapter 930 - Unknown Forces Descend Unto The Bloody Galaxies! I Within a Galaxy in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters. Noah affirmed the terrifying strength of the rupture ability that only the Primordial Ruination Clone could utilize, this single capability to cause fractures of ruination becoming his deadliest offensive attack as if an enemy was not fast enough or had not forged enough galaxies to withstand the few seconds the destructive Ruination Essence contained within the ruptures...only death awaited them. There were many boons for him after this short battle as he also obtained memories of the recently devoured Great Sage and even the previous two that were only chunks of meat remaining in the starry space, learning a great deal more about the Slaughter Star Monolith and its entrance within this Galaxy! The galaxy he had teleported in was from the memories of Prince Ebner who had come into it frequently over the years, this being one of the safe regions that the bloodline races occupied a larger portion of. But with the memories of the Great Sages that had been moving around this Galaxy and a few others in the past thousands of years, Noah grasped this area and the surrounding galaxies much better as he turned his eyes back towards the party of chaos dragons that looked towards him in shock! "...Sir Dragon Emperor, we¡­" The Chaos Dragon at the level of a Great Sage was stuttering as he faced the terrifying pressure Noah released, his entrance into the Bloody Battlefield Galaxy Clusters being paved with blood and slaughter! With the memories fresh in his mind, Noah gained the locations of many of the Galaxies in the periphery of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters where beings up to the power of Sages or Great Sages could move around in. This was perfect for an idea he had in mind when it came to reducing the amount of slaughter and beings entering the Slaughter Star Monolith...one that required him to utilize his forces to further increase his efficiency in shattering the influence of the Universal Hegemony and stopping the cycle of Slaughter that had been ongoing the past tens of thousands of years! In the starry space he arrived in, things were setting down as the forces of the Golden Cyclops were eradicated, Tiamat talking with the party of Chaos Dragons they saved as they gathered even more information. The party they came across belonged to a sub-clan of the Chaos Dragons that were led by an Ancestor at the level of Monarch, a being that was confided to another galaxy deeper into the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters! All the clans that had Monarchs still moving in the central galaxies of these clusters worked together closely in the past tens of thousands of years, even sending reinforcements to other galaxies where they could not enter just to preserve the lives of their progeny. "Take us to the leaders of the draconic forces within this Galaxy." THRUM! Tiamat gave the command as her bloodline power erupted out, the Chaos Dragons nodding with shock as they felt it! Meanwhile, Noah began to make his own preparations as his clones were actively moving in the Pocket Universe, getting his subordinates ready as he divided them into parties. It was the division of parties who would go on to dive into the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters where they could release their power as they faced enemies of the same level as them without the possibility of coming across an enemy of a higher level! With the memories Noah obtained from the Golden Cyclops, he would be able to teleport in his subordinates into multiple Galaxies suitable for them. It was the beginning of the spread of Noah''s forces across the Animus Universe! --- In the myriad of Galaxies that made up the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cluster, unknown forces were teleported onto multiple galaxies in the outer peripheries that had powerhouses up to the level of Sages and Great Sages. In a certain Galaxy where Great Sages were at the peak, a single pristine Nether Lich Emperor flashed in as its body thrummed with the essence of Ruination- the skill that had gone through amplification and conversion under the hands of the Primordial Ruination Clone creating a Nether Lich was greatly enhanced in power. RUMBLE! Its crimson skull staff smashed onto the ground as Sagely Necrolords began to rise eerily, this time the number not being capped at 100- but 150 as this was one side of the amplification of the Lich! Each of them vibrated with tremendous power as after them, Legions of Entities began to be called forth as this Galaxy would have just a single skill tree from Noah- one that would cause enormous Undead Legions to wade through the galaxy while reaping the lives of the enemy Bloodline Races while supporting the dragons within. "Kekekeke! Taste the feeling of life before letting it cease...within this galaxy, death shall reign supreme!" RUMBLE! The cackling of a terrifying Lich erupted out within this galaxy as in another, the figures of Barbatos, Morgana, the Sword Emperor, Holy Emperor, and many Sword Kings made their appearance. "Galaxies where slaughter is an everyday thing...you all be sure that you don''t hold back- your enemies will not give you a second chance, and Noah isn''t here to save you if you slack off." Barbatos voiced out domineeringly as the aura of a being in the Galactic Filament Realm emanated from her. This was the same level that the strongest beings of the Dark Universe had reached after absorbing Galactic Filament Cores from the battle in the Stardew Valleys- even Morgana, the Sword Emperor, and Holy Emperor achieving these same levels as they were also placed into a galaxy where only those at the level of Great Sage of below could move around in! "Let''s see who can make the greatest contribution, why don''t we?" Morgana smiled as her body palpated with the aura of destruction, their figures morphing into the shapes of Dragons as they began to move. In another Galaxy, the groups of the Emperor Penguin, Kazuhiko, the Imperial Phoenix, Steel Mikhail...and many others were placed, the theme of it remaining the same! It was the fact that within multiple of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters...Noah had caused the descent of his forces on multiple galaxies for the purposes of efficient take over and to begin the mission of breaking the influence of a Hegemony with great speed! Chapter 931 - Unknown Forces Descend Unto The Bloody Galaxies! II As many forces were sent out, a single clone had an important task that required him to go towards a certain location in the Dark Universe. It was within the vast Universal Core, within the area that used to be the past Novus Galaxy! In an area of space where the element of Aether permeated throughout, Noah''s clone flashed in as its arrival caused two eyes the size of stars to open and lock on to him! RUMBLE! The eyes seemed to hold a myriad of emotions, tendrils of aether and shockingly large tentacles that palpated with the essence of destruction. They locked on to Noah as a tyrannical voice reverberated out. "What do you want?" OOOM! The voice was booming across space as Noah only smiled at it, waving his hands as he took out duplicated Galactic Filament Cores and multiple Dao Crystals from his [Expansive Space]. "I''m bringing gifts once again, this time with a mission for you to finally move out." RUMBLE! The eyes of the enormous Terror shone with arcs of Aether, the creature that was larger than most planets staring at Noah with a nonchalant look. It was the Terror of Aether, Cthulhu! The Terrors were unique existences from Noah''s original Novus Galaxy, the galaxy that had utilized a Ruination Core to birth Noah''s Infinite Mana and Protagonist Traits among many things as it bent universal laws to achieve it! Noah having the Cosmic Treasure of Ruination himself at this moment and utilizing its universal breaking capabilities understood the most that anything birthed from Ruination was bound to be special. Thus, while he raised the strength of his subordinates and himself, he always made sure to share the loot with the Terrors of the past Novus Galaxy as he continued to elevate their strength even if they didn''t step into the limelight. Noah hadn''t come across many creatures that were naturally the size of stars like the Terrors, knowing their bodies could release shocking battle power as different from people utilizing skills to change into such huge forms that would require an immense amount of mana to keep active, the Terrors themselves had no problem with this as it was merely their original bodies! Granted Noah and the Terror of Aether had not begun on the right foot during the events that led to the fusion of the Novus and Nexus Galaxy, Noah was still the strongest protector of the Galaxy the Terrors were born in and the larger Universe! His clone threw the Galactic Filament Cores and dao crystals over to the enormous figure of the Cthulhu as he continued to speak. "We''re currently breaking the influence of a Universal Realm Hegemony by stopping a cycle of slaughter in a certain region of the Animus Universe. We''ll need as many hands on deck to efficiently take over the clusters of galaxies to wipe out enemy Races while helping the Dragon Race¡­" Noah gave a brief overview as the body of the Cthulhu glimmered with light, absorbing the Galactic Filament Cores and Dao Crystals without denying anything as the enormous Manifested Galaxy on its body began to thrum with power! "Why should I go to another Universe when I''m perfectly fine here? This doesn''t concern me at all!" RUMBLE! The voice of the Terror was resonantly spreading across space, Noah only smiling lightly as he waited, a voice even more domineering than his or the Terror''s ringing out a second later. [Do not lazily slack off here anymore, go and contribute.] ¡­! The voice of the Universal Core thundered into the mind of Cthulhu as he went quiet, letting out a harrumph before he looked towards Noah! "...where to?" WAA! Spatial essence went on to cover the body of the Terror of Aether as in other areas of the vast Universal Cores, Noah went to the Terror of the Void and the Ancient Terror as well, giving these unique existences Galactic Filament Cores and Dao Crystals to bring them to the level of a Great Sage before they went through the Universal Gateway leading to the Pocket Universe that was currently anchored to the Animus Universe. It didn''t take too long as within an hour, the Three Terrors entered a Galaxy where many powerful Great Sages of both Dragons and other Bloodline Races roamed, their mission being to aid the Dragons while wiping out those that opposed them! RUMBLE! The larger than most planets bodies of the Terrors shone majestically as they appeared within the Galaxy. Cthulhu was the biggest among them as an innumerable number of tentacles and tendrils of Aether began to spread out, an apocalyptic scene of a Great Sage over 20,000 miles in size playing out! For comparison''s sake, the size of Noah''s home world in the past merely had a radius of 4000 miles. Such a creature set off as one would wonder- when it faced beings at the same level as it...how would they even fight?! --- With many pieces set in place, Noah''s mission officially commenced as within the Galaxy he had stepped in, he followed the party of Chaos Dragons to where the core Chaos Dragon Clan of this galaxy was located. They arrived as a star system that held a great deal of planets and realms hidden within, the auras of the pure bloodline of Dragons emanating from Tiamat and Noah causing the Chaos Dragons hidden within their abodes to come out in stupor! Noah looked at the many forces of Dragons that were coming out to greet them, giving a nod to Tiamat to release her heavy bloodline power that would be mistaken at the level of an Ancestor for now. THRUM! The attention of all the Chaos Dragons in this core area where the vast majority of dragons resided all turned towards Tiamat, her body shining gloriously as she spoke out. "The Dragon Race will not bow to the Bloodline Races within this galaxy any longer...with all of us moving to wipe out the core powerhouses of the Bloodline Races that reside around the gateway to the Slaughter Star Monolith!" ¡­! The hearts of Dragons palpated as they felt their bloodline power riled up, Noah smiling at this scene as his eyes turned towards a far away direction within this Galaxy. There, he could almost see the gateway that he had only seen from stolen memories, the gateway that led into the Universal Construct that was present in a few universes...the Slaughter Star Monolith! Chapter 932 - Destiny Alerts A Hegemony! The goal was set as the forces of Dragons prepared, the galaxy that Noah landed in simply being called Galaxy B-48 that was among the many numbered galaxies within the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters. With Tiamat''s power as the Progenitor, the forces of Dragons within this Galaxy were all brought under her heel as they left behind all those in the stage of Entity or below, only taking the Sages and Great Sages of the Chaos Dragon Clan towards the stronghold of the Bloodline Races! The rest of the myriad of Dragons that were born into this galaxy of Slaughter through the generations were brought into the Pocket Universe as Noah led the strongest remaining forces towards the stronghold of the Bloodline Races- towards the entrance of the Universal Construct that promoted Slaughter! --- In an isolated spatial region within the Animus Universe, a particularly domineering old man that had a demeanor that would exceed most Hegemonies continued to fish among the stars. The golden line he cast down thrummed with the essence of destiny as it waded across the glittering stars below, the Universal Hegemony feeling a tug on the line as he began to reel it in with a light smile! The process only took a few seconds as the line came up and what was caught within was displayed to the old man. It was a glimmering illusory object that was the size of a small star, the Hegemony grasping it in his hands as he squeezed down and shattered it, causing golden lines to be released from the illusory object as they all rushed towards the body of the old man! His eyes briefly closed before they opened again with a sharp light, the smile being wiped away from his face as he waved his hands in the starry space in front of him to cause the appearance of multiple illusory screens that showed shocking scenes. One showed the images of a terrific Lich Emperor leading Legions of Undead across an entire Galaxy as he mowed down the Bloodline Races, the forces of Dragons gradually lining up behind its legions as this Lich made way towards the stronghold of the bloodline races where the gateway to the Slaughter Star Monolith was! In another illusory screen, the figures of a proud Golden Dragon could be seen as it led other forces to break the defenses of the Bloodline Races that had been established for thousands of years. There were many screens in front of the eyes of the Universal Hegemony, but they focused on a single one at this moment. It was a screen that showed the scene of a domineering Abyssal Black Tyrant Dragon leading the forces of multiple Great Sages towards the stronghold of the bloodline races of Galaxy B-48, the eyes of this Tyrant Dragon filled with a shocking light of confidence! When the Hegemony was fishing in a field of stars and caught on to a certain line of destiny, many things were displayed in front of him as he had no reason to focus on the movements of a singular being in a certain Galaxy. He truly had no reason to, but his intuition as a Hegemony that had lived far longer than a million years made him hone towards the single galaxy that had Noah at this moment! "Interesting¡­"'' A sharp light crossed the eyes of the Hegemony as they moved from the screen showing the image of the Tyrant Dragon towards the area above where he could see golden swirls of light- this was his Universal Fortune. He stared at the golden swirls of light as he found that they weren''t as stable as before, the Universal Fortune that had been steadily increasing in small increments after all this time actually beginning to slow down by a small margin! It was an extremely small margin that other Hegemonies might even consider negligible, but it wasn''t so in the heart of Ambrose as his gaze became exceedingly cold at this scene. The cause of this was all from just the beginning of certain forces enacting their campaign in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters, where they hadn''t even fully moved and taken over certain locations, and yet it had already begun causing an effect! "Hmph." RUMBLE! An apocalyptic amount of essence moved with his mere harrumph, a spatial essence vibrating out a second later as a figure appeared in front of the star that the Universal Hegemony sat on. "Sir, you called?" The Paragon bowed down with extreme respect as he didn''t even dare raise his eyes, looking extremely minuscule in front of the being that spoke towards him in a booming voice. "Send in your top forces at their respective levels to Galaxy B-17, Galaxy B-48, Galaxy B-24¡­" The names of multiple galaxies where Noah himself or his subordinates were now moving in were listed out, the Paragon only listening dutifully as he nodded. "Foreign enemies have entered these galaxies as they harbor malicious intentions. Do not give way to them." RUMBLE! The head of the Paragon was bowing down even deeper at these words as his heart shook, his voice ringing out respectfully before he left. "We will heed to commands of the Master!" With a flash of light, the Paragon disappeared to relay the given commands as only a single Universal Hegemony was left behind in the region of isolated space! His fishing line was cast again as his demeanor remained just as majestic, but this time it carried a trace of coldness. "I never thought that a child would seriously make a move against me. Did she think we were on equal footing just because she didn''t completely lose her influence after a hundred thousand years? Truly too naive!" THRUM! His voice echoed out among the stars as it carried a trace of ridicule! The longer one lived, the more terrifying their power. Under this reality, the power that Ambrose wielded was truly immense! When it came to facing a Universal Hegemony that had risen not too long ago in his perspective, he wasn''t the least bit worried. "Let me show you...let me show what true power and influence held over many years actually looks like, O Young Valentina." RUMBLE! Chapter 933 - Observe True Power! The will of the Universal Hegemony Ambrose stretched out through many regions- not just the Animus Universe! As he sensed the changes brought about by actions of another Hegemony, he only looked at them like a child trying to scheme against an adult, his will stretching over to the areas he influenced in other Universes as he gave commands there as well. He wouldn''t just be utilizing the forces of the Bloodline Races he controlled here, but would display the shocking power he could actually release whenever he wished from the many other regions under his control! "You did not lose your whole influence on this Universe because I allowed you to, Little Valentina. I took pity on a rising child that had managed to make something out of herself, and yet it seems even when they reach the Universal Realm, some cannot help but still be mediocre." RUMBLE! The gaze of Ambrose was cold as the light of destiny swirled around him, his essence erupting out in full as he did something shocking that he had not done since he began his project on the Animus Universe! It was the inclusion of forces from other areas of Universes under his influence! ¡­! --- Across the vast distances of the Cosmos, within the Necrotic Universe. A Decadent Lich Emperor was sitting atop a pile of bones, black flames blazing from its eye sockets as below the mountain of bones, legions of Undead with terrifying Realms of power lay. THRUM! "Vazan, a passage shall open within your Galaxy in the next few minutes. Gazul and a few others will join you. The Master is commanding you on a glorious conquest in the Animus Universe...do not fail him." An oppressive voice of a powerful Undead Paragon buzzed in the mind of the Decadent Lich Emperor, this Undead Paragon being extremely powerful as he had drenched himself in so much death that he had begun on the path of the Cosmic Dao of Necromancy! The black flames of the Decadent Lich Emperor blazed widely as they followed the command, looking towards the dreary space of the Galaxy located near the center of the Necrotic Universe as a crack in space that led to another Universe began to appear! "Kakaka!" The crackle of a Lich could be heard as he rose from the mountain of bones, his body brimming majestically with manifested Galaxies that numbered in the billions as this being should have been a peak powerhouse in the level of a Great Sage! ¡­! From many directions where the crack in space formed, the auras of many powerful Undead Lich Emperors could be felt as they all streaked towards it with fervor. The Master had spoken, and his will had to be followed! In another galaxy that was located not in the Animus or Necrotic Universe, but one known as the Chthonian Universe. OOOOONG An enormous creature that was the size of a large star swam across the starry space, its body seemingly in the form of a segmented worm as its head was filled with a large number of tentacles erupting out! Its mouth was filled with jagged teeth that were capable of grinding down and swallowing any planets and suns it came across as it was using the cores of the planetary bodies for substance! "Telos...the Master has commanded the most powerful Great Sages under our race to head towards the Animus Universe for a mission, be ready!" OOOOH! The enormous tentacled worm let out a horrendous sound as its innumerable teeth clattered together, gazing towards the crack appearing in front of it as terrifying yells just like the one it released could be heard from other creatures that were making their way over. In another Universe! This one was known as the Liberated Universe, one that was filled with powerful beings boasting unique abilities- beings that took the monickers of Heroes or Villains! In an area of space where chunks of a recently shattered star could be seen, a being could be seen floating in the middle of it all as wore a tight fitting clothing that wrapped around his body to illustrate his muscles, a black cape draping other his back gorgeously. The ears of this domineering caped being that was floating in the midst of a shattered star perked up as a voice was picked up. "Vindicator, the Master is calling for Heroes to defend another one of his Domains. You will lead the team of Heroes within this Galaxy into the Animus Universe...wipe out all the scourge that wish harm to the Master and his people! RUMBLE! The body of the one called Vindicator buzzed with power as a heroic smile appeared on his face, nodding with a stern expression as he turned his eyes towards a crack opening up in space not too far from him. SHAA! A flash of green light that seemed multiple times faster than light instantly appeared beside Vindicator, a being fully dressed in green while showing tout muscles looking towards the crack and Vindicator. "Who do you think we will face? Anyone that will actually be faster than me?" The voice of the being in a green costume was filled with pride as he spoke, Vindicator not speaking as he only smiled while shaking his head. "Tsk, no fun as always!" SHAA! The body of the being disappeared an instant later as he rushed towards the crack in space first, the power this being and the body of the Vindicator released being oppressively at the level of a Great Sage even though their bodies did not show any manifested Galaxies! These beings and many more answered the call of a being that Paragons called the Master- the Universal Realm Hegemony that had built Universal Constructs in many locations...the Hegemony of Slaughter, Ambrose! Noah had no knowledge of this as he only continued forward in Galaxy B-48, the light of Destiny descending onto him every now and then as the light in his eyes would gradually change every now and then...but he still continued forward unhindered. As time passed and the light of Destiny told him more and more things, a devilish smile appeared on his face as a tyrannical light shone in his eyes! Chapter 934 - A Line Up Of Champions From Afar! I When one truly looked at the overarching situation without taking any sides, it actually seemed somewhat fair! The Universal Realm Hegemony Valentina had crowned Noah her champion as this foreign being from another Universe descended down into the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters of the Animus Universe. Now, the Universal Realm Hegemony Ambrose did something similar, but he didn''t just call a single one of his Champions...but the strongest beings in the Realms of Sages and Great Sages under the areas he influenced! As for what the results of these shocking actions would be? Only time would tell! --- Galaxy B-41. Within this galaxy, Noah''s terrifying Nether Lich Emperor that was using a Cosmic Dao as the base of its strength moved unhindered across the vast space! OOOOH! Behind him, an Undead Legion that filled the nearby space for thousands of miles could be seen, each of them with red flickering flames that made it seem like billions of red lights were moving across the starry space. In the periphery of this Undead Legion, forces of Storm Dragons could be seen moving with them as in all the Galaxies that Noah''s subordinates were teleported into, Tiamat had used her main body or clones to descend down and give orders to the Dragons within these galaxies to work with Noah''s forces! So the clan of Storm Dragons within Galaxy B-41 worked with the terrifying Nether Lich Emperor as they thundered towards the core location where the forces of the bloodline races were clusters- where the gate leading to the Slaughter Star Monolith lay! "Kekekeke!" The wild laughter of the lift resounded across the stellar bodies of space, the flames within its sockets brightening up as it sensed many life forms ahead of them. They neared the core location of their enemies, but the laughter of the Lich wasn''t caused by it just sensing the bloodline races spread throughout...but the aura of another being just like it that should not be here! WAA! Like a tide, the Undead Legion that numbered billions thundered forward, the Sagely Necrolords leading them as the scene in front of them cleared. It was a cluster of stars and planets that surrounded an enormous red crack in space, this crack glimmering with splendorous stellar light as it seemed extremely inviting for anyone that neared it! But the cluster of stars and planets were surrounded by figures from 2 Bloodline Races and...the deathly aura of 3 Lich Emperors! "Kekekeke! It shall be a dance of death on this day. What brought my brethren here?" The Nether Lich Emperor ignored the forces of White Tiger Race and the Qilin Race, focusing his eyes on the Lich Emperors that should not be here. The Decadent Lich Emperor known as Vazan had its skull flames glare brighter as it replied, the Undead Legion behind it thrumming with power. "The same reason why you are here, young lich. Our Masters have merely called us all here." RUMBLE! The eyes of the Nether Lich Emperor blazed brightly as the red flames that contained a cosmic essence rose, its teeth clattering as it spoke domineeringly. "Then let us not disappoint our Masters! Kekekeke!" ¡­! A shocking battle was about to unfold within this Galaxy as in another, the forces of Dragons being led by Barbatos, Morgana, the Sword Emperor and a few others also arrived at the core region of their galaxy where the Bloodline Races controlled the gateway that led to the Slaughter Star Monolith. In front of them, there was the force of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race, Phoenix Race, and the Golden Cyclops Race! They held tens of Great Sages that looked towards them with dangerous eyes, but the more shocking thing was that amongst them A Lich Emperor could be seen along with...caped beings! Beings that all held powerful strength at the Realm of Great Sage, with their figures sporting ridiculous getups as they seemed out of place when looking at the fantastical Undead Liches and Phoenixes in the surroundings. "This just became much, much harder¡­" Morgana''s voice rang out as her eyes shone with a destructive light, her body seemingly trembling in excitement while looking at the force of beings displayed in front of them! "We might need extra forces if we come across this many of them¡­" The Sword Emperor analyzed everything carefully as he spoke, a terrifying battle set in place within this Galaxy as even more shocking ones were about to occur across all the galaxies Noah''s forces were currently moving in. They passed word to Noah who was already actively analyzing the situation, but even more wondrous scenes were occurring in other Galaxies at this very moment! Within Galaxy B-35. In front of the stronghold where the bloodline races occupied another entrance into the Slaughter Star Monolith, terrifying star sized creatures stood while facing an even larger tentacled being that pulsed with the power of Aether! It was the creatures called from the Chthonian Universe, their eyes glimmering with light as they came face to face with Cthulhu and the other Terrors that were flanking its left and right. "What...are you¡­?" OOOOM The worm shaped creature from the Chthonian Universe had its voice reverberate out as Cthulhu''s star sized eyes looked towards this worm like being that neared his size coldly. "I don''t make a habit of talking with creatures about to die, so let''s just do this quickly." THRUM! Aether palpated majestically from the innumerable tentacles that the star sized Cthulhu released, dying the starry space a shade of purple as even the Dragons that followed this Terror of Aether stayed far away, with their Great Sages only honing their eyes towards the bloodline races that could barely be seen as blips behind the Chthonian Worm! Beside them, the enormous figures of the Terror of the Void and the Ancient Terror stood to the left and right of the Cthulhu, their gazes on the enormous monstrosities beside the speaking Worm that seemed like deformed Chthonian horrors! "A fallen Chthonian...any of those that deny the Master...shall perish!" RUMBLE! The body of the enormous worm rumbled as it barreled forward, its tentacles outstretched as a shocking battle erupted, the other majestically enormous creatures moving towards the Ancient Terror and the Terror of the Void while the Bloodline Races thundered towards the Dragons! Chapter 935 - A Line Up Of Champions From Afar! II There were many moving pieces to keep track of, but Noah had no problem with this as he received a mountain of information from all the teams he sent into the Bloody Galaxies. Just in case of possible issues, he had only formed 9 Teams from his Dark Universe- most of them being filled with 4-8 Great Sages and tens of Sages to accompany them! This was for him to be able to send in a clone in case anything happened to assist them, and he did such a thing at this moment as an overabundance of foreign forces began to appear in the galaxies they were in! When he saw the forces that he had never heard about nor seen before while glancing at them with the light of destiny...he was shocked at what he saw as a smile couldn''t help but bloom on his face. The reason for this was that in the Galaxy B-48 that he had crossed with thousands of Dragons into the stronghold of the Bloodline Races...he came across similar beings that his subordinates were facing in their respective Galaxies! For him...it seemed the strongest and most numerous were reserved as while he saw Lich Emperors or enormous monstrosities that rivaled Cthulhu in some galaxies as the only enemy reinforcements, his galaxy was one of the few to contain all of them, and in large numbers at that. THRUUUM! His enormous figure as a Tyrant Dragon came to a stop as the army of Dragons behind him and his Animus Summons did the same, their eyes staring at the innumerable number of creatures defending a cluster of stars that surrounded the enormous gateway leading to the Slaughter Star Monolith. In front of an expansive star system, the figures of the Golden Cyclops, Nine-Tailed Foxes, and White Tigers could be seen as among their ranks, beings that didn''t belong to the Animus Universe stood beside them! Noah''s eyes squinted at these beings as the ones that stood out the most were the largest ones, his eyes landing on enormous squid like creatures that held a terrifying amount of tentacles. [Squid Chthonian] :: A terrifyingly large existence from the Chthonian Universe. Its power is only at the Galactic Filament Realm, but its extreme size allows it to display a greater battle power¡­ The image of a shocking Cthulhu popped in Noah''s mind when he looked at these creatures, his eyes then turning to the beings swarming with the aura of death, and there were 4 of them that released the aura of Great Sages! [Decadent Lich Emperor] :: An Undead Lich that has truly understood the essence of Decadence. It rules a small Galaxy Cluster in the Necrotic Universe¡­ Four of such creatures appeared within the large army of the Bloodline Races, their skull flames shining brilliantly in the dark space as behind them- legions of Undead had already risen! THRUUUM Waves of essence and power reeked out as the two sides looked at each other, Noah''s eyes curving into smiles as he looked at the last set of beings that were dressed in a manner that he had only read about in stories or seen in the comics before his home world underwent an apocalypse. It was beings dressed in tight fitting clothing that showed off their stupendous muscles hidden underneath, a few of them with capes draping their back, with more of them having their own unique costumes as each of their bodies thrummed powerfully with essence at the Galactic Filament Realm! Noah focused his eyes on the being that seemed to be leading them- a humanoid figure dressed in a black costume with an obsidian cape waving majestically behind him. [Vindicator] :: A unique existence from the Liberated Universe that is under the control of a Supreme Universal Hegemony. His uniqueness lies in that he was born with strength, the routes of multiple Daos inscribed into his soul since the moment of his birth as by the time he grew into adulthood, he had already mastered multiple Daos. Creatures such as this are capable of displaying great strength in the beginning stages, but it is nearly impossible for them to advance forward as many remain in a specific Realm until their death. The Vindicator has gained the title of a ''Hero'' as he stands distinguished as a being that stands against those he considers evil¡­ It truly was so! Someone that could be termed Hero! Noah''s eyes blazed with light as he finally came across the myriad of creatures that could be found across the Cosmos, and he only got a small glimpse of it as they were only from a few separate Universes! "Good! Good!" His voice rumbled out gloriously as he couldn''t settle his excited heart that beat faster the more his eyes glanced at the beings facing him! RUMBLE! --- In an isolated Realm. Valentina''s eyes shone with a gorgeous splendor of light as they became exceedingly cold, the many scenes occurring in some parts of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy playing out in front of her eyes! She saw the newly entering beings as well as the rifts in space they stepped out of, seeing the creatures from other Universes actually be called forth to stand against the single champion that she sent forth. Her eyes had lost all the smiling light within them as she spoke while looking into an enormous mirror that she could see the figure of Noah''s main body through. "Let me call forth the Great Sages of the Galaxy Devouring Serpents, Golden Crowns, Mythical Helios Races, and the Mixed Races to come aid you. I didn''t think Ambrose would move with such ferocity that he would even call forth champions from other regions of the Primordial Cosmos under his influence." The eyes of Valentina were exceedingly cold as essence rose around her to do what she said, but she came to a stop when she heard a single word from the being that smiled devilishly within the golden mirror! "Don''t." RUMBLE! With a gaze dripping with a light of arrogance and tyranny, Noah told the Universal Hegemony to stop! "Why send in more people that will just ruin the fun? I want all of these enemies to myself!" ¡­! Glorious light erupted from Valentina''s eyes as she heard these tyrannical words and locked her gaze towards the being in the Galactic Filament Realm that spoke with such arrogance. She saw unmatched confidence in those eyes as her essence dwindled, this Universal Hegemony heeding the words of a being much lower than her as she gave a light nod. Off to the side of Valentina, the Golden Crow Paragon looked at this scene with utter shock! Chapter 936 - Crossed The Cosmos Just To Die By My Hands! I A Great Sage of the Nine Tailed Fox Race looked at the surroundings as his eyes shone with a brilliant light. He looked at the strength of the being they were under the banner of as he was reminded it was truly great, the scenes of beings he had never seen before in the Animus Universe making their appearance and standing to defend beside from the commands of the Master! Beside this Great Sage, a pristine creature of the White Tiger Race that has extravagantly silky fur and stood on the same Realm looked over at the new defenders as her voice shone with interest. "Paragon Luna shared with me that these beings are from different Universes, each of them respective powerhouses at the levels of Great Sage that it would be hard for others to beat them!" "Oh?" The interest of the Nine-Tailed Fox Great Sage was perked up as he stared at the largest and most terrifying of their new allies. "The big guys are calamities from the Chthonian Universe, the Lich Emperors from the Necrotic Universe, and the exquisitely dressed ones...are from the Liberated Universe!" The eyes of the White Tiger shone with a brilliant light as he was actually admiring their allies even when a Tyrant Dragon stood in front of a huge army of Dragons right before them! He and many others weren''t fearful, and it wasn''t just due to their own power, but their reinforcements that stood with them! "Pay even closer attention to the ones from the Liberated Universe. The one at the very forefront dressed in black and the one dressed in green beside him- they released an oppressive pressure that even made me tremble when they first arrived¡­" RUMBLE! The eyes of the Nine Tailed Fox Great Sage and the other beings of the Bloodline Races in the surroundings turned their eyes towards the two figures standing near the very forefront of their defensive army. They didn''t spare any eyes towards the terrible looking Chthonians that took the surrounding space and were equivalent to stars, their eyes locked on to the figure of Noah and the army behind him as they pulsed with the thirst of battle! These were the powerful [Heroes] of the Liberated Universe! The one dressed in a tight fitting green costume had a deep smile on his face as he seemed to be discussing something with the black caped Vindicator at this moment. "Hey, wanna bet if I can quickly take down the enemy leader and throw their forces into confusion? I always love to see their shocked faced when they find they can''t even come close to keeping up with my speed!" WAA! His body cracked with power as this Hero, this being that was actually classified with the term of a [Speedster] in his Universe- he looked towards Noah''s draconic figure as his body vibrated with an intense green light! Vindicator glanced towards him cooly as he spoke out. "You can give it a try." The calm words caused a competitive light to shine from the Speedster, a green light overcoming his body as before the two sides clashed, he disappeared in a flash of green light! SHAA! ''Let''s see the expression of shock on the faces of these natives!'' His eyes shone with a brilliant light as he streaked across the skies, locking on Noah''s Tyrant Dragon figure as he saw this being had not even been able to react while he neared! ''Speed...I am speed! Haha!'' His thoughts were vibrant as his body pulsed with power, his hand being covered by arcs of this green light as they gained a deadly edge that could split apart his enemies on a molecular level. Such a hand cleaved towards the neck of the Tyrant Dragon that could not even react, the eyes of the Speedster smiling jubilantly as he sought to claim victory and kill the enemy commander before the battle even began. THRUM! The hand clad in dreadful arcs of green light was descending unto the Tyrant Dragon when all of a sudden, a flash of black light appeared as claws as dark as night smashed onto the figure of the Speedster, the expert barely moving his face away from the claw as his eyes changed to those of extreme shock! BOOM! An explosive sound as if a bomb went off occurred, a vibrant green light shining brilliantly as the Speedster was pushed back multiple meters, his chest having nearly been carved out as his shocked eyes forward to see the lustrous fur of an Obsidian Panther staring coldly at him while standing in front of the Tyrant Dragon! The Obsidian Panther glanced towards this Speedster with contempt as its voice rang out. "The fuck you think you''re doing mate?" RUMBLE! Immense shock smashed into the mind of this Hero, essence erupting out from the two sides as the fight was about to break out the moment that this being failed on his sneak attack! OOOOOOOH! The three enormous Chthonians that were the size of planets roared out as they began to move towards the forces of Dragons that seemed like mere ants in front of them, those of the Bloodline Races also pulsing with power as they prepared to move out. Meanwhile, the Vindicator''s black cape waved majestically behind him as his body began to be covered by an oppressive black light, his eyes shining as he looked towards the figure of Noah''s Tyrant Dragon form and the shocked Speedster that always tried to compete with him! BOOM! The space around the body of this being shattered as his body was instantaneously pushed forward, his bright eyes locked onto the Tyrant Dragon! In the middle of the two raging forces, time seemed to be moving in slow motion for the Speedster as he stared in a stupor towards the Obsidian Panther, the eyes of the Tyrant Dragon he targeted locking towards him as a devilish draconic smile erupted out. "Do you think I could not see you, little guy?" RUMBLE The voice was extremely chilling because of the nonchalant manner it came out, the Speedster feeling his body shiver as he stared into the red eyes of this beast, his body already vibrating with power as he was ready to run at any time. Noah looked at the Obsidian Panther that began to glow with a black light as he gave the go ahead. "Teach this fool what speed really is. As for the rest¡­" OOOOM! The gaze of the Tyrant Dragon stared at the coming enemies as his Animus Summons trembled with power by his side, their bodies drawn like arrows on a bow just waiting to be released. "Well, let''s just enjoy the feast!" RUMBLE! Chapter 937 - Crossed The Cosmos Just To Die By My Hands! II My name is Arnold Jaeger...and I am the fastest man alive. Well, I thought I fucking was until a few seconds ago! Under the command of the Master, we entered into an entirely different Universe, yet the enemies we face...seemed to be different from the ones we commonly come across. THRUUM! Energy was madly gathering around the enormous red Dragon that had a chilling smile, yet my eyes couldn''t even focus on this as I had to urge the force within my body to make me go even faster...as I was currently being chased by a creature that actually seemed to be faster than I was! A sleek furred beast that looked like a Panther...a Panther! Such a thing was fast behind me and catching up, my eyes swarming across the battlefield as under my gaze, everyone still seemed to be moving in slow motion. Everyone but a few beings! One was of course Vindicator, the golden boy- the hero that everyone looked up to. The other was the red Dragon that led the enemy forces, and also the one that Vindicator was flying towards as space shattered wherever he crossed. Massive amounts of energy gathered around the red Dragon as I watched this creature begin to expand and get bigger, where even in my slowed time he was ballooning up so fast that it seemed instantaneous! My eyes shook as I saw this being instantly go from a few hundred meters to a few hundred miles, his body eventually spilling over 1000 miles as he became larger than some continents instantaneously. Holy shit. SHAA! The black flash behind me nearly caught up as I urged my body forward, the chilling voice of the red Dragon continuing to reverberate out as the glistening body expanded! "How wonderful!" THRUM! My ears buzzed at his mere words as the claws of the black Panther nearly reached my back, feeling the beat of my heart that actually felt a tinge of fear for the first time in forever as I wondered. Just who the hell had the Master sent us to stand against?! ¡­ "How wonderful!" THRUM The essence of the Grand Dao of Vastness erupted out as Noah''s body continued to enlarge, passing a thousand miles as it continued even more, the enormous amounts of mana being nothing to him! "All of you actually crossed the Primordial Cosmos and brought yourselves to me...delivering yourselves on the platter just to die by my hands!" RUMBLE! "Truly wonderful, truly magnanimous of all of you!" WAA! The draconic forces parted like tides, Noah''s body taking up the space of a planet as his body continued, now towering over a few miles as it grew at a rapid pace. The Chthonians looked at this scene with shining eyes as they roared out, their three enormous bodies going towards Noah with even more fervor as they believed their authority was being questioned! Yet the enemy closest to Noah at this moment was the being shattering space just from the sheer movement of his body, the figure of Vindicator about to arrive at Noah''s location that was nearly becoming the size of a planet! Yet Vindicator only had a chilling flash cross his eyes, his outstretched fist flashing with an oppressive black light that had shattered many stars and planets in the past. Yet in the next second, his path was interrupted as a paw eclipsed his sight, smashing into his outstretched fist as this paw was attached onto the body of a kingly Calamity Bear that gazed down at the Vindicator with a gaze filled disdain! BOOOM! The clash pushed the Calamity Bear back a few meters, the Vindicator merely being stopped in his position as he gazed towards the kingly Calamity Bear with sharp eyes! WAA! The sight behind the Calamity Bear was majestic as Noah had grown into a Tyrannical Dragon Emperor the size of a planet, his red black scales shining with glorious and profound luster as his eyes shot out resplendent beams of light. These eyes locked onto the 3 enormous Chthonians of similar size as Noah''s enormous body was wrapped in a spatial light, disappearing seamlessly as he reapplied above one of the tentacled Chthonians, his jaws releasing an innumerable number of Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs! WAA! In another direction, three terrifying Lich Emperors that commanded Undead Legions forward as in front of them, three beings appeared to face them fearlessly. One was an enormous Galaxy Devouring Serpent, the other was an Oculothorax that blazed with golden splendor, and lastly it was the chilling body of the Blue Slime that looked towards the essence of the Lich Emperors while licking its lips hungrily! The forces of the Bloodline Races were in awe at the power displayed by their enemies just seconds after the start of the battle, but they couldn''t even take the time to relax as the terrifying figures of Tiamat and the Colossal Helios Leviathan barreled towards them, the armies of Chaos Dragons they gathered following them from behind. The gazes of many Great Sages of the Bloodline Races were cold as they released a myriad of commands and prepared their forces, but their eyes shook in a stupor as their jaws hung in space at the next second! "No way¡­" Expressions of shock reverberated out as the forces of the Bloodline Races and their protectors saw the powerful images of Tiamat, Galaxy Devouring Serpent, Oculothorax...all of the terrifying Animus Summons- they saw these beings multiply many times over as 40 more auras of Great Sages appeared on the battlefield! "This¡­! This¡­!" RUMBLE The starry space trembled as the enemies found themselves facing 5 Clones of the terrifying Animus Summons all at once, the battle on Noah''s side going in full swing as it was bound to be one full of glory! In the other Galaxies, battles were breaking out in shocking fashion as the scenes within these peripheral galaxies within the Clusters of Galaxies surrounding Ambrose''s Universal Construct were being watched by a few beings. Two were Universal Realm Hegemonies that glimmered with the light of Destiny and Fortune, watching from their respective isolated Realms as they made a great deal of calculations! Then there were the Paragons of the Bloodline Races that were made aware of the commotion happening within the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters. Lastly...was Noah''s main body in the Dark Universe that saw through his many clones'' eyes, a light of confidence emanating from him as he uttered a shocking thought within his mind so that even the gorgeous Valentina that could be seen in the mirror in front him could not hear! ''Well then, let''s create a unique Dao for this occasion.'' ¡­! RUMBLE! Chapter 938 - Fealty! Across the Bloody Battlefield Galaxies that his forces had begun to fight in, Noah sent in a clone in each of the 9 Galaxies as even though his subordinates held a great deal of power in the Great Sage and Sage levels, there was still a risk when they faced the terrifying forces of a Universal Hegemony that had been in these same levels for thousands of years. As Noah''s main body looked at these scenes, he knew it was time to birth the second Dao from the options he had theorized, and this one would particularly go towards strengthening those that followed him...and also grant him a boost in a direction that many Universal Hegemonies were fighting on- to influence large amounts of beings in the cosmos en masse! His eyes turned bright as his main body sent his thoughts to the Universal Core, beams of luminous lights shooting out as even Valentina who should have been drawn into the occurring battles couldn''t help but turn her eyes to the figure of Noah in the golden mirror. "I wish to birth a second Dao." THRUM! The Master of the Universal Core spoke, and an eruption of essence occurred a second later as the Dao Noah had in mind was sent to the Core as it was then tweaked and tuned, glorious lights and mana shooting out from all around as soon after, a runic word similar to how Subterfuge had taken form began to appear! In the direction of the centermost location of the Universal Core, an immense amount of essence went forward to cause the culmination of a single word¡­[FEALTY]! RUMBLE! The moment this word was formed, it disappeared as it searched for the creature that birthed it, appearing in front of Noah''s body in the Dark Universe a second later as it smashed into his Origin and Soul, finding its Architect as it caused Noah''s body to shine with a glorious light. This scene was nonchalantly displayed in the Golden Mirror Valentina was discussing with Noah through, her eyes popping out as she stared in utter stupor at the scene of Runic Dao Symbol she had seen only once in her life when she formed her own Dao! "You...what¡­!" The Universal Hegemony was forced into a stupor for the first time since she met Noah, her eyes shaking at the fact that a being who currently had his clones fighting in galaxies of a faraway Universe actually took time to birth a Dao, and he domineeringly did it right in front of her. What gall! What balls! Valentina''s eyes were shaking even more as she knew the process of birthing a dao, where a Universal Realm Hegemony had to be in tune with the Universe within their Origin, resonating with it and getting on a certain frequency as such a thing would take them days if not months. Only when they were truly in tune and were lucky and powerful enough within their Realm, they might be able to condense a Dao Rune and form their own Dao! It took the utter care and all the power of a Universal Hegemony just to have a chance to birth a Dao, and this being just floated in the starry space, birthing a dao as if he could do it whenever he pleased! It was a stupendous scene as within seconds, Noah opened his eyes as an intense light swirled within, turning his gaze onto a panel that showed the information on the new Dao he had birthed. LESSER [Dao of Fealty] :: A Lesser Dao birthed by the Universal Core of Noah Osmont. As the Dao Architect, Noah Osmont can comprehend and assimilate the Dao at 10 times the normal speed. The Dao of Fealty allows a being with extensive influence over others to boost their power, with those who swear Fealty and are considered as [Vassals] becoming applicable subordinates under the banner of an Emperor. [Vassals] can access 5% of the total power of their Emperor, with the amount of power they can access being limited by their comprehension and assimilation in the Dao of Fealty. Complete comprehension allows for 10% access, with full Assimilation granting 15% access. The unique abilities, qualities, laws, and LESSER Daos of the Emperor can be utilized by the Vassals in a much lower form, with the possibilities of Grand or Cosmic Daos being utilized by them only becoming a reality if the Dao of Fealty is elevated to those respective levels. Vassals with more than 50% Comprehension in the Dao of Fealty are given the titles of Barons, those with complete Comprehension being titled Earls, those over 50% Assimilation being titled Dukes, with Vassals standing at complete Assimilation being titled Kings as all of the Titled Vassals are under the banner of their Emperor... Mana settled down as a new Dao was made. A dao to insanely increase the strength of the forces he could control, one that also had a shocking utility from the eyes of those in the Universal Realm- it was the fact that the one who birthed this Dao could very easily influence many beings as this Dao offered strength for Fealty! But when it came to Noah who stood above an entire Universe and could extend his call for Fealty to the beings within it...just how would everything turn out? The answer...oh the answer to this would be a shocking phenomenon that one could only experience once in their life time! It felt like the calm before the storm as after Noah affirmed the limits of what he could create with a Lesser Dao, he began the process of comprehending and assimilating it! Beams of luminous light shone through Noah''s eyes as the clone within the Ruination Realm began to comprehend the Dao of Fealty. A second passed...and he attained full comprehension! RUMBLE! In her Realm, Valentina had to rise from her seat as she watched Noah''s figure in the Golden Mirror, seeing the light of a foreign fully comprehended Dao burst out a second after its creation. WAA! Her fair lips parted a second later as she saw...the light of assimilation erupt out to signify full assimilation of this same Dao! Full Comprehension in a second, full assimilation after another second! How magisterial! Chapter 939 - Madness! I The moment that Noah achieved full assimilation in the Lesser Dao of Fealty, his luminous eyes opened as they locked on to every subordinate that was about to battle or already embroiled in the battles against the Bloodline Races and the foreign forces from other Universes. While locking onto them, the essence of the Dao of Fealty was wielded by him as he utilized it, a prompt appearing in front of him to show shining words! [Send the call of Fealty to all those considered as Subordinates?] Noah felt the essence of this new Dao and the different ways of using it, agreeing to this most direct way as he gave his command and sent the call for Fealty to all those that were his Subordinates but had not become his subjects! It was a call that traverses the boundaries of Universes, a call that allowed his mana to move like a tide as it burst into a great deal of locations! RUMBLE! In the eyes of every single one of Noah''s Subordinates, a prompt appeared as golden words were displayed in front of them! [In exchange for a portion of his power, bind a portion of your soul to Noah Osmont and become his Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] ¡­! A prompt that asked his subordinates to make the choice to bind a portion of their soul to him, an action that would make them his subjects as they had to listen to his commands, otherwise the portion of their soul bound to him will suffer immense pain! This knowledge was instilled in their mind with the prompt that appeared, along with how much power they could access as the eyes of all of the beings seeing the prompt shone brightly, a nearly unanimous reply ring out. "I swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor¡­!" "I swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor!" RUUUMBLE! Immense mana fluctuations tumbled and roiled as from this moment on, shocking scenes erupted from a myriad of Galaxies! --- Within a Galaxy where Cthulhu''s enormous body was barreling towards worm like Chthonians with the two other Terrors fighting beside him, a similar golden prompt appeared as the star sized eyes of Cthulhu shook with anger. [In exchange for a portion of his power, bind a portion of your soul to Noah Osmont and become his Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] A prompt that seemed to hit at the dignity of this powerful being, a prompt that promised tremendous power in exchange for becoming a Vassal! The Terror of Aether was about to dismiss it when he recalled the stupendous strength of the being that his Universe had chosen as champion, the being that caused many unbelievable things to become a reality. ROAAAAAR! The bellows of the Chthonians they fought in an apocalyptic manner brought the Cthulhu back to reality, knowing it would be hard for him and the other two Terrors to defeat them as these creatures had lived for too long and coalesced too many Galaxies! Their planet sized bodies swirled with the light of billions of Galaxies, these beings already on their way to becoming Monarchs! Cthulhu''s heart was unwilling, but the information that came with the prompt and his own knowledge of the being behind it...he became one of the first to ascertain it as he bellowed out in resignation. "I fucking swear Fealty!" RUUUUUUMBLE! The nearby Chthonians were pushed out from the blast of power that followed, the body of the Cthulhu trembling and vibrating with such immense power that it caused doubt to appear in the star sized eyes of the enemy! OOOOOOH! The Cthulhu couldn''t help but bellow out at the mere 5% of total power he could access from the Tyrannical Emperor. It was a mere 5%...so some might think it wasn''t much! But this 5% was from the total power of someone as balance breaking as Noah. And there was also the shocking details of Dao that mentioned that [The unique abilities, qualities, laws, and LESSER Daos of the Emperor can be utilized by the Vassals in a much lower form¡­]. Abilities, qualities, laws, and Lesser Daos. Don''t even think about the abilities. Or the laws or Lesser Daos! Just the qualities. The things that made Noah Osmont! His Traits...were a part of his qualities. RUUUMBLE! The body of the Cthulhu exploded out in power as it expanded in size, the figures of other Terrors undergoing the same process as around their bodies, the intense light of resplendent blue Mana overflowed! Mana! So much Mana! It was a quality of Noah that would be inherited by his Vassals in a much lower form, so they didn''t gain the balance breaking effects of Infinite Mana. But what they did gain...was access to such large reserves of mana that among those of the same Realm as them, their Mana Pools would be ten if not a hundred times more. Their mana pools expanded by tens of times! It was like the shackles of side characters that bound them became broken, their statuses being elevated greatly as even though they were termed [Vassals], the power they could access was simply stupendous! "This fucking guy had access to all this¡­?!" WAAA! The Cthulhu roared out in stupor and anger as the blue mana caused the purple Aether around his body to blaze brightly, the enemy Chthonians feeling a sense of fear as they felt the overpowering battle power that suddenly began to emulate from the beings they faced. Such a thought was something that not just the Chthonians facing Cthulhu and the two other Terrors were feeling, but all the creatures that were currently facing Noah''s subordinates that had answered the call to fealty! A shocking phenomenon was spreading out across multiple Galaxies, and an even more shocking one was about to spread out across the Dark Universe. This was because when he sent the call of Fealty, he sent it to all those considered as [Subordinates]. As the one controlling the Core of a Universe, what status could the beings in it be given in relation to him?! Ah! Chapter 940 - Madness! II At this juncture...we can''t even start mentioning the shocking scenes that were playing out within the Bloody Battlefields Galaxies of the Animus Universe where Noah''s new overpowered [Vassals] were displaying their power. We have to actually veer away from them as we go towards beings not in the Animus Universe...but in Noah''s very own Dark Universe! A random creature in a small galaxy within the Dark Universe that had not even come in contact with Noah or his forces, the creature merely being at the EPIC Rank of power. A prompt appeared in front of this creature. [In exchange for a portion of his power, bind a portion of your soul to Noah Osmont and become his Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] In a hidden Realm within the Dark Universe where a unique race of creatures made of light peacefuly lived, the same prompt appeared in front of all of them! [In exchange for a portion of his power, bind a portion of your soul to Noah Osmont and become his Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] ¡­ Within Noah''s very own Universal Core that houses tens of thousands of Galaxies'' worth of planetary bodies, this prompt began to appear on the eyes of every single being! Young or Old. Poor or Rich. Powerful or weak! In front of every single being, the effect and influence of a Dao was spread to them as the being utilizing it had something that made this shocking possibility into a reality. It was of course...the endless Mana that was churning out the essence of this Lesser Dao and sending this prompt to every single creature within the Dark Universe he stood atop of! If a powerful Universal Realm Hegemony had created a Dao similar to Noah, they would not be able to utilize it to the extent he was as they did not have the quantity of Mana that he had! Even the Architect of the Dao of Summoning that drew nods from other Hegemonies at the genius of her Dao- even she only facilitated the contractual obligations as her Dao was only known and spread like any other Daos. Its influence could be broken, just like how the Universal Hegemony Ambrose was currently breaking it! Yet Noah...he birthed a Dao that was applicable to an entire Universe, being even more unique to him as he stood on top of a Universe and those within it...could all be easily influenced by his Dao. All they had to do was say yes! Say yes to be able to access 5% of the power of a terrifying being, say yes to have your mana reserves multiplied by many times over! Say yes...to start an era of Madness and Tyranny! It didn''t matter if they came across laws or Daos, or how weak or powerful they were on the scale of power. In fact, the vast majority of creatures receiving the Call of Fealty would forever only have access to anything more than 5% of Noah''s power as many would not even be able to take a step towards the comprehension of the Dao. But just the mere fact of being able to borrow the minimal amount that the Dao of Fealty provided...the changes brought about by it were simply too monstrous! Madness. This was the only word that could aptly describe the current situation! Utter madness for the scale that Noah chose to work on! [In exchange for a portion of his power, bind a portion of your soul to Noah Osmont and become his Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?...] Such a prompt appeared on every being within the Dark Universe, the vast majority accepting it right away as those who didn''t accept it out of carefulness..would come to accept it in time when they saw the power that those around them would come to display! Something of even more importance within all this to keep in mind was the goals of many Universal Hegemonies who could even birth Daos. They fought to influence Universes on a large scale as at their Realms, this was the only way for them to have a chance to advance forward, and Noah found information about this first hand from the details of the [Architect of the Dao] that showed different perks depending on if one''s dao was capable of affecting a few beings, a Universe, or even an entire Cosmos! Noah''s first Dao had only just begun to be cultivated by the strongest beings of his Universe, but even this didn''t go towards enhancing their power too much as the influence of it was not too large. But the influence of a Dao that allowed them to borrow a base 5% of his strength...and then when one applied this not just to them, but to the creatures of the entire Universe¡­ Ah! The result was truly and utterly only going to become madness! RUUUMBLE! Noah''s body shone with lustrous light as he continued to release his essence like a tide, floating in the starry space as he was in a unique state where he received enormous feedbacks every single second as trillions upon trillions of beings became his Vassals. His eyes and mouth shot out majestic beams of cerulean blue light endlessly, mana fluctuations reverberating outward and the essence of Fealty continued to spread out! The golden mirror that hung not too far away showed the image of a Universal Hegemony in utter shock, her eyes trembling as she observed the scene of Noah that he chose to display! Maybe he didn''t think it would show such a terrifying sight, maybe he didn''t account for what was about to happen to actually be seen...but the scenes occurring were that of pure fantasy as even a Universal Realm expert was put into shock. The eyes of this Universal Hegemony were in for an even more shock as it was around this time when a majority of beings in Noah''s Dark Universe had answered the Call of Fealty. It meant...that his Dao had actually descended down and been able to influence an entire Universe, not even a vast majority of it like most powerful Hegemonies would be able to do! Chapter 941 - Mark Of Antiquity! As the details of the [Architect of the Dao] had listed, there were boons to the one birthing the dao when it affected an entire Universe, and when it even affected an entire Cosmos! Beings that reached the level of Universal Realm and wanted to proceed forward would find it an impossible task, but the pioneers of this stage found that when they birthed and created Daos that the myriad of creatures within their Cosmos could utilize, the path forward was actually opened. Valentina was among the few Universal Hegemonies that had begun on this path, so she knew more than others on the secrets the beings who were capable of influencing an entire Universe with a Dao could come across! She knew these secrets...and it was why her emotions turned turbulent and in utter shock when she saw something that could only happen to the most powerful of the Universal Realm Hegemonies...begin to occur on the body of the being on the Galactic Filament Realm that she watched on her golden mirror. In front of Noah''s body that shot out brilliant beams of light, a formation of thin golden lines formed into a Runic Mark- a mark that released a light of ancientness and profound majesty! The runic mark signified a single word, a word that Valentina knew and had seen for herself multiple times- {ANTIQUITY}! Antiquity! More and more of these marks continued to condense in front of Noah as time passed, these marks freely floating and disappearing into his body as the light he released emanated out with even more grandeur. "Marks of Antiquity!" ¡­! The chair that Valentina was on fell as her blessed body shook, the eyes of this being that had lived for hundreds of thousands of years finding themselves staring forward at a loss! She actually saw the formation of the Marks of Antiquity- something that only the most powerful Universal Hegemonies obtained after they influenced a universe or multiple of them with their Daos and Power. These Marks of Antiquity held immense power as they were what one had to utilize if they wanted to advance further in the Universal Realm and proceed to the rare Realms that no known being had achieved within the Primordial Cosmos- the Realms that similar to the titles of Sages, Great Sages, Monarchs, and Paragons- they were given their own title for those making their way forward! After gaining an understanding of the Marks of Antiquity, the Universal Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos titled those who could exceed the power of the Universal Realm and find a way forward to be called beings at the stage of...NIRVANIC ANTIQUITY. Nirvanic Antiquity! In the Realm of the Galactic Filament, you had Great Sages, Monarchs, and Paragons included in it as each of these titles held vastly different power. Within the Universal Realm, those distinguishing themselves and proceeding forward underwent Nirvanic Antiquity, forging the path that no known beings had managed to step on! They tried to do the insurmountably hard and impossible task of forming...UNIVERSAL FILAMENTS as the ultimate goal of all Universal Hegemonies was to form a COSMOS! The secrets to all of these lay in the Marks of Antiquity. Those that had transformed their Origin by over 50% while utilizing the Marks of Antiquity became established existences that were called an Antiquity! But...such a thing was reserved for Universal Hegemonies! One could only be capable of doing it as a Universal Hegemony! So why was a being in the Galactic Filament Realm forming Marks of Antiquity?! Valentina''s body shook as she knew the answer. "His birthed Dao has gone on to influence an entire Universe¡­!" ¡­! Shock on top of shock as even she could not believe her own words. She could only watch in a stupor as more and more Marks of Antiquity formed in front of Noah every second, their formation going from 1 or 2 to tens every second, to eventually hundreds of Marks every second! The legs of this Universal Realm Hegemony gave out as she fell on her knees the moment that she saw the formation of thousands of Marks of Antiquity after every second passed! The Golden Crow Paragon, Valentina, came to aid her master as she had a distraught expression, trying to shake her out of her daze while asking what happened. Yet the dazed eyes of the Universal Hegemony turned inward as they searched within her Origin, taking a look at the numbers of Marks of Antiquity that she had collected over the last tens of thousands of years. 1,153,926. With blood, sweat, and tears, she had collected barely a million after all these years. Yet the being in front of her...he was already condensing thousands every second as he was about to shatter any known common sense that Universal Hegemonies held when it came to something only they could access! RUMBLE! --- Around Noah, an air of oldness and antiquity continued to emulate out as around him, the formation of ancient golden marks continued to appear while sinking into his body a second later. These Marks shook him out of his stupor as while he still kept his mana flowing to call even more beings for Fealty, the beams of light he shot from his eyes receded as he came to and looked at the wondrous Marks floating into him, knowledge of what they were filling his mind as he found himself staring at them in shock! This was the content that was hidden under the description of the [Architect of the Dao], and he was finally gaining information on it as his System very quickly compiled what every single Mark of Antiquity was relaying to Noah, a proper description of them appearing in front of his eyes. {Mark of Antiquity} :: The convergence of a unique authority in the form of a mark that can be branded onto the Galaxies within one''s Origin. Every branded Galaxy undergoes evolution to become a Dao Galaxy, where one can designate a specific Dao into it. Unique enhancements and boosts are given to the Daos occupying a myriad of Dao Galaxies. The birth of 10 Billion Dao Galaxies allows the elevation of a single Lesser Dao to a Grand Dao, with the culmination of 50 Billion Dao Galaxies allowing the elevation of a Grand Dao to a Cosmic Dao. To proceed from a single Universe and have the possibility of birthing a cluster of Universes, one must transform all the Galaxies within their Origin into Dao Galaxies¡­ "...!" Noah''s heart shook as he felt like he had stumbled onto a big secret much too early, the things he was reading involving the elevation of Universal Hegemonies into the next Realm! Yet even as his heart beat faster, a domineering smile spread across his face at having obtained such a thing, the air of Ancientness around him becoming even more Tyrannical as he turned his attention into his Origin where thousands of Marks of Antiquity freely flowed, giving his command for them to be branded onto nearby Galaxies as he did something only those in the Universal Realm would be able to do- he began to birth his very own Dao Galaxies! RUUUMBLE! At the same time he began to do this, the beings that had just sworn Fealty to him felt the 5% of power they were borrowing from the Tyrannical Emperor to be increasing, their minds going into utter turmoil at such a reality as at this time, Noah continuing to break all known norms as the secrets of Universal Hegemonies were laid bare before his eyes! Chapter 942 - Shattering The Calculations Of A Hegemony! I Noah''s body shook with a wondrous luster as Marks of Antiquity branded themselves to a Galaxy, each galaxy shining a brilliant gold luster as it transformed into a shocking Dao Galaxy that emanated a shocking level of power that was multiple times what it released before! These Dao Galaxies...shone beautifully with multicolored rainbow light, Noah being mesmerized by their luster briefly before he acted to move the essence of a particular Dao into these Galaxies at this time. RUMBLE! The luster of red spread out along with the essence of Ruination, this Cosmic Dao being the one to occupy all the newly forged Dao Galaxies as Noah''s power continued to crazily shoot higher and higher! He was doing something that only Universal Realm Hegemonies could do, a process that many beings began after they had already forged a Universe that contained tens of billions of Galaxies- only then having the chance to obtains the Marks of Antiquity to turn their Galaxies into Dao Galaxies. The shocking meaning and result that should come out in doing what he was doing so early...well, it had to be experienced in the future to come! WAAA! After Noah absorbed a majority of the Marks of Antiquity, he opened his eyes to feel the wondrous feeling of power, the Enhancement of the power that his Cosmic Dao could release elevated significantly just from its essence being placed the tens of thousands of Dao Galaxies he had forged at this moment. There would be much he had to do in gathering more information and understand just what shocking boom he had brought to himself, his eyes still shining with light as he saw the Marks of Antiquity still continuing to form slowly around him as time passed! His gaze went towards the Golden Mirror that showed the image of a Universal Realm Hegemony in utter stupor, Noah bringing the mirror close as he looked at Valentina with a light smile. The Universal Hegemony came to as her eyes shone with lustrous light, her gaze towards Noah being extremely perplexed as she couldn''t help but speak out! "Just...what are you?" RUMBLE! --- As Noah''s main body was about to converse with a Universal Hegemony, his Subordinates were fully beginning to utilize the new power they could access through the Dao of Fealty as they moved with intense vigor. OOOOH! The oversized body of Cthulhu released an innumerable number of tentacles as the Chthonians it faced roared out, these creatures actually not being able to gain a dominating footing in the battlefield as the other Terrors worked with Cthulhu to oppress them in every possible angle! Their bodies moved with vigor they hadn''t come across their entire lives, the feeling of wielding such immense mana within them being foreign as they enjoyed the boons of it to the fullest. Those that became [Vassals] of the Tyrannical Emperor were showing such power all around as they utterly began to dominate the Bloodline Races or the foreign beings from other Universes that came to reinforce them! RAA! RAA! A golden Dragon was streaking across space and tearing apart Nine-Tailed Foxes as he bellowed out majestically, others weaving across the battlefield in a similar manner as they pushed back the army that they had to call for Noah''s support of clones just minutes prior. "This is the power of Master! Creatures like you cannot even begin to understand it!" The Emperor Penguin felt Noah''s strength flow through him as he moved with excitement, and not many were able to keep up with his rising fervor as blood began to freely overflow around him. Scenes such as this became more and more common as the beings watching the progress of battles in the periphery of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters found themselves becoming mute and speechless! In Galaxy B-48 where Noah and his Summons moved...the scenes here were the most gruesome as in one area, the enormous body of a Squid Chthonian could be seen bloodily floating in space, this creature the size of a planet having actually been ripped into two halves as its overabundance of blood caused rivers of crimson to form in the starry space! ROAAAR! The roars of remaining Chthonians continued to resound as the body of the Primordial Ruination Clone that was the size of a planet moved with a light of cruelty to break apart the enemies with extreme prejudice. On one side, one could also see the figure of a small blue haired child with a shimmering illusory crown floating atop his head, the transformed figure of this Blue Slime actually opening its jaws terrifyingly as it swallowed the shining skull of a Decadent Lich Emperor! RUMBLE! The body of the Blue Slime shone with a bright blue hue as a chilling smile appeared on its small body, waving its small hands as before him, space cracked while skeletal hands reached out from beyond- an Undead Legion filled with Sages and Entities being led by a Decadent Lich Emperor beginning to rise in the surroundings! "Kekekeke!" Chilling laughter and wails of death spread out freely as the childish figure of the Blue Slime had an even bigger smile spreading across his face! It was a shocking scene that caused the hearts of many to palpate as those watching truly did not know what to make of the situation. In another area, an Obsidian Panther had its claws dug deep into the chest of a Hero, the green light that used to resonate on the Speedster long gone, his face that of shock as he found that at the end of it all...he wasn''t fast enough! BOOM! The claws of the kingly Calamity Bear could also be seen smashing towards the grim faced Vindicator that looked around the battlefield with unabated shock. He, like many beings, did not know where the sudden explosion of strength from these beings came from- only that they were falling because of it! None could have guessed the ridiculous and domineering actions that led to the results currently being displayed across a myriad of Galaxies! Chapter 943 - Shattering The Calculations Of A Hegemony! II None of the being from the Bloodline Races or the visitors from other Universes could have guessed that the enemy they faced nonchalantly created a ridiculous Dao that gave 5% of his power to all his subordinates, the boom of multiplying their Mana reserves by tens of times being the thing that freely made them move without fear. Nor would they ever guess that during this time as well, their enemy obtained things that only Universal Realm Hegemonies could play around with, elevating his own Power to a large degree as this development caused the calculations of a certain being to be off! Deeper in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters, the Monarchs and Paragons of the Bloodline Races that were alerted by the foreign intruders and had even sent in their own Great Sages and Sages forward watched on with grim expression, a few of them pulsing with essence as they seemed ready to go! "You know the rules. Only those at the level of Great Sages and below can enter these Galaxies. We cannot break this rule." THRUM! Three powerful Monarchs of the White Tiger Race were ready to set off as their eyes were red with anger and bloodlust when watching scenes of their allies butchered under the hands of this new force. Behind them, a pristine White Tiger towering 1000 meters in size appeared while speaking, his white furred body releasing the powerful aura of a Paragon! "But Paragon Neriliel...isn''t it a Rule that the Master set up? He can also choose to let us break it when it comes to defending our people!" ¡­! The Monarchs looked towards the Paragon with blood red eyes, the enormous White Tiger shaking his eyes that seemed full of wisdom as he replied with a cold light while staring at the illusory screens showing the shocking events in the peripheral galaxies. "This deals with the secret of the Slaughter Star Monolith that these Galaxies are clustered around, and the reason why the Rankings within are also isolated to the levels of Great Sages, Monarchs, and Paragons...If we want to interfere, we can only send more Great Sages! But even this seems futile¡­" RUMBLE! A shocking analysis was made by Paragon Neriliel as he looked at the power of the Great Sages currently battling, seeing how even the forces that their Master called forth from other Universes were being massacred! The lustrous fur of the White Tiger Paragon shone as he asked what many creatures of the Bloodline Races were thinking as they watched the unfolding events. "Just who are they? What makes them so bold to disrupt the ecosystem created by a Universal Hegemony¡­?" A grand question! One that would be answered soon enough as the forces moving in the periphery of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters did not just surprise Paragons...but even the Universal Hegemony overseeing the whole thing! The ridiculous developments that Noah had created truly caused the calculations of a Hegemony to be entirely off, a loss about to be taken by this being for the first time in many, many years! In an isolated Realm somewhere within the Animus Universe. The enormous figure of a regal being situated upon a star could be seen, his eyes cold as they stared at the many illusory screens showing exactly what was happening across certain galaxies. Around him, a fantastical scene of swirling golden destiny and universal fortune could be seen, his increasingly cold eyes glancing at every single line of destiny and fortune as he came to a conclusion when he observed the minuscule amounts of reduction in his Universal Fortune! It was the conclusion that what was happening now was just the beginning- that if he did not nip it in the bud...it would lead to an even greater loss in his fortune as everything he built would crumble! This was similar to how when Valentina had met Noah, her proficiency in Destiny and Universal Fortune told her he would be the solution that would solve her problem and further increase her fortune! Even though he found it hard to believe, Ambrose could not help but confirm the conclusion multiple times as his eyes focused on the central screen he was viewing that showed Noah''s figure. A Hegemony facing a possible heavy loss in the future just from the single Tyrant Dragon at the Galactic Filament Realm and the forces he led against him. A being that had at most forged a few billion galaxies, who had at most undergone 25% Purification of Primordial Essence...such a creature actually posed a threat to him! RUMBLE! Ambrose waved his hands as he ascertained this, his expression placid as the swirling fortune around him disappeared, a light of teleportation wrapping around him while his focus remained on the central Illusory screen showing the figure of the Tyrant Dragon. He was a being that had lived for over a million years. He had truly seen a lot, and knew what he needed to do when a problem like this arose! He...had to nip it in the bud before it bloomed to something bigger, and nothing would be more effective than moving himself! WAA! His body disappeared as he undertook a long distance teleportation, his destination...being a place that not even the Paragons he controlled would ever think he would be in. --- Within Galaxy B-48. The terrifying figure of the Tyrant Dragon that had ripped apart two planet sized Chthonians was reflected in everyone''s eyes, the Great Sages of the Bloodline Races feeling deep terror in their hearts as they saw this creature cash with the last Chthonian horror! Meanwhile, his Summons moved with just as much terrifying might as they whittled down the forces of the Bloodline Races and their reinforcements like they were cutting through vegetables. A feeling of despair welled up deep in their hearts as the only commands they heard from the Monarchs and Paragons above them was to continue fighting with all their power, their hearts shaking as they wondered if they had been abandoned! Yet.. THRUM! In the next second, a terrifying aura began to descend unto the starry space they were fighting on. The aura was most definitely not of the Great Sage, Monarch or even Paragon, the eyes of many being flitting around in shock as they looked towards the starry space above them to see...the appearance of a planet sized human! RUMBLE! The eyes of this being opened as they billowed out with intense pressure, his gaze causing the bodies of many to tremble as it landed on a single Tyrant Dragon that was ready to tear apart another Chthonian Great Sage! Chapter 944 - You Thought! The rules of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters that surrounded the Universal Construct- Slaughter Star Monolith, were absolute. No being outside their respective levels could enter Galaxies that were not designated for their level, and this rule could be broken as the galaxies with the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters were the ones used to anchor the Slaughter Star Monolith in the Animus Universe! As a Universal Construct that could act to promote Slaughter and influence multiple Universes, it came with its own limitations as the division of power was one of them! When the rule was broken, it would interfere with the Construct, and this was why it had been kept strong without ever being broken since the placement of the Slaughter Star Monolith. So very few beings could ever break the rule of this Universal Construct and do so with very little if any repercussions at all...and that was the maker of this construct himself. THRUUM! The magisterial figure and aura of a Universal Hegemony spread out wildly within the Galaxy as his glorious white hair and beard shone with glimmers of light, an old man that looked like the true representation of a wizened expert appearing in front of the eyes of many! His eyes were as deep as black holes as they glimmered with the light of stars, his appearance causing the Bloodline Races and their reinforcements from other Universes burst into extreme happiness as they called out. "The Master¡­" "The Master!" RUMBLE! Their gazes were reverent as it seemed like they were saved, nearly all of them coming to halt to look reverently up to the starry space! Yet...the beings they were fighting did not seem to feel the aura that descended down at all, their gazes those of contempt as they looked at their enemies that had suddenly come to a stop and threw down even more devastating attacks that snuffed out their lives! "Ah!" Some finally came out of their stupor as they continued to fight back, the eyes of the Universal Hegemony flashing with intense light at this scene as his mouth opened to utter a single word. "Stop." OOOOOM! A terrifying authority came with this word, an authority that could not be denied as it filled the hearts and ears of all who heard it! With the mere mention of this word, not just the Bloodline Races, even Noah''s Summons and the Chaos Dragons behind them found they could not move- every single person within this area of the Galaxy finding themselves stopped in place as they couldn''t even get their essence to revolve around their bodies. They all came to a complete halt as shockingly, the single word from this Universal Hegemony was capable of stopping all the actions of everyone around, no matter if they were Sages or Great Sages! ¡­! Shock and horror appeared in the hearts of the Chaos Dragons as they recalled the terrifying being that they heard of from stories, while the reverence in the hearts of the Bloodline Races only increased as this reality. In this environment where the figures of every one were brought to a halt, the eyes of the Universal Hegemony went towards a single location- and that was the place where a tinge of movement in all the surrounding miles could be seen. It was the figure of a Tyrant Dragon shining with an obsidian crimson hue, its eyes glimmering with beams of red light as its body seemed to be vibrating at high speed amidst the shocking pressure! Against the command that A Universal Hegemony had released where others could not even move, the body of this being was vibrating as it threatened to break out of such shocking influence! This scene was being displayed to the parties watching the unfolding events within this Galaxy, causing an endless amount of shock to the Paragons and Monarchs of the Bloodline Races as well as causing the expression of a particular Architect of the Dao to turn cold. THRUM! In her isolated Realm, Valentina rose up as her body pulsed with power, yet the Golden Mirror in front of her released a shocking statement as the Tyrannical Emperor within it looked curiously at the unfolding scene within Galaxy B-48. "Don''t." RUMBLE! Similar to Ambrose, Noah said a single word as Valentina turned towards him with sharp eyes, his words continuing thereafter as he spoke with a domineering light! "Universal Hegemonies cannot act against those of the lower levels, merely influencing them somewhat! Even now, he couldn''t use his power to stop just my forces as he had to stop both sides in order for it to not be counted as him acting against a specific group." ¡­! "I''m curious to see how this scene will play out, so let''s just continue to watch." "..." Valentina stared towards Noah''s figure in the golden mirror with a difficult expression. Many thoughts flashed through her mind as she wondered how a being like him would be so comfortable as to think of all of this and not even be fearful when he faced against a Universal Realm Hegemony! She then thought about the Marks of Antiquity and the birthing of a Dao that occurred right in front of her as her eyes flashed, turning her gaze towards the illusory screen showing the events with the certain Galaxy. Deep in the heart of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters, Paragon Neriliel and the Monarchs behind him looked at the scene of their Master showing up on the screen in a stupor, watching how every single being within the area of the battlefield was brought to a stop by a single command from him! Yet...amongst all the beings, there was one that seemed capable of resisting the immense pressure, his body vibrating as it seemed like he wanted to break out of the Influence of a Universal Hegemony! The voice of one of the powerful Monarchs rang out as they stared at this scene. "The commands of the Master are inviolable¡­" The Paragon nodded his head while looking at the scene with shining eyes, a regal light shooting from them as he replied. "Yes, especially when he isn''t acting against a specific group of beings. Nobody should be able to move until he allows them to so aga-" THRUM! Like a bolt of lightning, their minds buzzed as before the words of the Paragon could even finish, they watched a fantastical sight of the body of the Tyrant Dragon pulsed with a domineering light, his roar resounding out as the red beams of light released from his eyes lit up the starry space! Under the eyes of many beings, Noah''s Tyrant Dragon form broke free of the chains that a Universal Hegemony had placed on everyone, its bright eyes releasing a light of tyranny as they glanced towards the magisterial figure of the being above fearlessly. They thought the mere aura and pressure of a Universal Hegemony could hold the body of a Primordial Ruination Clone?! The body of a creature that could utilize one of the highest and most prized Cosmic Laws?! RUMBLE! Chapter 945 - Watch Very Closely! I A Universal Hegemony could not act against those of the lower levels! An oath was sworn with every rising Universal Realm expert as the most these beings could do was exert influence on those below them. This influence alone was extremely domineering, and it was enough to show the grandeur of the Hegemonies that stood at the peak of power in many Universes. But it was still just that- influence! For those that wished to break under the influence of Hegemonies, certain conditions had to be met. They had to either be truly powerful Paragons that neared the Universal Realm themselves...or they had to have something shocking in their arsenal like the comprehension of a Cosmic Dao! Many times, these two things were interchangeable as it was always genius Paragons who could even begin to have the capability to comprehend a Cosmic Dao, examples being the Queen Dowager that had begun grasping at the straws of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation, and the Universal Emperor Slime that was a unique existence in the Cosmos who could comprehend the very same Cosmic Dao of Annihilation. Noah was no Paragon...but he did comprehend a Cosmic Dao placed higher than Annihilation, Necromancy¡­ and many other Cosmic Daos as he could utilize the unique essence of this Dao to break free from the mere influence of a Universal Hegemony! RUMBLE! The gaze of the Primordial Ruination Clone was tyrannical as he gazed towards the figure of the Hegemony of Slaughter without so much as a tinge of fear. The star sized humanoid had a white robe that shimmered with the essence of many Daos, his entire body sparkling as when one looked closely, the could almost see the fully manifested lights that represented tens of billions of galaxies...all of them coming together to form a wondrous Universe that existed within the Origin of a single being! An entire Universe for their Origin! How vast was the power of such a being? How shocking was their strength that had received 100% Purification from the Primordial Essence? Mind you, 100% Purification correlated to +1,000,000% to All Parameters! The star sized being Noah was staring at...contained such immense strength that he could flick his finger and cause the entire Galaxy they were in to shatter, a single finger to bring death to anyone below him! All this being would need was but a thought to dispel the life force of anyone titled a Great Sage. Yet Noah still stared towards the magisterial figure that was the epitome of power, the regality and majesty being released by the Hegemony only becoming a mere light show in his eyes! The eyes of the Hegemony only showed a hint of surprise at the scene before his voice resounded out once more an instant later. "You need to stop your advancement into the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters. Nothing good will come out of it in the end." A voice of majesty and strength! A voice that demanded to be obeyed from its mere power alone. From it, Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone could sense the power of Antiquity, guessing this being in front of him must have obtained millions if not billions of Marks of Antiquity! This was because unlike Valentina, he had his grasps in multiple Universes as he actively laid down his terrifying Universal Constructs on them! Ambrose stared at the figure of Noah''s Tyrant Dragon form as this Hegemony seemed to have already determined his nature, becoming direct as he spoke once more before Noah could even reply. "I see you carry a sense of justice for the Dragons of the Animus Universe. If you are selfish enough not to care about yourself, think about these same Dragons that are still within the Draconic Holy Lands. It will not be a challenge to massacre them." ¡­! RUMBLE! Not a threat to Noah''s life, but to the beings he sought to liberate! Noah''s eyes shone brightly at this as he came face to face with the machinations of a truly old being for the first time. Ambrose looked at Noah as he sought out any weaknesses, and he chose a weakness that only he could uniquely attack as he threatened the remaining Dragons within the taken over Draconic Lands. Off to the side, Tiamat''s body that was still frozen in space trembled with anger and wrath as her eyes moved to lock on to the majestic figure of the Universal Hegemony! Noah''s draconic figure vibrated with power as he looked at Ambrose with placid eyes. The light within his blazing eyes seemed to calm down as they were filled with utter calmness, his voice resounding out for the first time since the arrival of this terrifying being. "A Universal Realm Hegemony cannot act against a creature of the lower level, so if the few remaining Dragons enslaved within the Draconic Holy Lands are massacred, it will be through the hands of Paragons, Monarchs, and Great Sages." RUMBLE! His calm voice spread to the ears of all the beings still frozen in place in the surrounding miles, as well as the Paragons and Monarchs of the Bloodline Races within the Bloody Battlefields Galaxies, and even those situated with their Holy Lands who had tuned in to watch the unfolding scene when the news spread that their Master himself had made an appearance! There were also the Draconic Paragons and Monarchs that stayed within the deepest Galaxies of the Bloody Battlefield Galaxy Clusters that were alerted to the shocking scenes playing out, watching as the scenes of what was occurring were relayed to them from the army of Chaos Dragons behind Noah. Many eyes were locked towards Noah as he continued with shocking calmness, many of those watching thinking a few similar thoughts! ''He wouldn''t actually defy the Master''s order and threat, right?'' ''He can''t denounce a Universal Realm Hegemony right?!'' As they watched his calm demeanor, they watched with bated breaths as they wondered what this being in the Galactic Filament would say against a Universal Hegemony that influenced multiple Universes. "For those Paragons, Monarchs, Great Sages, and any of those below them that choose to listen to the words of this...being standing in front of me- for any of those that choose to senselessly massacre the remaining Dragons within the Draconic Holy Lands...I want you all to watch very closely what I am about to do even while standing in front of the very same being that will give you that order!" RUMBLE! Noah''s body glimmered with brilliant light as he pulsed with power, his body that brimmed with the shocking 200% strength of the Primordial Ruination Clone backed with the Purification of Primordial Essence and Ruination Essence that gave him multiple tens of thousands of percentages to All Parameters moving towards the nearest creatures of the Bloodline Races and their reinforcements from other Universes. "I want you all to watch very closely how the being you admire and follow the words of blindly...will not be able to protect you when I come to collect the debt of blood against all those that massacre innocent Dragons!" RUMBLE! ¡­! Chapter 946 - Watch Very Closely! II Shock! Those watching fell into utter shock when they heard the words of the Tyrant Dragon, their eyes gradually opening ever wider as they saw the thrumming body of this terrifying creature open its jaws to release a terrifying Dragon''s Breath, a Breath that released innumerable unstable Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs that thundered towards hundreds of Sages and tens of Great Sages that were guarding the center most planets protecting the gateway of the Slaughter Star Monolith. Mind you, the body of the Tyrant Dragon was currently the size of a Planet, its breath covering over a thousand miles as the explosive force of the unstable Galaxies released with this breath...were utterly maddening in the damage they caused! This was especially so when the beings targeted could currently not even move! BOOOM! BOOOM! The unstable Galaxies tore apart space as they exploded, taking with them hundreds of Sages and tens of Great Sages of the Bloodline Races in but a moment. Blood, gore, and limbs flew out from every angle as Golden Cyclops, Nine-tailed Foxes...many of the Bloodline Races were decimated from this single attack. ¡­! Such an action caused all those watching to draw a sharp breath as the scenes they felt were playing in slow motion continued! "He actually dared¡­!" "Against the authority of the Master!" RUMBLE! The Paragons and Monarchs of all Races that had gotten information of what was occurring looked forward in a stupor, watching as a being directly defied the will of a Universal Hegemony and acted in such a domineering manner right in front of him! The Dragons within the deepest parts of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters looked at their illusory screens that portrayed Noah''s figure, their hearts burning with scorching flames of draconic pride when they looked at this being! They were enthralled with the scene as Noah continued to speak while releasing another breath towards the remaining Chthonian and other powerful Great Sages from other Universes. "Watch very closely as what I am doing to these Great Sages and Sages in front of me will be exactly what I will do to those who follow the orders of this Universal Hegemony. It matters not if you are a Monarch or a Paragon...in time, even those standing in these ranks will face the same treatment as the being you so revere will not even be able to protect you!" His voice was ringing out as he moved with even more vigor to attack and rip apart any beings he could, the Universal Realm Hegemony above looking at this scene with extremely chilling eyes that blazed with a shocking light, this being waving his hands as the forces within the tens of miles of radius finally regained control of their bodies, the Bloodline Races at least being able to try and defend themselves against Noah''s onslaught! But they weren''t the only ones to regain their ability to move, Noah''s summons gaining it as well- these creatures moving with even more fervor as a wrathful expression twisted Tiamat''s face. OOOOOH! BOOM! "The Master!" "Hegemony, save us!" The shocking battle resumed as the Bloodline Races and their allies faced heavy losses, many cries ringing out as they sought help from the expert they believed in the most! The hearts of many beings watching were shaken as they saw the authority of the Hegemony not make the Tyrant Dragon or his forces falter, the scenes playing out being imprinted in their minds as they would never forget them. Amidst the resuming slaughter, the figure of the Tyrant Dragon rose above the bloodshed as its planet sized body stared towards the Hegemony of Slaughter with calm eyes. The chilling light from the Hegemony only increased as the surroundings quaked, but he still didn''t attack Noah as no conditions were met for him to attack a creature of a lower level than himself! He wasn''t directly attacked or had his name tarnished in any way, Noah being careful not to even insult the being or call him names! But Noah did point out the fact that the being that would order them to carry out certain actions would not even be able to protect them from him if he chose to move against them. Thus, Ambrose could only watch as he inscribed the image of the Tyrant Dragon deep in his mind, nodding with a chilling look as he disappeared a second later while leaving behind shocking words. "So be it." RUMBLE! ¡­! With many eyes watching, the figure of Ambrose disappeared in the starry space as the forces of the Bloodline Races fighting for their lives lost all hope. A feeling welled up in their hearts, these creatures not being the only ones as those watching also experienced the same feeling- it was doubt! Doubt towards the Master they knew, doubt when they saw him leave when faced against a creature in the Galactic Filament Realm. It was a shocking seed of doubt that Noah had planted into the hearts of many, but Ambrose had still left as one would think this might have been one of the worse choices for this Hegemony to make! But against a creature that he could not attack and was not at all influenced by their sheer power and majesty, what could Ambrose have truly done? He had already exerted as much influence as he could without stepping over the line when he stopped everyone in the surroundings tens of miles from moving, and he couldn''t do much else. If he had chosen to stay as Noah continued to show off the fact that he truly couldn''t personally act against him and his forces, the repercussions of today would have been even more disastrous! So the Hegemony calculated with Destiny as he left, once again having his calculations shattered as he truly had not expected Noah to act the way that he did towards a Universal Hegemony. Like this, Ambrose had suffered multiple losses against Noah before any true battles began! Chapter 947 - Not Favored By Destiny! In an isolated region, a shocking reverberation of power emanated out as space ruptured and reformed constantly. It was the figure of the enormous sized Ambrose shaking with a chilling look as his eyes stared at his Universal Fortune, seeing that unlike before, it hadn''t just been reduced by smidges or small lines, but entire significant chunks of Universal Fortune fell out as they were lost entirely! It was equating to thousands of years worth of hard work! RUMBLE The silent wrath of the expert was extremely deadly, this aged being having come across a creature that actually did not bow to the wills of Hegemonies nor seem to care about future results. Ambrose''s eyes focused on the Universal Fortune and the lines of Destiny swirling around him as a terrifying thought entered his mind. Multiple times now, he had used his understanding of Destiny and fortune to act against the newly rising enemy. Yet all times after making calculations based on what destiny told him...he still failed! This left very few possibilities as to why, but the most direct one was that the enemy he was utilizing Destiny against...had a much more pronounced Golden Destiny and even more Universal Fortune than him! ¡­! This realization made the chilling light in Ambrose''s eyes die down as they returned with impassive eyes filled with clarity. A lower tiered being...with a more abundant Universal Fortune than a Hegemony that had lived for over a million years that when faced against each other, the destiny of the lower tiered being was enough to cause losses to a Universal Hegemony! "What exactly did you find, Valentina?" His majestic white hair and beard waved wildly as when he came to this conclusion, a light of teleportation wrapped around him again, taking him towards another location as this time, he didn''t utilize destiny to plan his movements. This was because it seemed that at this period in time, Destiny would not favor him against these enemies! RUMBLE! --- Valentina had a difficult expression as she looked at the scenes playing out in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxies while staring into the Golden Mirror that showed Noah''s figure that seemed to be focusing closely on the continuously forming Marks of Antiquity that sank into his body every second. His aura continued to rise rapidly as the formation of Dao Galaxies that only Hegemonies could do was extremely dominating, capable of increasing the output of strength by more than 5 times compared to normal Galaxies! Having such Dao Galaxies in the lower stage would mean that if Noah forged 10 billion Galaxies and turned them all into Dao Galaxies...the output of power he could release would be equivalent to Monarch. At this thought, Valentina couldn''t help but imagine the levels of power this being could reach, realizing he would be able to excel as the strongest in each stage he reached as his source of strength was simply too robust! She was about to speak towards the Golden Mirror and probe Noah to see if he would give her any information on how he became an Architect of the Dao and understand the mystery of his formation of Marks of Antiquity, when her expression suddenly changed and turned extremely wrathful! BOOOM! RIIIP! Above the billowing clouds in her isolated Realm, space was ruptured as a hand stretched through, opening the two sides of space as if it was ripping apart clothing, a magisterial being stepping out of this rupture in space and appearing in the skies of her Realm. "You dare?!" THRUM! Valentina''s dark hair swirled wildly as she shot forth from her castle, appearing in the skies and looking as the shocking figure of a miniaturized Ambrose who wasn''t the size of a planet anymore, of this being that had actually intruded into her isolated Realm after failing against Noah just minutes prior! BZZZT! The power of Universal Hegemonies rumbled out majestically as space quaked fearfully, Ambrose looking towards Valentina with calm eyes as for him, it didn''t seem like anything much to know where Valentina''s abode was and break into it. With an expression of a wizened being, he spoke calmly while facing Valentina''s wrathful gaze and body that palpated with immense power. "Call off your dog. Give me his life in exchange for me leaving all of the Animus Universe to you, with my influence only remaining around the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters where my Universal Construct is anchored." ¡­! A shocking set of words came from the Universal Hegemony, his gaze towards Valentina not showing the least bit of respect as it seemed like a senior making a concession with a junior, that they should be grateful enough to quickly take it while bending their back! THRUM! Valentina''s face had become utterly cold at this point, her white dress shining with a unique luster as her eyes blazed with power. From her body, the essence of a domineering Dao arose, a Dao that wasn''t Lesser or Grand, but Cosmic! WAA! Like a dam that had been broken loose, the essence of a Cosmic Dao erupted from Valentina- and it was the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation that most proficient Universal Hegemonies comprehended! Valentina''s eyes released a cold light as with the essence of a Cosmic Dao swirling around her, she replied. "Get the fuck out." RUMBLE! Power maddeningly overflowed with her words, the space around the nearby miles shattering as it became the void, not even being capable of reforming yet as from the exceedingly cold eyes of Ambrose, the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation seeped out...as well as another Cosmic Dao! Ah! His shockingly cold eyes stared at Valentina with disdain, his voice ringing out. "I can''t so easily attack those in the Lower Realms, but I can easily fuck up a girl that has barely entered the ranks of the Universal Realm." ¡­! The essence of Slaughter that should have been a Grand Dao seemed from his body wildly, but it seemed to be elevated greatly as the aura it gave off was multiple times more regal than a Grand Dao! "All I need is a few reasons and I can call forth a Blood Feud, coming into this place and ripping apart this body of yours until I fracture your Universe and turn you into nothing." RUMBLE! Domineering! Tyrannical! It was the demeanor of a Hegemony! Chapter 948 - Tyrannical Beyond Measure! WAA! Waves of maddening levels of essence vibrated out between the two Hegemonies facing off, the one stemming off from Ambrose being simply ridiculous as too many shocking things were hidden within! The most frightening thing was the essence of Slaughter that had begun to swirl around him. His name was the Hegemony of Slaughter, and he lived up to it as the essence of this Grand Dao swirling around Ambrose was unlike any other Daos of the same level, giving off an oppressive aura that far surpassed many Grand Daos! This phenomenon could only be explained if a being had begun to collect numerous Marks of Antiquity and formed many Dao Galaxies while branding a particular Dao into them, strengthening the selected dao greatly. THRUM! Ambrose looked at Valentina with a gaze full of dominance, his terrifying words still ringing out in the surroundings as the fair looking woman in front of her didn''t even have a change in expression. "You are young, barely having had the time to form connections with the Hegemonies of our Cosmos. Isolated, no experience, only a slight genius to be able to birth a somewhat above average Lesser Dao." WAA! Waves of essence burst out with every single word he uttered as he continued! "I have my reach stretching to multiple Universes, with close connections to monsters millions of years old. I have utter and complete confidence in crushing a creature like you, but I do know it will cause slight damage to me in the short term. Why not come to an agreement on a path that benefits both of us? Form a connection with a powerful Hegemony right now and elevate your status to an even greater level." With shining eyes filled with intense light, Ambrose actually offered a hand after threats, Valentina still looking towards him coldly as her body pulsed with more and more dangerous essence of Annihilation. "I leave you all of the Animus Universe but the location where my Universal Construct is anchored, all you need to do is to give me the head of that puny dragon you sent out." The buzzing essence in the surroundings rose ever higher as a cold voice came from Valentina! "Did you not hear me before? I said get the fuck out." ¡­! Ambrose was only faced with rejection as the Architect of the Dao of Summoning coldly sain no to his advances, her fair face looking extremely valiant at this moment while facing the terrifying Universal Hegemony swirling with essence of two Cosmic Daos and a Grand Dao that seemed on its way there as well! There was a lull of silence in the seconds to follow, Ambrose''s eyes expressionlessly looking towards Valentina before he spoke again. "Children will always be children. Impulsive, reckless, and never thinking about the future or greater glory." RUMBLE! "My Universal Fortune will be reduced in the short term yes, my influence might even wane some more if the river of destiny continues flowing in the direction of the creature you sent out. But in the long run...it will be me as the ultimate victor. We study the same Destiny...so I know you know this!" The swirling essence around Ambrose receded as he maintained his look of dignity and power while continuing to speak. "I already see a future with your Dao of Summoning shattered and barely being used, a future of that fair skin of your splinters and ruptured as blood spills from that small body. Continue heading in this direction...and that future will come to you soon enough." RUUUMBLE! At the very end of his words, a hint of the essence of Slaughter took over his eyes as the Universal Hegemony spoke words of brutality, showing why he was truly the Hegemony of Slaughter as he would defeat his enemies in the most tyrannical and humiliating of ways! When he finished, his figure was warped with the light of teleportation as he disappeared an instant later, leaving behind a furious Valentina that coldly looked at the space he used to be. Her body that was thrumming with power calmed down as calmness returned in the isolated Realm, her expression gradually calming down as a voice reverberated out a second later from a certain golden mirror. "Why did you not take his deal given the benefits and security it provides you?" ..! From the other side of the mirror, Noah had heard the shocking conversation between the Hegemonies as his heart was moved, asking Valentina a question as this Architect waved her hands to cause the golden mirror to appear in front of her in the skies! Her expression was still tinged with wrath as she spoke. "For him to physically appear in the Galaxy that your Tyrant Dragon body is in to threaten you and then even appear in my realm to threaten me...means that you are an even greater threat to him than I realized!" RUMBLE! "Oh?" Noah heard her reply as many thoughts crossed his mind, watching Valentina''s wrathful expression obtain a hint of a cruel smile as she continued. "Besides, why should I get myself tied up to an old man whose size of Universal Fortune is nowhere close to yours? With the size of yours, even his calculations must have been wrong for him to appear so ruffled!" ¡­! "But for him to blatantly enter my home and sully it with his disgusting essence of slaughter¡­!" THRUM! Her anger dominated as Valentina''s body shone with power, Noah thinking of her words as he glanced at his sizable Universal Fortune that swirled around him like a storm ever since he birthed the Dao of Fealty and shared it with an uncountable number of beings in an entire Universe. When one just stared at Noah, they would find nothing extraordinary aside from his devilishly good looks, but if one activated <> to check his destiny and fortune, they would be able to see raging golden rivers that nearly formed into an enormous sea, a pillar of golden light shining from him and rising above majestically! A large amount of fortune that even Hegemonies would envy. It was also the reason why beings with dense fortunes like these...could somehow always turn the most dangerous situations into opportunities as they achieved even greater status in their lives! His thoughts came to a stop as he looked at the mirror that showed an angered Valentina expressing a fiery gaze that would shake the heart of any man. "What if he acts on his threat against you and starts a Blood Feud?" ¡­! A shocking possible reality that a terrifying Hegemony could act on was questioned! Chapter 949 - The Construct Spanning Across The Cosmos! I Noah''s question caused Valentina to come to a stop as she composed herself, her eyes shining with strength as she looked at this figure in the golden mirror and replied. "I''m not so easily bullied, so you don''t have to worry about me. Just continue your decimation of his authority and influence, and then use his own Universal Construct to get stronger!" RUMBLE! "As for me...I''ll let the Paragons and Monarchs of the Galaxy Devouring Serpents, Mythical Helios Races, Golden Crow Race and the Mixed Races move their forces out to exert influence and take the attention of the Bloodline Races on the Draconic Holy Lands. If they choose to really wantonly slaughter...it''s no problem to start a war." ¡­! Valentina''s gaze was filled with a sharp light as after Ambrose intruded into her domain, this powerful woman began to lean more on the offensive as one of the biggest moves she made...was not even considering the words of a powerful Universal Hegemony as a connection and instead continuing to side with a creature at the Galactic Filament Realm that had an overabundance of Universal Fortune. She turned towards his image in the golden mirror as she spoke with an inquisitive tone. "A Universal Hegemony that has birthed a Grand Dao or a Great Sage that has somehow birthed a Lesser Dao at his level and influenced an entire Universe with it seconds after its birth...the choice between this wasn''t really that hard as is seems your Universal Fortune might be multiple times what mine or Ambrose is!" RUMBLE! Her sharp eyes were filled with light while she looked at Noah to grasp for some answers! Noah came out of his thoughts as he looked towards the golden mirror with a light smile, his voice ringing out casually. "It''s just forging a Lesser Dao, nothing much!" "..." Valentina stared at him in a stupor at these words, her eyes becoming even more inquisitive! "Are you actually the reincarnation of a Nirvanic Antiquity? Do you already have the abstruse Cosmic Dao of Reincarnation under your belt? Or is this identity just a portion of your soul? Just...who are you?" RUMBLE! The Architect of the Dao of Summoning wanted to know more about the being that could cause the Hegemony of Slaughter to be this flustered! She could find nothing from the river of Destiny, the Universal Fortune of this being far surpassing hers as any calculations about him were cloudy and filled with mysteries, and it was one of the reasons for Ambrose''s failures in the past day. But...she would get nothing from the questions as Noah merely shook his head to all her questions! "I wouldn''t be doing all this or let the Bloodline Races run rampant as they are if I had some grand identity. As for breaking apart Ambrose''s influence¡­" Noah turned his eyes towards the Galaxies around the Slaughter Star Monolith where his forces were finishing up their slaughter. Valentina glanced at him for a while longer before she gave up, her eyes sharply scanning her abode before she returned to her paradisiacal castle to behind carrying out a great deal of things while observing Noah''s forces within the Bloody Battlefields Galaxies. Within...a losing battle was being fought by the Bloodline Races and their reinforcements! This was because the wills of many enemies were crushed when they saw the scenes of the Universal Hegemony they revered not being able to do anything! Noah''s forces that continued to display a shocking level of strength dominated the Bloodline Races and the reinforcements from other Universes, shocking scenes being displayed all around the peripheral Galaxies of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters. In one Galaxy, three Terrors stood atop the decimated bodies of Chthonians, the Terror of Aether at the very forefront pulsing with terrific power as even with the victory, he still seemed somewhat furious! His wrath naturally came from the connection he could borrow as a Vassal under Noah, sensing this guys'' terrifying power somehow growing even as their battles continued. The big guy wouldn''t admit it...but he had a trace of envy when he truly understood Noah''s power! RUMBLE In another Galaxy Legions of Undead freely overflowed, but they weren''t from Lich Emperors or even the Blue Slime who just devoured a Decadent Lich Emperor to obtain all of its power- it was from Barbatos who now held a great deal of mana after becoming a Vassal! WAA! She had an excited expression as she commanded Legions of Abyssal Undead to rip apart the remaining forces of the Bloodline Races as her eyes locked towards the red gateway situated in the middle of a star system that they were protecting. This was one of the gates in each Galaxy that led the way to the Universal Construct that was known as Slaughter Star Monolith, the Construct of Slaughter that a Hegemony used to spread his influence across multiple Universes as many powerful creatures delved into the Construct for more power or to prove themselves! A glimmer of sharp light passed through Barbatos'' eyes as she turned her head away and finished up her side, other Harbingers of Sin moving with just as much vigor and power. In Galaxy B-48, Noah''s Summons ripped apart the last creature of the Bloodline Races that was actively displaying the scenes of what was occurring here to the Paragons and Monarchs deeper in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters, these beings not being able to see or know what was happening any more! "..." Many powerful beings sat in silence after watching the shocking events, the words of the Tyrant Dragon ringing out in their ears. "Watch very closely as what I am doing to these Great Sages and Sages in front of me will be exactly what I will do to those who follow the orders of this Universal Hegemony¡­" The words rang in their minds over and over again as they replayed the scenes of brutality shown on the battlefield! The powerful experts at the level of Monarchs and Paragons had no need to heed the words of a being that was merely at the Galactic Filament Realm. Even if he was exceptional! Even if he was able to stand against the authority of a Hegemony without fear! He was still only a Great Sage! There was a large gap between that level up until Monarchs and Paragons! Yet...The Monarchs and Paragons found themselves hearing his words over and over again as if they were words of utter truth, words that foretold of a given reality if they took certain actions before then. Some became angered as they shook this feeling off, remembering their prestige as Monarchs and Paragons as they brushed off the threats of this powerful Great Sage. Others listened to their hearts as they felt a tinge of truthfulness, watching to see how things would play out in the days to come! But at this moment, the conclusion was a given as the forces of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor overtook multiple galaxies. Within Galaxy B-48, Noah looked at the scene of his Summons and Chaos Dragons wrapping up the battles, his gaze fully going towards the enormous doorway that was standing protectively between the star system that the Bloodline Races made their homes. It was the enormous gateway that one could enter the Universal Construct built by a powerful Hegemony! It was the gateway of the Slaughter Star Monolith that was created by the Hegemony of Slaughter! Chapter 950 - The Construct That Spans Across The Cosmos! II There were many mysteries surrounding something like a Universal Construct, the Hegemony of Slaughter gaining great recognition across multiple Universes for creating something that was so unique. Within...there was endless slaughter as beings from many universes across the Cosmos entered the Universal Construct to improve their strength...as well as for honor! Ambrose was using the Universal Construct for his own means, while the masses of powerful beings across the Universe were also using it for their own means. But at the end of it all, there was only one clear winner that continued to get stronger from the existence of this Universal Construct. Within Galaxy B-48, the battle had concluded as on the starry space, the body of the powerful Vindicator lay in half, his dark cape stained with blood as even this being who was a central character in his own right barely managed to make a dent into the overall situation of the battle today! Even the Heroes of the Liberated Universe weren''t able to do anything in front of the Tyrannical Emperor! "Haha!" In another area, the childish laughter of the Blue Slime could be seen as it played with a Decadent Lich Emperor that it had summoned, its palate being expanded greatly as the bright eyes on the bright body of this being danced around wondering what was next. Tiamat overlooked this whole situation as she was in front of the Chaos Dragons who were still looking at everything in a stupor, today''s actions being mere fantasy in their eyes as they still didn''t know how to process it! During this time, Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone was pulling out all the loot gained on this battle that had already entered the hands of his main body, Noah duplicating the loot with the Cosmic Treasure and returning it to the Expansive Space where the clone could access it once more. The Primordial Ruination Clone that had a ridiculous +100,000% speed in Realm Progression then began to absorb the Cores as he forged hundreds of thousands of more cores while staring at the wondrous gateway leading to the Slaughter Star Monolith! The body of the clone began to fly towards this wondrous gateway as Noah wanted to check the main tool that Ambrose used to check his power, sending a message to his subordinates and summons to finish cleaning up as he went forward. For now, even after his subordinates had secured the Galaxies they were in, they were to only occupy them as only he would delve forward to discover all the intricacies of the Universal Construct while matching them with the memories of the many beings he had taken down that had already been in the Monolith! After they had stabilized these Galaxies, their forces would spread towards the other peripheral Galaxies within the Bloody Battlefields Cluster, Noah truly putting his forces to work as they would be the main ones claiming control of the Bloody Galaxies surrounding the Universal Construct. This would gradually reduce the amount of being entering the gateways of the Universal Construct in the Animus Universe, with the influence of Ambrose continuing to be reduced the more galaxies they conquered! RUMBLE As Noah neared the huge red gateway, fluctuations of essence reverberated out as a few words appeared in front of him. [Gateway B-48 of Slaughter] :: One of the gateways stretched across the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters that anchors the Universal Construct into the Animus Universe. Any of those entering will be transported to the unique space of the Slaughter Star Monolith¡­ Noah nodded at himself as he read the details, reducing the size of his body that was a star as he only became a 10 meter Dragon barely five times the size of a human, fearlessly plunging his body into the gateway as he disappeared in a flash of spatial light! --- When his awareness returned and he opened his eyes, he was transported to an entirely different location. It didn''t seem like a world or Realm, but something even more unique! It was tinged with red all around the land and skies, with the more striking thing being...the auras of many other beings in the surroundings. Noah was just teleported in as an insignificant being in the midst of many others, many of those around him not even paying attention to him as they went about their business! What was shocking was that many of them were in the levels of Entities, Sages, and Great Sages- and there seemed to be millions of such beings moving around like ants across the area Noah had appeared in that spanned tens of miles. Many were entering grand structures and buildings that were clustered around a singular structure- the Universal Construct that gave the Slaughter of Hegemony his fame and power. The grand structures surrounded it and made it look like an ancient structure that had been there for many ages, making it seem like the only beacon of light rising in the middle of a metropolis filled with powerful Sages and Great Sages all around. RUMBLE! Noah raised his eyes to look at this shocking structure as his eyes shone brightly, seeing a never ending tower that stretched to the skies, this tower being made up of glittering red stars stacked up together to create something terrifying! It gave off a ridiculously overabundant aura of Slaughter, this structure being the location where most slaughter was occurring across the Primordial Cosmos. This was the Slaughter Star Monolith where powerful creatures from many Universes entered to test their power and improve their strength while gaining immense fame and status! The innumerable number of stars that created the Monolith that one could not see the end of shone with a bright red luster, each of them showing a scene of what was occurring within as in nearly all of the red stars, there were figures fighting to the death with each other. Scenes of their terrifying battles were being displayed for all to see, with Noah finally being able to match the memories he had obtained from the enemies he had defeated with what he was currently seeing! When his eyes focused on any of the innumerable red stars on the Slaughter Star Monolith, the scenes of the battle occurring within became even more clear as it was like he was watching the battle right in front of him. Among the many red stars, some were expanded to be bigger than many others as on the low levels of the Slaughter Star Monolith, it was an innumerable number of small stars that held creatures at the Ranks of Sages and Sages fighting. These stars made up the majority of the tower! But when one looked higher up in the tower, the stars above these levels were nearly 5 times as large as they consisted of battles of beings in the Monarch Realm! Above this were stars expanded to be 10 times larger, with many of them being empty but a few actually held genuine Paragons battling in a shocking manner. Paragons! This was the Universal Construct filled with mysteries, the Slaughter Star Monolith where slaughter prevailed within as many sat back to watch the ongoing battles and spread the fame of the powerful beings within! Chapter 951 - The Tyrannical Dragon Emperor Enters The Stage! I Next to the large red stars on the Slaughter Star Monolith where the Paragons entering the would be displayed, a ranking glimmering with a brilliant gold color could be seen as it showed the most powerful Paragons to have entered this Universal Construct and defeated others. When a being first stepped into the Slaughter Star Monolith for battle, they would randomly be assigned to another creature at the same rank as them! There were only three possibilities after that- Victory, Defeat, or Death! Most times, it was actually Death as those coming across each other in the Slaughter Star Monolith would more than always lead to slaughter. If a being was able to call out his defeat before his death though, he would be sent out of the Monolith- for a deadly price. Those who didn''t face death but admitted defeat would have their power stripped by more than half as they found half of their origin and soul power drained from them! Death was more preferred for all those battling as it gave one of the perks that many who entered the Monolith sought out for- enhanced strength for their Grand Dao of Slaughter, and something that was considered an enhancement of the Soul by those frequenting the Slaughter Star Monolith. The origins and souls of the defeated beings inside the Monolith would be absorbed by the victor, their souls being heavily enhanced as they would quickly make way towards assimilating the Grand Dao of Slaughter. If one finished assimilating it, its strength would still be enhanced even further as the prowess one could display only increased! To those frequenting the Slaughter Star Monolith, the enhancement of the soul allowed them to advance through Daos faster, and this was something that Noah had already come across in the terms of boosts that granted him percentages to Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Daos! But beings within this Universal Construct were fighting for their lives and honor just to grab small percentages to increase their comprehension through slaughtering and absorbing the strength of others. Within the Universal Construct, every single life form walked so freely because an Absolute Rule existed within it that nobody could harm another, the only battles filled with death and destruction happening when one entered the crimson Slaughter Star Monolith that stretched to skies! This created for a unique environment where one could routinely see Sages, Great Sages, and Monarchs associating with each other! Noah''s eyes shone as they looked over the Monolith and the rankings of the Paragons across many Universes that had left their names on it. The golden luster of the rankings made it seem extremely mesmerizing as the honor to be listed on it was the wildest dreams of many rising beings. The beings that took the first few spots in the Paragon Rankings were extremely striking, their origins being something that caused Noah to look at them closely! [1 :: Elilleah of the Grand Light- Elysian Universe] [2 :: Bionic Prototype #59- Automaton Universe] ¡­[5 :: Galaxy Devourer, Ensalax - Chthonian Universe] ¡­[10 :: Paragon Hero, Tecton] Beings coming from many different origins, each one with their own unique powers! The Monarch and Great Sage Rankings were no different as they were filled with beings from varying Universes, but something unique that Noah noticed was how much of the ranks were dominated from beings in the Elysian, Chthonian, Liberated, Automaton, and a few other Universes. These Universes produced powerful beings that excelled over others in the same stage! Noah continued to glance at the lists and the enormous Monolith consisting of too many stars, moving his 10 meter draconic body in the surroundings as very few people paid heed to him. He only received glances as a Dragon was somewhat unique, with many of the beings in the Universal Construct currently not having heard about or seen Noah''s shocking actions of standing up against the very same Hegemony that anchored this very same Slaughter Star Monolith not reaching them as it was mostly the powerful creatures within the Animus Universe! The areas around Noah were bustling as lifeforms of all types and sizes weaved around, some enthusiastically talking to each other while glancing at the enormous Monolith that stood at the center of everything. "Monarch Lavigo is on his 10th winning streak at this moment! The Monarch from the Microbial Universe couldn''t hide this time around!" "Hah! You''re watching the wrong thing! Let me tell you...the battles between Paragons are the ones to always watch, I obtained a breakthrough in understanding a Dao I was stuck on just from focusing on the battle between Paragon Nightwatch and Grant!" "I¡­" A buzz of words and activities continued to occur throughout as Noah''s eyes absorbed them all with bright eyes, making his way across the throngs of unique beings as he went towards the enormous Slaughter Star Monolith. He was here just for this, after all! --- In a region littered with beautiful Clusters of planetary bodies, the Hegemony of laughter floated in the midst of space as he was looking at a model of the very same Slaughter Star Monolith that was anchored across many Universes. It looked like he was staring at an illusory image of a tower consisting of many circular red stars, an innumerable number of white dots surrounding it as these represented the many creatures that had entered through the gateways of the Universal Construct! At this time, Ambrose was staring at a particular dot of Light that had entered and began making its way towards the enormous glimmering tower. Unlike all the other white dots of light, this one shone a bright red as it matched the energy signature of a being Ambrose had marked from the moment he met him! After trying to discern destiny again and again while sensing where the tides of fortune were twisting to, Ambrose found himself moving with much more care even as he saw the dwindling Universal Fortune. As he looked at the red dot of light get closer to entering the Slaughter Star Monolith, his eyes shone with a dominating light as he spoke with a cold voice. "Yes. Enter the Monolith of Slaughter and Death...let''s see how long you will last there!" RUMBLE! Chapter 952 - The Tyrannical Dragon Emperor Enters The Stage! II Everything within the Slaughter Star Monolith could be overseen by the Hegemony of Slaughter. This was because he was the one that bound this Universal Construct...and he was the one that knew of most of its mysteries! One was the fact that every creature that entered the Monolith lost the full control of their soul, such an important part of them becoming tied and following the will of the Universal Construct as whatever result occurred within a star in the Monolith, their soul would either pay the price or rejoice. Most people believed that they obtained the soul strength of the enemy they killed as they stacked up increased Comprehension and Assimilation of their Daos while enhancing the strength of their own soul, but what they didn''t know was the fact that the portion of the Soul of the Defeated they got...was only 50% of it! This was a shocking secret that only Ambrose knew, with the origins and souls of all those defeated having the distribution of 25% going to him, 25% to feed the Universal Construct, and the last 50% going to the victor of the battles within the Monolith of Slaughter Stars! RUMBLE! Ambrose stood within a unique location as he observed the red light that represented Noah get closer to the Monolith. "Let''s make a spectacle out of you, why don''t we? To make sure no others ever dare to rebel against my authority again!" ¡­! The eyes of the Hegemony shone with light as his essence poured out, giving commands to the Universal Construct in anticipation for a unique combatant. --- With every step that Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone took towards the vibrant Slaughter Star Monolith, he absorbed more and more of the exuberant amount of Galactic Filament Cores that he had obtained from the Great Sages of Galaxy B-48! Within his origins, tens of thousands of Galaxies were being formed every second as he had long since crossed the threshold of 1 Billion, already making his way towards 4 Billion Galaxies at this point as he gradually stepped out of the lower ranks of Galactic Filament. With his body rumbling with power and strength, he bypassed the many structures filled with Sages and Great Sages, many of them eating and talking amongst each other as they stared at the shocking scenes occurring across the many stars of the Slaughter Star Monolith! His body took a single step as he teleported forward, appeared right in front of a star as the crimson light released from the Construct blasted into him, his hands going forward and touching the shining red light as he disappeared. It was that simple to enter the Slaughter Star Monolith- one just had to touch any of the boundaries of stars to be pulled in! THRUM! Noah felt a unique sensation on his body and origin as a red light wrapped around him, bringing him into a world of blood red as a voice resounded out. "New Entrant detected. What name shall you go by?" A static voice with no emotions rang out, Noah replying to it in kind as he answered blandly! "Tyrannical Dragon Emperor." RUMBLE! "Tyrannical Dragon Emperor. Good luck and happy Slaughter." SHAA! The crimson light then wrapped around him as he was teleported somewhere else, his bright eyes finding the changes in surroundings as he found himself in an expansive red landmass and mountains that stretched for miles, not a single aura in sight within this location! At this moment, he was within one of the innumerable number of Slaughter Stars, just waiting for his opponent to appear¡­ --- At the same moment, outside of the Slaughter Star Monolith where millions of beings were watching the battles unfolding within the red stars. Most of their eyes were focused on the battles of well known powerful Great Sages or Monarchs and Paragons! Yet at this time, a Great Sage noticed an unusual scene in the corner of his eyes, drawing his attention from the high points of the Monolith as his they came all the way down to the small red stars that displayed the battles of Great Sages. All of the stars displaying the Great Sages should have been the same...yet there was shockingly a star that was expanding and becoming bigger amidst the small star of the Great Sages! ¡­! "What''s that¡­" His words brought the attention of another Great Sage beside him as their gaze followed his. Another exclamation rose as even more eyes were drawn in! Scenes such as this continued to occur as Sages and Great Sages dwelling in the Taverns and other exquisite buildings around the Slaughter Star Monolith turned their eyes towards a singular expanding star that was near the bottom of the Monolith, being an oddity as it was surrounded by the small stars of Great Sages. What did it mean when one star was made higher than all others? Of course, it was to draw attention to it! And attention was drawn as many powerful eyes looked towards this red star at the bottom of the Tower that they would have normally never bothered with, their eyes landing on the figure of crimson black Tyrant Dragon waiting for its opponent majestically! When their eyes turned towards the name of this challenger listed on the star, many were shocked. [Unranked :: Tyrannical Dragon Emperor- Animus Universe] "An unranked Great Sage?!" "Fighting within the Slaughter Star Monolith for the first time? Why would his star be expanded!" RUMBLE Exclamations rose among the many whose eyes were drawn, focusing on this star with enthusiasm as they wondered for what reason it was highlighted among the innumerable number of red stars. Within a Castle Abode that only powerful Monarchs could reside in close to the Slaughter Star Monolith, a Monarch''s attention caught this scene as the Great Sages and Sages that were dining with him had begun looking towards it and discussing. "I mean it''s an unranked contender, they should just be paired up by a weak Great Sage ranked 5 million or something¡­" "Still doesn''t explain why his star is being put on the spot light¡­" The light of the powerful Monarch shone as his eyes also landed on the red star, constricting as he recognized the figure somewhat! Monarch Odo recognized the arrogant demeanor of the Tyrant Dragon he met in the Stardew Valleys as he looked towards him with shining eyes! The arrogant Dragon that was saved by the Universal Hegemony that stood against his Master had actually appeared within the Slaughter Star Monolith, and his appearance was highlighted by the Universal Construct...what exactly was happening?! RUMBLE! Chapter 953 - Why Am I Being Matched With The Weakest Ones?! I As perplexion and confusion spread among the hearts of many, a change finally occurred as within the star that the one calling himself the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor was in, a brilliant red light shone out as it signified the other opponent. At this moment, the contender to appear within the star was chosen! The appearance of the opponent to the unranked Tyrannical Dragon Emperor caused many people to drop their drinks and cause the food in their mouths to fall out. This was because...the difference between their ranks was so vast that they thought they were seeing things wrongly! [ 999 :: Sun Devourer, Radaz- Scorched Universe] ¡­! For the first battle of this unranked contender, he was somehow fighting against a being that was within the top 1000 of all the Great Sages that had participated in the Slaughter Star Monolith since its conception! "What..!" "This¡­!" The top 1000 of all Great Sages that had entered the Universal Construct¡­ Did one truly grasp what that meant? What level of strength such beings had? How far they excelled among those on the same level?! Ah! When matched within the Slaughter Star Monolith, beings would be placed against those around the same rankings as them! An unranked contender would normally be matched against another unranked or a being ranked in the millions. Yet¡­! "Holy shit¡­" "The Sun Devourer!" RUMBLE The opponent of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor revealed itself as it was a beast made entirely of scorching sunlight, its limbs seeming like Clusters of magma as it looked towards the Tyrant Dragon in front of it fearlessly. This was because on the body of the Sun Devourer, one could distinctly see the manifested Galaxies that numbered...over 40 Billion! 40 Billion forged Galaxies! A being truly at the peak of the Great Sage as just 10 billion more galaxies...and he would become a Monarch. "Now this will just be a massacre¡­" A consensus spread out amongst all those watching as they shook their heads at either the extremely back luck or something else they didn''t know as they watched the battle of an unranked Great Sage and one that was within the 1000 strongest out of the many Universes that the Slaughter Star Monolith stretched to! --- The Sun Devourer glanced at its prey in disdain. It had lived for over 300,000 years and devoured countless suns, its strength being enhanced to the point where it had been capable of nearly forging the required Galaxies to reach the rank of a Monarch! All it needed...was to comprehend and assimilate more Daos to forge his galaxies even faster. For this to happen... its soul had to continue being strengthened and baptized by the enemies it faced and defeated within the Monolith! And the opponent he faced at this time...didn''t seem to be anything much as for the number of Galaxies forged...it only seemed to be less than 10 Billion! Against a being such as him that neared the rank of a Monarch, what could this little dragon in front of him do? THRUM! The Sun Devourer that was made entirely of light bellowed out as the temperature of the area increased to a frightening degree, the sky seemingly melting from the sheer pressure of this Beast alone! "Ah¡­" The Sages and Great Sages watching shook their eyes at the sight of the Sun Devourer''s power as they pitied the Dragon that was staying still, maybe even possibly frozen in fear under their eyes. "A creature born from a Sun that is as large as a Galaxy from the Scorched Universe...even normal peak Great Sages aren''t a match for him!" "This is just¡­" Sighs and ridicules could be heard all around as in response to the fearsome pressure being released by the Sun Devourer, the one that labeled himself as the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor opened its draconic jaws and called out a single word that rang out clearly in the ears of all those paying attention to his red star. "[Fireball]." RUMBLE¡­.BRRRRRRRRRR! The space around the jaws trembled before intensely scorching miniaturized suns began to materialize, and they materialized so quickly while shooting towards the Sun Scorcher like innumerable bullets! The miniaturized suns were intensely golden as within, there was a terrifying glimmer of red that represented an essence others would never guess! "This guy...used a flame based skill against the Sun Devourer?" Many looked at the scene incredulously as the barreling miniaturized suns reached the body of the Sun Devourer in an instant...and this creature had a look full of contempt as it opened its huge jaws and devoured the miniaturized suns as they came. BRRRRR! Tens of suns tinged with an essence that even Universal Hegemonies feared were actually devoured by this creature, the scene settling down as the crimson color the Sun Devourer released seemed to become even more pronounced! It looked towards the Tyrant Dragon with utter arrogance as it voiced out while beginning to move. "Stupid lizard, let me barbecue you and show what flames really are!" RUMBLE! The Sun Devourer majestically went towards Noah with a body brimming with power, and yet in the next second, his body came to a stop in mid air as his expression rapidly changed. From arrogant and excited to shocked, and then to utter fear and despair! Its expression changed very quickly as it sensed from the terrifying suns this being threw towards it and it devoured...their essence had corroded his origin in nearly an instant as a terrifying red essence now covered all of his forged Galaxies...with his origin being annihilated before he could even do anything! "You¡­!" His look of shock and despair landed on the Dragon as for the first time since it appeared within the star, the Sun Devourer ranked at 999 of all of the powerful Great Sages within the Slaughter Star Monolith really looked towards the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor. It noticed a domineering gaze of utter confidence and strength, of a devilish smile on its draconic head that looked towards it like a prey this entire time! BZZZZZT! To the shock of all those watching and even himself, the body of the Sun Devourer that was shooting out came to a stop, despaired, and then...exploded out into a shower of bloody flames a second later. "..." A glorious red light of slaughter shone a second later to proclaim the victor of the match! ¡­! Chapter 954 - Why Am I Being Matched With The Weakest Ones?! II Shock! Stupor! Horror! Sages and Great Sages stood up from their seats at the inexplicable scene where a terrifying Peak Great Sage that had forged 40 Billion Galaxies exploded into a shower of bloody flames seemingly from the mere domineering gaze of the Tyrant Dragon! RUMBLE! "This¡­!" "Impossible! He is unranked!" Many Sages and Great Sages were worked up as some Monarchs paid more attention to the red star that was expanded in the lower area of the Slaughter Star Monolith, watching the scene of an unknown combatant that had met a top 1000 Great Sage out of the many from vastly different Universes that came into the Slaughter Star Monolith...and this Tyrant Dragon actually wiped such a creature out with a single attack! "Ah...it was the miniaturized suns!" A Great Sage stood up excitedly while shouting, the eyes of others lighting up as they seemingly understood something and looked towards the now dominating gaze of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor respect and fear. This unranked contender was actually so bold enough to use flames against a being born from the Scorched Universe, lacing his flames with something so destructive to even Great Sages as the Sun Devourer perished seconds after taking in the suns! The creature could actually not live up to its name as a Sun Devourer! RUMBLE! The red star that the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor was on shone with a lustrous red light, shooting up from the lowly location at the bottom of the Monolith as it pierced forward rapidly to stand near the very top of some of the largest stars in the ranks of Great Sages. Only a few hundred stars were above him as after defeating a being in the Slaughter Star Monolith, you took their old ranking. That meant that the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor went from being unranked to being ranked 999 in his first match! "Holy shit¡­" This reality caused many beings to break into utter stupor, staring into the red star where at this moment, Noah was enjoying the boons of defeating a being within this Universal Construct as multiple prompts showed themselves in front of him with the defeat of the Sun Devourer, a pristine red soul essence coming out of it rushing into his origin as he felt his mind buzz in excitement. [Soul Strength enhanced by 20%, +2,000% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation to All Daos, +20% to the power of the Dao of Slaughter.] BZZT! His origin and soul buzzed as it was like he had overdrunk on the best possible food, the essence of slaughter swirling around him as he felt as if a foggy mind was clearing up! "Hmm¡­" He sensed the thorough strengthening of his soul as he wondered which area of his strength it would improve the most, the first test being affirmed as while he continued to call out Galactic Filament Cores from his [Expansive Space] and absorbing them, this process seemed much smoother and faster as the forged Galaxies within his origin exploded out even more. The Increased strength of something as wondrous as the soul had many of its own unique effects, causing Noah to look forward to obtaining more of such a beast as he let out a majestic roar while looking for the next enemy! The defeated Sun Devourer''s essence seemingly all turned into the pristine red essence that sunk into him, leaving not even Cores or Skill Books behind as the unique Universal Construct truly drained everything from those defeated within it, leaving nothing behind. But Cores..weren''t an issue for Noah at this moment as he collected them from his Subordinates spread out across multiple Galaxies in the Bloody Battlefields Cluster and then had his main body Duplicate them using the feature of the Cosmic Treasure. He was even absorbing such duplicated cores in this very moment as he waited for the next opponent within this Slaughter Star Monolith, the Galaxies within his Origin edging towards the 10 Billion mark as he planned to push his strength greatly this time around! RUMBLE! As he didn''t express his will to leave the Slaughter Star Monolith after his last battle, the space in front of him fluctuated as his next opponent made his appearance, the contender this time being someone just as powerful if not more than the Sun Devourer. [ 912 :: Amalgamation of Blood- Sanguine Universe] ¡­! The appearance of the new combatant drew cold breaths from many, a creature that was towering over 1 mile in length appearing as it looked like a defective humanoid that was just clumps of blood that came together grotesquely! "The Amalgamation of Blood that drains all of its victims...this guy isn''t getting a fucking break from the powerful combatants!" "The bigger question is who did he anger? To be ranked with everyone in the top 1000 for all his battles so far¡­" WAA! The focus of many beings Sages and Great Sages surrounding the Slaughter Star Monolith was kept on the red star where Noah was in, their eyes bound to keep on watching this star as the battles to occur on it were going to be fantastic! ROAAAR! The bellow of the grotesque Amalgamation of Blood rang out as Noah looked at it domineeringly with his sharp eyes, seeing the clumps of blood that made this creature who boasted nearly the same number of Galaxies as the previous ones. With 40 Billion Galaxies vibrantly powerfully, it would be a terrifying opponent for anyone to face! Yet¡­ ''I''m the fucking Blood Lord!'' RUMBLE! His draconic body moved forward as it released a wondrous red light, the bloodline of the Vampyre Progenitor releasing a horrendous aura as it made the roaring Amalgamation of Blood freeze in place momentarily. Blood. Normally, Noah had a level of control over such a thing as the holder of Blood Lord and being a Vampyre Progenitor, but when this was applied to a creature that was literally just clumps of pure blood...the effect was magnified by tens of times as he could exert a much greater level of control that could decide the pace of the battle before his target used the strength of their origin to break his influence. This freezing of this Amalgamation of Blood for just a few seconds...was enough for Noah to arrive in front of it as while pressing it down with his authority of blood, his terrifying body and jaws expanded to bite down on the body of the Amalgamation of Blood while casting [Devour]! BZZZT! Like a black hole, his jaws took in large portions of the 1 mile long body of the Amalgamation of Blood, beginning to swallow it whole as it turned into a river of blood that was just rushing into his jaws. ¡­! The powerful Great Sage could not even resist as its body trembled, finding to its utter despair that its very essence was seemingly rebelling against it and following the orders of the being in front of it! Before it could regain its movement and shake off the oppressive aura that wrapped around every cell of its body, over half of its body was devoured as when its terrifying origin was finally able to break free of Noah''s influence over its body, the strength it could display was minuscule as the jaws of the Tyrant Dragon simply finished absorbing it whole. "..." BURP! [email protected]! There was shock and silence as many watched this scene in a Stupor, the Monarchs that had begun to pay attention to Noah''s red star watching closely as the image of this Tyrannical Dragon Emperor was imprinted into everyone''s mind. The eyes of the Tyrant Dragon shot out glorious beams of light as it stared in the direction where many were viewing the star from, its voice reverberating out majestically! "Why am I only being matched with weaklings? Where are the powerful fighters across the Cosmos I was promised?!" RUMBLE! The domineering bellow of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor rang out grandly after defeating two creatures in the top 1000, many beings staring at this arrogant Dragon whose name really matched it well! Like this, Noah''s Primordial Blood Clone began to raise a great deal of trouble while enhancing his strength in the Universal Construct that a Hegemony was manipulating! Chapter 955 - A Bookmark Is Utilized On A Hegemony! The face of the Hegemony of Slaughter was particularly cloudy as even after exerting a great deal of pressure to cause the randomized matching of the Universal Construct to adhere to his will on one specific being, he still wasn''t getting the expected results against the puny being that was ruining the plans of his influence in the Animus Universe! ''Is his Universal Fortune that much bigger? That I cannot even discern the best way to deal with such a small creature?'' As many thoughts swirled in his mind on exactly what to do, Ambrose lifted his face as he looked at the space a few meters away from him in the unique space he was in where he could view an illusory image of the Universal Construct. At this space, a spatial light weaved out as a humanoid figure that held a sharp white horn on his forehead appeared! His face held a light smile as he nodded towards Ambrose with shining eyes. "You''ve come across a problem even you cannot fix, Ambrose? At such a time as well?" RUMBLE! The being that came emanated power just as vibrant as Ambrose, being another Universal Realm Hegemony! Ambrose nodded towards this being with a sharp light as he turned his eyes towards the illusory image of the Universal Construct while replying. "Just a minor character that is backed by the small Hegemony in the Animus Universe, you don''t need to worry about him, Salerno. He seems to have a very specific Golden Destiny for this Cosmos as many of the things that I do end up helping him or showing him in a better light." ¡­! The powerful Hegemony admitted what he was observing as Salerno, the newly arriving Hegemony, nodded with a sharp light! "The Animus Universe is the last fulcrum we need to have the Slaughter Star Monolith fully anchored, and it is close to completion too...we cannot let it be jeopardized!" RUMBLE A shocking conversation was about to occur between two beings of powerful stature, a conversation that actually consisted of immense secrets and plots to which very few were privy to. It was such a closely kept secret between certain Hegemonies that any talks between it didn''t even occur in the bounds of any Universes, but in their own domains hidden in the folds of space! It would be a shame if such a closely guarded secret...was to be heard by someone else. A shame indeed! --- POV Shift The feeling of power released from my Origin. The now 8 Billion Galaxies that continued to be forged endlessly as core after core was drained even as I faced opponents within this Construct. The now 574,037 Dao Galaxies that were branded with the Marks of Antiquity that were releasing pressure five times that of a normal Galaxy! The essence of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination and the many Dao Essence flowing through my body constantly with endless mana bringing it all together...this feeling of limitless power flowed through me as I felt every second of it, and even then it didn''t seem enough! "Why am I only being matched with weaklings? Where are the powerful fighters across the Cosmos I was promised?!" WAA! My voice reverberated out to all those watching, but more so to the Hegemony that was pulling the strings and setting me up with peak Great Sage creatures that gave too many benefits when they died. The feeling of the enhancement of the soul was still one of the best things I''ve felt in a while, even better than drinking from the golden rivers flowing in the starry space of my Universal Core...even better than the feeling of sex if I''m being honest! I wanted more of it so I bellowed out, and the reply I got¡­ THRUM! The third opponent since entering the Slaughter Star Monolith. It was a human with a clear white robe draping over him, his identity displayed clearly above his head with his appearance. [ 500 :: Carr Bon Zigan- Cerulean Universe] A Great Sage with a calm expression, his number of forged Galaxies exceeding 41 Billion as he didn''t have any blatant weaknesses like the Sun Devourer or the Amalgamation of Blood I could exploit! A genuine Great Sage nearing the Monarch stage, his bright blue hair flowing beautifully as the light of Slaughter around him swirled with power! In his hands, a Mage''s Staff with a brilliant blue crystal shone with immense power as this enemy...would prove to be somewhat of a challenge, with the boons from defeating him being even more stupendous! "Good!" THRUM! The feeling of initiation of the many Dao Essences within my body flowed again, but I didn''t move towards the enemy yet. "It''s as good a time as any." I could feel the golden swirls of fortune and Destiny all around me at this moment giving me the go ahead to do something I pushed off for a few hours now. Of course, it had to do with the fact that a ridiculously powerful being was chosen to appear in front of me, and how I had a specific ability I could utilize in such a situation to benefit me in a major way! I could have done it since the moment my eyes landed on him, but the wondrous Destiny and Fortune I had come across recently told me it was not the best time to use it yet! At this juncture right before I faced a powerful Peak Great Sage, the golden lines I could read with ease now shone brightly as a smile broke from my face. It was time for another addition to boost my strength, because you see, I wasn''t nearly as powerful as I should be! [Protagonist''s Bookmark]. RUMBLE! Maddening invisible essence from a ridiculous Trait flowed out, the target selected already as I was curious why Destiny chose this time as the most opportune one for me. This body of the Primordial Ruination Clone initiated the skill, but it was a portion of the soul of my main body in the Dark Universe that lifter off and crossed spacetime, entering the Primordial Cosmos in seconds as it delved into a certain Universe, and then it delved into a fold in space that was hiding a terrifying Hegemony! It was of course the Hegemony of Slaughter, his magisterial stature that nearly reached mine looking at an illusory image of the Slaughter Star Monolith as he discussed something with...hah, actually another Hegemony! Very well. Let it begin. Let''s add another Cosmic Dao to the list, this time...being the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation! It was time for Protagonist''s Bookmark to shine again! Chapter 956 - Annihilation! In an isolated space where two beings thought they had utter and complete privacy. "The Animus Universe is the last fulcrum we need to have the Slaughter Star Monolith fully anchored, and it is close to completion too...we cannot let it be jeopardized!" The new Hegemony with a glimmering white horn on his head spoke as my consciousness and soul delved into Ambrose. The ability of Protagonist''s Bookmark was truly something else, where even the consciousness of experts that had long since began collecting Marks of Antiquity saw nothing wrong as they continued their conversation! "I know. If the Great Sages within the Monolith cannot take care of him, I will draw him out with the massacre of the creatures he wants to protect so dearly." ¡­! Ambrose had a ruthless expression when he said this, my mood becoming colder as I dug into his consciousness and soul looking for what I wanted. The origin and soul of a Hegemony was extremely unique, finding the huge portions that represented the Daos this being accumulated over the years was not hard! Inside Ambrose, there were three Clusters of Dao Essence that shone with a terrifying might, two of them being Cosmic Daos, while the third was the Grand Dao of Slaughter that was rising up to nearly become the same size as a Cosmic Dao. My aim was of course the Dao that palpated with black and red color- the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation that this being worked so hard to achieve and comprehend! Let me just take that for myself! THRUM! The one minute timer for Protagonist''s Bookmark began counting down as the horned Hegemony replied to Ambrose. "For him to give you this much trouble already, he must be destined to become at least a Paragon if not an influential Hegemony of this Cosmos. Be ready with the expectation that you might continue to fail¡­" RUMBLE "...yes. After all, the Fortunes of a Cosmos are absolute! If his Universal Fortune is that important...I won''t let it jeopardize the completion of the last Fulcrum in the Animus Universe. The best possible scenario is for us to carry out The Universal Amalgamation with the Monolith fully anchored to the Animus Universe, but we can always start without it." Ambrose''s face was shining with a brilliant light as he spoke, my mind half divided to their topic of discussion while also reveling in the absorption of a new type of essence! As a Cosmic Dao, Annihilation was a tier below Ruination- but it was still something of great importance! The full 1 minute of the Bookmark was required as a portion of my soul had already began to condense a brilliantly shining cluster of light that would represent the comprehension of a Cosmic Dao. "We will cause gaps if we do not anchor the Universal Construct to all targeted Universes fully...that would be antithetical to our goals! We might even draw the attention of the Oathkeeper and the other fools with him¡­" Ambrose listened carefully to the words of the other Hegemony, his hands plucking the strings of destiny around him as he spoke mysteriously! "I have a plan to take the eyes of the Oathkeeper and others when the time is ready. I''ll occupy them with a Blood Feud that hasn''t occurred for over 2 million years now!" BZZZT! A shocking amount of information continued to be released from the conversation of two Hegemonies, but the timer on Protagonist''s Bookmark had finished as my soul was pulled out from Ambrose and began to rush back towards my main body. The time for me to utilize the Bookmark was truly perfect as Destiny foretold, but the duration of it was too little as even though I gleaned a shocking amount of information that stunk of conspiracy and hidden conflicts between Hegemonies...it still wasn''t enough! WAA! But this wasn''t the most important thing right now. At this moment, it was the vibrating ball of light that was returning with the portion of my soul that represented a Cosmic Dao! It moved countless light years and arrived back into my main body, with my soul welcoming it with excitement as the comprehension of a Cosmic Dao began! BZZZT! The Origin that held a vast amount of Galaxies trembled. The Ruination Essence floating within and in the depths of the half a million Dao Galaxies still reigned Supreme, but another Cosmic Essence began to bloom at the center of the Origin! Others had to be extremely lucky or be born as unique existences like the Universal Emperor Slime, with Paragond having a slim chance of obtaining small Comprehensions in a Cosmic Dao as only Hegemonies had lived long enough to be able to study them. Yet I...I would just need to meet any Hegemonies or Paragons that comprehended a Cosmic Dao, and I can then add it to my long list of Daos every month after the cooldown of Protagonist''s Bookmark! How grand! How fair! How balanced! RUMBLE The new Essence within was birthed successfully, feeling my strength elevated to another level as the sheer fact of holding the essence of two Cosmic Daos made every cell within my body bubble in excitement. In the Stat Panel, information was added as a new Cosmic Dao appeared- along with the percentage of 25%! In but a moment and I successfully comprehended one fourth of a Cosmic Dao. I would boast about my genius if it wasn''t all due to the ridiculous capabilities of the Protagonist''s Bookmark that was even applicable to Universal Hegemonies and Cosmic Daos... Even more information freely flowed into my brain on the cultivation of Annihilation, as well as a skill tree blooming as it was sorted out and displayed to me in but a moment! GALACTIC FILAMENT [Bearer of Annihilation] :: To reduce entirely and completely, even to the point of erasing its existence- that is the essence of Annihilation. The Bearer of Annihilation is a skill tree focused on the extremes of annihilation, with mainly offensive skills worthy of a Cosmic Dao. Abilities include [Chains of Annihilation](5/5), [Galactic Devastation](5/5), [Destroyer](5/5), and [Apocalypse](5/5). "Ah¡­" A devilish smile bloomed on my face at the sight of such grand sounding skill names that came from the Hegemony of Slaughter! Chapter 957 - He Has A Cosmic Dao! It felt like a significant amount of time had passed since I looked at a skill tree given from other sources, the current one on Annihilation being something that piqued my interest as I went through the details of the skills. [Chains of Annihilation](5/5) :: Chains as small as a rope or as large as stars can be thrown out to wrap around one''s enemies. All those chained take +50,000% Increased Annihilation Damage and -10,000% to All Elemental and Dao Resistances. [Galactic Devastation](5/5) :: The Annihilatory force of thousands of Galaxies covers your entire body, this force being applied with every physical attack thrown out as it can only end in utter Annihilation. When cast successfully, a single punch can shatter entire Galaxies. [Destroyer](5/5) :: A Passive Ability that grants the Bearer of Annihilation +20,000% Annihilation Damage to all attacks, +20,000% Increased Laws and Daos Penetration, and +20,000% Splash Damage to All Abilities. [Apocalypse](5/5) :: The essence of Ruination descends in the surrounding few miles, anything and everything within being ravaged by a manifesting apocalypse that uses the essence of Annihilation as the base and pulls upon the other Daos of the user to complete a true Apocalypse. The more Daos the user has, the more apocalyptic this ability becomes. Current Damage Modifier- +55,000% "Beautiful¡­" I couldn''t help but nod with admiration at the skills, intent on trying out all of them right now as the battle between the Primordial Ruination Clone was ongoing with the Peak Great Sage at this moment. My eyes wandered around the skills of the new skill tree a bit more as I focused on the term [Splash Damage] under the description of the Destroyer passive, my thoughts really being affirmed as Splash Damage was considered a type of damage that afflicted those in the nearby vicinity of the cast skill, causing a chain reaction of damage when fighting large groups of things! The skills made me look forward to the next group battles as my eyes returned to the Primordial Ruination Clone that was currently fighting against the being from the Cerulean Universe, many more thoughts swimming in my mind on the secrets that were being whispered by two Hegemonies and what would be happening next in the Animus Universe¡­ ---- "Ah, it seems he has finally met his match!" The Sages and Great Sages watched the battle between the Tyrant Dragon and Carr Bon Zigan of the Cerulean Universe with bright eyes as they saw a wondrous fight erupting forth, skills of devastating effects being displayed from both combatants. Carr Bon Zigan was a genuine Cerulean Warlock, a being under the tutelage of one of the beings most proficient in mana and magic- The Hegemony of the Blue Seas! His vibrant blue staff shot forth terrifying Elemental storms with every wave, but the Tyrant Dragon withstood all of them as he didn''t seem affected. [Ruination Galaxy Spirit Bombs]. THRUM! It had only been less than two minutes since the battle began, but a cluster of unstable Galaxies would shoot forth from the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor every few seconds as the Cerulean Warlock calmly waved his staff to cast fortress like defensive shields that withstood the force of the exploding galaxies! It was like watching an expert mage weave the most suitable skills as a second there, his resonant voice rang out softly. [Duality of Aether and Chaos]. RUMBLE! Space tore apart as from within, tendrils of Aether and Chaos interweaved together, connected by the dense essence of the Dao of Slaughter that this being emanated out- these terrifying strikes backed with the force of over 41 Billion Galaxies as they threatened to smash the scales of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor! "The fight actually seems more balanced? But just who is this Tyrant Dragon that is capable of going toe to toe with someone in the top 500 of all Great Sages fighting in the Slaughter Star Monolith?" "It doesn''t matter who he is, just that his brief shot in the light will fade away soon eno-" RUMBLE! Before the words of spectators could even end, the majestic Tyrannical Dragon Emperor ripped apart the tendrils of Aether and Chaos connected by Slaughter, its roar reverberating out as from it...a magisterial essence had begun to emanate out! "That¡­!" Alarm rose in the eyes of many, but more so from the eyes of the Cerulean Warlock that could sense the terrifying essence nearby himself. Tinged red and black, carrying with it immense power of decimation and destruction...it was the essence of a Cosmic Dao that far surpassed Grand Daos! "Impossible!" "He has...he has¡­!" "A Cosmic Dao! " WAA! Even Monarchs stood up from their seats at this shocking scene, watching as someone at the level of a Great Sage somehow comprehended and was currently showing the essence of a Cosmic Dao. What many didn''t know was that amidst the dense essence of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation, an even denser and more powerful Cosmic Dao of Ruination was laced with it as with the obtainment of another Cosmic Dao, Noah could freely release the Essence of Ruination that was masked by the Dao of Subterfuge and have a shocking excuse for how much power it would show. This was how Noah planned to bridge the gaps of power, the gaps of 10s of billions of Galaxies that beings such as the one in front of him had already forged over the hundreds of thousands of years they lived. Every month, he would just learn a new Cosmic Dao on top of everything else as he wondered who in the same rank as him could stand against him?! But...the action of a Great Sage somehow gaining comprehension of a Cosmic Dao was so rare that many beings looked towards it in a stupor! OOOOH The bellow of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor was heard by all as it fully announced itself, its jaws forming a devilish smile as it looked towards the Cerulean Warlock that had lost his confidence. He called out softly. [Apocalypse]. ¡­! RUMBLE! Chapter 958 - A Supremacy War For The Bloodline Races! I ¡­! Ambrose stood up abruptly the moment Noah released the essence of a Cosmic Dao. A Cosmic Dao! His eyes flashed with an intense light as a second later, he saw this being actually utilize this essence expertly as a skill was cast with it! The surrounding miles of the area where Noah''s Tyrant Dragon and the Cerulean Warlock were located in suddenly trembled, the earth and skies beginning to crack as if it was a piece of glass, destructive anomalous essence of universal laws beginning to run rampant as the essence of many daos turned wild, threatening to swallow any beings within it as Ambrose called out the name of the ability himself! "Apocalypse¡­" A skill he knew all too well as it was one that he designed, even though what was being displayed right now was a much lesser version of it as its full power could not be displayed with a Great Sage. Yet...it was still a skill that only he should know! "What is this¡­" RUMBLE! His expression was cloudy as beside him, Salerno had a serious expression as both of these powerful Hegemonies looked closely at Noah and the terrifying essence of a Cosmic Dao he released. "It''s as if he has studied the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation for thousands of years, his comprehension in it not being low!" Ambrose''s expression became utterly grim as he seemed to have made up his mind when Solerno''s words rang out, his cold voice reverberating out. "I''ll give the command for my influenced forces in the Animus Universe to move against the remaining Dragons...I''ll spark a war and draw him out of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters and have him assassinated by Monarchs or Paragons! If even that fails¡­ Hegemony Dark Shadow will have to directly make a move and break his oath, having to hide from Oathkeeperr and the others just until The Universal Amalgamation is complete¡­" ¡­! A shocking conclusion just moments after he observed his target to actually be such a genius that he had already comprehended a Cosmic Dao at the stage of a Great Sage! Salerno nodded with a serious expression at this as he voiced out strongly with immense conviction. "As it was, so it shall be." At such abstruse words, Ambrose nodded back as he spoke with even more conviction! "As it was, so it shall be!" RUMBLE! Swirls of destiny erupted out thereafter as the tides of time continued to churn... --- [Apocalypse]. THRUM! The surroundings shook fearfully as my bright eyes reveled in the shocking destruction I could call forth. Though I wasn''t done as in the next moment [Galactic Devastation] and [Chains of Annihilation] were also cast! WAA! All over the scales of my draconic form, a layer of annihilation galaxies tinged with the essence of Ruination appeared, my sheer might causing the air and space around me to creak as all around me, thick black-red chains erupted out while rushing towards the Cerulean Warlock. A Great Sage ranked 500th in the Slaughter Star Monolith, sure. But could he really stand up against the force of the essence of two Cosmic Daos? Could the difference of 30 Billion something galaxies he had forged not be caught up by the fact that I had both the purification of Ruination and Primordial Essence?! The answer was that this difference could be breached when such a vast array of things were put together! RUMBLE! Even as his blue staff shone with a brilliant light, the Grand and Lesser Daos he used were torn down by the Cosmic Dao Essence that was swirling around in abundance, the shocking effects of [Apocalypse] only increasing as the area around us had turned into molten earth that spewed out scorching dao essence of destruction, Ruination, Annihilation, and many more Daos that I had fully assimilated. In the skies, space continued to shatter and splinter as even more unstable destructive dao essences thundered out...all of them centered around the Cerulean Warlock as in the midst of all this, the Chains of Annihilation were able to wrap around his legs as they very quickly wrapped all around his body! ¡­! His expression was ashen as his mouth was about to open...was it to admit defeat? But my draconic body had already flashed on top of him as with the might capable of shattering an entire galaxy with a mere punch provided by the exuberant amount of annihilation essence of [Galactic Devastation], my claw smashed into his body as any layers of defense were torn with muscles and bones being turned to paste! BOOM...SPLAT! A deadly scene played out within this wondrous red star, yet another enemy lying dead as a pristine red essence leaked out to reinforce my very soul. This beautiful scene was shown to many, but nobody more important than my main body in the Dark Universe that had a light smile as the scenes of the Primordial Ruination Clone''s immense strength were simply too wondrous to not enjoy! It would also come in handy in the days to come as while the battle in the Slaughter Star Monolith ended, my main body pulled out Valentina''s Golden Mirror in the Dark Universe to once more talk with the exquisite Hegemony. "Ambrose plans to start a war between the Paragons and Monarchs of the Bloodline Races, all to most likely draw me out when he sees that even his machinations in the Slaughter Star Monolith won''t work out." "..." The dark hair on this ridiculously gorgeous woman that had lived who knew how long cascaded down her shoulders, her expression serious as she looked at me through the mirror with eyes that threatened to swallow anyone whole. "You hold more Universal Fortune than me. What does destiny tell you?" Ho? Leaving the decision of it to me? I''ll gladly take it! I glanced at the strings of destiny and fate flowing all around me, pulling on a few of them as my enormous swirling Universal Fortune vibrated all around me. Let''s see. Just what was in store for the future to come? Chapter 959 - A Supremacy War For The Bloodline Races! II The information received from Destiny wasn''t exact as it didn''t show you a certain future, only showing you whether it would be a beneficial or harmful future to you, among other things. It was why when I looked at Valentina and Ambrose for the first time and thought of Protagonist''s Bookmark, the strings of Destiny first led me towards Ambrose as the most beneficial candidate, as well as the time not being ready- until I was notified it was just minutes ago! Destiny...was mysterious and hard to work with! When I utilized this Dao at this moment and gleamed the many possible paths and futures that could occur...I only saw benefits ahead on many of the paths. THRUM! The golden essence of destiny fluctuated on my body as I turned towards the golden mirror where Valentina was waiting patiently. "Even with the war, everything should still go the way we expect. Ambrose''s influence over the Animus Universe will continue to be reduced until¡­" "Until?" Her dark eyes blinked slowly as they could pull in any poor weak soul, a light smile appearing on my lips as I replied while thinking about the shocking conspiracy that most likely involved many Hegemonies, about the ''Universal Amalgamation'' that Ambrose was talking about with another Hegemony and what the true purpose of the Universal Construct spread across multiple universes was! "Until Ambrose resorts to something drastic if things go our way. After that...Destiny seems to involve many moving pieces as I cannot discern too much yet!" ¡­! Her eyes shone with a brilliant luster as she nodded and spoke while letting out a harrumph. "The forces of the Mixed Races, Mythical Helios Races, Golden Crows, and Galaxy Devouring Serpents shall be assembled and set off for war towards the Draconic Lands then." RUMBLE! Waves of fortune and destiny erupted just from her mere words, and I gave her a slight nod as I continued to observe the situation within the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters! "My Subordinates and clones continue to sweep across the peripheral Galaxies, with the last few Galaxies that have Great Sages as the strongest experts falling in the next day." In the past hours as the Primordial Ruination Clone finished clearing up one Galaxy, my clones and the other experts from the Dark Universe continued to sweep across the smaller galaxies where only Sages and Great Sages of the Bloodline Races stood. These Galaxies were cleared out as Ambrose''s influence was forcibly destroyed, no more beings going into the Slaughter Star Monolith and propagating Slaughter in these regions! The main goal would be to take control of all the entrances to the Slaughter Star Monolith that was anchored around the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters, and this would require power at the Monarch Realm and even Paragon Realm for the Galaxies at the very heart of these Bloody Clusters where the most slaughter was occurring. That power of Monarch and Paragon levels...well it wouldn''t be too far away! This was because it had barely been a day since the siege on the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters began, and I had already jumped from 1 Billion to nearly 10 Billion forged stars. That was in less than a day! With the use of cores from defeated enemies, Monarch was only a few days away from my grasp! So when it came to a war between the Bloodline Races at the scale of an entire Universe, I could understand why Destiny favored it for me! The loot that could be obtained from it ranged all the way from Great Sages to Paragons! "A war...he would truly allow the natives of an entire Universe to fight amongst themselves just to achieve his goals. Despicable!" RUMBLE! Valentina''s body raged with anger as the wrath within her eyes seemed enticing, her words ringing in my mind a few times as they made me think of Ambrose''s actions and my own. One could say I was the reason for all this, as my introduction and subsequent need for Ambrose to get rid of me was what led him to the idea of initiating a war between the Bloodline Races just to draw me out! One could say I was responsible for many of the deaths to occur in the coming war between mythical beasts and wondrous creatures that might have continued their lives in the current state for many years to come. But...the Dragons would still be subjugated and getting bullied for all these years, and Ambrose still had his devious plans where the Universal Construct he lay into this Animus Universe was for his own purposes, where there was a plot that even Valentina or powerful beings that I''ve only had the names of like Oathbreaker had no idea about! If I hadn''t come into the Animus Universe and began breaking apart his influence, his goals would have been achieved much faster as the Universal Amalgamation he talked about with the other Hegemony would have been carried out even sooner and as they spoke with their own words- it would have been perfected with the Animus Universe. I was currently stopping this perfection with my standing against and shattering Ambrose''s influence, and this single action of mine could be the initiator to save the lives of quintillions as it stands in the way of something that many powerful Hegemonies weren''t aware of! Maybe that was all the case and it stood true...or maybe I was just selfishly moving with my own goals as my actions wrapped around the creatures of an entire Universe. Cause and effect. No matter what initiated it, the river of time continued to churn as destinies were intertwined and many beings moved with their own goals. "A Universal War¡­" I let these words roll out of my mouth as Valentina cut off the connection of the mirror to do what she needed to do to get the forces of 4 Bloodline Races under her influence ready. Ambrose was most likely making his own preparations with the 5 Bloodline Races he influenced, each of them acting as players who moved an innumerable number of pieces on the huge chess board that was the Animus Universe! Meanwhile, there was me...was I just a piece to be played, or the third player in this terrifying match that involved the lives of an innumerable number of beings? RUMBLE! My body thrummed with power as a devilish smile couldn''t help but sneak out, my eyes reflecting the golden glow of Universal Fortune all around me that continued to increase while Marks of Antiquity continued to form! What a wondrous future lay before me! Chapter 960 - Legions March Towards The Draconic Holy Lands! I The Animus Universe held a great deal of creatures and history, much of the history being extremely painful in the last 100,000 years after the influence of a certain Hegemony descended. The Paragons and Monarchs of 5 Bloodline Races fell under the influence of Ambrose, with the other 4 managing to come under the influence of Valentina as they staved off the complete domination of the Universe under one being! At this time, the forces of all of these Bloodline Races on both sides were moving with extreme haste, a shocking war on the horizon as the two sides moved with their own goals. The Paragons of the 5 Bloodline Races under the influence of Ambrose continued on their path of seeking greater strength under the Hegemony of Slaughter, moving under his commands as most recently, he had kept to his words as commands to wipe out the subjugated Dragons and cleansing the opposing Races in the Animus Universe through Slaughter was given! A shocking set of commands, but those under the influence of this Hegemony still followed them as this was what they had done for the past 100,000 years. Why would they suddenly stop now? As for the other 4 Bloodlines Races under Valentina, their hearts were filled with a light that called for justice and liberation, filled with a longing for freedom where their actions weren''t controlled by beings above them! But they had to seek protection under a Hegemony as their Paragons denied Ambrose''s influence, Valentina coming into the spotlight as they took the light of this Hegemony to cover them for the past tens of thousands of years. Now, she had let their Paragons know that Ambrose was set on Slaughter, giving commands to massacre Dragons at this very moment as he commanded his forces to start or war! "Haaa¡­." Paragon Skylar of the Galaxy Devouring Serpent Race gave a light sigh at this thought as he floated in front of a Galaxy Cluster, his body magnificently shimmering in the starry space as he was larger than most planets! The terrifying figure of the Galaxy Devouring Serpent Emperor watched the area in front of the Galaxy Cluster that was known as the Serpentine Holy Land, a cluster of many Galaxies that uniquely formed into the shape of a Serpent in the starry space. At this moment, millions of Galaxy Devouring Serpents were moving out like shining lights from their Serpentine Holy Land and falling into ranks as they were putting together the Legions that would soon set off! Monarch level Serpents stood in front of each of the forming Legions, and one would find the wondrous sight of not just Galaxy Devouring Serpents...but also Dragons moving among their ranks! This was because as Valentina mentioned before, the 4 Bloodline Races each held many Dragons they were able to save within their ranks for the last tens of thousands of years, living with them all this time as a few Draconic Monarchs and Paragons would be among those fighting with them at the forefront of the war to defend the rest of the Dragon Race. "Skylar, why gaze at everything from so far away?" THRUM! A boisterous voice shook Paragon Skyler out of his thoughts as from the area of forming Legions, he turned his eyes to his left where a similarly sized figure of a unique Fate Dragon appeared. "Quinnie¡­" The enormous Serpentine Paragon had a lost look as he gazed towards the Fate Dragon at the level of a Paragon just like him with love and affection, a strong bond existing between these two beings as they grew very close over the last tens of thousands of years! Paragon Quinnie came close to Skyler as she nudged him softly while turning her gaze towards the forming Legions as well. "It feels like the war was just put on pause over the last tens of thousands of years, with the creatures of my Race just continuing to be massacred in far away regions as we were helpless to help." RUMBLE! Waves of fate and destiny swam around this genuine Fate Dragon, her eyes shining with light as she gazed towards a certain direction where two Monarchs were overseeing the formation of a Legion that consisted of an equal number of Dragons and Galaxy Devouring Serpents! "Now it has been started again and just like before, the crux lies with the deaths of the Dragon Race...I always wondered why it was so in the past, but I''ve finally been able to glean something in the past few months." "Oh?" Skylar looked towards Paragon Quinnie with love as he asked, the Fate Dragon nodding as she looked towards the two Monarchs that shone gold and purple while giving commands with serious faces far in the distance. "Yes. It even involves our two daughters. The future isn''t as grim as we believe it to be, with a powerful champion having been chosen by the Hegemony of Summoning to aid us in the coming war. I see a line of connection between that champion...and Ava and Olivia¡­" ¡­! "It puts us all at the junction of change at this moment, and that champion will lead the way¡­" RUUUMBLE! Paragon Skylar''s eyes shook brightly at this as he turned to focus on the same Legion his wife was looking at, observing his two daughters that he had raised with great love over the last tens of thousands of years! Identical faces, one with bright gold hair and another with shining purple hair, both emanating a shocking level of strength at the level of Monarchs. Twins! Currently in their human forms, they were dressed with regality and majesty as they held great status within the Serpentine Holy Land, emanating a unique power of the Bloodline that consisted of two Supreme Bloodline Races. The progeny between one of the Paragons with the purest Bloodline of the Galaxy Devouring Serpents and a Paragon with the pure Bloodline of a Fate Dragon! From the words of Quinnie, they shared some sort of destiny and had a part to play in the war to come! Chapter 961 - Legions March Towards The Draconic Holy Lands! II Aside from the Legions forming in the Serpentine Holy Land, similar scenes were occurring across the Galaxy Clusters of the Mixed Races, the Mythical Helios Races, and the Golden Crow Race. Within the Mixed Races that occupied the largest Clusters of Galaxies within the Animus Universe, one could find the Animus Races like the Obsidian Panther Race, the Calamity Bears, and the Races that bore mutations like the Variant Oculothorax as well! Currently, the Paragons and Monarchs of the Mixed Raced were coordinating with each other across their Holy Lands and moving out created Legions of Entities, Sages, and Great Sages towards the Draconic Holy Lands. You then had the Golden Crow Race that lived around a cluster of Galaxies filled with scorching suns, these beings releasing an air of regality as their Legions looked like a line up of golden majestic figures that crossed the starry stars! There was a certain Gooden Crow that was acting as a servant to Valentina watching all of these scenes while clenching her fist at the fact that she wouldn''t be able to help no matter how much she wanted to. Lastly, among those moving out with their Legions- there was the Mythical Helios Races where creatures like the Colossal Helios Leviathan can from, the Helios Races being Animus that lived in wondrous blue Galaxies that were majorly filled with bodies of water. These places were the most comfortable to them, but they would still venture out when they needed to at times like these! Currently, a vast array of beings could be seen moving out from the blue Galaxies as some were as small as 10 meters, with the largest of the Helios Races being as large as planets. The Royal Colossal Leviathan Race was among the many leading groups taking the Legions forward, the Race of the Great White Mythical Sharks and Luminous Piranhas not being far behind as they created for a dreadful army that marched forward. These were the races under the influence of Valentina, and they were now finally making a grand move to bring an end to the tyranny the influence of the Hegemony of Slaughter brought as they went against the 5 Bloodline Races under his influence, The Nine-Tailed Fox Race, White Tiger Race, Qilin Race, the Phoenix Race...and the Golden Cyclops Race!" Innumerable Legions crossed the chaotic void of the Animus Universe as waves of destiny and fortune continued to emanate throughout. As many beings began moving about, each with their own goals and aspirations...a day passed! --- Word came from Valentina that the forces of the Bloodline Races under her influence had begun moving...most heading towards the Draconic Holy Land while a segment would come to the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cluster to reinforce the Monarchs and Paragons within the Galaxies in the innermost regions of these clusters that surrounded the Universal Construct. In the past day, the outer galaxies of these Clusters where Great Sages and Sages were the highest powerhouses capable of entering had all fallen under the hands of those holding the title of my Vassals, their enhanced mana reserves making them move tirelessly across Galaxies as of course, having a single one of my clones move with them helped in taking down the forces of these Galaxies quickly! The takedown of these galaxies and the myriad of Great Sages within them...meant a great deal of loot as well, which when duplicated with the Cosmic Treasure, the reality of me continuing to absorb Galactic Filament Cores continued throughout the day! The result of taking down tens of Great Sages and duplicating their Cores before absorbing them...caused a wondrous scene of the tripling of the Galaxies I held within my origin in the last day. 30 Billion. RUMBLE! 30 Billion Galaxies! Thirty Billion illusory galaxies floating inside of you was a surreal thing to even imagine. If you had told the normal Noah Osmont who had yet to even become a Rank F Hunter in the past that he would have such a power, the power to shatter not just stars, but entire galaxies...well I wouldn''t have even known what to say! But this was the current reality! Where somehow a being like me now had a vibrantly shining origin that swirled with a beautiful array of 30 billion stars, nearly a million of them having been formed into Dao Galaxies! I wasn''t the only one ascending in strength as the Vassals below me got their share of the Duplicated loot, many more Great Sages being born as beings like the Emperor Penguin and Kazuhiko made their way towards forging a few billion Galaxies. It was a tremendous rate of strength, and one that was further fueled on my side with the horrendous increase in Soul Strength that I continued to receive as the Primordial Ruination Clone continued to face enemies in the Slaughter Stat Monolith. In the past day, the Primordial Ruination Clone had long since finished going through opponents in the hundreds, where the last enemy he faced was a Chthonian with 46 Billion Galaxies who was ranked 87th! 87th out of all the Great Sages participating in the experiment of Slaughter within the Slaughter Star Monolith! Enemies such as these caused soul strength to break any boundaries I knew as the enhanced power of 2 Cosmic Daos was enough to stand against any other Great Sages. I was looking forward to having the clone continue until I observed whether I would be able to enter the top 10 of the Great Sage Ranking of this Universal Construct, but this was when the golden mirror on my main body shone, the voice of a particular Hegemony ringing out from it! "The forces of the 4 Bloodline Races are converging towards a certain location before heading towards the Draconic Holy Lands together. I can send you the coordinates and images of these places for you to transfer there directly¡­" A light smile appeared on my face at the efficiency that this Hegemony worked with, nodding at her words as the images of the chaotic void where vast numbers of Legions were clustering together were shown to me. Legions consisting of a vast number of Races of beings ranging from Entities to Monarchs! Legions that held powerful Animus that I...could finally be able to contract the 2 that I was capable of after advancing to the Galactic Filament Realm. During this Universal War, why don''t I get myself 2 Monarch Ranked Animus to join my ranks?! RUMBLE! Chapter 962 - Let Them All Swear Fealty! I Inside Galaxy B-48. It was here that the vast majority of my Vassals would be setting off to go towards the area that Legions of the Bloodline Races were gathering at. Noah gazed upon the many beings floating in the starry space before him, a light smile on his face as all of them...were clones of their original bodies! Before they set off, the peripheral galaxies of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters had been cleared and had order established as within, the original bodies of Barbatos, the Emperor Penguin, and all of the others could be seen left behind within these Galaxies. They were told that for any who wished to participate in the coming battle, they would have to send one or two of the clones they could utilize, their main bodies remaining within the galaxies they took over as they worked with the Dragons that lived there before to simply defend if any forces from the enemy Bloodline Races came! The other reason to only allow their clones to come was the fact that Noah and his forces would be among the beings targeted the most, so it was to purely prevent the real deaths of many beings around Noah as only their clones would be setting off! "Everyone ready?" THRUM! His boisterous voice rang out as the question caused explosive waves of mana to erupt out from the Vassals before him, their eyes shining with glorious light as they were looking forward to what was to come with great enthusiasm. Their main bodies were concurrently absorbing the Duplicated Cores and Dao Crystals as many of them were about to fully finish assimilating Slaughter among many Grand Daos, their Origins rumbling with around a billion Galaxies on average for all of them! The line up of beings that began with him a long time ago like Kazuhiko, Steel Mikhail, Emperor Penguin, Barbatos, Elena...it gave a nostalgic feeling when one thought about where they came from and the positions these beings reached now. The even more interesting case was the Terror of Aether behind them that was the size of a Planet, Noah''s eyes locking around the terror who seemed to show him slight annoyance and approval at the same time, the other Terrors standing beside it as their auras were some of the most oppressive out of everyone here! With all of these beings and more in the picture, the Primordial Ruination Clone wasted no time as dense mana of teleportation erupted from it, covering him and the many beings around him, even to the Planet sized Terrors! The destination of this light¡­was a colorful chaotic void where a myriad of Supreme Bloodline Races waited. ... The Animus Universe was extremely vast, the distance between the clusters where the Holy Lands of different Races resided being even more vast! Even with Paragons in the lead, the Legions of the 4 Bloodline Races under Valentina''s Influence only neared the Draconic Holy Lands after a day. The innumerable numbers of Bloodlines Races currently waited a distance of a few light years away. This was because there were still reinforcements to come, the Paragons of the four races being told to expect the welcoming of a being directly sent forth by the Hegemony of Summoning! Such a thing caused many beings to look forward with high hopes, wanting to know just what type of support a Hegemony that could not directly against beings lower than her level could provide! RUMBLE! After a certain amount of time, a wondrous spatial light began to erupt from a certain area, the auras of many figures beginning to erupt as the nearby Paragons and Monarchs looked over. Just who would be coming out of it? --- As the Primordial Ruination Clone shuttled through the folds of space with multiple subordinates to soon arrive in front of powerful creatures of the Bloodline Races, Noah''s main body had Valentina''s Golden Mirror in hand as he sent her words that ensnared her attention! "I have a proposition." THRUM! "Oh?" The eyes of the Hegemony looked towards Noah who was smiling an unknown light at this moment, a mischievous light in his eyes as he continued. "I have a way to greatly enhance the strength of all the forces of the 4 Bloodline Races, a way to make sure that very few of them will face death and even ensure victory against the enemies they will stand against." ¡­! Valentina''s eyes turned sharp at these words as she stared at Noah with languid eyes and replied. "...you didn''t think to mention this until now?" "Well, of course there are some conditions applied- with the condition for this being that they bind...a portion of their soul to me. Nothing much really, just a small portion." WAA! Noah replied with shining eyes as he looked at Valentina, this Hegemony''s eyes turning even sharper as she spoke once more! "This has to do with your newly created Dao that gave you so many Marks of Antiquity?" This Hegemony was able to get right to the point as Noah nodded in appreciation, his gaze staring out in the distance as he continued. "A small portion of their soul is required for them to be connected to me, and I can confidently promise that their increase in power would be at the minimum twice as strong, with this number varying on the higher side!" ¡­! The eyes of the Hegemony opened wide as Noah found the expression cute, her expression becoming thoughtful as she asked carefully. "How many beings can you connect with and enhance their power? I''m sure there are many more limitations than you are not mentioning." Valentina had many thoughts jumping in her brain as she wondered of the Dao this being had created and guessed just how many numbers of beings he had been able to affect before as he now wanted to spread his influence to the powerhouses of the Animus Universe! She looked over to him for an answer as she saw him scratch his head sheepishly while replying. "There is no limit to the number of beings I can connect with, whether it''s 10 or 10 Trillion, it doesn''t matter¡­" ¡­! BOOM! Chapter 963 - Let Them All Swear Fealty! II It felt like a thunderclap had rung in front of Valentina as she looked into the mirror in shock, many things lining up in her mind as she thought about the overabundance of Marks of Antiquity this being condensed and so quickly at that! "You...you¡­!" She looked towards this outrageous being that had a sheepish smile, shaking her head in utter disbelief as she thought about the logistics of how this would even be possible. "This...this must require a great deal of essence from you. Even my Dao of Summoning is just a Construct I''ve established where I can learn of the beings that use it, but I can''t exert any control over them or anything like that...how can you handle the mana output of connecting to so many beings? Does the level of the being matter? Can you enhance a Paragon just the same as a Sage? Can you¡­" A barrage of questions erupted from the Hegemony as she tried to discern the extent of Noah''s shocking revelations, but Noah merely waved his hands to stop her as he spoke. "No need to overthink any of this. Trust me when I tell you I have my ways to do what I say. No matter the number...I can do it!" RUMBLE! "All I would need is to use your Authority. Let the races you influence know that as the helper you are sending...I can offer them an immense increase in power if they simply let go of a portion of their soul and pledge their Fealty...that is the name of the Dao I created, the Dao of Fealty!" Noah was speaking freely as he waved his hands, making visible the Marks of Antiquity that were still forming even now as he spoke. ¡­! "Let them all swear Fealty to me...and I can promise this war will be won!" Valentina''s eyes shone with a bright light at Noah''s words, letting the term Fealty roll off her tongue as she looked at this being that her Destiny told her would lead her to victory...at the being whose actions increased her own Universal Fortune! ''Well, we''ve already come this far. Let''s see what this is all about.'' It was at this point that the Hegemony of Summoning made an action that would open the floodgates of a shocking practice for the coming future. An action that to her held a form of significance to her, but never would she think they would be the stepping stone to something much larger! Valentina''s eyes shone brightly as her essence moved, using her unique power as she spoke, her voice being sent down to all the Paragons and Monarchs within the Legions of the 4 Supreme Bloodline Races! "The Tyrant Dragon coming your way is my...Apostle. He comes bearing a gift of great strength from me if you choose to take it, but it will require for you to make a sacrifice." RUMBLE! Her voice left her isolated realm as it traveled vast distances and stumbled into the minds of their targets! Her eyes then locked with Noah''s main body in the golden mirror, expectant to see exactly what would happen as beside this mirror, illusory screens showing the scenes of the clustering Legions were already present! --- Paragon Quinnie held great expectation purely based on what Destiny told her, but she was even more moved when a few seconds ago, the voice of the Hegemony of Summoning said the being she was sending down was an Apostle that would come to offer them power, having to sacrifice something in order to take such power. This powerful Fate Dragon turned towards Skylar as she gazed towards a certain region where a spatial light was fading away to reveal the beings within. "Would you take the offered power, my dear Skylar?" The Galaxy Devouring Serpent Paragon thought carefully as he replied slowly, his eyes honing on the newly appearing figures as he was more intent on seeing this chosen champion that his wife had mentioned shared a line of Destiny with his daughters! "It depends on the price¡­" RUMBLE! At this moment, the figures of Noah, his summons, and all of his Vassals appeared in the middle of the vast amounts of Legions that consisted of too many mythical and wondrous creatures of the Supreme Bloodlines. Their appearance took many creatures back as they noticed most of these creatures...were on the level of a Great Sage! "..." That was an abysmally low level when it came to which powerhouses would truly control the results of the coming battles, many of the Paragons and Monarchs expecting being within their level as support! "Was there a mistake¡­?" Even Skylar couldn''t help but turn to Quinnie to see if even his wife had gotten something wrong from Destiny. A champion? An Apostle? The being in front of them that only seemed to be at the peak of Great Sage? RUMBLE! Many thoughts swirled in the minds of the most powerful being within the bloodline races, but it wasn''t long before something shocking appeared in front of their eyes, the body of the supposed champion that the Hegemony of Summoning sent floating away from the group as his draconic body shone with a bright red black luster. Accompanying him was a figure of a Chaos Dragon who was looking towards the powerhouses of the Dragon Race with shining eyes that swirled with plans of their own. What appeared in front of the eyes of the creatures of the Bloodline Races after these two beings came forward was a prompt, a prompt that was brought to fruition as immense mana began to leak out from the body of the Tyrant Dragon! [In exchange for a portion of immense power, bind a portion of your soul to the Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning and become a Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] A prompt similar to the one that many in the Dark Universe had received, this one being molded differently as Noah was capable of twisting a few words to match the current situation. THRUM! The prompt spread across the vast chaotic void where many Legions of the Bloodline Races stood waiting, a shocking future about to break out before a Universal War began! Chapter 964 - The Queen Dowagers Reappearence! The chaotic void of the Animus Universe was very similar to the Dark Universe, being filled with utter darkness all around until one came across glimmering Galaxies, lone Black Holes and vibrant Quasars. In a certain region of the Chaotic Void just a few light years from the Draconic Holy Lands, vast Legions of 4 of the Supreme Bloodline Races clustered together as they looked at the support they were waiting for this whole time! The myriad of Mixed Races that held a great deal of fantastical creatures were led by 11 Paragons and hundreds of Monarchs, a Clan of Dragons also being in their midst as they were led by a Chaos Dragon Paragon! On the side where the Mythical Helios Races stood waiting, a planet sized King Shark was conversing with the Water Dragon Paragon as 14 Paragons lay behind them. On another side, you had the Golden Crows that shone like luminous suns, a Lava Dragon Paragon leading a clan of Fire Dragons being seen within their ranks as there was the presence of 10 Paragons in their region! Lastly, there was the Galaxy Devouring Serpents that were led by Paragon Skylar and 13 other Paragons, one of them being the Fate Dragon Quinnie that Skyler fell for when she first sought refuge with their Race. So each of the 4 Bloodline Races...had a Draconic Paragon among their ranks as they were the saved remnants of the Dragon Race who weren''t subjugated by the other 5 Bloodline Races acting under the directions of the Hegemony of Slaughter! There were also tens of Monarch Level Dragons as when Noah first appeared, his eyes honed in on them brilliantly as he felt his goal of getting his hands on Monarch Level Beasts to be close. With Tiamat by his side, Noah stepped forward from the group as the two of them took the gazes of everyone! While Noah erupted with mana to cause the essence of Fealty to spread towards all the beings he could see, Tiamat also erupted with her own action. It was an act of making a grand announcement- one that she could now make freely as she held no reservations, and Noah had given her the go ahead as they had to now utilize her identity to their advantage. They had to utilize her unique power as the Progenitor of Dragons to bring the remaining Paragons and Monarchs on their side as they further strengthened them through the Dao of Fealty! This was how Noah planned to secure Paragons and Monarchs in large numbers even if the 4 Bloodline Races held reservations! RUMBLE The Chaos Dragon form of Tiamat trembled as it began to peel and change. From it, a delicate light of red and black erupted, shining with even more glorious colors as from the Chaos Dragon, numerous heads began to erupt as the form of a 10 Headed Dragon that was unique to a single being came to light! ¡­! Alarm and shock began to erupt from the eyes of many of the Paragons, the prompt asking them to become Vassals momentarily being taken out of their minds as the erupting figure of the Ten Headed Dragon reminded them of a being long ago. ROAAAAR! The roar was reminiscent as well, ringing out across the chaotic void as this roar carried with it immense Bloodline power! It was the power of a being that was the Progenitor of a Race, a rare being even among the Supreme Bloodline Races as there were some that had lost their Progenitors over the ages! ¡­! The four Paragon Dragons and tens of Monarchs leading Hundreds of Great Sage Dragons and the hundreds of thousands in the ranks of Sages and Entities all felt their bloodline tremble, their gaze that of shock and stupor as they stared at the image of Tiamat. "The Progenitor¡­" "The Queen¡­!" RUMBLE! The Legions of the Supreme Bloodlines turned chaotic at this moment of Tiamat''s reveal, the Paragons of these Bloodlines Races specifically understanding what was happening as they recalled the form of the first being to fall under the attacks of the rebelling Races under the banner of Ambrose. It was the Queen that controlled numerous Regions of the Animus Universe. The Progenitor who was closest to dominating and leading all of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines! "Tiamat¡­" Paragon Skylar called out in shock as his partner, the Fate Dragon Quinnie who was beside him...was trembling uncontrollably while staring at Tiamat''s figure! At this moment, Tiamat finished roaring out gloriously and establishing her visage as she looked around the Bloodline Races, her eyes landing on the Draconic Paragons on the side of the Mixed Races, the Golden Crow Race, and the Mythical Helios Races. She finally landed her eyes on the Fate Dragon Quinnie on the side of the Galaxy Devouring Serpents as her cold eyes lit up, surprise and happiness occupying them briefly before they regained their utter regality, her voice ringing out for all to hear at this moment! "Little Sister Quinnie, why aren''t you coming over?" THRUM! The Fate Dragon boasting power at the level of a Paragon shook as her eyes shone brightly, her figure turning into a streak of light that crossed the vast distance and instantly arrived in front of Tiamat. Instantly! WAA! This was a taste of the shocking power of a Paragon, even Noah''s heart shaking as he didn''t even catch the movements of this Paragon, he only saw her appear right in front of Tiamat beside him! Paragon. The prerequisite before one formed their own Universe! A stage that very few beings broke out of in their entire lives. This was the powerhouse that came in front of Tiamat as her eyes looked teary, having an expression of someone that was seeing someone they thought was gone a long time ago! "Big sister¡­" Quinnie called out with shining eyes as she was the first Draconic Paragon to speak to the long thought to be dead Progenitor of Dragons! Chapter 965 - Bow Not To Me, But My Master! When Tiamat lost her life many years ago, she didn''t know how everything played out thereafter as the beings she was closest to could have been alive or dead. Finding one of the closest beings that she could consider her little sister still alive...calmed the constant rage this Queen of Dowager always felt! But her expression returned to regality after her heads nudged Quinnie''s enormous body lovingly, her body wildly releasing her Bloodline aura once more as she spoke towards Quinnie lightly. "We''ll catch up later. For now, we have to finish the task of Master!" RUMBLE The Paragon Quinnie received another shock as her head followed Tiamat''s gaze to Noah''s direction, many thoughts flashing through her mind as even destiny had not prepared her for this! She had gleaned from Destiny that the Champion of the Hegemony of Summoning would lead them forward and provide strength, and that there was some form of a deeper connection with his daughters...but never would she have thought her long assassinated sister would also come with this Champion. There were too many surprises! WAAA! With a Paragon by her side, Tiamat''s aura bellowed out wildly again as the overpowering strength of her Bloodline she could utilize as the Progenitor erupted out, her voice ringing out for all to hear in the nearby space. "Your Progenitor has returned, and you still do not rush towards her and bow?!" THRUM! These words struck the minds of every Dragon as their bodies uncontrollably moved, their blood following the will of the Progenitor as from the Legions of the 4 Races, 3 Paragons flew out with faces full of stupor followed by tens of Monarchs and thousands upon hundreds of thousands of more lower level Dragons that spilled to millions. They all rushed towards her position as they called out in shock and reverence! "Progenitor¡­!" "Queen Dowager¡­!" Their bloodline thrummed with power as they came forward, the fantastical scene of many beings bowing towards one playing out as Tiamat nodded. As she gazed upon the kneeling Dragons, she turned her eyes towards the many Paragons of other Bloodline Races in the surroundings as her expression became solemn and she spoke. "I owe you all a great debt for taking in my Race when they were attacked, and I won''t forget that!" WAA! "Currently, the same Races that betrayed us and chose wanton Slaughter are starting a war again, and we need to hold a great deal of strength in order to triumph against them and the Hegemony standing behind them!" Her Ten Heads moved enticingly as she spoke, her eyes landing on Noah at this point as her voice reverberated out. "That brings us to the words you all saw a minute back...words asking to swear Fealty in exchange for immense strength!" RUMBLE "I can tell you that this is a favor from the Hegemony of Summoning...and from the Champion standing beside me. Nothing will be required of you as you will only gain endless benefits from it, and I will showcase just how much power you can gain by answering the call of Fealty." ¡­! Her commanding gaze swept out to all of the Paragons of the Bloodline Races as she then turned towards the bowing Dragons still looking towards her with disbelief and reverence. Her level that emanated an aura of a Great Sage didn''t matter to them as they only felt the purest Bloodline power, their eyes locking onto her authoritative figure as she spoke towards them with a commanding voice! "O you of the Dragon Race! Answer the call of Fealty! Bow not to me...but to my Master!" RUMBLE! Her commanding words and gaze took every single Dragon as they followed her gaze to hand on Noah''s figure of a Tyrant Dragon, a certain Prompt appearing in front of them once more. [In exchange for a portion of immense power, bind a portion of your soul to the Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning and become a Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] A portion of one''s soul. A significant affair, and one that all the dragons committed to after listening to the commands of their Progenitor that they had to obey! Quinnie stared at her Big Sister she thought to be long gone and the Champion that destiny buzzed about as she trusted her instinct, seeing the gaze of her husband, the Paragon Skylar, from far away as she sent a reassuring message towards him. She then stepped up as she was among the first to call out while gazing towards the figure of the Tyrant Dragon! "I Swear Fealty!" BOOM! "I Swear Fealty!" ¡­! The moment Quinnie began, the Monarchs and lower ranked beings followed as the total number of Dragons regardless of their levels who were participating in this war that spilled over the millions all swore under the Lesser Dao of Fealty. The moment they answered the call¡­essence erupted out so gloriously that even the Dark chaotic void was lit up brightly! Quinnie was the first to experience it as her essence of a Paragon trembled, feeling a unique power fill her body as the most immediate thing she felt...was the explosion of her Mana Reserves! THRUM! This Paragon reeled in shock as her overabundance of mana reserves as a Paragon exploded out, actually becoming increased by tens of times as aside from this, various sorts of small boosts she didn''t fully understand caused her strength to edge ever so higher. Even though Noah held power at a much lower level than a Paragon currently, the boost of mana he could provide to a lesser extent through the Dao of Fealty was still tremendous! A small example was the Ruination Guider ability that he created long ago! [Ruination Guider] :: When selected, all the beings considered as Subordinates of the Master of Ruination gain 20,000% Increased Comprehension and Assimilation of All Laws and Daos. All those that became Vassals...gained access to a ridiculous amount of boosts as their origins and essence were ballooning up the crazy levels! WAAA! The Paragons of the 4 Bloodline Races watched this scene with sharp eyes as they saw a storm of essence erupt out from the Dragons, their bodies letting out vibrant power as Draconic roars began to reverberate out gloriously. On this day, the powerful figures of the Draconic Race answered the call to Fealty, Noah getting his hands on four Paragons and many Monarchs as Vassals! But he wasn''t done as there were still hundreds of millions of powerful beings that formed the Legions currently all around them, his lustrous eyes staring towards the four Bloodline Races as he wanted them all as Vassals before this Universal War began! Chapter 966 - Phenomenal! The moment that Monarchs and Paragons answered Noah''s call of Fealty, his main body in the Dark Universe exploded in a shower of golden light as his Universal Fortune exploded, but an even more lustrous explosion of golden light that was the Marks of Antiquity eclipsed this! The astounding Marks that even Hegemonies sought after with much fervor coalesced by the thousands instantly, rushing towards him gloriously as he took them all in and branded them onto his galaxies to birth more Dao Galaxies. With this, his strength exploded up even higher as back in the Animus Universe where the Primordial Ruination Clone stood in front of the masses of Dragons pledging Fealty, his aura became even more oppressive! But it wasn''t even Noah that stole the show, but the presence that the Fate Dragon Paragon Quinnie released along with the three other Draconic Paragons that had stepped out from the ranks of the Bloodline Races. ROAAAAR! Draconic bellows erupted out as their bodies felt like they were filled with boundless strength, Quinnie looking towards the figure of Tiamat and Noah in awe as even she had no words for what had happened! ''He truly seems to be at the level of a Great Sage¡­'' She looked towards the being that her Big Sister called Master, the being that also held the title of the Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning and the title of the Tyrannical Emperor. For someone of his level to be able to provide her such strength and cause her mana reserves to explode...she didn''t even know what to make of it as she utterly believed what she had gleaned from Destiny about this champion! This thought also reminded her of something as her sharp eyes looked towards her two daughters not too far away that had also sworn Fealty and become Vassals under the commands of Tiamat. ''I have to make sure what destiny showed as a possibility is completed...they ought to be connected to him in a much closer sense!'' RUMBLE! Unknown thoughts crossed the mind of this Paragon as Tiamat''s boisterous voice reverberated out. "Can you see?! The senses of Paragons and Monarchs should be able to easily pick up the changes on the bodies of the Dragons who just swore Fealty at this moment!" ¡­! Her words were directed at the Monarchs and Paragons of the four Bloodline Races, their eyes shining brilliantly as they felt the astonishing levels of essence shooting off freely from the bodies of the Draconic Paragons and Monarchs. Their eyes honed in on the Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning as many thoughts crossed their minds, also paying attention to the fact that beside him, the figures of a Golden Crow, a Galaxy Devouring Serpent, Oculothorax, Calamity Bear, Colossal Helios Leviathan, and a devilish looking blue haired child! With the enticing call of increased strength for them to survive the coming war paired up with the fact that the being they were giving a portion of their soul to was someone connected to a Hegemony and even the Progenitor of Dragons, they didn''t hold any aversion as soon enough...gorgeous lights began to bloom from the hundreds of millions of powerful figures spread out across the chaotic void. WAA! It was truly a glorious scene in the darkness of the chaotic void! Lights began to shine and brighten up slowly among the ranks of Bloodline Races who read the prompt and then chose to swear fealty, the brightening of a few lights very quickly changing to thousands...and then very quickly being entire regions of the chaotic void where the Legions were clustered doing the same thing. Slowly but surely...they were all pledging Fealty as they sought to gain more strength! What was occurring now was truly monumental and game changing. There would be many winners from it, but nobody would be as big a winner as a single being whose body was brightening up more brilliantly than even a sun. At this moment, even Valentina would be appalled if she knew Noah had long since surpassed the measly 1 million Marks of Antiquity that she had collected after so many years, tens of thousands of golden marks forming around him every single second as more and more beings of the Bloodline Races pledged their Fealty! At this time, Noah''s figure as a Tyrant Dragon was blazing with immense power that bordered the very peak of the level of Great Sage, his mind vibrantly buzzing at the level of power that only kept shooting higher. ''With this¡­!'' His eyes shot out beams of light as he looked at the situation around him, the significance of it not being lost to him as he could use it to his advantage in a myriad of ways! With this single action of using the authorities of Tiamat''s identity and the Hegemony of Summoning, he had obtained Monarchs and Paragons as his Vassals. Such a thing meant that at this moment...he could utilize these beings and even command them, just as long as he didn''t ask them to take their lives or do something over the top! But his eyes honed in on the four Paragons of the Dragon Race as they shone even brighter, these creatures being the ones he could fully utilize them most as aside from their identity as Vassals, they were also beings carrying the blood of the Progenitor that was under a master and summon relationship with him. He was especially focused on the Paragon Quinnie who seemed to be looking at him with the sharpest eyes, golden waves of destiny waving off of her and the region behind her as Noah paid extra attention to her! But with such a force within his hands and the coming war...Noah planned to catapult himself into the rank of Monarch and even possibly Paragon! After all, it was a Universal War filled with Monarchs and Paragons, with many of them having the opportunities to fall and become loot. And with Paragons and Monarchs he could give orders to...a catapult straight through Paragon might not be an impossibility from this Universal War! OOOOOOH! A glorious bellow of victory erupted from him as he felt the boundless strength his Dao Galaxies released, the region around him filled with creatures lighting up gloriously as their Mana Reserves exploded out tens of times, this event marking the first time that within the Primordial Cosmos, the Dao of Fealty was used en masse to create new Vassals. It would be the first time out of many, and it would mark the rise of the terrifying being that would later come to be known by many titles. Some would call him the Hegemony of Ruination, others the Hegemony of Tyranny, others the Hegemony of Conquest, and others would even fearfully utter the dreadful title of...the Antiquity of Mana! Chapter 967 - Lets Get Wild! I A Hegemony was a being that had seen many things in their life, and yet Valentina found herself constantly awed at the actions that a certain being always took. Her eyes were glimmering with lights as she watched the scenes of the Legions of the 4 Bloodline Races pledge their Fealty to him through illusory screens that showed everything occurring in the vast chaotic void! She saw the explosion of mana as all those that pledged Fealty found an explosive increase in strength, and it was more so geared towards their body releasing an overabundance of essence as the core of the boost was their own abilities and potential being raised to the utmost limit! It was like giving water to a starved desert and continuing to feed it, it would eventually sprout lush plains that would change the entire landscape. Valentina thought that the Dao Noah had created worked in this manner, where he somehow granted them immense reserves of essence, and they then utilized this to become their strongest selves! She actually wasn''t too far off with these thoughts, as Noah''s 5% of power he could provide to Paragons was mostly negligible, but the Mana...even in its lesser form, it was a stupendous reward that acted like a tonic to the Paragons as if they were provided with what they needed to perform at their utmost! As the thought of this unique phenomenon passed through her mind, she had a scandalous thought rise up that would cause anyone of her caliber to look at her like she was crazy. ''If he can grant such a boost to Paragons...how would it be if a Hegemony pledged Fealty?'' RUMBLE! Destiny and fortune turned tumultuous around her at the mere mention of this thought! Valentina very quickly shook her head at such a thought as she returned her attention to the many illusory screens that were calming down after the storms of mana died down. She was a Hegemony- a being much too high in status that even the thought of such a reality should be an impossibility! The thought seemed so ludicrous that it went out of her mind just as quickly as it arrived, her gaze on the movements of the Bloodline Races after minutes passed while they went through the period of shock and adapting to their new power. After many had undergone the process of swearing Fealty, Paragon Quinnie had been communicating with Tiamat constantly as she wanted to gain more information on what had happened to her Big Sister and just who was the Champion they had just sworn Fealty to, her eyes shining with blazing light from every word that Tiamat spoke about Noah! When Tiamat mentioned how she was connected to him through the contract of the Dao of Summoning, Quinnie''s eyes became even brighter as if she had finally answered a hard question, her head turning towards her two daughters as she called out resoundingly. "Ava! Olivia! Come forward!" The voice of the Draconic Paragon rang out in the ears of two gorgeous women that were in the lead of an enormous Legion of Galaxy Devouring Serpents. Their curves wriggled in the darkness of the chaotic void as the two Monarchs appeared next to their Mother! Quinnie turned her gaze towards the figure of the Tyrant Dragon that was emanating a unique aura and seemingly enjoying it as his eyes were closed, her aura as a Paragon flying out as she addressed this being for the first time. "Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning! I sensed a connection of destiny between you and my daughters. Please...use them as you wish!" RUMBLE! The demeanor of the Paragon towards the being that was actually in the Great Sages stage was as such, actually being respectful as Quinnie couldn''t help but be this way! After all, the being in front of her was the Apostle of a Hegemony, the Champion to lead them, and also the Master of the Queen Dowager of Dragons. The Master of the Progenitor! What did this make him? Maybe the Paragons of the other 4 Races wouldn''t bring themselves to talk in such a manner to Noah currently, but the terrifying Quinnie found it natural as aside from her status as a Vassal, she knew the ranks within the Dragons very well as the Master of the Progenitor was someone worthy of respect. This was because the Bloodline of a Progenitor was so pure that they must have willingly allowed the contract under the Dao of Summoning to happen, and even now she was choosing not to break it where even with her identity, she took the role of a Summon! It must mean that such a position was extremely pristine! So pristine that a Progenitor of an entire race chose to take one! Quinnie might not be able to take it, but she could at least set up her daughters to be able to take these positions when the Apostle in front of her rose to enough power to be able to form a contract with them. THRUM! Noah''s eyes opened brightly as Quinnie''s words, staring at the faces of the 2 stupefied women that looked towards their mother with utter disbelief! "Oh?" Noah''s resonant voice rang out with dominance as he wasn''t the least bit faltered with the pressure of the Paragon that nodded towards him while giving a cold look to her daughters to obey. "Yes, it would be their honor to possibly be contracted with you when you rise in strength!" WAA! Noah''s eyes shone brightly as he nearly laughed, his main body glancing up to look at the swirling rivers of Universal Fortune above him as he thought- wasn''t it making things too easy for him?! Whether it was through the Protagonist Trait or through his immense Universal Fortune and Destiny, 2 Monarchs were somehow landing on his lap when he made this a goal for this Universal War! ''Nonsensical¡­'' What a Protagonist Trait! What marvelous Universal Fortune! What a way to start off this coming Universal War! Chapter 968 - Lets Get Wild! II Noah had a bright smile as the figure of his Primordial Ruination Clone nodded, glancing towards the two women who were the daughters of a Paragon as he used <> to gaze at them. He nodded his head in understanding as he saw the Fortune of these Monarchs, their curvaceous looks not entering his eyes as he truly cared for their power! He glanced towards Paragon Quinnie and then looked at the powerful Paragon Skyler from far away that was looking towards their direction with worry, realizing these two beings were actually the product of a Galaxy Devouring Serpent and a Fate Dragon! Just what would their power be when he made them his Summons and gave them the essence of two Cosmic Daos among many more things to utilize? Just what would happen when he merged with them and utilized the power of a Monarch with his boosts and skills?! It would mean he would be getting his hands on Monarch Level Cores of beings that had condensed over 50 Billion Galaxies, his breakthrough into this Rank coming too damn soon! ''Very well'' RUMBLE! His essence moved as he spoke while looking towards the two Monarchs Ava and Olivia. "Why wait until later? It can just be done now." ¡­! A light of amazement passed through the eyes of Paragon Quinnie as she sensed the essence of the Dao of Summoning erupt from Noah, forming two unique contracts that shot towards the figure of her two daughters! "This¡­!" Even Ava and Olivia were surprised as these two twins looked at each other with exasperated looks. One had shining golden hair and the other had glorious purple hair, their faces entirely similar as they both looked towards their mother and then at the figure of Tiamat that seemed to be staring at them coldly! Under the gazes of their Progenitor and their Paragon of a mother, the two Monarchs sighed as they accepted the contract that the stupefying being in front of them was somehow able to form even as he already held an overabundance of Summons. Their eyes also danced with a sense of excitement as similar to their mother, they knew that for their Progenitor to choose to obey and keep this being as a Master, there must be something special! Just what was it that caused him to be an Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning and deserve the title of the Master of the Progenitor of Dragons? Just what made this being calling himself the Tyrannical Emperor so special?! RUMBLE! A gorgeous array of colors erupted out between the figures of Noah and Two Monarchs. He was within the Level of Great Sage, the two of them at the Monarch Stage! Yet...a contract was being formed where he was the Master and they were the Summons! It was something only possible because of Noah''s [Archaic Contract]! WAA! The bodies of the twins carrying some of the purest Bloodlines of two Supreme Races glimmered with light, feeling a strong light reach the deepest corners of their Origins as they felt an astoundingly strong consciousness connect to them. ¡­! This dreadful consciousness felt vast and endless, and what was more terrifying was what it began passing through to them! It was...endless Mana! They thought that becoming Vassals had exploded their Mana Reserves crazily, but they never would have expected the being they swore Fealty to would actually have...endless amounts of Mana. "This¡­" With identical expressions, they stared towards Noah in awe as their mother nodded when seeing such a look, their Father far behind them with shaken eyes as he felt like he just lost his daughters to a thug he barely met! The twins looked at each other as they felt the outpouring of mana, and Noah glanced at them voraciously as he wanted to get a taste of the power of a Monarch. WAA! Power bellowed out of him as the many Paragons focused on his position, their eyes opening in a stupor as they saw the aura of a Cosmic Dao rising from Noah and going on to envelop his new Summons! "...!" A Cosmic Dao on a Great Sage! Such a thing was extremely horrifying, as only the most genius of beings at the Paragon Levels would be capable of comprehending a Cosmic Dao, the Tiamat of the past being one of them! Even at this very moment among the Legions present, there was a handful of Paragons that had comprehended a Cosmic Dao, Paragon Skyler that led the Galaxy Devouring Serpents being among them as he was currently comprehending the Cosmic Dao of Devouring. ROAAR! The twins felt the outpouring of essence as they couldn''t help but transform, their glorious forms being released as their auras seemed to climb crazily to the very peak of the Monarch Rank! The forms of the twins became apparent to all, the beautiful scene of a draconic serpent with glimmering golden scales and sharp wings appearing alongside another draconic Serpent with shining purple scales and even sharper wings, the forms of the mixture of Dragons and Serpents melding together into something breathtaking. OOOOOH! Frightful bellows were released from the two Monarchs as any of those in the same level and below felt their hearts tighten, Noah''s eyes shining brightly as he knew with this...he could actually begin farming Monarchs when this war began! "Good!" RUMBLE He nodded his head towards Quinnie as he admired the might of the twist Ava and Olivia, his overpowering demeanor turning towards the billions of creatures of the Bloodline Races around him. A majority of them were made up of Entities with a fraction being Sages and Great Sages, and then even smaller amounts of Monarchs that went to the thousands, and the Paragons that led them that were less than 50! Noah glanced at this monstrous force and the Paragons that could still smash him to bits if they moved against him as he admired their power and waited for this rank himself, his voice beginning to reverberate out as he- a mere Great Great Sage, took his role as the Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning to lead these powerful Legions into battle! Chapter 969 - A Universal War! I The resonant voice of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor erupted out. "A few light years away from here...lies the Draconic Holy Lands where The Hegemony of Slaughter has promised to massacre the remaining Dragons within their very homes." RUMBLE! His voice echoed on the deepest depths of the hearts of Dragons that let out powerful roars, their blood boiling as the return of their Progenitor with this powerful being meant a grand future awaited them! "Our goal is to stop this if it hasn''t started...or to avenge all the fallen if the massacre has begun! But the result of this war will remain the same- freedom for the Supreme Bloodlines!" OOOOH! "Freedom from tyranny!" "Freedom from Slaughter!" WAA! "Those that have pledged Fealty know that they will have nothing to worry about during this battle...you all can let loose and go wild!" OOOOH! A world shaking aura spread out with Noah at the center, his aura just continuing to billow upwards as his main body was getting smashed with Marks of Antiquity at this point, the numbers of powerful beings that had sworn Fealty within the Legions being too many. Even those that hadn''t accepted it, they would have the option to do so in the future as soon as they thought about pledging Fealty! "Let''s go!" RUMBLE The Apostle of the Hegemony of Summoning gave the go-ahead for the Legions of the 4 Bloodline Races to begin moving. Legions filled with powerful beings up to the levels of Great Sages, Monarchs, and Paragons! Most were already his Vassals, very few Paragons and Monarchs not fully committing to Fealty as Noah would simply wait for them. During the battle when they became exhausted...Noah would wait for them then as he would send the prompt right then and there! THRUUUM The chaotic void quaked and brightened at the sight of billions of powerful experts moving across, the scale of this Universal War being something that very few could grasp. The numbers could have very well been in the trillions or quadrillions if beings below the ranks of Entities were among the Legions, but only those considered the strongest, which were Entities and above- were brought! The 4 Bloodline Races that stood with the Hegemony of Summoning prepared their Legions as they neared the Draconic Holy Lands, while the 5 Bloodline Races that sides with the Hegemony of Slaughter had long since prepared their Legions as horrendous actions were occurring within the Draconic Holy Lands. At the same time, news of the reappearance of the Progenitor of Dragons spread out from the Legions to even the beings left behind in the Holy Lands of the Bloodline Races, Tiamat''s reappearance becoming widely known in a matter of time! This was just one of the many events and changes that would come from the Universal War of the Animus Universe. A War brought about not by the hands of its natives, but foreign Hegemonies that chose to reside here! It was the Universal War that would accelerate the already absurd rise of a nonsensical being! --- The Draconic Holy Lands were the largest clusters of Galaxies and Planets among any of the regions of the Animus Universe, the strongest Dragon Race having ruled here in the past with utter regality and strength. Yet at current times, their forces were splintered and scattered, some of their most powerful Paragons and Monarchs being among the ranks of the 4 Bloodline Races following the Hegemony of Summoning, others in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters fighting bloody slaughter daily, with very few being left within the Draconic Holy Lands as they were currently occupied by the forces of the 5 Bloodline Races under the influence of the Hegemony of Slaughter! At this moment, there was a buzz of activity around the Galaxy Clusters of the Draconic Holy Lands as in the vicinity, billions of powerful auras were clustered to form many Legions in square formations. The 5 Bloodline Races under Ambrose were the first ones to be told to prepare for war and do something even more dreadful, where there were terrible scenes of rivers of blood currently freely flowing in the chaotic void where these Legions stood waiting! The Legions of course consisted of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race, White Tiger Race, Qilin Race, the Phoenix Race...and the Golden Cyclops Race. Across the vast expanse of the chaotic void, the terrifying images of a planet-sized Paragons in the forms of a majestic Nine-Tailed foxes could be seen, and the regal kingly auras of white furred Tigers releasing galaxy shattering auras permeated throughout! Resplendent looking Legions of Phoenixes carrying all sorts of flames, of the Qilin Paragons that looked like mythical creatures of out the most far reaching fantasy, of the enormous Golden Cyclops that looked like humanoid golden statues that brightened up the chaotic void! All of these beings floated among the rivers of blood as they looked forward, sensing movements in front of them as it began as minuscule as a buzz, and gradually grew to become deafening as the auras of many frighteningly powerful creatures could be felt. OOOOOH! The eyes of the many Paragons on the side of the 5 Bloodline Races felt their eyes constrict in a somber tone as they began to feel the auras of their coming enemies, and they were startled to find the strongest auras of Paragons were overpoweringly immense! They would find out the reason for this soon enough, but it was the arriving Legions that a certain champion led who would find themselves in even more shock and stupor as they saw the scenes of the displayed Legions of the Bloodline Races under the Influence of the Hegemony of Slaughter. Noah''s Tyrant Dragon figure was at the very forefront as his summons were behind him, Paragons following right after as they were the first to come across the horrific scenes of the rivers blood that flowed silently in front of the 5 Bloodline Races! It was rivers of blood...and the mutilated and dismembered bodies of an uncountable number of dragons! Decapitated heads of majestic Life Dragons could be seen still barely pulsing with essence, ruptured wings of enormous planet sized Earth Dragons, and the torn limbs of Aether Dragons, Chaos Dragon...all sorts of Dragons. There was an uncountable number of them massacred as their bodies formed rivers of blood across the chaotic void, the words of the Hegemony of Slaughter actually coming to be true as the large number of Dragons remaining in the Draconic Holy Lands were butchered by the 5 Bloodline Races! Butchered and then displayed in front of those coming to save them! Ah! Chapter 970 - A Universal War! II Not too long ago, a Great Sage that had stood up to the authority of the Hegemony of Slaughter had told every being watching him in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters that anyone who followed the commands of the Hegemony of Slaughter and unjustly killed those of the Dragon Race would face his full wrath! He had said this as many beings gained a sense of apprehension, but they looked at his rank as a Great Sage and ignored his words, where they followed the command sent by Ambrose when it came. The command told them to cleanse the Draconic Holy Lands of all Dragons...to kill the race of beings in their own homes! A cruel action! A genocide! A nauseating action that did not befit the marvelous races of the Supreme Bloodlines that once ruled the Animus Universe in peace and harmony! Yet when you had a terribly powerful being in the lead as he gave commands to those who he influenced and listened to him blindly...such atrocious actions can bloom. In an isolated area of space, the Hegemony of Slaughter was watching the scene of dismembered dragons in large numbers as the sheer amount of slaughter had granted him numerous Marks of Antiquity- Slaughter that was enough to cause rivers of blood to form in the chaotic void as it created for an abominable scene that Ambrose had come across too many times in his long life! To him, it was merely slaughter- it was the norm and even something he spread across many Universes of the Primordial Cosmos! "If he doesn''t fall here and this battle is not won, we shall send a Hegemony after him and we simply start the process of Universal Amalgamation early¡­" RUMBLE! He spoke while looking at the illusory screens displaying many scenes, the other Hegemony beside him, Solerno, replied with sharp eyes. "I''ve alerted the others just in case. You know that once we do this, we cannot go back, Ambrose." "I know." The eyes of the Hegemony of Slaughter were cold as he continued. "But we cannot move forward without this. Reaching the rank of Antiquity is too hard to reach, and nobody has been able to comprehend the Cosmic Dao of Ruination to be capable enough to leave this Primordial Cosmos!" RUMBLE! "The Universal Amalgamation will begin the process of Accumulation as all we have to do is wait until the completion. After that¡­as it was, so it shall be once again." Solerno''s eyes shone brightly at the words of Ambrose as he nodded, a smile appearing on his face as the two powerful Hegemonies watched the Legions of the strongest forces of the Animus Universe meet under their influence, a war about to break out as immense slaughter would take place! Regardless of who won this Universal War, Ambrose would take another step in his Dao Of Slaughter as any being killed on either side meant more for him! Solerno couldn''t help but smile at this scene as he thought expectantly of the future. Of a stage nobody within the Primordial Cosmos could reach, of the word that only ever remained a word for many beings throughout their lives. It was...Antiquity! "You are right! As it was, so shall it be...haha!" RUMBLE! --- Two Hegemonies watched from their own isolated space, and a lone Hegemony of Summoning watched from her own isolated space as the scenes of the massacred dragons within the Draconic Holy Lands became clear. "You dared¡­!" Off in the distance, Tiamat''s body was trembling with untold wrath as she saw the rivers of blood and the dismembered bodies of dragons strewn about! They didn''t just massacre them, they wanted to make a spectacle out of them as after the massacre, they laid out the innumerable numbers of bodies in the chaotic void for them to see! Paragon Quinnie trembled with rage as her eyes shot out gorgeous fate flames, this Fate Dragon glancing at the planet sized Nine-Tailed Fox Paragon that was in the lead on all the forces opposing them as she called out with a dreadful voice. "Cowards! Cowards with no honor! You did not use to be like this, the Supreme Races used to be Noble!" RUMBLE! OOOOOOH! The bellows and angered cries of Dragons reverberated out as the Legions filled with billions arrived to see the distasteful scene of rivers of blood and the dismembered heads of dragons displayed clearly, Noah''s body palpating with the essence of a Cosmic Dao as he was the one to move forward and stand in front of all the Legions- glancing and taking the eyes of all the Paragons of the 5 Bloodline Races unto him. Under his command, everyone else stayed back as he floated forward, an eerie silence descending unto the battlefield as while surrounded by billions upon billions of powerhouses, a lone Tyrant Dragon went forward across the chaotic void, appearing where the dismembered bodies of dragons formed rivers of blood as he looked at them silently! At this point, the marvelous scene of his only figure being in the middle of two terrifying armies could be seen, his draconic head rising up as he stared fearlessly into the eyes of the Paragons of the 5 Bloodline Races that looked towards him with shining eyes! "I told you all before that anybody who follows the commands of the Hegemony of Slaughter to carry out such senseless genocide would perish." THRUM! His voice was like a clap onto the ears of every being that participated in the massacre of the Dragons in the Draconic Holy Land in the last day, their hearts shaking slightly as a harrumph came from the planet sized Nine-Tailed Fox whose body began to burn brightly, his voice smashing towards Noah as a second later, multiple auras of Monarchs and multiple Paragons rose up! "Let''s see how you accomplish that!" WAA! ...! It felt like time came to a stop. Those watching from all sides focused with intensity as the appalling scene of tens of Monarchs and the auras of 5 Paragons appearing out of nowhere, all of these being instantly materializing and surrounding the lone figure of the Tyrant Dragon! It felt like a high level Teleportation Skill, and it allowed for the instantaneous appearance of multiple Monarchs and 5 Paragons to suddenly appear and surround the being honoring the rivers of blood of dead Dragons! The scene was dreadful, to say the least. The Paragons were from each of the 5 Bloodline Races, a Nine-Tailed Fox Paragon that palpated with arcs of deadly crimson light, a Qilin and White Tiger who glimmered with an aura of purity and strength, and the vibrant auras of a Golden Cyclops and a resplendent Phoenix that made it seem like a shining sun had appeared! These Paragons acted quickly before the Universal War even began as the Hegemony of Slaughter had given them a very important message- out of everyone, their one and only target remained the being that was the Tyrant Dragon calling himself the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor. To achieve this, an ambush of 5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs was set up in waiting just for this moment! All of them targeting a single Great Sage! Chapter 971 - A Dreadful Cosmic Treasure Targets Monarchs And Paragons! 5 Paragons! They instantly appeared around Noah as their auras blazed out wildly! Paragon Quinnie''s eyes opened in a stupor as in this instance where it felt like time was moving in slow motion, her body burned with the light of fate as she began to move forward. The other Paragons among the 4 Bloodline Races did the same as they looked forward in utter shock at the fact that their enemies would be so dishonorable as to send 5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs against a single being- a Great Sage at that! What they failed to notice was how all of Noah''s summons and even his Subordinates that he brought from the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Cluster remained still. Even in such a scene, their eyes weren''t filled with even a hint of worry! The same could be said to the being surrounded by the 5 Paragons himself, his eyes exceedingly calm as while the space shattering strength of Paragons and Monarchs shot towards him, the body of the Primordial Ruination Clone called out softly. [Plot Armor]. WAA! [Life Realm]. THRUM! [One Body, One Soul]. RUMBLE! [Chains of Annihilation], [Apocalypse]. WAA! A myriad of abilities were activated at once. The terrifying auras of the newly contracted Ava and Olivia, two Monarch level Dragons carrying the blood of two Supreme Races- their auras entirely disappeared as they went to fuse into Noah, his aura beginning to rise intensely! At the same time, [Life Realm] moved like a flash of light as it covered the Paragons and Monarchs rushing towards Noah, this particular Life Realm being tinged with the essence of two Cosmic Daos and being activated while under the power of a Monarch level Noah that was fused with two genuine powerful Monarchs! It was entirely black as nobody could see what was happening within the Life Realm, the attacks of terrifying Paragons and Monarchs landing on Noah''s body the moment that this Life Realm covered them, those watching and those rushing towards Noah only seeing a flash of light as all the figures of Noah and his attacks became enveloped in a black Realm. BOOM! The chaotic void splintered as Paragon Quinnie''s advancement to try and help Noah was stopped by a White Tiger Paragon, such scenes continuing to occur in the next second as many Paragons clashed! ¡­! A sense of surprise struck every single Paragon from the side of the 5 Bloodline Races as they felt shocking impacts from the enemy Paragons they faced, finding them utilizing shocking power as their bodies glimmered with the light of many skills! These beings had no knowledge of the boost that these Paragons had just taken by becoming Vassals of a certain someone! Time seemed to still be moving very slowly, all these events having just occurred in the span of fewer than 3 seconds as at this moment, our eyes turn towards the situation within the black Realm that nobody could see through, the realm where the attacks of 5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs landed on Noah. RUUUMBLE! The attacks came from all sides, smashing onto the scales of the Tyrant Dragon as they should have ripped apart everything they came across and caused the body of this Great Sage to be nothing but ash in just a second. BOOOOM! Yet...the attacking Paragons and Monarchs felt the force of attacks they threw bouncing back at them, their eyes opening in utter shock and even a sense of horror as they saw somehow...not even a scratch was on the body of the Tyrant Dragon! Not even a scratch! BOOM! Their bodies were pushed back from the repulsive force as they smashed into the small area of the Life Realm Noah had intentionally made small, the Paragons reacting the fastest as even with the shock, they still moved to attack the majestic figure of the Tyrant Dragon that was staring at them coldly, as if their attacks would never be able to reach him! What power could defy the strength of 5 Paragons? What power could actually make it so that the damage of 5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs was nullified to nothingness?! Should such a thing even exist? It seemed to break the very balance of power as 5 Paragons could not reap the life of a single Great Sage! RUMBLE! No answer would arrive on this day as Noah kept his cold and domineering look, his chest shining brightly as a certain Cosmic Treasure was transferred from his main body and into the body of the Primordial Ruination Clone. The Cosmic Treasure had many features, with Noah being able to utilize them even without it being present. But when it was present, the features could be utilized by the Cosmic Treasure itself as their extent became utterly horrendous! Noah gave a simple command as he let mana freely rush into the Cosmic Treasure. "Turn this entire area into a Sea of Ruination. Keep a constant and continuous casting of the feature of Ruination Rupture Generation all around us." [Yes, Master.] RUUUUUMBLE! The Master of the Cosmic Treasure gave the command, and the Cosmic Treasure obeyed! Just what was a Cosmic Treasure? Why did even the strongest of Universal Hegemonies seek one yet never find one their entire lives? RIIIIIP! The answer was something that 5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs were about to experience first hand, something that should have been entirely impossible, and yet it occurred nonetheless! The very space they were on began to rupture. The ruptures did not reveal chaotic void, but something that none of them had ever come across in their lives, something that only Hegemonies would occasionally stare at from a distance as even they looked at with a sense of carefulness! It was the generation of ruptures that held the very essence of the Sea of Ruination that tore apart anyone that did not have this essence coursing through their bodies. RIIIIP! With Noah at the starting point, Ruptures were constantly and continuously cast as they appeared to fully cover the entire small region of the Life Realm, every single area of this Realm instantly turning into the Sea of Ruination! What this shocking reality would cause...was something that should in no way be possible- something that utterly ignored the balance of power! It was a Magisterial scene that nobody would be able to see, a dictatorial reality of such grandeur and majesty that it should have been recorded and shown to generations of beings across the Primordial Cosmos! It was...the decimation of Monarchs and Paragons that was dealt by a mere Great Sage. A Great Sage that offensively wielded his Cosmic Treasure fully for the first time! AH! Chapter 972 - Lay Waste To Monarchs And Paragons! Dreadful. A horrendous and simply overpowering feeling of terror! That was what a current Monarch was feeling, the surrounding area they were in being something that would cause even Hegemonies to pause in fear! It was the appearance of a space not within the bounds of the Cosmos, a place very few beings knew as the Sea of Ruination that devoured everything stepping into it! OOOOOOH! Bellows rang throughout as at this moment, time still felt like it was moving in slow motion. The terrifying majesty of the magisterial Tyrant Dragon reigned supreme as from it, enormous chains of annihilation originated as they wrapped around the bodies of tens of Monarchs and the 5 Paragons! The area also trembled with destructive elements as Apocalypse was cast, turning this area into one of utter chaos and instability as no teleportations could be performed! The Paragons that were truly powerful...even they found themselves struggling as the moment that the entire area of the small Realm turned into a Sea of Ruination, any of those moving within that had not comprehended the Cosmic Dao of Ruination would feel like they were in a quagmire where even movement was night impossible. So even though they were insanely powerful beings trapped in a small Life Realm they could most likely break with just a punch, they actually could not reach the barrier of this Realm to break out as they could not even move their bodies towards it! It was because at this moment, the destructive and annihilatory quality of the Sea of Ruination was fully displayed, grinding down and beginning to destroy the very soul and Origins of the Monarchs and Paragons. All of their mana was rushing towards protecting themselves- trying their best just to not allow their Origins to break down as the Ruination Sea all around them continued unabated! They could not defend. They truly could not defend! The Paragons had such tremendous strength that had not even been properly displayed at this stage, but even they could not move as this terrifying quality of the Sea of Ruination was what made possible for the next absurd event that would allow for a chaotic future to occur! Tens of Monarchs and 5 Paragons that were locked in a Realm. Their bodies not even being able to move as the Sea of Ruination made it so they could only try to defend and nothing else! All that was left after all these factors¡­.was death. An outrageous and nonsensical death as the mighty Paragons that took the task to assassinate the Tyrant Dragon to gain the favor of the Hegemony of Slaughter felt their Origins crying out fearfully, Ruination Essence fully filling up their most sacred placed to the brim as it began to be broken down! The Origins cried, their souls cried, and they could still not do a single thing! RUUUMBLE! The Monarchs fell first one after another. CRACK! The manifested Galaxies numbering in the 100 Billion that all Paragons could achieve...one such Origin was seen fracturing as a Paragon...faced their death. A Paragon! A being right before the stage of a Universe! A being that had forged 100 Billion Galaxies and just missed the last step into the Universal Realm that very few beings ever made! Such a being was actually killed by the machinations of a Great Sage¡­ The instant that the Figures of Monarchs and first Paragon fractured and had their Origins destroyed, gorgeously shining Cores that shimmered with the light of billions of Galaxies appeared, and the moment they appeared the Sea of Ruination that was pervasive in all the areas moved away from the cores to make sure they weren''t destroyed or touched by the Ruination Essence in the slightest! WAA! Another Paragon fell! "No¡­!" A roar came from another as he screamed out in sheer disbelief and rage, but the Ruination Essence entered his throat even faster as he perished a second later. A Nine-Tailed Fox, a White Tiger, a Qilin, a Phoenix...and a Golden Cyclops. 5 Paragons of each race. 5 beings of utmost power in the level below Universal Hegemonies! All of them...fell in the next second as the black Realm that nobody could see the events of became silent! "..." Noah stared at this scene coldly as not a trace of emotion passed in his heart. He domineeringly glanced at the scene of glimmering Loot of Monarchs and Paragons floating beautifully in between the Sea of Ruination that the Cosmic Treasure was controlling with such terrifying efficiency that not a single Core was even touched and destroyed by Ruination! All the Ruptures receded. A wondrously shining Cosmic Treasure appeared and sank back into Noah''s origin, the fused souls of the Twin Monarchs Noah merged with to show an even greater output of power at the Monarch Realm just in case could not even speak as their minds buzzed with the scene they just observed. They sank even further into Noah''s consciousness as they felt a terrifying fear from the Ruination Sea that had receded, the area becoming calm once more! Time seemed to resume. Noah waved his hands as he collected numerous Monarch and Paragon level loot, sending it into his Cosmic Treasure for Duplication right away. The body of the Primordial Ruination Clone consequently then disappeared, and an identical body appeared that was just another clone to replace it. The Life Realm that was created in less than a minute began to shatter and recede as if nothing ever happened. As if tens of Monarchs and 5 Paragons had not just died within! --- The many Paragons, Monarchs, Great Sages, and billions upon billions of Sages and Entities watched the black Realm that had slowly begun to shatter just less than a minute after its formation. Such a thing meant the Great Sage that had created it had of course not been able to hold on for even a minute under the assault of 5 Paragons! "Vile! How far have you fallen to tarnish the name of the Bloodline Races!" Paragon Quinnie voiced out boisterously at this, everyone waiting with anticipation to see the dismembered body of the Tyrant Dragon as 5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs came out victorious. After all, this was a natural result! Yet¡­ RUUUUUMBLE! The chaotic void became silent as when the small Black Realm shattered, it disappeared to reveal the single figure of a Tyrant Dragon. A Tyrant Dragon overlooking everything with utter disdain and regality, a Dragon releasing such utter fucking majesty that he seemed to become the center of attention among the billions of creatures present here! He...stood there alone with nobody else in sight! Chapter 973 - Utter Majesty! Utter Power! Utter Tyranny! So fucking dictatorial! That was the only way to describe such an utterly dominating scene, a scene nobody expected to see at the end of this! He stood there alone, not a single Paragon or Monarch being seen around him. Paragon Quinnie became quiet and blank. The Billions of beings from all 9 Supreme Bloodlines became quiet! The Great Sages, Monarchs, Paragons¡­.everyone from both sides of the myriad of Legions became blank as their minds buzzed with incredulity and awe! Not a single soul spoke or said a word! Far away from them, a Hegemony''s fair body was trembling as her face shone with awe and mysticism. Valentina felt the space around her trembling as she nearly lost control of her abundant essence, not having any words to say as she was utterly quiet as well! In another region even further away, two Hegemonies were also watching the illusory screens displaying the scene, Ambrose and Solerno looking at the scene with blank faces as even they were quiet. 5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs ambushed a Great Sage. When the dust cleared, only the Great Sage survived! The Paragons and Monarchs were nowhere to be seen! RUMBLE! Those most affected by this were the Paragons of the 5 Bloodline Races, their eyes searching every nook and cranny of the crevices of space around the magisterial Tyrant Dragon for signs of the Paragons and Great Sages that assaulted them, but they found nothing. Yet they found nothing! In the midst of all this, the Tyrant Dragon opened its jaws as its terrifying voice reverberated out for all to hear. "I told you all it would not matter whether you are a Great Sage or Paragon, I would kill all those following the orders of the Hegemony of Slaughter no matter their rank!" RUUUUUUMBLE! Awe! Shock! Stupor! Everyone was utterly quiet as nobody could refute or say anything. The Paragons in their high and mighty stature were saying nothing, their eyes flashing with apprehension! The magnetic eyes of the Tyrant Dragon looked towards the Billions of creatures that were in front of it, not a single one of them moving towards him. "That promise...I will keep. I will make sure that everyone who caused these rivers of blood and butchered innocent dragons dies in the worst way possible!" WAA! "5 Paragons and tens of Monarchs just ambushed me, why don''t more of you come right now?" TRHUM! Words of utter arrogance and might rang out, openly calling for the Monarchs and Great Sages that wanted to assassinate him to come forward. "..." Not a single being moved. The scene remained quiet! "You received a command from your favorite Hegemony of Slaughter to kill me yes? Here I am, come and kill!" WAA! Still, nobody moved forward! Not a single soul! Before the Paragons and Monarchs figures out what happened to cause the disappearance of 5 genuine Paragons and tens of Monarchs, they would not move as such a thing made this magisterial scene of a single Great Sage standing against an entire Legion of Billions of beings...and not a single one moved against him. His mere demeanor and words were enough to stop them all. What might! What majesty! What tyranny! "Since you all are simply cowards, then you can watch!" THRUUUUM! He told them that since they could not move, they would have to watch! What exactly did he want them to watch though? To understand this, we have to go back to when Noah teleported the body of the Primordial Ruination Clone and replaced it with the normal clone that everyone was looking at currently. The Primordial Ruination Clone disappeared into the Ruination Realm that had a time ratio of 1000:1, where 1000 minutes there was only 1 minute, or we can say 60 seconds in the outside Cosmos! Within the Ruination Realm, the Primordial Ruination Clone that had the boost of +100,000% in Realm Progression pulled out the duplicated Cores of Monarchs and Paragons that were just taken down in the artificially created Sea of Ruination. THRUM! The Monarch level cores buzzed with tens of billions of illusory galaxies, while the Paragon Cores were without a doubt each holding the image of 100 Billion Galaxies! Duplicated Cores from 5 Paragons and tens of monarchs now lay in Noah''s hands as the only question that remained was just how high would he be able to reach with these things in hand?! The answer could only be experienced as the Primordial Ruination Clone began to absorb the Monarch level cores first, pushing the formation of Galaxies ever higher within the Ruination Realm. Such a process would take some time, where the forging of cores in his Origin and completely absorbing an entire Core taking few minutes. But with the time dilation of the Ruination Realm, every passing second outside was 1000 seconds in the Realm, or 16 minutes! 1 second within the cosmos was 16 minutes in the Ruination Realm, meaning that however many billions of cores that Noah forged within his Origin when he finished absorbing the Monarch and Paragon level Cores in just minutes would be expressed in seconds for those watching his body in the outside Cosmos! And this...was exactly what happened. This was what Noah told them all to watch! ¡­! The atmosphere around the magisterial looking Tyrant Dragon clone raged as after its words, the eyes of billions of powerful beings focused on its expansive chest where a manifested cluster of Galactic Filaments could be seen. Their attention was drawn here they saw the vibrant 48 Billion Galaxies that represented a Great Sage just below the Realm of a Monarch, and their eyes shook when in the next second, the inconceivable scene of over 1 Billion Galaxies suddenly appearing within the Manifested Origin as the pressure this being released increased by another level! RUMBLE! A preposterous scene! Over a billion galaxies forged in a second...it was not something one could see as a reality! The eyes of many constricted at such a scene as they then began to tremble, as before even another second passed, another 1 Billion Galaxy materialized in the fantastical Manifested Origin of this being. Before they could even blink, yet another 1 Billion appeared as to their dismay, they realized the 50 Billion benchmark that represented a Monarch had already been passed! Monarch! Yet...the unimaginable would continue to occur as every single being watching was in for an incredible show! Chapter 974 - Merely Jumping Across Stages! The stages of power were widely known among the truly powerful beings. Many knew that to be considered a Monarch, you had to surpass the threshold of 50 Billion Galaxies and open up the next gate of Purification, having your Origin and Soul refined by 50%! At this moment, this phenomenon took place at a very rapid pace as a few billion galaxies were formed in seconds, a being very easily stepping into the ranks of Monarchs. In the Universal Core of the Dark Universe. The space above Noah''s main body splintered and cracked as extremely pure Primordial Essence rushed out! This was a phenomenon that only occurred when one crossed a certain threshold, and Noah had just now met it as this essence was coming to purify Noah''s origin and soul, granting him even more boosts! The boosts were of course to All Parameters as when reaching the rank of a Monarch and forging over 50 Billion Galaxies, a being could open up their Origin to receive more Primordial Essence up to 50%! 50% for a total of +500,000% to All Parameters! It was the reason for the tremendous strength that Monarchs displayed over Great Sages, and Noah had now opened the floodgates to it in seconds as in inclusion to this, one must also keep in mind the Ruination Essence purification of 15% Noah also had. It was boosts on top of boosts that were bound to birth something wondrous, and he was achieving them in seconds! WAA! At the same time, in a region of time space deep in the Universal Core, a Clone called out the real bodies of Noah''s first 8 summons aside from the newly contracted Twins, beginning the process of elevating their stage from Great Sage to Monarch as their Galaxies also began to grow at a fast rate! This created for the continuing incredulous scene in the Animus Universe where in front of the bloodied chaotic space of the Draconic Holy Lands, one being caught the eyes of billions. In the middle of the opposing Legions that held Billions upon Billions of powerful beings, the dreadful scene continued as with what seemed like the passing of even less than half a second, 1 Billion new Galaxies would be forged in the Manifested Galaxy of the Tyrant Dragon as in a matter of just 10 seconds, the number of forged Galaxies were 63 Billion. From 51 Billion that labeled him a Monarch to 63 Billion forged Galaxies...it took less than 10 seconds! "This¡­!" The scalps of many beings tingled fearfully at such a scene as they knew if it continued...if it truly continued¡­! A sense of fear...began to permeate in the camp of Legions that were the enemy of the Tyrant Dragon as they watched this scene in utter stupefaction. RUMBLE 10 seconds passed. Another 10 Billion Galaxies were inexplicably forged. OOOOOH! The Tyrant Dragon let out a tremendously powerful bellow as pure power emanate from it, this roar waking many of the beings up from their stupor as they fully took in the sight in front of them and what it truly meant! "You...you can''t¡­" Among the ranks of the Legions of the 5 Bloodline Races, some Monarchs fell to their knees when looking at the scene. One particular Monarch couldn''t help but mutter when he looked at the scene and remembered how he and all his compatriots had risen through the ranks and forged their Galaxies, how it had taken them a grueling amount of thousands upon thousands of years to do it! "You can''t just do that¡­!" THRUM! They found the scene in front of their eyes unbelievable, but it just kept on going. Another 10 seconds passed, and the total number of Galaxies they could see were already at 83 Billion! Even Paragon Quinnie and the powerful Bloodline Paragons that were the followers of the Hegemony of Summoning looked at the being they knew with many titles in shock as even they could not follow along, only following with eyes that nearly popped out of their sockets at the reality that just did not stop! 90 Billion! 95 Billion! ...100 Billion!!! RUUUUMBLE! The chaotic void quaked. "..." There was a moment of silence as it seemed everything had calmed down, as if all that had just occurred was just a mirage. But¡­ ROAAAAAR! The bellow of a Tyrant Dragon that released an aura much higher than a Paragon woke everyone up as it was ascertained that what had just occurred was real! From 48 Billion Galaxies and all the way to 100 Billion Galaxies. From Great Sage to a Monarch and now...on the cusp of a Paragon! All of it...under a minute. "Impossible¡­" A Paragon of the Nine-Tailed Fox race muttered with utter disbelief! What exactly was the stage of a Paragon? It was a being that had achieved 100 Billion forged Galaxies- a prerequisite for one to have in order to even stand a chance of establishing a Universe! An insurmountably hard stage to reach! Such a rank was extremely pristine and hard to reach as the further one progressed after 50 Billion Galaxies, the harder it was to form more Galaxies and even reach the prized 100 Billion. This was why among the 9 Supreme Bloodline Races, the Paragons were renowned and well known because there were so few of them. Yet...the being in front of them had made it look too easy! Unbeknownst to them, even more Primordial Essence began to pour out over the main body of Noah in the Dark Universe, his aura being elevated to even greater proportions as at his current stage where 100 Billion Galaxies were fully forged, 75% of his Origin and Soul could be purified. It was an additional 25%, and there was a remaining 25% to bring the full circle of 100% Purification of body and soul! For a being to be able to achieve 100% Purification, there was an extra step that had to be taken after the formation of 100 Billion galaxies- and this was the step that prevented the masses from ever even achieving the requirements of stepping forward to touch the Realm of a Universe! Even Noah...could not achieve this yet as after he reached 100 Billion forged Galaxies, his clone found that the absorbed Paragon Cores granted him nothing else! His eyes turned sharp as his attention returned to the astounded beings watching him from all angles, his gaze waving around to the Paragons and Monarchs of the 5 Bloodline Races as his eyes released beams of powerful light. With a figure showing a Manifested Origin of 100 Billion Galaxies, with his aura ever continuously rising with the constant purification his main body was releasing...his voice ementated out as it was the nail in the coffin of this grand event! "It is merely advancing from Great Sage to Paragon in seconds, no need for you all to be so shocked." "..." RUUUUMBLE! Chapter 975 - A Blood Debt Must Be Repaid By Blood! I Valentina quite literally had no words at this moment! Her vibrant dark hair flowed down to her shoulders as she silently looked at the scenes displayed in the illusory screen before her, not knowing what to make of it as her hands unconsciously reached the Golden Mirror where she could contact a certain person. Her dazed eyes couldn''t help but unconsciously reach for the mirror and input her mana into it , a voice ringing out from it a few seconds later that brought her back to her senses! "What''s up? A tad bit busy at the moment¡­" THRUM! In the mirror, the magisterial scene of an incredulous amount of Primordial Essence swimming around Noah and delving into him was apparent, his chest showing a glorious Manifested Origin of beautiful 100 Billion Galaxies! "You¡­!" Valentina could only stare towards this figure in shock as words didn''t even come to her mouth! --- A vast distance away from all this was the isolated space where two Hegemonies were floating in front of a huge illusory image of a particular Slaughter Star Monolith, these two beings having their gazes currently attracted to the same scenes that many powerful beings of the Animus Universe were currently seeing. "How is this possible?" Solerno was looking at the scene with sharp eyes as Ambrose had a dark expression, his voice coming out coldly as his eyes honed in on Noah''s figure! "I told you- their Universal Fortune is somehow so high that it possibly even exceeds mine, which is an impossibility by itself! This is also why I thought it a possibility that even if all this might fail, we needed to have Hegemony Dark Shadow ready to act¡­" RUMBLE! "But it is too soon!" Solerno replied with sharp eyes as Ambrose nodded, both Hegemonies agreeing on the issue as at this moment¡­ "We can only wait to see the results of this, and whether what we''re seeing now is truly true." Yes! They could only wait to see the results of this shocking Universal War! ---- With a shocking amount of essence raging around him, the being in question causing everything was completing a myriad of things at once as in the stupor of everyone having their eyes on him, few had begun to notice that the body of his summons had also been erupting with the number of forged Galaxies, and there was a special significance to his summons breaking past the ranks of Great Sages and heading towards Paragon! The two summons of interest were of course the ones holding the greatest identities among Noah''s summons- the unique Blue Slime and the Queen Dowager that was the Progenitor of Dragons. In the descriptions when Noah first got them, it was listed for Tiamat that [...When she completes the process of her rebirth and regains all her memories, she will awaken her comprehension in the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation]. It was also written for the Blue Slime that [...When it fully becomes a Universal Emperor Slime, it will naturally awaken the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation]! The natural awakening of a Cosmic Dao! Both had such shocking identities that when they reached full maturity, they already had glorious perks handed out to them as such a time was approaching! At this moment as they went towards the Rank of Paragon with Galaxies forging in the billions as Noah elevated their ranks in a Time Space of the Universal Core of the Dark Universe, preposterous scenes beginning to occur in the chaotic void of the Animus Universe where the many Legions were gathered. ROAAAAR! A bellow tore across the chaotic void after Noah silenced every one by telling them it was merely the advancement from Great Sage to Paragon, many beings turning their eyes towards the direction of Noah''s summons that were just slightly in front of the Legions of the 4 Bloodline Races. There, the magnetic image of the Ten Headed Dragon finally became apparent for all, this figure having been overshadowed by the majesty of Noah''s arrival and actions as it only now just registered in some people''s eyes! It was the figure of the Queen Dowager''s Manifested Galaxy showing it reaching 100 Billion, a figure of the Progenitor of Dragons regaining her full power close to what she had before as in the next second, the Cosmic Dao she had comprehended previously bloomed from her Origin! Above her, the chaotic void splintered and fractured as the essence of a horrendous Cosmic Dao leaked out, her ten heads roaring out gloriously as they opened to swallow this essence, creating for the shocking scene of a Ten Heading Dragon devouring the essence of a Cosmic Dao as seconds later...a pressure began to leak out of her as her many eyes blazed with intense light. The essence of a Cosmic Dao...vibrantly emanate from her as while she released a shocking amount of pressure and power, her gaze turned towards the planet sized Nine-Tailed Fox that was one of the leading figures of the Legions of the 5 Bloodline Races, a being she very well knew as she was one of the last she saw 100,000 years ago! "My dear friend Klaus, it has been a long time since you backstabbed me and began bullying my race!" RUMBLE! Her words affirmed her identity as the being called Klaus and many more sucked in cold breaths, affirming their thoughts as they gazed at the figure of Tiamat that looked exactly as they remembered a certain Progenitor many years ago! Her gaze was domineering as it was filled with regal draconic authority, each of her heads shining a brilliant color as this creature attained her power at the Paragon level and reclaimed her Cosmic Dao right after. Her eyes were full of anger as while she stared at her many old enemies and the rivers of blood they had created for a show before them, she bellowed out while beginning to move towards the planet sized Nine-Tailed Fox Paragon Klaus at shocking speeds. "A blood debt must be repaid by blood!" WAA! "You and all those behind you...there will be nothing but Annihilation!" ¡­! The Queen Dowager stepped back on the spot light after many years, her glorious power about to be shown to everyone again as they recalled exactly why she was the one who stood at the forefront of the Bloodline Races all those years ago! Chapter 976 - A Blood Debt Must Be Repaid By Blood! II As Tiamat and Noah took the spot light and the eyes of many beings with their advancement, there was one creature that made their advancement that was just as shocking as the two of them silently as his blue eyes blinked with a myriad of emotions. The small figure of the blue haired boy with an illusory cerulean blue crown floating on his head looked towards Tiamat''s blazing figure that was now a streak of light shooting towards the planet sized Nine-Tailed Fox Paragon Claus, her body beginning to expand by hundreds of miles as she neared the size of a Planet herself! There was also Noah, his master, who had swapped the normal clone when the eyes of all beings turned to see the shocking re-emergence of the Draconic Progenitor back to the Primordial Clone. The Clone that could release an even more stupendous amount of power, his body beginning to blaze with strength as he was about to attack with a stellar array of skills. The small blue figure that was watching all of these scenes in question was of course the Blue Slime, a creature that was actually the last of its entire Race as its bloodline had been hunted down by the powerful Universal Hegemonies of the entire Primordial Cosmos! The Blue Slime always had a childish mindset as even while being locked up for tens of thousands of years within the Great Sage Aoin Tower of the Dark Universe, such a time was a blip on what could be considered a young Emperor Slime. At this time as its stage reached Paragon, as 100 Billion Galaxies were forged within its origin...this creature became a genuine full fledged Universal Emperor Slime as the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation descended to wrap around its body! At the same time, the small face twisted as the eyes of the blue slime shot out arcs of light, the inheritance of the Cosmic Dao not being the last thing as with achieving adulthood, a cluster of many bloodline memories rushed into its mind as a great deal of information bloomed. Just why were the Universal Emperor Slimes hunted by Hegemonies and those below them? What did they do to deserve such treatment from beings of their Primordial Cosmos?! WAA! The face of the Blue Slime was calm as the memories came, its childish face releasing a breath as a light of responsibility filled its eyes. It was the responsibility of an entire race upon its shoulders! Its 100 Billion Galaxies were forged as the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation shone on its body without attracting the attention of others, the eyes of this now Universal Emperor Slime honing in on the many Paragons and Monarchs of the 5 Bloodline Races before them. THRUM! Power began to undulate on its body as the cerulean blue figure also moved, the Paragons of the Bloodline Races not even knowing what was coming as they were marked for devouring and Annihilation! --- Aside from the Universal Emperor Slime and Tiamat, all the other Summons had also reached 100 forged galaxies, even the newly contracted twins Ava and Olivia that received similar treatment to the others after Noah unmerged with them when the Primordial Ruination Clone went to the Ruination Realm. When the rest of the summons reached the rank of Paragon and achieved full adulthood, they underwent glorious transformations, none more so from the unique Variant Oculothorax that was a mutation to begin with, with there being very few creatures like it that were so focused on the Soul! The Oculothorax had transformed into a terrific golden winged Eye at this moment, its gaze releasing a deadly flash of soul light everywhere it looked as it neared the size of a star. It planned to release deadly rays of Soul light to shatter the souls of all the coming enemies as it also thundered forward! The Kingly Calamity Bear, Galaxy Devouring Serpent, Golden Crow, Colossal Helios Leviathan, Obsidian Panther...each of their bodies thrummed with power as they turned into streaks of lights that shot towards the myriad of Legions. Each of them at this moment carried an aura of a Paragon as they caused extreme awe to spread across the chaotic void, with the most oppressive aura being centered around a single Tyrant Dragon that just commanded his essence to also release the newly contracted Ava and Olivia...the twin Draconic Serpents that were now in the Rank of Paragons! In the distance, Paragon Quinnie was looking at the images of her daughters in shock and incredulousness as she never would have thought the fated destiny that she saw would lead to this! The gaze of the Tyrant Dragon responsible for it all looked at the things around it and the auras of many Paragons overflowing throughout, light wrapping around its body as the strength of a Paragon was utilized by Noah for the first time. WAA! His body just made the intent to move forward, and he found himself moving even faster than all his summons and even Tiamat who was about to clash with the planet sized Nine-Tailed Fox, his terrifying figure appearing in front of a Legion of Golden Cyclops an instant later as their eyes expanded in terror at his appearance! OOOOOOH! The Paragon of the Golden Cyclops Race that led this Legion bellowed out as his body glimmered brightly, a shocking impact occurring at this moment as many impacts like this began to resound across the chaotic void. Noah and his forces had led the way...and the allied Paragons of the 4 Bloodline Races were shaken out of their stupor a second later as they charged forward to fight for the war of Freedom for the bloodline races! Freedom from the control of a certain Hegemony, freedom to choose to do what they wanted without receiving commands from someone that didn''t truly care about them! "KLAUS!" BOOOOM! The Queen Dowager was filled with rage as she clashed with one of the Paragons that led the way to the rebelling against her, the planet sized figures smashing into each other as the impact was far reaching! BOOOM! Meanwhile, the Golden Cyclops Paragon that clashed with Noah was smashed back from the sheer pressure and power of the stupendous Primordial Ruination Clone, Noah looking at the Paragon looking towards him with incredulity as his eyes expanded to cover the enormous Legion of hundreds of millions of being within the ranks of Entities, Sages, Great Sages, and Monarchs along with this Paragon as he...began casting skills. [Apocalypse], [Galactic Devastation]. WAA! ...||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| ¡­! The Chaotic Void shook as it trembled and cried out in pain! What followed thereafter...was mayhem as skills capable of affecting large regions of space were cast from Noah who had now reached the rank of a Paragon! Chapter 977 - What Is A Paragon? I After a certain stage, abilities cast by certain beings start to affect things on a horrifying scale. A simple [Fireball] cast by an F Rank Hunter and a [Fireball] cast by a Great Sage would be vastly different in power on what they could produce, and this same thought applied to the skills Noah was using currently as he reached the rank of a Paragon! The 100 Billion Galaxies that swam rapidly within his Origin shone with a glimmer of light every time that a skill was cast, the might of this Origin displayed with every cast as the moment that [Apocalypse] and ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust|| finished being cast, the Legion in front of Noah became faced with something utterly inconceivable! RUMBLE! The nearby surroundings turned tumultuous as the chaotic void became unstable, deadly elemental essence and destructive Dao Essense of all types that Noah comprehended emerging out as the instability of space made it seem like everything was about to shatter and come to an end- it was [Apocalypse]. But the even more frightening thing was the latter cast skill, ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||! With the cast of this skill, it felt like the chaotic void had a roof that had descended down and was putting its weight on their backs, every single being within the region feeling unexplainable might crushing down unto them as if they couldn''t defend themselves...the result was a horrifying one! A skill that made it seem like the wight of the entire chaotic void was crushing onto your body from all sides! RUMBLE! The expression of the Golden Cyclops Paragon changed as his body glimmered to withstand this terrifying might, feeling his bones creaking, but he survived! But¡­the same could not be said by those below him as within this Legion, there were 4 Monarchs followed by hundreds of Great Sages and even larger numbers of Sages and Entities. When these beings tried to withstand the horrifying weight of ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||, they found their resistance lasting only a single second for the weaker ones and just a few seconds for the Great Sages...before their bodies could not defend against the annihilatory essence of the ability that was now backed by two Cosmic Daos and the strength of a Paragon! If they could not defend themselves, it would naturally be as the skill was titled! WAAA! The eyes of many beings turned towards Noah''s direction as they felt an inexplicable chill, their eyes landing just in time to see this Tyrant Dragon Emperor domineeringly gaze upon a Legion as the body of the Golden Cyclops Paragon with it trembled, but the bodies of all those below him...began fading away in a terrifying manner as their skin and bones became ash. Ash!!! RUMBLE! A large number of Sages and Entities, hundreds of Great Sages and 4 Monarchs...their bodies simply looked out towards the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor in despair as they found their origins dissipating as they turned to mere ash and dust in the next second! ||Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust||! At the mere end of it all, time would affect all things- and Noah had truly caused the life essence of all those under the area of the skill''s effect to age until they turned to ash! All those under his gaze...truly turned to nothingness! Ah! Those watching felt a tingling sensation as even when the Golden Cyclops Paragon looked around it to find the area where the Legion he led should be...was empty. Deep terror welled up within this Paragon as his body glimmered, yet even he could not escape as Chains of Annihilation even faster than it wrapped around him, the icy figure of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor descending unto it! "..." The expressions of the Paragons of the 5 enemy Bloodline Races was utterly gloomy at such a show of power from a being that had recently advanced to the rank of a Paragon, the one known as Paragon Klaus seeing this shocking scene at the corner of his eyes as he bellowed out to the other Paragons on his side. "Do not let that Tyrant Dragon Paragon reign free any longer¡­.otherwise we will not be able to bear the casualties! Swarm him!" OOOOH! He released a loud bellow of a command as the planet sized Tiamat he faced wrathfully spat out beams of destructive essence from her ten heads, this Nine-Tailed Fox Race Paragon not even being able to take his eyes off of her for a second! As for the Paragons who heard his words and didn''t have opponents...they gritted their teeth as all of them began to rush towards the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor. There were 5 Bloodline Races standing as the enemies within the Draconic Holy Lands, which meant much more Paragons than the 4 Bloodline Races that Noah led with him. But even the larger number of Paragons didn''t seem enough as at this moment, the strength that the Paragons of the 4 Bloodline Races displayed had become simply horrifying as they were the ones who had sworn to become Vassals! When they faced enemy Paragons, they were dominating the pace of the battle as they shockingly found themselves to be gaining the upper hand! The Vassals at the stages of Sage and Great Sage showed an even more drastic increase in strength as the mere 5% of power they could borrow from the being they swore Fealty to at this moment was something others of the same rank could not handle! So even though they had many more Legions and experts, the 5 Bloodline Races found themselves facing heavy losses just seconds after the battle began! It was all due to the strength of Vassals! Noah''s very own subordinates thundered down towards these Legions as scenes of them and others who were Vassals of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor were imprinted in the minds of every single being in the allied 4 Bloodline Races who then recalled the call of fealty that many of them answered. It was at this time point that those who did not answer the call of fealty and were seeing the tremendous strength of those who did answer the call display...it was at this time that they called out to the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor and willingly pledged themselves! "I swear Fealty¡­!" RUUMBLE! Storms of essence raged as among the billions of powerful beings in the Legions under the influence of the Hegemony of Summoning, the rest of them pledging to become Vassals as the Universal War became even more chaotic. As the auras of Monarchs and Paragons raged throughout, a single Tyrannical Dragon Emperor was being targeted by many Paragons who were swarming towards him from all directions! A glorious scene of over ten Paragon who glimmered with glorious and powerful light, each of them swarming with Manifested Galaxies...all of these powerhouses were like spears of light thundering towards a single Tyrant Dragon that looked over everything with a gaze of exceeding coldness. A gaze that subjugated all of them to death as within the area of this chaotic void, only ash and dust would remain everywhere this Tyrannical Dragon Emperor gazed down upon! For this war to determine the direction of the Animus Universe...unimaginable events would unfold as they would be the springboard to affect not just this single Universe, but the course of multiple Universes! Chapter 978 - What Is A Paragon? II As a myriad of beings pledged Fealty and a shocking Universal War broke out, Noah''s main body continued to float silently within the Universal Core of the Dark Universe. He was currently within the innermost Realm where his homeworld used to be, floating in the skies as his fingers stretched to touch the swaying golden trees below that held bright and mature [Fate Apples]. Tens of thousands of Marks of Antiquity continued to condense and be drawn into him as he automatically branded them to his normal Galaxies to form new Dao Galaxies, his white robe fluttering behind him as he seemed like an ancient Saint blessing the skies with his presence! It was such a drastic contrast to the terrifying war that his Primordial Ruination Clone was going through, Noah glancing at Valentina''s Golden Mirror that was floating in front of him as he plucked and began to eat a Fate Apple, golden fate essence erupting out as he spoke calmly. "Paragon to the Universal Realm...what can you tell me about it?" ¡­! On the other side of the Golden Mirror, Valentina was still shaking her head at the sheer incredulousness this being displayed, only coming to as the vast experience of a Hegemony returned to her face! She seemed ready to ask him many questions on exactly how the hell the things he was doing were even possible, but she held herself back as she had communicated this being long enough, and she knew that he would just say something to boast again! So she instead breathed out her frustration as she glanced at the image of Noah that looked like an ancient creature descending unto the common world at this moment. "If you are already looking to the path of a Universe after you''ve jumped across Monarch and gone all the way to Paragon, you have to understand first exactly what a Paragon is!" RUMBLE! Valentina adopted the demeanor of an experienced Universal Hegemony as her dark hair waved lightly, her voice continuing to ring out. "A Paragon is...a quintessence of excellence! A thing that is seen as the perfect model! For the achievement of obtaining 100 Billion Galaxies within one''s Origin- a being can be regarded as a Paragon." ¡­! "But this definition and rank is not to express and admire those capable of being titled Paragons, but to further elevate the rank of a Universal Hegemony as this title of a Paragon was a mere prerequisite for someone to form their Universe. Before even proceeding to such a stage, one had to achieve a tremendous level of excellence!" RUMBLE Yes! Becoming a Paragon was just a prerequisite, one that very few beings met in the Primordial Cosmos, and even fewer beings ever went past this prerequisite to a Realm of beings who affected entire Universes! "What many creatures struggle with after achieving the rank of Paragon is that they have no way to proceed forward, to the point that it has become a known saying that only those Destined could actually become Universal Hegemonies." ¡­! "Paragons will remain in their rank until the end of their lives...merely just a bit over 1 million years after the Galaxies within their Origins run dry from the inescapable cage of Time." Time! Something that even Universal Hegemonies could not escape from, much less Paragons! Planetary bodies had a factor of time as they would be destroyed sooner or later. Galaxies had a factor of time as even they would be destroyed! Galaxy Clusters, Universes...and appallingly even COSMOS could all eventually reach a time where they faced destruction! The period of time was of course an uncountable number of years that reached billions or even more as one went from a Universe to a Cosmos, but the core message was still the same. None of them could escape the cage of Time! Even those studying the Law of Time or those studying the Cosmic Dao of Chronos...even these beings could not escape the destination of time. Even though there was a Legend that the answer to the question and deadly Devastation of time lay in the aforementioned Dao of Chronos, that is a talk for another time! "To try and beat this time limit of 1 Million years, all Paragons seek to do a single thing that meets another prerequisite to form a Universe- and that is for them to form a cohesive and singular unification of all of their 100 Billion Galaxies." ¡­! "For a Universe to be born, all the Galaxies within a being''s Origin must be connected...and all 100 Billion connected Galaxies together can give birth to a Universal Seed! When this Universal Seed blooms...a Universe is born within their Origin!" WAA! Noah listened with shining eyes as golden fluids ran down his mouth with every bite of the Fate Apple, his eyes shooting out beams of golden light from Valentina''s words! First it was 100 Billion Galaxies, and then these galaxies all had to be connected as their connection would establish a Universal Seed...and then this Universal Seed had to bloom to birth a Universe! In her isolated Realm, Valentina had a look of reminiscence as she continued to speak with a sorrowful look. "But the connection of 100 Billion Galaxies is one of the major obstacles all paragons come across, and this was where the saying that only those destined will ever connect all their Galaxies and birth a Universal Seed. I held a decent amount of Universal Fortune and Destiny that I was able to slowly connect all of my Galaxies...in 400,000 years." ¡­! 400,000 years! A genius like the Hegemony of Summoning took nearly half a million years to go from Paragon and become a Universal Hegemony! "That was me having a tremendous amount of fortune and destiny, allowing me to connect a maximum of 250,000 Galaxies each year until I reached all 100 Billion. Others are not as lucky as I am, their rate of connection reaching less than 100,000 a year as they would need over 1 million years to fully birth a Universal Seed...and they would be long dead at that time!" ¡­! "This is also the reason for the mentality of many of the Paragons you come across, especially the ones that followed the words of Ambrose and chose to be influenced by him. They are beings with a limited time span, most of them knowing that they will die without ever reaching the Realm of a Universe! Unless...they attach themselves to someone of such a Realm and increase their Universal Fortune and Destiny, unless they increase the rate they can connect their Galaxies daily as they beat the 1 million cage of Time." RUMBLE! Noah''s eyes shone brighter and brighter as he was enlightened to many things, his gaze going down onto his own 100 Billion galaxies as he wondered, just how many years would it take for him to birth his very own Universal Seed?! Chapter 979 - Like Hegemonies...I Must Influence The Cosmos! I The mindset of many Paragons was actually an extremely despotic and dangerous one! It was beings that knew exactly when death would come for them, and the vast majority were condemned to death as if they could forge connections at the rate of less than 100,000 galaxies per year- they would never advance forward as only death would be their friend. This was why Hegemonies were able to successfully influence the most powerful beings on Universes and bring them under their influence- it was all for that slim chance of increasing their Destiny! But when it came to Noah¡­his Universal Fortune was already so massive that it even surpassed beings that were already in the Universal Realm. "With your oversized Fortune, you are much different from others as since it took me nearly half a million years to achieve a Universe, it should take you half that time if not one fourth of it! I wouldn''t even be surprised if you were able to fully connect all your Galaxies in less than 100,000 years!" ¡­! Valentina''s voice rang out as if it was heard by Paragons and even other Hegemonies- screams of unfairness would have rung out all around. Noah was so damn balance breaking that even the Hegemony of Summoning told him that it was likely a guarantee for him to reach Universal Realm within a set period of time, and Noah wanted to find out how long it would take! THRUM! His main body stared at the glimmering Origin that held 100 Billion Galaxies, focusing on a single one as his essence bubbled forth and he commanded just this one Galaxy to form a connection with another one nearby. BZZZT! They shone with a bright luster as a unique feeling wrapped around Noah, his eyes watching a thin line stretch from one Galaxy to another as the moment they connected, it was like a chain reaction as it caused even more lines of connections to bloom out, jumping from one Galaxy to another as two went to four, four went to 8¡­.the numbers of connections continued to jump crazily as even Valentina had begun to look at Noah closely through the Golden Mirror! RUMBLE! His Origin buzzed with strength and power as thin blue lines constantly connected glimmering galaxies, the number very quickly surpassing Valentina''s daily maximum limit when she was a Paragon as it soon hit over 2500 connected Galaxies, and within seconds broke past the point of 5000 connected galaxies! This daily rate was 8 times Valentina''s as every year, it meant Noah could connect close to 2 million Galaxies! "Ah¡­" The body of the Hegemony of Summoning shuddered as even though she expected it, seeing it herself was just terrifying. She shook her head in condolences to all the Paragons out there that found it hard to connect their Galaxies, the Paragons that did not have the talent as they could only connect less than 100,000 every year! THRUM Noah''s Origin let out a pulsating blue light at this as the blue lines of connections stopped there, his Origin simply shining with intense blue light as the connections made his strength feel even more solidified and out of this world. His eyes constricted as he found no matter how much he focused to try and form more connections, nothing would work as it was like a barrier existed that he could not cross no matter what he did! A barrier that would break down when¡­ "...24 Cosmic Hours have to pass before one can forge more connections between their Galaxies, and this cannot be bypassed even with Spacetime Treasures. But you really¡­" Valentina had an exasperated expression as she watched Noah casually form connections that indicated a rate of 2 million per years, a fact that meant this being would only need 50,000 years before becoming a Universal Hegemony! 50,000 years! Valentina looked at this like a ridiculous and incomprehensible thing, something that any other Hegemonies would cry out at as to them and many Paragons, it was a negligible amount of years. Yet when Noah came to this conclusion...his face scrunched up in unhappiness as he found it was actually too long! He was still just a man in his 20s! He hadn''t even lived past 100 Cosmic years, much less the concept of 50,000 years needing to pass before he could fully connect all 100 Billion Galaxies. When Valentina saw this dissatisfied expression on his face, she felt like she couldn''t take it anymore as she shook her head and turned her eyes to the shocking battles that just began in the chaotic void of space of the Animus Universe. She couldn''t look at this being any longer lest she wanted an inferiority complex to arise within her at how astounding he was on all sides! Noah''s body also got out of the range of the Golden mirror as his body floated down from the skies and landed into the golden swaying trees that bore Fate Apples, his expression thoughtfully as he stared at the 100 Billion Galaxies within his Origin. Even though they were Manifested on his body, there was a chunk of glimmering rainbow colored Galaxies that nobody could see within his Origin! It was...the Dao Galaxies that were branded with the Marks of Antiquity! Dao Galaxies that were filled to the brim with the Essence of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination...Noah''s eyes turned his attention towards them as his heart beat faster, his mind telling him to try something! To try something with these Dao Galaxies that only ever appeared within the Universe of a Universal Realm expert. RUMBLE All of the Dao Galaxies within Noah''s Origin brightened up, and there was currently an incredulous number of 23 Million Dao Galaxies within his Origin that he had branded with Marks of Antiquity! 23 times the number of Dao Galaxies that Valentina had been able to form since she became a Hegemony¡­ Noah''s eyes shot out beams of light as he gave a command, sensing the unbreakable barrier that would only ever allow him to form connections with thousands of Galaxies shatter away with the might of the Dao Galaxies, pulsing rainbow colored lines shooting forth from each of the 23 Million Dao Galaxies and smashing into 23 million normal Galaxies! BZZZT! A storm of essence raged around Noah as his strength was elevated to an even greater degree, his Origin buzzing with might as when he blinked again, he saw that the lines of connection had fully formed between 23 million Dao Galaxies and 23 million normal Galaxies. That was 46 million Galaxies that were fully connected! This was the hard work of 23 years, and he did in in a matter of seconds! ¡­! "Haha!" Noah couldn''t help but laugh as he found a way forward to quickly achieving the Realm of a Universe...and it was through the stupendous Marks of Antiquity that forged his Dao Galaxies!!! Chapter 980 - Like Hegemonies...I Must Influence The Cosmos! II Marks of Antiquity! Something that only came by when Hegemonies birthed a Dao that went on to affect an entire Universe, with their rate of formation ranging based on what extent of an influence the Dao of the Hegemony provided to the targeted Universe. Valentina had her Dao of Summoning that she spread throughout the Animus Universe, but the extent of its effect on the beings within the universe wasn''t too massive as while she regularly received Marks of Antiquity from them, the rate of their formation was only enough for her to collect a bit over 1 million Marks after so many years! Yet Noah birthed a Dao that affected vast numbers of beings and went on to affect them at an extremely deep level as the course of their lives were forever changed based on the strength they could borrow from him. This caused for him to attain over 20 million Marks of Ruination in just days! Days! What a vast gulf of power! It was so drastic that Noah chose to spare Valentina''s poor heart from the shock of seeing him collect 23 times the amount of Marks she had collected in just days, choosing to preserve the heart of this Hegemony of Summoning! Now...it was these Marks of Antiquity that allowed for him to form Dao Galaxies- it was these Marks that showed the way towards the Universal Realm. It was something nobody but Noah could do, because there had not been a single being in history that could birth a Dao while not even being a Universal Hegemony to begin with. All Paragons were limited to a certain amount of connections a day for their Galaxies as if they didn''t have enough Universal Fortune and Destiny, they would find themselves facing death after 1 million years as they never achieve the Realm of a Universe! Yet Noah could bypass all of this as all he had to do...was have enough Dao Galaxies to do exactly what he just did- form connections instantaneously with the Dao Galaxies and normal Galaxies as all he needed for this was Marks of Antiquity. He just needed 50 Billion Marks of Antiquity to be capable of forming 50 Billion Dao Galaxies...and he could then form connections to his remaining normal 50 Billion Galaxies as the goal of birthing a Universal Seed would be achieved! The only problem was collecting such a large amount of Marks of Antiquity! Even after affecting a large number of beings in the Dark Universe and the recent Fealty being sworn by Billions of some the most powerful beings in the Animus Universe, he had only collected 23 million Marks of Antiquity. For him to obtain more¡­ RUMBLE! An outlandish thought appeared in Noah''s mind as he thought of the method to obtain more Marks of Antiquity, and it was something that the recent Hegemonies he had contact with were already doing! ''For me to obtain billions of Marks of Antiquity...I have to be like all of these Hegemonies and go on to influence many Universes¡­!'' WAA! The thought caused swirls of fortune and destiny to erupt out wildly, Noah finding a path forward that would be drenched in conquest and blood in order for him to achieve the Universal Realm! And unlike the Hegemonies who could only influence the lower level beings to obtain their abysmal results of collecting Marks of Antiquity, Noah could move against anyone he wished and achieve an even greater influence over Universes than any Hegemonies thought possible. His eyes were hazy as with the light of Destiny around him, he saw himself descending unto places like the Necrotic Universe, the Microbial Universe, the Liberated Universe...and many more of the Universes that he could instantly teleport to with the use of his Cosmic Treasure as he went on to use his Paragon level strength to dominate them and spread his influence! This thought and idea solidified so quickly that he almost felt like he could see it right in front of him! ''Good! But first¡­this Universal War¡­'' His eyes were bright with ideas as a path opened up in front of him, his consciousness going back to the ongoing Universal War in the Animus Universe. There, his Primordial Clone that had its aura continuing to rise up crazily was facing over 10 Paragons of the Supreme Bloodline Races all by himself! --- War. To Klaus, war never changed! Since he chose to betray Tiamat 100,000 years ago, he knew he was not just putting himself into a never ending war, but all of his Bloodline and all the Supreme Bloodlines of the Animus Universe. But he was already 600,000 years old! His path towards the Universal Realm was cut off as his Universal Fortune was nowhere near enough to allow him to birth a Universal Seed...so when the Hegemony of Slaughter came while offering him an olive branch that was many times greater than the Hegemony of Summoning, he had to take a bite and hold on to it! He knew that with this decision...he would betray his oldest friends and cause much bloodshed, but he did it as he believed in absolute power. The first war was won as Tiamat and many others fell, his Nine-Tailed Fox Race rising to the very top of the pyramid as his Universal Fortune greatly increased, where he saw that he now stood a chance of possibly achieving a Universal Seed as long as he kept his position. Yet...yet!!! BOOOM! Tiamat had returned. ROAAAR! With power even more overbearing than her peak strength all those years ago, she came back as she now matched him and even seemed to be overpowering him! "How...how¡­?!" The Progenitor of the Nine-Tailed Fox Race, Klaus, bellowed out as he evaded the grand plasma blasts filled with the essence of Destruction and the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation from the heads of the Ten Headed Dragon he never thought he would see again. He was questioning how it all came to this, and which being could be responsible for bringing this development to fruition! When this thought came, his head could not help but glance at the being that had risen from Great Sage to Paragon in seconds right in front of them, the being that the Hegemony of Slaughter wanted dead...and the being that was domineeringly facing 11 of the strongest beings he knew while being alone! Looking at such power and majesty that he felt he could never achieve, envy and wrath welled up in his heart as his eyes blazed while locking with the Ten Headed Dragon in front of him. "Just what monstrosity did you attach yourself to, your multi-headed lizard!" WAA! Tiamat''s eyes released beams of light at this insult, her aura raging upwards as her wings unfurled gloriously, glancing at her betrayer with utter hatred as she spoke out while casting a skill. "A being that your entire disappointing life could never begin to match even a strand of his hair! Someone of true power that you will only ever look up to!" RUMBLE! [Wrath of the Annihilatory Dragon Queen] ¡­! The chaotic void that was filled with darkness and the occasional flash of light felt like it came to stop. Behind Tiamat, a hazy illusory image of a Ten Headed Dragon made up of the immense essence of Annihilation formed, its gaze chillingly cold as it didn''t just lock onto Klaus...but all the enemy Races nearby! Its unfurled wings trembled as the jaws of the many heads opened, an ocean''s worth of the essence of Annihilation bubbling to be released as a Dragon''s Breath, the wrath of the Dragon Queen descending down in waves as they threatened to drown all enemies! Chapter 981 - Shifting The Very Paradigms Of Power! I An attack filled with the Cosmic Essence of Annihilation! The planet sized body of the Nine-Tailed Klaus shone brightly as the aura of a Cosmic Dao emanated from him as well, his body shining with a bright rainbow colored light as the essence he released was that of the Cosmic Dao of Phantasm! A Cosmic Dao more geared towards defense and illusions, one that Klaus had been using to survive the terrifying attacks of the Dragon Queen since the battle began. Like many of the Bloodline Progenitors of the Supreme Races, Klaus was among the few Paragons capable of achieving comprehension in a Cosmic Dao, the Dao of Phantasm being something that brought the Nine-Tailed Fox Race immense honor and made them deadly assassins. But in front of the might of a wrathful Dragon Queen utilizing the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation¡­ BOOOM! The layers of illusions were ripped apart one by one as the chaotic void tore and reformed constantly, Klau''s figure being seen smashed back as his figure wasn''t as magisterial anymore, two of his nine tails burned to cinders as his body carried heavy injuries! "..." Those keeping track of the battle between the two Bloodline Progenitors were breathless at this scene, Tiamat not being showy like Noah and bask in glory as she simply continued her attacks that made Klaus feel like he was a tiny animal on a chopping block that was ready to be cut apart at any time. This Bloodline Progenitor grit his teeth as he bellowed out commands that shook those who heard them to their cores, his eyes tinged with shame as he spoke out nonetheless! "Brothers...aid me!" RUMBLE! The Progenitor of the Nine-Tailed Foxes called out shamefully for help as two Paragons turned into streaks of lights to rush towards his and Tiamat''s positions, but this was when a harrumph rang out as these streaks of light were intercepted by two pristine looking Draconic Serpents. It was Ava and Olivia, the new summons that just became contracted with Noah and were given the rank of a Paragon not too long after! They hadn''t gotten to spend too much time with Noah as from his actions since they met him, these twins only looked at him with utter reverence and even fear as they would try their best to prove that they were worthy of him to contract with them. So when they saw two Paragons head towards their Aunty, their Bloodline Progenitor...they appeared in front of these enemies grandly as they showed off their power for the first time! THRUM! His aid being blocked, Klaus was in an even sorrier state as Tiamat''s planetary body rumbled with power, her wrathful gaze looking down upon this Fox Progenitor as she uttered chilling words that caused many to move away from this area. "Nobody will save you today, little fox. Not even the Hegemony you so willingly follow!" WAA! A surreal scene as the Progenitor of one race ran away from another Progenitor! This was just the scene of Tiamat battling with another Paragon...there were also the shocking scenes of the Cthulhu and Noah''s other subordinates matching against Great Sages as they ripped them off one by one, with the Emperor Penguin and Cthulhu even choosing to put their clones in danger as they battled against Monarchs while utilizing the 5% strength they could borrow from Noah to the best of their abilities! Shockingly, it was enough to match against Monarch as the being they pledged their Fealty to had just chosen to straight up skip the rank of Monarch and go straight to Paragon. What gall he had to leave them all behind at such speeds! They had to at least put in some contribution as if they could get their hands on Monarch level cores by using their strength as Vassals, they could for the first time ever elevate their own strength and not wait for Noah to give them cores at the end of every battle. The Emperor Penguin and Cthulhu felt this need the most as they clashed against Monarchs in order to prove themselves! They weren''t alone as a Legion of Undead led by a feisty Barbatos and her summons were swarming around a Qilin Monarch, their attacks relentless as many beings among Noah''s people were making it their goal to attack Monarchs after Noah''s great leap in strength as they wanted to do something similar. As for who would succeed or who would have their clone destroyed? Only time would tell! Aside from these incredible scenes, there were also the battles with the Paragons of the 4 Bloodline Races that pledged Fealty to Noah. Their fights were particularly interesting as aside from the immense increase in their mana reserves, they now held 5% of Noah''s strength as a Paragon, these beings getting an even larger edge against their enemies as what was most ridiculous was how...even they were surprised by their strength. Their enemies were constantly and utterly appalled at their level of strength, but these allied Paragons seemed to be just as surprised as they were as they tested their increased strength and began to push back the Legions of the 5 enemy Bloodline Races! As for the being that made all of this possible...he was the one taking all the spot light as his battle was just too bright. It was because streaks of 10 lights that represented Paragons were rushing towards him while he nonchalantly bound a Golden Cyclops Paragon with Chains of Annihilation, his pristine black-red claws thundering down to smash into the body of this creature as if it was a mere bug! This was the physical attack of a being reinforced by the boosts of [Galactic Devastation], the forces of many annihilatory Galaxies floating all over his body as whatever he attacked would take on the force of all of these Galaxies. There were then also the 100 Billion Galaxies that he had within his origin, causing a strike such a this to be something utterly terrifying! BOOOOM...SQUELCH! The body of the Golden Cyclops Paragon was smashed into as his musculature deformed and twisted, nearly half of his body being turned to meat paste as the Life Essence of a Paragon was strong, this being starting to reform his body fearfully in seconds as to his newfound terror...he felt the essence of not just one Cosmic Dao, but two Cosmic Daos rush from the claw stomping onto him and rush into his body. It was the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation and¡­. ¡­! The Paragon was alarmed only briefly before the essence of Annihilation and Ruination ravaged his Origin, the 10 coming Paragons watching in a stupor as for the first time since coming out of the black realm where he hiddenly killed 5 Paragons, Noah now killed another as the Golden Cyclops Paragon began to disintegrate in front of everyone! Chapter 982 - Shifting The Very Paradigms Of Power! II A Paragon dead from just a few attacks from the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor! The moment the kill was finished, the 10 rushing Paragons steeled their hearts even further as these beings that had lived for hundreds of thousands of years knew something. It was the knowledge that this seemingly unreasonable being in front of them...if they did not put a stop to him now with all of their power, he would just continue to dominate the pace of the battle and pick them off one by one as soon enough- this Universal War would be lost! Either they were cowardly and tried to preserve their lives by fighting others and eventually dying...or they grouped together and increased their chances of survival while also increasing their chances of taking down the monstrosity in front of them. They naturally chose the comfort in numbers to overcome this great enemy, and such an ideology would work for many instances and on many enemies...just not the one they faced currently! Such a strategy would not work on Noah! This was because he still held the frankly ridiculous Plot Armor for another fifty something minutes, and this granted him an Invulnerable status for this entire time. This allowed for the jaw dropping scene of 10 Paragons rushing towards him on all sides, each of their bodies glimmering with their own unique abilities and reinforcements as these paragons consisted of beings from all 5 Supreme Bloodline Races! The glorious figures of Qilins, Cyclops, Phoenixes, Nine-Tailed Foxes, and White Tigers descending their attacks unto the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor was a scene etched onto the minds of many as in the next second, their jaws dropped when they saw this being not dodge or even light up with defensive skills, his gaze merely looking at the Paragons around him with utter disdain. ¡­! "This¡­!" BOOOM! The attacks of the 10 Paragons landed as such attacks were enough to decimate any living Paragon- attacks that no other Paragon would ever dream of facing as it would be a death sentence! Yet¡­ WAA! The figure of the Tyrant Dragon appeared just as majestic as before, his scales just as bright as not a single ounce of damage could be seen on his body. "..." The 10 Paragons came to a stop as they made sure their eyes were still working! What they saw before them utterly defied what they knew about the norms of Power, and it further defied what their rank actually meant. Paragons could challenge other Paragons and win their battles as long as they had many more Daos or comprehended something as beautiful as a Cosmic Dao. There even existed instances where a Paragon was powerful enough to go against 2 other Paragons and survive! But this being in front of them had first somehow made 5 Paragons disappear as his entrance, and he now withstood the attacks of 10 Paragons that all attacked him at once as these Paragons truly did not know what to make of it. It was a scene that utterly shifted the paradigms of the power of Paragons, where there now lay a possibility for someone to actually be capable enough to withstand 10 Paragons all by themselves! RUMBLE! The 10 Paragons only came out of their stupor when they felt the essence of the ridiculous Tyrant Dragon in front of them bubbling, his voice ringing out to resound across the surrounding miles. "Regardless of what you do, the debt of blood will be repaid as my promise shall be fulfilled!" ¡­! Noah said this as after crushing the Golden Cyclops Paragon and before its disintegration, he had taken its memories as he had a very clear idea on the events that took place to cause the rivers of blood and dismembered bodies of dragons to be floating in the chaotic void before this war even began. "You will not find a savior, nor will you have mercy when you begin to beg for it! Today, there shall only be blood!" RUMBLE! The hearts of the 10 Paragons and all those who heard the resounding words of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor trembled! They recalled the promise that this being made not too long ago when he stood against the Hegemony of Slaughter himself, how he had promised he would not care if it was a Great Sage or a Paragon that unjustly carried out senseless slaughter...they would all be killed regardless. As the many billions of powerhouses watched this Tyrant Dragon right now, they were actually shocked to see this being was keeping to his message! The hearts of the 5 Legions of the Bloodline Races felt their hearts turn fearful at such a scene as when it was compounded against the strength of the other Legions and the beings they faced, a sense of powerlessness began to spread within the armies of the Legions following the Hegemony of Slaughter! Powerlessness! All from the might and words of a single person. Who knew words could be this powerful?! This point in the war was one of immense significance, and it was even more significant to a certain being that was watching this and experiencing the real time changes of it. Of course, the person in question is the Hegemony of Slaughter himself who could feel his Universal Fortune constantly decreasing- it was Ambrose who felt his influence over the many powerful natives of the Animus Universe that he had forged for so many years slipping away that easily! And all of it...was done by a randomly appearing being in just a matter of days. Work that he had done for many millenniums...decimated in just days! Emotions of wrath that Ambrose never thought would arise within his heart broke to the surface at this moment, his gaze exceedingly cold as he looked at the illusory scene where he saw the Tyrant Dragon fully withstand the attacks of 10 other Paragons. Solerno was standing nearby with an extremely somber expression, neither of the two Hegemonies speaking as it was Ambrose who broke the silence first! "If even this is to fail...then we must proceed with the other method." ¡­! A dreadful decision was made by the Hegemony of Slaughter at this time, a decision that was just one among the many things to propel the future into a tumultuous direction! Chapter 983 - If Paragons Cannot Do It, Call A Hegemony! I "If even this is to fail...then we must proceed with the other method." RUMBLE! "If the Paragons and Legions of all of these beings that term themselves races of Supreme Bloodlines turn out to be useless, then we shall just send a Hegemony!" WAA! Words that directed actions capable of changing the course of destiny for many beings erupted out from the Hegemony of Slaughter, his gaze becoming exceedingly cold the more that he looked at the figure of the Tyrant Dragon that was now facing 10 Paragons alone without any sense of pressure. Ambrose thought about his goals, and how close he was at this moment to accomplishing something that was in the works for a great deal of years! Yet...this randomly rising being was now halting the progress of his goals and causing everything to come to a halt, something that he never thought to be possible from the hands of someone that wasn''t even a Hegemony! His cold eyes left the figure of the Tyrant Dragon as they gazed over at Solerno''s figure who was looking at him with a serious expression while deliberating his words. This gaze reminded Ambrose of a memory from countless years ago, a memory that actually started all of this and caused him to be on the path that he was on right now. It was hundreds of thousands of years ago, and Solerno was looking at him with a similar expression at that time as well. But at that time, Solerno wasn''t alone as he was accompanied by multiple Hegemonies! Ambrose''s mind drifted as he was taken back into this memory hundreds of thousands of years ago¡­ "Your Dao of Slaughter is very unique, especially the concept of the Universal Construct you want to establish in your Universe." The voice of a powerful being had entered Ambrose''s ears, this powerhouse being a Hegemony with unmatched strength as Solerno and 2 other Hegemonies stood behind him with serious respectful expressions. It was these 4 Hegemonies that stood in front of Ambrose in an isolated Realm hidden in the folds of space, golden waves of Annihilation, Phantasm, Destiny, Darkness, Fate...a myriad of Dao and Law essence fluctuating all around them as their conversation would not be heard by anyone aside from them! At that time, Ambrose was merely a freshly rising Universal Hegemony, having just comprehended the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation and birthed his Dao of Slaughter when this group of powerful Hegemonies approached him for recruitment in something inconceivable! Ambrose had looked at them carefully as he replied to the Hegemony at the very forefront that all others treated with respect. "Who are you all? What would you want with the Universal Construct?" At his words, the frontmost Hegemony smiled widely as his body trembled with power, multiple Cosmic Daos being sensed from this figure as he spoke out grandly. "We are mere Hegemonies like you struggling to break the barrier stopping everyone in our Cosmos. We wish to reach Antiquity as we have looked at a variety of methods, but the incorporation of the Universal Construct you''ve thought of on top of what we can do...a method capable of allowing multiple of us to break into the Ranks of Antiquity will arise!" RUMBLE! Words of utter wonder erupted out as Ambrose was entirely hooked in, knowing how arduous and nearly impossible the task ahead was as after he took their bait, he continued to ask! "The Universal Construct would only work to efficiently influence the inhabitants of a Universe...what would you do with it that would allow for a path to Antiquity?" "..." A lull of silence appeared when Ambrose asked this question, Solerno and the other 2 Hegemonies behind the powerful Hegemony all looking towards him as they knew sensitive information would have to be released if the being in front of them answered this question. And with a smile filled with profound ancientness and wisdom, this being did just that! "Yes. Your Construct would be capable of affecting your Universe and help you collect Marks of Antiquity somewhat faster. What we will do with it...is spread it to multiple Universes as with the proper usage, we will be able to carry out the Universal Amalgamation!" THRUM! Ambrose felt his heart palpate when he first heard these words, and he couldn''t help but repeat them as they rang with a tinge of destiny every time they were spoken. "Universal Amalgamation¡­" "Yes. It might take hundreds of thousands of years but...when completed, it will bring forth opportunities one can only ever dream of. We are bound by our Cosmos as with the Sea of Ruination outside of it stops anyone unless they have comprehended its abstruse Cosmic Dao. The Universal Amalgamation will provide a way past this...it will call upon the one that brought me and many other Hegemonies together in this Primordial Cosmos, upon the one that unlike us, has long ago broken the shackles that bind us!" WAA! "What?!" Ambrose had turned breathless at these words as the tremors of power released from this being only increased, his face glowing golden from an intense light of destiny and fortune as he nodded while saying a single word. A word that didn''t need any others to complement it as this word alone represented too much! "Antiquity." RUMBLE! Antiquity! "The Universal Amalgamation can be induced with your Universal Construct, and with our help, we can keep the righteous Oathkeeper and others from ever gazing your way as with its full completion, a period of Accumulation will start before...an Antiquity is birthed." ¡­! Ambrose had played these words over and over again in his mind as he would go on to obsess about them! Universal Amalgamation would lead to Accumulation, and Accumulation would lead to Antiquity! WAA! Hearing these words caused the expressions of Solerno and the other 2 Hegemonies to become utterly grim as soon after, they uttered something that Ambrose would himself come to utter in the hundreds of thousands of years to come. "As it was, so shall it be!" "As it was, so shall it be!" ¡­! This was the day hundreds of thousands of years ago that something dreadful bloomed, Ambrose''s hand grasping onto the mysterious Hegemony that was a being of the same caliber as Hegemonies like Oathkeeper- the heavyweights of the Primordial Cosmos! This memory played in his mind briefly as Ambrose reminisced, coming back to his current time point where he was just waiting for another few hundred years before his Universal Construct within the Animus Universe would have been ready and the Universal Amalgamation could commence. Even the Hegemony of Summoning wasn''t his opponent as he was this close! Yet... ROAAAR! The roar of a Tyrannical Dragon Emperor brought him back to reality as he saw this nonsensical creature receive 0 damage from 10 Paragons, chains of Annihilation erupting from all around him to lock onto the experts around him as he seemed ready to start another massacre. At this scene, even Solerno sighed as he voiced out grimly. "I shall call Hegemony Dark Shadow forward. We will need to ask his permission to proceed forward though!" RUMBLE! Solerno spoke as he mentioned Hegemony Dark Shadow- one of the Hegemonies that had been standing beside him when that person approached Ambrose all those years ago! It was the same Hegemony they had to ask permission from before making any huge moves! Ambrose nodded as his eyes flashed with a light of cruelty. "Very well." ¡­! Chapter 984 - If Paragons Cannot Do It, Call A Hegemony! II As many things happened behind the scenes, Noah had no idea whatsoever as at this moment, he fully put to use the Invulnerability effect of Plot Armor to go against 10 Paragons! They couldn''t hurt him or do a single thing to him, the most that a being who extremely eclipsed him in power being able to do being to lock him away or isolate him in a unique space, and even then he had methods to escape. This was Plot Armor! A character''s unusual ability to survive no matter the extreme odds, simply because the story had it so! Noah had culminated this power in the form of an ability as at this moment, he utilized it fully as just a portion of his strength. This was because to defeat Paragons, one had to have more than just Plot Armor. And he...he had Cosmic Daos and the support of a Cosmic Treasure. THRUM! Under the utterly shocked gazes of 10 Paragons that could not cause him any damage, Chains of Annihilation erupted out from all sides as before they could pull away, Noah uttered out words that actually caused fear to rise up from the hearts of the Paragons! [Life Realm]! WAA! A flash of light. A black realm formed! The words [Life Realm] had caused the 10 Paragons to turn fearful, and they had a reason for that as the last time they heard these words, a black realm they couldn''t see through had wrapped around 5 of their friends...and they had never stepped out of this Realm alive! "No¡­!" Now, they heard these words again with them being in the vicinity, all of them trying to tear the Chains of Annihilation that bound them to no avail, the realm quickly wrapping around them. Within the Life Realm, Noah''s gaze was impassive as he wasn''t averse to using the same technique again. So what if he used the same method of trapping 10 Paragons into a Life Realm that nobody could see through where he could turn it all into a Sea of Ruination?! It was effective, efficient, and one of his strongest offensive attacks where he could utilize his Cosmic Treasure freely without worrying that Hegemonies found out he held one, why use it once and forget about it? He was a prolific spammer to begin with, and such a thing was only natural for him! THRUM! Sheer horror leaked out from the 10 Paragons as from Noah, a Cosmic Treasure glimmered crimson as it began to tear apart surrounding space and chaotic void, directly creating a Sea of Ruination that went on to wrap around then dreadfully! Ah! --- Outside of the newly created black Realm, the powerful experts of the numerous Legions looked towards it in shock as a memory replayed in their minds. 5 Paragons and a Tyrant Dragon went in, only the Tyrant Dragon came out! Was such a scene about to repeat itself again? And this time with the lives of 10 Paragons on the line?! Many watched breathlessly as they were just among the few important figures paying close attention to this scene. The even more important figures were Hegemonies, where 2 of them had currently begun communicating with a Hegemony that could be considered a Senior among the powerful Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos! ".. that is how the situation has developed. We might have to accelerate the beginning of the Universal Amalgamation as it won''t be perfect, but it will at least start the Process of Accumulation before all my Influence in the Animus Universe is lost and its activation loses even more power." RUMBLE Ambrose was speaking carefully into a small crystal object that was swirling like a black hole, taking his voice across space and time as it reached a special being. From the crystal object, a voice carrying utter regality and power came out as it carried a hint of interest! "Peculiar...such a thing should not have happened. Aright, we shall utilize Hegemony Dark Shadow. With his abilities, he should be able to escape and keep the attention of many Hegemonies while the process of Universal Amalgamation starts. As for me¡­" WAA! "...I''ll go ahead and make a visit to Oathkeeper." ¡­! An affirmation was given for them to utilize a Hegemony to go against a lower level being, an action that would directly break an Oath that all Hegemonies were bound to, and yet it was taken nonetheless as the threat that a particular Paragon could not be overlooked! At the affirmation, Ambrose and Solerno looked towards its other as they nodded with grim faces, Solerno being the first to speak. "That time has actually come." "...a time of great change, my friend. Let''s do this." THRUM! Waves of essence and destiny silently spread out as a Hegemony was called forth to take care of a Paragon! At the same time this action occurred- on the other side of the crystal object that looked like a miniature black hole...a being could be seen with a calm gaze that nodded silently, his figure becoming wrapped in a light of teleportation as he disappeared from this area in space and carried out a long distance teleportation that actually carried him from one Universe and into another! The place this being had arrived into was actually the Elysian Universe- the birthplace of a Hegemony whose name resounded throughout the Primordial Cosmos! "Oathkeeper¡­" The Hegemony that had just finished communicating with Ambrose and Solerno uttered the name of the being he came to see with a light smile, his expression showing how he didn''t put this being on any pedestal or showing any respect as when the name was uttered, there was even a tinge of hate hidden within. WAA! The Hegemony ignored the incandescent beauty of the Elysian Universe around him, ignoring the golden shimmering chaotic void that was nothing like the Dark chaotic void of the Dark and Animus Universes or the blue tinged chaotic void of the Cerulean Universe! He ignored all of this as his figure tore through the Golden folds of space as he teleported away from the boundary of the Elysian Universe and went further in...towards the Galaxy that the Hegemony of Oath and Order stood- towards the abode of the Oathkeeper! Chapter 985 - An Oath Is Broken! I The Elysian Universe was one of the most beautiful Universes one could come across within the Primordial Cosmos. An entire Universe filled to the brim with the essence of Fate, Light, Karma, Destiny...a great deal of extremely high ranking laws and Daos! Among the Hegemonies, it was even an unwritten fact that the Elysian Universe was one of the core Universes that was the center of the Primordial Cosmos! This seemed supported by the fact that this Universe was the birthplace of one of the first Hegemonies, a Hegemony that had risen in power and established the Dao of the Oath Keeper that created a semblance of Order among all the Chaos- the Hegemony Oathkeeper! The abode of this being was a magnificent one as a certain Hegemony made his way over and appeared in front of an enormous Galaxy. What was incredulous about this Galaxy in front of him was the fact that among the trillions of Stellar Bodies one could see within it...there were also enormous golden chains spread throughout as they stretched across the Galaxy, wrapping around it tightly as these golden chains the size of stars wrapped around the boundary of the Galaxy! An incredible scene that very few being would ever come across in their entire lives...a Galaxy wrapped thoroughly with golden chains vibrating with the essence of Fate and Destiny, something that only someone like Oathbreaker could achieve! RUMBLE! A bright golden light shone out from the Galaxy as before the visiting Hegemony could enter, a horrendous aura leaked out as the figure of a stellar and devilishly handsome middle aged man appeared. Hair as gold as it could be, eyes intensely white as they sucked in the surrounding golden chaotic void. A simple white robe adorned him as on his back, golden shimmering wings could be seen as they palpated with the essence of a myriad of Daos! His eyes carried a hint of vicissitude and profound wisdom as they landed on the visitor that held similar eyes, this being that was known as the Oahkeeper speaking out lightly. "Chronos." RUMBLE! That''s right! The Hegemony that Ambrose and a few others were connected to was a heavyweight of the Primordial Cosmos- a Hegemony that was titled Chronos for no other reason than the fact that publicly, many beings knew that he was the first and among the few to comprehend the Dao of Chronos! Oathkeeper and 1 other Powerful Hegemony had this Dao comprehended as well, but Hegemony Chronos was the first as he reserved this title. "Oathkeeper, do you have some time?" Chronos spoke with a light smile that would mesmerize trillions, the Oathkeeper nodding as he acknowledged him and waved his hands, causing a rift to appear in the space between them. This rift led to a small isolated golden Realm hidden within the folds of space, the two beings stepping within it as uniquely, Oathkeeper did not invite Chronos into the Galaxy surrounded by golden chains that he came from! ¡­. Within the golden isolated Realm, two ridiculously powerful beings looked at each other. Oathkeeper''s face was impassive as he waved his hands and caused two cups to appear, these cups quickly becoming filled with a golden liquid as they floated in space, the two Hegemonies using the space within the realm as if it was floor and sitting down in front of these two cups, each of them grabbing one as Chronos was the first to speak. "I came to propose another Exploration into the Sea of Ruination." ¡­! RUMBLE! The topic that Chronos chose to start with was a unique one, Oathkeeper''s eyes rising up and flashing with light as he spoke calmly. "We have discussed and tried this a great deal of times with the same result. There is nothing for us outside of the Primordial Cosmos, Chronos. Find contentment and strive to achieve Antiquity in your home...no matter how many years it takes!" ¡­! A quick denial met Chronos as he smiled lightly while sipping the golden drink within his hands. "Not if we stop sending out portions of our souls. Not if we go in fully and you...bring along your Cosmic Treasure." THRUM! Chronos said these words simply as he dropped a bombshell, continuing to sip his drink as the gaze of Oathkeeper became utterly cold, his body erupting out with preposterous levels of power as he rose up, a phantom image of his figure that was thousands of miles in size appearing behind him as he gazed at Chronos! "How do you know about that?" When his voice released this time around, it seemed as if galaxies were exploding in Chronos''s ears, but he still remained seated and sipping his drink as he spoke with a forlorn expression. "The Cosmic Treasure that others know nothing about...a treasure of immense proportions that has given you the power to be unrivaled in the Primordial Cosmos. It''s funny how the rest of them haven''t connected the dots really." The gaze of Chronos turned from forlorn and smiled lightly again before he continued. "Who could have guessed that such a thing would fall in the hands of someone like you? Someone with no ambition, someone that only used his power to bring peace and order¡­" RUMBLE! At these words, the aura of Oathkeeper rose ever higher as it turned palpable, his eyes sucking in the surrounding space as he voiced out. "And what would you have done with it? Senselessly try over and over again to find something that doesn''t exist? Go on a conquest and Rule the Cosmos?" WAA! His booming voice erupted all around as it seemed angered, but Chronos kept his smiling expression when staring at this being as he was waiting for a certain thing to happen! That certain thing...was the movement of a Hegemony under him to take care of a rising problem that interfered with his goals within the Animus Universe! --- The boundaries within the Primordial Cosmos were extremely hard to travel across, with the boundaries between Universes being something that Hegemonies or truly powerful Paragons had the ability to cross. At this moment, a Hegemony clad in darkness was making his way across Universal Barriers as he was about to enter the Animus Universe! The Dao Essence of Voidspace was just among the many this being carried, but the Dao that granted him the Title of Dark Shadow- a being that could weave into the folds of space and run faster than many Hegemonies while having camouflaging abilities that nobody in the Primordial Cosmos could compare to was a special one. It was one of the Cosmic Daos that was uniquely comprehended by him, one that made him the top assassin within the Primordial Cosmos- The Cosmic Dao of Tenebrosity! Such a being was currently entering the Animus Universe, his goal being a particular Paragon that had shone too brightly! Chapter 986 - An Oath Is Broken! II Near the Draconic Holy Lands, intense reverberations of essence erupted throughout as Paragons faced against each other- the Paragons of the 4 Bloodline Races that had the support of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor having the winning edge as time passed. While the enemies they faced became increasingly more exhausted, they themselves still had immense reserves of mana as their mana reserves were literally increased multiple times over! ROAAR! The terrifying Draconic Progenitor that had just re-emerged was currently ripping apart the Progenitor of the Nine-Tailed Foxes, this Paragon only being capable of keeping his life due to the Cosmic Dao of Phantasm that allowed for him to turn portions of his body into illusions, weaving in and out of Tiamat''s attack this way as he was burning a tremendous amount of essence. Even this being felt like his life was on a timer as Tiamat''s attacks were relentless and filled with hate, his expression becoming more and more drastic! But even in the midst of his battle, he was like many other Paragons that had their eyes towards a certain location. It was the area where a black Realm they couldn''t see through existed, the area where the Tyrant Dragon had disappeared with 10 Paragons of the Bloodline Races! They watched this place intently with immense apprehension as they hoped the scene that had occurred before the battle even began would not repeat itself again. They hoped to not see the figure of a lone Dragon with all the Paragons somehow missing again! That would be truly too barbaric! THRUM! Mana overflowed in the area that many beings were observing, the black realm they couldn''t see through beginning to shatter and dissolve apart. What was revealed within¡­ "Ah¡­" "No¡­!" "How can it be so!" The Paragons of the 5 Bloodline Races cried out fearfully and unwillingly as they saw the lone figure of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor! His gaze was placid as the Life Realm shattered, overlooking every single being of the Billions around him with utter calmness as if he hadn''t just locked himself with 10 Paragons in a Realm and come out alone. To Noah, it didn''t matter whether it was 5 or 10- as long as beings who could not defend against the terrifying Sea of Ruination were wrapped up within it, they would ultimately perish! RUMBLE! His body was still rumbling with power as he seemed ready to move, the hearts of many beings becoming filled with terror as they knew if 10 Paragons could not stop this being as he decimated them so quickly, what else could they do? This Universal War...would only end when the rivers of blood exceeded even those of Dragons that they massacred just hours prior. Yet...as the Tyrant Dragon was about to move, something appalling occurred as the hearts of everyone nearly leaped out of their chests! OOOOM! In the next second, the figures of every single being in the nearby millions of miles...came to a halt. Complete and utter state of no movement, where even their mana could not circulate within their bodies. Darkness seemed to descend all around, covering the eyes of every single being as they couldn''t even see millimeters ahead of them. Zero movements, immense darkness! Terror filled the eyes of every single being on the battlefield! The billions of beings that were just battling...nearly all of them felt a deep sense of terror as their hearts screamed out a single thing. ''Hegemony!'' RUMBLE Terror ran rampant as an instant later, the aura of a Hegemony descended wildly. Everything was ushered into utter darkness as the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Tenebrosity covered everything. Even though everyone was terrified, all of them had an inkling of why this terrifying aura of a Hegemony had descended down. Even though they couldn''t see, their minds still remembered the location where a certain Tyrant Dragon was! It was there that the terrifying aura of the Hegemony had bloomed from, the first area that utter darkness had spread out until it covered everything an instant later! The Paragons on all sides knew who the target of this aura was, and they were all the more shocked about it as they knew the unwritten rule of Hegemonies not being able to attack those below them. But the descending aura today let them know that this rule would be broken. The Oath that every Universal Hegemony made when they rose in the Primordial Cosmos...would be broken today for a certain being! In the field of utter darkness, Noah''s body was utterly still like everyone else. His heart was calm as while nobody could see a single thing, he was one of the very few who saw exactly what happened! Right as he was about to move, a hand had bloomed in front of him, its size larger than even his entire body. This hand brought with it darkness that spread everywhere, Noah sensing the widespread and senseless use of a Cosmic Dao in the hands of a Hegemony. It was a Cosmic Dao he hadn''t come across too, the essence of this Dao as well as the aura of a genuine Universal Realm expert pressing onto him as it locked down his movements and even his usage of abilities, sinking back all the essence and mana he released back into his body! This utterly black hand then came towards his body as pure darkness erupted from it and threatened to drown him whole! Yet in the midst of all of this, Noah''s heart was calm. His thoughts were pure. He stared at this shocking development in the face as he wondered exactly what caused it all and what direction he would take, his mind actually calculating many things as he thought about Ambrose and the other Hegemony he was talking to, many ideas and thoughts being formulated at such a time as this! He was the one at the center of it all, and he was actually the most laid back as others were not like him! When the utterly black hand appeared and the attack descended down with the aura of the Hegemony, one of the first beings to notice it as she rose up in shock and full of wrath...it was Valentina. RUMBLE! Within her isolated Realm, space tore open as her body buzzed with the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation, her beautiful face full of rage as she tore through the void of space and rushed towards the location! Her heart trembled as she had never expected a Hegemony making a move against a being in a lesser Realm, much less for it to be a being that she supported. With a wrathful gaze, she moved as her aura would also soon descend into the Animus Universe! Chapter 987 - Dreadful! Aside from Valentina, there was also another being that had not seen, but instead sensed something instead when the attack began. It was a being in the Elysian Universe- a devilishly handsome being that had a cold expression before all this as he talked to Hegemony Chronos that had confronted him with a shocking secret that should have not been privy to anyone but him. At this moment, the Oathkeeper''s gaze left Chronos briefly as he stared towards a certain location, his impassive gaze shining with a sharp light as he spoke out majestically. "Someone is breaking the Oath." THRUM! The one who birthed the Dao of the Oathkeeper felt it the moment that the intent and action of Hegemony Dark Shadow was carried out, the location and the identity of the being responsible for it being shown to him right away as a shocking sequence of events was about to bloom! "Dark Shadow...why?" His gaze was somber as the action didn''t make sense, the Hegemony Dark Shadow that had comprehended the unique Dao of Tenebrosity being someone that rarely made a move. In the Primordial Cosmos, Oathkeeper had rarely seen this being make any movements or associate with any other Hegemonies, and that was why he carried a hint of confusion for what could have made this Hegemony act out against a being of the Lesser Realm! Oathkeeper glanced back towards Chronos who seemed to have a puzzled look, the voice of this magnetic being ringing out. "An Oath being broken? Now that is truly rare¡­" "..." Chronos had an impassive expression as he merely looked forward, the Oathkeeper''s gaze remaining on this being as it didn''t move! Normally when an Oath was broken, he would be the first one to appear and question the Hegemony responsible if not stop them, but after the bombshell Chronos had dropped on knowing about his Cosmic Treasure, the Oathkeeper could not move out at this moment. But the Dao of the Oathkeeper was taken very seriously as it was one of the few things establishing order in the Cosmos, So Oathkeeper sent a message to 3 Hegemonies that he thought would represent him- and ones that would move quickly once he made them move! THRUM Essence silently moved from his body as he sent a message. At the same time, 3 Hegemonies that were in Universes sharing a border or close to the Animus Universe received a message from Oathkeeper. "An Oath has been broken. The culprit is Dark Shadow. Contain him and find out why. The location is¡­" ¡­! BOOOM! The three Hegemonies receiving this information were shocked as they quickly moved, not bothering to ask why as they were strong allies of the Oathkeeper- simply moving quickly! All of these events- the utterly black hand reaching out to Noah, Valentina making a move, the Oathkeeper making a move...all of them happened nearly instantaneously as the hand that had made the move first smashed onto Noah. BOOOOM¡­.RIP! It was the strength of a Hegemony. It was undeniable. It was inescapable! And yet¡­ "Hmmm?" Dark Shadow''s entire body manifested after his hand as he looked towards the creature that should have been crushed in his palm by the essence of the Cosmic Dao, but he only found a Dragon staring at him calmly! A Tyrant Dragon staring at this Hegemony with eyes that were seemingly looking at his as if he was fool! BZZZT! Hegemony Dark Shadow squeezed again as he shockingly found it was like he held an indestructible rubber ball within his hands, where no matter what he did- an invisible layer existed on the Tyrant Dragon''s body that he could not break through and destroy this being. "This¡­" A sharp look appeared on the powerful Hegemony''s face when faced with this shocking development, but his gaze changed as he looked towards the space above him! A second had passed. Others had arrived. "Disgraceful!" BOOOM! Clad in the essence of Annihilation, Valentina appeared in the space right above them as her slender hand reached out. In the utter darkness, her hand was the only bright spot as it exerted pressure, the horrendous aura of the Hegemony and the darkness that had surrounded all the surrounding miles shattering just from her slender hand that struck down towards Dark Shadow! Darkness was pushed away as everyone regained their sight, their eyes opened to observe the shocking scene of an oppressive dark phantom clasping tightly onto something within its hands, and then the slender figure of an incredible magisterial woman striking down again this figure with an expression of wrath that would cause anyone to shudder fearfully! BZZZT! The essence of two Cosmic Daos collided, Dark Shadow grasping onto his prime target within his hands as his figure melded into the folds of space and disappeared. "Disgraceful creature!" RUMBLE The essence on the slender Valentina vibrated and descended down like tides as she locked on to the aura of this Hegemony and tore through the folds of space, giving chase even though it was against the one being known in the Primordial Cosmos for being the top assassin that could come and go anywhere as they wished due to their Cosmic Dao of Tenebrosity! RIIIP! The moment they left, three more auras of Hegemonies tore through space and arrived in this location, scaring the hearts of the watching billions of the Bloodline Races as these Hegemonies looked towards the turbulent area of essence where they could still sense the raging essence of Hegemonies, their bodies also turning into streaks of light as they disappeared into the folds of space, giving chase as well! "..." Silence reigned across the battlefield. All billions of beings looked forward in a stupor at what had just occurred, the minds of the 5 Bloodline Races turning jovial as they shockingly found the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor that was domineeringly killed their Paragons was actually targeted by a Hegemony. "Haha!" Paragon Klaus could not help but laugh mockingly at such a scene, but this laugh came to a stop in the next second as in his period of stupor and mocking, the jaws of a terrifying Draconic Progenitor silently arrived atop his head, shining with the might of two Cosmic Daos as they swallowed the mocking head of Klaus in a single gulp! RUMBLE! ¡­! The jovial feelings of the 5 Bloodline Races turned to incredulousness as they turned their eyes towards Tiamat, watching this Paragon tear apart the body of the Progenitor of the Nine-Tailed Foxes as her body erupted with immense power only slightly less than what the figure of the Tyrannical Dragon Emperor displayed before. Unbeknownst to them, in the period of very few seconds that Noah was attacked and taken, he had infused his multiple clones into all of his 8 Animus Summons as at this moment, they would all carry shocking power that might not reach the power of the Primordial Ruination Clone, but it was more than enough for the remaining Paragons on the Battlefield! ROAAAAR! Tiamat roared out in a magisterial fashion after ripping apart a Progenitor of a Race moments after Hegemonies descended and took action against a Paragon! Her many eyes were swirling around the chaotic void as a terrifying voice that many beings thought was taken away came out of her. It was the voice of the same Tyrant Dragon that should have been taken away and killed by a Hegemony. "I told you all...even Hegemonies will not be able to save you." ¡­!!! Shock! Stupor! Horror! BOOOOM! Chapter 988 - Destiny Is Tricky! "I told you all...even Hegemonies will not be able to save you." RUMBLE! It was a sentence that caused dread to spread in the hearts of all the beings of the 5 Bloodline Races! They had heard this dame voice in the past say such words, but they never took them seriously! After all, how could anyone deny a Hegemony when they acted? So when a being said they would kill them all and nobody, not even hegemonies would be able to save them- many would take it as just boasting. Yet¡­ OOOOOH! The figure of the Draconic Progenitor moved with even more vigor and power than before, dealing onto the Legions of the 5 Bloodline Races as Monarchs began to be torn apart, the remaining Paragons trying to collect themselves and match her after she tore apart Klaus! BOOOM! But she wasn''t alone all around the battlefield, 7 other auras of maddening powers similar to her rose! A nondescript cerulean haired child with a shimmering blue crown, an enormous Galaxy Devouring Serpent, a planet sized winged Eye that shone with a deadly soul light, a planet sized Helios Leviathan, the twin Draconic Serpents that had just begun to shine across the battlefield¡­ Their auras rose up majestically as the forces of the Bloodline Races felt suffocated even more than a few seconds ago before the Hegemonies had appeared! These powerful beings continued as if the shocking scenes of Hegemonies attacking did not just happen! Even the Paragons of the 4 allied Bloodline Races looked towards Tiamat and the others in shock, but when they saw them not worry as well as the shocking voice that came out of Tiamat that sounded eerily the same as the being that should have been taken and killed by the Hegemony...they also threw aside their reservations and continued. THRUM! The forces of the 5 Bloodline Races despaired as it looked like they were in for a massacre! --- In the folds of space, Ambrose watched this scene with an expression of someone that had eaten a pile of shit. Hegemony Dark Shadow''s actions should have included the quick massacre of the Tyrant Dragon and then all of the Paragons within his immediate force that followed him, resulting in the crippling of the enemy forces as they could no longer stand against the Bloodline Races! Yet¡­ Yet¡­! "Fucking hell!" Ambrose couldn''t help but curse as he shockingly saw even Dark Shadow not be able to kill the Paragon someone the instant he acted, this action taking precious seconds as he also didn''t get a chance to kill the Paragons of the enemy force. Now, these same Paragons were ripping apart the forces of the 5 Bloodline Races as they boasted even greater power! Every second that more Paragons and Monarchs vanished, his influence over the Animus Universe continued to decrease as it was coming dangerously low to the levels where he would barely be able to carry out the Universal Amalgamation when including this Universe. Thus, Ambrose''s expression was grim as his essence moved, sending a message to Chronos who was keeping Oathkeeper at bay at this moment! "Dark Shadow''s movements weren''t ideal, and my influence in the Animus Universe is still deteriorating rapidly. We might have to carry out the Universal Amalgamation right now as we utilize this commotion." RUMBLE! His shocking words reached the far away Chronos that was sitting next to Oathkeeper, Ambrose only waiting a second before a reply came. "How tricky fate and Destiny can be...go ahead. I''ll have Dark Shadow pass through the targeted Universes and draw out their Hegemonies. It''ll cause our plans to actually go much smoother in this manner." WAA! "The end result would have always been Dark Shadow doing something to draw out the Hegemonies from their Universes, I just didn''t think it would happen this early¡­oh well. I''ll let the others know to take their positions." Cryptic words came from Chronos after his affirmation, but Ambrose got what he wanted as he turned towards a somber Solerno on the side. "You can take your position in the Liberated Universe, the others will be beside the Universal Constructs in their own selected Universes..." Solerno nodded towards Ambrose as his body began to disappear, but not before he voiced his affirmation! "As it was, so shall it be!" RUMBLE! Unbeknownst to many, a group of beings had begun to take shocking actions that would have far reaching consequences, their actions not being revealed until sometime later when the dust had settled! --- Across the folds of space, a chase had just begun to unfold as the holder of the Cosmic Dao of Tenebrosity tore through space with multiple Hegemonies giving chase. The slender figure of Valentina regally tore through all obstacles as she followed, 3 other Hegemonies not too far behind her as they looked at Valentina and then Dark Shadow before they voiced out with their vibrant essence. "Dark Shadow, you need to stop! There is nowhere within this Cosmos you can run, and nowhere outside of it. What you''re doing now is meaningless!" RUMBLE The Oath of Universal Hegemonies was one of the least broken rules of the Primordial Cosmos, and it had happened very rarely in the long span of time since its establishment. When it did occur at a time like this, the Hegemony that had broken the Oath would give a reason as to why it was done and Oathkeeper and the others would decide whether it was justified! But Hegemony Dark Shadow...he merely ran without so much as a word or even trying to defend himself, even uniquely not killing the Lesser being he had acted against as he took the being with him on the chase! These set of events made the Hegemonies perplexed as the three that Oathkeeper had called on sent messages to him about the situation! In the Elysian Universe, within the folds of space where Chronos and Oathkeeper were. The Oathkeeper once more stared off in the distance as he could still sense the constantly changing location of Hegemony Dark Shadow through the Dao of the Oathkeeper, taking in the information others were sending to him as even he carried a sense of perplexion! At this moment, Dark Shadow and his pursuers entered the boundary of the Liberated Universe, Oathkeeper''s essence moving as he sent a message to two Hegemonies that were within this Universe. "You seem preoccupied, Oathkeeper. The situation with a mere Oath being broken has not resolved itself?" The voice of Chronos came out at this time as Oathkeeper turned back towards him coldly, waiting to resolve this situation as well as he spoke with a booming voice. "What exactly do you want, Chronos? So you know of my Cosmic Treasure, why approach me about it? What exactly do you plan?" RUMBLE The might of two of the most powerful Hegemonies coalesced within the Elysian Universe as far from them, a chase that had just began pulled in two more Universal Realm Hegemonies from their Universe, an unknown goal of Ambrose to pull away Hegemonies from certain Universes already beginning to unfold! Chapter 989 - Its Just That Youre Weak! The might of a Cosmic Dao varied by a large amount. Some were highly offensive or defensive, with others providing nothing but support. But, depending on exactly what type of boon it provided, even a support or defensive Cosmic Dao could take a very high ranking among all the Cosmic Daos. The Dao of Tenebrosity...was one of the truly unique Daos one could come across as the boons it provided were immense! At this moment, this Dao allowed a single Hegemony to cross the boundaries of Universes while being chased by multiple Hegemonies, and yet he still couldn''t be caught! THRUUM! There were 3 Hegemonies behind him, and fluctuations erupted out a second later as a large amount of essence began to coalesce and shoot out in front of him in the form of a punch. This punch caused the disintegration of the chaotic void it passed through as it sucked in everything like a black hole, and yet the Holder of the Cosmic Dao of Tenebrosity used this Dao to dissolve his body into a shadowy smoke, passing through this fist seamlessly as he blended into the Shattered void and continued! BOOM! After this, the owner of the punch changed directions and chased, this being also being joined by another aura a second later as two more Hegemonies joined the chase. These two were the Hegemonies from the Liberated Universe that Dark Shadow purposefully passed through, the current number of Universal Hegemonies chasing after him now rising up to 5! And yet he wasn''t done as after passing through the Liberated Universe, he headed towards the Necrotic Universe as he planned to pass through every single Universe where an anchor to the Slaughter Star Monolith Universal Construct existed, all of these Universes being targets of the Universal Amalgamation that Ambrose would initiate! As for the reason they were pulling out as many Hegemonies from these Universes before the initiation of Amalgamation? That was for us to find out later! RUMBLE Essence wildly tore across the folds of space as the chase continued, many beings seemingly forgetting or not noticing the being that had started all of this at this time. It was of course, the figure of the Tyrant Dragon that was lying comfortably within the enormous dark hand of Hegemony Dark Shadow. His body was covered with terrifying darkness all around, his senses barely being able to pierce through and sense the outside area as it was like he was confined in a small world of darkness! As Noah saw the surrounding folds of space changing constantly and the Hegemonies giving chase to this being that didn''t even bother to spare them any words, his mind was utterly calm as he seemed like someone with no worries. Within the world of darkness, he stretched out his body lazily as if he wasn''t in the hands of a Hegemony, speaking out at the same time! "So, you couldn''t kill me, and now you''re bringing me along for the ride?" THRUUM! His voice was nonchalant and didn''t at all match the terrifying situation at this moment, the world of darkness all around him shaking as the essence of Tenebrosity rushed out again and tried to pierce into his body! BOOM! Yet..a layer of Invulnerability seemed to exist as when it touched Noah''s body, it couldn''t pierce any further. This was still the effect of Plot Armor that Noah had a bit over 40 minutes remaining on it! How ridiculous that this Trait born from the influence of a portion of a Cosmic Treasure actually worked even against the power of a Universal Realm expert! With such a thing still on him, Noah planned to use this time to observe the aims of this being and Ambrose, and also watch for any possible opportunities for him to use his Cosmic Treasure to deal a large amount of damage to this being. If he was confident in being able to create a Sea of Ruination and reap the life of a Universal Hegemony right away, he would have so instantly for the loot this creature would drop! Yet he knew that even in the case of the Cerulean Hegemony that had taken over the bodies of the Spirit Race of his Dark Universe, this being had a mere portion of his soul cross the Sea of Ruination towards the Dark Universe that was cutting itself off and floating away at that time. This portion of his soul was ground down by the essence of Ruination as it barely managed to survive and enter the Dark Universe, but it gave Noah the knowledge that Universal Realm Hegemonies could withstand the corrosive and annihilatory effects of Ruination for some time before they perished! So he didn''t want to reveal his trump card at this time, the moment he did being the day that the knowledge of him having a Cosmic Dao all other Hegemonies were searching for becoming known! So during this period of time, he might as well obtain information. When the essence of Tenebrosity failed to pierce Noah yet again, the world of darkness coagulated as Noah''s nonchalant figure gazed towards a certain area, watching the formation of the humanoid figure that came towards him with a curious expression. "What kind of creature are you? How is it that you cannot be killed?" The Holder of Tenebrosity, while under a chance by multiple Hegemonies...used a portion of his consciousness to coalesce a figure as he spoke towards the being he came to assassinate! Towards this being''s question, Noah was calm as he voiced out while coiling his draconic body into a resting position that seemed to scream how carefree he was in this situation. "It is not that I cannot be killed, just that you are too weak to do it." "..." RUMBLE! Words shocking enough to cause anyone to roll their eyes back and have a fit erupted out, but the Holder of Tenebrosity actually nodded thoughtfully as he wasn''t angered! "You might be right. For this reason, I''ll be taking you with me to study exactly why. You don''t mind, do you?" OOOOM With his words, the essence of Tenebrosity moved as it formed into thick dark chains that wrapped around Noah''s body and limbs, strictly binding him down as the purpose of these chains was to prevent any spatial movement! All of these actions were occurring during the chase, where at this point in time, another 2 Hegemonies had joined the chase after Dark Shadow passed through the Necrotic Universe. The number of beings chasing him increased, but Dark Shadow still didn''t stop to even give an explanation as he continued towards the directions of another Universe! In the Liberated and Necrotic Universes that had just lost the presence of Hegemonies, new auras of Universal experts appeared, their figures coming close to the Universal Construct anchored within these Universes. Solerno was in the Liberated Universe as another Hegemony we had yet to introduce, but was a part of the few Hegemonies that Chronos had recruited over the years- this being appeared over the Universal Construct anchored in the Necrotic Universe! The bodies of these Hegemonies glimmered with light as they came close to the towering Towers that were the Slaughter Star Monoliths, their bodies glowing with an illusory outline of this Universal Construct as well they neared, a silent eruption essence occurred as the Universal Construct lit up brightly! The steps were being taken as in a short period of time, something appalling would take place¡­ Chapter 990 - A Plan In The Works For An Entire Epoch! A chase! A chase across the Primordial Cosmos as multiple Hegemonies chased after the Holder of Tenebrosity! "Dark Shadow, you''re making this harder than it needs to be. All for what? A Paragon?!" RUMBLE! One of the Hegemonies called forth by the Oathkeeper spoke as his voice traveled across the folds of space. He was among the many Universal experts thinking something larger was at hand as Dark Shadow continued to run without even giving an excuse as to why he acted against a being of a lesser level! But why run? The Primordial Cosmos was vast, but it was still surrounded by a Sea of Ruination as nobody could step out of it! There was nowhere to run, and Dark Shadow should know this more than anyone! WAA! But the Hegemony in question gave no answer as with his usage of the Cosmic Dao of Tenebrosity, crossing the folds of space was as easy as it could be as he escaped from multiple Hegemonies. --- Within the enclosed hand of the Holder of Tenebrosity, Noah''s Tyrant Dragon form was actually lazily lying down with his eyes closed, the chains of darkness all around him seemingly meaning nothing to him as he gave the demeanor of not caring! But his mind was buzzing with possibilities as he was still carrying his Cosmic Treasure within this Primordial Ruination Clone, and the voice of this treasure was ringing out in his mind at this moment. [Master, we have passed the boundaries of the Liberated Universe, Necrotic, and Microbial Universes already. This Dark Shadow is purposefully changing his course as he moves across the Cosmos as he makes sure to enter the bounds of these Universes before proceeding to another as soon as more Hegemonies from that Universe join this chase.] Noah nodded silently within his mind as with the information he had obtained when he sat in the conversation between Ambrose and Solerno, he priced together a lot of the information and had a rough idea for what the goal of this Dark Shadow was! If he was working with Ambrose, it meant the shocking topic of conversation he had heard before- the thing known as Universal Amalgamation...would be happening soon. RUMBLE! Waves of Destiny and Fortune swirled all around Noah silently, his main body in the Dark Universe looking over this wondrous scene as he quickly made his decision and took out Valentina''s Golden Mirror, his mana flowing into it as he called out to Valentina! "Stop the chase, you should return back to the Animus Universe right away." ¡­! Valentina was among the many Hegemonies chasing after Dark Shadow, so she didn''t pull out the Golden Mirror as she only listened to the message, its contents shocking her as while all other Hegemonies were bright streaks of light chasing after Dark Shadow, she came to an abrupt stop as she was very quickly left behind. This drop dead gorgeous Hegemony actually stopped the second after the words of a mere Paragon told her to! Noah was surprised at this as he at least expected her to question him, but he didn''t know that Valentina was simply furious at the fact that someone of her caliber would actually stoop down low enough to break an Oath, and also thought his Primordial Ruination Clone meant a great deal to him as if it was destroyed, it might harm a portion of his soul! She didn''t know that Dark Shadow had already tried killing Noah multiple times, and this was why she was giving chase! "This Dark Shadow is working along with Ambrose and most likely other Hegemonies. They are hatching a plot...that involves multiple Universes!" RUMBLE Noah began to slowly feed information to Valentina as her expression changed, her figure turning into a streak of light as she headed back towards the Animus Universe. At the same time as Valentina turned back, Ambrose appeared silently in front of the Slaughter Star Monolith he had established within the Animus Universe, his body shining brightly as the Universal Construct in front of him also began to shine. He was ready to initiate the process of Amalgamation as soon as the other 8 Constructs spread across 8 other Universes were activated, this action causing the start of something nobody within the Primordial Cosmos could have imagined! The action of pulling Hegemonies out of these targeted Universes had its own Agenda, and Ambrose would find it even easier to carry out things on his end as the only other Hegemony within the Animus Universe had left it to chase an unreachable Hegemony. Never would Ambrose have thought that Valentina was already on her way back to this Universe, a shocking battle destined to bloom between these two beings as they would finally clash to settle their differences! - The Liberated Universe, Necrotic, Microbial, Automaton, Chthonian, Euthenia, Omicron, and the Abyssal Universe...the Holder of Tenebrosity crossed the boundaries of all of these Universes in a short period of time as it seemed like he took the aggro of a few Universal Hegemonies everywhere he went. These 8 Universes and the Animus Universe included...made it 9 Universes that each held the Universal Construct that was the Slaughter Star Monolith within them. Silently as other Hegemonies left, new ones arrived as they appeared beside the Slaughter Star Monolith of these Universes, other Universal Realm experts even being locals of these Universes already even though they were moving with Ambrose''s group! For this exact day, they had planned and gone over a great deal of possibilities as they moved swiftly to achieve their goals. This was something that was in the works for an entire Epoch, and it was finally taking place at this time! THRUM! Across the boundaries of Universes, Dark Shadow continued to move as after crossing the Abyssal Universe, he changed directions once more as this time...he made way towards the Elysian Universe! ¡­! Such an action caught even the chasing Hegemonies by surprise as this was where one of the most powerful Hegemonies was, the being who told them to pursue him as he couldn''t leave his Universe at this moment. Many of them were suspicious, but they wanted to see the end of this play as they continued the chase. Very rarely did something happen in the Primordial Cosmos, and the breaking of an Oath that broke the order created within the Cosmos followed by the action of Dark Shadow on this day...these Hegemonies all wanted to know what it was all about! More than half of them were only chasing for curiosity, the other half following the words of Oathkeeper as this entire party of Hegemonies made their way towards the Elysian Universe. Far away from the 9 Universes where Universal Constructs were established. Far away from the Universes that would be affected by Universal Amalgamation! Chapter 991 - Universal Amalgamation I The Primordial Ruination Clone within the hands of Dark Shadow flashed with an intense light of destiny and fate. After the Cosmic Treasure had affirmed to Noah that that passed across multiple Universal boundaries, his eyes opened sharply as he stared at the coagulation of darkness all around him and spoke! "Are things almost ready?" THRUM! His words were light, being heard only by Dark Shadow at this moment as the Hegemony had a dark humanoid form made of the Essence of Tenebrosity rise up and look at Noah. "Are what things ready?" Dark Shadow spoke back calmly as he still looked towards Noah with a hint of interest, the fact that this being was the cause of their plans being moved up and the fact that he somehow could not be crushed even by the strength of a Hegemony made him a really interesting existence! Dark Shadow wanted to bring this being towards the person that seemed to have seen and known everything- Chronos! He wanted to let this person be examined after the Universal Amalgamation was successfully initiated, and it seemed that this would occur very soon. He looked towards the chained Tyrant Dragon as he waited for its reply, this reply going on to cause his mind to become tumultuous! "Are things almost ready for you guys to carry out the Universal Amalgamation? That''s why you''re leading all these Hegemonies along?" ¡­.! RUMBLE! In an entirely nonchalant voice, the Tyrant Dragon revealed their plans that had been underway for too many years and spoke about them so simply! BZZT! The essence around Dark Shadow trembled as he nearly stumbled from the folds of space, giving time for his pursuers to edge ever closer as he looked towards Noah that he found interesting before with a grim face at this moment. Under his chains, this being no longer felt like an innocent prisoner as Dark Shadow felt like he was holding onto a scorching ball of trouble! "How do you know about that, who are you?!" THRUM! The essence around Noah became even more destructive as it threatened to sink into him, but he just nodded nonchalantly after confirming everything as his own body began to glow with the essence of a Cosmic Dao. It was the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation, Noah causing it to bubble up intensely as he gathered it all towards his throat and jaws, not releasing any attack but using the essence of a Cosmic Dao to cause his voice to travel out from the shadow mass he was hidden within and into the folds of space outside where multiple Hegemonies were pursuing him! "You all are still chasing this guy even after seeing his obviously sketchy behavior? You best return back to the Universes he pulled you all out from before something drastic happens, this guy isn''t working alone!" ¡­.! RUMBLE! His voice reverberated out from the darkness that surrounded Dark Shadow, the Holder of Tenebrosity glancing towards him in his shadowy form in utter shock! The chasing Hegemonies outside...were even more shocked as many of them came to a stop! Their faces then became grim at these words as with their experience, they read between the lines as those who were chasing from just sheer curiosity stopped and returned back to the directions of their Universes. Only a few Hegemonies that Oathkeeper had directly messaged to chase after Dark Shadow continued with grim faces as they relayed this development to Oathkeeper while still giving chase! With the folds of Darkness, Dark Shadow''s face became grim as his essence bubbled out, sending a message to Ambrose and a few others right at this moment. "You all need to start the process of Amalgamation now, information has leaked!" RUMBLE! A shocking message reverberated across as it landed into the minds of all the connected Hegemonies, the sequence of many actions being changed due to a single nonchalant Tyrant Dragon! Ambrose was one of the first to hear this message, his body that was already near the Slaughter Star Monolith of the Animus Universe radiating intense light as his essence moved, this being acting as the first to initiate the first fulcrum of the Universal Construct that was just one of the 9 spread out across multiple Universes. A blinding crimson light washed over the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters where the Slaughter Star Monolith was located, ancient and terrifying runic sigils the size of stars beginning to form around the Universal Construct as with their formation, a unique and Archaic light began to emanate outwards- this light rapidly expanding as it threatened to cover many light years in an instant and drape over the entire Animus Universe! But before it did, a powerful aura arrived within the Universe as the figure of a slender dark-haired woman looked wrathfully at the glowing Hegemony of Slaughter, her body shooting towards this Hegemony like a shooting star. "Ambrose!" THRUM! Seeing the menacing light coming from the Universal Construct, Valentina''s body glimmered the light of battle as she prepared to fight against a Hegemony. But¡­ The die was already cast. The first Universal Construct was activated, and the rest of them followed. In the Liberated Universe. RUMBLE! Solerno''s body glimmered with a similar light like Ambrose, the Slaughter Star Monolith he stood in front of radiating out an intense light as it became a crimson beacon in the starry chaotic void! In the Necrotic Universe, another Universal Construct lit up as a Hegemony was standing near it with the same light as Ambrose and Solerno! The Microbial, Automaton, Chthonian, Euthenia Omicron, and the Abyssal Universe...all of the locations where a Slaughter Star Monolith existed lit up with an intense crimson light at this moment. This light stemmed from the Universal Constructs that Ambrose had laid out, and the light went on to cover the boundaries of all of these selected Universes. It was the beginning of Universal Amalgamation! The bringing together of many Universes! A process of Unification! But with it came a great deal of other things. One of the firsts was something that the returning Hegemonies that had followed the running Hegemony Dark Shadow felt first hand. When they gave up the chase due to Noah''s words and they reached the boundaries of their respective Universes, they found them covered with an intense crimson light that when they rushed towards to enter¡­ BOOOM! It felt like they had hit an impenetrable wall as they were pushed back! Denied from entering their own Universes! ¡­! Shock and stupor filled their hearts as this was about to be one of the many changes that would bloom, 9 Universal Constructs shining brilliantly across the Primordial Cosmos as a hidden group of Hegemonies finally made a move to achieve their goals after an entire Epoch! Chapter 992 - Universal Amalgamation II What exactly would the undertaking of Universal Amalgamation entail? What would the group that Ambrose moved to achieve with the apparent Unification of 9 Universes with the use of Universal Constructs? Ambrose''s mind was utterly calm at this moment as he stared at the bright crimson light given by the activated Universal Construct, his eyes also locking with the image of Valentina that had managed to enter the Animus Universe before the process began, and was thus not repelled out of the universe like many other Hegemonies would be. As Ambrose watched this scene with cold eyes that were filled with calm, he recalled the meaning behind everything as a certain memory when this plan that was in the works for an entire Epoch began all those years ago! He had agreed to go along with Chronos and those behind him, years passing before everything was put in order and a plan was presented in front of him. The scene was as clear as the day as on a certain year, Chronos and Ambrose were floating silently while staring at 9 completed Universal Constructs that were floating menacingly in a hidden Realm of the Chthonian Universe. "With the Constructs finished, all that is left is for you to spread them across 9 Cosmos. Many years have to pass for these constructs to adapt and absorb the core essence of these Universes, their path of slaughter with all the beings dying within it only increasing its rate of completion before it can be activated to start the process of Amalgamation." Chronos spoke simply as Ambrose nodded with shining eyes. That''s right! The Slaughter Star Monoliths used the very essence and souls of the destroyed beings within it while absorbing the very essence of the Universe around them before they could be activated! "Within each of them, I have placed a Seed of Antiquity as with Amalgamation underway, they will draw in even more Universal Essence to feed these seeds through a process of Accumulation, and when that is done...these Seeds of Antiquity will birth a genuine Antiquity! An Esteemed Being that will show us the path forward as he has already achieved it!" RUMBLE! The shocking meaning of the Universal Constructs was revealed at this moment! Each of them carried a Seeds of Antiquity, which after they fully bloomed- an Antiquity would descend in the Primordial Cosmos! As for which Antiquity or how Chronos had come across them, he didn''t explain any of this! "The period of the Accumulation of Universal Essence cannot be disrupted with any of the Universal Constructs torn down, so there is a safety net placed with their activation. But due to the fact that this safety net bends the Universal Laws too much, we had to also place restrictions in order to bring them to fruition!" "The safety net is the fact that after their activation, all Hegemonies aside from those already within the Universe or had their core essence branded into the Universal Constructs...no other Hegemonies will be able to enter these Universes! This means that our jobs will be to only protect the Universal Constructs from any Hegemonies that happened to be within these Universes, or we can simply concoct a plan to remove them before we activate the Constructs." Yes! This was the reason why Dark Shadow moved to have as many Hegemonies follow him from the targeted Universes after he broke an Oath, reducing the work of protection that they had to do after the Universal Constructs were activated to null! If there were no enemy Hegemonies within the universes when the process began, that was ideal. If there were any, they would simply move to eradicate them, and they could do this with ease as there would be many more of them that could move across the 9 targeted Universes! "To make such a thing possible, the restriction we will face is something I actually got from Oathkeeper- the restriction that no matter what, we cannot make a move against creatures within these Universes that are lower than the Universal Realm. Give and take...for such a safety net, there had to be some form of a restriction!" "If any of us break this restriction, the Seed of Antiquity within the Universe this occurred in will fall apart automatically, drastically increasing the time of Accumulation and reducing the chances of our mission succeeding." The restriction that they would face would only be the fact that they couldn''t move against Paragons and those below them, but this was such a minor thing that Chronos and Ambrose knew would not be an issue! Even if multiple Paragons rose to try and disrupt the absorption of Universal Essence by the Slaughter Star Monoliths, all that the Hegemony standing guard had to do was enact a barrier around the construct that no Paragon or lower ranked being could break through! Thus, it was almost guaranteed that once the Universal Amalgamation was initiated and Accumulation began...the successful descent of an Antiquity was a given! These were the thoughts currently playing in Ambrose''s mind as he looked at the beautiful figure of Valentina rushing towards him, the memory of him and Chronos fading away from his mind as he focused on the present. From now on, any Hegemonies like Valentina that had managed to be in any of the 9 Universes before the Universal Amalgamation was fully initiated...these beings would actually be the unluckiest creatures of all! This was because Ambrose could move to attack them and defend the Monolith he protected, and he could also call forth support of multiple Hegemonies from any of the other 9 Universes that didn''t have any enemy Universal experts within! ''But I will not need to call forth any support!'' RUMBLE! This shocking thought erupted from Ambrose''s mind as he coldly stared at Valentina, his essence moving wildly as a protective crimson boundary wrapped around the Slaughter Star Monolith behind him. Unless he died, nobody would be able to get through this barrier and damage the Universal Construct whatsoever! All that remained now...was for him and others to defend as the Accumulation of Universal Essence commenced, simply waiting for Antiquity to descend. "Let me keep to my promise of tearing apart that fair skin of yours." THRUM! Ambrose spoke out coldly as his essence moved like waves, this Hegemony of Slaughter moving against the Hegemony of Summoning as chaos spread out crazily across multiple Universes! Chapter 993 - A New Era! I The gaze of the Oathkeeper turned towards the directions of certain Universes as he received a great deal of messages of multiple Hegemonies. Messages of a shocking new phenomenon that involved 9 Universes, the issue with Dark Shadow having turned into something much grander than many expected! As Oathkeeper received the many messages about this phenomenon, his ancient mind buzzed with activity as he sensed the aura of Dark Shadow and multiple other Hegemonies entering his Elysian Universe. After the chase he took many Hegemonies on, it ended in the Elysian Universe as he boldly came into the domain of a being that was known as one of the strongest experts of the Primordial Cosmos! Why? Why would he do what he did, what did he have to do with the phenomenon that inflicted multiple Universes where Hegemonies could at this moment not enter?! RUMBLE! The gaze of Oathkeeper shone with a brilliant luster at this moment as he turned his gaze towards the calmly smiling Chronos that was still sipping his golden drink. "I see." ¡­! At these words, Oathkeeper disappeared from the hidden realm in the folds of space, teleporting in the golden shimmering chaotic void of the Elysian Universe as he appeared right in front of the party of Dark Shadow and the Hegemonies chasing after him that had just entered this Universe! His devilishly handsome humanoid figure and golden wings caused him to be the center of attention, the eyes of all Hegemonies constricting at his appearance as in the next second, an illusory image of a winged Elysian the size of a Planet appeared in behind the figure of Oathkeeper. The gaze of this illusory figure was cold and righteous, its hand moving forth as before anyone could even blink, it had reached Dark Shadow''s position and grasped onto him tightly! BZZZZT! The chaotic void quaked and shattered as the essence of Tenebrosity wasn''t even given the chance to squeeze through the illusory hand that contained the essence of innumerable numbers of Daos! BOOM! The dark cloud of Tenebrosity was crushed as the somber figure of a humanoid Dark Shadow was revealed, as well as the being he kept in chains of Tenebrosity in the form of a Tyrant Dragon that looked around at every single figure with shining eyes. Space around Dark Shadow was trembling wildly as the hand pressing down threatened to squeeze everything, his gaze only becoming somber as he spoke out coldly. "Any time now!" THRUM! Dark Shadow didn''t bother to explain or seek for mercy, simply voicing out cryptic words that caused the hearts of all Hegemonies behind him to fall! It was because the words were those that held no worries even though he was in the grasp of one of the strongest beings in the Primordial Cosmos- words that seemed to be calling for someone else to act at this very moment as Dark Shadow was confident enough in this person that he didn''t put the Oathkeeper in his eyes. It must be the reason why he ran towards the Elysian Universe, it must be this place that held the identity of the being that Dark Shadow knew could save him! But who was this being? Naturally¡­ RUMBLE! The golden colors of the chaotic void shimmered and came to a halt. Everything came to a stop. DONG! A unique sound rang out across the wonderfully beautiful chaotic void, the Hegemonies and the figure of Noah that seemed frozen in space with only their awareness being able to move seeing the appearance of an enormous clock! The sound that rang out was that of a clock hand moving in position, the image of an enormous purple analog clock appearing in the chaotic void as time came to a halt. DONG! The hand of the clock moved back to a certain position as shocking changes occurred in the next moment! The illusory hand of Oathkeeper that held on to Dark Shadow unfolded as it seemed like time was reversing, a certain figure appearing next to Dark Shadow at this moment as his face still contained a tinge of a smile! DONG! The hand of the clock stopped moving as the regal purple essence spread out wildly throughout, dominating everything in the surroundings as it threatened to drown everyone in the tumultuous river of time. This was the essence of a unique dao, the Dao of Chronos! As for the being that appeared right next to Dark Shadow? "Chronos!" OOOOM! Oathkeeper''s boisterous voice reverberated out as with it came a unique essence of the same quality as Chronos, an enormous analog Clock the size of a planet appearing behind him as well, his Clock shining the glorious color of gold! He looked like an archaic creature as his golden hair waves wildly, the massive color of gold gushing out like tides from the enormous clock behind him. Two utmost powerful Hegemonies, both utilizing the Dao of Chronos! BZZZT! The void trembled fearfully as it nearly broke down from the ridiculous sense of pressure. "I never thought you''d act so quickly. What gave me away?" Chronos spoke with a smile as the purple clock behind him solidified even further, releasing a powerful purple light that caused his figure to become illusory as this purple light was only able to cover Dark Shadow before it could not expand any further, every other area in space being covered by the glorious golden light released from the Clock behind Oathkeeper as this included Noah''s figure near Dark Shadow and Chronos that was extremely eye-catching at this moment! "I''m already insulted that I was kept by you this long with your reveal of my treasure, but it is of no consequence. What is it that you are planning, Chronos? What have you done with the 9 Universes?" RUMBLE! The resonant voice of the Oathkeeper rang out as those lucky enough to witness this scene were shaken, observing the power of Oathkeeper first hand as they saw him utilize the Dao of Chronos at an even greater extent than Chronos himself, the golden light his Clock released covering everything aside from the illusory figures of Dark Shadow and the smiling Chronos that replied to him while shaking his head. "My plan is of no consequence either. I cannot clash with you yet, so I will take my leave...or really, I''ve already taken my leave, haha!" He spoke profoundly as his figure and the figure of Dark Shadow faded away as if they were never there...as if they had already left a long time ago! Time! The Dao of Chronos played around willfully with time, causing for mind bending effects to come to light as the auras of two Hegemonies disappeared as if they weren''t there to begin with. All that these two Hegemonies left behind was a single Tyrant Dragon that was bathed with the golden light that emanated from the clock behind Oathkeeper, the eyes of all Hegemonies turning towards this Paragon at this moment! The golden light that even halted time began to fade. The luster of gold of the chaotic void of the Elysian Universe made everything crystal clear at this moment. Especially the figure of the Tyrant Dragon that bore the gazes of many powerful Hegemonies! This Paragon rose his head as he was the first to break the ice while surrounded by so many powerhouses. "Well, that was rather drastic." "..." RUMBLE! Chapter 994 - A New Era! II In the gorgeous Elysian Universe where the color of gold permeated throughout the chaotic void, a set of Hegemonies were all looking towards a single Paragon that had been the starting point of a certain incident! The Paragon they were looking at was a Tyrant Dragon that didn''t seem to have a hint of nervousness when facing the gazes of so many powerful Hegemonies, being the first one to speak when they all stared at him as the gazes of many Hegemonies were filled with a hint of curiosity amidst the grave development. The eyes of Oathkeeper were utterly cold and devoid of emotion, the enormous golden clock behind him fading away entirely as his humanoid winged figure became clear to all and he spoke, his eyes locking with Noah''s Tyrant Dragon. "You are the Paragon that Dark Shadow attacked to begin all this, why?" THRUM! A simple question, one that even lesser Hegemonies would be careful on how to answer as the one they addressed was one of the foremost powerful creatures of the vast Primordial Cosmos! Yet the person that was asked this question was Noah Osmont. A being that seemed to be utterly tyrannical and arrogant without even trying! Noah craned his neck as he looked towards Oathkeeper with a hidden light, keeping his expression devoid of emotion even though he was bubbling with excitement inside! This was because this being and even the long gone Chronos that he had met..they were uber big bosses that had the most profound Daos on them! This was especially so when it came to Chronos. Others might not know, but when Noah stared at all the Hegemonies around him with [Eyes of Truth], a great deal of their details were hidden or unknown- but not the Daos that the Hegemonies cultivated. And Chronos...aside from the spectacular Dao that he and Oathkeeper just utilized, he had a Dao that Noah thought trumped everyone around here, one that even he didn''t know how it would work as its name alone was shocking enough! Reincarnation. The being that seemed to be one of the leading figures behind Noah''s enemies...was a Universal Realm expert that hiddenly comprehended the Dao of Reincarnation! Given the fact that he was given the name Chronos as Hegemonies thought this was his most profound quality, Noah knew that this benign having this Dao must be a big secret! But such a dao led him to have many questions as he wondered more about the being called Chronos that had stood up to the Oathkeeper. What exactly was the status and mentality of this being? With this hidden Dao of his, just how many times had he utilized it? Did he live through all the events Noah was currently experiencing as he even knew of the future?! There were so many questions surrounding this being, but Noah found a singular thought dominating his mind through all this! If he could just have his cool down of [Protagonist''s Bookmark] finish and use it on Chronos¡­ RUMBLE! This thought caused his heart to buzz with the light of possibilities as he reeled in his mind and looked towards the Oathkeeper to answer his question. "I was going against the forces of the Hegemony of Slaughter that Dark Shadow was working with and reducing his influence in the Animus Universe. This action apparently interfered with goals that Ambrose and these beings had set up that planned to use the Slaughter Star Monoliths they established across multiple Universes to start something called Universal Amalgamation." ¡­! WAA! Noah''s words caused the eyes of many Hegemonies to constrict as they looked towards him curiously, wondering of the identity of this being that seemed to speak so nonchalantly to powerful existences that he wouldn''t even get the chance of meeting normally! Oathkeeper also stared at Noah with a gaze shining with golden light, nodding seriously as his essence shot forth vibrantly and wrapped around Noah. "Let''s go see these affected Universes, starting with the one where this all started!" OOOM! The essence of multiple Hegemonies moved as Oathkeeper led the way, this Hegemony being extremely fast as Noah was carried like an item for the second time today across the folds of space, the party of many beings making their way across the boundaries of three unaffected Universes before they came upon the Animus Universe in mere seconds. SHAA! Their figures began to very quickly arrive at the boundary as they found it covered by a layer of crimson bloody light- a light that repulsed all of their auras regardless of who they were. The figure of Oathkeeper shone with immense gold luster as his eyes shone brightly while looking at this scene. His golden hair waved majestically as he pushed his palm forward, his energy that was like endless tides of terrifying oceans rolling in waves...but even he was not able to do anything against the bloody crimson color that covered the boundary of the Universe! "They have laid down a unique authority that should not be possible unless it came with huge restrictions." Oathkeeper spoke with seriousness as he gazed into the Animus Universe that was locked behind a crimson veil, his gaze shining with the light of Destiny and Fate as this expert tried to discern a few things. Within seconds, he turned towards the nonchalant figure of Noah as he spoke. "You try." THRUM! At this moment, Noah was merely taking in the sights of the Universal Boundary that he had crossed before by himself with the use of his cosmic treasure, even though this time he had the essence of a peak Hegemony wrapping around him protectively to defend against the destructive spatial storms surrounding universal boundaries that could even rip apart weaker Paragons! His figure went forward as his claws neared the crimson veil that Hegemonies could not cross, passing through it easily as nearly half of his body sunk in before Oathkeeper pulled him back! "..." There was a silence in the surroundings as everyone looked at this scene, the powerful Oathkeeper having his eyes flash with a golden light of destiny as he spoke out grandly. "Whatever process they have begun is extremely dangerous and must be stopped, but they thought far ahead as they made it so no Hegemonies can enter these Universes until this...Amalgamation finishes! Only those of the lesser Realms can enter, which means there should be a restriction along these lines as well!" ¡­! In a blink, this being was quickly able to figure out what was going on as his face turned grave. This was because with this knowledge, the scene in front of them was all the more dreadful as these Hegemonies...were looking across the crimson veil that prevented them from entering and looking at a scene within the Animus Universe. It was the scene of a valiant dark haired Hegemony that was fighting against Ambrose! Chapter 995 - Under Siege! While they could not enter or give any support, the Hegemony of Summoning was currently fighting with Ambrose as he stood in front of the huge Slaughter Star Monolith that stretched across the Bloody Battlefields Galaxies! Oathkeeper and the others stared at this scene with somber eyes as the golden hair Hegemony that kept order all this time spoke as he moved multiple Hegemonies with his words. "Check out the situation with the other 9 Universes. Find which ones are protecting these Universal Constructs and those fighting against them. This barrier might just prevent any new Hegemonies from entering, but not from leaving." THRUM! Multiple Universal Realm experts nodded at his words as they disappeared into particles of light, Oathkeeper keeping his gaze at the battle between Valentina and Ambrose as he spoke towards Noah who had begun to look at this battle with a serious expression as he also saw its progression! "Tell me more of the events leading to this, and what is happening within the Animus Universe¡­" He finished his words as he also spread his gaze to the area near the Holy Draconic Lands where a shocking war between billions was taking place, rivers of blood being created in the chaotic void at this same exact time that two Hegemonies were fighting! Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone nodded towards the Oathkeeper as he began to give more information to this being, his own mind moving rapidly as he himself thought about what he should do at this moment. There were a variety of options for him to choose from, but he kept his focus on the battle between Valentina and Ambrose at this moment as the state of the battle...was not too favorable! --- Within the Animus Universe. BOOM! Shocking impact resounded out as beings moved at speeds faster than light to attack each other. The surroundings had turned into an apocalyptic scene of constantly imploding Galaxies in the billions as they released horrendous explosive forces in the surroundings, such attacks being capable of shredding apart Paragons in a matter of seconds! But this was only the surroundings of the two battling Hegemonies! Chains of Annihilation were swirling throughout the space like snakes as they chased after the fair figure of Valentina, the gaze of the Hegemony of Summoning that wasn''t a Hegemony geared towards the offensive side of battle being on the losing side even though she valiantly rushed towards Ambrose when she returned into her Universe. SHAA! Like a streak of light, she avoided the grasps of Ambrose who protected the Slaughter Star Monolith behind him, her essence never being able to go past him to even touch the protective barrier that Ambrose erected! This was the true might of the Hegemony of Slaughter...Ambrose living up to his name as he dominated the pace of the battle. His gaze was that of an adult looking at a child as he spoke towards Valentina''s evading figure. "I told you in the past to simply align with me, but you chose the path of destruction instead...let me see what made you so special to be able to deny me!" BOOM! The chaotic void shook fearfully as the Cosmic Essence of Annihilation moved about freely, Valentina''s gaze turning more and more somber as in the next instant, she turned utterly ashen! This was because both she and Ambrose picked up the fluctuations of 2 other Hegemonies, and they came out of the direction of the Slaughter Star Monolith that Ambrose protected. It was...Solerno and another Hegemony that Valentina actually knew as the Hegemony of Necromancy- a terrifying Lich that ruled over vast regions of the Necrotic Universe! These two powerful Hegemonies entered the scene as they looked towards the battling figures of Valentina and Ambrose, a deadly light passing through the dark robed Hegemony of Necromancy and the abyssal flaws within its skull shone brightly. "We came to check the situations of other Universes. Ambrose, why didn''t you tell us there was a little mouse on here that was trapped in?" The voice of the terrifying Lich was filled with cruelty as he moved without even waiting for Ambrose to reply, a shocking cloud of death descending towards Valentina as she now faced the attacks of two Hegemonies! "Vile schemers and cowards!" Her voice rang out with majesty as her dark hair flowed beautifully, her eyes relentless as she evaded the shocking might of two Hegemonies. Ambrose looked towards the coming Lich with displeasure as he planned to take his time with Valentina, but he might as well wrap this up and make sure everything with the Universal Amalgamation continued to proceed smoothly. As for Solerno, his gaze was silently on the figures of Oathkeeper and a few other Hegemonies that were watching this scene outside the boundary of the, a smile appearing on his face as he felt like he could finally look at these Hegemonies that made themselves more exalted than him on the same plane! His voice rang out as with a barrier between them, he finally talked to Oathkeeper like how he had always wanted to all this time- his face tinged with insult and disrespect. "This is just one of the many changes that will occur in the coming era...you all can watch its beginning with the death of one of your Hegemonies!" RUMBLE! His words caused the valiant eyes of Valentina to dim, the essence of Solerno moving in waves as he appeared above her- this action making 3 Hegemonies all attacking her at once! All routes of escape...were closed off as their essence continued to roll off their bodies and descend towards her in a terrifying manner. At this time, the gazes of many beings were filled with anger and solemnity, many of them helpless at this moment on what exactly to do! But...this wasn''t so for a single being. This wasn''t so for Noah Osmont! Since the Universal War began, his overpowering Universal Fortune had continued to swirl around him along with the light of Destiny, telling him of a grand future that was coming as the war proceeded. The capture by Dark Shadow, the events of the Universal Amalgamation, the meeting of the most powerful Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos...all of them had gone to help him in the end! Turning the most dangerous of situations into the most fortunate opportunities...what a dense Universal Fortune he had! And now...such a scene of danger lay itself in front of him again. A being he knew was being besieged on all sides within her own Universe by three Hegemonies. She had no routes to escape to as she seemed like she would be drowned out by the massive essence of her enemies at any time! At such a time point, the gaze of his main body in the Dark Universe was solemn as he held on to a Golden Mirror and spoke into it. "I might have a solution¡­!" RUMBLE His message reached the ears of a valiant Valentina that faced the horrendous might of 3 Hegemonies without fear, the essence of a certain Dao beginning to wrap around Noah as he prepared for something big. It was the essence of Fealty! Chapter 996 - A Hegemony As A Vassal! The scene was a glorious one, to say the least. There was a cacophony of colors and universal essence swirling throughout, the entire chaotic void constantly sundering and breaking apart as it was under the influence of [Apocalypse] cast by the Hegemony of Slaughter! Enormous and deadly chains of Annihilation were stretched throughout as they all aimed towards a singular figure of a woman that had a valiant expression. These chains of Annihilation were not just tinged with the Cosmic Essence of Annihilation, but they were also wrapped with the essence of Phantasm that was the other Cosmic Dao Ambrose held which Noah chose against selecting when he used [Protagonist''s Bookmark]. Such deadly attacks all rushed towards Valentina! Her body was covered with layers of the Cosmic Essence of Annihilation as well, but she was utilizing a different set of skills from Ambrose while she utilized the same Dao as Hegemonies comprehended different ways to utilize the Daos they could call forth! Valentina had an armor of Annihilation coalescing around her body, causing for the appearance of an illusory figure with her beautiful expression to rise around her as whenever her hands moved, this illusory figure would smash away the chains of annihilation while allowing her to swiftly move within the region of [Apocalypse] that would decimate even the defenses of a Paragon. Yet in the midst of all this, two more Hegemonies joined to pressure her on all sides, making sure she couldn''t even try to escape if she wanted! A terrifying Lich that was known as the Hegemony of Necromancy, and a Hegemony merely known by his name as Solerno who didn''t particularly stand out among other Hegemonies in the vast Primordial Cosmos. Facing the might of 3 Hegemonies, Valentina was truly unwilling as her gaze was that of utter coldness and regality! Not an ounce of fear. Not a shred of despair. She had lived for many years, and feared very little things- even death itself. She also had a large amount of Universal Fortune as she had comprehended deeply the Dao of Destiny, her eyes within the illusory figure coalesced by annihilation turning up to see her destiny and fortune as it didn''t seem dim! It meant that even in this situation, she would not be dying today! So she wondered, just what exactly would be her salvation? Would the Hegemonies that arrived on the boundary of the Animus Universe be able to break in, or would another situation arise that allowed her to impossibly turn the tables while being surrounded by 3 Hegemonies? The answer to her question came but a few seconds after she arrived in her predicament. "I may have a solution¡­" RUMBLE! From her golden mirror that she had given a certain someone, a voice rang out as even with her body creaking as she faced the pressure of 3 Hegemonies, Valentina was surprised! ''Him?'' The being she had been working with as Destiny told her he would bring her an immense amount of fortune. ''I see, was it always bound to be him?'' Not other powerful Hegemonies or even the Oathkeeper that was only watching silently from outside the boundary of the Animus Universe, but a mere Paragon that she had watched rise to this rank in mere seconds from a Great Sage just a few hours ago. BOOOM! While evading tendrils of Death that came from the Cosmic Dao of Necromancy and the chains of Annihilation from Ambrose, as well as the oppressive force of Solerno who was growing ever larger to become the size of a star while moving to attack her...Valentina moved her essence into the golden mirror as she sent a message. "What solution do you have that could withstand 3 Hegemonies?" THRUM! She asked and took this being with utter seriousness as he always surprised her! Even as she sent the message, she also had an inclination of an idea of what this being might propose! Her thoughts were proved to be true as a second later, her dark eyes fluttered as a blue colored box holding a prompt of shocking words appeared in front of her. [In exchange for a portion of his power, bind a portion of your soul to Noah Osmont and become his Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] "..." Silence. And then... "Haha!" When the prompt appeared and her thoughts were proven to be true, even Valentina could not help but release a laugh at the sheer incredulity of it! It was something that she had even thought about when she first came across this being enhancing the strength of billions as long as they bound a portion of their Soul to him. Valentina knew that with such a tool in this being''s hands, his journey to Hegemony would be smooth as his collection of Marks of Antiquity would be even smoother. But she didn''t expect that a situation would arise where the Cosmos seemed to even be allowing this being to put his hands on someone like her! A Universal Realm expert! ''Is this the true power of beings with immense Fortunes?'' Her mind was clear as many thoughts ran through, the prompt in front of her remaining vibrantly glowing as it seemed like the answer she was waiting for. "You have the gall to laugh amidst all this?!" BOOM! Ambrose''s face was tinged with cruelty when he saw the swaying body of Valentina that was pressured on all sides and seemed just about to break apart still utterly cold and calm, even choosing to laugh at such a time! Essence exploded wildly from him as he seemed to go for the killing strike. RUMBLE! At this point, Valentina pursed her lips as she sighed, her eyes shining with an unknown light. The strikes of Ambrose and the other 2 Hegemonies seemed to fade away, the only thing in her gaze being the single prompt in front of her, and the voice of a certain being she came in contact with just days ago. ''Well, what could go wrong?'' She trusted in her destiny and fortune! If it was leading towards this being, she would follow it! Her fair lips moved as she spoke words that shocked Ambrose and all the others watching Hegemonies. "I Swear Fealty." "..." ¡­! RUMBLE! Chapter 997 - A Percentage Of Infinity! "I Swear Fealty." BOOOOM! Words that were uttered simply but held immense meaning! Words that caused the Hegemony of Necromancy to look towards Valentina in shock, while Ambrose and Solerno looked towards each other in incredulousness as they had seen such a situation before hours ago in a Universal War. But to many others...to Oathkeeper outside the boundary of the Animus Universe and all the other remaining Hegemonies, their eyes constricted as they truly heard a Hegemony pledge Fealty! Fealty to who?! Just who was worthy enough to have a Universal Realm expert pledge their Fealty, and what would it do in a situation such as this? The answer was displayed just seconds after the slender figure of Valentina uttered these words. If one thought about it logically and simply, they would analyze her current situation to be extremely dire as she was facing attacks of 3 beings in the same stage as her, and she would not be able to stand against them much longer as their attacks would drown hers out in a matter of seconds if not in the next minute or two. The problem presented itself in the fact that she was burning as much essence as she could in the form of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation, using this essence to defend against the 3 Hegemonies as she could not even attack! When this Cosmic essence that protected her ran out...when the mana within her body could no longer push out the essence of her only comprehended Cosmic Dao...her figure would be drowned out by the attacks of these three terrifying beings as only death waited for her. So her main problem was one that plagued almost all other beings. It was, of course, mana. Oh! Mana! After she swore Fealty, Valentina felt a portion of her soul flow away, feeling a momentary feeling of weakness before¡­ BOOOOM! "Anhhh¡­!" Her body gushed out with an oppressive feeling of strength that came out much too fast because of her Universal Realm, causing her to unexpectedly release a small moan that she stopped a millisecond later! The Origin of a Hegemony was much different than those that had sworn Fealty to Noah before. A being that had forged their own Universe was special, the power they could wield not even being accurately quantifiable in comparison to Paragons. The genuine force that their forged Universe could release, the efficiency and conduction of mana, the conversion of mana to the essence of different types of Laws and Daos...all of this was elevated to such a great degree that the effects that Valentina was able to receive when she became a Vassal under Noah...these effects were magnified more than any of the beings that had sworn Fealty to Noah before this! THRUM! From her body, the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation gushed out maddeningly as her slender figure opened her eyes majestically, tendrils of blue light momentarily being released from them as she didn''t fully grasp the overabundance of mana flowing through her! ¡­! "It''s...soo much!" BOOM! Mana cascaded from her in waves as Valentina found herself shaking from stupor and shock! ''This guy¡­!'' She didn''t even have any words to describe what was happening at this time as she could only close her eyes and try to enjoy it, simply allowing her body to do what felt natural in this situation! RUMBLE! The wild eruption of Cosmic Essence pushed the collective attacks of 3 Hegemonies back, the illusory figure of the being wrapping around her becoming even more solidified as the golden crimson illusory image of Valentina became even more real, the essence of Annihilation being much too thick. As a Vassal, she gained access to 5% of what Noah had. Aside from the percentages and boosts in Dao Comprehensions and Assimilations, his Purification from two different sources, and many more things...there was mana! Mana! What was 5% of Infinite Mana? What was 5% of Infinity? Truthfully, there wasn''t a mathematically accurate answer because Infinity is not even a number, with mathematical operations involving Infinity being undefined. But for many of the Vassals, they experienced an explosion of their Mana Reserves by factors of tens to over 100 times what they originally had! Uniquely, they didn''t gain Infinity, even if it was a small percentage of it. For Valentina, this feature was even more magnified as the mana reserves of a Universal Realm expert were over a hundred times that of a Paragons! So if Paragons became Noah''s Vassals, it was equivalent to them gaining the Mana Reserves of a Hegemony! What an Emperor! What boons he gave to his Vassals! For the newest Vassal that Noah gained, she observed herself with utter incredulousness as she saw pure mana flowing out of her in droves, completely blowing away what she knew about mana usage and restrictions of it as at this moment, her body was telling her to let loose and let go without any reservation. So she listened to her body. OOOOOOOOH! Her hair danced wildly as top tier skills she had been using reservedly erupted out wildly. Layers after layers of Annihilation formed around the illusory figure she held, her body being protected by the robust essence of a Cosmic Dao over and over again as the illusory figure that matched her own beautiful figure bloomed up to become the size of star instantly, her blank eyes staring coldly towards the 3 Hegemonies that had surrounded her. The fair hands of this enormous illusory figure then silently moved at speeds multiple times faster than light, thundering down towards the star sized Solerno and the human sized Hegemony of Slaughter and Hegemony of Necromancy as if they were mere flies! RUUUUMBLE! The gazes of Ambrose and the others turned grim at the abrupt change, seeing the aura of the woman they considered dead just moments ago to continue rising as it wasn''t her breaking into a new realm or anything shocking- it was merely her casting a great deal of skills and enhancements upon herself as she called upon the many Daos she comprehended while wildly letting out the essence of Annihilation in the greatest amounts! All that changed was her having an exuberant amount of fuel to work with, this fuel elevating the battle power she could release from before to be three or four times greater. All from her having the Mana Reserves that the 3 Hegemonies in front of her could never hope to achieve! At this moment, the situation utterly reversed as she could call forth and spam multiple skills capable of standing against all 3 of her enemies as she counter attacked all of them, not being able to feel the strain of mana one bit as the icy gaze of Valentina turned fiery. The cold eyes of the star sized phantasm of herself turned towards the Slaughter Star Monolith that Ambrose was protecting. She didn''t want this ugly structure within the Animus Universe anymore, so she moved. The slender hands of a drop dead gorgeous illusory image of a star sized Valentina pulsed with the essence of Annihilation as while she put pressure on three Hegemonies, she struck towards a Universal Construct as well! WAA! Chapter 998 - You Should Have Already Died! Two illusory hands that were simply the coalescence of immense Essence of the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation descended down. One was swatting towards three Hegemonies as if they were mere flies, and the other was thundering down towards a Crimson Universal Construct that had a powerful barrier of light enveloping it! These hands were connected to a star sized apparition of a gorgeous dark haired woman, her gaze strikingly cold at this instant as her eyes had given the verdict of death to those around her! OOOOOOH! A bellow came from the Hegemony of Slaughter as he couldn''t believe the outrageous scene in front of him. A Hegemony pledges Fealty, and then her strength increased by this much an instant later?! Ambrose was unwilling to believe this! However, he and all other Hegemonies that were currently watching this spectacular scene had one thing wrong as they tried to discern how it became a reality. It wasn''t that Valentina''s strength increased by a lot, it was simply because she could now cast and use her abilities at a frequency even the strongest Hegemonies would not dare to do as they would have their mana depleted in mere seconds! Her reserves were simply unthinkable at this point in time as Valentina could be unequivocally called the number one being in the Primordial Cosmos that had the largest amounts of Mana Reserves. All aside from one person, of course. THRUM! Ambrose''s bellow was followed by his body emitting the aura of two Cosmic Daos, Annihilation and Phantasm working hand in hand as his figure instantly disappeared from its current position as he appeared in front of the slender hand striking towards the Universal Construct. He couldn''t let the Slaughter Star Monolith of this Universe be taken down as that would reduce the speed of Accumulation by too much, their goals taking much too long to be accomplished! BOOM! The slender hands smashed into Ambrose''s figure and the bodies of Solerno and the Hegemony of Necromancy. ...CRACK! The star sized Solerno was smashed aside like a statue as he was flung thousands of miles away, the Hegemony of Necromancy summoning a dark skull hundreds of miles long to protect him- this skull gaining numerous fractures as the deathly flames within it threatened to dim! The figure of Ambrose...trembled in pain as this ancient being was smashed back towards the Crimson barrier that protected the Universal Construct, barely being able to stop the advancement of the slender hand as the essence of two Cosmic Daos burst from him! ¡­! The gazes of many Hegemonies were shocked at this development as the change in the flow of power was simply too drastic! Yet¡­ "Hmph...just a lousy bunch of old men, let''s see you talk about ripping apart my skin now...YAAA!" Valentina let out a loud bellow as while expending a ridiculous amount of mana to cause the slender hands of her phantasm to pull back, spending an even more absurd amount of mana as a second later, tens of hands erupted out of the illusory figure the size of a star- the sight of over a hundred hands instantly being realized the palms of Annihilation all thundered towards the Universal Constructs and the enemies protecting it! ¡­! It was the shocking sight of over a hundred star sized palms rushing towards them, Ambrose''s expression turning entirely grim as his entire sight became filled with them! This was it. It wasn''t an increase in strength. It was purely mana. She threw out two palms before that were counterattacked, so she simply spent nearly half of her current Mana Reserves to throw out a hundred more palms! With the Origin of a Universe, the speed and efficiency of her mana usage and conduction was unthinkable as it brought such an attack to fruition! An attack that threatened to cause the downfall of one of the 9 Universal Constructs spread out over 9 Universes! ¡­! Solerno watched this scene in horror from a distance, his figure cowardly not even returning back after he was knocked away, leaving the Hegemony of Necromancy and Ambrose to face this attack alone. KAKAKA! The Hegemony of Necromancy laughed out eerily as it put its skeletal hands on its chest, splitting apart its ribcage as a horrendous amount of essence was ready to fly out to defend against the one hundred palms. OOOOOH! Ambrose bellowed out as his bones creaked, never having thought he would be put in such a predicament- but he also went all out to protect as much as he could, but his heart knew that it would not be enough! ¡­! Oathkeeper and the other Hegemonies watched this scene breathlessly as they took in Valentina in a brand new light, never expecting for this new Hegemony that rose not too long ago to be able to do what she was doing now! Time seemed to slow as the palms thundered forward. Then...time slowed so much that it came to a halt. DONG! An instant later, a regal purple clock materialized in front of the protected Universal Construct. The hand on this clock moved back, the terrifying palms filled with the essence of Annihilation that had come to a stop beginning to pull back as the scene returned to a second ago before they were even summoned forth! RUMBLE! In front of the magisterial purple clock, the figures of Dark Shadow and Chronos appeared! ¡­! Chronos had a somber expression as he domineeringly floated in the center of the purple clock, looking towards the figure of Valentina as his eyes flashed with an unknown light. He uttered cryptic words that only he understood the meaning of. "You...should have already died." RUMBLE! The words were barely a discernable whisper, but even Valentina was able to pick them up as alarm bells rang in her mind! This was because they weren''t words of insult or the plans of someone that didn''t go the way they wanted, but they were words of confusion as if the person saying them was seeing a different reality than they knew of playing out! ¡­! Chapter 999 - A Goal Of Universal Conquest! I A different reality than the one they knew playing out! This...was actually exactly what Chronos''s words meant as this terrifying Hegemony had been at this point in time before. In his prior life times that were brought to fruition by the Cosmic Dao of Reincarnation, he had passed this time point where in all of them...the Hegemony of Summoning would fall under the hands of Ambrose and the others! They would use the death of this Hegemony to cause the others watching outside the boundary of the Animus Universe to be disillusioned with even finding a way to enter the 9 Universes and stop their plans, the problems occurring only much later when Oathkeeper did something he shouldn''t have. Yet...the one who should be dead was not dead! Chronos''s eyes flashed with an unknown light as he was met with an anomaly in the history he knew! ''Who? What has interfered?'' THRUM! Chronos appeared grandly in the Animus Universe as he stopped an attack that even three 3 Hegemonies despaired over, his gaze filled with a chilling light as he focused on Valentina entirely without even looking past the boundary of the Universe towards Oathkeeper and the others that watched on with somber gazes. Far from this location, within the Dark Universe where Noah was watching the unfolding citation. TRING! His eyes gazed above at the storm of fortune and Destiny that was turning into a Sea, hundreds of thousands of Marks of Antiquity that had begun forming ever since Valentina had become his Vassal never stopping as they came with even more frequency! A single being became his Vassal, but he had changed the course of a predestined history. He did not know this, but he turned his gaze as he saw the line of Destiny holding him and Valentina shaking at the appearance of Chronos, and he listened to his rumbling sea of fortune as his gaze turned somber, speaking into the golden mirror right away! "Pull back outside of the Universe for now, and quickly." Noah spoke with urgency as Valentina heard his words and felt a tug of her soul, her Origin unconsciously listened to Noah''s words before her brain could even process it as it was because of this that she was able to evade a deadly attack that came next! RUMBLE! From the newly appearing Chronos, the essence of the Dao of Chronos erupted madly as his gaze was somber, his hands moving forth mysteriously as he moved to quickly correct the sequence of events and reap the life of the Hegemony of Summoning! An even larger purple clock than the one he cast appeared next, this one cutting across the enormous illusory figure of Valentina instantaneously as it bisected it cleanly a second later! But¡­ SHAA! Valentina was already long gone from within the illusory figure, her Origin unconsciously following Noah''s words as she had already weaved within the folds of space and was shooting towards the boundary of the Animus Universe faster than the speed of light! WAA! The eyes of Chronos turned up with solemnity at this as he still wanted to try, but the vibrant light that was Valentina reached and pierced the boundary an instant later as her gorgeous figure joined the group of Hegemonies that were peering into the Animus Universe. Oathkeeper appeared beside her a moment later as he gazed towards Chronos and the Hegemonies around him with eyes full of power! "..." He had tried. He had failed. RUMBLE! Time seemed to flow smoothly again as Valentina let out rapid breaths past the boundary of the Animus Universe, looking towards the small figure of Chronos that had appeared with a tinge of apprehension! If Noah had not used the small portion of her soul she agreed to let go to become a Vassal to cause her to follow his words unconsciously, she might have been gravely wounded or fallen from this being''s mysterious attacks! A second passed as those involved took in the situation, a stand off occurring as many powerful Hegemonies from the nearby Universes peered into the Animus Universe where Chronos and a few other Hegemonies floated next to a Universal Construct. As for how Chronos and Dark Shadow could enter the Universes that all other Hegemonies could not pass the boundaries of? They had long since branded their Origin Essence into the Universal Construct before their activation, their appearance here being only natural! As some of the powerful existences of the Primordial Cosmos stared each other down, none of them were paying attention to a particular Tyrant Dragon floating near the boundary of the Animus Universe. At this moment in time, Noah''s mind was buzzing with information as he pooled in everything he knew about Ambrose and what he heard during his conversation with Solerno with current events. He recalled Oathkeeper''s words about a restriction they had to create in order for them to use an authority that caused Hegemonies to not be able to enter the 9 targeted Universes. With all of this information, his mind moved as he created a hypothesis! An instant later...he moved to test it! THRUM! Fluctuations of mana silently rang out amidst the tense situation, the eyes of the Hegemonies finally noticing the aura of a Paragon that had actually begun to pass through the boundary of the Animus Universe! ¡­! He seemed to even be doing so with ease, something that only the most powerful of Paragons should be able to do as he crossed the universal boundary in mere seconds. "You¡­!" Oathkeeper and the others looked towards this scene with sharp eyes as they saw Noah''s Tyrant Dragon appear within the Animus Universe a second later! Chronos and the others also turned their eyes towards this being! The distance between the Universal Boundary of the Animus Universe and the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters that existed deep within this Universe was vast, but Noah''s figure disappeared in a flash of light as he carried out a long distance teleportation that made him appear right in front of the powerful figure of Chronos, Dark Shadow, Ambrose, Solerno, and the Hegemony of Necromancy. He appeared in front of these beings fearlessly as aside from his [Plot Armor] still being active, he also had an inkling that he might have found what the restriction these beings placed in order to pull off the authority to deny entrance to all Hegemonies was! The eyes of Chronos and others flashed with a sharp light as their terrifying gazes locked onto him...but they did nothing. ¡­! "I see." RUMBLE Noah spoke of with a domineering tone as he stood in front of some of the most powerful beings within the Primordial Cosmos fearlessly. He turned up towards the direction of Oathkeeper and the others, voicing out nonchalantly as if the grave situation around them was nothing in his eyes! "It seems the restriction they placed is that they cannot move against those below the Ranks of Hegemonies in exchange for denying entrance to Hegemonies in all the affected Universes." ¡­! Nonchalantly, domineeringly, and fearlessly...Noah addressed some of the powerful Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos as he kicked off the new era with a bang! Chapter 1000 - A Goal Of Universal Conquest! II The arrival of Chronos had even made Valentina who was showing off terrifying battle prowess to pull back. It had filled the watching Hegemonies with apprehension as they looked at his heavy weight in the same tier as Oathkeeper and wondered just what plans he had within this group of Hegemonies! Yet in the midst of all this, a Paragon came and stole the spot light as he appeared in the middle of the intense stand off, finding the restriction that was present in all the 9 Universes after the process of Universal Amalgamation was initiated. "..." Ambrose looked towards the figure of Noah with intense wrath, this being accounting for many of his plans being knocked out of order as his entrance at this time was like getting slapped multiple times! What was worse was that he couldn''t even move against such a creature that he thought would be dead, expecting Dark Shadow to have killed him first even before the Amalgamation began. But he now watched as this being domineeringly stood in front of them, his figure smiling as he began to float towards the Universal Construct that was behind Ambrose and the others. All eyes were on this nonchalant Tyrant Dragon as he came upon the crimson barrier enacted by Ambrose, his body lighting up with the essence of destruction as he released attacks upon attacks at this barrier! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The explosive force of galaxies dying emanated from his body as he attacked a barrier enacted by a Hegemony to no avail, only stopping seconds later as he let out a sigh. No Hegemonies could attack those in the lower Ranks within these Universes, but those in the Lower Ranks didn''t stand a chance of stopping their plans as they couldn''t break the barriers of protection that would no doubt be enacted across all 9 Universal Constructs! This was why even though Ambrose and the others were maddened by the disrespect of this Paragon, they weren''t the least bit worried about him. THRUM! The purple clock behind Chronos faded away as he gazed at Noah with a somber light of curiosity, this being not appearing in the past lives he lived as he took him as one of the many changes he was experiencing in this life. Any changes that deviated from what he experienced before...he had to pay attention to! So he watched with utter clarity as the Tyrant Dragon gazed towards the direction of the boundary of the Animus Universe where he knew Oathkeeper and the others were watching as he spoke once more. "Paragons and below cannot be harmed by this group of Hegemonies, but we cannot get past their protection of their Universal Constructs. Unless...a strong enough Paragon who has the power capable of contending against a Hegemony while in the lower ranks appears!" ¡­! His words caused the eyes of Ambrose and others to flash with an intense deadly light, while the Hegemonies watching outside the boundary of the Animus Universe looked towards Noah with incredulousness. This mere Paragon...was he boasting that he would get the power of a Hegemony at his rank as he worked to stand against Chronos and the others?! He seemed to go at his own pace as his words continued for one more time before he disappeared in a flash of light, only to reappear in another location within the same Animus Universe. "You all figure out other ways to stop their Universal Constructs- they are gathering the essence of the Universes for a reason, and I think none of us want to wait to find out for what!" With that, the figure of the Tyrant Dragon disappeared as it left behind multiple Hegemonies that looked at its position in shock. In front of the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy, Chronos turned towards Ambrose as his eyes gazed towards the direction of the Draconic Holy Lands where he picked up the aura of the same domineering Tyrant Dragon reappearing. "Tell me everything that has happened since the appearance of that Paragon." ¡­! Past the boundary of the Animus Universe where Oathkeeper and a few other Hegemonies watched. Many of them stared at Valentina as the archaic gaze of Oathkeeper locked onto her as he posed out a question as well. "Tell us about this Paragon and the things that happened within the Animus Universe¡­" As the powerful experts tried to find out their enemies and allies amidst the dreadful actions taken by a certain group of Hegemonies, the identity of one particular Paragon popped up throughout as both sides sought to understand his role! As for the being in question? He appeared on the battlefield of the Universal War where 9 Bloodline Races were still fighting, the state of this battle already edging towards completion as his Animus Summons backed by his own power were ripping apart any remaining Paragons of the 5 Bloodline Races. His appearance was the nail in the coffin as with his return, the Legions being led by a few remaining Paragons felt utter despair as the mere presence of Noah was that suffocating! A Hegemony had acted against him, and this being didn''t die! What would they be able to do? Noah gazed at these despairing eyes with a sharp expression as his main body continued to sense his continued rise in power, as well as what his influence and actions within the Animus Universe were doing to contribute to his continued forming of the Marks of Antiquity. For his goal to obtain 50 Billion Marks of Antiquity and forge 50 Billion Dao Galaxies that would enable him to have complete connections of all of his Galaxies...he had told himself he would have to explore other Universes and expand his influence! In order to birth his Universal Seed and go towards becoming a Hegemony, he saw the fastest way to be the one he just did with the Universal War of the Animus Universe. A little bit of bloodshed. Obtaining Vassals. Standing as the being with the strongest influence within that Universe. In this new era where Hegemonies truly could not make a move against lower ranking beings, a truly powerful Paragon that could dominate those in the same rank as him could rise to actually influence a universe at a stage where even a Universal Expert could not! Such a reality caused Noah''s heart to bubble with an intense longing. A longing for Marks of Antiquity. A longing for Vassals that could provide him with such marks in the millions. A longing for the many beings within each of the 9 Universes currently affected by the Universal Amalgamation. A longing...for Universal Conquest! Chapter 1001 - The Strongest Influence In The Animus Universe! I Conquest! The mere word caused Noah''s heart to beat faster as he found his path towards the Universal Rank. It also coincided with what he had to do if he wanted to stand against Ambrose and the others, and whatever plans they had within these 9 Universes that they carried out the Universal Amalgamation. Noah would go to these Universes as the targets of Conquest, obtaining Vassals within them as he raised strong enough forces to possibly break apart the Universal Constructs that Hegemonies were protecting! If he himself broke into the Universal Realm, would beings like Ambrose be able to stop him? At a rank where he would have obtained 50 Billion Dao Galaxies that he could even use to elevate a Grand Dao to a Cosmic one?! The truly powerful enemy he saw was the mysterious Chronos that could utilize the terrifying Daos of Reincarnation and Chronos, but as long as he used Protagonist''s Bookmark and obtained these Daos himself, what was to stop him from being able to stand against such an opponent? THRUM! His main body in the Dark Universe had swirling fortune and destiny raging all around him as Noah finalized his thoughts, the Primordial Ruination Clone in the Animus Universe moving across the rivers of blood his Summons and subordinates created as he moved to end the Universal War. "Blood debts were repaid by blood." RUMBLE! His voice reverberated out of the bloody chaotic void as the forces of the 5 Bloodline Races felt their hearts turn cold. His words also stopped the movements of the Animus Summons that were fused with his clones, their gazes cold as they locked on to the billions of creatures still filling up the legions of the Bloodline Races! The brutal battlefield came to a halt as the eyes of all focused on the figure of the Tyrant Dragon that could not even be killed by a Hegemony. "Unless something changes...this cycle of bloodshed will continue as by the end of it, you will all face annihilation!" WAAA! "You followed the aims of Hegemonies as all it led was for the glorious Bloodline Races to fracture, bright Rulers being unjustly taken down as entire races became enslaved. At this point...you all failed! You chose the wrong being to follow. You need direction. You need discipline and true leadership" ¡­! As he spoke, the figure of the Tyrant Dragon let out waves of oppressive power that caused the few remaining enemy paragons to quake, none of them moving forward as his gaze domineering waved over the billions of Monarchs, Great Sages, Sages, and Entities that made up their Legions. "True leadership...." As Noah said these words, the essence of a certain Dao began to fill up the body of the Primordial Ruination Clone as he prepared for it to be released onto the region with billions of beings wildly. It was, of course, the Dao of Fealty! "To stop all this bloodshed, you all...will pledge Fealty to a single being!" RUMBLE! The hearts of those that had already become Vassals among the 4 allied Bloodline Races buzzed as the hearts of the 5 enemy bloodline races shook. They sensed a unique dao beginning to wrap around them with the words of the Tyrant Dragon, his gaze utterly cold as he continued with his words! "You will pledge Fealty...or face Annihilation!" WAA! Mana wildly erupted from Noah as the essence of the Dao of Fealty spread throughout. In front of the eyes of all beings floating amidst the rivers of blood near the Draconic Holy Lands, a prompt appeared. [In exchange for a portion of his power, bind a portion of your soul to Noah Osmont and become his Vassal. Do you wish to swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor?] Noah didn''t even bother hiding his name at this point. He gave them the same prompt that he gave Valentina, all of the billions of powerful creatures of the bloodline races seeing this prompt appear brightly in front of them as they reached a point of no return for their long lives! OOOOM! The 10 Animus Summons that Noah controlled lined up behind him as their bodies released horrendous waves of power, the essence of Cosmic Daos leaking from every single one of them. The wrathful Queen Dowager whose body was bathed by blood for the retribution of her race. The cerulean crowned boy who held a smile but had eyes filled with a hidden pain as the last being of his race. The Twin Draconic Serpents that had just joined Noah''s ranks. The luminous Golden Crow with flames scorching the chaotic void, the Galaxy Devouring Serpent, Colossal Helios Leviathan, the kingly Calamity Bear, the vibrant Obsidian Panther, and the star sized Oculothorax carrying out deadly rays of soul destroying light! All of these beings let out horrendous waves of power as they floated in front of the billions of creatures of the Bloodline Races. With such a force behind him, Noah''s figure of the Tyrant Dragon was filled with regality and majesty as he called out grandly once more. "Fealty...or Annihilation." ¡­ RUMBLE! Essence began to dance in waves. The hearts of the fearful Bloodline Races that had seen this singular being survive even attacks of Paragons wavered and shook. Within their minds, they voiced out. "I Swear Fealty¡­!" With their mouths, they called out. "I Swear Fealty¡­!" With their actions, they contributed to the birth of a terrifying being. THRUUUM! Each of the billions that had begun to pledge Fealty felt mana fill them to the brim as Noah got his first feeling of what Conquest would be like at this moment. From the Bloody Battlefields Galaxies, Chronos and other Hegemonies had their gazes cross the void of space as they watched this scene with somber eyes. Past the boundary of the Animus Universe, Valentina watched this scene with a sharp light as Oathkeeper and the others watched on with intense gazes! In the Dark Universe where Noah''s main body was, his starry eyes gazed all around him as rivers of Universal Fortune began to form! The glimmers of gold and wonder raged around him, Marks of Antiquity forming in the hundreds of thousands every second as rainbow colored Dao Galaxies began to light up in his Origin. It was the boon of Conquest, and it was just a small test of it! Chapter 1002 - The Strongest Influence In The Animus Universe! II The gazes of the Hegemonies still using their power to observe from a large distance turned somber. They saw the scenes in the chaotic void near the Holy Draconic Lands that was filled with the rivers of blood- they saw the scene where a single being told billions of creatures that before him, they would either have Annihilation...or Fealty! They all chose fealty as seconds later, the auras of these beings began to crazily rise up as their eyes that were filled with despair and fear a second ago turned into those of shock, and when they looked up towards the figure of the Tyrant Dragon once more, their eyes had a fervent light aside from the fears. This was because of the power they felt coursing through their bodies! Yet...the gazes of the Hegemonies were still somber. This was because they remembered this scene from not too long ago. The eyes of Oathkeeper and others turned towards Valentina. They realized the answer to their question of just who she had pledged Fealty to that caused her situation to entirely change as she turned the tables against 2 Hegemonies! Valentina felt her face heat up at the questioning gazes of the Hegemonies, her figure beginning to waver as she spoke out. "I have to go into seclusion and heal. Let me know how we decide to deal with these guys!" WAP! Without another word, she disappeared from the eyes of the Hegemonies as she didn''t stay to answer their questions! Their eyes had to turn back towards the incredulous scene of the Tyrant Dragon as at this moment, the many watching Hegemonies placed him on their watchlist as an important existence to keep track of. This was because at this moment, he was directly placing his influence on an entire Universe at a rate even Hegemonies didn''t dare or had the capabilities to- and these knowledgeable beings knew that when such an existence broke through to the Universal Realm, their Universal Fortune must be great as they would quickly rise in power! But even these Hegemonies could never expect that Noah''s fortune was already more massive than many Hegemonies, the number of Marks of Antiquity he had collected being something that many of them could only ever dream of. WAA! The scene at the bloody chaotic void of the area near the Draconic Holy Land turned quiet as Noah''s eyes gazed at all the Billions of beings with the Legions of both sides. Both the allied 4 Bloodline Races and the 5 Bloodline Races that were enemies. All the forces of these Bloodline Races that had participated in the Universal War had pledged Fealty under his words of Fealty of Annihilation! His fortune and destiny were swirling crazily around his main body in the Dark Universe, but the eyes of his clone remained utterly cold as with the wild power it showed, a command released from it once more. "The strongest of your Races have pledged Fealty...but their Trillions more back in your Holy lands that need to do the same. Only with this path can peace be achieved." RUMBLE. "Set off and spread the word. You''ve tested the wonders of pledging Fealty...let all your people do the same!" ¡­! The hearts of many beings trembled as they couldn''t help but nod, the Legions of many creatures beginning to move as the cluster of forces around Noah began to spread to different directions. 8 Animus Summons shot towards the cluster of 8 Bloodline Races, each of them being Noah''s representatives as they would spread Noah''s influence to the trillions of creatures spread out across the Holy Lands of these Bloodline Races! Noah''s Tyrant Dragon figure, Tiamat, and the Blue Slime remained in the chaotic void as their eyes turned towards the Draconic Holy Land not too far from them, Noah''s command ringing out as the Dragons that were watching this scene in a stupor like many others began to move. Paragon Quinnie''s heart was still shaking as she watched her husband move towards the Serpentine Holy Land with Noah''s Galaxy Devouring Serpent in the lead, her gaze turning back towards the Draconic Holy Land that all dragons were heading to as it was time. Time for them to reclaim the homes stolen from them long ago! The Queen Dowager was leading the procession of Dragons as a fantastical scene of rows of majestic Dragons making their way towards their Holy Land played out, the figures of the bloodline races that had remained behind within these lands feeling a shocking force come towards them as they would soon begin quaking where they stood. Tiamat''s goal of revenge and reclamation of her home after over a hundred thousand years...Noah would achieve it for her merely days after he arrived in the Animus Universe! Coincidentally as these actions were carried out, there was about to be a singular figure who would hold the most influence in the Animus Universe as its trillions of powerful creatures within it would all very soon pledge fealty. It wasn''t the two Hegemonies that were fighting for influence over the last tens of thousands of years...but a Paragon that had risen up in mere days taking the seat of the most influential creature within this Universe! Waves of change continued to spread out from this moment as many powerful beings moved to understand exactly what had occurred, even more on them focusing on a few figures they had to pay attention to. Near the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters where a Universal Construct stood. Chronos watched as the figures of Oathkeeper and a few others faded away, leaving behind only a few clones from the Hegemonies that had cloning abilities as they kept watch over the events within the Animus Universe. Chronos stared at Ambrose and the other Hegemonies around him with eyes shining with ancient lights as he spoke, the aura he emanated making these powerful beings all turn towards him as he was the center of attention. "Assess the status of all the other Universes and how the rate of Accumulation is proceeding. We need to get a timeline of when everything will come together...and when the Antiquity will be born!" RUMBLE! With a gaze full of relentless might, Chronos forged forward with an unknown goal that the powerhouses of the Primordial Cosmos were currently moving to stop! Chapter 1003 - A Universal Banquet! I Within the Dark Universe. Noah''s main body remained floating amidst the fields of verdant gold greenery while all around him, rivers of fortune and destiny were swirling around brightly, his hands gradually plucking off strings of destiny as he tried to understand his path forward. At the same time, spatial fluctuations began to erupt not too far from him as his languid eyes turned towards this direction, the appearance of one of his clones coming to fruition as with him...was the slender figure of a captivating woman! A woman whose aura alone caused the space around her to shake, her dark eyes that could draw in the souls of weak men opening as her aura spread out all around her- her gaze becoming that of increasing shock before her eyes focused on a particular being that was wantonly releasing the Fortune and Destiny he wielded! Noah''s clone faded away as it achieved the task of bringing a powerful Hegemony into the Dark Universe, this Hegemony herself locking her gaze towards Noah as her eyes shone like bright lanterns. "This...isn''t the Primordial Cosmos!" THRUM! This powerful being sensed it right away, looking towards Noah with shock as the implications of what she found were truly grand! Amidst the golden rivers of fortune and destiny, Noah smiled lightly as he nodded. "Yes. It is the Lost Universe that was fractured from the Primordial Cosmos some time ago, the Dark Universe that is currently under my control." ¡­! The eyes of Valentina constricted into slits at these calm yet boastful words as she brought herself to purely focus on Noah at this moment. Truth be told, she didn''t even know how to interact with this being as the situation surrounding him was just too special. She had her status as a powerful Hegemony, yet this being in front of her was a mere Paragon...and at the same time the one that she had pledged fealty to and become a Vassal! ''Well, at least that is even bigger than before.'' She tried to simplify her thoughts as she focused on Noah''s vast fortune that had become rivers about to form into seas at this moment, her body moving faster than light as she appeared in front of him an instant later and locked eyes with him from a few inches away. She saw his calm eyes that didn''t even flutter, eyes that seemed to show no fear even in front of a Hegemony as he merely looked towards her with a smile! Valentina sighed in defeat as she stared at this being and spoke out. "I cannot see through you. What exactly is it that you want? What is driving you to do everything you''re doing right now?" She tried to understand the being she had pledged her Fealty to at this moment as she wondered what would happen in the future, and she watched as Noah ignored her question and wave his hands to the verdant golden greenery below them, Fruits filled with the essence of laws being plucked and rising towards them a second later as Noah offered her some. His gaze seemed far away as he thought about her question before he replied. "I actually can''t give a proper answer to that as my goals have constantly changed over the weeks¡­" Valentina raised her eyes at this as she expected someone to at least say their goals had changed over the years, but she said nothing as she continued to listen! "In the past, I moved for the sake of securing my safety, and I later moved for the sake of others where even my entrance in the Animus Universe was for Tiamat. But¡­" A myriad of thoughts crossed Noah''s mind as Valentina''s question had made him reflective! He thought about the Apocalypses he got past and against the enemies he found, even his current goals where he planned to go on the Conquest of multiple universes! He might say it was to try and stop the actions of the terrifying Hegemonies following Chronos and whatever they were trying to bring to fruition within the Primordial Cosmos but...even though this was something he wanted to do, he saw it as part of what drove him to make the goal of Universal Conquest. The even larger part that caused his heart to blaze with ambition...was Antiquity! It was power! He wanted to forge the 50 Billion Dao Galaxies and connect all the galaxies within his Origin to birth a Dao Seed, and a variety of reasons came together as they simply aligned with his goal for even more strength. As he thought about this, he found himself coming up with too many answered as he merely shook his head while looking towards Valentina. "Well, it doesn''t really matter what my past goals were. For now and in the coming future...my goal is the Conquest of the Universes affected by the Universal Amalgamation that Ambrose and the others carried out, it is to increase my influence at a scale that even Hegemonies could not even dream of as in a matter of weeks or months...I will form my Universal Seed and rip apart whatever plans these beings have." "...!" RUMBLE! Valentina''s eyes shook as she saw the rivers of Fortune above this being churn at just his words- words that were so domineering that even this Hegemony found herself taking a step back! A claim of conquering Universes as he achieved the Rank of a Hegemony within months. Not the hundreds of thousands of years it took others, but within weeks or months! Valentina wanted to call this claim a mere dream but she couldn''t bring herself to, gathering herself as she recalled how this being had jumped from Great Sage to Paragon in seconds. She looked at him seriously as she didn''t refute his words and merely nodded. With such a vast fortune swirling around him, who was to say what he could and could not do?! Valentina sighed as she spoke once more, not wanting this ridiculous being in front of her to release any more boastful words as she delivered news instead. "On the way here, Oathkeeper sent a message that in three days, a Universal Banquet will be held in the Elysian Universe to discuss the events surrounding Chronos and the others, as well as the gathering of information on what to do about it!" RUMBLE! Noa''s eyes shone brightly at these words as he looked towards the gorgeous figure of Valentina that was looking at him with bright eyes. " It will be nearly all of the Hegemonies within the Primordial Cosmos, including many beings that weren''t present during the events that occurred today. Among those attending, the invitation was extended to the Tyrant Dragon Paragon that was moving around in the midst of Hegemonies like nothing today." ¡­! Chapter 1004 - A Universal Banquet! II "...Among those attending, the invitation was extended to the Tyrant Dragon Paragon that was moving around in the midst of Hegemonies like nothing today." RUMBLE! These words caused Noah''s eyes to shine brightly, the idea of meeting even more powerful existences being something he was not averse to! After all, they would just be lining themselves up for who would be next in line for Protagonist''s Bookmark in the coming future. "We''ll go see what solutions others can come up with, but first...let''s power you up a bit before anything else!" Valentina raised her eyes at Noah''s words as he only gave her a light smile while moving his hands to cause their figures to shift away. This Hegemony that had lived for a great deal of years was curious how the strength of someone of her level could be further increased, not yet knowing how Noah held an entire library of vast amounts of skills and Skill Trees, few of them being spectacular skills he designed himself as even a Hegemony was about to enjoy the boosts of Noah''s System! As this scene of an introduction of a Hegemony under Noah getting shown around the Dark Universe took place, the events in the Animus Universe were concluding in a spectacular fashion. Currently, Tiamat was standing on the highest mountain peak of the Draconic Holy Land- a mountain peak that was called the Holy Dragon Mountain that she used to reside on as it was located on the highest galaxy within the many galaxy clusters, all her subordinates climbing towards it whenever they wanted to pay respect! The Holy Dragon Mountain was shaped in a manner as if it had the jaws of a dragon sharply closing towards the very peak, the area around it filled with an overabundance of essence that nearly formed into thick rivers as this area was one of the many unique locations across the Animus Universe that was at a point where a large amount of essence condensed continuously. Verdant greenery could be seen all around it as this was the most respected peak any being could ever stand a chance of climbing in the Draconic Holy Lands! Paragon Quinnie was standing right behind Tiamat atop the mountain as her gaze contained a great deal of memories, never thinking the reclamation of their home land would happen this fast or in this manner. The eyes of Quinnie were locked onto the single figure that made it all possible, the Tyrant Dragon that had actually turned into a human form as was currently leaning against Tiamat''s glistening scales as he took in the spectacular scenery of the Holy Dragon Mountain. Beside him, Tiamat''s eyes were red with emotions as she voiced out towards him. "Thank you, not just for keeping your promise but for everything else." ¡­! The Progenitor of Dragons humbled herself down as she gave thanks to the being that had taken her from Entity to Paragon in a matter of less than 3 months, and he had now given her back her home along with all the retribution she could want! Something out of her wildest dreams- this being made possible. Yet to all this...Noah just smiled as he patted the scales of Tiamat. If one wanted to look at the biggest winners of this Universal War and the whole venture into the Animus Universe, there was no bigger winner than him! He had thundered into the Draconic Holy Land with them and ripped apart any creatures of the Bloodline Races that resisted, the trillions upon trillions that had not participated in the Universal War being given the same option of Annihilation or Fealty! At the majesty of the Tyrant Dragon as well as seeing a vast number of their own Paragons and Monarchs that had already become Vassals under Noah, the wills of these creatures shattered as they bent the knee soon after. This meant that among the most clustered locations of the Animus Universe, Noah had already brought the entirety of the Draconic Holy Lands under his heel- his Animus Summons that made their way to other Holy Lands of the Bloodline Races only needing some more time before such a scene repeated itself in the homes of the other Bloodline Races. After that...with the majority of the powerful creatures within the Animus Universe as his Vassals, it would be another Universe that Noah heavily influenced as his rewards from it were many times over compared to the Dark Universe! The increased Universal Fortune and Destiny...the explosively forming Marks of Antiquity! The boons were too many as even Noah would need time to harvest them all. Days passed as a new reality settled into the Primordial Cosmos, with many more Hegemonies that were in the far reaches of the Cosmos or had secluded themselves finding out about the actions that Chronos and a few other Hegemonies had taken. The new reality of 9 Universes was made clear as the Universal Constructs within each of them continuously pulsed with an eerie red light, gathering the very essence of the Universes while reinforcing the tight restrictions it placed on them! Such scenes caused many Hegemonies to turn somber, and the auras of many Hegemonies could be felt clustering around the Elysian Universe as Oathkeeper had called forth a Universal Banquet to gather information and look for solutions to these recent actions! Today was the day of this fantastical Universal Banquet, many beings making their preparations and making their way over to the Elysian Universe as a mixture of powerful beings was about to occur. Within the Dark Universe, Valentina was shaking her head at the incredulous sight in front of her as she truly saw tens of thousands of Marks of Antiquity constantly forming around Noah every second, the events of the Animus Universe continuing to follow their conclusion as many beings became his Vassals and his influence stretched throughout the Universe! He had kept the forming Marks of Antiquity hidden these past three days as he didn''t want to show off, but Valentina had asked him about it before they set off for the Elysian Universe as he decided to reveal it. When the Hegemony saw such a scene, a deep blow was dealt to her psyche as she saw this being make the progress she made in years in a matter of hours! The confidence of a Hegemony that considered herself a one of a kind genius who could even birth a unique Dao was shattered on this day in front of the sight of the existence that was Noah Osmont! Chapter 1005 - Just Some Random Hegemonies! The flowing Marks of Antiquity died down as Noah made them invisible, even the rivers of Fortune that were turning into seas around him fading away as he opened his eyes. With the recent events of the Animus Universe, he was able to bring his total number of Dao Galaxies from the 40 plus million to over 400 Million- a factor of over 10 times within a short time span as the Animus Universe held significantly more beings than the Dark Universe, and ones with even greater levels of power! One also couldn''t forget Noah''s influence in the sequence of events of Universal Amalgamation, this also contributing to the obscene amount of Marks of Ruination he was able to condense and then fuse them into him to form the Dao Galaxies. His strength felt boundless at this moment as he shook away the feeling and focused on what was at hand. He looked at those around him- at the beings that would be accompanying him to the Universal Banquet occurring in the Elysian Universe! The prideful Hegemony of Summoning that had her psyche shaken as she saw things she shouldn''t have, her identity as a Universal Realm Hegemony of course granting her entrance into the esteemed banquet. Noah himself could bring a plus one as among the many beings he could take with him...the figure of a blue haired Ice Queen stood near Valentina with calm eyes and a smile that was enough to shake the kingdoms of men! Adelaide had a reserved expression as even with a Hegemony nearby, she didn''t feel an ounce of fear or apprehension as her eyes seemed to only focus on Noah. There had been a furious battle in the past three days for the position of who would accompany Noah to a meeting with powerful existences of the Primordial Cosmos, Barbatos and Anna threatening war before they were calmed down, the figures of Elena and Athena being seen around the Universal Core with depressed expressions as they sighed endlessly for being left behind! It was the reserved Adelaide Belmont who took the spot as at this moment, the Realm of this alluring woman was elevated to a PARAGON after being pumped heavily with the Cores of this rank that Noah had looted in abundance and then duplicated from the Universal War. PARAGON! She didn''t even care what level her Realm reached as her goal was to always just be near Noah, but he made her enter a Time Space and absorb the cores so that there wouldn''t be any mocking or any events where powerful Hegemonies would focus on her as a being that was only at the level of a Great Sage. "Everything is ready?" Noah''s voice rang out light as his main body remained still, his Primordial Ruination Clone appearing in front of Adelaide as he took her hand, Valentina coming to stand beside them with a sigh while steel reeling from her destroyed pride. The body of the Primordial Ruination Clone was meant to be a dragon in human form, Noah utilizing the Dao of Subterfuge to still release the aura of the Tyrant Dragon while taking on the form of a devilishly handsome man in his 20s, not taking the form of his actual face as he didn''t know whether a being like the Cerulean Hegemony he had fought with in the Dark Universe would be one of the beings to make his way into this Banquet. The bodies of Adelaide and Valentina were both clones as Noah also had this Hegemony learn the Blood Lord Skill Tree, the route of survival and preservation being taken to the extreme as even on an event like this Universal Banquet, clones were sent forth! Mana began to bubble around their three figures. RUMBLE! The essence of a Cosmic Dao descended down as Noah used the feature of his Cosmic Treasure to wrap its essence around their bodies with their target being a direct teleportation to the Elysian Universe. WAA! With a burst of light, their figures disappeared as only their main bodies were left behind in the Dark Universe, their clones shuttling through space as within seconds, they were teleported into the Elysian Universe! The bright and beautiful Universe where even the chaotic void shimmered gold, the essence of laws around the environment abundant as the mere void of this Universe made one feel they were somewhere special. "I''ll take it from here." Valentina spoke out lightly as another light of teleportation wrapped around them, taking them from the area Noah brought them to and bringing them closer to a certain location. It was a bright glimmering galaxy that was surrounded with enormous Golden Chains, looking extremely holy and majestic as even Chronos was not granted entrance into this Galaxy when he came over to the Elysian Universe last time! When the three of them appeared, a golden light shone from the Galaxy as it seemingly scanned them, a door being created seconds later where they could pass through and enter the galaxy as they were granted an audience. Their three figures pushed on forward as Adelaide remained tightly close to Noah, Valentina floating in front of them with a serious expression as they stepped into the galaxy that was the birthplace of the special being known as Oathkeeper- it was the Astraeus Galaxy! At the center of this vast Astraeus Galaxy, there was an enormous planetary body that was over ten times as large as a normal planet, its surface shining entirely gold as this was the location that the Universal Banquet would be held. It was a planet that was known as the Hallowed Astral Star, a glorious planetary body with incandescent beauty that Noah could see even from afar! The auras of a ridiculous amount of Universal Experts could be felt on this Planet as behind them, Noah felt an aura of a Hegemony near and pass them as the figure turned around to curiously observe Valentina and then the auras of 2 Paragons behind her before he continued forward onto the Hallowed Astral Star. Valentina spoke lightly at this scene as they also made their way forward. "Many of the Hegemonies you meet are beings that have lived for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years. They have a high level of pride about themselves that Paragons or even those below do not even come into their eyes. I would tell you to be careful in conducting yourself...but I really don''t know what you''ll do!" Valentina felt like she was only getting to know Noah after the past few days, but even she wasn''t sure how he would act when he faced the powerful identities of the Hegemonies that were coming from all corners of the Primordial Cosmos. At her words, Noah only smiled as he spoke lightly. "It''s just some random Hegemonies we''ve never even heard of. We don''t need to put them in our eyes if they don''t put us in theirs!" RUMBLE! His shocking words caused Adelaide to laugh as she looked at him with even more loving eyes, Valentina only shaking her head at the crazy words as they floated towards the Hallowed Astral Star where they could feel the auras of many Hegemonies already there. It was bound to be an eventful affair! Chapter 1006 - A Meeting Of Distinguished Existences! I Within the Hallowed Astral Star. It was a paradisiacal scene as a lush golden forest filled with mystical vegetation and harmless creatures flew about. The atmospheric essence within this planet was extremely dense as rivers of essence could occasionally be seen flowing in the bright skies! Within the skies of this golden planet, an enormous chunk of earth was freely floating as on top of it, the auras of a great deal of Hegemonies could currently be felt. Many were discussing with each other as the mood was somewhat somber, but there were unique creatures flying about carrying foods and remarkably shimmering drinks that made the mood into one that fit a banquet more. These creatures held bright gold wings on their back as they were only about a meter in size, commonly known within the Elysian Universe as the Race of Halcyon Fairies! Their eyes bubbled with joy as they filled the long stretches of tables on top of the floating landmass of the Hallowed Astral Star with appetizing foods, occasionally tending to the Hegemonies that called onto them for specific things. Within this floating landmass that was a few miles long, Hegemonies from all corners of the Primordial Cosmos were continuing to fly in as many became reacquainted with old friends, other even meeting enemies they had bad memories of as it was a mix of many beings! Existences at the Universal Realm rarely stepped out of their Universes, being more worried about their own strength and power as they strove to influence many beings in any way they can while collecting marks of Ruination and finding the way forward. An example was a particular Hegemony we had come to know before, a being letting out a powerful aura as he shone bright blue from head to toe- a cerulean blue crown rotating majestically atop his head. With an expression filled with dissatisfaction, the Cerulean Hegemony looked around at all the Hegemonies as not a single one seemed to enter his eyes! The only thing he paid attention to were the conversations, a particular one nearby catching his attention and managing to bring up bad memories. "I respect Oathkeeper, but what use is there in gathering us all here? We just need to break the authority protecting those Universes and we can solve all of this!" A Hegemony that looked entirely transparent as glass spoke to a humanoid Hegemony as its body trembled with unknown power. The humanoid hegemony only shook his head at the words, replying soon after with a calm tone. "I don''t think it''s just this. There was also the death of the Lost Universe not too long as our Cosmos lost a part of itself, and these actions by Chronos and the others that deal with isolating other Universes...its something even I cannot fathom no matter how much I peer into destiny!" RUMBLE! The reply of this Hegemony made many beings turn to look in his direction, but it caused the Cerulean Hegemony''s mood to turn even more sour as he remembered a particularly detestable creature that had stood before him not too long ago and took away his chance to gain a Cosmic Treasure! His head shifted away in dissatisfaction as he stared elsewhere, his eyes managing to catch the figures of three newly arriving beings. The arrival shouldn''t have been different than any of the others, but they caught the eyes of the Cerulean Hegemony and multiple other Hegemonies the moment they appeared as within the sea of powerful Universal Realm Hegemonies, they actually saw two Paragons being escorted by a Hegemony. Paragons! The figures of the bewitching Valentina and Adelaide walking with Noah''s confident and tyrannical demeanor caught many eyes, these three beings landing on the floating landmass as the buzzing of conversation stopped to stare at them. Noah took in all these gazes with a smile as Valentina''s expression became annoyed, pulling Noah and Adelaide towards the food as with her identity as a newly rising Hegemony, she didn''t have too many connections here! "...I didn''t think they let any tom, dick, and harry come to such important events like this." "..." RUMBLE! The voice of the Cerulean Hegemony rang out clearly as Noah turned his eyes towards him, looking towards this being that didn''t see through him with great surprise as his eyes scanned him up and down. The being that had tried to fight with him for a Cosmic Treasure! The being that had briefly crossed the Sea of Ruination and survived...the being that he had planned to rip apart whenever he gained enough power and time to do so. Noah didn''t think it would be this same being that would find trouble with him! Valentina turned her head towards the direction of the Cerulean Hegemony as she was already in an annoyed mood today after having her genius shattered by Noah, gazing coldly towards the glimmering blue Cerulean Crown as she spoke dismissively. "I didn''t think so either, but here you are." ¡­! WAA! The eyes of many Hegemonies constricted at the fiery reply, the Cerulean Hegemony''s face becoming cloudy as power began to emanate from his body in droves. He didn''t think any random Hegemony would even dare to reply to him like so, much less when it came to 2 mere Paragons! The surroundings turned icy cold as the Halcyon Fairies surviving food began to tremble, Valentina''s eyes sparking powerfully when she felt the essence the Cerulean Hegemony had begun to release as she seemed fearless. When it seemed like things were abou to boil over and erupt¡­ "Alright, let''s settle down and get things started. Many of us are already here." THRUM! The dominant voice of a single existence reverberated out as it caught the attention of all, the figure of the Oathkeeper and his vibrant wings descending from the skies to come land onto the floating landmass that held many powerful Hegemonies. Beside Oathkeeper, another being descended with him as this being received just as much attention- and this was because it was another heavy weight at the same level as Oathkeeper and Chronos! One of the most powerful beings of the Primordial Cosmos! This existence was an archaic creature that was born with a unique physique that was made up entirely of the essence of chaos, his entire figure looking like a dark elemental that drew in any surrounding light. Wings that palpated with chaos and destruction unfurled freely behind him as his face was a black hole that could suck in the souls of weak beings if they stared for too long. It was an archaic Hegemony that had lived far longer than many other Hegemonies- even preceding Oathkeeper himself. The creature that was the first to comprehend the Cosmic Dao of Extinction, the Universal expert that was known as The Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos! Chapter 1007 - A Meeting Of Distinguished Existences! II The history of the Primordial Cosmos was something that was known by very few beings. If there ever existed a being that could give you a thorough history of the millions of years that had passed within the Primordial Cosmos, that being would be the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos! A creature born with the unique physique of the very essence of chaos as his figure was a pulsating mass in a humanoid form, vibrant obsidian wings inlaid with archaic runic circles as his head was a swirling black hole. Such a being had entered along with Oathkeeper as it brought all conversations to a halt! OOOM! The surroundings palpated as Noah looked over at this being with sharp eyes. Even while using Eyes of Truth, this being only had an overabundance of question marks as he couldn''t find out much, but he was able to see the Daos this being held that he could use as a target for Protagonist''s Bookmark if he wished! The Cosmic Dao of Extinction, The Cosmic Dao of Chronos, Annihilation...this being was stacked with powerful Daos as he was no lesser than Oathkeeper, possibly even being more powerful in some areas as all the eyes of powerful beings collected themselves around these two figures. They stood amidst everyone calmly as Oathkeeper was the first to speak. "Time is of consequence, so I will not waste yours or mine." RUMBLE The eyes of Oathkeeper shone with a light of power and conviction as he continued, speaking towards tens of Universal Experts that stemmed from many regions of the Primordial Cosmos "I called this Universal Banquet here because of the actions of Chronos and multiple other Hegemonies that worked with him to hatch machinations that even now we do not fully understand. One of the purposes of this Banquet is to share information...the other will become apparent after the first is accomplished!" ¡­! Cryptic words left Oathkeeper as his eyes focused on all Hegemonies, eventually coming to land on Noah''s calm figure that was one of the only 2 Paragons amongst the sea of Hegemonies! At this moment, Noah was ridiculously not focused on the discussion that was being carried out, the eyes of many beings coming to land on him only to see him finish putting the savory foods lying on the long tables around them on his plate as he seemed more intent on eating! "..." Oathkeeper ignored all this as he spoke towards Noah. "You were at the center of this when it began. You''ll be the first to share." THRUM! The power on the bodies of a lot of Hegemonies vibrated as they were fully locked onto Noah, his figure not being bothered one bit as he nodded with a smile while looking around him. While being stared down by the gazes of these powerful beings, this Paragon didn''t sweat one bit as he began to talk..while taking bites of the glimmering golden foods on his plate! Valentina and Adelaide stood beside him with a somber expression as the recounting of the events in the Animus Universe occurred. Minutes passed as Noah gave out the information he could without compromising any of his information, finally finishing up after nearly 15 minutes as he even put his plate down to give his closing words! "All in all, the activated Universal Constructs that have linked together the 9 Universes through Amalgamation are currently drawing in immense reserves of Universal Essence, their goal being a form of unification or...a summoning ritual!" RUMBLE A summoning ritual! Such words caused the minds of all those listening to buzz as when these aged existences thought about what such a summoning could entail, and their guesses were horrendous, to say the least. After Noah, Valentina was given the spot light next as she talked about Ambrose and how she nearly destroyed one of the Universal Constructs, more and more information being released on the Universal Amalgamation that had occurred within the 9 Universes as after her, Oathkeeper called upon multiple other Hegemonies that had gone to observe the changes within the Liberated Universe, Necrotic, Microbial, Automaton, Chthonian, Euthenia, Omicron, and the Abyssal Universes. The discussion lasted for more than 2 hours as the gazes of many Hegemonies were somber at the end of it! This was when the atmosphere of the banquet changed as everyone''s gazes landed on Oathkeeper. They knew the issue at hand. Now what? WAA! The pressure Oathkeeper released became even greater as he looked at the powerful Existences around him, his gaze also landing on the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos that was standing behind him. "We have to proceed forward, but before we do so, we have to realize that Chronos, Ambrose, Dark Shadow...all of these were Hegemonies we thought did not know or even associate with each other- and yet they carried out this plan together." ¡­! "It means that there is a very real possibility of there being more allies of Chronos and the others in our midst!" RUMBLE! "What?!" Essence vibrated dangerously as the golden sky trembled, the gazes of many Hegemonies turning chilling as Oathkeeper kept his calm and commanding expression. "This was the other reason I called you all here...it is because it is time for another Oath! An Oath that lets us know we can trust each other to be on the same side in the future to come...an oath that will tell us if there are any enemies among us that we have to look out for!" ¡­! Many eyes shined brightly as even Noah nodded his head in commendation at such an action! "We gathered once before to swear an Oath that gave order to our Primordial Cosmos...we are gathered here again to do the same thing. This time, It will be an oath that is judged based on truth...where as the creator of the Dao of the Oath Keeper, I will know whether you truthfully stand with us or if you are within the camp of Chronos!" RUMBLE! "We will find out here and now if there are any other beings hiddenly working behind our backs, and only then can we move forwards with a solution." ¡­! An oath! The purpose of the Universal Banquet was actually to swear an oath and see who among them were traitors and who stood with them! Chapter 1008 - The Book Of Oaths! A buzz of discussions broke out the moment that Oathkeeper finished his words, many Hegemonies having differing opinions about this! THRUM! Yet the figure of the Oathkeeper released a terrifying pressure at this moment as his body shone with gorgeous splendor, his voice ringing out again. "The Oath is very simple as there is no harm in it and we all only benefit from the security knowing there are no enemies among us. Any Hegemony who shows unwillingness towards this...has something to hide and will be labeled an enemy to be killed with extreme prejudice!" WAA! ¡­! Overbearing! Dominant! The Oathkeeper let out such an aura as all discussions stopped! He effectively told them that either they agree and make the Oath, or they would be labeled an enemy. What an awe inspiring sense of power! This was something that only Hegemonies at the level of Oathkeeper, Chronos, and the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos would be able to do. It was restricted to beings that controlled unique Cosmic Laws that others couldn''t even dream of. OOOM! Mana overflowed from the Oathkeeper''s body as in front of him, a golden book materialized as it swirled with a unique dao. The appearance of this book caused the eyes of many beings to turn reminiscent as it reminded them of years long gone, when many of them broke into the Universal Realm at the moment of their ascension, Oathkeeper appeared in front of them soon after as they swore an Oath with the very same book they were seeing right now! The process of connecting all of the Galaxies within one''s Origin and birthing a Universal Seed was a magnificent affair, the aura of every newly appearing Universal Realm Hegemony when they bloomed their Universal Seed being an event that was sensed across nearby Universes. This was how not a single being had escaped swearing the Oath that kept order and Hegemonies in check for the past millions of years within the Primordial Cosmos, every single Universal expert coming in contact with this specific book. Now, this book had appeared in front of the Hegemonies once more! This was the Book of Oaths that kept all the Oaths under the Dao of the Oath Keeper, a book that had a simple mechanism of requiring a being to place their hand on a single page as they swore an Oath. The eyes of the Oathkeeper shone with power and might as he glanced at the direction of the nearest Hegemonies, his voice ringing out majestically as his golden hair and bright wings vibrated powerfully. "Make the Oath." RUMBLE! It wasn''t a request anymore as it even seemed like a command, yet the common Hegemonies nearby could not deny as they began to step forward! The first ones were the Hegemonies that were close allies with the Oathkeeper to begin with, beings that he had called upon when the chase with Dark Shadow first began. They stepped forward as the first one placed their hands on a page of the book, calling out loudly. "I am not an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos, nor am I colluding with Chronos!" THRUM! The page that the Hegemony touched glowed bright gold, Oathkeeper nodding his head as the Hegemony moved aside, the page on the Book of Oaths flipping as a blank one appeared waiting for yet another palm to lay on it. Like a procession of beings, every single Hegemony went towards the Book of Oaths and made an oath that they weren''t enemies or colluding with Chronos and his group! "I am not an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos, nor am I colluding with Chronos!" WAA! All the Hegemonies nearby had gone as Noah and Valentina''s party was up next, Valentina had a sharp light crossing through her eyes before she went forward and placed her palm on the floating book in front of the Oathkeeper. Her words were light. "I am not an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos, nor am I colluding with Chronos." ¡­ The page shone gold. The Oathkeeper nodded his head as Valentina stepped aside. The gaze of this domineering being that even commanded Hegemonies then landed on the figures of Noah and Adelaide. Noah had a light smile as the gaze of this terrifying being focused on him, walking forward with light steps while holding on to Adelaide''s hand. The pair of figures looked more at peace than even the hegemonies here, as if they were merely a couple on a sightseeing trip! And it was actually so for Adelaide as she didn''t put any of the powerful beings aside from her man in her eyes, her fair hand being the first to land on the Book of Oaths as she would actually be the first existence at the level of a Paragon to lay their hand on this book. "I am not an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos, nor am I colluding with Chronos." The book shone gold as the same Oath that was said by everyone else rang out from Adelaide, her figure stepping back as Noah stepped forward while staring at the glimmering golden book. His eyes glimmered with an unknown light as even he was curious how this would turn out! Adelaide had no care for the events of the Primordial Cosmos as she didn''t even know who Chronos was, so he wasn''t worried about her. What about him though? What about the holder of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination that directly opposed the nature of the Primordial Cosmos?! ''Let''s see'' With an expectant gaze, Noah''s palm landed on the Book of Oaths. "...I am not an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos, nor am I colluding with Chronos." ¡­ A second passed. No golden light shone. RUMBLE! The eyes of many Hegemonies constricted as the body of Oathkeeper began to tremble with immense might! The golden skies suddenly turned oppressive as the attention of everyone focused on Noah at this very moment. Among the groups of Hegemonies that had not yet sworn an oath, their eyes flashed with unknown lights as they seemed to hold confusion. A change had occurred in those swearing Oaths for the first time today! Chapter 1009 - Ah! A Cosmic Treasure! I While the pages of everyone that swore an oath shone with a golden light, Noah''s Oath was blank as it caused changes to appear on the expressions of many! Valentina''s eyes turned somber as she slowly began to step forward in case something happened. Noah''s eyes remained on the book as his palm sank even further into it, his heart calm as he repeated again! "I am not an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos, nor am I colluding with Chronos!" WAA! The words rang out for a second time as it was only after a second passed did the book seemingly believe him, shining golden like it had for everyone else before! "..." The pressure emanating from Oathkeeper died down as his gaze locked onto Noah. Noah''s eyes also turned up as he stared at the mountainous figure of the being in front of him as he seemed to have drawn even more attention to himself. He gave a light smile as he nodded while stepping back, leading Adelaide back to where Valentina was. The Hegemonies in the surroundings sucked in their breaths at this scene as the Oathkeeper''s eyes returned placid. Any time the Book of Oaths shone gold, it meant that the being swearing the Oath was uttering the complete truth! White was undecided, and a crimson light meant they were enemies! If at any point in time they changed their position and became enemies of the Primordial Cosmos or colluded with Chronos and his group, Oathkeeper would know right away similar to how he knew when Hegemonies broke the oath of not attacking lower ranking beings. "Continue." His voice was unhurried as he called for the process to continue. Among the Hegemonies that had yet to go, one in the back seemed to have decided something after watching the scene of Noah, this being stepping out as his eyes flashed with an intense light! His steps were unhurried as he came in front of the book and placed his hand while calling out. "I am not an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos, nor am I colludi-" RUMBLE! Before his words even finished, a terrifying crimson light shot forth from the Book of Oaths! The face of the confident Hegemony rapidly deteriorated and changed! The golden skies became tinged with red. The eyes of Oathkeeper became filled with utter coldness as his essence flew out and descended down like tides. "Hold on¡­!" BOOOM! Essence exploded from the Hegemony that had caused a crimson light to rush out of the Book of Oaths before his oath even finished, his body erupted with the essence of many grand daos as he began to move back! Yet!!! WAA! A golden clock appeared in the skies above them as its light focused on him, his figure coming to a halt right after as he couldn''t even move. "Hegemony Firespark." Oathkeeper''s voice rumbled out like an archaic creature bellowing out to lesser beings full of anger, his gaze on Hegemony Firespark being filled with immense coldness and disappointment as the golden Clock in the skies released an intense light to wrap around this being tightly, the Hegemony not even being able to his strength to defend! "For colluding with Chronos and holding malicious intentions towards the Primordial Cosmos, only death awaits you!" RUMBLE! A sentence was laid down as a bright light shone, the figure of Hegemony Firespark clad in a golden light being pulled towards the golden clock in the skies as a door opened up right in the middle of it, pulling the figure of the Hegemony in as he disappeared. ¡­! "He shall be held in a Time Prison for interrogation while this procession continues!" WAA! The dominating voice of the terrifying Hegemony that had been able to overwhelm another Universal expert in mere seconds rang out as it shook everyone out of their stupor. This was the power of the Hegemony that was renowned in the Primordial Cosmos! One of The Three- beings of utmost power that had the most chance to reach Antiquity! Chronos, Oathkeeper, and the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos. Even Noah''s eyes shined brightly at the scene that played out as aside from the Dao of Chronos and a myriad of other Daos that Oathkeeper had just utilized to render a Universal expert defenseless, he sensed another Dao that he couldn''t identify. A dao that even he couldn''t see when he looked in the details of Oathkeeper under the Eyes of Truth! It seemed even more pristine than the Dao of Chronos, Extinction, or even Reincarnation as it either neared or matched Ruination in quality. Such a shocking possibility caused Noah to focus greatly on the next set of events as there seemed to be much more than what meets the eye when it came to this terrifying being! When Oathkeeper raised his eyes again to stare at the remaining Hegemonies that had yet to swear their oaths, his eyes were filled with a deadly light that caused the bodies of the Hegemonies to tremble fearfully, especially those that had hidden intentions. After seeing a Hegemony being so helpless in front of the power of Oathkeeper, the remaining beings didn''t step forward as a particular Hegemony shining cerulean blue crown holding a cloudy expression couldn''t help but speak out! "Oathkeeper, you know we all respect your strength, but what if you are wrong? The light didn''t activate for the paragon before as something happened, and now a red one shone from Hegemony Firespark as you acted without even hearing him out, where the fates of those of us who cannot resist you will be doomed if the Oath is mistakenly incorrect!" THRUM! The Cerulean Hegemony''s words got the agreement of the remaining Hegemonies that held apprehension after seeing the Oathkeeper''s decisive actions, but his words only made the gaze of this terrifying being even colder as it focused on him. Yet the Cerulean Hegemony seemed relentless as his eyes shone brightly, continuing to speak out. "Those of us that do not stand on the same level as you cannot resist even if you are wrong, why don''t you have someone of your level swear the Oath next?!" RUMBLE The words of the blue crowned Universal expert caused the eyes of all beings to turn towards the only person that could be considered on the same Tier as Oathkeeper. The existence with a swirling black hole as a head, his humanoid form seemingly made of a Sea of chaos as his sheer presence palpated with power! The eyes of all beings turned towards the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos. The gaze of the Oathkeeper seemed Impartial as while focusing his gaze on the Cerulean Hegemony, he spoke out. "The Order of who swears the Oath matters not. Goliath, pacify them and have your Oath done next!" OOOM! To Oathkeeper, it truly didn''t matter who went first or last as long as everyone here swore an Oath and they knew who their allies and enemies were! So the eyes of all beings focused as they waited to see whether the last two times were mistakes, wanting to see exactly what color would shine from a being as terrifying as Oathkeeper swearing an Oath. Noah''s eyes also landed on the terrifying personage with a black hole for a head as an instant later, his colorful eyes shook as the immense fortune and destiny he carried told him something, a light of shock coursing through him! Oathkeeeper had turned around as the Book of Oaths was ready to accept another palm, everyone expectant on the Goliath to step forward! But¡­ RUMBLE! Seconds passed. The Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos did not take a step forward. The black hole atop his head seemed to vibrate greatly, a discernible light of Extinction coursing through it as this powerful existence did not take a single step! Next, an ancient sigh could be heard. Oathkeeper''s strong expression that had never faltered all this time actually changed, an expression of shock and then anger soon entering his eyes as he stared at the non moving figure of a being that had even preceded him in age! Thereafter....all hell broke loose! Chapter 1010 - Ah! A Cosmic Treasure! II A sigh that came from an ancient being! The sigh seemed to be filled with melancholy, holding a great deal of age and vicissitude as the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos lit up with colorfully enticing lights. The many Universal experts felt their hearts shaking at such a scene, their expressions turning from incredulous to utter shock in the next second as a scene they never would have expected in their wildest dreams began to play out! The enticing lights that had formed around the Goliath were of course, the lights that represented the essence of Extinction. Extinction! Just what did a being need to do to comprehend such a Cosmic Dao? How stars, Realms, or galaxies did they have to bring to extinction just to gain minor accomplishments within this Dao? What more did they have to do to achieve full comprehension?! Over the millions of years, just how many civilizations had fallen under the hands of this unique being to bring him where he was today?! The answer was unknown! But the essence of this being erupted out fully as the moment he chose not to step towards the Book of Oaths, a shocking reality was revealed that even the Oathkeeper couldn''t believe. "Preposterous! You...you¡­!" Disbelief. Doubt. Incredulity! Even the Oathkeeper was in disbelief as out of everyone within the Primordial Cosmos, the being he least expected to be involved with Chronos and doing something that harmfully affected the Cosmos was the Goliath in front of him. Yet reality proved different as this shocking scene came to life! Why? Just why would someone of his caliber move like so? Just what was Chronos doing that he even pulled in a being such as this?! There were many questions, but at this point in time...no answers were provided. The events about to play out happened nearly instantaneously when one truly understood the strength that Universal Experts could wield, that in the next seconds the positions of Hegemonies vastly shifted as the scene became clear. The figure of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos was stretching out its chaotic hand towards the Oathkeeper, the horrendous essence of Extinction palpating dreadfully as it threatened to wipe out whatever it touched. But this wasn''t all! Behind the back of the turned Oathkeeper that was looking towards the Goliath with unbridled surprise and wrath, there was also something else occurring that others barely noticed until it fully played out! It was the figure of the Cerulean Hegemony that had challenged the Oathkeeper and actually called for the Goliath to next, bringing this whole situation to fruition. It was the figure of Noah''s old enemy that had spent 100,000 years to try and obtain a Cosmic Treasure and the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, happening to fail at the last moment due to a native with ridiculous abilities. The cerulean blue crown atop this Hegemony shimmered as it undulated on his body, his mouth opening unnaturally wide while he grew to become over 10 meters tall instantly! His opened mouth gushed out large waves of water as from this passage, the aura of a single shocking being stepped on the raging blue waves, his arms outstretched as a purple clock had already formed in front of him, his figure entirely coming out of the mouth of the Cerulean Hegemony as it was¡­.Chronos! He wasn''t given entrance into the Astraeus Galaxy as this time around, he snuck in with the invited Hegemonies as a unique ability of the Cerulean Hegemony was utilized to hide his aura until now. The Goliath, the Cerulean Hegemony, Hegemony Brightspark¡­.it was traitors upon traitors as at this moment, a plot was hatched as two of the strongest figures of the Primordial Cosmos grouped up to assassinate the third. Oathkeeper had called this Universal Banquet to quell out those he couldn''t trust, while Chronos was using it as an opportunity to get rid of the being he considered the biggest enemy to the succession of his plans. Just who would come out the victor at the end of it all? THRUUM! The essence of Extinction was striking at him from the front as the chaotic hand of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos had nearly reached him. A pulsing purple clock behind him as the Dao of Chronos was filled with a killing light behind him. All of it...thundering towards a single Oathkeeper as his eyes were currently filled with wrath! His closest allies were looking at this scene with incredulity as their essence coursed through their bodies, already shooting towards the enemies surrounding the Oathkeeper as they hoped to be able to provide some support! But... "PREPOSTEROUS!" BOOOOOOM! The golden skies shook and sundered. The expression of the Oathkeeper was utterly livid. Such immense and palpable wrath coursed through him that even those glancing at his figure didn''t even bother looking for too long, but they couldn''t turn their eyes away! This was because a terrifying aura far superseding that of the Goliath and Chronos appeared at this very moment. This was because on top of the skies above Oathkeeper, a pristine white disk had appeared. A hollow disk that looked like a ring of light, shining with immense pure while luster as from it, every single creature could feel a type of essence they only came in contact with when they underwent the process of Purification. It was the Primordial Essence that very few got a chance to come in contact with, and yet this disk was overflowing with it as its intense light washed down on the Oathkeeper and everyone around him, nearly everything coming to a halt! Many beings looked to the skies in shock as Noah was the one to receive the most shock with his eyes honing in on the enormous white disk. "Ah¡­!" This was because he was reminded of an aura of a certain treasure his main body had reforged not too long ago, and this white disk reminded him of it greatly as it was a treasure that stood directly opposite to it in nature! "A Cosmic Treasure!" RUMBLE! Noah unconsciously uttered the words as the incredulous minds of many of the Hegemonies that didn''t even know what was happening shook. As an assassination was about to be carried out, a Cosmic Treasure appeared in the golden skies of the Hallowed Astral Star! Chapter 1011 - Unbridled Might! A Cosmic Treasure! Noah stared at the shocking treasure that had eclipsed the skies, the pure white disk pulsing with the purest Primordial Essence as it washed down in droves towards the Oathkeeeper. Towards the outstretched hands of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos and the deadly shimmering purple clock that Chronos put forward, there was just an explosion of white light! Pure, unadulterated while light that represented the essence of the Primordial Dao as it smashed against both Chronos and the Goliath! BOOOOOM! A horrendous sound occurred as normally, space would have torn and shattered as everything became chaotic, but with the appearance of the rivers of Primordial Essence...space was as stable as it could be as this essence that made the Primordial Cosmos truly had shocking effects. WAA! Two powerful auras were pushed back from the droves of Primordial Essence rushing down the pristine white disk, crashing onto the bodies of the Goliath and Chronos hundreds of times in the tenth of a second as their own bodies pulsed with the essence of many Daos just to push back the singular Primordial Dao! When the scene cleared, only Oathkeeper remained standing, his gaze showing immense wrath and disappointment! His golden hair waved in the sea of white Essence as his golden wings pulsed, his image this time striking itself into the hearts of all beings as he looked too damn dominating. "Why?" THRUM! He spoke with unbridled wrath and might as the white disk descended down, beginning to spin crazily as many beings felt like the very air was squeezing around them. Amidst all of this power, even Noah felt like a leaf just following the deadly winds constantly raging about, his current level of power not being able to do anything about it! This was because he was looking at a genuinely powerful Universal Realm existence fully utilize a Cosmic Treasure. This was the type of effect one could portray when they utilized the might of a Cosmic Treasure to its fullest! Even against 2 beings at the same stage as him, he was still able to bounce them off! The figures of Chronos and the Goliath were heavily pushed back as their bodies felt the strain from the shocking Primordial Essence constricting around them, Oathkeeper''s eyes focusing on the Goliath. "Why?!" RUMBLE! The surroundings only quaked more as the Oathkeeper continued to ask, the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos letting out an aged sigh as he spoke out, the essence of the Daos of Extinction and Chronos weaving around his body swiftly at the same time as he fought back against the Primordial Essence. "For Antiquity." ¡­.! THRUM! An answer came! The reason why Chronos and all the others were moving to what they did. It was all for Antiquity! Even the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos had sided with Chronos due to this as this old being also wanted to grasp Antiquity. "I see." The eyes of the Oathkeeper shimmered with an intense luster as he spoke. "Then...you can die for Antiquity. [Primordial Enclosure]!" WAAA! Essence wildly raged as shockingly, a phenomenon occurred not on this Hallowed Astral Star where the shocking set of events was occurring, but the Astraeus Galaxy itself! The golden chains that surrounded the Astraeus Galaxy all this time disappeared. They disappeared as they materialized around the Hallowed Astral Star, their golden exterior shaking and falling off as if it were false gold, a pristine white being seen underneath as it let off intense waves of Primordial Essence! They then began to wrap around the Hallowed Astral Star as they began to chase towards the figures of Chronos and The Goliath like endless white snakes filled with a deadly Primordial Essence. At this sight, the faces of Chronos and the Goliath changed as Chronos could be seen letting out a sigh. It was a sigh of melancholy, of a being that had tried to get their way so many times but they still couldn''t! This was actually true as Chronos had lived through multiple lives where he got to this point...and not once had he been able to achieve his goal of taking out the terrifying Oathkeeper and having him out of the equation. Now in this life, even with him getting the Cerulean Hegemony on top of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos to side with him and bring this opportune scene into a reality, it still didn''t change anything! The first few times when he came to this point in history, his body and soul were ripped apart purely with Oathkeeper''s power alone. A few times after that, he comprehended many more Daos as he became more proficient in the Dao of Chronos, and his power had just barely been able to cause the Oathkeeper to release his Cosmic Treasure to deal with him. This was how he ridiculously found out that Oathkeeper was in possession of a Cosmic Treasure! Now, multiple lives later, he was trying a different path as he got past the point that Oathkeeper summoned the Cosmic Treasure and destroyed all enemies, the power of the Goliath proving to be a tough one as for the first time in all his lives, he saw a new phenomenon where after the Cosmic Treasure appeared, the Golden chains that were tightly wrapping around the Astreous Galaxy were actually long chains of condensed Primordial Essence. THRUM! Their flashy gold exterior fell apart as pristine white was revealed, these chains squirming like snakes as they threatened to wrap around everything! "Since you are chasing Antiquity with such fervor, you can die for it! Primordial Disk¡­.reduce them to cinders!" ¡­! WAA! Immense power and might rumbled out as Chronos sighed even more, the light of Extinction around the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos only increasing as he received a message from his compatriot. ''Oathkeeper is just too much. We have failed and shouldn''t stay here for too much longer!" "..." The Goliath heard these words as a sharp light crossed through his eyes. They were all of the same levels. So why?... Why was the gap between Oathkeeper and him so large? No answer could be found as Chronos appeared beside the Goliath with somber eyes. Since they couldn''t win against the terrifying Cosmic Treasure and the white chains that threatened to keep them here, they had to retreat! From Chronos, the essence of the Dao of Chronos converged as it came to intertwine with the essence of Extinction that the Goliath released. They then spoke at the same time. [Extinction Tree of the End Times]. ¡­! RUMBLE! A tree with boundless strength of Extinction and the abstruse concept of Chronos began to erupt out and spread its trunk and branches wildly. It bounced off the pristine chains of Primordial Essence as they dug through the Hallowed Astral Star and stretched towards the space above it, threatening to drown everything out in the decimation of time and Extinction as Oathkeeper would have to focus on this ever growing tree! Just to make their retreat, Chronos and the Goliath had actually used a fused skill that combined the essence of two shocking Daos! Chapter 1012 - A Dreadful New Reality! In the vast Primordial Cosmos, there were many things that remained a mystery. One of these mysteries was the concept of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination that one needed if ever they wanted to traverse outside of the Cosmos. Something that very few thought about though, was the type of essence that birthed the Primordial Cosmos- the essence that purified every single one of the beings within it when they began achieving high enough levels! There was a Dao of Ruination, and naturally there was the Primordial Dao! A Dao of utter regality and majesty that as of this moment, the only person to comprehend it within the Primordial Cosmos was the dominant Oathkeeper. The only reason he did so was because he got his hands on a Cosmic Treasure...on the Primordial Disk that currently covered the skies and sent its pressure down on every living thing within the Hallowed Astral Star! Even two of the most powerful Hegemonies could not stand against him as they utilized a fusion skill of truly powerful Daos that caused the eruption of the [Extinction Tree of the End Times]. The tree dug through the Hallowed Astral Star the moment it bloomed, beginning to spread out towards the space of the Astraeus Galaxy soon after as it threatened to spread the light of extinction on everything it touched while the light of Chronos threatened to cause everything to fall to the vicissitudes of time as they deteriorated! It was an attack of wanton destruction as the golden hair of the Oathkeeper flowed calmly, his eyes capturing everything that the moment this tree began budding, he commanded the Primordial Essence to wrap and protect all the guests of the Hallowed Astral Star, his eyes then gazing at the ever growing Extinction Tree as his Cosmic Treasure pulsed to release even more Primordial Essence to wrap around and contain it. Around this time, the figures of a few Hegemonies began to silently disappear as the Chronos was first, followed by the Cerulean Hegemony and three others as the last to leave while the Oathkeeper was containing the wanted damage of Chronos and Extinction was...the Goliath! The swirling black hole this being had for a head vibrated with power as he released another sigh, his figure fading away soon after. RUMBLE! Essence wildly spread out as a few seconds passed before the shocking growth of the Extinction Tree of the End Times was stopped by the Primordial Essence, this pulsing tree having entirely torn the Hallowed Astral Star in half as its length alone stretched out tens of thousands of miles! It was a skill cast to bring immense and wanton destruction, but the Oathkeeper that could wield the Primordial Disk and command the essence of the Primordial Dao had an impassive expression as after he contained the growth of the Tree by wrapping it with Primordial Essence, he began to grind it down and cause it to disintegrate at a very rapid pace as tens of thousands of miles of length were eradicated in a second. An instant later, the Extinction Tree disappeared entirely! When the Hegemonies looked around in shock and incredulousness, they only saw the shattered Hallowed Astral Star around them as the figures of multiple Hegemonies were missing along with the Goliath and Chronos. They had many traitors among them it seemed, but they had all been uprooted from this single event as the power of the Oathkeeper was reinforced as the strongest in the Primordial Cosmos! A being that held a Cosmic Treasure that could control the very Primordial Essence that made the Cosmos. His power was about to be expressed even more as with a flutter of his hands, it felt like time was moving in reverse as droves of Primordial Essence wrapped around the shattered Hallowed Astral Star, its pieces beginning to come back together as Noah and the other Hegemonies that were still wrapped in a protective light of Primordial Essence watched this same shocking essence weave around a destroyed planet and put it back together as if it was never shattered! THRUM! It was a scene of utter majesty and power as within seconds, it was like pieces of a puzzle were coming together as the torn apart pieces of the planet they were on came back together, the golden chains that had become white disappearing as they returned to wrap around the Astraeus Galaxy once more. "..." Noah looked at this scene with shining eyes as Adelaide grasped onto his hand tightly. Valentina and the other Hegemonies looked towards the Oathkeeper with slight apprehension and awe at his show of power as the wings of this being vibrated with power, Primordial Essence swirling around him as the scene of him calling the Primordial Disk to reduce in size and fall into his palm was inscribed in the minds of every single being! Surrounded by a sea of Primordial Essence, he looked like an archaic being from ancient times as with his command, everything was brought back to calmness. "..." Not a single being spoke as they saw the eyes of the Oathkeeper open, a tremendous amount of pain and wrath hidden within as at this moment, this being felt like the weight he carried on his shoulders had just increased by an even larger amount. Two of the strongest beings he knew had turned against him and the Primordial Cosmos! A being he even looked up to and considered a friend¡­a being even older than him had sided with the enemy side as at this moment, he felt alone! Yet...he wielded tremendous power as even they could not do a thing against him, not while he was in this Astraeus Galaxy anyways. Not while he had the chains of Primordial Essence wrapping around this galaxy, the very same weapon that had caused the plans of Chronos to miss once more in this lifetime as they had to run. But the end of today''s events made one thing clear. The power shift in the Primordial Cosmos had rapidly changed, and they now entered the reality where everyone knew the strongest being of the Cosmos wielded an unstoppable Cosmic Treasure, while the 2 strongest beings that followed him were chasing after Antiquity as they used 9 Universes as sacrificial lambs for something yet to come! Chapter 1013 - The Start Of A Universal Conquest! I A new reality was upon them all as Noah was one of the first to witness it, the gazes of all Hegemonies still looking towards Oathkeeper as this being seemed to come out of his melancholy and loot at all of them. "That is the threat we face." RUMBLE! "False dreams being chased by Chronos as even Goliath was pulled into them! Their chase of Antiquity will most likely just call forth a terrifying force that will not even grant them what they want, but merely cause us all destruction!" WAA! "That¡­is what we have to stop!" "..." The hearts of all those listening trembled as their eyes were somber, the Oathkeeper continuing with his words as he waved his hands to call forth the Book of Oaths once more. "Let''s finish this first, and then we can have a brief intermission as I prepare some things." The process of swearing the Oaths continued as there were no traitors after beings like the Cerulean Hegemony disappeared with Chronos, the few remaining Hegemonies all having a golden light shining when they made the oath as it finished just minutes later. OOOM! Golden lights of destiny and fate weaved around as this was finished, the Book of Oaths closing and disappearing as a bright golden light began to erupt from Oathkeeper to cover everyone. "A change in setting for the allies around us, enjoy the amenities and abodes. We shall resume after a day." The golden light that erupted from him and covered Noah and all the Hegemonies in the surrounding carried with it a spatial light, these beings trusting the Oathkeeper immensely after all this as they let the spatial light carry them to another destination! When they opened their eyes, they found themselves in the skies of a breathtaking place, a hazy color of golden clouds floating in the skies above them as ambrosial golden mountains stretched out below them. Upon these mountains were exquisitely designed castles, each of the Hegemonies appeared near one of these castles as the voice of Oathkeeper rang out. "This is my Elysian Realm. Choose an abode and relax in here for a bit while I prepare some things. We shall resume tomorrow!" The shocking aura of Oathkeeper then disappeared as the Hegemonies looked at each other with different expressions before they shot down towards nearby castles. Many of them had to think about a myriad of things as this paradisiacal environment was as good a place as any, and a few of them felt their hearts needed rest after undergoing such a shocking set of events! Noah was standing beside Adelaide and Valentina as the three of them stared as the golden vegetation overlaying the Elysian Realm, at the golden rivers of water that ran through the mountains majestically as the whole land around them seemed to be of peace and wonder. Amidst all this, Noah had a domineering thought that would cause commotion if others ever heard it! ''Well, it''s only slightly better than some areas of my Universal Core¡­'' WAA! Auspicious essence shone around them as Noah took in the sights while thinking of the shocking set of events that just happened. As if his thoughts could be read, the Cosmic Treasure that was connected to him and had seen the things his Primordial Ruination Clone saw voiced out in his mind. [That''s a portion of what someone at the Universal Realm can do with a Cosmic Treasure. But of course, if one simply goes by its name...it''s a treasure to be truly used by beings at the Cosmic Realm!] A Cosmic Treasure could naturally only be fully utilized by a being in the Cosmic Realm! A being that had become an Antiquity as the might they could display was something unimaginable. "Ah¡­!" The breathtaking action of a Cosmic Treasure they just experienced! The paradisiacal Elysian Realm that they just entered! All of it caused Noah''s heart to tremble with excitement as he thought of the future and the fact that he had a night to spend, he looked at Adelaide beside him as he quickly carried the Ice Queen in a princess carry while flying down to the golden castle that was designated as their abode below them. "Ah¡­!" Adelaide let out a surprised shout as her cheeks turned rosy, the Ice Queen not expecting Noah to be so bold, even ignoring the fact that Valentina was still around them also enjoying the paradisiacal sights of the Elysian Realm. The Hegemony of Summoning had her attention taken from the sights as she saw this scene, her face becoming surprised when she saw the eyes of the carried Adelaide look towards her while beckoning for her to also come! Her! A Hegemony! The Ice Queen didn''t even leave room for misunderstandings as a second later, she sent a mental message to Valentina before her and Noah''s figure disappeared into the golden castle. "Come over and join us, there should be nothing better to do in this paradisiacal realm other than this¡­" ¡­! The powerful figure of the Universal Realm existence stood floating in the skies in a stupor after this, the images of Noah carrying the alluring Adelaide into the castle playing in her mind as she¡­ --- The hours passed as the river of time continued to churn. After the brief respite from the shocking events, the night in the Elysian Realm that was the home of Oathkeeper was that of peace as when morning came, the meeting resumed! The Hegemonies left the golden castles they were cooped in as from one particular castle, the figures of two magnificent women flew out while Noah followed from behind. Adelaide had a light smile as Valentina maintained her regal expression, while Noah had a smile of a man that seemed to be at the top of the world! This was a smile that was being portrayed by a normal clone that had arrived within the castle at some point in the night, the figure of the Primordial Ruination Clone having actually left the Elysian Universe entirely as at this moment, it had teleported into another Universe. Not the Animus or Dark Universe, but another Universe entirely as at this moment, the light of Conquest was brilliantly shining in the eyes of the Primordial Ruination Clone as he arrived in the Necrotic Universe! Chapter 1014 - The Start Of A Universal Conquest! II As the meeting resumed in the Elysian Universe, Noah was already moving forward as the Primordial Ruination Clone was sent into the Necrotic Universe to begin the mission of Universal Conquest. He was moving relentlessly for his goals as the Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos proposed their own methods to battle the risen group of Chronos and the Goliath that were chasing Antiquity! Oathkeeper reappeared in front of them as he handed out a unique object, this being the item he was preparing the past hours. It was a golden set of wings that fit in the palm of one''s hands, a unique type of item that had a shocking usage. [Wings of Primordial Destiny] :: A Ultimate Dao Weapon forged with the essence of the Primordial Dao as the base, a myriad of other Dao Essences completing it thereafter. It has a communication function of sending an instant message to all other holders of a similarly forged Wings of Primordial Destiny, as well as a spatial function that allows for the instantaneous Teleportation of a few specified beings. ¡­! An Ultimate Do Weapon...and Oathkeeper had forged hundreds of them in the span of a single night as he handed them to all the Hegemonies that were now considered allies, as well as Noah and all others that had sworn the Oath. It was for the purpose of quickly sharing information while being able to call for aid at any moment that one came in contact with the forces working with Chronos! The mission that everyone left the Universal Banquet with after that¡­was to gather information on the 9 affected Universes as they looked for methods to enter and find a way to destroy the 9 Universal Constructs that were currently the fulcrums on the continuing Universal Amalgamation. Oathkeeper and the others had many ideas on how to proceed, Noah staying silent for the one he created for himself as after the meeting was done the Hegemonies spread out to start covering the many regions of the Cosmos that held the boundaries of the affected Universes. As for Noah...his plan was to gather a crazy amount of Marks of Ruination through the conquest of the affected Universes, forming his own Universal Seed as when this point came...he could boldly be like Oathkeeper and reveal his Cosmic Treasure, overpowering the shockingly powerful beings like Chronos and the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos! But...this was thinking too far ahead as at this moment, Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone stood floating in a corner of the Necrotic Universe. It was dreary and cold in the chaotic void of this Universe, the aura of the law of Death being abundant as this entire universe was an endless land of death! Terrifying Liches, Abyssal Undead, Ghouls, Galactic Zombies...a terrifying amount of undead permeated throughout as this was a Universe that didn''t have any organization, quintillions upon quintillions of Undead spread out across the expansive Universe as very few regions held any organizations. These were the areas where powerful Lich Emperors or the existences that had stepped on the path of the Cosmic Dao of Necromancy made their homes, causing for clusters of trillions of powerful Undead to crown on Galaxy Clusters and Dead Star Systems. The Hegemonies of this Universe who comprehended the Cosmic Dao of Necromancy couldn''t touch him due to the restrictions of the Universal Constructs...so all his enemies were just the myriad of Undead Paragons spread throughout the Necrotic Universe! He had to subjugate all of them and make the forces below them pledge fealty, causing the number of his Marks of Ruination to spill over a Billion as at this moment, he was infinitely close. The trillions more beings in the Animus Universe that had sworn fealty after the battle had ended and his clones and Animus Summons helped spread his influence to the far reaches of the Holy Lands of all the Bloodline Races, the number of the Marks of Ruination had exploded even more as he nearly achieved 1 Billion at this moment! Nearly 2% of his 50 Billion Marks of Ruination that he could use to forge Dao Galaxies and form enough connections to birth a Universal Seed! THRUM! His body vibrated with power as he thought about all this, this figure of the Tyrant Dragon changing as an aura of death began to spread from Noah, his skeletal outline changing as he gradually changed to become a titanous crimson skeleton that had golden flames burning in his sockets. An obsidian robe draped over him an instant later as a crimson skull staff appeared in his hands- Noah looking like a massive Undead Lich Emperor at this moment as his crimson staff smashed on the deathly chaotic void. DING! A ringing of a bell that seemed to be inviting something, and it was the calling of the Nether Lich Emperor under Noah''s command, this terrifying Lich rising from the chaotic void as it released a horrendous aura of death, its rise only followed by the auras of millions more of undead beginning to emerge from the void! KEKEKE! It released the dreadful aura of a Paragon as its obsidian flames bowed reverentially towards Noah, its staff glowing brilliantly with the essence of two Cosmic Daos that Noah infused this skill with as this Nether Lich utilized [Sagely Necrolords] to call forth 100 beings below its level. This meant that in the next few seconds, the auras of 100 Abyssal Undead Monarchs of various types began to rise up, the numbers of undead continuing to balloon up as gradually, a vast legion was forming! But this wasn''t all. For this instance, Noah had prepared himself to utilize some of his Billions of Skill Points on a truly special tree that would be suited for the conquest of a Universe filled with Undead. [Tyrannical Lich Emperor] :: A Skill Tree worthy of the capabilities of the Tyrannical Emperor, sacrificing all known and established usage of skills as it is geared towards horrendously inefficient mana requirements and usage for the sake of absurd skill effects. Abilities include [Summon Lich Emperors](5/5), [Undead of Ruination](5/5), [Endless Torment](5/5), and [Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death](5/5). Cost of Skill Tree Creation: 12,000,000,000 A skill tree that Noah designed just for the conquest of a single Universe! Chapter 1015 - The Rise Of The Tyrannical Lich Emperor! I A skill tree that cost 12 Billion Skill points- and one that held a skill that seemed to make it possible for Noah to call forth more than 1 Lich Emperor. But was it truly so?! ...Yes! It was so! The mere descriptions of the skills within the [Tyrannical Lich Emperor] skill tree were absurd, to say the least. [Summon Lich Emperors](5/5)(ACTIVE):: The user is capable of calling forth a maximum of 5 Lich Emperors at the same stage, their Parameters increased to be 200% of the caster''s maximum power. [Undead of Ruination](5/5) (PASSIVE):: All of the summoned Undead the Tyrannical Lich Emperor are branded with an Undead Ruination Aura. The Undead Ruination Aura grants +100,000% Ruination Damage, +100,000% Poison and Vitality Decay Damage, +100,000% Increased Resistance to All Laws and Daos, 20% of All Damage is Converted to Health, and it allows for the collective bearing of all damage dealt to be distributed to the entire Legion. [Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death](5/5) (PASSIVE):: A constantly swirling ring of death filled with the essence of the Daos of Ruination, Annihilation, Decadence, Destruction...and the Dao of Withering begins to rotate around any Undead Legion that the Tyrannical Lich Emperor called forth. The greater and more powerful the number of Undead, the more potent and deadly the Necrotic Ring of Death will be. [Endless Torment](5/5)(PASSIVE):: Any poor soul that manages to fall within the bounds of the Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death is burned to fuel the power of the Ring of Death even more, every additional being that dies within it adding 10% Increased Damage and area of effect for upto a maximum of 1,000,000% for 60 seconds. A gorgeous skill tree! A single Active Skill with the rest of them being Passive, one that didn''t just give Noah the capability to call forth 5 more PARAGON Level Lich Emperors- but also brought to life something that Noah considered a method that would put to shame most killing machines. Without a delay, he started by casting [Summon Lich Emperors]. THRUM! The essence of a myriad of laws erupted out as 5 deathly runic circles shone, the void ripping apart from these runic circles as the crimson skeletal hands of multiple Lich Emperors erupted out! KEKEKEKE! Eerie sounds began to permeate throughout, Noah waving his staff madly as he lost himself in the wonders of playing with fearsome Undead creatures, constantly pouring his mana out as after the Lich Emperors at the level of Paragons rose up, their bodies lit up with the glorious light of death as they smashed their staff into the chaotic void- causing the auras of 100 Monarchs to rise from each of them and below them, thousands of Abyssal Undead Great Sages and tens of thousands of Undead Sages began to rise. It was the grand Symphony of Death ringing loudly once more as Abyssal Skeleton Kings, Dullahans, Undead Dragon Emperors, Unholy Phoenixes...a myriad of Undead rose from the newly summoned 5 Lich Emperors and the initial one that stemmed from the skill tree of the Nether Lich Emperor! Hundreds of thousands turned to millions as very soon, millions turned into hundreds of millions as a truly large number of undead permeated around Noah as he cackled wildly. This was because as the Legions of Undead formed, the skill of [Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death] passively came online as a storm of essence containing coagulated forms of blood and bones rose around the Undead Legions like a rotating cloud of death! It truly and majestically was a Necrotic Ring of Death forming, the essence of all of Noah''s currently comprehended Daos beginning to swirl in a circular motion as with the dense aura of death, bones and skulls could be seen within the swirling ring of death that threatened to drown out any enemy it touched. "Ah¡­!" Noah''s heart felt fulfilled as he looked at such a scene- as if he had fully accomplished a skill that could grind down any enemies he touched the moment they even came across his Legions of Undead! THRUM With his body at the center and an Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death dangerously swirling around hundreds of millions of Undead, Noah gave the command. "Move out and lay Devastation...any fallen enemies will only elevate the strength of the Legion!" OOOOOH! The jaws of an innumerable number of undead vibrated as the Lich Emperors let out gleeful cackles. KEKEKE! The Lich Emperors burned with a light of death and ambition as they waved their skull staffs forward, bellowing out grandly as their voices reverberated across the chaotic void. "Spread the glorious light of death!" WAA! "For the will of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor!" OOOOH! "For death and destruction!" OOOOH! "For the Legion!" RUMBLE! ...! With a Legion capable of swallowing and decimating entire star systems just from the Necrotic Ring of Death swirling around nearby miles, Noah advanced forward as he led them all at the forefront. He was ready. He was ready to give the offer of eternal Death to the Undead of the Necrotic Universe...or the choice of Fealty! --- Hidden within the folds of space within the Necrotic Universe, the Hegemony of Necromancy that was the terrifying Lich who attacked Valentina along with Ambrose not too long ago was watching the appearance of a single Lich that multiplied to become more than 6 Paragon Undead Emperor Liches, a horrendous Undead Legion of ridiculous size forming as the collective pressure it released was something even the Hegemony of Necromancy had not come across before. It''s terrifying sockets burned with wrathful flames as it was currently situated next to the Galaxy Cluster that the Universal Construct of this Universe was anchored to, continuing to watch the movements of a certain being that had become one of the centers of focus that he and the people he worked with had to look out for! It was the being that had become the most influential existence within the Animus Universe in the span of a few days, establishing his dominance over the Supreme Bloodline Races as at this moment, all the forces of the Universe would be consolidated by him in due time. Chronos had told them to pay more attention to this being if ever he moved within the Universes they protected, and the Hegemony of Necromancy had picked up on the aura of the Tyrant Dragon seconds after its arrival as he watched this creature transform into a genuine Lich Emperor as soon after, entire Legions of terrifying Undead surrounded him! "Dangerous!" Yes! This was the word that came into the Hegemony''s mind when he saw this being that was just a Paragon. The prowess and mystery surrounding him was too eerie as even when Dark Shadow had moved against him, this creature still did not die! And they could not even personally move against him due to the restrictions they themselves laid down with the Universal Constructs, so all they had to utilize at hand...were the most powerful Paragons of their Universes. The essence of Necromancy pulsated from the Hegemony dangerously as a raspy voice came from it. "Don''t let this force make a landfall in the Necrotic Universe. Gather all the Abyssal Undead and Ancient Undead near the Death Void Valley region and stop them before they even begin to spread!" RUMBLE! His raspy voice carried with it an enticing aura of death as it reached the minds of multiple Lich Emperors, they empty sockets becoming alight in deadly flames as they rose from their mountainous abode of bones, their auras rising ever higher as all around them, the dense essence of a Cosmic Dao permeated freely. The essence of Death ran rampant as a Hegemony stood far above every existence within the Necrotic Universe, and they were currently moving many pieces as they played a game of chess with a Tyrannical being that was known to simply mess up all the rules of the board! Chapter 1016 - The Rise Of The Tyrannical Lich Emperor! II Important Author Note- Revised the ability of [Endless Torment] to have a cap of +1,000,000%. Thanks to a reader for pointing it out! ---- Across the uncountable number of Galaxies in the Necrotic Universe, the Death Void Valley was a region that held hundreds of barren Galaxies structured to form an ascending Valley across the deathly chaotic void. Across this Death Void Valley, a unique clan of Ancient Undead Titans was the ruling class- these powerful and gigantic Undead commanding power and awe among all the Undead occupying the Galaxies of the Death Void Valley! At this moment, the Legions of the Ancient Undead Titans formed an uncountable number of lines as they occupied large regions of the chaotic void, moving outward from the Death Void Valley as they led all the other Undead Clans within this region under the command of the Hegemony of Necromancy. OOOOM! The essence of death and decadence permeated throughout the billions of Undead clustering together to form the Legions, but it was the thickest around 10 areas- and this was where the Paragons that led the clans of Undead were at! Among these 10, the densest area of death surrounded an Ancient Undead Titan PARAGON that sat on a throne of regal purple bones, his figure being over a few miles long as he was truly enormous! His body was filled with tout steel like muscles that wrapped around his entire skeletons, his skull being the only thing showing its obsidian bones as a purple crown of bones gracefully floated atop it. The other Undead Titans behind him were of slightly less similar stature, their Legion looking extremely imposing as it was the largest out of all those here. This being sitting atop the floating throne of bones was Lich Emperor Agobo, and he had been born in death...and molded by it! He knew death so well that he very easily assimilated the Dao of Decadence in a short period of time, and at this moment he was already speedily advancing in the Dao of Necromancy, but he had yet to see death in the form that he was currently observing. A few hundred miles away, Lich Emperor Agobo could already see the droves of Undead that the Hegemony of Necromancer commanded them to stop, but these undead...were unlike anything that he had come across before! Even when he put aside the overpowering auras that the Paragons within the enemy forces were releasing, what was most distressing was the fact that in the surrounding miles of the enemy Legions, there was a dense and destructive cloud of essence and bones rotating dangerously. It seemed like this cloud would be destructive for anyone even coming across it, but the Lich Emperor Agobo did not know exactly by how much! But¡­ "It matters not." RUMBLE "At the end, death shall consume all." OOOOOH! The aura of the Lich Emperor Titan flew out wildly as the Legion before him bellowed, other Undead Legions following as billions of Undead that formed mountains began to move forward in the chaotic void. To their relentless advancement, the enemy responded by sending forward one of terrifying Undead Paragons, a Lich Emperor burning with golden flames in its sockets as its expression was that of pure arrogance! This Paragon sat on a Throne of multiple Dao Essences- being extremely wasteful with mana as this throne of Essences was made to be extremely extravagant and colorful. Even with no facial muscles, the domineering stature of the being that sat on the multicolored throne had developed could instinctively be felt as he teleported from hundreds of miles away, coming a few miles away from the Legions that Lich Emperor Agobo led as he voiced out. "Before we begin I shall tell you all...that you can avoid eternal Death by bending the knee at this moment and pledging Fealty to me, not some Hegemony that cannot even do a thing with this Universe!" ¡­! "This is a way out from you following the words of a selfish being bent on searching for Antiquity that will bring destruction to us all." RUMBLE The aura of the Undead Paragon spread out majestically as the essence of a Cosmic Dao pervaded throughout. Lich Emperor Agobo looked at this as he stood up from his regal throne of bones, his ancient voice ringing out flatly as his eyes began to shine with a powerful purple light! "There is no need for words between the Dead. Let us simply fight to see which side is more proficient in death!" WAA! A wondrous proclamation was made by a Lich that had lived for over half a million years, his influence spreading down to the Legions below as they moved forward. At such words, Noah laughed brilliantly as he tapped his skeletal hands on the throne, the Undead Legions behind him moving forward with fervor! When they moved, the swirling Necrotic Ring of Death moved with them as Noah teleported back into their ranks, keen to see the results of the wondrous skill tree. The words of the Lich Emperor Agobo rang out in his mind as he was given a lesson for the Undead- all that mattered was who would be more proficient in death. And when it came to this¡­ He really thought nobody could match him! THRUM! The hundreds of miles were quickly covered as the forces were about to clash, Agobo''s hand thrusting out along with multiple other Paragons as their essence flew out powerfully to wrap around the edges of the Ring of Death before the contact between the two sides happened. But¡­ They began to experience the ridiculousness of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor first hand as the over 1 mile Necrotic Ring of Death that surrounded the now billions of Undead Noah led come in contact with the forces of Undead under Agobo seamlessly, the essence they threw out not being able to hinder it! So it came in contact with the forces that Agobo led. They ranged from Entities and all the way to Monarchs and Paragons, and they saw how the essence of Agobo and others meant to stop the cloud of death from enveloping them was useless, simply passing through the swirling ring of death as if it wasn''t even there, the swirling ring covering over 100,000 Undead a second later. The scene that occurred thereafter was extremely crucial to understand. It dealt with the particular ability of Endless Torment that was just freshly created! [Endless Torment](5/5)(PASSIVE):: Any poor soul that manages to fall within the bounds of the Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death is burned to fuel the power of the Ring of Death even more, every additional being that dies within it adding 10% Increased Damage and Area of Effect for up to a maximum of 1,000,000% for 60 seconds. The skill of [Endless Torment] granted +10% Increased Damage and Area of Effect for every creature that died within it for up to a maximum of 1 million percent. 1 million! The Necrotic Ring of Death was already deadly enough as no Entities or Sages could withstand the constantly rotating cluster of all the Daos Noah comprehended- which included two Cosmic Daos! When the Ring of Death covered just a few tens of thousands of Undead, the first Undead Entity to fall granted the 10% increase in Damage and Area of Effect. Instantaneously, the Ring of Death became larger as it expanded to cover a slightly wider area. Then the second...third...one hundredth¡­ Within the span of milliseconds, over a thousand Undead fell from the terrifying cluster of sharply rotating flesh and bones mixed with the Essence of too many Daos! This allowed for the first visualization of a shockingly broken skill to appear as an instant later, the damage that the Necrotic Ring of Death could deal increased by 10,000% with the death of just 1,000 beings. But...the more pressing and simply disgusting effect was the increase in the area of effect. AOE! The area of effect was also increased by 10,000% as it covered over a hundred miles instantly and continued to expand, every single death causing it to propel outwards at a ridiculous pace as over one fourth of the Legions that the Lich Emperor Agobo led become covered in the Necrotic Ring of Death instantly! A millisecond later, it had covered such a large region that the numbers dead bloomed to millions! THRUUUUUM! The deathly chaotic void began to tremble as a shocking phenomenon was about to take place- all of it due to the fact that in just a second, the 1,000,000% cap of Increased Damage and Area of Effect of the Necrotic Ring of Death was reached! Chapter 1017 - Billions Dead In Seconds! It truly happened too fast that even Noah was caught off guard by it. The mountains of Undead that the Lich Emperor Agobo covered tens of thousands of miles as if one were to look at from a far distance, they would almost mistake the mass of creatures for moving planetary bodies! All of these beings numbered in the billions and over ten Paragons and hundreds of Monarchs were among them. When the Necrotic Ring of Death spread out, it bloomed beautifully as the chain reaction of deaths and expansion of the area of effect caused it to hit 1,000,000% in a few seconds, and this 1 million was enough for the circular dreadful Ring of Death to occupy over a million miles...covering the entire Legions of Billions of Undead! ¡­! Lich Emperor Agobo trembled as he felt the swirling tide of death instantly spread out to even reach him, his purple throne of bones becoming decimated an instant later as he felt a heart rending pain from the swirling Daos within the rotating Ring of Death. "OOOOOOH!" He bellowed out painfully as his body lit up with a gorgeous obsidian purple luster, this essence covering his body protectively as he could do nothing else but focus on defending! Mind you, the +1,000,000% was also an increase in All Damage. If Paragons were having trouble dealing with it as they fought for their lives¡­ Agobo barely raised his titanous body as his flaming eye sockets looked around, the flames within flickering incredulously as he saw the Monarchs that were beside him were already turned into nothingness! The Great Sages...just a pile of bones that joined the Necrotic Ring of Death! The Sages and Entities...were even the first to die as they helped bring this terrifying reality to fruition. When one pulled really far back and looked at the area where the Legions of Undead that Lich Emperor Agobo led, they would only be able to find a terrifying swirling mass of bones and Dao Essences destroying everything within over 1 Million miles of the chaotic void! The only thing visible was 10 PARAGONS that were barely hanging by as every passing second the cloud of swirling death tore apart their defenses, the light of protection seeming like a flicker in the night as it could go away at any second. So out of the billions of Undead that formed the Legions Agobo led with the command of the Hegemony of Necromancy...only 10 Paragons remained alive. "..." Silence. Stupor! Horror! RUMBLE! Billions were dead in an instant. Entire Legions of Undead! The watching Hegemony of Necromancy that was getting ready to observe a long and drawn out battle to better understand this enemy that Chronos and the others couldn''t figure out found his skeletal jaw nearly falling off. The newly summoned Lich Emperors that Noah called forth who were about to lead their forces to attack...even they were silent as the flames in their eyes stared towards the being that had summoned them in shock! Mind you...none of the Undead from Noah''s Legions had even attacked their enemies, they only came within a mile of them before the Necrotic Ring of Death met the first enemies and then expanded to cover over a million miles just seconds later. But it wasn''t just the Hegemony of Necromancy and Lich Emperors that were shocked, even the caster and the creator of the skills that brought everything to fruition...even Noah had no words as he watched this shocking scene! This¡­this was a bit too powerful! Maybe a tad bit overpowered! "Hmmm¡­" Noah sat on his throne of Dao Essences with his skeletal hands propping up his chin, seemingly lost in thought as he had risen to a stage where he wiped out hundreds of millions of Entities, Sages, and Great Sages within seconds- Monarchs taking just a bit longer as only Paragons remained while fighting for their lives with the overwhelming damage that the Necrotic Ring of Death was dealing! The skill tree bordered on the side of balance shattering as even Noah was taken aback, recalling the 12 Billion Skill Point price tag for this skill tree. As for its effects of decimating all of the enemy forces in seconds? Well, he needed to have at least some of his enemies alive for them to swear fealty! Nothing would come out of him erasing billions in seconds except instilling a deep sense of fear, and this thought reminded him of the 10 Paragons that were about to have any spark of life extinguished as they faced eternal Death. His golden flame within his eye sockets flared as his essence moved, a prompt appearing in front of these 10 Undead Paragons as Noah tried to salvage the situation! [In exchange for a portion of his power and salvation, bind a portion of your soul to the Tyrannical Lich Emperor and become his Vassal. Choose between Death or Fealty!] RUMBLE! The prompt appeared brightly in the minds and vision of the Paragons that nearly had their lives snuffed out from the ridiculous skills, Lich Emperor Agobo being the first to look upon this prompt as his mind sent his thoughts forward soon after. He had told something to Noah before the battle began less than a minute ago that was very clear in his mind. ''There is no need for words between the Dead. Let us simply fight to see which side is more proficient in death!'' No words needed and which ones were proficient in death! The being that even the Hegemony he followed told him to stand against...was too damn proficient in Death. "I Swear Fealty to the Tyrannical Lich Emperor." THRUM! The strongest lich Emperor took the first step, the remaining 9 followed before their lives were snuffed out by the terrifying swirling mass of death and destruction! A second after they swore Fealty, they felt no damage from the terrifying cloud of death as their souls buzzed with activity- feeling their Origins elevated as a brand new strength began to fill their bones. ¡­! Similar to the Legions of Undead Noah brought that weren''t affected by the Necrotic Ring of Death, these Undead Paragons now joined the same ranks as they enjoyed the perks! Lich Emperor Agobo''s purple flames shook as he stared towards the Tyrannical Lich Emperor sitting upon an enormous multicolored throne. The Ancient Undead Titan fell to his knees a second later as he called out reverentially. "Tyrannical Lich Emperor!" RUMBLE! The first Undead Paragon kneeled as the other 9 soon followed, a shocking scene playing out in one corner of the Necrotic Universe as many of the beings watching it found themselves watching a stupor. Noah himself was given a bit of a shock at what he had done as his skill creation this time had been a tad bit too broken, his first battle within the Necrotic Universe ridiculously finishing in seconds as only 10 of the strongest beings were able to pledge Fealty! It was the birth of an Ultimate skill tree that could be used to end all battles, the birth of a set of skills built for brutal Conquest! Chapter 1018 - Know Your Place! The Hegemony of Necromancy watched the kneeling of 10 Paragons with a cloudy face as the flames within his eye sockets burned dimly. He questioned the reality that just played out as the essence of Necromancy swirled around him, and even he could not make heads or tails of it! The enemy seemed unrivaled within the same level as even when faced against beings at the same stage as them, they still managed to wipe them out in a ridiculously short period of time. And yet he, the Hegemony of Necromancy with all of his power...could not move against this Paragon! RUMBLE His essence bubbled forth as he sent a message across Universal Boundaries to a certain person. "Chronos, this Paragon might prove to be a greater problem than expected. His power seems unrivaled on the same stage!" ¡­! The message traveled far as it reached the calculating Chronos that just had a major set back and was currently watching the Universal Construct within the Microbial Universe while being accompanied by the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos along with the Cerulean Hegemony and a few other Universal experts. They were observing the absorption of Universal Essence by the Universal Construct as it released a pulsing crimson light every second, the treasure that looked like an object gradually beginning to form a material around it that would make one think of a cocoon! Chronos received the message from the Hegemony of Necromancy as his eyes became even more somber, turning to follow the path of the Universal Essence being absorbed by the Universal Construct as it wasn''t just from the Universe itself, but the inhabitants of it themselves! This was a secret that even Noah didn''t fully know, the fact that one of the mechanisms of the Slaughter Star Monoliths was to also draw in the essence of the beings that were following the wills of the Hegemonies that had their Origin Essence branded into these Universal Constructs. This was why the Hegemony of Slaughter, Ambrose, had worked so hard to establish his dominion in the Animus Universe, and it was also why Chronos had recruited a Hegemony or two from each of the 9 affected Universes and had them increase their influence and dominion over its vast populations for the past hundreds of thousands of years! It was also why the Universal Construct within the Animus Universe was currently drawing in the least amount of essence out of the 9 Universes- because Ambrose had his influence shattered completely within this Universe as it could only draw a small portion of essence from the Universe itself. The more beings that followed a Hegemony connected with the Universal Constructs were spread out across their universes, the more essence that the Universal Constructs could pool in. Now...an existence appeared that could easily traverse Universal Boundaries and was doing the one thing that actually opposed and slowed the plans of Chronos and the others- the conquest of the influenced beings under them as he brought all of them into his fold and shattered their influence! He began in the Animus Universe, and now he had started in the Necrotic Universe as well. "Tyrannical Emperor, huh?" Chronos called out lightly as he looked within the memories of all of his past lifetimes and confirmed he had never come across this being before. His words caused the Goliath and the other Hegemonies to look towards him as the irritated Cerulean Hegemony spoke out lightly. "Still the same Paragon causing us problems? You always think of everything, don''t tell me you didn''t account for a powerful Paragon appearing in the targeted Universes and causing you problems." RUMBLE! The Cerulean Hegemony that was still irritated by all of his plans to obtain a Cosmic Treasure and the Cosmic Dao of Ruination to go up in flames was gradually revealing his true nature as he lost all decorum even with those he worked with! His voice carried a hint of a mocking tone as he continued. "The Great and powerful Chronos actually has something he didn''t account for after all this time, who would have thou- Huk!" BOOOM! An eruption of essence exploded out an instant later as the blue crown atop the head of the Cerulean Hegemony trembled, inexplicably finding his body drawn towards Chronos as an instant later, his neck was clasped by him tightly! WAA! A horrifying pressure released from Chronos as he turned his calm eyes towards the Cerulean Hegemony. "I''ve put up with your attitude for many years that you may have forgotten, you are not one of the three goliaths of these Primordial Cosmos." BZZZT! The horrendous and overpowering essence of Chronos flowed out freely as the Cerulean Hegemony could not break out of the grasp, his eyes turning red as he saw the eyes of other Hegemonies around them look towards this humiliating scene, with the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos not even turning to look as the back hole atop his head continued staring at the pulsing cocoon forming around the Universal Construct. "You are slightly powerful from other Hegemonies, but that is it. You need to know your place and not step out of your bounds!" RUMBLE! A shockingly domineering set of words came from Chronos as he released the Cerulean Hegemony, the glimmering blue of this expert dimmer as he looked extremely angered by this action but he...did not retaliate! He swallowed his pride and anger as he only huffed in silence! This was because the person who put him in place was too terrifying, and he had long ago agreed to work with him and his group as after his loss of the Cosmic Treasure of Ruination, all he had left was the promise of Antiquity that came from one of the Universal Constructs in front of him. So he stayed in line as he moved back, not meeting the eyes of the other Hegemonies as he simply looked ahead. "..." This was power! Chronos didn''t bat an eye at this as he spoke. "The Paragon going on a path of Conquest is a minor problem that can become a big one. He''s only just begun, but he''s disrupted the flow of essence in the Animus Universe, and now he''s moved on to the Necrotic Universe." ¡­! "His power is great that he is unrivaled among Paragons, and we cannot personally attack him with the strength of Hegemonies so...we will just devise a plan for something that can!" RUMBLE! Words filled with power and calm reverberated out as Chronos turned towards the Goliath, these Hegemonies continuing to watch over the smooth progress of the process of Universal Amalgamation and Accumulation as they planned for the suddenly rising threat that posed a problem to them! Chapter 1019 - The Burning Light Of Conquest! I As the group with Chronos monitored and planned, another group was also observing Noah''s movements carefully! The group of Hegemonies that had all sworn an Oath under Oathkeeper were keeping watch over the happenings of the 9 affected Universes, and two Hegemonies were doing so for the Animus and the Necrotic Universe. They had seen the nearly completed Conquest of the Animus Universe, and now a Hegemony watched the movements of a certain Tyrannical Lich Emperor as it began Conquest in the Necrotic Universe! Through the [Wings of Primordial Destiny] that the Oathkeeper had just forged, a message was sent as this situation became known by many Hegemonies. Not too long after, a spatial light erupted out from the Wings of Primordial Destiny that the Hegemony currently outside of the boundary of the Necrotic Universe held, the oppressive and domineering powerhouse that was Oathkeeeper himself appearing soon after! His eyes squinted as his golden hair flowed beautifully, looking at the scene in the small corner of the Necrotic Universe where a terrible swirling mass of death surrounded billions of Undead that just shattered entire Legions in seconds. Oathkeeper looked at this as he raised his Wings of Primordial Destiny and spoke into it. "Is this your work in the Necrotic Universe?" The message crossed the vast distance as it reached a singular being...Noah himself! He had stashed away the Wings of Primordial Destiny into his Expansive Space as it rang out and he heard it clearly, his brow rising up at the straightforward manner of this powerful being as he replied with but a single word. "Yes." RUMBLE! He hadn''t particularly tried to hide what he was doing, and he had no need to do so as with the current reality, no Hegemonies could touch him! The ones in the 9 targeted Universes could not, and he used his clones for any time he traversed in the Primordial Cosmos. His main body was stashed away in the Dark Universe that was floating peacefully in the Sea of Ruination, and he even had a Save Point active in case of any mysterious or sudden deaths. Simply put...he wasn''t afraid! But he also didn''t want to border on the side of arrogance and shoot himself in the foot, so he took things as they came and evaluated them while changing plans along the way. The plans of Conquest...they would in no way be affected by the fact that others knew it was him doing it. It would actually be even better if his notoriety spread, where even the Universes he targeted next would know of him so that his might can be something as magisterial as beings like Oathkeeper, Chronos, and the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos! With a mention of their names...even Hegemonies turned somber! So he replied simply towards Oathkeeper, and as for the reason he was going from the Animus Universe and then the Necrotic Universe in a campaign of Conquest? He would just bullshit his way across as they didn''t know he was doing it to collect Marks of Antiquity! "Yes, this is my method to help take down Chronos and his followers...to reduce the influence they hold over the natives of all 9 universes as this should reduce their power over the Universal Constructs- as it seemed influence was very crucial to even begin the Universal Amalgamation!" RUMBLE! Noah''s words caused Oathkeeper''s eyes to shine brightly as what he thought was just a pile of bull was actually very close to the mark! They seemed so logical that Oathkeeper nodded his head as he recalled the scenes of the Universal War in the Draconic Holy Lands, and now this same being began to wage war in another Universe as he seemed to be on a path of Conquest! "Conquest¡­" Oathkeeper uttered these words slowly as he became lost in thought, coming back to focus a second later as he sent back a message to Noah before he disappeared from the boundary of the Necrotic Universe. "Share this type of information with others earlier as we''re all going for the same goal. Also, the natives of the 9 Universes...they are existences with homes and families as well, I hope you can bear the responsibility of your actions depending on how far you go with your Conquest!" ¡­! Noah received the message clearly as his eyes glimmered with a bright light of conviction and strength. Conquest leading to Marks of Antiquity. Marks of Antiquity leading to a Universal Seed that would bloom into a Universe! From a Universe and into a stage nobody had reached in the Primordial Cosmos...it was the Universal Filamanets that would pave the way towards Nirvanic Antiquity, towards the Cosmic Realm! This was the path he had chosen. He could not veer off from it! RUMBLE! His eyes turned up as he saw his rivers of Fortune and Destiny still as bright as ever, the Marks of Antiquity continuing to increase at an even faster pace as this was around the time that the Emperor Penguin, Barbatos, Morgana, the Sword Emperor...all of his Subordinates- it was around this time that they fully dominated all of the densely populated Clusters of Galaxies within the Animus Universe. Every location they went to, the call of Fealty spread as Noah''s clones were there overseeing everything, where the majority of powerhouses within this one Universe could now be considered under Noah. That was an uncountable number of trillions! WAA! Around the figure of his main body in the Dark Universe, a glorious amount of golden Marks of Antiquity raged as Valentina looked at this scene while shaking her head at its sheer ridiculousness. They weren''t alone as their setting had changed in the Dark Universe, the rigid mind of Valentina being won over by a relentless Adelaide as at this moment, Noah was sitting down in a meditating position at the roof of a high rise building that was made entirely of glistening diamond glass that he designed with the [Architecture] feature of the Universal Core. It looked like a building one would find in a technologically advanced world far in the future, Noah currently being on the highest floor of this high-rise building as one could see a wide pool lined up by glass that was filled with hot steaming water! Not too far from the steaming pool was a table containing an overabundance of fruits, and an enormous fluffy bed that could fit over 10 people was on another side of the roof of this high-rise building that touched the pristine clouds in the skies. Within this roof, one could see the figure of the original bodies of Barbatos enjoying the steaming pool with an annoyed expression, Adelaide lying on the bed alluringly as Valentina was dressed with a graceful white robe while staring at Noah''s figure as he was submerged with the Marks of Antiquity! At this time, Noah opened his eyes as he looked towards Valentina with a smile and asked. "The Conquest of the Animus Universe can be considered complete. You want to get started with the probing attacks?" ¡­! A devilish smile could be seen on his face as he said this, revealing another part of his plans aside from Conquest as it involved utilizing the Hegemony that had become a part of his forces! Valentina now held many things as part of his forces, but the most important one remained the fact that she could now utilize clones. The other method Noah planned to use to dismantle the Universal Constructs and the plans of Ambrose and Chronos involved Valentina using her clones to rush into the only Universe she could enter as she laid out relentless attacks, where even the deaths of the Clones were inconsequential as all she would need to do was to wait until her mana reserves refilled to Summon more clones and hound the defending Hegemonies within the Animus Universe constantly! Valentina stared at Noah with shining eyes as she nodded, her body buzzing with essence as she seemed ready for war! Her face was filled with a light of someone that didn''t accept defeat as she spoke while waving her fingers forward, releasing an attractive force as Noah''s figure began to be propelled towards her as she spoke. "I''ll have the clones make a move but during that...I don''t believe the stamina of a Paragon can compare to a Hegemony!" RUMBLE! A shocking scene that would be the envy of all beings played on within a high rise building somewhere in the Universal Core of the Dark Universe, Noah''s original body and the original bodies of those close to him enjoying their time in an isolated Universe as their clones were the only ones moving in the Primordial Cosmos! It was multi-tasking to an extreme as many things were being done while the Conquest of many Universes was underway.... Chapter 1020 - The Burning Light Of Conquest! II Aside from the conquest Noah was carrying out and the attacks of Valentina''s clones that had yet to play out, there were also Noah''s subordinates that finished their work in the Animus Universe. The Emperor Penguin came in front of one of Noah''s clones as he was followed by Kazuhiko and many others, the prideful Penguin being the first to speak as his voice rang out clearly! "Master, the conquest of all the Bloodline Races has finished, what shall we do now?" RUMBLE! The voice was sharp and filled with strength, being that of a Peak Monarch that seemed ready to become a Paragon. The Emperor Penguin was among many that were shooting through the ranks, where they could breakthrough into the ranks of Paragon at any time as Noah found and duplicated more PARAGON Level Cores. Noah looked at these beings filled with the light of strength as he smiled and spoke out. "That''s just one Universe, there are many more. I''ll leave you guys with the goal of Conquering another Universe under my name!" RUMBLE! Yes! The forces under him would also be put to use as with the Conquest of the Animus Universe, he actually expanded his forces greatly as he could now utilize not just his subordinates from the Dark Universe, but he could also put to work the Paragons and Monarchs of the Bloodline Races. The powerful Dragon Race, the Galaxy Devouring Serpents, Golden Crows...there were a myriad of Races that were now his Vassals as he could utilize them all for the Conquest of Universes! Noah looked at his summons and Subordinates as he voiced out magnanimously. "What Universe do you all want to explore and conquer?" ¡­! A domineering question that would frighten others, but those around him only had shining eyes as discussions broke out, and out of all the 9 Universes aside from the Animus and Necrotic Universe, the decision came down to the Automaton Universe! "I''m curious of such a place where mechanical existences reign supreme¡­" Barbatos''s clone spoke out languidly while the others had eyes blazing with conviction, Noah giving a slight nod as in the next few hours, a selection of who would be descending onto another Universe being made as multiple Legions were formed. They were easily put into the division of the 9 Supreme Bloodlines, 9 powerful Legions of beings floating in front of Noah as his subordinates from the Dark Universe could be seen at the very forefront of these Legions. The Emperor Penguin was situated next to the Paragons of the Golden Crow Race that shone with a golden glimmer, feeling like these beings were more like him as Kazuhiko chose to stand next to the Dragon Race with Tiamat and Paragon Quinnie! All of them were spread throughout the Legions as a competitive spirit flowed in their eyes, Noah nodding at this as he waved his hands and caused a sea of spatial essence to come from him and cover all of them. It was the cast of [Instantaneous Universal Teleportation] as the essence of the Cosmic Treasure and Primordial Clone flowed from Noah''s many bodies and into the clone in the Animus Universe, this cast being something that other beings would not be able to handle due to its sheer mana requirements to send entire Legions of beings across Universal Boundaries, but for Noah...he could just say fuck all that! The Hegemony stationed to keep watch over the Animus Universe and even Ambrose and Solerno who were still standing protectively in front of the Universal Construct in the Bloody Battlefields Galaxy Clusters all turned their eyes towards the region where boundless waves of mana were being utilized. Ambrose and Solerno couldn''t move to do a thing against them as they had already reduced the essence that the Universal Constructs could draw in to a minimum, and the Hegemony outside of the boundary watching this only reported it to Oathkeeper and the others as they also only watched Noah''s actions! WAA! The sea of spatial essence disappeared along with the 9 Legions, the eyes of all watching Hegemonies constricting as they sensed they didn''t just teleport within the Animus Universe...but they had disappeared from it entirely. ¡­! "Universal Teleportation of hundreds of Billions of beings¡­!" The watching Hegemonies were shocked as they sent messages to see where the teleported Legions that the Paragon who was recently making his name known had sent, a reply coming to them soon after as the Hegemony on Ambrose and Chronos''s side who was protecting another Universal Construct in the Automaton Universe confirmed with them the appearance of billions of beings in a certain region of this Universe. The Hegemony allied with Oathkeeper and others outside the boundary of the Automaton Universe also confirmed their appearance, the eyes of all of these Universal experts shining with shock and surprise as they very well knew what it took to traverse across universal boundaries...and even they as Universal Experts knew they could not teleport across universes with a vast number of beings, much less billions of them that formed Legions! "This¡­" "The mana requirements for this are astronomical, even Hegemonies can''t¡­.!" Alarm rose in the minds of many watching Hegemonies as once more, news of Noah''s movements were sent to the most powerful beings of the Primordial Cosmos, Oathkeeper and Chronos having to focus their attention towards Noah once more. Once more, his name was forced to take center stage just from a single nonchalant action of his! His actions were under watch by many of the important beings of the Primordial Cosmos, the Hegemonies that could peer into the universal boundaries being able to watch the actions occurring within as nearly all of them could actually not even make a move. All they could do was be witness to a burning light that seemed to only be beginning. A burning light that many of them would go on to remember as the start of an undeniably relentless conquest that by the end of it....would produce a being they could only term with nothing else but the Hegemony of Conquest! Chapter 1021 - Notoriety! WAA! Overflowing mana released billions of beings in the Automaton Universe, 9 Legions that were filled to the brim with powerhouses from the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of the Animus Universe as at the lead were Noah''s Animus Summons and subordinates from the Dark Universe. Their forces left behind a terrifying presence as their eyes looked at their surroundings, many of them coming in contact with the unique Automaton Universe for the first time! Automaton simply meant a machine that is capable of acting independently, and this Universe was one where the machines reigned supreme as they controlled every aspect of life with all the creatures within this Universe. Over its long history, two Hegemonies had risen from this Universe as one was termed the Hegemony of the Steel and the other was known as the Mechanical Hegemony! Currently, both of these powerful beings were watching the entrance of Noah forces as interestingly, one was outside of the boundary of the Automaton Universe as the other was stationed in front of a Universal Construct. One of the Hegemonies had chosen to follow Chronos as the other knew nothing of it, the Hegemony of Steel being the one outside the boundary as his literal made of steel figure was extremely somber while looking at the longest friend that had betrayed him, as well as the new forces of the Paragon he and many others became acquainted within the Universal Banquet! Like many others, he could only watch the events about to play out! Within the Automaton universe, the golden beak of the Emperor Penguin shone brightly as it reflected the gigantic mechanical Galaxy that wasn''t too far away from them. It was extremely vast in size as it bordered over half a million light years, the entire mechanical galaxy shining with an obsidian purple glint as it released a piercing pressure to the outside void! It looked like an expansive fortified fortress as planetary sized Pulsar Cannons thousand of meters in size shone dangerously in the boundaries of this Galaxy along with Mana Combustors and Void Rippers that could tear apart the very void itself. The whole Galaxy looked like a moving mechanical giant as from it, they could feel the terrifying auras of robotic beings as within seconds, they began to see them step out in droves. Enormous in size and each of them shining with a purple glint, terrifying looking robotic figures began to swarm out of the mechanical Galaxy as beings like Kazuhiko looked at this scene with an excited light! "Robots...fucking living and moving robots at the Monarch and Paragon Ranks! Who the hell would have thought¡­!" Those from Noah''s homeworld were looking at this scene in incredulousness and excitement as a second later, they were reigned in by the singular voice of the Queen Dowager. "Focus! We''re not just here for sightseeing or even a war...our goal is to spread the influence of a single being!" OOOOOOH! Bellows resounded throughout as the Bloodline Races thrummed with power, Noah''s subordinates moving through these Legions with a light of dominance as the planetary sized figures like the Cthulhu stood out the most! In the Automaton Universe, Noah''s 9 Legions began to move as unique life forms flew out to meet them! --- Far from this new Conquest, at the boundary of the Animus Universe. WAP! Valentina''s figure appeared close to the Hegemony tasked with keeping watch over the events of the Animus Universe. Her gaze was filled with a sharp light of confidence and strength that only beings connected to Noah would come to express! It was the mentality one gained after coming across an overpowered being that had too many cards on his hands, and Valentina had gotten her hands on some of them as today, she planned to utilize them fully. "I''m about to take a probing action against them with this body that is a clone. Don''t be shaken by any result that happens!" RUMBLE! She spoke to the watching Hegemony outside of the boundary as they could nod in a stupor, Valentina''s figure disappearing as she made her way towards Ambrose and Solerno who were still guarding the Universal Construct! "You limp dicked old men, who said you can be so relaxed?!" BOOM! ...she might have also been listening to Barbatos''s foul mouth recently as this regal Hegemony picked up a new method of insulting others, her figure teleporting in front of the two Hegemonies guarding the Universal Construct as she released horrendous attacks! There were many moving pieces taking their steps throughout the Primordial Cosmos, but the central one remained the same as with dominance and authority, they were making their moves not in the Animus or Automaton Universes, but in the Necrotic Universe. His forces moving throughout three Universes of the Primordial Cosmos had placed him on the spot light as many Hegemonies turned their eyes towards him, his notoriety rising as he was becoming known to many at a rapid pace! But to Noah himself...none of this mattered. OOOOH! Strong bellows resounded throughout as his Legions of Undead moved across the Necrotic Universe, the defeated Undead Paragons giving him more knowledge of their Universe and where all the quintillions of Undead were clustered at. The clans of Undead Specters, Undead Dragons, Undead Vampyres...there were a myriad of races stretched throughout the Necrotic Universe as many of them heeled under the boot of the Hegemony of Necromancy, while a few powerful ancient clans of Undead retained their autonomy. Noah would move across all the regions of this deathly Universe as at this moment, they were stepping out of the Death Void Valley as they crossed the chaotic void towards a region that held Clusters of power not under the Hegemony of Necromancy- it was the Alcyoneus Spectral Galaxy Clusters where the Ancient Undead Draconic Vampyres ruled! You read that correctly! Ancient Undead Draconic Vampyres that were Unique existences brought to be by death were some of the strongest Clans existing in the Animus Universe, their power being something Noah could not wait to taste as this time around, he didn''t plan on decimating billions in seconds. There was also the fact that before he even arrived in the Alcyoneus Spectral Galaxy Cluster, his main body would be finishing the specifications and birth of his last Lesser Dao, this one being closely in tune with his current actions as it was a Dao that would finally serve to increase his own strength. It was a Dao that would cement his title as the future Hegemony of Conquest. It was, of course....the Dao of Conquest! Chapter 1022 - Making Daos Is Easy! Out of the Daos that Noah had designed, the first was Subterfuge as it acted to mask and hide his Essence of Ruination along with giving him any identity he chose, while the Dao of Fealty was an even more crucial one as it opened the way for him to efficiently harvest the Marks of Antiquity like never before. Fealty indirectly and directly increased the level of his strength as it granted him an even larger Destiny and Fortune with the number of beings he influenced, while him obtainings the Marks of Antiquity meant that he could forge Dao Galaxies that directly increased his damage output and also paved the way towards creating a Universal Seed! The next Dao he was designing was something similar to Fealty, with the increase in strength applying more solely to him as out of the many ideas he calculated, the one that fit the current situation the best and would provide him with the most benefits...was Conquest! THRUM! Essence was already bubbling wildly within the Universal Core, Noah''s body floating extremely close to the core as all around him were seas of essence from numerous universal laws as well as...dense Ruination Essence. The main essence of the Dark Universe had been changed to become the Ruination Essence, so of course this was the densest that one could find within the core of the Universe! As for what major changes Ruination brought, Noah was still observing everything as for now, all he cared for was the fact that he could easily birth Daos. This one would be his last one for who knew how long, just until whatever requirements needed for him to birth more Lesser Daos or possibly Grand Daos were met. WAA! His multicolored hair flew around wildly as he had freely drenched it with too many law and Dao essences, but it still retained its dark color as streaks of gold and red dominated, the others colors much dimmer. But his devilish handsomeness only continued to increase over time as with his overflowing Fortune and Destiny, he unconsciously let off an aura that would draw anybody towards him in time! His 100 Billion Galaxies shone brightly as from the illusory image on his chest, over 1.5 Billion of them were Already Dao Galaxies. The power pulsing from them was immense as in conjunction with his Universal Core, mana flowed freely as a character soon rose from the core of the Universe. The character was shining a pristine white color and was extremely beautiful in luster, expressing but a single meaning in all languages. CONQUEST! RUMBLE! The Dao Character rushed and fused into Noah''s origin, making it his third birthed Dao as he closed his eyes to enjoy the sheer feeling of it while the description of the Dao appeared before his eyes. LESSER [Dao of Conquest] :: A Lesser Dao birthed by the Universal Core of Noah Osmont. As the Dao Architect, Noah Osmont can comprehend and assimilate the Dao at 10 times the normal speed. Conquest is Dao which enhances the strength of the User based on their path of Conquest. It will birth the Star of Conquest that passively increases the power of the user when undertaking Conquest and within the lands they have conquered. Conquered lands will always allow the user to display triple their power while fighting within them, while their strength will always be doubled when they are in the process of Conquest. It also provides the essence termed the Light of Conquest that can be used to Empower current abilities and elevate them to much greater forms. The effect of Empowerment varies based on which abilities or aspects of existence that the Light of Conquest is used on. Initial Comprehension of the Dao of Conquest grants the user the capability to Empower their attributes and normal skills. Complete Comprehension in the Dao of Conquest grants the user the capability to Empower Unique and Ultimate Skills, as well as the Essence of the Universal Laws they comprehend. Full Assimilation of Conquest grants the user the capability to Empower Absolute Skills as well as the essence of the Lesser Daos they Comprehend, along with their power being quadrupled in Conquered Lands and tripled while in the process of Conquest. Elevation of the Dao of Conquest to the Grand and Cosmic Levels will open up even grander possibilities.... Conquest! A Dao made for the exact situation that Noah was currently in! One that doubled his strength effectively anytime he stepped out to conquer, and then tripled his power when he fought within the bounds of conquered lands like the entirety of the Dark and Animus Universe. With it fully assimilated, these numbers jumped to being quadrupled in Conquered Lands and bring tripled when he was in the process of Conquest. And aside from all that...there was the Light of Conquest that gave him the capability to further enhance other aspects of himself! He had made all the specifications as at this moment, Noah did not delay. The techniques to comprehend the Dao were already made as he directly began to cultivate it through his clones in the Ruination Realm that had the one thousand to one time ratio. As the Architect of Conquest, he could traverse through the Dao at ten times the speed. The ridiculous scene of him comprehending the Dao in minutes and assimilating it a few minutes later played out at this moment as nobody was there to witness such a stupendous occasion! At full comprehension, one could use the light of conquest to empower unique and ultimate skills among other things, but at full assimilation- one could even empower Absolute Skills as well as the Lesser Daos that they carried. As for the light of conquest that one would gain from this Dao? Noah began to feel it surging the moment that he finished assimilating Conquest! RUMBLE! How could it be described? It seemed like an abstruse essence that was far different from any other type of essence he had come across, and this one uniquely grew from the actions that the holder had carried out and was still carrying out. For Noah, the action of Conquest was something he had been doing for the past days and months, and he was even carrying out conquest as of this very moment as the Light of Conquest he received¡­ BZZZT! It was simply glorious as from his body, beautiful pristine white light erupted out in a dazzling fashion! It was strongest right above his head as an instant later, a white star-shaped object appeared in a dazzling fashion. It was....the Star of Conquest! Chapter 1023 - The Dao Of Conquest! The Star of Conquest began to spin brilliantly as it pulsed with immense white light that washed over Noah endlessly. Pure white! This was what the Dao of Conquest could be best described as! It seemed to be condensing from the atmosphere and rushing into Noah''s origin through the brightly spinning white star as it bathed his Galaxies in a wondrous white splendor, the surrounding few miles turning pure white as it granted Noah the Light of Conquest for his action in the Dark Universe, the Animus Universe, and now the Necrotic and Automaton Universe. Even though he had only created the Dao now, he was already in the process of Conquest and had even taken multiple Universes with it! So the Light of Conquest he gained...gushed out in droves as the pure white light of Conquest permeated throughout the surrounding miles and continued to emanate out! From the deepest corner of the Universal Core, trillions of beings turned towards a certain direction as they noticed an awe-inspiring white light shine brightly for a few seconds. The light seemed extremely domineering as none of them knew exactly what it was yet, but those living this deep in the Universal Core of the Dark Universe had long since learned to ignore the crazy and ridiculous events that occurred throughout it every now and then! So it was only Noah alone that experienced the droves of the Light of Conquest surrounding him and sinking into his Origin as the light show died down soon after. Multiple Universes'' worth of the Light of Conquest, where exactly would he put it? What could he Empower with the gathered Light of Conquest that nobody had actualized before?! He already had a plan for this as among the many abilities he had, the strings of destiny pointed him towards a certain thing that was there for him at the start of his journey, and the thing that helped mold him to who he was today. In the future, he would be using the Light of Conquest to empower many things like the newly created Tyrannical Lich Emperor skill tree, but his most immediate target of Empowerment was actually an Absolute Skill! It was, of course, the Absolute Skills of the Seven Deadly Sins that he passively used to strengthen himself as they contributed to the crazy boosts he currently held. Out of the many options he looked at when he stared at his vast number of skills in his Status Panel, this one shone with a brilliant golden luster as he trusted himself enough to go ahead and carry out the process. He spoke out lightly as the pristine white essence around him reflected in his eyes, the Star of Conquest above him shining from a visible to an invisible state as he could choose for it to appear or disappear. "Let the Light of Conquest flow into the Seven Deadly Sins." RUMBLE! His words only just finished as the Star of Conquest shone brightly, the pristine white essence beginning to permeate and fuse into specific portions of his soul- it was the areas where the Absolute Skills of the Seven Deadly Sins were inscribed in! To better visualize it, Noah stared at his extremely long Status Panel where his many Absolute Skills lay. Those under <> had begun to shine with a brilliant white luster in the blue status panel, Noah feeling his Soul buzzing with a unique power as soon after, he saw the appearance of an identical set of words from every single Deadly Sin. The word read....! {Seven Deadly Sins- Sin of Gluttony} :: One of the Seven Deadly Sins unique to the Dark Universe. After becoming Empowered with the Light of Conquest, the skill is capable of manifesting itself under the commands of the holder of the Absolute Sin Skill... {Seven Deadly Sins- Sin of Wrath} :: One of the Seven Deadly Sins unique to the Dark Universe. After becoming Empowered with the Light of Conquest, the skill is capable of manifesting itself under the commands of the holder of the Absolute Sin Skill¡­ ¡­ Every single one of the powerful Seven Deadly Sins skills was bathed with the Light of Conquest as they became empowered to do something they had never done before! Manifestation. This was the fantastical capability that Noah''s skills had gained after they were enhanced with the Light of Conquest! Noah didn''t know whether this would be the major effect every time that he Empowered something with the Light of Conquest, but he sensed the bright Star of Conquest above him shine weakly as a major portion of the Light of Conquest was utilized, the star still rotating brilliantly as it released a powerful pressure. Noah''s eyes shined brightly as he stared at it with his main body, his eyes reflecting this Star of Conquest in multiple different universes as at this moment, his Primordial Ruination Clone in the Necrotic Universe was at the forefront of the Undead Legion as above it, a brilliant white Star was shining gorgeously! The pressure that the Tyrannical Lich Emperor released doubled as it became even more horrifying, being something that even the strongest Paragons could not compare to. KEKEKE! A cackle came out of his skeletal skull as this Tyrannical Lich Emperor would be the one to test the Absolute Skills empowered by the Light of Conquest. "Sin of Gluttony!" WAA! His call reverberated across the deathly chaotic void as in the next second, a hellish-looking demonic runic circle appeared in the void of space, spreading out to be over a hundred meters in diameter as it shone with a brilliant red light! "Huuu¡­!" A deep and ancient voice reverberated from this demonic-looking runic circle, a figure beginning to descend from it as it looked like a terrifying mass of flesh was coming down. THRUM! A brilliant crimson light later, whatever was called out came to fruition as a horrifying Manifestation of the Sin of Gluttony made its appearance for the first time. "Huuuung¡­.!" A distorted humanoid shape with huge rolls and mass of flesh that looked like an oversized abomination, its over 100 meter tall stature looking extremely grotesque as deformed limbs shot out from multiple areas of its body...and one could see multiple sharp toothed mouths twisting horribly all over its body. The utter manifestation of gluttony made its appearance in a terrifying fashion as it released a peak aura of a PARAGON, its bellows resounding out across the Necrotic Universe! "HUNGRY¡­!" RUMBLE! This...was just a single manifested Sin. There were still 6 more! Chapter 1024 - The Star Of Conquest Shines Brightly! I In a certain region of the Necrotic Universe...a horrifying aura that seemed to devour space itself arose as for the first time ever, the skill of the Sin of Gluttony was manifested as a terrifying creature came to be. Across the Universal boundaries though, there was another holder with the title of Gluttony that Noah had appointed with his authority as the [Harbinger of Sin]! Barbatos felt her Origin rumbling with strength as one of the strongest powers within her seemed to get even stronger. The manifestations of Noah''s Seven Deadly Sins through the Empowerment didn''t just elevate his strength and allow for the current terrifying reality to be playing out, it would also elevate the strength of those he appointed specific sins to months ago! RUMBLE! After the appearance of the Sin of Gluttony, the Tyrannical Lich Emperor continued to call out madly as his body thrummed with wild mana, the Star of Conquest above him shining brightly as the next names were called out consecutively. "Sin of Pride!" RUMBLE! "Sin of Wrath!" WAA! "Sin of Lust!" "Sin of¡­!" One after another, the six remaining Sins were called out as 6 crimson runic magic circles shone brilliantly in the deathly chaotic void, figures of all shapes and sizes appearing as in the following seconds as even the summoned Lich Emperors and the recently subjugated Agobo quietly remained behind without making too much noise. For the wondrous and magisterial Sin of Pride, the100 meter tall humanoid figure of a being made solely from golden flames could be seen, the surrounding void burning slightly as this creature domineeringly carried a deadly golden axe that seemed to be empowered by millions of suns! The Sin of Wrath and Lust on the other hand were devilishly handsome to look at. Starting with Wrath, the figure was that of a graceful looking being with crimson red skin and even more crimson hair, a smile of limitless wrath appearing on its face as it gazed around with murderous intent. Meanwhile, the Sin of Lust could more closely be described as a Succubus that had proportions no man should see, her 100 meter tall stature that was the same as all the other Sins being something that meant all her blessings both in front and back were being seen very clearly in her scantily clad appearance! Her gaze was alluring as even the Undead behind Noah shivered when this Sin of Lust flashed an amorous smile towards them, feeling any essence they held into their origin nearly leave their bodies. The Sin of Sloth was extremely unique as a chubby looking figure that did not even have its eyes open appeared, thunderous snores being heard in the chaotic void as this was its method of expressing its arrival. The fat on its 100 meter tall body seemed to tremble with every snore as its entire body was wrapped in a warm blanket, a unique energy carrying it forward as it was the most inconspicuous sin there. The Sin of Envy on the other hand dyed the chaotic void near it a terrible green color, a figure of a being with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake appearing as Noah could only describe it as a Naga! Lastly, there was the manifestation of the Sin of Greed, the ridiculous figure of a 100 meter tall human wearing a tight neat red suit that was inlaid with gold lines appeared. Around it, red-gold chains flew calmly as they wrapped themselves all over his body, a terrifying aura leaking from this creature as it released a horrendous light of avarice. OOOOOH! The full arrival of all the Manifested Sins caused the chaotic void to shake as their auras at Peak PARAGON would cause any creature below the Universal Realm to tremble. As for what their abilities truly signified and what their Manifestation could mean? Noah had to wait and see! But at this moment, the Star of Conquest was shining brightly above his head as out of all the Paragons surrounding the Undead Legions, the aura that Noah released was the most terrifying with the tripling of his power by the Star of Conquest. Its bright white luster washed over him gloriously as it drew in the gazes of two watching Hegemonies that instantly reported something shocking to their respective camps! "The problematic Paragon is showing a never before seen Dao Essence¡­!" "The problematic Paragon is showing a never before seen Dao Essence¡­!" Shockingly, both the Hegemony of Necromancy that reported to Chronos and the Hegemony outside of the boundary of the Necrotic Universe that used his [Wings of Primordial Destiny] to report to Oathkeeper both called Noah the same way. A problematic Paragon! Both of them had noticed the unique essence flowing around the Tyrannical Lich Emperor from the shining Star of Conquest, these knowledgeable beings that had lived for many years actually not recognizing this type of essence. This could only mean...it was a type of essence from a Dao they had never come across before! The implications this had were tremendous as both camps very quickly focused on this issue. Truth be told, many Hegemonies had noticed a type of essence whenever Noah made others swear Fealty, but it was always very brief and rarely made an appearance on those swearing Fealty or even on the Primordial Ruination Clone or other clones that Noah had moving in the Primordial Cosmos. All of the Dao of Fealty would have its essence erupt around Noah''s main body as he enjoyed the Marks of Antiquity that brought about this unique dao''s ease of conquest! But now, a type of Dao Essence erupted from Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone that was the Tyrannical Lich Emperor, and it was there to stay as the Hegemonies very quickly saw it! Of course if it was shown, it also meant that Noah didn''t bother to hide it- and this was simply the case. To start building his authority and power in the Primordial Cosmos until it reached or even surpassed beings like Oathkeeeper, Chronos, and the Goliath, he would simply start by leaving behind bread crumbs for others to follow. For him, the things he considered bread crumbs were Lesser Daos that even Hegemonies only dreamt of designing to fruition! On this day, aside from his continuing conquest with a Dao being created with the same name- he would also be revealing some of his power! Chapter 1025 - The Star Of Conquest Shines Brightly! II Above Noah''s head, the Star of Conquest shone brilliantly in the Necrotic Universe as he looked at the glorious and grotesque appearance of the Manifested Seven Deadly Sins. It was putting another 7 Existences at the same level as him on his lap, and the auras of these beings were unlike any other PARAGONS as it was even more oppressive than the Lich Emperors! Now, Noah just needed to test them against his enemies as he marched forward in the Necrotic Universe while outside of it, word had begun to pass around the allied Hegemonies as even Oathkeeper stopped what he was doing to once again pay attention to a certain Paragon. A brand new never before seen Dao had appeared, something that puzzled many as nobody had sensed the birth of a new Dao in the Primordial Cosmos since the most recent birth of an artificial Dao by the Hegemony of Summoning- Valentina! The birth of a Dao was always a showy affair, its essence reverberating out across a Universe as it was knowledge that would be spread quickly. So in seeing a brand new type of Dao they had never come across on top of the body of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor, it was an affair that was taken seriously as its mere implications were stupendous. Actually, they weren''t even wrong with the belief that any artificially birthed Dao would cause a huge commotion during the time of its birth, it was just that when Noah created his Daos...the commotion was spread among the single Dark Universe that was floating far from the Primordial Cosmos! SHAA! The figure of Oathkeeper used the wondrous capabilities of the [Wings of Primordial Destiny] as he teleported near the Hegemony keeping watch outside the boundary of the Necrotic Universe. His powerful eyes honed in on the shimmering white star above the moving Lich''s head as they shone sharply, even someone of his caliber confirming that this was a brand new Dao Essence they had never come across before! This meant that either a Universal Hegemony had created a Dao they didn''t know about and Noah was using it, or the even more impossible possibility of the Paragon before them being the Architect of the Dao. Towards this, Oathkeeper could only begin by asking the Hegemony that was most closely linked to this Paragon. "Valentina, have you designed another Dao that we don''t know about that the so-called Tyrannical Emperor is utilizing?" THRUM! His voice traversed across the boundaries of the Universe as it reached Valentina who had her clone in the middle of something fantastical, while her main body experienced something even more wondrous in the Dark Universe. Before Oathkeeper''s words came through to her, she was staring at the unbelievable scene of the birth of a new Dao as in the depths of the Universal Core, she could see Noah''s main body be showered in the cascade of white light that represented a new Dao! She had not been there for the birth of the first or second Dao, but she was there for the third one as even then, she could scarcely believe what she saw. ''He''s using a genuine Universe as an intermediary to design Daos¡­'' Her mind was in turmoil at such a scene as beside her, a sigh could be heard from Barbatos as her small but voluptuous figure shook majestically while she spoke. "You have to just accept his ridiculousness after a certain point. If you try to question or understand how he does what he does, you''ll be sitting there for days without getting anywhere." It seemed like the voice of a big sister giving advice, rousing the powerful mind of the Universal Hegemony as she looked at the figure of Barbatos who stared at the depths of the Universal Core just like her as Valentina...took her words seriously! She received Oathkeeper''s words around this time as she knew by this point Noah had the Dao of Subterfuge capable of masking the essence of any Daos. If Oathkeeper and the others were seeing his clones displaying a certain Dao, it meant that Noah wanted them to. And who was she to stand in the way of the being with seas of golden fortune? So a short reply came from her as she received lessons on everything to do with the Dark Universe and Noah from the unreliable Barbatos, while her clone continued with her current mission in the Animus Universe! "No." The short reply was sent across Universal boundaries and reached the astounded Oathkeeper soon after. "No?" Even the Oathkeeper didn''t expect such a short reply as he asked once more but the answer was¡­ "No" ¡­! With this being the case, the eyes of this aged being shone ever brighter as they landed on the figure of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor itself that held a shining white star above it. Was it truly possible for a Paragon to do something only those at the Universal Realm could do?! Could this being in front of them really be something they could fully utilize against the forces of Chronos and the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos? When a being such as this became a Hegemony, his power would just¡­ RUMBLE! Unknown lights flashed in the golden eyes of the Oathkeeeper as his wings shone brightly, his disbelieving voice reaching out to the being in question himself as before this moment, the other Hegemony that had seen this first and told Oathkeeper informing many of the other Hegemonies that held the [Wings of Primordial Destiny that Oathkeeper was using as the channel of communication. "You...have successfully created a Dao?" Oathkeeeper seemed to be asking this with utter incredulity as even a being as old as him couldn''t believe it! What exactly would the Paragon that had begun making waves recently say? What reason could he possibly give to explain such a shocking phenomenon?! Would he deny or would he... "Yes?" "..." ¡­! A clear cut and unexpected answer came out that caused the minds of all who heard it to buzz with stupor. Noah didn''t even bother to hide it as he replied, making Oathkeeper have no words to retort as through the Wings of Primordial Destiny they were speaking through, the other Hegemonies holding this unique dao treasure could hear their conversation as they were all silent! Noah''s voice came out once more a second later. "Why are you asking about this? You guys have also created your own Daos, right? It''s not that hard." "..." Oathkeeper''s ancient face turned sour as the listening Hegemonies felt their overall knowledge become twisted as their hearts were rumbling with anger! It took Oathkeeper a few seconds to compose himself before he spoke out again. "How is this possible? There has never been an instance in history where a Paragon had been able to design and successfully birth a Dao." WAA! His reply made the many powerful listening Hegemonies nod vigorously, but Noah''s reply knocked them down again a second later! "Well, after the first one, it gets easier." RUMBLE! "...!!!" Silence! Utter and complete silence! Chapter 1026 - Fine, Ill Do It Myself! I A shocking conversation that landed on the ears of many powerful Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos was playing out, one that would be etched into the recesses of all their memories for the years to come! "Well, after the first one, it gets easier." WAA! Noah''s reply to Oathkeeper caused essence to grind to a halt in the Origins of the powerful Universal experts who heard it. Not a single reply came towards Noah from the other side as those listening had the area around them shaking as they unconsciously released their terrifying auras! "...You''ve birthed more than a single Dao before you established a Universe within your Origin?" Oathkeeper''s voice was the only one to return as this powerful being kept searching for more information to understand this newly rising power within the Primordial Cosmos. "Naturally, I couldn''t stop at the first one after seeing how smoothly it went. The second one was even more expertly designed, but the third one...Ah!" THRUM! Noah felt an intense wave of essence release from the Wings of Primordial Destiny within his Expansive Space, a devilish smile appearing on his face as he continued. "The third one is the glimmering white star you all can see above my head in the Necrotic Universe. The Dao of Conquest¡­" ¡­! The angered and envious eyes of many hegemonies trembled as those that had arrived near the boundary of the Necrotic Universe honed in on the figure of Noah that had a rotating Star of Conquest above him! A Paragon had actually gone ahead and birthed 3 Daos- something that should in no way be possible for a being at his rank to do, much less to do it three times! Even most Hegemonies birthed 1 Dao, or at most two if they had lived long enough and been just as lucky. Yet this being¡­ They felt like they shouldn''t listen to his words anymore or they would find themselves not capable of finding the will to live, many of them stopping their input of essence in the Wings of Primordial Destiny as they stopped listening! "I created this Dao of Conquest for the occasion of the 9 Universes, maybe I''ll design a fourth one when the time comes to tear down the Universal Constructs that Ambrose and the others are protecting¡­" RUMBLE! "..." Even more Universal Hegemonies stopped inputting their essence into the Wings of Primordial Destiny as soon enough, only the Oathkeeper was left behind listening to Noah''s ruthless words. But to his words, nobody replied! At a certain point, Noah stopped his train of thought as he sent his voice into the Dao Treasure to see who was on the other side. "Hello?" "..." "Is anyone still there?" "..." "Alright, I''ll head back to the mission on hand." "..." THRUM! Hegemonies were left shocked, envious, and speechless after talking with Noah just a bit, even the figure of Oathkeeper flashing away from the boundary of the Necrotic Universe as these powerful beings tried to find ways of properly interpreting what they just came across! A Paragon that could create their own Dao...what could they even call him? Normally, when a Universal expert birthed their own Dao, they were referred to by that name as Valentina was known as the Hegemony of Summoning, or a being like Ambrose was known as the Hegemony of Slaughter. But...they couldn''t really term this Paragon the Hegemony of Conquest as he had not even reached the title of a Hegemony yet! As for what his power would signify when he reached the Universal Realm? The many powerful Hegemonies were actually expectant, but at the same time they didn''t hold too many feelings attached to Noah. This was because they needed to solve the problem of Universal Amalgamation and whatever Chronos and the others were calling forth now. It was a time sensitive issue! To become a Hegemony, it took the brightest geniuses over 150,000 years- and an example of this was Oathkeeper himself. The youngest being to reach the stage of a Hegemony in history, that title was held by the glorious Oathkeeper! For such a time sensitive issue, could they really rely on a powerful Paragon that had limitless potential which could only be unlocked tens of thousands of years into the future? To them, the answer was no! So while they looked at Noah as a unique existence to appear in their Primordial Cosmos, they still didn''t think he would be a deciding factor for the challenges to come... --- On the other side, there was also the party of Hegemonies with Chronos that took in this information, these beings actually being the ones placing more importance on Noah as he posed a hidden danger they never expected. At this moment though, they could not even put their focus on him as something was happening within the Animus Universe! It was...the attack of the Hegemony of Summoning that had returned into the Universe as one of the few beings who still had access to it as she was within its boundaries when the process of Universal Amalgamation began. BOOM! Valentina''s face was that of utter coldness as a planetary sized phantom of herself struck down towards the somber figures of Ambrose and Solerno. Similar to before, hundreds of hands seemed to bloom from the body of this phantom as they all struck down towards the two Hegemonies, threatening to smash into the red barrier protecting the Universal Construct if they weren''t stopped. "Foolish woman!" Ambrose bellowed out strongly as his Cosmic Essence waved around him, Solerno also moving with a grim expression as his body ballooned up to a planetary size as well. But...similar to before, we knew the end result of this battle! Against the enhanced Valentina that had her mana reserves expanded by over a hundred times, these two Hegemonies could not stand her! Last time, Chronos had appeared and saved the Universal Construct and the Hegemonies protecting it, Valentina running away before she fell into his grasp. This time, a clone of Valentina was making the attack as she had no worry for her life, her hands ever closer to reaching the crimson barrier protecting the Universal Construct! "Sigh." An ancient sigh reverberated out from the Animus Universe. The purple aura of a certain disastrous Hegemony bloomed. But this time...Valentina didn''t run. Soon after, a brilliant white star began to shine brightly on top of her! Chapter 1027 - Fine, Ill Do It Myself! II After the Hegemonies were left in a stupor from listening to the words of a certain Paragon, they turned their attention towards the Animus Universe where they saw the appearance of the Hegemony of Summoning standing against Ambrose and Solerno! Her shockingly powerful attack could not be withstood by the two Hegemonies, the many palms she threw out sinking into the body of the planetary sized Solerno as he was smashed back towards the crimson barrier protecting the Universal Construct. As for Ambrose, the essence of a Cosmic Dao was dismantled in seconds from the sheer quantity of Annihilation from Valentina, his figure ultimately also smashing back as ten of palms were left free to smash into the barrier around Universal construct! BOOOM...CRACK! As if space itself shattered, the crimson barrier broke. Universal experts watched the next second with shining eyes as the phantom of Valentina''s fair hand tumbled towards the unprotected Universal Construct. This was when the ancient sigh was heard. This was when the purple luster of Chronos appeared once more but...it was also when a glimmering Star of Conquest began to shine atop Valentina''s head! Even with the appearance of the regal purple essence, she was unhindered as she continued with a strong expression! But¡­ "Absolute Reversal." In front of a Dao that stood above many other Daos, what could one do?! At the words that manipulated the Dao of Chronos, time moved back. The shattered crimson barrier began to reform as if it shattered glasses coming together, while Valentina''s figure was inadvertently being pushed back as even while she released more mana, she still could not stop herself! RUMBLE! The color of the regal purple essence spread throughout as Chronos appeared once more in the flesh within the Animus Universe, this time his gaze first landing on the figures of Ambrose and Solerno as his eyes seemed to carry a light of disappointment. His compatriots failed him for a second time as Chronos appeared, this time intending to finish things himself as he looked towards the valiant looking figure of Valentina that remained floating before him, her aura beginning to rise ever higher as the Star of Conquest above her rotated majestically! One must recall the boosts a being received for becoming a Vassal under the Lesser Dao of Fealty- among the many things, access the Laws and Lesser Daos of the Tyrannical Emperor was one of them! At this moment, Valentina called upon the newly created Dao as under its enhancement, the quadrupling of strength under Conquered Lands that Noah enjoyed was applied to her as she was within the fully conquered Animus Universe. Her aura rose madly as Chronos stared at her, his voice coming out calmly. "You did not run." WAA! "No, I did not!" At the end of her words, Valentina''s eyes shone with a brilliant luster as under the gazes of the recently appearing Oathkeeper behind the boundary of the Animus Universe as well as many other Hegemonies, she actually made a move against Chronos. One of the giants of the Primordial Cosmos! A being that only Oathkeeper and the Goliath could stand against- Valentina was fearless as she called out vibrantly. "[Efflorescence of Annihilation]." In front of her, enormous droves of essence were utilized as the essence of Annihilation erupted out, forming into blooming illusory flowers that trembled with the destructive forces of hundreds of thousands of galaxies! These blooming flowers threatened to drown out Chronos and the sorry figures of Ambrose and Solerno as the newly initiated combatant of the Dark Universe showed off her power. Yet, power could not so easily be scaled when it came against beings with such powerful Daos that they had even lived multiple lifetimes! WAA! A purple clock appeared above everyone, this clock being over ten thousand miles in size as it released a glorious purple light that washed over everything. Even the figures of Ambrose and Solerno came close to Chronos as they avoided this shower of purple light, the voice of the terrifying being that had reincarnated countless times ringing out. "[As it was, so shall it be]." ¡­! A set of words that Ambrose and Solerno had uttered before multiple times, but this time they were cast in the form of a skill under the Dao of Chronos. For other beings with this same Dao, the effects of this skill could be easily negated. But for those that did not comprehend Chronos? "What¡­!" The watching Hegemonies outside the boundary had grim expressions as they saw the shower of purple light from the spinning clock drip onto the phantom figure of Valentina as it began to recede quickly along with her blooming flowers of Annihilation! Oathkeeper looked at the scene with cold eyes as even though this was something a being like him could defend against, he knew that others couldn''t. This was the difference of quality between some Daos. In just a second, the planetary sized phantom disappeared no matter how much mana Valentina churned the essence of Annihilation to defend against it, eventually only leaving her 2 meter figure behind as the purple essence of Chronos wrapped around her as well! Her body still burned all the mana it could to try and defend, but it was useless as one could shockingly see her figure was getting increasingly older. From her upper 20s to looking like a woman in her 50s. Wrinkles appeared everywhere as ancientness began to leak from her body. Her back became hunched as she very quickly looked over a hundred! Eventually, her skin began to crack and turn grey as very soon...her body split into countless particles of ash. As it was, so shall it be! Nothing could escape the ravages of time. Under the Dao of Chronos, a being could choose to instantly age a being until they turned into dust, or regress them in age until before they were born. A terrifying ability, and one that Chronos displayed fully today as after he finished, he gazed towards the figures of Oathkeepers and others that just watched the scene of him "killing" a Hegemony in seconds! It was meant to instill fear into their hearts as they were told that they should know their place! But¡­ "Hmph!" A harrumph rang out clearly as outside the universal barrier of the Animus Universe, the figure of Valentina who should have died from the hands of Chronos appeared once more. ¡­! A clone had died, so an immense amount of mana was used to make another! This creation of a clone with the battle power of a Hegemony was extremely taxing, such that Valentina would utilize half of all her mana with every creation. The mana regeneration thereafter could range a few hours until her Universe was fully revitalized even with the immense boosts she received as a vassal. So her second clone appeared as the observing Hegemonies had their eyes shake at such a scene, Valentina not even glancing at them as the figure of her clone shot through the Universal barrier seamlessly, the star of conquest above her shining brilliantly as she spoke out while prepared for battle once more. "I wonder...do you get tired, or can you last as long as a certain someone?" RUMBLE! Valentina continued her probing attacks in the Animus Universe as the goal the being she pledged Fealty to wasn''t just to try and break the Universal Construct, it was to also learn about the abilities of their enemies as today, they had been able to draw out the terrifying Chronos and make him reveal his skills! For the future, Noah was preparing heavily as he planned to cover all his bases as he moved against the powerful existences within the Primordial Cosmos¡­ Chapter 1028 - The Goliath Makes A Move! I The capability to form a clone wasn''t an exclusive or never before heard of ability within the ranks of Paragons or Hegemonies. In most instances though, it was an ability that could only create something half as strong as the Original, and the few that could do it didn''t focus on such an area of their ability as the mana requirement to call forth a clone at the same stage of a Universe were simply too taxing! So many Hegemonies focused on other aspects of their power, but they had their eyes open as they glanced at the image of Valentina''s second clone crossing the Universal barrier as she thundered towards the figure of the calm Chronos once more. Towards the lifeform that had reincarnated too many times and thought he knew everything, but this development of Valentina that should have never been a possibility was now plaguing him along with a certain problematic Paragon! As he saw the figure of Valentina coming down with intense might a notch higher than many Hegemonies, his body circulated with essence as the enormous purple clock swirling in space moved. THRUM! The essence of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos permeated throughout once more as Valentina''s fearless figure approached them, her body exploding into many dazzling attacks as she tried to get through the powerful might that Chronos displayed unsuccessfully! Even with her power being increased multiple times over, she couldn''t get over the boundary of the type of Daos that her enemy cultivated! After the death of the second clone of Valentina within the Animus Universe, things seemingly became calm again. Chronos''s eyes were languid as he stared at the beings outside the boundary, Oathkeeper staring back at him with utter coldness as his body vibrated with power. The being releasing the regal purple aura then focused onto Ambrose and Solerno who were still healing from the attacks of the first clone of Valentina''s. "That woman has become proficient in cloning and will continue to return to this Universe. Since the two of you cannot stand her, go and oversee the Chthonian and Liberated Universes for now, I will stay here." ¡­! He sent a mental message towards Ambrose and Solerno as the two beings nodded with grim looks, the Hegemony of Slaughter looking particularly wrathful as he imagined countless ways he could destroy the figure of a certain woman! SHAA! Their figures disappeared as a second later, only Chronos was left in front of the enormous Universal Construct, his eyes carrying a trace of regality and wisdom as he looked like a being that was carrying the weight of many Universes on his shoulders. Outside the boundary of the Animus Universe, Oathkeeeper and a few other Hegemonies watched this scene while listening to a message that Valentina sent out to them at this moment! "I''ll keep on forging clones and sending them over into this Galaxy to hinder them and learn about their skills as much as I can in the future. I''ll let everyone know in advance if you all want to observe and come up with methods to stand against these beings!" ¡­! Valentina spoke with strength and power as she was one of the few Hegemonies who could do anything against Chronos and his people at the moment, her words being taken seriously as Oathkeeper''s figure flashed away from the boundary of the Animus Universe while he continued to send messages to Valentina to discuss a few more things. This instance created for a new reality where Chronos alone guarded the Animus Universe while Ambrose and Solerno were spread to the Chthonian and Liberated Universes, the only existences being able to make significant moves being Valentina and a certain Paragon bent on Conquest! The seas of Universal Fortune above Noah churned as his Destiny shone brightly, a devilish smile apparent on his face as his eyes shone with the reflection of events in the Necrotic Universe. There, the Tyrannical Lich Emperor made its way across the deathly chaotic void of this Universe filled with Undead as at this moment, he led the terrifying presences of the Manifested Seven Deadly Sins along with the terrifying Undead Legions that had a swirling ring of death around them! The clans of Undead he met...had no path of resistance as even the terrifying Undead Draconic Vampyres could do nothing but fall as their Paragons alone could not withstand the terrifying sight of the abomination of the Sin of Gluttony crossing the chaotic void to devour everything- even she void itself. The terror of the Sins spread amongst the Undead from Noah''s battles as while he moved and conquered vast regions of the Necrotic Galaxy without a single existence being able to stop him, a week passed! Over 7 days of Noah relentlessly moving within the Necrotic Universe as his terrifying force of Undead had grown to ridiculous numbers, the Sins acting as Generals as they fought at the very forefront. Noah had traversed through half of the Necrotic Universe in this period of time, taking over the Galaxy Clusters of many regions at the terror of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor had spread throughout, and Noah wasn''t the only one as his Subordinates were also making progress within the Automaton Universe! It seemed like everything was going smoothly for them as in a short period of time they would break the influence of the Hegemonies within these Universes and greatly decrease the amount of essence that the Universal Constructs were drawing in. But...were things ever that easy? In response to Noah''s and the movements of his forces, certain beings had also been making plans and progress in the past week. Across the Universal boundaries, there was a certain existence that was currently hidden in the Microbial Universe. This being had a swirling black hole for a head as his entire body was entirely a mass of the essence of chaos, his power shaking the very surroundings his body occupied! At this moment, this being raised his head as in front of him, the terrifying image of miniaturized forms of himself that numbered in the hundreds were displayed- their bodies releasing a unique power as the Goliath spoke out in a raspy voice. "It is done¡­" ....! Chapter 1029 - The Goliath Makes A Move! II "It''s done." Chronos received a message in the Animus Universe as his eyes flashed, a regal purple clock being controlled in the void of space above him as the figure of another one of Valentina''s clones was aged until it became nothing but dust! "You''ve confirmed things multiple times with Fate and Destiny?" Chronos''s eyes flashed with a powerful purple light as he asked, a reply coming from the Goliath a second later. "I wouldn''t make a move if I wasn''t sure. Let''s get this over with." RUMBLE! The words were filled with irrevocable might as Chronos nodded while he replied. "Good. We can begin with the Necrotic Universe and the Automaton Universe. Let''s nip both of these problems in the bud right away." WAA! A horrendous plan was given the go ahead as Chronos''s eyes flashed brightly, a light of wisdom coursing through them as another one of his ideas that he came across in a previous lifetime would be instituted today! It was something that didn''t come to full fruition in a certain life time until hundreds of thousands of years from this time point, during an era where Chronos moved behind the scenes and waged a Cosmic War. In the current life time, there was actually a being that had also begun dabbling with this method, and it was the Cerulean Hegemony that had actually used this method when he was chasing after a Cosmic Treasure! Chronos helped bring this terrifying method into fruition now as the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos teleported into the Necrotic Universe, appearing in front of the Hegemony of Necromancy that held a wrathful look as he was staring at multiple screens that showed the movements of a certain Tyrannical Lich Emperor moving with Undead Legions that had now reached Trillions in number! The terrifying Lich would move across the Necrotic Universe as he faced forces from multiple Galaxy Clusters, moving his horrible abomination of Sins as they wrecked havoc across the Legions as he then forced them to submit. Those that submitted became a part of his force as his Legions grew ever bigger, and as for those that did not submit? The even more terrible Undead Legion that had an expanding Necrotic Ring of Death would move forward as any that denied his authority would be decimated with a swirling storm of bones within seconds, the only surviving existences being the Paragons that would be given a way out if they pledged their souls to him! It was an extremely ruthless sight that even though the Hegemony of Necromancy was wrathful at the fact that he couldn''t stop this being, he had to commend him for his methods as a Lich that thrived on death himself. The entrance of the Goliath caused the Hegemony of Necromancy to turn towards him with shining eyes as one of the giants of the Primordial Cosmos waved his hands, causing for the appearance of 100 miniaturized forms of himself that were barely 5 inches in size to appear. His voice rang out chillingly soon after. "Have the Paragons under your command consume these. They will gain power far exceeding that of Paragons but...their small Origins will not be able to handle it as after a month passes, they will perish!" RUMBLE! Shocking words left resounded out from the being that had a black hole for a face, the Hegemony of Necromancy nodding with fervor as he asked carefully. "These are¡­" "A Compendium of my power. Those consuming them will have their Origins vitiated as they can display a portion of my power, gaining access to a sliver of the Daos of Extinction and Chronos for a few weeks as after that, their Origins will no longer be able to bear it and they will die. Because of this, it is absolutely vital that they choose to consume them of their own free will." ¡­! "It is the method to bypass the restriction of us not being able to act against creatures of the lower Realm. It will always be these Paragons themselves moving, their power simply elevated to levels no Paragons can reach. You can call them...Incarnations of Chaos." RUMBLE! Incarnations of Chaos! This was the answer that the Goliath had come up with after he was designated to deal with the problem of a rampaging Paragon that was standing in the way of the smooth accumulation of universal essence by the Universal Constructs. For his goal of Antiquity...the Goliath produced a method that caused the Hegemony of Necromancy to shudder as he took the 100 seeds of Incarnations of Chaos and disappeared, teleporting to a nearby Galaxy Cluster with Undeads under his command that the Tyrannical Lich Emperor would come across soon enough! WAA! The aura of majesty spread out from the Hegemony of Necromancy as he appeared in the depths of a certain Galaxy. Mountains of bones filled the starry space as the auras of 3 Paragons could be picked up in the middle of an Undead Legion, the newly appearing Hegemony waving his hands as he threw out 3 seeds of the Incarnations of Chaos while speaking out commandingly. "The Tyrannical Lich Emperor''s path will soon reach here. If you absorb this treasure...you will be able to stand against him and take him down!" RUMBLE! "But...if you will and Origin is too weak to withstand the power, you might also perish. Are the Undead Rulers of our Necrotic Universe weak enough to perish?" His air of death spread out as it enticed the minds of the powerful Undead, the Dao of Necromancy pulling the strings as thereafter, the Hegemony let them make their own choice as he disappeared. The three Lich Emperors looked at each other and then at the obsidian glowing figures in front of them, they deathly flames in their eye sockets blazing with light as their jaws opened, consuming the seeds of the Incarnations of Chaos as a second later, overbearingly powerful auras began to skyrocket within the deathly Galaxy! Chapter 1030 - Overwhelming Strength! I When the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos left the Necrotic Universe and left behind 100 seeds of the Incarnations of Chaos, he then appeared in the Automaton Universe and did the same thing with the Mechanical Hegemony that was overseeing things there! With such actions, the rivers of fate churned as destiny began flying in a different direction. Yet, the being that was the cause of it had simply too much Universal Fortune and Destiny, so what exactly would be the result of it? What would come of Paragons becoming Incarnations of one of the strongest beings in the Primordial Cosmos as they gained access to unique Daos such as Extinction and Chronos? How infinitely close to the power of Hegemonies would they be?! The answer, as always, could only be seen in time. --- Within the Necrotic Universe. OOOOOH! The Sin of Gluttony let out horrendous wails as its many mouths chewed on the surrounding chaotic void, actually devouring this space itself as its body thrummed with power! This creature had been swallowing entire dead Galaxies as Noah''s Legions moved across the Necrotic Universe, its horrendous actions making its aura the strongest out of all the Sins in the field. Behind it, Noah was seated upon a throne built from the essence of multiple Daos, this throne currently inlaid with glimmering bones as it fit the demeanor of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor too well. Even further behind Noah, there were an uncountable number of Undead Legions that had moved from Billions and were currently in the Trillions, the sea of Undead seeming like moving planetary bodies when one looked at them from far away! The pressure they released was something no enemies could stand against as with over half of the Necrotic Universe conquered, Noah expected the remaining half to be fully assimilated into his forces within another week or two. This was because he knew towards the end of the conquest of this Universe would be the time that his enemies fought back the most! It would be around this time that they would not sit still as the Hegemonies that Chronos worked with made grand moves! Due to this...Noah wanted to prepare. Even though he had a Legion that swirled with an unbeatable Necrotic Ring of Death that even Hegemonies could not stand against. Even though he had Seven Manifested Deadly Sins whose power exceeded that of normal Paragons! Even with all this¡­ "Maybe I can get just a bit stronger?" Noah thought he could maybe give himself a bit more power! After all, could one truly have enough? Because of this, Noah had been busy designing the next grand skill that covered an area he considered himself to be currently weak at. He seemed to excel in many things, but when it came to the area of Cosmic Daos...he thought he lacked something in this region! He could cultivate and assimilate any Grand or Lesser Dao that he wished for just from defeating his enemies and obtaining Dao Crystals, but Cosmic Laws fell under different rules as even with the defeat of Paragons that comprehended them, no Dao Crystals for Cosmis Daos were given! It was something so abstruse and out of reach that as it was mentioned in the details of Ruination before, it had to be comprehended and assimilated with the efforts of the being themselves as no outside items or treasures would have an effect when it came to Cosmic Daos. Given this information...Noah wanted to design a skill that still made it possible for him to comprehend and assimilate Cosmic Daos! To bring such a skill to fruition, Noah looked at the accumulated skill points after the conquest of the Animus and now the Necrotic Universe. [Skill Point(s)] ::...139,534,357,149 139 Billion Skill Points! Fantastically, the idea he had in mind would make him a poor man as it would utilize the entirety of these Skill Points, but it would bring to fruition something that would make it possible for him to obtain Cosmic Daos in another way besides just from [Protagonist''s Bookmark]! He looked at how this ability allowed for him to obtain a Cosmic Dao, and everything lied in the fact that he took the comprehension of another being and made it his own. Unlike when he just designed the skill tree to comprehend the Dao of Summoning many weeks ago in the past Nexus Galaxy of the Dark Universe, such a thing wasn''t made feasible to him through [Skill Creation] as it required Skill Points in the Trillions to bring to fruition. It wasn''t that it was impossible- he just couldn''t pay its price! But he could pay the price of tens of billions of Skill Points to produce a skill that had many requirements that had to be met, but at the end of it...a Cosmic Dao awaited him. The skill actually had the cost of 500 Billion Skill Points when he first put its specifications in [Skill Creation], but this number dropped by 150 Billion when he secluded the Dao of Ruination. It then dropped by another 150 Billion after he dropped the Primordial Dao that the Oathkeeper was the only one to comprehend! After adding many more restrictions like a cool down, mana requirements, and a few other things...the skill of [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence] was born. [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence] :: A skill that allows the user to integrate the Essence of the Cosmic Daos they come across as after a sufficient value is reached, the emergence of the Cosmic Dao would bloom within them. The essence of only a single Cosmic Dao that the user comes across and selects will undergo the process of integration and emergence. After every successful emergence of a cosmic Dao, 7 Cosmic Days have to pass before the process can begin with another Cosmic Dao. The process of integration requires a sufficient amount of mana to be used in order to deconstruct and analyze the Essence of the Cosmic Dao, necessitating the mana output of the full mana reserves of a Universal Realm existence for every second of integration. If an insufficient amount of mana is provided, the Cosmic Essence under integration will cause an implosion of the user''s Origin. Cosmic Daos such as Ruination and Primordial are excluded from the effects of this skill. Cost of Skill Creation: 130,000,000,000 A glorious method of obtaining Cosmic Daos was born on this day, Noah thinking he was lacking in an area as he sought to get stronger! Chapter 1031 - Overwhelming Strength! II [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence]! An ability that made him an extremely poor being as nearly all of the Skill Points that he gained from the conquest of two Universes were spent, but the results were stupendous as they brought to fruition a way for him to gain access to other Cosmic Daos! Although the method of usage of this skill...was a bit unique as Noah had to take in the essence of the Cosmic Dao from others into his own Origin. This method could be from a being willingly infusing the essence of the Cosmic Dao they studied to Noah, or it could be from an enemy that Noah faced who was throwing attacks that contained the Cosmic Dao he wanted to integrate! He just had to receive the attacks of an enemy with a powerful Cosmic Dao as after he absorbed enough of the Cosmic Essence they threw out and integrated it- he would actually gain access to the very Dao himself. The skill mentioned that a certain "Value" had to be met before the essence of any Cosmic Dao could be fully integrated before Noah himself was given the comprehension of this Dao. The restrictions of a cooldown were negligible, but the restriction on mana meant that aside from Noah...nobody would be able to utilize this Skill even if he put it in the [Library] feature of his Universal Core.. It needed the output of the full mana reserves of a Hegemony every passing second, such a thing being something that only a creature with endless mana could even dream of...or an existence of a much higher level than the Universal Realm that they could consider their mana reserves negligible! WAA! Mana began to swirl around Noah powerfully as from his throne, his golden flames locked onto the figure of Lich Emperor Agobo that he had subjugated first when he arrived in the Necrotic Universe. He planned to test the [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence] skill on this being first as the Lich Emperor had begun comprehending the Cosmic Dao of Necromancy! He would see just how fantastical the effects of this Cosmic Dao would be on the undead as the conquest of the Necrotic Universe would become an even smoother task. "Agobo, come!" He called out to the Lich Emperor that was moving just behind the Sins in the chaotic void, this being nodding and heading towards Noah as the first test of [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence] was about to begin. But¡­ THRUM! A second later, Noah''s body erupted with a flood of the golden essence of Destiny as far away from the Necrotic Universe, the vast seas of Universal Fortune above his main body churned! His eyes released beams of golden light as he stopped his actions, knowledge coming to him that an even grander opportunity for [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence] was coming on the horizon! Ah! It truly was on the horizon as an instant later in the Necrotic Universe, the Undead Legion of Trillions that Noah led came to a stop, sensing a horrendous wave of power appearing thousands of miles away as it was barreling towards them at insanely high speeds. The wave of power was soon accompanied by another, and another...over 20 shockingly powerful auras that far exceeded any PARAGON appeared on the horizon, bringing with them waves of immense power as at the speed they were coming at, they crossed the few thousand miles in an instant as they appeared in front of Noah''s Legions in a stellar fashion! WAA! 20 figures appeared majestically in the deathly chaotic void of the Necrotic Universe as Noah''s eyes began to shine brightly at them, the auras they gave off making the surrounding void shake as shockingly- it was 20 Undead Paragons that held various forms but were connected by a singular factor. All around the bodies of these figures, the illusory outline of a certain expert Noah had seen before was convulsing in and out of existence constantly, this being the source of the immense power that these existences were currently releasing. It was the form of a being that held a black hole for a head- the form of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos! RUMBLE! Noah''s eyes shined brightly as he utilized [Eyes of Truth], a set of details appearing in front of him that caused his bones to begin trembling in excitement! [Lich Emperor Zadon](Incarnation of Chaos) :: A powerful Lich that has roamed the Necrotic Universe for half a million years, leading many Legions over the millenniums. This being has swallowed the Origin Essence of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos and gained a portion of his power, being able to display great proficiency in the Daos of Extinction, Chronos, Purity, Annihilation, Necromancy, Phantasm¡­ ¡­! "No way..." Noah couldn''t help but utter out loud as he looked at the beings releasing the terrifying essence of numerous Cosmic Daos from their bodies, each of them literally vibrating with power it didn''t seem they could contain as their eyes were all locked onto him menacingly! His heart was actually trembling in excitement at this moment as when he read over the details of these beings, he actually found that one of the most powerful beings of the Primordial Cosmos had given away a small portion of his Origin Essence that contained his comprehensions of his Daos...and he gave these to Paragons to come stand against him! Paragons that exceeded all scales of power of such a level- beings that held a portion of power from a Hegemony. And it wasn''t just any Hegemony...but one of the strongest ones in the Cosmos! All of these factors should have caused any being to shit their pants in fear but in front of Noah...his eyes were those full of joy as he stood up from his Throne. "Ah¡­!" The bright flames in his eye sockets raged powerfully as towards his joy, the 20 newly arriving Incarnations of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos roared out. OOOOOOH! BOOOM¡­.CRACK! They roared out grandly as the surrounding chaotic void shattered apart, half of their figures beginning to move towards Noah as streaks of light while the other half raised their hands to the skies and summoned Legions of Undead. In front of Noah, the Seven Manifested Sins reacted the fastest as it was Pride that appeared in front of the central leading Incarnation fearlessly! The body of this powerful Sin shone with glorious golden splendor as it raised its enormous axe that carried the might of millions of exploding suns towards the rushing enemy, his expression that of utter arrogance and might as he uttered out. "Who said you could make a move under my gaze?!" RUMBLE! A golden luster flashed across the deathly chaotic void as it signified the start of the first warfare that would involve the Incarnations of Universal Experts! Chapter 1032 - Hit Me! I "Who said you could make a move under my gaze?!" WAA! The bellow of Pride reverberated across the chaotic void as he appeared in front of a Paragon letting out horrendous waves of power, the essence of Extinction actually erupting from this Undead Lich Emperor as with a cold look, his bony fingers smashed onto the glimmering golden axe that carried the force of a million suns! BOOM! The strength of Paragons that had power far exceeding this level clashed as the result was horrendous, with the body of Pride actually trembling as the terrifying essence of Extinction threatened to tear apart his golden age and ravage his body, the void around him having already been ruptured. Yet¡­ The body of Pride remained floating at the same position as he didn''t even move a step back, his body glowing an ever brighter shade of gold as his expression was that of ardent superciliousness and arrogance as even while every part of this sin was trembling, he called out majestically. "Did I give you permission to push me back?!" RUMBLE! Pride released a bellow filled with dignity and superiority while looking at the Undead Paragon, seemingly disgusted that such a creature had even thought of standing up against a being such as he! He released the golden axe within his hands to the chaotic void, the axe glimmering brightly as his body gushed out droves of golden essence that represented pure Pride. An instant later, the released axe began to multiply until hundreds of golden axes filled the void, each of them 50 meters in size as they trembled with strength that could wipe out entire galaxy clusters! THRUM! Pride glanced domineeringly at the Undead Paragon that was reflecting the golden gleam covering everything, his voice ringing out as it was nearly as arrogant as a certain Tyrannical Lich Emperor. "I shall not let you have an easy death!" WAA! The myriad of golden axes were then commanded to come down towards the enemy whose body began to light up with the essence of many cosmic daos! The Sin stood strong even though the Incarnation of the Goliath counterattacked with strikes that should have decimated any Paragons with its deadly essence of Extinction. Unbeknownst to this Paragon and even the Hegemonies that were currently watching this fight, Pride and many of the sins very quickly became reinforced silently and secretly with the wondrous essence of Ruination to protect against Extinction. Daos of too high a stature could not be defended against unless a similar one or one even higher in ranking above it appeared. The Primordial Dao and the Dao of Ruination stood at the very peak of all Cosmic Daos, so in terms of quality...it was above that of Daos like Chronos and Extinction! The Oathkeeper had shown an example of this when he faced both Chronos and The Goliath at the same time in the Elysian Universe, and these beings had to retreat against him alone. But currently, these same Daos were being used by existences that had become tainted with the origin essence of a Universal Realm Hegemony, the power they could portray against those in the same level being something that was actually very hard to quantify as it didn''t exist before! BOOOM! An uncountable number of golden axes fell. Each of them worthy of the explosive force of millions of suns caused the entire area of the chaotic void to melt and deform as the first battle of a shocking war started off with a bang! When the 10 Incarnations of Chaos moved, Pride was able to stop one of them through sheer will power and strength as the 6 other Sins all stood against six enemies respectively, their bodies lighting up in a myriad of colors as after the strength of their sin was amplified, their bodies erupted with Ruination Essence to resist the terrifying Dao Essence of Chronos and Extinction. SNORE An extremely loud snore rang out across the void, the enormous body of the chubby looking Sloth simply floating in front of an Undead Paragon and remaining in place as when the collision occurred...the undead felt like it had hit an indestructible wall! "Hrmm?" The eyes of the Sin of Sloth slightly lifted as it looked lazily at the figure of an Undead Paragon that had its body still vibrating. Even the effort of raising its eyes seemed like too much as the chubby looking figure draped the blanket it had on to cover even its head completely. But different from its lazy demeanor...tentacles of essence shot out of its sleeping body in a terrifying manner as they covered everything, a world of tentacles of Ruination blooming in front of this Incarnation of Chaos! Off in another region, the entire area was dyed pink an amorous figure of the Sin of Lust showed off its extensive curves while blowing a kiss to an Undead that wouldn''t even be able to do it if they wanted! The powerful Incarnation of Chaos had its vigorous flames waver slightly, their figure coming to a halt briefly before the essence of Chronos and Extinction filled up its mind and it shot forth like a cannon ball once more. In another region, Gluttony''s many mouths spread throughout its body had tried to devour the enemy Paragon right away, this Incarnation sensing danger as it pulled back soon after, only to wave its skeletal hands above it and cause the appearance of a regal purple Clock that released waves of the essence of Chronos! "Get over here!" Gluttony was maddened at the creature that seemed like the most enticing feast escaping, rushing towards it as it seemed to be returning to its old position a second later...as if it were placed on a time loop. Shocking battles like this erupted in front of ever scene as the crimson figure of the Sin of Wrath and Sin of Envy faced their own Paragons, the areas around them colored red and green respectively as their own unique essence spread out on top of the support of Ruination Essence that Noah provided for them! Atop each of them...a star of conquest shone brightly as the Sins moved to prove their worth! Chapter 1033 - Hit Me! II Many of the sins were capable of standing their ground against these terrifying Incarnations that held a portion of power from a Hegemony, but some sins were being pushed back from their immense might and usage of the Daos of Chronos and Extinction! THRUM! The Power that the Incarnations of Chaos displayed was extremely overbearing, where even as 7 were hindered by the Sins, 3 rushed towards Noah with wild abandon while 10 more stayed behind with their bodies glimmering with the essence of a myriad of Cosmic Daos, these beings calling forth Legions of Undead that pulsed dangerously. But against all of this, Noah''s mind only focused on the 3 Undead Paragons rushing towards him. OOOM! The Star of Conquest above his head glimmered pure white as the surroundings were brightened, his majestic figure put on full view as while he left his throne behind, the unseen essence of Ruination rose from him like waves- this essence currently masked to look like the essence of Annihilation. With utter calmness, his eyes followed as the three Undead Paragons surrounded him an instant later, their figures becoming incomparably clear! All 3 towered over 10 meters in size as their bony exteriors were as black as night, bony wings being seen gloriously spreading out on their back. These were the race of Primal Winged Undead Emperors that didn''t excel in the summoning of large legions of Undead, and they were instead extremely proficient in strengthening their own bodies to crazy levels as even the feat of shattering galaxies with a flick of their bony fingers wasn''t an impossibility! They were one of the strongest Undead Paragons one could come across in the Necrotic Universe, and each Primal Winged Undead Emperor was commonly referred to as a One Man Army due to their shocking close combat and body strengthening capabilities. This was the identity of these three Paragons that released maddening attacks towards Noah as his response to all of it....was only an eruption of Ruination Essence to wrap around him protectively! Their strikes released the bountiful essence of Extinction and Chaos as they shone with a distinct purple luster, the chaotic void being the first to give out. BOOOM!...CRACK! Space quaked and shattered as in the next second, only 4 figures remained floating in the rapidly healing void of the Necrotic Universe. A single being whose body was surrounded by a protective crimson shield, and three Primal Winged Undead Emperor that looked at the fact that their strikes didn''t smash him to bits even with the use of high tiered Cosmic Daos! The crimson light around Noah even shone brighter as he withstood the attacks with his bony exterior creaking dangerously, but his flaming eye sockets released a wondrous burst of light as the moment the attacks hit him...a prompt appeared. [The user has been exposed to the Cosmic Dao Essence of Chronos, Extinction, Purity, Phantasm...which essence do you wish to integrate?] "..." A deep smile bloomed from Noah''s skeletal structure. His origin buzzed crazily as he sent his thoughts forward and selected a Dao! ''Integrate Chronos!'' WAA! His command was received as the essence that should have been ravaging his body disappeared into his Origin, beginning the process of Integration as a Value appeared in the corner of Noah''s eyes. .1/100 ¡­! His eyes shone ever brighter as their gaze fell upon the 3 Paragons that had their bodies still buzzing with power, his bony smile making these beings pull back a little as they scrutinized him carefully, his next words causing the Primal Winged Undead Paragons to move with even more care! "You all...hit me some more!" ¡­! WAA! Noah was currently ecstatic! He was extremely ecstatic as it stemmed from the feeling of getting something you weren''t even thinking of, and yet others handed it to you on a platter. He was about to use his newly designed ability on his own Vassal and obtain the Dao of Necromancy, but his enemies just had to go ahead and scheme, one of the most powerful Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos utilizing his Origin Essence to create Incarnations of Chaos- existences that had swallowed the Origin Essence of the Goliath as they could display a semblance of his power and the Daos he comprehended for a short period of time! Then...his enemies sent these terrific new existences to him as it was actually the most perfect gift that he didn''t even ask for. Yes, they were extremely powerful. Even at this moment, the Sins were barely struggling with these Incarnations of Chaos that vibrated with the essence of Cosmic Daos like Chronos and Extinction, the only reason they could continue to stand against them being their unique nature and the fact that they were reinforced by Noah''s essence of Ruination! Similar to the battle between the Hegemony Chronos and Valentina''s clone...there was an interplay with the quality of mana in use! But in Noah''s case, the essence of Ruination stood at the same level as Primordial Essence, being even higher than Chronos and Extinction as against creatures utilizing these two types of essence...Ruination prevailed. But there was still the newly gained force that contained strength from a Hegemony! From a being that had forged their own Universe! This was why the Incarnations of Chaos boasted such tremendous power that normal PARAGONS wouldn''t even be able to stand against them. Noah Osmont...was not a normal Paragon. RUMBLE! The star of conquest above him shone splendorous as glorious white light was released, his eyes flashing with excitement as he spoke towards the confounded Primal Winged Undead Emperor. "Come on, hit me! Hit me!" ¡­! Their deathly flames wavered when they looked at the enthusiastic bony expression of Noah before these powerful Incarnations felt the Origin Essence of the Goliath burn inside them, their Origins trembling as they moved their bodies as if they only had half control! WAA! In front of Noah''s glimmering eyes, a deathly sickle that pulsated with Extinction bloomed from one undead Paragon and swung towards him, a dark purple clock appearing behind another Paragon as time began to be tampered with, and the last Primal Winged Undead Emperor simply threw out a fist filled with the essence of both of these Daos. BOOM! BOOM! CRACK! Pristine bones shattered as the sickle thundered down, the pure force of the Paragon paired with the force of Extinction breaking Noah''s collar bones as a second later, the essence of Chronos pervaded towards his Origin to try and decimate him from the inside out! THRUM! A second later, a strong life force erupted from Noah as the broken bones healed, the essence of Chronos that had been trying to age his Origin inconspicuously disappearing into the same Origin it was trying to destroy as his devilish bony smile only deepened. 1/100. "..Ah!" The Tyrannical Lich Emperor let out an eerie sound as he gazed towards the Undead Paragons with fervor, his eyes even honing in on the Undead Legions being formed due to the 10 remaining Undead Paragons that stayed behind- wanting them all to come towards him at once as he had goals that they couldn''t even begin to imagine! Chapter 1034 - This Paragon Is Eccentric! I As Noah got in contact with the Incarnations of Chaos for the first time, his Subordinates also met them instantaneously as the results here were slightly different in the Automaton Universe. "Go for its core!" THRUM! Kazuhiko bellowed out loudly as his figure was a streak of dark light fighting against a gigantic mechanical race that were known as Automaton Sentinels- creatures with bodies harder than many known metals as they could only be defeated when the core hidden somewhere within their bodies was destroyed! Above Kazuhiko''s head, the Star of Conquest shone brightly as the Steel Mikhail was the one to answer his call and materialize behind the Sentinel, their attacks landing on this mechanical being from two sides as the hidden core within its body was destroyed. BOOM! A shower of scrap metal later, the two beings looked at each other and laughed as they glanced at the battlefield around them. It was filled with Automaton Sentinel shooting of laser blasts and nuclear bombs throughout, while the existences with the stars of Conquest above their heads moved ardently to break apart as many of these Sentinels as possible! They numbered in the billions as the area where most destruction was occurring was where Noah''s summons were moving across, the figures of Tiamat and the twin Draconic Serpents Ava and Olivia wreaking havoc and ripping apart Automaton Sentinels at a shocking speed as above all of this, there was a singular figure that was drawing the eyes of many beings on the battlefield. The figure held a bowtie as its golden beak shone in the light, its flippers flung back as it put on the airs of a sagely looking being while speaking out. "Pledge fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor and you shall be saved¡­" RUMBLE! The clone of the Emperor Penguin acted like an apostle of a ridiculous false religion as the words reverberated out across the metallic battlefield that shone with a brilliant purple luster, with the reply normally being the intelligent automaton races with their own free wills choosing Fealty over death! But this time...this time it was different as right after the call of the Emperor Penguin, a streak of purple light tore through the void and appeared in front of it an instant later, a fair hand being lifted as a terrifying plasma ray that contained the essence of a myriad of Cosmic Daos blasted right in front of the Emperor Penguin...eradicating its unprotected body as it couldn''t even react at the shocking speed! WAA! A single attack...and the clone of the Emperor Penguin was erased. The plasma ray filled with the essence of cosmic daos tore apart the chaotic void as the figure of the existence that shot it was revealed to all. A humanoid body that looked fair and slender, its palms showing a terrifying plasma gun receding into the hand as its whole body pulsed with immense power. With the same figure of a human but with significant modifications...it was the race of Androids that stood as one of the strongest forces in the Automaton Universe! The vibrant essence of Chronos and Extinction radiated off of this Android in waves as it looked coldly and calculatingly at all the enemies, computing the best possible move before its figure disappeared again towards another direction. It wasn''t the only one as seconds later, similar terrifying auras that far exceeded what paragons could display began to appear en masse, the battlefield becoming tumultuous! Noah''s Animus Summons looked at this as they received an overabundance of information from Noah at the same time, their bodies lighting up with Ruination Essence as they were the first to rush towards the newly coming Incarnations of Chaos. An innocent looking boy with a cerulean blue crown spinning atop his head licked his lips off to the side, his figure melding into the folds of space as his eyes were those that screamed intense hunger while looking at these exceedingly powerful Incarnations. It had a hope and a dream of devouring Hegemonies in the future, never did the Blue Slime think bite sized portions of Hegemonies would actually come to him at such a stage as the aura of this creature disappeared entirely, just waiting to strike within the folds of space! A terrifying battle would unfold here as the battle to follow would be the first one where the clones of Noah''s subordinates would actually begin to fall as they fought terrifying battles with beings that exceeded all parameters of power! Far off from the Automaton Universe and even the Primordial Cosmos in general, the figure of the main body of the Emperor Penguin was vibrating with a golden luster in the Universal Core of the Dark Universe, another clone being formed in front of him as his wrathful voice rang out. "They dare to kill me first like some minor character? Me?! The holder of Pride?!" RUMBLE! The Manifested Sin of Pride in the Necrotic Universe and even the Emperor Penguin that held the abilities of this Sin himself were offended at such a reality, the battles to come being something they would shine in the most through the sheer uniqueness of the power they held! --- In the Elysian Universe, Oathkeeper was surrounded by two Hegemonies in the Elysian Realm as they watched the scenes that were being broadcasted to them by the Hegemonies watching outside the boundaries of the Necrotic and Automaton Universes. The two Hegemonies were some of the beings Oathkeeper considered his strongest allies, their power just being a notch below Chronos and the Goliath! One was a Hegemony from the Galactic Microbial Race- which were creatures the size of an unseen microbe that held power at the GALAXY Realm the moment they were born. Below the Goliath, this race was one of the most unique ones you could find across the Primordial Cosmos. The other Hegemony was from the Chthonian Universe, and it was an existence that stemmed from the Amorphous Blasphemers Race that could move into horrifying monstrosities far larger than any planets seamlessly! These two beings and Oathkeeper were watching the unfolding battles within the Necrotic and Automaton Universe that they didn''t put too much emphasis on before, but they now scrutinized them with utter care as the appearance of the Incarnations of Chaos changed many things! Chapter 1035 - This Paragon Is Eccentric! II "For the Goliath himself to do something like this...it means that what this Paragon mentioned before might actually be true- where the inhabitants of the Universes are closely tied with the efficiency of their Universal Constructs in achieving their goals!" WAA! The booming voice of the Hegemony from the Amorphous Blasphemers Race that was known as the Hegemony of Old Chaos reverberated out, Oathkeeper nodding with an impassive expression as he scrutinized the Incarnations of Chaos even more. "Using his own Origin Essence and placing it in the body of Paragons...they are keen on stopping him!" ¡­! "We can''t let it succeed. If true, then this is the only method that has actually been working against them, and we brushed it off this entire time¡­" The Hegemony from the Galactic Microbial Race spoke out, this being holding the title of the Microscopic Hegemony. Oathkeeper nodded at the words as he stood up, his golden hair waving gloriously as his voice resounded out while staring at the paradisiacal realm around him. "They''ve managed to bypass the restrictions set up for this...and so can we." RUMBLE! The light of Destiny swirled around him as he raised his hands to the skies of the Elysian Realm, the sky freely splitting apart as Primordial Essence began to gush out and flow towards the Oathkeeper! The Microscopic Hegemony and the Hegemony of Old Chaos looked at this scene with envious eyes as while surrounded by a swirling mass of pristinely white Primordial Essence, Oathkeeper spoke out with a mystical voice. "I''ll need some days to experiment and see if we can do what the Goliath did and its feasibility. Holding the Origin Essence of a Universal Real Hegemony in a small Paragon...it might have a disastrous cost!" WAA! The Primordial Essence flowed around him like mild rivers as this being let of tremendous waves of power, his eyes glimmering with light as the white essence only receded after a few minutes, his hands waving as he called forth the [Wings of Primordial Destiny] to communicate with a few certain beings while staring toward the illusory screens showing fighting scenes. The Microscopic Hegemony and the Hegemony of Old Chaos also turned their eyes towards the scenes containing Noah. They focused on the Paragon in question, their expressions hardening as they saw the scene of this being screaming out grandiose words with a fevered expression as he faced the terrifying Incarnations of Chaos. "Come on...hit me! Hit me!" ¡­! "..." His expression didn''t seem right as against the beings that held power far above any Paragons...he was bellowing out for others to attack him! Oathkeeper and the two other powerful Hegemonies had no words as they observed and looked for solutions, a single thought crossing their minds as they paid attention to the unfolding battles in 2 Universes. The singular thought was that this Paragon in question...he was a bit eccentric! --- Meanwhile, the auras of Incarnations of Chaos were raging wildly in the Necrotic Universe, the 10 that had stayed behind to Summon Legions of Undead having called forth Billions of terrifying creatures that shone with flames containing hints of Cosmic Daos. To call forth such armies, Noah could see that a huge strain was placed on the Incarnations, their Origins constantly creaking as they felt like they had swallowed something they couldn''t digest! The flames on their eyes were burning brightly, but they seemed to be the burning flames of a dying ember that could go out at any moment. "I see." Amidst his excitement, Noah spoke out slowly as the three Undead Paragons near him let off any reservations and continued to attack him with powerful skills. "Eternal Death is guaranteed to you all after accepting this power into your bodies¡­" RUMBLE "Just be sure not to die before you give me what I want!" ¡­! The Incarnations of Chaos had a half life of one month, but that was the half live given that everything within their Origin was working normally and outside interferences were up to a minimum. If they fought terrifying battles where their Origins were strained as they wildly used the unfamiliar power...they would be running towards death at an even quicker pace! What would such beings even be thinking at this moment? Beings that knew eternal death was coming for them, and they were doing it to themselves? WAA! It was only a thought from Noah, but he didn''t truly care. At this moment, there was an eruption of essence. From Noah''s body, demonic essence began to crawl out as he used a skill he normally had no need to use- an ability that vastly enhanced his defensive and attacking parameters when he faced truly powerful enemies. [Arch Demon Lord Transformation]. BZZZT! The glorious star of conquest providing him triple power under the gaze of Conquest shone brightly, his body gaining yet another level of power as from the figure of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor, muscle began to form around every pristine bone but the skull as a titanous figure was coming to be. The essence of Ruination and Annihilation weaved into the cellular components of this new body as the base was built from the essence of Cosmic Daos, the power actually being something even more wondrous than what Noah could normally display when he used [Arch Demon Lord Transformation]! ¡­! At the end of it, a glorious existence appeared. Having grown over 100 meters in stature as he was slightly bigger than the Seven Deadly Sins, the skull being the only thing not filled with muscle as all portions of his body were covered with tout steel like muscles that seemed indestructible! The skull...it took an entirely crimson color as golden flames still remained on its eye sockets, and there were now two demonic horns rising from the skull as they twisted and came close together, the moment they touched causing a spark of crimson flames to appear as this flame...went on to cover the entirety of the skull. A titanous Undead with a crimson flaming skull and golden flames burning fiercely in its eye sockets...it was the first appearance of the Demonic Lich Emperor as his aura...nearly touched upon the same level as what the Incarnations of Chaos were releasing. Nearly! Without any need for him to swallow a portion of an Origin from a Hegemony! THRUM [Pride Embodiment]. ¡­! A golden light flashed onto the titanous figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor. [Strength of the Weak]...[Envy the Mighty]...[Galactic Devastation]. RUMBLE! Since the enemies he met were truly powerful this time around, Noah had no problem buffing himself to the extremes and somewhat going all out! With such a transformation and overlaying of boosts...he could fearlessly take in all the coming hits of Incarnations of Chaos as he watched the Value of Chronos just climb towards 100..until he obtained this Cosmic Dao! Chapter 1036 - I Wont Lift A Finger! A titanous Demonic Lich Emperor with a flaming crimson skull. This was the image that the 20 Paragons that had ingested the Origin Essence of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos saw as all their eyes focused on it. The 7 that were battling the Sins momentarily lost their focus as some suffered injuries, the three that were around the Demonic Lich Emperor feeling his aura the closest as the 10 that had stayed behind to summon Legions of undead also felt it very clearly! They felt an aura...that was no less than theirs. ¡­! This naturally caused some heavy feelings to rise deep in the hearts of these Undead Paragons, the reality that a being had naturally reached the same stage of power that they reached through their own sheer strength alone- not having to do what they did and become Incarnations of another existence. They weren''t fools. These Paragons had lived for too many years, and even with the influence of the Dao of Necromancy that the Hegemony of Necromancy used when he gave them the Origin Essence for them to absorb, it was still their choice to do in the end.. First, they believed in themselves and their power, thinking that their origin would be able to handle the essence of a Hegemony if it was just a small portion of it. Second was the fact that they knew sooner or later...the Tyrannical Lich Emperor that had its forces conquer over half of the Necrotic Universe would make its way towards them as well. When that time came, they would have to choose to either face eternal death or pledge their fealty to another being! Instead of this...they chose another path as they ingested the origin essence for even greater strength, only for them to find out they truly were not able to handle this power within their Origins, and that in a matter of time, eternal death would come for them. This was the price they had to pay to achieve a level of power no other Paragons could even dream of! Yet¡­ RUMBLE! The aura that the Demonic Lich Emperor released was no less than theirs, the flames within the sockets of these 20 Paragons waving somberly as they wondered. Just how was he so different from them? What did he do differently that even without sacrificing his life, he could reach the same power as them? No answer came. Spatial essence wrapped around the figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor as he disappeared from the 3 Undead Paragons that were surrounding him, his terrific aura appearing behind the 10 Undead Paragons that had stayed behind to raise entire Undead Legions. His flaming skeletal head seemed to forcefully pull the attention of all beings towards him as it held a sense of regality, his figure appeared in the middle of the vast armies of billions that the 10 Paragons had summoned, his voice coming out calmly. "Let me measure the resolve of the beings that have subjected themselves to eternal death." THRUM! His hand that was wrapped with steel forged muscle pointed towards them as his finger beckoned for them to come, the flames on his head blazing calmly. "I won''t be lifting a finger. I''ll just see what one can achieve by taking the easy way out and ingesting the Origin of a Hegemony." WAA! His words seemed to pierce into the only things that these Undead Paragons cared about now, their Origins flaring out with power as the Origin Essence they ingested churned out madly. Anger rose within the hearts of the Paragons that knew death was coming for them, the words of the Demonic Lich Emperor making them rush towards him as their bodies lit up with the essence of Chronos and Extinction! Even the 7 that were facing the Sins had tried to bypass them and attack the majestic looking titanous Demonic Lich Emperor, but their enemies gave them no leeway as only 13 Undead Paragons made a beeline towards Noah. The 3 Primal Winged Undead Emperors and the 10 Undead Lich Emperors all burned with power as their bodies lit up bright red and purple, 13 magisterial clocks appearing behind each of them as a bubble of purple clocks was soon created in the surrounding miles. The clocks rotated wondrously around each other as they released a terrifying swirl of Chronos and Extinction to surge towards the lone figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor that at this moment, stretched his hands out and raised his skeletal head, merely waiting for the destructive burst of attacks to land on him! His body that was reinforced mainly by Ruination Essence vibrated with power, the enhancements and boosts from many skills overlaid together causing his body alone to cause the surrounding space to tremble as a second later, the full power of 13 Incarnations of Chaos smashed into his body. BOOOM!...CRACK! The attacks were so potent and horrendous as even the void was shredded apart like paper, the two essences of Extinction and Chronos working hand in hand as their goal was to reduce everything they touched to ash where it was through the factor of time for Chronos or simply pure extinction! But for Noah, none of this mattered. For him, what mattered was just the reality that these attacks were filled with the vibrant essence of the Dao of Chronos. WAA! Amidst the raging flames of extinction that remained after the essence of Chronos was sucked up, Noah''s bright eyes glanced at a certain number within his Status Panel. [Chronos Integration Value] :: 17/100 The flames surrounding his head blazed every brighter as space began to stabilize. The void folded and healed as the scene cleared, the flames within the sockets of the Undead Paragons blazing up somberly as after everything cleared, they still saw the scene of the Demonic Lich Emperor spreading his arms out as his body...was spotless. ¡­! It actually seemed to vibrate with an immense amount of power that was nigh endless, the attacks of Incarnations that exceeded any Parameters of Paragons actually not being able to pass through him! Only his voice rang out as it caused the minds of the Undead Paragons to buzz with activity. "A few more minutes. I still won''t lift a finger against you all." RUMBLE! His figure remained floating in the void as he spoke out domineeringly, the existences that had given away their lives just to reach the same realm of power as him bellowing out as they rushed towards him like flies! Chapter 1037 - CHRONOS I Outside of the boundary of the Necrotic Universe, there was first a single Hegemony watching the scenes of the shocking battles within and broadcasting them to others. After a few minutes passed since the first appearance of Incarnations of Chaos, even more Hegemonies from the vast array of Universes within the Primordial Cosmos appeared outside the boundary of the Necrotic Universe, their gazes upon the new form of horrendous warfare they had not come across before! Creatures ingesting the Origin of Hegemonies as their power far exceeded anything that the rank of Paragon had to offer! Yet¡­ What about the Paragon that had not ingested any Origin Essence of a Hegemony and was somehow still releasing the same battle power as these existences known as Incarnations of Chaos? What exactly gave him the strength to propel his power to a level no other Paragons in the Primordial Cosmos could reach? The Hegemonies watching right outside of the Necrotic Universe looked at each other with somber expressions as they had no answer. Those observing the broadcast from illusory screens in far away universes looked at those around them silently, not having the slightest idea why as one thing was confirmed on this day. The Paragon that many had dismissed before or didn''t give too much attention to in the past had stepped into their spot light today! As Many Hegemonies looked at his regal figure that was taking in attacks from 13 Incarnations of Chaos, they couldn''t help but burn this image deep into their eyes! BOOM! In the Necrotic Universe where the terrifying battle was taking place, 13 purple clocks were floating permanently in the skies as their purple aura covered the 13 Paragons, their bodies flitting through the river of time as they appeared to attack Noah from different time points with every single move.. It was extremely hard to describe the workings of the Dao of Chronos into words, but the Paragons were shuttling through time with a difference of a few seconds as from the current time, they appeared a few seconds in the past and released shocking attacks, and some appeared a few seconds in the future to release even more deadly attacks. It meant that when time came together, the figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor would be receiving attacks from the past and the future as such attacks...were not ones that an existence could defend against! That was... unless they had the dao of Chronos as well and they could also shuttle a few seconds in the future and the past to defend against attacks they didn''t even know of. It meant that with utter precision and accuracy, their deadly attacks all landed on the Demonic Lich Emperor as he could only take them from three different time points, with the only thing he was capable of doing being to just defend with his body! This method...would have worked and worn down any Paragon as after just a few seconds of receiving unseen attacks from different times would have shattered their defenses and brought them that much closer to death. But against Noah...it mattered not whether they came a few seconds in the future, past, or present as his Arch Demon Lord Form and boosts from a myriad of different skills were still active during this time as none of them could penetrate his defenses! All that mattered to him was a certain value. [Chronos Integration Value] :: 68/100 His eyes lit up with immense fervor every time this value rose, his body still feeling the tingling pain from the strikes of beings that were exceeding the Parameters of Paragons! But he himself was already on the process of exceeding the power of Paragons long before them, as he was already connecting the galaxies within his Origin at a rate that they couldn''t even begin to imagine. The Conquest of the Necrotic Universe was already half complete as his subordinates had also covered a significant portion of the Automaton Universe. He had left behind many Galaxy clusters with trillions upon trillions of Undead Clans that pledged Fealty to him, only taking a few Paragons to add to his Undead Legion as at this moment, all of them were still on stand by with the Legion that held a swirling Necrotic Ring of Death behind Noah and the Seven Deadly Sins! The uncountable number of undead that had pledged Fealty had now also contributed to the Marks of Antiquity he formed, these Marks going on to create another 1.5 Billion Dao Galaxies as the total number now came to 3 Billion as they were still rapidly increasing. His Origin was bubbling with power as this contributed to the reasons why he could withstand the incarnations right now- he was already making great strides towards forming his Universal Seed as he was 6% of the way there! BOOOM! Space twisted again as the purple clocks above the void circled endlessly, attacks seemingly coming from all sides at this moment as his body got thundered with them even more vigorously, his tough skin and muscle made from the very essence of Ruination beginning to crack and tear. But even to this...he only smiled as he saw the essence of Chronos sink into him deeper! [Chronos Integration Value] :: 81/100 The Value he was looking at so dearly continued to rise as he could almost taste a new Cosmic Dao, his flaming skull rising up jovially as during the magisterial scene of being swarmed by 13 Undead Paragons with the colorful waves of Cosmic Essence flying out all around him...he laughed boisterously. KEKEKE! The dreary laugh of the Demonic Lich Emperor rang out clearly as it caused the Origins of the 13 Incarnations to tremble with wrath, one of the Primal Winged Undead Emperors bellowing out as his body lit up brightly, the purple clock he controlled shining brightly as getting even larger as he was utilizing an enormous amount of mana for an ultimate skill that utilized the Dao of Chronos! But¡­ CRACK! A second later, a horrendous sound rang out that could be heard across all the explosions resounding across the deathly chaotic void. It came from the Paragon that was just bellowing out and utilizing enormous amounts of mana, the flaming eyes of this existence looking down on its chest as it peered deep into itself and saw that its Origin...had an enormous crack bisecting it in half. ¡­! The Incarnation had overworked his Origin until it could no longer handle the Origin Essence of the Goliath within him! Due to his anger and wrath at the Demonic Lich Emperor that laughed at the face of their attacks, he had actually brought the death that was supposed to come a month later as it arrived on the same day, the strain on his origin being too much as this would be one of the first beings who would literally die from anger due to the words of a certain Lich Emperor. CRACK...BOOOM! With an expression of shock, the Origin of this Paragon imploded as the powerful Paragon was turned into countless bones shooting out everywhere, the center of explosion leaving behind a pulsing unstable obsidian mass that seemed used up and nearly depleted! ¡­! All that he left behind was an unstable Seed of Chaos! The other Incarnations of Chaos looked at this scene with somber expressions as their hearts trembled, seeing the fate awaiting them as the fast pace at which they churned their mana within their bodies were slowed down unconsciously. As all of them merely stared at the unstable mass of Origin Essence that had imploded a Paragon apart, only a single being could still move with clarity. WAP! The figure of the cackling Demonic Lich Emperor appeared at the spot where a Paragon had just perished, his eyes shining brilliantly as his hands reached out towards the unstable and nearly depleted Origin Essence of a Hegemony! He was moving naturally as he only had a single thought in his mind. ''This should work as well, right?'' Just an instinct...but he followed it to completion! [Devouring]. ¡­! THRUM! A black mass erupted from Noah as it took in the unstable Origin Essence under the ability of the Sin of Gluttony, very quickly breaking it down as a vast amount of differing Dao Essences within this unstable origin were broken down into pure mana and vitality. All Dao Essences...except for the one that Noah was currently integrating! It was seamlessly sucked into his Origin as under the shocked gazes of Paragons and Hegemonies, Noah alone saw two prompts appear in front of his eyes. [Chronos Integration Value] :: 100/100 ¡­[Commencing the process of the Emergence of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos.] "..." Noah''s eyes glimmered with light as he felt as if all sound became blocked out at this moment. As if he was alone in a world of silence, only a singular light beginning to bloom in his eyes! At this moment... A regal purple light shone! Chapter 1038 - CHRONOS II Across the Primordial Cosmos, there were three beings that had comprehended the Cosmic Dao of Chronos. Each of them were stretched across the Cosmos but at this moment, all of them raised their heads towards a certain direction. "What?" In the Elysian Universe, the regal expression of Oathkeeper was replaced with shock for the first time. "..." In the Automaton Universe, the black hole taking the place of the head of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos swirled with shocking power as he looked in the far away direction silently! "Impossible!" Only a single other being showed more emotion, and it was the one that was even given the title of the Hegemony of Chronos. This being looked towards the direction of the Necrotic Universe where just like Oathkeeper and the Goliath, he sensed a blooming purple light that signified Chronos being comprehended by another being! THRUM! In front of the Universal Construct within the Animus Universe, Chronos rose up with a grim expression as he looked far away, his mind buzzing with activity as yet another thing that shouldn''t have happened...was occurring. In the many lifetimes he lived through, not once had another being comprehended Chronos. Not until many years from now when the situation within the Primordial Cosmos would be vastly different. Yet¡­ WAA! "Old Man, what''s got your panties in a bunch?" At this moment, the voice of valiant looking Valentina rang out as cosmic Dao essence spilled from her, the task of her clone continuing to descend down the Animus Universe continuing as even while she was defeated by Chronos multiple times, she never gave in as she continued to call forth more clones! Chronos only gazed at Valentina''s clone with impassive eyes that flashed with a purple light, a gigantic clock appearing behind him again as it shot out with a killing light. --- Meanwhile, in the Necrotic Universe. The dazzling glimmer of purple caused many eyes to turn towards it in shock, but this purple color eventually began to be tinged with red! When Chronos and the Goliath utilized this dao, it was tinged purple with all of their attacks. When the Oathkeeper used the Dao of Chronos, the huge clocks he summoned were tinged gold. Now that Noah was undergoing the process of emerging a new Cosmic Dao within him, it became his own as different from the purple or golden luster, it became a beautiful purple-crimson color that melded together into a beautiful picture! THRUUUM! From his body, waves of Cosmic Essence of Chronos began to leak out madly as they permeated throughout the chaotic void, a purple-crimson clock of ridiculous proportions beginning to form above everyone. The aura caused every single being in its shadow to shake at its sheer power and majesty, the obtainment of this Cosmic Dao by Noah at this moment being something of great importance! He of course held the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, a Dao that when he utilized it fully as he had hiddenly done so before- he could actually wipe out any creature on the same level as him in a matter of seconds. But he didn''t use it freely as until now, this was a card that would be kept secret as knowledge of it meant others also knowing he held a Cosmic Treasure of the directly opposing nature to the Primordial Disk that Oathkeeper held. So the wondrous and overpowered Dao of Ruination wasn''t utilized openly or frequently in Noah''s battles. Now, he had obtained the Cosmic Dao of Chronos. It was only a level below Ruination, but it was a Dao of ridiculous power that stood above many other Cosmic Daos, the power it could display being something only the three most powerful powerhouses of the Primordial Cosmos understood! Since he obtained it in front of everyone''s eyes, he would utilize it to its fullest possible extent as at this moment, the purple-crimson clock had stretched out for tens of thousands of miles as it passed the size of normal planetary bodies, and it was still spreading out. RUMBLE! At the center of it all was Noah Osmont. He comprehended the pristine Dao of Chronos as knowledge of how he could very easily manipulate time filled his mind, numerous scenes flitting through his mind at this moment! The scene of when he obtained his Cosmic Treasure. The scene of him defeating Aldritch after he tore open the boundary of the Novus Galaxy and invited outsiders. The scene of him obtaining the Rank S [Volcanic Eruption] in the Blessed Empire and using it to decimate a Mephitic Turtle as Elizabeth and other hunters watched in awe and shock! The scene of him...obtaining a Rank F [Fireball] after he used up all of his savings, right before he awakened to see a blank value next to his [Focus]! All of these scenes played out in front of Noah''s eyes as he shockingly found that uniquely because of his Infinite Mana...he could actually return to any of these times! ¡­! Chronos couldn''t do this! Oathkeeper or the Goliath couldn''t do this! This was partly because they lived in the Primordial Cosmos as the most powerful beings, and any single one of them reversing time would mean they were not just doing it for themselves, but for the entire Cosmos they were in. The essence required for this...was too much! They could utilize the Dao of Chronos to jump back in time a few hours or a day at most, but their mana reserves wouldn''t allow for anything more. An example was when Noah had utilized the Dagger of Time to jump back barely a few days in when he was moving in the World of Cultivation and the Demon World. His mana was more than enough, and the affected area was very small. Affecting an entire Cosmos...even for Oathkeeper and the others, it was too hard! But the existence that held Infinite Mana could do many more things with time. THRUM! Even more mystical knowledge rushed into Noah''s mind at this moment as the comprehension of Chronos settled in. Time! The abstruse and ridiculous concept of time! Time actually didn''t follow a linear path...! It wasn''t a straight forward concept of going from A to B as there was much involved with it! Those capable of jumping through time held great power as the things they did could vastly change entire realities. Even for Noah who was capable of jumping through time at this moment, even to the very point right before he awakened as a Hunter...at any point that he did something vastly different than what he did in the original time, things would be greatly changed as this would actually create a branch in time...it would create a whole new reality! RUMBLE! Chapter 1039 - Phenomenal Power! I A single action different from the Original Timeline creating a branch in time that would bud into a whole new reality! Such a concept caused Noah''s heart to tremble as after the comprehension of Chronos, his mind could see a vast and endless River of Time that seemed to stretch endlessly. This river of time occasionally had smaller rivers stemming from it, and these were all points in time where beings utilized the law of time or the Dao of Chronos to do something. But eventually, all of these small rivers of time merged back with the main one that churned endlessly forward. The Original Timeline! Noah looked at the image of the river of time, seeing the path of his current timeline of him growing up, of his parents falling to the first Beast Tides when the Apocalypse began, of him obtaining a Rank F Fireball skill book up until now when he obtained a Cosmic Dao. It had many paths and possibilities, but they all led to where he was right now! He...could not change this. Any grand changes he made would only put him on another branch of time, something he still didn''t understand the consequences of! Even though he had the mana requirements to go back to even the point before he obtained the Rank F Fireball Skill Book, he did not do so as he still had not fully understood Chronos and Time! He didn''t know the effects it would have on everything, and what would happen when he left the Original Timeline he was currently in, or what effects it would have on this timeline! From his Novus Galaxy to the Dark Universe, and now to the Primordial Cosmos where 9 of its Universes were currently under lock in a process initiated by some of the most powerful beings within the Cosmos...and wherever this would lead. Maybe when he had fully assimilated Chronos. At that time, maybe he would understand more about branching timelines and realities, and whether he could truly move without shattering everything. Maybe when he understood things even more after he obtained the Cosmic Dao of Reincarnation and how that was different from Chronos. Was the Hegemony of Chronos Reincarnating in the Original Timeline this whole time? What about the timeline before he reincarnated? What about.. BZZT! Noah''s mind buzzed with possibilities as he found no answer, only a single word permeating his mind as he calmed everything down. Maybe¡­ RUMBLE! His eyes twinkled with a purple crimson luster as he came out from his thoughts and glanced at the enormous purple crimson clock that his endless mana had created, this clock strengthening out for hundreds of thousands of miles as it caused the vast Legions of Undead and all their Paragons to look at it in awe. This clock was the manifestation of Chronos, something that Oathkeeper and the others also called forth as they used it as a medium to affect anything to do with time. Now, Noah had called it forth grandly as he unreservedly let it grow with a constant input of mana, giving it its current size that even blinded the eyes of the faraway watching Hegemonies! Noah stared at this vibrant clock as he thought about its usage. He was filled with knowledge on how to manipulate time and could do so with a wave of his hands, but he didn''t have established skills he could utilize to easily affect time at the utterance of a word. He didn''t have them, so he would just make them. A few billion of his remaining skill points were used as a simple skill tree with five abilities that could utilize Chronos was created! As for the name, Noah simply termed the skill tree [Wielder of Chronos]. [Wielder of Chronos] :: A skill tree geared towards a basic application of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos. Abilities include [Temporal Looping] (5/5), [Instantaneous Age Regression and Progression](5/5), [Temporal Manipulation Perception](5/5), [Temporal Halt](5/5), [Temporal Inversion](5/5) [Temporal Looping] (5/5) :: Depending on the mana used, the user can place a certain area or being on a temporal loop that is extremely hard to escape from. Only those capable of releasing strength to shatter the effects of time itself or beings proficient in the workings of time can seamlessly escape Temporal Looping. [Instantaneous Age Regression and Progression](5/5) :: The user can cause the instantaneous age regression or progression in a selected target. [Temporal Manipulation Perception](5/5) :: The workings of time are filled with mysteries, with this passive ability allowing for the user to sense when time has been manipulated and the exact point of its occurrence. [Temporal Halt](5/5) :: The user can cause a temporal halt around a certain area or being, causing time to come to a stop. The larger the affected area of Temporal Halt, the greater the chance of creating a branch in time. [Temporal Inversion](5/5) :: The user can inverse the time around a certain area or being, causing time to flow in reverse. The larger the affected area, the greater the chance of creating a branch in time. "..." Terrifying abilities that were all under the [Wielder of Chronos] skill tree that had the definition of basic application of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos! Noah looked at the set of skills with careful eyes as when it came to Chronos, it was like someone had handed Noah a truly dangerous bomb that he could freely change the size of, the effects he could display being extremely terrifying as he himself had to be careful how he used it. The [Temporal Manipulation Perception] ability was working passively so that he didn''t need to worry when others manipulated time. So he himself...would begin slowly studying the Dao of Chronos with the active abilities he created! His flaming eyes gazed at the 19 Undead Paragons below him that still glanced towards him with utter shock, his figure capturing the eyes of all as at this moment, he floated above everyone as a gigantic purple crimson clock rotated magisterially in the chaotic void above him. They saw his eyes turn towards them as they shivered unconsciously. They then heard his words ringing out clearly as to the shock of all, Noah began to use the essence of Chronos wildly for the first time! [Temporal Halt]. BZZZZT! The enormous purple crimson clock released a flood of essence of Chronos as it went to watch over just the 1 mile area where Noah, the Sins, and the 19 Paragons were fighting in. Just a single mile. But everything within this mile...came to a halt at this moment. Everything but the terrifying figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor that floated serenely! He had obtained what he wanted as he had not made a move all this time. Under the shocked gazes of many beings, he now made a move! Chapter 1040 - Phenomenal Power! II [Temporal Halt]. The Hegemony of Necromancy was watching the appearance of the purple crimson colored clock that was hundreds of thousands of miles in diameter while shuddering with utter shock and stupor. He had only utilized 20 of the 100 Seeds of Chaos to create 20 Incarnations of Chaos that he sent forward, but never would he have thought that the result of it was somehow their enemy becoming capable of utilizing the Dao of Chronos! How?! Could someone just comprehend a Dao as mysterious and abstruse as that so easily?! Could someone do it just because they wished to do so?! The flames on this Hegemony trembled with shock as a second later, he watched as a time stop was placed in a region of a single mile. But everything within this mile except the figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor had come to a stop due to his single command. "..." The Trillions of Undead Legions outside could move, and they even edged back from the frozen space temporarily as it seemed they didn''t even want to be near it! Within the frozen space, the 19 Incarnations of Chaos could consciously feel this Temporal Halt as they trembled with fear, but they held the essence of Chronos within them as well due to the Seeds of Chaos they swallowed, so the purple essence erupted around their bodies as they fought to move in the stopped time. But¡­ In terms of the essence of Chronos, just who would be the winner? Logically, even the Hegemony of Necromancy still in a stupor thought the enhanced Incarnations of Chaos would come out on top at the end of it, breaking past the Temporal Halt as they fought a life and death battle with the enemy that had somehow comprehended a Cosmic Dao that they could only utilize the essence of due to the Seeds they ingested. Yet the 19 Incarnations seemed to be struggling as the purple essence of Chronos tried to protect their bodies, while the figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor had waves of purple-crimson essence still coming out front the enormous clock above the chaotic void endlessly as if mana was not a limited utility for him! This...was actually the moment in time that the many watching Hegemonies would begin paying attention to Noah based on the amount of mana he was using, as many of them understood the reality of the Dao of Chronos and how much it would require of someone. Yet the being before them...he was calling forth an endless amount of the essence of Chronos as even against 19 other beings that could utilize this essence as well, he overpowered all of them! 19 beings at the same stage as him, 19 beings that were actually Incarnations of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos. "..." "The mana required for this...impossible!" RUMBLE! The Hegemony of Necromancy was the first to utter this as other Hegemonies followed. In the boundary of the Necrotic Universe, even more Universal Experts came to observe this shocking scene as before they could even get past the shock that a Paragon was seamlessly utilizing the essence of Chaos, they then saw his pure utilization of Mana as he called forth endless amount of this Cosmic Essence as if he had mana reserves of tens of Hegemonies. The 19 Paragons were overwhelmed with the essence of Chronos Noah used to reinforce the Temporal Halt, none of them being able to move as a second later, this terrifying Demonic Lich Emperor called out another skill. [Temporal Inversion]. Under a Temporal Halt, he actually tapped his fingers in the void carefully as the churning seas of Chronos essence rushing from the slowly rotating purple-crimson clock turned into rivers of light that only wrapped around the 19 Paragons. The Time Inversion...was only focused on these beings themselves as Noah actually considered that he was doing something simple. From the vast River of Time that he could now gaze upon, he was naturally able to see a few things. His focus on the 19 Paragons let him know that whatever grand change that had occurred to make them Incarnations of chaos happened not too long ago! And this...was the target of his Temporal Inversion. He was simply inverting the time of these Paragons, the state of their bodies and of their Origins- just an hour back! An hour back before they became Incarnations of Chaos. RUMBLE! At certain levels of power, one didn''t need to use brute force as many ingenious methods existed they could utilize. Noah getting his hands on the Cosmic Dao of Chronos opened many methods for him as at this moment, many eyes watched in shock as the bodies of 19 Paragons became fully surrounded by the rivers of essence of Chronos as they formed into a bubble of crimson-purple light that swirled around them! With this circular bubble of light, the bodies of the 19 Paragons were showing an eerie scene of twisting back and forth, their time of their bodies and Origin being inverted in a shocking fashion as those who didn''t have deep comprehensions in the concept of time wouldn''t even be able to understand what they were seeing. THRUM! A brilliant flash of light occurred after a few seconds from the 19 bubbles of crimson purple light, piercing screams ringing out from the Undead Paragons as they felt something overbearing be pulled apart from their Origins and Souls. WAA! Noah tapped his hands once more as the [Temporal Inversion] around their bodies was stopped, the scene around the Undead Paragons becoming clear for all to see. Their bodies looked ragged and essence fluctuated around them weakly, but there was another thing beside their bodies that drew the eyes of all those watching. The Hegemony of Necromancy was one of the first to have their eyes drawn towards it, his body beginning to tremble as he waved his hands to observe the 80 Seeds of Chaos he still had with him as when he turned back to the 19 Paragons...he saw the same 19 Seeds of Chaos that he had induced them to ingest some time ago! ¡­! "This¡­!" An impossible scene! A shocking reality! Chapter 1041 - The Apex Paragon! I 19 glimmering Seeds of Chaos floated beside the bodies of the 19 Paragons as after a Temporal Inversion, their state returned to a time before they ingested them and became Incarnations of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos! It was a mind bending ability that others could not even fathom, those watching feeling breathless as the ones who truly understood it all had somber expressions. The scalp of the Hegemony of Necromancy tingled as he drew in a sharp breath, merely watching as Noah waved his hands and the Seeds of Chaos that could create Incarnations that far exceeded the power that Paragons could display..simply land on his hands as he looked at them curiously. "..." The field of battle turned silent. Not a single soul moved as only the whirling Necrotic Ring of Death surrounding the Trillions within the Undead Legions that weren''t even mobilized made terrifying sounds. The Seven Deadly Sins had long since received Noah''s command as they pulled back and watched the magisterial scene of his power without making any moves against the Undead Paragons they were facing. The flames within Noah''s eye sockets blazed brightly as the essence of Chronos that was gushing from the expansive crimson-purple clock stopped momentarily. The Temporal Halt and Inversion came to a stop as the 19 Paragons all turned their eyes towards Noah with utter shock. The 19 Seeds of Chaos that had seamlessly separated from their Origin floated in front of him as he looked at them calmly, his voice being the only thing ringing out in the vast chaotic void. "I have saved you from the certain death that these terrible seeds of Origin Essence would have brought you." RUMBLE! As he handled a portion of Origin Essence from a genuine Hegemony, Noah spoke out simply towards the 19 Paragons that had their bones begin trembling with shock! "Something like this is not the path to true power. With them, you would have become mere sacrificial lambs under the aims of someone else...it is not power!" BOOOM! His voice boomed out majestically as even the Hegemonies watching from illusory screens from far away Universes or those that had appeared outside the boundary of the Necrotic Universe had their attention pulled in. "Let me show you true power...kneel and pledge Fealty to me as I show you what true strength is!" ¡­! The 19 Paragons gazed towards Noah''s figure that stood above them with utter stupor, his figure seemingly covered with a brilliant white luster as a star of conquest shone above him majestically- making him look like an ancient primal being out of pure fantasy. Their skeletal hands unconsciously reached out to him as after feeling his immense power- after experiencing him actually inverting time and bringing them back to before they ingested the time bombs that would have shattered their Origins...their very essence seemed to reach out towards him as when a certain prompt appeared in front of their eyes, they called out softly. "I pledge Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor¡­" "I pledge Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor¡­" "I pledge¡­" RUMBLE! The star of conquest above Noah shone brightly as the 19 Seeds of Chaos before him were put away, the eyes of all beings witnessing the scene of him alone standing against 19 Paragons at the same stage as him, stripping them of all their power...and then making them kneel as they pledged allegiance to him. ¡­! The hearts of many Hegemonies were jolted at this moment as a set of words appeared in their hearts, but they still couldn''t bring themselves to utter it out loud. A set of words flowed through the minds of all Hegemonies! It was a set of words, or more so a title, that was given to a being that absolutely stood over all other beings at the same stage. In the millions of years of recorded history of the Primordial Cosmos, existences given titles such as these were few and far between, with others claiming these titles only to lose them as they faced defeat soon after, and others not being able to keep their lives when they advanced to the Realms above. At this point in time, only two existences were still alive in the Primordial Cosmic who held a title such as this, these existences namely being the Oathkeeper...and the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos! Before they advanced to the Universal Realm, they were unrivaled in the level of Paragons as no beings in their universes or those that could cross the boundary of Universes could match them. Now, as they looked at a being who stood against 19 Paragons that had ingested the Origin Essence of a Hegemony and showed power that far exceeded any bounds of Paragons...as they watched this being so seamlessly and easily take down all 19 of them at once as a second later, they were kneeling and pledging their fealty to him...this title rose in their hearts! THRUM! The Wings of Primordial Destiny of one of the Hegemonies outside of the boundary of the Necrotic Universe shone as an instant later, the magisterial figure of a golden haired existence with glimmering wings appeared, his entrance brightening up the surroundings as his golden eyes gazed upon the figure of Noah and the shocking scene of 19 Paragons kneeling towards him. What others could not utter, he could. After all, he had obtained such a title in the past as well. "Apex Paragon¡­" RUUMBLE! Golden waves of destiny and fortune exploded out at the mere mention of this title, the surrounding Hegemonies turning their eyes to look at Oathkeeper with solemn expression before they returned to a being they had to now pay attention to! The Apex Paragon! In this era, he was the only one to rise and take this title as the Oathkeeper and the Goliath had long since lost it the moment they rose to become Universal Realm Hegemonies. But on this day, all of them saw the birth of a new Apex Paragon- of an existence that in the ranks of Paragons was unrivaled! If he met any others of the same rank, he could dispatch them with ease as his power was already edging towards that of a Hegemony! WAA! The only other Apex Paragons to break through to the Universal Realm had become 2 of three Existences that stood at the very top of power in the Primordial Cosmos. The eyes of many powerful beings gazed upon the fearsome figure of a being that had glorious white essence cascading down from a glimmering star, an enormous clock thrumming with the essence of Chronos far above him as they wondered...just what would happen when this Apex Paragon achieved the Universal Realm as well? Chapter 1042 - The Apex Paragon! II Within the Necrotic Universe, a spatial fluctuation occurred near the Hegemony of Necromancy as the form of a being with a swirling black hole appeared beside him. Having just returned from delivering more Seeds of Chaos in the Automaton Universe, the Goliath looked at the scene of Noah standing above 19 Paragons that his Origin Essence had just been occupying, and then looked at the 80 Seeds of Chaos that were yet to be utilized. A sense of pervasive silence seemed to descend around them as the Hegemony of Necromancy also continued to gaze at the 80 Seeds of Chaos! 20 of them had already been used against their enemy, and yet this being had seamlessly taken care of them as the remaining 80...it was a wonder to the Hegemony of Necromancy on just what they should do with them! The Goliath had a silent expression as his awareness focused on the figure of Noah far away. At the vibrant Essence of Chronos that stood above the chaotic void still swirling endlessly. Seeing such a development and being stumped on exactly what to do, the period of silence between the two Hegemonies continued until a voice transmission entered their ears at this moment. "An Apex Paragon should not have appeared to stand in our way, and yet it has. It is simply the tricks of the Primordial Cosmos trying to veer us off course, but it will not work." RUMBLE! All the way from the Animus Universe, the voice of Chronos rang in their minds as it continued a second later. "All of it just means we''re on the right path...and that our mission will achieve our intended results if we are getting this much interference. Antiquity is within reach sooner than any of us can expect, and this should become apparent in a few hours¡­" ¡­! The eyes of the Hegemony of Necromancy shone as the Goliath remained impassive, the voice of Chronos entering their minds for the last time. "After all these days, the accumulation has reached a milestone as it can be considered one-fourth completed, with a portion of the essence of Antiquity from the Universal Constructs spreading out across the affected Universes!" "When that time comes, use the Seeds of Chaos again¡­!" THRUM! A shocking revelation came from Chronos as even when it seemed many things were stacked against them, he voiced out that in a matter of hours, the situation would change as the Universal Constructs would bring them all to a whole new stage. They were the only ones with this knowledge as the powerhouses opposing them were still reeling from the fact that an Apex Paragon had appeared, and that this being had somehow comprehended the Cosmic Dao of Chronos that very few Hegemonies got their hands on! Outside the boundary of the Necrotic Universe, Oathkeeper pulled out his [Wings of Primordial Destiny] as he spoke into it carefully, his target being the Apex Paragon below them that was waving his hands and reassembling his armies. The other Hegemonies in the surroundings perked their ears as they listened with solemnity. "You''ve gained the title of an Apex Paragon after standing against beings with power exceeding this stage and still defeating them. How exactly did you manage to do this?" Oathkeeper and the others all wanted to understand Noah- they all wanted to know what this Paragon that was leading the charge against their battle with beings that wanted to harm their own Cosmos had that made him this unique and powerful! Within the Necrotic Universe below, the figure of the Demonic Lich Emperor waved his hands and called forth the Wings of Primordial Destiny as he seemed to adopt an utterly serious expression while getting ready to reveal a shocking secret. The Hegemonies saw this atmosphere as they listened closely, the voice of the Apex Paragon ringing out soon after. "...with enough hard work and dedication, anything is possible." "..." RUMBLE! Tumultuous fluctuations of essence buzzed out around the Hegemonies, the eyes of the Oathkeeper remaining impassive as even with such an answer, he continued to send another message. "The Cosmic Dao of Chronos...it is something that even Universal Realm Existences cannot easily grasp, how did you comprehend it?" "..." Many beings listened breathlessly as their gazes towards the Apex Paragon varied. This being seemed to be too eccentric as even his answers weren''t reliable, and after recalling how he conversed when they found out he designed Daos himself and his most recent reply, they seemed to already know what was coming as they prepared themselves! Below them, Noah grasped onto the Wings of Primordial Destiny as he looked at the crimson purple clock still swirling above his head. His hands tapped towards it as it shimmered brightly, the enormous clock reducing in size instantaneously as it very soon came down into barely a few inches of a clock that descended on his hands, the essence of Chronos potent as it showered his body with power. While controlling such a Cosmic Dao, he spoke lightly as he seemed to be revealing a profound truth. "I''ve always been called a genius since I was young, so this must have something to do with it¡­" "..." "After seeing you, the Goliath, and that Chronos use the Cosmic Dao of Chronos so many times and now these Incarnations of Chaos utilize it too...I was unconsciously able to pick it up." RUMBLE! The words were like a thundering strike of lightning that smashed into the Origins of the listening Hegemonies, all of them turning mute as even the Oathkeeper did not ask any more questions! They were just receiving constant reminders of how ruthless the mouth of the Apex Paragon was, simply left to look at his actions in awe without understanding exactly how he was able to do it all. They could merely observe this being''s movements from afar as a single being was still focused on him very deeply. It was the one that had brought Order among the vast powers of the Primordial Cosmos, the being that held a profound Cosmic Treasure that could control the very Primordial Essence that made the Cosmos around them! At this moment, Oathkeeper''s gaze focused deeply on Noah as many thoughts crossed his mind, a sharp light of destiny coursing through them as thoughts of great immensity coursed through¡­ Chapter 1043 - A Mere Glimpse Of Antiquity! I The Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos had given 100 Seeds of Chaos to the Hegemony of Necromancy, and he had gone to the Automaton Universe where Noah''s subordinates were moving to give a hundred more to the Mechanical Hegemony. The races of mechanical beings within the vast Automaton Universe were more closely interconnected as there would even be entire galaxies where a single central machine mass produced the Androids or Automaton Sentinels. Naturally, the Paragons moving throughout were much more interconnected as well, the number ingesting the Seeds of Chaos and becoming Incarnations also being 20 for the first wave that the Mechanical Hegemony sent forward! The Android and Automaton Sentinel Paragons to arrive on the battlefield had shown immense battle power as the Clones of Emperor Penguin, Anna, the Sword Emperor...the clones of many of Noah''s subordinates were wiped out before the battlefield was brought under control by no other beings than Noah''s own Animus Summons. Being connected to Noah, each of them could display the Cosmic Dao of Ruination when his clones fused with them, his summons being the only combatants that could withstand the robotic Incarnations of Chaos that utilized Lasers filled with the essence of Extinction and nuclear photon bombs that blew apart entire regions a few seconds in the past and future as they utilized the Dao of Chronos to land sure hit attacks! Only Noah''s summons could handle them at this moment, and even they were put on the defensive for the first few minutes of the battle as they alone kept the attention of 20 Android and Automaton Sentinel Incarnations of Chaos. That is...until Noah underwent the process of Emergence and obtained a brand new Cosmic Dao.. A glorious set of events unfolded thereafter, but we actually only need to focus on a single one. It was the actions of a certain being that was even declared a taboo in the Primordial Cosmos, a being that could disrupt certain rules that very few could even imagine breaking! RUMBLE! In the vastness of existence, there were certain absolute laws and rules that held everything in place- things that existed to make possible a semblance of balance in the wide expanse of chaos. An example of this was the concept of Cosmic Daos, and how they could only be obtainable through certain methods as they held extremely heavy restrictions around them! For Noah to be able to bring to fruition the [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence] ability, he utilized the quantifiable essence that he gained from reaping the lives of billions of other existences- the 130 Billion skill points...to bring this ability to fruition. It was a hard and terrifying number to wrap one''s head around, but it gave Noah a backdoor to bend the rules and give him the capability to obtain Cosmic Daos in a relatively smooth manner. But...there existed other beings that had the potential to be even more terrifying than Noah. Beings that possessed ridiculous abilities innately as they could overturn the balance of many things...and it just so happened that one of such beings was contracted to Noah! RUMBLE! The cerulean blue eyes of the childish figure of the Universal Emperor Slime hid in the folds of space as he watched the scenes of the shocking power of the Incarnations of Chaos- Android and Automaton Sentinel Paragons that had swallowed a portion of the Origin Essence of a Universal Hegemony. This Blue Slime had a skill unique to its race and its race alone, a skill that made them existences with terrifying potential! It was of course, their ability of that was starkly different from the [Devouring] that the Sin of Gluttony held, so different that they were many classes apart! <> :: Any life form that is devoured will be fully assimilated seamlessly as their abilities, Realm, Law Comprehensions, Dao Comprehensions, and anything else within their existence will be obtained. This is an ability unique to the Universal Emperor Slimes. This was the description of the skill that Noah had read when he first contracted with the Blue Slime, and it remained the same at this point in time as it held wondrous implications when he gazed at the Incarnations of Chaos in this Automaton Universe. Their bodies glimmered with a metallic glint as the Automaton Sentinel Paragons were massive, their faces being a blank metal canvas that shone with a deadly luster. The Automaton Android had humanoid bodies that would change every so often to reveal deadly weapons hidden throughout. They battled with the other Animus Summons as the assassin hidden in the dark was ready to make a move. The Universal Emperor Slime looked at these existences with a hungry gaze that could only be satiated after something was devoured! And the chance for this had arrived as a brand new Cosmic Dao had just landed on Noah''s lap. One of Noah''s clones was fused to the body of the blue slime as he wondered, just what results would come out of this creature utilizing ? As the skill description stated, would it truly do what it said? Was the innate ability of this Blue Slime that terrifying?! It was a question that had to be answered, so the master and summon moved forward as they instantly appeared behind an Automaton Sentinel, the small hands of the Blue Slime waving mystically as he was the first of the Summons to use the essence of Chronos through Noah and cast a [Temporal Halt]! BZZZT! From the bodies of Tiamat, Calamity Bear...and all the other summons, the glorious luster of the essence of Chronos also erupted out as they targeted the other 19 Incarnations of Chaos. In front of the Blue Slime, a gorgeous color of purple and red erupted out around the body of the Automaton Sentinel. Its figure creaked and shook powerfully as the essence of Chronos had already begun to erupt from it as well, but the Blue Slime only needed barely a second of this being staying in place for him to do what he wanted. WAA! A glimmer of blue shone as the body of the blue slime ballooned rapidly, instantly covering the enormous figure of the Automaton Sentinel Incarnation of Chaos that held within it...a portion of an Origin Essence of a Hegemony! Something that Noah nor this Blue Slime would have ever had the chance to even come across if the Goliath had not done what he did! The Sentinel''s red eyes merely shook as its senses told it of a horrendous future that it could not stop. <> WAP! ¡­! A bright blue light shone out. An Incarnation of Chaos disappeared. The childish body of a blue haired boy reappeared calmly in the void of space as a second later...something even more terrifying was born! From its body, there was the eruption of the unstable auras of the essence of the Cosmic Daos of Chronos...Extinction...Phantasm...all of the Dao Essences present in the Seeds of Chaos that the Incarnations ingested. All of them. All of them without question! ¡­! Chapter 1044 - A Mere Glimpse Of Antiquity! II A lull appeared on the battlefield as a terribly overpowering Incarnation was devoured, a singular figure taking on the stage as everyone''s eyes focused on him, his childish features being extremely deceiving as the body of this being was currently trembling with overpowering waves of power! He had just devoured a minuscule portion of an Origin Essence of a Hegemony, and true to its function...the ability of <> that was unique to the Universal Emperor Slime truly seamlessly assimilated everything devoured. But the portion devoured was truly too minuscule as the essence of many Cosmic and Grand Daos vibrated from it body in an unstable fashion, its Origin being the one thing undergoing the greatest changes as 100 billion glimmering galaxies began to form hundreds of thousands of connections right away...this existence making its way towards forming a Universal Seed! That was how domineering the ability of <> was! Seeing the unstable aura of the Blue Slime, Noah''s clone had a grim expression as even though it seemed like the Cosmic Daos were already within its grasp, the myriad of differing essences weren''t setting down. The consciousness of the clone reached into the expansive space that was shared with the main body and the rest of the clones as within it....there were 19 pristine and unused Seeds of Chaos. The events between the Necrotic and Automaton Universe happened nearly simultaneously, with Noah''s battles beginning first as the Incarnations within the Automaton Universe only appeared later! By the time that Noah defeated the 19 Paragons with Temporal Inversion and put away the 19 Seeds of Chaos extracted from them, they were removed by the clone in the Automaton Universe right away as he brought them out one by one and had the Blue Slime silently use <> on them directly. THRUM! One Seed of Chaos after another...were directly devoured by the Blue Slime as the aura surrounding his figure became more and more monstrous while also stabilizing. The vibrant essence of many daos swirled majestically around his small figure, the comprehensions of a myriad of Cosmic Daos ridiculously being obtained by this Universal Emperor Slime at once! Normally, such a reality where an existence like him at the level of Paragon gaining access to the Origin of a Universal Realm Hegemony that had comprehended many Cosmic Daos would never have come to fruition, but The Goliath and Chronos had simply hatched a scheme that benefit certain beings too much! BZZZT! After the 19th Seed of Chaos was devoured by the Blue Slime, the auras of Cosmic Daos around him fully stabilized as the childish cerulean blue eyes opened with a bright light, a sense of shocking power hidden within as every single existence on the battlefield looked towards it in awe. The expression on the childish face was that of utter fulfillment as the hands of the Blue slime were raised up, the skies quaking as the essence of Extinction and Chronos erupted out gloriously, ready to target the 19 remaining Android and Automaton Sentinel Incarnations of Chaos as aside from it, the other Animus Summons also trembled with the essence of Chronos that Noah''s clones were channeling through them! Outside the boundary of the Automaton Universe, a Hegemony was holding a Wings of Primordial Destiny within his hands as they trembled, not even being capable of sending the message of what he was seeing across as after they saw and heard about an Apex Paragon rising as he comprehended the Dao of Chronos, he was now seeing a cerulean figure release not just Chronos, but the essence of Extinction and a myriad of other Cosmic Daos as he was followed by the commanders of the Legions also releasing the essence of Chronos. Had Cosmic Daos become so easy to comprehend nowadays? Could anyone just pick them up whenever they wished? Just what was going on with these beings that all held the shimmering Star of Conquest over them?! RUMBLE! There were many questions with no answers, but news of the shocking developments in the Automaton Universe quickly spread as many Hegemonies also turned their eyes to this direction as well. This fantastical development reached Oathkeeper as he grasped onto the Wings of Primordial Destiny where he could communicate with a certain being, recalling his biting words not too long ago as he expected this eccentric Apex Paragon to do something similar! But he couldn''t not ask! "The existences leading the Legions of the 9 Supreme Bloodline Races in the Automaton Universe that are now utilizing the Dao of Chronos among many other Cosmic Daos¡­" His question didn''t even finish as from the Wings of Primordial Destiny, the Oathkeeper received a reply from Noah halfway through his question. "Oh, them? They''re just my contracted summons. They''ve been slacking in power recently, but now one of them has even comprehended Extinction before me...Ah!" ¡­! "..." The reply was nonchalant as it seemed he was both proud and pained that his summons had achieved a Dao that he had not been able to comprehend himself. Even though Noah was currently fused with the Blue Slime, all of its gains from the racial <> were for the Slime alone as it felt like a barrier existed for Noah when he tried to gain access to the new Cosmic Daos it just comprehended. Just like how he could use Ruination Essence within the bodies of his summons and they never learned or comprehended the Dao of Ruination, his Summons could use their comprehended Daos as they were their own! After listening to Noah''s reply, Oathkeeper did not continue asking anything else as he only looked at the scenes of the fantastical events taking place in the two Universes, his thoughts being his own this powerful being soon adopted a decisive look, glorious golden light erupting from his eyes at this moment! For the ongoing battle thereafter, everything proceeded smoothly as with the help of his Summons, the Incarnations of Chaos in the Automaton Universe were brought down as their reign of Conquest continued unhindered. Similar to Noah in the Necrotic Universe...they didn''t face another set of enemies or Incarnations after that as it seemed there was no response to their shocking actions from Chronos and the others! But...it wasn''t that there was no response, it was just a delayed one as from the words of Chronos to the Goliath and others, the Universal Constructs had reached a certain stage as a shocking effect would soon be revealed. Chapter 1045 - A Mere Glimpse Of Antiquity! III Since the process of Universal Amalgamation began, more than a week had passed as the progress had reached a significant milestone. Chronos considered this milestone being one fourth of the way there, which gave the shocking timeline of another three or four weeks at most before enough accumulation of essence had occurred and then¡­. Antiquity! THRUM! There was a vibration of essence from the Universal Constructs located in the 9 Universes currently under lockdown. The Hegemony of Necromancy and the Goliath still remained in the Necrotic Universe as they watched Noah''s Legions continue forward after defeating 20 Incarnations of Chaos. Their eyes looked towards the Universal Construct that the Hegemony of Necromancy was tasked with protecting as at this moment...the cocoon like structure of the Universal Construct began to thump like a beating heart as with every beat, there was a rapid awakening of a shocking power that nobody in the Primordial Cosmos had come across before! In the Automaton Universe, in front of the Universal Construct that the Mechanical Hegemony protected while keeping 80 Seeds of Chaos close at hand....a similar phenomenon occurred as a pulsing heart beat began to resound from the Universal Construct. This phenomenon occurred in all 9 affected Universes as they brought with them a shocking feeling of awe and power, Chronos staring at the cocoon like Construct in the Animus Universe as his eyes shone with a glorious light! "It is here¡­" THUMP!! The gaze of Chronos was that of utter fervor and might as a terrifying aura pulsed from the Universal Constructs that very closely resembled cocoons at this moment, these cocoons pulsing as if they were resonating to a heart beat as with every thump, waves of crimson light were released across the vast Universes! THUMP! The heart beat faster and faster as it seemed like a symphony about to reach a crescendo, this sound spreading to every living thing within the Universes as Noah''s figure gazed towards the direction of the Universal Construct in the Necrotic Universe with a somber expression. THUMP! The star of conquest above his head pulsed with power, washing down pure white essence unto him as at this moment, a crimson essence began to come out in waves along with every single beat of the Universal Constructs. His legions came to a stop as they observed this phenomenon with immense somberness in the Necrotic and Automaton Universe. The Hegemonies outside of these Universes also felt this shocking phenomenon as many were alerted, Oathkeeper having already been closely observing the Necrotic and Automaton Universes when the phenomenon began as his body had already begun to light up with Primordial Essence! WAAA! The sounds of heart beats reached a crescendo as each of the Universal Constructs began to glimmer with a brilliant crimson light that went on to spread out and cover every single corner of the 9 Universes. When this light passed through planetary bodies, void of space, and galaxies, they shuddered from its sheer pressure! When they passed through living beings...something even more shocking occurred as many would not be able to understand what was happening, but a certain someone who had a system that could quantify many things was able to understand most of it right away. Noah was one of the many beings to feel the crimson wave of light emanate from a far away Universal Construct and wash over everything, a unique phenomenon occurring within his body as the moment this light passed...he felt as if a large number of shackles were placed onto him! Shackles! This was the only way he could describe it as it wasn''t until a second later that a blue text box began to buzz with words in front of him, gradually spitting out what was occurring as Noah''s eyes opened wide with shock at every word he read. [Under the Influence of a portion of the aura of The Great Usurper. The effects of Corruption of the Usurper, Malignant Madness, and Heretical Malediction are applied.] ¡­! THRUM! Noah''s eyes shone with shock as he felt the surroundings drastically change, his body seemingly constricted on all sides at this moment as the first blue text box went away, his eyes focusing on a few select words on it as more information appeared in front of him! [Corruption of the Usurper](Initial) :: Those not under the protection of the Great Usurper gain the Corrupted Status directly on their souls as their Mana and Health Regeneration are reduced by half, the Damage Taken from other sources is increased by 10,000%, -10,000% To All Laws and Dao Resistances, -10,000% Comprehension and Assimilation Ability to all Laws and Daos, -50% Life Force, -50% Reduction in All Attributes, -50% Effectiveness of All Abilities, -50% Mana Reserves, -50% Movement Speed, -50% Attack Speed, -50% Cast Speed, -50% Efficiency of Mana Conduction and Usage, and 50% Chance of Skills Failing on Cast. [Malignant Madness](Initial) :: The Pressure of the Great Usurper coils around you, reducing the strength of your Soul by half and granting the status effects of Fearful, Enfeeble, Maddened, Weakened, Impotent, Demoralized, Petrified, Debilitated, Wasting, Webbed, and Overwhelmed. [Heretical Malediction] :: Once one remains in the presence of the aura of the Great Usurper without protecting themselves from it invading their Origins, a Malediction blooms within their souls as it will eventually devour them and cause the emergence of the Followers of the Usurper. Heretical Malediction causes a metamorphosis of the body and soul that is unchangeable once it has taken place. The time of initial change is around 14 Cosmic Days. ¡­! A shocking set of debuffs brought about by a mere aura of an existence that was being called out to by Chronos and the others! The corruption of the Usurper...he could not even defend against it as anyone within the boundaries of the 9 Universes had this effect applied directly to their souls. One could not even defend against it! It stemmed from the cocoon-like Universal Constructs, but as mentioned from the status effects Noah was seeing, it was merely an aura of a being. A mere portion of it. At this moment, those living within the 9 affected universes felt the shocking wave of a mere portion of an aura of Antiquity. Just a mere glimpse of Antiquity that nearly caused every existence in the 9 Universes to fall to their knees! Just a glimpse! Chapter 1046 - Encumbrance! "Finally¡­" THRUM! Chronos felt the waves of crimson essence land on him as the effects were much different compared to what Noah and the others felt. Whatever negative effect the beings within the 9 Universes received, they were oppositely positive when the aura of the Great Usurper landed on the bodies of Chronos and others similar to him! All of the Hegemonies that had branded their auras to the Universal Constructs, all of the beings that were under the influence of these Hegemonies and thus had the protection of the Great Usurper instead of being its enemy...all of these beings experienced an enhancement in their strength as the terrifying reality of what would come in the future was slowly revealed. Chronos had a light smile on his face as he seemed to be reminiscing, his hand landing on the pulsing cocoon as he felt the beating of the powerful heart that released the crimson wave with every thump. His smile became even brighter as he turned around thereafter, staring at the shocked figure of Valentina''s clone not too far away that he had placed on a Temporal Lock. His eyes shone with a sharp light as he sent a voice transmission to a certain being at this moment. "Ambrose, come back to the Animus Universe and face this annoying fly that continues to come back. The Cerulean Hegemony will take your post in the Liberated Universe." ¡­! A shocking message that was followed through as soon after, the astounded figure of Ambrose appeared in the Animus Universe while feeling the immense burst of strength from the pulsing Universal Construct. Chronos waves his hands as a purple clock unwound, the Temporal Lock around Valentina''s clone fading away as her figure bubbled with power while she looked at the two enemies with a deadly glare. "What have you fools done now?!" THRUM! Her body glimmering with powerful light as the Star of Conquest above her spun powerfully, shooting towards Chronos as this time around, they wanted to test the effects of a portion of the aura of the Great Usurper on their enemies! Ambrose was the one to go meet Valentina''s attacks as Chronos watched from the side, his eyes shining with a sharp light as when he watched the battle unfold...the shocking reality of the edge that Valentina showed against Ambrose had disappeared, and the Hegemony of Slaughter was actually controlling the pace of the battle once more as his expression became excited. BOOM! Not even putting the effects of [Malignant Madness] into account, just the [Corruption of the Usurper] was enough to change the tides of power for many beings! Damage Taken being increased by 10,000% while the resistance to all laws and Daos was reduced by the same percentage...just this effect from the Corruption of the Usurper was enough to demoralize many beings. But there were even more on top of all this as Valentina was the first to taste the results of the new reality against an enemy she could overwhelm before. "Haha!" After 10 minutes, Ambrose laughed out boisterously as he shattered the clone of Valentina with a storm of Annihilation, this being taking too much pleasure from this action as the light of slaughter within his eyes shone brightly! Even though it took Chronos a few seconds to dispatch one of Valentina''s clones under normal circumstances, it had still taken Ambrose over 10 minutes to do the same even while under the effects of the aura of the Great Usurper. This was a difference in power in terms of Cosmic Daos being shown yet again! Chronos looked at the celebrating Ambrose as he nodded, his figure beginning to fade away into particles of spatial light as he sent multiple messages towards Ambrose and a few others. With this progression, he had no need to oversee the Animus Universe constantly as Ambrose could now take care of the only enemy Hegemony capable of descending within this Universe, and Chronos could move again to fully control the many things occurring across the 9 Universes at this moment! Antiquity...it wasn''t too far away as he could already taste it! --- "These fuckers are getting bolder and bolder¡­" In the Dark Universe, Valentina spoke in an annoyed manner as Barbatos listened to her words with a proud expression, taking credit for the gradual change in the language of this pristine Hegemony. "But this aura coming from the Universal Constructs¡­" Valentina turned her eyes towards Noah after she felt the connection between her and her clone destroyed yet again, this time by a being that couldn''t defeat her before! She could only turn to the being that had shattered her world view time and time again, her gaze and the gazes of Barbatos, and Adelaide all turning towards Noah''s figure that was floating off the ground as his body was surrounded by a storm of Universal Fortune and golden waves of Destiny. He opened his eyes soon after as he gazed towards them while speaking lightly. "Just a small portion of the aura of Antiquity! It comes with too many status effects as it should heavily cut off the battle power of many beings. What I''m most worried about is the [Heretical Malediction] that permanently changes weaker beings into Followers of the Usurper. That''s trillions upon trillions of beings that are already Vassals and even future possible Vassals¡­!" His eyes were filled with an unknown light as Adelaide appeared beside him with a smile while hugging his back. "You can just transport all of them to the Dark Universe. After that, the rate of accumulation of those Universal Constructs you mentioned should be heavily reduced, right?" The Ice Queen spoke lightly as Noah raised his brows while feeling the two soft blessings land on his back, trying his best to stay on schedule as Parallel Mind and a myriad of other abilities kept him focused on the serious subject at hand. "There should be less than two weeks before the effects of [Heretical Malediction] kick in...we''ll conquer as many Universes as possible before then and migrate however many beings required if need be! But the battles from now on will be much harder¡­" Noah thought of the restrictive status effects that his Primordial Ruination Clone was currently facing as his eyes shone with a grand light of destiny, wanting to know just how the Chronos''s group would move after the spread of this aura of the Great Usurper! He seemed to be the only one worrying though as Barbatos also walked towards Noah while clapping her hands. "Ok so, the other issue at hand- that Athena, Anna, and Elena walking around all depressed this whole time and bringing the whole mood down...you have to fix that mess and take responsibility! It''s not like you don''t have endless mana and clones to take care of everything..." RUMBLE! Noah''s expression changed as an even harder task was placed on the plate of his main body, his Primordial Ruination Clone and other clones left to deal with the shocking developments of the 9 affected Universes in the Primordial Cosmos! Chapter 1047 - Relentless! I Within the Necrotic Universe. The fearsome presence of the Goliath vibrated powerfully as his voice rang out towards the Hegemony of Necromancy. "...Now use the remaining 80 Seeds of Chaos. All at once." ¡­! After the spread of the terrifying aura of the Great Usurper, the Goliath and others in the same camp naturally weren''t affected by this as they had their auras branded onto the Universal Constructs. Now, they would only be using this as a chance to wipe out the fearsome Apex Paragon making his way across the Necrotic Universe! The Hegemony of Necromancy nodded as his figure disappeared, going into the depths of the remaining Clans of Undead in the Necrotic Universe as he planned to utilize all of them to take down the coming enemy. Not a portion of the forces remaining in the Necrotic Universe...but every single Paragon and Monarch he could find as long as he could entice them while utilizing the Dao of Necromancy! He would make this Apex Paragon that had now fallen under the effects of the aura of the Great Usurper and had their power greatly reduced face the remaining force of an entire universe that were led by 80 Incarnations of Chaos! --- "The Great Usurper¡­" Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone repeated these words over and over again in his mind as he familiarized himself with this unknown enemy. The Undead Legion behind him was filled with over 50 Paragons at this moment, all of them leading sections of hundreds of billions of creatures that waded through the Universe in search of more existences he could conquer as he now had even more reason to rapidly increase the Marks of Antiquity! At this moment as he neared the completion of the conquest of the Necrotic Universe, he had gained a few billion more as the number was currently edging towards 8 Billions Marks of Antiquity. He expected for him to hit the 10 Billion Mark with the complete Conquest of the Necrotic Universe, leaving behind only 40 Billion more before he could completely connect all of the 100 Billion Galaxies within his Origin and form the Universal Seed! When that time came¡­! RUMBLE! Noah''s eyes flashed with power at this thought as he focused on the present. To complete the conquest of the Necrotic Universe, Destiny told him he would have to overcome a perilous battle. A battle where he was under horrendous debuffs from the mere aura of an Antiquity, where the power that his Subordinates could display was reduced by a large amount! But when it came to him¡­ Even if the debuffs made it so that he had -10,000% Comprehension and Assimilation Ability to all Laws and Daos, so what? He had tens of thousands of percentages when it came to this area! Even if he could receive +10,000% more damage, so what? He had the Purification of both Ruination and Primordial Essence that had long since spilled over 1,000,000% to all Parameters, granting him that same percentage in defense, health, mana conductivity...everything! Even if they cut his mana reserves by half, what was half of INFINITY?! RUMBLE! A glorious flash of golden light shot out from his eyes at such a thought, raising his head as he looked towards a certain direction where a storm of essence was gathering. He was currently situated upon an enormous throne of essence and bones as he kept his form of a Demonic Lich Emperor, moving at the forefront of the Legions of Undead that swirled with the Necrotic Ring of Death. The Seven Deadly Sins pulsed with immense power as they moved right behind Noah, each of them carrying an aura of malevolent power as even with the debuffs, they seemed even more intent on battling their enemies! The over 50 Paragons were behind the sins as they led trillions upon trillions of Undead that ranged from Dullahans, Dragons, Draconic Vampyres, Titanous Undead...all the myriad of Undead Races at the ranks of Entities and above filled the Undead Legions that seemed to cover the distance of a Galaxy. Undead Legions covering millions of miles in diameter! Ah! Against all of these forces, Noah raised his gaze as he noticed the storm of essence hundreds of thousands of miles away gathering, the auras of tens of Paragons beginning to light up as they came closer and closer. These auras were extremely unique as they were not just those of Paragons...but they exceeded this level as they infinitely neared the ranks of Hegemonies- it was the aura of Incarnations of Chaos! OOOOH! Against the rising auras of powerful beings, Noah''s forces felt their oppressive pressure tens of thousands of miles away as the Paragons stopped their forces and had them brace themselves, the Paragons on his side bellowing out as the trillions of Undead followed. OOOOH! The bellows reverberated across the chaotic void as even with the oppression of an Antiquity, Noah''s forces still seemed to vibrate with power. The auras of Incarnations of Chaos came even closer after a few seconds, Noah remaining on his throne as he gazed calmly at their appeared figures. WAP! A spatial essence vibrated out as 10 appeared soon after. WAP! Then twenty. WAP! Fifty. WAP! Eighty! RUMBLE! The pristine and domineering aura of 80 Undead Paragon Incarnation of Chaos appeared grandly as behind them, for millions of miles...were the auras of undead that looked as vast as an unending sea. They towered majestically before Noah as the endless sea was actually hundreds of trillions of undead, promising for a shocking battle to come as all of them were led by powerful Incarnations at the very forefront! Some of them were Lich Emperors as their skeletal figures blazed with blue flames, standing atop Undead Qilins and Dragons. Other Incarnations were Abyssal Undead Emperors as they were the size of Planets, holding in their hands swords and spears in the form of Dao Weapons as a single swing from them could shatter a star! The majesty and honor of the Races of Undead were all present at this moment as they all stared silently at Noah''s calm figure that was still sat on the imposing throne of bones. THRUUM! Essence flew around the battlefield madly as not a single side spoke, an oppressive silence descending in the chaotic space as both sides seemed to just watch each other. Outside the boundary of the Necrotic Universe, there were also a few Hegemonies watching this battle as inside the Necrotic Universe itself, the Hegemony of Necromancy and the Goliath were also watching near the Universal Construct. Many eyes watched this singular unfolding battle as the pervasive silence was needed for the shocking storm to come. One side was under heavy debuffs as a single Demonic Lich Emperor led over 50 Undead Paragons and Sins, the other side had 80 Incarnations of Chaos leading hundreds of trillions of Undead! In the tense standoff of power, a singular prominent being on a throne moved first. He raised his palm grandly as a glorious star of conquest shone over him, a crimson purple clock blooming from his palm at this moment as it expanded to cover everything! Chapter 1048 - Relentless! II Under the influence of heavy oppression from an aura of an Antiquity, one had to be reserved as they moved with care. This was the belief that the Hegemony of Necromancy and any others held when they thought about the many existences within the 9 affected Universes. This was the belief they had when an army unlike any other had been prepared, 80 Incarnations of Chaos being produced as the result of them facing a heavily oppressed and weakened enemy should naturally be a one sided massacre. Yet¡­ RUUMBLE! A single being defied their expectations as while calmly situated upon a throne, he began to wildly release waves of mana, the essence of Chronos being at the forefront as a crimson purple clock bloomed in front of everyone''s eyes! It expanded to cover thousands of miles in an instant, and continued to stretch out even further as when this being clenched his hand, this clock began to shine with a gorgeous glimmer of intense light! ¡­! The Incarnations of Chaos looked at this scene as their bodies vibrated with the essence of Chronos, Extinction, and many other Cosmic Daos. Their figures looked like 80 shining spots of light in the darkness of the chaotic void, burning intensely as they all moved towards Noah in unison. THRUM! The chaotic void shook as in response to the relentless advance of the figures glimmering with light, a 100 meter tall humanoid Sin of Pride flickers to the very forefront as the golden axe within its hands glimmered brightly. The darkness was lit up even more in the next second, millions of miniaturized suns bloomed behind the golden axe as the Sin of Pride swung down with an expression of deep arrogance! WAA! The Sin of Pride moved first, but the rest of the sins soon followed as their bodies lit up brightly to release their own uniquely shocking attacks. One must recall...they should all be under heavy restrictions from the portion of the aura of Antiquity! After them, the over 50 Paragon Undead behind Noah lit up with the essence of death, their Legions moving as the Necrotic Ring of Death began to expand. It just had to touch and start killing a small portion of the enemy forces before it quickly bloomed to 1,000,000% increase in the Area of Effect and Damage of the Necrotic Ring of Death! Many cards were ready to be played, but the main one remained the same. It remained the Demonic Lich Emperor situated upon the throne of bones. RUUMBLE! His eyes blazed with an intense light as the clock that now covered everything shot out with a deadly light of Chronos! --- Time continued to churn as many existences moved. Apart from the Necrotic Universe, there was also the Automaton Universe where Noah''s subordinates were leading the Conquest under his name! Similar to Noah, these beings had also invited the force of 80 Incarnations of Chaos after they took down the 20 initial Incarnations. They did this with Noah''s power of course, but there was also a singular figure that had taken the spotlight recently. It was the figure of the Animus Summon that could somehow wield the Daos of Extinction and Chronos among many! This existence moved like a whirlwind of death as with the essence of such pristine Daos surrounding him, he dispatched even the strongest Incarnations of Chaos in mere seconds! But that was before the descent of the aura of the Antiquity that came with the [Corruption of the Usurper]. With such a thing weighing down this being, they should not be able to even stand against an Incarnation at this moment, right? This was the thought process of the many Powerful Monarchs and Incarnations of Chaos from the Automaton Races and the Sentinels as at this moment, Noah''s subordinates were facing an army very similar to the same one he faced. 80 Incarnations floated opposite to them, the glimmer of deadly weapons and Vessels with nuclear plasma bombs being seen from the distance! Facing them were the hardened figures of the clones of the Emperor Penguin, Kazuhiko, Barbatos, Steel Mikhail...and many others who were actually heavily affected by the [Corruption of the Usurper] as they were relatively normal existences that existed in the scope of understanding! Backing all of these beings while borrowing Noah''s power was the Animus Summons, the images of the Obsidian Panther, majestic Golden Crown, the planetary sized Colossal Helios Leviathan...all of them were led by Tiamat and a singular cerulean figure at the very forefront. The cerulean figure was an enormous Blue Dragon, this being the form that the Blue Slime had taken as he displayed ridiculous might with Cosmic Daos such as Extinction and Chronos under his belt! The eyes of this Universal Emperor Slime at this moment were firm as they were even filled with an unshaken belief and resolve. It was the resolve of the being that felt like he would soon attain enough power to ask certain questions and hold a few powerful beings responsible. The resolve of a being to ask...why all of its race had to be massacred as it was currently the last of the lineage of the Universal Emperor Slimes! The Blue Slime was normally nonchalant and even childish in nature, but it was still an existence that bore immense hidden pain that very few could ever experience. This was because very few would ever happen to live and realize they were the last of their whole race. Much less understand that they were hunted and had to live while hiding who they were all this time. The Blue Slime was waiting until it reached the precipice of power as a Universal Realm Hegemony as it would then ask the Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos- why did they do what they did?! He wanted to question all of them- no matter if it was someone like Chronos or even Oathkeeper! He would ask them why all his brethren deserved to die! If the answer was not sufficient, he might just choose to devour everything for recompense. RUMBLE! Noah''s clone was currently fused with the Blue Slime as he felt its tumultuous emotions, letting this unique being choose itself as Noah had an idea of the mystery behind the genocide of the Universal Emperor Slimes from Valentina. But his subordinates weren''t just blank beings he could just forcefully move and command. They were their own existences that shouldered their own burden and pain, and Noah would let them seek their own justice. The Blue Slime seemed to hear his Master''s feelings as the enormous body of the Blue Dragon trembled with power, Cosmic Essence leaking from him as he roared out towards the Automaton Incarnations of Chaos before him, his figure flickering with glorious light as he was the first to move! ROOAAR! It was a roar of immense power and resolve as at this moment, the body of the Blue Dragon lit up with the terrifying essence of Extinction, the image of a cerulean blue clock appearing behind the Blue Dragon as it moved to freeze everything in Time! Chapter 1049 - Where Is He Getting All This Mana?! I Glorious scenes of battle were hard to come across so frequently, but some beings could just create shocking scenes that deserved to be memorialized for eons and watched by all. A force of 80 existence nearly reaching the power of a Hegemony was extremely frightening for one to face, and yet a certain being moved fearlessly to match them. 10 of them shook with power as they went to surround the seven deadly sins. 25 of them each faced 2 Undead Paragons as it came out that they matched all the 50-something Paragons that were leading Noah''s Undead Legions. 1 Incarnation of Chaos could easily match two or three normal Lich Emperor Paragons, and they boldly chose to do so as their main focus on this battle was a singular being. It was the Demonic Lich Emperor that had risen from his throne of bones and was already moving towards them! After the division of 35 Incarnations, it left behind 45 of these powerful existences to move against a singular being.. Where it was Lich Emperors standing upon terrifying Undead Dragons shining with a gorgeous blue light or titanous sized Undead Titans wielding Dao Weapons capable of fracturing stars with a mere flicker- 45 of them surrounded a singular being as their bodies lit up with glorious waves of power. A mere Paragon, under heavy debuffs at that, facing 45 Incarnations of Chaos. Yet Noah wasn''t flustered or fearful, his gaze placing as in the midst of all of this, he quickly tapped his fingers 45 times in the chaotic void as he looked at all the Incarnations coming towards him. [Temporal Halt]. BZZZT! From the space above them, the enormous crimson purple clock churned as it gushed out droves of the essence of Chronos, the bodies of the 45 Incarnations Noah faced blooming with circular swirling light as all their figures came to a stop! Their own bodies lit up brightly to offset the effects of the singular skill cast by someone, but they found to their and the shock of many beings watching that the amount of essence of Chronos that Noah was releasing from the enormous clock above superseded each of them singularly...and then it went on to supersede them all together as droves of the essence of Chronos continued to wash down and wrap around them under Noah''s command! These powerful Incarnations...actually could not break the Temporal Halt they were placed on as they all came to a stop. All 45...stopped by a single being! Noah''s gaze was still calm and free of worries. To him, it mattered not whether it was 20 Incarnation of Chaos or 100. The question remained whether they would be able to withstand when he utilized the Cosmic Dao of Chronos that could put beings in a halt in time. To do this, a mere Seed of Chaos and the small comprehensions it had on Chronos was not enough for mere Paragons to be able to break out of the shackles he placed on them! This was because they lacked not just in how much of the quality of the Dao of Chronos they could utilize, but also the quantity of it. Even at this very moment, he was converting mana into the essence of Chronos as it gushed out endlessly from the crimson purple clock, making it that even the large force of 45 Incarnations could not break free from his temporal shackles after he placed them! This gave birth to the glorious scene that deserved to be memorialized for eons, a scene of a single being merely tapping their fingers in the void as a glorious eruption of light occurred, and then 45 beings of immense power were all brought to a halt from such an action! Thereafter, his calm eyes that seemed extremely demonic and terrifying to all only gazed upon them all as he called out softly. [Temporal Inversion]. Simple. Methodical. Precise. What worked before can always work again. His fingers tapped out 45 times once more as the dazzling essence of Chronos bloomed out beautifully, enticing all of those watching in a stellar fashion as it would put many beings in dismay! --- The eyes of many watching Hegemonies were filled with somberness as they watched the unfolding scenes. They were powerful beings that had lived for a great deal of years, and they knew very well about the concepts of mana usage, this type of subject even being something crucial that all experts focused on as it could decide life and death during battle. Normally, not many beings would pay attention to estimate or count just how much mana reserves another person has, such a thing becoming readily apparent based on their actions during the course of the battle! They would show signs of exhaustion or they would hold back on the skills they cast as they waited for their reserves to regenerate. But as they looked closely at a certain being in past battles and even now, they came to realize something that they didn''t pay too much attention to in the beginning, something that other Hegemonies unconsciously questioned when they first viewed Noah''s battles. It was the question of mana! As they watched this being face 80 Incarnations of Chaos and wildly display many skills to stand against them, these powerful beings finally began to strictly pay attention to Noah''s usage of mana as when they did, their hearts began to shake at the mere reality of it as they noticed something. It was the fact that on top of wildly throwing out a great deal of skills that utilized the essence of Chronos without worry, there was another area where this being was using mana freely in a way that they shouldn''t. To see this, the Universal Hegemonies that had noticed the situation used their power to simply observe the flow of mana, and this was when they came across the shocking scene of seeing thin lines of mana connections from the body of Noah''s Demonic Lich Emperor to the terrifying Seven Deadly Sins as well as...the over 50 Paragon Undead moving across the battlefield! The Hegemonies didn''t know this, but this was Noah sending out the essence of Ruination and Chronos to wrap around the bodies of the Sins and the Undead Paragons to reinforce their power and protect them from the Cosmic Essence of their enemies. To their dismay and shock, they found out that this being wasn''t just freely going around casting skills like the concept of mana didn''t exist, but he was also releasing mana to constantly reinforce tens of beings at the same stage as him! As if he had so much mana for himself that he was free to even reinforce and give it to others! As if mana...truly wasn''t a problem for him! In the boundary of the Necrotic Universe, the Microbial Hegemony''s body was shaking with utter awe as he was the one to ask as many beings noticed the blatant waste and horrendous usage of mana from Noah. "How is it possible for him to even share mana with so many others? How is he capable of doing all of this? Just...where is he getting all this mana from?!" RUMBLE! A simple question was asked, but there was no answer. It was the question that would bring to attention the minds of many on the subject of mana and a certain being. It was a point of focus that would give birth to one of the many titles that the Apex Paragon would come to hold. It was the point of focus for the eventual birth of the title Antiquity of Mana! Chapter 1050 - Where Is He Getting All This Mana?! II The process of accumulation was proceeding well even with the reduced gathering of essence in the Animus Universe. It had proceeded to the point the aura of the Great Usurper had begun to leak and affect these Universes and the beings within, and yet¡­ BZZZT! The horrifying scene of a single being standing up against 45 Incarnations that had power exceeding anything in the stage of a Paragon was playing out! Chronos was watching this scene with somber eyes personally in the Necrotic Universe, joining the Goliath and the Hegemony of Necromancy in watching this spectacular battle near the Universal Construct within this Universe. He left behind the task of defending the Universal Construct in the Animus Universe back to Ambrose as this Hegemony could now stand against Valentina''s clones with the aid of the aura of the Great Usurper. But as he watched the glimmering clock that represented the tool one used to utilize the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos, this being that was titled with the name of this Dao had somber eyes as he was reminded of a heavy pressure.. What he did was something that went against the natural law. He knew there would be resistance and he would have to fight and claw his way out, but he never expected for such a ridiculous existence to exist as he believed this Apex Paragon appeared just to stand in his way! As a being that had lived for too long, he knew the Cosmos weren''t just an inanimate object with no consciousness. Doing what he did was an action harmful to the Cosmos, and he had faced resistance from such actions many times in the past. But he had accounted for many things this time! Using the experience from all his past times, he had moved with care as he was even able to get one of the oldest beings of the Cosmos on his side! Yet...how could the Cosmos be as ridiculous as to blatantly drop a being out of thin air to stand against him?! There should have been immense restrictions and limitations as such blatant interventions should not be possible. Chronos was not just thinking these thoughts without merit. He was a being that had lived multiple lifetimes. In the many lives he led before he reincarnated, he had faced enemies that never had to face the hardship he faced to achieve power- enemies that got their position through sheer luck as if it was appointed for them to obtain it! An example was the existence of the Oathkeeper. What did this being do to deserve having a Cosmic Treasure? How did he even obtain it? Among the myriad of quintillions upon quintillions of existences, why did he end up with a Treasure capable of affecting the Cosmos? Now, apart from a being like Oathkeeper, there was another existence that quite literally dropped out of nowhere. Literally appeared from thin air as if he wasn''t even from the Primordial Cosmos until he just needed to be when Chronos was undertaking his plans! An Apex Paragon that had battle power to take down Incarnations of Chaos that were infinitely nearing the power of a Hegemony...and this being could still display this power to its fullest even while under the oppressive aura of an Antiquity! How? "How?!" RUMBLE Chronos couldn''t help but utter out as The Goliath and the Hegemony of Necromancy beside him remained silent. Their eyes tore across the void of space as they laid their eyes on the stellar scene of a being that merely tapped the space before him, bringing to a halt 45 Incarnation of Chaos! The enormous spinning clock above everything then spun as the area and Origins around these beings began to undergo an inversion in time. It was the fantastical [Temporal Inversion] that unless the enemy could dispel with sheer strength and power or the usage of immense quality and quantity of Chronos...they could not escape it. The Incarnations of Chaos had the essence of Extinction and Chronos...and yet they could not break out of the Temporal Inversion! This was due to the scene that all of them were watching with rapt attention...the scene of endless essence of Chronos gushing from the Clock that the Apex Paragon had summoned above everything! The Apex Paragon was beating everything with pure quantity, exchanging his mana for the essence of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos in insane amounts as it caused them all to question the source of his mana reserves. The Hegemony of Necromancy could not help but utter and his breath as he watched. "Is he accessing the mana reserves of a fucking genuine Universe or something¡­?!" ¡­! He unconsciously uttered this as he watched the repetition of Seeds of Chaos being separated from the bodies of the Paragons, the number this time being double that of before as the Apex Paragon still did it as if it took the same effort. As if it didn''t matter if he faced the crazily powerful Incarnations of Chaos when they were 20 or 45! RUMBLE! The chaotic void flashed with a glorious light as with a wave of his hands, the Apex Paragon called the 45 Seeds of Chaos now standing beside 45 weakened Paragons. The field of battle turned silent. The 35 Paragon Incarnations of Chaos that had gone to face the Seven Deadly Sins and the Undead Paragons within Noah''s Legions turned towards this scene with stupor as they didn''t know what to do! 45 of them had been wiped out with a mere tap of this beings fingers, what would 35 of them do when at this moment, some of them were even struggling with the Seven Deadly Sins they could barely hold up against?! WAA! An air of majesty spread out as the Demonic Lich Emperor caused the 45 Seeds of Chaos to disappear with a wave of his hands, his gaze placid as if he didn''t just incapacitate half of the enemy Champions in seconds. His calm eyes that seemed capable of shaking the void itself landed on the weakened Paragons that just had something shocking separated from their Origins, his voice ringing out as it shook their very souls! "Fealty...or Death." RUMBLE! Chapter 1051 - A Single Minute! I "Fealty...or Death." RUMBLE! Domineering! Magisterial! Tyrannical! The void shook at the sheer dominance and tyranny of this Apex Paragon as his hand rose to up, ready to tap at any time as this simple action scared the Undead Paragons that had lived for hundreds of thousands of years! A tap of his fingers had caused a storm of Chronos Essence to wrap around them as time was halted, a few other taps later and they were forced to go through an Inversion in time as they returned to the states they were in over an hour ago. Just what would another tap of his fingers do?! Prompts appeared in front of the eyes of the 45 defeated Paragons. Their Origins were locked onto the gaze of the terrifying Demonic Lich Emperor as one by one¡­ "I pledge fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor¡­!" RUMBLE! The eyes of Chronos shone with a somber light as he watched this scene. The Hegemony of Necromancy was filled with disbelief as the Goliath continued to watch in mutely. They had no words! After the Paragons that had come to wage war very quickly bowed down to their enemy, the 35 Incarnations that remained felt a chill run down their bony spines as thereafter, the eyes of the Demonic Lich Emperor turned towards them. The 45 Undead Paragons that were Incarnations of Chaos just a minute before also turned their gazes towards the Legions they themselves brought! But...this was when a certain Necrotic Ring of Death came into the perimeter of the front most Legion. Recall the effects of these wondrous skills! [Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death](5/5) (PASSIVE):: A constantly swirling ring of death filled with the essence of the Daos of Ruination, Chronos, Annihilation¡­.The greater and more powerful the number of Undead, the more potent and deadly the Necrotic Ring of Death will be. [Endless Torment](5/5)(PASSIVE):: Any poor soul that manages to fall within the bounds of the Unstable Necrotic Ring of Death¡­adds 10% Increased Damage and area of effect for up to a maximum of 1,000,000% for 60 seconds. There were thousands of Entities and Sages within such a legion as the moment that the Ring of Death touched them and the horrifying damage from the swirling chaos of bones and essence reaped their lives...it exploded in its area of effect and damage. BZZZZT! A few thousand beings died as the percentage very quickly reached +13,000% Damage and Area of Effect! As it expanded to cover even larger regions and deal even more damage, the Undead within its folds fell even faster as in the next second, hundreds of thousands fell as its boost reached half a million just 2 seconds after the first death due to the Necrotic Ring of Death! After the 3rd second...the full +1,000,000% cap of Damage and Area of Effect was reached as the Necrotic Ring of Death had already spread to cover over a million miles in diameter. Within this area, there were trillions of Undead. In the next second¡­ "Ah¡­" Pure horror ensued as the Undead began to fall by the Billions! BZZZT! The Necrotic Ring of Death was too powerful, and after it moved to cover over 1 million miles...it allowed for the singular achievement of a being reaping the lives of a few trillions in a few seconds. "..." A pervasive silence descended as a terrifying Necrotic Ring of Death howled madly! The 35 remaining Incarnations of Chaos felt the astounding strength of this Ring of Death as while surrounded by it, they couldn''t stand against the Seven Deadly Sins and the Undead Paragons on Noah''s side that weren''t affected by the terrifying effects of the Necrotic Ring of Death, these Incarnations beginning to be ripped apart! "..." A state of utter awe and horror descended on the battlefield. Over half of the trillions of Undead collected in the Legions that came with the 80 Incarnations had fallen in a matter of seconds. Trillions! A single being bore the weight of it all as his eyes remained placid, the star of conquest shining ever brighter as the number of Skill Points he held exploded into over 200 Billion and they were still climbing. The aura of Death from the instant wipe out of trillions pervaded the battlefield as even the undead that didn''t fear death began to shake and have their wills shattered! As 35 Incarnations were being ripped apart from the effects of the Necrotic Ring of Death and the Seven Deadly Sins, the few trillions remaining in the Legions of Undead that stood opposing Noah lost their wills at this very moment! Noah saw this scene as the effect of the Necrotic Ring of Death was simply too heavy, his eyes shining brilliantly as the Dao of Fealty burst from within him and descended to the Undead that had lost their will to fight. [In exchange for a portion of his power and salvation, bind a portion of your soul to the Tyrannical Lich Emperor and become his Vassal. Choose between Death or Fealty!] A prompt appeared in front of the shaken masses. They gazed towards the powerful Lich Emperor and the terrifying Necrotic Ring of Death that was only a few miles away from them as the remaining trillions of undead¡­ "I pledge Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor¡­!" RUMBLE! It was the ridiculous reality of all beings kneeling towards the enemy they faced just minutes ago! Actually, it wasn''t even minutes as during the time that the 80 Incarnations appeared and their legions soon followed, and taking into account the time of Noah merely tapping his fingers in the void of space and causing and using seas of the essence of Chronos to cast a Temporal Halt and a Temporal Inversion, and then the expansion of the Necrotic Ring of Death with the death of Trillions...barely a minute had passed. Barely a minute as the last war for the control of an entire Universe...was finished in this period of time! 45 of their strongest commanders were incapacitated in seconds as the remaining ones were currently being ripped apart, and the majority of their army had been decimated in seconds as the remaining were pledging fealty! In just a bit over a minute, such a Universal War that many sides thought would have very different results ended as the horrendous effects of the aura of an Antiquity did not seem to do a single fucking thing! A minute to end a Universal War. A minute to decide the fate of a Universe! Ah! How glorious! How magisterial! Chapter 1052 - A Single Minute! II Who could do something as grand as end a war in a minute? Who could dominate so profoundly that Hegemonies were left scratching their heads at the mere possibilities of their actions?! Only the Apex Paragon could do so! THRUM! His essence seemed boundless as the clock swarmed with the essence of Chronos still swarmed around him madly, his eyes watching the now struggling 35 Incarnations as this war for the Necrotic Universe...could be considered as good as won. Noah''s eyes left the Incarnations of Chaos being defeated as he then turned towards a certain direction where these armies had come from. It was the area where the Universal Construct within this Universe laid in, the area where he could sense the terrifying auras of 3 Universal Powerhouses that had their gazes in his direction! There, Chronos and the Goliath stared back at him, while the Hegemony of Necromancy had his eyes aflame with anger and rage. The flames within the eye socket of this Undead Universal Expert burned brightly as he gazed upon the Universal Construct that was a tinge dimmer than before, his voice ringing out. "Ever since his conquest began, the rate of Accumulation of Essence has been getting gradually reduced in this Universe as at this point in time...its effectiveness has been reduced by 80%!" ¡­! Those branded with the Universal Constructs could sense such things, and nobody knew this more than Chronos as his eyes shone with an unknown light while he also turned towards the cocoon like Universal Constructs. "A few days of delay have been added until the descent of the Great Usurper. If we allow him to continue at the pace he has been going...the days will turn to weeks and the weeks will turn to months as eventually, even the Universal Constructs might break down!" RUMBLE! Shocking words came from Chronos''s mouth, but his expression was placid as while the Hegemony of Necromancy turned grim, the black hole of the Goliath focused on Chronos with immense sharpness as the air turned immensely cold. The guttural voice of the Goliath rang out as it reeked of ancientness and age. "I betrayed a life long friend and left behind all that I built because you promised me to come in contact with Antiquity. To break out of the shackles of this single Universe as I pave my way to establish a Cosmos. Now...you''re telling me all of it is in jeopardy because of a mere Paragon?" BZZZZT! The air shook heavily as the essence of Extinction so potent that the Seeds of Chaos could not even compare erupted out, the flames on the Hegemony of Necromancy flickering dimly as only Chronos remained unwavering! "I even designed the Seeds of Chaos from my own Origin to do my part, and even that has barely done anything. So let me ask, what exactly are you doing?" ¡­! Friction seemed to be occurring among the experts with the same goals due to the action of a single being. A being stages below them in power and yet...he just seemed unstoppable! As the air around the three beings changed and it seemed like a shocking conflict was about to break out...a smile appeared on Chronos''s expression as he glanced at the shocking might emanating from the Goliath with ease. "Naturally, there are a few things I can do." RUMBLE! He spoke with utter calm and majesty, the Hegemony of Necromancy breathing out a sigh of relief as the Goliath looked towards him to continue! --- Schemes and plans began to unfold on one side, but the last battle of the Necrotic Universe was wrapping up as many eyes still paid immense attention to its details. But in the fast pace of it all, there were still some very important details that others entirely missed. A detail that some seemed to forget was the fate of the 45 Seeds of Chaos that Noah obtained seconds after the battle began. He waved his hands and put them away as the actions that followed were too much that many beings momentarily forgot about these precious treasures! Wondrous items containing a portion of the Origin Essence of a Universal Hegemony as they were filled with the essence of a myriad of Cosmic Daos. These treasures naturally went to the only being that could fully utilize them at this moment...it was a certain blue slime standing at the forefront of a battle with Automaton Sentinel Incarnations in the Automaton Universe! Enormous robotic beings with heavy weapons and machinery that shot out blasts of the essence of Cosmic Daos...the Blue Slime was in the shape of a Blue Dragon as he faced the pressure and power of these beings with Tiamat and the other Animus Summons beside him. Similar to Noah, the essence of Chronos vibrated intensely around the body of the Blue Dragon as in the skies, a cerulean clock that washed down waves of the essence of Chronos rotated madly as the Blue Slime wanted to recreate even a portion of the majesty that Noah showed in the battle in the Necrotic Universe! But the power that the Primordial Ruination Clone could display was of course multiple times higher than the Slime, especially since this clone stemmed from a Cosmic Treasure and could display 200% more strength compared to even Noah''s main body, as well as having a skill like [Ruination Essence Skill Conversion and Amplification] that vastly amplified any skill he cast with Ruination Essence. So against a force of 80 Incarnations of Chaos...there was a small sense of struggle as currently, they were kept at bay with the stupendous power of the Summons and the surging essence of Extinction and Chronos! This sense of struggle only lasted briefly though, as seconds later...the clone that the BLue Slime was fused to brought to light 45 Seeds of Chaos. The eyes of the Blue Slime flashed with might and joy. <> was cast seamlessly. 45 Seeds of Chaos were devoured as the aura of the Blue Slime exploded and began to shoot through the roof! RUMBLE! The figure of the Blue Dragon roared out majestically at the forefront of the battle in the Automaton Universe, his body erupting with an aura that reached what the Incarnations were releasing..and then surpassed it! Chapter 1053 - Insuppressible Destiny! I A being that had not devoured the Seed of Chaos achieving a level of power even higher than those who did! The racial ability of <> was so powerful and potent that it went against the normal and established truth of progressing through ranks. When the Blue Slime devoured a Half a Step Great Sage, he obtained that exact realm. When devouring a Paragon, he would become a Paragon! If he somehow devoured an Antiquity...he would obtain the power that Antiquity held! That was the domineering nature of the ability that the race of the Universal Emperor Slimes possessed! So when this being devoured tens of Seeds of Chaos that held a portion of the Origin Essence of a Hegemony, his realm was elevating at a stupendous rate as he quickly shot past even what power the Incarnations could display. Within the vibrant origin of the Blue Slime, 100 Billion Galaxies were fully formed as countless lines of connections were being formed every second. After the 45th Seed of Chaos was devoured, hundreds of millions of Galaxies flashed with connections, the total number of all connected galaxies reaching 10 Billion! 10 Billion! Aside from Noah, this creature was the one in the foremost position to reach the stage of a Universe as its racial ability was simply that insane. It was an existence that deserved to be the main character of their own story just how unique and overpowering their abilities were! As the aura of the Blue Slime climbed over the Incarnations, it meant another creature that was excelling among Paragons had risen. It was the birth of another Apex Paragon as a second later, the blue clock releasing immense essence of Chronos flew out in waves as the targets were over 50 Incarnations of Chaos. Extinction was mixed with Chronos as the Blue Slime felt a tinge of bloodlust, going for the kill and to devour as his draconic figure flashed with immense might! A gorgeous cerulean blue light flashed across the Automaton Universe, drawing with it rivers of blood as a unique creature with immense power moved! Amidst all of these shocking actions...they all came back to a certain being. He was safely tucked away in the Dark Universe as even while playing in a field filled with danger, his main body always remained safe in his Universe that floated peacefully in the Ruination Sea! A Universe not bound to a Cosmos. A Universe not utilizing Primordial Essence at its core as it was something unique out of the vastness of existence! Within this Universe, the seas of Fortune above Noah had grown immensely vast as at this time, he was on the cusp of obtaining 2 more Universes fully under him as the majority of its experts were either being defeated or fully under him. Waves of pristine destiny washed over him endlessly as at this moment, Marks of Antiquity were forming at an impossibly fast pace! The seas of Fortune and Destiny seemed to rile up the marks, the number very quickly passing 13 billion at this moment as Noah collected them at an unprecedented rate. His Origin just continued to buzz with ridiculous power as he was getting ever closer to his goal of a Universal Seed. 13 Billion Marks of Antiquity meant 13 Billion Dao Galaxies that he could then connect with 13 Billion normal galaxies to form a total of 26 Billion connected Galaxies. At this moment, he was truly one fourth of the way there! Just 74 Billion more connected Galaxies, just 37 Billion more Marks of Antiquity...and the rank of Hegemony was within grasp. RUMBLE! His eyes flashed with magnetic power as when he looked above him to see the vast seas of fortune and destiny, he wondered...just who might stand on his path? If even the aura of an Antiquity could not suppress him, just what would his enemies do now? He was close to fully having the Necrotic and Automaton Universes under his grasp as in a matter of days, he expected to extend his reach onto the remaining 6 Universes. If things stayed as they were...he would at most just need days to wade through the vastness of a single Universe and conquer its most powerful beings! Given that there were approximately over a billion Trillion planetary bodies and Realms within the stellar Galaxies on each of the Universes of the Cosmos, the uncountable Quintillions of beings on each universe would be ones that take Noah the most time to conquer. But the moment that the strongest experts were under him...all that Noah had to do was spread out the essence of the Dao of Fealty across the Universe as the Quintillions of weaker beings within them could only acquiesce! When he repeated this for the remaining 6 Universes...37 Billion Marks of Antiquity would be under his grasp. So he wondered...just what possible tricks could his enemies pull to stop him?! --- Noah would ponder and try to anticipate what his enemies would do...and his enemies would still move to act regardless in the meanwhile. Near the crimson protective boundary around the cocoon like Universal Construct of the Necrotic Universe. BZZT! Space was torn apart as Chronos created a doorway leading to an isolated hidden fold in the void, voicing out to the Hegemony of Necromancy calmly. "Continue observing the progress of everything here. If the Necrotic Universe is lost just like the Animus Universe, that''s that. We just have to plan better for the future...and that begins now." ¡­! Chronos was beckoning towards the Goliath to follow him into the hidden fold in space, leaving behind the Hegemony of Necromancy with a somber message as the torn space faded soon after the two beings went in it! The gaze of the skeletal Hegemony went towards Noah as with the fold of space that Chronos and the Goliath disappeared to, a shocking reality was about to unfold. "...what are you doing?" The Goliath''s ancient voice came out as in the hidden space, he saw Chronos lying down with a calm expression without explaining what he planned to do. "A contingency plan I didn''t expect to use, but one that it seems I must use regardless. I''ll need you to use your essence of Extinction...to bring my Origin and Soul to a state of near death." ¡­! RUMBLE! "You what?!" The black hole of the Goliath shone with a terrifying luster at such words, but Chronos replied back calmly. "A state of near death, but not quite dead yet. Someone of your calibre should be able to do it with ease. I won''t put up any defenses and allow your essence of Extinction to do as it wishes." ¡­! "Interesting, isn''t it? My life and death in the palm of your hands? Just be careful not to completely kill me, otherwise everything will be for naught!" ¡­! Chronos spoke out calmly as he didn''t mention that he just didn''t want to Reincarnate so quickly and accidentally! But the mere mention of this idea seemed preposterous to the Goliath as he asked somberly. "Why?" "..." A period of silence came as while lying down, Chronos opened his eyes lightly as he replied. "It''s the only way for me to communicate with the Great Usurper...with the Antiquity we are trying to call forth!" "...!" Yes! Chronos had to be in a state of near death to communicate with the Antiquity in question as he had to be in a state where the Dao of Reincarnation was about to initiate once more. This was because Chronos only became aware and came in contact with the Great Usurper in a prior lifetime! Only through the Dao of Reincarnation that he singularly alone possessed in the Primordial Cosmos! Chapter 1054 - Insuppressible Destiny! II There was silence in the hidden fold of space as the Goliath looked towards Chronos with unknown thoughts crossing through his mind. After a certain period of time, his raspy ancient voice rang out. "For how long?" Yes! For how long must he play the game of keeping a Hegemony like Chronos in a state of near death? A task that seemed to be filled with paramount dangers as a small mistake could rip apart everything! "For as long as it needs to be. Don''t worry, you''ll know when I''ve gotten what I need and I''m coming to." Chronos replied passively as he closed his eyes. The overbearing and powerful waves of power that always protected the bodies and Origins of Hegemonies slowly faded away from him as his aura seemed like that of a normal man. This powerful Hegemony actually lowered all of his defenses next to another, the Goliath moving in front of the body laying down as his obsidian hand wavered in front of it....a burst of the terrifying essence of Extinction erupting out! BZZZT! In calm waves, it wrapped around the body of Chronos as the fair white skin outside his body quickly deteriorated and became sunken, an aura of death hanging over him as the essence of Extinction went even deeper as it came to wrap around his Origin. His brilliantly shining Universe that swirled with purple essence, 100 Billion Galaxies closely intertwined together and connected as they formed a powerful Universe! They seemed to sense the feeling of death at this moment as the vibrant Universe vibrated, a burst of golden blue essence that was hidden deep within this Origin bursting out at this moment as it quickly spread to even permeate over the essence of Chronos in the Origin, overcoming everything. The Goliath looked at this new essence he had never come across with somber eyes as he sensed it was the essence of a unique Cosmic Dao, but it was one that he had never come across before! It was the essence of Reincarnation that a single being in the Primordial Universe comprehended! The black hole atop the body of the ancient being shook with a powerful luster as he carefully controlled the input of the essence of Extinction, putting Chronos in a state of near death as his part was done. As for Chronos himself? The moment that the essence of Reincarnation erupted from his Origin and covered everything, his mind became extremely active as an enormous river of Time appeared within it. It stretched out endlessly from one end to another, and there should have only been a single one of such a vast river of time! This was, after all, the scene that Noah himself had seen when he comprehended the Dao of Chronos. A scene of an endless river of time that represented an untouched Timeline of the Primordial Cosmos that he lived in. Yet in front of the eyes of Chronos...there was a different sight as he couldn''t just see a single endless river of time, but it seemed like there were countless ones lined up cylindrically around each other! As if they were reflections of each other in a mirror, multiple rivers of time stretched out endlessly! The mental form of Chronos appeared extremely minuscule in comparison to these vast rivers of time that seemed identical, and yet they each had their differences. The essence of Reincarnation wrapped around him as he consciously moved away from the river of time he was in, floating forward with purpose as his eyes found what they were searching for soon enough. It was the image of an obsidian colored river of time, the eyes of Chronos lighting up as he went towards the vast river and then placed his palm on it! BZZZT! A painful feeling coursed through Chronos''s mind when he came in contact with it, almost as if such a thing was not supposed to happen. An impenetrable barrier existed around the obsidian river of time as while bearing the immense pain, Chronos called out powerfully. "Usurper¡­!" ¡­! "Usurper¡­!" His voice echoed and boomed out in waves, this voice reaching a certain being as an instant later, the consciousness of Chronos disappeared in front of the obsidian river of time. "..." When Chronos came to again, he found his consciousness in a space filled with darkness, where the only source of light was something in front of him. It came ever closer as it became extremely clear, a terrifying figure that would be enough to cause the minds and souls of any Paragons to shatter materializing in front of Chronos! The figure was extremely enormous compared to the small consciousness of Chronos, the size difference being over a thousand as Chronos felt like an insignificant thing standing next to it. It held a humanoid shape as it was entirely shrouded by murky smoke that roiled around its body endlessly, the power being felt from it being simply maddening as Chronos could only make out a single thing. Pristine dark hair and gorgeously cerulean blue eyes that light up the darkness. Everything else was covered with rolling smoke. It was only silent briefly before a voice that seemed powerful enough to shatter Universes rang out. "What an extremely dangerous thing to do, Sargon." RUMBLE! The voice came from all sides as it smashed into Chronos''s figure, addressing him not by his title, but by his name! Sargon! The small figure known as Sargon remained placid in this terrifying wave of power, the golden blue essence of Reincarnation wrapping around him protectively as he looked up towards the figure a thousand times larger than him and voiced out. "Dangerous...but required. We are facing heavy interference from the Primordial Cosmos this time around, even though the impeccable aura of the oh so Great Usurper has already begun to permeate across 9 Universes." RUMBLE! The words of Chronos, or really Sargon, were actually not servile...even being slightly overbearing as he began conversing with an Antiquity! Chapter 1055 - Insuppressible Destiny! III "Haha! This is why I always liked you, Sargon!" The voice of the Great Usurper shook everything in the unique mental space the two beings were in, a space that stretched across the rivers of spacetime and placed two unique beings together through their own methods. The Antiquity wasn''t bothered by the tone of the Hegemony of Chronos as he even seemed amused, but one could still detect the tone as if it was an adult being amused by the actions of a child! "The Tools of Descent are acting properly, with my descent only being a few weeks away. Though I did notice a reduction in the rate of accumulation...what''s happened?" The voice returned to that of ancientness and majesty as Chronos nodded while replying calmly. "An Apex Paragon has arisen from nowhere, his existence hitting us specifically by the fact that we cannot act against him due to the restriction we ourselves imposed for the proper establishment of Universal Amalgamation." "This Paragon has been breaking apart the influence our Hegemonies have established in a matter of days as he conquers the Universes, to the point that even your released Aura and the power of Incarnations that have ingested a portion of an Origin of a Hegemony cannot take him down!" BZZZT! "If he continues without being stopped...the rate of accumulation will continue to reduce as nothing will be descending for months, the Universal Constructs breaking apart in a matter of time after that¡­" His words seemed like a clap of thunder in the unique area of Spacetime, a thoughtful look appearing on the clouded face of the Antiquity as his voice rumbled out. "An unbeatable Paragon...what name do they go by?" An unexpected question came as Chronos looked towards the titanous figure above him and replied quizzically. "Why does that matter?" "Names are naturally very important. Across the many Cosmos and Dimensions...I''ve met a few beings with certain names that even I have grown to be wary of." RUMBLE! A shocking sentence came from the Antiquity as the consciousness of Chronos was jolted for the first time ever! He thought carefully before he replied. "He loves the moniker of ''Tyrannical'', going by such names like Tyrannical Dragon Emperor and Tyrannical Lich Emperor in the respective Universes he is conquering. He is also a Paragon that has somehow birthed his own set of Lesser Daos before even reaching the rank of Hegemony, and he has comprehended the Cosmis Dao of Chronos." All the information that Chronos knew was shared as the form of the terrifying Antiquity seemed to be thinking thoughtfully before his ancient voice came out. "There are many unique existences across the Cosmos, geniuses being able to comprehend Supreme Tier Cosmic Daos and even being capable of birthing Lesser Daos appearing here and there. This Paragon...you''ve never heard of him referred to as Aegon? Or Noah? Or Ezekiel?" RUMBLE! A set of names came out from the Antiquity as Chronos only shook his head when he heard them. Yet, when the Antiquity mentioned these names, he seemed to give them a sense of importance and somberness he had never attached to anything else he had said so far! "No. This being literally appeared from nowhere just days ago. No mentions of Aegon, Noah, or Ezekiel surround him. Why these names especially? There should be quintillions of beings with such names, they shouldn''t have any significance." "My dear Sargon...once again, names have great significance! After all, I met a version of you from a previous Lifetime that you stole their Origin and Soul to Reincarnate. Only then did you know of me!" ¡­! "As for the three names I mentioned, I''ve come across beings like that too many times. Each of them always turned out to not be worth the trouble, the Destinies of these existences being too ridiculous. If a being with such a name isn''t a prominent figure in your Primordial Cosmos...then it shouldn''t be a problem." WAA! Power and majesty leaked from the Antiquity as the cerulean blue eyes he held shone with arcs of unknown light. In the mind space, Chronos''s expression was calm even while faced with such a shocking being, his words coming out calmly in a reply as he nodded. "If it is no problem, then I came here for a solution. I know there is no such thing as a free lunch in existence, and that you have your own aims for coming down to the Primordial Cosmos. I care not whether you want to dominate the Cosmos or destroy it...all I care for is the method towards Antiquity!" A cruel and calm light coursed through Chronos as these terrifying words were uttered, the Antiquity glancing at his minuscule figure with great amusement. "What a cruel existence you are...but I can understand your search for Antiquity! After all, the things I did to achieve it...oh well. I am bound by the Tools of Descent you call the Universal Constructs. The conditions I proposed will have to be maintained if I am to successfully descend and stay, so you have nothing to worry about." ¡­! "The path to Antiquity...I will show you the method that guarantees it in less than 10 Million Years!" WAA! Swirls of terrifying essence and might roiled around the terrifying form of the Antiquity, his eyes blazing with an intense light as he stared at Chronos. "Antiquity...and even the untouchable Realms of Power those self righteous Existences have reached...that is my Destiny! I will go across Cosmos and do what needs to be done for it. Nobody can suppress it!" RUMBLE! "..." The raging storm of essence continued. The eyes of Chronos were placid as if it didn''t matter to him what the Antiquity wanted, his voice simply coming out amidst the ancientness around him. "What is the solution, Usurper?" "...Bring 9 Paragons into the cores of the Universal Constructs. Preferably those that have ingested the essence of a Hegemony. It will be an extremely costly price for me to mobilize my authority early...but I will do it regardless. I will give you 9 Existences that cannot be taken down by anything other than a Hegemony. I will give you Subjugations of the Usurper that will hold a semblance of my abilities." ¡­! "I''ll even reduce my focus on other Cosmos and put more attention to this Primordial Cosmos to accelerate the rate of accumulation. With all that...my descent should not be too far away." Tides of essence moved chaotically at the words as Chronos nodded with shining eyes! The essence of Reincarnation around him fluctuated at this moment, Chronos looking at his own body as he knew it was time. The risk he had taken this time was a dangerous one, but it had paid off as he thought about the words of the titanous being before him. ''Subjugations of the Usurper that cannot be killed by anything other than a Hegemony, huh?'' A light of destiny and cruelty flashed across his eyes as even Chronos didn''t know the consequences of the events he was perpetrating! Chapter 1056 - Influence Across Universes! I A blank void isolated from space and time. In this darkness, the enormous figure of the Great Usurper watched as the small shape of Chronos faded with a flicker of the essence of Reincarnation. "Reincarnation¡­" His ancient voice rumbled out as his form began to vibrate with an intense light. His eyes seemed reminiscent, but he quickly shook them as he focused on the direction that Chronos''s soul was flowing back to. Back to a certain river of time far different than the one he currently resided in! Within this river of time were 9 anchors that currently stretched out dimly across spacetime, stretching across the uncrossable sea of Ruination...stretching even across Dimensions as it was reaching out towards the Great Usurper. They looked like thin strands that could break at any moment, but they held a stupendous amount of power as it also seemed they were unbreakable.. His essence had already bloomed from these anchors, these Tools of Descent- these Universal Constructs...as he had more leeway on what he could do at this moment! His eyes flickered with thought as his huge hand moved, plucking onto each of the 9 strings as a mass of obsidian crimson essence began to flow from him and course through them. "At least it will be worth it¡­" His ancient voice rang out again as while he played with the 9 strings and allowed his essence to gush forth, he was looking in another direction as his eyes could already visualize something there. It was actually multiple of them floating across the vast Seas of Ruination, the picture and names of certain Cosmos floating across the mind of the Great Usurper as his focus returned on the one in front of him soon after! The Primordial Cosmos that was unique...as there was even a Cosmic Treasure born within it! Among many things, this Ancient Antiquity was also aiming for this. "With a Cosmic Treasure capable of commanding Primordial Essence...I won''t have to use this long and tedious method to find more Cosmos. Oh, my dear Sargon...you truly don''t know what important tools your home has, searching for Antiquity when a method for it is right in front of you!" RUMBLE! The cerulean blue eyes of the Usurper flashed with wild light as he focused on a singular Primordial Cosmos. On the place that his ravenous might would descend on next as he forged his path of power. Not a single thing would be able to stand in the way of his insuppressible destiny! --- BZZZT! A colorful and glorious essence of blue gold color that had been buzzing around Chronos''s unconscious body began to recede. The Dao of Reincarnation sunk back into the depths of the Origin of this being as he had not achieved a state of death and did not need to be reincarnated, the eyes of Chronos opening up soon after! WAA! The Goliath stopped his flow of the Cosmic essence of Extinction as he looked at the rising figure of Chronos whose dried and sunken skin began to rapidly heal. The black hole swirling on the head of the Goliath looked over at Chronos mutely, this Hegemony that had just finished having a discussion with an Antiquity staring back at him as he opened his mouth slowly. "There shouldn''t be any issues. Tools capable of stopping the obstacle will be in place soon." RUMBLE! His words didn''t even finish before the space around them began to tremble and twist! Even in the hidden folds of space they were in, they felt the unique pressure and might that occurred not too long ago to start spreading wildly once again. One of the promises of the Great Usurper was that he would direct a large amount of his focus to the Primordial Cosmos, and this promise was on its way to being fulfilled right now. From the 9 Universal Constructs, the menacing crimson light shooting out increased by more than double as terrifying, bloody webs erupted out to cover these Constructs that were larger than galaxies and formed even more pronounced cocoons! THUMP! They resonated with the beat of a heart as the 9 Universes they were connected to...actually resonated with their beat for the first time ever as something shocking happened. The Universal Barriers around these Universes...trembled as they began to be squeezed into each other. Squeezed! As if they were coming together, as if multiple circles that were near each other at this moment...began the process of fusing! Amalgamation. This term has been used many times in the past, but what did it truly mean? It was the action or process of combining! Of merging and fusing! Since the beginning, the goal of the Universal Constructs was Universal Amalgamation, and this process had ensued in full at this moment as the might of the Antiquity allowed to release his authority fully displayed itself in the Primordial Cosmos! The Inhabitants of these 9 Universes felt this terrifying might first hand as the pressure descended around every existence powerfully. Noah was wrapping up the ridiculously short battle in the Necrotic Universe as he put away 35 Seeds of Chaos, his powerful eyes lifting up somberly to stare towards the direction of the Universal Construct that was a few light years away from his current position. There, he could sense the terrifying waves emanating from these Constructs, as well as the aura of the Hegemony of Necromancy that was entirely unaffected by it all! His gaze hardened as he felt the shackles around the Necrotic Universe wrap around everything ever tighter. [Under the enhanced influence of the aura of The Great Usurper. The effects of Corruption of the Usurper and Malignant Madness are enhanced from Initial to Advanced] ¡­! THRUM! [Corruption of the Usurper](Advanced) :: Those not under the protection of the Great Usurper gain the Corrupted Status directly on their souls as their Mana and Health Regeneration are reduced by half, the Damage Taken from other sources is increased by 30,000%, -30,000% To All Laws and Dao Resistances, -30,000% Comprehension and Assimilation Ability to all Laws and Daos, -75% Effectiveness of All Abilities, -75% Mana Reserves, -75% Movement Speed, -75% Attack Speed, -75% Cast Speed, -75% Efficiency of Mana Conduction and Usage, and 75% Chance of Skills Failing on Cast. "...are you serious?" Noah looked at the terrible debuffs in front of him as his eyes began to blaze with a light of anger! Chapter 1057 - Influence Across Universes! II Anger! His eyes were blazing with immense anger as he looked at the ridiculous debuffs that were enhanced by too much, to the point that they might even be capable of affecting him! Yes, he had Infinite Mana. But taking 30,000% more damage from his enemies was entirely ridiculous. That was 300 times the damage that he would be taking, which was extremely terrifying when one thought of the Incarnations of Chaos that could release power above what most Paragons only dreamed of. There was also the -30,000% to the Resistances of laws and Daos, meaning that the damage would come across even more as the future battles were bound to be tedious and dreadful. This wasn''t to even mention the "-75%s" to multiple statuses that filled the Corruption of the Usurper and even the myriad of debuffs added under the [Malignant Madness](Advanced) effect! All of these were terrifying to even look at, but as Noah read over them...his angered eyes flashed with an intense light. ''My enemies are squirming in impatience¡­'' Yes! The recent actions just told him that his enemies were simply getting impatient as his actions against them were working! It meant that he was such a big threat to their plans that just after he defeated waves of their Incarnations of Chaos, their reply was the terrifying might of the Antiquity to be released in droves. ''Very well. Squirm some More! Grow fearful! Meanwhile¡­'' RUMBLE His body vibrated with essence as he bellowed out a roar of power, the hundreds of trillions of undead around him beginning to move towards the direction of the Universal Construct. All the experts of the Necrotic Universe could now be considered under him as after the 80 Undead Paragons turned into Incarnations that the Hegemony of Necromancy sent his way were defeated, Noah was freely sending out waves of the essence of the Dao of Fealty. He sent within these waves and prompt something unique that he could do as the Architect and Assimilator of this Dao, sending in memories of the shocking battles and the over 100 Undead Paragons under him as the essence he held stretched out across the folds of space of the Necrotic Universe! To ever hidden Galaxy and Realm, to the billions of Trillions of stars...to every stretch of land where an existence lay. All of them saw the shocking scenes of Noah and his path of Conquest, the number of Undead pledging fealty rising by hundreds of billions every second. The Star of Conquest above him shone with a glorious white luster as the enhancement where his power was tripled became even more oppressive, his body gaining a quadruple enhancement at this moment! It was the recognition that he wasn''t just undergoing the process of Conquest within this Universe...but that it was conquered! THRUM! His golden flames blazed from his eye sockets as he looked at the scenes around him. The hundreds of trillions of undead that formed Legions that looked larger than Galaxies. Legions that stretched out for millions of miles! Legions filled with terrifying Undead Paragons, Planetary sized Abyssal Undead...all sorts of Abominations with the essence of death surrounding them. Amidst all this, Noah sat on a throne of bones floating at the very forefront as he overlooked the deathly scene. His golden flames danced madly as he took the trillions behind him to cross the chaotic void of the Necrotic Universe while heading towards the Universal Construct, the essence of Fealty continuing to permeate from him endlessly! The procession of the Tyrannical Lich Emperor drew in many gazes, the eyes of watching Hegemonies enamored by the enticing picture of Conquest as they sensed the terrifying aura of Antiquity plaguing the very same lands they couldn''t enter. Over an hour passed as this terrifying procession continued, coming to a stop near the enormous Universal Construct that looked like a cocoon. BZZZT! A fluctuation of essence erupted out as an instant later, the image of a terrifying lich letting out waves of power at the level of a Hegemony appeared. The Hegemony of Necromancy was without any pieces to play as he came out himself, similar to Ambrose who stood guard over the Animus Universe! The Universe Construct behind the Hegemony of Necromancy pulsed dangerously as the cocoon-like shape thumped ever so often, releasing waves of horrendous power as a black veil of Death covered this Construct entirely. This was the protection of a Hegemony that no being within the Universes could break. Noah''s bony throne floated forward as his golden flames glanced at the powerful figure of the Hegemony of Necromancy. While gazing at this majestic existence filled with power, the gaze of the Demonic Lich Emperor on the bony throne seemed to be filled with ridicule as his domineering voice rang out! "How weak you all must be...for a mere Paragon like me to be giving you all this much trouble." ¡­! Maddening words addressed the powerful Hegemony of Necromancy as the deathly flames of this existence shone a mixture of colors before they settled on a deathly black, but he didn''t so much as give a reply to Noah! "The exemplary Hegemonies overlooking the Primordial Cosmos with strength and might as even Paragons cannot even dare to gaze upon you...look at you now." BZZZT! "Cowering in 9 Universes like mere rats protecting cocoons of a foreign power...how proud ancient existences like you must feel for arriving at such a place!" ¡­! Noah''s words reverberated like a clap of thunder not just to the Hegemony of Necromancy, but also Chronos and the Goliath who had just begun to leave the Necrotic Universe to get things ready per the words of the Antiquity. These words also reached the Hegemonies under Chronos who were watching the events in the Necrotic and Automaton Universe on illusory screens, their eyes blazing with anger as similar to the Hegemony of Necromancy standing right in front of Noah...these beings did nothing. They could not attack any existence lower than their Realm of power in the 9 Universes. This was their restriction for keeping all others out! So the flames of wrath in the sockets of the Hegemony of Necromancy only rose ever higher as the pristine obsidian skeletal body beneath the glimmering robe was revealed underneath. As Noah released his biting words, his skeletal arms rose up as with his command, a bright crimson purple clock began to bloom above them, expanding millions of miles instantly as it moved to cover even the space above the Universal Construct that the Hegemony protected! Faced against a Hegemony that could not attack him, his voice came out majestically as droves of the essence of Chronos mixed in with a myriad of other types of Cosmic Dao Essence began to leak from the enormous clock. "Let''s see whether cowards like you even have a tenth of the power and majesty you used to hold before you submitted yourselves to another existence¡­" The skeletal arms of the Demonic Lich Emperor swung down as they came with a storm of essence and a body bubbling with immense mana. It was a strike to test out just how close he was to a Hegemony. A strike to see what he lacked before he could stand against these beings and decimate them as he wished! It was a strike of defiance against an existence that had forged a Universe!!! Chapter 1058 - Influence Across Universes! III A Paragon raising their hand to attack a Hegemony! Such a scene was a rare one to come across, especially since the gap in power was simply too vast to cross. Yet Noah...wanted to try! This was because he held multiple Cosmic Daos, and he wanted to see if this would be enough to overcome the large gap in strength. THRUM! The enormous clock spun crazily as the essence of Chronos came down in droves, forming into a sharp point as it swirled dangerously in a serpentine fashion. It carried with it the desolate of time as anything hit with it would face the effects of [Instantaneous Age Regression and Progression]. Contained within this swirling strike was seemingly the crimson essence of Annihilation, but it was actually a mixture of Annihilation and Ruination as three Cosmic Daos twisted around each other to strike down the deathly figure of the Hegemony of Necromancy. The genuine Universal Realm expert looked at this strike as the dark flames within its sockets flickered.. The obsidian barrier covering the vast Universal Construct behind him shone as it became even thicker, his own body obtaining a similar barrier as against the terrifying killing strike that would decimate any Incarnation...he did nothing but make the natural barrier of a Hegemony more prominent around his body! BOOM!...BZZZZT! The sharp cluster of three Cosmic Essences struck the obsidian barrier of the Hegemony as the flames in his sockets blazed brighter momentarily, but they calmed down soon after as even while space deteriorated and folded around him, this Hegemony remained spotless as his barrier wasn''t breached. ¡­! Yet the mind of the Hegemony was shaken as they almost sensed a penetrative force stronger than anything he imagined to nearly devour a portion of the protective field he constructed that no Paragon should even be able to damage! ''The fuck was that?!'' His dead heart nearly beat faster for a millisecond before it calmed down. The Hegemony did not know this, but this was due to the terrifying Dao of Ruination! Noah looked at this scene with calm eyes as he called out slowly. [Temporal Halt]. WAA! [Temporal Looping]. ¡­! The essence of Chronos wrapped around the skeletal figure of the Hegemony of Necromancy as it threatened to bring the time around it to a stand still while putting him in a constant frozen loop of time! But...the Hegemony had now learned to be careful as he didn''t underestimate this ridiculous being! As the runic circles brimming with the essence of time swarmed around him to try and do their intended purpose...dark obsidian skeletal hands reached out as with the force that only Universal Realm experts could wield. The skeletal hands touched the swirling runic circles of Chronos as they brought them to a stop, and then they ripped the essence of this Cosmic Dao apart as the surroundings of the Hegemony were soon filled with the Cosmic Essence of Necromancy! ¡­! The pure force of a Universal Realm expert pulsed out as it ripped apart the Cosmic Essence utilized by a Paragon a level below! Even though the quality of the Cosmic Dao was extremely high...it still could not withstand the force of an existence that could wield the force of a Universe within their Origins. Paired with them reinforcing their bodies with another Cosmic Dao, even if it was of lesser quality- they could seamlessly stand against Noah at this moment. The enormous clock releasing the essence of Chronos glimmered above them as Noah stared calmly at the Hegemony after all skills were broken. Even at this moment, the Hegemony did not make a move against Noah. He could defend and set up barriers, but he could not attack! Noah returned to his bony throne as he didn''t continue, even though he had other methods of attacking that he would have to reveal some of his major secrets if he employed. He didn''t plan to utilize these yet. When he did utilize them and expose his secret of A Cosmic Treasure and the Cosmic Dao of Ruination, he wanted to do it while guaranteeing the death of a certain Hegemony! As of right now, with just pure power...he couldn''t break the might and defenses of a Hegemony. Not yet. Maybe even not him, as his eyes wandered to the Blue Slime in the Automaton Universe that was putting to an end the conquest of the third Universe within the Primordial Cosmos. At this moment, this Blue Slime was Devouring the other 35 Seeds of Chaos that Noah just sent over, and there were 80 more that he obtained from the 80 Incarnations of Chaos that were sent into this Universe! As Noah saw and felt the terrifying level of power of the Blue Slime that only continued to rise, as well as the number of connected Galaxies crossing 20 Billion this very second...he wondered if the first existence to become a Hegemony would even be him in the near future! He wondered if he was the one with the Trait of [Protagonist], as this Blue Slime was rising in connecting his Galaxies even faster than he was without the need to collect Marks of Antiquity and form his Dao Galaxies yet. At this moment, the Blue Slime was roaring out dominantly across the battlefield of the Automaton Universe where 80 Incarnations had fallen, its eyes glimmering with power as from its body and the bodies of the other Animus Summons Noah was fused to, the essence of the Dao of Fealty began to spread from them and emulate out to the surrounding millions of miles- stretching themselves for light years as the light of Conquest was closing in the Automaton Universe as well! Without an enemy capable of standing against them in sight, Noah''s influence now extended across multiple universes as the Necrotic and Automaton Universes were brought into his fold. The number of Marks of Antiquity such actions brought him were grand, his main body in the Dark Universe swimming in a golden luster at this moment as even his surroundings were tinted a gorgeous gold! In the Necrotic Universe, the Primordial Ruination Clone returned to his bony throne as he stared at the yet to be taken down Hegemony of Necromancy, the skeletal hands of this clone rising up as he didn''t throw out another attack, but a unique spatial essence spread out from him as it went on to cover the trillions of Undead in the Legions behind him. Many beings looked at his actions as he wondered what he was doing now! A type of essence began to expand from the skeletal fingers at this moment as Noah''s voice rang out. "My attacks cannot reach you now...but this won''t be the case the next time that I attack you again!" RUMBLE! "Similar to how I can butcher Paragons and your Incarnations as if they were mere vegetables while I am in the same Realm...I will be giving the same treatment to Hegemonies like you when I establish my Universe." ¡­! A promise! A promise was uttered out in the eyes of all as in the next instant, the essence that Noah was utilizing was revealed as its target...was actually the Legions behind him, a spatial essence beginning to wrap around them! Chapter 1059 - Subjugations Of The Usurper! I Noah was still cognizant of the effects of the aura of the Great Usurper, thinking more closely about the [Heretical Malediction] effect that affected beings who couldn''t protect themselves against the mere aura of an Antiquity after a certain period of time. That was why his next action after testing the irrefutable might of a Hegemony was to spread a spatial essence over the vast numbers of beings in the Legions behind him! The show of a single being using ridiculous amounts of mana was about to unfold yet again at this moment, the action of a spatial essence covering trillions not just playing out in the Necrotic Universe, but also in the Automaton and Animus Universe! Millions of Trillions were covered by a spatial light as they began to be teleported away, and nobody was the wiser on where they were going. Many watching eyes looked at this scene in a stupor as a question of Mana rose up in the hearts of many, but they could only watch a shocking scene unfold as no answers were provided this time by the eccentric Paragon! --- The Oathkeeper watched the unfolding scenes across multiple Universes, scenes of the vast number of existences being wrapped by a spatial light as they began to disappear. Looking at the existence doing it all, he wanted to ask many things, but he knew that he wouldn''t get any answers! The only thing he was searching for was answers. So he simply moved as he went to find them. His figure was warped by the Primordial Essence as he tore through the Universal layers to arrive in the Elysian Universe, and he further tore through multiple layers within this Universe as he accessed an unknown location that very few beings would be able to access! The only way to even find and enter it required for one to use a Cosmic Dao at the caliber of the Primordial Dao, and the Oathkeeper already had prior knowledge of this hidden doorway within the Elysian Universe as he crossed it to arrive at a certain location. Unlike the golden shimmering Elysian Universe or dark chaotic void of many Universes, the area that the Oathkeeper arrived in was pure white! His brilliant golden wings were the only thing letting off any color as when the pristine white Primordial Essence faded from his body, it seemed to meld into the white surroundings. There was a pervasive and deafening silence in this area. At this moment, the expression of majesty and power that the Oathkeeper always held seemed to fade as his expression became soft. He looked around the blank expanse, as if waiting for something to come and face him...but nothing appeared! After he waited for a few minutes in silence, he began voicing out in a tone that others would be shocked to hear, as it was nothing like the commanding and authoritative voice that the strongest creature of the Primordial Cosmos normally spoke with! "The Cosmos have been targeted by an Antiquity as even some of its natives have turned against us...and the power of the Antiquity spreads every day as it becomes more pervasive, seeming like only a matter of time before it comes to be." THRUM! "I...I have thought of many possible solutions, but nothing is coming to be! There is even a Paragon that seems to be working more effectively than all of us, but against the ever increasing aura of an Antiquity and the Hegemonies protecting the tools calling him forth...what will he be able to do?!" "Destiny says the possible arrival and change of everything could occur as early as two or three weeks...can that Apex Paragon reach the Universal Realm in such a short period of time? The solutions aren''t there! There are actually very few! Please¡­" His powerful body actually kneeled down as a golden light from his wings caused his figure to look extremely mesmerizing. He called out ''please'' as if he was seeking the most sincere help from a specific thing! "Please let me know what I should do...please provide for me some guidance on what to do to save us all!" ¡­ Silence. Deafening and all consuming silence as nobody and nothing replied to the Oathkeeper whose expression had actually turned into a pleading one! The demeanor of an expert was gone as he looked like a lost being simply asking for help and direction, but he received none. He waved his hands as he caused a pristine white disk to appear before him, this disk nearly melding with the whiteness of the surroundings. It was the Cosmic Treasure- the Primordial Disk! "You brought me here and gave this to me millions of years ago. I''ve used all the power it granted me to establish order amidst the churning Chaos. Yet as we are in the midst of a storm of chaos...why are you silent?" RUMBLE! "Why aren''t there any directions now as we are on the cusp of utter Chaos? Why¡­?!" The expression of this powerful being was actually becoming aggrieved after time passed, but even with all his calls, no reply came for him! Whatever being or entity the Oathkeeper was addressing...not a single reply came as after a while, an expression of loss overcame this powerful being as he sighed while staring in the expanse of white. He recalled the Primordial Disk that had nearly become lost in the expanse of a sea of Primordial Essence, his connection with it still being extremely strong even though he could only refine half of it as a Universal Hegemony. His expression gradually had the sense of loss and sadness leave as it became strong and mighty once more, the demeanor of the strongest expert soon returning as his body to be covered with Primordial Essence once more! He looked around the expanse of white for one last time before he disappeared. When he left, the quietness remained, seeming even more oppressive as even the golden source of light that was the Oathkeeper was now missing! A silent white expanse...and yet at this moment, in the depths of it...a flicker of light appeared. Nobody was there to see it. The light flickered gradually as it melded with the surrounding Primordial Essence soon after, calm returning into this blank space of white as this continued as it had always been! Chapter 1060 - Subjugations Of The Usurper! II As the Apex Paragon swore a promise after moving against a Hegemony and proceeded to wrap the existences of many Universes in a spatial light, many beings wondered of the resulting location of this spatial warp! Their powerful eyes moved across the Cosmos as they wanted to see where, many thinking it would be the next targeted Universe under this Paragon''s conquest. Yet...no movements could be seen in any of the 6 remaining Cosmos that had already begun to fuse with each other as the process of Amalgamation ensued! So where exactly were all these beings going?! --- In the vastness of the Ruination Sea, a simple Universe floated silently.. Its directional floating wasn''t without rhyme or reason, as the moment that Noah arrived in the Primordial Cosmos and sensed the vast difference of distance between this and the Dark Universe, he had already begun to change the direction of the Universe to go towards the Primordial Cosmos ever so slowly. As for why? He had his own possible plans for this! But at this point in time... Thousands of Trillions of creatures began to enter the singular Dark Universe en masse. Those that could survive the void of space arrived onto a glimmering new starry space. Those weaker who could only survive in the atmosphere of worlds and Realms appeared in such locations, with the vast majority of them actually being teleported into the extremely vast Universal Core that was the fusion of 100,000 Galaxies! That was the population of multiple Universes...all of them flowing into the Dark Universe! BZZZT! Noah''s main body stood near the very center of the Universal Core as he was currently enshrouded by a majestic light, Marks of Antiquity forming all around him as his eyes were closed while he communicated with the Universal Core. The effects of mass teleporting thousands of trillions of beings was much more crucial than many would believe, Noah seeing this first hand at this moment as he received multiple prompts and information from the Universal Core! [One of the pathways towards the next upgrade of the Universal Core has been opened.] ¡­! [When a large number of existences arise within the Universe, the possibilities of the Universal Core to birth another Universe increases substantially as it begins on the path towards a Cosmos. The current number of existences within the Universe: 33 Quintillion. The number needed before the possible advancement of the next stage is 100 Quintillion.] "..." The path forward was shown. One must recall what the Universal Core and in extension the Dark Universe truly was. It wasn''t just a normally occurring Universe, being something that was on the brink of Apocalypse as its source of Primordial Essence nearly ran dry and it could protect itself from the Ruination Sea! But after Noah made the move to prevent yet another Apocalypse, the nature of the Dark Universe changed as it became a Universe that didn''t depend on the Primordial Essence that birthed Cosmos...and it instead became a Universe supported by the essence of Ruination that endlessly spread out across a vast Sea of Ruination. It stopped being a normal Universe as it became exactly what Noah obtained those many months ago from the Beast World when he first obtained the Spiritual Land. It became a Unique Treasure. A Universe...as a Treasure! And with it becoming such a form of existence, boundless possibilities were opened to it. As thousands of trillions of beings were ushered into this Dark Universe, Noah was able to find out the next method of advancement for the unique treasure Universe to go towards becoming a Cosmos! To better understand this, one had to know what the numbers of trillions or quintillions meant. A Quintillion was a number followed by 18 zeros, or a million trillions making up a single Quintillions. Noah had been ushering in thousands of trillions of existences these past few minutes into the Dark Universe, or it can be said that he was bringing in a few quintillion beings every few minutes! The number had added up to 33 Quintillion in addition to the natives of the Dark Universe that were already here, and a measly 67 Quintillion was required before yet another Universe could be born from the Universal Core as it went towards becoming a Cosmos. "What are some boons to come from such an advancement?" Noah couldn''t help but ask the Universal Core amidst all of this, the reply being something that caused his golden seas of destiny and fortune to churn madly! [The capability of birthing Grand Daos will be opened as well as an increase in the number of birthed Lesser Daos. The capability to fuse existing universes will also open up.] RUMBLE! A wondrous set of possibilities opened up in Noah''s eyes at this moment as they shone with utter brightness! "Good! Good!" He couldn''t help but call out multiple times as his body pulsed with even more golden luster, continuing the mass teleportations of beings from three Universes as he saved them from the [Heretical Malediction] of an Antiquity that threatened to devour their Origins and change them into something else. With the introduction of vast numbers of existences into a single Universe though, Noah had to carefully plan and personally use his mental power to decide which regions the few Quintillion Undead would stay at, which region the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of the Animus Universe would occupy, and then which area the Automatons and Mechanical Races of the Automaton Universe would stay. His actions would have far reaching consequences as the inclusion of all these beings and races would be something wondrous when managed well. The means of the beings from the Automaton Races could be incorporated to the technological advancement of the Dark Universe, the capabilities of the Bloodline Races of the Animus Universe and the Undead of the Necrotic Universe could also become incorporated to this Universe as the end result¡­ WAA! Noah''s eyes released beams of golden light just thinking about it, imagining a future where he had a Cosmos that was a mixture of different systems of power that all came together to birth something no Cosmos had ever seen! His goals and possibilities were limitless as all he had to do was get through a few problems first! Chapter 1061 - Subjugations Of The Usurper! III As Noah carried out grandiose actions that were watched by all, others conducted their in secrecy as tumultuous waves were made in the dark. Within the 9 Universes undergoing Universal Amalgamation...9 Champions were chosen. Chronos and the Goliath went around the 9 Universes as they collected unique existences under their Hegemonies...existences that they then fed Seeds of Chaos as they produced 9 powerful Incarnations! Thereafter, these Incarnations were each brought towards the pulsing cocoon like Universal Constructs as Chronos used his singular highest authority to actually enter the core of these Constructs and then leave these powerful Incarnations of Chaos within. All for the purpose and promise of immense power from the Antiquity that even Hegemonies were trying to reach! The chosen contenders who would become Subjugations of the Usurper varied in shapes and sizes, but Chronos actually chose three of them to come from the Chthonian Universe, opting for the enormous planetary sized bodies to fill up more than 30% of the would be weapons of the Usurper.. There were two unique existences brought from the Abyssal Universe, 2 from the Liberated Universe, and 2 from the Microbial Universe! At this moment, these Incarnations were placed into the 9 Universal Constructs within the 9 Universes as Chronos was monitoring everything while communicating with the other Hegemonies constantly on any changes. The Goliath was beside him as they were watching the scenes playing out from the Chthonian Universe, the voice of the ancient being ringing out. "All of this for the promise of Antiquity¡­" The Goliath seemed to be reminiscing and thinking of many things as he was forced to think of his past and where his future was headed while he watched the fluctuating and pulsing cocoon like Universal Constructs. Since they placed the Incarnations into each of them, the pressure they released only became more and more oppressive as at this moment, it even seemed to be rising to a crescendo! Chronos only listened to the words of the Goliath with a calm expression on his face, waiting for the results of his actions as the initial steps seemed to vastly be heading on the correct path. The supposed Subjugations of the Usurper though...just what power would they be able to wield that even with everything on the line, only Hegemonies could take them down? THRUM! Chronos did not have to wait long as soon after, the cocoon within the Microbial Universe and the cocoons in all the other Universes let out a brilliant light! An awe inspiring aura emanated from each of them as they foreshadowed the coming of terrifying existences, much of the crimson light surrounding the Universal Constructs dimming slightly as the process was completed, a ray of light shooting out from the Constructs as after it faded...it left behind a pulsing ball of light. This ball of light was a new existence in the Primordial Cosmos. The 9 balls of light were the Subjugations of the Usurper! RUMBLE! Essence wildly flew from them as the respective Hegemonies guarding the Constructs of the 9 Universes looked at them with analytical eyes, Chronos looking at the Microbial Incarnation of Chaos that wasn''t even discernable with the naked eye, the power from this creature being immensely menacing as it was unlike anything that the Incarnations of Chaos could release. "Good enough?" The Goliath spoke out again as he also scrutinized the new existence. He didn''t want another scene of surprise to appear when they inevitably were put against the singular Apex Parafon again! "Should be more than good enough. They hold a trace aura of the Great Usurper...which means the abilities and Daos they display are also things that stem from him." ¡­! "He is an Antiquity, while the Apex Paragon is a being that hasn''t even lived over a million years. It is like comparing a child to an adult! There should be no surprises." Chronos spoke with a tinge of confidence as even if he didn''t believe in himself, he believed in the power of the Antiquity that could cross through the Timelines of other Cosmos! "No surprises¡­" The Goliath repeated the words again as these two powerful beings affirmed with each other that against such monstrous weapons that only Hegemonies could touch and defeat...the Apex Paragon would not make them stare in a stupor this time around! --- Chaos churned as the Subjugations of the Usurper were born, Noah finishing his migration of a few Quintillion beings from 3 Universes and into his own as very few of his subordinates even remained in the Primordial Cosmos. Noah planned to give a brief period of a few hours at most to his people before he sent them out on a path of Conquests once more, and this time he had hundreds of Paragons under his command as the conquest of the remaining Universes should be even faster! Among the many boons gained recently, the biggest ones still remained the bountiful Marks of Antiquity, filling up the Light of Conquest once more, and most importantly...the Blue Slime. The main bodies of Noah''s subordinates were all in the Universal Core of the Dark Universe as while marveling at Noah''s current actions, they could help but stare at the bubbly Blue Slime in utter envy. Kazuhiko always spoke about what was on his mind as he voiced out without hiding the envy in his voice. "Why weren''t we born with a Universal Devouring skill? Even designing something resembling it costs trillions of skill points that none of us would be able to gather¡­" His voice expressed everyone''s emotions as they looked at the Manifested galactic filament of the Blue Slime that showed a terrifying scene. The terrifying creature that had swallowed 200 Seeds of Chaos...200 portions of an Origin of a Hegemony! His realm had been progressing at a crazy speed as at this moment...he actually already had 55 Billion Galaxies connected within his Origin. 55 Billion! More than halfway towards birthing his own Universal Seed! "I thought Noah would be the only one I would have to chase after and never reach...never did I think a Slime would also stand above all of us¡­!" RUMBLE It was a mystery to who said it, but a voice that showed the emotions of many of Noah''s subordinates rang out as many of them mingled among each other for a few others before they set off for whatever awaited for them next. Chapter 1062 - A Paragon Descends As A Universe Trembles! The Dark Universe buzzed with activity at this moment as a myriad of different existences arrived and began to assimilate themselves in it. The pressure from an Antiquity that constantly plagued them in the Animus, Necrotic, and Automaton Universe had entirely faded away as they weren''t under horrendous status effects that made them feel like they were suffocating every second! They were in a brand new space that seemed to be filled with wonder and possibilities as one particular thing that made the settlement of all the coming beings fairly easy was the fact that they had all sworn Fealty to Noah. Everyone was under the same banner and conflicts or wars were annulled! A period of peace was taken, however brief it was- for beings to just recuperate and relax their minds at this moment. Even if it was just for a few hours! Noah Summons and powerful Subordinates mingled amongst each other, prominent beings like the Sword Emperor, Morgana, Paragon Quinnie, Lich Emperor Agobo....numerous beings from all walks of life were seen around each other as they took a moment to recognize their achievements before they rushed out for war once more. Of course, others couldn''t help but initiate spars as the focus of many was around the Blue Slime, with Noah''s contracted summons and many other subordinates going towards the Slime for battle! With the power of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos, Extinction...and many other ones while also being halfway through connecting the Galaxies within its universe though, the Blue Slime was unrivaled towards all those he faced! BOOM! Kazuhiko''s sorry figure tore through the sky like a bullet at this moment, the dark sword aura protecting him torn apart as he smashed onto a verdant mountain nearby. His gaze was despondent as he sighed endlessly while speaking out, his eyes still locked onto the Blue Slime floating in the skies alone as he had knocked everyone else to the ground. "Ahh...can''t even defeat the Slime now!" BZZT! Essence buzzed around his body even with the complaints, flying through the skies again as the figures of the prideful Emperor Penguin, Steel Mikhail, Anna, and many others all tried to get through the now ridiculous power of the Blue Slime. As Noah had exquisitely designed verdant lush mountains and golden glimmering rivers around the area they were currently at, it was a scene of wonder and uniqueness that could not be found anywhere. Valentina was looking at these scenes from a distance as she drank from a crimson cup filled with golden liquid, Noah''s main body situated in a meditative position behind her inside of a huge high rise glass building. The elegance and power of a Hegemony could be felt even more powerfully from her as while everyone was momentarily celebrating or sparring, she was close to Noah as he had told her more of the current situation! Her eyes twinkled with light as when she thought of what she could do, she always found her mind returning back to the image of the man behind her as she sighed. As a powerful Hegemony, she was actually so weak as she had to depend on her man that was a rank below her! The being that actually did more against their enemies compared to everyone else! She teleported at his position as she hugged him from behind, seemingly speaking out in frustration and in a pleading tone towards the being who opened his eyes soon after. "How can I display power like you at the same level? Or even like that Tiamat and Blue Slime? I feel stifled only being able to deploy my clones to harass Ambrose in the Animus Universe!" The Hegemony complained in a soft voice towards the being surrounded by golden light, her figure hugging onto him tightly as she was shockingly acting shy while asking Noah for how someone like her could gain even greater battle power. Others would be shocked if they heard and saw such a powerful being speak in such a tone towards an existence a rank below her! The demeanor of an aloof Hegemony was gone as she revealed a certain side only to special someone! Others would only ever get to look at her as an untouchable existence with immense power, but Noah...he only raised his head while smiling lightly at her actions. "There are naturally many methods, I just don''t know if you''ll take them!" "Oh?" Valentina''s interest was piqued as her ears perked up, Noah replying to her with a sharp light coursing through his eyes. "When I establish my Universe, you can form a contract with me and just become bound to me...then I can merge with you and give you access to a myriad of Cosmic Daos and so much more!" RUMBLE! A preposterous idea was given to a Hegemony as Valentina only let out a harrumph at it, her eyes swimming with possibilities as she actually gave it some thought before she replied. "Forget it...what are you doing next? Which Universe is the next target of Conquest?" She said this as she turned her eyes towards the shining Star of Conquest drizzling pristine white essence over Noah at this very moment. Noah''s senses focused on this star as well, his mouth moving freely as he shared the sight of the Primordial Ruination Clone. "My clone has just entered the Chthonian Universe with the Cthulhu and other Terrors as we speak¡­" THRUM! "A Universe filled with Planetary sized existences as it boasts to be larger than most universes in the Primordial Cosmos¡­" Yes! The Chthonian Universe was an extremely terrifying one as the beings within were simply too different in size compared to other existences. Races of Chthonians and Titans thrived within this Universe as among the many Universes of the Primordial Cosmos, it was actually the largest as its size alone was twice as large as others! Even though the existences within weren''t as numerous as other Universes, their sheer sizes made them pronounced and unique across the Primordial Cosmos. Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone had just arrived within this Universe right now. "Just you and the Terrors alone?" Valentina asked doubtfully as Noah replied with a smile. "We''re just an advanced party. Some will soon join me in this Universe as I''ll divide the clones of others to descend onto another Universe with the Blue Slime in the lead¡­" ¡­! Chapter 1063 - A Paragon Descends As A Universe Trembles! II The gaze of Noah''s main body was piercing across spacetime as the scene of what the Primordial Clone was looking at reflected on his eyes. He had to be relentless when it came to the 9 Universes and the Antiquity that was invited to make his way in, as everything truly was on a timer! But after he finished the Conquest of the Necrotic Universe and the Automaton Universe, he was also speedily advancing forward as the number of Marks of Antiquity he held now towered over 18 Billion. Not the 15 Billion he expected, but 18 Billion as at this moment, he transformed 18 Billion Galaxies into Dao Galaxies that were occupied with the Essence of Ruination. That was 18 Billion Dao Galaxies that could seamlessly form a connection with normal galaxies, and it meant that Noah now had 36 Billion fully connected Galaxies. Terrifyingly, it was behind the Blue Slime even with all the work he was doing! He had to Conquer quintillions of Beings across multiple Universes to get where he was, while the Blue Slime had to devour just over 200 portions of the Origin of a Hegemony to get over 55 Billion Galaxies connected. How unfair life was! But with such a pace, Noah was on track to soon establish his Universal Seed. ''Now, it''s just a few more Universes¡­'' Noah had such a thought as while his main body enjoyed the company of a Hegemony, his Primordial Ruination Clone descended onto the Chthonian Universe as this time, he didn''t even use the Dao of Subterfuge to grant himself a new body, but instead used the Terror of Aether skill tree to obtain the planetary sized body of a Cthulhu! As it was changed through the essence of Ruination as with every skill he cast, there were some modifications as he took on a terrifying form of a winged octopi-draconic humanoid being. An innumerable number of tentacles wriggled powerfully on the octopi-draconic head that shone with two crimson colored eyes, the entire body being actually colored galaxy black as it seemed like there were stars constantly moving throughout his figure. Standing over 10,000 miles long, the body was larger than most planets as with the glimmering Star of Conquest above it, it made him look like a demonic saintly creature out of the most fantastical horror! By his side, the real Cthulhu at the PARAGON Realm looked at Noah''s form and harrumphed as the purple aura around this Terror only became thicker, the millions of tentacles around it trembling with power. Their gazes turned towards their surroundings as they took in the Chthonian Universe. A hint of red could be seen within its Chaotic Void that encompassed all of its Galaxies and other stellar bodies, and the unique thing with these stellar bodies was of course their sizes. A Galaxy from an average Universe could be anywhere between a few light years to thousands of light years, with a single light year equating to 6 trillion miles! In the space that Noah just arrived in, he could already see the outline of an enormous Galaxy within this Chthonian Universe that actually spanned over 100,000 Light Years! To accommodate the planetary sized bodies of the Chthonians and Titans, some planets could span as wide as a few million miles, with some unique and well known Planets and Realms where the Ancient Old Ones lived spanning for over a Billion miles. Ancient Old Ones! The most powerful and oldest beings still living in the Chthonian Universe, their lifespan actually exceeding what most Paragons could handle as among the many existences- the Chthonians were the few that could exceed the 1 million life span before their Origins began to break down. Some even had unique skills that allowed them to enter deep slumber, halting the progression of their life as they would wake up hundreds of thousands of years later to look for opportunities in another era! This was the type of existences that Noah would come across! His grand party had arrived into the Chthonian Universe at this moment, the sheer might they released frightening as their planetary sized bodies began to move forward seemingly causing their surrounding chaotic void of this Universe to quake as it was fearful of the future actions these beings would take! In the Cthulhu form, Noah moved forward relentlessly as against an Antiquity, he didn''t waste any time. As he moved forward at this moment, he didn''t know of the Subjugations of the Usurper that Chronos had prepared just for him! --- The Primordial Cosmos was vast, and so was its number of powerhouses. Even though there was a significant amount of Hegemonies, many moved to protect the respective Universes they were born in, with some loving seclusion as they didn''t get out for millions of years. Recent actions had caused a large number of Hegemonies to come out of the dark, where most were currently watching the unfolding scenes of the actions of Chronos and the Goliath, as well as the group they had following them! Among those watching the unfolding situation, they actually paid great attention to the movements of a certain Apex Paragon as he was the only one moving freely within the Universes that were now filled with an intense aura of an oppressive Antiquity. After the shocking actions of carrying out a Universal Wide Teleportation of Quintillions of beings in a few minutes, many Hegemonies first questioned the reality of all that they knew before they moved on to questioning where he went now. They wanted to understand how a Paragon could have enough Mana to wrap up and teleport Trillions out from multiple Universes, something that even the combined Mana reserves of tens of Hegemonies would not be able to accomplish! The methods of the Apex Paragon were too mind bending as they left behind too many questions, but the centermost was which of the remaining 6 Universes this being would appear in next. The eyes of the Hegemonies were everywhere as soon enough, some were able to notice the glimmering white star of conquest of a few planetary sized beings in the Chthonian Universe. "The Chthonian Universe!" WAA! Chapter 1064 - Ancient Old Ones I "The Chthonian Universe!" WAA! The location of the Apex Paragon was found as the eyes of many Hegemonies turned towards it, Oathkeeper obtaining this information himself as he had a thoughtful look on how to move. After he had searched and pleaded with no answers, he looked towards himself for them as he soon found one! It wasn''t something he would have ever resorted to doing, nor was it something a being like him would have been capable of thinking of in the past. But certain circumstances required him to make a move. WAP! The glimmering golden body of the Oathkeeper was unlike the other Hegemonies that began to appear on the boundary of the Chthonian Universe or gain access to the happenings within from watching from afar, and he instead actually appeared in front of the Microbial Universe! The Universe where he sensed the powerful auras of Chronos and the Goliath last frequent, as they were last here to watch the birth of the Subjugation of the Usurper that stemmed from a Microbial Incarnation of Chaos. Oathkeeper didn''t know any of this as he came here for his own specific reasons. He waved his hands in front of him as on his palm appeared a certain pristine white disk. It let out terrifying vibrations in the surrounding space as milky white Primordial Essence leaked from it, the Primordial Disk coming to be as Oathkeeper began to pour essence unto it! BZZZT! The surroundings began to shake as this Universal Realm Hegemony began to utilize a Cosmic Treasure, and it was truly a powerful one at that as it could mobilize the very essence that the Cosmos was birthed from! Even if he could only use a portion of its functions as only a being at the Cosmos Realm would be able to utilize it fully, he could still do shocking things with it as one of them¡­ BOOOM! Was to affect the very Universes that were built from the Primordial Essence. A thin crack had appeared in the Universal boundary of the Microbial Universe as the strongest Hegemony holding the Cosmic Treasure capable of using Primordial Essence actually began to use it for the purposes of destruction! Primordial Essence could build, but it could also disassemble the things it built. The Oathkeeper searched for an answer and received none, and so he instead chose to do the only thing he could with a powerful tool in hand. He would break apart the barriers of the Universes he could not cross as he would rip apart the betrayers of the Primordial Cosmos with his own hands! Primordial Essence endlessly rushed out from the Primordial Disk as it formed into a razor edge that began to eat up a Universal Boundary! --- Under Noah''s fingertips, there were many cards to play. He had an entire Universe''s worth of them, and so he went ahead and put them to use! To do so...he started off with himself and the Terrors in the Chthonian Universe. Aside from this, he also had the forces of three genuine Universes under his fingertips, the forces of the fourth Universe being his native one as it was actually the strongest! After he gave many of them less than a day to settle, he deployed them out into the Primordial Cosmos once more. After all, the enemy was an Antiquity that had powerful Hegemonies moving around on his behalf. Noah could not tarry. The first party was led by the terrifying Blue Slime, his strength actually nearing Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone as this Slime would actually lead half of Noah''s summons, subordinates, and Paragons of the Animus Universe to descend onto the Euthenia Universe! The second party would be led by Tiamat, the Twin Draconic Serpents, and the rest of Noah''s Summons as they led the forces of Paragons from the Automaton Universe to descend unto the Liberated Universe that was filled with Heroes, Villains, and capped beings with grand allusions. The third party would be led by the Manifested Seven Deadly Sins, Pride taking the lead as with them, the over 100 Undead Paragons from the Necrotic Universe would be under their banner for the conquest of the Abyssal Universe! The Abyssal Universe was filled with unique races of Demonic beings, some nearly being as old and unique as the Titans and Chthonians of the Chthonian Universe. For this, Noah wondered how everything would play out when they faced the Seven Deadly Sins! 3 forces, 3 Universes. And he had descended on the fourth one himself as at this moment, only the Omicron and Microbial Universes would not have his forces moving through them. This was the rate he designed to be able to seamlessly bulldoze through the plans of Hegemonies and even an Antiquity! In the Universal Core of the Dark Universe, Noah was now taking the behaviors of the Hegemonies that could not act within the 9 isolated Universes as he had three illusory screens that were showing the scenes of three different Universes. They were showing all the events about to occur within not mainly for him, but for the main bodies of Valentina, Barbatos, and those around him who wanted to observe the happenings of the Universes! As soon as Noah''s words traveled down to the Vassals, they moved as the Blue Slime was the first to arrive in the Ethenia Universe, half of Noah''s Animus Summons and the Paragons of the Animus Universe soon appearing behind him as he would lead their legions. He took on the shape of the glorious Blue Dragon as burning blue flames shone in his eyes, reflecting the green luster that permeated throughout the unique Ethenia Universe that was filled with powerful Ancient Plant Races. Treants, Dryads, Ents, Halflings...a myriad of Ancient Plant Races filled the Euthenia Universe as the beautiful verdant greenery about to be ravaged by war was extremely distinct! Noah saw the beautiful scenes of this Universe as he made a mental note to go visit it later whenever everything was done and he could actually enjoy vacations as his eyes moved on to the scenes of the Seven Deadly Sins. They had just arrived in the Abyssal Universe, the chaotic void around them tinged black and red as with the golden glimmering Sin of Pride leading the way, trillions of Undeads appeared behind them soon after as they began to move methodically. It was a glorious scene as the terror of the Sins and Undead would entrench itself fully into the Demonic Races of the Abyssal Universe! Chapter 1065 - Ancient Old Ones II The last illusory scene Noah was displaying showed Tiamat and the remaining Animus Summons with the Emperor Penguin and a few other subordinates along with the Paragons of the Automaton Universe appearing near a Galaxy in the Liberated Universe that actually had a huge statue of a smiling human being posing gloriously as a cape stretched out behind him! It was the glorified statue of a renowned Heroic Hegemony that was over a single light year large, many beings looking towards it for inspiration over the years. All of those under Noah...experienced vastly different scenes in the Universes they descended on as some were about to meet Ancient Plant Races, others a myriad of Demonic Races, and others would even experience the unique atmosphere of heroes and Villains fighting for supremacy in another Universe! As for Noah himself, his forces were moving towards the nearest Galaxy in the Chthonian Universe as he would meet monstrosities that others only thought of in their dreams. With the request from Adelaide that found Noah''s actions the most interesting, the illusory scene of the movements of Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone and the Terrors was also made visible beside the other three screens as many more eyes turned towards it. 4 screens showing 4 different Universes, those watching it all being the main bodies of Noah and his subordinates as they were all clustered in an enormous movie theater like stadium at this moment, delectable foods and feasts being prepared as they watched the unfolding scenes of the Universes play out. It was a hubbub of activity as many wondered how the events would go down in each of the Universes, and they would have feasts while they watched on. It was something that only these beings in the Dark Universe could do as under Noah, they felt an immense feeling of safety and companionship! --- Within the Chthonian Universe. Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone in the Cthulhu form led the party of Terrors forward, their eyes set on the distant Galaxy that was so large that it covered everything for tens of thousands of light years! The terrifying wings of Noah''s new form flapped as they released a unique force to move him even faster than lights peed, his enormous body that shone with the color of galaxy black shimmering powerfully as it made him seem like an ancient being. He enjoyed this feeling of power and strength as he made his way across this terrifying Universe. Among the many Universes out there, Noah was extremely curious about one''s like the Chthonian Universe purely based on how unique and different their inhabitants were. They had their own Systems of power as when he thought of the Ancient Plant Races in the Euthenia Universe or the Microbial Races in the Microbial Universe, he wished he could''ve just had a laid back time touring all of these Universes! But...the Universal Amalgamation would destroy it all as the end process of it was going to be the fusion of all the Universes with the Universal Constructs. The merging of the cocoon like Tools of Descent as they became one and gave way to an Antiquity! "Let''s clean things before then, shall we?" Noah spoke likely as his senses caught movements from the Galaxy they neared. They were ready for battles of Conquest like always, and the bodies of the Terrors began to thrum with power as they prepared to face whatever terrifying Legions of Chthonians were released soon after! But¡­ WAA The magisterial and ancient auras of only 3 Paragons could be felt coming towards them. No armies, no Legions, nothing! Just three enormous planetary sized Chthonian that caused Noah''s eyes to glimmer with intense light. One looked like a purely enormous squid, the tentacles from its body being even more numerous than the Cthulhu as its body undulated with a black aura. Another was an enormous circular ball of mass that looked like a planet, but the wriggling flesh that trembled with power gave away its status as a terrifying living being! The third and the one leading the party of three was the most unique one in Noah''s eyes as this Chthonian actually had a humanoid shape, with his face being black as it held no facial features, and a glimmering crimson halo undulated powerfully on top of his obsidian colored head. Something unique about these beings was their auras! They were at the levels of Paragons, and yet Noah could feel they were extremely powerful ones at that as their auras almost neared that of the Incarnations of Chaos! His eyes glimmered as [Eyes of Truth] were activated. [Ekurass] :: A creature from the race of Ancient Old Ones, unique existences capable of living a few million years no matter their Realm of Power. Such uniqueness is accompanied by the fact that the advancement into the next rank is hundreds of times harder than normal for those of this race. [Life History],[Habits].... Boundless information opened up in front of him as Noah''s eyes glimmered with light! Ancient Old Ones! Unique existences of all shapes and sizes, and the three in front of him were no smaller than his own planetary sized form as they released an ancient aura of oldness. With Noah''s comprehension is the essence of Chronos, he could see a unique factor of time wrapping around these three beings as they came forward, their bodies not holding any battle intent as Noah didn''t attack. The humanoid Chthonian at the forefront with the crimson halo ''spoke'' first, mental waves entering Noah''s mind. "We have long heard of you and your actions in the Animus and Necrotic Universe, Tyrannical Emperor." WAA! A voice that seemed synonymous with age rang out as Noah focused on the powerful being before him. "The Chthonian Universe is half divided under the influence of two Hegemonies, one siding with those searching for Antiquity, the other being the Great Old Nazzagath that is trying to protect us even now." "He has sent word to us that you might be descending here, and that adhering to your will would be the best option to fight against the beings holding our Universe hostage!" RUMBLE "So from us...there will be no need for war or bloodshed. Half of the Chthonians in this Universe will bend to your will whenever you so want." ¡­! Noah looked incredulously at the Ancient Old One as he nearly laughed inside, seeing that the Conquest of the Chthonian Universe would actually be even easier than any of the past Universes combined! The Star of Conquest above his head shone brilliantly at such a reality, but the words of the Ancient Old One continued. "I do have to warn you though, Apex Paragon. We Old Ones share unique abilities and on a deeper level, even consciousness. In the past day, from the Old Ones siding with the Usurper...three of the most powerful Paragons were forever removed from our lineage, their consciousness cut from us as it wasn''t the release of death, but something else!" ¡­! "Before the connection between us was entirely cut off, we were able to first sense the essence of a Hegemony corrupting their souls...and then the essence of the Antiquity that plagues our Universe before the connection was cut off entirely." ¡­! Noah''s eyes constricted at such information as his mind worked at high speeds. Souls corrupted by the essence of a Hegemony- this should be an Incarnation of Chaos! But...thereafter, these souls were Corrupted by the essence of Antiquity?! Chapter 1066 - Not Following The Plot! I Noah absorbed the words of the Ancient Old Ones as many thoughts and ideas flowed in his mind. The powerful Incarnations of Chaos...could Chronos and the Goliath have created something even more terrifying with the aid of the Antiquity? Noah didn''t know the answer to this, but it didn''t matter to him at this moment as he merely nodded at the humanoid Chthonian before him. "You are?" "Devour of the Deep, Zagadath." The rumbling voice of the Chthonian Paragon replied to Noah as his body began to glimmer with the pure white light of conquest and Fealty. "Very well, you shall take the lead under me for the days to come as we make sure all the Ancient Old Ones and the rest of the Chthonians break free of the shackles of Chronos and his followers." THRUM! The moment his words finished, Noah had extended the essence of Fealty to the Devourer of the Deep in front of him as well as his two companions, the essence of Fealty going even further and extending into the vast Galaxy behind them! From their words, these unique Ancient Old Ones under the lead of the Hegemony Great Old Nazzagath were ready to stand with Noah, with half of the Existences within the Chthonian Universe being told this as it made Noah''s job very easy. The dao of Fealty extended far past the 100,000 Light-year galaxy before them as Noah continued to churn his mana out wildly, spreading it throughout the Chthonian Universe as he would gladly take the free pass of a few Quintillion Vassals! As he made a move the moment he arrived in the Chthonian Universe...so did his enemies. He wouldn''t have to wait too long as after his entrance, measures were taken by Chronos and the Goliath! A present was already prepared for Noah, and it would come in a manner that he never expected! --- Chronos and the Goliath were looking at two terrifying scenes at this very moment. One was the fact that shockingly, the Oathkeeper was outside the boundary of the Microbial Universe as he was using a Cosmic Treasure to actually shatter the barrier of this Universe, nobody knowing the results of his actions when such a thing succeeded as Chronos''s expression became gloomy! The other terrifying scene they were focused on were the 9 horrendously powerful beings floating before them- these being the Subjugations of the Usurper that had come out of the Universal Constructs not too long ago. Three were planetary sized Ancient Old Ones that overshadowed everyone else, two were Microbial beings that could barely be seen by the naked eyes, two were terrifying horned beings from the Abyssal Universe, and 2 were caped Heroes from the Liberated Universe! The 9 Existences were extremely unique, but they followed the commands of Chronos as aside from the Antiquity trying to descend, he was the being with the most authority of the Universal Constructs. Below him was Ambrose that initially designed everything...and the Goliath and others came after. "He''s made his landfall in the Chthonian Universe." The Goliath spoke in a matter of fact tone as Chronos nodded beside him, his eyes shining with a sharp light. "We''ll be doing things differently this time around. Even with the confidence we have that a single one of these Subjugations of the Usurper will not be able to be defeated by anyone other than a Hegemony...we won''t be sending one after another or separate them into different Universes. We will focus on the Apex Paragon!" RUMBLE! Chronos spoke in a domineering manner as the eyes of the Subjugations before them shone with an intense light. He wasn''t going about it in a round about manner as he followed the plot where they send waves upon waves of fighters against their enemies, only to learn them successively defeating them as by the end- they are left with nothing. This happened just recently as 20 Incarnations were sent first against Noah, and it acted as a stepping stone for him to get even more powerful! Even though Chronos didn''t know this, he instinctively chose to make the move that granted the highest success of the Apex Paragon being wiped away. "All 9 of them shall descend onto the Chthonian Universe and wipe out the Apex Paragon first. Everything else can wait." ¡­! It was a route that didn''t follow the traditional plot of waves of enemies being sent until they were all defeated! A spatial light erupted from Chronos as it began to cover the existences releasing a terrifying light thereafter, the Goliath nodding as he still kept his attention towards the cracking Universal Barrier that was actually being disassembled with the Primordial Essence that made it. "And the Oathkeeper?" "We''ll have to deal with him and hold him back ourselves, sadly." OOOM! The voices of the two powerful beings slowly faded as the 9 figures of the Subjugations of the Usurper disappeared from the Microbial Universe, their destination being the Universe where an Apex Paragon was already spreading out his Dao of Fealty freely! --- In the Chthonian Universe. To Noah, things had just been unfolding very smoothly as the words of the Ancient Old One before him held true, trillions of beings willingly agreeing to become his Vassals before he even shed any blood within this Universe! His planetary sized body glimmered with the starry color of a galaxy as his crimson eyes blazed with light, the Star of Conquest above him letting out intense bursts of light as it seemed everything was under his fingertips. As if everything was heading in the right direction. But¡­ There would always be obstacles. Life...would never be so easy! THRUUUM! Noah''s crimson eyes shook a second later as he turned his gaze towards a certain direction, 9 terrifying auras having suddenly appeared as for a brief second, Noah mistakenly linked it to the auras of Hegemonies! But this caused his gaze to change drastically soon after as he corrected himself when he confirmed and realized they were not. But this realization...was an even more terrifying conjecture as the 9 blazing auras that could be mistaken for Hegemonies shot towards their position at a rapid pace. The river of time churned as the seas of destiny and fate began to boil. A crucial juncture had appeared for the Primordial Cosmos as 9 Players stepped onto an already chaotic stage at this moment! Chapter 1067 - Not Following The Plot! II Above Noah''s main body, the golden seas of Destiny churned as his vast Universal Fortune began to erupt out wildly! He had undertaken many actions in the past weeks, the growth of his Universal Fortune as an Architect of three Daos that were being utilized by the beings from over 4 Universes having grown to an extent that most Hegemonies could not even compare to. Those with immense Universal Fortunes were the types of beings who could somehow overturn a horrendous and deadly situation to their own favor at the most crucial junctures, somehow finding hidden opportunities at a time when they would normally face death or suffer a major set back! Noah...had no major risks of death as he had truly prepared too much, but he still had ways experience set back. At this moment, the vast Fortune he held churned as for the first time ever, this fantastical concept sensed a coming set back that would befall on the being it coiled around. As there had been so few set backs, this Fortune churned wildly as it flew towards the vast rivers of Destiny, assimilating together before shooting into Noah''s head as he was filled with boundless information! Information about a coming calamity! Information of what he could possibly do to bypass this Calamity! WAA! Glorious waves of gold covered Noah at this moment as the hundreds of beings in the theatrical stadium around him who were watching the illusory screens showing the scenes of 4 different Universes looked towards him in shock and wonder. He didn''t say a single word as his eyes released golden beams of gorgeous light, a tremor going through his body as his eyes turned towards the screen of the Chthonian Universe! The rest of his people also turned their eyes in this direction as they saw a blinding crimson light beginning to stretch out from 9 locations. Noah looked at this light as he understood it represented a great calamity. A calamity...but also a grand opportunity! His Universal Fortune told him this much. There were certain things he could do as if his Primordial Ruination Clone came out of this terrifying situation alive...there would be something beautiful waiting for him. There was a possibility for a certain light to bloom. There was a possibility of the glorious light of a Universe to bloom! A possibility for Hegemony!!! --- The Great Old Nazzagath floated outside the boundary of the Chthonian Universe as he looked at the vastly changing situation within, other Hegemonies that had found out the Apex Paragon being here staying a few miles away from him. This being was titled a [Great Old] within the Chthonian Universe, being a powerful Hegemony that was only slightly behind Chronos, Oathkeeper, and the Goliath in terms of power. His figure was that of a crimson star shaped monstrosity, purple flames constantly burning throughout the wriggling mass that formed into the shape of a star! In the Primordial Cosmos, he was known as the Great Old One, the Star of Destruction, and the Hegemony of Venerable Chaos. Aside from the Goliath...he was the oldest being in the Primordial Cosmos! He knew very well the renowned and powerful Paragons of the Chthonian Universe he was born in, even the ones that fell under the influence of the only other Great Old One that had now sided with Chronos. So he recognized the three planetary sized Chthonians that came towards the Apex Paragon, even though it seemed their Original forms were greatly changed and the very air they released had become something else. These were the very same Ancient Old Ones that had forever been taken from the collective consciousness connection of the Chthonians a few hours ago. Two were very similar, their bodies being those that a majority of Chthonians took. They had the octopi-draconic features as their bodies leaned more towards the spherical shape, looking very similar to the purple Chthonian(Cthulhu) that the Apex Paragon had brought with him! These were known as the Trepidities of the Deep! They had two abyssal black eyes the size of small stars peeking out of the wriggling tentacles that covered their bodies that were over 50,000 miles long! Recall that a small planet was only a few thousand miles long in diameter. These two Chthonians had grown to the size that was tens times that of an average planet after their transformation, even the form of the Apex Paragon and his allies looking 4 times smaller in size! "Oh Varaxx and Kabulzan...what have you all done¡­?!" The Great Old Nazzagath couldn''t help but shake his head sadly, glancing at the third Ancient Old One that actually led the party of 9 terrifying beings. The Chthonian Paragon who was most likely to become a Hegemony in the next 100,000 years. The being known as the Three-Faced Old One, being a unique Chthonian that was also circular in shape as its body had three pronounced faces that stretched for thousands of miles! The Three-Faced Old One was currently over 60,000 miles in diameter, the star sized eyes on its three heads releasing a terrifying sense of loss as they didn''t actually release any light. They released a deep sense of loss as when Nazzagath looked at them...he couldn''t see the light of a soul within these eyes anymore! The eyes were the key to every being, the light within them giving a glimpse of just who they were. The Trepidities of the Deep had naturally abyssal black eyes as Nazzagath didn''t notice anything, but when he looked deeply into the eyes on the three faces of the Three-Faced Old One, he saw its utter blankness as his heart trembled in pain. There was no soul there! Whatever these transformed beings were...not just the three Chthonians but also the 6 other ones releasing a terrifying light of power- they weren''t who they used to be! They were something else entirely. They had become Subjugations of the Usurper! Their bodies swirled with such immense and terrifying essence as even the watching Hegemonies rose up in shock. It wasn''t power that any Paragon could wield. It wasn''t a type of strength that any Paragon could stand against! It was a strength that they truly believed had already neared if not reached the bounds of a Hegemony! Such strength...emanated from 9 beings as they didn''t go one by one. All of them and without a warning...thundered towards the singular Apex Paragon that had the form of a Chthonian shining with a colorful aurora of galactic light! Chapter 1068 - A Serendipitous And Inexorable Catastrophe!!! I Noah''s mind buzzed with a gorgeous light of power as he couldn''t help but repeat it to himself. A possibility for Hegemony! Sadly it wasn''t for him, but it was for a brilliantly shining Blue Slime with an unbeatable skill that could assimilate anything it devoured. With such knowledge in hand, Noah began to move as he sensed the terrifying auras of 9 powerful beings nearing their location in the next three seconds. Three seconds...but it was more than enough. Firstly, the conquest of the 3 Universes aside from the Chthonian Universe was brought to a halt as Noah pulled back the Blue Slime and the rest of his Animus Summons, instantly teleporting them to float beside him in the Chthonian Universe. BZZZT! Essence then bloomed wildly as the body of the Blue Slime expanded, taking on an identical form similar to Noah''s of a humanoid Chthonian with an octopi-draconic head filled with a myriad of tentacles and shining with a colorful aurora of galaxy colored light. The only thing different was that the Blue Slime shimmered bright blue as he looked exactly the same as Noah, his eyes hungry as thereafter...their enemies arrived. WAA! With grandeur and power, the beings Noah only sensed seconds ago to thousands of light years away appear before them. Their mere appearance caused the surrounding space to quake as if it was placed under a strain, their soulless eyes locking onto Noah''s figure as they didn''t even stare at those around him! At the same time, Noah was looking at his enemy as he received increased levels of shock. Eyes of Truth was deployed as it brought back¡­ [Three-Faced Old One] (Subjugation of the Great Usurper) :: They have become entirely different existence as @$%#@$@ ¡­.Abilities exceed parameters of all @#!%@$...Soulless @$%^@#$%...the instincts of the Usurper control the!#%#^@#%$... [Trepidity of the Deep](Subjugation of the Great Usurper) :: They have become entirely different¡­ ¡­! Noah''s eyes constricted at the broken information he was receiving, coming across existences again that he could pull very little information about, but one thing remained clear. Incarnations that had somehow become entrenched with the aura of the Great Usurper! Beings that exceeded all parameters of Paragons! And there were 9 of them as three were terrifying Chthonians nearly five times as large as Noah''s current 10,000+ mile form. 2 were actually normal sized humans, wearing caped costumes shining red and black as they had the stereotypical look of heroes Noah had only read about in comic books! Then there were two existences that Noah could sense the overpowering auras of but could barely see them due to their small sizes, his eyes having to intensely focus before he could see the microbial sized existences. Lastly were two demonic looking figures that had jet black bodies, demonic horns and 6 pairs of wings on their backs as they moved on four limbs as if they were beasts! They seemed like mixtures of demonic dragons as they were existences from the Abyssal Universe. As Noah looked over all of them, the one singular thing he could say was that their eyes...were all the same. As he read the very limited descriptions he could find, he saw that all of these 9 beings that exceeded anything to do with paragons were actually soulless creatures that didn''t even have their old minds, everything about them currently being controlled by pure instinct of an Antiquity! The instant of their arrival, the three Ancient Old Ones that had come to receive Noah trembled as they sensed the overpowering auras of these beings. The instant of their arrival, they moved without a single word as the chaotic void quaked, all 9 Subjugations of the Usurpers erupting out with what seemed like their strongest attacks right then and there! They didn''t go one at a time. They didn''t stop to talk. All 9 attacked all at once and with shocking might that caused the chaotic space to howl and tear! ''Fucking hell'' Noah cursed out at these perfect killing machines as his body erupted with an intense light, multiple skills lighting up from him and his Animus Summons that were fused with his clones. The bodies of Chtulhu behind him were even pushed back as Noah foresaw even these powerful Paragons would be shattered apart by a single strike of the 9 existences before him! This was because on their bodies, there were a myriad of things he could recognize...but there were even more things he didn''t know of. There was the Cosmic Essence of Extinction, Chronos, and Annihilation...but there were also other Cosmic Essences that he had not come across before! From their bodies, there was also an intense feeling of a unique power that Noah didn''t yet understand, and it related to the aura of the Antiquity. The Three-Faced Old One that was the largest of them all was at the forefront as his attack released itself at the speed of light, arriving in front of Noah''s Primordial Clone the moment that his cast of a myriad of skills finished! The attack...came from the front face of this terrible beast, being a scorching obsidian ray of light that was over 20,000 miles wide in diameter. This ray of light shattered the very chaotic void itself as if it was paper, the three Ancient Old Ones that Noah had already pushed aside nearly feeling their skin burn even though they were from a far distance. It wasn''t just enough to wipe out Noah, it covered enough distance that even the figures of the Blue Slime and others around Noah were all affected! Mind you...this was just one of the attacks of the 9 Subjugations of the Usurper! RUUUUUMBLE! The attack came at the speed of light as it smashed onto Noah, his body and the bodies of his Animus Summons his clones fused with having already been under the enhancement and boosts of tens of skills when they received the attack. Yet¡­ BOOOOM! An explosive sound as if millions of galaxies had shattered exploded out. The chaotic void was shattered as it remained that way, the area being thrown into deadly storms of destabilized space as even the void could not restructure itself! When the scene cleared an instant later, a shocking scene was displayed. There were multiple figures of Noah''s Summons surrounding him when the attack of the Three-Eyed Old One came. When it finished , even the void was melted as one could only see the figures of Noah and the glimmering blue version of himself that was the Blue Slime remained. The rest of the clones of his summons and even his own clones that were fused into them...were vaporized as something aside from the essence of Cosmic Daos invaded and tore everything apart! Only the body forged by a Cosmic Treasure remained and the body of the unique creature half way through becoming a Hegemony were safe! Chapter 1069 - A Serendipitous And Inexorable Catastrophe!!! II A single attack, and all of Noah''s clones and the clones of his Animus Summons aside from the Blue Slime were wiped out! Tiamat was no exception! Nor the Kingly Calamity Bear! Nor the two Draconic Serpent twins! Vaporized by something that heavily reinforced the Cosmic Dao Essences that the Three-Faced Old One blasted out, and that something was the essence of Antiquity. Only the Blue Slime and Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone could withstand it, and even then...one could see that on their bodies, there were jet black flames that were burning furiously trying to devour their bodies even now! Noah''s eyes glimmered with a glorious light of power as even with such a development, he wasn''t hindered or maddened. A single attack from just one of his 9 enemies had told him that at this moment, he faced an utterly oppressive and shocking force that might actually be possible of defeating him. This was why his Universal Fortune had churned.. This was why his seas of Golden Destiny had roiled! Because in such an impossible situation...there would be stupendous results if he came out on top! The attacks of his enemies could move at a speed of light, but so could his. From the bodies of both Noah and the Blue Slime, clocks filled with the essence of Chronos bloomed as an instant cast of [Temporal Inversion] was cast. Not around a specific person, but over the entire area that his summons and himself used to be and were at this moment in time standing in! Large droves of essence were utilized as the essence of chronos seemingly overflowed, a shocking scene displaying itself soon after. The vaporized bodies of all of Noah''s summons reappeared as seas of mana were used to inverse the flow of time of their area and bring them back to an instant before they fell! Yes. Mana! This was always Noah''s one and only true weapon! Facing beings of utterly ridiculous power, it was the only thing he could wield to stand against them as he used droves of it for a temporal inversion and overcame an attack that could wipe out even his clones and summons! But still, the enemies this time were at a whole other level. Even as the bodies of Noah''s newly returned Summons and himself fully lit up with the essence of Ruination and Chronos, one must not forget that at this time, only the attack of a single one of the Subjugations of the Usurper had arrived. There were still 8 more. Each of them had attacked simultaneously! As soon as the cast of Temporal Inversion finished, the attacks of the 8 other terrifying existences landed! Some were terrifying rays of deadly light, others were purely physical attacks that came from the enemies themselves. The figures of the red and black caped Heroes from the Liberated Universe appeared near Noah''s Primordial Clone on the left and right as they focused on him, their arms flying out as they merely threw out a punch. A mere punch that formed a chaotic phantom of Cosmic Essence that tore apart the void it crossed as if it were weak glass, this phantom punch bearing the weight of an innumerable number of Galaxies! Aside from these, there were also the attacks from the two existences that were the size of microbes, yet the damage they could release could wipe out galaxies in a blink. Their figures released an aurora of rainbow colored flames that washed towards Noah''s figure and Noah''s figure alone, these beings making it clear their goal was to eradicate him at all cost as they didn''t even spare their glances at those around him. The two monstrous demonic beasts with 6 pairs of wings had their horns shine a brilliant ray of gold, causing sharp and minuscule drops of rain sized spears to instantly appear above Noah as it felt like a cloud of gold was coming down. Against any beings, these minuscule golden spears would pierce them and only leave holes behind! Then there were the two Trepidities of the Deep besides the Three-Faced Old One. Their figures shone with a purple luster as two flowers bloomed below Noah''s feet. The blooming of these two flowers came with it the eruptions of an innumerable number of tentacles that threatened to wrap and destroy everything. "..." It felt like time was moving in slow motion. Noah alone faced the simultaneous attacks of the 9 Subjugations of the Usurper that even the strongest Paragons could not even handle being near of...but his heart was calm. A Cosmic Treasure disappeared from the Origin of his main body as it appeared in the Origin of the Primordial Ruination Clone. An authority that only the owner of this Cosmic Treasure could utilize was cast. The Dao of Subterfuge was put to full use as it covered everything around Noah. BZZZT...CRACK! An instant later, the area around Noah''s enormous planetary sized body ''shattered'' as an oval area of utter darkness enveloped him! It seemed like a dense black hole that appeared to cover him and the few miles around him because an instant later, all of the attacks that the terrifying Subjugations of the Usurper threw towards him were sucked into this black hole as they faded away. Disappeared! ¡­! The area of black then receded as if nothing happened. Noah''s body reappeared silently, his figure untouched. Silence pervaded the area. The soulless eyes of the 9 Subjugations of the Usurper turned quizzical as something they didn''t understand happened for the first time! The enemy didn''t withstand or block the attacks, it seemed like the void had just shattered as all the attacks were absorbed, and he came out spotless at the end of it. But it shouldn''t be like so, right? That didn''t make sense, right? Noah''s gaze was calm as he didn''t bother explaining. Of course, it was him utilizing the Cosmic Treasure he held to not just break apart the chaotic void, but to break apart the folds of the universe they were in entirely! He tore apart only a small portion of it as he caused a rupture, this rupture having within it the dense essence of the Sea of Ruination that could eat up everything! It could eat everything, so it ate up even the terrifying attacks of these existences! With Noah covering up the crimson essence and making it indiscernibly black with the Dao of Subterfuge, the attacking Subjugations of the Usurper and even the utterly shocked Hegemonies watching everything had no idea what just happened! Noah''s eyes blazed a crimson light as his body shone with the gorgeous color of a myriad of galaxies. His voice came out as this body began to glow murderously, his voice resounding out. "My turn." RUUUUMBLE! Chapter 1070 - Inconceivable! I BOOM! Outside the boundary of the Microbial Universe. BOOM! Explosive sounds of utter immensity rang out as a being glimmering white and gold wielded a Cosmic Treasure and released droves of Primordial Essence that actually tore apart a Universal Boundary! The being carrying out such shocking actions had an exceedingly cold expression at this moment, but when one looked at his eyes while he did such shocking actions...they would be able to see a tinge of pain coursing through with every hit. As if he truly didn''t want to do what he was doing, but he was left with no choice! His entire life believed he had the purpose of bringing order to these very Cosmos. And yet at this moment, he was ripping one of its Universes apart! BOOM! The Primordial Essence had disassembled over 80% of the Universal boundary in the distance of a few miles, the Oathkeeper raising his hands once more to land even stronger attacks to finish everything when¡­ "What a hypocrite you are!" WAA! The essence of Chronos and Extinction bloomed from the inside of the Universe as they seamlessly passed through the now thin boundary that had nearly broken, rushing towards the figure of the Oathkeeper as he simply looked at this coming destructive essence while wrapping himself in Primordial Essence. BZZZT! The attacks from the Goliath and the Hegemony of Chronos landed on the vibrant Primordial Essence as they were eaten up, The Oathkeeper staring daggers at Chronos that had begun disparaging his name as soon as he appeared. "The great protector who does nothing but establish order is actually tearing apart a Universe at this moment...just how far have you fallen?" ¡­! An enormous regal purple clock erupted from behind Chronos with these words, the Goliath saying nothing as his chaotic body began to tumble around with essence of Extinction, a shocking illusory image of a planetary sized eye beginning to form behind me as he uttered calmly. "Primal Eye of Extinction." WAA! Maddening essence rushed out as Chronos and The Goliath moved to stop the Oathkeeper from tearing apart the boundaries of the Microbial Universe. The gaze of the golden glimmering being was still impassive, but as he stared at the two beings he had considered those alongside him, the wrath in his eyes was palpating as at this moment, another crucial junction for the Primordial Cosmos occurred. Seeing the mocking expression on Chronos''s face, seeing the unrecognizable form of the Goliath that was even older than he was...seeing these two beings accompanied with the myriad of recent actions and loss of purpose actually caused the Oathkeeper to snap! The reserved and calm pillar that stood among the peak of power in the Primordial Cosmos bellowed out at this moment. "OOOOOOOH!" With his bellow, the Primordial Essence around him raged as it burned furiously, coalescing together as it formed into a glorious righteous Sword of Primordial Essence. Pristine white in appearance but carrying such shocking power that even the hearts of Chronos and The Goliath tremble! "Break for me!" Oathkeeper bellowed out as if he was giving a command, the pristine white Sword of Primordial Essence thundering down as the thin film of a Universal Boundary remaining for the few miles around him¡­ CRAAAACK! Shattered! BOOM! As if a bubble had popped. As if an unbreakable piece of treasure had been defamed. A Universal Boundary was broken as a being gallantly shining gold and white put his hands forward, grasping onto the pristinely white Sword of Primordial Essence as with its tip in the lead, he plunged into the Microbial Universe! The figures of Chronos and Goliath were in shock as their bodies glimmered with intense light, their shocking attacks being released to stop this terrifying being from advancing. The 9 Universes were still under the authority of an Antiquity that repelled any foreign Hegemonies from entering. At this moment, the Oathkeeper was forcing his way in as with the Sword of Primordial Essence in the lead, he tore apart the pressure that repelled Hegemonies from entering the Universe! His gaze was locked onto the far away Universal Construct, where even the attacking Chronos and the Goliath that wanted to stop his advance did not enter his eyes. The gold irises within them shone as they only focused on the far away Universal Construct and the pristine white Sword of Primordial Essence within his hands. Filled with determination and rage, the monstrous Oathkeeper continued forward! --- "My turn." WAA! The voice was extremely chilling to hear, the Hegemonies watching the unfolding situation adopting solemn looks at this time as among all of them currently on the boundary of the Chthonian Universe, The Great Old Nazzagath was the one to speak. "These 9 monstrosities...their power is on the border of a Hegemony!" RUMBLE! His voice caused the eyes of all others to shake as they looked at each other in affirmation, but one particularly grim Hegemony shook his head as he replied back with an even somber tone. "The power that a single one of them can release nears a Hegemony. When all 9 collectively release their power on a single being together...that strike should be no less than the might of a newly advanced Hegemony." "..." Silence reigned in the surroundings. The reality set in as all the Universal Experts in the surroundings understood the meaning of the words. The Apex Paragon in front of them...could actually withstand the force of a Hegemony and not perish. How wild! How outlandish! How inconceivable! Utter shock and wonder spread out as after such a thought was realized, next up was naturally whether such a feat could be repeated twice or three times. To be able to stand against a force comparable to a Paragon once was an astonishing feat. But it must have taken everything he had as thereafter...would he really still be able to do the same?! A great question! And one that wouldn''t take too long to be answered¡­. Chapter 1071 - Inconceivable! II The events occurring hereafter have to be described as if they took place over a long period of time...but they truly took place in a matter of seconds. Within the Chthonian Universe, Noah''s body trembled with unknown strength as his eyes moved at light speed to lock on to the 9 terrifying existences. The Cosmic Treasure within his Origin rumbled excitedly as it felt waves of mana surging into it, Noah planning on using this treasure fully for offense against these unbeatable foes as he knew it would be very hard to hurt them any other way! The Dao for Subterfuge was also churning wildly as the main objective remained to keep this trump card hidden no matter what. The crimson color and oppressive demeanor of a Cosmic Dao was not shown as what Noah displayed to the outside world seemed like a black essence that was a mixture of Chronos and Annihilation, his mind moving rapidly to make sure everything was working as it should before he made a move! BOOM! Like a glorious arrow that had been shot forth from a bow, Noah tore across space faster than light as he flew towards the terrifying Three-Faced Old One. His hand was outstretched as he was seemingly throwing out a mere punch towards the enormous Chthonian that was nearly 5 times his size! But it was no mere punch as the moment of his arrival...the fabric of the Universe would be torn as this Subjugation of the Usurper would face the wrath of an emotionless Ruination Sea. As Noah moved like a brilliant flash of light towards the Three-Faced Old One, his Animus Summons were shimmering with even more brilliance. Around all of Noah''s summons, purple-crimson runic circles filled with the essence of Chronos revolved around them constantly. This was so that even if their bodies were undergoing a process of destruction from the attacks of these terrifying enemies, they could instantaneously use [Temporal Inversion] as they would always go back to a period before they were being destroyed! It was like the attacks of the Subjugations of the Usurper were bulldozers destroying a building, and yet the constantly usable casts of [Temporal Inversion] were always rebuilding the destroyed building before it entirely collapsed. It was a process that nobody could utilize but a single being. A process that required immense amounts of mana to use and keep constant at all times! This was the power that surrounded all of his summons as the Blue Slime was the first one to take the lead, his cerulean blue eyes shining brightly as his figure warped in front of one of the Trepidities of the Deep. The attack of this Blue Slime was straightforward as with the identical figure of Noah''s Cthulhu form, countless tentacles flew from its mouth as its jaws expanded terrifyingly, the light of Extinction and Chronos shining madly as the Slime went for a straightforward attack to try Devouring right away! ROAAAR! The bellow of the Queen of Dragons shook everything thereafter as the twin Draconic Serpents joined their aunt side by side, the dense aura of Dragons erupting out majestically as the three of them took on the other Trepidity of the Deep, their jaws releasing pillars of Dragon''s Breath that were filled densely with the essence of Ruination. It was a glorious sight as colorful pillars of right from the many heads of Tiamat and the Draconic Serpents tore apart space, all rushing towards a single Subjugation of the Usurper. Beside them, the Golden Crow released its wings majestically as the heat was enough to burn millions of galaxies, letting out a space shattering cry as burned with golden brilliance while smashing towards one of the enormous Demonic existences from the Abyssal Universe! OOOOH! The Kingly Calamity Bear was close at hand as at some point, a majestic obsidian crown had appeared above the head of this monstrous summons, its fur glimmering with white and black luster as it rushed forwards to arms outstretched towards the other Demonic Existence. Meanwhile, the Oculothorax, Leviathan, the Galaxy Devouring Serpent, and the Obsidian Panther all turned into gorgeous streaks of light as they rushed towards the remaining Subjugations of the Usurper from the Liberated and Microbial Universes! A deadly ray of extinguishing light filled with the essence of Ruination released from the golden eye of the Oculothorax as it threatened to obliterate even the Microbial existence that could barely be seen. The figures of the Leviathan, the Galaxy Devouring Serpent, and the Obsidian Panther all glimmered brightly as they released terrifying attacks of their own that contained Ruination Essence, and all of the Summons collectively still had the swirling runic circles of Chronos that represented Temporal Inversions which could be utilized at any time! All of this...happened as Noah''s figure tore across space at the speed of light, his form of a Cthulhu shining a brilliant galaxy aurora of colors as he shot towards the planetary sized Three-Faced Old One that had already opened its front facing mouth, releasing another pillar of chaotic light that was even larger than Noah himself to smash against his coming figure. THRUUM! Noah''s body lit up with an obsidian light at this moment as it seemed like a black hole had appeared around him, this black hole sucking in all of the chaotic essence released from the mouth of the planetary figure as the shocking scene of a black hole traveling through the deadly pillar of light was created! ¡­! Noah''s figure wasn''t damaged as he traveled through this terrifying pillar of light that could tear apart any Paragon, his figure looking like a primal and unstoppable might that traveled across all odd as he reached the enormous body of the Chthonian soon after! He had actually torn the fabric of the Universe around him as he moved, keeping it around his body as thereafter, he focused the process of the rupture of the Universe on his fist the moment he came in contact with the terrifying figure of the Three-Faced Old One. A simple fist. One that didn''t seem to have any sense of power within it. But from this fist, the fracture of a Universe spread out as the Sea of Ruination...was actually the attack that the Subjugation of the Usurper faced. From Noah''s fist, a maddening black light bloomed as his figure actually seamlessly entered the hard body of the Three-Faced Old One, entering one side as he shockingly came out the other! WAA! He entered from one of its faces, and he actually cleanly cut through as he appeared out the other! "..." Silence descended on the stellar battlefield. Chapter 1072 - Glorious And Undeniable Might! I What was the most destructive attack that a being could face? Such a question was an extremely hard one to answer, and it was because it could be answered differently depending on the level of power the being in question was! When it came to existences in the Universal Realm, attacks with something as unique as the essence of Ruination were extremely hard to defend against. When one further went ahead and brought the Ruination Sea itself into the equation¡­ RUMBLE! The result could be seen as the current situation played out! Noah''s 10,000 mile figure had gloriously smashed into the Three-Faced Old One as at the point of impact, he had utilized the Cosmic Treasure RUINATION to create a rupture in the very fabric of the universe they were in, and this rupture moved with him from one side of the creature to another. So this being had truly faced an attack that ripped apart the fabric of the Universe itself, Noah closing up these ruptures as he moved as nobody was the wiser on the mechanics behind his attack. As for the result of it? ¡­! Every watching soul watched on in silence as a clean and crisp 10,000 mile cylindrical hole was torn through the enormous figure of the Three-Faced Old One. THRUM! Its enormous body trembled as if it had received shock coursing throughout, but it didn''t let out a single cry as even after all that...its pairs of crimson eyes were only filled with confusion. Confusion as to how what just happened was possible! BZZZT! The body of the enormous Three-Faced Old One began to tremble unstably after losing one fifth of its body, and it was in a central area at that as mixtures of essence within it began chaotically moving. Even amidst the shock, its focus was placed on Noah as it saw this being glimmering with the mysterious dark essence around his body, about to make another move that could force this unbeatable being to dire straits! In this moment of great shock and focus, a twinkle of blue flashed out. Something completely unexpected to everyone occurred as a certain being that was in an entirely different location had instantaneously changed courses and acted as by the time it was noticed, it was already too late. The Blue Slime in the terrifying Cthulhu form had made its target one of the Trepidities of the Deep, its jaws and tentacles having been expanding rapidly as many saw the attack of the cerulean Chtulhu one that wanted to simply swallow the enemy in front of it! But as the body of the Trepidity shone brightly and was about to blast the tentacles and jaws of the Blue Slime away...this being disappeared entirely. This was because this Devouring attack of the Slime wasn''t meant for the Trepidity. Master and Summon were working in synchrony at this moment as all this time...the target of the Blue Slime had always been the Three-Faced Old One! It had always been the enemy that Noah would attack and keep its attention for even less than a millisecond...and this minuscule period of time was all that the Blue Slime needed to carry out a shocking action. The moment that the Three-Faced Old One had a hope created through its body as it began to shake unstably and focus on Noah''s next attack, it found that a glimmer of a blue viscous mass suddenly appeared to cover all of three pairs of eyes. ''What was this?'' What was this. This was the last thought that the terrifying existence that had become a soulless Subjugation of the Usurper would have before in the next second, the jaws of a cerulean Chtulhu that had expanded to be 5 times bigger than its own body appeared to fully clamp around it in an instant- its momentary lapse in focus allowing for the terrifying reality about to play out! <>. ...WAP! A flash of cerulean blue. A 50,000 mile existence that could not be defeated by anything other than a Hegemony disappeared. An existence that an Antiquity promised would not be something that Paragons would even dream of touching¡­was eradicated simply as Noah and the Blue Slime schemed against it! The moment the Subjugation of the Usurper disappeared, the Hegemonies watching outside the barrier felt their brains buzz and go numb. Many did a double take as they recalled what they just found out in the past seconds- the fact that these beings had battlepower that was at the border if not spilling into the Realm of a Hegemony, feeling like the Aped Paragon might finally fall for the enemy''s schemes! But¡­ What was this?! Just what had happened?! BZZZT! After the disappearance of the Three-Faced Old One, all that was left was the Blue Slime. From the body of this creature...billions of lines from the Galaxies within its Origin began to connect as its body shone brilliantly. The shocking aura it released began to shoot up crazily as it thundered towards the boundary of a Paragon. It thundered towards the Realm of Galactic Filament as it strove to connect all 100 Billion Galaxies no matter what! --- "Huh?" Across the folds of space and the rivers of time. In a place very few beings were capable of traversing, with those who could traverse it choosing not to as it violated certain laws...within this region, there was the consciousness of the Great Usurper that was actively increasing how much focus it gave to a certain Cosmos. Other ventures were put on hold or aside for now as the Great Usurper pulled the strings ever tighter, and yet he found out at this moment that the other side had begun to fight back with even more ferocity! First, the Authority of the Antiquity was challenged when this being sensed something piercing into one of the Universes that the Tools of Descent were drawing essence from, and now...the Authority he placed in his Subjugations was actually violated as one of them was quite literally wiped away. Not defeated, not destroyed by a terrible Cosmic Essence....but simply wiped away as if it didn''t exist! Chapter 1073 - Glorious And Undeniable Might! II His Authority was actually violated on two fronts as even with the increased consciousness and support, the Cosmos he wanted to descend unto actually fought back even harder. RUMBLE! His consciousness bellowed out powerful waves of power at such a juncture as his gaze became even more focused. "Merely a Cosmos that hasn''t even produced an Antiquity, and you think you can deny one?" WAA! His voice was deep and ancient as his cerulean blue eyes shone dangerously, this being closing these brilliant eyes at this moment as he...took a deep breath. Thus breath acted as a method to solidify the consciousness within this space, one being able to see many thin blue chains appearing from his body as they extended onto multiple directions towards the vast rivers of time this being could access! When he took the breath, the blue chains that were spread out began to snap off one by one as in a matter of seconds, only a single line of a chain remained. It began to shine brighter and grow larger than all the others as this line...was connected to the Primordial Cosmos. The Antiquity released all other attachments and connections to who knew what destinations as within seconds, his focus fully came unto the Primordial Cosmos. "I will not let a Cosmic Treasure escape my grasp...such a thing is even a rarity to pop up in Cardinal Cosmos!" RUMBLE The line connecting this consciousness to the Primordial Cosmos became even larger and brighter with his words, his blue eyes releasing rays of terrible light as in the next moment, terrifying waves of essence began to undulate from him in waves. They traveled across the mirrored rivers of time as soon enough, they caused horrendous effects in the Primordial Cosmos. In the next moment, the Universal Constructs across the 9 Universes shook powerful as a second later, they radiated immense rays of crimson obsidian light as the cocoons around these Constructs began to expand at a visible speed! Ambrose, the Cerulean Hegemony...all the Hegemonies put in charge of protecting the Constructs were shocked at the development as they saw the thrumming Cocooca release terrifying waves that flew out to the ends of the Universes. The 9 Universes then began to oscillate powerfully as with the permeation of the essence of the Antiquity, the Universal Amalgamation proceeded even faster as the fusion of Universes and the coming together of the cocoons within them...would only need a matter of days now! Not a few weeks, but a matter of days if not shorter depending on just how profound the Authority of Antiquity being released was. It meant that the descent of Antiquity was coming down much faster than many realized or expected! As he tore across the Microbial Universe with a glimmering Sword of Primordial Essence, the Oathkeeper felt this change even more closely as his determination soared, the white Sword in his hands glowing ever brighter as he pushed back the figures of Chronos and the Goliath! The Oathkeeper had not called any reinforcements over when he began his relentless attacks, but many Hegemonies had now divided their attention and gathered outside the boundary of the Microbial Universe after his shocking actions were known. They could see the broken boundary of the Universe and the glorious figure of the Oathkeeper surrounded by the pristinely white Primordial Essence, tearing across the space of the Microbial Universe as he seemed to be walking across a viscous area that was hard to move in with every step. The viscosity was of course the authority of the Antiquity that denied entrance to the Universes to anyone that didn''t have their auras branded, but the Oathkeeper was forcefully tearing this apart with the use of a Cosmic Treasure! The Hegemonies watching his brilliantly shining figures could only continue watching as even when they tried, none of them had the capability to withstand the authority of an Antiquity and force their way in. They could only watch the brilliance of one man as he tore across the void of the Microbial Universe, his eyes dead set on the shining Universal Construct there! --- Within the Origin of the Blue Slime, the number of connected Galaxies very quickly surpassed 60 Billion with the Devouring of a single Subjugation of the Usurper. BZZZT! While essence was meant swirling around the Slime, Noah''s figure only left behind after images as he didn''t sit still! The Unkillable existences...could be killed as long as there were some unique methods implemented. What was shocking was that even after a being had fractures torn across its body as it received an attack that tore apart the layers of the Universe, they were somehow still alive as only after their scheme successfully worked did the creature fall. Unless these existences were devoured entirely by the Ruination Sea, it was extremely hard for one to actually kill them! But Noah...didn''t even dare to kill them. This was because their value as nutrients were too astounding! They held within them an authority of an Antiquity as their value was who knew how many times greater than the Incarnations of Chaos as at this time, Noah could feel from the Origin of the Blue Slime that a single Universal Devouring of these existences had granted it over 20 billion new lines of connections. From 55 Billion to 75 Billion. The Blue Slime actually just had to devour two more of these terrifying Subjugations of the Usurper...and he would be able to complete all 100 billion connections! Thereafter, a Universal Seed would be created as with it, one could bring forth a Universe. Hegemony! Ah! WAA! As the Blue Slime shone gloriously while releasing horrendous waves of power, the tentacles of its Cthulhu form vibrated with happiness as its cerulean blue eyes locked on the remaining 8 Subjugations of the Usurper. The looks that the Blue Slime was giving forth were filled with such immense longing that one could mistake it for him looking at his loved ones! But there was no love there. It was only the greed of Devouring and grasping Hegemony! Chapter 1074 - A Dream Of A Universal Seed I The might of the Subjugations of the Usurper was undeniable. The aura alone that they displayed was enough to terrify any Paragons as the shocking truth of their power edging towards Hegemony remained. Yet¡­ Why did it seem like the might of the beings with the glimmering white Stars of Conquest was much more maddened and relentless?! Why did it seem like they all were putting everything they had on the line?! BOOM! The attacks of Noah''s summons landed on their respective targets as a glorious burst of color erupted out. Noah himself appeared in front of the Trepidity of the Deep as his body moved forward at the speed of light, his right arm outstretched as a single punch was what was leading the way. The Cosmic Treasure was ready to be utilized at any point as Noah wanted to continue tearing apart just two more of these existences as that was the reason why he and his summons were maddened! They were fighting as if their lives were on the line because they could almost smell Hegemony! Not for themselves, but they could see a glimpse of Hegemony for the Blue Slime as when this occurred...the power their side could display would rise by an insane margin. The soulless Subjugations of the Usurper shook slightly at such unyielding might, but this was when the aura of the Antiquity began to madly spread across the Chthonian Universe as the Antiquity fully focused his gaze onto the Primordial Cosmos! The auras of the 8 remaining Subjugations began to rise crazily as unlike everything else, these beings actually seemed capable of absorbing the essence of Antiquity that was spreading throughout the Universe. The Trepidity of the Deep in front of Noah absorbed this aura as its tentacles rushed out madly with a glimmer of a myriad of Cosmic Essence, but Noah was unhindered. His gaze was placid as even with the shocking might these existences displayed, there was a single reality that didn''t change. Existences of this level could not defend against an attack capable of tearing apart the very fabric of a Universe. They could not defend against the Ruination Sea! Hegemonies could not do so! Even those that had broken past the Universal Realm and began inching towards the Universal Filament Realm which was normally the stage where Antiquities began to pop up...even these beings only held enough power to survive in the Ruination Sea for a period of time, but that was all! Unless they had something as unique as Ruination Essence or Primordial Essence, or they were powerful enough to have arrived at the stage of a Cosmos. It wasn''t until they reached the Cosmic Realm that one could somewhat defend against the terrors of the Ruination Sea! Even though the beings before him were powerful, they had not even reached Hegemony. So against the millions of tentacles that erupted from the Trepidity of the Deep, Noah only pushed forward his fist. THRUUUM...RIP! The Cosmic Treasure was activated as seemingly, a black hole surrounded Noah on all sides as it sucked in everything! He expertly controlled the Cosmic Treasure to create a fracture of the Universe only around his body and erase them as soon as he left, and he conducted the same move that heavily damaged the Three-Faced Old One against the current Trepidity. Like an unstoppable moving 10,000 mile blackhole, his figure moved through as the body of the Trepidity had a hole at this center soon after, Noah coming out the other side. It didn''t matter that there was just an eruption in the essence that the Antiquity released, nor did it matter if they were strengthened! Against an attack that ripped apart a Universe, they could not defend! This was the terror of a Cosmic Treasure. This was just a glimpse of what one could do with it! WAA! As if on cue, the figure of the Blue Slime appeared a moment after the Trepidity was given a hole 10,000 miles large, its essence in chaos as during this period of time, the tentacles of the Slime wrapped around it as terrifying words were uttered soon after. <>. WAP! A shimmer of blue, and another Subjugation of the Usurper disappeared. "..." The scene could scarcely be believed, but it was a terrifying one as it caused the other 7 Subjugations to bellow out vigorously while their bodies poured out resplendent attacks! Noah''s summons were at the forefront of these as the Chronos Essence swirling around them in the form crimson purple runic circles activated, the Damage their bodies were receiving becoming inverted soon after as their lives were not taken even if they faced stupendous abilities. This was the Uniqueness in Daos such as Chronos! OOOOH! The figures of the 7 Subjugations glimmering bright crimson lights after seeing another one of them inexplicably disappear, their gazes transferring over from Noah and onto the Blue Slike briefly as they looked at this being. As their gazes turned over, they ridiculously saw the ever rising aura of this creature as unbeknownst to them, the Devouring of a second Subjugation gave the Blue Slike another 20 Billion connections! They could only blame themselves for being such good sources of nutrients as 200 Incarnations of Chaos had only been able to give the Slime 55 Billion connections. Yet just two of them had given him 40 billion as when they now gazed at him, they were shocked to realize a unique aura was coming off this creature. The Subjugations weren''t the only ones as the Hegemonies watching from outside the boundary of the Chthonian Universe were even more shocked, a feeling of familiarity being felt when they looked at the Cthulhu form of the Blue Slime. The feeling of familiarity came from the aura...and it was the aura they were very in tune with. It was the aura of a Hegemony, and it had begun to slowly erupt from the Blue Slime at this moment! Chapter 1075 - A Dream Of A Universal Seed II A trace aura of Hegemony! It meant this creature would inevitably be able to form their Universal Seed soon as thereafter, it would bloom into a Universe. But¡­ "What the hell¡­" A Hegemony couldn''t help but curse when they watched this scene play out, the sequence of events being extremely shocking as the aura of this Blue shimmering Cthulhu was nowhere near what it was at the start of this battle. But it then swallowed up two terrifying existences that could only be defeated by Hegemonie as at this moment, it seemed like just a few more connections were needed before an advancement could be made! Such a scene confounded many as they scrambled to find answers that would make such a thing into a reality! But this was when the face of the Great Old Nazzagath froze in a stupor as his aged eyes locked onto the cerulean figure of the Slime in Cthulhu. He then unconsciously voiced out what put him in a stupor as his words were silent, but they rang like bombs into everyone''s ears! "That''s...the Universal Emperor Slime¡­!" ¡­! RUMBLE Shock and realization entrenched the faces of the Hegemonies as they looked towards the figure of the Blue Cthulhu with a myriad of expressions. "A Universal Emperor Slime...that- that should not be possible!" An impossibility had yet again appeared! The Hegemonies looked at the blue shining existence even closer as everything seemed to click into place, their gazes going through a myriad of emotions as they thought about many things. An event that had occurred many, many years ago appeared in their minds once again as many of them seemed to have arrived at an epiphany, but even with this epiphany...their faces still turned somber soon after. It was a mystery what was going on in their minds! --- The figures of the Subjugations of the Usurper erupted with power as even with the essence of Chronos protecting Noah''s summons and the Temporal Inversion working to rewind any injuries they received, their figures were still pushed back a few hundred miles! Then, the 7 shining obsidian existences all turned towards the blue figure of the Blue Slime as they considered this being the worst enemy. Not Noah who could create holes the size of his body when he moved against them, but this being that could somehow erase everything about them in a second! They considered this figure much of a threat because they could also sense the aura of a Hegemony beginning to stem from it. It seemed like this being was on the cusp of a breakthrough, and they had to do all they could to stop it! Otherwise...their only weakness would be exposed. Their only weakness was Hegemonies. So they moved to protect themselves. RUUMBLE! A gorgeous array of light flashed out as while all 7 terrifying beings thundered towards it, the Blue Slime wasn''t the least bit fearful as it looked towards them with fervor and happiness. Beside the Slime, Noah''s enormous Cthulhu form appeared protectively as he stretched his arms out, the obsidian colored essence that had helped eradicate 2 Subjugations stretching out dangerously. The two of them seemed to be getting ready for an all out battle against the rushing Subjugations, but it was entirely different than many expected as while the Subjugations formed a ring to surround Noah and the Blue Slime- the rest of the Animus Summons that were pushed back had also formed a ring to surround them! Then, Tiamat called out lightly as out of nowhere, a purple crimson clock appeared in the skies and gushed out the essence of Chronos. [Temporal Halt]. BZZZT! Space and time seemingly came to a halt, but the figures of the 7 Subjugations were too powerful as their bodies vibrated intensely, and they broke out of the Temporal Halt a moment later as they continued! But¡­. [Temporal Halt]. The Galaxy Devouring Serpent spoke out. [Temporal Halt]. The Obsidian Panther spoke out. [Temporal Halt]. Even Tiamat again spoke up! All of Noah''s summons at this moment fully utilized the feature of spamming as they called forth multiple Temporal Halts, all of them focused on the moving enemies below as with so many of such Halts layered...they came to a stop for more than a second before they could break through. This one second was a decider that would change many things. This one second was an action that would steer the course of history in a vastly different direction than what many beings expected. SHAA Within the second of the halt, the Blue Slime appeared next to the nearest Subjugation of the Usurper who turned out to be the last planetary sized Trepidity of the Deep. His jaws expanded as tentacles wriggled out, wrapping around the enormous body of the creature within the one second as¡­ . WAP! Like the blinking of eyes, the last Chthonian among the Subjugations of the Usurper disappeared. When all of them broke through the time halts with sheer power and might, they found that another one of them had disappeared! They also found...a particular shining blue creature that had begun to release blue rays of light that shot out across hundreds of thousands of miles. The rays contained a magisterial aura that wasn''t that of a Paragon! It contained the pristine and magisterial essence of something else entirely as at this point, 100 Billion Galaxies were fully connected in the Origin of a certain being. BZZZT! The body of the Blue Slime undulated majestically as a glorious sense of awe descended. Inside of its Origin, 100 Billion clear lines of connections rang throughout the galaxies as at this moment, they all shone in unison and resonance as a boundary began to form over them! This boundary was crystalline blue in color as it was extremely beautiful...and this boundary represented the outer layer of a seed. At this moment, a Universal Seed coalesced within the body of the Blue Slime as a second later....it bloomed! Chapter 1076 - A Slime Rides The Winds Of Destiny! I Hegemony. A title given to a being that had successfully birthed a Universe within their Origin! The title had many meanings, but the main and central focus from the definition of this word at this moment was its meaning of dominance. Dominance! The capability to utterly and completely dominate others based on one''s own ability! A few beings very correctly displayed the dominance of a Hegemony as these were the true experts of this level. An example was the Oathkeeper that was currently wielding a glimmering Sword of Primordial Essence as he tore across a Universe while working against the authority of an Antiquity and two other powerful Hegemonies! Chronos and the Goliath were free of any restriction as the Oathkeeper actually felt the effects of Corruption of the Usurper, Malignant Madness, and Heretical Malediction. Yet...this being was unhindered as with the Cosmic Treasure releasing waves of Primordial Essence in hand, he tore across everything on his path as he approached a Universal Construct. This was dominance! This was true Hegemony! Now...yet another being was stepping into the rank of a Universe within the Primordial Cosmos. All eyes were on the singular form of a cerulean Cthulhu that emanated this blue light for millions of miles. With all 100 Billion galaxies connected, a Universal Seed had formed as the vast number of connected galaxies came together and seemingly fused into one! All 100 Billion Galaxies fused together seamlessly, giving birth to the Universal Seed that bloomed...and carefully structured and formed a Universe. THRUUUM! Brand new Galaxies bloomed from the Universal Seed, these Galaxies being strongly interconnected as they had a starry cerulean color! The moment the Seed bloomed and spat them out, the aura outside the body of the Blue Slime changed. A terrifying aura and might erupted from it as the essence of a being that had successfully formed their own Universe reverberated out! OOOOOH! The Blue Slime bellowed forth gloriously at the newfound sense of power and freedom! A unique authority seemed to descend unto its body as mana conduction and efficiency, mana reserves, Origin, life force...everything about it went through a qualitative change. Then, its body transformed from Noah''s similar Cthulhu form as with a glimmer of blue, the image of a Planetary sized blue slime appeared! As if breaking out of a cocoon! As if he could finally and freely be his true self! ¡­! The glorious form of the Blue Slime became clear to all as the eyes of the watching Hegemonies trembled with confirmation and stupor. On this day, the last Universal Emperor Slime had achieved the Realm of a Universe, fulfilling the destiny of its name! Universal! ¡­ In the Dark Universe, Noah''s main body was surrounded by a storm of golden essence currently, his figure being elevated far above his subordinates as they all stared at him from below while also trying to stare at the shocking development on the illusory screen that shoved the events in the Chthonian Universe. The storm of golden essence surrounding Noah were vast seas of Destiny and Fortune, Noah having utilized them with such success that they raged ever higher, the boon this time around not just befalling the Blue Slime alone. Yes, the Blue Slime had ridden Noah''s waves of destiny and fortune in this ordeal to obtain the most benefits, but it was still a being that was bound to Noah! Its power...was also Noah''s power. Its strength was also Noah''s strength! So when the Blue Slime rose to Hegemony...Noah also obtained the shocking power of the Universal Realm, even if it was through his Animus Summon! While his clone was fused with it, Noah had been there to feel and witness the birth of the Universal Seed and of the blooming Universe that was glimmering brightly at this moment, his heart feeling like his road had been paved forward so damn smoothly. Something even more shocking was that through their connection, Noah was getting a myriad of information sent to him as he found that while stepping into the Universal Realm...the Blue Slime that had truly become a Universal Emperor Slime had unlocked a new racial ability and even had an enhancement in the <> ability! Noah''s eyes released gorgeous beams of golden light as he focused on this feed of information and quantified what he was getting. [Blue Slime](PRISMATIC+) :: An Animus Summon at the UNIVERSAL Realm. A unique species that is the last of its kind in the Primordial Cosmos. This Blue Slime comes from the thought to be perished lineage of Universal Emperor Slimes that were hunted down to extinction in the Animus Universe by a coalition of beings from the Primordial Cosmos. Its unique composition gives it complete immunity to physical attacks and 90% Damage reduction to all other forms of damage. This Blue Slime has assimilated a Myriad of Grand and Lesser Daos, and has currently gained comprehensions in the Cosmic Daos of Chronos, Extinction, Annihilation, Phantasm...It has fully become a Universal Emperor Slime as the racial ability <> can now stay true to its name and devour Universes themselves. The action of Devouring a Universe accelerates the process for an existence to form Universal Filaments and achieve a state known as Apocryphal Antiquity- a Realm of power not achieved through the Marks of Antiquity acting to completely morph one''s Galaxies into Dao Galaxies. No Universal Emperor Slime in the Primordial Cosmos has ever successfully utilized <> due to its sheer impossible mana requirements. The last time a Universal Emperor Slime tried to do so, it only held a Universe hostage for 1000 years in the Primordial Cosmos. Aside from this, the racial ability of <> has been unlocked, allowing the Universal Emperor Slime to have a sense of direction on other Universes outside of the Primordial Cosmos. ¡­! A description of the Blue Slime similar to the one that Noah had seen when he first obtained this creature and contracted it, but it was much different this time around as many new things were added! Chapter 1077 - A Slime Rides The Winds Of Destiny! II From the information Noah was receiving, an abundant amount of surprises could be found. One was the fact that shockingly, <> could now...devour a Universe. Well, it was a feature that actually fit its name more, but it wasn''t even something Noah thought of trying before! One must recall that it had only been a matter of months for Noah to elevate a Spiritual Land into a Universal Core and fuse it to a Universe, never would he have thought that he would be bound to a creature that could actually devour such Universes. Such an action...would make it possible for the Blue Slime to do what many found impossible to do! It was the action that Chronos and the Goliath could not do, it was why these beings had reached out to another force. Antiquity! The Blue Slime could actually obtain Antiquity if he went around doing the monstrous and questionable thing of devouring entire Universes as by the end of it, he would obtain something called Apocryphal Antiquity. Apocryphal. This word had many meanings, but it was along the lines of questionable, fake, or even fictitious! It wasn''t the natural way that existences obtained Antiquity, being something that this unique race of Universal Emperor Slimes could do alone. Yet, even they weren''t able to do it as after millions of years, only a single Emperor Slime had held a Universe hostage while they were fighting for their lineage, but even they did not succeed. As always, the problem lay in mana! Mana seemed like a natural restriction in existence for many things, preventing many beings from doing shocking things that would otherwise shatter the balance of natural power. But¡­ RUMBLE! The essence around Noah raged madly, a terrifying smile appearing on his devilishly handsome face as though he was surrounded by golden seas of Destiny and Fortune...this smile seemed extremely menacing. He had such a smile as he thought about how he was an exception. He could make it possible! He could supply all the mana that the Blue Slime needed if ever an opportunity to swallow an entire genuine Universe arose! "Ah¡­" He calmed himself down as he thought of such shocking possibilities, looking at the newly unlocked feature of <>. A terrifying ability by itself, and one that held terrifying implications. When Noah glanced at this, he became somber as at this moment...he would only think about the current Universes within the Primordial Cosmos. He already had too much on this plate as when it came to what was out there in the vast Ruination Sea...it was something for another time! RUMBLE! He was taken out of his thoughts as the seas of fortune and destiny raged around him even harder, the situation continuing to unfold in the Chthonian Universe as at this time as the figure of the true Blue Slime appeared before everyone. The viscous body was shining a starry blue, the entire slime seeming like he had vast numbers of blue planetary bodies swirling beautifully throughout. His eyes were an even brighter shade of blue as when they opened, they released terrible might as they caused the surrounding void to shake! The aura of a Hegemony...fully unfolded at this moment as the eyes of the Blue Slime gazed over a certain area. It actually wasn''t the 6 remaining Subjugations of the Usurper, but the eyes of the slime actually turned up as they crossed innumerable light years of the Chthonian Universe to gaze outside the boundary at the figures of the many watching Hegemonies! WAA! The eyes of the Great Old Nazzagath shook along with all the Hegemonies that felt the gaze of the Blue Slime, feeling as if they were being stared at by a shockingly deadly predator! Within the eyes of the Blue Slime, they felt a sense of power and hidden wrath as the first thing that this being did when he achieved Hegemony was gaze towards the Universal Realm experts of the Primordial Cosmos. The beings that had been moving to the very forefront when the race of Universal Emperor Slimes were eradicated! RUMBLE! A weaker Hegemony that had only achieved this level a few million years ago was even pushed back by the gaze of the Blue Slime alone, this existence letting out a silent harrumph as his gaze then turned towards the 6 Subjugations of the Usurper. The Hegemonies outside of the boundary felt like they could breathe thereafter, but as they gazed upon the glimmering body of the Universal Emperor Slime, they couldn''t help but think of what outcome this existence would seek in the near future! In the Chthonian Universe, the 6 remaining Subjugations were those from the Abyssal, Liberated, and Microbial Universe. 2 of each...but these beings weren''t letting out the terrifying might they released before. This was because their only enemy was a Hegemony. At this moment...such an existence stood before them as what else was there left to say? WAA! Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone and even the Animus Summons gazed towards the Blue Slime without doing a single thing, watching as this existence began to release a circular field of light from its body that eventually expanded and formed a starry cluster of Galaxies in the nearby hundreds of thousands of miles. It actually seemed...like a manifestation of the Universe within the Origin of the Blue Slime, this manifestation being brought to the outside world at this moment as shockingly, he superimposed his Universe onto a genuine one! "Universal Authority." THRUM! The voice of the Blue Slime rang out languidly, the childish tone still apparent in the voice as this Hegemony utilized an authority unique to Universal Realm experts. It was the superimposition of their Universe into the surroundings, an ability that made them king within this area as if no other Hegemony existed to dispel the {Universal Authority}, they were unhindered within the area! It was also a dangerous authority to utilize as if an even more powerful Hegemony released their Universal Authority and it was much larger than yours, your very Origin would be hurt since it was manifested outside. So very rarely did Hegemonies display their precious Universes outside of their bodies unless it was a life and death battle, but the Blue Slime...the Blue Slime had no such fears. His Universe was superimposed on another as while staring at the bodies of the 6 Subjugations of the Usurper, he called out lightly! "Extinction." ¡­! BZZZZT! It wasn''t the cast of a skill or any ability. It was just the Blue Slime speaking. It was just a word! Yet in the next second, boundless essence of Extinction emerged from the illusory Galaxies of the Blue Slime displayed outside, descending instantaneously on all the Subjugations as space itself shattered and tumbled! The bodies of the Subjugations of the Usurper shook in a terrifying manner as one could see skin and bones fly out, as if the defences of these terrifying existences didn''t even exist. The same essence...was utilized by a Hegemony as its effect was ridiculous. All 6 Subjugations of the Usurper that had nearly even destroyed Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone before could only shake at a single word from the Universal Emperor Slime at this moment, all their figures becoming ravaged by Extinction! It was undeniable might. Undeniable dominance! It was genuine Hegemony! Chapter 1078 - Aim For A Universal Construct! I How could one describe the feeling of commanding the power of a Universe under their fingertips? Noah was relishing this feeling at this moment, the actions and thoughts of the Blue Slime he was fused with being akin to his own as all he could say when it came to power at the Universal Realm...was that it was addictive! RUMBLE! The moment the vibrant Blue Slime uttered the words ''Extinction'', this essence rushed out in droves from the galaxies of the Manifested Universe as they surrounded the figures of the Subjugations of the Usurper on all sides. These beings that were just showing off crazy levels of battle power seemingly became docile when such an attack rained down, giving the effect of them having somehow gotten weaker. But they hadn''t gotten weaker, it was just the might that the Blue Slime released at the Universal Realm was just that much greater! It was similar to how a baby would not be able to put up much of a fight against a man. To the Blue Slime that was now a Hegemony, these beings in front of it were no more than big babies! If we take this analogy further and expand it to Noah and how he was able to stand against Hegemony Dark Shadow with the use of [Plot Armor] and the Hegemony of Necromancy from just testing his attacks, Noah was akin to a genius baby that was given a gun that he could shoot endlessly. When putting such a baby against a man, one or two shots were bound to hit! This was the feeling of power that Noah was currently taking in. The feeling of looking at the beings that decimated his other summons that his clones fused with in a single hit...and they were currently struggling against the {Universal Authority} of a Hegemony as their bodies creaked under the pressure of the utterance of ''Extinction''. "Ah¡­" Noah sighed endlessly at such power as the Blue Slime looked at the constricted figures of the Subjugations that couldn''t even move, the ethereal voice of this existence ringing out slowly once more. <>. RUMBLE! A cluster of essence erupted out as the cerulean body of the Blue Slime expanded in an instant, covering an area of tens of thousands of miles as this area contained the figures of all the remaining Subjugations of the Usurper. The two from the Microbial Universe, Abyssal Universe, and the Liberated Universe all trembled as they suddenly felt the viscous film around them, their soulless eyes seemingly gaining a hint of fear and unwillingness as soon after that¡­ WAP! They disappeared! The beings that were giving Noah and the others so much trouble had actually been taken care of so seamlessly and easily by the Blue Slime that was currently a Hegemony! "..." The field of battle was entirely silent as even the three original Chthonian Paragons that had come to greet Noah were shaking fearfully. Outside of the boundary of the Chthonian Universe, the Hegemonies looked at these scenes with varying expressions as their gazes were somber at the illusory manifested Universe that the Blue Slime was blatantly displaying. Great Old Nazzagath looked at such a scene as his voice was the first one to rumble out. "Seeing the gaze of this existence...he will be looking for answers on what happened all those years ago!" His words reminded every Hegemony of a distant past when creatures such as the one they saw before them ran rampant, filling multiple Universes as their power was something to be feared! Events had progressed in such a way that eventually, all Hegemonies had come to agree on the resolution that the race of the Universal Emperor Slimes were too destructive as they had to be eradicated. At the lead of this was¡­ "This wasn''t on our shoulders, the one who spearheaded this whole ordeal was Chronos! He must have been scheming something in the very beginning to have. If you consider how the events played out, he might have even been the one to instigate the race of the Universal Emperor Slime to do what they did until the war broke out¡­!" RUMBLE! A sonorous voice from the Hegemony of Light rang out, a dazzling woman with wings of light speaking out as her words made many Hegemonies ponder! But at the end of it all¡­ "It does not matter whether we were played or if it was a scheme of Chronos. Each of us participated in the eradication of the Universal Emperor Slimes. Now that we know Chronos''s nature, we can definitely question his intent behind it all...but it doesn''t matter!" The voice of the Great Old Nazzagath resounded out powerfully as this Chthonian seemed entirely exhausted! "It doesn''t matter because we all have their blood on our hands!" WAA! A disastrous set of words, and it was ones that made the mood around the many Hegemonies even more somber. But there were some that were those with high pride and honor, even among those currently standing alongside Oathkeeeper. "So what?" A voice perked up that caused many eyes to turn towards it. It was from a Hegemony that had the exact features of a fantastical existence known as a dwarf, this being holding the stature of a dwarf but being over 500 meters tall just with their natural body alone! This was a Hegemony that stemmed from the Universe of Metal, a Universe that held a myriad of races like this who were proficient in anything to do with metal working and smithing as they created the most renowned Dao Treasures across the Primordial Cosmos. The one who spoke just now was the Hegemony of Smithing, a being that had risen far above his peers as he claimed such a title by himself! The golden hammer that this Hegemony of Smithing carried on his hands glimmered as he spoke out with a sense of calm and power. "It was events a long time ago, just mistakes of the past. If he seeks answers, we will give them to him. But what can he do? What are you all fearful of? He just achieved Hegemony, and even if it was through the schemes of Chronos...many of us have faced Universal Emperor Slimes before!" RUMBLE! Chapter 1079 - Aim For A Universal Construct! II "...He just achieved Hegemony, and even if it was through the schemes of Chronos...many of us have faced Universal Emperor Slimes before!" ¡­! The voice was filled with the majesty of a Hegemony as some eyes shone while others became filled with distaste. Even with the powerful universal Realm Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos, there were many characters who had vastly different mentalities even if they stood on the same side! "Hegemony of Smithing, you¡­!" Great Old Nazzagath had an angered expression as he turned towards the Hegemony carrying the enormous golden hammer, shaking his figure thereafter as if it wasn''t worth it and instead turning his gaze back onto the events within the Chthonian Universe. These beings before them were fighting with their lives on the line to save the very Universes they called their homes, and would treat them as such when the time came? This aged Chthonian had many thoughts swirling in his mind as even after he sent the commands for all those under his influence in the Chthonian Universe to accept the rule of the Tyrannical Emperor that now moved with a Hegemony, he still felt like he wasn''t doing enough. Just sitting around and watching, that was all they were good for at this moment. And yet some of them had to gall to talk?! --- In the Chthonian Universe, Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone looked at the devastating scene of the Blue Slime wiping out the Subjugations of Chaos within seconds as his eyes shone with an excited luster, wanting to obtain such a power himself as he wondered what level his clone could display it! After he finished reveling in this feeling though, he got himself back on track as he thought about what he would be doing now that he had unexpectedly gotten his hands on the power of a Hegemony. Conquering the remaining universes¡­.such an action could now be done with ease! The only problem was standing against the Hegemonies protecting them. But even then, could these beings match up to the power of the Universal Emperor Slime? Could they match up against a being that would soon be seeking answers from all the Hegemonies in the Primordial Cosmos?! RUMBLE! When Noah thought about such things, his gaze became firm as millions of thoughts crossed through his mind every second. A path formed in his mind. One that was built by the seas of fortune and destiny that his main body was currently swimming in as he collected more and more Marks of Antiquity! At the end of it all, his gaze turned towards a certain direction. At the same time, the gaze of the stupendous Planetary sized Blue Slime also turned its gaze into this direction. It was where the Universal Construct of the Chthonian Universe lay! It was the location that a Chthonian Hegemony protected! Noah and the Blue Slime looked towards this position as when considering the power they could now wield, they considered the plans of Chronos to be as good as done. They would simply tear apart the machinations of this being with pure strength from now on, and they would start with the Universal Constructs that allowed for the descent of Antiquity! Towards the direction that the gaze of the Blue Slime was pointing to. The other Chthonian Hegemony that had sided with Chronos was standing in front of the huge cocoon like Universal Construct as when he saw the blue eyes of the slime turn this way, this aged being couldn''t help but utter out¡­ "Fuck¡­" ¡­! Ah! At the same time this occurred, the relentless figure of the Oathkeeper in the Microbial Universe was getting closer and closer to the Universal Construct within this Universe, the might of Chronos and the Goliath not being enough to withstand a Hegemony that could wield a Cosmic Treasure! OOOOOH! Billowing white luster continued to wave out of the Oathkeeper in waves as with the Sword of Primordial Essence in hand, he tore across the authority of the Antiquity as he was currently a few hundred miles away from the cocoon like Universal Construct. He could already see it in front of him as the Cerulean Hegemony that was in charge of protecting this Universal Construct looked towards the scene of the Goliath and Chronos trying to stop the Oathkeeper in shock, his somber expression loosening soon after when the auras of multiple Hegemonies began to appear in the Microbial Universe! It was reinforcements from the other 8 Universes, each of them turning into streaks of light as they rushed towards the battle to make sure the Oathkeeper wouldn''t move any further! Such a development caused the Oathkeeper''s eyes to flutter as his momentum only increased, but he actually stopped advancing forward as the swirl of the Primordial Dao around him only became more and more intense. When he looked at the mere few hundred miles away he was from the Universal Construct, he nodded his head as he seemed to think it was enough, grasping the Primordial Disk within his hands tightly as the Universe within his Origin thrummed! WAA! He had less than half of his mana reserves remaining, but they depleted at this moment to 25% as he used over one fourth of all his mana in an instant, the Primordial Disk within his hands letting out glorious waves of light as he spoke to it calmly. "Take me through the same folds of space that Primordial Essence created...take me to that Universal Construct¡­" BZZZT! As if a machine had been fed with all it could need for a terrifying task, the Primordial Disk vibrated intensely as it released a shocking light to cover the Oathkeeper, causing for a fantastical scene to occur in the next second! As multiple streaks of light that represented Hegemonies tore through the void to reinforce Chronos and the Goliath against the terrifying Oathkeeper, this being actually stopped his advance as a second later...he disappeared. ¡­! Shock and stupor appeared in the eyes of all as when they sensed the aura of this domineering being again...it was actually behind them! WAA! Even past the crimson boundary that protected the cocoon like Universal Construct, the Oathkeeper had actually appeared just a few meters away from the pulsing outer layer of this terrifying Tool of Descent. His Sword of Primordial Essence raised up as his expression was impassive, his eyes showing the light of dominance of the being that deserved to be the number one strongest in the Primordial Cosmos! With a shocking eruption of light, a Sword filled with Primordial Essence smashed into the Universal Construct! Chapter 1080 - Aim For A Universal Construct! III As Noah had just gazed towards a Universal Construct and began making his way towards it with the Blue Slime, the Oathkeeper had shockingly achieved this goal first as his Sword of Primordial Essence thundered onto a Universal Construct under the eyes of Chronos and all other Hegemonies. Chronos looked at such a scene with sheer shock and frustration as his figure burned with light trying to reach for the untouchable figure of the Oathkeeeper, the others being too shocked as they could barely even act! The Cerulean Hegemony that was the closest to the Universal Construct as he was supposed to be protecting it actually froze in place as he fearfully looked at the glimmering Primordial Disk within the hands of the Oathkeeper with greed and fear. That was a Cosmic Treasure! Under the aid of such an item, the glorious Sword of Primordial Essence thundered down and smashed into the cocoon like Universal Construct! BZZZZT...BOOOOM! A sound akin to Clusters of Galaxies exploding rang out, the Universal Construct putting up a fight in the beginning but soon after¡­its outer layer shattered in a shower of blood as this phenomenon acted like a chain reaction. The Primordial Essence permeated throughout as pristine white spread all around, every area it passes exploding in a glorious fashion as the enormous Universal Construct began breaking down from the point of contact and continued throughout! The Primordial Essence was like a poison to it, and this poison spread out to cover all of this huge structure in its entirety within seconds, it had permeated throughout as the tool of Descent only continued to break. Akin to dominoes falling. When a single piece failed, the rest of them would. The entirely of the Universal Construct that many light years large began to vibrate unstably from the point of impact as it was like an egg in the process of breaking apart, and it shockingly did so a few seconds later as it exploded out with a shower of gory blood and pulsing crimson masses! ¡­! Shock and horror spread throughout at such a scene as Chronos had an ashen look. The black hole on the Goliath''s head shook terribly as The Cerulean Hegemony and the few Hegemonies that had come to aid Chronos against the Oathkeeper were currently only staring forward in shock and stupor! Those outside the broken boundary of the Microbial Universe were also frozen in a stupor as they watched the breakdown of the Universal Construct...and the glorious figure of the Oathkeeper. At this time, the Oathkeeper floated in the chaotic void as Primordial Essence swirled around him mythically, this being looking extremely regal as he stared at the bloody pieces of Universal Constructs silently. His gaze seemed lost for a few seconds before it focused on another set of beings. Chronos, the Goliath, the Cerulean Hegemony, and all the other Hegemonies that were within the Microbial Universe all fell under his gaze! In their shock and stupor, they heard the voice of the magisterial being. "Vile creatures." RUMBLE! The Oathkeeper only had less than one fourth of his mana remaining, but his aura remained as immense as ever. He called out to these beings as the Primordial Essence around him coagulated and thrummed, actually ready to attack after achieving something as shocking as breaking apart a Universal Construct! He was the first to notice among many that after the breakdown of the Universal Construct, the Authority that prevented Hegemonies from entering and the aura of an Antiquity that pressed beings from all around had disappeared! With such knowledge in hand, the Oarhkeeper looked at all the beings that turned their backs against their own Cosmos as he moved. The shimmering pristine white finally brought everyone back to attention as their senses warned them of immense danger, Chronos''s expression becoming more and more ashen as he bellowed out! "Pull back!" WAA! His words caused reality to dawn on many, his own body beginning to flicker away with a spatial light as the Goliath did the same. Against the terrifying and relentless aura of the Oathkeeeper, these powerful Hegemonies actually ran as one of the fastest ones to do so were the two most powerful ones, the Cerulean Hegemony, and then all the other ones followed! Even though it was against a single existence, none of them stayed behind to fight anything out with him. This was dominance! This was true Hegemony! With a Universal Construct in tatters, the Oathkeeper didn''t find anyone to battle against as they all disappeared, his gaze becoming impassive as the aura around him died down. He only had one fourth of his mana reserves left, and any further battle would have actually put him in a difficult spot. His thoughts were many as when he sensed the freed Universe around him, his heart was at peace. He had taken out one Universal Construct today, and once his essence recovered fully within half a day, he would be able to start again on another Universe! Like this, he would put everything on his shoulders and stop the oncoming descent of Antiquity! He turned towards the Hegemonies in the skies who were still looking over in shock as he voiced out. "Will you all just continue staring and gawking there? Come down here and secure this Universe!" RUMBLE! --- The events of the Subjugations of the Usurper being erased and the destruction of a Universal Constructs had not happened too far in time. They came in sequence, one after another as the Great Usurper felt them first hand! "What?!" THRUM! His voice boomed out from the unique space where only souls and wills could exist, his powerful eyes staring across the vast rivers of time as he locked on to the one he currently had all of his focus on. He actually found that the unbeatable Subjugations that could not be taken down by anything other than a Hegemony which he had sent forth were actually erased, and they were erased with a power that definitely didn''t belong to a Paragon! This was followed by the destruction of one of the Tools of Descent as it made his descension into this Primordial Cosmos that much more complicated. The form of this being vibrated with power as it actually seemed to become even brighter, a crimson light occupying it as the cerulean blue eyes it held flashed gloriously with power. "You want to stop my descent this badly? It only means there are many more benefits waiting for me...and I will not let them slip so easily!" RUMBLE! Chapter 1081 - Merely The Universal Realm! I Across the vast rivers of time, a single being was shining brilliantly as he began to do something extremely shocking. "Many of you are seeking Antiquity...let me show you exactly what one can do when they achieve such power." The Great Usurper uttered coldly his consciousness thrummed powerfully! From it, one could see vast clusters of swirling Universes, some of these Universes clearly having 100 Billion Galaxies that weren''t just normal Galaxies. A cluster of Universes...this was a being in the Universal Filament Realm! Within these clusters of Universes, there existed the unique ones that had different colored galaxies. The 100 Billion connected Galaxies of some of the Universes actually shone with a rainbow colored shape as they were fantastically Dao Galaxies! Dao Galaxies! Not just in one Universe, but in multiple of them. But in the next second, the Great Usurper did something shocking as he uttered out emotionlessly while focusing on one of his Universes. "Burn. Burn in the void of turbidity and be the fuel for my descension." RUMBLE! Appallingly, an entire genuine Universe began to burn powerfully as essence of immense proportions flew out, tugging on the thick string that connected this Antiquity to the Primordial Cosmos! The face of the Antiquity was without any emotions as he watched the burning of a Universe, his voice ringing out coldly. "I shall sacrifice one of you for a Cosmic Treasure." The Great Usurper spoke simply as he didn''t burn a normal Universe among the clusters of Universes. He actually burnt one that was filled with Dao Galaxies as it was termed a Splendiferous Universe! A Universe that was completely filled with Dao Galaxies that could only be born from 100 Billion Marks of Antiquity! Yet the Antiquity burnt such a Universe because he knew for the task ahead, burning normal Universes would not be enough for it. The action of burning a Universe was something that only those in the Universal Filament or Cosmic Realm could do, and even then...very few would ever decide to do so as it was a frightening thing. It was only done by beings at this level to release a shocking burst of power that could change the tides of a deadly battle. Only when it was the last resort did such a thing happen! For the Primordial Cosmos and the Cosmic Treasure within it, the Great Usurper heartlessly burnt a Universe that would be the prized possession of many beings, the immensity of the essence burned from it causing the line of connection he held with the Primordial Cosmos to expand multiple times over as golden crimson flames now lit upon it. "With this...my descent would only be within a day!" RUMBLE! His eyes released the gorgeous burst of cerulean light as he spoke terrifying words, his actions having horrifying effects in the Primordial Cosmos at this moment as the 8 remaining Universal Constructs shone and began to expand at a rapid pace. The authority of an Antiquity spread out at an even faster pace as the fusion of now 8 Universes accelerated, the Universal boundaries beginning to come ever closer with each other as they nearly fused! From a possible descent of a few days, it was now reduced to less than 24 hours as the might of the Antiquity seemed unstoppable! Within the Chthonian Universe, Noah and his summons were atop the bubbly body of the Blue Slime as they tore apart the void of space, moving at the speed of light as their figures glimmered brightly amidst the increased pressure of Antiquity. The Universal Construct they were going towards had increased in power and might as it expanded rapidly, but even with such changes...Noah continued forward! His eyes flashed with a golden light of destiny and fortune as his main body did a myriad of calculations, shockingly coming to the same conclusion that with the current changes, the descent of the Antiquity was not too far away. They had to move, and they had to move fast! WAA! Their figures broke through the layers of the void as they arrived a few hundred miles away from the pulsing and expanding Universal Construct that was protected by the Chthonian Hegemony that had sided with Chronos. "..." The Hegemony was looking towards their party with a difficult expression, his red eyes focused on the unsurpassable might displayed by the Blue Slime! This Chthonian shared a similar name as the Great Old Nazzagath, his moniker being Great Old Kubo as this being had a cylindrical body that was a planetary sized worm with glistening abyssal black scales, its face simply being an opening that held millions of sharp teeth and eyes that were surrounded by black tentacles! The jaws seemed capable of swallowing entire galaxies as the terrifying eyes that seemed displaced in between all the teeth looked towards them carefully. These eyes held hesitation with them as they looked at the Universal Emperor Slime, this aged Chthonian recalling the might of such creatures and their terrible devouring abilities in the past. He truly didn''t want to face such a being, nor did he want to do it alone as he had already sent word to Chronos and the others! Yet...it seemed they were occupied with something at this moment as none of them sent back word. Within the vast wisdom of the Great Old Kubo, his mind buzzed as he was actually the first to speak in the tense standoff. "We can talk amongst each other as equals first. Do you know why we are seeking Antiquity?" RUMBLE The millions of eyes and teeth of the enormous worm tentacled creature trembled with power at the Universal Realm as he spoke, his voice containing an ancient power that seemed capable of enticing anything! "Do you know why we go as far as to-" Before his words could even finish, there was an abrupt reply. Not from the powerful Blue Slime, but the figure of Noah''s starry Chthonian body that was situated atop it. "Shut the fuck up." ¡­! WAA! A simple and direct message, and one that cut apart the honor of a Hegemony! But Noah didn''t care about this as he waved his hands, bringing forth the reason why they even had a stand off to begin with. It was because in the Dark Universe where his main and the main body of the Blue Slime was located...he had been using vast amounts of mana to produce more Clones of the Blue Slime at the Universal Realm! The ridiculousness of the [Blood Clone] ability of the Blood Lord Skill Tree shone again at this moment as it was now producing clones of such a shocking rank. When Noah finished his disrespectful words against a Hegemony in the Chthonian Universe, he waved his hands as to the sheer horror of everyone...an identical Blue Slime releasing terrifying waves of power at the Universal Realm appeared. ¡­! The millions of eyes of the Great Old Kubo trembled. Essence erupted out wildly as a terrifying lesson was about to be taught on this day! It was a lesson on something these beings didn''t know, but would come to etch in their minds soon after. It was the lesson that the moment Noah gained the power of a Hegemony, many things were as good as over! Chapter 1082 - Merely The Universal Realm! II Clones! Other beings could utilize them to a very little extent, as it logically took too much resources to bring forth something with the exact same level of power and origin as yourself. If a normal Hegemony were able to utilize an ability of cloning another being that could display 100% of their original body''s power and might, it meant they had to replicate their whole origin to be able to do so. They would have to drain nearly all of their mana reserves and spend hours doing it until such a process was complete! But since the clone came from the same source, it would be utilizing the essence that was filled up within its origin and then also using the essence of the main body when its essence was drained. So for many existences, it was essentially creating another source of drainage for their Mana Reserves that they couldn''t really afford unless they had enormous reserves of Mana! An example was Valentina that had just learned the Blood Clone ability, and even with her expanded Mana reserves under her position as Noah''s Vassal, she was only able to form and provide essence for a single Clone that she sent repeatedly over to the Animus Universe for battle. Normal existences like her could only afford a single clone. But then...you had Noah. You had an existence that could provide all the mana required for even changing the nature of a genuine Universe, and such a being was connected to a Hegemony at this moment! The brilliant Universe of the Blue Slime had heavy requirements to reproduce, but Noah had no problem reproducing it as he had no problems with mana. So the Blue Slime simply pulled along the connection it had with its Master as within seconds, a clone with a genuine Universal Origin was formed. Then a second¡­ And a third! This went on until 4 brand new clones were produced, reaching the maximum limit of 5 Clones that the Blood Clone ability provided when one took into account the already active clone in the Chthonian Universe. So right after Noah told a Hegemony to shut up within this Universe, he waved his hands as he teleported one of the clones of the Blue Slimes over, the aura of another fantastical Hegemony spreading out. ¡­! The black scales of the Great Old Kubo shook at such a scene, and they shook even harder when in the next moment, Noah''s eyes continued to wave forth multiple times. RUMBLE! A third Blue Slime appeared...a fourth...and a fifth one! In a short period of a few seconds, enormous Blue Slimes reaching over tens of thousands of miles in diameters appeared to surround the single Great Old Kubo as shockingly, a fearful yelp released from this aged existence! "Ah¡­!" The Chthonian horror was actually feeling immense stupor and fear at this moment, and it wasn''t alone as outside the boundaries of the Chthonian Universe, the huge body of the Hegemony of Smithing was also shaking as he nearly dropped his hammer. He had just been talking about how it was just one Universal Emperor Slime, and that they didn''t all have to be jittery when the time came that this being questioned them of their actions hundreds of thousands of years ago! Yet...he was now seeing the genuine auras of 5 Hegemonies that each looked like the Blue Slime, and all of them were called forth with a wave of a hand from the Apex Paragon. "...The fuck is this?!" The Hegemonies were confounded to an extreme as too many natural laws were broken to bring the current reality to fruition! We can talk about many aspects of this fantastical reality and how it came to be at this moment, but the source of it remained the same. The clones of the stupendous Universal Emperor Slime were connected to their main body, being kept alive and receiving mana from this main body that they could utilize at all times. This main body they depended on...it was connected to a single being that was then the true source, a being capable of providing enough mana to the Origins of multiple Universes! Noah alone was sustaining the Origins of the original Universal Realm Hegemony and all 5 of its clones! What might! What ridiculousness! "I...I¡­" It seemed like everything was thrown to a stupor as the aged Great Old Kubo was stuttering when faced with the power and might of 5 genuine Hegemonies, each having the terrifying form of the Universal Emperor Slime. A Hegemony brought down to the point where they could only stutter! Noah looked at such a scene as while his body lay on top of one of the Blue Slimes majestically, his face became filled with dignity and might as his domineering eyes gazed upon the shaking Hegemony while he shook his head and uttered even more disrespectful words. "You thought you were something special within your Realm of power? It is merely the Universal Realm...and I can call forth a myriad of such beings with a wave of my hands!" RUMBLE! The words smashed onto the Chthonian Hegemony like a brick as he seemed injured before the battle even began, Noah merely shaking his head as he gave a terrifying command. "Decimate this old fogey and the construct he protects." WAA! His command was given. So the Blue Slime moved. 5 illusory manifestations of a Universe descended down with ease. The Universal Authority of 5 Hegemonies was used at once as it pressed down on the Chthonian Hegemony with such might and power that the abyssal scales protecting this worm like creature trembled and fissured! "Wait..!" The terrifying bellow of an old existence resounded out, but the eyes of the 5 Blue Slimes were cold as they uttered forth in synchrony. "Skewer." BZZZT! From the bodies of the Blue Slimes, millions of terrifying blue spears extended from their viscous bodies as they travelled even faster than the speed of light and seamlessly pierced into the worm like body of the Great Old Kubo! ¡­! This being felt intense waves of pain from the attacks of 5 Hegemonies and their manifested Universal Authority, his origin actually feeling terror as he bellowed out and shocking might blasted from him. "OOOOOH!" It was a bellow of a being actually fighting for their life, a Universe blooming from him as it also wanted to manifest outside! Chapter 1083 - Merely The Universal Realm! III "OOOOOH!" A majestic scene of a Chthonian horror bellowing out could be seen, the planetary sized worm like body having its pierced abyssal scales vibrate as its millions of teeth and jaws that made its head shone with multicolored luster. From this figure, a manifestation of a Universe bloomed as this Hegemony had to actually resort to this if he was to obtain even a hint of survival against 5 other Universal Experts! BZZZT! The glorious 100 Billion galaxies of his Universe tried to stretch out wildly to withstand against the cerulean blue Galaxies that numbered 500 Billion from the 5 Blue Slimes. Over a billion of them were actually vibrant Dao Galaxies as they shone with a rainbow colored luster, these ones being the only thing that even allowed his Universal Authority to be able to display itself briefly under the pressure of 5 other manifested Universes! But...this was all it did. The universe of a Hegemony that had the moniker of ''Great Old'' was actually only able to display itself for a brief few seconds before the 5 slimes that had the spear like extensions of their bodies still stabbing into this being harrumphed. RUMBLE! The 500 Billion Galaxies of the manifested Universes of the Blue Slimes shone with a terrifying cerulean glint as in the next second, something terrifying occurred. With the Great Old Kubo trying to manifest his Universe outward, its many galaxies were flickering in and out as in the next second, it was dominated by the 5 already manifested one and this wondrous Universe...faded! WAA! The Hegemonies outside of the boundary of the Universe watching this scene were breathless as they now saw the unhindered pressure of the 5 Blue Slimes fall upon the single Chthonian Hegemony, even more spear like extensions releasing from their bodies and skewering this being left and right. When few seconds passed, the scene became clear as the enormous worm like body of the Hegemony was pierced on all sides, a dazzling array of light displaying itself thereafter as all those watching were able to see...an innumerable number of blue spears surrounding the deeply hidden and protected Universe within the body of the Great Old Kubo! The spear like extensions of the viscous slime had actually entrenched themselves into the Universe of this being, into his very Origin as in the next second¡­ "Universal Devouring." "Universal Devouring." "Universal Devouring¡­. 5 synonymous voices rang out from the splendid Blue Slimes. After the advancement to fully become a Universal Emperor Slime, these existences could even swallow genuine Universes s when enough of such a thing happened- they might be capable of becoming Apocryphal Antiquites and forming their Universal Filaments in this manner. Even though it was not the natural process of Antiquity and was even given a word that meant false, it was still Antiquity! So...what would happen when a Universal Emperor Slime didn''t devour a genuine Universe, but the Universe that an existence had built within their Origins? The answer¡­. "AHHHHHHH!" Was the resonating and loud cry of an aged being that could visibly feel it''s Universe being devoured. The worm like figure of the Great Old Kubo trembled with such intense pain and fear at this moment as his screams reached the ends of the Chthonian Universe! Meanwhile, Noah provided all the mana required as the bodies of the 5 Blue Slime caused the few light years around them to turn a beautiful cerulean blue, the screams of a Hegemony being drowned out as their spear like projection sucked dry a Universe. The Galaxies within it went dark one by one as in a matter of seconds, the appalling sight of a dimming Universe that eventually cracked and began to fall apart played out! It was bright red and black to begin with, but in a matter of seconds it turned gray and lifeless as it began to disappear as if it were dust. "..." It was a breathless scene as the screams thereafter stopped. The millions of eyes and jaws that were vibrating fearfully dimed as they lost all luster. The enormous planetary sized body of the worm like Chthonian then began to crack and splinter as without the support of a core, it faded away! "..." Like this, a Hegemony was shockingly put to rest. If one kept track of the time, they would also be able to notice that it didn''t take longer than a minute! Ah! To elevate the matter even further, a single humanoid Chthonian that shone with a starry galactic luster with his Cthulhu form just sat on top of a Blue Slime while watching the scene playing out with eyes shining with brilliant lights. At such a reality, Noah''s voice resounded out as he shook his head in a dissatisfied manner. "What a disappointment!" BOOM! His words were like strikes of thunder to the watching Hegemonies that just observed an ancient existence ganged up on by 5 Blue Slimes and then decimated in less than a minute, their own Origins shaking at such a scene as a pervasive feeling entered their hearts when they looked at these beings! "That...the Universal Emperor Slimes couldn''t do that before, right?!" The voice of the Hegemony of Smithing resounded out, seemingly at a higher pitch than his usual deep voice as a trace of stupor and fear was hidden within! Of course, he was referring to the fact that the Blue Slimes were actually capable of devouring the entire Galaxy of a Hegemony and reap their life in a matter of seconds! It truly wasn''t something they came across in the past. But...there was nobody to answer his question as the rest of the Hegemonies had extremely somber expressions after witnessing the harsh reality. Many of them were asking themselves- if they were the ones to face the descent of 5 Universal Authorities...would they fare any better than Great Old Kubo?! What caused them to become somber was the fact that each of them wfound themselves answering no to this question! None of them could see any other pathway except for death if they were in the same situation. This was why they were so somber as at this moment, the glimpse of fear of the cerulean light of a Blue Slime had begun to bud within their hearts and Origins! But things were not over. There was the fact that the Blue Slime had just devoured the Universal Core of a genuine Hegemony just minutes after it entered this Realm, and the fact that a Universal Construct lay unprotected at this very moment! Chapter 1084 - Unceasing Fortuity! I The moment the Universal Core of a Hegemony was absorbed, all 5 clones of the Blue Slime glimmered in a dazzling fashion. They were clones, so of course their Origins and everything they obtained all went towards the Origin of the main body, and the main body sent back even more feedback to make the clones just like it thereafter! At this moment, the main body and the clones of the Blue Slimes had their Origins letting off waves of powerful light, the Universal Origin of the Hegemony being digested in a terrifying manner as a spectacular phenomenon occurred from it. There was already the vibrant Universal Origin of the Blue Slime, but at this moment...a second illusory one began to form right beside it! ¡­! Against all known and established laws and structures of power, a second illusory Universe was actually forming as for it to truly come to fruition was incredibly hard. This was because one had to always achieve a complete set of Dao Galaxies, which meant obtaining 100 Billion Marks of Antiquity- before they could step on the path to Antiquity and begin forming other Universes! This was the natural way. Yet the slime was defying all this as before he even obtained a single Mark of Antiquity, he already wanted to Construct another Universe through his racial skill. It was a nigh impossible reality he brought to fruition, but only an illusory Universe formed from his efforts as for it to be actualized and become a genuine one...it seemed like he would have to devour multiple other Hegemonies! THRUM! The bodies of the 5 Slimes emanated even greater levels of power after Devouring a Hegemony, all of their gazes then looking towards the singular huge structure standing before them. One must not forget that after all their efforts, there was now a Universal Constructs pulsating madly before them unprotected. A Construct that was filled to the brim with the Aura of the Antiquity that wanted to descend through them! Noah looked at this cocoon like structure as his main body carried out a myriad of calculations, and his dominant voice still came out in the end as he spoke to the Blue Slime carefully. "Devour it¡­" ..! Yes! Not to destroy or tear apart, but to devour it! In the past days, there had been many things that rose in succession for the Blue Slime to devour, each of them elevating its level to what it was now. Currently, the glimmering blue eyes looked at the pulsating Universal Construct as it mattered not to it what benefits there would be and only followed the words of its master. BZZZT! The 5 bodies of the Blue Slime expanded at a pace faster than the speed of light as they began to cover the vast surface area of the Universal Construct. From Noah, essence madly surged as he made it possible for the bodies of the Blue Slime to continue expanding, the Universal Construct being larger than most Galaxies as it towered over 100,000 light years! It meant that the Blue Slime would cross the diameter of millions of miles and become a gargantuan creature, with the diameter of its clones expanding rapidly as each one came to cover over 20,000 Light years. The circular figures of the Blue Slimes then layered themselves on top of each other as they covered the Universal Construct completely and then uttered out¡­ <>. ¡­ WAP! A flash of blue light, and a Universal Construct disappeared! ¡­! The overpowering might of an Antiquity and authority that prevented other Hegemonies from entering that was permeating across the Chthonian Universe...disappeared! Seamlessly! Beautifully! This cocoon like Universal Construct had contained within it the dense aura and authority of an Antiquity, so when the Blue Slime devoured it¡­ BZZZT! It allowed for something wondrous to occur within its Origin. One by one, Hundreds of millions of the Galaxies within its Origin began to light up with a rainbow colored luster as they became genuine Dao Galaxies. Dao Galaxies that represented bound Marks of Antiquity! In a matter of seconds, Billions of Galaxies were transformed as by the end of it, the figure of the Blue Slime let out terrifying waves of power as in an instant, 10 Billion of its Galaxies became branded with Marks of Antiquity! One tenth of what one needed to become an Antiquity in just an instant. "..." Even Noah was speechless at this as he shook his head at the ridiculous capabilities of the Blue Slime. He didn''t know that the only reason the number was so high was because of the Antiquity wanting to descend even faster had actually burnt a Splendiferous Universe that was filled with 100 Billion Dao Galaxies, and it was actually a portion of this that the Blue Slime absorbed! If the Antiquity had not done anything, the Blue Slime would have only been capable of getting a few hundred million Marks of Antiquity from the base aura of the Antiquity within the Universal Construct. Yet events coincided as they brought about the current reality, the Antiquity just continuing to benefit Noah and the Blue Slime more and more without him even knowing it! RUMBLE! Noah gazed at the empty spot where the Universal Construct used to be, feeling the much lighter air around them as he nodded passively. Since he was on a time crunch, he didn''t waste any time as while monitoring the changes of the Blue Slime in real time, he utilized its waves of power to begin releasing the Dao of Fealty across the Chthonian Universe! He released this Dao Essence with the trace aura of a Hegemony that also contained memories of them brutalizing the Great Old Kubo that half of the Chthonian revered, Noah wanting to fully bring this Universe under him as well in a quick manner. Outside of the boundary of the now freed Chthonian Universe, the figures of multiple Hegemonies watched this blatant scene of authority as they made no moves...only staring with a myriad of thoughts and expressions. The authority that prevented them from entering the Universe in front of them had disappeared, and yet....none of these Hegemonies entered the Chthonian Universe! Chapter 1085 - Unceasing Fortuity! II It was an extremely unique situation where even though the authority of an Antiquity had disappeared, these Hegemonies still didn''t enter the boundary of the Universe as if another invisible barrier existed that prevented them from doing so! Of course, it was the presence of the 5 clones of the Blue Slimes that were currently releasing waves of power and essence across the Chthonian Universe, the Star of Conquest above them and on the Apex Paragon shining brilliantly as their auras pristinely emanated out. This was power. This was might! Being capable of causing an entire group of Hegemonies to not even dare to step into the same Universe as a being that had just advanced to the Realm of a Hegemony minutes ago. Minutes after the advancement...they also butchered another being that had lived millions of more years more than them! Ah! Within the Chthonian Universe, Noah was focused on gaining fealty at this moment, the terrible waves of power and prompts were appearing on the few quintillion Chthonians within this universe as with his display of power, they all acquiesced. As he gained the recognition and fealty of more and more beings, he gradually approached the same Realm that his summon had already reached, the number of Marks of Antiquity he held currently surpassing 22 million! He was more than halfway there as the number still increased, many calculations crossing through his mind as a few minutes passed. WAA! The eyes of his Primordial Clone then blazed open as they released gorgeous crimson-gold light, uttering forth coldly. "All the quintillions of Chthonians have pledged fealty, now¡­" The moment his words finished, even more mana flew out of him as if he was uncomfortable if he wasn''t spending insane units of mana constantly, this time the essence being that of the spatial type as it flew out faster than light to wrap the quintillions of beings that had just pledged their Fealty to him! He located them all nigh instantaneously with them being his Vassals, the bodies of enormous Chthonians of all types being wrapped by this silver spatial light. First was them becoming Vassals, and thereafter it was transporting them into the Dark Universe so that Noah could go towards the goal of upgrading the Universal Core! He required 100 Quintillion existences, and he would obtain them without fail within the Primordial Cosmos. In the case of the Chthonians, he had already begun utilizing the [Architecture] feature of the Universal Core that had moved on from just being able to design buildings and landmass to now being able to design entire star systems and galaxies. In preparation for bringing these Chthonians into the Dark Universe, his main body had already been using this feature in the past day to design enormous Galaxies and star systems that fit with the Chthonians! The glorious Universal Core simply pulled in the boundless mana and essence it was able to call upon from Noah as things were shocking done with utter ease. As these Chthonians were transported into another Universe...they would find that it doesn''t look all that different from their old homes! "..." The surroundings were quiet except for the sound of the surging essence around Noah''s body. Outside the boundary of the Chthonian Universe, Great Old Nazzagath watched as those he had influenced or lorded over in the past pledging fealty to someone else and even being taken away thereafter. Towards such a thing...he did nothing as he simply looked at such a scene with a reminiscent expression! His bright eyes shone a bright golden luster of destiny as he didn''t stop Noah''s actions, this being''s monstrous form actually being the first to begin walking towards the boundary as he looked to be the only one brave enough to enter! His Chthonian form of an enormous crimson star shaped monstrosity with purple flames constantly burning throughout its vibrant fleshly mass seamlessly passed through the Universal barrier as he entered into the Universe he called his home. Unlike others, he wasn''t fearful. After all, he held the moniker of a Great Old One, the Star of Destruction, and the Hegemony of Venerable Chaos! RUMBLE! Towards his speedy descent, Noah''s eyes only raised up to watch this being slightly as he continued with his work of teleporting all the remaining existences within this Universe into his Dark Universe. The star shaped Chthonian traveled a myriad of light years as he soon arrived near Noah and the figures of the 5 Blue Slimes and all the other Animus Summons. His focus was on the Blue Slimes as his eyes flashed with a regal purple light, his voice resounding out. "Hegemony of Devouring...it is my honor to be among the many that witnessed your birth!" WAA! The body of Blue Slimes released a lustrous blue light as he was given a title from this ancient Hegemony, and it truly fit him so as he specialized in the aspect of devouring! The pressure that the Blue Slime was releasing eased up when it came to this being after such a compliment as the Great Old Nazzagath then turned towards Noah. Towards the being that actually controlled a terrifying Hegemony! "You''re taking them to a safe place." ¡­! He spoke slowly, but he was naturally speaking of the few Quintillions of existences that Noah had just snatched away. He also spoke as if he was sure of it, causing Noah to turn his Cthulhu form towards him as he gave a light nod while wrapping up the last few trillions of beings. The Great Old Nazzagath nodded at this as he didn''t question what his own light of destiny told him, simply questioning again. "What will you do now?" "..." A simple question, but it was one with immense implications! The essence coming from Noah was reeled in at this moment as he finished his work, leaving an empty Universe behind as he turned towards the questioning ancient being- the only inhabitant of the Chthonian Universe that wasn''t taken away by him. "Chronos and whatever Antiquity he called forth are getting desperate...with the descent of the Antiquity not being too far away." RUMBLE! His gaze was filled with power and might as he rose while waving his hands, causing the disappearance of the other Animus Summons and 4 clones of the Blue Slime as only he and one other Blue Slime Clone remained. "We only have a time limit of a day, so I will be taking it upon myself to decimate the remaining Universal Constructs and any Hegemonies standing in my way until the descent of this Antiquity is stopped." ¡­! A glorious answer to a simple question, the figure of the Great Old Nazzagath trembling as he stared at the unbound confidence and demeanor of this Apex Paragon that seemed above that of any Hegemonies! This being...wasn''t even at the Universal Realm, and yet the way he carried himself was as if he was even beyond it in power! Ah! Chapter 1086 - A Race Against Time! I The Apex Paragon would take it upon himself to destroy the remaining Universal Constructs and any Hegemonies that stood in his way! The words were extremely grand as the Hegemonies that heard them would normally find them unbelievable...but they actually couldn''t refute them at this time. After all, they had just seen a scene of those exact actions occurring moments ago! As for how he would do it with the limited amount of time he had? Naturally, Noah had already made plans that were being carried out at this instant. Before he left the Chthonian Universe that he had managed to conclude the events of in less than an hour, Noah looked at the Great Old Nazzagath as his eyes flashed with a mysterious light. This was a powerful Hegemony, and a sensible one as well as he had paved the way for Noah to gain the fealty of half the Universe with utter ease even before he met him. Towards such a being, Noah smiled mysteriously as he voiced out. "Say...why don''t you pledge Fealty to me? Your power can be increased multiple times over, and you''ll even be able to see all the Chthonians from your Universe again." "...!" The Great Old Nazzagath looked towards Noah with utter stupor at such words, this powerful existence not even knowing how to answer! He was actually given the same treatment as the few Quintillions of Chthonians had just received, but someone of his might and caliber naturally could not have the same answer. Noah saw the troubled expression on the face of the Great Old Nazzagath as his body and the figure of the remaining Blue SLime began to be covered with a spatial light. "Take your time and think about it. I''ll ask you again when the time is right." WAA! With these words, Noah''s figure disappeared as he left behind a befuddled Hegemony and many more outside of the universal boundary of the Chthonian Universe in shock. For the conquest of the Chthonian Universe, not even an hour had passed before it was completed as Noah already forged ahead to the next one. This was because he was racing against time before a terrifying Antiquity descended and did whatever he wanted to the entire Cosmos that his Dark Universe stemmed from! --- At the same time Noah left the Chthonian Universe, his enemies were recuperating in the Liberated Universe after facing an appalling amount of successive losses. The Liberated Universe was vast, with its nature being unique in the Primordial Cosmos as it was one where its existences established very clear lines of two factions throughout the Universe. These factions were labeled Heroes and Villains as interestingly, the Hegemony that was the head of the faction of Heroes had sided with Chronos for their search of Antiquity! After the shocking battle against the Oathkeeper and watching him destroy a Universal Construct, Chronos and the others left the Microbial Universe that didn''t have the authority to keep out Hegemonies anymore as they arrived in the abode of the Heroic Hegemony that was right beside the Universal Construct within this Universe. The mood was grim as these powerful beings were all on a glimmering flat star that shone with a red and gold luster, its surroundings beautifully matching with the Heroic Hegemony that had a costume with a cape shining with the same colors of red and gold. It was a grim mood as it became grimmer soon after when Chronos seemingly stood up in shock, having received information as he looked towards the far away direction of the Chthonian Universe with unbridled stupor! "The Universal Construct of the Chthonian Universe...has also been destroyed!" ¡­! "What?!" RUMBLE! The atmosphere became extremely oppressive as powerful auras rose and question this stated reality, Chronos being surrounded by the figures of the Goliath, Heroic Hegemony, Cerulean Hegemony, Hegemony Dark Shadow, Microbial Hegemony...and multiple other Hegemony at this moment as the total number within this Liberated Universe actually towered over 20 Universal Realm experts. None of them could believe the words of Chronos as the ancient voice of the Goliath rang out with somberness. "Oathkeeper is this powerful with the Cosmic Treasure? To be capable of facing all of us and even resisting the authority of a Hegemony that he can so quickly destroy two Universal Constructs in such a short period of time?" WAA! The somber voice of this ancient being was actually filled with hidden amazement at such power, but Chronos quickly shook his head as he replied. "No. It wasn''t the Oathkeeper that destroyed the Universal Construct in the Chthonian Universe...but the Apex Paragon!" ¡­! Ah! The faces of all Hegemonies blanked out for a second as they absorbed the words, Chronos relaying the information that a Hegemony under him in a nearby Universe had observed within the Chthonian Universe as the reality was one that nobody listening could believe! "The contracted Summon under him has somehow achieved Hegemony, with their battle power being enough to kill Great Old Kubo before they destroyed the Construct¡­" Chronos has his hands massaging his forehead as he spoke, the sequence of events seemingly making this powerful being so frustrated that he had to do this humane action! Still, his words could barely be believable when he said them as they seemed like rubbish to these powerful existences. The Summon of a Paragon had risen to the Universal Realm and gone ahead to kill a Hegemony right after? Someone as old and powerful as Kubo? Some would think it was a joke if it wasn''t for the seriousness that Chronos said the words with! As they all absorbed his words, Chronos had a terrifying light cross through his eyes as they became firm and decisive, turning towards all the Hegemonies and looking at them with calm eyes that seemed utterly devoid of emotion. "The mission we have all worked very hard to achieve is right before our eyes, with the Great Usurper feeling the changes even faster than us as his authority within the occupied Universes has even increased, his descent being within a matter of hours!" WAA! Hours! A measure of time that these Hegemonies considered nothing! To beings like them that lived for millions of years, the set of hours within a day was akin to them blinking before they passed. But in the coming hours, these powerful existences would come to feel as if the hours were stretched into years! Chapter 1087 - A Race Against Time! II In the Liberated Universe, the voice of Chronos continued to resound out as he looked at many powerful Hegemonies. "Within the remaining hours of this day...all of us will have to put our lives on the line to defend the remaining Universal Construct." His gaze was somber as his eyes were devoid of emotion, but his voice captured their hearts as it held with it something they all dearly wanted! "We all want Antiquity, and now it is time to put that want to the test. If you can risk your life for Antiquity as we pass through these few hours within a day, the process of Amalgamation will be complete as the Antiquity will descend." "The enemies that stand against us are few, but they are most likely the weapons of the Primordial Cosmos themselves to prevent us from getting what we want! There is the Oathkeeper with his Cosmic Treasure, and then the Apex Paragon that controls a Hegemony!" RUMBLE! "Stand against them for just a matter of hours...and we succeed." His words finished as the faces of all the Hegemonies were filled with an intense light. Only a matter of hours. This was all they had to do to defend! Sometimes, the battles of Universal Realm experts could even be drawn out to days depending on how they fought, so them standing against a Hegemony that was under the control of a Paragon should not be too much of an issue. As for the Oathkeeper¡­ "The Oathkeeper will not be able to make another move until at least some hours from now, which gives us ample time for preparation. Whichever Universe he appears in next, the majority of us will head there and stop his descent into it as much as we can." As if he could read their minds, Chronos spoke with an impassive expression and continued. "Same thing for the Hegemony under the Apex Paragon. It is a Universal Emperor Slime that I nearly eradicated with you all before, we will just have to do it again. This one should be even easier to deal with as they just newly advanced. Dark Shadow, you can reinforce Ambrose in the Animus Universe when the time comes. Microbial Hegemony¡­" Chronos began delegating tasks and how they should move when the eyes of the Cerulean Hegemony began to tremble off to the side. He recalled the words he just heard from Chronos as he was first confused, and then they opened in shock as he remembered a particularly unique scene a few months back in a Universe that had detached itself from the Primordial Cosmos! He thought of a certain existence that had actually gotten his hands on the pieces of a Cosmic Treasure and had utilized his contracted summon- a Blue Slime, to actually destroy a minor piece of his soul in the end. He recalled this very clearly as he had cursed at how a being could get his hands on a Cosmic Treasure and an existence like a Universal Emperor Slime at the same time, promising to rip them apart if the time ever came! But not too long after, all Hegemonies felt the cry of the Primordial Cosmos as the Dark Universe should have been destroyed, and the Cosmic Treasure RUINATION should have been lost in the Ruination Sea. But as the Cerulean Hegemony heard the words of a Blue Slime that was also under the control of another being...as he put many pieces together and the fact that the entire race of Universal Emperor Slimes should be eradicated, the Cerulean Hegemony actually arrived at the conclusion that somehow, the Noah Osmont of the Dark Universe had survived! He had survived along with his contracted summons as the Blue Slime with the special devouring ability that even killed him had somehow come into the Primordial Cosmos! ¡­! His shocked gaze only became more and more immense as put many things together, a singular thought appearing in his mind. It was the thought of a second Cosmic Treasure actually being in the hands of a newly risen Hegemony, a second Cosmic Treasure appearing in the Primordial Cosmos once more! Coming to such a conclusion, the shocked light gradually faded from the eyes of the Cerulean Hegemony as it was replaced with immense greed. His expression became normal as he wiped away his shock, actually choosing not to share his shocking findings with the other Hegemonies around him as he actually rose and spoke up powerfully. "I will lead the force against the Apex Paragon and the Hegemony he controls!" WAA! His actions caused many being to look towards him unhappily, many of them and especially Chronos recalling the fact that this being was right in front of the Universal Construct when the Oathkeeper struck, but he was frozen in fear as he couldn''t even make a move, and he ran even faster than the rest of them after the Construct was destroyed. Chronos looked at the Cerulean Hegemony with disappointed eyes as he spoke out. "You''ll be in the team that the Heroic Hegemony will lead against the Universal Emperor Slime and the Apex Paragon, not leading it!" ¡­! Even with such an admonishment, the Cerulean Hegemony smiled and nodded as he returned to himself, many thoughts crossing his mind as it had begun to buzz with many ideas of a Cosmic Treasure. A Cosmic Treasure that could allow one to survive in the Ruination Sea! When he got his hands on it, what prevented him from leaving the Primordial Cosmos and exploring the vast Ruination Sea? As for the Apex Paragon and the Universal Emperor Slime...they would have to face his main body and the multiple other Hegemonies this time around, so the Cerulean Hegemony concluded they would have no chance! ''Noah Osmont...I won''t let it end the same way a second time!'' RUMBLE! A Hegemony plotted at this time as Noah''s enemies paved a plan to counter a defensive, this Hegemony not sharing crucial details that would have changed many things. The sharing of knowledge about the Cosmic Treasure RUINATION being in the hands of a Paragon was dangerous enough for his teammates. But the withholding of knowledge about this Paragon himself? Withholding the name of [Noah] that even an Antiquity was extremely cautious of and had warned Chronos about beings with such names in any Cosmos? This was actually the most dangerous thing! Chapter 1088 - A Race Against Time! III The enemies hatched plans as they began to move soon after. Meanwhile, Noah made his own plans as at this moment, he actually appeared in the Microbial Universe with the body of one of the clones of the Blue Slime. His figure was still in the terrifying starry Cthulhu form as he sat above the wobbly body of the terrifying Hegemony of Devouring, his intrusion causing many of the Hegemonies still within this Universe towards him with sharp eyes! THRUM! The essence was palpable as Noah was entirely calm, observing the universe around him as he affirmed another Universal Construct was actually destroyed, and it wasn''t by him! He used the senses of the Blue Slime as he gazed over the entire Universe, finding the shimmering body of the Oathkeeper that was pulsating with a glorious aura of white Primordial Essence while situated in a meditative position near the destroyed pieces of the Universal Constructs. Noah ignored the auras of the many Hegemonies that had landed on him as his figure teleported away from the region of the void he was in and appeared near the recovering Oathkeeper and the very Hegemonies that surrounded him. The gaze of this domineering being opened as his eyes landed on Noah, especially at the glimmering Star of Conquest that released a dazzling array of white light onto Noah''s body constantly as he called out lightly! "Apex Paragon." RUMBLE! He called out such words while also locking his golden eyes onto the powerful aura of the Blue Slime, Oathkeeper and the others having long since received the news of Noah and the actions of the Blue Slime from the Hegemonies that had been watching everything outside the boundary of the Chthonian Universe! He knew that this being and the Hegemony he controlled had somehow been capable of destroying a Universal Construct that required someone like him who held a Cosmic Treasure to be able to do so. It was a surreal action that made the Oathkeeper continue to reevaluate everything he thought he knew about this being. He looked up towards Noah''s new form as he saw the glorious head of the Cthulhu nod nonchalantly. "I didn''t expect you to be able to take down a Universal Construct." ¡­! Such words escaped Noah''s mouth as the surrounding Hegemonies beside the Oathkeeper looked towards such a scene with some dissatisfaction, thinking Noah should pay this powerful being of their Cosmos much more respect! But the Oathkeeper''s golden eyes remained placid as he replied simply towards Noah. "Neither did I expect a Paragon to be able to command a Universal Emperor Slime." He actually spoke to Noah in equal terms, not talking down to this being in any way purely from his achievements! At such a being, Noah''s eyes shone brightly as he replied. "And yet I do. I''m also ready to head to another Universe and destroy another Construct, but I see you...will take a significant amount of time before being able to do so. Even though the descent of the Antiquity is in less than a day!" RUMBLE! His words caused fluctuations of essence and destiny to erupt out as the eyes of the Oathkeeper constricted, questioning slowly as mana undulated across his golden wings. "What exactly are you getting at?" "I''m getting to the fact that you have a problem in mana...and I have the solution! You saw this with the Hegemony of Summoning first hand, she pledged allegiance to me as soon after...she had her Mana Reserves and Regeneration enhanced by tens of times." ¡­! Yes! This was the reason why Noah had come into the Microbial Universe and even took the time to talk to the Oathkeeper! He was actually planting seeds of possibilities similar to what he had done with the Great Old Nazzagath! "I''m extending that same offer to you, Oathkeeper. Pledge fealty to me...and you will gain all the Mana you need to be able to go across the Primordial Cosmos to destroy the rest of the Universal Constructs." RUMBLE! Stupor appeared on the faces of all listening Hegemonies as the Oathkeeper''s eyes flashed with a glorious golden light. "..." Utter and pervasive quietness arrived in the area as his aged and ancient golden eyes locked with Noah''s from far away. He looked at this being and the Hegemony he was standing on, a myriad of thoughts crossing in his mind as this domineering being that could be considered the pillar of the Primordial Cosmos seemed to actually be entertaining the words of the Apex Paragon! ¡­! The seconds passed as Noah and the Oathkeeper had their eyes locked onto each other tightly, the Oathkeeper ultimately shaking his head as he spoke. "That is not my path." WAA! "In another two to three hours, I will be ready to descend onto another Universe and do the same as I have done right now. If you are truly capable of doing again what you did in the Chthonian Universe...we should be able to stop the descent of the Antiquity!" His words were strong and mighty, giving off the will of an ancient being that couldn''t be steered to another direction! Noah only smiled and nodded at this as a spatial light began to cover his body, his eyes dazzling with the light of conquest as he finished planting his seeds and waited for them to sprout. "Let me know if anything changes. The offer will always be there!" WAA! With such words, the Apex Paragon and the Hegemony of Devouring below him disappeared. Before they did, the Origins of many of the watching Hegemonies shook as they actually felt a deadly killing intent from the Blue Slime below the Apex Paragon, all of them recalling the history of this existence and what its resurgence meant! But at this moment, Noah had fully delved into his mission that was considered to be divided into two parts that really went together. One was to stop the descent of the Antiquity and devour the Universal Constructs, and the other was to make the inhabitants of multiple Universes pledge Fealty to him as he then took them out of the Primordial Cosmos! To work efficiently with the little time he had, he had divided these tasks to his most powerful weapons yet- namely the clones of the Blue Slimes that he had already teleported to different Universes as he was speaking with the Oathkeeper! Chapter 1089 - Delivered On A Platter! I Out of the 9 Universes that were affected by the Universal Amalgamation of the Antiquity, the Microbial and the Chthonian Universes were the only ones to be freed as it left behind 7 Universes that still had Universal Constructs standing strong within them. From these 7 Universes...Noah had completely conquered three of them as they didn''t even have any existence living within their vast stars, only having the Universal Constructs and the Hegemonies that protected them! These three were the Animus, Necrotic, and the Automaton Universes. They left behind the Liberated, Euthenia, Omicron, and the Abyssal Universes as for Noah, these Universes that contained Universal Constructs and existences that he could have pledge fealty to him to gain the remaining half of the Marks of Antiquity he needed...he considered these Universes to be the fat sheep that he wanted to milk. All of them would involve battles with Hegemonies, but the latter mentioned 4 would also grant Noah billions of Marks of Antiquity as it was within these 4 Universes that Noah sent a clone of the Blue Slime in each. THRUM! Simultaneously, a glimmering Blue Slime appeared within the Liberated, Euthenia, Omicron, and the Abyssal Universes as the Hegemonies protecting the Universal Constructs within them were alerted en masse. One might wonder, what happened to the authority of Antiquity that prevented any Hegemonies aside from those that branded their Origins onto the Universal Constructs or were already within the Universe when the authority descended? How could the Blue Slime at the level of a Hegemony so seamlessly enter 4 vastly different universes?! The answer was of course, the seamless assimilation of the Universal Construct devoured through <>. Aside from the gift of 10 Billion Marks of Antiquity for the Blue Slime, it also took in and assimilated the aura and core of the Universal Construct as it understood them inside and out, with even more depth than those that merely branded their auras onto them! So the 4 clones of the Blue Slimes appeared seamlessly in the Universes with Quintillions of beings and Universal Constructs, their auras reverberating out wildly as their shining cerulean figures shot towards the Universal Constructs where the defending Hegemonies were located at with fervor. Noah''s other subordinates that had entered these 4 Universes to begin the conquest before continued unhindered, the Seven Deadly Sins, Legions of Undead, Automaton Sentinel Legions...all of the forces went forward from galaxy system to galaxy system as they already took the first steps to spread Noah''s domination! The Blue Slimes were the topping on the top as they would face the defending Hegemony at each of the Universal Constructs, the defeat of these Hegemonies meaning Noah could widely spread his essence of Fealty out across the Universe like he did for the Chthonian Universe and bring the conquest to a close on these Universes as well. This was the mission of the 4 Clones and Noah''s subordinates that were given for the sake of efficiency. You then had Noah himself and the 5th clone of the Blue Slime that appeared...in the Animus Universe! WAA! When he teleported away from the Oathkeeper and others in the Microbial Universe, the Chthonian figure of Noah seated upon a Blue Slime appeared in the Animus Universe as he was soon joined together by an alluring figure of a Hegemony that had this same Universe as her home. The vibrant clone of Valentina looked towards the mountainous figure of the Blue Slime at the realm of a Hegemony in a daze as she questioned everything she knew about cultivating the power of Realms, sighing endlessly in her heart about how such a thing could even become a reality! The three of them appeared not too far from the Universal Construct, the figure of Ambrose coming to attention and looking towards them with cold eyes as he wasn''t alone. The Hegemony that had broken the Oath and initiated the chase across the Universe while holding onto Noah was also there, Hegemony Dark Shadow looking towards them with baleful eyes that shook with the aura of Tenebrosity. But even this wasn''t all. It was because at this very moment, Chronos received information on all the happenings of the 5 affected Universes that Noah''s forces arrived in as his expression changed, and he spoke towards the many Hegemonies around him and gave out commands! Numerous figures flashed and disappeared, a particularly jubilant Cerulean Hegemony being one among the party of Hegemonies that went towards the Animus Universe while others went to reinforce the defenders in the other 4 Universes. As for Chronos and the Goliath...their eyes were on the Oathkeeper that could make his move at any moment, these powerful beings also conserving their power as they got ready to fight with everything on the line to achieve their dreams. Their actions meant grand changes in the Animus Universe as Noah''s eyes raised up when he began to see the light of teleportation call forth multiple Hegemonies to stand beside Ambrose and Dark Shadow. There was Solerno, two other Hegemonies Noah hadn''t yet met, and the Cerulean Hegemony! The two that Noah was seeing for the first time was the caped Heroic Hegemony and the Hegemony of Fire, a being from the race of Flame Spirits that shone brighter than many suns. But even with all of these new faces...Noah''s eyes perked up when they landed on the Cerulean Hegemony. The eyes of the Cerulean Hegemony also landed on him and the Blue Slime as this Hegemony with the blue crown brilliantly floating on his head looked towards them with immense hidden greed and fervor! Enemies that had known each other months ago met again on this day! "Haha!" Noah couldn''t help but let out a boisterous laugh that shook the surroundings as he looked at the Cerulean Hegemony that was delivering himself to him on a platter. The figure of the Cerulean Hegemony also buzzed with power, this being seemingly not being able to wait amidst his excitement and greed as he was the first to vibrate with essence before he shot out towards Noah and the 2 Hegemonies surrounding him- as he shot out to what he considered a free Cosmic Treasure! Chapter 1090 - Delivered On A Platter! II A beautiful sight was opening itself up at this moment in the Animus Universe. On one side was an Apex Paragon and two Hegemonies, the other side actually having 6 Hegemonies standing against them as their very aura caused the surroundings to distort and fracture! The Heroic Hegemony shone with a glorious aura as his caped costume shimmered gold and red, looking like a valiant hero that was standing against immense evil. You then had Ambrose bounded on both sides by Solerno and Dark Shadow, with the Hegemony of Fire floating beside them as he raised the temperature of the surrounding hundreds of miles. Then there was the Cerulean Hegemony! His body had actually turned into a vast Sea at this moment, building up immense momentum as it expanded to become bigger than 50,000 miles, and it continued to stretch out endlessly! One must recall that when the Cerulean Hegemony was first introduced within his Universe, this being had been sitting down on a Galaxy as he could expand his body to vast sizes. This was an innate nature of his body that seemed to be made from an endless sea, the color of this destructive sea shining an illustrious blue as it was fighting for supremacy against the glimmering color of the Blue Slime! Such was the fantastical scene currently in play! A vast Sea filled the essence of a Hegemony rolling towards a planetary sized Blue Slime that had a starry galactic Cthulhu sitting atop it, a beautiful Hegemony of Summoning expanding her body as it also began to thrum with power! "Hoo¡­" Towards such a scene, Noah breathed out slowly as his fused clone that was with the Blue Slime resonated with each other, their connection becoming crystal clear. The chaotic undulations of the void around them seemed to slow down as they nearly came to a stop, Noah''s mind being the only thing that was moving millions of times faster than anything else! The Star of Conquest above him shone brightly as it cascaded down waves of the essence of Conquest. He had gone through multiple other Universes since he last used the essence of Conquest, and it had built up immensely again as when faced with the shocking number of 6 Hegemonies, Noah was actually unfazed. Against 6 Hegemonies, he wasn''t the least bit worried! His eyes glimmered brightly as in this slowed time, he turned towards the glimmering Star of Conquest as he thought of enhancing another one of the strongest skill trees he held at this moment so that he could carry out a certain fantastical plan. It was the skill tree that allowed the smooth and simplified usage of the Dao of Chronos...the Dao that he could now use to play with these Hegemonies in a myriad of ways! It was a Dao that was only a level below the Primordial Dao and the Dao of Ruination, and the Blue Slime at the level of a Hegemony could now utilize it to call forth a shocking array of results against other Hegemonies. With the descent of an Antiquity on the line, Noah was planning on going entirely crazy for the battles to come as just too many things were in play. His fight for his own Universal Realm, the fight for the Universal Constructs, and the fight for the Fealty of multiple Universes! With such things in the back of his mind, Noah gave the command for the pure essence of Conquest to flow into a skill tree. "Fill the [Wielder of Chronos] with the Light of Conquest." RUMBLE! His main body that was floating in the skies above the huge stadium that the main bodies of his subordinates were observing everything in gave the command. A pristine white color shone as the Star of conquest buzzed, half of its current essence rushing into Noah''s soul and Origin as it searched for the Wielder of Chronos skill tree that was entrenched into Noah! Thereafter, Noah''s body shone a glorious cacophony of colors as a powerful skill tree of a Cosmic Dao was enhanced, its effects becoming crystal clear in the next instant. [Wielder of Chronos] :: A skill tree geared towards a basic application of the Cosmic Dao of Chronos. Abilities include [Temporal Looping] (5/20), [Instantaneous Age Regression and Progression](5/20), [Temporal Manipulation Perception](5/20), [Temporal Halt](5/20), [Temporal Inversion](5/20) ¡­! First was the fact that after the empowerment of this skill tree, the cap on its skill points for how strong its abilities could be was enhanced from 5 to 20! Such an enhancement allowed for crazy possibilities, and Noah would have to undertake many tests just to know the full quantitative effect of such a thing. But at this moment, he just clicked the plus button as he filled all the skills to their new max skill point cap before viewing their details once more! None of the abilities of the skill tree, whether it was Temporal Looping or Temporal Halt- had any numerical quantifiable number for the resultant of their skill effects. So when the Light of Conquest filled them, these skills simply all gained a percentage of the enhancement they received attached to them, as well as a few unique boosts of their own! [Temporal Looping] 20/20) :: Depending on the mana used, the user can place a certain area or being on a temporal loop that is extremely hard to escape from. Only those capable of releasing strength to shatter the effects of time itself of beings proficient in the workings of time can seamlessly escape Temporal Looping. Mana requirements are reduced by 90% for this ability while its effectiveness is increased by 20,000% 20,000%. That was an effectiveness increase of 200 times, and it was written like so for the rest of the skills under the Wielder of Chronos! Noah felt the strength of these skills scream out from his soul as he finally came out of his reverie. He looked at the vast Sea that was the Cerulean Hegemony rushing towards him, this being seemingly not caring about the fact that Hegemonies could not hurt those of the lower Realms under the rules of the Universal Constructs! The Cerulean blue sea should have been extremely beautiful to look at in the darkness of the chaotic void, but it was actually tinged with the green of greed and envy as this being only had one thought in mind. That was the thought of a Cosmic Treasure! Chapter 1091 - Delivered On A Platter! III As the vast sea roiled towards him, Noah''s gaze was calm as neither Valentina nor the Blue Slime made a move. They remained utterly still as no fluctuations of essence could be seen on their bodies, even going as far to make one think they weren''t thinking of fighting! This was somewhat true at this moment as the only being on their side to be thrumming with essence was actually Noah. His body released waves after waves of power as the image of the starry Cthulhu that had the majestic colors of moving galaxies on his body...actually lifted off the planetary sized body of the Blue Slime and went forward alone! ¡­! The gazes of the 5 Hegemonies behind the Cerulean Hegemony had already turned dark when they saw their ally give no care about who he attacked, and they were even more dumbfounded when they saw the figure of the Apex Paragon be the one to move towards the Cerulean Hegemony and not the two Hegemonies he came with. RUMBLE Their bodies lit up brightly with a myriad of essence as they also turned into streaks of light that followed behind the vast Cerulean sea, intent on stopping the 2 Hegemonies that the Apex Paragon left behind as well as deviating the attacks of the Cerulean Hegemony against the Paragon if need be! Against such a fantastical force of 6 moving Hegemonies, Noah''s body only blazed with more and more power as he stood before them, his right hand pulled back as if he was charging a punch. Yes! A punch! The aura around him rose ever higher as hiddenly, the Cosmic Treasure RUINATION had begun to light up with him in his chest at this very moment! His tentacles and feelers stretching out of his face rumbled with the essence of Ruination, Chronos, and many others as at this moment, he looked extremely magisterial! With his tentacles waving around madly, a bellow came out from the galactic Cthulhu that shook the very void itself, the image of a single Paragon standing against 6 Hegemonies being made a reality at this very moment. "OOOOOOOH!" A bellow that resonated with the bubbling essence that reached its peak! Noah was like an arrow pulled back to its furthest point before it could be let go, the very void around him beginning to crackle and break. At this second, Noah''s red eyes flashed madly as he could feel his heart thumping in excitement, his terrifying tentacles covering his face actually forming into a devilish smile as he howled out while shooting like a supersonic missile towards the roaring blue seas! "LET''S GOOOO!!!" His bellow was a crescendo that reached the very void itself, shaking everything with it as his hand punched out. A mere punch, but when it neared just a few tens of miles away from the vast sea that was the Cerulean Hegemony and the 5 other Universal Experts behind him...this punch actually caused the void itself to break! With this punch as the center point, an enormous Rupture began to stretch out as the folds of the Universe itself were torn apart! The covered distance was extremely wide as Noah gave but a single command to his Cosmic Treasure. Turn the area in front of him in a vast and endless Sea of Ruination as it should cover all of the 6 Hegemonies before him while sparing the Universal Construct behind them. So a fracture tens of thousands of miles in diameter spread out, and it covered within it all 6 Hegemonies that could only experience such a reality in shock and horror! The moment Noah''s punch landed on the void, it cracked and shattered as they found themselves in boiling Ruination Sea that began to eat away at their defenses and Origin simultaneously! The terror they felt was something that very few would ever get a chance to experience, and they wanted to make an escape and leave this Sea of Ruination at the quickest time possible! But this was when one of the Hegemonies behind Noah shimmered with light. The Blue Slime that was fused with Noah''s close spoke lightly, Noah''s clone using a skill that had just been pumped with the Light of Conquest through the authority of a Hegemony. "Temporal Halt." RUUMBLE! A vast Blue clock appeared above the rupture within the Animus Universe as it gushed out the essence of Chronos endlessly. This essence was extremely unique as with the +20,000% Effectiveness under the Light of Conquest, the Blue color was tinged with a pristine white as its authority seemed inevitable! It wrapped around the shocked and horrified Hegemonies as all 6 of them without question...were put on a halt in time! ¡­.!!! All 6 Hegemonies! None could break free! For the few seconds that they were halted in time and couldn''t move...the Ruination Sea ate them up as the Cerulean Hegemony was actually the one affected the most with his body that was turned into a vast sea. "No¡­" The seabody called out in despair and shock as it could have never imagined this, as it could have never thought a Paragon would be able to utilize a Cosmic Treasure to such an extent! Meanwhile, Ambrose, Solerno, Dark Shadow, the Heroic Hegemony, and the Hegemony of Fire were all just in utter confusion and horror as they didn''t even grasp what was going on, just that a pervasive essence was corroding everything about them and eating them up before they could even blink. But they were of course, powerful Hegemonies as in the middle of such a life and death reality, they bellowed out as they burned their very Universes for the essence to defend themselves and break through the shackles of Chronos that the Blue Slike hat set up! But just when they thought they were close¡­ "Temporal Halt." WAA! The skill was cast again as the fantastical blue clock above the rupture gushed out more essence of Chronos. "Temporal Halt." And again. "Temporal Halt." And Again! RUMBLE! Every time the Blue Slime uttered such words, its enormous body moved ever close to the rupture as the essence of Ruination wrapped around its body protectively, its eyes hungrily looking at the desperately struggling Hegemonies within the Sea of Ruination that seemed like they could have their Origins corroded and eaten up at any time!!! Chapter 1092 - Butchering Hegemonies As If They Were Nothing! I Glorious scenes of such utter majesty didn''t come often but when they did...they were ones that should be witnessed and inscribed onto history books! The current scene of an Apex Paragon releasing a single punch and causing a rupture to split apart the very fabrics of the Universe itself was seen by a few Hegemonies that had been following the actions of this being and the Universal Emperor Slime he controlled. They were actually following the actions of a being that had seemingly popped up from nowhere in the Primordial Cosmos just weeks ago, and yet now he seemed to be in the center point of the most crucial battles as he stood in the way of some of the most powerful Hegemonies! Outside of the boundary of the Animus Universe, the few that were paying attention to the happenings of the 9 affected Universe arrived just in time to see Noah''s Cthulhu figure throw out a single punch that tore apart the space for tens of thousands of miles. The watching Hegemonies didn''t see the blazingly crimson Ruination Sea stretching out from Noah''s punch, as through the Dao of Subterfuge...their eyes saw a blooming and massive black hole expand outwards from the punch of this Apex Paragon. This overwhelming black hole overtook the bodies of all 5 Hegemonies that stood against him as a moment later, the enormous figure of the Blue Slime glimmered brightly with the essence of Chronos gushing forth from it, locking the 6 Hegemonies that could barely be seen in this terrifying black hole! Even with their eyes being shown something false with the Dao Of Subterfuge, what they saw still shook them to their Cores as their eyes focused on the terrifying figure of the Apex Paragon. Their minds were buzzing with questions on exactly how this being had been confident enough to throw out a punch against multiple Hegemonies, and how it was even possible for this punch to display enough prowess to lock down and terrify Universal Realm experts! How could a Paragon have climbed over the ranks and be able to match a Hegemony?! WAA! A myriad of questions, but not a single answer in sight as only the shocking reality before them played out. Within the Animus Universe, the glimmering body of the Blue Slime was spamming [Temporal Halt]s every millisecond as the essence of Chronos flew around widely, the Cerulean blue clock above the rupture spinning in a dazzling fashion as wisps of Conquest were released from it! This essence wrapped tightly around the 6 Hegemonies as their terrified gazes turned to those of despair, their vast experience telling them at this moment exactly where they were that could cause their Mana and origin to be getting eaten up like so. The reality that they were somehow in the Ruination Sea caused them even more fear as when it was compounded with the fact that their bodies felt constant shackles from time constricting them, they weren''t able to pay attention to anything but trying to preserve their souls and Origins! None of them...could even pay attention to the planetary sized body of the Blue Slime that had begun to edge its way towards the torn fabric of the Universe and enter the very same portion of the Ruination Sea they were struggling in. The Hegemony of Slaughter that was the first one to design the terrifying Universal Constructs that were then modified and adapted by Chronos could not do anything. The wizened being that had cursed Valentina and threatened her with slaughter could not do anything. The Holder of Tenebrosity that could traverse the Primordial Cosmos and was known as the strongest assassin couldn''t do anything! Even the powerful Heroic Hegemony that didn''t even get to display a hint of his shocking power and how much more unique it was compared to others...even this being couldn''t do anything. None of the Hegemonies within the Ruination Sea could make any actions as they could only watch in shock and despair as their Origins were slowly corroded and devoured. Ah! Mind you, these were genuine Universal Realm existences that lived for millions of years. But shockingly, it seemed that the battle against these 6 Hegemonies was about to end in a short minute as if they were the same as the Subjugations of the Usurper that were defeated not too long ago! As if Noah and the methods he could deploy with his Cosmic Treasure didn''t differentiate between the titles of Paragons or Hegemonies. As their numbers didn''t matter! As if their power was just nothing. And truly so...against the Ruination Sea, it was nothing! RUMBLE! Unknowingly, the enormous body of the Blue Slime arrived within the vast stretching Ruination Sea, its body wrapped all around with the essence of Ruination as its eyes targeted a single being first. It was of course, the largest one that had changed his form into an endless blue sea, this Cerulean Hegemony being affected the most by the Ruination Sea as his body had been nearly entirely corroded crimson at this moment! Against the vast seabody struggling to survive, the viscous body of the Blue Slime instantly overlapped and superseded it, its eyes barely glancing upon the terrifying enemy that had crowned itself the head of the Spirit Race in the Dark Universe as the Slime uttered forth coldly. <>. WAP! A gorgeous flash of cerulean blue, and only a single blue colored being remained in the horrifying Sea of Ruination. "..." The Cerulean Hegemony and all of his greed for the Cosmic Treasure that he didn''t even share the information of the enemy he knew of was actually the first to die among all Hegemonies! As if his death was insignificant and not worth anything! At this time, the only Hegemony that had first hand knowledge on another Cosmic Treasure within the Primordial Cosmos aside from the Primordial Disk in the Oathkeeper''s hands perished. The only Hegemony that somewhat understood Noah and his history from the Dark Universe perished as after him....many more would follow! Chapter 1093 - Butchering Hegemonies As If They Were Nothing! II As he watched the death of the Cerulean Hegemony, Noah''s face was placid as his flashing eyes recalled the feeling of excitement of throwing out a single punch that sealed the lives of 6 Hegemonies. Yes, it wasn''t his own power and it was actually the power of his Cosmic Treasure, but still! To be capable of doing such a shocking feat was something very few could say they accomplished. THRUM! While taken in by his own reverie, the situation was still unfolding within the Ruination Sea, the bound bodies of the Hegemonies still trembling in a terrifying manner as the Blue Slime moved towards them. The more important detail to observe was the fact that within the Origin of the Blue Slime, the second illusory Galaxy that had formed hazy outlines after the Devouring of the Great Old Kubo has become more distinct, the lines of its Galaxies seemingly being drawn in as it slowly came to life! The aura that the Blue Slime released only shot up higher and higher as efficiently, it already pounced on the other remaining targets before they were devoured by the Ruination Sea. The Blue sea that represented the Cerulean Hegemony was vast to cover, but the figures of the Heroic Hegemony, the Hegemony of Fire, Solerno, Dak Shadow, and Ambrose were simply human sized as it meant the Blue Slime could cover all of them at once! To the Universal Emperor Slime, it didn''t matter whether it was one or millions. As long as it could fit them into its stomach, it wouldn''t matter as everything would be devoured. BZZZT! The bodies of the 5 remaining Hegemonies tried to twist madly to break the chains of Chronos binding them, Noah having found a truly deadly combination of throwing people into the Ruination Sea and making it so they couldn''t move with a Temporal Halt! They all twisted and turned crazily as if they knew that somehow, their time was here! Their very Origins cried out fearfully as they didn''t want to face oblivion, but these beings couldn''t do anything. The essence of Chronos surrounding them was something cast through the body of a Hegemony, with the skill being enhanced by over 200 times through the essence of Conquest as it wasn''t something these beings could breakthrough! With such a reality in play, the Blue Slime silently moved as his viscous body covered the figures of the 5 Hegemonies. The terror within their eyes was clear as their alarm bells rang out, but it was all for naught as the voice of a Blue Slime thundered down coldly. . WAP! ¡­! A resplendent flash of light. A disappearance of 5 Hegemonies! It mattered not their status. It mattered not their power! It didn''t matter that Ambrose who had been the first to design the Universal Constructs was now dead, or what history and uniqueness the Heroic Hegemony and the other 3 Hegemonies had. To the Blue Slime, it was just meals that it had now devoured. RUMBLE! The body of the Blue Slime seemed to thrum gloriously as the second Universe within its Origin bloomed with illusory Galaxies, this Universe gradually becoming more and more complete as it was only a matter of time before a shocking process took place. It was the process of a being achieving a second Universe without first forming A Splendiferous Universe- without obtaining 100 Billion Marks of Antiquity and turning all of their galaxies into Dao Galaxies. They wouldn''t be stepping on the path for an Antiquity, but instead it would be a path that didn''t follow the natural laws and was termed false- the stage of an Apocryphal Antiquity! As for how strong this Apocryphal Antiquity stage was compared to real Antiquity? How vast was the difference between it and Hegemonies? All of these would be things Noah would have to figure out as at this moment, the Cosmic Treasure within his Origin vibrated out as a command came from him. "Close the rupture." WAA! The folds in space of the Animus Universe began to heal and close as the figure of the Blue Slime teleported to appear below Noah again, Valentina looking at such a scene in a stupor as her mouth formed an O shape! She wasn''t the only one to be utterly surprised at the scene of 6 Hegemonies being wiped out within a minute. So effortlessly at that as if they weren''t powerful existences! Amidst her surprise, she was also dissatisfied as she didn''t even get to make a move herself to take care of these beings. She could only stare at Noah to direct her shock as even with what she knew and had been finding out about him, his actions just now were really stretching it. Her voice was shaking as she carefully spoke. "Are you¡­are you actually an Antiquity in hiding or something? How can you¡­" The Cosmic Treasure was Noah''s secret that he didn''t make a habit of sharing, and Valentina had yet to find out about this fully as she only had some guesses. Towards her shocked question, Noah just shook his head as a devilish smile formed on the enormous Starry Cthulhu. "It''s nothing like that. These Hegemonies were just too weak, merely being low tier beings in the Universal Realm!" RUMBLE! "Maybe if they were to comprehend Chronos or Extinction they could stand a chance against me. But for now, they can only be cannon fodder!" WAA! His words were extremely cruel, domineering, and even seemingly looked down upon Hegemonies! All the Hegemonies that heard them felt their bodies trembling as they couldn''t refute such words. Yet Valentina found her heart beating faster at the sight of Noah saying such words. The way he said them, the way he carried himself...the utter confidence he had in the words! When he said these words just now¡­just why did he seem just so damn devilishly handsome and hot?! ¡­! The thoughts of Valentina would remain her own as Noah gave another command to the Blue Slime. "Go ahead and devour the Universal Construct." SHAA! Left without any protectors and pulsing dangerously by itself, the Blue Slime bloomed to be larger than even a Galaxy as he went to devour a second Universal Construct! In total, it would be the third one to fall as its effects were bound to be far reaching! Chapter 1094 - An Unrelenting Will! I A glorious blue expansion of color covered its second cocoon-like Universal Construct as the Blue Slime called out calmly. <>. WAP! The thumping structure was eaten up an instant later, the body of the Blue Slime once again shone with a gorgeous array of colors as within its Origin, Billions of Dao Galaxies fantastically bloomed! THRUM! Only when a full 10 Billion were added on did its body stop vibrating, the Origin of the Blue Slime currently showing over 25 Billion Dao Galaxies. The other 10 Billion were from the first Universal Construct, and he had actually gained 5 Billion Dao Galaxies after collectively Devouring 7 Hegemonies now! The Great Old Kubo from the Chthonian Universe, and now the 6 Hegemonies from this Animus Universe. The Blue Slime was only 75 Billion Dao Galaxies away from attaining Antiquity, its pace being something that would horrify even those that were already Antiquities! This was because even the Great Usurper had promised Chronos that he would share with them the method for one to attain Antiquity within a few million years. Yet the Slime was one-fourth of the way there in just less than an hour... Even Noah had to work hard and put in a few days to reach the one fourth of progress that the Blue Slime reached! But it mattered not whether it was unfair or if others could not do it. The Blue Slime could do it, and that was the end of the story. Noah looked at the vibrant and powerful aura of the Blue Slime as Valentina''s clone beside him stretched her slender fingers out the chaotic void they were in. She could no longer feel the oppressive aura of a Hegemony in this Universe as it was returned to normal, this powerful existence sighing endlessly as she turned to focus on Noah. The existence that had truly changed her destiny and Fortune to what it was now, and it seemed he was going towards her realm of power and even superseding it constantly as she felt like he would exceed her in power before she knew it! When she gazed on the Blue Slime that had happily returned to Noah and was nudging him with the very same dangerous body that just devoured 6 renowned Hegemonies, one could even say he had long since surpassed her. "We''ll be going to another Universe. Things could drastically change at any moment so we have to continue moving quickly." His voice echoed her mind as she nodded while biting her lips, this regal Hegemony actually speaking in a pouting manner thereafter! "You didn''t even need me here for support." ¡­! Yes! Noah and the Blue Slime had finished everything themselves as Valentina had not even been able to make a move! Towards her words, Noah just smiled and patted her head as his body and the figure of the Blue Slime began to be covered with a spatial light. "I''ll let you know when I''ll need you again. You can give all the support you want then!" "Mmm." The regal Hegemony nodded as Noah disappeared, her gaze reminiscent as she looked at the vast Animus Universe she had called her home for so many thousands of years. ---- The moment Noah''s actions finished in the Animus Universe, the reality of his actions spread out as they were far reaching! He had just caused for the Devouring of renowned Hegemonies like Ambrose, the Cerulean Hegemony, and Dark Shadow as he just nonchalantly destroyed a Universal Construct and left thereafter. But to others, the result of his actions were truly shocking as in the Microbial Universe where the Oathkeeper was healing, his hands held a Wings of Primordial Destiny that communicated to him what a few Hegemonies just saw within the Animus Universe! The hands holding the Wings of Primordial Destiny were trembling as the content of the voice coming out was too shocking! "He...he killed 6 Hegemonies simultaneously¡­!" RUMBLE! "Ambrose, Hegemony of Fire, Heroic Hegemony, Solerno, Dark Shadow, and the Cerulean Hegemony...they are all dead!" WAA! "The Universal Construct within the Animus Universe has also been destroyed!" ¡­! Word after word came out, each one being more unbelievable than the last as Oathkeeper and the Hegemonies protectively surrounding him could hardly believe it. Didn''t this being just eradicate the Great Old Kubo in the Chthonian Universe and destroy a Universal Construct there? Did he not just leave this same Universe after saying shocking words to Oathkeeper just minutes ago?! Yet somehow within these minutes, he had decimated 6 Hegemonies and destroyed another Universal Construct! "..." The Hegemonies were silent as they had no words. Oathkeeper''s eyes were lighting up brightly as while taking in such news, he called out lightly as he held a thoughtful expression. "Mana¡­" ¡­! This word caused the eyes of many beings to perk up as they remembered Noah''s offer to Oathkeeper! It was about Mana Reserves, where he offered to expand them tens of times if Oathkeeper pledged fealty to him! As they now saw this being moving relentlessly from one Universe to another doing things they themselves could not do, they actually started to believe his words. "For him to constantly move without ever stopping, his Mana reserves and those of the Universal Emperor Slime should be multiple times that of any of us...if not truly tens of times!" The A Hegemony spoke out from a barely discernible place as his words caused a tremor to pass through the hearts of all Hegemonies. The golden color undulating over Oathkeeper''s body also shone brighter as his wings thrummed, repeating this word to himself as he recalled the words of the Aped Paragon. ''Mana.'' This word and concept fully began entrenching itself into the minds of the Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos on this day! It would only perpetuate as time passed, and it would be the reason why many of them in the not too distant future would utter forth a certain name. It would be the reason that they would look up in utter awe and stupor as they unconsciously called out....the Antiquity of Mana! Chapter 1095 - An Unrelenting Will! II Their shock about this being''s Mana reserves aside, there was also the reality of him defeating 6 Hegemonies all at once! This shock was perceived more not by Oathkeeper''s group, but Chronos''s group that was getting ready to focus on their big battle with the Oathkeeper. Currently, Chronos had a blank expression as the Black Hole on the face of the Goliath swirled silently. These powerful beings could barely absorb the fact that somehow, 6 of their people were dead within minutes of them being sent out to stand against a mere Paragon and the Hegemony he controlled! None of them could fathom what the hell had happened, Chronos being the only one capable of speaking a moment later as his eyes still seemed blank. "This...this existence must be the true chosen weapon of the Primordial Cosmos...he has to be!" RUMBLE "He came out of nowhere, and now he displayed such unrealistic and impossible battle power that one might even mistake for him to have the Cosmic Treasure and not the Oathkeeper!" ¡­! Chronos actually came close to the truth as his black face adopted a pained expression, the heart of this being actually thinking of the unfairness of it all as he looked at this situation. All he wanted was the method of Antiquity. After so many Reincarnations and living so many lives, he just wanted to progress forward and didn''t want his path to be restricted to just Hegemony! But why...why would his own home stand against him so much? Why would the Primordial Cosmos break its own natural rules to bring forth existences that could stand in his way like this? The being questioned inside, but he received no answer as the others could only blankly stare while thinking of the news they just heard. Aside from the Goliath and Chronos, the other Hegemonies were actually feeling a myriad of emotions as among them...was fear! Fear from looking at the fact that most of them were on the same level if not weaker than beings like the Heroic Hegemony and Ambrose who had birthed their own Grand Dao, and yet they heard how all these beings were collectively killed in such a short period of time by this Apex Paragon. They began to feel fearful as when the news spread to the other 4 Universes where the clones of the Blue Slime and Noah''s subordinates were moving across for Conquest, the Hegemonies actually didn''t proactively go to stand against the terrifying Blue Slime! All they had to do was protect the Universal Construct, and the Blue Slimes were only leading Noah''s forces on a speedy path of Conquest across the Galaxy Clusters of these Universes so that Noah could quickly gain immense numbers of the Marks of Antiquity. The 2 or 3 Hegemonies within these Universes actually didn''t move a single step away from the Universal Construct to stop the clones of the slimes, even hoping that they would not target the Construct that they were protecting! This was how shocking the result of Noah''s actions of killing the 6 Hegemonies were! "Should¡­.should we still be preparing and waiting for the Oathkeeper''s move, or should we go to stand against the Apex Paragon wherever he appears next¡­?" ¡­! A careful voice of a Hegemony known as the Hegemony of Thunder stretched out amongst Chronos and the group of Hegemonies around him. "..." His words actually received no answer as these beings were actually evaluating the strongest threat between Oathkeeper and Noah..and they actually couldn''t arrive at an answer! But as they reeled themselves in with the recent actions, so did another being that was much more powerful than them. Across the vastness of space and time, even across timelines and Dimensions! The consciousness of an Antiquity that had just burned a Splendiferous Universe was looking at the thick cylindrical line of connection he had with a far away Cosmos coldly. He sensed the consequent downfall of 2 more Universal Constructs one after another, as if it was to challenge his authority after he burned an entire Universe to speed up his descent! The Antiquity eyes became exceedingly cold at such an outcome as he looked within his Origin and gazed upon the myriad of Universes within it. His cerulean blue eyes flashed emotionlessly as between the normal Universes filled with the bright 100 Billion normal Galaxies or the Splendiferous Universes filled with 100 Billion Dao Galaxies...his eyes actually chose 3 Universes at this moment as they also began to burn! Without a second pause or delay, this being had actually chosen to burn not one, but three Universes to act as the fuel for his descent! Two were normal Universes shimmering calmly, while the third was another Splendiferous Universe that shone beautifully with Dao Galaxies. Ye. In response to the increasing reality of him being stopped from obtaining a Cosmic Treasure- something that only those in the Cosmic Realm enjoyed...the Great Usurper chose to burn these 3 Universes without even a pause. He was a being that had lived for too many millions of years and had experienced too much! The sacrifices he could make were things that even other average Antiquities could not understand, and he had reached the upper stages of this level of Nirvanic Antiquity as he was very close to the Cosmic Level! His methods of searching for Cosmos not by traversing the Ruination Sea but through the unique means he was using right now was actually the secret that Chronos wanted to find out, and his success had always been achieved smoothly apart from a few losses. The only losses suffered were caused by a set of beings stretched out across the Cosmos that uniquely shared similar names, but the Great Usurper didn''t consider these existences normal as he waved off these losses! But...in this Primordial Cosmos that had no such a being holding a high rank of power? How could he lose such a Cosmos that even had a Cosmic Treasure?! RUMBLE! As three Universes burnt and became a fuel to further increase the rate of his descent, the Antiquity merely looked on coldly as he couldn''t wait to glance upon all the faces of the beings within this Cosmos. They would learn of the unrelenting will of the Great Usurper. They would learn it very clearly as he would make sure to descend no matter what! Chapter 1096 - Merely Hours Before An Apocalypse Arrives! I From the stupendous strength of the Antiquity, authority descended down like a tide as it followed the thick cylindrical connection he held with the Primordial Cosmos, this line of connection burning crimson gold with the essence of three more Universes burning through them! In the Primordial Cosmos, these changes were that much more pronounced as the 6 remaining Universes which held the Universal Constructs were pulled in closer together, the process of Amalgamation fully underway as at this moment, the barriers of these Universes had already fully melded together. After this melding, they began to slowly disappear as when these boundaries between the Universes faded, the Antiquity would have arrived! The authority of this being came out in even more terrifying waves from the Universal Constructs as Noah had at this moment just teleported to the Automaton Universe, raising his head towards the Construct not too far from him that was protected by a few Hegemonies. Looking at the newly increased intensity of the waves of power it released, his eyes shone with the light of destiny as he discerned a few things and found out that...they now had a few hours and not merely the day before the descent of the Great Usurper! They truly just had a few hours before an Antiquity descended...before another Apocalypse came to be as nobody knew the designs of this descending being. Noah''s eyes shone sharply at this development as a myriad of thoughts crossed his mind. The fact that the Antiquity would descend in even less time caused his heart to tighten somewhat, and it did this because one of the many cards that gave him confidence was the fact that the cooldown of Plot Armor was a few days away, but Deus Ex Machina could already be used as if the Antiquity ever truly descended...he would have to use this! Of course, if he was efficient enough to obtain the remaining 20 Billion Marks of Antiquity before the descent of this Antiquity, he would be able to become a Hegemony himself. But he didn''t know whether such a power would be enough against a being that had multiple Universes established in his Origin. But yes, he actually only had 20 Billion Marks of Antiquity remaining to collect before he reached the 50 Billion Mark, and another 50 Billion after that to make all 100 Billion Galaxies into Dao Galaxies as he became a genuine Antiquity and became capable of birthing more Universes! His subordinates and the clones of the 4 Slimes he sent to the Euthenia, Abyssal, Omicron, and Liberated Universes had been moving with immense efficiency as they collectively had 25% of all of these Universes already pledging fealty to Noah. This was what bumped his numbers of Marks of Antiquity crazily as even at this moment, he was gaining tens of millions of Marks every single second! His main body had to isolate itself in the skies as clouds of gold had already gathered around him while the Marks of Antiquity descended one after another, making him look like a primordial being undergoing a fantastical trial. With his subordinates and the Clones of the Blue Slimes causing others to swear fealty to him and getting him closer towards Hegemony, Noah could continue attacking the Universal Constructs protected by Hegemonies as he now appeared near the one in the Automaton Universe that was protected by 3 Hegemonies! The Mechanical Hegemony had its metallic gears vibrating intensely at Noah''s appearance, the other two Hegemonies being an enormous existence that was known as the World Tree from the Euthenia Universe, and a huge demonic looking creature that was the Hegemony of Brutality from the Abyssal Universe. These three Hegemonies actually remained back near the barrier they enacted around the Universal Construct, not going forward to face Noah as they had received the news of how this being and his Blue Slime had actually decimated 6 Hegemonies in a matter of seconds in the Animus Universe! These beings actually cursed their luck that Noah came into this Automaton Universe next, and they would have to put their lives on their line and even potentially face destruction against this being that they didn''t understand. Noah was still in his Cthulhu form as he stood atop the Blue Slime, edging closer to the Universal Construct and seeing the hesitation on the faces of the Hegemonies as he smiled and spoke out. "Are you all...actually afraid?" RUMBLE! A shocking sentence that the galactic Ctuhlhu said with utter dominance! Yet the 3 Hegemonies didn''t reply to such an insult as at this moment, they were communicating rapidly with Chronos. "What are we to do?! If you don''t send reinforcements, we won''t be able to hold this being down!" The Mechanical Hegemony was furious as he sent many mental messages to Chronos, not wanting his existence to be another set of news that gets passed to others on how he and the other 2 Hegemonies around him were somehow defeated by the unexplainable being before them. Towards all of the mental messages he sent, the Mechanical Hegemony didn''t receive anything back until only a few seconds later when Chronos''s impassive voice reached him. "Hang on for just a minute and reinforcements will come. You can achieve that against a single Paragon and Hegemony, right?!" ¡­! Frustrations and conflict were running rampant within this group of beings that only banded together for the sake of Antiquity, and it was showing at this moment as the Mechanical Hegemony turned his red robotic eyes towards Noah after hearing the reassurance of Chronos, his voice ringing out. "No, Apex Paragon...we are not afraid!" THRUM! His words came with a wild eruption of power as his body changed shape and size, mechanical gears moving in and out as this Hegemony soon became a planetary sized robotic being that held deadly weapons that could easily vaporize the molecules of a Paragon with a hit! The World Tree and the Hegemony of Brutality beside him also received the assurances of Chronos as they roared out malevolently, these Universal experts finally showing off their teeth against a being they actually dreaded to face at this moment! Chapter 1097 - Mere Hours Before An Apocalypse Arrives! II Ah! How far one could advance on their path of power! Noah thought such a thing as he looked at the Hegemonies that actually turned hesitant to his arrival, only to bolster their courage a second later as if they received reassuring words from somewhere. He actually made an entire group of Hegemonies fear him before he himself became a Hegemony, such a feat making Noah smile as he looked mockingly towards his enemies while his body began to bubble forth with power once more! "No...it definitely looked like you guys were scared just a second ago. Did you hear about how 6 dudes in the same realm as you perished just a few minutes ago?" RUMBLE! He spoke nonchalantly as immense waves of mana emanate from him, the Mechanical Hegemonies and the other 2 Hegemonies feeling their hearts turn cold at his nonchalant words as they didn''t know whether to focus on the Paragon or the Blue Slime that wasn''t even moving below him! "Do you want to know how they died? I''m about to recreate it right now." ¡­! His body vibrated like an unstable bomb about to be let loose, his figure lifting from the Blue Slime as his right hand pulled back and seemed ready to punch. Such a stance caused the eyes of the Hegemonies to shake, and this was because they had received a description of the manner that this being attacked as they didn''t want such a scene to be recreated with them in it! Chronos had just told them to hold off for one minute before reinforcements arrived, so the figure of the Mechanical Hegemony flashed with light as he continued to speak, simply trying to buy that little more time. "We can pause and talk a bit like equals, Apex Paragon. We can share with you what we are doing here and how it can benefit you to also become an Antiquity¡­" His ancient voice was as slow as possible, waiting for Noah to converse with him as the essence of his body was undulating around him powerfully so he could be ready for anything! But the reply he received¡­ "I have no need for methods of Antiquity. After all, I can become one in just a matter of days!" RUMBLE! The moment that his words finished, Noah''s figure flashed. His pulsing body that had been accumulating essence within itself and in the Cosmic Treasure exploded out as he appeared a few miles away from the enormous figure of the Mechanical Hegemony, his punch flying out as he once again used the capabilities of the Cosmic Treasure to initiate a rupture of the folds of the Universe he was in! No more talk, just action! BOOM...RIIIP! The rupture began to spread with him at the center as the figures of the Mechanical Hegemony and others bellowed out, their bodies lighting up with powerful waves of essence as they got prepared to fight whatever was to come. But their hearts were actually shaking as the words of the Apex Paragon rang out in their ears and even the ears of all eyes that were now directed within this universe. It was the words of this Apex Paragon that actually said he could become an Antiquity in a matter of days! Such arrogant words would have made them scoff and not take such a being seriously, but when it came to this mysterious Apex Paragon..were they actually a lie, or was this being actually capable of this?! As they found themselves grappling with this question, a rupture tore apart tens of thousands of miles as it completely devoured the figure of the Mechanical Hegemony that Noah wasn''t too far from. As for the World Tree and the Hegemony of Brutality, these beings had turned into streaks of light that shot off in different directions to try and outrun the expansion of the deadly rift they could only see as an all devouring black hole! But could existences in the Universal Realm really escape from the speed that a Cosmic Treasure unfurled a Universe? The answer was no as shockingly, it seemed like the black hole had sentience as the main rupture split in two and set out branching ruptures in the different directions these beings were running towards, the two of them becoming embedded in it a moment later. WAA! Each of them felt like they had fallen into a quagmire as it was already hard enough for anyone without RUINATION to move around in the Ruination Sea, but they despaired a second later when they felt the descent of the essence of Chronos wrap around them and hold them down even more! The Blue Slime had now made a move as his voice stretched out for all of them to hear. "Temporal Halt." ¡­! A shimmering blue clock had inexplicably appeared in the space above them as these three beings were locked in place, their hearts screaming in anger and denial as their fear fully exploded at this moment! Even though they knew it was coming! Even though they thought they were prepared! They still fell into the Sea of Ruination as their Origins began to be eaten up while a lone Slime moved towards them. Noah looked on at this scene coldly as his gaze was on the Universal Construct that now lay unprotected, just waiting for the Blue Slime to finish devouring these 3 Hegemonies before he proceeded forward to other Universes and entirely prevented the descent of the Antiquity! But...this was when he felt waves of spatial essence stretch out a few hundred miles away, his eyes turning towards a certain direction as they were able to hone in and observe 3 newly appearing figures. If it was just the reinforcements of another 3 Hegemonies, Noah would even bat an eye as he would simply consider them another set of cannon fodder. But from the three, the one at the very forefront had a vibrating black hole as his entire body shook with the profound essence of Extinction! The Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos- the being that was one of the oldest who was still alive today...this being had actually appeared to stand against Noah today! "Hmmm?" Noah''s red eyes shone gloriously at such a development, a devilish smile appearing on his terrifying Cthulhu-like face as within the newly formed Ruination Sea, the Blue Slime had already swallowed the terrified Mechanical Hegemony and was rushing towards the other two Universal experts without even batting an eye towards the arriving reinforcements! Chapter 1098 - Mere Hours Before An Apocalypse Arrives! III The Goliath was actually the reinforcements that Chronos sent, this being appearing in an ecstatic fashion as he brought with him two terrifying Hegemonies that already had their bodies vibrating with a myriad of Cosmic essence. The black hole of this ancient being locked its gaze onto Noah and the rupture before them that seemed like a pulsating black hole, the feeling this black hole gave off being something that made one uncomfortable! Noah looked at such a scene with a smile as a sharp glint crossed through his eyes as he looked at the Goliath. One of the oldest beings of the Primordial Cosmos. A being that had been renowned in the Primordial Cosmos and took on its highest positions. Meanwhile, he himself was just a being in his 20s as he had begun on the path of power for only less than a year! How would such a match up be? Could he seamlessly be on the same playing field as someone that had lived for millions of years?! Such a thought brought a devilish smile to his face as with their entrance, his voice was the first to stretch out. "They''re in there." Noah said while pointing to the pulsing ''black hole'' that the 3 Hegemonies saw. In here, the Mechanical Hegemony had already been swallowed by the Blue Slime as it was currently making its way over to the World Tree and the Hegemony of Brutality! "Why don''t you all go in and save them? The Hegemony of Devouring will swallow them all soon if you don''t save them." RUMBLE! He spoke domineeringly to the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos and two other Hegemonies as when these beings turned towards the black hole before them, their consciousness screamed for them to stay away and not even near it! Yet the arrogant voice of the Apex Paragon stretched in their minds as the two Hegemonies behind the Goliath looked towards him for direction. Sensing his very Origin tell him not to go near the rupture, the Goliath actually didn''t make a move as his voice stretched out instead. "What are you?" ¡­! The voice of ancient and primal, seeming like something unearthed after millions of years as every syllable commanded to be paid attention to! "I have lived for a very long time, and I have yet to come across a creature that can do what you can. Just...what are you?" The ancient being sought to understand the enemy that just popped from nowhere, Noah listening to his words as he only had his tentacles and feelers vibrate with power. "..." His eyes blazing intensely with beams...Noah actually didn''t reply. He gazed upon the rupture where the Blue Slime had begun to come out of, its body glimmering with intense light as this existence...had already finished its job and swallowed the remaining two Hegemonies by the time a few sentences were exchanged! The second illusory Universe that would make the Blue Slime an Apocryphal Antiquity had already had its Billions of Galaxies being actualized, Noah sensing that the Devouring of a few more Hegemonies would get the Blue Slime there. But without replying to the Goliath, Noah''s figure teleported to stand in front of the colossal figure of the Blue Slime as the rupture near them began to recede. It seemed like he was standing protectively in front of the slime as his body bubbled with power once more, his eyes shining brightly as he gave a command! "Devour the Universal Construct." BZZZT! The viscous figure of the Blue Slime shot towards the Construct behind them as Noah stood in the way of 3 powerful Hegemonies! "..." It was a stupendous situation to see, an ancient sigh coming out of the figure of the Goliath as his body began to rage with the profound essence of Extinction and he moved. He couldn''t let the Universal Construct be destroyed, even if they couldn''t save the ones they were sent to reinforce! So he moved as the two Hegemonies beside him followed, intent on bypassing the Apex Paragon and stopping the Hegemony of Devouring. But¡­ "You¡­" THRUUM! Noah''s voice echoed out in waves as his hand was already wound up for a punch, his galactic Cthulhu form shining with glorious light as yet another punch shot out! "...shall not pass!" BOOOM! As Noah played with his words from a story he had seen too long ago, his fist caused waves of ruptures to spread out as they covered everything before him. ¡­! The figure of the Goliath glimmered with innumerable lights as Extinction bloomed from him, the very space around him seemingly being destroyed as he moved, providing very little resistance for him as he veered away from the stretching ruptures! The other two Hegemonies were in worse shape as even while prepared, they nearly got caught in the spreading out ruptures every few milliseconds. But the main point was that their advancement was stopped right at this moment as the Blue Slime was seamlessly expanding to cover the Universal Construct behind Noah. RUMBLE! The scene caused the air of the Goliath to turn somber as while wearing away to escape the ruptures, his hand that was a mass of the essence of Chaos rose up as he called out with his agely voice. "Sword of Extinction." ¡­! In the void, a planetary sized obsidian crimson sword formed, its origin coming from the handle that the Goliath held as this being swung this terrifying weapon with the intent to erase the ruptures before him! But¡­ WAA The Sword of Extinction entered the ruptures as the Goliath watched with somber eyes as the destructive essence of this sword¡­ was simply swallowed up by the ruptures as if they were nothing. "..." After all, how could one hurt the Ruination Sea?! It was a shocking reality that came to be, but a single Paragon really stopped the advancement of powerful Hegemonies as at this moment, a certain Slime covered an entire Universal Construct as he called out lightly! "<>" WAP! In front of their very eyes, another Universal Construct disappeared. Chapter 1099 - Apocryphal Antiquity! I A Tool of Descent disappeared soundlessly as only a single Blue Slime remained. Its body glimmered beautifully in the void as within its Origin, 15 Billion Dao Galaxies were added instead of the usual 10 Billion that were added per Universal Construct! This was because the Antiquity had burned another Splendiferous Universe as his essence became even more condensed and pervasive! This put the total number of Dao Galaxies the Blue Slime held at 35 Billion as he continued forward at a pace that was actually faster than even Noah. THRUM! The ruptures that Noah created to hinder and try to swallow the Goliath and other two Hegemonies disappeared, these powerful existences looking towards the area that the Universal Construct used to be as their faces were those of utter wrath and shame. Only the Goliath could not be read as he floated soundlessly in the Void, these powerful beings actually not being able to stop a Paragon and his contracted summon! Noah''s galactic Cthulhu figure flashed as he appeared above the Blue Slime once more, his figure becoming situated comfortably above the viscuous head as he spoke out nonchalantly. "It''s a shame, really." RUMBLE! "A shame that I don''t have more time to waste, otherwise I would entertain the great Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos and see just how long it takes until your Extinction runs out and you fall like everyone else." ¡­! Shocking words came from Noah''s mouth as they felt like thunderclaps descending down, his figure and the figure of the Blue Slime becoming enveloped in a spatial light as they disappeared! They only left behind 3 somber Hegemonies that still couldn''t accept what they just saw within their own eyes. When Noah and the Blue Slime reappeared, they were in the last Universe that he emptied out of its existences- the Necrotic Universe. He was currently moving at a fast pace as it seemed like the Antiquity was rushing...and so would he! After the destruction of one Universal Construct, he went to another just as quickly as he arrived a few miles away from the Construct that was being protected by the Hegemony of Necromancy and three other Hegemonies he didn''t know. To him, it didn''t matter as this time around, his body was already bubbling with power and might as his fist was ready, his Cosmic Treasure being even more prepared as Noah was a streak of light that glimmered towards the Hegemony of Necromancy and those around him! Only his voice could be heard before the void ruptured as he tore open the very fabric of the Universe. "I told you that you''d taste death just as easily as the Paragons in this Universe faced, didn''t I?" WAA! His voice was the harbinger of death as the Hegemony of Necromancy had only just looked towards him in shock as his body began to erupt with power, the three Hegemonies near him doing the same as a second later... RIIP! All of them fell into the Ruination Sea that bloomed from Noah''s fist! "Ah¡­!" The shocked bellows began as Noah paid it no heed, the Slime already moving in position as an enormous blue clock gushed out the essence of Chronos and wrapped around the 4 Hegemonies. What happened thereafter was just history repeating itself as these beings could simply not defend against a combination of the Sea of Ruination and the essence of Chronos that was enhanced by the Dao of Conquest! Within less than a minute, the Hegemonies were devoured as the Universal Construct followed. It now made it so that Noah and the Blue Slime had taken down 4 Universal Constructs on their own! With the one in the Microbial Universe that Oathkeeeper had personally destroyed, that made it a total of 4 Universal Constructs that had undergone complete Annihilation. Only 4 Universes remained under the influence of the Antiquity at this moment, and of these¡­ RUUMBLE! Noah''s main body felt his Origin explode with Marks of Antiquity as it signified one of these Universes falling completely under his reign as the existences within all pledged Fealty! It was the Euthenia Universe that was filled with all sorts of plant like races, the Universe where the now devoured World Tree stemmed from. The other Universes aside from Euthenia weren''t too far off as his subordinates and the clones of the Blue Slime continued their relentless advance, more than half of these Universes already being conquered as the current Marks of Antiquity Noah held...were knocking on the door of 40 Billion. Just 10 Billion more until he reached Hegemony! Within the next hour as his forces continued...this would all but be guaranteed. Meanwhile, the Blue Slime had now breached 50 Billion Dao Galaxies after the 4th Universal Construct, being just 50 Billion away from becoming a genuine Antiquity. But before that happened, Noah could already see that the illusory second Universe the Blue Slime had gained was becoming ever real, and that this being would most likely experience the title of an Apocryphal Antiquity before a genuine one! All of this...depended on time and how fast they moved. So Noah moved with glorious efficiency as the moment the 5th Universal Construct fell, they disappeared from the Necrotic Universe as they made their way to the Euthenia Universe! And the moment they left, multiple figures of the Goliath and other powerful Hegemonies appeared, only to see the devastating scene of an empty area where the Universal Construct used to be. "..." A pervasive silence descended onto the group of Hegemonies as they didn''t even know how to feel. Under the relentless assault of the Apex Paragon that seemed to have endless energy, they were actually facing loss after loss as they didn''t even know what to do! But there was another being that had a much stronger form of will than them, the one that had currently put everything in play and was trying to descend at this very moment. Under the consecutive losses as he sensed the fall of the 5th Tool of Descent, the Antiquity turned entirely expressionless across the boundaries of spacetime, his Origin merely lighting up again as yet another Splendiferous Universe and 3 other normal Universes burned with a crimson light. ¡­! It was an extremely heavy price to pay, even for a being like him. Yet when he saw the thick line of connection burn bloody with his authority, he only uttered forth with an ancient and emotionless voice! "A mere hour remains...Chronos, don''t fail me with just this!" RUMBLE! After the burning of numerous Universes, the days of Descent that had been weeks were reduced to days and then to hours, and now....only 60 minutes remained before the Antiquity made his entrance! Chapter 1100 - Apocryphal Antiquity! II The Authority of the Antiquity burned the remaining 4 Universes where Universal Constructs still lay as they foretold of his glorious descension soon. It would be happening within a single hour as within this period of time...some beings would actually feel as if it was prolonged to days while others would feel like it finished within mere seconds! Those that felt time seemed to be moving too fast were of course the side where Oathkeeper led, these beings feeling like the authority of the Antiquity seemed to be getting closer and closer much too fast. Those with Chronos felt like this single hour was too slow as these beings were facing a terrifying entity that was ripping apart all they knew. The Apex Paragon and his Universal Emperor Slime! Chronos''s group could barely keep up as they received news after news of their Hegemonies falling as the Universal Constructs they protected were destroyed one after another. At this moment in time, only the Abyssal, Omicron, Liberated, and the Euthenia Universe that Noah''s subordinates had just conquered were the only Universes that were still undergoing the Universal Amalgamation, their boundaries separating them beginning to fade at this moment as they were about to become a single Universe! When they did so, the Universal Constructs would also resonate as the authority they were cultivating within...would bloom and arrive in the Primordial Cosmos. This overarching situation was being followed by all, but the one major player that everyone was paying attention to at this moment was still the Apex Paragon. The Oathkeeper had been recuperating his essence as he planned to set off in the next hour even if he didn''t fully regain his mana reserves, and yet he just kept on receiving news after news about the Apex Paragon decimating more and more Hegemonies as he took out 4 Universal Constructs in what seemed just minutes! Even a being like him that held a tremendously powerful Cosmic Treasure began to question the existence that was the Apex Paragon at this moment, not being able to understand how this being was doing the things he was doing! The words that this Apex Paragon said to him just continued repeating in his mind over and over again as he kept on hearing of the shocking actions of this being. ''Is it truly¡­?'' The powerful existence that wielded a Cosmic Treasure began to doubt at this moment as the situation continued to unfold. On the side of Chronos, this being had a stern expression as he spoke to the Hegemonies around him that were still in a stupor from hearing what the beings that stood with them just minutes ago had already died. "The vast majority of us will remain here and defend this Universal Construct with our very lives, the Goliath will be accompanied by a few of us from here to defend the Construct in the Abyssal Universe." His eyes released baleful flames of wrath and somberness as he looked at everyone and continued. "The Universal Constructs in the Ethenia and Omicron Universes...shall be sacrificed as we focus all of our forces within the Abyssal and Liberated Universes!" RUMBLE! "The authority of the Antiquity continues to increase as his descent is merely less than an hour away...and we have to hold on just this single hour! Against a single Paragon and his Hegemony, we cannot lose our dream when we are this close!" ¡­! OOOOH! The magisterial might of Hegemonies erupted out as their bodies burst with regality and power. There were Universal Realm experts! They had grand lives and stories that others only ever aspired to have...and they could not be hindered by a mere Paragon and his Hegemony! With an eruption of regal might and power, the words of Chronos were passed down as the revolving situation changed rapidly. The movements of these Hegemonies were seen as shockingly, the Oathkeeper received word from the Wings of Primordial destiny that Hegemonies were moving from the Euthenia and Omicron Universes as they all clustered together in the Abyssal and Liberated Universes! The eyes of this Ancient being shone brightly as he utilized the Wings of Primordial Destiny and sent a message to a single being specifically at this moment. "Chronos and the Goliath are abandoning the Euthenia and Omicron Universes to be sure that the Universal Constructs of the Liberated and the Abyssal Universes aren''t destroyed. I will aim for the Abyssal Universe while you...take the Liberated Universe!" ¡­! A shocking message that even the Oathkeeper felt weird about when he sent it, realizing that he was actually handing off a task that an existence like him would have trouble with towards a Paragon! Yet the reply he received¡­ "Sure." "..." Noah received the message as he arrived in the Euthenia Universe, getting into this Universe just in time to see the faces of angered and shamed Hegemonies flashing away as they left behind an empty and an unprotected Universal Construct! They had actually made his job this easy as he patted the viscous body of the Blue Slime, their figures streaking across the void as they appeared beside the Universal Constructs that was pulsating madly within seconds. The figure of the Blue Slime shot out like a streak of light, expanding to cover and devour this Universal Construct as well! His body glimmered brightly as yet another 15 Billion Galaxies were transformed into Dao Galaxies, this being now having 65 Billion in total! Thereafter, both the Slime and Noah''s figure flashed with a spatial light silently as they disappeared, Noah letting his other Clone within this Universe that just had its beings finishing pledging fealty do the work of transporting them into the Dark Universe. When he reappeared, Noah was in the Omicron Universe that was now also abandoned by its protectors, the slime repeating its actions of swallowing the Universal Construct within this Universe as well! With this, a total amount of 80 Billion Dao Galaxies swirled magnificently within its Origin, needing only 20% more before reaching genuine Antiquity! After this....only 2 Universes remained that still had Universal Constructs, with Noah needing to face the overabundance of Hegemonies in the Liberated universe! Chapter 1101 - Apocryphal Antiquity! III With the Omicron Universe, the Emperor Penguin and Barbatos were leading the charge while following behind the lead of the clone of the Blue Slime, this Universe actually having its existences all pledge fealty under the Tyrannical Emperor a moment after Noah entered and destroyed the Universal Construct. He left just as quickly as his main body in the Dark Universe simply shone with brilliance and tabulated the incoming Marks of Antiquity. With the addition of the Omicron and Euthenia Universe as well as his forces still targeting the levels of Paragons and below in the Abyssal and Liberated Universe...Noah currently stood at 43 Billion Dao Galaxies as he was very close to becoming a Hegemony himself! The only thing that stood in his way was time, as well as the large amounts of Hegemonies that were currently waiting for him. WAA! At this time, his figure flashed into the Liberated Universe as he used the Expansive senses of the Slime to very quickly locate the Universal Construct as well as...its protectors! It was frighteningly quiet at this moment as the figures of Noah and the Blue Slime turned into streaks of light, appearing near the Construct soon after as Noah locked eyes with the numerous beings protecting it. Chronos was at the very forefront as his eyes were filled with utter seriousness and somberness as he gazed upon Noah. What caused Noah''s eyes to constrict when he faced these Hegemonies though...was the fact that around all of them, a glimmering Universe was manifested outside brilliantly! Each of them were actually manifesting their Origins outside as they released horrendous waves of power, the many Daos and laws they controlled shining brilliantly across their Galaxies and Dao Galaxies. Noah could actually count 14 Manifested Universes before him as it represented 14 Hegemonies! At the very forefront, Chronos majestically walked out as he looked at Noah with an impassive face! "You know...I really hate beings like you the most." RUMBLE! "Beings that obtain everything without putting in any work, beings that are handed their power by another influence as they use it as if it was their own!" ¡­! Chronos''s vibrant voice reverberated out as Noah listened silently, this being actually believing that Noah was something sent by the Primordial Cosmos themselves to stand in his way. This was the only way to explain the unexplained power this being used! The only way to understand why a Paragon could do the things that he did! "..." Noah tilted his head as he smiled devilishly at this being''s words, his Cthulhu form merely vibrating with power as when faced with 14 terrifying Hegemonies, he wasn''t too bothered as he began to prepare! Aside from this Universe, a similar scene was about to play out in the Abyssal Universe as outside its boundaries, a stern Oathkeeper had appeared as within his hands...a Sword of Primordial Essence vibrated intensely. "Lend me your strength¡­" He spoke powerfully to the Hegemonies behind him as they bellowed out, their bodies lighting up as essence freely left them and flowed into the Oathkeeper in an inefficient manner, but it flowed in nonetheless as the Sword of Primordial Essence shone even brighter, beginning to pierce and sink deeply into the Universal Barrier! Behind the barrier, the swirling black hole that was the face of the Goliath swirled powerfully as multiple Hegemonies stood beside him, this entire party looking up as they were ready for battle! 2 Universes, 2 battles. 2 battles that would decide the unknown fate of many things! Whether the Antiquity descended or not would depend on these two battles...and the Antiquity himself as this powerful Entity was truly relentless. A moment after the nigh simultaneous destruction of 2 Universal Constructs by Noah and now with only 2 remaining, this Antiquity silently and with eyes flashing coldly actually burned another set of Universes as he used their essence once more! In the unique area of space across time and dimensions, he uttered coldly while gritting his teeth. "20 minutes!" RUMBLE An extremely heavy price continued to be paid by the Antiquity as no matter what, he promised himself he had to descend! His shocking actions were met with happiness in the Liberated and Abyssal Universe by Chronos and his party, while Noah''s eyes only flashed with bright light as he waved his hands and brought forth other clones of the Blue Slime. THRUM! Two more planetary sized Blue Slimes appeared as their mission were finished in the Euthenia and Omicron Universes, their bodies only glimmering with power and strength as they also stared down at the group of 14 Hegemonies. The glimmer of Manifested Universes foretold of a shocking battle to occur as before Noah even made a move, Chronos had already waved his hands as an enormous purple clock appeared in the skies releasing an immense amount of the essence of Chronos! At this point in time though, a voice stretched out from a being that had been very silent recently. "From the memories of all the Hegemonies...you were the one to lead and propose for the genocide of the Universal Emperor Slimes." RUMBLE! The voice of the Blue Slime reverberated out strongly as the eyes of this being locked onto Chronos''s figure and spoke out! He had devoured many Hegemonies so far as he didn''t just obtain their power...he also obtained their memories! From them, he knew of the Deep history of the Universal Emperor Slimes as well a the events leading to it. Inexplicably sometime in the past, conflicts had begun to rise ever so slowly around the powerful Paragons and Hegemonies stemming from the race of Universal Emperor Slimes, almost as if a being was moving behind the scenes and orchestrating everything. They progress so far as to cause a war with this unique race, where Universal Emperor Slimes were branded taboo as they used their power of Devouring to upset the very balance of the Cosmos! When a Universal Emperor Slime held an entire Universe hostage for hundreds of years, this was the last straw as Chronos was the one to lead the campaign after that to eradicate them all. This being now looked at the Blue Slime coldly as while the regal purple clock rotated above him, he replied slowly. "In another lifetime, the Universal Emperor Slimes stood in my way and posed issues to my plans, so I eradicated them this time around." RUMBLE! "But it seems I wasn''t thorough enough, where even a little child like you was left behind...and here you are causing me problems yet again." ¡­.! A cold and remorseless voice! The Blue Slime heard this clearly as its body vibrated with emotions, the knowledge that it would forever be the last of its kind because of such a reason from this existence being overwhelming! Even though the Blue Slime was immensely powerful, it still held the mentality of a young boy as such emotions were felt strongly. "It''s okay." Above the Blue Slime, Noah patted his body sadly as he spoke, the Blue Slime calming down as in the Dark Universe, Noah''s main body was actually holding on to a small miniaturized form of the Blue Slime in his hands. "It''s okay. Turn the strength of those emotions and rage towards the one that caused this. Let them feel what you feel!" WAA! The eyes of the Blue Slime shimmered a beautiful cerulean blue as it nodded, the blue crown above it spinning madly as in the Liberated Universe, essence erupted out in waves! The last battle to decide the descent of an Antiquity began at this moment! Chapter 1102 - Apocryphal Antiquity! IV All the previous battles that Noah had been in didn''t involve extremely high tier Daos like the Dao of Chronos from his enemies. But this time around, the existence that even held the title of Chronos had prepared and stood against him as the regal purple clock he summoned shone menacingly in the light! But against the rage of the Blue Slime...this purple light seemed to pale in comparison! RUMBLE! Its three clones glimmered with wondrous cerulean light that illuminated the nearby tens of thousands of miles, two of the clones shining with an essence that was deeply crimson in color as it represented Extinction. The central clone shone a glorious blue as an opposing clock just as big as Chronos''s appeared behind them, causing pure power to crackle in the air as one essence of Chronos faced another! Then...there was the beautiful manifestation of their Universes. The 14 Hegemonies had already manifested their Universes as at this time, the Blue Slime manifested its own. Yet...there was a shocking change with the appearance of its manifestation as the eyes of Chronos and other Hegemonies opened wide, their hearts trembling from what they saw! This was because when the three slimes manifested their Universes, they didn''t display three Universes...but each slime had one that was bright blue in color that seemed extremely real, and another that seemed less brighter, but it was still there. Two Universes! It was the scene of a single being manifesting two Universes that made Chronos and the others nearly go mad in a stupor, as this was a sign of Antiquity! Even though one of the universes seemed incomplete, it still should be like this! "OOOOOH!" But to the Blue Slime, it didn''t matter what level of shock they had. A terrifying bellow exploded out with a myriad of emotions, the feelings of a being that had its entire race taken away rolling out as the Blue Slime tugged on the endless mana reserves of Noah to let loose! The two clones shining with the essence of Extinctions spoke out at this moment as their voices caused the void to crack and splinter. "Apocalyptic Extinction." RUMBLE¡­.RIIIP! The void quaked as it ripped apart, terrifying hurricanes and typhoons containing dense essence of Extinction blooming before the 14 Hegemonies as they threatened to cover everything, while the central Blue Slime caused the essence of Chronos to flood out towards the Hegemony of Chronos himself as their clocks shone brightly! Chronos had an extremely disgusted expression, still looking at the manifested universes of the Blue Slimes as his eyes were tinged with maddened wrath and envy. Wasn''t that the process of Antiquity? To have more than a single universe? How did a Blue Slime that had just become a Hegemony achieve this? ''How did a fucking child like that deserve this?!'' "HOW?!" RUMBLE! Chronos bellowed out maddeningly as his anger and frustration over something he chased throughout multiple lifetimes seemed to be handed out so easily to others. He moved with purpose as he wanted to rip apart this Blue Slime, and it seemed like all three Blue Slimes wanted to target Chronos too as the typhoons and hurricanes swirling with the essence of Extinction were focused onto him! Yet the moment they were about to come in contact and cause a shocking impact¡­ WAP! All three figures of the Blue Slime disappeared. ¡­! The 14 Hegemonies had prepared greatly in advance and even manifested their Universes, but their focus had been too closely attached to the Hegemony of Devouring and the deadly essence he released. They weren''t too focused on the master of this blue shimmering Hegemony as they only kept him in their eyes in case he used one of the moves they heard about from others! But they didn''t see him move and they couldn''t attack a Paragon anyways, so they didn''t direct anything towards him. But at this moment...the figures of the three Blue Slimes disappeared as the gigantic Cthulhu that was above the central one actually appeared behind the 14 Hegemonies. Behind the terrifying typhoons and hurricanes of Extinction they were facing, his eyes being extremely calm as they only shone with a gorgeous red light of power and regality! His thoughts moved at an incredible pace as his Cosmic Treasure was prepared and ready, with him not even doing the flashy actions of winding up his fist and striking out as he simply put his palm out and...tapped his fingers. ¡­ RIIIP! With a tap of his fingers, the very fabric of the universe was torn apart by a terrific Cosmic Treasure as this time around, his target was enough to cover everything! ¡­! Shock and horror dawned on the faces of the Hegemonies as their Origins rotated madly, the moment the Ruination Sea dawning on them causing them to move! But three Blue Slimes had moved faster than them as they were already teleported near respective Hegemonies a moment before Noah ripped apart the Universe around them. WAA! When the restriction of the Ruination Sea dawned- when less than a millisecond passed as the slime clones looked at their targets...their viscuous bodies already extended to cover a few Hegemonies before they could even react as¡­ <>. WAP! "AHH!" A show of horror occurred as 4 Hegemonies instantly disappeared, and one had half of its body devoured as he barely moved out the range of the Blue Slime! When the show of terror looked like it was about to continue, the Blue Slime actually came to a halt! A complete stop as not a single part of its body moved an inch, as if this being was frozen in time. But it wasn''t so. It was because at this time, a prerequisite had been met. Enough Universal Realm experts were devoured as it was more than sufficient to give way to something glorious! While still within the Ruination Sea in the Liberated Universe and mostly, the main body of the Blue Slime that was currently in Noah''s hands in the Dark Universe...the figure of this wondrous existence began to glimmer with light. A second later, an expansive and domineering pillar of light shot into the skies and void, this pillar shining with a brilliant blue color as it brought with it the picture of 2 glorious Universes that stretched for miles and miles! With this shocking pillar of light came down a shocking Authority. It was an Authority that few would briefly experience as the authority of an Apocryphal Antiquity! Chapter 1103 - A Universal Seed Blooms Within The Tyrannical Emperor! I Apocryphal meant something false. Something of doubtful authenticity that was also seen as true! At this moment, a unique species of a Universal Emperor Slime had unlocked a false path of Antiquity, but it had Antiquity attached to it nonetheless. THRUM! Its main body and clones harmonized as while Noah held the Blue Slime in his hands in the Dark Universe, his eyes followed the beautiful glimmer of a Blue pillar of light that shot to the skies, the ends of this pillar illuminating two vibrant Universes! One had 80% of its Galaxies converged into Dao Galaxies as it was a few away from becoming a Splendiferous Universe, another Universe was newly built from the sacrifices of multiple Hegemonies. They both shone with magisterial light as they brought down with them a shocking authority that even made Noah feel suffocated when it first appeared! But he grasped on tightly onto the Blue Slime as this existence felt his thoughts, the pressure that he and many others in the Universal Core felt receding as the Blue pillar of light quickly faded. In the Liberated Universe, the three pillars that each illuminated two bright Universes remained as they released a stifling feeling in the surroundings, but before anything could occur...a particular Hegemony bellowed out a guttural cry in the Ruination Sea as his body shone with a terrifying purple and unique green-white light! It was the figure of Chronos where in the midst of this glorious arrival of an Apocryphal Antiquity, he actually became an existence that tried to shine just as brightly as the essence of both Reincarnation and Chronos roiled around him. The unique mixture of Chronos and the essence of a Cosmic Dao that was almost always passively used permeated within the formed Ruination Sea, spreading out to the folds of the Liberated Universe that had yet to be ripped apart as they actually carried out a unique action! OOOOOH! The bellows of Chronos continued to resound out as he seemed to be pushing his Origin to the limit, something shocking actually occurring whoever his mixture of Reincarnation and Chronos passed. The ripped apart fabric of the Universe actually seemed to be receding, as if they were being inverted back to a state they were in before they were ripped apart! ¡­! This existence that uniquely comprehended Reincarnation and was the first to learn the essence of Chronos could actually close the ruptures of the Ruination Sea, inverting the entire area around them to a state it was before as he drained himself to make it possible. THRUM! In a short period of time, the ruptures wound back in time as this being that was closest to completely comprehending the Cosmic Dao of Chronos made a grand show of power. "..." The area was entirely silent as the 10 remaining Hegemonies still felt the Origins shaking, the feeling of being in a terrifying Ruination Sea still present at this very moment! Their eyes towards Noah and the Blue Slime held hints of fear and disbelief as it was the singular figure of Chronos that had his hair flying around madly, his entire body clad in the aura of Reincarnation and Chronos as he looked towards Noah with utter fury and disbelief. "That...was Ruination!" RUMBLE! This being uttered out these words as even he was in shock and didn''t seem to believe them even as he said them! But he couldn''t mistake the feeling he had just now as he had actually gone through it a few times in the past! In previous timelines, he had at many times tried to see if he could survive the environment outside of the Primordial Cosmos, and he would die at each time without fail as multiple Lifetimes were ended in this manner. Yet in this lifetime before he even left the Primordial Cosmos...he felt this same feeling again as it was induced by a being! His words caused the surrounding Hegemonies to gape in shock, Noah''s eyes looking at Chronos coldly as he didn''t confirm or deny this being''s conjecture. All he did...was look at the Blue Slime. Apocryphal Antiquity...just what was it? WAAA! At his thoughts, the eyes of the 3 Slime clones opened as they released bright rays of starry blue light, their bodies finally regaining movement as the Blue pillar of light that shot to the skies converged around his head. When the gorgeous show of light ended, one could only see two beautiful Universes floating soundly above the bodies of the Blue Slimes, these Universes presenting something that others only ever sought for but never achieved! Chronos was still shocked by the knowledge that a Paragon had induced a Sea of Ruination to form, his attention barely being able to look at the Blue Slime that seemed to have achieved the formation of another Universe. A signature of Antiquity! And with it came...authority. THRUM! Just a single body of the Blue Slime lit up as above it, two illusory universes rotated beautifully and gave off a shocking sense of power, his voice coming out as it seemed undeniable. "Revert." ¡­! A mere word, and yet the space that had just undergone a Temporal Inversion by Chronos was once more returned to how it was. It even seemed Instantaneous as before the Hegemonies could even celebrate Chronos''s shocking feat, it was erased right away with a single word from the Blue Slime as the Ruination Sea was instantly reinstated! They once again fell under hellish conditions as the Blue Slime eyed them coldly, the 2 Universes above it beginning to spin rapidly as they undulated with power. OOOOH! Chronos saw this shocking situation as his eyes shone unwillingly, his body beginning to burst with essence as he wanted to do again what he had just done before! He wanted to use the combination of Reincarnation and Chronos to erase the Ruination Sea once more but he found that at this time, no matter how much mana he burned...nothing changed. Not a single millimeter of space changed as no matter how much mana he released in the form of Dao Essence, he couldn''t change the surroundings! This was because at this time, the Authority of Antiquity lingered in the surroundings after one such existence cast a skill. Even though it was a false Antiquity as its power might be lesser, it was still Antiquity! And such an authority could not be denied by a Hegemony! Chapter 1104 - A Universal Seed Blooms Within The Tyrannical Emperor! II While an Apocryphal Antiquity was just born in the Liberated Universe, the Oathkeeper had pierced through the boundary of the Abyssal Universe as his figure looked like a shining white like cutting through the intense aura leaking out of the Universal Constructs. His descent was actually brought to a halt briefly as when the Blue Slime advanced, its aura had spread out to even be felt within the Abyssal Universe! This was because the Liberated and Abyssal Universes were the only 2 remaining with the Universal Constructs within them as they were the ones to continue the process of Amalgamation, the barriers between these two Universes already being extremely thin as they could disappear at any moment to allow for complete fusion. A complete fusion of the Universes and constructs as it would mean an apocalyptic event coming down! But the Oathkeeper only stared at this briefly before he turned his attention to the figures of the Goliath and over 10 Hegemonies a few hundred miles away from him. His body was currently receiving the essence of tens of Hegemonies that were outside of the boundary of the Abyssal Universe and could not pierce through the authority of a Hegemony as they didn''t hold a Cosmic Treasure. The mana of all of these Universal Realm experts flowed through him as he breathed out calmly. He looked at the figure of the being that he considered his friend for millions of years, at the black hole that was the Goliath as he tried to find out why and just understand! But there was nothing as the Sword of PRimordial Essence glimmered, cutting apart the pressure resisting him as he warped and appeared right in front of the Goliath and the over 10 Hegemonies currently protecting the only other Universal Construct! RUMBLE! Pure Primordial Essence gushed out from his body as the Primordial Disk on the left hand and the Sword of Primordial Essence on the right hand swung down, the eyes of this being coldly looking towards the Goliath that had his figure erupting with the essence of extinction. Two lifelong friends and backbones of the Primordial Cosmos aimed their might at each other as those around them just seemed like mere extras! BOOM! --- At the same time, in the Dark Universe. While holding on to the bubbling figure of the main body of the Blue Slime in his hands, Noah was releasing a burst of golden light all around him as millions of Marks of Antiquity continued to converge and rush towards his Origin. He was looking into his Origin as he counted the number of Galaxies being transformed into Dao Galaxies, this number actually being at 49 Billion at this moment! It was all due to the fact that the other copies of the Blue Slimes moving with Noah''s subordinates had now reached the end point of their conquest of the remaining Universes, nearly all beings in the ranks of Paragon and below pledging Fealty to the Tyrannical Emperor. With the hard work of his summons and subordinates...Noah could see a glorious goal being achieved in the next minute! The total number of Dao Galaxies neared the 50 Billion number he needed as after a second passed, 1 million remained. A few more seconds passed as a hundred thousand remained! 50,000! 25,000! 10,000! 100! RUMBLE! Noah''s figure was in the skies above the stadium that showed the shocking events occurring in the Abyssal and Liberated Universe, but his subordinates were not focusing on this at the moment. Their eyes actually turned to the skies as Barbatos, the Emperor Penguin, Elena...all of those close to him gazed in his direction as they had begun to feel a unique aura that was less oppressive than the blue slime and yet unique on its own begin to rise. The glorious color of gold surrounding Noah had expanded for miles as his seas of fortune and destiny churned brighty, a brilliant Mark of Antiquity coming down and smashing onto a Galaxy as this particular one caused a certain number to be hit. 50 Billion. THRUM! The moment this number was hit, golden lines of connection shot forth from all the newly added Dao Galaxies, going towards the normal galaxies as instantly, all Galaxies within Noah''s Universe were connected! This was the prerequisite for Universal Seed, and Noah had now reached it in a spectacular fashion at that. 50 Billion Dao Galaxies and 50 Billion normal Galaxies. They all came together at this moment as...a Universal seed came to life. As his Origin was condensed and pushed in and a golden seed formed! Thereafter...this seed bloomed! RUMBLE! It shot out a vast array of colors as it illuminated everything, the glorious shine of crimson, gold, blue, white...an array of colors stretching out from Noah as a vast Universe expanded from his body. It became visible to all as when it manifested itself, those around him didn''t feel pressure or terror...they just felt warmth! The vast numbers of galaxies within this Universe were shining with multiple colors on one side and they were slightly dimmer on another, but it was one of the most beautiful things anyone could see in the Dark Universe as a second later...Noah recalled all of it back. ¡­! "Finally." His voice echoed out as it seemed mesmerizing to those that heard it, his eyes flashing brightly as within them...one could see a swirling Universe! The Universal Realm! Hegemony! RUMBLE! This shocking change didn''t just occur to his main body as a second later, his Primordial Ruination Clone looking coldly at the despairing figures of the Hegemonies along with Chronos also began to shine with glorious color as the aura he released gradually changed. It shot past the stages of a Paragon in but an instant as it blazed brightly, the corroded Hegemonies in the Ruination Sea being forced to look towards him in utter shock amidst their intense pain! Within the chest of this Primordial Ruination Clone, there was also another change as a certain Cosmic Treasure received the essence of a Universal Realm expert. Its owner had a drastic change in quality as from the Realm of Galactic Filament to Universal Realm, the functions this Cosmic Treasure could use were further enhanced! [Congratulations on the fast advancement, Master. New features are now usable.] The voice of the Cosmic Treasure reverberated in Noah''s mind brilliantly. Chapter 1105 - A Universal Seed Blooms Within The Tyrannical Emperor! III As one climbed through the Realms of Power, the usage of powerful treasures becomes easier as many things that weren''t possible before had their paths opened widely! The moment Noah established his Universe and the essence of the Universal Realm flowed into the Cosmic Treasure, more portions of it were unlocked as other features became available. [Master can now use the old features with 100% more efficiency, with some changes made to what the Primordial Ruination Clone can do as two new features can now be accessed through the Ruination Clone and the Treasure itself. The number of applicable Ruination Affixes has also been increased to 12.] The voice of RUINATION rang out in his mind as Noah communicated with it at fast speeds where not even a millisecond had passed in the outside world yet, the thoughts of the Cosmic Treasure flowing into him as it quickly sent in the information of the changes! [Primordial Ruination Clone] :: Out of the innumerable number of creatures in the vast Cosmos, there are a few whose bodies uniquely rise above all others. The Primordial Ruination Clone is a feature that only the Master of RUINATION can utilize, allowing them to forge a Primordial Ruination Clone from the very essence of Ruination. As a creature made from the very essence of a Cosmic Dao, it has a +200,000% Increase in the speed of progression through the Realms of Power, +200,000% Increase in the Comprehension and Assimilation of all Daos, can display 400% of the strength of the Master of Ruination, along with its power increased by 2000% when in the Ruination Sea. It can seamlessly utilize the abilities of [Miniature Ruination Rupture Generation], [Instantaneous Universal Teleportation], [Ruination Essence Skill Conversion and Amplification], [Sword of Ruination], and [Cosmic Chains of Ruination], [@$%@#$%]... Its abilities were enhanced stupendously as they literally doubled, with the power the Primordial Ruination Clone could display increased from 200% to 400%! When it fought in the Ruination Sea...this power would be further increased by 2000%! It was an absurd number as Noah''s thoughts focused on the new features of the Cosmic Treasure that he just unlocked. [Sword of Ruination] and [Cosmic Chains of Ruination]. [Sword of Ruination] :: A pure essence of Ruination from the Cosmic Treasure itself. It has great capabilities in increasing the battle power of the Master of Ruination. Grants +1,000,000% Enhanced Ruination Damage, +100,000% AOE Splash Damage, +100,000% Attack and Cast Speed, +50% Chance to trigger Ruination Nova on hit, +50% Chance to trigger Chained Ruination Strike on hit, and a 100% chance to trigger Ruination Rupture on Hit. [Cosmic Chains of Ruination] :: A master capable enough to wield RUINATION can even devour Universes. This ability allows one to devour Universes in exchange for increasing the Comprehension and Assimilation of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination. "..." Noah had no words when he looked at the ecstatic features and their crazy numbers displayed, the little time he had making him focus on one particular feature! His focus was mainly on the Sword of Ruination, but the [Cosmic Chains of Ruination] made him ecstatic as it provided a way for him to advance through the Comprehension and Assimilation of the Cosmic Dao of Ruination that had been moving too slowly on his opinion. All he had to do in exchange...was destroy Universes in exchange for this increased Comprehension and Assimilation. His thoughts flew around rapidly as while accounting for all this, his Primordial Ruination Clone began to emanate terrifying waves of power in the form of the Galaxy colored Cthulhu. With the aura of a Hegemony wrapping around him, Noah called out softly as the essence he released was not hidden by Subterfuge and made abundantly clear. Chronos and this group of Hegemonies already knew the truth, so there was nothing to hide! Beautifully bloody crimson in color, it came out from the Cosmic Treasure in waves as he called out lightly. [Sword of Ruination]. RUUMBLE! The void quaked and split apart as instantaneously, an exquisitely designed crimson blade pulsating wildly with the essence of Ruination erupted from his hand! Gorgeous runic inscriptions overlayed its hilt, the blade itself being a pulsating mass of Ruination that was over three thousand miles long and threatening to rip apart anything it touched. Noah grasped onto the Sword of Ruination as the magisterial image of a titanic Cthulhu wielding a crimson sword the size of a star was inscribed onto the terrified eyes of all Hegemonies! These Hegemonies that were fighting for their lives in the reestablished Ruination Sea found their hearts quaking as they first felt the rising aura of what seemed to be an Antiquity, and now the Apex Paragon was somehow releasing terrifying waves of power as a Hegemony! All of these events...they could believe even as they saw them with their own eyes. Then there was Chronos. The one that had lived multiple lifetimes and put many things in play! The one that had orchestrated the descent of Antiquity as the only way to reach this stage after searching over so many lifetimes! Chronos and all of his profound Comprehension in Chronos and Reincarnation...actually couldn''t cast any skills under the authority of an Apocryphal Antiquity and the Ruination Sea surrounding him. He and all the other Hegemonies were under this stifling feeling as the authority of the Blue Slime wrapped around this entire area, and now the stupendous aura of a Hegemony dawned upon them as well. ¡­! It was a shocking, fearful, and horrendous phenomenon as soon after¡­ "Haha...haha!" Maddened laughter could be heard as the figure of Chronos could be seen with a face that seemed to be wrathful and smiling at the same time. "Ascending to become a Hegemony that easily? Your pet becoming an Antiquity out of nowhere? You yourself grasping the Cosmic Dao of Ruination? Haha!" Maddened laughter was coming from Chronos as he seemed to be laughing and crying at the same time! "..." It was a truly saddening sight to see, the observation of an expert of such caliber breaking down. It was the breaking down of a being that had lived too long searching for a single thing, and now when they were so close...it was about to be taken away from them. In such a situation, Chronos could only madly laugh at the sequence of events playing out. He truly couldn''t believe what he was seeing as none of it made sense! "How fair the Primordial Cosmos is! How adjudicating it is for it to deny me Antiquity over multiple lifetimes...but to then give it to others so damn freely just to stop me!" RUMBLE! While having the essence of Ruination corrode his body and Origin, Chronos continued to speak madly as this being had truly reached the breaking point. Amidst his ravings and breakdown, the newly risen aura of a Hegemony flashed around Noah''s eyes as the authority of an Antiquity flew from the figure of the Blue Slime, these two terrific existences moving to end things! Chapter 1106 - The Undeniable Descent Of The Great Usurper! I The folds between the two remaining universes connected with the Universal Constructs were extremely thin. So thin that when certain beings made their advancement, it could closely be felt by others! There was a certain being that felt this feeling even more than others as the Cosmic Treasure he wielded reacted to another. Oathkeeper was within his Sword of Primordial Essence against the Goliath as he weaved in and out of the attacks of over ten other Hegemonies, but he couldn''t help but momentarily raise his head towards the direction where terrifying auras arose from! One was an aura that far surpassed Hegemony, while another was the one that Oathkeeper felt really closely, as it was something directly opposed to the Cosmic Treasure he held! "Impossible¡­" He uttered out in shock as a thought passed through his mind, but he wasn''t the only one spacing out as even the Goliath and the Hegemonies around him were looking in this direction while quizzically wondering¡­ ''Had the Antiquity already descended?'' ¡­! Yes! Sensing the aura that spilled above the level of Hegemonies, these beings actually wondered if the Antiquity was already descending, but they continued to protect the Construct behind them with their very lives! --- In the artificially created Ruination Sea within the Liberated Universe. As the Hegemonies saw the figures of Noah and the Blue Slime emanate power and begin to move, all Hegemonies aside from Chronos cried out fearfully as these powerful beings...actually began to call out weakly! They didn''t call out to the emotionless Blue Slime, but the being that had just stepped into the Universal Realm at this moment. They couldn''t call him the Apex Paragon anymore. Sensing the aura around his body and the terrifying crimson blade the size of a planet grasped by his thousands of miles long galactic Chtulhu figure...these hegemonies had shameful and despairing looks in their eyes as they began to call out! In their fear and shame, they addressed this being respectfully for what he was most renowned for, with a few of them uttering out different names. "Tyranny...Hegemony of Tyranny, please...spare us!" RUMBLE! From the title of Tyrannical Emperor they saw this being use over and over again, a few Hegemonies bent over backwards amidst their fears as they called out the Hegemony of Tyranny! But others took the Cosmic Daos that existences comprehended with more importance as after hearing Chronos shout out the name of a certain Cosmic Dao as well as the stifling environment they were in, they were able to put two and two together and realize the being before them could utilize Ruination. So naturally, when they wanted to save their lives from being wasted in the Ruination Sea, they called out while trying to hide the shame and pain in their eyes. "Hegemony of Ruination...please stay your hand!" WAA! "Hegemony of Ruination¡­.!" The glorious calls of certain titles began for the first time as a terrifying Cthulhu grasped onto a planetary sized Sword of Ruination, his figure flickering coldly with the glimmer of a Universe spinning in his eyes as he disappeared in a flash of red light! RUMBLE! At this moment, Noah actually tuned out the calls of the Hegemonies as he moved seamlessly in the Ruination Sea while grasping the Sword of Ruination. Its pulsing power coursed through his body as he appeared silently behind a planetary sized Hegemony and swung the terrifying sword. RIIIP...BOOOM! "Ah¡­!" A terrifying explosion and scream rang out simultaneously as when the eyes turned towards a certain direction, they could see a Hegemony bisected cleanly in half as a rupture ran through his body! An explosion of Ruination essence erupted out with the hit as it caused the split apart body to fly out in separate directions, its aura immensely weakening as this existence was on death''s door right away. "..." A single swing of the Sword of Ruination, and Noah had nearly killed a Hegemony! THUMP! He could feel his heart beating wildly at such a power, emotions flooding into his mind for having arrived at such a juncture in his life. To be capable of seamlessly cutting apart Universal Realm experts! Of course, many factors came to make it possible as Noah''s Primordial Clone was at this moment having its power enhanced by +1,000% just by being in the Ruination Sea, and then you had the Sword of Ruination itself that had a 1 million percent enhancement of Ruination Damage. That wasn''t to mention the Affixes attached to this Sword that could trigger Ruination Novas , Strikes, and Ruptures with every swing! Such a power was so overbearing that the Hegemonies only struggled with their lives with even more fervor. But Noah wasn''t alone. As he held his blade after cutting apart a Hegemony with a swing of a Sword, two clones of Blue Slimes appeared where the two halves of the body shot out to as they devoured them seamlessly! The other clone had already wildly spread out its essence to establish its authority as within the Ruination Sea, the other Hegemonies could not even move at this moment. This was why they had called upon the Hegemony of Ruination to spare them! WAP! A flash of blue light illuminated the crimson darkness. WAP! Yet again, this flashing blue light repeated! Flashes of blue light were glimmering every millisecond at this moment, this light representing the tremendously fast speed the Blue Slime was moving at this moment in the Ruination Sea as it devoured the Hegemonies within it. In but less a second, the power of an Apocryphal Antiquity showed itself as even without another point of comparison at this moment, it was terrifying enough as in this single second...the cries of all Hegemonies stopped! Every flash of blue light was a Universal Devouring, stopping every desperate cry! All the cries stopped because these pleading Hegemonies that could only struggle madly in the Ruination Sea had been devoured within the span of a single second by the terrifying Apocryphal Antiquity. "..." It was such incredulous speed that even Noah could barely follow it with his eyes, and this was due to his clone being fused with the Blue Slime! At this moment, only Chronos remained. His eyes were bright with a luster of purple and greenish white, the Daos of Chronos and Reincarnation swimming beautifully within them as he came face to face with the existences that would ruin his goals in this lifetime! Chapter 1107 - The Undeniable Descent Of The Great Usurper! II Chronos remained alone in the Ruination Sea as the terrifying essence within corroded his Origin. It was eerily silent as after the sudden Devouring of all other remaining Hegemonies in just a second, the figures of three Blue Slimes and a single galaxy colored Cthulhu surrounded Chronos''s body! 4 planetary sized existences looking at a 2 meter tall human, it was an extremely stark contrast! Yes Chronos''s face had turned placid as even with his end seemingly nearing, he actually locked his gaze on the figures of the Blue Slimes and especially Noah''s face. The past Apex Paragon. The current Hegemony of Tyranny and Ruination! "I have never met you before in my past life times." RUMBLE! He spoke amidst his destruction calmly, the madness of losing everything gone instantly as the mind of this ancient being shifted very quickly! "Don''t you find that weird? That across the countless lifetimes I''ve lived through, not once had you appeared, and yet here you are right now." "..." "What exactly are you? Where did you come from?" Noah listened to the words of the Ancient being silently as the Blue Slimes were already making a move. Glorious blue clocks erupted from each of them as they revolved in a circular manner around them, locking all of their figures in resplendent waves of the essence of Chronos at this moment. The Hegemony of Chronos himself seemingly let go at this moment as a smile of peace came unto his face, his voice continuing to ring out. "When I wake up in another lifetime, do you think you''ll still be there this time around?" WAA! It was a smile of confidence and strength he released, where he quickly overcame the maddened anger of being so close to Antiquity and having it be taken away! If he had almost been successful once, he could always try again. From his body, as the essence of Ruination sunk in and ravaged everything, the essence of Reincarnation began to erupt out and wrap around him as this being would actually rather just press the reset button. A button to start over as he began yet another timeline! Would he rest the whole Primordial Cosmos as everything was returned to an uncountable number of years in the past? Would he leave this timeline and start over in a different one? The intricacies of Reincarnation and Chronos were too hard to wrap one''s mind around as the answers were abstruse to even find. Chronos wanted to press the reset button....but he would not be allowed to do so! "My Master is not done with you yet." RUMBLE The voice of the Blue Slime echoed out as the three blue clocks surrounded them circled majestically before they coalesced around Chronos, revolving around him madly as billions of chains with dense essence of Chronos and the authority of an Apocryphal Antiquity stretched out to bind him. To bind not just his limbs, but his Origin and even consciousness as this being was put in a¡­. "Temporal Prison." ¡­! A prison of time. The existence that had comprehended the Cosmic Dao of Chronos watched in genuine shock and stupor in the next second as under the authority of an Apocryphal Antiquity, his very Origin and Soul were being frozen as before he knew it...his thoughts entirely stopped! "...!" "There will be no Reincarnation this time around." RUMBLE! Noah''s voice echoed out calmly as he waved his hands, the figure of Chronos frozen in time disappearing as he turned his direction towards the pulsating cocoon a few hundred miles away from them. One could already see a phantom of the other Universal Construct in the Abyssal Universe, these two almost merging together as mere minutes remained before the descent of Antiquity! "Let''s finish it." His voice didn''t even finish stretching out before one of the Blue Slimes appeared over the Universal Construct, swallowing it in a single gulp as a moment later, an explosive force rang out. BOOM! The second to last Universal Construct was destroyed as the Universal Amalgamation was disrupted yet again, with this time having only a single Universal Construct remaining! The Liberated Universe was made free as far from them in the Abyssal Universe, the Oathkeeper''s eyes shone a brilliant gold as he received word from the Wings of Primordial Destiny on what had just occurred! The Apex Paragon had reached Hegemony as the power his Universal Emperor Slime released seemed to surpass it, successfully defeating Chronos and destroying the Universal Construct in the Liberated Universe. "With this¡­.it is possible!" WAA! He spoke out with vigor as his Sword of Primordial Essence swung down, smashing into a mountain of Extinction that stemmed from the Goliath as these beings also turned towards the direction of the Liberated Universe! Oathkeeper took this chance as he attacked even faster, his voice echoing out into their ears. "Even Chronos has failed! Give way and stop these absurd plans of yours!" BOOM! An explosion of Primordial Essence occurred with every swing, Oathkeeper attacking madly as he could sense shocking reverberation from the only remaining Universal Construct. He attacked with more and more fervor, but he could sense his mana draining more and more even with the inefficient transfer of mana he was getting from other Hegemonies at this moment! As he felt this problem of mana, the words of the past Apex Paragon that had just turned Hegemony repeated in his mind. If he just pledged Fealty...he would have all the mana he needed to face the enemies before him! Did he really have to do this? While such thoughts passed through his mind, his brilliant white Sword rushed down with even more haste. The Universal Construct before them had begun to vibrate and pulse dangerously, giving the Oathkeeeper a bad feeling as Primordial Essence lit up from his body, his bellow coming out and covering everything! "OOOOOH!" The Sword of Primordial Essence shone gloriously as it tried to weave Oathkeeper through space, but the Goliath spread Extinction all around and stopped his advancement! When everything seemed too late and over and done with though...vibrant spatial fluctuations erupted out as the battling Hegemonies saw the appearance of a certain Blue Slime and galaxy colored Cthulhu. ¡­! Their eyes were flashing with magisterial might as without even a word, the Apocryphal Antiquity was the first to move with speed far surpassing Hegemonies, its body intent on Devouring the last Universal Construct! Noah watched this scene as everything seemed to be playing in slow motion, his own heart utterly calm as he observed everything. The shocked figures of the Goliath and the Hegemonies around him. The valiant figure of the Oathkeeper shining with the glorious luster of white light! Then there was the Blue Slime that had nearly reached the pulsating Universal Construct that looked like a cocoon about to break. Like something beautifully terrifying would come out of it in the next moment! "..." The tides of fate and destiny roiled as the Universal fortunes of many beings coalesced, everything coming together at this moment as the pulsing Construct...became entirely black and dim in the next moment. Right before the Blue Slime could reach it! After it became entirely black and dim, it blazed out with Crimson light a moment later as this light opposed everything coming towards it, even the Blue Slime! Along with this light came a sigh. WAA! A sigh of immensity and terror, a sigh of an ancient being that stemmed from within the Universal Construct! Chapter 1108 - The Undeniable Descent Of The Great Usurper! III In the Dark Universe. Noah''s main body was floating in the skies while still holding on to the figure of the Blue Slime. But...his attention was entirely elsewhere as his eyes were fully covered with a layer of gold, with his Universal Fortune vibrantly swimming around him in lustrous waves. His eyes were glazed gold as he was peering into his fortune and looking at everything through the Dao of Destiny! When it came to the crucial moment of the clone of the Blue Slime reaching the only remaining Universal Construct and destroying it or not being able to reach it in time as the descent of an Antiquity was all but guaranteed...Noah was gazing upon his Destiny while waiting for the results of this exact moment. What occurred here would determine many things, with his golden Destiny either turning black and reducing rapidly- meaning his journey was about to be tumultuous and he would even face a setback! If the Antiquity descended, he expected this to be a setback as his Destiny would momentarily reduce and turn dark, where even his immense fortune would only be able to help slightly. But if the clone of the Blue Slime reached it...it meant he would come out on top as the entire Primordial Cosmos would be free of any apocalyptic threats as he could slowly grow his power. "..." So he watched on as the events played out, and he observed as the Blue Slime...did not reach the Universal Construct in time! RUMBLE! His heart was still calm even with such an outcome and setback, his glazed eyes observing his Destiny to see just what changes would occur to it as the expected reduction and darkening of his Destiny...did not occur. Instead¡­ BZZZZT! His eye shook and couldn''t help but squint as a second later, Noah fantastically observed his golden Destiny and fortune that were as vast as seas...to become an even more wondrous gold color as they began to churn and expand wildly, their size propagating outwards crazily as they nearly doubled! ¡­! With the action of them failing to stop the descent of an Antiquity in time, his Destiny and Fortune had actually not reduced as they instead increased even further. Just what was in store to cause this?! --- In the Abyssal Universe where a certain Universal Construct had turned completely black before it released horrifying waves of crimson essence that were accompanied by the sigh of an ancient being. It was a sigh that seemed to echo in the minds of every being present as it contained such power and might that all those listening found their Origins trembling. "No¡­!" The Oathkeeper looked at this scene with an ashen expression as his origin shook, his Sword of Primordial Essence shaking with might as it seemed like this being still wanted to fight until his last breath! The Goliath and the other surrounding Hegemonies looked at this scene with shining eyes as they also became somber. They very well knew the result of their actions, knowing that this powerful being descending would have their own aims and reasons. But they cared not! They wanted the pathway towards Antiquity, and this was the promise that bound the descending being at this very moment. So they simply watched on in fervor as the gloriously crimson cocoon began to crack and splinter. BOOM...CRACK! The cocoon was the size of a Galaxy, its outer shells breaking apart as from it, a pristine hand shot out! The hand glimmered with a myriad of colors as after it shot out, it was followed by the eruption of a head. A head full of dark hair, and eyes that were shining a gorgeous cerulean blue luster that looked like 2 shining blue stars. These shocking eyes scanned everything in the immediate surroundings as they flashed with immense light, this being continuing to step out of the cocoon as the Hegemonies could only watch in horror, while others watched in fervor! Then there was Noah. THRUM! Essence was wildly swirling around him, the bounced Blue Slime having returned to his size as its two other clones were also on his left and right. When he looked at this scene before him, he actually didn''t feel any terror or apprehension like a few others as before his advancement into Hegemony, he already had cards he could play. Now, after he became a Hegemony, there were even more cards that he could utilize as when he watched the eruption of a shocking existence that had their eyes release arcs of blue light, as he watched the aura of a genuine Antiquity spreading out...he wasn''t afraid! His mind had already formed many pathways he could take, as all that was left for him was to choose one at this moment. First, there was his newly gained hand that only came to be after he achieved Hegemony- for him to utilize the Cosmic Treasure and use the feature of [Cosmic Chains of Ruination] on this Abyssal Universe as he ripped it apart from the Primordial Cosmos and brought the Antiquity into the genuine Ruination Sea! The second method was to try and utilize the power of the Apocryphal Antiquity he had with him, merging with the Blue Slime as he also utilized his Cosmic Treasure to create artificial ruptures and see if an Antiquity could possibly fall in this manner. When the Blue Slime swallowed the second to last Universal Construct, his Dao Galaxies had increased to 95 Billion as he was only 5 Billion away from also achieving natural Antiquity. So this second method also had its feasibility depending on just how powerful the descending Antiquity would be! Then there was the method of a Protagonist. To simply cast [Deus Ex Machina] and see what would come out of it! At this moment, his eyes were glimmering a beautiful gold as he questioned his immense fortune and destiny which path he should take? Which path would allow him to obtain the most benefits?! Gradually, an answer appeared in his mind as his eyes shone with an alluring light, gazing upon the complete eruption of the cocoon at this moment as from it...the figure of a being the size of a Galaxy erupted out! The cocoon was as expansive as 25,000 Light Years, with this existence being slightly larger than this as one must recall...a single light year was 6 trillion miles! The length of this being was simply mind-boggling as he gazed upon the planetary sized beings and human sized Hegemonies in his surroundings as if they were mere ants. "You all...gave me a lot of trouble." RUUUMBLE! His voice echoed out in the Primordial Cosmos for the first time as it smashed into everyone''s minds, their Origins quaking just from this simple exposure! Chapter 1109 - To Be, Or Not To Be I "You all...gave me a lot of trouble." ¡­! Like a thunderclap descending down, the voice jolted everyone as their eyes were forced to focus on the being that had erupted out of the Universal Construct! His dark hair fell to his shoulders as his blue eyes illuminated the surroundings a cerulean color, his body enclosed by a black robe that screamed power and regality. The cerulean planetary-sized eyes moved faster than light as they took in everything, landing on the bodies of the Blue Slime as they lingered here with interest before they quickly locked on to the figure of the Oathkeeper! The existence that had Primordial Essence practically leaking out of him as he held a Cosmic Treasure on one hand a Sword of Primordial Essence on the other. The Antiquity saw one of the most important things he had to gain from this trip as the instant he locked onto the Oathkeeper''s figure, his hand that eclipsed all of them began to move forward! He had just arrived as without wasting even a second, he made a move and thrust out a palm forward! Due to its sheer size, it didn''t seem like it was just going for the Oathkeeper as it looked like an enormous palm that would smash into every single one of the Hegemonies in the surroundings. At such a juncture, the black hole on the Goliath''s head shone vibrantly as his voice actually echoed out in a fearless fashion towards the Antiquity. "Great Usurper! The condition was for us to be shown the path towards Antiquity...and the guarantee of our lives!" RUMBLE! "None of us here can face death under your hands...the moment you do so would mean revoking the rights of your descent!" ¡­! Even with Chronos gone, the Goliath knew enough to voice this out fearlessly as the enormous palm of the Antiquity...did not pause. "Death...huh?" The foreign Antiquity spoke out in a mighty tone as his eyes concealed many things. The number of Universes he had to burn to get here. The sacrifices he had to make. Ultimately...his plans for this Cosmos after he took the Cosmic Treasure before him! All of them reflected on his eyes before his eyes as he found it laughable that these beings before him would even talk about death at this moment! "To live or die...to be, or not to be...a famous poet once said these words. But...when it comes to you all, death is much too simple, and it is not the only path!" RUMBLE! His words echoed out as they meant nothing to Oathekeeper and the others, but to Noah...it was like a clap of thunder smashing down! ''What the fuck?'' His mind buzzed with shock and awe as he heard something that should have only stemmed from his homeworld, that only a being that had lived on a certain blue planet should be able to know! A famous poet! To be or not to be! He knew these words all too well as he very quickly linked them to something back in his homeworld, and he didn''t think such specific things could be heard from others that did not live and experience certain events in the same world as him! How did...a monstrous being not even from the same Universe or Cosmos as him be able to utter such words?! How did an Antiquity that stemmed from some vast Cosmos far away speak so freely about such things? Even as his mind buzzed with questions, he still made his moves silently as the Antiquity continued without pause. "Something that you all don''t know is that aside from life and death, aside from being or not being...there is also an in-between. There is also...Subjugation." Ah! The gaze of the Goliath and the Hegemonies around him turned ashen at such words, replaying them over and over again in their minds as it was not something they expected. Aside from life and death...there were other states they could fall into! This...was not something that these Hegemonies accounted for. The figure of the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos shook at such a reality as he continued to watch the extending hand. "Life is filled with pain and misery, with you all constantly struggling to make ends meet as you search for what? Power? Antiquity?" ¡­! "After Antiquity, then what? You will always come to find out there is a higher power, and then there is an even higher power after the one you thought was the highest. So why struggle so much? Why not...just allow me to give you peace? Why not allow me to subjugate you all?" WAA! The voice was mesmerizing and filled with authority, making the listening Hegemonies fall into a slumber as their eyes turned hazy! Even the pulsing black hole that was on the Goliath turned dimmer at this moment. The palm of the Antiquity came ever closer as he spoke, almost reaching their bodies as its true target actually began to be lifted off and fly towards this palm! The body of the Oathkeeper...began to fly towards the hands of the Antiquity as the Cosmic Treasure within his hands glimmered brightly. Then there was Noah and the Blue Slime. Under the authority of the Apocryphal Antiquity that Noah could barely access from the Blue Slime, he was able to stay awake as he watched this terrifying being speak while moving his enormous hand towards the shaking figure of the Oathkeeper! BZZZT! His body and mind creaked as he allowed the essence of Ruination and the authority of an Apocryphal Antiquity to course through him, his voice ringing out. "I quite like being alive and well!" ¡­! His voice echoed out vibrantly as it was filled with the authority of the Blue Slime stretching out, causing the figure of the Oathkeeper and others to wake from their stupor as the Oathkeeper had an ashen expression while holding on to his Primordial Disk! Chapter 1110 - To Be, Or Not To Be II After coming out of the shocking pull of the Antiquity, Oathkeeper held onto the Cosmic treasure tightly as his mana madly poured into it, a pristine white light stretching out as droves of Primordial Essence wrapped around him! His figure actually became more stable after the Primordial Essence wrapped around him, and it only continued in intensity as he was seemingly becoming wrapped up in a dense circle of essence. With the dense authority of Antiquity, nobody could leave the surroundings. So instead, the Oathkeeper enclosed himself in as he could see the hands of the Antiquity were reaching out towards him. Towards the Cosmic Treasure within his hands! So the last of his essence flooded out as he created a cocoon of Primordial Essence that wrapped around him tightly, this existence intent on keeping the hands of Antiquity away from the Cosmic Treasure! Noah''s words caught the Antiquity by surprise as his consciousness went towards his position. The moment that he finished his words, Noah had sighed deeply in his heart as he silently cast [Deus Ex Machina]! This was what his Destiny told him would have the way for most benefits, and so it was done. One of the skills of last resort that wasn''t Plot Armor or Save Point! "Life is definitely filled with struggles...but it is not as meaningless as you make it out to be!" RUMBLE! Towards the words of Antiquity that spoke between life, death, and Subjugation...Noah replied with calm as he waited to see what the effects of the skill would be. His mind was also playing with the wild possibilities of what it meant for this Antiquity before him to say things that he would only expect those on a certain blue planet would be able to know. Was there something really profound in here or was it all due to chance with the quintillions of existences and an uncountable number of galaxies within Universes and Cosmos? Maybe he was reading too much into it as it was all coincidence or there was something else in play he wasn''t considering, but he focused on the current situation as he would not wait to see what would come from Deus Ex Machina. The clones of the three Blue Slimes surrounded him as their aura pushed off the authority of the Antiquity, Noah''s voice continuing to echo out as the figures of the slimes shone with gorgeous splendor to resist the authority of the Great Usurper! "The struggles of life are always followed by joy and happiness...and this is what we are all searching for. You cannot take this away by either death or Subjugation!" RUMBLE His words were resolute as the authority of an Apocryphal Antiquity stemming from three Slimes actually established itself on the surroundings, giving the figure of the enclosed Oathkeeper some support as the eyes of the Antiquity briefly went on to focus on Noah and the Blue Slimes. "You." ¡­! A radiant blue light flashed as Noah''s eyes locked on with the Great Usurper! One existence looked at another as their gazes caused sparks of light, but the might of the Antiquity settled on the Blue Slimes as his ancient voice continued. "You''re connected to this false existence? I''ve very rarely come across Apocryphal Antiquities...were you the one destroying the Tools of Descent?" WAA! With his gaze turned in his direction, Noah felt the billowing pressure even more as his face remained impassive and didn''t reveal anything! All he focused on was the difference between Apocryphal Antiquity and real Antiquity, wanting to know just how much the clones of the Blue Slime could withstand at this moment...as well as the gain of something he was scheming about even at this moment. Of course, it was from the seeds he planted not too long ago- the action of bringing one of the most powerful existences within the Primordial Cosmos under him! Silently, he sent a mental message to the Oathkeeper who was burning the last embers of his mana to wrap himself in a protective cocoon of Primordial Essence to prevent the Antiquity from getting his hands on the Primordial Disk. "We have to work together if we want to survive this and prevent your Cosmic Treasure from falling into his hands. I can provide you with all the mana you need to keep utilizing your treasure without having you burn your Origin! Just...swear Fealty!" RUMBLE! His brilliant words echoed in the mind of the Oathkeeper as while wrapped in his protective cocoon, this being saw a prompt appear before his eyes that had appeared in front of many Paragons and lower ranked beings. A prompt that asked him to pledge fealty not to the Tyrannical Emperor, but to the Hegemony of Tyranny! "..." Oathkeeper''s origin pulsed with weakness as his somber eyes watched this prompt, and then towards the brilliant blue eyes of the Antiquity that screamed of coldness. He then looked in the corner of his eyes as he saw his old friend and the Hegemonies around him deflated with disappointment, his gaze eyes becoming extremely dim! Noah had truly schemed at the most perfect time as in this moment where he was faced against an enemy of the Primordial Cosmos...the Oathkeeper actually released his high pride and standing as he uttered out slowly, his eyes locked onto the palm of the Antiquity that had almost reached them. "I swear fealty...to the Hegemony of Tyranny." ¡­ WAA! On this day, one of the oldest beings in the Primordial Cosmos pledged Fealty to an existence that had only begun their path of power for less than a year. The gorgeous glimmer of Primordial Essence that was covering his body trembled at this moment, Oathkeeper closing his eyes at such a juncture as his dried up Origin that barely had any mana to use at this moment...felt like a dry river that out of nowhere was blasted with mountainous waves of water! Like a desert just had an entire sea poured onto it, and this sea was so vast that he couldn''t see the ends of it! Chapter 1111 - You Should Not Be Here! I The dry Origin filled up as in milliseconds, its capacity had exceeded its old amount by tens of times! The Oathkeeper observed such an incredulous scene in shock as he channeled all of this raging mana into the Cosmic Treasure, the cocoon he had built up for himself expanding by over 10 times as he seemed to be in an impenetrable fortress. Yet even against this, the Antiquity''s eyes only shone with arcs of blue light- these arcs of light traveling faster than light as they wrapped around his hand and extended past his outstretched palm, wrapping around the pristine white cocoon that protected the Oathkeeper! At the same time, this existence uttered out two words that caused the very atmosphere to tremble and vibrate fearfully. "Ruler''s Emanation." RUUUUMBLE! The very void trembled and folden as overbearing and immense waves of mental energies washed down over everything! WAA! Noah''s eyes constricted as he felt this terrifying force descending all around, the three clones of the Blue Slimes appearing all around him as they bore the brunt of it themselves. Noah felt a portion of it as his eyes shone with a gorgeous array of colors, his mind and Origin being utterly protected...but it wasn''t so for others. The Goliath and the Hegemonies around him had dazed expressions as they seemed half asleep, as if they had lost the very control of their souls and could not put up any defenses! The protected Oathkeeper in the depths of the cocoon of Primordial Essence and Noah were the only ones not affected as they watched the blue arcs of light stemming from the Antiquity wrap around the bright white cocoon and begin breaking down the Primordial Essence rapidly. Per the method of descent, the Antiquity had agreed that he would give them a pathway towards Antiquity and that none of them would be killed! So when the Antiquity attacked, he didn''t attack to kill, only to incapacitate. After all, he needed to do was incapacitate them all before using the loophole through their promise to instead Subjugate them. After they were subjugated under him...then he would naturally let them know how to achieve Antiquity! THRUM! So his target remained the most immediate acquiring of the Cosmic Treasure before him. As for the dazed Hegemonies that had their minds scrambled from his sheer mental pressure? The eyes of the Great Usurper flashed a gorgeous blue once more as he began to speak. "Subju-" ¡­! But his words never finished. At this moment in time, the eyes of the Antiquity flashed with even more brilliant light as instead of focusing the cocoon of Primordial Essence that held an enclosed Cosmic Treasure or the myriad of Hegemonies he was just about to subjugate...this being actually gazed upwards! He wasn''t the only one as out of the Hegemonies not dazed...Oathkeeper in his Primordial essence cocoon also turned and gazed upwards! Then there was Noah and the Blue Slime! At this moment, Noah actually had a smile appear on his terrifying tentacled face as he also gazed upwards. It was because he knew the effects of Deus Ex Machina had come to at this moment. This was the reason why the Antiquity stopped what he was doing and gazed upwards! This was the reason that Oathkeeper and Noah and the Blue Slimes also all gazed upwards. From this direction...they could feel the blooming of an aura that none of them could put their fingers on! It didn''t seem powerful, nor did it seem weak...but yet it had drawn all of their eyes as in the moment that the Antiquity gazed up, his cerulean blue eyes flashing with a powerful light as shock appeared within them. "Impossible¡­" The utter of the Antiquity reverberated out as a moment later, a genuine crack tore open in space as from it, dense Ruination and Primordial Essence poured out madly and with fervor, spilling out and causing the void of the Abyssal Universe to shake! PA! PA! PA! Yet even with such a fantastical scene playing out, a single sound could be heard that when one listened closely..it seemed like the sound of someone taking multiple steps calmly. The sounds of someone walking forward as when Noah''s eyes focused on the gushing Primordial and Ruination essence flooding out from the crack in the void, he saw the figure of someone dazzling stepping out. Long slender legs covered by a shimmering white dress, a shroud and veil hiding everything about her figure...it was a shocking existence the size of a human that stepped out of the crack! Her veiled head gazed down calmly at everyone below as the crack behind her closed, the Ruination and Primordial essence that threatened to drown out everything actually going towards her figure and disappearing silently amidst the fluttering of her dress! ¡­! Noah gazed at such a scene with utter stupor as his jaws nearly touched the floor, but another existence did not have the same reaction as he repeated the same word he just uttered before. "Impossible!" RUMBLE! The voice of the Great Usurper reverberated out once more as when this being gazed towards the newly appearing existence, it wasn''t that of shock, but more of incredulity and anger that such a being would appear here. Incredulity that they would appear at this exact time and place just as he was proceeding with his goals! But towards his bellow, the shrouded and veiled existence merely glanced towards him as a voice so profoundly beautiful and sonorous reached everyone''s ears, as if this being was directly speaking right beside them. "You...should not be here." ¡­! WAA! A shocking sentence that was not a question or a statement of confusion, but as if this being was stating a mere inviolable fact! The Antiquity''s eyes flashed with intense light as their cerulean light flashed on this shrouded being, not focusing on her per se, but instead on a mark he could see on her white dress. Inscribed there beautifully was a glimmering 12 sided star, this star seemingly holding a profound meaning to the Antiquity as his eyes shot forth arcs of light full of anger when saw it! But the existence cared not for this. The Antiquity, Noah, the Blue Slime, and the Oathkeeper...they could all see that even though this being was veiled, she was at this moment looking down towards them with a gaze akin to an empress looking at peasants. Akin to a human looking at an ant! It didn''t matter whether they were Hegemonies, Apocryphal Antiquities, or real Antiquities....before her, they were all looked at as if they were mere ants! Chapter 1112 - You Shouldnt Be Here! II In the extremely tense unfolding situation, the Great Usurper continued to gaze up with anger as his eyes flashed coldly, his voice continuing to ring out. "I shouldn''t be here...and nor should you!" RUMBLE! Against an existence that caused shock and awe just from her appearance alone, the Antiquity didn''t back down as in reply to this as at this moment, the vast Universes within his bodies vibrated immensely as he silently cast a certain skill. It was a skill that would come at a great cost, but he used it nonetheless as he somewhat understood the extent of the ridiculous being that had appeared before him. As for how this existence had appeared? A golden light of fate and destiny crossed through the eyes of the Antiquity as he discerned a few things, his eyes ultimately giving a barely discernible glance to the figures of Hegemonies below him as he silently cast the skill. Yet, it seemed as if the existence above could have nothing escape from her eyes as the moment the Antiquity made this move, this existence also moved! DING! A gloved hand rose from the newly appearing figure as she tapped a few times in the void of space. DING! DING! DING! With every tap, resplendent white and crimson lines erupted out by the millions, these thin white and crimson lines causing Noah''s eyes to widen as they vibrated with Ruination and Primordial Essence! Millions of these white and crimson lines bloomed as they went on to instantaneously wrap around the figure of the Antiquity, beginning to circle around his figure rapidly as the entire area turned utterly colorful. Yet even with such a move being made, the Antiquity only looked towards the newly appearing being with anger as he didn''t make a move. This was because he had no need to. Just as Noah and all the others knew they couldn''t do anything to the being above...so did the Antiquity! Even though he seemed angered by her appearance, the extent of his actions was to silently cast a certain skill! His Blue eyes were palpable with anger as he watched the veiled figure that released their voice again. "You do not belong in this Dimension. For your violation, you shall be sent to the Primordial Battlefields for 10 Million Years." WAA! The voice was as impassive as ever, causing a chill to run down everyone''s spines when they heard it! But the angered Great Usurper actually smiled at this time, his blue eyes leaving the veiled figure above as he stared down at Oathkeeper once more. At the Cosmic Treasure he had sacrificed many Universes to try and obtain. Then, his eyes couldn''t help but wander over to Noah and the Apocryphal Antiquities surrounding him. Then...his voice rang out! "I think not." ¡­! After gazing upon the beings of this Cosmos he raised his head again as from his deeply blue eyes, one could see them beginning to emanate shocking cracks that very quickly spread out to cover his face! "Among the many things I will do...falling under the control of you hypocrites is not one of them." The moment his words finished, Noah and everyone else watched in shock as a spectacular sight unfolded before their eyes. The beautifully blue eyes of the Antiquity had begun to crack, but the more shocking things were the Splendiferous Universes and large numbers of normal Universes that became manifested at this moment. Every Hegemony looked at such a sight with envy and greed as this was what they searched for! The sight of multiple Universes within an Origin was what they all sought, as such a thing represented Antiquity! Yet they were shocked to find that these wondrous manifested Universes from the Origin of this Antiquity...were actually burning. Burning luminously in the dark void as they caused for the appearance of a beautiful scene! The Hegemonies that had regained control of their bodies scrambled away at this moment as they thought this brazen Antiquity was about to self destruct with an attack to wipe them all, but no such thing happened as everything continued silently. His Origin continued to burn as the Universes within it were being used up of all of their pristine essence for a use that nobody knew! Only the existence above them seemed to have an idea as her fingers tapped out again. DING! The millions of lines made of Primordial and Ruination Essence stretched out as after circling the Antiquity, they shot into him like sharp needles as they sunk into his skin and Origin seamlessly. BZZT! It should have been an action that caused this being immense pain, and yet he remained silent as his Origin burned away silently, the cracks stemming from his eyes stretching to his as he looked like a porcelain figure that was about to break. "Hmm?" Even the existence seemed to find this unique as the lines of Primordial Essence and Ruination she sent out should have stopped this being from doing anything, yet whatever he had done seemed unstoppable! He instead only silently gazed up towards this existence as he focused on the twelve-pointed star on her dress, his words ringing out calmly. "Hypocrites are all that you are...sitting upon your high pedestals and gazing upon everything currently happening as if you are above it all, even though you are the ones responsible." RUMBLE! "I know the secret you all hide so well...I know what you all did!" ¡­! His cold and decisive words shot towards the veiled figure as this existence finally reacted when such things were mentioned to her. WAA! Behind her, flowers of Ruination and Primordial Essence bloomed as the millions of thin lines that bound the Antiquity shone brightly and began to move this being up, a majestic aura descending all around that even caused Noah and the Apocryphal Antiquity that was the Blue Slime to feel stifled! At this moment, the bitingly cold voice of the newly appearing existence thrummed down gloriously. "What can a failed creature like you know? You have outlived your purpose as of this moment...and can cease to exist." RUMBLE! Chapter 1113 - A Heart! I The Antiquity''s body rose up while bound by lines of Ruination and Primordial Essence as he looked at the veiled figure that he could sense finally showing some emotions. Noah and the others looked at this scene with their hearts thumping wildly as the power shown here was simply too fantastical for them to see! After the shocking words were released from the newly arriving existence, instead of tapping her fingers- this being actually twisted her hand into a fist as the millions of lines of Ruination and Primordial Essence binding the Antiquity vibrated immensely and close in on...intent of decimating the being they held! At such a juncture, time seemed to slow. The cerulean blue eyes of the Antiquity shone brightly as cracks could be seen from them, these cracks having already spread throughout the body of this being! The multiple burning Universes within had their immense force used as a few skills were cast, this Antiquity not worrying as at such a juncture a thought crossed his mind that he kept to himself. It was a thought that he had while staring coldly at the 12 pointed star that showed the designation of this being, this Antiquity actually not caring about her identity as he cared more about what she represented! ''Even you will not be able to stop me...I have my Subjugations spread across a myriad of Cosmos and Dimensions as you all can just wait. No matter how many years it takes...no matter how much pain I have to endure! For that...I will do whatever it takes!'' ¡­! It was an extremely important thought that would only be known by this being alone, one that showed there were many hidden things behind the scenes that were truly not understood. With such a thought, the Antiquity disappeared as the cracks spread throughout his bound body. He didn''t wait for the force of the existence above to decimate him as willingly...his figure exploded into blue particles of light that faded away into beautiful nothingness! "..." Noah watched this scene in utter awe as the Hegemonies around him felt stifled, never in their wildest dreams thinking the events would play out in this manner. An Antiquity had descended, but before this being could even do anything...an existence that seemed even more powerful than an Antiquity had come down and quickly made nothing of this being! Now, their eyes went towards this being that had brought such an abrupt end to everything as they wondered...what would this being do now?! --- Across Dimensions and Spacetime. Far from the Primordial Cosmos, in an entirely different Plane that was similar and yet different at the same time. Within a certain Cosmos of this Plane...an existence opened their eyes. WAA! The eyes shone a beautiful blue as they released arcs of light in the surroundings, illuminating the figure of a 2 meter tall human being with glimmering dark hair on an obsidian throne, this obsidian throne situated in what looked like a world of ice! It wasn''t just a world of ice as when one looked further, they would be able to notice frozen glaciers and landscapes stretching out across this world into the stars, and then from the starry star as this frozen landscape actually covered an entire Galaxy. An entire Galaxy frozen with ice all around, and at the center of it, this being seemingly stood there alone while waking up. He rose up as if he had been asleep for a long time, his limbs stretching as he craned his neck while his eyes flashed coldly! "Another Subjugated Antiquity destroyed...it is truly hard to go against these Existences alone." ¡­! Shocking words were released from him as his blue eyes glimmered brighty, gazing upwards as he seemed to tear across the folds of spacetime and look towards a certain direction. His eyes had an enticing glow that could seemingly see past the veils of Dimensions, gazing far in the distance as in a short period of time, the events of a certain Cosmos were actually reflected onto his eyes! Among the things reflected was the figure of an existence with a 12 pointed star, her gaze currently looking down towards a group of Hegemonies. The existence with shimmering blue eyes actually also focused his gaze onto this group of Hegemonies as his eyes honed in on a certain person! "Now...what exactly can I find within this Cosmos even after facing such a loss? Why is Destiny still pulling me into this Cosmos so much¡­" He spoke under his breath as he could shockingly see the scenes of a place so far away that it shouldn''t have been possible, but the burning of an entire Splendiferous Universes and normal Universes of an Antiquity could make many things possible. As this being gazed upon all of this silently, something began to form behind him as ice coagulated together to form the dazzling figure of a red haired girl, the ice forming the dazzling red hair being extremely contrasting as the fair face of this being smiled while speaking out. "Brother, I didn''t know you had returned¡­" --- Within the Primordial Cosmos. The fantastical figure of a veiled existence gazed down upon a group of Hegemonies as her gaze focused on a single being in particular. "You." RUMBLE! Her words were extremely biting and apathetic, Oathkeeper and the others shivering when they heard them as the one that was most affected was the one that her gaze was directed on. It was on the newly advanced Hegemony of Ruination! "You were the one that steered the folds of reality into this direction...for that and helping destroy an existence extending his reach into Dimensions he doesn''t belong in...you shall be rewarded." ¡­! Noah heard the words as his mind buzzed, all his thoughts focusing on her mention of steering the folds of reality while connecting it to Deus Ex Machina! The ability that rose from a Trait only made possible through a Cosmic Treasure had actually come to have such an effect, some of its mysteries becoming more clear to Noah now as it was actually something that directly steered the folds of reality into another direction! When Noah pondered on destiny and his fortune, it had told him the use of Deus Ex Machina would give him the most benefits. Aside from everything that had occurred, just what was about to unfold that would bring everything to fruition?! Chapter 1114 - A Heart! II In the void within the Abyssal Universe, the figure of a pristine woman could be seen as she gazed down above multiple Hegemonies. From her, one could feel immense coldness and apathy, and no one could feel it more than Noah himself! This was because the existence was currently addressing him, where even with the veil covering everything about her, Noah found her words to be filled with immense apathy even though she was mentioning something like a reward. It was extremely hard to explain the feeling he was currently experiencing as he came out of his thoughts when he saw the unique existence above them wave her hands, causing for the appearance of a sparkling and pulsating...heart. Yes! It was a pulsating heart that shone with a rainbow colored aura, its appearance causing a fantastical fragrance to descend down as it made the minds of the Hegemony buzz while Noah himself found his Origin becoming entirely focused on this heart. The veiled gaze of the existence also went towards this pulsating multicolored heart as her sonorous yet apathetic voice continued to ring out. "Across the vast and nigh endless Ruination Sea, there are terrifying creatures known as Primordial Beasts roaming free." ¡­! The veiled figure seemed to be explaining the origin of the shocking object she pulled out, Noah and the others listening carefully as their hearts trembled. "These Primordial Beasts are unique creatures that require the sustenance of Universes and Cosmos to survive and reproduce...and so they traverse across the Ruination Sea while devouring the Universes within the vast Cosmos they come across." RUMBLE! Shocking new information was revealed from this being as she said it so simply and without any emotion, her hands waving forward as the multicolored heart began to float over to Noah! "It''s normally very hard for them to locate Cosmos, the chance being nearly impossible as the only time when that chance increases...is when Antiquity appears from a Cosmos." ¡­! "The appearance and aura of the Antiquity that violated rules and entered your Dimension, that Apocryphal Antiquity around you, and even my appearance here...they have all increased the chances of a Primordial Beast crossing countless light years from the Ruination Sea to possibly come in contact with your Cosmos." Yes! Once a Cosmos had advanced far enough to produce the emergence of an Antiquity, it was put in a whole new tear as if it was invisible before...it became a light that began to flicker in utter darkness at that moment. And the more power and might it displayed...the more Antiquities and even the possibility of a Cosmic Realm Existence coming to be would mean a Cosmos would be blinking gloriously across the dark and crimson Ruination Sea! Such words and knowledge caused the hearts of Oathkeeper and the others to tremble as Noah listened with shining eyes to the new concepts displayed before him. Primordial Beasts that crossed the Ruination Sea! To him, it meant they were very unique existences as they had to have the Dao of Ruination or something like the Primordial Dao to be able to do such things. He had many questions to ask amidst all of this but the most important one was of course...about the heart before him. "When the Primordial Beasts find a Cosmos and begin Devouring, they can be repelled by the Antiquity or Antiquities within as when defeated...all of their essence and Origin are condensed into a Primordial Heart¡­" WAA! As these words finished, the multicolored heart arrived before Noah''s eyes as his hands reached out to it, grasping onto it as he felt the pulses it released as these alone caused his body to vibrate with excitement! "A Primordial Heart is extremely unique as with it, one can rapidly increase the number of Galaxies within their Universes or utilize the Heart to birth Dao Galaxies...making it possible for Antiquities to birth Universes fairly quickly." Even while talking about such wondrous and fantastical realities, the voice of this being remained apathetic as she looked towards Noah grasping the heart and focusing on it with all of his mentality. "That is only if the Primordial Beast is defeated though. If it succeeds in Devouring many Universes and Cosmos...it can rise to become something that even those in the Cosmic Realm struggle with." "Use this Primordial Heart and prepare yourselves in the case a Primordial Beast ever comes across your Cosmos." RUMBLE! With such shocking and wild information laid out, the figure of the veiled existence began to shine with fantastical light as a crack unfolded behind her again. Noah came out of his stupor at the incredible looking pulsating heart before his hands as his eyes once more focused on this figure. He wanted to ask where she was from! He wanted to know what force she belonged to and why exactly she had been able to be influenced by Deus Ex Machina! He wanted to know how this existence could just come and go like this as he understood the reasoning behind her actions. But when he looked at her apathetic air, he didn''t say anything as he only spoke calmly. "Thank you." WAA! A simple gratitude, and that was it! The veiled figure nodded with the same apathy as when the crack behind her began to gush out Ruination and Primordial Essence, she delved into it as she pulled everything in and closed it soon after. "..." Gone just as quickly as she had arrived. With her departure, a pervasive silence descended onto the void of the Abyssal Universe! The sequence of events caused every Hegemony''s mind to buzz in a stupor as none of it was as expected. This was more so for the Goliath of the Primordial Cosmos and the Hegemonies on his side, the dreams of these beings taking the method of Antiquity from an Antiquity being dashed as when they all sobered up, their gazes unconsciously landed on the figure of Noah. On the sparkling multicolored Primordial Heart that from the words of the veiled existence...it seemed like something that only the most powerful of Antiquities that could take down the terrifying Primordial Beasts could get their hands on! Now, it was given to the Hegemony before them as their eyes glimmered brightly with intense light of wanting. "You all¡­!" RUMBLE The bellow of the Oathkeeper reverberated out at this moment! Chapter 1115 - Becoming An Antiquity Is Easy! I "You all¡­!" RUMBLE The bellow of the Oathkeeper reverberated out as he came out of his protective circle of Primordial Essence. His body burned with wild amounts of essence as at this moment, the identity of this being was much different! He wasn''t just the Hegemony at the forefront of Hegemonies in the Primordial Cosmos, he had inadvertently now become the Vassal of a certain Hegemony of Tyranny. Above his head, a glorious white star of Conquest now rotated slowly as it washed over him and caused his body to vibrate with immense power. His body was currently overflowing with power as not only did he receive over 100 times his old Mana Reserves, he also obtained an extra addition of power as he, like all other Vassals who pledged fealty to Noah, also obtained 5% of his strength. 5% of a Hegemony that was Noah Osmont. THRUM! His power spilled out madly as the Primordial Essence that had wrapped around him changed to becoming thick white chains that shot out to the Goliath and the others, snaking towards them dangerously! This wasn''t all as with his newly found reserves of Mana, the Oathkeeepr had the Primordial Disk within his hands shine luminously as he utilized the Cosmic Treasure to even cause the area around the Goliath and others to lock them down. The Universe they were in was made up from Primordial Essence. If a being with enough mana utilized a Cosmic Treasure that could affect Primordial Essence, they could easily interfere with the Universe! This was how Noah could throw a punch or tap the void and cause an enormous rupture to spread out, and now the Oathkeeper could do something to a similar extent after obtaining such immense mana reserves! "Do you see the result of your actions? What it brought all of you to?! Even now you don''t seem the least bit remorseful!" RUMBLE! The thick chains of Primordial Essence actually smashed into The Goliath and the Hegemonies around him as they struggled powerfully, but actually found out that the might of the Oathkeeper felt like he was someone brand new entirely. Only the Goliath was not resisting as this old existence simply looked towards his old friend in a daze. His actions played before his eyes as they brought him here, and he did nothing at this moment as the black hole on his head gazed down, letting the thick chains of Primordial Essence wrap around him easily. While the other Hegemonies struggled, they could do nothing without the aid of The Goliath as within seconds, they were all bound by Oathkeeper''s chains as this being''s golden figure stood above all of them! His wings and eyes shone with a brilliant golden halo as with the overabundance of mana at his disposal, his might far surpassed the Hegemonies below him as he rounded all of them up. It was a saddening sight to come across, the eyes of the Oathkeeper becoming hazy as he shook his head while causing the Cosmic Treasure in his hand to vibrate, the figures of Hegemonies before him becoming wrapped in Primordial Essence as their struggles became even more futile. Soon enough, 12 circular balls of Primordial Essence were all that floated in the void, 12 Hegemonies becoming imprisoned in something that none of them could break out of! It was only then that Oathkeeepr gazed towards a certain direction, towards the figure of the Hegemony of Tyranny that was currently looking towards a multicolored Primordial Heart. "..." Oathkeeper controlled the urge of his Origin that was telling him to do everything possible to get the multicolored heart before him, something that the Goliath and other Hegemonies felt when they also gazed forward as he tried to speak towards the Hegemony of Tyranny. Yet... WAP! This being disappeared before his eyes in an instant along with the Primordial Heart, leaving behind the copies of the three Blue Slimes! Oathkeeper''s eyes raised up when he saw one of the slimes shining, a figure actually separating from it as he felt the aura of the Hegemony of Tyranny actually appear before him again. It wasn''t in the terrifying form of a Cthulhu, his figure currently being that of a normal human as when one looked at it closely...it was Noah''s true image at this moment! His multicolored hair that he allowed to be influenced by too many law and Dao Essences, and his eyes that currently shone with a golden and crimson glow that only further enhanced his devilish handsomeness. The figure of Noah Osmont appeared from his clone as he gazed towards the Oathkeeper with a light smile. The Primordial Ruination Clone that was in the form of the Cthulhu had disappeared as Noah used his Cosmic Treasure to open up the Ruination Realm, sending the Primordial Clone into this area that had a time ratio of 1000:1 in order to take a look at the Primordial Heart that he had received from the unknown existence! --- In the vast distances across Dimensions, a certain blue eyed Antiquity watched the unfolding events with scrutiny as he muttered undeath his breath. "For such an existence to actually take the time to give this Hegemony such a thing...just what is he? Could he be¡­" "Bah, you''re getting lost in your thoughts again." Before the words of the Antiquity even ended, the voice of an existence made entirely of ice spoke towards him as she waved her hands before his eyes, showing an indignant expression before she continued. "Even with your strong mind, getting lost into the memories and lives of beings that have lived for millions of years still has an effect on you! Every time you wake up...you seem a little different." WAA! "Less than a year has passed since you began dominating Realms and Dimensional Planes...and yet you talk as if you''ve lived for millions of years! I understand you living the memories of the beings you subjugate can do this but...sigh!" Shocking words left this red haired woman made of ice as the Antiquity smiled while patting her head, his gaze still looking upwards towards the far away Universe in an entirely different Dimension. His eyes released a light filled with conviction as he spoke out slowly. "You know why I have to do this though. There is nobody out there who even knows what is going on. Those that do know...they are too weak or cowardly to stand against beings like them." As he spoke, his eyes locked in on the newly appearing figure of Noah as a light of destiny and fate crossed through his blue eyes. His fortune and destiny were dancing wildly as they caused him to be quizzical at this moment, his strong mind ringing out and seemingly blaring when he gazed at this being! The Antiquity seemed dazed as he uttered out incoherently. "A possibility still lies within the Primordial Cosmos...with...this being?" ¡­! Such a thought caused the Antiquity''s eyes to focus and shine immensely, a decisive look appearing thereafter as he spoke out gloriously! "I can make contact with the residual consciousness left behind and see what this is all about¡­" RUMBLE! Chapter 1116 - Becoming An Antiquity Is Easy! II Within a vast space and time only accessible through the use of a Cosmic Treasure, Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone appeared seamlessly as he held on to a pulsating heart. THUMP! With every beat, the heart seemed to resonate with his Origin as the source of this Treasure was something he didn''t even know about a few minutes prior! A Primordial Heart that was only condensed when a Primordial Beast was killed, these Beasts being things that actually devoured Universes and Cosmos to reach unshakable heights. As Noah stared at such a thing, he couldn''t help but have his eyes flash, the ability of Eyes of Truth being utilized! [Primordial Heart] :: The culmination of the essence of a Primordial Beast capable of Devouring entire Universes. Its absorption allows one to choose the rapid proliferation of normal Galaxies or the change of Normal Galaxies into Dao Galaxies. The extent of how many normal or Dao Galaxies are increased is dependent on the level of the absorber, as well as the rank of the Primordial Heart¡­ A few details were given to him as much of it coincided with what the unknown existence had told him, much more of the information being gibberish that he didn''t even bother to try and see if he could decipher! But the main thing remained the same about this shocking treasure that fell on his lap due to the recent events...and it was the fact that Noah could now vastly expand the number of his Dao Galaxies within his Origin. He didn''t know if it would be enough to achieve Antiquity...but he would see soon enough its capabilities! Before he began though...he smiled devilishly as he spoke out to the Cosmic Treasure. "RUINATION, why don''t we use Duplication on this gorgeous little Treasure?" ...! [Yes, Master.] Yes! One must not forget that among the many features of the Cosmic Treasure, one of them was Duplication! Nearly everything could be duplicated with a few exceptions, and gathering from the reply of the Cosmic Treasure...this Primordial Heart was not an exception. It meant that Noah could get his hands on two of such terrifying treasures as with this, Antiquity had to be guaranteed, right? WAA! A flash of crimson light flashed as the Primordial Heart was taken into the Cosmic Treasure within his Origin and was cast. The crimson light melded into the surroundings of the Ruination Realm as even though it was shining with a shockingly bright luster, there was no difference in the surroundings! But it only took a few seconds as soon after...two glimmering multicolored objects were spat out from the Cosmic Treasure. A seamless duplication had been carried out just like that! [Woah. These things are ridiculous¡­] The Cosmic Treasure uttered out after two Primordial Hearts were produced, and it was because to be capable of Duplicating anything, RUINATION had to analyze it and break it down before it could be reproducible. Noah raised his brows as a second later, information flooded into his brain while he held on to two pristine Primordial Hearts. "...!" The information caused him alarm as it turned out among the treasures known as Primordial Hearts, they could be ranked based on which Primordial Beast they came from! Young Primordial Beasts in the Universal Filament Realm had strength equivalent to powerful Antiquities as they produced Lesser Primordial Hearts. Above them, more powerful Primordial Beasts could grant one Grand or even Cosmic Primordial Hearts as such Beasts needed powerful existences at the Cosmic Realm to take down! And the Primordial Heart in Noah''s hands...was a Grand Primordial Heart. "Fucking hell¡­" He couldn''t help but let out an expletive as his eyes shone brightly, the boons he received this time around being too stupendous! All of this from a single cast of Deus Ex Machina and the descent of an Antiquity that was behind it. It was such a surreal thing that he even wanted to thank both the Antiquity and unknown existence for making things so exemplary for him! But his shining eyes focused as he gazed upon the two Primordial Hearts before him, his mind settling as in the vast and crimson Ruination Realm, he sat down while holding onto these Grand Primordial Hearts. Treasures so profoundly and unique that he fully expected Antiquity to be in reach even with just one of them, much less two! The focus of his Primordial Ruination Clone would be on this as his main body and clones had many more things to take care of. One of these was the continued teleportation of existences from the remaining Universes that were affected by Amalgamation, Noah not wanting to put the situation of these Universes go to waste as he increased the quota he needed before he could upgrade the Universal Core! There was also the need to see how things would play out in the Primordial Cosmos after such a terrifying set of events, as well as his newly established Vassal...the Oathkeeper who held a Cosmic Treasure. Even aside from all of these things, Noah still had another thought that caused his eyes to shine with a glorious light for the future...and that was the thought of utilizing [Protagonist''s Bookmark] on either of the two beings that had appeared before him! Either the Antiquity known as the Great Usurper, or the more likely selection being the unknown existence that came and left him with a Primordial Heart! The cool down for the Protagonist''s Bookmark would finish in a few days as when the time came, he would make the choice then. When he thought of carrying out the Bookmark on the terrifying unknown existence though, a sense of apprehension filled Noah''s mind as even though no beings were able to notice him before when his soul descended unto them, this existence had too many things he didn''t understand for him to apply these same standards to her! But he would deal with this when the time came and as always...after he had discerned destiny and fate. "For now¡­" THRUM! A gorgeous eruption of light suffused the surroundings in an intimate manner as Noah began to utilize a Primordial Heart for the first time. Chapter 1117 - Becoming An Antiquity Is Easy! III A feeling of happiness unlike anything that he came across before. This was what Noah felt when he began to absorb the Primordial Heart for the first time! THUMP! The thumping heart actually beat faster and faster as he began to absorb it, releasing a gorgeous glow of multiple colors that surrounded his body and sunk into his Origin. His Origin currently had the full 100 Billion Galaxies as over half of them were Dao Galaxies, and this was all due to the hard work of personally making quintillions of beings into his Vassals through his Lesser Dao of Fealty! Now as the glow of the Primordial Heart began to perfuse into his Origin, Noah could see that wherever its light passed...his normal galaxies vibrated intensely as they very soon changed their nature and colors, becoming Dao Galaxies right after. Seamlessly! Easily! THUMP! Wild bursts of essence erupted out as the moment that Noah got the hang of it, he began calling upon the Primordial Heart as its heartbeat increased even more! The more its rate of beating increased, the more normal Galaxies became Dao Galaxies in Noah''s Origin as he could count the conversion of millions every single second. In the Ruination Realm, a devilish smile could be seen on Noah''s face as while he did this, the nature of his main body that the Primordial Ruination Clone stemmed from was being changed at an even faster pace, the eruption of Dao Galaxies very soon surpassing 55 Billion as of this moment...Noah was on his way to Antiquity! He kept the words of the unknown existence in his mind when she talked about the emergence of Antiquity being the thing that caused a Universe to have a light if it was dark before. It was what could possibly draw in a Primordial Beast! Since the Antiquity that had descended down into the Primordial Cosmos and the Apocryphal Antiquity that was the Blue Slime had already made their auras apparent, Noah would be the third Antiquity to rise even though his main body wasn''t within the Primordial Cosmos. It also made him ponder about the lone Dark Universe that was currently floating not too far away from the Primordial Cosmos, and what chance there was for the terrifying Primordial Beasts to lay siege onto his Universe! All of these were thoughts and calculations he was making while breaking into Antiquity getting ready for whatever was to come from here on out. --- As the absorption of a Primordial Heart began in a hidden region, Noah''s clone was in the Abyssal Universe where one of the oldest beings of the Primordial Cosmos was imprisoned by his closest friend! Oathkeeper glanced at the bound chains that melded together in a circular format around 12 Hegemonies as he sighed, his gaze landing on Noah as these beings now had a unique relationship. One was a Vassal...and the other was their Emperor! This was extremely unique as Oathkeeper had lived for millions of years, and Noah had barely been in his 20s! Yet he held the fealty of an expert that held a Cosmic Treasure, with the question being exactly what he would do at this juncture. Noah''s clone had unmerged from the Blue Slime as he looked towards the Oathkeeper with a smile, about to begin speaking when all of a sudden...a voice thundered in his mind! "What are you?" RUMBLE! The voice was very distinct, being one of authority and might as Noah recognized it and connected it to a certain being right after. His expression hardened as the aura of the Apocryphal Antiquity beside him blazed up, but they could find nothing in their surroundings no matter how much they searched! Noah''s actions caused Oathkeeper to also turn somber as he looked around them, finding nothing as he gazed towards Noah. "You won''t find me anywhere, that woman made sure of that. But she couldn''t prevent me from burning multiple Universes to leave an untraceable portion of my consciousness here...this consciousness being able to do nothing but observe and speak." ¡­! Noah heard the words of the Antiquity that should have been decimated already, his eyes shining carefully as above his main body in the Dark Universe, his seas of fortune and Destiny began to churn! Noah noticed this change begin as soon as this Antiquity''s voice descended down just now, his eyes shining a brilliant luster as he wondered just what could be in play at this moment. "For her to hand you a Primordial Heart...for someone of her caliber to even care enough to do such a thing...it means your Universal Fortune is vaster than any Antiquities, or you''re one of them." RUMBLE! Noah took in the words of the Antiquity silently as after seeing his Destiny and Fortune churn on his main body, he didn''t outright reject this being and think of ways to destroy whatever trace of him remained as he carefully spoke out. "One of them?" "..." His question made the Antiquity pause for a few seconds, a reply only coming out moments after. "Yes, one of them. Beings that those existences pay attention to and occasionally interfere in the lives of...weapons that they forge for their own uses." RUMBLE "What?!" Noah''s expression changed for the first time when he heard this, his eyes flashing coldly as he didn''t expect to be referred to as a tool for others! "You think they''d selflessly let go of a Primordial Heart out of the goodness of their soul? An excuse that you helped stop me? Rubbish! Those existences do not care about Universes or Cosmos...all they care about are their own lofty positions and maintaining them." "Her making a move and even going further to hand you a Treasure only leaves a few possibilities of your identity. Which begs the question...what is your name?" "..." "What does that have to do with all this?" Noah''s eyes were sharp as he asked quizzically, only for the Antiquity to reply coldly thereafter. "Names are important. If you can share this and some more information...I can share with you the secret that those existences hide, I can tell you their true nature and much more about Primordial Beasts!" ¡­! A unique phenomenon was occurring at this moment as it was one of the most important meetings and talks to take place. None of the two sides knew this yet as at this moment¡­ The Antiquity was probing Noah, and Noah....was also probing the Antiquity! Chapter 1118 - Becoming An Antiquity Is Easy! IV Within the Abyssal Universe, Noah''s eyes were flashing with caution as his aura spread out around the clone, the bodies of the Blue Slime ready to move at any time as he probed the Antiquity. "You ask for my name and state all these claims about beings with vast Universal fortunes being Tools for others...even knowing secrets that nobody else knows. Mind you, you were the being that was just invading this Cosmos moments ago! Why should I be listening to anything you say?" WAA! "..." His question caused a period of silence as the Antiquity was seemingly pondering about something, taking half a minute before his voice rang out again. "I can speak about this with confidence and even share with you knowledge that is taboo across Cosmos and Dimensions...because I was one of the weapons they were forging." ¡­! Like a clap of thunder, this shocking information was stated simply as Noah felt his heart beat quicken! "I found out about their true nature and broke away from them, losing something extremely important to me in the process...something that I''ve only just been able to begin recreating recently." The invisible consciousness of the Antiquity voiced out strongly as Noah''s coldness reduced just a bit. In the Dark Universe, he continued to watch the churning of his Destiny and Fortune as it was seemingly excited. Just what was this? Why was destiny and fortune telling him that this sequence of actions would be extremely good for him and lead towards a fantastical direction? He could only trust in his intuition as it had never failed him before! "Once more...your name. Is it Aegon? Ezekiel?...Noah?" RUMBLE! The Antiquity had shared another explosion of information as when Noah heard it, even his Primordial Ruination Clone nearly stopped its absorption of the Primordial Heart in the Ruination Realm. ''What the fuck?!'' Noah''s eyes flashed sharply when he heard his name mentioned among three, his mind going on overdrive trying to figure out the extent of truth the words of this being were! But when this being uttered his name among three, he couldn''t help but begin to lean more on his words being the truth as he began questioning himself on what the hell was going on! --- Across Dimensions and time, the Antiquity''s eyes were flashing a brilliant blue as he used whatever remaining consciousness he left behind in the Primordial Cosmos to observe the figure of the Hegemony before him closely. He wanted to see if there would be any reaction from this being when he uttered these names, he wanted to confirm if he was one of them...and hadn''t been entirely influenced or brought over to their side! When he did utter the three names though, all he received was a sharp flash of light crossing the eyes of the unique Hegemony as from this, he started to formulate his own ideas! ''If he truly is one of them and he hasn''t yet fully fallen under their influence, then maybe¡­'' A thought crossed the Antiquity''s mind as he pondered, his eyes hardening with resolve soon after as he made a move! --- As Noah''s mind was still buzzing from hearing his name coming from an Antiquity that came from Cosmos and Dimensions away, he spoke out calmly with curiosity. "What do those names signify? Upon the countless quintillions of beings that can populate Cosmos, there will be millions with the same names. What would make those names so special?" His thought process was extremely logical, but the Antiquity replied very quickly! "There should be many beings with those names, yes. But the probability of having existences with these very same names as the top most powerful forces of multiple Cosmos and Dimensions is very little. I have traversed many Dimensions and Cosmos...and found beings with these names to almost always be under the guidance or protection of those existences as they exhibit tremendous strength or unique capabilities." "As you seem to fall under this banner, I will tell you of the true nature of those existences...I will tell you of the secret they hold that very few existences within the vast Cosmos and Dimensions know!" RUMBLE! The stage was set as Noah''s eyes flashed gloriously, seeing the manner of this being wanting to freely give information to mean that he wanted something from him! As for what he could possibly want...Noah would see what this being had to offer as he spoke out languidly. "I''m not entirely sure of your claims, but I have some time to listen if you feel like talking!" "..." Noah didn''t deny or admit anything as after a few seconds, the voice of the Antiquity rang out. "The existence you saw descend down and hand you a treasure do willingly...she is part of a group of beings known as Primordials!" WAA! "Existence wielding immense power and might as they had their influence stretching across a myriad of Cosmos. As you can guess, these Primordials have everything to do with the Primordial Beasts that ravage the Ruination Sea and devour Universes and Cosmos...and this is the secret they hold that very few know." "These terrifying Beasts that threaten the very structure of the Cosmos...were actually born from the actions of Primordials!" ¡­! Yes! The terrifying race of Primordials were actually the reason for the appearance of Primordial Beasts that devoured Cosmos, and this was a closely guarded secret that very few knew! As for what exactly they had done to cause these terrifying beasts to manifest? "In the past, even with all the power they had...the Primordials wanted more and more." The Antiquity''s voice turned somber as he spoke, his words seemingly reminiscent as if he recalled something from a long time ago. "When they asked themselves what they could do to obtain more power, one of them naturally suggested that they just had to increase the number of Cosmos they influenced. That all they had to do was cause the expansion of the places their hands dipped into!" "The actions they carried out to do such a thing were the cause for the eruption of Primordial Beasts...and also for the appearance of Dimensional Planes, the appearance of parallel planes that held an uncountable number of Cosmos for them to control as the years passed." RUMBLE! Chapter 1119 - Becoming An Antiquity Is Easy! V Dimensions different from one''s own! Planes of existence that seemed to mirror one''s own, but they were also different! "In the past, there used to be an Original Timeline that continued forth endlessly, but the actions of the Primordials changed this. They caused infinite branches of time to separate from the Original, gaining access to an untold number of Cosmos." "Parallel worlds, Multiverses, Cosmos, Dimensions- call them what you wish! But these beings actually carried out actions that made it possible for them to gain access to all of this and traverse them as they wished." The tone of the Antiquity had turned extremely somber as in the void of the Abyssal Universe, Noah''s eyes shone brightly as he took in this information! "But with such an unnatural action occurring and causing the birth of Multiverses, Cosmos, and Dimensions...something unnatural formed in response to it!" Yes! For every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction! The actions of the Primordials that caused the Original Timeline to fracture into countless ones also caused the birth of the Primordial Beasts- existences that moved for the sole purpose of Devouring Universes and Cosmos across different Dimensions. "This is the true nature of Primordial Beasts! They only came to be for the sole purpose of undoing what the Primordials did- to bring to a stop the unraveling of the Original Timeline as their goal is to devour all Parallel Dimensions and return things to how they once were." RUMBLE! Noah''s mind shook as he listened to such shocking truths, his Destiny and Fortune churning as he assimilated it all in his mind! Multiverses! Parallel timelines! Concepts of extreme depth descended unto him all at once as he organized it all neatly to the most important details. "The Primordial Beasts are actually a force of nature to return things to how they once were, but now the Primordials had to fight and eradicate them to keep the vast numbers of branching realities. But how could they win against such enemies?!" "As long as branching realities and timelines existed, so would the Primordial Beasts! They could not be fully eradicated as all the Primordial could do was to maintain the current state of affairs and reduce the numbers of Primordial Beasts as much as possible." "It is something that has put all of us in a constant state of war, where vast numbers of timelines and realities could be eradicated as long as the Primordial Beasts swallowed all of its Cosmos!" A constant state of war! War against forces of nature that just wanted to return things to how they were. These were the Primordial Beasts. This was the true nature of Primordials. Noah had a somber expression as he listened to all this, raising his head thoughtfully as he tried to peer through the folds of space around him. Vast numbers of realities apart from his own. Timelines he didn''t even know about! When he got to such a point, he thought about the Dao of Chronos and Reincarnation that Chronos used, his eyes shining brightly as he spoke out for the first time in a while thereafter. "Your descent into the Primordial Cosmos was you reaching across into another reality...another Dimension!" "...Yes. Through the unique Dao of Reincarnation that a Hegemony within this Cosmos utilized and my own unique capabilities, I am able to traverse across Dimensions and stretch my might into multiple Realities! I am capable of doing things that only Primordials are capable of doing!" ¡­! Noah revealed an awed expression as he couldn''t help but ask. "How¡­?" The question was so blatant and abrupt as in another dimension, the Antiquity shook his head incredulously as he replied simply. "Something from a Legacy I obtained some time ago. But you are missing the point right now!" RUMBLE! "All of this aside, everything goes back to the Primordials needed to reduce the number of Primordial Beasts...and that is where existences like you...and existences like me come in." "Tools. Weapons. Champions. Beings that they try to raise in every Dimensional reality to make sure that as few timelines as possible are destroyed and rejoin the Original Timeline. Existences with such power and might that exceed common sense. Existences like us." "..." Silence descended onto the surroundings after such a statement, Noah nor the Antiquity speaking as the atmosphere turned extremely oppressive. Off to the side, Oathkeeper was watching Noah carefully, ready to reinforce him with whatever problem they were facing as this being simply waited! It was only after a few seconds passed did the voice of the Antiquity enter Noah''s mind again. "Many of them share names or similarities as a few renowned and extremely powerful Primordials are incharge of this task, these beings having laughs as they influence things and have these tools named similar to themselves- the names like Aegon, Ezekiel, Noah, and a few more that I''ve come across in multiple Dimensions appearing." ¡­! Shocking truth after shocking truth descended onto Noah''s mind as he was still working on what to make of it all! Amidst all of this, the Antiquity was continuing to freely talk about more of such information as it made him extremely curious of this being. "What a cosmic joke. When I transmigrated, I was so extremely naive that I-" THRUM! Amidst the soliloquy of the Antiquity, the clone of Noah currently surrounded by three Blue Slimes vibrated with a gorgeous array of light, his body becoming suffused with multicolored auras as on his chest, one could see a vibrant Universe filled to the brim with Dao Galaxies...as well as the formation of a second Universe that seemed to be just in its beginning stages!" ¡­! It was the sign of Antiquity! 100% conversion of a being''s Universe into Dao Galaxies, becoming capable of birthing a second Universe as one reached a stage of power others would only ever dream of! At this moment, the intense aura of Antiquity began to emanate from Noah, this aura being something even normal Antiquities would not be able to release as it seemed somewhat special. "..." The consciousness of the Antiquity seemed flabbergasted at this moment as his voice rang out slowly. "Did you...did you really just break into Antiquity in the middle of all this?" An incredulous expression was on the Antiquity''s face across Dimensions as in the Abyssal Universe, Oathkeeper was also looking towards Noah''s clone in utter stupor! But at this time, the clone raised his head while adjusting to the new aura, waving his hands nonchalantly as he spoke in a domineering tone. "It''s merely just breaking into the Universal Filament Realm and becoming an Antiquity, nothing much. Let''s continue¡­" RUMBLE! Chapter 1120 - What Would You Do?! I In the Ruination Realm. Vast essences of Ruination swirled around Noah''s body intensely, this man really just skipping through the Realms of Power as from just recently breaking into becoming a Hegemony, he had now jumped to become an Antiquity! The single Grand Primordial Heart he was absorbing was only 75% absorbed as just this was enough to grant him the full 100 Billion Dao Galaxies, giving him the essence required to form another Universe and become an Antiquity. From here on out, he would be using this remaining Primordial Heart and the 2nd one to form even more Galaxies and Universes! When one absorbed these types of Treasures, they could choose to either change the nature of their current normal Galaxies into Dao Galaxies, or if they had stepped into the realm of Universal Filament...they could also cause the rapid birth of brand new Galaxies! And this...was exactly what Noah had begun to do in the crimson Ruination Realm. THRUM! In his newly birthed second Universe, a glorious glow suffused all around it as Galaxies began to sprout endlessly. His first Universe was complete as he held a Splendiferous Universe, and he now began building another one as for Noah...he was just starting on the path to Construct a myriad of Universes as he continued his ascent for power! --- In the Abyssal Universe, Oathkeeper was glancing towards Noah''s direction in utter shock as his very own eyes and awareness couldn''t believe the aura stemming off of Noah''s clone. But he had to believe it as he was a Vassal, and his Origin felt a brand new rush of power descending unto him as he felt his current strength explode a few times! This...was just the 5% access be had from Noah''s strength as an Antiquity. A minuscule amount of his pure power that all of Noah''s Vassals shared, where if they wanted to gain more strength in their lives, they were actually better off just trying to fully comprehend the Lesser Dao of Fealty and even fully assimilate it to gain an increase in the percentage of power they could access! Oathkeeper wasn''t the only one to feel these changes as in the Dark Universe, Valentina raised her dark eyes incredulously towards Noah''s figure in the skies. She could see him still holding onto the bubbly body of the Blue Slime, but his body was at this moment emanating a terrifying authority that far exceeded even her! This being...that wasn''t even a Monarch or Paragon just some weeks ago! "..." She felt a feeling at this moment that Barbatos, Elena, Kazuhiko, the Emperor Penguin, and many others felt with Noah''s constant and rapid advancements that seemed to leave everyone and everything behind constantly. A stifling feeling that they couldn''t really explain as apart from it, they also felt his stupendous strength coursing through their bodies, even if it was 5% of it! The Oathkeeper also felt this firsthand as with his mentality and position, he still did not know how to feel about Noah''s existence. A being that had come from nowhere and risen just as fast, his strength seemingly covering everything at this moment! ''Just what is he¡­'' As the Oathkeeper pondered such a question, so did the Antiquity whose consciousness was remaining and talking to Noah in the Abyssal Universe. The consciousness of this being was in a stupor as he observed the nonchalant manner Noah had as he stepped into the stage of Antiquity, Noah''s voice being the one to come out soon after as he completely brushed off the fact of this advancement! "So, Primordials cause an eruption in multiple timelines and realities, Primordial Beasts are born from this as they try to devour Universes and Cosmos to erase these realities and turn everything to what it once was." "Primordials in turn use their power to create a few experts in the vast realities to help them maintain their dominion and power. All of that is understandable, but¡­" The clone of Noah had a calm expression as he flashed a smile, his body currently undulating with the unique authority of an Antiquity as he looked like a primal creature from ancient times! "What exactly do you want? Why have you made the Primordials into your enemies? And then telling me all of this, what is your purpose? A race of unkillable beings with extreme power and might...you''re not trying to get me into your club to do this right?" RUMBLE! The moment Noah broke through into Antiquity, his tone became much more domineering as his words were like claps of thunder onto the mind of the Antiquity! "Especially after you tried to invade this Primordial Cosmos as well! Just what is it you want, O Great Usurper?" ¡­! A straightforward question, and one that had to be answered! "..." The Great Usurper played this question in his mind over and over again as he seemed to reminisce about a few things. He took a few seconds before his reply came out. "Those under the shadows of Primordials are extremely unique, especially beings like you and me. All of the ones I''ve met are ridiculous existences in the Universal Filament and Cosmic Realms that are under the beck and call of Primordials, these existences being extremely troublesome to even come across!" "But then...here you are." RUMBLE! "You just made your first contact with a Primordial, with my destiny shining gold telling me there is a possibility of a pathway to bloom with an existence like you that hasn''t fallen under the wings of the Primordials yet." "..." Pervasive silence descended onto the surroundings as Noah''s face remained passive. His voice only rang out after a moment. "So...you are looking for someone to join your club. But this still doesn''t answer the question of what your purpose is." Across Dimensions, the Antiquity heard Noah''s words as his blue eyes shone an iridescent glow. His lips began to move soon after as his consciousness continued to speak in the far away Dimension. "I stand against the Primordials and the apathetic manner they do things and their methods. You know what they did when I said no to being their Puppet?" "As a show of power...just to show me my smallness in their designs...they shattered the Dimension I was in with a blink of their eyes." RUMBLE! Chapter 1121 - What Would You Do?! II A destruction of a Dimension with a blink of their eyes! Such an action gave a glimpse of the power of Primordials as when Noah heard it, his eyes flashed with intense light! "If I wasn''t careful enough, they would have decimated everything I held dear as if I didn''t have the tools that I have...the tools of the Great Usurper, even I wouldn''t have survived." ¡­! The words of the Antiquity caused many thoughts to swirl in Noah''s mind as all he got from this was that this being was so much a cockroach that he survived against a killing strike of a Primordial. Was it clones? Other bodies? Just what from this Great Usurper granted this being such capabilities? But his questions would have to wait for later as the monologue of the Antiquity continued. " I am growing my power and stretching across Cosmos and Dimensions to become capable enough to take on these terrifying beings, to be able to stand up to them as those gaze of looking at everything as if they were mere ants...I want to erase those gazes from their faces." WAA! "The Primordials took something else extremely important to me when I said no to them...they took the System they granted to me as months later, I''ve barely been able to re-establish a semblance of it!" ''Hmm?'' Noah''s ears pricked up when he heard the mention of a System, but his words nonetheless came out calmly as he regularly checked his churning destiny and fortune. "This seems more like a you problem. I have no issues with the Primordials. In fact, they just handed me a free Primordial Heart just now!" His sharp words caused the Antiquity''s eyes to shine sharply as after a few seconds passed, he posed a certain question. "What System do you have? What made you who you are currently?" "..." What System did Noah have? Unlike the original inhabitants of the Dark Universe and Primordial Cosmos, his world stemmed with a game like system that allowed them to change the nature of their defeated enemies into Cores and skill books! It was just the changing of their Origins and what they accumulated into their lives into other quantifiable forms, and this came in the form of Cores, skill books, and even skill points. But all of it was made possible from Noah''s homeworld utilizing the might of a Cosmic Treasure! Even Noah''s Infinite Mana...it began as a Trait that wasn''t truly what its name said, with it being made possible through Noah drawing large amounts of Mana from the world he was connected to, and then later to the worlds and Galaxies he was connected to. But thereafter...he actualized this Trait and made it something that didn''t rely on anything- just purely the Trait and what its name stated! But even this was also done with the aid of a Cosmic Treasure. As he went through this thought process, Noah pondered of any outside influence aside from the one he knew...and came to a certain conclusion! "I made me who I am, nothing else. All the tools I used, I only obtained through hard work and perseverance!" "...so a pie didn''t just fall from the sky and land on your lap? An undeserved cheat or system that made you exceed all others?" "..." The question of the Antiquity caused Noah to squint his eyes before he replied. "I worked to make my strength to the stage that it is. Even the descent of the Primordial that handed me a Primordial Heart- it was through my actions that she was called down!" "As for where I get my source of strength...nobody can take that away from me. Not even the Primordials." WAA! His figure was unconsciously bathed with a golden glow as he spoke, the Antiquity''s consciousness sighing before it spoke out somberly. "They already have their eyes on you. If you haven''t become their tool, they will make you one. What will you do when they come to you exactly as they came to me? When they ask you to put your life on the line for them?" "What would you do about the Primordial Beasts that want to devour Universes and Cosmos to return things to what they once were, or the Primordials that just want to expand their dominion and power across multiple realities?" ¡­! Yes! This was an important question to be pondered, and one that didn''t have an easy answer! Who should one side with? There were the Primordial Beasts that were a force of nature, trying to unravel branching realities and return them to the Original one. But...this would mean the destruction of an uncountable number of Multiverses, Cosmos, and Dimensions as it was the deaths of beings numbers couldn''t even begin to put into picture. But that...was the natural order. Then there were the Primordials that caused all of these branching realities in the first place, and to keep them active without being destroyed- they were battling the Primordial Beasts and even spreading out their influence across many Dimensions to raise Champions to withstand their enemies. These existences didn''t do this compassionately, but they did this to keep the ''lands'' they controlled alive and well as they continued to reap the rewards of their dominion across a myriad of realities. Against all of this...what choice would one even make? "What I would do, huh? If that time ever comes¡­" His body was suffused with a golden glow as he looked extremely domineering, and he was letting out a tyrannical light that seemed to oppress the surroundings! "The Primordials that caused a myriad of branching realities, the Primordial Beasts that want to destroy these realities and bring things back to the natural order, and even the so called tools or Champions in between...no matter what is in play, all I have to do is put these existences under me." RUMBLE! "Whether it be the Beasts, Champions, or Primordials...I will just dominate them and put them all under my feet. Then, I can be the one to decide how things will go. That will naturally solve all problems." ¡­! Ah! Chapter 1122 - NOAH! I "Whether it be the Beasts, Champions, or Primordials...I will just dominate them and put them all under my feet. Then, I can be the one to decide how things will go. That will naturally solve all problems." ¡­! Ah! As Noah said these words, his Primordial Ruination Clone in the Ruination Realm briefly stopped absorbing the Primordial Heart as he looked within himself at the Cosmic Treasure that was lying peacefully in his Origin. Even though he loved to talk big, a portion of him still felt the words of the Antiquity had some truth in them. The Cosmic Treasure could be considered an undeserved cheat and a deserved one at the same time as he had obtained the first piece without doing anything, but had used his own power to collect the rest of the Tools of Ruination and complete it. When he first awakened, his blank [Focus] was also a pie falling from the sky that others didn''t have, but even the World Core itself mentioned that this was all random occurrence! That he wasn''t somehow chosen as if he were special. But with the knowledge of beings sharing his name actually stemming from Primordials, was that truly the case? We''re things being steered by destiny and fate even without the knowledge of the World Core and Noah? "Haaa¡­" Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone sighed deeply within the Ruination Realm as he focused on the Primordial Heart within his hands again. Even though they were stupendous treasures, when Noah thought about the larger picture of undeserved things and Primordials, the glow of these treasures dimmed just a little! ''Arrogance and confidence is good, I guess I could learn to be just a bit more humble with all that I''ve gained¡­'' This thought crossed his mind as he continued to calculate a myriad of things, going back to absorbing the Primordial Heart as billions of galaxies were already filling his second Universe! --- The Antiquity heard the domineering words from Noah as his cerulean blue eyes trembled, his gaze that was reaching across Cosmos shaking as he saw the unbridled confidence and belief in the eyes of this being! As he saw such conviction, he couldn''t help but shake his head as he uttered out unconsciously. "Madman¡­" Yes! Who else but a madman could say with belief that he could put Primordials that could cause the destruction of entire Dimensions with a blink of their eyes under their control? Who could say they would put under their feet Primordial Beasts that devoured entire Universes and Comos?! Or the tools of Primordials that held terrifying power and Systems that they reigned supreme in their Dimensions? "..." As this Antiquity thought about all this, his eyes couldn''t help but inexplicably land on Noah again. "I see¡­" At this moment, he felt something click in his mind as he realized that after his meeting with the Primordials and the shocking strength they could display, he had inadvertently looked towards them as if they were some insurmountable wall. He had unconsciously put a block in his mind as even though he was rising in strength rapidly, he always felt like he was behind and still so extremely weak! ''But...only a few months have passed. I''ve been rushing too much. With my capabilities and restructured system...I can be just as confident to do what this being believes he can do!'' WAA! ''But this being...he is too unique!'' The eyes of the Antiquity still focused on Noah as he could still see the unique light of dominance and confidence, a domineering light that seemed to draw everything towards it. Seeing such a thing, his voice from his consciousness in the Abyssal Universe couldn''t help but reach out. "Just...just who are you?" "..." As his glowing eyes reigned in the glorious light of conquest and domination, Noah glanced forward calmly as he spoke out. "Noah. Noah Osmont." RUMBLE! "Get the fuck out...what?" The Antiquity was in a stupor as his voice rang out, the surprise in it evident as he couldn''t help but ask again! "Are you serious?" And the reply from Noah came as he looked in front of him as if he could actually see the expression of the Antiquity even though he was only a consciousness at this moment. "Yes...you''re not¡­" Across Dimensions, the Antiquity shook his head in an exasperated manner as he spoke out with utter incredulity. "Fucking ridiculous...I am Noah! Noah Eckert!" ¡­! A lull of silence descended at this moment as neither side spoke! "..." The figure of Noah paused at this time, incredulous at the situation around him as he spoke out unconsciously. "Before...you mentioned the words to be or not to be. You wouldn''t have happened to hear that from an English playwright¡­" WAA! The consciousness of the Antiquity buzzed at Noah''s words as his reply came before Noah even finished! "...the poet from the UK that they focused too much on in school¡­" ¡­! "..." Silence pervaded in the surroundings again. No side spoke at this moment. The reality of branching parallel timelines and concepts that the Antiquity had just been talking about finally fully delved into Noah''s mind at this moment as they became very real! A whole minute passed as no side spoke, each one lost in their own thoughts! "Haaa¡­" Noah sighed again at this juncture as he looked up around him seconds later and had his voice stretch out calmly. "Ok. Alright. It''s something we can discuss later. Let''s get to the root of our current reality first. Destiny seems to say that there lies some stupendous benefits for me when it comes to associating with you, and it''s the only reason I even bothered to speak to you in the first place." "For you to be so proactive, I guess it''s the same on your side. Primordials and Primordial Beasts...and even the Champions that they control. When it comes to this...we can cooperate in some form!" WAA! Noah''s voice was firm as he thought of many things, not entirely turning down this being that he ridiculously shared the same first name with as a thin and shaky connection began to form at this moment! Chapter 1123 - NOAH! II The reply from Noah caused an eruption of fortune both from him and a certain Antiquity that was located far across Dimensions, both of these beings monitoring this situation closely as the consciousness of the Antiquity spoke out. "We''ll need a way to communicate. This consciousness will fade away entirely soon, and I won''t be able to reach out into this Dimensions again unless there is a medium." The voice seemed to be searching for something when it was speaking, changing entirely to a quizzical tone next. "The medium in the past was Chronos...where is that guy?" "Oh?" Noah raised his head towards the question of the Antiquity as he smiled lightly. "That guy? I locked him in a time prison since I have some plans for him later. For him to be a medium across Dimensions, did it have something to do with his Dao of Reincarnation?" ¡­! Noah hit the nail of the head as the Antiquity was surprised, shaking his head wryly with his real body as his consciousness in the Abyssal Universe looked pitifully as the Oathkeeeper and the 12 locked Hegemonies beside him. "These guys and Chronos were really fighting against a guy with a cheat-like system and didn''t know it...no wonder everything was such a mess." The voice of the Antiquity was that of pity as when Noah picked it up, his brows perked up as he spoke out quizzically. "Don''t forget you were above them, it was your loss too." ¡­! The Antiquity nearly choked from this as his rumbling voice shot back. "Well...just a small setback for me as I lost a Subjugated Antiquity. But yes, if you can somehow obtain The Dao of Reincarnation, just enter a half dead state and you should be able to see your timeline." "My authority has spread into this Cosmos and timeline enough that I''ll be able to sense you with my unique abilities when you do, and we can discuss more things then." Gradually the voice of the Antiquity was filled with conviction, this being having figured something out during their conversation! Noah nodded to his words as he saw his Destiny and Fortune settling down, where he had already sown certain seeds as he would wait for them to bloom and see exactly what would come out. "Until then...I have some work to do." His voice reached the Antiquity as their conversation came to an end, a possibility being planted at this moment as the consciousness of the being Noah shared a similar name to began to fade away. "I''ll be waiting to hear from you soon...Noah!" THRUM! With a transparent flash of light, Noah felt a pressure be lifted as the consciousness of the Antiquity was now gone! Far across Dimensions, the scene that this Antiquity could see also faded away, his eyes only seeing the expanse of white coldness around him as his cerulean blue eyes flashed beautifully. The existence made of ice beside him saw he was done as she spoke with a smile. "How long will you be staying this time?" The voice seemed to be tinged with happiness and sadness, causing the Great Usurper to let out a light smile at this as he patted her head and replied. "I won''t be going anywhere for a while. We''ll take some time to reinforce our strength and plan. Maybe we won''t be alone in this battle¡­." With such words, the red haired woman made of particles of ice smiled brightly as she nodded. "Un!" --- In the Ruination Realm. Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone had already finished absorbing the first Primordial Heart as he was halfway through the second one, and he came to a halt at this moment as he gazed within his Origin. There, he could see 4 beautifully swirling Universes as one was a complete Splendiferous Universe, two being normal complete ones with 100 Billion Galaxies each, and the 4th one being a Universe that only had 10 Billion Galaxies within it! The 25% remainder of the first Heart and 50% of the second one had actually been enough to grant Noah two complete normal Universes and begin on the fourth one! He could have continued at this moment as he forged another 2 or 3 Universes, but he actually came to a stop. This was because he was thinking further ahead about a few things, his mind focused on the Primordial Cosmos and the task of the Quintillions of beings he had brought into the Dark Universe. When it pertained to the Primordial Cosmos...he was thinking of his newly gained Vassal that was the strongest Hegemony within it...and also the being with a Cosmic Treasure! He had been debating what to do with this being that had sworn Fealty to him...as well as his Cosmic Treasure. At this moment, he had made a decision as he entirely stopped the absorption of the Primordial Heart and put it into his [Expansive Space]. Thereafter, the figure of the Primordial Ruination Clone disappeared from the Ruination Realm as it instantly teleported into the Abyssal Universe! The clone arrived right before the Oathkeeper as the figures of the Blue Slimes and the normal Clone in the surroundings faded away with a spatial light. Noah stared at the old existence that had lived for millions of years as he spoke out with a light smile. "As the being helping maintain order in the Primordial Cosmos and affecting a vast number of quintillions...how many Dao Galaxies do you currently have, Oathkeeper?" His question was one that no expert would tell another, but the Oathkeeper actually gazed at Noah with placid golden eyes as he replied right after! "Over 60 Billion Dao Galaxies." RUMBLE! His voice was steady as Noah''s eyes flashed grandly when he heard it. This being had not wasted his millions of years, especially so with the fact that he was one of the strongest beings in the Cosmos! Even if he hadn''t been able to do something like Noah and create a Lesser Dao that allowed him to literally control and closely influence all the existences within Universes, Oathkeeper had still acted out a major role all these years. As he affirmed this, Noah gave a brilliant smile while he waved his hands and caused the appearance of a glimmering Primordial Heart! "Based on recent events, we could have a terrifying Primordial Beast attack at any moment. The Primordial Cosmos needs powerful protectors...and I won''t strip you away from that position!" WAA! Yes! Noah wouldn''t snatch the Primordial Disk in the hands of the Oathkeeper, instead planning on making this being and another one that were the best candidates closest to reaching Antiquity even more powerful! The other was, of course, the Blue Slime that was at 95 Billion Dao Galaxies and was even closer to Antiquity than nobody else! Others would follow as he and the Blue Slime would just be the first. The forces Noah was planning to raise to prominence were too stupendous and numerous, with his eyes already planning for a glorious future of these forces beginning to stretch their fingers across the Ruination Sea. "But first¡­" There was still the Primordial Cosmos! There were still many things to be done! Chapter 1124 - A Universe Aspiring To Become A Cosmos! I A uniquely shining Primordial Heart floated above Noah''s palm as the Oathkeeper''s gaze inadvertently locked onto it. He wasn''t the only one as the Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos were watching these scenes from afar, none of these beings having even had the chance to help to contribute anything with how things had rapidly progressed! Currently, the most astounding moment had come as the being that was a Paragon just moments ago had now become an Antiquity and had just appeared with the pulsating Heart he was given not too long ago, seemingly about to hand it to the Oathkeeper! But at this moment, a miniaturized Blue Slime just a few inches in diameter appeared beside the valiant figure of the Oathkeeper, Noah giving a light smile at this guy as the Slime made sure to call dibs first on the remaining Primordial Heart before anyone else! Noah nodded towards the true body of the Blue Slime as a blue tentacle shot from it, wrapping around the Primordial Heart as a resplendent glow erupted out from the process of absorption beginning. The Blue Slime was already an Apocryphal Antiquity as he had begun to form a second Universe, but it seemed the true authority of an Antiquity was always given after one completed the first full Splendiferous Universe! After the constant Devouring of the Universal Constructs with the authority of the...being that shared a similar name to Noah, the Slime now only had 5 Billion Galaxies to be changed into Dao Galaxies, the soft glow of the Primordial Heart flowing into him as this process ensued. THRUM! A cerulean glow flashed out as it drew the eyes of the Hegemonies from all around, the unique phenomenon of a being stepping into the ranks of Antiquity actually playing out right before their eyes as they couldn''t not pay attention! The Origin of the Blue Slime shone with an iridescent glow in the next few seconds as a few billion Dao Galaxies bloomed, the Origin vibrating in resonance soon after as a full 100 Billion Dao Galaxies now flowed within it. WAA! The aura of the Blue Slime gradually changed as it became even more oppressive, but it''s cerulean eyes flashed with light as it didn''t get drunk on the feeling of absorption of the Primordial Heart, the tentacles it released letting this treasure go as it floated towards Noah. Noah himself watched the scene of the birth of another genuine Antiquity with a smile, simply nodding towards the Oathkeeper to absorb the Primordial Heart next as after some slight hesitation...this ancient being hardened his resolve and went forward! --- The vast numbers of Hegemonies were looking at the incredulous scenes occurring within the Abyssal Universe in shock as they didn''t even dare to approach at this moment! The sequence of events just had too many shocking results as from an Antiquity descending because of Chronos and the Goliath along with many others Hegemonies seeking a method to achieve it themselves¡­all the way to this moment where these Hegemonies were missing or dead along with the Antiquity they called down. Instead, the Apex Paragon that had shown shocking prowess was the one to inexplicably rise to Antiquity along with his Blue Slime, and now the aura of the Oathkeeper was changing as well as this being also went towards the same direction! It was a truly ridiculous sight as the ones who were trying to prevent the descent of Antiquity were the ones to actually obtain Antiquity in the end, those searching for it like Chronos and The Goliath missing out¡­ The Great Old Nazzagath looked at this scene with eyes that flashed with intense light, recalling the words of the Apex Paragon that was now an Antiquity. ''Fealty...is that what Oathkeeper has now done? Just that and given the chance to advance to Antiquity?'' The thoughts of the Ancient Chthonian were his own as he and many others watched the scene before them in wonder! They watched as the golden wings and aura around the Oathkeeper expanded rapidly after he began to absorb the Primordial Heart, his eyes shooting out majestically beams of light as he bellowed out like the primal ancient being that he was. "OOOOOH!" This bellow was followed by the continued rapid conversion of normal Galaxies into Dao Galaxies as every few seconds, billions would be added as this being put together the less than 40 billion that he needed for Antiquity. The scene was one of utter wonder and awe as nobody could take their eyes off of it, even the Hegemonies counting the number of converged Galaxies as after a few minutes...they neared the complete 100 Billion just like the Blue Slime moments ago. The surrounding space shook as a golden glow washed over the Oathkeeper, his entire body being covered seemingly with liquid gold when the 100th Billion Dao Galaxy was reached, rays of light stretching from him as if he was breaking out of a cocoon and becoming something else! RUMBLE! After the golden waves of power settled down, the figure of the Oathkeeper became visible again as the eyes of the Hegemonies trembled when they saw him. He didn''t have the usual pair of wings, this existence currently having three pairs of shimmering golden wings behind him as he had grown to be nearly 4 meters, his body fully suffused with a golden glow as he looked like a primal creature gracing lower world''s with his presence! Noah looked at such a scene and nodded as he sent multiple mental messages to the Oathkeeper, the figures of his Primordial Clone and the Blue Slime disappearing soon after. All that was left behind...was the newly risen Antiquity and 12 white eggs that contained Hegemonies that worked with Chronos, the Oathkeeper glancing at these prisons made of Primordial Essence as he then glanced towards the Hegemonies that didn''t dare approach before. "Come. It is time for healing and restructuring!" THRUM! His commanding voice reached the Hegemonies as it raised them out of their stupor, Great Old Nazzagath and the others moving into the Abyssal Universe at this moment! Chapter 1125 - A Universe Aspiring To Become A Cosmos! II In the Dark Universe. Noah''s main body watched the appearance of his Primordial Ruination Clone along with the Blue Slime with calm eyes, a crimson object that was the Cosmic Treasure leaving the chest of his clone and landing onto his hands at this moment! He held on tenderly to the Treasure as he spoke towards the bubbling figure of the Blue Slime that came and sat on his head. "What do you want to do with the rest of the Hegemonies of the Primordial Cosmos? If you want to devour them for their actions towards your Race¡­" "..." The bubbly Blue Slime was actually silent when Noah asked, only speaking out moments later with a low tone. "What has occurred in the past can''t be changed. I know the being responsible and have devoured nearly all of those that worked with him...and I''ll also devour Chronos myself whenever you finish with him!" WAA! "Besides, even though I lost all of my race...I was able to find you and everyone else...so it''s ok." ¡­! The Blue Slime said the last words as they could barely be heard by those around him, seemingly embarrassed as the bubbly body remained still and closed its eyes above Noah''s head! "You¡­" Noah smiled towards the slime atop him as he shook his head, his heart feeling a sense of warmth he wouldn''t have thought would come from an existence like this. Seeing how the slime would budge no matter how much he poked, Noah left the embarrassed being alone and focused on what was on his hands. He looked at the Cosmic Treasure with a sharp smile as his current essence of a being in the Universal Filament Realm flowed into it, the Cosmic Treasure buzzing with happiness as in a short period of time... its Master had broken through two Realms! From Galactic Filament to Universal Realm, and now into the Universal Filament Realm as when Noah entered this level...the Cosmic Treasure could be utilized even more as its features were expanded and enhanced to another level. First off was the stupendous clone before Noah, it''s strength being something he could hardly believe as it''s boosts just continued to become more and more immense! [Primordial Ruination Clone] :: Out of the innumerable number of creatures in the vast Cosmos, there are a few whose bodies uniquely rise above all others. The Primordial Ruination Clone is a feature that only the Master of RUINATION can utilize, allowing them to forge a Primordial Ruination Clone from the very essence of Ruination. As a creature made from the very essence of a Cosmic Dao, it has a +300,000% Increase in the speed of progression through the Realms of Power, +300,000% Increase in the Comprehension and Assimilation of all Daos, can display 500% of the strength of the Master of Ruination, along with its power increased by 3000% when in the Ruination Sea. It can seamlessly utilize the abilities of [Miniature Ruination Rupture Generation], [Instantaneous Universal Teleportation], [Ruination Essence Skill Conversion and Amplification], [Sword of Ruination], [Cosmic Chains of Ruination], and [Universal Budding], [@$%@#$%]... It''s percentage boosts were further enhanced as along with this, Noah''s advancement into the Universal Filament Realm opened up another feature. It was the feature that was termed [Universal Budding]! [Universal Budding] :: With the sacrifice of a Universe from the Origin of the Master of Ruination, a genuine Universe under the control of the Master of Ruination will be born. "..." A fantastical ability. The capability to sacrifice one''s own Universe for a genuine one, something that could only be made possible when Noah himself stepped into the Universal Filament Realm as it was only here when he could afford to sacrifice Universes! What a fantastical treasure RUINATION was! Noah had many thoughts when he first saw this ability, with an array of possibilities on how to utilize it. Many of these possibilities actually related more to his Universal Core! There were a myriad of Treasures around Noah, as well as what one would consider his most prized possession, or what could be considered most unique. When it came to this...it actually wasn''t the Cosmic Treasure RUINATION. It was definitely unique and overpowered by its own right, but there was another Cosmic Treasure at its level within this same Primordial Cosmos. But one thing that Noah hadn''t found any others have and the thing that continued to uniquely advance without stopping...was the Universal Core of his Dark Universe! The unique treasure that was once a floating Spiritual Land and had gone on to become a Spiritual World and Galaxy, with Noah even granting it the term [Infinite] next to it due it''s ceaseless possibilities of expansion. Currently, this Unique Treasure was a Universe as after all this time...Noah wanted to be able to see it advance into a Filament of Universes as it went towards becoming a Cosmos! This was because one may not consciously think about it...but this unique treasure was also one of Noah''s strongest weapons. It still had the myriad of features of [Size Dilation], [Offensive Maneuvers], [World Integration], [Froze Barrier],[Assimilation]...and many more! Due to extra caution and not really needing to, Noah had not been using the unique treasure as a weapon recently as if ever he did...the reality to play out would be a shocking one as even he didn''t know what would happen. If he condensed the entire Dark Universe into an object that could fit into his hands with Size Regulation and then used Offensive Maneuvers to throw an entire Universe onto an enemy as a weapon, just what would happen?! Furthermore, when he upgraded it to a Universal Filament or even a Cosmos¡­.just who would be able to withstand having an entire Cosmos thrown at them? Could a being handle such a ridiculous concept?! There were so many things and possibilities associated with this treasure that Noah couldn''t wait to see how everything would play out, and he was making the moves to ensure he could see this future at this very moment. One of the ways to upgrade the Universal Core was to introduce 100 Quintillion existences into it. The number had currently spilled over 60 Quintillion as Noah could go around the Primordial Cosmos to obtain the remaining amount whenever he wished, but there was also another way to go about this! The first method was the [Universal Budding] that had just appeared from the Cosmic Treasure....and then there was the method that utilized the Primordial Cosmos! Chapter 1126 - A Universe Aspires To Become A Cosmos! III Multiple methods existed before Noah as he could choose any of them to achieve the goal of taking the Dark Universe and have it begin forming Universal Filaments! The [Universal Budding] method would require him to sacrifice one of the newly made Universes within his Origin as he could do this...but why do such a thing when there was a perfectly situated Primordial Cosmos before him? A Cosmos filled with Universes that were just affected by the Universal Amalgamation and were currently empty...a Cosmos that had a myriad of other Universes filled with countless Quintillions of creatures! At this moment, Noah had turned his eyes towards this Cosmos as he had already begun the preparations. For this, he of course talked to Oathkeeper that held the Primordial Disk and knew much more about the Primordial Cosmos than anyone else, with Noah letting this being wrap up the imprisoning of the Goliath and others before he would follow him to speak to a certain consciousness! "A Cosmos¡­." Noah couldn''t help but utter out such words as he looked around him, at his subordinates below that were gazing up at him and even further from them, the countless existences that he had brought from the Primordial Cosmos into this Universe. Then there were the natives of this Dark Universe whose lives continued to be inexplicably changed everyday...the quality and way of living in the Dark Universe being something that others could only imagine! --- In a small, nondescript corner of the Dark Universe. A small world rotated slowly around a star system with a sun at its very center, creating a serene scene of the starry space. But at this moment, one would be surprised to see the figure of a mischievous young boy that didn''t seem older than 8...actually fly out of the small world and into the starry space! Yes! A young boy that was barely 10 as he was still wiping his snot from his nose, his eyes shining brilliantly as he left the layers of his world and entered space while gazing up towards a far away sun. Around his body, a unique source of power circulated around him as it caused this child to ignore the rules of space, being able to survive in such an environment indefinitely as his mischievous eyes made up his mind, his small body beginning to shoot towards the sun. But before this child could get too far¡­ "Richard! How many times did I tell you to stay on the ground!" RUMBLE! Behind him, a furious bellow reverberated out as a figure shot towards the child as a streak of light, coming up behind him and grabbing his hand as it caused the mischievous child to be utterly frightened! "Mom¡­" The young boy was looking with fearful eyes towards the other hand of his mom that was holding a sandal that was ready to smash onto him at any moment. His mom looked at him with eyes of anger as she spoke out while pulling him back to their World. "What were you doing now?" The gaze of the mischievous child was downcast as if they were caught doing something they shouldn''t have, his voice coming out slowly. "I just...wanted to grab some more sunlight and bring it close to our garden. I thought the plants would be happier¡­" ¡­! "You stupid little¡­!" With a flash of light, the figure of mother and child returned back to their world as routinely, one could see other figures leave the small world and fly about across the stars...this shocking reality only made possible by a single being! All of these existences so freely flying about in space whether they were children or adults could only do so due to the fact that they held 5% of Noah''s current level of power! This was one of the best ways to describe just how ridiculous this was, as at this level...this power had far surpassed the Void Rank that one needed to freely cross the void of space. It made possible for shocking realities that only the inhabitants of the Dark Universe could experience! The inhabitants of the Dark Universe obtained such stupendous power from Noah, his 5% making it easy for so many things that we could hardly cover the many variable consequences it held. Noah understood this well as he used his role as the Emperor of his Vassals to instill in their souls that the stupendous power they obtained from him would not be used to harm one another maliciously in any way! Under such commands...the Vassals could only follow. There wouldn''t be scenes of children or problematic beings destroying cities or worlds, or anything of the sort as deep within their souls, any of such actions were prohibited before they were even carried out. But these beings could use this power to spar with each other and delve into the wondrous Dungeons that were constantly still being produced across the Dark Universe, obtaining Cores and skill books to further elevate their ranks as a unique reality was formed in the Dark Universe. It was a reality that one had to live and experience in order to fully understand it, and the newly brought in inhabitants of the Animus Universe, Automaton, Chthonian, Necrotic, and Euthenia Universes among a few were getting the chance to experience it first hand! It was an inclusion of a myriad of Races, the 9 Supreme Bloodlines of the Animus Universe occupying a region of space by themselves due to their pride, but when they saw the power of every single being within this Universe and the game like System they could now also utilize...even these prideful beings began to come down and associate with the myriad of other Races within this Universe. This could only be done in the period of the past day as all Races settled in and got to learn more about their new environment, where the future would fantastically have the friendly interactions of Robotic beings from the past Automaton Universe and the Abyssal Undead from the past Necrotic Universe! This was just a single example as it would soon become common place to see the World Trees of the Euthenia Universe and the terrifying planetary sized Chthonians get to know each other, Noah inadvertently making an environment that even he himself didn''t know just what a shocking result it would display! But aside from the inhabitants living with this Universe...there was the Universe itself. It also had goals and aspirations as at this moment¡­this Universe aspired to become a Cosmos! Chapter 1127 - A Universe Aspires To Become A Cosmos! IV A Universe aspiring to become a Cosmos! This was actually a reality playing out as after the fusion with Noah''s unique treasure, the Universe was much more autonomous as many things were done even without Noah''s input. The use of the feature of [Architecture] to design new structures, worlds, and Galaxies that would uniquely suit the races from the Automaton, Animus...and all the other Universes. Where to establish Universal Law Spaces and Dao Spaces that were filled with unique and bountiful concentrations of the essence of some Daos. Even the features of [Frozen Barrier] for defense and [Offensive Maneuvers] for offense...the Universe could autonomously do it while borrowing from Noah''s unlimited mana reserves! After all this time, this Universe aspired to achieve even greater stages as it let its thoughts be known to Noah. Noah already had many things in play, putting away the wondrous Cosmic Treasure he was playing with as it sank into the chest of his main body, the Primordial Ruination Clone flashing away with a spatial light as only he and the Blue Slime were left behind in the skies. "Come on." He had a light smile on his face as he glanced below him, his figure beginning to descend towards the figures of Valentina, Barbatos, Emperor Penguin, and many others. --- "Ready?" Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone reappeared in the Abyssal Universe, glancing at the many Hegemonies that were hauling away the imprisoned existences that followed Chronos and the Goliath. The Oathkeeper nodded with a somber expression as his six wings vibrated powerfully, the Primordial Disk appearing within his hands as it pulsed with a pristine white essence. BZZZT! This essence built up at a rapid rate within his hands as after a few seconds, it released a ray of white light that shattered the very void near them, a white crack in space forming as it led to a special location! Noah looked at this scene with shining eyes as the Oathkeeeper kept his somber expression, looking towards Noah with a myriad of thoughts as this being had only asked him of a single thing. Noah had told the Oathkeeper that he wouldn''t ask too much of him in the future...with the main thing he wanted now being his help in locating the consciousness of...the Primordial Cosmos! The place where the most Primordial Essence was congregated, and the location that only the existence with the Primordial Disk and Comprehension in the Primordial Dao could get to. This was where the crack in space led to. Noah had an impassive expression as he stepped into it, the figure of the Oathkeeper following closely behind as the moment they entered, the crack disappeared as only a few Hegemonies were left in the surroundings. The moment that Noah stepped through this crack though, he felt an extremely suffocating and oppressive force descending onto him from all sides, the area he arrived in being filled with sea of the Primordial Essence! If the cool down of his [Cosmic Dao Essence Integration and Emergence] had already finished, this would be the most wondrous place for him to quickly integrate the Primordial Dao just with the sheer amount of it in the surroundings. The Oathkeeper was looking at Noah carefully at this moment as he knew he could survive due to understanding the Primordial Dao, but what about Noah? His questions didn''t last long as in a moment, a red glow surrounded Noah''s Primordial Ruination Clone as in the seas of whiteness, a beautiful crimson light appeared as the being releasing this light...spoke slowly. "I came to seek an audience with the consciousness of this Cosmos." RUMBLE! His voice was neither servile nor overbearing, Noah keeping an impassive expression as the Oathkeeper shook his head off to the side! He had come here many times in the past, even more recently just within the last days to seek guidance on what he should do against the schemes of Chronos and the approaching Antiquity. He had received no answers as this was one of the reasons he wasn''t averse to bringing Noah here when he asked! If even the Holder of the Primordial Disk who comprehended the very essence that supported the Cosmos couldn''t get an answer, why would another being that seemed to have the Cosmic Dao directly opposed to it get an answer? But¡­ WAA! ¡­! The eyes of the Oathkeeper nearly popped out with incredulity as a monotone but ancient voice reverberated around them! This¡­ He had gotten an answer the first time he came?! Turbulent emotions flew around the Oathkeeper''s heart at such a scene, this ancient being keeping his face expressionless even though he was aggrieved inside. Noah looked around the vast white Primordial Sea he was in as he spoke out slowly. "You speak as if you were expecting me?" The question was one that made Noah curious, especially after talking to another being with his name that spoke a great deal about puppets and existences moving on the palms of others! ¡­! Oathkeeper looked towards Noah in shock at such words, many things finally clicking into place within his mind as the voice continued to resound out. The Ancient monotone voice reverberated out as it stated Noah''s possible purpose without question! Noah scratched his head as he smiled lightly while voicing out. "Yes, this has everything to do with the Dark Universe. The Universe wants to rejoin with its Cosmos as the times are rapidly changing, with terrifying threats never faced before on the horizon as Primordial Beasts intent on erasing entire realities could arrive at any moment!" THRUM! "The process of rejoining the Cosmos though...will be something that requires the Dark Universe to assimilate the myriad of Universes within this Primordial Cosmos. For the purpose-" ¡­! Before Noah could even finish his words, he was actually interrupted by the Ancient monotone voice as it continued emotionlessly! RUMBLE! Noah felt his heart shaking as a moment later, a deep smile appeared on his face! He....truly liked how some of these consciousnesses went about doing things! Chapter 1128 - The Glorious Light Of Assimilation! I In a unique space filled with vast amounts of Primordial Essence. The Oathkeeper was looking between Noah and the vast space around him as after holding himself back for so long, he spoke out. "I''m sorry...the Assimilation of this Cosmos with a single Universe?" His voice let his incredulity be known as Noah allowed the surprise from the words of the ancient voice to fade as he nodded toward the Oathkeeper. "If the consciousness of the Primordial Cosmos already understands everything...then I will just get things started." WAP! Without so much an another explanation, Noah''s eyes gazed towards a faraway direction from the space he was it, his gaze seemingly capable of peering through the layers of space and gazing out from the Universes of the Primordial Cosmos all the way into the vast Ruination Sea roiling outside of it. Within this Ruination Sea...there was a single Universe countless light-years wide that was floating peacefully. At this moment...this Universe began to actually move, and it was moving at a high speed at that as it seemed like a rapidly mobile object more than a grand stellar structure! It was making its way towards the Primordial Cosmos as since it was already close, the process would take a short period of time before the outer boundary of the Universe would come near the Cosmos. Around this same time, Noah''s main body in the Dark Universe flew away from his subordinates as he went towards the core area of the Universal Core. "Wait, what exactly are you doing now?" Valentina couldn''t help but ask as Noah just flew up while saying he had to do something real quick, Noah only turning around to give a light smile as his reply came nonchalantly. "I''m just beginning the process of assimilating the Universes of the Primordial Cosmos into my Dark Universe. When all of it is done...a new Cosmos should be born." RUMBLE! In a nonchalant manner, Noah said this as his figure disappeared a second later! Valentina looked towards the area he disappeared from in a stupor as this Hegemony had to repeat his words over and over again just to try and comprehend what he meant. "Did he just say...assimilate the Primordial Cosmos?" She spoke out in disbelief and near her, the vivacious figure of Barbatos glanced towards Valentina while shaking her head, her sonorous voice ringing out. "Just sit back and enjoy the show. I told you before...don''t try to understand what this guy is doing or how he does it, you''ll sleep much better at night!" ¡­! The figures of Adelaide, Kazuhiko, Steel Mikhail, Emperor Penguin...a myriad of beings familiar with Noah nodded their heads at Barbatos''s words in agreement as Valentina looked back and forth from them as if they were crazy. This guy just said he was going to assimilate a Cosmos? Why was everyone taking it with such easy strides?! Such a thing shouldn''t even be possible! But no matter the possibility of it or not...even as some of his own people were left flabbergasted, Noah proceeded forward as the figure of his main body with the Cosmic Treasure RUINATION appeared at the deepest parts of the Universal Core. Here, dense amounts of Ruination Essence freely pulsed and undulated as this was the essence that kept this Universe together, being directly replenished by the Ruination Sea outside as it was a nigh endless source of energy! Within this innermost area of the Universal Core, Noah sat down in a meditative position as his Cosmic Treasure began to pulse wondrously, resonating with the Universal Core as everything began to vibrate. This was because at this moment, Noah was initializing the feature of [Assimilation] as the Dark Universe neared the boundary of the Primordial Cosmos! He was accounting for many things to their utmost as with the Dark Universe already near the Cosmos, it reached its boundaries within seconds as the Universe closest to it...was the Microbial Universe. If one could accurately portray what was occurring in the Ruination Sea, it would be akin to a single pulsating circular mass coming close to a coagulation of circular masses closely interconnected together and wrapped up by a single powerful circular barrier! A single circle...approaching and about to come in contact with a myriad of circles enclosed in a single larger one that represented the boundaries of multiple Universes and the boundary that surrounded them that made up a Cosmos! A hidden light of gold and blue mixed in with red began to shine out from the core of this single pulsating circular mass as Noah and the Universal Core were the origin of it, this being the light of the feature of Assimilation that could fuse things of similar nature to the Dark Universe. To observe everything carefully and make sure that nothing was out of place, Noah had his main body with the Cosmic Treasure overseeing things from the end of the Dark Universe, and the Primordial Ruination Clone in the depths of the Primordial Cosmos that could only be entered with another Cosmic Treasure. After all of this was in place...Noah''s eyes in the depths of the Universal Core breathed out calmly as he spoke out. "Let it begin then." RUUMBLE! The boundary of the Dark Universe came in contact with the thin transparent boundary of the Primordial Cosmos. This boundary...did not repulse or stop the advancement of the Dark Universe as it actually allowed it to go through- and this was only because Noah had talked to the consciousness of the Primordial Cosmos as it allowed for this! This meant that the boundary of the Dark Universe came in contact with and smashed into the boundary of the Microbial Universe as at their point of impact...a glorious light suffused between them. It was the light that held the colors of gold, blue, and red as it shone in a fantastical manner, this light having wrapped around the entirety of the Dark Universe as at this moment...it was spread to cover the boundary of the Microbial Universe as well! It was the glorious light of Assimilation that meant the fusion of a myriad of Universes was now starting! THRUM! Chapter 1129 - The Glorious Light Of Assimilation! II Noah observed all of this closely with all of his bodies as there was a terrifying thought in his mind as he was looking at the grand process about to begin. As he looked at the Dark Universe begin to assimilate a portion of the Primordial Cosmos, Noah thought of the future. He thought of this Primordial Cosmos before him, and the myriad of Cosmos within this branch of reality that lay out there in the Ruination Sea. He was about to assimilate and bind the Primordial Cosmos to him as his thoughts actually also veered towards the other Cosmos within the vast Ruination Sea. He...actually began to have the grand designs of even possibly binding these Cosmos to him! If he could assimilate the Cosmos across the vast Ruination Sea, every single one of them at that...would it be possible for him to bind this whole branching reality? This whole Dimension?! RUMBLE! The thought even caused his own heart to tremble at the sheer grandness of it, and it also expressed immense possible danger as if he did such a thing, it would mean he would be encroaching on the dominion of the Primordials as they were the ones that benefitted from spreading their influence across branching realities. He would be making himself an enemy of existence that had live for who knew how many years and had so much power to even allow what was currently happening possible! But the prospects of it...Noah couldn''t help but think of this over and over again. Not just the myriad of Cosmos within this branching reality, but what of the innumerable number of realities out there? What of the Original reality that all of this stemmed from?! ''Bind this Primordial Cosmos, then the myriad of other Cosmos, then this branching reality, and then...the myriad of infinite realities out there¡­!'' THUMP! His heart and origin released a terrifying beat as such a thought crossed his mind, Noah shaking himself out of his stupor as he breathed out slowly. ''Slow down. Slow down.'' Every breath caused his beating heart to settle, his eyes becoming sharp as he tucked away shocking thoughts into the back of his mind and focused on the task ahead of him. His main body had the Cosmic Treasure spinning beautifully as the Universal Core was the one putting in all the work, Noah acting as a conduit as he provided any additionally needed mana to facilitate the process that had ensued in full! After the light of Assimilation touched the Microbial Universe, its boundary began to fade away at a rapid pace as the gold, blue, and crimson light went on to serenely cover it and cause the layers of this Universe to merge with the Dark Universe. The first step was always the hardest, but when it succeeded¡­ RUUMBLE! Everything else would fall into place. The Universal Core vibrated as it began to expand rapidly, its deepest corners that held dense amounts of Ruination Essence at this moment actually brightening up as within it...Primordial Essence began to flow out! When Noah changed the nature of the Dark Universe, there was barely any Primordial Essence left as it was easy to change its source to Ruination Essence. But the Universes of the Primordial Cosmos he wanted to absorb had dense amounts of Primordial Essence supporting and surrounding them as in the process of Assimilation...the Universal Core would be bathed with Primordial Essence! A mixture of Ruination and Primordial Essence. A mixture of something unknown as it wasn''t a process carried out before, even causing Noah to observe it closely as his Primordial Ruination Clone wanted to understand the true nature of the Primordial Essence that sustained the Primordial Cosmos and all of the Universes within it for all these years, this clone staring this question to the consciousness of the Primordial Cosmos as they observed the nigh complete successful assimilation of the first Universe. "The Primordial Essence that sustains these Cosmos and its Universes...just where is it all coming from?" ¡­! A stupendous question that deserved an answer! There was the vast and endless Ruination Sea that surrounded all the Cosmos, so one would wonder exactly how Cosmos could protect themselves indefinitely and sustain a myriad of Universes.