Defiance of the Fall

Waves of Radiant energies poured into the node , but it was like the mysterious swirl was a bottomless hole that couldn’t be satiated . Eventually , the efficacy of his Node-breaking Pills ran out , but he stubbornly ate another mouthful . Finally , after what felt like an eternity , Zac knew he was right there .

His danger sense had cut through his turbid thoughts , and he reinforced his Mental Barriers as best as he could while Stone of Hope] lit up and illuminated the space . Zac felt like his soul was split in two as a powerful ripple burst out from his forehead . He heard surprised exclamations from the other two , but they were distant and indistinct .

Zac was completely focused on the state of his body . Blood ran down his nose from a deep cut , and it must have looked like a third eye had formed on his forehead . Thankfully , it was just a wound rather than a mysterious mutation . An outlet Zac opened to avoid damaging his frontal lobe . Opening the node was painful as usual , but it couldn’t compare to the sense of completeness that filled him .

A surge of energy coursed through his body as Zac took a deep breath . It felt vibrant and powerful , and it wasn’t just the attributes he’d just gained . With his 75 nodes all being open , his pathways were finally completely unclogged . The energy gently circulating through his body was natural and unconstrained . It wouldn’t do much for his actual combat strength , but anything that allowed him to handle and communicate with his Cosmic Energy was a welcome thing .

The Peak of the E-grade .

Less than a fraction of a fraction of all cultivators reached this step , yet he’d done it as a mortal . Of course , this was just the start . He was merely an ant in the grand scheme of things , but that didn’t douse his excitement as he opened his eyes . Ogras and Vai were both looking at him expectantly , and Zac nodded slightly with a smile .

You done? - Ogras asked .

Just need to fill the nodes up with energy , but we can do that on the way . -

What was that before? - Ogras asked curiously . - Why does it look like you split in two every time you open a node? -

It’s a treasure I got my hands on , - Zac explained . - I don’t know exactly how it works , but it’s like the treasure pushes some of the damage to an alternate reality while lessening the damage to me . Why? Do you need to borrow it? -

No , I’ve long since reached level 150 , - Ogras said with a shake of his head . - It was just interesting . I felt the phenomenon somewhat resonate with my path . Making real damage fake , huh? -

W-wait , - Vai interjected . - You’re not a Hegemon either? -

If I were a Hegemon , I would have flown myself and the two of you over this place , no? - Ogras said with a grin as the shadows started to flicker around him .

But you’re so powerful , - Vai said with wide eyes .

Well , at least someone has an eye for talent , - Ogras grinned , obviously satisfied with the reaction .

Don’t stroke his ego , - Zac snorted . - Give me another hour before we set out , I just have to recover a bit more from opening the nodes . -

Do you have more Soul Crystals? - Ogras asked . - I used up the two in the ring you gave me . -

Be careful with those , - Zac said as he threw over another one . - They’re almost impossible to restock . -

You’re the one who wants me to use my domain every time the lass sees a bright light in the bowl , - Ogras grinned as the crystal disappeared into the sleeves of his robes .

Zac spent the next hour redrawing his pathways until they were in workable order . He would still be a bit weakened for another week , but Ogras had already said it would take them at least three to reach the Kingdom of Billy at their pace . It should be enough time not only to recover , but to push his level to 150 .

The moment Zac felt able to fight without accidentally damaging his pathways , the group set out , heading deeper and deeper into the Badlands . Ogras became the primary combatant over the following days while Zac let his nodes stabilize . Zac simply became bait and a meat shield while the demon did the killing .

To expedite his level , Zac constantly held onto Peak-quality Nexus Crystals as they ran , and torrents of energy poured into his nodes . Not only that , Zac also absorbed energy from Beast Crystals he’d hidden within his robes . The messy energy was swallowed by Void Heart] and spat out as malleable energy that became a second river to speed up his progress .

After a week passed , Zac resumed fighting , and Ogras helped organize things so Zac delivered all the killing blows on beasts above Late E-grade . It turned to a third source of energy , yet it still took two weeks before Zac managed to fill all three nodes . The group took the opportunity for a brief stop to rest up before reaching Billy’s place , and Zac opened his Status Screen to check what his level brought .

Name : Zachary Atwood

Level : 150

Class : E-Epic] Edge of Arcadia

Race : D] Human - Void Emperor (Corrupted)

Alignment : Zecia] Atwood Empire – Baron of Conquest

Titles : Grand Fate , Blooddrenched Baron , Connate Conqueror , The Second Step , Singular Specialist

Limited Titles : Tower of Eternity Sector All-Star – 14th , The Final Twilight , Equanimity , Heart of Fire , Big Axe Gladiator

Dao : Branch of the War Axe – Early , Branch of the Kalpataru – Early , Branch of the Pale Seal – Early

Core : E] Duplicity

Strength : 20 , 876 Increase : 143% . Efficiency : 287%]

Dexterity : 8 , 674 Increase : 103% . Efficiency : 206%]

Endurance : 15 , 727 Increase : 134% . Efficiency : 287%]

Vitality : 14 , 192 Increase : 127% . Efficiency : 273%]

Intelligence : 3 , 763 Increase : 97% . Efficiency : 206%]

Wisdom : 6 , 940 Increase : 104% . Efficiency : 216%]

Luck : 712 Increase : 121% . Efficiency : 229%]

Free Points : 250

Nexus Coins : D] 933 , 647

A single glance at his Status Screen confirmed what he’d already learned : a full 250 Free attribute points were waiting for him rather than just the ten . It was an even greater boon than the 20 attribute points he got when reaching level 75 . And that was just the start . Not only did Peak E-grade provide a full 250 free points , but also a new title called The Second Step . There was even a second title waiting for him , one Zac hadn’t been able to confirm but certainly hoped for .

The Second Step : Reach the Peak of E-grade . Reward : All Stats +10 , Base Stats +90]

Singular Specialist : Reach 20 , 000 points in a single attribute before reaching D-grade . Reward : All Stats +10 , Strength +5% , All attributes +5%

As expected , it was related to the old Promising Specialist title Zac got when reaching 1 , 000 Endurance in F-grade . He hadn’t gotten anything when reaching 10 , 000 Strength , but he’d learned Ogras got one during his stay in this Mystic Realm . The mention had made him wonder if it was a tiered title , and his Status Screen proved it was .

The combination of hitting level 150 and the title that came with it had narrowly pushed him over 20 , 000 attribute points , double the level of the first checkpoint of the skill . A quick check also confirmed Promising Specialist was gone , replaced with the new title rather than him having both . It was a bit of a disappointment , but the old title had only provided +5 all attributes and +5% Endurance . The new one was a pure upgrade , especially for his Strength .

Still , it made Zac wonder if there were an Apex title , one that would provide Attribute Efficiency . Perhaps if you reached your attribute limit?

Since he’d already passed 20 , 000 Strength and gotten the title to match , Zac poured all of his free points into Dexterity . Altogether , the three levels had given him almost a 5% increase in his attribute pool , and they were mainly targeted at Strength and Dexterity . That was exactly what Zac wanted . Anything that would allow him to hit a bit harder and faster at this stage was a welcome addition .

It was a shame he didn’t have a quick way to gain the last five levels to his undead side as well , but the boost still gave Zac some confidence when the trio set out again six hours later . He still hoped he wouldn’t find himself face-to-face with a whole army of infiltrators , possibly led by hundreds of Hegemons . A few levels and titles wouldn’t help against that .

But some things were simply unavoidable .

Four days after his breakthrough , Ogras proclaimed they were within the official borders of the Kingdom of Billy . They’d already left the Badlands behind and had entered a much more familiar type of environment—large tree groves with grassy plains between them .

There were also signs of human intervention—enormous yet simple trenches and traps designed to deal with beast tides . However , just as the group was about to pass the battlements , Vai stilled .

Enemies! - Vai whispered , and the air around them started to glimmer as Ogras powered up his domain before they jumped into the trench and dug a temporary hideout .

How many? - Zac asked after they’d erected an isolation array .

Thirty , they’re moving fast , - Vai said . - Looks like a scouting party . -

Do you think it’s Billy’s people? Those Gnivelings you mentioned? - Zac asked .

Doubtful , - Ogras said with a shake of his head . - Billy doesn’t need any scouts . The Realm Spirit is more effective than any scouting unit . -

If there are scouting parties this close . . . - Vai hesitated .

Then they definitely know about the Kingdom of Billy , - Zac sighed . - We might be in for a fight . Do you want to stay here? -

N-No , - Vai said with a shake of her head , gripping her bowl tighter . - I’m coming with . I can still help . We are days away from the settlement , and you need a scout . -

Ogras shrugged . - She’s right . I can’t guarantee my methods will work against all types of scouts , and it just takes one set of sharp eyes to expose us . -

Let’s keep going like this , then , - Zac agreed . - We avoid enemy squads as long as possible until we figure out Billy’s situation . He might have relocated already . -

The three waited an hour for the scouting party to leave the area before they set out , but they met another group just three hours later and a third scouting party after another five . Even Ogras had a somber expression by that point . There was still a chance for it to be a coincidence with one group . With three , it was all but certain the infiltrators were carrying out some big operation in the area .

And that operation was definitely related to the Kingdom of Billy .

Not only that , the infiltrators seemed to be expecting trouble judging by the parties .

They managed to creep closer and closer to their destination over the next three days . Until Vai’s bowl almost lit up like a bonfire , prompting both Zac and Ogras to look over with confusion .

S-Signals , - Vai stuttered . - So many . Thousands . -

Shit , - Ogras said . - Billy’s castle isn’t far from here . -

Let’s go , - Zac said , and they kept moving until a powerful energy wave swept past them .

There’s a battle , - Zac said with relief .

The brute is actually holding out against an army? - Ogras said , confusion written all over his face . - How is that possible? -

The Void Gate , - Vai said , her eyes glimmering . - I bet they are here fighting against the bad guys . Where else would they have gone but here? -

Zac finally understood why Vai was so adamant about joining them for this final stretch . She believed there was a good chance the elite Void Gate warriors would be found with Billy . And perhaps she was right . Twenty minutes later , they managed to sneak a peek at the battlefield .

A lonesome mountain peak stood within a barricaded crater . The whole cavity was protected by a bubble that reeked of powerful Spatial Energies , and outside , a mighty army was laying siege . Over thirty enormous towers had been erected , and Zac could sense how they were accumulating power . If he had to guess , the earlier outburst came from these things firing simultaneously .

What are we supposed to do now ? - Ogras said . - Fight our way inside? The castle is sealed shut . They’re not fighting back at all . I don’t know if we’d even manage to get through the barrier . And if we do , then what? We’d be stuck inside just like Billy . -

Zac wasn’t sure what to do either . Eventually , he turned to Vai , who looked at the scene wide-eyed . - How many Hegemons are there? -

By this point , normal E-grade cultivators didn’t really matter to him . The only difference between fighting ten and a thousand was how long it would take to win and making sure he didn't run out of steam first . The problem was the Hegemons hidden within their ranks . A defensive Hegemon could almost completely nullify his attacks , while offensive ones could unleash powerful barrages at him .

If there were too many , there was simply no chance he could take on all these people himself .

Over eighty , - Vai grimaced . - Eighty Hegemons . -

Impossible , - Ogras resolutely said with a shake of his head . - There is no way I’m fighting that . I’m not dying like this after I finally have a shot at getting out of here . -

How about we send a distress beacon to the Void Gate to confirm if they’re inside? - Zac asked , then there was a sudden change that made him freeze .

A substantial spatial bubble had started to grow on the barrier in the distance . In just a moment , it was half as big as the barrier itself , while the shield seemed to have lost some of its luster . The new bubble bulged out ominously toward a flank of the infiltrator army , who started running for their lives . The bubble popped , and over a hundred cultivators were torn apart as a beam of spatial chaos shot out .

Right toward them .

Hurry , Gemmy is making a path! - a childish voice echoed in their ears just as Zac was about to turn tail and run for his life .

Zac glanced at Ogras , who looked positively nauseated . It was clear he recognized the voice , so it was obvious to Zac who it belonged to . There was no hesitation as he grabbed Ogras with his left hand and Vai with a vine as he rushed straight for the incoming chaos .

I knew it , - the demon groaned . - I knew there’d be trouble when I heard that voice . -

9

BREAKING THROUGH

The explosion released from the spatial barrier surrounding Billy’s place expanded in a straight line . Every second , it grew a mile longer , already having left the army behind as it made its way toward Zac and his two companions .

This is a bad idea , - Ogras muttered as he slunk out of Zac’s grip , keeping pace . - You can’t trust that fool of a Realm Spirit to know what it’s doing . -

An ominous ripple spread through the spatial beam , as if cursed by the demon’s unlucky words . Zac’s eyes widened in alarm , and he activated his movement skill , but then frantically canceled it when his mind screamed of mortal danger . It was just in time as well . His contraction of space had created small fissures in front of him .

What the— - Ogras groaned as he emerged bloody from a puff of shadows , clearly having encountered a similar phenomenon .

There was no time to answer as Zac desperately scrambled out of the way . He narrowly avoided getting split in two thanks to Vivi’s vines , but he still felt a cold sensation as the spatial tear nicked him . From there , the errant burst of energy continued past as it carved an enormous crevasse into the ground .

Another one had streaked through the enemy lines , instantly killing a set of unlucky souls while cutting apart one of the siege towers .

How can space be this brittle? - Vai exclaimed , turning visibly pale .

Can’t you feel it? - Ogras grunted as he pointed at the dissipating tear . - It’s not pure . -

Zac’s brows furrowed as he sensed what the demon was getting at . There really was a hint of the Lost Plane’s madness inside that spatial tear , though it was still barely discernible .

This realm might really be crumbling! - Vai cried .

No matter how weak the sign was , it wasn’t good news . They hadn’t seen the situation improve over the past week , but neither had it deteriorated . To see hints of the Lost Plane this far from his pillar , especially in conjunction with how brittle space was , proved the situation might be even worse than they’d feared .

We’ll worry about that later , - Zac said , speaking to himself as much as the others . - We need to move—they’ve spotted us . -

Into that deathtrap? - Ogras said with a raised brow .

It’ll be fine . - Zac kept running toward the incoming chaos , even if he wasn’t without misgivings .

It wasn’t only foolhardiness and blind faith that propelled him forward , though the madness inside the tears had been an unwelcome surprise . Thanks to Rapturous Divide] and his study of the theories in the Book of Duality , Zac had a good idea of what Billy or the Realm Spirit were planning . He’d noticed it right away . The core of the incoming shockwave was hollow and expanding .

As expected , the corridor of destruction soon collapsed , creating two spatial storms that blocked out the invaders while a third covered the sky . Between the storms , a 100-meter-wide pathway mostly free of spatial turbulence appeared , leading all the way to the walled fort in the distance . It was a solid idea , and would have been almost perfect if not for space turning so brittle .

There was no way he’d dare use his movement skill in this kind of environment after his previous close encounter . He might accidentally step into the Void if he did that . Perhaps even the Lost Plane . Even using too-powerful attacks was risky , though that was as much a strength as a weakness since it restrained the enemies as well . Most importantly , the spatial beam opened a path for them while keeping the invaders at bay .

Most of them , at least .

Zac knew first-hand how dangerous those kinds of spatial storms were to traverse , but it wasn’t impossible . A few of the invaders were already making their way through under the urgings of their superiors . Some were even thrown inside when they refused to move . However , most were led by Hegemons , who used brute force to carve a path .

Dozens learned the same lesson they had , and Zac spotted a Hegemon get swallowed by a spatial tear when he tried to teleport through the storm . Meanwhile , hundreds of warriors were rushing toward Zac , wanting to intercept their approach or use their entrance .

I’ll take the left , - the demon said as dark clouds made from shadows started to spread , while Zac tried conjuring a fractal blade .

Space held together even under the pressure of Nature’s Edge] empowered by two of his Dao Branches , but Zac could feel it wouldn’t be able to endure much more punishment than that . Still , that was all Zac needed as he unleashed a constant stream of fractal leaves toward the right .

The closest warriors , who previously made up the army’s rear , initially tried to block Zac’s attacks with various defensive skills . That only resulted in a scene of utter carnage as blades empowered by two Dao Branches and a monstrous amount of strength cut through everything in their path .

The situation wasn’t as lopsided on the other side , with Ogras using all kinds of tools to impede the incoming tide of warriors . Hidden spears rose from the shadows , illusions made warriors turn on their allies , and an obscuring haze led people straight into the spatial storms . It formed a dangerous web that delayed their enemies long enough for Zac and his companions to enter the pathway . In their wake , Ogras released his illusory shroud , which would give them a head start for the final stretch .

Can you destabilize the storms even further? - Zac asked of Vai , who nodded after some hesitation .

The researcher started releasing spatial ripples from her vine seat , which entered the churning storms at their sides . The swells were instilled with Vai’s Spatial Dao Branch , and the storms picked up ferocity everywhere they passed . Warriors who were narrowly hanging on suddenly found themselves overwhelmed by a barrage of spatial tears and were ripped to shreds .

She also sent ripples to their rear , opening up large , jagged scars in their wake . She managed to connect the two storms , though the barrier was nowhere near as thick as the ones to their sides . Still , having a Spatial Cultivator proved extremely useful , and she singlehandedly averted more than five ambushes as they ran toward the fort .

Soon enough , a whole squad of warriors emerged from the storm , led by a defensive Hegemon who’d simply blocked out the innumerable spatial tears . The group was a bit bloodied and battered , but their auras were solid as they formed an iron wall between Zac’s group and the wall in the distance .

Just as they formed their defensive perimeter , a deep rumble echoed through the area , and a golden mountain rose from the ground right at their feet . The Hegemon slammed down on it with an enormous , engraved pillar he carried , and it formed some sort of seal on the ground .

The seal groaned in protest upon colliding with the golden mountain peak , narrowly withstanding the unrelenting push . However , the energy the Hegemon unleashed was just too powerful , and spatial tears sprung up all around the invaders . One struck the Hegemon on his left arm , and Ogras used the opportunity to activate a familiar strike .

Two lances of condensed shadows appeared , one behind and one in front of the Hegemon , who suddenly found himself under attack from every direction . He wasn’t the only one in trouble , as the activation created a series of spatial tears all around Zac and the others . Zac knew this would happen , and already had ample experience dodging them since his time in the research base .

Zac pushed through the spatial turbulence just in time to see one of the shadow lances strike the Hegemon right in his heart . It wasn’t enough to kill the man—some sort of plate hidden beneath his robes blocked the strike—but the force pushed him right into a spatial tear that tore up his back .

Together , it was enough to destabilize the defensive seal , and the golden mountain below pushed through with redoubled ferocity . It contained an immense weight , and some of the E-grade warriors were crushed from the pressure alone . Others managed to avoid the mayhem but were forced back into the spatial storm .

By that point , Zac and Ogras were already upon the stragglers , and they finished off the Hegemon with a blitz assault of ferocious swings before they rounded the mountain . Even then , the three were covered in wounds due to the mountain conjuring too many tears to perfectly avoid them all .

After passing the mountain , they’d already crossed two-thirds of the corridor , and Zac smiled as he saw a familiar form standing at the mouth of the barrier like a stalwart tower . Billy looked almost exactly like before , except his hair had turned golden just like it did in his transformed state . If Zac had to guess , it meant Billy had properly awakened his bloodline .

There was also a powerful sense of oppression emanating from his fleshy body , and it felt like a mountain was blocking the gated entrance rather than a person . Just a bloodline wasn’t enough to give off such a brutal aura , and neither was stacking strength . The titan must have not only awakened his Titanic heritage , but also cultivated some sort of Body Tempering Method to the limits of the E-grade .

Zac didn’t want the giant to accidentally thwonk him or Vai , so his face started to morph back into its original form as they closed in on the opening in the spatial barrier . A wide smile immediately spread across Billy’s face when he saw Zac’s appearance .

Haha! Super Brother Man has finally found Billy! And you even found stupid Horny Guy! - A booming laugh echoed through the area .

Zac was about to answer , but two more Hegemons appeared to bar their path . They didn’t look too happy about the situation , knowing which way the wind blew . They were pincered between an unmovable Billy and Zac , who was already bearing down on them like a runaway train .

The first of the two grit his teeth and pointed at Zac , prompting a hundred bloody suns to appear above his head . Zac felt a sense of danger from them , but one didn’t need his level of Luck to realize they spelled trouble . Space crackled around the glowing orbs , and the whole pathway started rapidly deteriorating .

Be prepared in case my barrier fails , - Zac said as a golden laurel appeared on his head .

Three pillars rose from the ground behind him , enclosing Ogras , Vai , and Zac in a barrier . It was one of the features of the skill reaching Middle Proficiency . With three pillars rather than two , his defensive skill would either turn more durable , or he could protect a third person .

The activation was just in time , as a rain of deadly rays descended on their position . Each sanguine sun was like a turret that released one beam after another , but the suns were also falling toward them like a manufactured meteor shower , each orb creating trailing spatial tears in their wake .

Zac frowned at the incoming mayhem , hesitant whether he would have to unleash one of his more powerful attacks . But space was already at a breaking point from those orbs . What would happen if he added Arcadia’s Judgement] to the mix? At the same time , he wasn’t confident his skill could block both the spatial tears and the Hegemon’s skill .

An angry roar broke the status quo as Billy swung his club . Weirdly enough , it crashed into empty space like it was a solid , and huge cracks spread toward the Hegemons . Amazingly , not a single spatial tear moved in Billy’s direction—they were all heading outward . Had Billy gained insights into the Dao of Space , or was the Dimensional Seed helping him?

Either way , it forced the second Hegemon’s hand . He stood guard against Billy , then made a different choice from his companion—he fled instead of taking on the giant’s attack . He turned into a stream of blood that cut through the spatial chaos , the skill looking a lot like the ones the scouts in the mountain range used .

Something like that was a risky gambit , but he made it to the outer edges of the spatial storm before the skill collapsed , and he emerged as a bloody mess . He was covered in scars and lost one leg , but he was alive . That left a shocked and enraged Hegemon behind , who suddenly faced the incoming spatial tears from behind .

The Hegemon turned and unleashed a bloody storm , and the brief bout of inattention cost him dearly . Ogras appeared out of nowhere from the man’s shadow , and his spear pierced straight into the man’s bicep . It was far from a lethal wound , but that didn’t mean Ogras had missed .

Instead of targeting a lethal point that might be protected like before , Ogras targeted the Skill Fractal for the skill in the sky . The suns shuddered , then started to lose their cohesiveness , with only the Hegemon’s Dao keeping the skill together . With the skill broken , Zac no longer felt any need to activate one of his finishers .

The remaining efficacy of Empyrean Aegis] would be enough to deal with the fallout , so Zac threw Vai to Ogras , who’d appeared back by their side with a new set of wounds . As expected , flashing over like that was dangerous , but sometimes you had to take a risk . The ground beneath Zac’s feet cracked as he pushed forward with all his might , propelling himself straight through the storm of spatial tears and collapsing suns .

A fractal leaf no larger than a meter and a half swung down , its form shrouded by two extremely condensed clouds in black and gold . The Hegemon condensed another barrier , but it was futile in front of a condensed Rapturous Divide] empowered by Zac’s Dao and a collapsing spacetime .

A colossal scar in space cut straight through the man and continued into the spatial storms , swallowing the two apparitions of the Abyss and Arcadia . It even reached the army outside , and Zac watched the chaotic scene with wide eyes as dozens of energy streams entered his body . Thank god he’d angled the strike away from the fort .

With the Hegemon dead , the final obstacle between himself and Billy was gone . The giant was excitedly waving his club like he hadn’t just brutalized two Hegemons and scared off another . Space was actively collapsing , but they were right at the home stretch .

Ogras caught up with Vai slung over his shoulder , and the three passed through the barrier . The spatial bubble closed behind them , cutting off the spatial tears that looked ready to swallow everything around them . The grating sound of the tearing space and pained cries of the warriors caught in the storm were cut off as well , leaving only their panting breaths and Billy’s booming laugh .

Haha , did you like Billy’s mountain? - The giant grinned as he excitedly swung his nasty club like it was made out of foam .

It was very cool . - Zac grinned , relieved to see space was perfectly stable inside the barrier . - It’s nice to finally see you again . -

Gemmy helped too! - the childish voice from before exclaimed as a shimmering crystal flew out from one of Billy’s pockets . - Billy says you can help bash the bad guys and cure Gemmy? -

Are . . . you the Dimensional Seed? - Zac asked , staring at the floating gem curiously .

Gemmy is Gemmy , - the gem hummed . - You are stupid . But why do you smell familiar? -

Uh , - Zac hesitated . - We met once when you were younger . We helped each other out to escape from some bad guys . -

Ah! Gemmy remembers! Gemmy was inside you! - The floating gem giggled , which drew odd looks from Ogras and Vai . - Your body is weird . Hungry . Hungry Guy . -

Well , uh . . . - Zac coughed .

Ah , Gemmy is tired . Going to take a nap in the fire . - The gem flew off toward the innards of the fort , and Zac saw that Vai was just as confused as he felt .

Like I never left , - Ogras sighed .

Finally , friends have come to help . Welcome to Kingdom of Billy! - Billy excitedly exclaimed as he followed the Dimensional Seed .

So , are we just going to pretend the army outside isn’t there? Or that space isn’t apparently on the verge of collapse? - Ogras said as they walked through the thick wall .

Billy hasn’t forgotten how you tricked the Smallboys and stole Dao Stones , Horny Guy , - Billy snorted . - And Billy has a plan to fix everything . -

You have a plan? - Ogras asked as they emerged on the other side . - I’d had hoped to die between the bosoms of two succubae , but I guess this place will have to do . -

Let’s just list— - Zac said , but he was interrupted by a series of hurried steps and a loud exclamation .

Vai! Is that you? -

Zac looked over with confusion , vaguely recognizing the voice , and his brows rose when he saw not one , but two familiar faces run toward them .

10

ALWAYS SOMETHING

Each step Leyara Lioress took rippled with space as she was propelled forward across the fort . She looked the same as the last time they met—apart from the revealing garments she wore in the Base Town . They’d been replaced by a dress more in line with the long white robes most of the Void Gate nuns wore .

Leyara’s aura was surprisingly condensed , and Zac realized Vai might have been generous when she placed Ogras at the same power level . Her aura even eclipsed most of the elites Zac had seen in the Twilight Ascent , including those from outside factions . Not only that , but she wore a set of glove-like Spirit Tools with huge gemstones on the back of her hands .

Knowing who Leyara’s master was , they were probably Peak-quality Spirit tools . Who knew what other items she carried around .

Seeing Leyara here in the depths of the Dimensional Seed was shocking , but it was even more unexpected to see Pretty Peak by her side . Rather than a dress , she had opted to wear an engraved set of leather armor that emitted a powerful aura of carnage . If Zac had to guess , the leather had been tanned with High-grade beast blood to give it such a ferocious feeling , and Pretty’s martial air only further amplified it .

Even then , Pretty’s aura wasn’t quite as condensed as Leyara’s , though it wasn’t that far off . It felt a bit backward after learning about the crazy Peak family . Then again , Leyara wasn’t some nobody . She was a handpicked Terminal Disciple of one of the most powerful cultivators in the Sector , while Pretty Peak came from a powerful clan in the Allbright Empire .

Ah , the slow girl is here , - Billy muttered as he looked at Leyara with some trepidation . - Always asking Billy about the design , never understanding . -

Design? - Zac said , giving Billy a curious look .

Billy turned excited again , but he was interrupted before he could explain .

You! What are you doing here? - Leyara exclaimed when she saw Zac standing between Billy and Vai , her pristine face scrunching into a scowl . - And why have you brought my aunt! Are you crazy? -

Only then did Zac remember he’d reverted to his original face to avoid getting accidentally thwonked . His mind momentarily froze with panic , then he regained his calm , because it didn’t matter . The whole point of going undercover was to hide his identity until he could contact Leyara , which was moot now that she was standing right in front of him .

Little Lara! - Vai cried , running over to her niece , tears pooling in her eyes as she threw herself into Leyara’s arms . - I’m so happy to see you . The Void Star is a lot scarier than you said . -

I’m glad you’re okay . - Leyara smiled , patting Vai’s head , though her eyes never left Zac . - What are you doing here? Has that guy done anything to you? -

Ah , Lara , this is , ehm , Gaun Sorom , - Vai hurriedly said when she saw her niece’s guarded expression . - He’s . . . He’s not a bad guy! W-Well , he is a bit greedy , but he helped me a lot! We were on the same mission to stabilize a Spatial Nexus , but things took a turn . -

Gaun Sorom? - Leyara blankly said , glancing between Zac and Vai . - Why do you call him that? That’s not his name . -

Eh , you two know each other? - Vai said .

Why wouldn’t I know him? - Leyara sighed . - Aunty , I was the one who told you about him , remember? How we met in the Tower of Eternity? -

You have been traveling with the Deviant Asura without knowing? - Pretty smiled at Vai then looked Zac up and down . - I almost thought you had died after not hearing from you for so long , but I’m happy to be proven wrong . We need people like you for the upcoming war . -

Vai looked like she’d been struck by lightning , her mouth slowly opening and closing without speaking . Zac simply let her process her thoughts for the time being while he dealt with the niece .

Nice to see the two of you again , - Zac said with a wry smile as he turned to Leyara . - I’m sorry about dropping in like this . I had planned on contacting you , but I didn’t know how . And with the rumors and the bounties . . . -

You think too little of the Void Gate if you thought we cared for those rumors or the Tsarun Bounty , - Leyara said with a cute pout . - The Space Gate has probably been brewing in the Million Gates Territory for hundreds of thousands of years . Even if you somehow nudged the events , you could at most have sped things up by a few centuries . -

Zac was inwardly relieved . He didn’t really think he was responsible for the Space Gate opening either , but it was nice to hear the strongest Spatial Faction in the Zecia sector backed him up on that front . Still , it was an odd coincidence that Leyara and Pretty were in this specific Mystic Realm , considering it might have been the Dimensional Seed that triggered the Space Gate to start opening early .

Was that why they were here , to investigate the source of the turbulence? Or was it related to the Left Imperial Palace and the Lost Plane? Zac was about to ask , but Vai preempted him .

C-Corpse Trees! Atwood . . . Piker , - Vai stammered , her eyes wide as saucers . - P-Pervert! -

This is why I said you need to keep up with current events , Aunty , - Leyara said with a shake of her head . - You never know when you run into scary people on the outside . -

Y-You’re really the Deviant Asura? - Vai asked , her face full of confusion and loss .

Well , yeah , I guess . Sorry I didn’t explain things properly before . I figured it was for the best when you didn’t realize who I was . My identity is a bit complicated , and I have a lot of enemies , - Zac said . - Still , you shouldn’t believe those rumors you might have heard about me . -

So you didn’t fight all the Sector elites and then hung them up in your corpse tree? - Vai said , blushing slightly . - B-Before disappearing for hours with a Draugr lady . -

Uh , no . Well , that did happen , - Zac coughed , then glared at the demon , who’d been laughing for a while now . - What’s so funny? -

The Deviant Asura? - Ogras snickered , his grin almost splitting his face apart .

I didn’t pick the name , - Zac sighed .

You did when you broadcasted your desire for young women across the whole Sector , - Pretty Peak snorted .

I’m impressed , - Ogras whistled . - Here I thought you remained the same bore as before , but it looks you’ve been living it up on the outside . -

Can we just focus on the matter at hand? - Zac groaned .

First , explain why you’re here , - Pretty said . - It’s a bit suspicious you’ve been missing for almost ten years , only to suddenly appear here when the place is crawling with invaders . And you’ve even been traveling undercover? -

I needed some stuff inside the Void Star , so I came here to get it . Like I said earlier , I chose to sneak in because I was afraid using my real identity would get me in trouble . Things took a bit of a turn from there as a bunch of infiltrators blew up one of the Spatial Nexuses . Eventually , Vai and I wound up here . -

Fate brought you here? - Leyara asked without much surprise , which prompted both him and Ogras to look at the woman suspiciously .

I guess you could say that , - Zac said . - What about you two? -

I have been fighting the infiltrators in the Million Gates Territory with the Empire , - Pretty Peak said . - But that place is chaotic and hard to traverse , and we simply can’t find the Space Gate . So I came to the Void Gate in search of solutions . Then I learned these Kan’Tanu had managed to infiltrate the Void Star , and that there might even be a path to the Space Gate from here . -

You’re mounting a counter-attack through the Stellar Ladder? - Zac asked curiously .

Well , that was the plan , anyway , but things have taken a turn , - Pretty grimaced , then glared at Billy . - Some people are making things difficult . -

Billy can throw you back in the dungeon if you don’t like it , Angry Girl , - Billy laughed . - You are no good at drawing the array anyway . -

Is that about the design you mentioned earlier , Billy? - Zac asked .

You two know each other since before? - Leyara asked when she saw how familiar they were . - How is that possible? -

Well , Billy is from the same planet as me , - Zac shrugged . - We dealt with the incursions together . -

Ah , Billy misses the Ratlight , - Billy sighed . - The Ratlight was simpler than this . Thwonk things , and they give you money and make you stronger . -

Why didn’t you tell us you were from the outside? - Pretty scowled at Billy . - Or that you knew Zac Atwood? We could have avoided the misunderstandings . -

You didn’t ask Billy , so Billy didn’t say . - Billy shrugged .

I’m sure this will all make for a good conversation later . Now , I heard there was a plan to get out of this mess alive? - Ogras interjected .

Ah , right! - the giant exclaimed . - Gemmy is sick , so Billy is healing Gemmy . As long as Gemmy gets better , she can help us . -

Zac frowned at hearing such news . This was exactly what he’d been afraid of , that him conjuring the pillar would have harmed the Realm Spirit and this world .

What do you know about healing Realm Spirits? - Ogras asked with a raised brow . - Did you dream up a solution? -

Yes! Billy learned it while sleeping! - Billy laughed . - Billy always has the best ideas when asleep . -

Uh , - Zac hesitated .

We were also skeptical at first , but it might actually work , - Leyara offered . - Come , look . -

Are you okay? - Zac asked Vai .

I-It’s a lot . I knew you were not just someone from Salosar Seven , but I didn’t imagine you were , well , - Vai said as she furtively looked at Zac . However , her gaze soon steadied when she looked into his eyes . - I still think you’re a good person , even if you are a deviant . -

That’s not— - Zac grimaced , but the researcher was dragged off by Leyara and Pretty before he could try to explain himself .

It was very reminiscent of how Galau had been whisked off back then , and the space around the three was soon sealed . Zac could only shake his head and move toward the edge of the crater with the others . The researcher was no doubt recapping her experiences over the past months . Hopefully , Vai wasn’t to put off by him being vague about his identity .

Still , the situation was even better than he’d expected . They stumbled onto Leyara , the key to getting out of this place , and plans were already well underway . Of course , this all hinged on this plan Billy had somehow dreamt up , so they weren’t entirely out of the woods just yet .

Soon , they reached the crater’s edge , and Zac could finally see what was hidden inside—a massive array . It had to be just over a mile in diameter , and it almost completely covered the crater . In its center , the lone peak remained—the mountain that was once an insectoid hive .

There were also some remnants of structures around the peak , but most were being dismantled to give way to the innumerable pathways . The work was still underway , with both humans and some small gnome-like beings working hand in hand , with a few floating Hegemons directing from above .

The array was terrifyingly complex , comprised of hundreds of different sections , most of which Zac couldn’t even begin to comprehend . His Primal Polyglot] wasn’t up to deciphering any clues either . Judging by Ogras’ surprised and befuddled look , he wasn’t expecting this scene either .

What . . . is this? - Zac said .

This array will let Gemmy come with Billy when we leave , - Billy said with excitement . - It will make Gemmy into a Pocket Realm . -

A what? - Zac said .

It’s a High-grade technique that doesn’t exist on the frontier , - a foreign voice said , coming from a Hegemon that floated over . - Hopefully , we will still have time to finish it after your little stunt . -

Bah , stupid guy , - Billy glared . - Less complaining and more drawing , or Billy will throw you back into the dungeon . -

The Hegemon snorted , giving Zac a second glance , and flew away .

What’s going on? Is the shield failing? - Zac asked .

Gemmy is sick , - Billy said again with a sad expression . - She can’t gather much energy any longer , and bad guys outside are wasting it . -

And letting us inside drained her , - Zac sighed , getting an affirmative nod from Billy . - I’m sorry . -

It’s not Super Brother Man’s fault , - Billy smiled . - Friends help friends . Besides , Billy thinks you can help . Billy’s plan is good , but it can get better . -

I’ll do my best . What did you mean by throwing that guy into the dungeon? -

One day , Gemmy said more bad guys were breaking into Gemmy’s world , - Billy said . - The first people were already harming Gemmy , so Billy decided to catch these ones . Gemmy did space magic and made bad guys appear inside Billy’s dungeon instead of the edge of the world . -

No wonder , - Zac laughed as he remembered the empty forest they appeared inside .

What is making the world sick? - Ogras asked . - How long do we have until this all goes tits up? -

Ah , that’s . . . - Billy became confused .

A dangerous energy is invading the Mystic Realm , - Leyara said as she walked over with Pretty and Vai . - Vai retold your experiences . I’m sorry about how I acted . I owe you a favor for keeping my aunt safe all this time . -

She helped me just as much , - Zac smiled . - What dangerous energy? When did this happen? -

Since the start , - Leyara said . - It has been a bit hard to piece together the events , but it looks like the Realm Spirit swallowed up a dimensional fragment holding something dangerous . That realm started releasing its energy , spreading like poison through Gemmy’s world . By the time Gemmy realized there was a problem , it had already lost control over that region of its body . -

And let me guess , it’s to the east? - Ogras sighed .

The nasty place , - Billy said as he looked at Ogras . - It got worse after you went there , stupid guy . -

How is that possible? I got a quest to cleanse that place . I spent a year killing the monsters . I even blew the whole thing up to kill the last of the—ah? - Ogras froze , his brows furrowing together . - Now you’re telling me , bastard? -

Ogras’ behavior looked odd , but Zac understood he was speaking with the goblin Tool Spirit .

What’s going on? - Leyara asked curiously . - By the way , what’s happened to you? You didn’t look like this in the Tower of Eternity . Have you become a ghost? Did the spirits speak with you? -

Yes , to speaking with ghosts , but I am still very much alive , - Ogras said with a grin . - If you’re interested , you are most welcome to perform a thorough— -

Ahem , - Zac coughed . - What did the ghost say? -

Ah? - Ogras blanked out until he remembered what they were dealing with . - Oh , yeah . Remember how the Kingdom of Ra’Lashar rose? How they gained their insights? -

They found a weakness in— - Zac’s eyes widened .

Zac had read some of Ogras’ notes on the insane goblin society over the past month , and it was clear what the demon was referring to . The Ra’Lashar were once a simple species on a low E-grade world . But one day , they stumbled onto a weak spot leading to the Lost Plane . Not only did that result in their planet being flooded with enough tainted ambient energy to nurture Monarchs , but they also managed to extract all kinds of knowledge .

The ghost figured the pathway would be gone since the whole planet disappeared , with but a small fragment being dragged into this traveling Mystic Realm , - Ogras said . - But what if it’s still there? What if the connection remains? -

Bad guys are at the nasty place making things worse , - Billy said , confirming the reports they lifted from the lipless Hegemon .

The invaders are opening a path , looking for things they shouldn’t , - Ogras muttered .

We’re lucky , - Leyara said . - Vai told me how you conjured a huge pillar a month ago? It drained a lot of the buildup in this world . The plan was a bit iffy before , but we have a shot of getting out of here alive now . There’s only one problem . . . -

There always is , - Ogras sighed , and Zac could only agree .

There was always something .

11

CROOKED SCHEMES

Nothing was ever easy in the Multiverse , at least not for those without strength or backing . And in a chaotic scene like the one they found themselves in , Zac wasn’t surprised to hear there were roadblocks to Billy’s ambitious plan .

What will happen when this array is turned on? - Zac asked Billy , who clearly wasn’t keeping up with the conversation .

Ah , - Billy hesitated . - Gemmy will come with Billy and leave? -

It’s not quite that easy , - Leyara added from the side . - This array will break off most of the mass of this Mystic Realm before forming a true subspace that will be stored inside the Realm Spirit’s avatar . We would stay inside , but the controller could simply take us out like it was a Spatial Treasure . -

What! - Vai exclaimed as she looked down at the array . - How is that possible? The energy consumption alone . . . -

It normally wouldn’t be possible without an extremely powerful energy source , but we have a unique advantage A sapient World Spirit who is willing to fuel the process . I doubt even my master could accomplish this without Gemmy’s aid , - Leyara said . - I can neither confirm nor deny any of this . Such an array is far beyond my understanding . We are only drawing it according to King Billy’s specifications . -

So , what’s the problem? -

First of all , we’re cutting it extremely close , - Pretty said . - Those people outside have figured out we can’t replenish our energy , so they’re content with gradually whittling us down . Now , it looks even worse , unless the two of you are skilled at formations and energy control? -

Uh , - Zac said while Ogras studiously looked away .

Thought as much , - Pretty snorted .

Can’t we just go out and slow them down? - Zac asked .

That was our plan in case things started to go south , - Pretty said . - We have simply waited since the Templar Hegemons are needed to draw the most complicated pathways . Apart from them , only Leyara can do it . But with Senior Lioress and you two here , we finally have the opportunity to strike back . -

Zac blanked out for a second , wondering if the Void Priestess had appeared as well . A second later , Zac realized Pretty was talking about Vai when she said Senior Lioress . It was easy to forget she was over a thousand years old when she almost looked like a teenager . The little researcher was studying the vast array with almost burning eyes , muttering to herself and scribbling notes .

Seemed she only needed an exciting topic of study to forget all about the matter of the Deviant Asura .

A few successful raids will give us more time to draw the array , - Leyara agreed . - But that doesn’t solve the real issue . -

What’s that? - Zac asked with a sinking feeling that trouble was about to come knocking at his door .

The Kan’Tanu infiltrators are extracting too much energy from these ruins you mentioned , - Leyara said . - When this array is activated , it will turn into a black hole as it swallows all the energy in this world .

Including all that tainted energy , - Ogras grimaced .

Exactly . - Leyara nodded . - We fear that activating while the source of corruption remains will not only drag all that corruption into the core of this world , it might even swallow the origin of all that tainted energy , which will be disastrous . This whole realm would likely explode , killing the Realm Spirit and us alike . -

Zac took a deep breath before calmly looking at Leyara . - Let me guess . Someone has to go there and turn off the faucet , so to speak? -

Preferably while conjuring another pillar , if possible , - Leyara agreed . - The more tainted energy we excise , the more likely it is for Gemmy to survive this transformation . -

What’s your plan? - Ogras asked with a raised brow . - That place is months away . -

To kill enough enemies for Gemmy to hurl a few people in the right direction , - Leyara said with a weak smile . - And hope they survive the journey . -

That’s it? Hurl them across half the domain? That’s the plan? - Ogras asked incredulously . - Billy and that fool of a gem , I understand , but how can you just go along with it? -

Well , we didn’t have much of a choice , - Pretty said with a roll of her eyes . - We are essentially prison labor stuck inside this place . It was either this or stay in the dungeons while that brute and his pet realm tried to solve this mess themselves . Besides , what are we supposed to do? Let these invaders run about unchecked? Better we blow up this whole place and us along with it than let them succeed in taking this place over . -

Well , let’s avoid blowing ourselves up if we can avoid it , - Zac grimaced . - Why are there no powerhouses here? They’d be able to solve this issue with a wave of their sleeve . Why have you guys only brought Early D-grade Hegemons? -

We had to send back a few of our powerhouses on the way . The inner reaches have become too fragile after the sabotage , - Leyara sighed . - If anything , the infiltrators want us to send Monarchs into the Void Star . Their mere presence would most likely cause a chain reaction that would splinter the Void Star , sending the realms to all corners of Zecia . If we’re unlucky , the Stellar Ladder will remain intact , giving the invaders free rein . We have already been forced to detach our most valuable realms to avoid that kind of energy overload . -

Weaker Middle Hegemons can technically enter these depths , but it’s not worth it . An elite Early Hegemon will give off roughly the same energy , but their effective combat strength is higher . You’re a prime example of that . You’re an E-grade cultivator with an aura of an Early Hegemon , yet I bet few early Hegemons are your match , - Pretty Peak added . - I would really have loved to spar with you a bit if the world wasn’t ending . -

Another time . - Zac smiled .

Zac had expected as much from the lack of Monarchs , but it was still a kick to the groin that the Void Priestess or someone like the Starfall Monarch simply couldn’t swing by and solve this mess . At least that explained why he and Vai hadn’t encountered any too dangerous realms until now . Even the most savage places they crossed had Late Beast Kings at worst , with not a single one sporting the Beast Emperors who supposedly lived in the depths of the Void Star .

Still , you were just going to let Gemmy throw you into a spatial tear and hope for the best? - Zac asked .

We don’t have any other means to reach the eastern reaches in time , and Gemmy can only do so much in her current state , - Leyara explained . - And if we sent a squad earlier , we would never be able to finish the array on time . -

Let’s say the plan worked out . What would happen next? - Zac asked .

Most of this realm would collapse while the core region is reforged , - Leyara said . - I have a few anchor treasures that should be able to drag people out of the Void Star even if the Spatial Nexuses are in flux . -

Why not just use those things and get the hell out of here? - Ogras urged .

Well , for one , Gemmy is blocking us , - Leyara said . - Even if she allowed us to leave , they need to be used outside a localized space . -

In the Void? - Zac frowned .

Leyara nodded . - Exactly . We need to let the world collapse and dispel its spatial field . That will place us in a localized Void of the Void Star , and we’ll teleport out from there . -

What a shitty escape treasure , - Ogras muttered . - Need to survive the apocalypse to use it . -

They’re not meant to be used this deep inside the Void Star , and not when the whole system is collapsing . Its standard function utilizes the Spatial Nexuses that have been destroyed , - Leyara sighed .

Aren’t you supposed to be a big shot with a wealthy master? Surely you have something better? - Ogras asked .

Even if my master had better items , what good does it do me? - Leyara said with a roll of her eyes . - I’m just Peak E-grade . How am I supposed to activate a treasure that can blast us straight through dozens of spatial layers? These anchors are as good as they get for an E-grade cultivator . -

Zac nodded in agreement . Even his Flashfire Flourish] wouldn’t manage to cross such a vast distance . But thinking of his escape item , a plan started to form in Zac’s mind .

One of the anchors would go to the assault group who dealt with the tainted energy , - Leyara continued . - The moment this realm collapses , they would use the anchor to get dragged back outside . The other would go to Billy . -

To Billy? - Zac said curiously .

If everything worked out , Gemmy should be able to send Billy outside into the Void as well , where he could activate the treasure and take Gemmy with him . Once outside the Void Star , he could extract us and send in our armies to deal with any remnant infiltrators . -

This is not just about us either , - Pretty added with determination . - We cannot just flee and leave these people to their own devices . Even if we fail , we must drag them with us down to the Underworld . We cannot let them seize the Stellar Ladder . -

Are you crazy? - Ogras said with raised brows .

War will always have sacrifices , - Pretty shrugged . - If they seize this springboard into Zecia , we’re done for when the real powerhouses arrive . Trading a few juniors , even talented ones , for the safety of the whole Sector is a no-brainer . We cannot let them get their hands on this realm . -

That’s not the only thing we can’t let them get their hands on , - Ogras added with a low voice to Zac .

Zac slowly nodded in agreement as he looked down at the huge array . After reading the lipless Hegemon’s reports , they’d initially thought there were more pieces of rubble hidden in the ruins of the Ra’Lashar Kingdom . But what if that wasn’t it? What if the Kan’Tanu were actually aiming for the source—the Lost Plane?

The lipless cultivator had mentioned selling him off to some powerful faction . Was this their plan? To mine and extract opportunities and sell to powerful bidders . And with a prize like Ultom and the Left Imperial Palace , there would be no shortage of powerful factions willing to buy in . The whole Sector might be crawling with powerful forces from the Multiverse Heartlands if the pathway to the Lost Plane wasn’t closed .

The demon had evidently arrived at the same conclusion , and there was genuine fear on his face .

We cannot let them continue , - Zac agreed . - Otherwise , the invasion will become the least of our worries . -

Fate is gathering , - Leyara said .

I hate this . - Pretty spat to the side . - You two clearly know something , and so does the Void Gate . Even the invaders know , while Zecia fumbles in the dark . What the hell is going on? It’s related to these , isn’t it? -

Zac looked on as Pretty took out a familiar piece of cloth—the ones all the infiltrators carried around . Zac glanced at Leyara , who appeared conflicted . The scene was a bit odd . Leyara knew , but Pretty didn’t? Ogras looked inquisitively at Zac , who didn’t know what to say either .

He didn’t have any reason to distrust Pretty Peak , but he adamantly believed the fewer people who knew the truth , the better . What if she reported back to her elders , who then forwarded it to the leaders of the Allbright Empire?

Only one person with loose lips was needed to create a disaster . The Kan’Tanu seemed to be the same . The lowest members only knew to look for the sigils , while a few others , like the lipless Hegemon , knew a few more details . Zac doubted that Aural Cultivator knew anything concrete except that his mission was related to an opportunity the Kan’Tanu were planning to sell .

Even then , they were playing a dangerous game , to the point Zac suspected they had something to rely on . Otherwise , why wouldn’t the powerful factions just annihilate the Kan’Tanu instead of bartering with them?

I don’t know all the details either , - Zac said , which got him an exaggerated eye-roll from Pretty Peak . - Suffice to say , the Kan’Tanu are looking for something , and it’ll be bad if they find it . -

Whatever . - Pretty shrugged . - Keep it to yourselves . The truth will come out sooner or later with so many people involved . And you better pray that your secrecy won’t harm the war efforts . -

Since when were cultivators required to share their secrets? Hoarding resources and intelligence is Heaven’s Path , - Ogras grinned . - I doubt your esteemed factions are handing out cultivation resources and manuals left and right even when barbarians are knocking at the gate . -

That’s enough , - Zac sighed . - I have an escape treasure that can probably send me all the way to the Ra’Lashar Kingdom in one go , but I’m not sure how well I can steer it . I should manage to land within a few days’ travel , though , and it won’t waste any of Gemmy’s energy . -

This was the idea Zac had come up with when discussing the escape anchors . He didn’t relish the thought of storming an infiltrator base to blow up a dimensional portal , but it definitely beat their original scheme . The less energy Gemmy was forced to use , the longer they would be able to maintain the shields and work on the array . And while it was dangerous , it was better than sitting around in this failing barrier , hoping for the best .

Really? - Leyara said , her eyes lighting up . - It should work . You’d have to teleport from outside the barrier , though . Maybe use it during a raid? -

The Kan’Tanu have locked down space as well , - Pretty said . - You would have to properly break out of the encirclement to avoid any mishaps . -

We’ll figure something out . - Zac glanced to Ogras .

Good luck , - the demon said while giving a thumbs up . - I’ll be rooting for you . -

What are you talking about? - Zac smiled . - Obviously , you’re coming with me . -

Ogras only scoffed in return , but his eyes thinned when he realized Zac was serious . - You’re joking . -

Like you said , you’ve been there for almost a year . And you even have a ghost guide to help us out , - Zac shrugged . - You obviously have to come . -

That was why Billy opened the path for Horny Guy , - Billy nodded as he glared at Ogras . - If Horny Guy doesn’t go , Gemmy will throw him out again . -

Bah , fine , - Ogras swore . - I guess the safest place is by your side anyway . If we fall into the Void , perhaps some beauties in a Cosmic Vessel will come to pick us up . -

Perhaps , - Zac laughed .

Truthfully , it wasn’t only because of his need for a guide that he wanted Ogras to come with . Another reason was the ruins . Perhaps the Kan’Tanu had already unearthed another set if they were digging into the Lost Plane . And if either of them managed to get another piece , it might trigger a second pillar and drain this world of more tainted energy .

Secondly , it would be good to have the demon by his side if everything fell apart and they needed to escape . Billy would be safe since the plan required him to have one of the escape anchors , while Leyara would no doubt sort out Vai . That left him and Ogras , who would be taken care of as part of the strike group .

This way , they wouldn’t be as reliant on Leyara’s generosity when disaster struck . She clearly didn’t have enough anchors for everyone since the plan was to leave most people inside Gemmy . And it was unreasonable to expect Leyara to save him and Ogras over her own people . After all , they’d only met for two short encounters before .

How many can your escape treasure take? - Pretty asked .

Not sure , - Zac said . - One or two maximum . It’s also a bit dangerous to use for non-Fire cultivators . It will damage your foundations . -

Are you trying to get me killed! - Ogras scowled .

You’re part shadows , so you should be fine , - Zac said .

One or two? - Pretty frowned . - Is that enough? There should be some powerful enemies guarding that place . -

Our goal isn’t to take them all out but to sabotage , - Zac said . - A smaller group might work even better . -

What do you think? - Pretty asked Leyara .

Well , it’s a better plan than we have , - Leyara said . - Besides , we have a few weeks to refine the plan . -

Alright , I need to rest up a bit after that dash , - Zac said . - We’ll talk later . -

With that , everyone went their own way . Leyara and Pretty once more guided Vai away , while Zac headed off with Ogras and Billy . Apparently , they didn’t need to do anything with Gemmy maintaining the barrier . They couldn’t even counter-attack because the barrier was a true spatial divide . Just as the invaders couldn’t attack from the outside , they couldn’t attack from within like you could with a conventional City Defense Array .

Billy was over the moon from hearing that his actions in the Mystic Realm had helped save Earth . However , he was surprisingly ambivalent about there being quite a few statues of him erected across the planet , including one in Port Atwood .

Billy also told him about what happened since Ogras left , which wasn’t much , really . He’d spent most of his time fighting the beast tides or cultivating . Weirdly enough , Billy had occasionally fallen asleep for months at a time while Gemmy guarded his body . Seeing how he cultivated and made breakthroughs in his sleep , Zac guessed his bloodline was related to dreams or dreamworlds .

It wasn’t exactly what Zac expected from a Titanic bloodline . Then again , he knew nothing about real Titans .

With only earthlings around , and Gemmy who was floating inside a brazier , Zac also told them what happened to Earth since they were swallowed by the Dimensional Seed . Billy was a great audience , audibly gasping or boisterously laughing as Zac narrated his exploits from the Big Axe Coliseum to the Twilight Ascent .

The three spent a few hours catching up , with Zac providing some of the delicacies he kept inside his Spatial Ring . Unfortunately , the evening was only a brief respite , with Pretty Peak coming to discuss a surprise raid a few hours later . She wanted to strike while the iron was hot , and the outsiders were still a bit disorganized from the spatial mayhem .

Let’s get to work , - Zac grunted as Verun’s Bite] appeared in his hand .

12

RAID

A knock echoed from the half-open door to Zac’s study , prompting him to look up from the Book of Duality .

Already? - Zac sighed as Pretty Peak walked inside .

Apparently , we only have around five days . If you want enough time to figure out a solution over there , we have to make our move soon . And the sooner we get going , the more energy will be left for Gemmy . -

Thought we had just over a week , - Zac grunted .

Sorry , but we don’t have a lot of options . Senior Salas’ estimates aren’t looking too promising . Everyone is working overtime , including the Gnivelings . If we want a shot at this crooked scheme , we can’t wait much longer , - Pretty said with some helplessness .

Zac sighed with a nod . The past two weeks had quickly turned into a struggle against time after Vai discovered some errors in Leyara’s calculations . They’d believed themselves to have over four weeks before they needed to finish and activate the array , but it turned out they only had three . If they waited any longer , Gemmy wouldn’t have enough energy to form a stable spatial field .

Well , I guess it doesn’t make much of a difference , - Zac said . - I’m going to miss our sparring sessions , though . -

Likewise , - Pretty smiled . - But who knows? We might just survive this and get more opportunities in the future . -

They’d sparred almost daily since Zac arrived at the Kingdom of Billy , barring the days they had to recover from their wounds . Pretty had proven nearly as useless as he was for drawing the arrays , so they had been left to their own devices . Ogras , on the other hand , had been employed to help out a bit , though he still made some time to train and spar .

Upon learning about his chance to train under the tutelage of multiple Monarchs , the demon had been green with envy , and he was trying to glean something through Zac’s stances . Of course , the Evolutionary and Inexorable Stances were useless to Ogras . Still , the theories and concepts that went into their formation were handy for anyone who wanted to improve their own techniques .

Right now , Ogras was relying on a mix of his clan’s techniques and some strikes he’d invented himself , and was making rapid improvements . The demon reminded Zac a bit of himself when he fought in the Big Axe Coliseum . Ogras had found a direction that was working for him , but was somewhat lacking the foundations to move forward without falling into the same pitfalls as he had .

Ogras did have a fantastic battle sense and a feel for timing , something Zac had already seen when they fought together . Improving his techniques was probably a worthwhile direction for Ogras . However , he would be better off developing a style that struck fast and hard , rather than Zac’s stances , which centered on seizing the momentum before whittling down the opposition .

Pretty Peak was also shocked at his skill since he hadn’t shown any of that during his battle in the Tower of Eternity . Her own methods weren’t anything to scoff at , though . This was the first time Zac had seen her fight , and her fighting style was far more in line with her bloody leather armor than her beautiful and almost dainty appearance . She was relying on her clan’s battle technique when they sparred , but Zac often felt like he was fighting a beast rather than a cultivator .

She was an instinctual fighter , just like he was to a certain degree , and she refused to follow her enemy’s tempo . She was full of unexpected moves , incorporating both grappling and various weapons into her repertoire . At any moment , her claws could have been replaced by two daggers or a brutal scythe , making it nigh-impossible to know what to expect .

Apparently , it was a technique developed on the battlefields , though Zac hadn’t had the chance to see the real thing in action . It was devised by Pretty’s ancestor , a talented captain of the Allbright Empire . He’d been strong but dirt-poor , and his weapons often broke while fighting on the frontlines . As a result , he learned to use everything on a battlefield to his advantage in some sort of loot-and-fight-approach , where he used the weapons and treasures of fallen allies and foes .

The Peak family was no longer wanting for treasures , but they still maintained the mindset to not rely on their items . In Average’s and Greatest’s cases , they chose the path of pure pugilism , using their bodies as their weapon . Pretty Peak had chosen a different approach , where she’d mastered multiple weapons , though her primary weapons were claws and the sword .

The claws were self-explanatory . It was close to pugilism , and the Peak family had a lot of skills and techniques for that fighting style . Mastering swords was a choice of her own , but it wasn’t due to some particular affinity .

Pretty had instead explained it with the high prevalence of swordfighters in Zecia . If she lost her weapons in battle , a sword would probably be the easiest to steal from her enemies . And there was always a good chance of finding better blades in places like Mystic Realms and Inheritance trials .

It was a stark difference from Zac’s path where he planned on upgrading and using his treasures to the very end . There was ultimately no right or wrong in cultivation .

Five days , huh? - Zac sighed . - Will the array be done in time? -

Honestly? It doesn’t look too good , - Pretty said as she hesitantly looked at Zac . - I hate to ask , but do you think you can help take down another tower on your way out? It would buy us another half day at least . -

Zac considered it before he hesitantly nodded . - We could take one down , but the original plan has to change . -

This would be the seventh and final raid in which Gemmy opened small breaches to let them out for a blitz attack . The first outing had been a rousing success , where they had formed three parties that targeted sections with fewer or weaker Hegemons . One group was Zac and Ogras , with another being Billy , Leyara , Pretty , and a Defensive Templar Hegemon . The last group consisted of four more Templar Hegemons and twenty support staff .

The sudden attack had left 12 enemy Hegemons dead or crippled and destroyed a siege tower , drastically weakening their capabilities . The most significant contributors had been the Templars , who took down seven of the enemies by using a series of expensive talismans provided for Leyara’s safety . Ogras and he had taken out another three before they were forced to retreat , while Billy’s team had taken care of the last two .

The second attempt worked out quite nicely as well , as they infiltrated a series of tunnels the invaders had dug in an effort to enter the fort from below . The third raid was a sobering experience , with three of their own Hegemons falling while Billy’s party was almost wiped out . If not for the defensive Templar sacrificing himself , Billy and Pretty wouldn’t have gotten out with only nasty wounds .

Those losses and the new deadline were the beginning of the vicious circle that forced them to fight the Kan’Tanu army another three times . Six out of their eleven Hegemons had already lost their lives . Another deserted them by using a raid to escape . How he was planning to survive was beyond Zac , but judging by the seething anger in Leyara’s and the other Templars’ eyes , he would probably have to join the invaders if he wanted a shot at survival .

Even Ogras had been forced to sit out the two last raids because of wounds , and three raid parties had been reduced to two as Zac joined the Templars instead of going at it alone . It had lessened the damage they did each battle , but they had no better options . After all , the demon needed to be in tip-top shape for this one .

You’re right , we’re abandoning the diversion . We’ll all join you for this final battle instead , - Pretty agreed . - I’m actually a bit excited to finally see your exploits up close . Some of the Templars swear that you must be a Hegemon in hiding . -

I wish . - Zac wryly smiled as he got to his feet . - Give me three hours . I need to enter seclusion . -

Alright , - Pretty nodded as she turned toward the door . - I’ll get everything sorted . -

Just as she was about to leave , she turned around again .

You know , the real Deviant Asura is a lot better than the rumors , - she said , a smile spreading across her face . - But perhaps not as interesting . -

I’m fine with being called boring if those rumors just die down , - Zac muttered .

Doubtful . The Tsarun Clan is working much too hard to ruin your image and alienate you , - Pretty laughed . - Although , it can all be swept away by deeds . My grandpa says there will probably be rankings and contributions stores for this war . As long as you prove yourself , no one will care about those rumors . Those who spread them might even face a backlash . -

Looking forward to it , - Zac smiled . - Is there anything else? -

Pretty hesitated before she spoke up . - Is . . . there really nothing you can tell me that can help me with Average and our soldiers? - Pretty asked . - I can feel it—how it’s all related to the events here . -

It had been a shock to hear that both Average and his old acquaintance , Galau , had gone missing under mysterious circumstances . An enormous planet in the depths of the Million Gates Territory had just up and disappeared with them on it , and the event had released enough energy to be sensed all the way to the Allbright Empire .

The Peak family didn’t believe anyone in their Sector had the strength to do something like that , and thought it was related to the Limitless Empire . That was the original reason Pretty had been sent to the Void Gate , though the infiltration of the Void Star had taken precedence .

What you’ve described is completely different from what I know , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - From what I’ve seen , there are only two outcomes from encountering . . . that . You either gain the opportunity , or you die . There are no disappearances , especially not whole planets . It might be related , but I’m just guessing here as well . -

Zac wasn’t lying . If the scarred planet disappearing was related to the Limitless Empire , then it was probably associated with the Left Imperial Palace . As for how and why , Zac didn’t have the faintest idea .

Pretty sighed . - Well , keep your eyes open , will you? -

Zac nodded . - I’ll see you soon . -

Zac led Pretty out of his quarters before he sealed it shut . From there , Zac didn’t head for his cultivation chamber but rather his closet . He pushed against a wall , and a hidden chute opened up . Zac jumped inside , falling hundreds of meters until he landed in a pitch-black room .

These sections were once part of the hive’s incubator , and only a few hidden pathways connected it with the rest of the hive . Here , the queen would store and slowly nurture the eggs until warriors came crawling out from the chutes . These sections were long since discovered and cleansed by Billy and Ogras and had been refitted into secret cultivation chambers or secret shelters .

A perfect spot for Zac to accomplish some things far from prying eyes .

There was only so much he could do to improve his strength in the short run . The best would have been to upgrade his Branch of the War Axe , but he was still somewhat lacking . The raids hadn’t provided enough inspiration either , even if the fighting had been hard .

That left him with his second option—his undead side .

Having traveled with Vai for half a year , there hadn’t been any good opportunities to fill his already opened nodes with Miasma . Thankfully , the downtime between raids had helped him out a lot . After every battle , he’d hurried down to these catacombs to use the Kill Energy to gain levels . Just filling them up required a lot less energy than breaking nodes open , and he had made a lot of progress in the past two weeks .

Even then , he wasn’t quite there . His Draugr form was still level 148 , just two levels shy of the noticeable attribute boost at 150 . With time running out , Zac decided to finish the process with Leveling Pills . Typically , he wouldn’t have eaten pills when absorbing energy from Miasma Crystals would do the trick , but he was under a lot of pressure from the upcoming mission .

This time , there wasn’t only his own life to worry about . If he failed to close the pathway to the Lost Plane , then Gemmy would fail her transition to a Portable Realm , and most people here would probably perish . He needed every advantage he could get , even if that meant taking on a bit more pill toxins .

Zac sat down at his usual spot , and a bottle of Leveling Pills he’d bought inside the Orom World appeared in his hand . The Aethergate Pills] he bought back in the Twilight Harbor were used up already , but these weren’t that much worse . More than enough for his purposes . Deathly waves of Miasma coursed through his body , and the transition was complete less than a second later thanks to his upgraded transformation skill .

Two pills were swallowed without preamble , and it felt like a frigid star had appeared in his stomach . Zac directed the energy toward the empty nodes in his mind , and it poured into the first one like a surging river . The process went without any issues or surprises , and two hours later , it was done .

Now , all 75 of his nodes formed deathly swirls in a perfect system , each feeling like a gateway into the Abyss . He opened his Status Screen , and a smile spread across his face upon seeing another 260 free points added to his pool . With five levels worth of attribute boosts , he’d gained a couple thousand attribute points these last five levels of his Fetters of Desolation class .

As usual , he put the free points into Dexterity , pushing the attribute to 9 , 770 points . It still felt odd pouring all his free points into the same attribute . But with two classes and three Dao Branches that mainly provided Strength , Endurance , and Vitality , he didn’t have much choice . Even his Wisdom would eventually pass his Dexterity if he didn’t manually remedy the situation .

Zac didn’t gain a new quest this time either , and neither did he gain another title . He was mostly tapped out in that regard , unless he managed to create a skill from scratch before breaking through . Still , the basic prerequisites for his attempt at Hegemony were finally complete , and in just a decade at that .

Reaching this point thwarted all but a select few mortals , and his journey was entirely different from Galvarion’s struggles . The maritime Monarch had spent centuries in the E-grade , each step , and every node a perilous journey . Of course , the most challenging part remained . Figuring out a blueprint for his Cultivator’s Core . This step couldn’t compare with Galvarion’s , considering he had shallow foundations and an Uncommon E-grade class .

There was also the matter of shoring up his foundations , which was mostly just a matter of time . For now , Zac was happy with the results , and he climbed out of the chute . There was still some time left before he needed to meet up with Pretty and the others , which was perfect . There was one more thing he needed to do before he set off for the Ra’Lashar Kingdom .

Gemmy , are you there? - Zac asked into thin air .

You smell bad again , - Gemmy’s voice echoed through his empty chamber .

Remember , our little secret . - Zac smiled and got a giggle in response .

Hopefully , that meant she agreed . Billy was already aware of the situation from the first time Zac transformed , though Zac wasn’t sure he actually understood he had two races . Rather , it seemed like Billy considered it like his own Titanic transformation . Still , he’d promised he wouldn’t tell anyone , and Zac trusted him to stay true to his word .

Okay , Hungry Guy , Gemmy promises , - the Dimensional Seed said .

Where is Slow Girl right now? - Zac asked .

She is in her room , looking at the pattern . -

Is she alone? -

Yep! -

Perfect , thank you , - Zac said , leaving his room and flashing over to another section of the hive .

Zac knocked on the door , which swung open by itself .

I thought you would come over , - Leyara smiled as Zac closed the door behind him .

It’s time you and I have a little chat , - Zac said . - About the Limitless Empire and the Left Imperial Palace . -

13

VIGIL

The Left Imperial Palace? - Leyara said with large , sorrowful eyes . - And here I thought you had finally come to profess your love before riding off into battle . What a disappointment . -

Be serious , - Zac said .

This was a long-overdue discussion . They’d danced around the subject for weeks , but Zac needed some clarity before setting off for the Ra’Lashar Kingdom .

Who said I wasn’t? - Leyara winked , her expression soon returning to normal . - I know you have a lot of questions , but I don’t have a lot of answers to give you . -

You clearly know at least some of it , and you would have me use your escape treasure to get sent right into the hands of the Void Gate , - Zac said . - You should understand the risk that would place us in . -

This was Zac’s primary concern . Using Leyara’s Spatial Anchor would supposedly drag them right back to the Void Gate . If they wanted the opportunity for themselves , then he and Ogras would be delivering themselves to the slaughter . He and Ogras had even discussed fleeing in the opposite direction instead—into the Stellar Ladder and the Million Gates Territory .

Obviously , Zac wanted to avoid that solution . They didn’t even have a Cosmic Vessel , and his escape bangle was still on its cooldown for another nine years . He would be able to set up a teleportation array , but those didn’t work in the Million Gates Territory , meaning they would have to make their way out themselves .

No matter how arduous such a journey was , it was the preferable option to being blasted into nothingness by a Monarch the second they emerged . The two had made some preparations with the help of Billy and Gemmy , but Zac hoped this conversation would alleviate any need for using them .

Well , I guess I owe you that much , - Leyara said . - And seeing as you’re a candidate , you will get to know the truth sooner or later . But you cannot tell anyone else about this . Fate is already fraught with uncertainties , and even the smallest of ripples can bring about a storm . -

Of course . -

You have nothing to fear from the Void Gate . We will not interfere with you or the events that are about to unfold . Neither will anyone from our side try to gain access to the Left Imperial Palace or its nine Outer Courts , - Leyara said with certainty . - Nor meddle with the thing residing within . -

The allusion to Ultom and the mention of the nine sigils pretty much confirmed that Leyara was the real deal and not just pretending to know things to extract information from him . Still , that felt as much a threat as an opportunity when she held the key to their freedom .

Why should I believe you? - Zac asked . - Your faction is clearly interested in this stuff and has probably been looking for them for a long time . -

I think you have figured a few things out already , - Leyara said . - First of all , the Void Gate is not our real name . Our faction is older than the System itself , and we call ourselves the Vigil . -

The Vigil? - Zac frowned . - Never heard of it . -

You wouldn’t have , - Leyara said . - Honestly , most of us don’t know about it either . The Void Gate is just a small subsidiary force looking for clues at the frontier , and only a select few know the truth . Master only told me just before I entered the Void Star , so this is mostly uncharted territory for me as well . -

Then why wouldn’t you get involved? If you’ve searched for so long? - Zac asked suspiciously .

If you want to know , then tell me how you became a candidate . What was the criterion? - Leyara countered .

Zac hesitated for a few seconds before he chose to tell her the truth .

It happened the moment I passed through the Void Star’s outer film . I got a terrifying vision that almost killed me . My whole compartment was covered in blood afterward , - Zac said . - After that , I could sense the pieces from a distance . -

As I suspected , - Leyara said , looking at Zac with a complex gaze . - The Vigil has a mission . To watch as the river flows and to make sure fate isn’t usurped or altered . -

Fate usurped? - Zac said with a raised brow . - Like a nobody becoming a candidate? -

No , not like that . - Leyara smiled . - This is a matter of those at the very peak . Small beings like us are just part of the river . How could we truly affect it as we are? I don’t know what it means , but the result is that we will not interfere with you , nor will we interfere with any infiltrator who becomes a candidate . -

But you’re not just observers , - Zac countered . - You directly got involved when you started hoovering up ruins and realms with the Void Star . And now the outsiders are involved . -

That was an unfortunate side effect of our mission , - Leyara grimaced . - My master could feel that the pillar was stirring , and she had to pave the path to let fate flow unobstructed . That presented an opportunity to these infiltrators . Now , she can’t just close the connection and seal off the Kan’Tanu , since that would affect her true mission . -

So Zecia will suffer because of a technicality? -

That’s . . . - Leyara sighed . - You could see it that way . But that’s why we’re here . To try and right a wrong without breaking the precepts . Luckily , your friend has provided us with a solution by forcing us to labor for his undertaking . If this realm is removed from the Stellar Ladder , then the whole ladder should destabilize . Even if it doesn’t , we should be able to do it ourselves since this realm is the origin of fate .

Furthermore , most of the Void Gate will join the upcoming war , even if the Vigil doesn’t get involved with mundane struggles . After all , this is also our home . Almost everyone was born in Zecia . -

That’s the least of our problems , - Zac said . - You should know what will happen if powerful factions turn their gazes toward Zecia . Will the Vigil spread the appearance of the Left Imperial Palace? -

I don’t know , - Leyara said . - I’m still coming to terms with all this . I really have no idea if my faction has allies they’d bring over or if they will keep it to themselves . But you should know , even if the Vigil doesn’t say anything , this cannot remain a secret for long . The ancient factions have their means to discover something of this magnitude . -

Zac nodded , exhaustion in his eyes . He’d already started to fear as much , that an Eternal Heritage appearing unnoticed would be too much to hope for . Even if the Kan’Tanu didn’t expose the truth to the Multiverse , it was just a matter of time before some Supremacy figured it out .

Dealing with that mess was for later , though . If worse comes to worst , he’d just have to camp on Earth or Ensolus under the System’s protection until someone claimed Ultom and left Zecia alone .

Then what can you tell me? - Zac sighed . - What did you mean when you said a pillar was stirring? Is the Left Imperial Palace one of the pillars? -

Leyara looked out from her window , down at the army camped outside .

When the Limitless Empire crafted the System , their power alone wasn’t enough . The Heavens are not so easily subdued , and they had to lend the power of others . Eight pillars were erected at the corners of reality , each one powered by something called an Eternal Heritage . Places of ultimate power , of ultimate truth . Concepts beyond the Dao itself , which was needed to contain the Heavens . -

Zac shuddered when he heard the description , and the words from his vision once more floated to the surface .

Eight Pillars . Nine Seals . One Destiny .

The undertaking was a success , and the pillars provided the strength the System needed to stabilize and grow during its infancy . Many tried to stop Emperor Limitless’ experiment , and the Left Imperial Palace became one of the battlegrounds where even the Heavens joined the fray . But the eight pillars withstood the assault and disappeared . -

And now the Left Imperial Palace is coming back? - Zac frowned . - How will this affect the System? -

According to master , the System is no longer dependent on the pillars . They were let loose long ago . In fact , them returning unattached is by design . -

By design? Whose design is that? -

Who knows? - Leyara smiled . - Perhaps Emperor Limitless . Perhaps the ancient beings who crafted the places of power . I only know that the pillars were destined to return , and Vigil would be there to observe and aid the ascent . -

Zac slowly digested Leyara’s claims , and he believed her on most points . She knew way too much information just to be some frontier scion . As for the Left Imperial Palace and Ultom being used in the construction of the System , Zac could definitely believe it . He’d had the same thoughts over the past months , and the scarred exterior he saw in his vision lined up with Leyara’s mention of battles .

It was fairly shocking that Emperor Limitless managed to gather eight Eternal Heritages . However , it wasn’t without reason since many still believed him to be the strongest person to have existed . Besides , this all happened at the beginning of the era , before cultivation reached its current height .

The only question that remained was whether he could trust Leyara on the most crucial part—if her faction were really only there to observe or if they were aiming for the Eternal Heritages .

Why are you only observing? What’s your end goal? - Zac asked .

No idea , - Leyara said . - Master wouldn’t tell me that part . If you want to know , you’d have to ask her . This is pretty much all I know . You might even know more than me . For instance , my master never mentioned anything about this Lost Plane you told us about . -

Alright , - Zac sighed , though he wasn’t completely satisfied .

Zac asked a few more clarifying questions over the following minutes , and he managed to get a few valuable pieces of information . She didn’t know how the trial would look , or how the nine subsidiary courts played into everything . But she was somewhat confident that no Kan’Tanu infiltrator had managed to become a candidate , which was good news .

Most importantly , she believed the Void Star had swallowed no more than five pieces of various seals , while most remained in the chaotic space of the Million Gates Territory . Staying in this place was unlikely to bear fruit , especially if they managed to break the Stellar Ladder with their plan .

Their conversation concluded just in time , since Gemmy’s voice appeared and told them the others were waiting at the viewing deck .

By the way , do you know which one of the Nine Imperial Bloodlines you have? - Leyara asked as they walked out of her quarters , her voice so casual one might have thought she was discussing the weather .

Zac’s heart lurched , but he managed to keep his face impassive . - Nine Imperial Bloodlines? What’s that , and why would you think I have one? -

Because I’m not blind? - Leyara laughed . - I’ve felt it a few times over the past weeks . Short bursts that felt like an emperor had descended onto the battlefield . An ancient heritage that doesn't belong on the frontier . -

Zac was shocked at how incisive Leyara was . He had indeed been forced to use his Force of the Void] a few times . It was only to slightly speed up his skill activations to push a couple of rough situations in his favor , and he hadn’t thought anyone would notice . His enemies never seemed to realize , but it looked like Leyara had some means of her own .

Why do you ask? - Zac said .

Just curious . And to be clear , we will not provide you with any resources or manuals even if you do . -

Then I don’t have one . - Zac shrugged .

Stingy , - Leyara said with a laugh .

Zac rolled his eyes , but he was inwardly thankful . Leyara had probably not expected him to answer , but this was a good reminder that some could sense the Void Energy . Or if not the Void Energy itself , then the ancient aura that came with it . How much it mattered , Zac wasn’t sure . But from what he could tell , both his Bloodline Talents were things that broke convention , and the fewer that knew , the better .

They soon joined the others at the viewing deck at the upper part of the mountain , the high vantage giving them a perfect view of both the soldiers outside and the work on the pathways below . By now , it was almost complete , but some of the most complex patterns remained to be engraved . The Gnivelings couldn’t help with those sections , even if they’d proven surprisingly attuned to the Dao and inscriptions .

He could even spot Vai working far below , just like she had since they arrived . As far as Zac knew , she hadn’t stopped working over the past ten days . The remaining Hegemons were also helping , but only two Array Masters were skilled enough to direct work rather than taking on the role of assistant .

Those three wouldn’t be sent out for the raid , but the other Hegemons were slated to join them in this final push . Zac’s eyes turned to Ogras , who was standing to the side . He looked a bit pale , but his aura was stable .

How are you doing? - Zac asked .

If I say I’m mortally wounded , can I stay behind? - the demon muttered .

Zac only laughed as he looked out at the army waiting outside , seeing that they hadn’t changed their formation much since before .

Still clumped together , - Zac sighed .

Pretty nodded . - Looks that way . -

Six enormous siege towers remained , each one guarded by roughly ten Hegemons and a horde of E-grade cultivators protected by a barrier . Work was underway to rebuild the ones that had been destroyed , but they wouldn’t be finished in time for it to matter . Pretty even believed the work was just a ruse to divert their attention .

There were no safeguards or warriors between the six armies , almost like they were inviting you to escape like that previous Hegemon had . This arrangement was far harder to deal with compared to the previous encirclement , where they were uniformly spread out . With how they were clumped together , it was almost impossible to take out any Hegemons now , at least not without taking on some losses of their own .

For the original plan , this wouldn’t have mattered . The idea was for Zac and Ogras to flee the encirclement through one of those open pathways while a diversionary squad struck one of the nearby towers . If everything worked out , they’d leave the lockdown without issue and he’d activate Flashfire Flourish] .

But Pretty’s proposal meant taking on one of the six armies before leaving .

And we really have to take down another tower? - Zac grimaced .

It’s asking a lot from you , but we simply don’t have a lot of options , - Leyara said . - This is a gambit—we’re all joining you in striking that spot . If we can take out the Hegemons and the tower , the pressure on us will be much lower . -

The problem is that barrier , - Pretty said . - By the time we break it down , the other armies will have had time to send reinforcements , flanking us . -

Don’t the two of you have something left up your sleeves? - Ogras asked . - You’re supposed to be proud daughters of Heaven . -

We were just a small advance party meant for reconnaissance and , if possible , sabotage , - Pretty said . - If I had any siege treasures , I would have taken them out by now . -

I have a few more D-grade Talismans , but they would weaken the barrier at most , - Leyara added .

Billy can thwonk it , - Billy offered .

The man looked more like a mummy than a titan at this point , with bandages covering most of his body . Zac didn’t know why he insisted on using bandages when Zac had given him top-tier pills , but both he and Gemmy were adamant they were needed to recover .

Zac looked to Ogras , who curiously looked back at him . - Remember when we got trapped by the cultists? -

Right here? - Ogras asked , as he pointedly glanced at Pretty and Leyara .

No point in holding back if it will get us all killed . Can you cover me? - Zac asked , receiving a reluctant nod in return .

What are the two of you talking about? - Pretty asked .

Zac didn’t immediately answer , instead turning to Leyara . - Are you able to tell who or what maintains the shield? -

Not from here , but I will when we get closer , - Leyara said as she curiously looked at Zac .

Alright , I’ll deal with the shield . You guys just need to be ready to blast the Hegemons when it crumbles . -

You’ll deal with it? Alone? - Pretty frowned . - How long do you need? -

It’ll be over in an instant . -

14

BLITZ

Zac looked up at the viewing deck far above . It was odd to see himself and the others up there , even though everyone was already gathered behind the gates . Their counterparts were illusions made by a few of the Gnivelings , which would hopefully give them a slight edge for the upcoming battle . The closer they could get to the invaders without notice , the greater the element of surprise .

Everyone ready? - Leyara asked , getting nods of affirmation all around .

Altogether , fifteen of them would set out : himself , Ogras , Billy , Pretty , Leyara , two Hegemons , and eight E-grade Templars trained in a defensive War Array . The remaining two Hegemons couldn’t be spared since their expertise was needed on the array .

Are you sure you can do this? - Pretty asked Zac , nerves betraying her hesitation . - I’m not doubting your strength , but we’ve seen how sturdy those barriers are . And we don’t even know if these people have used the arrays to their fullest . Keeping some strength back until a critical moment is a common strategy . -

I promise , - Zac said . - As long as I can get next to it and know what powers it , I’ll get the job done . At worst , I will severely weaken it . -

Pretty nodded , expression turning more determined .

Zac grinned as he cracked his neck .

With nothing else to say , the group set out with Zac and the Hegemons in the front , while the E-grade cultivators made up the rear . They didn’t pass through the gate but instead entered a tunnel leading beneath it . Just 30 meters in , the impenetrable barrier blocked their passage , with two Peak Gniveling scouts standing to the sides of the path .

It’s clear , no activity for half a day , - the long-eared humanoid confirmed .

Zac nodded in thanks , and a shroud of shadows superimposed by a soothing spatial ripple enclosed them . A small hole opened in the barrier , and the group shot forward like a bullet . The walls turned to a blur as they rushed out from the fort , heading straight in the direction of the siege tower in the distance .

Soon enough , a soft hum spread through the tunnel , and Zac felt like an ethereal wind had passed by him .

We’re spotted , - Leyara sighed , to no one’s surprise .

The Kan’Tanu infiltrators had never stopped scanning these abandoned tunnels since the second raid . Zac and the others never believed they would be able to reach the enemy lines unnoticed . However , they managed to cover almost half the distance to the army before being exposed , which was more than enough according to their calculations .

One of the two Hegemons slashed out with his sword , and four beams shot upward at an angle , carving a path to the surface . The group rushed out , and were met with a sky already shuddering from burgeoning power . Just as Zac managed to orient himself , reality shifted , and he was suddenly much closer to the 100-meter-tall siege tower .

It was Leyara who’d shifted space around the whole group in what essentially was true teleportation . Space flickered around them like the skill had conjured thousands of purple fireflies , but otherwise it held . For better or worse , space wasn’t as fragile as during their mad dash toward Billy’s fort . Gemmy’s outburst had drastically weakened the fabric of space , but it proved a temporary effect .

Still , there was clear evidence that the whole realm was declining . Even if normal attacks didn’t create large spatial tears , you could still feel that space was more brittle than it should be . And that was something the Kan’Tanu invaders were making use of . Within their protective bubble , space was solidified with arrays , but the rest of the battlefield didn’t enjoy those protections .

A dark sanguine light burst into life at the top of the siege tower , making it look like a lighthouse of the Underworld . The pulsating glowing sphere contained enormous amounts of energy , releasing hundreds of rays in their direction . Wherever they passed , space was roasted , creating a deadly maze of corrupted energy and spatial tears .

Zac , Ogras , Pretty , and Leyara were forced to counter the array tower’s deadly blast as they rushed forward . Leyara was the one most effective at dealing with those beams , being a control mage . Those crystals on her hands lit up her surroundings , and it almost looked like she stood in the middle of a miniature galaxy as she manipulated space around them .

Meanwhile , the Hegemons infused and threw out one shimmering orb after another to their left and right , forming a 1000-meter-wide corridor . Nothing happened when the orbs landed in the grass , but they weren’t supposed to do anything . At least not yet , as they were a contingency in case things got heated later .

Going , - Ogras grunted when the orbs had been thrown out , and they reached an open stretch of land free of broken space . The shadows around them condensed .

Zac felt four rapid shifts , and they once more moved closer to the barrier in an instant , though Ogras was forced to zig-zag between the bloody lasers . A thick shield rose above their heads just in time to block one of the beams . Still , they were right in the crosshairs now , with hundreds of more attacks already on their way .

A powerful fluctuation of energy had been building next to Zac for a while now , and it almost looked like a gargantuan beast swiped at the barrier as two claws tore through space and slammed into the Kan’Tanu’s barrier . The strike was quick and ruthless , but Pretty’s attack only created a small ripple in the shield .

No one expected the attack to work . They just needed a fast attack powerful enough to create some energy ripples .

Slightly left to the tower , four masked cultivators . The Array Core is the black pedestal between them , ’ Leyara’s voice echoed in Zac’s head , and a series of protective barriers sprung up around him , courtesy of a Hegemon and the E-grade Templars .

Zac nodded , and space shrunk as he activated Earthstrider] , forcing his way through the turbulent domain toward the barrier . A tsunami of shadows rushed forward in his wake , shrouding the battlefield in darkness . A moment later , Zac was right at the edge of the barrier , and a frenzied barrage of attacks rapidly wore down his imparted shields . Still , Zac didn’t care as he drew power from his bloodline .

An ancient aura permeated the area just as a tremendous lance of darkness slammed into the barrier right next to him . Hairline cracks spread across its surface , and there was even a tiny hole in front of him . A small smile spread across Zac’s face as an ancient forest appeared out of nowhere , instantly summoned by Force of the Void] .

Before anyone could react , Zac had already jumped into one of the trees and appeared right next to the Array Masters within the barrier . Behind him , the cracks in the barrier rapidly closed . In fact , they had never even been there . Ogras’ attack had been powerful , but not powerful enough to pierce the shield like that . The damage was merely an illusion the demon attached to his attack , giving Zac an excuse for his bloodline’s ability to circumvent barriers like this .

A torrential burst of Dao-empowered fractal leaves drenched the area in blood , except for the four masked warriors . A secondary barrier had sprung up to protect them , though it was severely battered by the dozens of strikes coming from the ultimate form of Nature’s Edge] . Zac expected as much , and before the Kan’Tanu Array Masters had a chance to bolster their defenses , the next strike already reached them .

The hymns of Arcadia joined the pained screams around him as space split apart , and the ancient aura of the Void Emperor bloodline became more palpable in the surroundings . In a perfect world , Zac wouldn’t use his bloodline this freely , especially not when he’d just been warned by Leyara . Except they didn’t have a lot of options . More than twenty Hegemons from the neighboring armies were already closing in on them , and their window was less than ten seconds .

If they delayed any longer , they would be boxed in and overwhelmed .

The Spatial Stabilizators prevented space from completely crumbling , but it wasn’t enough to block his skill . Rapturous Divide] swept through the Array Masters’ battered barrier and then through the cultivators themselves . Zac felt four surges of energy , confirming the targets were down , and the skill wasn’t exhausted with just that . It ripped through the Array Core and carved a bloody path through the Kan’Tanu army .

The area rumbled as the shield fell apart . The sound was soon overshadowed by a deep groan like two tectonic plates grinding against each other . The sky had darkened beyond what the wall of shadows had elicited , but it wasn’t because of some storm clouds . The head of an enormous club ripped through the shadowy haze , its size almost a match to the siege tower .

Group 1 , sto— - a Hegemon roared , only to be forced to swallow her words and dodge as a fractal leaf nearly beheaded her .

The same circumstance occurred for two more Hegemons as Zac unleashed a barrage of fractal leaves . Simultaneously , a golden laurel appeared on his head , and a good chunk of the Kan’Tanu army was showered in golden splendor . It was the restrictive domain of Empyrean Aegis] pushed to its limits , which interrupted hundreds of cultivators from unleashing their skills .

Zac sensed how the intensity of his domain was weakened when used against so many enemies and that it wouldn’t be able to prevent anyone from circulating their Cosmic Energy when prepared for the resistance . But the sudden interruption gave Zac’s group a vital window of opportunity . Some of the Hegemons were occupied by Zac , and the rest soon had their hands full .

Shimmering waves of Sword Dao carved deadly paths straight through the E-grade warriors as one of the Templars unleashed a herculean strike . The other unleashed what looked like a falling sun right on top of a Kan’Tanu captain . Still , there were twelve Hegemons in this army , and they were rapidly moving to deal with the sudden turn of events .

Three of them conjured walls to block off Billy’s descending strike , but they froze in place as a celestial maiden appeared above their heads . Her hair was cosmic dust , and her eyes were made from stars , and she held her arms in what looked like an open invitation . She could have been a benign deity , but even Zac felt his hair stand on end when he sensed how space around the Hegemons rapidly eroded .

The D-grade cultivators were immediately covered in shallow cuts as space fractured , and when one of them tried to respond , it backfired spectacularly . Space completely shattered around him , and Zac’s eyes widened when a black claw emerged from the darkness and simply dragged the man into nothingness .

The scene was all-too-familiar . Zac had almost encountered the same thing in the Mystic Realm , except his high Luck saved him from getting captured . A Void Beast was lurking in the dark , one powerful enough to snatch a Hegemon like it was a toy . Had Leyara summoned it with her avatar? Or was it just a lucky coincidence that the Void on the other side of the spatial tear was occupied by a waiting monstrosity?

This was no time to worry about that though . The Kan’Tanu had already recovered from his interruption with Empyrean Aegis] , and was caught right in the crosshairs between his allies and enemies . Zac narrowly avoided four bloody rakes of Pretty’s that ripped through the enemy lines as they shot toward Hegemons , one of them leaving a crippling wound .

Zac finished the job with a quick jab , while Ogras did the same with another Hegemon , using his shadow lance . Altogether , five Hegemons died instantly , while a few more were restrained , drastically lessening the pressure . However , the area was teeming with unfettered Heart Curses by that point , and it almost looked like a living tangle was about to be born .

The others couldn’t get any closer , and Zac couldn’t stay on much longer either . Even if those things couldn’t kill or possess him , they could still maim his body and create a diversion .

A second rumble in the sky made Zac glance up just in time to see a large golden rune appear behind Billy’s club . It emitted an aura of primordial fury , and the weapon gained a huge boost in weight and momentum . The hastily made barriers that had tried to impede it broke down , and the club descended toward the siege tower like a collapsing mountain .

The ground buckled , and a chaotic explosion swallowed hundreds of cultists as the gathered energies in the tower were unleashed on their surroundings . Zac stepped into one of the few remaining trees of Ancestral Woods] before the wave of destruction reached him , and he appeared at the edge of the Kan’Tanu army , where he unleashed another series of Dao-empowered fractal leaves to take out another Hegemon .

The tower was destroyed and most of the Kan’Tanu Hegemons were dead or grievously wounded , which meant they’d accomplished their goal . However , they were running out of time—the neighboring armies were already moving to cut off their escape . If Leyara and the others stayed behind to deal with the rest of the army , they wouldn’t be able to return .

Go , - Zac nodded upon seeing Leyara’s look , and she nodded in thanks .

Good luck , - Pretty said , and they were gone the next moment , once more phased away by Leyara’s skill as they desperately ran toward the fort .

Let’s go , - Zac grunted when Ogras appeared next to him , sporting a few shallow cuts on his face .

The demon simply nodded , and the shadows congealed around the two . But they didn’t have a chance to flash away as a second , opaque barrier suddenly sprung up to trap them . Zac found the source using Cosmic Gaze]—a crippled Hegemon lying in a pool of blood with a cracked black sphere in his hand .

You two stay behind , - the crippled Hegemon cackled , his voice wet from the blood pouring out of his mouth .

Those were his last words as a fractal blade cut his head clean off . However , Zac didn’t feel any relief even if he got a surge of energy to confirm the kill . Not only did the barrier remain even after the Hegemon’s death , something was happening with the dying man’s body . His hand appeared to be covered in black ink , and it rapidly spread to cover the man’s arm .

The whole decapitated corpse was swallowed a moment later , yet that wasn’t the end . Like a black hole , the pitch-black tendril absorbed the Heart Curses around them , even those that had already withered . The survivors weren’t spared either , except for a Hegemon who used a protective talisman before digging into the ground with horror on his face .

Another sacrifice skill! - Ogras swore . - These people are lunatics! -

Zac wholeheartedly agreed as the Cosmic Energy churned in his body . This was why he’d held back on using Arcadia’s Judgement] until now , even during the past six raids . There was no telling what hidden cards the enemy was carrying , so you needed a few of your own .

Space cracked as the enormous wooden hand emerged , just as a 20-meter-tall monstrosity of twisting tendrils and cursed energy had been fully formed . As far as Zac could tell , the fused Heart Curse didn’t actually have a living controller , but it still seemed to understand the incoming axe was threatening .

With a piercing shriek , hundreds of slimy tendrils pierced into the descending hand , and Zac groaned in pain . The damage to his skill was transferred to his own body , and Zac felt like thousands of maggots had burrowed into his flesh . Still , the hand was filled with almost boundless life force , and the damaged sections regrew as soon as they appeared .

The tendrils didn’t contain enough raw strength to impede the axe’s descent , and it only had time to release a second mournful wail before being cut in two . The whole area shook as the world’s punishment came surging from below . Zac still didn’t know what powered the secondary barrier that kept them trapped , but it didn’t matter in front of the wide-scale destruction .

It shattered like brittle glass , exposing them to the outside .

Let’s go , - Zac smiled , but his smile froze upon seeing what was going on .

Over ten Hegemons were bearing down on them with furious momentum , with their armies not much farther behind . Even worse , the Kan’Tanu had already figured out they would probably want to escape somehow , and had unleashed a hailstorm of attacks around them , utterly fraying space .

Thankfully , the others in his group hadn’t stayed behind , and they were already halfway to the fort . One of the Kan’Tanu armies was trying to catch them , but the spatial mines the Templars had thrown out worked wonders to delay their advance . That was one less thing to worry about , but it didn’t help with their current predicament .

There was no way to tell what would happen if he activated Flashfire Flourish] in this situation . Then things changed again before he and Ogras had a chance to run or fight back . A tremendous pressure bore down on them as though an angry god had turned their attention to this battle .

Even the Kan’Tanu stopped in their tracks and fearfully looked around as the surroundings grew almost blindingly bright .

What now? - Ogras groaned with exasperation .

Zac barely heard him as he mutely stared at the sky .

The clouds were on fire .

15

A FATE ENCOUNTER

The sky , which had previously been overcast and dull , was now illuminated by a radiant golden-orange . However , the scene was localized to Zac’s surroundings , as though an empyrean sun were trying to peek through the clouds . Of course , with the immense aura coming from above , no one would think this was a natural phenomenon .

Ogras and the Kan’Tanu looked equally confused by the sudden change , but Zac knew all too well what they were dealing with . After all , he’d seen a similar scene less than a year ago . Certainly , the flames lacked the all-consuming intensity of the burning sky in the Orom World , and it only covered a small spot . If that wasn’t enough proof , there was also a familiar fiery attunement that started to appear in the Cosmic Energy surrounding them , sharing the same origin as that of the terrifying golem .

Just how was this possible? How had Iz Tayn managed to track him to the depths of the Void Star? He’d even circulated motes of chaos through his body last time , partly in hopes it would destroy any tracking measures she or others might have placed in his body .

But not even that was enough to throw this crazy firebug off his scent . Zac couldn’t believe his bad luck . What in God’s name was wrong with this lunatic , to make her follow him this insistently? Had he become a heart demon for Iz Tayn when he escaped from her in the Tower of Eternity?

We need to get out of here . Now , - Zac swore as he sought a way out .

Even if the Kan’Tanu had momentarily paused their attacks designed at destabilizing space and trapping them , they were still smack-dab in the middle of a spatial storm . Only the area where the opaque dome had previously been was still intact , and spatial tears were already closing in on them .

Enemy reinforcements? - Ogras frowned , eyes locked on the fiery sky .

Worse , - Zac grimaced .

The rapid change to the battlefield had increased the uncertainty , except for Leyara’s group . Zac had mentioned his escape measure was fire-based already , so they probably thought the powerful fiery energies were him activating his treasure . Thus , they made it through the gates of Billy’s fort without even having to clash with the intercepting army with the help of Leyara’s spatial shifts .

The stalemate back on the battlefield didn’t last for long . Ogras , having seen the fear on Zac’s face as he started making his way through the spatial storm , opted to run first and ask questions later . This time , the roles were reversed , where they were the ones who had to make their way through frayed space rather than the Kan’Tanu . Even worse , many of the Hegemons’ skills were still active as they blasted the area , making the journey even more dangerous .

Meanwhile , the burning clouds in the sky slowly started to spin , forming a vortex of divine flames . All the while , the attunement in the air kept skewing further toward fire . It almost felt like someone was continuously crushing Fire-attuned Nexus Crystals around them , letting their energies spread through the area .

Zac was surprised to see that worked in their favor . The chaotic Spatial Energies were being pushed away , and some of the spatial tears were literally burned away as space mended . The Kan’Tanu’s lingering attacks were also being suppressed . It was like the Dao of Fire was claiming the whole area , pushing away and suppressing everything else .

The Kan’Tanu also made their moves upon seeing that they’d made it halfway through the encirclement . Unfortunately , the invaders chose to attack with redoubled effort rather than back down , even if they didn’t know what was happening in the sky . Zac once more lamented that their enemies were lunatics implanted with Heart Curses , which essentially turned them all into deathsworn who had to finish their missions no matter what .

Trying to intimidate them was useless since most weren’t able to retreat .

The Templar Hegemons had crafted a set of space-stabilizing talismans as a precaution , and Zac and Ogras threw them out left and right as they made their way out of the bombardment . Ogras was somewhat better off thanks to his elusive abilities , while Zac had to continuously use Vivi’s vines to intercept attacks .

A trail of broken-off vines was left in his wake , but that wasn’t enough to prevent his body from being covered in wounds . Zac even briefly considered activating Void Zone] , but he didn’t know how that Bloodline Talent would work in this situation . The spatial tears could technically be seen as the Void of Space leaking through due to a lack of spatial integrity .

Would his nullification sphere remove the last vestiges of protections against collapse , throwing him into the Void? There were also some witnesses he didn’t want to expose his bloodline in front of , though he wasn’t ready to die to keep that secret .

This isn’t working . We’ll either get incinerated or cut apart by spatial tears before we get out of here , - Ogras swore as he narrowly dodged a Hegemon’s swing that cut off their escape path .

Zac nodded in agreement . Should he just do it? Activate Flashfire Flourish] and hope the dense , fiery energies in the atmosphere would bolster the escape treasure enough to blast through this spatial turbulence . Or should he hold out a bit longer in hopes that Iz Tayn would inadvertently create an opening?

Suddenly , five pillars of blindingly hot flames crashed down around them , each one containing an unbelievable amount of energy . Space was singed wherever they passed , the spatial tears burnt and cauterized the moment they appeared . Luckily , none of the pillars were aimed at them , but Zac was still aghast upon sensing the extremely powerful Dao within .

Was Iz Tayn really this powerful?

The pillars were rather targeted at the groups of infiltrators who were boxing them in , and seven Hegemons were instantly reduced to cinders . They’d been prepared for an attack , but their defensive talismans and skills had proven utterly useless in the face of those flames . It drastically lessened the pressure the two were under , though Zac wasn’t relieved as he looked to the sky with trepidation .

And there she was .

Descending from the sky like a demonic angel , her orange hair dancing like empyrean flames . Six burning wings gently moved behind her back , buffeted by the Dao itself . She wasn’t actually flying , but rather standing on the back of a three-meter-wide hand wrought from rock .

It was from this hand those fiery pillars had emerged , and terrifying flames were still burning at its fingertips . And by the looks of it , the hand was a being of its own rather than a skill conjured by Iz . It radiated an immensely powerful aura that easily eclipsed that of the lipless Hegemon , let alone the Kan’Tanu cultivators .

Zac suddenly felt a gaze upon him , and his eyes locked with Iz Tayn’s . He also heard a commotion far to the west , but he couldn’t look away as Iz stepped off the golemoid hand and started to descend toward him . A Kan’Tanu Hegemon unleashed a skill toward her , but she didn’t even so much as glance at the incoming bloody ray .

As expected , the attack and the Hegemon himself were annihilated by the burning hand long before the ray reached Iz , and no one else dared to so much as breathe loudly in front of that oppressive display . They could only watch on helplessly , like mortals in front of a goddess .

You thought you could subvert the unyielding river of fate? Chaos might be able to hide you from the Heavens , but not from me , - Iz said , her calm voice empowered and elevated by the Dao . - Twice now , you have fled from my grasp . There will not be a third . -

Always something with you , - Ogras whispered as he glared at Zac .

Hide us , - Zac whispered , infusing Cosmic Energy into the Flashfire Flourish] .

They could no longer wait , and the surroundings were mostly stabilized thanks to the trigger-happy golem . Ogras nodded , and a huge burst of shadows engulfed the whole area . But just as they were summoned , they were dispersed , like clouds unable to withstand the sun’s cleansing rays .

What the— - Ogras swore as he looked up at Iz Tayn through the remnants of his destroyed domain .

Zac inwardly sighed before again regarding Iz Tayn . - Alright , you’ve found me . But we need to deal with these unorthodox cultivators before anything else . The leader is over there . -

Iz Tayn frowned with annoyance as she glanced at the random Hegemon Zac pointed at . - The Black Heart Sect is irrel— -

Zac didn’t hear the rest as his body was consumed by flames , and a groan next to him confirmed Ogras had been brought along for the ride . Zac’s whole world was suddenly seen through the lens of fire , and his heart clenched upon seeing Iz this way .

He’d already seen that his stalker seemed more attuned with flames than even Fire Crystals when looking at her with Cosmic Gaze] , but that was nothing compared to what was displayed right now . The golem’s Dao of Fire was stronger than Iz’s , yet it seemed subordinate to Iz’s very being .

It was almost as though she was the origin of all flames when he looked at her . Like she carried the fires of the era’s birth within her body . It was mesmerizing , and Zac almost felt like he could better understand the underpinnings of the universe if he just got to study those flames a little longer .

Luckily , the overwhelming pain of being forcibly turned into a streak of fire snapped him out of it , and Zac staunchly held onto his senses over the roaring flames as he steered the treasure as best as he could . Activating the Flashfire Flourish] was like setting yourself on fire and taping yourself to a rocket , and the enormous momentum in the treasure ripped him out of Iz Tayn’s grasp .

The burning pillars were gone in an instant , as was Billy’s fortress . They were moving at speeds approaching teleportation , yet he somehow managed to have a vague sense of his surroundings . Two seconds later , Zac felt they’d moved the required distance , and he willed Flashfire Flourish] to deactivate .

Zac appeared in a foreign hillside region in a flash of scorching flames . The withered stalks of grass within five meters were incinerated , but there was thankfully no obnoxious avatar announcing their arrival . Yrial had enough presence of mind not to ruin the escape treasure that way , at least .

Tearing pain throughout his body derailed Zac’s train of thought . His whole body was a scorched wasteland , and ethereal flames were still eating at his pathways and organs . Zac groaned with pain as he took out a pill bottle with shaky hands . A gust of ashy smoke escaped his lips from the exclamation , a poignant reminder his body was still literally on fire .

Yrial’s prediction proved more correct than he could have known . He had said that damaging one’s foundations was an unavoidable price of using such a powerful escape treasure , that it was the Law of Balance . Yet Zac felt the damage to his body wasn’t that bad . The flames were stubborn , but his Hidden Nodes had already started swallowing them . As for the damage to his foundations , they weren’t any worse than breaking open a node or two . With Leyara’s pill and a few of his own , he should be good to go before the next battle .

As expected of a Terminal Disciple of a powerful Monarch , Leyara had all kinds of valuables in her Spatial Ring . She had given him and Ogras one pill each that looked like a golden nebula trapped in a black bubble of night sky . It was called Resurging Star Pill] , a special type of recovery pill that helped after over drafting your body .

The pill was normally meant to be used after using powerful Berserking Treasures or Taboo skills that damaged your foundations , but it should work just as well in their current situation . A weak groan echoed next to him , and Zac looked over to see Ogras kneeling . His body was covered in scorch marks , looking utterly wretched .

You okay , buddy? - Zac asked .

Heaven-cursed heart-eating lunatics , netherblasted spatial tears , and now crazed fire witches? - Ogras complained as he swallowed his prepared set of pills . - You’ll be the death of me . -

Zac laughed in response , but his smile became strained as he felt a tremendous burst of energy behind them .

I told you there wouldn’t be a third . -

Vai blankly looked at the scene from her spot atop the wall , not knowing what to believe . At first , everything had gone according to plan . The tower collapsed , and her niece safely returned to her side without any further casualties . The infiltrators had sprung a nasty trap to catch Gaun—no , Zac Atwood , but it failed .

Then everything changed when the terrifying flame cultivator descended from the sky . Vai had never seen anything like it . Just looking at her was like staring at the true face of fire , more true than any fiery Dao Vai had ever seen . A glance at Lara , who joined her atop the wall , indicated her niece had no idea who she was either .

It was a hidden master , and someone who was clearly here for her friend—the mysterious woman’s words carrying through the whole battlefield . Vai wasn’t surprised . Someone like the Deviant Asura wouldn’t attract common cultivators . She’d already seen as much from his two other inordinately powerful friends .

She still couldn’t believe that her bodyguard and traveling companion was the man whose actions had shaken the whole Zecia Sector a decade ago , a talent who only appeared once in a million years . Looking back at it , she felt incredibly foolish .

Who else but the Deviant Asura could fight Hegemons and Beast Kings as though they were common fodder? Who else would carry a mysterious bloodline that made her very being want to kneel in obeisance? Who else would be embroiled in mysterious heritages that carried the aura of antiquity?

Still , it was difficult to combine those scattered rumors she’d heard in the monastery with the man who stayed by her side for months . From the rumors , Zac was a powerful lunatic who was an amalgamation of lust and violence , but the reality couldn’t be any further from the truth .

His eyes had never carried that glimmer when he looked at her , the glimmer that was painfully obvious in his demonic friend . Neither had he taken up the invitations from the other Wandering Cultivators during their month of travel . And there had been more than one , especially after he showcased more of his power .

In reality , he was almost obsessively focused on his cultivation , where violence was just a means to an end . Over the past two weeks , she felt he’d managed to get a bit closer to the real him as well , now that he no longer carried his disguise . As far as she was concerned , Deviant Asura didn’t exist , except in the mouths of others .

But as she looked at the following scene , she couldn’t help but wonder if there really was some truth to the rumors .

Amid the new arrival’s primordial flames , a new source of fire had erupted—right where her two companions stood . It didn’t contain nearly the purity of meaning of the surrounding flames , but the fire was extraordinary in its own right . It exploded like a firework , sending hundreds of fiery streams in every direction .

Zac and Ogras had disappeared in one of those streams , and the remaining flames formed a type of imagery Vai had never seen before , depicting Zac Atwood in the middle of a swirl of roses . His features were different , worse in Vai’s opinion , and his eyes contained frailty that didn’t exist . The avatar showcased a sorrowful smile before turning around , and his departing back was the last thing you saw before the scene was replaced by four lines of text .

A fate encounter , two hearts collide

But Heaven’s Path won’t be denied

A lonely road , the pursuit of power

Please forgive this lonesome flower

Vai’s mind short-circuited as she read the short poem . What? Why? Why had he added such a weird contraption to the escape treasure? And what did he mean by it? Was there some sort of sordid history between himself and the mysterious woman floating in the sky? Vai had to admit she was incredibly beautiful , even eclipsing her niece .

The mysterious woman seemed surprised by the turn of events , staring at the flickering poem for a few seconds . Then she lifted her arm , and a storm of primordial flames incinerated the illusion . The next moment , an incredibly complex array appeared where the poem hovered , its patterns far beyond anything Vai had ever seen .

The sigil turned into a thin strand of pure flames that shot toward the east , and Vai looked on with wide eyes as the woman turned into flames and entered the stream . She was gone , leaving a wide circle of scorched earth and incinerated corpses .

No! - a panicked roar echoed across the battlefield as her powerful companion burst into flames .

It no longer cared about restraining the invaders as it rushed toward the stream . In the direction of Zac . The shocking scene created a suspended lull on the battlefield , but reality came crashing back soon enough as the battle between the invaders and the newly arrived squad of Templars to the west resumed .

What in the Heavens! - Pretty Peak exclaimed from the side . - Deviant , a pureblooded deviant! -

I liked it , - Leyara laughed . - Both form and function . -

What should we do? - Vai fretfully asked . - It looked like that woman managed to enter the slipstream with the help of her flames . They might be in trouble . -

Well , nothing we can do , - Pretty Peak grunted . - If that thing worked as that madman advertised , then he’s already a month’s travel away from this place . He’s on his own now . We can only pray that guy can handle it . -

Don’t worry , aunty . I don’t think they’re enemies . - Leyara smiled as she ate a Soldier Pill .

How do you know? - Vai asked curiously .

Woman’s intuition . - Leyara winked . - I felt a sense of threat from her , for my long-term prospects . -

Y-you can’t marry that man , - Vai stuttered .

Oh? You want him for yourself? - Leyara asked with surprise , and Pretty looked over curiously .

N-No . I-I just feel his fate is too powerful . It’s dangerous to be around him , - Vai said with rosy cheeks . - I don’t wish for you to be hurt . -

Don’t you worry about me . - Leyara pinched Vai’s cheeks .

More importantly , what should we do about your people over there? - Pretty pointed at the group of unfamiliar Templars who’d popped up out of nowhere . - They’re putting up a good fight , but that crazy golem is gone now . They will be overrun unless something changes . -

Let’s go , - Leyara said , giving the scorched area one last look before jumping down the wall . - Lonesome flower , huh? -

16

SUBVERTED FATE

The familiar voice felt like a cold shower , if that cold shower were made from scorching flames . Zac prayed he’d gone mad and it was an auditory hallucination , but the excitement from the flames still burning within his body wasn’t a great sign . The next moment , the embers poured out from his cells , while the same thing happened to Ogras .

They all flew toward the same destination—the woman who calmly stood just ten meters away , in front of a backdrop of primordial flames . Iz Tayn . The embers danced around her before rushing into the fiery curtain like moths drawn to the flame . Iz looked at the embers’ final journey before the curtain closed , and her attention returned to them .

Standing in front of Iz Tayn was a sobering reminder that while he’d made enormous strides over this past year , he had in no shape or form reached the very limits of the E-grade . Iz’s aura clearly eclipsed his own , and possibly even that of the lipless Hegemon . Even then , Zac was certain she was still in the E-grade like him because her aura was almost impossibly condensed .

And impossibly rife with meaning .

Part of it was undoubtedly the lingering Dao of the powerful flames that just winked out , but standing in front of her reminded Zac of standing in the Dao Chamber when they cracked open the Dao Funnel all those years ago . Except that the only Dao he could sense right now was the Dao of Fire . Her very being exuded the truth of flames , to a degree Zac didn’t think possible in the E-grade .

It almost seemed like her flames encompassed all Daos , though Zac knew that was impossible at her level . In a sense , he was almost looking at the opposite of himself . Her flames encompassed all while he embodied the Void .

Zac’s instincts told him someone like this was rare even among the peak factions of the Multiverse . Uona Noz’Valadir was the strongest E-grade cultivator he’d fought thus far , but she couldn’t hold a candle to Iz . Certainly , Uona did by no means represent the peak of the Undead Empire . Zac simply doubted they had anyone who could match Iz Tayn level for level . Unless the Primo had direct descendants running around , perhaps .

Taking in Iz’s unparalleled appearance and unfathomable aura was an experience on its own . Zac’s belly was still full of grievances as he looked for solutions to their predicament . Why did his escape treasure have to be Fire-attributed? Couldn’t Yrial have found one based on ice? He didn’t know if Iz somehow caught a ride through the stream of flames , or if she had methods to follow it with a treasure of her own .

What was clear , though , was that she hadn’t been harmed at all by the journey , while neither Zac nor Ogras were in the best of conditions . And he was out of tricks . Flashfire Flourish] needed time to recharge , and he wasn’t sure his body would be able to take another jump anyway . His escape bangle was out of commission , and there were no motes of Chaos to make the impossible possible .

The good news was that Zac couldn’t sense any killing intent coming from Iz Tayn , nor was she circulating Cosmic Energy . She just stood there on a patch of ground singed clean by her flames . Neither had that weird junior golem managed to follow her by the looks of it , leaving her alone .

That didn’t help skew things in their favor if it came to blows . Based on her aura , Zac’s instincts told him that Iz alone was enough to deal with both of them , even if they were in perfect condition . If you included whatever protective and offensive treasures a supreme genius from a peak faction carried , it was pretty much hopeless .

His only hope for victory was to hit her with an Annihilation Sphere or Origin Mark . Would he even get the opportunity to conjure them if they fought? Besides , killing her was out of the question . He wouldn’t dare , even if he somehow found a chance to take her out . Iz’s faction knew of him , and they knew how to find him seemingly anywhere .

It was game over for him and Earth if she came to harm . Perhaps for all of the Zecia Sector .

These remote places weren’t valuable enough for even B-grade factions like the Radiant Temple to bother with . They just snatched up the occasional talent that emerged and extracted some resources on the cheap . A faction with Peak Autarchs as Dao Guardians for their young might simply eradicate the whole Sector in retaliation .

And while the System’s shroud protected Earth from people like the Great Redeemer , he didn’t hold much hope it would do the same against a determined Supremacy .

This left him in an extremely awkward situation where he didn’t know what to do . Since Iz wasn’t saying anything , he’d have to be the one to speak up .

You’ve hunted me down halfway across the Multiverse , - Zac said with some helplessness . - You caught me . Is all of this because of what I said over ten years ago? -

Over ten years? - Ogras blurted with a raspy voice , then quickly shrunk back when Iz turned her gaze to him .

Your fate has been swept up in his , and something mundane has become unordinary , - Iz said to Ogras , primordial flames flickering in her eyes . - But can you withstand the river on your own? If not , you will be dragged under , like so many before you . -

Zac’s eyes widened in alarm when he felt the scorching heat in Iz’s gaze , and he remembered all too well the unlucky few who’d been placed too close to this firebug in the Battle of Fates . Ogras was clearly worse off than he from the teleportation , and his skills had proven ineffective against Iz’s flames .

The original idea was to lay low for a day or two and let the pills nurture them back to the point they could fight unencumbered . A battle now might worsen the damage even further , especially for Ogras , who didn’t have an unnaturally sturdy constitution to fall back on .

You came here for me , right? - Zac frowned as he stepped in front of Ogras .

I’ll . . . uh . . . let the two of you talk , - Ogras whispered before retreating a few hundred meters away , though Zac noticed one of the shadows by the hills released a small flicker . He was ready to fight in case they were left with no choice .

That left a frazzled Zac standing nervously in front of Iz Tayn . He didn’t dare take out Verun’s Bite] , afraid she’d take that as a threat or insult . At the same time , he didn’t know what to say . How do you lose someone who had already followed you across half the Multiverse?

He needed to make this lunatic leave on her own somehow , but Zac didn’t even know what she wanted . Neither could he glean any hints from her expressionless face , and Zac found himself coming up short when trying to figure out what to say .

Do you believe those words? - Iz said after a pregnant pause .

Zac grimaced . There it was . He’d called her a goddamned lunatic right before escaping , and now she’d come to collect . Could he simply apologize and pray she’d drop the matter without trying to incinerate him and Ogras? However , the next words out of Iz Tayn threw him for a loop .

The words in the poem you left behind? -

Poem? - Zac said with a sinking feeling . - What poem? -

Flames appeared out of nowhere between them , and Zac looked on with growing unease as they formed a field of roses . It was one thing getting himself in trouble because of his big mouth—he only had himself to blame . But if Yrial’s warped desire to fuse beauty and function had caused even more trouble for him , he didn’t know what he would do .

Sure enough , there was the same bastardized version of himself , though the following scene differed slightly from the first . Zac saw himself turn away , and the rose field was replaced by a short poem . The more Zac read , the bigger the pit in his stomach grew . This wasn’t just a problem of taunting Iz Tayn . It certainly wouldn’t help with his already tarnished reputation .

After all , that golem guardian must have seen the text as well , as had those in the fort . He’d warned about the odd feature of Flashfire Flourish] , but he wasn’t sure how much that would help in front of such a scene . The flames dispersed , and Zac found himself lacking for words .

Do you believe the road toward the Terminus is a solitary one? That Karmic Threads tie one down on the road to power? -

Zac looked at Iz suspiciously , but it didn’t seem like she was joking or messing around . Her face was completely earnest as she waited for an answer . She’d hunted him possibly for ten years , and this was what she wanted to discuss?

Uh . . . It wasn’t me who wrote that poem . I don’t have any backing , and this is the frontier , - Zac slowly said . - I have to make do with whatever treasures I get my hands on , even if they have weird side effects . -

Iz’s lips curved upward at that , and her smiling visage almost made Zac’s mind blank out . Living , breathing beings had no business being this good-looking . How were others to compete?

That doesn’t answer my question . -

Zac became exasperated , not knowing what she wanted from him . It almost felt like she didn’t know herself , but he supposed having a chat beat getting blasted by a fireball .

Some aspects of cultivation are ultimately up to yourself , but I don’t think it’s a solitary road . I wouldn’t be here without the help from a lot of people , and I’m pretty sure the same is true for you . And even if I somehow reached the peak all on my own , what would be the point of such an empty existence? Where I just sit alone on some mountain peak , churning with power? It’s the Karmic Links you mention that give me purpose , that allow me to keep pushing myself . -

Iz considered his words a few seconds before nodding . - Thank you . Still , I have come all this way , so I will have to test your fate with my fire . It is not just a matter of your insult anymore . You will have to prove fate strong enough to carry the title of a Flamebearer . Otherwise , the other contenders will consume you , and I will have to fight an uphill battle for the inheritance for nothing . -

That’s . . . ! - Zac exclaimed with wide eyes .

Zac’s heart shuddered when his fears were realized . Iz Tayn was really a Flamebearer . He should have guessed it the moment she appeared inside the Void Star . Going by the name alone , she might be the most suitable person in the younger generation .

The fact he would be pitted against someone like her for the inheritance felt like an almost insurmountable wall , but that wasn’t his real worry . Ultimately , Zac didn’t hold much hope of seizing Ultom for himself after learning that the knowledge of the Left Imperial Palace was already widespread . As long as he got a few more pieces of the sigils and their epiphanies , he’d be happy . If he managed to get a small portion of the real inheritance , it’d be a huge windfall .

He was more worried about the implications of Iz’s mention of other contenders . She essentially confirmed others would be fighting for the same slot . And if one scion from the Heartlands had already joined the fray just months after he got the quest , did that mean others were already here? Or was she just lucky to stumble onto this opportunity while looking for him? Had he accidentally brought trouble on their head by leading Iz here?

You are free to use either your human or Draugr form . But if you use those Remnants you keep locked away in your mind , I will use means of similar potency , - Iz Tayn continued .

Zac was already reeling from her first proclamation , but that was nothing compared to having two of his biggest secrets exposed like it was common knowledge . It felt like his world had been upended , and he looked at Iz with incomprehension . How did she know all that? And what else did she know?

Did you not think I saw you back then? How the descendant of the Ignus Clan nearly destroyed your soul , yet you turned calamity into opportunity to force a breakthrough? How you transformed into a Draugr and fought the Red Hand Society assassin? - Iz said upon seeing Zac’s confusion . - Why did you think I called for you? -

I , uh , - Zac stuttered , his mind still a mess as he found himself in the very situation he had so desperately tried to prevent for so long .

And did you think my uncle would not recognize the Remnants from the Heart of Oblivion and the Spark of Creation? He was quite impressed how you managed to fuse their energies into a rudimentary expression of Chaos . He said he’d never heard of anyone doing that before , - Iz continued with equanimity . - Now , pick your form . -

Ah , young mistress , - a hesitant voice drifted over from a distance , where Ogras’ head was sticking out from behind a boulder . - I don’t think you want to fight right now . -

As I said , fate will not be subverted , - Iz said without even looking over .

Of course , of course , - Ogras eagerly nodded . - Nor should it . But I’m sure that young mistress hasn’t waited for years to right this wrong , only for your target to be unable to battle in his optimal state? Look at how wretched he is , how half his hair is gone and burn marks cover his hands and face . I can assure you , the situation within our bodies is even worse , even with you so graciously removing the lingering flames . -

Iz frowned as she thoughtfully looked between Ogras and Zac , who could only push down his embarrassment and look as pathetic as possible to sell Ogras’ lie . Well , it wasn’t a lie , really . Between him using up most of his skills just moments ago , and the damage from Flashfire Flourish] , he certainly wasn’t in the best shape .

And that’s not the only thing , young mistress! And you would want to hear this! - Ogras continued , prompting her to look over curiously . - We are actually on an important mission! To fight evil , unorthodox cultivators , destroy a pathway to a cursed universe , and save the day . If we don’t accomplish our task in a few days , then our lives are all forfeit . -

Zac once more wondered if something was wrong with Iz’s brain , since her eyes lit up at Ogras’ proclamation . It looked like she couldn’t be happier at the prospect of their lives hanging by a thread . She even looked over to Zac , obviously hoping for confirmation .

It’s true , - Zac reluctantly said . - If we don’t blow up that pathway , this whole realm will be flooded with tainted energy . The realm will collapse , and we shall all die . -

Iz Tayn looked like she’d hit the jackpot , and a slight flush appeared on her cheeks . However , she soon realized Zac was looking at her weirdly , and she regained her impassive expression . She nodded slightly , like the news was nothing unexpected .

There were no two ways about it . There was something off with this girl .

We shall postpone our battle , - Iz agreed .

I can see this young mistress has a righteous heart , - Ogras continued . - We would be doubly blessed if you joined us in this endeavor . To thwart evil and protect our world . -

Iz glanced at Zac , who tried to look enthused by the idea . He had to admit that Ogras’ plan was solid . Not only would this net them an extremely powerful helper , but it would give them a breather to figure out a long-term solution to this Iz problem . - You’re welcome to join us . -

Then I shall accompany you , - Iz said .

It would be our pleasure , - Ogras readily agreed as he bounded over . - This lowly one is Ogras Azh’Rezak , at your service . -

Iz Tayn , - she said , once more looking at Zac .

Zac Atwood , - he said , wholly uncomfortable under her stares .

Great , great! - Ogras nodded . - Now that we’re all friends , can we expect your . . . uh . . . hand , to join us? Its strength could definitely be helpful . -

Kvalk has no interest in fighting against the Black Heart Sect , - Iz said . - He is more likely to test the fate of you two . It should take him around three or four days to reach this area if you are interested in battling him as well . -

The ruins of the Ra’Lashar Kingdom are right this way , - Ogras immediately said as he started walking . - Treasures and mystery await! -

Zac didn’t know what else to do , so he simply followed in tow .

As I said , our battle is only delayed . I will find you after this is dealt with , - Iz added as she floated over to his side . - But I can see you are not enthused at the idea , so I am willing to offer this treasure as long as you don’t disappoint . -

The word - treasure’ could deal with most problems , and Zac looked over at the thing that appeared in Iz’s hand . Ogras’ eyes were gleaming , and Zac could understand the sentiment .

Who wouldn’t be curious about what kind of treasures someone like Iz Tayn could take out?

17

ALAVA’HAR

Bastard .

Ogras watched the two social outcasts walk in pace , and it was hard to tell who was more uncomfortable . Zac wore it plainly on his face , though Ogras could almost hear the gears turning in the head of that sheltered lass . They looked like a teenage couple full of hormones and awkward love . Double-bastard .

He’d spent ten years in this godforsaken realm with not a woman as far as the eye could see . All the while , this guy was living it up while pretending otherwise . The more he heard , the more Ogras’ teeth itched . The Peak lass , Leyara , even that little doe-eyed researcher , kept throwing him long looks . Ibtep , that lunatic , had even created a wildly inaccurate rumor , only for millions of maidens to take him seriously . According to Pretty Peak , there were massive bounties from lonely singles for the contact details of the Deviant Asura .

And now , this celestial fairy had fallen right into this useless guy’s lap? A woman who had broken Ogras’ understanding of the limits of beauty . And who was apparently carrying around supreme treasures tailored for that dullard . Ogras had no idea what that ominous-looking stone was , but Zac was almost drooling , so it had to be something good .

Triple-bastard!

Iz Tayn reminded Ogras of Alava’Har from the stories he’d read growing up . A princess of the divine realm descended to the mortal plains in search of love and purpose . Rich , naïve , and bored . It only took Ogras a single glance to figure out this Iz Tayn was the same—a sheltered rose of a terrifyingly powerful origin .

Who knew? This might be the first time she left the safety of her family’s domains . No doubt surrounded by servants since birth , but lacking proper connections , to the point that a simple curse thrown her way had become an obsession .

Luckily , Iz Tayn had been easy enough to wrangle , even if he’d been forced to throw his face a bit . But what was face worth in front of life? Those flames were just too terrifying . It almost felt like the shadows that made up his body would collapse when she looked in his direction . So he would sing his song and dance a little dance until the young empress was satisfied .

She would join in on their - adventure’ and then return to the divine realm with her elders . Iz had clearly relegated him to a servant-type shortly after they set off , but that was fine with him . It was just like the lass said , too much excitement and he’d get himself killed . Someone like Iz Tayn undoubtedly had enough suitors to drown him in spit if they thought him getting too close to their target .

But this useless guy was blowing it . They needed to entertain , damn it! And in return , they would feed on her scraps , be they information , treasures , or knowledge . He desperately tried to send the message with his glances , but that idiot was walking along looking like a martyr about to sacrifice himself against a beast tide .

Perhaps these two were too socially inept to walk and talk simultaneously?

Iz glanced at the unusually mutated demon , who smiled and nodded obsequiously in return . The scene was off-putting . It reminded her of those empty smiles that followed wherever she traveled with her uncle . The smile of those who tried to benefit from the vast wealth or influence of the Tayn family . Part of her wanted to just release her flames and test his fate then and there .

But she couldn’t . Mr . Bug was still unhappy about the arrangement , even after she’d shown the Stone of Celestial Void] like her uncle suggested . Was it because their sparring session had been delayed? Uncle explained that real friendships were forged through battle .

Only when you had withstood your opponent’s Dao could you truly understand who they were . The Dao was the road to the heart . But now , everything was left on an uncertain note .

She didn’t know what to make of this silent yet palpable sense of rejection . She’d always been welcomed with open arms no matter where she went . Even ancestors emerged from their sealed chambers to greet her and provide small gifts of goodwill . To have someone be so overtly annoyed by her presence was a first .

It was almost liberating in a twisted sort of way . Because his opinions of her were based on their encounters rather than on her surname . Certainly , Mr . Bug knew some of it . Though to someone like him , any established family must seem like an unfathomable mountain . He didn’t know what a throne represented or who her grandparents were .

Still , while Iz felt this atmosphere was novel , it wasn’t what she envisioned . She remembered those scenes from the graded trial Mr . Bug joined . Of how he’d joked around with that other Draugr or the excitement they felt upon exploring their first shared trove . The camaraderie created by a shared adversary when they found themselves beneath that stream .

How was she supposed to break the tension in this situation? Iz had no idea . She was increasingly realizing that she wasn’t very equipped or prepared to set out on her own . There were many types of strengths she lacked , strengths that couldn’t be gained through her grandpa’s meticulous preparations for her cultivation .

She couldn’t bring up Mr . Bug’s adventures either , even though she really wanted to know what happened between a few of her viewing sessions . Or when he’d consumed the previous set of Remnants . She only knew he had been headed toward a place called the City of Ancients , followed by a long bout of aggravating static .

Grandpa had told her that she absolutely couldn’t tell any outsider about the existence of the Divine Mirror . It was a supreme treasure from a previous era . Her Grandma had found it long ago in some ruins of the Limitless Empire , and it was a treasure that would drive certain clans mad with desire . Not only that , but her uncle had told her that it would ruin her chance at friendship if she told Mr . Bug , even if Iz didn’t understand why .

Thousands of her family’s servants had observed her every breath since she was born , which had no impact on her daily life . But she trusted Uncle Valderak knew what he was talking about . Even if she hadn’t found much use for his two weeks of friendship-tutoring so far .

Should she just give him the stone and see if that helped?

Zac surreptitiously glanced at the woman who walked in pace with them , her calm face giving no clues as to what she was thinking . Everything about her was confusing . She’d employed god-knows-what kind of High-grade methods to find him , and even used a Peak Autarch to ferry her over to the frontier .

But when she had finally caught up with him , she readily agreed to postpone her duel . Since then , she’d barely spoken a word . Iz appeared mostly content with walking in silence . Zac certainly had a lot on his mind . Ogras had occasionally tried making some small talk with Iz , but she either answered in single syllables or not at all . By now , the silence had almost grown oppressive .

Zac felt Iz’s gaze upon him once more . Before he had a chance to see if something was wrong , Ogras had stopped in his tracks just ahead of them .

There is a hidden cave not far from here , - Ogras said . - Our original plan was to hide for a day and recover . How about we check out that place? During that time , we can also discuss the upcoming battle . -

Zac glanced at Iz , who nodded slightly in agreement .

Let’s go , - Zac said , and Ogras gave him another pointed look before turning away .

Zac knew what the demon wanted . He wasn’t so dense that he couldn’t understand the opportunistic gleam in Ogras’ eyes . The demon wanted him to befriend Iz and possibly extract advantages from her . But things were not that simple , and he was still digesting the whole situation . Having gone over the events from the past half-hour , Zac had come to a few conclusions .

He should already have realized that Iz was aware of his two secrets . Even if he hadn’t expected Iz to witness the whole chain of events in the Battle of Fates , he had spoken with her in his Draugr form . The next time they met , he was a human , yet she recognized him plain as day . The Remnants were even less of a mystery . He’d used what he called a Bronze Flash in the Tower of Eternity , and the next time he’d just swallowed the Remnants and was teeming with their energy .

None of that explained how Iz had the Stone of Celestial Void] .

He hadn’t actually seen that item before , but it perfectly matched the description in the listing back in the Orom World . More importantly , only two people knew about it : he and a store clerk . The only time he ever said its name aloud was when he asked the clerk if the treasure could be brought out for inspection . After having been rejected , Zac never mentioned the item again .

So how did Iz know he wanted it? Even the Orom wouldn’t know , considering how little it cared about the day-to-day inside its body . Just what happened after he fled the Orom? Or did she have some way to spy on him? The thoughts kept gnawing at him , making him unable to focus on anything else . Eventually , it reached a tipping point , and Zac turned to Iz with a determined expression .

How did you know I need that item? -

Iz didn’t seem surprised by the question , but she still looked at Zac thoughtfully for a few seconds until her eyes lit up . - My family set up some rules for me when visiting the frontier . All actions have consequences , and forming Karmic debts should be avoided when possible . If you want me to divulge secrets that would normally be out of your reach , then you must prove you are fated with that knowledge . -

How would I prove something like that? - Zac asked with confusion .

Withstand my flames . -

Are you just making up an excuse to beat me up? - Zac asked , his eyes thinning with suspicion .

Iz’s mouth curved up a bit at that , but she quickly regained her poise . - If you want to know , you would have to take a strike from me . -

Ogras was looking at the proceedings with interest . - Just go with it . If there’s one thing you’re good at , it’s taking a beating . So what’s the harm? -

Easy for you to say . - Zac glared , but he still readied himself .

There was no way she was planning on going all out at this point , and Zac felt confident he should at least be able to deal with a normal attack without too much issue . A creaking sound echoed out as Vivi’s vines formed a thick barrier , and Verun’s Bite] appeared in his hands .

Go ahead , - Zac said , and he jumped back fifty meters to give himself some berth .

Iz nodded and held up her hand . A small fireball appeared in her palm , exuberantly releasing small bursts of golden embers . Zac relaxed a bit since it just looked like a fancy version of a common Fireball] attack . However , Zac’s eyes widened in alarm when it shot out from Iz’s hand .

Suddenly , it felt like a whole sun was bearing down on him . The little ball contained an immense amount of truths , to the point it created illusions all around him . At least Zac hoped it was an illusion since the whole area had been set ablaze , even the air . Zac felt a weak exclamation of pain from Vivi , and he realized her vines were rapidly drying out , their powerful life force unable to compete with the scorching heat .

Zac could only cut off the dried-out vines with a swing of his axe , and the symbiotic plant almost fully retreated back into its pocket domain . That left him with one less layer of defense , just as the deceptive little fireball doubled its momentum while gaining an intense golden hue . Space was being incinerated in its wake , and Zac felt like hot pokers were being stabbed into the still-tender burns across his body .

Holy—! - Zac swore as he urgently activated Empyrean Aegis] .

Two different hues of gold clashed for supremacy in the area as the ball of utmost flames slammed into his hastily-erected barrier . The fireball burned its way straight through with a sizzle , leaving Zac gobsmacked . It might have expended a good chunk of its force by that point , but what remained was still more than enough to cause alarm .

Normally , Zac would have used the brief window bought by his barrier to move out of the way , but Iz demanded he withstand the flame , not survive the strike . He could only grit his teeth as he unleashed a herculean swing infused with his Branches of the War Axe and Pale Seal . He normally didn’t use the second Dao in his human form , but he figured it was more effective at snuffing out flames than a Life-attuned one .

A primal roar of defiance echoed through the scorched wastelands as Verun bit straight through the golden ball of primordial flames . Zac felt his Daos being rapidly whittled down by the unrelenting fire , and his powerful soul churned as he infused more and more of it to combat the drain . The fireball didn’t enjoy the same treatment . Soon after , it was completely ripped apart .

However , Zac’s relief was short-lived as the ball’s destruction released a splatter of flames in every direction like a Dao-infused Molotov Cocktail . A few managed to reach his body , and his robes became a tattered mess . A searing pain soon followed as parcels of fiery Dao dug into his body . It was almost as though the flames were alive in a tangible way that was completely different from the fire left behind by Flashfire Flourish] .

These little flames were connected with the boundless universe .

Sensing them with his soul felt like staring at the primordial soup from which the Big Bang created the universe . It was a fire of endless possibility , almost reminding him of one aspect of Creation . At the same time , it held the ability to reduce anything to ashes , leaving nothing in its wake but utter destruction . A facet of Oblivion .

Was this Iz’s Dao? Her vision of a supreme Dao of Fire that was one with all?

A deep and angry thud from the depths of his chest brought him out from his reverie as Void Heart] woke up , and it started to drag the wayward embers toward its maw . But the flames were unwilling to go quietly into the night , and desperately struggled against the pull . The Hidden Node managed to swallow a few , but most embers made their way out of Zac’s body , leaving a second scorch mark behind before returning to Iz’s side .

The apocalyptic surroundings died down , confirming it was indeed not real , but an effect brought by the Dao infused into the attack . Ogras was just fine , even though it looked like the flames had consumed him for a moment , and he was looking at Iz with wide eyes .

Well? - Zac grimaced as he looked down at his ruined clothes with dismay .

He’d practically been returned to his roots , where he looked like a mix of a burn victim and a homeless person .

I am very curious what your bloodline is . It is the first time I’ve seen someone dare consume the flames of my family , - Iz said with interest . - Or at least succeed in doing so . -

Her words made Zac pause . It looked like she didn’t know quite everything about him , at least .

Well , there’s always a first , - Zac grunted as he walked over . - The stone? -

I left a mark on you during our first meeting , - Iz said . Zac wasn’t surprised .

He remembered the flame touching his chest but not actually harming him . He had long since guessed it was a tracking mark , but he hadn’t been overly worried about it since she came from a different part of the Multiverse . So much for that theory .

You managed to destroy it , but I had an elder bring it back and reinforce it , - Iz said , making both Ogras and Zac look at her with alarm . Just how powerful did you have to be to bring back a destroyed tracking mark on someone across half the Multiverse? - It is through that mark I’ve been able to find you . -

Well , that explains some of it , but it doesn’t explain how you know about the stone? - Zac said , putting the matter of her elder aside .

The mark can create a lingering resonance in weaker cultivators that would let my family identify them , - Iz said . - That would allow us to do all kinds of things . Such as finding the clerks you had been in contact with while living in the mutated Voidcatcher . -

Zac’s expression turned suspicious . It was as plausible as anything else , but he worried it wasn’t the whole truth .

In either case , the brand barely works now , - Iz continued . - It would have to get bolstered by my elder again since you weakened it when you conjured Chaos . -

How do I know you’re not just making things up? - Zac asked .

Every word I’ve said is true , - Iz said , appearing a bit hesitant . - The price for the knowledge might be off . Do you want to know anything else? -

How about you remove the mark? - Zac said . - After all , you’ve already found me . -

Impossible , - Iz said with a shake of her head . - Even if damaged , it has been bolstered by my elder . It’s not something I can remove . -

Fine , - Zac grunted . - Then can you tell me if a bunch of Autarchs , or even stronger beings , will come to Zecia to contend for the inheritance? You should know that’s not something a small frontier Sector can withstand . -

Oh , you don’t need to worry about that , - Iz said . - The Boundless Heavens has shielded this Sector . My elder believes this inheritance is targeted at the younger generation , and the Heavens do not want undue interference . When we entered , only a Middle Monarch could be sent through . -

Zac and Ogras shared a glance , relief evident in their eyes . This was their biggest worry , but it looked like the System had already dealt with the problem for them . Monarchs from the outside were difficult to deal with , but they were nothing compared to Supremacies .

Ask her something else , - Ogras urged as a grin spread across his face .

You ask her , bastard , - Zac swore as he looked down at his charred body . - I’m about well done over here . If I get any more toasty , you’ll have to fight the next battle yourself . -

Fine , - Ogras sighed . - We’ll talk more after we’ve rested . -

I know many things , - Iz added as she looked hopefully at Zac .

Isn’t that great , - Zac muttered . - Now , where is that cave? -

18

FLICKER OF HOPE

The weak rustle of leaves formed a tranquil song as the silence stretched on , even though the plants in the inner courtyard had died out eons ago . Replacing the plant life was a thick layer of ashy dust . It created a paradoxical environment—the utter desolation of eternal autumn mixed with the fresh winds of spring . Fifty by fifty meters , boxed in by ancient stones and an anthracite sky . Emily only had two things for company : her thoughts and the tattered banner hanging from the stele .

The sigil on its surface was simple , yet it held power and profundity beyond anything she’d ever heard of . Possibly of anything in the whole Sector . A rising sun which carried the breath of the universe . The unending cycle that brought the seasons , that brought life and death .

The Sigil of the Radiant Court .

Emily still couldn’t believe she had been accepted when Pro’Zul and Ynaea had both been turned to ash right before her eyes . She felt like an impostor benefiting from something not meant for her , and she was just waiting for the pulse that would claim her as well . That was part of the reason why she hadn’t moved over the past eight months , even if the sprawling castle might hold more treasures . Even if the army was slated to leave for the next Sector more than three months ago .

She was afraid to draw unwanted attention , waking up the terrifying power slumbering in this private garden . The other reason was that she simply couldn’t . The gates had been sealed shut behind her , and she knew all too well just how sturdy those stones were . Even if she struck with all she had , she wouldn’t leave a mark .

It wasn’t all bad , though . The energy was both unbelievably dense and filled with meaning . She was making tremendous progress . The random herbs and baubles she’d picked up in her first excursion with the coliseum was nothing compared to this . The only things of value she got back then were painful lessons and the ticket to the Million Gates Territory .

Just sitting in front of the banner obviously couldn’t compare to those shimmering lights , but it still felt like she was gaining a week’s worth of comprehension every day she sat here . And she had a lot to work on . Forming a Supreme Pathbound skill with the help of the three strands of light was just the first step . Creating the axe array that would make the most of it required a lot of work , even with the banner helping .

Before she could even begin , she was forced to digest the truths from the lights . Truths that completely upended her understanding of synergistic energy , which was the basis of both her supportive skills and offensive ones . Still , she was only just grasping the corners of those truths , and she was getting less and less from the tattered banner . It almost felt like she was extracting the very last drops that it held .

The sky shuddered , for the third time that day , prompting Emily to look up with worry . Was the Mystic Realm really collapsing? What did that mean for her? Would the whole castle be thrown into the Void with her in it? How could she possibly survive something like this? Emily’s heart shuddered when her thoughts turned to her squadmates , to Earth . To her family . To Zac .

Would she ever see them again?

No! She wouldn’t give up . She was so close . A little bit more , and the array would be finished . If she were right , it would unleash a terrifying amount of force if used together with Summer’s Squall] . It might even be enough to crack open the gate . She forcibly pushed any stray thoughts aside and poured everything into the banner .

And it worked . Three days later , it clicked , and the Dance of the Five Seasons] was born . The moment everything came together , the banner disintegrated , and a screen popped up in front of her .

Seal of the Radiant Court (Unique , Inheritance) : Form a Seal of the Radiant Court . Reward : Become a Lightbringer of Ultom . (1/3)]

The quest was a surprise , but a grinding sound pushed its unfamiliar contents to the back of her mind . The gates were opening , and tears of relief poured down Emily's face as she started running . She didn’t spare so much as a glance to the small courtyard that had been her home for the better part of a year . All her thoughts were on escape . She stormed into the corridor , making a beeline for the exit .

She wondered what the elders outside would say upon learning that more than 80% of the army had died on the first day inside this deathtrap . Some deaths were unavoidable when scanning a Pocket Dimension for invaders , but this was completely different from stumbling into some nasty environment or frayed space .

Soon enough , Emily reached the first corner where one of the wardens waited , only the fractured golemoid guard didn’t react when she closed in on it . Emily breathed out in relief and flashed past it .

Her relief didn’t last long . A deep rumble shook the whole castle , and the previously indestructible bricks started to show cracks .

The whole castle was collapsing! Was this her doing? Emily had no way to tell , and could only urge her legs to run quicker . Why hadn’t she created a movement skill instead of a Supportive-Offensive Fusion Skill! What if she died from a rock to the head after surviving spatial tears , murderous constructs , and Annihilation pulses?

Her panic only grew as the walls closed in on her .

Emily finally spotted the gate leading to the enormous courtyard . The place where they’d realized they were trapped , unable to either leave or send a message for help . The place that had eventually been flooded with lance-wielding constructs when the army opted to not head deeper into the sketchy castle .

The corpses and constructs were gone by the time she barged through the gate . It was completely empty , like it’d been scrubbed clean after the battle . Just as she was about to burst through the exit , her eyes widened with alarm—another of the gates veritably exploded as a fierce-looking ogre crashed straight through it wielding two gargantuan stone axes .

It was Kan’Kalo , one of the five leaders of the mission , and a member of the Big Axe Coliseum , just as she . He appeared ready for a tough fight , then stopped in confusion upon seeing Emily was the only other one there .

Little girl! You survived as well? - Kan’Kalo said with surprise . - I figured you’d get skewered by one of those lance-wielding monstrosities with your embarrassing strength . -

Wouldn’t die before a fool like you , - Emily snorted .

The five-meter-tall ogre laughed loudly in response , when another rumble reminded him where they were . - We can’t stay here . Want to ride with me? -

Sure . - Emily jumped up on Kan’Kalo’s left shoulder .

Cosmic Energy surged , and Emily’s eyes widened with shock . - You’ve broken through! -

Was only a matter of time for someone this handsome! - Kan’Kalo boisterously laughed as they flew through the exit , though Emily knew the truth .

This big brute was powerful , but he’d been stuck as a Half-Step cultivator for centuries . She might have gotten her hands on the grand prize , but it looked like she wasn’t the only one who gained from the experience . The enormous castle turned more and more distant as the Hegemon flew through the sky , and she saw one figure after another emerging from various spots .

Should we wait for them? - Emily asked .

All men for themselves , - the ogre muttered , hesitantly looking at Emily who wasn’t even as large as his head . - And runts . -

Emily rolled her eyes , and a crackling axe appeared in her hand . It released a few arcs of lightning into the clouds before she slammed it right into Kan’Kalo’s head . He almost stumbled , regaining his composure as he flew away with even greater momentum .

Little brute , - he snorted , one of his huge eyes looking to her with confusion . - No breakthrough? -

I got insights instead , - Emily shrugged . - I’ve learned to make an axe array . -

Fancy , - Kan’Kalo hummed with interest . - Show me later , yeah? -

Sure . If we get out of here alive . -

Haha! I’m not dying in this shithole after being stuck for months . - Kan’Kalo laughed , though he warily looked at the rapidly fracturing sky . - The closest exit isn’t that far from here . The real problem is what’s waiting on the other side . Better get ready to hold your breath , brat . -

Emily’s smile turned crooked , remembering how they’d first arrived . Their squad had found a pathway in the middle of space , far from any planet . Since it emitted strong energy fluctuations , the joint army had erected a temporary platform and sent in Emily’s squad and a few more to perform reconnaissance .

But if the army had left three months ago as planned , would they pop out in open space? She didn’t have a Cosmic Vessel , and the famously poor ogre who carried her obviously didn’t have one either . However , a familiar aura suddenly filled the sky , and Emily’s eyes lit up with relief .

Teacher! - she shouted , and space was cut apart .

Through the collapsing sky , Warsong emerged , his body reeking of blood and killing intent . He sported a nasty wound across his face that almost seemed to have blinded him , though his aura was stronger than ever .

What happened to you? - Emily exclaimed , but the axe-master only shook his head .

Later , - he muttered , performing a grasping motion with his hand . - This place is about to blow . -

The next moment , twenty more people appeared next to her and Kan’Kalo , and Warsong turned his heel and dragged everyone out through the entrance he’d cut open . They soon found themselves on the platform the army had erected , though Emily frowned upon seeing it was covered in scars and cracks . A battle had taken place here .

Still , there was breathable air , and the enormous warship floating in the distance still seemed to be in working order . Emily and the ogre shared a look , and they both breathed out in relief . They’d made it . They survived a certain death trial .

We were afraid you left us behind , - Emily said as she climbed down from Kan’Kalo’s shoulder .

The Mystic Realm was sealed shortly after you entered , but the locked pathway started releasing extraordinary amounts of energy . We figured something big was happening inside , so we chose to change plans , - Warsong said . - Just what happened in there? What was that castle? -

We got sucked into that place the moment we entered , - Emily grimaced . - Most of us died . -

I expected as much when I saw so few of you come flying out , - Warsong said . - Did you learn anything? Like who built it? -

Emily described the building as best as she could , with Kan’Kalo adding details of his own . He was actually a lot more helpful than she was , with his knowledge of various architectural styles and materials . He even knew how to roughly determine the age of the ruins by studying the bricks that made up the inner wall .

According to Kan’Kalo , the castle most likely pre-dated the System , meaning it came from the Limitless Empire or one of the factions it warred against . Emily wasn’t very surprised , considering what she’d seen in the vision . That was definitely something belonging to a tyrannical force like the Limitless Empire , and not some little border faction .

Neither she nor Kan’Kalo explicitly said what kind of opportunities they’d encountered inside the castle . Such were the rules of the coliseum—if you found it , it was yours . They only detailed the traps and environmental dangers , though Emily doubted it would matter . The pathway had already collapsed , meaning it was lost to the Void forever .

I’ll have to talk with the others , - Warsong said after they’d recounted their experience . - It might be important . You people return to the Eyrie , we’ll take things from here . -

Five days later , Emily was called to her master’s quarters , and she frowned when she saw him still covered in wounds .

Are you really okay? - Emily asked .

Some beasts found the energy released by the pathway alluring . - Warsong shrugged , smiling . - You did well . What are your plans going forward? Because of the delay , we have decided to split up . Some will return to the War Fort , others will keep going . What do you want to do? -

I— - Emily hesitated .

She wasn’t sure . She’d been gone from Earth for a long time . She hadn’t had any news at all since she entered the Million Gates Territory three years ago . Had Zac returned? Had they also come here to get a head start on this mess?

At the same time , she wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to return now . The quest in her Status Screen beckoned her . This was her shot . An opportunity grasped with her own two hands , rather than something handed to her by Zac or Teacher . Could she just go home now that she’d finally found her path?

You don’t have to choose right now . We depart in two days . -

No need , - Emily said with determination . - I’ll keep going . I’ll see this through to the end . -

So much Mara , - Golden Bell sighed .

Three Virtues nodded in agreement as the group looked down on the sprawling world . No matter where they turned their eyes , there was evil and suffering . Men fought like beasts in their twisted pursuit of power , and blood flowed like rivers . It was an inherited madness , suffering perpetuated through generations .

This continent truly needs the love of Buddha to start healing , - Peaceful Way said with a shake of her head .

This poor monk can sense this realm is on the cusp of Integration , - Golden Bell ventured . - With a few seeds sown and a couple of temples erected . . . -

For now , it will have to wait , - Three Virtues said . - Our seniors paid no small price to find this realm and send us all this way . -

To think there was a third option , - Peaceful Way said . - Lord Blessed Fate truly is a master of the Dharma . -

Still , this Goldblade Continent is vast , - Golden Bell said . - Finding the path in this confusing mix of fell Karma will take time . -

Amitabha . A guide is waiting for us . - Three Virtues smiled as he took out a low-quality Spatial Ring . - She will lead the way . -

One step brought him to the Anolan Plains , where the Stalk Sages communed with nature as they followed the ancient paths imprinted by the cosmos itself . Today , the billions of rivers had dried up , and the endless sea of emerald grass was replaced by festering pools of blight . Creatures twisted by the Heavens shrunk into their dwellings as he passed , unable to comprehend why they just felt a pang of mortal danger .

This time , he didn’t leave a path of destruction in his wake . What was the point?

Another step brought him to the towering peaks of the Pasho . Once , the whole mountain range would have sung from the Pasho’Har Bells , their cadence forming a universe through music . But the Pasho were long gone , as were the marvels they created . The Keeper of the Note had been known throughout all creation , but innumerable civilizations had risen and turned to dust since her songs were lost to the river of time .

Eternity—was there even such a thing?

And if this was it , what was the point? Wal’Zo’s heart broke all over again upon seeing his fallen world . These small sections were moved here to honor those who sacrificed everything . Yet they’d become mockeries of their previous masters . Wal’Zo was even thankful it would soon all be over . He , too , would sink into the river of time , taking this twisted reality with him .

Another step brought him home , and the connection was erected anew . Wal’Zo slowly made his way back through the hallowed halls , the lingering corruption on his body wilting away with every step . Still , two more hallways had been tainted since he left . A few more eras at most before their undertaking would finally crumble , and that was if their power wasn’t drawn upon any further .

Another wave of reluctance filled his heart as his mind wandered back to that distant past . To those who said no to the Terminus and set about changing the course of history . To the Eternal , who sacrificed herself to keep the flicker of hope alive when all else failed .

Soon enough he reached the First Garden , where the withered remains of Sal’Sun basked in the sunlight . Next to it , the red pot stood . Inside was a small tree , still no more than a sapling even after billions of years . The gift from that inscrutable man .

I’ve seen it now . Your masterpiece . The so-called System , - Wal’Zo smiled as he sat next to the small tree . - I wonder what you would think if you saw it today . It is truly something . But it seems to have diverged from what you described to us old things . Or is this still within your calculations? I could never tell where your depths lay . I guess that’s why I went along with it . You reminded me of the Eternal . -

Would you still think the price was worth it? The sacrifice? -

I even saw that man’s son . I bet you didn’t expect to hear that , huh? - Wal’Zo laughed . - Some things even you can’t control . Ripples on the lake . I would have given him a shot , but he actually took it on his own . Now it will ultimately be up to him to prove himself more than a link in the chain . As it has always been . -

His gaze turned to the false sky , his eyes flickering with thought .

Fate is gathering . Ultom is rising from the depths . Us old things cannot hold on much longer . The inevitable looms closer . -

Another hallway collapsed , and Wal’Zo sighed as he caressed the sapling .

Laondio , I hope you were right . -

19

TESTING FATE

Zac cracked his neck . - Let’s do this . -

His Spirit Tool robes had already been placed to the side and covered in Nexus Crystals to aid its recovery , and Zac instead wore three layers of mish-mashed E-grade armors he’d picked up from some random cultists . Iz’s flames had simply proven too potent , and any more tests of fate would probably ruin the clothes altogether .

You can do it , buddy! - Ogras hollered from the distance , his voice dripping with schadenfreude .

They stood in a large cave , deep underground , that Ogras had found with his shadows , which then had been further sealed off by Iz . A thin film of golden flames covered everything from floor to ceiling , but they didn’t feel hot to the touch . The flames emanated from a candle Iz had placed on a random stone . According to her , not even Peak Hegemons would sense any energy fluctuations from within the candle’s domain .

Iz , who’d spent the last hour in silent meditation , opened her eyes and looked over at Zac with confusion . - What are you wearing? -

Have to wear something after you ruined my poor robes , - Zac muttered .

I understand . But those pieces of armor would melt onto your skin . -

Zac groaned at the small hint of excitement in her voice .

It’d become painfully obvious that Iz really enjoyed blasting him with her flames , and she used different types every time he asked a question over the past two days . It almost felt like she were experimenting on which kind of fire would toast him the best . Iz had even been so disappointed upon learning that Zac couldn’t take any more punishment , that she’d provided a bottle of Healing Pills .

At first , Zac thought it wouldn’t change things , but that was only until he sensed the monstrous amount of medicinal energy crammed into the pills . Not only that , but in the bottle of 10 , every single pill contained a Pill Spirit . This was the first time he’d owned a Spiritual Pill since stumbling onto one back in the hunt , and it was shocking to see ten of them at one go .

Ten pills whose spirits were all far stronger than the one in the Four Gates Pill] .

Such pills didn’t grow on trees . Not only did the pill itself have to be of Supreme Quality to have even a small chance of gaining spirituality , but it had to absorb the truths of the universe for a long time to evolve . They were exceedingly rare , even in more affluent places like the Twilight Harbor . A few occasionally popped up at auction , but there was no steady supply .

Some factions had gathering arrays for their pill cauldrons and left batches stewing for millennia in hopes of evolving a few pills . And even then , there were no guarantees . So ultimately , most didn’t bother . The increase in efficacy simply couldn’t make up for the effort and luck required to concoct those kinds of pills .

Yet this basic logic didn’t have any sway with Iz Tayn’s faction . Perhaps top-tier alchemists had ways to guarantee Pill Spirits awakening , but it was still odd to see it on normal Healing Pills . It was a bit like crafting a Peak-quality Spirit Tool for a toothbrush or paperweight .

Still , Zac wasn’t about to complain about such a windfall . It had not only helped him and Ogras save a day of recuperation , but allowed them to gain some vital intelligence . For instance , they’d learned these Kan’Tanu were related to the Black Heart Sect , a massive , unorthodox force with actual Supremacies in charge . That explained how they dared to negotiate with peak factions when selling opportunities for the Left Imperial Palace .

More importantly , it spelled bad news for Zecia . It was already a problem when Zecia’s enemies was one unified force against their fragmented Sector . Now it turned out they had connections to an A-grade force . In other words , they were like the Void Gate . Even if they were just a distant offshoot , their heritage was bound to be deeper than the shallow foundations you’d normally see in a frontier Sector .

If armor doesn’t work , just go naked? - Ogras grinned . - Your hide is thicker than a Barghest’s in either case . -

That would lead to less damage , - Iz agreed . - Or mortal clothes that can be properly disintegrated . -

I can’t go around naked , - Zac said with exasperation as he started removing his layers of armor . - Your elders would probably burn me alive if they found out . -

To say they’d gotten close to Iz over the past day would be an overstatement , but Zac had started to understand her personality a bit better . She wasn’t haughty or arrogant like some powerful scions . It was just her penchant for burning things and people that left Zac with a bad impression . But she wouldn’t take offense to some random words , nor did she act overbearing with either him or Ogras .