Defiance of the Fall

Iz glanced at Zac .

I have some lingering matters to attend to . Kvalk , could you isolate us for a moment? -

The golem was obviously reluctant , but a fiery barrier still erupted around Zac and Iz , leaving the others outside .

Is everything okay? - Zac asked as he glanced at the golem .

You never answered my question before , - Iz said .

What? - Zac said before he remembered their talk before the Mystic Realm started collapsing . - Oh , what I’m doing next? -

Iz calmly nodded . - Fate’s tide is rising . -

I know . I just heard more powerful factions are on their way . Apparently , the war in this Sector will involve the inheritance . It’s a big mess . -

I would give you advice if I could , but I believe your future is best explored by yourself , - Iz said . - I am heading into the Million Gates Territory . I would offer to bring you , but my family will not agree as we are technically in contention for Ultom . -

That’s fine . - Zac hesitated for a moment before he decided to speak up again . - I might meet you there , though I’m not sure . I plan on shoring up my foundations before heading to the Perennial Vastness to form my core . I will probably go within two years . -

Perennial Vastness? - Iz mused . - I’ve heard of it . Its environment is far superior to this region . Both materials and opportunities exist in abundance over there . It should help lessen the burden of your path . -

Zac’s eyes lit up , as this was the first concrete description of the mysterious realm that would make even scions of powerful factions desirous . There being a bunch of materials was the most important part . At the very least , he would have to upgrade his Specialty Core along with his grade , and possibly parts of his bloodline .

And one thing was for sure—his body was always hungry . The more stuff he could gobble up in the Perennial Vastness , the less his own coffers would suffer .

Still , that was just the tip of the iceberg of what he needed to know . - Do . . . you have any advice? For core creation? -

I am afraid I’d cloud your path , - Iz said . - You are creating your own system . I am not qualified to guide someone like you . But if I could offer one piece of advice , it would be not to limit yourself by conventional wisdom . My grandpa once said that under the Heavens , anything is possible . -

Zac nodded in thanks , feeling her sentiment echoing Yrial’s . And Zac was of a similar mind himself . If you limited yourself to what everyone said could and couldn’t be done , especially here on the frontier , you’d never rise above .

I will visit you once more after I’ve found the pieces , - Iz added .

What? - Zac exclaimed .

Our arrangement still stands , - Iz smiled as the Stone of Celestial Void] appeared in her hand .

Zac looked at the treasure with a mix of desire and reluctance . He really wanted it , but the thought of getting roasted by Iz Tayn’s flames made him shudder , especially in his current condition .

Zac eventually nodded . - Just so you know , I’m staying on a planet shielded by the System . -

It does not matter as long as you do not form another eruption of Chaos like you did in the Voidcatcher , - Iz said without care , confirming Zac’s hunch her tracking method worked even through the System’s shroud .

It’s been . . . interesting . . . traveling with you , - Iz said as a small smile spread across her face . - Be careful not to poke the river of fate too much . If you blow up every place you visit , you’ll end up living in ruins . -

Well , I’m working on it . . . -

Iz nodded , and the next moment she was gone , engulfed in a puff of flames . The golem was gone as well , but a rumbling fire appeared in Zac’s mind , blocking out all else .

Boy , our young miss is magnanimous , but the world is cruel . A storm is coming to this corner of space , and you have placed yourself in its center . Talent is useless in the face of raw strength . Ask yourself if it is worth it . Of course , if you assist our young miss in this undertaking , I dare guarantee no force will dare meddle with you or your kin . ’

With that , the two were truly gone , leaving Zac with mixed emotions . As expected , her clan didn’t share Iz’s apparent indifference to Ultom and his relation to it . At least the golem wanted him to assist Iz in seizing the inheritance rather than outright killing him , which wasn’t too bad .

Still , there were no guarantees such a treatment would last . Like the golem said—talent was useless in the face of raw strength . He had nothing to bargain with when dealing with those kinds of factions . The moment he stopped being useful , he would become expendable .

What’s wrong? - Leyara asked , which dragged Zac out of his thoughts .

Oh , nothing , - Zac sighed .

Girl troubles? - Leyara smiled . - Want me to teach you about the fairer sex? -

Good luck with that , lass , - Ogras snorted . - You should know a lost cause when you see one . -

I think I’m doing just fine , thank you very much , - Zac grunted . - So , how long until we can extract the others? -

Not long , - Leyara said .

Ten minutes later , the powerful fluctuations surrounding Gemmy subsided , and Billy scurried over with worry in his eyes .

Is Gemmy okay? - Billy asked as the others caught up .

The Realm Spirit is alive and well , just very tired . It will most likely have to enter a long rest to recover , - the Monarch said .

Ah , Billy always feels better after sleeping , - Billy said .

As the owner , you should still be able to exert basic control over the world . Are you able to sense those still inside? It might take some time to get used to the different sensa— -

The Monarch didn’t get any further before almost thirty people appeared on the platform around them .

—tions . Huh . -

Everyone was there , except for the small settlement of Gnivelings . Vai looked a bit harried , but her eyes lit up upon seeing Zac .

You did it! - the researcher said excitedly as she walked over .

Nothing to it . - Zac smiled , like he hadn’t almost gotten himself killed just a couple of hours ago .

What . . . What are you doing next? - Vai asked .

Heading back home soon , - Zac said . - How about you join us? The Atwood Empire could use some talented researchers . -

Ah—I— - Vai stuttered .

Hey , don’t go kidnapping my little aunt , - Leyara said with a mock scowl . - How about I— -

No! - Vai said with determination . - Focus on cultivation until you’ve grown up . -

Zac smiled with a shake of his head .

No need to go back right away , - Ogras said .

I thought you would be the most eager one to get back home , - Zac said with surprise .

Fair , but this is a pretty good opportunity , no? - Ogras said . - This is a proper C-grade faction , and they should have some good things for sale . I’m sure the young miss of the vaunted Void Gate can help us in this regard? -

I’m just the boss’s disciple . I don’t have any actual authority , - Leyara said with a roll of her eyes .

You are welcome to stay here at Alpha Vigil , - one of the Monarchs said . - We must deal with the enemies inside the Mystic Realm in either case . -

Can’t Billy just drag them out too? - Billy asked . - Billy can sense them just fine . -

Removing someone unwilling will cause a conflict , - the Monarch explained . - With the Realm Spirt so exhausted , it’s unwise to exhaust it unduly . -

Let’s stay until everything is dealt with , - Zac agreed .

Zac and the others spent three more days in Alpha Vigil . The remaining Kan’Tanu cultists were captured or killed as the Void Gate sent over 500 Hegemons into the Mystic Realm . The Templar traitor was also caught , thanks to Billy essentially being omniscient when connecting with Gemmy .

As for the Gnivelings , they chose to join the Void Gate . Honestly , Zac wasn’t too surprised . It beat being stuck in a Pocket Realm , and he had to admit the Void Gate was superior to the Atwood Empire no matter how you looked at it . As such , the Mystic Realm became a wild realm with only beasts remaining .

Apart from recuperating , Zac spent most of his time perusing Alpha Vigil’s extensive stores and venues . Most stores used the Void Gate’s internal currency , but Leyara helped pull some strings to allow Zac to buy some items for Nexus Coins instead . The first thing he bought was a batch of Void Stones just like the ones he saw in the Void Priestess’ home .

The stones he managed to buy were unfortunately no larger than fists , but they still contained the equivalent amount of Void Energy to a High-grade Nexus Crystal . The energy was clean and easily absorbed , so even if they didn’t hold as much energy as Void Cores , they allowed him to recover his Void Energy quicker .

Unfortunately , these types of materials only appeared in the Void . It wasn’t that actual worlds existed in that weird dimension , but rather that things occasionally wound up there . A Mystic Realm could collapse , and whole mountain ranges could get swallowed by the Void . Usually , those places gradually eroded into nothingness , but on occasion , they mutated into things like these Void Stones .

Thanks to this , Zac also acquired various Void-related materials , things he’d never even heard of . Zac even suspected the Void Priestess had personally intervened for these kinds of things to appear in the Contribution Store .

With Vai safely returned to the Void Gate , he also completed his bodyguard quest . The rewards didn’t matter much to him , but failing quests was never good . Unfortunately , there was still no word from the others on the squad .

The good news was that Teo Kastella had a life tablet , and it was still intact . It looked like he managed to survive the Cortex collapsing . Hopefully , he managed to save a few others , though Zac wasn’t too hopeful in that regard . It was an unfortunate reminder that life was all-too-cheap in the Multiverse .

He also struck some tentative agreements through Pretty . She was shocked to find out Zac owned a production line for top-tier Cosmic Vessels , and said she could almost guarantee that the Allbright Empire would buy as many vessels as he could deliver . Although , that was contingent on the quality of the vessels . Zac was confident anything the Creators crafted was up to snuff .

Zac wasn’t the only one who benefited from their stay at the resource depot . Ogras finally got his hands on a Peak-quality E-grade Spirit Tool suited for his style . It was made from a mix of spatial metals and others designed to make it harder to track . It was completely translucent and almost looked like a 3-meter-long icepick , but when infused with the Dao of Shadows , it became dark grey . Thanks to its spatial components , the spear could even enter Ogras’ shadows without issue .

But soon enough , it was time to leave , though that came with a sudden revelation .

You’re not coming? - Zac said with shock as they stood at the teleportation station . - Why not? -

Billy made a promise , - Billy said with a grimace . - Billy has to go to Southern Mountain . -

What? Where? - Zac asked .

Before , when Billy fell asleep , a statue taught Billy to get stronger . When Gemmy got sick , Billy made a deal with Statue-man . Billy got the array to save Gemmy , but Billy has to join Southern Mountain . -

Zac’s eyes widened in comprehension , remembering how he’d seen Billy cultivate in his sleep . Turns out he didn’t only gain levels and comprehension in his sleep , he even received guidance from some master . After all , someone who could just hand out a method like the one they used on Gemmy had to be fairly powerful .

Don’t look at me , - Ogras said when Zac glanced in his direction . - Perhaps some sort of Karmic connection? Like that monk? -

Stupid Statue-man always say Billy is a Titan like Statue-man , but Billy is human , - Billy huffed .

Uh , - Ogras coughed , and Zac wryly smiled .

From the sound of it , the Southern Mountain was a Titanic Faction . However , Zac had never heard of such a place before . He wasn’t even sure it was part of Zecia . Zac doubted it was , considering the method to produce Pocket Realms was beyond even the Void Gate , according to Vai .

In other words , this was an amazing opportunity for Billy . Conversely , Earth didn’t have much to offer someone like him , and Zac wasn’t sure a brutal war was the best place for Billy to grow . Better he left for a powerful Titanic Faction , even if it meant Earth lost another capable fighter .

When are you coming back? - Zac asked , opting not to question Billy’s lineage . That was a headache for the Southern Mountain .

Billy doesn’t know . But maybe a long , long time . Say hello to Thea and Nigel for Billy? - Billy said with a weak smile .

. . . I will , - Zac said after a small pause .

Zac hadn’t told Billy about Thea while they were stuck in the Mystic Realm . He figured it wouldn’t do anyone any good to drop such a bomb on Billy while things were so chaotic . And now , it didn’t make much sense to tell him either .

Or was he just being selfish?

The teleportation array that Billy needs to create is quite complex , but my master promised to help as thanks for Billy helping us solve the problem of the infiltrators , - Leyara added .

. - Thank you for everything , all of you , - Zac said as he looked at the others .

Billy will miss you , Super Brother Man , - Billy said and lifted Zac in a big bear hug . - You , Horny Guy , not as much . -

Well , isn’t that nice , - Ogras said with a roll of his eyes .

I’ll miss you too , - Zac said . - But I’m sure we’ll see each other again . Until then , work hard to get stronger , alright? There are a lot of bad guys out there . -

Billy will become the strongest! - Billy said as though it was a matter of course .

You’re always welcome to visit again . - Leyara smiled . - We’ll just have to keep you away from important places , so you don’t blow them up . -

Zac could only laugh in response . Being known as a walking calamity was at least better than being known as a world-renowned pervert .

Be careful , - Vai added .

You too , - Zac smiled . - Next time we meet , we might both be Hegemons . -

That’s— - Vai hesitated . - I’m . . . -

I believe you can do it , - Zac said . - After all , you’re someone who made it to the depths of the Void Star and back . -

I’ll . . . I’ll do my best , - Vai said with determination in her eyes .

The array flashed to life a moment later , and he and Ogras stepped through . He was finally going back to Earth .

31

OLD FRIEND

The tranquility of the secluded courtyard was broken as Zac and Ogras stepped through the teleportation array , arriving in Zac’s private compound . Looking at his hands , Zac barely believed what he’d been through was real . But the quest remained , proving that the visions , the Left Imperial Palace , and the existence of the Ultom Courts were all real .

Unfortunately , neither Perala Janodrok nor his stay at Alpha Vigil provided any further clues to what it meant to be named a Flamebearer of Ultom . And the talk of the direction of the era and opposing sides only muddied the waters , making it impossible for Zac to know what to expect .

Still overexerting that brain of yours? - Ogras snorted .

You’re not worried? - Zac asked curiously .

Not really . - Ogras shrugged . - I’ll snatch the opportunities I can without getting myself killed . As for the bigshots coming here , they’ll hopefully be too busy dealing with each other to bother with some random native . And if worse comes to worst , I’ll just go ahead and hide in your shadows . -

Well , isn’t that nice , - Zac snorted . - What’s your plan now? -

I’m pretty much rested , so I’ll go ahead and tour this empire of yours . - Ogras grinned . - Just remember to contact your followers so I’m not mistaken for a shapeshifter , if you would . -

It was an odd feature Zac learned of when traveling through the Mystic Realm with Ogras and Vai . Ogras’ affiliation hadn’t transformed to Atwood Empire when the others’ did . It stayed as Port Atwood until Zac told him about the situation . Zac had no idea the purpose of something like that , but perhaps it was to combat abuse .

I think you’ll find Ilvere’s establishments in Azh’Rodum to your tastes , - Zac said with a small smile .

The demon’s eyes lit up , and he stepped back onto the teleportation array . - Good man . I knew I could trust him to fix this boring place . -

A moment later , the demon was gone , leaving Zac alone with his thoughts . Before anything , Zac sent out a series of messages that he’d returned , that the mission was successful , and that he even brought Ogras back . It took less than a minute before he sensed two auras bearing down on him , and he turned with a smile to see Vilari and Joanna appear in front of him almost simultaneously .

Joanna smiled . - You’re back . -

It’s nice to see you two . You’ve both gotten stronger . -

Joanna’s aura had become more condensed , while Vilari’s had turned more ethereal . If Zac had to guess , Vilari made some improvements to her soul . Perhaps she practiced Thousand Lights Avatar] to some degree of success? After all , he’d given her the method after returning to Earth .

I used a few of your Teleportation Tokens while you were gone to hone myself , - Joanna said . - I’ve filled up my Limited Titles now , and I even managed to finally form my first Dao Branch . -

First? - Zac said with surprise .

With the war coming up , I’ve decided to go for broke and work on a second one , - Joanna said with a determined gleam in her eyes .

Zac understood what she meant . The war was a risk but also an opportunity . It was possibly Joanna’s best shot to reforge her fate and have a go at something more than becoming an Early to Middle Hegemon . Although , this would make her path far more difficult as well .

Let me know if you need anything from me , - Zac said . - I found some good things during this trip . They might be useful . -

I think I just need to pit myself against more powerful enemies , - Joanna said . - Using treasures to bolster my path of war would probably do more harm than good . -

You’re wounded . Badly , - Vilari interjected with a frown . - Your energy is completely turbid . -

She was absolutely correct . Three days of rest on Alpha Vigil was only enough time to do more patchwork repairs on his body . He was still far from a fighting condition . In fact , he could barely circulate any Cosmic Energy in his human form even if his human pathways weren’t that badly off .

The real problems were his Draugr side and his foundations . He’d been forced to swap over to his human form soon after the battle ended , leaving his undead side in utter disrepair . Since then , he couldn’t swap back because he had activated the array to hide his constitution , leaving his pathways for Fetters of Desolation mostly broken .

Pathways were easily repaired , but the damage to his foundation was an entirely different story , which affected both sides . Not only could he still feel the nasty cracks left from activating his two Remnant attacks , but there was still a lot of invisible damage from being engulfed by his own ultimate blast .

Things got a bit complicated , - Zac grimaced . - I plan to seclude myself and focus on recovery . But I’ll be back in business soon enough . -

Is there anything we can do? - Joanna asked . - Do you need materials? Or— -

I’m fine . - Zac smiled with a wave . - I just need to rest up in my cave . -

Alright , but don’t hesitate to call if you need us for something , - Joanna urged , glancing toward the shipyard with some anticipation . - So , you did it? You really got the piece needed to upgrade that place? -

I got it . I’ll upgrade the shipyard soon . Some things have changed though . I think we need to have a meeting with the core members . -

The demon friend of yours? - Vilari asked .

That’s part of it , - Zac agreed . - But also things about the war . Please have people gather at Brazla’s in a week . -

Before that , you might want to visit the Sky Gnome , - Joanna said . - I talked with him the other day , and he was quite troubled . You had left some instructions for him , to look out for certain coded messages? Apparently , he’s been bombarded the last month , to the point he wonders if he should respond . -

Oh? - Zac said with interest .

The only messages he instructed Calrin to keep watch for were the special channels he’d prepared to communicate with Catheya . After hearing Perala’s warning about the Undead Empire , he already suspected as much , but it looked like the Draugr scion was back in Zecia .

Either that or she’d sent a trusted messenger . It was still impossible to tell whether it was related to his entry into the Undead Empire or Ultom . Judging by how incessantly they seemed to be looking for him , Zac guessed it was associated with the latter .

I’ll deal with it tomorrow , - Zac said . - For now , I have to rest . Is there anything else that’s urgent before I leave? -

Joanna and Vilari glanced at each other—Vilari spoke up . - There are a lot of rumors floating about in Port Atwood . Rumors of undead skulking in the shadows , of clandestine experiments performed by you . We’ve done what we can to curtail it , but . . . -

Well , it was inevitable after the Ensolus Incursion was closed , - Zac grunted . - I guess it’s time to properly integrate the two sides of the Atwood Empire . Keep things stable for now . We’ll discuss the details during the meeting in a week . -

Of course , - Vilari said .

A few moments later , Zac sat down on his prayer mat in the undead half of his cultivation cave , letting the soothing waves of death wash over his Draugr form . Everything looked mostly the same , except for the energy having become slightly denser and purer . Part of it probably came from Triv’s incremental upgrades to the environment , while part of it came from the still-ongoing maturity process of Earth .

Gradually , order was imposed on the chaotic mess that was his pathways as Zac redrew one section after another . Between his powerful soul and Peak Mastery Spiritual Anchor] , the process was both quick and almost effortless , allowing him to go over the events .

Just sitting in his hidden cave provided some balance and tranquility , and he gradually started to digest and go over what he’d learned over the past months . Unfortunately , so many pieces of information were missing to draw any clear conclusions . Everyone was afraid to say too much , lest it somehow affect fate .

The conflict he’d been dragged into also appeared to have multiple layers , where the struggle for an Eternal Heritage was just the surface prize . What were the opposing sides Perala mentioned? Who fought for the direction of the era? The Boundless Path and Heaven’s path , perhaps? Did one side want to use the pillars to dismantle the System , while the others wanted to use them to improve it?

Was that why the pillars were gradually resurfacing? By design , according to Leyara . Was the Limitless Emperor giving the future generations a choice? Or was it related to some other far-reaching plan of his , one that may or may not have gone awry now that he was long gone? Was that what the Vigil was waiting for?

And how did it relate to Zac and his bloodline?

There was no way to tell . Yet . Piece by piece , Zac would unearth the truth . And he even had a possible venue to get more answers , provided his theories were correct—the Undead Empire .

Zac spent the next day getting his Draugr pathways into a barely functioning order . A lot of detail was missing , but the framework he’d set up would at least allow for his Miasma to naturally flow through his body . It suddenly felt like he could breathe again , but he only got to enjoy the feeling for a short minute before transforming back to his human form .

A cursory scan of his already accumulating pile of messages confirmed that Ogras’ reintegration into society had gone well . The demon was living it up in Azh’Rodum , and the festivities would probably last a few days longer . Zac had received a note of thanks and an invitation from Ilvere to join them , but he , unfortunately , had a bit much to deal with .

Instead , he teleported over to the Mercantile District to visit Calrin . Zac found the Sky Gnome in his office , and as usual was accompanied by Vikram , Zac’s business liaison .

Ah , Lord Atwood? You’re finally here! - The Sky Gnome smiled when Zac entered through the gilded doors . - When I saw the sun part the clouds this morning , I knew this would be a good day . -

Zac rolled his eyes . - Are you looking for handouts again? -

Absolutely not , - Calrin said with a puffed-out chest . - Things are looking up since your last dona—ah , consignment . Some of the bulk materials you had in your Spatial Rings are extremely scarce in the Zecia Sector . We could deal in tons while others dealt in kilos! Thanks to that , I managed to sign a few lucrative agreements . -

You didn’t sell off anything we needed , right? - Zac asked with a frown .

Most of your materials are only used in specific types of recipes and crafting techniques out of our reach , - Vikram explained . - For example , you had over five hundred metric tons of a type of Cinnabar Bark which is a core material for a certain ink popular among inscriptionists . That stockpile alone is worth almost two million D-grade Nexus Coins now that demand for talismans has shot through the roof . Though it will take some time to unload it all . -

Zac’s eyes widened in shock , recalling how he’d almost considered pawning off all that bark in exchange for 100 Contribution Points in the Orom World Merit Store . From what he’d gathered , it wasn’t anything special . Zac had failed to take into account that a lot of useful materials were missing in a frontier Sector like Zecia .

Better yet , it allowed us to sign a trade agreement with the Kalton Clan , a variety wholesaler and direct subordinate of Mount Luminous , one of the nine peak ventures in Zecia . With the suppression of the other two bastards , the Kalton Clan would never dare do so without the go-ahead from Mount Luminous . -

Mount Luminous? - Zac hesitated , feeling it was vaguely familiar . - Buddhists? -

Not at all , - Calrin smiled . - It’s a joint venture between the Allbright Clan and a few other major players in the Allbright Empire . We received an offer with another of the nine peak Mercantile factions , but we figured you already had some connections to the Albright Empire . . . -

That’s perfect . - Zac wasn’t surprised at all the Albright Empire was willing to clash with the other traders for these strategic resources . - Do they know I’m connected to the Thayer Consortia? -

Unless they’re stupid , - Calrin said . - The Tsarun somehow managed to find out even if you killed that brat in the Base Town , and the spies of the other factions should have figured it out by now as well . In fact , the Kalton Clan has sent more than one inquiry , just barely stopping short of outright asking about your situation . -

Hm . . . - Zac slowly nodded .

If Lord Atwood is interested in my opinion , then I would say your connection to us being made public is a good thing , - Calrin added .

It is? Like for marketing? - Zac asked curiously .

Well , that too , - Calrin said . - But with our recent moves , the mystery surrounding you has grown . With our access to rare materials , seemingly infinite resources , and your sister’s apparent ability to break any low-grade array , some new rumors have started flourishing . That you are more connected than you let on before . That you possibly have already found a benefactor outside Zecia . -

Zac couldn’t help but laugh at that . Honestly , the rumors felt more believable than the truth , that he picked up most of these things off the ground during a battle between Divine Monarchs and an Autarch . Perhaps the Monarchs of Zecia believed some bigshot from a faction like the Radiant Temple had taken him as a disciple , which wouldn’t be too surprising considering his feats in the Tower of Eternity .

We kept things vague for now , only hinting but never confirming , - Calrin added .

That’s good . Give me some time to think things over , - Zac said . - So , what’s the total value of the items I brought? -

In raw materials alone , you’ve reached a net worth of almost 40 C-grade Nexus Coins , - Vikram said . - However , we’ve only sold off a tenth for now , because the prices are still rising . We didn’t want to empty our stores too quickly and only parted with what we had to in order to secure the agreements . -

A smile spread across Zac’s face as the good news kept getting better . His own estimate had been at only half that , and that was for the whole hoard . The only thing raining on his parade was Iz’s offhanded comments that crushed his image of a young scion with deep pockets .

It is harder to estimate the value of the unique treasures , but I’d say the total value is between 4 and 6 C-grade Nexus Coins , - the Sky Gnome added . - It’s a moot point , since we’re keeping those in-house . -

Anything I can use? - Zac asked .

Perhaps , - Calrin said as he handed over a list . - Some of these items have no recorded name in Zecia , but through a series of tests , we have pinpointed their functions . With a good chunk of the items either having Life or Death-attunement , there should be some that can help expedite your cultivation . The lesser ones might be good carrots to keep your new subjects motivated . -

Zac grinned as he took the ledger . He’d been looking forward to this for so long . Years spent in the Orom World , with a treasure trove at his fingertips . Certainly , that was partly his own fault , with his reluctance to take out too many items from his Spatial Rings out of fear they’d be marked by the Orom .

A cursory scan was enough to find more than ten items that would help him shore up his foundations before breaking through . They ranged from Life-attuned materials that would speed up the cultivation of his Void Vajra Sublimation] , to rare Dao Treasures , and even items that could search for Hidden Nodes .

Zac couldn’t be sure , but he felt he’d tapped out his nodes that originated on his human side . The three nodes of the Void Emperor bloodline formed a coherent system , and he doubted his original form was meant to have anything else . If he understood the plans of the Kayar-Elu properly , his human side was intended to be a blank slate that would be bolstered through the Quantum Gate] .

Things no longer followed the original script with him becoming a Draugr instead of whatever the Technocrats planned , but the plan was still relevant . So far , he managed to excavate Adamance of Eoz] , though Zac doubted that was the limits of his Draugr heritage after seeing how his ancestor was one of the three strongest original Draugr .

Seeing all the amazing items , Zac just wanted to seclude himself and start working on his cultivation , but that wasn’t why he’d come here today .

Great work with all this . You can deal with the rest according to your plan . Only one thing , the upcoming war will start earlier than most expect , so you might need to adjust for this , - Zac said .

Oh? - Calrin said with a frown .

Four years , - Zac sighed . - And it will be even bloodier than we feared . Powerful outsider factions are joining in . So , if you see anything up for grabs that can improve our strength and survivability , get it . -

Four years? Outsiders? - Calrin muttered as he shared a look with Vikram .

We certainly do need to make some adjustments , - the liaison said .

So we do , - Calrin agreed .

Let me know if you need anything from me , - Zac said . - On another note , I heard there had been activity through the line of communication I left you? -

Yes , - Calrin nodded . - If you want my opinion , they are desperate judging by the frequency . -

Desperate? Have you responded? - Zac asked .

Not yet , - Calrin said . - The trade is still open . -

Good . - Zac took out a notepad and scribbled some instructions . - Here , complete the trade according to this . -

The Sky Gnome nodded , and a screen appeared in front of him . Half a minute later , a box appeared in his hand . Zac opened it up , and a Communication Crystal waited inside . He scanned the contents , and a wry smile spread across his face .

It looked like he would get to meet an old friend sooner than expected .

32

UPGRADE

You jerk , I know you escaped that space fish over a year ago , and you only contact me now? Every week I record these things like a fool . The elders even started thinking I was lying when I said I knew you . In either case , I have good news . Everything worked out way better than I expected . I even got to visit the Abyssal Shores as a reward for introducing you .

You have to see that place—it’s amazing . And I don’t think it’s possible to truly unlock our heritage without visiting the Abyssal Lake . It’s paradise , though it can also be dangerous , even for Draugr .

There have also been some new developments , and our representatives really want to discuss some matters with you . It’s not convenient to speak like this , but I think you know what I’m talking about . Couldn’t even wait one year after coming home before you started creating waves , huh?

I know what you’re thinking , but I hope you believe me when I say we have strict orders from above to be as accommodating as possible and not to antagonize you in any way . We are ready to negotiate in good faith , and we are willing to agree with any security measures you feel necessary to meet with us .

In either case , I look forward to seeing you again . I think you’ll be shocked to see how much I’ve progressed . ’

Zac wordlessly looked at the Communication Crystal as he went over the message . As expected , the Undead Empire was quite interested in Ultom . They already had the Heart of the Empire , but why be satisfied with one Eternal Heritage when you could have two? Zac could understand why the Undead Empire was so interested . Judging by the bursts of unattuned knowledge Ultom had provided so far , this might be one of the few heritages that suited the Undead Empire apart from one dealing with death .

The message also contained valuable hints , probably left intentionally by Catheya . For example , she’d said - the elders’ rather than master or - my family . ’ In other words , it looked like she was accompanied by someone other than her Revenant master or some elder from Clan Sharva’Zi . It served as a small warning , even if she said the Undead Empire wanted to discuss things in good faith .

Not only that , but judging by her opening sentence , it sounded like she not only knew about the Orom , but had arrived in Zecia even before he triggered the quest for the Left Imperial Palace . According to Iz , they only found out about Ultom because of some sort of galactic ripples that appeared during his first vision . So Ultom wasn’t the only reason they were interested in him .

It was a small comfort since it meant he possibly had two things the Undead Empire needed . An advantage he might be able to use , compared to the other outside factions where his access to Ultom was his only redeeming factor . None of this solved the main issue , though , that there were huge risks associated with bartering with these kinds of factions .

Still , Zac felt it was worth meeting up with Catheya , and not just because it would be nice to see her after over five years . Risks were unavoidable on the path of cultivation , and trouble would come looking for him even if he hid away on Earth . Better to take charge of his own fate , and the Undead Empire seemed one of the best options to ally with .

Especially considering they probably had brought some nice gifts to bribe him with .

Opening his remaining Draugr Hidden Nodes was one of his goals before breaking through , and Catheya’s handlers were by far his best options to accomplish that . He just needed to devise a plan that would allow him to navigate these muddy waters before setting out .

Is everything alright? - Calrin asked curiously .

It’s good , - Zac nodded before taking out a blank Communication Crystal .

He imprinted a short answer that he was back after dealing with some things and needed a couple of months to recover before meeting with Catheya . Zac didn’t offer any details or pinpoint any specific location , though . He would have to discuss the matters with the others to see if they had any ideas .

Perhaps they could meet near one of the main factions of the Kaldran Strait? Or in the Million Gates Territory , perhaps?

Send this back with the method , - Zac said after placing the Communication Crystal into the same box and locking it with his Cosmic Energy .

Calrin nodded , and the box was gone a few seconds later . It looked like the people on the other side were extremely eager for them to complete the trade the instant it appeared . With that , Zac was done with his objectives at the Thayer Consortia . But just as he was about to leave , Zac had another idea and stopped in his tracks .

See if you can find any information about these sigils , - Zac said as he took out a slightly bloodied parchment . - These ones are slightly modified from the original design to not give anything away , so just look for something similar . Be discrete , for your eyes only , and don’t let it trace back to us . -

It was one of the more detailed drawings he’d lifted from the bodies of the Kan’Tanu invaders , depicting the slightly warped versions of the Left Imperial Palace and the nine subsidiary courts . Most things indicated the seals originated from the Million Gates Territory , but Zac figured it wouldn’t hurt casting a wider net . After all , he got nothing when Ogras and Iz picked up signals to their respective pieces in Zecia’s patch of the Endless Storm .

Perala had already warned him that the final piece was in the System’s hands and would be used as a carrot during the war . The fact that Perala Janodrok and the Vigil weren’t hostile didn’t mean she was implicitly telling the truth . Even if what the Void Priestess said was correct , there was still one piece out there that he needed to get his hands on .

Oh , don’t worry , we already are , - Calrin nodded .

What? - Zac said , completely blanking out .

These are the runes your followers found in the ruins on the other planet , no? - Calrin said with confusion . - We have been making discrete inquiries about them for quite some time . Many of them differ from what Miss Thompson provided before , though . -

Ah? - Zac said , barely able to keep his voice stable . - You’re saying these match the Ensolus Ruins? -

Some of them , yes , - Calrin said . - We have not found anything that can shed some light on the origins of the Ensolus Ruins , though . -

Zac’s heart beat like a drum . - Then pause the search for now and seal any knowledge of these things . -

Oh? - Calrin , though confusion was evident on his face from the quick turns , understood the severity . - Of course , I will deal with it personally . -

Zac nodded in thanks and was out of the doors , making a beeline for the closest teleportation array . He appeared in a private Teleportation chamber prepared in the depths of Fort Atwood on Ensolus . When he appeared , he gasped in surprise as a familiar ripple made his mind blank .

It really was here , the third piece for his quest .

Zac took a deep breath to stabilize his agitated mind as he looked in the direction of the Ensolus Ruins , barely able to believe his sudden windfall . It was like he could see a straight path toward Hegemony , the final roadblocks removed without him lifting so much as a finger . The only thing he needed now was time .

Ogras joked about treasures falling from the sky around him , but it almost seemed true this time . How was this possible? Fate? Or had the System intentionally put those ruins on this planet?

Why hadn’t he noticed anything the first time he appeared on Ensolus? He’d been a lot closer to the Ensolus Ruins back when visiting the mines with Ilvere . Was there something special about the Void Star that had been needed to trigger the quest , or perhaps the connection? Was it because the Void Star held the connection to the Lost Plane at the time?

That weird spatial star was linked to the Million Gates Territory and the Endless Storm where the Left Imperial Palace probably resided , while Ensolus was shielded-off by the System for another 100 years . Or perhaps it was the proximity to the Lost Plane through the Mystic Realm .

The ripple was calling , telling him to rush over and claim his prize . But Zac shook his head and teleported back to Earth . The moment he returned , he sent a message to Vilari , asking her to stop any expeditions into the ruin and seal it off for now . He wasn’t worried anyone would steal his opportunity , but he feared those disintegration pulses would get people killed .

Besides , it was possible there were more pieces over there than just his own , considering the ruins were huge . He didn’t know what the criteria for people like Ogras to get the quest were , but it was perhaps possible to stumble onto a remnant through dumb luck . If possible , Zac wanted to reserve those opportunities for his most trusted people rather than random explorers from his army or the two native races .

As for himself , he wasn’t in any hurry . He still had a lot of room to improve on his own , and he wanted to use the third burst of clarity to create a perfect blueprint when his foundations were as stable as they could be . In other words , just before heading to the Perennial Vastness . Using it right now would only help him decipher the remaining chapters of the Book of Duality , which would be a huge waste .

He would head over later to properly seal off whatever temple held his piece , just to make sure nothing unexpected happened to it . For now , he had other pressing matters to deal with . Zac took a calming breath to clear his mind before returning to his compound , where he set course for the shipyard .

Zac didn’t even have time to greet Rahm at the reception before he heard the deep thuds of metallic legs approach from the back rooms .

Brat , you got it? - Karunthel asked with excitement as he entered the reception .

I got it . - Zac smiled as he handed over the Beast Pouch . - A spatial affinity Worldeater , like you ordered . -

Not bad , not bad . It will be nice not to be in charge of the crappiest shipyard in the whole Multiverse , - Karunthel grinned as he looked Zac up and down . - Seems you had a few gains of yourself , even if you look a bit worse for the wear . Getting ready to evolve? -

I’m ahead of schedule , but there are a few more steps I need to complete , - Zac said after some thought . - How long until everything is dealt with? -

It’s a quest reward , so the shipyard will be replaced quickly . Ten days at most , - Karunthel said . - The ship would have been ready along with the shipyard , but that only holds true for the Early-level hull right now . The upgrades would take two months , depending on which model and what modifications you want . Have you decided what to do for that one? -

I have . I want the Yphelion model . -

What , the scout ship? - Karunthel blurted , looking visibly disappointed . - I thought better of you , kid . You sure you don’t want me to make you the destroyer instead? I can guarantee your name will spread far and wide after your first engagement . -

That’s exactly what I want to avoid , - Zac said with a roll of his eyes . - The situation has gotten a bit complicated . -

It wasn’t an impulse decision to go with the scout vessel , despite it not being what he originally planned . Initially , the idea was to get the all-rounder ship and modify it a bit to suit the chaotic region of the Million Gates Territory . Compared to most vessels in Zecia , it would have been able to shine no matter if you talked speed or defenses .

But things had changed when he heard a bunch of powerful factions were encroaching . Those people would probably have High-quality vessels , even if the System restrained their grade . The advantage provided by the Creators wouldn’t be as big . Not only that , but Zac felt the risk of accidentally running into Monarchs was suddenly a lot higher with various factions scouring the Million Gates Territory for clues to Ultom .

For now , it was just his people and the outsiders who knew the truth , but even the native factions were bound to catch on sooner or later . And no matter how impressive the work of the Iliax was , it was simply impossible for a Middle D-grade Cosmic Vessel to deal with even an Early-stage Monarch .

And while most Monarchs couldn’t match up to Cosmic Vessels in terms of long-haul speed or their ability to pass through dimensional layers , they could teleport vast distances in quick bursts thanks to movement skills .

Zac had discussed the situation in the Million Gates Territory with both Pretty and Leyara at length , and ultimately concluded that the scouting ship was the best option for him in the short run . The Yphelion’s defensive and offensive capabilities weren’t particularly impressive , but the ship came with various other useful features .

Most important was its speed—the Yphelion was far quicker than the other two models . Furthermore , being a scouting ship , it could initiate dimensional jumps more frequently and with shorter delays . That could be the difference between life and death when a Monarch was bearing down on you .

Its scanners were also top-of-the-line , which would help spot and avoid enemy vessels long before the Yphelion was spotted . And finally , while its defenses wouldn’t last long in large-scale space battles , they should hold up well enough against random encounters against Kan’Tanu scouts .

The Yphelion was even a decent option if you looked at it long-term . In the future , the ship would save Zac a lot of time when he needed to travel long distances . His goals would eventually take him out of Zecia , no matter if it was to find Kenzie or to continue his cultivation . In the open world , he didn’t have access to the whole teleportation network as he did here , and he would probably have to spend years traveling through space .

The scouting vessel was almost three times as fast as the generalist vessel , which could shave off years when he needed to visit hard-to-reach-places . Routes that would take the massive carriers decades , would only take a few months in the Yphelion . Going at maximum speed was also expensive , but Zac could easily stomach the cost .

Karunthel sighed . - I guess the Yphelion models are better suited for those chaotic regions you want to visit . And we could always add proper weaponry if you meet the requirements for further upgrades down the road . -

What kind of requirements are those? - Zac asked curiously .

With him having delivered the Ferric Worldeater] , the Items for Karunthel]-questline was finally dealt with . However , that only upgraded the Shipyard to Early D-grade from what he understood , which was a far cry from the limits of that kind of facility .

Who knows , - the spider golem shrugged . - It’s up to the Heavens . Come back when the upgrades are finished , and I’ll see if you’ve met the requirements to get the second quest . -

Zac nodded . - By the way , can you build multiple Cosmic Vessels simultaneously? -

The mass-produced models are much easier to construct , - Karunthel said . - We can build ten or so at a time , and they take between one and three weeks to build . Why , do you want more ships? -

Well , war is coming , so I’ve found some potential customers , - Zac smiled .

Finally , some real work , - Karunthel grinned . - But you should know , your Yphelion will take up all our capacity until it’s built . -

I’m thinking we’ll build a round of showcase vessels for our prospective clients first while we finalize the plans for the Yphelion . -

Sounds good , - Karunthel agreed . - Now , shoo , I want to begin upgrading this place . Come back in ten days . -

Enjoy yourself , - Zac said , leaving for his compound .

He didn’t even reach the forest before a huge gleaming barrier sprung up around the whole shipyard , and a moment later , it was gone . It had been transported to a barren mountainous island at the edge of his archipelago that Abby had suggested before he left for the Void Gate . By now , the island had already been fitted with a teleporter with restricted access and powerful arrays to keep both beasts and explorers away .

With that , the most pressing issues had been dealt with . Abby and Adran had both sent him a bunch of messages with various issues of the Atwood Empire , ranging from proposals to expand the academy and found subsidiaries , to small problems that had cropped up during the Integration of the Mavai Demons and the Raun Spectrals .

Nothing required his immediate attention , so he returned to his cave to focus on his recovery . And with the third piece of the seal waiting for him on Ensolus , he would have to change his plans . He already had an idea the moment he felt the pulse , and it made more sense the more he thought about it .

He only wondered what the others would think upon hearing his decision .

33

CHANGE OF PLANS

Zac opened his eyes as his alarm buzzed , and he took a deep breath from the dense lifegiving mist . Six days had passed since he secluded himself , most of which had been spent in the depths of death , where he repaired his broken pathways . He also bathed in refreshing concoctions designed to heal stubborn wounds daily .

They were mixed up by Triv , using all kinds of Death-attuned materials Zac had picked up over the years . Even Hegemons would probably be shocked at the expenditure , especially if they learned their only purpose was to double the speed his foundations recovered .

Still , Zac felt it a worthy investment . Four years wasn’t little , but it also wasn’t a lot . He had so much to do , but his current state prevented him from doing any real form of cultivation . Perhaps he could have cultivated his soul with a different method , but Nine Reincarnations Manual] empowered his soul through destructive collisions—the opposite of what he currently needed .

Zac was most eager about starting up his Body Tempering , but doing so while there were a bunch of hidden wounds was bound to leave imperfections . He could only take it easy and avoid activities that strained the body or mind . Instead , Zac had spent most of his time studying the Book of Duality while bolstering the broken framework of Thousand Lights Avatar] after repairing his pathways .

He still hadn’t dared absorb any corrupted lake water , though he at least confirmed it retained its magical effects even after being taken from its source . He didn’t think he needed to be completely recovered to start using the water to speed up his progression , but it still felt a bit premature .

Altogether , Zac felt a lot better after this first week , but he would have to pause his recovery . The meeting was starting in just minutes , so it was time to go .

My lord! - a ghastly voice echoed through the chambers as Triv emerged through the ground . - Your aura seems to have stabilized even further . -

Zac smiled . - All thanks to your help . Amazing job as always . -

I am the one who should be thanking young master , - Triv said with a bow , their spectral form humming with excitement . - I have been making great progress since young master became a Baron and your Empire was officially sanctioned by the Heavens . Not only that , but the Eidolon manuals young master provided have completely reforged my body . With this sublime environment , I even have a decent chance of forming a Dao Branch . -

Let me know if you need any materials to keep progressing , - Zac said . - Our faction lacks many things , but Death-attuned cultivation resources are not one of them . Are you joining the meeting? -

I am afraid this old ghost is of no help to young master’s plans , - Triv sighed . - I am old and inflexible . Lady Vilari is much better suited to advise on the fusion of your two settlements . With your permission , I would like to continue my work in Elysium instead . -

That’s fine , - Zac said , and headed for the teleportation array .

Triv , or Old Man Ghost as the undead children called him on the other continent , had worked tirelessly for years to improve this nascent society’s lives . Ultimately , the undead races were supernatural existences , and some things didn’t come naturally to them . There was a lot to learn , whether it was the conversion arrays or properly dealing with feral children who hadn’t gained their sapience yet .

Triv had done his best to impart what he could without going against the commandments of the Undead Empire . As such , he’d gained the reputation of an esteemed scholar among the undead . If not for Zac’s inherent connection to his undead - descendants , ’ Triv would probably have enjoyed a higher status on Earth’s second continent .

Will young master need anything else? - Triv asked .

No , I’ll stay in my human form for a week or so , - Zac said after some thought . - It feels like my body is recovering better when I alternate races for some reason . -

Your body is reaching satiety from the environment , I would presume , and the effect on your wounds are lessened after a while . - Triv nodded . - I will be back in a week and prepare another round of baths . -

Thank you for the help , - Zac said , and the two disappeared in the teleporter a moment later , one heading for Elysium and the other for the Towers of Myriad Dao .

It wasn’t strictly needed to have the meeting in Brazla’s chambers , but it had become the standard for important meetings . And you never knew , Brazla sometimes let valuable pieces of information slip by accident .

By the time he arrived , Zac could already hear familiar voices through the opened gates . As he stepped inside , he saw Ilvere talking with Vilari and Rhuger , while Joanna gazed upon the titan inheritance with Pika standing next to her . Alyn and Calrin discussed something together , and Julia stood by herself , lost in thought .

Quite some time had passed since Zac saw Julia Lombard , the former World Government official . However , from what he’d read in the reports , she had been a key asset since he left for the Twilight Harbor . She singlehandedly quashed over a dozen insurrections while most of the elites were stuck on Ensolus . Not only that , but she was the author of the Atwood Codex , the set of laws that fused Old Earth’s justice system with the realities of the Multiverse .

Unfortunately , her hard work left her cultivation lacking , and from what Zac understood , she was planning on making a similar shift like Vai once had . In contrast , Abby wasn’t present , nor were any of the leaders from the Mavai or Raun . Some topics that would get discussed today were too sensitive , and they couldn’t be allowed to spread from this room . The administrators and new citizens would be brought in for future meetings instead .

Ogras stood alone to the side , staring at his own statue , or rather that of his backhanded master .

You’re looking rosy . - Zac smiled as he walked over to the demon .

At least one of us needs to sire some descendants to keep watch of this place , - Ogras grinned . - Such is the burden of responsibility . -

Thank you for your service , - Zac said with a roll of his eyes before nodding at the statue depicting the Umbra . - Have you decided what to do? -

Ogras was already Peak E-grade , and his foundations were rock solid after having spent a decade in an environment that was probably unsurpassed in Zecia . Like Zac , he was already preparing to break through to the next realm . In other words , he had to enter the inheritance sooner rather than later if he wanted to keep it going .

The problem was that the Umbra was just as mercurial as Yrial , with an addition of sinister curiosity . The Umbra had forcibly sown a Ka’Zur Planeswalker into Ogras’ very soul during the first round of the inheritance . Things would have ended in disaster if not for a series of lucky coincidences . Who knew what the Umbra would do if Ogras dared return?

I think I have to , even if I can wait a bit . - Ogras grimaced . - I had the little blue thief look for suitable targets to progress my constitution . There aren’t many that look promising compared to the creatures this guy has sealed away in the inheritance . The few I can get my hands on before evolving would be unimpressive , even with your help . I need stronger bloodlines than that to reforge my foundation . -

Well , I think there are limits to how much damage these remnant souls can do , - Zac said . - Are you ready for the meeting? -

Is it true what you said before? - Ogras asked . - It’s really here , on your other planet? -

Zac didn’t answer , but the smile on his face spoke volumes .

Just disgusting , - Ogras spat . - I should have guessed as much when you didn’t get a signal before me or your flametouched girlfriend . Whatever , let’s get this over with . -

The others had already sat down around the table upon seeing Zac arrive . This time , Brazla didn’t bother joining them in person and opted to loom a dozen meters above them atop a golden cloud . That was fine by Zac since most topics didn’t require the Tool Spirit’s input .

Nothing from Emily? - Zac frowned when he saw her empty chair .

We’ve received no response from the Big Axe Coliseum , - Joanna said with a shake of her head .

I’ll check it out later , - Zac sighed as he glanced at the second empty chair .

Sap Trang had also declined the invitation , though he wasn’t off-world . He’d chosen to remain at sea , guarding the borders with his pet Kraken . Zac had been meaning to track him down and have a chat , but there were just too many things to do at the moment .

Everyone here is busy training and preparing for the upcoming war , so I won’t drag this out any longer than it needs to be . By now , you should all have read the missive I sent out three days ago . The short of it is that the war will officially commence in four years , much earlier than we expected . How are we looking? -

As usual , we have mountains of resources and unusually powerful elites . But we still lack bodies to fill the ranks , - Ilvere said . - We have accelerated our training programs , but four years is simply too little time for any drastic improvements without something like an Incursion or Mystic Realm to whip people into shape . -

Too many have slowed down their progress after Earth stabilized , - Joanna added . - It might sound odd , but we might have made our cities too safe with powerful arrays and fortifications . Few beast tides can threaten our people , so they aren’t feeling the sense of urgency and pressure from before . -

I think it’s time we talk conscription , - Ilvere said .

Zac sighed as he looked at the documents on the table . He’d already read most of them while recuperating , and they painted a somber picture . As things stood , the Atwood Empire would be able to field less than half a percent of their population for the upcoming war , including support staff . There was still the Zhix Hives , but their numbers were far too small .

The System was originally a tool of war meant to extract as much military might out of the populace as possible . They didn’t know exactly how many warriors the Atwood Empire would have to supply to meet the criteria . Still , they estimated they needed to supply at least 2-3% even if the System lowered their quota for being a newly integrated world .

Another problem was that most of their numbers were made up of the Mavai Hordes and the Raun Spectrals . Just over one million out of four were earthlings , even though there were more humans than the other races combined . Such an army composition wouldn’t work . The newly integrated races were still cautious about whether they would be used as cannon fodder , which might lead to all kinds of problems during the war .

Do it , - Zac said . - Our goal should be 25 million E-grade warriors before the war starts . The Zhix , Mavai , and Raun are already providing a high quota , but see if we can nurture even more by throwing money at the problem . Our main target should be humans , though . Too many have taken their place in the Multiverse for granted . The same goes for the Ishiate . Even if the pacifist faction can’t provide many warriors , they’ll have to supply healers and other support staff . -

How much are you willing to spend on their training? - Alyn asked . - There are only so many E-grade warriors out there . Most of them we’ll have to raise from scratch . To nurture ten E-grade warriors , we would have to enlist at least 100 recruits , even if we have stringent selections for potential . That number could be lowered if we’re willing to force some breakthroughs . -

I’ll have Calrin transfer 2 . 5 C-grade Nexus Coins to the Atwood Empire Treasury , - Zac said , drawing a small gasp from Pika , and Ilvere’s eyes widened in shock . Calrin looked queasy , but he reluctantly nodded in agreement . - This will be our war coffer . Hopefully , it will last us until the end of this mess .

The Thayer Consortia has also managed to secure a deal with a top Mercantile house . We will have no problem getting our hands on the basic herbs and materials needed to expand our army . -

With so many resources , we should have no problem reaching the target , but what about the recruits themselves? There will be a lot of resistance , - Ilvere said . - Your earthling humans have peace and individualism ingrained in their bones . -

Just beat it out of them , - Ogras shrugged , to which Zac agreed .

It was tough , but so was the reality they lived in . He couldn’t shield the people of Earth forever . He’d seen what happened to planets that didn’t live up to the System’s expectations , and he alone wasn’t enough to protect them from such a fate . Besides , he had already done more than enough for this planet , including opening the contribution exchange . It was time for Earth to give back .

There will be discontent , especially if you plan on integrating the unliving simultaneously , - Julia said . - Remember , the Undead Empire killed almost two billion people before they were finally routed . Even if the Blackwoods here are of a different origin , it won’t matter to the general public . -

There isn’t much we can do about that , - Zac sighed . - The rumors are already running rampant , and I feel I’m doing my undead citizens a disservice by hiding them away like they’re a secret weapon . We’ll just have to rip off the Band-Aid and deal with the fallout . -

How would I do that if most of you are deep in the Million Gates Territory by then? - Julia asked . - I’m not able to quash uprisings with my aura . There will be a lot of bloodshed . -

We will borrow the strength of the Zhix , and I’m planning to summon some of the experienced warriors of both the Mavai and Raun to teach and maintain order , - Zac said before taking a deep breath . - However , there is another change of plans regarding this . I will , unfortunately , not be joining the rest of you . I will remain on Earth for at least two years , only leaving for short shopping trips at most . -

What? - Joanna blurted , growing worried . - Is it your wounds? -

No , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - I am getting better by the day . However , I had a few lucky encounters while finishing my quest to upgrade the shipyard . Therefore , I have decided to push for Hegemony before the war starts . I need to seclude myself and focus on my cultivation to accomplish that . I cannot run about in space . -

So , we’re not going? - Vilari hesitated .

A squad will still set out as we planned , but it will be captained by Ogras instead , - Zac said .

A few looked at Ogras with surprise , while the demon took the news in stride . Of course , Ogras already knew all this after a talk he and Zac had yesterday . At first , the demon was hesitant to enter the Million Gates Territory without his - lucky magnet , ’ but greed soon overcame fear , agreeing to set out in search of his second piece for the inheritance .

I will ferry you all over in a few months when we have our ships ready , but the details of your excursion will be up to you , - Zac said . - You can see this as a test . I cannot always be around , and I fear you all won’t reach your full potential if I loom over you . Fate has to be seized with one’s own hands . -

The meeting lasted another five hours , and detailed plans were drawn up . The militarization of Earth was a huge undertaking on its own . Add the Integration of the undead , and you had an administrative and managerial nightmare on your hands . Luckily , a lot of plans for both ventures had already been prepared , and most of the time was simply spent fusing the two .

The construction of training camps across the whole planet would begin immediately , while the Integration of the undead would start after Zac met with Catheya . He was hoping to get some assurances from the Undead Empire first , that they would look the other way like they did with the Twilight Harbor .

They also discussed the Creator Vessels , and there was a general agreement on choosing the Yphelion as the first flagship of the Atwood Empire . However , Zac was surprised to hear that both Joanna and Vilari didn’t want to use his vessel for their upcoming visit to the Million Gates Territory . Instead , they insisted on using one of the simpler mass-produced models .

Ogras was unsurprisingly reluctant , though he eventually acceded while muttering something about - netherblasted rivers . ’

We’ll have more meetings to iron out the details before you all set out , but there is one thing I need to bring up before you leave . However , this topic has extreme ramifications , so I will give you all a choice , - Zac said as he solemnly looked around the table . - If you are willing to risk everything for your cultivation path , to face certain death for a chance of having your fate reforged , stay behind . If not , leave and focus on the tasks at hand . -

34

ONE BY NINE

People had started to get distracted the longer the meeting toiled on . Then Zac’s somber words and serious face were like a cold shower , waking everyone right up . No one said anything until Ilvere suddenly released a pent-up sigh .

Risk everything? Certain death? - the demon captain said with a wry smile . - I think that’s it for me then , unless you desperately need my help? -

This is about individual fate , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - Some things are happening here in Zecia , big things with terrifying ramifications . There might be a chance to fish in these troubled waters for opportunities , but one would have to be ready to die at any turn . -

Ilvere smiled as he stood . - I’ve seen and heard what you’ve been forced to go through to reach your current level . For you to utter such words , this cannot be simple indeed . I feel it’s not for me . The battlefield , shoulder to shoulder with my fellow soldiers , that’s my home . -

With that , the demon walked out without looking back , proof of conviction with his path . Julia shook her head while giving Zac a reproachful stare , like he was a troublemaker , before following suit . Calrin gazed at Zac with ruminating eyes , clearly putting two and two together after having been shown the sigils . He didn’t comment on the situation and left with Julia .

Eventually , only Ogras , Joanna , Vilari , and Rhuger remained . Zac was a bit surprised to see Pika bowing out , and perhaps even more shocked to hear she was engaged to one of the budding Liches of Elysium . She wasn’t willing to go beyond the command of her current post , which was fair .

Are the three of you sure? - Zac said . - My words weren’t a test . The dangers are very real . -

I know my foundations are shallow , but I’m not content just staying a captain , - Joanna said . - No matter if it’s to repay you or to open a path for myself , I am willing to take this risk . To see the true face of the Dao . -

The same goes for me , - Rhuger said .

Don’t worry about us , - Vilari said . - We understand the risks of power . We might die , but better die following our path than shying away from our destiny . -

The Great Brazla isn’t interested in your mundane opportunities , - a snort came from above . - But since you’re the one encroaching on this Sage’s domain , you should be the one who leaves . -

Zac agreed and stood . - Then follow me . -

Being thrown out was fine by Zac since he didn’t plan on discussing the next part in front of the Tool Spirit . Brazla had caused spectacles before to get what he wanted , such as creating enormous plaques in the sky . There was no way Zac would take such a risk with this topic . As for what the secret was , it was obviously Ultom and the Left Imperial Palace .

The three exchanged a curious glance , and followed Zac to his compound , where Zac activated the teleporter . Soon enough , the five of them sat on a flying vessel taking them across the alien landscapes of the Ensolus continent .

This direction , - Joanna said , breaking the pregnant silence .

Zac nodded . - You’re right . We’re heading to the Ensolus Ruins . -

This is related to why you had us seal off that area , - Vilari concluded .

Correct again . Before I explain , remember the matters I bring up now cannot be shared outside of this group . Both for your sake and the sake of the others . This includes when you set out in the Million Gates Territory , even if part of your mission will be related to this opportunity . -

I understand . - Vilari and the others nodded .

A terrifyingly powerful inheritance is emerging here in Zecia . It’s so valuable that A-grade factions are coming over in hopes to seize it , - Zac said .

And it’s related to the Ensolus Ruins? - Rhuger said with skepticism . - No offense , but I spent a month exploring that place . It’s odd , but it doesn’t seem like something that would interest bigshots from the outside . -

I’m still not sure how the Ensolus Ruins fit into the picture , - Zac said . - But it’s related to something called the Left Imperial Palace . And when I say Imperial , I’m talking about the Limitless Empire . -

From there , Zac told the others what he knew about the Left Imperial Palace , Ultom , and the nine subsidiary courts . He also shared most of what he’d learned from Iz , Leyara , and Perala to give everyone a proper understanding of the situation and how the war tied into the quest for Ultom .

I’m not surprised you’re mixed up in something like this , - Vilari said with a small smile .

Life is odd , - Joanna said with a helpless shake of her head . - Ten years ago , I was a part-time yoga instructor . Today , I am sitting on a flying boat talking about magical castles from a billion-year-old civilization . And I’m not even on drugs . -

Takes some getting used to . - Zac smiled wryly .

What is our role here? - Rhuger asked .

The Mystic Realm where I found Ogras had four temples , and at least two of them contained pieces of seals . I’m collecting seals for the Left Imperial Palace itself , while Ogras is collecting for one of the Outer Courts , - Zac said . - As for the Ensolus Ruins , I have already confirmed it holds one piece for me . -

And you’re hoping there are more pieces in the Ensolus Ruins , - Vilari concluded .

Exactly . I have no idea how candidates are chosen , but fate shifts just by speaking of this inheritance . I’m hoping that me explaining the situation , and two candidates traveling with you , will somehow give you a chance at seizing a slot if there is one to seize . -

Are we up to it? - Joanna hesitated . - We’re pretty strong compared to normal people , but we’re far from someone like you . Compared to the A-grade factions you mentioned , we probably don’t amount to much . At least not yet . -

I don’t think it’s just about strength , - Zac said . - From what we’ve gathered , this inheritance is aimed at the younger generation , with an age ceiling of 100 . No matter who the courts choose , they’ll just be kids who have just started on the road of cultivation . Ultimately , I believe it’s more about fate and compatibility . -

Then , that illusionist . . . Janos , - Rhuger asked . - Do you think he’s— -

I’m hoping to find that out as well . - Zac nodded . - If we’re lucky , we can find him , and he might be able to shed some light on the situation with these ruins . But we also have to be realistic . . . Neither Ogras nor I were stuck for years when getting our pieces . It might be unrelated , and he might even be dead . -

That guy is a bit odd , but he’s very good at surviving , - Ogras said . - Remember when he played dead beneath the ground? He might have done the same if caught in some dangerous place . Just waiting for us to break him out . -

Are you here to claim your piece? - Joanna asked . - It might give us some insights to see it first-hand , if that’s okay . -

Not this time , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - Just claiming a seal is a huge opportunity . You gain an enormous burst of enlightenment that will allow you to improve almost anything except progress your Daos . I still need to shore up my foundations for a year or two before I take the next piece . This time , we’re just here to seal off my temple so no one gets killed , and also see if you feel anything from the temples after learning the truth . -

So , what do we do? - Joanna asked . - Just meditate on the inheritance? -

I’ll try something when we arrive at the ruins . For now , start thinking of parts of your cultivation where you feel you have the most room for improvement , just in case the opportunity is suddenly presented to you . For example , I completely reformed a top-tier Body Tempering Manual to suit my bloodline . -

The three asked clarifying questions for another 20 minutes before they sat down to go over their options . Rhuger had the easiest of it . He had all of Cervantes’ old manuals , though he still hadn’t had much luck adapting them to his undead form . Given the opportunity , he would reform and perhaps even elevate the Lunar heritage that was still out of his reach .

Three days passed like this , where Zac mostly read the Book of Duality while absorbing Divine Crystals and Nature Crystals to get a small boost to his recovery . Occasionally , he meditated on the odd energy on the Ensolus continent , hoping to glean insights for his blueprint .

Infusing the twined Realm Spirits hadn’t changed Ensolus much , but Zac could tell the energy was stabler than before . According to the reports , the earthquakes had subsided a few weeks after he implanted the spirits , mostly confirming the transplant was successful .

However , the world had still not fully recovered from the cataclysmic upheavals that struck the world , the Ensolus continent in particular . Huge scars ran for hundreds of miles across the ground , and new forests hadn’t managed to replace those burnt down by the wildfires . Still , there was a sense of vibrancy in the air , and Zac guessed it was just a matter of time .

Finally , there was a change as Zac felt a ripple from the distance . He looked over , and he could barely spot a small settlement standing at the edge of what looked like a stationary grey sandstorm . The storm was only a couple miles across , but Zac knew that small sphere held an area as large as a huge capital .

Within , the Ensolus Ruins waited for them .

The settlement outside was a now-evacuated research station lacking a teleportation array , not by choice but necessity . The sandstorm was a Spatial Anomaly similar to the Void Gate encampment he and Vai visited . The strong spatial field around the folded space made it impossible to buy teleportation arrays through the System .

Perhaps it was possible to build reinforced arrays by themselves , but the Atwood Empire obviously lacked the means to build something like that .

The group soon landed at the center of the settlement , and two guards walked out from one of the nearby houses . Zac recognized one of them—Cynthia , one of the original Valkyries who joined him at the very beginning . The other was a Revenant Zac didn’t recognize , but he had to be one of the captains judging by his solid Late E-grade aura .

Anything? - Joanna asked as the two walked over .

Nothing to report , - the Valkyrie said with a shake of her head . - We have sealed off the whole cloud after being given the order . No one has attempted to approach this region since . -

Good , - Joanna said , turning to Zac .

Let’s go , - Zac said , and the quintet walked straight into the dust cloud .

Visibility was almost zero , but there was no need to bind people together with Vivi’s vines—Zac could still sense the others around him with his domain . There were no spatial fluctuations either . They didn’t have to walk for more than a minute before their surroundings changed . The haziness was replaced by a sprawling city covered in moss and vines .

Zac’s heart shuddered , and he was filled with a sense of adventure as he looked across the ruins . It almost felt like he’d found a hidden city in the depths of the Amazon or even Atlantis . But the truth was even more invigorating—Zac recognized the architecture . The buildings didn’t look like the temples from the Lost Plane .

They reminded Zac of the enormous palace he’d seen in his first vision—the Left Imperial Palace . Certainly , the scale and domineering aura wasn’t there , but the buildings were made from the same type of black stone . Most civilizations in the Multiverse were like pyramids . If the Left Imperial Palace was the tip of the pyramid , then these buildings represented the base .

Perhaps a city where servants lived?

Vaguely familiar scripts covered walls , archways , and statues , most broken far beyond repair . However , not all runes had succumbed to the passage of time . This was both the danger and the opportunity of this place . Just in the vicinity , Zac spotted three buildings empowered by some sort of array . They were still covered in vines and moss , but their foundations stood tall .

And who knew , there might be a trove waiting inside if you managed to force your way through . So far , they hadn’t been able to break through too many of the still-active arrays . They didn’t use much energy , but they were insanely sturdy , and no attempts at array breaking had shown hints of working .

Ogras whistled as he looked at the edge of the storm behind them . - Impressive . -

Zac had to agree . The method used to cram these sprawling ruins together in this small sandstorm was extremely impressive . They hadn’t sensed anything at all as they entered the folded patch of space . Apparently , the scale was almost 50 : 1 according to measurements , and the researchers believed the effect was generated by a statue in the heart of the city .

What now? - Joanna asked , and Zac could see the hunger in her eyes .

Zac first looked toward the heart of the city , which unsurprisingly was where the calling came from . But he soon looked back at the other three .

Be ready . The name of the inheritance is . . . Ultom , - Zac said , and the ethereal pressure of fate bared down on him .

What was that? - Joanna said as she vigilantly looked around , while a frown appeared on Vilari’s face .

Felt like a ghost just passed through me , - Rhuger said .

Zac barely listened , his eyes trained on the screen that popped up in front of him .

One by Nine (Unique , Inheritance) : Form a full cycle of Sealbearers . Reward : Entry to the Left Imperial Palace (4/9) 2683 days] NOTE : Multiple cycles can be formed

Zac read the new quest carefully as it divulged a few key pieces of information . Most importantly , it was a timed quest , giving him just over seven years to - form a cycle . ’ If Zac was a betting man , that meant the first stage of the inheritance would start at that time . In other words , he would most likely have to find all four pieces of his seal within that timeframe .

The quest even hinted at the inheritance’s direction , considering it was telling him to form a posse . After all , a - full cycle’ no doubt meant one sealholder from each subordinate court , such as Ogras’ Hollow Court . Was personal strength not enough? Did you have to gather powerful followers if you wanted a shot at the inheritance? And the multiple cycles—would that bring special benefits , or would it just keep the competition from entering?

And more to the point , how was the quest halfway finished already?

What’s wrong? - Ogras asked , dragging Zac out of his thoughts .

Zac considered it for a second before deciding to share the screen . - See for yourself . -

A quest? - Ogras exclaimed before his eyes thinned . - Four? Just like that? Can you really make it happen by willing it into being? Are you the Son of Heaven? -

I—No idea . I didn’t expect things to progress this way , - Zac said , confusion written all over his face as he turned to the others . - Did you get a quest or something like that? -

Nothing , - Vilari said . - For a moment , I felt something nudge my soul . But it’s gone now . -

Same here , - Rhuger said , his eyes repeatedly darting toward the ruins . - Perhaps if we get closer . . . -

Let’s go and take a look , - Zac agreed . - It can’t be a random coincidence I suddenly get a half-finished quest to gather followers when I’m trying to share this inheritance with you . See if you can spot any of the seals I showed you on the way . -

With that , the group set out , heading toward the core of the Ensolus Ruins , following an incomplete map drawn by the explorers . After all , the Ensolus Ruins might have been long abandoned , but there were still dangers . Some of the arrays inscribed on the broken towers and buildings were Killing Arrays , and there were unstable areas as deadly as any gauntlet .

Thankfully , there were multiple safe pathways leading to the center of the ruins , which was the only reason Zac dared set out in his current state . He just needed to set down a couple of arrays and see if the others could pick up anything before they headed out . Ignoring all the inviting ruins felt like an itch Zac wasn’t allowed to scratch , but he could always check things out in the future .

Walking into the depths of an ancient ruin with a trouble-magnet such as yourself , - Ogras muttered as he skipped over a vine as thick as a barrel . - Surely , nothing bad will come of this . I must be mad to have joined you . -

35

SIDELINED

Zac wanted to roll his eyes at Ogras and ask him what the worst that could happen was , but he reined himself in . His track record wasn’t the best in this regard , and it felt a bit foolhardy to tempt the Heavens just after drawing the attention of the river of fate . Instead , Zac turned his attention to his surroundings , using his danger sense and Cosmic Gaze] to ensure nothing changed in the ruins compared to their map .

There aren’t actually that many dangers unless you try to mess with the arrays , - Joanna said . - But if you do , it’s a crapshoot . Sometimes , the building is simply fortified beyond what any E-grade can deal with . Other times , you trigger dangerous arrays . We had one explorer caught in an illusion that lasted for thousands of years in their mind . By the time we got them out , their soul was so over drafted they died just hours later . -

His perception was completely warped , - Vilari sighed . - He believed reality a dream once we freed him . The poor man kept calling for - Cassie , ’ who I guess was his wife in the vision . -

Poor bastard , - Ogras muttered as he increased his distance from the closest building .

Zac shook his head , remembering the similar arrays during the hunt . Those things were no joke , but they were probably just a shadow compared to the ancient arrays spread throughout the Ensolus Ruins . Thankfully , the still-intact barriers weren’t too common . They had appeared in a residential district , and few of the structures were probably considered valuable enough to go through that kind of effort .

Still , that wasn’t enough for Zac to lower his guard , and he vigilantly scanned every building they passed .

What’s with all the temples? - Zac muttered after passing the fourth temple in under ten minutes . - Were these people so devout they needed one on every block? -

Communal cultivation , I would guess , - Ogras said . - Each temple would be equipped with a powerful gathering array and other arrays to help with cultivation , drawing the neighborhood’s energy into it . That way , each person gets access to a better environment than if they just stayed in their home , and there’s no competition where two neighbors fight for the same energy . -

It’s just a bunch of empty cultivation chambers with broken arrays inside? - Zac said with disappointment .

Not necessarily . - Ogras’ eyes gleamed with greed as he looked at a shielded temple . - Depends on how wealthy this civilization was , and how well these arrays have preserved what’s inside . They might have powered the arrays with valuable treasures . Or stocked them with public Cultivation Manuals surpassing anything we own . Parts of their heritage might be placed in these structures . -

This might have been a faith-based cultivation society as well if these ruins really are related to the Limitless Empire , - Vilari added . - In some eyes , Emperor Limitless might have been considered a god of war . I’ve read that many powerful factions draw power through faith , overtly or passively . -

That statement made Zac give the sealed temples an extra glance . What if there were statues depicting Emperor Limitless inside? Would they look like Laondio or Karz? Did it matter?

Zac shook his head and kept walking toward a large dome in the distance that was their first pitstop , according to the map . However , they only advanced for two minutes before Zac suddenly stopped as his danger sense warned him against proceeding farther . Zac didn’t understand what was wrong until a wave of colorful lights illuminated the path ahead , like a flash of fae fireflies .

The scene was gone as quickly as it appeared , but it was ample proof something was going on with the street .

This is an array that has started to leak out from a neighboring building , - Joanna said . - Go around or push through? -

Let’s just go around it , - Zac said , not in the mood to tempt fate or risk new wounds when he’d just started getting better .

In this manner , they slowly made their way toward the center of the town , guided by the ripples in Zac’s mind and the map prepared by his explorers . Only five minutes passed when they were forced to reroute again to avoid another array that crept out across the area , forming a seemingly bottomless lake .

It was an odd feeling seeing the varied phenomena . The city was dead , yet it kept reinventing itself . These aberrations would either be reined in as the array self-healed or when the arrays ran out of power . Thankfully , these were the biggest surprises they encountered until they reached their destination : a desolate square only decorated with a huge statue .

A decent number of chunks of the enormous statue were missing , but it looked like it had once depicted a 23-layered wave or rainbow , each layer made from a different type of rock . It was over 100 meters tall and half as wide , and Zac initially thought it was a building . At this distance , the structure was clearly only decorative .

It felt like a brutalist statement in the otherwise sparse environment . Zac didn’t initially understand why he felt this region so dour , but he soon realized what made this place stand out—the square was caked with a layer of dust , lacking any vegetation that otherwise covered the ruins .

Even then , it didn’t look like the statue was the origin of the ripples . It rather originated from a majestic temple standing at the edge of the square . Its five-meter gates were wide open , and a path of destruction had been formed from them in the shape of a cone . For some reason , the statue itself was unscathed , while everything else had presumably been turned into ash .

This is it , - Zac said . - My piece is inside that building , it looks like . See the dust? That’s what happens to you if you get too close to a piece that’s not fated with you . -

At least it would be painless , - Rhuger said grimly while taking an extra step back .

What’s your plan here? - Ogras asked .

Zac studied the eroded temple for a few seconds , feeling the pull from the seal within . Just seeing it with his own eyes was a source of great comfort . He knew himself well enough by now . If he hadn’t come here , his mind would keep coming back to it , wondering how exposed it was . Now , they just needed to seal this place up .

We’ll begin with setting up a protective barrier around the square and temple , - Zac said . - Later , we’ll station some trusted warriors in some of the ruins here to ensure no one tries to sneak inside . -

Zac took out the series of prepared array flags , each looking like a one-meter-spike hanging from a tripod . The cobblestones were too durable to break apart , but the relentless river of time had given them an opening through all the vegetation . There were gaps everywhere , and one spike after another sunk into the ground , forming a perimeter roughly 100 meters away from the temple and the square .

The work hit some snags because of two still-active arrays in the vicinity , but Zac had more than enough flags prepared . Soon enough , an invisible fence was erected . It wouldn’t keep out a determined Peak E-grade cultivator forever , but it was more than enough for reinforcements to arrive .

With that , Zac saw no reason to stay , considering he’d done what he could to share the quest . He wasn’t in any state to properly explore these ruins , and he would recover faster back in his cave . However , it looked like only Ogras would follow him back to Earth .

We’re staying here for the time being , - Vilari said after sharing a look with Rhuger and Joanna . - We’ll explore this place and search for clues to the inheritance . We’ve been here before , but now we know which runes to look out for . -

Don’t worry , we’ll deal with the guards as well , - Joanna added .

Alright , - Zac said . - But try to return to Port Atwood in three months at the latest . And don’t overdo it . Fate can’t be forced . Most of the seals are waiting in the Million Gates Territory , so it’s not the end of the world even if you don’t find anything here . And try to send a message first in case you plan on entering any sort of ruins . We don’t want another Janos situation on our hands . -

Ideally , Zac would have wanted to get some life tablets as well , but tablets strong enough to track E-grade cultivators across any significant distances were pretty difficult to make . Besides , few bothered crafting them , at least in Zecia . After all , E-grade cultivators generally stayed within the confines of their clans or traveled with their elders . What was the point of tracking them with an expensive tablet?

Don’t worry about us , - Vilari said . - Focus on your recovery and let the others deal with the day-to-day . -

Good luck . - Zac smiled , giving the brooding temple one last look before turning away .

Now , it was up to fate whether the others could find the key to the courts . If not , Zac would have to figure out another way to get a couple of followers from the outside to fill up the numbers . Luckily , he had a pretty good solution for that—Catheya and the Undead Empire . They would probably be more than happy to send some competent followers his way in exchange for access to the Left Imperial Palace .

Catheya ran her hand through the dense clouds of death that danced in the fountains , and she took a calming breath as she looked up at the familiar architecture of her kin . She had to admit it was a welcome change from the wretched environment she and her guardian had stayed in during the past months .

Even with beacons holding life at bay on an unawakened planet , it felt like you were trapped in a small bubble , and the whole universe was bearing down on you . It was an unwelcome reminder of how limited her sky was , yet Catheya couldn’t help but want to go back .

Is it really alright to leave that man to his own devices? - Catheya asked with worry as they walked toward the teleportation chamber . - He might do something foolish . -

Who? The Dreamer or the brat? - Enis asked .

Well , both , I guess , but I was thinking of the Dreamer . -

He should understand his place by now , - Enis answered without care . - If that Dreamer tries to break the restriction , only an early awakening awaits him . Besides , he is incredibly meek by nature . I would guess it will take years before he dares so much as nudge that mark with his Mental Energy . -

But our line of communication— -

Can be reinstated through another proxy , if need be , - Enis concluded . - Now , remember to mind your manners . Your irreverence cannot be allowed to cause any friction or problems . Don’t forget , this mission even has the Heart’s attention . -

I know , - Catheya said with a roll of her eyes . - Just doesn’t sit right with me . This was our mission , and suddenly we’re sidelined? And they won’t even tell us any real details . -

Enis didn’t immediately answer , though Catheya could tell there was a hint of annoyance between her brows . It was no wonder . She was a competent warrior of Clan Umbri’Zi , but she held no real political sway in her clan . This mission , one ordered by the Abyssal Lake and the Umbri’Zi Ancestor herself , was a chance for Enis to accrue enough credit to take up a better role and accumulate more resources .

Perhaps even gain a permanent spot at the Abyssal Shores , which would drastically improve her chances of confirming her Dao .

But now , just as they’d finally managed to contact that troublemaker , they were sent back home , ordered to assist some newcomer in an undertaking of great import . One that their own target was apparently part of .

A wave of reluctance tugged at Catheya as they entered the enormous hall reserved for exalted visitors , almost regretting she shared her method of contact with the Undead Empire . Before , it was like everything had clicked into place , and she could confidently say she upheld her promise . She even held onto some sort of farfetched conviction that Zac would manage to break the convention of Edgewalkers , allowing him to stay on as he’d been .

Now? Who was to say what would happen .

Catheya knew one thing—when - matters of great import’ were being discussed , people became expendable in the face of goals and benefits . Especially outsiders without any proper backing . Like Zac . Clan Umbri’Zi might have claimed him as their own to gobble up some of the rewards , but they would just as quickly discard him if the benefits from this undertaking eclipsed those of a Draugr Edgewalker with a small chance of bolstering one of their incomplete bloodlines .

The two found Tassar Kavriel and his most promising descendant already standing at attention in front of the platform when they arrived . The old man’s eyes kept shifting to the teleportation array , waiting for the new arrivals to appear .

Mistress , young miss , - Tassar said with a nod .

Lady Umbri’Zi , Lady Sharva’Zi , - Rezo Kavriel followed up with a much-deeper bow .

Hello , - Catheya said . - Uncle , have you heard anything? -

Tassar Kavriel had taken care of her since she and her master arrived in Zecia the first time around . And with Va Tapek entering seclusion , or rather leaving to search for some item as Catheya found out later , this old Monarch and his descendants had been the ones to accompany her most of the time .

Tassar’s ancestor was an illegitimate mixed-blood son of one of the supreme elders of the Umbri’Zi . Since his talent was quite good , a pureblooded Draugr had been arranged as a Dao Partner . They’d then been sent off to manage this newly integrated Sector . Millions of years had passed since then , and the Kavriel Clan was almost completely detached from the Umbri’Zi .

As far as Catheya could tell , that was fine with Tassar . His position was extremely secure thanks to his heritage , and no factions were powerful enough to shake the Undead Empire in Zecia . No one from above pushed him to expand faster either , so he simply waged the occasional war to satisfy the commandments .

Apart from the lacking materials , it was a cushy life . Except chaos was now knocking at his door , and Catheya could see new lines of worry had appeared on the face of the kindly old man .

Nothing yet , - Tassar said . - But it shouldn’t be long now . -

No one was in the mood to talk , and they stood in silence for 30 minutes until the array hummed to life . A moment later , eight new people appeared in a flash of spatial death . They all seemed extremely powerful , but two drew more attention than the others for natural reasons . They were Izh’Rak Reavers , each one attended by a Revenant .

The Reaver standing in the back was most likely a Monarch . They emitted no aura , but a sense of unfathomable momentum was locked within their frame . The other one was a Hegemon , and their monstrously condensed aura was on full display . Catheya felt her vision swim as she was drowned in murderous intent , while Rezo gasped and was forced to take a step back .

Sorry , sorry , - the younger Reaver laughed as he stepped off the platform , his attention surprisingly on Rezo . - Didn’t even puke . Not bad . Join my squad later , yeah? -

I—ah? - Rezo hesitated , his eyes unsurprisingly darting toward the other half of the group .

They were two pureblooded Draugr , flanked by a Revenant and Corpselord . Just like with the other part of the contingent , it looked like they were two Monarchs accompanying two Hegemons . Catheya couldn’t fathom the price paid to force not one but four Monarchs through the seal that surrounded Zecia .

Enough , Kator , - the other Reaver said . - The elders have already decided on the rules for the formation of your battalions . -

Catheya and Enis shared a look . Battalions?

Welcome , - Enis said while Tassar was content to take on a background role in front of these powerful guests . - I am Enis Umbri’Zi , and my ward here is Catheya Sharva’Zi . I pray your long journey was not too taxing . -

Enis’ displeasure had only increased after seeing these new arrivals judging by her small frown . After all , these two Draugr were unfamiliar faces , and even Catheya could tell they weren’t part of the Zi bloodline , even if they kept their auras in check .

Thank you , - the older Draugr , he too a Monarch , said with a curt nod . - Laz Tem’Zul . -

Catheya looked at the man curiously . Zul was a branch on the rise , and Tem’Zul was one of the most powerful clans of that surname . They essentially enjoyed a similar position as the Umbri’Zi , which only increased Catheya’s confusion . Why had someone from the Zul been sent to Zecia , when this was technically the domain of the Zi?

After all , the Umbri’Zi already had Monarchs stuck outside the Sector seal . Why forcibly grant these people entry while keeping the Zi out? Were there some conflicts brewing between the factions of the Abyssal Shores? And who was this woman who hadn’t deigned to speak up , even if she was clearly just a Hegemon like the Reaver?

And young miss is . - ? Catheya hesitated after getting a pointed glance from Enis .

Tavza An’Azol , - the annoyingly beautiful woman said , her face remaining impassive .

Catheya’s eyes widened in shock , and she hurriedly curtsied . Even Enis was alarmed by that surname , and her small frown transformed into a somewhat strained smile . Catheya couldn’t fault her guardian for putting on such a fake façade .

What else could you do when a direct descendant of an Abyssal Prince stood in front of you?

However , a thought struck Catheya , and she glanced at the Izh’Rak Reaver . He’d already retracted his overwhelming aura , but Catheya still remembered its terror . Considering his almost unfathomable accumulations and how he showed no deference to a Descendant of An’Azol , his origin couldn’t be simple either .

Hey , lass , I’m Kator . That there is Brigadier Toss . We’re from the White Sky Phalanx , - Kator said . - The other two are Pavina and Umbar . -

Catheya shuddered as she curtsied again . As expected , these people came from one of the three Royal Phalanxes of the Izh’Rak Reavers . This was big . Too big . To the point Catheya almost felt suffocated . The already frayed realm of certainty was fast collapsing around her , and the next words out of the Reaver’s skull only made the matter worse .

Now , where is this half-dreaming native who holds the key to the castle? -

36

GATES OF REBIRTH

How about it? Should we take a look around? - Ogras asked as he and Zac made their way toward the edge of the Ensolus Ruins .

My body is still all kinds of messed up , - Zac said with a helpless shake of his head . - You can go ahead if you want to , though . -

Without your supercharged fate to keep me safe? - Ogras scoffed . - I suppose there’s no real urgency . It’s not like any outsiders can access this place in the short run . But we should perform a proper sweep before the war starts . Who knows what kind of good stuff this place holds? After all , no one did war better than the Limitless Empire . -

Agreed . Although , Janos might still be in here . -

Honestly , if he’s been trapped in the equivalent of one of those temples we visited in the Void Star , there’s not much we can do about it , - Ogras said . - We’d just get disintegrated if we tried barging in . And if his disappearance isn’t related to the Left Imperial Palace . . . -

Zac sighed with a nod .

Well , those three will scour this place with new information over the next months , and they know about Janos . If they find something promising , they’ll let us know , - Ogras said . - Though , should you investigate , with your luck , it would be even better . -

I’ll take a look just in case after I’ve fully healed up , - Zac said .

Perfect , thank you , - Ogras said . - You might want to set up your trial while we’re here . Most of them have limits on how many can undergo it a day . With four years remaining , you want to cycle as many people through the gauntlet as possible . -

Oh , right , - Zac said . - We’ll place it close to Zelphi Watch on the way back . -

The Ensolus Ruins being related to Ultom had thrown Zac for a loop , but he ultimately felt it didn’t affect his long-term plans for the planet . It could still serve as a front-facing world to trade with neighboring empires like Salosar or Havenfort World . After all , there were almost 100 years until the Assimilation .

By then , the first stage of Ultom’s inheritance was bound to be over and the ruins thoroughly searched . If not , they’d have to keep the world closed-off for another generation or two until things cooled down . They could even dismantle the whole Ensolus Ruins to avoid any unwanted attention .

As for rumors spreading , Zac wasn’t worried . There were millions and millions of places with old ruins in Zecia . That alone wasn’t enough to cause any waves without knowing its relation to Ultom . And that was limited to the five people currently in the ruins , and possibly Calrin . And any lingering clues of the connection was already being quietly scrubbed clean by the Valkyries and his core personnel .

As for Zelphi’s Watch , it was one of the frontier forts on the continent , one that had previously belonged to a fairly weak Incursion force . It was far from any critical architecture or resources , surrounded by inhospitable mountains . Meanwhile , there was still room for an enormous trade city in case their plans worked out , which made it the perfect site for the trial .

By the way , what do you think about the Zhix? - Zac asked as they walked . - I’m thinking of giving Rhubat the same opportunity as the other three . -

It’d been a while since he’d visited the leader of the Zhix , but he read in the reports that the Zhix were still struggling with finding a proper path that would take them beyond the initial steps of cultivation . If humanity had been hit by the loss of Origin Dao in the atmosphere , the effect on the Zhix was magnified fivefold .

Rhubat and the other Anointed had looked for solutions that would allow their conformist society to embark on the road of cultivation , a journey that generally required more personal introspection than the Zhix was interested in . Even after years of searching , they were no closer than when they started .

However , getting access to the epiphanies of the Left Imperial Palace and the Outer Courts might be what would allow Rhubat to perfect the homebrewed cultivation system of the Zhix . At the very least push it to a level that would allow a larger number of common warriors to form their Dao Seeds and step into the E-grade .

Those guys? - Ogras said . - Well , he’s capable enough , but he’s not really part of your faction . -

Zac nodded in agreement . That was the crux of the matter and why he hadn’t invited Rhubat to the war meeting the other week . It didn’t really matter that the Status Screens of the Zhix Hives said they belonged to the Atwood Empire . The Zhix were Zhix , beholden only to their own . Even if he had a good relationship with the insectoids , there was an insurmountable divide between them .

Even today , ten years after the Integration , the Zhix barely interacted with the other races on Earth . The occasional representative appeared in Port Atwood to deal with various matters , and explorers sometimes ran into Zhix hunting squads in the wild . But that was about it .

Everything was fine today , but who knew how things would look in 100 years? In ten thousand? Strengthening the Zhix would help in the short run with the war , but it might lead to unexpected consequences . Just give it a few generations , and the leaders of the Zhix might not feel it fair for them to play second fiddle to the Atwood Empire .

And by that point , he would possibly be long gone , headed for the Six Profundity Empire or other opportunities in the Multiverse .

We still have some time to find a solution , - Ogras shrugged . - And I don’t think even you can just point at people and fill their spirits with divine providence . Who knows how the Left Imperial Palace chooses its candidates? We can figure out what to do with those crazy insectoids after these three have looked around these ruins for a while . -

Zac agreed . This endeavor was ultimately just a long shot , even if he had gained a quest from it . Still , Zac hoped Vilari , Rhuger , and Joanna’s fates would align more with the Left Imperial Palace by walking through the Ensolus Ruins for a month or two . That might be what allowed them to sense the seals when heading into the Million Gates Territory .

More importantly , how about we invite those Mavai for the inauguration? - Ogras said with a familiar gleam in his eyes .

Still? - Zac snorted .

I’m just curious to see these Life-attuned demons , - Ogras grinned . - But now that you mention it . . . tribal women . . . -

Zac could only helplessly shake his head . - We’ll invite representatives from both sides to Zelphi’s Watch . -

The two passed through the shroud at the edge of the ruins a while later and set course for the border fort . Thankfully , most of the preparations were already complete , and they could teleport straight there after flying to the closest teleportation array . It didn’t take long for two groups of representatives to arrive , each one led by the leaders of the respective factions .

Lord Atwood , I heard you had returned . It is good to see you , - Ra’Klid , the young Mavai Chieftain , said as he curiously looked at Ogras . - This is? -

Ogras Azh’Rezak . - Ogras nodded as he looked curiously at the warriors . - Very interesting . You’re really a new form of demonkin not registered within the horde . -

So we heard , - Ra’Klid said with a smile . - Lord Azh’Rezak , we have heard of your great exploits from your followers and would love to have you visit our tribes at your convenience . The Mavai could gain a lot from your experience . -

Of course , - Ogras said .

Lord Atwood , - Aouvi , one of the two remaining Ghost Kings of the Raun , called as he floated over . - May I ask why you have called us here? -

Part of it is to update you on some important matters , - Zac said . - Secondly , it is time to finally open the Limited Trial I previously mentioned . -

The opportunity that will provide Limited Titles? - Ra’Klid said with excitement . - Can we undergo the trial? How many slots are there? -

No idea , - Zac said with a smile . - I won’t know much until I receive the reward . I just know it should be a pretty good one . -

There wasn’t much else to say , so they moved to the edge of the large basin , far away from the small settlement that acted as a placeholder for the future city that would be built there . At that point , Zac finally accepted the quest reward that had been waiting for him for almost a decade .

The effect was immediate , and the whole valley started to heave . A few seconds later , the ground cracked as a massive wall of gold and black rose from below . Seeing the colors , Zac’s eyes lit up with interest , and his guess was soon confirmed as powerful waves of life and death started to radiate from the wall .

Soon enough , the shaking stopped , and a structure reaching over five hundred meters into the air had already appeared . It didn’t look like a proper building , more resembling a huge coin pushed halfway into the ground . It was as wide as it was tall but no thicker than ten meters .

By the looks of it , the wall was constructed with two types of metals that failed to mix properly . Chaotic and unpredictable patterns of gold and black covered its surface .

At its center , two gates stood next to each other , each roughly ten meters tall . One was golden and radiated powerful waves of life ; the other was black and filled with death . Oddly enough , Zac sensed hints of death from the golden gate and the opposite from the black one .

Above the gates , two lines were carved , each stroke instilled with a deep understanding of the two opposing Daos . To Zac , the words contained the same level of comprehension as the scars on the Big Boss’ Big Wall back at the Big Axe Coliseum . In contrast , the meaning was somehow sealed into the letters , preventing Zac from actually gaining anything from them . Still , the words gave a clear hint of what was going on .

Gate of Life and Gate of Death , huh? - Ogras muttered as he glanced at the two groups of natives . - How fitting . -

Zac was reviewing a short burst of information he’d just received . The natives looked at the two doors with desire before turning to Zac .

Give me a second , - Zac said . - Can you check out the surroundings , meanwhile? -

The groups nodded and started to look around , short of entering the structure .

Behind! - a startled Ra’Klid soon exclaimed .

Zac and Ogras flashed over and stopped in confusion upon seeing what was hidden behind the huge metallic half-circle . Having just visited the overgrown Ensolus Ruins , Zac was filled with a sense of déjà vu . Instead of an ancient city being overtaken by plant life , it was rather a dour graveyard .

Pitch-black crypts and coffins covered the area behind the trial . They were covered in vibrant roots , some as thick as a full-grown man . However , in contrast to the Ensolus Ruins , the graveyard was in pristine condition . There wasn’t a single blemish on the coffins , and they exuded stable waves of death .

How odd , - Aouvi muttered .

I don’t know exactly what waits inside , but I have some preliminary information , - Zac said . - This trial is called the Gates of Rebirth . Right now , one hundred people can pass through each gate daily , meaning 1 , 400 warriors can receive a title every week . You can only pass through the gates once . There are six levels to the trial , and passing each level will improve the title you receive . -

Ogras frowned . - What about the attunements? Can only the undead enter the Door of Death? -

It didn’t explicitly say , but it seems that Life and Death cultivators have an advantage for this trial , - Zac said . - You’d have to be pretty damn strong to reach the top floor without cultivating either of those two paths . -

Well , isn’t that great , - Ogras scowled , looking like he wanted to stab the enormous wall .

Zac smiled . - Even the fifth-layer-reward should be pretty good compared to most publicly available trials . -

This was a reward for his S-grading on his Sovereignty quest chain . He figured the title had to be at least comparable to the top-tier titles like the one he got in the Big Axe Coliseum .

Few opportunities come without risk . Lord Atwood , can you estimate difficulties and casualty rates? - one of the shamans of the Mavai asked .

No idea , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - But you can only leave after completing each of the six layers . Using pills like Coward’s Escape] might send you out , but there are no guarantees . And even if it works , you’d definitely not get a title . Overestimating your strength might cost you your opportunity at best , or even get you killed . -

That is natural , - the chieftain said , and the spectrals nodded in agreement .

So , does anyone want to give it a go? - Zac asked . - Scouting out the Gates of Rebirth to sound out the challenges and opportunities would provide Contribution Points as well . -

You’re not going first? - Ra’Klid said with surprise .

All my Limited Title slots are filled , and I’m in no rush . I’ll see how the rewards look first , - Zac said .

Zac could always reject a Limited Title if it was worse than the ones he already had . The real reason was the state he was in . Going inside now would be a waste of an opportunity , especially considering he hadn’t even forged his Life-attuned Constitution yet . There was time to revisit this place after he made some inroads into the Void Vajra Sublimation] .

I’ll go! - the young chieftain said with excitement plastered all over his face .

Wait , - one of the old advisors said . - Let one of us old bones step through the gates first to test the waters . We don’t know what to expect , and we can’t have you dying at this critical juncture . -

A chieftain can’t be afraid of death , - Ra’Klid said with annoyance , though he did relent . - Alright , which one of you want to go? -

I’ll do it , - an old axe-wielder Zac recognized from the peace summit said .

The man was at the Peak of the E-grade and exuded both the aura of a warrior and of one cultivating the Dao of Life , making him a perfect candidate . Similarly , a spectral warrior stepped forward to enter the Gate of Death .

The group walked over to the front of the Gates of Rebirth , and the gates soundlessly swung open . On the other side were just two swirls , but the golden gate held a shimmering swirl made from Death-attuned energy . The opposite was true for the Gate of Death .

The Gate of Life is made from Miasma? - Ogras muttered with confusion . - And a Gate of Death filled with Life? -

Uh . . . - Zac said as the others looked at him with inquiring glances . - I honestly have no idea . -

Fighting against death is part of life , - the seasoned Mavai warrior said . - I’ll still enter the Gate of Life . -

I shall follow suit and enter the Gate of Death , - the spectral warrior said .

Even if the element is wrong , you should at least pass the first layer of the trial , - Zac said . - Just go out instead of overdoing it if it’s the wrong path . -

They nodded and were swallowed by the swirls a moment later .

How long will this take? - Ogras asked .

Six hours , - Zac said . - The burst of information was very clear on that point , at least . -

The group set up a table to wait for the two to emerge , and Zac took the opportunity to update the Mavai and Raun on the situation with the war . The Raun hesitantly asked about the problem with them betraying the Undead Empire . Zac answered that Arcaz would meet up with his allies from the Empire soon enough and that he’d have a definite answer in a couple of months .

The subject of the Kingdom of Raun really was something Zac planned on discussing with Catheya , and he didn’t believe the Undead Empire would cause a stink over a small tribe of ghosts at the edge of the Multiverse .

Eventually , the six hours had passed , but Zac frowned when the gates showed no sign of reopening .

I felt a ripple from the graveyard , - Aouvi said .

Let’s go . - Zac flashed away .

By the time they reached the backside of the trial area , they could immediately spot signs of activity .

What in the . . . - Ra’Klid muttered as he saw the Mavai warrior push open the lid of a coffin and crawl outside .

Similarly , a thick bulbous plant was cut apart , allowing the ghost to emerge from within . Zac breathed out with relief upon seeing they were mostly fine , though the Mavai warrior sported some pretty nasty wounds . Zac had no idea why the trial would send out people like this , but it was fine so long as they were alive .

How was it? - Zac asked .

It was . . . - the warrior said , only to freeze . - Huh? Why can’t I remember? -

37

LIFE THROUGH DEATH

You can’t remember? - Ra’Klid frowned . - This is no time for jokes . -

I . . . can’t remember anything either , - the spectral warrior said as he floated over .

Nothing? Nothing at all? - Zac asked .

Well , that’s not completely true , - the Mavai warrior said . - First of all , I remember being in a marvelous state after completing the challenge . I can’t properly remember it , but I can feel it . Like I was in the womb , full of life . I’ve made some progress on my Dao Fragment . -

I was in a similar state , - the ghost nodded . - Like my soul had been taken through the cycle of reincarnation , visiting the other side . I , too , have made some progress on my Dao . -

A Limited Trial providing insight? - Ogras muttered . - Sounds quite rare . -

You still got an insight into Life even though the entrance itself reeked of Death? - Zac asked .

That’s right , - the demon nodded .

Life through death , - Zac muttered as he looked at the two warriors .

Small hints of death lingered on the body of the Mavai warrior , and streaks of Life-attuned Energies ran through the incorporeal body of the Raun Spectral . But was that from their encounters inside or a result of the way the Gates of Rebirth sent them out?

What level did you two reach? - Zac asked .

I do remember that . I reached the Fourth Layer , - the Mavai elder said as he shared his newly acquired title .

Gate of Life - Fourth Layer : Reach the Fourth Layer of the Gates of Rebirth . Reward : Strength , Vitality +4%

Even you only reached the Fourth Layer , and barely so by the looks of your wounds . - Ra’Klid frowned . - Didn’t your Dao Fragment reach Late Mastery recently thanks to the resources of the Atwood Empire? -

I— - the Mavai Warrior stumbled over his words , unsure what to say .

Zac could understand the problem . He was most likely one of the most skilled warriors of the Mavai , yet he barely scraped by to get an above-average result . Even if he wasn’t someone like Zac , he was still a progenitor who had not only shored up his foundations for over a century before the Integration , but also enjoyed a series of opportunities when the System arrived .

It was worth remembering this wasn’t the Tower of Eternity , which was legendarily difficult to ascend . It was just a local Limited Trial . Zac still remembered the tens of thousands of memorial tablets and trinkets left behind at the bottom of the Havenfort Chasm . Similarly , seeing someone become a proper Big Axe Gladiator was an exciting event , but it was by no means unheard of . People who passed all five levels of the challenge didn’t necessarily appear yearly , but they weren’t that rare .

At the same time , the warrior had a hard time defending himself or explaining since he didn’t remember a thing . He could only look at his warchief with resignation and confusion , clearly none too happy with his own performance either .

What about you? - Zac asked as he turned to the Raun Warrior .

I also reached the Fourth Layer , - the ghost said , and another screen appeared as the ghost ate a soulmending pill Zac recognized . It was part of the wares he’d brought back from Twilight Harbor .

Gate of Death - Fourth Layer : Reach the Fourth Layer of the Gates of Reincarnation . Reward : Wisdom , Endurance +4%

Completely different attributes , - Zac muttered . - How are they related to your builds? -

Strength is my main attribute , - the warrior said , not to anyone’s surprise considering the man’s arms were even thicker than Zac’s . - I also have some Vitality due to my Dao , but not from my class . It is my third highest attribute . -

I focus on Wisdom and Dexterity , - the ghost said . - Endurance is not an attribute I focus on . I just gain some of it from my Dao Fragment . -

Does Endurance even work on ghosts? - Ogras asked curiously .

It does , - Aouvi said . - It strengthens our bodies just like it would yours , and helps us resist Dao-infused attacks better . Though many of us focus on defenses through other venues than taking direct hits . -

Your soul is wounded? - Zac asked as he turned away from the Title Screen .

It is , - the spectral sighed . - It’s not a grievous wound , though . I will recover in two weeks . I’m afraid I can’t remember what hurt me , but the wounds contain a hint of life . That might be a clue? -

Zac nodded as he went over the information . By the looks of it , the difficulty of the trial was somewhat serious , but it did provide a burst of insight in addition to just a Limited Title . Say that these two warriors managed to pass one additional level thanks to cultivating the right Dao , then most elite warriors of Port Atwood should be able to get a third-level title .

3% in two attributes wasn’t too impressive , but it wasn’t bad for the average warrior , especially considering almost no one on Earth had any Limited Titles . In addition , you got a second opportunity in the form of enlightenment . That might be what allowed some of his followers to break through a bottlenecked Dao Seed or Dao Fragment . Unfortunately , this part of the trial was more useful for the natives of Ensolus than Earth’s citizens .

Even if Earth’s attunement was becoming more apparent by the day , there were still few Life or Death cultivators among the ranks of the earthlings . Most of Port Atwood’s elites had been there for the Integration , enjoying the Origin Dao and unique opportunities back then . More and more new cultivators chose paths related to life and death , so this trial would become increasingly useful as the years passed .

And Zac , who had visited the Havenfort Chasm with the hidden Equanimity title , couldn’t help but wonder if something special would happen upon passing the final level of the trial . Would you get an even better title? Or would your Dao-related opportunity become better?

In either case , the trial seemed to be a top-tiered one , at least for a region like Zecia . The unfortunate part was that the two warriors didn’t remember anything about what they encountered , making it difficult to properly prepare future trial takers for the dangers within .

It’s a decent first set of data , but we need more people to pass through the gates if we’re to figure out the hidden rules , - Ogras muttered , echoing Zac’s thoughts . - Even if people get their minds wiped , we can still extrapolate important information over time . -

We’ll start bringing more people over , - Zac agreed as the group walked back toward the settlement .

However , soon after they passed the wall , Ra’Klid exclaimed after glancing back . - Look! -

A ladder? - Zac muttered as his eyes followed where the demon pointed .

To the left of the Golden gate , a singular name had appeared at the top of an engraved plaque large enough to contain quite a few names .

1 . Gorund Shatterstone . 4th level , 4 : 32 : 21]

Similarly , a second plaque had been engraved to the right of the Gate of Death .

1 . Souva Telosir . 4th level , 4 : 18 : 44]

Just over one hour per level , - Ra’Klid muttered . - But why . . . -

Why were they sent out at six hours on the dot? - Ogras continued with a nod . - Should be the Dao opportunity? -

Perhaps the quicker you pass the trials , the more time you’ll have to enjoy the Dao Enlightenment , - Zac hummed . - We’ll set up a series of experiments . -

Zac wasn’t in any real hurry to go back , so he stayed on to oversee the groups of elite warriors who were sent through the gates just an hour later . The first batch was made up of an equal split of Mavai , Raun , Einherjar , and Port Atwood Elites . And in their wake were thousands of workers who started expanding the settlement with speed visible to the naked eye .

Over the next few days , a steady stream of warriors entered the Gates of Rebirth , and every batch brought a new set of findings . They first noticed that no one managed to leave with their memories intact . Everyone remembered which floor they reached , though that was about it .

Secondly , they found that the big ladders only displayed 100 warriors at a time , but you could see more names if you touched them . Since there were only six layers , the rankings were mostly based on time since all top ten results had only reached the Fourth Layer . Everyone always emerged after 6 hours at the dot , though some finished their run after just one or two hours .

By the second day , it was all but confirmed that a quicker run resulted in more time to enjoy the Dao Enlightenment . However , this only applied to those who cultivated Life or Death . Anyone could enter , but only those with either a Pure or mixed-meaning Dao related to Life or Death would gain any comprehension .

It also seemed that reaching a higher tier resulted in a better burst of Dao , which meant that stopping at a low layer to spend more time focusing on the Dao wouldn’t work . After just three days , there had already been a couple of breakthroughs , and all those came from those who reached the third or fourth level .

You could also leave whatever name you wanted behind , and a Port Atwood soldier had left behind the name - Banana Man’ for some reason when asked to see if he could modify it afterward . You could also skip leaving behind your name altogether , but it looked like you’d lose access to the Dao Enlightenment if you did .

As for benefits , there didn’t appear to be any with leaving your name behind on the ladder , except for the bragging rights . But that was more than enough for some of the competitive cultivators , and each faction of the Atwood Empire tried to keep as many top spots as possible .

They also confirmed you didn’t need to be undead to enter the Door of Death , and Revenants wouldn’t get killed by trying out the Life-attuned challenge . However , the undead were clearly disadvantaged when entering the Gate of Life . Similarly , the Mavai were punished for entering the Gate of Death , though the effect wasn’t as pronounced . As for unattuned beings like normal humans , it didn’t matter which gate they chose .

The most sobering realization was that Coward’s Escape] did not seem to work in this trial . Everyone would be sent out alive with a title or as a corpse . The trial was not without risks , even if you could opt out after each stage . Altogether , the death rate was only 5% , but that was still ten of the Atwood Empire’s elites that would die every day as long as they kept filling the slots .

Furthermore , the people they sent through the gauntlet at this point were all handpicked for both their talent and survivability . Zac wouldn’t be surprised if the mortality rate increased even further as the months passed and the more common talents had their turn . Still , Zac saw no reason to seal off the opportunity .

Like the shaman said before , risk and reward came hand in hand . However , he couldn’t make it mandatory for his soldiers with the mortality rate . Instead , they would list it as a limited resource that would normally cost Contribution Points to enjoy but would be free for the upcoming years . That should make enough people want to pass through the gauntlet .

Soon a week had passed , and Zac stood at the edge of the graveyard with a few envoys to his side . The next batch of trial takers were about to emerge , and everyone kept their eyes peeled on the large golden flowers and the crypts . Everyone had soon figured out that the better your performance , the nicer the item you’d emerge from .

The first two warriors had emerged from an inlaid stone coffin and a sturdy root , but not everyone was so lucky . A few had been forced to crawl out from beneath the ground , covered in maggots and smelling of death . Yet no one emerged from any of the crypts or golden bulbs , meaning they were reserved for those who reached the highest layers of the trial .

Soon enough , dozens of roots started to wiggle while coffins shuddered . There were no bursts of energy or activity from the top-tiered exits .

Still not enough , - Ra’Klid sighed . - Just how difficult is this trial? -

There’s no rush , - Zac said . - Sooner or later , someone will pass the fourth level , and we’ll have our answers if anything’s changed . -

You’re still not . - ? the chieftain hesitated .

No , - Zac said . - Everything is running smoothly , and I can’t waste any more time here . I’m going back to cultivate . -

I understand , - Ra’Klid said , then nodded to the others to give them some space . - Before you go . I’ve heard rumors . Rumors of an expedition into the Million Gates Territory . -

You want to go? - Zac asked with surprise . - What about the Mavai? -

The council can manage the daily affairs . I need to follow in your footsteps to gain the strength to protect my people . A civilization without an ancestor to keep the ship stable will soon capsize , - Ra’Klid said .

I’m not involved in this Incursion , so I’m not involved in the final decision of personnel , - Zac said . - But I’ll mention your request when I go back . They’ll set off in a few months , so prepare yourself . -

Thank you , - Ra’Klid said with a bow . - I will . -

Zac flashed away , heading for the teleportation array . A few jumps later , he was back in his cultivation cave . From here on out , his administrators would figure out a system to extract as much value as possible from the Gates of Rebirth over the next four years . The nitty-gritty was for others to figure out . Zac was more interested in continuing his recovery and cultivation .

He was still months from being in perfect condition . Still , he was approaching the point where he could continue with his training regimen , and Zac had Triv prepare another nurturing bath . A week later , Zac sat alone in the center of his cave , and the energies of Life and Death clashed all around him . However , Zac’s attention was fully on a shimmering crystal in his hand—a Dao Stone he’d gotten from Ogras .

There were more of them waiting in his Spatial Ring , more than enough for his purposes . It was finally time to upgrade his Branch of the War Axe . Zac first evolved his Fragment of the Axe into the Branch of the War Axe in the hidden valley of the Twilight Chasm , where he witnessed the super condensed Daos of Life and Death clash .

All the while , the mysterious egg he got from Va Tapek had purified and released more and more energy , almost pushing him into a state of hysterical madness . He unknowingly found his answer in that environment , where he rejected Twilight’s unity of Life and Death , and instead confirmed his own Path .

Many things had happened since then , and his experiences long since made up for his rushed breakthrough . Most important of which , he’d spent years inside the Orom , completely reforging his understanding of combat and technique . Then the events in the Void Star followed , where his techniques and strength were tested to their limits .

He fought , bled , and struggled to the point that his understanding of conflict was more than enough to upgrade his Dao again . If his constitution had been normal , he would already have taken that step naturally . But now , it was just a matter of ingesting treasures while holding onto his vision .

Upgrading one’s Dao wasn’t dangerous or taxing , but Zac still surveyed his soul to ensure it was in decent enough shape to avoid any surprises and mishaps . The rotating cores in his Soul Aperture still showed some hairline cracks after his battle with the Qriz’Ul goblin and being drowned in both Creation and Oblivion , but they’d stabilized .

The damage was on the mend , and the Remnant energies would be fully purged in a month or so . It was good enough . Zac focused on the crystal and tried to drag out the Origin Dao it contained . These crystals of Pure comprehension would become the fuel , allowing him to make a breakthrough without any interference by external inspiration .

But nothing happened .

Zac looked at the crystal with confusion . It wasn’t defective—he could sense the pure truths trapped within . It was like a diluted version of that white light that upgraded his Dao the last time—the Primal Dao . Or perhaps it was more apt to liken it to an untainted version of the energy released by Salvation’s Dao Funnel .

Yet it refused to listen to his command , as though the crystal casing was an impassable barrier . It felt a lot like the Cosmic Energy around him , which simply refused to listen to his call when he tried using Cultivation Manuals as a mortal . Zac looked at the stone for a few seconds before sighing in defeat . Some things never changed .

With a lack of better options , Zac put the crystal in his mouth and bit down , prompting a shattering sound to echo through the chamber .

38

EATING THROUGH

Zac chewed on the Dao Stone and swallowed it with the assistance of some water . Thank god no one else was in his cultivation cave . Zac could only imagine what someone like Emily or Ogras would say upon seeing him cultivating more like a beast than a cultivator as he took out a second crystal and bit down .

The shards and dust created from the cracked crystal tasted bland and were incredibly dry . At least his 16 , 000 Endurance was more than enough to protect the inside of his mouth and stomach from being lacerated by the innumerable sharp edges . More importantly , it worked . Streams of pure comprehension flowed toward his mind , where he had his Dao Avatar absorb it before Spiritual Void] could take too much of it for its own .

The Dao Stones contained Origin Dao just like Ogras said , and not a speck of Origin Dao was wasted with this delivery method . He did have a decent stockpile of the unique resource , thanks to a heated bout of haggling with Ogras . But he absolutely didn’t have enough to wantonly release their precious contents , like he sometimes did with Cosmic Crystals to improve the ambient atmosphere . Still , one crystal after another entered his gullet , and the trickle of Origin Dao soon became a steady river that fed his breakthrough .

All the while , Zac held onto his comprehension and his path , refusing to let any sudden burst of inspiration warp it .

The previous insight that birthed the Branch of the War Axe had been based on the primordial nature of Conflict , showcased by the interrelation between Life and Death . It used war’s inexorable and ever-changing nature to connect his understanding of the axe with the Heavens , officially setting out on the Path of Conflict .

The second step of his Dao Branch wasn’t as grand and far-reaching . It brought complexity back to simplicity , where Zac returned to the origin—his Axe . Back when he had stood in that valley of life and death , seeing the birth of true Twilight with the help of Primal Dao , he’d chosen Conflict over Harmony . He still didn’t understand how Conflict and the Axe were related back then .

The underpinning rules of Conflict and how it pushed the river of fate forward were undoubtedly important truths of tremendous power , but Zac had long realized he couldn’t focus solely on those kinds of concepts . One day , he’d reach those towering peaks where a simple swing of his would contain the primordial principles of Conflict .

For now , he was still cultivating the Branch of the War Axe .

It had taken years of arduous work and reforging his stances from the ground up to reach this point . Tens of thousands of battles , millions of swings and permutations until both Conflict and his other Daos properly integrated with the weapon in his hand . Now , his foundations couldn’t be more solid , and his understanding of the relation between Dao and combat had never been deeper .

The first time Zac had truly seen this phenomenon , except for his Dao Visions , was when fighting Void’s Disciple the first time . Back then , his movements felt like magic , where he moved quicker and more unpredictably than his attributes possibly could allow . Now , Zac understood that Void’s Disciple simply moved in accordance with his Dao .

And truthfully , the seemingly unfathomable Dominator wasn’t even close to reaching the Integration Stage . Void’s Disciple was more like the previous him , grasping after everything before understanding the basics . He tried integrating his Dao of Space , a notoriously difficult Dao to comprehend , into a set of combat techniques that didn’t have the foundations for it .

Still , Adcarkas had been the seed that sent Zac down this path . Where Axe became the Dao , and Dao then became the Axe . A million swings , a million permutations—all of them ultimately becoming the fundamental truths of the Axe .

The Dao Avatar in Zac’s Soul Aperture was already moving per his two stances , dancing across the stars that made up his soul . One moment he was Inexorable Death . The next , he was Evolutionary Life . As more and more Origin Dao entered his body , it almost felt like the flickering axe in his hands became more . . . apparent .

It was still the same size , and it didn’t start radiating blinding lights like the Towers of Myriad Dao . Yet , it commanded more attention , where the small figure’s movements were just adornments to the centerpiece that was the weapon itself .

Finally , it all crystallized , like a spiritual link had been established between himself with the vast cosmos . It all became so clear , and any lingering doubts or hesitations were swept away as the movements of the Dao Avatar changed . No longer was the avatar following his two stances . The avatar was no longer evolutionary nor inexorable—there was no longer room for life and death .

This was an intentional change by Zac . Even if his Daos were parts of a bigger whole , he didn’t want the individual branches to be influenced by outside concepts . The Daos themselves would be pure and unblemished , diving straight at the truth of their intrinsic nature . From there , Zac could freely create anything he wanted by mixing and matching , from Dual-affinity skills to his two combat stances .

Conversely , if he started mixing too many concepts into his Daos , there was a danger of creating problems with compatibility down the road . It was just like how he acted with his combat stances at the beginning . He needed to fully comprehend the basics of combat before he fused the Dao into his attacks . Similarly , he should first perfect the principles behind his individual Daos before linking them .

Zac believed that was not only the key to reaching further on the road of cultivation but also to finding the answer to his most pressing predicament—forming his Cultivator’s Core . The better he understood each aspect of his path individually , the more success he would find at fusing them .

The avatar had become an extension of the axe rather than the other way around , and the gleaming edge of the incorporeal axe sang as it danced through the solar system that was Zac’s Soul Aperture . Zac almost felt like he could hear the sounds of war as the axe moved . The drums , the roars , metal clashing against metal .

He could feel it , taste it . Sand , salt , and metal . The winds of Conflict swept through his mind , his very being . At its forefront , the axe advanced , crystallizing the lasting impressions into a sharp edge of unmatched destruction . And with that edge came a storm of unfettered power that didn’t stay trapped inside his Soul Aperture . It spread throughout his body , filling every single cell of his with strength and ferocity .

Eventually , the deadly but exuberant dance of his Dao Avatar abated before he returned to the central core of his soul . The miniature version of himself didn’t look any different from before , but it felt more solid , almost corporeal . It exuded a boundless fighting spirit , an aura with a sharp and heavy edge that seemed capable of cutting through anything . The fundamental nature of the War Axe . With a thought , that feeling exploded outward from his body as an oppressive Dao Field covered the whole cultivation cave .

Usually when Zac did this , the constant struggle between life and death in the cultivation chamber would explode when bolstered by his Branch of the War Axe . However , this time it was like a third combatant had entered the fray and viciously attacked both flanks . Chaos ensued until both life and death were pushed back from the chamber’s core , forming an area of pure weaponized air .

Anyone who dared enter this field would be attacked by innumerable cuts powerful enough to slay unevolved cultivators . Yet not a single blade of grass was harmed by Zac’s churning Dao . This was partly thanks to his powerful soul allowing for greater control over his Dao , but also due to his most recent upgrade to his Dao .

What kind of master wouldn’t have perfect control over their weapon?

A moment later , the opposing waves of Life and Death came crashing back with redoubled ferocity , thanks to Zac subtly altering his domain to welcome and fuse with the two elements . For a moment , he could almost grasp something from the chaotic clouds in the air , a clue to the mysteries he was trying to solve .

The feeling passed before he even had the chance to take out any treasures to grab hold of the insight . Zac shook his head with helplessness , but he wasn’t too disheartened . He knew his current foundations were lacking . In fact , a bout of random inspiration he chanced upon right now might lead him toward a dead end . He was better off taking things one step at a time over the coming years , rather than rushing for perfection at the beginning of his undertaking .

Zac glanced toward the sky , or rather the cave’s ceiling , but the vast pressure of the Heavens showed no indication of descending . This was the expected outcome , since you wouldn’t get blasted by Tribulation Lightning because of a minor breakthrough , but Zac could never be completely certain which conventional rules applied to him and which didn’t .

Seeing he was safe , Zac retracted his newly empowered Dao Field and opened his screens to check on the results .

Branch of the War Axe (Middle) : All attributes +50 , Strength +4 , 750 , Dexterity +2 , 000 , Endurance +250 , Wisdom +500 . Effectiveness of Strength +25%

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 – Middle , Branch of the Kalpataru – Early , Branch of the Pale Seal – Early

Core : E] Duplicity

Strength : 27 , 352 Increase : 143% . Efficiency : 287%]

Dexterity : 11 , 800 Increase : 103% . Efficiency : 206%]

Endurance : 16 , 242 Increase : 134% . Efficiency : 287%]

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

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

Wisdom : 7 , 603 Increase : 104% . Efficiency : 216%]

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

Free Points : 0

Nexus Coins : D] 846 , 027

The sudden boost in Strength was , in a word , terrifying . A single breakthrough had pushed his pool of attributes by over 12% , most of it into Strength , providing him with a full 2 , 500 points in his main attribute . With his large number of titles , those points had been turned into a boost of over 6 , 000 .

Those numbers were almost incomprehensible for most E-grade cultivators and a stark reminder that elevated Dao Branches rarely were something you attained before forming your Cultivator’s Core . No wonder someone Dao-blessed like Iz Tayn still felt like an unsurpassable mountain , wielding multiple Daos with these kinds of monstrous base numbers .

The only small letdown was that the breakthrough didn’t provide any more Efficiency or Luck , keeping them at 25% and +50 , respectively . Then again , it might be for the best . The easier access others had to those attributes , the smaller his relative advantage would be . Besides , the importance of 10 additional Luck was nothing compared to the huge direct boost to his combat effectiveness .

Zac had heard that Earthly Daos , the step after Dao Branches where you had formed a complete man-made Dao based on your path , didn’t provide as many base attributes for Monarchs . Instead , they would empower their Inner Worlds to a more noticeable degree . For now , his three Dao Branches were still Zac’s best bet at vastly increasing his attribute pool .

Even better , the Gates of Rebirth had increased the odds of him pushing all three of his Dao Branches to Middle Mastery before leaving for the Perennial Vastness . Zac had a feeling that having all three of his Dao Branches at the same level would help tremendously with maintaining the delicate balance needed to form his Trinity Core .

Seeing the more tangible gains now only helped increase his motivation to work hard on his cultivation , and he couldn’t wait to seclude himself . Zac stayed in his cultivation cave for another two full days growing acquainted with his unprecedented boost in power . Becoming so much faster and stronger in one go was a bit disorienting even for him , but he soon regained his balance .

A positive surprise was that his foundations had healed a bit from the infusion of strength . He had by no means fully recovered , but he could tell he saved a couple of weeks by upgrading his Dao . It didn’t change much for his four-year empowerment plan , but every little bit helped .

For example , he believed he was in good enough shape to start using the tainted lake water and resume his studies of Duality . The water still held the mysterious insights from the Lost Plane , but his treasure might be gradually getting worse for all Zac knew . He had no real way to measure the wisdom hidden within . Before he could dive into his cultivation , there were a few matters he needed to take care of .

Zac called over Triv with a mental nudge , and the ghost appeared in just under a minute . The spectral butler had built a manor of their own roughly a thousand meters beneath Zac’s cave , not too far from one of the Miasmic Veins reaching up toward Port Atwood . That way , Triv not only had a great cultivation environment but was also always close by in case their services were needed .

Young lord , your aura has undergone yet another transformation , - Triv sighed with amazement . - I daresay that no E-grade cultivator of the Kavriel Province is your match any longer . -

I’m getting there , - Zac said with a smile . - Did anything happen while I secluded myself? -

Another message has been delivered through your Mercantile network , - Triv said , expectancy in their voice . - From the Empire . I took the liberty of accepting it . -

Really? - Zac said , surprised as he accepted a familiar box .

His message to Catheya had been quite clear : he needed a couple of months more before they met and didn’t want to decide on any details before the day of the meeting approached . For Catheya to send a message this early made Zac wonder if something had changed , so he quickly scanned the contents of the Communication Crystal .

I am sending you this message under the urgings of Mistress Tavza An’Azol and Lord Kator of the White Sky Phalanx . They have just arrived in Zecia and would like to meet you to discuss the great events happening here . The Undead Empire is sincerely looking for mutually beneficial cooperation in this endeavor , and we eagerly await your answer , ’ Catheya’s voice echoed in his mind .

It was a succinct message , containing quite a bit of information . Even then , there were no storms raging in Zac’s heart . He expected more powerful people than Catheya to arrive from the Empire Heartlands after realizing she knew about Ultom . She and her master would have sent word of Ultom the moment they realized something was up , and they alone weren’t powerful or connected enough to take charge of a matter this important .

However , the two names listed still surprised him for different reasons . He’d heard of neither Tavza An’Azol or Kator , yet both their origins were familiar . Tavza was undoubtedly a descendant of one of the two Draugr apart from Eoz he had seen in his vision . The three of them had been the quickest to emerge from the Abyssal Lake , and it even seemed like Azol was the first .

That didn’t necessarily mean the Azol bloodline was stronger than his , but it was still probably one of the strongest branches of the Draugr . Certainly , a once-powerful bloodline could decline . But if that were the case , then Tavza wouldn’t have been the one to receive this opportunity .

As for this Kator , Zac found out about his origin from Pavina . She was a subordinate to an Izh’Rak Reaver , so she unsurprisingly knew quite a bit about their armies . Pavina had mentioned the White Sky Phalanx once . It wasn’t even considered breaking the commandments since the name was known far and wide . After all , the phalanx had destroyed two A-grade forces since its inception—they were known all across the Multiverse .

The feat didn’t sound like much in contrast to how long the Undead Empire had waged its mad war , but Supremacies were all notoriously difficult to kill . They were old monsters who survived to the very peak of cultivation . Not only were they unimaginably powerful , they had innumerable hidden cards up their sleeves . And so long as the Supremacy survived , so did their faction .

The Supremacy could relocate and raise new generations of cultivators . Even worse , they could become an A-grade Wandering Cultivator bent on revenge . The amount of damage someone like that could cause an established faction was unimaginable . Zac shuddered at the thought of a ruthless person like the Eveningtide Asura , only at the level of an experienced Supremacy .

It was much easier to wait out A-grade forces . Not even Supremacies were immortal , even if it sometimes felt like it , and most factions couldn’t raise a second one to protect them .

Zac was a bit surprised the Reavers showed up in Zecia . This region was at the edge of the Multiverse , and jurisdiction was blurry , but Zecia was definitely not within the sphere of influence of the Izh’Rak Reavers . This was solidly Draugr territory as far as the Undead Empire was concerned . Was it connected to him and his relationship to Kaldor?

More importantly , how should he deal with this matter? He didn’t have some perfectly crafted scheme just because he knew something like this might happen .

When did this message arrive? - Zac asked .

Two days ago , my lord , - Triv said .

Zac went over his options and felt a headache coming on . Was it a good sign that he received this notice , or was it bad? Did it mean Catheya still had some say in matters , or were these newcomers so sure they could control him that they didn’t need to bother with any subterfuge?

Then it struck him .

Why beat himself up trying to figure out this mess when he finally had the scheming shadow back at his side? It was time for Ogras to earn his pay .

39

STARFLASH

Remembering he could pawn off the issue of Ultom on Ogras , it felt like a weight had been lifted off of Zac’s shoulders .

I’ll think on this a bit longer before sending an answer , - Zac said . - Is there anything else? -

Nothing of great import , - Triv answered . - The large movements of troops related to young lord’s new trial has intensified the rumors of our existence somewhat . -

I guess that’s to be expected . - Zac shrugged , neither too surprised nor worried .

Every soldier who entered Ensolus had been under strict orders to suppress any rumors of the Einherjar and Elysium . Still , no secret shared by so many could stay hidden forever . The chatter was growing in intensity by the day , to the point Zac had told his administrators not to bother him with the inquiries from the subsidiary factions across Pangea anymore .

But it was about to end , and soon .

Keeping his people separated like this , while hiding the true natures of Ensolus and Elysium , was a logistical nightmare that hampered their preparations for the upcoming war . Besides , Zac already decided to merge his two societies while visiting Twilight Harbor , and nothing had changed since then . Now , the plans to properly integrate the undead citizens into the Atwood Empire were mostly complete .

A huge walled district meant for the undead was already being built in Port Atwood . The walls weren’t there to keep the citizens apart but to contain the Miasma they’d draw from the ground . Even the official structures like the government building would be fitted with Miasma-infused wings to allow the undead to work together with the living .

It was a bit of a hassle to create pockets of death everywhere , and it wasn’t really a true fusion of Life and Death . However , Zac didn’t feel confident in trying to create an atmosphere like the one that covered Ensolus .

As a Life-Death Edgewalker , he understood all too well how difficult it was to fuse the two elements , and his instincts told him that the odd energy of Ensolus didn’t come without a cost . They just didn’t understand what it was yet . Besides , it wasn’t like Zac could reform the fundamental nature of the energy covering Earth even if he wanted to .

The Atwood Academy had tried replicating the energy of the Ensolus Continent for years now , but they were no closer today than when they started . Not even a tremendous cash infusion from Zac made any difference during the time when he visited the Void Gate . For now , pockets of death on Pangea and pockets of life in the cities of Elysium would have to do .

Just maintain the course and continue with the preparations , - Zac said . - We’ll wait until Vilari and the others are back before announcing things . Vilari first advocated for this change , and much of the planning has been overseen by her personally . She should be here for the announcement . -

Do not worry . We will take care of everything , - Triv said . - Is there anything else I can do for young master? -

No , that’s it , - Zac said , his thoughts mostly on the matter of the Empire elites .

Then I will take my leave , - the butler said with a bow as they sank through the floor .

Zac didn’t plan on staying around either . He sent out a series of instructions and inquiries as he headed for the teleportation array , and was soon swallowed by a flash of light . A few minutes later , Zac enjoyed a cup of tea in his private compound as the shadows congealed into a person .

Something important must have happened for you to finally emerge from your cave , - Ogras grinned as he sat opposite Zac . - Your bad habits have only gotten worse while I was away . You’re becoming more and more of an old hermit . You’re only supposed to reach that state after sowing your oats and breaking some hearts , you know? -

I’m pretty happy with my current situation . - Zac smiled as he threw over the Communication Crystal he got from Catheya . - I wanted your opinion on this . -

I’m guessing these two are bigshots? - Ogras asked after listening to the recording .

Most likely from the strongest factions of the Draugr and Izh’Rak Reavers . I can’t be sure , but I bet they’re of our generation . The Undead Empire should have figured out that much , at least . -

If little princelings have arrived , then so have dangerous Dao Guards , like that golem of your fiery girlfriend . You absolutely can’t meet with them , - Ogras said without hesitation . - At least not now . -

I’m thinking the Undead Empire might be the most promising backer , though . More and more factions will come , most of which we have no connection to , - Zac said . - I already have an in with the Empire and have other things to barter with instead of just the inheritance . -

Do you really think they’d care about your weird constitution in the face of the Left Imperial Palace of the Limitless Empire? - Ogras countered . - They might strike you down to secure a spot . -

We don’t know if it’s even possible for the seals to change hands , - Zac said .

Certainly , but I believe there is a decent chance for it to work , even if there might be some restrictions , - Ogras said . - Your quest told you to gather a full cycle of followers , multiple cycles even . We also know the Ruthless Heavens have somehow connected this whole inheritance with the upcoming war .

I think we both know the Ruthless Heavens well enough by now . When has it ever favored peaceful recruitment over slaughter? In fact , I believe getting a piece of a seal is just the first checkpoint to be deemed worthy of the inheritance . Keeping your life and defending your slot after the war starts—that’ll be the real challenge . -

You’ve thought this through thoroughly , - Zac said .

I never slack off when it comes to my survival . - Ogras winked as a bottle appeared in his hand .

What do you think I should do? -

Keep dealing with your friend instead . Use her as a shield to keep the wolves at bay . She shouldn’t mind since it would elevate her position . If possible , don’t even meet Miss Sharva’Zi in person . Only when we’ve entered the inheritance zone can you link up with the undead representatives . They will be forced to play nice with you by that point because of the outside pressure . -

Zac nodded . - The other trial takers , -

Exactly . Their Dao Guards won’t be able to protect them , and the Undead Empire is an isolated faction in the Multiverse . They won’t be able to afford to piss off any potential ally . Certainly , they will eventually turn on you even if things work out . Any old faction will always see to their own interests first . But by that point , you should have already figured out an exit strategy . -

Still , it’s easier said than done to string along the Undead Empire for four full years , - Zac said .

Why not trade some intelligence for benefits? You should know a few things about the trial that the unliving still don’t . That will both help you in the short run and plant a seed of goodwill . Meeting you in person shouldn’t be as important as accomplishing their goal , unless their goal is to snatch your opportunity , - Ogras said . - Better stay away from the limelight and have the outsiders fight among themselves for slots . -

You know pretty much everything I do , - Zac said . - What should we trade , and what should we keep to ourselves? -

Everything? I doubt it , - Ogras said with his trademark suspicious look . - Anyway , most of the things we’ve gathered about the palaces should be fair game . The powerful factions will figure out the details sooner or later , so we might as well get some benefits while our knowledge is worth something . However , I don’t think you should divulge your new quest under any circumstances . We need to look to our own before feeding our allies .

If anything , we want the others to consider this an individual opportunity . Even better if we could get these two princelings to compete with and hamper each other . We don’t have enough resources or talents to send out more than one or two vessels searching for seals . Though I wouldn’t be surprised if the Undead Empire were willing to send billions of prospects into the Million Gates Territory to grasp hold of an Eternal Heritage . -

Isn’t that what we want , though? -

Honestly? I doubt it would help us all that much , - Ogras said . - The Ruthless Heavens is geared for war , and it’s even hiding the Space Gate to ensure it takes place . Unleashing the Undead Empire would get some Kan’Tanu scouts killed , but I bet even more local warriors would get caught in the crossfire and resurrected . After all , the alliance headed by the Allbright Empire is still scouring the place in hopes of somehow stopping the invasion . And having the area crawling with undead deathsworn would definitely make my job of filling your cycle harder . -

We’ll keep the matter of my quest secret , - Zac agreed . - But I doubt I’m the only one who will receive it . -

As long as we get a head start to form a cycle of your own . In fact , the moment your cycle is full , you can share the - new discovery , ’ - Ogras smiled . - That way , we’ll have more helpers inside the Left Imperial Palace . -

This is all based on one of those two getting a Flamebearer seal , though , - Zac said .

Well , the event hasn’t even started in earnest , and we know of two candidates already . With each one of you needing at least one cycle of subordinates , I wouldn’t be surprised if the trial will involve over a thousand people , - Ogras said . - And the Undead Empire has most likely sent the best of the best , people at the level of Miss Tayn . If they can’t get a slot in a place like Zecia , they might as well go become dirt farmers . -

It’s good to have you back , - Zac said . - All this scheming is exhausting me . -

As long as you know , - Ogras said with a haughty expression . - Just don’t go do anything crazy while I’m off getting the second piece of my seal . -

It’s not like I’m looking for craziness . It just tends to find me , - Zac sighed .

Now , isn’t that the truth , - Ogras snorted before his eyes widened with anticipation . - How about the ships? Are they done yet? -

Just got a confirmation before you arrived . Your ship will be done in an hour or so . -

Three weeks had passed since Zac handed in his quest for the Creator Shipyard , and the golems had been hard at work completing both the ships required for Ogras’ mission to the Million Gates Territory and a few different models meant to be showcased and sold . Now , the first Cosmic Vessel of the Iliex Shipyard was about to roll out , and the rest would be finished within the week .

It’s done? What are you waiting for? Let’s go! - Ogras said excitedly . - Let’s take the baby for a spin . -

Sure , but let’s iron out the details on how to deal with the Undead Empire first , - Zac laughed .

Ogras grunted with annoyance , but he still sat back down . And so , the two spent the better part of the hour workshopping various ways to hold the upcoming meeting safely . It had already been a risky endeavor with just Catheya and her master on the other side since they didn’t know the fallout from Zac’s actions in Twilight Harbor .

But now , the stakes were so much higher , and it involved powerful factions to which Zac had no relation . Without having a good solution to this predicament , Zac was afraid to even set foot on the same planet as the undead delegates .

They eventually came up with a partial solution with a decent chance of working , though it would depend on Calrin’s abilities to procure some specific tools . By that point , the hour was nearly up , and they were far too preoccupied with the thought of a piping fresh Cosmic Vessel just waiting for them to continue discussing the Undead Empire .

We should just go , - Zac snorted when he saw Ogras glance in the direction of the teleportation array for the twentieth time in the last couple of minutes .

Ogras would probably have left already if not for the fact that only Zac had access to the shipyard’s island . Upon hearing it was time , Zac only heard the demon’s laugh as they were both swallowed by the shadows . The next moment he stood in front of the teleportation array , with Ogras looking at him like a puppy waiting to be let outside .

The array flashed to life , and they appeared in a building that looked just like the reception of the old shipyard .

Lord Atwood , welcome , - Rahm said with a small bow before nodding at Ogras . - Mr . Azh’Rezak . -

Good to see you , Rahm . - Zac looked around . - I expected you to have changed things up a bit .

Perhaps if you look out the window , - Rahm said .

Zac and Ogras shared a glance before walking over to the window .

That’s more like it , - Zac said with a smile .

This was the first time Zac had visited since the Creators’ relocation , and he had to admit they really didn’t half-ass things . The island had been completely leveled and replaced by a thick metal plane that covered its whole surface . The small mountain and its surrounding forest—all gone .

A mechanical mountain of sorts had taken its place . Towering nearly two thousand meters into the air , it was covered in the squarish scripts of the Iliex . A big exhaust at the top released plumes of smoke , while some sort of array cleansed the exhaust before they left the island’s sphere of influence .

It had to be the foundry where they forged the alloys for the Cosmic Vessels . Zac used Cosmic Gaze] to make sure , but the shockingly condensed energies within almost blinded him , forcing him to quickly look away .

Safety goggles are recommended to look at the forging process , - Rahm kindly reminded from the side .

Thank you , - Zac said with a crooked smile before turning back to the view .

The foundry was surrounded by ten huge factories , each significantly larger than the old warehouse back on his shore . Everything was connected by thick pipes and floating conveyor belts , and blocks of metals and sometimes finished plates were transported from the foundry into the factories .

There were also a few smaller buildings whose protective scripts were denser than the factories themselves . Zac guessed they were the workshops where the master artisans worked on the more delicate parts of the vessels , such as the Ship Cores and Spatial Arrays . Finally , there were five warehouses next to the reception , and Zac felt his heartbeat speed up when he vaguely saw a huge metallic shape in one of them .

Their first Cosmic Vessel .

Brat , it’s not often you bring guests , - a rumbling voice echoed through the room as Karunthel appeared .

Well , you guys are too good at your jobs . Most factions would go mad if they learned the Iliex had a subsidiary in Zecia . - Zac smiled . - Just quelling any rumors keeps me up at night . How can I bring guests? -

Haha , I’ll take that as a compliment , - the spider golem guffawed before turning to Ogras . - Hey , little demonling . So you’re the one who’s getting the first Starflash? -

That’s me , - Ogras grinned .

With the upgrade being a System Reward , there were several rules in play . Zac hadn’t gotten access to the millions of designs in the Creators’ repository , but nine distinctive designs picked by the System rather than Karunthel . None were as fancy as the three options Zac had to choose from when picking his personal vessel , but that was to be expected .

You could still tell the System hadn’t chosen these ships at random . They all had great synergy and were designed to be parts of a stellar Navy , with a mix of destroyers , personnel carriers , logistical vessels , and even a command ship that could link up with and control the other vessels in the fleet .

There were none of those gargantuan motherships , though , simply because there was no point in having an Early D-grade mothership . Besides , Zac wasn’t sure he’d be able to afford one after seeing the prices on the smaller vessels .

One of these handpicked designs was the IL-28 Starflash , a destroyer-class ship focused on speed . It was a bulky beast that could comfortably house a standing army of around 2 , 500 elites , or transport five times that number for shorter stints . It was one of the mid-sized options , yet it cost a whopping 18 , 000 D-grade Nexus Coins .

Zac didn’t even want to imagine what a mothership measured in miles rather than meters would cost . The IL-28 Starflash had a wide range of use due to its high-average performance and agility . For example , it could carry elite squads into hostile territory on critical missions or act as a roving sentry post .

Its scanning capabilities weren’t nearly as advanced as Zac’s Yphelion , but there wasn’t much to do about that . The scout vessel for sale , the IL-32 Farsight , simply didn’t have the defensive capabilities to roam the Million Gates Territory without a support system for very long . As such , the Farsight would warn them of High-grade cultivators nearby , but they would still be at the mercy of the whimsical laws of physics inside the chaotic zone .

Seeing as there were no skilled technicians in the Atwood Empire , they would have to pick vessels that could take a beating and survive long enough to limp back home in case disaster struck .

Karunthel laughed . - Perhaps it’s time for this civilization to join the spacefaring nations . What did you call it? The final frontier? -

The final frontier , - Zac said with a smile .

40

MAIDEN VOYAGE

Amazing , - Ogras whispered .

Even Zac was moved as they looked up at the huge , dark grey Cosmic Vessel floating in front of them . His Cosmic Vessel .

It wasn’t as big as some of the ships he’d seen in the Void Gate nor as awe-inspiring as the three models he had to pick from for his quest reward . But it was clearly of a far superior make compared to the thing that flew his squad to the Void Star , or even the Technocrat’s Little Bean , for that matter .

A decent little skipper , - Karunthel hummed with a satisfied nod . - Feels good to build items for adults , finally . -

The vessel looked far blockier and utilitarian than the Yphelion’s sleek catamaran design , yet it emitted an undeniable aura of power and vigor . It was of the common , squarish oblong shapes , which widened slightly at the end to give room for the powerful array thrusters . Its front didn’t end in a cockpit or a viewing deck , but with five nasty spikes arranged in a circle .

The longest one in the middle was almost fifty meters long , and Zac felt his heart shudder as he looked at the engravings covering it . This was one of the other benefits of upgrading his shipyard—weaponry . The old vessels Zac had access to before upgrading the shipyard barely had any weaponry to speak of , but these army vessels packed quite the punch .

This is the main energy battery , with four more deployable across its bodice , - Karunthel said as he followed Zac’s gaze . - These models of yours are pretty good . We call the main cannon a Wave Signature Tower . On the surface , it looks like a common pure energy weapon that you’d see anywhere . But it has an interesting twist . It isn’t just releasing raw energy at your enemy—it is encoded with thousands of hidden patterns . -

Patterns? - Ogras repeated .

Following certain concepts on how energy works and reacts when under pressure , - the spider golem explained . - Simply put , you can consider these patterns as array breakers . The Wave Signature Tower will blast an enemy’s shield with a rapid burst of array breaking attempts and record the result .

Then , it’ll adjust all your energy weaponry based on the results . Larger fleets can pool their data for greater efficiency . At worst , it will find a pattern that will cause more damage and drain the enemy’s energy faster than the others . At best , it will find one that will directly destabilize the enemy’s shielding and blast right through . -

That powerful? - Zac said with surprise .

Well , most decent vessels have protective measures against these kinds of brute-forcing attempts . But this is the frontier where Cosmic Vessels are essentially floating trashcans . I doubt too many here have countermeasures against a technique like this . - Karunthel grinned .

Is the vessel equipped with single-use weaponry as well? - Ogras asked expectantly .

Alas , no , - Karunthel sighed . - Restrictions and whatnot . So , no good old bombs . However— -

Ten smaller vessels floated out from chutes at the ship’s midsection the next moment .

The Starflash is not like the Wingstorm with its huge array of unmanned drones , - Karunthel explained . - It still carries 100 of these things . They all have simple energy cannons and are quite agile . More importantly , after you buy the ships , you’re free to do any modifications to these little drones you want . Say , if you for some reason filled one of these guys with explosives , strengthened its propulsion , and ordered it to fly right into an enemy vessel . . . -

Not bad . - Zac laughed . - You could hide a bomb among the other drones until it’s time to strike . -

And we provide full service , including replacing broken drones . For a fee , of course , - Karunthel grinned before throwing over a small sphere to Ogras . - This is the control node . Bind it , and you will become the captain and gain access to most features . -

Most? - Ogras was clearly disappointed at hearing that .

Some technical features are blocked out , - Karunthel shrugged . - You would just get yourself killed if you started to fiddle with the Spatial Arrays , for example . Those features will automatically unlock if you get a D-grade technician or Array Master to join the crew . -

Fair enough , - Ogras said .

Here , take this . - Karunthel threw a golden cube at Zac .

The moment he grasped it , the thing melted and turned into a small tattoo on his left hand before fading entirely . However , Zac wasn’t worried as he got a short burst of information .

What’s that? - Ogras asked .

Nothing , - Zac said , smiling , then nodded to Karunthel . - What else? -

Well , standard operations are fueled by gathering arrays , and there is a small energy surplus that will be stored . That surplus can be used on shields , energy weaponry , or even on dimensional jumps , - Karunthel explained . - But it isn’t an endless font of power . If you push its engine for long durations or get caught in pitched battles , you’d have to supply it with high-tiered Nexus Crystals , or preferably Cosmic Crystals . -

Cosmic Crystals? - Zac grimaced . - Those cost a fortune . -

Karunthel laughed . - This is a machine of war , and to wage war is to burn money . Now , the models you have access to take around two days to power down if you want to put them into your Spatial Rings , and the power down feature comes with spatial compression . If you need to save space , this model can turn into a 20-meter cube instead of its current shape . -

Wait , two days? - Ogras frowned . - If we want to hide from pursuit , we’d have to create a two-day lead before stowing the ship? Doesn’t that make it useless? -

Brat , what do you know? - the golem scoffed . - Most vessels you see in this Heaven-forsaken corner of the Multiverse can’t even be powered down , and never be put in a Spatial Ring . Hell , many can’t even survive inside a proper atmosphere . In fact , you shouldn’t even use the power down feature in public since it will expose that this vessel is of uncommon origin . -

Why can’t people store their ships? - Zac asked , then remembered how he’d seen thousands of vessels docked into Zenith Vigil . He hadn’t reflected on that back then , but why hadn’t the captains just stowed their ships?

For the same reason Spatial Rings can’t be stowed inside other Spatial Treasures . Their arrays and energy fields would clash . The systems needed to push through the dimensional layers are incredibly complex . Usually , they are passively running like Spatial Rings , keeping the vessel in a constant state where it can travel without being ripped apart by the vacuum of space or dimensional skipping . Creating a vessel that can be safely turned on and off at will is far more difficult . -

How quickly will I be able to stow away the Yphelion? - Zac asked .

Six hours , give or take ten minutes , - Karunthel said .

Zac nodded thoughtfully before looking at the Creator with curiosity . - Do any of your top-tiered vessels allow for instantaneous power down? -

Yes and no , - Karunthel said after some thought . - For vessels based on the Dao of Space , no . And believe me , we’ve tried . There are Cosmic Vessels out there that are based on completely different principles , like the Dao of Light or the Elemental Daos . Their systems don’t clash with Spatial Treasures , so they can generally be stowed at any time . -

So , what’s the catch? - Ogras asked .

Price . You wouldn’t believe how expensive those things are . The Dao of Space is obviously the most convenient Dao for traversing space and jumping between dimensions . To create the same effect with other Daos . . . You’d be looking at a price tag at least 100 times higher at even lower performance points . For top-tier vessels , it’s far worse . -

Zac gulped for air as he glanced at the Cosmic Vessel in front of him . This thing had cost him enough money to bankrupt a normal Zecia D-grade Clan , yet an elemental variant would be over 100 times more expensive? What about higher-tiered vessels? Would the cost of a Peak D-grade elemental vessel even be counted in C-grade Nexus Coins?

Well , never mind that . - Ogras shrugged . - That sounds like some luxury toys for the rich bastards in the Heartlands . Can we take this beauty out for a spin? -

Of course , - Karunthel said . - The command sphere should be able to answer any questions you have . Most systems are intuitive enough that even a fool can handle them . You will need a good crew to take charge of the different features to bring the most out of the vessel . -

How do we get inside? - Zac asked .

Just ask it , - Karunthel said with a wave as he started to walk away . - Now , I have to finish the rest of the ships . Kid , work hard and get some contracts for us . A lot of the workers have been bored senseless for the past years . In fact , it might be in your interest as well . -

What do you mean? - Zac asked .

The next quest will unlock when you evolve , but you can already work toward its goal , - the golem said before he disappeared .

Perhaps you need to build enough ships to upgrade the shipyard? Or perhaps sell enough of them? - Ogras ventured when Zac shot him a look .

Sounds like it , - Zac said . - But why would the System hide the exact details? -

If you keep asking why the Ruthless Heavens does the things that it does , you’ll soon drive yourself crazy . Just roll with the punches and make the best of the situation . Now let’s see how— -

The next moment , they were covered in a bronze light , and Zac felt a pulling sensation . He didn’t resist it , and they found themselves inside the Cosmic Vessel .

Not bad , - Ogras nodded as he looked around . - Teleportation , very fancy . -

Maybe too fancy , - Zac hesitated , remembering Karunthel’s warnings about showcasing the Starflash’s high-tech features .

There is a proper hatch , but what fun is that? - Ogras laughed .

The teleportation array didn’t take them into a cargo hold like the previous ship Zac entered , but rather into a large foyer with some desks , tables , and benches . The Starflash’s interior was in the same dark grey metallic as the outside of the ship , giving it a somewhat similar feeling to the sterile environments of the Technocrat Memorysteel base .

How dull , - Ogras muttered before looking to the sphere in his hand .

The next moment , the surroundings started to change , and the walls became a deep blue with white details , while the floors changed color into a deep wooden brown . The pre-installed furniture turned white , and the lights shifted to give off a softer glow . Suddenly , the area looked less futuristic and more inviting . It almost felt like Zac was inside a hotel on Earth rather than a spaceship .

That’s better , - Ogras nodded with satisfaction .

You can even do stuff like that? - Zac muttered with amazement .

Yep , even the exterior . Can’t reshape the metal , though , - Ogras said .

The makes sense , - Zac said . - Still looks a bit austere . I guess we’ll have to bring our own furniture . -

There are some fixed installations like these benches , but just the bare essentials . - Ogras turned to a pedestal not far away . - That thing should be a map . -

Zac had already suspected as much since it was similar to the mappers he’d seen inside the Void Star , and a holographic cutout of the Starflash appeared when he infused some Cosmic Energy into it .

There were no surprises with the interior . The biggest of the ship was set aside as living quarters for the crew . They were arranged in sets of ten , which all shared a common area . It wasn’t much room per person , but it was still quite generous for an army vessel . There were also five mess halls , several training rooms , a few lounges , and so on , allowing for a comfortable long-term stay .

After these areas came the storage areas , both for the drones and some things that were inconvenient to store inside Spatial Treasures . For example , there were complex spare components , and escape pods . There were also ten smaller docking vessels , each able to hold roughly twenty people . They didn’t possess any weapons though , so they would be useless in a fight .

The bridge is that way , - Ogras said as he pointed down a hallway .

The security doors soundlessly slid open as they approached , and Zac’s heart beat an extra time with excitement when he found himself on a real-life science-fiction bridge . Those Old Earth showrunners had gotten things mostly right , except that the huge screen showing the exterior was just that—a screen . The bridge was hidden right at the heart of the vessel , protected by multiple layers of both physical and energy barriers .

Twelve seats were spread out in a half-circle in front of the screen , with the captain’s chair taking the central spot . Each one had a console , but there were no buttons or levers as far as Zac could tell .

Let’s take her out for a spin , - Ogras said as he sat down in the captain’s chair .

The scene on the screen gradually changed as the vessel soundlessly slid out of the warehouse onto the enormous metal square outside .

Do you already know how . . . to . . . - Zac said , his voice dying as the surroundings went from a panoramic vision of the Creator Shipyard to deep space in a couple of seconds .

There had been no sense of acceleration nor indications of engines humming to life . Yet they’d pushed through the stratosphere and entered the vast beyond .

Amazing , - Ogras gasped . - That wasn’t even its peak speed . -

I can’t imagine that any but the fastest Hegemons would be able to catch up to this ship , - Zac said , his excitement growing .

Even they wouldn’t be able to keep up for too long , - Ogras said . - The shields on this girl should be able to take a few hits . By that point , we’d leave them in the dust . Only Monarchs and powerful weaponry should pose a real threat . -

Don’t get cocky , - Zac laughed . - Besides , the environment in the Million Gates Territory is more dangerous and unpredictable than any D-grade cultivator could hope to be . -

I know . For now , let’s check out the neighborhood . See that seat over there? It’s for the navigator . -

Zac walked over , but he looked back at the demon with confusion . - What do I do? -

Just sit down in the chair and place your hand on the console , - Ogras said , his anticipation evident .

Zac shrugged and followed the instructions . A moment later , it felt like his mind had expanded to the size of the solar system as a surge of data unfurled . It wasn’t quite like the burst you got when binding certain treasures . It was more like a steady stream of information fed straight into his mind .

There are actually thirteen planets in our solar system? - Zac muttered . - Our scanners back home only picked up eight . But what’s that beyond? The scanners just cut straight off even if it isn’t their range limit for a cursory scan . -

Should be the shroud , - Ogras said . - We probably don’t want to go through it with the vessel . Might not be able to get back in . Same goes for dimensional jumps , probably . -

I think you’re right , - Zac agreed . - Wow , look at this one . -

The holographic map focused on the tenth planet of the twinned-sun system . It could just barely be considered a planet by Multiverse standards with its circumference , but that wasn’t what was so interesting about it .

Middle E-grade? Metal-attuned energy? - Ogras whistled . - Should be whole mountains of Spiritual Metals to mine . That’s a floating fortune right there . -

It’s a shame the System was so stingy with the type of vessels I can buy , - Zac sighed . - There are no resource extraction vessels . -

Maybe ask the golem if things like that can be added at the next upgrade? - Ogras said .

I will . That planet alone might cover all our wartime needs for metal , - Zac said , going over the data of their stellar neighborhood . - Our neighboring planets both have life signatures as well . Only F-grade planets , though . -

Probably just beasts , - Ogras shrugged . - Out of a thousand planets , cultivators only have a claim on one or two . Although , that’s for E-grade planets . D-grade worlds are always contended unless there are specific reasons letting them stay untamed . -

You think these F-grade worlds might be good for anything? - Zac asked .

Not sure , - Ogras said . - Your planet isn’t exactly lacking space . For example , I can’t see the use of setting up low-grade farms on those F-grade planets when you can get twice the harvest for half the effort back home . -

Well , it’s not like I expected any real treasures to pop up in my backyard , - Zac smiled . - The metal world alone is a pretty good get . -

So , where do you want to go? - Ogras asked . - Too early to sail back home . -

Can’t travel to the other planets . It would take too much time without dimensional manipulation , - Zac hummed . - Emerald Eye? -

Emerald Eye , - Ogras agreed , and the ship set off .

41

EMERALD EYE

Emerald Eye was the name given to one of Earth’s four new moons , and the one that looked the most like an actual planet . The name came from large parts of its surface being green , with a large dark spot that almost looked like an eye . After Port Atwood had gotten better scanners and repurposed some of Old Earth’s telescopes , they realized the eye was a huge inland sea .

Meanwhile , much of the greenery was forests , though there also seemed to be a lot of green minerals making the moon appear a bit more verdant than it actually was . Still , the Starflash’s scanners clearly indicated there was lots of life on the moon , which was roughly 50% larger than Old Earth in circumference . As to whether that life was plants , beasts , or intelligent species , the destroyer couldn’t tell .

The ship’s scanners weren’t meant for galactic exploration . Thankfully , they were still advanced to the point Zac could confirm that Emerald Eye had a World Core , considering it generated Cosmic Energy . The moon was at the top of Early E-grade , judging by the measurements . However , that wasn’t the whole story when it came to moons .

Being in such close proximity to Earth , it benefited from the vastly superior environment nearby . Planets continuously lost some of their energy to space , and moons having Planetary Cores naturally attracted a good chunk of it . Thanks to that , the environment on Emerald Eye was much better than if it were just another planet , though it might be forced into cycles of decay if it had an elliptical trajectory .

If you were ready to pay the price , you could create a similar effect with moons lacking a natural ability to generate or absorb Cosmic Energy . A few powerful gathering arrays , some terraforming work , and a desolate rock would turn into a private world full of life . Of course , a planet only had so much energy run-off , and you couldn’t catch it all . Eventually , you’d run out of energy to siphon .

The ship changed course , and the Cosmic Vessel created a parabolic arc as it started to make its way around the planet . Huge patches of churning oceans passed below , with storm formations larger than whole pre-Integration continents raging across the seas . Even from this distance , Zac could vaguely sense the energies of Life and Death hidden in those outbursts .

It was easy to forget how large New Earth’s oceans were , with teleportation arrays making all his intra-planet travels instantaneous . But their current view was just a huge ball of blue , where they could only see the shores of Elysium and Pangea as borders on the sides . Not even half of the planet was land , just like pre-Integration .

Still , the diverse biotopes of Pangea came to view as the ship moved farther away from the planet .

Is the ship easy to control? - Zac asked after he’d had his fill of measurements and readouts .

What control? - Ogras sighed with disappointment . - This thing doesn’t allow me to steer . It’s more like I tell it where I want to go , and the ship plots a course on its own . -

Can’t you manually override that function? -

Not with just the two of us . Like that golem said , without a crew , you can’t really get the most out of this girl . We need to start training personnel immediately , - the demon grunted .

We already have a list of candidates picked out . Now that you have a more practical understanding , it should be pretty quick to assemble a crew . -

They spent the next hour trying out various features of the ship as the green dot of Emerald Eye grew larger . The biggest takeaway was that they really needed to nurture more people focusing on Intelligence if they wanted to create a proper Space Navy .

Whether it was energy weapons , the drones , navigation , or the other subsystems , they all relied on the controller’s simultaneous capacity and ability to make rapid calculations based on a mountain of data . For example , Zac only managed to control nine drones at a time thanks to his Soul Cultivation , but even their movements were stilted and predictable .