Defiance of the Fall

A lot of these methods were incredibly difficult to spot as well . The fact he’d been carrying around six tracking marks after his visit to the Tower of Eternity was proof of that . And as his battle with Iz had shown , things could take a drastic turn when they launched unexpected forms of attacks .

Unfortunately , there were no Karmic Cultivators on Earth , or at least none that his people knew of . Zac would have liked to test whether Immutability of Eoz] also helped against Karmic meddling . After all , the Great Redeemer was probably out there still , and Zac had already been targeted by the Buddhist Sangha once . Some extra protections against those kinds of people would be a godsend .

The easiest solution would probably be to just ask Catheya , but Zac wasn’t sure how to deal with the Undead Empire after finding out they’d spiked the Essence of the Abyss] . He believed he was better off pretending he hadn’t used it yet . That way , they’d think he would lose his human side sooner or later . Otherwise , they might move on to other methods of dealing with him .

As for the cost of his Hidden Nodes , it was similar to Adamance of Eoz] . The nodes drained his body , rather than using Miasma or Mental Energy . For lack of a better description , Zac called it Vigor , like what the Body Tempering Cultivators before the System used . Expending his Vigor would leave him hungry , and overusing it would make him feel hollow and weak , just like Eoz in the second vision .

The good news was that he’d noticed upgrading either of his two constitutions seemed to improve his stores and the natural recovery rate of Vigor . Still , Zac feared there was no getting around his needing to eat even more to keep himself in fighting condition . He’d have to rely on Ryan’s chef buddy even more going forward .

Zac spent another day getting used to his most recent upgrades before returning to his original training regimen . The first three layers of the Void Vajra Sublimation] weren’t as complicated as the Nine Reincarnations Manual] . They were fundamentally the same , except the 81 stances had become 108 in the second layer .

Each additional stance added a surprising amount of difficulty , leaving Zac sore for over an hour after each session . One welcome surprise was that his Conviction of Eoz] and generally improved constitution from Essence of the Abyss] noticeably helped him when cultivating Void Vajra Sublimation] .

It was still more difficult to complete each pass than the first layer . But without his other gains , Zac suspected it wouldn’t have needed one hour of rest . Zac even felt lucky he’d been forced to use the elixir early . This way , he’d save a huge amount of time over the coming years , time that would otherwise be spent lying sprawled on the ground , too exhausted to even think .

And Zac already knew what he’d spend his extra time on—drawing blueprints .

It was something Iz suggested he add to his daily routine . Zac’s original idea was to work hard on the theoretical aspect of Duality before starting to create blueprints . He wanted to avoid a situation akin to his stances , where he’d been forced to throw out much of what he’d learned because of shaky foundations .

However , Iz said he should start experimenting immediately and that expressing his understanding would help connect what he learned with his path . It would also concretize the problem , allowing you to look at it from a different light . It was fine going over the options in your mind , but that could lead to missing some critical weaknesses that would be laid bare when trying to draw the blueprint .

Zac ultimately felt it was a good idea , especially after thinking back to the vision Yrial showed him . Zac’s master had conjured that flame hundreds of times during his journey , making incremental adjustments to get closer to his truth . With his superhuman attributes and Integration Stage technique , drawing up a blueprint or two wouldn’t take much time each day .

Hopefully , it would also act as a motivator , where he could see his gradual improvement over time .

There was no better time to begin than now , and Zac produced a stone disk the size of a manhole cover . He didn’t have Yrial’s energy and Dao control to form something like his flames , so Zac was better off inscribing his ideas onto various materials . Zac took out a small scalpel shaped like an axe he’d prepared for just the occasion . It looked a bit odd , but he’d found he was far better at carving intricate details when using an axe than something like a chisel .

Zac wasted no time as he started engraving the fractals and paths he’d envisioned and iterated upon so many times in his mind . He began at the outer edges , carving runes that held the whispers of true Life and Death . Life to the left , Death to the right , separated by the center of the disk . It was like Yrial’s second trial , where he’d cheated his way through after returning from the Orom .

Back then , his path had been showcased by three brutal scars instilled with his Dao . That obviously wasn’t anything worthy of being called a blueprint , but it worked as a starting point . Meticulously drawn fractals replaced wild energies and destruction , and unfettered Dao was replaced by runes instilled with precise meaning .

At the opposite edges , the two concepts were pure , but they transformed as Zac worked his way toward the middle . Gradually , the Dao of Conflict entered the fray on both sides , seamlessly melding with the two other Daos . The sides moved toward each other like warriors charging their enemy , just like the struggle he saw in the air around him—an Evolutionary force against an Inexorable one .

Then the problems arrived . He’d thought about how to fuse the two sides at length , and a pattern similar to yin-yang had already appeared on the disk . In the center , the Branch of War Axe dominated , being the inspiration for over 75% of the patterns . Those parts were not difficult to fuse , but the problem came from the other two Daos .

The shadow of Life could be found in any Evolutionary Pattern , even if it was dominated by Conflict in the center . The same was true for the opposite side . These two Daos completely changed how most of the patterns worked and the balance of the whole schematic . And they refused to harmonize .

If Zac were using one of his Fractal Framework Arrays] to create a skill right now , it would have blared with warnings that the energy conduits were unstable . After all , this wasn’t just about fusing Dao . The Cosmic Core was a battery , and he was trying to create something that could hold both Miasma and Cosmic Energy .

Still , Zac trudged on , using all the insight he had accumulated to fix the issues as best he could . This wasn’t a final design . It was a test to see how far his current understanding could take him . Twenty minutes later , the whole disk was engraved and completely covered with an intricate array of patterns . Zac wordlessly looked at his first blueprint , the schematic that was supposed to take him into Hegemony .

Thank God he had years to work out the kinks .

64

MISSIONS

This seems . . . ill-advised , - Ra’Klid hesitated as he looked at the screen , but shook his head in helplessness upon seeing the expressions of those around him .

Ogras was barely listening as he tried to make sense of the readings his girl was spitting out , but there were others to deal with these kinds of matters .

How so? - Vilari smiled , her gaze making the skittish chiefling swallow nervously .

I mean . . . - Ra’Klid said as he waved at the weird gash in space and the huge frozen corpses floating around it .

The beasts are quite dead , I assure you , - Vilari said .

That’s not the problem , - Ra’Klid said with a roll of his eyes . - Why are they out here , and what’s with the wounds on their bodies? Something made these big bastards run for their lives , to the point they jumped through a spatial scar to escape . -

Those wounds might have come from passing through the hole in space , - Ibtep said . - We saw what happened to the moon the other day . To shreds in seconds . -

You are only furthering my point , - Ra’Klid groaned . - Why would we enter such a place? -

In search of opportunities , of course , - Ogras snorted as he finally looked up from the readouts . - The space on the other side nurtured at least seven Beast Kings , which means the energy density is good . The atmosphere inside is also decently stable , and the readings indicate it’s not too large . We can search the place within a week without splitting up . -

Multiple Beast Kings shared such a small region? - Rhuger said with surprise as he turned to Tom , one of the non-combat personnel who’d been brought along . - What’s going on? -

Ogras looked over as well . Apparently , this human had been a scientist of some renown before Earth had been integrated . Ogras didn’t understand what was so interesting about celestial objects . Their heat made it impossible for most types of treasures to survive . And the few that were nurtured on the celestial objects were impossible to bring out even for most Hegemons .

However , Tom Nowak’s pre-world knowledge had translated into a star-based class , and he even managed to form a Dao Seed related to space . Armed with the powerful arrays of the Temptress , the flagship of their expedition , he’d been able to both prevent some beginner’s mistakes and find small opportunities over the three months since they entered the Million Gates Territory .

This place was discovered by Tom as well , further proving these brainiacs were worth their weight in gold . Even better , they were mostly content exploring space and studying various phenomena . Apart from the occasional materials they wanted for experiments , they didn’t cost a thing . They were even happy to pilot the ship without any pay .

We’re still running some tests , but I think I understand what’s going on , - Tom said . - It seems this gate is just a shard of a much-larger Mystic Realm . The real thing either collapsed or had this splinter shaved off for some reason . Either case , this shard was set adrift and eventually closed in on this particular dimension . -

So the beasts might have been wounded during the upheavals , - Ogras nodded . - I’d also want to leave if the sky collapsed on my head . -

Is it safe to enter? - Vilari asked .

It’s stable for now , but it’s hard to tell for how long . I doubt a realm of this size can survive for much more than a month or two in this kind of chaotic environment , especially after colliding with a main dimension like this , - Tom said .

Perfect , - Ogras grinned .

What made the Million Gates Territory so dangerous was also what made it so alluring . Its name was truly apt . A million gates invited travelers to the mysterious beyond at any moment , thanks to the spatial storms that had raged for innumerable years . On the other side , anything from ancient troves to deathtraps awaited . And if you were too slow , the storms would swallow or drag away your chance at riches .

Perfect? - Ra’Klid groaned . - That thing can collapse at any time , and we’d be spat out into the Void . -

Exactly . If this is a time-limited trove , all the more reason to hurry , - Ogras said .

The captain is correct , - a rumbling voice echoed as the Zhix party entered the deck . They must have realized the ship had stopped and ended their cultivation session early . - We joined this expedition in search of opportunities to further ourselves . Those opportunities will not be found in easy to find or safe locations . -

No wonder the scions of the Atwood Empire are progressing so quickly , - Ra’Klid said with resignation . - You people are lunatics . -

The Mavai are staying behind then? - Vilari asked , a small smile playing on her face .

Of course not , - Ra’Klid sighed . - I just felt there should be at least one voice of caution in this group of daredevils . That guy Carl seems to be the only one in this party without a death wish . -

Enough with your whining , - Ogras said with an annoyed wave as he closed the console . - Go get your shaman , his spells might be needed inside . That goes for the rest of you too . We’re entering in an hour after we’ve finished scanning the region and erecting the isolation arrays . Command group , let’s talk . -

The people on the deck sprung to action , their previous excursions to various asteroids and dead planets proving to be useful experience now that the stakes were higher . There were no safety nets out in space , no Lord Atwood to deal with the terrors in the dark .

Ogras entered a sealed chamber with Rhuger , Joanna , Vilari , and Rhubat in tow . The five of them were the only ones who knew of the covert mission of their outing , so Ogras had created a command group consisting of the five so they could discuss the matter without raising suspicion .

Is this it? - Ogras asked Vilari after the door closed behind them .

I’m afraid not , - Vilari said with a shake of her head .

You were the one who said you felt a nudge in this direction , - Ogras reminded . - From that ball of yours . -

I do , but this tear seems to be unrelated . What’s calling me is farther beyond , - the Mentalist explained .

Fate cannot be rushed , Shadewar , - Rhubat said . - What will be , will be . -

Told you I’m not a fan of that name , - Ogras muttered , but the Zhix paid him no mind . - I guess we’re lucky this isn’t it . That way , we won’t need to go overboard on our first real mission . Let’s use this as a chance to integrate our forces into one unit . -

The command group went over the details for another ten minutes before they went about their preparations . An hour later , a group of 20 gathered in the Temptress’s hangar . With so few expedition members , each outing was essentially a full mobilization , where only the non-combatants and a skeleton crew were left behind to deal with surprises .

How about we not waste any time , - Ogras said as the door to the small shuttle opened . - We know very little about what’s on the other side . We move together , and remember your roles . Never deactivate the protective talismans , and never stray outside the War Array on your own . We’re in the wild now , and we’re definitely not the apex predators here . -

The shuttle flew out from a gate in the hull a moment later , and Ogras nodded upon seeing six satellites already surrounding the area . They were part of the kit of the Drone ship in his Spatial Ring rather than the Starflash model , but they could be used in limited numbers with all the Creator Models .

Their use was simple : to hide the area and make spatial phasing difficult to impossible . If someone were passing by this dimensional region , their arrays would find this particular dimension turbulent , which was incredibly common in the Million Gates Territory . Unless they actually knew about the gate , they’d move on to calmer waters .

The shuttle reached the spatial gash in no time . Everyone inside didn’t dare to much as breathe as the ship passed through to the other side , but the craftsmanship of the Creators was something else . Only a small shudder rippled through the vessel before they were through . What came next was much worse .

Brace! - Joanna screamed as she desperately veered , but the ship was still rocked as blinding red lights passed through the cockpit .

A cascade of defensive fields from the Valkyries and the Mavai Shaman clashed with the raging red , and the foreign energy was quenched before it managed to cause any damage .

What the hell was that? - Ogras grunted , and he got his answer a moment later when the knocked-out scanning arrays woke up again .

The world they’d entered was one dominated by giants—giant trees as large as cities reaching toward the sky , their sprawling branches wide enough to hold whole ecosystems . But it was clearly a kingdom in decline , with flames raging across vast swathes of the Mystic Realm . Other trees had been toppled by other forces , most likely massive earthquakes judging by the deep scars that ran across the ground .

The scene was impressive , considering each one of the trees appeared to be D-grade Spiritual Plants , with a large number of lesser herbs growing on their massive bodies . But Ogras was more concerned by the commotion on the other side of the Mystic Realm , the source of the red energy that almost shot down their vessel .

It looked like a hauntingly beautiful yet dangerous flower hundreds of meters tall , with innumerable petals and pistils made from arcs of pure red energy . It swayed back and forth erratically as though buffeted by invisible winds . What hit them was just the edge of a wayward streak of energy , having crossed almost the whole realm to slap them silly .

Of course , it wasn’t actually a flower . The scene seemed to result from something incredibly energy-rich going haywire on the ground .

What the hell is that? - Joanna muttered from her pilot’s seat .

No idea , but the energy lashes radiate upward , barely damaging the ground . Hide behind one of the big guys for now , - Ogras said .

One second , - Joanna said as she rapidly pushed a series of buttons before the shuttle dove for the forest below .

What’s wrong? - Ogras asked , and the others looked over curiously from the hold .

I thought I saw something . Look at this , - Joanna said , and a magnified image appeared a moment later .

It was the base of the energy flower . Most of it was covered by the trees , but you could barely make out a broken dome the lights seemed to emerge from .

A structure? - Ogras whistled , his heart skipping a beat .

Looks like ruins , - Rhuger commented , the excitement in his turquoise eyes mirroring Ogras’ own . - It might be a treasure’s emanations . -

Or some old failing array going haywire , to the point a Mystic Realm broke apart , - Joanna said as she turned to Ogras . - This seems like a pretty big risk . What do you think? -

Taking risks is the only way to rise against the river of fate , - Ogras said , adding under his breath . - And I refuse to sink . -

It’s even more pitiful than I imagined , - Yselio Tobrial sighed as they stepped out through the gate . - It’s like you can barely breathe . To think one of the Pillars is in such a region of space . -

Only worse from here on out , kid , - Ylvin grunted as he waved over his subordinate , who’d arrived ahead of time . - This region is still not technically considered the frontier . -

General , - the captain said with a bow , then turned to Yselio with another bow . - Your Highness . -

What did you find? - Ylvin asked as they walked out from the Alliance Teleporter toward the closest square , where a vessel was already waiting .

Normally , the capitals of empires were no-fly zones . But rules were man-made prisons , and never absolute . There were ranges of encroachment that would go unpunished , and even greater transgressions would often lead to bigger gains than losses . In this case , the issue was simply solved by having the right surname .

There are no direct routes , but arrangements have been made , - the soldier said and handed over two crystals . - We didn’t dare choose the destination , so we’ve made preparations for both . We await your decision . -

Ylvin and Yselio took one crystal each , scanning its contents .

Six months? - Yselio frowned . - We’re falling behind the competition . -

Those Stillsun bastards playing favorites , - Ylvin snorted .

It might also be the fact that my Royal Father and uncles threw them out of the Heavenly Realm , - Yselio said with a wry smile .

The emperors were absolutely justified . If Povan Stillsun was allowed to stay any longer , then an Eighth Heaven would emerge within a million years or so . That man is just too scary , - Ylvin shuddered . - With the Third Heaven already creating problems from the shadows and the Technocrat's Neural Network trying to sneak its way inside , we cannot abide another . -

You’re right , of course , but it does put us in a bit of a bind , - Yselio said as he thoughtfully looked at the two crystals . - Two routes , two very different paths . -

The Edge of the Seventh Heaven picked you . You will have to choose the path , - Ylvin said .

The Kan’Tanu , - Yselio said after some thought . - But send Captain Soha and five Adjudicators to Zecia . It might prove useful . -

Right away , lord , - the captain bowed .

You’re curious . - Yselio smiled when he saw Ylvin’s look . - Why I picked the Black Heart offshoot , even though the trial seems to originate in Zecia . -

I wouldn’t say I’m curious . I’m just here to make sure you don’t get yourself killed early . But if you’re willing to explain your thought process , I am willing to listen , - Ylvin shrugged .

It’s amazing you’ve reached such a rank within the courts with your curt demeanor . - Yselio laughed as the two boarded the Cosmic Vessel , ignoring the local Monarchs who had come over to greet their arrival .

Strong fist and strong backing , - Ylvin said .

The two walked in silence through the B-grade vessel , and neither spoke up until the ship rose from the square and moved into space .

Well? - Ylvin asked , prompting a smile from Yselio .

I picked it because my gut told me it would be better . -

Your gut? That’s it? - Ylvin said with a mix of disbelief and disgust . - This is a serious matter with wide ramifications . Only the First Heaven has managed to claim a Pillar so far . -

I know that . That’s exactly why I went with my instinct . -

Ylvin pretended to look disinterested , but a smile tugged at Yselio’s mouth . The adopted grandson of his uncle wore his emotions on his sleeve , and Yselio could tell his Monarch guardian was about to get annoyed . And as both he and his siblings had been made aware over the years , Ylvin did not care whether the target of his ire was a royal prince when he was in the mood to beat someone up .

I’m strong , but Yrin is stronger . I’m smart , but Yzum is smarter . And that’s not even counting the scions of the Fourth and Sixth , who were both qualified to contend for the Pillar . Yet the Heavens chose me . What does it come down to? Fate . For some reason , my fate with the Left Imperial Palace is the strongest , so I will listen to the whispers of fate for direction . -

And it told you to choose Kan’Tanu , - Ylvin said with a thoughtful look .

Now I just need to figure out why . -

The ship entered the Void , piercing toward the utmost edges of the incorporated universe . There wasn’t much point using the wretched teleportation systems in this region . A proper vessel would move with roughly the same speed . There were no doubt local vaults that could have sped up their journey , but they neither had the paths nor the keys .

What you said is true , but you forgot to mention one thing , - Ylvin grunted after a minute of silence . - You’re far more devious and scheming than either of those little straight shooters . Don’t think the elders didn’t notice what you did to the other candidates . -

Yselio smiled . - There must be a misunderstanding . -

Bah , what misunderstanding? You’re clever , but those old guys are fused with the realm itself . How can you hide from their gaze? But it’s fine , you kept it within their tolerance levels . Besides , we are heading into a chaotic struggle with unknown requirements and participants . We don’t need a hero . We need a devil . -

Yselio didn’t answer , but his smile grew wider . A devil , huh?

How did it come to this?

Emily blankly looked through the window of her small pod , the pain and sedatives preventing her from even moving as the healing arrays mended broken bones and lacerated flesh . There was nothing but darkness on the horizon . Yet Emily knew the horrors that hid in that endless black .

So many dead .

She didn’t even know if Warsong had made it out alive , though she suspected he had . It seemed he and the other leaders ran for their lives before the ship was hit by that storm , only sparing her a single transmission before he was gone .

Then again , she couldn’t complain . Not even Monarchs were safe in this place , and Warsong had no obligation to risk his life for her . His early warning allowed her to jump into her personal life pod in time , while tens of thousands most likely died when the Cosmic Vessel was ripped apart .

They’d set out with such vigor , but the Million Gates Territory quickly beat the sense of invincibility out of their bones . It was hard to pretend you were a master of the universe when you were just a speck in an angry and unforgiving sea . The advance army hadn’t managed to find a single invader before a random spatial fluctuation put their grand ambitions to an abrupt and early end .

Sometimes she wondered if those who fell immediately were the lucky ones . Fifty days had passed since her pod was flung God-knows-where in the storm . Most systems were damaged , turning the pod into a coffin sailing through space . She was alone , helpless—a prisoner with only her thoughts for company .

She missed home .

65

WALK OUT OF THE DREAM

How is it? - Um’ha asked . - You have been frowning at that ball the whole day . For weeks , really . -

The intricate machine of interlocking parts sat in the cavity on the worktable , both table and contraption created with such detail that the mechanical orb could freely be rolled in place without the slightest resistance . Thousands of parts and years of work to create something never-before-seen in this world . Yet Anson wasn’t happy .

Taking a walk helps clear the head . Come keep me company . -

Anson didn’t move for a few seconds , but finally roused himself and looked up at his partner with a smile . - A walk sounds lovely . -

Good , - Um’ha said . - You know , sometimes it feels like you are cheating on me with this thing , spending your days locked away in here . I’ve even considered smashing it to have you all for myself . -

But you didn’t , - Anson said as they left the small workshop , arm in arm .

I wouldn’t destroy something you worked so hard on , - Um’ha said . - Besides , it’s quite beautiful in all its intricacy . Even if it doesn’t work in the end , we can always put it in the front yard as a centerpiece . -

Perhaps , - Anson nodded .

They exited their manor at the edge of the town , walking with no particular direction or purpose in mind .

You know , I still don’t understand what it’s supposed to do , - Um’ha said as she waved at a neighbor hanging her laundry . - Qi’schzto is getting along . The child should come within a month . -

I hear Haldo has his hands full feeding all seven , - Anson said as he nodded at the highly pregnant demoness .

The water array you installed on the community field has lessened the pressure on him . On all of us , - Um’ha said before poking Anson with her elbow . - The ball? -

Anson looked up at the beautiful red sky stretching across the horizon , and the puffs of clouds that couldn’t have been painted better by a master artist . Perfection under the Heavens .

It will change the world . -

Change the world? - Um’Ha muttered . - I think it’s pretty good , though? -

That it is , - Anson sighed .

There is no need to put this kind of pressure on yourself , - Um’ha said , patting Anson’s hand . - Just trust in yourself and walk forward . -

Thank you . -

They passed the smithy where Un’do was hard at work repairing the metallic sheets that would be put up before squall season , to protect the harvest from the overpowering rain coming down from the mountains . They saw the mayor , trying to once more wrangle the twins into gainful employment , when all they wanted was to randomly swing their ironwood swords and talk of adventure .

They passed through the town gate and the communal fields , where the Lonton stalks were already reaching Anson’s chest , and the bushels of Prokko seemed to be ready for harvest within days . Um’Ha exchanged a few friendly words with most of the townspeople who passed them by , while they treated Anson with a respectful distance .

After all , Thaumaturges were rare in the countryside , even this close to the capital .

Their life was different from how they’d lived when under the court’s employ as a botanist and Grand Scholar . Simpler , closer to nature , to the point Anson could feel the breath of the world . At least he thought so , though it should be impossible .

Only three hours later did they return to their home . Where it waited . Anson felt queasy as they passed the picket fence to their garden , but he couldn’t delay any longer . Time was running out .

The Realmkeeper Orb is complete . It has been for some time now , - Anson said as he grasped Um’ha’s hand .

It was slightly calloused after years of fieldwork . There were also the small scars and burns she’d gained after various experiments meant to improve the yearly harvest . More than anything , it was warm , and Anson could feel her pulse that beat with the frequency of the Heavens .

Does that mean you’ve made your decision? - Um’ha said as she grasped his hand tighter .

You knew? - Anson said with shock .

Not all of it . But you have been . . . bleeding . . . into the surroundings the past month , - Um’ha said as she led him into the workshop . - I’ve come to understand some things . We’re dying , aren’t we? -

I’m sorry , - Anson said , his vision blurring as he looked at his wife of fifteen years . - I can’t hold on any longer . -

Will I see you again? - Um’ha asked as she touched his cheek .

One day , I’ll be powerful enough to let you walk out of the dream , - Anson said , tears flowing down his cheeks as he placed his hand on the Realmkeeper Orb . - Until then , you will live on in my memory . -

Janos opened his eyes , a sense of profound loss filling his heart as he looked at the foreign sky above him . The world was so bleak , a shadow of the imaginary realm he’d lived inside for the past years . No , it wasn’t illusory . It was a mirage created through unfathomable means . He could have lived his whole life there if not for the fact that the world was decaying .

But it could be made anew .

Janos’ eyes turned to the shimmering globe in his hand . The Realmkeeper Orb was now no larger than a fist , flickering in and out of reality . It held the key , the key to get her back . He slowly pushed it against his navel , toward where his core would be in the future—an illusory core leading to a mirage world . And one day , a false Heaven would be made real .

The orb settled and a screen appeared , confirming what Janos already knew .

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

Work , you bastard! - Emily growled as she kicked the panel , but she immediately regretted it . - Sorry , darling . I was just too eager . -

The only response was a groaning hum as the lamp flickered .

Why? Why won’t you do me this one solid? - Emily said as she threw the chisel at the ground . - I’ve treated you like a tender lover for over a year . I’ve repaired you , sourced materials from my own stuff , mind you . I had to melt down a tank in outer space just to make you the antenna . Do you know how much it hurts to spacewalk without a proper suit? Of course you don’t . You’re a broken beacon . . .

What? I just did it for the shiny new wings? I did it for all of us . So we can go home . And you can’t even send out one little signal to do your part? -

Chris didn’t answer , as he was wont to do , and the hum died a moment later . The silence only lasted a few seconds before Harry started singing .

Well , shit , - Emily swore as she started to furiously crank the winch that realigned the propulsion array on the outside of the SS Trashheap , and it sputtered to life . Soon , the directional scanning array pointed to the source of the ominous song .

She took out her tablet , and a series of calculations allowed her to breathe out in relief . The storm didn’t move in her direction . She would be fine if it didn’t change trajectory over the next hour . Emily looked at the housing holding the scanning array and caressed it lovingly . - You’re the good one in the family , Harry . -

The signs were good , but that was no guarantee in this place . If anything , it was a miracle she was still alive after being stuck so long in the broken-down hub . Thank God for Spatial Rings , and thank God for a paranoid teacher who drilled in the necessity of bringing years’ worth of provisions everywhere .

Emily looked out through the screen at the spatial storm in the distance . What was he doing right now? He should be back on Earth , right? Or was he perhaps here , looking for her? The thought was comforting , like he could appear at a moment’s notice on the horizon .

Then again , she wasn’t sure he even knew about her situation . The advance army was slated to head deep into the Million Gates Territory to rack up enough Contribution Points to get a head start in the upcoming war . They weren’t supposed to return for another year at the earliest , and the home base knew it was impossible to send messages back .

Would Warsong and the others even say anything if they managed to return? It would be a huge hit to morale if people found out they’d lost everyone so soon after arriving . And it would be a hit to the prestige of the leaders if they returned alone , having failed to save any of their subordinates . Something like that would make it impossible to participate in the upcoming war in an organized fashion .

Her scattered thoughts put aside , Emily focused on what was important—to take from the storm as it had taken from her . It was time to practice . She crawled out from the pod and into the living room , where a larger screen was already running . Emily looked at the phenomenon far in the distance where a region as large as dozens of planets strung together was being twisted on its head .

Reality was forced into an unpredictable dance where distance and proportions were in constant flux . Spatial tears thousands of miles long lashed out with wild abandon . And as the universe danced , so did the axes that appeared in her hands .

By the time Emily healed up , or more like when the pod’s anesthesia ran out , seventy days had passed . The nasty wounds from the spatial flux had been mostly healed , and she’d already expelled the wild Dao of Space in her body . Seventy days was more than enough to confirm no one was coming for her , but she wasn’t willing to just wait for death .

So she hatched a plan . If no one would come save her , she would simply have to save herself . Her main project was Chris , the rescue beacon that sent a deep pulse into space that would reach incredibly far . But she also improved the pod in general , and the main cockpit was now a separate compartment built and soldered onto the pod by her own hands .

It was lucky she had a Fire-based Dao , which allowed her to repurpose the various items in her Spatial Ring . Today , her cramped little pod held oceans of space , a cube over three meters across . The original pod , with its wiring and other systems , had been placed beneath the living quarters like an engine .

Wings had been soldered onto the sides , and she even managed to repurpose a few weapons she’d gotten from the crazy Ishiate into rudimentary propulsion engines . They couldn’t do much , but they could at least change the direction she floated , which had saved her from flying straight into a sun months ago .

With space being in such flux , the ship could be standing still at one moment , only to be hurtling through space with such speed the surroundings were a blur the next . Honestly , it was a miracle the ship remained intact after all this time . It was the benefit of having been deposited in an extraordinarily empty stretch of space .

A humming song accompanied Emily’s dance as a dozen flying axes started dancing in the small compartment around her , flashing back and forth seemingly erratic and at random . The same was true for herself as she swung her two tomahawks like a conductor of chaos . But within the chaos was order .

There wasn’t much else to do on the SS Trashheap except work on the broken arrays and cultivate . Since there was only so much she could glean by angrily glaring at inscrutable arrays , most of her time was spent on the latter . And while it was a wretched existence , the constant threat of death kept her motivated enough to make a lot of progress , allowing her to digest most of Warsong’s lessons in record speed .

Her axe array Dance of the Five Seasons] was essentially mastered by this point , thanks to strengthening her soul with the method she got from the Big Axe Commander . But she was still trying to incorporate it into a holistic and dynamic approach . That was where the spatial storms came in . They could appear like a summer’s squall out of nowhere , and their twisting arcs of destruction contained endless mysteries .

She wanted to take the mysteries of the storms and become the tempest herself . She’d become the heart in the dance of axes , striking when her array paved the way . She didn’t cultivate the Dao of Space , but it was all related . The cycles of Nature weren’t made up of arbitrary rules . They were the result of the stars and gravity , of the kind of rotational force she saw all around her .

Seeing another spatial storm up close was a rare opportunity to refine her idea , but her session was abruptly cut short by a new appearance on the screen .

A ship .

It had been spit out from the storm just like she once was . They did seem better off from the experience than her , even if the large Cosmic Vessel was missing some sections . A steady pulse of energy was still being released from the engines at the back , and it was flying away from the storm . This was her only chance .

She’d survived seventeen nearby storms , but Emily knew her luck would eventually run out . Just being swept up in the edge of a storm would disintegrate the SS Trashheap and her with it .

I’m sorry , darling , - Emily sighed as she opened the panel and inserted an inscribed Nexus Crystal . - I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this . -

Two wires of E-grade Starsilver were added next , forming a crude route bypassing most of the array . It was time to go all out .

The array hummed to life , and Emily screamed with excitement as a deep pulse passed out from the makeshift antenna on the top of her vessel . A snap quickly brought her back to reality . The array disk had snapped from being overloaded with energy , a reminder this was a last-ditch measure . If these people didn’t come for her , she would be in an even worse spot than before .

Emily became a flurry of activity , activating all her prepared measures . A series of incredibly bright lights , both technological and magical , lit up on the hull , turning the SS Trashheap into a blinding beacon that should be impossible to miss in this desolate corner of space . The minutes passed , and nothing changed . The ship was getting farther and farther away .

Please , please , - Emily whispered .

Then , the Cosmic Vessel turned .

A wave of relief so powerful it almost made Emily delirious swept through her , but she pushed it down as she readied herself . This wasn’t the Old Earth , where a castaway being rescued by a ship would turn into a global feelgood story . This was the Million Gates Territory , where the darkness of man was on full display . Few good ones were traveling these waters , and those who did were unlikely to operate such run-down vessels like the one inching toward her .

Still , being captured by pirates beat slowly dying in the emptiness of space . She’d heard that was how a lot of groups expanded their crews . They captured smaller crews and press ganged those who weren’t too stubborn . Some would become meat shields , while others could integrate into true members .

Her features shifted thanks to Million Faces] , turning her into a young man half a head taller than herself . She slung a mage’s staff across her back , while the tomahawks returned to sheathes hidden within the sleeves of her arms . The minutes passed , yet they felt too short as Emily tried to prepare for any eventuality of what awaited her on the ship .

The SS Trashheap shuddered as a gravitational array pulled it in , and the ship thumped down on metal inside the hangar a minute later . A group of ten soldiers was already waiting outside , but she was relieved upon seeing not one of them was a Hegemon . If she were lucky , they’d all been killed when the ship lost its tower and a wing .

Thank you , thank you , - Emily said with a bow as she stepped out of her vessel . - Thought I’d end up as stardust . -

Lad , how did you end up in that thing? - the man asked as he looked at the odd-looking escape pod with a frown . - Where are you from? What quadrant is this? -

So that’s how it was . They were lost after the storm , possibly with navigational arrays damaged . They only picked her up to get their bearings .

My ship was blown up in a spatial storm not long ago , - Emily said as she warily looked around . - I don’t know which quadrant this is , but I am willing to work for passage . -

That’s a shame , but we could always use some helping hands , - the leader said .

They didn’t seem like pirates , but Emily couldn’t be sure . These people were too organized , though some of the most dangerous pirate crews were as organized as any militia . She surreptitiously activated Daybreak Revolutions] , giving her eyes a second sight that showcased energy flows . Only a glance was needed to shock her to the point the skill collapsed .

These people had monsters hiding in their bodies .

Emily’s reaction was instantaneous , and a blazing arc of flame punched a hole through the leading man’s chest , even if he’d had his guard up . It instantly killed him and the parasitic creature that had made his chest its home .

Attack! - another man screamed , but he didn’t have a chance to launch a single strike before a five-meter salamander wrought from flames swallowed him in one bite .

Emily was right on the heels of her familiar , a storm of axes already raging around her . It looked like she had finally encountered the infiltrators , which meant she’d either have to commandeer the vessel or be infested with those cursed things .

It was time to put her newly devised Tempest Bop] to the test .

66

SHADEWAR

Brats , you think you can keep us out forever! - the six-meter golem roared as he swung his hammer in their direction .

With the swing , dozens of earthen spears tore out of the ground and shot toward them , but earth rose to meet earth as a super condensed stone exploded forth with far greater ferocity . It shattered the spears without losing momentum and slammed into the Dao-infused hammer . Both hammer and golem were thrown over fifty meters away , and it was hard to tell whether he was still alive .

It was Rhubat who’d launched yet another ruthless strike , and the Zhix’s even stare cowed any further attempts at breaking through their perimeter . By the boundless killing intent radiating from their body , the Anointed might very well be ready to wage a solitary war against the hundreds of pirates who gathered up and sealed off their escape .

For now , Rhubat held themself in check , and thank God for that . Carl could tell these people weren’t any sort of top-tier individuals , but they were ruthless , crazy , and most had weird items that bordered or downright embraced the unorthodox . Even if their squad could win the battle , the risk of casualties was high .

And who were the most likely candidates to become a sacrifice to this madness? The top-tier elites of the Atwood Empire with stockpiles of marvelous treasures provided by their mad emperor , or the grunts filling up the numbers? Considering his wife was also here , Carl said a silent prayer for peace . But in his heart of hearts , he knew it was just a matter of time .

The apple didn’t fall far from the tree , and the fruits grown from Lord Atwood’s nurturing were all rotten .

More incoming! Hegemons! - Carl transmitted to the others from his lookout atop the pillar .

They were just dots on the horizon , but Carl inwardly swore when he saw the radiating waves of energy around them . They came from five directions , most likely the other entrances of the realm . It looked like the realm seal had finally weakened to the point the bigshots could make their way inside . With everyone having gathered at this spot after weeks of looting , they didn’t even bother with the other treasure mountains .

Carl glanced back at the odd rotund structure . It was hard to believe this thing was just the base of an array tower rather than some ancient fort . It was over ten thousand meters across , large enough to hold a whole city . Now , it just stood one hundred meters tall , a far cry from when it pierced the sky .

Even more terrifying was the ancient sword aura that lingered at the edge where the whole thing had been cut off , the tower itself collapsed and turned into a mountain range . That sword aura was beyond anything Carl had ever seen , and it didn’t feel like something that should exist on the frontier . Only a shadow of the original intent lingered , yet it bent reality itself , conjuring those sword servants across the whole Mystic Realm .

And the worst of it was no doubt inside that confusing maze of oversized circuitry . Carl couldn’t fathom how that scatterbrained Zhix would survive in that place . Vilari , he could understand . That girl was a menace , scattering sword servants left and right with a glare . But what was Ibtep to do? Treat the illusory swords to those , admittedly delicious , critters of his?

And why the hell did the rest of them have to stay outside while those two went inside to search for the Heavens only knew what? Why did they need to defend the entrance with their lives?

This was different from the various excursions over the past months . It was shady , troublesome . And not only because this was one of the few outings where multiple forces had appeared to contend for the riches . The ancient array tower , the sword aura , the sneaky glances between the members of the command group . Carl knew a conspiracy when he saw one .

He simultaneously wanted to know the truth and stay clear . It smelled of trouble and smelled of the crazy Lord Atwood and his machinations .

Luckily , these pirates treasured their lives and had no trust in each other . Annihilating the few who stepped out first had been enough to cow the rest into a passive state , but that would only work until the Hegemons appeared .

The vice-captains are coming , - another golem snickered , not caring that his buddy had been thrown away like a piece of trash . - We’ll have fun with you bastards then . Your fancy ship can’t save you in here . -

Like on a hidden signal , the dozen-odd crews moved farther back , giving the Atwood crew and the sole entrance to the broken array tower a wide berth . Left were the 25 warriors who guarded the gates , led by their increasingly reckless demon captain .

Unfortunately , few others appeared to share his concern over the suspicious behavior of Captain Azh’Rezak . Even his former comrade-in-arms , Ra’Klid , had lost his way and was now looking at the surrounding army with anticipation as he gripped his axe and shield . Gone were the words of caution , replaced by an insatiable desire for trouble . And he wasn’t the only one .

We should attack , weaken their strength before the leaders arrive , - Rhubat rumbled while the other two Zhix were clearly ready to throw away their lives . - We cannot let anyone disturb them . -

Ogras didn’t immediately answer , instead opting to turn toward Carl . - How many? -

Eight that I saw , - Carl said as he jumped down . - But more might be coming . -

Anyone from the direction of our gate? -

None , - Carl said .

Well , that’s good , - Joanna said . - Those drones are worth every penny . -

They can’t fight an armada alone , though , - Carl hesitated .

It’s fine , - Ogras said . - Those two have already been inside for a day . It shouldn’t be much longer . Let’s wait for our guests to arrive . That way , we can deal with them all at once . -

Do you have a plan , Shadewar? - Rhubat asked , looking down at the much smaller demon .

Ogras shrugged . - I figured it was time I tried out the thing I’ve been working on . I’ll see if I can deal with all the Hegemons . They shouldn’t be too powerful going by their underlings . You just follow behind me and fill up the gaps . -

What gaps? - Joanna said with confusion .

You’ll see , - Ogras smiled . - For now , defend and prepare for an attack . Remember , our main goal isn’t to eradicate these people but to ensure Vilari and Ibtep aren’t interrupted before they return . Anyone that so much as looks at the entrance , kill them . -

Another twenty minutes passed until the eight powerful auras appeared above the pirate army almost simultaneously . Carl inwardly scoffed at the sight . They’d obviously timed their arrivals , none wanting to arrive first and be the focus of attention .

The eight knew each other by the familiarity in their glances , which wasn’t a surprise . Few low-tier pirate crews dared steer their run-down vessels through the larger gates that could move you across vast distances in the Million Gates Territory . They kept to their quadrant , waiting for opportunities to arrive , be it easy-to-grab resources or unlucky passersby . Even better , none were able to cow the other seven with their reputation alone , which meant none of the local tyrants had arrived .

Eventually , one of the eight floated forward , grey-skinned humanoid , looking down at them with a neutral expression . - A small party with surprising wealth and strength , but you are all young and untested by the dangers of the Million Gates Territory . I am guessing you are outsiders? -

Outsiders? Like the invaders? -

The forces of Zecia are outsiders here just as much as these invaders are , - the man said . - You are newcomers , so making mistakes is normal . But you should understand there are rules . Rules to keep the harmony . -

Rules? Harmony? - Ogras guffawed . - Are you really pirates? -

We’re just people making a living in a rough and unforgiving world , - the humanoid countered . - It’s hard to survive out in the wild , so it’s better to make friends than enemies . We don’t ask for much . 50% of what you looted from the surrounding mountains and free access to investigate this mysterious structure . In return , you will be free to leave , and we will not harm the two who have already entered . -

Oh no .

They asked for the captain’s loot . If there were any chances of reconciliation before , they were gone now . Carl almost wondered if the lack of resources had become a heart demon for their leader , pushing him ever harder in their outings . Or was it the result of being under a man whose talent to attract wealth was only second to his talent to attract trouble? Perhaps greed was contagious .

Only 50% , huh? - Ogras said with an all-too-calm smile as his body started to grow . - Counter-offer . You fuck off right now , or I kill you all and take 100% of your loot . -

Both sides were already primed for battle , and the demon’s words became the signal for hundreds of skills to be launched at once . Carl inwardly cried as his arrow array appeared behind his back , and dozens of shimmering bolts shot toward the core of the incoming attacks . Meanwhile , heavy shields slammed into the ground as the Valkyries activated the arrays , and a thick barrier sprung up in front of them .

The whole area shook as frenzied waves of energy slammed into the shield , but it blocked out the pirates’ initial salvo . Some of the attacks went wide and hit the array tower instead , but nothing could leave so much as a scratch on that impossibly sturdy metal . Carl’s heart beat like a drum as he returned fire , his arrows targeting those on the ground who exhibited a greater penchant for ranged warfare .

The others similarly unleashed attacks from within their barrier , but there were just too few of them . These pirates were disorganized and weak , but there were hundreds supported by eight Hegemons . Only a few attacks passed through the discordant shields they’d erected , taking out a few of the unluckier attackers .

Carl’s eyes turned to their captain , waiting to see his response . But he wasn’t there . Carl swore upon seeing that the lunatic had actually jumped out from the shield . Did he think he was the lord? And what kind of skill was that? The demon was a demon no more—he had become a true devil .

Reaching almost ten meters , he’d become a shadow creature brought out from one’s deepest nightmares . Dozens of attacks hit him the moment he stepped out , but even the Hegemons’ attacks passed right through his intangible body . How was that possible? Even spectral cultivators would be affected when struck by a Dao , but Ogras seemed completely unruffled as he took in the battlefield .

In one hand , Ogras held a black spear seemingly wrought from the night sky . In the other , a thin flag that made Carl’s hair stand on end . The banner itself didn’t seem to be made of fabric , but rather hundreds of anguished faces that moved repellently , creating a band of suffering stretching to the ground .

Carl vaguely heard Ogras mutter something , like he was talking with the flag , which made Carl’s heart drop even further . Was the demon really losing his mind? This was no time for a psychological evaluation , though . They needed to be ready to support whatever move their captain was about to unleash .

Ogras swung the spear , and it was almost like their surroundings had become a punctured balloon as all light was drained . Even if their captain had somehow drenched the world in dour anthracite , Carl could still see their enemies just fine . The pirates didn’t appear to have the same luxury , looking back and forth with evident fear . A few were running already , heedless of their bosses being right there .

Most took up defensive positions , fearing an attack was coming their way . And they were absolutely right .

A terrifying cackle echoed through the battlefield as Ogras swung the flag . Over a hundred spectral creatures appeared in the darkness . Most were indistinct ghost types , but Carl swore when he recognized a few of the forms . Two were the assassins who had tried to sneak aboard their ship and steal it a few months back . The bastards who killed John . A few others were opponents felled by the demon in the battle inside the treasure moon .

Now , they looked like mindless spectral cultivators as they rushed for the unwitting pirates like a tide rising from the netherworld . Ogras joined in as his form expanded further , turning into a huge maw that seemed ready to swallow the Hegemons whole . It turned into a bloodbath almost instantly , with Ogras and his minions being both quick and impossible to retaliate against .

Four Hegemons were ripped apart in an instant before the others managed to break apart the darkness , and the other four were wrapped up in a losing battle against the storm of shadows .

Shadewar indeed , - Rhubat sighed before rushing forward , wading straight into the mayhem to fill the gaps like ordered .

The others followed suit , dealing with common soldiers .

Don’t get distracted , - Lissa said from a few meters over , and Carl once more thanked the gods she’d been assigned to guard those who maintained the barrier to the entrance . - You’re our sniper . -

So the young lord has turned into a shadow monster , - Carl said as he shot out a perfunctory arrow that pierced the skull of a pirate who’d taken out what looked like a rocket launcher .

It would appear that way , - Lissa said .

And he’s waving around an obviously cursed soul-trapping item like a madman . -

Seems to work for him . -

Promise me , - Carl said as he looked at his smiling wife . - After this , no more . -

Well , maybe if I had a child to care for , I’d be less likely to take these large risks , - Lissa said , eliciting a few laughs from the nearby Valkyries .

I’ll speak with the alchemists , - Carl said , ignoring the teasing looks as he started shooting arrows with newfound vigor . - That’s an assignment I’ll finish even if I die trying . -

Well , first , we have to survive the next 20 months in this place , - Lissa laughed as she disappeared . She’d skewered an invisible pirate who’d tried fleeing into the base a moment later .

Twenty months , - Carl muttered , knowing their budding reputation in this quadrant would get even more outrageous after this . - God help us . -

The walls hummed , and Galau threw out a Six Directions Talisman that formed a cross in the air , creating a protective bubble around the group . Powerful undulations of runaway force scattered his thoughts once more . A moment later , he woke up on the ground with a painful burn on his leg from where the manacle held him in place .

Still not enough . The pulse could scramble their minds even when inside the protective sphere .

Galau grimaced as he bent down to unlock the constraints , but the vibration remained in his body . His fingers were that of a stranger’s , and it took him almost a minute to free himself . By that point , the others had started to wake up , and Galau sighed when he saw a new set of cracks had appeared on Kaso , Bubbur , and the others .

Don’t look at us like that , shartermaster , - Bubbur said with a weak grin . - It’s a miracle we’ve survived until now . I would have joined the others already if not for your talismans . -

Still not enough , - Galau muttered as he started recording . - Something off about the fourth trigram . . . -

Sure , sure , - Bubbur grimaced as he took out a canteen . - You’d have to be a real bastard to build a pulverization tower . Leave your enemies a body to bury , at least . And if you have to build them , make sure you shield the damn things , so you don’t hit your own . -

The others swore in agreement , some angrily glaring at the tower vaguely visible through the window . That particular one wasn’t the weapon that had gone off just now , but Galau suspected there was one just like it that kept launching its deadly salvos from farther inside the base .

Ten minutes passed , and Galau was forced to put away his notebook . There were so many things to go over and too little time . Nullifying the collateral damage from the vibrational attacks was important , but so was breaking through the next door . The castle showed no indication of slowing down its frenzied war against an empty sky .

Sections as large as whole towns had collapsed already from the forced activation of the weapon batteries . Sooner or later , these sections would collapse . Before then , they needed to find the escape array that a base like this should possess . If that failed , at least turn off the weapons before they destroyed everything .

Since the pulverization tower had gone off , their window of opportunity had arrived . If the patterns held , they had an hour before the ring of fire would incinerate the sky . That one was easier to deal with , but they would still have to retreat to the underground to survive the heat . Before that , Galau wanted to crack open the next door .

Galau shook off the lingering effects of the attack as he walked over to the gate , and the soldiers expertly helped him dismantle the outer panels to display the array within . Everyone breathed out in relief . The recently added array spindles had survived the previous round of barrage . Yet Galau didn’t immediately add the final piece to the puzzle .

I might be wrong . These security measures are far more stringent than the outer doors , - Galau muttered . - Maybe I should just head back to the other sealed chamber . -

No , - Bubbur said . - Trust your instincts . If you go and get yourself dusted , we’ll all die . -

That’s right , that’s right , - Kaso added . - Besides , how can such a good thing fall into one’s lap twice? You’re already a Threadwinder of that Ultom thing . You said the other room felt different . I bet it’s meant for someone else . Maybe someone with a handsome face . -

Well , that would explain why none of you got it , - Galau muttered .

That it would , - Bubbur laughed . - It’s better we stay the course and keep looking for the others . That explosion two months ago was definitely our munitions rather than the weaponry of this base . I bet they have the same idea as we do , but only you have managed to figure out a real plan . -

Galau nodded , and he installed the last spindle . This one had six strings of revolving talismans , and it should short-circuit the door and its defenses if he understood the theories in the Scripture Hall right . If only it hadn’t collapsed back then .

But it worked , and the door soundlessly slid open before its lights went out .

Alright , who’ll it be? - Bubbur said . - Draw lots? -

Don’t bother , - Asho grunted as he stepped forward , his shield already fastened to the stump of his left arm . - I’ll take this one . -

This . . . - Galau hesitated .

Don’t say anything , - Bubbur said as they watched Asho warily enter the path . - Remember , we can die , but you cannot . This castle , those schematics that now only live on inside your head . Even that opportunity of yours . I have a feeling they might be the key to winning the war . -

67

FORCED DECISION

Sweat ran down Jaol’s face , but he froze his nerves to keep his hands steady through the pain . The slightest mistake would cause the makeshift Disruptor to blow up in his face . He he put his troubles aside as he engraved the detection array his vision overlay indicated . Even then , it wasn’t easy . The further he was forced to progress under the Cursed Heavens , the worse his components worked . It wasn’t long until he’d have to make a decision .

Either head back home or replace the rest of his components for flesh . Both paths felt insurmountable . He still didn’t know why the bounty on his head was so grotesque . He only had a small part in the destruction of Little Bean , and that was under duress . Yet the government was willing to pay one hundred times its value for his capture .

Why?

It had to be that chimeral lunatic . That bastard who set his fate off-kilter . They rather wanted him , and Jaol had become a clue . However , there was no point in explaining that to the higher-ups . The AI Lawkeepers didn’t make mistakes , they said . And since they said he was a terrorist , he obviously was one .

That left a biological respec , but where would he find a Grafter in these parts? There were more outcasts like him . , but his status was just too low to get in contact with anyone who had the skills required for such a surgery . Besides , those who fled to these parts all had troublesome backgrounds . He’d probably end up an experiment even if he managed to scrounge up the Credits or Nexus Coins for the surgery .

Thirty seconds later , Jaol was done , and it wasn’t a moment too soon . He could hear his pursuers close in through the bugs he’d planted . They still seemed to know his location , though only the general direction . Less than ten seconds . Jaol groaned as he got to his feet , and he hid the Disruptor behind some of the refuse lining the walls of this godforsaken excuse of a space station . Simultaneously , he linked it up with his other devices , finishing the chain .

A second later he was gone , running toward the Primarch Harbor . The Thearch Harbor was controlled by his old crew and the pirate alliance . There was no way he’d be able to get close enough to sneak aboard a vessel without being spotted . Eden Harbor would be better , but Jaol doubted he’d make it past the controlled sections of the city . Captain Redvine had too many contacts in this place .

Luckily , the streets were mostly empty these days , with the faraway sun being blocked by the broken world for the next few days . As such , the arrays covering New Eden had been turned off . There was no way the mayor would open his pockets to fuel the arrays when the star didn’t . Here in the slum , that included the arrays meant to keep order .

The endless corridors blurred together as Jaol ran for his life . An explosion from behind confirmed his trap had been sprung , but an enraged roar indicated it hadn’t been enough . He could only urge his legs on and pray the wound that almost bisected him didn’t rip open any farther inside the makeshift tourniquet .

Raucous laughs and hollering taunts echoed through the streets from the temporary residences to his sides . Jaol didn’t know whether they were laughing at his or his pursuers’ misfortune . More importantly , were any of them willing to fish in muddy waters? Someone being pursued often meant there was money to be made , and the bigger fist made the rules in the slums of New Eden .

As expected , a few people appeared ahead , but activating Flaming Geas] made them scurry out of the way . Few Class-3 cultivators made the slums their home , so the outburst of a Peak Class-2 was enough to scare away random opportunists . As for the Underworld leaders , they hopefully wouldn’t insert themselves into this mess . Sometimes , it was better to stay out of trouble . You never knew what kind of deadly attention your actions could attract .

For example , how could Jaol have expected that a supposedly simple mission would end with him being hunted by Redvine , a terrifying Late Class-3 captain who’d terrorized the surrounding regions for over ten thousand years? It wasn’t like Jaol had even wanted that thing , nor had he planned for the rest of the crew to turn to dust .

He’d be reasonably safe if he could travel a few quadrants . People like Redvine hadn’t lasted so long by taking overdue risks . They stuck to their lane , seldom sailing into regions controlled by other Monarchs than their benefactors .

A sharp pull made Jaol fall over , and he groaned in agony as he slammed into the ground . His vision was going haywire from the synaptic overload , but he could vaguely see an energy leash locked around his ankle . And on the other end was Kalso , his face a furious mask of scorched skin .

Bastard , - Kalso swore as he stabbed his arm with a syringe full of healing serum . - You’re lucky the captain wants you alive . You better pray you have something she needs , or I’ll ask her to hand you back to me . I’ll see how you do with one of those grenades shoved up your ass . -

I’ve told you I didn’t steal any treasure , - Jaol said as he scrambled to his feet . - You searched me over and over . -

There are all kinds of treasures , - Kalso said . - Including ones in your head . We heard an interesting rumor lately . Of impressive bounties . -

Jaol shuddered as he’d heard the very same rumor . Some newcomers to these quadrants paid huge premiums for the capture and delivery of individuals who had encountered a specific opportunity . Newcomers who rejected the Law of Balance , the kind of people who had given Technocrats such a bad reputation across the Cosmos . There was no way you’d have a good ending if handed over to the Kan’Tanu .

And the Redvine Pirates had figured it out .

It was over . Even if he had ten lives , he wouldn’t be able to defeat Kalso , and he’d brought twenty helpers that had already caught up . Even if Jaol had been forced to partly embark on the martial path because of circumstance , he was ultimately a navigator . How was he supposed to defeat a Hegemon? Neither did he have the money to bribe them ; Jaol was almost broke .

There was only one thing left to barter with , which was clearly valuable beyond the knowledge it imparted . Anything was better than the Unorthodox Path , so he could only take a shot in the dark .

I AM A PLAINSWALKER OF ULTOM , HELP ME , AND I’LL JOIN YOUR CREW! - Jaol screamed at the top of his lungs , his voice echoing through the streets .

What in the nine hells are you talking about? Ultom? Never heard of them , can’t be anyone too impressive , - Kalso laughed . - Should have figured someone like you were a spy . Too bad , this is Redvine’s domain . Scream all you want . No one is coming to help you . -

I don’t know about that , - a snicker came from the distance .

Next , three hooded beings appeared as though out of nowhere , placing themselves between Jaol and Kalso .

This will impact our plans , - the smaller hooded one commented , her voice so soothing Jaol almost forgot his situation .

We’re just starting a bit early . It should be fine . No need to be too discerning on the way out . We can’t just look the other way when a spare part appears in our lap , can we? - the owner of the original voice said before turning toward Jaol . - How about it , Plainswalker? Ready to join a new crew? -

Yes , yes! - Jaol eagerly said , though the comment about spare parts was decidedly unsettling .

Whatever . Join today and run away tomorrow . He’d done it many times before over the past decade .

I’m a skilled navigator , and I can— -

Jaol was interrupted by a lazy wave from the hooded man .

Do you know who I am? - Kalso growled as a bloody aura started to spread through the whole neighborhood , to the point the nearby houses were completely drowned .

Redvines , right? - the leader laughed as a ripple burst out from the lithe woman who’d spoken before .

Jaol looked on with incomprehension as the whole crew behind Kalso simply collapsed , their spirituality completely erased . They didn’t even have a chance to pass on to the afterlife , either . A dozen wraiths were dragged out of their bodies before they flooded into the leader’s sleeve . Jaol shuddered at the scene . These people were even scarier than the Redvine Pirates .

You! Shadewar Armada! - Kalso said with a sharp breath before his body shattered .

A pained wail reached them not much later as the Hegemon reappeared a few hundred meters away , dragged down by four wraiths even more powerful than the ones that appeared before . His escape measure failed , Kalso desperately tried to fight them off , but his struggles met an abrupt end as the largest of the hooded ones threw out a spear that pierced his head .

Wha— - Jaol said , a series of enormous explosions interrupting his line of thought . From the direction of Thearch Harbor .

So , navigator , time to prove your worth , - the necromancer laughed . - We’ll be robbing some people today , and you’ll be leading the way . -

Jaol blankly looked at the four lunatics who dared rob a space station owned by a Monarch before a wave of déjà vu hit him . Wasn’t this just like that time aboard the Little Bean? Jaol inwardly cried , wondering if another decade of suffering had arrived .

It was now or never .

Tavza was terrifyingly efficient . She wouldn’t spend more than a few hours inside the Mystic Realm unless something unexpected cropped up , and it had already been 100 minutes . The moment she could confirm nothing was calling to her , Tavza would move on , no matter how valuable the realm appeared . No sense of adventure , that one . All eyes on the mission . This wasn’t what cultivation should be like .

How was it even possible to make exploring a mysterious place like the Million Gates Territory boring?

More importantly , it was that utilitarian mindset that was pushing Catheya toward her inevitable doom . She couldn’t be certain , but she’d felt a growing sense of wrongness over the past year . She’d always been the outsider in this group , but it was starting to feel like she was prey . And the reason was painfully obvious .

She’d become a sealbearer while only Tavza and two of her followers had gained similar access . It was a far cry from Tavza’s envisioned army that would steamroll all resistance inside Ultom . She hadn’t even managed to secure entry for her core squad of six followers , the elites who were meant to pave the path for her inside the inheritance .

Meanwhile , a ticket was just sitting there . On an outsider who hadn’t even reached Hegemony , at that . That’d been a tenuous , albeit manageable , situation at the beginning . Her value as liaison to Arcaz Black still held some sway . But it all changed yesterday when they seized the Kan’Tanu vessel . They’d found a captured sealbearer in the brig , and Tavza had finally managed to confirm her theory .

Killing a sealbearer transferred the seal , though without that marvelous burst of inspiration that came with it . No longer was she a risky venture . One slash across her throat , and Tavza’s next-in-line was guaranteed to become a Threadwinder .

Catheya had no faith in the commandments at a time like this . Nothing was absolute . Catheya wasn’t even sure the commandments would protect her , considering Tavza had been given a mission of utmost importance to the Empire . What did it matter if the vaunted An’Azol killed a few juniors if it improved the Empire’s chances of accomplishing their goals inside the Left Imperial Palace?

Neither was her relation to Arcaz much use here in the Million Gates Territory . Anything could happen in this lawless place . How would Arcaz know whether she was sacrificed or died looking for opportunities? At best , she’d become a warning to take precautions against betrayal , but what good was that to her when she’d passed on to the great beyond?

She didn’t have a danger sense powerful enough to warn when fate was moving against her , but she did have a nose for trouble . If not for the fact that a batch of Kan’Tanu elites had entered the small realm ahead of Tavza , Catheya might already have found herself at the sharp end of her sword . She needed to be gone before it was time’s up .

If she managed to activate the token , all would be fine . She would be whisked away to the Perennial Vastness , where Tavza couldn’t reach her . She could tell Arcaz about her situation , and he would put pressure on Tavza’s elders . Having Arcaz and his sealbearers as enemies should outweigh the benefits of having another minor sealbearer on their side . At least she hoped that was how it’d play out .

Going this route would further damage her standing within the Empire , but it was better than being a sacrificial lamb . Besides , she still had the Umbri’Zi . It was thanks to Enis’s surreptitious warning that Catheya managed to hide away the token before Tavza arrived back then . When they confiscated her Spatial Tools under the guise of their mission being Top Secret . Saying that her items might be bugged or marked , and that nothing could go wrong .

But who would have thought the Heavenblighted token didn’t work inside the Million Gates Territory?

Twice she’d tried activating it , but it just hummed a bit before dying down . The most likely reason was that space was too unstable here in the Million Gates Territory . Such was life on the frontier . Nothing worked as it should . It was nothing short of a miracle that someone like Zachary Atwood appeared in a place like this .

The solution was both simple and difficult . She needed to leave the Million Gates Territory , or at least reach its edges where space was more stable . Luckily , they weren’t that far by this point , thanks to the agreement with Arcaz . Besides , Tavza’s brutal pace had cost them two vessels and most of their personnel , and she had to return and resupply in either case .

Crossing just the final stretch alone would still be difficult , but Catheya had no choice . She lay unmoving in the infirmary’s healing vat , her eyes never leaving the information array that tracked the surrounding spatial phenomena . Ten minutes later , it happened . It was time .

Catheya rose from the tank , the physician-turned-warden immobilized by a gust of utter cold before they had a chance to react . The frozen Draugr soon took Catheya’s place , getting a nice bath . She would probably thaw out in an hour , and the tank would prevent any lasting damage . Catheya donned the physician’s clothes before leaving the infirmary .

Unfortunately , she’d lost her mask , but a small layer of ice adjusted her features enough to pass a cursory glance . Especially when her hair mostly hid her features as she looked down at a random report she’d lifted from a table .

She slightly nodded at the guard outside , relaxing upon seeing him barely sparing her a glance . He was in the middle of his cultivation cycle , a dereliction of duty you’d only see when Tavza wasn’t aboard . Catheya didn’t immediately head for the Kan’Tanu vessel docked to their own . First , she entered a series of rooms and compartments , embedding Miasma Crystals while freezing certain sections solid .

It only took ten minutes , yet it felt like an eternity . Every small shudder to the vessel made her think of the gates to the hangar opening , but she still completed the preparations she’d planned over the past year . A single spot missing , and her plan would fail . Catheya considered visiting Tavza’s compartments as well to hopefully find her Spatial Ring . Ultimately , she decided against it .

It was too big a risk , and Catheya didn’t even know if her things were there . Instead , she walked over to the upper deck , her steps excruciatingly slow so as not to draw any unwarranted attention . Luckily , only two wholly unimpressive Hegemons stood guard . Thank the Heavens for the theory that bringing too-powerful followers would weaken any chances of finding seals .

Doctor Ynsa? Wait , no , what’s go— - the guard said , but he didn’t get any further before a wave of frigid cold swept forward , locking the two early Hegemons in place .

With their energy reserves , they would manage to free themselves in less than a minute . A minute was all Catheya needed as she flashed through the temporary corridor that connected the two vessels . Utmost cold followed in her wake , and the whole pathway shattered before the guards could thaw .

Time was of the essence , and she became a streak of ice that zig-zagged through the corridors until she reached the bridge . The two guards standing outside were frozen before they could react , and Catheya crashed through the door a moment later . Inside were three badly startled researchers who seemed to be reviewing various readouts .

Hurry! Activate the propulsion . They’re getting away! - Catheya screamed as she entered like a hurricane .

Wha? Who— - a shocked Revenant blurted and was promptly awarded a slap .

NOW! - Catheya roared , and the three veritably threw themselves at the controls .

Just a second later , the familiar hum of a Cosmic Engine roaring to life was followed by the shudder of the anchors breaking off . In just a second , the ship moved hundreds of meters and was already outside reach for the skeleton crew that remained on the Empire ship . That didn’t mean she was safe just yet .

South-southwest , the spatial window! - Catheya urged and saw the one she slapped dutifully input the coordinates .

However , Catheya frowned at the other two , who shared a glance as their fingers moved toward an unfamiliar console . The next moment , they were frozen solid , leaving a lone researcher looking at Catheya with horror .

I’m sorry , my friend , but it looks like we are going on a journey together , - Catheya smiled .

A sudden shockwave threw the man to the ground , but Catheya grinned as she tapped a few buttons , prompting a screen to appear . The Imperial Venator was slowly spinning as it moved away from the spatial gate , shrapnel from its broken engine forming a shimmering trail .

That’s what you get for shutting me out from all the meetings and training sessions , Catheya inwardly scoffed .

It had given her ample time to wander about and figure out the fault lines of the ships . The ship was doomed the moment the crew activated the engines to move in pursuit . Her preparations created a few energy blockages , and the release valves were frozen . Had they just waited another ten minutes , they would have been fine . Now they’d need at least a week for repairs .

By then , Catheya would be long gone .

68

3 , 412

Is everything alright? - Ilvere asked as he cautiously looked around .

Looks like it , - Zac said , not without some surprise .

The previous two times he’d absorbed a part of the seal , he ended up ripping a hole in the fabric of space . This time , nothing of the sort happened after the initial shockwave . It was possible the previous outbursts were because he’d picked up the pieces inside the Void Star , where space was far more fragile .

How did it go? - Ilvere asked curiously . - Did you accomplish whatever you set out for in there? -

Something like that . - Zac only nodded , hiding the complex feelings in his heart .

Difficult . Too , too difficult .

Over six years of relentless work . The lake water had been completely used up two years ago , but his studies hadn’t stopped there . On the contrary , they’d taken up more and more of his time . The Book of Duality was not only completely deciphered but also expanded upon with an eighth and ninth chapter . Tens of thousands of models , hundreds of thousands of patterns simulated .

Only to learn the path he’d originally envisioned was a dead end . Zac shook his head , looking out across the odd army . There were two hundred warriors , each sitting atop a mantis-like Ayn ant . In addition , there were another hundred brutish-looking Ayn meat shields ready to take on the role of Vanguard .

How did these guys do? - Zac asked .

Well , they can stand around , at least , I can tell you that , - Ilvere said with some bemusement . - Sometimes I almost forget they’re real ants and not statues . -

They have no desires , - Lily said as she caressed her Ayn mount . - These are pure warriors who take commands from the queen . Or , well , me . You can pretty much consider them machines . -

Still might be a good idea to bloody them , - Ilvere muttered . - We use Barghest for a similar purpose back home , but some of the bloodlines are simply no good . They’d go out of control when the blood and killing intent in the air reached a certain point , especially those without direct contracts . They’d turn around and attack their controllers . Beasts usually have an inborn ferocity , after all . -

These guys won’t do that , - Lily assured .

I believe you , lass , - Ilvere said . - But it’s still worth testing out . -

Can you take them for some actual battle after this? - Zac asked .

Of course . -

Zac nodded and turned to Janos . - Did you feel anything? -

No , - Janos curtly said before settling his almost vacant gaze on the ruins around them .

Don’t mind him , - Ilvere said with a grin . - He’s just trying to figure out something in that world of his . And don’t worry . We’ll stay here for a while and check things out in case there’s a delayed reaction . The eruption after you entered might have disrupted some of the remaining seals , so this could be an opportunity . We’ll test these ants afterward . -

That’s fine , - Zac said as he gave the illusionist a helpless look .

Zac could barely believe his ears upon hearing that Janos had come walking out of the Ensolus Ruins a year ago . Zac had even cracked open the last ruin with the markings of the Left Imperial Palace to make sure the illusionist wasn’t trapped , but he wasn’t there .

Even today , Zac didn’t quite understand where Janos had gone , partly because he’d turned even more laconic during his opportunity . From the sounds of it , he’d physically entered a crumbling , ancient illusion created by the Limitless Empire . It had taken him over two years just to realize he was trapped and another five to get out . However , those years weren’t spent in vain .

Janos’ illusions were terrifying by this point , and even Zac had trouble escaping them in short order . He’d also learned an incredibly odd technique , where he created an imaginary world in his mind . Janos could bring things out from that illusion , and they fought as though they were real . The downside to the technique was that it seemed to require huge amounts of his mind power , leaving him with one foot in reality and one foot in his own world .

More importantly , Janos was now a Realmsinger of Ultom .

Most likely , Janos had been counted as part of his posse since Zac first got his hand on the quest . Just like Ogras got a quest in the Ra’Lashar Ruins , Janos got a quest the moment he realized he was trapped in an illusion . That quest ultimately allowed him to find a piece of the Mercurial Court .

Janos was one of the first to become part of his cycle , but he wasn’t the only one . Zac hadn’t heard back from Catheya or Ogras since they ventured into the depths of the Million Gates Territory , but he at least had a way to keep track of Ogras . Just over a year after they set out , Zac’s quest updated to 6/9 in one go .

Since then , it’d been updated twice until it reached 8/9 three months ago . However , Zac suspected this was due to their deadline to return being just two months away . It would have been great if his quest had filled up before leaving for the Perennial Vastness , but the progress was ultimately better than Zac expected .

They made such progress by sailing through the Million Gates Territory . With the war starting in 15 months , Zac suspected they’d have ample opportunities to complete the cycle , perhaps even finish a second one .

Let me know if you find something interesting . I’m heading back , - Zac said before heading toward the settlement outside .

Two hours later , he was back on Earth , and Zac sighed as he stepped into his cultivation cave . Thank God his time in this place was coming to an end . He still felt it rewarding to practice the various aspects of his cultivation , but he could really use a change of pace . Ultimately , he was a cultivator walking the Path of Conflict . Caves and seclusion weren’t the optimal way for him to progress .

Of course , some things couldn’t be skipped just because he wanted to go out on capers like Ogras and the others . Like Iz had said , the foundation was the most important . Certain improvements in the E-grade could create a ripple effect of positive outcomes lasting all the way to the peak .

He’d ignored the call for adventure and studiously continued tempering himself and shoring up his foundations . His years in the Time Chamber weren’t any different . The treasure had essentially created a bubble roughly fifty meters across , where the world outside was frozen in place .

By the time the Time Chamber ran out of juice , Zac knew the trees in his cultivation cave so well that he could recite how many leaves they had without pause . He’d emerged a new person , having pushed his Soul and Constitution to new heights . Now , there was just one step that remained .

Zac reached his prayer mat , and kept going until reaching the opposite edge of the cave , where he entered the most recent addition to his subterranean complex . The gate slid open , and Zac was greeted by a scene that had become incredibly familiar over the past years .

Thousands of paintings , schematics , statues , and contraptions filled a vast hall . Some were over five meters tall . Others were no larger than eggs and placed on pedestals so as not to disappear . The first item that greeted him upon entering was the crude diagram he made based on his insights inside Yrial’s trial .

Coming back from the enlightenment of Ultom , it was almost like he was seeing the schematic for the first time , and Zac stopped for a moment to inspect it . Zac shook his head with a slight smile . It wasn’t even worthy of forming a basic skill , so riddled with issues and misunderstandings . But it didn’t matter . Albeit a stumbling one , it was the first step that had started his journey of discovery .

Zac passed the blueprint and continued deeper into the cave . When he first opened this inner sanctum , there’d only been a straight corridor that grew increasingly longer . But after emerging from the Time Chamber , he’d been forced to redesign the room . Now , the path was a huge spiral , and Zac was slowly making his way toward the center .

The first 100 blueprints were both similar in shape and nature . They were all drawn on circular disks , mirroring the concept of the first one . Life to the left , Death to the right , transforming as they moved toward the center . Yin and Yang , light and dark . Each blueprint was far more refined compared to the one before it .

Progress had been easy in the beginning , when he was still on the fifth chapter of the Book of Duality] , and he was just scratching the surface . Even then , some things cannot be bridged with hard work . This type of straightforward core was most likely impossible . Even today , Zac had no solution . Its fundamental concept was flawed , or it required a Dao that far surpassed what was possible in the D-grade .

As such , the blueprints started to change after Zac walked a third through the outermost spiral . He’d added another source of inspiration—his Duplicity Core .

The more Zac learned about Duality and the underpinning rules of Cosmic Energy and Attunement , the more Zac realized how magical the Duplicity Core his mother’s clan had created was . He’d become half-Draugr by accident , yet it accommodated this change without issue . It seemingly could encompass all Daos .

However , Zac eventually realized that he couldn’t base his Cosmic Core on the ideas of his Duplicity Core either . It ultimately didn’t contain the concept of Duality , even if it looked like it . The Specialty Core was a container , an unfathomable solution to split a single person into two . Its underpinning rule was that the two were kept completely separate while one nurtured the other , most likely because the Kayar-Elu had planned for his other half to be mechanized .

And that was not Duality . It’d taken some time for Zac to reach this conclusion , with each following iteration of the blueprints tarrying the echoes of his Duplicity Core . It would be a few hundred meters before that changed . Each step was like retracing his cultivation journey . What once felt like strokes of genius were now riddled with errors .

Yet , they were the foundation of where he was today . Even reaching a dead end was an important lesson , leaving you better off as you righted the ship . As Zac continued down the path , the patterns grew increasingly complex .

There was a clear demarcation where he’d mastered the sixth chapter of the Book of Duality] . The patterns became denser , and new sections were added , all in an attempt to cross that seemingly unbridgeable gap between Life and Death . It hadn’t worked , even when the patterns reached a point where they were tens of times more complex than conventional Cultivator’s Cores .

The ample reserves of lake water had given him a deeper foundation in the subject than almost any centennial in the Multiverse , yet he hadn’t managed to find the solution . By the time he’d mastered the final chapter , Zac realized he’d been walking in circles . It wouldn’t help , no matter how many sections , arrays , and frameworks were added to the blueprint .

From there , he’d continued into uncharted territory , focusing on the specific interactions between Life and Death and their flavor of Duality . Luckily , he still retained a third of his lake water by that point , allowing him to walk a bit farther . And halfway into the spiral , there was a change .

From complexity came simplicity , where more was expressed with less . The change was small and subtle , but it was there . Gradually , the patterns were refined while also better representing his Trinity Path . Conflict was still the glue that would bind together and contain Life and Death , but he’d realized it wasn’t enough .

Zac shook his head , a smile tugging at his mouth . In a way , he’d been walking in a circle , both metaphorically and literally . He was now over two-thirds into the spiral , yet he had come to the very same conclusion as the day he learned of blueprints . No matter how you looked at it , there simply wasn’t a theoretical foundation to create something lasting and stable with these three Daos , at least not while retaining his path .

Life was Life ; Death was Death . Forever separate . That was the conclusion he’d arrived at inside the Twilight Ocean .

Back inside the Inheritance Trial , he’d understood his crude creation might allow him to create a powerful skill that would unleash unmatched destruction . But to build a core would end up with him exploding . And after five years of effort , he arrived at the same roadblock . Of course , this time , it was with a scholar’s understanding of why it didn’t work .

It was the difference between knowing the sun would rise the next day and knowing how and why it would do so . And it was at this point he ran out of lake water . No more were there any easily-accessible insights . Every step of progress had been fought for with blood , sweat , and tears . Thankfully , his foundations and theoretical knowledge were terrifyingly stable by that point , so he had the tools to continue down the path on his own .

Zac set out to solve the equation by adding something without damaging or altering his path . For a while , he experimented with centrifugal force . Zac suspected he couldn’t rely on the static Cosmic Core most used . Because conflict wasn’t a glue . It was a matchbook and gasoline . There was no such thing as an eternal and unchanging war . Even his Inexorable Path continuously adapted to seal and suffocate the enemy .

Zac figured he needed a core that automatically and perpetually rotated the energy . This was nothing unusual on its own , being an established high-tier concept for Cosmic Cores . Their storage capacity was worse than equally high-tier static models , but they were good for energy transmission . The experiment lasted for over two hundred blueprints before it was discarded for being too unstable .

Between the inward pressure from the vortex and the agitation of conflict , he couldn’t create a safe system that would work for energy storage . It was like his Soul Strengthening Methods . The ferocious storms were fine for short durations where he could temper his cores , but it wasn’t a sustainable state to maintain indefinitely .

Just creating two sealed off chambers of Life and Death with his Branch of the War Axe in the middle wouldn’t work . Not only would it halve his energy capacity , but it would be just as unstable as the vortex core . The moment he’d try to extract any significant amount of either Divine Energy or Miasma , a resonance would naturally form , and balance would be disrupted .

One idea after another was discarded in this way . This was where Zac started to worry for real that he’d taken on a project beyond his abilities . Perhaps beyond the realms of possibility . The only solution he could think of was to create two separate cores , even if all missives said it was impossible . One Evolutionary Core that would be connected to his human pathways and one Inexorable Core that fueled the other .

Unfortunately , the Book of Duality] said this was a fundamental impossibility , and not for lack of people trying . Who wouldn’t want an extra Cosmic Core to double their energy reserves? No matter if it was creating two identical cores or complimentary ones , it simply didn’t seem to be something you could do .

Ultimately , Zac was forced to reach out for clarification to the only one who might know the truth—Iz . The two plushies had almost collapsed by the transference of the promised Life-attuned array disks , but they still had some lingering power left . Zac had sent a message asking if his idea was even possible , along with his thoughts and theories . He received a one-sentence answer in return .

Outside the scope of this Heaven .

Iz hadn’t said it was impossible , but her answer wasn’t much better . No cores or multiple cores weren’t possibilities within the system of cultivation that existed in the Era of Order . Even if you somehow succeeded and broke past the boundaries of the era , you’d be disconnected from the natural path of progression . It was just like the Earth Immortals Iz mentioned .

Zac didn’t have any Supremacy to push away reality while he embarked on a path of a previous Heaven , and neither did he have the fundamental qualifications to forge a completely new approach to cultivation . Forming a Life-Death core was incredibly difficult , but creating two cores was even more farfetched .

Dark clouds were gathering , yet Zac hadn’t stopped or let the task shake his conviction . Luckily , he was far ahead of schedule on both Soul and Constitution , allowing him to focus fully on his blueprint alone . He tried everything he could come up with , to the point he spent every waking moment theorizing , simulating , and engraving .

Yet the patterns grew increasingly similar as Zac walked the final stretch of the spiral , even if the expressions became more diverse . Ultimately , he’d exhausted everything he could think of . There was simply no path forward . He only managed to come up with a few wild ideas that may or may not work , crazy last-ditch efforts that were far more likely to end in disaster . And then , the blueprints ended as Zac reached the center .

Six years of constant work had gone into this room . And these were just his finest creations , the ones that Zac felt worthy of entering his museum of failure . Because that was what this place was . In total , there were 3 , 412 attempts at creating a Life-Death core lining the path to the center . In total , there were 3 , 412 failures .

Every day , he’d made multiple attempts at drawing , carving , sculpting , or chiseling an array . Every single day , he ended up with a defective product . Since he was well and truly stuck , having the theoretical knowledge but lacking the inspiration , Zac turned to the one chance remaining .

Ultom . It was a few months earlier than planned , but what could you do? Zac had exhausted all his venues . Unfortunately , the moment the light of clarity entered his body , he was instantly met with an inescapable truth . Cores with both Pure Life and Pure Death were simply impossible to form without also controlling Chaos . It was no wonder the Undead Empire wanted to erase his human side .

Conflict couldn’t solve that insolvable equation . It could only make the fallout more volatile . Zac had almost given in to despair right then and there , but in the next moment , Ultom shone a light in the darkness . A weak , flickering light , but it was there . A possibility that perfectly toed the line between genius and madness .

A path only open to a Void Emperor .

69

NEITHER AND BOTH

The impartment of Ultom was unequivocal in its message . He couldn’t fuse Life and Death in one core , and he couldn’t use two cores . Meaning , he would do neither and he would do both .

The end of the spiral led to a small empty square , no more than ten meters across . It symbolized the destination of the journey he’d taken over the past years . It was here he would place his final blueprint , the one that encompassed his path without being a paradox . And it was finally time to create it .

Zac stood in the middle of his museum for over an hour , stabilizing his mind while recollecting the solution he’d seen in the light of Ultom . When Zac’s soul was completely calm , and his heart was steady , he took out a table , a chair , and a piece of white marble as large as his torso . Next to it , he took out a stack of papers with hastily scribbled notes .

Some of the concepts that went into his idea were too complex , and Zac had been afraid he’d forget them over time as he had after some of his other epiphanies . Everything from feelings to step-by-step construction had been written down , but Zac didn’t feel they were necessary . The core was so tangible and detailed in his mind that it might as well be real .

Zac opted to use a sculpture to represent his path this time . A simple disk wouldn’t be enough . He’d have to work with all three dimensions to even get a slightly accurate representation of his plan .

One of his artisan axes chiseled away most of the marble until what remained was an almost perfect sphere . With a Dao-empowered swing , the ball was perfectly cut into two , and Zac put one of the halves aside before turning his attention to the other . He swapped out his axe for a finer one and began engraving a series of patterns on the sphere .

The outermost layer of patterns were no more than a finger deep , and individual patterns were so small they were a tenth the width and height . A normal human would barely be able to make out the runes , yet each represented whole sets of fractals . Sometimes hundreds . The edge of the small axe moved with extreme precision , guided by experience and the Dao .

Years had passed since he completed the first layer of the Thousand Lights Avatar] , which allowed him to freely and naturally instill his body with the Dao . Just as he and Pavina theorized all those years ago , it provided noticeable benefits to his technique . Not only that , it proved useful in all kinds of scenarios , even carving blueprints .

Since Thousand Lights Avatar] had been practical beyond expectation , from channeling Daos into skills to improving his connection to his techniques , he’d kept cultivating it whenever he had time . And with the Moss Crystal’s incredibly pure source of spirituality , he’d already completed the second layer .

Today , his whole body was covered by a secondary soul instead of just having a skeleton framework . It was still mostly hollow , though . Even with a second Moss Crystal he’d arduously bartered from Mossy , in exchange for enormous attunement traps in space and mountains of Nexus Crystals , it would take years to fully flesh out the budding avatar .

For better or worse , Mossy realized its crystals were incredibly useful to things outside their one-ness , and they actively started working on creating more . With Zac’s attunement traps siphoning off all attuned energy to create Divine and Miasma Crystals , Mossy had more energy left over for that . The only problem was that the moss entity became noticeably smarter every time they conversed , though Zac had ultimately decided to take the risk .

Mossy’s Crystals were simply too magical , no matter if it were for himself or other Mentalists like Vilari . Soul Cultivation was an incredibly powerful path , and most cultivators’ defenses were on the weaker side against mental attacks . Problem was , Mentalists just took too much time to nurture . With Mossy providing crystals to the elites of the Atwood Empire , that weakness would be shored up .

The effects of the soul avatar were palpable , even if it wasn’t fully fleshed out yet . It was like the Heavens themselves were guiding Zac’s hand as one pattern after another appeared with blazing speed . Not even the laser cutters of Old Earth would be able to compare to the precision or pace Zac added engravings to the half-sphere .

In just a few minutes , the whole outer core was covered in dense scripts that emitted the familiar aura of the Evolutionary Cores he’d created over the past years . However , there were some differences here and there , so subtle Zac doubted any outsiders would spot them . They didn’t change much by themselves , but that was just the start .

Zac carefully flipped over the half-sphere and continued engraving . He began at the middle , released a small engraved nucleus from the center , and put it aside . From there , Zac removed a layer of marble before carving a set of runes , both familiar and foreign . More than the runes on the outside , they reminded Zac of the seals in his Void Vajra Sublimation] .

The whole inner pattern was carved , Zac then cut it out of the sphere , hollowing it even further . That section was placed aside with the nucleus , and three more layers eventually joined it . By that time , only the outer shell of the half-sphere remained , and Zac carefully put the five layers he’d carved back .

Each piece perfectly fit into the whole , creating an almost dizzying array of patterns . Zac studied the result with satisfaction . This was one of the most intricate designs he’d ever brought forth from his mind into reality , and it pushed his artisanal skills to the limits .

Zac spent the next thirty minutes studying the runes , confirming they really were a perfect representation of the core in his mind . As far as he could tell , the runes were all as they should be . Truthfully , he mostly relied on Ultom for a good chunk of the patterns within the sphere . After all , half of the patterns were a fusion of Conflict and the Void of Life rather than the Dao of Life , and that was mostly uncharted territory for him .

Since nothing was wrong , Zac placed a talisman on the half-sphere . With a small shudder , the six layers fused back together without needing any type of glue . With that , the first piece was complete , and Zac continued the same process on the other half before pushing the two back together .

Another talisman was placed on the cut , and the two pieces fused like they’d never been apart . Left behind was a single sphere with six layers of runes , including a nucleus , intricately connected in a way that created echoes of his path .

It was already lightyears ahead of his other designs , yet it was incomplete . Hollow . Moreover , it looked completely erratic from most vantage points , to the point it didn’t even resemble a real blueprint . But that didn’t mean he’d failed . It simply meant he hadn’t finished the core yet .

Zac placed the white sphere to the side before sending a nudge into his Specialty Core , letting Miasma spread through his body . The second part would be best carved in his Draugr form . After four hours , a second core joined the first . This one was made from black marble instead of white , and its patterns were unsurprisingly those of Death and Conflict . And like with the first core , it both felt complete and defective .

Only from one direction could Zac see the inexorability of his path . The other sides were bedlam , chaos that made no sense . This core was even more alien than the first . Half of its patterns were created with the Void of Death and fused with his Dao of Conflict in ways that would be foreign to anyone whose understanding was limited to the Apostate of Order’s fractal framework .

Zac already had some understanding of the Void of Life and how it affected his Dao after years of practicing his Void Vajra Sublimation] , but he didn’t have the same experience with the Void of Death . Zac suspected that would have to change going forward . Thankfully , Zac could extrapolate the connections through his understanding of Life , for now at least . So he somewhat understood the goal of the patterns .

The two orbs were placed on separate pedestals right in the middle of the spiral , with only a hands gap between them . They looked like two broken moons next to each other , hinting at something greater that seemed irrevocably lost . It even looked like he’d added unnecessary strokes and filler paths that served no real purpose .

But it was all a matter of vantage .

Zac slowly walked around the installation until Death was completely hidden by Life . There , the view was completely different . It was like everything clicked into place . The previously incomplete or unnecessary additions to the core were suddenly perfect , thanks to the juxtaposition of the core behind .

The Void of Death nurtured and completed the Evolutionary Core from within , just like the threat of death was the driving force for struggle in the wild . Similarly , the Void of Life completed the Inexorable Core on the other side . Without life , there could be no death . It was an Evolutionary Core . It was an Inexorable Core . It was neither and both .

A Quantum Core to contain his Trinity Path , made possible by Void and grasping for Chaos .

In truth , the core wasn’t two separate things , not really . It was impossible to engrave the concepts onto stone properly , so he was forced to take a shortcut . When it came to the real thing , it would be a single core with two states of existence .

When he was in his human form , the core would look like it did from the vantage of the white marble sphere : Life , Conflict , Void of Death . They didn’t actually clash in this case . The Void of Dao acted as a hidden booster , enkindling his path and stabilizing it . Life from the absence of Death , one could say .

When Draugr , the Cosmic Core would be in its other state , where Death and Conflict were supported by Void of Life .

It looked simple when he moved back and forth between the two sides . In reality , it was incredibly complex , deviating from anything Zac had seen . Even if he had 100 years , he would probably never have figured out these patterns . They relied on the concept of Void , which was mostly unexplored , and for a good reason .

To have an affinity to a Dao meant not having affinity to the Void of that Dao . No cultivator of Life would ever touch upon the Void of Life . He , as the Void Emperor , was possibly the sole exception in the Multiverse , which opened a door that was closed for everyone else .

And that still wasn’t enough to make this impossible core possible . The Kayar-Elu had created something equally impossible when creating his core and the Quantum Gate] . His body was in two states simultaneously , like two sides of a coin . As Zac was right now , he wouldn’t have been able to stably create this Trinity Core without the assistance of these impartments . His Technocrat inheritance was the key that would trigger its two states .

Zac couldn’t be sure , but he guessed this was the first and the last core of this type that would ever exist under the Heavens . Not because it was the most complex one ever created , but because of its impossible requirements . A paradoxical core for a paradoxical person .

Zac was filled with a sense of release . Years of toiling had led to this , and the result was exactly what he’d hoped for . Even after looking over the schematic , he couldn’t find a single mistake . Should Zac manage to create this thing , it would at least become a Middle-quality Cosmic Core .

It didn’t sound like much , especially in the face of the claims that the Perennial Vastness could help cultivators form Peak-quality Cores that would remove most of the bottlenecks of Hegemony . Ultimately , that was only true for normal elites with simple and unimpressive paths .

The heavier one’s foundations , the more difficult it was to form a High-quality core . The same was true for the complexity of your path . Even Iz only aimed for a High-quality Cosmic Core with her backing . For Zac to expect a Peak-quality Core right out of the gate was a fool’s hope . Still , managing to form a Middle-quality core , Zac’s short-term goals would be met .

Hegemony was similar to the E-grade in that it was divided into Early , Middle , Late , and Peak . But while the E-grade had 75 minor bottlenecks , D-grade had three major ones . After breaking through , you’d have an Early-stage Cosmic Core , which would last you until the first bottleneck at level 175 . At that point , you would have to upgrade your core , which was risky and difficult .

A failed attempt would damage and lower the quality of your core , which could waste centuries of cultivation . If you really messed up , you could destroy your core altogether and cripple your cultivation . But if you succeeded , you would break through to Middle D-grade .

Upgrading your core from Early to Middle-stage came with all kinds of benefits . First of all , your level limit would increase by another 25 levels , where each level provided more attributes than the Early-stage . With a Middle-stage core , you’d also be able to store and transmit far more Cosmic Energy , giving a huge advantage in combat since it could both power stronger War Regalia and skills .

For many , the true prize of breaking through was something else . Longevity . Your lifespan was more related to your core than your race in the D-grade . There were no pills for a quick breakthrough . Your race would reach C-grade upon passing the final bottleneck , upgrading a Late-stage Cosmic Core to Peak .

Each breakthrough before then would also add roughly ten thousand years of lifespan , far more than any Longevity Treasures could provide . Even those with no hopes of Monarchy or even later stages of D-grade desperately wanted to upgrade their cores at least one stage for this reason . But it was easier said than done .

The fundamental requirement to pass each bottleneck was the quality of your core . If you managed to form a Middle-quality Cosmic Core from the get-go , you had the qualifications to assault the first bottleneck the moment you were level-capped . If not , you would have to slowly work on the quality of your Cosmic Core until you were ready .

Cultivators could use their manuals to accomplish this . A Middle-quality D-grade Cultivation Manual could gradually refine compatible cores to Middle-quality without any risk , though it took centuries to millennia of cultivation . Mortals such as himself didn’t have that luxury . They needed to use treasures or risk everything by simultaneously upgrading the stage and quality .

Zac wasn’t confident about reaching Late Hegemony before Ultom , even with the opportunities provided by the sanctioned war . Breaking through didn’t only require your core to have reached the minimum quality , you also needed foundations and accumulations . For someone like him , he’d most likely need to upgrade his branches to Earthly Daos to act as the foundations for a Late-stage Cosmic Core . To reach that point in 3 years was simply too difficult .

But Zac felt the peak of Middle Hegemony doable , even if it would be incredibly difficult . The levels would be easy . Between pills and endless enemies during the war , he was confident in gaining levels quickly . There was no real bottleneck between levels either .

Normal Hegemons who entered D-grade with imperfect cores , either from relying on treasures or lacking understanding of their Daos , would find themselves unable to gain any levels before fixing the mistakes . But with a Cosmic Core perfectly aligned with his path and vetted by the wisdom of Ultom , Zac expected he’d be able to rush through the levels without any issues .

Of course , reaching that level didn’t mean he would be invincible . Having spoken with Iz and Catheya , Zac was certain the top geniuses would be Late D-grade with at least one Earthly Dao . However , with his unique situation and various advantages , he wouldn’t be like a fish on the chopping block .

Even if winning was hard to impossible , he should be able to make himself unpalatable enough to target that it wasn’t worth the effort messing with him .

Zac shook his head , his abyssal gaze turning back to the two spheres . These matters were all problems for the future . The first step was to actually create this impossible core . In reality , the process would be far harder than chiseling two marble blocks . The real thing was a single core , meaning he had to craft both sides simultaneously .

In other words , he would have to keep swapping back and forth between each side while forming the core . Because if he added too much in one of the two states without the other side to balance it out , the core would collapse . He would walk the tightrope for who knew how long if he wanted to create something like this .

Zac wouldn’t be surprised even if the process took years to complete . Years where a single slip of concentration would spell his doom . But if that was what it took , so be it . Zac was ready to meet the challenge to prove his path . A token with the rune for - Vast - appeared in his hand , and a smile spread across his face .

Not much longer now .

70

RETURN

Zac spent another hour looking at the cores before stowing them away in two boxes . Even if the center of the museum were where they belonged , he didn’t want to risk them being damaged or destroyed . He’d carry them with him , at least until he created the real thing . He left the inner sanctum and found Triv waiting just outside .

The ghost looked almost exactly like a posh Revenant butler by this point , though he was still translucent . His soul had benefited immensely over the past years thanks to the Eidolon Cultivation Manuals . As such , he gained better control over his previously slightly ill-defined form and had chosen an appearance more in line with Zac and the rest of the undead population .

I’m sorry to interrupt your cultivation , lord , - Triv said with a bow . - But I believe you would want to hear this . -

They’re back? - Zac asked with excitement .

Alas , Lady Vilari and the others have not yet returned , but another one has , - Triv said . - Your little disciple . -

Emily? - Zac exclaimed , the matter of his core almost completely forgotten already . - Where is she? -

She just arrived in your compound . -

Thank you , Triv , - Zac nodded before disappearing .

A moment later , Zac stepped out from the teleporter to a both familiar and foreign scene . As his cultivation sessions intensified , he’d spent less and less time here . The few times he’d taken a break to clear his head , he mostly traveled off-world to satiate his boredom and somewhat quench his growing desire for adventure . But for a moment , Zac felt he was back in that first year of the Integration as he found Emily standing there , waiting for him .

It'd been so long . For him , it was over 15 years since he saw his disciple , and it had almost been as long for her . Zac had worried for her a lot over the past years since there was no news forthcoming from the Big Axe Coliseum . He’d even asked his new allies from the Allbright Clan to keep a lookout in the Million Gates Territory and put some pressure on the leaders of the coliseum to find out what was going on .

She was so young when she left , and almost half of her life had been spent off-world honing herself . Unsurprisingly , Emily had changed a lot since Zac saw her last . She no longer looked like a feral child decked in warpaint and animal furs . Instead , she’d grown into a young woman just a head shorter than him . Her build had filled out a bit , even if she would be considered skinny compared to someone like Zac or Qirai .

There was no sense of frailty to that thin frame . A palpable feeling of danger emanated from her , like there was a storm trapped within her body . Her gear looked quite odd , a patchwork of strips of bright leather armor . She was a splash of color to his compound’s tranquil but slightly dull environment . Her hair was cut short in a practical pixie cut , and she was decked in all kinds of weird contraptions apart from her two tomahawks .

Emily grinned at Zac , but her smile turned crooked as tears pooled in her eyes . Zac didn’t say anything as he enclosed her in a hug .

You’re finally home , - Zac said as he lifted her from the ground . - I’m glad you’re okay . -

You too , - Emily said .

Is your mission to the Million Gates Territory over? - Zac asked as he put her down .

What mission? - Emily huffed . - We didn’t even manage to find a single infiltrator before our ship was ripped apart . -

What? - Zac yelled , a pang of worry filling him as he thought of Ogras and the others .

No , they should be fine . Otherwise , the progression of his quest would have stalled out . Zac shook his head and led Emily over to her home . The old camper that nowadays hung twenty meters in the air from a carefully pruned tree , with a large sundeck around it .

It’s still here , - Emily smiled as they jumped up and sat on a lounge sofa on the deck .

Of course , always , - Zac said . - What happened in the Million Gates Territory? Pirates? -

No , a spatial storm swallowed the whole flagship . I managed to survive inside an escape pod . Floated around for over a year , cultivating and trying to rebuild it so I could get out . -

Holy crap , - Zac muttered .

That’s nothing , - Emily grinned . - When I was finally rescued , it turned out the ship belonged to a bunch of Kan’Tanu . -

Zac frowned and leaned over , grasping Emily’s hand before she had a chance to react .

He infused coruscating waves of Life-attuned Dao through her body while scanning every inch with Mental Energy . But there was nothing , allowing Zac to breathe out in relief as he stepped back .

As I said , - Emily said as she lightly slapped Zac’s hand with a roll of her eyes . - I had to take them all out before I snatched their vessel . You know , I’m pretty powerful nowadays . There were even five Hegemons among them . One was a bit too strong , so I had to use most of your talismans to blow up a section of the ship and fly away when he was launched into space . -

That’s fine , I have more , - Zac smiled . - Then what happened? -

I sailed around for a few more months , but their ship wasn’t much better than my old escape pod . It broke down after just three jumps , but I did manage to reach a more populated region of space . I traded the vessel for passage with a pirate crew , and they took me to a space station . From there , I joined a mercenary crew , and they flew me out of the Million Gates Territory so I could teleport home . -

Zac looked at Emily with shock , and it almost felt like he saw her for the first time . The story was short and succinct , but he could tell a lot of hard work and hardships were hidden within those details . For example , trading a stalled Cosmic Vessel for passage? Most pirates would simply kill the lone survivor and take the ship . For her to walk out of it unscathed , she must have used both brains and brawn .

The same was true for the mercenaries , who were seldom much better than the pirates they usually hunted .

The mercenaries sent you back , just like that? - Zac said with surprise .

I was lucky to find one of the good crews . The captain was a former soldier of the Allbright Army . They mostly make a living hunting bounties and exploring the gates , but they have also started completing missions for the War Coalition lately . Besides , I presented them with a pretty good deal . You need to help me pick up a couple of people . -

Pick up? - Zac asked . - Who? -

I poached a few of those guys , - Emily grinned . - The captain was fine with it . He realized I had a decent background because of my items and talent . So , he sent me a few of the good ones , including his son . All are either talented Peak E-grade or Half-Step veterans . They’re pretty good and have a lot of experience in the Million Gates Territory if you ever go there . The captain has trained them in warfare as well . -

No problem , - Zac readily agreed . - We’ve already started recruiting some outsiders for the upcoming war . We have over 100 Half-Step Hegemons and four actual Hegemons in the Atwood Army , but we could definitely use more . -

They spent the next couple of hours catching up , with Zac telling Emily of his experiences in the Twilight Ascent , Orom World , and Void Gate . She looked almost green with envy at the - fun - he’d had , even if she’d been through quite the ordeals herself . Hearing that Zac started on the path of techniques , her eyes lit up , and she dragged him to a nearby clearing .

You’re just back , and you want to fight? - Zac said with some helplessness .

Show me that Evolutionary Stance of yours , - Emily urged . - And I’ll show you my Tempest Bop . -

Tempest Bop? - Zac smiled with a shake of his head as Verun’s Bite] appeared in his hand . - Fine , show me what the ogres back in the coliseum have taught you . -

Don’t get too shocked , - Emily grinned as over thirty small axes flew out from a small bag on her belt .

An axe array? - Zac whistled , watching the array start a deadly dance around her while she gripped her two tomahawks .

Vines? - Emily countered with surprise upon seeing Vivi make an appearance .

I guess we’re pretty similar , after all , - Zac smiled , realizing Emily had moved in a similar path as himself . The only difference was that she chose a weapon array rather than an armament to supplement her combat style .

Zac wasted no time as he stepped into the whirlwind of axes , using Vivi and Verun’s Bite] to gently push the flying axes out of the way . He was immediately impressed by the speed and complexity of the array . Axes came at him from every direction , like a swarm of wasps trying to sting him to death .

Emily proved herself quite competent at controlling the axes as well . Zac was continuously hitting them in a way that was meant to disrupt the tempo of the storm , but she adapted and righted the ship every time . Suddenly , a larger , gleaming edge appeared among the blur . A tomahawk aiming for his throat .

It flew right past him , a small step enough to avoid the hit . A second strike followed the first , but a vine shot up from the ground , aiming for Emily’s chin . She was forced to alter her swing , cutting off the vine . Doing so stole her momentum , though , and the axe array wasn’t enough to slow down Zac as he launched a counter-offensive .

Emily wasn’t so easily caught , even if she’d momentarily lost the advantage . A storm of blades forced Zac to slow and parry while Emily distanced herself . She was as elusive as the wind , flitting back and forth in the clearing . She worked in harmony with her array , only appearing when an opening presented itself , her strikes tempestuous and forceful .

Zac had his hands mostly full just dealing with the swirling axes , but he gradually started to regain control , forcing Emily to choose between a passive state or striking even when there were no openings . She chose the latter , trying to leverage her own attacks to regain control of the surroundings . But it was a losing battle .

Ultimately , Zac saw there was order to the chaos of the axes . The array was based on a set of cyclic patterns , something Zac was familiar with , thanks to his master . Their tempo rose and fell like the seasons . It still provided a surprising variance , like how no two summers were alike . But it wasn’t perfect .

Zac could tell Emily hadn’t reached the Integration Stage yet , and her cooperation with her array started to suffer when he pushed her . That created new openings , which ended with Emily being dragged to the ground by Vivi , Verun’s Bite] levied against her throat .

What the hell , you only used 70% of my attributes , - Emily panted , looking at Zac like he was a monster .

Don’t feel bad , - Zac smiled , helping her up . - I started this path over a decade ago . The fact you’ve reached this far in just two years , especially while stuck in an escape pod , is amazing . With some proper training , you’ll plug most of your weaknesses . It’s just . . . -

What? -

Are you the axe , or are you the storm? - Zac asked .

I am both . -

Then you need to work more on your actual axe-work , - Zac said . - I felt like I was inside a storm when you fought me , and I felt the tempo of your Seasonal Dao . But I didn’t really sense the deadly intent of the axe , the ferocity and indomitability . Let me guess , you haven’t fully comprehended Axe Mastery] yet? -

I was busy working on other things , - Emily coughed .

You really are my disciple , - Zac laughed .

So you’re saying my Tempest Bop was a mistake? - Emily looked a bit crestfallen .

Not at all , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - I did the same thing . A Monarch in the Orom World helped me fix my training method . Looking back at it , I don’t feel like I wasted time with my first iteration of my Evolutionary Stance . I found something I liked , something that resonated with my path . Thanks to that , I had a goal to work toward as I shored up my foundations . It’ll be the same for you . -

Shore up foundations , - Emily muttered , her eyes lighting up . - Right , and you’ll help me spar . I haven’t had any good sparring partners for years . -

Sure , - Zac said . - I’m pretty free over the next month or two . -

Zac wasn’t exaggerating . It wasn’t that he didn’t need to cultivate , but rather that he couldn’t . His Void Vajra Constitution] was already at the very limit of the third layer . A single rotation and he would break through and reach Minor Vajra Sublimation . But why would he? He only managed to form the first three layers of the technique with the light of Ultom , and he still hadn’t finished creating the fourth .

He’d hoped to use some leftover light from Ultom to finalize it , but his Void Core had used up his epiphany . Since he temporarily couldn’t continue with his Body Tempering after breaking through , he would rather wait to break through inside the Perennial Vastness . Doing so might give him a leg up during his stay there , like during his previous experiences .

The Twilight Ascent and the Orom World had awarded you for progressing , though the reasoning differed . Zac leaned toward the Perennial Vastness being more like the Orom World . The owner of the Immemorial Realm had to have some reason to invite innumerable cultivators to their domain , teleporting them halfway across the Multiverse .

They probably got something from observing the process of cultivators forming their cores , possibly observing elites from across the Multiverse in general . It wouldn’t be surprising if there were some kind of contribution system that awarded points for progress .

It was the same with his soul . Between the Moss Crystals and the attuned treasures from Iz and the elders of the Undead Empire , Zac had finished his third layer a century ahead of schedule . In fact , by the time he’d formed the nine sets of Outer-attuned Cores , the Inner Core was already halfway refined .

Since the Fourth Layer most likely was an undertaking measured in decades , even with a steady source of Moss Crystals , Zac opted not to break through a year ago and instead focused on his blueprint . As for his Thousand Lights Avatar] , it was gradually filling up on its own just by cycling the run-off energy of the Moss Crystal with the help of his Mental Energy . Cultivating the method would speed up the process , but it wasn’t something pressing .

Obviously , there were always things to work on when it came to cultivation , though Zac believed he’d be better off relaxing and clearing his mind now that he had a plan for his core . The rest could be dealt with inside the time-dilated environment of the Perennial Vastness .

Can’t believe you’re heading off to that Perennial Vastness just as I returned , - Emily sighed . - Am I just supposed to sit around here after that? -

You can help train the recruits , - Zac said . - You should also start considering your role in the war . With your skill set , you would do well both as leader of a strike team or as a general of a large army . -

You’re letting me go to the frontlines? Just like that? - Emily said , looking both pleased and surprised .

You’re not a kid anymore . Between your combat strength and support abilities , you are one of the most powerful people on Earth . I hope you can become someone our people can depend on . -

O-Of course , - Emily quickly nodded . - I swear , I’ll take this seriously . I’m done messing around like back then . -

Zac slowly nodded as he thoughtfully looked at Emily . She was right . It was easy to forget since her cultivation had drastically slowed down her aging , but she was already an adult and an accomplished cultivator in her own right . Even if he didn’t like the idea of Emily risking her life even further , he’d be doing her a disservice if he didn’t give her the same option as Vilari and the others .

There’s something else going on too . Something beyond the war . It might present an enormous opportunity , but it might also spell death . There is even a chance that just knowing about it will impact your fate , so you will have to think long and hard before deciding if this is something for you . -

No need . I can take it , - Emily said . - I don’t want to stay on the sidelines anymore . This is what I’ve trained for . -

Zac took a deep breath before telling Emily of Ultom , of the Left Imperial Palace and its subsidiary courts , and the upcoming trial . Emily first looked at Zac like he was crazy , but her brows slowly furrowed thoughtfully as he reached the part of forming a cycle .

Sealbearers? - Emily slowly said . - What are they supposed to do? -

I’m not sure yet , - Zac said , not without some helplessness .

He’d visited and exchanged letters with Vai and Leyara over the past years . With Vai , he mostly discussed research , where she’d helped him approach some problems from a new direction . As for Leyara , he tried to get her and her master to give up some more information about Ultom . But even after years of trying , he hadn’t managed to gain much .

I only know the inheritance will start in just over three years . Since I have a quest to gather people from the nine Outer Courts , I think there will be a teamwork component , but I can’t be sure . Either case , it will be incredibly dangerous with the powerful outsiders coming here . -

An ancient castle and Eternal Heritages , - Emily said , a smile tugging at her mouth . - These sealbearers , they’d have to be pretty impressive to get chosen by such a place , huh? -

I guess , - Zac said , his eyes suddenly narrowing with suspicion . - Don’t tell me? -

Don’t you know who you’re talking to? - Emily laughed as a Quest Screen appeared . - I’m more than halfway there already . -

71

RECRUITMENT

Zac looked with blank incomprehension at the quest telling him Emily had two pieces of the Seal of the Radiant Court .

I found the first piece while I still was part of the Big Axe Coliseum . I found the second one by chance soon after commandeering the Kan’Tanu ship . I was never able to find a third piece , though , - Emily huffed .

The System is keeping the final pieces as rewards during the war , - Zac said distractedly as he stared at his protégé . - So , you’re one of the four? -

What? - Emily said with confusion .

Nevermind , - Zac said . - Can you tell me what you used the epiphanies for? -

The first one was to create a skill and kind of understand my path in general . It helped me create my axe array later , - Emily said . - The second one was to recreate a Cultivation Manual I got from my teacher at the coliseum and form a blueprint for my Cosmic Core . I was afraid I’d end up stuck in space , so I was planning on breaking through in case my ship blew up or something . That way , I wouldn’t die from lack of oxygen , at least . I could just keep flying for a hundred years until I ran into someone . -

You’re resilient , I’ll give you that , - Zac laughed . - You’re getting ready to break through? -

I think so . I’m not in as big a hurry now that I’m back on Earth , though . I’ll probably spend a couple of months figuring things out , but I’ll make the attempt before the war starts . -

Don’t feel you need to rush it , - Zac urged .

No , it’s fine , - Emily said . - I feel it’s better even . This way , there’ll be a purpose to my breakthrough . I can protect the people around me . There’s no point to cultivation if I hide in some cave for a hundred years before emerging as a slightly stronger Hegemon . -

I guess you’re right . - Zac smiled . - Who knows , you might break through before me . -

And the student becomes the master! - Emily grinned before her eyes suddenly widened . - Oh crap , my underlings . -

The mercenaries? - Zac asked .

It’s been longer than I planned . The idea was to come fetch you right away , - Emily explained . - Can we go now? -

Sure . I could use stretching my legs a bit . -

The capital of Lua-lor wasn’t much different from the other cities you’d find on low D-grade planets of the Allbright Empire . There were the Halls of Light in its heart , the administrative building with its appointed mayor , which doubled as an academy for cultivators . Academia and governance were tightly related in the whole Empire , which had proven an effective method to retain talents within the Imperial Faction .

Many who graduated switched to employment within the Halls of Light , never giving the clans , sects , and businesses a chance to headhunt promising elites . Here , right at the edge of the Empire , the Hall of Light wouldn’t normally have as much prestige as in the central regions . In these chaotic parts , things were more fluid , and the power dynamics more complex .

With the war , the muddy waters had been cleared . Those who needed to be reminded which Empire they were part of had been reminded , and purges of problematic factions had taken place across the border . Zac didn’t care about any of that , though , as he and Emily walked the streets , taking in the surroundings .

The architecture was more simplistic compared to the inner regions of the Allbright Empire , even if they still leaned toward structures made with large walls of spiritual glass and white stone . But here , the rounded and artistic styles had given way to squarish practicality , and the protective arrays were often engraved right on the outside of the buildings .

Doing so was far cheaper than embedding it into the wall , though it allowed anyone to observe the patterns for weaknesses . Zac , who had enjoyed hundreds of bouts of synthetic enlightenment over the past years , could easily spot numerous weaknesses in most of the arrays . A simple punch would easily topple many of these buildings , even if they were supposed to withstand much more .

His vast knowledge of patterns was something Zac hoped to utilize more in the future , though he hadn’t decided how . He only knew it would be a waste not to benefit from all that knowledge after having finalized his blueprint . He even had a set of 72 artisan axes in his Spatial Ring that had proven useful on most materials .

He just lacked a crafting method that could allow someone with low Dao control to succeed . As it were , he could easily create F-grade or Early E-grade array disks simply thanks to his muscle control and skill with axes .

More powerful arrays required you also imprint continuous streams of patterns with Mental Energy and Dao , which was still beyond him . Zac had considered the possibility of creating Array Molds . He’d carve out a perfect mold , fill it with his Dao , and then imprint it on a clay disk or something similar . It was a bit like his method of forming Dao Braids .

Unfortunately , his few attempts at the idea proved unsuccessful , and the Volor Craftsmen weren’t optimistic that the method was workable . They said crafting was an art where you put your heart and soul into the item you created . Literally . Using molds was more like mass production without heart .

Even if you managed to create workable molds , they probably wouldn’t have the spirituality necessary for High-grade crafts . Zac even considered visiting the more brutish races of the Sector to see how they crafted , in case they had some ideas he could use . But when would he get the time for something like that? When he was dead , probably .

So , where are your guys? - Zac asked as he looked around .

I left them at a bar , - Emily said . - They’re either still drinking or sleeping it off in some alley outside . Although , with the current atmosphere , they might be in a drunk tank . -

Zac glanced at a squad of disciplined soldiers patrolling the street . - I didn’t expect the Dravorak Empire to have such a presence here . -

They apparently have one of their main bases in this neighborhood , - Emily explained . - This planet has become an exchange spot for Dravorak and Allbright . -

I see , - Zac said .

Luckily , they found the newest members where Emily had left them . The combination of adventurer poverty and Peak E-grade constitutions made it impossible to get overly drunk . There was almost an oppressive atmosphere at the table , but a few of them perked up upon seeing Emily .

Little Chief! - one of them exclaimed before looking at Zac , who’d donned a new identity with Million Faces] , curiously .

Only six of you? Where’s Monkey and Elenka? - Emily frowned as she looked around .

They . . . left , - another grimaced . - Didn’t think you were returning . -

I’ll find them , - Emily swore .

Don’t bother , - Zac shrugged before paying for a VIP room in the establishment . - They’ve made their choice . Let’s go somewhere more private . -

Inside , he threw out a set of arrays , sealing them from the outside . The six cultivators looked warily at Zac with a mix of confusion and speculation .

I want to begin by thanking you all for looking after Emily this past year , - Zac said as six Cosmos Sacks appeared on the table . - A small token of appreciation from her teacher . -

What looking after? - Emily muttered . - I saved their hides more than once . -

A few of the mercenaries picked up the sacks , and they immediately froze after scanning the contents .

Holy crap , - one muttered , looking up at Zac with awe .

For Zac , it was just a couple of crystals and natural treasures . The combined value of each sack was barely 1 D-grade Nexus Coin . Nothing for him , but a significant windfall for mercenaries eking out a living in this kind of environment .

Now , you have the same choice as your other two companions . You can either go on and pave your own path or join us . I’ll be clear , though . If you join us , it will be as part of our armies , and your freedoms will be restricted . The only reason we are recruiting people from the outside is for the upcoming war . -

What would our role be? - one of the men hesitantly asked .

Pilots , warriors , technicians , navigators ; wherever your talents lie . We don’t need meat shields , we need competent veterans who can help nurture and lead the large number of recruits we’ve added to our ranks . You have lived in the Million Gates Territories for decades , which means you know how to survive . That’s one of the most important skills of a soldier . Resources will be far richer than almost any faction in Zecia , and we are planning to hit the ground running with the upcoming war . There will be deaths , but I hope you can help us keep them to a minimum . -

Can you tell us which faction you belong to? - another man , who Zac suspected was the informal leader , asked . - Little Chie—ah , Miss Emily , never told us . -

No , - Zac said as he took out a token . - It’s complicated . But I can tell you that our leader is a close ally with both the Allbright Dynasty , the Peak family , and Zecian top factions like the Void Gate . -

The token had the seal of the Allbright Empire and emitted a unique aura that was incredibly hard to fake . The token essentially gave Zac the same status as a nobleman within the Allbright Empire , which came with all kinds of benefits . It was also a clear indicator of status , and the eyes of the six mercenaries widened in shock .

The token and the Cosmos Sacks were more than enough to convince all but one to join immediately . The leader didn’t move to accept the sack or join the Atwood Empire .

Little Bolt! - Emily glared as a tomahawk appeared in her hand . - Your dad told me to beat some sense into you if you started making trouble . -

No , that’s not it , - Little Bolt said before turning to Zac . - Do you need more? People like us , that is . -

We might , - Zac said . - But we don’t need scum or unorthodox cultivators . Even if they have some combat strength , they’ll cause more trouble than it’s worth . -

I have some contacts , but not here , - Little Bolt said . - Mercenaries , adventurers . Various types of people who make a living at the edges of the Million Gates Territory . Some are fairly decent , and I think many want to join something bigger now that things are going south . Better to lose some of your freedoms than being caught between murderous invaders and those War Fortresses . -

Zac thoughtfully looked at Little Bolt for a few seconds before nodding . He engraved a list of planets in the region he had access to , handing it over .

Any of these planets work? -

Kulga Soro , - Little Bolt said without hesitation . - We’ve traded there before , and none of the large empires have a strong presence there yet . I can move unhindered there . -

We’ll set up a base for you and provide a continuous source of resources , - Zac said . - Each useful man you recruit will provide Contribution Points you can exchange for resources . But beware , this region is about to become volatile . Kulga Soro is close to the border . It might get caught up in the war before you have a chance to escape . -

I’m aware . -

Ultimately , two mercenaries decided to follow Little Bolt to set up a recruitment station , and Zac sent them through the teleporter . He’d also send a squad of elites to help them get things started . Who knew , he might find some diamonds in the rough among the vagrants of the imperial border .

After that , Zac brought the remaining three back to Earth with Emily . Thankfully , sending people back home to his own planet didn’t have as stringent restrictions , and all five returned in a flash . The problem was sending people to places he didn’t control . Zac had already started nurturing a group of porters to lessen the pressure on him , but it wasn’t easy for his followers to gain access to new teleportation arrays .

The quintet appeared in the fort which had been built around the Nexus Hub to protect against any surprises now that there was more traffic . The crystal itself had already been hidden within layers and layers of arrays , while they emerged on one of six connected teleportation arrays .

One manned by two Revenants and a Raun Spectral , while the room was flooded with Miasma .

Y-You! - one of the mercenaries stuttered as he took three steps back . If not for Zac stealthily deactivating the array , he might have teleported back home . - What’s going on? -

Don’t mind them , - Zac said , his face turned back to normal because he didn’t bother resisting the restrictive arrays . - They’re just guarding the teleporter . -

Oh , that’s fine then , - a Peak E-grade cultivator called Shifty Ziv said , his voice dripping with sarcasm .

My energy , - Needle , a prospective pilot of the Atwood Navy , exclaimed .

Sorry about that , - Zac said as the guards walked over with three bracelets . - We have been forced to take a few precautionary measures with new arrivals . -

The next moment , the three Revenants , their Miasma completely fine under the restrictive array , placed the bracers on the mercenaries .

You— - the sole Half-Step Hegemon , Usko , said , his eyes thinning as he looked at Zac . - Why are you familiar? -

Let me re-introduce myself , - Zac said . - I am Zachary Atwood , the leader of the Atwood Empire , which you now are part of . -

Emily grinned . - You might know him as the Deviant Asura . -

What! That lunatic? - Shifty Ziv swore , backing away to the edge of the room . - You’re wanted all across Zecia . Send me back right now! -

No turning back now , - Zac said with a smile . - You should know those bracelets are designed to disintegrate you if you try to escape off-world through the teleporter . A safeguard to keep certain matters private . -

Like the Revenants? - Usko sighed , turning to Emily . - Ai , girl , what have you gotten us mixed up in? -

Well , the Revenants are part of the - complicated’ part I mentioned , - Zac said . - This is Earth , a Life-Death attuned planet . As such , we have both Revenant and spectral citizens in this faction . You’ll be working with both in the armies , so I hope you’ll put aside any preconceived notions you may have . -

All those rumors about Zac are exaggerated , - Emily added with a roll of her eyes . - The bounties don’t matter either . Only the Tsarun Clan dare hunt my teacher . And if even the big empires don’t care about the Revenants here , why should you? -

The Allbright know about the undead? - Usko said suspiciously .

The news may not have reached you guys inside the Million Gates Territory yet , but the Undead Empire has stopped their war . They are now working with the ancient empires to fight the invaders , - Zac explained . - Although , the undead here aren’t part of the Undead Empire . They’re citizens of the Atwood Empire . -

Teacher was the one who helped broker the peace , - Emily added . - That’s why he’s got such a high standing everywhere . -

I can’t believe this , - Shifty Ziv muttered . - I can’t believe I’m a prisoner of the Deviant Asura . -

I-I’ll work hard , - Needle stuttered as his hands moved toward his crotch . - I’ll teach you all I know about flying Cosmic Vessels . Just don’t— -

Just stop , - Zac groaned . - Like Emily said , the rumors are false . And even if I were a deviant , why would I go for three wretched-looking mercenaries? -

Now that I can believe , - Usko laughed .

Zac snorted before turning back to Shifty Ziv . - And you’re not prisoners . Everything I said before was true . I’ll send you over to some Wandering Cultivators who’ll catch you up to speed . I think you’ll soon find you made the right choice , even if it wasn’t what you expected . If you still want to leave afterward , you’ll be free to do so . But until I can trust you , the bracelets stay on for the safety of my citizens . -

Emily stayed with the unwitting conscripts to mollify their shock while Zac sent out a few orders to accommodate the trio . He wasn’t a fan of the prison bracelets he’d had all the outsiders wear after arriving at Earth , but it was hard to enforce System-generated contracts with people of equal or higher levels .

After becoming a proper Hegemon , his faction would automatically upgrade , and he’d be able to hire them all as outer elders with ironclad contracts . Until then , he’d have to be a bit heavy-handed . It wasn’t even that he was afraid people would find out about his undead followers . The news had already started to spread through certain circles .

It was more about resources . Two thefts had already occurred , leading to one enterprising Half-Step Hegemon escaping Earth with a battalion’s worth of cultivation resources . The second one who tried the same thing was killed during the pursuit . After that , Zac put the hammer down , forcing all recruits to wear the bracer for the time being .

In the following days , Zac spent most of his time either tutoring Emily or catching up on the various matters of Earth . He had all but sealed himself in his cultivation cave during the final years of his retreat , where he fully focused on his core . Thankfully , he’d always been a mostly hands-off boss , and his people had long since learned to manage themselves .

Emily was making incredible progress now that she had some proper guidance in technique . She reached the final level of her E-grade Axe Mastery] in just two weeks , and Zac could feel her daily progress . She probably wouldn’t reach the Integration Stage in the short run , but she definitely had a talent for techniques . It was just a matter of time and experience . She would get the latter in spades during the war .

Eventually , Zac received the update he’d be waiting for . The squad who set out into space three years ago were back in the Red Sector . Ogras had already returned and waited for him in his compound . Zac canceled his inspection of a military drill and made his way back to Port Atwood . He found Ogras lounging in his courtyard with a glass in hand like he’d never left .

The demon looked the same as before , though Zac could feel an increased pressure coming from his body . Zac guessed he’d either evolved a Dao or , more likely , broken through with his odd Body Tempering Method . However , Zac frowned when he saw the cursed flag fastened to his belt . It emitted a far-stronger aura than before , to the point Zac’s hair stood on end .

Zac could almost hear distant wails when looking at the rolled-up flag . His Immutability of Eoz] heated up a bit as well , nullifying some sort of weak curse-like effect it passively emitted . Zac put the matter aside , happier to see the demon alive than worried about him dabbling with the unorthodox .

You’re back , - Zac smiled as he sat down . - Nice to see you . -

Nice to be back , - Ogras grinned as he looked around . - You know , this place is really starting to feel like home , even if you’ve drowned half the city in death . Even the blue sky is starting to feel normal . -

Don’t get too attached . We’re leaving soon , - Zac said , taking out a vat of wine himself .

72

CHALLENGE

Thought you’d want to stay to the very end , looting and pillaging , - Zac commented .

Things grew too dangerous . Had to sacrifice my sweet Temptress to get away , - Ogras grunted as he threw over a docket . - That place is rough , and it seems like it will only get worse . By the end , even the pirates were running from the deeper regions . There are a lot of invaders in our waters already . Since we found more seals than expected , I decided to leave while we were ahead . Even then , we lost seven of our people . -

Zac sighed as he read the report . This was the price of progress . Each step was paved with blood , and not just of your enemies . Two Revenants , one Valkyrie , one demon , a Zhix , the Mavai Shaman , and a non-combat pilot had lost their lives . Each one the best of the best among the Atwood Empire’s elites .

I’ll make sure their dependents are provided for , - Zac said .

The losses hurt , but the gains were astronomical . Zac knew they’d found a lot of seals because of his quest , but he hadn’t expected there to be multiple sets of a few . If things continued like this , he might even be able to form two cycles . Perhaps even lend one to Iz if the price was right and she agreed to keep his followers safe . Then suddenly , a familiar name appeared on the docket .

Wait , Jaol? - Zac blurted , barely able to believe his eyes . - Is that real? A Technocrat navigator named Jaol? -

It’s all too real , - Ogras said , his mouth widening into a smile . - He’s being kept at the compound back on Crimson Edge . Didn’t dare bring a Technocrat here , even if he’s an exile . I have no idea if it’d create problems for you , or the faction in general , for that matter . -

I can’t believe it , - Zac whispered . - It’s really him . -

I knew it! - Ogras laughed as he slapped the table . - When I heard his story of how a shapeshifting lunatic appeared out of nowhere and blew up his ship , I knew it had to be you . How in the nine hells did that happen? -

It was the second-to-last level in the Tower of Eternity , - Zac said with a wry smile . - The System sent me out of the tower and onto a Technocrat ship that was leaving integrated space . I only realized midway it was real and not another trial . -

Sounds like the Ruthless Heavens , alright , - Ogras snickered . - It really doesn’t seem to like your ancestors . -

Looks that way , - Zac said with a helpless shake of his head . - I can’t believe that scaredy-cat became a sealbearer . Some of the other names are surprising as well . Carl Elrod , that’s the archer , right? -

That’s him , alright , - Ogras snickered . - Complained his way right into the Radiant Court . Either those things are more common than we thought , or your fate is even more useful . It’s almost like every person you’ve shaken hands with ends up with a piece or two . -

Wait , this doesn’t make sense , - Zac said as he read the report . - My quest is lacking one seal . -

What? - Ogras said with confusion . - Some of our people were doubles . Shouldn’t you be lacking three? -

Janos is back . He has the seal of the Mercurial Court , making it seven . Emily also returned with a seal , but it was the Radiant Court , like Carl . I have no idea who the final person is , though . -

There’s another one? - Ogras mused . - Your undead girl? -

I think she’d automatically become part of the Undead Empire’s team because of the commandments , - Zac said , though he wasn’t sure .

Shouldn’t be random assignments , either , - Ogras said . - We’ve heard some rumors . People are starting to realize something is going on because of the Kan’Tanu . They’re offering exorbitant bounties for sealbearers , except they don’t call them that outright . I heard the pirates have already turned a few in . If everyone who got a seal automatically got assigned to a Flamebearer , you’d probably have completed your cycle already . -

Then who would I know on the outside that might have a seal? - Zac muttered .

Someone in the Void Gate? - Ogras offered . - Some of them might have picked up seals , even if they’re saying they’ll stay out of it . -

Maybe , - Zac said . - Probably best we’d try to get a spare , just in case . -

We still have some time , - Ogras said before his smile widened . - So , Janos is alive , after all? That guy has nine lives . He keeps returning from the dead . -

You should swap pointers with him before we leave , - Zac said . - He’s lived inside an illusion for the past years . His skills have become quite terrifying . It might be useful with the direction your path has taken . -

I’ll visit him later , - Ogras nodded . - Are we still leaving in a month? I’m as ready as can be . -

You have a blueprint ready? - Zac asked .

Most of us sealbearers do , - Ogras said . - We knew the war and upcoming trial would become real slaughter-fests . We need to break through sooner rather than later , so we used some of the inspiration from the seals to pave the way . -

Zac wasn’t surprised . He’d done the same , as had Emily . For the people on Port Atwood , figuring out a top-quality design for a core blueprint was probably the best choice for the Ultom-provided epiphany . It wasn’t as exciting as unique cultivation methods like the Void Vajra Sublimation] , but it was practical for both their long and short-term prospects .

The core was the focus of the D-grade , and a proper blueprint and a viable long-term plan was the difference between being stuck right at the start of Hegemony and having a shot at Monarchy .

I’m pretty much done from my side . The only thing left is to check out the Limited Trial to see if I can gain a final burst of inspiration , - Zac said . - I haven’t heard back from Catheya , though . She might still be inside the Million Gates Territory . -

That’s fine , - Ogras said . - I’ll visit the crazy Tool Spirit and get the second piece of my inheritance . I’ve improved my Body Tempering Method , and I need more creatures . And if that bastard of a soul-whisp tries something this time , I’ll add him to my flag . -

Just be careful with that thing , - Zac said .

Don’t worry , I’ve finally found a path , - Ogras smiled . - Fake is real , and real is fake . Unorthodoxy is Orthodoxy . I’ll reform it before Ultom , though I’ll need to head deeper into the night before I can welcome the daybreak . -

I trust you know what you’re doing , - Zac shrugged . - I guess I’ll go deal with the Technocrat . -

I think you should check up on the spear lass first , - Ogras said with a shake of his head . - She’s not doing well . -

Joanna? - Zac said with a frown . - What’s going on? -

The spear cut through the air in an indomitable arc , soon turning into a mirage as one stab turned into one hundred . Activating Glorious Advance] moved her over two hundred meters in an instant . Her spear slammed into the hill , and it was like a bomb had erupted from its heart . A shockwave spread over a hundred meters in each direction as a cascade of weapons stormed out .

Left were broken trees and fragmented stone—a scene of utter destruction . Yet it didn’t help . Joanna still felt suffocated . Drowning . She didn’t know what else to do , so she continued swinging her spear , waging war on land to drown out the war raging in her head . Suddenly , an axe met her spear , locking it in place .

The collision pushed away the clouds of dust she’d kicked up in her desperate dance , showing Zachary Atwood standing opposite her . She couldn’t believe she’d missed his advance , so enraptured with her own problems . The two stood in place for a moment , neither saying anything .

I failed , - Joanna said , trying but failing to keep her voice stable .

Shame , despair , and irreconciliation filled her heart as she looked at the man in front of her . He’d grown calmer , to the point he seemed like a non-combat class cultivator . Yet there was an unfathomable depth to him that Joanna had never been able to sense before . It was almost like she was being sucked in , her very existence swallowed by his mere presence .

Once more , he’d elevated himself , climbing further up the ladder of cultivation . More and more , he was becoming a towering tree that protected the whole world . Joanna was happy for him . He wasn’t a genius when it came to cultivation , and neither did he have a backing like the scions of the more flourishing regions of the Multiverse .

Each step he’d taken , every morsel of strength seized , had been fought for . He’d walked down one perilous road after another , his life hanging by a thread . And it wasn’t even for himself , but for those around him . For Earth . For her and the other Valkyries so that fewer would die under his command . She was happy for him . She really was .

Yet her stomach felt like a pit .

This should have been her chance . If not to catch up to him , at least be able to see the same sky he did . To help him in the upcoming trial while reforging her fate like the others on the trip had . But three years later , she returned the same Joanna Thompson as before . A bit stronger , sure , but she certainly hadn’t spread her wings to fly .

Continue , - was all Zac said , and Joanna was happy to oblige .

There was one thing she’d realized over her journey over the past years . Zachary Atwood was fate incarnate . Fighting him was almost like fighting against the Heavens , which was exactly what Joanna needed . The sky filled with spears falling like rain while Joanna launched a ruthless offensive using everything she’d learned .

Each of Zac’s movements was a work of art as he almost danced through the battlefield , bending it to his will . She couldn’t touch the hem of his robes , even when she used skills while he didn’t . Soon enough , the ugly feeling she’d felt over the past year rose to the surface , and she couldn’t hold herself back anymore .

Vilari got one , - Joanna said as she furiously tried to at least land a hollow hit on her lord . - That’s no wonder . She’s the most talented one around . Rhubat , too , I can understand . But Rhuger? I’m just as talented as him , and his body is hundreds of years old , even if he is not . -

Zac didn’t answer . He only kept swinging his axe , his simple swings putting her under more pressure than the various deathmatches she’d survived in the Million Gates Territory . The whole area shuddered under a tremendous aura of war spread from his body , increasing the burden even further .

Ibtep got one . The worm-merchant , - Joanna continued with grit teeth . - Even a stinking Technocrat pirate we randomly ran into is a freaking sealbearer . And I failed . -

She wanted to shut up . She hated being so jealous and cynical , but the words that had stayed pent-up in her body just kept pouring out now that she’d started . No longer bothering with finesse or skills , she furiously beat at the iron wall of her opponent .

Since the day you saved me , I’ve struggled without a break . I’ve fought , I’ve bled . I’ve pushed myself beyond anyone else , both during the second Incursion and the mission to the Million Gates Territory . Yet I’m the only one to come back empty-handed! -

More strength , more speed , more precision . Just once . She wanted to hit him just once . Why was it so hard?

Is this it? Is this my fate? Was I deluding myself , thinking I could be something beyond a somewhat talented captain of a local faction? That I could soar into the sky with the rest of you? -

Her vision clouded , but her arms kept moving as she advanced with everything she had . If she could , she’d even burn her life force to give her a chance at this small , pitiful goal of hers . Because this was unbearable .

Why? WHY! - Joanna screamed , tears pouring from her eyes . - What am I missing? -

Then it coalesced , and Joanna found her spear sneak beneath the axe , piercing right through a vine before punching a hole in his robes . It wasn’t a real hit , but it was a hit . Joanna’s strength suddenly left her body , making her stumble . She lay on the ground panting , too emotionally and physically spent to move .

She saw Zac sigh and sit beside her , looking up at the sky .

Vilari gained the seal of the Anima Court , which makes sense considering her terrifying talent for Soul Cultivation , - Zac said . - Rhubat became the sealholder of the Tethered court . He’s the Chainbreaker , the one who ended thousands of years of suffering . He’s also consumed with breaking the chains of the Zhix to pave a path for them in this new reality .

Ibtep and Jaol both are sealholders of the Farsee Court . Both have inherent natures leaning toward exploration . Ibtep comes from an incredibly rigid race , yet he has the most insatiable curiosity of anyone I’ve met . Jaol has more to him than meets the eye as well .

Did you know that he somehow managed to flee the equivalent distance of a whole Sector through the Endless Storm , until he reached the Million Gates Territory? All while having actual Monarchs looking for him? You’ve seen what that place is like . To survive that journey as an E-grade cultivator , the Farsee Court sounds fitting .

Rhuger’s body is old , but Cervantes was possibly the most talented cultivator to ever have appeared inside the Mystic Realm . A place where the Tsarun Clan brought the greatest talents they could find to further refine their bloodlines . Cervantes cultivated the Dao of Lunar Light , while Rhuger cultivates Darkness . A perfect match to the Starfall Court that chose him .

To me , it doesn’t seem that the courts choose people based on combat strength but compatibility , - Zac concluded . - Fate , I guess . -

So I’m not fated , after all , - Joanna sighed , blankly staring at the sky . - So much for hard work . -

Zac looked down at Joanna , slightly smiling . - I’ve talked with some people who deeply understand the inheritance . I still don’t know much , but I know the name of the two final Courts that none of my people have . The first is the Daedalian Court . I don’t think it’s for you . You’re more like me , except you’ve focused even further on the path of War . That leaves one court . -

Joanna’s gaze shifted , seeing Zac take out a wooden seal , expertly carved and radiating a fierce aura . - This one , I think , might be more suited to you . Here . -

If things were this easy , - Joanna lamented , but she still accepted the carving .

The rune was one she’d seen before . It was one of the nine that haunted her dreams since the Ensolus Ruins . Yet , for some reason , it looked different this time . Was it because Zac had infused his Dao into it , somehow giving it new meaning? It felt incredibly imposing , like a sea of soldiers bearing down on her .

What’s . . . this one called? - Joanna asked .

The Indomitable Court , - Zac said as he stood . - I refuse to believe you’re not fated for more . I’ve seen you walk down your path with conviction and determination that would shame most scions of the Multiverse . I rather want to believe your stage has not yet been set . Seeing that seal , where do you think you’ll find it? -

The battlefield . . . - Joanna instinctively muttered as she looked at the oppressive rune .

The battlefield , - Zac nodded , looking down at her . - Not some old ruins in the middle of nowhere . On the battlefield , where you are the closest to your path . So don’t lose hope , and don’t give in . Don’t bother with the path of others . We all have periods of rapid growth and periods where we slow down to digest what we’ve accumulated .

Believe in yourself , that your time is still to come . -

Zac’s heart was heavy as he left Joanna to her thoughts . He’d sounded confident speaking to her , but he really didn’t know if he was just making things up about the Indomitable Court . There was a real risk of her not being fated with the inheritance of the Left Imperial Palace . As to whether it was because of lacking affinity or lacking talent , it was hard to say .

This was the reality of cultivation . The Multiverse wasn’t lacking for hard-working and dedicated cultivators . Yet few even reached Hegemony , let alone the higher grades . It was hard to say why some managed to continue climbing while others found themselves stuck , even though they outwardly seemed of similar backgrounds . Talent , dedication , opportunities , luck . Not a single piece could be missing or you’d get dragged under by the river of fate .

Cultivation was ultimately to go against the natural order , to steal from the Heavens . How could it be easy?

Zac could only hope that Joanna would keep going and not give up on herself and her path . Her situation was a tribulation of a sort , one of the heart . Either she’d emerge stronger or lose her direction , most likely killing her momentum . It wasn’t something his wealth or treasures could solve , and he wasn’t qualified to do more than give some words of encouragement .

He was supposed to teleport back to the border of the Million Gates Territory by this point , to deal with Jaol and the other recruits Ogras had picked up for his - Shadewar Armada . ’ But he felt suffocated after seeing Joanna , like he was drowning . He felt a desperate need to push back against fate , so he set course for Ensolus .

To this day , not a single person had passed the final level of the Gates of Rebirth , no matter if it was through the Gate of Life or the Gate of Death . Even the fifth layer seemed out of reach , with less than five entries on each ladder . The final layer was regarded as an impossibility , a hoax to punish hubris .

That would change today .

73

GATE OF LIFE

Soon enough , Zac appeared in Rebirth City . Today , it was a sprawling settlement only dwarfed by Port Atwood and a few other cities on Earth . It was the de-facto capital of Ensolus , even if Sandy , the second Stargazer recruited to administrate , and the Nexus Hub were still located at Fort Atwood .

It was a natural consequence of its proximity to the Gates of Rebirth and the result of a strategic decision to keep Fort Atwood separate from the trial and commercial ventures . Even Hegemons would require days to reach Fort Atwood from Rebirth City , giving his people ample time to prepare in case someone wanted to try something .

Not that some random Hegemon could take over Fort Atwood . Not even a Late Hegemon could break inside in short order with the immense resources put into its defenses . By the time the Assimilation came around , Zac wanted to have protective measures prepared even for Monarchs .

The streets were quite empty for what one could expect from a city of this size . There was certainly foot traffic , but few of the pedestrians had a powerful aura . It was mostly F-grade civilians heading to work or getting some tasks done , with E-grade auras being incredibly rare . It wasn’t a unique scene for the City of Rebirth . The same thing could be observed across all of Ensolus and Earth .

The clock was ticking , and the Atwood Empire War Machine was running on all cylinders . Dozens of war games and exercises were happening throughout the two planets . In forests , in cities , the ocean , even the Underworld . The Flotilla of Atwood Empire ships had grown to over 100 vessels , an absolutely shocking number for what essentially was an Early D-grade force .

The bombardment of the Creator Vessels alone could blow up a planet or dismantle a Middle D-grade force in a matter of minutes . Even a Late Hegemon would be turned into mincemeat if he let himself get caught in the crossfire .

By now , those willing to fight for the empire had already joined the army , either as temporary or permanent fighters . Those with the means but lacked the will weren’t allowed to slink away from the upcoming threat . After a year of waiting , they’d been conscripted whether they liked it or not , losing out on the best resources available at the training camps .

The forceful approach created some uproars , especially among the humans on Earth , but they’d been quashed . Some considered Zac a tyrant by this point , but he didn’t care . His people needed to be whipped into shape . Still , it created an oppressive atmosphere in his empire , which only exacerbated his mood as he walked toward the huge half-circle in the distance .

Lord Atwood , - the guards outside the trial said with a bow .

Are there any slots remaining? - Zac asked .

Following procedure , there are ten remaining of today’s allotment , - the guard replied , clearly looking expectant .

I’m going in . Keep one open on the other side as well , just in case , - Zac said .

Of course , - the guard nodded , and Zac stepped into the Gate of Life .

Zac didn’t know what he’d expected when entering the Gates of Rebirth , but it wasn’t the dark and blisteringly cold tundra that stretched out in every direction . The ground was covered in a sheet of black ice , and Zac felt tendrils of death trying to burrow into his bare feet and steal his strength . This was just the first layer , though , and Zac’s Void Vajra Constitution was more than enough to rebuff the effect .

The cold tendrils couldn’t withstand the raging vortex of Life that always lived inside his cells , and Zac started down the sole path in the whole realm . He didn’t know how he knew , but there was a gate at the end of the road . Passing through meant passing the first layer of the trial . Each step infused his feet with another burst of cold , but Zac kept speeding up .

He only had six hours for the whole trial , and Zac had no idea whether time worked differently inside . Besides , the quicker he passed the whole thing , the more time he would have in that state of epiphany the previous trial takers mentioned .

It soon became clear there was some dilation at play as there was no end in sight , even after rushing for over two hours while using Earthstrider] . The endless tundra appeared the same , and there were no real markers that could confirm he was moving at all . The only thing that changed during the journey was that the cold grew more intense and deadlier .

Still , it was far from enough to hamper Zac’s progress , and he made an impressive time by relying on Supreme Nexus Crystals to activate his movement skill continuously . Experiments had long since confirmed that people could use items inside , and Zac’s Spatial Rings were stocked with enough supplies to keep fighting for decades if need be .

Eventually , there was a change as Zac started spotting figures in the distance . There were humans , beastkin , and all kinds of races , shuffling about . They were all stark naked , their bodies covered in cold sores and frozen blood . They were mindlessly stumbling in the same direction as Zac . But when approached , they turned their heads toward him , their arms reaching to grab him .

Zac hesitated only for a moment before taking out a club . He’d already realized where this place was . It was Naraka , one of the Hell Realms depicted in Buddhist mythology . It was essentially purgatory and the lowest of the six paths of reincarnation . Zac didn’t know if the trial was actually Buddhist or if its challenges were just modeled after their beliefs .

Perhaps it was unavoidable for a trial of this nature . According to his conversations with the Undead Empire , the Dao of Samsara was one of the main branches of the Sangha . It was their method to harness the Daos of Life and Death , bringing them away from the Dao of Chaos and toward the Dao of Order . Imposing a cycle of reincarnation , making random chance predictable .

In fact , that was one of the reasons the Undead Empire chose to side with the Blood Clan all those years ago . The Primo already had reasons to target the Sangha because of their claim on the Dao of Death . Something was going on at the peak , where the cultivators asserted some control over the Grand Dao itself .

For example , if the Eveningtide Asura ever reached the very limits of cultivation , like the Apostates , he might actually impact Zac’s Daos . According to Alvod , Life was not life , and Death was not death . How could that mesh with Zac’s path of purity? And with Alvod reaching the limits of cultivation , the Dao would shift in his image .

That was what happened with the Elemental Daos and the Apostate of Mercy , and it was a source of constant conflict among the factions at the top .

In either case , the fact the first layer of the Gates of Rebirth was modeled after Naraka provided Zac with some clues about the trial . First , it meant these people were tormented sinners who were slowly moving toward a chance at rebirth . They would have to suffer for a nigh-eternity before expunging Karma and moving on to the upper realms .

Cutting them apart with Verun’s Bite] felt too ruthless , especially since they were weak . Any Peak E-grade cultivator could easily force his way through the gauntlet of ice-bitten damned . A light tap with a club was enough to throw them away . And Zac was moving far quicker than these people were , making it impossible for them to catch up .

The hours passed until there was finally a change in the scenery . Zac vaguely made out that the darkness deepened in the distance . And soon he realized it was a towering mountain of black ice . By the time he reached it , roughly seven hours had passed , and Zac suspected it wouldn’t be much longer .

The whole mountain was covered in damned souls , their bodies completely disfigured from the cold . All climbed toward the peak , a scene reminding Zac of his Pillar of Desolation] . Zac followed suit , each jump taking him dozens of meters farther up . Eventually , he passed through a thick cloud of extreme cold , which placed him on the peak .

A swirling gate filled with the warmth of Life waited for him there , and Zac passed through it after taking a final look at the world around him . Entering didn’t immediately move him to the next trial . Instead , Zac found himself in a comforting world of gold . Hundreds of Lifegiving streams gently caressed him , and he was filled with a sense of warmth and tranquility .

It was the sensation most trial takers described after emerging . It was impossible to tell whether he was floating inside an ocean or in space . All was Life . Zac didn’t get a chance to enjoy the environment for long before a screen appeared in front of him .

Gate of Hell passed . 5 : 38 remaining . Continue?]

Just over eight hours had passed in the first trial , yet only twenty-two minutes passed in real-time . Zac guessed each hour outside meant one day inside the trial , though there were no guarantees the subsequent trials would be the same . Not wanting to waste a second , Zac chose to continue .

If he’d chosen no , he would most likely have gotten to spend the rest of the time inside this golden womb . It wasn’t bad , but the intensity of the environment simply wasn’t at the level where it could allow him to make any significant gains to his Branch of the Kalpataru . Zac felt it more at the level of the threshold between a Dao Seed and a Dao Fragment .

Though that may sound extremely weak , it was worth remembering that most cultivators entered the E-grade with an Early Dao Seed rather than an Early Dao Fragment . By the time these cultivators reached Peak E-grade , if they ever did , this first layer may have been useful to push their Daos further .

The moment Zac made the decision , a powerful tug encircled him and he was dragged into a black vortex . The surroundings shifted , and Zac found himself standing on another road . He’d arrived in some sort of ancient ruins , with most buildings being so run-down that only the foundation remained .

A haze covered the surroundings , making it impossible to see farther than a hundred meters . Like last time , Zac instinctively knew where he needed to go . He started running down the sole path toward the next gate . Another road , another journey toward rebirth .

The hazy mist contained a bit of deathly drain , but Zac was surprised to find it wasn’t even at the level of the ice of the previous realm . It didn’t take much longer before Zac was met with the real challenge of the trial . A prickling pain flared up his left arm , and a noticeable drain of energy followed .

Looking down at the spot , Zac couldn’t see a thing , yet something had latched onto him like a leech . His club would do him no good here , but circulating his Branch of the Kalpataru had an immediate effect . Zac vaguely heard a pained wail , and the drain disappeared . As expected , a hungry ghost of the second realm of reincarnation .

Only a minute passed before Zac felt another tug . This time , Zac used his Branch of the Pale Seal . The result was similar , but it took a bit more Dao to rebuff the invisible ghost . His Branch of the War Axe was just as effective as his Branch of the Kalpataru , but that was probably because it was a stage higher .

The hours passed as Zac ran through the ruins , where an increasing number of ghosts assaulted him . Eventually , he had to circulate his Dao Branch continuously , but it barely cost him any Mental Energy thanks to the Thousand Lights Avatar] . Zac estimated most people would be fine in this kind of environment if they had a somewhat tempered mind and a Dao Fragment or two . Those with only Dao Seeds would likely find themselves under strain , and reaching the end would be challenging .

There was a second challenge to the trial as well . The second path of the cycle of reincarnation was the Preta , and it was filled with people who’d given in to desires . Occasionally , Zac would get a whiff of something alluring in the distance , like powerful natural treasures . It seemed as though he could get all kinds of benefits if he just took a small detour .

That wasn’t enough to move Zac’s heart , and he refused to step off the path . He had a strong feeling that while leaving the path was easy , stepping back onto it would be far more difficult . Even if he found the treasures , he would have wasted a bunch of time . And most likely , the treasures weren’t even real .

The second layer took almost exactly as much time as the first . It was even a few minutes faster since it was easier to walk on gravel than the ice of the first layer . Zac wasn’t exhausted , either . He’d used a good chunk of Mental Energy because he opted to simply rotate his Dao continuously rather than only when bitten . It was a bit wasteful , but he had mountains of Soul Crystals .

Thanks to that , he was fully topped off when passing through the gate . Zac found himself in the golden ocean of Life once more . It’d grown slightly more condensed , but it wasn’t enough for his purposes , so he continued on .

The third layer placed him in a sweltering jungle , and he was beset by an almost deafening clamor of millions of different beasts . After the previous realms , Zac didn’t expect such a lush environment , but he soon got an answer as a tiger came lumbering over . It seemed like a living creature but emitted a palpable aura of sinister rot . Getting hit by that thing would be noticeably worse compared to the draining ghosts .

With a thunderous roar , it lunged for Zac , its claws veritably oozing killing intent as though it were poison . A deep thud was followed by a pained yowl , and the beast was flung into the bushes by a lazy punch . Zac frowned as he looked at his hand , seeing a dark haze swirl around it . So even hitting these guys left sinister energy on your body .

Like before , Zac was easily overqualified for the level , and a bit of Dao was enough to cleanse his hand . The trusty club made its second appearance , and Zac set out , leaving a path of clobbered beasts in his wake . The tiger was just the first of many , and Zac made a few discoveries along the way .

The more you wounded the beasts , the more of their fell aura you had to deal with . But if you tapped them too lightly , they’d be back for more in no time . They weren’t cowed by killing intent and a domineering aura either . They were as aggressive and stupid as beasts came .

Ultimately , it took Zac just over nine hours to reach the end , the few scrapes and bruises he’d accumulated mostly healed already . That was the benefit of having a Life-attuned Constitution at the peak of the second layer .

The breakthrough had only increased the base attributes by a factor of ten , which meant 50 Base Attributes , 100 points in Vitality , and 50 points in Endurance . That was barely noticeable for Zac , whose defensive attributes far eclipsed 10 , 000 . But the recovery factor was a separate impressive boost .

The whirlpools in his cells were more than two-thirds gold by this point , and the flakes helped his body naturally heal almost 30% faster than before . He saw similar results when Healers of the Atwood Army used Life-attuned blessings or healing skills on him . They simply worked better on his constitution .

Zac really looked forward to reaching the Minor Sublimation of the Void Vajra Sublimation] . He suspected it would give an even greater boost to these features since his body would officially become Life-attuned .

Having passed through the realm of animals , and thus the three lower realms of the sixth paths , the golden world had grown noticeably stronger . Yet it wasn’t enough . Zac wasn’t aiming for just the upper realm . Joanna’s plight still echoed in his heart , and the first three layers had been far from enough to alleviate the stuffy feeling in his heart .

Be it the challenge of humans , Asuras , or Devas—they wouldn’t be enough . Even the Devas were ultimately chained down by the bhavacakra . Only by snapping the chains of fate and leaving the cycle would he get rid of this feeling .

He needed to break into Nirvana .

74

BREAKING THE WHEEL

Zac continued through the Gate of Life like a bulldozer . As expected , the fourth trial was the realm of man . He was met with innumerable familiar faces . Friends who tried to slow him down , enemies who attempted to impede his path . A million voices clamored for his attention , each wanting to siphon some of his speed and Life .

An illusion and combat trial mixed into one , and Zac crushed anything in his path . His heart had been tempered by the Remnants and later his Void Vajra Sublimation] . Even when he found himself standing in front of Thea and Kenzie by the end , he passed them by without a ripple in his heart .

The fifth layer , the layer of the furious Asuras , was more straightforward . Each step had to be taken over a corpse . The club was no longer enough , and Zac was forced to take out Verun’s Bite] . The axe keened with excitement upon finally tasting flesh , and roars of supremacy echoed through the endless battlefield of the fifth layer .

It was also a good opportunity for Zac to shake off some of his rust . The fifth layer was the final challenge of most elites of his faction , where they were forced to go all out to reach the end . For Zac , it wasn’t that desperate , though he found himself forced to fight seriously .

The six-armed Asuras fought with both ferocity and skill , using all kinds of techniques aimed at killing or at least maiming . Zac , in turn , opted to counter with his Evolutionary Stance . It was good practice , and Zac came to understand that his combat style , which was partly based on the Dao of Life , was quite effective at dealing with these demonic beings . He became one with his path . Each swing was a birth that ended in the death of an opponent . He was unmatched , creating a path of carnage that echoed with Life and Conflict .

Zac hadn’t specifically trained in techniques that much since secluding himself six years ago , but that didn’t mean he hadn’t improved . Simply filling his body with his soul made it easier to enter that illusory state of oneness that he first encountered when being pushed by Kaldor inside the Orom World . Now , he didn’t even need to be in a desperate fight to become one with his path .

It came naturally as his Daos were allowed to circulate through his spiritual body . His study of patterns had also elevated his skill and refined his technique . Everything was connected . The patterns he’d drawn when trying to figure out his Cosmic Core were echoes of his path , just like his Evolutionary Stance .

As his patterns grew more exquisite while removing imperfections , it didn’t only mean he was getting closer to a working blueprint . It meant gaining a deeper understanding of himself , of his Dao , and how it all fit together . Vivi’s vines were a web of carnage , seemingly everywhere at once while Verun’s Bite] delivered death .

Zac could see it , the shadows of his core manifesting in his attacks . He somewhat sensed it while sparring with Emily and Joanna , but it wasn’t as palpable then . Some things could only be figured out on an actual battlefield , and Zac was awash with inspiration as he progressed .

His speed of advancement gradually slowed , but Zac didn’t care . There was a risk of him not remembering this when emerging , but he didn’t care about that either . He was consumed by the feeling of rebirth through struggle , and his Evolutionary Stance shifted by the second , moving closer to the truth .

Even Vivi seemed to feel a change , and Zac sensed how she started to absorb more and more energy from the World Ring she and Haro resided in . Zac was shocked but delighted at the scene . The matter of Vivi’s waning life force was always a matter of regret in the back of his mind . If possible , he really wanted to accomplish what Heda had thought impossible—to allow Vivi to break through .

At least once more would be enough . It would allow Vivi to live for tens of thousands of years longer . Allow her to see Haro , who had essentially become Vivi’s daughter after years of nurturing , grow from a small sapling into a great Plant King . To that end , Zac tried all kinds of things , from providing Longevity Treasures to burying energy-dense Beast Cores and Natural Treasures in the ground around her .

But nothing had worked—until now .

For some reason , Vivi was gaining inspiration alongside him , from her vines following the true and perfected paths of Life and Conflict . He was like a guiding hand , leading Vivi toward the Grand Dao . And since she finally showed an appetite after a decade of barely eating , Zac was happy to oblige . The huge energy catchers around the moon provided him with an almost endless source of Divine Crystals , and mountains of them entered his World Ring while he continued with his carnage .

The hours passed as Zac’s technique shed its weakness and was reborn stronger . Zac barely registered his surroundings , only vaguely ensuring he didn’t step off the path as he advanced . Eventually , Zac realized there were no more enemies to fight . He already stood in front of the gate with an endless trail of corpses strewn in his wake .

Zac didn’t immediately pass through , content to absorb what he’d experienced . Only a few hours later did he open his eyes . By that point , Vivi had stopped absorbing energy . Zac could tell she was still unable to evolve into Hegemony , but she felt more vibrant than when he got her from Heda .